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Nigeria: A Nation With Zero Morality Index By Abbas A. Dikko No. 51, Kawo New Extesion, Kaduna
Seeming abuse of ethical conduct, has become the bane of our men and people in government, years back, this had been embedded in our body system with immediate last eight years of Obasanjo’s democratic government scoring the highest percentage. The era, honour and dignity became immodest, while, material wealth and power amassment occupies the center stage, modus and adoration of our men and women in authority. They believed, the yardstick for ones credibility, are being measured by the essentials of landed properties, investments and fat account.
Therefore, the struggles within the men of power and authority rest squarely on personal aggrandizement to the detriment of the nation and its people, more reason why, over 47 years of our nationhood from today, the country remain without focus and future after several reforms and talk-shops. Several attempts were made, but, due to insincerity, irrationality, self-centeredness on the part of the crusaders, of course, our leaders, nothing can be deduced achieved or even the way forward proffered.
The celebrated Asian Tigers with high proportionate economic break-through and good governance, was as a result of their moral standard, sincerity of objectives, respect for guides and rules, in other words, due diligence and rule of law, and effective, functional none interference Institutions of government. But in Nigeria, where everything goes, the people in authority subvert or break the law as well, refuse to offer themselves for scrutiny, the issue(s) would later be trivialize, politicize, regionalize or worst personalize.
Good examples of these cases in question are; $16 billion power funds Vs Olusegun Obasanjo, N300 million heath funds Vs Iyabo Bello Obasanjo, $480 million AFC Vs Chukwuma Soludo, Federal government assets Vs Nasir el-Rufa’i among just few. Those that chose to compromise rectitude for the defence of these alleged accused persons continue to misrepresent the facts. Some among them went even out of context and conscience, exposing more of their ignorance, incompatibility, insincerity and insensitivity to matters of national prominence.
Indeed, Nigerians are known to be people that easily forget things and let it go, that are in the past. The citizenry are becoming more keen, interested and devoting much of there times assessing issues that have to do with their lives and nation, this was informed by the unprecedented level of degeneration, devastation and degradation they went through under the immediate past despotic government of Olusegun Obasnjo. The monumental contraption and blunder perpetrated by his regime in all sectors of our lives as a nation, very much put the citizenry at alert and more conscious of their constitutional rights.
Therefore, it would be deceitful on the part of these men and women to use diversionary tactics to complicate things in order to get away with their inordinate and inundated ambition. An adage says; “Once beaten twice shy” However, let me not drag much of my feats, those in the vanguards of this uncouth behaviour are no other persons than; Senator Kanti Mahmud Bello, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Yemisi Kolapo and Ijeoma Nwugwugwu of Punch and Thisday newspapers respectively.
To begin with, on three occasions, I heard Sen.Kanti Bello spoke, first, soon after the inauguration of Yar’Adua’s government; he was in the news with proclamation that they are the front liners, shakers and movers of the present administration. Secondly, the recent interviews he granted to VOA and BBC Hausa services on the issue of Sen. Iyabo Obasanjo Bello, quickly reminds me of his position at the 1st commemoration lecture of late Wada Nas where he persistently kept on calling Gen. Muhammadu Buhari my president. He became a darling all, adored and respected at that August gathering; many salute his acumen and candour.
Unfortunately, he has now become a subject that can be tamed, “Kanti and the question of moral rectitude”. No doubt, by virtue of his position as the Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics, qualifies him to oversee to the later the case of Sen. Iyabo Obasanjo Bello. Disappointingly, he over blew the matter, clearly exposing his likely culpability in the said case, even when it became prejudicial for the Senate to speak on the matter again, Kanti still went ahead granting interviews, saying all sort of things without recourse to moral value and the manner at which Nigerians may view his actions.
The case in question is simple and clear, nobody is or wanted Sen. Iyabo Obasanjo Bello crucified because of her father’s ugly deeds against the Nigerian nation. The existing atmosphere is at variance with that of Obasanjo’s government that descended heavily on the family of late Gen. Sani Abacha for alleged corrupt practices, and isn’t that a sheer lies that EFCC operatives manhandled Iyabo’s house help, reason why according to Kanti, she dock to avoid humiliation? Isn’t it unwise or dishonourable for a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to refuse submitting herself before the law and in that wise, save her innocent servant from the gullible hands of EFCC? Senator Mahmud Kanti Bello, we should be sincere to our country and selves, it pays little or nothing for a personality to be a sell-out.
However, the issue of Dr. Tunji Abayomi, can be said to be more worrisome than the rest. A lawyer of repute, hard liner and social activist with International cap to add, advocate of democracy and good governance, gone to jail more than once and several undercover for his crusades against military juntas. The same Abayomi today, leads the vanguard for the defence of Olusegun Obasanjo’s unwholesomeness and, much more enmeshed in the Police Equipment Funds saga. Two times I heard him spoke on AIT popular program, Focus on the issues of the police equipment funds and the supposed appearance of former President Olusegun Obasanjo before the power sector probe, twice, I became disappointed.
Further more, the recent affirmation of the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose on ‘who is Obasanjo’ at the same Focus program on AIT station, is another good riddance to condemn any person(s) that stands in his defence, therefore, Abayomi’s recent bold actions with regards to Obasanjo and his eight years misrule, subject his conscience to scrutiny, I doubt his genuineness and sincerity. Thanks for democratic rule, the deceitful ones are beginning to unmask and uncover their original shell.
How can one imagine, the Abayomi of all that challenges any action or inaction of late Gen. Sani Abacha’s military government, which earn him an International recognition, came on the air, telling the world that the unconstitutionality and aberration of due process perpetrated by the former President on NIPP, was right, simply because of the executive powers conferred on him by the constitution? In similar manner, hailing the actions of Nasir el-Rfu’i, former FCT Minister, revoking other Nigerians plot of lands and allocating them to his immediate family as morally Ok? Is it ethically right for a serving civil or public servant to acquire landed property, more so, government owned and worst still, through manipulation? No! Abayamo’s social crusade must be a fake.
And for the two ladies of Punch and Thisday newspapers that came heavily in defence of Soludo/el-Rufa’i, importing all manner of regional sentimentally, is rather too unfortunate and contrary to the best acceptable practice in any civilized society. Nobody doubts their intellectual and techno whatever prowess, their actions with regards to these specified matters contrast with their natural endowment. These persons are known to be the advocates of due process and diligence, therefore, it would be immature and legal disabilities on their persons to take any action(s) that are not constitutionally conferred with. Hence, challenging their illegality, shouldn’t be sentimentally invoke, this country is greater than any one of us and must be seen to move forward.
For some journalist or analyst to be found promoting North/South dichotomy, in this generation and in whatever case scenario, is unfortunate, misnomer, social contraption and morally imbalance. Let whoever found wanting in the discharge of his official functions, seen to be punish to serve as deterrent to others. Nobody no matter what or highly placed is indispensable. |