I see what's happening in Nigeria and I'm so scared for our future. Nigeria is at war. Just today, another blast rocked northern Nigeria and more lives were laid to waste. It is truly dire when we can no longer feel safe at home. Where else can we feel safe if not at home? I have had the opportunity to follow these developments from a distance and I am convinced that there are powerful forces at play here. It is pretty obvious that some powerful people are using Boko haram to make a political statement. In my mind, it's not about western education but about that fact that we do not have a northerner as president. I believe that and I'm free to express this without proof simply because I am not in a position to investigate. That the president can come out to say that there are forces in government that aid this terrorist group without proof is beyond the pale. It just makes him look stupid and weak. Jonathan has had time to quash this group but seems reluctant to. Meanwhile, he is cock sure about the removal of fuel subsidy. What are the priorities of this government? Protecting her citizens or making money? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like the latter. After the bomb blast, Jonathan comes out and CONDEMNS the bombers. This guy has no clue. Enough about him- this is a message about civic duty.
Nigerians, If you stand by and watch, you have no right to complain when things go wrong. We must be vigilant. I don't mean protesting- to me, protests are a waste of time because they ultimately put you at the mercy of whoever you're protesting against. In a protest, you try to appeal to a person's sense of decency. If that person has none, you are on your own. When I say vigilant, I mean politically. We must be more involved in the political process because no one is going to do it for us. I saw a quote the other day. Plato said that "The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men". That's what plagues Nigeria today. It's not the politicians- It's because too many Nigerians don't care about what goes on around them. Nigerians need to wake up. What is your representative doing in Abuja? If he's not representing the interests of his constituency, he can be removed. It is our right. That is what democracy is all about. It is a government by the people- Not just voting but eternal vigilance. I keep saying that democracy is not an event- It is a process. We must continue to work at it. Don't just vote and go and sit down. We must stand up and be counted.
In a democracy, there is the Executive, The Legislative and the Judiciary. Each one of these is there to check the other. People have a direct link to two of these- we vote in the presidents, governors and the national assembly but we have a connection to the national assembly throughout a president's term in office. These people are there to represent the interests of the people and check the activities of the executive arm of government. If these representatives do not REPRESENT us, we are cut off from the process and we are reduced to protests. Nigerians must wake up and put people in place who will represent them. Until we do this, we will continue to complain and protest and therefore achieve nothing.
How can you do this? By learning about the law. By learning about the constitution. By organizing ourselves. Have frequent town hall meetings. Become more involved and stop chasing this president around because you cannot touch him. But you have the power to touch people who have a direct connection to him. Organize groups and talk to each other. Come up with ideas about how to put pressure on these representatives so they can put pressure on the president and the governors. They are our voice in the corridors of power and they must be made to realize that they are there to serve Nigerians and not live like kings at our expense. If Nigerians are angry, these people must feel it because they represent us. If we do not do this, we cannot move forward. That is the truth.
