Freedom is Expensive.
“The history of liberty is a history
of resistance”(Thomas Woodrow,
1812).
Freedom of any kind (political,
economical, health and freedom from
all kinds of oppression) is an
expensive project. It does not come
easy. There is always a price to pay
for freedom. During the Second World
War, the allies incurred a heavy
cost to defeat Adolf Hitler’s third
Reich. A country like Russia lost
over 27 million people. This is both
the military and civilians. In a
single attack (Pearl Harbor)
American lost over 3684 solders.
United Kingdom lost over 400,000
people. In total, the allied forces
lost over 60 million people (both
military and civilians). The
financial cost of this war cannot be
quantified. This was the price paid
to free Europe and the rest of the
world.
During the colonial era, Nigerian
nationalist incurred a cost to
achieve independence for Nigeria.
Starting from Herbert Macauley,
Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo,
Enahoro, Tafawa Belewa, Okotie Eboh,
Aminu Kano, etc made both personal
and financial sacrifices to liberate
Nigeria from the British colonial
rule. In South Africa, Nelson
Mandela spent 27 years in jail in
order for South Africans to be free
from apartheid. So many South
Africans died in the struggle
against apartheid. In Zimbabwe,
people like Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo
had to wage guerrilla warfare before
the British colonial masters were
able to grant them independence.
During the military era in Nigeria,
many people paid a costly price for
speaking against military
dictatorship. Gani Fawehinmi was
arrested, detained, and sent to jail
several times for criticism of
military dictatorship. He was beaten
several times by the government
agents. His international passport
was seized on many occasions. Dele
Giwa was killed through a letter
bomb. Femi Falana was sent to jail
for voicing against tyrannical rule.
Olisa Agbakoba was interrogated
several times by the police. Late Dr
Beko Ransome Kuti, late Ken Saro
Wiwa, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, Chima
Ubani, Mr Abdul Oroh, Tunji Abayomi,
Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, Mallam
Shehu Sani, Prof Wole Soyinka,
Omoyele Sowore etc had at one time
or the other paid a price for
speaking out against military
dictatorship in Nigeria.
During the struggle to actualize the
victory of June 12 1993 presidential
election, many Nigerians died in the
riots that ensured. Kudirat Abiola
was assassinated on June 4 1996, by
the government agents. Abiola
himself died in detention. The
country was plunged into a political
crisis, the magnitude of which was
unprecedented. NADECO opposed the
Abacha regime and other oppressive
governments. They suffered loses
both financial, material and brutal
torture in some cases. G 34(group of
34 eminent Nigerians) added their
voices for Abacha to hand over power
to civilians. But the truth is that,
without the prices paid by these
heroes and heroines, Nigeria would
have been worst than it is today.
Therefore their efforts yielded
positive results.
When Obasanjo was campaigning for
both his first and second terms in
office, many Nigerians donated money
to his campaign machinery. Former
governor of Abia State claimed
publicly to have given Obasanjo $1
million dollars before the 1999
elections that brought Obasanjo back
to power. Dangote also donated money
to Obasanjo campaign organization.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has
organized fund raising events
several times. Even though the use
their money to subvert the will of
the people. They use their money to
rig elections. It’s also a price
paid by some people but on a
negative way.
The whole idea of this article is to
highlight to patriotic Nigerians
that there would more prices to pay
to get Nigeria on the right track. I
am also aware that so many Nigerians
want change. Change is possible in
Nigeria but we have to work hard to
get that change. There is no
democracy yet in Nigeria which means
that, there is no political freedom
as well. This makes it imperative
for us to gear up and pay whatever
price it requires to get us to the
promise land. It also means that we
should resist all forms of bad
governance and speak out against
such. I will like to remind fellow
Nigerians that no one will save our
country except us. Quoting John
Maxwell, “the only person that can
stop you from becoming what God
intends for your life is you”. There
are a lot Nigerians can do to help
our great country bounce back to the
right track. The Nigerian people
have got so much power individually.
These our political oppressors do
not want us to realize.
I wish to suggest few ways Nigerians
can take their destinies by their
hands. Please look for a genuine
civil society group, or form your
own group and the join the campaign
clamoring for political changes.
Form alliances with existing
political groups/civil societies
groups. Identify yourself or your
group with honest Nigerians. Support
credible Nigerians to acquire
political power. Ask the civil
society groups or any sincere
political group to assign you role
to undertake. Be an active
participant. Make token donations to
these civil society groups. If our
political oppressors can donate
millions of naira to the PDP in
order to capture power through
undemocratic means. We the other
ordinary Nigerians should be able to
donate our token to the civil
societies, NGO’s, political groups,
etc to use in checking the political
oppressors. Justice can be expensive
to obtain especially within the
Nigerian system.
No amount will be too small to
donate to genuine political groups
in order for them to continue the
struggle to better Nigeria. When
President Obama was campaigning for
elections, his campaign organization
accepted even $1 dollar donation
from people. Some groups in Nigeria
headed by Mrs. Ndi Okereke (DG
Nigerian Stock Exchange) raised
money for Obama campaign, but it was
declined. In addition to this, about
30% of Obama campaign team was
Nigerians. If Nigerians can do this
for Obama, then they can do more for
their motherland. Before the 1991
Gulf war, all the Palestinians
working in Saudi Arabia had their
taxes sent to the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO)
headquarters for their liberation
struggle.
There will be no gain without a
pain. There will be no political
freedom without a political
struggle. The Nigeria’s political
environment requires more positive
sacrifices from us. There will be no
full democratic governance in
Nigeria without complete resistance
to corrupt and inefficient system
that we have in Nigeria. Our
sacrifices will enhance the demand
for our rights (good governance) and
not to beg for them. We need to
fight for our rights (democracy,
good governance, etc) and not plead
for them. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta
An activist and leader of “Support
Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
