Nigeria-does-not-need-any-revolution-to-see-the-needed-change-in-development

President Muhammadu Buhari (Left), Omoyelo Sowore; 2019 Presidential Aspirant (Right)
 
NIGERIA DOES NOT NEED ANY REVOLUTION TO SEE THE NEEDED CHANGE IN DEVELOPMENT
On the recent Revolution Now Protest, which was instigated and spearheaded by former Presidential candidate and publisher of online news portal - Sahara Reporters, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, who is now in the detention custody of the DSS, and the heated atmosphere that was created as a result of this development, we consider it necessary to lend our voice to reiterate the fact that Nigeria does not need any sort of revolution now for us to see the needed change we desire in the nation’s developmental progress.
When we consider the fact that any sort of revolution in the country at the moment will only worsen the already fragile unity and peace in the country, then we would realize that we really do not need such dust being raised by anyone or group of persons. This is because it will only lead to more violence in most parts of the country, which will lead to further loss of lives, displacement of people, destruction of property and what have you. Agreed that there are countless problems and pressing issues in Nigeria that desperately need attention and addressed holistically, but a revolution, no matter how it is explained or intended, can never be the solution. 
Yes, Nigerians have the right to go on peaceful protests to air their minds and displeasure over some issues they want whatever Government in power to address, but calling for a revolution is an entirely different thing altogether that would not serve the interest of the Nigerian entity. We all know the only way to legitimately bring about a change of the Government of the day is through the ballot box in an election. Now, whether that process was free, fair and the overwhelming wishes/desires of majority of Nigerians, is an issue that can only be best addressed in the different levels of the appropriate Court of law. And whether the said Court of law is able to bring true justice in this regard, it is another thing entirely. But to think that a revolution of some sort will bring about the needed change, it will be us making an already bad situation worse. Ask the nations in the Arab Spring, especially Libya, which had some kind of revolution in the past, they will tell you that they are presently not better off. In fact, these nations that had their feel of revolutions in recent years, have not been able to recover from it, as a lot of things have gone sour in their economies.
In a recent well-circulated piece on social media platforms, tagged: “THE REVOLUTION THEY REFUSED TO DO WHEN IT WAS NEEDED MOST”, a public affairs commentator who goes by the handle name, “mabsbulangu”, he made some valid sense/points and raised some questions too on the subject matter. Some of the questions include: When militants were busy bombing and destroying oil installations and then polluting the entire Niger Delta environment between the year 1997 to 2016, where was your revolution? When the same militants began kidnapping foreign investors in the year 2000 and later resorted to kidnapping Nigerian citizens for ransom after the foreigners ran away, where was your revolution? When opposition politicians were being specifically targeted for assassination between the year 2002 to 2014, where was your revolution? When they were busy buying private jets and building expensive private universities and gigantic personal libraries with funds stolen from us, where was your revolution?
“When they sold NEPA/PHCN to themselves in 2013 and continued to rip us off our monies without giving us electricity, you didn't think of revolution!, When just one box was found containing 14-billion-Naira worth of jewelry for a thieving female former minister recently, you didn't think of revolution, when the theft and squander-mania was going on between 2010 to 2015!, When they killed NITEL and our numerous textile factories since 2001, your revolution was missing!, When they killed Nigeria Airways without even paying off the workers, your revolution mind was where? When they stole your monies and built palatable edifices for their families, concubines or girlfriends, where was your revolution? When they were selling crude oil at $140 per barrel and yet couldn't pay workers for upwards of 14 months, where was your revolution? When our health institutions went comatose, and doctors, nurses and other medical workers were always on strike, where was your revolution? When the 2nd Niger Bridge was commissioned on mere paper twice but which tens of billions of naira was looted and squandered in its name, where was your revolution? When a former First Lady's total amount forfeited to government can be divided amongst 774 local governments for 220 million naira each, where was your revolution? When 23 people, under the instruction of President Jonathan, looted and shared $2.1 billion funds meant for fighting Boko Haram, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, where was your revolution? When over 20 people died during the Nigeria Immigration Service jobs scam in 2014, where was your revolution? When stealing was not corruption, and was effectively legalized to the point that it was a crime to be honest in any office in Nigeria between 1999 and 2015, where was your revolution?”
