Jos Boils Again
December 1, 2008 by 
Che Oyimnatumba
In Africa, we want to be more Catholic than the Pope. I wonder in which of the gods name fellow Nigerians murdered each other. The way between Israel and Hamas is not religious nor is the war in Syria being carried by Hezbollah. It is simple the fight for land and resources under or asses to water/sea port. And these areas have the holiest sites of most religions bodies in the world, yet they do not fight base on religious differences. Why do the bidding of a foreign god against your brother? If your god is God, let him call down fire or any natural disaster to fight his battle. Let us stop murdering in the name of any god.
Just recently, this is country went overboard in celebration that Barak Obama won a historical election in USA against all odds yet we could not solve a common local government election. Even the National Assembly was agog with Obamania and some State Honourables have perfected a looting plan to witness Obama’s inauguration on January 20th 2009. If I were to be the USA Ambassador to Nigeria, no Nigerian politician in office will get a visa to USA. We must clean our acts; Nigerian politicians must show to the world that they have mastered the science of playing politics by the rules. It is a shame that the settler indigene dichotomy, will still rear its ugly head in Nigerian politics of the 21st century. Before this current combustion, Jos first went up in smoke in 2001 and another in 2004. Instead of getting to the root of the matter i.e settlers right against indigenes rights, Obasanjo played politics and declared state of emergency to get to Dariye. This carnage if not resolved for what it is (the political rights of settlers in their new home), it will reoccur and as is typical, will be worst than this year’s own. Let it be enshrined in the constitution that once you pay your tax in any part of Nigeria, you are entitled to the highest office that zone can offer. We must start building a nation rather than this ethnic loyalty we are trying to masquerade as nationhood.
For those crying when will a Nigerian Obama emerge, this madness in Jos has shown that we are far away and until a man’s place of birth is of no significant, until a man in Nigeria is judged by the quality of solutions he brings to bear on the problems confronting his constituency and not how long he has settled in that area, a miracle called Obama will never emerge in Nigeria political sphere. For those carrying Obama stickers, they should tell the myopic ones that, Senator Hillary Clinton representing NY was Arkansas first lady before Bill became president of USA. USA has a fluid political movement where only your ideas and integrity of character can stand you out. Furthermore for these religious bigots in Nigerian politics, who throws religion into the fray when they have no manifesto to offer, should know that Obama walked out of his pastor when it became obvious that the pastor’s racial sermons is miles apart with Obama’s political solution to the race question in USA.
Before Lai Mohamed National Publicity Secretary of AC blames the Jos amok on PDP, let me quickly remind you that the flood gate of LGA rigging in 2008 was opened by AC in Lagos State. During the just concluded 57 LGA election in Lagos State, local government areas that had predominantly non Yorubas had a Yoruba candidate in AC winning. A stark example is Amuwo Odofin (Mile 2, FESTAC, Amuwo Estate) You don’t need to live in Lagos to know that ndi igbo controls FESTAC or that Ajegule and Amukoko in Ojo LGA is the hobnob of non indigenes in Lagos, yet AC shamelessly cleared the seats with Yoruba candidates that are not Lagosians. Ndi Igbo, the ever victim of political marginalisation took it in good fate and now a political misadventure in Jos by PDP to clear all the 18 LGA as AC did in Lagos, has brought ndi igbo and other political minorities to bear the brunt. The Hausa/Muslim settlers are more in number in Jos North and rightly thought they should win. But PDP showed immaturity in the role of ethnicity in Nigerian politics and attempted to rig in a son of the soil, who is in the minority in Jos North as the Chairman. I am not in support of the violence but the facts have to be stated the way they are before we politically colour it.
If murders in Jos were political, which I want to believe, why didn’t these angry mob burn down the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission or the zonal party secretariat of the rigging party? Why wasn’t the protest march taken to the Government House? At what point did the cheapest currency in Nigeria (religion) get involved and Churches torched? The death toll is rising with some media outfit putting it at tens of hundred yet no group has been identified as responsible. It is a shame to the Nigerian security outfit that they couldn’t gather enough intelligence data to forestall this out brake, yet they waste national resources in hunting down journalist for articles they deem detrimental to national security. Whosever is in charge of internal security of Nigeria, should resign. He has failed Nigerians. I have been following the terrorist attack in Mumbai India and the political casualties. Nigerian Minister of Interior and Plateau State Commissioner of Police should take a bow for not being able to predict and prevent this calamitous waste of lives.
In as much as we do not pray for a reprisal attack(s) in any part of the country; as no group owns exclusive right to violence, we want this lukewarm administration of President Yar’Adua to be firm on security of lives and properties in Nigeria. Despite his pre-election campaign promises on Niger Delta, that region has been turned into a theatre of mutual criminality with a thin line dividing the Nigerian Armed Forces and oil bunkerers.
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Greed and avarice has changed the face of Nigeria’s politics, it’s like a nip tuck gone bad (from fry pan to fire kind of thing) and instead of engaging in discussions that could and would bring about a change, government officials are turning deaf ears to cries of the masses. Which Way Nigeria?
I think you are being myopic in your assessment. Let me be very very blunt…Obama would NEVER have won the American Presidency if he was a practising muslim. Quote me anywhere!! And the talk about indigene-settler dichotomy is a real issue especially with ethnic minorities. LET THE MAJOR TRIBES IN NIGERIA LEAD THE WAY FIRST BEFORE INVOLVING THE MINORITY GROUPS. If a Sokoto man can become Governor in Anambra and an Igbo man cane become Governor in Kano…maybe that will convince minority groups that the illusion of unity is not an illusion after all. By imposing on the minority groups the weight of their population the majority ethnic groups are systemically disenfranchising ethnic minorities in their homeland in the name of an illusion called Nigerian unity. Even in America, original native Indian tribes are treated as exceptions –as ethnic nationalities in their distinctive areas. So even America itself has a special treatment for aboriginal ethnic minorities. So why not Nigeria?