Monday 1 April 2013

GOVERNMENTS AND AMNESTY, WHAT HOPE FOR THE LAW ABIDING

You cannot express reservation at all, to what is happening or what happened before in the area of presidential pardon in Nigeria. A lot has happened since Independent; but the story of the end of the Nigerian civil war is the first occasion when a blanket amnesty was granted to all Biafrans with a declaration, "No Victor No Vanquished" by the General Yakubu Gowon Military administration. And by that declaration the Biafran leader. General Odomegue Ojukwu and all Biafrans were pardoned for taking up arms against the nation.
And because of that presidential pardon all abandoned property that belonged to Igbo in Port Harcourt were evaluated and compensation paid during the Navy Commander A.P Diete Spiff Military Government that was a great outing by the leaders of the 70s That was for the interest of the peace and oneness of the nation, Nigeria, and was really nice.
The late president, Umaru Musa Yar;Adua also in a bid to bring peace to the Niger Delta region decided to grant amnesty to Militants, and that program was lauded all over the world and that was as a result of the neglect the region suffered as oil and gas bearing people. President Goodluck Jonathan who succeeded Yar'Adua has done justice to the amnesty program sending thousands to schools and empowering others.
Taking a queue from that, the governor of Bayelsa state, Hon. Seriake Dickson has declared amnesty for Cultists, welcome as that seems to be, the BIG QUESTION IS WHAT HOPE FOR THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS?
 

NIGERIA YESTERDAY AND TODAY

When Nigeria was under British Colonialism and the majority of its citizens knew nothing about white collar jobs because of the lack of educational opportunities, the White minority had all it took to oppress the black majority. The few educated ones were however not happy with the colonial maasters and tried their best in the Independent struggle that midwifed Nigeria to a nation. The National Flag was hoisted 1st October 1960.
During British rule, the few educated who served in government shared some privileges by reasons of attended same schools and had same qualifications with the white
When Nigeria became Independent nation, the joy of the people knew no bound as the celebration of Independence is yet to end because the celebration has been a continue to date. The joy of the people was not because they loved one another, but because it had the prospect of creating opportunities for the masses, the children and youth to embrace education, others to secure employment and do other businesses as a nation. But from the early period of Independence, the true nature of the Nigerian people emerged in the crisis of confidence that culminated in political brouhahas to a civil war that claimed the lives of many and destruction of property worth billions of Naira.
Historians have the facts at the tip of their fingers with regard to what happened when, where, and how, with dates; they as well have the names of those who played key roles in criminal activities, such as armed robbery, political brigandage, paid assassinations, sea piracy, thuggery, cultism, militancy etc.