Obasanjo Two Years After

Obasanjo: Two Years After

Some four years ago, we were under the evil grip of a man whose height belied his proclivity for evil. There was madness in the land - from the random incidences of fuel scarcity, through the anxiety over the infamous Daniel Kanu's two million-man march in support of Abacha succeeding himself and the spectre of all the five political parties jostling to succeed Abacha, their sole candidate for the 1998 election, to the incensed pursuit of members of the now rested NADECO, the devil himself seemed to have left hell and nestled in the villa. On the economic front, however, things still seemed calm, even with the sanctions which were meant to crunch the economy, and probably lead to an uprising internally. The Naira still exchanged for about N80 to one $1; prices of foodstuff were still bearable even with a minimum wage of N1,500; telephone services were epileptic - but of course we always knew that telephones were not for the poor- there was also only imported, albeit adulterated, fuel.

There was also a minister of finance with a pedigree, and an often-expressed apparent zeal to work the economy to better life in spite of the piles of sanctions imposed on the country, even though his theories sprung more questions than answers. In the midst of all of these, Abacha and his family of course continued to stash huge sums of money in foreign accounts. He and his wife were showcased as perhaps the best example in the land of the bliss of holy matrimony and his children a paradigm in prudent financial investment. In this grand deceit, it seemed then that out of any 10 Nigerians, even in Yoruba land, seven rooted for the Head of State. And then judgement day was pushed forward. It came on the June 8, 1998.

We were all ecstatic, caution and circumspection were luxuries we could not afford. In a land long starved of true role models, we were eager to honour anybody that came forward. We boosted images of people who fled from the country, as later evidence would show, not for the struggle for the enthronement of democracy, but for the profanity of weekly club gigs and other personal vanities as heroes of the struggle. We honoured General Abubakar for handing over power that did not belong to him. Olu Falae became our best example of a progressive and Obasanjo was all the evidence we needed, that God does not sleep. It soon did not mater that the man who mindlessly annulled the election that still undoubtedly is the freest and fairest presidential election ever held and whose acts directly culminated in the death of Chief M. K. O. Abiola, was a clear sponsor of the General.

For once, we were willing to ignore the time-tested truism, that a man's content is largely indicated by the company he keeps. It did not also matter that the man (whose people should know him better), was given a bad testimonial by his own people. We only wanted to hear his own story, and he indeed told us; how he survived Abacha's grand design to silence him for life; how he had renewed his pact with his "Lord and personal Saviour", how he was determined to restore electricity, the economy and the dignity of labour, etc. We were indeed blest; we had two great gifts for the price of one. We had democracy now, and in its luggage was the best we could hope for, the avuncular general! It was almost as if he had a celestial mandate in addition to the PDP's to rule Nigeria. We were indeed in dire need of a hero when he came along.

Now, it is two years after. There are absolutely no sanctions against the country, our problem was supposed to be the now dead General Abacha, and the President in his wisdom has chosen men he considers suitable for the task of prudent and responsible governance. He has not asked for any resource, human and material, that he did not get. Money has been pouring in - from the huge recoveries from the Abacha family and friends, to the bounteous gain from the GSM bids, to the ever-gushing oil revenue amongst a great many other sources. When he even wanted a new aircraft, we all touted it as a mater of huge economic importance, and he got it. Yet two years into the Obasanjo democracy, it is common to see people recalling with nostalgia the Abacha era. And yet Abacha received no co-operation from within and outside Nigeria. His was akin to a war-time government!

It is hard to ignore them when you consider that fuel was cheaper then than now and that even though most of it was adulterated, at least it was available and you had a choice in the mater. Unlike today when if there is no fuel, there is simply no fuel! Transportation, food, water, electricity, etc, were cheaper then than now, even the cost of running government.

In the past, the claim was that the President meant well and that all the atrocities were committed by either the legislators or the President's bad advisers and aides. He has always been excused. But now, if the President is truly a good and principled man dedicated to the cause of the common man, could there not have been an understanding between him and his sponsors "who begged him to run for office" concerning how best not to infringe his lofty principles of prudence and accountability? Could he have agreed to "settle" people with government appointments and contracts, not by reason of competence, but only as dividend for political patronages? How much transparency and equity do you see in the anti-corruption programme of a man who has a maniacal passion for recovering the Abacha loot but needs the ordinary man, who has never been in power and has no records of the transactions of the IBB government, to provide him with evidence of any financial wrong doings by the IBB government?

Are we not unwittingly being made cheering witnesses to a display of the President's personal vendetta against a man who jailed him and who fate has made our favourite enemy? In any case, which loot is more? Is it the sum stolen by Abacha and only a few of his friends in five years or that unaccounted for under the huge apparatus of the Obasanjo democracy in just two years?

Just imagine the number of personnel at the federal level and the answer leaps to your head. Making it more pungent, which is more, between the proven Abacha loot since 1993 and the cost of the President and his huge entourage's very frequent bingeful excursions all over the world and the super-extravagant banquets arranged in his honour by our ever-grateful ambassadors to each host country in the last 2 years? The answer may surprise you.

The President was given a mandate in May 1999 and I do not recall it being to determine the success of his government by the amount of money he recovers from the Abacha family. I want to believe the people just wanted shelter, electricity, good roads and transportation, food and such basic things. Nigerians have never asked for more.

It is indeed a pity that we are begging for these basics more desperately now than we did in the Abacha years. I am a legal practitioner with a leading law firm where I have worked for about 10 years and until now, I could afford to cater for about all my needs. Now, let's spare a thought for the unemployed and the underprivileged. Just imagine their burden today - and the President is still all over the place - except Nigeria - pumping hands and slapping backs, and having banquets and awards! All the above really is mere repeating the sentiments of most commentators on the Nigerian situation, but the man simply ignores us. He must, however, remember that it was the prayer of the underprivileged that was answered on June 8, 1998. And if there is anything the Abacha years teach us, it is that the more you betray the people, the quicker God remembers them! And when judgement comes, it shall not be a defence for the President to say that he was better than Abacha. Aren't we all? But indeed, after all the dust, is the President a better manager?