Victory for Democracy
By
Wada Nas
Essentially, democracy is largely about the voice of the people and respect for their genuine and collective wishes. In the wake of the pathetic sad events that devastated Lagos following bomb explosions on Sunday 27/1/2002, Nigerians, through their elected representatives in the National Assembly, pleaded and called on Mr. President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to cancel his scheduled trip to the United State and Venezuela where he was billed to attend a very important economic summit. The reason was for him to address the dangerous calamity that has affected part of our great country following the deadly explosions, in which about 1000 of our citizens lost their lives. Never have we experienced such a devastation since the civil war.
Many had concluded that Mr. President may not heed the call for very obvious reasons. In an emotional speech to the National Council of State the president disappointed cynics and critics alike by announcing the cancellation of the trip. He did this not through a press release or through a second party but before the highest administrative body in the country, a clear demonstration of how he feels deeply about what happened to his fellow citizens.
While announcing the cancellation Mr. President, in a way apologized to all Nigerians over his remarks in Lagos where he saw what happened. He told the nation that he was never informed while there that lives were lost as a consequence of the incident and that had he known it he would have cancelled his scheduled trip to Katsina. He added that even a stone hearted person would have melt on hearing what happened. This is in a way telling the nation that he was sorry for his alleged Lagos utterances on the incident.
By the cancellation of the trip and the seeming public apology, President Obasanjo has not only demonstrated the desired leadership but also showed his commitment to the promotion of democracy by respecting the popular view of the people. These qualities are what are desired of a leader committed to the values of democracy and respect for the voice of the people. President Obasanjo deserves on avation for this and I hope that he would continue to demonstrate such democratic qualities, which I have no doubt would earn for him greater respect from the people as it would also enhance his democratic stature and very importantly, popularity.
The Federal Government and the NNPC deserve the prompt contribution of N200 million and N100 million respectively to fund set up in aid of the victims of the explosions and hope that well meaning organisations and individuals would emulate their good example. It would be a good idea for all our elected representatives at various levels and political appointees to surrender voluntarily at least 20% of their one month salary to the fund in sympathy with their fellow citizens.
In moments like this all of us ought to be our brothers’ keepers not just because what affects one section of the country affects all but also because what happened could occur else where. It is in this regard that I wish to call on all local and state governments throughout the country as well as good friends of Nigeria to come to the rescue of the victims of the explosion by contributing, no matter how small, to the fund. The committee set up for this purpose should endeavour to set up sub committees at local and state levels where ordinary Nigerians could donate towards the fund. This is so because what happened in Lagos is not a Lagos affair but a national one and therefore deserves the sympathy of all Nigerians, irrespective of any known differences. There are times when we have to act in a bipartisan manner for the good and well being of our nation.
Let
me seize this opportunity to send my sincere condolences to the president, the
Governor of Lagos state and all the good people of one great country over this
devastating tragedy. We hope that Government would do everything possible to
avoid a re occurrence in future.
Wada Nas