The Nigerian Village Square - The Primary Function Of Government And Port Harcourt

Home

The Primary Function Of Government And Port Harcourt

Written by Ozodi Thomas Osuji

Saturday, 18 August 2007

The out-of-control rampage of criminals in Port Harcourt has made it necessary for us to refresh our minds of the reasons why we have governments. We set up governments to secure and maintain social order. Security is the primary, and some would say, the only legitimate function of government.

Government was not set up to satisfy folk’s economic needs. Governments exist because human beings have the capacity to harm each other, and do choose to harm each other. As Thomas Hobbes noted in his seminal book, Leviathan, in the state of nature, people killed each other. The powerful killed the weak and enslaved others, and used their labor as slave labor. A band of weak folk attacked the powerful, killed them and appropriated their property. The cumulative effect was that people lived a life of perpetual warfare. Insecurity characterized life in the state of nature. Life was nasty, brutish and short.

Folks attempted to reduce their insecurity by forming a commonwealth. They established a leviathan, government, and gave it the power to make laws, and obedience of which gave the people personal and social security. Laws, by definition, reduce the individuals’ freedom to do as they wished: a freedom they had in the state of nature; laws replace license to do as we desire, with behavior that is in accordance with what serves all people’s common interests (security).

Governments are authorized to arrest (through their police organs), judge (through their courts and judges) and jail (in their jails and prisons) those members of society who harm other persons and generally threaten social order. Government is also mandated to defend the people, the nation, against foreign attacks hence the need for a strong military.

Man’s nature being what it is, if your group is weak, other groups would attack it, and attempt to take its territory and resources, hence your group’s need for a strong military. The only rational foreign policy is one that seeks balance of powers with other countries, for if ones country is weak other countries would attack it.

National security is the government’s primary duty and this explains why military budget takes precedence and priority over other items in the national budget. (This explanation summarizes international relations.) National security has two components: domestic security through a strong police, judicial and penal system (that punishes criminals) and military to defend against foreign attackers. Bearing this fact in mind, the Nigerian state is obliged to secure social order in Port Harcourt. This entails using every means necessary to decapitate those disturbing social order.

I believe that man is a dangerous savage, and you do not pussyfoot with him. You try to use religion and norms to civilize him, while understanding that, when push comes to shove, he is a predatory animal, and that therefore society must checkmate him with force. Society must have the power of coercion to civilize man and make him law abiding. Society must have a strong police and army if it seeks a society where people respect each other’s rights and properties.

Therefore, it is perfectly appropriate for the Nigerian state to do whatever is necessary to bring law and order to Port Harcourt. In fact, the Nigerian state has, so far, been very gentle with the criminals who, under the guise of fighting for their people’s good, are kidnapping and killing innocent persons in the Niger Delta; it ought to have descended on them with overwhelming force, and strike the fear of death into their bloody cowardly minds. You mercilessly decapitate those who disturb social order.

Folks ought not to be sentimental over this matter, for if the government fails to bring about order to Port Harcourt, it is not a government. A government provides security to the people, and any government that does not do so is not a government.

This is the voice of Conservatism in political ideology, the only type of ideology that maintains social order. Liberalism, socialism, and other ideologies are mere adjuncts to what really secures social order. So, let us not hear sentimental regrets of what the Nigerian army is doing at Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta in general.

It is only after social order has been restored at Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta, would the government entertain discussion on how to solve the Niger Delta problem. That problem is not different from the problem facing all Nigerians.

All Nigerians seek jobs to feed themselves and their families. A useful government creates an environment where entrepreneurs grow the economy and provide the people with jobs.

ozodiosuji@gmail.com

Robot Robot is offline
Villager


	# 1 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot\| 18.08.2007 03:00

denker denker is offline
Villager


	# 2 You mercilessly decapitate those who disturb social order. i owe you a big GBAM, indeed!:D:D:D Posted by denker\| 18.08.2007 06:08

