First came the civilians, and then the military, and then the civilians and then the military, and now the civilians. However both sets of leaders have done nothing but use the tried and tested British colonial strategy of divide and rule, to play one tribe or region against another in Nigeria, while amassing stupendous wealth and power in the process. However something is stirring, something unseen before in Nigeria, and it could herald momentous changes in our country. Muslims and Christians in Kano reached an unbelievable accord a few days ago to watch out for each other and protect their respective worshippers during the subsidy protests. The former US ambassor to Nigeria, John Campbell recently wrote an article on the subsidy protests and the Occupy Nigeria Movement which can be found on the website of the US Council on Foreign Relations at http://blogs.cfr.org/campbell/2012/01/06/occupy-nigeria/

The last paragraph of the article is almost prophetic and I have therefore decided to set it out below word for word.

If sustained, the protests create the potential for profound change in Nigeria’s political economy. Christians providing protection for Muslims while they pray, and vice versa, could suck the air out of radical religious movements such as ‘Boko Haram’. The protests also raise the potential for Nigerians demanding a level of accountability from their government which would be new—and salutary—in a country that normally is a leader in the corruption indices.

Could we be witnessing the dawn of a new Nigeria? Your views are most welcome.