Insecurity: Nigerians Must Rise Up!

The killers in Southern Kaduna,and elsewhere in the country understand the default response system or reaction of Nigerians to the rampant killings.

They understand that we rant for a few days, sometimes a few hours, then move on to the most important item on the “agenda”, or wait till the next victims lose their lives in another vicious cycle of killings.

Never before, since the end of the civil war hostilities in 1970, have we experienced the kind of bloodshed this country has witnessed in the last 5 years. Unfortunately, Nigerians still believe it is normal; some will even aver ” it is the will of God. This is end time “, sounding as if Nigeria was designated for the signs of the end time.

What on earth will actually get us angry to the point where we will rise up in unison, stage massive protests across the country, lock down the entire nation, and declare that ” enough is enough “?

It is time the citizens intensified the demand for the removal of the incompetent Service Chiefs in whose hands Nigeria is bleeding profusely.

Matters of this nature, in other climes, have resulted to major political upheavals, leading to the pressure on non performing leaders to step aside.

However,even worst situations in this part of the world are not given the kind of attention they deserve.

Each time the murderers strike, we mourn, count casualties, bury our dead in mass graves, and wait for the next round of attacks.

The highest service the government does to the nation, in some selected cases, is to observe a minute silence, then condemn the killings. Imagine the level of insensitivity that characterized the recent statement credited to the presidency in response to a legitimate call by the Nigerian senate on the inept Service Chiefs to resign. Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina was quoted as saying ” only President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the Commander-in – Chief, had the right to decide the fate of the Service Chiefs “

It stopped short of saying the presidency is happy with the killings, and is responsible for same, so no one should as much as contemplate upsetting the apple cart.

A presidency that is aware that the people understand where power resides,

will not be this callous and insensitive. They won’t wait until certain populations are decimated before stepping up action.

It was within the same period that we lost 5 aid workers in the North East, about 20 soldiers and scores of civilians in the North West, that our political leaders suddenly became aware of the sleaze that has characterized the running of the Niger -Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); I can go on and on. This diversionary approach is not far from the escapist formula usually deployed to change narratives.

In all these, Nigerians could never be outraged. Some even find time to make jest of the political situation in drinking places while consuming their alcoholic beverages.

Truth be told. The merchants of death and the perpetrators of the ongoing carnage understand us quite well, and our political leaders too understand us, perhaps even better. They know what captures our attention and interest, and they use it against us.

Albeit, the major problem with Nigerians is not civil disobedience. It is civil obedience.

The failure of the Nigerian state is not as a result of the failure of leadership. It is as a result of the legendary docility on the part of the citizenry. It is appalling to say the least.

In times like these, when the internecine conflagrations and the attendant bloodletting fail to abate, it is when to take to the streets, lock down the economy, and insist that government lived out its social contract or resigned.

We must rise up as Nigerians and take our destiny in our hands, otherwise, the harvest of deaths, leadership inefficiency and buck passing within the last 5 years of our nation’s history will turn out to be the foundation upon which subsequent administrations will build.

Nigerians, we can afford to set the agenda and stem the tide. Rise up!

Joseph Orjime is an Abuja based journalist and public affairs analyst.