The Nation Newspaper

Tag: morality

  • Morality and poll circus

    Morality and poll circus

    Pakistan isn’t such a prominent country in world affairs, but its recent national and provincial elections threw up lessons that are instructive to politicians as well as election managers across the world, Nigeria inclusive.

     Ever heard a politician formally declared winner in a poll rejecting the victory on a self-confessed claim that the victory was tainted because the votes were rigged in his favour? That was what happened in the Pakistani elections where a politician who won provincial seat in the commercial hub of Karachi gave it up, saying it was rather won by an opponent whose votes were understated by the electoral body. The February 8th elections were marred by accusations of rigging against independent candidates backed by jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan. The former prime minister and cricket star has been in jail since last August and his party, PTI, was disqualified from the ballot, forcing PTI-backed candidates to run as independents. But despite the hurdles, voters overwhelmingly turned out across the country to cast votes in favour of Khan’s cause.

    Following his being declared winner of a provincial assembly seat in the city of Karachi, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman of the Jamaat-e-Islami party rejected the verdict, saying another contender backed by PTI party had secured more votes but his tally was understated. “If anyone wants to make us win in an illegitimate manner, we will not be accepting that,” Rehman said at a press conference, adding: “Public opinion should be respected, let the winner win and let the loser lose. No one should get anything extra.” He argued that while he polled some 26,000 votes, PTI-backed Independent Saif Bari received 31,000 votes that were declared as 11,000 votes. Pakistani electoral authorities rejected his allegations, saying the country had laws and systems to investigate specific complaints.

    Read Also: Hisbah wages war against street begging, immorality

    Meanwhile, reports cited a senior Pakistani official confessing complicity in manipulating results in the country’s elections. Liaquat Ali Chatha, a top administrative official in Punjab Province, said he would resign from his position and turn himself in to the police. “We converted losers into winners, reversing margins of 70,000 votes of independent candidates for 13 national parliament seats,” he stated at a news conference, apparently referring to votes moved from independent candidates aligned with Khan. He fingered other high-ranking officials as being part of the scheme, saying he was unable to sleep at night after “stabbing the country in its back.”

    These are confessionals that should pose a moral challenge to political actors and administrative officials everywhere to similarly toe the path of honour in their dealings. It will be the day, for instance, when Nigerian politicians begin to proactively reject tainted poll victories and when officials renounce hideous plots to pervert the electoral process. It will be the day!

  • ‘Obasanjo lacks morality to accuse Buhari of rigging plot’

    Emmanuel Umohinyang is the Convener, Re – elect Buhari Movement (RBM). He spoke with reporters in Lagos on former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s allegation of plot to rig polls against President Muhammadu Buhari and preparations of the group for next month’s elections. Excerpts:

    What is your reaction to former President Obasanjo’s allegation that President Buhari is planning to rig next month’s elections and that his administration is like that of Abacha?

    As you know, when it comes to the issue of credible election, Obasanjo does not have a say. He does not have the morality to talk about credible election in Nigeria because he is the grand master of election rigging. Under his watch, we had the Maurice Iwu of this world. During his time, election was not won at the ballot, results were written from the comfort of people’s homes. It was during his era that we had the famous “Mr. fix it”. Election was fixed. It is only an exhibition of fear, thinking that we are back to the era we are coming from. I want to assure our former President that the new Sheriff in town is different from what we had during his era. Under President Muhammadu Buhari, elections will not only be free and credible, it will be seen by even the worst critics of his administration. Let us not becloud ourselves with the issue, coming from Otta, asserting that this administration is being run like the Abacha era. I think it is the most unfortunate statement I have had from a former President. By the way, Obasanjo is not the only former President we have had in this country and one expects that as an elder statesman, if he sees anything that the administration  has done that he feel strongly about, he could approach the President and share his views. The late former President Shehu Shagari, and Gen. Yakubu Gowon are examples. We have the Council of State of which he is a member, so trying to portray himself as saint when we have his records is like a slap on our face. It’s quite unfortunate. I think we should give it to this administration that it has saved us the pain and agony of the past, talking about the Obasanjo/Atiku era, when political detainees was the order of the day, politically motivated assassination was the order of the day. I think Ex –President Obasanjo may have run out of ideas and is just trying to seek attention from Nigerians. Unfortunately, he cannot get it. President Buhari is a General of the people’s army. Nigerians love him and appreciate what he is doing. That is basically the reason we are pushing his re – election come February 16, 2019.

