I think its hi-time I add my voice once more in respect to the  ongoing security crisis in Nigeria. I wonder what  kind of country we are in?. Chinua Achebe rightly captured it  in his book entitled THERE WAS A COUNTRY. I just can’t imagine the drama going on not to talk of the agonizing trauma the parents, relations, concerned citizens and the global citizens especially Nigerians in Nigeria who are gradually putting their faith in God’s hands because, from the look of things there’s little or nothing that can be done to salvage the already deteriorating situation. I’m deeply touched and perplexed by this unhealthy development. Here’s is my take on the prevailing issues

1. Per the Presidential Media Chat, I wasn’t impressed with the demeanor and answers of the President of Nigeria ranging from the question on insecurity, corruption, education, election, and  in general The State of The Nation. It leaves us to rely on Sam 121:2 which says My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. I’m not going to go into details, but the only thing I am concerned is the safety of our girls. See the message of Nigerian government official to CNN: “WE HAVE THE COMMITMENT AND CAPACITY TO GET THIS DONE. NO MATTER WHAT THIS TAKES, WE WILL GET THESE GIRLS”. But during the Presidential Media Chat, When asked about the location of the Boko Haram group who kidnapped the schoolgirls, President Jonathan said: “I don’t know where they are… there is no confirmation of the location of the schoolgirls, you are a journalist, you know more than me.” So I’m wondering, how do you intend to solve the problem you don’t even know or have an understanding of? I do know that, identification of a problem is 50% solved.  This sounds funny to me. “Well, we’ll see how everything will unfold at the tail end.

2. Yes I agree, the issue of Boko Haram is multi-faceted. It all started from politics to religious crisis, then to eradication of western education, and now it has now metamorphosed into a full-blown terrorist act. Regardless of what folks may adduce – unemployment, GEJ emergence as the president, the northern agitation for president either do or die and the politics behind the scenes between APC AND PDP, I want to make it clear from my own opinion and perspective, there’s  fire on the mountain, The issue has gone beyond what we think it is. MARK THIS SENTENCE ” IT WILL REALLY TAKE DIVINE INTERVENTION TO RESCUE OUR GIRLS IF AT ALL THEY CAN BE RESCUED ALIVE. May be with the support of the US AND BRITAIN WHO HAVE AGREED TO ASSIST US IN THIS FIGHT. I’m keeping my fingers crossed here and at the same time cautiously optimistic and hopeful they will redeem the already deteriorating situation. But my keen advise to all Nigerians and the global world is this PRAY FOR OUR GIRLS AND NIGERIA!. As it stands now, that’s the only hope we have.

3. Per our president, he has to be decisive. There’s no harm in accepting the fact that the issue is beyond you so that the global world can assist you, and if you say no, please we want to be convinced by seeing practical and realistic steps taken to rescue our girls. THE WORLD IS NOW BEEN GOVERNED BY PERCEPTION. The message out there is that the President of Nigeria is really insensitive to the plight of our girls and in Nigerians in general. Again, there is this belief that he is incompetent to arrest the situation, because he has not been decisive neither has his body language shown capability in handling the situation as may be expected of a leader. This is really unbecoming of a president. Taking a clue from the missing Malaysian flight, we get briefing every now and then in respect to updates on the rescue mission. One will expect similar steps should be taken to address the issue of our missing girl. For crying out loud these girls have relations, they have blood in them, they are human, nobody knows if they are alive or dead at the moment. The atmosphere is really tensed and the citizens are just as confused  as you can imagine. Regardless of what it is this, the terrorists or their planners are master strategist. Be advised be Mr. President, accepting your weakness doesn’t mean you are weak, rather it means you are strong to know your weakness in addition to seeking for help. 

4. There is an ongoing mixed feelings in Nigeria at the moment. I know there is fire on the mountain now and our leaders have not known  peace  because of this ugly incident rearing its ugly head. All over the world Nigeria is in the news especially being the most populous black country in the world. I say this because, regardless of which side you belong, some folks are happy for what is happening especially the politicians because of 2015 elections. Yes, they would like to use it to their advantage, showcasing the ineptitudeness of the president in respect to handling the issue, while the president on his part will debunk the allegation in addition to attributing it to the politics of his opponents who have an idea of what is happening because the terrorists are targeting the Christians because they (the opposition) want to produce the next president next year.

5. This is for my own fellow youths, please each and every one of you should be concerned on the security nature of the country. The idea of sitting on the fence or observing the developments unfolding; the idea of folding your hands and plead to God to assist while we can do our own meagre part; the idea of using speaking online without any decisive step or action must stop! This is 21st century and 2014 for that matter. Be advised, nobody will fix our country for us, we have to do it ourselves. Nigeria is ours to develop. We don’t know tomorrow who will be the next victim and so, therefore the earlier we dot our i’s and cross our t’s the better for us. Once thing I know we have and can effectively do is to use our numerical strength and energy to send our message to our leaders. We can’t just be sitting and watching things deteriorate . The global world is watching us. We must make our voices heard. I believe we can and I definitely know we will act timeously as and when due.

