Responding To Militancy, Agitations

In addition to the raging activities of Boko
Haram in the North Eastern part of Nigeria,
the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) of Eastern Nigeria and militants in the South-South have joined to raise the threat level in Nigeria as never before. But how the Nigerian State is handling the issues remain largely unclear.
Already, the situation has not only threatened the continued coexistence of the constituent parts of the country, but raised the blood pressure of many Nigerians and residents alike. Indeed, the image that Nigeria has acquired for herself in the comity of nations over these crises can no longer be encouraged.
The Tide thinks that conflict being a central part of existence should be understood and managed appropriately. What is happening in Nigeria is nothing but an opportunity to make things right. Instead of the fatality theory, Nigeria can actually come out of this stronger and better.
We also dare to state that in all of human history never has the application of silence been an option in addressing national crises. For too long has Nigeria  ignored sectional discontents. For too long, Nigeria has deliberately avoided the application of the right panacea for these worries.
We think that the time has come for the right things to be done to bury the ghost of disintegration once and for all. In fact, we are surprised that months and years into the agitation of the people, not much has been done or programmed to happen in resolving the concerns of the people.
To continue to keep quiet would mean only two things. Either that Nigeria expects the problem to solve itself and accept whatever comes out of it, or hopes to endure the heat and wear out the agitators so that the rot will continue. Either of the above will portray to the world the kind of persons that make up Nigeria.
For some time now, individuals and organisations have warned against the use of force to suppress the issues that different generations of Nigerians have tried to address. Incidentally, the answers to these posers are already known, but the courage to do the right has always eluded the leadership of this country.
Only recently, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar simply re-echoed some of the urgent and mandatory panaceas. Instead of seeing the merit in what he said, some apologists of the regime read political meaning into it. Sadly, till date, neither the Presidency nor the National Assembly deemed it fit to initiate moves to right the wrongs.
Apart from Boko Haram, all the other groups have articulated grievances and demands that can be addressed systematically over time. Nigeria should also expedite action on Boko Haram even as they have no defined grievance. They are apparently there to make Nigeria un-governable.
The Tide expects that Nigeria will take responsibility for the internal crises. That is why the nation cannot beat the child and forbid it to cry. But what the Nigerian State did or failed to do gave birth to the present situation. Take for instance the things that necessitated the convocation of National Conference and how the reports of the two national conferences were thrown away.
Nigeria cannot expect anything different when she failed to develop the Niger Delta. Of course, Nigeria still wants to know why the election of June 12 that a South Westerner was presumed to win was cancelled. Why should 90 percent of oil blocs in the Niger Delta belong to only people from the North?
Indeed, the civil societies should coordinate the healing process. No longer should Nigeria be allowed to pamper the issues, like the award of amnesty to persons fighting for resource control. Nigeria should be programmed to fire on all cylinders and not make people remain idle, only to scramble for the little at the centre.
We expect that all the aggrieved parties will have a rethink and give peace a chance. No matter what happens, people must use the round table. It will therefore serve no good purpose to destroy lives and property before coming to the negotiation table.
On the whole, the situation offers the present regime an opportunity to usher in the greatest change ever for Nigeria that posterity cannot forget. All it takes is the sense of responsibility, courage to birth change and the discipline to make history.