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There is
no doubt that today the most celebrated Nigeria leader and
accepted all over the world though with a lot of misgivings
is our own Ebora Owu, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, the
Nigeria’s former President. One cannot be neutral to this
man that has benefitted immensely from God’s Grace when you
remember his antecedents and pedigree, from humble beginning
to leadership; from leadership to prison and back to
leadership. One then would expect wisdom, understanding and
great knowledge from experiences garnered in all these
phases over the years. One will also expect him to radiate
love and freely extend same to others in exchange for the
great love that he has benefitted from God. I am not
particularly analyzing his character here but his lecture
recently published in the Westerner Magazine of October 25,
2010.
The
former president started his lecture on the discipline of
Philosophy on ‘MATTER’ and ‘FORM’. Matter and Form came to
be known as Hylomorphism. I wonder why a self acclaimed
born-again can go philosophical to start his lecture on
Hylomorphism; though his adduced reasons can be clearly
discerned. He tried to differentiate and build up on ‘Matter
and Form’. Let me congratulate posthumously Nigeria
protagonists’ and incorruptible three Regional leaders
that held firmly the North, the East and the West Regions of
yesteryears. The principle of making regions strong,
focused, well-led, and insular could have sustained and
strengthened the Centre if allowed. Chief Obasanjo is so
wrong to deduce that Nigeria at Independence was leadership
deficit. Let us look at the principle of cell divisions.
Thinking small to become big is a concept that has worked
for many institutions. The basic concept is very simple
that has resulted in the exponential growth
of the users. Stronger Local governments and States would
have
formed the genius of the
physical
formation in terms of discipline, growth and enduring
development
of the Centre that will make Nigeria a Great Nation. Going
back to ‘Matter’ as described by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo;
the formation of Nigeria was wrong from the Amalgamation in
1914. I submit that it is not the people who looked towards
their regions that breed no national interest, nepotism,
mediocrity, corruption and incompetence rather it is the
unpatriotic, selfish “Me” corrupt people masquerading as
messiah leaders. Charity truly begins at home. If you do not
love your family, your community, your Local government, and
State of Origin; you cannot truly love Nigeria. You are only
deceiving yourself and others for your love is only for your
pocket through the bestowed God’s giving resources of the
Country or self-acclaimed Fame.
If
Nigeria has been left alone to develop democratically
without the intrusion of the Military, Nigeria would have
been better developed at 50 years of Independence. No
Nigeria president is comparable to President Julius Nyerere
of Tanzania who served his Country for 21 years without a
personal house and car to his credit unlike Nigeria
Presidents whose thirst for wealth cannot be assuaged until
they grab and grab all for themselves and their unborn
generation. It is laughable that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
should defend the Coup that brought him into National
leadership as No. 2. He claimed the bloodless coup forced on
Nigeria was correctional, purposeful with democracy and good
governance as main objectives. Can an Autocratic government
ever be democratic? No! No self praise and reasons can
justify upturning a democratic rule. It is totally wrong to
conclude that only the democratic leadership was corrupt. It
is also wrong to give reasons for the take-over of
democratic institutions by autocratic military officers. No
self pontification can justify a wrong concept. I was part
of President Shagari’s Government that was toppled in 1983
as a democratically elected member of Federal House of
Representatives. The so-called reason based on corruption
for the take-over has become a child’s play with the expanse
and monumental display of corruption in the Government
thereafter. Chief Obasanjo cannot justify himself when he
did nothing to stop the annulment of the most fair and
freest election ever held in Nigeria that could have
produced Chief M. K. O. Abiola’s Presidency. Rather he said
the winner of that election was not the Messiah Nigeria
needs; has Obasanjo now become the needed Messiah? Why is
it, that only his government or his participatory governance
is good? This to me smirks of the ‘Me’ category person; self
adulation, self pride, self arrogance which is the same as
lack of humility and self centredness. I postulate that the
years of continuous military rule in Nigeria were the worst
period of retrogression and blanket corruption at all levels
of governance. I think all the past Military rulers should
be given Rawlings treatment; though I do not ascribe to
shedding of Blood through killings of any human.
Chief
Obasanjo failed to mention the role of Religion especially
since the lecture was delivered in a University established
by a religious body.
Religion has often affected Nigeria’s national interest and
foreign Policy. As an illustration, if there is any issue
the country is divided, then if the administration opts for
option A, half of the country would be in uproar, and if
option B, the other half would be in uproar. To settle such
matter, wisdom and prudence simply dictate that matters are
allowed to flow. This has made Nigeria, master of
constructive indecision. Examples of indecisions are past
census, OIC and Sharia. I want to mention here the volcano
that erupted over the country’s membership or non-membership
of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). The case
of the government was that Nigeria would benefit from
membership of OIC bank with its low interests loans. If
Nigeria were a monolithic country religiously, there would
have been no problem especially as Nigeria was going through
cash crunch at the time. But Christians thought there was a
hidden agenda behind the membership. The debate as to which
religious group formed the majority in the country was
regarded as the real hidden agenda. No amount of rational
argument could sway either side.
