I write today out of fury and pains.  I am disconcerted by the venoms emanating from a woman I once loved and called "Mama". It hurts to the marrows that someone that basks in the euphoria of being seen  and accorded respect as an activist per excellence in our region is the same person working hard to thwart the proposed unity of our sister regions, using divisive jibes and mendacious assertions.  

Calls from my brothers in the region all of which  evinced concerns about her claims impelled me to educate us all on the modus operandi and modus  vivendi of a true activist and regional spokesperson.  There are some sterling qualities that endear an activist  to the people.  Those qualities depict the acceptable modus vivendi of the said activist.  Let me start proper by conceptualising activism.  

WHO IS AN ACTIVIST? 
An activist is a humanist,  a sentient being,  a person with unflinching love for a chosen course.  It is the duty of an activist to identify a people-oriented (not personal or subjective) goal and pursue it from conceptuality to actuality.  The activist feels the pulse and plight of those adversely affected by his or her chosen pursuit and seeks to better their lot at the expense of his/her life.  The philia (burning desire, passion) in the activists propels and prods him or her to go the whole distance. 

Activists are found in all walks of life,  every career and profession.  Those who revolt whenever things go awry,  or whenever events and actions are not in accordance with established rules and norms,  are called activists.  Consequent upon the foregoing assertion,  we have judicial activism, legal activism,  medical activism,  social activism, environmental activism,  religious activism, racial activism,  sexist activism etc.  In a nutshell, activists act in pursuant of  human rights.  

QUALITIES OF AN ACTIVIST: ACTIVISM VS POLITICS
The sterling qualities of activism make it possible for pundits and people to sift politicians from activists.  The following are some of the idiosyncrasies of a true activist:

1) the plight of the generality of those affected matters to him or her;
2) he/she is impersonal and always speaks in the collective "they" and "we";
3) he/she seeks justice to the latter,  no compromise at all; 
4) he/she does not flounder or bend to suit anybody, a sign of discipline and forthrightness;
5) he/she ALWAYS considers the people,  not self or personal gains; 
6) he/she leads a modest life,  not withdrawn from the hoi polloi (common people);
7) he/she stands for the TRUTH etc.  

The qualities of activists, as espoused supra,  arms one with what is requisite to distinguish between real and fake activists.  Some of the celebrated activists around us are POLITICIANS IN VEILS.  

THE SOUTH-SOUTH AND THE UNITY GOAL
The unity project means a lot to the constituents of the old Eastern region.  A friend in Rivers State told me that his spite for the Igbo person is hinged on what Pa Zik,  the Pan-Africanist,  did to us in the past. I simply asked him whether Zik is the only transgressor he knows. I reminded him that his own parents had hurt him several times, yet he continues to discharge his filial duties as their son.  We both agreed that the real residents, other than our people, in our region are the Igbo,  and that we share a lot of things  in common: religion, culture, linguistic similarity etc. The real convincement came from the tribal affinity of his wife: she is Igbo!  My Igbo-hating brother is a lover of Igbo women.  Crazy contradiction!  I almost killed him with mockery.  Hahahahaha!  

How many more of us are like that? We hate the Igbo,  but do business with them,  marry them,  relish their delicacies,  speak their language, befriend them, and comfortably sell our properties to them.  What a way to hate a people! I want our so-called activists to tell me why their "activism" is divisive and against the welfare of the people.  All of you in this pseudo geographical location called South-South that kick against our proposed unity in the guise of activism are fake activists.  Those who fear that our Igbo brothers will reclaim their properties should note that most of those properties already belong to the Igbo.  They have legally re-acquired those properties.  I am an one  Ijaw man who sees no reason why I should be afraid of an Igbo man.  

Those who know that our regions have not fared well,  politically and economically, since the division, but who still choose to oppose our unity, preferring instead that the Niger Delta go alone, which is not feasible,  are the ones I call the UNSEEN FINGERS OF BRITAIN IN SOUTH-SOUTH.  You know pretty well that both regions are the victims in Lugard's gift to the North, yet you adduce flimsy,  specious,  and manufactured reason(s) why the unity project should be jettisoned. You know the NASS is populated by our enemies and will boot out any bill seeking referendum for Niger Delta Republic, yet you trudge on in your non-populist bid to circumvent our unity.  You claim you are fighting for our freedom,  but the mention of BIAFRA irritates you.  How else does one identify a witch or wizard?  Tell me. 

