Nigerians And Internal Colonialists

Fifty-four years ago Ni
geria attained independence as a sovereign nation from the colonial administration of Britain. Between 1960 and 1999 when the present structure of governance emerged, Nigeria had undergone several ordeals by dictatorial, oppressive and suppressive governments particularly the military juntas.
In May 1967, the first states were created from the four regions in Nigeria by the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon. Honestly, there was relative peace, harmony, understanding, although with minimal fracas  which generated the civil war in Nigeria from 1967 to January 12,1970. The war became an eye opener to the entire citizenry of the nation.
Since independence, terrorism and insecurity became pronounced during the military era of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (rtd) who occupied a dual status as President in military uniform. The IBB regime tickled Nigerians into annulling the ever  best recorded  presidential elections conducted on June 12, 1993 without apology to Nigerians  until 17 years after in 2010.
In November 1993, General Sani Abacha seized power from the Interim National Government (ING) under the leadership of Chief  (Barr.) Ernest Shonekan and continued the bloody rule from where his mentor (IBB) had stopped. However, Abacha ended his regime of bloodbath on June 8, 1998 as he had a date with death.
The yearnings of Nigerians for a democratic rule camd to fulfilment through the instrumentality of the erstwhile Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) on May 29, 1999 when he handed over power  to Chief Matthew Olusegun Obasanjo, one-time Head of State (1976-1979), hence giving birth to democratic rule.
The 15 years of the so-called democracy could be described as a democratic terrorist and modern colonialism. Within  the period under review, there are a lot of security challenges with terrorist and militants holding the nation  spell-bound. From 2011, when Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria after the demise of his predecessor, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar-Adua, some politicians categorically asserted that they would  make the  country  ungovernable and not too long Islamist terrorist organisation known as Boko Haram which has already  been in existence, intensified their  activities. Since then many innocent souls have been wasted in their number as churches became the main target of attack by the radical  group.
Although in the Niger Delta area, Boko Haram does not operate physically, the area is characterised by armed robbery, piracy, kidnapping, human trafficking and sundry criminal activities. There are  a lot of uniformed agencies  who, using their agencies,  commit several atrocities and terrorizing  the entire citizenry. They can be likened to the biblical injunction that says “they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”- Matt. 7 v 15 refers.
For instance, in Rivers State particularly in  Port Harcourt and its environ, hardly do people move freely especially motorist, without  being embarrassed by one uniformed agency or the other thus violating the rights  of the citizens who come equally stakeholders in the state. In fact, I think that there is internal terrorism modern colonialism in this democratic dispensation than it was  during the  military regimes.
At check points and designated vehicle  stops there are a number of law-enforcement  agents of different  uniforms and touts that specialise  in extorting  money indiscriminately by threatening  commercial and private  road users  hence  causing  unnecessary holdup on the road.
It is unfortunate that the police sometimes deliberately refuse to assist  members of the  public who find themselves in emergency situations.
The question here is, what is the hope of the common citizen on the street? Is apartheid here with us? Experience has shown that because of the undue harassment, many motorists find it  hard to stop and pick  people even when there is a situation that warrants it.
Sometime last year at the Education Bus Stop area, some touts accosted  and  assaulted an elderly motorist in a manner they considered dangerous. The man was beaten up while his vehicle  was seized  almost  the whole day. This happened right before  some policemen  who watched helplessly while the man was maltreated. It is sad that this happened  in a democratic dispensation. We are truly enslaved.
There is serial violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as it provides  that fundamental human rights be respected and  observed. Section 39(1) of the constitution stipulates thus: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference”. The rate of human rights abuses, terrorism and modern colonialism is alarming in a supposedly democratic system which Nigerians had clamoured for decades. There is no doubt that civilian administration or democracy has become a curse instead of a blessing.
Until Nigerians take a bold step to make a change and pool our resources together and move along with the reformation agenda of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we shall continue to remain under the bondage of modern terrorism and colonialism.
What makes Nigeria a giant of Africa is not necessarily her natural and geographical size or location, but the behaviour of  the people and the  leadership examples of its leaders.
Nigerians both at home and in diaspora should make the nation  proud by their good representation.
Ominyanwa is a Port Harcourt based social commentator

Goddey  Ominyanwa