The last straw that broke the camel’s back, probably, was the bloodbath in Eggon Local Government of Nasarawa in which some 112 State Security Service operatives and policemen were felled in a failed operation intended to flush out the dreaded Ombatse Cult. The spilling of the innocent blood of the security personnel, coupled with the menacing and embarrassing operations of Boko Haram, forced the hand of the president to reach for a very stern, extreme measure – declaring a state of emergency in the three states.

The state of emergency has since gone into full acceleration with the military high command taking control of operations, which are already yielding fruitful results. According to the Defence Headquarters’ spokesman, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade, the enforcement of the emergency rule is progressing tactically as planned, with heart-warming results. The most reassuring news so far since the operation began came four days ago when it was reported that the hitherto foolhardy members of the sect were running helter-skelter, seeking safe havens outside the territories of Nigeria.

In all of what has happened so far, there are salient issues that should occupy the minds of the President and those directly involved in the implementation of the emergency rule. I have read diverse opinions on the matter – some in favour, some against – but only a few commentators have really touched on the key issues that should form the kernel of moves to resolve the impasse. My worry lies in the fact that our people have not been sufficiently sensitized about the rationality of the state of emergency. The most scathing criticism of the President’s action has come from fiery northern critics, who view it as uncalled for and intended to create further confusion in the North. Some other critics refer to the President’s action as politically motivated, and not really intended to crush the rebellion by the sect.

As much as every Nigerian enjoys the freedom to speak his mind, I think this should be done with some decorum and altruism. Why should any right-thinking Nigerian describe the declaration of emergency rule in the three states as politically inspired? That’s unfair to the President and families of thousands of Nigerians that died from attacks by the dreaded sect. What the President did was timely, rational, fair and just. How could the president have sat down and watch the people placed under the care of his administration slaughtered in droves? Imagine what would have happened if the President had waited a few more days. Probably, the sect would have succeeded in throwing the entire nation into anarchy, which was the ultimate target of the intensification of its attacks.

I was deeply disturbed by the revelation by President Jonathan that the sect had already conquered some areas and placed them under its sovereign control, even to the extent of hoisting its flags. So, what could anybody have expected the president to do in this circumstance? Sit and watch his government toppled by the sect, or take far-flung, firm action to restore normalcy and stop the unnecessary killings? You make the choice!

Some have also criticized the retention of democratic institutions, while the emergency rule is being enforced. What is wrong with that? Ordinarily, former President Olusegun Obasanjo should not have dismantled the democratic institutions as he did when he declared a state of emergency in Plateau and Ekiti states, respectively. He took the extreme measures in order to achieve other mundane ends. There is nowhere in the constitution where it is expressly stated that existing democratic institutions should be suspended while emergency rule is being enforced.

What many people might not have known is that President Jonathan is a totally different person from Obasanjo. While one is brash, extroverted, loud and outlandish, the other is introverted, calm, calculated and collected. This does not mean that the latter is a saint, because there are no living saints. The comparison is only intended to paint a distinct picture of each man in terms of carriage and mien.

In any case, by retaining the democratic institutions, the president has played a fast one on those waiting at the fringes to attack him for meddling with such institutions for political gains. Though the three states are controlled by two different political parties – All Nigerian Peoples Party (already swallowed up by the yet-to-be-registered All Progressives Congress) and Peoples Democratic Party – the action of the president will not change their coloration anyway. All it will do to the parties is to strengthen them, because they will operate in a more serene, safe and secure environment. I am sure there has not been real politicking going on in the three states under the current volatile security situation.

It is outrageous that some high-ranking persons had described the timing of the emergency rule as late. Definitely, these are people not properly schooled in the art of warfare. Introducing emergency rule is a very delicate matter that requires diligent planning and execution, wide consultation and enlightenment. This was what the president was doing all these months. He struck when the time was auspicious. And the results are tumbling in.

Surely, it would have amounted to the same tactical mistake made by the sacked Police Commissioner of Nasarawa State, who dispatched security men to Eggon to confront the dreaded Ombatse Cult at night ill-prepared and without sufficient intelligence. The result was the slaughter we all witnessed. It is only a fool that will go to war without adequate planning. He would be crushed by the superior firepower of his enemy. Those who criticize the timing should not lose sight of the fact that Boko Haram is more than a sect, because of the massive subterranean, covert support it is receiving from outside the country. Would anybody be surprised if it is later revealed that some of the sponsors of the sect were countries that see Nigeria as a threat to their global ambitions? Do not forget: Nigeria is a global power in Africa, nay the world, irrespective of the challenges it is facing. No country worth its salt will ever underrate Nigeria under any consideration.

Let me make it very clear: The security challenges facing the country today were not caused by Jonathan. That is the truth. I agree it is his duty to secure the life and property of every Nigerian, but that is to a reasonable extent and as much as current realities could go. I am sure Boko Haram had been in existence ever before President Jonathan was born. So, why should anybody blame him for the inglorious activities of the sect? The seeming triumph of Boko Haram (before the state of emergency was declared) was born out of the subtle acquiescence of some aggrieved persons who hid under the sect to promote sectarianism, clannishness and bigotry. The result was the obvious docility of persons who should ordinarily be speaking out in condemnation of the activities of the sect. And that seemingly emboldened the sect to become more daring and try other stunts on the government.

Has anybody considered the peculiar nature of Borno, Yobe and the environs? We are talking about a very vast, complex and difficult terrain, bordered by countries with high incidence of trans-border crimes and infiltrations. Securing such a massive area poses a huge challenge in terms of material and manpower resources. Even when the resources are available, nothing much could be achieved without the cooperation of the people. From close observation, it would seem the sect was getting support from local people – maybe out of fear or sympathy or both. It is simple logic: There was no way the sect could have held on this long with all the showmanship without something or somebody behind it. There is an Igbo adage, which says that when a bird is dancing in the middle of the road in a forest, the drummer is not far away. Take or leave it: Boko Haram has powerful backers within and outside the country. And it is these people that had given it the courage to face the government with such audacity and foolhardiness.

As much as I support every effort to restore normalcy to the affected areas, we should not do away completely with the idea of dialogue. I have always believed that no matter what happens, the warring parties will still end up at the roundtable. This was why I offered to mediate a truce between the sect and the government. I made the offer not unaware of the grave danger inherent, but I was overpowered by patriotism and the eagerness to see normalcy return.

I have read where people advised the president to crush the sect, using all the powers and resources available to him. Not a bad idea. But have the proponents asked who the members of the sect are. They are full-blooded Nigerians fighting for a cause they deemed fit and proper. By implication, they should not have constituted themselves into a threat to national peace and security. And anybody that engages in such a treasonable and felonious act is inviting the full weight of the law. It would have been a different thing if the sect were populated by people from other countries. I know there are recruits from other countries. Nevertheless, this does not make the sect foreign. So, all we will have achieved at the end of the day, if we succeeded in wiping out the entire sect, is depopulating Nigeria. What then should be done? The President should direct the commanders of the military operations to pay more attention to capturing the deviants alive rather than ‘flushing’ them out. Bringing the full might of the military to bear on the operation will amount to killing a fly with a sledgehammer. There is no doubt that there may be some people critical of this suggestion; nonetheless they should realize that two wrongs do not make a right. We can still tame and reform the sect by capturing them alive. Killing them as some people suggest is tantamount to hardening those that will be left over at the end of the whole onslaught.

Pakistan and Iraq got to where they are because of the application of extreme force to flush out insurgents. In the process they got entrenched and won more support from unusual quarters.

Again, the operation should be carried out with adequate caution and care to shield the civilian population from harm. The nation cannot afford to lose more civilians. Since the Boko Haram insurgency began, the nation has lost over 3000 innocent lives. This is where the traditional and religious leaders come in. They should embark on massive enlightenment of their people to bring them attune with what they need to do to stay safe. Government should make adequate preparations for refugees and other victims that will be produced by the ongoing ‘war’. Those taken as Prisoners of War (POWs) should be humanely treated and, in the end, tried in the court of law for crimes against humanity, and jailed if found guilty. Nobody should take laws into his hand by subjecting those captured to inhuman treatment.

Above all, the presidential committee on Amnesty should intensify efforts to ensure that the members of the sect surrender before they are harmed or captured. I think it makes sense for them to surrender now it is clear they are losing the war on terror. What will it profit them to continue to fight blindly and get killed when they have a window of opportunity to surrender and be saved? Traditional rulers and village heads should be involved in the current moves to make peace with the sect, even though the government now has the upper hand. There is also the need to tackle the root cause of the insurgence by Boko Haram. The first thing to do is to arrest and deal with those involved in the extra-judicial killing of the leader of the sect, Yusuf Mohammed. After that, government should see what it can do to rehabilitate members of the sect that would submit themselves to rehabilitation. This is why I am totally in support of amnesty for the sect. It will give them an opportunity to learn new trades and deploy their talents and skills productively.

Government should use the chance offered by the emergency rule to attend to restiveness in other parts of the country – particularly the Southeast and the South-south. It should avoid the temptation of resorting to the use of brute force in dealing with those angling for greater autonomy, since what they are fighting for maybe a legitimate aspiration applied through the wrong channels and means.

Let me urge those criticizing the president’s action to sheathe their swords and cooperate with him to move Nigeria forward. The current state of emergency is intended not to harm or obstruct any political party’s plans for 2015 – it is a bold step toward restoring normalcy to areas prune to escalation of insecurity and destruction of innocent lives and properties. For this reason, we should back the president.

It is only somebody who is genuinely interested in somebody else’s welfare and progress would speak to the President the way I did in the said publication. Today, he is surrounded by all kinds of political jobbers and turncoat politicians whose major concern is their pockets and not his success.

Most of the things I mentioned in the article had already come to pass. For instance, I advised him to avoid the mistakes of his predecessors, especially in the areas of justice, fair distribution of national resources and security. Read through and judge for yourself whether my well-thought-out advice has been adhered to or not.

Here we go:

“Only a myopic, mischievous and narrow-minded person will pretend not to see the dramatic turn of events in our nation in recent times. While some people still behave as if nothing has happened, others have since fallen in line with the pace set by the present administration. I remember writing in this column sometime in December 2009, when I made predictions about 2010, that Nigeria was going to experience the dawn of a new era, and that the process that would usher that dawn would be dramatic. Events that happened between January and May 6, 2010 have since capped all that – paving the way for the emergence of a brand new administration – even though it has barely a year to remain in office before deciding whether to run for a new term.

With what has happened so far, I wonder if there is anybody still in doubt that the remaining part of the year is very likely going to spring more surprises? Everything points to a future full of uncertainties.

The transmutation of Umaru Yar’Adua into eternal glory is one event that will continue to shape the socio-political life of our dear nation for a very long time. Contrary to the thinking of some Nigerians, including the international community, that Yar’Adua’s death would create visible vacuum, his death has rather opened a new vista in the leadership of the nation. This was why I described him, in the last edition of this column, as a unique leader. Yar’Adua was brought by God as an instrument of change – to restore the lost glory of our fatherland. Only a death like his could bring the transformational paradigm the nation has witnessed.

I must confess that I have been engrossed in a deep thought about the way forward for the nation since this great leader passed away on May 5. I knew for sure that the enormous personal sacrifices he made for the peace and progress of Nigeria would not be in vain. The less than three years Yar’Adua spent in office was characterised by a well-articulated desire to change Nigeria. He pursued this goal with unremitting candour and vigour.

It is gratifying to observe that the seeming animosity between the aides of Yar’Adua and the acolytes of President Goodluck Jonathan is beginning to fade way, thereby giving way to a more cordial working relationship between them. Expectedly, this reunion has indirectly aided the effort by President Jonathan to enforce far-reaching changes in the way the nation is run.

