Category: Letters

SIR: Adolf Hitler joined the German Workers’ Party in 1919. The party later metamorphosed into the Nazi party. He was appointed leader in 1921. At this time, the party already had its own newspaper, a private army (Sturmabteilung SA) and a flag.

Altogether, Hitler saw to the killing of over 11 million people, among them Jews, Jehovah’s Witnesses and homosexuals.

Many would always wonder how Hitler was able to carry out these many atrocities against humanity. There was global economic depression at the time. Businesses and banks were becoming bankrupt. Life simply had become hard. Hitler swooped in on these factors, blaming unemployment and the bank failures on democratic government. Many Germans turned to Hitler for salvation. He had become their saviour.

Blessed with the gift of the garb, even though what lay under his garb was dictatorship and hatred for many he considered sub-human, he profiled German Jews, who were mainly capitalists, as those feasting on the economy. He made racial cleansing his watchword. His objective was to only absorb ‘pure-blooded’ Aryans into an expanded Germany, the Third Reich.

His followers believed no one but him. No other truth but the truth as presented by the mesmerizing führer.

Adolf Hitler once said “I use emotion for the many and reserve reason for the few”.

The politics of Hitler was not different from what we witnessed in the build-up to the February 25, presidential election and after the election. Words like “Take back your country” targeted to sway Christian votes in favour of a particular candidate and sermon-like messages, in some instances abuses against candidates of other political parties, from the pulpit reminded one of the Hitler period.

It is true that politics is almost always attended by theatrics, but when does it become sickening? Is it when a man who had no path to victory in an election is claiming to have won the same election? Or when protest becomes treason? Section 130 of the Electoral Act 2022 states that “No election and return at an election under this Act shall be questioned in any manner other than by a petition complaining of an undue election or undue return (in this Act referred to as an “election petition”) presented to the competent tribunal or court in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution or of this Act, and in which the person elected or returned is joined as a party.” 

When does reasoning kick in? 

At the moment, reasoning has taken flight, fuelled by unchecked partisan emotions of journalists who should know better. If not, why would any group of people visit the Ministry of Defence to clamour for a return to military rule? Why would a vice presidential candidate throw caution to the wind in what I would call five minutes of madness to ask for an interim government – the same man who was inaugurated as senator on the platform of the defunct CPC in 2011, but was only removed by the court months after he had enjoyed the benefits of being a senator? Please, when does reasoning kick in? 

This idea of a ‘messiah’ who can’t be wrong, always shouting ‘Go and verify it!’ is tottering on the precipice. I remember watching one of Peter Obi’s interviews on Arise TV where he claimed MKO Abiola won in the Southeast in 1993 and none of the interviewers corrected him, when in fact, Abiola only won in Anambra, but lost the other Southeast states to Bashir Tofa. Many of his followers are so mentally lazy that his words are law and truth to them at all times.

It got so bad that the CJN and the judiciary are being impugned all in a bid to cow them to give a judgement in the favour of their ‘messiah’.

All peace-loving Nigerians must be awake so that the country does not claw back into the uncertain past, such like the darkness-like dictatorship of the Abacha days or the Hitler days in Germany. Everyone knows the place of these two people in history. 

•‘Dimeji Daniels,

 Akure, Ondo State.

Sir: Nigeria as a nation-state is a paradox! It is at once, simultaneously promising in its urbane elites, demographic sophistication, natural beauty and expansive landscape, but equally on various turning points on the edge of apocalyptic divide, sterile statehood and futuristically endangered!

Prior to the general elections, a legal juggernaut and undoubted pugilist, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) had urged for an interim government. His views did not resonate with the vast majority of Nigerians because it is neither logical nor premised on any genuine anchor having regard to the state of the nation. It is still shallow and unimaginative even now, after the elections regardless of the esteem which the legal heavyweight commands in the society on the strength of his professional attainments and his state interventions which makes him and elder statesman!

All the indices that led to the previous interim government or government of national unity are obviously absent now except we just want to pander to the whims and caprices of state sadists and uncompromising anti-democratic cartels masquerading as elder statesmen and faith soothsayers.

