By Fani-Kayode
In reaction to the suggestion that the people of Southern Kaduna should defend themselves from mass murder and genocide given the fact that their state government has refused to protect them a political advisor to Governor Nasir El Rufai wrote the following in an essay titled “Kaduna
Shall Be Great Again”.
In reaction to the suggestion that the people of Southern Kaduna should defend themselves from mass murder and genocide given the fact that their state government has refused to protect them a political advisor to Governor Nasir El Rufai wrote the following in an essay titled “
He wrote: “The
greatest challenge to peace in Kaduna State now
is the antics of political jobbers and opportunists who have gone as low as
spreading hate speeches, telling communities in Kaduna State to
‘defend themselves.’ This, of course is an unmistakable call on the people of Kaduna State to
procure arms and ammunitions and start killing themselves. This is not just
very low but extremely dangerous. This call on the citizenry to take the laws
into their own hands totally undermines all on-going efforts to achieve lasting
peace in Kaduna State .”
Instead of showing remorse for their woeful
failures and begging for forgiveness for the sea of innocent blood that has
been shed under their watch, the government of Kaduna State is lashing out at all those that have
called them out and that are deeply concerned about the carnage that has taken
place in Southern
Kaduna . The advisor pours scorn on the suggestion that a man
should protect his family, loved ones and home from cold-blooded murderers who
are attempting to maim and kill them.
He is suggesting that the people of Southern
Kaduna should keep quiet, passively fold their arms and happily welcome, with a
warm smile, those that have come to rape their wives, slaughter their children,
burn their homes, wipe out their faith and take their land. Is that how to make Kaduna great again? Is that how to get back
to the glorious days of Abubakar ‘Dangiwa’ Umar, Ahmed Makarfi and Patrick
Yakowa when Kaduna had real governors who were balanced, mature, sensitive,
caring, gentle, cosmopolitan, inclusive and fair to all regardless of faith,
tribe or ethnic nationality?
Is that how to get back to the peaceful days of Kaduna when those of us that play polo used
to look forward to going there to play at the annual Kaduna Polo tournament? Is
that how to get back to the days when Kaduna was one of the best places to visit in
the country? I doubt it very much. The truth is that nothing could be more
insensitive, irresponsible, callous and utterly absurd than the Special
Advisor’s suggestion.
In any case one wonders just who these “political jobbers and opportunists” are
and precisely what these “ongoing efforts
to achieve lasting peace in Kaduna” are given the fact that the Kaduna
State Government does not appear to give a damn about the fact that thousands
of innocent and defenseless people, including women and children, have been
butchered during their watch and right under their noses. The Government of
Kaduna State is evidently more interested in insulting, undermining,
discrediting and threatening with arrest its critics and those that have
expressed outrage about what the people of Southern Kaduna are
being subjected to than in protecting and saving innocent lives.
Yet since no names were mentioned, for now I
will limit myself to responding to Mr. Special Advisor only with the words of
Mr. George Makeris of the One Nigeria
group who hails from Southern Kaduna himself and whose views reflects the minds
and thoughts of many concerned citizens not just in Kaduna but throughout the
country.
In a direct response to the Special Advisor he wrote the following: “Picking of arms for self-defense is obviously the last bastion of hope for Southern Kaduna and not its first option since the commencement of these mindless massacres. This last resort became necessary when it becomes glaring that government is not interested in securing and protecting the lives of the people of Southern Kaduna people even though this is against its oath of office. If Government had lived up to it constitutional responsibility and demonstrated unparalleled commitment in curbing the menace, citizens have no business bearing arms. It is the failure of government that makes taking up arms necessary. Even America had to allow its citizens to bear arms when it couldn’t protect them from constant attacks.