JONATHAN’S NIGHTMARE:

Written by Lucas Anuforo, Dublin Ireland,

Email: peter.lemachi@yahoo.com

“On sensitive issues, talk isn't cheap it takes real courage to pry open topics nailed shut”... Marvin Olasky

Until we start to discuss those issues that we don’t want talk about especially on issue like Boko Haram and its benefactors which we all know that some Northern oligarchs are involved.

At first, Boko Haram was created out of political prejudice by some Northern politicians to instigate fear on GEJ’s administration first, in order to frustrate him not to succeed in his Presidency and secondly to quench his ambition not to run for 2015 Presidential election.  In as much as many claimed that Boko Haram has been in existence even before Jonathan’s administration but tenaciously its expansion got a triple margin during the present regime.  

Unfortunately it has been long that the Boko Haram assiduously seeking for recognition which the present administration has daunted and called a bluff to their threat. Today the terrorist organisation has gain itself a global recognition just like other terror network such as Al Qaeda, in Magrabe and its affiliates in Arabian Peninsula, Elshabab in Mali and in Somalia, the Jemaah Islamiyah a terror group in the Philippines and the ISIS group in Iraq and Syria.

The kidnap of 300 Chibok school girls in April 2014 shot this group into prominence as one of the most recognised terror group in the world. Boko Haram is into robbery, looting, kidnapping, raping and other form of criminal acts just to sustain their operation.  Their network has now spread in almost all the northern states including part of the Middle Belt. This shows a repressive hegemony in their operation and their main objective is to take the Nigerian society back to the medieval era.

It is regrettably that since Jonathan assumption of office after the death of the then President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2010 sadly; some notable politicians especially within the retired military cabal from the Northern part of the country; were not comfortable with the political arrangement which they have worked so tirelessly to unseat him from office so as to shift back the power to the North in what they saw as political imbalance in the country.  This has created introspection within the general public about survival of the country nursing democracy.

Since Nigeria got her independence from Britain in 1960 the country political leadership has been constantly revolved within the northern political elites and more so the Yorubas from the West. However this has led other minority ethnics groups in the country being neglected and relegated as second class citizens thus leaving these groups with no choice other than to agitate for place in the seat of power.

The election of Jonathan as the first President from of the ethnic minority groups (South- south) to be précised was seen as a sigh of relief to the power vacuum from these ethnic minorities. But unfortunately his leadership has not measured up with the problematic tasks which essentially were based on state of the nation’s affairs especially on security matters. Many critics lamented the way Jonathan is handling the insurgency issue and terror being unleashed by the Boko Haram group particularly on innocent civilians which the whole world saw as a flaw to his administration and more so a dent to the nation’s image.  

Jonathan has been described by many as a complete gentleman coupled with his academic experience. He’s the first Nigerian President with Doctorate degree. With such academic distinction and exposure that would have given him an edge to soar and be among the best Africa had ever produced.  But Jonathan ridicules and predicaments were purely carved on choice of those he picked to form his cabinet in his administration. Sadly these people turned to be charlatans, profligates and criminals and consequently they ruined his administration.  

His relationship with the former President Olushegun Matthew Aremu Obasanjo was seen as the beginning of his downfall.  His too much homage paid to OBJ was tantamount to his failure. OBJ used his position as godfather to influence Jonathan; before he realized it, it was a road to perdition. OBJ recent public utterances towards the President was subject to treason as such wouldn’t have been condoned by any sitting President or even OBJ himself wouldn’t have accepted such irresponsibility when he was in power. 

The clear narrative is that there are lot of unseen forces working against the President towards his re-election. This has been undermined by the daily insecurity occurrences coupled with the fall in the price of the hydrocarbon substance (crude oil) on international oil market which ironically formed the heart beat of the country’s foreign exchange.

The recent revelation of NNPC and missing (stolen) 20 billion dollars oil proceeds serves as a reminder to many on how corrupt the present regime is. An amount that would have helped to alleviate poverty through jobs creation more so help in stabilizing the epileptic power system in the country but unfortunately few individuals connived and pocket the money.

Some would ask questions, does Nigeria government need adjudication from United Nation, African Union or does it need assistance from multi-national force before the country will defeat Boko Haram? Unfortunately the government has never come up clean to tell the public what exactly went wrong with the country’s military and its huge yearly budget. The 2014 budget on defense according to Premium Times newspaper dated May 24 2014 was total of N4.962 Trillion. According to the newspaper  “Out of the total provision for the sector, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said between January and April, government had disbursed about N130.7 billion to relevant authorities, including the army, navy, air force, police, and civil defense.

Of the disbursed figure, about N85.9 billion was to take care of the personnel costs of the agencies, which were handed to the military authorities for direct payment to their personnel.

