“What’s Always Wrong with These Our Public Officials?”
I am aware that the question being asked sounds trite and commonplace.
Social critics, political commentators, professional or citizen journalists,
even ordinary woman in the street speak and discuss about this question on a
daily basis. In fact, I have stolen this question from one of the Nigerian home
videos in which one of the protagonists asks the question with frustration and
dashing hopes clearly written on his face. Moreover, I had once or twice
admitted that Nigerian social critics often repeat an earlier theme of a
composition. This is because the events in
Nigeria
today are a repeat of yesterday’s.
Nigeria is in trouble. Another
cliché, isn’t it? It has been in trouble since inception. It will continue to
be in trouble in the next fifty years, even if care is taken. Call me a
pessimist if you like. This is scary but nobody would be able to prevent it.
And unless the daily news reports from
Nigeria
are false. There are too many injustices and dishonesty in the land. Hypocrisy
and authority stealing are glorified, even by those being oppressed. There are
too many unbelievable reports about our public officials, including Mr.
Presidents. They behave as if they are animals dealing with animals. And
Nigerians, it seems, are just too weak to check the immoderations of their
public officials?
Just imagine these headlines: “Aso
Rock budgets N2.3million daily for refreshment....N1.5m for eye glasses; EFCC:
Waziri vows to step on toes, pursue Govs, LG chairmen; Two ex-ministers
arrested over N19.5 billion aviation fund; Austrian
contractor confesses -"I bribed Borishade N1 billion"; N4.5bn fraud: EFCC arrests another NAMA chief; EFCC set to
arrest beneficiaries of PEF fund; EFCC trails three Northern ex-governors;
Ex-Gov, minister, army general, reporters fingered in PE car gift scandal;
Okonjo Iwela linked with N19.5b aviation scam; Why I gave N1.5m to fake EFCC
operatives —Edo commissioner; EFCC: How Ex-Gov Stole N1.5billion In Five Months
– Court Puts Him under House restriction; How Emirs, senators shared
65,755 tons of grains meant for starving Nigerians; NPA fraud: EFCC launches
manhunt for Bode George…
64 million Nigerian youths
jobless; Health workers to go on strike; teachers vow not to end strike
Obasanjo’s administration spent N86.3bn on railway project; How Obasanjo’s govt
killed automotive industry-report; Why power supply is deteriorating
daily-PHCN; EFCC accuses states, councils of squandering funds; Waziri wants psychiatric
tests for public officers; The Scandal of the judges: How Osun Tribunal Was
Compromised; Ogun NUJ President resigns over graft; N78m spent on Sallah rams
lands DG in EFCC net; How Alao-Akala looted over 1bn in 11 months; Yar’Adua, VP
spend N655.97m on foreign trips; Accountant General lists points of corruption
in govt; Exposed! $800m Fraud Rocks PPMC…ICPC Moves In; How judge, eight others
concealed N1.4bn 2007 unspent funds-EFCC; and so on and so forth.”
Now tell me how a right thinking Nigerian would not be angry
and sad over these kinds of reports? Now tell me exactly how the nation could
progress under this circumstance? Now tell me why I should not repeat myself?
Now tell me what other solutions to offer that have not been offered by the
experts, analysts and concerned Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora?
Hadji Alade Odunewu, chairman Board of Trustees, Nigerian Media Print Awards,
uses cynicism, frustration, despair, dungeon and hunger to describe the depth
of authority stealing among public officials.
“For lack of better description,” said Odunewu at the public
presentation of Chief Dayo Duyile’s Three Books. “We have lately been witnesses
to what I call a festival of Probes in the National Assembly, all of which
continues to expose high profile looting, greed and thievery in high places.
This should not surprise you. The background to the perfidy has to do with the
perception politicians in developing world have of public office and
stewardship. In developing countries, it has been said that politics is
concerned with sharing out a pitifully small national cake”.
In her own efforts, Mrs Farida Waziri, chairman of the
Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), recently echoed Prof. Wole
Soyinka’s thorough psychiatric tests
for all aspiring public office holders. Speaking during a visit by the Nigerian
Bar Association (NBA) President, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), to the commission in
Abuja
to seek its collaboration in fighting corruption, Waziri was reported to have
said: “most of the negative character traits exhibited by public officers in
the country, especially massive looting of the treasury, are symptoms of mental
illness”. Even former President Obasanjo had made a similar call before he
became Nigerian president in 1999.
