MDadmin
THERE has not been much to valorise in the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan, as far as I am concerned; and I think the administration has disappointed many of those who voted for it in 2011. The Boko Haram crisis has gradually morphed into the greatest security tests facing the administration. I have consistently argued, since 2011, that there was no shooting through the crisis.
The Nigerian state will have to understand the anti-state essence of the insurgency; then find peaceful means to end it.
President Jonathan dithered for long while throwing billions of naira into the fight as elements within the security apparatus became stupendously rich.
They therefore needed the insurgency and effort to curtail it to continue, so they can become even richer! Jonathan who once said there were Boko haram members inside his administration, engaged in multi-talk for so long; he would not offer amnesty to “ghosts’ even when the security forces tell us of dozens that are regularly killed or captured and arrested.
In the meantime, the party of war, from CAN president to ‘enlightened’ commentators, especially in the Southern media, continued to advocate a gung-ho approach of more violence.
They excused Niger Delta “militancy” as justified but refuse to see the underlining current of anti-state protest at the heart of Boko Haram. Something just had to give.
The president has alienated the majority of Northern Nigeria with his hardline stance; but the politician has an eye towards 2015; thus the decision to explore the Amnesty option.
Nothing is guaranteed; none is ruled in or out. But at least, President Jonathan has decided to explore an alternative route to end the crisis. Let us give critical support and hope he stays the course, because there is no defeating the insurgency with guns.
