Interesting Times

Why are the cornerstones of the present system beginning to reposition themselves on the side of the people of Nigeria? Do they sense that change is around the corner? A few months ago, General David Mark in effect told off the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and those of us who he obviously regards as unpatriotic and disgruntled Nigerians who continue to insist that things were not right with Nigeria. According to the retired officer, Nigeria was doing very well and things were going in the right direction. I am not so sure Senator Mark has not recently modified his position.
Certainly our friend, Ojo Maduekwe has! I did not watch his BBC interview but those who did, appear to have been thoroughly unhappy after the episode. From newspaper reports, it appears that Maduekwe was not his usual articulate self and appears to have had some difficulty rationalising and justifying the present state of affairs in our country. The Guardian (Friday, January 22, 2009) reports Ojo as admitting that Nigeria is passing through tough times and quoted him thus “ the leadership will no longer act in denial…We must accept that all is not well with us and that we missed opportunities to turn the corners”. Interesting times! So the leadership were in denial? After the Christmas day Detroit terror incident involving Umar Farouk Abdul Muttalab, we proclaimed that terrorism is not in our character. Less than thirty days later, over thirty people have died in religious violence in Bauchi and now perhaps up to a thousand in Jos. Interesting!
When Professor Wole Soyinka, Pastor Tunde Bakare and others in the “Save Nigeria Group” organised their Abuja rally, our ruling class as usual brimming with false and unfounded confidence would typically have ignored them. Spokespersons of the system would have derided them as unpatriotic elements and perpetual agitators who did not command the support of the people. But guess what, the Speaker of the House of Representatives attempted to actually address the rally. And then the establishment rallies its own assemblage of “currently displaced ex-politicians” led by Anyim Pius Anyim and gets them to address the Senate President and Federal Speaker. Yet this group, even while seeking to discredit protest as a means of ending the present crisis, made essentially the same points the protesting group were making.
The biggest sign yet that something is about to give is General Olusegun Obasanjo’s call on the President he essentially forced on Nigerians, Umaru Yar’adua to toe the path of honour and resign from office due to his health challenges. Does Obasanjo know something we don’t know? Or why do you think Obasanjo, who would otherwise have insisted “I dey Kampe” in response to any criticisms by those he would have dismissed as ignorant Nigerians, is now bothering to extricate himself from the possible backlash from the present contrived crisis and explaining himself? Even our Senators and Representatives are now hedging their bets, as reportedly many of them are getting worried that the present drift is dangerous and unsustainable.
The usually shadowy and silent Yarádua Clique is also explaining itself to Nigerians through “anonymous” media briefings even though their narrative is strange. Banking on Obasanjo’s unpopularity, they claim that the reason they don’t want to hand over to Goodluck Jonathan is because of him. They remind us that Obasanjo does not believe in democracy, and that once Jonathan takes office, Obasanjo will be the de facto power behind the throne. Pray, is this not the same Obasanjo who put their principal in power? Is this not the same Obasanjo, Turai Yar’adua went to thank in Abeokuta immediately her husband was successfully imposed on Nigerians? Is that not the same Obasanjo who appointed Sayaddi Abba Ruma as Minister of State for Education, and Tanimu Yakubu as CEO of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria? When and why did Obasanjo become their enemy? When did they become the apostles and protectors of democracy? I tell you fellow Nigerians, these are indeed interesting times!
Even President Umaru Yar’adua (UMY) is evidently rattled. He had no choice but to issue an official explanation for his absence that apparently has some basis in reality even though clearly not the whole truth-acute pericarditis. And then he would have liked to ignore all the complaints from civil society and opposition elements about the resultant power vacuum but when his office appears threatened by protesters and an imminent debate in the National Assembly, he quickly appears on BCC (well he doesn’t really appear, but his voice does “appear”) to pre-empt any adverse actions and deflate the momentum building against him. I interpret UMY’s action to mean that contrary to the impression of many observers that he is being forced by his inner circle to hang on to power contrary to his personal desire, perhaps he actually will do whatever is possible to remain president.
These indeed are interesting times. Sad; depressing sometimes; possibly moving towards a comedy, tragedy or tragic-comedy; embarrassing as the world looks at us in amazement wondering what sort of people or nation we are; and increasingly resembling a farce. The system has put its thumb on the self-destruct button, and despite all admonition continues to press down hard. It will be interesting to see how all these resolves itself.