Desecrated from infancy and bedridden at 52

While we have been impoverished by the caliber of leaders that administered Nigeria between 1960 and 1999, the crop of 1999 till date are the most obtuse, self-serving, reckless and corrupt minded political class in our history. A few examples will succinctly demonstrate this assertion. The first is the mischievous ceding of Bakassi Peninsula, an […]

While we have been impoverished by the caliber of leaders that administered Nigeria between 1960 and 1999, the crop of 1999 till date are the most obtuse, self-serving, reckless and corrupt minded political class in our history. A few examples will succinctly demonstrate this assertion. The first is the mischievous ceding of Bakassi Peninsula, an integral part of Nigeria to Cameroun through a dubious agreement entered between the two countries prior to the judgment of the International Court at the Hague. It did not occur to our policy makers that the “forced” commitment by both parties was aimed at Nigeria to accept a predetermined outcome of the case. Of the two countries, only Nigeria had the wherewithal to snub the international court’s ruling.

Our greatest reminder of the imperiousness of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s presidency was the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroun by his administration based on the predictable outcome of the case. Nigerians living in the peninsula woke up one morning and realized that their allegiance to the green and white flag have been forcefully taken away from them. The new order expected them to mingle and avail their natural resources to a country they were practically alien to. The chiefs, politicians and people of Bakassi kicked and wept in anticipation that their country would provide succor and restore normalcy to their lives. To the disbelief of the entire nation and the happiness of Cameroun and her international backers, President Olusegun Obasanjo promptly accepted the nation wrecking verdict and commenced the process of its implementation. What could have pushed a man that propounds the indivisibility of Nigeria to accede to the judgment without qualms?

The second was the failure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua to be a statesman by handing over power to his then deputy, Jonathan Ebelemi Goodluck. The nation was virtually brought to a halt and all manner of pedestrian tricks were unleashed to sustain the selfishness of the cabal led by the then Attorney General of the Federation. Even the transmission line from the presidency to the national assembly was blocked to prevent the later from doing the needful in line with constitutional provisions. It took the consummation of an illegality christened the “Doctrine of Necessity” to rescue the country from the brink of war and infamy.

In the battle to retrieve Nigeria from the claws of present wreckers, we must start promptly to identify nation builders within our immediate environment and form cells of nation builders all over the country. An amalgamation of these cells could help outwit those desirous of burying the country dead or alive in 2015.

Others are elevation of impunity, bigotry and the lopsided geopolitical arrangement that have been the misfortune your polity.

Kelechi Eme, wrote in from Abuja and can be reached [email protected]