The most annoying aspect of what is going on in Nigeria today with respect to Yar’Adua’s AWOL status is that it reduces 150 million Africans to mere cowards, people who either cannot state their constitutional rights, press their rights, or fight for their rights; people who act like they have no other choice. But, the most demeaning aspect is that 150 million people—Africans— have been “dumbed down” to the extent that they cannot even do simple, common-sense reasoning. For this, the world is having a great laugh, and could never take anyone serious who is identified with Nigeria; and perhaps, by extension, with Black Africa.
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Thus, Yar’Adua’s hired hands can spin the so-called Nigerian constitution any way they like, and get away with it; with the so-called National Assembly members happily disappearing for “vacation” while Nigeria simmers—and get away with it; and the Nigeria’s SSS intimidating into submission hapless “citizens” merely speaking out, and get away with it. They can all get away with all this; but, they have already been caught in a snare that they cannot wiggle out of! except for the fact that what passes for the Nigerian Press is even worse than the comatose Nigerian masses: it fails to see opportunity and fails to ask the pertinent questions or pursue obvious leads.
This trap has to do with the signing of the 2009 Supplementary Budget by the President of Nigeria: it goes thus:
Scenario 1: The Budget has not been signed. Conclusion: Yar’Adua is truly incapacitated.
Scenario 2: The Budget was actually signed.
• Case 1: The signature is really Yar’Adua’s and it is legible. Conclusion: Yar’Adua is malingering, and truly AWOL.
• Case 2: The signature is actually Yar’Adua’s but it is scrawled. Conclusion: Yar’Adua is incapacitated.
• Case 3: The signature is a rubberstamp. Conclusion: Yar’Adua is incapacitated.
• Case 4: The signature is forged. Conclusion: Yar’Adua is incapacitated.
Every possible scenario leads to one conclusion: Yar’Adua is incapacitated.
The prime business of the Nigerian Press should now be to reveal whether there is in fact a signed 2009 Supplementary Budget or not; if there is, a published copy of Yar’Adua’s signature affixed to that document will place the situation into one of the above no-win scenarios for Yar’Adua and his henchmen.
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Checkmate, Yar’Adua and Yar’Adua’s loyalists!
But, in a way, this is not all about separating Yar’Adua from an office which he clearly is unable to perform in any longer. It is about separating people from a Toxic State, from Hades, aka, Nigeria. In the final analysis, the 150 million people trapped in Nigeria have allowed themselves to be so trapped and humiliated by a failed State, and consequently constantly hazed and manipulated by a shamefully tiny handful. Here is what they are forgetting:
Each person has an Ethnic identity which is not only natural and biologic, but also, is independent of and well-predates “Nigeria.” He or she does not need Nigeria for his or her identity.
Each of these people has a natural loyalty to his or her own Ethnic nation, which clearly trumps a forced loyalty to an abstraction called [the State of] Nigeria.
Nigeria has failed because despite the colonial efforts of the British, and the misguided and ignorant acts of so-called leaders of Nigeria, ethnic identity and loyalty are natural and have proved—naturally—stronger than forced allegiance to, and fake identity with, an abstract called Nigeria. Other misguided Nigerians use terms related to “tribalism” to blackmail, in hypocrisy and dishonesty, anyone expressing his or her ethnic identity and loyalty. At best, such misguided ones confuse “ethnic chauvinism” with ethnic identity and loyalty.
As it stands now, it is clear that it is only a return to the one thing everyone has by nature, something that can neither be taken away nor “dashed”—ethnicity—that can prevent further legal, moral, physical, spiritual and psychic injury being inflicted on the 150 million people by Nigeria. From there—our natural ethnic bases—we can individually and collectively heal, regain our confidence, our sense of pride and strength, our morality, our culture; and cultivate respect for one another, to form mutually beneficial interrelationships as we see fit.
Checkmate, Nigeria!
Oguchi Nkwocha, MD.
Nwa Biafra
A Biafran Citizen
January 1, 2010
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