‘’IS IT ABOUT THE UGEP MAN’’ PART 11
The second series of the Essays of Bob Tee on the political imbroglio and conundrum on Yakurr was as explosive and controversial as the first which is still generating intense interest in Yakurr. It certainly ruffled some political feathers and stirred controversial in the different political camps and factions which the PDP has splintered into in Yakurr. One of the first people that confronted me was Mr. Francis Ubi Lekam, a well known Community Leader and Opinion in Ugep who is a known protégé of Chief Obeten Okorn.
Mr. Lekam confronted me in my father’s house in Ugep on Saturday the 17th July, 2010 when he tersely asked me ‘’ Have you seen what Bob Tee wrote about Chief Okorn? I answered in the affirmative and told him I had written a rejoinder to it. He had grumbled what on earth Bob Tee should write such a thing about Chief. I answered that I do not see anything wrong with why Bob Tee has written. I told him what Bob Tee wrote was the truth nothing but truth. The next person was Mr. Neil Offem, the irrepressible Editor of the X-Ray Newspaper; which opinion was similar to the one Mr. Lekam had expressed. Apparently he too was not happy but I told him that Bob Tee was in order and that who ever is not happy with what Bob Tee had said should feel free to write a rejoinder rather than castigating him in the true spirit of democracy.
The next person that confronted me was Dr. Dan Abubukar. He called me on Friday to express his reaction to my rejoinder to Bob Tee’s essay. He had commended me firstly but when he wrote me an email his reaction was different. He accused me of being bitter and too hard on some political leaders who are not my friends in his reckoning. He thereafter commended me for my various contributions to national discourse and promised to engage me any time we meet face to face. I replied to the email telling Dr. Abubukar that I was not bitter and do not harbour and hatred against anybody but that was merely expressing my personal opinion in very passionate way which I have the right to do. I told Dan Abubukar that I had never being a bitter man but a jolly good fellow despite all the disappointments. It is pertinent to reproduce the email sent to me by Dr. Dan Abubukar thus:
‘’ My Broda,I just read ur rejoinder on Bob tee’s paper. And ur brilliant personal opinion noted. Nearly marred ur brilliant presentation with outbursts of hatred of some leaders who are obviously not ur friends. U poured out ur heart and d anger in ur tone was palpable. I am a doctor and I know about bitter pills and their effectiveness. Truth is bitter but it must be told. And it cannot be held down for ever. Like Othman Dan Fodio conscience is an open wound. Only truth can heal it’’. We need leaders with conscience, wisdom, passion to serve above self providing effective and transformational leadership. Hope to see u soon for a face2face engagement. Tanx 4 ur timely contributions to national discourse always. Dr. Dan’’.
I do not know why Dr. Abubukar fees that I hate some of the politician leaders who are not my friends. Why should I hate anybody? I do not have any reason to hate anybody. Any body who knows me will surely confess that I do not hate people. It is regrettable that some body as learned that I hate these people he has in mind simply because I criticise them or spoke the truth in my own estimation about them as far as the imbroglio in Yakurr is concerned. It is this kind of mentality that has leads our country to the present despicable and nadir it has descended into. People do not want people to speak out. When ever somebody critics or demands accountability from some body in government or a high placed person his friends, associates or his kinsmen who start making such insinuations against those they think are responsible. We have seen how government functionaries who are facing corruption cases are followed to the Court with hired crowds dressed in uniforms with the inscription of them of those who do not think that these people have done anything wrong. Dr. Abubukar is a protégée of Imoke, Anani and Bassey Ewa. Perhaps these were the political leaders he allured that I have so much hatred for. In all repressive society those who are beneficiaries of the system are always afraid of dissension. They are scare of free speech because they do not want the system expose. So I understand the negative reactions generated by this debate on Yakurr politics initiated by Bob Tee.
However, Thomas Ofem called me on the evening of 16th July 2010 to tell me what Mr. Bassey Eko Ewa called him to say about my person. He said Bassey Ewa was very bitter and had threatened to deal and expose me. Let me make it clear that I do not have any skeleton in my cupboard which I will be afraid of. Anybody who thinks he has evidence of any thing I have done is free to expose me. I went to four Schools, Mary Knoll College; Federal School of Arts and Science, University of Jos, and Nigerian Law School. I was called to the Nigerian Bar on the 6th June, 1991, the same day with Barrister Eric Ifere, Barrister Edmund Ebri (all from Ugep) and Barrister Gabriel Suswan (Governor of Benue State of Nigeria). I did my National Youth Service Corps in Benin City. I adopted my grand father ‘’ Obono-Obla’’ a renowned Political and Community Leader of the Ijiman People in Ugep in the 1930s-1960s as my surname after all my schooling and National Service as a way of immortalizing. This has inspired the puzzling and mystery about me by some people as a lot of my school mates did not know me by that name. I will not want to say more on his but if anybody has any doubt about me, he is free to investigate. I want to say that nobody will intimidate me to deter from the causes which I believe in.
The threats, foul language and harassment employed by some people who are not comfortable with this discourse triggered by Bob. Tee and the contribution made by some of us has brought to the fore the despicable under development of the country; the intolerance and lack of accommodation of alternative views in our country particularly by public officers who are always wont to adopt such crude and dirty tactics when ever we demand accountability from them. Public office is a trust which the holder holds on behalf of the people or his constituents. It follows that anybody who goes into public office must be prepared to face public scrutiny and be humble enough to accept constructive criticism. It is really disturbing when a public officer who is holding public trust feels he is an overlord who can talk down on the ordinary people and begin to threaten them when he is asked to render account for his stewardship. I make bold to submit that threatening people that are critical of their performance in office by these public officers holders smacks of admission that they have not performed and that they have something to hide.
I want to say something about Bob tee‘s second essay which was more or less focused on the behavioural pattern of Bassey Ewa and his influence in Yakurr Politics since 1999. I have been very critical of Bassey Ewa but I think my criticism should be taken in good faith. However I want to say that the experience Thomas had associating with Ewa which was well articulated in his very lucid style is not different from my own personal experience. I remembered that I had never been close with him until 2004 when we had a brief relationship which soon went sour because of his style which I previously described as sly and dodgy. Mr. Ewa visited my house in Mekenge Layout Calabar sometimes in May, 2004 to tell me that he had nominated me for appointment as a Commissioner in Donald Duke’s government. I had never told him I was desirous of an appointment before then. I had always been adverse taking up an appointment with government because I wanted to make a career in law practice and thought I was too independent minded and critical to accept an appointment in government because of the trend to appoint only those who are amenable and pliant. I was never thrilled by what Mr. Ewa had told me. Of course I knew that he was merely playing politics with me. He said that he was very happy because I would help him lead Yakurr because he had been going it along. However, to my chagrin and consternation I soon found that Mr. Ewa had told so many people the same thing he had told me. He had promised nominating several people in Yakurr with an appointment in Donald Duke’s government. Until this moment this promise to these people had not been met. My own brother, John Ofem Obono was one of the people he had promised. I was very disappointed when I discovered this.
