“We fought a war to remain united, indivisible nation… because we believed and still believe that what binds us together is far greater than what divides us.” – General Yakubu Gowon.
[dropcap]U[/dropcap]p till date, this very odd view is fanatically attested to by the Nigerian Status Quo/ Autocrats, after their long years of disservice to the over 170 million Citizens of this country. It is very absurd and illogical in the first place that two factions with great binds and minor differences, have to go to war to either foster their enormous binds or iron out their minor differences, as one cannot be fighting for what is readily at his or her disposal, while minor differences are the easiest thing to sort out on the dialogue table.
This Autocratic view was recently repeated, in an unrefined tone, by the present serving president of Nigeria, who himself played active role in the Nigerian civil war, when he said that the Igbos should remember what happened to them during the civil war of 1967-1970. Some details of those atrocities of the Nigerian civil war have been enumerated in one of my previous articles, It’s Time To Revisit The Indivisibility Of Nigeria Debate and The Indivisibility Of Nigeria Debate – ‘The Status Quo And Citizenry’.
But if one should take Gowon on his personal conviction on what binds us together seriously, I would want to draw his attention to the very personal bind that he, as the then head of state of Nigeria, had with Edith Ike-Okongwu which gave rise to the birth of Musa Gowon.
As the then head of state of Nigeria, in relationship with a woman of Biafran extraction, and this relationship was blessed with a son, Musa, General Gowon reportedly denied paternity of Musa. Only through a conclusive DNA test conducted recently, was Gowon convinced of his paternity of Musa, which he confirmed with the following press statement:
“Musa Gowon
Following years of doubts and speculation, a DNA test was recently conducted to ascertain the paternity of Musa Gowon who recently returned to the country.
The results of the tests were conclusive and they confirm his paternity.
We, the family, are working to assist in his rehabilitation following a very difficult period in his life.
As we look forward to the future with faith in God, we request that our privacy be respected.
Thank you.
General Dr. Yakubu Gowon GCFR”
Of course, relationships could end for whatever reasons, but the product of such relationship should naturally be presumed to remain binding. One is therefore forced to ask:
Should this young man, Musa Gowon, not have been the symbol of one Nigeria which Gowon advocates?
Should it not have been General Gowon himself, in the name and spirit of One Nigeria he advocates, and the numerous binds among us, who as a matter of self-assurance would have proven to the world earlier that he fathered Musa, rather than the other way round?
This if I may say, compares to a situation of the congregation convincing the priest of the existence of God.
In one of my previous articles, I have enumerated the emergence of the Nigerian Status Quo, who metamorphosed from the autocrats of the Nigerian civil war, that saw no reason in dialogue as they had deemed military force and subjugation the only credible means of achieving their goal, purportedly One Nigeria at all cost.
In answering Reuben Abati´s question, as posed in his article, in The Trent, a Nigerian Internet newspaper, So, Who really governs Nigeria today?, I would plead to add a little modification to this question by asking: Who has taken Nigeria hostage?, as the Nigerian citizens had never been governed over the last 50 years, but have been held under perpetual hostage by the Status Quo Autocrats and their associates, as they could never be held accountable by the citizens.
They have, since their emergence, suffocated all other aspects of human endeavor and governance including the Judiciary, the trade, labor and student´s unions etc., emasculated the media, academicians and professional bodies and blocked outrightly the emergence of true elitism as they, have permanently tagged themselves the elites of the Nation, resulting that Nigeria can chronically boast of stagnant elites of majorly mediocre and illiterates. They and their associates have allocated to themselves, without any due process, the lands of the Niger Delta, in form of oil wells, and also through the indigenization policy, taken over the private sector, while their military influence fosters the unworkable union called one Nigeria. All these combined, created not only the mono-economy they are bitterly complaining of today, but also mono-ideology. It is due to this act of hostage taking that the people in the corridors of power in Nigeria speak a different language as the Citizens, as they bear no allegiance to anybody.
Kemi Adeosun, Nigeria’s current finance minister, recently revealed that 363,000 companies operating in Nigeria have never paid any tax before, naturally resulting in the loss of billions in tax revenue to the Nation. Inasmuch as she did not enlist those companies and their owners, I can say with all certainty that those companies do not belong to the market women in Tejuosho market or the bus drivers, or commercial motor cycle riders in Ibadan, Kano or Enugu etc,, and definitely not the exploited herdsmen, roaming the country with the cattle of their masters, but to the Nigerian Status Quo and their associates.
The Panama Papers that generated uproar in different parts of the world with resultant resignation of some high ranking government officials in some countries, was just a mere news in Nigeria, because the Status Quo and their investments, never paid taxes to the national coffer in the first place, so very few could really decipher what is meant by tax heavens.
This act of hostage taking of the Nigerian citizens is better illustrated by the status quo denying the over 170 million citizens of Nigeria the basic right of a referendum in the Constitution, at least in certain serious issues affecting their existence, as Nigerian constitution never has any provision for such.
While at the same time using section 44(3) of the Nigerian constitution, the status quo and autocrats ensure themselves the total control of the country´s natural resources; this was also observed by the minority leader of the house of representatives, Leo Ogor, who in June, 2016 was quoted to have said:
“I draw you to the provision of section 44 (3) of the Constitution where the resources of the whole country was placed in the hands of the Federal Government, and that is an abnormality.
“The only reason why it was so is because of the sole dependence on oil, but that has been the major setback we have today as a nation”.
This does not only amount to major setbacks as observed by Rep. Ogor above, but the addition of the section 44(3) of the constitution to the non-provision of the possibility of a referendum by the same constitution, simply amount to a perfected hostage taking of the citizenry. Simply interpreted to mean, that the Status Quo/Autocrats have through section 44(3), taken full control of the resources of the Citizens, while at the same time denying them of any say whatsoever. This is a calculated attempt at keeping themselves (the Status Quo/Autocrats) perpetually relevant, as he who controls one’s stomach literally controls his or her actions and thoughts. And till date even the worst constitutional violators, such as the government of the day, adheres strictly to this provision of the constitution, as they are irritated that the people of the Niger Delta are laying claims to ownership of the oil in their region.
It is this fundamental problem of not taking the citizens into cognizance, at least in certain serious issue affecting them, which generate all the tensions across the African continent in general and in Nigeria in particular. Nobody in whatever position of governance can feel the burden in any situation better than the citizens directly affected.
But the greatest mistake the Nigerian Status Quo Autocrats have made in recent times, Infact the mass grave that they have dug for themselves, is the sudden discovery, after 50 years of wanton mismanagement of the Nation´s resources, that there is corruption.
Beautifully crafted statements suddenly surfaced as the one from the president himself, stating that if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us. Gowon added to it by saying that “nobody could claim to love his country and engage in corruption, which l believe that the current leadership will tackle“. Not to talk of Obasanjo, who had identified Nigeria’s problems as leadership and corruption, saying that the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan was corrupt!
To be continued…
Dr. Benneth Onoh writes from Germany. He can be reached by email HERE.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
