Are You Ready To Secure The North And Country At Large? -By Muhammad Sagir Bauchi

It is a general principle of life that, people tends to only give what they have. Because, whenever they try to give out what they don’t have, they will end up in failure.

For instance, to an artist of the Bollywood, Nollywood or Hollywood film industry, his scripted movie actions are what he is contributing to the betterment or development of his community. And when the industry directors or producers are asked of their role in developing their societies, they usually answered that, their participation in producing those movies to the movie theaters is what they are contributing in providing job opportunities and revenues to their societies.

Whenever one goes to sleeps in Nigeria, he may wake up to find some new happenings that would either put a smile on his face or change his mood to an unpleasant one. These are occurring on issues of good governance, market fluctuations, insecurity and others that are of importance to daily national life.

As stated earlier, it is almost impossible for one to escape daily national tragedy or embarrassment in as much as one is alive. Recently, a feud broke out between the state minister for labour and Employment, and a popular musician by the name, Eedris Abdulkareem over a recently released remix version of a popular song by the same artist. Although, the song (Nigeria jaga-jaga) is not new, it’s original version was released way back in 2004, then, the song caused a lot of controversy and tension with the government and within the diplomatic circle due to the it’s nonchalant and national embarrassment lyrics.

At the peak of its popularity in 2004, majority of Nigerians were still in militarism and new to civilian rule experience. As such, some prominent figures were activists, opposing the then Obasanjo administration and in active support to activities undermining the government. Some of these activists are Festus Keyamo (SAN), late Ghani fawahemi (SAN) and others. As a result of opposing the then government, Keyamo was imprisoned by the government. However, in order to understand the nature of relationship between those days activists, we’ll examine some of the verses of the Eedris Song. And I quote;

“If you see Keyamo bia bia

Dem lock am for jail for Abuja

Kingsley Agbese sef dey for there

Ade Bendel na him dey feed all of dem

Yekpa!! Inside prison prison

Everything scatter scatter

Gbosa, gbosa, gunshot inna di air”

Then, Eedris was part of the activists that vehemently opposed the Obasanjo administration, he dedicated a sympathetic line in the said-song in order to honor and call out some political prisoners in struggle by name. As a comrade in activism against that government, then, he may likely has some degree of personal relationship with the trade minister.

Releasing the new version of the song which is titled “Jaga-Jaga Reloaded‘’, in it, he re-dedicate a new line to the minister, an infamous line that generated an unexpected harsh reaction from the minister. In his reaction to depend himself, Keyamo described the singer as a fake activist in desperate need for attention in order to reactivate his failing stardom and promote his song to trend!

In that fued, I have to back up between Keyamo nor Eedris. But going by the words of the singer when asked to justify the used of the song theme “Jaga-Jaga”, he said that, his intention was not to curse or insult Nigeria as a nation, but to highlight the reality of the happenings in the country! So, at this juncture, I may comfortably accept his interpretation, but denouncing the connotative intention and meaning of the word buried beneath it.

So, going by the logic of what we could give back to our society, Eedris has given us his contribution through that reloaded track.

Now, away from the Eedris and Keyamo narrative. With that, you are welcome to the world of Naija activism of interest!

Now, let us explore another national disaster taking place at the moment.

Islam as a divinely religion had set of rules and regulations that it’s followers must adhere to. Among the rules is that, human blood is sacrosanct that must not be shed without beyond reasonable legal justification. As whoever killed a soul is as the same as he killed the whole mankind. Also, it is the same with whoever save life of a single soul, it is the same as he gives life to the entire humankind.

Allah the most merciful, has sanctified some exceptional months that he prohibited His Prophet P.B.U.H not to wage a war in any of them. These months are; Zhul Qa’adah, Zhul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.

