Echoes Of June 12, Fifty Years Of Civil War And The Search For Unity -By Richard Odusanya

It was the former secretary of state of the United States of America, Condoleezza “Condo” Rice, a diplomat, political scientist, civil servant, and professor who is currently the director at Hoover Institution of the University of Standford, who succinctly captured in her words: “A revolution is what happens when you don’t see evolutions coming.”

The recently reported attempted assassination of Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate in the 2016 general elections, currently the chairman of a political party ‘AAC’ an opposition leader, civil rights activist and the publisher of Sahara Reporters, by the agents of state, who many prefer to call the “Buhari hitmen” at the unity fountain, a place specially designated for peaceful assembly, which in itself is a constitutional right of our citizens as guaranteed by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

The unfortunate situation is clearly a descent into the dark era of the inglorious past military dictatorship. This is similar to the dark days when agents of state, terminated the lives of many of our distinguished personality like; Dele Giwa, an accomplished Journalist of the blessed memory, Bola Ige ‘Ceciro’ an accomplished legal luminary and a sitting Attorney General of the Federation Republic of Nigeria who was assassinated on that black day 23 Dec 2001 right in front of his wife justice Atinuke Ige, who also later died of the trauma; the symbol of unity’ June 12. President Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and many others.

Similarly, the ongoing and unspoken genocide against the good people of Igbo extraction in the Eastern region of our country is at best a reminder of the bitter civil war between the year 1967-1970. The heavily militarized region that are not known to be violent, have been serially violated and traumatized by both non state actors and state agents… including the rhetorical threatening and open declaration of war as against pacifying and civil engagement. Many people had concluded that, it would have been better if the same measure of threat is openly directed and channeled to the marauders herdsmen criminalities, Boko Haram insurgents, kidnappers and others, instead of the constant harassment of law abiding Citizens, which has resulted in trust deficit and lost of confidence leading to the present situation we find ourselves.

Muhammadu Buhari

The consequences of the insensitive to the plights and feelings of the neglected and marginalized regions of the nation is lost of confidence leading to issues of trust deficit, which ultimately birthed agitation. The evidence of it, is the near total compliance of sit at home throughout the five States of the Eastern region as directed by the separatists groups. This is a clear indication of the non-state actors calling the shots, again, it was a demonstration of lack of confidence in the Nigerian State.

As a nation destined for greatness, this is certainly not the time to further hear inflammatory responses from the presidency and other critical stakeholders as noticed….it is a time for sober reflection, strategic thinking, the real genuine and sincere search for unity.

June 12, was the day Nigerians rejected the evils of tribalism, religious bigotry and nepotism. Unfortunately, those who are the beneficiary of a system that is been programmed to work for very selected few, truncated the Nigerian dream and continued with the economic and socio-political onslaught against our country Nigeria. Our nation is at the brink of a second war and no nation survives multiple civil war.

This is the reality of our beloved country Nigeria as at today, yes, it may look more of a sad narrative each time the story of our country is told, but the good news is that, ultimately we shall surely overcome our myriad of challenges and this is the essence of the clamour for good governance and responsive leadership system on this platform and it is the reason for these painstaking series–“The Search For A New Nigeria” and indeed the glaring need for unity and national cohesion.

WE CAN DO IT AGAIN, NIGERIA WILL RISE AGAIN.

Richard Odusanya is a Social Reform Crusader and the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE ACRI.