The coming of people’s revolution in 2011
Saving the country from anarchy in 2011 has become so important that the ruling class must show an olive branch to the people of Nigeria, apologise for impoverishing them and start performing. The impoverished citizens of Nigeria
must on the other hand stop this 'suffering and smiling' attitude and stop praying that God should come down from heaven to solve their problems. God does not help or give people what he believes they can afford through their strength or actions. God only help those who help themselves. Nigerians are not blind, deaf, dump and uneducated to know that in a democracy, your vote represents power, comfort, wealth, good education, good governance, good roads/rail, water, rule of law and good things of life. That whoever rules over them must provide these things or at least provide an enabling environment for freedom, jobs, civil liberty, health, capacity building, education, resource development, coexistence, empowerment and thriving economy where people will feel a sense of belonging.
Yes! We all blame PDP, INEC, power brokers and the cabals for stolen mandate, electoral fraud, corruption, poverty, insensitiveness, infrastructural decay, press oppression and inactions in the country etc, but what did we do in 2003 and 2007 when our votes were stolen, our rights trampled upon, communities and the people disenfranchised? We went to sleep and waited for God's Armageddon to befall those who caused us pain and anguish. Let every house in Nigeria turn itself to churches and mosques and let us all pray and fast 24/7, if we do not help ourselves, take our destiny in our hands, protect our votes, fight for our right, recover our country and say enough is enough to these bastards, we are doomed and will sink. It is a mirage thinking that the PDP and its cabals will relinquish power voluntarily no matter how bad they govern or wholesale implementation of Uwais electoral reforms. These people are devil's incarnate who don't believe in free and fair election or capable of wining elections.
They could not even organise a successful governorship primaries in Anambra State because they specialise in selection, impunity, violence, intimidation, corruption and electoral fraud. Whether or not you vote, they will forever rule Nigeria unless action is taken by the people and international community to stop them come 2011 by ensuring that your vote counts and proportional representation system introduced. Your vote is your property and the only voice you have in Nigeria today. If you lose or compromise it for pennies you and your family will suffer a term of hardship. Nigerians must wake up from their slumber as the salvation and prosperity you crave can not be found in the churches or mosques even if you sleep there. Your wellbeing is in your hands and you must resist oppression and looting of the wealth collectively own by all. You can do it if you really want. It may be hard, but not impossible' if you reject the peanuts given to you by political investors during electioneering campaign to sell your conscience, your birthright, your voice and your vote as this will last for a moment and come back to hunt and impoverish you and generations unborn.
Please do not think that the opposition parties both medium and mushrooms some of which has been compromised and infiltrated with 5th columnist will have the guts to lead the masses to reject any electoral fraud or stolen mandate and fight. These social clubs that parade themselves as political parties are jellies that expect the masses to lead themselves, whilst preaching peace and recovery of their lost mandate through the courts whose decisions over the years have been epileptic and compromised by moneybag politicians. Their judgement is not consistent as they undermine each other and at times aid and abate the electoral robbers to spend 2-3 years in post stealing people's money through frivolous quest for court orders to delay their doom. The opposition parties must know that legal redress alone will not work in Nigeria of today after election and stolen mandate. To check electoral fraud and impunity in Nigeria, all oppositions and civil societies must come together and lead their supporters to defend Nigeria. Nigeria's opposition parties and civil societies must pressure the government by engaging the international community in regular dialogues; pressure the government through peaceful demonstration and publication of alternative and people's popular agenda. When they engage Hilary Clinton during her last visit to Nigeria, EFCC suddenly woke up from their slumber, ministers fell over each order pretending to perform, PDP government was jolted and in a panic.
That shows the power of international pressure. They must embark now on empowerment programmes, enlightenment of the people on how to defend their votes, publicity of their manifesto and be vocal on how and what they hope to do to better the yearnings and aspirations of the Nigeria people. Blind criticisms without proffering solution, cowardice, creating more mushrooms political parties, participating in the so called government of national unity or waiting for the judiciary to put them into power will not work. Many political parties are unknown, irrelevant and were created for political jobbing, selfish motives and collection of subventions from INEC to share. These parties should now submerge as none of them can win the least political office of a councillor even in an environment of free and fair elections. NLC and other civil societies that fought tooth and nail to secure democracy for Nigeria has become toothless, gutless and infiltrated. A lot of unions, civil societies and religious leaders now live in affluence and wealth, and they jealously protect their fortunes to the detriment of their members/followers. They have become blind, deaf and dump to the suffering of the Nigerian masses and speak only when their relevance is called into question.
The powerhouse of NLC has become sterile since Oshiomole left, they monotonously bark without any bites. The political class has hijacked the churches, mosques, unions and NGOs through handouts/gifts. The traditional rulers and fathers have become politicians and reduced their exalted and revered thrones to the level of godfathers, endorsing corrupt politicians who patronise and shower them with gifts especially during electioneering period even though these politicians did not spend their constituency fund judiciously on any projects in their domain or better the yearnings of the people who voted them into office first time. Nigerian media which was a tiger press during Babangida and Abacha's administration amidst intimidation, detentions, closures etc have become irrelevant as they blackout news on issues affecting the citizenry or of concerns to them. Nigeria major media houses have compromised themselves and are being controlled by the frontline political chieftains for selfish ends. NTA which rely on tax payer's money for survival has become the mouthpiece of PDP. They no longer belong to Nigerians and have become apologist to PDP. Watch them when they interview any Ministers or PDP chieftains. NTA should be made independent like BBC, they should criticise government policies where necessary especially if such policies lack common sense. They should not be cowards in asking critical questions on matters of concern to Nigerians. They must be objective in their reporting and give both the opposition and the government a level playing field in their reporting. They should give any party with at least one governor a free platform for 'Political Broadcast' as it's done in some developing and developed countries. Although we have civil rule and not democracy in Nigeria today, nonetheless, the media is very important for the development of Nigeria and political entrenchment and must play their role. They should work for posterity and not for adverts money and political patronage.
Since the demise of Dr Kuti, Nigerian Medical Association has become irrelevant. They work under poor conditions with no standard medical facilities and people die in their hundreds daily due to lack of medicine and facilities, but what did they do, they recently fought for their salaries but forgot to agitate for rehabilitations of hospitals and facilities just like the ASUU did for Universities. ASUU did not fight only for improved salaries, they fought for rehabilitation of universities, improve standards of education and facilities so as to be able to complete with other African universities at least.
The 7 point agenda my foot programme has produced nothing, Though ASUU and militants fought to force some actions on education and Niger Delta development respectively, but what was the take of NMA on government agenda when the hospitals are crumbling around them? What was the take of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on degradation of education in Nigeria? Where is our food security when people can no longer afford three square meals and go hungry with inflation biting harder daily and unemployment is at an alarming level? PDP must allow free and fair election in 2011 and allow citizenry to elect their leaders and forestall anarchy in Nigeria. You can rob/cheat people sometimes but you can't rob/cheat people all the time. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom; therefore the leaders of INEC, Churches, Mosques, NLC, Civil Societies, and our Royal fathers, Political parties especially PDP and security agencies must fear God and avoid his wrath. Doing nothing to save humanity is a sin before God. We need to remember what happens in the days of John the Baptist when heavens suffered violence. If the political class allow Nigeria to suffer violence in 2011 through rigging, disturbance, electoral fraud and violence, the violence may consume them and Nigeria will survive. It may be hard but not impossible to save Nigeria Long live Nigeria and May God shield and protect his people.
Jide Adeyanju can be contacted via [email protected] This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it