Letter:
From Ile-Ife to Mambila, Numan and now Benue, we see double-standard and hypocrisy in the way security issues are handled in Nigeria. It is evidently clear that some lives don’t matter much as others’. Or better put, some people are first-class citizens of the state and as such their lives and well-being matter more, while others are only-God-knows-what class and as such their lives and well-being aren’t as important. Their rights are oftentimes denied and nothing happens.
Not long ago were almost 800 Fulanis (including women and children) massacred and their properties ransacked in Mambila, Taraba state. Shortly after, it happened again in Numan, Adamawa state. But because the Fulanis are third-class citizens whose lives don’t matter to the state and the public, the issue only trended on the social media. Concerned fellow citizens voiced out their anger and disappointment, little discussions were made and that was all. Except for Sen. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and a few others that (personally) visited Mambila to sympathise and condole, they were almost neglected.
Subsequently, there were two other conflicts in Adamawa. As that of Mambila, the first was ignored too, while the second was taken seriously. In fact, the Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo had to pay a visit to sympathise with the victims. Why? To cut the long story short, the victims of the latter are first-class citizens.
Recently, there was yet another conflict involving the Fulanis, except that this time they are not the victims. The (almighty) first-class citizens were. And the Fulanis were accused of being the perpetrators.
To illustrate how unjust the leadership of the country is, the IGP was redeployed to Benue, all necessary parameters were put in place to prevent the recurrence of similar event, serious discussions were, and are, made so as to get to the root of the problem, enough publicity was given to the sad event by almost all media houses and lastly, the issue even made it to the Senate. And thereafter we saw clearly how Sen. Dino Melaye and his cohorts shamelessly and confusedly told their rigmaroles on the floor of the Senate. The double-standard is crystal clear.
I’m not saying all the measures taken in Benue shouldn’t have been or that the government should turn a blind eye to the issue (as it did previously). But why were Ile-Ife, Zamfara, Mambila and Numan not given the same (or at least similar) treatment? Could it be that the 70 lives (regrettably and sadly) lost in Benue are more important than the thousands lost in Ile-Ife, Zamfara, Mambila and Numan combined? We cannot have one standard for some and another for others.
This government was voted to ensure justice and fairness. Under the law, every individual is subjected to be treated equally and no citizen is entitled to feel that the law is for them and not for others. But it seems while some receive preferential treatment, others are treated unjustly and unfairly. As a leader, you must be willing to go that extra mile to ensure that justice is served.
It is only mediocre to deny justice for the (mere) fear of blame. The law must take its course at all times. No one said leadership was going to be any easy. The leader just has to be sophisticated. In our case, however, Mr. President you choose to show naiveté and cowardice many times. And this, on crucial issues. In much the same way you’ll be blamed for taking decisive actions, many others will also blame you for refusing to. Leadership isn’t about pleasing everyone, but doing what is right.
Mr. President, our hopes and optimism have limit; we’re humans and as you pointed out, impatient. I’m worried about the coming elections.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Ahmad can be reached via amahmad.it@gmail.com
