Obasanjo's critics are wrong
BEFORE anything, let me explain that in the South-West (Edo and Delta, inclusive) elders are respected, but not followed sheepishly. An elder who is on a wrong track is told to his face that he is wrong and that he should retrace steps. I must also explain that I am not an admirer of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. By extension, I am not a PDP member or politician. If anything, my politics does not exceed casting my votes at elections. So, from these clarifications, it must be deduced that this opinion piece on Obasanjo's Letter to the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, is not based on cheap sentiment. To be guided and influenced by sentiment is deceitful; it does not right a wrong.
The epistle, 'Before it is too late', published in The Guardian, December 12, 2013, headlined 'Obasanjo writes Jonathan' as a front page lead, is thought-provoking. Indeed, our leaders require occasional expostulation of that nature. At homes, responsible parents offer sticks to erring children and carrots for good behaviour whenever it is desirable to do so. In my considered opinion, Chief Obasanjo is on the right track just for this once. There is a Yoruba adage that says: 'Agba kii wa ni oja, ki ori omo tuntun wo', meaning: 'Before the occurrence of a catastrophe, it is incumbent on a worthy Elder to caution against it'. Some critics argue that Chief Obasanjo's administration was worse; that Jonathan is a product of the seeds that Obasanjo planted - that is, Jonathan a chip off the old block. My own opinion is that, if a sinner turns away from his iniquities, to take Holy Orders and becomes a Reverend Father, shall we not listen to and embrace his sermon on the pulpit? Is it not a better society for all of us? In a similar vein, if a bad ex-President is now exhorting a seating President to behave well and turn over a new leaf, is it not a better Nigeria for Nigerians? This is my perspective of Obasanjo's letter to Jonathan.
To my thinking, Chief Obasanjo, by his open epistle to President Goodluck Jonathan, is trying to make a 'wake-up call' to the latter. The letter is not a destructive criticism of his worthy, but erring successor. Like the elder in my adage, the Chief is merely trying to save a bad situation in which the President is wallowing, 'before it is too late'. Whenever the fortune of a nation is sliding from the sublime to the ridiculous, it is the responsibility of the elder statesmen to caution its leadership. In the letter, he touched five key areas of responsibility: Leadership of the ruling party; headship of the Federal Government or national government; as the Commander-In-Chief of the military; Chief Security Officer of the nation and political leader of this country, Chief Obasanjo alleges a nation adrift, as corruption stinks around him (Jonathan). Also, he warns against the President's alleged re-election bid. Further, he condemns him for backing non-PDP candidates. Finally, ex-President Obasanjo declares the National Conference as fraught with the danger of chaos. If there is any point that is unworthy of consideration, the critics can point out.
President Goodluck Jonathan is, true to his name, a lucky man. He must inspire others to come after him. He must elicit pride as a Southerner from minority area to occupy the exalted position which eluded the duo of late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Among others, they were the Founding Fathers of this nation. Dr. Azikiwe ended up on the apogee of a ceremonial President, whilst Chief Awolowo's high-water mark was as the Leader of Opposition in the First Republic. In order to satisfy the curiosity and possibly the query of future generations, as a matter of course, three times, the Chief tried with his might and main to attain the height, but 'failed'. Here is Dr. Goodluck Jonathan on the crest of the wave, but he is unable to perform. With all due respect to Jonathan, what this writer is saying is that as the President, he has disappointed Nigerians. He may not realize his mistakes, until after relinquishing power. Then he would say, 'Had I known'. At the age of 56, he is expected to be a beacon of hope, the light to lighten the down-trodden for the glory of his over-burdened Ijaw people of Bayelsa State. This admonition sounds Biblical, which it ought to be to drive home the point to our President.
This writer holds no brief for Chief Obasanjo. His critics are wrong in their respective assertions, because Nigerians, particularly South-westerners (Edo and Delta, inclusive) did not spare him during his military and civilian administrations. In speeches and actions, whenever he was wrong, Yoruba, in particular, were foremost in castigating him. In the South-West, bad actions are not tolerated from our leaders. Many groups and individuals who criticise Obasanjo seek his arrest, alleging that majority of the issues raised by him in the Letter occurred during his regimes both as military Head of State and as civilian President. This writer's response to this is that since he relinquished office, as President, he can be arrested for prosecution, if any crime is found against him. In the absence of this, he is innocent. This point that he was also guilty of the same misdeeds as Jonathan must not be continually touted to hood-wink us. The chief was scolding Jonathan, like a father would do to an erring son. That is the standpoint from which this writer views Obasanjo's Letter. One of the problems with us as Nigerians is our ambivalent attitude. We condemn Jonathan for his inadequacies, but at the same time, his critics are pilloried for criticising him. Where do we stand? That is ambivalence with a dash of sympathy with Jonathan for being criticised.
It is possible that most compatriots are yet to read the famous epistle of Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan. It is, therefore, meet and proper to cull some Quotes therefrom: 'Debate and dialogues are necessary to promote interest and work for the progress of any human institution or organization'; 'As far as your responsibility as Chief Security Officer of the nation is concerned for Nigerians, a lot more needs to be done to enhance the feeling of security among them'; 'Mr. President, the most important qualification for your present position is your being a Nigerian'; 'Nigeria which is the Saudi of Africa in oil and gas terms is being over taken by Angola only because necessary decisions are not made timely and appropriately. Mr. President, let me again plead with you to be decisive on oil and gas sector so that Nigeria may not lag behind'; and on sycophants, 'May God save leaders from sycophants. They know what they want to hear and they feed you with it essentially for their own selfish interests'. Can any of Obasanjo's critics deny the significance of any of the above issues?
Serving as a glimpse into Chief Obasanjo's Epistle to President Jonathan, the foregoing quotes, must not be misconstrued by critics. If anything, the Letter is well intentioned by a good friend of the President. 'And a good friend will tell you the truth no matter how bitter'.
• Oshisada, a veteran journalist, lives in Ikorodu, Lagos