    Don’t you think the former President has a point with Gen. T.Y Danjuma toeing the same line?

    I am surprised that you mentioned Gen. Danjuma, so we can say it is a communion of the Generals. Their views does not represent Nigerians view and I think at the last Council of State meeting, the INEC chairman was there to explain the level of preparation. From what we heard, the Council of State endorsed INEC’s preparation. INEC has equally said they have worked independently. There has not been pressure from any quarter. I want to assure you that under President Muhammadu Buhari, election will not be rigged; rather we will have something better than what we had in 2015. I think the President has endeared himself to Nigerians. It is not easy for a man to maintain the position of “Mr. Integrity” for decades. Who among these people can you call ‘Mr. Integrity’ without hearing a boomerang from Nigerians? President Buhari has held on to ‘Mr. Integrity for years. Nobody, not even his worst critics have ever queried that posture. He didn’t earn that over the shelf. It is due to hard work that he has put into the system. He has held several public offices. You can go and check his records. Go and check what he has, and you will realize that we have moved from that era where a sitting President will gather contractors and gather 7 Billion Naira in the name of a Presidential library. What we are saying is that we should have more faith in President Muhammadu Buhari. The integrity of some people is tied to their stomach, not President Buhari. He will never allow the coming election to be rigged in his favour or that of any other candidate.

    How do you react to the removal of CJN by President Buhari?

    I think I need to correct this impression, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen remains the CJN. We must enlighten our people that he has not been removed in the literal word of it. He was only suspended. The provision for the removal of the CJN is provided for in section 291 and 292 of our constitution as amended. Under those provisions, I don’t think the President can unilaterally remove the CJN. No. what the  President has merely done is to carry out an order of the CCT, directing that the President should suspend the CJN, pending the conclusion of  his trial, and that the most senior Justice in the hierarchy of the Supreme Court be appointed  in acting capacity. The suspension simply means if the person is found not guilty after the conclusion of trial, he will be reinstated. People made some funny and ridiculous  comments, prior to his suspension. We had some governors  assemble in Abuja and declared that the CJN ignore the summon of the CCT. If at all, those governors made those statements, I think it is the most ridiculous statement I ever heard because when you tell an ordinary Nigerian on the street who caught stealing yam, that the full weight of the law would be brought on him and you try to turn a blind eye on somebody just because he is from your zone, such is really unfortunate. We cannot make progress as a country. My position  is that irrespective of the who is involved, even if it is my father, the very minute you go against the laws of the land, you must face the consequences, pure and simple. What becomes of our country when people begin to disobey the order of the courts? If we go tribal, it means the Northern governors could also say El Zaky Zaky and Dasuki are from our zone. The next thing will be anarchy. We should all rise against sectional interests and begin to deal with issues on its merits.

    What is your reaction to the backlash that followed the suspension?

    Look, we are in a political era. The Presidential election is a few meters away. It is expected. We are in era where the politicians, lawyers, Doctors etc all have interest to protect, but I think we should look at the larger picture regarding whose interest the President should protect. That of his political party? The answer s no. His personal interest? The answer is no. That of the constitution? I think the answer is yes. The President is acting based on the powers given to him by our constitution, to obey orders that comes from courts. You must also understand that it is a simple principle of law that orders of courts must be obeyed, no matter how bad. It was Lord Denning who said in his famous quote that no matter how tall a man is, the law is taller than him. That is why I subscribe to the removal of immunity against criminal prosecution for all categories of office holders, so that any occupier of  even the office of President can be tried for criminal infractions. It will be an aberration to smuggle immunity that was not conferred on the CJN. I think Nigerians, should rise up and be counted if we want to move Nigeria from where we met it to where we want it to be. Don’t forget fighting corruption is one of the cardinal programmes of this administration. The present happenings in our country today reminds me of the famous poem by Prof. Niyi Osundare titled “My Lord, where do I keep your bribe?” As members in the temple of justice, we must ensure that corruption is eradicated from our Judiciary.

