A nation at war with itself – the dawn of the second Nigerian Civil War

In 2002, Maiduguri became the arrowhead of what the combustive process threatening to tore Nigeria apart. Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf started Boko Haram, an organization formed principally to main, destroy or conquer the Nigerian nation. Mohammed Yusuf was an av

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To say the least, the submissive and tepid reaction of the Nigerian President to the latest round of violence unleashed on the citizenry by Boko Haram was irksome and left a sour taste in the mouth. This belated reaction of Goodluck Jonathan, coming several hours after many world leaders had condemned the attack, was most un-reassuring and spoke volumes about the hopelessness of the current state of insecurity in Nigeria. Confusion and disarray had been the official response to the growing calamity. Whether any nation has ever survived two civil wars is something that only time would tell.

The latest in the series of Boko Haram atrocities was wrought on the Nigerian people on Christmas Day. I write with a heavy heart. I write this as a memoriam to those who have lost their lives to the dastardly acts of this satanic group. I write this in sympathy with the numerous families who have lost dear ones and bread winners as a result of the deficiencies of the Nigerian state. A state despoiled by its rulers and one that nurtured the birth and growth of terrorism. Nigeria is a nation in bondage. I write to express my horror and anger with the continued state of anarchy reigning in our land.

The signs are ominous and the message frightening. Nigeria is at war. The much dreaded Nigerian second civil war has commenced. A nation at war is a nation in turmoil; it is one reeling from one catastrophe to another. A nation at war is a nation that knows no peace, one in confusion. Such is the sad tale of present day Nigeria. The second Nigerian civil war commenced on the day Boko Haram was formed. Nigeria has been in denial of the reality of this second civil war. However, the Nigerian people would benefit better from accepting the fact of our second odyssey with war.

n my article, I concluded thus:

“Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has succeeded in making himself the focus of Northern hatred by his discreetly manipulative political style and his opportunistic fascination with power. In his unbridled desire to ensure the perpetuation of his presidency beyond May 2011, Jonathan may be the catalyst that would test the much dreaded Northern political and military stranglehold of Nigeria. He may yet turn out to be the nemesis that the North should have left in peace. He could as well turn out to be the panacea for ridding our body polity of the nuisance of PDP. Only time would tell.”

For once in the annals of this country, the government should admit that it is faced with something beyond its control. Boko Haram is a different ball game from harassing and victimizing political opponents. Indeed, it may still turn out to be the nemesis that may yet liberate the Nigerian nation.

Despite his legendary incompetence, Goodluck Jonathan is standing on te threshold of history. It is for him to embrace the opportunity he has to re-work himself into the good books of history. He also has a magnified opportunity to blow everything away.

Perhaps now is the time for the Nigerian nation to take its destiny in its hands. Now is the time to utilise the opportunity created by the madness in the land to find a lasting solution to the Nigerian problem. While Boko Harm has been mindless in its operations, we as the recipients should become focussed and resourceful. Something good can still come out of this whole scenario such that those who lost their lives would not have died in vain. Everyday, it becomes evident that the real “haram” is in the atrocities performed by this despicable group.

Nigeria is in a quandary. Attempting a sophisticated solution using advanced technology is simply beyond us as we have never, as a nation, emphasised the importance of technological advancement in our approach to government and community development. Advanced military solution, apart from the fact that it has not proven to work in other climes, is equally beyond us. Even the basic art of effective intelligence gathering is impossible for us. What then are we left with?