KWENU: Our Culture, Our Future

If only they'd understand

ACHO ORABUCHI

Dallas, Texas, USA

aorabuchi@netzero.net

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Have you visited Nigeria lately? If you’re already in Nigeria, this may be all too familiar. Go to the Market Square and cities to see the scourge of poverty arising from corruption of public officials; corruption protected by the immunity clause in the Nigerian constitution. Go to the hospitals and morgues to be greeted with air of desperation and destruction exuding by corruption. The human toll of corruption in Nigeria is alarming and beyond description.

For instance, the Guardian Newspapers reported the following on January 15, 2005: “MINISTER of State for Health Olufunke Adedoyin has said that Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. The country, she lamented, records 704 deaths per 1,000 live births and said the trend was unacceptable.” Also, “Life expectancy in Nigeria, Adedoyin said, currently stand at 52.2 years.” Sadly, those in power are sheltered from this agony of human suffering.

Unfortunately too, as the country’s economic woes persist due to pandemic corruption in all facets of the society, a few group of people are immersed in enormous wealth acquired through depravity while the masses are engrossed in poverty. Forlornly still, preventable diseases and deaths continue to scourge the country as politicians loot the public treasury.

Some governors and some other government officials in Nigeria often throttle to Europe and United States of America to enjoy what ingenuity and true service have to offer. Perhaps, they wished that the levels of development in these countries were obtainable in their respective towns, states, and particularly country. However, that would continue to be an elusive dream as long as misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds continue unabated. The question in many people’s mind is whether these individuals understand the concept and responsibilities of servant leadership. Do these so-called leaders have an iota of idea of what their roles as leaders and public servants are in providing opportunities for the masses?

Better still, do they understand the multiplier effects of money as it relates to development? Do they realize that when money is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals, its maximum effects in the society is not achieved? As a result, the economic growth in the economy is hampered. Do they understand that they should abhor corruption in order to achieve the people’s desire? 

In the United States, any allegation of impropriety or graft against a public official—elected or appointed—is fully investigated to either exonerate the alleged or find him/her liable/guilty and consequently removed from office in addition to other legal retribution. The process of removing an elected official from office may be a long one. However, the culprit may elect to resign instead of putting the public through the impeachment process. That was precisely what Mr. John Rowland, 47, a Republican governor of Connecticut, who was easily reelected to a third term in 2002 as governor, did on July 21, 2004. He resigned on that fateful day as governor of Connecticut effective July 1, 2004 instead of facing a rancorous impeachment recommended by the State Committee investigating him. Mr. Rowland’s resignation virtually halted the impeachment proceedings. The crux of Mr. Rowland’s problems—at that time under federal investigation—started in 2003 when it was found that he accepted gifts and favors from friends, state contractors, and state employees and lied about it.

There are allegations that some governors in Nigeria are squandering or misappropriating local government funds. The federal government should have the temerity to name those governors that have stifled development in their respective areas by siphoning public funds. According to Champion Newspapers of October 6, 2004, “Federal Government had often alleged that some state governors were holding foreign bank accounts, adding that once investigations were completed, the cases of such governors would be a matter for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Others Related Offences Commission (ICPC).”

While some public officials may consider corruption allegations as tawdry or baseless, which they are not, nothing would sate the masses until these officials are investigated and tried in full public glare. For instance, on PDP intra-party squabbles, Punch Newspapers of January 4, 2005 quoted the National Treasurer of PDP, Alhaji Umar Kareto Lawan, as stating, “In the last few days a lot of frivolous allegations about party finances have made the headline in many newspapers. Ordinarily one is tempted to ignore all the allegations and insinuations since they are baseless.”

In a two-part series published in the Guardian Newspapers starting on January 3, 2005, and entitled, “To forgive and to reconcile is not necessarily to deny justice, says Oputa”, Guardian reported, “NIGERIANS agree that corruption in public life, which was pronounced under military rule, has reached alarmingly pandemic proportions, and should now be a matter of very serious and pressing public policy concern.”

Champion Newspapers of January 3, 2005 reported the following, “PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday appraised Nigerians’ attitude and came off with a verdict that most of his countrymen and women murmur too much to the extent that they often failed to recognise God’s doings in their lives and that of the nation.” Mr. President, the people are desperate because of deprivation. They’re truly deprived! Prayers alone will not help the matter.

The Sun News reported, “The president, Daily Sun gathered, is not only moving to get PDP NEC to sack Ogbeh, but to also prosecute the embattled chairman, using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). To this regard, 14 officials of the party had written to the EFCC asking it to bring Ogbeh in on reckless and fraudulent mismanagement of party funds.” Also, recently Champion Newspapers reported, “A faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh has set up a seven-man disciplinary committee to investigate the charges of fraud, embezzlement and other anti-party activities against the National chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie.” The spate of factions and allegations of fraud have gripped the prominent political parties in Nigeria and there seems to be no end in sight for the warped practices.

While enumerating his goals for 2005, President Obasanjo said, “Raising national productivity and single-minded pursuit of our goal of a better life for all Nigerians will therefore remain the primary focus of our administration in 2005”. Where are the dividends of the oil windfall? The nation wants to know! The immunity clause as contained in Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution should be expunged in order to effectively fight corruption.

Well, insecurity and corruption are bursting the lee of hope for and aspirations of a great majority of Nigerians, especially those in self-exile in the Diaspora nursing to go home. What is worse is the unresolved cases of violent acts of unknown people and series of allegation of corruption of some public officials.

Piqued by the chaos in Nigerian government, Colet Odenigbo from Atlanta, Georgia opined, “Greetings dear “forumites” and happy new year to you all. As we usher in the New Year, we either begin to reap the benefits of our actions towards the democracy in Nigeria or bear the burden of our inaction towards the atrocities committed by a few selected individuals in our country. I am a firm believer that each individual has these inalienable rights to freedom of expression; however, how we exercise that right can negate its fundamental principles. I sincerely believe that the involvement of Nigerians in Diaspora in Nigerian politics will be the determinant factor of the sustenance of our democracy (if we use it right). This by no means is intended to undermine the value and efforts of our brothers and sisters on the ground. I also believe that the little efforts of the pressures mounted by various organizations [PNF USA, ISA, ASA USA] in the United States in so far as the crisis in Anambra state is concerned has yielded some positive results.

That being the case, we can employ the same tactics to undermine the candidacy of some future candidates in Nigeria that we know have no good intentions for Nigeria. Let the records reflect that as of today, Babangida, Buhari, and Abdusalam have refused to appear before the Oputa Panel that was duly constituted by the government to investigate on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Abiola, Dele Giwa, Kudirat, and many others. My question and recommendation to every one of us, why can't we use the same medium to attempt to nullify their candidacy, that failure to appear before this panel is tantamount to disregard to the law of the land that they are aspiring to uphold. Their failure to appear has also led to the panel submitting an inconclusive report expressing their frustration towards these ex-heads of state. It takes a little effort, but may yield a great result. Finally, let us not crucify the few doers in our community rather, let us encourage the arm chair theorists among us to get off their rump and assist in community efforts no matter how insignificant it may appear to be."

The time for bellicose behavior among those in the Diaspora should be over. Also, treating these corrupt leaders when they come to the United States of America kindly and revering them with genuflect should be a practice of the past. Instead of throwing a red carpet reception for those that could not account for their stewardship, they should be shunned.

ACHO ORABUCHI: PNF USA is an independent (Pressure Group) political organization