I will not fail to appreciate some of the bold steps taken by President Jonathan so far to sustain and even surpass the achievements of Yar’Adua. Of particular commentary is the procedural overhaul of the machinery of government and the systematic enforcement of rule of law. These changes have brought some robustness and focus to governance. President Jonathan may not be as audacious and loquacious as many would have expected, but he makes up for this with his quiet, calculative mien – which anybody can ignore or underrate at his own peril. I must confess, without any fear of contradiction, that everything about him is infectious. This has attracted him to even his most virulent critics.

Those who followed consistently the metamorphosis of President Jonathan from a university lecturer to a deputy governor, then governor, vice president and now president, will see a definite pattern – a pattern never witnessed in the annals of this country. The enigma of the man Jonathan does not lie in his meteoric rise to the apogee of the nation’s political hierarchy. It lies rather in the hand of God upon his life. Anybody may say or write whatever he likes about him, but one thing nobody can dispute is his manifest covenant with God. When you talk about one having a covenant with God, it is epitomized succinctly in Jonathan in practical, unambiguous terms.

Can anybody tell the difference between Goodluck Jonathan and David the son of Jesse? Both share many things in common, you may not know. For instance, David was a shepherd with a humble beginning while Jonathan was also a shepherd in a way. Is a lecturer not a shepherd of human beings – moulder of character? Take a look at this interesting synchrony: Goodluck (has eight letters) Jonathan (eight letters); David (five letters) Jesse (five letters). David went through intractable travails to become the King of Israel, while Goodluck confronted some pitfalls (probably not in equal degree) to become the president of Nigeria.

At the time David assumed the leadership of the Kingdom of Israel, the kingdom witnessed an era of boom and plenty, even though it faced some adversity, particularly from its neighbours. The same situation applied to Jonathan who became president at a very critical period in our nation’s history. Just as nobody gave David (a shepherd boy) any chance to emerge as president, nobody also anticipated that Goodluck (from Otuoke – a sleeping, remote town in Bayelsa State) would succeed Umaru Yar’Adua the way providence designed it. David was a king after God’s heart; and this was responsible for the special relationship he had with God. Is it out of place to also conclude that Goodluck is a leader after God’s heart, considering the inexplicable way he has guided him since he emerged on the nation’s political scene? No wonder he is very close to God and has displayed his commitment in the way and manner he has carried on with his faith. David was liked by the people of Israel who reposed tremendous confidence in him. Similarly, Goodluck enjoys the immense goodwill of almost every section of the country as demonstrated by the large retinue and calibre of guests that call daily to identify with him since he was sworn in as President.

Probably, the most striking similarity between the two leaders is their courage and fearlessness. David confronted the mountainous problems that faced Israel with remarkable zeal and ease, while Goodluck has never left anybody in doubt about his ability to surmount the huge problems facing Nigeria with the same unrelenting commitment and uprightness.

As Israel thrived under David so shall Nigeria under Goodluck, since it is the same God that brought them to the thrones. Those familiar with the story of David should recount all that he went through as King. It is hoped that Goodluck would come out of all the difficulties he will face in his presidency unscathed.

Nobody is immune from the travails of life. It is generally believed that the more one’s responsibilities the greater the difficulties. However, the consolation here is that God does not place on us any load that is too heavy for our delicate shoulders to bear. He is a merciful and just God and, therefore, always ready to help, especially in times of difficulty.

President Jonathan should not shy away from the reality of the challenges that confront him. I am sure he has the capacity to resolve them. One of the biggest challenges he will face is the high expectations from Nigerians. Many Nigerians believe he has the magic wand to change things overnight – forgetting that he needs sufficient time to plan and execute his programmes. This is why I have deemed it right to advise him to concentrate and remain focused – no matter the pressure on him. There is certainly going to be a deliberate ploy by his detractors to put a wedge in the wheel of progress. He should be at the alert at all times and pray God to confuse these enemies of progress.

It is gratifying to note that Mr. President has already found his rhythm having held fort for former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua during his long period of hospitalisation. The experience he garnered during this delicate period comes handy as he grapples with the enormous task of nation-building.

Having been a major actor on the nation’s political turf for some time now, I cannot fail to advise him to beware of political jobbers, hagiographers and praise-singers. They come in diverse shades and often pretend they are for you when indeed they are plotting your downfall. I have followed very diligently their modus operandi since your emergence and find their actions detestable and mendacious. In fact, they are the sponsors and bankrollers of the campaign to draft you into the presidential race next year. Their major mission is to curry favour, not minding whether what they are doing is favourable to you or not.

I wish to state categorically that your emergence as president and your political future are all in God’s hands. It was God that brought you up at this crucial period of our national life to redress all that had gone wrong. Forget those who appear before you creating a larger-than-life image about who they are and what they are capable of doing: They are nothing but paper tigers. Where were they when the going was rough and tough for you? How many times did they consult you before you became the president? Even those who drafted you to run with Yar’Adua in 2007 did not do so out of their love for you. They did it thinking it would benefit them in the long run.

I refuse to be hookwinked by their grandstanding. I am sure they are already telling you how much they sacrificed to make you president and how they drafted Yar’Adua into the race when they knew he would die in office for you to take over. Think of this: Even if such a claim is true, was it not smacked of deceit, treachery, and double-dealing? This is the time to take stock of their antecedents and run away from them. They have an unfathomable capacity for evil.

My joy is that you have refused to allow yourself to be fooled. Your consistent affirmation of the positive relationship between Yar’Adua and yourself is a clear sign of your urbane and humane self. Some other persons would have seen the death of Yar’Adua as an opportunity to denigrate and impugn him. But this you never did. Rather you have done everything possible to preserve his name and even promised to continue with some of his programmes and policies. Of particular mention was the strategic role you and your government played in his funeral. You did not take to heart some of the things done against you. As a true Christian, you forgave and forgot. What a rare leader!

It may be important at this point to charge you to see the whole nation as your constituency – ensuring that justice and equity are done to every section of the society. It may be an uphill task to expect you to satisfy everybody. And nobody can either. What the majority of Nigerians need from you are basic amenities of life such as steady power supply, good roads, food, and health facilities. This is why the pruning down of the seven-point agenda of your predecessor to just three is quite commendable.

Similarly, Nigerians and the international community expect you to promote rule of law, security of life and property, and political reforms with intense passion and vigour. Political reforms, which have been at the centre of the ongoing effort to review the constitution, should be given priority by you. The dislocation in our socio-political system has since been traced to our flawed electoral process and inoperable constitutional provisions. The success of next year’s elections is, no doubt, tied to the success of the constitutional review being carried out by both chambers of the National Assembly. You should bring your influence to bear on the exercise by ensuring strict adherence to procedure.

You should do something about epileptic power supply. As the former chairman of the National Economic Council, you have sufficient experience about the economic problems of the country. You should, therefore, try to speed up the completion of works on the various ongoing National Independent Power Projects (NIPPs) to meet and exceed the December 2009 target of 6000 megawatts. It is commendable that at least your government has stabilized prices of petroleum products, especially fuel. This effort should be sustained as a prelude to sustained economic recovery.

Let me state unequivocally, however, that Nigeria cannot be great without steady power supply. You will not be forgotten by posterity if you succeed in the next one year in solving this daunting problem. I am glad that there has been an appreciable development in power generation and distribution across the country since you assumed office as President barely a month ago. I imagine that the situation will improve significantly by the time you complete your tenure.

I advise you to take an objective look at the Niger Delta Development Plan, with a view to religiously implementing the plan to achieve maximum results in line with the present exigencies. You should not because you come from the Niger Delta fail to comprehensively implement the plan. Any attempt to neglect any aspect of the plan will spell doom for the region and the entire nation.

It will amount to a great disservice if I fail to draw your attention to the deplorable state of infrastructure across the country, especially in the South-East geo-political zone. Almost all the federal roads in the zone are impassable. When fully rehabilitated, it will promote economic activities in the zone. I am sure that kidnapping and violent crimes that have ravaged the zone have seriously embarrassed your government. The menace has assumed some notoriety of recent. The danger in allowing the menace to go on unchecked is that it will have adverse effect on the 2011 and subsequent elections. Conducting free and fair elections will not only stabilize democracy, but give credibility to your administration and make you a statesman and a foremost patriot.

Your next political plan, after serving out the Yar’Adua tenure, depends entirely on God and not PDP or boot-lickers or political charlatans. You should pray over it fervently, consult wisely, and seek the face of God before taking the final decision. As for me, I believe in your ability to take Nigeria to the next level. How you achieve this uphill task is left for God, providence and the people of Nigeria to decide.”

• This article was first published in 2010, after President Goodluck Jonathan assumed office, following Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua’s death.

One basic fact the agitators must consider is the complexities and peculiarities of the Nigerian nation. It is these complexities and peculiarities that distinguish Nigeria from the pack. There is indisputable evidence that those Nigerians that had been driven by exigent factors to undertake this perilous adventure had ended up in deeper crises than they had set out to solve.  Somalia, Rwanda, Liberia, Sudan, Cote d’Ivoire and the like were all victims of belligerences caused by greed for power and crave for self-glorification. The late Samuel Doe thought he could use brute force to expropriate power to the detriment of some ethnic groups in Liberia. He lost his life in the gamble. The same morbid ambition led to the downfall of Charles Taylor – currently facing war crimes charges.

From the tension across the country, it is not in doubt that some greedy and power-hungry individuals are deliberately sponsoring the current crises in order to clog the wheel of progress. Their wicked agenda is to see how far they can go in making life uncomfortable for the sitting government and in the event of their plans pulling through by taking over the reins of power. Unfortunately, those behind this devilry do not care a hoot about what happens to other hapless Nigerians so long they achieve their infamous goal.

The insurgences across the country are one way they plan to achieve their wicked goal. But are they succeeding? Definitely they are not, because their mission ab initio has been adjudged to be self-serving, illegitimate, fractious, and clannish. This is why it is taking too long to accomplish. If it were a popular uprising, definitely it would have succeeded long ago. Probably, what the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity have failed to realise is they are wasting more innocent lives than they had envisaged, as they continue to wage their war against the government.

My concern has been: How Nigeria would fare at the end of the entire imbroglio. Surely, it is going to turn out worse. The operations of groups such as Boko Haram are concentrated on a particular geo-political zone in northern Nigeria, with little support from other zones.

It may be right to assume that the armed attacks in the North are as a result of injustice. Now if I may ask: Is it proper to kill innocent people in the name of agitating for self-governance or for whatever reason? Boko Haram, as I observed in this column last week, has wasted more than 3, 000 lives since it began its fight against the establishment. But how many of those killed deserved to die? Take Baga as a case in point. Over 183 innocent lives were wasted when the Joint Task Force (JTF) confronted Boko Haram in a gun battle. What did the 183 civilians do to die in such a painful and disheartening manner? The Baga episode was just one out of scores of other incidents in which innocent people were dispatched to their early graves. The worrisome thing about the insurgency in the North is that anybody can fall a victim. Of recent, some foreigners had been caught in the crossfire –paying even with their own lives.

What happens when an alleged Boko Haram member straps a bomb to his body and blows himself up killing some innocent people in the process? Has he achieved anything? Not at all! All the purpose it has succeeded in achieving is creating rising tension in the polity and smearing the image of Nigeria abroad. To tell you why there is an urgent need to change tactics: The particular people the insurgents have set out to attack surround themselves with impregnable security. In frustration, innocent members of the public are targeted. Most rebellions across the world are done with coordinated and well-articulated plan. There have been cases of persons who took up arms against their countries for the main purpose of liberating their people deemed to be in undue bondage. They were simply known as liberation fighters. In this category are Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Daniel Shafishuna Sam Nujoma of Namibia. Both men later became Presidents of their countries, as a reward for their steadfastness and courage in fighting for the cause of their people. But what do we have in our clime: individuals who want power, not for the good of their people, but for their selfish aggrandizement.

