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Presidential Retreat, National Jamboree, All in the Name Dialogue; Another Waste By Prince Charles Dickson Jos Plateau, Nigeria
For sometime I have chosen to sit and watch the drama as they unfold on my beloveth Nigeria. From the current Osujigate, Chris-Cross of Ngige and Uba. Donald Duke’s certificate white magic, Dariye’s persecution, EFCC and the invitation of the Metropolitan Police which gave the movie a foreign touch, however let me say in my usual style that I do not intend to bore anyone so let me air my opinion on this thing called Confab.
Apathy, Sympathy and all forms of pathies have greeted the party that commenced in the name of national confab, the Federal Government is going through a lot to make the Conference a success. Going as far as renaming it Political Reform Conference instead of the Sovereign one requested by the masses. Like I had earlier called it a national confusion, its about to begin!
It is no surprise to note that Nigeria is hell-bent on the self-destruct button. Those who have sympathy have no doubt resolved to go to Abuja and chop, at least an opportunity partake of the national cake.
The needed 932million to ease feeding, travels and accommodation of the delegates has materialized and already delegates have started to benefit from the largesse with a monthly take home of around 1million plus
I am not an alarmist, nor extremist, but lately I have been forced to follow the path of ‘extreme’. In the words of Gani Fawehinmi “nothing good except chaos” would come out of this exercise in futility.
Not that one expects anything better from the yet to commence PRONACO end. The much I have seen of the sittings so far reminds one of the soap opera called Oputa Panel whose several editions on network had viewership of millions of Nigerians who could afford Television and another that were opportuned to find somewhere to watch.
The other day was the God forbid it drama between former General Victor Malu and the charge de affair of proceedings the Hon. Justice Nikki Tobi. How could I forget the kolanut chewing backbenchers and the comedians in the house who would give our own Bill Cosby (Ali Baba) a run for his money. I recall a member, after or was it before presentation telling Baba Nikki that his name was the shortest amongst the entire delegates and Tobi replied that he enjoyed that privilege with him. What errant nonsense! Off course all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, I wonder what all play and no work would make Jack.
So far one cannot deduce what has been achieved in the few seconds, minutes, hours, days and weeks the sitting has been on, rather than the circus movement. The Confab has broken into committees, which way Nigeria. The Hallowed Committees of the National Assembly has already shown Nigerians a docu-comedy on how Committees take decisions.
At the moment I am puzzled as my investigation has revealed a sizeable 10% of the delegates who are never at the sittings rather they are consulting with the gods while some cannot simply leave their business for this long unattended to. Heard one of the delegates told members of his area who came to see him that he did not have money to give them as what he was receiving for this national assignment was nothing compared to what he got from his legal practice. Patriotism!
I know another member from one of the middle-belt states who has been more preoccupied in a verbal warfare with his party’s Chairman than the job at hand. Instead of remaking the nation this supposed elder is more concerned about the PDP and allied matters, who would blame him. The fear of PDP is the beginning of wisdom, so I guess our elder is in the right direction.
I stand to be corrected funnily and somewhat mysteriously till date no one has really been able to tell me exactly where Nigeria will be say for December 2006. Even if magically anything good comes out of this arrangement called Confab, is it the rogues as the Presido has caste aspersion on that would pass the referendum that will see this nation move forward or whom. What will really change…will the super eagles win the world cup, the Nigerian Police stop stealing, our girls stop flooding European markets with their between the legs hardware.
The day I finally set my eyes of the vision 2010 report. I read it like the King James Bible, I discovered that Nigerians needed prayer…a wonderful piece it was, of solid intellectual masturbation of the best and finest brains and to think that late Abacha was the chief host behind it gave me food for thought. Its 2005 now, what really has become of that vision?
Its no doubt as to where this national Confab of confusion and fabrication is going, for the discerning mind you would but agree with me that our leaders are bore. I do not see how any business minded corporate player would live the complexities of the contemporary market place for a seat amongst some bored folks who are craving entertainment at the expense of the future of Nigeria. At least Baba’s recent confession has thrown more light that not only Abacha had a desire but even ex-convicts do. I cannot fathom which sane person would be pressurizing the President to try a third term and the man has not been thrown into jail for such treasonable felony against the suffering masses. For airing that kind of stat ement I see the real Obj and cannot but look at Mandela and wonder what made him leave the stage with pride.
Despite the millions spent in producing the movie titled Oputa Panel. Nothing came out of it despite the gripping horrors of the movie. Some people went to court to make sure no moral lesson is learnt from the movie. Again millions will disappear, man-hour will be wasted, and Nigerians caught in the euphoria of a new show.
Already some of the issues discussed who only make a secondary school student body proud of its own deliberation. I can imagine how the power sector could have benefited if 400 wise men and few women put in their all or the level our educational sector would get to if the same group committed the same time, effort and energy. Rather than these chasing of rabbits in a bush without expertise and counting on mother luck for success.
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