Other aspect of his political behaviour and style which Bob Tee has aptly described in his essay is his predilection to quarrel with all those who had helped me to climb up. He had quarrelled with Usani Usani, Patrick Iwara, Chief Obeten Okorn Obeten just to mention but a few. Bob Tee left our late Chief John Oyom Okpa who was Deputy Governor of Cross River State (1999-2003) before he was impeached by the Cross River State House of Assembly after he fell out with Governor Donald Duke; Ewa was the Majority Leader in the height of John Okpa’s reign as Deputy Governor. Ewa was a protégée of Okpa until he lost his position after Donald Duke moved against Okpa’s Men after he got wound of the plan by Okpa to challenge him concerning the gubernatorial seat. Ewa decamped to Duke’s camp immediately Okpa fell out of power. Ewa soon became very strong in Duke’s camp and got dug in through the help of Patrick Iwara. I do not know the reason he has for picking quarrels with these people and falling out with those who had helped previously but it gives an insight to the type of politicians he is. I do not see him as somebody who wants to promote any other Yakurr person and this is why he keen in enhancing the political career of any other person expect himself.
I think Ewa is a good student of Machiavellian brand of politics which is built upon ruthlessness, deviousness, treachery and chicanery in his rise. But this brand of politics as far I am concerned is anachronistic because it is devoid of morals and principles and could only work in a prebendal Nation State such as Nigeria. It will surely end when democracy is fully entrenched in the country and more people become conscious of their political rights and election are properly conducted. I think in the present culture of impunity and lawlessness coupled with endemic and chronic corruption and confusion in the country those who do not have scruples and jobbers are having a field day.
I do think know why Imoke is enamoured with having Ubi Itam Ettah as Chairman of the Council despite his disastrous performance but there is a School of thought that says Ewa has drummed into Imoke that he needs a ruthless and devious character such as Ubi Itam Ettah in Yakurr which is perceived as volatile and to check mate Patrick Iwara who is nursing an ambition to become a senator. I recall that in 2007 Primary Election to pick the flag bearer for the PDP for the House of Representatives, Ubi Itam Ettah led a band of thugs armed with pump action rifles to stormed Itigidi to disrupt the election which was declared in favour of Ewa. Perhaps Ubi Itam Ettah is being compensated for being anti-Yakurr so much so that he is ready to do the bidding og the forces that are bitterly against the Yakurr people making impression in Cross River State politics . These are the people that participate in the sharing of the monthly allocation of revenue from the Federation Accounts to the detriment of the development of Yakurr. I do not know why they think that Ubi Itam Ettah has monopoly of igniting violence. It is clear that these people do not believe in the dictates of democracy but are just power mongers who have seized the reins of government to use it to enrich themselves and oppress those who do not agree with their methods.
Lastly I do not agree with Bob Tee’s insinuation that he was left high and dry when he made a when he contested the massively rigged Local Government Council Chairmanship against Ubi Itam Ettah in 2007. We strongly supported BOB Tee from the begriming to the end and even issue a press statement condemning the election on the ground that it was massively rigged and a complete sham. My statement was published in some of the national diaries including the Daily Independent.
OKOI OFEM OBONO-OBLA
* Obono-Obla is a Barrister & Human Rights Activist. He lives in Abuja, Nigeria
Sunday, July 18, 2010
PRESIDENT MUSEVENI AND SIT-TIGHT SNYDROME IN AFRICA
I was hugely stunned, completely shocked and totally disappointed when President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda finally confirmed the endless speculation and rumour which had been rift that he will contest for a third time in office. President Museveni was one of heroes. He represented a new phenomenon and emerging trend in African leadership in a Continent blighted and bested with mediocre and incompetent leadership. The election has been scheduled for February, 206. African Leaders have demonstrated a proclivity for disregard for the Rule of Law and the Doctrine of Due Process. They have shown total contempt and distain for adherence to constitutionalism. True to type, President Museveni, first move was to instigate an amendment of the Constitution of Uganda to make his eligibility for a third term a sure bet. The Ugandan Parliament which ought to be the custodian of the Rule of Law succumbed and acceded to the desire of President Museveni to perpetuate himself in power in the true African tradition. African Parliamentarians have always being rubber stamp of the executive branch. They are pliant, selfish, self-seeking and lawless.
After the amendment of the Constitution, President Museveni decided to unleashed a campaign of terror, harassment and intimidation to cow and stifled the civil society and intimidate it to pander to the whims, caprices and desire to be the President of Uganda for six more years. He went for the jugular of the man he perceived to likely to pose a threat to his desire and ambition; the leader of the most potent and visible opposition Party, Dr. Kizza Besigye, a retired Army Colonel and a former close associate of President Museveni. He was a personal doctor to President Museveni in the heady days of the insurrectional movement masterminded by Museveni in the early 1980s against the government of late President Apollo Milton Obote, which was toppled in 1986. Dr. Besigye was appointed a Cabinet Minister after the end of the rebellion. He retired from the army in 2001 and entered the Presidential race. He challenged President Museveni in the presidential poll held in 2001 but lost gallantly. Dr. Besigye’s relationship with President Museveni deteriorated soon after this and he fled his country into exile in South Africa alleging his life was in danger. Dr. Besigye returned to Uganda from exile last and announced that he will be contesting the election scheduled for February, 2006. This apparently did not go down well with President Museveni and his supporters. Dr. Besigye has established a reputation of being a shrewd and penetrating politician. In 2001 he gave President Museveni a run for his money. Besigye’s candidacy sent a cold chill into the spine of Museveni.
An archetypical African Politician is intolerant. He is a power monger. He is ruthless and sadistic. He has no constitution and temperament to accommodate alternative political views, perspective and options. He is dyed in the wood and born dictator. He is a pseudo democrat. President Museveni schemed to render the desire and ambition of Dr. Besigye otiose and atrophied. Museveni alleged that Dr. Besigye was the mastermind of an armed rebellion against his government in Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.
Pundits have dismissed the allegation as phantom and baseless. He was also accused of committing rape. Dr. Besigye was arrested and charged before a Military Tribunal. This procedure was considered strange, bizarre and unlawful by observers. When some of his supporters of Dr. Besigye were charged before a High Court the precinct of the court was invaded by menacing and gun trotting commandoes. These suspects who were already granted bail by the High Court were re-arrested again by these bandana wearing commandoes. A typical African Dictator believes in using the apparatuses of the State to intimidate his real and imagined political enemies into submission. President Museveni is a huge disappointment to his army of admirers both in Africa and the world alike.
The son of cattle herder President Museveni was hailed as a beacon of hope and among a new generation of Africa leaders supremely, dynamic and visionary, after the chaos and bad governance perpetrated by those who took over the reins of political governance from the colonials master in the late 1950s and 1960s.
A committed critic of colonialism and neo-colonialism in Africa, he was an admirer and a student of the great Tanzanian leader and Afro-centrist, Dr Julius Nyerere of blessed memory. It was Dr Nyerere who unsuccessfully attempted to use his country as a guinea pig to test the brand of African socialism called in Swahili, ujamaa, which was synthesis between African communalism and European socialism as propounded by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels. The experiment failed and left Tanzania in economic ruins but Nyereree establish a reputation of been honest, superbly focused, serious, totally committed and a hugely dedicated African Leader. Tanzania became a model for national unity and political stability. She became a respected in international politics particularly in the third world. The capital of Tanzania became a sort of “political Mecca” for Afro-centrists, Socialists and Marxian. The University of Dar es Salaam became a hotbed and revolutionary incubator.
