Freedom of men under government is to have a standing rule to live by, common to everyone in that society…and not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of another man.
John Locke (1632 – 1704)
It is not part of the character of the writer of this column to praise an individual, or try to seek support for him or her on this curious page. But given what is going on presently in the country and the heavy shelling of verbal artillery from various angles on our perplexed looking president, I found it most important and patriotic to stand up in defense of the sacred office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, this as a mark of respect and a sign of duty call. Again in response to the natural responsibility imposed on me as a Nigerian; a natural phenomenon from the almighty. And also as part of my conscientious effort to do what I believe is right. To be honest, I am willing to write, yab, curse and jaw-jaw fiercely to defend this significant office and the sovereignty of my dear country, and in this, I will say, ‘so help me God.’
First to set the record straight, I am not a member of President Ebele Azikiwe Goodluck Jonathan’s economic, social or political ideas or polices, neither do I agree to most of his administration’s plans for the country. I have never met, seen or known how he looks like physically in person, I think the best I can describe him would be: A tall, slim, smiling looking man, often dressed in his trademark south-south black designer attire and his famous black resource control hat. Perhaps, I could add that he has a siddon look disposition, a weak speech commandment, and overwhelmed problems. All these from the little I have seen of him on the pages of newpapers, magazines, the internet and TV.
But all the same, I am willing to defend this helpless individual whom providence unpredictably has bestowed the leadership of this great rich country upon today, like it or not. And as a Nigerian writer, with big curious eyes on what is happening in this country since the incursion of this ijaw man into the muddy Nigerian political terrain, I have made it a duty to keep my curious eyes on this hitherto unknown fellow from the creeks of the impoverished Niger Delta, as he steers us towards our destiny as a federal nation. And among the various lacunas I have noticed since my self employed surveillance is the fact that those blaming the Presido over the various Katakata bedeviling this country today and calling for his resignation are not really being fair to him. I inclusive.
What many of us have failed to comprehend is the fact that the man Goodluck Ebele Jonathan never envisioned that he would one day rule over the biggest black nation in the world. That when he signified his intention in 2011 to run for presidency and subsequently won the election, he had thought sitting on the hot seat in Aso Rock was a moi-moi issue. Again, those calling on the president to end the Boko Haram crises, for instance, have failed to see the truth that the man Goodluck Ebele Jonathan prior to his ascending to the revered office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, had never set foot on the larger part of the north, neither did he ever taste fura da nono, eat tuwo da miyan kuka and brasbisco or indulged in some spicy suya, kilishi or balangu meat. So those blaming his inability to yet visit Maiduguri, and Yobe the hot bed of the Boko Haram sect have failed to see the writing on the wall. Truthfully, how many of the elected and selected representatives of the people from these two states have had the guts to relocate or visit his or her constituency since the beginning of the bombings and killings in these two states? Who among them have come out boldly to try to find a peaceful resolution to these problems and the other numerous retrogressive crises going on in the entire north today? Honestly, it beats my imagination on why most northern leaders are still waiting for Jonathan a south-south man with south upbringing to solve the north’s problems. Okay, he is now the president of the whole country, but how vast and dependable are his orientation and understanding of the north? Can he truthfully, for instance, solve the shameful problem of almajirinchi across most cities in the north without the help and support of the northerners themselves? Or do they expect Jonathan to come and help them drive and rehabilitate these helpless children from the streets? No, I think the northern leaders should open their eyes truthfully and look inward, stand up and boldly solve their problems. If not, then they are not worth holding the positions they are occupying, thus it will be more honourable if they stop parading themselves as northern leaders, and spokesmen.
I think the northern leaders need to hold on to their known pride, left behind by past patriotic northern leaders and stop seeking for more revenue allocation from the national level, like beggars. Instead they should appreciate the vast rich natural resources at their disposal from God, and use their ingenuity as leaders to create huge revenue to their region, spur development and rekindle their lost splendour in the eyes of the people, as exemplified by past northern leaders. If the south-west region, the south-south and the south-east regions and their leader don’t wait for Jonathan before tackling their own problems always, why should those in the north keep harping the blames on Jonathan alone when none of them had taken a bold step as a nationalist northern leader with the whole north as his constituency? Can Jonathan truly solve the disgraceful sights of public schools, bad roads, religion and ethnic crises in the north? Why should the north expect Jonathan to solve the crises in Jos, Bauchi, Maiduguri, Kaduna, Gombe, Yobe, Sokoto, Kogi and Kano, when in actual sense the leaders and followers in these places have refused to take their destiny in their hands and tackle all the man-made katakata blowing across their villages, towns and cities themselves? True, the northern leaders in the national and state Houses of Assembly, including the waned 19 Northern States Governors Forum, traditional and religious leaders and chairmen of various local councils in the regions are not being sincere to themselves, because only few of them have seen the need to help propel solutions to the various dead industries in the north; hitherto viable establishment like Arewa textiles, the New Nigerian Newspapers, the Northern Nigerian Development Company, Arewa Hotels and the Northern Railway Corporation amongst others.
Please, let us leave President Jonathan alone to carry on with the cumbersome task of steering the heavy loaded problematic Nigerian ship safely towards 2015. The truth is, the man himself has tasted the enticing hot seat inside our famous Aso-Rock, and them no dey tell man say load heavy for head.
Our failure to leave this overwhelmed fellow alone will seem as if we are all trying to turn the president into a semi-god, who has the solutions to all our problems, when in true sense, the man no be witch.
Barka da Sallah
