Taming the recalcitrant monster

When Carl Gottfried said war is the “continuation of politics by other means”, perhaps, he had Nigeria in mind. Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was criticized by Nigerians due to insurgency that held the nation to ransom; opposition party rode on this and canvassed people to their side promising us a lasting solution to the Boko Haram insurgency.

The terrorist group did not start during Jonathan’s administration; it started a decade earlier with the killing of people and bombing of major places when a young charismatic Mohammed Yusuf surfaced in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, propagating an ideology considered to be weird and dangerous by the conservative Islamic institution of the city.

His inflammatory comments coupled with his preaching that centred on the corruptive influence of Western culture on young Muslims and Islam contributed to the swelling up of his followers – mainly hordes of idle young graduates in the city. After the poor execution of Mohammed Yusuf, the erstwhile leader of Boko Haram, the terrorist group went into a period of hibernation that led many to posit that it had died with its slain leader.

However, in June 2010, Yusuf’s former lieutenant, Abubakar Shekau rose up as the new leader, bringing to life the activities of the group and set in motion an era of a terrorist movement that would leave an estimated 13,000 people dead by 2014, effectively making Boko Haram the deadliest terrorist group in the world.

President Muhammadu Buhari was our new bride in 2015. He promised us a nation that would work for all and sundry. He gave us hope with his words and told us that Nigeria can be great again. Under him, Boko Haram has been defeated technically. Our troop defeated the group to regain Baga; sent them to hibernation once again with Chibok girls still in their detention.

Yet, we are still at war with insurgency while our political leaders are taking it to another level. They are now politicising the issue, leaving issue-based debates for political gain. Our soldiers are at the receiving end of the dismay; no post-war rehabilitation for them but repentant Boko Haram members are liable to good living after taking our nation to ransom.

Our political leaders are yet to see the insurgency as a slap in their corrupt faces having spent around #4.7trillion in the last 11 years.  War is a business, and in business, people make profits. Our politicians are making fortunes out of our misfortunes, yet we are singing their praises.

We should wake up, charge this administration on the basis we elected it. We want a corruption-free nation and a country that would interest foreigners and citizens alike to stay in.

Abdulwahab Tajudeen,

Ilorin