[dropcap]I[/dropcap] am not a racist or a tribalist. Neither am I a religious bigot or a hater of non-Christians. I believe in the unity of Nigeria but that unity can only be based on one premise: the equality of every tribe, no matter how big or small, and the equality of every faith.
Those that tamper with that premise and that enthrone their tribe and faith above others are the enemies of our unity and not me. It is only in Nigeria that the victims are regarded as the villains and the oppressors are regarded as the heroes.
Permit me to make my position clear: if we refuse to ensure that there is equality of all our tribes and ethnic nationalities and equality of faith then Nigeria can go to blazes. I despise servitude.
I am not averse to integration but I am against hegemony and ethnic and religious domination. If that makes me a separatist or a secessionist then so be it. I offer no apology and I have no regrets for speaking for the millions that cannot speak for themselves and for having the courage of my convictions.
I was not born to be ruled or born to serve whilst others, from a different racial and ethnic stock, were supposedly born to rule. I am a proud man, from a proud lineage, from a strong and proud ethnic nationality, who serves a proud and mighty God.
If others are ready to forget who and what they are, I am not. If others are ready to bow before Baal, I am not. If others are ready to prostitute their principles, bury their conscience, jettison their values, betray their people, sell their souls and serve the devil, I am not.
I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees. I would rather struggle and live by faith than eat of the King”s accursed meat.
The Bible says, “what profiteth a man to gain the world and lose his soul?” I would rather take the long and hard road of piety, humility, courage, struggle, persecution, misrepresentation and suffering and preserve my precious and eternal soul than take the easy road of compromise and slavish capitulation and lose my salvation.
I reject and break the chains of servitude and bondage which the enemies of God and the adversaries of humanity seek to place on me and mine. I refuse to bend the knee to those that seek to conquer, subjugate and enslave me and my people.
Give me justice, freedom and equal rights or give me death! To live is Christ and to die is gain! As long as I live I will continue to fight for the oppressed, speak for the voiceless and give hope to the weak, the vulnerable, the despised, the hated, the persecuted and the marginalised.
As long as I live I will continue to be a nightmare and a source of deep sorrow, anxiety and pain for the oppressor and those that believe that my people and I are nothing but serfs and slaves. That is my calling. That is my mission. And whatever the cost, as long as the Lord is with me, I shall do it till the end.
Femi Fani-Kayode is a lawyer, a Nigerian politician, an evangelical christian, an essayist, a poet and he was the Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to President Olusegun Obasanjo from July 2003 until June 2006. He was the minister of culture and tourism of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from June 22nd to Nov 7th 2006 and as the minister of Aviation from Nov 7th 2006 to May 29th 2007. He runs a syndicated column on The Trent. He tweets from@realFFK.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
