Insurgency: Comparing Mailafia’s Revelation With Lai’s Opinion -By Momoh Emmanuel Omeiza

The headlines been captured in our national dailies recently are like whirlwinds that can forcefully untie a baby strapped to a mother’s back. In the last one week, different issues and events clouded Nigeria’s political, economic and social atmospheres. From the usual corona virus pandemic to the ongoing #BBNaija and the imprisonment of a musician for alleged blasphemy in Kano. Sport enthusiasts were not left in the dark too as they had titbits of the European Premier League among others.

When the former deputy governor of the nation’s premier bank, Dr. Mailafia Obadiah gave his unreserved verdict on the spate of killings in the “Arewa”, Nigerians had thought he was speaking with one side of his tongue. However, the proverbial nature of his speech further affirmed the fact that Nigeria’s war against terror, banditry or insurgency as you may wish to call it wasn’t a child’s play. The revelation further affirmed the fact that “a man’s enemies are truly those of his household”.

Our “honourable” Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture was quick to paint the situation white as he without ado announced that Nigeria’s war against insurgency was at the cradle stage. The war he noted, hadn’t recorded any giant stride as World powers were not providing the needed weapons to tackle the issue headlong. In his words ” certain world powers have refused to even sell to us certain vital weapons”. How I wish he had actually listed the world powers.

Notwithstanding, a sane man would burst into hysteria considering the kind of personality who had made the above statement. Here was a man who over a decade ago was quick to criticise the then administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for issues ravaging the polity.

Those who knew the Oro indigene of Kwara State knew him to have always taken the bull by the horn when making comments on social and political issues especially during his tenure as the national publicity secretary for the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which merged with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP) to become the current All Progressives Congress (APC) which formed the bulwark soldiering the present administration.

What then could have accounted for the change in behavior? When did Lai Mohammed put on the garment of a clown and changed to Lie Mohammed? Well, I wouldn’t wanna blame him. Afterall, Lord Acton a British Historian of the nineteenth century had affirmed the undisputable fact that “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. It was Lai’s duty to sing the praises of his boss both under rain and shine. The boss who pays the piper too had the utmost authority to dictate the tune and the rhythm of the music.

Lai’s function among other things was to project a false image for the Buhari administration. His own style of performing ministerial functions was to quickly react with fury and unleash terror on his critics as well as that of his boss. To many, he is more of an opportunist and a firm/ardent supporter of political propaganda.

In the name of acting as the spokesman for the presidential cabinet, he has submitted himself to the whims and caprices of ” the cabal”. He in the words of Frederick Nwabufo, an esteemed journalist, “appears dutiful in virulently clamping down on alternative voices”.

With his usual gargantuan regalia and age-long spectacles which have always been used to read from the pages of deceit, he had at the inception of his career as the spokesman initiated the duplicitous campaign christened ” change begins with me” which proved to be futile. To further affirm his duplicitous nature, he launched an offensive against his critics by initiating a new code for agencies and media organizations under his watch.

No wonder the National Broadcasting Corporation, an agency under his watch, had ordered the Radio Station (Nigeria Info) that hosted Mailafia to pay a whopping sum of five million naira. In order to sway off the minds of Nigerians and cloud the truth, they had referred to the amount as a fine for ” unprofessional conduct”. I am beginning to wonder what was unprofessional about the interview as well as the essence of the fine and the ludicrous amount of money.

He in the company of his boss are always quick to trade blame on the failure of the military to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency headlong. The minds of the entire citizenry had been swayed back and forth like a swing on the playground to believe that the failure of the last administration to reduce the spate of the crisis was the causative factor for the incessant actions of the fighters.

What could have forced a right thinking human being especially in the “Giant of Africa” to believe the lies told by our honourable minister for lies and propaganda? Is our honourable minister trying to prove a point by saying that the senses, understanding and imaginations of Nigerians been alienated and so darkened that they cannot read and understand the contents of the United Nations agreement on arms procurement in tandem with world peace?

Lest we forget, Sahara Reporters had always been quick to air the views of the soldiers on the disheartening state of things at the war front. You wouldn’t have forgotten General Olusegun Adeniyi, the theatre commander of the Nigerian troops who had complained about poor welfare package for the soldiers, or Lance Corporal Martins Idakpein who lambasted the nation’s service chiefs for failing in their responsibilities of defending the country.

So Adeniyi wouldn’t spoil the “show” and fanfare, he was relieved of his duties and relegated to a position of the back bench. Idakpein on the orders of the Army Chief, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai was detained almost indefinitely due to series of court adjournments in the case whereas the service chiefs who are long due for retirement are retained amidst public outcry calling for their resignation.

Lai could have added another icing on the cake by saying the Western powers had also denied them proper welfarism. Then Nigerians would know that contrary to the popular mantra, it was necessary that a third party assists in mending the broken lines in the nation’s security architecture. Afterall, success was better achieved in a united effort not minding the fact that “the owner” of the problem had the greatest share.

Well, it is vain to start proffering solutions to Nigeria’s age-long battle with insurgency. It is also evident and obvious that Lie Mohammed is a human fabric woven with the threads of deceit, hypocrisy and facade.

However, with the recent #RevolutionNow procession, Nigerians not long will be able to tell and give answers to the tripartite questions of which is which, who is who and what is what.
On this note, I rest my case!.