The National Award

The National Award: An Elitist Shenanigan

Tochukwu Ezukanma

Once again, Chinua Achebe rejected the national honor that was to be conferred on him by the Nigerian government. He had earlier rejected the same award in the year 2004. Then, he did it for a number of reasons, including that, “Nigeria is a country that does not work – schools, universities, roads, hospitals, water, the economy, security, life”. He rejected this year’s award because, “the reasons for rejecting the offer when it was first made have not been addressed, let alone solved”. It is splendid that he has repeatedly declined the honor because to hobnob with a government notorious for its corruption, ineptitude and the economic strangulation of the masses, and be part of that horde of mediocrity that “qualified” for the honors would have been a smear on his reputation.

Ordinarily, national honors are bestowed on the select few that excelled in their commitment to duty, devotion to the public good, sacrifice for national glory, selfless services to humanity etc. But in Nigeria, where standards and merit have been jettisoned from every human enterprise, what informs the conferment of the national awards?

From every indication, the conditions for awarding these honors may be political connections, impressive pedigrees and grandiose titles. It is for political patronage and elite camaraderie. And no wonder the names of the likes of Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and Arthur Eze were on the list of awardees.

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu is a man with a questionable business history. He was implicated in the Okotoko saga. The Okotoko saga was a chilling tale of kidnapping, killing, dismemberment and trade in human body organs. Arthur Eze was the political godfather of the then governor of Anambara State, Chinweoke Mbadinuju. He milked the state dry by forcing the state governor to give him a preponderant chunk of the state’s financial allocation. Consequently, the Mbadinuju administration could not pay teachers and civil servants, and government functions grinded to a halt.

By the end of that murderous political partnership (Mbadinuju as governor and Arthur Eze as king-maker), the pall of the Dark Age enveloped Anambara state. There was no education in the state because schools were shot down for more than one year in a stretch. The state bureaucracy collapsed and government institutions atrophied and withered, and hunger, poverty and politically motivated killings and all forms of criminality held sway in the state. And this same man whose greed, insensitivity and obscurantism reduced a vibrant and enlightened state to the boondocks was conferred with a national honor? What sensational nonsense?

A preserve of the elite, the honor list was studded with generals, ministers, governors, senators, etc. It did not include regular Nigerians that have distinguished themselves in probity, creativity, selflessness, acts of courage and service to their country. The nominees for the awards should ordinarily include school teachers that have shown distinction in teaching; policemen, who, despite the corruption and brutality that suffuse the Nigeria Police Force, have remained incorruptible and conscientious in their work; and other Nigerians who are doing their exceptional best within their limits in different works of life.

The disproportionate representation of retired and serving generals among the award recipients seemed odd. Nigeria has not been in a major war for a very long time. So, the honoring of former and active generals and admirals on such a significant scale seemed out of place. In a country that is not at war, in what peaceful enterprise could have so many generals distinguished themselves? The powerful and connected generals are those that carved their niche as coup plotters and military rulers and administrators. What is laudable, and thus, deserving of honors about coup plotting and military intervention in politics?

A number of ministers in President Jonathan’s administration were also honored with awards. What could have been the criteria for such honors? It could not have been excellence in running their ministries because all their ministries are mired in corruption and ineptitude. For example, the Minister for Petroleum, Mrs. Allison-Madueke, received an award. Paradoxically, she presides over one of the most corrupt ministries in Nigeria. She has failed to use her knowledge, talents and ministerial powers to improve the quality of live for the generality of Nigerians. Most of the country’s refineries are not functioning and those that are functioning operate below capacity. Shamefully, Nigeria, an oil rich nation with local refineries, continues to import refined petrol. In addition, it is believed that 20% of the Nigerian oil production is lost to illegal bunkering with the knowledge and acquiesce, and sometimes, connivance of the Ministry of Petroleum and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)..

It is obvious that none of the governor that received national honors has done his extraordinary best within the confines of his powers and resources in running the affairs of his state. None has genuinely endeavored to rise to the demands of disciplined and responsible governance. Like other state governors, they all continue to appropriate local government funds and ride roughshod over the local governments. They have all failed to reform the corruption-ridden, inefficient and wasteful state governments. They misappropriate state funds and at government expense, they and their cronies live in breathtaking opulence at the economic misery of the masses. None has indisputably promoted the equitable redistribution of the state resources and the subordination of the governing powers to the will of the people.

The fundamental role of the Nigerian legislators is to be intrepid and selfless sentinels of the constitution. But instead of serving as a citadel of courageous and vigorous defense of democracy, the Nigerian legislature relapsed to a bastion of cupidity, mediocrity and moribundity. In their notorious indolence, the National Assembly was on recess for 43 days of the first 100 days of this administration. In their grasping avarice and remorseless exploitation of the system, the Nigerian legislators earn 200 times what should have been their legitimate income. The income per capita is the United States of America is 20 times that of Nigeria. Therefore, logically, and using income per capita as the basis for determining the salaries of our legislators, they should earn 1/20 of the earnings of the American legislators. Unbelievably, the Nigerian legislator earns 10 times as much as the American legislator, and the legislature consumes 40% of the annual recurrent budget.

And lamentably, the presidency found superb legislators, deserving the national honors, from the ranks of these slothful and ravening predators. Were the honors for their awe-inspiring enhancement of the welfare and advancement of the same country they are ruthlessly fleecing? What a shenanigan?

According to the trite but instructive expression, “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”. In other words, your object of admiration is a reflection of what you are. So, the kind of persons that the rulers of this country choose to recognize and honor with awards is a reflection of the quality of our leadership. Its choice of awardees, for the most part reveals that it has chosen to regard repulsive ugliness as beauty, irredeemable evil as good, unvarnished debauchery as chastity, nauseating greed as altruism and exasperating mediocrity as excellence.