There are a few other liberation groups waging war against oppression, authoritarianism, perpetuity in leadership and other forms of injustices. Prominent among them was the Sandinista (political cum military organisation) of Nicaragua, which overthrew President Anastasio Somoza Debayle in 1979, thereby ending the 45-year dictatorship by the Somoza Family dynasty. In appreciation of the group’s exploits Daniel Ortega (its former leader) was elected President in 1979. He held office until 1990 when he stepped aside and was reelected in 2006.

The instances given above are substantially different from what we have in Nigeria at present. Do those waging war against Nigeria today expect to be rewarded tomorrow? I doubt it. This is because their style is crude, brutal, unconventional and vindictive. As stated earlier, they may have a just reason for their action, but can their action be said to be legitimate? That is where the problem lies. Justice and legitimacy go hand-in-gloves. If an action is just but lacks legitimacy (because of the approach adopted in its execution) then that action is illegal and anti-system. Again, when their action is misdirected – as in the case of Baga in Borno where civilians fell victim – then that action is anti-people.

I am worried if those who want Nigeria dead have learned any lesson from the unification of Germany. Before the unification, they existed as East and West Germany, with tall and formidable walls separating them. Living as separate entities they were vulnerable and unprogressive. However, things changed for the better when both sister-nations chose to bury their hatchet and embrace unity. And so it was when the walls came crashing – like the walls of Jericho. Look at the Soviet Union – it is polarised along ethnic lines. Though it was a good thing Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (one-time leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics – USSR – 1985-1991) introduced Glasnot and Petroika (more openness in government) through his far-reaching reforms. Though his reforms helped to end the cold war, it also ended the political supremacy of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and balkanised the Soviet Union, breaking it up into splinter ethnic hegemonies with each fighting to exert its power and influence in the region. What is left today as the bastion of Soviet Union – Russia – used to be a formidably powerful country in Europe! What do we have today: A nation steeped in endless political crises that have weakened its foundation and exposed it to international opprobrium! Is it not preposterous that Russia – a member of the G-5 and one of the permanent members of the Soviet Union – is passing through excruciating and asphyxiating economic and political crises? Its opinion no longer carries as much weight as it used to. All this was caused by the fragmentation of a once monolithic power bloc.

These few instances have been marshalled to establish one fact: Nigeria will be worse off if broken into fragments. Forget the emotions and sentiments; it is a very uneconomical and wasteful venture. The truth is that the problem of Nigeria has nothing to do with power distribution, even though it is one of the causes of the ongoing crisis. The major problem with Nigeria is leadership and lack of love.

There has never been a more precarious time in the annals of our great nation than now that it is faced with myriads of problems – ranging from social and political to economic and religious. At every nook and cranny lurks one form of danger or another with the capacity to threaten our nascent democracy and bring to nought all the efforts of our forbears that fought for the independence of our fatherland.

The 2015 general elections are approaching speedily; and politicians, as usual, are already perfecting their acts. Very soon they will reach for their bags of tricks to pull some stunts on the ever-impressionable voters.

Keen observers of developments will have noticed the tension that is gradually enveloping our dear country day by day. There is no part of the country that is not enmeshed in one form of politically-related impasse or another. If it is not impeachment or threats of impeachment, it is threat of religious war or cases of assassination or threats of assassination. Already, some high-profile assassinations and murders have been reported across the country. The most recent of these high-profile murders was that of one-time deputy governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chudi Nwike, by his abductors. These incidents look every inch politically motivated. What of threats by the militias (MEND) in the Niger Delta to resume their insurgency? Some have even threatened to ‘set the nation ablaze’ if some candidates were not allowed to rule or continue to rule. In all of these, there is a clear pattern emerging. This pattern points to one thing: desperation on the part of some individuals to remain in power or wrest power at all costs to the detriment of our hard-earned democracy.

My worry is that those who should enforce order and discipline are themselves embroiled in the imbroglio. Instead of paying attention to the pressing issues of electronic voters’ registration and voting, a new constitution and earnest preparations towards having free and fair elections in 2015, some persons instead are interested only in how they can maneuver the process to win elections. Ironically, all the sermonising about adhering to due process in the conduct of elections falls on deaf ears.

Let me ask: When will we demonstrate true love for our nation that has suffered serial despoliation in the hands of greedy and callous politicians over the years? Has Nigeria not bled enough for all of us? We milk the nation mercilessly dry to the point that it is crying for help. And nobody incidentally is ready to sacrifice to help it. I have written in this column on several occasions in the past that if Nigeria were a human being it would have bled to death. Yes, it would have bled to death. On top of the injury already inflicted on it some unconscionable people are now calling for its demise. If Nigeria dies today, who will be the loser? All of us, of course!

I have read widely about profligacy, misadministration, corruption, malfeasance in other climes, but none can compare to the embarrassing dimension they have assumed in our own country. We run Nigeria as if we deliberately want it to die. If, God forbid, it eventually dies what then will become of our collective heritage? Are we not all agreed that Nigeria should develop to the level of competing with other nations in Africa and the world in order to assume global prominence? How can we attain this lofty objective with our growing indifference to matters that will engender national growth and development?

If you ask an average Nigerian child where he would like to study? You will almost get a unanimous response: “The United States”. Surely, everybody loves the United States for the singular reason that in it everything works. Yes, everything works in the United States, but we can as well make things work in Nigeria. The United States is where it is today because its forbears fought, and even laid down their lives, for it to survive. Read the history of America and you will appreciate the enormity of the sacrifices its past leaders, especially the champions of its independence struggle, made to enthrone sustainable development and functional democratic principles.

I love the United States. I love the United Kingdom. I love France. I love Germany. I love South Africa (especially for the sake of the legendary Mandela). I love Canada. In fact, I love every country that promotes peace, justice and social equality. Nonetheless, as much as I love these countries, I regret to state that I still love Nigeria with passion. Nigeria is one of the best countries on the face of the earth. Tell me any nation in Africa that is so blessed with a diversity and abundance of blessings ranging from natural and human resources to rich arable land, beautiful and highly enterprising and religious citizens, clement weather, and stable polity. But unfortunately what we lack is quality leadership to spearhead the harnessing of these resources to the benefit of the nation and its people. What reason do we have, therefore, to continue to wallow in poverty in the midst of plenty? Is it not high time we jettisoned our old, disgraceful ways and become more patriotic and dynamic in the face of global challenges in order to be counted when the day of reckoning arrives?

One thing many of us have refused to appreciate is that time is moving swiftly and it will get to a point we may not be able to salvage this nation any longer. We have every opportunity to make Nigeria attain a prestigious position on the world map. Or do we want to give credence to the ominous projections from across the world that Nigeria may disintegrate in 2015? Are these prophecies of doom not enough to stir our conscience and make us change?

One of the ways the enemies of Nigeria want to destroy it is by ensuring that there are never free and fair elections. The second is corruption. Corruption is a social ill that has exposed our country to international criticisms and opprobrium. As I stated earlier, the pillaging of the nation’s resources by a few greedy individuals has contributed to the backwardness we experience today, making us a laughing stock to the outside world.

Have our politicians ever paused and pondered what colossal damage their inglorious and ignoble attitudes have caused to the economic and social life of our fatherland? I regret to observe that our politicians have carried themselves as if they have no stake in Nigeria. This insensitive attitude must stop if we are to achieve our collective destiny. We cannot afford to sit on the fence while other nations are making progress to attain greatness.

It will be a tragedy of epic dimension if we should allow Nigeria to die in our time. Everything points to the fact that some Nigerians wish Nigeria dead. If Nigeria dies, then all of us will perish.

There is no way we can fold our arms and watch Nigeria disintegrate when we can do something to save it. This is why it has become imperative for all lovers of this great nation to come together, sink our political, religious and clannish differences and work for the peace, progress and stability of Nigeria.

We must, as a matter of urgency, kill the ethnocentric virus in us that drives our urge to steal from the national till; provide jobs for our youth in order to stop kidnapping and other vices; support INEC in its bid to conduct free and fair elections in order to enthrone new leaders that will bring change and drive development and, above all; promote peace and social justice, whose absence has accounted for all the upheavals that have befallen this country.

These are the ideals that should occupy our minds instead of working to destroy a nation we all so much cherish and love.

I pray today: Those who want Nigeria dead should have destruction awaiting them at the sentinel of their doors. Amen!

Before I read that article, I used to see the issue of the marginalisation of Igbo as something restricted to Nigeria in scope. It was there and then that I made up my mind to work unremittingly (more than I had done in the past 15 years) for the reassertion of Igbo imprint on our national life. I quickly put calls through to a few associates, and three months after Njiko Igbo (a political pressure group) was formed. We had reasoned that we would make a more impressive and decisive struggle working under a very powerful umbrella, instead of the old-fashioned style of ego-tripping.

Today, Njiko Igbo has grown in size, prominence and acceptability all over the world. There is irrefutable evidence that the group has come to stay, going by the interest and inquiries coming from, even, unusual quarters. Our membership is open to all Igbo from every corner of the universe – irrespective of status, creed, or political and cultural inclination. We are working conscientiously, and steadily too to expose the ideology of our group to the youth of Igbo land that forms the nexus between us and the future.

We are worried that unless we did something tangible our identity could be lost forever. Events preceding the Nigerian Civil War still stand as a sad chapter in our national development. It is needless recounting these events, because I had done so on numerous occasions in this column. One of the most heart-tearing incidents was the massacre of Igbo in the North in the mid 60s. The chronicling of that sordid and barbaric incident had been done by many writers and documentarians. Of particular note has been the perpetuation of inequity against Igbo who went to war for no fault of theirs, but in defence against a plot to annihilate them.

It is, therefore, very worrisome that almost 43 years after the unfortunate war, Igbo are still treated as third class citizens – a vital signal that the war might not yet be over. It is a misnomer, therefore, for anybody to refer to Igbo as Second Class citizens, when in actual fact they are far behind the line reserved for second class citizens. Can anybody point to anything that justifies the use of the terminology ‘second class citizens’ to qualify Igbo? Is it in terms of infrastructure, distribution of national resources and political offices, or what? What is the moral justification for anybody to talk about equality among the major ethnic groups in Nigeria when the burden of neglect the Igbo suffer is crying to heavens for reprieve?

Our resolve to muster support for the entrenchment of Igbo unity was borne out of necessity and a crushing pain in our hearts to release our people from the poverty and penury they now suffer in a nation their forbears spent their lives and resources to found. As people of the same belief and ideology, we had thought that working together to hoist our interest on the national map would attract greater cohesion and draw wider attention to our cause.

This is why we have steadily pursued the goals for which the group was founded without difference to the distractive, repugnant schisms of a few anti-Igbo elements. There is no doubt that some people would naturally feel threatened by our existence, since our society is not given to freedom of expression and association, even though it is enshrined in the constitution. Nevertheless, we are unfazed by these antics.

What we have done in the past one year is to build bridges of friendship and comradeship across the country. As things stand, we have been able to establish links with like-minded organisations and individuals in our effort to erect structures for the actualization of Igbo Presidency in 2015. What probably marks us out from other geo-ethnic groups championing the cause of their people is that ours is a mass movement of people who want freedom achieved through peaceful, just and amenable means. We have never believed that such struggles should be done with bitterness or aggression or belligerency.

After all, we are decent, patriotic and responsible Nigerians who have solid stakes in the Nigerian Project. Many of our members have held top political and managerial positions within and outside the country. This is why our views have been taken seriously by the ‘High and Mighty’ all over the world. Our global presence, nonetheless, does not vitiate the fact that we are a large movement of people of the same creed, vision and mission.

