The mill of God grinds slowly but surely. The law of karma (retributive justice) is a non – respecter of anyone, groups, nations or nation – states. Rewards for actions and inactions by all INCLUDING MYSELF will certainly come home to roost.
When any nation recycled her old, soiled leadership and followership, it becomes very difficult to progress; and a bleak future starring at the people. Recent political development are pointing towards this direction. On a group platform, I posed a question about principles and practice of nation – building, and what is to be done to avoid the repeat of national Political setbacks. There were two responses that I could not take for an answer.
The first one was “when we get to the bridge, we shall cross it” I am not one those who take this for an answer. If I know that there’s a bridge ahead, I device strategy and tactics to cross before getting to the bridge head.
Paraphrasing the second answer ” if they betray us, we will sanction and correct them” It has to do with political parties, individuals and sell-out in alliance building; and election management. My responses to this were:
It was too late to :
Sanction and correct Babagana Kingibi, the Vice – President – Elect who abandoned Abiola and the collective victory!
Tony Anenih, the then National Chairman of then SDP who sold out the June 12 mandate
Sule Lamido the then National Secretary of then SDP who sold out the June 12 mandate
People are guided by experience, and the environment they live in.
Therefore, recent events have shown that we are just recycling characters in our efforts at creating a common citizenship, common nationhood, common patriotic spirit, and common adored nationalism to move Nigeria forward. Nobody does the same thing over and over without change; and expect to arrive at different results.
Obasanjo played a conspicuous role in the annulment and killing of the June 12 elections. When Retired Generals, under Association for Better and Good Governance in Nigeria (ABGGN were meeting in his Otta farm to support the resolution of the impasse but it was OBJ who called for the adjournment of the forum in sina die fashion; and up to date they never met again. The rest is history.
OBJ has equally midwife several failed arrangements for Nigeria. Now his new found platform, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is paraded by most of the characters that were his allies in the scuttling of June 12. My issues are not the platforms, PDP, APC, SDP, ADC because platforms on their own taking cognizance of “a good manifesto” do not do havocs but the characters in such platforms. The likes of same Sule Lamido are arrow heads in the newly adopted ADC…..same OLD WINE in a NEW BOTTLE; of what difference will it make to depend on such characters for nation – building?
BUHARI as the arrow head of APC…. Buhari’s 3 years government and governance has shown that he does not even understand himself, talk more about governance. It is also evidently clear that late Idiagbon was the mask behind Buhari’s military government of 1983 – August 27, 1985 when the “Evil genius” courtesy of late Gani Fawehinmin, overthrew Buhari.
The majority of the present characters in APC who have suddenly become “SAINTS” were in the locust era, sixteen solid years of PDP misrule in Nigeria. Can we say that anything has changed?
It was also an EYE SORE to watch Buhari commission BUS TERMINAL in Lagos, Nigeria, thirty-five (35) years after Buhari terminated the Jakande initiated METRO RAIL PROJECT. This is the cacophony and sore of a nation!
Some Buharist are also in naked village kokoma dance, that he sealed agreement with China on the currency exchange. They have hastely argued that an Iphone of N60,000 will nosedived to N12, 000; let’s even say that it will come to a ridiculous price of N6,000. They are not more deep in patriotically looking at the negative side of the coin.
- Local (infant ) industries are killed
2.our enclave becomes a dumping colony
- GMO foods and cancerous goods find their way to Nigeria
- Local initiatives for TECHNOLOGY is retarded. You either STEAL TECHNOLOGY or be creative locally.
- Our citizens are engaged in cheap labour.
I can go on, and on.
Also you cannot fight corruption by SELECTIVE JUSTICE. So many corrupt people in the present regime that are Buhari’s pets. The health minister sometime ago suspended the head of National Health Insurance Scheme but Buhari deemed it fit to recall him on the ground that he has learnt his lessons.
A leader who at a slightest given opportunity takes revenge can never succeed. Mid last week, Buhari was still lamenting how he was removed from office in 1985; as if he and his gangsters in Nazi’s fashion did not under gun point overthrew a CIVILIAN REGIME!
To summarize Buhari’s presidency, there have been brazenly more killings, massacres and terrorism surpassed only by the wicked exigencies of Nigeria civil war of 1967 to 1970. Buhari by his nature is more violent and stimulates violence. In 2011 when he contested, he threatened firestorm; “Blood will flow in this country if elections are rigged” He equally went to Taraba state-Nigeria to say that “there were more killings in Taraba than in Benue.” Second or third day, over 20 people were massacred.
A leader who opens his mouth without caring about the attendant consequences, just like late Abraham Aderibigbe Adesanya, the Yoruba leader of blessed memory said about Wada Nas and “Wada Noise” such person is not fit to lead.
So many people have queried me why I do not always support people in government?
- My answers have been that I’m guided by personal experience.
- I support issues not personalities
- I support system change not regime change
- I’m always in tune with what the needs (not wants) of the generality of the population.
- I have equally along with some Nigerians paid the price; several detentions- police detentions, DSS detentions and the prison. As one of the actors of the struggle, I cannot throw reasons to the winds because of CRUMBS from the slave-masters.
- When you fail in your methos you can always adjust but not when you fail in PRINCIPLES!
- The most important one is my spiritual training background….I have been taught to rise about emotions and choosing a HERO WITH A CLAY FEET; for when the rain comes, the “hero” will certainly be washed away.
Now, remembering late Beko Ransome-Kuti of blessedi memory and his T-Junction popular saying; severally at the National Implementation (NIC); that is the national exco of the then Campaign for Democracy ( CD ), when there was a tie or difficult thing to resolve, he would ask, ” how do we get out of this T-junction?
Nigeria and Nigerians by the state of the nation and approaching 2019 general elections, we seem to be engulfed in the crux of a deep juction. My consolation as an individual has always been situated within the advice of a popular author, Harold Klemp. He advicec the following consideration when you’re in a T-Junction (difficult situations); ask yourself:
- Is it true?
- Is it necessary?
- Is it kind? And
What would love do now?
Regards.
– Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye
Executive Director, Community Outreach For Development And Welfare Advocacy (CODWA)
