BROKE BOUND: THEY ARE NOT FULANI HERDSMEN BUT TERRORIST TREAT THEM sO [Hospitality is the guilt of my ancestors for which I am killed]
Introduction
Nigeria is undergoing a systematic death agender tending toward a complete destruction of the state. We become ever confused over what to face as what is before us and against us is much more stronger it seems than we can face. More worrisome is the fact that this is perpetuated by Nigerians against Nigerians. This problem stems from our poor approach to the challenges before us. We have failed to approach the problem as against Nigeria, rather we build up affiliations that makes it even more difficult to salvage the situation. The terrorist is protected by a tag from a bound ordinarily his crimes have broken. Is it the Biafaran movement that brought the Civil war, Book Haram Issue that have so much destroyed the state of the nation, the Niger Delter militancy that destroyed our resources and international relations or the most recent suspected Fulani herdsmen gullira night attacks that have rendered our state a death zone that is not a pointer to the above claim?
Sadly these monsterious bodies do this harm and are still protected by these bounds they had long broken before their operations even reached the news desk. While the Biafaran Movement enjoys protection from the tag "Biafaran" which makes every 'Biafaran' (if anything exists as such) feel it is his/her interest that is sort for, the Boko Haram enjoys "Islamic", the Militancy "Niger Deltan" and the recent attacks enjoys the protection of the tag "Fulani".
In my opinion, it is this tags that so made the problem seem near impossible to resolve. The earlier we accept this the better for us. I borrow a leaft from my themes on morality where the case is similar to this, where fornication and adultry are simply made less evil by their new name, " Catching fun, sugar Mummy, Extramarital affairs, e.t.c" I recall in boarding schools you hear such names as "Shifting, Borrowing, Shoping e.t.c". These words are used to replace the word stealing or theft among students and this replacements makes theft amongst students appear a common thing to do as you would hear a students say with no shame or regret 'I shifted his book'.
The strength of the implication of a word will never be the same when such a word is replace with another. We appear to have a wrong understanding of the distinction between nearest in meaning and the same meaning. No two english words can have the same meaning (I stand to be corrected). But if that be true, it is only worthwhile that our Government, policy makers and security operatives readdress this issue.
WE ARE LOST
What Nigeria is suffering from is not what we are addressing. When we are suppose to address terrorist attacks we are wasting our time addressing sectional, regional, religious and 'bla! bla!! bla!!' issues. we have lost the definition of what we should address and I only wonder, if there is a a misconception in the definition of a problem how can that problem be solved aproprately. Let us suppose I have the power to decide which air I breath and I miss defind oxygen as caborndiaoxide, would I not breath in the wrong air? This is the case with Nigeria and this is what provoked this thought in me hence this little piece for the sake of the suffering nation and portential victims.
VICTIMS IN WAITING
Day in day out Nigerian's live victims in potency, we are either waiting for the doom soon to fall on us or a doom soon to fall on what we hold dear. Directly or indirectly we are victims in waiting. But the inevitable is not the problem for now, the problem is the evitable our indifference is making inevitable. Long in the days we saw a gun only on the screen but it never dawn on us to see it as a thing we can hear as existing near us, then we would hear the sound of a gun in the air during arm forces celebrations, Independence day and a host of other celebrations of like manner but we never thought of the sound of a gun as something more than a celebration. Then we began to hear the news of war in countries far off, and we would always see it as a foreign man's problem. When the unwanted guest landed in the green white green land, it was to reveal a great folly. When we heared of Maiduguri, it was their problem, when it shifted to plateau State, it was the Plateau natives disunity that have cought up with them and Kaduna state indigines in collaboration with other states of the federation will sit in folded arms. In plateau it was the Birom problem and the Ngas ... would be sleeping and snoring until their time is dawn.
And when it shifted to the Ganawuri axis, it was still a plateau state problem, even when it moved to Zangan in Kaura Local Government of Kaduna State, Moro'a chiefdom of the same state would still see it as a Takad Chiefdom wahala that would not cross over. And so we slumber as death move near and nearer, we slept comfortably victims in waiting while the evil one went on having a nicely-easy show in a land so acclaimed peaceful, united and strong when in fact she is but a fragmebted weak troubled state. We left our proverbs and wise saying lay in waste else the hausa proverb "in kagan gemun dan'uwan ka na cin wuta, yi maza ka debo ruwa ka shafa wa naka" would have been a stronger tool to change our definition into 'ready fighters in advance'.
