Jos Killings: Between President Tinubu And Governor Mutfwang…By Bolanle BOLAWOLE

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“I am proud of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria…”

“Which senate are you talking about – our rubber-stamp senate or the senate of the Republic of somewhere else?”

“I mean our own senate and not another! For the very first time, I watched them speak like men with balls, as they say”.

“And what of the women among them because they have women members? They, too, spoke like women with what?”

“I don’t know how to describe that one! But the senators who spoke were all men – and they made me really proud”.

“I am sure you will be hard put to convince any Nigerian you are speaking of the very senate they are all too familiar with. Is it not the senate headed by one Godswill Akpabio?”

“Come on, how dare you refer to the country’s Number Three man as ‘one Godswill Akpabio’?”

“Respect is earned, not demanded…”

“That being the case, he has earned my respect…”

“Over what?”

“Over the way he analyzed the issue of incessant power outages that have taken over the entire country. I never knew those of them in the corridors of power also feel the pain until now”.

“Where did he make this his analysis? At a campaign rally? Because that is where they are fond of promising heaven on earth, like candidate Tinubu did in 2022…”

“No! He spoke at a plenary of the senate, right on the floor of the hallowed chambers of the Red Chamber, as the senate is called; although, surprisingly, attendance was scanty and the senate looked deserted on that day”.

“Red or green, blue or black, scanty or not scanty, ghost town or no ghost town, what did he say?”

“The senators who spoke left no one in doubt that they are aware of the deplorable situation of power supply in the country…”

“And so what?”

“And that they also know what is responsible!”

“After that nko?”

“And that they also know the solution to the problem!”

“Is that what thrilled you?”

“And that they, too, are not immune from the adverse effects of power outages. Have you read the book ‘The rich also cry?’”

“Can you compare the cry of the rich with that of the poor? The senators you are talking about can pay any amount for power – whether Band A or Band anything. They have all sorts of ways and means of making money. Many of them are former governors and Ministers drawing pensions, salaries and allowances from multiple sources. As senators, they fix their own salaries and emoluments and also exercise oversight functions over government agencies, ministries and parastatals. How dare you compare such fat cats with ordinary citizens who are being fleeced to their very bones?”

“Despite that, nothing stops us from appreciating a good move from them. The way they analyzed the problem gave me confidence that there is hope…”

“Like the Renewed Hope Agenda we were promised in 2022 by APC and its presidential candidate! Where is the hope?”

“It’s on the horizon! If the senate follows through with its expected intervention in the power sector, won’t that give hope?”

“I am surprised you are one of those Nigerians easily deceived by our leaders! Point to one promise they made that they have fulfilled! Is it on this same power supply, the economy or even insecurity? Just mention one!”

“Now that the senate has robustly identified the core problems of power supply, you are the same person pooh-pooing their efforts”.

“Can I tell you something? That drama you said you witnessed on the floor of the senate; that charade, is their own coded language to the people in charge of power supply to come and settle! Once ‘Ghana-must-go’ bags stashed with cash flood the senate chambers, you will hear nothing again from the distinguished senators!”

“Oh my God! Why are Nigerians so cynical?”

“Why shouldn’t they? Experience is the best teacher! Experience teaches them to be wary of Greeks bearing gifts. Our politicians are Greeks bearing gifts”.

“Even if, for once, they seek to do what is right, no one will believe them? ”

“Once bitten, forever shy! Nigerians have been bitten time and time again. Imagine the president going to Jos and failing to visit the site of the horrendous killings that took him to Jos in the first place! Or of the state governor going to the site and addressing the people firmly ensconced in an armoured car. It reminds me of…”

“What is wrong with that? Safety is the first law of human existence. President or governor must be alive first before they can serve or solve our problems. Is that not why the great Zik said it is better to live for Nigeria than die for her? Murtala Muhammed that died for Nigeria, how have you people remembered him? Adekunle Fajuyi that chose to die with Ironsi, how has the Igbo honoured his memory or treated his Yoruba kinsmen?”

“So, in your opinion that justifies the president stopping at the airport and using the excuse of the problem of power which he promised to solve, but which he has so far failed to solve, as justification to abandon the people in their hour of grief? In fact, he more or less heaped more misery on the people…”

“Imagine that! He went, trouble! If he did not go, wahala! He had pressing state matters and official engagements; yet, he squeezed time out to be there to soothe the pains of his people…”

“What is worth doing at all is worth doing well! Leaders all over the world prioritize the welfare and wellbeing of their own people over and above external issues. They suspend or cut short foreign trips to attend to pressing local issues. Afterall, as it is sad by the same politicians, all politics is local”.

