Statesmanship is not a title that is given but earned. You become a statesman by your actions and the level of influence that comes with it in the society. The likes of Abraham Lincoln, Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Wole Soyinka among others became statesmen by reaching that benchmark. As with everything else in Nigeria, ‘Statesman’ has been bastardised to the extent that what qualifies you as a statesman is your ability to win elective positions and get appointed into different positions. The more nepotism you can draw to yourself, solidifies your position as a statesman. This system is what gives us ‘statesmen’ like Femi Fani Kayode.

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The former minister of aviation who is now the self appointed advisor-in-chief of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). That Fani Kayode chose to give IPOB advice is not really the issue; the issue that he is encouraging them to perform acts that threaten the sovereignty of Nigeria and will lead to eventual bloodshed, is at the very least, uncharitable. The former minister took to his twitter page on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 where he called on the IPOB group to take up arms against the country in their bid to realize their nationalist agenda.

As much as demand for self-governance is constitutional, it comes with a laid down process which is a referendum and not violent secession. The last time we had a civil war, millions of Nigerians both old and young were murdered in cold blood while millions more starved to death for picking up arms against the country. One major lesson from the Biafra war was that the leader of the Biafran forces Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu lost nothing in the war as his families were evacuated to a safe haven before the war while others loose immeasurable things.

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It is important to remind those receiving advice from FFK as he is fondly call to remember that he will not go to war with them neither will his children join them at the battle front. It is also important the necessary security agencies invite FFK for questioning to get to the root of his intention. At the moment there is already enough blood flow and we can’t withstand more.

tosin adesina