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A Compass of Obasanjo’s Achievements: Directing A Legacy Of Propaganda, Lies And Half Truths By Prince Charles Dickson Jos, Plateau Nigeria
In the formulation and implementation of all its policies and actions since inception, the Obasanjo’s administration has at best used two models of communication- the Press Agency/Publicity model which serves the purpose of propaganda and by nature is one way; complete truth is not essential, it’s from source to receiver. The second one has been that of scientific persuasion, a two-way imbalanced effect communication model that is simply asymmetric.
Recently I have enjoyed how through these models, communication messages from government spokespersons have simply given this government away as an unserious one. It has elevated propaganda to a point lies have become truth without any argument. Its comments through both officiall and unofficial sources have been highly educative especially in the light of the real issues that are hitting the ship of the nation. For the purpose of this essay I will only talk about the third term nonsense only when necessary because these days I guess it’s better to sit and watch our Oscar award winning politicians play out their cards…
The next pertinent issue I should suppose and that has given rise to my writing is the truth on ground in the light of all the lies…if indeed the president leaves come 2007 what would we be left with as a legacy.
The present administration honestly believes that you do not change leadership, simply for the sake of changing it; it also tells us that Obasanjo is indispensable. Their version of the story called Nigeria is that they have run the country in an efficient and equitable manner. The propaganda is that it is waging an anti-graft war. The half truth is that it has boosted foreign reserves, other lies include improved international image, improved agricultural production and the revival of the manufacturing sector.
Any government at whatever level in Nigeria that has done this much, I dare say should ‘tar zar che’…keep ruling for a lifetime. However the fact on ground is different from the beautiful pictures painted by officialdom. These achievements and a whole lot attributed to the present PDP led government in a lot of cases are half truths, lies and propaganda.
“We do not just change leadership, simply for the sake of changing it.” That is definitely correct; however let someone enlighten the groups under whatever name and leadership, that leadership is changed when vast majority of the ruled feel that they are being shortchanged by government. When there is general discontent in the land, poverty and crime rate, social vices and anomalies are on the rise leadership change to the yearnings of the people. If leadership does not change the constitution makes provision for credible and tested electoral system to facilitate that change, not violently I must add. Even when leadership is exceptionally good, the leadership of the Bill Clintons, Thatcher’s and others still gave way to new leadership that brought some new ideas, because however good leadership is…the laws of proportionate returns occur especially in a Nigeria blessed with politicians that are bereft of ideas. So when the time comes Insha Allah 2007, whether he likes let him shortlist his Ota farm Manager as the next President….Obasanjo must leave but with what legacy.
“Obasanjo is indispensable”…on this one I would not waste our time on, order than say that I am sure that the Almighty Allah has not heard Obasanjo make that statement. There is a club of indispensables, now not only dispensed off with but most of them dead and buried and forgotten, possibly the only remembrance of them is their wicked and evil legacy. Even the best persons are dispensable, how much more terrible and deaf leaders.
Review of the Constitution, as often as I have been opportune, I have stated and written that there is little or nothing wrong with the Nigerian Constitution whether Federal, Parliamentary or Unitary. The problem is those in charge and the generality of Nigerians. How doe s one explain that the present administration with barely a year plus wants to waste funds and time in commencing on a public hearing exercise despite criticism and alliances against constitutional amendments. The government is going on with the propaganda, besides, the fear that the review may obviously be for the sole reason of extending the President’s tenure, we forget the issues of ethnicity, indigeneship, resource control and revenue allocation, religion and other equally more important matters.
The plain truth, no propaganda and lies nor half truth is that Nigerians need a sense of well being, adequate security, social amenities, not a constitutional review hearing.
On Obasanjo’s compass of achievement, it has so far run an efficient and equitable nation. What efficiency, is it in NEPA now PHCH or the Nigerian Railways or the Aviation sector, is it the efficiency of the health sector or education? Can some one truthfully tell me what is equitable when the gap between the poor and rich has not only increased but is beyond measure? People can barely feed and we hear government’s equitable propaganda.
With all the trouble and politics that Iraq has haboured the Minister for Oil resigned because increase in gas price by government was not suitable to the economic situation of the people and would have a n egative effect on living conditions---Brother that is what equity and efficiency is all about, keeping ones INTEGRITY, not a Minister of Death in Aviation setting up committees because non of his children or family relations have been affected.
A war against corruption that has been fought largely on the pages of papers with inaccurate details, plenty showmanship that is largely associated with propaganda, little real work is done, must cases ending abruptly or in bizarre fashion. In demonstrating her zero tolerance for corruption, they recently sentenced a former cabinet Minister to jail for life for taking half a million Dollars over a period of eight years, not forgetting the lawmaker that was executed, records show over 50,00 Chinese officials have been punished for corruption in the past two years. Here the battle or war as they call it has been plagued by political intrigues, ethnic sentiments and drama.
The half truth is that it has boosted foreign reserves, even if we have a hundred zillion in the foreign reserve and the common man is dying what benefit is that reserve, every now and then the Central Bank announces increase in reserves. When the common man can hardly live on a dollar a day, and we are here building reserve.
Increased agricultural production…the beauty of propaganda is that it sounds true, you can hardly doubt it, but it is unfortunately a pack of lies embellished in chocolate flavour, so on first touch, smell and taste, it is always sweet. If there is any sector that needs life and instead has been given a death certificate, then it is the agricultural sector, with very little to show for it.
A lot of factors have contributed in making ordinary orange an expensive fruit, the fertilizer distributing scheme has been a bed of fraud, crooks. The President even talked of a fertilizer summit, all sorts of summit…I pray he calls an all poverty summit soon. The 600million Naira meant for the rejuvenation of the cocoa farming sector was only seen on the pages of the newspapers, and the money has vanished. How many farms are practicing mechanized farmi ng…with all the loans allegedly disbursed.
Obasanjo’s compass of achievement, I would end temporarily on the manufacturing sector, which ended its 2005 with a leadership crisis over third term and other issues. In Obasanjo’s reign, his compass of propaganda lies and half truth cannot hide the following…inadequate transport facility, poor electricity supply both in quantity and quality, rampant increase in petroleum products and the subsequent industrial unrest that paralyzed the economy, bottlenecks at the ports, strain under multiple tax administration, reduced capacity utilization, import of fake and inferior products creating unfair competition, despite all the noise of the Nigerian Custom. Most Industries packed up, while others suffered decline, this is the tru th, undiluted, unpainted and real.
Obasanjo’s compass is certainly on journey of doom, the earlier he leaves the better, and he has in his reign shown beyond reasonable doubt that black can be called white in the presence of nursery school kids. Allah Who sees all, knows all, may He help us.
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