On May 17, 2013, I published an essay on my blog titled “Nigeria is at War: We Must Stand Up and Support Our President.” It came on the heels of President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Adamawa, Yobe, and Borno States, a necessary but highly controversial decision at the time.
The backlash from certain corners of the country was swift and predictable. Northern political elites, the Arewa Consultative Forum, and the Northern Elders Forum all raised objections. Yet in that moment of national tension, silence wasn’t an option for me.
I believed the moment called for courage, clarity, and patriotic resolve. So, I sent the essay to several national newspapers and platforms, including Sahara Reporters. None of them published it.
Unwilling to be silenced or frustrated, I took an unconventional step: I submitted an abridged version as a comment under a Punch Newspaper story titled "North Kicks Against Ban on Boko Haram, Ansaru", signing it as Nonaligned Progressive. Basement Blogger: North kicks against ban on B’Haram, Ansaru
That comment, unbelievably, struck a nerve.
A Voice That Resonated
The Punch comment section, usually a cauldron of divergent, often polarised opinions, came alive in an unprecedented manner. My submission received about 100 thumbs-up and more than 400 supportive comments. Not a single dissenting view was recorded. For two consecutive days, my comment sat atop the news feed, drawing attention from Nigerians across divides, at home and abroad.
Since the advent of social media in Nigeria’s public discourse, I have never seen such a unanimous endorsement of a piece, especially by Nigerians known for their fierce opinions, deep scepticism, and intellectual independence. Spiritually, I felt abundantly blessed. The prayers and goodwill messages I received during those two days remain unforgettable.
Something unexpected followed.
Silence from the Critics
After my piece was published, the usual stream of open criticism against President Jonathan’s counter-insurgency policies seemed to dry up. Some suggested the administration had placed a mole in the press. But there was no mole. I was simply a citizen standing up for the President when it was least fashionable. At the time, those around him failed to craft a compelling public defence of his actions.
In the essay, I concluded with this call to conscience:
“As Professor Wole Soyinka would say, ‘The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny.’ If the Borno occupation by the sect is not a tyranny, I wonder what is. Therefore, all of us must stand with the President and support our military in their collective commitment to liberate the supposedly free people of Southern Kaduna, Plateau, Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States from the siege of the Boko Haram sect.”
The Response from the Ivory Tower
Given the reaction to my comment on Punch Newspaper, I anticipated some form of rebuttal, perhaps from academics or political thinkers in Northern Nigeria. That response came on June 10, 2013, in the form of a powerful speech delivered before the Student Council at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, not by an academic, but by a well-known public figure, whom I’ll refer to here as Mr. X.
The speech quickly made headlines nationwide. In it, Mr. X lamented the state of Nigerian democracy:
“The tragedy of our democracy is that it is one in which the yearnings of the youth are stamped down to perpetuate a tyranny of interests. Tyranny it is when a certain slim range of people impose their private interests on the majority; tyranny it is when the agents of change are left on the cliffs of unemployment, poverty, insecurity, substandard education and, worse still, policies destroyed by our heritage of corruption.”
“To democratize Nigeria, we must understand the powers we refuse to explore. The tyrants in a democracy are actually individuals from amongst the people, but when they become agents of electoral malpractices and political dishonesty, the dice turns up against the people from which they have come.” – Mr. X.
Reading Mr. X’s speech filled me with satisfaction. It affirmed my interpretation of the political currents in the country at that time. But someone missed the context completely—Dr. Reuben Abati, President Jonathan’s then Press Secretary.
A Misguided Rebuttal
Dr. Abati accused Mr. X of hypocrisy, labelling his critique as a betrayal and branding his comments as an attack on the President’s integrity. In his words:
“It is certainly the height of hypocrisy for Mr. X, who built his reputation as an anti-corruption crusader by trampling on the rule of law, to now accuse an administration that has upheld human rights and due process of being tyrannical.”
But here’s the problem: Mr. X never used the word “tyrannical” about the Jonathan administration. His speech critiqued the broader structure of Nigerian politics, not the President personally.
Seeing the growing misinterpretation, I responded with a commentary titled “X v. Abati: Fighting the Wrong War Over Deceptive Headlines”, which was published in the Punch Newspaper that carries the Abati story. In that piece, I clarified and defended Mr. X:
“Let it be on record that Mr X was the first, and, if I am not mistaken, the only prominent member of the opposition parties who came out to support the President and the Presidency following the declaration of a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States. From all indications, it seems we have forgotten all that patriotic performance by Mr X., when standing with the President or supporting him then, especially by members of the opposition, was considered an aberration. Concerning the instant feud between Mr. X and Dr. Abati, I read the X's address before the Student Council at ABU several times, but I couldn't find the term "tyrannical leadership."
To reinforce my point, I reproduced all the references to “tyranny” in Mr. X’s speech, none of which accused the President or his administration.
A Commentary on Integrity and Public Dialogue
I concluded my piece with a message to Dr. Abati:
"... expecting Mr. X to be blindly subservient or steadfastly deferential to the Presidency on every issue is, to say the least, indefensible, conceited, and unreasonable. Finally, there are numerous ways to put a lie or to rebut treatises, without actually sounding antagonistic or condescending. If the ship is not sinking, then provide charts, facts, and figures to support your position that indeed, the ship is not sinking. Not a diatribe. I beg to move." Signed: Mr. Alex Aidaghese - Punch Newspaper, 6/10/2013
What I did not disclose to Nigerians at the time was that Mr. X’s speech at ABU was a response to my widely read Punch comment. It was a dialogue, an intellectual back-and-forth between two patriotic voices, trying to give meaning to a confusing and dangerous time in Nigeria’s history.
A Legacy in Print
I’ve never let grammatical missteps or editorial rejection discourage me. What matters is that I have a platform to present my thoughts to the world with accuracy and sincerity. My blog, hamiltonatlarge.blogspot.com, remains the most daring venture of my life, one that allows me to tell my truth, without waiting for an editor’s nod.
When I am gone, the world will have access to the thoughts of a man they often misunderstood, sometimes feared, but who always spoke from a place of conviction and vision. I’ve been criticised behind my back, rarely applauded in my absence, yet I remain undeterred.
My Motivation Was, and Still Is, Nigeria
What I did for President Jonathan during the Boko Haram crisis, I did not do out of political loyalty. I did it for Nigeria—for its unity, its peace, and its future.
Though politically progressive, I always saw Jonathan’s government as a continuation of the NPN playbook. Yet in that moment, he needed defence—not because he was perfect, but because he was right.
Between Mr. X and Dr. Abati, I leaned toward Mr. X. Not because I agreed with him on everything, but because he was honest, credible, and meant no harm.
A Final Word
If I am feared, it is not because I sow hatred, deceit, or antagonism. It is because I embody visionary, truth, and a standard of integrity that many find intimidating. I have lived a life of thought, conviction, and quiet influence. And when I leave this world, my words will remain — clear, unbending, and purposeful.
— Alex Aidaghese
June/10/2013
