NIGERIA: THE POSITION OF PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE IN POLITICS

NIGERIA: THE POSITION OF PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE IN POLITICS

By Bala Ibrahim

“Whatever you do, good or bad, people will always have something negative to say.” -W.H. Auden.

Wystan Hugh Auden, abbreviated, W.H.Auden, was a British-American poet, that made name with his stylistic writings and engagement with politics. The statement above was generic, but when viewed from the prism of Nigerian politics, it could go for the specific. In Nigerian politics, particularly with regards to the issue of governance, there is always a debate between the parties having power and those being powered. Almost always, the debate is ludicrous. Logic is let down, common sense is side-lined, potent and patently absurd allegations are made, without recourse to remorse. Whatever the leader does, good or bad, is viewed with suspicion by the people. That’s Nigeria for you.

Yesterday, it was Muhammadu Buhari that was on the firing line. As President, Buhari was the subject of criticism or blame by many, for the simple reason of being the Nigerian leader in politics. Hardly a day passed, without some unreasonable attacks directed at him, his appointees or family members. Questions were asked about his health. His academic credentials were called to question. Some even alleged that he hadn’t the ordinary school certificate. This is inspite of the fact that he still remains the only Nigerian that has been a Governor, a Minister, a Head of State and twice an elected President in Nigeria. No one has been so opportuned. But that not withstanding, he was accused of being a secondary school certificate-less person. That is the personal perspective of some people when someone is in political position in Nigeria.

Before yesterday, former President Goodluck Jonathan was the victim. Goodluck Jonathan was a Governor in Bayelsa state. Before then he was the Deputy Governor. He was a Vice President in the time of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. After that, he became the President of Nigeria. Goodluck Jonathan contested but lost the 2015 Presidential election to the candidate of the opposition, Muhammadu Buhari. Despite the power of incumbency and the mini God mentality of African leaders, he conceded defeat in the election and became the first in Nigerian history, to surrender the throne without a fight. That was what permitted a peaceful transition of power. Yet, a man with such antecedents, was all through described as a clueless leader.

My dictionary defined clueless as, a person having no knowledge, understanding, or ability. That is the personal perspective of some people when someone is in political position in Nigeria.

Before Jonathan was Obasanjo, who was railroaded to the Villa, virtually from the prison. But that is not to say he was in the prison as an ordinary criminal, who was imprisoned for the commission of a street crime. No, he got there pursuant to the struggle for power. Obasanjo was the second in command to the late Head of state, General Murtala Mohammed. He became the Head of State after the assassination of Murtala. Obasanjo was a General in the Nigerian Army. He was a diplomat. He was the one that received the surrender of Biafra, in the Nigerian civil war. He was the first military ruler in Africa to hand over power to a civilian government. But when he became President in 1999, hell was almost brought down, due to countless criticisms.

Obasanjo’s tenure as an elected President was classified as the chronicle of calamities. Even the Boko Haram insurgency, and to some extent, the resultant banditry we are witnessing today, are attributed to him. That is the personal perspective of some people when someone is in political position in Nigeria.

Today, the man at the centre of the storm is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His story is just being written under various titles. But I can tell you with certainty, it would not be any different from the stories of his predecessors. He can not escape criticism, destructive criticism, because of the personal perspective of some people when someone is in political position in Nigeria.

For those of us that are trained to be journalist, we were told in the course of training that, social criticism is a form of academic or journalistic criticism, that focuses on social issues in contemporary society, in respect to perceived injustices and power relations in general. But in Nigeria, we often see the reverse. People criticise on the basis of ignorance, political hatred and some times, personal prejudice against a person, because of his or her tribe, or membership to a particular political party. That’s bad, too bad.

No matter the sincerity of purpose of a leader in Nigeria, he is constantly held with reservations by some. There is the popular phrase that says, “Caesars wife should be above suspicion”. The ambition of the phrase is to say that, individuals in positions of power or leadership should be held to a higher standard of conduct and behaviour. The phrase originates from the ancient Roman emperor Julius Caesar, who is reported to have said this in reference to his own wife, Pompeia. The phrase carries dual insinuations, in the sense that, while the public is enjoined to give their leaders positive assumptions, the leaders are equally expected to be reciprocal in conduct.

Those in prominent, or influential roles, need to be exceptionally careful to avoid even the appearance of impropriety or wrongdoing. This is because, their actions and decisions carry great weight and consequences, and they have a heightened responsibility to maintain public trust and confidence. Those in leadership positions must be transparently ethical and beyond reproach, so that there is no basis for suspicion or criticism of their character or integrity. It suggests that even the slightest hint of scandal or misconduct, can undermine the credibility and authority of those in power.

As things stand in Nigeria today, with the public crying over the intolerable price of petrol, and the complaint of unendurable suffering, there are accusations all over, and as usual, one finger is pointed in the direction of the leader. Those making the accusations must check the direction in which three of their fingers are pointing. They may, or must be, in their own direction.

And that’s the position of personal perspective in the Nigerian politics.

NIGERIA: THE POSITION OF PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE IN POLITICS