By Dianam Peresuo Dakolo
Among citizens with undying commitment to peaceful coexistence, social harmony and cohesion, political correctness is something of a religion: words or actions with the slightest tinge of antipathy or antagonism are anathema, to be avoided at all costs, so the polity is free of threat(s) to its stability. Desirable as such a predisposition could be, citizens need to appreciate that cost-benefit analysis is a key principle for any type of enterprise. Some illustration of how hurtful political correctness could be to a society should not be out of place here.
The human and material resources that have been consumed by the insurgency in the North East are incalculable. Brilliant and courageous military officers and others of the rank and file have all perished and continue to be wasted till date; a hundred plus schoolgirls from Chibok have yet to be recovered from the world's deadliest death cult known as Boko Haram, and, of course, the hundreds of billions of naira that have gone into counter-insurgency operations translate into humongous opportunity cost for the country. Now, do Nigerians not know those behind Boko Haram? Naming names and demanding decisive action on the part of the authorities goes against the grain where political correctness is something of an ethos.
Nigeria's military, in a statement widely reported on 25 September, 2015 indicated clearly that the backers of the terrorist group are known. Premium Times of the said date headlined the story thus: "Nigerian Army accuses Borno leaders of plotting to prolong Boko Haram insurgency.' And only recently, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum bared his mind on the same subject: "There is one very important question that we need to ask, why is the insurgency not ending? There is sabotage in the system...."
In Katsina, Zamfara and elsewhere, banditry is as deadly as
the terrorism in Borno, but all that the Federal Government could do was lamely
point accusing fingers. Thisday, on 16 June, 2020 had the
banner headline 'Presidency accuses Katsina traditional rulers of aiding
banditry.' No follow-up action. Politically correct citizens, including those
in the National Assembly, would leave matters to the military, The Presidency,
or whoever else is concerned. Even the Fulani bandits, how they came into
Nigeria in 2015 like locusts is known, but political correctness inclines
Nigerians to keep mum.
Still on the Boko Haram subject, let's recall the two most
devastating and blood-chilling attacks on the civil populace, that at
Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, on 14 April, 2014, and
the other on Federal Government College, Bunu Yadi, on 25vFebruary, 2014. Student
population in the two schools were largely Christian - over 70 per cent in each
case. In the case of Borno State, the Ministry of Education had directed all
schools to shut town indefinitely because of threats from Boko Haram, but
Governor Kashim Shettima issued another directive that boarding houses should
remain open. A few days later, Boko Haram stormed the Girls School, Chibok,
moments after soldiers that had been on regular guard duties there were
inexplicably withdrawn. In sane societies, Governor Shettima and the military
commander in that area couldn't have escaped rigorous questioning; could even
have been charged for complicity, given the circumstances. But political
correctness makes Nigerians overlook the culpability of that State Governor.
At Federal Government College, Bunu Yadi, it was a replay
of what happened at Chibok with regard to military deployment. There had been
warnings to the military that a convoy of Boko Haram hoodlums were heading in
the direction of the school. Rather than reinforce security in the area,
soldiers on regular guard duties close to the College were inexplicably
withdrawn. Boko Haram arrived there shortly after in the dead of night and
began mass slaughter of the students. Fifty- nine of them died at the hands of
the hoodlums. The world is yet to know how the military authorities handled the
evident culpability of the commander there. And the rest of society has done
little to demand justice. Political correctness makes Nigerians overlook such
shocking lapses in military activity. And almost everyone of us is paying for
it in one way or the other, as insecurity and loss of faith in the security
agencies take away the peace of mind of citizens.
