I stand with 2 baba!
Many Nigerians were shocked at 2 face's pulling out of the February 6 protest. He has been vilified and maligned by the commentariat made up of angry youths who expected him to use his star power to lead the vanguard for change.
The critical question is are we being fair to him? Please note that I don't know him personally and have only met him via his award winning tracks on tv but it is important to view his 'chickening out' from another perspective.
The protest was eventually led by Enough is Enough and Omoyele Sowore of Sahara Reporters. Let us do a little critique and you be the judge to decide 2 baba's fate.
Sowore left Nigeria in 1999 to go to the United States on asylum. This is curious as the nation had returned to democracy that year. Many prominent exiles like Jagaban, Fayemi, Dele Momodu, Tokunbo Afikuyomi etc had come back home to contribute their efforts to nation building. Why did Sowore choose to check out at that time? Why not under the time of Abacha?
Ford Foundation is a major backer of Sahara Reporters and they are known for their massive depopulation agenda which makes them commit millions of dollars to the funding of abortion. How can such an institution be interested in Nigeria's development? I commend President Donald Trump for stalling the gargantuan abortion campaign of his predecessor who preferred to murder innocent kids rather than create a framework for sustainable healthcare. Despite his personal foibles, he earned my respect for that heroic act.
Who founded EIE? It was Chude Jideonwo who eventually handed it over to Yemisi Adamolekun. Curiously, Jideonwo sits on the board of Ford Foundation in Nigeria. Fayose offered to participate in the process; why did EIE shut him out? Fayose is known for his heavy criticism of the Buhari administration. Why didn't the EIE unite with him to fight a common foe since politics is supposed to be a game of interests with no permanent friends or foes? Why the double standard?
The problem of Nigeria is the hijacking of the critical institutions that mould the minds of our callow minded youths by liberal institutions who promote a sinister under development agenda of Africa in cahoots with their minions who are a reincarnation of the African slave raiders in the days of yore.
Nigerian youths, wake up and smell the coffee. Sowore, EIE aren't the messiahs you need. Red Media, a key partner in the EIE project handled the social media campaign for Buhari. Not a single condemnation of his anti-people policies that has impoverished Nigerians in a manner never seen before. Why then is EIE leading the protest?
I conclude with the caption written by Adewale Maja-Pearce who used to be the African Editor of the London based Index on Censorship which he aptly titled 'Safety First Radicals.' In his expose, he pointed out that Che Guavara left the safety of his Havana enclave and battled in the jungles of Bolivia amongst other harsh terrains because a radical is supposed to disregard personal comfort in the pursuit of a noble goal. Our cashtivists prefer to have an exit or escape route in case things get ugly. Has Sowore renounced his Green Card or American Passport to fully identify with his people?
Until our youths can rise up and consciously inculcate the ideals of a conservative ideology. The divide and rule tactics that has crippled Africa would go on ad infinitum.
TONY ADEMILUYI