However, the Bakassi disaster is not all about oil, gas and money. It’s as well got to do with the dignity of the citizens and the integrity of the beasts that call themselves our leaders.
As I wrote in a related article on Bakassi titled ‘Bakassi: Obasanjo’s sacrificial lamb to the West,’ what was most surprising and embarrassing about the transfer of Bakassi to Cameroon was the fact that despite the significance of this incident, none of our leading human rights/democratic activists including prof. Wole Soyinka thought it fit to organize a national rally to protest and question the right of Obasanjo, a dictator and bastard, who was rigged into power and has no regards whatsoever for democracy and the rule of law, to hand over a territory that belonged to Nigeria – to the people of Bakassi to be precise – without the consent of the bonafide owners of the land.
Surprisingly too, or should I say unsurprisingly, when Tuwo Yaradua, who was also installed by Obasanjo and not Nigerians (another absence of political sovereignty), too came to power, one of the first announcements he made was that there would be no going back on Bakassi and that Bakassi was a closed case for Nigeria and the government. What a president! Again, nobody, not even our human rights activist summoned the courage to challenge Yaradua for making such a reckless statement. Are we to understand then that the only mission that Nigerian presidents come out to achieve is to betray our economic, political and military interests; weaken our economy and loot our treasures?
After the mysterious death of this traitor, the Senate and members of House of Representatives, who also rigged themselves into power – another absence of political sovereignty – are now also telling us that his death would not be investigated! In otherwords, our law makers that also imposed themselves on us are trying to tell us that ‘it’s none of our business’ to know what really killed Yaradua: how he died; when he died; where was he really buried; where did he really receive treatment; e.t,c. In short, our law makers are telling us that we are pork-nosing into an affair that does not and should not concern us!
I can’t understand why Soyinka and his group couldn’t rally Nigerians infront of Aso-rock, Senate and House of Representatives buildings respectively in order to protest the decision of the law makers to deprive Nigerians the right to know all the circumstances that surrounded the death of Tuwo Yaradua, an opportunist, who became the president of 150 million Nigerians.
It baffles me that Soyinka who believed that Yaradua was rigged into power and hence his government was illegal, was in a hurry to pay a ‘solidarity visit’ to Badluck Jonathan, his deputy, when the latter was just an acting president. Is Soyinka trying to tell Nigerians that the occupation of Aso rock by Jonathan is legal and that there is a big distinction between Yaradua’s government and that of Jonathan who was sworn in to continue the directionless reign of his incompoetent, corrupt, visionless and morally bankrupt boss?
This was exactly what I meant in part 1 of my series “Why Jonathan, Aganga and Allison-Madueke must be removed now by any means and at any cost!” when I wrote that it is very disappointing that our so called intellectuals and those who consider themselves to be learned have ‘misplaced priorities: over reacting to political events that are of less significance while ignoring events which are of more serious negative consequence for the country – like Bakassi; rigging of elections; closed door meetings between U.S. spies camougflaged as diplomats, with Jonathan and Babangida respectively; death of Yaradua; fraudulent and mysterious World Bank energy deals; freedom of information bills; registration of Nigerians in diaspora so that they could participate fully in the coming 2011 presidential elections; lopsided oil agreements between Nigeria and foreign oil companies; pollution of the Niger Delta by multinationls; e.t.c.
I would have felt on top of the world if Soyinka had demanded from Jonathan to set up an independent committee that will be headed by reputed Nigerian lawyers, doctors and human rights activits to investigate the circumstances surrounding Yaradua’s and Dele Giwa’s deaths respectively and announce their findings maximum in 6 months.
I would have beeen elated if our human rights activits headed by Soyinka had called a press conference and demand that Obasanjo, Yaradua or/and Jonathan explain to Nigerians on what basis Bakassi was transferred to Cameroon.
I would have beeen very happy if Wole Soyinka had summoned an international press conference where he will accuse the Americans of interferring in Nigeria’s evolving democratic process and their intention to impose another stooge on the country by holding secret meetings with Jonathan without Nigerians, his main constituency having any clue about the topic of the meeting.
I would have expected Soyinka to state clearly at such a conference that democracy is not about holding secret meetings. Soyinka will be expected to remind the British and Americans that although Jonathan is occupying his present post illegally, nevertheless, unfortunately, today, he represents Nigerians for the time being and not his private company, therefore, the Americans and British should have followed the necessary diplomatic protocols which entails that ambassadors, be they Americans, or British or French, by status, should not be meeting with a Nigerian president, but their counterparts in the foreign ministry, and that any official meeting must be documented by his aides.
Furthermore, I would have doffed my hat for Soyinka and other human rights activists if they, at the press conference, demand from Jonathan to reveal the contents of his closed door meetings with British and American spies to Nigerians since he is representing them and not himself as an individual.
