Desperate Hours In Nigeria

By

Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye

scruples2006@yahoo.com

 

Yesterday (Tuesday, May 29, 2007), in an atmosphere unduly charged with heavy deployment of stern faced, gun-wielding soldiers in almost every corner of the nation, another chapter in our “do-or-die”, military democracy was unveiled. In other climes, democracy is a most exciting experience, and a handover day, a national carnival that provokes widespread joy and pleasant feelings across the land. But here it was a day of great fear and trepidation, a day of gloom and mourning, a funeral almost! In fact, it nearly looked like a war situation, with dangerous weapons being pointed at everybody’s face, and Nigerians were more concerned about their safety than any thought or attempt to celebrate any so-called democracy. It was clearly a day for desperadoes, who were hell-bent on demonstrating their capacity to deny the people both their way and their say.

 

A few hours before the handover ceremony, former President Olusegun Obasanjo unleashed what many papers declared as his cruel parting gift to the nation. The price of petrol quickly rose from N65 to N75. There were speculations that it may hit N85 soon. As I stopped at a filling station to buy some fuel on Monday morning, the fuel attendant gladly showed me the front page of a national newspaper screaming the news of the fuel price hike, to justify their decision to adjust their meter. Before that, there were some last minute desperate sales of some choice treasures of the nation, perhaps, to adequately prepare for a more cozy retirement. Yes, it was time for the final lap of the primitive accumulation to build ungodly dynasties. Who are you to dare observe that the Emperor wore no clothes?

 

Now, no one is saying that those who were rigged out in the last “elections” were better human beings, or would have made better leaders than those sworn in yesterday. No. What we are worried about is this ominous feeling that a tiny cabal of retrogressive and failed characters know better than more than 140 million Nigerians, and so, should be the ones to choose their leaders for them. What makes the matter even most devastating and overly revolting is that the principal character at the head of this cabal, arrogating this omniscient capacity to himself, has in the past eight years distinguished himself as a most disastrous leader, whose failure in character and leadership is writ large in almost every area of our national life.  Certainly, Nigeria is in no need of Emperors, “founding fathers” and “life-leaders”, whose claim to greatness and boundless wisdom is only demonstrated in the brazenness with which they flaunt raw force and share the nation’s patrimony to self, relatives and cronies!

 

These are indeed desperate hours, the type William Shakespeare’s Macbeth found himself. The more Macbeth took measures to shield himself from the just consequences of his hideous past, the more he saw greater troubles staring him in the face. If only somebody had told him much earlier that he had murdered sleep and so would have no sleep himself. In his desperation, he even went after those who never thought of doing him harm, and in the process compounded his own fears. But the more he went after his real and imagined enemies, the more his fears grew out of proportion. Only his exit from the stage marked the enthronement of peace in Scotland.  The lesson Macbeth has left for all leaders is that the only guarantee for peaceful post-office life is  good governance, justice and transparency. 

 

Well, perhaps, the only slim consolation in all these chaos that has followed all the desperate efforts to kill and hurriedly bury Nigerian democracy and replace it with a militarized, “homegrown” version would appear to be that as you read this article this morning, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, hopefully, the vestigial remains of authoritarian leadership in Nigeria, is no longer the president of this severely traumatized nation. It sounds too good to be true. But it is true. He should be somewhere in Owu or Ota, discussing with his lawyers and thinking about the several litigations over forcefully and improperly acquired lands that may soon engulf him, which not even his current position as life-leader of the PDP and “founder of modern Nigeria” may be able to  shield him from. It is also possible that any moment from now, the people of Odi, Zaki-Ibiam and some other places, may wish to request that he take a pleasure ride to the Hague (not in a presidential jet) to explain some little matters about “Crime Against Humanity” to a United Nation’s Human Rights Commission. It would be most preposterous for Mr. Umaru Yar’Adua, who is still struggling to garner some bit of legitimacy from credible quarters at home to pretend that he could stand up to the UN to stop the General from honouring the invitation. The much any sane person would expect him to do would be to promise that he “would ensure he gets a free and fair trial.” Indeed, Yar’Adua ought to be wise to realize that you can only successfully face external aggressions if you have home support. My prayer today is that this nation would survive these desperate hours of desperate men. I am still watching to see what tomorrow will bring. 

