Another Face of Jos Crisis

I hesitated for a while before blogging about the Jos crisis again because of my latest discovery about the crisis especially as it concerns the media coverage of the whole event as I did not want to help this evil agenda of those who are aptly described as the cabal of Nigerian politics who will stop at nothing to plunder this nation through corrupt leadership. I decided to write this so that the world will read between the lines of the media coverage of this crisis.

Let me quickly say here that this piece is not meant to make light of the happenings in the state especially since November 2008, I cannot in any way make light of it because I have been affected by the crisis personally. May be I should say here that the two of the three young boys on national service murdered in 2008 were members of my Church and I had a chat with the three of them in Church the Sunday before they were brutally killed, it doesn’t get closer than that. But I must say here that the January 2010 crisis which seem to have continued till this moment has been hijacked by some unscrupulous politicians in conjunction with the media to conceal some equally crucial if not more critical national crisis. The media has been complicit in this crisis and the love for rumours by Nigerians comes in handy. Did you receive the sms or email about the acid rain purportedly issued by NASA? Well I can authoritatively inform you that the mail did not originate from NASA, my staff checked the NASA website and there was nothing of such. Back to Jos crisis, for anyone who resides outside Plateau State, the impression being given is that Jos city is actually in a war situation with shootings and sounds of explosives all over the city. I have to send a mail t0 Channels Television to complain about the manner they reported the carnage in Dogo Hawan where innocent people were killed, the impression the media gave the whole world was that this was happening in Jos as this will create a more alarming situation than it being reported as happening in a village.

I see a hidden agenda in all of this as the media has filled both the print and the electronic media with the Jos news to the total neglect of the where about of the President of the largest black nation on earth. I would have loved a situation where the happening in Plateau state is reported as a fraction of the major constitutional crisis which the nation is currently facing. Those who want to keep this nation bound to the stone age are using the Jos Crisis to divert the attention of the nation away from the Yar’ Ädua saga which in my opinion is most crucial right now – Jonathan acting as President not withstanding. If we are not careful we will in our usual manner forget this cancer growing in our system, we must not focus our attention on ringworm when cancer is ravaging our system. Infact the situation in Jos is not unconnected with our defective national arrangement. These power drunk humans are working over time to make sure that the crisis in Jos does not stop either by fuelling tribal and religious sentiments in the media or out rightly sponsoring those jobless and vulnerable  citizens, arming them with weapons so that the nations attention is kept away from Abuja and focussed on my beloved city.

The main issue which I believe should be on the lips of every Nigerian and which should colour the pages of newspapers and splashed on TV screens is the Yar’Adua issue and not Jos crisis. The Jos crisis if it is going to be reported should be reported as a microcosm of this constitutional crisis facing our nation – THE WHERE ABOUT AND HEALTH CONDITION OF  PRESIDENT YAR ADUA.

In Search of Peace

It is no longer news that my city Jos has been experiencing all kinds violent activities recently. This has been called by various names from ethno-religious to acts of genocide or ethnic cleansing. It is normal at times like this to have various attempts at restoring peace; I must mention the laudable peace march staged by the women in Jos lead by my good friend Mrs Esther Ibanga, it is a sign that our nation is coming to terms with the need to take our destiny in our hands and not leave in the hands of the band of looters called politicians. I sat with an old friend of mine who breezed in from the UK this afternoon and our discussion brought home to me the seriousness of the situation in Jos City and all the attempts being made to restore the peace. I just have this uncanny feeling that there must be a solution somewhere in the midst of all the gory tales of killings and maiming since all these are perpetrated by human beings.

