Dear Boko Haram, Attack Our Politicians , Not Us.
Dear Boko Haram , First I must apologize for
using the whole phrase Boko Haram while
writing a rather personal letter . This is because
in all the information provided about you , none
has been able to truly describe you completely as
to whom you really are , or where you come
from . The cities you have captured have become
numerous, the man perceived to be your leader
has been executed and names like ‘Shekau’ et al
have begun to look like ‘similes’ and fictional
characters . So , sir my sincerest apologies .
However, the objective of my writing this letter
to you is to state how very scared I have become
of you in recent times . You have proved your
point , not in terms of what you want or how you
want to go about it , but that in all sincerity , you
are here to stay . I understand that. Perhaps,
given the recent developments globally , I may
even learn to live with that . Still I must also say a
few words . In all that has been happening , i do
not know what it is that I did wrong to incur your
wrath , I am perplexed as to the cause of our
misunderstanding. Is it that I am following the
wrong routes ? Am I breaching territorial lines?
Have I messed up in anyway at all? If so , with
this I wish to state that I am sincerely sorry for
not knowing what I have done wrong . If it is an
issue you have with the government , then
perhaps we may even be on the same side. I am
neither a politician , an elder statesman , a
governor , senator , House of Representatives
member , or even a local government chairman
of over 774 local governments. I am not even a
personal adviser to any of them I am just the
everyday trader , the Okada rider that helps you
from tight traffic jams , the pure water seller than
reduces the heat for you on a hot day especially
in this weather. I am simply the orange seller that
moves from car to car, the jobless youth with my
CV in a large envelope, the bus driver , the bus -
conductor ; I am an ordinary everyday Nigerian .
The truth is , I do not even work in any of the
government institutions that challenge your
authority. I also wish to channel a grievance to
you. By grievance I do not mean that i can do
anything should you fail to grant me audience,
but in truth to bring you to the table as a deciding
force in the affairs of the country Nigeria .
Normally I would use‘ Our Country ’ but the time
for kidding with ourselves is slowly going behind
us , thanks to you et al. My grievance thus is why
you have left those who clearly are at the helm of
affairs and brought your wrath upon me ? Those
who triggered your anger in the first place. Those
who make the laws, and break them with
impunity . Those who sat down to deliberate on
sending security operatives en- masse to crush
your uprising . Those who fly private jets to avoid
you after failing on all the promises they made to
you . Or those who have turned what is supposed
to be a discussion that will include you , into a
contest of sleeping and scrabble at the cost of N12
million each . Please sir , attack our politicians
instead . Having stated my plea dear sir , I also
wish, only out of curiosity to ask of your origin .
Are you from Nigeria ? Are you? Or Sudan, Mali
and Chad? Please where are you from actually ?
Are you from France ? Because some say you
speak French fluently and given that
Francophone countries surround the northern
borders in Nigeria . Are you from the Diaspora?
Are you from China Or Britain?, because to be
very honest , with the by - products of our
universities roaming around it is hard to imagine
that such a solidly functioning network , a global
brand like you can come from within. Are you a
Muslim also ? Because even with the numerous
church bombings some Muslim scholars who
have not been saying otherwise , yet at the park
in Nyanya Abuja, like other attacks , you didn ’t
separate Muslims from Christians. Or