After the elections, I had anticipated that the Obidient movement would renounce its campaign of retribution and transform into a respectable opposition movement. But the movement is still far from being civil and ideological. It has grown more ferocious, brutish, desperate, and nasty. It appears that the Obidient movement will consist primarily of insurrectionists.
In all actuality, the movement appears to be preparing to render the nation incapable of being governed.
For democracy to function, opposition must be diligent and organized. In actuality, without an informed opposition, there is no democracy. Every government faces opposition. A vibrant opposition is a sign of the health of the system in a democracy. There is opposition wherever there is democracy. In a republican system, opposition serves as the mitochondrion, keeping the government on track and focused on its objectives.
National interest, however, is one factor that fuels sincere opposition and ought to form the basis of every group. The terms of engagement of any movement should be determined by national interest and security.
The security of all Nigerians is threatened by any action that is not motivated by the country’s interests. The Obidient movement doesn’t seem to care about how its tactics affect national security and the collective consciousness of the country. I worry that some leaders of the movement may be IPOB members, a group that has been outlawed.
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The use of malicious lies, violent threats, and violence against those who hold different opinions portends a grimmer future. The Obidient movement might merely serve as the political base for those who are waging a covert war against Nigeria.
The movement’s tactics are making the already bad relations between Nigerians from various ethnic backgrounds even worse. Inter-ethnic conflict begins in this way. There is a misconception that the Igbo and Yoruba are at odds with one another, but this is untrue. The rest of Nigeria is up against the “Obidients.”
Igbo people are not represented by the Obidient movement. Let me be very clear about that. It is populated by a variety of people who support one man’s illusory goals. They are driven by one man’s ambition, not by any ethnic group’s interest. It’s critical that Nigerians place the current confusion within this framework. There is no ethnic group that the Obidient movement represents.
To tame this cacophony, political actors and supporters of Nigeria must speak out and take action. Nigeria is heading down a precipice. This is not the time for politics; rather, it is the time for statesmen and stateswomen to stand up and protect the nation from internal strife. Public comments at this time should be governed by national interest and security.
The safety and security of this country must come first.