It was in the University of Dar es Salaam that Yoweri Katguta Museveni studies economics and political science and became greatly influenced by the radical and socialist thought prevalent there. He graduated in 1970 and was appointed Research Assistant to the then President Apollo Milton Obote. In January 1971,the commander of the National Army, Amin Dada, toppled the government of President Obote in a military coup de tat and Museveni formed a Front for National Salvation to fight the new regime. Idi Amin Dada, consolidated and established a dictatorship which viciousness, irresponsibility and human rights record was unparallel in the chequered history of Africa. In 1979, the Front for National Salvation cooperated with Tanzania army and other small groups opposed to Idi Amin to overthrow him. The overthrow of Idi Amin did not bring about the desire change to the political and economic fortunes of Uganda, which was once described as the “pearl of Africa” in the 1960s because of its then great potentials.
In 1980, Museveni denounced the re-election of President Obote as fraudulent and proclaimed the formation an insurgent group; the National Army, Tito Okello, overthrew President Obote. In 1981, Museveni seized power. He immediately consolidated his grip on power and embarked on a comprehensive political and economic reform program me to bring Uganda from the doldrums she has sunk as a result of persist and consistent instability. He place a ban on political parties that he said were divisive and therefore ill suited for a country with the contradiction and ethnic plurality of Uganda. Museveni was supported by massive foreign aid and support by the International Monetary Fund. By this time Museveni has toned down on his revolutionary posturing and socialist rhetoric. Museveni won international support and soon he was hailed as a beacon of hope in Africa. He was anxious to make a clean break from the legacy of instability, bad governance, human rights abuse and economic stagnation that Uganda had earned notoriety. In 1996, Museveni, won a referendum approving the continuation of his” against multi- party politics.
It is a sad commentary that Yoweri Keguta Museveni, an intellectual and revolutionary statesman has falling into the league of sits tight African Leaders. These include Hosni Muhammad Muburak of Egypt, Omar Bongo of Gabon, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Zane El-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, Mummar Ghadafi of Libya and Braise Campoare of Burkina Faso. Omar Bongo has been President of Gabon since 1967. He is the longest serving African President. He had survived numerous American President such as Presidents Johnson, Nixon, ford, Carter, Bush, Senior, Billy Clinton and George W. Bush, Junior and several major world historical events including the Nigerian Civil War, Vietnam War, Six Days War, Arab-Israeli War, the Cold war, collapse of the great soviet union, crumbling of the Berlin wall, Gulf War and unification of Germany to mention just but a few. In 2005, he again won another seven years term that will lapse in 2012. By then Omar Bongo would have been in office as president of Gabon for an unprecedented 45 years.
President Hosni Muhammad Muburak of Egypt was a General in the Egyptian Air force before he was appointed Vice-Chairman of the National Democratic party (NDP) and Vice- President of Egypt by the then President Anwar El-Sadat in 1975. He became president of Egypt after the assassination of president El-Sadat by an army officer while reviewing a military parade on 6th October, 1981. He has been under control of Egypt since then and last year he won a disputed presidential election for another seven years in office which will expired in 2012. By then he would have consistently been President for a record 31 years!
Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi, Libyan radical and revolutionary leader cane into power on the 1st September 1969 after his toppling the royal government under the ineffective King Sayid Idris El-Sanusi. Colonel Qaddafi was then a starry-eyed but visionary 24 years old captain in the Libyan from an obsure and essentially economic backwater to one of the success stories of Africa is noted for his fanatically devotion to Islam and zealous support for Pan-Arab, Pan-Africa and revolutionary causes. He has been in effective control of Libyan for more than three decades. There is no indication that he will soon leave the stage. There are on political parties in Libya except the officially authorized Arab Socialist party (ASU).
Paul Biya of Cameroon has consistently been in the corridor of power in Cameroon. After graduating from the University of Paris in 1960 with a law degree he returned to his country and was quickly appointed head of Foreign Development Aid by the then President Ahmadou Ahidjo. He became Prime Minister in 1975. In 1982, President Ahidjo suddenly resigned from office as President on health ground and appointed Paul Biya as his successor. Paul Biya has been President of Cameroon since 1982. In 2004, he won a controversial election for another seven years tenure that will cone to an end in 2011. By then the would have been in the helm of affairs of Cameroon for 29 years.
Another African leader obsessed with the sit tight mentality and syndrome is President Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia. He has been in effective and unquestionable control of the affairs of Tunisia for almost 18 years. In 1987 the then President Habib Bourguiba appointed coup in November 1987 claiming Bourguiba was diagnosed senile and unfit to govern. He decreed the abolition of President-for-title introduced by former President Bourguiba. However, soon Ali begins to carry on as typical sit tight Africa leader. In May 2002 a referendum abolished the three-term limit on the office of president, enabling Ben Ali to contest a further election. There is nothing on ground to indicate that Ben Ali intends to leave the scene soon.
Blaise Compaore has been President of Burkina Faso, since 1987, when he toppled the regime of his former friend and Compatriot, Captain Thomas Sankara, in a bloody coup de tat. In 2005 he won a one side Presidential election for a seven years term that will constitutionally end in 2012. By then he would have remained the President of Burkina Faso for a record 25 years.
The tiny Republic of Equatorial Guinea has a history dogged by dictatorship and sit tight leadership. From independence from Spain, on the 12th October 1968 with Francisco Macias Nguema until this moment, Equatorial Guinea, has known only two leaders, late President Francisco Macias Nguema and President Obiang Nguema. At independence Equatorial Guinea was a Federal State comprising two provinces. In 1973, it became a unitary State. In 1972, one of the bloodiest dictators ever seen in the continent of Africa appointed himself president for life. His regime became notorious for dictatorial and repressive policies and gross human rights abuse. Thousands of his Political opponents were killed. About 40,000 people were arrested and kept in concentration camps as labourers. More than 100,000 Equatorial Guineans were compelled by Presidents Nguema iron rule to flee into Nguema, toppled President Obiang Nguema. Hew was tried for treason and executed. Since 1979, President Obiang Nguema has remained in power unchallenged. In December 2002, he won a Presidential election with over 97 percent of the votes that was condemned by the opposition and foreign observers as fraudulent. There is no possibly that a new leadership will emerge in Equatorial Guinea except President Nguema drops death.
I think all progressive forces in Africa should tackle the problem of sit tight leadership because it is one immediate cause of the backwardness of the continent. It is also responsible for bad governance that has plagued many an African country. It is essentially stem from the culture of sycophancy and cult of personality that is prevalent in many African Cultures. Culture must be dynamic and not remain static. It must be subject to reform in accordance with prevailing times. The Culture of sycophancy and personality worship that breeds dictatorship and the urge for many and African leaders to play God and think they are indispensable is an anachronistic tradition that must be done away with otherwise the developmental challenge that has assume an endemic proportion shall continue to plague Africa.
Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla
• Obono-Obla is a Barrister-at-Law and a Human Rights activist. He lives in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, and Nigeria.
• This Essay was published by the Guardian on Sunday on the 20th January, 2006. The issues discussed in the essay are still fresh and relevant in view of the crisis of leadership plaguing Nigeria which is somewhat rooted in the culture of impunity prevalent in Nigeria.
After the amendment of the Constitution, President Museveni decided to unleashed a campaign of terror, harassment and intimidation to cow and stifled the civil society and intimidate it to pander to the whims, caprices and desire to be the President of Uganda for six more years. He went for the jugular of the man he perceived to likely to pose a threat to his desire and ambition; the leader of the most potent and visible opposition Party, Dr. Kizza Besigye, a retired Army Colonel and a former close associate of President Museveni. He was a personal doctor to President Museveni in the heady days of the insurrectional movement masterminded by Museveni in the early 1980s against the government of late President Apollo Milton Obote, which was toppled in 1986. Dr. Besigye was appointed a Cabinet Minister after the end of the rebellion. He retired from the army in 2001 and entered the Presidential race. He challenged President Museveni in the presidential poll held in 2001 but lost gallantly. Dr. Besigye’s relationship with President Museveni deteriorated soon after this and he fled his country into exile in South Africa alleging his life was in danger. Dr. Besigye returned to Uganda from exile last and announced that he will be contesting the election scheduled for February, 2006. This apparently did not go down well with President Museveni and his supporters. Dr. Besigye has established a reputation of being a shrewd and penetrating politician. In 2001 he gave President Museveni a run for his money. Besigye’s candidacy sent a cold chill into the spine of Museveni.
An archetypical African Politician is intolerant. He is a power monger. He is ruthless and sadistic. He has no constitution and temperament to accommodate alternative political views, perspective and options. He is dyed in the wood and born dictator. He is a pseudo democrat. President Museveni schemed to render the desire and ambition of Dr. Besigye otiose and atrophied. Museveni alleged that Dr. Besigye was the mastermind of an armed rebellion against his government in Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.
Pundits have dismissed the allegation as phantom and baseless. He was also accused of committing rape. Dr. Besigye was arrested and charged before a Military Tribunal. This procedure was considered strange, bizarre and unlawful by observers. When some of his supporters of Dr. Besigye were charged before a High Court the precinct of the court was invaded by menacing and gun trotting commandoes. These suspects who were already granted bail by the High Court were re-arrested again by these bandana wearing commandoes. A typical African Dictator believes in using the apparatuses of the State to intimidate his real and imagined political enemies into submission. President Museveni is a huge disappointment to his army of admirers both in Africa and the world alike.
The son of cattle herder President Museveni was hailed as a beacon of hope and among a new generation of Africa leaders supremely, dynamic and visionary, after the chaos and bad governance perpetrated by those who took over the reins of political governance from the colonials master in the late 1950s and 1960s.
A committed critic of colonialism and neo-colonialism in Africa, he was an admirer and a student of the great Tanzanian leader and Afro-centrist, Dr Julius Nyerere of blessed memory. It was Dr Nyerere who unsuccessfully attempted to use his country as a guinea pig to test the brand of African socialism called in Swahili, ujamaa, which was synthesis between African communalism and European socialism as propounded by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels. The experiment failed and left Tanzania in economic ruins but Nyereree establish a reputation of been honest, superbly focused, serious, totally committed and a hugely dedicated African Leader. Tanzania became a model for national unity and political stability. She became a respected in international politics particularly in the third world. The capital of Tanzania became a sort of “political Mecca” for Afro-centrists, Socialists and Marxian. The University of Dar es Salaam became a hotbed and revolutionary incubator.
It was in the University of Dar es Salaam that Yoweri Katguta Museveni studies economics and political science and became greatly influenced by the radical and socialist thought prevalent there. He graduated in 1970 and was appointed Research Assistant to the then President Apollo Milton Obote. In January 1971,the commander of the National Army, Amin Dada, toppled the government of President Obote in a military coup de tat and Museveni formed a Front for National Salvation to fight the new regime. Idi Amin Dada, consolidated and established a dictatorship which viciousness, irresponsibility and human rights record was unparallel in the chequered history of Africa. In 1979, the Front for National Salvation cooperated with Tanzania army and other small groups opposed to Idi Amin to overthrow him. The overthrow of Idi Amin did not bring about the desire change to the political and economic fortunes of Uganda, which was once described as the “pearl of Africa” in the 1960s because of its then great potentials.
In 1980, Museveni denounced the re-election of President Obote as fraudulent and proclaimed the formation an insurgent group; the National Army, Tito Okello, overthrew President Obote. In 1981, Museveni seized power. He immediately consolidated his grip on power and embarked on a comprehensive political and economic reform program me to bring Uganda from the doldrums she has sunk as a result of persist and consistent instability. He place a ban on political parties that he said were divisive and therefore ill suited for a country with the contradiction and ethnic plurality of Uganda. Museveni was supported by massive foreign aid and support by the International Monetary Fund. By this time Museveni has toned down on his revolutionary posturing and socialist rhetoric. Museveni won international support and soon he was hailed as a beacon of hope in Africa. He was anxious to make a clean break from the legacy of instability, bad governance, human rights abuse and economic stagnation that Uganda had earned notoriety. In 1996, Museveni, won a referendum approving the continuation of his” against multi- party politics.
It is a sad commentary that Yoweri Keguta Museveni, an intellectual and revolutionary statesman has falling into the league of sits tight African Leaders. These include Hosni Muhammad Muburak of Egypt, Omar Bongo of Gabon, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Zane El-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, Mummar Ghadafi of Libya and Braise Campoare of Burkina Faso. Omar Bongo has been President of Gabon since 1967. He is the longest serving African President. He had survived numerous American President such as Presidents Johnson, Nixon, ford, Carter, Bush, Senior, Billy Clinton and George W. Bush, Junior and several major world historical events including the Nigerian Civil War, Vietnam War, Six Days War, Arab-Israeli War, the Cold war, collapse of the great soviet union, crumbling of the Berlin wall, Gulf War and unification of Germany to mention just but a few. In 2005, he again won another seven years term that will lapse in 2012. By then Omar Bongo would have been in office as president of Gabon for an unprecedented 45 years.
President Hosni Muhammad Muburak of Egypt was a General in the Egyptian Air force before he was appointed Vice-Chairman of the National Democratic party (NDP) and Vice- President of Egypt by the then President Anwar El-Sadat in 1975. He became president of Egypt after the assassination of president El-Sadat by an army officer while reviewing a military parade on 6th October, 1981. He has been under control of Egypt since then and last year he won a disputed presidential election for another seven years in office which will expired in 2012. By then he would have consistently been President for a record 31 years!
Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi, Libyan radical and revolutionary leader cane into power on the 1st September 1969 after his toppling the royal government under the ineffective King Sayid Idris El-Sanusi. Colonel Qaddafi was then a starry-eyed but visionary 24 years old captain in the Libyan from an obsure and essentially economic backwater to one of the success stories of Africa is noted for his fanatically devotion to Islam and zealous support for Pan-Arab, Pan-Africa and revolutionary causes. He has been in effective control of Libyan for more than three decades. There is no indication that he will soon leave the stage. There are on political parties in Libya except the officially authorized Arab Socialist party (ASU).
Paul Biya of Cameroon has consistently been in the corridor of power in Cameroon. After graduating from the University of Paris in 1960 with a law degree he returned to his country and was quickly appointed head of Foreign Development Aid by the then President Ahmadou Ahidjo. He became Prime Minister in 1975. In 1982, President Ahidjo suddenly resigned from office as President on health ground and appointed Paul Biya as his successor. Paul Biya has been President of Cameroon since 1982. In 2004, he won a controversial election for another seven years tenure that will cone to an end in 2011. By then the would have been in the helm of affairs of Cameroon for 29 years.
Another African leader obsessed with the sit tight mentality and syndrome is President Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia. He has been in effective and unquestionable control of the affairs of Tunisia for almost 18 years. In 1987 the then President Habib Bourguiba appointed coup in November 1987 claiming Bourguiba was diagnosed senile and unfit to govern. He decreed the abolition of President-for-title introduced by former President Bourguiba. However, soon Ali begins to carry on as typical sit tight Africa leader. In May 2002 a referendum abolished the three-term limit on the office of president, enabling Ben Ali to contest a further election. There is nothing on ground to indicate that Ben Ali intends to leave the scene soon.
Blaise Compaore has been President of Burkina Faso, since 1987, when he toppled the regime of his former friend and Compatriot, Captain Thomas Sankara, in a bloody coup de tat. In 2005 he won a one side Presidential election for a seven years term that will constitutionally end in 2012. By then he would have remained the President of Burkina Faso for a record 25 years.
The tiny Republic of Equatorial Guinea has a history dogged by dictatorship and sit tight leadership. From independence from Spain, on the 12th October 1968 with Francisco Macias Nguema until this moment, Equatorial Guinea, has known only two leaders, late President Francisco Macias Nguema and President Obiang Nguema. At independence Equatorial Guinea was a Federal State comprising two provinces. In 1973, it became a unitary State. In 1972, one of the bloodiest dictators ever seen in the continent of Africa appointed himself president for life. His regime became notorious for dictatorial and repressive policies and gross human rights abuse. Thousands of his Political opponents were killed. About 40,000 people were arrested and kept in concentration camps as labourers. More than 100,000 Equatorial Guineans were compelled by Presidents Nguema iron rule to flee into Nguema, toppled President Obiang Nguema. Hew was tried for treason and executed. Since 1979, President Obiang Nguema has remained in power unchallenged. In December 2002, he won a Presidential election with over 97 percent of the votes that was condemned by the opposition and foreign observers as fraudulent. There is no possibly that a new leadership will emerge in Equatorial Guinea except President Nguema drops death.
I think all progressive forces in Africa should tackle the problem of sit tight leadership because it is one immediate cause of the backwardness of the continent. It is also responsible for bad governance that has plagued many an African country. It is essentially stem from the culture of sycophancy and cult of personality that is prevalent in many African Cultures. Culture must be dynamic and not remain static. It must be subject to reform in accordance with prevailing times. The Culture of sycophancy and personality worship that breeds dictatorship and the urge for many and African leaders to play God and think they are indispensable is an anachronistic tradition that must be done away with otherwise the developmental challenge that has assume an endemic proportion shall continue to plague Africa.
Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla
• Obono-Obla is a Barrister-at-Law and a Human Rights activist. He lives in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, and Nigeria.
• This Essay was published by the Guardian on Sunday on the 20th January, 2006. The issues discussed in the essay are still fresh and relevant in view of the crisis of leadership plaguing Nigeria which is somewhat rooted in the culture of impunity prevalent in Nigeria.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Re: Rejoinder to Thomas Ofem’s ‘’ Is It about the Ugep Man’’
Thomas Ofem‘s seminal essay aptly titled ‘’ Is it about the Ugep Man’’ is decidedly engaging and thought provoking However, I disagree with Thomas concerning certain aspect of this well thought out and researched essay. The aspect I do not share the sentiments ably expressed by Thomas is his essay that the problem of marginalization, anomie and rudderless leadership of Yakurr grappling it, is premised on the fact that Chief Okorn Obeten Okorn’s eight whooping years at the National Assembly was uneventful. I do not hold forth for Chief Okorn.
This is just my perspective to this debate which Thomas Ofem has subtly launched in his imaginative and creative essay inspired by the profundity of his fertile mind. This debate is very germane in view of the sorry state and the general deterioration in cherished values today in Yakurr. It accords with the dictates of democracy to indulge in this type of argument or debate on topical issues of the day. Thomas was frankly brutal and forth right in his essay. It surely lends credence to the fact that Thomas is one of the leading minds in Yakurr today no matter what prism one choose to look at it.
I do not think that because Chief Okorn’s obsession and immersion in ‘local politics’’ was the genesis of his inability to make an impression in the national political scene despite his brilliance, charisma and eloquence. Every politician has his own constituency where he strives to influence things locally and therefore any politician worth his salt must strive to maintain some touch with his primary constituency.
I am inclined to believe that the failure of Chief Okorn to win friendship nationally which would have added to Yakurr politics rather had to do with his personality. Chief Okorn is not a very out going person. He is self opinionated, shy and somewhat introverted. He does not make friend easily. He finds it extremely difficult to keep and maintain friendship Maybe he is not cut out for politics. Bassey Ewa, a very dodgy politician exploited these weaknesses of Chief Okorn to maximum effect.
I do not think that it is fair to heap all the blame for the down turn of Yakurr politics on one single individual in as much as I will not entirely absolve Chief Okorn being one of its Political Leader and elite. The problem of the failure of leadership in Yakurr must be situated with the trend in Yakurr that anybody who manages to win a rigged election to get into a position of clout and influence automatically becomes a Leader whom every body much genuflect and hero worship into order to ingratiate and win his favour. Let me say it very clearly that all elections we have had in Yakurr from 1999-2007 were not a true reflection of the sovereign will of the Yakurr People. It follows that we cannot in all righteousness use these massively rigged elections them as barometer or parameter to choose leadership.
There is this gripping culture of sycophancy among our people. This politics of sycophancy has destroyed the careers of many of our political leaders in recent times. The hall mark of Yakurr political followers ship is for every body to crowd around somebody who manages to win a rigged election or gets an appointment in government as the ‘’ new leader’’ or ‘’Ete’’ or ‘’ Oga’’ so forth and so on. These sycophantic followers always build a cult of personality around these ‘’ leader’’.
They gossip and indulge in all manner of subtle manipulation and blackmail to be in the good books of the ‘’ leader’’ and strives to fence off every other person from getting close to their ‘’ Ete’’. This ‘’ Ete’’ in order to continue to enjoy followership and loyalty occasionally doles out money to his crowd of so-called followers ;pay the school fees of their children; pay their hospital bills and marry or buy cars for his people. All the other people whom represents do no longer qualify to be his people (save a select few) because they do not genuflect or hero worship and see him as a demi-god or tin-god that must be obeyed.