What else should I add? Nigerians are suffering. Nigerians
are dying. Nigerians want to enjoy basic amenities. Another cliché, isn’t it?
Are Nigerians demanding for too much? Perhaps! In
Nigeria,
it is part of class struggle for the rich to see the poor begging them for amala
or tuwo or isiewu. Life is not complete unless our public officials find
someone to oppress. After which they would invoke the name of God. “Allah is
the one who appointed me,” is now a common parlance. And the masses in
bittersweet moment would shout hallelujah.
What could make our public officials so daring in the way
they steal? Further cliché, isn’t it? Surely it’s not because they are mad, so
I consider the recommendation of psychiatric tests by Prof. Wole Soyinka and
others as literary. I think the Nigerian society is contributing immensely to
this horrendous official thievery that has shaken our cities. Each time public
official assumed office, their family, relations, friends and even colleagues
immediately put them under intense pressure. They would admonish them saying,
“Oh, by tomorrow you shall be in tears over lost opportunities.”
If authority stealing is treated as armed robbery, I doubt
if any senator or governor or local chairman would be so audacious in the way
they steal. I agree with Mrs. Waziri assertion, “If
a man is punished for violating the laws of the land others who are of like
mind will be deterred.” In addition, we need honest declaration
and leadership by example before we can be able to curb authority stealing.
Also, we must guide against any kind of expression not supported by real
conviction. Unfortunately each regime has been unable to implement leadership
by example. In fact, every regime has made mockery of curbing official
thievery.
Apart from excessive stealing, incompetence is another
cliché in our dictionary. Our public officials are too relaxed in the course of
discharging their duties. They don’t see the opportunity as a call to serve but
a heaven to accumulate necessary and unnecessary wealth. From the local
chairman to the president, no one is reliable. Otherwise many social and
cultural issues plaguing the country today would have been resolved. It’s quite
unbelievable that our public officials are in the habit of referring to
themselves as patriots. What kind of nationalistic thinkers would prefer to die
in the
United Kingdom,
or even acquire dual citizenship?
I strongly believe eight years as a local chairman or
governor or president is enough to effect a positive change in the lives of
citizens. One year or two could be devoted to health care system; another two
years to education; power could take one or two years; and the remaining years
for other infrastructures and equally important issues that could progress a
nation. But what we often heard is loud and confused and empty talk. The Niger
Delta issue is a typical example of such grandiosity. It’s rhetoric masquerading
as promise since time immemorial. Virtually every government has been insincere
in an effort to usher peace and justice in the region.
After almost 50 years, the Nigerian govt still lacks
knowledge about governance. Public officials are deliberately wasting time on
issues, especially Niger Delta, a region where oil –
Nigeria’s
main revenue – is being produced. Niger Deltans have water but thirsty; they
have wealth yet remain poor. Nigerian public officials are flamboyant
deceivers; they attract us with tricks and jokes while enjoying authority
stealing. The headline-grapping news is shocking and mocking. These people
aren’t mad but thieves. And we should treat them as such. Period! No wonder
Gen. Yakubu Gowon, ex-Head of State excused himself from the Niger Delta summit
chairmanship. He knows it‘d amount to the usual rhetoric.
What’s wrong with these people? I mean, who would have
predicted that
FESTACTown
and Jakande Estate for example, would one day be flooded with crocodiles and
water respectively? Who would have predicted that education, health care and
other social facilities will be so rotten in a country once called Giant of
Africa? So decayed that Mr. President prefers to be siphoned abroad for
treatment! So crappy that the Education Minister prefers sending his children
overseas for schooling! The worst injustice is when public officials use the
instruments of state to cheat citizens. It’s worse than armed robbery, for
armed robbery is armed robbery while government is governance; it’s basic duty
being to protect citizens.
Even the National Assembly and the Senate that supposed to
hold the executive arms of government responsible is as incompetent as ever.
They seem to be in the House for their own pocket. We had witnessed what is now
popularly called Ghana-Must-Go being exchanged in both the Lower and Upper
Houses. As a result, our representatives often compromise their civic duties.
