ICHEOKU says although this is not the time for apportioning blames, but truth be told, a man so exposed to danger and public enemy number one of the Nigerian government, who knew that the Nigerian government wanted him dead or alive, should not have traveled to any African country. Kenya in particular should have been self red-flagged because of their antecedents of arbitrary renditions and history of seizures and repatriations of self exiled citizens of other countries who are wanted by their home countries but who happen to be found on Kenya soil.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should have been aware of the overwhelming influence which Nigeria exerts on the African continent because of its oil money which it spreads in great largess to majority of African countries, without which many of them would have probably gone belly up, broke and bankrupt. But he went anyway and now he is cooling his heels inside one of Nigeria's underground dungeons or rather glorified detention facility in Abuja; if not in one secret, dark and dank cave somewhere in Sokoto State being guarded by Fulani herdsmen and their cows just for maximum effect.
Such a personality should not have been traveling rather recklessly and not to Africa; and would have rather sent his aide to go and represent him in whatever business that sent him to Kenya. It was too risky a proposition going to Kenya which his abduction and sell off to Nigeria proves beyond any shadow of doubt. He should have learnt basic lessons 101 of freedom fighting from renown freedom fighters of the world on why they avoid needless exposures. Such usually easily provide the government they are fighting against, the golden opportunity to nab or kill them and with it, end or cripple their struggle. This is why most fabled freedom fighters usually change their "zip code" to the forest and/or bushes in order to make nabbing them difficult.
But he was enjoying a "five star lifestyle, living in luxury apartment and jetting around in luxurious chartered private jets", which telegraphed to Nigerian authorities a bold red lettered message, "here I am, come and capture me if you can" and of course they did, admitted it took them two long years plus of careful planning. It was avoidable but we cannot and should not dwell on what could have been as now is time to figure out what lies ahead.
It is regrettable and rather unfortunate that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu sheepishly walked into the snare of his enemy, as walking into any African country is tantamount to walking into Aso Rock. He could have as well saved himself the agonizing torture of the Kenyan government and protected his body from the unknown effects of tranquilizer by simply boarding a flight straight from Heathrow to Nnamdi Azikwe Airport and handed himself over to the first sighted uniformed officer upon arrival. Nigeria's long arm touches and reaches every nook and cranny in Africa, from West to East and from North to South.
As a country which underwrites most African Union and many African countries' expenses, sometimes supplying some of them with power when Nigerians have no light; allowing their citizens to study free on Nigerian scholarship in Nigerian universities and colleges; providing them with manpower including jurists and technicians; building infrastructures for them such as railway lines, bridges and roads; and in some of the countries even providing them with their armed forces as well as commanding officers, Nigeria maintains a great leverage over Africa countries. So it is either Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not do his homework on personal security very well by visiting Kenya or he was awfully arrogant in believing that he has become such an untouchable that nothing will happen to him in Kenya.
ICHEOKU watched a recent interview which Mazi Nnamdi Kanu granted a journalist during his last visit to America, which was just a few weeks before he was abducted in Kenya. The female journalist/interviewer had expressed concern about his safety and security and wanted to know why he still travels around freely and so too often; and whether he is not afraid of being captured or even killed by his enemies, particularly the Nigerian authorities. His response was rather dismissively off handedly, that people have been saying that he cannot travel to America because he will be arrested on sight. But that here he is in America and nobody bothered him, not in the plane, not through the immigration and customs which shows that he is a free man and can freely travel to anywhere, whenever he wants. He added that he is not afraid of the Janjaweed Nigerian government because what is in him is greater than them.
Anyway, as the saying goes, the rest is now history as they ended up abducting him because he suddenly became too relaxed, otherwise why didn't they capture him since the past two years plus they have been hunting him. So, was his abduction in Kenya an otherwise avoidable embarrassment to both himself, the IPOB and other supporters worldwide to whom he was morphing into an invincible legend, which a little humility would have prevented? If he had advisers who he listens to and seeks their counseling before doing anything including traveling, would they have signed off on the Kenya trip? Would they not have figured out the high probability of his being nabbed in Kenya because of Nigeria's extensive influence on the African continent?
