Came across this picture on the social media some days ago and got me really thinking. As I sat and pondered over the picture, a wave of sympathy swept over me for the man and his child caught in a political high stakes game of war he didn’t sign for. A.refuge in his own country, I can’t help but notice the sad, dejected yet determined look on his face to make ends meet to feed his daughter and himself. The fact that he was carrying his daughter points to another issue, no accommodation. And his daughter

was fast asleep on his shoulder in the hot sun.

Syria has been at war with herself for about 5 years running now. A conflagration that is still on after the other embers of the Arab spring had died down. A leader, destroying his own people, a country forsaken by other countries. And a group of people fighting to have a voice.

Most of the casualties in the European Refugee crisis are Syrians, Libyans, and a crowd of other nationals as well. And the crisis is getting to a frightful peak that, unless something drastic is done, the whole of Europe will be overrun by migrants turned asylum seekers due to know fault of theirs, but simply caught in a chess game of the powers that be. A game that has always defined the direction of world events, and has always tried to alter the course of history.

ISIS blew up the ancient temple of Bel in Palmyra, Syria and they have destroyed a host of ancient civilization artifacts as well since they declared their caliphate. Boko haram is also trying to tow that path, claiming allegiance to ISIS and trying to impose, better still overthrow the government and impose sharia. i think they are misguided, and we must give kudos to the Nigerian Army who are going to great lengths to make sure the group is annihilated and the sponsors brought to justice.

Yes, they have rendered many refugees in the Northwest Sector of Nigeria, and created several widows, widowers, orphans, and “destitute” that one wonders, if Northwestern Nigeria is really part of Nigeria or in Iraq or Somalia. One wonders, why they have been allowed to run sway in the country for almost 6 years and within 6 months, they have been moreorless, relegated into carrying out guerrilla attacks and suicide bombings as against full frontal assault on military positions and troops that had been their hallmark over the years.

I wonder, if there had not been a change in government, would Nigeria have been like Syria? Would be a part of the current migrant crisis going on in Europe? Do we have Nigerians part of the crowd of migrants trying to get into Europe, oh surely we do! And that is with the current economic travails we face as a nation and we are not at war!!!

And its only political will that can resolve all these to a reasonable extent.  And its a will based on the understanding of what is to be in the coming days, and depth of understanding the current political leaders have of their role in this phase of time. The truth is, it will get gradually worse to extents we cannot imagine. The good book says, ” Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities, claiming, ‘I am Christ, the Messiah.’ They will deceive a lot of people. When reports come in of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history; this is no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Famines and earthquakes will occur in various places. This is nothing compared to what is coming.”

This migrant crisis is just the beginning, ISIS is just child’s play, Boko Haram, just speck of dust compared to what will happen.

The question is, how ready are we as individuals and nations for what is coming..

SamAbiAde