I was engaged (click here) in a heated argument with one of my friends yesterday evenin' when we heard the news that the senate has empowered the vice president to act as president. We were arguing about his name 'Ebele', my friend said it's igbo and that Jonathan is some retribalized igbo man(just like Mike Okiro). I disagreed and insisted that the 'ebele' name was just a mere coincidence in spelling with the igbo name 'ebele' and that they were pronounced differently. He never agreed up till now and i felt like asking u guys especially the ijaw peeps Is there an ijaw name 'ebele'?
The Boko Haram militia is primarily located in the northern regions of the country. The President of Nigeria is from southern Nigeria. The differences are quite interesting when it comes to culture and LANGUAGE.
There is also the issue of Boko Haram and the Fulani. They have been conducting hostilities. The Fulani's presence extends past the Nigerian borders but with them being herdsman and women they tend to migrate somewhat anyway.
I have to wonder if the Fulani have better relations with the Nigerian President and can they work together to reduce the power of Boko Haram in the north?
There are a great deal of complaints about the Nigerian government and the impoverishment of the people. There obviously has to be changes instituted to elevate the people out of poverty, but, the people are troubled by the violence in the country.
Boko Haram is a Muslim organization that isn't just oppositional to Western education, if that is what the girls were receiving at all, but more the focus to eliminate Christian influence within the country of Nigeria. That focus justifies the violence Boko Haram conducts, but, the kidnapping of the girls is more than just more violence against the people of Nigeria, it is about removing young women away from any Christian/Western influence.
Jonathan is a Christian with strong educational ties to Christian schools. Are there any Muslims within his administration that can bring the country together? Someone to address any fears used by Boko Haram that can be dispelled by the government? I have a difficult time believing the people of Nigeria, which vary in culture and language, can't find a common thread to put the violence into a context that would unite the country.
The other aspect of Jonathan's background is his ties to the delta region of the country. He knows the exploitation of the petroleum industry and the abandonment of the people in the delta to suffer the consequences. He has to be somewhat motivated into office because of that injustice. He has to end violence, but, he also has to bring reforms to government corruption. If he can do that he can motivate Nigeria to a far more peaceful existence and less divided among the cultures and religions. The division of the people creates legitimacy to the violence as does the fact natural resources are still not the wealth of the nation so much as the wealth of a few.
The cultural and religious divisions within Nigeria can be problematic for any military intervention. If the people remain divided into factions, one against the other, the question enters 'Where is the next attack coming from?' The Nigerian government has to resolve the people to care about the same national issue. Improving the poverty and health of the people can be the direction needed to end such militias and their violence. Right now the militias have legitimate causes. The government needs to resolve to make those causes mute and only solvable by the elected government. Jonathan has to unite the country to non-violence. But, his words cannot be empty, humanitarian assistance may begin the process of turning to the government as an authority that can be respected.
Gun might be the answer to ending militias, but, they don't solve the problems that spawned the militias in the first place. If the core problems are not confronted, Boko Haram will simply be replaced by another militia leader with greater claims of authority.
Any humanitarian aid into the country where violence reigns will most likely need a military to accompany them. If aid doesn't enter the hands of those that need it, it will become a commodity that the poor will never afford and it's purpose to that end worthless.
Yep, it is a really lousy hand to be dealt, but, it what it is.
Ideally, the corruption in Nigeria should have been handled a long time ago. If that had occurred no one would be facing this problem now.
The Boko Haram militia is primarily located in the northern regions of the country. The President of Nigeria is from southern Nigeria. The differences are quite interesting when it comes to culture and LANGUAGE.
There is also the issue of Boko Haram and the Fulani. They have been conducting hostilities. The Fulani's presence extends past the Nigerian borders but with them being herdsman and women they tend to migrate somewhat anyway.
I have to wonder if the Fulani have better relations with the Nigerian President and can they work together to reduce the power of Boko Haram in the north?
There are a great deal of complaints about the Nigerian government and the impoverishment of the people. There obviously has to be changes instituted to elevate the people out of poverty, but, the people are troubled by the violence in the country.
Boko Haram is a Muslim organization that isn't just oppositional to Western education, if that is what the girls were receiving at all, but more the focus to eliminate Christian influence within the country of Nigeria. That focus justifies the violence Boko Haram conducts, but, the kidnapping of the girls is more than just more violence against the people of Nigeria, it is about removing young women away from any Christian/Western influence.
Jonathan is a Christian with strong educational ties to Christian schools. Are there any Muslims within his administration that can bring the country together? Someone to address any fears used by Boko Haram that can be dispelled by the government? I have a difficult time believing the people of Nigeria, which vary in culture and language, can't find a common thread to put the violence into a context that would unite the country.
The other aspect of Jonathan's background is his ties to the delta region of the country. He knows the exploitation of the petroleum industry and the abandonment of the people in the delta to suffer the consequences. He has to be somewhat motivated into office because of that injustice. He has to end violence, but, he also has to bring reforms to government corruption. If he can do that he can motivate Nigeria to a far more peaceful existence and less divided among the cultures and religions. The division of the people creates legitimacy to the violence as does the fact natural resources are still not the wealth of the nation so much as the wealth of a few.
The cultural and religious divisions within Nigeria can be problematic for any military intervention. If the people remain divided into factions, one against the other, the question enters 'Where is the next attack coming from?' The Nigerian government has to resolve the people to care about the same national issue. Improving the poverty and health of the people can be the direction needed to end such militias and their violence. Right now the militias have legitimate causes. The government needs to resolve to make those causes mute and only solvable by the elected government. Jonathan has to unite the country to non-violence. But, his words cannot be empty, humanitarian assistance may begin the process of turning to the government as an authority that can be respected.
Gun might be the answer to ending militias, but, they don't solve the problems that spawned the militias in the first place. If the core problems are not confronted, Boko Haram will simply be replaced by another militia leader with greater claims of authority.
Any humanitarian aid into the country where violence reigns will most likely need a military to accompany them. If aid doesn't enter the hands of those that need it, it will become a commodity that the poor will never afford and it's purpose to that end worthless.
Yep, it is a really lousy hand to be dealt, but, it what it is.
Ideally, the corruption in Nigeria should have been handled a long time ago. If that had occurred no one would be facing this problem now.
