Opinion: The Constitution or The Revolution -which Wayforward?

Since the abduction of Omoyele Sowore, the word 'revolution' has been more popular in Nigeria, and no doubt, the word has equally resonated across the globe in weeks. But what sparks the spectre of revolution hunting the country is beyond Sowore, and it is what seems to be unclear to the Nigerian government under Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. Whether it is out of pretence or careless tyranny, I cannot answer for them. However, the misery in the land is enough to ignite the talk of revolution on the lips of even a toddler in Nigeria. It is more systemic than hinging it on, and blindly attacking Sowore's role in such a revolutionary period Nigeria is pregnant with.

The tyranny exhibited under the Muhammad Buhari government consistently reminds and takes us back to military era. The rape on the country's constitution alone rings it in the ear that indeed, the revolution must cut across curing the constitution too.

Contrary to constitutional procedures, Sowore was abducted by the Department of State Security and subsequently detained beyond the hours provided by the constitution to detain a citizen. His abduction was quickly hinged on him 'committing treasonable felony' by his #RevolutionNow call for protests. For this alarming pronouncement by the Nigerian government, many had since taken to google to search the meaning of the word 'revolution', when it appeared the several available dictionaries seemed not enough to explain the word the way Buhari government stresses it. I think the education has been worth it anyway, as it is needed for a country with such level of misery confronting the citizens, to find out for themselves what should really be the wayforward, between Sowore's call for social revolution and the unending austerity.

Again, in the course of Sowore's undue detention, violence has been unleashed on protesters by the state armed forces. The battering of harmless 'Iya Onifufu' among others at Oshogbo, the continued detention of Bakare Olawale Adebayo 'Mandate', journalist Agba Jalingo for weeks (without a court order), and continued trials of protesters in courts across Nigeria, all spell doom under Gen. Muhammad Buhari's government, for freedom of association, expression, including press freedom which are enshrined rights in the country's constitution.

We see how fast the Buhari government is to persecute harmless citizens in the name of the country's constitution, and even faster at raping the constitution at the same time.

The attempt to stop a public symposium in Lagos on August 19th, the invasion of CDHR office and laying of siege to Sahara Reporters building on September 18th by the Buhari government through the state armed forces with no justifiable reason, is another show of open attacks on fundamental human rights, contrary to the constitutional provisions. These make us wonder if a new constitution has been specially made for the Buhari government to act by which Nigerians are not aware of.

Treasonable felony seems to be the only understood part of the country's constitution by the ruling government, including the Minister of Justice's  rumbled interpretation of it with Sowore's #RevolutionNow protests, for which they're charging harmless Sowore with and without any proof till date since DSS' over fifty days of investigations.

This constitutional aberration has continued with the failure to release Sowore despite court's order.  We recount this scenario with the illegal detention of El-zadzaky despite court's pronouncements and killing of Shiite protesters.

Nigerians and the world are watching. The drama means citizens should not take solace in the country's laws and constitution since the government expected to protect and represent it is outrightly fighting it. No doubts, we have clearly seen that this is solely a class war, a war between the rulers and oppressed downtrodden in the society; conscious revolutionaries are never surprised, the government has only helped us in confirm it to the masses that theory true liberation is in social revolution.

Where peaceful resolution is made impossible, the violent revolution is inevitable, those were the words of J.F Kennedy. A society that is rooted in the rule of law is where we can have 'crime'. Since President Muhammadu Buhari has taken us into a lawless state, where it appears legal to be illegal, the people's revolution can then go on. Our President seems to be the new constitution of Nigeria, by extension, whose actions are actually the constitution we are reading for the revolution.

Gbenga Oloniniran.
29th September, 2019.
Ibadan, Nigeria.