Only recently, we took a trip to London where I addressed the United Kingdom’s House of Commons. By taking our case to the House, we were doing something for which we had already been associated – following due process in fighting our cause. It is not new that our scope of operation spans the length and breadth of the globe, because there is no part of the world in which you will not find an Igbo man or woman.

It was not, therefore, wrong when I referred to Igbo as the most resilient and widely-travelled people in the world during a lecture I delivered at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Dupoint, Washington, United States in 2008, which caused heated debate then. I used to tell my friends abroad that anywhere there is no Igbo man or woman is not fit for human habitation. I make this assertion with every sense of duty and without any equivocation. Check it out yourself and you will understand more deeply the sentiments I am expressing here.

I was marvelled by what I saw during my electioneering for the 2007 presidential election. It was during our trip to Bama in Yobe State. We drove to the remotest part of the state and saw many Igbo settlements there. Some of them had lived in their present abode for over 30 years, contributing meaningfully to the socio-economic development of those places. You can then imagine the bestiality and inhumanity when fundamentalists raise their hands against them in the name of religion or agitation for recognition.

It is preposterous for anybody or group to posit that Igbo are not marginalized. The table below captures in surmised form the insufferable neglect Igbo experience in Nigeria.

How can anybody talk about one Nigeria with what obtains in the table above? In my address at the renowned world Igbo Summit held in Enugu on January 19, 2000, I strongly advocated a stronger unity among Igbo from every part of the world as a way of repositioning them to face the new realities of surviving in a complex and complicated nation as Nigeria. In the address entitled: “Wake up Call for Ndigbo,” I bemoaned and vehemently condemned the lackadaisical and, often, unconscionable attitude of some highly paced Igbo to the pursuit of our collective patrimony. At the end of the speech, the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Hotel, Enugu erupted in thunderous applause. Igbo from all walks of life present in the hall hugged and shook hands with me. They were visibly moved by the speech.

In fact, one of the participants holding a top position in the federal executive council has always called to remind me of the impact that speech made on him. Thirteen years down the line, the lesson of that speech still resonates on Nigeria’s political space. Indeed, the impetus and inspiration to deliver that speech came directly from God. I say so, because immediately after the speech was delivered, the issue of Igbo marginalisation came to the front burner of our national politics more forcefully.

I had prayed to God before we left for Enugu for the summit to give me the courage to drive the struggle for Igbo emancipation to its logical end. What transpired in Enugu showed really that God is with us. Things started happening in quick succession. I threw my hat into the ring in pursuit of what rightly belonged to us: I joined the race for the presidency in the 2007. Our campaign train traversed every nook and cranny of Nigeria – soliciting the support of voters.

Though we had expected to win (forget what some people said then about our non-seriousness), the lessons of that outing are yet to be lost on us. If nothing more, the several trips we made round the country exposed us to the harsh realities of our socio-political life. It is an experience every Nigerian politician should have if he truly wants to appreciate the sufferings of the masses.

Everywhere we visited led us to deeper revelations about the rot in our polity. It is a pity that some of our policymakers have not even visited their own villages in the past 10 years. How then can he objectively appraise the situation in other places?

We have done a survey, which revealed to our consternation that Igbo have their largest investments outside their domains. Tell me any prominent Igbo man that does not have an investment in either Lagos or Abuja or Port Harcourt or Kano. Why have they not invested such resources in their own vicinity? The answer is simple: The Igbo man believes emotionally in the unity and survival of the Nigerian nation. This is why he sees wherever he lives as his home. While other tribes find it hard to invest outside their domains, Igbo have continually settled and developed wherever they live. The abandoned property saga in Port Harcourt is a case in point.

Despite the unpalatable consequence of the Port Harcourt abandoned property, Igbo have continued to invest outside Igbo land. Today, the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos, which is worth billions of naira in investment, houses ASPAMDA (dealers in automobile spare parts). It was ASPAMDA that funded the expansion project. Before their intervention, the complex was overgrown with weeds and served as abode for lunatics and criminals. Imagine what we would have happened if ASPAMDA had taken the huge investment to the South East.

It has never been in doubt that Igbo are liberal-minded, resilient and trustworthy. It is these strengths we plan to harness for the good of our people. Those who paint Igbo in bad light are nothing but armchair critics and ethnic jingoists. That Nigeria has survived till this day is majorly because of the contributions of Igbo. Even the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as President was facilitated by Igbo who threw their support massively behind him. Anybody who disputes this fact also is nothing but a mischievous person.

Forget the war we fought – we did not fight to enthrone any ethnic agenda. We fought to stave off the menacing machetes and spears of those who had planned to wipe us out of the face of this beautiful earth. And who would stand and watch, while his people are being brutally and systematically cut down? Nobody I guess. Look at what is happening in the North today: Boko Haram is waging a “war” on Nigeria for the simple fact that their leader was killed by security forces. How many lives have been wasted in avenging the death of one man? Available records show that the casualty rate from that adventure has been on steady rise – reaching an all-time high of 3000. Which war is greater than that?

The same thing happened in the Niger Delta Region – where militants had waged war on Nigeria for several years until peace was brokered through the amnesty deal. As you read this piece, the nation has spent over N60 billion in the rehabilitation and sustenance of the repentant militants. Now, plans are afoot to extend the same amnesty to members of Boko Haram. The whole thing is turning into a circus show. And for how long are we going to put up with this charade?

The major reason for the agitation by diverse ethnic blocs in Nigeria for self-autonomy is injustice. The Niger Delta people are asking for more resources since they are the geese that lay the golden eggs. To be honest, their agitation is justified.

Fighting for one’s rights is a constitutional matter. The only grouse I have about some of them is the use of force and aggression. Why should any rational person kill in the name of agitation for self-government? It is sheer madness and a crime against humanity.

So, you can now appreciate why Igbo went to war. In our thinking, we believe we can achieve what we have set for ourselves without violence. Those who apply violence to twist the arm of government for recognition are social misfits. Must we destroy Nigeria in order to be heard? If we destroy Nigeria, which other country will we call ours?

It will do Igbo good to key into our vision, so that together we can achieve freedom and work for our greatness. Those sitting on the fence are cowards. They watch while others toil at the risk of their lives to build solid Igbo unity, then turn back to profit from it. It smacks of sabotage for any Igbo not to stand up in support of this struggle. I am happy that the era of ‘selling’ Igbo unity for a pot of portage has passed. We are in an era of change – change that has come to endure. And we must embrace it in order to be free.

As indicated at the outset, we will work with greater vigour in the months ahead to institutionalize the architecture for the realization of a president of Igbo extraction in 2015. That is the major focus of our campaign. We are not averse to any political party or do not bear any grudge against anybody (man or woman). What we do is what we believe is just and fair and is best for our people.

As things stand today, there is no other group that can offer Igbo focused, passionate, reliable and courageous leadership other than Njiko Igbo. We have the charisma, the vision, forthrightness, soundness of mind, intellectuality, candour, and global goodwill to take Igbo to their destination.

We will never relent until this objective is attained, although we appreciate the enormous work that needs to be done – all for the good of our people and the unity of Nigeria.

Let it be made known today: Igbo of Nigeria deserve more than they currently get. It is a matter of right and equity that we get equalization in the number of states, local government councils and constituencies we have at present. That will be the first step to building a solid and united Nigeria. Until this is done, we will keep shouting on top of our voices that our people are serially marginalised. One day, with hard work and perseverance, God will hearken to our voice and redeem us.

The pathetic state of the Igbo nation

Zones            No of             No of             No of            Senatorial

states            local govt              Fed consts            district

North West            7                        186            92             21

North East            6                         112             48            18

North Central       6                         115            49            18

South West           6                         138             71            18

South South          6                         123            55            18

South East             5                        95               43            15

The reason for the crisis that has engulfed humanity stems from the simple fact that they lack knowledge. It is knowledge that guides your mind to accomplish unusual tasks. Without knowledge, you are like a rudderless ship – at the mercy of turbulent winds. And so, for me, life has taught me many lessons: some bitter, some sweet. It is the combination and application of these numerous lessons that has made me the total man I am today. Unbelievably, many people have failed to draw wisdom from the lessons that life has taught them, and instead found themselves in messier situations. In the 53 years of my earthly existence, life in itself has been my most dependable teacher – the moral compass that guides every action I take.

The irony of my life constitutes in the fact that I grew up under very difficult environment and learnt early to be a ‘man’. This is why my mind works at its fittest every minute of the day. Again, I learnt early in life that it is God that can never promise you anything and fail to fulfill it. I have been betrayed in several business and political relationships, not as a result of a fault of mine, but because of the unreliability of man. In business, where I have made modest progress, I have relied totally on my instinct, which has never failed me. Before I embark on any venture, my mind will first reveal to me whether it will be successful or not. And if I follow my mind (or instinct) it will always turn out successful.

On some occasions, I have had to bite my fingers for the unavoidable mistakes I had made. Last Sunday, my 53rd birthday, I tried to spend quiet time ruminating over my life – how far I had come and what is left to accomplish – and I marvelled at what lay ahead. Before then, I was thinking I had completed at least 70 per cent of my tasks in life, not knowing that what I thought I had done was just a drop in the ocean, compared to what is yet undone. For instance, I realised that the most daunting task is the emancipation of my people (Igbo of Eastern Nigeria) who have been oppressively treated since the end of the civil war. Though I have championed this cause since my days as governor, the urge to get done with it became increasingly pressing during that quiet time I had last Sunday. Indeed, it was the thought of how to redeem my people that gave me the fillip to go out to address the British Parliament on Thursday last week on the marginalization of Igbo in Nigeria.

I knew the burden of taking up this rare task, but I was encouraged by one of the lessons life taught me that cowards die many times before their death. Those who think about their lives will lose it, but those who sacrifice it for the sake of the kingdom of God will regain it. I know that my people are somewhat skillful politically. Some of them are even self-centred when it comes to the general good. But I did not mind all that in the pursuit of what is right for them. The lives of great statesmen such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Aminu Kano and, of recent, Sam Mbakwe and Ken Saro Wiwa, have inspired faith in me.

These were men that led their lives for the good of others. Zik returned home from the comfort provided him by the United States to join the indeterminable struggle for Nigeria’s independence. His contributions to the emergence of today’s Nigeria are legendary. The same goes for Awolowo. Awo was generally believed to be an ethnocentric person, but those who saw him in that light were crassly ignorant. What Awolowo saw several years before his death in 1987 was never seen by any of his peers. He saw that Nigeria, despite the much-touted unity-in-diversity, was an endemically, ethnically polarized nation held together by only a thin vulnerable thread. And so, he began early to imbue in his people a sense of autonomy and belligerency.

This is why the presence of Yoruba has always been felt in the nation’s socio-political life. He also gave his people reliable leadership, and unconsciously designed a succession plan for them. This is why after his death there has never been any serious crisis over succession. Chief Abraham Adesanya (the late leader of Afenifere – the Yoruba socio-cultural movement) did not hesitate to step into Awo’s shoes at his death. He led Yoruba through the crisis-ridden period of the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election – believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola. His leadership inspired the emergence of a new crop of leaders in Yoruba land. One of them was Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu. Tinubu became governor of Lagos for strategic reason – to galvanize support for the strengthening of the political muscles of Yoruba and hoist their flag permanently on the national map.

So, on the death of Chief Adesanya, he naturally stepped into his shoes with nobody raising the lid. And since his emergence as unofficial leader of Yoruba, he has displayed sound judgement on how his people should survive in a complex political family called Nigeria. He was the brain behind the formation of Action Congress of Nigeria, which won back four of the sates they allegedly lost to PDP in the 2007 governorship elections. Even though the PDP governors had settled into office, Tinubu wrested their seats from them through the legal process. The rest is history. Aminu Kano’s simplicity of life has taught me a huge lesson in humility. He led a life entirely devoted to the poor (talakwa). It is his life that has moulded mine to be simple and charitable.