Among politicians and leaders of thought of Nigeria's
South, the grip of political correctness is choking. 'Nothing on our part
should upset the apple cart' is their political creed as they engage with
compatriots from the North at whatever level, whether at the National Assembly,
at the Federal Executive Council, or any other forum. Northerners, on the other hand, never
hesitate for a moment to assert their position on any issue and push with
vigour to have whatever they desire however injurious it could be to the
country. Unabashedly, their governors and leaders of thought have declared
total support for Information Minister Lai Mohammed's push to blot out social
media. The social platforms are a threat to the status quo as they offer
citizens freedom of expression that the traditional media would stifle in
pursuit of political correctness. On the subject of the now disbanded State
Anti-robbery Squad (SARS), the same governors were united in opposition to the
vast majority of citizens outside the North who bemoaned the excesses of the
outfit. Encouraged by the collective position of northern state governors, the
Police High Command contented itself with mere name change - from SARS to SWAT.
Northerners pushed
for and had a North East Development Commission established in 2017 after
approval by the National Assembly, which years earlier had turned down a
proposal for a South East Development Commission to enhance reconstruction in a
region unspeakably devastated by genocide and war between 1966 and 1970. In the
spirit of political correctness, the propriety of the North East Commission has
gone unquestioned, despite all evidence of sabotage by North East leaders to
prolong the insurgency. Unchecked sabotage means perpetuation of terrorism and
unending colossal expenditure, in hundreds of billions, from year to year! But
who is speaking up in any way that would offend the northern establishment?
Two recent events - approval of N29.5 billion for two
highways linking Nigeria and Niger Republic and the flag-off of the $2.8
billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano natural gas pipeline project - readily come to
mind. In May 2019 the Federal Government announced a plan to build a $2.9
billion rail line to connect Nigeria's coastal states. That coastal project is
in abeyance - nothing has been heard of it as the target beneficiaries uphold
political correctness - while highways for mass migration of the kith and kin
of an ethnic bloc in Nigeria's North is proceeding unhindered with the approval
for release of funds. Similarly, a Niger Delta Energy Corridor canvassed at the
2014 National Conference was defeated because of northern opposition, and
nothing else has been heard of it because the aforesaid creed down South is
almost sacrosanct. Meanwhile, with fanfare, the aforesaid gas pipeline project
was flagged off a few months ago.
Of every 10 families in Nigeria's South, eight would not
want their children just completing university or polytechnic education to
undergo the mandatory National Youth Service anywhere in the North East or
North West. In fact, so many are of the view that the NYSC has outlived its
usefulness and should be abolished. In the same way, most policemen and
soldiers of southern origin are averse to the idea of deployment to the North;
they want to serve in their home states or geopolitical zones. Unfortunately, the orientation of political correctness
inhibits any inclination to dissension. People are just suffering in silence,
with severe consequences for their health and well-being.
Exploiting the perceived passivity of the South to full advantage, the Federal Government unrestrainedly granted Zamfara State licence to buy and process gold, and sell same to the Central Bank and even export any surplus. A Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative (PAGMI) was also instituted to provide all the backing that the State, which has reportedly built a gold mining refinery, needs in the exploitation of the mineral. Hear the State Governor, Bello Matawalle: "Zamfara State is going to benefit from this PAGMI programme very soon; when I go back we will set up a committee on PAGMI so that they can go round and the government and CBN will be buying from us directly...the federal government, CBN and state can come in and be buying from these small-scale miners."
The politically correct
southerner in the oil-producing Niger Delta is governed by different rules,
where the Federal Government takes everything and gives them 13 per cent as
Derivation Principle!
Political correctness is taking our country down the
slope. The unthinking potentates are deluded into believing that they could
ride roughshod any day, that there are no consequences for their countless acts
of indiscretion. A man who is incapable of self-sustenance and entirely
dependent on another takes it upon himself to dictate terms of existence to the
other! How pathetic – and for how long would such a state of affairs subsist?
Those who choose to be politically correct fail to realise how they expose
their flanks to the arrows of dastardly schemers. Some deep reflection is
required. That which is inequitable or unjust must be condemned in unequivocal
terms and resisted to have a healthy society.
*Dakolo is a researcher and writer, a one-time Editorial Page Editor of Daily Independent, Lagos.
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