FEATURE ARTICLE

Adegboyega SoyingbeWednesday, August 30, 2006
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London, UK

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TOWARDS A NATIONAL REBIRTH


ecently, I was priviledged to have watched the interview with Professor Pat Utomi on Ben Tv, it was on a show designed to profile intending presidential aspirants in the run up to the 2007 general election. I was thrilled at the quality of the discourse and was particularly impressed at the way the issues that were thrown up were articulated. I was enthralled with the sheer brilliance and vision of a technocrat and listened with rapt attension on the ways he intends to tackle the hydra-headed problems that bedevil the Nigerian nation.


He talked on a number of burning issues ranging from his comittment to the on-going economic reforms,the need for job creation,the Niger-delta imbroglio, strengthening of core institutions, the system of government currently in practice {which encourages wastage} and so much more. And for the first time we are beginning to see possibilities that after all there is hope-that is if we ensure that the right people get to positions of authority.

This was in sharp contrast to another character that had previously appeared on the same show by the name Alhaji Badeggi or so. He had come all the way from Niger state and your guess is as good as mine-to fly a kite for his taskmaster IBB. Reeling with such annoying arrogance he tried to justify his product which in the opinion of most sensible Nigerians is at best expired. After a barrage of stinging critism however, he started singing like a canary on "....how he had studied political science at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and had done comparative studies on countries like pakistan, singapore e. t. c and have come to a conclusion that his candidate is what Nigeria needs at this point in time". what a travesty! We honestly need to ask the Alhaji which ABU he is talking about, surely it cannot be the one founded by the great Sardauna of Sokoto. A man known for his forthrightness, a man who would not see white and call it black, a true patriot and a selfless leader who served his people without short-changing them in the process. It is on record that this great leader did not leave a single property to his name after his demise;can that honestly be said of the perceived saviour of our dear Alhaji.

The issue of the 12. 4billion dollars gulf oil windfall came up during the course of the interactive session and he confessed he wasn't privy to the financial decisions of the regime since he wasn't a member of the then Supreme Military Council (SMC) but he later offered an answer saying that the third mainland bridge and a couple of other bogus projects were accomplished using those funds. Though, this writer wasn't also a part of the council then but at least, now, we know that there is an Okigbo panel report which indicted the regime of squandering our collective patrimony. We were all living witnesses to how the treasury became a free for all for the regimes cronies, it is also pertinent to note that a vast majority of the so called unproductive millionaires masquerading now owe their ill-gotten wealth to that infamous regime.

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A bewildered viewer then asked why his candidate refused to appear before the then Oputa panel like every other Nigerian (hmm.... i felt that was a valid question because i had often wondered myself why IBB refused to appear before the panel myself )and was waiting for a reasonable answer to that all important question but to my utmost shock, he quickly discredited the panel stating that it was unconstitutional and that anyone who has anything against IBB should go to court, indeed!

On why he failed to hand over after the june 12 election was deemed to be free and fair? He said some key figures in the regime objected to the idea and that since he did not want to be sacrificed, he had no choice but to comply - thus plunging the nation into an avoidable intractable crisis.

This journeyman had no qualms in mocking the diasporeans not forgetting that the vast majority of them are economic migrants most of whom fled to avail themselves to the opportunities that were hirtheto unavailable during the jackboot dictatorship of the Babangida/Abacha era. The sheer exodus of Nigerian proffessionals reached an all time high during this period and to shed more light on this assertion i suggest you view the article "Why babangida should never be president again" by Dr Alfred Uzokwe, you are bound to have a better understanding of what transpired during those locust years.

The opportunity the Alhaji's candidate missed in 1993 could be somewhat likened to the one seized by another visionary by name Frederick W. De KLerk at the height of Apartheid era in South Africa. For those who might argue, that it is uncharitable to compare a military to a civilian leader, i beg to disagree as both leaders were on the threshold of history and were vantaged to alter the course of history albeit in favour of their respective nations. Frederick De Klerk though not a military leader was head of an entrenched system upward of three hundred years but he understood the desirability for change, he knew that it was time to give his nation a chance to toe the honourable path by allowing an end to the unjust system of Apartheid and a place in the comity of decent nations. He also could have lost his life in the process but unlike our own man he decided to embrace destiny. Any wonder why he was joint recipient of the noble peace price together with Nelson Mandela?To discerning observers it was obvious that without De Klerk there literarily might not have been a president Mandela-possibly a dead or exiled one at best.

Just to assuage the feelings of anybody who might still have a problem with that comparison, Abdulsalami Abubakar is another shinning example. Today he is a well sought after conference speaker, recently he had the honour of been named as the chairman of the commonwealth Emminent observers mission to the parliamentary election in Zimbabwe and a couple of other international roles in which he has creditably distinguished himself; not to mention the countless awards that had been bestowed upon him lately. Is he a saint?I doubt it very much, but at least he kept his word and bequeathed a democratic legacy which is currently been savoured today.

So Alhaji, inviting IBB at this auspicious moment is a great disservice to the nation. Those who are in the vanguard of this ill-advised venture should critically examine their hearts, perhaps then, their own true intentions would be revealed to them.

As for Nuhu Ribadu the EFCC chairman he should know that Nigerians are in total support of his patriotic Zeal to rid our nation of crooks. However, it is the opinion of this writer that he should talk less and strategise more. His naivete is baffling. He should know there are some reactionaries not happy with the current happenings and would gladly prefer a return to the status-quo. To those who are of the opinion that the EFCC is only used to harass perceived political opponents, i honestly do not share that sentiment. While i might not necessarily agree with the modus- operandi of the agency sometimes and would solicit for caution and adherence to the rule of law, they also need our encouragement. I am of the opinion that corrupt politicians wether in the opposition or not should spare us the agony of another failed political experiment, Nigerians deserve a responsive, forward looking leadership that would usher in a new dawn.

To his colleague in the economic team, so much has been said and indeed they deserve all the accolades;that said, quite a lot still need to be achieved given the sheer potential of the nation, but at least they represent a breadth of fresh air and are a pointer to what can be achieved with great determination and sincerity of purpose. The prayer now is that the reigns of governance does not fall back into the hands of those who are bent on subverting whatever minimal gains has thus far been achieved hence catapulting us back to the stone ages.

Finally, wishing Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala the very best in her future endeavours, her impute as regards fiscal discipline and her role in the reduction of the huge debt burden is appreciated and establishes her as a true patriot.