Kayode Komolafe
3 December 2008
column
Lagos — If it is quiet in Jos today, it is probably because of the reported timely intervention by President Umaru Yar'Adua stopping plans by Governor David Jang of Plateau State to inaugurate the local government executives who allegedly won the last week bloody election. When you add this to the deployment of troops to the streets of the unfortunate city, it would be clear that it is Abuja that has moved decisively to put an end to the senseless carnage in Jos. That was necessary if the situation should not get completely out of control. To do otherwise could have been irresponsible on the part of Abuja. More remarkably is the fact that those who were to be sworn in are members of the President's political organisation, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ironically, as Jang was preparing for what could have turned out to be a bizarre ceremony, the opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and others were calling on him to resign, accusing the governor of gross failure of leadership at a critical moment. The governor ought to have been more sensitive at this period of crisis. The action of Jang, an otherwise sober and reflective retired air force officer, in this instance smacks of an unpardonable indiscretion.
It is astonishing that the governor, who at least constitutionally is the chief security officer of his state, could even contemplate administering the oath of office on some of his party members who claimed to have won elections which degenerated into violence claiming at least 300 lives. His primary concern should have been the restoration of peace in his domain and certainly not claiming some electoral victories over his opponents.
It is yet another index of Nigeria's political underdevelopment that the grave security issues thrown by local government elections could compel the Commander-in Chief himself to give some orders. In the face of the grim situation in Jos now, it might be inappropriate to be arguing about the fine details of the constitutionality or otherwise of the President's action. What is useful in the circumstance is that the action that could possibly have escalated the tension has been stemmed.
Since the eruption of violence in the Plateau State capital last week, the common headline in the newspapers has been "Jos boils Again". That, perhaps, says it all. The question on the lips of observers, near and far, has been this: why should this fate befall Jos, a city that used to be a metaphor for peace? The city of Jos lost its innocence with the communal crisis of 2001 in which hundreds of persons were reportedly killed. The purported issue then was that of "indigene" versus "settlers". The tragic events of last week were a confirmation that the basis of the conflict is yet to be removed. It requires deft political engineering to remove the cause of the conflict. Before the orgy of communal violence seven years ago the city earned the reputation of inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony.
The tinderbox in the current crisis is Jos North. The peculiarly political configuration of the area has made holding elections there extremely problematic since the restoration of civil rule in 1999. It is, therefore, distressing that those who have the responsibility for security in the state could not anticipate this violence given the political history of the area. Governor Jang has alleged that some elements from neighbouring countries were enlisted in perpetrating the violence. That is a serious matter for security agents to unravel. But it does not explain why hundreds of lives should be lost simply because local government elections were held. Local government elections are supposed to be a contest among national political parties. However, in the strange clime that is Nigeria, the violence that erupted has been given religious and ethnic dimensions. These are knotty issues to untangle.
There have been calls from legitimate quarters for a judicial panel of inquiry into the latest round of bloodletting right in the middle of Nigeria. Such calls should be reinforced by all lovers of peace and progress from every part of this country. The reasons to dig deep into why the latest harvest of deaths happened in Jos are legion. Some of the reasons can only be highlighted here.
First, it should be investigated why the endemic political tension in Jos North was not envisaged as the state prepared for this ill-fated local government elections. Senator Gyang Dantong, who represents the area, was reported to have said that crisis in the area is always premeditated and that perpetrators always waited for an opportunity to wreak havoc. For instance, he suggested a solution: create four local governments from the present Jos North. A proper investigation will certainly reveal more about the underlining causes of the conflict. It is pertinent to ask: what happened to the several recommendations that arose from the resolution of previous crises?
Secondly, whatever the underlining reasons for the conflict, nothing could justify the wanton killings and destruction of properties. Arrests have been reportedly made. It is the duty of the security agencies to apprehend those responsible for the mayhem. The full weight of the law should be applied. During the first term of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, it was estimated that more than 10,000 lives were lost in communal strife in various parts of the country. Killings were reported from Ketu to Kaduna, from Umuleri/Aguleri to Kano and from Sagamu to Saki Biam. However, there are no valid records of the prosecutions and convictions of those responsible for the killings. The challenge now is to bring to book all those who killed and maimed persons as well as destroyed properties in Jos. Mindless bloodlettings have continued in various parts of the country simply because no one has been squarely held responsible. To sustain that culture is a sure recipe for anarchy. Yar'Adua has moved to contain the Jos violence. He should go further to ensure that the perpetrators of the mayhem are punished. The impression should not be given to criminals that life is so cheap in Nigeria that any anyone can kill for fun.
Thirdly, the conduct of the local government elections that triggered the crisis should be reviewed. This should be part of the investigations. It is a huge irony that in a season when the whole world is applauding the smooth election of a Blackman as the president of the most powerful nation, the United States of America, Nigeria, the largest concentration of black people, is witnessing senseless killings over local government elections.
Fourthly, amidst the politics of the conflict, the human element should not be discounted. Hundreds have died with survivors to mourn them. The survivors are also among thousands of injured and displaced persons. Social life is already dislocated in that area. Governments and private organisations should rise to the occasion to give succour. As usual, women and children would be the majority among the victims. Those direly in need of relief should be urgently assisted while the political and legal issues are being sorted out.
Above all, the basis of the conflict is ultimately material. It is mass poverty that makes people to be vulnerable to religious, ethnic and religious manipulations. Some of those enlisted in fomenting violence must have come from the army of the unemployed. The local governments themselves, rather than being centres of development, are merely looting locations in many parts of the country. As some observers have insisted, it is all about scramble for limited resources for private ends and rarely for public good. . The material basis of the crisis must be tackled if a recurrence is to be prevented whether in Jos or elsewhere in the country.
At the moment, it is unhelpful to reach prejudicial conclusions. That is why the call for a proper investigation into what happened in Jos should be amplified. This is a task for Governor Jang. He should be thinking about this rather than the politics of a phantom victory in last week elections. Meanwhile, it should be the resolve of the Jang's government, the people of Jos and their well-wishers to say resoundingly: Never Again.
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