Terrorism n Us

Make no mistake about it, but Nigeria is a far greater terrorist nation than most, if not all, Middle Eastern nations. Those guys over there are just fighting for their lives, ideologies or Western handlers. But here in Nigeria, there are millions of terrorist organizations fighting for more stupid reasons. Not only the Boko Haram, suspected herdsmen, IPOB, Shi'ites, the police, the military and the FG. All these are clearly terrorist organizations, but I'm talking now of the powerful sleeper cells that are even more dangerous than and provide manpower for these big organizations. These sleepers are the Nigerian people. I repeat, the Nigerian people. A terrorist is anyone who creates terror or fear in the hearts and minds of others and that's what Nigerians are good at nowadays. So a terrorist organization is any two or more Nigerians coming together with the same aim/objective. I'll explain.

You'll agree with me that our politicians are indirect terrorists, or rather, they sponsor terrorism. Bad roads, election violence, bad schools, bad economy, bad hospitals, etc. All these cause fear in our hearts. Who doesn't feel scared if they don't have any choice but to pass through one of the dilapidated roads in the country? Who doesn't feel fear when elections are approaching or when you're going to cast your vote? So if politicians are terrorists or sponsors of terrorism, who are these politicians? They are part of the Nigerian people! Yesterday, they were ordinary Nigerians, but today, they are politicians.. terrorists. The lawless policemen are also from the Nigerian people. Same with the brutal military and mindless paramilitary. Same with the lecturers who ask for sex in exchange for marks and threaten to fail the students if they don't comply. Same with the cultists. Same with every bad group of people in the country. They are not from Ghana, they are all Nigerians. They create fear in our hearts, but it was from us they came. We not only swell their ranks, but we also provide and shape their ideology.

Let there be a group of two or more Nigerians, then put one of them as the leader. There is a very big probability that the funds meant for or contributed by the group would be embezzled or misappropriated by the leader. And any group member who tries to stop him would be crushed or thrown out. He will oppress the group members and rule with force, impunity and terror. He will make them fear him, either with the use of thugs, threats or charms, or all three. This is what happens in government, in churches, in organizations and even in the family! It happens between brother and sister. When you give the children their food and you go away, the boy would take the girl's slightly bigger portion and give her his. If she tries to complain, he'll tell her to shut up, threatening to beat her or reminding her that Papa and Mama said she should always respect him because he's the man. This is us. This is Nigeria. This is terrorism in us. 

Is Our Hope Alive?

There is a saying that 'Nigerians are happy because they hope to be happy'. Though we are one of the most miserable nations on earth, we are still a very happy people. We're in a state of what Fela termed 'suffering and smiling'. Despite immense hunger, being the world's poverty capital, and lack of gainful employment, we still manage to work our facial muscles into a smile. But when you hear of so many Nigerians committing suicide with so much ease and frequency, you just have to ask, is that hope still here? Is it still alive?