Category: Hannatu Musawa

“I am an addict. A seemingly normal twenty-two year old Nigerian boy from a prominent family. It is ironic that my parents dedicated their lives to my siblings and I giving us the best of what money could buy and the morals and values which it could not.  My childhood memories are happy-with a solid foundation in education at one of the most reputable private schools in the country. During my JS II, my father believed that the boarding school I was in was not an ideal learning environment. He came to this conclusion whilst visiting me at school and observed the ceiling and walls in our hostel were covered with damp patches. He had a taste of my school lunch and was not impressed. Even now I remember the question he asked me, “I have always prided myself in providing the best for my children and I am not happy with this school.  Son, how do you feel about going abroad to study?”

 Most of my older brothers and sisters were studying abroad so it only seemed natural that I follow suit. I was never a particularly intelligent student but was always creative and I was able to express my feelings through paintings and sketches. I was always top of my Art class. My father enrolled me in a private school for boys in England, I knew he wasn’t expecting A’s but neither was he prepared for the downward spiral my life would soon take. I found myself drawn to a group of Nigerian boys with a similar background to me. Even though we all had guardians residing in the UK, we were always longing to come home and began spending our pocket money recklessly trying to impress each other.  One cold, bleak winter – we were on a weekend outing and behind a dingy fast food place my daring new friends encouraged me to take my first sip of alcohol and inhale my first joint. After the initial coughs and sputtering, I discovered with foolish wonderment that I felt so alive, happy and free.  I felt invincible!  The R. Kelly song sprung to mind; I believe I can fly. I did believe I could fly! All hesitation and anxiousness I had before disappeared. I found myself drawn to a new hobby… and it wasn’t Art.

 My friends and I became professionals at covering our tracks. We helped each other with class work and home work, for we knew that if we started failing in school then too many questions would be asked. It became routine to sneak in papers for tests and exams and as a result my grades remained average yet stable. Inevitably, like anyone leading a double life I was to have a rude awakening. While shopping in one of the London’s biggest stores my friend dared me to steal a bandana off the rack. Given that I had just taken two glasses of vodka, I felt I could do anything. I took several bandanas and stuffed them into my pocket and of course and soon as I stepped outside I was arrested. I then became that stereo-typed rich boy turned failure, a statistical problem common globally. My disappointed but ever supportive father had no choice but to bring me back to Nigeria where I was to face my demons.

 I quickly found out that at home it was even easier to feed my monstrous habits. After all, even when denied pocket-money I could steal a watch, a mobile phone or anything remotely valuable from my mother and sell it off for a quick fix. I knew my mother wouldn’t expose me and I knew the police would not be involved. With rising unemployment and poverty engulfing our nation, it wasn’t difficult finding people who would do almost anything for a quick deal. I became a stranger to my family and they became my enemy, an obstacle to my dark sordid world. By the time my family clocked on to my reality, I was too far gone into my new obsession. My mother became a nervous wreck, continuously crying and praying for me. My father, sisters and brothers became angry and distant with me. I defensively reacted by retreating into my shell and became even angrier with my relatives and myself. I was my own worst enemy. Physically, I was a skeletal ghost, a shadow of my former self. In and out of Nigerian rehabilitation clinics I went. They were poorly equipped and usually congested with not only addicts but criminals as well. As a final resort my family were advised to take me to a remote clinic in the outskirts of Kano, far away from civilization itself. There were no bedrooms or proper running water. Instead there was a large unventilated cemented room where we were supposed to ‘sleep’. I spent 41 days seated with my back against the wall, without a place to stretch my legs or lay my head at night. The clinic was severely congested with a large number of boys and girls from privileged homes just like me. We were fed meagre and tasteless meals, often being beaten and counselled around the clock. We were chained to each other at all times not unlike the black slaves captured in the 19th century by human merchants. I ceased to feel completely human and saw myself as an object of ridicule and disgust.

 Sadly, even with the immense degradation I went through; I have been unable to turn my life around. The drugs and alcohol that I crave so much have become the sole purpose of my life. I exist within a black hole, in the drug infested gutter of my Armageddon. When people see me now, they are afraid to approach me. My family is unable to look me into the eyes. I guess the emotional scars that I have burdened them with have cut too deep for them to ever forgive my sins or accept that I will never again be. I know what has become of me, I know what I am. But even within the backdrop of my desire to actually live a good life, I know with certainty that my cravings; my absolute need for my drugs and alcohol will continue to define me for the rest of my days…!”

 This is the harrowing but true narrative of a boy who continues to go through hell on earth. Tragically this is a familiar story for many families. One would be hard pressed to find one extended family whose lives have not been troubled with the epidemic of drug abuse in one way or another. Drug and alcohol abuse in our society is a frightening but real problem and it is no longer relegated to the throngs of the poor or to any specific gender. Substance abuse disguises itself in many forms, many of them not obvious. Seemingly harmless cough syrups, painkillers, glue or even petrol are being abused daily by our youth. Horrifyingly, addiction often begins with that innocent sip or sniff of some substance. Frequently, when teenagers or young adults begin this abuse, parents or teachers are unlikely to notice at the very early stages when counselling and intervention could make the most effective difference. Young adults can be very creative and convincing with their stories when suspicion is raised about their behavioural patterns.  We, as adults, need to recognise the subtle warning signals and tackle the problem at its early phases.

 The drug epidemic can no longer be swept under the carpet and can no longer be treated as if it is not a monumental problem that is plaguing our youth. Because we are still growing and developing as a nation, support groups and free counselling sessions and therapy are not yet provided by the government. As a result, parents need to play a more active role in ensuring children are educated about the ill use of drugs and alcohol. The government also has got to address this epidemic that is ravaging our young generation by coming up with programmes that will begin to eliminate this scourge from our society.

