Rather Than Being Ridiculed, 2face Should Be Praised

As Nigeria gradually ebbs towards the sea of her forgotten past: the sea of corruption, the sea of ineptitude in government, the sea of violation of the freedom of the press and expression, as well as meddling into the sphere of the judiciary; it is but nice blame is assigned to who blame is due.

Nigeria has once again been greeted with that one recurring plague of weak governance, which (for its fear) would do all within its power to make vibrant citizens mute by intimidation and blackmailing with cheap lies and propaganda. In the process of actualizing this, a perfect dictatorship is born, which hijacks the Judicial mechanism for the oppression of those it sees as threats to its horrible existence; enslave the poor by denying them what they deserve; using the media to its own advantage to paint itself good to the outside world and then using the Electoral Commission to ensure continuity.  

Recently, the media have gone wild following Tuface’s cancellation of his nationwide protest originally slated 5^th February, 2017, and then shifted to 6^th because of vivid pressure orchestrated by those in power to foil the popular hip-hop star from carrying out his plans. So many persons have labelled the star as coward, and that he would not have announced the protest in the first place if he knew he couldn’t pursue the cause to the end.

But I do not blame Tuface for his cancellation. In fact, I congratulate him for having so much courage to voice his desire for a protest against the turbulence in the polity; the hike in prices of wares used by common man. Yes, the protest wasn’t held as plan, yet the sleeping siren of truth was once again sounded. There are other celebrities in the country who have continued to maintain silence as regards the rotten state of things in the country. They were silent over the massacre in Southern Kaduna either for fear of being listed in the black book, or because of total nonchalance. Yet, when Tuface announced his nationwide protest, some celebrities (either because of personal hatred they have for Tuface or in order to seek presidential favour wherever it may be) came on media to lampoon the artist over his planned protest. This was quite appalling.

Today we dare to come to our Facebook timelines to criticize Tuface’s cancellation of protest, when we have not for once used that same medium to prod the eyes of those in the hem of state’s affair and thus question them why they have not fished out the perpetrators of Southern Kaduna’s homicide since it began. Judging by this, we are (by our very nature) hypocritical. We upload pictures regularly and laugh over silly jokes just because our heads have not been smashed. Every Sunday, we go to church and say a devilish prayer: ‘God, don’t let what’s happening in the North come to us in the South.’

But here was Tuface who felt there was need to cry out. He disregarded the secret threats and intimidation by the almighties; he disregarded the insults from his co-celebrities either showing their personal discontent or trying to buy federal attention; he contended with open intimidation by the Police force despite the fact that he intended a peaceful protest, and as enshrined in the constitution, every citizen had Freedom of Expression. Although, this great man backed out from protesting due to obvious pressures from all corners and also due to the weak support from the common man who he was trying to fight for, Tuface deserves overwhelming plaudits for having the courage to stir what have been left desolate.