Unfortunately, instead of Soyinka and other renowned democracy activists giving Jonathan an ultimatum and specific time period to come up with freedom of information bill, outline concrete plans for fighting corruption; implimentation of Uwais report; registration of over a million Nigerians in diaspora so that they could exercise their civic rights of voting in the coming presidential election in 2011 which is very crucial for the country; explain to the country why he has decided to appoint a thief who has been convinced twice but managed to escape conviction because of the influence of her husband, another thief, the minister of petroleum; allow human rights activists to choose INEC chairman in order to guarantee a free and fair election, all we have so far are solidarity visists and discussions on whether Jonathan is fit to contest or not. No any other serious discussions are taking place.
Sometimes, I just wonder if Soyinks is aware of the fact that indirectly or directly, he allows himself to be used by the Americans to promote the candidacy of Good/Badluck Jionathan, another incompetent, corrupt, visionless and morally bankrupt opportunist – like all his predecessors. Or is our Nobel laureatte worried about the fact that the Americans might not extend his visa or stay to continue his teaching in the country?
TALKING OF SUFFERING AND SMILING.
NIGERIANS, OPPRESSED, SUPPRESSED, HUMILIATED, IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE – BUT THE HAPPIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
We have all forgotten about Bakassi that was transferred illegally to Cameroon by the Americans, British and French so that it would be much easier for them to drill the oil. They know how to do business with Paul Biya who has been in power for 28 years. We have forgotten about hundreds of thousands of Bakassi people who were displayed, suffered and murdered by the Nigerian and Cameroonian governments respectively. Perhaps, because none of our relatives are among the victims of ‘the benevolence and hospitality’ of the Nigerian government. Poor Bakassi people. They naively believed that th
ey had a country and government that they could count on to defend them. Only if they had kbnown better.
We have all forgotten about the humiliation that the country went through with the disappearance and eventual demise of Tuwo Yaradua. We have put behind us the mysterious cold and calous murder of Moshood Abiola, the winner of the 1993 presidential elections; by the Americans in conjuction with some Nigerians in high places, and Dele Giwa, who was allegedly murdered by Ibrahim Babangida. We believe that there is no need to get to the bottom of the matter. Life goes on. Isn’t it? No wonder we are called the happiest people on earth by the Europeans after an international poll was conducted.
Actually, honestly, by referring to us as the happiest people on earth, what they were trying to tell us was that we are ‘monkeys’, cowards, most naive, stupid and gullible people on earth and our country Nigeria, is nothing but a failed state and the biggest banana republic in the world.
What has been taking place in Nigeria since 1960 including some of the events mentioned above are evidence to prove that Nigeria is a failed state and a banana republic. Nigeria has all the attributes of a failed state and a banana republic.
Try to imagine Britain or/and the United States handing over a piece of land rich in oil and gas and other mineral resources to another country based on the ruling of an international kangaroo court controlled by foreigners.
Or try to imagine Israel with a population of just 7 million and a territory less than that of Lagos doing the same. It’s just impossible!
Instead of giving out their territories, the British and Israel would rather device new methods of grabbing more territories that belong to the Arabs and other people – even if it needs going to war. Till today, Britain still occupies or lays claim to territories that are hundreds of thousands of kilometers away from the Britishs’ border and they are more than ready to go to war with any country that dear lays claim to any of those territories scattered around the globe.
In addition, no goddamn kangaroo international court could dear tell Britain to give up any of its conquered territories which include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Falkland islands and others.
POLITICAL SCIENCE 101: HOW COUNTRIES SHOULD DEFEND THEIR ECONOMIC INTERESTS.
CASE STUDY NO. 1. BRITAIN AND THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.
The British demonstrated to the world that they not only knew what economic security is about, but as well knew how to defend it – when threatened – when they went to war with Argentina over the Falkland islands.
The fact that the falkland islands are a stone throw from Argentina, located in South America, a completely different continent from Europe and hundreds of thousands of kilometers away from the 10 Downing Street in London, the official residence of the British Prime Minister was not a hinderance for Britain to engage in a full scale war with Argentina that lasted for about 74 days when the latter laid claim to them and occupied them. The Americans rendered Britain substantial military assistance which enabled it to overcome the Argentines eventually. No international court could ever tell Britain to give up the Falkland islands. Any judge that delivers such a decision will be considered a clown or insane by the British. And no international court could tell Israel to give up the territories that it is occupying illegally. The same could be said of France. Now, the same British, Israelis, French and Americans asked Nigeria to give up a tereritory that is just a minute drive by boat to Cameroon, and our evil-minded leaders readyly complied.
It’s worth noting here that Israel is very notorious for violating international rules and laws, because it simply believes that her economic security, well-being and security of its citizens and economic development are much more important than any bogus international rules and/or the opinion and/or support of the international community.
