Lessons From Pope’s Resignation For Nigeria

Monday last week, Catholic faithful and indeed the world was gripped by the shocking announcement by Benedict XVI, Catholic pontiff, of his standing down from office at the end of this month. As head of the world’s most populous Christian congregation, Benedict has become the first pope, in 600 years, to abdicate the seat of Bishop of Rome and supreme leader of the Catholic Church. In a message delivered to the church’s cardinals at the Vatican, the pope explained his decision to quit. A lot of insinuations have been making the rounds concerning the pope’s resignation. Some commentators agree that the pope’s excuse of  failing health resulting from advancing age as a basis for his stepping down is valid. Yet, many more who think the Vatican is an arcane religious centre, say Benedict XVI was compelled to leave because of the underhand intrigues that characterise the Holy See. Yet, others have continued to forage for reasons why the Holy Father decided to take the path trudged by only four of his predecessors in the entire history of the papacy.

It does not really matter what the general perceptions of his decision to quit office are. The Catholic Church’s supreme template, the Canon Law, stipulates that a pope can abdicate office due to ill health, age or other factors on self-volition.

Pope Benedict deserves commendation for his courage and will to resign when he felt he no longer had the strength, presence of mind and spiritual grace to continue in office.

The decision to quit by the pope is particularly instructive for our country where office holders have a knack for clinging to power even when it is obvious that they can no longer continue. In recent times, some politicians dragged this country to the cliff of a break-up by their quest for power at all costs. In late 2009 and 2010 for example, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua failed to relinquish office even though he laid critically ill in a Saudi Arabian hospital. The transition of power to his deputy drew a lot of bad blood. The matter was only peacefully resoved when Yar’adua passed away on 5 May 2010. This had come three years after allegations of sight-tight, popularly called ‘third term agenda’ were levelled on former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is still being blamed for foisting a sick Yar’Adua on Nigeria.

At the moment, some governors have been out of their states without following the laid down rule for doing so. When they purportedly transferred power to their deputies, it is common knowledge that such efforts are just meant to deceive the public and create a semblance of continuity in governance. Until he returned to the country about two weeks ago, Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State was out of the country since September last year. It was upon his return that he told newsmen that he actually had cancer of the nose. This was a well-kept secret while he was away. Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba who was involved in an air mishap has also been away for months. While his aid bandied photographs and other propaganda tools to say he is hale and hearty, it is feared that he may not return to the country anytime soon. In Cross River, the state has been brought to a standstill following the elongating absence of Governor Liyel Imoke. As the case with Chime, the excuse for his absence has been to spend accumulated leave.

Significantly, while these chief executives are away, governance in their respective states suffers. This is why the decision by the pope is commendable. He did not want to become a puppet-pope in the hands of the Vatican bureaucracy or his advisers.

Nigerian leaders must learn to accept the fact that power is absolutely ephemeral. It is what one does with it that matters, not how long it is kept. As the pope demonstrated, transition of power should be smooth and without grudges. Even though he could have held on to power till he drops dead as is the common practice, Benedict XVI chose the path of honour by leaving when he felt the need to. And by 28 February when he shall finally give up power to begin a life of prayer and quietude, Benedict would have engraved his name in history books for leaving the stage even when he was not under known pressure to do so.