In the shambles of collapsed buildings sprawled the entrapped bodies of inhabitants, who were, a while ago, not aware that the house had started to give way. But how could we? How could we have remained in the water until it became rather too hot for tolerance? How could we have waited for Caesar to cross the Rubicon?
The corollary is usually a Civil war – a torment of body and soul, famine, culminating in widespread anger, national resentment and then sometimes, parricide. Any patient scrutiny of the antecedent of such a parricide will sure reveal a justification, based on cause-and-effect. Yet, parricide is an unprecedented catastrophe to any nation, which, together with hegemonic carnage, must be denounced in strong terms.
A country like Nigeria had spent quite some time in the springs of Military coups and many of the serving leaders are beneficiaries of the coups. People have died, unexpectedly visiting the graves underground and people have ascended the Rock to clinch a ‘panoramic’ sway of the nation. It happens in obedience to our ancestral adage; “One does not become a victor if there had not been a vanquished!”
The erstwhile President of Nigeria was twice a beneficiary of such a coup. Not taking offence, he was again called (since it appeared there was a dearth of capable leaders, who can deliver the goodies expected to the people). Many of the active members of the Coup Planning Committee (CPC) are on a queue awaiting turns. One area where Nigerians are so gifted is the ability to FOR-GIVE and -GET. Or maybe the premise becomes relevant as a consolation here. In the shambles of collapsed buildings sprawled the entrapped bodies of inhabitants, who were, a while ago, not aware that the house had started to give way. That is the lack of Ifura! Ignorance of the facts behind a case makes derived judgements unapologetically haphazard. And it leads to many collapses – of Knowledge and awareness, of consciousness, of national structures and ameliorative interests.
The incident of 6th of August, 2006 in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania is epoch-making, particularly considering the Global Reactions it had attracted. In my understanding, I’ll submit that the coup in Mauritania is very unpopular amongst the international allies that have decided to pitch their opinions against the coup. However, within Mauritania, the Cavalcades of Gunners have served the harbinger of the Cavalcades of Pedestrians and Cars, as all poured onto the streets dressed in the jubilation of the Change of Government. The reactions of the capital-driven countries, like the United States of America being in the fore-front, (and many others, aspiring) could be accurately rationalized. One can definitely place the interests of such countries in Mauritania and justify their disapproval of the coup. The EU has put a “question mark over the more than £120m of planned European aid for the country.” That is sad, but in my opinion, Mauretania would be better for it.
For so many years, even with the aids of developed countries for such nations as Mauritania, the people still groaned under the burden of hunger, dissatisfaction and disaffection for the government. In what ways then would the people miss the Foreign aids? As a matter of fact, in certain slums of Mauritania, “people are happy for any kind of change and hope for a better life. The cost of living has increased greatly the past 12 months and people are suffering because salaries have not increased and jobs are few and hard to attain.” – Comment culled from BBC News.
It becomes ominously disheartening and rather shameful to hear the echo of the Nigerian ‘shammed conscience for truth and national liberty’ amongst the voices loud in protest of the coup in Mauritania.
How would you protest the toppling (by any means, that is) of a government that is insensitive to the demands of her subjects? How justified is decrying a coup against a President that heads an executive Council, which only marks time; waiting for the appropriate time to be conferred with a vote of no confidence?
What audacity does Nigeria have to question such a coup, when the daily experience of a ‘Nigerian-under-the-Sun’ is worse than a bloody coup? The proceeding of Tenure-elongation was enough of an open-day robbery; the 2003 and 2007 elections were worse than acute Military takeovers, marked with ‘uncountable’ bloodsheds across the country, beyond what would have been recorded if there had been a bloody coup. What impudence; for a government rejected at home to go ahead rejecting a change of government in another country; a change of government that gets the nod and applaud of her citizens! What impudence! Shall the father of Computer-stealing thieves (CSTs) go to another house to rebuke the father of a calculator-stealing thief (CST)?
I’ll rather that such expeditions of feigning holier-than-thou be withdrawn from, and a turnabout made to ameliorate the depreciating conditions in all the sections of the national life. It is rather unfortunate that all successive governments have been swayed by the varying suggestions provided by foreign aid-providers, to a point where there is abject lack of focus. No wonder, the Nigerian rejection of the coup came chasing the USA’s (It’s a matter of repetition, not even adaptation).
For the records, I will add here that my unreserved empathy is in view of the preceding political crisis the country in question has been, which has earned her a vote of no confidence, coupled with the appalling state the citizens have been made to wallow.
For Nigeria, this is not the time to rebuke, condemn, or reject but a time to take stock, revisit the drawing board and re-strategize for a reawakening of lost national glories.