 When we encounter tendencies of antisocial behaviour from teenagers, let’s choose not to ignore it or pretend it will go away. Show them your care and are ready not only to guide and give advice but to listen too. Just like the boy narrating his story indicated the symptoms of abuse are not so obvious in the beginning. Let us strive to protect our children against this evil silent epidemic.

He survived! Contrary to the prediction of the Mayans, the world didn’t’ end in 2012. Yes, the

Mayans got it wrong, 2012 was not the year of the final disaster, destruction and mayhem. But even though the deadline for the prophesied end of the world has passed without any fire storm or killer tsunamis ushering in the demise of our species, in Nigeria, at times, it felt as if the world was ending. This is because 2012 was the year that we could truly confirm that the soul, spirit, and humanity of Nigerians had been lost as evidenced by the bombing mass murders by extremists, the constant kidnappings and the burning and butchering of University students by a whole village community. 2012 was the year where our government flirted with disaster, thanks to their impiety towards Nigerians with the callous fuel prize increase. 2012 was the year Nigerians barely survived their suffering and saw the repeat of severe tragedies; from air crashes to mass road accidents. No doubt, it has not been a year of joy and jubilation for Nigerians. 2012 was even the year Nigeria was ranked by the Economist Intelligence Unit, a sister company of The Economist publication as the worst country in the world to be born.

So as we wave goodbye to a year filled with calamities and usher in a new dawn, as we ease into 2013, it is time to craft those ritualistic projections, predictions and resolutions. Hot on the heels of an incredibly turbulent year, we hope 2013 will bring with it a combination of events that will soften the hardship felt by Nigerians and by extension minimize the cynicism felt towards government. As the horizon dawns, it may be useful to take stock of the past year, see if we can detect any precedents and learn any insight from the events that have come before us.

At the helm of the challenges that Nigeria faced in 2012 is the deficient security situation. From church bombings, to kidnappings, to outrageous crimes, 2012 was the year of the criminal; the year where villains who were ready and set to cause pandemonium ran about their business as if they ruled the world. Helpless we watched as innocent men, women, children were blown in their places of sanctuary. Outraged we were subjected to terrorist footage of intimidation and threats. Powerless, we observed as Nigerians were one by one kidnapped by gung-ho criminal buccaneers. Shocked we held our breath as several of our University youth were tortured and burned, shot in their hostels and lured on Facebook, raped and strangled. Helpless, outraged, powerless and shocked we watched! Meanwhile our authorities, our police, our security forces stood clueless, sat grid locked almost as if suffering from some sort of self-induced stagnation, unable to bring sanity to our security situation.

Other avoidable incidents include the condition of our air safety. Suffice to say; never again do we want to see a repeat of this kind of chain of air disasters. The painful lessons learnt, and there are many, must never be forgotten.

On the international front, things have not been that different. One may have thought that, six years after the global financial crisis first broke, the recession would be well behind most markets and the global economy would have pulsated back to life. Instead, huge swathes of the world seem to be embarking on a path with long-term stagnation. Then there’s the drama that is still playing out in the Middle East. The Middle East may have seen a season of the Arab Spring, but none of us could have foreseen how persistent and fierce the conflict in Syria would become. Hot on the heels of the late Gadhafi, many of us never would have thought that President Bashar Assad would make it another year in office.

So much has happened in Nigeria in the last 365 days, yet nothing has happened at all! And even though one can only hazard a guess as to what the next 365 days has in store for us, based on past actions; there are some probabilities and based on folklore; there is one calendar system with a reputation for the depths of its wisdom and accuracy of its character analysis and prediction; the Chinese calendar. The system is the oldest timekeeping system in existence and although the actual Chinese New Year is yet to begin, 2013 according to the Chinese will be known as the year of water snake. So what does the water snake predict for us this year?

According to the Chinese calendar if, after the frenzy of 2012, the year of the dragon, we thought we were out of the woods, then we have another thing coming. In Chinese myth, the year of the water snake is a year of obstacles and shakes-ups that traditionally brings many challenges and disasters. It is imagined that it will be a very slow year but at the same time, there will be a lot of unexpected events in 2013. It’s a year when quick manoeuvres are going to be needed in order to avoid unexpected obstacles. In general, snakes are tricky creatures which move in a manner where its body undulates making it difficult to tell which direction it is moving in. Apparently, that is what can be expected with any year that is represented by the water snake; it will seem to go in one direction, and then, very unexpectedly, it will veer in completely another direction. Legend has it that those who do best in the year of the water snake are the people that have a natural ability to move at the velocity of the snake and who are able to traverse tricky waters.

True to the Chinese Calender, judging from the events of 2012, reading from the body language of the president, it would be fair to say that Nigerians can expect a year filled with colourful commotion as far as politics goes. This is to be expected because for every active politician in Nigeria, in the run up to the dreaded 2015, 2013 may well symbolize a make or break year. All the backbiting and politicking we have witnessed since the last election will appear to be child’s play compared to the subterfuge we are about to witness as we move towards 2015.

And subterfuge it certainly will be, especially given the fact that the machinations and intrigues for the second, or is it third, coming of President Goodluck Jonathan has already started. Rather than perform their official duty of which they were appointed into office, a number of the Presidents band of merry men appear to be more interested in transferring national wealth to their private accounts and prancing about with indicted criminals and thieves. Amid exposés of grand embezzlement, sleaze and mismanagement, the President and his cabinet seem to care very little that the nation around them is crumbling piece by piece.