     

  • ‘Ethics, morality key to Nigeria’s progress’

    The Strategic Contacts, Ethics and Publications (STRACEP) unit of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has emphasised the need to restore morality in the country at the maiden Ethical Leadership and Entrepreneurship Lecture it held last Wednesday, with the theme: From soiled hand to oiled mouth.

    Sir Chikwe Udensi, a fellow Ethical Leadership, said there was need for tertiary institutions to show commitment to ethical leadership by integrating values and integrity as the framework and content of leadership and management matrix.

    He suggested that governments at all levels needed to partner universities in building a moral society that will promote unity and peace.

    In his keynote address, Prof Damian Opata, raised concern on what he called organic division among ethnic nationalities in the country, linking the problem to desperation of politicians, who, he said, set people against one another for political gain.

    He condemned the mentality of “getting rich at all cost”, saying such was not part of traditional values of African societies. He urged participants to emulate the values espoused by the nation’s founding fathers in order to correct problems plaguing the country.

    In his speech, Director of STRACEP, Dr Camsir Ani, paraphrased an expression credited to the late Prof Chinua Achebe, saying the major problem facing the country remained tribalism, religious division and nepotism, calling for true leadership.

    “There is ample of reasons to unite and agree on issue of good character and integrity,” he said, observing that no meaningful progress would be achieved in a nation built on corruption, injustice and nepotism.

    The Anamba State Governor, Chief Willy Obiano, was represented at the event.

    During an interactive session, students responded to speeches delivered at the event. One of them, English and Literary Studies student, Ogbu Obinana, called for paradigm shift in the leadership of the country, saying: “Our leaders go to religious centres to campaign when they run for public offices only to swear an oath of allegiance to idols worshippers when they get there. The reason for running for public offices should be centred on the wellbeing of the people and the society. We must restore the values of governance and stop the obnoxious practice of material acquisition.”

     

  • Anti-graft war, law, morality and justice

    SIR; That Nigeria ranks high among the most corrupt nations of the world is no more news. The tree of corruption planted shortly after independence has developed to an IROKO tree with deep seated roots bearing robust but poisonous fruits found all over the country in decayed infrastructure, collapsed educational and health facilities, unemployment, youth restlessness among others.

    The present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari made war against corruption a hallmark of its manifesto. The battle has been taken to the doorstep of the past administration with mind-boggling revelations of treasury looting. Politicians and public servants have been found with massive wealth in bank statements and property beyond known income. Monies in local and foreign currencies have been found hidden in unthinkable places.

    In developed countries which we constantly refer to as models, corruption has become a moral issue and the burden of name and shame make it degrading to move near anything like it.

    Unlike what it was Nigeria when citizens honour and respect family names, parents were known to have rejected money and gifts from wards whose income could not justify such gestures. Corruption has progressively become a passion and fashion that some parents practically push their children to crave for illicit wealth. More worrisome is the shameful acts of communities and tribal groups who gather to celebrate kinsmen indicted or jailed for corrupt enrichment.

    The battle line in the anti-graft war is between morality, law and justice. The law we inherited from colonial masters that jailed offenders in UK and convicts a poor man in Nigeria is bent in favour of the rich who secures bail on compassionate ground, gets a long adjournment and eventually acquitted on no case submission based on technicalities of law. The victim is the nation and her citizens. Justice perverted is an encouragement to engage in crime.

    The society from households, communities, schools and worship centres must rise and unite in the fight against the challenges and evils that corruption constitutes. Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo enthused that worshipcentres should reject money from thefaithful whose source is unknown.

    President Buhari has justified his election in the fight corruption.Contrary to cries of witch-hunting, corruption war cannot be won on federal character, ethnic or religious considerations. Every finger found in the pot of corruption must be called to account .

    The present economic situation presents an opportunity to say – NO MORE Corruption in Nigeria.

     

    • Remi Oyebamiji,

    Lagos.

