I Wish the Federal Government Knew

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I WISH THEY KNEW

by Ogiri John Ogiri

I wish the APC-led federal government knew that Nigeria as a country is not as strong and united today as it was before 1967.
I wish the federal government knew that any policy encouraging domination of one ethnic group by another is inimical to the very unity it seeks to promote.
I wish the federal government knew that 1804 is not 2019.
I wish they knew that many Nigerians have become more knowledgeable and wiser than they were before 1967.
I wish the federal government knew that if many Nigerians had known then what they know and see now, Biafra would have succeeded.
I wish the government and those formulating divisive policies knew that no one nation can conveniently survive two civil wars and still remain the same.
I wish the federal government knew that the structure forced on us in 1914 is now faulty and currently yearns for restructuring, and that, unless we restructure now, we can not avoid the danger of bursting one day.
I wish the federal government knew that there are "mad men" in every village in Nigeria and that no one ethnic nationality has monopoly of violence. Allowing a handful of northern youth to threaten the government over RUGA whose suspension is still mired in suspicion and getting away with it will inspire and encourage anarchy elsewhere in Nigeria. After all, what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander. We must be careful.
I wish the federal government knew that openly promoting the religion of one ethnic group over others is a potential incendiary for civil wars with religious colouration. I wish they knew that parts our problem began when northern leaders of Islamic extraction began to manipulate Islam as an instrument of political control and subjugation over other ethnic groups in Nigeria.
I wish the federal government knew that the middle belt is a potential broker between the North and the south and that no region can exist without the support of the middle beltans. I hope the federal government knew that the Middle Beltans  will no longer support the core northerners brimming fire and stone over RUGA in case of any eventuality.
I wish the federal government would focus more attention on building technology that will help us reap more gains from the 21st century Hi-tech society than the policy of ethnic subjugation it is clandestinely pursuing.
I just wish the federal government knew.

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