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The peace
option for Niger Delta
Those who know
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo were pretty surprised by his recent approach to
the crisis in the Niger Delta. Surprisingly, the leader of one of the
groups in Niger Delta was flown into Abuja in a Presidential jet for a
high level peace meeting.
To most keen observers, the
news of Dokubo Asari�s presence in Abuja was taken with cautious
pessimism. In fact, I was one of those who said that the man had foolishly
given himself out. I thought he was simply lured to Abuja to be captured,
forced to expose the mechanics of his operation, so that his group and
similar groups will be finally decimated. From the benefit of hindsight, I
do not blame myself or others who nursed similar trend of thoughts. In the
ancient times, the Roman General, Didius used the same trick.
He lured a whole tribe of
troublesome natives into a Roman camp by pretending a peace deal. When
they came, he had them all slaughtered. Obasanjo was a military man and
sometimes forgets he had left the army a long time ago, as he still
behaves typical of military men.
By his recent peace moves,
inviting trouble-makers to Abuja, and admonishing them like father,
Obasanjo has replicated the Periclean wisdom. If this type of wisdom is
applied to other groups, I have no doubt that they will be made to
understand their fooly, not the foolishness of fighting against injustice
as some of them claim, but the foolishness of carrying guns, snuffing off
life without compuction, terrorizing the nation on account of
trifles.
I have said the foregoing
because, in truth, injustices abound in the country. It has thus become
normal for ambitious Nigerians and disenchanted youth to forment trouble
as a smokescreen for fighting those injustices.
No doubt, the Niger Delta has
become the proverbial geese that lays the Nigerian golden egg. About 70%
of the wealth of the nation today comes from that region. But before the
wealth is produced, there is always the consequent damage to the
environment, the ecosystem, the flora and fauna. The damage is such that
their rivers are polluted through spillages, thus making it difficult for
an otherwise aquatic lives. Studies in the past reveal the absence of
planktons, vital to aquatic lives, in the ocean and rivers. Most of the
areas are swampy and the activities of the oil companies make farming
unattractive. When these areas are left miserable and their youths see the
wealth of the nation building Lagos and Abuja, they are right to demand
for a fair deal.
But the point to note is that
the past governments made efforts to add value to the area, but the
efforts were still born. Obasanjo, recognizing the truth set up the Niger
Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
If the bandits in the Delta as
represented by Dokubo and others are allowed to thrive, the gains of NDDC
and the increased government presence in the area will be jeopardized.
Likewise, the use of force, even though it will eventually succeed in the
light of superior power, will achieve only but pyrrhic victory. The peace
diplomacy as Obasanjo has opted remains the best option.
Otubom
Bassey,
Agency for Peace and Social
Justice,
Calabar
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