Yaradua's Demise: Is God speaking to us again?

Yaradua’s Demise: Is God speaking to us again? by Rosanwo Babatunde

“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un (انّا للہ و انّا الیہ راجعون): ‘Surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return’.”
Sura Al-Baqara, Verse 156

“And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” Job 1:21

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Umaru Yaradua passed on May 5, 2010. He is survived by his mother, wife, siblings, children and relatives. He will be remembered in Nigeria’s history mainly for the controversy that surrounded his sudden disappearance from the country and the culminating factors leading to his eventual death. It is so sad that after serving Nigeria as governor and president, we may never have the opportunity to listen to his own side of the whole story. The Saudi trip; the lies; the return, the chaos and the eventual submission to the will of God. Eventually the blame game will start with everyone putting the blame on the dead, just as it was done in the case of Sanni Abacha. Who will defend the dead? My condolence to the Yar’aduas, we shall mourn with them but Nigeria must surely move on.

Reaction to Yaradua’s demise:

“What passes for the Nigerian nation is nothing more than a tragic arena, and Yar‘Adua is only the latest tragic figure. The vampires, including those within his own family, turned him into a mere inert resource for their diabolical schemes. They have a reckoning with their conscience, assuming they know what the word means. One can only hope that, while mouthing sanctimonious platitudes such as”Power belongs to God,” they have now learnt that the politics of Do-or-Die cannot guarantee who does and who dies. They must stop playing God. I pray for the repose of the soul of their latest, much abused innocent victim.” ~ Wole Soyinka

“All shall die, whether great or small. May Umar Yaradua find in death the peace that left his life after he was railroaded by merchants of power into an office for which he had shown no ambition?” ~ Sola Adeyeye

The death of Yaradua will certainly not be the end of this political thread, we certainly deserve to know what actually transpired in the presidency and the principal actors, if culpable, must be tried for treason and felony for attempting to subvert the law and peaceful co existence of this country. If death has taken away Yaradua, it has not taken away the so called opportunistic cabal and vampires, who are still very much alive and around. We deserve to know how tax payers’ money was spent in this whole #Yardiegate. Who is behind the BBC interview? Did Yaradua actually grant that BBC interview? Who signed the 2009 appropriation budget into law? Why was president smuggled back into the country? Who gave orders to the Army Chief to draft soldiers to the Abuja Airport? Is the President’s health a private or state/public affair? Did our constitution prevail in the whole #Yardiegate episode?

I want to believe that the passing away of Yaradua is not a mere coincidence but a sign of what is to come in the days ahead. Nothing happens on this planet without the knowledge of GOD, even when the leaves drop from the trees and the ants of the earth go about their business.

Under the late Abacha Sanni junta, Nigerians in their usual manner demonstrated, cried and formed numerous opposition movements. We prayed fervently for God to intervene, we had endured Abacha and his goons for almost 5years, the suffering was unbearable. Surrounded by mystery and controversy, Abacha died June 8, 1998. Without full recourse to what happened during the Abacha years, Nigerians hit the streets with jubilations as if our messiah was coming. The same set of people who sold us out returned in agbadas and babarigas under the umbrella of return to the democracy while their godfathers ruled by proxy . We ushered in the era of give Baba a chance to rule us, with the presidential elections of April 1999 and swearing in May 1999. The time between Abacha’s death and the swearing in of Obasanjo was approximately 12 months. Results ~ 13years in the wilderness of democracy.

Fast forward to May, 2010, 13 years in the wilderness of democracy with so many revelations. The power tussle on how to loot this country became the order of the day. We were so bewitched until we arrived at #Yardiegate. Nigerians hit the streets and prayed fervently for divine intervention, the country was gradually slipping into a state of oblivion. Save Nigeria, Light up Nigeria, Enough is Enough and the Diaspora marched through the streets demanding for a change. The Nollywood script directed by the cabal with the help of Turai was the height of insult upon 140million plus Nigerians. We cried to God to show mercy upon Nigeria, Yaradua was hijacked by the cabal from the whole nation. On May 5, our President passed away. The time between Yaradua’s death and the next election plus swearing in [May 29, 2011] is approximately 12 months 3weeks. Results ~????

It is not a mistake or mere coincidence that God has asked Yaradua to come over for rest at this time, this must serve as a lesson to all the kokumos of Nigeria, who think the presidency and political office is their birthright. Never say Never. Would it be a mere coincidence that we have another 12 months to decide the next phase of this country? Is God saying something to us? Can anyone solve the puzzle or connect both events? While I remain optimistic about the future of Nigeria, I must say that if we get it wrong in 2011, we may have to wander again in the wilderness of democracy for another couple of years and this time it may be worse.

Enough said about Nigeria breaking up before 2015, obviously if we continue on the chosen path of the cabal who held Yaradua and the Nation to ransom, we would have ended up as a failed state. This might just be the reprieve that we need as a nation.

I will not join anyone in jubilation, rather it’s time to return to the trenches and seize this opportunity to follow the right path. I am sick of small victories. So much for the future of this nation, my son will soon start asking me the same questions I have been asking my parents, what is wrong with Nigeria? Why are things the way they are? Where did we go wrong? God help me that he does not have to ask such questions if we get it right or else I may never have answers like my parents.

Goodluck Jonathan is sworn in May 6, 2010. Maybe it’s just a mere coincidence or it means well for the nation. Before the sycophants and mediocre start singing the praises of Goodluck to the gates of hell, lets us all brace up for the task ahead. I don’t want to accept that Goodluck Jonathan is anyway much different; he belongs to the same ruling party as Obasanjo and Yaradua. Let Goodluck Jonathan and all politicians know that we cannot afford to falter at this point.

“It is either we know how to fight but not how to win an enduring battle or that the Nigerian ruling elite and the larger cabal are the smartest in the world. Or could it be that we are not just ready for that Nigerian revolution? Could it be that we get satisfied with little victories and then lose focus and start bickering over the spoils of war when the final battle has not been won? It is high time we re-strategise, form alliances and get down to the business of an all Nigerian liberation battle plan or we just raise the white flag and surrender to the ‘superiority’ of our opponents – the few who hold us all to ransom. We have the choice of either cutting the chains or asking the oppressor to adjust the tight chain so we can have temporary relief. The choice is ours.” ~ Kayode Ogundamisi

“In an independent state, it should be possible to for us to cater for the happiness and well being of our people. Independence for our state should mean freedom and human dignity for the ordinary person in the street.” ~ Obafemi Awolowo

Nigeria we hail thee,

Our own Soverign motherland,

Though tribe and tongue may differ,

In brotherhood we stand,

Nigerians all are proud to serve

Our sovereign Motherland.

Our flag shall be a symbol

That truth and justice reign,

In peace or battle honour’d,

And this we count as gain,

To hand on to our children

A banner without stain.

O God of all creation,

Grant this our one request,

Help us to build a nation

Where no man is oppressed,

And so with peace and plenty

Nigeria may be blessed.

Rosanwo Babatunde