The likes of Femi Fani –Kayode have now assumed the role of Presidential bounty hunters similar to what obtains in the cowboy Films of yester years. It was an era when every fast gun is hired to hunt down persons perceived to be enemies of a system or powerful forces. Such persons to be eliminated are often declared evil and thus a prize is put on their heads. The bounty hunter is told to bring the person hunted dead or alive for the bounty, which is the prize Money. Ever since Femi Fani-Kayode visited the Presidential villa for his conversion from an opposition member to a supporter, he has been doing the job of a bounty hunter for the Presidency with disastrously consequences. His targets have been his former Party the APC, anyone perceived to be opposed to President Jonathan and indeed Northern Muslims. His prime weapons are lies; half-truths and misinformation. Most of his writings and analysis of situations are thoroughly jaundiced and full of malice. His Doctrine is hate.
If there is a prediction that Nigeria will break-up by 2015, it will not be due to some western conspiracy, insurgency or even a rigged election. It will be due to the activities of presidential bounty hunters such as Femi Fani-kayode, Doyin Okupe and other sundry odd jobbers who use every opportunity to disparage other Nigerians who hold contrary views to the President and persons from a section of the country that they view as enemies of the President. They also insult and threaten people of a particular region and religious faith so openly that one wonders if Nigeria no longer belongs to all. They blame Northerners for everything wrong in the country including the fact that our territories are taken over by some rag-tag insurgents under the watch of a leadership that prefers playing politics rather than govern the Nation. A leadership that prefers to celebrates even when we are in mourning. It has become the new vogue to blame the victims for the atrocities of the enemy. While the victims suffer blame, the real enemy is allowed safe passage to perpetrate their mayhem unchallenged.
The way they sound and the analysis they propound is such that will make one think that this president does not need a section of this country or the votes of the people living in these areas during the coming election. Even if the president doesn’t need certain votes such as those of Northern Muslims, will he eventually rule Nigeria without them? Perhaps it will be necessary to remind both the President and his bounty hunters that it may take good luck to win an election, but it requires goodwill to govern well. The President needs the goodwill of everyone in the country including members of the opposition parties and indeed the northern Muslims who are insulted daily by his bounty hunters in order to rule this Country well. It was the same mindset that informed Gedion Orkar when he announced a Coup d’tat and claimed he had excised some sections of the country from Nigeria. In any case if these bounty hunters create so much bad blood in the run up to the 2015 elections, what happens after? Will they now be hired to heal the wounds inflicted by the deep divisions? Lucky guys, they are now creating a new assignment for themselves if the President returns.
When the insurgents overrun my home town and senatorial District, the likes of Femi Fani-Kayode went to town with some weird analysis that the area is predominantly Christian and as such it was an onslaught on Christianity and Christians. It was the most uncharitable commentary on the unfortunate saga. That menace affected all of us, Muslims, Christians and even traditionalist. As a matter of fact more Muslims were killed by the insurgents than Christians when the mayhem occurred. Presently both Muslims and Christians are being killed daily. And in any case if some marauding invaders attack any part of this country whose responsibility is it to protect the citizens? Who took the oath of office with an avowal to defend the Sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria? What is inhibiting those responsible from fulfilling the dictates of their oaths?
When people blame Northern Muslims for attacking Christians, why are those in whose command and control the armed services reside reluctant to exercise their full authorities. The commander-in-Chief is a Christian, The chief of Defense Staff is a Christian, the Chief of Army Staff is a Christian and the Chief of Air Staff is a Christian. Those on the front lines expected to defend our territorial integrity and protect our Citizens are the Army and the Air Force. All this talk about a Muslim Plot against Christians is nonsense. It is purely escapist and narrow. How come the same Military High Command find it very easy and convenient to deploy troops to protect a Muslim suspected of supporting the insurgency when he visits home, but fail in their duties to protect Christian communities under attack? The bounty hunters need to do a lot more to convince responsible and right thinking Nigerians that this is a plot by the Muslim North against anyone, least of all our blood brothers who are Christians within our communities.
This line of argument begs the real question. It safely avoids the real issues and covers up the matter with a false veil. Mubi and Indeed the Northern Senatorial District of Adamawa State is a typical example of a Society that manages its multi-ethnic and multi-religious configuration very well. In the absence of any veritable data for measuring the statistical make-up of the area in religious terms, I wish to use the number of people holding elective offices as a barometer for showing Nigerians that we are not as Femi Fani-Kayode portrays us, a predominantly Christian Community being oppressed or Marginalized by Muslims. Nothing could be further than the truth. We have one elected Senator and he is a Muslim. The Governor of the State who was elected Deputy Governor is a Christian. The Speaker of the House of Assembly is a Muslim. We have two Members of the House of Representatives, one is a Christian, and the other is a Muslim. We have 5 Members of the State House of Assembly, 3 are Muslims 2 are Christians. We have 5 elected Local Government Chairmen, 3 are Muslims, and 2 are Christians. We have 53 elected councilors in the 5 Local Government Areas, 32 are Muslims while 21 are Christians.
From the above analysis, it can be seen that we are a Society where the two Religions are fairly balanced and the people are living in harmony. This is contrary to the impression created by the likes of Femi Fani-Kayode. Hardly do you find a family tree in our area where Christians and Muslims are not blood brothers. All the Religious tension advocated by Presidential bounty hunters like Femi Femi-Kayode does not reflect the realities in our area. When we were attacked by the insurgents, our people came together regardless of our ethno-religious differences to help each other escape. Those who are misleading the president to see Nigeria within the narrow prism of ethnicity, region and religion are indeed enemies of this country. With all the evil permutations they are making, no President in Nigeria will be elected with Christian votes alone or with Muslim votes alone. God Almighty who put us together knows that we need each other. Just because the president comes from a predominantly Christian community should not make him a captive in the hands of Christian irredentist. The bounty hunters using religion are indeed doing a disservice to the president and the Nation.
Some of us had always resisted the temptation to respond to such bounty hunters because we refuse to descend to their levels in thinking. We have refused to be drawn to the domain of their likes that have no principles, no conscience and definitely no morals; all they are after is the pot of porridge their paymasters provide. For them, it does not matter if in the process they tear peoples apart or cause tension within communities. It is only when the presidency encourages people to preach peace and harmony that we shall have peace in Nigeria. For as long as such bounty hunters are let loose on society preaching hate and malice, we shall continue to live in fear, suspicion and mistrust. This is unfortunate.
Ahmad Sajoh wrote from Wauru Jabbe Jimeta-Yola.
