Eyeing Jakande’s battle against hypocrites

However, while Alhaji Jakande is engaged in low-key celebration of his 80th birthday, his political adversaries are still unrepentant in their determination to drag him to the pillory. In the eyes of his enemies, he deserves no honour because he served as minister under the late Gen. Sani Abacha administration. But to these hypocritical opponents, […]

However, while Alhaji Jakande is engaged in low-key celebration of his 80th birthday, his political adversaries are still unrepentant in their determination to drag him to the pillory. In the eyes of his enemies, he deserves no honour because he served as minister under the late Gen. Sani Abacha administration. But to these hypocritical opponents, Alhaji Jakande has told them straight from the shoulder that he has no regrets for serving Gen. Abacha.

According to Alhaji Jakande, the late chief Moshood Abiola, the Late Chief Bola Ige, Gen. Oladipo Diya and several other Yoruba leaders were involved in his decision to participate in Gen. Abacha’s administration. He said it was never a unilateral decision and that it took him a great deal of deep reflection before he succumbed to the pressure to serve the Abacha military regime.

Therefore, if the decision to participate in Abacha’s government was ultimately found to be ill-advised, why should the so-called Yoruba “democrats” crucify Jakande for their collective folly? Didn’t Abiola sing the praises of Abacha after paying him a courtesy call at the Dodan Barracks, which was then Abacha’s temporary seat of power? Pictures of this famous visit are still vivid in our memories.

Indeed, if there are people to be held accountable for Abiola’s avoidable death in custody, it is the so-called Yoruba leaders whose narrow- mindedness led to Abiola’s ultimate and tragic death on July 7, 1997. They misled him into declaring himself a President even as there was a sitting Military Government exercising power and authority. These text book democrats let emotions to govern their judgments rather than reason, which consequently misled the late chief Abiola into taking the wrong and unrealistic decision to declare himself a President, despite its treasonable implications.

Yoruba modesties such as Alhaji Jakande who had urged caution were pooh-poohed and branded as traitors. As Abiola threw caution to the winds and went ahead to declare himself President, little did he realize the immediate and long-term consequences of what was to follow. The anticipated diplomatic recognition to his declaration by the United States, European Union countries and other nations did not materialize. If that wasn’t an eye opener for the so-called democrats misleading the late Abiola, what else could?

However, even as it was clear that Abiola made a logical false step, caused by wrong advice, the late Gen. Sani Abacha was still willing to compromise by letting the famous political detainee take the option of bail.

Sadly, this was aborted by the narrow-minded reading of Nigeria’s political reality by these so-called advocates of democracy. If these extremists that had hijacked Abiola’s mind and ears opened themselves to reason or common sense, the late Abiola couldn’t probably have died in custody.  

One cannot understand why any group of narrow-minded Yoruba leaders would sit down and declare other Yoruba political leaders as pariahs who should be ostracized for life. Jakande’s enemies can probably equal his commitment to Yoruba interest but they cannot surpass him. His record of performance in the Second Republic was brilliant and shining example of democratic success story. He successfully implemented his free education and free medical care programmes while in office. He set a standard which others are too eager to emulate.

What evil did Jakande commit for which he must apologize and be forgiving? If serving the government of the late Gen. Abacaha was a crime, why were the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo or Professor Wole Soyinka not ostracized for serving military governments? The late Awolowo served under the former General Yakubu Gowon Military regime as Finance Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the Federal Executive Council and Professor Soyinka served as Chairman of the Federal Road Safety Commission under the former Gen. Babangida Military regime.

It is the height of hypocrisy therefore, for anyone to ostracize Chief Lateef Jakande for serving the Abacha administration. The former Civilian Governor of Lagos State said the late Abacha was a patient listener and was always ready to support projects that could advance the progress of Nigeria. The introduction of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), the railway rehabilitation programmes and the Gwarinpa housing project were among many good programmes the late Abacha unfolded for Nigeria.

Alhaji Lateef Jakande has nothing to apologize for; he served his country well and he owes his hypocritical opponents no apology. They are not god and they have no better patriotic credentials than he has. On the contrary, it is the NADECO leaders that should apologize to their Yoruba followers for stupidly letting Abiola make wrong decision concerning his freedom.

Alao wrote from Block 27, Gen. Hassan Katsina Road, Anguwar Rimi, Kaduna