Agitations are good as means of expressing our demands to the government, but such demands should have a human face and should not be directed towards self-destruction as we see it today, particularly in the Southeast geopolitical zone. Such agitation is an open invitation to war which are destructive and counter-productive, considering the fact that war has never solved any problem in the world even the first and second world wars for which many lives and property were lost. In fact, during the second world war, Adolf Hitler of Germany ordered genocide on the Jews. The pogrom led to the unwarranted and senseless killings of more than six million Jews. You can imagine that! These are people who had families and loved ones massacred like that. It is piteous, pathetic and painful; and should be deprecated.
During the Vietnamese war, so many soldiers and civilians were killed both on the side of the Vietnamese people and on the side of the Americans, yet nothing was achieved. In fact, the American Government at the time withdrew her troops from the war because it was overwhelmed by the rate of killings and destruction of property, achieving nothing.
During the Biafran war which lasted for about three years, people were killed in their numbers. We lost our able-bodied men and women, including our best brains like Christopher Okigbo to the war. Properties were equally destroyed and everybody was rendered homeless. Schools were shutdown, relaxation centres and other comfort zones were all closed. Parents watched their children die of hunger and diseases even as they threw away their new born babies in the forests because they were crying and making noise. Homes were deserted and the forest became dwelling places of victims of the war. Nobody could help the other because everybody was after the safety of his own life. That is the scenario of all wars. At the end of the war, nothing was achieved; only loses in lives and in property and setbacks. Let's say No to another war, please.
Reflect too on the Rwandan genocide and the consequent wars in that country; it obviously provokes tears and sorrows as many innocent citizens of that country; both men, women and little children who knew nothing about the war lost their lives. What of the Liberian war, the Sierraleonian war, the war in Libya and that of Sudan? How about the war in Iraq, in Iran and Afghanistan? What of the recent one between Israel and Hamas? They are all gory scenarios where life no longer mean anything as human beings are wasted with reckless abandon.
Let us say no to agitations that are capable of heralding war because when war erupts, all of us become casualties of the war. Even those of them who live abroad with their families, fanning the flames of war in Nigeria still have their extended family members at home who will certainly suffer the carnage of the war. Our youths are therefore implored to shun any instigation of war and to refuse being brainwashed by war mongers to take up arms. They should rather tell such instigators to bring in their children and arm them and lead the war.
Alternatively and as the best option, our youths should agitate for good governance, youth empowerment, provision of essential amenities and other democracy dividends instead of embarking on self-destruction in the name of agitation to please some people who are staying safe with their families in foreign lands.
Let us learn from past wars and the destruction they left on their wake and resist the temptation of being lured into war by people who cannot love us more than the love we have for ourselves. Government is ever ready to listen to genuine and non-violent demands of the youths and will certainly do something in that direction.
War is an ill-wind that blows no one any good. The logic of dialogue is infinitely superior to the logic of war. According to George Washington, the first American President: "No matter the number of years it takes nations to fight wars, the roundtable will be there, waiting for them". What it means is that no matter how long wars last, the warring people will still come to a roundtable to negotiate peace. Is it not preferable to forget war and dialogue with the government instead of fighting and killing and still come to the roundtable for peace talks? As they say in diplomatic circles; it is better to jaw-jaw than to war-war!!!!
Publisher: Don Martyn L.O Nwosu
Ikeduru APC Media Hub
08032950897
Ikeduruapcmediahub@gmail.com
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