Shuffering and Shmilling

Covered in a blanket ‘free will’ and enveloped by ‘rights’ is a plague on the world. It hides under the alias of democracy- a government for the people, of the people and by the people. What Abraham Lincoln failed to mention was: ‘the people’ actually means the elite. Those who have fortune and name in their corner essentially have the democratic government in their pockets.

After Black Tuesday* (may our warriors rest in perfect peace), the silly president addressed us and left us with a threat. This old dog has rumbled quite a few times after fighting wars and leading the coup d’état against Shehu Shagari. Buhari is formidable in the iron fist rule department. But damn, this says so much about the Nigerian citizens. Why did we think it was a great idea to elect this beast as our president? Ah ah is it not the same Buhari that Fela sang about.

 Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s ‘Beast of No Nation’ was written specially for this mad man. ‘Na be outside- Buhari dey. Na craze man be dat. Animal in craze-man skin’, he sang. The message is quite straight forward: Buhari is an animal in crazy man skin’. I think it is quite befitting for a man who ordered policemen to whip Nigerians who did not queue properly or made workers frog jump if they were late to work. This was, however, during his military rule. Now he has upgraded, he sent soldiers to slaughter protesters singing our nations national anthem. May our warriors rest in perfect peace. 

This democracy in Nigeria, this fight for ‘law and order’ is an excuse to keep the poor, poor and the rich even richer. How else do we explain the mounts of Covid relief food stored in warehouses all around the country, while men, women, children starve to death? Then the government goes on about ‘stop looters, kill them on sight’. Sounds a bit familiar doesn’t it. Let’s not forget when the Cheeto in the American presidential seat tweeted ‘when the looting starts, shooting starts.

Democracy, democracy. Thou hast forsaken us!

Don’t you find it funny? We elect idiots into power because we are desperate for change. We are so desperate for food, for money, that we sell our votes for short term gratification. Nigeria, they say is Africa’s gem. The most populated country in Africa with the majority being the youth. We are a pool of human resources that the government rather kill than nurture.

History is repeating itself. Remember the Biafran war, the numerous military offences and Coups. We are controlled by money and silly notions of the good life, the boujee, Otedola, three Ferrari kinda life. We are controlled by tribal differences. I don’t remember any of those soldiers on Black Tuesday sparing Yorubas or Hausas. Their tribes didn’t matter as they were gunned down ruthlessly.  This government, under the hood of democracy, has been found out. Its secrets have been revealed.

I’m sorry to inform you, Mr President, the youth of Nigeria are tired of shuffering and shmilling**.

Key Quote: DEMO-CRAZY, Crazy demo. Demonstration of craze.

                  -Fela Anikulapo Kuti (lyrics from teacher don’t teach me nonsense)

*REFERS TO THE LAGOS LEKKI TOLL GATE MASSACRE AND OTHER MASSACRES CARRIED OUT AROUND NIGERIA ON OCTOBER 20^TH  2020.

** REFERS TO FALE KUTI’S SONG ‘SHUFFERING AND SHMILLING’ (SUFFERING AND SMILING).