More than 200 killed in another deadly attack in a densely populated Jos market, Sahara Reporters said. This comes barely two days after a similar attack was prevented, only in its severity, in Kano with only one of two bombs detonating and the other one contained before it could unleash its terror. Barely a week before, Jigawa recorded its first ever bomb attack. Today, another village is ravaged in Borno. This is the freshest of a series of attacks that have claimed the lives, livelihood and futures of civilians. It has now become a daily occurrence; there is a perpetual wait with hearts in mouth everyday, radio and television stations tuned for news, apprehension in expectancy of the next bit of heart-wrenching news. Movement is restricted because home makers are now afraid of going to markets, children are terrified of going to school, everyone is unsure of the next hour. What looks like the prologue of a post-apocalyptic novel is a vivid description of the state of affairs in Nigeria today. We barely have time to mourn one attack before another death toll is taken elsewhere. The nation is without respite and hope. Despite our government’s best assurances, the fact is people are dying in their multitudes and it appears nothing is being done to prevent this. Consequently, there is a rumbling among the dissatisfied masses that if ignored could produce an unexpected new terror in Nigeria.
Usually, I try to avoid conspiracy theories as they are mostly circumstantial evidence conjured around an already formed conclusion. However, coincidence upon coincidence upon coincidence is no longer coincidence. The best of our government’s efforts to thwart the endeavors of the insurgents have proven insufficient. Perhaps, they are being restrained by the fear of attracting sanctions from the UN and human right groups. Perhaps they are not as well equipped due to the embezzlement of the security budget. However, there are these civilian armies and vigilantes that are yearning to join the war. We have already seen the results of the efforts of these groups in troubled areas. It is being circulated that the full extent of their successes is not fully covered. Why can’t these ones, who haven’t had their morale dashed by a daunting government, be given a chance to launch an offensive against the insurgency? This same administration will not support them! We can not dare to say we understand all the details involved in ruling a country (otherwise we would all be head of state, which may not necessarily be a bad idea at this point) but surely, the welfare of its citizens should be top priority of every administration. Is our government not just incapable of controlling this evil standard? Are they also enabling the acts? Are they protecting the insurgents? This has all the appearances of a civil war but the government has refused to call it as it is. Similarly, it struggled to designate the attacks as “terrorist”. The conspiracy theories I detest would spring up if the question about who benefits from all this chaos is asked. But where exactly does the government fit in these?
Eventually, the cup will run over, the patience of the masses will exhaust and misery will overrule mind: there will be another uprising fueled by the need for survival, by the right to live another day. Like an animal cornered with nothing to lose, the people will fight back. All civilization and regard for the laws of war will evaporate in that time. With each new victory will rise a blood lust, a desire to keep on killing and pillaging and vanquishing. However, when enemies are squandered, can we control ourselves? Will we not continue to fight until we destroy the very country that we intended to save in the first place. Will the government who have so far been ineffectual in protecting its citizens yet too proud to step aside and let others, and inadvertently (at least, I hope so) sponsor the continued death of its citizens not be the new target, the new enemy? If we discover that we are indeed capable of determining the future of Nigeria, without the help of a central governing body, a body responsible for checking the activities of its armies, will we ever stop fighting? Our enemies, our attackers do not care one bit for Nigeria. They do not care about a future for their children. Dialogue has been impossible with this sect because they do not think the way normal human beings do. It is therefore, dangerous, to fight this war in a manner similar to theirs. However, this present administration is taking lightly a ticking time bomb by underestimating the strength and danger of Nigerian people and expecting a continued silence to their passivity to our plight.
“We battle not against flesh and blood”, says the Bible. It is the same book that preaches peace with all men and advises us to tender all worries to the Almighty. In the last years, many Christians have obediently battled in fasting and prayer, waiting for a miracle, something spiritually significant, incredible in its unraveling, to occur that will save us from the hands of they that hate our nation. Many men of God have prayed in love for the perpetrators of evil in this land. Others have waged spiritual wars. One gave a period of seven days for their sponsors to suffer the fury of heavenly judgement. Another prophesied May would end their activities. Both staked their calling upon their declarations. Well, May is almost over. We can continue to pray and believe that the same Spirit that inspired the Creation would stir and save this land. But if waiting does not yield results, what next? Is it still a time to love? Do we raise the banners for war?
May the souls of the departed rest in peace.
-The Nation Crier
Imaged gotten from {Not Quite} Susie Homemaker at http://www.notquitesusie.com/2011/05/ecclesiastes-3-1-8.html
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