Finally my president, I want you to know that the buck stops with you.  You are the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander of the Armed Forces,  it is high-time you tell the world who you are and what you are capable of doing. It should be noted that circumstances don’t say who you are they reveal who you are. Again, I want you to prove to the global world that you are equal to task by taking reasonable and drastic steps/ measures to arrest or calm the already tensed atmosphere. I say this because, many of your adversaries are happy, they are somewhere saying yes, this will serve you as a lesson to you since you feel you don’t need our advise, you know them, so it makes no sense mentioning names. Well, that is Nigeria for you, a country where people take advantage of every little thing as opposed to the civilized countries who will shield politics aside and face the issue at hand by adding their voice, instead they (insensitive Nigerain”politicians”) will remain dumb. My president, I guess you are hearing the rumor on ground that, some of the girls have been sold out, or will be sold out, some married to the terrorists, some are have been slaughtered, and that they are being raped fifteen times day. Well, I pray all this should be rumor, well there’s  a saying “in every rumor there is an atom of truth” if this is true and if this be the case, please mark this sentence “IF YOU DON’T BRING OUR GIRLS ALIVE, FORGET 2015. IT WILL GO DOWN MEMORY LANE, and I guess you would not like to see your regime end this way. Please read the hand-writings on the wall. If your advisers and foot soldiers are honest to you, they will tell you the gospel truth that there is fire on the mountain and as such the citizens are not happy. Don’t be surprised to hear that Nigerians have lost faith in you. The ordinary Nigerian on the street believes you are not competent to lead this country. Be advised, Mr. President, if people like you they will listen to you, but if they trust you, they will do business with you. Now, I’m wondering if Nigerians  like you in addition to wanting to do business with you come 2015, when you might be seeking for re-election? Again Mr. President, be advised, If the whole world is telling you can do it and you know you can’t do it, you will fail, but if the whole world is telling you you, you can’t do it and you know you can do it, you will succeed, because he that is in you is greater and stronger than he that is in the world – 1 John 4:4. Again on this issue, the terrorist are master planners, they are gradually nailing your name, your presidency and your administration, this is because you allowed it to happen. Assuming you were able to take decisive step in arresting the situation immediately you won the election, when the youth corpers were slaughtered like rats; making use of the white paper recommendation that you inaugurated to look into the crisis of the killings in the North which led to the death of the youth corpers in addition to taking charge when the bombings were going on in  different christian churches, homes, and places of interest, this issue wouldn’t have escalated to what it is now at the moment. You handled them with kid gloves

Finally, AS USUAL MAY THE GOOD LORD GRANT YOU THE WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING, COURAGE, STRENGTH.AND ABOVE ALL THE DECISIVE GUT TO ARREST THE SITUATION IN ADDITION TO THE WISDOM TO LEAD THE COUNTRY HE HAS PLACED UNDER YOU. I have attached an article written by your best friend Dele Momodu who has shared his concern and solution on the ongoing security challenges we are facing currently in Nigeria in addition to a video demonstration of Nigerians across the globe.

 Please find time to read  Dele Momodu’s Pendulum entitled  When chickens come home to roost : http://www.ynaija.com/dele-momodu-when-chickens-come-home-to-roost/ and  watch the demonstrations of Nigerians and global citizens all over the world  http://rocknaijatv.com/bringbackourgirls-new-york-city-rally-on-may-3-2014/

I will conclude by charging my fellow Nigerian youths all over the world especially those in Nigeria to raise up t the challenge. The time to act is now. Please wherever you are reading this blog, I want to lend your voice to this clarion call, let your voices be heard, use whatever you have wherever you are and whenever you are available to make your voices heard. As per President Obama, the time to act is now. “We are the change we seek”.  Please use social medium to send your message, organize rally, interviews, peaceful demonstrations etc to send the desired message. I plead to you, if you, if you want to effect the desired change we need, if you want to show how passionate you are in the cause of #bringbackourgirls#, if you feel this pain, if you belief in this struggle, if you know the future of Nigerian is on our hands and finally if you want to let the world know you are on top of the situation, please join me in this struggle and make you voice heard.

 

LONG LIVE NIGERIA

LONG LIVE AFRICA.

 

 

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Avatar for Henry Ukazu

Henry Ukazu is a graduate of New York Law School. He is Founder and President at Global Empowerment & Mentoring Initiative. A trained life coach, prolific writer, and passionate youth advocate, he is also a highly sought-after public speaker. He is author of the acclaimed book, “Design Your Destiny- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success.

9 Comments

  • The Nigerian community along with Henry’s passionate voice rings out for all of us to have greater awareness on this tragic issue at hand. If you are a mother, a sister, an aunt, a brother, father grandfather, a grandmother… somewhere in your life, there are girls… if just one of these 200 missing were ‘your girls’ ,,,what would you be feeling ~ doing~ and commanding from your government? This is not just happening in Nigeria,,,,These girls represent all girls of the world who suffer oppression, outdated religious rites, warcrimes, loss of property, education and employment because of their gender.

    This petition calls on the Nigerian government and all enabled international parties to immediately rescue them. By signing this petition we declare our solidarity with the kidnapped girls and call upon the world not to forget them, support all efforts to ensure their safe return, and ask President Goodluck Jonathan and the Nigerian Government to ensure all schools are safe places to learn, protected from attack. Return these girls to their homes of safety.

    https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/over-200-girls-are-missing-in-nigeria-please-help-find-them-bringbackourgirls

    • Henry- you’ve done it again! This is why you had since earned My sincere respect for your very ‘factual’ posts..

      May God be by Us, for Us & with Us at this very crucial times in Our Nation. May HE answer Our humble prayers to bring back Our girls- Amin.

      A defining time indeed!

      To Georgina & all alike- bless U! Tanx!

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