While we are not here to speak for or against any particular Government, the bottom line is that we do not need any sort of revolution to address the many problems facing the Nigerian nation and its people. It is very easy to start off a war or a serious crisis, but it is usually very difficult and almost impossible to end it without leaving indelible wounds that would always remind us the damaged caused.
Agreed that, hardly can anyone think of the seemingly intractable tragedies of the Nigerian nation nowadays without a deep-seated anger, frustration and prolonged lamentation. This brings to mind a statement made some years back by the universally celebrated author of Things Fall Apart, late Chinua Achebe, who, seeing the tragic madness that had repeated itself a zillion time in Nigeria's past, gave vent to the lamentation of his heart which in fact spoke directly and eloquently about how things had completely fallen apart in his beloved country of Nigeria. According to Achebe, "Nigeria has been more disappointing than I had hoped or expected…. It is tragic because we have such potential … we have been given so much abundance by providence that it just seems extraordinary that we should do nothing but shoot ourselves in the foot….”
Nigerian has witnessed serious insecurity situations and concerns in different parts of the country in time past, which ordinarily could have shattered and divided us as a country, but somehow, we have remained an entity. Nigeran alone has witnessed a civil war, an insurgency uprising from Boko Horam, Militancy in the Niger Delta region, the Fulani Headsmen crises that has refused to go, agitations for secession by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and even more agitations for secession from different groups like Oduduwa Republic, etc. We can say, without mincing words, that Nigeria is indeed drifting into the abyss if care is not taken. The country has been drifting away from a more “united country”, hence, any sort of revolution will only add in making things worse. These are ominous signs that should tell us as a people, and our political leaders, that the situation before us is serious, and should be treated as such. But not through any sort of revolution.
All of the above insecurity situations/concerns are best described as “persecutions against the Nigerian citizenry”, which will only eventually lead to many Nigerians becoming refugees in their own country and in neighboring African countries and foreign lands if care is not taken.  At a time when all Nigerians should be preaching and practicing “unity” so that we can, as a nation, surmount all the current economic and political challenges besetting us, it is rather unfortunate that some people – driven by their political interests, are more interested in using their own hands to instigate crises, wars and terror, either to gain “uncalled for popularity”, attract undue international attention, but to the detriment of many.
Again, it is usually very easy to instigate and start a war in any society, but the agonies, pains, human and material losses often left behind by such a war are scars that usually take forever to heal. The situations in places like Syria, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and other parts of the Middle East, which have led to millions of refugees seeking for asylum in different foreign countries, are clear examples of what we are talking about.
Yes, there is abject poverty, hardship, and insecurity caused by the Nigerian Politicians, but the call for revolution of any kind will only explode the country into ashes and cause war. No country will go into war in this 21st century and come out strong. Let’s not deceive ourselves and pretend about it. A revolution is not a solution to resolve the many problems, it will rather escalate the hardship, insecurity, e.t.c. The situation in Sudan is another clear example for us to learn from.
The crux of the matter is that, Nigeria and its political leaders and people should not use their own hands to “add” to the number of problems we already have before us, and also end up adding to the refugee crisis situation already in the world. No matter the disaffections, disapprovals, disagreements and misunderstandings between/within ethnicities, or between the governed and the government, or between political ideologies and power plays, we still have the capacity to “manage” our problems and also follow/use the right channels to advocate, protest and express our displeasure over an issue. Perhaps, until we get our electioneering process right, like they have in the UK and US, so that the peoples’ votes can truly count in the change of a Government, but until then, let us not steer this ship on a destructive path. Those instigating and advocating for any sort of revolution, which would obviously lead to us having more problems in our hands, should be advised to desist from such unworthy path.
 
 
Zik Gbemre
 
 
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