Why I am Not Boko Haram.

My father died when I was just 5 years old, leaving my mum to cater for 4 children all by herself. She raised us in the farm where sand flies and mosquitoes ravaged our skin every morning on the dew- wet- grass- path. We could barely feed, but at every opportunity to learn, food is worth sacrificing. In the evening, by the fire, we would surround a glowing ember and listen to cannons from a corn.

Now, all she was telling us then still play softly at the background of my life: social, cultural, economy, political and religion wise. In the year 2003 I was already alone and the economy was really biting hard on me. Then, election was at hand, an opportunity to flex my huge muscles for money if I was just willing to intimidate political enemies of any political contractor. Friends saw it as a chance for a bite at the national cake and, thus persuaded me to cash in on it and make cool money. 'Let's go to joint and drink, politicians will see us and hire', a friend said. A political thug!

At each suggestion, my mother's voice re-echoes ' flee from evil and oppression'. That was how I survived the era. Many of us never had such a mother, even when they had, the inherent evil and greed in them will blind them and make them deaf to God's advice.
Thinking of that period, many youths like me were presented with same opportunity, some jumped at it, others reasoned like me. We can not all be the same. Should I have blamed myself if I had agreed with myself to be thug?
Agreed the country's economy is bad and, there are money-bag- politicians without conscience. In the South, West, East and North, we have politicians who probably have private army they use during election to unleash terror. When elections are won or lost at the behest of these thugs, they are disbanded to avoid further expenses. What can a man do to survive if the short political supplies is exhausted! They take up arms and form an organised crime. They rob, assassinate, kidnap and terrorise. Some cleverly group into a resistant movement in the guise of religion, like the Boko Haram or resource agitation like in Niger Delta. Some truly are genuine, others have gone too far.
Who are Nigerians to hold accountable? The government or the heartless witless founders of this terrorist? Is your neighbour such a politician or terrorist? Can you be bold as General Useni to point them out? Yes, Gen. Useni has alleged that Ex-Governor Ali Modu Sheriff is the notorious politician that founded Boko Haram. The young man promptly ran to Aso Rock to deny the allegation. What is he afraid of? Has he told Nigerians why he apologised to terrorist like Boko Haram? He has a lot to answer. Time will tell.