21 Sep 2009 |
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| Gani: He Came, He Fought But Did Not Conquer
When Awo (Chief Obafemi Awolowo) died, the grief and mourning of the old political combatant were thrown over the South-West, maybe the nation, like a compulsory pall and sadness was certainly obligatory. With Gani, it is different. To have been alive with him was to have watched a man forge the path of justice and tread that road, alone, in our jungle laced with injustices. He engaged in a solo effort, using the only instrument he knew, to go after the jugular of those he perceived as villains in the face of justices. The rest of us then cheered from the pavement, not wanting to be collateral damage. Gani remained the conscience of the nation for slightly over four decades. Logically, he should have won that war - the nation’s conscience but sadly he lost. He could not conquer the minds of most us whose adoration are for the successful, as defined by our society, and those that are powerful. During his many travail in the 80s, Gani had his bag packed for the next arrest after only just returning from a previous detention. Unless, I missed something while growing up in Nigeria, there was never a “Free Gani” protest mounted by Nigerians to free him. He was seen as a trouble maker, by us, even though it was obvious he was fighting mostly for the oppressed and those were many. Many commentators advanced reasons why we did not even voice our opposition to his many arrests – ignorance and poverty they claim. It suited us to be labelled thus, but in retrospect, the argument of being lilies was a cowardly cover. In reality, our oppressors were even morally better than the rest of us – the governed. The leaders Gani fought on our behalf are the good guys in comparison to the rest of us. They only happened to be there as a leader reflecting the character of the Nigerian society. A society deserves its leaders – so, the saying goes. Gani definitely was not our leader because we did not follow him. We did not deserve his likes. Fighting for justice and the sacrosanct of the constitution were Gani’s specialities. With due respect, the snarling kittens (SANs that litter our lands) are still wet behind ears in comparison and certainly many of them, the likes of the election tribunal twinkle-twinkle little super stars that have been straddling our political landscape should be big enough to admit it. Outwardly, Gani was stubborn, cantankerous and prickly, and conversation with him could be a boisterous affray. Inwardly however, for those who were close to him, he was a warm and friendly fellow. Gani seemed the only one who knew what a Constitution is and fought arduously to preserve it. He understood that the almighty Constitution is a series of legal codes that all of us have subscribed to, directly or indirectly, in order to preserve the state of the nation. He knew it must be defended by all with all our might wherever and whenever it is breached. Did Gani fight the wrong war? Could he have expended his reserve of nervous energy to “fight” or educate the masses instead - with the hope to better the state of society? There are no easy answers to these questions. We can only remember him before our memory fades on Gani who? This is a fact of the Nigerian life - if 20 Nigerians deserve to be paid each N10.00 (ten naira), but are paid instead each N2.00 (two naira) there ought to be a natural protest. A smart boss, however, could recognise those that will give him trouble and pay those ones N3.00 (three naira) instead - better than those earning two naira but still less than what they deserve. Any agitation for the full pay of ten naira by those still being paid two naira will be thwarted by the few of us earning three naira. The relative advantage will blind those of us earning slightly more to join in the demand for the full pay. This is the “I better pass my neighbour” syndrome. It is what the society is. It is what Gani should have focussed on. He ought to have recognised that the rest of the society and I are typical Nigerians. Had he, he would perhaps have understood why when faeces were sprayed onto my cloth, as he rightly put in 2003, I did what I did. I did not wash it off or complain – instead, I rubbed it on my face like pomade... The day a madman, driving or being driven, decides to form his own lane in an otherwise orderly traffic on Nigerian roads and he is alone on that lane without other people joining or queuing behind the madman, then Nigerians would be ready to follow a good leader. After all, the vehicle in front on a proper lane could be likened as a good leader. Why should all of us follow the vehicle that has formed an illegal lane? Nigeria is not short of good leaders, but no Nigerian is ready to follow good people. After all Gani too put himself forward to be followed, but we did not. A friend says that if God and Satan should come to Nigeria to contest for an elective post and God decides not to use His veto power, Satan will win with a landslide in Nigeria. Gani, you have done your best. It was not those leaders that were the major problem because they themselves still smell of faeces. The typical Nigerian is the problem, the likes of me. Deep inside, we envy those that we condemn. We wish it was us in their positions – not to repair things but to outdo them... You were definitely not a simple man. Rest in perfect peace! Samuel Akinyele Caulcrick Zaria. |
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