How not to celebrate independence under a pseudo democracy — @segalink

It is necessary at this point to reduce a few thoughts into writing over the growing intolerance of those we stampeded to power as ‘leaders’ over us. No sociopolitical architect that is worth his or her onions will describe Nigeria as a democratic republic based on the current trajectory.

The people are besieged on every side with career criminals occupying critical offices to perpetuate the agenda of a few. Personality as they say drives behavior and behavior drives decision making. This alone is the summary of the story of our current theatre of lucid absurdity.

The rabid attempt by demagogues lurking in balkanized institutions, especially national security outfits, is worrisome to say the least, as they have attempted severally to abort us from the womb of our imperfect democracy in the past years with their unconscionable and unprofessional conducts towards a political agenda against the unity of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.

Their effort to criminalize protests against Sections 30 and 40 of the 1999 constitution as amended, which recognize our fundamental rights to assemble with others towards the expression of our approval or otherwise of Government and their policies as at when due, is criminally obvious.

The disruption of peaceful protests across a NIGERIA by armed police deploying excessive force, doesn’t show we are dealing with authorities that recognize the critical role of security institutions at this point in our democracy.

Acute corruption is revealed when security institutions become partisan appendages to political parties as currently balkanized, thus, executing the scripts that see genuine call for accountability and transparency as the machinations of opposition seeking to topple their administration even without any shred of evidence of militarization. This identity politics of hate (populism) has gone too far.

Many active citizens are being harassed and threatened, while some are held under detention for daring to speak. Dadiyata went missing having being a strong critic of the Governor of Kaduna, Steven Kefason has been remanded in Prison over a Facebook post, Federal High court after refusing to grant the challenge of Omoyele Sowore on his detention by DSS finally gave in to pressure. Whether DSS will obey court orders is too early to call as bail conditions were met on this day the 25th of September, 2019. Jalingo et al are also in prison over same political persecution by people who have made themselves tyrants over the people they ought to serve.

We have suddenly become a country that persecute critics with frivolous charges and even attempt to pin treasonable felony on citizens simply because the demagogues drowning in the pool of idolatry can’t stand the criticism of their man made gods, occupying political offices, as a display of loyalty.

It even gets worse to realize that for the right price security operatives can arrange extradition order for anyone abroad baselessly or over trivial matters as simple as domestic disputes. No doubt the criminal justice system is rotten, expired and dysfunctional but the path to formidable change remains the collective resolve of all and sundry to demand accountability and transparency in order to build a nation where peace and justice shall reign.

We at the Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation (SIAF) will continue to lend our voice and stand by all citizens regardless of their creed, clan, clout, or craze, in collaboration with other civil society organizations. The agenda is to raise a critical mass of transformational youthful leaders and enlightened followers, who are easy to govern, difficult to rule and impossible to enslave to deliver the future of Nigeria.

It will take the inputs of all of us, for all our children’s sakes. The current trajectory is not sustainable and the repercussion of the current dangerous precedents is ominous. We must keep demanding for the unconditional release of all political prisoners under this administration. It is our duty as active citizens for the sake of our children.

Don’t be Silent and Don’t be Violent.

Rise As One.