”No , but you shall give it to me now , and if not, I will take it by force’ is a hackneyed scriptural verse often credited to the sons of Eli who treated the Lord’s offering with contempt. This again comes into play as we see a tribe of tiny minority transmute into a masked terror machine cutting down lives they aspire to rule over in Africa’s biggest democracy and largest economy. The people have at different times voiced discontent with their style of leadership in the past , at present and also express fear for the future as they gather again to hoodwink us in a bid to clinch victory and establish control of political power at the centre – this of course remains a towering ambition under the existing circumstances calling to mind the twenty months of repressive rule under which Nigerians groaned.
This , however , could never be forgotten in a hurry. Every bit of their action in the past qualifies for bullying and this was painfully recorded. Many who spoke against the ills of the day at the period under review were cowed into silence, detained without trial, killed by retroactive laws and today we see their desire to stage a comeback rearing its ugly head on the ascending order of magnitude. Their story is one of desperation typical of a group of people who do nothing but fanning the embers of discord and beating the drums of war which speak volumes for the destruction of lives and property somewhere in the desert cotton fields of northern Nigeria all in a senseless bid to bring President Jonathan down from atop his pedestal.
In the face of every agony being suffered in this embattled region by families from whom loved ones have been estranged these political gladiators employ many forms including threats, violence, intimidation, destruction of property to rule Nigerians not by law but by diabolic whims and caprices and these constitute nothing but a grave danger. Essentially they could be compared with hawks together with falcons on the loose out to pounce on its prey and we all have been victims of their consuming ambitions that have caused us sorrow, tears and blood.
These close-knit cliques have failed us miserably and woefully over the years bringing us all to the edges of the abyss thus paving the way for a bloody revenge via impending revolution if adequate precaution is not taken. Hence the evolution of civilisation and social organisation that checks and regulates the lust for revenge and other such instincts compel one to answer in the affirmative as they continue to play god with our lives by unleashing terror on defenceless Nigerians. Their satanic ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian, if they all need reminding.
Buhari unlike President Jonathan does not know how to get attention in positive and acceptable ways , that is why he often resorts to force calling to mind his infuriating remark ”the dogs and baboons will be soaked in blood”. He is anti-social, rude and hostile ,feel justified in picking on others and probably has a high opinion of himself, uses force or aggression to intimidate political rivals and opponents and these have incurred him none other than negative consequences for his harmful anti-social behaviour. What one sows , they often say , one shall reap; this is one incontrovertible fact.
In advanced societies with particular reference to the Old World where I have sojourned for nearly two decades now politics is played without rancour and bitterness. Everyone puts in one’s best like such President Jonathan is doing to reposition one’s country on the path of economic prosperity and development and this has been yielding amazing results as Nigeria came recently from behind in the first quarter of this year after a re-basing calculation of our GDP to become Africa’s biggest economy – a feat which we did not dream of under his predecessors among whom is the perpetually unelectable General who again aspires to be the most powerful man in Nigeria. His previous regime you know as well as I know was characterised by gross human right abuses and violations all in a futile bid to cover up his crying corrupt practices.
Democracy is all about the control of an organization by the majority of its members and this is an essentially missing link in the All Progressives Congress, APC, Nigeria’s main opposition party. Many of the party bigwigs had to defect as it became obvious that the party has been hijacked by certain overlords, grandees and high-ups and what we here in the Diaspora often hear is that the ”Messianic party” lacks internal democracy. Ay , this is not in dispute because the party chieftains that we all know only strive to aggrandize themselves and in fact bestride the Nigerian political world like a colossus. Candidates for elective offices are not elected ; their selection always carries the trademarks of the great Asiwaju proclamations and pronouncements. This is bushman politics at play on our part of the globe.
Could these type of men be entrusted with power? You would be better advised to be on the alert; in fact do not be caught off guard because power , it is said , corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Just as it is not surprising that the term “Machiavellian” has come to describe the astute and immoral execution of power, having these men vested with power is tantamount to raising Niccolo Machiavelli from the dead, who shall have us all subdued and kept under permanent subjugation. We really do not need to be told that these tribes of men are hawks and falcons again on the loose.
Iyoha John Darlington, aka Lington Donovan, a political analyst and public commentator on national and global issues writes from Turin , Italy.
Email: [email protected]
