One of Buhari’s campaigns in the North in 2019
OPINION: Millions of Buhari’s extreme supporters do not have reason
By Fatoumata Oumar
Nigerians are avoidably facing some serious social challenges, economic and security wise. But the sect who are the worst hit—the poorest of the poor—seem not to understand the source of their issues neither do they ever think that their situations could be anything better. This brings to mind, the third serious issue with Nigerians—religion. Most Nigerians seem to be at the extreme points of the two dominant religious influences: Christianity and Islam. In expression of their faith, Nigerians seem to be insulated from all logics and realism.
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The number of terribly poor Nigerians have risen sharply, overtaking other hitherto most vulnerable countries like India and Pakistan. But it is funny that the most affected people do not see any problem with that. According to a recent survey by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) largest clusters of poorest Nigerians can be found in the states of Nigeria’s North-East and North-West. These people are so poor that they live below half a dollar per day. And they earn their living by depending on the nearest person for their survival.
Nigeria’s North also owns the largest portion of Nigeria’s share of global insecurity. Between 2015 and January 2019, not less than 32, 000 people have been reported killed by combined forces of Boko Haram and herdsmen. And the number consists of 95 percent Northern peasants.
Latest report by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says there is upsurge in violent attacks in crisis-ravaged North-east Nigeria since 2015. Between November 2018 and January, 2019, 59,200 people were displaced in that particular region.
When these people are displaced, they find ‘refuge’ in worse places to be—the camps for the internally displaced. The internally displaced persons are not in any way living any good life because of widespread corruption in the ranks of the military and other officials who are in charge of their wellbeing. There have been reports of how the authorities stole the reprieve meant for the displaced persons. Items donated to the internally displaced persons by good spirited individuals and international humanitarian agencies find its way into the open market where they are sold for the gain of government officials. On Monday, the IDPs protested neglect.
Armed extremists, notably, Boko Haram militants, had contributed to the humanitarian crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, and has spilled over into the Lake Chad region.
The government of president Muhammdu Buhari has not been able to improve the security and economic lives of the people. Buhari’s body language has exacerbated the burning issues instead of abating them.
In the area of insecurity, the poor civilians continue to bear the brunt of conflicts that have led to widespread forced displacement and violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
On the economy, the worst-hit are the poorest of the poor. And at the same time, the poorest of the poor are the major supporters of the government which has inflicted so much poverty and death on them.
The massive turn-up and followership by the Northern youths at the last political rally of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the Northern states was evident. This writer self-sponsored a trip to Kano to cover the rally and conducted some survey on the reasons for the intimidating followership for Buhari. The result of the survey confirmed my earlier conviction that millions of president Muhammadu Buhari do not have any reason for showing their support.
When we asked some members of the multitude why they preferred to re-elect Buhari for another term of four years, the answer they give us was ‘SAI BABA BUHARI’. Their support was not that Buhari would solve their economic or security challenges. In fact, most of them did not even know that there was economic challenge in the first place. They did not understand that their lives could be anything better if right things are put in place.
Nigeria is at a cross-road presently. By the 2019 elections, opportunities dangle before Nigerians: opportunity to elect leadership that can re-float Nigeria’s economy and improve on the wellbeing of her people. There is also opportunity to forestall further degeneration of security challenges for people living in Nigeria. There is also an unfortunate opportunity for Nigerians to ignore all the other opportunities and re-elect Muhammadu Buhari.
Fatoumata Oumar is Editor at Discover Africa News