Shall We Now Not beg for our lives? (2)

By: Olusesan Ogunyooye (@sesansoulmate)

I struggle each day to agree that this nation is a not failed state. I hate to think our democracy is “A Clueless Government; run by Boko Haram, for the poor people”. I sorrow at the thought that Nigeria; the ‘giant’ of Africa, now appears big for nothing in global perspective. I cannot but agree that life in this country is now brutish, nasty and short; and the only hope is Ola Rotimi’s “Hope of the Living Dead”? 

Yoruba says; “if your mother’s concubine is powerful than your father, you must call him daddy”. This is the ugly reality in Nigeria today. If Boko Haram is bigger, powerful and more ambitious than our government; then, shall we now not beg for our lives?

Today, Nigerians are like the proverbial monkey who strives not to be shamed; and once we are disgraced; we should strive not to die. If we strive not to be shamed as a people, and Boko Haram has made us dance naked in the market: shall we now beg not to die?

For me, all hopes that this government will save us are lost, all their options are exhausted and the government is ran, de facto, from the jungles of the northern states. If you think I’m cynical, have you heard the president speak lately? Did you hear him resolve to Psalm 91 as the panacea out of this national harvest of death? I am not against prayers, but I know even King David, the Psalmist, did not write Psalm 91 as a miraculous wand of protection.

In the past three Sundays, it has been harvest of death. Humans lives have been worth less than chickens’. There have been coordinated bombings on the church; lives of innocent citizens have been cut short; and the only thing we hear the government say is to as usual describe it as “barbaric, despicable and cowardly” and after then, life returns to normal until another strike hits the people. So for how long shall we continue to wonder in the circle of death? Is it not clear that government’s ‘efforts’ are either wrong or insufficient? Shall we now not beg for our lives?

In contrast, have you come across any of Boko Haram’s statements – the temerity, the effrontery, the confidence with which they address your... sorry, our government? Have you notice how they make good their threats and even take the fight to the door steps of the security agencies? Please forget about the government and let us beg for our lives.

If you think me a prophet of doom, please read the first part of this article written in January. I noted that ‘officially’, Boko Haram insurgence claimed over 500 lives in 2011; and in just 30days into this year, 2012 (at the time of writing part one), the insurgence have consumed about 300 lives. Between January and now, cumulatively, Boko Haram-orchestrated deaths are well over 500. So if Boko Haram killed 500 in the whole of 2011 and it has consumed over 500 in the first six month of this year. Can you connect the dots? Or you need me to help you? Please let us beg for our lives.

Also, in the first part, I noted that the sect boasted last year that it had trained 100 suicide bombers and till date, my count showed that Boko Haram has ‘expended’ less than 30 of these death mongers. This means that aside gun raids, there are still close to 70 potential bombings this year and beyond – and you and I know that no one can stop them: not even the government. Shall we then not beg for our lives?

My take is simple, if Boko Haram killed 500 people in 365days and it has killed over 500 in the first six months of another 365days; and you are not ready to let us go and beg, then I’m headed for the nearest border. Please don’t ask me which, you don’t expect me to blow my cover.

What I am saying is that government has failed us again: they failed in electricity and we resulted to the jarring noise of generators; they failed us in education, and we all head for Ghana and South Africa; they failed us on infrastructure and even the air is not save again; they failed us in sports and we’re all fans of Chelsea and Man United. Now they have failed us in security. I would have suggested we take up arms but we, like the government, don’t know Boko Haram. So isn’t it wise to call our powerful Boko Haram ‘big daddy’?

I am more concerned that since this monster called Boko Haram crept into our national live, how many ‘big men’ have been victims? How many? It all boils down to the fact that the masses can die on and on and they can use our common wealth to buy bullet proof cars. So instead of hoping hopelessly on a hopeless government; shall the masses not beg for dear lives?

I, like most other Nigerians, can’t wait to vote this government out of power; but before 2015, how many more lives will be lost? With the spate of death in Nigeria, how many people can be sure of tomorrow? We don’t know where Boko Haram will strike next. If you think you are not in the north, don’t be too sure your domain is safe. So, the only way out of these gruesome deaths is to beg Boko Haram to have mercy on the masses.

The President has told the truth but we refused to listen to what he didn’t say. He has said “Boko Haram is what we have to live with”. Let me help you with what he meant but didn’t say; ‘I have analysed the situation. This Boko Haram; seriously, I’m helpless. These guys are serious and ruthless and I am sure they would have bombed me too, but for God and Aso Rock. For those of you who know God, call him; and those of you whose houses are not built with rocks or has bomb detectors like the Senate chamber; I’m sorry, you will have to live with dying’. So do you hear him better now? So if you are not at the nearest border like me; let us, masses, beg Boko Haram.

I also noted in the part one, that if you think the replacement of Ringim will make a difference; you’d better find your way toward Seme border. I will say it again, Ringim was just a sacrificial lamb; Boko Haram is bigger than the whole police, at least they have proved it. Since, the sitting Inspector General came on board; has there any significant improvement?

Please note that out of the total population of our inadequate police officers, including the ones on unofficial duties as messengers to politicians, Boko Haram has claimed about 620 as at January. So how many more police officers do we have left? And we have complained over the years that we are under-policed.

If you have not start begging, maybe because you don’t stay in the north or you are not directly affected. But remember; “the death that kills ones peer is only being proverbial”. If Boko Haram conquers the security of this nation – shall I say God forbid? – We will be like dry grass before fire in harmattan. You see why I am headed for Gha... oh, I promised not to blow my cover.

With the current security in the nation, how many more police or soldiers want to die? I am telling you, they are as disillusioned as all of us. I’m sure they are looking for the nearest border too. If you listened to what they didn’t say during the Occupy Nigeria Protest, they solidarised in a way, I saw police men laughing and taking pictures of the remains of their father land.

Finally, before I cross this border, I must say that the Muslim-Christian dichotomy to the crisis is another pawn movement on the chess board of the mischief makers. It is a hoax! Boko Haram is not Islam, it is evil!

Therefore my fellow abscondees, if we can’t run, let us beg. Let us beg Boko Haram to stop killing us. Let us beg Boko Haram to channel its fight to the Rocks – that’s where the real enemies are, or so I think. Let us beg Boko Haram to save Nigeria. Let us beg Boko Haram to save our souls!            

I am @sesansoulmate on twitter.