Though we didn’t share the same business ideology, I think he was simply a man who came ahead of his time. The major difference between my life and Aminu Kano’s is in what he did and what I do. All the wealth he made was devoted to serving the poor and needy. I do the same, but in multifarious and diverse ways. Ahmadu Bello, though a northerner, was a pan-Nigerian. He held puritanical views about Nigeria, which was why he offered his own life so that Nigeria might remain one. He gave the North leadership built on trust and strength of character. He did not quiver in the face of the huge challenges that faced him. It is believed that the monolithic political hegemony in the North was inspired by his selfless leadership style. Then enter Ken Saro Wiwa. He was a literary giant and an accomplished administrator. He championed the cause of his Ogoni people.

He pursued the struggle with unequalled courage and determination. For his audacity, he was brutally cut down by the military by hanging. He paid the supreme price, alongside eight others of his kinship. He was succeeded by Ledu Mitee who has sustained the struggle, though at a reduced pace. So, you can see from where I drew the inspiration to fight for my people. If these men could stand up and be counted when it mattered most why not me? I have never shied away from any struggle in which I am engaged. From business to politics, culture to religion, it is the same disposition. Life has also taught me that mankind is made up of the good, the bad and the ugly. For this reason, you should be wary with how you deal with people. I used to trust so much until I was stabbed in the back. Those I lifted politically have suddenly turned their back against me, for no justifiable reason. I trusted them even with my life. See how they have jumped the ship, because of greed and avarice.

As I have always said, I have nothing personal against them. I pray God to forgive and make them turn a new leaf so that they would not perish in their sins. The modicum of trust I still have in people is inspired by the faithfulness and loyalty of a few of my aides who have stood by me, no matter the circumstances. I must confess that God has blessed me with a number of others I can trust. And these reliable and trustworthy aides have stood as a pillar of support behind me. My parents and siblings have been quite supportive. It was my mother, for instance, who gave me the N5000 with which I traded in palm oil when I was living in Maiduguri. It was this seed money that has metamorphosed into a huge tree as we have it today.

Therefore, I owe her a debt of gratitude. Some of those who attacked me when I was governor for being very close to my mother (as if it is a crime for a mother to love her son so dearly and vice versa) now have their mothers, sons and daughters dictating to them how their governments should be run. Let me make bold to say that my mother never lived with me in Government House while I was governor. Each time she visited Umuahia, she was always housed at the Old Presidential Lodge. And I can count on my fingers how many times she did so in the 8 years I held sway there.

No matter the machinations of the evil ones, I will continue to love my mother and be close to her. Her counsels and support are invaluable. Do I need to recount all the good things God has done in my life? This will take the whole newspaper. Let me, however, highlight a few of them. The most memorable achievement of my life was the winning of the elusive African Champions Cup back-to-back by Enyimba Football Club of Aba in 2002. I personally revived Enyimba when I came into office as governor and saved it from relegation in 1999. After that fearful near-drop into Division 2, I embarked on a systematic revamping and repositioning of the team. We recruited new players and hired a super coaching crew.

I served as the unofficial technical adviser of the team. Our collective effort culminated in the victory recorded in Egypt and the subsequent lifting of the trophy Nigeria had longed for fruitlessly for 38 years. We repeated the feat in 2004. Enyimba seem to be wobbling since we ceased managing the team. For me, I would not like the team to die. Rather I wish it would continue to soar to greater heights. However, if the government wants the team to perform efficiently, it should insulate it from politics and ensure that the right attitude is adopted by both the coaching crew and the players in the prosecution of the challenges before them. As much as I have many things to be thankful to God for, so also there are numerous things that bother me.

The most visible of them is the future of Nigeria. I read scary stories daily about the cannibalization of Nigeria. Will it ever be possible to balkanize a huge and heterogeneous nation such as Nigeria? Those who harbour this agenda are simply wicked. What will it profit anybody to destroy Nigeria, which our forbears spent their time and energy to build? They say Nigeria has a lifespan of 100 years and should cease existing by 2014. Who told them that? Nigeria is not 100 years old. Nigeria is as old as the ground on which it stands today. All the stories about 100 years and the rest are mere administrative conjectures to keep life going.

We will be celebrating 100 years of amalgamation of North and South of Nigeria, and not the 100 years of Nigeria’s existence. Before the amalgamation, which nation did the British administer? Was it not the same Nigeria that was so amalgamated? Let us discountenance this simplistic political configuration that has set us on edge as a people. I am sure that the issue of ethnicity would not have been as rife as they are today if the amalgamation had not taken place. Anyway, this is a matter for another day. Let me use the occasion of my birthday to appeal to our politicians to adopt a different attitude to the way we administer Nigeria. As things stand now, Nigerians are not getting the full dividends of democracy.

Instead of serving the Nigerian people with dedication, we spend precious time amassing wealth we do not need. The primary reason for joining politics is to serve, not for self-enrichment. It is sad that while the masses whom we were elected to serve are getting more and more impoverished, we their servants are getting richer and richer. Is it fair? Now that 2015 is approaching fast and politicians have started their usual horse-trading and electioneering, how will all these pan out in terms of dividends for the people? I have asked this question because I see politicians playing the same old tune as usual.

The masses must be vigilant and shun such politicians whose central objective is to make money from politics. INEC must rise up to the occasion and do what is right to deliver untainted elections in 2015. History will not judge them right if they fail to salvage this nation from its continued slide into anarchy. Above all, life has taught me to place all my hope and trust in God. It is only He that promises and does not fail. Man can fail you but God can never fail you. I am alive and doing well today, because of the awesome grace of God, His hands have continually guided me on the path of peace and righteousness.

I will continue to thank Him for the life He has given me, for the wonderful family and friends He has given me. They have remained a pillar of support in my life. I pray for our country, Nigeria. I bring Nigeria, specially, before the throne of mercy for blessing and liberation. There is no doubt that evil forces are at work to destroy Nigeria. They will never succeed. Instead, Nigeria will continue to grow in leaps and bounds.

Sincerely speaking, I understood their sentiments at that time, quite all right, after all, our aviation industry had been comatose for a very long time. At least, that much we were told. Another likely reason for their pessimism was the not-too-impressive performance of her kinswoman, Kema Chikwe, who held the office before her. Even though the little Kema did was not appreciated, especially by the press, I will not fail to credit her with the courage to disallow old and tired aircraft (coffins in the air) from flying in Nigeria. That bold decision reduced drastically the frequency of air crashes in the country.

It was always very scary reminiscing on the horrendous state of our airports before the ban of the aged aircraft by Chikwe. The Sosoliso crash that consumed lives of innocent students of Jesuits Layola College, Abuja was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. That crash, in which television evangelist Bimbo Olukoya lost her life turned the aviation industry into a doomed enterprise. Some people, at a point, had alleged that the frequent crashes were the handiwork of witches and wizards thirsty for blood. As puerile as the allegation was, some naïve persons still swallowed it hook, line and sinker. There was nothing like witchcraft or even necromancy involved. What was simply wrong was that the aviation industry was endemically sick and needed a surgical operation. That’s it.

The first sign that God was about to act came when some aircraft deemed to have outlived their usability were consigned to the scrap-yard by the regulatory agency. It was that singular decision that led to the demise of such airlines as Albarka, Sosoliso, Oriental, ADC, Triax, etc. Though it was a huge loss to their promoters and owners, it served the purpose for which it was taken: make our airspace safer.

Nigerians continued to pray for God to do something to salvage the situation. And it seems that God has answered that prayer by throwing up Stalla Oduah to head the cleaning team. Being an amazon, she hit the ground running in compliance with the directive given to them by President Goodluck Jonathan during their inauguration as ministers in 2011. Less than two years in office, she has proved her critics wrong by setting in motion a reformist agenda aimed at making Nigeria’s aviation industry one of the best in the world. Apart from reengineering the entire system by eliminating deadwood, she has as well established a formula for driving the industry through a very difficult terrain. What she is doing at the moment is unprecedented in the history of this country.

It is in appreciation of her tenacity, innovation and courage that I have devoted this column, which I had earlier planned to use for my birthday coming up tomorrow, to her – to celebrate her and stand up in her defence. Those who know me are already familiar with the fact that it is not in my character to praise people on the pages of newspaper. But I could not resist not doing it this time, since the criticism of this innocent, hardworking woman has gone unchecked. One of the functions of the media is to defend the weak and oppressed and give voice to the voiceless. I consider it appropriate performing that role through this piece. At least, it will enlighten the ignoramuses and place in proper perspective the commendable job this woman is doing.

What Oduah is doing, as I had said, is beyond description. She is focused and determined – with eyes set on attaining more difficult goals. Keen observers and social critics will have noticed the massive rehabilitation and remodelling going on in many airports across the country. Even a blind man can perceive the dramatic changes and innovations already put in place within a short time and at tremendous speed. The most visible one is the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos. In less than two years, the terminal has metamorphosed into a very exotic and imposing structure – a remarkable departure from the makeshift and decrepit condition in which it had been these past 20 years. Before the transformation, it was an eyesore to pass through the place. Apart from its disused state, it also housed several destitute persons and touts who converted the place into a peaceful haven. It was a very humiliating and heart-rending experience each time I passed through the terminal. But behold what has happened! The entire place now wears new look, with state-of the-art facilities adorning its inside – befitting of the largest black nation in the world.

The International Wing is also undergoing the same reconstruction and remodelling. I saw work going on each time I arrived from an overseas trip. Just last week, I arrived in the country from Brussels. One of our partners (a Belgian travelling in company with another friend from France) expressed surprise at what he described as “total rehabilitation”. According to him, the last time he arrived in the country –some four years ago – the airport was in a sorry state. He could not hold back his excitement at the attention the airport is getting at this time. He said something quite instructive before we drove out of the place. He said: “If other aspects of Nigeria’s development could receive this type of boost, then the sky is the limit.” I understood the curious slant the discussion was taking.

But what he said was true: Nigeria could be better if we do the proper things. There is no way Nigeria can become a global superpower without putting in place modern facilities that can drive the economy and make life worth-living for the citizenry and investors. We have been an independent nation for over 53 years, yet we cannot boast of eye-catching facilities that give other countries the prestige and acclaim they enjoy.

Eleven airports across the country are currently being remodelled to meet international standards. Even our own Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Owerri, is being totally rebuilt. I could not believe what I saw after arriving in the airport from Lagos, from Senegal recently. Everything looked refreshingly clean and span. More structures are being built to make up for the years eaten by locusts. The state of the airport before the renovation works commenced was heartbreaking. In fact, it looked like a village hall –defeating the purpose for which the airport was established ab initio – yet it services an important segment of our nation’s economy. The number of passengers that use the Owerri Airport far outstrips its original capacity. It remains a very strategic airport in the eastern axis of Nigeria. Recall the role it played during the reconstruction of the Port Harcourt International Airport. It was a huge relief as it made up for the closed airport. Imagine what would have happened if the airport had not been built or was not operational at the time. This is why the planners of our national economy should wear their thinking caps and fashion proactive strategies on how to move Nigeria forward. Those used to the Owerri Airport knew it was built through the vision and dogged zeal of one man – the late Sam Onunaka Mbakwe (first civilian governor of old Imo State). He it was who mobilized the people of Imo (including some of us his close friends) to build the initial structures that today house the airport. So, it was a huge relief when the Federal Government remembered the place through the instrumentality of Minister Stella Oduah.

The same transformation is being felt at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja; Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu; Calabar Airport; and five others. The quality of work, in addition to its swiftness, is quite amazing. I am sure by the time the entire reconstruction project is complete, Nigeria’s rating internationally will have risen in geometric progression.

