‘Above all odds we set out again. Inspite of the bloodshed, we remain stronger. Our blood on the arena, our flesh on the polls. We are not discouraged, for this change we must make. Let our story be told, let our tales be remembered, for this clarion call is greater than our lives’
Those were my exact words two years ago, written on one of the midnight journeys to the village of Uguawalele, in far away Sokoto State Nigeria. My story seems unclear; you may not understand my tales but give me some minutes and follow me to the beginning, where it all started. On October 2010, my colleagues and I were called upon to obey the usual clarion call. This is a sacred duty of every Nigerian graduate towards the integration of the country’s heterogeneous inhabitants. But this time the assignment was different. Our country was passing through a perilous time in its history; our nascent democracy was entering the stage of maturity which historically seems to be the moment things go wrong. Secondly, disunity was foaming up amidst the various ethnic groups on sectional candidacy that seems to dominate the political parties, in the real light it was the South against the North. Above all, for the first time in the history of our nation the electoral commission was posed to conduct a free and fair election and we seems to be the only reasonable choice. Our task was simple, register voters and conduct the general election. The assignment was easy but technical, fun but with high risk. Without hesitation we picked up our bags and never looked back. We were made to believe our decision is the most humble thing to do and paying the ultimate price if need be so our nation could survive was not just heroic but the highest level of patriotism. In the freezing cold winter of the Sabon Brini desert a three hours journey from the main Sokoto town we were camped to decide the faith of the country. With so much excitement and patriotism, that for once we were doing something great for our country we marched down while graciously singing the youth corps anthem. ‘Youth obey the clarions call; let us lift our nation’s high. Under the sun or in the rain, with dedication and selflessness Nigeria ours, Nigeria we serve’. Who wouldn’t be moved by the rhythms of that song? So you know the feelings and adrenaline that flows through our veins. We arrived the village of Sabon Brini and were summoned to the electoral office in the early hours of the following day. You may not understand my description of the cold temperature around us but coming from the south which temperature usually stood between 28 to 39 degree censuses and now faced by a windy and cold temperature around 12 degree it was extreme cold to us. I remembered my colleagues and I had to find succor in the burning fire of the local ‘Mashai’ (Tea seller) to quench the over powering cold and now freezing hands. But these weren’t strong enough to hold us down; by 6pm in the evening we resumed at the local electoral office for collection of sensitive election materials, these we didn’t get till 12mid night. After standing, seating and bending for hours, a minimal number of 40 people were loaded into a roofless pickup van with little or no space to stand. Some of us had to hold on to the rear door to make the trip. After 2hours of journey, we arrived Uguawalele around 2am same night. Beds were not provided so all we get is sleep on bare floor and for the lucky ones, the classroom tables of the dilapidated community school. We woke up by 6am ready for the national assignment; our experience has not deterred us a bit. Like the Hollywood movies we felt we were on special ops, so with laughter and smile we left our improvised beds and gisted about the unholy journey we had. So many occurrences came to play during our ‘operation’ like road accident, lack of food for days among others. In the midst of all these we set out to risk our lives for our great country. We may not be heroes but we look forward to making our nation happy. With language barriers and total attitudinal differences we conducted the elections without fear or favour. I could remember vividly when the election was cancelled, I was in my polling unit when the people came to me and told me the election won’t hold. Being a student of political science who is very familiar with political history and gimmicks I thought the statement was a plot to take control of my polling unit and hijack the electoral materials. I was furious and told my baton-less police officer to take charge of the ballot box which he even told me he couldn’t handle. Now I was feeling like oh all this has been staged and my police officer is part of the plan. I couldn’t make a call to demand for back up or at least confirm the authenticity of the story as the area was off the network service grid. I summoned up courage. In my heart my mind was already made up, I felt well the task has fell on me to stand up for Nigeria, I have to be strong and brave no matter what and if I lose my life defending the nation so be it. I stood up and confronted them, I couldn’t understand a word from their statement and they couldn’t understand mine either. After hours of fruitless efforts and a now rowdy scene with objects flying around and boot kicking seeming to be next move, I took the ballot papers and took to my heels. I ran 15kilometres and finally got to base after two hours only to be informed their story was true, the election has been shifted but we were not informed and I nearly lost my life defending a cause I had no knowledge about. How could I have known, but thank God am safe. This didn’t stop us from coming again and again for the other elections. During the crisis we were left on our own, our only means of awareness was the social network and our survival was base on instincts. When the echoes of death was coming nearer and Corpers Lodges close to us were been burnt, we went into attack mode. We were not going to die without a fight, we created bows and arrows, made sharp pegs and set traps. We took turn to keep night guards and hardly go to bed till twelve midnight after of course sweeping the perimeters. We took a great risk for our nation and didn’t stop even when in times of death the nation couldn’t protect us. We were prepare to die if need arise just like every soldier in the battle field but we were not soldiers for we were not trained, we were not soldiers for we had neither guns nor bomb. Two years after, the same government and country we fought for, the same government eleven of our colleagues gave their lives for has turned against us. We thought we fought a good fight, we thought we stood for the right thing; we thought we stood for change not knowing all our life worth is just five million naira. We were not among the twenty two million Nigerians who voted for the president but we laid down our lives to ensure his vote and that of every other contestants counts no matter what. We never asked for luxuries, we never asked for compensation and no we never asked for national honours. Our cry is simple, our fight was for one thing and one thing alone, change. Change from the usual mode of governance, change from maladministration, change from corruption, change from joblessness, change from insecurity, change from epileptic electricity, change from favouritism and nepotism, change from hereditary appointments. Is this too much to ask for? Most of their children served in the corners of their bedroom, some were flown out of the troubled state immediately by choppers, others were guided by heavily armed security to the nearest airport but we stood. Let no one blame us if we take up arms against the government, we gave our lives for change yet their betrayed us. Let no one crucify us if we become terrorist and enemy of the state, it is not our desire, it is not our wish. This country leaves us no choice; we fought for this government it must fight for us. If the President is overwhelmed by the forces within his administration then he should learn to keep his house in order.
Adekoya boladale is a political scientist and wrote via adekoyaboladale@gmail.com
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