06/06/2022
Nigeria: Still on this ‘Open Sore of a Continent’…
My Professor would always say: No one who indulges in self-deception ever comes to personal goodness or fulfilment. The saying is actually not original to him. It is one of the countless wise sayings of the Yoruba. In the original Yoruba, it is: ‘Ai tan’ra eni je ri’re!’ This proverb, I must say, sums up the Nigeria situation as of today. Nigeria, described in the title of that incisive work by Wole Soyinka, from where I have borrowed the title of this essay, as the open sore of a continent, has actually, socio-economically and politically, gone from bad to worse since the book was published in 1997. And, those in whose hands providence has placed the reigns of Nigeria as a Nation, as a world, just as the reign of the then old Oyo was allegedly placed in the hands of Elesin in the words of Iyaloja, challenging him, Elesin, to his traditional responsibility, are equally watching Nigeria fall-off the precipice into the abyss of socio-economic, political and security crisis!
But, just like Elesin, who abandoned the ritual purpose of his essence and being for the flesh of a maid already betrothed to the son of Iyaloja, playing a deliberate psycho-emotional game with the vulnerability of Iyaloja and the entire race based on their understanding and the acceptance of the mythic essence of his required ritual su***de to the survival of their world, Nigeria political gladiators are also clearly concerned about the similitude of such fresh fleshes to be fed on in government than in the security and the prosperity of the nation. They also are banking on our mythic uncritical acceptance of the Unity of Nigeria. Thus, what is important to them is not the socio-economic crisis and the security vulnerability of the people, but power and how to secure it by all means and at all cost for their selfish purposes.
Yesterday in Owo, one of the major towns in Ondo State, more down 50 innocent worshippers were gunned down in St. Francis Catholic Church. As usual of the rhetoric from A*o Rock and the people in government, a statement has been released that ‘Government is saddened by the development…’ Unfortunately, that is all that would be said until another bandit or unknown gunmen’s attack and the gunning down of other innocent Nigerians. So, from Bornu to Sokoto, Kano through Kaduna, Anambra to Ondo, Kwara and Kogi, Nigeria citizens are being daily kidnapped, senselessly killed and rendered homeless, while the government looks on so callously indifferent to the plight of the helpless people. Haba, for the sake of goodness, the first assignment of any government is the security of the people! Any government that cannot secure its people is a failed government…
Sincerely, governance has failed in Nigeria… What is going on in Abuja as we speak is a useless politicking for power negotiation in which ordinary Nigerians have become the equilateral damages for cross political fires… And, so, in Abuja today, at the APC convention, the political gladiators of ‘O lu’le Emi lo kan’ [He fell it is my turn] politics will carry on as if nothing is amiss. And, just as it was in the PDP National Convention that produced candidate Atiku few days ago, dollars, as in the name of the popular MFM programme, “Must change hands” today by FIRE … It must change hand recklessly for the matter!
In the past party primary elections, when it comes to delegates buying in party candidates elections in Nigeria, Naira is worthless and has thus been relegated to the background. The only profitable currency of political delegate comradeship interaction for vote buying is the almighty US dollar. Dollar is enviable. Naira is worthless like the black skins of its users in the face of a racist West! Today, whether the Nigerian masses devil likes it or not, the gospel of dollars must change hand will be preached and it will win the day as the nation is again auctioned and pledged to the highest political money bag in APC, just as it was in PDP…
But, Nigeria cannot continue to indulge in self-deception to come to any goodness, for no one who indulges in self-deception ever comes to personal goodness or fulfilment. Sincerely, Nigeria has unenviably remained a true open sore of a continent…
‘Bode Ojoniiyi writes from Osogbo
6 June, 2022
