THE FEAR OF OCTOBER 1

Sonnie Ekwowusi argues that the country needs restructuring for equity and justice

When I was growing up we looked up to October 1 with gusto. We were taught in school to love our country and to be ready to shed our blood for our country. Our secondary school principal was a patriot to the core. He instilled in us an uncommon patriotic zeal and spirit which made us to fall in love with Nigeria. With our hands on our chests at the morning assemblies, we recited the National Anthem and the Pledge with passionate equanimity. Decked out in our well-ironed sparkling school uniform we participated in school marches at the stadium to mark Nigeria’s independence anniversary. When I was growing up we stood under the sun cheerfully waving the green-white-green national flag to welcome the country’s leaders or foreign leaders visiting Nigeria. When I was growing up, Nigerians, both old and young, were overjoyed at the dawn of independence anniversary. When I was growing up beautiful chants in praise of Zik, Awo and other heroes of the Nigerian independence resounded in the horizons at the dawn of independence.

But all that are now things of the past. Today, the sense of nationhood and the pride in one Nigria are ebbing away. How many Nigerian school children (not to talk of Nigerian adults) can tell the colour of the national flag let alone recite the national anthem or the pledge? To begin with, there are many flags these days: there is the Biafran flag, Niger Delta militants’ flag, Oduduwa youths’ flag, and the Arewa youths flag. Instead of remembering the heroes of Nigeria’s independence like Zik, Awo, Herbert Macaulay, Mbonu Ojike, H.O Davies, Anthony Enahoro and others at independence anniversary, people now prefer to remember and worship their respective secessionist leaders. For example, in the last few years, October 1 has been preceded by different threats from different terrorist and secessionist groups to dissolve or destroy Nigeria. These days whenever October 1 is approaching the various secessionist groups in the country will start plotting how to destroy or deconstruct Nigeria.

Now that October 1, 2017 is approaching, the Northern youths and Northern elders have vowed to dissolve Nigeria and drive away the Igbos in the North. The coalition of Niger Delta militants have also vowed to expel all Northerners in Niger Delta come October 1. Another Niger Delta group called the Rondel Solidarity Movement (RSM) had already declared a new country called Rondel Republic which would become operational in 2018. So, Nigerians live in fear: fear of their neigbours and fear of the ‘new countries’ suddenly sprnging up around them. My good friend from Imo State believes that oso Abiola (the mayhem of 1993 which made many Nigerians to flee the big cities for their safety) is about to be reignited. Even my vehicle mechanic is frightened to the marrow. The other day he looked at me and said: “Oga, before October I

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS REASSURED ALL IT IS “ON TOP OF THE SITUATION”. BUT HOW? TILL DATE NONE OF THOSE ISSUING EVICTION THREATS AND SECESSIONIST STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED LET ALONE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE

go don comot Lagos go village. God forbid. I no go stay this Lagos”. Pan-Igbo socio-political body, Eastern Mandate, has advised all Igbos residing in the North to learn a lesson from the pogrom and start returning to Igbo land now.

But the federal government has been telling all Nigerians that all these doomsayers are mere noise makers. Information Minister Lai Mohammed has told Igbos and all Nigerians to disregard all eviction threats because the federal government is “on top of the situation”. Besides, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has said the government will deal with any persons or group will cause disturbance of the peace. Consequently, no cause for any panic. The government is “on top of the situation”. So, go about your normal business and, please, stop listening to doomsayers.

Certainly the government’s commitment to the safety of Nigerians is commendable. The federal government has reassured all it is “on top of the situation”. But how? Till date none of those issuing eviction threats and secessionist statements have been arrested let alone brought to justice. Enraged by this, the coalition of Niger Delta militants has issued a fresh ‘quit notice’ to Northerners in Niger Delta to vacate the area on or before October 1. More importantly, none of the quit notice givers and secessionists have withdrawn or retracted their quit notices. This means that they are bent on carrying out their eviction threats. Therefore, it is not enough for the federal government to simply say that it is “on top of the situation”. The government must roll out concrete security plans to secure the lives and property of the citizenry.

Afenifere chieftain Femi Okurounmu recently warned that the Northern youths issuing the ‘quit notice’ should not be underrated, and that anybody who underrates them does so at his or her risk. Besides, the history of killings in the North shows that the killers could come after their victims at any moment even in presence of the state security personnel. For example, during the last Kaduna killings the assailants actually attacked and hacked their victims to death even in presence of security personnel who were supposed to be offering them protection. Therefore beyond verbal promises, the federal government should really and truly devise ways of protecting the lives and property of the citizenry on or before October 1 and always. In this dissolving and secessionist age, the ultimate solution is true healing from aching old wounds. True healing is giving the different Nigerian communities their commutative justice. This can be achieved by restructuring Nigeria or whatever accords with true equity and fair-play. Nations composed of different peoples and torn apart by tribal, ethnic and religious cleavages have always struggled to live under certain equitable arrangements in order not to end up as failed states. Nigeria should do likewise.