Abraxas Abraxas is offline
Villager


	# 3 Hi, Denker! Decapitation is analogous to chopping off the HEAD of a poisonous snake. In the case of the war against so-called "cultists" in Port Harcourt, the state government is busy hitting the TAIL of the children of the snake with a feather! Your decapitation bag should have the heads of the sponsors of state-assisted violence in Rivers State: i.e. Dr. Peter Odili, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, Mr. Uche Secondus, Mr. Pat (Sule) Ugboma, Mr. Ateke Tom, Sir (Engr.) Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide; etc) Muchas gracias. Don Juan-Carlos ABRAXAS (III) Posted by Abraxas\| 18.08.2007 06:32

RAYNOSA RAYNOSA is offline
Villager


	# 4 Well said ABRAXAS. President YarAdua should know that all the Ex Niger Delta governors are his greatest enemy,they have stolen so much money while in government and the only past time they have is to finance these thugs.The government is not sincere in stoping the violence in that region,if not why are they not doing anything to stop the supplly of arms. Since bunckering is very legal i think there is arms for exchange of oil going on. To:SON OF DELTA,what have you got to say now Niger Deltians have begin to kill themselves,can you please justify these actions. Posted by RAYNOSA\| 18.08.2007 08:09

Son of the Delta Son of the Delta is offline
Villager


	# 5 =RAYNOSA;200630> Well said ABRAXAS. President YarAdua should know that all the Ex Niger Delta governors are his greatest enemy,they have stolen so much money while in government and the only past time they have is to finance these thugs.The government is not sincere in stoping the violence in that region,if not why are they not doing anything to stop the supplly of arms. Since bunckering is very legal i think there is arms for exchange of oil going on. To:SON OF DELTA,what have you got to say now Niger Deltians have begin to kill themselves,can you please justify these actions. Hi Raynosa I guess you have not being following my comments.It does not make sense to kill the young men and leave their godfathers like Obasanjo and Odili to roam around freely.If you do away with one or the other gang leader another person automatically takes over the postion.The Nigerian state has to deal with the sponsors of cultism.The international community did it in the case of Liberia and former Yugoslavia and the people are enjoying considerable peace.You dont give criminals like Odili the license to kill and expect them to do otherwise!I always allocate more of the blame to the central government because they are any a position to stop all these things.All the security forces are under the central government`s control.If Abuja wants Odili will be arrested this second and the whole place would get calm.Another problem I have is with those who try to associate the violence in Port Harcourt with the Niger Delta struggle.The fight in Port Harcourt is a pure P.D.P. affair. On the other hand 1, A state of emergency should be declared in Rivers.(an indigene of the state(possibly a former military administrator) should take over the adminstration of the state or the VP so that no one complains about being short changed) 2,Sponsors of the violence like Odili should be arrested and prosecuted. 3,There should be state creation in Rivers. 4,There should be a re-run of that fraudulent polls. 5,There should also be state creation. Posted by Son of the Delta\| 18.08.2007 08:30

Tony Tony is offline
Villager


	# 6 =Son of the Delta;200635>Hi Raynosa I guess you have not being following my comments.It does not make sense to kill the young men and leave their godfathers like Obasanjo and Odili to roam around freely.If you do away with one or the other gang leader another person automatically takes over the postion.The Nigerian state has to deal with the sponsors of cultism.The international community did it in the case of Liberia and former Yugoslavia and the people are enjoying considerable peace.You dont give criminals like Odili the license to kill and expect them to do otherwise!I always allocate more of the blame to the central government because they are any a position to stop all these things.All the security forces are under the central government`s control.If Abuja wants Odili will be arrested this second and the whole place would get calm.Another problem I have is with those who try to associate the violence in Port Harcourt with the Niger Delta struggle.The fight in Port Harcourt is a pure P.D.P. affair. On the other hand 1, A state of emergency should be declared in Rivers.(an indigene of the state(possibly a former military administrator) should take over the adminstration of the state or the VP so that no one complains about being short changed) 2,Sponsors of the violence like Odili should be arrested and prosecuted. 3,There should be state creation in Rivers. 4,There should be a re-run of that fraudulent polls. 5,There should also be state creation. @Son of the Delta: Now i understand where you guys are coming from, in order words you want a state of emergency to be imposed in Rivers state to remove Ngozichim Omehia in the hope that he will be replaced by an Ijaw man abi? You guys are smart sha. And this your proposal about state creation is probably to carve out another Ijaw state abi? Do you think that is a good idea given that state creation is part of what has caused Nigeria's problems? Why cant MEND just go ahead and declare seccesion with Bayelsa state and contigious parts of Ijaw areas in Rivers state and Delta state to create an independent homogenous Ijaw nation? That to me is the best option afterall Singapore is only 700 square kilometres in size and there are many nations that are even much smaller than Singapore.What really matters in the end is not the size but the progress that can be made. In the absence of outright seccesion i would advice you to endure Igboid domination in Rivers state the same way the Igboid groups endured Ijoid domination in old Rivers state. This is a clear example of what goes around coming around. Posted by Tony\| 18.08.2007 09:41