Why was it not obvious to him and his inner council that every country in Africa will be looking for such an opportunity to please Nigeria with the capture of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and make Nigeria perpetually indebted to them for the favor. These impoverished African countries also know that there was a bounty on the head of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and that the Nigerian government will in addition reward them with a check with many zeros as in appreciation. So, why did he travel to Kenya or is it possible that he was counseled against it but he waved it off as "rubbish" and stubbornly traveled to Kenya anyway. Did he think that being a British citizen, that the Kenyan authorities cannot mess with him or seize him and pawn him over to Nigerian government.
But Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not saying nor disclosing any of the underlying factors of his trip to Kenya, at least not yet. His counsel's reportage of the circumstances surrounding his abduction from Kenya left so many details out such as why he was in Kenya; why he thought it was safe for him to travel to Kenya; what did the Kenya authorities accused him of doing before detaining and taking him into custody. It also did not explain why they tortured him for eight long days and whether they were seeking to coarse a particular information from him and what the information was.
Was the torture an effort to make him admit or confess to a crime and what crime was it that made them subject him to serious bodily and psychological torture, including physical abuse, beatings, sleep deprivation and waterboarding. Was there any petition for his arrest and detention that led to the harried experience which he endured in Kenya before he was bundled back to Nigeria. Like Jesus Christ before Pontus Pilate, did he invoke Her Majesty's sovereign as a subject of the British Crown and citizen of Britain who is not subject to Nigerian authorities. Did he seek assistance of the British High Commissioner in Nairobi and was he given an opportunity to file a petition against his return to Nigeria or was everything shrouded in illegality.
These are the issues of concern which should occupy everybody now and not that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu "deserves" what happened to him because he "insults everybody and respects nobody" and that "those who would have come to his aid were all insulted by him." This time has no room for reclamations or pointing of accusatory fingers as all hands must be on deck to secure his freedom or force the Nigerian government to deal fairly and equitably with him in incarceration. His cause is for the greater good of the people, both Biafrans and other Nigerians, who he has now opened their eyes to the impunities of the Fulani nomadic death merchants and land grabbers. The least we all should do now is to show support in appreciation for all his sacrifices and keep whatever misgivings against him in the back burner and may be get back to them later after securing his freedom.
It is obvious that some of his utterances were not convivial, but it could be that he was so incensed and overly reacting because of the Nigerian parlous situation which has made majority of Nigerians raving mad and fuming with anger. So such less congenial choice of words of his should be excused as a product of deep seated frustration caused by the Nigeria State and for which every Nigerian, in his or her right mind, should be righteously frustrated as well. What is going on in Nigeria can make anybody run literary mad, so being frustrated is a less evil in comparison. A country which is not formally at war but has such a dire living conditions worse than most countries at war.
Although his approach and methodology could probably use some finesse and fine tuning, but it is understandable that something triggered him that made him to throw every caution and decorum to the winds, including less regard for his own personal safety. So, it is possible that he was using those "speak" to force people to pay attention to the message which she was delivering and spreading, and not necessarily because of any particular disdain or hatred he has or harbors for anyone or group or religion. He craved attention of a Nigerian people that are obstinately tuned out of their problems and went for the shock treatment with some acerbic words and foul languages to ensure that people are compelled to hear him out.
Even Jesus Christ was mad severally according to the Bible and even cursed out a fig tree as well as chased money changers out of the temple. So, we should judge Mazi Nnamdi Kanu based on the meat of his message and not the disposable bone which has no relevance to the dinner plate. He is frustrated just like millions of other Nigerians by the so many missed opportunities and he is calling attention to them and trying to make millions of "drooling" Nigerians wake up from their stupor. We should therefore not allow our sentimental attachments to needless ancient obeisance and obsequiousness to cloud our sights to the message which Mazi Nnamdi Kanu brought to Nigerians, the need to checkmate Fulani avowed domination of the country.
The fundamentals of his message must not be allowed to be eclipsed by our distaste for his "uncouth" mannerism and/or lack of "respect for elders" such that we chose to throw away the baby with the bath water. We must not kill the messenger just because he brought a good message with a bad attitude. This moment calls for real logical discerning and the ability to sieve the wheat from the chaff; and also to understand that as humans, we are all fallible. Lets do something with his message that Nigeria could be better and run in a more equitable and just manner than it is being presently run. It is in the best interest of the plurality of Nigerians that a more functional Nigeria is berthed and with it, instead of all the agitations for separatist Nations, Nigerians will be working to build a Nigeria that will be the envy of the rest of the world or at least black Africa and stop being the pariah it presently is where everybody wants to run away from. #MNKdeservesOurSupport.
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