Opinion: A Nation In Denial

One thing that has characterised us as a nation is self denial. We run away from the truth as long as the pinch is not on our foot directly. How is it possible to have solutions to the multiple challenges facing us if we are afraid to diagnose correctly the problems facing the nation? How can you correctly cure an ailment when the diagnosis is wrong from the beginning?

In a recent Wednesday night programme on Channels Television, Straight talk with khedirat, featuring APC presidential aspirant and governor of Kano State, Dr.Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was asked to identify the causes of Boko Haram insurgency in the country. Of all the points he listed, he deliberately avoided the angle that deals with extreme religious doctrines, propagated by itinerant muslim preachers. He carefully avoided the role of muslim brotherhood in the fuelling of Boko Haram insurgency, carefully avoiding the fact that, each time Abubakar Shekarau comes on air, he claims, all he is doing in the name of Allah. He failed to highlight the fact that, it is only negative religion that can take a group of people to such height of delirium, what Marx referred to as ‘the opium of the masses’, nothing else.

If it is not religion, why is it that they have links with such bodies like the ISIS, al-shabab, al-queda both in Yemeni and Talibans and not other countries which do not have muslim links. Extremism exists in every religion, in Christianity and others. We remember the Jim Jones Guyana tragedy, it was recognised for the evil that it was and condemned by the whole world, a movie was even produced from it. The Boko Haram originated from people who have decided to mis-interpret the doctrines of Islam, those who were in position to condemn it initially kept quiet. Now the hand shake has gone beyond the elbow and people are trying to adduce extraneous reasons as the cause. Until we all decide to face the truth, a solution can never be found. We must appreciate Lamido Sanusi, for his bravery in rallying for a united fight against those bastards, valour has always been part of his character traits. Every northerner, I mean, the genuine muslims must rally round to bring to an end, the activities of these extreme muslim fundamentalists.

As long as we deliberately manipulate facts to suit our purpose, challenges will continue to remain insurmountable. When we say religion, we do not mean it to denigrate any group but to emphasise the huge burden that is placed on religious leaders to properly direct the focus of our youths. Religion addresses the mind and it involves a lot of brain washing, by the time we tackle it from the proper orientation of youths in their individual places of worship, recruits for the Boko Haram and other such terrorists will dwindle.
We live in self denial in this country, the naira, as I write is over 190 to a dollar in the parallel market, the price of crude oil is still on a free fall and our leaders have started preaching the value of agriculture to cushion the impact.They present it as if it is that simple. What kind of agriculture do we want to practise in this country? How ready are we for this? I notice that most countries that have succeeded in their agricultural sectors, have mastered the act of producing or manufacturing the agricultural implements that go with it; Israel, China, India, USA and others, no African country is in the list except South Africa and we all know why. It is not by mouthing it, how can we make our agriculture to successfully compete with the foreign products? Power is not stable, manufacturing is almost zero. A successful agricultural output must also go with a successful processing of the products, how ready are we for the processing? In modern agriculture, you do not need a large population to make it succeed. For example, in the USA, less than 5% of the population is into agriculture and they are able to produce surplus, which means; the other 95% of the population are engaged in other productive ventures. What will happen in the Nigerian situation? I need somebody to do some explaining.

We live in denial in this country, for a long time now, we have not been privileged to have productive researchers. Gone are the days of Awojobi, Claude Ake and others of their kind. All we have in our tertiary institutions are radical lecturers, specialising only in strikes and protest, misleading a large number of the populace in the process. In other climes, lecturers are rewarded for their manifest contribution to the growth of knowledge, their work is seen by all and the values to mankind easily discernible. Here we get honoured for leading protests, our higher institutions have stopped adding value to the system. Next generation products are supposed to be sampled first at our higher institutions and research centres, collaborations between the academic and the private sector producers is a must for the development of any nation but,over here, what do we find? Lazy and fraudulent dons, waiting to reap where they did not sow and they are usually the first to criticise. The institutions must strive for autonomy and self sufficiency, that is the only way they can begin to earn respect and serve the purpose for which they were created.

We live in self denial, those who have the opportunity now use their position to deprive the non privileged ones of their rights. If not, how will you explain President Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to perform the ground breaking for the Escravos EPZ project. We must remember that a foundation that is based on injustice will never stand, only time will tell. The Ijaws used to be the oppressed, now that they have the opportunity to correct those things they were crying for, they must not misuse the opportunity, other Niger Delta tribes are equally entitled to the benefits from the resources in their God given land, equity demands that.

As we approach the new year, we must consciously have it at the back of our mind that only a factual approach to the challenges facing this nation will set us free.
Happy New Year.
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Article written by Sunny Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

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