President Jonathan and Boko Haram: A Comparative Analysis

By

Abubakar Alkali Sokoto

alkalizai@yahoo.com

The enthusiasm, doggedness and patriotism expressed by all Nigerians against the removal of fuel subsidy by President Jonathan are remarkable and a turning point in the annals of our dear country Nigeria. One hopes that the occupy Nigeria group that is an offshoot of the fuel subsidy riots will remain a fighting force in our liberation struggle against our leaders, against indigenous colonialism, against a brother’s inhumanity to his own brother.

The NLC, occupy Nigeria group, save Nigeria group and such other pro-people and prodemocracy groups must remain firm, united and resolute until we collectively as Nigerians, wipe out the last York of post colonial prebandals and predators who masquerade themselves as our leaders.

The disenchantment with the president’s glaring insensitivity to the plight of the ordinary Nigerian with his removal of the subsidy on fuel and the enthusiasm to ‘fight for justice’ during the fuel subsidy riots made several Nigerians to draw a comparison between Mr President and the dreaded sect, Boko haram, of course without any disrespect to the office of the President.

The startling revelation was that there was a concurrence of opinion amongst all Nigerians that President Jonathan and Boko haram indeed share some critical similarities. In the words of Mallam Shehu Sani of the civil liberties organisation, (CLO), the action of the president in removing the fuel subsidy is more deadly than the Boko Haram bombs. Some protesting Nigerians wrote in their placards: GOODLUCK HARAM JONATHAN, some read: JONATHAN IS WORSE THAN BOKO HARAM. Some read: WHILE BOKO HARAM KILLS IN HUNDREDS, JONATHAN KILLS IN MILLIONS, etc, etc.

On the last caption, of course we all know that the president may never have handled a gun before, remember he has even confirmed that he is not a military man! However, the point these passionate protesters are making is that the removal of fuel subsidy will adversely affect 167 million Nigerians which is about 99% of our population (minus the 1% that feed on 99% of our resources: our legislators and those in government).

By their actions, President Jonathan and Boko Haram seem poised to BREAK UP NIGERIA. Boko Haram wants to create an Islamic state while President Jonathan wants to create a POVERTY STATE. Some analysts even aver that while Boko haram uses Kalashnikovs, AK47’s, Hand guns etc, the President also has his own arms and ammunitions which are 150% in prices of Gari, Bread, Wake, Rice, Fufu, cooking oil, transportation etc.  Boko haram also used bombs and IED’s for maximum impact while our amiable president’s major IED is the bomb-like astronomical increase in the price of PMS from N65 to anywhere around N200 which is akin to an explosion that has devastated the entire geographical spread of our dear country Nigeria and caught every Nigerian napping.

There is however, an advantage enjoyed by Mr President over Boko haram because the Boko haram bombs sometimes ‘do go horribly wrong’ as we have read in newspapers recently. And when this happens, the bomb kills its own maker. However, in the case of Mr President, there is no thing as an accidental discharge or better still ‘friendly fire’ as he has only one bomb engineer, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala who had all the equipment she needed before even taking oath rather belatedly at her ‘own choosing time’ in August 2011 while all other minister had their oaths about 2 months earlier. She is the ‘coordinating minister for the economy.  The last time I checked, there was no title/office like that in our constitution. Where did our President got that title from!

In the case of Boko haram, there is the possibility of ‘suspending’ an erring member as Ali Umar Sanda Konduga (a.k.a.  Alzawahiri), the political thug turned Boko haramite had told the world during his arrest. But this is not the case in the President’s cabinet where no one gets suspended. Mrs Okonjo-Iweala is even said to have threatened to ‘resign’ voluntarily if Mr President listens to the Nigerian people and reverts back to status quo of (N65/L).

Mrs Okonjo- Iweala was said to have made her unshakeable stand known to everyone at a crucial meeting with the President on the fuel subsidy imbroglio  that she wants fuel to cost N200/L because according to  her, that was the price in America and other ‘civilised’ nations where she distinguished herself as world bank ‘managing director’.

Mr President also enjoys an advantage over Boko haram in the area of publicity. This is because while Boko haram operate from the shadows and are said to be ‘smoky’ in nature, Mr President can confidently come on state TV and reaffirm that as President, he has exercised his powers and removed fuel subsidy even if Nigerians do not want it. After the ‘national broadcast’ the President then gets his presidential car door opened for him with a salute for his return journey to Aso rock where he faces his dinner as organised for him by his amiable wife, our indefatigable first lady, Dame patience Jonathan . What a lucky man!

The propaganda machine of Boko haram is nowhere near that of Mr President in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and size. While Boko haram can only boast of a a so-called Abu Qaqal, the one man propaganda machine who often times releases one/two line statements to the media to claim responsibility for one dastardly act or another, Mr President can boast of a propaganda machine of seemingly infinite number of ministers, special assistants, CBN governor and some hob-nobbers and hangers-on who even stage-manage a so called ‘town hall’ briefing to confuse whoever is present on the merits of removal of fuel subsidy.  Mr President can also boast of a loyal Minister Mr Labaran Maku who as a student union leader was at the fore front of the struggle against removal of fuel subsidy during the Ibrahim babangida regime in the late 80’s. Today, Mr Maku is telling Nigerians that removal of fuel subsidy is good for us! Indeed he has ‘grown up’ since then.

Mr President even admitted that there are some Boko haram members in his cabinet but stopped short of telling the nation that he cannot arrest and/or prosecute them either for political (PDP) reasons or because ‘he is not a military man’.

Another area where the President and Boko haram share the same mix is in their ‘NO GOING BACK’ stand. The President has reiterated that THERE IS NO GOING BACK on the removal of fuel subsidy so also Boko haram who have always maintained that THERE IS NO GOING BACK on the disintegration of Nigeria along their choosen borders.

The Boko haram and President Jonathan issues now boil down to ego. While Boko haram have already declared their agenda, they surely may never go back on it even for the sake of not being seen as ‘failures’. So also Mr president has ‘spoken’ and will surely not be seen to go back on his words even if to prove wrong his critics who consider him to be weak and dull ( Now he can take a decision and STAND by it). Moreso, our president has promised the IMF and World Bank that he will remove fuel subsidy even if that will mean punishing Nigerians, hence he will not want to disappoint the western powers.

But can President Jonathan draw a battle line against his own people and win? Can he confront Nigerians who have collectively said NO to the removal of fuel subsidy? Can he actually win this fight against his won people who queue under the scotching sun to vote him as president and are the reason why he is President? I do not think he can win this fight.

I am at loss if this is actually the seemingly gentle, likeable school boy (definitely popular with the girls by his good looks) who goes by the popular acronym Goodluck and once had no shoes and was able to rise up from a very humble beginning to become the President of Nigeria. I thought when the average Nigerian says ‘I am hungry’, President Jonathan will get it!

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala will also not want to disappoint her former employers, the world bank whom she has also given her words that fuel subsidy will go in Nigeria ‘No matter who will suffer’. Remember she even stands the chance of being made IMF chief if she does well in this regard.

Nigeria is such a big and great country that has weathered several storms including a bloody 30 month civil war (We pray not to go through such an experience again). Millions of people sacrificed their lives to keep Nigeria one. However, today we have 2 issues that threaten the corporate existence of our dear country even more than the civil war itself (as Mr President himself admitted). These 2 issues are BOKO HARAM and REMOVAL OF FUEL SUBSIDY. But the nagging question is: On the road to an increasingly possible anarchy in Nigeria, who blinks first, is it Boko haram, President Jonathan OR Nigerians? Time shall tell.