I have always said it at different fora that we must work conscientiously to develop Nigeria. If every ministry works at the same pace, then we are in for a beautiful time. We have the capacity and resources to compete with any nation in the world. As an international traveller, I have visited over 200 airports across the globe since I was born; and this gives me a clearer picture of what obtains in the aviation industry worldwide. I am also a player in the industry having introduced the SLOK Air brand in Nigeria, which, unfortunately, was literally chased out of the country by then President Olusegun Obasanjo for reason(s) best known to him. So, I understand the nitty-gritty of the sector. Our original intention for founding SLOK Air was to introduce competition in the industry and contribute our little quota to national development. But that beautiful vision was truncated by one’s morbid desire.

Let me ask: Have you (the reader) ever visited the Dubai Airport of recent? It is an architectural masterpiece. The Emirate Terminal is out of this world. What of the Doha International Airport? Not to talk of JFK Airport, New York City and Chicago Airport – all in the United States – or Heathrow Airport (Terminal 5), London.

Why can’t we make our airports look as beautiful as those ones? And that is exactly what Oduah is trying to accomplish at a modest scale. If we continue at this rate, in another 5 years, Nigeria will rank among the best 10 in the aviation industry in the world.

Nonetheless, my worry is that some people have vowed to sabotage the wonderful works she is doing. Their reason is none other than she is, first, an Igbo and, then, a woman. Therefore, she must be pulled down. The ‘real’ people have described her effort as commendable. It is the envious, backward ones that criticize her. Nobody has come up with any rational argument why Oduah should not continue the good works she is doing.

Happily, many of those who use the airports have openly confessed their bewilderment at the total transformation that has taken place. In their view, the remodelling of the airports would place Nigeria on the global map and recast its image, which has been battered by corruption, ineptitude and backwardness.

If I may ask: what happened to the billions allocated to the Aviation Ministry before the emergence of the present administration? Probably, the money had been embezzled by the managers of the funds. How else can one describe the awful condition of many of the airports before the remodelling programme started?

As concerned citizens, it is high time we began asking questions about how our nation is run, and apportion blames where necessary. The level of profligacy in the land is mind-boggling. Trillions of naira are appropriated annually by the National Assembly, yet a chunk of it end up in private pockets, thereby leaving a majority of the people paupers. This is sheer wickedness! This is why I find it curious that some people should have the temerity to criticize a woman that has chosen to be different from the pack. What actually do they want to achieve? Do they prefer the old, unproductive years to the modern times of performance and results? They should come out boldly and state what their real intentions are, rather than masquerading under the veil of armchair criticism.

Something in me tells me that some of those criticizing the Minister must be fronting for those who felt that the reform would affect the underhand deals through which they milked our national resources dry.

Again, her critics are ignorant of the mandate given to her by the President to perform or be shipped out. There are some of the ministries doing very as well. Each has its own parameters of assessment.

It may be nice to mention the power sector here. This is one sector that has posed about the most intractable problem in spite of the stupendous investments by the government. The new Minister in the ministry, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, is already complaining of sabotage less than three months into his tenure. Who are the saboteurs and why are they against him or the nation? I used the word ‘nation’ here, because those working against the effort of the Federal Government to improve power supply all over the country are enemies of the state and should be treated as such. Why must we continue to grope in the dark when we have everything to make life better for all of us? Will it be out of place to infer that those against Oduah and Nebo, in whatever guises, are sworn enemies of Igbo? It is possible they have phobia for Igbo. It was in the same manner they frustrated Prof. Barth Nnaji, another Igbo, out of office. This was a man who gave his best to ensure steady power supply. It is on record that there was a significant improvement in power supply before he was forced out of office.

Today, power generation has plummeted from the over 5,600 megawatts we enjoyed in 2012 to as low as 2,900 megawatts in 2013. This has thrown the nation into distress. It is gladdening to note that there is a slight increase in power generation in the past five days, which the minister attributed to the rectification of a technical failure.

My advice to the critics of Stella Oduah and Prof. Chinedu Nebo is to bury their heads in shame and seek better things to engage their time and talents.

To Stella, I boldly say: Bravo! Keep up the tempo and history will judge you kindly in the end.

Last-line

Tomorrow is my 53rd birthday. I thank God for his mercy and love upon me and my family these past tortuous years. I pray him to continue to bless and fortify me as I contribute my little quota to the development of our great nation. I pray him also to bless our country Nigeria, which currently immersed is in deep economic and political crises. I know at his time Nigeria will experience a new dawn.

I use this opportunity to thank all those who have stood by me (especially my family) and whom God has used to raise me to the present state of grace and fulfillment. It was not by might, but by his special grace that I am alive today.

I thank my readers for their support and love.

Happy birthday to me!

As if these vices were not enough, another perilous dimension has been added by terrorists – who have virtually turned our once-peaceful country into something like a war-zone. Before now the operations of the various security agencies centred on weeding out armed robbers who operated mainly on highways and residential quarters.

That was what informed the establishment of the Federal Highway Patrol (FHP) and the Special Armed Robbery Squad (SARS) with a special mandate to root out these daredevil armed robbers that made life miserable for residents and travelers. Before the establishment of SARS and FHP armed robbers had a field day – raiding houses and waylaying motorists (especially those on nocturnal journeys) on the ever-busy expressways.

There was no day that passed without about two or three reported cases of highway robbery involving huge loss of lives and materials. On one occasion, along the notorious Benin-Ore Highway, a gang of armed robbers, dressed in police uniforms, flagged down a fully-loaded luxury bus coming from Onitsha.

The driver, thinking it was a team of policemen, stopped only to be confronted by gun-totting, fierce-looking armed robbers. Before he could regain his composure they had already released a volley of bullets, killing him (the driver) and his conductor instantly. They commanded everybody in the bus to disembark and lie face down.

They hopped into the bus and took away all money and valuables. Not satisfied, and like a scene from a Sean Connery movie, they bounced on the female passengers and raped them one after another. One particular man did not live to tell the story as he was shot and killed by one of the robbers for having the audacity to stop his wife from being raped. For the period the operation lasted, there was no help from anywhere.

From where would help have come – in the middle of a deserted expressway surrounded by thick forests, and no telephone? Mission accomplished, the robbers jumped into their car and hurriedly drove away, leaving behind blood and tears. Who would forget easily the exploits of two notorious robbers – Oyenusi and Anini? Oyenusi was the ‘commander-general’ of armed robbery operations along the same Benin-Ore Expressway.

This was in the mid and late 70s when the most popular mode of transportation among travellers was by bus. He operated with such clinical fineness and brutality that even even the security operatives feared him. He killed both policemen and passengers without any scruples. He was conscienceless. The same for Anini and his gang: Theirs was a national and regional malaise. They snatched exotic cars and killed their occupants in most cases. They trotted the firmament like colossuses. All efforts by the police to track them down were futile. One fable had it that they were invincible and invisible. And so the news spread like wild fire.

Benin, where the gang had its base, was like a theatre of absurdities. Residents slept with trepidation and so did security men who, often, removed their uniforms while going to or returning from work. Anini had a sly and bloodthirsty partner called Monday Osubor. He was the marksman of the gang, while Anini himself was the expert driver and schemer. With these dangerous profiles they held the nation hostage momentarily. In recent times, particularly in Abia State, kidnappers plied their trade with some gusto.

They cared no hoot about whose ox was gored. People, especially prominent citizens, were abducted and taken into ‘evil’ forests from where they contacted their families for ransom. Millions of naira was paid by loved ones to secure the freedom of their abducted family members. The operations of the gang became so deadly that many people migrated from Aba to other cities. Some of those that left are yet to return despite the restoration of law and order to the city. And so the kidnappers had a field way – running their devious ring round the five southeast states and beyond.

The kingpin of these wicked operations was one ‘Osisikankwu’. Many strange and incredible tales were woven around him – how he could disappear at the sight of police or any danger. Expectedly, many believed the tales and lived in fear and hopelessness. The state government was almost helpless. They mustered support for the police to deal with the dicey situation. I must give it to the Abia State government: it did its best to bring the situation under control. However, there was news making the rounds then that the state government was sponsoring these kidnappings to get at its perceived enemies. How true the story was, I do not know.

Even the Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, launched an operation against kidnappers. On a few occasions, he was reported to have led security operations to demolish the mansions of kingpins of kidnap-gangs. He took the war to the kidnappers. And today the effort has yielded some dividend as cases of kidnapping have reduced drastically. Now, let us go to the Niger Delta Region. We are witnesses to the restiveness that pervaded the region during the Obasanjo civilian regime, up until the early days of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

The entire region was embroiled in persistent and fierce insurgency. Oil pipelines were vandalized and oil company workers abducted. The situation was cascading into a state of anarchy. The nation was losing revenue steadily. Government was spending more protecting the pipelines than it was making from the sale of oil. This was affecting national development. It was in the wake of these dangerous developments that then President Musa Yar’Adua summoned courage to confront the problem headon.

After wide consultations, the Amnesty deal for the Niger Delta militants was struck. And since then, the region has been enjoying relative peace, while many of its rampaging youths have been rehabilitated, thereby cutting off an essential incendiary material that fuels the insurgency. Now let us go back to Anini, Oyenusi and Osisikankwu. How did they end? A national manhunt was declared on them: capture them alive or dead. Anini and his gang members were arrested when they were exchanging fire with the police in an operation that signposted the demise of the gang.

Anini was shot in the leg and fatally wounded, while Osunbor (who killed at the slightest prompting) was captured without any injury. During further investigation, it was discovered that the brain behind the dangerous escapades of the gang was actually a serving Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) – one Iyamu – attached to the then Bendel State Police Command. He supplied guns and vital information that aided the gang in its ruthless operations.

The confession by DSP Iyamu sent cold jitters down the spines of the hierarchy of the police. Anini, Osunbor and other members of the gang were tried by the Armed Robbery and Firearms Tribunal and condemned to death. The public execution of Anini and co. was like a carnival. People came from all over the country to the Bar Beach in Lagos, where they were executed by firing squad, to witness it. Anini was the last to be brought out from the van that brought him directly from the hospital where he was receiving treatment for the injury he sustained during their last operation.

He was visibly shaking, begging his executioners to temper justice with mercy as if they had the power to do so. Their lawyer must have entered alocutus (plea for mercy) during their trial. So, making such plea at the foot of the wood on which he was tied was a vain exercise. His partner-in-crime, Osunbor, was a spectacle to behold: he was sweating profusely and appeared marooned and lost in a deep thought. Probably, all the atrocities he committed came flooding into his subconscious mind. Naturally, that is the course such circumstances take.

When asked by the priest sent to bless them, before the waiting soldiers released volley of bullets that silenced them, if he had anything to say, all he could mutter was, “E be like I want mental.” Yes, who wouldn’t be mental? When he was killing and maiming innocent people and threatening the peace and security of the nation he was not mental! Tell it to the marines jo! As for Oyenusi, the same fate befell him as it did to Anini and co. His own public execution (at the same Bar Beach) attracted more spectators, because of his national notoriety.

His death liberated the Benin-Ore Expressway from the clutches of armed robbers for some time. Osisikankwu died like a chicken. He was captured by a combined team of army and police in a thick forest somewhere in Ukwa East Local Government of Abia State where he was hiding from the long arm of the law. How he died, maybe in the hands of his captors, remained hazy. All I know is he is no more. Both the security agents and the citizenry celebrated his capture and death, as he was a thorn in their flesh.

Since his death, Abia State and its environs have enjoyed some respite. Though there are still occasional cases of kidnapping in the state, the situation has been considerably calm since the year started. The only major incident is the upswing in the number of baby factories in the state, particularly in Aba. That is a matter for another day. Now, let us look at terrorism. This is the deadliest of all the social ills plaguing our nation. From where did these terrorists come? Surely, they did not come from the moon.