We slept, we snored and our love ones died, we are sleeping, and are snoring still our love ones are dying by a systematic agender of an ungodly poorly schooled educated illiterates. With all our degrees we are victims of a dirty, bushy, disgusting fulani beast that have allowed a devilish, selfish Mallam do the thinking for him. Funny hhhn? The wise is the fools victim. If only they are wise an not foolish, how can Sadam or Osama be running for their dear lives while telling me to go and commit suicide as a bomber for the great reward, wait a minute, you mean these masters do not want to gain the reward just soon? Well these are the 'thinkless things' we find among us and we must deal with it.
SOUTHER KADUNA AND THE HERDS MAN'S WRATH
Between late 2014 and now southern Kaduna have endure hell from the always unknown gun men or suspected fulani herdsmen. It has been a well plant and executed genocide just in planned scheme. It is a process still ongoing. Jama'a, Kaura and Sanga local government among others have suffered this largely. I keep asking what guilt have my people done that they must be purnished this terribly, the more I ask the farther the answer moves from me.
One would have reasons to think that the only sin we are paying so terribly for is nothing more than our ancestors' and our hospitality and peaceful nature. We have been too loving to the visitor some times even much more than our very own. Instead of our guest to celebrate and appreciate us, he have turned a thorn on our foot that we cannot favorable walk.
WE ARE VICTIMS OF OUR FOLLY, GREED, AND SELFISHNESS
But you know I do not blame them like I blame us. We have been so foolish to trust the guest above our very own. Now the result is that we are taking for granted and any dirty thing can sleep on his piece of wood and wake up feeling a saint that must kill us 'sinners' for a suprime being that is incapable of punishing the 'sinner' himself but must depend on some illiterate and mostly poverty driven 'human beast'. Why would we not be so treated when we are thought of as a people with no voice strong enough. Or what strong voice do we have than on the social media that lay unnoticed?
If only we have strong people in government now, if only we had a say in the economy, if only we have proven our industrious capabilities, if only we have political gods, if only we have all that or even more do you think we would be so treated with cruelty and no one would come to our aid? If only we have a say in the Nigerian Army do you think anyone would walk in and out on us as they feel? It is not a matter that we do not have these powers but that we had all the opportunities and let them waist away. Gone are the days when a southern Kaduna man could contest the governorship of Kaduna State and give his Kaduna North opponent sleepless night until he is able to get some of us to use against us. Gone are the days southern Kaduna rides the Nigeria Army horse. But we waisted such opportunities by our selfish spirits and that devil of over dependence , for while the blessed among us refused to bless others, the others slept lamenting how they are not being blessed.
It has been the tradition with us that hardly would the best among us make it to the base, huddles are set for them by the same fellows that should develop them into fully actualizing their potentials. Today, to make it up the ladder you must bury your potentials from your kinsmen which would either result into the fellow depending on the generosity of others that are not his or completely killing these potentials God have freely given him or if eventually he is in the position, he or she is unable to perform to his worth because the time he should use in developing these potentials he had used in hiding the potential, seeking help that does not come without a price or completely he would have turned a slave to the wrong master.
The Isiah Balat's, Yakowa's, Ali Madaki's, Joshua Madaki's, the Military Gen. Zamani Lekwot's, M. Luther Agwai's, time is gone. Who is taking over from these mighty men of old. Today, where is that one fellow that was trained or mentored by one of the above mentioned (particularly in Politics) to take after them that is really having his show? Well all thanks to their effords that only God and the fellows they do them to knows, and thanks too particularly to the Late Jushua Mamman Madaki for the Bantex of today as unverifiably I learned. But as at now, who else do we have powerful enough to contest for the Governorship of Kaduna State come 2019 from here that was mentored by those we hoped for.
Permit me say without mentorship there is no progress to hope for. But with mentorship, continuity is sure and so, progress. I have had many who had given me reasons not to read books like Davincci Code, 48 Laws of power and the likes with a claim that they corrupt the mind. Hello! no one, I mean no one have given me a reason not to believe the Law No 1 in 48 Laws of power "Never overshadow your master". Because I live in a society where to display your potentials is your passport to failure, dead of your dreams and sometimes dead of you.
AND VICTIMS OF OUR SILENCE TOO
Permit me build from the wisdom of Albert Einstein as I tell you the fact that our land have been so desecrated not by the evil men but by those of us who watch them and did or said nothing. Our brothers and sisters have been killed in a very cruel manner not by the evil men but by those of us who watched that happened and we did or said nothing. The blood of our brothers and sisters killed is NOT ONLY on the heads of their killers but on the heads of those among us who are watching this happen and are doing or saying nothing. I am talking about the government, security operatives, our traditional rulers, the influential among us, and our youths. I am talking about those of us who have or had a thing to do or say to save any of these occurances but for reasons they know best failed to do so.
