132
By Oscar Okhifo
A former presidential aide and Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has penned a strongly worded open letter to former Senate President, David Mark, on the occasion of his 78th birthday, commending his past service while questioning his current political engagements.
In the letter published on his verified Omokri acknowledged Mark’s decades of contribution to Nigeria, tracing his public service career back to 1967 when he joined the Nigerian Army.
“Nigeria owes you a debt of gratitude for the roles you have played in nation building for the past sixty years beginning in 1967 when you joined the Nigerian Army,” Omokri wrote.
He further praised Mark’s role during the Nigerian Civil War, noting that, “you fought on the federal side against the defunct Republic of Biafra during the Nigerian Civil War, for which a grateful nation must thank you for your service.”
Omokri also highlighted Mark’s subsequent appointments, including his leadership of the Committee on Abandoned Property in 1976, his tenure as Military Governor of Niger State in 1984, and later as Communications Minister in 1987.
However, the former aide did not shy away from controversial aspects of Mark’s career, referencing his involvement in the political upheaval that led to the removal of the Interim National Government in 1993.
“On November 17, 1993, by your own admission, you collaborated with General Sani Abacha to topple the civilian administration of Chief Ernest Shonekan,” he stated.
Turning to Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, Omokri noted the role of pro-democracy groups such as the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), and commended Mark’s eventual rise to Senate President in 2007, where he served for eight years.
Despite the commendations, Omokri questioned what he described as a decline in Mark’s political standing, particularly his reported involvement in internal disputes within the African Democratic Congress.
The development comes against the backdrop of a recent birthday message issued by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Mark’s leadership to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which was widely described as sharply critical.
In that message, the party reportedly chastised the President’s leadership style and economic policies, saying they “have reduced drastically the purchasing power of majority of Nigerians.”
Observers say Omokri’s letter appears to strike a contrasting tone, blending praise with pointed criticism, and, in part, serving to temper what some viewed as the ADC’s earlier hardline stance.
“Distinguished Senator, how could you have been the Number Three person in Nigeria for eight years, yet you are today struggling for the position of Chairman of a fringe party, with a man who is almost in the same age bracket as your oldest grandchild?” he queried.
He further challenged Mark’s current role in national politics, suggesting that at 78, he should be serving as a unifying figure rather than being embroiled in political disputes.
Citing literary icon Chinua Achebe, Omokri invoked a proverb to underscore his point about elder statesmanship and responsibility.
In the closing paragraphs of the letter, Omokri wrote:
“Sir, at 78, should you be the person undermining an institution as vital to Nigeria’s existence as the Independent National Electoral Commission?
What did Chinua Achebe say?
‘When an adult is in the house, the she-goat is not left to suffer the pains of parturition on its tether’.”
“Instead of engaging in what the Lukumi Yoruba people describe as ‘Two fighting, ediye meji n ja’ with the 35-year-old Nafiu Bala, at 78, perhaps you, sir, could be the adult in the house and stop the parturition pains that your faction of the African Democratic Congress is heaping on the nation and the Independent National Electoral Commission.” Omokri concluded.