I congratulate the Senate. This is one of the fastest legislations ever passed by this House. I only hope that history will be kind to us. – Senator Uche Chukwumerije.
Discussing with the editors of two Lagos-based national newspapers last week, I had a good, hearty laugh. They said if they had known that this was the kind of democracy they were fighting for, they would have joined YEAA – Youths Earnestly Ask for Abacha. YEAA was the onomatopoeically named organisation formed by the impudent Daniel Kanu to promote the sit-tight programme of General Sani Abacha. YEAA was as unpopular then as Gen. Abacha himself and when Abacha suddenly died in June 1998 YEAA’s heart also failed. And because General Abdulsalami Abubakar showed no inclination towards the retention of the services of YEAA, even as a change of appellation would have been unnecessary--since he had the same initials as his predecessor--Kanu was thrown out of business.
Last week, the Nigerian Senate under Chief Adolphus Wabara and Ibrahim Mantu crossed the Rubicon. It passed Obasanjo’s controversial Labour Bill. Nigerians watched with stupefaction as Obasanjo, who has never hidden his contempt for public opinion and the Senate (whose majority members represent no one in particular except Obasanjo who “elected” them) working together, gang-raped even their own version of democracy.
It was a gang-up against the Nigerian people. They came together to pass a law that will outlaw strikes and protests. From now and as long as Obasanjo remains in power, any striking worker could go to jail. Many have said the law will not work as it is going to be disobeyed but that is not the point.
The main reason for the obnoxious bill as we all know is to fetter Nigerians so that Obasanjo and the cabal that currently have Nigerians by the jugular can continue to increase the pump price of petroleum products as many times as they wish. From now, salaries wont have to be paid when due and the government will do just about anything it wishes and Nigerians will not even be allowed to cry. How do you slap someone and expect him not to cry. It’s a double whammy. Nigerians are just supposed to keep on smiling and thanking their good fortune of having such a president as a “godsend.” What kind of life is that?
The quantum of democracy or its ideals available to Nigerians during the long harrowing period of military dictatorship was much more than what we have now. At least I can’t remember Abacha – the whipping boy of pro-democracy elements – ever making a decree that outlawed strikes. After forcing himself back to power against the people’s will in 2003, Obasanjo has continued to tighten the noose against the people by instalments. First, it became impossible for opposition politicians to go campaigning. If politicians cannot go stumping, what system of governance do we call that – dictatorial democracy or democratic dictatorship? When the opposition forced themselves about a year ago to campaign in Kano against the Obasanjo government’s directive, it caused them the life of Chuba Okadigbo, one of Nigeria’s finest politicians. Nigerians also found out recently that even protesting in a mass action against bad governance has been outlawed. Not long ago, a group known as NUD, (Nigerians United for Democracy) organised a mass action against the irresponsible way the country is being run. The organisers pleaded with Muhammadu Buhari, the ANPP presidential candidate and Dim Emeka Ojukwu, the APGA presidential candidate to join them. They thought (how erroneously) that with Buhari, a statesman and a former Head of State in their midst, the government will be hamstrung and allow them to at least have their say, even if they stood no chance of having their way. But they underrate the antidemocratic proclivities of President Obasanjo. The police officer in charge of operations in Abuja descended on General Buhari’s convoy, seized the keys of the general’s car from the driver and ordered that teargas be used against them. That forcefully aborted the mass action and the people were deprived of their fundamental right to protests. a right, they had generously exercised during the military era.
Only very few senators raised their voices against the anti-people labour bill from the presidency. The size of the Ghana-Must-Go bags that accompanied the bill ensured compliance. But one man demurred openly, Uche Chukwumerije, an Aminu Kano associate who could not come to terms with being seen conniving against the “Talakawas.” In a sneering congratulatory message to his colleagues, he said this bill was one of the fastest legislations passed by the Senate. It is a pity that the legislation, which was conceived, designed and worded against the interests of the ordinary Nigerian people, was the one that received this kind of VIP treatment from the Senate. This is a senate that has the type of Prof. Jibrin Aminu, Prof. Iya Abubakar, David Mark etc. Are the senators not worried for themselves? Don’t they think of their children who would be embarrassed by their action? Chukwumerije hoped history will be kind to them. History will be kind to all those who rise up for the enthronement and deepening of democratic ideals, and on this particular score, that includes Chukwumerije and the few others who did, but not the majority of them who sold out the Nigerian people cheap. History is a trifle harsh and unforgiving and when the history of the fourth republic comes to be written, the Senate under Wabara will get its due place. And no need to worry; history cannot be rigged with Ghana-Must-Go bags.
Obasanjo behaves as if there will never be a post-Obasanjo era. A friend of this government’s – who obviously benefits from the spoils--told me recently that Obasanjo is indispensable and that if he leaves power, the nation will disintegrate. I didn’t laugh. From the way he spoke, he gave the impression that the president himself believes so. That reminded me of the president’s response in 2002 when asked if he was interested in a second term or the Mandela option for the sake of democracy. The president said then, that there would be “consequences” if he left power. So we should all be happy that he presented himself for re-election. Nigeria will not have survived without him. The good thing about all this nonsense talk is that the cemetery is filled with all those who thought they were indispensable.
Surprisingly, the kind of uproar I expected from the media and pro-democracy movements has been absent. I didn’t hear anything from NADECO and all the other pro-democracy sub-groupings who regaled us with their cute and politically correct speeches during the Abacha days. Where is Abraham Adesanya? Where is Wole Soyinka? Where is General Alani Akirinade? And where is the group called G34? Indeed, where is the Nigerian media|, the nation’s Fourth Estate of the Realm who call themselves watchdogs. Or have they now become lapdogs? Gani Fawehinmi appears to be the remaining lone labouring voice among them.
Now that Obasanjo has finished with labour, his next bus stop will be the media and he is already up to a good start. Hon. Abike Dabiri, a media person herself is said to be working on a bill that will gag the press. The editors of Insider Weekly have been constantly hounded and arrested. The SSS claims it does that for the benefit of democracy and we are supposed to clap for the government for sealing off the premises of the magazine. It is obvious that at this rate, only the pro-Obasanjo media houses will survive. Many Nigerians think that the Insider Weekly is a first rate magazine because it mirrors the Nigerian society, as a good medium should. The first time there was a clampdown on the magazine’s editors, it was because of its cover story about illegal bunkering in which certain big guns were named. Instead of the magazine to be taken to court for libel (if that was the offence), the editors were detained instead. Maybe the editors were not taken to court by the government afterall because the defence for libel is truth. Last week when I called Osa Director, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, he told me he was hiding in a hole, not dissimilar to Sadam’s hole. That’s what it has come to. I also recently heard that Obasanjo is very angry with President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe for allowing one of the pro-government newspapers in Zimbabwe, The Chronicle, get away with criticising him (Obasanjo). Didn’t they know he is the president of Africa? In a recent edition of the paper, Obasanjo was presented in a cartoon polishing the shoes of President George W. Bush of the United States. And that to Obasanjo is a big crime.
All said, I only pity all those now struggling to contest the 2007 elections. There will be no elections as there is no vacancy; and even if a presidential election holds and a winner emerges, the result will be annulled. The last time Obasanjo participated in any elections was as the Balogun of Owu when his candidate lost. He simply seized the result sheet and tore it to shreds. This is the man who will superintend the 2007 elections. If this does not say anything to those currently wasting their time on 2007, nothing would.
Democracy in Nigeria is dead. Gang raped to death. Deceiving ourselves does not change that fact.
