Opinion: These are the real enemies of Nigeria

We have over the years established enemies of Nigeria, we know them even if we do not acknowledge it, those of them who eat fat in corruption and have mansions in Lekki, Asokoro and Maitama, those whose kids are in schools in Paris and throw lavish parties in Los Angeles and at dawn clamour for a new Nigeria with youth inclusiveness in politics, we know these enemies of Nigeria, what is even appalling is how they have inspired ethnicity and religious divisions to enrich themselves and their families.

Just recently, while at a public function, I eavesdropped on a conversation by two old friends; Following the death of the minister of State for Labour and Employment, one of them was quick to give his sympathy to the other by saying “eyya sorry I hear say una minister don die” as harmless as that might sound my other friend took it personal and said “are you implying that the minister was closer to me considering he was of the same ethnic group as myself, are you not from the same state? So you know I never knew the man.”

I was confused, wasn’t this a national tragedy? Why are they arguing over where the man came from, wouldn’t they let him rest in peace? Even in death his ethnicity was still an issue. Well in Nigeria there is an ethnic undertone to everything, I said to myself, What was more was the chord this conversation struck in me; I came to the realization of the real enemies of Flora Shaw’s Niger area were.

The real enemies of Nigeria are not the demented rascals blowing up Nigeria every now and then, the real enemies are those who see little or no good in Africa’s passive giant, those who twist narratives to suit their selfish interests, those who chanted change only so their uncles would be ministers and they would be gainfully employed assistants, those quick to call Jonathan Clueless but numb at Buhari’s padded Budget, those paid to tweet #tyrantbuhari, those of you who litter the streets of Twitter and Facebook quick to call for Buhari’s head for his unpatriotic silence in the Zaria and Agatu massacres but were nowhere when Jonathan did same for the north east, those of you who now see the humanitarian crisis in the north east but were blind before now, those of you are quick to hero worship leaders who should be constructively criticized.

Those of you on the streets who are quick to strip thieves of their humanity but raise your hands in praise when a corrupt convicted politician drives pass.

How you choose struggles to support and the side of the divide you fall evades my rationality.

The real enemies of Nigeria know no religion or ethnicity, they come in different names and acronyms; The I stand with Buhari’s and the TANs, the list is endless. How could I forget the selective activists, those who twist facts to gain deceit from Ese’s story and those quick to defend Yunusa’s alleged criminality, those of you who see pursing girl child education as patriotic but in your hearts are only seeking political relevance.

The sons of Futa Jallon and daughters of Biafra. Lovers of division and conflagrations.

I marvel at your stupidity to defend religions your ancestors rebelled against just a few hundred years ago, I marvel at your Ignorance; knowing if God wanted a fighter for his faiths he would not chose you.

I also marvel at the irrationality of many when issues pertaining their ethnicities arise, after an attempt to cleanse the Rwandan ethnicities let history teach them of their intellectual futility.

If you spread bigotry and hatered for any partisanship whatsoever, you hoard the truth; how you sleep at night is not my concern, what I know is that you are the real enemy of the republic, history might forget but posterity would never forgive you!
By Mustapha Ismail Alhassan @the_mustyhassan on Twitter

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