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The ‘Dichotomy’ suit and Niger
Delta’s Nunc
dimittis?
(3)
By Bobson Gbinije
This is a battle for all Niger Deltans
from Labour Unions, Tertiary Institution, Market women, Professionals,
businessmen e.t.c. All hands must be on deck. We must immediately set up a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) to
further the interest and carry on the fight to liberate us from their
stranglehold on our economic jugular. We should not be like the Biblical Samson
who was endowed by God Almighty with wondrous strength, but became amorously
enticed by the luciferious Delilah and became blinded by the heathenistic
Philistines and then tied to a pillar he carried out a dual spectacular
annihilation of himself and his tormentors.
The MASSOB Initiative:
We are not going to destroy ourselves and the
Nigerian nation. All we are saying is that the super structure of economic
policies in Nigeria must be surgeonized and clearly eviscerated to reflect
equity and justice for the Niger Delta people. The squashing of the dichotomy
suit and the approval of a 50% derivation becomes imperative. The "MASSOB
INITIATIVE" is currently on; we wish them good luck, we hope the Federal
Government of Nigeria will not like to see MASSOB-like initiatives in the Niger
Delta. There cannot be a negation of consensus if the Federal Government adopts
a new formula.
The MASSOB Political antecedents and agitations is a
warning to the Federal Government of Nigeria to give the Igbo people a sense of
belonging and to spread love, development and progress to their areas. It is a
fundamental and basic truth that like the Niger Deltans the Igbos are
oppressed, marginalized and hated in their own country. While MASSOB and other
such organizations are clamoring and championing this course, the Niger Deltans
are lame-ducking over and conniving with our oppressors. We have attained a
state of the irreducible maximum, wallowing in the labyrinths and crypts of
monumental neglect characterized by gross underdevelopment.
In his book "Pedagogy of The Oppressed"
professor Paulo Freire posits that "The revolution is made neither by the
leaders for the people nor by the people for the leaders, but by both acting
together in unshakeable solidarity". The recent sit-at-home order by
Massob for Igbos to stay at on the 26th August, 2004 and the great response
shows most glaringly that they are on the right track in addressing the Igbo
marginalization matter. The Federal Government of Nigeria and their stooges
will stop at nothing in ensuring the total sapping of the Niger Delta people.
Niger Deltans must heed the prophetic admonition of Dr. Martin Luther King
(Jnr.) when he said that, "If you are cut down in the middle of a movement
designed to save the soul of a nation, there is no death more redemptive".
We must start now.
Imperative of reparation in the Niger Delta:
After over 42 years of the exploitation and
exploration of oil in the Niger Delta the people have nothing to show other
than the oppressive armada of the Federal Government of Nigeria. It is in the
light of this, that we honestly demand a REPARATION of One Thousand Trillion
Dollars from the Nigeria Government. We call on the United Nations and the
African Union to prevail on the Federal Government of Nigeria to pay this
"REPARATION MONEY" immediately. This is aimed at repairing all oil
allied and seismographically destroyed properties and environment in the Niger
Delta. It will enable us build Abuja and a Lagos in the Niger Delta.
Niger Delta Bill for Rights:
We call on the Niger delta people to forward a 'Bill
of Rights' to the United Nations immediately. A detailed and comprehensive Bill
of rights, not just a legal placebo. But a consummate adumbration of our Blue
print for a new Niger Delta, a precise summation of how we want to be part in a
new Niger Delta. It must show our frustrations and deprivations in an
all-embracing manner. It must reflect the pattern and shape of the Balfour
Declaration that led to the founding the state of Israel in 1948. It must call
on Jews (Niger Deltans) in the Diaspora who suffered horrendous decimation
through gas chambers in the hands of Hitler's Germany (Obansajo's Nigeria) to
give credence and lend their total support to the whole course of liberating
the Niger Delta from its oppressors.
The Niger Delta will be singing its own nunc dimities
if it continues to fold its arms in legalistic and lethargic posturings and
allow the Federal Government and its 22 rascals reminiscent of (ALI BABA AND
THE FORTY THEVES) to plunder our heritage. Recently crude oil running into
millions of dollar got lost in Lagos on board the vessels MV African Pride and M.V Jimoh. What a shame? They have started
trading blames, but we know how the whole matter will end. Like the proverbial
'Unknown Soldier' the thieves will be 'Unknown Thieves'. See how the sweat, toil
and heritage of the Niger Delta is being plundered, stolen and abused in a
nation of psychotically corrupt leadership. Whither goeth the Niger Delta?
We must be defiant In Defeat:
We must be allowed to exploit and explore our oil,
build our own refineries and then pay taxes from them to the Federal Government
in the spirit and letter of true fiscal Federalism. We have lost over 10,000
souls in the Niger Delta because of pipeline vandalization. Who will risk his
life in the vandalization of pipelines if the powers that be give to us a fair
share of our oil? There will not be need for American submarines to litter
every nook and cranny of the Niger Delta, if the oil have been impacting
positively on the people. There will be no need for over 20,000 soldiers to
litter virtually every street in the Niger Delta, if the Federal Government was
conscientious enough to give the people economic justice.
Finally, Niger Deltans will be filing the blade of
the guillotine that is about to be used to behead us if we do not speak out and
act now. Every worthy son of the Niger Delta should feel a sense of aggravation
and should ceaselessly continue to articulate and condemn the genocidal
economic ploy against the people of the Niger Delta by the Federal Government
of Nigeria and its 22 dunderheads. The 22 hackmen and the Federal Government
should note that "Ab Abusu Ad Usum Valet Consequentia" (No Valid
Conclusion As To The Use Of A - Can Be - Awn FROM IT'S ABUSU). This is gross abuse against the
Niger Delta and it is an ill wind that will blow no body no good. We must act
now otherwise we will be singing the nunc dimities o f the Niger Delta.
Concluded
• Gbinije wrote in from Warri.
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