How about the opposition parties, what if anything will they do to stem the behemoth of the ruling party as we approach 2015? Well, the opposition party have only one option and that option is no other than the great merger we have been hearing about. For the first time, since 1999, it looks like the opposition may finally be in a position to marshal a counter movement against the ruling party, even win in 2015. But that can only become a reality if in-house cleansing, strategy and perception is applied by each of the merging parties. Individual members of the opposition must put their personal ambitions aside in the interest of the greater good and merge as one whole entity. Thereafter, they must put the issue of a zonal presidency aside and consider adopting a consensus candidate based on achievement and popularity not tribe. A candidate that comes from any part of the country, a candidate that is ready, willing and able to transform this country to the level it deserves should they be victorious.

So only time will tell if the predictions of the Chinese will produce any truth, but as long as it is not as incorrect as the great 2012 Mayan prophesy, then Nigerians had better brace themselves. As a people who thrive for development, Nigerians need to make a new resolve to take charge of their destiny as they did in the beginning of 2012. Occupy Nigeria must always be on standby in readiness for the call of duty. Whatever happens in this great land, we must look to our future with hope notwithstanding the fact that according to the Chinese, the year of the snake will surely produce a ‘shake-up’… or shall I say ‘snake-up!’

Welcome to the Year of the Water Snake. Welcome to 2013!

For the last couple of months a scandal has been brewing in the United Kingdom. A scandal of titanic proportions which reduces a British national treasure from the highs where only heroes dare to roam to the lowest depths of a villainess terrain. The late Sir Jimmy Savile was not only one of the most loved and respected men in Britain; he was quintessentially an omnipresent and eccentric adornment to British public life.

As a disc jockey, television presenter, media personality and charity fundraiser, Jimmy Saville single handedly raised an astounding £40 million for charities and transformed the lives of thousands through his television show Jim’ll Fix It. He was a personal friend to Margaret Thatcher, Prince Charles, Lady Diana, Knighted by the Queen, given a Papal Knighthood by the Pope John Paul II amongst so many other honors. However, it was not until after his 2011 death that hundreds of allegations of child abuse and rape became public, leading the police to believe that Savile may have been one of Britain’s most prolific sex offenders.

With these allegations, it came to light that Jimmy Saville may have sexually abused over 300 young boys and girls, including mental patients and critically sick children. The crashing end to a legacy that was Jimmy Saville could not have been worse. Child abuse is not only one of the most horrific crimes imaginable; it is also one of the most damaging on the victim.

One can only fathom the disastrous effect such a crime would have on the poor children that have fallen victim to it. It is really sad to know that in this day, we live in a world where such monstrosities can take place against such innocent beings. In some of the cases I have personally come across in the past, children as young as 16 months have been raped and abused. One of the most profound and heart-breaking cases was one that I have written about before about a four year old girl that was raped consistently by her neighbour and carer. When I came across the case, the little girl was already physically and psychologically damaged and had tragically contracted HIV from her abuser and she was only four years old. I tried everything to pursue the case and assist the family but unfortunately, I was unable to keep in contact with them as they were displaced during one of the past Kaduna riots. Up until now, I am unable to get the devastating image of that little girls face out of my mind and I know it will remain with me for the rest of my life.

Paedophilia or sexual acts towards children and adolescents who are far beyond a prepubescent level of physical and psychological development is one of those concepts that any normal person would find impossible to get their head around. However, it is a vice that we must accept happens in the society, a crime that we must be able to identify and prevent. Unfortunately, paedophiles or child molesters are not easy to classify as they come from all socioeconomic classes. Most modern cultures in general strongly condemn underage intercourse and regard it as a very serious crime, based on the idea that children are not sufficiently mature to be able to consent to intercourse and that intercourse with children is therefore rape.

One cannot imagine why any adult would descend to such a low that they would feel the need to molest children. But I think the truth is that there is no simple explanation as to why some adults sexually abuse children. Although some make excuses for it by saying that paedophiles are mad people, but to be honest I think that explanation gives these abusers an easy way out. Unfortunately it may just come down to the basic fact that some people have an unhealthy interest in children and they do not care that sexual contact between adults and children is harmful to the child. Infact certain molesters create the belief that they are merely showing affection by molesting a child. However, for the vast majority who are aware that their actions are wrong, they go to great lengths to keep their offences secret in order to continue to abuse children.

I think what tends to also happen is that the majority of sex offenders were themselves sexually abused as children or exposed to it by witnessing the abuse of a loved one. Regardless, being an abused child does not give you any right to do the same thing to someone else. I must also stress that being abused does not necessarily cause an adult to molest a child. Like all people, abused persons make choices; to continue the circle of abuse or not. Sex offenders and pedophiles have got to be accountable for their actions no matter the darkness in their past.

Unfortunately, there are so many myths and assumptions drummed into our consciousness and built into our society that help to create a safe haven for child molesters. For example, some believe that it is almost always the fault of parents because they neglect their children or that certain classes of people do not molest children. In order to hinder child molesters, these theories must stop so that we can concentrate on the conduct of adults and an atmosphere that empowers perverse adults to molest children. I think that the most frightening aspect of child abuse is that about 75-85% of molested children are molested by relatives or other familiar adults and not strangers, just like in the case with the family I met.

As a parent, I would think that the most important strategy to protect children is to have good communication with our children. It is important to explain to children the difference about good and bad physical contact and to talk to them regularly, listen and observe their behaviour. One must know about their child’s activities and feelings. If in the unfortunate situation, a child has been abused, they most likely may be too afraid and embarrassed to talk about it. In that situation, it is up to the parent to detect the physical and behavioural signals.

