UNITED NIGERIA :MY DREAM COUNTRY

         GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
BY:
HABIBU GENTE
DATE:  Sunday, 23, September  , 2017
             
I wrote this few months ago. But with the rising tension threatening our nation unity, I felt the need to repost this article with the hope it will soften the broken hearts of Nigerians. Enough! .
Before I could able to deal with my conflicting ideas which for long fought a duel in my mind, in the course, two vital questions continuously percolating in my brain, inter alia;  I used asked myself.
1. Is Nigeria a nation where even an infant child born in a era of brightness in which the light of a new dawn of suppose progressive and united country dominated the darkness of past war and disunity. And yet he grew up in despondency and hopelessness , and still believe the future is bleak filled with uncertainties?.
2. Or is Nigeria a nation where an unfortunate child was born in an epitome of divided nation, and bottom of escalation of war in the most horrifying and tragic of never-ending conflicts and thirst for vengeance which threaten the foundation of newly-born country and fells the four walls of the nation. And yet believe that one day, there will come a time when all our differences will be burned down and the grievances wipe out and we will sit in the same roof to discuss a platform that will move the nation forward as one indivisible and indissoluble nation. A time when job opportunities and equal rights on education and in political participation will be purely based on merits and embodiments’ of justice and trust.
But it wasn't long to eliminate these thoughts when I read about the revolutionary journey of Muhammad El-Gaddafi to Africa in pursuant of his dreams united Africa. And a book written by a Nigerian retired Military officer by the name Sam Momoh.  "NIGERIA BEYOND DIVORCE".
                  Of course,  like the late Libya President Gaddafi's dream of United Africa. I have inchoate ideal of united Nigeria one day in our history. Gaddafi's dreams of uniting the whole African countries, economically, socially, politically and ideologically was a fruitless struggle. Not because Africa was too big to unite nor was it economically weak,  but Gaddafi wasn't able to actualize his dreams because of the incompatibility of different ideologies that operate in different countries of Africa continent.  Gaddafi couldn't have make it through because of his adherence to socialism that antagonize the capitalism which has been for decades weaving in most of the powerful Africa countries. Though the speculative misinterpretation of his speeches and talks that were construed as to he wanted to islamize Africa. That too,  contributed to the failure of  realizing his dreams united Africa. Unlike Gaddafi, I'm not a socialist nor did I subscribed to all the theories of capitalism. I'm a moderate who stand in between the two ideologies. I believe that both can be apply moderately to produce a positive change in the situation of a country and its people. Like Gaddafi I believe that one day we will be free from the chains of imperialism and do away with the influence of neocolonialism in our political views and scope. I have a dream in Nigeria that one day all our differences will be solved and we will have mutual understanding and decent respect for one another. My dream united Nigeria where all these constant hatred of one ethnic group against the other will be wiped out from our hearts, the ingrained lack of trust between ourselves will be no more and we will sit in a single  room knowing that we are dinning and discussing with our brothers, and the ideological views we held with high esteem will be respected and protected.  No more barrier between religion,  tribal or ethnic groups. No more bokoharam, kidnapping, sexual exploitation, child trafficking, abduction,  niger Delta avengers, IPOB,  Massob or eviction notice to ibos. My dream Nigeria where there will be no virus of corruption of politicians

DEVASTATING BRIDGE; BROKEN HEARTS OF THE NIGERIA PEOPLE

  GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
By: Habibu Gente
Date: Saturday, 16, September,   2017


Many of course, commented on the trending doom looming around the atmosphere of the once frail United country (NIGERIA ). Some said that the marriage was so fragile that it would be difficult for the relationship to last more a century, others take it as a solid marriage ties. The two views can be divided into ---  pessimists and optimists.  Those who believe in the latter, are very rare to find. Such are those heroes of this nation who fought with their lives (regardless of ethnicity, religion or region) just to liberate our land and give its people---the upcoming generations a dignified, decent living in a pure, conducive environment and a peaceful air to breath in and to strive for ends meet. Unity, tolerance, and progress was their mantra they sing in schools, public gatherings, hospitals. Children in those days went to public schools not because they had no option but, because their parents believed it is the only channel where their dreams of unity, peace and tolerance would be realise. Those who believe in the former, such are the restricted thinkers, half or non educated, history heedless, vested interest,  power mongers etc. This second category of people are naturally insatiable due to their unrealistic demands to feed their selfish hearts and souls. This brought us to the current reality we are facing in this country in recent times ---- insurgency, kidnapping, sexual exploitation, secessionist threat, IPOB issues, Arewa Youth quit notice threat etc all these impeding gloom frustrated the unity wall and threatened to break the sacred marriage of our beloved country.
        While many commentators both in media and social media seem to have pointed out one old source as the problem of all these crisis, to me they are not far from being farfetched. Though I am not in any way saying that those things are not among the root of our country's problem, as the matter of fact, they are. But in my own view, our major problem is 'injustice'. This single injustice was the major root of the problems Nigerians faced and still facing today, all other problems are the branches and fruits of the same root problem ----'injustice'. It is lack of justice and fairness that would make someone or some part of the country felt marginalised, oppressed, sidelined politically, socially, economically, and even religiously. And those who perpetrate this injustice are our politicians who lack the humane feelings, unpatriotic leaders and self centered bunch of professional thieves, pen robbers. They only invest in their interest ------children, wives and concubines. And thrust away the interests of their supposed people who elected them into those offices. The earlier  our politicians came back into their right senses, think and act like patriotic citizens, behave like leaders and not like rulers or tyrants. The sooner we have peace, love and stability in this sorry nation of ours. The good people of Nigeria, hard working and peace loving citizens,  our problems in this country isn't these outer surface of IPOB, insurgency, kidnapping Arewa youths quit notice etc. Our politicians are our biggest problem. And as long as we keep on blaming ourselves for the problem none of us the ordinary everyday Nigerians have no hand in, the more we would continue to sunk deep in the ocean of the violence, intolerance, civil disobedience and innocent killings. Are we still enjoying the swimming  in our ignorance of the 'vested interest' involvement in our problems and continue to fight a war the cause we least understand, a war that is psychologically beyond us?. It is sad!, very sad indeed!.