We Want An Atheist President!
It has been a rotation in the last 62 years of Nigeria.
The first indigenous supremo was a Christian. He was a Christian all his life. Then there was a prime minister — a Muslim. Between them they conducted the affairs of state as best as they could eventually landing us in hot water with the military. The prime minister — a Muslim — was killed in a coup led by a Christian. The coup was accomplished by both Christians and Muslims soldiers who killed politicians of both faith.
Then in1967 two Christians led the country into a civil war fought by both Muslim and Christian soldiers. Horror was inordinately visited on the vanquished side by the victor whose commanders and soldiers were both Muslim and Christian. Faith did not matter then. It was all about keeping the country united.
If my recollection is correct — I have refused to research any part of this piece because rebellion all the way and you shouldn’t correct me if I am wrong— Philip Effiong surrendered to Olusegun Obasanjo in the presence of Alani Akirinade and Godwin Alabi-Isama. These are still Christian men. Alabi-Isama(?).
Buka Suka Dimka, perhaps a Muslim, killed Murtala Muhammed, a Muslim who had supplanted Gowon, a Christian. Dimka, if he was a Christian was executed by a Christian Obasanjo who handed over to a democratically-elected Muslim Shagari. Shagari in turn lost his second term in office to a Muslim major general and his Muslim deputy — Buhari and Idiagbon. There were selfish and altruistic [nationalist!] intentions to these actions up until 1999 when a Christian Obasanjo returned to Aso Rock. He won the election against a Christian Olu Falae.
Since 1999, there have been 13 years when a Christian was in charge and 10 years when a Muslim has been in charge. In those two decades and some, Christian and Muslim billionaires and multimillionaires have been minted. In fact, with Dangote atop the rich list with Abdulsamad Rabiu somewhere on that top table, it appears the Muslims have had it better in terms of the billions, while the Christians have had more years in Aso Rock. But there are more Christians on the list — Adenuga, Alakija, Otedola, Ovia, Elumelu et al.
In 23 years, poverty has grown exponentially and both Christians and Muslims have become poorer. All the consequences of misgovernance are visited on the righteous and the sinner alike. Now we are here exchanging one dollar for about seven hundred naira, all of us Christians and Muslims. The Christian CBN governor has even promised to arrest anyone exchanging naira for dollars in an industry that is dominated by street forex traders who are predominantly Muslim. He is doing all he can to save the Naira for all Christians and Muslims.
By the way, the Naira with its Arabic elements was coined by Obafemi Awolowo — a Christian politician who served under a Christian Yakubu Gowon whose de-facto second in command was Joseph Akinwale Wey — a Christian.
At the end of July, Tosin Amusan set a new world record in athletics at the World Championships. Ese Brume also won a silver medal. At the ongoing Commonwealth Games, Chioma Onyekwere has already won gold in Nigeria’s name and everyone is happy — Christians, Muslims, and…
As we prepare for the big day in February 2023, we have now forgotten about governance and switched to full campaign mode — the governors and the governed. This is why I don’t agree with four-year election cycles in Nigeria, nor the needless fastidiousness with religion in public office. But as I have no ability to change things beyond publishing my opinion, I hereby state that we ought to give atheism a chance.
Let us encourage candidates who are votaries of local deities like Ogun and Amadioha, agnostics, and even atheists, to run for public office. There must be people like that who have the economic heft to buy expensive forms and spend atrociously to court the votes of Nigerians. The current experiment with Christians and Muslims has not taken us anywhere — it has been a merry-go-round.
Hence, in a bid to avoid Nigeria being called mad as defined by Albert Einstein, I move the motion that INEC disqualifies the current three frontrunners and calls for fresh applications by certified atheists and other religious degenerates. Let us test the gods. Perhaps that’s all we need to turn the corner into prosperity.
Full Disclosure: I believe in GOD
