Nigeria: Between the enemies of state and the state of the Nation

To those in inhabit of defending the managers of nation’s resources, regardless of the situation; may you be blessed with people who will manage your personal businesses in similar manner. And to those who have been critical of the managers of the nation’ resources, may you get the leaders you deserve. And to those who have been sitting on the fence while the nation drift perilously, may you wake up earlier before the storm blow you away while you are asleep.

Ever since the 2011 election, I have tactically avoided dabbling into certain segment of Nigerian politics. I have watched the events and contributed to some of them both in public and private, but I have often dilly dally around issues that require me to take a firm stand. During the Occupy movement, I had declined to participate fully in the protest even though I was present on the scene in Lagos. My minimal appearance was to look around and survey the situation; to learn and to observe.

Events after events in my country sadden me and sane ones in my generation. Yet, we have those who think the country is on the right course.

The “enemies of state” are those who have been marked as the diehard critics of the government. They spew venom and will not spare anyone who dare cross their paths. They scoop up every single flaw of the government and raise the decibel each time the opportunity arises. And they found more than enough opportunities. They were trouble makers, noise-makers and saboteurs who, according to the authority, will do anything to destroy their own country in the eyes of international community. These are intelligent folks whose pens continue to disturb the authority. It doesn’t matter whether they are sane or not, the authority placed them on watch list. Nevertheless, this group is motivated by the love for their country and desire to see things done properly. They are determined to employ any means to take their country out of the jungle.

Then there are those  considered less threatening, yet lethal: the “enemies of state” who are listed in the following  categories; a team of certified losers hitherto re-branded as “oppositions”, critics, paid journalists, disgruntled party-men, opportunists who wanted to be noticed. 

And in there are the "enemies of state" who in the the words of Rueben Abati, are;  “all the cynics, the pestle-wielding critics, the unrelenting, self-appointed activists, the idle and idling, twittering, collective children of anger, the distracted crowd of Facebook addicts, the BBM-pinging soap opera gossips of Nigeria, who seem to be in competition among themselves to pull down President Goodluck Jonathan. This army of sponsored and self-appointed anarchists is so diverse; many of them don’t even know why or how they should attack the President. “

On the other hand; the “state of the nation,” our fatherland, the only place we can call home, wherever we are and whatever we do, beg earnestly for attention. Everywhere you go, you see people suffering in the midst of plenty. You see privileged few amassing wealth and stock piling the commonwealth of the nation as if it were exclusively theirs. You read things in the daily which are as shocking as the defenses and excuses advanced to justify or cover them up.

In the north, there is insecurity. People die regularly and human lives had been devalued. The States governors are all busy protecting their power instead of looking for a way to tackle the problems. The leaders of the region are busy trying to score cheap publicity and competing for attention. But none of them has taken concrete step toward arresting the drift to anarchy.

In the south, “adult-napping” has taken over the once upon a thriving militant enterprise. Famous and infamous people are being kidnapped for ransom while those hapless ones are kidnap for rituals. Their local leaders (usually the opportunistic politicians) are all competing with one another to tap into the moment and shoot themselves to political relevance.

Everywhere you go, you find people in different states with peculiar problems. You see poverty all around you, while criminals operate in broad daylight and you begin to wonder how on earth we get to this stage. Yet, the “enemies of state” will not stop talking and drawing attention to all these just as the “state of the nation” gets worse.

Those managing the nation think they are doing their best and things are much better, while the people they are managing think the nation is becoming failed state. The battle of propaganda takes a new dimension. Friends clash with friends and enemies realign with enemies for strategic selfish reasons.

As I look at the two, I asked myself a simple question: What will Nigeria have been without the “Enemies of states”?  What will Nigeria have become without these young men and women who despite the danger have turned criticism into a craft? What will have happened if those men and women have not been consistently exposing the inept leaders coordinating the state of nation? What will have happened if they have not protested the fuel subsidy removal over a year ago? What will have happened if there were no Faruq Lawan Report or if Ribadu Report had not been leaked? What will have happened if these people have simply decided to face their businesses and wait till 2015 before talking? What will have become the state of the nation in the face of wanton looting of the state and profligate and rudderless leadership?

I shiver at the thought of what Nigeria would have become if these “enemies of state” have not been keeping watch on the “state of nation.” Then I asked, have I been right to keep off these “enemies of state” simply because I didn’t want to spread negativity? The answer that confronted me was one I can’t write here. I concluded that despite all the negativity, the heroes of 2012 are those, twittering, collective children of anger, the distracted crowd of Facebook addicts, the BBM-pinging soap opera, who consistently keep the leadership on it toes without gun and cudgels. The villains are those fools who stand at the corridor of power who misguided, collaborated with, and encouraged the manager of the state of nation to continue to govern as if all is well. Not that they are not aware there are problems, but that they continue to feed their boss, lies and untruth contrary to the reality on ground. To them, this is an opportunity of a lifetime to be close to people in power and the make as much money, fame and fortune they can. If the current regime is returned back in 2015, it will be an added bonus to them.

And finally, the biggest fools among us are those who have minds of their own but have gambled away their conscience in the name of tribalism, religion and party loyalism. They are real “enemies of the nation” and the  rope pulling the country backward. They are always agreeable as long as the actor is from their tribes or religion, as long as they have psychological feeling that they are in power or should be in power. These men and women deserve the knock for bringing the nation, albeit indirectly, to where we are today. If there is going to be a change in the polity, it will come when people are not afraid to tell the managers of the nation that the ship of the nation is floating dangerously on a tempestuous sea and it is time they either wake up and act or quit the post to allow capable hands bring it back to safety.

To those who are in inhabit of defending the managers of nation’s resources, regardless of the situation; may you be blessed with people who will manage your personal businesses in similar manner. And to those who have been critical of the managers of the nation’ resources, may you get the leaders you deserve. And to those who have been sitting on the fence while the nation drift perilously, may you wake up earlier before the storm blow you away while you are asleep.

To everyone, do unto others what you won’t mind done unto you!