It was Nikkoli Machiavelli who once wrote in his Prince book that the end justifies the means. While I was a student, this used to be my words, my quotations and my favorite philosophical dictum. How wrong could I have been thinking that I can tell people to go to sleep, the ‘end’ of their sins will absolutely absorb them of the guilt of the means of such sins and iniquities.
I was away from Nigeria when I read that the judgments of the tribunal sitting to consider the election of President Yaradua had passed a verdict of victory in support of the scandalous elections conducted by Professor Iwu. I was away on holidays so I tried to take my mind away from what was going on at home and allow myself the tranquility of the moments; allow me to have some peace, some rests after working in Nigeria for so many months tolerating the absurdity of the Nigerian Nation and political mis-rules. But it was too selfish to stay off my home so I went online to read about what was going on at home to inform myself with home news. What I read was not encouraging at all. Emotions are already divided; people are already jubilating at the result of the tribunal and there seems to be a consensus that the world should move on and forget the scandal of the April 2007 elections.
I must confess that I am deeply sad by this judgment and other political development. I am ashamed of the conscience of Nigeria at this moment. I left home believing that Nigerians will jubilate over what is right and not casually and nonchalantly accept what is expedient or as it is called; ‘political settlement’. What is right cannot have two names; it must be right at all times. It is difficult for me to think people are willing to accept mediocrity as a standard. Good lord, the election was a scam; it was a huge shame and a bad example for our records of the past. Hence with this judgment, and the public crave to wave this off and move on to another level not minding the scam and shame of those elections, we are sending signals to the future children of Nigeria that do not worry, go on steal, cheat in examinations, kill people to make money, visit and patronize Okija shrines to seek power, do whatever you need to do- even if you were caught, the end will justify the means. Ah… what has happened to the soul of this nation? What happened to the dreams of the founding fathers, what happened to truth and justice and why are people simply uninterested in what is just and what is right?
Walking around the city of Vienna, I see Nigerians doing odd jobs. I see families exchanging their wives and wives ignoring the flirts of their husband with for some ugly looking white people just to have the passport or residence permit. When I speak with Nigerians here, they tell me the ignominy here is better than the shame going on at home. I rejected that, I argued against them, I tried to convince them that home is still home. Then came this tribunal results and I have been receiving calls from people who felt I was trying to get appointment from the Yaradua administration….
Was I right? Do I have the right to say the insanity of the political developments at home are better than seeking ‘aduro’/ asylum papers? That it does not matter the nature and manner of the means, the end justifies it? What a shame; really a great shame. It is sickening.
Okay, Nigerians….
