SOUTHERN KADUNA: our struggle, its features, and actors

We’re a collective with long and short migratory history to our present geographical
location. Co-activities,co-existence, and denigration by post 1st October 1960 political
kingpins masterminded fraternities between numerous tongues that congregated in
Southern Kaduna.

Since “conquest” and integration into northern regional and subsequently Nigerian
administrative structures, ours is a life of struggle against political domination, economic
exploitation and socio-cultural subjugation of corrosive and corrupt internal and
external forces.

Our first and second-generation liberators or redeemers were a clear-headed bunch. And
very businesslike and devoid of a hedonistic lifestyle. Their comprehension of the
dynamics of our quandaries was superfluously mesmerizing. They had throat-cutting
disagreements, but their hullabaloos never transcended strategic and tactical
boundaries. Knowing uncrossable boundaries insulated them from becoming a
permanently disagreeable brigade.

Then and now, our struggles weren’t guided by some deliberately plotted
roadmaps. Furthermore, we only react to spurs of the moment, period. In a vivid tactical
parlance language: our struggles are defensive in character. We never initiated actions
that will keep political and otherwise opponents on a leg-up.

Characters of the present phase of our struggle are tactical and strategic “Lilliputians”
with an insatiable penchant for wobbling effort and sailing against the waves. They charge
tantamount to bruised buffaloes, when the withdrawal is the right step—and vice versa.
They intentionally embark on blue-to-blue— because fellow “comrades” don’t share
certain perceptions and strategies of the struggle.

Our current “redeemers” and “liberators” have ignorantly and intentionally turned
Southern Kaduna to a biblical Tower of Babel. Now that each is humming his/her tune
and heading his/her direction, the so-called opponent is resting and re-strategizing his
next trip to our jugular. The real and imaginary opponents will succeed because the
house is fighting a bloody civil war like that of the Bolsheviks versus Mensheviks in
feudal Russia.

We’re sinking deeper into the valley of destruction—it’s total karakiri—it self-destructs—it’s a classic instance of nihilism. We need to pull the brakes, otherwise, we shall tumble down the steep and break into pieces that can’t be mended.
Enough, “comrades”! Let’s settle the home front dust and face real issues before us.
Until victory, always.

By John Danfulani