 

 

*****************************************************

 

Florence Ita-Giwa: What Next?

 

Not too long ago, I cannot really recall what exactly happened, but I suddenly developed some interest in the personality and politics of Florence Ita-Giwa, the fashionable and ebullient former Senator of the Federal Republic and until about yesterday or so, the Special Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on National Assembly Matters. I was then moved to start reading up whatever I could find about her, and equally gathering some of them in a small file.

 

I have since found out that Ita-Giwa is a very interesting politician. She exudes power, influence and pomp, and appears always very comfortable ONLY at the very centre of power and influence. I would recall that I first heard her name in late 1986 when Dele Giwa, former Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine was brutally killed with a parcel bomb. I was to read about her later, in greater detail, in the controversial book, Born To Run, by Dele Olojede and Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo. Although she was to later refute some accounts about her in the book, the story somehow helps to throw some light on this complex personality called Florence Ita-Giwa.

 

After this time, I heard practically little or nothing about her again (maybe because I am a not a great fan of soft-sell and society magazines), until she became very active in politics and became a Senator, where she and Khariat Gwadebe were about the most vocal and prominent female senators. During the battle of wits between President Obasanjo and late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo for the soul of the Senate, Ita-Giwa was solidly behind the towering figure of Okadigbo, and she did not hide it, even though she was in a rival party, the APP. She was once even quoted as saying that those fighting Okadigbo were intimidated by his height and great intellect. But when Okadigbo fell and a certain Pius Anyim was thrown up as Senate President, the newspapers splashed on their front pages the next day the famous picture of Florence in a warm bear-hug with Anyim that must have provoked deep envy in several male hearts. Again, it became clear that Ita-Giwa only relished being at the centre power, and had little or no patience with those who have fallen by the wayside. She was to latter join the PDP, and when Obasanjo conquered both the Senate and the House of Representatives to become Nigeria’s maximum “civilian” leader and the most powerful man in the land, Ita-Giwa became his Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, and it was in this position that she emerged in her best elements as a great influence wielder. Indeed, it is believed that Ita-Giwa understands the inner workings of the National Assembly more than even several lawmakers, and could be counted upon to sometimes wield great influence to save her boss from head-on collisions with lawmakers.  Although that power appeared to have significantly deserted her with Senator Ken Nnamani on the saddle.

 

It would appear that sometimes Ita-Giwa perceives herself as some kind of mother-figure to the National Assembly. She once made a famous statement when former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, was still in the good books of Aso Rock, and his colleagues were about to impeach him. While the meeting called to save Wabara lasted far into the early hours of the next morning, some concerned persons reportedly asked Ita-Giwa: “Madam, why not go home and rest?” To which she replied: “How can I go home when my House is on fire?” And recently, when Obasanjo almost met an empty National Assembly when he went there to present something (I can’t remember now), it was reported that Ita-Giwa had to call some of the Assemblymen on phone and succeeded in persuading a number of them to come to the House to save her boss the embarrassment of addressing an empty hall. And she does this so effortlessly. I also watched her the day Obasanjo went to the National Assembly to submit the census figures or so, and was amazed how she was guiding Baba through the whole proceeding like a mother would his frightened schoolboy, ensuring he did not make any mistake. Apart from politics, Ita-Giwa has also been into charity work, especially in her Bakassi area of Cross River State (now ceded to Cameroon). I was deeply touched when I read that she had adopted about a hundred children whose upkeep and education have become her sole responsibility.

 

But as I look at 2007 and beyond, I try hard to locate Ita-Giwa’s likely next bus stop in the whole power set-up, that is, the next centre of power from where she would throw her weight and influence about. I am afraid, the horizon appears hazy? Will Yar’Adua find another job for her or retain her as his Adviser on National Assembly Matters, or would Madam Bakassi retreat to the background to look after her countless adopted kids, attend high profile parties and earn prominent spots in the society pages of our newspapers, and receive more awards from the ever-willing Award-giving PLCs that seem to swarm the entire landscape these days?

 

 

The next few days, or even weeks, will tell…  

www.ugochukwu.blog.com