Jonathan and Sultan
Nwabueze Ugwu argues that except the federal government wants to concede superiority to the Boko Haram sect and other insurgent groups, it should drop the idea of granting amnesty to the militants
Recently, the myriad of ethno-religious clashes plaguing the nation has reached a harrowing dimension that has made Nigeria an insecure nation. It will be restating the obvious to say that Nigeria is in a civil democratic dispensation where freedom of speech holds sway. Why then the various outbursts of violence and mayhem, sometimes threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria?
Significant and pertinent in this discourse is the erosion of citizen’s basic freedom by persons and or groups, under the toga of a quaint of obtuse ideology and creed. Why should this be so in a country which poses as the black world’s biggest black democracy? I share the agony of President Goodluck Jonathan, who, miffed by this spate of violence, lashed out at leaders of a section of the country where these inglorious acts occur mostly.
It is also very pertinent to state here that not only have these leaders been equivocating on this national issue, but they have recently by their actions and inferences, posited these perpetrators of violence as acting vicariously for a yet to be disclosed group and interest; hence their subterranean nature and modus operandi. For these leaders therefore to hold their brief therefore presupposes their being privy to all the violent acts of these horrendous sectarian murderers.
And it becomes safe to say that these leaders, while nursing and espousing the same undisclosed interest with the terrorists, are the alter ego of these violent groups and are ipso facto, one and the same people with them. But as Shakespeare aptly puts it, these leaders are “honourable men”.
And even as President Jonathan like Anthonio lambasted their nefarious deeds, he stopped short of naming them as Boko Haram, just because they are “honourable men”. But the point has been made very clearly that the perpetrators of violence are known to these leaders who shield them and by so doing, condone their very unpatriotic and ungodly deeds.
These terrorists are real and not ghosts. It is high time leaders of the northern socio-political class stop playing ostrich. They have clearly by their impudent and dishonourable demand for amnesty, shown that the Boko Haram members are not phantoms but real human beings with blood flowing in their veins. They have very clearly shown these violent men are indeed known to them.
Incidentally, the amnesty plea has a religious colouration as northern Muslim leaders have solely been demanding amnesty for Boko Haram. It then goes to say that Boko Haram is not only Islamic but enjoys an untrammeled support of all northern Muslim leaders. They should therefore call on the Boko Haram, whosoever they are, to lay down their arms, denounce violence, come out from the closet and express their grievances in a democratic setting.
Then and only then could any real request or demand, for amnesty, directly or by proxy be in order. The amnesty would then be viewed in the context of cause, consequence, renunciation and aftermath. While Boko Haram makes a case for fallen colleagues in combat with constituted authorities and for damaged places of worship, the hapless and beleaguered Nigerian society will seek reparation for lost military and security officials as well as thousands of citizens, mostly Christians, murdered and destroyed along with and in their places of worship.
It beats my imagination how such an exalted personage as Alhaji Sa’ad Abubabar III, Sultan of Sokoto, who had reportedly disclaimed Boko Haram as not being Islamic and evil, could do a volte face. The eminent monarch had “ordered” the federal government and by extension, Jonathan to grant amnesty to Boko Haram “without thinking twice”.
He said this at the commencement of the meeting of the Jamatu Nasril Islam, and nobody had challenged him, meaning of course that he spoke the minds of the Islamic faithful. Yet he had said Boko Haram was evil and unislamic. This stance and by extension, this vicarious amnesty plea of the Sultan was recently echoed by the Shehu of Bornu, Alhaji El Kanemi at a function in Niger State.
Conversely, pressure has been mounted locally and globally on Jonathan to dump the amnesty option as Christians feel that it would amount to subtle islamisation and erosion of Nigeria’s secularity and greatly impinge on their constitutional freedom. The Commander-in-Chief should be wary of the banana peel on the amnesty route as granting such unrepentant band of terrorists amnesty would amount to capitulation to a presumed superior force.
This will rubbish and tarnish the hallowed image of the Nigerian military hitherto seen as a regional supremo. Consequently, Nigeria’s rating in the comity of nations would be greatly hampered and reduced. Indeed, he should ignore all such pleas especially as the violent sect had even rejected amnesty on the grounds of innocence.
In order not to give the impression that a subterraneous politico – religious war is being waged by a section of the country through surrogates, the sultan and other northern leaders should, on behalf of all Muslims and the Boko Haram, renounce violence and cause these criminals to be prosecuted in tribunals of competent jurisdiction as a deterrent to future threats to the stability and peace of this country.
I urge the Boko Haram militants that are persuaded and or coerced, to give up their lives along with those of other innocent Nigerians and foreigners, to have a rethink. Will those leaders who arm and strap them up with dynamite and explosive volunteer or coerce their own wards to engage in suicide missions? Would the so called leaders carry the bombs themselves and die ingloriously?
The suicide bombers should be reminded that the golden key to the Utopian paradise usually given to them get blown to smithereens the moment the bomb goes off. Let them think twice and see life as sacrosanct and as coming from God alone. No sheikh, sultan or mullah can give life; Life’s problems are better addressed by the living alone.
I urge the president to use all forces at his disposal, to not only duel Boko Haram to a halt but to unravel and bring to justice those eminent Nigerians who bankroll and endorse terrorism and violence. He should manifest strength of character in dealing with these challengers of constituted executive power. Any dialogue should follow the steps stated above and at the instance of the federal government.
To do otherwise, the president will not only be viewed as weak and unfocused but would have unwittingly endorsed violence as a means of self or group expression. The president should be guided by antecedents especially as concern previous deals with this group. Have they manifested such trust and conduct to warrant dialogue with the government or have they been unreliable and treacherously bragging?
The recent Kano bomb explosions that devastated a luxury bus terminus, killing an indeterminate number of people most of whom were of the Igbo stock was vexatious as it was callous and very worrisome. It is also significant in some aspects. First, this occurred at a time the global umbrage against this group had reached a nauseating peak.
Second, the bombing came just a week after the apologists of Boko Haram and ‘honourable’ northern leaders had ‘ordered’ the president to grant amnesty to this murderous group. Third and by this act, Boko Haram has clearly lived up to its billing as an unreliable, insincere and evil group with whom no sane and decent government will want to do any serious business.
The government should therefore deal decisively with this terrorist group and shun any invitation to dialogue with them or their proxies. The federal government should explore the possibility of arresting and arraigning the apologists of Boko Haram so as to stem the tide of violence because it appears as if these people support and promote their activities. The Bama shootings are a function of the insincerity and collusion of the Muslim elite in the North in the Boko Haram saga.
I am inclined to hoping that the president and government are capable of surmounting this ugly trend in our national life. To do otherwise will suggest an incapability that may lead to self-help and reprisals by relatives and associates of the victims. While not advocating retaliation, I urge those hapless citizens who have been bearing the brunt of this ungodly act to learn to protect themselves against future occurrences.
*Ugwu is member-emeritus, Enugu State House of Assembly
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