They are people living among us. Their sponsors are also people who also live among us. They could have a few other funders based abroad. But the key issue is: why should terrorism flourish in Nigeria with all its diversities and secularities? We had lived in relative peace and cohesion until 2009 when the roaring lion was let loose to feast on the blood of innocent citizens. When the first bomb went off, it was like a joke. Nobody ever thought we would be in the quagmire in which we have found ourselves today. It was truly so, because Nigeria had never had a history of terrorism.

All we had had were occasional religious riots that occurred mainly in the northern part of the country. These riots were put down as soon as they started. And so, nobody expected the magnitude of security problems we are confronted with currently. Our journey to gradually becoming a globally acclaimed terrorist country began when politicians started amassing assault weapons to prosecute elections. It was an innocuous act that has today burgeoned into a national calamity.

The violence that prevails in our electoral system is such that, if care is not taken, it may destroy the very foundation on which our nationhood was founded. I am serious. Why should people who are morally and mentally unfit occupy places of honour in our nation’s political life? Instead of subjecting themselves to the rules guiding elections, they prefer to smuggle in thugs to assist them rig and win elections. After the elections, what do you think would happen to the army of thugs and miscreants recruited for these elections? Naturally, they will rehabilitate themselves. And that is when they think of other means of livelihood.

They easily become pawns on the chessboard of drug barons, trans-border criminals, assassins, armed robbers, kidnappers, and, now, terrorists. Again, poverty and destitution have contributed significantly to the upsurge in crimes in recent times. It is generally believed that most of the suicide bombers that work for the dreaded Boko Haram Islamist sect are recruited from among the almajiri. They are heavily brainwashed and indoctrinated to such a level that they are ready to do anything in return.

What sense does it make for somebody to take his or her own life in a suicide operation for one form of gratification or another after death? Painfully, terrorism has cast Nigeria in a bad light globally. Even internally, it has set us on edge, making life unbearable for many Nigerians, especially those that live in the north. Virtually, there is no state in the North that has not experienced the evil of terrorism. But the hotbeds remain Borno, Kano, Kebbi, Plateau, and Kaduna.

The situation in Kaduna is almost normalized, particularly since the new governor took over the saddle. In my thinking, terrorism is worse than all the other ills that beset Nigeria combined. This is why we must do everything possible to uproot it from our national life. It is not the intention of this piece to dwell on the atrocities committed by Boko Haram. The major objective is to sensitize our leaders to the urgent need to bring the confusing situation under control.

There is no way we can continue to live this way. It is a very big gamble to make. The news flying all over the place is Nigeria will disintegrate in 2015. On what do those peddling this wicked rumour place their stake? Probably, they envisage by fuelling the Boko Haram insurgency, they would bring the government to its knees. I doubt if that option will work. I say this, because government has the capacity to deal with the situation if it has the will.

By working to extend amnesty to the group, government has demonstrated sufficient goodwill and benevolence to deal with the menace. What Boko Haram should do is to lay down their arms and key into the deal. They should understand that those they are killing have done nothing against them. By bombing and killing innocent worshippers and travellers, have they achieved anything? The real ‘enemies’ you are targeting cannot be reached easily, because they have fortified themselves with security agents and air-conditioned bunkers.

It is the hapless, defenceless citizens you cut down when you carry out your attacks. The amnesty deal is a very popular option among the leaders of the North. It must be given a chance to work. Let those who engage in acts capable of destroying the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria bear in mind that we have no other country. The wars in Rwanda, Somalia, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire and Mali should serve as a big lesson to all of us.

There is nothing comparable to peace. In peace, we achieve more. The government, on its part, must be committed to the security of lives and properties, which is its statutory duty. As for the security agencies, it behoves them to evolve new strategies to address the embarrassing security problems in the country. One of the surest ways it can achieve that is by looking inwards and weeding out the bad eggs in their folds.

Indeed, the promoters of the ‘authentic’ APC (All Peoples’ Congress) have openly accused Jega’s INEC of bias in the whole affair. Even as INEC has turned down the request of the amorphous African Peoples’ Congress (APC) for registration, the controversy is yet to abate. The ‘authentic’ APC (All Peoples’ Congress is yet to get any greenlight from INEC either. Nobody knows, for sure, when the issue will be resolved.

The resounding approval and euphoria that greeted Jega’s appointment as the helmsman of the Independent National Electoral Commission in 2010 is steadily waning – giving way to continued criticism and condemnation of his commission. His rating before his nomination by President Goodluck Jonathan was so high that many people had thought that a final solution had been found to the myriad of problems besetting the smooth conduct of elections in Nigeria.

Sincerely speaking, I was among those who thought Jega was going to perform some magic, including sacrificing everything (including his life, if necessary) to ensure that free and fair elections were conducted. Although I cannot blame him personally for any specific sin, I do not think his performance in the past two years has gone down well with majority of Nigerians, especially the opposition who accuse his commission of partiality, unsteadiness, and tardiness.

One particular critic allegedly described the commission as an agent of the ruling party. According to him, Jega should have done better than he had so far, considering the enormous confidence Nigerians reposed in him at inception. There have been other critics, found majorly on the social media platforms, who have taken on Jega in recent times. Their grouses vary just as their expectations do.

As stated earlier, the massive support his appointment received from Nigerians and the usually critical press could be traced to the reputation he built over the years as a fearless social critic and civil rights activist. As a fiery university don, he was in the forefront of the agitation for the end of military rule and enthronement of democracy in Nigeria. He waged countless wars against oppressive military regimes that held sway in Nigeria’s political life in the period between 1985 and 1993.

His role in the protest against the annulment of June 12 presidential election was phenomenal and raised his perception by the public to the rafters. Indeed the name Jega made treasury-looters and other social misfits shiver. It was not, therefore, surprising he was chosen to redirect INEC on the path of rectitude, efficiency and integrity. I could recall vividly the positive and wide media reviews his appointment enjoyed then. The rate of approval for him by a cross-section of Nigerians became so high that I began to doubt how he would be able to discharge his duties as fearlessly as was being ascribed to him in view of the fact that Nigerians are very difficult to satisfy.

I also knew that repositioning INEC was akin to cleansing the Augean stable. The first sign that Jega was not going to have it too easy came when he could not get the money his commission needed to turn around its operations and position it for the monumental task of conducting the 2011 general elections. The National Assembly then was skeptical of releasing all the billions his commission asked for, which amounted to over N89 billion, because of the shoddy performance of the commission in the past.

But Jega had his way at the end of the day. The political space was literally thrown into chaos when the commission announced the postponement of the 2011 Presidential and National Assembly elections, a few hours after they began, for what it called ‘logistics reasons’. The rescheduling of the elections caused so much tension that it was miraculous that the elections eventually held. By this time, the confidence in Jega by the Nigerian political class had drastically reduced.

I wonder if the confidence has been restored, because subsequent events have continued to portray the commission as very controversial and inconsistent. As far as I am concerned, INEC was not ready to deliver free and fair elections in 2011. It went ahead to conduct the elections, despite visible flaws, in order to fulfill all righteousness. There was no serious preparation on ground to guarantee free and fair elections. I was a player in that election and knew what transpired. Security was virtually non-existent. Where it was scantly provided, it was hijacked by the high and mighty.

Violence and intimidation of voters were the order of the day, especially in my Senatorial Zone. I was virtually locked in and barred from going out to cast my vote in an election I was a candidate. Many INEC officials on duty that day could not perform efficiently, because they were intimidated, harassed and harangued by security agents and thugs. It was under this chaotic condition that the National Assembly election was held. I am sure the same sorry situation obtained in many parts of the country.

At least, that much we learnt from the media. The preponderance of petitions that trailed the 2011 elections was a clear demonstration that all did not go well with the elections. There was no state that did not witness at least two petitions against the governorship election. The presidential election was the only election that had a popular mandate. This was so, because even opposing political parties cast their lot behind the winner.

In fact, it would have been difficult to beat the winner when the popularity he enjoyed in every geo-political zone in the country is brought into consideration. But the other elections were not totally free and fair. And this has cast a question mark on the efficiency of INEC. Why is Jega being criticized in recent times? The answer is simple: There is fear that his commission might not be fair and just in prosecuting the 2015 elections.

The critics also fear that INEC must have been infiltrated by fifth columnists and agents of political parties in preparation for the 2015 elections. This could be responsible for a recent allegation by a pressure group that Jega is working conscientiously to further the interest of the North in 2015. Though some critics allege INEC is working for the ruling party, nobody knows exactly which of the stories to believe. The veracity or otherwise of each of the stories can only be confirmed by Jega and his commission.

For all I know, there is no smoke without fire. My worry is that these allegations have the capacity of destroying the integrity of our electoral system, if not checked. Why should we still be talking about compromising the integrity of our elections 53 years after independence? Nigeria has reached a level where conducting elections should no longer pose a national problem. Smaller countries in Africa have conducted successful elections, even in recent times. Senegal, Benin, Cameroun, Kenya and Cote D’Ivoire did it.

Why not Nigeria? Just last week, Kenyans elected a new President. Though there were a few dissenting voices, the election was generally successful. Raila Odinga, who lost to Uhuru Kenyetta, has since accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court and thrown in the towel honourably. He pledged to pursue the rest of his political activities thereafter peacefully and constructively. A big lesson for our politicians! I have written on numerous occasions that lack of credible elections is one of the factors responsible for our backwardness.

Can anybody contest that? Look at the calibre of leaders that had been elected in the past 34 years and you will understand the tragedy of our circumstance. Things have continued to get worse with each new republic. The main purpose of election is to offer the electorate the opportunity to choose their leaders without coercion. But are they really allowed to make these choices freely? No! Elections in Nigeria have been reduced to a selection exercise where only the rich, powerful and well-connected are selected.

The electorate are quarantined and left to lick the wounds inflicted on them by ineffectual and lousy leadership. I read a recent article by a distinguished Nigerian senator on the leadership crisis in Nigeria and was baffled by his openness and courage. He described aptly the lethargy of the political class, using Achebe’s books: Things Fall Apart, Man of the People and There was a country to paint a beautiful picture of the crippling corruption and maladministration that are the order of the day.

The undisputable truth remains that Nigeria cannot make any meaningful progress with the character of some of the leaders we have currently. We need men and women that are god-fearing, courageous, open-minded, transparent, incorruptible, creative, energetic and purposeful, with excellent hearts, to take charge of affairs. Some of the current leaders may have one or two of these qualities. I doubt who among them can boast of possessing all of it. For us to move Nigeria forward, we need to develop our electoral system beyond reproach and manipulation by self-serving persons.

People criticize Jega as if he is the real problem of Nigeria. After all, one swallow does not make a summer. Jega, though at the helm of affairs at INEC, is just one man among the over 160 million other Nigerians. The real problem is us – we easily succumb to inducements by greedy and power-hungry politicians. An average Nigerian politician believes the only way he can get power is through the back door.

This is why they flock to INEC whenever election draws near to curry favour. Why can’t they submit themselves to scrutiny by the electorate statutorily vested with the function of electing leaders? It is sad that some of the people criticizing Jega are not even ready to contribute their own quota to sanitizing the system. If we want credible, free and fair elections, we should come out of our cocoons and play a more visible role in choosing who govern us. It is not enough to go to the press to cry wolf, while the problem persists.

We should take our destiny in our hands and chart a new course for our collective survival. 2015 is about two years away, and it still looks like eternity to many active voters who are waiting for the dying minutes to begin to make preparations. As a citizen, it is your responsibility to ensure you are registered to vote, come out to vote on the day of election, and defend your vote. It is useless sitting at home and watching proceedings on television as many of us unfortunately do.

