THE MILITARY OUTREACH AND THE MARATHON RACE IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA: Exploring The Underlying Issues

Bodmas

22 Oct, 2017

Anyone who has perused the newspapers recently or have been observant enough, must be familiar with the purported story of the military medical outreach at schools in Southern Nigeria especially states within the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones. For some, it shows the level of illiteracy and primitivity in Southern Nigeria as they ran without evidence, for others, the country man governor of Bayelsa State has been justified for spending so much on billboards and media adverts against rumour mongering. Yet, for some others, especially the religious folks, it is a confirmation of the biblical teachings on the signs of the end time. As I discussed with a friend from the northern region, he made a rather comic assertion about the whole scenario. He said "the evil man runneth when no man pursueth him". He was trying to be funny but it got me thinking - He actually thinks the south is Evil and you know, the mouth is only a servant to the heart.

Each group has the right to their opinion and I respect that. But, as I thought through the whole incidence, there was a fundamental disconnect between the military outreach and the race. Did Nigerians run from the military or something else? Even though, no single military man was seen in a school in Delta State, parents and students still took to their heels. Days after the marathon race in Delta, Bayelsa and River States followed suit despite a Military Disclaimer. In fact, in Bayelsa, parents scaled the fence of school buildings and showcased to the legislators that it is not only them has the talent to jump high walls in Abuja. Some parents showed they are still champions of traditional wrestling as they lifted uncooperative teachers high in the skies to gain access to their kids. More worrisome is the fact that, I saw security officials also struggling to get their kids out of school.

It is essentially true that an average Nigerian man places more confidence and prefers the Nigerian Army to the Nigerian Police. There is no gain saying even the CROCODILE SMILE of an Army is more preferable to a whole hearted smile of a police officer. A fellow who rather loves night travel revealed that, he feels more safe and comfortable when he encounters a check point mounted by the Nigerian Army compared to one mounted by the Nigerian Police. I could also still remember vividly at NYSC camp during an elaborate lecture on Security tips. The lecturer advised all Corp Members to run to the nearest Army Barrack whenever there is chaos in their area of primary assignment. Arguably, the army is one of the most patriotic institutions of any country as they have taken an oath to defend the nation and place the national interest of the State even above their personal interest. As part of their argument, the Nigerian Army has continually said they took over power from the civilians due to their love for the country unlike the unpatriotic and corrupt leadership of the civilians.Why the sudden distrust in the army? Is it due to the launch of the operation CROCODILE SMILE? If the medical outreach was done by any other organisation would it have resulted to a marathon race?

As I thought about the following questions, I cast my mind back to 2015 when most parents in Northern nigeria disallowed polio vaccines to be given to their kids as they suspected it was a South- South means of depopulating them prior to the elections. Some health officials who tried to administer the vaccines were beaten up and kids were not allowed to go to school during the immunisation program. It then came to my mind that if it was the military under Goodluck Jonathan presidency that went for a medical outreach in the North then, there also would have been a marathon race. Since, they know they can't fight the military and beat them up like they did to the medical officials they would have certainly opted for the Marathon Race with their kids.

I asked myself, would the Northern part of Nigeria run today because of a military outreach? Of course they won't! As a matter of fact, they would welcome it like the arrival of a new born boy to a home that has been praying for a male child. I ask again, would the South have ran this race if it was Goodluck Jonathan led military that was purported to have been involved in a military outreach? I didn't think so.

It became clear to me; people ran not because of a military outreach but because of the man behind the military. They ran because they distrust the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and the ethnic group and geopolitical zone he is affiliated to. Nigerians are not illiterates, they know the military is also made up seasoned medical professionals and technocrats. Nigerians ran because they have become aware that whoever gets hold of political power in Nigeria personalizes the State and it's instutions including the military for his personal and ethnic gains. Nigerians have not forgotten the Odi saga and similar situations.

Subconsciously, the Southern part of Nigeria ran from ethnic and chauvinistic leadership that has always existed in Nigeria. Whenever there is a president from the North, any rumour could blow the whistle for a marathon in the South.Similarly, whenever there is a Southern presidency, any rumour could spark off a marathon race in the North.The problem is that of ethnic suspicion and distrust. When Goodluck Jonathan was the president, if you were very observant, you must have noticed at a slight rumour, you would not see a motor bike anymore as the operators being predominantly northerners would often flee back to the north and come back when they confirm it was another rumour.

Marathon will not end in this country as ethnic division is worse now than ever. I therefore foresee a scenario where anything whether truth or lies could spark off a major ethnic or sectional conflict in Nigeria. Citizens now only feel secure in the leadership of an ethnic or regional brother and once he is out, they hardly have the least trust for any governmental institution led by someone from a different ethnic group.

Nigeria's fragility is worse now than ever and only a patriotic leadership and followership that would live above ethnic lines, chauvinistic tendencies and hearken to the socio-political, economic and environmental demands of all groups would rescue Nigeria from collapse.

Nigeria needs a leadership that would make Nigerians build trust in the institutions of government. A leadership that would make Nigerians know Nigeria loves them. A northern leader that would see the pictures of environmental pollution in the South and shed tears. A southern leader that would hear of Boko Haram in the North and shed tears. A leadership that would not pay half salary and receive a full one but rather receives half to pay full. A leadership that would lose appetite to eat at the story of the killings of Nigerians at the diaspora. A leadership that would care for Nigerians like a mother would to her only son.

Dengiyefa Angalapu
Unobtrusive Observer
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