Dissecting Danjuma’s Avowal on Security
It is no longer news that Winnie Mandela, the South African antiapartheid crusader and former wife of the first black President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, has died at age 81. According to a family source, she passed away after a protracted illness. Her death, no doubt, symbolises the end of an era in the history of struggles for political emancipation in South Africa.
In the tempestuous years of apartheid rule in the Rainbow country, she was a thorn in the flesh of the white supremacists and a rallying point for the unconditional release of her then incarcerated husband. Winnie was one of the leading figures in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. She was dubbed the “Mother of the Nation” while numerous musicians and writers across the world, who celebrated Nelson Mandela in their works, also accorded her great consideration.
The departed enigma was married to Nelson Mandela for 38 years, including the 27 years the iconic former president was imprisoned in Robin Island, near Cape Town. She kept the memory of her imprisoned husband alive during his years on Robben Island and helped give the struggle for justice in South Africa a universal image.
Up till the time she breathed her last, she was a leading member of South Africa’s frontline political party, the ruling African National Congress (ANC). At
My recent analysis on the state of the nation as regards security, which I titled ‘averting reprisals over herdsmen massacres’ was informed by my panoramic view.
I foresaw that if apt measure wasn’t taken by the concerned authorities, Nigerians as a people might resort to self-defence or worse still, reprisal. Hence, I use the medium to decisively warn the governments at all levels on the dangers inherent in docility, and urged them to expedite action towards putting the said societal menace to an end.
Intriguingly, Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma had in his capacity openly advocated for self-defence. The retired security personnel, who had at different occasions served as the Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Defence, recently enjoined Nigerians to defend themselves from killer herdsmen across the country instead of depending on the Armed Forces.
Gen. Danjuma opined that the army and other security the time of her death, she was a member of the country’s parliament. In 1993, she was elected president of the ANC’s Women’s League. In 1994, she was elected to parliament and became Deputy Minister of Arts, Science and Technology in the country’s first multiracial government.
While reacting to her demise, South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa referred to Winnie as “an advocate for the dispossessed and the marginalised” and a voice for the voiceless.” He said: “Even at the darkest moments of our struggle for liberation, Mam’ Winnie was an abiding symbol of the desire of our people to be free. In the midst of repression, she was a voice agencies “colluded with killers to attack Nigerians”. Having accused the army of bias, saying it had failed in its responsibility of securing the country from attacks, he equally insinuated that there was an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the state as well as some rural localities in Nigeria. Hence, he further stated, “We must resist it. We must stop it. Every one of us must rise up.”
In the Nigeria’s extant laws, likewise other countries’, it is only in the course of self-defence one is permitted to commit murder. It suffices to assert that the former justifies the latter. It’s noteworthy that such form of killing can be classified as manslaughter.
The above constitutional clarification indicates that anyone could deploy any means towards defending him/herself in the course of any battle that befell them, even though no one is legally allowed to have arms or ammunition in his/her possession unless he is licensed to do so.
But going by Gen. Danjuma’s counsel, every Nigerian had been encour- of defiance and resistance. In the face of exploitation, she was a champion of justice and equality.”
Born in 1936 as Nomzamo Winifred Madikizela, Winnie married Nelson Mandela in 1958 at age 22, and firmly supported him at the risk of her own life and freedom throughout the dark years of apartheid. While in prison, when Nelson Mandela was banned from reading newspapers, it was Winnie that connected him to the external world through her regular visit. Though, she became a target of endless harassment from the ruling white minority government, she obstinately stuck to her gun and stood by her incarcerated aged to possess arms and other forms of weapons. It’s more confusing that it took place in an era Nigerians were mandated by the police to return all firearms and ammunition in their custody or possession, as may be the case.
Besides, it’s mind-boggling that the advice came from no other person than a retired security chief; from a Nigerian who is meant to know the nitty-gritty surrounding state policing; a man who ought to realise that illicit handling of arms is criminal, hence unacceptable; a man who should comprehend the best security tit-bits to tender in a public sphere.
If Gen. Danjuma was of the view that the President Buhari-led administration wasn’t doing enough towards stemming crime in the country, he should have realised that it is his duty as a renowned security figure to help in boosting the government’s capacity rather than inciting the people against the constituted authority.
As an erstwhile army boss, he has all it takes to demand for an explanation why things aren’t being done husband. She declined to be cowed despite the emotional pains and aches of unending pestering of her family by security forces, detentions, solitary confinements and banishment.
In the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu:”Her courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to me, and to generations of activists.” Thanks to her doggedness, as well as the staying power of her co-fighters, in 1990, the curtain finally drawn on white minority rule in South Africa. Unfortunately, she was separated from her Madiba in 1996, two years after he became South Africa’s first black president.
Ironically, despite Winnie’s vital role in securing a new and unprejudiced political system in South Africa, she became a victim of the political struggle that played out during the anti-apartheid campaigns. In view of her deep involvement in the vicious anti-apartheid battle, she became entwined in a series of scandals that eventually ended her marriage with Nelson Mandela.
