Post-election violence: A word for the President

Your Excellency, the apparent selectivity of your combativeness seems obvious from the fact that while the security forces moved in quickly and commendably to secure life and property from miscreants in predominantly Muslim areas, they seemed to have been conveniently slow in doing the same in predominantly Christian areas. The result has been the predictably under reported massacre of at least 300 people in Southern Kaduna and the internal displacement of over 60, 000 residents from the area, according to the Red Cross and the National Emergency Relief Authority (NEMA).

Again, virtually all the miscreants arrested so far are from the predominantly Muslim areas. And reports from the various locations where they are being held speak of their brutalization by members of the security forces.

This apparent selectivity may have resulted from the quality and the integrity of intelligence advice you get from your security forces arising from the sometimes lopsided composition of those forces at all levels of government. For example, in Kaduna State which was the worst affected by the riots,  none of the security organisations – the armed forces, the police, the State Security Services (SSS), etc, is headed by a Muslim. It’s not difficult to imagine how vehemently the Christian Association of Nigeria would have protested against this if the reverse were the case. And it would be right to so protest.

Indeed your benefactor, Chief Obasanjo, to his eternal credit, made exactly the same point two days before he declared a state of emergency in Plateau State in 2004 over the sectarian and ethnic violence that occurred under Governor Joshua Dariye. On the occasion of his meeting with traditional rulers in the country at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on that day he told them that the lopsided composition of the security forces in the state had lead to his being misinformed about the facts on the ground. Henceforth, he directed, the composition must be balanced, such that where, for example, the commissioner of police is a Christian, the director of SSS must be a Muslim. Sir, you need to go back to that policy for the peace and progress of this country.

Your Excellency, you may or may not have seen an advert in Thisday of last Friday by someone who called himself simply CITIZEN N. The advert entitled “ADVICE TO PRESIDENT-ELECT GOODLUCK JONATHAN,” beseeched you to seek God’s face.

“Your name,” said Citizen N, “says Goodluck but I call you Godswork. We have all collectively prayed and I believe that God has answered our prayers fully. The mandate given to you is sacred. Turn to the one who has given you this mandate. Seek God’s face! Seek God’s face!! Seek God’s face!!!

“This is the time to drop all human vices and be completely focused on the task at hand, in order to write your name in Gold in the annals of Nigerian history.”

Your task as president for the next four years from May 29 cannot be stated more simply and more clearly than this. This means being just and equitable in your policies and programmes as they affect all Nigerians whether they voted for or against you.

It means being cautious in listening to those who no doubt would advise you to behave, not as a statesman, but as a conqueror. History is too full of the graves of conquerors who thought their power was a licence to do as they wished for you to listen to such short-sighted and self-serving advice.

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Posted: at 27-04-2011 04:12 PM (14 years ago) | Hero

I believe that only justice and sacrifice will solve Nigerian problem not attack and counter attack. No peace, no development - more problems......

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Posted: at 27-04-2011 04:20 PM (14 years ago) | Hero

i pass this one

Posted: at 27-04-2011 04:44 PM (14 years ago) | Gistmaniac