The recent death of Dr. Chuba Okadigbo
has cast our nation again into a mournful mood. With the preliminary reports indicating that he may have died from
noxious tear gas fumes poisoning, one would immediately point to the Federal Government and its Police agents as
the culprit in this dastardly act. It is very sad and unfortunate that we continue to lose our leaders in a democratic
dispensation that seems more to look like a demonic dispensation. How long shall they continue to kill our leaders
while we stand aside and watch? The deaths of prominent Nigeria leaders in the likes of Chief Bola Ige, Harry Marshall,
and now Dr. Okadigbo sends a chilling signal to the world that we are not ready to salvage our nation. It further
sends a dangerous signal to the Military whom we have all prayed so hard to keep out of politics and governance
that it would make better sense to intervene as usual to save our ship from drifting into a massive wreck.
Since the inception of this Fourth Republic in 1999, Nigerians have had little to smile about in their harsh and
brutal life. One cannot point to an improved economy, nor infrastructure, nor education, nor job creation, nor
social amenities as a reward or dividend for our massive expense and investment in Democracy. Are we eternally
cursed or what? In our regional West Africa, Ghana, a nation that Nigeria once welcomed her economic refugees and
later humiliated them through mass deportation, just recently celebrated 30 years of uninterrupted power supply.
They have since returned home, organized their society and are now a true champion and regional economic power.
Today, Nigeria can hardly celebrate 24 hours of uninterrupted electricity. If Ghana were blessed with one fourth
of Nigeria's Natural and material resources, Africa would truly be different. Today, Nigerians are heading en masse
to Ghana to become economic refugees! Yet, our leaders prance the globe and region espousing dominance and big
brother posture in settling internal problems in other countries, while our own nation is faced squarely with tremendous
problems that require total attention and hands on solution.
Today's Nigeria is a walking skeleton on a massive frame. Recently the International Monetary Fund released a statement
in which it decried the worsening Economic Plight of Nigerians. The report showed that 1970 and 2000, the number
of Nigerians living in poverty-less than $1 a day- has risen to 70% from 36% as per capita Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) has fallen to $1,084 from $1,113 in purchasing power parity terms. At the same time in focus, Oil Revenues
since 1965 has generated about $350 billion! A direct examination of today's Nigeria does not offer any substantial
evidence of a nation that has earned $350 billion. Our Highways are hellways. Our Airports hellports. Communications,
even with the advent of the most expensive GSM operators are laughable. Nitel is still an operation mired in mismanagement
while gulping millions in resucitation efforts. Electric Power supply has been ridiculed and noted as a national
disaster! Our seaports have become soreports! Our educational institutions have been overrun by cults as Godfathers
and soon Godmothers have hijacked our political leaders!
Where shall our salvation come from? To our new born again brothers and sisters, they believe that our salvation
shall come from heaven. In preparation for the big event in heaven, our pastors have ensured that they live well
on earth. As a result, they embark on an orgy of grand deception, preaching what many of them could not practice
while fattening their bank accounts and cheeks from the financial windfall of unsuspecting converts. While growing
economies of other countries attract foreign investors and break new grounds for construction of factories, Nigeria's
factories close down on a weekly basis and are immediately purchased by new Pentecostal churches who seem to be
the fastest growing sector in our economy, Chei! Even God may not like this at all! I live in Abuja, close to one
of these new churches who seem to be fragmenting and multiplying exponentially. At 3 a.m in the morning, a bunch
of about 30 individuals will huddle into a shed by a hillside and torment the residents with loud incantations
on a nightly basis. I wonder whether God also told these people that they should not be sleeping at 3 a.m! I feel
extremely sorry for their plight. During the daylight hours, I strolled over to the "church" to take
a close look. Four men were sleeping on a bench and when I questioned them, they responded that their church utilize
the tranquil hours of the night to speak to God, because it is the best time the message could be conveyed. Interesting!.
I thought God is awake 24 hours! Very soon, we shall produce more pastors than scientists! With all these Pastors,
how come our troubles seem to have worsened?
There exists in Nigeria today, a total feeling of hopelessness. While leaders aspire to positions to effect positive
changes in a society, Nigeria leaders aim for the offices as Government has become the fasted channel to wealth.
In the frenzy to elbow out opposition, our leaders have become deeply enmeshed in undemocratic means of power protection.
Why should Muhammed Buhari and his supporters not be allowed to hold rallies? Is it not guaranteed in the Chapter
4 of our Constitution for the freedom of assembly and expression? By suffocating opposition activities, what will
be the difference between a Nigeria where everyone is a member of the PDP and a Nigeria led by Military Junta intolerant
of opposition? Poor Dr. Okadigbo. At 61 years old, and with the contribution he had made to our country, his death
by alleged inhalation of noxious tear gas in political rally, is pure murder! Professor Wole Syinka once called
the PDP a nest of Killers! President Olusegun Obansanjo should take serious steps to reign in the lose cannons
in his Party and Nigeria Police.
This level of persecution of political opponents should not be condoned. We need a healthy opposition Party in
the country. Our leaders should look ahead and do the right things, and Nigerians are not stupid, not to recognize
good job. Recently the Nigeria Police are lauded for disrupting the criminal gangs in Benin Republic that had terrorized
Nigeria. We note that it took the harrowing experience of the President's daughter at the hands of these senseless
killers for the President to finally react to the level that has for now brought sanity to the cross border crime
explosion. President Obasanjo should think hard and fast and use his "immense" capabilities to guide
our nation. He seems on the surface to be attempting by words to achieve great success, but in deed, the co pilots
in his Aso Rock cockpit may have actually mastered the instrumentation faster and seem therefore to have positioned
our national jet on doomed democratic mission. Let us pray and call on our pastors at this moment to pray for true
pilots that should take the control of our National cockpit and deliver us from our evil spell, Amen!