Nigerias Enemies and the Impending War.

By Chidozie Egbuna.
Nigerias enemies come in many shapes and sizes. Some of these enemies are the citizens who refuse to demand accountability for those who lead them. Others are the tribalists who perpetuate hatred and egotism above national interest. Yet others are the politicians who see their position as an opportunity to loot the countrys resources and enrich themselves and their political cronies. Nigeria is cut in the middle of these game of  self destruction and many political observers are beginning to question whether the land we know as Nigeria would survive these onslaught of numerous foes that make unity almost impossible.  Are we headed for war as these various factions all vie for their own piece of the political pie?

Churchill the British prime minister during the second World War once said, Let us learn our lessons. Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. These a wise words from a man who fought Hitler to defeat tyranny and unleash freedom for the oppressed people of the world speaks words which Nigerias condition cannot help but to ignore. Nigeria always acts as if it has a death wish to self-destruct. All the elements that make for unity, progress and a peaceful nation is often lacking in Nigeria. When Nigeria was formed it appears that Mr. Luggard could not have foreseen these problems nor tried to alleviate them.

Yet it appears that everything that we are doing as a nation is leading us to this inevitable end of a war or some impending break up of the country.  The level of insecurity in the country is astronomical and troubling. Nigeria currently is witnessing a level of violence that has been unseen in the history of the nations who have dealt with the problem of terrorism. Boko Haram has now been given the notoriety of being the worlds deadliest terrorist group in the whole world. While the politicians continue to serve their self interest and at the same time ignoring the cries of the masses, this impending war is continually growing inevitable. The consistent destruction of life and property in the north cumulating in the kidnapping of the Chibok girls has made Nigeria a place where anarchy reigns. Some actually believe that Nigeria is a country without a government because of lack of protection for life or property which is often the primary role of government is absent.

There are eerie similarities between Nigerias first war and the one that most observers assume is inevitable. Once again at the center of this crisis is the North demanding regional power while feeling that the south is taking what belongs to them.  As with the Biafran war, Nigeria again is experiencing severe violence and unrest that is rooted in tribalism, religion, ethnocentricity, and unbridled ambition by the elite.

Nigeria has so many enemies both within and outside. The enemies within are the political profiteers, and those who swindle the country of her resources and deposit the money in foreign bank accounts. These corrupt individuals in many places of leadership continue to seek bribe and corrupt the country with their ill-gotten gains.  Also amount Nigerias enemies are the tribalists, and the nepotists. These growth continue to push their tribal agenda instead of seeking the interest of the nation. The northerners practice this agenda in the extreme because their demand for leadership is based on the wrong notion that they must do this to keep the resources of the country within reach. This mentality is what created the Boko Haram with their religious zealotry missed with political ambition to make Nigeria a Muslim state.

The enemy called ethnicity and his role in undermining of Nigerias ability to form a cohesive and cooperate unit continues to be undermined by this malady.  The underlying reason why Nigeria fought a civil war was ethnicity and the future war that many believe will happen again in Nigeria would be once again feed and nourished by the odium of ethnicity. Many of the deep-seated disagreements and lack of mission-oriented focus to build one nation is rooted in the ethnic focusing mentality rather than patriotic flavor.  Ken Saro-Wiwa once astutely observed on this issue that,History teaches that extremity of deception always produces extremity of disillusionment and reaction… competition between the three majority ethic groups in Nigeria brought about the civil war.

Nigerias enemy number one now is the Boko Haram.  The license plate in Borno state always has the inscription of Borno ,Home of Peace inscribed on them. How ironic  that this place that is supposed to offer peace has now become the birthplace of this dreaded terrorist group known as Boko Haram. Maiduguri has to be the most dangerous part of Nigeria to live in. Economic activities are waning as security and lives of citizens in this part of the country are very uncertain. Despite the huge presence of the Nigerian army in this area, Borno State is becoming a lawless state where killings have become a common occurrence.  This part of Nigeria also is where this group kidnapped almost 300 girls from Chibok and their where about has remained a mystery. The Chibok girls captivity and servitude has continued to outrage this nation and the international community at large.

Poor governance is also another of Nigerias enemy. The international community has been able to see how dysfunctional the government of Nigeria has become. The level of corruption and governmental ineptitude is unparalleled in the history of nations.  Poor governance has created severe economic, educational, and social problems that are increasing the numbers and members of Boko Haram. The presence of the Wahhabi Islam in Nigeria, which has been promoted and financed by the Saudis is also of grave concern considering the damage that the radicalized members of these groups, has done to Nigeria. All these groups constitute the enemies of Nigeria. Nigerias enemies have made an unconscious alliance and their actions all in concert seeks to destroy Nigerias progress and hamstring her ability to remain one nation.