  • What’s morality got to do with religion?

    SIR: Intending pilgrims to the Holy Land are always cautioned by governments and the Pilgrims Welfare Board to “refrain from unholy conducts that could tarnish the image of the state and the country.” Some elsewhere are advised to flee from fornication as such acts may lead to meningitis.

    The question that must be asked is that: Is morality possible without religion? Religion and morality may not be synonyms but they are connected to each other in a number of ways. * Generally, all religions encourage their practitioners to live their lives in accordance with certain moral ethics. This is to be expected because most religious faiths define and outline the conduct expected from their followers.

    It must be understood, however, that religion is not always necessary for morality. The truth is that people do live moral lives outside the confines of any religion. What drives ethical behaviour can be attributed to a person’s moral fibre. This, in turn, can be influenced by conscience, observation of accepted social mores and the laws of the land. Fear of consequences or expectations of rewards are other factors considered when behavioural decisions are being deliberated.

    Connecting religion only to morality in all cases is unjust to millions of people in the world who do not subscribe to any religious beliefs. There are a lot of good people in the world who are morally upright and yet do not practice any religion. To illustrate this one needs to recognize the timeless truth of a popular writer who said that: “My country is the world and my religion is to do good”. Clearly, morality is not a matter of religion or lack of religion.

    Ironically, the Bible makes a case for the fact that religion is not the only standard from which people can access moral values. The story of the penitent sinner on the cross is a popular one and it can be related here for effect.  * Two criminals were crucified with Christ. One of them was bent on mocking Christ and he dared him to come down from the cross and save himself. The other one rebuked the insolent one and reminded the man that Christ was an innocent man. Christ replied by telling the man: “Surely, today you will be with me in paradise”. The lesson here is that the penitent criminal on the cross could not be considered a religious person. He did, however, possess a superior morality that impressed Christ himself and this is the point. People can be morally upright without being religious.

    Until man begins to see God in his fellow man rather than a God who’s seated somewhere beyond the skies, the world may not witness any grain of peace.  * If one sees God in others, he will be wary in killing such a person. Of course, it doesn’t imply that man is God but with a universal awareness of essence of God in all beings, caution may be exercised.

    Until we start thinking and acting ‘We’, Nigeria and humanity may find it hard to navigate this beautiful earth-plane where everyone is expected to live in peace, love and harmony.

     

    • Simon Abah,

    Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

  • Morality and Big Brother Nigeria

    SIR: The high followership and viewership of the recently-concluded Big Brother Nigeria (BBN) is a manifest of television power. Christians condemned it because it had pornographic contents; Muslims because it was inhospitable to the spread of sunnah among believers;  the moralists wouldn’t want to see it because it was against Nigerian cultures and values.

    To start with, no viewer of BBN should be condemned for his interest because there was something in it for him. Also, no TV content should be condemned in its wholeness because a certain segment of the audiences would always derive benefits from it.

    The first premise for condemning BBN is that the reality show was staged and produced in South Africa–  a foreign land, an economic rival of Nigeria, and a slaughter slab of helpless greener-pasture seeking Nigerians. Why should the show be produced in South Africa? Why can’t the sponsors produce it in Nigeria for Nigerians? After all, it is Big Brother Nigeria. As jingoistic as these arguments are, they don’t hold water in view of the rising media imperialism, media globalization and cultural globalization.

    Big Brother has continued to spread like California summer wild fires since its inception in the Netherlands as created by John de Mol in 1999. Today, the reality game show franchise is shown in over 54 franchise countries and regions. The rising popularity of Big Brother has been aided by digital satellite television which has promoted pay TV all over the world. Nigerians saw the show exclusively on DSTV, a leading pay TV in Africa. Lest I forget, cable television like DSTV offers audiences various programmes based on “terms and conditions”. This is why regulation of pay TV and their contents is almost impossible unlike that of terrestrial television.

    On Sunday, I was not surprised when “the Christians”, “the Muslims” and “the Moralists” poured praises on organizers of the Western show for giving them weeks of fun. Their posts suggested they had been watching the reality show for weeks in their private rooms. Never mind that they condemned it in public.

