Is this the country Of Dim Odumegwu
Ojukwu?
By
Carl Umunna
“IT IS CRIMINAL TO BE LAWFUL
I N A LAWLESS SOCIETY” Franz Fannon.
As I ponder on recent socio-econo-political
developments at home and abroad, I repeatedly asked myself
which way forward for
Back in
My question therefore
is, is this all happening in a country that we found
respectable names like: Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu
Ojukwu, Eze Gburugburu - the people’s General – he
must be thinking of many things right now; is this
happening in country of the “Bird”, Professor Wole
Sonyinka, Nigerian renowned freedom fighter, a world
scholar of high repute – he must be embarrassed for
sure; is this happening in a country of Professor
Chinua Achebe, author, “No Longer at Ease, Things
Fall Apart” World renowned scholar of high repute –
he must be in pain at this time; is this happening
in a country of Aminu Kano, a great progressive, a c
ivil right activist of blessed memory; is this all
happening in a country of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of
blessed memory, Zik of Africa, a great Pan
Africanist, whose Oniyi Heaven home was recently
burnt down to ashes no explanations given and those
responsible are busy doing their blame game – Zik is
probably turning in his grave right now; is this the
country of Baba Tunde Idiagbon, of blessed memory,
the people’s General – frowning at ills in the land;
is this the country of Isaac Adaka Boro of blessed
memory; is this the country of Philip Effiong,
people’s General who took charge when things were no
longer at ease; is this the country of Cornel
Abubakar Omar, a patriot, a defender of truth; is
this the country of Chukwuma Kaduna Nzogwu of
blessed memory, a purist - strategist, we love and
remember you; is this the country of these great men
and women of our great country. We remember each of
you by your names because we see and appreciate your
countless contributions to the nation a nd we are
proud of your efforts, proud of you because we love
each of you very much for what you stand and stood
for. All omission of names is purely those of the
author and I take full responsibility. The list is
endless my brothers, sisters and strangers.
There is no doubt
in my mind that each of you, and each of these
patriotic men and women are probably in pain and
shamed by this latest development, development
of a criminal who jumped bail in London and
returned home shamelessly to a staged cheers.
What has gone wrong with our country and our
people? Time will tell because at the end of the
day we will not give up on
What is it
with
It has
been said that “Evil triumph in our
society because good men do nothing”
Edmond Burke.
When
will
Millions of Nigerians live in
foreign lands not because they
want to or love to. Many of us
do not want to remain in foreign
countries under any
circumstances for one day. We
are here because we have no
better place called home to
return to. We are here suffering
and smiling because our land has
been vandalized and left in
ruins by thieves and vagabonds;
we are here because we wanted to
study and quickly return home
and participate and build our
own country to better it for
good rather than bettering other
people’s lands, better it for
posterity, yes we wanted to
complete whatever we were doing
and return home to participate
in nation-building like other
countries; we are entrapped here
because of lack of security in
the enterprise called Nigeria;
we are here because our country
have been hijacked by a group of
crooks and criminals for too
long a time. We are here because
of many disappearances, torture,
and secret killings. Not safe.
We are here because we have no
where to turn to. We are
completely entrapped in foreign
land no matter how many billions
or thousands of dollars each of
us have in the savings, it still
do not add up or change our
circumstances in these uncharted
territories. Home will always
remain home, home will always be
better no matter what.
If you ask any Nigerian in
What can we do today to
better our country so
that we can come home,
that would allow us this
opportunity; that would
allow those who are
qualified to take up
leadership positions,
take up responsibility
at the national, states
and local government
levels to direct
NANS, Nigerian
Students have
disappeared in the
thin air. They have
been corrupted I was
told. Be that as it
may, that is
provoking topic for
another time. But if
you are at home and
you are a student
leader on the high
school, tertiary
institutions and
much more - be it
known to you this
day that your
compromising silence
and trade-offs
speaks volume,
indeed your future
and my future are
tied together – it
is important to say
that essentially we
will, either survive
together or we will
all sink together.
Wherever you are, we
need a change of
heart, a new way of
thinking for a
better and effective
change in our
country to occur.
Time is running out
pretty much.
Remember that we are
agents of change and
must step up and
resis ts this
massive impunity of
grossness in high
places.
It is my hope
and my petition
to God Almighty
that these
criminals and
others like them
who have stolen
from our coffers
for too long a
time, face
justice soon for
prosecutions
through due
process of the
law. They should
be apprehended
and prosecuted
and jailed where
necessary to set
send a message
and set the
records straight
for all those
tittering toward
that direction
to think twice
for example.
Yes, actions
like this will
by application
serve as a
deterrent to
others who
intend to get-in
to empty our
treasuries. A
message which
says there are
consequences for
frauds. The
earlier we set
up mechanisms in
this line to
address these
challenges the
better. It is a
race against
time. Enough of
this shameful
behaviors – I
appeal to EFCC
to move quickly
within and
around the laws
and powers given
her in the
constitutional
territory to
carryout their
responsibilities
s diligently. If
this is done, it
will evidently
save us further
embarrassment.
Stopping and
stamping-out
these criminals
is a local and
national
responsibility
that needs be
done speedily to
avoid further
institutional
shame,
criminalization
of the
Nigeria-state
devoid of
scapegoaticization
of the
enterprise and
restoration of
accountability,
peace, law and
order within
Nigerian
frontiers is a
must do.
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