We are changing the narrative. It is our new normal. More so, times are equally changing. And with the alarming speed of light. We can’t risk to be left behind.
This is heartily welcome. It’s not out of sheer wickedness that we endorse the changing times. No, not at all.
But, surely, it’s out of our hopelessness. Yes, deep frustrations and stark realities. Do you blame us? You dare not.
Marc Antony reasoned in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” That remained valid in his time.
These times, the evil men do no longer lives after them alone. It also lives with them, even before our very eyes.
It hunts, haunts and hurts them now on earth and thereafter. They live in misery forever. No respite for them in this life and the life after.
For us, it is the trending order. And we’re extremely comfortable with that. We love it; we cherish it. Things are falling into pleasant places. That is the glaring difference. See how God works His wonders.
Governor Sam Ortom of Benue State has distinguished himself over time. He has come out of the pack as a very strong character. His type is rare in this our trying period. He does not belong to the current characters in leadership positions.
He would not quake, he would not cave in. His last appearance on Channels Television depicted that much. It was a classical example of courage in leadership. He was almost shut down for no cause but flimsy excuses.
However, they met the hard stuff he’s made of. Trust Ortom, he resisted the intimidation with all the strength in him. He chose not to succumb to pure blackmail and mischief.
They nearly made it impossible for him to say his mind the way he wanted. But they failed woefully. Their plan collapsed like a house of cards.
Unknown to Channels, Ortom only repeated what he said close to a year ago. How time flies! He roared then like the oracle he is. Very profound:
“If nothing is done fast to avert the impending disaster, armed herders, bandits and other terrorists will one day take over Aso Rock Villa and those occupying the Villa at the moment will willingly surrender to them and flee from the country.
“No day passes without reports of herdsmen and other terrorists killing defenceless Nigerians in parts of the country. Yet, the Presidency wants everyone to remain silent while the country burns.”
He vowed fearlessly: “Ortom will not keep mute! Let it be on record that while the Presidency deliberately destroyed Nigeria, someone spoke against the evil.” And that person is Ortom!
They chose to ignore him to their peril. What Ortom dreaded most almost happened. His genuine fears nearly came to pass. Courtesy: Terrorists, bandits, et al.
They blatantly displayed the temerity in them. In an orchestrated ambush, they dared the President. They picked his Katsina State as a fervent statement.
What other audacity is greater than this? None, in my naive reckoning. They put huge spanners in the works for President Muhammadu Buhari’s advance team convoy.
They opened fire. The team was thrown into disarray. It almost lost control. Presidency admitted later that Tuesday night: “Two persons in the convoy are receiving treatment for the minor injuries they suffered.
“The attackers opened fire on the convoy from ambush positions. But were repelled by the military, police and DSS personnel accompanying the convoy.”
The terrorists would not give up. That same night, they continued their assault unrelenting. They braced all known and unknown odds.
About 300 of them assembled. It was a large army of terrorists and bandits. They were armed with all sorts of weapons ever imagined. They emptied all these on the Kuje Prisons, Abuja.
It was a commando-like operation. For hours, they held sway unhindered, unmolested and unchallenged. When they had their full fill, they withdrew voluntarily.
They leisurely marched out of sight. Not even sighted by our security network. Not one attacker was arrested in that deadly dusk operation.
In the face of these stark realities, Buhari came up with his usual uninspiring rhetoric: “I won’t rest until I bring relief to Nigerians. I am quite aware of the difficulties people are facing and working to resolve them.” That was his Sallah message.
See who’s talking about rest. Who cares whether you rest or are troubled? You’re undoubtedly convinced. You’ve not given us rest. Not since you happened to us in these past seven calamitous years.
The proofs are overwhelming. Just see how low we have sunk. Buhari has really crashed us from “top to bottom.” Sampler: This anonymous post is pathetic and depressing. It is trending:
“Nigerians are no longer asking the government for nothing else than just the right to live. All they want is to be to go to work (including their farms) and return in one piece, to go to bed and wake up the following morning.”
This is a nation in maximum distress:
“Good road, electricity, health services, even employment are no longer the burning priorities right now.” Our level of depression is unmatched:
“People just want to live – and now that appears like asking for too much.”
The post closed its case graphically: “Nigeria is under a real siege by her leaders. Please, pray!”
Sadly enough, Buhari is not done with us yet. His ultimate is to be our undertaker before he vacates our innocent lives on May 29, 2023.
We need to constantly remind ourselves. And should be honest about it. These terrorists they deodorised as bandits are their creation. This should not be lost on us. We should not let it depart from our hearts and national psyche.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) brought these atrocities on us to win the 2015 presidential election. That has not been faulted either by the party or the Presidency, or government.
Ask Abubakar Kawu Baraje. He once told the whole story as it were. He never hid or missed out anything. He was former chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He crossed to APC in the hot build-up to the 2015 polls. He has since returned “home” to PDP.
He made the damning revelation at his 70th birthday more than a year ago: “The Fulani causing security problems in the country were brought in to help facilitate victory in the 2015 election.
“After the election, the Fulani have refused to leave. I and other like minds wrote and warned those we started APC with that this was going to happen but nobody listened.”
This regime is grossly uncaring. It not only endangers us, it equally endangers generations yet unborn. That is our unfair lot with this junta in government.
We are, however, glad they are fading away. Just the way they rudely barged in on us.
We can’t wait to see them vamoose even now!