When a witch chants at night and a child dies in the morning, who doesn’t suspect a connection? This old Yoruba proverb captures the essence of how people instinctively link events to make sense of the world. But are all connections valid, or are some dots simply illusions?
The rise of Boko Haram, its funding, and the geopolitical games surrounding Nigeria’s security crisis have long been shrouded in mystery. However, when we trace the events leading to its emergence, disturbing patterns begin to surface.
Nigeria was on the brink of a new beginning at the dawn of the Third Republic, but shadows loomed. A foreign power predicted the country’s disintegration, coinciding with Boko Haram’s sudden transformation from a disorganized extremist group to a well-armed terrorist force. Could this be a coincidence, or was something more sinister at play?
What changed? Nigeria’s refusal to host a foreign military base. Shortly after, Boko Haram began wielding sophisticated weapons, targeting both Christians and Muslims with unprecedented precision. Intelligence failures became routine, while some northern elites shockingly defended the insurgents.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan once lamented that his government was being sabotaged from within. The infamous abduction of the Chibok girls further fueled international criticism, while key security figures met untimely deaths. Meanwhile, Nigeria faced arms embargoes under the pretext of “human rights violations,” crippling its fight against terror.
The dots are there. The question remains: Will Nigeria ever wield the strength to confront those who chant in the night? Until we achieve self-reliance, we may remain at the mercy of hidden hands pulling the strings.
Is Nigeria truly in control of its destiny, or are we just pawns in a larger geopolitical game?