The
diversity of the country as is reflected not only in the
multi-ethnic compositions, but also in the various cultures,
languages and customs including the socio-economic and
political dynamics of colonial and post-colonial uneven
social economic and educational development. Nigeria Major
Problems include but not limited to:
i.
Political
Issues;
ii.
Economic Issues;
iii.
Judicial Issues
iv.
Gender Discrimination;
v.
Medical Issues;
ii. Militarism;
iii. Democracy;
iv. Public Accountability and Corruption;
v. Religion and Ethnic politics and tribalism;
vii. External debt burdens and Servicing; and
viii.
Poverty, Creation and distribution of wealth.
On one
hand Chief Obasanjo appreciated and long for the nurturing
of the ‘Matter’ in terms of Infrastructure, Economic
Development, and Technological Sophistication but this is
the same man that has shown disdain for a performing
Governor of his own State who was adjudged by all to be the
best Governor in Nigeria. Chief Obasanjo’s developmental
patriotism is antagonistic to a vibrant development brought
about by others. It only means when he is not in charge or
dictate affairs from behind, he cannot appreciate goodness.
Why should one person turn himself to a tin-god or crucify
those who refuse to bow down to the tantrums of the god
father. When I consider the State of Affairs in Ogun State
at present, I realize that those that have benefitted much
more from the dividends of democracy are the ones given the
State so much trouble.
These are
the people that His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel favored
above others and granted opportunities. I know the man OGD
and can vouch for his large heart and fairness. Why is
hatred pushing these people to the pit of hell rather than
heed the word of God that love is the greatest of all
virtues? Why are these people so determined to turn Ogun
State into a Jihad? Have they forgotten that we are all
mortals and shall face the judgment seat of God one day? The
tendencies to be vindictive, malicious and intolerance are
the hallmark I have seen demonstrated by their actions
towards OGD for his independent mindedness and loyalty to
his Constituency (the masses of Ogun State) rather than lean
towards the ‘Me’ Categories. Those who fail to listen to the
word of wisdom make their hearts like flint, refusing to
hear, refusing to see and refusing to unite with the State
Governor to move the State forward in the development of our
dear State.
It is
the height of corruption to use autocratic fostering of an
old tired and retired military officer accompanied by a
rude, indiscipline daughter to want to rule by the back door
and take over governance from a vibrant, proactive,
visionary, disciplined, social engineer and astute
administrator.
I know the enlightened Ogun State Citizens will not bow down
to that contraption. I am indeed happy that in OBJ’s lecture
he condemned interaction and endorsing the objectionable and
conferring chieftaincy titles to known rogues. Chief
Obasanjo wants us to be selective to bring about
encouragement of good character and morality. But what I
cannot understand is his own personal interaction and
involvement with the people he warned us of like the Omoilu,
a wanted fugitive from US and the G-15 Suspended members of
Ogun State Assembly. This action of our respected leader
amounts to double-speak or in line with a disreputable adage
that says: “Do what I say and not what I do”. This
contradicts the law of God that admonishes us to be role
models in behavior and character.
In
conclusion, Chief Obasanjo’s language in the delivered
lecture
has been rich in what grammarians call euphemisms-those nice
and delicate words that cover some offensive truth. When
Prince George of Greece went over to Crete to become
governor, there had been fierce rioting and bloodshed
between the Muslims and Christians. And when he arrived and
was received with great enthusiasm, the correspondent of the
Times gave a very curious description of the scene. "The
long rows of ruined houses, beneath which in some cases, the
fire is still smoldering," he wrote, "are
almost concealed by festoons and banners." It was an
attempt to decorate and hide the tragedies. And language is
always doing that. It is this tendency of human speech that
is caught up and wrested by the devil into an engine and
instrument of ill. A born administrator is a man who not
only works hard himself, but has the skill of choosing the
right men to be his assistants. That is always a mark of
practical capacity. And a true general shows his genius to
command by the way in which he uses each branch of the
service—cavalry, artillery, and infantry- for its proper
work. Every administrator must make use of agents; and he
displays the greatest genius for administration who picks
his agents with the greatest skill.
Nigeria needs such a man to lead us in 2011; Ogun State
already has such a man and by God’s grace will hand over to
his type already chosen by God.
I cannot
but mention the peace OBJ as we fondly call Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo has brokered in other Countries especially in
Liberia. My appeal is that he takes to heart the dictum that
charity begins at home and bring permanent peace to Ogun
State and stop the gladiators who are all in PDP where he is
presently the BOT chairman. History of tomorrow is written
today and the Americans always say “History is written by
the winners”.
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Published
October 25th, 2010