An abused child may loose appetite, regress to infantile behaviour such as bed wetting or excessive crying, fear the dark, have recurrent nightmares or disturbed sleep patterns, unusual interest in or knowledge of sexual matters, expressing affection in ways inappropriate for a child of that age. A parent should notice whether a child has vaginal or rectal bleeding, infections or venereal disease, torn or stained underclothing and other signals such as aggressive or disruptive behaviour, withdrawal, running away or delinquent behaviour, or even unusually failing in school. In a situation where children show adult-like sexual behaviour, it is usually because they have been exposed to it by another child or adult because children tend to copy and repeat adult behaviours. Most experts agree that boys and girls have an equal chance of being sexually abused, although some children are more likely to become victims than others; children who are easily controlled by adults make easier targets.

The abuse of children in my opinion is the worst action against any society. It is a problem of international proportion, especially when children are being trafficked from continent to continent in order to fuel this grotesque, illicit trade. The solution must also be international, enjoining the resources and forces of the whole world. There are no excuses for sexually abusing children at any time, in any place and under any circumstances. Every child has the right to innocence; every child should be protected. Every time I am confronted with the harrowing facts that many of the children trafficked for sex slavery in Africa end up victims of AIDS or that a proportionally high number of the victims are tempted to commit suicide, my heart breaks. I have never been an advocate for capital punishment, but in the case of child abusers, I would vigorously campaign for the worst kind.

I met Jimmy Saville as a young girl in 1984 on a TV programme called Saturday Starship when members of my class were invited to appear on a programme he was holding. It was the highlight of my life back then to meet this larger than character who was so giving and kind. Jimmy lived up to every expectation we had as he joked, teased and smiled at all of us who participated. Little did we know then that behind the quirky, cheeky smile that Jimmy had lay a dark and sinister secret. Jimmy’s story is a lesson to everyone to be more vigilant when it comes to their children. I hope it will serve as a deterrent to stop other children being abused. As a mother, I know that in order to stop the paedophile from educating our children about abuse, we must educate and protect them ourselves. Children are born innocent, devoid of sleaze, when a paedophile strikes, they render that innocence… lost.

Some of my fondest memories as a child were always that of the Eid Al-Adha Sallah celebration. During those earlier years of my life, it was custom for the children in my family to wake up very early in the morning, get dressed in our very best attire and anticipate the family activities that were to take place on that day. After my siblings and myself finish contemplating who looked best, we would all go outside and wait for the males in the family to come back from attending the morning prayer. When the men folk got back, we would all wait till the Sallah ram had been slaughtered before proceeding to the slaughter area to watch the distribution of the meat to our neighbours, friends, family and the poor. As soon as the distribution is done, all the children in the house would go for visits to friends and family and exchange greetings and gifts. After the euphoria of the day, my family would settle down to play indoor games in the evening. At the end of each Sallah period, I was always very sad as a young girl because I never wanted the day that I appreciated for all its charity, fun, and harmony to end. Now, as a grown up, I appreciate the day for something much more profound. I appreciate it as a time to show respect for sacrifice and to reflect on our obligations to the people we know. It is also a time to demonstrate charity, community, commitment, cooperation and compassion and a sense of unity and oneness. It is a time to celebrate the principles, meaning and essence of Islam. Eid Al-Adha contains many wonderful messages including the fact that it is an external expression of the testimony of faith.

Every year, at the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Muslims throughout the world celebrate and commemorate this glorious and holy day that derives its message from the remarkable trials, triumphs and the unwavering faith of Prophet Ibrahim. And it is in the extraordinary story of Prophet Ibrahim and his love for the Almighty that many faiths throughout the world, learn about obedience and submission to the Almighty.

For every Muslim, at this time of year we are obliged to remember the acts of obedience and submission performed by Prophet Ibrahim and his family when he was commanded to take Hajara and their son Ismail to a desolate, remote land as a sacrifice and symbol of his love for his Creator. In what seemed an almost impossible feat, Prophet Ibraham submitted and obeyed the command from God. At the realisation of the ordeal to befall them, Hajara queried Prophet Ibrahim as to whether he intended to leave them as sacrifice in the valley, to which Prophet Ibrahim didn’t answer. Contemplating his silence, she went ahead to ask if the Prophet was ordered by Allah to sacrifice her and her son, to which he replied in the affirmative. In response to this final answer, Hajara submitted to Allah’s will because she knew that God would never let her and Ismail perish.

In addition, when Ismail grew up, the Prophet was again commanded by the Almighty to sacrifice him. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah’s will. When he was all prepared to do it, God revealed to him that his sacrifice had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord superseded all others to the extent that he was prepared to lay down his own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to God. There is no doubt that throughout history, the family of Prophet Ibrahim was a family that demonstrated the profundity of obedience and submission like no other. Time and again their faith and will has been tested and each time, they exhibited resilience in patience, submission and obedience.

Just as Prophet Ibrahim was tested throughout his life to see if he would submit or not, so will we be tested to see whether we submit to the Almighty’s rules and regulations. Just as the people of other faiths practice at various times of the religious calendar, there is no better time than now for Muslims to realise that every strain, drudgery and adversity we suffer compliments our pursuit to be obedient. If we all obey the tenants of our religion, we may be in the company of the likes of Prophet Ibrahim and his family in Paradise.

We should always take action toward improving our obedience and submission to God in the short space of time we have in this world. We must always recall that a great number of people who celebrated Eid with us in the years gone by have now become the residents of the graveyard. We are sure to join them at a time unknown to us and best known to God.

Eid is about having an attitude and willingness to make sacrifices in our lives in order to adhere to compassion and righteousness. And that can only be a good thing because we each should make the small sacrifices that entail us to give up things that are fun or important to us. A Muslim who truly submits themselves completely will always be willing to follow the Lord’s commands completely and obediently. It is this strength of heart, purity in faith, and willing obedience that our Lord desires from us.

