ONCE UPON A GREAT NATION By Obi Martins

Arise O'compatriots! Nigeria is calling and the people that has obeyed has been murdered. Those who are ready to serve with heart and might are now scared because they all want to know what happened to the labour of our heroes past?

With a fusion of how far I have known Nigeria and the gory happenings seen every day on our national televisions and dailies, I want to be able to express to the best of my knowledge the ills that has being taken by some set of persons who don't see anything good in a round table dialogue but violence. I stand this day to write that what peace cannot give you, violence will never give you.

To the families who lost their beloved ones in the Nyaya bus station bomb blast; I offer condolences. Your casualty is of the supreme type. We only pray to the Almighty to give you the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. what about the future leaders of Nigeria who were murdered in cold blood while they were asleep at their citadel of learning at the Federal Government Colleges, secondary schools, just to mention but few, we say find eternal rest in the bosom of Eledumare!!! The Nigerian nation and its quest for democratic rule were also casualties. Like most Nigerians, I thought we were making progress in our democratic development.

Nigeria is undoubtedly a country with great promise; on account of her favourable weather conditions and rich supply of natural resources, Nigeria was once described by my late father as a country after God's heart. However, in the same piece, need I lament that things are not the same? I remember vividly my growing up days. I had always wanted to have my NYSC (National Youth Service Corps) in the Northern part of my once supposedly great nation. why? because I am by paternal and maternal from the East, and have lived all my life in the west... the reason I am sure is clear. but not anymore. we go to sleep each passing nights and not sure of what news to wake up with. Do I say we should get use to it? No!!! But what do they want? yes they!

I saw the pains of a father before the bed of a dying child when our president; President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan visited the Asokoro General Hospital. I understand that he that wears the shoes knows where it pinches; we call on you like children looking up to their fathers in danger for safety. Fix it! Solve it!! Look for a way around it!!! I hear that voice that tells me you can't do it alone; work it out sir. You are a leader and who is a leader? That person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country. Which of these words have you not used? Lead or command? I understand you are being careful and don't want to speak out of anger. But if the situation calls for it; do we however have an option?

I am not here to talk about partisans but to state without any equivocation that the PDP and the APC should stop using the gory situation of Nyanya bombing as an arsenal to flare their political feud. Yes we are all political animals but wild animals. Politics is a debate between political parties. But the Nigeria politics of today is even ferocious than the confraternity of the higher institutions. Quoting PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement on Tuesday (16th April) saidinflammatory utterances by certain key politicians against the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan, sparked off hatred against the administration by their followers, while attracting impudent insurgents, who started demanding the ouster of the President with threats to cripple the system through acts of terrorism.

When the PDP said that all Progressive Party, (APC) is responsible for the spate of terror in Nigeria, many had an emotional response, but it is now time to dispassionately focus on the facts in order to stop the carnage on innocent Nigerians

Funny; is that a new style of campaign? Even if I try to resort to ending this piece by saying GOD help us; it wouldn't be sagacious of me. The help of GOD will only come if the need to put things right and the decision for the necessary actions is taken into cognizance. For I see many more tears to be shed not because I derive joy in it but tired of Resting in Peace the untimely death of tomorrow's avant- gardes. Like Niyi Odunsi has put in his poem '" No Time For Tears".

Obi Martins
@iamobimartins
Instagram: Obimartins