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Between Abu Minyar Al Gaddafi, David Mark’s Mad Man Comment And Quest For Disintegration (Ii) By Jibo Nura African Climate Change Research Centre Gaddafi, one understands, has no doubt done well for his people. His people fondly call him green in the desert, because he has in place housing, education, healthcare and food for Libyans. He is today considered by many people across the globe as the one and only person that enjoys a reputation amongst many Africans as an experienced and wise Statesman who has been at the forefront of many struggles over the years. Gaddafi has earned the praise of Nelson Mandela and others, and is always a prominent figure in various pan-African organizations such as African Union. Being the recent Ex-Chairman of the Union, Gaddafi once addressed an assembly of African leaders in Ethiopia by telling them that his vision, mission and plan for Africa and Africans “is to continue to insist that our sovereign countries work to achieve the United States of Africa”.
Indeed, for a man with vision like this to be called a “mad man”, it sends signals that those that labeled him as such, are either barmy or have gone wacky about Gaddafi and what he stands for. What Gaddafi actually tried to explain and likened it to Nigeria’s situation is the partition model of Pakistan, which was born in 1947 where the Muslim minority of predominantly Hindu India agitated for their own homeland under the leadership of Mohammed Ali Jinnah. The Pakistani model was successful, because a state for the Muslims and another state for the Christians became established.
Sadly, those that see Gaddafi’s comment as a taboo to Nigeria were not able to read in between the lines the comparison he was trying make. Hear him:
“The painful situation that Nigeria is enduring resembles the situation of the Indian subcontinent before 1947, at the time of the massacres between Hindu and Muslims”.
Therefore, no one is wishing Nigeria a bad omen or perpetual succession on the basis of tribalism or religious intolerance. All of us know that our country of today is really engulfed in sequential crises. And most of these crises are either religiously inclined, ethnic or sectarian in outlooks. The Shagamu antecedent; Zaki Biam massacres; Kafanchan and Kaduna brutalities; and Kano mayhem are still fresh in memory. But instead of the likes of Senator “honourable” David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark to realistically act and find a lasting solution to our predicaments, they are there in Abuja languishing with Nigeria’s problems that are ought to have been thrown to the dustbin of history. What a shame? There was never a time when people such as Mark are heard over the urgency to bring out a platform or level playing ground in the Senate that will melt-down religious and tribal sentiments in Nigeria if not the unnecessary debate on late ‘Yar adua’s health condition that God Has often brought to rest. May Allah forgive Yar adua and give our ordinary leaders who sit in Ivory towers, the wisdom to lead with zeal, commitment and compassion. Because, as somebody asserted elsewhere i.e. in Nigeria “Those sitting at the corridor of power debating on issues that are unnecessary, are not really disturbed over the happenings in Nigeria. Perhaps, due to the fact that “non- of their families is being wiped out, non- of their businesses or property got destroyed; non- of their mosques or churches got burnt, they sit comfortably and curse Gaddafi”.
Hence, David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark needs to understand that the patriotism gospel that he lives to preach since the time of his military training, can be dangerous to national development, because when one defends his country and countrymen so blindly, when one sees nothing wrong with his country, when one perceives all criticisms such as Gaddafi’s as destructive rather than constructive, when one subjectively encourages his fellow Nigerians in the Diaspora to talk only about the good aspects of Nigeria; not mindful of its bad sides, one got to step back, hands akimbo and ask the cardinal question: Are all these obsequious defense of one’s country a good omen?
According to Mark’s gospel and judgement, which one begs to disagree, is the double Decker question as to whether love for Nigeria requires any citizen to always identify with pleasant things about that country and overlook the unpleasant aspects, because every country has only good features?
Indeed, it could be that Mark has not come across the fact that evil always thrive mostly in societies in which a majority of people maintain silence while things go wrong. And to remain uncritical when things are wrong, according to Levi Obijiofor, a writer, is the deadly way to destroy a country.
Ironically, Alechenu while exposing his naivety and intellectual regicide about Nigeria, commented in the Monday edition of Guardian Newspaper of July 27, 2009 by stating thus “This country is doing well, we are moving in the right direction, but for some people who are running down this country from within and without. A lot of Britons will never go out to criticize their country elsewhere, but a lot of Nigerians go out and start running down our country. Why can’t they go and start another country?”
This, is one of the complex assertions that one can say without any iota of doubt that it is not true. Because, the British citizens do criticize their country in Britain and overseas. It is just that Mark has gross misconception about Britons, patriotism and national issues criticisms. Honestly, dogmatic expression of Nigeria’s good qualities is not really a good barometer for gauging someone’s level of patriotism, says Obijiofor in his critical comment on “Mark: Off the mark on patriotism”. It is quite inappropriate for citizens of any country to keep silent or to engage in harangue and praise singing of the political leaders who pilot their country in the wrong direction.
In view of the above therefore, Mr. Alechenu should not look at Gaddafi’s commentary about Nigeria as an act of “madness” or disloyalty. There is nothing more dangerous and damaging of a country’s reputation and socioeconomic development than to gullibly play foul with the citizens by vomiting them words that are hardly chewed. For they will one day make one eat up his/her vomit!
Concluded. Jibo Nura, a Quantity Surveyor, is Secretary General, African Climate Change Research Centre. Contact Nura at: jibonura@yahoo.com
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