Nigerians are a people blessed with a large and accommodating heart filled with intense sense of great humor always ready to make fun out of any problem as can be seen in the phrases “there is God oo” and “My Oga at the top” which were all gotten in very strange situations. One attribute that marks out is our ability to forgive and forget in a giffy no matter how deep the hurt. Our politicians, seeing this as a perceived “weakness”, keep taking huge advantage of it as it’s already ingrained in their always “ready to exploit” DNA.
Any independent minded thinking Nigerian knew that the #bringbackourgirls crusade started weeks ago by media activists will only fade away with time. This is not pessimism neither is it sadism, it’s just an assertion made after years of seeing many incidents turn into trends that get very predictable once they start.
Weeks after running twitter and facebook ragged with this trend, everyone has suddenly realised “Oooo, we’ve got our lives to live; My family is there to feed, my boss is there to please, i’ve got my children’s fees to pay and Hmnn.. my exam must be passed. Why should the whereabout of these kids who are not mine be my headache. If government can’t take care of them, who will??” And just like that, the story is neutralized by other more “pressing” and evolving issues.
Probes into the amount spent by legislators and senators has been washed down the drain, the Alison Madueke debacle has mellowed, Sanusi’s accusations on the government has been thrown into the deepest part of the atlantic sinking along with the many unresolved cases which were once the hot topics of discussion. The chibok girls’ case threatens to tow this path.
If nothing, the #bringbackourgirls trend put direct pressure on the government during the first week of its creation and even attracted the eyes of foreign governments. During this period, the government made desperate efforts to give answers to the tons of questions asked by nigerians. Slight progress was being made to get the girls.
And just like that everything is fizzling away. Perhaps the only people that benefit from this show of initial “gra-gra” from Nigerians is the opposition camp of politicians who, like hound dogs, are always ready to pounce on any chance at discrediting the government.
The only thing that makes the politicians of Nigeria sit on the edge is when the populace stand up to their actions. Never mind the impression they give us that our reactions to their actions don’t matter. It matters a whole lot. Panic meetings are held through the nights when they perceive any whiff starting among the citizens. We, not them, rule this country. They are just there because we say so. That’s why this is democracy; Government of the people, by the people and for the people. Two things make democracy thrive well – the opposition and most importantly the citizens. When they succeed in silencing the public, everything becomes a bed of roses for them.
Now the #bringbackourgirls episode threatens to be cut short by lack of producers, actors and directors, the government will be more than happy to have a breathe of fresh air in the hope that another issue replaces it.
Won’t be surprised to see another Series take over the Chibok Girls’ Series. When this happens, Our Amnesic attack will kick off, a trending phrase will be coined to replace the former, the first two weeks will be followed by intense pressure on the government, one week extra the case gets cold like a “morgued” corpse and thereafter it’s back to square one.
Sustained momentum is needed by us. It shouldn’t Just be the initial 3 weeks “gra-gra” but a continuous one and NEVER forget, your voice really counts. Long Live Nigeria!!!
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