KWENU: Our Culture, Our Future

Nigeria’s jaundiced political train

Acho Orabuchi

Dallas, Texas

A_Orabuchi@yahoo.com

Saturday, March 27, 2004

Many Nigerians are troubled by the recent developments in the nation’s political process. I am troubled, and terribly, too. The importunate state of insecurity in the land arising from the spate of grisly murders of prominent Nigerians have been directly or indirectly linked to the massive rigging that characterized last year’s general elections.

In reflecting on these sad events, I recall the experiences of a friend, Dr Charles Uzoma Maduka, who participated in that very controversial election. Here are excerpts from the letter he wrote to me at the time.

December 29, 2002

Dear Dr. Acho,

It has been quite an experience so far. This is definitely an exercise in futility, with some value. I say value because if I come out of this alive, I would have learned my Nigerian politics 101 which most of you in Diaspora may never muster the guts to undertake.

As I write you, I am still in Awka for the third day, awaiting announcement of the date and modalities for the conduct of another re-scheduled primary for the party nominations. As you know, I am determined to take my case to the grassroots. I know that I have connected with them. Should the registered PDP party members of my constituency determine this primary, I will win.

I have done my homework at the grassroots, visiting churches, schools, town meetings, and holding rallies in the 14 towns that make up my Nnewi South/North/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency. Because of systematic acute rural poverty level, every stop requires that I spend tons of Naira. Unless you dish out dough to the people, they will deny ever hearing your name.

What I have been doing is give what I can with a dose of my message, and convince them that they need someone who can actually represent them as against someone who will enrich himself and forget the people. It seems to be working. At one stop at a church in Nnewi, I was moved when the local priest and his congregation not only returned my token donation, but also actually gave me double of what I gave them. They sympathized with me and said I was the kind of material Nigeria needed. There are many stories to tell, some funny and some damn shocking.

My brother, what I see is that this thing will not even get to the people. As we are struggling for this primary process, many things are happening. Somewhere, someone who has not even screened for the positions will win the nominations, because of some godfather. I have vowed not to give money to anybody to get me the nomination. I know a friend that gave 4million Naira to a godfather for his position. The godfather has also collected from my friend’s two opponents. So tell me, who will win? I rather spend my money with the grassroots because they are the ones hungry and unemployed. As far as the parties, there is no difference in all of them. The same people attend meetings of all the parties. They carry membership cards of PDP and other parties. Depending on which direction the wind blows, one can become enlisted as a member of any party. Only when you are not liked, will they declare you persona non-grate and accuse you of anti party activity.

I have made up my mind that if the primary does not hold as is supposed to, I will take the ticket from another party and run on it. The reason for this is to make good on my promise to take this thing to the logical end. In other words, to campaign from door to door as we do it in America. Unless I am running on some platform, all the materials I have written in both Igbo and English will be a waste. I don’t want to silence the message I brought to the people. All the parties are knocking at my door for such move except PDP. Among the contestants, I know that I am the best qualified to deliver.

The conclusion I have come to realize in all this is that, our education and experience has no place in Nigerian politics as long as we have no godfathers or belong to the right “caucus” as they say it here. There is no respect for Diaspora materials except the dollar. The same people we give red carpet treatment in the USA when they visit don’t even have the time to see you or acknowledge your greetings. I am yet to get appointments to see some of the guys that were appointed from Dallas.

It is easier to see the Vice President, Atiku Abubakar than to see some of these chaps. When you call their cell phones, an aide answers and tells you that “oga” is in a meeting. Funny enough, you can overhear “oga” telling the aide to tell you that he is in a meeting. Particularly, Lexy Ngbor and Magnus Kpakol have been disappointments. Everybody is busy for himself or herself, I guess because they know that it may not last. They can be fired any day, as nothing is uncertain.

You may have gotten the position because of some lobby, and somebody else is lobbying to kick you our so their own person will go in. It is a high level scheme everywhere and the children are learning and believing that this is the way of life. You cannot trust your own brother or even mother. This was the first advice my mother gave me. She said to do what I have planned to do, listen to the “experts” but not to give them my ear because they will eat it. I have refused to take any security protection that was offered me. I am the only one that knows my itinerary. I drive myself most of the times. The ones in your vehicle are usually the ones that will harm you. That explains why I turned down drivers and security.

I believe I will make it back to the States when what I will call “selectocracy” might have ended in April. I predict that there will not be an election but rather results. The situation is no different from a military rule. America and the world are being fooled or they are not serious about Africa. It appears that as long as America is getting what it wants from these countries including Nigeria, it will turn the other way even when the situation is so glaring.

My regards to the good supporters of my campaign. Let them know that I still hold them high. We may not get to that journey but the experience is good enough. I plan to re-start my law practice when I come back. I know it will take some time, but everything is possible with honest hard work. The only exception is in Nigeria honesty can never get you anywhere.

Take care my brother and greetings to your family.

Always “loyal”,

Charles Uzoma Maduka

Maduka’s experience in Nigeria captures the dilemma many Nigerians, particularly those in Diaspora, no matter how resolute and mentally strapping they are, face if they decide to partake in nation building. Nevertheless, this is not in any minute way meant to discourage people in Diaspora from helping in building Nigeria, but to portray a mosaic or a collage of obstacles that may await us as we insist on ridding on the nation’s jaundiced political train.

For clarity, Dr. Charles Uzoma Maduka, is a US-based law practitioner in Dallas, Texas. A former Prosecutor in Texas, Dr. Maduka, has served the Nigerian community in Diaspora in various capacities. An active member of Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation USA, Inc. (PNF USA), the American trained lawyer who has to his credit a chain of degrees in BA, MBA, JD, was a former board member of World Igbo Congress. Also, he served an unprecedented three terms as the President of the most populous Igbo Community Association of Nigeria in Dallas, Texas.

Charles, as he would like to be called, left his lucrative law firm in Dallas, for a political adventure in Nigeria, recognizing that the exodus of Nigerians in the late 70s had left a big vacuum in the country, especially among the Igbo. He therefore set out to run for the Federal House of Representatives for Nnewi Federal Constituency. But he came back to the states with a tale of woes. Nevertheless those of us in Diaspora are determined to contribute our quota to the nation’s development, at least for posterity’s sake. With courage, I hope we will succeed! This would in essence echo the sentiments of Dorothy Thompson when she said, "Courage, it would seem, is nothing less than the power to overcome danger, misfortune, fear, injustice, while continuing to affirm inwardly that life with all its sorrow is good; that everything is meaningful even if in a sense beyond our understanding; and that there is always tomorrow."