If we are to go by the happenings of the first two days of the National Conference, many will conclude that Nigeria would be worse off at the end of this one, when compared to previous national conferences. The beginning was worrying, more terrifying than imagined. The fact that the conference had to work two half days and then go on recess for the rest of the week, may set one wondering what Nigeria to expect from the financial and other huge resources laid out to get the conference going. Nobody was sure of the day the conference would start - will it be the 10th or 17th? If 10th, what time? Will it be before or after the President lays the foundation of a second Niger bridge? And at the same site where his predecessor had laid a similar foundation, but now occupied by a seven year old obeche tree? Or will it be 17th and if 17th- when, 10 am, 12 noon, 2 pm, 3 pm, or 4.30 pm? The information came in fast on the rumour internet, and each was authentic rumour emanating from the Presidency, or the Office of the Secretary to the government, or the secretariat of the conference. The most authentic information came from the beer parlour next to Aso Rock, where pepper soup goat head and cold drinks lubricated the tongues of rumour vendors. Finally, the conference was opened, to the shame of skeptics and cynics, and opened officially by the President himself, who also came to time. The timely official opening was my first surprise and it surged some hope in me, bigger than the Zuma rock. It lifted me up above the Nigeria I have seen and lived in these past decades. I said at last we are serious. This made me forget the confusion that nearly dragged the accreditation process of delegates into typical Nigerian focus on “ALL WILL BE WELL! without adequate planning , and our disdain for meticulous planning. Some delegates who did not get accredited on the 16th of March, paid dearly by spending the whole day milling around the Justice Institute, receiving neither justice nor respect. There were a few episodes of shoving, pushing, and indecorous line cutting. There was more respect, if not for orderliness, then certainly for what you are, what you were and what you are likely to be, in that order. There was a case, which would have been funny, if not for the stupidity. A high level delegate sent the personal assistant to assist him with the accreditation exercise. Then came time to take the photograph, and the personal assistant brought out his master’s passport photograph! As I said earlier, the President came right on time. And he gave the best speech I have heard him give all his tenure. He touched on the fabrics that bind us together as a nation, the need for us not to fragment and fray the fabrics into individual strands. He said…..the most compelling task before us,is to lay a much stronger foundation for faster development by building a more inclusive national consensus on the structure and guiding principles of states that will guarantee our emergence as a more united, progressive and prosperous nation’. The President charged us “not to continue to fold our arms and assume that things will straighten themselves out in due course”. In spite of my opinion of the style of leadership of my President, I was, in that one hour, glad to be moved and ready to be commanded by the Commander in Chief in the fight to save our dear country. Until, towards the end of the speech, when he talked about subjecting the outcome of the conference to a national referendum. Twice or more, he turned to appeal to the leaders of the national assembly to ensure that the necessary amendment to the constitution that would allow the holding of a national referendum was completed before the end of the conference. I hear any amendment to the constitution must bear the mark of the national assembly and two-thirds of the states in the federation. The appeal by the President reminded me of someone telling a crying orphan to stop crying as his mother was bringing him a loaf of bread. It will be the mother of all miracles for such an amendment to be completed within 90 days! On that note we ended the first day, but not before a photo shoot with the President at which all the 492 delegates, were to take a picture with the President. I did not bother to go, because as we were rushing out, (sorry, I mean trooping out, distinguished delegates, do not rush), of the inauguration hall to the photo place, the legions of personal assistants, security orderlies, hangers on, all numbering over one thousand, had shoved the real delegates to the rest rooms of the Institute. The lucky delegates were scrambling out of the gutters and drainages, where they had been pushed, and reaching the photo place, just as the Presidential entourage was departing. Oh yes, the day did not end until we had been treated to the Chairman’s dinner. One of the delegates, had enough assistants – one to bring the cutleries, another to get the drinks, the third to carry the plate and take assorted “swallow” mixed with “jollof” rice, ogbono soup, and a variety of protein, from “nama” to “isi ewu” to ordinary croaker fish. All the distinguished delegate did was to point to the food he wanted by remote control. And the assistant dipped the large spoon into the food basket and scooped into the plate whatever was in the direction of the index finger of the delegate. Waiting at his table was the last assistant, holding the chair for the delegate to sit on. It was the last assistant who had the honour to bring soup for his