Nigeria: My Predictions for 2018

Ian Cochrane photo

By

Prince Charles Dickson

One cannot eat crab in secret

The year is already two weeks in…and I am done consulting my oracle, ordinarily this week’s admonition should have come first. But you will agree with me, this is Nigeria where nothing is, as it seems. So like we all say, better late than never.

The original title of this admonition was ‘My Prophecies for 2014’. As I apologized, this is coming late, because the likes of Prophet TB Joshua, Pastor Adebayo, Bishop Oyedepo, and a host of others have seen ahead of me. Importantly, however is the ability to see, and in this case, I have seen, I saw clearly, my only prayer is; may we conquer.

As has also been the case every year when god of men and men of God do their thing, an analogy of most of the prophecies conclude that prominent men would die, of course I saw that too, depending on one’s definition of ‘prominent’, already they are dying…Killings in various parts of Nigeria need not be classified as anything less than prominent when heads of families and loved ones are hacked down for any reason.

Years ago I had gone to see a seer, with a pregnant woman, after all said and done the woman asked the Baba what would be the sex of the child. Baba simply answered if you do not have a boy, you would have a girl. This is a simple process a scan would equally have achieved. Before we lose patience, what are my prophecies, my predictions for 2018: they are not much but I dare say, they will definitely happen or not happen.

There were few crystal ball sightings about plane crashes, and I dare say none will happen by the grace of…In shaa Jesus. I saw that Nigeria would not break; Nigeria will not fail or fall, because it already has. Nigeria will not break, and we will not restructure, should we continue like this either. Allah forbid! We are not united, but we are one in corruption, one in greed, one in maladministration and poor governance, we are united in the blame game and soccer too.

Nigeria won’t fail in 2018, nor will it fall, it already did since day one, whether 1914 or 1960. It won’t break because borrowing from former president Obasanjo ‘near-saints and near-devils’ would continue to conglomerate and govern us whether in PDP or APC–they are the same difference.

So the search for purposeful leadership and citizenship with direction will continue in 2018.

In 2018 the stealing will continue, more monies will disappear in all tiers of government, and the EFCC will not fail in providing several scenes in the drama.

2018 would be another year of strikes, already NASU are on theirs, doctors are not only restive at the national level but warning in some states. Health workers are not left out. Research institutions in agriculture are on strike already.

Teachers at primary level will strike in many states, as governors will increase the tempo of stealing preparatory to 2019.

Yes, like prophet Jeroboam, of Wole Soyinka’s famed Jero plays, I danced, with eyes closed and spoke in tongues not known to me and I saw probes, probes, and more probes. As usual, 2018 will be another year of probes and panels. The various state assemblies will follow the lead of the National Assembly in probing and investigating.

And as I saw probes, I saw committees, while government will set more committees, citizens will ask for probes, men whose wives refused to conceive will be probed and committees set up. We will probe this and probe that, but probes without justice, equity and fairness will take us nowhere. So in 2018 prepare oh ye Nigerians for probes aplenty both high and low powered.

Just so we know, none of these investigations/probes will be people or result centered.

My apologies to the Chinese, but like their phones, expect plenty of noise from our politicians, a large number of them will make utterances without thinking, and Nigerians will follow suit, as long as it fits into our ethno-religious and self-centered heads.

Apart from the prominent Nigerians that will die, scores of Nigerians will be killed by robbers, kidnapped and in one form of crisis or the other. We already are seeing that happen sadly so. From Kano, to Zamfara, Rivers to Abia states innocent Nigerians will fall victims in all sorts of rallies, and sadly no one will be held liable.

The herdsmen and farmers will continue from where they stopped last year, killing fields, in Southern Kaduna and parts of Plateau will continue, and this is no police exercise, the army will need to change tactics, but we will continue to witness crisis as conflict entrepreneurs up their game to thrive.

It will be the year of magic, plenty of government magic, a name for the magic is ‘necessity’ like the borrowing of money to fight a won war. All parties will partake of this magic; it’s a matter of convenience.

As I was in my trance, receiving the prophecy I heard the Marley Anthem…Redemption Song.

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;

Sold I to the merchant ships

Minutes after they took I

From the bottomless pit.

But my hand was made strong

By the ‘and of the Almighty

We forward in this generation

Triumphantly.

Won’t you help to sing

This songs of freedom

‘Cause all I ever have

Redemption songs;

Redemption song

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;

None but ourselves can free our minds.

Have no fear for atomic energy,

‘Cause none of them can stop the time.

How long shall they kill our prophets,

While we stand aside and look? Ooh!

Some say its just a part of it:

We’ve got to fulfill the book.

Won’t you help to sing

This songs of freedom-

‘Cause all I ever have:

Redemption songs;

Redemption songs;

Redemption songs.

Have you wondered or pondered why we don’t hear of such yearly ‘prophecy and predictions’ bazaar in societies that work?

Why is it that Nigeria would win the World Cup in Russia is not seen clearly, I couldn’t see clearly the APC guy who lost to Buhari or beat him nor did I see the PDP candidate who won or lost…

Towards 2018, the year 2018 will be pivotal for Nigeria and Nigerians, and it may as well be just business as usual, a repeat of history: The fly says that one who is afflicted by a sore is the one whose father’s compound it will pass through, will we see the desired improvement in most spheres of national life?–only time will tell.

Prince Charles Dickson

Currently Prince Charles, is based out of Jos, Plateau State, and conducts field research and investigations in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria with an extensive reach out to the entire North and other parts. Prince Charles worked on projects for UN Women, Search for Common Ground, and International Crisis Group, among others. He is an alumnus of the University of Jos and the prestigious Humanitarian Academy at Harvard and Knight Center For Journalism, University of Texas at Austin. A doctoral candidate of Georgetown University

Born in Lagos State (South West Nigeria), Prince Charles is proud of his Nigerian roots. He is a Henry Luce Fellow, Ford Foundation grantee and is proficient in English, French, Yoruba Ibo and Hausa. Married with two boys, and a few dogs and birds.