CHOOSE YOUR DEVIL WISELY “The devil you know is better than the angel you do not know” — Anonymous The aforementioned quote is a very common one particularly when it relates to taking risks of choice between a well-known and an unfamiliar situation. In this article the quote provides a flashback of the moments preceding the 2011 Presidential Poll. Popular contenders of the election were incumbent President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; former military Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari; and erstwhile chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu. They were flagbearers for ruling People’s Democratic Party, (now defunct) Congress for Progressive Change and (also defunct) Action Congress of Nigeria respectively. Of the three, the winner of course was President Jonathan. It was overwhelming as well as expected. Being a newbie of some sort in that level of governance and administration, with barely any records of evil deeds, the personal account of good luck that accompanied him thus far as well as the story of his humble beginnings in which he “had no shoes,” he sympathetically bought the heart of most Nigerians. Campaigners against Buhari spoke of his highhandedness during his regime as military head of state. Others complained that he was already too old to steer the Nigerian ship. Some other groups described him as a Fulani fundamentalist and religious bigot. In the case of Nuhu Ribadu, being a one-time chairman of the fiery EFCC in which it was speculated that he had been loyal to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, it was argued that he would therefore dance exclusively to his party leader’s (Bola Tinubu’s) tune. As a result, he was presumed to be a bad choice as the nation’s number one man. Whilst I could not fathom whatever Buhari and Ribadu stood for, I, like many other people, fell for Jonathan for a number of logical reasons. It would be recalled that GEJ had promised “a transformation agenda” that was very much practical and realistic and which was supposed to usher in “a breath of fresh air.” However, looking down the line, with the very visible records, it would be observed that no time since the beginning of the Fourth Republic has Nigeria been so grossly mismanaged. Corruption is thriving unabated. Insecurity is at its most alarming rate. Joblessness has been incorporated into our sociocultural norms. Unnecessary hike in pump price of motor spirit, among other things, has made inflation unavoidable. Incessant and protracted strike actions by government institutions, the most recent being the Joint Health Sector Union strike which has lasted well over a month, leaving countless citizens groaning in pains due to unresolved health issues. The National Youth Service Corps has introduced a fee for all prospective corps members—fallout of the Federal Government’s ineptitude and lack of wisdom in managing crises. The list of atrocities is endless. I remember the moments preceding the 2011 presidential poll when some of my colleagues and I disagreed over who was the fittest man for the job. In campaigning for Buhari my friends had argued that a known devil was better than an unknown angel. I had shrewdly replied them that a devil, whether known or unknown, could never be as good as an angel. Today, going through the series of events since Jonathan assumed office, one can say that he has not been any better, neither has he lived up to his many promises during the 2011 campaigns. His administration has been observed to be some kind of aristocracy—widening the margin between the rich and the poor with cruel economic policies. His promised breath of fresh air has been found to be devastatingly repugnant. Over the years, either by association or otherwise, he has proved himself to be a devil in an angel’s garb. And now I feel ashamed to have been a freelance supporter of Goodluck Jonathan during the 2011 elections. As it stands now, between Buhari and Jonathan, it is the battle of the known devils. Recently, Jonathan promised not to fail Nigerians come 2015; in other words, he was subtly admitting to have failed us in this current term. Some people still believe Buhari to be a religious bigot and tribal fundamentalist. Going by the records we all would have to make a choice of the worthy devil in the 2015 Valentine Election. But till then, I remain calm. Opeyemi Olaleye (OBSIDIAN)
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 08:08:54 +0000
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