“Insecurity” in Nigeria: What can the Left do? by Edwin Madunagu

[Chido Onumah]

Leon Trotsky published his romantic formulation in 1906, after the failed 1905 Russian Revolution in which he played a significant role. Here it goes: “Revolution can be achieved either by a nation gathering itself together like a lion preparing to spring, or by a nation in the process of struggle becoming conclusively divided in order to free the best part of itself for the execution of those tasks which the nation as a whole is unable to carry out. A middle course in this, as in so many cases, is the worst of all. But it was this middle course that developed in 1848…”.

http://www.chidoonumah.com/insecurity-in-nigeria-what-can-the-left-do/

Regards,
Chido Onumah

Coordinator, African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL: www.africmil.org)

https://corruptionanonymous.org/

(www.chidoonumah.com) @conumah 

[Biko Agozino]

The lion is a predator and 'gathering itself to spring' is not revolutionary, it is the habit of royalty to devour the less privileged in a feudal society. No wonder the young Trotsky split from Lenin and joined the Mensheviks and was called a Judas and a scoundrel by Lenin. His lion was still gathering himself to spring on another man's life in Mexico, nothing revolutionary about the predatory greed, and got himself an axe to the head in that part of the world where machismo rules. 

There is a cautionary tale there for those who want to adopt the man-eating leopard or lion as the symbol of their regional security organizations. Madunagu is warning that without disciplined leadership from the left, such animals will likely spring on the masses and devour them in the interest of the royal lion classes.

Biko

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