Since there’s no one to make these erring public officials accountable, they
become audacious explorers; invulnerable to fear of any kind. In the process
therefore, the judiciary, legislature and the executive become one. And they
surely have the ability to cajole the masses. What’s always wrong with these
our public officials?
This
piece is dedicated to all those who are genuinely analysing, discussing and
writing about
Nigeria
for a possible permanent solution. They should not relent on their efforts no
matter what.
"There are too many unbelievable reports about our public officials, including Mr. Presidents. They behave as if they are animals dealing with animals. And Nigerians, it seems, are just too weak to check the immoderations of their public officials?"
Robert your article is very true, however, your statement of nigerians been 'too weak to check the immoderations of their public officials' is not appropriate in the sense that, yes we know our officials are thieves, rogues, armed robbers e.t.c. My questions to you and every other responsible nigerian is, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT. as we are not in these so called government, were sensible, innocent, and honest people are not giving the opportunity to partake in the nigerian government, even if they are, they become like the rest in a few months. In a country where the senate is full of fraudsters, hoodlums, thugs, assasins, election riggers, oil bunkers thats just to name a few, so then who can challenge such. In the days of Wole Soyinka, Gani Fawehimi, Bola ige and other social challengers (Critics) there was much sanity amongst politicians, in other words they could reason with whatever the social critics had to say and make amendments. These days nigerian politics is dominated by mad men, illiterates, and mindless individuals, who is ready to take anyones life without a second thought in the name of political survival. Yes it is sad and unfortunate these are happening to our beloved country nigeria, but it will only take a divine intervention of God to revive nigeria or a very bloody revolution, which will be taken on by who? We nigerians home and abroad need to be grouping up to fight these oppression not only by writing articles but building up pressure groups to fight the nigerian government by any means necessary.
=Ibadan;4295074562>"There are too many unbelievable reports about our public officials, including Mr. Presidents. They behave as if they are animals dealing with animals. And Nigerians, it seems, are just too weak to check the immoderations of their public officials?"
Robert your article is very true, however, your statement of nigerians been 'too weak to check the immoderations of their public officials' is not appropriate in the sense that, yes we know our officials are thieves, rogues, armed robbers e.t.c. My questions to you and every other responsible nigerian is, WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT. as we are not in these so called government, were sensible, innocent, and honest people are not giving the opportunity to partake in the nigerian government, even if they are, they become like the rest in a few months. In a country where the senate is full of fraudsters, hoodlums, thugs, assasins, election riggers, oil bunkers thats just to name a few, so then who can challenge such. In the days of Wole Soyinka, Gani Fawehimi, Bola ige and other social challengers (Critics) there was much sanity amongst politicians, in other words they could reason with whatever the social critics had to say and make amendments. These days nigerian politics is dominated by mad men, illiterates, and mindless individuals, who is ready to take anyones life without a second thought in the name of political survival. Yes it is sad and unfortunate these are happening to our beloved country nigeria, but it will only take a divine intervention of God to revive nigeria or a very bloody revolution, which will be taken on by who? We nigerians home and abroad need to be grouping up to fight these oppression not only by writing articles but building up pressure groups to fight the nigerian government by any means necessary.
Ibadan,
What is wrong with the statement “Nigerians are 'too weak to check the immoderations of their public officials'” It is not the truth?????????? Imagine a human like you in 2008 getting robbed daily and your only response is WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT. IS that not the weakness you were accused of?
A nation of 140 million versus a few thousand rogues and you are scared shitless to do anything because the list includes con men and armed robbers? In a revolution can the entire Nigerian army, politicians, defence minister, navy and air force defeat the people?
Fear and weakness is now being packaged as “what can we do about it” No one is asking you to go into the streets and fight yourself but for Pete’s sake keeping writing and at every opportunity tell Nigerians the only way is a revolution. Keep singing the revolution tune until people see they have no other choice but to redefine their destinies, even with the cost of some bloodshed.
Imagine a rat like Maurice Iwu telling us to our faces that MOST (most) of the elected Governors bought their mandates. Now, why do you think he would make such an utterance in Nigeria? Because he knows Nigerians are weak and will not do a single thing about it.
Authors 
Posted by Robot| 23.07.2008 22:23