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“We Are Living In The Midst Of Our Enemies” By Abdullah Musa The above quotation is from a Christian resident of Madalla, a reported outskirts of Abuja, (reported, because I do not know where it is) while being interviewed by a reporter of BBC’s Network Africa program; aired on the morning of December 27th. He went on to add: we do not feel safe, we are afraid. The reader may recall that on Christmas day, a bomb was detonated in a Catholic Church, (as reported in the media) killing dozens of people, presumably all Christians. The statement which we used as our title will be the sweetest music in the ears of those behind Boko Haram, or those to whom Boko Haram is a God-sent agent, which can be used to achieve many objectives. Any sane Nigerian should be highly perturbed to hear another Nigerian saying he is living within the midst of his enemies. On a general note, it may seem to suggest that all Nigerians are his enemies. That then will be preposterous. Who then is he? The general understanding is that the outskirts of Abuja, and indeed of most major towns in Nigeria, will be populated by those who were not originally from the area, or those who cannot afford to live in central areas. Nigeria being a free nation in terms of movement, allows all Nigerians, indeed even outsiders, to roam freely within it; to take abode wherever they deem fit. The proper context within which to understand the quoted statement is that the interviewee is living in the North, in the midst of his enemies: the Northerners! Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), if I can remember correctly, was excised partly out of Niger state. Niger state is predominantly Nupe. Within Nupes, there are many who are Muslims, and a significant percentage who are Christians: Professor Jerry Gana is one notable example of a Nupe Christian. It is also noteworthy that some elected Area Council Chairmen, indigenous to the area, are Christians. If the interviewee is an Igbo, there must be others from the South who are equally resident in Madalla. There must be Yoruba. There must be some from Edo. There must of course be the hated Hausas; who have lost their identity and must now answer Hausa/Fulani! So if the enmity the interviewee is referring to is that of tribe, then it is possible to say that wherever he goes in Nigeria he will be living within his enemies: for Nigerians have decided, out of sheer necessity, to mingle. If he is referring to enemies due to religion, then even if he decides to live in Lagos, the heartland of South West, he will be living within his enemies: for the state Governor of Lagos is a Muslim. But the message being sent to the world is: Christians are not safe in Northern Nigeria. But are Muslims safe in Plateau state of Northern Nigeria? Or are they safe in Southern Kaduna of Northern Nigeria, a place that was the capital of former Northern region, where today a Christian Governor holds sway? Or in Takum? Or in Numan? Or in Benue? All of these in Northern Nigeria! World politics is in perilous state because those who drive it have warped view of life. I am of the opinion that the world is being driven by the European race, led by the English: principally those in the United States and England. And recent happenings in the world show that America has no regard for human life: everybody is expendable: even Americans. This happens to be the case because secular powers do not believe in God. If you do not believe in a Creator, then you are one! The spirit that pushed them to colonize others is apparently still with them. The Christianity that is dear to the interviewee we are discussing, came through colonization. It quashed the African identity; and left with no other identity, the colonized embrace it; and it henceforth defines their relationship with those who do not adhere to it. The Christian will say it is same with Muslims. That is right; but no Arab nation today is an imperial power. The West, represented by US is one. They use appropriate tools to achieve their hegemonic agenda. When your weakness is religion as in Nigeria, they tout it. Today they are instigating the Christians to feel unsafe in Nigeria; not knowing that being blacks they will never be safe anywhere. What the West wants is the control of oil resources, with little population attached to it: A Bayelsan republic will be better attraction than one hundred and fifty million Nigerians, all guzzling free oil! What is remarkable about the West is its deception capabilities: the skill to couch the destruction of a people in their own aspirations! Today, in Nigeria, all sides are looking at opposite directions in search of solution to Boko Haram. The Muslims believe it is their misguided members who are causing them shame. The Christians, particularly those from Southern Nigeria, are of the firm belief it is part of the Northern political class’s agenda to unseat one of their own: Jonathan Goodluck . And it is highly unlikely if Dr Goodluck does not share the perception of ‘his’ people. It is only in Africa where you will be leading a nation and still consider sections of it as your enemies! I read a book on international relations, having the same title. The authors are: Joshua S Goldstein and Jon C Pevehouse. To someone like me, who is not a political scientist, I found the book highly informative. For instance, with regards to the issue of Iraq invading Kuwait, it was viewed as attempt to re-draw the borders, and had to be stopped. But the authors say it is not highly objectionable for one government to topple another, even by violent means! In the same book, they mentioned that the CIA aids political parties in countries that do the bidding of America, and thwarts governments or parties unfriendly to America. So we in Nigeria seem to be operating on a political premise upon which the world system is not based. There is nowhere in this system where you are guaranteed that those who advise you on certain courses of action are entirely without ulterior motives. You may, due to the weakness of your position, accept certain programs; but you should on no account accept a situation where you are asked to dismember your nation on very violent terms: this, according to my understanding, is what the West wants Dr Goodluck to do for it, just because Bayelsa has oil. We are witnesses to the machinations of the West against Vladimir Putin because he refused to allow American companies to take possession of Russian oil and natural gas resources. They want ensure he does not return as President. There are of course, within every community those who are willing to mortgage the future of that community for their selfish interest. So the current internet-organized protests in Russia will not stop till, eventually, Putin is out; or using it, till Russia is weakened. In the same book, the authors referred to an IT program which Gaddafi subscribed to, with the aim of giving every Libyan child access to the internet! The Libyans killed such leader, and the West is daily tarnishing his records by informing us of monumental theft and plunder by him: so far an ostrich farm has been uncovered! Those in power in Nigeria may know where the Boko Haram saga is leading Nigeria to, and may be, are apparently happy with the direction. But many Nigerians may not know, and may not desire that end. In that case they should ponder and ask: who is benefitting from the carnage unleashed by the sect, and the damage to the name of Muslims and Islam? Certainly not the Muslims! Then who stands to benefit? The ruling class of America, that seeks to demonize both Islam and Muslims, is my guess. Nigerian Christians, quite aware of the saga of gay priests in Western Churches; the recognition of homosexual relations by Western governments; the issue of confrontation between the Vatican and the West on abortion; should know that though some Americans and Europeans may be their brothers and sisters in faith, the leadership and the press of those nations are not. Black men, irrespective of faith, ought to come to an understanding of the world equation: Europeans and Americans are the predator class, which is why it bothers them not if millions of non-whites perish in confrontation with each other. But knowing our limitations as human beings, it is highly unlikely if America can be stopped in its designs against Nigeria. Abdullah Musa |