I have participated actively in all the elections conducted in Nigeria since 1991, when I contested election into the House of Representatives. So, I am in a position to properly and objectively construct a true picture of the goings-on on the day of election. The most painful part is that after voting, many voters go home, allowing the ‘hawks’ to feast on the results undisturbed. Since we have a very dysfunctional electoral system, the right thing for voters to do is to vote, wait for the votes to be counted, and accompany the ballots to the collation centre where they are counted, entered and announced.

By so doing, the manipulators will be put at bay. There is no question that very soon INEC will come up with its budget for the 2015 elections. Nevertheless, we need to ask basic questions before releasing money to them. The first and most critical question should centre on the commission’s level of preparedness. Logistics have continued to pose a problem to INEC. It has never failed to mention one obstacle or another as debarring it from delivering free and untainted elections. It must be made to tell us, long before each election, what these logistical problems are to enable us to collectively find a solution to them.

We need to know also how the commission plans to use the money released to it. Again, it may be proper to enact a law to deal with any member of staff of the commission (no matter how highly placed) that colludes with outsiders to compromise its activities. Probably, it is the absence of this law that has emboldened politicians to approach the staff of the commission for underhand deals.

Considering the importance of elections, it may be proper to advocate the election of the chairman of the commission as opposed to the current practice of allowing the president to do so singlehanded. I prefer this responsibility to be entrusted to the National Assembly, which is representative of the peoples of Nigeria. I wish to urge Jega to redouble his effort and ensure that a new INEC emerges before he leaves office.

Posterity will never forgive him if he fails to take the bull by the horns by curtailing the excesses of our politicians who unduly influence his staff before, during and after elections. He must justify the huge confidence reposed in him by Nigerians by ensuring that the 2015 elections are better than any past elections.

Agreed, his commission did very well in governorship elections in Edo and Ondo last year. Can it replicate this in the 2015 elections when elections will hold in all the states simultaneously? Nevertheless, I have one question for Jega: “How would he like to be remembered at the end of his tenure at INEC: as a villain or a hero?” Let him answer. For now, he is in the eye of the storm.

How he rides it depends largely on how deftly and skillfully he is able to manoeuvre his way. In all of these, I do not envy him one bit.

Why the suicide bombers and their sponsors chose this critical time in our national history to carry out the attack still baffles me. Past attacks had been targeted at places of worship in the North, with no particular ethnic group as target. The Kano one was specifically and deliberately targeted at Igbo. What they want to achieve by this senseless attack is yet to be ascertained.

I have written more than two-dozen articles on the need to foster unity, tolerance and love among the various ethnic and religious groups in our dear country. In each of the articles, I drew attention to the ills that work against the advancement of our nation, especially ethnicity and religious bigotry. Recent events across the country show that these calls are not usually heeded by those at whom the messages are directed. How can anyone explain the increased rate of violent crimes that have nearly made life unlivable in our nation? There is no part that is spared: from east to west, north to south, it is the same story of indiscriminate killing of innocent citizens. All the efforts by the security agencies so far to curtail the menace seem not to be working.

For all I know, the latest attack was an unnecessary distraction. It does not have the capacity of achieving anything for the attackers and those sponsoring them. Let the perpetrators of these attacks take a look at what is happening in other nations in turmoil to be able to appreciate the perilous direction they are taking our nation to. Yes, it is important they look at the anarchical situation in Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central African Republic (CAR) and other parts of the world to understand the danger inherent in fanning the embers of hate, tribalism and religious fanaticism. Do they want our nation to become one of these ill-fated countries?

I must confess that my heart has been in deep pain since the bus-station bombing in Kano last week took place. I learnt that the five buses bombed were heading for Lagos and Aba – usually with mainly Igbo businessmen and women. Boko Haram was blamed for the multiple blasts. Why should Boko Haram attack Igbo? Is there anything Igbo and Boko Haram adherents are fighting over? Why should Boko Haram unleash such mayhem on innocent Igbo businessmen and women who did not pose any obstacle to their perceived interest(s)? Are they aware that their unprovoked attacks have cost Igbo numerous lives and billions of naira in materials? Do they know how many families they have rendered hopeless with the recent murder of their breadwinners?

We need answers to these questions urgently otherwise there is fear that this particular incident can trigger off more serious troubles in our nation if not carefully handled. There is no way we will fold our arms and watch our people killed so wantonly again. We have the right under the law of man and natural justice to do everything within the ambit of the law to defend ourselves from the knives and bombs of any conscienceless group wreaking havoc on our nation in the name of agitation for self-governance.

The 1967-1970 Civil War was caused by the senseless and unwarranted killing of Igbo in the North. Though I am a proponent of mutual, peaceful coexistence, however, that is up to the limit commonsense can permit. Is it fair for our people to continue to support the unity of a nation in which their lives are not safe? This is not the first time this kind of callous act is happening. During my tenure as governor, I personally led a delegation to the North in 2000 to appeal to their leaders to call their youth to order; to stop killing our people without provocation. This was after the unprovoked killing of Igbo in several parts of the North for religious reasons. As a direct response to my peace shuttles, there was a brief period of respite for Igbo in that part of the country.

Now, the monster has woken up from its slumber, and it seems our leaders have gone to sleep. Nobody is talking or doing something concrete to stop the carnage. The only strong voices from Igboland doing something to condemn the recent killing were MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, and Senator Uche Chukwumerije who moved a motion in the Senate last week. I also credit President Goodluck Jonathan and the Senate leadership with statements condemning the attacks. It is a pity that other key Igbo political leaders have chosen to keep quiet, while their house burns. What they have probably forgotten is that they are, by their studied silence, only postponing the doomsday – of which they may be its biggest beneficiaries. Whoever sees evil and fails to condemn it will face the aftermath.

It is not arguable that those who kill by the sword die by the sword someday. Today, others are being killed and you do nothing to help. Tomorrow it could be your turn. That is nemesis. After all, what goes round comes around.

Insecurity has assumed a new dimension as we approach 2015, and security agencies seem helpless. Must we kill in order to win election or register our discontentment? Politics should be just a game of wits and not bombs. Those who resort to violence to register their resentment are nothing but barbarians. The leadership of this great nation is open to anybody who is a bona-fide citizen of this country, who has met all the statutory requirements to seek election. It is not the birthright of anybody. This is why I have always advocated openness and brotherliness in political contests. Check the history of this country and it will be easily seen that it is not the mightiest or strongest that always wins political contests. Some people may resort to violence, but it often does not work. I believe that divine providence plays a greater part in the emergence of leaders.

Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, ordinarily, would not have become presidents if not for divine intervention. The journey of both to the presidency started from their days in their respective state’s Government Houses. From there they were discovered by President Olusegun Obasanjo and presented to the Nigerian people who endorsed them. Whatever reason that prompted Obasanjo to support their candidacy for the presidency cannot vitiate the truth that they were destined to become presidents.

In Abia State, for instance, there was no way Chief Theodore Orji would have become governor if God did not approve of it. How he became my Chief of Staff for 8 years and survived all the intrigues that played out before, during and after his nomination to fly the flag of PPA, were well known to the public. I knew what we went through to deliver him, even though he was in prison for no just reason. The enemies of our people deliberately seized him with the sole aim of stopping him from becoming governor. We staked everything to bring the dream to reality. The rest is history.

Why I have made this allusion is to let the enemies of progress know that God is the ultimate giver and defender of powers and the institutions that wield them, because all powers belong to him. We should not kill one another to show we are aggrieved. We have sufficient statutes and other statutory means to protect our individual and collective rights and deal with any issue we have grouse about. Taking the laws into our hands only worsens the situation and paints us before the world as hooligans, barbarians and, even, cannibals.

I was told by a friend who lives in Germany of what their embassy posted on their website about Nigeria. According to him, they warned their citizens not to visit Nigeria, because of heightening insecurity. When I asked him what they meant by insecurity, he said that they stated it pointblank that innocent people were being kidnapped and killed indiscriminately with many women abducted, raped and killed. Who would not be scandalized or frightened by these atrocities? Even though there is a semblance of truth in their claim, the picture is not as widespread and bleak as painted.

I wonder how other nations view Nigeria and its people: maybe as ancient cannibals! What a shame! While the nationals of other nations perform unusual feats in science and technology our people perfect the twin-act of cold-blooded murder and air-raising kidnapping. It is these bizarre acts, such as the ones mentioned above, that make other countries maltreat Nigerians when they travel abroad. When this happens, we cry to high heavens for justice.

Nations, such as the United States, Britain, France, Germany and other developed countries, achieved greatness by promoting law and order and economic development; protecting the individual’s rights and privileges; and fostering security of life and property. What then obtains in our country? Exactly the opposite! How then can we attain greatness under this circumstance?

I am worried that almost 53 years after independence our country is still primitive and retrogressive. We should have gone beyond where we are today if we had eschewed bitterness, acrimony, ethnic hegemony, divisiveness, and rancour. Agreed we are a nation of multicultural and multiethnic background, but should we allow this to divide us forever.

Let me ask: “If Boko Haram and other agitated groups succeeded in killing everybody who would they govern in the end?” Those who work against Nigeria are definitely not aware of the magnitude of the harm they do to her. The earlier they understand the truth, the better for them.

I urge the Federal Government to do everything within its powers to resolve the Boko Haram imbroglio and restore law and order. There is no amount of money invested in development that will bring any dividend without first achieving peaceful coexistence among all ethnic groups in the country.

I wish to state at this juncture that the Jonathan administration is positive about developing Nigeria. But it cannot actualise its vision without fighting corruption, insecurity and unemployment. These three cankers are responsible for all the crises we have witnessed in this country in recent times. We have the potentialities to become a global superpower, nevertheless we need to put our house in order and embrace peace and unity.

The emergence of ethnic militias in Nigeria started the moment we lost sight of the purpose of our sovereignty, which is rooted in peace, unity and progress. The greed of the political class, coupled with grinding poverty, has rendered this sovereignty sterile, thereby exposing the nation to irresolvable crises. There was nothing like terrorism some 14 years ago until civilians assumed the reins of power. With it, came inordinate desire to control power. Those not comfortable with the redistribution of power feeling threatened resorted to arm-twisting to protect their interests. This is the genesis of the unfortunate situation we have found ourselves in today.

What the government should do is to rework our social system to foster justice, equity and fairness. That is the major focus of any democratic engagement. When this is achieved, then the system will naturally adjust to the new realities. It is not something one can achieve mechanically. It requires tact and diplomacy.

I have volunteered to work, in conjunction with the federal government, to find lasting solution to the Boko Haram impasse. The earlier this is achieved the better for Nigeria, because the hand of the clock is ticking very fast.

To the families of those who lost their lives and property in the Kano bombing, I offer my sympathy and pray God to grant them consolation.

Good night, Achebe – The literary Iroko! 

Apart from the death of Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, no other death in recent times has attracted as much attention as the passing away of Prof. Chinua Achebe. Since the news of his demise broke out last week the centre could no longer hold – things have fallen apart. Men, women, youth, people of all tribes, religions, nationalities, social statuses and beliefs have cried and refused to be consoled. They have done this through diverse fora – social and traditional media, open discussions, visits and the like. In all of this, they have shown deep affection, adulation and respect for the literary giant whose works have transformed lives immeasurably.

His book – Things Fall Apart – ranks among the award-winning literary works he penned. He was first among equals, and an embodiment of honour, integrity and principle. He dished out these exceptional qualities in quantum during his 82 eventful years on this earth planet.

There is nothing I write here that has not been written by other people since the sad incident occurred. But let it be told that even though Achebe was not awarded the elusive Noble Prize in Literature while alive, he died leaving behind an image that will tower over us for generations to come, because his arrow of wisdom and candour blazon on the global literary firmament for eternity.