NIGERIA: THE POLITICS, THE PROBABILITIES AND THE POSSIBILITIES

NIGERIA: THE POLITICS, THE PROBABILITIES AND THE POSSIBILITIES

By Bala Ibrahim

All over the world, politics is described as a dirty game. But in Nigeria, the dirt of politics seems dirtier, or even dirtiest. There is a common saying in my native Hausa that translates thus: If you want to know your true identity, simply venture into politics. Politics in Nigeria is an arena for a free-for-all fight, where everything is considered fair game in the quest for power. Detrimental statements, derogatory pronouncements, or saying things against opponents that could cause damages, are not necessarily issues of concern in politics, particularly Nigerian politics.

Through the vote, the people give power to some people to form the government. And shortly after, the people in government, turn round to torment the people. Actions like that are possibilities. Abuse of power is a permanent possibility, not even a probability, in the politics of Nigeria. Yes, contrary to the position of Lord Acton, who insisted that, the same moral standards should be applied to all men, political and religious leaders included, especially since, power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely, Nigeria’s politics is colored by people that sometimes engage violence to cover their incompetence.Violence they say, is the last resort of the incompetent. Today, we have politicians facing the accusation of engaging violence, with a view to poisoning the minds of the public against the government.

According to John Locke, the English philosopher and physician, “the people cannot delegate to government the power to do anything which would be unlawful for them to do themselves”. The intention of the quote is to alert the mind to the fact that, individuals cannot grant the government the authority to engage in actions that would be considered illegal or unjust if carried out by the people themselves. Power belongs to the people, as such, the people cannot delegate to government the power to do anything which would be unlawful for them to do themselves.

In other words, government power should be limited and derived from the consent of the people. But, because of corruption, in Nigeria, such delegated powers lead to all manner of probabilities and possibilities in politics. Government is best which governs least, it seems. The controversy surrounding the autonomy granted Local Governments in Nigeria, and it’s rejection by some anti-people Government officials, is a sample case study of such possibilities, in support this assertion, in the Nigerian politics.

Pursuant to the preponderance of the display of this ugly attitude, politicians and people in power are sometimes held in contempt by the public. People publish with ease, false statements that are known to be injurious to the reputation of politicians, and they do so without regards to the consequences. No lessons are learnt from what the courts may call, libel. Every probability is a possibility in the allegation or allegations against the politician or politicians of Nigeria.

Wait a minute, this political immorality of libel is not limited to the era of politics in Nigeria. It goes back to the military era, I think. If my memory is still reliable, I would say, despite their high-handedness, and their self imposed authority to the use of power in a way that is more forceful than needed, without regards to the feelings of other people, even the military, were not immune to such unsubstantiated attacks by Nigerians.

In 1984, as a result of the rapid increase in the number of allegations against the people in power, the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari, was compelled to enact the infamous Decree 4, which says: Publishing truth that hurts a government official in every material particular is liable to an offense. So, even if the pronouncement is true, provided it hurts the man in office, you are punishable.The decree also prescribed punishment for publishing falsehoods against government officials. What this means is that, even those in uniform, were not disregardful of the potency of belittling remarks.

Two journalists, from the Guardian newspaper, namely, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Iraboh, were the first victims of that decree. They were jailed on July 4, 1984 by a military tribunal, operating under the repressive Decree No 4 of the same 1984. Ironically, even on his return as a democratically elected President, Muhammdu Buhari could not escape such political immorality from Nigerians. Buhari was accused several times while in power, but mostly of being ineffectual and not corruption. Even now, out of power, and silently sitting in his country home in Daura, the former President is regularly bashed, by people who paint probabilities that are possibilities in the politics of Nigeria.

Hardly a day passed, without the press recording the name of a prominent politician, or a politically exposed person, being accused of one wrong doing or another. Pictures are painted of people in power as malefactors. And the serial slanderers, whose major stock in trade is to poison the political debate of the country, are carrying out their works without worries.

In Kano, they are called “sojojin baka”, the merchants of verbal attacks, whose primary preoccupation is to go on air (Radio or Telivision) and verbally attack people’s reputation, or come in defence of their pay masters, without regards to the consequences.

The problem with such Kangaroo behaviour is that, you may be enjoying it when your opponent is under attack. But there is the famous phrase that says, ‘what goes around comes around’. The phrase is telling us to maintain positivity within us. In other words, if kindness and politeness are what you want to come to you, let the same go from you. You laugh at the slandered today, he may be laughing at you tomorrow. Quid pro quo. The journalist among us, that are promoting this attitude of slander, must also know that it is not the ambition of journalism to publish, or provide the platform for the publication, or promotion of insults. It is patently unethical.

It is indeed sad that, in spite of the existence of statutory provisions, those who engage in the attacks of the hard earned reputation of others, through such slander or libel, are allowed to go virtually unpunished. I think, the National Assembly should rise to the occasion, by dealing decisively with these backbiters or defamers. If not, these pseudo personalities, that engage in the publication of pointless probabilities, and the promotion of non existent possibilities, would continue to disparage, and belittle the worth of politics in Nigeria. And that’s not healthy for Democracy, I believe.

NIGERIA: THE POLITICS, THE PROBABILITIES AND THE POSSIBILITIES