By Prince Charles Dickson
The Fowl on a journey inside the basket does not know where it will end…It may be difficult teaching a man who has lived in the Mountain a long time, how to climb the mountain.
Two weeks ago, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said in Ijesha while on a visit to traditional rulers that he had no regret over his actions in the last eight years he reigned in office, he stated that it was impossible to please everybody. He said it was natural for some people to appreciate his contributions to the development of the country, and for others not to.
Last week Ibori was arraigned and after the initial drama granted bail and Fayose after bragging and doing a one page defense was faced with the truth by the number of petitions against him. He cried, a newspaper report said three handkerchiefs went with his tears.
There is nothing in the statement above, and report other than the usual ‘I do not care attitude’ of our leaders, the lack of the 3 C’s Conscience, Caution and Commonsense. It is impossible that we could please everybody, if we do the right thing maybe we could all say that we care less about what people think, maybe we could have no regrets.
But the more I think of the ex-President statement that he has no regrets, l ask myself, I ask us what are we doing as a nation, with leadership that boss us without regrets. All the scandals, the stealing, the PTDF, Ecological Fund with the likes of Ibori, Fayose and the Bank of PDP where all loots are channeled into with no regrets.
With the shameless Atiku that used the third term provided by Obasanjo to become an evening democrat, they ruined what was left of a nation that is in ruins, he (Obasanjo) licensed and built his own private University, Atiku did his too and no regrets. We hear that the man gave himself licenses for ‘few’ TV and Radio Houses, why should he have regrets.
In a nation where shame is alien, pride non-existent, stealing a norm, why should anyone have regrets? I do not know if the farm is still raking in the millions it made monthly, why should the man regret, he is a free man.
In the realization of the kind and ay our leadership do what they do and what they have become, I strongly advise that we all start mapping out, how much we will steal when we get there. I figured out that if a man, or still put a Nigerian leader was to spend N2million in a month, that would be N24million in a year, in 30years that would be N720milion, and yet they have no assurance of those 30 years, yet they steal billions.
I would steal that much and even more because I could go to court seeking an order restraining anybody from arresting me or investigating me. I obviously would have immunity and then with such loot even after immunity I can run shamelessly and claim the government is haunting me or as usual it is the handiwork of my detractors.
If bodies like INEC would spend over 2bilion in legal fees alone based on their 2008 budget proposal and yet the entire budget for agriculture is put at around N4billion, the masses can go hungry while I still use their taxes through INEC to fight them.
Many say it was significant, a step in a direction, but I slightly disagree, and here I am talking of the punishment meted out to Tafa Balogun and his Jeep, farm, how about Alams after all the drama.
Stealing government money is no big deal, after all we have erroneously insisted is everybody’s money has become lucrative. If you do not want to steal you people would recall you, infact as you aspire, the past records of looting by your predecessor is packaged in phrases such as “see the house he built for his mother, how he buried his father, he built us a small clinic too…”
I know just how much I would steal because health care, roads, schools are no priority, I would brag that payment of teachers salaries is an achievement and that provision of cutleries in government house was a plus during my time.
I know just how much that would guarantee that my cough is treated in Germany, at least based on the few billions I can own a golf course in heaven knows where, get all sorts of awards and titles, from the Baba Adini of Adini to a honorary degree from a two storey building college in the USA that is after I get knighted by one of the numerous saints, countless lesser hajj, and who says that leadership in Nigeria is not lucrative and should not be sought by all means.
I want my children to school in Harvard, Oxford and any other Ivy League school because I know the money meant for the local schools here is lying comfortably in my personal account, just with a scratch I would equally build my own school for fellow looters. If telephone according to them is not for the poor man, education to should not be for them
For these and more Obasanjo wanted more, it was just too sweet, for these and more, Etteh refused to go, for these rather than quite, Ahmadu Ali and co still will go and become ambassadors. Siemens money is sweet but so also is PTDF, so also the cutbacks, cut fronts and kick-inside.
Interestingly and instructively when they steal our money they have no religion, no tribe, no fights, all is good so long it ends well, they only fight when one attempts to out steal the other. In 2002 when some close elders had won Atiku of Obasanjo, Atiku told them that anybody that hated Baba did not like him (Atiku). Then Atiku was the face of privatization, he had half the government in his hands, but then when Baba felt Atiku was over-stealing, Atiku in turn could not say enough, it burst.
Indeed it burst but do we realize that despite the best of efforts PTDF has become history, just like the Etteh renovation will become. Have we as a people made any concerted effort at making the masses realize that corruption does not pay, does it ever occur that in the Nigerian context no one really was born a leader and that these people we call leaders emanate from us the masses?
A common level six or seven cashier in a government house would have over N80million in one account, three SUV’s, like we say in local parlance ‘wetin remain’. I would steal so much; I need to justify the fact that I have a retinue of aides that include PA’s SA’s SSA’s, SSS’s and any other S that the tax payers’ money can afford.
The rate at which this country has been ravished and milked yet the money is still there enough to go round but sadly an intelligent cabal has continued he loot baffles the mind. Almighty Allah where do we go from here, save us from ourselves.
Prince Charles Dickson is the Assistant Editor/ Jos Bureau Head for Leadership Newspapers Group and wrote from Jos, Plateau.
