Fulani herdsmen and the blame game controversy

I was amazed upon the observation that the blames and anguish of the PDP apologists about most of the negative turn out of events has been directed to the so called ‘Ignorant APC electorate’.

We complain that the APC led administration has mastered the blame game but yet we are guilty of the same crime.

It is important that we get this straight, what happened in
the last election was a milestone to be reckoned in Nigeria’s democracy.

For the first time an opposition party would win an election over the incumbent party and ultimately, an incumbent President being defeated while running for a second tenure which is considered by the past Nigerian presidents as a political right. That code has been broken and whether you may want to take it or leave it is a step in the right direction.

I guess at the point when most Nigerians who supported the APC were chanting Change, what they really needed was fresh air from the already expired popularity of the past administration. Now if the fresh air is not found conducive until the next presidential election, ‘Change’ shall remain constant. It shall not only be applicable to the immediate past administration.

The outcome of the emergence of the APC led administration so far may not be exactly what was expected but when the people had the chance to make a difference (vote), they had thoughts that bothered them, they had worries, they wanted fresh air. Maybe their uttermost intention was to ‘vote out’ the GEJ’s administration than it could have been to ‘vote in’ Buhari’s administration. That they may still do again come next elections if this current administration does not deliver in dew time. They could not afford to leave in the thoughts of what could have been if they allowed the usual intimidation of  the PDP which had already lasted for about 16years. Change was a risk they needed to take and they took it.

They sent a message and their message is clear even to the incumbent administration; “If you don’t deliver good governance, they would show you to the door”.

The turn out of events may have seemed unfavourable to some extent so far but they should not be forced to regret their decision.

Every citizen has the right to vote whichever candidate they wish depending on their perception and conviction. It does not make them any less political or intelligent, it does not make them stupid or foolish, it does not make them liable for any shortcoming of the administration they voted.

Do not call out the innocent citizens who exercised their suffrage the same way you did. The negative turn out of events could have been manifest under any administration. The Fulani herdsmen crisis for instance was not recorded for the first time under the president Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. Perhaps the 2014/2015 Benue massacre did not carry much weight to be mentioned but these were also Nigerian lives.

Do anyone recall how the kidnap of the Chibok girls played out? Do you remember that two weeks after the said kidnap happened the presidency was yet to publicly acknowledge the misfortune. Do you recall that until the hash tag ‘BringBackOurGirls’ started trending on social media and the international community joined the campaign, the Presidency was mute? Do you remember that until Michelle Obama and other foreign dignitaries started carrying the placards with prints ‘BBOG’, Patience Jonathan didn’t come out to cry and make one of her most hilarious and ridiculous speech?

Now what we may hold against the present administration in comparison with the past administration is that they don’t speak up to address issues? Who are we kidding?

 We could have as well argued that President Jonathan was a culprit in the kidnap since he initially was nonchalant.

This in anyway is not to make excuses for the government’s inability to carry its citizens along, rather my point is this wasn’t any different from the past administration so why make it seem like it would have been any different?

When we are faced by critical challenges as a nation, we should channel all our energy towards proffering lasting solutions or even the immediate ones rather than indulging in looking for whom it is most comfortable for us to blame at the time.

I sincerely commiserate with all the victims of the Fulani herdsmen crisis, especially the recent one at Nimbo Uzowani LGA of Enugu State.