    What do Nigerians really want? Are we hypocrites? Watching a programme in secret place but condemning it in public is nothing short of hypocrisy. This can be likened to criticizing corrupt politicians in public and going to them privately to share from their loots. Again, BBN should not be seen as antithetical to Nigerian cultural values because we are yet to define our cultures and values at the national level, coupled with the fact that our existing cultural values have been eroded by widespread corruption and disunity among ethnic groups. In term of religion, most of us are only religious but not godly, righteous or just.

     

    Jonathan Olajide,

     MAPOLY, Abeokuta.

  • Ambition without morality

    Ambition comes with various qualifiers. Among the possibilities: tall ambition, high ambition, reasonable ambition and realistic ambition. On the reverse side: short ambition, low ambition, unreasonable ambition and unrealistic ambition. Of course, there are other possibilities.

    Talking of ambition, Senator Dino Melaye, the chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, provided food for thought in an interview published on November 6. The interviewer asked Melaye: “You were the brains behind the ‘Like-Mind’ senators; a platform through which Saraki became the Senate President. Now, he is facing the Code of Conduct Tribunal over discrepancies in the declaration of his assets. Why didn’t you advise him to resign honourably?”

    Melaye answered: “I am not Bukola Saraki. I don’t speak for Bukola Saraki. And I cannot speak for Bukola Saraki. But all I want to say is that if Bukola Saraki thinks he is guilty, he should resign. But if he thinks he is not guilty, there is no reason he should resign. I say it without fear or favour that what Bukola Saraki is passing through is not prosecution. It is persecution. You don’t punish a man for being ambitious. The reason Saraki was before the Code of Conduct (Tribunal) in the first instance was because he was being ambitious.”

    He continued: “President Muhammadu Buhari is also an ambitious character; having contested (the presidential) election three times and he got it (won the poll) the fourth time. That shows how ambitious he is and then getting to the presidency now, he should not be queried for being ambitious. I am also ambitious; I want to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is God that gives power to whosoever he wishes. So for me, the CCT trial is a kangaroo one and at the end of the day, nothing will come out of it. Just as the case of forgery was withdrawn, this in due course won’t see the light of the day.”

    Talking of Saraki, it may be said that he showed vaulting ambition politically, considering the contentious method by which he became Senate President. Beyond this, it may also be said that his ongoing corruption-related trial is quite another matter, and he will have to prove his innocence. As for the withdrawn forgery charge against him, it was a curious development.  Obviously, President Buhari’s presidential ambition and how he pursued it cannot be categorised with Saraki’s method by Melaye’s sophistry. Clearly, it remains to be seen whether Melaye’s presidential ambition is realistic.

    Perhaps Melaye needs to understand that ambition without morality is not the kind of ambition the country needs for progress.

     

     

     

  • A question of morality

    A question of morality

    Good sense prevails as Uk university agrees to return looted Benin statue

    What happened in those days should not have happened. That is the instructive import of the official removal of a Benin bronze sculpture known as Okukor from the dining hall at Jesus College, University of Cambridge, UK. The bronze cockerel was among the hundreds of treasures looted by British troops involved in a “punitive expedition” that resulted in the 1897 conquest of old Benin Kingdom, which is now part of Nigeria. This 19th century demonstration of the beastly aspects of humanity remains a haunting reminder of colonialism and its unflattering sins.

    It is interesting that the decision by the university’s authorities to take down the sculpture followed a campaign by the college’s student union in the context of increasing activism against symbols of Britain’s colonial past. In April, the Jesus College Student Union (JCSU) passed a motion saying that the sculpture should be formally handed over to Nigeria. The students said:  ”The contemporary political culture surrounding colonialism and social justice, combined with the university’s global agenda, offers a perfect opportunity for the college to benefit from this gesture.”

    Against the background that the sculpture was a donation from the estate of a former British officer, George Neville, who died in 1929, the students argued that its continued display was a minus because it was plundered. The cockerel sculpture has been at the college since 1930 and symbolically reflects the surname of its founder, John Alcock. The college’s crest displays three cockerels’ heads.

