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Revolutionary Change, Democratic Space and the Great Nigerian
Inquisition -By Adebayo Adejare Newsdiaryonline
Mon Feb 28,2011
"Each generation must out of relative obscurity discover its
mission, fulfill it, or betray it. - Frantz Fanon, The Wretched
of the Earth ". “It is in the nature of the revolution to
betray the revolution” – Kole omotosho In order to advance
greatly in our journey towards a truly free and democratic
society all hands are on deck for a free and fair election in
April 2011.
An icing on our cake has been the successful outcome of the
people's revolution in Tunisia and Egypt which terminated
decades of unfruitful military dictatorship
in those countries. By extension Nigerian Youths are currently
engaged in the difficult intellectual endeavor of discerning who
our "Pharaoh" is upon whom our fury would be unleashed in the
imminent Nigerian Revolution. Ordinarily, the issue of Elections
should not be the concern of real revolutionaries.
If revolutionary change
were indeed possible by the Ballot, Robert Mugabe and Hosni
Mubarak and a host of other pseudo-democrats would have been
ousted via democratic elections long ago. We must emphasize for
the umpteenth time that the ballot box is no guarantee for
revolutionary change but it is a possibility. If nothing happens
before the elections, then whoever wins Nigeria's Presidency
would inherit the gargantuan responsibility of either leading
revolutionary change or else be consumed by it. As we navigate
the change process, we must be very proactive and interactive.
It is impressive that quite a good number of public figures
who are not office
holders now consider themselves stakeholders with a voice on the
state of the nation. I mean
the likes of Prof Ben Nwabueze, Nigeria's greatest in
Constitutional Law, Prof Wole Soyinka Nobel Laureate, Chinua
Achebe World renowned author. We are also enriched from time to
time by the contributions of numerous NGOs whose focus range
from common societal ills as child prostitution to Human Rights
and the sustenance of democracy and constitutionalism. We
also have aplethora of internet websites which showcase the
vibrancy of public discourse hitherto subdued by decades of
unproductive totalitarian military dictatorships of
Sanni Abacha, Ibrahim Babangida and Muhammadu Buhari.
Regrettably, a combination of the rot in our educational system
and the work of spinners and image launderers have
introduced confusion in
the minds of the average Nigerian youth as to the dialectics of
change. Undeterred we seek to rub minds continually so as to
block lacunnae, or to timely address misconceptions,
distortions or just plain ignorance. According to “The Stages of
Change Theory” by Prochaska, Norcross and DiClemente, there are
six stages to the theory of change: pre-contemplation,
contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance and termination.
The theory is applicable to political behaviour. Nigerian
youths, if they ever made a sound assessment of the current
state of the nation would have realized that change is
imperative or slow death is sure to creep in. We have passed the
pre-contemplation. We know that things cannot continue the way
they are now. A wise saying states that only a mad man would
continue to do things the way the've always done and expect a
different result.
Nigerian youths are
definitely motivated at this stage. We are at the threshold of
action stage and can indeed borrow a leaf or two from our North
African brothers in Egypt and Tunisia whose travails are not as
great as those of Nigerian youths but still struggled for
liberation. Yes, we must vote and our votes must be made to
count as we insist but what is the likely effect upon our daily
lives? If there is not going to be any tangible easily
quantifiable impact then the exercise would have been another
futile endeavour. Is it going to be “business as usual" or are
we indeed by our votes taking our destiny in our hands?
Nigerians are a very simple and understanding people. You don’t
have to be a magician to please us. We need no foreign models or
heroes. On the Civilian side Lateef Jakande has set the standard
while Murtala Muhammed remains the model among Military
Dictators. We demand that Nigerians must be able to feel the
"dividends of democratic
change" before the end of 2011. Truthfully, the lawyers’ maxim
"volenti non fit injuria" (having consented, you cannot complain
of injury) applies to choice of leadership by ballot. You vote a
man you're stucked with his principles, ideals/ideology and
capabilities hopefully for just the next four years although our
crooked Democrats stubornly insist that it is for eight. This is
the more reason why ballot choice in April Elections must be
delibrate and not sentimental. In common parlance: As you make
your bed so you lie on it.
Nigerians are grateful for the constructive role of Prof Wole
Soyinka, the Nobel Laureate who in 2007 called for rejection of
ex-dictator Muhammadu Buhari but has indicated this time around
(2011) a suggested
choice for Presidency as a guide to Nigerians. I point him out
because Nigerian elders are fond of playing the “fox” on
critical National Issues.
Youths must avoid that bad example of taking no stance until a
winner is apparent. Declare your stance! If you’re convinced
that your none of the three leading Candidates (Two in reality)
is good enough then you’re at liberty to waste your Ballot on
the remaining fifteen or so others or just plain ship out
of Nigeria (to Egypt or Afganistan)
Do not also be misled by disgruntled Newspaper/ internet writers
quick to shower praises on “President Obama” but habour great
contempt for anything Nigerian. Believe me, when a winner is
declared in April they will write again to assert that they knew
(or supported him) all along. Some of them are out to reap where
they did not sow ending up as appointees of the Politicians they
ridiculed or receiving patronage or Government land from them.
