Nigeria and 2015; To Be or Not To Be!

The very title of this piece among literary pundits and lovers of the Shakespearian series will bring to memory the dramatic dispositions in the most tragic play of English drama written by William Shakespeare many decades ago in his book Hamlet. The dramatic monologue of the lead character in act iii scene 1, I have likened to the present heated socio- political atmosphere in the hearts of the average Nigerian. The monologue depicted above is the one in which Hamlet reveals his inner thoughts, confusions, fears, sorrows and doubts over the sea of troubles that consumed him some of which were, the controversial death of his father the king, his mothers rushing to share her matrimonial bed with the kings brother who ascended the throne, his love for Ophelia, his adventure towards vengeance and psychological trauma.

In all respect to the late literary colossus though, I have likened hamlets sorrows, doubts, fears and calamity to that which has enshrouded each and every one of us collectively as Nigerians. Just like the Shakespearian hamlet, we have found ourselves in one of the greatest dilemma of our existence, trapped in the gutters of whether it is nobler in our minds to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. We do not know whether it is better for us to suffer now and make the sacrifices sine qua non to a better and habitable Nigeria in the future or to put to an end with our own hands, these doubts and scruples that has robbed us of our psychological sanity forever in the name of unity.

Never has there been a time like this in the history books of our nation. Never has this unity in diversity or this marriage of regions been threatened the way it has become lately. Many people have asked if the green wood seems to be burnt like this, what would happen when it is dry. A direct interpretation which is: if we have started killing ourselves now already in a quest to have ourselves clanged to power, if the Boko Haramites have refused to succumb to our pleas of a cease down of attacks, if the regions have began threatening for secession, for independence from this national colonial master of a nation, what would happen when it is 2015? Oh God! we have been torn apart from each other for things too mundane, we have been scattered by the things that should hold us together…………lord please shower your mercy and grace upon us.

As the day passes by, the symptoms of the Whiteman’s prediction of our disintegration come 2015 gets even more severe. Since the birth of this year, i have not picked up a single national daily from my vendor without coming across an act of violence contained therein. Human lives have continued to be lost as though life has a duplicate. “60 killed and many others injured”, “50 burnt down to ashes inside a church”, “hundreds killed as gunmen storm village” and so many other eye catching captions that forces even one with the most hardened of hearts to hide his face under the cover of a towel in tears. Even in a burial ceremony, human lives have been stolen by agents of doom who have sworn to the gods to unleash mayhem. Oh! the story of the Adazi 12 who were murdered in their cold blood on the verge of discussing how to burry one of their own who had just passed away will forever remain in our hearts. If i continue to recount many of these tragic events, perhaps one may not finish reading this piece.

Even while we were still battling against the forces of doom against the peace of this nation, who had predicted our possible breakup come 2015, one of our own came out to give us a thriller of an adage in corroboration of the white man’s sentimental assertion many weeks ago. instead of teaching us the good sides of the many Hausa proverbs that would be source of morals and inspiration for the children of this nation, he chose to drive us into a fable- puzzle of an adage that promises bloodshed as coated in the words “biri jini kare jini” and he intends being voted into power. perhaps we shall be having more of those if he ever finds himself in the seat of power but alas! i hope he is not voted, let not the one who personified each and every one of us into dogs and baboons be the one to lead us. Wouldn’t he still look at us as dogs and baboons if he ever finds himself in the corridors of power? I just hope I am wrong anyway.

Many, out of fear have joined this vanguard of a possible rebellion of lawlessness and anarchy come 2015. The very mention of it in public, spells doom for the citizenry. To the average Igbo man, he does not want to be seen anywhere around the flat lands of northern Nigeria come 2015, not while his kinsmen still lives. As for the Hausa man, he does not want to be seen lurking about for source of livelihood in the heartland of eastern Nigeria, for the Yoruba man, preach to him till thy kingdom come, he only wants to be seen in the cultural land of the descendants of oduduwa…….and so the story goes for other minorities all for reasons not to be separated from fear of possible annihilation when the so called rebellion of lawlessness beckons.

Our hearts are trembled, our hands and feet shiver, our lips clap against each other no thanks to the fear that has gripped us from the within. it has become a mantra on the hearts of the average Nigerian to the effect that “come 2015 Nigeria will no longer be the same”, the regions would split, blood of the innocent would be spilled, the devil will vacate his seat in hell and spearhead activities as they unfold and even more heart pricking and convincing is the gospel truth that the symptoms have eaten so deep into the fabrics of our soul and has left us in a dilemma.

Just like hamlet in his monologue asked: is it nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of the impending “doom” as a sacrifice for a better tomorrow? Or, on the other side of the same coin, shall we form our own army in readiness to take arms against the sea of trouble that the impending year promises? It is indeed a huge dilemma i must say. As we approach this cross-road of a year, May our discernment be a divinely designed one………….God bless Nigeria.

Follow me on twitter @yung_silky.

2 COMMENTS

  1. An idea never really dies, especially when the conditions that led to the birth of the idea still breathe. 2015 to be or not is left for us to decide. The Hausa Fulani being the major decider. You cannot be expecting others to play second fiddle, and you stay together with them.