Sovereign national conspiracy
To the extent that ‘eminent’ denotes an imposing personality, there were indeed many eminent people in attendance. But taking the definition of ‘eminent’ to include quality and substance, the presence of some individuals among the reportedly 150 people at the event robs the gathering of a substantial measure of integrity. The organizers should have kept […]
To the extent that ‘eminent’ denotes an imposing personality, there were indeed many eminent people in attendance. But taking the definition of ‘eminent’ to include quality and substance, the presence of some individuals among the reportedly 150 people at the event robs the gathering of a substantial measure of integrity. The organizers should have kept away gadflies such as former Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode. Femi’s contribution to the discussions soiled the entire atmosphere so much that even the usual, predictable outcome of such a gathering lacked the comic relief it usually provided. Oozing hate and apparently driven by dubious motives, Femi Fani-Kayode looked like he was on the verge of bursting into tears on behalf of his beloved Niger Delta because CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido had committed the cardinal sin of linking Boko Haram insurgency with uneven distribution of national resources.
Of course Sanusi’s analogy was an unpardonable blunder that would make even an illiterate blush with embarrassment, but what was so offensive, in this particular instance, was Femi’s total lack of scruples in taking advantage of it to advance his personal interest, namely: “President Jonathan, I’m broke and desperate and tired of waiting. Throw something my way before I prove to you that I wasn’t sent to a Ghanian Institution for nothing”. Looking at the man, he certainly looked like he needs to return to Ghana before he experiences a relapse.
Away from the irritating pretensions of Femi, the eminent personalities themselves actually fell short of their usual standard. To start with, former Kaduna state governor during the second republic and leader of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Alhaji AbdulKadir Balarabe Musa, really should have stayed away. Musa didn’t seem to realize that we are in 2012, and not the other way round. It would not be surprising if it turns out that Balarabe Musa, famous for his austere lifestyle, doesn’t have satellite TV in his house, hence he wouldn’t know that these days, even Fidel Castro of Cuba no longer speaks in such glowing terms about socialism as a viable economic system. Yet that was the main submission of the grand old man of Nigeria’s Left.
But archaic as it was, at least he was sincere in his belief and convictions, which is more than anyone can say about most of the other eminent persons there. But there were refreshing moments. In the middle of all that doublespeak and attention-seeking, a certain Mrs Charity Steven Shekari (remember her? She is the widow of former Kaduna state deputy governor, late Mr. Steven Shekari), unexpectedly came up with what to all discerning minds, was the most fundamental question during the entire discussion. Confident and ravishing in a black and white attire, Mrs Shekari had challenged the gathering to discuss and explain the real motives for the gathering and for the demand for the overused and abused call for a Sovereign National Conference.
To the best of my knowledge, that question remained unanswered even in the final communique that the meeting issued at the end. But then again, it was a question which answer everybody knew, in particular the conveners of that kind of meeting and the gullible audience they have converted over time. The motive is personal, parochial, self-serving and have nothing to do with correcting the wrongs in our society. Who does not know that Nigeria has only one problem, which is corruption? Solve that and everything else will solve itself, including, believe it or not, BH.
But a lie is a lie in whatever language it is spoken. The call for a SNC has been exploited by many to blackmail reigning governments into dishing out juicy government jobs. So now it is up to the government to identify the most influential noise makers in the group and deal with them accordingly. This, by the way, is without disrespect to the tireless and genuine intentions of the few among them, especially those that have never shown any serious interest in government appointments (consultancy not included please).
Meanwhile, here is a suggestion, offered honestly and freely, and on the assumption that the perennial advocates of a SNC do genuinely want one. Nigeria is a free country, right?. Well then, why should those people wait for anybody to convene a national conference of ethnic nationalities for them? If they are convinced that this is what everybody wants, let them go ahead and convene it. Did they seek permission before holding the two-day dialogue they have just concluded in Lagos? Let them set their agenda and send out invitations for ethnic nationalities to send their representatives. The willing would come running. Just last week, irritated by the continuous grumbling from Argentina over the Falkland Islands, the British Foreign Office angrily and sarcastically responded that, “the people of the Falkland Islands are British out of choice”; and so there won’t be any discussion on the matter unless the Falklanders so desire.
As of this moment, the Argentine government is yet to find the right response to this very open, easy and democratic challenge. Our own SNC-obsessed activists are free to test the self-acclaimed popularity of their opinion. If they dare!