“A Call for Wisdom and Dialogue: Addressing Violence and Seeking Solutions for Nigeria’s Challenges”
I haven’t been able to comment on the recent killing of soldiers at Ataba because I’ve been very busy traveling from place to place for recordings and lectures. I know Hill Junction Road and that area very well, as I grew up there. I am strongly against the killing of any person. Soldiers being killed by civilians or non-state actors in Nigeria is unacceptable, and civilians being killed extrajudicially by military personnel is also unacceptable. I detest violence and killing, which goes against nature.
Every separatist or liberation movement that began with military action has always been resolved at the negotiating table. Why do people hesitate to start with negotiations? It is often due to pride, hatred, and misinformation. If Boko Haram fighters who have repented can be inducted into the Nigerian Army, why can’t amnesty be granted to Nnamdi Kanu? Granting him amnesty would alleviate tension and anger in the East. The federal government should not delude itself into thinking it can crush any resistance movement. History has not shown them to be successful in doing so. We have not been able to overcome Boko Haram agitators, bandits, herdsmen, kidnappers, or even the Euroban Nation agitators who recently invaded a government house. The government should engage with these people from different regions, understand their grievances, and find a resolution to live harmoniously together.
Furthermore, if Nigeria were divided into smaller units, the same character traits we have now would persist in those units. We would not import angels into the Yoruba Republic, Biafra, or any other new regions. The same exploitative oligarchs and elites would rise to power and rule over us. For example, a village president-general recently died, leaving behind about 17 million naira in his house, bags of salt, bags of beans that were growing, and dried meats that were rotting. Despite the many poor people in his community who needed aid, he did not distribute anything before he died, leaving them behind in neglect. This reflects the mindset of the typical Nigerian elite, whether they are from Biafra, the West, or any other region. Greedy elites will emerge wherever you go. We should focus on resolving and improving the current system rather than destroying ourselves.
Liberation movements are catastrophic and extremely destructive. The Igbo people, in particular, have much to lose. Remember the abandoned properties issue in Port Harcourt and the deaths during the Civil War. Many of those agitating for violence today were not born before the Civil War, so they do not understand the pain of losing neighbors and friends. Let us apply wisdom and avoid repeating past mistakes. He who brings a stick filled with ants should not start screaming when lizards appear in his sitting room.
I urge the federal government to pursue only the criminals and not punish the innocent with the guilt.
I remain the area grandfather, Dr. Charles Apoki.
