I wish I was not in a country where it is considered normal that after a huge tragedy involving the lives of tens or even hundreds of citizens, a template of press release is whipped out from the shelves of State House Information Unit announcing the “President’s Condemnation” of the incident and “charging security agencies to go after the perpetrators” —and that’s all—Life returns to normal!
The Kaduna train tragedy is another normal day in our today’s Nigeria. The misfortune of a recurring evil without abating. Who will save us from them an unrelenting, emboldened network of killers or a seemingly inept/unwilling government?
I start this piece by extending my heartfelt condolences to the families of those confirmed dead in the unfortunate incident. For many of us train users who found comfort in the alternative means of avoiding road and its evil overlords, this is a chilling reality. It could have been anyone of us.
In the past week, I used that same service twice. The news is not that this tragedy has happened or that lives have been lost or that scores are missing or kidnapped. No! The news is that unlike any sane society with a functional government, this security breach is just another routine day in the office for our authority figures (do we have leaders here anymore)?
Today, when I woke up, I wish my motherland was a civil, accountable democratic polity. I wish that the entire unfortunate incident did not occur because the concerned authorities had taken necessary measures to guarantee safety of lives – in-movement after the earlier failed attempts on that route; in fact, I wish the government had succeeded in restoring safety and security to the Abuja-Kaduna expressway just as it used to be.
I wish that after its occurrence, the men in authority today, those who SHED TEARS yesterday, pleading with us to give them a chance to right the wrongs of our country will behave like responsible leaders, act in moments of tragedy to show that the lives of their citizens matter. I wish those who said they will FIX SECURITY, ECONOMY and fight CORRUPTION, lived up to their pledges.
I wish we were India where the minister of railways resigned after a train derailed with high casualties, or where another minister and security chiefs resigned after the Mumbai terror attacks, or Senegal where the minister of transportation resigned after a ferry capsized with huge citizens, or Kazakhstan where a powerful head of security was sacked after a security breach, or Burkina Faso and Mali where Prime Ministers and their entire governments resigned due to terror attacks on the citizens. Oh, how I wish we were in Belgium where the transportation minister resigned after the Brussels terror attack or Sri Lanka where the Police chief was sacked after a terror attack or even Norway, where a government commission declared that the PM was “liable” after the Norway terror attacks.
I make bold to say that you have disappointed many an ardent supporter with the way your government has turned out to be. Fundamentally, yours did not turn out to be the pro-poor, empathetic, in-touch, fair, egalitarian and disciplined, revolutionary and transformational government.
I wish today that the head of the country who is constitutionally obligated to ensure the security of lives and properties of all citizens (the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government said the constitution), had spoken to the nation on this great tragedy FROM THE SCENE OF THE CRIME, (We did not ELECT THE IGP/COAS), apologizing for failing to protect the lives of the fallen and reassuring the traumatized victims, their families and the larger society of his willingness to pursue justice for the felled by EXTERMINATING THE PERPETRATORS and forestalling a reoccurrence. I wish the state will explain to the families of the deceased and the rest of tax paying citizenry, the laxity in security around that corridor despite the past attempts on the train and the recent spike in terrorist activities around Kaduna.
I wish someone will just own up for this persistent and sustained FAILURE to PROTECT THE LIVES OF NIGERIANS and PUT A STOP TO IT. I wish I was not in a country where it is considered normal that after a huge tragedy involving tens or even hundreds of citizen’s lives, a template of press release is whipped out from the shelves of State House Information Unit announcing the “President’s Condemnation” of the incident and “charging security agencies to go after the perpetrators” —and that’s all—Life returns to normal!
Finally, a direct appeal to our President, Sir:
You came with a lot of promises and enjoyed goodwill never before granted any leader before you. I make bold to say that you have disappointed many an ardent supporter with the way your government has turned out to be. Fundamentally, yours did not turn out to be the pro-poor, empathetic, in-touch, fair, egalitarian and disciplined, revolutionary and transformational government.
Furthermore sir, your stewardship has not only failed to make the poor of this land (your electoral asset base) better off or even allowed their children compete equally for self actualizing opportunities in state entities. Your watch thus far has SADLY, UNFORTUNATELY and TRAGICALLY FAILED to even ensure the sanctity of the life of the poor. The poor who lined the streets of Zamfara all day awaiting your arrival by 2:00am under the much vilified PDP in 2015, cannot venture to their farms today at anytime of the day UNDER YOUR WATCH.
Mr. President, To be Fair, you inherited a country that was not free of security challenges BUT TRUTH BE TOLD, THE STATE, DIMENSION, SCOPE AND INTENSITY OF INSECURITY TODAY IS WORSE FOR SOME THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN-UNDER YOUR WATCH!!
In concluding this long but sad piece, President Buhari sir, under your watch, we have grappled with this exacerbating and metamorphosing specter of violence, bloodshed and pervasive state of fear. Even if you do not achieve anything else, PLEASE DO NOT HAND OVER THIS COUNTRY TO ANOTHER ADMINISTRATION IN ITS CURRENT STATE – TERRORISED, INSECURE AND HOBESSIAN.
This one plea I make of you sir on behalf of millions who share the same desire. It is not beyond you; it is not too much to ask but to achieve this objective is to begin to work towards it NOT tomorrow but TODAY AND NOW SIR.
Your watch thus far has SADLY, UNFORTUNATELY and TRAGICALLY FAILED to even ensure the sanctity of the life of the poor. The poor who lined the streets of Zamfara all day awaiting your arrival by 2:00am under the much vilified PDP in 2015, cannot venture to their farms today at anytime of the day UNDER YOUR WATCH.
PS: May God who we all call upon to save us now, never allow the majority amongst us to be wrong in exercising its freewill to decide our collective leadership. May God grant us leaders who will be capable, competent and compassionate towards our plight. Leaders who will be AWARE and not bask in the delusion of their own infallibility or the sycophantism of hero worshipping followers.
May Nigerians never be in a situation to MISTAKE THE ALUMINIUM FOIL FOR THE SILVER PLATE – AMEEN.
Grant us Peace in our Land, Grant us Peace in our Hearts–O’ forgiving Lord!!!!!
Haruna sent in this piece from Abuja