In 1986, she was widely linked to “necklacing”, a code name for ‘jungle justice’ which involves the burning alive of suspected traitors who had flaming, petrol-soaked tyres forced over their heads. In December 1988, her bodyguards, known as the Mandela United Football Club, kidnapped four boys belonging to another anti-apartheid party. One of them, Stompie Moeketsi, was subsequently assassinated by her bodyguards. In May 1991, as expected. It’s his civic responsibility to assist the Armed Forces, and even the police, in carrying out their lawful obligations.
Though Danjuma claimed that he is not a politician, this statement has made me to be of the notion that he’s an affiliate of a certain political party; that he belongs to one of those oppositions that are fond of employing sentiments while discussing issues of public concern. He has by that step communicated to me that he is not neutral, thus merely making effort to lure the electorate into his net.
I don’t really comprehend how we arrived at this point that a supposed patriotic Nigerian who had meritoriously served in one of the country’s reputable security outfits could publicly suggest to civilians that the best alternative way they could fight or repel crimes is to be fully armed as a people in their respective localities. If at this age, a full-fledged Nigerian could think in such direction, then I’m afraid, we are headed for doom.
–– she was sentenced to six years in prison for kidnapping in relation to the incident, but the sentence was later reduced to a fine.
In 2003, she was convicted of fraudulently taking out bank loans and theft. But according to her, the loans were used to help poor people.
Her conviction for theft was later reversed since she had not recognised any personal gain from her actions. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission also accused her of human rights abuses during the apartheid years.
Winnie was also accused of having several lovers while her husband was in prison. For instance, she was alleged to have an affair with Dali Mpofu, a lawyer 30 years her junior and a member of her defence team.
Osun State is set to put a stop to billions of naira that Nigerians are using to import chocolate and other cocoa products from EU countries. Osun Cocoa Processing Plant, Ede is now producing “Made in Nigeria” Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Cake, Cocoa Powder and chocolates and set to flood world market with “Made in Nigeria” chocolates. Osun Cocoa plant, Ede is back after more than 30 years of wobbling and fumbling. Despite living in one of the world’s biggest grower of cocoa beans, Nigerian residents have never quite embraced chocolate as part of the national diet. Rauf Aregbesola has provided lifeline for cocoa farmers in Nigeria.
Interestingly, Osun is a major producer of chocolate today and a major cocoa-producing state, and chocolate manufacturing centre is in Ede. Osun State is the third largest cocoa producer in the South West after Ondo and Oyo states. The state largely draws its rising profile as a big role player and producer of the cash crop from Cocoa farms. The arrival of a new chocolate factory in Osun State will also allow Nigerian planters to finally access the pleasure of chocolate. Osun chocolate is targeting the local market, then progressively expand to the sub-region. The factory is initially producing cocoa powder and chocolate. Despite its Chinese ownership, the plant represents a small victory in the continent’s battle to profit from its natural resources instead of exporting them to be processed elsewhere.
Smallholder cocoa farmers and other stakeholders are happy over the establishment of an elaborate cocoa processing plant that produces chocolate. They are happy that the plant will be able to check the bleak future of the business which is presently facing stiff international competition as well as government overbearing influence.
The story of Winnie and Mandela is a classical narrative of people who chose to sacrifice their life, comfort. For For Winnie, her whole life was defined by Mandela’s deep and passionate involvement in the struggle for a free South Africa. When she gave birth to her children, her husband was never there for her.
Even though he was not in jail at the time, he was out on several commitments for the struggle. But then, she was aware of Mandela’s obsession with the struggle before marrying him, knowing quite well that his first marriage crashed because of the struggle.
How will history judge Winnie? Time will tell.
With Ede cocoa processing plant, Governor Aregbesola has expanded assistance to cocoa farmers and numerous stakeholders within the cocoa value sequence regarding the development of cocoa in Nigeria. He has brought innovation and localised the processing of cocoa products in the 14 cocoa producing states in Nigeria. With over 20 million cocoa farmers in Nigeria, Osun-China’s cooperation over Ede cocoa processing plant has given lifeline to Nigerian cocoa farmers who could not export their products before now.
The partnership with one of China’s Most popular politicians and business leaders Qizan Zhao, Deputy Leader of the Communist Party of the People’s Republic of China and one of the leading businessmen in China is producing a N10bn investment in Osun and over 1000 jobs for local people in the next two years in the state especially youths and this will help to support the industrialisation efforts of Governor Aregbesola. With this plant farmers can now distribute new high yield cocoa seedlings to cocoa farmers, and continue to allow the purchase of chemicals and inputs at 50% subsidy. Governor Aregbesola has connected Nigerian cocoa farmers to the Ede cocoa processing plant and they can source cocoa easily here.
“The two China-based companies -Skyron Corporation and Golden Monkey Group of Company had promised the production of chocolate and others in Ede.
Golden Monkey Corporation remains the number one producer of candies and chocolate in China, and reviving the cocoa processing company in Ede has not been a problem. At least, now, our people know that more value accrues to them if they process cocoa rather than exporting in its raw form.