Israel has on uncountable ocassions attacked, bombed Palestinian territory and the Palestines including babies, pregnant women and assasinated their leaders without any concern about the outcry of the so called international community. As far as Israel is concerned, the safety of its citizens and its economic interests come first and it is ready to take as many lives as possible in order to achieve these goals and completely indifferent to any international protests and condemnation of its actions.
The recent attack by Israeli soldiers on the Flotilla, a ship carrying humanitarian aids to Palestine is another evidence to prove that Israel has practically little or no regards for international laws and opinions and will continue to do anything it considers necessary in order to guarantee the safety of its citizens and protect its economic interests – including murdering off innocent and unarmed peace activists.
CASE STUDY NO. 2: RUSSIA AND THE KURILL ISLANDS.
The Bakassi tragedy reminds me of the territorial dispute between Russia and Japan over 4 tiny islands very close to the Japanese borders. In Russia, the islands are referred to as Southern Kuril islands while the Japanese prefer to call them the Northern Territories. Russia took control of these islands after a successful military operations towards the end of the Second World War after Nazist Germany had already suirrendered to the Allied forces.
So far, attempts by Japan to reclaim these islands have been unfruitful. Japan is using some ambiguities in the Yalta treaty, Postdam declaration and Sanfrancisco Treaty respectively as arguments to justify the return of the islands. But as counter argument, Russia is claiming that initially the islands belonged to it before the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905, which was lost by Russia, and the islands were transferred to Japan under the Treaty of Portsmouth which was brokered by the then U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevely would later go on to win the Nobel Peace prize for the role he played in the agreement.
Suffice to say that Russia roughly consists of seventh of the total world land mass. Thus, it is the largest country in the world. Furthermore, despite the fact that these islands are less than 0.1% of Russia’s total territory, nevertheless, Russia does not think that it needs to give up these islands in order to make peace with its neighbour, Japan.
The Kuril islands are majour source of fish and other sea foods for Russia. Russia earns millions of dollars exporting these products especially to the Japanese who very much love sea foods. Minerals in commercial quantity have also been discovered on these islands. Despite the relative richness of the Kuril islands, nevertheless, they can not be compared to Bakassi which is much more richer and even bigger.
Kalingrad (Kaliningrad oblast) , another Russian territory, which was taken over by the Russian forces during the World War II is another good example. Kalingrad was a former German territory and was then known as Konigsberg. Kaliningrad is not located on the main land like other Russian cities. In order to get to Kalinningrad Oblast, one needs to pass through Lithuania and Latvia – two republics in the former Soviet Union. The Germans have not even made any attempt of in any form whatsoever; for example going to international courts, in order to reclaim its lost territory from the Russians.
POLITICAL SCIENCE 102: THE WRONG WAY TO DEFEND ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF A COUNTRY.
CASE STUDY NO. 3: NIGERIA AND BAKASSI.
Unfortunately, when it comes to defending Bakassi, the same can not be said of Nigerian leaders. The last thing they are ready to do is defend the interests of Nigeria and Nigerians. Despite the hundreds and perhaps billions of dollars that have been squandered on equipping and training the Nigerian army in Britain, the United States, Russia, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Israel and other countries, nevertheless, they are still unable to pro
tect neither Nigerians nor the territory of the country. The government with its worthless, coward and blood-thirsty criminals that it reffers to as an army would rather obey a kangaroo international court and give out its territory than face a show-down with George Bush and/or Tony Blair.
The same Nigerian army which are eager to go on ‘safe’ peace missions abroad are no where to be found when it comes to protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria, its economic interests and citizens. They are somewhere drinking pepper soup. All the evil-minded Nigerian army are capable of doing is molest, harass and murder innocent, hard-working and armless Nigerians and stripping naked our women in day-light.
The memory of Arogundade’s barbaric conduct is still very fresh in mind. The naval ratings attached to that beast by name Henry Arogundade gave Miss Uzoma Okereke, an armless civilian, a merciless beating with horse whips and blows and eventually stripped her naked for refusing to give way to the convoy of their boss. This bestial behaviour is a norm in the country. Miss Okereke was lucky that she was only beaten but not shot to death by these criminals in military uniforms. It is sad to admit that people like Arogundade have been ruling Nigeria basically for 50 years!
The Nigerian army has never laid down their lives in defense of Nigeria and Nigerians. The 1967-1970 civil war was nothing but a tribal and regional war by the North to continue raping the South and reaping where it never saw. It was a war about the oil in the South and not a war to unite or protect the interests of the country. Unfortunately, the North, with the backing of the West, were able to trick the Yorubas into taking part in this senseless colonial war.