“The president not only visited, he also forward-marched the service chiefs to the location. What else do you expect him to do? To carry gun and begin to pursue the terrorists? Why do we have state governors if it is the president that must do everything?”

“Tell me something, between president and governor, who do you think deserves the topmost position in the hall of infamy over this matter?”

“You want my honest opinion?”

“Yes, your honest opinion!”

“It is difficult to blame any of them…”

“Wonders will never end!”

“Let me land now!”

“Don’t land; fly!”

“The governor who hid in armoured car knew why he did. What if the terrorists were still lurking around? A governor or president killed by terrorists will make more news than scores of ordinary citizens killed by the same terrorists. That is a fact, and you know it”.

“Your logic galls me…”

“It is not my logic but a fact of life. Shakespeare says when beggars die, there are no comets seen but heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. Tell me, is Shakespeare a Nigerian? So it is a universal philosophy and it is not a new thing; it has been like that for ages. Pray to God that you are not counted among the poor…”

“But the same God is quoted as saying the poor we will always have in our midst?”

“Have I disputed that? I simply said you should pray not to be one of the poor!”

“So poverty is a sin! The poor are sinners! That reminds me of the song of Portable, one ragamuffin singer like that. He rapped one topflight Pentecostal pastor who said God’s miracle saved him from the bullets of assassins…”

“And are you disputing that? Are you one of those who say God no longer works miracles?”

“Don’t jump into my throat…”

“Sorry! Please make your point”.

“The pastor and his entourage were travelling but only the pastor and his family were inside a bullet proof car. Assassins struck and many on Pastor’s entourage were felled by the assassins bullets but Pastor and his family escaped unhurt…”

“What a pity! May their souls…”

“Pastor now went to church and said miracle saved him but Portable countered that it was not miracle that saved Pastor. Bullet proof car saved Pastor, he crooned!”

“Will you still say the governor should not hide in armoured car or the president should not stay far away from trouble spots? If pastors who are guarded by angels hide in bullet proof cars, what should mere men do?”

“I know you are being sarcastic…”

“Beyond that, are you telling me you don’t know that our leaders know what to do to end the insecurity ravaging the land?”

“If they know, what is stopping them from doing the needful?”

“It is not in their best interest! Their selfish interest is why the insecurity dragnet is expanding instead of shrinking. A lot of people are making a lot of money from the insurgency. Ever heard of the military-industrial complex?”

“What does that mean?”

“They are the manufacturers and marketers of arms and ammunition who must sell their wares to remain in business. So, they must engineer disputes, create crises and foment wars so they can offload their stockpile of weapons of mass destruction and get fat contracts to replenish stock…”

“That must be why there are endless wars everywhere. At any point in time, we have multiple wars going on here and there”.

“Exactly!”

“But why do leaders dance to the tune of these merchants of death?”

“Because the merchants put the leaders there in the first place. Therefore, the leaders work in cahoots with them…”

“I see! It is partnership of sorts! A joint venture more or less! Evil Incorporated!”

“Exactly! As it is on the international scene, so also it is at the local level. Some people are benefitting from the insurgency walloping the country. The government cannot claim not to know them. Many people in top positions and many influential Nigerians are reaping stupendous benefits from the insurgency”.

“I don’t understand! The terrorists are killing, maiming and destroying life and property everywhere and you said some people are benefitting from that?”

“Trillions of Naira have been sunk into fighting the insurgency. People, not spirits, budget this money and administer it. Manufacturers and marketers of the weapons being used to prosecute the war for or against, and the monumental corruption along the chain of budgeting, releasing of funds and expenditure – do you think they will want an end to the insurgency?”

“I see! People can be callous! Blood money is what we are talking about here. Shouldn’t the government be wise enough to stop the carnage?”

“Is it in their interest and in the interest of their financiers, sponsors, and influential backers? Another election is around the corner; everyone wants to make all the money they can to fund their election. They also want to pander to the wishes of everyone that can be instrumental to their electoral success…”

“Which is why they should do what the people want! The people are the electorate”.

“Unfortunately, the electorate determines nothing any more. Democracy as was handed down by the Greek city-states has been hollowed out and what remains is the carcass; mere appearance, no substance…”

“Our leaders must do something. The situation cannot be as hopeless as you have painted it”.

“Everywhere, leaders themselves are the problem. The world will know no peace for as long as there are leaders who see evil, hear evil, know evil, engineer evil, benefit from evil, compromise with evil but pretend as saints… ”

“And can we have a world without leaders? It is interesting that it is you that has gone cynical now!”

“Let that be a topic for another day!”

Former editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, BOLAWOLE was also the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Westerner news magazine. He writes the ON THE LORD’S DAY column in the Sunday Tribune and TREASURES column in New Telegraph newspaper on Wednesdays. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.