Fresh back from Port Harcourt UNESCO World Book Capital 2014 opening ceremony. I decided to continue in the spirit of the motto: Open a book. Open possibilities. Don't get me wrong, I love reading. Have always done so. I just discovered that in recent times, the pursuit of my cheese has made it seem like there wasn't enough time to take in the wonderful adventures of a new book. I decided to create the time. Apparently it was the right time as the moons seemingly aligned and I got not one but three of my presently most sought after books. Ah heaven. Usually, when I'm on the journey with an author I tend to forget the present, but this time has been different.
The past month has been a tumultuous time in the country: The abduction of more than 276 female final year secondary school students who went to write their final examinations by Shekarau led terrorist group Boko Haram in Chibok Borno state on the 14-15TH of April 2014. The subsequent bone chilling statements by Shekarau to turn them into sex slaves, force them into marriage and generally dehumanize them as he sees fit and the tellingly loud silence of the northern elites who came out to play to the gallery only after outsiders were interested. The crime of the victims being that they are girls and should not be in school.
This happening in the face of the great feat Nigeria just recorded by Port Harcourt being the first Sub-Saharan city to be named UNESCO World Book Capital and playing host to great writers and lovers of the written word in one space.
In 2001 Agbani Darego made history in South Africa when she became the first black African to claim the Miss World title and established Nigeria in the record books in that sphere, a great feat indeed. The following year 2002 December 7th Nigeria was about to harvest the result of that feat by hosting the beautiful world: Miss world 2002. It was sadly not to be as it was abandoned after three days of reckless carnage by angry Muslim mobs which left more than 100 people dead and countless property destroyed and of course completely obliterated the chances of Nigeria ever hosting it again in the near future.
Prior to the commencement of the 24th World Economic Forum on Africa in Abuja which was slated to hold from May 7-9, there were the bombings in Abuja. This is the first time Nigeria and indeed West Africa will be hosting this forum and indications were already in the air of how unsafe Nigeria was to host this prestigious economic affair which makes one wonder how these insurgents seem to know the government's itinerary in advance. Thankfully another feat did not go down the drain.
It's like pouring cold water on one to wake them. It feels like the harder Nigeria tries to reach for the light, the harder a particular sect keep dragging it back, smearing it with dirt, trying its utmost best to drown it in dismay and darkness. Coincidentally, the three books I got are all talking about Nigeria. It turns out that the problems plaguing her have been the same since her amalgamation: A forced marriage between two opposites who over the years have not found a common ground and therefore no root to foster love on. While one partner is wanting to grow and explore, the other does not want any form of change or association with those not of its kind. And that is what most see as the Conundrum.
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