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In the last two
weeks, the people of Jos have had to contend with exploding bombs,
rampaging youths and the funerals of family members and friends. They
also continue to live in a place rife with tension and the anxiety this
generates can only be imagined. It would be no exaggeration to say the
regular people of Jos now sleep with one eye open.

This latest round
of sectarian violence in the once peaceful and multi-ethnic state is
coming barely six months after dozens were killed and places of worship
burned down in an orgy of violence that shook Plateau State to its
core. On that occasion in July, the government set up a military task
force to prevent further outbreaks of violence. Clearly, the plan
failed, but this is no surprise.

While the troubles
in Jos manifest themselves in sectarian violence, they are rooted in
bigger problems that must be tackled head on for peace to have any
chance of prevailing. There is no doubt that as Nigeria has continued
to regress in all indices of development; our country has progressively
travelled down the road of mayhem.

It is not that
there are no other factors that feed the frenzy of violence in Jos,
there are. These include a sitting governor who exacerbates existing
distrust between the different tribes and religions for political gain
and the triumph of impunity as well as the failure to convict those who
take part in the killings. However, poverty, the lack of functional
educational and health care systems, the dearth of legitimate means of
livelihood and a general despair rooted in the hopelessness of the life
of the common man, who is unable to aspire in a place like Nigerian,
are the cornerstone of the problem.

We live in a
society where no matter how bright you are, the circumstances of your
birth determine how well you do, except of course if by some miracle
you find yourself in government where plunder is the only option. This
has got to be the only place on earth where honesty is derided as
foolishness and theft and plunder are celebrated. This is a place where
we don’t, as a matter of course, groom thinkers and philosophers or
scientists and inventors; a place where patriotism is the last word on
anyone’s lips, not surprisingly because it is difficult to feel fervour
and passion for a place, which kills dreams and hopes.

When a people can’t dream, they lose hope and when that is gone, everything is possible…

The groups that are
the main actors in the Jos tragedy, like Boko Haram, did not spring up
by accident. They are constructs of the inequity and injustice
prevalent in our society.

In the north,
mainstream religious leaders who should be at the forefront of engaging
the leadership of this country to ensure a better life for everyone
abdicated that responsibility long ago, choosing instead to scramble
for their share of the national cake. Mallams and Sheiks now drive the
fanciest cars, live in choice neighbourhoods and send their children
abroad for higher education.

The obvious vacuum
left by mainstream Islam in the north is directly related to the rise
of the Boko Harams. They have tapped into the yearning of mostly,
rural, uneducated youth who feel marginalised and who see no
opportunity for a better life under the current arrangement.

This is what the
southern mostly Christian part of Nigeria must avoid. Churches here,
particularly the Pentecostal ones are big and influential. Many of
their pastors can, at the drop of a hat, summon thousands who do not
just show up but imbibe in whole what they preach. So why have the
churches failed to harness this strength towards better governance in
the country?

The Church world
over has a history of engaging in and in some cases leading the battle
for social justice. Churches in South America were at the forefront of
fighting for justice for their people. In America, Rev Martin Luther
King Jnr fought for civil rights for the black, oppressed minority.
Closer to home, Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a vocal anti- apartheid
campaigner.

Why is it so
different in Nigeria? Perhaps the answer lies in what the churches have
done well. They have successfully promoted the notion that as long as
people go to church, pray and pay their tithes regularly, their lot
will improve, although there seems little in that sermon about being
your brothers keepers as preached in the Bible. Social responsibility
seems to be an addendum rooted only in charitable gifts.

For now the message
appears to be working, but for how long? Pray the day never comes, when
much like what has happened in the north, groups are formed that appear
to answer to the needs and aspirations of many Christians, particularly
the younger ones. Get on your knees and ask God to ensure that our
young Christians never begin to question the opulent lifestyles of
pastors in a poverty-stricken place like Nigeria.

Clearly, the
Churches have the potential to change things for the better for
everyone if they choose to. Let us hope this happens sooner rather than
later, for all our sakes.