STRIKER: The Big Picture
Past and present, consistently; and especially in periods leading up to elections, we are stridently reminded about our different “tribes and tongues,” our worship and God that differ; our sex that differ; our generation that differ and just about anything but the fact that THE MAJORITY of us have TOGETHER suffered untold hardship under governments that promise to make our lives better than they met it but always end up with more millions dead from hunger, illnesses and insecurity; while we keep buying into their divide-and-rule schemes.
The focus today thereby is that we need to begin to think holistically, sensibly, globally and dispassionately about causes, effects, problems and solutions to our trials and tribulation. This piece will only give one counsel, one instance that makes holistic thinking paramount more than ever, and give a sincere conclusive admonition to all those who still have patriotic blood flowing in their veins.
The counsel: henceforth, when discussing how a nation will be free from trials, misery and tribulation and achieve genuine democracy, development and prosperity. PLEASE LEAVE BEHIND YOUR RELIGION, YOUR TRIBE, YOUR AGE, YOUR SEX, YOUR PARTY AND POLITICAL AMBITION – AND COME TO THE PARTY WITH OPEN MIND AND PATRIOTIC INTENTION: for the sake of your children, their children and future generations.
The instance: In order for you to know you are dealing with something bigger than a president, some governors and legislators or political parties; that you are dealing with a merciless system that you must defeat; to whom MAJORITY of our “leaders” across board and parties are miserable slaves, I quote the reported experience of the eminent Maitama Sule of Kano: “During the civil war, we were sent out to campaign for our cause. I went to the United States and I remember Alhaji Shehu Shagari went to the Scandinavian countries.
When we returned, we compared notes before submitting our reports to Gen Yakubu Gowon, the then Head of State. Shagari told me he met a common friend of ours and this is what the man told him: ‘We know why you are here, you have come to seek our favour and support for your cause. But let me tell you, we do not care about you, all we care about are your resources.
If we could get robots to exploit your resources for us to develop our economy, we would not mind a lot of you being eliminated. You Nigerians are a peculiar case; you have the population, resources and we know your resources more than you do know about them.
All you need in Nigeria is a fairly long period of say ten to twenty years and you will be able to make it. You will become a very strong economy, will join the economic powers, but you need this period of uninterrupted peace and stability. But we will not allow it because within that period, you will use your brains, and Nigeria has got brains. You will work hard and you are hard working people, you will exploit your resources and you have them in abundance and you will develop your economy.
Developing your economy needs market and you have no problem with that because of your huge population, in addition, you will have the entire West African region as your market. If that happens, you will be a thorn in our flesh; we would lose our source of raw materials because you would be using them in your factories. We would lose our market because you will be the market and also get other markets in West Africa.
So, even after your civil war, we would create one problem after the other for you so that you may not enjoy the peace and stability that will enable you develop and become such a strong country.’” – Alh Yusuf Maitama Sule in his last interview with The Guardian published on July 28, 2013.
The Conclusion: Let us all borrow sense and find out more about this and related issues – on governance in Nigeria since then till date. Let all patriots across all primordial divisions come together on the basis of an action plan to redeem the FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA. We will not be the first nation so trampled and we will not be the last.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step and the sooner taken the sooner the arrival at Promised Land.
The opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author. It does not represent the editorial position or opinion of OSUN DEFENDER.