Today, 50 years after independence and after Bakassi had been handed over to Cameroon, the Nigerian government still spends millions of dollars on worthless Nigerian arnmy to acquire expensive boats and undergo training in the United States on how to guard its coastal water. The country wastes enourmous amount of money that could have gone into bettering the lives of hard-working and productive Nigerians on training, equipping and maintaining hundreds of thousands of soldiers who do practically nothing tangible for the country and its citizens throughout their military careers and are rewarded with oil blocks when they retire as officers for their ‘selfless service’ to the country and its citizens. Nigeria we hail thee! What a country!
THE 2011 ELECTIONS: ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES BEFORE NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS.
Soyinka, undoubtedly, has played invaluable roles in the battle to reinstalling and strenghtening democracy in Nigeria. Certainly, if not for him and his colleagues, Babangida would have still been in power today. We are indeed grateful to them for risking their lives , enduring a lot of physical, moral and psychological incovenience so that Nigeria could be a true democracy. At the same time, they/we all need to understand that it is too early to rest on our oars. Recent political events including the desire of Babangida, Nigeria’s former dictator, the devil in human form, who ought to have been executed for his uncountable atrocities and crime against Nigeria and Nigerians; have proved that we are still very very far from our target. Thus, there is still a lot to be done, unfortunately.
It’s obvious that Nigeria has just lost 50 years and there is just nothing to celebrate. The 2011 election, undoubtedly, will be one of the most important events in the history of the country this century. The result of this election will determine if Nigeria will loose another 50 years – totalling 100 years – and irreversibly become a failed state and thye biggest banana republic in the world. According to Soyinka, unfortunatyerly, his generation is already a ‘wasted generation.’ 2011 election will determine if our own generation and generation to come will be wasted too. As usual, Soyinka and his colleagues must play invaluable roles in this election which will go a long way to determine what direction Nigeria’s democracy and development will head in 2011 and decades to come. Without any exaggeration, there is a lot at stake for Nigeria and Nigerians.
What we expect from Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana and their colleagues is to tell Nigerians, the Americans and the whole world at a press conference that Nigeria does not need to form any Bi-nation committee with the United States on electoral reforms in order for Niogeria to organize a free and fair elections in 2011. And if at all such a need arises, this is a role that should be performed by the African Union and/or the United Nations and not the United States that can not be trusted and has a vested interests in the outcome of the election.
Most importantly, I expect Wole Soyinka and Femi Falana to announce at the press conference that any form of direct or indirect endorsement of Jonathan and/or any other Nigerian through speeches, statements or any other form will be regarded as total disrespect for Nigeria and Nigerians, gross violation of our sovereignty and an attempt to hijack Nigeria’s young and evolving democratic process and impose another incompetent, corrupt, visionless and morally bankrupt stooge on the country as they have been doing since independence for their selfish interests.
Our human rights activists need to make it very clear to the Americans that any visit by Barack Obama or any senior American diplomat before the 2011 presidential election will be considered as an open support and endorsement of the candidacy of Jonathan and an unwarranted interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs. The Americans, British and French also need to be reminded that when they were choosing their respective leaders Nigeria did not in any way interfer in the process, therefore, Nigerians should be extended the same right and privilege to choose their president without any intervention.
Soyinka should tell Obama that if he wishes to come on a visit to Nigeria, the honourable thing for him to do, if he is indeed a gentleman, a true democrat and respects Nigerians, is to do so only AFTER the 2011 presidential elections. Obama is really determined to visit Nigeria, he still has more than enough time to do so after the election – provided that he is not pursuing any other selfish and anti-democratic motives with his unplanned visits.
But if Obama does not heed this clarion, sensible and wise call, then I repeat again, Nigerians are within their right if they meet him with stones and hot water, and not flowers for disrespecting 150 million people!
There is a saying that the best form of defense is attack. I expect our human rights/democratcy activists to go on the offensive now and let the Americans know that we really mean business. We must not take anything for granted this time around. If we don’t want to waste another 50 yeras and end the pre-colonial economic slavery of Nigeria, then, we must not handle the threats that emanate from the Americans and British with kid glooves.
We need to draw the attention of the world to their gross intervention in our internal affairs.For a start, I suggest that our human rights activists organize as soon as possible at least a 10,000 man protests infront of the American and British embassies respectively and call Jonathan, Barack Obama and Cameron to order. There is too much at stake for the country in the 2011 presidential election. We just can’t afford to get it wrong again this time around!
TO BE CONTINUED….
* For better comprehension, a related article titled “Bakassi: Obasanjo’s Sacrificial Lamb to The West” is recommended for reading.
YOU CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Send this article to at least 25 people of diversified professional backgrounds: civil rights activists – including prof. Wole Soyinka and Femi Falana; politicians; colleagues, e.t.c., discuss it either on the phone or in person with at least two people and ask them to do the same. You are f
ree to publish it on a social network. Go ahead right now. Don’t procrastinate or delay. Thank you.
