WHY WATCH THE NORTH KILL OFF THEMSELVES

The rate Boko Haram is killing off either the Northerners or the Southerners, there will be little left to begat the next generation of Nigerians. It was the Seriki Hausawa of Lagos State that cried out for public demonstration against Boko Haram like those done during the fuel price increase. Many of us derided him and asked where he was when Southern Christians were being killed in the North.

Adapting Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) words to Nigeria: First they started killing the Hausa, we not rise up in anger because we are not Hausa. So they started killing the Berom, we did not speak up because we are not Berom. Then they started killing the Igbo, we did not demand justice because we are not Igbo. Later, they started killing Christians, we did not fight because we are not Christians and when they came for us, there was no one left to defend us.

In retrospect, Seriki Hausawa was right. Whoever the sponsors of Boko Haram are, they have created the Frankenstein that they can no longer control and shall come back to haunt them. We may be on our way to Lebanon civil wars unless all Nigerians come together to arrest this situation by concerted effort. It will also be imprudent to blame the President alone for reacting after the fact instead of being proactive before innocent people are mutilated. Since both sides sent students to Libya to train as terrorists.

African borders are so porous, some Nigerians are blaming mercenaries from Niger, Chad and even the remnants of Ghadhafi recruits that crossed over to cause havoc. In good times, Africans need not worry about their brothers and sisters in their midst, but tolerance has run low in this type of situation; made worse by economic hardship in our individual countries. At the same time we must remain one another's keepers.

Nigerians are changing for the worse as we are becoming more hostile to one another. It is getting to the point where Nigerians prefer to live peaceful outside their states or Country rather than live at home in pieces. Sincerely, those that are displaced, have no place to go. Never mind those asking them to come back home. Come back to what?

Despite all the insults of living in foreign countries legally or illegally, Nigerians are accepting their fate as refugees. Some are even afraid to come home on holidays and if they do, they stay in fairly peaceful area/hotel far from their hometown and loved ones. This started as fear of being kidnapped, it has grown into fear of being roasted by Boko Haram or MEND. The Militia including OPC and MASSOB are sending hot reminders.

Strong deterrent measures by the Government against lawlessness and jungle justice are not mutually exclusive with negotiations. It has always been the opinion of this writer that in negotiations, charity must begin at home with the help of local chiefs and representatives rather than staying put in Abuja and state capitals as ethnic champions; threatening to put on military uniforms if Nigeria's breakup jeopardizes their oil blocks.

The greatest jokers are septuagenarians that should be preparing their days in hell claiming they are ready to fight for the unity of Nigeria, but helpless to end their states' mayhem. They are not and cannot scare a weakling. All they can do is listen to some talisman maker spending their loot killing the next generation of Nigerians wishing that the young blood will make them live longer. They should go and choke on their loot.

We have not fully recovered from the civil war they fought looting banks, cities and villages crying they were fighting for Nigeria. Out of over 160 million Nigerians, they think we cannot find young dedicated men and women out of all those they have corrupted, that know which way their Country should tow. The chaos and misery they created still lingers, they want to come back and splash their old useless carcass.

Some of the utterances of these political leaders have not helped. It is one thing to fight for greater share of what comes out of your backyard but a totally different game to demand more of what is not yours in the first place, with the rational that its God's gift for all. Using that as an excuse to cause mayhem is incomprehensible. Each time the Government sucks to irresponsible demand, the more ants are attracted to the honey.

There are those that believe that the cause of the violence is that the North saw their turn as President going to the South and are bent on making it difficult for Ebele until he relinquishes power. It is nothing short of blackmail and those might as well wait another turn. The individual craving for power has been our problem since Independence with no successful projects we can be proud of. Ebele could be better, but not moving. By telling those that brought him to power to get lost, he has emboldened his opponents.

We may have reached a point to let everyone know that until outrageous salaries and benefit of the politicians and senior civil servants are cut according to size, working class and poor Nigerians will not make any more sacrifices. There are more wastes from the top than there are from the bottom. Indeed, demands for salary increases are vicious circle to chase ever increasing prices. More young people are idle with no means of livelihood because whatever the Country makes is concentrated in the hands of a few.

Every generation have to fight the oppressors of their time to regain their right for the future. Young people in the six geographical zones are the ones that should have more say in the National Conference some see as a dialogue to reconstitute Nigeria while others see it as a means to total dislocation of the Country. At the end of the day, young people have to take their Country back.

Your great fathers were fighting for Independence and your fathers and mothers were fighting against corruption of collecting ten percent on government contracts. Today, while some of you were asleep or indifferent, corruption has blown through the sky to over 100 percent kickbacks. They take 20 percent from the next contract after 100 percent from the present. Young people can use their valuable time in unity protesting against corruption, instead of using foreign religion and ethnicity to divide themselves.