Nigeria Democracy Under Siege: This Nation Shall Rise Again

Kashim Shettima: Borno State "Governor"

It has been 4 weeks since our children were snatched from their dormitory in the middle of the night by some lunatics in Borno State of Nigeria. It is shameful that we could not protect our children or rescue them from the hands of these pedophiles and lunatics.  How do we look into these children's eyes to explain our helplessness in their moments of greatest needs.  No amount of world-wide demonstrations and apologies can ever be enough to justify our failures as parents and as a nation that can sooth their agony and sacrifice.

The Global response to this lunacy is incredible and appreciated. It does not alleviate our pain. There is hope of a resolution soon.  We know the time is against us and each day these children spent in these forests, with these lunatics is another day of trauma unimaginable.

At Center for Modern Nigeria, we are in full support of the Women Arise.  Upon release from this nightmare, these children must be provided with full rehabilitation services.  The Federal Government should take care of their full educational scholarships to any level. The families should be provided with economic and psychological supports.

Government of the People
As much as we try to separate politics from this madness, it is impossible to overlook the trends that led us to this crisis from the political perspective.

Ex Dictator: Babangida

Our democracy is only a few years old after so many years of misrules and dictatorships. It is an open secrete that some few Nigerians do not subscribe to the basic tenet of democracy as a government of

the people by the people and for the people. The people are the ultimate authority on who should be their leaders and representatives.  No single person or politician, godfather or a particular region or tribe has the monopoly or birthright of the political authority.  A clamor against this presidency on the basis of the geopolitical origin is not only antithetical to the tenet of a democracy, it is a dangerous path that as led to the current crisis and that may tear the Nigeria Republic apart. These selfish politicians are the most corrupt of all.  We will call then out. A disintegrated Nigeria is a lesser nation.

Atiku Abubakar: 
Ambitious Nigerian  Politician

Therefore, those that are blinded by their selfish ambition and corrupt minds must wake up.  There is no going back on this political journey that we embarked on a couple of years ago, under this presidency.  This is the closest to a democratic system we have ever heard in Nigeria. While it is not perfect, it is the best ever.  We did not expect this journey to be an easy one.  Nothing could have prepared us for the horror our children are going through at the moment.  We will never turn back to those years that were full of bitter memories and miseries from bad governance.

The tireless efforts of this presidency to do what is right are all over the place to see.  It is impossible to eradicate corruption overnight after many decades of corrupt administrations that were not accountable to the population. This presidency is laying the foundation for a better future. The freedom of speech and association have never been better. The economic progress and the infrastructures overhaul are coming on slowly but surely. Today, Nigeria is the biggest economy in Africa.  This will translate to better living standards among Nigerians. 

Our Children and this Insurgency:
The enemies within are ready to destroy our nation to fulfill their selfish ambition.  It will never happen.  Their utterances and their promises to make our lives miserable will never stop us from matching on and moving forward with our heads up.  The desperation of these politicians and the oligarchs who are not comfortable with our young democracy shall not stand; and with their violence they shall have themselves to blame at the end.  Setting loose their thugs on our children and on our nation cannot win them the elective offices they desperately yearn. The people have the ultimate power to elect their leaders and representatives; not the insurgents. We will all meet at the ballot box.

Our children are sacred. Any violation of our children is a sin against God. It is unforgivable.  Any humans that fathom the idea of victimizing our children have already sealed their political fates. Those people will never come close to elective offices again.  We will call them out.

We want the names of the sponsors of these acts of terrorism against our children and on our nation to be released to the public for investigation and sanctions.

We want these children home and safe.

This crisis has brought us and our Nation to our knees, we shall all Rise again.