MONDAY LINES Buhari, Atiku’s meeting continues 27.Oct.2014 Lasisi Olagunju Turaki looks at the bottled water, then looks away. “General, sorry to ask this: Why did you use only one consultant for all the PTF projects? “You mean, Afri-Projects Consortium?” “Yes, APC,” Atiku says and bursts into laughter. “APC? Oh! What a coincidence,” Buhari reacts, turning sharply to his guest. “Look, I had a job to do, how I did it was nobody’s business. Just like other issues they are talking about now... Turaki, I knew I was Head of State before I asked you to fill the gaps in the 53 suitcases matter. You know, the Commander in Chief knows only what the field officer tells him. You were the field officer, you should know better and more than all of us.” Atiku holds the water bottle very tight, looks like he is pressing it. The politician is doing what every public figure does with such items outside the comfort and security of their homes. Buhari understands everything. The man is trying to see if the bottle has a needle hole. Who is interested in injecting his water? ‘I am not evil. Everyone knows,’ he muses. “Your Excellency,” Turaki smiles as he tries to recollect the airport incident of 30 years ago. He knows enemies of the General always refer to it each time he comes out to talk of integrity and adherence to principles. “Your Excellency,” he continues, “but you have all the details. Your finance minister explained it to the whole world on June 18, 1984. I can vividly recall him saying the 53 suitcases came from Jedda in Saudi Arabia, that 11 of the unchecked suitcases and two cartons belonged to the Emir who was your ADC’s father while the remaining 40 suitcases were owned by your ambassador to Saudi Arabia...” “I remember all those details,” Buhari cuts in. “What I don’t understand is the noise that has refused to go away...” “The noise won’t go away,” Turaki explains. “In politics, we hold on to our strongest points and beam the floodlight on our opponent’s weakest. It is normal with the profession...” “What profession?” Buhari asks, looking a bit surprised. “Politics,” Turaki counters. “Is it not a profession? Whatever you learn and learn well before practising is a profession. Some of us are professionals...” “Masters of the game,” Buhari says, laughing. He casts a long look at Atiku and wonders why this man would call the game of politics a profession. No wonder he has been everywhere. “Honestly, I see it as a game,” Buhari continues. “What game?,” Turaki asks and continues without waiting for an answer. “In games, you don’t seek to be on the field forever. Imagine a Pele or Maradonna still wanting to play local or international football today. Their gradchildren will serially disgrace them and their popularity. They are legends today because they knew on time that their times were over and left the field for younger, better players...” “You have not answered my question, Turaki. Why is the 53 suitcases still seen as a sin?” Atiku smiles. “General, you know Nigerians. They won’t forget that you enacted a law named Exchange Control (Anti -Sabotage) Decree 1984 and set up the Exchange Control (Anti-Sabotage) Tribunal which, before that incident, had tried and jailed several people who brought old naira notes into the country during that period...” “Yes, that law. It was a good one. We made it and changed our naira notes to outsmart those corrupt politicians who had stacked our money abroad. That law was designed to catch anyone who would attempt to smuggle their loots back into Nigeria and change such to the new notes. Those were interesting times and we caught and jailed quite a lot who tried coming in with large quantities of old naira notes...” “Exactly why this particular case still rankles,” Atiku cuts in. “Remember your deputy, Babatunde Idiagbon, specifically ordered thorough checks of all passengers’ luggage at the nation’s borders and ports without exception. We were doing that very effectively until that unfortunate case came with orders from above,” Atiku explains, while Buhari looks away. The General brings out his handkerchief, wipes what appears to be tears from his eyes. “May Almighty Allah continue to grant his soul Aljanah Fridaos, Amin.” “Amin, but who was that?” “My deputy, Babatunde Idiagbon. A good man. He was a very effective deputy,” Buhari recollects. “Yes, Nigerians even believe he ran the government on your behalf.” That is a broadside and Buhari understands it very well. He won’t let it go unreciprocated. “Exactly the way you ran Obasanjo’s first term on his behalf while he globe-trotted. Some of us wondered then whether it was the dog wagging the tail or the other way round. Those four years were yours, Turaki. If I were you, I wouldn’t be sweating all over again.” Atiku changes the topic. “Why did you make Idiagbon, a Fulani Muslim from the north, like yourself, your deputy?” “Tunde Idiagbon was from Kwara,” Buhari counters. “Yes sir, is Kwara not north again? General, your government wasn’t just a Muslim/Muslim government, it was a North/North arrangement. That wasn’t good enough. You woke up these other people. Worse still, the number three man in your government, Domkat Bali, was also from the north and the number four, Ibrahim Babangida, also from the north. Haba! And you know what, sir, I remember a June 1984 edition of the London Observer accusing you of running a north-only government, jailing southern politicians... I would have said soldiers lacked tact, if not because your successor, IBB, came and did the political balancing act... “Babangida, hmmmm,” Buhari sighs. “That one. I can’t forgive him.” “Why won’t you? Has Shagari not forgiven you for overthrowing him?” “That one is different.” “What is different there, sir,” Atiku counters.” I have forgiven him too.” “Even you? What did he do to you? I can’t remember...” “You have forgotten? I was billed to become the Director of Customs (today’s Comptroller-General) but he retired me suddenly...” “Just as he sacked me suddenly after just 20 months in power...” (Both laugh and exchange glances). “The exact reason I am here to plead with you, General. Support me so that those who sacked us 30 years ago won’t sack us again by backing a young man holding a red card.” “Young man with a red card?” Buhari smiles and tells himself: this is the very last battle — This time, it is Kare jini, Biri jini — The dog and the baboon will be soaked in blood. “We shall see,” the General says, suggesting to his guest that the meeting has come to an end. Atiku gets up, smiling. The unopened water bottle stays forlorn on the stool. On the television, a popular Yoruba drama, produced by Mainframe Productions is on. “You understand that drama,” the guest asks his host. “No, I don’t. I guess it’s some Yoruba stuff.” “Yes, some very interesting stuff...” the guest says, smiling. As he takes the General’s firm handshake, he remembers the Hausa proverb —Kare jini, Biri jini.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 06:21:00 +0000
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