The Voice of Silence – The Implication for Africa.

Editor’s note: [This is the second part of a write-up that details the frustrations of the average Nigerian citizen whose leadership has been mostly quiet on oppression and brutality meted out on its people. Check out the first part of the write-up titled “Maddened By the Madness in Governance: A People Stirred To Action!”].

Silence is that invisible wall that sets a ruler apart from the ruled. With rulers seemingly appearing that they’ve forgotten the people on the other side of the fence on which many of them have stepped to climb to the glittering side they are now.

Maybe some rulers suffer from selective amnesia: as they remember the people again not sooner than an electioneering activity reinvigorate to life once more.

The Buhari-led government of Nigeria has been termed ‘go slow’ in its attitude to governance. He himself hardly speaks, much less, address the plights of the people in the urgency of time. He will not bow to public pressure until there have been several criticisms and calls for him to act from frustrated citizens, influential leaders and pressure groups.

Nigerians in times past have been subjected to abuse, torture and even murder. Nigerians became victims of all forms of heinous brutalities of life: injustice, poverty, and insecurity. With nowhere else to turn, they at least expected their leadership to give them the assurance that appropriate measures will be taken. However, that has not been the case, leaving Nigerians to take their destiny into their own hands – thus, making a BIG statement, reminding the juggernauts that power still belongs to the PEOPLE!

What initially appeared as child’s play, a mere episodic mischief-making by the youth that would fizzle out in time, skyrocketed beyond the routine expectations! As Nigerians marched ferociously towards freedom, they stormed the streets in their thousands demanding for comprehensive sanity in governance; ambushing the cyberspace to the extent that it drew world attention. It became apparent that Nigerians have long been impregnated by the pains and horror they suffered from those brutalities. Revolts, outrage, and chaos are what were delivered of it in October.

It’s no doubt that Nigerians have made a statement ingrained forever in the stony hearts of their leaders. They’ve proven that silence or disdain for their clamoring by their leadership could be measured in return with something more drastic and ferocious. They’ve proven that the youth are no longer the movers of tomorrow but the movers of today for tomorrow, especially when in union for a cause. They’ve proven that results for a common cause is far more reaching if the women also tie their wrappers and jump into the arena of action side by side with the men.

Unarguably, the recent revolt in Nigeria has sent a turbulent wave of consciousness to the whole of Africa, particularly to the youths of the African motherland. Similarly, we cannot divorce the impact of the far recent Sudanese revolutionary wave from the factors that have influenced the more recent radical movement for change in Nigeria. It is not illusionary to say that these chain of revolutionary-like events will catch up soon with other errant states in Africa. To avoid the Chinua Achebe’s spell, let them, the falconer of these African countries, therefore heed to the pleadings of their falcons and their demands while it is yet time, that their centers of power may hold; for if found wanting, sooner or later, a mere anarchy may be loosened upon them!

By Pelumi Adeniyi

Student of Obafemi Awolo University

pelumiadeniyi247@gmail.com

Nigeria