NIGERIA: A CHAMELEONIC WIDOW by Yomisaint Adebayo
A popular Radio presenter, Late Gbenga Adeboye, likened
Nigeria to a widow who will never satisfy with whatever is tossed at her. If fed
satisfactorily, she will curse her dead husband that he failed to do such when
alive, if underfed for a minute, she will tagged her guardian idiot and praise
her dead husband. The revelations from the present political ambience justified
Adeboye’s claim as many prefer that will go back to slavery.
Before now, political prisoners were the celebrities we know;
press harassment was everyday story and it was more like a religion. Dele Giwa a fearless Nigerian
journalist, ignorantly embraced his death at age 39 via a well
packaged envelope, in exchange for
writing "God's experiment", Ken Saro Wiwa, President of MOSOP, which was
campaigning for greater control over oil and gas resources on their land, for
economic development, and autonomy over their affairs, (including cultural,
religious and environmental matters) was killed. His offence, Saro Wiwa led a nonviolent campaign against environmental degradation of the land and waters of Ogoniland by the operations of
the multinational petroleum industry, Tunde Thompson and Nduke Irabor of Guardian Newspaper were jailed because
they published an incorrect story about the naming
of a new envoy to Britain, Femi Aribisala was jailed, Gbenga Aruleba (Focus Nigeria) detained, and Idris Abdulkareem was likened to the
title of his song.
Today,
Omoyele Sowore (Sahara reporter) and Kayode Ogundamisi throw abuses at the President
from US and the UK respectively, besides the local reporters that do the same
to make a living. Even, Omoyele employed Dr. Damages to mimic the president,
another source of livelihood. Omojuwa Japhet
rode on the horse of “Occupy Nigeria”, turned twitter celebrity, and then
graduated to calling the President names, and Dele Monmodu turns a full
political commentator and his ovation still sells. If Omoyele and Kayode would do half of their
stories about the leaders of the countries where they both reside, they would
have retraced their steps back to this country long time ago. But all these
people still enjoy the comfort of their homes, merry with their families, and their
relatives are never on queue at different police stations to free their bread
winners from government incarceration.
A Nigerian
officer was mocked to the extent it became a clothing line “OGA AT THE TOP”, MI
turned First Lady’s speech into musical lyrics, and opposition parties win
elections and are allowed to govern. People of today make a more money by
mocking the government, call governor names, mimic any political office holder
and nobody cares to penalize.
This is the
change we are talking about, where I can feel more like a Nigerian, where I can
freely ink my thought on the paper without being bullied, where I can tell that
Buhari is senile, Obasanjo has turned political entertainer, Tinubu is a thief
living in Bourdillion, Rotimi Amaechi behaves like a pig, Fashola’s brain has
started malfunctioning, and Fayemi is a con artist.
Have we
forgotten so soon that we have anticipated for this government for long, a country
where we are truly Nigerians? Where we don’t see State Houses as Military barracks
and Military barracks are not seen as (land of no return) hell.
Some cabals are
not happy about our true freedom from oppression, they are fighting to win
elections because oil blocks will be re-awarded next year, and they want to
seize power by all means to send us back to slavery, I think we must look back,
think of where we are coming from and say an affirmative No!
What more do
we expect, than to vote for a man who embraces the gesture Dele Giwa died for,
a man who is ready to give the demands of Late Ken Saro Wiwa. A man who
believes Nigeria must be a home, and not a jungle.
Vote the
true transformation, vote wisely.
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