In 1966-70, the ominous signposts of national disintegration were very grave indeed! The 1964 population count was grievously manipulated, the 1965 regional election in the West was potently rigged in favour of the sitting unpopular government; the entrance into independence and years after were corralled with distortions, crude intolerance of opposition. The rule of law was held in abeyance as judiciary was manipulated by the executive leading to the only available option which is the military option.

In the early hours of Jan 15, 1966, the ding-dong affairs of parliamentary democracy came to an abrupt end by military putsch. The first military coup was even more rigged in the ethnic colouration. The counter-coup or revenge coup of July 29, 1966 would later pave way for ethnic cleansing in the north necessitating an Emeka Ojukwu challenge!

The Gowon regime to gain legitimacy and stability needed a government of national unity drawing from the remnants of previous political platforms like the NPC, NCNC, AG, NEPU, MBPC, and others.

In 1993, Nigeria tottered to another end of the road due to the manipulation of people’s choice by a military adventurer and his cahoots who never wanted to exit power by annulling a most popular election in our electoral history. The contraption called interim government foisted on the nation by a panicky Ibrahim Babangida became another monumental power failure in Nigeria. It lasted for only 82 days.

Where then lay the goodness in the interim national government? Then came an ambitious Abacha with his own notion of government of emergency, recruiting the rump of NRC and SDP politicians. The persistence of clamour for genuine democracy and de-annulment of 1993 election eventually led to the demise of Abacha with the beneficiary of that election, Abiola in state conspiracy murder.

Since 1999, when we debuted this nascent democracy, the nation has never been able to rise above the allurement of interim mongering by power-mongers in the political, professional and military wing of political buccaneers.

Since the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president-elect, the promoters of interim government have persisted in their demand even when all the “acid tests” of an interim government are funereally absent. It is not sufficient for the Department of State Security to echo out the posturing of interimists, it is their constitutional responsibility to uncover the plot by making useful arrests of both the overt and covert penetrators of the scheme however highly-placed.

The incoming government by May 29, must make bold and scientific orientation towards inculcating the democratic culture in all and sundry. Although this would not be achieved in one fell swoop, it nonetheless remains an urgent task. The Black man’s mentality that ‘if I do not have it, others must be denied it’ needs to be removed from our blood stream.

Our dimensional fault-lines on ethnicity, religion, and other social stratification that divide rather than unite us will wither away over time with a robust leadership, all-inclusive governance, radical bridge in the gap between the haves and have-nots and restoring of social justice to all within a reasonable time-line. The drumbeat of interim is an albatross that must be caged in our contemporary polity.

•Omotayo Ishola,

Ilorin, Kwara State.

SIR: The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, has decried the rising cases of social vices like cultism, yahoo-yahoo, truancy, drunkenness, etc. in the education sector.

The degeneration of moral values among the youths in the education sector did not begin today. We had it coming over the years. As a matter of fact, the moral decay seen in the youths of today is a microcosm of goings-on in the larger society. Spartan values like honesty, integrity, discipline, and hard work, have been thrown to the wind. We have replaced them with materialism and excessive love of money. Money is now the sole determinant of what is right or wrong in Nigeria.

Yet, we wonder why the youths have decided to take it to the next level. They are only imitating the elderly. And they are doing it in the best way that they can. Today, the dream of every young person in Nigeria is to make money either by hook or crook. That is why you see teenagers spending millions of naira on drinks in the club and proudly displaying the receipts on social media.

I do not have a problem with lavish spending provided you made your money in a genuine way. However, logic tells us that money spent lavishly on inanities and the mundane is most times ill-gotten. That is why many university students now drive cars and live in expensive hotels without having any genuine source of income. These so-called students will pass through the university system and graduate with degrees. And we wonder why professionalism has fallen across the board. That is why we now have “schools” where people are taught how to do yahoo-yahoo.

The judiciary is also not helping matters. When the yahoo boys are caught, they are mostly fined or jailed for a few months before they are released into the society to continue in their iniquitous ways. Insufficient punishment breeds little or no deterrence to crime.

