The news came unexpectedly and held the nation spellbound. Nigeria stood in wonderment again as the nation did on April 14, 2014 when over 200 of her roses were stolen from Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, by the demons of destruction designated as terrorists or members of the Boko Haram sect.
This time, and precisely on February 19, 2018, the Chbok debacle re-echoed in Dapchi in Yobe State in the speed of meteor and with the attendant intrigues and conspiracy theories of the Chibok episode. This fateful day, and indeed a black day in particular for Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, over 100 school girls of the Government Technical College, Dapchi, were abducted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents from their school to the unknown.
For now, the more one looks, the less one observes or sees. We have been told of technical degrading and disseminating of Boko Haram sect, yet we now record more deaths, blood and sorrow… We now keep vigil, day and night, lest we may be cut off-guard
Like the Chibok incident, the Dapchi abduction raised more questions than answers, especially in crisis management, integrity, honesty and faithfulness. It equally revealed the state of preparedness of our security agencies in rapid response to security threats or breaches. Above all, realising that the two episodes relate to girls’ educational institutions, the future of girl-child education in particular in this part of the country is seriously threatened.
For now, the more one looks, the less one observes or sees. We have been told of technical degrading and disseminating of Boko Haram sect, yet we now record more deaths, blood and sorrow. We now keep vigil, day and night, lest we may be cut off-guard. It is now more ears to the ground and eyes wide open before you are brought down.
The inevitable questions are: how long can we continue in this state of uncertainty, fear and hopelessness? Will this evil be allowed to triumph over good? Why is it that as we take a step forward, we take two steps backward? Why is it that we approbate and reprobate at the same time? We say goodnight and at the same moment voice out good morning? We cannot eat the cake and have it at the same time.
Then it dawned on me that he who wants equity must come forward with clean hands. My mind suddenly veered to the saying of a former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, that insurgency persists in some parts of the country owing to pretence by some Nigerians and refusal to speak the truth.
Pastor Oritsejafor stated this in December, 2014 in Abuja at the Northern States Rulers Conference. The then CAN President pointed out that the country was fighting the war against the truth.
He said, “Nigeria is fighting against the truth. We hate the truth. We hide truth and we fear truth. It is so unfortunate. In John 8:32, Jesus said, ‘You shall know the truth and the truth will make you free.’
“Nigeria is not free because we are running away from the truth. Truth can be bitter, but when you swallow it, when it gets inside, it could become sweet. No nation can grow or develop without embracing the truth, no matter how difficult it is. In John 8:46 too, Jesus asked, “If what I have told you is the truth, then why do you refuse to believe me?” This is the situation of Nigerians today; we are like ostriches. We are a nation of pretenders.
On the same occasion, the National Chairman of the Northern States Christian Elders Forum, Mr. Olaiya Phillips, described the activities of Boko Haram in the North East as an inferno engulfing the nation, accusing the politicians of not having the interest of the nation at heart. Without fear of contradiction, one can safely say that leadership rooted on primordial sentiments has been substantially responsible for our present predicament nationwide. In short, parochial leaders are as good as the problems of the country, as they are pretenders and thrive on pretence. This is part of the nation’s agony today.
According to Albert Einstein, “The world, as we have created it, is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” For the nation to move forward, we have to change our thinking. In the words of Malcolm X, “You’re not to be so blind with patriotism, that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it
or says it.”
Nigeria is today in a race for leaders of truth. Leaders who talk the truth, do the truth and walk the truth. A leader who will give enough for the nation, share enough for the nation and take enough for the nation.
Have we got such leaders now? In short, are the beautiful ones not yet born?
*Izekor, a journalist, public affairs analyst, is a member of the Board of Advisers of The Point.
