By Abdu Labaran Malumfashi
I am hardly one for preambles. I always go straight to the topic of the write up, and this one is no different. Therefore, let the supporters of the on going nationwide strike, ostensibly to end ‘bad governance’ in the country, explain the coincidences about it.They should unravel the conundrum to us, the uninformed, or if you like, the lay people, why most of the ugly consequences fell on the Northern part of Nigeria.
Most of the Northern leaders did, and are still doing, their very best to ensure that the supposed nationwide strike did not reach the region. Or that the eventual consequences would be as minimal as possible, if it came to the region.
Both the religious leaders, traditional leaders, opinion leaders, and the youth in the region, played a very significant role in undermining the nationwide strike. Most Imams and other Islamic preachers spoke from the pulpits everyday, calling on the people NOT to participate in the strike. On Friday, in particular. They even performed the Al-Qunut (special prayer within the obligatory prayer) during every obligatory prayer to beg Allah (God) to ensure the TOTAL failure of the nationwide strike. The traditional rulers called on the people NOT to be any where near the strike. The opinion leaders asked the people to shun the strike. Even the youths advised one another not to take part in the strike, and majority of them did not, and remained against it to this day.
Despite all these efforts, the devastating consequences of the nationwide strike have visited the north more than it did any other region in the country, probably creating the erroneous impression that it might have been called by the leading people from the northern part of Nigeria. Or that the criminals who highjacked the strike were all from the north.
They were not, and a number of them were none Nigerians, imported to serve as ‘Third Columnists’ in the region. Some of them have lived in the country for so long that they blended as citizens. Many of them became drug addicts and or diehard criminals, who think nothing of committing murders no matter how heinous.
One of the foreign imports, who became a feared killer, ended up being killed himself. He allegedly died ignominiously, with many machete cuts on his body in public.
But Mr. Peter Obi, a Presidential Candidate in the 2013 election and former Governor of Anambra State is very much in support of the strike, yet his ‘home’ area of the South East and the South South, is not very active, as one might expect, except of course, when ‘dealing’ with their ‘traditional enemy’, often fatally. Otherwise, most of them stay at home, as is traditional with the people, whenever one of their leading organisations or personalities gives the order.
And Ohanaeze instructed all Ibos not to participate in the strike.
Also, the embattled Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who is an unapologetic supporter of some of the harsh economic policies of the Tinubu-led administration, some of which led to the current hardship across the country, had people suspected to be very closely associated with him seen actively participating in the strike, citing ‘hunger’ in the country, as a reason for their participation.
Someone said to be the second richest person in his profession, with a net worth of over 90 million naira, and is claimed to be very close to the embattled emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, was seen among some of the protesters in Kano, demanding an end to ‘bad governance’ in the country.
Conspiracy theories have been made about the ‘real’ reason for the strike, which is very much at far with the ones advanced by its promoters and proponents. They claimed the action was being taken to protest bad governances, hence the hashtag, #endbadgovernance, on the account of the hunger and corruption, which have allegedly become rampant in the country.
But two of the protesters unconditional demands are the abrogation of the 1999 Constitution of the Federation and the release of an alleged terrorist, the Biafran leader and advocate of the split of Nigeria, Nnamdi Kanu, whose tribesmen, including the political and traditional leaders, have been urging the federal government to immediately effect. These are seen as politically, not socially, motivated. And the Presidential hopeful is also a supporter of these impossible and ridiculous demands.
Some of the protesters, who cited hunger in the country, as the reason they joined the protest, look anything but hungry, because they looked so well fed, that they could not have any evidence on them to make them complain of bad governance.
Then there is the presidential candidate of African
Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election and tribesman of the President, Mr. Sowere of Sahara Reporters, who lives in the UK. His South West local base was little touched by the protests. And the area was supposed to be one of the most militant in the country, and therefore, one to be most adversely affected by the nationwide strike of rage. The protesters dubbed the entire period that the strike would last as ‘the day of rage’
The air needs to be cleared for the region. May
Allah save our country, Nigeria from its enemies in and outside the country. And may He render their ill motives towards us a failure.
Malam Malumfashi wrote from Abuja.
