Date Published: 03/16/10

The Genocide in Jos: Man is the problem By Joe Igbokwe

The genocide in Jos is an indictment on all of us especially the fathers of Nigeria. As a father, my conscience pricked to the limit by the blood of innocent children and mothers that were killed in Jos, whether the 150 or 500 in number. I think we as fathers have failed to protect our wives and children in times like this when some men have completely gone mad. You see, when men make wars the children and mothers suffer. In his book, The fatherhood principle Dr Myles Munroe challenged every father to Be the solid foundation of your family. Develop the potential and gifts of children. Learn what a father really is. Discuss your life’s vision. Identify the five vital purposes of the male. Dr Munroe says “Men are supposed to ‘fasten’ the society - to secure it with beliefs and principles that don’t change” According to him “A father encourages steady, consistent, progressive growth in his family. A father encourages his family members to grow in God’s limitless potentials”

It is therefore right for me to conclude that the needless blood bathe we have been having in Nigeria since 1960 has been as a result of failure of men to do their God’s given duties as godly fathers. The President, the Governor, the Chief of Defense staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the IG of Police, the Commissioner of Police, the GOC 3 Armoured Division Jos are all men who by acts of omission or commission failed mothers and children they were supposed to protect in times of crisis in Jos.

Nigeria, especially, the Northern part has become a killing field. Time will fail me to recall how many people we have killed since 1945 in Jos, Kano in 1953, the entire North in 1966, 1980 Maitatsine religious riots in Kano, 1982 in Maidugri in 1984 in Jimeta, Yola, 1985 in Gombe, 1987 in Kaduna and Kafanchan, 1991 in Bauchi, Katsina and Kano, 1992 in Zango-Kataf, Funtua in 1993, and 2008 over Council elections in Jos North. The endless religious and ethnic crisis in the North since 1966 has been a failure of leadership. It has the failure of men to rise up to the demands of times. Perhaps children may have been charge of leadership in that part of the country. No wonder the entire North is desolate in terms of investment.

As I write this, almost 90% of industries in Kano, the economic hub of the North have gone down in ruins. The education gap between North and South is today still 60 years, meaning that it will take the North 60 years to catch up with the South assuming the South decides to maintain a standstill till the North catches up. No serious investor will want to invest in the volatile North. No serious teacher will want to teach in the volatile North. Now, tell me how the North will meet the challenges of the 21 st century in the face of all these monumental problems? God help those who help themselves. Needless to say that it is now crystal clear that if Nigeria breaks up today that section of the country will be held responsible.

The killing of innocent children and mothers in Dogo Nahawa, Jos is nothing but a careful planned genocide to wipe out a race. When mothers and children are murdered, pro creation is stopped. The planning was a collective responsibility carefully coordinated and clinically executed. And from all indications and permutations, there was conspiracy at the highest level in Jos to perfect this heinous crime against humanity and people must own up failures. You see excuses are nails used to build house of failures.

Governor Jang, himself a military person has told Nigerians what transpired between him and GOC of 3 rd Armoured Division Jos, Major General Maina Saleh and I have every reason to believe the Governor. The reason is this: Even though Governor Jang is the Chief Security Officer of Plateau State he does not control the police and the Army. So where is his power as Chief Security Officer of Plateau State? Men who are being paid to defend Nigerians especially defenseless children and mothers went to bed to sleep with their wives, and girl friends when heinous atrocities were being committed in a remote village in Jos. A general in the Army in a volatile country heading a division in a volatile state like Jos should leave his phones on 24 hours in a day. Same for all the State Security Operatives in Jos. They all failed in times of need, and they must be made to face the jury. A thousand and one excuses cannot help in this case. This culture of impunity must stop in Nigeria, and offenders must be punished to serve as a lesson to others. These idiots have brought unmitigated shame to Nigerian and we must remind them that nobody is an island.

Now, can we have the courage to deal with the Jos problem head on? Can we have the courage to tell the truth about the true owners of Jos? Who is a citizen of Nigeria? If I do not have the right to run for the post of a Local Government Chairman in Kano, can an indigene of Kano come to Nnewi, Anambra to force himself on us as LGA Chairman? Who owns Jos North, Hausa Fulani or Berom? If Nigeria cannot have the courage to decide who a citizen of Nigeria is, then this issue of settlers/indigenes many wars will continue to confront us on a daily basis. Men must rise up in Nigeria to deal with this problem.

The truth is that the blood of these innocent children and women will continue to hunt us as a country for a long time to come. Only worthless leaders will leave their children and mothers unprotected. And for the killers and their sponsors I was once young and I am now getting old and I know from history that all acts of indignity against human persons debase the perpetrators more than the victims. Ask The Fathers  Second Vertican Council!

Joe Igbokwe

Lagos