There is no room for iconoclasts or fence-sitters in the 2011
Presidential Elections. Democracy assumes that each voter
independently makes up his mind who to cast his ballot for based
on objective criteria and common sense. But common sense is not
so common in our greatly traditional,
deeply religious and
highly pluraslistic society whose values and psyche has been
corrupted by mass poverty: the favourite weapon of fascist
dictators. In consonance with democratic practice world wide,
citizens with record of past misdeeds IN PUBLIC OFFICE are not
electable into office in subsequent new elections. Common Sense
dictates, if they arrogantly present themselves for office that
voters reject them. Examples are legion. But what do we see in
Nigeria today? Politicians are taking cover under the law
(Constitutional presumption of innocence) to seek or continue in
office despite past misdeeds – a repeat of the tragic
Abubakar Transition error. Some seek high office to acquire
IMMUNITY for past misdeeds! Some have entrenched themselves in
the corridors of power since the tenure of the evil genius! Many
are indicted but still cling to office under one form of
immunity or other including the now famous immunity by delay of
judicial proceedings. The EFCC has done a commendable job by
presenting a list to Nigerians of Public officers facing serious
accusations of very serious crimes. But the job of screening
candidates has been usurped by the Courts of Law. Voters must
therefore guide themselves with certain non-legal criteria to
apply in casting their votes. Nigerian Youths must apply common
sense to discern the wheat from the chaff. They must examine
candidatures as opposed toPolitical Parties. One of the
tasks before a new President to be elected in April is an
examination BY COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY of how Nigeria and who and
who held Nigeria down for fifty years contributing to its
socio-economic and political adversity
resulting in the highly degraded pauperized state of its
citizenry.
Nigeria's Ex-Dictators have a case to answer on this and it is
only fair that a non-participant promulgate the inquiry. Unlike
the Oputa Panel which they spunned, this one will give no room
for escape. There is bound to be serious conflict of interest if
an ex-dictator presides over the affairs of Nigeria in post 2011
election Nigeria. There are candidates that Nigerians know
should not be contesting elections but are helpless to stop. The
Solution is to campaign against and vote against them at the
Polls. Example: Anybody who has a record of toppling a
democratically elected government of the Federation and ruling
Nigeria as a Military Dictator should not get our votes. This is
no punishment. The real punishment comes when the surviving coup
plotters are put on trial in the criminal justice system
especially for atrocities and looting during military rule. It
does not show common sense for a youth hoping for change through
democratic elections to cast his ballot to any ex-Military
dictator and expect revolutionary change. Those canvassing for
return of an-ex-Dictator might not have given thought to this or
are imprisoned by ethno-religious sentiments. The Nigerian
quagmire is captured in the seminal work of Professor Richard
Joseph of Department of African Studies at Northwestern titled:
"Inside the Dismal Tunnel". The way out of that tunnel is
revolutionary change. But we must arm ourselves with the lessons
of history. “Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it”
- George Santaya. We must examine our past to enable us chart
the direction of change in the Nigerian Society. By a public
inquiry, a sound re-writing of our social contract can take
place. A fair basis for allocation of culpability and justice
can be established. But more importantly, the oppressed and
surpressed Nigerian Youths can have a say in the determination
of their destiny while saying
good-bye to unemployment, mass poverty, lack of healthcare, bad
roads, epileptic electricity supply and other ordinary amenities
of life that are taken for granted in other climes. Ours is a
revolution against waste, fraud and abuse and the vampires who
have held Nigerians in political and economic bondage for fifty
years.
It is a revolution for accountability retribution and redress.
The Nigerian Pharaohs although brutal and bloody, must bow. Our
young people are already down, they need fear no fall. Truth is,
we live in a predator nation where – a
mere microcosm of the
state of nature. We drove the Dictator away in 1993 yet life is
still brutish and short.
But we are now ripe for an empowerment revolution and
enthronement of a welfare-driven government.
Our dignity as Nigerians needs restoration. It is not light but
slow death that awaits the ordinary powerless Nigerian at the
end of the tunnel. Our deliverance is in our hands. We must
“rebuild” Nigeria from the ruins that corrupt incompetent and
tyrannical civilian and Military Leaders have made of it, we
must focus on elimination of waste, fraud and abuse in
governance as well as loot recovery and bringing looters to
justice.
Ours is a revolution against vampires not Dictators. We have
trod the path of lies, deceit and betrayal too long. We refuse
to continue to walk on a famished highway into an endless cycle
of poverty and degradation in a “dismal tunnel” that Nigeria now
is. "Enough is enough!" "Let go of my people!!!"
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