An Attack on Bourgeoise Nationalism,

April 6, 2022 | By Umar Yakubu

Members of the elite were enraged all over social media. Its like they are just getting aware of the years of decadence and incompetence.

Since we now know that no one is safe from terrorists, I hope that we will utilise our immediate circles to ensure that the right things are being done at all levels. Public policy should have impact on the majority of the people, not a few. Grand corruption is killing us. The current bourgeoise nationalism whereby the ruling class is deliberately dividing people on the basis of ethnicity and religion needs to stop. Our governance needs to improve and the forthcoming elections in an avenue to try and do the right thing.

The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them. – Karl Marx

Neo-Marxists have, for ages, argued that capitalism mainly serves the rich, as they consume most of the world’s resources. To a large extent, they argue that Karl Marx was right in calling for the transformation of the global economic system. Of recent, two spectres and forces of the unjust social (dis)order are haunting Nigeria — that of massive poverty and that of vast income inequality, alongside an unholy alliance of undemocratic politicians, businessmen, and public servants, who ensure that these spectres remain unchanged.

Trains are usually made for all but targeted at the poor and middle-income earners. That must have been the plan when the Abuja-Kaduna train was conceived. As the trains rolled out, the poor began using them. Then came the bandits, and the elites also pushed them out. Prices were doubled (in the name of spacing, as part of the COVID-19 protocols).

Practically, the COVID restrictions are gone, but the prices of the trips have remained, with more elite options. There is now a first-class cabin. And, most people can no longer afford the train. The elites refused to secure the roads since they have options. The trains are now for different categories of the elite.

One category is those who will board the train with armed police escorts. Let us note that the country roughly has 360,000 policemen and a substantial numberof them are on protection duties for “very important people”.

The second category is those who will board the train and send their drivers to meet them at the other end of the trip, meaning that the lives of drivers are expendable, as they would take the bullet if they run into bandits or terrorists on the road. The last category pertains to other members of the bourgeoise class and middle-income earners.

Unfortunately, the terrorists decided to attack the train last week, during which innocent souls were lost, and many were kidnapped. From reports coming through the social media, one can only imagine what families that have lost loved ones to these rabid criminals are going through presently. A cousin was shot but he has recuperated. May the souls of the departed rest in peace and God bless the Kaduna State government and law enforcement agencies for their rapid response because, it could have been worse.

But this piece intends to draw attention to an anomaly that neo-Marxists have been talking about. The poor are designed to remain poor, and the rich simply don’t make policies in the interest of the poor. The same last week, twenty people drowned in Niger State while fleeing from terrorists. Daily Trust was the only major medium that reported this piece of information. Another thirty-five were killed in Zamfara, and only Premium Times and Daily Trust were bothered about the incident. Other killings just make the newsbar section of newspapers, as if not worthy of making the major headlines. They are reported for news purposes only and not to trigger any response from responsible parties. Psychologists call this ‘habituation’. We are getting used to gory violence, so much that we no longer care. Data from the International Office of Migration indicates that due to insecurity, there are approximately four million Internally Displaced Persons in the country, spread across thirty-five states and the Federal Capital Territory. Four million!

However, within the same week, the vice president visited Kaduna and saw the victims of the train attack. The Senate and House of Representatives were at the top of their voices. The chief of Army staff visited the scene. The Inspector General of Police inspected the whole 160-kilometre route. Minister Amaechi was fiery. Governors made their usual statements. The “Good Morning Nigeria” programme of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) made it the topic of discussion for two days. In a jiffy, the president approved N3 billion to install certain security features along the rail tracks. This what happens when the elite are affected.

Interestingly, other members of the elite were enraged all over social media. Its like they are just getting aware of the years of decadence and incompetence, and are still unaware of the what has been going on in Zamfara, Katsina and Niger States. Most are unaware that there is so much organised crime stretching the capacity of law enforcement agencies in the country to the limits or they might have simply entered the habituation mode. They are not angry at the level of insecurity but are enraged because people they know are involved. So psychologically, we only understand it when it hits home. As David Kold would call it, experiential learning – understanding through experience.

Umar Yakubu is with the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch. Twitter @umaryakubu