The Boko Haram Metaphor

The Boko Haram Metaphor: The Failure Of Nigeria Elites

Buhari Bello

The essence of education all over the world is to enlighten the soul of man, towards positive thinking; thus making man to contributes for the development of his society. Over the years, especially immediately after the military overthrew the then civilian government of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the emerging ruling elite seriously alienated the people from the fundamental of their society. Instead of offering exemplary leadership; the epoch witness outright stealing and underdevelopment of the nation.

The Nigerian elite who were product of free education, began to act as if they were some sought of messiah that everybody must bowed to their whimsical believes. In place of purposeful development and encouraging the less endowed to climb the ladders of transformation, these elite began the outright destruction of the transformational ladders of their society, for their selfish gains.

The recent sectarian crises that rock the northern region last week seriously underscore the fact, that, not all is well with the Nigeria state. The emergence of this group called Boko Haram (Western education is forbidden) raise the basic questions that the educational system bequeathed to us by the colonialist, after, independent seriously alienated the majority of the people from their socio-cultural and religious realities.

The Boko Haram group is product of such reality. This group challenged and forbid a system they felt seriously alienated them from their religious beliefs; and the insensitiveness of the ruling elites to the plight of the people. These elite are the products of the educational system.

My grudge with the Mallam Yusuf’s Boko Haram doctrine is the outright ignorance of the group over the role of knowledge, in re-inverting society over the years. The outright condemnation of western education is wrong, but what I expected him to have condemned, is the failure of our policy makers to seriously reform the educational system to be in consonant with our socio-cultural and religious background.

So, we must not blame the naivety of Mallam Yusuf Mohammed, for having such a view points. He might have been informed, by all the destruction these western educated elite, have perpetrated on the life of the people of this nation. If he has tailored his argument in that direction, one will be left with no choice but to believe him and also question the rational behind continuing with a system, which breed dishonest and corrupt elements as leaders. The general crisis of development, of our society is centre on the wholesale of adoption of an educational system, without local content. The values system in Nigeria abhorred corruption, dishonesty, immorality, and bad leadership, so therefore where did our leaders get this misdemeanour from. It is easier for Mallam Mohammed Yusuf, to convince the poor and hopeless Nigerian masses especially, Northerners, who were products of long years of enslavement and insensitivity, of their ruling elite, to accept such doctrines based on the action and inaction of the western educated elite.

The appearance of Boko Haram in this auspicious, time called for sober reflection, on the need to reform our educational system, to be in consonant with our environment realities. We must encourage a knowledge based educational system. In essence, an educational system, that, seriously project the diversity and socio-cultural fabrics, of the society into its curriculum. Man is a product of his society and it is the environmental factors of his society that, shape his/her way of thinking. So, the Boko Haram saga, should not be seen as uprising against the Nigeria state, but, rather should serve as a source of warning to our educated elite, to humble and re-dedicate themselves towards the development of this country. They should imbibe the culture of co-operation rather than competition, honesty, dedication, pity and transformational spirits of their society. The current leaders, in all strata, have failed to justify the superiority of their educational endowments, to the helpless masses of this country; Thus, failing to be shining examples, to our younger generation, and the masses, as symbols of attaining western education.

It is rather, perplexing, how the leader of the Boko Haram Mallam Mohammed Yusuf, was hurriedly executed without interrogation, by the security personnel, to ascertain the nature of their operation and their major sponsors. Something is fishing somewhere? If not, why the hurry and the fear? Who is afraid of Mallam Mohammed Yusuf’s confession? At what level of command was the execution approved- is it at the level of the DPO, State Commissioner of Police, AIG, State Governor, or the Presidency? These are many questions that are begging for answers. The Boko Haram saga has also question the sincerity of those who governed this country. If not, how could one explain the rational behind all out war, with the sect when the Niger-Delta that posed, as a threat to our nation, is given lips service, with amnesty and cash donation from the government? The commando approached of the Nigeria security force throughout the whole Boko Haram saga; strengthen my earlier believed, that, the crisis in the Niger-Delta, is fuel by the structures and institutions of the Nigeria state.

The most annoying part of the whole Boko Haram crisis, was the general insensitivity of the President. As the nation boiled, the President found it’s convenient, to travel on a three day working visit to Brazil. How on earth could one believe and understand the rationale and reckless display of incompetence, from the man who is parading himself as our President. The action of President Umaru Musa Yar’dua only tells us the President’s inner actions, commitment and sincerity about this country. In a serious country where leaders are accountable to their people; crisis like this will serve as a rally point between the leaders and the followers; the leaders will serve as shield where everybody will be motivated and energies to action to protect the sanctity of the nation. Our President was busy with his state visit while his nation was in crisis and under the world media scrutiny and spotlight. One wonders how the Brazilian officials will be looking at our President and his incompetent officials; while they seat across the table to negotiate whatever bilateral agreement they had. Your guess is as good as mind!

This remind me about the same scenario in China, when there was a crisis between two ethnic groups in the country, the President cut short his G8 meeting fly-back home to mediate, and motivate his people throughout the period. This is the place of leadership in the life of a nation. What we have is a Lilliputian, bed ridden President, who seem to be overwhelmed and confusion with the responsibility at his disposal. A man without vision of his own, on how this country should be administered two years after policy somersaulting and acrobatic display of incompetence.

With leaders like Yar’adua, you don’t need to be told that, the people will continue to come-out with various tactics and slogan, to challenge the insensitivity of the governing elites who are product of western education without local contents. The poor and hopeless masses, in this country, who have found refuges in religion, will continue to be deceived by the like of Mallam Mohammed Yusuf, to serve as shield to further their ideological doctrine. Until our educated elites, restructure the educational system to be tailored towards incorporating values system of our society and re-dedicate themselves with determination and courage to implement people oriented centre policy which will transform the well being of the people, crisis like this will not be over yet. Injustice and insensitivity by some groups of bandits is the product of conflicts all over the world. We must understand the fact, that, the agitation of the Boko Haram group is a manifestation of injustice, poverty, corruption and general frustration and despairs, Nigerians are nursing towards their country and its band of corrupt, oppressive, insincerity and disgruntled educated ruling elite.