Buhari attack: What happened in Colorado will happen here. WHILE appreciating God for saving General Muhammadu Buhari’s life last week, it occurred to me that Nigerians have been too bothered about what would or wouldn’t have happened if the worst had occurred. True, GMB is a cult figure in Northern Nigeria, and his loss in such a violent attack would have thrown the nation into mourning, just like we all are thrown into mourning after every bomb blast and brutal killing by those monsters- Boko Haram. This Colorado story is one nice one I took from Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State. Akpabio knows many Bible and fictional stories, and understands how to cleverly deploy one from his solid collection, when a direct answer isn’t expedient or may bear some unpredictable political consequence. Taking a question from Segun, journalist on TV, in 2011, just about the period he launched his campaigns for a second term in office, the governor looked a bit stunned when he was asked: “Governor Akpabio, what will you do if you lose this election?” “Segun,” he started with a wide grin, “I will want to tell you a story of something that happened in Colorado.” He settled properly into his chair, caressed the microphone for a few seconds, then he told the beautiful story of an American cowboy who rode on his horse to a roadside café. He latched his horse, sauntered into the café room for a cup of coffee. He appeared nice and was jovial all the while he had his coffee, until he paid his bills, and looked out of the casement window only to discover that his horse was not there. At once, his face was distorted with rage. Like the fury of gathering tornado, he bellowed in a croaky voice “Where is my horse?” He punched the air and banged the checkout desk with solidly clenched fists. “If I don’t find that horse, what happened in Colorado will happen here, today!” He paced to the entrance. “What happened in Colorado will happen here, I warn!” he kept shouting. The owner of the café rushed out, bewildered and trembling, she asked: ” Sir, is there a problem?” The cowboy turned to her slowly, his face red and his veins swollen. “Where is my horse?” he asked in a hoarse whisper, then warned again: “What happened in Colorado will happen n your café today.” The café owner sank into a chair and sighed with relief. She explained to the cowboy that she owned three horses and she noticed that the cowboy’s horse was thirsty. She had taken the horse into a shelter just behind the café for water, and that his horse is well and ready to go. Looking defeated, the cowboy smiled, apologised for his outburst and thanked the café owner. Another customer who had watched all these happen, was curious and wanted to know what actually happened in Colorado. “Hey big man,” he said, as he walked towards the cowboy: “What happened in Colorado?” The cowboy smiled and said: “In Colorado, my horse was stolen, and I walked away very unhappy.” Nigeria has survived worse than the death of one man. We thank God for saving Buhari’s life, but the narrative that his death would have caused the Second Civil War is outrageous and stupid. Nigeria survived the killings of Ken Saro-Wiwa, MKO Abiola, Sir. Ahmadu Bello and General Aguiyi Ironsi. It is also weird for anyone to suggest that General Buhari stage-managed an attack on his convoy. That theory is as ridiculous as blaming President Goodluck Jonathan. This attack on General Buhari should bring the nation to a consensus that we are all in this together, and that as a nation, we must close ranks to defeat the common enemy. ROTIMI GEORGE, a political analyst, wrote from Lagos
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:25:05 +0000