Respect The Contract

Yes, expectedly, you (in plural) here have called me out on my incessant upbraiding of the government of the day, asking that some of the mudslinging (if it's really so considered) should be hauled at the sponsors of terrorism and the terrorists themselves. I can identify with your pain (if such emotions truly exist) in how true some of the colours I've had to paint this administration in have come to light and have reflected poorly in your premises for being on the side of government. However, your penchant for dodging the real issues seems to be impervious of any curative measures. It seems you always need to be reminded of pertinent issues that no shouting match can silent. Well, here is more.

I remember what this same government you seem to be defending with all your might did when Jonathan's cousin was kidnapped in Bayelsa. The military personnel deployed evoked a Nigeria-at-war sentiment. The sheer number of Armoured Personnel Carriers engaged in trying to rescue one man was benumbing. They combed the entire area like fine hair and made sure that in no time the privileged cousin was back to the warm embrace of his family. Why was it so important then and not so now? Well, he was a close relative of the powers that be and as such, no expense was spared to get him and safely too.

But these girls? Who are they related to? Nobodies. Bloody civilians. They can roast for all this administration cares. Our military, given the right morale boosting, is worthy of great endeavours. But not when there is more politics at play than the fate of hapless children not priviledged enough to be from the political royalty. Not worthy enough to even have their parents consoled by the top echelon of political jobbers (until their hands were forced).

We did not elect Boko Haram for our welfare and safety. So, we don't point fingers at them. They are not answerable to us. So, we don't join issues with them. This government took upon itself that duty and responsibility and in so far as we play our part in paying their salaries and spending so much to make them comfortable enough to do their jobs (darn too much, more than enough), they pretty much must do it.

Underline the word MUST.

That is the social contract that binds us together and as clearly spelt out in the Constitution, the first priority of the government is the welfare of the citizenry. Don't let that escape your consideration.

(The YOUs know themselves)

Why Blame the Foreign Media for Facts Reported?

Dismay comes to mind when one witnesses the anger of certain Nigerians who react negatively to the negative portrayal of the country in the foreign press, given the events leading up to the fairly successful centennial commemorations and award ceremony held recently in the nation's capital. In the reportage of these media was the juxtaposition of the violence in the North East of Nigeria with the seeming impassiveness that was typified by the incredulity of the award recipients at the Abuja ceremony. A cross-section of Nigerians who nitpicked these reports implausibly heaved the blame for the status quo on these foreign media who enjoyed the way things are.

It was so dismaying, it felt nauseous. I take fact wherever it comes from, and this is the fact of the matter. You can't blame them for writing what our government should be blamed for perpetrating. Were they the ones that included Abacha's name in the roll call of honour? Or are they the ones to make sure 20 innocent and promising young girls, whose parents sent to school for a brighter future, who have siblings like you and I, but are now being repeatedly raped and physically assaulted even as we converse online, are rescued? Are they the ones? Or maybe because those girls do not have consanguineous links to us, and are not our flesh, just like the young boys whose throats were slit when they escaped the hail of bullets are not our brothers, we talk like we have no feelings, like life means nothing to us.

Perhaps, if we had lost someone in those inhuman brutalities, while witnessing the coronation of corruption (raising to beatific sainthood and putting up for emulation many of whom are responsible for the spate of violence in the country today) with the highest honours in the land even while our tears were still cascading down our cheeks, perhaps we'd not point fingers at those who write from outside. Had we not given the foreign press cause to pen down these atrocities, maybe we could play the cynic with justification.

But having such supine, churlish and imbecilic leadership can only attract such opprobrious writing from abroad.