They are vicious, blood thirsty and ferocious but stooges, they are. Just as grand puppeteers manipulate puppets to amuse audiences, so are they tossed around by their very own puppeteer.

Though this puppeteer doesn't control them with strings, he does so with force, order and superiority. Bound to do his bidding, they are. It has been engrained in them, as much as part of them, as their own beating heart. It is of course how they were trained. Theirs is a case of hierarchy, discipline and utter obedience even at the expense of the law.

Just like an avalanche, amid force and chaos they emerged on January 15, 1966. As opposed to the performance of puppets in cinemas who wowed and amused their audience, these puppets were not built for amusement, rather when they performed they brought pain and anguish. They left in their wake, a cascade of sorrow, tears and scarlet red blood. Their audiences were not amused; they bled their lives away on the stage of their performances. Puppets they were but in 1976, they received a re-christening by Fela Anikulapokuti. The black Prophet in his lifetime, referred to them as zombies and I daresay, aptly so!

Their first junta came to an end in the year 1979 but sadly they resurfaced in the year 1983 and remained until the year 1998, a year when their big tree of corruption, oppression and suppression was brought down by a small axe called democracy. Relief and freedom at long last, or so people thought…

For as they left, a new army arose from the audience that once bled, taking center stage. An army not made of sword, steel or spear, not made of jack booths or guns. An army far more dangerous than the departed zombies, a higher breed of zombies, made of men, women and children.

"I don't care about the candidate, I care about the religion! I will only vote for the candidate that shares the same belief as me" right here are the words of a religious zombie. This breed is initiated right from infancy. Their training starts right there in their family with their parents as the superior officers and respective religious homes their arsenal.

They are bred to loathe anyone that shares a belief contrary to theirs, to see them as doomed for hell and of course in dire need of salvation. This breed has wreaked and will continually wreak havoc if not checked. They have played a major role in the division and widespread hatred we are experiencing today. Many lives, properties and homes have been destroyed by the actions and inactions of this breed.

Disheartening, right? This brings us to the next breed. "You cannot marry him! In fact you must forget about him completely, you must marry from your tribe alone, only then will I give you my blessings" this right here, is the zombie of tribalism speaking. This breed is closely related to the religious zombie. They are of course Siamese twins and both begin right there in the family. The Yoruba man will teach his children to call the Igbo man "omo igbo", the igbo man will return the favour and tell his kids to call the Yoruba man "Yoruba Yoruba people", and then the Hausa man will call the Igbo man "nyamiri" but don’t you forget that the hausa man is also addressed as "born throwey" in pidgin.

The parents baptize the children with the spirit of tribalism and in so doing; they sow the seed of hate and suspicion against those who are not kin. There are millions of this breed roaming around and of course they have only added more fuel to the flame which was lit by the religious zombies. This zombie matrimony plunges the nation further into abysmal hatred and sedition. A cold world of favoritism, nepotism and chauvinism, it has become but do we even see the hate?

"5000 is too much, just give me 500 and a bowl of long-grain parboiled rice and my vote is automatically for your candidate"
This is another poor zombie speaking, one that will lose his mind and existence to the highest bidder. Nigeria was recently declared the headquarters of poverty. You can only imagine how many they are! Unlike the first two breeds this breed does not start from the family. They arise at adulthood after they have been thoroughly dealt with by the throes and ills of the society. Of course, this hardship is mostly brought upon them by the actions of the religious and tribalistic zombies.

The religious zombies favour those who share the same faith as them and of course when they hold a public office or position they ensure that the policies implemented are far more favourable to men who share the same faith as them. The zombies of tribalism however, only consider their kin! They would rather make provisions and opportunities for those who are from the same tribe as them. Both zombies would be content giving an extraordinary opportunity to an unqualified brother of the same faith or tribe rather than a person who is more qualified but whose only offense would be that "he is not from my place" or "he doesn't share my faith".

Many are left to languish in poverty and unemployment. Ready to sell their rights like Esau as was duly recorded in the Holy Writ, at absurd prices. Harrowingly, they become an item of puppetry in the process.

The future is bleak. We are walking on egg shells and standing on thin ice. You could maybe call me clairvoyant but one thing I am certain of is this: this new army of zombies will lead us into implosion if drastic reforms are not executed with exigency. Their actions have left the unity, peace and growth of our nation on cold grounds. Down on the ground the nation has been, constantly fastened to the ground by screws of religion, tribalism and poverty! A dire situation, it is. An impending doom, a catastrophe lurking by the four cardinals, waiting for the perfect time to embrace us all, it sadly is. Men have lost their minds to religion, tribalism and poverty. People are tossed back and forth like tides by religious leaders, tribesmen and men with big purses.

Democracy saved us from the early zombies but how are we going to be saved from these breeds?
If the family unit is reformed, there may be hope for the generations yet unborn. If I were a parent, I would sow the seed of love as opposed to hatred in my home. The world is cold and dark; don’t we all need a little love? Yes, that person may not be your tribesman or share the same faith with you, but that person is human and you should see people first as such!

For those of us who don't form a part of posterity and are free-roaming zombies already, we owe it to posterity to search our souls. Emancipation from mental slavery can only be done by the mentally enslaved. Do you think you are free? Are you ready to fight for freedom? Only you hold the key to your liberation! I have searched my soul and I have answered. It is time you did yours!

Attorney
K.I. Onana Esq.
Kimionana@gmail.com