It is therefore not fair to heap the entire blame of the obvious down turn of politics in Yakurr and the current season of anomie on one individual notwithstanding the fact that he was a member of the National Assembly cannot be held responsible for our woes as a people. We all must collectively share the blame. But some people must obviously take the lion share because they are our leaders. They include those who have found themselves at the helm whether in politics, government, business or even the traditional institution.
What of the likes of Bassey Eko Ewa who was the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly for four Years? The position of Speaker of a Legislative Body in a presidential system of government is obviously a very powerful because the Speaker is the Head of the Legislative Branch of Government. In the hierarchy of Government, the Speaker is third in Rank after the Deputy Governor. The House of Assembly is the Constitutional Police Man and Watch Dog of the Executive Branch of Government. The Legislature has under control all the other two branches of government because it has oversight powers over them. The House of Assembly appropriates money for the Executive.
It goes without saying that an intelligent, smart, large-hearted, courageous and exposed Man who knows his onions can do a lot of things for his people as speaker of the House of Assembly. But what we saw during the tenure of Mr. Ewa was somebody who was obviously overwhelmed with the clout, panache, and glamour of that office. We saw raw arrogance. We saw somebody who was obviously inebriated by power so much so that he lost focus completely. He allowed political jobbers, careerists and sycophants to distract him. A lot of time was wasted in turf warfare to gain political space and ascendancy which is of no moment to the aspirations of our people.
Ekori became enmeshed and a theatre of this turf warfare and many young people were wasted in this senseless war over nothing. In the House of Representatives, he has become anonymous despite his pedigree and experience as Speaker, and member of the Cross River State House of Assembly and his educational background as a Lawyer. This is undoubtedly a very good background for a great parliamentary career.
All Bassey Eko Ewa did in his four Years as Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly to maintain the loyalty of his army of sycophants was to promise every body a political appointment and patronage. He became very dodgy and sly. He plays each community against the other. He would go into a house hold and promise two siblings a political appointment in order to divide and rule and win their loyalty. When some of us pointed that this was not the way to lead a people, he sponsored personal attacks on us in order to divert attention. He heaped all the blame on Chief Okorn and other political leaders and depicted them as incompetents in order to promote himself. Our people did not see anything wrong with his style because he occasionally hands out peanuts to them, so every body struggled to win his heart. It turned him into an egomania.
What of people like Etim Ayomobi who was Commissioner of a powerful and influential Ministry? What was his contribution during his tenure? Ayomobi had been a Member of the Cross River State House of Assembly and Commissioner for Rural Development before his appointment as Commissioner for Lands and Surveys. What of the likes of Sam Oju who was a member of the Cross River State House of Assembly (1999-2003)? The same Sam Oju is now busy from his exalted position as a Commissioner in a strategic Ministry such as Agriculture sponsoring and mobilizing all other Yakurr communities under the aegis of ‘’EMINAA’’ to forge an unholy alliance against Ugep, exploiting ancient fears and prejudices. This is the type of bad leadership we have been saddled with in Yakurr for some time.
Despite the fact that we are the same people in all ramifications, we are perpetually at war with one another; Ugep-Mkpani; Idomi-Ugep; Ekori-Mkpani, Nko-Mkpani; Nyima-Nko; so forth and so on over land. Ugep that is naturally endowed to be the Leader of the Yakurr Nation has not being able to provide that leadership because the other communities would always want to spite her. So the vicious circle continues unabated. Yakurr is an archetypical atomistic society perpetually at War with itself; apologies to the renowned Professor of History, Dr. Emmanuel Ayandele.
We had Chairmen of the Yakurr Council such as Godwin Etta; Elder Eteng Eloma, Thompson Ukagu, Ubi Arikpo, Ubi Itam Etta. Yakurr has received more than N10 Billion from the Federation Accounts for the past 11 Years. What have we done with this huge amount of money? The Yakurr Council has been plagued with extreme bad leadership because our so-called political leadership sees the Council as a centre for political patronage and a place to show their political clout and influence by imposing their lackey as Chairmen rather than a veritable institution to engender development.
What of our powerful Civil Servants? They are so self conceited and selfish. What of our brothers in strategic areas such as Customs, Immigration, Prisons etc? At a point we had two Senior Custom Officers at the helm of the Customs leadership in the country. We had an Assistant Comptroller General and Comptroller in the Nigeria Immigration Service. No, it is not fair to blame just one person for our ills.
What of our completely and totally disoriented Youths? These Youths who fuelled the political in-fighting between Obeten Okorn and Bassey Ewa for their selfish and personal gains must not be left out of the blame game. These Youths were the purveyors of the gossip, lies and slander that caused the fight between these two political leaders. Some of them were spies in the camps of Obeten and Ewa. They carry stories, tales in order to curry favour. Some of them who were very prominent in Chief Obeten‘s group promptly decamped without any scruples to Bassey Ewa’s faction when Obeten lost out.
Our Youths have become totally dependent, lazy and subservient to these political leaders and they instigate them against people who do not pander to the whims of their master and make enemy of those who are critical. The Yakurr Youth is no longer the self assured, courageous, enterprising and industrious person of the Yakurr of the yore.
There is so much enmity and bad belly among us. Yakurr people hardly make good friends among themselves. There is needless envy and unhealthy competition. This is even worse nowadays where every person is taking to politics because of the belief that the quickest way to accumulate private capital is to embrace politics. We have seen how the virtues of comradeship, fraternity and brotherhood have been destroyed by the politics of dog eat dog that has engulfed Yakurr.
I have a good friend right from our days at Mary Knoll College, Ogoja in the late 1970s from Yakurr who is no longer in talking terms with me because he is in government and I am seen as a critic of the government. Regrettably my friend has severed his ties with me to continue to be in government. My friend from childhood has forgotten that one day his appointment in government and he will surely need to connect with me again.
In Yakurr, friendship does not last long. The reason is not far fetched, envy and unhealthy competition. As soon one is perceived to have made a stride, or progress, his previous close friend will promptly spear head a campaign of calumny against him. He will begin to tell stories carefully planted and packaged to run his previous friend down. They will tell all those who care to listen how ones parent were poor or that your blood line is not pure and all that crab.
This is the attitude we carry into politics and which detractors of Yakurr people such as Bolaji Anani and Senator Liyel Imoke in the corridors of power take advantage of to run down our people. Some body that is close to Governor Liyel Imoke told me that Imoke holds the view that Yakurr people are greed. Can you beat that! I am certain some of our own people sold this defamation to Imoke just to be in his good book. Early this week I circulated a letter on the Internets I wrote to Senator Imoke almost ten Years ago to remind our people that he is not well disposed towards us and events playing out has proved me right. Otherwise why is Imoke so obsessed with imposing a divisive leadership of the duo of Bassey Ewa and Ubi Itam Ettah on Yakurr people if he means well for us?
