IS BUHARI'S CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT NOT WORSE THAN GENERAL SANI ABACHA MILITARY JUNTA? By David Adenekan.

IS BUHARI'S CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT NOT WORSE THAN GENERAL SANI ABACHA MILITARY JUNTA? By David Adenekan.


#Ìròyìn Òmìnira
18th May, 2022

Yes, it is not ironical to say that in few instances, a military government may be better than a civilian government.

In 1983, during the struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria, it was the late sage, Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo in his infinite wisdom that said; "the worst civilian government is better than the best military dictatorship."

However, can this statement always be true when taking into cognizance, the unveiling empirical facts of General Sanni Abacha military leadership?

Another question is, will history be fair to General Sanni Abacha when we critically consider his pragmatism and some of the bold steps he took in tackling religious crisis during his reign as a military dictator?

Yes, it was the darkest military era but can we truly ascertain that in a few instances that the Buhari civilian government is better than Abacha military government?

Prejudice apart, it is evidently clear that the Abacha military government was proactive and pragmatic in handling some issues bordering on national security.

Thus, we illustrate this obvious fact with a certain empirical evidence.

In 1995 and in the heydays of the Abacha military rulership, a group of 9 islamic fundamentalists in the city of Kano beheaded a young Igbo business man, Gideon Akaluka. He was accused of desecrating the Holy Qur'an. This led to a religious uproar in the city of Kano. General Sani Abacha ordered the immediate execution of all the 9 religious extremists who were caught in the act with the exception of one with a royal blood that secretly found a way of escape from the hang-man. His name was Sanusi Lamido, the deposed Emir of Kano. This ugly event and the immediate consequence (capital punishment) marked the end of any religious crises throughout the entire reign of General Sani Abacha.

The question is, how many times has President Muhammadu Buhari condemned and put to trial, bandits or Fulani terrorists who are caught in the act?

The big question that is begging for answer is that, is President Muhammadu Buhari not also culpable in all of the ethnic cleansing being perpetrated by members of his ethnic stock?

Also, is it not a fact that under President Muhammadu Buhari, bandits and Fulani terrorists have been rewarded with billions of naira to buy more sophisticated arms and unleash their terrorist attacks on many innocent citizens. Also, did the Buhari administration not add salt to the injury by enlisting some of them into the Nigeria army?

At this juncture, it is pertinent to say that, General Sani Abacha was a moslem from the conservative north extract and all the 9 religious fundamentalists that were ordered to be executed by General Sani Abacha, were moslems from the northern region.

General Sani Abacha, in his personal conviction posited that, a true leader must tackle head on, any kind of insurgency that may rear its ugly head.

According to the late General Sani Abacha, "any insurgency that lasts more than 24 hours, a government official or the government itself, has a hand in it."

Yes, this quote asks so many questions amidst several attacks of insurgency in Nigeria today, including killing, kidnap and many other confusing challenges in an atmosphere that covers the wicked people behind all of these heinous crimes against humanity.

Suffice to say it that, what do we think and how valid do we see this claim by a former military leader of Nigeria, in comparison with the complicity and inept leadership that have so far being displayed by President Muhammadu Buhari in tackling the issues of national security in Nigeria today?

For many of us that back in the days fought the military junta to a standstill for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria, are we not regretting our actions today because, this was not the true democracy we fought for?

Hmmm! Today, what are the feelings of the likes of Segun Mayegun, Omoyele Sowore, Mike Igini, Ogaga Ofewodu, Ebun Adegboruwa, Osagie Obayuwana, Barrister Tokun Pedro, Wale Balogun, Muyiwa Idowu (Moscow), Solomon Igbinigie, Dr. Tolu Olusodo, Dr. Tuyi, Mukaila Popoola, my humble self and many others that I cannot remember their names that almost lost their dear lives for democracy in Nigeria???

In the final analysis, is the quote by Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo, "a worse civilian government is better than the best military dictatorship not being invalidated with what we are seeing in the present day Nigeria?

Yes, there is insecurity all over the land in a democratic government; and this has put to acid test the 1983 quote of our late Sage, Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo, "the worst civilian government is better than the best military dictatorship"?

In summary, is late General Sani Abacha, as a military dictator not far better than the current civilian President, Muhammadu Buhari, a defacto military leader in civilian uniform as prefixed by Punch National Newspaper?

Time will tell.

David Adenekan writes from Chicago Illinois.

davidadenekan5**********.

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