When we share meat during Eid al-Adha, we share it mostly with immediate family, relatives, friends and the poor. The act symbolizes our willingness to give up things that are of benefit to us or close to our hearts, in order to follow Allah’s commands. It also symbolizes our willingness to give up some of our own bounties, in order to strengthen ties of friendship and help those who are in need. We recognize that all blessings come from Allah, and we should open our hearts and share with others.

Part of the messages of Eid is that we are one people with one destiny and as we gather together for the prayer and share in the blessings of the Eid, no matter which faith we practice, we must try very hard to reinforce our humanity, unity and mend our differences upon truth, fairness and justice.

Even when the Eid passes, the meat has all been eaten and the Barka Da Sallah’s have been exhausted, our obedience and submission must be constant and continuous. Let’s all endeavour to do good deeds because we must remember that no one has an agreement with the Angel of Death to delay their death until the time they choose to submit and obey to their Lord. We know of the example of this submission from Prophet Ibrahim, Hajara and their son Ismail.

As another Eid Al-Adha approaches, I remember, with nostalgia, those my beautiful early years during the celebrations of the festival. And although I may not be as ecstatic about the slaughtering of ram as I was when I was a young girl, I still love and appreciate this time of year, albeit for a different reason. I hope Eid touches families throughout Nigeria and the world, the way it has touched mine.

During this beautiful time, I would like to send my best wishes to all Nigerians celebrating Sallah and those across the world who observe the festival as they celebrate Eid al-Adha.

Psychasthenia, obsessive-compulsive-disorders, compulsions, nervous breakdowns, obsessions, unreasonable fears or any other psychological disorder. It seems almost inevitable that in this day and age most of the world is on the verge of one of these universal conditions. With all sorts of challenges worldwide; the economy, the wars, the intolerance and the conspiracies, who isn’t going through some kind of psychological disorder right about now? But the disorder that has been weighing heavily on my mind is the one that Northern Nigeria is at present going through.

Northern Nigeria is at this very time a region that is suffering from a very bad case of psychasthenia characterized by unity-phobias, religious-obsessions, violent-compulsions and excessive poverty-anxiety. Northern Nigeria; a region filled with baron, beautiful, undulating landscapes, amazing scenery, beautiful flora of evergreen trees and native bush, sparse prehistoric arid dessert-like Saharas, home to the most fertile land within a backdrop of the most spectacular display of agricultural tapestry. It’s hard for me not to feel awed by my home land every time I think of its grace, its people. But despite all that is wonderful in Northern Nigeria, its beauty and its cocktail of tribes, cultures and complicated multi-layered issues, there is something very wrong in our Northern Nigeria of today.

The fact that the situation in Northern Nigeria has essentially been a main talking point, shows that the breakdown Arewa is going through is weighing on many other minds. If we cut right to the chase in dissecting the issue at the heart of our present Northern psychasthenia, we find that the problems facing Arewa today are primarily about a fundamental lack of justice. A lack of transparency and tremendous corruption conducted and condoned by the past, present and likely future leadership of the North. St Augustine quotes that, “in the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?” And perhaps nowhere at this present time can this be truer than in Northern Nigeria.

Trailing near injustice is a great ethical degradation that never used to be part of the Northern identity. This ethical degradation has everything to do with power and money. And specifically a Northern power on the decline; paranoid, empty of glory and threatened by everything, even the shadows.

In the past several months, since it became apparent that President Goodluck Johnathan is likely to be an ‘African’ extending his stay in power, so called Northern leaders have come out from hibernation to cry ‘blue murder’. Leaders whose silence, at a time when carnage ravaged the north in the form of the Boko Haram brutality, was deafening, have all found their voice to cry foul because “Johnny seems to want a second… or is it third term?”

Also, northern heavy weights have come out to odiously challenge what they call the great injustice in the current revenue structure and sharing formula where the Niger delta states get approximately N24 billion a month of fiscal allotment, while Northern states collect N4 billion. At this point, even with the asymmetrical revenue formula, it is doubtful as to whether the average Northerner gives a toss on how much Jigawa State collects as opposed to Akwa Ibom state. It’s not like the money actually trickles down to the vast majority of the public anyway.

Whenever real issues face the north such as our dwindling agricultural sector, our sparse educational challenge, our emergent dichotomy and the violence that is eating away at us, our rulers, elders, leaders often meet the news with an almost catatonic silence. And instead of adequately addressing those issues which incidentally are the real plagues of the north, they do what all hapless leaders do when they don’t care; they look the other way. But the minute that the issue centres on who should be the next president or monies to be collected, our northern leaders have a way of standing up first and shouting the loudest, as if those are the issues that ordinary northerners are concerned about.

Honestly, with no ostensible sense of irony, Northern leaders speak of the presidency being the turn of the north, but they say nothing of the fact that a good number of them were instrumental in renting out and mortgaging the supposed turn of a Northern presidency when they supported a very cruel Obasanjo at the time he hoisted a gravely ill man on the throne at a time when the North was given its chance. When Obasanjo insisted on anointing Late Umaru Yaradua as president, everybody knew he was not the best option the north had. None were more convinced of this than the governors who frequently complained of the late Presidents’ non participation in their governors’ forums. Yet when President Yaradua was chosen, all the northern governors kept mum, none of them spoke out against it.

Northern rulers complain about the revenue sharing formula, but say noting about the fact that the present revenue that the north is receiving now is in no way reaching even 5% of the Northern population. Neither has there been any acknowledgement that the majority of Northern Nigerian youth have a grim future because they have no education. At the time that the basic education scheme was introduced, we were told in a manner of a pep talk given to slightly obtuse children that it would benefit the North more than any other region. But since its inception, instead of our children being in the class rooms, they are out on the streets begging and waiting for word on when the next sectarian violence will start so that they can participate and no ruler has found a voice to speak out about it.