In Yakurr every body wants to be a Leader! Even Councillors who are handpicked and imposed on us carry on as political leaders simply because they are councillors. My Councillor from Ijiman some time ago boasted to me that he is the Political Leader of Ijiman; what ever that means. This is a guy who was unemployed before he ‘’ elected’’ Councillor. It is this type of arrogance and emptiness that is the bane of our politics. The struggle to acquire leadership by whatever means and method is responsible for the turf warfare we see in Yakurr in the name of politics.
There are the people who are fuelling the seeming intractable political infighting among our people which has caused so much destruction and pummelled our political fortunes so much so that Yakurr is no longer the beautiful bride and nerve centre of Cross River Politics. When Cross River State was carved out of the Old Cross River State, there was this widely held belief that Yakurr would be the dominant political centre of the new Cross River State because of its huge potential and educated elite.
This is why during the IBB political program in the early 1990s the Political leaders of Thought of the State quickly conceded that the Governor of the State should come from Yakurr.Kanu Agabi (SAN) (CON) in one of our conversations with me on the politics of Cross River State gave an insight into what informed this development. He said Yakurr was always seen as the mid-way between Cross River North and Cross south. He further said the Yakurr people are culturally and linguistically close to both to the North and South of the State. We saw two Yakurr Sons, Chief Wilfred Oden Inah and Mr. Clement David Ebri vying to be Governor on the same Political Platform and one of them, Clement David Ebri eventually became Governor.
However, we soon lost out when our detractors took advantage of our frailties and lack of unity to edge us out. This is the price we are paying. We refuse to learn from history. The Jews suffered one of the most horrible genocide in the history of the human race when their tendency to fraction into splinter fissiparous ideological camps perpetually on each other throat over frivolous bickering and squabbling led Hitler to take them head on and dealt a fatal blow despite the fact that they one of most endowed race in humanity.
The way forward is for the Truth and Reconciliation Conference to convene to enable all of us to confess our sins, forgive one another and reconcile with one another. It will then be necessary to try to forge a new leadership in Yakurr that is visionary, humane, civil, enlightened, transformational and exposed. We must make a concerted effort to enthrone a new crop of leaders in all facet of human endeavour, be it in politics, government, and business, church and traditional. This leadership must be focused, urbane and progressive.
Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla
· Obono-Obla is a Barrister, Human Rights Activist . He lives in Abuja, Nigeria
This is just my perspective to this debate which Thomas Ofem has subtly launched in his imaginative and creative essay inspired by the profundity of his fertile mind. This debate is very germane in view of the sorry state and the general deterioration in cherished values today in Yakurr. It accords with the dictates of democracy to indulge in this type of argument or debate on topical issues of the day. Thomas was frankly brutal and forth right in his essay. It surely lends credence to the fact that Thomas is one of the leading minds in Yakurr today no matter what prism one choose to look at it.
I do not think that because Chief Okorn’s obsession and immersion in ‘local politics’’ was the genesis of his inability to make an impression in the national political scene despite his brilliance, charisma and eloquence. Every politician has his own constituency where he strives to influence things locally and therefore any politician worth his salt must strive to maintain some touch with his primary constituency.
I am inclined to believe that the failure of Chief Okorn to win friendship nationally which would have added to Yakurr politics rather had to do with his personality. Chief Okorn is not a very out going person. He is self opinionated, shy and somewhat introverted. He does not make friend easily. He finds it extremely difficult to keep and maintain friendship Maybe he is not cut out for politics. Bassey Ewa, a very dodgy politician exploited these weaknesses of Chief Okorn to maximum effect.
I do not think that it is fair to heap all the blame for the down turn of Yakurr politics on one single individual in as much as I will not entirely absolve Chief Okorn being one of its Political Leader and elite. The problem of the failure of leadership in Yakurr must be situated with the trend in Yakurr that anybody who manages to win a rigged election to get into a position of clout and influence automatically becomes a Leader whom every body much genuflect and hero worship into order to ingratiate and win his favour. Let me say it very clearly that all elections we have had in Yakurr from 1999-2007 were not a true reflection of the sovereign will of the Yakurr People. It follows that we cannot in all righteousness use these massively rigged elections them as barometer or parameter to choose leadership.
There is this gripping culture of sycophancy among our people. This politics of sycophancy has destroyed the careers of many of our political leaders in recent times. The hall mark of Yakurr political followers ship is for every body to crowd around somebody who manages to win a rigged election or gets an appointment in government as the ‘’ new leader’’ or ‘’Ete’’ or ‘’ Oga’’ so forth and so on. These sycophantic followers always build a cult of personality around these ‘’ leader’’.
They gossip and indulge in all manner of subtle manipulation and blackmail to be in the good books of the ‘’ leader’’ and strives to fence off every other person from getting close to their ‘’ Ete’’. This ‘’ Ete’’ in order to continue to enjoy followership and loyalty occasionally doles out money to his crowd of so-called followers ;pay the school fees of their children; pay their hospital bills and marry or buy cars for his people. All the other people whom represents do no longer qualify to be his people (save a select few) because they do not genuflect or hero worship and see him as a demi-god or tin-god that must be obeyed.
It is therefore not fair to heap the entire blame of the obvious down turn of politics in Yakurr and the current season of anomie on one individual notwithstanding the fact that he was a member of the National Assembly cannot be held responsible for our woes as a people. We all must collectively share the blame. But some people must obviously take the lion share because they are our leaders. They include those who have found themselves at the helm whether in politics, government, business or even the traditional institution.
What of the likes of Bassey Eko Ewa who was the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly for four Years? The position of Speaker of a Legislative Body in a presidential system of government is obviously a very powerful because the Speaker is the Head of the Legislative Branch of Government. In the hierarchy of Government, the Speaker is third in Rank after the Deputy Governor. The House of Assembly is the Constitutional Police Man and Watch Dog of the Executive Branch of Government. The Legislature has under control all the other two branches of government because it has oversight powers over them. The House of Assembly appropriates money for the Executive.
It goes without saying that an intelligent, smart, large-hearted, courageous and exposed Man who knows his onions can do a lot of things for his people as speaker of the House of Assembly. But what we saw during the tenure of Mr. Ewa was somebody who was obviously overwhelmed with the clout, panache, and glamour of that office. We saw raw arrogance. We saw somebody who was obviously inebriated by power so much so that he lost focus completely. He allowed political jobbers, careerists and sycophants to distract him. A lot of time was wasted in turf warfare to gain political space and ascendancy which is of no moment to the aspirations of our people.
Ekori became enmeshed and a theatre of this turf warfare and many young people were wasted in this senseless war over nothing. In the House of Representatives, he has become anonymous despite his pedigree and experience as Speaker, and member of the Cross River State House of Assembly and his educational background as a Lawyer. This is undoubtedly a very good background for a great parliamentary career.
All Bassey Eko Ewa did in his four Years as Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly to maintain the loyalty of his army of sycophants was to promise every body a political appointment and patronage. He became very dodgy and sly. He plays each community against the other. He would go into a house hold and promise two siblings a political appointment in order to divide and rule and win their loyalty. When some of us pointed that this was not the way to lead a people, he sponsored personal attacks on us in order to divert attention. He heaped all the blame on Chief Okorn and other political leaders and depicted them as incompetents in order to promote himself. Our people did not see anything wrong with his style because he occasionally hands out peanuts to them, so every body struggled to win his heart. It turned him into an egomania.
