‘A good portion
of the evils that afflict mankind is due to the erroneous belief that life can
be made secure by violence’ – LEO TOLSTOY
Introduction
It would be impossible to sum up the problems and troubles of
Nigeria, but some of the challenges are glaringly obvious – insecurity, ethnic
and religious strife, food and energy shortages, air pollution and
deforestation, economic development and poverty eradication, human rights, democracy and good governance,
environmental sustainability and the horrors of Boko Haram, blind violence and
terrorism. But despite our poverty,
struggles and hardships, challenges and injustice, we must remain
positive and determined to create a better and brighter future for our land. All
of us citizens, religious leaders, politicians, and journalists are
stakeholders in this collective efforts to make Nigeria great.
Recent events of terror attacks in Nigeria
Peace has always been one of humanity’s basic needs, yet
hatred and violence seems to stifle this fundamental necessity. The vicious
circle of conflict and warfare, attack and counter attack, strike and counter
strike are breeding hatred, resentment and bitterness among our people, and
tragically has caused many to weep, suffer and die in many parts of the world. Recent
events of the gruesome terrorists attack in our nation, and the increasing wave
of socio-political and ethno-religious crisis threatening our national security
and corporate existence lately calls for serious attention and deep prayer for
our innocent citizens. This string of attacks across the country with
particular reference to the North, has assumed higher dimension witnessing
spates of bombings, kidnappings, assassinations, abductions, gun attacks on key
point and strategic areas of interest – Military formations, Churches, Schools,
Market places, Banks and private residences by unidentified gun men on motor cycles,
who trail their victims to attack and inflict serious injuries on them. These
sad and ugly events bear witness to the painful chapter in the history of
Nigeria in our times.
Sad Consequences of terrorism
Hundreds of people have been killed and more than a million
have fled their homes because of Boko Haram insurgency. Many who have fled
attacks from the North are now displaced refugees trying hard to settle in
different parts of the federation. You practically know as well as I do that
one of the most difficult things to do is relocate or change a place. Change in
itself is endless, timeless and yet very engaging. Boko Haram attacks brings
this point poignantly as it struck like a thunder lightening leaving behind
pains, misery, fear, questions and questions.
Views of Some Prominent Leaders
In his January 9, 2012 address to the members of the
Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, Pope Benedict XVI said: ‘In many
countries Christians are deprived of fundamental rights and sidelined from
public life; in other countries they endure violent attacks against their
Churches and their homes. At times they are forced to leave the countries they
have helped to build because of persistent tensions and policies which
frequently relegate them to being second-class spectators of national life. In
other parts of the world, we see policies aimed at marginalizing the role of
religion in the life of society, as if it were a cause of intolerance rather
than a valued contribution to education in respect for human dignity, justice
and peace. In the past year religiously motivated terrorism has also reaped
numerous victims, especially in Asia and Africa; for this reason, as I stated
in Assisi, religious leaders need to repeat firmly that ‘this is not the true
nature of religion. It is the antithesis of religion and contributes to its
destruction’.[1]
Similarly, the Niger State Governor and Chairman of the
Northern Nigeria Governors Forum, Babangida Aliyu at their just concluded
meeting in Kaduna was compelled by recent events in the country to also lament:
‘It was unfortunate that insecurity has not abated; rather it is worsening and
attaining very alarming dimension, with attendant negative implications for
economic growth, development and image of the nation. Nigeria is passing
through a very difficult phase in the history of the nation, a period that put
our patriotism, nationalism, sincerity and responsibility collectively to test.
This is the period that we have demonstrated individually and collectively our
abiding faith in our nation, when we must confront the common enemies of the
nation, those who are sworn to destroying the spirit of nationhood through
wanton destruction of lives and property’.[2]
Again in a Teleconference with reporters on Wednesday May 16,
2012, the United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Ambassador
Johnnie Carson explained that there is no end to Boko Haram without tackling
poverty. ‘but with respect to Boko Haram, we have also said very clearly that
we see the solution to this problem as both a security and socio-economic
issue. There has to be a sound socio-economic strategy to address the enormous
poverty which exists in Northern Nigeria. Both have to go hand in hand; and so
we are willing and open to help Nigeria to deal with this domestic threat and
recognize the seriousness of it; but again as I say, it requires a security
strategy as well as a socio-economic strategy to ultimately resolve it.[3]
Efforts of Security Agents
Though our atmosphere at the moment is beclouded by
apprehension, fear and mutual suspicion
as a result of this sectarian conflict inflamed by Boko Haram insurgency
especially in the North, the presence of Security agents who themselves seem to
be under pressure and over stretched is helping to calm our fears. They are
kept on street alert at various check points under rain and sunshine,
day and night to keep surveillance and help prevent further brutal attacks of
suicide bombers. Although I salute and commend their efforts so far, more concerted
effort is needed for their training and retraining to boost their capacity for
intelligence gathering, crime detection, and exploration of new ways to counter
terrorism. The Daily Trust of May 17, 2012 reported how the Joint Task Force
(JTF) in Kogi State led by Lt. Col. Gabriel Olorufemi uncovered Explosive Devices
and other arms and ammunitions in the State. The weapons were buried in the
ground in a thick forest in the border between Okenwe end of Kogi State and
Igara end of Edo State. Items recovered were one Berreta pistol, two revolver
pistols, one sub machine gun, one sub magazine, 10 AK 47 raffles, 57 AK
magazines, 545 live ammunitions, 55 rounds of MM-pistol rounds; 4 magazine
waste belts, 14 units of locally made hand grenades, 8 anti-tank Improvised
Explosives Devices (IEDs), one firing cable, three 9 volts power source and one
jeep.[4]
This is highly commendable.
Our apathy and Complacency as a people
In our today’s world, impatience is all too common a
trait. We want food, help, information, promotion, justice, growth and peace
fast. Increasingly, we grow disappointed and frustrated when thing don’t go
according to plan. Yet the almighty God specializes in slow, steady work to
change us and transform our country. He is more interested in a quality outcome
than a speedy process. It is a pity that the Nigerian people though
religious have become apathetic and complacent about spiritual things, and our
failure to apply Biblical and Koranic truths has caused many reckless death and
wanton destruction of property. We seem to move through life thoughtlessly and
recklessly reacting to national situation, yet never learning from them, but
instead subtly fanning the embers of division and disaffection through
religiously motivated terrorism. We must remember that life cannot be made
secured by violence.
Conclusion
I conclude and concur with the words of the Rt. Rev. Richard
Harries who said on BBC Radio September 2004 that: ‘It is not always possible
to be optimistic about the world, and certainly it is very difficult now. But
even if you are not optimistic, some words of Vaclav Havel remain true. He
wrote: ‘Hope is not the expectation that things will turn out successfully, but
the conviction that something is worth working for, however it turns out’. So
I remain absolutely convinced that the problem of our era, such as fear of war,
terrorism and all forms of violence should inspire us to live in greater
conformity to our religious and democratic value, to pave a way for the
beginning of an unprecedented period of both political and economic progress
for Nigeria.
As a nation with enormous promise and potentials, we must
unite to harness our potentials to help our people improve their livelihood,
and social status through empowerment programs of education and skills
acquisition, and by encouraging them to take part as stakeholders in community
and national decisions, while working for the promotion of equal rights in our
present democratic setting.
Rev. Fr. Michael Adefemi Adegbola, Director, Media Service
Centre Kaduna Nigeria,
