People with the same ideological concept oftentimes come together from which feelings of solidarity and brotherhood emerge and this is seen in form of cults, clubs, associations , organizations and terrorist groups. Some of these begin from schools while others from houses of God as religious, socio-cultural and political associations. While some are given to reconstruction, health care and humanitarian aid some diabolically metamorphose into interconnected network of national and international criminal organizations resorting to the use of force to influence or change political decisions until constituted authorities in its turn resist.
Sadly enough this is what Nigeria and we Nigerians as a people face today , most would probably agree to saying that terrorism is the most imperative issue we are not only becoming victims to, but are interminably asked to deal with as well as finding solution to. While some of us are busy doing this some are busying sabotaging our efforts in order to score cheap political points in a bid to get hold of the government at the centre. Ay, the engine of terror is gradually being revved up to the redline as the election year fast approaches in Nigeria.
We have the right to live freely, hold and express different opinions without being cowed into silence under whatever guise by paid agents of certain overlords. Terrorists have used violence to get their point across to the public through the instrumentality of paid agents but it is high time politician-turned terrorists knew by now that newspapers or the media do not campaign for any one at all and this was demonstrated in the gubernatorial election that sacked the APC government in Ekiti State.
It is often said there are two sides to a coin. Although many people believe that terrorism is evil, it is merely misunderstood because there is no set definition. You do not need only rise up against constituted authorities via armed invasion or bomb unarmed civilians to death before it qualifies for terrorism; cowing people into silence via subtle threats that freely express or hold contrary opinions without malice aforethought is none other than terrorism. A terrorist is good at making inciteful statements , constantly building his power base. He builds alliances within the ranks and undermines anyone who will not support him. He gathers damaging information on his opponents, or blames them for any failures. He uses subtle, negative phrasing to demean his opponents and weaken them. He also seeks to control people with nothing available for his rivals.
Given the growing threats of terrorism which is hitherto unknown on our part of the globe Nigeria to be precise, it is significant that an understanding of the history, nature and mechanism-premises under which terror operates is obtained. This is significant as it would shape the perspective of policy makers when addressing issues of this nature. Terrorism, as it is understood is the action of non-state weak actors, individual or groups, who for some reasons feel suppressed, marginalized and, or denied what they may view as the basic human right. All terrorism has political objectives, even though the perpetrators may use religious relics to appeal to a wider existing audience, and invoke a response through violent act to prove or propagate their point. We are faced squarely with this obviously sad situation today as the voice of reason is being challenged by the collective voice of domineering bullies who are bent solely on personal aggrandizement.
Disillusionment has doubtless set sail as the actual use of terrorism by non-state actors as a tactic aimed at polarizing the population in their favour failed woefully recently. This was clearly demonstrated at the Ekiti State gubernatorial election that was held in sixteen local government areas on June 21, 2014 which was resoundingly won by Governor Fayose of the People’s Democratic Party and a similar scenario appears to be unfolding in Osun State at the Election Petition Tribunal which would be giving its verdict before long following the gross election irregularities discovered and being blamed on the APC-controlled state government.
Money and religion like intermarriage have fused the non-state actors into a large terrorist network under the cloak of a certain political party to wrestle power with some naive Nigerians they carry along being totally misled. This is what I call bushman politics at shameful play on our part of the globe. ‘Blunder’ is often blown out of proportion to incite the people against the government of the day. Charity , they say , begins at home. You must not capture power at the centre before you begin to implement policies in the state you control which you wish to see replicated elsewhere to ”revitalize the obviously decadent paralysis” as you often claim. In modern democracies, the people are left to decide who they want but I have it on good authority that the campaign of a gubernatorial aspirant that contested under the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State was bankrolled by the self-styled Bourdilon Overlord which caused quite a stir at the period under sad review. As luck would have it he lost woefully as the wise and very civilized people of Ondo State like their Ekiti counter-parts threw their weight behind a man in the person of Dr. Mimmiko whose rule has brought in no small measure the dividends of democracy to their people. Try as they might money together with the ongoing reign of terror could not fell the great ”IROKO” of Ondo politics!
I have always made plain my aversion to the use of force, violence , intimidation, deceit, campaign of calumny and hydra-headed lies. I have had to watch elections keenly contested by civilized beings here in the Old World where I have sojourned for over two decades, never have I seen any of the above-named evils being savagely employed to wrestle power while throwing all caution to the winds. Our political gladiators must take their cue from this and shun politics of bitterness and hate as the task of nation-building requires our collective effort. Revving up the terror engine into the red zone will only bring about dysfunctional , unstable or a failed Nigerian state which will not do us any good in the long run.
Iyoha John Darlington, aka Lington Donovan writes from Turin, Italy.
Email: [email protected]
