In solidarity with Governor Samuel (Ioraer) Ortom

In the struggle against Fulani terrorism, I support Governor Samuel Ortom. This struggle is a national struggle. The Middle Belt is a geographical and strategic front. A buffer. The southern governors will do well to follow the lead of Nyesom Wike and express solidarity with the Benue Governor and his people more aggressively. The southern governors should arm their security outfits and prepare for an all-out war with the terrorists that are being supported by the military. In the West when Operation Amotekun was initiated, the plan of the Developmental Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission was to have a well-armed security outfit.

They charged the governors to procure sophisticated weapons and distribute them. Young lives volunteering on the front lines are being endangered. You cannot fight machine guns with Dane guns. With Dane guns, what you achieve at best is competing with bows and arrows. We saw what Gumi’s boys are capable of. We saw what they are holding. Forget “juju”. Despite juju, the attacks have continued unabated. It has even worsened. Good guns, drones and other technological instruments. That is the way. The surest way, the easiest. Probably the only way. The south has immense capacity to face this threat in one month but the present leadership is incompetent. We have the second strongest diaspora network after the Jews. We have military commanders, and people in high government positions in powerful countries.

A shipload of weapons will arrive in Lagos or Ondo within months. The south has people but no. We are the most unorganised people on the planet. All at the cost of hundreds of lives of innocent people. If bandits can procure weapons why can’t a committee of 16 governors? They can procure high-grade weapons and arm the organised outfits. Instead, they are giving speeches around. Political enforcers are now becoming popular among the people they once terrorised themselves. The struggle is national and Ortom is the symbol. Secession is a foolish distraction.

This is the time the South should get serious with the campaign for restructuring and fast! Secession is a distraction that will drain us of useful energy. The south can beat Fulani terrorists in a month and return to our farms. Our capabilities will overwhelm their supporters in the North West and North East or anywhere. They know it is shameful so they say they deflect the blame. They blame foreign invaders. Ok. Both foreign invaders and local supporters can be flushed out. Governance is not this hard. Ortom should be supported in the south on this one. Southern governors can be more proactive. People want to see intelligence and action.

Ojo, Aderemi Ibadan, Nigeria. @realojoaderemi ojderemi@gmail.com