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Between Aluko and Obasanjo By
Thank you Prof. Ikhariale for the most entertaining article. ALUKO AND OBASANJO Entertaining in the sense that people like Aluko and Obasanjo have reduced serious national issues to comic personal theaters of laughable absurdities. Both men, quite typical of most Nigerians in public glare are pure opportunists in my estimation, despite the high profile bestowed on them by the press.
Aluko was not part of the very successful government led by Awolowo between 1952 and 1959. He was a student of economics in the UK during the period. He became associated with the Action Group after his doctorate in 1959. Like most university educated people, especially with a doctorate degree during his era, he could not but be highly noticed and well respected. What has he shown for all this respect. Nothing noticeable really, except the use of his influential position to impoverish his people. Any government that refuses to acknowledge Aluko as the utmost wisdom of economics in Nigeria, incurs his wrath like Sango, the Yoruba god of thunder. That is why he needed to defend rogues like Abacha, because he was not only recognised, but his immediate family members benefited from Abacha's lootocracy in no small measure. Abacha's loot has been a subject of discussion in the British, Swedish and some other European parliaments and press. In spite of this, Aluko says Obasanjo government is lying about this loot. If the man is not senile he need psychiatric attention.
Obasanjo comes with the toga of a nationalist, despite the Owu of Abeokuta tribal mark all over his face. He wants people to believe that he, unlike other leaders before him, is not Yoruba but Nigerian. This illusion is staring him in the face everyday of his governance. The northern people who put him there now say they are being marginalised despite the Iboman's claim that, that description applies only to them. The Yorubaman's attitude is, 'we no tell you make you no vote for the man'. The south-south has come up with all kinds of agitation including resource control.
Sharia, Jos riots, Tiv-Junkun strife, Urhobo-Itsekiri crisis, OPC, Arewa, Ijaw youths, etc are the consequences of an unimaginative and gutless leadership. A more purposeful leadership would allow people to discuss their future through a conference of all nationalities. Obasanjo cannot see this bigger picture until things really get out of control and the room for dialogues or conferences have all been demolished.
Economy does not exist in a vacuum, it is an integral part of a social system. If there is no order in the social system, the economy suffers, no matter who is in charge. I am not an economist but I can understand this and thousands of Alukos cannot tell me otherwise.
Yes, the PDP government of Obasanjo is not up to scratch in the handling of the economy. The government is not up to scratch in handling Nigeria, but it is not Obasanjo's fault. You cannot turn a mechanic to a barrister overnight. Obasanjo has no skills, intellectual or otherwise to turn Nigeria around. Pure and simple. The Yoruba people from Abeokuta, his hometown know this and told all of us loud and clear. We, the rest of Nigerians think otherwise and allowed some few individuals for the North to impose him on us. Even Aluko had no problem with this and one his sons is a PDP senator today.
However when the expected political patronage did not follow, the old professor started running his mouth like an old gramaphone, declaring Abacha a saint and "his friend", evil. Nigeria is indeed some theatre with all the absurdities, in the sense that people like Aluko and Obasanjo have reduced serious national issues to comic personal theaters of laughable absurdities.
December 2001 |