Today's Nigeria is fearsome. This, you have already known. It is as if horrendous explosions currently shaking our cities. No one knows whether the parade is still happening. There is confusion, contradiction, betrayal, deceit. No one knows the answer but all proffer solution. We all dig like the pig roots for truffles. Our lives revolve around speculation and miracle. We yearn for heroes to pilot us as we raft the Nigeria River.

As we drown our trouble in looking for crusaders, many are coming forward pretending to be paladins fighting for our cause. In our moment of great distress, many are preaching activism and, or radicalism to beguile Nigerians into joining them in their fake movement. Today's activism has become another religion to conquer the minds of unsuspecting Nigerians like Islam and Christianity.

The policy of taking direct and militant action to achieve a political or social goal is as old as the government itself. It used to be a noble cause but like any other thing in Nigeria, it has been hijacked by opportunists. They are taking immediate and unethical advantage of our drowning moment to sell a straw for us to clutch. And the uninformed masses like any other thing are the victims because they place their last hope on the activist after subsequent governments have already failed them. It’s like fry pan to fire.

They are everywhere and they have pattern. They can be seen in the so-called NGO's which is fast springing up like churches. They are in the media as well as law. In other to pursue their ambition, they need gullible Nigerians as followers. As soon as they are well-known, they abandon the initial struggle for government's contract, or become consultant for the regime they had promised to fight. Journalists or writers among them often become spokesperson for a government they had earlier called illegal.

They are playing upon our intelligent. They are endowed in the art of English language and so they use words to confuse us further. They know everything and so they think we should add infallibility to their titles. Some of them are pompous, thinking Nigeria will perish without them. When you point out some areas where improvement is needed, they tell you to shut up saying, I am a radical. I am courageous and intelligent while you are meek, coward and unintelligent...so go and learn to express yourself. They would even offer to lecture you on contradiction, a theme they are obviously guilty of. 

In doing so, they end up being worse than the worse Nigerian government. They become as corrupt as the corrupt politicians they intend to fight. They can't see their own lapses because their blood is full of hubris. Even when they are naked, they tell the world they are robed in best attire. In an effort to prove class status and, or how knowledgeable they are, they contradict themselves thinking Nigerians are forgetful lots. They preach idealism where realism is needed. 

The famous among them may be dining with the government of the day in private but making the loudest noise in public. It's part of the confusion and deceit. Some of them like deceiving themselves thinking they are deceiving Nigerians. Some are very difficult to understand, especially the ones that seem genuine: they are fond of rejecting an award yet accepting it. But because they are activists all is well; probably due to their ability to use language to please or persuade. They should worry not to explain the contradiction. History shall judge.

For them, the chase is always more thrilling than holding on to the struggling catch. It is as if they always fear losing relevant in the absence of chaos or bad leadership. They do fight quite alright but always fail to pursue it to the end. Perhaps they lack organisation, and here I am talking about the serious ones among them. They missed two golden opportunities that would have heralded a new beginning: the June 12, 1993 elections in which the military or conspirators worked tirelessly to scuttle the pan-Nigerian political mandate given to MKO Abiola; even the death of Abacha, a lunatic who ruled Nigeria with tempestuous wickedness.

Where are these activists today? Some of them even served under Abacha before he died. Some simply like to exaggerate their involvement in order to curry favour here and there. Seeing that being an activist is now a sure way to make money, crooks have invaded the territory cashing in on the gullibility of Nigerians whose quest for heroes are making them fall for anything, just anything. "May our hunger for heroes not lead us to eat s-h-i-t," says Soul Sista, a commentator on NVS. 

Another thing about these so-called activists is their embarrassing ways of promoting their egos. During the June 12 crisis for one example, they couldn't work together as they were forming different platforms. Instead of acting in the interest of the populace, each allowed his own inflated feeling of pride in his superiority to others jeopardise the struggle. It is this self-importance that paved way for a group of sadists to unleash emotional anguish on Nigerians. It continues unabated.

They are selfish men and women trying to make name and, or money for themselves out of the sacred cause of activism. Whilst there's nothing wrong in pursuing own interest, these activists are using Nigerians like altruism uses people's sufferings in order to live. It is one of the reasons Nigeria is still crawling to find leaders. How can there be credible leaders when the country is besieged with fake activism preachers who may even be government spies? There are even renowned activists who were paid consultants to EFCC under Ribadu; even under Waziri, the new woman on the block. 

A recent interview conducted by Wole Arisekola and Wole Adejumo with one Nigerian activist shed light. The interviewers had asked, "Some people see you as a radical, a human rights activist, but to some people, Keyamo is just like somebody who is looking for what he will eat, an opportunist. What do you think about this double perception about you?" Answer: "It is one perception that they have of all other radicals, no difference. It does not deserve the dignity of a response. They have said the same thing about even frontline activists like Gani Fawehinmi and very senior activists beyond me and before me. It does not deserve the dignity of a response."

