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Rejoinder: 2007: Vatsa And Other Political Distractions By Dr. Azimeh Arigu
I write this piece in response to an article published in this website of August 20th, 2006 written by Abdul A. Alliu.
Yes, politics, arguably, is also a game that gives the electorates the chance to know who the person who wants their votes is before casting their votes for that person. Knowing about him/her means the candidate’s present and past performances, his characters etc. When journalist(s) asked General Bali of his personal opinion about the so-called Vatsa’s coup, he answered how he feels of Gen. Vatsa’s involvement. The good thing is that most of the tribunal members and IBB are still alive with the exception of probably that military tribunal chairman, Gen Charles Ndiomu who is now late. If these people feel otherwise, they are the ones competent to respond to Gen. Bali, more importantly when it is now a public issue.
Those in the inner cycles like Gen. Bali at the time know what happened during the tribunal hearing. I doubt very much if a mere captain is even in better position than any “bloody” civilian to know what transpired at that tribunal other than relying on gossip information.
One wonders what the “Captain” is trying to say here, I quote: ” The only reason why Gen. Bali eventually left Babangida’s government in 1990 was NOT because he had any policy disagreement with his boss, but because of ministerial appointment. What a man! And, what a nation of contradictions and hypocrisy! Lt-Gen. Bali disagreed with his boss, Gen. Babangida over ministerial posting (ministerial booty, if you like!) in 1990”.
What are the contradictions and hypocrisy things are?.
Nigeria is a place where it is rare to see a person resigning even if it means he is being asked to sell his mother for the sake of remaining in government or taking up appointment, let alone demotion in office portfolio.
Gen Bali was the Defence Minister and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, he was asked to take over as internal affairs minister. This was simply a demotion and he felt he could not take it, instead he chose to retire from army. The only second person who as far as I know that voluntarily retired in a similar situation was one time number two man under IBB, Ebitu Ikewe. Ebitu Ikewe (spell check) felt being a second in command; there were some things he ought to have known before that he was not told know until those things became a public knowledge. He felt the most sensible thing to do was to leave by retiring because it showed lack of IBB trust on him. That is how it should be.
Alliu, as you rightly said, Gen. Bali was the most senior military officer at that time. He was promoted to a four general even in retirement is probably because he should have been promoted before his retirement date. Unless you were told that that was not the case, otherwise he deserved it, having met the requirement and which the promotion was probably overdue, it was not a favour by IBB. IBB could have choose not to sign his promotion paper and nothing would have happened. In fact, it was something that should be a kind of apology for the delay instead. If IBB could just favour people like that, I am sure he would have promoted some of his close officers who were widely known as IBB “boys” to the rank to Field Marshals.
If I remember correctly, Gen. Obasanjo was promoted to a four star general in retirement, what would say to that?.
Of recent, when people are commenting on the negative things that IBB did during his eight years of reign, all knives are coming out so to suppress such analysis. Yes, it is no longer a hidden issue; IBB is preparing to back, as elected President, Nigerians should know the truth about his past deeds. That is the beauty of democracy; before you cast your votes for a person, know his past deeds. As I said earlier, IBB and most of the tribunal members are still alive, let them answer and defend some of their past decisions especially issues that came out from persons like Gen. Bali who was one of them and his a public knowledge.
Dr. Nowa Omoigui wrote an article (check his archive in Gamji) on alleged Vatsa’s coup. According to him, of all the coups in Nigeria, this was a classical case of a rumor coup, which would have attracted different penalty unlike a coup that actually took place; he talked about felony and non-felony. Vatsa’s alleged coup is a non-felony whereas all other coups that took place are felony according to him. Dr. Omoigui is an expert in the history of Nigerian Military establishment; please refer to his archive for more information in alleged Gen. Vatsa and other coups in Nigeria in www.gamji.com/nowa/nowa.htm
Haruna Vatsa, Gen.Vatsa’s first son was my student in Nigerian Military School, Zaria. I was told by his classmate that after his father’s execution, he pulled out from the school because he could not bear losing his father at that age. Now he is doing nothing but floating between Abuja and Minna. Whereas this Haruna’s classmate is a lecturer at Federal University Technology, Minna.
If it is true that his father was unjustly executed, one could see the effect that had caused in entire family up to date for no reason.
Mrs. Vatsa appealed to the president to look into her pleads on various issues like seizure of her husband’s properties etc. If the President has sympathy to grant her audience, why would any sensible person argue with that and even to suggest that if that is case, the President should review all past coups as well? The poor woman is pressing for that, besides, properties of late Gen. Mohammed etc were not seized unless people like Alliu wants Nigerians to believe that. Even if that is the case, the affected individual should start the process.
IBB’s hands are full of questions, he needs to answer the questions satisfactorily and Nigerians should be allowed to do some analysis on him, ask him questions as he is trying to come back in 2007. He has been given opportunity many times to defend some of his actions on some issues that happened during his reign and he has always avoided answering them. Nigerians should be allowed to press the general to come out clean on some of those issues, they have the right to demand that since he may want their votes. No hawkers should be allowed to prevent people like Gen. Bali who was in the inner cycle at that time from throwing more light into what happened even if it happened one million years ago, they have the right to know the truth. Nigerians are interested in hearing more about Gen.Vatsa issue because here is a man who two of you were childhood friends, you were the best man during his marriage.
If he does not want to be asked those questions then he should not dare ask the electorates for their votes come 2007. That is part of the game of politics/democracy, which he does not believe in.
The evil that men do live after them.
Dr. Azimeh Arigu writes from New York
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