Nigeria’s “Democracy” is as Unreal as the shadows Cast in Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”. The real Democracy (the real Objects Outside of the Cave that make the shadows) is yet to be discovered.
The Nigerian masses are like the Cave Prisoners in Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” and they perceive Democracy as the shadows cast by the moving objects outside of the Cave but they need one or a few of them to make that leap outside of the Cave in order to discover the absolute Truth that the shadow (purgatory Democracy) which they see is not the real deal but a virtual projection of the truth (Real Democracy). If that Philosopher King were to evolve, make that leap and go outside of the Cave to discover the absolute Truth and if he were to come back in the cave to alert the other prisoners who had never been outside of the Cave all their lives, would they believe him or fight him for possessing knowledge or understanding that is different from their own empirical understanding of the Truth?
The Nnamdi Kanu’s, the Sowore’s, the Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s, and a few other true freedom fighters are like the philosopher Kings who escape the Cave to discover the truth and come back into the Cave to let the others (Nigerian Masses) know the truth and be freed but the jail masters (the Government) wouldn’t let the people be free but instead they’ll turn them against the Philosopher Kings in their ever too familiar tactics of “divide and rule”.
Someday, hopefully soon, more of the masses would escape that Cave and make that leap to discover the absolute Truth and then the true dividends of Democracy can be enjoyed by many..
The Nigerian State declared today, June 12, 2020 (Democracy Day) a public holiday and it makes many wonder if an entity that has in on its own been a disaster in upholding and guaranteing the basic principles of Civil and Human rights to its Citizens and upholding the rule of law and ensuring that all men are treated equal in its society, has the moral Torque to declare a “Democracy Day” holiday.
Nigeria has not attained democracy yet, so there is no need to sugarcoat things and celebrate democracy on a day or in an era that is devoid of the tenets of democracy. Political prisoners are still being taken and held without charges. People are still being detained even after courts have declared them free. The judiciary in Nigeria is still not independent. The elections are still not free and fair. Bribery and corruption are still the order of the day in Nigeria. Police Brutality is still not being tackled by the government. Freedom of speech, freedom of association and several other basic human rights are constantly being violated and trampled upon daily in Nigeria. The Eastern part of the country and its Citizens are still been seen as and treated as conquered people, with their rights constantly been violated with incessant killings, police actions, extortion by security services, and the orchestrated schematics to keep the people subjugated, amongst other things. The Press in Nigeria is still not Free. Many journalists are still getting jailed for news and information that the Federal Government deems damaging to its manipulations.
Innocent and unarmed I.P.O.B (Indigenous People Of Bịafra) members and indigenous tribesmen from the former Biafra enclave are still being abducted, tortured, and killed by government forces.
Christians are still being killed every day just for being Christians.
Members of the Shiite Islamic Sect that is led by the imprisoned Islamic Cleric, El Zakzaki, are still being killed and not allowed to peacefully gather and protest against their persecution in the hands of the Federal Government. Not long ago, many of them were killed by the Security Forces of Nigeria as they came out to protest.
Recently, Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and convener of the #TakeItBack and #RevolutionNow movements was arrested in Lagos by the federal government, laughable charges trumped-up against him, and he was held while just about everyone of his basic civil and human rights were violated. He was even refused freedom by the men of the D.S.S (Nigeria’s Secret Police) several times after several court orders to release him. His crime they said, is that he called for protests that he was arrested for even before they commenced. It took the efforts of international pressure groups, worldwide protests (I was blessed and opportuned enough to be one of the leaders of a few of such protests held in New York at the U.N and the Nigerian Consulate), and the intervention of some U.S lawmakers to get the Nigerian government to finally free him on bail. That same government is today celebrating a “Democracy Day”. LAUGHABLE. Funny twist is that there is a viral old video clip of a Sowore in his early twenties standing behind M.K.O Abiola as they protested the annulment by the Federal Government of the infamous June 12th elections result that most people believed was won by Abiola. Almost 30 years later, the same government that held Abiola without bail until his death is still arresting the likes of Sowore and others who were protesting with Abiola back in the early 90s. Abiola has now been, sort of, honored with a nationwide public holiday (Democracy Day) but most of the same people he rallied with have still not gained freedom and it’s not getting any better. DEMOCRACY DAY INDEED.
June 12 “Democracy day” declaration was largely a rush peace overture by the Fulani cabal to appease the Yorubas after the killing of Pa Fasoranti’s daughter, Olufunmilayo, by some Fulani herdsmen. Therefore, the public holiday, having a “Halo” of insincerity hovering over it, is lacking in the true spirit and essence of democracy.
South West Nigeria media Powerhouses made a big deal, and rightfully so, of Abiola’s protests after he was robbed of the presidency and that kind of helped launder the previously soiled image of Abiola (I.T.T. – International Thief Thief- according to Baba Fela and also as evidenced from a few “wayo” American and European deals he got himself into) and he attracted the attention of both Europeans and Americans who helped make the protests a bigger deal.
