Jan. 10, 2014
NewsRescue
How many of us wish for a revolution in Nigeria? A revolution is a process of people uprising that culminates in a military or civilian coup. So if you want a revolution, what you want is a coup. Between the revolution and the coup is periods of unrest, full or partial truncation of state function plus or minus violence. Finally a state of emergency is declared and the military or a temporary civilian council step in and seize power.
Revolting citizens do not typically enter the state house and seize power, it is the army or other legislators that do so when they believe the global community sees they are justified in doing so as supported by the people’s uprising. The revolution is simply a statement; a visible statement, not to be confused with a rebellion.
Egypt’s revolutions of 2011 and 2013 both resulted in this predictable fashion—military seizing power on behalf of the masses. Tunisia’s 2010-2011 revolution likewise ended predictably with the president forced to flee and a state of emergency declared.
The question to ask is, in a modern technological world, do states need to wait for people to actually physically perambulate the streets and possibly lose their lives, to determine that a revolution is active? Popular people’s uprising can be as equally gauged online as it can be on the ground in this day and age.
If indeed there is a people’s massive revolution online as in the case of Nigeria, then the people of Nigeria must view the international community, the military and all legislators who refuse to take action and enact the revolutionary coup culmination as enemies of the masses, wishing more to die as the active revolution yields no response. Is this the case with Nigeria? Does the international community see the popular people’s uprising and fold their arms, caring less and not demanding a leadership step-down as they did in the case of Egypt, or they are watching the revolution and ignoring the deaths?
And Nigeria’s legislators and military that ignore the people’s revolution, and continue to fold their arms, accompanying a denuded government; in what regard must they be viewed and treated? Enemies of the masses and the state? Forming mega political parties and waiting for elections to challenge the denounced regime does not constitute the appropriate reaction to a full blown revolution.
Tunisia protests continued even after president Ben Ali resigned and fled. The people demanded his party itself be dissolved with all RDC ministers sacked, this was fulfilled by the responsible civilians, the people even pressed and Mohamed Ghannouchi, the interim Prime Minister himself resigned, and he was respectful of the people’s wishes enough to do so.
In Egypt, the 2013 third revolution effectively deposed of the democratically elected Mohammed Morsi. Being elected does not warrant leaders impressing themselves against size-able protest, till the completion of their term. We all get fired from our jobs when we fail in our duties. Nigeria’s president has called for the sack of a serving Central Bank governor, for an unverified accusation of his allegedly leaking a letter in the interest of the nation with regards to the gross embezzlement of $50bn public funds. This means Nigeria’s president does understand that regardless of employment, election or appointment methods and term, as and at when failure to execute the duties of office and uphold the constitution is ascertained, officials of whatever rank, can be asked to resign, even if this is done by those outside of authority to do so.
By the same standards, is there not ample evidence that the Nigerian administration has failed more woefully to uphold their obligations and duties to the Nigerian electorate and in keeping with the constitution and their oath of office; and as such should resign or be made to resign?
Is the keeping of a fraudster minister of aviation, whose educational documents are all fake; who grossly embezzled millions of naira and under whose watch Nigeria in 2013 had the worst aviation disaster in the entire world, enough failure for the administrations sack as demanded of the CBN governor?
Is the Berne declaration finding of the $7bn greatest fraud Africa has ever known, happening under this administration, with the administration refusing to cooperate with the Switzerland government to urgently investigate this deadly income loss, not enough reason for the people’s bloody internet protest to be heeded and the head of the government to flee the nation, with constituted replacements as approved by us protesting masses to replace him, and replace those who replace them, till we are satisfied as happened in Tunisia?
Should we Nigerians not clearly portray our disappointment in the legislators of all parties, the military and the international bodies who refuse to acknowledge our clear protest and continue to patronize and protect a government we no longer can tolerate? Where are the global sanctions? Where is the impeachment? Where is the warning from the army? Where is the action that is the proper reaction to clear protest of the people? Is it until we parade the streets like primitive men, that our protest will be recognized?
Are they waiting for us to walk into the state house and seize power by ourselves? Or they are waiting for us to march, dance and paint the streets crimson red, before they act?
Sanusi gave me his word, Mr. President. He will resign after you and your coterie do the dutiful and let the nation be, so it can start a 50 year delayed path to recovery and possible greatness.
We love you and know you would be the best leader under other settings and conditions in running of a stable and properly founded nation, but not just at this founding stage where we need real and bold thinkers to reconstitute the nation, political system, judiciary and even character and personality of the citizens. This is not your time. Like your god-father OBJ, perhaps we will re-invite you later, Sir.
Be our Mandela. Rise above APC with this selfless act. Listen to the people’s revolution.
Dr. Peregrino Brimah
http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something]
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @EveryNigerian