We are now in the Month of Ramadan, the month wherein the Glorious Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet PBUH. Traditionally, the month of Ramadan to Muslim Ummah is a month of doubling an acts of worship, show empathy, mercy and forgiveness. It is the month the Muslims observed fasting it in its entirety, gives alms, feed and clothe the poor and engage themselves deeply with the Glorious Qur’an. That’s why the month is described as a month of mercy.

Today, on a sad note, a group of people claiming to be the vanguards of the religion have invaded Geidem town, a local government headquarters in Yobe state, slaughtering those they regard as INFIDELS! They rendered many children as orphans, women as widows and others to a homeless status. By Allah, nothing can justify these senseless acts in Islam, they are doing nothing but a great damage to Islam, as many of them are documented illiterates without even the knowledge of basics of the deen, talk less of been in position to depend it or govern other faithful. It is well documented that, many of them are drug addicts and are into illicit drugs trade, and these are crimes that has no place in Islam.

But one may be perplex on knowing that, majority of atrocities committed by these terrorists are carried out in a broadly day light, with the exception of few that are condoned during the night time. These may prompt one to ask questions like; are these terrorists above the laws of the land? Are they invincible to be traced and dealt with by the security apparatus? Or is the sovereignty of the Nigeria state that cheap for any ragtag group to hoist it’s flag over the state’s and goes free?

These and many more questions needs some solid answers by the relevant agencies.

After the Geidem invasion by these terrorists, two opposing

statements and situational report came from two different sources. While the government issued a statement indicating that, the army had pounced and expelled the terrorists from the area, another opposing statement from the residents indicates that the terrorists are still in control of the town!

Therefore, of the two statements, we can safely accept that of the residents, because they are main recipients and subjects in touch with the reality of those terrorists attacks.

In a situation where the security agencies are not straightforward to the populace, who to be trusted between these two is something one needs not to point out.

Nowadays, paying ransom to bandits/kidnappers, cattle rustlers, killings and sound of terrorists IPOB & Boko Haram’s guns, forceful levies by the terrorists to any invaded commmunities and other insecurity challenges are almost becoming a normal national life.

While discussing Arewa (NORTH), a region in short supply of a savior to rescue her from the shackles of insecurity, another thing just pump into my mind that, another region that was sometime ago laughing and indifferent to the plight of the North’s insecurity, is now at the receiving end of terrorists attacks and unprecedented insecurity challenges, is now at the centre of the news, mourning the killings of their loved one’s in hands of “GANGS” as they put it! is this not enough for all to realize that, with regard to issues of insecurity, nobody is immune from terrorists. And laughing at the woes of others is nothing but an invitation to self destruction, alienating neighbors and turning them into foes. I am not happy with all these bad happenings, but I will not be fair to myself without expressing how terrifying it was, realizing that some Southerners are of the opinion that, all those senseless killings taking place in the North is a nemesis befallen a region they regarded as backward and different from them. Just as I desist injustice and ethno centric views in any form, I unconditionally conderm the killings and criminal activities taking in the North and South.

Now, on the North that produces the president and all the security organisations heads, when are we going to realize the impact of our voices? Is social media a 24/7 avenue for discussing love life, football, BBN, betneja, trending songs, birth control, unnecessary political arguments and so on?

When should we understand that in this contemporary global village, the most feasible avenue to have a collective voice to check and balance our leaders to stand up to their responsibilities is through social media?

A once naive thought and call was that, changing the service chiefs is going to be the security challenges game changer, albeit, majority of them were changed, but the security challenges are still in place and new ones are emerging!

And from a distant observation, the messiahs we were expecting to secure us are more interested in securing their families and love ones!

A last reminder is that, we are now familiar with the usual expression of shock and condemnation by the presidency in regards to all the security challenges. Now, the big question that lingers on the shoulders of Arewa elected political leaders and those atop the security institutions is “when are you going to be ready to SECURE THE NORTH & COUNTRY AT LARGE.”

Sagir Ibrahim writes from Bauchi State. And can reached via ibrahimsagir1227@gmail.com or 07019718671