| Front Page |
THIS DAY On-line, letters, 29 April 2004
No doubt, the spate of political violence and killings in the country has now assumed alarming proportions. From isolated events or happenings a few years ago, it has grown exponentially to make newspaper headlines every now and then. In fact, political killings and threats of political assassinations are rapidly becoming commonplace in our society. There are equally embarrassing and perhaps shocking revelations as to their sources or what individuals and groups might be behind some of these killings. One gets the impression that the ruling party, the PDP, is on the boil and is fast becoming a divided house, a shadow of its old self.
The current turn of events in the country should not surprise anyone. For a nation stewing in endemic corruption, electoral fraud and all manner of political swindles, it is inevitable that political collapses and anarchic developments of all kinds would follow. Indeed, the current spate of political killing in the country is indicative of a total collapse of our political community. It is the classical case of how the cookies crumble. The development is in keeping with the valid notion that internal ferment and decay usually precede the demise or collapse of nations and civilizations. The fall or decline of ancient Rome remains a case in point. There is also the case of Somalia in contemporary history.
The collapse of the state of Somalia typifies what could become of a country buffeted by misrule and visionless leadership. Siad Barre, the erstwhile ruler of that sad country, had through bad leadership, tenacity to power and the use of divide-and-rule tactics marginalized and alienated many parts and sections of his country. The result was that several groups rose up in armed insurrection against his government.
The civil war that ensued lasted for many years and resulted in his ouster. But after Barre fled the county, it became difficult for the many armed militia groups and political warlords that fought Barre to unite and run the country. The result was anarchy and the absence of a central government in Somalia for nearly a decade.
There are many similarities between Siad Barre's Somalia and Nigeria of today. Most of the governments in the country at federal, state and local levels have degenerated to one-man governments that are run most capriciously and without vision.
This has resulted in total alienation of the citizenry and parts of the country from government. This is to say nothing about the persistent huge unemployment situation, low productivity and hunger in the land.
Uchenna Nwankwo, Lagos.
Home | Contact us | Links | Archives