An uncouth child, untrained and untrainable, is fated to a harsh tutorial outside — Yoruba saying.
It was “Six for the PM” (September 9): Simon Ekpa’s terrorism conviction in Finland. Now, it’s “Life for an ‘international terrorist’”:Nnamdi Kanu’s life jail for terrorism, on November 20.
As Ekpa’s Finland canning, it’s Nigeria’s renunciation of atavistic savagery, veiled as self-determination. Any polity, ruled by law, logic and decency, has no other way.
So, if some South East elite still huff and puff; and the ignorant hoi polloi spewing emotive rubbish — both on X and allied social media — can’t still see the clear folly of terror tactics clothed as “self determination”, then the cruel joke is on them.
Even if the rest of Nigeria, victims of Kanu’s violent ethnic chauvinism, decide to “move on” (and that is far from certain!), what of his fellow Igbo: from Orsu, Ozubulu, Agulu, Orlu, Okigwe and Arondizuogu, hacked and slain by Kanu and his IPOB/ESN terrorists?
Their lives are worth nothing, so long as Kanu and co-criminals claim they shed their blood to water a neo-Biafra — a neo-Biafra where the Igbo, under whatever guise, are free to slaughter fellow Igbo? How long will such an enclave even last, before sinking in its own violent contradictions?
Besides, the South East elite should explain: how a rogue Eastern Security Network, busy devouring its own, thrived; and the Ebube Agu (Igbo for “Fear/aura/glory of a lion”) hardly made it beyond the conception slate, despite the opening salvo of ex-Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi?
Indeed, Ebube Agu, a regional security bloc, was to the South East, what Amotekun (Yoruba for Leopard, but formally: the Western Nigeria Security Network) is to the South West; just as the numerous Joint Civilian Task Force (JCTF) cadres are to the North — already integrated into that region’s anti-terrorism/banditry security buffer.
So, the South East orchestrated anguish, loud and tactless, echoes the opening quote of this piece: a child with no home training is yoked to a shattering lesson outside.
That essentially is the Kanu tragedy: loud, rude, uncouth, cocky and insufferable! He just birthed where he belongs. Good riddance!
So, those claiming his jailing is tantamount to jailing the entire Igbo are entitled to their self-deceit. They should walk their talk, though: join him in the slammer!
Besides, has it ever happened anywhere: that a docked person would bawl at his trial judge: “Omotoso, show me the law!”? — and all that from what has turned out to be no more than combative ignorance? In the open court too! What heresy!
Now if after, the South East elite still deign to muster such indignation at a criminal getting his glaring desert, they must accept they have been horrible “parents”, that unleashed such a horrible — nay, evil! — “child”, on their entire Nigerian “neighbours”.
Instead of this empty blather and bluster, they should show contrition and — pronto — apologize to other Nigerians!
Indeed, for an elite ever eager to clamber on tales of victimhood, they show pretty little sensitivity on how, by their reckless jibes, they routinely bruise others.
Which takes the matter to another post-jail campaign: instant mercy and pardon — an unthinking call, after the illogical pre-trial thunder: “Release Kanu unconditionally!” Isn’t it sheer lunacy to do exactly the same thing, yet expect a different result?
Even if you were to credibly beg for Kanu, where would you begin?
The courts whose sedate practitioners he throatily traduced, in his empty attempt to subdue? Remember these four Justices: Ahmed Mohammed, John Tsoho, Binta Nyako and James Omotoso, all sitting as justices of the Federal High Court, Abuja?
Kanu bludgeoned three out of the four to recuse themselves. Justice Omotoso, that eventually convicted him, was patient and long-suffering to defeat Kanu’s stalling tactics. Even then, he cursed, yelled and growled at the judge like some mad dog!
Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, Kanu’s prosecutor-in-chief? He insulted him twice — first, with Justice Nyako; and after with Justice Omotoso, after Kanu’s unruly conduct earned him expulsion from the courtroom on judgment day!
Yet, the same court, peopled by same jurists, will handle his appeal, after his crude boast that no court could convict him!
The security agents that he goaded his goons, via his insane EndSARS broadcasts in 2020, to go slaughter during the EndSARS riots?
The sitting President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose alleged assets he told his IPOB thugs in Lagos to go raze, or possibly kill him if they could get him?
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The late President Muhammadu Buhari, a proud son of the North who, when ill, Kanu’s evil tongue floated the morbid lie that he had “died”; and that the “clone” that made it back as President was some Jubril of Sudan?
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), who he cursed, dubbed his church a “Yoruba church” and every Igbo that worshipped there, an “imbecile”?
Will Lagos ever forget the evil of the atavistic savage that incited an IPOB mob to set on fire its historic monuments and landmarks, aside razing a new fleet of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses — among other investments Lagos made to ease life for his fellow Igbo and other ethnics in the Lagos cosmopolis?
Will the Igbo ever tolerate a non-Igbo savage, direct his co-savages to go on an arson spree, on the Igbo cherished landmarks, in the Igbo homestead? That’s what Kanu did to Lagos — and jail is where he eternally belongs!
Indeed, which section of Nigeria has Kanu not profaned? Where will this so-called “political solution” issue from — his rogue exceptionalism that because he is Igbo, and he’s fighting for Biafra, so he can destroy others’ lives and livelihoods, and walk free?
How would that even sound with victims in Kanu’s Igbo homeland: Miracle Nwobodo, Dr. Chike Akunyili, medic and spouse of the late but impactful Dora Akunyili, and the Army couple, Gloria Matthew and her beau, Linus Musa Audu, humiliated, beheaded and desecrated by IPOB, among thousands of nameless others? And Ahmed Gulak, will Adamawa ever forget?
Again, those who continue to mouth “injustice against Kanu” can enjoy their wilful lies. But even his lawyers knew he had absolutely no defence for his terrorist acts — so did Kanu himself. Thus, their stalling tactics that dragged the case for 10 years.
Fittingly on judgment day, his loose tongue nailed him — and spectacularly so. Indeed, had Justice Omotoso handed down the death penalty, that tongue would have handed the authorities a long rope to hang the condemned.
All of a sudden, the scriptures become so haunting: it’s the nonsense you spew that nails you, not the chaff you eat! The blood of his IPOB/ESN victims cried for justice –and secured judgment.
Let the lifer endure his life jail. But that’s even his least worries. The blood of his terror victims cry, will taunt him and challenge him for the rest of his life. It’s hard, lonely, miserable road to travel!
