OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT, GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI
I am constrained to write to you this open letter. I decided
to make it an open letter because the issue is very weighty and must be greatly
worrisome to all concerned Nigerians and that means all right-thinking
Nigerians and those resident in Nigeria. Since the issue is of momentous
concern to all well-meaning and all right-thinking Nigerians, it must be of
great concern to you, and collective thinking and dialoguing is the best way of
finding an appropriate and adequate solution to the problem. The contents of
this letter, therefore, should be available to all those who can help in
proffering effective solutions for the problem of insecurity in the land.
One of the spinoffs and accelerants is the misinformation
and disinformation through the use of fake news. A number of articles, in
recent days, have been attributed to me by some people who I believe may be
seeking added credence and an attentive audience for their opinions and
view-points. As you know very well, I will always boldly own what I say and disown
what is put into my mouth. But the issue I am addressing here is very serious;
it is the issue of life and death for all of us and for our dear country,
Nigeria. This issue can no longer be ignored, treated with nonchalance, swept
under the carpet or treated with cuddling glove. The issue is hitting at the
foundation of our existence as Nigerians and fast eroding the root of our
Nigerian community. I am very much worried and afraid that we are on the
precipice and dangerously reaching a tipping point where it may no longer be
possible to hold danger at bay. Without being immodest, as a Nigerian who still
bears the scar of the Nigerian civil war on my body and with a son who bears
the scar of fighting Boko Haram on his body, you can understand, I hope, why I
am so concerned. When people are desperate and feel that they cannot have
confidence in the ability of government to provide security for their lives and
properties, they will take recourse to anything and everything that can
guarantee their security individually and collectively.
For over ten years, for four of which you have been the
captain of the ship, Boko Haram has menacingly ravaged the land and in spite of
government’s claim of victory over Boko Haram, the potency and the activities
of Boko Haram, where they are active, remain undiminished, putting lie to
government’s claim. The recent explanation of the Chief of Army Staff for
non-victory due to lack of commitment and lack of motivation on the part of
troops bordering on sabotage speaks for itself. Say what you will, Boko Haram
is still a daily issue of insecurity for those who are victimised, killed,
maimed, kidnapped, raped, sold into slavery and forced into marriage and for
children forcibly recruited into carrying bombs on them to detonate among
crowds of people to cause maximum destructions and damage. And Boko Haram will
not go away on the basis of sticks alone, carrots must overweigh sticks. How
else do you deal with issues such as only about 50% literacy in North-East with
over 70% unemployment?
Herdsmen/farmers crises and menace started with government
treating the issue with cuddling glove instead of hammer. It has festered and
spread. Today, it has developed into banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and
killings all over the country. The unfortunate situation is that the
criminality is being perceived as a ‘Fulani’ menace unleashed by Fulani elite
in the different parts of the country for a number of reasons but even more
unfortunately, many Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are friends of Nigeria
attach vicarious responsibility to you as a Fulani elite and the current
captain of the Nigeria ship. Perception may be as potent as reality at times.
Whatever may be the grievances of Fulanis, if any, they need to be put out in
the open and their grievances, if legitimate, be addressed; and if other ethnic
groups have grievances, let them also be brought out in the open and addressed
through debate and dialogue.
The main issue, if I may dare say, is poor management or
mismanagement of diversity which, on the other hand, is one of our greatest and
most important assets. As a result, very onerous cloud is gathering. And rain
of destruction, violence, disaster and disunity can only be the outcome.
Nothing should be taken for granted, the clock is ticking with the cacophony of
dissatisfaction and disaffection everywhere in and outside the country. The
Presidency and the Congress in the US have signalled to us to put our house in
order. The House of Lords in the UK had debated the Nigerian security situation.
We must understand and appreciate the significance, implication and likely
consequences of such concerns and deliberations.
No one can stop hate speech, violent agitation and
smouldering violent agitation if he fans the embers of hatred, disaffection and
violence. It will continue to snowball until it is out of control. A stich in
time saves nine, goes the old wise saying.
