Before I left Nigeria in August 2013, I went to Kano to complete an official assignment and I remember being accompanied by trepidation all through my flight from Lagos to the largest city in the North. My heart was in my mouth as I journeyed through and owing to my state of nerves, I firmly held on to a small bible that was in my pocket. Family and friends kept calling every minute just to check on my safety. Even though Boko Haram strikes had been subdued at that time, the previous attacks left an indelible scar on the city's bod.
The atmosphere all over Kano metropolis was imbued with fear and I could still smell the terror that assailed my nostrils. People were still terrified and the streets didn't feel safe for anybody to tread intrepidly. Isn't it an absurdity that Nigerians don't even feel safe in their own land? How do we then convince foreigners to tour the country or foreign investors to pump their money into our economy? It is the duty of any government to protect the lives and properties of its citizens but unfortunately, it seems Nigeria is cursed with doltish leaders who are clueless about their mandate.
The Boko Haram insurgence has been going on for several years and it's not hard to see that Nigeria is under siege; but it seems the Jonathan government can't be bothered or how does one explain a situation where 234 secondary school girls were kidnapped by terrorists since last week, and till now, nobody knows where they are or their well being. Prior to the abduction, several attacks have been instigated and launched at the Nigerian populace, notably in the cities of Abuja, Kano, Maiduguiri and some other parts of the North. What effective measures did the government take to squelch the attacks or prevent any recurrence?
While it is not unwise to pray and seek for divine intervention, we should also invest more time into taking actions and less time into carping. We should not wait until children are kidnapped before we take the initiative to air our grievances with worded placards or through any other non-violent means. We need to become less apathetic towards the affairs of the nation and quell the silly notion that praying without any form of action to back it up will transform Nigeria overnight. The change we desire won't be effected unless we work towards its manifestation. We can't be yearning for hope, folding our arms and leaving everything to the almighty. The truth is, the religiousness of my fellow Nigerians remains their biggest failing. It has ensured our submission to oppression and engendered our susceptibility to exploitative clergymen and perfidious politicians.
To avoid making this post a lengthy piece, I will conclude by asking for your signature. We are petitioning the Nigerian government and the international community to bring back the kidnapped school girls. If you are concerned enough about the plight of these kids, please open the link below and sign the petition. Thanks.
Adedapo Adebajo
The link:
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/president-of-nigeria-un-european-union-international-community-ecowas-a-u-w-a-sub-region-1-million-signatures-by-5th-may-2014-to-demand-urgent-intervention-to-bring-back-our-abducted-school-girls-secure-our-borders-our-children-right-to-education-by-?share_id=QAWdEwMnFI&utm_campaign=share_button_action_box&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition
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