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When Aides Decamp... By
Strange things will always happen and to this concept, Nigeria is no exception. After all, the only permanent change in life is change itself. At times, things begin to differ for the better and at times it digresses for the worst. Howbeit though, it cannot be avoided and must be tolerated and endured while it last. On this occasion, it has a lot to do with our supposed “nascent” democracy which is being taken for a ride once again. I am somehow forced to replay the words of a pupil after a recent massacre at Columbine High School in the US and I quote her as follows: “The paradox of our time is that we have more conveniences but less time, more degrees but less common sense, more knowledge but less judgement, more experts but fewer solutions. We’ve increased our possessions, but reduced our values. We’ve learned to make a living but not a life. We’ve cleaned up our air, but polluted our souls”. I thought about these words of wisdom for a while during which I had some sobering thoughts about our dear native land. In spite of everything we have been endowed with, what have we achieved as a conglomeration of many nations and ethnic tribes? Just recently, Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole and Alhaji Mohammed Arzika left Obasanjo’s cabinet. There are conflicting reports by the media that the honourably resigned or where fired by the Commander-in-Chief himself. While I will not dwell much on the rationale for their exit, I find it pertinent to state that all is not well with the regime of Uncle Sege because more walls seem to be cracking day by day. Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole was a one time presidential aspirant during the Babangida era and by hook or crook has always been found conspicuous in high political circles. He to me does not portray any hope for the masses and his alliances with suspicious politicking, makes me brand him as one of the many political jobbers of all times. Alhaji Mohammed Arzika being a Sokoto prince and astute politician of some sort simply baffled me when he accepted the offer to serve in Obasanjo’s government. He has been a principled actor in the June 12 malady and remains one of the most unswerving, dynamic and pragmatic progressives from the conservative North. I guess that this poor royal blood must have had enough of the absurdities associated with our present democracy before leaving. Then here comes defiant Governor Orji Kalu of Abia state. When I play back some of history and mystery surrounding this enigmatic figure, I remember him as a one time drop-out from University of Maiduguri, a former Abacha stalwart and a politician whose source of wealth arouses queries of profound beginnings. In a sheer twist of fate, the man seems to have changed and discovered a lot of naked courage in taking on Mr. President while receiving accolades from the likes of former President Shehu Shagari and some other conservative experts. I first of all took much notice of Chief Kalu sometime last year when in the accompany of some visiting friends he was on CNN’s Riz Khan’s Q&A programme. He exhibited so much native intelligence complimented with rare courage despite not being eloquent enough in his explanations. In fact, we all make laughed at the way he finished his session by saying “Thank you Riz” with some deep local accent. It was after this that I began to feel that the guy might have something to offer and purely waited for time to prove me right or wrong. Many months after, the man is doing wonders in his home state. He is being touted as one of the most active governors in this 4th republic. People have so easily forgotten the delicate rift between him and his deputy as he has virtually done what former Governor Ogbonnaya Onu could not do. His pasts are slowly being forgotten and his sins forgiven along with a second term that seems unstoppable even without his earlier threats of “when fire meets fire, pity will pity”. But unfortunately, his dreams of going in for presidency should end with the dream and nothing else, because being a president goes beyond courage as other essential factors like schooled diplomacy and others have to be considered. That’s just what my sixth sense tells me… Back to my subject matter, when a General’s aides begin to decamp, it becomes worrisome to say the least. It shows that his centrifugal forces are becoming weaker and his hopes of survival very shallow. When they openly attack him in public without remorse, it harbours factions and breeds mutiny. That is what happened to Hitler and the rest as we all know is as elusive as the eighth wonder of the world. Embarrassingly, those decampees were all Obasanjo’s men. They once spoke and fought for him while seeing him as a path-finder to our many problems which also involved the continuous co-habitation of all Nigerians with much emphasis on him being a placation for the South. President Obasanjo has to now tactically identify and algebraically differentiate between elastic limits and orgasmic limits. So many of his men still there today are either singing different songs or singing different verses as compared to him. He should also realise that nothing has been achieved so far and it is also likely that nothing will be achieved till he vacates. We simply need someone with the valour of David, resilience of Mandela and charisma, tact coupled with results of Clinton whose aides hardly decamped. Sad enough, that person has never been Uncle Sege. Nkosi Sikelele Nigeria! Uwem Inyang London
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