Sat 7 6 2014 e version

Page 20

Saturday Newswatch, June 7, 2014

20

Opinion

Nyako’s defecation in the Temple By @ ! '

To be continued next week

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f there had been an iota of doubt on the mind of any person or group of persons * � unalloyed support, and the seemingly / L < 8 = leaders, especially those occupying public / / would have begun to obliterate such unnecessary reservation from his psyche in the light of the memo reportedly authored and addressed to the 19 state governors of = = „ * = < # % Understandably, though the raging activities of the Boko Haram sect now appear like a whirlwind apparently blowing almost everybody and everything to pieces, there is no gainsaying that all = / + and inactions did interact to give birth and vent to the prevailing security situation the country has found itself, would undoubtedly be rankling with deep regret that the original script of their political shenanigans designed to be used to destabilise the government of „ < 7 2 * instrumentality of Boko Haram may have + / with the one of their foreign pay master – Al-Qaida – which has invariably blown

/ % & / ' Atiku Abubakar, who once reportedly threatened the country (during the countdown to 2011 presidential election) with his remark that “he who makes peaceful change impossible, makes violent change inevitable� appears nowadays to be more concerned than anybody else as if this remark credited to him does not with hindsight betray his possible foreknowledge of all the diabolism and machinations that were supposedly on ground for members of the Boko Haram sect at the time. Curiously, it then boggles * / statement– among sundry others of its < = leaders seemed to have eluded the short „ * = < ' ~ / hate words, grave allegations, etc; and constituted them into a memo. To say the least, it is most unfortunate

that a person of his calibre with such military and governance pedigree could holding brief for the Boko Haram sect. † < / = < style of advocacy for Boko Haram is simply “typical of the many tragedies of belied solidarity for the activities of the sect often adopted by most Muslim northern leaders.â€? Instructively, it smacks of no surprise that in dissecting issues relating the Boko Haram and the Federal „ * = = < ' + / / = region in much the same way he accused 2 ~ * + < / 4 ‡= = ˆ ‰ alike. On the other hand, in an apparent = < that he is more inclined to believe that all the havoc being wreaked every now and = region are by no stretch of imagination the unlikely misdeeds of the “so-called Boko Haramâ€? - hence his submission that “we no longer accept let alone believe that our prominent Mallams in the mosques in Kano and Zaria have been killed L < 8 ‰% Ă’ L < 8 ĂŒ Wonders, indeed shall never cease. Arguably, there exist possibilities that

certain killings of “some prominent mallams in the mosques in Kano and Zaria� as well as “pastors and other worshippers in the Christ / !

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+ * % = * = / to share in this view – at least for now. In essence, much as one is inclined to empathize with the governor over the state of confusion the operations of the sect has / + < appears to be absence of concrete evidence = wont to point at the members of the Islamic sect in the event of any act of killing, � of properties perpetrated anywhere = % ! = * = * � her mindset to be so stereotyped. For one, < + / < 7 ' Ade Bayero, could not have borne less the hallmarks of the typical Boko Haram encounter or the imprint of its usual + < / ascribed in certain quarters to the activities of unknown gunmen. Somehow, still bearing in mind that a certain well-known

= # / indicated his undying interest or what some persons would prefer to call his wishful thinking to succeed the present 7 + < < < will it be abnormal if someone reasons that this potential aspirant to the throne of 7 * / + + / Ade Bayero? Or can anybody stand out to vouch for the innocence of the Boko 8 * 7 ĂŒ Surely, this is one key angle to the raging = < / + Ă“ or commission – while dwelling on the allegation of the so-called “genocide in = = %‰ Š = < + < * L # „ * % „ Suswan, as well as that of the Senate President, distinguished Senator David Mark, could not have been the handiwork of the “innocent Boko Haramâ€? is, to say the least, ridiculous. By his thinking, for + < # to have reportedly taken place in Imo State would not have meant anything short of part of a whole gamut of the “demonic policy of evil few in and around the administration that have advocated

= ! Muslims, are to be so dealt with, ill-treated // %‰ = % L + = < * $ / / * = and still maintain that the members of the sect can hardly be exonerated from + < „ * = < obvious reasons. First and foremost, / + / / / < = < / * * of the Islamic terrorist group – the Boko Haram – in the cruel activities of the Fulani herdsmen across the length and = ~ ~/ zone, the emerging truth clearly points at the opposite. That the so-called Fulani herdsmen recently arrested by men of = & # / ~ of Boko Haram goes to unmask the real 2 < bushes, forest areas and destroying farm = %

Driving to a town called yesterday the heat of the sun. Remember those days of playing may not be a great traveller, but ^ + when I choose to travel, I could / / / travel any distance. I only travel ' / < + to the “future,â€? but this time was < / Ă? ' daddy game or keeping a large called Yesterday. collection of wallpapers of famous I had walked a long distance to get

% = % to the centre of a green park in my city. If you had an opportunity to go back As I sat on the moulded seats under to yesterday, to that time when you one of the huts that characterised the were a kid, what would you love to do park environment, I was hit by the again? Luther Vondross gave his own sudden blow of yesterday. My eyes answer as “if I could turn back the starred at some young kids who were hands of time, I would like to dance + with my father again.� / <% + Pondering over how much has I reminisced time when I would have changed, I remember praying along ' / % = with my peers that we should grow ' / % up fast, become fathers and mothers grown. and create the change we want. We You might have had one of such have grown; some of us have married, + * < others are hoping to, and then it hits us 4 ‰ % that we have missed something. You wish you could go back to when Yes, we have missed something. We you were a child and repeat the games no longer can play the hide and seek you played. You still wish the skipping games nor listen to tales by moonlight. ropes could go rolling over your We are no longer thrilled with head and the street ball games could Barney and Friends, Superman, continue as you run feverishly under By # ‘ 7< <

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Spiderman, Robocop, and all the frills that caught our fancy those good old days. What happened to our soccer gods, the ones we idolized when we were ĂŒ Š 2 2 Olisehs, the Kanus, the Beckhams, the Zidanes, the Ronaldos, the Robertos, the Figos of the football world? These were men we idolised whose shirt numbers we lay claim to on the back of our school seats. You are iconic if compared to those famous ones in style of play. Their time is long gone. When you listen to the giggle of a child, you wish you could giggle along. But you are so encumbered with thoughts of “how do I survive?â€? ‹ > needs, things that were not part of life those growing years. As we grow older, we begin to desire to grow younger. We want to return to yesterday, and lay there for as long as we can. Ladies want baby looking skins that will make them look under eighteen forever. Men want to be forever young. It is a great desire that falls in the “I

wish� class. It is impossible. We will give way somehow whether willingly or unwillingly to the cold hands of ageing. Here is a thought that pricked my heart as I pondered on having an opportunity to get on the merry go round in the park without being considered too young. Having a child with me was the answer. If I had a child, I would have taken him or her to the park and then Say, ‘honey let us play on the merry % childhood playing football with my son, skipping with my daughter, running the bag race with my children and having us play the football console. I would not have looked odd because I was doing it with someone who has a right to it. I would be considered a great dad. Your children could give you the yesterday you want to have if you < + what you had. Samuel Ufot Ekekere writes from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

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