As you read this, one Nigerian for who we all should say a word or two of prayers is Shehu Sani, writer, playwright and human rights activist. Even though he is a muslim who believes that the lives of all human beings are within the sovereign will of God to take or preserve, reports have it that he is presently in hiding as a fallout of the 'fatwa' which has been declared on him by some members of the fanatical terrorist group referred to as Boko Haram.Last week, Sani, who had been sent to prison several times by various government regimes, for fighting against dictatorship, was in the forefront again of a national cause. Sani was the one who did the first and only positive thing ever to be done by any Nigerian in finding a solution to the death that has come barging into our bedrooms with loud clangs by leading former President OlusegunObasanjo to the home of Babakura Alhaji Fugu, a brother in-law to the extra-judicially anihillated Boko Haram leader, Muhammed Yusuf. Yusuf was killed in July, 2009 while under police custody. Since then, in a spate of revenge, members of the sect have been on a bombing spree with almost 100 persons killed so far in violent attacks launched by members of the group.The first seed for the meeting had been sown at the first coronation anniversary of the Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida. During the service, the preacher, Bishop of Akure Diocese of the Anglican Church, Rt. Rev. Michael Ipinmoye unlike other patronising clerics had challenged Chief Obasanjo, who was present at the St. David's Cathedral, Ijomu-Akure, venue of the celebration last Sunday , September 11, that as a statesman, he should not be an onlooker in the current crises which is threatening to break up the nation.'You cannot just sit in Abeokuta and watch these killings to continue. This country is not settled and you cannot just be looking as if you are not concerned. Liaise with your brothers in other parts of the country and stop this molestation. The people want to make this country ungovernable for President Jonathan. God will defeat them, 'the bishop had prayed. ''When you were the president, nobody could try what is happening now. You know what I mean. You still have the power to intervene. Use the power now and stop this harassment,' he had challenged the former Military leader.It is heartening to note that Obasanjo did not just take the challenge lying low. By Wednesday and Thursday of the same week, he was in Jos, the Plateau State capital talking to both the muslims and christians, and in Maiduguri, Borno State to see some of the principal characters involved in the crises and plead for some respite. Obasanjo had stated without equivocation that what he was doing was a personal initiative to restore peace and security to a beleaguered country.The joint effort of Obasanjo, aided by Sani would probably have helped to at least shed some light on the mindless bloodletting going on in the country if it had not been ambushed by the irresponsible murder of Fugu by a lone criminal on a motorcyle, who shot the man dead, almost 24 hours after the positive(from Fugu's comments) meeting in Maiduguri.One reason that Sani was reported to have given for his involvement in the attempt to fashion out a peace process is particularly instructive: Over the last two years, many lives have been lost and it appears nobody is willing to intercede and start a process geared towards stopping the bloodshed. ...As for me, I can't do more than I have done until and unless other actors are interested in the peace process.It is interesting as well as bewildering that up and until now, the former military generals of which the North has a large number, has not deemed it fit to put a step forward in an attempt to end or resolve this crises either way. The best advise we have received from the likes of the Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwanso, is that the arrested suspects should not be prosecuted but handed over to Northern elders for reformation and possible reorientation. One is surprised that since the threat of Alhaji Adamu Ciroma to make the nation ungovernable if Jonathan goes ahead to contest the presidency and wins, not much has been heard from the old man. But then maybe he is busy nursing some illness somewhere. One would have expected that as the Akure Bishop advised, Obasanjo would have found an ally in the likes of former heads of state, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar. That it was in Sani that he found an ally for this national duty shows the kind of leadership we have been condemned to in this country.Sani has certainly tried his bit. The 'war'has certainly been overtaken by unknown third parties as demonstrated in the refuttal of responsibility for Fugu's death by 'Boko Haram'. Even when we no longer know who to believe, history will be the judge of all actors including the likes of the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, who should be at the forefront of joining forces with men of higher cerebral capacities like himself, interested in the future of this country but could not sideline his age-long rivalry with his fellow Ogun State indigene. He derided Obasanjo's effort by describing it as 'You do not play statesman over the mangled bodies of 'victims' least of all where their violators insist on the righteousness of their very conduct.'The role of genuine activists in the mould of Shehu Sani will continue to be appreciated, whether it eventually leads us to attain the seemingly elusive peace, or merely gives us hope of a future peace.Lewis, omotayolewis@yahoo.com (08055001746 SMS only)NOTE: Quotation marks were omitted on the 7th & 8th paragraphs of last week's column. The error is regretted.
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