What is the solution to this get-rich-quick syndrome that plagues our country? For far too long, we have looked towards the government. Government is not the solution. In fact, it is the problem. We know from history that the concept of wealth without work was introduced into Nigeria by the administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. The solution can be found in the smallest unit of society – the family. It is in families that individuals with God-fearing character are moulded. Parents should stop chasing money up and down and focus on inculcating the right values in their kids. Spend quality time with them. Teach them what is right and what is wrong. Most importantly, practise what you preach. Children learn better by emulation.

•Peter Ovie Akus,

New Jersey, USA.

SIR: I believe there are no coincidences in life. Events are divinely orchestrated. While I am in Senegal, one of the African countries where I feel most comfortable among the many that I have had the opportunity to visit in the course of my professional career, its national Independence Day, celebrated this April 4, reminds me of how much our continent needs to strengthen and consolidate the gains that its countries have made, through the sweat of their peoples and leaders, over the last 60 years. It is therefore with heartfelt joy that I join millions around the world to express my best wishes for Senegal as it celebrates  63 years of sovereignty and independence.

Like my country, Nigeria, which also gained independence in 1960, along with many other countries on the continent, in that decolonization movement triggered by the demands of a post-World War II world and the enthusiasm of colonized peoples for self- determination, every independence celebration is a reminder of our journey to freedom, and a duty to accentuate the hopes and vision of our founding fathers of a greater, united, democratic and economically prosperous continent. It is, in particular, the best pretext for taking stock of the progress and shortcomings of our countries in order to better define the steps to be taken at the national but also continental level, to consolidate the place of our nations and that of the continent in the international order.

We are, like the rest of the world, facing multiple challenges, and we are equally being impacted by developments in the international community. One of these negative developments is the resurgence of wars, particularly that of Ukraine, with its seamy consequences in terms of inflation, disruption of food security and supply food chain; the attendant shock waves across economies throughout the world, including those of Africa;  the growing incidence of transnational threats from cross-border pandemics to violent fundamentalisms all of which weigh heavily on the fragility of our societies.

The independence of African countries in the early 60s were significant milestone events which is one reason why they should always be celebrated with solemnity and deep appreciation of their historical import. Since the advent of independence, our countries have continued to work to overcome poverty, famine, insecurity and create a context of peace, stability and democratic progress with mixed results. Being aware of the road that remains to be travelled and the need to do so together, under the seal of the ideals defined since May 1963 by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and taken up and amplified by the African Union (AU) at its birth in 2002, is one more reason to take advantage of each national independence day to recommit to the urgency of mobilizing African nations around common causes of democracy, good governance, economic prosperity, political stability, security and trade. The goal and indeed our duty is to work collaboratively towards achieving peace, prosperity and progress for the people of Africa and Africa as called for in Agenda 2063 adopted by the African Union.

Senegal stands tall as one of the driving forces in the construction of African unity. She has distinguished herself with her intellectual density, democratic ambition and cultural purity. It is therefore with great pride that I associate myself with the good people of Senegal and its Independence Day. To the leaders of Senegal, through its President, Macky Sall, and to its valiant people, I would like to express my encouragement for you to build and consolidate on your democratic credentials and ensure that it remains a worthy model in Africa from which sister African nations can draw inspiration as we journey towards a common ideal!

From the implementation of the continental free trade area to solidarity and sovereignty in food and health, the fight against irredentist and terrorist activities, and the recovery of our democratic projects to the strengthening of our democratic ambitions, which are increasingly under threat, there is no shortage of reasons to get back to work. We are capable of doing so. May the celebration of Senegal’s independence serve to illuminate the pathway of democratic consolidation in Africa. It is with a view to participate and support Senegal and its people at this critical juncture in its history, that we have come, with our leadership education and citizens empowerment projects to make modest contributions for continued progress.

•Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili,

 Abuja.

SIR:   The Department of State Services (DSS) has confirmed plots by some political actors to force an interim government on Nigeria. It said the plots are being planned through the use of protests and court orders to truncate the transition of power from this administration to the next.

Interim government is an aberration to our laws. The first and only time we ever had an interim government in Nigeria was in 1993. It was introduced by the military who were usurpers of power themselves and thus an illegality in a constitutional democracy. So we can say that an illegality birthed another illegality. And it failed woefully in its mandate. The Interim National Government headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan only succeeded in returning the military to power. The military returnees headed by the maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha, became the worst government in our political history.

It beats my mind that anyone would clamour for an interim government so soon after an election. Those who are aggrieved over the outcome of the polls should head to the courts as it is done in advanced democracies of the world where they love to cite as examples in their speeches. Democracy is the tyranny of the majority over the minority and the majority spoke loud and clear with their votes on February 25. The noisy minority do not own the country.

Those political actors who are misleading the youths should desist from doing so. A few days ago, a video emerged on social media showing some youths kneeling before the Defence Headquarters in Abuja begging the military to take over power. It is obvious that most of these ignorant and misguided youths were either not born or were in diapers during the era of military rule in Nigeria.

Do they think that they will have the same freedom to protest or run their mouths amok on social media under a military government? Where in the world today are people clamouring for military rule? If only they knew how many brilliant and patriotic Nigerians lost their lives just for expressing opposing views under military rule, they would cease from being willing tools in the hands of selfish and unpatriotic elements who do not wish good upon our country.

These plots against Nigeria will not succeed. Past predictions of doom have failed. But our security agencies need to be up and doing. I commend the DSS for exposing this plot to truncate our democracy. Hopefully, it will put fear in the hearts of the plotters and cause them to desist from going ahead with their evil plans.

•Peter Ovie Akus,

New Jersey, USA.

SIR: Finally, a man of the people, not a man of the party, has emerged as Nigeria’s president.

Having been diagnosed for many years with the chronic problem of bad leadership, a lot of Nigerians had perished the hopes of having a good leader in their lifetime. The seemingly intractable malaise baffled all the spin doctors, and Nigeria remained in the grip of captive democracy- until the civil rights and pro- democracy leader, nationalist and activist, Bola Tinubu emerged, and Nigeria’s hope has been gloriously renewed.

The fact is, Nigerians have watched in anguish as their country has gone from the vaunted Giant of Africa to the World’s Poverty Capital, and counting. Nigeria since independence has seen the emergence of the Asian Tigers and now the total transformation of the Middle East. Smaller African countries are putting their acts together, but Nigeria’s story has been different.

In specific terms, we can put Nigeria’s problem to the mode of emergence of leadership. It has always been the bigwigs in the big political parties choosing their candidates, later foisting them on the public, before proceeding to rig elections. Nigerians became resigned to the concept of predictable party primaries with only one chosen frontrunner practically running against himself. And with the Nigerian constitution not permitting independent candidacy, the electorate was practically playing what we call “tumbo- tumbo” (blind man’s poker) during general elections.

Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, Secretary of the National Peace Committee at a point framed the voters’ dilemma as “the choice between three thieves”. Thus, democracy has in no wise been deepened; voter apathy has.

Indeed, INEC brought some hope with assurances of the use of BVAS technology and electronic transmission of results- but what about the question of who gets the party tickets?

The ruling APC, shocked everyone, maybe even shocked itself with their party primaries, and pleasantly surprised Nigerians, in 2022. With an array of contestants for presidential primaries that included serving and former governors, they finally had an outcome that not even the president could have predicted. Of the initial 23 candidates, seven stepped down and announced their support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State. At the end, he clinched the ticket- and the tide turned dramatically, as a new hope was birthed.

And now after a gruelling process, the man of the people, not a man of the cabal, of the hawks, of the party hierarchy- but a man of the people is president-elect: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

By the way; something remarkable happened in 2002; the Chancellor of the City Colleges of Chigago, Dr Wayne Watson had said something striking about one of their distinguished alumni. He had described Bola Tinubu as likely future president of Nigeria.  Two months’ time and 21 years after, it shall be Tinubu’s swearing in to that precise office!

 One passion Bola Tinubu possesses is for the youths, and for the younger generation. In a nation and government system that has firmly entrenched gerontology, Tinubu will be coming with a novel style that is both appealing and also needful, considering the population demographic.

 I am very happy to assure the whole world that Bola Tinubu is not among those “three thieves option” as enunciated by Bishop Kukah! Right now, the father of modern Lagos is poised to bring about the settings of a modern Nigeria,  and Nigerians should get set.

Right now, it’s Tinubu-time!

•Mikky Attah, Calabar, Cross River State.