Traditionally, people all over the world have a time when they remember their loved ones, whom in certain circumstances died to give those alive succour for the future. For instance, in America, the US Civil War Memorial Day was Abraham Lincoln's brainchild.
It all began in 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation Act was signed by him as the culmination of the audacious quest for total liberation and integration of Blacks into the American politics.
In a bid to honour those that died fighting for the abolition of slavery and those that died in the unfortunate American civil war, the US Government for decades declared last Mondays of every May, public holidays to honour the departed.
The aim of which is to educate their young generation about the dark periods in their Nation's history, with a view to building a cohesive front in the future.
In view of this, and taking into account the trending issues in Nigeria, I am perturbed to ask once more:
(1)--Where on earth Nigeria got its version of Democracy that forbids people from sitting at home to remember their loved ones who died that they may live?
(2)--Where on earth Nigeria got the interpretation of Democracy to mean that, the mention of the word "Biafra" would constitute threat to the "National Unity" more than those that toppled the government by extremism, and ceased territories belonging to the same?
(3)--Where did Nigeria learn that Democracy is the clamping down on people who wave Biafran flag, wear Biafran muffler on their neck, or shirt on their body?
(4)--Where did Nigeria get its idea for Democracy that beating a child and asking him not to cry is the best form of remorsefulness?
(5)--Where did Nigeria get its version of Democracy that forbids the negotiability of its "unity", and placing the same as overriding national principle over justice and equity?
(6)--Why should the Biafran Memorial Day be scorned with every available instrument of oppression within the Federal might?
(7)--Or is it in any way different from the Slaves/American Civil War Memorial Day?
(8)--Or is it in any way different from the Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Day or even different from Nigerian Armed Forces Remembrance Day, etc?
In the case of America and the Holocaust (cited), there was none where Government of that country threatened fire and brimstone on the observers, rather, logistics were in place to ensure maximum participation, and adherence to sober reflections on those sad moments in their Nation's history.
It is now very clear that the arrogance of the Nigerian state to "suppress and oppress everything Biafra" is, among other things, deliberate and nothing more.
It still beats my imagination how one can achieve "unity" in a heterogenous society by opening new wounds when the old ones have not been healed. What harm or threat does people who wants to "sit at home" constitute that justifies forcing them out of their homes? None I can tell you.
It also beats my imagination as to whether the Nigerian Police and Military are there only to protect crimes and abhor peaceful conducts. I said so because the gory pictures of a young Igbo boy who was stoned to death and later burnt for "urinating inside a drainage close to a Mosque" by furious Sharia fundamentalists from the North, dominated the political discourse few days ago in the social media.
As usual no single arrest was made and the matter, believe me, has died on arrival. You won't tell us no Police officer or soldier heard about it. And this is the country that "belongs to all". We now know between Tom and Jerry who loves fomenting trouble at peaceful hours.
The "Unity" that Nigeria, Britain and her ally forces could not achieve in a three year war that saw millions of innocent mothers and kids starved to death, cannot be achieved by the contemporary Nigerian Military state, by running after innocent population who wants to sit at home and mourn their loved ones. Nigeria should work on its foundation, and stop justifying its monstrous democratic system.
Credit: Robert Nwokoro
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