Below is another thought provoking article by my friend Temitayo Fabunmi. His previous BlogFeature article can be found here. He has once again put my precise thoughts into words in a profound way. There are so many lapses that this present government has permitted to go unaddressed and at the detriments of human lives. How long shall we continue like this? Read, be enlightened and do share.
Thanks.
Leaders
throughout history evoke some kind of passion in their followers. A
leader who is as inspirational as a wilted spinach leaf will not last
long in the saddle. The manner of passion a leader evokes, largely,
determines how his contemporaries view him, and indeed, may influence
history’s view. Virtually all effective leaders evoke a respect or a mix
of fear and hatred. Despots “inspire” naked fear and breed sycophancy.
From successful CEOs to acclaimed heads of countries, a common theme
underlies their time in power.
Straight out of university I had the
privilege of working with Tony Elumelu when Standard Trust Bank was
still small; he wasn’t the most likeable of characters in my freshman
eyes back then because he made us work overnight on so many occasions –
but it is difficult not to respect him. Fola Adeola perhaps has the most
caustic wit when displeased, but I would wager many GTB alumni would
still be diffident to speak ill of him. My former colleagues in
PricewaterhouseCoopers would regale any listener of the respect, fear
and in a few cases, hatred that is the legend of Nsa Harrison. On
another level, why speak in glowing terms of Ronald Reagan or Bill
Clinton, in spite of their personal weaknesses, foibles and failings?
In
this first of a series of essays I plan to write about the forthcoming
elections, the question I will seek to address is “what manner of
passion does Goodluck Jonathan educe amongst his team”? This is
important in my opinion, to understand the man as a leader and to help
determine if he is the kind of leader we need to reward with our
collective national trust for another four years. For
me, the first deep insight into the nature of the man Goodluck Jonathan
was his televised remark – “I don’t give a damn”, when asked about his
declaration of assets. The signal sent out in that moment of
unrestrained emotion speaks volumes about him and what to expect of his
team. If the late General Sani Abacha had made this kind of remark, I
would neither have blinked in surprise nor lost a night’s sleep. That
remark was firmly in character and under a military dispensation, let’s
face it, our opinions are not meant to matter. However under a democracy
where your tenure in office is based on the numerical strength of
goodwill as measured in votes, it would be political suicide to make
that kind of slip. Gordon Brown referred to one voter, just one voter,
as “that bigoted woman” and his goose, or whatever was left of it, was
cooked. Except, perhaps, in the case of Goodluck Jonathan, it was not a
slip. Maybe truly the man does not give a damn. A man who does not give a
damn is a dangerous man. Scratch that, he is a highly dangerous man. It
connotes a man who believes he has a grip on power that is not legitimized by democratic acceptance.
Having
made that theme clear, his immediate team went to work – not giving a
damn. I dare say from that moment on, the passion stoked amongst his
immediate followers in his team was one of insensitivity. On more than
one occasion, his advisers have acted in a way that reinforces the
notion that under this ruler, there is ample amplitude to be reckless.
Abba Moro is the minister saddled with the internal security of Nigeria.
In August 2013, quite in the face of the regular bomb attacks carried
out by Boko Haram, he told the BBC that Boko Haram is no threat. Barely
six months later, 59 boys were killed in a Federal Government College in
Yobe. A year later he vicariously supervised the murder of 16 Nigerians
whilst carrying out an incompetent recruitment exercise. For the
records, to date he has not resigned. He was not prosecuted for his
failings. He was not relieved of his duties. He does not give a damn.
All under Goodluck Jonathan’s watch.
Over
the course of 2013 and 2014, various allegations were made against the
NNPC and the Petroleum ministry regarding defalcation of public funds and
discrepancies between the revenues expected and revenues accounted. The
most strident of these was made by the erstwhile CBN governor. In a rare
display of speed from an otherwise lethargic president, the CBN
governor was removed and Mrs. Allison-Madueke who supervises the
petroleum ministry has been ring-fenced by a presidential shield against
summons by the National Assembly. Never mind prosecution. The fact that
a minister can be brazen enough to publicly state the House of
Representatives cannot summon her without the president’s consent again
resonates of that first theme – I don’t give a damn. I will not speak
much on this as there is a case pending in court.
In the
aftermath of the allegations by the former CBN governor, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, the supervising minister for the economy promised a
forensic audit report. None has been produced almost a year after Sanusi
was “suspended” from office. The need to even inform the citizenry of
the progress, or even commencement, of the forensic audit is hardly
necessary – after all, I don’t give a damn.
Late
last year, someone actually had the barefaced guts to announce a
ceasefire with Boko Haram, knowing fully well that none existed. The
country was the laughing stock of the international news community – see
the BBC link here, the Wall Street Journal and another from The Guardian.
That “someone” who announced the ceasefire is still the Chief of
Defence Staff. A curious addendum to the announcement of the ceasefire
was a directive to “to immediately comply with the agreement”. Being
fully aware that there is no ceasefire, a commander directs his men to
stand down; this has dire implication on soldiers who could have been
killed believing indeed that there was an agreed respite. But then, the
man in the fedora does not give a damn.
The
utterances and deeds of the people that form the executive team resonate
with two clear themes – reckless callousness or opportunistic lethargy.
These are two traits exuded in abundance by the president himself. At
one point or another, the utterances of folks like Nyesom Wike, Doyin
Okupe, Reno Omokri, Reuben Abati have all been emblematic of the
executive apathy towards the opinions of the citizens. I can safely say
the fact that they did not lose their offices, nor suffer any public
reprimand means they are doing the bidding of their team leader or he
is too indolent to be bothered.
Perhaps
the most damning indictment of President Jonathan’s reckless disdain
for Nigerians is best encapsulated by his denial of the Chibok abduction
for over two weeks and his refusal, or inability, to even pay a visit
to Maiduguri until a week before this round of presidential elections
campaign. The last Nigerian ruler I can recall who avoided going to a
certain part of the country was Sani Abacha who stayed away from Lagos
right from the time M.K.O Abiola was arrested till he died. I digress,
but the theme is the same – here is a president who does not give a
damn. Not only does he not give a damn, the passion he evokes in his
team members is the same – do not give a damn!
To entrust another four years of our collective well-being into the hands of such a man is suicidal.
Article By: Temitayo Fabunmi
Webite: http://temitayofabunmi.com/
totally agree
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