Maxymilliano: Nothing of such will happen, except for the usual paid protest by rented crowds ...

MAYOWAAK: I have been wondering on the desirability of a Nigerian revolution as the calls become more frequent and intense. Are those calling for a revolution aware of its far-reaching impact or they simply assume it’s another buzzword they can bandy about? Are they mere pessimists who have found a cliché to romance so they will not have to address critical issues? Are they perhaps overwhelmed by the troubles with Nigeria and resorted to calling for a revolution as a sort of pacifier? Is there an ideology driving these calls or it’s just a nostrum that gives them time to do nothing?

How many of them have engaged in strategic thinking in readiness for the fall of the present administration? In fact, has it occurred to them that a revolution would mean at least toppling the present system of government and replacing it with something else, radically different? Have they thought of how to avoid a power vacuum post-revolution so that while we chase out one demon, seven others do not replace it? Or is this a case of “Let the Empire fall first”? What if we start it and the military hijacks it? Are Nigerians prepared to start all over again under a military government? Can they resist the military? Weapons, anyone?

Of course, we can compare the famous examples of revolution: French, Russian, Nazi and American. The first three had revolutionaries turned autocrats, more evil than their predecessors; the last one was comparatively successful because the founding fathers worked assiduously to build a great nation from scraps they wrested from the Empire. Does Nigeria have such selfless forward-thinking fathers/mothers waiting in the wings, ready to rebuild?

Have those who think a revolution will solve anything taken cultural specificity into account? Do they imagine Nigerians have as much staying power as the Egyptians or Syrians to sustain a revolution? Or we would soon be eager to get back to the rituals of our daily grind while hoping some other people keep up the fight?

Have we reviewed our history enough to question whether revolution is for us? Africa is full of old men who were youth revolutionaries but became a bigger plague on their countries than HIV/AIDS. The 1966 coup in Nigeria is a revolution in and of itself; till today, Nigeria is still giddy from its after-effects.

Wishful thinking is not a bad thing but can revolution advocates state how their end desires differ from what is already stated in the Constitution and why we need a revolution to achieve them? What really fascinates them about a revolution? The spectacles of violence and bloodshed, or a genuine desire for change? If the latter, is a revolution really necessary? Won’t protest culture or even rebellion suffice? Won’t a more participatory citizenship be far more helpful? I have put out all these questions, not necessarily to seek answers but for us to interrogate our thoughts.

Very soon, we would be called upon to begin the process of electing a fresh set of leaders. Rather than expressing outrage the President plans to re-contest, it is up to us to act with circumspection. It is our duty not to be carried away when our leaders start crawling to religious grounds or kneeling before gods. They will cut a perfect picture of pathetic prayer projects when they assume a humble stance and announce they need divine wisdom. When that time comes, can Nigerians transcend all this vaudeville and reject directionless and clueless leadership? Can we transcend tribalism, ethnicity, regionalism, sexism and all those factors that have successfully held us down in the past and choose more worthwhile people to lead us? That might be a revolution to look forward to.

deeptesting: Pretty sure the people in power seem not to understand the feelings of the people....The people are fed up, no road, no light, no water, no job, no food, no medical facility, young and eligible men cannot marry and grow their family, the frustration is running people crazy...the youths as a result of the artificial poverty created by the rulers have thrown all moral values to the dogs and are doing the unmentionable within and outside the country just to keep body and soul together, yet the rulers because we dont have leaders keep waging uneccesary war among themselves to hold on to power rather than resiging to be elder statesmen, they have become so entrapped in the pursuit of their selfish interest that they are all suffering from terminal hallucination, thinking that they are the smartest people, who can perpetually keep the youths in the background, while using those that are gullible as political thugs to achieve their selfish interest and disenfranchise the educated with lack of jobs. We take consolation in the fact that the only constant in life is CHANGE...Nigeria will not be the least.

kelvincoll:

Just "Retardeen"..? Like he is the only one ruining this country? c'mon dude, sentiments aside, you can do better than this. We are talking of WIDE SPREAD REVOLUTION!

ndala:

 
https://www.facebook.com/tbjministries/posts/428416487279133

Maxymilliano: Nothing of such will happen, except for the usual paid protest by rented crowds ...

trolling: it doesnt take rocket science to figure that out just as the revolution is coming to us in the ussa, oppresion makes a wise man mad,my signature says 2014 n beyond is gonna be ugly

trolling: it doesnt take rocket science to figure that out just as the revolution is coming to us in the ussa, oppresion makes a wise man mad,my signature says 2014 n beyond is gonna be ugly