boss. He came with a dish containing a rain forest of “efo riro”. Stupid man, the distinguished delegate shouted at his assistant. I said bring me “suupu, suuupu, the one oyibo people drink before they eat swallow, not efo riro. I was therefore not surprised when the second day, there was a request from another delegate for the federal government to allow delegates hire more assistants – to be paid for by …. Well, he did not say! But I am jumping ahead of myself. After such a tedious and tiring first day, the delegates went home to their hotels, hovels and holes, to get ready for the second day. We were told each delegate will receive the same amount for accommodation. So if you choose Transcorp at 120,000 naira a night, or some Kubwa or Kuje short time hovel at 12,000 naira a night, it was your business. So long as you do not end up with a bout of diarrhoea per day and miss attending the conference. Come day 2, at 10 am, most delegates were seated, but not enough to form the quorum, yet to be decided. The announcer came in to let us know that we would be starting a bit late, say 30 minutes, because one to two hundred of unaccredited delegates were stuck at the entrance to the Justice Institute. Finally at about a quarter to eleven, we started. The Chairman began with praise to Allah (an action that was later to cause one of several rifts). He then requested the each officer of the Conference to make an introduction and indicate his or her role at the conference. The officer in charge of finance received the greatest attention. It was now question time for delegates The first delegate rose up ponderously and asked three questions in one: I am HE Ajanlekoko, representing the marginalized former Senators. My question My Lord Chairman, is can we hire PAs to assist us? If yes, will they be accredited and who pays? Delegate number 2 to speak said: I represent the Ethnic Stanza 2 of the old National Anthem, which says Though Tribe and Tongue may differ, in Brotherhood we stand. Sir, my question is what is the seating arrangement at this conference? Are we going to have the front row occupied by town of origin or tribe of origin? As you see, I am from Abriba town, but I am a Yoruba man. If it is by town of origin, I support alphabetical order of sitting. If it is by tribe of origin, then let us use reverse order of the alphabet, starting with Y and ending with A. Order, order, shouted another delegate: Mr. Chairman, did you not request that we give our names before we start asking questions? The last speaker did not tell us his name. Apology, Distinguished Delegates and Honourable Chair. I am Chief, Dr, Surveyor, Barrister, Accountant Ahmadu Azikwe Awolowo, alias Triple A! I almost shouted that my names are also Pastor Alhadji Akinyemi Kutigi Azinge, alias AKA -the only true Nigerian! The next question came from one of the delegates who had been raising up his two arms and left leg to get the attention of the Chairman. Sir Honourable Chairman, he began. I have a most important question to ask, and I want an answer. What shall we do about our drivers? Will they not be accredited, so as to ease their going and coming into the Conference? Many other similar earth shattering questions of significant national importance followed: Did you say we will have two hours for lunch break? Does that mean we will work for 6 whole hours each day? Haba! Can we get the internet working so we can keep in touch with our office and businesses during the sessions, especially when some delegates I do not want to mention their names, are talking? Our government is still disputing with international agencies on the percentage (whether it is 70% or 80%) of Nigerians living below the poverty line of three 300 naira a day, and we are asking such insensitive, tactless, inconsiderate, selfish and, cold- hearted questions, which expose our lack of appreciation of the situation of the average Nigerian. Or more our assumption that Nigeria is us and we are Nigeria! About the only thought provoking comment made by one of the delegates was the one about all the delegates in the hall, being responsible for the current predicament of the nation. Am I really one of those responsible for the current decadent state of Nigeria? It set me thinking, and made me take a critical look at myself, and try to identify my role in the downfall of my nation. Some may not have stolen money directly, or commandeer national assets and resources for personal use, but in not giving our best to our country, we have robbed our country of her assets, in much the same way as the Chief Thieves have robbed us dry. How you may ask? .... i). in not being vocal enough to speak against the evil in our society, ii). in being too soft on my friends who were committing atrocities, iii). in not seeing sin as sin, when it is sin committed by my relations and colleagues, iv). in assuming for too long that the culprits would change, v). in calling the destroyer of our nation….Your Excellency,… Your Honourable, because my group or my association wants a donation, a share of the stolen loot that conferred on him the title Excellency of Fraudulence, vi). in fooling myself that the evil they do will not affect me directly, vii). in keeping quiet because I am afraid that my talking may have adverse effect on someone else close to me, even though I know I cannot be touched, viii). in not having enough faith in the future of my country and once actually thinking of relocating to another country. (I thank God He made me see