She said based on the president's contingency last year, some money was also used for the payment of additional N24.8 billion, while another approval by the President of N3.8 billion was still being processed.

Assuring that government has done its best to disburse as and when due monies to agencies under the defence sector as needed for their operations, the minister said there were other requirements that needed extra allocation, including those for joint task force and special operations against terrorism.”

With such heavy budget on defense it keeps the rational mind to wonder what really happen with the Nigerian military in protecting the territorial integrity of the nation. But because of corrupt system the money were never judiciously utilized.

It is sad to note that most barracks and the defense armoury in the country are in dilapidated state with outdated weapons which makes the nation more vulnerable for both internal and foreign aggression.

 Quite Recently; Egypt responded swiftly to ISIS when the terror group beheaded 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians, the President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi immediately sent his military to Libya to bombard the ISIS strongholds, the world stood shoulder to shoulder with him for his action. However within same week France struck deal with Egypt to supply her with 24 advanced fighter jets so as to boast the strength of Egyptian military in fighting against terrorism. While our own soldiers back home are being humiliated in each passing day by Boko Haram due to lack of modern advanced weapons to contend with the demons. Nigeria becomes mockery in the comity of nations. How’re mighty falling.

Nigeria military were among the best in the African continent with the finest record in international peace keeping operations. Nigeria was in Liberia and Sierra Loane for peace-keeping mission in the 1990s that restored peace in those two war-turned countries.

The acceptance by Nigeria for multinational force from three West African countries to assist in fighting against Boko Haram exposes the country’s weakness in tackling its domestic crisis. The question one would ask is why did it take the government such a long time to call for a foreign backup knowing very well that the country’s military wouldn’t contend the gutsy blood thirsty Boko Haram irrespective of request; by the United Kingdom and USA for military assistance which the government bluntly turned down their offers?

The country has gone through much difficult time within the 5 years period of Boko Haram’s mayhem, many lives and properties have been lost. Regrettably; the victims of this terrible crime will never get justice or be remembered again just like the forgotten victims of 1967- 1970 Nigeria/ Biafra civil war where over a million Igbo citizens were exterminated by the federal troops of then government of Nigeria. Up till today the government never deem it necessary to apologize to the victims of the war.

It has become a tradition that Nigeria never remembers their unsung heroes and heroines who died in the course of struggle especially men and women in uniform who have put their lives online to save the nation against the enemies of civilization and its apocalyptic doom. Boko Haram intent and agenda is to wipe out the entire race of Nigeria and establish a caliphate state where every individual will subjugated and reduced to puny.  To all the victims of Boko Haram their death will never be in vain.

As the general election is around the corner many critics are of the opinion on the dwindling chances of Jonathan re-election some political analysts believed that he has performed below average within the period of 5 years of his tenureship as President. This would be a boost and advantage; to the side of the opposition party the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential flag bearer Rtd. Major General Muhammadu  Buhari.

Buhari is been known as a man with proven integrity, a moralist, honest and sincere individual but his secular conservatism might not be to the interest for a such heterogeneous nation like Nigeria. Buhari these days seems to be derailing form his moral ethics due to the calibre of individuals that cluster around him coupled with lots of accusation against him especially in the area of the nation’s security which is not good enough for a leader with a mission objective.

Both PDP and APC cannot provide a quality leadership needed by Nigerians at this moment because these two parties have been infiltrated with same group of military cabals and old recycled politicians who squandered the nation’s commonwealth since after independence.  Unfortunately much expected change from Buhari might not be a reality due to corrupt APC members and Buhari’s benefactors who would like to formulate and dictate policies for his administration because as the saying goes “he who pays piper dictates the tune.”

The nation had suffered much schism from the hands of few individuals who run Nigerian economy like the Cosa Nostra the Sicilian mafia who influence every Italian government contracts from road construction to food production. 

In as much as both Jonathan and Buhari are not much what the nation needed at this difficult moment of its threshold of political history. However; it’s imperative for the country to accept; its fate and support both candidates in the general election because it is said “when the desirable is not available the available becomes desirable.” The country cannot afford to lose this opportunity by throwing away the much struggled and nurtured democracy that had fought for years.  

As the presidential election is less than few weeks left there should be renaissance on attitude especially on the side of the ruling party PDP. This is by shunning all forms of corruption including election malpractices. Both parties should promise Nigerian electorates an irrefutable, conclusive and well organised election.  With few weeks left to the election the country will be a focal point to the global media much expectation would be on whether the country will get it right this time by conducting free and fair election where both winners and losers will accept result in good fate as it is being done in other civilized democracy.  Nigerians won’t expect anything short of good quality election results. This will mark the beginning of a new dawn in Nigerian democracy.

By Lucas Anuforo, DUBLIN IRELAND