Ordinarily, last Thursday would have been a day of merriment and clinking of glasses to toast to what those in government circles describe as 15 years of uninterrupted democracy. But it was rather a sombre day when a good number of citizens wore mournful faces, including the President of the Federal Republic.
In his nationwide address in the morning of that day, an obviously agitated President Goodluck Jonathan labored very hard to give hope to the hopeless and highly traumatised compatriots.
With a straight face that bore the signs of stress and conveyed the deep agony from a troubled mind and overburdened heart, President Jonathan said his administration had scored some positives in the midst of an avalanche of challenges. He said, among other things that on his watch, “we have witnessed high national economic growth rates, steady improvements and expansion of national infrastructure including airports and roads, the restoration of rail transportation, the efficient implementation of a roadmap for improved power supply, a revolutionary approach to agricultural production, as well as advances in education, sports, youth development, healthcare delivery, housing, water supply and other social services.”
In his 30-paragraph speech, the President only devoted about seven paragraphs to talk about the positives of his government, while the rest paragraphs were on the terrorists’ activities in the country and efforts of his administration to put the perpetrators to rout.
He spoke about the recent rebasing of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which he said had placed the country’s economy far ahead other economies in Africa and on the globe.
President Jonathan noted that the terror unleashed on the country had hampered the development strides of his government. According to him, “In recent years, terrorist attacks have claimed the lives of several of our compatriots, many have been injured or maimed, whole villages and communities have been destroyed and the economy of some of our states is in jeopardy.
Since 2010, the administration of Jonathan has been waging a fierce war against terrorists who among other objectives, insist on wholesale Islamisation of Nigeria. In the last two years, particularly, the activities of the sect have taken a dangerous turn with daily massacre of innocent citizens and wanton destruction of property.
A burdened government had in May last year imposed a partial emergency rule on three troubled states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobo. In November of same year, after the expiration of the six months of the first phase, the Federal Government extended the emergency rule, also leaving intact the political apparatuses in the states.
The temporary respite that was initially experienced after the imposition of the emergency rule in May gave way for a more ferocious attack from the terrorist group, hence the need for the extension last year.
However, at expiration of the second phase in April this year, it was obvious that the Federal Government needed to explore another option to tackle the monster of terrorism. After much arguments and consultations, the Senate, a few weeks ago, approved the extension of the rule, which is now the phase three.
The extension came on the heels of the recent bombing in Nyanya bus park, Abuja, which left many people dead. The situation was also worsened by the abduction, the following day, of many school girls in Chibok, a sleepy community in Borno, by the Boko Haram sect.
In the last one month, killings have been a daily occurrence in parts of the North by insurgents. The terrorists have become so vicious and audacious that they even attack Army Barracks and other seemingly fortified places.
But Thursday was supposed to be a day of happiness to remind Nigerians of their freedom from the oppressive military regimes. Up till 1999, the military dictators did not only rape the masses of the country psychologically, materially and financially, they also plundered the image of the country, assaulted and insulted the citizens’ dignity and sensibilities while they lasted on the power stool.
Four days ago, most Nigerians were shedding hot tears as President Jonathan made his broadcast. Fifteen years after the exit of the military, the rape has continued and there is no freedom.
Last Thursday, which was supposed to remind the citizens of the freedom of 1999, the nation was in a mourning mood over the abducted Chibok girls. That very day, the streets of Chibok were deserted, parents and relations of the abducted girls hurdled themselves up in their huts and hamlets, and did not hear the President speak on the new round of hope he was offering and promising.
That very morning of freedom, while President Jonathan was verbalising his administration’s intention to go more brutal against the insurgents, over 200 girls were holed up somewhere in the evil forest of Sambisa by some blood-sucking vampires in human flesh
On that very morning when families were supposed to roll out the drums in celebration of 15 years of uninterrupted rule, many households lacked food on their table, many lacked shelter and clothing; security was (and is) a costly commodity. That very day, some families were bemoaning their inability to send their children to school on account of inability to afford the fees.
A good number of families were still enveloped in the consternation of extra-judicial killing of their loved ones by those who should protect them. That morning, many innocent citizens were languishing in various cells and prisons across the country for offences they never committed.
It was supposed to be a day to take stocks of the dividends of democracy, but that day some rich people whose sources of wealth are questionable were in many places across the country oppressing fellow citizens with their ill-gotten wealth.
A good number of Nigerians lost their lives that very day. They boarded commercial vehicles and ended up on the slaughter slabs of ritualists, who have taken to that ignoble means of money-making to match the deep pocket of politicians who steal from the public till.
On the day President Jonathan stood in Abuja to openly offer amnesty to mindless group who had killed over 4,000 individuals in their bloody campaign, several unemployed folks were plotting on how to enlist in one crime or the other to eke out a living. What a freedom!
It was, indeed, a day of mourning. Although the President said there was need to celebrate by virtue of progress recorded since 1999, and even though Aso Rock Villa is full of where he resides, Jonathan lost his appetite. He ordered a low-key celebration.
“Our dear nation, Nigeria, has certainly come a long way and made notable progress since our first Democracy Day on May 29, 1999 when the military finally relinquished power and handed over to a democratically-elected government, marking the true beginning of a government of the people, by the people, for the people…I have ordered a low-key commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day in deference to the current mood of the nation,” he said.
Zebulon Agomuo
