OF WOLVES A ND BUFFALOS

I am a fan of Nat Geo Wild, a station on DSTV by the National Geographical Association, in the United Kingdom. Nat Geo Wild captures wildlife in-depth, the brutality that is common there and sometimes the amazing act of kindness by animals known only to prey. I am really intrigued at the beauty and amazement of the wild and at the courage of those that get inside the wild so people become knowledgeable.

It is to their acts of courage we get to know the relationship between wolves and buffalos. Wolves are smaller than buffalos and they travel in packs of about six or ten while buffalos are way bigger and travel in herds of hundreds and congregate in thousands. Though bigger in size and number, buffalos take to their heels each time they see a pack of wolves. Because of this show of fear, wolves prey on buffalos and kill them for meal.

In Nigeria, there are wolves that go in packs and are known by different names. They are the executives, in this group are the president, governors, ministers, commissioners, local government chairmen etc, the next group are called the legislators, they reside in the National Assembly and state houses of assemblies. Collectively, these packs prey mercilessly on an incredibly large herd of buffalos in their millions. These buffalos are the rest of us Nigerians.

These wolves know we so afraid of them they treat us with the utmost disdain. They know that during elections we are so scared to come out to cast our votes because we don’t want to get maimed or die as attacks wolves, thugs and the security outfits in the country would be unleashed on us. Therefore we don’t vote and they are not accountable. They know we can only charge and then run when they howl and act ferocious hence they do not care to provide basic amenities such as power, good roads, health care, education etc. They know that when we try to rise to fight them, they only need stir up tribal sentiments and they we will charge at each other. They know that when we really try hard, they will point at Odi and Gbaramatu and we will remember consequences. Of course, they know we will always accept amnesty because we are hungry.

What they seem to forget or have completely forgotten is that buffaloes do charge and actually take down wolves and even bigger predators. It happened in the Philippines, it just happened in Japan. ASUU’s fight is just an instance of the buffaloes charging and chasing down predators; they (wolves) are trying to wear them down and only time will tell whether ASSU’s charge will be a success. I hope it is.

This week, the wolves called senators said the Uwais Committee’s recommendation on electoral reforms is not binding on them. What does this portend? It means that nothing is going to change about the way elections are conducted in this country. Would you want a bountiful feast to end? But how long are we going to keep running away and dismissing our problems with cynicisms, like “I have a family” or “I don’t want to die”. We are more in number and stronger just like the buffaloes. The choice buffaloes make to charge or run is just that, a choice. Whatever they choose is up to them. Just like it is up to us to continue to live in darkness, ply port holes ridden roads, die in hospitals, have our mandates taken from us, have police harassing us, our brothers, sisters, cousins, and kids stay at home instead of being at school. It is up to us to let them take millions monthly as salaries while our take home cannot take us home.

It is by choice.