When Abiola died, the same South West Nigeria (Yoruba) media pushed for more agitation and the Yoruba people were kind of compensated when the Fulani Cabal recruited Obasanjo from prison to become president . Obasanjo was a safe pick to the cabal, mostly because they believed that he had been in the military with them over the years and had exhibited some good loyalty traits…
Bigger question now is, “Would the powerful South West media houses still had been super vocal if Abiola weren’t a Yoruba man?
Has the same Media cabal been consistent in helping to loud the cries of the oppressed people of the South East? The answer is NO.
When the military came down hard on unarmed Igbo civilians during “Operation Python Dance” in 2017, what did the media cabal do? They ridiculed IPOB and other protesters and made Chief of Army Staff, Buratai, a regular on channels TV where he helped propagate further, the Ruling cabal’s cover up of the atrocities through deceptive, selective and super biased reporting against the poor and unarmed Biafran Self determination agitating Civilians. Some never even reported that the army attacked Nnamdi Kanu’s house. Most of them never even took seriously or gave a fair and accurate reporting of the stories coming directly from their fellow journalists in Abịa whose NUJ offices were attacked and the journalists manhandled by the military. DEMOCRACY DAY INDEED.
So, it would be fair to say that the South West media cabal helped usher in the elections of 1999. With the election of Obasanjo in 1999, it appeared that they stopped being proactive in the push for stronger democratic principles to be strengthened by the govenment. The same media cabal never did anything else significant to strengthen or demand more press freedom, fairness and balance in their reportings. Obasanjo massacred people in Odi, Bayelsa State and the same media cabal that helped usher him in went mute… DEMOCRACY DAY INDEED.
The same media cabal went mute during operation Python dance mostly because they wanted to keep the lids on the “pressure-cooker”-charged Nigeria until 2023 when they believe Osibanjo, a Yoruba man, would take over from the Fulani cabal. But at the expense of covering up and under-reporting the killings of innocent unarmed civilians from the South Eastern part of the nation? Does that particular Media cabal only react to the interest and needs of people from the South West? DEMOCRACY DAY INDEED.
Chief M.K.O Abiola, just like Dangote and others, was a very good business man that got enriched through his Islamic and other ties he enjoyed with the Nigerian ruling cabal, and it was all good and hunky-dory with their alliance as long as he was getting enriched, even when millions of innocent, voiceless and powerless citizens were being persecuted by his government paymasters… DEMOCRACY DAY INDEED.
Now, one begs the question, “When was the rebirth for Chief M.K.O Abiola”? His rebirth, or more or less, “wake-up” moment came when the same masters refused to hand over powers to him when he was generslly believed to have won the presidential elections of 1992.
Abiola fought his masters very hard and deserved some appreciation for that very short burst of fight that he put up. Could he have done the same, with the same energy, charge and enthusiasm if he were not to be the direct beneficiary of what he was fighting for, the presidency? Still begging for an answer. Did he have a stellar record of fighting for others whom the government had persecuted? The answer is NO.
When herdsmen attacked and killed Olufunmilayo, one of the children of Chief Reuben Fasoranti, an Afenifere (Yoruba Socio-Cultural Organization) leader, the Fulani cabal shook as Ganni Adams and other Afenifere and OPC leaders vowed to deliver a devastating and heavy handed response. Buhari and his people quickly decided to declare June 12 “Democracy Day” in an attempt to maintain the delicate APC alliance of the North and South West. Amotekun, the Yoruba states’ independent security outfit was given a tacit nod by the Buhari cabal as part of the same appeasement drive.
When South East states tried to install a similar security initiative in their own zone, they were quickly shut down by the Federal Government through various diversionary means. Once again, the South West gained on Amotekun and was applauded by the infamous Western Nigeria media cabal, but the same media cabal went mute on the disruptions by the Federal Government on the establishment of the same Amotekun-Styled outfit for the South East. Media bias? You be the Judge.
Are the perceived dividends of the Nigerian democracy only favoring the South West and Northern Nigeria? Is the western Nigeria media cabal insensitive to the “Democratic dividends” needs and aspirations of the people of the South East? YES…
As a staunch defender of equal rights and justice, I call on the people within Nigeria to observe this so called “Democracy day” just within their own metaphysical space and use it as a catalistic boost of some sort to their natural yarnings for and affinity towards freedom, equity and Justice. This would help kick off a cascade of freedom and justice cosmic flow that would reverberate within the fabrics of the society and if well handled with deep consciousness, in no time, more and more people would be feeling the real essence and dividends of democracy in ways much more fulfilling than the porgatry laced “Democracy Day” dream that the federal government keeps trying to sell to the masses.
I once again demand that “Injustice to one is injustice to all and freedom must be fought for by all, at all times and in all places”.
Val Frakas Mo’Fire Amadi is the Publisher of We4WeREPORTS.com, a music & Film Producer, a Biochemist, BioMedical Researcher, a Social consciousness crusader and an Activist for Social Justice, freedom & Equality. He leads the #DemMustWaka & #TheyAllGottaGo Movement.
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