Thinking: Occupy Nigeria and the Nigerian Revolution; The Dream of a Million Dreams

Some soldiers slapped or sorry, beat up their Brigadier Commander for slapping a soldier who asked for their entitlements and official two-week leave after returning from Mali. Anyway, my take is that they shall be punished accordingly. Speaking for the Army now, we will not condone nonsense. We will organise Kangaroo court martial session for them, strip them naked of their ranks, deny them of all entitlements and throw them in jail. Rubbish.

BUT WAIT..................................

If soldiers could do this, does it not show the extent of the frustration the Nigerian system is offering? With my minute and limited experience of the military, other ranks (Army and Airforce) and ratings (Navy) are the most dangerous. They share anything and almost everything. The ogas still hide and keep things from one another.

Now, the history of all notable and known revolutions shows they become successful from the major alliance between the aspirations of the people and that of disgruntled soldiers; I mean the other ranks and ratings because they are the ones who will go out there to do the dirty job of killing protesters and once they are tired of the system too, they will join the protesters or revolutionaries. There and then; the revolution will be born.

BUT there can never be a Nigerian Revolution. WHY? The problem is not the soldiers who will be ordered to kill and detract from doing such but the people who will NEVER EVER start any concrete civil disobedience to show their dissatisfaction with the polity. These ones prefer to kill one another at the grassroots than use the energy to fight the oppressors. What is known in history is that the oppressed usually after some time will rise against the oppressors once their eyes have been PERFECTLY opened.

I was in Minna, Niger State during Occupy Nigeria when soldiers were indirectly in support of the protests. Some showed it directly by telling protesters to advance more than them while delaying their own movements. They were also tired of the system. We later learnt that their bosses in the barracks placed a call through to the men on the field on why the burning and arson were still going on in their presence. That was when they did kangaroo chasing and pursuit. Who killed that mini revolution? Was it the security forces known for notorious killings or the civilian organisers? It was the latter; the Nigerian Labour Union.

The Nigerian scenario is ironical. The oppressed in Nigeria usually beg the oppressors to oppress them the more. They give licence to those oppressing them by labelling them with all sort of 'catch phrases' ranging from "sai baba', 'jagaban of Africa', 'messiah', 'giver of fresh air', 'the man for the job' to mention with all modesty; a few. The oppressed in Nigeria have perpetually licensed their destiny to always eat crumbs from the oppressors.

Give them peanut like Atiku's scholarship and they will sing your praises to high heavens. With this renewed vigour coming from the people because of your scholarship, you will be powerful enough again and be emboldened to form a new PDP.

The Nigerian oppressed love to wait for the 'messiah' while forgetting that they are the messiahs of themselves. NO oppressor no matter how 'good' he appears will teach the oppressed how to liberate themselves. No oppressor wants the oppressed to be liberated either.