Why a Nigerian Revolution Should Be Expected than a Possible Break-up

The possible break-up of Nigeria has always been a topic to talk about among many Nigerians, sometimes hyped or over-emphasized. Amongst the Igbos, the hope for their own nation separate from the Nigerian state is even high, emanating from the injustice meted out to them. There is always the fear of a possible break-up especially among those benefiting from the present ill structure of the Nigerian state. While it is true that there are Nigerians wishing and dreaming for the country to break apart, obviously, there is something more imminent than the possible break-up of the Nigerian entity. It is something that the younger generation of Nigerians hold in common that cut across ethnic and religious differences – a yearning for change through revolution – the removing and punishing of those that have ruined Nigeria for decades. Well, some would argue against the possibility of a Nigerian revolution by stating that the youths are not ready for it, or does not know their left from their right. Nevertheless, it would be necessary to explain why a Nigerian revolution is more imminent than a possible break-up of the state from human communication point of view.

As humans we communicate at any given moment and time through some form of messages expressing our feelings, needs, and thoughts, based on how we perceive a certain situation. Communication is a construct to satisfy a need within a given situation on individual or public level, and we tend to do so in different patterns. What we do, how we do it, and why we do it depends on the meaning we bring through our experiences into a situation. Therefore, before people could come together, collaborate, and take responsibility to solve a problem, they must become cognitively aware of the problem affecting them and take action to address it.

Since people will always behave differently in a situation even in a homogeneous society or public it is often difficult to mobilize efforts to tackle a confronting issue, more so in a heterogeneous society as it is the situation in Nigeria. However, a situation could arise whereby the individual members of the society become cognitively aware of their common need or problem through involvement and discussions, therefore creating mobilizing efforts towards a common goal. They would understand the benefits and dangers associated with the goal and ascribe reality and importance to it, connect their understanding of any associated message to the world around them triggering an action of some consequences.

Such a scenario is emerging with the perpetual exploitation of Nigeria by the elites through corruption. They have undermined and treated Nigerian youths as good-for-nothing-slaves, and often perceive them as effeminate and inexperienced. The elites have also capitalized on the deep ethnic and religious divide of the people in their political games and looting of Nigeria’s treasury, because they perceive the benefits in this context. This is why they grow fat in their corrupt practices with impunity like a worm feeding on the flesh of a living animal, while it suffers excruciating pains and slowly dies. These young generations of Nigerians are the victims of the wicked and treacherous elites of the society who will never get tired vampirizing the blood of the poor masses, as these ones pay for the price in many ways.

The lack of good roads takes away the lives of hundreds of Nigerians everyday through road accidents, especially during festive seasons when millions of Nigerians travel to see their love ones. Many Nigerian children study with candlelight and kerosene lamps in a country that has what it takes to provide stable electricity to its citizens. Millions of Nigerian children roam the streets scavenging on refuse dumps, or hawking items on the highways on barefoot because they cannot afford to go to school. Family heads that depends on electricity for their businesses cannot afford to care for their families any more as there is no stable supply of electricity, while those that use generators cannot power them as the price of fuel skyrocket. Most parents after bleeding to pay their children’s school fees, it takes more than necessary number of years for their children to graduate from school as a result of incessant strikes and government inability to take care of the teachers’ salaries. After all these sufferings, the quality of Nigerian education worth less than a toilet paper and cannot afford to get them a job when it matters most, because the entire system has been eaten up by corruption. In addition, inflation is causing many homes untold miseries as the price of foods soars each day.

Most Nigerians recognize these aforementioned issues, no matter their ethnicity and religion; they are all facing a common sad reality created by common enemies. Recognizing this problems or issues is necessary to bring about a change. It is this common recognition of the problem and the previous grievances that would motivate a certain form of communication or action, namely a revolution. As the elites continue to steal and rob Nigerian children their lives and future, they are unwittingly doing one thing – facilitating an impending revolution, run by young Nigerians. These vengeful youths would not mind their religious and ethnic differences at that time to vent their anger upon those bringing pain and death to them. They will march the streets in protests knocking on the doors of all those that desecrate their motherland, bringing punishment upon them and their children.

Furthermore, the importance these youths attach to the problems is increasing day after day, and it is such high level of involvement that will enable them to mobilize efforts towards a revolution. Across social media there is no doubt that most Nigerians loathe their elites and government for what they are doing to their country and to their future, perceiving them as their common enemies. Nigerian youths are hungry to end corruption, to put Nigeria on the map of development to catch up with the rest of the advanced societies.

Will there be any constraints to a Nigerian revolution if it happens? It is at least not likely. Nigerian youths are becoming active in using social media, which provides a platform to engage one another, share opinions, and interact to build a virtual community and networks of friends and families not minding religion and ethnicity. They are uniting in a common goal to rid the country of corruption. This would translate into real action when the time comes. What is needed at the moment for a Nigerian revolution to happen is the spark, but where that spark will come from and its nature is not known yet. When it does, it will definitely ignite the fire of the wrath of the hungry and angry Nigerians.

Due to the relatively liberal media landscape in Nigeria, media-savvy activists could use it to circumvent any repressive attempt by the government towards communication during a revolution. In addition, Nigerian youths are at their best in using Internet technologies either for good or for bad and would outsmart government security agents when the time comes. They will use every sophistication of the Internet technology and the social media platforms to enhance their efforts and give their voices to the rest of the world drawing attention and sympathy from all those that wish them and their nation well. Moreover, the youths that have been underestimated by the elites would want to prove a point of their uncowardliness and their ability to salvage the nation.

Until that time, Nigerian youths are longingly waiting for that opportunity to usher in change through a revolution, to wipe away tears from their eyes and deliver them from the hands of the old boys sucking their blood day by day. The drum for revolution and the hunger for change will definitely come sooner than expected from the people. It will be the sword to cut off corruption from Nigeria, and only way for a clean start and new part of history for the nation. The result will be according to the words of Abraham Lincoln, “the birth of a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

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