A “People” for Itself

Some people were delusional about a UN intervention in Nigeria if things went ugly. Where they got their theory from remains removed from public records. The UN is not an organisation that provides support for good things. It is like the proverbial “ẹpọ̀n ago” or pendulum that swings back and forth. Ẹpọ̀n ago stays in that condition permanently. In the final analysis, it is an amoral political space. Its Security Council – consisting of China and Russia [countries that murder humans in tens of thousands for their views] – grants veto powers to each of the five permanent members. Saudi Arabia was chair of its Human Rights Council. Saudi still beheads enemies of its regime. North Korea is a member too. The hermit kingdom executes political dissenters using a firing squad.

Its research organizations are so absurd a committee asked to investigate the state of female affairs globally preferred to investigate New Zealand and Australia than Iran or Mauritania. When war broke out in Kosovo, the UN refused to evacuate non-combatants. Some of the officials did but in exchange for money and forced sex. The UN. It did nothing to prevent the Rwandan Genocide from happening nor did it anything to stop it afterwards. Millions may die, it wouldn’t matter. The Secretary-General would “condemn it in strong terms”. And that’s all. Yes the UN has prevented World War III and has, perhaps, the most efficient civil service force in the world. I have worked with and for the UN.

I will, again, do so still if the opportunity presents itself. The space cannot be left in the hands of the wrong people – a platform where countries meet and talk can be used for evil designs by evil regimes. But you cannot rely on it for political interventions nor can its military intervention achieve anything useful. Neutrality principles. That principle is the real danger in the case of a powerful organisation pushing its full strength against a powerless entity. In the event of the government of Nigeria turning against its people (and that is possible), the international “community” has nothing to offer. Only sympathy. In words.

Ojo, Aderemi Ibadan, Nigeria.

ojderemi@gmail.com