Article: As History Beckons..........

Chris Nwaokobia Jnr.

By Chris Nwaokobia Jnr.

If I were standing and looking at History and the Almighty were to ask me, son, what time would you rather be born? I shall answer, Lord yes, we have had some great moments in history, we have seen humankind overcome the pervasive state of nature for some civility, we have seen great Ecleptic and Esotorically pertinent drift from Idolatry to your worship. 

We have seen the advent of Jesus the Christ, we saw the great Prophet of Allah, Mohammed(PBUH), our world have witnessed great Industrial and Faith based Revolutions, Nations were enslaved and through great struggles Independence won. But, I shall say, Lord thanks for having me here in Nigeria at the last quarter of the 20th Century, precisely on the 12th of March, 1971.

I shall say thanks for having me see almost four decades in time, and to grow in a nation where as a child, I witnessed some great movements for Change like the Segun Okeowo NUNS led Ali Must Go of 1977-78 Students uprising against the oppressive Educational Policies of the government of that day. I shall say thanks Lord, for having me see as a Twelve-year-old, the revolts that attended the rigging of the 1983 Elections, and a people saying no to a less than proper electoral regime.

I shall say thanks Lord, for having me participate as one of the Paladins in a Youth fervency that orchestrated series of patriotic protests against the draconic policies of the gap-toothed one, I remain eternally proud of  my Friends, my Comrades and Colleagues in the Anti-SAP, Anti-June 12th Annulment protests and the several protests that denied the Interim Government of Shonekan all forms of legitimacy. I remember the battles against the goggled one, and I thank the Lord for having me participate in such great movements for Change.

I shall thank the Lord for making me one of the few Youths that opposed the Ota farmer and his corruption ridden regime. And for being in detention several times for the battles against oppression. I shall thank the Lord for the Martyrs of the many struggles that we have fought, the song and unsung heroes of the battles for freedom particularly the June 12th Struggle to whom the Eagle Square must be dedicated, and in their honour renamed the June 12th Square.

I shall say a resounding Thank You Lord for having me witness the revolution in Tunisia, in Algeria, in Jordan, in Yemen, in Egypt, etc. I am happy, overjoyed and overwhelmed to be here when my brothers and sisters, adults, youths and children all over the world are rising for freedom, and Fighting for the dividends of democracy, the benefits of good governance and the realities of Jubilee.

I am excited and enamoured by the fact that my Countrymen are presently keying into the spirit of the time. I am passionately overjoyed by the fact that I see a generation of Young men and women who understands the call of history and appreciate the fierce urgency of the now when we must unseat the PDP led regime of Profiteers and looters through a peaceful ballot based revolution come April.

I am happy to be born in this age of a universal proactive quest for freedom and prosperity. I am happy to be at the head of a great movement of youths across Nigeria seeking nothing but responsible and responsive governance, and desirous to make one of their own at 40 the Youngest democratically elected President of this great Country in tandem with the promises and precepts of Jubilee, remember that at the dawn of America's Fourth Jubilee John F. Kennedy became the First Roman Catholic and the Youngest President of America, and the Fifth Jubilee saw a Kenyan Born African-American Barrack Obama as the first black President in the White House. History Beckons.

I shall thank the lord for making me understand the times, and teaching me that Jubilee comes in history with change unusual, with change unpredictable and with change unstoppable. I remember that in Ghana in the time of Jubilee the Party of the great Jerry Rawlings lost power to the less powerful and less charismatic Kuffour. I remember that in Madagascar Ravlomanana gave up Power at the 50th anniversary of that nation to a 34year old High School drop-out and Ex-Disc Jockey Rajolina, that the opposition in Gambia and the Guinea won general elections in those nations in the year of their Jubilee, ours will not be an exception.

I will say Lord, if you can allow me some little time in this first quarter of the 21st Century to berth a New Nigeria and make real the promises of democracy, to make true the realities of Jubilee, I will be happy. Friends, brothers, sisters, comrades and compatriots we must rise to the challenge of the now as history beckons knowing that the universe is just, you shall reap what you sow. We must rise up and straighten our backs conscious of the fact that a man can only ride you when your back is bent.

We must, saying never ever again because those who settle for pittance are beggars. We must say no to election riggers and political jobbers because history is true, ill-gotten wealth fades and leaves the future with a bile of hate, bungled dreams and unfulfilled promises. We must rise against a government and a regime that spends 75% of our annual budget on the recurrent expenditure of both the Executives and the Federal Legislature, leaving a miserly 25% for infrastructural development, education, energy, health-care and the likes, whilst perfidiously mouthing transformation.

Thank you Lord for having me here at a time when I believe that our people shall heed the call for a great future and posterity, the call to vote out the gerontocracy, to reject the Party of looters, to say no to their apparatchiks and to reject the so-called breathe of fresh air whose drivers, Godfathers and Chief supporters are the same persons who raped our yesterday, who engage in the plunder of our today and whose determination is to despoil our tomorrow. History calls on us to say never ever again.

(Nwaokobia is the Presidential Candidate of the Liberal Democratic Party Of Nigeria)