Thursday, December 19, 2013

The Nigerian Letter-Spring...




We’re in a season of letters and the whole world suddenly has its eye on Nigeria.

Seems like we’re bringing back the letters in terms of letter writing which was gradually fading into oblivion as our 21st century kids would have had to read in history books that once upon a time there was a world of letter writing (not pinging, texts, emails and the general social media bug).

Suddenly we have the letter bug… Thanks to our very own controversial yet comical ‘Baba’, the general that has refused to retire. His letter which I choose not to analyze has thrown open a wave of dialogues, monologues prologues, epilogues and all the ‘logues…’ that single letter has led to another letter from a daughter to a father; in the center stage we have his Excellency GEJ who for some strange reasons has had course to keep referring to letters in all his speeches.

Suddenly there’s an avalanche of responses, letters and counter letters to one letter written by a retired general not tired of the power of the pen.

Revolutions have happened at some point the world over, with some acts of valor sparking off such revolutions…

                                                              
The Arab spring was a product of a young man who set himself ablaze, leading to a massive ripple effect; The Tunisian revolution forces President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to resign and flee the country, and sets free elections. The 2011 Egyptian revolution brings down the regime of President Hosni Mubarak. In the Libyan civil war rebel forces gradually take control of the country, and kill the leader Muammar Gaddafi. Post-civil war violence in Libya (ongoing); Syrian civil war (ongoing); 2010–2012 Algerian protests, Bahraini uprising (ongoing); 2011 Iraqi protests; 2011 Jordanian protests;  2011–2012 Moroccan protests; 2011 Omani protests; The 2011 Yemeni revolution leads to the eventual resignation of Ali Abdullah Saleh as President of Yemen. 2011–2012 Iranian protests; 2011–2013 Spanish protests; 2011-2012 Maldives political crisis: Public protests and police mutiny lead to resignation of President Mohammed Nasheed; 2012 Tuareg rebellion; Central African Republic conflict (2012–present)–François BozizĂ©, president of the Central African Republic, is overthrown by the rebel coalition Seleka, led by Michel Djotodia.

I am just wondering where our Nigerian letter-spring is leading us. Is it ushering in a new wave of an awakening in letter writing or is it setting the stage for a major political change in Nigeria.

While the ‘Occupy Nigeria’ drama lasted and yielded next to nothing; would it be right for us to draw a likely possibility of a letter occupation?

It is indeed a season of letters; it is an era of the Nigerian Letter-Spring…

Take it or leave it… something is definitely about to happen! 

@omedekina