After the Reggae play the Blues: A message to Nigeria youths

In this article, “reggae” is a metaphor for “war” (apologies to reggae music lovers) and “blues” for “peace”. Venom has been released into our national space, threatening our peace and unity. The reggae drumming is so loud that only the dance is remaining. If the youths do not stop this reggae drumming and the dance ever starts, we will all sweat blood.

Tension is high across religious, ethnic and regional divides as if they were the problem. But our problem is leadership failure from a chain of some dishonest cabals called politicians and elites, who squander our common wealth and keep us perpetually impoverished. They throw crumbs from their loots to few youths pretending to love them whereas their main motive is to enforce their political base.

Whenever we are heading towards discovering their antics and demanding accountability, they employ dubious diversionary tactics to cause confusion among us using our religious, ethnic and regional differences. Intoxicated by their crumbs, the youths fall for their tactics. This is their game for years and we seem not to get it despite our level of education.

But should the reggae dance begin, who will be at the receiving end? Surely, the same youths-victims of the cabals whose families are in the safety of Europe and America. If the reggae dance begins, and human blood starts spilling, and heads rolling, the cabals escape to join their families. And make no mistake, they will return with their children to continue their domination over our remnant.

Dear Nigerian youths, similar reggae drums preceded the 1967-1970 reggae dance which brought untold hardship and the death of innocent people including women and children. Why repeat an ugly avoidable history? No sane person hits his leg twice on the same stone. The path we are trading will only lead to anguish, pain and sorrow. Therefore, in the spirit of our common humanity, let’s stop the reggae and start playing the blues.

Listen to the voice of reason. Try this one action with resolve and determination and see if things will not change. Stop eying the looters’ crumbs. Nigerian youths have the numerical advantage, the education, agility, and professional advantage. All we need is synergy to form one united body that will peacefully and most respectfully but resolutely and uncompromisingly face the nation’s common enemies. Nigerian youths, it is time to take your destiny into your hands