I have published a story titled " Jubal and the Fulani Driver" where I told the tale of a conversation between me and a Fulani driver that took me from Garaje, kafanchan to Kaura a day after the Godogodoo attack. In the tale [Freeman's Online Library (freemanjubal.blogspot.com.ng)] I told how the driver was trying to wash himself by saying "hmmm I do not know why my fellow Fulani cannot forgive..." And after a long silence I asked him using the Hausa tongue, "but mallam wai ma wani laifi aka aikata maku da ke neman gafartawa", pls escuse my poor Hausa it is not my language. I was asking him what really is the wrong done against you that must be forgiven? And the answer is yet to come. And tommorow you will hear them signing a peace pact on a fight you do not know who really the enemy is and what the cause is. Such a folly.
It was reported in page 14 of the Splendor of Truth News Paper Vol. 6 No 4 of April, 2016 that "Southern Kaduna Communities Signed a Peace Pact". The pact was tagged 'Kafanchan Peace Declaration' which the centre for humanitarian dialogue facilitated as sponsored by the Canadian government subject to the inter-communal dialogue process initiated by her last year in areas affected by the 2015 communal clashes. Five Local Government areas were reported to have been covered in this pact to include as reported; Sanga, Kachia, Kaura, Zangon Kataf and Jama'a. This pact was signed by Christian and Islam representatives within the areas covered. But just after this drama and what could be better descriped as a day dream, the next we heard was another attack much more terrible, and I ask those involed in signing that pact, for how long shall we be fooled and distracted into these ventures of signing for peace and entering into dialogues that never yielded any thing fruitful as far as the desired goal is concern? why should we keep signing a document with the very wrong fellows.
I call it signing with the wrong fellows because those who signed the last peace pact for instance will surely tell us they do not know who the culprits of the last attack were. Those we keep signing with are those who will better prove that they are in total ignorance of the attacks and those behind it than the would prove it is those we suspect are. The picture I see is that of a father who has a very stuborn child, he knows this child will never listen to his words that is infact if he is even able to set eyes on this stuborn child. But while the child is busy planning for his next crime the father is in bed and at the moment of the child's execution of is planned crime, the father will be at the court desk taking oughts and signing documents ordinarilly his son should.
In my little wisdom, I feel the need for reconciliation araises only after we truely know who is attacking us, why the attack, and after we have accepted the solutions we arrive at together with our attacker and then after meeting all we require of each other then the signing can come in which is but the seal of our reconciliation.
But what do I see? we are signing for peace over a problem we have no grasp of, with who we know will forever claim he is not aware of the problem and at a time we should be busy building our defence. This is a fruitless venture, it is fruitless and only a distraction to the victims in waiting. I could feel this is still part of the strategy. We are always the victims and always it is to us the plea for peace, calm, and tolerance is address.
COULD THE STATE SECURITY SERVICE BE BIAS?
One is left to wonder who in fact is the enemy? Is it the Fulani we see around us, the 'Fulani' we see but never understand or the government? Well I have heard and seen the likes of R Buhari, Dr. J Danfulani, N. Jagaba... Face the law on various accusations but I keep waiting for the news about the likes of Mallam Haruna Usman's arrest to no avail. Or is it that my sources are bias that they do not feed me with some information? Or am I the only one that have read of the interview granted by the Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of Miyetti Ahallah (association of herdsmen), Haruna Usman, where he made some incriminating auterancience on a saturday's attack by herdsmen in Godogodo village? Did no one read Haruna Usman saying the attack in question was a reprisal one after the villagers killed a Fulani chief In an interview with Vanguard? Or has it suddenly turn just for citizines to take the laws into their hands.
We can all see that the security opertives have not help matters over time, they are only available when they are not needed. They appear at the scene only quick enogh to allow the culprit have a smoth run to his hide out. The time is now to give a squize face to this kind of unrealiatic ventures and seek that only which is capable of given us the desired peace and security we so demand and that is our due. Imagine, the NPF and NA were quickly mobilized to the village on the attack before last at Godogodo to secure it after the evil agents had possibly began the merry for a job well done. And the people are left with nothing more than words that will say "remain calm and be more security conscious amidst prayers." There are occations we recieve reports that the suspects alleged to have a link to the evil have been arrested and are undergoing investigation at the moment. But the problem is that they seem to forever remain suspects undergoing an unending close door investigations til their case is totally forgotten given other occurances.
