Letter: Looking beyond Sambisa

Well, I took my time to study the political tension (atmosphere) in Nigeria, and I argued with friends that cared to listen, that although I am not a fan of the military regime (and I don’t pray for it), but the clamour for revolution might come in form of a military take-over, if things should continue this way.

Rather than going into some months or perhaps years of fervent fasting and prayer (like my scripture-christian contemporaries will do), they argued in such a way that I was almost blackmailed, the blackmail left brunts of stigmatization until I recovered faintly like an Ebola patient.

The weeks of recovery came with the first sign, the first discovery…The “indiscriminate and unwarranted shooting” at Oja Oba Akure during the Akure Day organised by the Akure Youths Coalition. This was done under the cover of the Boko Haram insurgency.

This was followed by some tension of sort in Lagos, when it was reported that some military individuals went on rampage.

Not too long ago, the peaceful atmosphere being witnessed along the catholic cathedral, Ondo Road Akure, became tensed when some individuals in a pickup van started shooting sporadically into the air. It was later confirmed that they were men of the military force. The situation drew the attention of civilians (the so-called bloody civilians), as we all had to scamper to safety, thus taking a nearby shed as a refuge, because of course, the thought of military intervention filled My heart! You wouldn’t blame me for that, as the last time I witnessed such was during the Abacha regime…Later (after our safety was guaranteed by passers-by) I tried to make enquiries, but I was told that the men of the military were on their way to maiduguri…perhaps, they were tactically “gingering” their morale…But from my perspective…Those gun shots were messages and signals, not stimulants!

When similar scenario played out during democratic or civilian administration in those days (during the first and second republic), they were pointers, and uptill now they remain a pointer. Watch out!

#LetterLookingbeyondSambisa #OrimoloyeIfeoluwa