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Oxymoronically
Gifted Critics? By Paul
I. Adujie Lawcareer@msn.com New
York, United States Some
critics of President Obasanjo’s policies, by extension, critics of the
federal government of Nigeria, are certainly oxymoronically gifted! How
else would anyone explain the inherent sharp contradictions and
inconsistencies in their assertions, to the effect, that the president
acted with too much speed and alacrity in declaring a state of emergency
in Plateau State? All this despite disclosed pubic facts, revealing that
the president consulted widely, with people on the ground in Plateau
state? And notwithstanding the fact that, the president went on an
inspection tour of scenes of the carnage and atrocities, to personally,
see things for himself? Or the additional fact, that, many prominent and
eminent citizens of Plateau state, actually implored the president to
act, as they demanded he declare a state of emergency? Can
we claim superior knowledge over those who are on the ground in Plateau
state?, can we claim better understandings of the issues or details,
more than the majority of the political leadership therein?, are we more
informed than the citizens of the state, who demanded the emergency rule
and who are supportive of the federal declaration made a week ago? I
understand the axiom, “uneasy lies the head, that wears the crown”
Perhaps Mr. Obasanjo can handle every projectile thrown at him? As it
is, one of the occupational hazards of being a leader or president of a
country, is that you get pilloried for rainfall and desertification, and
for every bad news, even when such, are clearly beyond human control? I
also believe that Nigerians are not ungovernable people, but wait a
minute! It must be tough to please almost 200 million Nigerians with
strong opinions! It
does appear, as if, some critics of President Obasanjo and his brother,
Vice President Atiku, are not pretending, to even be fair, at anytime?
How else can one explain the persistence on the parts of these critics,
who have roundly informed us, that the presidency have been to slow to
curb Sharia law and rules initiation and implementation, equally too
slow to act in response to the crises in Anambra state, Benue, Kwarra,
Niger Delta states etc, and the escalated killings, that were apparently
politically motivated, including other general safety and insecurity
issues, as have been the case. But
the same critics are now opining that the presidency acted with too much
haste and unnecessary alacrities, in declaring a state of emergency in
Plateau State? This is a classical catch twenty-two, you damned if do,
and doubly damned if don’t! The facts are that, more than 300 of our
fellow citizens were slaughtered already in Plateau State, rather
quickly, extensive displacements and dislocations also arose from the
crises, extreme hardships were created by it, some Nigerians citizens,
resident in Plateau State were now refugees in squalor, in neighboring
states, their hardships and sufferings induced. Then,
the national assembly promptly acceded to the constitutional requests
and endorsement of the president’s actions as required by law, so
where is the beef? Hopefully,
the national assembly, our collective conscience, would act speedily, to
give the presidency, the much need emergency resources, that will bring
succor and relief, to the displaced persons in these troubled areas, the
N2.5 billion being sought by the presidency should be approved and
managed prudently, so that, it positively benefit, the intended
recipients, who are the primary target of these funds. Some
Nigerians seem to throw written and verbal Molotov cocktails at the
presidency, the governors and all levels of governments in Nigeria, that
appears to be the prevailing attitude, criticisms are a good thing,
especially, when such criticisms are factually based on the truth,
criticisms with the hope that, our efforts, will spur a rethink of
policies and attitudes on the part of government, policy makers and
implementers, but we must not sling mud, for the mere heck of it! We
cannot serve Nigeria's purpose and best interests, by minimizing the
hardships, sufferings and even the ultimate, the deaths of fellow
Nigerians, whether the are Christians, Muslims, Animists or Pagans!
Nigerians have certainly made such mistakes in the past, enough such
mistakes, which ought to inform better words, attitude and actions on
all our parts, right now! Or the carnage, atrocities will continue, and
recriminations will recur and recur and where does that lead us? Is it
not public knowledge, that only lunatics are supposed to do things
repeatedly, using same method, same ways, despite damning consequences,
shall we persist in the errors of the past? Of course not! Our
motivations, should be public good. The facts, the truth, guided by our
national interests, which are served through unity of our people and
purpose. We
should give our government credit, when they listen to us? perhaps, the
presidency actually listened to critics, by becoming more proactive? Or
perhaps the hands of the presidency were forced, by bedraggled governor
and by protraction of the crises in Plateau State and the extraordinary
numbers of citizens that were killed in the area, during the protracted
period of time. In the circumstance, the presidency deserve our support in view of the stability and national security importance of the endeavors in Plateau State; Even Mr. Joshua Dariye supports the state of emergency declaration and other efforts at the resolution of the crises in Plateau State. |