A new Non Governmental Organisation, NoBaga, which said it is committed to promoting the culture of nonviolence and free and fair elections, held its Town Hall meeting, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Tuesday, urging Nigerians to embrace peace in the forthcoming general elections.
The meeting which was presided over by Nollywood actor, Kanayo O. Kanayo, was attended by entertainers, students of tertiary institutions, journalists, as well as NoBaga ambassadors, who were dressed in white Tee-Shirt with the ‘Vote, Not Hate’ inscription.
In his address, K.O.K noted that the meeting was not a political campaign, but a clarion call to Nigerians to shun violence and focus on crucial issues. He explained that Baga, being the last community in Borno State to come under insurgent attacks, is being used as the group’s name.
“The point we are trying to make is you have a choice to vote for whoever but we must not fight about it. I’m a very big optimist. I am not predicting that there will be war, but we must not encourage those who are beating the drums of war,” said the actor, who revealed that he was only seven years old when he witnessed the Nigeria/Biafra war. He recounted his ordeals, sayings that those who are fuelling violence and making inciting comments have their visas intact, while their children also school abroad. “This is not about Jonathan or Buhari. Your love for Nigeria should be paramount. This is what is called patriotism,” he said.
Founder of the group, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, said the idea of NoBaga is a way of taking a stand against violent killings in the country. She revealed that it was a day after Baga attack that she lost her brother, Michael Anyiam-Osigwe, who was killed by gunmen during a rampage which took over 20 others lives. She said she has not stopped grieving and this has made her to realise how families of those Nigerians who have lost their lives in the series of insurgent attacks truly feel.
“NoBaga, means ‘No More Killings,” she said. “The people dying in the North are Nigerians. We are supposed to be our brother’s keeper. Is it because it is not happening to us? I don’t know what it will take for Nigerians to have compassion. Inciting hate in the manner it has been going on in the nation because of election is a deadly thing. America has predicted that Nigeria will break by 2015. Do you want that prophesy of America to come to reality? Who I am going to vote for is a personal decision, but I’m not going to follow the hate campaign. Vote based on your conviction, vote who you like.”
She said in addition, the group is organising a forum called Unity Day, having reached out to displaced people from the crisis areas. “This Saturday, February 7, we are going to have what is known as a unity day. It is a day of prayers and a day we are going to remember our brothers and sisters who died in the North East.”
Nollywood actress, Nkiru Umeh, also urge all to embrace peace, even as notable comedian, Okey Bakassi, noted: “All your aspiration will come to nothing if by February 14, there is war. We are building hate that is gradually crossing the lines of friendship. I have said to myself, I’m not going to lose any of my friends to politics because these politicians were not there when these friendships were formed”.
Also speaking, Joshua Okoluwa, a student of University of Lagos, advised the youths not to allow themselves to be used as political tugs. According to him, “These politicians do not like us. They say we are leaders of tomorrow, let’s form our own political party then and rule Nigeria. Why can’t we be the politicians ourselves?”
