The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), a.k.a. Pyrates Confraternity reacts with deep sadness to the news of Obasanjo's tongue lashing of the Christian president, Rev. Pam in Jos. This must be considered quite unfortunate and a low blow for our country. The President's action is most disrespectful of the institution of the clergy and the God that they represent.
It is even sadder that the state security agents proceeded to also arrest Rev. Pam in an attempt to force him to apologize to the President for venturing to ask the President an honest direct question. Is the President serving the people? or Is he lording it over the people?
We condemn the arrest of Prof. Wole Soyinka, Femi Falana and other Nigerians by the police in Lagos for staging a peaceful protest rally. Prof. Wole Soyinka is and has always been a law abiding citizen of the country who holds strongly to the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression. He is clearly known to strongly criticize bad governance and oppression of the people no matter wherever they are found world-wide. The same goes for Mr. Femi Falana. The use and show of needless excessive force and brutality by the police on a group of peaceful protesters and subsequent detention of one of the most noble and honorable citizens of the country only portrays a government eager to suffocate the freedom of expression of the governed while inflicted systemic pain through hunger, unemployment, insecurity and political disharmony.
The series of muscled actions against critics of the present government seem to clearly suggest that the government through the state security agents, may be attempting to gradually turn the country into a draconian state where intimidation, abuse and use of excessive force is the sole characterization of leadership. The lame excuse by the authorities that the Lagos rally organizers did not obtain permission from government points to the fact of intimidation being designedly perpetrated by the government. This is the case of inflicting pain on a child and asking the child not to cry, and worse still, ask the child to get permission from the abuser before crying. Why should Nigerians seek permission from the government to express their fundamental constitutional rights; or ask an abusive government for permission before screaming that they are being abused.
The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), strongly cautions that the flagrant and continued abuse of the fundamental rights of the Nigerian citizenry by the present government and government agents is unacceptable, and can only further the gulf between the government and the governed. Invariably, such abuses will continue to elicit increased government opposition and resistance by all democratic and progressive thinking Nigerians.
Signed:
Dr. Odili Ojukwu
NAS Capone
National Association of Seadogs (NAS)