Yes, our leaders speak a lot; they speak about what the North wants, of what they think the North should get, but they have not spoken a word of what the North really needs, the true reasons for its failures, the renditions, the lack of education, the dearth of unity, the emergency. Northern injustice, Northern ethical degradation; these all play a part in giving the North the psychasthenia that is so abound, they all play a part in giving way to the hydra headed monster which is corruption.

Corruption is a concept that, unfortunately, is so familiar to all Nigerians. And corruption means something to Northerners and when you break it down, what it means is this. There is no other place in the whole of Nigeria where the class divide between the rich and the poor is more obvious than it is than in the north. Since independence, Nigeria has been ruled by a Northern ruler for an approximate total of 38 years out of 52 years, yet in every corner of Northern Nigeria, millions of people can barely afford to feed their families. That in a recent Forbes listing of the richest Africans in the world, at least four northerners claim the slots in the top 40, including the top spot, yet several northern states have the highest incidence of poverty in the entire country. Littered all over the length and breath of Nigeria are Almajiris and beggars of a Northern origin. Religious bigotry and sectarian hatred in the north has become so intense that it has formed an identity even to the most objective and exposed within us. For every national examination sat in this country the aggregate of the region with the lowest candidates is the north. The regional bloodletting and consummate violence; which has been the by-product of the injustice in the society is getting worse.

It is when one sits down to really consider some of these inconsistencies and tries to relate them vis-à-vis each other that one can appreciate the attitudes that contribute to the erosion of the north. An inconsistency that was borne by injustice, selfishness, bad leadership, lack of foresight and every other factor that has contributed in bringing the North to its knees.

These facts are all well known; constantly people write and debate about them. All the goals and the ideals that this, once upon a time, giant within the giant of Africa has ever had, has been lost and is totally missed. We missed our goals because since the passing of Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto (yes him again), the North has had the misfortune of a short-sighted leadership that truly either doesn’t really care or doesn’t realise their part in the decay of the ideals of being a northerner and the accord that once made the North a force to be reckoned with.

There it is and as difficult as it is to say, this is the crux of it, the stark reality of the plight of the North, this psychasthenia we are suffering from. So the next time that our leaders, rulers and elders speak out on behalf of the North, they should please give the North a break and speak out, not on selective issues that affect them directly, but on the real issues that are truly plaguing the heart of the north, the issues that give way to this terrible case of psychasthenia Northern Nigeria is suffering from.

“-…Margaret is a chartered accountant. She was never able to concieve chidren but has a wonderful husband that dotes on her. Eary this year, Margaret was offered a fabulous new accounting job in Kaduna, to start at the end of the year. Discussing the appointment with her husband, they decided that the appointment would be a great opportunity for her.

With no family history of breast cancer and no reason to believe her life was about to change for the worse, Margaret started getting dressed for the interview with her prospective employers. As she was getting dressed, she discovered a hard lump about the size of a small bean, just above her right breast. Margaret worried about it for a few days before she realised it wasn’t going away and she should really consult a doctor. She was apprehensive because she knew the lump might mean something was terribly wrong. The first doctor she saw diagnosed the lump as a subcutaneous cyst and declared it was nothing to worry about. Not fully satisfied, Margaret went for a second opinion. The second doctor insisted on carrying out a Mammogram and the test confirmed all of Margaret’s worst fears. The biopsy report showed that the lump was a malignant tumour in the advanced stage… Margaret Audu, the brilliant chartered accountant, wife, and a woman with so much to look forward to was diagnosed with breast cancer…!”

“-…Laraba is a hard working kola-nut seller. She has four children, 9 grandchildren and a caring husband. For the last 26 years, Laraba has not eaten meat and she lives on a diet, mainly consisting of fruit and vegetables. On a daily basis Laraba walks about 15 km from her house to the market where she sells her kola. She may not identify it as such, but Laraba is an extremely healthy and fit 59 year old. Early this year, Laraba was asked to supply 500 bags of kola for the wedding of a Chief in Lagos. Elated that the proceeds of the supply would allow her to set up a kiosk to sell her kola nearer her house, Laraba saw this as a great opportunity for her.

With no tales of a history of disease within her lineage and no reason to believe her life was about to change for the worse, Laraba started getting ready for the trip to Lagos to deliver the kola. As she was geting ready, Laraba noticed some yellow puss-like liquid oozing out of her left nipple. For sometime, she kept wiping away the liquid, but when it persisted, she decided to visit a herbalist. The herbalist told her it was only an infection and gave her some balm to spread on the breast and beverage to drink at night. However, when the puss started turning into blood, Laraba made the decision to go to the General Hospital. At the General Hospital, Laraba was given an Ultrasoud Scan, which eventually showed the growth of an aggresive form of cancer in its advanced stage… Laraba Olusore, the hardworking mother, grandmother and wife. A woman excitedly looking at the prospect of an easier life, was diagnosed with breast cancer…!”

 In the year 2012, experts predict that at least 1.5 million people will learn that they have breast cancer. Of all the different forms of cancer, breast cancer is said to be the most prevalent and one of the principal causes of female mortality in the world. As we mark Breast Cancer Awearness month this October, every woman and some men must take seriously the prospect that any one of us could be suseptible to this dreadful disease.

