Boko Haram: A symptom of a larger problem

Over the last months, many Nigerians have been losing sleep because of Boko Haram’s campaign of terror. These concerns are gradually spreading to Cameroon which shares a long border with Nigeria, although the ordinary Cameroonian is always either too drunk or too hungry to worry about the disaster playing out next door.

Boko Haram has maimed and killed many, orphaned children and rendered many homeless for reasons that are yet to be understood by many reasonable people.

Its recent actions – kidnapping of school girls and bombings of cities and villages – have clearly underscored its willingness to roll Nigeria back into the dark ages. It is heart-rending to see a small bunch of people so intent on destroying years of hard work just because they want to impose their parochial and warped religious and political ideology on a civilized and silent majority.

However, while Boko Haram’s campaign of death calls for strong condemnation, it should always be borne in mind that Boko Haram is simply an ideology and a symptom of a larger problem that has been ignored for years in many Sub-Saharan African countries.

This problem has been born out of corruption, injustice and illiteracy which have found fertile ground in a region wherein people are economically desperate, educationally challenged and politically disempowered by their own leaders.

Nigeria should not, by any means, be considered a poor country. Its rich sub-soil should enable every single Nigerian to sit at the table and eat with dignity.

The dynamism of its people should also place this oil-rich country among the richest on the globe. But being resource-rich is not synonymous with being wealthy. Wealth is not just about geology. It takes more than just a rich sub-soil to make great strides in life.

If we look into the mirror of history, we will find out that the richest countries in the world are not necessarily resource-rich countries. Scandinavian countries, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States are not rich because of their rich sub-soils.

China is also confirming this thesis as it has lifted more than seven hundred million people out of poverty in 30 years with very limited resources. Rich countries are countries wherein leaders are selfless, disciplined and futuristic in their thinking. Canada has always been one of the best countries to live in, not because of the Alberta oil sands that have recently been discovered, but because of good leadership.

This country has been run by visionaries such as Lester B. Pearson, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, and it is no surprise that its economy has done exceptionally well at a time when other G8 countries are in the throes of a devastating economic crisis. Its strong institutions have guaranteed political stability for centuries. This therefore explains why the whole world is quietly migrating to this land of immigrants.

Sub-Saharan Africa has not been lucky in this regard. Its people have been left to their own devices. Corruption has blighted so many lives in this region. Many dreams have never come true. Many Sub-Saharan Africans die without having a taste of the wealth nature has endowed their countries with.

Many talented Africans end up living in the darkness of ignorance because educational policies designed by myopic policy-makers fail even before they are rolled out. It is not surprising that after fifty years of independence, quality education is still a foreign concept to many Sub-Saharan Africans.

Educational and moral standards in the region have been on the decline for decades as politicians spend more time scrambling for wealth and the spotlight, while their cronies empty state coffers. A country without disciplined and honest leaders, as well as a soundly educated people is a country that has opened itself up for manipulation.

Similarly, it is common knowledge that poverty hardly breeds virtue. Poverty and illiteracy constitute a deadly mix. Young, hungry Sub-Saharan Africans can easily be manipulated because of hunger and illiteracy. Boko Haram understands this and that is why it is having it the easy way when it comes to spreading its campaign of death and fear in Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger and Chad.

When young, illiterate and desperate people cannot think philosophically and independently, they can be easily recruited into rebel armies or religious groups that provide the solace they need. Sound education is not just the key to better economic opportunities; it is a shield against political and mental manipulation.

Its lack thereof has made conflict and insurgency the sub-region’s hallmark. Africa’s conflicts are unfortunately migratory – moving from one country to another - as the same problems exist in all Sub-Saharan African countries. The adverse economic impact of these conflicts is unbelievable. Resources that should have been poured into long-term, job-generating development projects are always being diverted to douse political and military fires that are putting off foreign investors and tourists.

If Boko Haram has to be a thing of the past, regional countries have to adopt a holistic approach to the problem. These governments have to make job-creation and poverty eradication the centerpiece of their economic strategies, and providing better health care and housing for all citizens should be their long-term goal.

If groups like Boko Haram have to run out of fighters and supporters, Sub-Saharan African governments have to scale up educational investments, they must plan their cities and these cities must be well monitored. Strict monitoring of citizens should also be part of this strategy.

Borders and border towns must also be developed to ensure that security services are capable of effectively monitoring these strategic locations. Key to this success is cooperation at various levels. African leaders must cast off personal differences and let their countries cooperate with neighbouring countries in the interest of their citizens.

If Boko Haram had not found safe haven in countries neighbouring Nigeria, it would have already run out of space and steam. As long as its fighters can move freely from one country to another, it will continue to wreak havoc in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

Also, these regional countries have to come up with a comprehensive and an effective counter-insurgency operation; an operation wherein intelligence is shared. This operation should focus on tactics such as divide and rule which should be designed to dislocate the connection between the insurgency and the population.

A combination of conventional military operations and other means, such as propaganda and psy-ops should be used. Boko Haram has taken advantage of societal problems in the sub-region, so any joint counter-insurgency should focus on addressing those issues, while at the same time taking the wind out of the enemy’s sail.