The Curious Case Of Dadiyata, Dawisu And A Story My Lecturer Told Me -By Elvis Ogah

Some 13yrs ago, in my 3rd year at the University, i offered a course titled ‘History of Economic Thought’ Eco 307. During one of our classes on a topic called “Isms Approach”, the course lecturer, Dr. Adofu Ilemona, told us a story.

After teaching us about Maoism, Maxism and Leninism, he got to a very interesting ism which he called Nazism – the ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany. The wanton economic destruction & untold death Hitler unleashed on Europe and the world are now common knowledge, even to the unlettered.

Dr. Adofu however, told us how German citizens enabled and emboldened Hitler to become the tyrant he became by their refusal to speak up when they saw the early signals.

He captured his story in the words of a German Lutheran Pastor named Martin Niemöller who lived between 1892–1984.

Here are his words:

● First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out. Because I was not a socialist.

● Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out. Because I was not a trade unionist.

● Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out. Because I was not a Jew.

● Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.

We didn’t quite understood these words and the message it effuses then; but living in today’s Nigeria makes the message easily fathomable.

Bottomline is, if you like, keep quiet as a government apologist, if you like, speak up like an activist. Fact is, incompetence is no respecter of persons, and there’s always enough Injustice to go round.

When it rains, it pours!