Are You Ready To Die For Politicians To Capture Power? -By Khadija Aliyu Sani

There has been an increasing concern over the violent confrontations in Nigeria between communities, ethnic and religious group that appear to be dominant feature since the return of civilian rule in May 1999. These conflicts seems to express the deep seated divisions that exist among some groups and the ineptitude with which the state has been approaching the issue.

In 2019 the Apex Igbo sociocultural organization, the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo warned that should anything happen to Igbos residing in the North, they will hold the Federal government responsible. Urging the Igbos in the North to be Vigilant. By implication, the statement means any attack on Igbos will be reciprocated with attack on Hausas in the East. The recent happenings in the East looms a very bad signal in the polity.

However, a number of factors have contributed to this disturbing development including shrinking economic opportunities, unemployment, illiteracy, injustice and skewing the constitution to suit the interests of a few individuals.

To compound the problem, our young people have been imprisoned by Arsenal and Manchester United and our young girls, are imprisoned by Instagram and Tick Tock. We are segmented on the basis of religion and income without us realising. This is because Our only source of information is the gossips that we cheaply gathered from the social media we have no sense of the present and future. Thus, There is high level of mistrust and tension in the country.

We need to wake up, Our young people have no sense of our history, no sense of our present, no sense of our future. J. F Kennedy said in 1960 ” a society whose young men and women are in a constant state of slumber, will never realise its potential “. Our young people must wakeup. It is only when they wake up shall we witness development. Until the day Nigeria realised she is on its own, she is going no where. Our biggest enemy should be poverty, hunger, unemployment and underdevelopment.

It is time we realised that Nigeria is the only country Nigerians have as their own; and that Nigeria is multiethnic and multi religious and therefore, requires nurturing for these various diverse identity groups to be melted into one Nation through the turtorous process of National building, National integration and National unity.

We shouldn’t be sentimentally deluded, we don’t have to fight each other on the basic of religion or ethnicity. This diversity we so much despised is an asset we have not yet recognised. Truth to be told, we are all lost in greed that is consuming us. Where do we come from, where do we have to go? That’s what we need to know.

Whenever someone tries to divide us, misguide us or mislead us go and check the calendar, how many days are left for the election. War is not a tea party. Are we ready to die for a politician to capture power?

This Country is all we have left, it is true that there are scores of injustices and it is also true that it wouldn’t continue forever. But the killing of innocent Nigerians trying to fend for their families is not the solution. Dialogue is the key. After all, someday we will all be part of history in the memory of our generation. People will forget our names and shape.

Khadija Aliyu Sani

Department of Mass Communication

Bayero University, Kano.