What makes you an activist when your agenda is driven by personal gains as against the betterment of the welfare of the people?  Your activities fan the embers of Britain,  yet you call yourself activist?  You are not an activist.  I will tell you who you are.  You are an agent of destruction.  You are so selfish and egocentric that you will only support a course where you will be seen as hero.  You are against this course because it has a hero already. No true activist will see a golden opportunity for escape for the people and choose an option that will make the people go through the furnace.  It is time for the market women, street hawkers,  itinerant traders,  warlords in our region,  the labourers,  artisans,  pundits,  youth associations,  community institutions,  and traditional stools situated in South-South to take a critical look at this proposed unity project and hop in.

Our unity is the best way out of this den called Nigeria.  Let us discuss with our Igbo brothers and sisters, sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that protects our interests and shame these cloaked foes masquerading as activists and elders.  He/she who speaks for us without our permission is a USURPER.  SELF DETERMINISM IS NOT A MATTER OF PROXY OR REPRESENTATION. Each of us must decide. Our representatives must present our MOU.  Some of these self-acclaimed spokespersons should be dealt with.  IYC,  INC,  traditional rulers,  the real elders,  youth bodies,  and community associations in our region should be reached, not the "ndi akpiri" we see on facebook and other media. 

#UnityofSisterRegions
 
Russell Idatoru Bluejack is a thinker,  revolutionary writer, university tutor,  and socio-economic and political analyst that writes from Port Harcourt.
Share To:
Magpress

MagPress

NEWS IS VERY IMPORTANT SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS...

1 comments so far,Add yours

  1. WHY YOU MUST SUPPORT BIAFRA NOW OR NEVER: (EXCEPT YOU ARE EFULEFU WHO HAS MORTGAGE HIS SOUL TO SATAN ! BECAUSE OF EARTHLY OR TEMPORAL GAIN)
    YOUR SUPPORT FOR BIAFRA NATION IS A SUPPORT FOR GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION FOR MANKIND!.
    OUR SUPPORT FOR BIAFRA SOVEREINGNTY IS A SUPPORT FOR CHRISTIANITY ! OUR SUPPORT FOR BIAFRA IS A SUPPORT FOR GOD'S UNLIMITED BLESSINGS THROUGH CHRIST'S IMMEASURABLE & MATCHLESS BLESSINGS & SALVATION FOR MANKIND! OUR SUPPORT FOR BIAFRA AS A PURE CHRISTIAN NATION IS A SUPPORT FOR FREEDOM & DELIVERANCE FROM ISLAMIC SHACKLES & BONDAGES!
    OUR TOTAL SUPPORT FOR BIAFRA RESTORATION IS A TOTAL SUPPORT FOR THE WELLBEING & PROSPERITY OF ALL OF US & THAT OF OUR UNBORN GENERATION!
    OUR SUPPORT FOR BIAFRA FREEDOM WILL USHER IN GOD'S UNLIMITED BLESSINGS ON THE MERIT OF CHRIST'S JESUS OFFER FOR US ALL!
    OUR SUPPORT FOR SOVEREIGNTY OF BIAFRA IS A SUPPORT THEREFORE FOR GOD'S CAUSE, PLAN & AGENDA!
    OUR SUPPORT FOR BIAFRA IS A SUPPORT FOR PURE,HOLY CHRISTIAN NATION!
    A SUPPORT FOR BIAFRA NATION IS A SUPPORT FOR TOTAL EMMANCIPATION FOR OUR BROTHERS & SISTERS IN OTHER NATIONS OF AFRICA & EVEN BEYOND AFRICA FROM ISLAMIC SHACKLES & HIDDEN AGENDA(BECAUSE THERE WAS AN OATH TAKEN TO ISLAMISE AFRICA & BEYOND!
    BUT, AFRICA IS FOR JESUS CHRIST!AFRICA SHALL BE SAVED BEFORE THE EMMERGENCE OF RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH WITH OUR LORD & SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST!
    SUPPORT BIAFRA NOW & BE BLESSED !
    FIGHT BIAFRA NOW & REMAIN CURSED!
    BUT WHETHER MAN SUPPORT IT OR NOT GOD WILL ACHIEVE STILL HIS PURPOSE! BIAFRA IS GOD'S PURPOSE BECAUSE WE ARE PURELY CHRISTIAN NATION! WE ARE BLESSED IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME!!

    ReplyDelete