HARUNA USMAN AND HIS LIKES SHOUD ACOUNT FOR OUR ORDEALS
Haruna Usman is quoted as saying:
“Are Fulani crazy to just go and attack people? Did you ask the Godogodo people what they did to the Fulani? We already have 17 grazing reserves in Kaduna State since colonial times, and there is no dispute about that. What happened was that these people went and killed a Fulani Chief in one of the villages and burnt his house. The Fulani are just revenging.” Ladies and gentlemen, a fulanin chief, a Fulani chief he said, a Fulani chief 'in one of the villages', a Fulani chief my people that we cannot know his name no even his title, a Fulani chief. So one a fulani chief, I mean many lives for one unidentified 'a Fulani chief'.
That is the satisfactory explanation Haruna Usman gave to justify the act. Even when the villagers "said the armed herdsmen had asked them to vacate their village, saying it had become a cattle grazing reserve." Haruna's claims still seem to hold water before who ever. A fulani chief's one life is enough to claim the lives of 24 years old Monday Hamza married with three children; 35 years old Toma Masara married with three children, 26 years old Chaka Rubutu married with four children, 20 years old Linus married with two childrn, 19 years old Julius married with a child, 18 years old Boboo Okocha, and 17 years old Sambo. Even that is not enough as the surviving victictims must live dying if the claims that said "After the attack, they would cut down all the crops for their cattle to eat" is true. The issue is we are not saying the police commissioner had done nothing about Haruna, what I am asking is what is that action taken by the police commissioner or government in general about Mallam Haruna's auterances and why should that be a secret any way?
If there is any one person we know now beyond any reasonable doubt that should be held responsible for our ordeal is the Kaduna State Chairman of Miyetti Allah, Mallam Haruna Usman if for nothing, that interview granted is more than enough to nail him. As a matter of fact, the State commissioner of Police still holds an explanation to us with regards to what he did and is doing about Haruna Usman.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Wise men are not afraid of the words and actions of the evil men they know as they are of the limits of the patience and endurance of the silent good people. It will be great foolishness to take our silence, peace, and hospitality for cowardice. The south African's endured the chains long enough to gather momentum for the dirty blow they once upon a time master recieved. Hitler had his show... We too have had enough.
I wish the government to know, for me and my likes, we have lost confidence in the Nigerian System, we have had enough, we have listen and obediently acted in accordance to the government plead for calm to no avail over the years. To regain this confidence, we demand to see our enemies face the law as should and that implies their been declared TERRORIST. You have constantly promised us peace, we have all wait in vain to an extend WE NO LONGER WANT PEACE. What we need is Justice, Justice against the culprits of our ordeals, Justice against the culprits that killed our love ones in all the affected Local governments in southern Kaduna, Justice for our brothers and sisters whose blood still cry. We want JUSTICE, JUSTICE WE SEEK AND JUSTICE WE MUST RECIEVE.
With due respect:
To our Religious, Traditional and Political leaders please know that Yar'adua would not have made such an achievement as bringing low the activities of militancy in the Niger Delta except for the fact that he entered into an agreement with the right people. Please, we suggest You know who you enter into dialogue with, know who you sign what with as it regards our security challenges. No peace should be signed any further except we know why we are attacked, what our foe wants, what we are ready to offer and if our foe is ready to truely drop his weapons for peace. Sign no peace pact except where and when the leader of this deadly agender is out and ready for that. Rather, sue for justice than peace that you cannot find at this moment. Ask for the names of the leaders of these groups attacking us, if we know of Osama, Sadam Husain, and Shakau we should know that of the fulanis, if we know Sambisa for Boko Haram, we should know the base of these bushy fulani beasts. Until you can get little details as this and be free to publish them, you cannot have the peace you sign for but they peace you will have is that enough to allow for another successful attack. Bear this in mind; as your ink flowed while signing for a peace that never comes, so our brother's blood flowed for a trouble you never signed for.
To Nigerians as a whole, I challenge you to remove the good tag you have so blessed the dog with and see if killing it will still be hard. Address them as terrorist if you truly mean business about bringing them down. Remove the "Fulani", "Unknown", and "Suspected" tags you give them and see how easy it would be to nail them down.
#PEACE
Jubal Free-man Dabo
(+234)8140537507
Jubalfreemandabo@gmail.com
Freemanjubal.blogspot.com.ng
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