Blessed Supreme Court To The Rescue Again

By

Farouk Martins, Omo Aresa

faroukmartins@hotmail.com

 

 

God works in a mysterious way especially in Nigeria, the most religious country in the whole wide world. As I sat down wondering what the coming attraction was going to be after Obasanjo v. Atiku movie was ending, our prayers have been answered by the Court order on Peter Obi. We may not need a revolution after all. The youths have been pestering us that nothing short of that will save Nigeria.

 

Most of us are in agreement with the Supreme Court on reinstating Peter Obi as the Governor of Anambra State. The judgment reverberated throughout Nigeria because of it doctrine on other states. This Governor of Anambra is more than a cat with many lives, he is a touch of fresh air. As bad some of the situation in the State is, there are many examples we can emulate from the people because of their indefectible fight against the Federal might, I once wrote.

 

Unfortunately, some of my brothers disagree with me on his stand against militias in the State who had the nerve to tell him to his face to leave private taxes to them while he concentrates on Federal revenue. He fought them on principle and in the process there were, of course, collateral damages. It was not a pretty picture and it created doubts in the mind of well meaning people. It is still my belief that he was not to blame.

 

This Peter Obi was so controversial, I supported him against Ojukwu and I stepped on some toes for that. If Ojukwu wanted to help him, he should not have thrown him into lion’s den by criticizing him openly of accepting Federal police and army to claim his State from detractors. We all have our reservation about Nigerian Police and the Army. But without peace or calm of some sort, nothing can prevail.

 

Some of the politicians are so close to the police, it becomes very difficult to understand which court order they obey. Peter Obi is a case in point, he won two knock out cases in the courts only for the police with the backing of Attorney General to drag their feet. Now he has been reinstated as Governor who never completed his term in office.

 

In Oyo State, we do not think Adedibu has any inherent hold over the police or can mesmerize the new President to the point of lawlessness tolerated by the former President. I think Ladoja, like Peter Obi is on his way back. Oyo State, like Anambra was, is now ruled by thugs with impunity. This rigged-in Governor Akala will never rule long in Nigeria. He got his men in the House to overturn his indictment after failing to get two honorable judges to do the dirty work. The Chief Judge was replaced with another one turning State judiciary into house of prostitutes. It was Anambra then, some of us cried, it is Oyo State now.

 

Some of us may remember how Fasoye got Tinubu, Adebayo and his father into virtual house arrest in Ekiti even though they had their own police escort with them. In Anambra, it became difficult to distinguish what side police or army was in the fight between road transport owners, workers and the various militant groups. We did not know which money bag was overpowering which. It could have been the case of man pass man, position pass power. 

 

We are now watching President Yar’Adua to see how the police are going to implement Supreme Court order in Nigeria. I do not know what Obasanjo did in front of Adedibu that turned him into hostage. I just hope Yar’Adua was nowhere close by, then. Somebody has to go after Adedibu the way Chris Uba lost his grace in Anambra. More important, Supreme Court doctrine on Peter Obi has to work in Oyo, to displace Akala the way of Andy Uba.

 

There are no more principles in Nigeria and it is becoming increasingly agonizing to explain our mores and culture to our children. It has become a Country of anything goes. We have lost respect not only for ourselves, foreigners are now disrespecting us everywhere. They know we have no place to retreat. If Supreme Court continues this way, lower courts will follow and our police will have no choice but to get in line.

 

It is only then we can point to Nigeria where ever we are and claim there is justice at home. May be none of us will be humiliated outside, none of us would rather die than come back home, none of us will point to our Country with a blemished finger. All it takes is a determined body like the judiciary  to make sure justice prevail, or the determined engineers/administrator that Power Holding Company produce electricity, or the accounting body to produce good book keeping.

 

Nigeria has become a country of everyone for himself and nobody for us. Peter Obi, no matter his reservation about our Country has a new spirit and built up enthusiasm to work hard in Anambra State. But we can not fool ourselves, it takes more than a tree to build a forest. More Nigerians must develop positive attitude towards our home. If we love and show respect for one another, all our brothers that are forced into cargo planes in Libya, Spain, Italy, South Africa etc dead or alive will be treated differently. If they know how bad we treat ourselves, they will treat worse. Supreme Court has spoken, give the Governor the respect he deserve.