    It is striking that the institution’s authorities reviewed the position of the sculpture after over 80 years. A university spokesperson was quoted as saying:  ‘Jesus College acknowledges the contribution made by students in raising the important but complex question of the rightful location of its Benin Bronze, in response to which it has permanently removed the Okukor from its Hall.” The spokesperson added: “The College commits to work actively with the wider university and to commit resources to new initiatives with Nigerian heritage and museum authorities to discuss and determine the best future for the Okukor, including the question of repatriation.”

    It is noteworthy that the students’ “Benin Bronze Appreciation Committee” reportedly said it was in contact with a Nigerian government official who wanted the sculpture returned to Nigeria. Since Nigeria gained independence in 1960, the country has pursued the return of hundreds of Benin bronzes looted by British expansionists as well as other artistic gems transported illegally to Western countries during the colonial era.

    The drama of Okukor’s removal is reminiscent of the return of two Benin bronze statues to Benin City two years ago by Mark Walker, a retired medical consultant whose grandfather participated in the 1897 raid.  The two bronze works, the Ahianmwen-Oro and Egogo, also known as the Ibis and the Bell, had sacred qualities from the perspective of their provenance. Walker returned them to the Oba of Benin, Erediauwa I, at a colourful ceremony. On the occasion, the Oba’s brother, Prince Edun Akenzua, said Walker’s action would “contribute positively to healing the bruise etched on the psyche of Benin people since 1897”. At the time, Walker was quoted as saying:  “It is morally wrong and unethical to hold on to works that do not belong to one legally.”

    It is worth recalling how the story began concerning the looted Benin bronzes that are outside their local locale. Following the killing of nine British officers by natives while on a trade mission to Benin Kingdom, the British authorities reacted even more violently by setting the ancient city ablaze, killing thousands of natives and forcing their king into exile.

    This created a perfect situation for wild looting. Numerous artworks were plundered from the royal palace, including age-long Benin bronzes that demonstrated superlative artistry. Most of the stolen works have been domiciled at the British Museum in London ever since.

    It is important to highlight the reality that today museums in Britain, Germany and the U.S. hold hundreds of bronze works created by the Edo people in the 13th century, the majority of them stolen. It is relevant to mention that an art historian, Philip J. C. Dark, in his work titled, “Benin Bronze Heads: Styles and Chronology,” said that about 6, 500 Benin artefacts could be found in an estimated 77 places across the world.  Of this number, the British Museum is believed to be in possession of 700 while the Ethnology Museum in Berlin holds over 500.

    It is a testimony to the artistic advancement of the Edo people that when colonialists encountered their works, they were reportedly amazed that such treasures could be created by people they arrogantly regarded as ‘primitive’. It is a credit to the ancient Benin civilisation that its bronze works remain among the most celebrated African artworks.

    At the heart of the looting of African artefacts by Western invaders is the question of morality. It is the same question that drove the campaign for the removal of Okukor from its pedestal in a foreign land. Hopefully, Okukor would be returned to where it belongs. Also, it is hoped that there would be an intensification of the campaign for the return of looted artefacts.

  • Change, morality and leadership

    An  ordinary election to bring in a new leadership in Nigeria’s legislature after the 2015 elections has turned into an unbelievable fiasco on change management  or mismanagement and has created a nightmarish  watershed in Nigeria’s  politics as  we  know  it today. Our  June  9  2015   leadership  election  in our   hallowed  legislature has  become  a grim  reminder  of the AG Crisis  of 1962  culminating in the breaking  of legislators  heads as well  as the Speakers mace at the Western Region  House  of Assembly  then   in  Ibadan, now  in Oyo  State. At  stake then  was the struggle  for power  between AG leader Chief Obafemi  Awolowo  and his deputy  Chief S L A  Akintola, the  Premier  of the then western region who refused  to cede control  of the party  to  his leader  because the leader has gone  to the center in  Lagos  to become the Federal  Opposition leader. Incidentally the two leaders were mentioned in our new president’s Inaugural  address  as  a  source  of inspiration for  a new generation  of  Nigerians by  the president. However the  leadership elections in our senate on June 9  2015 surely  brought  back  dark  memories  of the 1962 AG Crisis  which  was  a lesson in betrayal, treachery, disloyalty and a break down of party  discipline  and solidarity. That  incident boomeranged into several  other crises leading to the civil war  and the subsequent  military  interventions  before  our return  to democracy  on May  29  1999.

