Pendulum
By Dele Momodu; Email: dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com
Your Excellency, Assalam
Alaikum. It has been over six months since you graciously invited me to
your office in Abuja. I must note once again that I was truly honoured
and humbled by our one-on-one meeting. We spoke and interacted like two
old buddies. What was more, I was all alone with you without a third
party in the room. We spoke candidly and cracked jokes freely. I
remember presenting you with an advance copy of my forthcoming book and
you even requested me to autograph it for you which I did with such
pride and gratitude in me. We took loads of pictures before and after
the meeting. I left you reassured in my belief that Nigeria is in safe
hands.
Sir, a lot has happened since
that meeting took place. In fact, so much water has passed under the
bridge. Let me take you down memory lane a bit. You started contesting
the Presidential election as far back as 2003. For three consecutive
times, you lost and it seemed all hope had evaporated. In 2011, we were
co-contestants. I was driven to your house one night by Prince Lanre
Tejuoso (now a Senator) who wanted me to tone down my criticism of you
and opposition to your candidacy. I was totally disarmed by your
humility and simplicity. You spoke softly and candidly. I felt you were
too old to return to a post you left nearly 30 years ago but you were
certain you still have so much in you to offer Nigeria. The Jonathan
government that won the election at that time was ushered in with so
much hope and promise. After that election, you said that you would
never seek elective office again. After three arduous attempts, you must
have felt it was all a bloody waste of time seeking an opportunity to
rebuild an irredeemable country that seemed determined to be plunged
into the abyss by those you were convinced did not mean well for the
country. But the government that promised us fresh air soon lost its
sail and floundered aimlessly.
It wobbled and fumbled till
it became obvious that something had to be done to avert a monumental
catastrophe, the kind that you had foreseen. The situation became so bad
that most of us were left with no choice but to see you as our only
God-sent redeemer. This was how the stone previously and repeatedly
rejected by the builders suddenly transfigured into the much needed
cornerstone. Your most caustic critics soon became your ardent fanatics.
We were hypnotised and mesmerised by your new look. You were repackaged
as a reformed and born again democrat. We studiously ignored your
military credentials and dictatorial proclivity. The young and old
screamed your name from the rooftops. Many youths were ready to march
for you and even die in the process. The last time we witnessed such a
phenomenon was in 1993 when Chief Moshood Abiola contested and won the
June 12 Presidential election which was later annulled by your former
colleagues in the army. You and your political party enjoyed a whirlwind
romance with Nigerians. The covenant was based on mutual trust and the
hope that you had robust knowledge of Nigerian history as well as vast
experience in governance. Your avowed integrity was the icing on the
cake. We expected you to inspire us as a veritable example of
honestypersonified. The election came and you won almost effortlessly.
What mattered to us was for someone to liberate and remove us from the
suffocating yoke of the PDP. You looked the perfect man to do it. Of
course, to whom much is given much is expected.
The burden of proof and
expectation hung around your neck like an albatross. Soon, it seemed
Nigerians thought and assumed that they had voted for a magician and so
expected miracles to happen instantaneously. Trouble started very early.
You inherited a government with plummeting revenues as the crude oil
which greased the economy had suffered a massive collapse in price thus
emasculating our country’s fortune and reserves. In addition, just
before you returned to power the outgoing government had twice devalued
the Naira leaving you with a currency that was set for free fall. In
short the Government that you assumed control of was one which was like a
disaster waiting to happen. Nigerians are generally impatient. We are
action-packed and expect talismanic results. Unfortunately that has not
happened and is not likely to happen soon no matter how hard you try.
Sir, let me stop the introduction and go straight to the crux of the
matter. While I do not want to sound like a doomsday prophet, I wish to
alert you that there is fire on the mountain. This is not a subtle or
covert attempt to create any panic. As a war General, I’m certain you
have enough liver to withstand shock. But what I wish to say without
mincing words is that we are yielding grounds to the enemies. Hard core
supporters of your campaign like me are being derided by those who feel
you are not living up to expectations. I know your handlers are likely
to dismiss this as crying wolf where there is none but please, don’t
listen to them.
