It is only in a country like Nigeria that
certain things do happen. What looks so absurd in other civilized
societies appears to be normal in this part of the world. That is the
truth of the matter. Therefore, it is not strange to seek solace in the
dictum ‘doing it the Nigerian way’ when you do something wrong against
all sense of purpose.
It is high time the president and his men
knew that Nigeria belongs to all of us and no single Nigerian has more
right to Nigeria than the others. The fact that one occupies an office
does not make one more Nigerian than other people. Conversely, the fact
that one does not occupy a political office does not make one inferior
to other people. The Babangida of yester-years is an ordinary Nigerian
today and so also will Obasanjo of today become an ordinary citizen
tomorrow. This is the fact of the matter.
It is not an exaggeration that the coming
of Atiku from the United States where he has gone to spend his annual
vacation elicited wide attention. And as the number two man of this
great country, Atiku is entitled to some rights and privileges. That
Fani Kayode will come on national television and say that president
Obasanjo ‘gracefully’ granted Atiku the use of the presidential lounge
on his arrival at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is very
nauseating and embarrassing. Atiku applying to the president does not
mean that he is not entitled to its use but rather it’s just a procedure
that has to be followed.
The president and his men should know that
Obasanjo has not done anything extra ordinary by approving the request.
He would have done more damage to his already battered image both
locally and internationally if he had turned down the request and the
whole world would have further seen the dictatorial tendencies in him.
Atiku would have moved on with his life, after all he had suffered more
humiliations and persecutions in the hands of the present
administration.
It is worth mentioning too that sycophancy
on the part of Fani Kayode will not do him any good. If he is out to
impress his boss by being a sycophant, he shall regret every actions of
his in time to come. We have seen other people in the life of this
administration that had, at one time or the other, licked the
president’s foot. They have not only being forgotten in the annals of
history today, but totally disgraced by the same man they tried so hard
to please.
The untold hardship meted out to travelers
using the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was totally uncalled for.
The police was to provide protection to the number two citizen on his
arrival but not to harass innocent citizens that were going about their
normal businesses. It is on record that some foreigners were not allowed
by the police to go to the airport even after displaying their air
tickets. Atiku had traveled in the past using the same airport, why is
this one being made to look different? If the intention is cause chaos
and sufferings to Nigerians in order to solicit public resentment
against the man Atiku, it has failed woefully. Rather, the love Nigerian
people have for him is waxing stronger.
The impression given to Nigerians was that
only twenty people were allowed to receive Atiku at the airport. Even at
that, some of these people were eventually not allowed into the vicinity
of the airport. A clear case was that of Laila Dogonyaro who was
conspicuously listed but was prevented from going farther than the
airport junction. Again, this is arrant nonsense. What trouble could
ladies, more especially in the person of Laila Dogonyaro, cause at the
airport that warranted her being refused entry?
Now that Atiku has returned against the
expectation of his enemies, Nigerians are waiting to see the next move
of the presidency to further malign him. If I were president Obasanjo I
would forget about this man and concentrate all efforts at making my
party sweep the polls at the next general election.
Nuhu Shuaib
Jerrygold Estate
Zone 2, Wuse
Abuja
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