 The story of Margaret and Laraba, two women looking forward to a positive stage in their lives, is tragic, but it is not dissimilar to the tales of millions of women who suffer from breast cancer. For the last ten years that I have been writing, I have tried to address the subject of breast cancer anually because the message of awareness for this dreadful ailment can never overstated. Too often have I witnessed with dispare my friends and relations suffer and succumb to breast cancer. Some years back a very close friend of mine was diagnosed with the disease. I was obviously devastated becuase this is a beautiful-spirited woman with a young family and, as they say, her whole life ahead of her. But what was most disturbing about her diagnosis was the fact that she didnt fit the stereotype of a woman within the risk bracket. Being in her twenties and the healthy mother of two babies, whom she had both breast-fed, on paper she did not belong to the category of women at risk from breast cancer. But regardless of what the text books say about the pre-disposing factors of having breast cancer, despite the theories science throws out at us, the reality is that every woman, whether she is age sixteen or seventy, whether she eats healthy and exercises, whether she is overweight or whether she has breastfed or not, could be told that she has breast cancer today.

 The subject of breast cancer is rarely discussed in Nigeria and the gravity of it is largely underrated. This lack of discussion has led to vast ignorance and misconceptions of the disease. As women, we need to talk about breast cancer to other women so that we can be aware of the factors surrounding it; so that we dont have continue detecting it accidently; so that we dont find out too late. In this country we urgently need established national screening programs. Without early detection, the sufferers of breast cancer have a smaller chance of survival, without early detection women like my friend face a long and tedious uphill struggle to beat this vicious and unforgiving disease. Without early detection, Margaret and Laraba have no hope and their story will end as follows…

“-…After her diagnosis, with the chances of survival for such an advanced form of cancer very thin, Margaret religiously tried every option money could buy. But the cancer had already spread. Within a very short time, the cancer devoured Margaret’s body. Her hair began to fall out, she bore rippling pain, her skin become ashen, she had become emaciated, she could barely speak and was bedridden. Within a very short time, Margaret succumed to the cancer. And on one dreary morning, with her husband by her side, death finally claimed her… Margaret Audu died of breast cancer…”

“-…At the time of Laraba’s diagnosis, her family didnt have the kind of money required for the treatment she would need. With few options, Laraba continued to take the concoction the herbalist had given her. As the cancer ate at Laraba’s body, she became bloated, her body developed sores, her skin became very dark and her left breast became green in colour. The puss easing out of Laraba’s nipple had become so constant and so pungent that her husband was almost repulsed at the thought of being near her. Almost as quickly as it began, with her daughters next to her, the desease that had laid claim to her life, finnaly came to collect and Laraba gave up the ghost… Laraba Olusore died of breast cancer…!”

 Laraba and Margaret were two women with very different lives. Two women who had every reason to fight for their lives but started their fight against breast cancer too late. While not all women can be saved from breast cancer, not all cases of this desease have to end the way Margaret and Laraba’s did either.

We have a unique chance to reverse the incidence of breast cancer in Nigeria by creating general awareness. Our National, General and University Teaching hospitals should put up posters, train nurses and enlighten patients on how to determine their breast status for early detection of cancer. Our governments have a duty to provide new and modern screening equipment for hospitals all over the country. They should provide hospitals with Mammogram, Ultrasound scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging apparatus.

 Knowledge is power, and every woman should be equipped with the knowledge to examine her breasts for evidence of cancer, at least once every month, just around the week she finishes her menstrual cycle. Knowing the early detection signs of breast cancer is the surest way to beat the disease. If they had detected the cancer early, Margaret and Laraba could have had a chance to beat the disease. If they had detected it early, Margret and Laraba’s life might not have ended in the tragic manner it did. Instead, it could have ended as follows…

“-…Margaret detected the tiny lump during one of the breast screening examinations she gives herself monthly. She was lucky becuase the breast cancer was in its early stage. And eventhough, she went through a brief bout of Chemotherapy, became very ill and lost all her body hair, Margaret gave breast cancer a good beating and she overcame it. Slowly, she regained her strength, prospective on life and her hair! Today, because of early detection, Margaret is a survivor of breast cancer…!”

 “-…Laraba recognised the swelling in her breast, the purites and constant feaver as early warning signs of breast cancer because the women in the market often spoke about the symptoms. When the doctor told her that it had been detected early, Laraba was overjoyed. And although, she had to have both breasts removed, Laraba’s husband and children continued to love and admire her. Today, because of early detection, Laraba is a survivor of breast cancer…!”

For our two fictitious heroines, Laraba and Margaret, their story could have had an encouraging ending had they detected their breast cancer early. I hope that the difficult journey my friend and so many women out there are embarking on will conclude with them being ‘survivors of breast cancer’. I urge every woman reading this article to take some time to consider the message I have tried to relay and become breast cancer aware. Even if it is not something that has been of concern to you before, let this Breast Cancer Awareness Month be the start of you taking control and becoming aware. Let women consider enquiring into ways to examine themselves, let women know their breast cancer status, let women save their own lives. While nothing can truely be fool-proof against breat cancer, it is a fact that early detection can save a life.

Usually, people celebrate anniversaries when they feel a sense of achievement and self-discovery in their pursuit of something. In that journey, it is a pertinent rule of life that mistakes would be made. Mistakes are acceptable as long as one learns from them and use them to make improved decisions for the future. In our journey since Independence, we as a nation have made mistakes. But what did we do with the mistakes? Did we learn from them or just repeat them over and over again, oblivious of what was to come?

All my life, I’ve seen my country struggle to attain that she should be: the giant of Africa, the pivot point for Africa’s political and economic excellence, a shinning example of a vibrant black nation. It seems to me that I have been watching, hearing and reading about the failure of this struggle for as long as I can recall. What is it about Nigeria that seems to defy any kind of modern governance or civilized behaviour by government? Could it be that we hadn’t made mistakes or, if we had, we were unable to learn from them?