The situation is very
critical and may even get out of hand if not carefully and delicately
managed. You are going to be against corruption is wonderful, it pales
into irrelevance and insignificance where hunger, deprivation, poverty,
unemployment, poor education, ignorance, diseases, insecurity of lives
and properties and other complications are concerned. Many people are
going to hail you for arresting the thieves but the same people will
soon turn around to attack you when they can’t feel the effect of the
war positively on their bodies and souls. In case you are shielded from
reading the comments making the rounds, let me inform you Sir, that
people are already saying they would rather have corruption back, out of
the desperation and suffering they are going through. And these are not
the so-called looters but the ordinary Nigerians. Nothing illustrates
this more poignantly than the video posted by Instablog9ja on Instagram
and other social media platforms yesterday showing a man that looks like
a taxi driver being interviewed. The man said he is so frustrated that
he wants Nigeria to perish and all of us with it instantaneously. He
wished that we all die simultaneously, at once and suddenly. The clip
has already gone viral globally. Therefore, if anyone tells you only the
elites are grumbling, they are telling you a blatant lie, Sir. The poor
who were your best friends and biggest supporters appear totally
confused, disillusioned and ostensibly tired of the endless excuses
coming out of your Administrations spokespeople.
I read somewhere that your
foot-soldiers will soon embark on town hall meetings but I can assure
you it won’t achieve anything. Why do you want to engage in campaign
after election? Some expert scammers would just collect money for these
jamborees. Nigerians want positive change and not a cacophony of lies
bandied at stage managed, hurriedly assembled meetings populated by
sycophants and glory hunters. They are ready to sacrifice but not when
they think things are going from bad to worse. There is so much to do
but without an agile economy nothing tangible can be achieved. The
economy itself cannot be fixed in an atmosphere of permanent strife. One
year will soon pass by next month and a second year shall begin. It is
time to bite the bullet and take the economy head on. Forget about all
distractions and concentrate on what really matters to the generality of
our people. You will find out that once the economy is tamed all else
will follow suit and the successes that you crave in your corruption
crusade will start being manifested. I pray you will hearken to my
humble advice and concentrate your energy on resurrecting the economy
instead of embarking on a war of attrition.
You will be judged ultimately
by the comfort you bring to your people and not the self-immolating
pain you inflict on real and imaginary enemies. May Allah grant you the
wisdom of Nelson Mandela who chose the path of reconciliation and
national rebirth above the tempting choice of prolonging the horror of
racial segregation. My warmest regards to you and yours always. I remain
yours sincerely. told the usual tales and rigmarole of how corruption
is fighting back. Yes, perhaps corruption is fighting back truly but it
is because you did not prepare adequately for the backlash. The style
and manner of the war you are waging has not been novel. The approach
has been a rehash of the Obasanjo era with Nuhu Ribadu in charge. What
would I have done differently if I were you? I would have traced and
located the loot as much as possible before launching my attack.
Surprise is one of the most effective weapons of war. And you are
without doubt an accomplished General. It is only in Nigeria that
investigators announce in advance who the next set of villains they are
coming after will be. I would have gone to the courts to seek permission
to freeze the looted funds. Thereafter, I would have asked my
operatives to show evidence of the identified perpetrators and located
the looters and ask for their cooperation in gently signing the
purloined money back to the State without hullabaloo. I will then
exchange a grudging handshake and tell them to sin no more. Those who
wish to be difficult would be treated like hardened criminals and the
full weight of the law would descend powerfully on such recalcitrant
fellows. I would have kept the promise you made prior to assumption of
office of drawing the line after being sworn in on May 29 and punish any
fresh acts of rascality and irresponsibility. I will ensure there is a
uniform treatment for all Nigerians, rich or poor, members of my party
and others.
I will avoid anything that
would suggest I’m principally after my perceived enemies and opponents. I
will not create tension and confusion within my own party and accept
the verdict of the people in their collective wisdom or stupidity. A
house divided against itself cannot stand, I read in the Holy Bible. I
would also make sure that as much as possible I would internalise the
process and not wash the country’s dirty linen in public. Such tactics
only tends to frighten away those who would assist us and make life
unbearable for our citizens abroad. If we require assistance from other
countries to repatriate our looted resources I would have engaged the
leaders of those countries privately and sought their co-operation
surreptitiously. I would have realised that even if they desired to
assist my government they would be hampered by the rule of law enshrined
in their respective jurisdictions and recourse would be required to the
judicial process in those countries. My silent approach to the recovery
of the looted funds would also ensure that the expectations of the
people of this country would not be unnecessarily heightened. The money
Abacha pillaged is still being recovered in staccato and stuttering
fashion almost 20 years after his death. It is important for you to
realise that corruption will fester and even explode when it is
incubated in an economy approaching a comatose state as people seek to
survive by all means possible. I will therefore make the economy my
utmost priority. Trust me Sir, as important as the war.
THISDAY
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