It is fair to say that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is an outstanding, yet controversial character in Nigeria’s modern political history. He ranks far above mere table-shakers.
In a 48 paragraph letter titled ‘Points for Concern and Action’, Obasanjo, on 20th January, 2019 leveled grievous allegations of maladministration and misconduct against President Muhammadu Buhari. Considering its timing, this letter has stirred the hornet’s nest; drawing condemnation and commendation from the pro and anti Buhari factions.
What really stands Obasanjo out despite his past gaffes while in office is his ability to point out good road from a terrible one. He is one person who has fashioned a technique of having his way politically. Since his first stint in office in the late 70s he has never been a fan of any sitting government.
In 2013, APC solicited Obasanjo’s undying political dexterity in their bid to unseat former President Jonathan.
Bola Tinubu flung off his pride and begged Obasanjo to be the navigator for APC, saying: “To realize a stable Nigeria, we want to encourage you to continue to speak the truth. We have resolved and are determined to rescue Nigeria. We want you to be our navigator”
The then APC interim National Chairman, Bisi Akande said “We have come to introduce our party to you; we are in the support of the 18-page letter written to Jonathan, you are capable”.
In that same meeting, Rochas Okorocha, told Obasanjo that: “Many of the governors passed through your political school, this battle is for the generations unborn. It is a task that must be done.”
This means they underscore Obasanjo’s undisputed Iroko tree-styled political feat that has sprouted continental.
Now, as he turns to appraise President Buhari, APC switched on their propaganda machine telling Nigerians to reject his message saying: “Obasanjo is sick and needs medical attention”.
What again is a better definition of double standard? But Karma is a bloody unforgiver.
My worry is that many Nigerians are buying into that cheap propaganda. For more than a week after that bombshell of a letter, opinion columns and editorials of our national dailies are sopping with solicitous cries that Nigerians should reject Obasanjo’s message on the ground that he ‘lacks’ the moral antecedent to criticize President Buhari.
Let’s assume Obasanjo ‘lacked’ the moral antecedent to condemn Buhari and his cabals, but does that in anyway justify or diminish the countless flaws of this regime, ranging from poor economy, heightened insecurity and duplicitous corruption fights?
The truth remains that while Nigerians may be at liberty to reject Obasanjo as a messenger, they cannot afford to ignore his message(s) which he had been sending across the divide from the days of President Jonathan.
The great St. Augustine of Hippo, once said: “I had learned that because a thing is eloquently expressed, it should not of a necessity seen to be true; nor because uttered with stammering lips, should it be false; nor again perforce true because unskillfully delivered; and consequently untrue because language is fine.
But wisdom and folly are as food both wholesome and unwholesome, and courtly and simple words as fashionable or rustic vessels and both kinds of food may be served in either kind of dish”
Most Nigerians have since 2015 been believing whoopla-hoopla simply because it was served in a fashionable plate while rejecting truths just because it is presented in a plain dish.
APC masking in anti-corruption crusade have served us falsehood and some gullible Nigerians assimilate it as truth. Gullibility margins widen as poverty prevails. Now that we are world headquarters of extreme poverty, you can imagine the gullibility of the masses.
Unfortunately, the poorer one gets, the more gullible one becomes.
Else, how could it be possible that four years after enthroning a government that has dragged our democracy to its knees, unleashed Fulani militia and armed banditry in a raid akin to ethnic-cleansing, some of our people still crave for its continuity? But when I remembered that one million-man march was once organized for Abacha in his days, it dawned on me that tyrants will always have supporters.
Chief Obasanjo in that letter alerted Nigerians that “Abacha era” is here again. Can anyone deny that fact? Everything which characterized that unearthly outing of Gen. Sani Abacha in our polity is already with us since the last four years.
There is brazen violation of court orders and outright disrespect for rule of law. Opposition is proscribed. Cronies of government embezzle public funds with impunity. Insecurity mingled with economic instability is becoming a culture. Independence of the judiciary and legislature is now a mirage. Separation of powers which is the hallmark of democracy has taken flight from our milieu. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) has just been removed unconstitutionally. Nepotism and authoritarianism have taken the center stage.
All these pitfalls are what Chief Obasanjo highlighted as “points for concern”, and no right-thinking Nigerian can say he lied in them.
But as Deji Omoshola wrote: “Obasanjo’s moral eligibility to criticize Buhari is like a figure 6 placed between two persons sitting opposite each other. One is sees it as 6, while the other see it as 9.”
To the person seeing figure 6, Obasanjo has no moral right to criticize Buhari as he rebukes people for offences he is also guilty of. Obasanjo who calls Buhari a dictator was even more dictatorial as president from 1999-2007. He masterminded the removal of Senate Presidents, declared state-of-emergency whenever he wishes; ordered the Odi massacre; forcefully removed Rasheed Ladoja as Oyo State Governor; backed the unjust removal of then Governor Ayo Fayose in Ekiti State; and seized Lagos State Government’s allocation despite a Supreme Court judgment against such action.
Obasanjo who is urging Buhari not to seek reelection did two terms and even tried to grab a third, but failed. All these antecedents of Obasanjo deny him the moral right to criticize Buhari.
But then again, to the person seeing the figure as 9, the most eligible person to correct someone threading the path of failure is someone who has failed. An emerging smoker is best advised by a chain smoker that has contracted smoked-induced lung cancer.
In Nigeria today, the most qualified person to advise Buhari is Obasanjo. His political track record earns him the eligibility. Obasanjo is the only living being that pairs with Buhari.
Many ex-Presidents, former Head-of-State and retired Army Generals are involved in partisan politics, but none has ruled the nation dictatorially and democratically except Obasanjo and Buhari.
Nigerians thus need to look at Obasanjo’s message and not his moral eligibility. Obasanjo was instrumental to Buhari’s victory in 2015. Obasanjo may be unworthy, but his letter contains salient issues that are truly worthy of concern and action.
We must therefore, learn to consider the message not the messenger as we match to the polls to shape our national destiny with our PVCs in a matter of days.
May the Light spare us!
Ogechukwu writes via [email protected]