It is my belief that every human problem will always require a human solution.Human solution begins with appreciating the value of humanness and creating an environment where humans can fully express their humanness. People are humans first before they are either males or female, Christian or Muslim, Lawyer or Doctor, white or black. This environment is made possible where JUSTICE is allowed to hold sway in areas on endeavour. One reason why the crisis in Jos and in every place where such persists is because there has not been a single case of conviction in the previous crisis and if there is any compensation for suffered losses, it is shrouded in secrecy because of the double standard measures employed. There are times also when we totally miss the mark as regards what JUSTICE is. It is erroneously seen & interpreted as a situation of equality and where everyone gets the same thing. It is my considered opinion that if every one gets the same thing in any society, it is the height of INJUSTICE. I believe JUSTICE is creating an environment where everyone gets what they deserve – the one who errs faces the full wrath of the law, the one who is wronged gets adequate compensation, every sector of the society receives developmental projects which are relevant to their ecological realities. I recently saw a news item where some northern youths were clamouring for the release of the former CSO to General Sanni Abacha (which I support because the trial has become a charade), but I was  miffed when I heard their grounds of protest – IT IS THEIR OWN WAY GETTING AMNESTY SINCE THE NIGER DELTA MILITANTS ARE RECEIVING AMNESTY . In as much i do not agree with the amnesty program because it is lacking in sincerity, but to compare a murder suspect with a Niger delta militant in the name of JUSTICE is a glorious display of ignorance – it is more like comparing apples and oranges because they are both fruits.

What we need in Nigeria is the appreciation of the Principle of fairness which my friend Dennis Bakke aptly defined as a situation where everyone does not get the same thing but what they deserve. One of the evil policies that must be removed from our national experience is that of Federal character, it goes against sound reasoning and makes nonsense of excellence and healthy competition which releases society’s best for governance and leadership. I don’t believe there will ever be a situation where a Muslim will ever agree with a Christian, or an Ibo man with a Hausa man, but an atmosphere of JUSTICE might not make them agree but will sure erode all fears of domination by the other. An atmosphere where both can improve themselves educationally, engage in righteous economic activities. There is no one who will burn houses or loot shops if he has any of those.

People kill and maim when they feel deprived or nurse the fear of the likelihood of being deprived. This is what will solve the Niger Delta problem, bring peace to Jos City, eliminate Boko Haram and make Al-Qaeda jobless. I used to believe this is all about religion and our love for our God in whatever form in which we see Him. But I have come to see now that  there are no religious crisis any where, people don’t love God that much and God is well and able to fight His battles, it is all borne out of fear of domination by the other people – religion is just a tool used by people to further their selfish desires.

There is no prayer potent enough nor is there a legislation or decree popular enough to bring peace – ONLY JUSTICE CAN.

Quick one for Goodluck Jonathan

Dear Mr Acting President,

I believe you would have heard this for umpteenth time that which I also believe you know that not many people have the sort of opportunity which fate is offering you right now. To be called upon to steer the ship of the Nigerian state at such a critical time as this can be an arduous task  but I also believe that it can a very simple one. It will be an arduous one for you if you follow that path of the normal Nigerian politician who is so visionless that cannot see beyond the next inflow into a disguised bank account somewhere, this will mean that you will have to be economical with the truth, pursue self /party interest rather than national interest; have a long list of unrealistic agenda as your boss.

But this call can also be a simple one if you will first realise that you never planned to be in this seat and secondly which is the quick one I am communicating to you – have no plans of being the next president of this nation because even if you succeed in being, the path you are going to tread to the seat will make you go the way of your predecessors as you would have submitted yourself to opportunists.

I will strongly advise that you negotiate a sharp bend and distance yourself from the unrealistic seven point agenda of Yar’adua and have a ONE POINT AGENDA  which i believe should be to organise a brilliant election come 2011.

I am telling you this because you don't have the time to do anything meaningful as regards power, neither can you do anything conclusive as regards the Niger Delta crisis..

Make the 2011 elections your top priority, begin with relieving Iwu of that exalted position and give it to someone more honourable and non partisan; I will strongly suggest our Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka  (did i see you cringe?).

Mr Acting President, Nigeria needs nothing less that twenty five years to realise her dreams of a great nation, but you can shorten the time by heeding my humble counsel.

…man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds