Over the last few weeks the former democratic dictator of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo Matthew Okikiola Aremu aka Baba Sege has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Interestingly I read a wonderful piece in 'defense of Obasanjo', this essay however is not a defense but a reflection of how a man's life can be a larger picture of leadership and the attitude of a people.
It was Frank Zappa that said there is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life. This cannot be more true than in Nigeria where in leadership more than anything else, we all (apologies) demonstrate our stupidity in large dozes.
Before I go far I need to give a working definition to the term comedian, and in referring Obj to a comedian, I chose to see him as an entertainer whose act is designed to make an audience laugh. The only twist is that rather than laughter in most cases it calls for sober reflection and in my own view it brings tears to the eyes. Because on the contrary this is one man whom destiny had given the opportunity of being a skilled, experienced, and respected political leader or figure.
But how sad, apart from the very few successes, his eight years was largely on an average quite poor. Well hence he asked for a century I wonder how many of us would be alive, at least he wont be. While this is not about assessing him, the truth is that recent comments and undoing of his many actions by Mallam Yar'Adua is already enough indictment.
First, returning from a trip abroad, answering questions from Journalists, He said that he was hardly concerned about how Yar'Adua governed. While one is forced to look at that from all the possible connotations and denotations the fact remains that it was an expensive and irresponsible joke.
The truth one deduces is that yes, this man cares less about what happens to Nigeria and Nigerians. We took from the him the Mugabe element. We stopped him in his tracks of turning Nigeria into us into Zimbabwe. He brought us GSM, then who owns MTN, CELTEL, GLO and others.
He got debt relief…so why have we praised Ngozi Iweala…, extract Soludo, Ribadu, Oby and a few others. He kept the nation crudely entertained with his gang of comedians, who laughed at the very serious issues that needed solutions. He bastardized a dying educational system, increased the percentage of unemployment, left us an ailing power sector…the list is endless.
While all these continued his favourite song was 'things were getting better'. A President that told his people that elections rather than free and fair was going to be a 'do or die' affair. Chewed kolanut and slept during campaigns only to wake and curse everybody.
Another piece of comedy from this man is the fact that he never bothers reading Nigerian Newspapers, this I do not begrudge him, at least with the exception of a few reputable papers run by professionals that have not compromised I agree with him. But then in one sweep from threatening legal action he demands 10% commission from the same media houses.
As I looked at the face value of the comic acts of the ex-president who once in 1980 would compare Journalists to dogs, I wonder what were we thinking in 1999? We were warned but we listened without hearing, or heard yet we could not discern.
Again Baba Sege Dip or is it B.Sc. Religious Studies in waiting, further hit another one that he was not going to be present at the election tribunal because he had immunity when he overseered the elections. The most direct argument against such childish and comical stand would be to ask, so if a President witnessed murder because of immunity he could refuse to testify…Baba Sege is this what you are taught in the school?
Besides I ask what is the chief from Owo afraid of after all the Professor Iwu he put there has delivered and against the reports of Observers maintained that the process was hale and hearty. So why the "I cannot be there" comic act, except that comedians are so like that.
As one thought that it could not get worse, the comedian was at it again, that Nigerians would appreciate him some day. I wish I could share his optimism especially like I stated earlier with the recent body blows that the incumbent Yar'Adua has being dealing with at anything that has a semblance of Baba Sege he could wish.
Baba Sege stated that we would see that he could be compared to Winston Churchill. This I particularly did not understand as I know too well that Obj does not stutter, was never a war hero in the mould of Winston. Like Leadership Ghana Must Go Cartoon put it, Churchill never shared bribes. He lost elections and did not seek to manipulate the system for an additional tenure.
On a lighter note, it is good that he did not compare himself to God. That would have acilitated a strike from the high heavens.
One had expected that Obasanjo would today have been an elder-statesman, one likened to what Mandela is to Africa. But sadly, really appalling that in the comity of nations I question the kind of respect he possess. This old man had the opportunity to have been a Napoleon Bonaparte, he had it all but then he threw it away, and like all comedians it is difficult to know when they are serious.
With Yar'Adua is another opportunity despite the faulty foundation, Nigeria is a serious matter, we pray Almighty Allah that leadership treats us as such.
By Prince Charles Dickson
Assistant Editor/ Jos Bureau Head, Leadership Newspapers Group
