By Remi Oyeyemi<\/p>\n
I have been following the public reactions to the disclosure of mass
\nfailure by the school teachers in Kaduna State. I have watched with
\nincredulity the usual vacuous righteous indignation of hypocrites on our
\npublic pedestal. I have been trying to ignore the whole\u00a0 seemingly
\nridiculous scenario and concentrate on other matters deemed more
\nimportant.<\/p>\n
But it has been difficult for me to do so. My conscience keeps nagging me
\nand asking why am I trying to miss out on this teaching moment. This
\nteaching moment to point out once again that in the course of building and
\nelevating a polity, it is a dangerous and destructive act to be
\ninconsistent about your moral thermometer. I believe it is an opportunity
\nto\u00a0 underscore the fact that unequal application of standards, moral or
\nany other, would always contribute to general decadence, moral stagnancy
\nand gradual gallivanting into gutterish and gibberish genre of
\nguesstimation of our core values.<\/p>\n
I have listened to the moral hypocrisy of my former “friend” and current
\nGovernor of Kaduna State, Mallam El Rufai. His sanctimony has been souring
\nmy senses. I have felt repulsed by his selective moral purity and
\nquestionable sense of duty to the people of Kaduna State. I marvel at his
\nmiasmic amnesia as he mulled his machinations to maul the teachers of the
\nState out of employment.<\/p>\n
I am reminded of his expose on the intellect of Alhaji Mohammadu Buhari as
\none of the few officers who never passed any military examination in his
\ncareer. I am reminded of his explanation that Alhaji Buhari never had a
\nPSC after his name like other Army Generals of his generation. I am
\nreminded of his heartfelt plea to Nigerians never to vote for Alhaji
\nBuhari because he (Buhari) did not have what it takes to govern Nigeria.<\/p>\n
Then, fast forward to the days and months leading to the presidential
\nelections of 2015. His volte-face on his opposition to the same Buhari
\nbecame mind boggling. Simply because he would benefit from Buhari’s
\ninstallation as president his support became legendary. Knowing fully well
\nas attested to by his previous analysis that Buhari is a congenital
\nfailure, El Rufai help brought upon Nigeria the woes of a Buhari
\nAdministration.<\/p>\n
This was despite the fact that Buhari could not produce the evidence that
\nhe passed or at least sat for the West African School Certificate
\nExamination (WASCE). Up till date, despite hiring thirteen Senior
\nAdvocates of Nigeria (SANs) he has not been able to convince any court of
\ncompetent jurisdiction that he had or has any WAEC paper anywhere. Even
\nthe dates provided that he (Buhari) attended High School suggested that he
\nbegan Elementary School in his mother’s womb!<\/p>\n
El Rufai and his fellow APC goons told Nigerians that it didn’t matter if
\nBuhari had nothing to show to prove that he had minimum qualification for
\nthe office of the President. In a manner akin to odious trivialization of
\nmatters of national interest, El Rufai and his co-travellers, either
\nwittingly or not, marketed the idea of a NEPA BILL CERTIFICATE, if held by
\nBuhari, would have been good for Nigeria.<\/p>\n
As a result of desperation for power, the powers – that – be\u00a0 in APC of
\nwhich El Rufai was more than eminent and prominent member, facilitated
\ninto the Nigerian Presidency, a personality that has no qualification to
\nbe an unarmed security guard. In their conspiracy against the well being
\nof Nigeria in the name of power politics, they foisted what has come to be
\nregarded as a monumental tragedy on the people of Nigeria.<\/p>\n
Some apologists of this tyrannical Administration have been trying to
\nconvince us that two wrongs do not make a right.Well, may be not
\nmathematically. But then, this is why holding the teachers feet to the
\nfire by El Rufai is a welcome development. But the kind of fire to which
\ntheir feet is being held by El Rufai is a matter of serious moral issue.
\nIt calls to question the\u00a0 issue of justice and equity within the process
\nand before the law.<\/p>\n
If two wrongs do not make a right as “righteously” posited by the
\napologists of this Buhari Administration, then what is good for the goose
\nshould be good for the gander. If Buhari, without any Certificate could be
\nin Aso Rock messing up Nigeria, then the Kaduna teachers, no matter how
\nwoefully they failed in their tests, deserve to remain on their jobs.<\/p>\n
In the interest of the kids in all Kaduna Schools, it is important that
\nthe teachers are held accountable. But such accountability should not
\ninclude the loss of their jobs. It is my position that the Government of
\nKaduna State should invest in their re-education and bring them up to par
\nin their capacities. Moreso, these teachers, unlike Mohammadu Buhari, at
\nleast have certificates, the quality of such certificates notwithstanding.<\/p>\n
El Rufai has no moral right to take away the jobs of those Kaduna
\nteachers. He is obligated to ensure that they remain on their jobs and
\nreceive capacity improvement trainings. His so doing would be part of his
\natonement for his political sin against Nigeria, a country which he had
\nsacrificed on the altar of expediency and personal exigency.<\/p>\n
“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been
\ngranted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do
\nnot shrink from this responsibility – I welcome it.
\n-John F. Kennedy
\nPlease, follow me on Twitter @Oyeyemiremi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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