Auspicious Auspicious is offline
Villager


	# 7 =RAYNOSA;200630>To:SON OF DELTA,what have you got to say now Niger Deltians have begin to kill themselves,can you please justify these actions. Hi, Raynosa! Grab your Binoculars and look closer; adjust the Lenses to zoom-in on the main actors brandishing *rocket-launchers, uzi's, AK-47, pump-action rifles etc* on the streets of the city some of us like to call Igwe Ocha. I am sure you will see the Tribal Marks on the faces of those Janjaweeds to the West of the Delta - I speak of those invading, murderous Sons (and sometimes Daughters) of Oduduwa, who have come to "our" lands to Pillage, Murder, Rape and Destroy! Akete Tom is originally from Osun. Peter Odili is from Ogbomosho. James Ibori is from Afao-Ekiti (see how closely he resembles Ayo Fayose) and GG Alamieyesheigha is from Lamidi Adedibu's Ibadan - likewise many more amongst the Chief Instigators of the lawlessness and strife that strides "Igwe Ocha" and other Flash-Points in the Niger Delta region. If only there is some Janjaweed-Removing Pesticide available, to use in ridding "our" land of these Yoruba Janjaweed Elements! Signed: Auspicious For, and On Behalf Of (By Force): Son of the Delta Posted by Auspicious\| 18.08.2007 10:38

RAYNOSA RAYNOSA is offline
Villager


	# 8 I am amazed most times when some of us compare Nigeria with the developed countries of the world.And they fail to reason politically as they do in these countries. Why do we think it's only an Ijaw person that can sovle the problem in NigerDelta or only an Igbo person can sove that of the Igbo's. The truth is that the people in government lack sincerity of purpose. If the federal government have ordered the arrest of Ibori,Odilli and Lucky before now i am sure some of you would have complained of been marginalized and accuse the government of being biased and if miltary action is taken against these cultist,someone would come out to say a ganjaweed or an Hausa man have delibrately come to commit genocide in the NigerDelta. ATTN:TONY what makes you think there would be peace in the NigerDelta today if an IJAW NATION IS CREATED.Certainly not i bet the likes of Alams would take up arms against Odili you think Ibori would sit on the fence NO. The people of Niger Delta should realize that their governors should be held responsible for whatever problem they face today.How many of Odili's,Ibori's and Alams relative have either been kidnapped or killed since all this crisis started. Attention of the international community have to be drawn to this crisis not until the likes of Ibori,Odilli,Lucky and co are criple financially and made to face charges of corruption peace can never come to the NigerDelta area. AUSPICIOUS:I have always viewed you as a clown or commadian. Posted by RAYNOSA\| 18.08.2007 11:15

Auspicious Auspicious is offline
Villager


	# 9 =RAYNOSA;200666>AUSPICIOUS:I have always viewed you as a clown or commadian. Hi, Raynosa! You should thank the "ONLY" Ijawman in the Village, Opu Imbre Son of the Delta for being the inspiration behind my Clowning and Comedy! :D Auspicious. Posted by Auspicious\| 18.08.2007 12:46

aguabata aguabata is offline
Villager


	# 10 i am more interested on how professional our soldiers are or succintly their commanders. the chances of killing innocent people and accusing them of being terrorists is likely to pop up. Posted by aguabata\| 18.08.2007 12:50

Click here to view all comments

Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 April 2008 )

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]