by Farouk Martins Aresa,
The best ways to negotiate salary or contract these days are: become arsonists displacing the poor, fire government or parastatals buildings specifically accounting sections; religious fanatics killing and maiming innocent civilians; militia blowing up bridges, pipes to pollutes and degrade environment for the next generations; and political thugs seeking part of the security vote. It is risky to blow up all these, but would rather die faster by bullets than die slowly of hunger.
These are bandits who make their living either as politicians or terrorists. There is no difference between them. It shows that crime pays very well, lack of order or lawlessness triumphed. Yet, these criminals are the first to call for the rule of law when caught. The same life and liberty they deny their fellow countrymen, children and environment. Oh my goodness let them hang!
We often asked about who will bell the cat. Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die. We knows the the causes of our plight; but none of us is ready to confront them as they split and divide us along ethnic lines as they unite in sharing our commonwealth. Running away into the deserts or seas at the risk of dear lives, has created fake champions of causes used to bargain for their selfish interest. If they are brave enough to risk lives, blow up infrastructures, kill, maim poor people, why then do they run away from oppressors if they are not the same?
They are no different from the condemned politicians. On a daily basis, some hustlers looking for ways to make incomes while their colleagues work hard and play by the rules, threaten the whole Country demanding bribes, gratis and special concessions just for their own pockets. As soon as they are settled, they build castles and move their families outside the country. Not a single group of these militias has been able to demonstrate any welfare for the causes claimed.
How can any militant claim they are fighting for causes in a country where politicians and their cronies legally award themselves the highest salary in the world taking most of the country’s income with nothing left for workers even before oil income went low? Yet, they still buy luxury foreign cars and travel outside with generous extacodes. Indeed, they are proposing immunities and life pensions for other top politicians like former governors boldly awarded themselves.
As foreign income on oil was reduced by less than half, politicians and these arsonists still find ways to pay themselves outrageous salaries and negotiate big ransom in exchange for “peace” that never materialize because other terrorists see an opportunity to make their own demands. When twenty-seven states out of thirty-six cannot pay workers’ salary after being bailed out by the Federal Government, it is obvious militias and terrorist are not going after the right target!
If you are not cowards and you are ready to die for your causes, go and dispossess oppressors that have diverted most of the incomes your Country made from resources illegally. Politicians pay themselves legally and loot local governments dry in our faces with impunity and without resistance. Helpless folks suffer the consequences of deadly acts as looters that are responsible float majestically. Leave the poor and infrastructures alone. It is easier to destroy than to build.
Reasonable people would think this is why militias are springing up every day and would want to destroy politicians. Nope, militias or arsonists want to negotiate their own share of free loot while they leave poor people in whose name they cry in polluted environmental, squalor and degradation hanging dry. They even contributed to the environmental swamp by blowing up raw crude oil to pollute their own environments rendering it useless for the next generation.
The poor people arsonist, terrorist and militia claim they are fighting for remain impoverished and destitute in the land flowing with wara, sugarcane and kunu. Our children are watching since their generation has never experienced anything but corruption and violence in high places. Those that are more violent get as much praises as those that are looters. They threaten to bring down heaven and earth but complimented one another after each negotiation.
As soon as they spend like drunken sailors and run out of money, they change their names into another terrorist organization pledging support to international terrorists and fanatic religious organizations. Even local militias are pledging to local terrorists. It has now become the best way to source money from the country’s dwindling fortune leaving children, the unemployed and poor uncared for. It is why Nigerians are running to poorer or richer but peaceful countries.
Do not be surprised if a little kid aspire to be terrorist when he grows up because he could see them as successful grownups. Militias can now afford to employ the educated and illiterates to do their biddings. They have acquired so much power, they have friends in high places. Some of them even boast that they have removed and elected Presidents. A signal to their political foes and friends is that if they want to be elected into office; they must pay homage.
The irony is there are no lawyers, activists and sympathizers for the poor and hungry stealing food, tomatoes, fish or meat in the markets. Before they are afforded the rule of law and due process; tire is swung around their necks and burnt alive. Misplaced anger. No parade of local SAN and foreign Queens Counsel to intimidate the judge in court. Before the police respond, the poor thief is roasting to hell, even if accused by mistake. What if they are hungry?
Now you know why it pays to be a politician, arsonist, militia or terrorist. People respect you and worship your feet. If anyone accused you, you can sue them for defamation or even bankrupt daily news papers or internet organizations. Tell them to withdraw the accusation or by the time the case is completed, they must have lost their businesses. It satisfies their pride and send message to others that they are untouchables. When did it get this bad?
This is how low we are getting and sinking lower. We have cried out, written in different ways and exposed them only to defend themselves and be defended as victims of political and ethnic biases. Our politicians and terrorists are known worldwide from as a country that is fantastically corrupt, yet we claim we are not the only ones. Actually the only people that claimed they are innocent seeking the rule of law and order with impunity are Nigerian looters and arsonists.
Others call us “colossal conglomerate of looters” in denial. The only country where politicians, looters and terrorist sit at the high tables in any function and even given awards. Chinekeme!