NOBODY BUT AFRICANS CAN RESCUE AFRICA Part II

By Farouk Martins Aresa

Though Gowon, Shagari and Obasanjo (in his first coming) went almost bankrupt as leaders, they were surrounded by vultures like Danjuma, Umaru Diko, Adedibu, Babangida and Abiola. They turned government contract into personal properties and made the old ten percent kickbacks look like chicken change.

But then, General Obasanjo himself was finishing the term of another General Murtala Muhamed who was assassinated within six months because he wowed to crush the evil of corruption. He was the best case study since he had been corrupt but suddenly changed for the good of all. His colleagues would not let him get away with it. So he was gunned down as a turn-coat. In Nigeria, you do not turn against your corrupt friends and try to turn them into destitute or another Saint Aminu Kano. You pay with your life.

We do not think Buhari and Idiagbon were perfect, but they sure changed Nigeria. Indeed we condemned their tactics and Buhari’s double standard. However, who predicted that Babangida who overthrew them would sink us deeper into corruption than Nigeria had ever known? Yeah, IBB who had allowed Dimka to escape cutting short the reform of Murtala Muhammed. Thank goodness, his comeback was cut short in spite of his money and his followers in every nook and corner of Nigeria. How undemocratic, the same criers lamented. That was a sign that there is still hope for Nigeria, though rugged.

The message here is strong. You could be a Kikuyu in Kenya appointed by President Kibaki or Scorpion in South Africa or Hausa/Fulani in Nigeria, you must remember you are on a short leash. All or none praise-singers phds (pull him down) prefer that nobody does the job and if you tried, you must have gotten carried away not by patriotism, but by aggrandizement or blind ambition as an attack dog. So you deserve to be cut down, guilty by past association.

Some Africans know an angel will not come down and clean up corruption but that is exactly what they insist on. That person must be pure with no affiliation to any party, any ethnic group or class falling from the sky. Not a product of a corrupt community of which they are a part. In short they must be looking for a white knight, pricking the conscience of the silent majority.

It is in light of these amorphous fights against Africa corruption that we must understand the nomination of John Githongo of Kenya. President Kibaki, a Kikiyu appointed him from his ethnic group as the anti- corruption Chief in 2003 to weed out top officials in the Government. He had to flee in 2005 into self exile, regardless of his ethnic base.

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The case of South Africa cost that Country their Presidency. When you go after the head of a king and you missed, you get out of town. In this case President Mbeki lost because of his anti-corruption crusade within his own political party. Jacob Zuma, the leader of ANC was charged with fraud, corruption, tax evasion and money laundering. Before then, he was involved in sex scandal. He beat each and every charge. In the opinion of the court, it was all political game. Is there a cooler head that can lead the party?

Now comes Nigeria with the rule of law. There is no where in this wide world where we value those who seek justice more, than my Country. We only ask that they come with equity. We do not believe anyone should kill an ant without just cause, as long as that ant is filthy rich. There are poor people waiting in prisons who have served more than their time if convicted, police using molue to attract passengers and turn them into bail seekers in custody or poor women used as sex toys by the jailers. Where are the principled criers?

However, do not dare touch powerful corrupt politicians either in the Armed Forces, or in certain sections or families of the Country even if you belonged. If you dare, one of the culprits in prison or in shackles will predict your demise step by step when their protégée assumes power. We call it poetic justice – thou shall not touch the filthy rich, the mighty, the powerful and need not say the C/Thief of Police. Sooner or later the other thieves will catch up with you. The South Africa Commissioner of Police Jackie Salebi admitted prowling with a notorious criminal. In Nigeria his supporters will cry foul!

They see the day it will come to their turns. They want to make sure the system is there for them to use that money to buy the best lawyers. Please do not blame the lawyers; it is how many of them earn a living. After all, Gani Fawehinmi is also a lawyer. While most Nigerians are still rational, they are powerless. They have fought until they are tired, they have shouted until they are hoarse, they have demonstrated until only a few of them are left and the lucky ones have retreated into exile.

The selfishness that is so ingrained into those of us that rule has blurred our thinking faculties to understand that it is the ability of others to provide for the masses that built Europe and America we love so much. If those ones were selfish, how would they provide mass transit, when they have their cars, provide mass housing when they have their villas, provide water and electricity when they can afford Pierre water and solar.

We think we are better educated in modern science and technology than the Arabs who stick to old civilization but their more skillful managers turn desert into water, light and reduced poverty from majority to minority. What has Nigeria got to show but decadence?