Permit me to begin this piece by congratulating the new kid on the block; Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo on his inauguration as the new Governor of Anambra state. Albeit the swearing-in ceremony was a low-key one, it was however made eventful by the theatrics of an unexpected dramatis personae.
In the full glare of a bemused Anambra audience and other Nigerian spectators who tuned in via terrestrial television and other mediums, the altercation between Mrs Ebele Obiano; wife of the then outgoing Governor of Anambra state and Amb. Bianca Ojukwu; widow of Late Biafran warlord, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, took the shine off that supposedly historic event.
Accounts by eyewitnesses and a careful analysis of the video footage clearly suggests that the former was the provocateur. In response, the supersonic swiftness with which the latter returned the gesture with a resounding slap gave credence to her reputation as a warlord’s widow.
On the realm of pragmatism, I am of the belief that lessons can be learnt from that show of shame in Awka, Anambra state on the 17th of March, 2022. Amb. Bianca Ojukwu’s impulsive reaction to a barrage of unprovoked verbal attack against her person is in sharp contrast to the leisurely disposition of the Nigerian authorities; with arms akimbo as the nation gets pummeled into coma by a horde of marauding criminal elements.
In reference to Mr. President’s avowed stance to talk to these killers in the language they will understand; pray tell, what language do those killing, maiming and abducting defenceless Nigerians understand? Fulfude, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo or any of the minority mother tongues? Amid a spree of unabating widespread violence, it also appears that the government has found willing conspirators in some sections of the press who are more concerned with the nomenclature of addressing terrorists as either gangs or “ordinary” bandits.
Time and time again, Nigerians have seen the Minister of information, Alh. Lai Mohammed take it upon himself to do the ignoble hatchet job of downplaying the killings. Within the confines of his quarantined fantasies, it is either the insurgents have been technically defeated or they are being decimated daily. All gibberish!! To him and his bosses, this is a trivial issue that shouldn’t be magnified beyond its irrelevant status.
The mere fact that this government bothers itself more with the semantics of insecurity than actually bringing it to an end truly calls for worry. According to the Collins Dictionary, “banditry refers to acts of robbery and violence in areas where the rule of law has broken down”. By this definition, it is safe to say that there is an inadvertent admittance by the government that Nigeria is now a lawless state. Living in denial is not an attribute of one who truly desires to change the status quo. A spade must be called by its real name.
Truth be told, it is either the government is overwhelmed by the security situation or simply in cahoots with the terrorists to enshrine whatever agenda that is known to it. What boggles every discerning mind is that no known perpetrator of these heinous acts has either been brought to book or reprimanded punitively with a mere slap on the wrist. Rather, it looks as if they get rewarded with Presidential handshakes.
Confronted by an avalanche of multifaceted security challenges, any Commander-in-Chief who knows his onions has to borrow a leaf from the book of Bianca. Her riposte is a clear testament that any form of oppression can be fought and defeated. The wash, rinse, repeat approach of summoning the service chiefs and issuing warnings after every attack provides ample evidence that those at the helm are bereft of ideas. Their decrepit postulations cannot provide the needed solutions.
Lest my train of thought derails, my heart goes out to the Kaduna attack victims. The brazen show of force displayed by the terrorists in broad daylight worryingly beggars belief. It was an open affront to our fundamental rights to life and freedom. Disturbingly, like other attacks before it, the murderers are accorded the luxury of dancing on the graves of their victims without necessarily facing the music. As a mark of honour to the dead, the national flag should be flying at half mast.
While wishing Ndi Anambra and Prof Chukwuma Soludo all the best as he looks to apply the “Soludo Solution” on the state, the man at the villa and his security chiefs should also look across the Niger for a quick fix to our security challenges. Amb. Bianca Ojukwu has the dossier. It is not rocket science. Slap the taste out of their mouths before sending them to hell.
martinsemenogu03@gmail.com