    Ominously the elections of  the leaders  of the House of  Representatives  and the Senate last week was another lesson in treachery and perfidy and a slap  on the face for party  leadership and  discipline. The  only difference was that there was  no break down of law  and order in Abuja  as was the case in Ibadan and  more pointedly the  beneficiaries  of the betrayal  of their  colleagues  proceeded  to  administer with  dignified  calmness the oaths  of allegiance  on the new legislators in both  houses as required by law and decorum in the best tradition of the dictum – Done deed, Done  deal.  Nevertheless  no  one is deceived  that  the new leaders  have gotten away with  murder as  the APC  has announced that it will use due  process  to mete  out punishment to those  of its  members  who  are beneficiaries of the betrayal  of their  party  and its leadership in the nation’s  legislative  chambers in Abuja.

    The  legislative leadership elections have thrown up many issues  to be discussed  for  a  long time  in this nation. Some  of such issues will be tackled  today and some later. Surely  Nigerians are’ flabberwhelmed’  and ‘overgasted’ as Peter Pan or  Peter  Enahoro wrote in his hilarious book ‘How  to be a Nigerian’  Undoubtedly   fundamental  issues  come to the fore as to the mode, nature, character  and make up  of those we call leaders  in our present  political  dispensation. We  shall  identify  some  of these  issues for discussion today  and link  that up  with the new assignment the G7  has  given our new president who  has swiftly  congratulated  the new leadership  of the legislature  even though his party  leadership  and new legislators  were  said  to be waiting for him for  a meeting before they were knocked  out of voting and counted out of reckoning in voting in a new leadership  at our legislative  houses.  President  Muhammadu Buhari  has  been busy  of late holding meetings with leaders of the Lake  Chad  Basin Commission   nations to prepare a  bill  for the G7  on the needs of those nations in  their  fight against the terror of  Boko  Haram which  has  claimed  affinity with  ISIS  and  has qualified  for total elimination as an enemy of the G7, the  EU  and indeed that  of the civilized  world.

    But  again  let  us look at the  issues  that the controversial  legislative  elections generated. The  first is the disenfranchisement  of those legislators waiting to see the president. They lost their voting rights on two grounds.  They were  both absent and at best guilty of punctuality as they arrived later.  A  sort of closing the stable doors when the horses  of power have bolted or were  properly  harnessed  in their absence. The  opposition PDP  literally  elected the Senate  president as less than 10 APC  members were present  and the PDP  had over 40  in attendance as at voting time. Which  opens a new chapter in inter and intra party  relations in  Nigeria  especially  in our legislature  and   marks the beginning of a chain  of events   the end of which  no  one knows  as Chief  Anthony  Enahoro  once said  when he proposed Nigeria’s independence in the early  fifties.  There  is  also  the issue  of quorum which  was  used decidedly  and negatively as the 51 APC  senators never gave notice of a boycott and were not involved in any accident and their absence  should have generated concern given their number  and not good cheer and good  riddance as the Clerk  and the   Senators present seemed to have swiftly  and  readily  assumed.  A  clear  case  of mischief  and  fraudulent intent was established  by the speed and execution  of the leadership elections. As if speed  was more the essence  rather than the seriousness  of getting legislators present and available in their correct  numbers to fulfill  their legislative duties and obligations  for  which they  have been  duly elected.

    More  importantly the elections in the legislature bring out the issue  that change  cannot  be managed successfully  and that indeed change management  is an  oxymoron.  Like’ living death’, change  and  management  as  the experts have said  don’t go together. That  is what the  APC leadership  is discovering after  securing  the 2015  general  election on a platter  of change  only  to be short  changed and ambushed in the legislature by its own members. That  also  showed  the  paradox  of change  in that  it can  not  be managed but accepted  and  followed  as it can maul and  destroy  those who stand  in its decided  path to  stop  or forestall  it. The  legislative  election of June 9  has shown  that the die is cast between the APC leadership  and that of the legislature. Only  time will tell  which  the  futile   attempt  at change management  will  propel  or destroy.  Definitely  however  a new  political  culture evolved  from the last leadership elections  in our legislature and  we are taken aback  by its morality  and wait   for what it portends as it for now looks  like an ill wind that bodes  no good.

