By Emmanuel Oladesu
Death has sneaked into the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), snatching Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu.
He was a detribalised leader; a core believer in one Nigeria. That national outlook was premised on his exposure, training and cosmopolitan disposition as a soldier and statesman.
But, more important was his vision and target. His focus throughout his pro-democracy crusade was the enthronement of democratic values in a united Nigeria.
Although he was dedicated to the cause of an indivisible country, he emphasised unity in diversity. He never worked for the evolution of a country where a race would lord it over other diverse social formations.
Like his compatriots in the struggle, he believed that Nigerians, under their various umbrellas of pan-ethnic groups, should discuss and agree on the basis for peaceful co-existence.
It was not Nigeria that was colonised by the British. Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani, Igbo, and other tribes were colonised. However, independence was restored, not to these ethnic groups, but Nigeria, a foreign creation.
That agreement the ethnic groups may be critical to the survival of the highly heterogeneous country. The union cannot be by force. Equity, fairness and justice are ingredients of unity and harmony.
Kanu believed in these conditions as an advocate of what is now called true federalism. He loathed the awful picture of the Nigerian unitary nation-state masquerading as a model of democracy in Africa. It is a curious version of federalism cast in the image of military interlopers.
Yet, the struggle for federalism in its entirety is not new. Agitators are only drawing attention to the 1947 solution, which the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, canvassed in his book, ‘Path to Nigeria’s freedom.’
Awolowo had canvassed the non-negotiable option for a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious country christened Nigeria by Flora Shaw, wife of colonial Governor Frederick Lugard.
Nigeria was comparatively better when it upheld the federal principle. The three, later four, regions at independence developed according to their pace and the arrangement fostered a healthy competition.
That workable formula was crippled by the military, an institution that derailed from its fundamental duty of defending the territorial integrity of the emerging country. Out of covertouseness, the military hijacked power, sacking legitimate authorities with the barren of gun.
Kanu cannot be divorced from this institution that truncated Nigerian democracy at its infancy and foisted on the country a centralised political structure that mirrored the military command chain.
But, it could be said that the Admiral made restitution in retirement by becoming an ardent supporter of military disengagement to allow popular rule to thrive.
In the twilight of life, he also made spirited efforts to rally the surviving NADECO chieftains to continue the unfinished business of sensitising Nigerians to the danger of a meagre civil rule without the full compliments of democratic dividends.
Lamentably, he continually groaned over the gap between expectation and reality. The struggle led to civil rule. But, it never translated to good governance. When he urged the political class to do the right thing, they refused to listen to his candid advice. Power drew a wool across the eyes of those in power.
Kanu was a humble statesman. A diminutive individual, he could be lost in the crowd. But, he was a man of immense moral stature and discipline. Unlike other top military brass, he never flaunted wealth. He distanced himself from the culture of opulence that was infuriating to the poor, who were victims of prolonged military profligacy.
Kanu rose to the pinnacle of his military profession. He served as military governor of Imo and Lagos states. As a General, he was a member of the Supreme Military Council (SMC).Therefore, he was professionally fulfilled. As a public servant, many believe that he was a man of honour and integrity. Many saw him as a mentor and role model. In public life, he was neither associated with vulgarity nor recklessness.
However, he became more popular many years after leaving the military. He was until his death the leader of the pro-democracy group, which tried to re-convene when the old activists realised that only self rule, and not total democracy, had been achieved by their titanic struggle.
Why the agitation for democracy became intense was partly due to the involvement of certain Generals, who in their own rights were masters of tactics. It was possible that the strategies they lent to civilian fighters upset the military in the nineties. Kanu, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Commodore Dan Sulaiman, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Col. Umar Dangiwa and other retired soldiers were worried by the criminal annulment of the historic June 12, 1993 election by former military President Ibrahim Babangida. They fired salvos at the military, their traditional constituency.
For the old soldiers, it was a risky venture. But, their source of strength was their courage of conviction, which made them to stay on the side of truth, justice and rationality.
When their former juniors in the military who held the levers of power turned the heat on them, some of them retraced their steps. Although the inaugural meeting of NADECO was hosted by a General in his GRA, Ikeja residence, the General later developed a cold feet when the military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, threatened him.
However, Kanu was consistent. He was bold and brave. He offered to host NADECO meetings in his house, thereby daring the military.
The deceased elder statesman was in the forefront of the agitation for the actualization of the June 12 mandate throughout the turbulent period. His message was that soldiers’ continued reign of terror lacked justification.
The military Head of State, Gen. Abacha, was particularly worried by Kanu’s involvement in the agitation to halt his inglorious rule. He once told him to deck his khaki and face him with his gun, instead of joining forces with bloody civilians to rubbish his discredited regime.
When he persisted in his NADECO activities, his businesses were crippled by the military. Kanu never publicised his ordeals to attract sympathy. He accepted it with philosophical calmness. To him, it was an inevitable price to be paid for his involvement in the struggle for a better society.
His private residence was searched by security agents. He was accused of planning to import arms and ammunitions. But, he was not bothered by personal losses. After all, the huge losses that had accrued to the country due to prolonged military dictatorship were unquantifiable.
Also, while politicians who were neck deep in the struggle for the revalidation of June 12 were driven by the partisan desire to bounce back to power, Kanu participated without being driven by anticipation of any political reward. His only wish was that Nigeria should become a democratic country capable of resolving its multiple challenges of development.
Unfortunately, the goal was elusive. The mandate of Chief Moshood Abiola, winner of the historic poll, was not restored. By 1999, when the soldiers of fortune finally agreed to abdicate, their successors were military lackeys and confederates, who collaborated with the military rulers to commit heinous crimes against democracy.
In post-military period, Kanu remained a moral voice reminding those in government of their unfulfilled promises to Nigerians. He loathed graft and decried corruption in high places. He advocated for electoral reforms, restructuring and true federalism.
His demise is being mourned by his NADECO compatriots and other activists: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Commodore Sulaiman, Col. Umar, Gen. Akinrinade, Dr. Amos Akingba, Ayo Opadokun, Ralph Obiorah, Wale Oshun, Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Mrs. Ayoka Lawani, Chief Frank Kokori, and Senator Nwite.
There is the need to immortalised Admiral Kanu by the state and federal governments. However, the best honour to his memory is for those in power to emulate his humility, simplicity, team spirit, respect for superior views, candour, courage, and belief in the future greatness and survival of Nigeria as a Federal nation-state, where poverty will drastically reduce, where government will be transparent and accountable, where there will be no oppression of any race by any tribe, and where justice will always prevail.
