A bestselling author, Reno Omokri, has stated that contrary to the popular saying that history repeats itself, it is men that repeat history.
He made this statement while addressing the increasing calls by some Nigerians on the military to take over and sack the democratically elected president in the country, just as recently witnessed in a neighbouring country, Niger Republic.
According to Omokri, there is no good in military coups except stagnation in the progress of the country and he cited two cases of coups in Nigeria to back up his claims.
He wrote:
Some people never learn from history, so they repeat it and then accuse history of repeating itself. But history does not repeat itself. History is an inanimate thing, unable to form a will. Men repeat history. And I will counsel those now calling for a military coup in Nigeria to study Nigeria’s history, especially the January 15, 1966, and the July 29, 1966 coups.
The reason Nigeria’s progress stagnated for decades is because of those coups. Fifty-seven years later, some people are singing the same song. Although the whole country collectively suffered from those coups, some parts of the country suffered more than others and are still suffering its effect today.
Sadly, today’s calls for military coup are loudest in certain areas, where the effects of 1966 were most devastating. It almost seems as if their youth have forgotten the consequences of January 15, 1966. Please, let us not rock the boat. Control your mouths. And leaders should also intervene to caution their supporters because when their supporters call for such actions, and they are silent, their silence could be misconstrued as consent.
We don’t want coups and their aftermaths in Nigeria, and as a nation, the overwhelming majority of us will support the DSS if they take drastic measures against those making such calls.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