    With  regard  to the president’s  new assignment  for the G7  we wish  him  and the G7  every  success  in the new  collaboration.  We however  want to sound a note  of  warning and that is that there is no  free  lunch  nowadays especially  in the war on terrorism  and  in the return of the Cold  War between the US and  EU  on  one side  and    Russia  under  its  President  Vladmir  Putin  on  the other. Surely  the nations bordering the Sahel  need  help  to  fight Boko  Haram but  they  are more powerful in doing this  when  they  cooperate  amongst  themselves  as our president has blazed a trail in doing than in relying on foreign aid  and largesse  which  must have  a price.

    This  is because  for  now it is the US  priority  foreign  policy  to promote  same sex  marriage globally  and Ireland  a Catholic  nation  recently passed  a referendum approving same sex marriage. Indeed  in  Uganda the US cut aid  on the grounds  that the Ugandan parliament banned  same sex marriage just like Nigeria has also  done. These  are clear cultural and religious  issues that the US and  EU  nations  have said  are civil rights  which  do not make sense to  those  of us  in  this  part  of  the world. So  in  packaging the needs  of the Lake Chad Basin  nations  to the G7 our  president and  his  colleagues  from other nations  must  ask  for  the price  the  magnanimity  of the G 7 entails.  This  is to  ensure  that in fighting  and  defeating  Boko  Haram we do not cut our nose to spite our nose  and inadvertently give  more  ammunition for recruitment  and expansion  to  Boko  Haram  which has shown already  that   it has no respect for human rights or any  religious or  moral  values except  to spread its insane  form  of religion in bogus  caliphates.  Boko  Haram  must  be contained  but at no extravagant  and  prohibitive cost  to our collective sanity,   culture and religion in the entire Sahel or  indeed  the whole ECOWAS  area.

  • Religion, morality and development

    Sir, Our practice of religions has failed abysmally in effecting moral regeneration among us. A country whose religious leaders cannot hold aloft the moral compass and torch for their compatriots will come adrift. Not surprisingly, and consequently, too, there is an erosion of moral and family values among us. Here, good is deemed bad; and bad, good. Nothing shocks and offends us, anymore. Moral vices have become normative in Nigeria.

    People destitute of positive morality do perpetrate corrupt deeds. And we are not unaware that corruption is the bane of Nigeria. A morally up right person will not divert public money entrusted in his care into his private bank account rules and regulations to achieve his lofty objectives. And a morally upright person is aware of what constitutes good and bad.

    Our dear country teems with people who have moral vacuity and spiritual aridity. They indulge in deeds that destroy our country. Human beings mobilize and galvanize other factors such as natural resources, labour, and capital to effect national development. And if they place their selfish interests above other considerations owing to their moral vacuity, then Nigeria will remain an underdeveloped country.

    Our lack of positive morality is the reason why we indulge in corrupt deeds. And while perpetrating evil deeds, we do not have prick of conscience and qualms. So, it is imperative for our religious leaders to effect moral regeneration among us.

    It is sad to note that Nigerians are putting their religions to bad uses. Some Islamic clerics brainwash and indoctrinate young Muslims with teachings that are not contained in the Koran. They misinterpret and twist them to suit their purposes. That is why the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east has not been eradicated. And many men of the cloth subordinate biblical teachings that border on spirituality, holiness, and love beneath the performance of miracles and propagation of prosperity messages.

    There is a connection between our underdevelopment and the erosion of moral values among us. A person with positive morality and active restrictive mechanism will not undermine his country’s progress for selfish reasons. Our adherence to religious injunctions, no doubt, will activate our consciences and imbue us with positive morality. Then, we will start to desist from engaging in acts that can destroy our country.

    Chiedu Uche Okoye,

    Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State