2015: LANDMINES POLITICIANS MUST AVOID FOR SAKE OF NATION The news that the Professor Attahiru Jega-led Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has rolled out the Electoral timetable for the forthcoming 2015 general elections, has further charged the political atmosphere. Things are never truly going to be the same again for our nation, a nation whose politicians regard politics as a do-or-die. Already, there have been threats of violence and violence had indeed taken place even before the umpire released its guidelines last week. What are the landmines politicians must avoid to stop the country, blowing up in smoke? How do we ensure hitch-free, violence-free campaigns? Early this year, I did a piece entitled: BEFORE WE LOSE IT, which drew attention to the consequences of not doing the right things. It is as relevant today as it was a year ago. Please, have a pleasant read… “At the security summit organised by The Sun Publishing Limited a couple of years ago in Abuja, one of those who made presentations was a professor of international law in one of our foremost universities. In the course of his discourse at the event, which was attended by the nation’s top military brass, civil society, the police, security agencies as well as other well-meaning Nigerians, the professor said something, which still rings in my brain: Nigeria had all the indices of a nation, waiting to explode (in a revolution or uprising) in the mould of the Spring of Protests and Change, which swept through the Arab nations of Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, among others some few years ago. The great surprise, said the erudite scholar, was that Nigeria still remained intact despite all the prevailing factors, which could trigger a blow up. No one, he argued, could say for certainty how long the nation’s elasticity could stretch before it snaps. Before we lose it, he counselled, the nation’s leaders have to urgently tackle the many challenges, bedevilling the beleaguered country. He went on to list the factors, which were prevalent in the Arab countries before the people’s revolt, which he said were also highly present with us, with additional religious baggage to boot. In Egypt and Tunisia, rising unemployment, joblessness and its attendant economic crunch had hit an all-time high before the youths took to the streets in protests. In Nigeria, said the prof., we are witnessing a worse scenario, with thousands of our employable graduates, unemployed. It is so bad now graduates are applying for jobs as cleaners, drivers, office assistants, etc. where they do exist. The unlucky ones are pounding the streets and pavements, clutching certificates and wearing hopeless faces, as a bleak future beckons menacingly. How long can these guys hold out before something snaps inside? The professor also listed a greedy and corrupt elite as precursor to a people’s revolt in countries where it had happened. Is our situation any different? Are we not in a country of a powerful, corrupt few? Is corruption not walking on all fours in this country? Are the many poor and dispossessed not witnessing the display of ostentatious and obscene wealth by leaders and those who have found themselves in government? Are they happy about it? Will they continue to fold their hands in resignation as things move from bad to worse? How much pain can the afflicted bear before he shakes off his shackles? Despite the pretensions and hypocritical denials to the contrary, our government and our nation sit on a stench of corruption with funds needed to tackle infrastructural decay largely disappearing into private pockets. A recent US report, according to Nigeria’s THISDAY newspapers, reveals a thriving corruption industry. The damning report says no sector is spared the odium of the corruption spectre ravaging our dear nation. “Massive, widespread, and pervasive corruption affected all levels of government and the security forces,” the report stated. Even the hallowed chambers of justice, the judiciary, was similarly indicted for lack of transparency and graft in the dispensation of justice. It also chronicled the rot in the petroleum industry and the inability of the government to decisively tackle it because its hands were tied; relations, family, friends and cronies with link to ogas at the top were those allegedly behind the fraudulent oil deals. Truly, the US 2012 Country Reports as it affects Nigeria is a document that rankles; a truth denied only by a nation without a sense of shame. We ought to accept the findings in good faith and then move towards finding solutions to the issues raised. However, no one should be surprised of a government statement dismissing the report as some piece of hogwash, a smear campaign designed to denigrate our wonderful and performing president by envious detractors. In our country, every criticism, no matter how well-meaning, is often the handiwork of evil detractors on a pull him down endeavour! Now, the question is: For how long will this nonsense continue? Are those leading the country not seeing the big sign on the wall? Are they doing something about it, before we lose it, before things get really out of hand? If the economy, according to the World Bank, has grown by eight per cent, should we not be witnessing an exponential growth in jobs and more jobs? Are we seeing the jobs? Where are the jobs? The brilliant professor also talked about tribalism and the ethnic cleavages as a demon countries desirous of staying together must avoid. He said they were twin evils that had polarised many countries as they went down. He talked about Somalia, Malawi, Ethiopia, Sudan, Zaire, as countries that had tasted the bitter pills of the damage tribalism and ethnicity could do. What do we find now? We are gradually regressing to the Pre-Lugardian era. In 2015, the tribal card is bound to rear its ugly head. We must do something to produce a Nigerian president, not an Ijaw, Hausa/Fulani, Igbo or Yoruba president. That would prove disastrous for our country. If after 100 years of our marriage (forced or otherwise) and 53 years after political independence, we still find it difficult to produce one good leader irrespective of tribe or ethnic origin, who will lead us to the land of our dreams and possibilities, then we still have a long way to go. We must be obviously deceiving ourselves that in brotherhood we stand. This must be strange brotherhood, a brotherhood of deceit. Finally, the professor was sure that if we don’t quickly tame the monster of religious bigotry we would find it difficult, if not impossible, talking about one nation, one destiny, one people. Nations, he submitted, may survive civil war, but no nation ever survives religious war. His message: let religious leaders tame their tongues and call their followers to order. Let God fight His own battles. No man is strong enough to fight God’s war. It is only an illusion of grandeur to attempt to be God’s defender. I agree. Postscript: We are a federation of the angry. That was my concluding remark last week. I also called for a National Conference, where all Nigerians, representatives of ethnic nationalities, religious, social, political groups, would sit to trash out on the table of love and brotherhood what our grievances are, and reach an understanding of how we intend to live in peace and harmony with one another; how we intend to make our union work. Things are still not right. Trust is missing; love is faraway. Greed and blind ambition for personal aggrandisement is everywhere. We must talk the talk, before it is too late. Is anyone afraid of a talk? Paffcomm paffcomm
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 04:18:35 +0000
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