reason that He made me a Nigerian for a purpose. God never makes mistakes). Whether we like it or not we all stand guilty as charged, may be of lesser charges. Lesser or greater, we have all contributed to te present state of our nation. At this conference, we must shed our ethnicity, tribal connections and all other connections instituted for the oppression of the people of Nigeria. We must come together as Nigerians. For those who say that 1914 amalgamation was a mistake, it is time to correct that mistake now and forever. You know each of our leaders of the 1950s, looked at the amalgamation as a mistake. Before the 1914 amalgamation, there was strictly no place known as NIGERIA, as we know it. So strictly speaking, only those of us born after the amalgamation can truly claim to be Nigerians. So why should we let the opinions of those born before Nigeria came to being decide what we, authentic and true Nigerians should do with our country? Is there anyone who has not made one mistake in life? –of choice of profession? Of choice of marriage partners? Or in any area of our life? If the mistake had not been corrected, we probably would not be in the position to be at this conference. So, let each examine our life, identify the contributions we have made to the downfall of our country and resolve to make amends and use this conference as our redeeming grace. Let us fashion the constitution we need for the saving of this country. It may not necessarily be the constitution we want to protect our narrow selfish ends. Indeed, it must not be a constitution that protect selfish narrow, tribal, association, political or any sectional interest. We must come out with that which ensures equity, fair play and justice for all. It is when we care for all and each that there can be peace for all. We now see that the looters of our nation cannot enjoy their loot in peace in the present state of our nation. For those who had brought us directly to this stage by stealing what belongs to all of us, the call is to repent and do like short man Zaccheus described in the Bible as the chief among the looters of his days. After he met Jesus, he decided to give half of his goods to the poor; and to restore fourfold, all he had stolen or obtain crookedly. This National Conference is an opportunity to correct our past errors, to pay back to our country the dues, we owe our country. Let me end with a part of the story of my life as a Nigerian. I grew up in my country Nigeria, when I paid no fees for primary education, when my secondary education was nearly free, for what I paid was small for what I received, a sound education that placed my country first. I attended the university on a scholarship. Two years after I graduated, while working in a federal institution, two other federal agencies were still running after me with an offer of jobs. But more important to me was that I was born in Ilesha, I went to the secondary school in Ughelli, and rounded up my credentials as a true Nigerian by going to the university in Zaria. What I still remember most was that no one asked me what state or what town I came from. I was simply a Nigerian. In those days travelling from Ilesha to Ughelli was by the famous Armel’s Transport Service. All our parents did was to hand us over to the Armels driver, who took care of us as if we were his own children. At every stop on the way at Agbanikaka, Benin, Sapele, Warri and Ughelli, there was always someone to see to our welfare, watching over us like a mother hen looking after her brood. And most touching, they never asked for a kobo. How could they when they did not even know who our parent were. It was enough for them to know that these are Nigerian children. So how can someone like me ever say Nigerian owes him anything, rather, I am the one that owes my nation. This is the attitude and the mindset with which I am coming to this conference. But how come we became a nation with an aversion to excellence, a desire to accept and settle for second best. How did we become a nation with a culture of subtle and bare faced corruption, one of double standard for private and public living? Where did we acquire the timidity to oppose evil and stand upright, and the acquiescence to forces of evil and decadence? Tell me how did we gain the desire for taking the easy way out and the laziness to prepare in advance and implement conscientiously? Who taught the lack of patience to see things through and imbued us with the talent for misapplication of resources. Who infected us with the ability and the desire to seek solutions to the problems of yesterday, tomorrow? The first days of the conference are gone. Oh yes there was an occasion when the delegates were unanimous in their decision. It was when the Chair called for adjournment. I think close to 492 delegates struggled to move the motion for adjournment that we had no one left to second the motion! In spite of the questions from some delegates that leave one wondering whether there is hope for Nigeria, all we must hear is the real voice of Nigeria: the silent voice of sanity and the quiet voice of probity, the mumbled voice of honesty, and the calm voice of decency, the still voice of honour and the hushed voice of reason, the tranquil voice of integrity and the serene voice of virtue and the soothing voice of Godliness. These must be the voices we hear at this national conference
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 00:39:53 +0000
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