Between OBJ And GEJ

By Tayo Ogunbiyi

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, aka OBJ,  Nigerian former military Head of  State and two-term civilian President, is again living up to the image of an un-official watchdog of the country, which he had carved for himself. His  recent widely publisiced  stinker to President  Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, aka, GEJ, simply follows the tradition of numerous others he had written to successive Heads of State in the country in the past. Former Presidents  Sheu Shagari  , Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Umar Yaradua have had to contend with the venomous pen of OBJ at one time or the other.

On the recent ‘ pen bombing’ of GEJ by OBJ, one would like to state that OBJ is not saying anything new. It is obvious that GEJ is apparently overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenge of governing a nation as complex as Nigeria. There seems to be a dearth of well -articulated policies and programmes that could bring about the much needed soccour for the masses . All we seem to be seeing is mostly uncoordinated form of governance. On the issue of corruption, except for his hypocritical followers, whose gods are their bellies, it is quite obvious that the GEJ administration is yet to demonstrate that it has the much needed political will to decisively tackle corruption in high places .The recent aviation scandal suffice. Till date, the report of the administrative panel set up by the presidency to probe the scandal is yet to see the light of the day. Perhaps, the most dastardly act a government could commit is to shield corrupt public officials.

On the issue of ethnicity and tribalism raised by OBJ in his lethal missive to GEJ, one has also had to express such concerns. Suddenly, ethnic and tribal sentiments are taking center stage, like never before, in our country. While it is true that every man , first and foremost, belongs to a ethnic group on the ground of birth, it is equally true , and importantly so, that in a multifaceted and intrinsically complex  nation like Nigeria, the presidency must not be seen to be either overtly or covertly fanning the ember of tribalism.

Having said all these, however, one would like to state that OBJ  is a fundamental part of the whole problem our nation is presently grappling with. For one, OBJ practically foisted GEJ on Nigerians like he did the late Sheu Umar Yaradua. Twice, OBJ had actively participated in the process that produced our leaders, and twice his choices have left the nation in very precarious situations. The needless crisis occaisioned by the health challenges of late President Umar Yaradua is still fresh in our memories. Against all calculations and popular anticipations, OBJ was reported to have imposed GEJ as the running mate to the late President Umar Yaradua in the run up to the 2007 presidential election. The rest, as they say, is now history.

Insinuations have been made, in certain quarters, that OBJ vigoriously supported both late President Yaradua and GEJ for selfish reasons. Those who made this allusion based their argument on the premise that OBJ saw in both of them late  weak characters whom he could exercise unrestricted control over. He, probably, saw in their personalities, character flaws he could lash on to indirectly hold on to power by being the power behind the throne. Unfortunately, while it may be true that the two personalities might not really look like their own men, OBJ could not really achieve his objective because his supposed ‘puppets’ were  hijacked by other equally potent political interests and forces with similar goals. Seeing that his anointed ones were defying his authorities, OBJ suddenly became an Apostle of the goods of the nation. He fired a deadly salvo at the late Umar Yaradua in the wake of his mis-managed health crisis. Now, Jonathan is next on the firing line of this obviously angry Owu warrior.

Like GEJ,   OBJ has had his own fair share of opportunities to write his name in gold, but he wasted it. One is yet to see a Nigerian twice as lucky as OBJ. He never had the ambition to rule on the two occasions that fate beckoned on him to lead our nation. It was reported that he reluctantly agreed to mount the saddle after the death of his principal, late General Murtala Muhammad in 1976.  With regards to his second coming, it allegedly took persuasions from certain ‘powerful’ individuals before he agreed to contest the 1999 general elections. Till date, aside OBJ, no other Nigerian has had the privilege of ruling the country for eleven years (1976-1979 and 1999-2007).  Equally, no other Nigerian has missed the opportunity to be a national hero like OBJ.  It was under his administration that the decay of federal infrastructure across the country got to an amazing height. It was, equally, under him that elections became a ‘do-or-die’ affair. The acts of impunity committed by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, under his administration was legendary. Though, he was a civilian ruler, OBJ ruled in such a fashion that made people mistook him for a military dictator. Lagos state had a taste of this when it had a running battle with OBJ over seized local government funds . Yet, at the tail end of his rule, OBJ attempted to extend his hold on power. In his characteristics self-righteous posture, he was to later reveal that he would have had his tenure elongated if he had intimated  God about it!

What we need now is a conducive political environment and a united front to ensure that the country truly fulfill its potentials as the giant of Africa. We do not need the unnecessary distractions of men who are part of the reason why a famous writer alluded to this generation as a wasted one. Today, Nigeria is the sixth oil exporting nation in the world but couldn’t fix her refineries. Ours remains a country where children jump and shout each time public power (electricity) is restored. In all honesty, our nation can do without the meddlesomeness of OBJ and his co-travelers, who erroneously believe that they have the magic wands to move the country forward. We have had enough of people like OBJ. He and his likes should quietly enjoy their retirement and leave Nigeria alone.

As for President Goodluck Jonathan, rather than resorting to desperate measures to perpetuate his Presidency, he should take a cue from the lives and times of the late Nelson Mandela, who shunned all divisive tendencies to reconcile his country to the path of unity and prosperity. GEJ should avoid like plague, hypocrites and charlatans who daily parade the corridor of powers to tell him lies for selfish reasons. These are the same people that told late General Abacha that he was the best . He should concentrate on doing all he could to genuinely move the country forward. He should toe the line of  honesty, sincerity, transparency, forgiveness, love and patriotism. History beckons on GEJ and what history says about him is determined by what he does now.

•Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja