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Nigeria’s Politicians And Their Involuntary Political Gymnastics By Sadiq Isah Radda Department of Sociology Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria Philosophers say that the more things change the more they remain the same. The only thing that does not change is change itself. Again, Nigerians are faced with another show down: political realignment of forces and chameleonic metamorphosis. It is not anything new. Nigerians have seen it before, they are seeing it now with the hope that they will not see it anymore by which time Nigeria will some how some way purge itself of the bad elements and emerge stronger. The current debacle under the corrupt Obasanjo government is but manifestation of a failed state held by the jugular by visible and invisible forces within and outside the country. Presently, Nigeria is under siege. Obasanjo is messing things up but pretending that all is well. Before we know it, Nigeria is slipping into dictatorship via (not one party rule, i.e, the notorious PDP) one-man dictatorship encapsulated in Obasanjo’s tyranny and sit-tight disposition. Obasanjo has refused to note that people who fail to take delight in golden opportunity to write their names in gold end up being consigned to the dirtiest corner of the dustbin of history and thereby writing their names in charcoal. Nigerians are now collectively challenged by a tyrant and an over-ambitious old man. One can argue that Nigeria’s politicians are the architects of their misfortunes. They have always been the ones to rationalize and stabilize military governments. In fact, they fall all over themselves to get involved and feel that they belong. Once sidelined, they become over frustrated and begin the usual political gymnastics known to every one of us: alliances, coalitions and new formations. This is not all together bad. With Obasanjo around, the political gymnastics is necessary and long over due. However, is there going to be a real change? Answering the above question is essential because if you look at the characters involved in the realignment of political forces, it is the same old story. What is new is the coinage. Now, we are hearing such catchy phrases as ‘Defence’ and ‘Restoration of democracy as though there was one ever or in recent times. But Nigerians are too used to elite irresponsibility manifested in all kinds of political gimmickry and show. Hence, an average Nigerian will simply dismiss the current unfolding political gymnastics as one of those usual elite squabbles for the spoils of the office. This may be true but fairly dogmatic. It is dogmatic because Obasanjo needs some shaking up before he costs us the entire nation. There are many reasons why I have this view. There are many basic reasons why Obasanjo should leave Nigerians alone. For the purposes of this piece I will group them in eight as follows: 1. His ugly role in deepening divisions in Nigeria; 2. His surrendering of the Nigerian economy and its extra-ministerial agencies to foreigners and their domestic collaborators; 3. His squandering of Nigeria’s oil fortunes that have been record high; 4. His failure/refusal to resuscitate Nigerians social, educational and economic infrastructures 5. His support for human rights abuse; 6. His double standard in the so-called fight against corruption; 7. His penchant for nepotism, ethnicity and religious bigotry; and 8. His disdain for our democratic structures and the constitution culminating into his notorious third term bid
Remember that these are variables written here in their group form. If one is to break them into smaller details with examples, facts and figures, one can write a book of not less than 500 pages on any matter identified above. Suffice to say that Obasanjo is a danger to Nigeria at the moment. Should Nigerians get organized to check Obasanjo out, he has already done the damage. For me Obasajo is akin to leprosy because even when leprosy is cured, its ugly scares remain for life. Even though we pray to get out of the mess Obasanjo has plunged us into, we are in a very long haul to rectify his misdeeds to our country. The current political gymnastic by another old brigade (old wine in a new bottle) in the name of restoring or defending democracy deserve our monitoring. We can see some meltdown going on as strange bed-fellows are politically romanticizing. We pray for them to get very far for the benefit of all of us and Nigerians yet unborn. Keep on the involuntary political gymnastics, but no breaking bones or loosing teethes unless where necessary and important, please. Finally, NO to business as usual.
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