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Operation Fool the Nation By So many things that happen in life is at least tricky. Visualize a not so brilliant drunken bourgeoisie ascending to the presidency of a free world, complicated by the election that brought him to power. It must be hard to imagine that but it happens, in the United States of all places. It makes you want to say, hmm, wonders will forever happen. The reality or even a remote thought of this happening in the best of all worlds, makes anyone wonder ‘what hope, Nigeria’. That is not what my headache is today; in fact, I may not have any headache, just my thoughts coming aloud for others to hear. I love Nigeria that is yet to be. A nation that is weaved together as a quilt. While I hold fast my hope, Nigerians ought to recall some of the behaviors of the man in charge of their affairs. I guess it is very okay to talk just a little bit about the man, Olusegun Obasanjo. Before we go on, I want to promise that nothing I say changes the fact that Obasanjo is the head of the class, ‘our elected president'. However, I would contest the idea that, if at the end of his tenure in office, Obasanjo has nothing to show Nigerians; no one should be alarmed, because they ought to have known whom their president is. A trite. His trailing deceptions, one after the other, is a disastrous compound. Obasanjo has become a maverick of his game and he is unstoppable. As a younger unmarried army officer, Olusegun shared quarters with late Kaduna Nzoegwu. With trust in a roommate, Major Nzoegwu asked Mr. Double O to meet with General Ironsi in Lagos to negotiate terms of engagement for the mutineers. Olusegun left for Lagos, never returned, betrayed his friend and compromised the nation’s chances of arresting the bastardization process of the republic. A national decadence compounded with the chain action and reaction of ineptitude. His deceptive and selfish betrayal of a comrade aided the catalog of events that produce Ojukwu and Gowon, a twin devil that caused the death of about two million Nigerians, in a senseless civil war, a colossal depletion of national resources, both human and material. As his perk, Obasanjo amassed promotions and position of prominence in the Army that condensed him to a commander in chief by happenstance. It is nothing personal about this man. It is strictly public domain business. He could be a good man as an
individual but his people’s business skill sucks. In 1979, as the sole proprietor of Nigeria enterprises, Obasanjo had a second chance to salvage his
un-officer-like conduct, again that was a dashed hope. This time, Mr. OO presided over an election that transferred power to civilians and Nigeria ended up in court
that cared for peace and no hoot for justice. The result again is painful to recall. A four plus years of a drunken presidency, by Shehu Shagari hatched Nigeria
into a functioning banana Republic. An undesirable rehearsal for the Babangida and Abacha’s rock’n’rule reigns of terror that we could have been better
without. Thanks to the soldier citizen with no guts, to do right. Also among his policies was Operation When OO left office as a retired General, he acted with more backbone than when he was in power. Makes one want to think that was a change of personality. Do not be fooled. Stay tuned. During the great industrial strike in support of June 12 election, Obasanjo dealt a fatal blow on Nigerians yearning, by canvassing for the worst junta in human history to stay put. Even a lame memory can recall Obasanjo’s show of loyalty to the military. "Nigerian armed forces cannot be shamed out of power". According to Obasanjo, that only happens in Philippines. Where is Obasanjo’s loyalty? It could be any number of things including the army, self and not the Nation. It is any body’s guess. As natural law suggests that object in motion or stationary will continue in its uniform motion or rest until an impress force act on it, so shall Obasanjo continue with his hunger for lime light until Nigerians stop him or otherwise. Was Obasanjo an innocent bystander in June 12? Heck no; how could he be? Covertly, no one knows the evil he did, but overtly; he rallied against Nigeria by way of advocating nullification of the election saying that Abiola was unfit to rule. Maybe this guy needs doses of civic lesson. When one votes in an election, that vote is for representation not for rulers. It is law that rules, not people. Can this be why democracy eludes us; where there is no rule of law but rule of persons? Democratic ideals are not imbued in a person just because he can get on a plane and fly to United States and have contact with a peanut farmer former American president. Not even in a long shot. See one of his press interviews; and convince yourself of his diplomatic insufficiency. As is, he conducts State business as a barbaric military junta Chief. Loosen up chief, it is now a democratic Nigeria at least on paper. Unbelievably, this trail of ills did not register against this man becoming a democratically elected president of this fragile Nation. I wonder what his views are about the deaths of Moshood Abiola, Dele Giwa and Ken Saro Wiwa to mention only a few. I will keep my fingers crossed; considering my reminiscence to see what will come out of him this time around. Obasanjo might have cheated death narrowly; in the hands of his junior in arms and took a jail vacation for some months. He should consider himself fortunate; what goes around comes around. A few months of despotic jail-time is not enough tutelage for a career soldier to divorce his military antics and embrace democratic ideals. I am aware that clueless Presidents have ruled us in the past. It does not make a good business sense for us to keep doing it. To me, his jail time only convinced him to change his childhood religion. He seems to switch positions at his convenience only. Poor Olusegun Obasanjo! Show some guts and stop using petroleum money from the southern states to finance Sharia programs in the northern states. Let every state fend for her self and pay taxes to the Union government. I wishfully hope Obasanjo is less consumed with resource control and re-election than taking care of people’s business. OO, lets clear up another thing, I cherish democracy, it goes hand in hand with free speech, and I am using mine. Obasanjo ought to get it right this time; no one in modern times has these many chances to do same thing right. I sincerely wish Nigeria good luck. Ini Ekere Atlanta Ga.
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