Nigeria formally achieved independence in 1960 with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as the republic’s first president. However, on January 15, 1966, junior officers calling for radical reforms triggered by alleged corruption attempted a coup. The coup failed but the federal cabinet surrendered power to General JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi. In July 1966, Operation Araba was exercised when army officers killed Ironsi and overthrew the government; as a result, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon became head of state. Triggered by violence in the north, Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu proclaimed that the eastern part of Nigeria was now the independent Republic of Biafra in May 1967. On July 6, a civil war between Biafran secessionists and the federal government broke out. The war ended in January 1970. “No victor, no vanquished” was affirmed by General Gowon with a promise to return Nigeria to civilian rule in 1976. However, on October 1, 1974, General Gowon announced that the 1976 date for handing over power was not practical. Complaints about corruption and government inefficiency surfaced and led to a bloodless coup on July 29, 1975, when Brigadier General Murtala took over. He reinstated the promise to return to civilian and constitutional rule in 1979 but, six months later, he was assassinated while in a traffic jam. There was public outrage and the chief of general staff, General Obasanjo, reluctantly took over in February 1976. Over the next three years, a new constitution was drafted and an American-style presidency was adopted.

Nigeria was returned to civilian rule in 1979 with Alhaji Shehu Shagari as president. Public disillusionment rapidly set in as the politicians began to pilfer. When the elections in 1983 appeared to be inconsistent, the military took over power again in a popular coup led by General Muhammadu Buhari on December 31, 1983. The government promised to crack down on corruption and introduced a heavy-handed War Against Indiscipline (WAI) in an effort to reorient the social order. However, this was not to be as, in another bloodless coup, General Babangida ousted General Buhari with a promise to vacate office by October 1990. The government again pushed the date for handover back to October 1992, but on April 22, 1990, middle-ranking army officers attempt to overthrow Babangida. General Sani Abacha, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and chief of army staff, reaffirmed the military’s loyalty to Babangida.

The coup leader, Major Gideon Okar, and 42 of the soldiers were executed in July with 27 more executed in September. Presidential elections were conducted on June 12, 1993, and Chief Moshood Abiola ostensibly won. Observers and the vast majority of Nigerians agreed that it was the fairest election Nigeria had ever held. The military government annulled the election, called for a new election and banned Chief Abiola from participating. Protests and controversy followed, forcing General Babangida to step down on August 26, 1993. Power was handed over to Chief Ernest Shonekan, head of an Interim National Government(ING). General Abacha overthrew Shonekan’s ING on November 17, 1993. However, pressure for Abiola to form a government continued and he was obdurate. On June 23, 1994, he was arrested, charged with sedition and jailed. Implicated in a phantom coup, General Olusengun Obasanjo was also jailed in 1995. Unexpectedly, Abacha died on June 8, 1998; ambiguity surrounded his death but the official cause given was a heart attack! Abiola was to be released but in the course of meeting with a US delegation on July 7, he died after drinking tea; the official cause given was a heart attack! After the death of Abacha and Abiola, General Abdulsalami Abubakar took over and began a transition to civilian rule. On February 19, 1999, Obasanjo won election to the presidency in a relatively free and fair election. However, in the 2003 elections, INEC declared that he won a second term amidst widespread controversy and suspicion.

Apart from my brief recap of Nigeria’s history being a mouthful, the mistakes are quite evident. Many believe that ,if there is any good coming out of the bad years of military dictatorship and ineffective civilian governance, it’s that we have made enough mistakes to learn meaningful lessons from them. It appears that all the time the government has failed, it has been either due to massive looting and corruption, outrageous rigging at elections, extensive tribal marginalisation or an unnecessary and unfair extension of the agreed period of rule by the government. Obviously fraudulent elections and chaotic economies are some of the excuses used for takeovers.

If those were reasons for governmental invasions, it could be argued that all our past governments were in the throes of death almost straight after their inception. If the theory still is correct, then military takeovers become a kind of euthanasia because, in nearly all the cases of the breakdown of government, there was a repeated pattern of corruption and cheating. Our governments never seemed to learn from the past mistakes, yet always ended up with the same fate – failure!

I, for one, saw this Fourth Republic as a clean slate given to Nigeria despite our past misdeeds so that we can start our quest for greatness afresh. We had the opportunity to right the wrongs of the past and break the vicious circle of pre-doomed governments. General Abdulsalami, in his speech made in 1999 during the inauguration, most appropriately described it when he said, “To us all beckons the historic opportunity to break, once and for all, the cycle of instability and mistrust that have wracked our political life since independence”. That seems a lifetime ago as Nigerians realise that these new breed of politicians have rapidly adopted the old ways of patronage, rigging and corruption, and the mistakes of the past are being reenacted all over again with a vengeance, meaning that we haven’t learned anything from the past.

It seems all the trauma and hardship this nation has gone through has not taught us anything. If we choose to turn a blind eye to the effect of misrule and cheating, then, that is a serious indication that we are still not ready for that greatness we were destined for; our forefathers struggled and died for absolutely nothing. This is an even more serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic experiment and development.

We must start all over again – never to move forth until we reflect on our blunders and apply it in a positive way to the betterment of this land. This is one of my wishes for Nigeria. Therefore, as we conclude our 52nd year celebration after colonial rule, I hope to be around to celebrate, at least, the first year of the rebirth of a corruption-free, rigging-free, power-hungry-free Nigeria, fresh from the lessons of the past. If those that have the power choose to drive our homeland to the brinks of death or even kill her, then, we shall one day celebrate the first year of her recuperation or reincarnation. Either way, one day we shall celebrate for motherland. It will be then and only then that we shall truly have a free and independent nation to celebrate for.