Not in Our Name

Not in Our Name: The Third Term

Emeka Kenneth Duru

It is very commendable that the fourth estate of the realm is alive to its responsibility in guiding and guarding our nascent democracy. Of utmost interest is the approach adopted in reporting the debate going on in the upper chamber of our legislative assembly: We do not have just, the perspective, but also the arguments put forward by the individual senators to support their stance. Kudos to you all.

This brings into focus the contribution on the floor of the house associated with the distinguished senator of the federal republic of Nigeria, Senator Ayogu Eze on behalf of the senators from Imo State.

It may be easy, in the climate of allegations of bribery dogging the campaign for the term-elongation, to dismiss this contribution as being a bye- product of a compromised mind. No, there is also the fickle and simple minded. Hero-worshipping does not depict respect for heroes but the mystique and transfixed persona bordering on the state of trance, of those who follow them. Irrational? …

The distinguished senator along with the other two, God forbid, from Imo state contend that Obasanjo is the best thing that happened to Nigeria in that his government encouraged the liberalisation of telephone facility, engineered the reduction and hence our ability to pay off the Paris club and of course the consolidation of banks. Laudable projects all.

Ignorance has been advanced as the reason why uncivilised people worshipped caves and mountain rather than exploring the inner recesses of these to acquaint themselves of their make up (mountains and caves) and how to advance the course of humanity by this knowledge.

It is therefore not far fetched that any leader surrounded by people who are stupefied by his achievement must feel himself duty bound to continue in office less his people be lost when the curtain falls.

It was the same with General Yakubu Gowon at the end of the civil war, President Ibrahim Babangida with his populist programmes: National directorate of employment (NDE),The community banks,Difri--dealing with rural infrastructure, the structural adjustment programme (SAP),the building of a new capital, anti corruption crusade and security (my friend where is Anini) ETC.

Abacha came with his team of economic monitoring group, re introduction of trade by barter as an economic instrument ,better life movement for rural communities, debt buy back, the petroleum trust fund etc. All these projects mystified their acolytes into making a demi god of them to the extent we were told that without them ,there are no other Nigerians capable of taking up the mantle of leadership. Ironically as each has been made to leave office against their wish there is been another Nigerian to step into their shoes and to still astound some to the point of messianic inclination. Now Obasanjo. Yet the Nigerian populace wallows in poverty irrespective of the accruing wealth and resources in the country. There is heightened insecurity of life and property, high cost of capital, ascendancy of ethnic militias, selective transparency, too many high profile unsolved murder cases, high level of unemployment, education sector in shambles, health sector in crises, corruption? Haa ha haa.Yet this government from inception has been blessed by more than 400% increase in the price of our prime product Oil.

Anyway, why are we overawed by these meagre and isolated achievements. Do we not expect our leaders to deliver? May be we need to look at what we require of our leaders.

The 3 senators from Imo state are the reason I am not overtly enthusiastic of a President from Ibo land. Distinguished senators who believe that out of over a hundred million Nigerians, we can not find another leader to take the mantle of leadership, how much less from 40 million people. I was reading about the new Niger delta initiative, I found Ondo state amongst the list (deservedly) .There was no mention of Imo State which has been producing oil since God knows when. With senators like these need we wonder?

To Mr. President I doff my hat to the relative achievement made in sustaining democracy but sir I believe there are much more to do.

The only way the modest achievements of this regime can be consolidated is by the orderly compliance of this administration to the exit date of May 2007. Any tinkering may result in the government being pushed aside. In these circumstances as we have seen in the past, the first casualties are the policies they left behind…PTF?

This support for term elongation by the senators from Imo state is not in our name.

Emeka Kenneth Duru
The Satellite Movement
London