I watched an interview on Arise TV Tuesday morning of July 28th 2020, which hosted the SOUKAPU Chairman Hon. Jonathan Asake and one David Otto an international security analyst and expert in counter terrorism. It was revealing that Asake whom my check revealed he recently resigned from a political party (PDP) could not go beyond the usual political rhetoric that has been peddled for over a decade since the emergence of these killings in Southern Kaduna.
Asake placed the blame squarely on Governor Nasir El-Rufai whom he claimed is trying to change demographics by killing SK people. Asake seem to have a very short memory having come from a political party that holds sway in SK and the most part of this party’s stranglehold when they were in power saw the emergence of these genocidal killings of the SK people. I have checked to see if he ever placed such blame squarely on the head of his party’s leaders then but could not find any. I am not here saying Asake should be silent because he never called out his party leaders when SK blood was flowing during his party regime. Being a leader of the contraption called SOUKAPU now certainly he has the duty to speak up. But when in speaking up he only glories in sticking his mouth with a vote of condemnation on the failure of the government while overlooking a very big chunk of the past failures which he was very much part of, it smacks off the mien of an ostrich that covers its head believing it has hidden itself.
While the international security analyst and expert on counter terrorism David Otto made the point that a solution to these incessant killings in SK lies within the communities in SK, Asake the ostrich Jonathan would not see any of that first by not even understanding the concept of community itself. He would later make reference to Ladduga a grazing reserve which has formed a community where it is alleged forms the base where the killers of SK people hide.
Asake’s insistence that there is nothing like communal clash in SK, that it is just people killing people to change demographics and grab land begs the question why the killers would select those communities out of thousands in SK to go on a killing spree. Again there are hundreds of communities in SK living side by side with Fulanis and are peaceful, going to the same market to transact their business and some even coming together with their host communities to declare for peaceful coexistence. Is Asake oblivious of all that?
I give it to Asake for his insistence that government swore to protect lives and property irrespective of religion or tribe. However, failing to acknowledge a single effort of the government in trying to bring lasting peace to SK only reveals a fundamental problem that has not been addressed by the SK people and our leaders which is denial.
Asake and his team in SOUKAPU should restrategize and do the needful in order to serve as true representatives of the people of Southern Kaduna. Some of us largely see the hand writing of PDP in the voice of SOUKAPU. Now you know what I mean by ASAKE “THE OSTRICH” JONATHAN
My condolences to all who lost dear ones in SK and beyond. May God lead us all in the search for peace and progress of the Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State and Nigeria our beloved country. Amen!
Rev. Fr. Anthony Shawuya
OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PIECE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND NOT OF PROCYON NEWS, IT’S EDITORS OR PUBLISHERS
Those who attempt to gag the voices of consciousness and conscience can only do so for the fringe corrupt benefits of power self-centered interest devoid of any love for humanity.
An institution that had painstakingly maintained a consistency of free, fair contest for those who will lead her affairs can’t be called a contraption. Blessed are those who are not offended by the outcry for institutions of state to rise to the challenge of protecting the Nigerian citizens and communities from vicious criminals.