Viewpoint in Brief: Like June 12, bring closure to civil war

By UZU Mustard Solomon

Since the coercive nuptial knot between the Northern and Southern protectorate in (1914) by the British imperialist, Nigeria has never known peace. Since then the new amalgamated kingdoms, have been bedeviled by numerous violent conflicts such as  Kano riot of (1953), Census crisis of (1962), Federal election crisis of (1964), coup and counter Coups of (1966), Nigerian Civil War of (1967-1970), June 12th  (1993) election nullification, and the recent, insurgency and terrorism in the country.

Scholarly writings and political commentators have traced the origin of political unrest in Nigeria to the marriage of (1914) and bad governance, which justifies the phrase, “National question”, popularized by Professor Obaro lkime, an erudite academia from University of Ibadan, in his (1986) lecture titled, “Towards Understanding National Question”. National question was used to describe the outcome of (1914) and other factors that have emanated from such integration.

It is believed that the root cause of uprising in Nigerian government and politics is the unresolved National question, which the military through the barrels of the gun succeeded in entombing alive. One of these National questions includes, and are not limited, to June 12th  (1993) Presidential election which was termed the most credible election in Nigeria as nullified by the then Head of State General Ibrahim, Badamasi Babangida (IBB).

The award of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) to Late M.K.O Abiola by President Muhammadu Buhari, was a good step and mechanism geared towards resolving the National question and reintegrating Nigeria at this time of the tumultuous political situation in the Country. This, at least, would somehow put at bay some of the prophecies that Nigeria was at the brink of dissolution.

As prospective as the President’s action seems, it has aroused agitations for negation in the minds of Nigerians, and many active politicians have started commenting on the President’s action, as reported by local news on Friday, June 8, 2018.

One of the agitations in the minds of many Nigerian’s on the streets, is that the president’s move is a political propaganda to buy the westerners (Yoruba’s) over and to reelect him for a second term, come 2019. Many people have argued that the honor done to late M.K.O,Abiola, remains the least among the mammoth problems bedeviling Nigeria and Nigerians at the moment. Some of them have pleaded with the president not to major in minor, but to see how he can reconcile the major National question in the Country. They also opined that the President should rather focus on liberating the families of future leaders of Nigeria that were massacred and buried massively in the North East Nigeria, by Boko-Haram and Fulani-herdsmen.

Owing to the above, I wish to subscribe to this position and to also support the move by President Buhari, to award M.K.O, Abiola, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, (GCFR). But my problem with the honor to M.K.O, Abiola, is that justice has not being seen to have been done. If the President’s move is not political as canvassed by some Nigerians, justice should be seen to be done, as equity demands. How can the President award late M.K.O, Abiola, while the people or persons that put bridge to democracy in (1993), are still alive, free, without being called to book or does it mean that the President forgot so fast that the same (1993) election claimed the life of M.K.O Abiola, and other Nigerians?

Personally, I think that    if the President was opportune    to speak with late M.K.O, Abiola, on this matter, he would have requested that rather than giving a posthumous award of GCFR, he should ensure that his killers were brought to book and the actors of June 12th  (1993) Presidential election annulment be put behind bars. I also believe that this should be the fervent wish of every patriotic Nigerian, on this vexed National Question. If this issue is not addressed judiciously, then the President’s action would be seen or believed to be a political hoopla for the (2019) Presidential election. And to an extent, it is capable of intensifying the Biafra separatist agitation in the Eastern part of Nigeria. Owing to Mr. President’s, comment on Nigerian Civil War, as published by local news on 11, June 2018, the President affirmed that, “Nigeria army top officials were instructed by the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, to fight the Igbos as brother/sisters and not enemies.” Meanwhile, President Buhari, recently acknowledged that about two million Nigerians died against over three million Igbos that have been recorded in scholarly lecture. One may be inquisitive for truth, by juxtaposing the events, deaths of the Igbos during the Civil War with the principles of “just war theory” that was developed before Nigeria Civil as yardstick for war to determine the truth, because the truth has to be told like the case of late M.K.O, Abiloa.

I, therefore commend the President, on this great move to reintegrate, reconcile and rehabilitate Nigeria and to also suggest that the same honor accorded to June 12th  (1993) should be given to 15th    January (1970), to comport the innocent Igbos that lost their loved ones and properties during the civil war. The President should also not stop the crusade for peace on the altar of M.K.O, Abiola’s award, but should adopt the strategy of reconciliation, peace and nation building by Nelson Mandela in South Africa to procreate peace in Nigeria.

The President should not forget so fast that Nigerians expected much from him, but the obvious disappointment of Nigerians is ubiquitous. Nigerians believe that a good leader should be known for something good. Martin Luther King is known for selfless service to African-Americans, as he fought discrimination of Africans in America. Nelson Mandela was known for exhibition of true leadership, Yar’ Adua, resolved the Niger-Delta crisis while former president Goodluck Jonathan is known to be the first incumbent African President to have conceded defeat while still in power.

President Burhari, could be so identified as the Nigerian President that reintegrated Nigeria by ensuring horizontal accountability in Nigeria and resolving major National question, such as the M.K.O, Abiola case, and Nigerian Civil War question.

Mustard Solomon is a postgraduate student, Babcock University