THERE IS FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN

Bukola Elemide (ASA) had no idea things would get this bad when she sang the song with the titled lyrics many years ago. But who can blame her? the Nigerian state has a knack for going deeper in search of the worst. It is almost like every administration tasks itself with finding new ways to frustrate Nigerians. The Locs-wearing singer probably had no single idea. 

Remember when you are in a random discussion with a friend, or an acquaintance about the daily happenings in this country, how both of you are surprised things could get this bad, and wondering what would be the best way forward. You both argue back and forth, only to painfully sigh and resign with that phrase which is now becoming annoying. "Everything will be fine" Reality check!! with the way it is going now, everything will not be fine. 

Citizens with their different purposes aims and objectives to achieve, people with vibrant dreams are being hacked down on a daily. Children, Men, and Women, fathers, and mothers of many are being killed on a daily basis. These marauders are not sparing anyone; you get in their way, it is on sight. This is the current state of the country. Nigeria has never been the dream country for many of us, but in addition, it is becoming inhabitable. 

I hate that virtually everything I have to write on this blog is in one way related to the maladministration of this country. I feel so powerless, and it is understandable if any visitor to this blog keeps wondering why the author is always ranting about politics and everything else. Now, when I started out writing this piece, Bubu has not suspended Twitter, and there were not these widespread talks of secession and whatever you may call it. 

Agreed, Nigerians have never been lucky in making the choice of a leader, and there has been a progressive decline in the quality of the leadership we have had, but it has never been this bad. No leader has polarised Nigerians along ethnic lines like Buhari has done; and to be honest, we are all to blame for this. Killings, armed militias unleashing mayhem left, right, and center, but man is so selective in everything. 

What reasons do you give the people who are in need of a leader? Then you wonder why you have different actors parading as the leader of proposed new nations in virtually every region of the country. We had a chance to correct this anomaly, and we still chose wrongly. It is now so clear as day; how bad of a choice we made. 

Now, I am using "we" right, well that is one of the beauties of democracy. lumps those who made better choices together with those who made terrible choices, and everyone ultimately suffers the same fate. I vividly remember how we got here, I remember the many endorsements that were gotten to convince Nigerians to vote, especially in that second election. Well, this is not the time to rue missed chances, what is the way forward? 

I ask this question because I know as Nigerians, we never learn. There are a whole lot of reasons to go back to the drawing table and choose to vote for only reasonable candidates with track records of how they have performed at the highest level. But I am super sure many of us are still waiting in the shadows, for this phase to pass so we can emit that stinking vomitus of inanities. 

If there is one thing we should all learn from the ongoing situations, it is the fact that strong men do not make good countries, only strong independent institutions do. Many longed for a strong man who would arm-twist the monster of corruption, defeat it and set our country on the right path. But what did we get in return? you know the answer. 

Finally, ASA continued singing, by voicing the following lyrics "And nobody seems to be on the run" well as it stands, nobody seems to be on the run. Maybe because I am still fortunate enough to live far away from the theatre of the whole happenings, but many are just going about their duties, forgetting our country is sitting on a big keg of gunpowder, with the champions of insecurity romancing it with wild burning torches. 

Well, for what it is worth, we know how compromised the media is, but try to get the real news from the actual sources. Know what is going on around you, be aware, be alert. Anything could happen at any time, and you do not want to be caught unawares. Stay Safe out there people, and remember to pray to whatever you believe in to save you. Because this is far from funny. 

Photo Credit: Unsplash, and google.