Yobe in a Gloom: A Time to Shatter the Silence -By Musaddam Idriss Musa

In egalitarian country where freedom of speech is considered speaking only those pleasing words in appraisal of those in power while unveiling their flaws and prompting them of their disremembered leadership responsibilities is reflected as law-breaking that may lead one to be arbitrarily arrested, subject to torture, executed without a fair trial and even denied basic rights because they criticize a dictator or leader there’s no better thing worthy of doing than keeping silence since it has become crystal clear that the people have no choice and of course silence is golden as they said. However, to keep ourselves taciturn when we actually need to vocalize our worries means that we crave anonymity and inaccessibility.

One can effortlessly sense how the beautiful and peaceful Nigeria is gradually becoming occupied with a humdrum places because of the rebellious violence and security threats manifesting the nation. It is almost impossible to escape news of the constant hustle and bustle of bandits and terrorists from different quarters in everyday. But one thing for sure is there can be a plethora of reasons for this.

It’s not a week long when Boko Haram terrorists invaded Geidam and took over the city and now ascending to grab again Kanamma town which is under Yunusari local government both in Yobe state. Unfortunately, with all the lost of lives and hundreds of thousands homeless refugees who were forced to fled and withdrew their homes by the Boko Haram terrorists leaving them stranded in bush neither of the Yobe state leaders be it traditional or a political ruler seemed to have been kind and sympathetic to the poor Geidam people even the ruling governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni as we hit more than four days now since the people of the town become captives.

It’s not uncommon to have seen so many hunting dogs of the governing body spreading fabulous propaganda in the name that the governor has shown his concern in the matter if such writings were come across because no one can present a real prove for that. In fact, no one has even known where majority of the escapees camped till now. While the state with all the superiority it has as a home for the Nigeria’s senate president Ahmad Lawan, Minister of Works Abubakar D. Aliyu and home for the chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress who is also the state governor, Mai Mala Buni and almost 15 first class traditional rulers is shattered with fear and bloodsheds with no one immensely ready to help.

This is the bitter truth that majority of the people have so petrified voicing out. Many are hounded into silence. Some have tried but now they have given up because life has knocked them to the canvas once too often and they cannot pick themselves up again. They have been abused, betrayed and hurt beyond repair. The pain of a lonely life is preferable to the horrors they have experienced. They retreat into their self made fortresses. They become ghosts, drifting through life like wraiths on the wind without any hope. Yet, this will never stop us from shattering the silence!

Musaddam Idriss Musa
realmusaddam@gmail.com