I don’t know how and why some people do it -By Azuka Onwuka

I lost some friends because of Muhammadu Buhari. I lost some friends because of Donald Trump. I lost some friends because of Nigerian pastors. I lost some friends because of Nnamdi Kanu.

Note that I never called any of these prominent figures names. I don’t do that.

During Buhari’s presidential campaign of 2013 to 2015, I was very careful not to use harsh words against him unlike now that he is our president and ruining our lives and giving tacit support to those who kill Nigerians. In 2013 to 2015 I only made it clear that I preferred Goodluck Jonathan to Buhari. I never told those who preferred Buhari that they were wrong or blind or senseless. I told them that it was their right but that based on the prevailing circumstances then, my choice was Jonathan, even with his flaws. These guys called me names, maligned me, attacked me viciously, accused me of unimaginable things, and even cut off physical relationship with me. Some later saw the light and apologized for their behaviour. Many did not. But I took it as part of life.

When Buhari eventually won the election, I congratulated him and urged him to heal the nation and turn Nigeria around as he promised. We all know what he has been doing in the past 6 years.

In Donald Trump’s case, it was the same thing. When he won, I hailed him for winning despite all the permutations of political pundits, and urged him to heal his nation. But I saw that adults rarely change. I was shocked at some of the things he said or did as president and pointed these things out. But to his supporters, it is a crime to say anything negative against him. And who ever did must be roasted.

In the case of Nigerian pastors, we know that in the eyes of many Nigerians, these men are not human beings and should NEVER be criticised. Whatever they do is right and ordained by God. Only God has the right to criticise them. Whoever criticises them is an enemy, an agent of the devil, an anti-Christ that should be attacked viciously and even killed, if they have the chance. And the attackers are fully convinced that they are God’s warriors or soldiers of Christ fighting against the enemies of God and the gospel.😭

In Nnamdi Kanu’s case, it does not matter how many times you defend his rights to dissent or condemn the government for killing his members extra-judicially. It does not matter how hard you condemn those who rejoice when IPOB members are killed or denied their rights. The moment you criticise any action of his, you are an enemy, a saboteur, a one-Nigerianist, a hater, etc, who must be viciously attacked. In fact, you don’t need to criticise Kanu. All you need to do is to say: “No, this left route will not help us; let us use the right route” or “Let us take it easy to avoid bloodshed in Igboland”. You immediately become an enemy.

When people who don’t know you in real life engage in this dictatorship of not allowing any alternative voice, one can waive it off. But when people you know in real life or who are related to you by blood and who are well travelled and well educated to understand the importance of plurality of views in society engage in this extremism of trying to silence or demonise any alternative voice or even ruining personal relationship because of political or religious beliefs, it makes you wonder how the minds of many human beings works.

Why is it too hard for many people who condemn dictatorship to understand that their view is their view and others have a right to their own views? Why is it so easy for people to make themselves slaves to their political or religious beliefs that they are ready to destroy others who don’t share their beliefs because of such beliefs?

Human beings are a mystery!

I always pray that I will never attach myself to the words of any individual to the point of attacking others or killing others over such an individual. Hold your view while I hold my view. Respect my view, while I respect your view. That is my philosophy in life. We don’t need to agree but there is no need for us to be enemies. I might not agree with you, but I will defend your right to disagree.

I don’t know why this simple principle is hard for many people to imbibe, especially well-educated and well-travelled people.