By Kayode Emola
Most countries throughout the world pride themselves on their independence and endeavour to assert it in a variety of ways. Therefore, Western countries frown upon it very seriously when a rival country tries to manipulate the outcome of their elections. However, when the same occurs amongst African nations, no one cares and Africa is meant to just suck it up and move on.
Consider the furore when Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of America amidst the speculation about Russian involvement in his ascendency to the position. Yet the West do not cry foul when there is interference in the elections in Africa or other less economically developed countries – indeed, they are often the perpetrators of such election interference. Why is it not standard international practice to condemn Western countries of hypocrisy when they try to manipulate elections, whether in Africa or anywhere else around the world?
Early last year, I was informed of a plan by Washington to install an Igbo man as President of Nigeria in 2023. The Biafran separatists were seen as the major drivers for the dissolution of Nigeria, and therefore the greatest threat to the country’s continued existence, and so it was thought this move would help stall the Biafran agitation. At the time, there was no particular candidate obviously apparent, but it would appear that the West when they desire something, focuses all their resources on attaining it.
Not long after that encounter, we saw Peter Obi visiting the former UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, at 10 Downing Street. Lo and behold, Peter Obi is now being touted as the messiah sent from heaven to cleanse the Nigerian system of corruption. I wonder how gullible my people must be to believe that Peter Obi rose up from nowhere to be a frontrunner in the forthcoming Nigeria Presidential election without any outside assistance.
We would do well to remember how Buhari promised heaven and earth during his presidential campaign; and also, the part that President Obama played in ensuring his victory. Today, we have only ourselves to blame for being fooled again into voting for Buhari. If anyone thinks that we, the people, are the ones determining who will become leaders in Africa, especially in Nigeria, then they ought to get their brains examined. The West is not yet ready to relinquish control of Africa; the cycle of slavery and colonialism which started nearly 500 years ago is still very much alive and thriving in this 21st century.
That being said, whether Peter Obi wins or not will be answered in a matter of weeks. But we must not let speculation about the likelihood of his victory to distract us from the real issue: that over 133 million Nigerians live in abject poverty and their voices matter. I do not perceive that the result of this election will fulfill the wishes of the people. Equally, it cannot be promised that the unsuccessful candidates will not embark on endless litigation against the winner, whoever that may be.
With Nigeria more polarised than at any other time in history, there is every possibility that this election will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Nigeria has failed to define its identity beyond the colonial framework created by Britain, which has been catastrophic across all sections of the economy. Without settling the question of identity, how can we think that we can proceed to a national election without national consensus? You cannot have a diverse range of ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and pretend that they are all one people. Whatever each individual tribe desires, they are not getting it from Nigeria at present; and, if care is not taken, this is definitely going to tear the country apart.
The fact that we have contenders from each of the three main tribes – Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa/Fulani – contesting for the presidency shows that we have returned to the 1950s once again. Back then, the politicians tried to outdo one another, and the end result was terrible for everyone. Now, more than 60 years later, history is about to repeat itself. If only people could see, the writing is on the wall to say that the time is up for Nigeria and the West. Nothing works in Nigeria for the general population; and the longer the politicians and their international conspirators continue to force Nigeria to be one nation, the more innocent lives they will destroy.
We have reached a critical point in the journey to nationhood. No matter who becomes president, they cannot embody all the different ethnicities to unite them into one nation called Nigeria. There have been many calls for federation, restructuring, regionalism, rotational presidency and so on. However, the fact remains that Nigeria is not working, cannot work, and no amount of palliative measures or sticking plasters can heal the deep wounds inflicted on this poor country for over 60 years.
Nigeria is supposed to be the shining light of Africa, yet has now become a country reliant on aid from smaller African nations just to survive. I remember when our currency used to be ten times stronger than that of the Republic of Benin, but today the CFA is much stronger and more stable than the naira. The Western conspiracy against Africa, which ensures no true nationalist can rise up to save their country or continent, appears to have affected Nigeria more than any other country in Africa.
For those going out to vote in the February 2023 elections, I offer you this sad caution:
Your votes do not determine who becomes the president, governor, senators – or any other elected official, for that matter. Your vote is an exercise in futility, meant to massage your ego with the illusion that you at least have a choice in who oppresses you. In reality, those who decide who will rule you live thousands of miles away, and they are making sure that you get leaders who will primarily serve their interests, not those of you, the electorates.
Just this week, the Labour Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, visited Chatham House in London, with the aim of selling his candidacy to his UK paymasters and the gullible diasporans. Sky News, BBC, and several other media houses were present at the event, taking time to speak with Obi, to the amazement of his fans and admirers. Many people seeing his rise in opinion polls think that it is due to his credibility as a candidate. They do not know that his international backers are working hard behind the scenes to manipulate Nigerians into electing an Igbo man as president.
There is no doubt that Peter Obi, as a citizen of Nigeria, has every right to run for the presidency. What is less apparent is why the international media has only just caught up with the fact that a country like Nigeria exists. Yoruba and Biafra have been clamouring for our own independent nations for some time, and our campaigns are well known to these media houses, yet on this subject they decided to keep mute. So why are they now reporting on Nigeria’s election as if it is the panacea that will solve all the people’s problems, rather than listening to and reporting on what the people themselves are saying they need?
It is undeniable and inescapable that Nigeria is living on borrowed time; and everyone in the world knows it. Buhari has less than five months before his tenure expires, whereupon he will be condemned to the dustbin of history. The wishes of the people will eventually prevail and the indigenous people will rule themselves once again as free men/women.
I do not see how any outcome of the 2023 election can avoid exacerbating ethnic tensions. Should a Yoruba man win the Presidency, the Igbo will resume their clamour for Biafra, and the Fulani will feel short-changed. If an Igbo man wins, those of the Yoruba people not currently supporting the call for independence will become advocates of separation. Worst of all, if a Fulani man were to win the Presidency, then even the Southern Governors and politicians will feel cheated and seek to withdraw from Nigeria. Whichever case is the outcome, this election is nothing short of a calamity in waiting.
For those of us actively campaigning for Yoruba nation, I want to encourage you that our efforts are not in vain. Let’s hold our peace and see how our God wants to fight for us. We have done all we can to reach this point and will continue to do so, edging us ever closer to the finish line. I exhort you especially now not to give up, as our victory is in sight. It is only when we receive our new nation that our struggle to emancipate our people will be finally complete. Until then, we will not cease to stand up and speak out until the world hears us.
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