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Ms. Elnora Daniels: Nigerian Leadership 101 - The Abubakar Lecture Series Saga |
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By Taiwo Jaiyeoba (EMAIL) Sacramento, CA, USA Thursday, February 22, 2001 
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Dear Ms. Daniels:
As I thought about this, I began to think that perhaps your understanding of leadership as defined in the Nigerian context is fuzzy (that word again!) to you. Permit me in my correspondence to make a few points that can help you decide to call off that Lecture Series before it hangs as an albatross around your academic and political career forever. In the Nigerian political and military landscape, leadership is defined as the ability to use brutal force against the weak, win through the back doors chiefly through the influence of big money and always staying ahead of the game even if you are not in the game! Ethnic orientation, especially gravitating in the northern direction, possession of huge stolen money, and dealings with corrupt military establishment are the three major factors that define who a leader is in Nigeria. This is why any northerner who also happens to have military connections in one form of the other, and in possession of millions (even billions) of stolen Nigerian money is assured of been called a leader by a bunch of people who have miscontrued the true definition of leadership. You need to know that Abubakar's position as a military General and eventually as Nigeria's previous military dictator have nothing to do with his ability to lead the military or that nation. There are very few credible military leaders in Nigeria. Indeed, there are very few individuals we can call on to speak on leadership in Nigeria. Unfortunately, none of those people will be present at the Chicago State University on February 23 to speak so we may learn. In your invitation, you stated that Abubakar is being honored as the man who peacefully handed over power to a democratically elected Government in Nigeria. The reality, however, was that handing over power at that time in Nigeria's history was not a choice for Abubakar. We have to realize that at the time the previously, largely, unknown General Abubakar came into power, he had the political power (and support) to release a previously democratically elected President in the person of Chief MKO Abiola from prison and yet he did not. Until Abiola finally died in prison. That was a deliberate act. This act would never be condoned by any responsible leadership in any democractic nation such as the United States. Why then is Abubakar being celebrated in this Lecture series? Would you, as a potential future candidate for the Mayor of Chicago, consider this as a leadership act of barbaric gesture? What kind of lessons on leadership would you learn from the leader who perpetuated this type of atrocity and deprived a nation of a life that could have become very useful in the advancement of Nigerian democracy? I need to quickly add also, that at the time Abubakar came into power, Nigerians were tired of the previous tyrannies and the rest of the world was fed up with the corrupt military dictatorship. He knew he had no choice but to give way. It was not so because he had a choice. It is very difficult to quantify the type of leadership General Abubakar would have become because he had the reins of power for a short time. However, a peek into his activities and leadership responsibilities during his short tenure as Nigeria's military dictator is not impressive. As soon as he assumed office, he began a trip around the globe to several countries campaigning for Nigeria (he said) and himself (the fruit he seems to be reaping in Chicago today), signed more false contracts with ghost companies and bestowed the nation's sacred highest national honors to fellow military criminals in civilian clothings as well as to individuals who have done little good to move Nigeria forward. If you, Ma, and the Chicago State University still consider Abubakar to be worthy of such an important Lecture series such as this, then consider the kind of association he keeps. Leadership philosophy teaches us that to know a man's quality, you should examine the quality of association he keeps: he was raised in the same house as Ibrahim Babangida. Anyone who keeps assocation with the "evil genius" has to have a question mark over their ability to lead successfully. Abubakar is still guilty by association! Also, consider the characters of Nigerian "leaders" you have invited to this Lecture. It should be a moment of shame for Africa and especially Nigeria that we cannot find other individuals who are worthy leaders serving the Nigerian people and fighting for the Nigerian nation. One should ask: what kind of leadership skill does Babangida intend to share with us? How to kill with a parcel bomb and not be caught? Or, how to become a wealthy military leader in a nation where more than 80% of the people live below poverty line? Or take the case of Buhari. What am I going to learn from this man who was only to remain in power for those few months because of his number two man, Tunde Idiagbon, and not because of his ability to lead? Is Buhari going to teach us how to embezzle millions from the Petroleum fund created to benefit Nigeria? I am still pertubed. What kind of practical leadership lesson have we to learn from these characters who make fools out of Nigerians for decades and never repent for doing so and are still nursing Presidential ambition? I would expect the strong student body at Chicago State University to fight against this stain on the reputation of the University. Would CSU, because of $50,000 from Abubakar Foundation, decide to insult Nigerians by parading our failures in public as success? Madam President, I submit to you that people like Shehu Shagari, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Ernest Sonekan and Abdusalam Abubakar are the worst examples of failed leadership you will find in Nigeria and indeed Africa. Why would you want to be associated with them? The organizers of the Lecture series states that it "is a rallying of people of goodwill who support the ideals of democracy and international friendship among the global community. The purpose of the series therefore, is to initiate or strengthen thoughts and dialogue on topics and current issues bearing on the development of democratic institutions, purposive governance and responsive civil society in those parts of the world undergoing political changes." Shock, Shock! When we talk about people of goodwill who support the ideals of democracy, Abubakar, Babangida, Buhari, Shonekan and their cronies are not names to be mentioned at all. Perhaps you would have invited Sani Abacha to this Lecture if he was alive. Really. These people have done more permanent damage to the Nigerian polity that would take decades to repair. By giving them this visible platform, you are helping them further by adding insult to the injury my nation already suffered in the hands of these characters. Ms. Daniels, I do hope you will take my concerns to heart. May God help you and may God bless Africa and Nigeria!  |
ver the past few days, I have wondered what kind of Pan-Africanism, Democratic rhetorics and Leadership skills the likes of Abubakar, Buhari, or Babangida would have to share with the rest of the world using your University as a platform. Certainly it would be amusing and of course abusing. The dictators are come to play on February 23 in Chicago! The sad thing is that you have allowed them to use you to make a statement. It is very sad indeed.