President Goodluck Jonathan
I
cannot imagine that the erstwhile dictator and national plunderer, Gen.
Sani Abacha, was one of those honoured in the just concluded centenary
awards in Nigeria. Ironically, the award ceremony was heralded by the
statement credited to the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,
that $500m recovered by the government from the Abacha loot was used to
“develop the nation’s rural areas”. But is the President thinking by
himself or being ill-advised? This continual dance of insincerity is
just too much: He talks of fighting corruption in the country and
immediately later he sets free one of the publicly known fathers of
corruption, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, in the name of a stomach-churning
Presidential pardon! He talks of doing everything to rid the country of a
Boko Haram force that is burning and killing schoolchildren (as
horrible to write/read as its very facts) and alleged abducting tens
of girls to a live of sexual slavery, yet, he is slow and taciturn in
putting the full weight of executive powers against individuals (like a
serving senator, can you as much as believe that? yeah, it happens in my
jungle) and groups linked with this singular destructive organisation
in the country. He talks of reinventing a new beginning for the country
(obvious to all of us as a necessity) yet, sets along this absurd way of
crowning the actions of such a dictator and killer like Abacha?
But who are the advisers of our
President? If nothing at all, such actions as the inclusion of Abacha as
one of our celebrated heroes in the country shows how insincere
Jonathan is in his many “talks” of willingness to bring meaningful
change to this country. Talk is cheap.
These and many other irresponsible
actions put in brighter light what the present Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, reflecting on the President’s actions
on corruption, described as his deceptive body-language. This recent
charade of centenary honour list makes such an accusation of an
ambivalent body-language not only restricted to corruption but to many
other recent executive judgments.
Yet, the next thing we might soon here is
a declaration of an intention to contest a re-election to the
Presidency. Or rather maybe I should say these aforementioned actions or
inaction are actually intended to pacify some vested interests and
therefore pave a way for such a presidential re-election. I seldom make
categorical statements but I do think, in the light of all these, such a
re-election would be a big disservice and a gross injustice to this
country. To become a meaningful and effective leader, it is not only
important to make positive decisions with regard to several exigencies
like those that abound presently in the country. It is even much more
important to be able to display a capacity to repel pressures to take
wrong decisions which would bind on the nation. And to argue that such a
decision as the nomination and ratification of national centenary
honour-list has nothing to do with the Presidency is to play the absurd.
Much more absurd is the Federal
Government’s purported argument that Abacha was honoured because he
increased the national foreign exchange reserves. Where is the same
foreign reserve increase? It is languishing away in some international
bank accounts, subject of international litigations while several
legitimate needs at home suffer lack of funds. No, this is a theatre of
the absurd and another major gaffe of this government. But on the other
hand, as someone right mentioned, Abacha is not the only one who dirtied
this infamous national honour list. Others who now parade themselves as
national fathers are as contributive to our unfortunate national state
as Abacha; each, I dare say, in his own particular way. We know at least
of one who instituted corruption in this country and frittered away the
gains of a much-needed oil windfall. It is unfortunate that these are
now our national heroes.
As we struggle to make a headway even
from within our national rubble, we cannot afford to give indications
that things which we have done wrongly in the chronicle of the Nigerian
history are worth celebrating. The choice of Abacha as one to be
honoured in Nigeria, now or ever, totally negates a presumption that the
present government cares a hoot about the last point. As Nobel
Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, rightly noted, placing a man like Abacha
in a national list of committed democrats, professionals, humanists and
human rights advocates “is a sordid effort to grant a certificate of
health to a communicable disease that common sense demands should be
isolated… a disservice to history and a desecration to memory”.
It is unacceptable, a slap on the face of
our national dignity and a backward movement in our efforts to move
forward under the heavy moral burden of our history. The greater evil
such a gesture portends is a beatification of such years of terror,
thievery and irresponsibility under Abacha. And if such are beatified,
why should future leaders not emulate a saint?
I too publicly reject my share of this national insult.
•Fr. Amole wrote in from Pompeo Magno, Roma, Italy, via bimboamole@yahoo.com
Copyright PUNCH.
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