With the death of Funke, Chief Fasoranti’s daughter, some
sympathetic Nigerian groups are saying “enough is enough”. Prof. Anya, a
distinguished Nigerian merit Laureate, has this to say “We can no longer say
with certainty that we have a nation”. Niger-Delta leaders, South-Eastern
leaders, Middle-Belt leaders and Northern Elders Forum have not remained quiet.
Different ordinary Nigerians at home and abroad are calling for different
measures to address or ameliorate the situation. All the calls and cries can
only continue to be ignored at the expense of Nigerian unity, if not its
continued existence.
To be explicit and without equivocation, Mr. President and
General, I am deeply worried about four avoidable calamities:
1. abandoning Nigeria into the hands of criminals who are
all being suspected, rightly or wrongly, as Fulanis and terrorists of Boko
Haram type;
2. spontaneous or planned reprisal attacks against Fulanis
which may inadvertently or advertently mushroom into pogrom or Rwanda-type
genocide that we did not believe could happen and yet it happened.
3. similar attacks against any other tribe or ethnic group
anywhere in the country initiated by rumours, fears, intimidation and revenge
capable of leading to pogrom;
4. violent uprising beginning from one section of the
country and spreading quickly to other areas and leading to dismemberment of
the country.
It happened to Yugoslavia not too long ago. If we do not act
now, one or all of these scenarios may happen. We must pray and take effective
actions at the same time. The initiative is in the hands of the President of
the nation, but he cannot do it alone. In my part of the world, if you are
sharpening your cutlass and a mad man comes from behind to take the cutlass
from you, you need other people’s assistance to have your cutlass back without
being harmed. The mad men with serious criminal intent and terrorism as core
value have taken cutlass of security. The need for assistance to regain control
is obviously compelling and must be embraced now.
A couple of weeks ago at a public lecture, I had said, among
other things, that:
“In all these issues of mobilisation for national unity,
stability, security, cooperation, development, growth and progress, there is no
consensus. Like in the issue of security, government should open up discussion,
debate and dialogue as part of consultation at different levels and the outcome
of such deliberations should be collated to form inputs into a national
conference to come up with the solution that will effectively deal with the
issues and lead to rapid development, growth and progress which will give us a
wholesome society and enhanced living standard and livelihood in an inclusive
and shared society. It will be a national programme. We need unity of purpose
and nationally accepted strategic roadmap that will not change with whims and
caprices of any government. It must be owned by the citizens, people’s policy
and strategy implemented by the government no matter its colour and leaning.
Some of the groups that I will suggest to be contacted are:
traditional rulers, past heads of service (no matter how competent or
incompetent they have been and how much they have contributed to the mess we
are in), past heads of para-military organisations, private sector, civil
society, community leaders particularly in the most affected areas, present and
past governors, present and past local government leaders, religious leaders,
past Heads of State, past intelligence chiefs, past Heads of Civil Service and
relevant current and retired diplomats, members of opposition and any groups
that may be deemed relevant.”
The President must be seen to be addressing this issue with
utmost seriousness and with maximum dispatch and getting all hands on deck to
help. If there is failure, the principal responsibility will be that of the
President and no one else. We need cohesion and concentration of effort and
maximum force – political, economic, social, psychological and military – to
deal successfully with the menace of criminality and terrorism separately and
together. Blame game among own forces must be avoided. It is debilitating and
only helpful to our adversary. We cannot dither anymore. It is time to confront
this threat headlong and in a manner that is holistic, inclusive and
purposeful.
For the sake of Nigeria and Nigerians, I pray that God may
grant you, as our President, the wisdom, the understanding, the political will
and the courage to do what is right when it is right and without fear or
favour. May God save, secure, protect and bless Nigeria. May He open to us a
window of opportunity that we can still use to prevent the worst happening. As
we say in my village, “May God forbid bad thing”.
OLUSEGUN OBASANJO
July 15, 2019
No comments:
Post a Comment