While I respect and admire activists like Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Prof. Wole Soyinka, they both amuse and confuse me at times. There's no doubting the fact that the two gentlemen have done their part in the history of Nigeria. Meanwhile, it's difficult to understand their positions on certain issues with the professor being more difficult to understand. Till today I still do not know why the noble laureate accepted to serve under a junta who is being regarded as evil genius and whose reign promoted corruption to a high level. Our indefatigable Gani was once linked with another junta who declared war on Nigeria masquerading WAI (War against Indiscipline).

Recently, the professor caused another stir by not rejecting an award out-rightly from the government of Yar'Adua. He said that he was rejecting the cash prize while he kept the plaque - whatever that means. Although the Chief rejected the same award out-rightly, the twosome undying support for Nuhu Ribadu during and after his tenure as EFCC chairman is another occasion they confuse me. Fawehinmi has offered to defend the controversial former EFCC boss free of charge while Soyinka has praised him to high heaven. And they often castigate the man who gave Ribadu the opportunity to "excel" as a corruption czar. 

If these political activists are really sincere and loyal to the sacred cause of activism, there would have been much difference in the thinking of the so-called leaders; even the masses whose ignorance of things that affect their lives is so obvious. How could it be possible - in a country full of political activists - for Atiku and Obasanjo to be mocking the entire nation! I mean, the two worms pretend to be fighting a roforofo fight and yet meeting each other afterwards saying, it's a move to forge a common front in projecting national interest. The two men could reconcile if they so wish, but to connect it to national interest is a big slap on my face; I don't know about yours.

It is this aspect that our self-acclaimed activists should most concentrate on instead of becoming the government's extension. The real ones among them should organise a network of genuine volunteers committed to educating the masses on a daily basis. If they are serious about activism that is formidable, the Nigerian political activist should introduce themselves to the people at the grassroots whom the corrupt politicians have taught the art of corruption. Let the genuine activists embark on a voyage that would herald a new beginning. They need deep thoughts.

Copyright 2009 mysmallvoice@yahoo.com

Robot  # 1 | 22.01.2009 06:31

As we drown our trouble in looking for crusaders, many are coming forward pretending to be paladins fighting for our cause. In our moment of great distress, many are preaching activism and, or radicalism to beguile Nigerians into joining them in their fake movement. Today's activism has become another religion to conquer the minds of unsuspecting Nigerians like Islam and Christianity. ...Read the full article.

i-go-better  # 2 | 22.01.2009 07:51

"If these political activists are really sincere and loyal to the sacred cause of activism, there would have been much difference in the thinking of the so-called leaders; even the masses whose ignorance of things that affect their lives is so obvious. How could it be possible - in a country full of political activists - for Atiku and Obasanjo to be mocking the entire nation! I mean, the two worms pretend to be fighting a roforofo fight and yet meeting each other afterwards saying, it's a move to forge a common front in projecting national interest. The two men could reconcile if they so wish, but to connect it to national interest is a big slap on my face; I don't know about yours". If only we have a government or effective crime-fighting institution to recover all the billions these clowns "factually"accused each other of stealing! They can then enjoy their bed together till death do them part. The fact that some people lost their lives fighting to make this character called Atiku President is a clear reflection on the sad state of mind of many Nigerians. Orji Uzor Kanu would be the next to Ota Zoo. Mark my word.

MrOneNaija  # 3 | 22.01.2009 10:47

AN ENDANGERED SPECIE Apt and thought-provoking! The initiating article of the thread has succinctly painted the terrible picture of the incoherent, contradictory, opportunistic and sometimes sectarian posturing masquerading as anti-status quo activism in our dear Naija. In some critical ways, our soi-disant activists pose a far greater danger than the crooked pol. One suspects that the state of anomie in the land today is taking a toll on the advocacy by civil society groups and their self-proclaimed representatives.

blackdragon1  # 4 | 23.01.2009 02:14

I do agree that there is a lot of deception and manipulation going on in Nigeria today uder the guise of religion, politics and activists.However we need to note that we exist in an imperfect world and universe hence there is no such thing as a perfect person. We all have various sizes of skeletons in our cupboards(including the author of this article). We therefore need to be realistic in our asessments.I do not think that your accusations should extend to the likes of Gani Fawehinmi. Relatively speaking, he has demonstrated himself to be the most principled elite in the entire country.Even the so called "Evil Genuis" referred to gani as the most consistent individual he has come accross..implying that all "settlement" attempts towards Gani failed. In addition, Gani has demonstrated that he is a completely detribalised Nigerian on several occasions, taking legal action against even his own tribe where he has perceived injustice. In summary, while we have a lot of fake activists in Nigeria today, we should not fail to acknowledge & respect those who have sacrificed their comfort, freedom and even families for the sake of the masses(no matter how imperfect they may be). I place more value on these individuals than the so called men of God & pastors who feed off people's sweat under the banner of salvation.