When Elders Mattered In Securing Nigeria’s Unity

August 1, 2016 has come and gone and Nigeria remains united. Let us rejoice and shout together: “In unity we stand!” and “The labour of our heroes past; shall never be in vain!” It was a day set aside by the Niger Delta terrorists – agitators as softly called – to secede from Nigeria and become an independent state. They wanted to name their country Niger Delta Republic.

Stories from the social media showed designs of their flag and currency. It was all that serious. And what is really the problem? They say they want justice and fairness in the governance of Nigeria; that a larger share of the commonwealth should be allocated to them since they believe a large chunk of the national revenue yielder is from crude oil which is dug out around their homes and farmlands.

The Nigerian military in response was battle ready to defend the nation’s territory. The military launched a series of tactical drills in Enugu after issuing threats to use force in dousing the tension which the militants created by launching devastating attacks on oil and gas installations for several months and sabotaging the nation’s interest. Apart from the earlier resolve of the avengers to declare independence, they have engaged in diverse criminal activities like kidnapping, militancy and piracy. But the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, warned that the drills, code-named ‘Exercise Crocodile Smile’, was to equip the Amphibious and Internal Security Operations in riverine communities against the activities of Niger Delta militants.

Buratai, speaking through the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Enugu, Ibrahim Atahiru, said the government was committed to dialogue but could resort to the use of “Kinetic” force if dialogue failed. He pleaded with the general public not to panic on the sight of unusual movement of large number of troops, heavy military weapons and equipment in the Niger Delta areas even as Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State opted for sustained dialogue rather than military action as, according to him, it would not resolve the crisis.

Several trucks loaded with soldiers and military hardware were gathered in Enugu State for the Niger Delta operations. There were fears that villages and settlements in the Niger Delta region would be affected by the military action if the militants had gone ahead to declare a republic. A concerned citizen twittered: “We don’t want what happened in Odi and Zaki Biam during President Olusegun Obasanjo to happen again because most of those who were killed were innocent people.”

A militant group, the Adaka Boro Avengers (ABA) on July 31 said it has cancelled its plan to declare the Niger Delta territory a Republic despite vowing to continue its mission to destabilize Nigeria’s economy. ABA had on July 17 issued a three-week notice of its intention to declare its Republic on August 1. “We will not stop until the Nigerian government is ready to sit on a round-table to dialogue and to restructure Nigeria”, they threatened.

A statement issued by ADA’s spokesperson, Edmos Ayayeibo, confirmed the intervention of the Niger Delta elders in cancelling the cessation declaration. They said prominent leaders like Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Mrs. Ankio Briggs, Chief E. K. Clark and King Alfred Diete Spiff prevailed on them to abort the declaration. They warned against having any peace talk with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which they described as greedy fellows, claiming that their earlier plans for an independent state was not for selfish reasons. Leader of the group, simply called Goddey in a statement noted that the Nigerian government has enslaved the people of Niger Delta region, thus their mission to cripple the economy of the Nigerian nation will not stop until the government dialogues and restructures Nigeria.

A splinter from another militant group Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), claims that former President Goodluck Jonathan was the grand patron of the NDA. In a statement issued by its spokesman Cynthia Whyte, the group named several former and serving governors as their sponsors. Those named as “sponsors” included incumbent governors Rivers and Bayelsa states, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, ex-militant Government Ekpemupolo, the founder of African Independent Television (AIT), the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Kingsley Kuku, Kimi Angozi, and Patrick Akpobolokemi. “NDA’s sympathizers included Edwin K. Clark, Tony Uranta, Daniel Alabrah, Ms. Annkio Briggs, and Olisa Metuh, a former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”.

The splinter group, which renamed itself Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), opposed to destruction of oil infrastructure in the region had warned to disclose the names of individuals and groups backing the militant group. The revelation is against a source close to former President Jonathan who told SaharaReporters that there was “no iota of truth to the claim that Jonathan has a hand in the violence in the Niger Delta.” Raymond Dekposi has also declined any link with the militant group.

However, the elders of the Niger Delta this time have played a patriotic role in safeguarding the unity of the country, though the military force cannot be undermined. The three year civil war has taught Nigerians a lesson that no patriot would wish it is repeated in any form and against any ethnic group. Odi and Zaki Biam are still fresh in our memories. Book Haram and all its ills are still on the screens for our sight. Enough, really, is enough for the wise.

It is hoped that community, political, religious leaders and elders would learn from this and prevail upon their people to allow peace reign in Nigeria. In every community, trouble makers are known. Foreign elements in any community are often syndicated by insiders. Let us do our country this favour, and once we can enjoy a considerable pace of peace, we can be assured that we all will rejoice and check hands with one another in the true spirit of love, unity and patriotism.

Muhammad Ajah is an advocate of humanity, peace and good governance in Abuja. E-mail [email protected].