What of people like Etim Ayomobi who was Commissioner of a powerful and influential Ministry? What was his contribution during his tenure? Ayomobi had been a Member of the Cross River State House of Assembly and Commissioner for Rural Development before his appointment as Commissioner for Lands and Surveys. What of the likes of Sam Oju who was a member of the Cross River State House of Assembly (1999-2003)? The same Sam Oju is now busy from his exalted position as a Commissioner in a strategic Ministry such as Agriculture sponsoring and mobilizing all other Yakurr communities under the aegis of ‘’EMINAA’’ to forge an unholy alliance against Ugep, exploiting ancient fears and prejudices. This is the type of bad leadership we have been saddled with in Yakurr for some time.
Despite the fact that we are the same people in all ramifications, we are perpetually at war with one another; Ugep-Mkpani; Idomi-Ugep; Ekori-Mkpani, Nko-Mkpani; Nyima-Nko; so forth and so on over land. Ugep that is naturally endowed to be the Leader of the Yakurr Nation has not being able to provide that leadership because the other communities would always want to spite her. So the vicious circle continues unabated. Yakurr is an archetypical atomistic society perpetually at War with itself; apologies to the renowned Professor of History, Dr. Emmanuel Ayandele.
We had Chairmen of the Yakurr Council such as Godwin Etta; Elder Eteng Eloma, Thompson Ukagu, Ubi Arikpo, Ubi Itam Etta. Yakurr has received more than N10 Billion from the Federation Accounts for the past 11 Years. What have we done with this huge amount of money? The Yakurr Council has been plagued with extreme bad leadership because our so-called political leadership sees the Council as a centre for political patronage and a place to show their political clout and influence by imposing their lackey as Chairmen rather than a veritable institution to engender development.
What of our powerful Civil Servants? They are so self conceited and selfish. What of our brothers in strategic areas such as Customs, Immigration, Prisons etc? At a point we had two Senior Custom Officers at the helm of the Customs leadership in the country. We had an Assistant Comptroller General and Comptroller in the Nigeria Immigration Service. No, it is not fair to blame just one person for our ills.
What of our completely and totally disoriented Youths? These Youths who fuelled the political in-fighting between Obeten Okorn and Bassey Ewa for their selfish and personal gains must not be left out of the blame game. These Youths were the purveyors of the gossip, lies and slander that caused the fight between these two political leaders. Some of them were spies in the camps of Obeten and Ewa. They carry stories, tales in order to curry favour. Some of them who were very prominent in Chief Obeten‘s group promptly decamped without any scruples to Bassey Ewa’s faction when Obeten lost out.
Our Youths have become totally dependent, lazy and subservient to these political leaders and they instigate them against people who do not pander to the whims of their master and make enemy of those who are critical. The Yakurr Youth is no longer the self assured, courageous, enterprising and industrious person of the Yakurr of the yore.
There is so much enmity and bad belly among us. Yakurr people hardly make good friends among themselves. There is needless envy and unhealthy competition. This is even worse nowadays where every person is taking to politics because of the belief that the quickest way to accumulate private capital is to embrace politics. We have seen how the virtues of comradeship, fraternity and brotherhood have been destroyed by the politics of dog eat dog that has engulfed Yakurr.
I have a good friend right from our days at Mary Knoll College, Ogoja in the late 1970s from Yakurr who is no longer in talking terms with me because he is in government and I am seen as a critic of the government. Regrettably my friend has severed his ties with me to continue to be in government. My friend from childhood has forgotten that one day his appointment in government and he will surely need to connect with me again.
In Yakurr, friendship does not last long. The reason is not far fetched, envy and unhealthy competition. As soon one is perceived to have made a stride, or progress, his previous close friend will promptly spear head a campaign of calumny against him. He will begin to tell stories carefully planted and packaged to run his previous friend down. They will tell all those who care to listen how ones parent were poor or that your blood line is not pure and all that crab.
This is the attitude we carry into politics and which detractors of Yakurr people such as Bolaji Anani and Senator Liyel Imoke in the corridors of power take advantage of to run down our people. Some body that is close to Governor Liyel Imoke told me that Imoke holds the view that Yakurr people are greed. Can you beat that! I am certain some of our own people sold this defamation to Imoke just to be in his good book. Early this week I circulated a letter on the Internets I wrote to Senator Imoke almost ten Years ago to remind our people that he is not well disposed towards us and events playing out has proved me right. Otherwise why is Imoke so obsessed with imposing a divisive leadership of the duo of Bassey Ewa and Ubi Itam Ettah on Yakurr people if he means well for us?
In Yakurr every body wants to be a Leader! Even Councillors who are handpicked and imposed on us carry on as political leaders simply because they are councillors. My Councillor from Ijiman some time ago boasted to me that he is the Political Leader of Ijiman; what ever that means. This is a guy who was unemployed before he ‘’ elected’’ Councillor. It is this type of arrogance and emptiness that is the bane of our politics. The struggle to acquire leadership by whatever means and method is responsible for the turf warfare we see in Yakurr in the name of politics.
There are the people who are fuelling the seeming intractable political infighting among our people which has caused so much destruction and pummelled our political fortunes so much so that Yakurr is no longer the beautiful bride and nerve centre of Cross River Politics. When Cross River State was carved out of the Old Cross River State, there was this widely held belief that Yakurr would be the dominant political centre of the new Cross River State because of its huge potential and educated elite.
This is why during the IBB political program in the early 1990s the Political leaders of Thought of the State quickly conceded that the Governor of the State should come from Yakurr.Kanu Agabi (SAN) (CON) in one of our conversations with me on the politics of Cross River State gave an insight into what informed this development. He said Yakurr was always seen as the mid-way between Cross River North and Cross south. He further said the Yakurr people are culturally and linguistically close to both to the North and South of the State. We saw two Yakurr Sons, Chief Wilfred Oden Inah and Mr. Clement David Ebri vying to be Governor on the same Political Platform and one of them, Clement David Ebri eventually became Governor.
However, we soon lost out when our detractors took advantage of our frailties and lack of unity to edge us out. This is the price we are paying. We refuse to learn from history. The Jews suffered one of the most horrible genocide in the history of the human race when their tendency to fraction into splinter fissiparous ideological camps perpetually on each other throat over frivolous bickering and squabbling led Hitler to take them head on and dealt a fatal blow despite the fact that they one of most endowed race in humanity.
The way forward is for the Truth and Reconciliation Conference to convene to enable all of us to confess our sins, forgive one another and reconcile with one another. It will then be necessary to try to forge a new leadership in Yakurr that is visionary, humane, civil, enlightened, transformational and exposed. We must make a concerted effort to enthrone a new crop of leaders in all facet of human endeavour, be it in politics, government, and business, church and traditional. This leadership must be focused, urbane and progressive.
Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla
· Obono-Obla is a Barrister, Human Rights Activist . He lives in Abuja, Nigeria
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)