The Socio-political and economic situation in Nigeria is to say the least worrisome. It has reinforced desperation and agitations across the country. In fact, the existing state of affairs urges immediate response from the government. To say the least the recent security challenges in the country has created so much doubt in the minds of Nigerians on the possibility of continuance of Nigeria existing as a nation state.
One may argue and rightly so that most of the current challenges has its foundation to the colonial formation of the Nigerian state. However, every government is rated by Nigerians on the basis of its response or contribution to resolving lingering national challenges. Often suggestions are abound by stakeholders in the Nigerian project. A close look at reactions in response to the challenges of nation building in the country signifies ethnic cum tribal leanings, party affiliations or religious ideology. These prebendal worldviews remain the bane of Nigerian politics.
In the search for solutions to the lingering national questions most of which created by our leaders both past and present, ideas are welcomed from all and sundry, but not from individuals I mean Nigerians who have manifestly contributed to the parlous state of our country even when they had opportunity to direct Nigeria on a path to national development and unity.
In this regard the letter written by a certain politician of Ebonyi extraction recently on 3rd May, 2021 to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is apparently to say the least laughable and a mockery of a genuine attempt to proffer solutions to the President.
First here is a man accused by the highest office holder in his state of formenting and instigating violence across the state with a track record of court cases instituted by his kinsmen over land grabbing and forceful eviction. In particular, the inhuman cases of land grabbing and several fundamental rights violations is currently generating an immense crisis that qualifies as a non-violent agitation, which many fear will turn violent, if not the interventions of the state governor to restore law and order in the letter writer’s own village and community.
It is therefore surprising that a man of such moral stature will advise the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on models of conflict resolution. But he fails to apply same in his immediate vicinity where the groaning pain of peasant farmers who been evicted by his orders is turning to a serious security challenge in his immediate environment.
One may argue that the security situation in the country may have worsened and indeed hydra headed. Yes, worsened! This is not farfetched because the existing state of insecurity is a product of the past mismanagement by political administrations of which our letter writer was part and parcel of for twenty years and infact up to 2015. Possibly he ran to proffer these solutions immediately he was out of power. However, the big man does not seem to connect mismanagement of the economy through financial misappropriation or rapacious looting of national wealth to the lingering security crisis. Nevertheless, he may be reminded that there is a nexus between bad governance engendered by political corruption and the ongoing national crisis. It would have been better to clear with the anti- graft agencies and possibly make restitution and hence, come clean before advising the President of the Federal Republic. Who knows if the President has more of the expropriated resources he could do better to deliver on our national mandate and the aspirations of the Nigerian people.
I doubt that mere creation of a presidential panel or commission headed by the writer of the letter will address the challenges of Nigeria at this moment. Our friend as the chief scribe of the country inaugurated a national constitutional conference in the last administration of President Jonathan, yet, did not do well to persuade his boss to implement its outcome. Who knows, if the outcome or recommendations of that constitutional conference were implemented Nigeria would have been better today?
No, doubt our the writer of the letter needs a job to top up his CV but to demand such through sheer hypocrisy and blackmail of the government is uncharitable and what is more, he has not told us how his proposed commission will be different with past ones having acknowledged that the minorities Commission of 1957 is among the best in history. Perhaps the President should commission him to implement it to the later- an exercise in political jobbery or give him an opportunity to do his own thing still seeking political accommodation. It is indeed a job seeking application letter.
Charity begins at home we say. He who lives in glass house does not throw stones. Good suggestions should first be tried at home and its efficacy exported abroad. The man whose house is on fire does not chase rats. If he does then it will be great folly. But then hypocrisy knows no shame or remorse and which is why all noble men of good will value sincerity beyond measure. The big letter man should write on how he has solved the brewing crisis and violence he created in his home town and how he is making sure that peaceful agitations do not turn to violent agitations. For now, those poor peasant farmers whom he has brutally and violently oppressed with resources expropriated from the commonwealth are today engaged in a peaceful agitation to assert their rights to lands and properties, but tomorrow remains pregnant with uncertainties.
Comrade Ogbonna Paul Arochukwu, ESQ