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All schools were
closed down. No form of teaching or learning took place for the
duration. When it was discovered that the private school the
president’s children attend did not close down along with others,
public outcry forced it to close down also. After the initial two
weeks, an extension was sought and granted. So for an entire month, all
primary and secondary schools in the whole country were shut. Even in
tertiary institutions, not much activity took place.

In that one-month
period, every Nigerian aged 18 and above was practically drafted to put
down their names and fingerprints at various centres. Government said
it was a civic duty. Preachers harangued citizens on the need to
perform this divinely ordained responsibility. Parties tried every
trick known and unknown to get people to these centres. Civil society
groups made sure they were not left out and they shouted loudly on the
need for citizens to participate in the noble exercise. Public holidays
were declared in several states to ensure that the details of all
eligible citizens were captured. Sophisticated digital equipment, worth
over USD 500 million, were imported. At the end of one month of frantic
activity, including a week’s extension, over 73 million gallant
Nigerians had voluntarily participated in the noble cause.

D-Day

The nation’s land,
air and sea borders are closed. All flights are grounded. Movement
within cities and towns is restricted. Interstate travel is forbidden.
An explosion in the outskirts of the capital leaves about 20 people
dead and many more injured. Another explosion in a far north-east city
leaves about five people dead and several injured. There is sporadic
gunfire in many towns. Gunfights break out, leaving many people dead.
The whole country is awash with firearms. There is fear of violence in
the air.

There is palpable
tension everywhere. International monitoring groups and other observers
are moving about from one location to another trying to ascertain the
state of things. There are roadblocks manned by fierce-looking
policemen every few streets. The military is out in force. Armoured
personnel carriers can be seen at strategic locations. It seems that
everybody that ever wore any form of uniform, albeit decades ago, is
wearing the uniform and strutting about. The economy shuts down
completely; hardly anything can be bought or sold and most services are
severely curtailed.

The currency is
under tremendous strain. Some $22 billion from the Excess Crude Account
set up as a stabilisation fund is said to have been withdrawn. A major
newspaper reports this story: “In a move targeted at meeting dealers’
rising appetite for forex as … draws nearer, the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) has increased its supply of dollar at the bi-weekly
Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS) to $600 million. The regulator
had raised its supply to $400 million at its March 14 auction, from
between $200 and $300 million, which it had offered at various auctions
in the preceding month. Dealers attributed the trend to panic over the
outcome of the forthcoming….” In every nook and corner, people are
gathered together in groups whispering all sorts of news and looking
anxiously over their shoulders. No one is sure of what is really
happening, so the rumour mill begins work overtime. This group will
conquer the southwest and make inroads into the north central. That
group will march into the government houses of this and that state. No,
it has a splinter group that has vowed not to rest until they drive
their ‘enemies’ out of town.

There is talk of
multifaceted campaigns, strategies and conquests. Popular language on
the streets is “no retreat, no surrender until we capture that zone”.
“We will defeat them, bring them to Abuja and lock them up” is what I
heard some people whispering. Other people are told “the outcome of
this struggle will determine what happens to your life and that of your
children; you must be vigilant”. “We will protect our mandates and
fight to the finish to ensure that we break the chains of injustice and
oppression that must not be allowed….” Prayers are offered in mosques
and churches. Some groups embark on fervent fasting. The president
attends midnight prayer sessions and seeks prayers for victory. Prayer
warriors of all faiths are engaged in frantic appeal to the Almighty to
ensure that victory is certain….

This setting is not
in Côte d’Ivoire. The scene is not from Libya. And, no, the country is
neither being invaded nor has it declared war.

It is election time in Nigeria.