The ascendancy of Dr Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan to the Presidency of
the Nigerian State is of historical significance. Since the exit of the
colonialists from Nigeria, there have been only two persons who became
Commander-in-Chief without the dictation of the Gambari Oligarchy – Gen
Aguiyi JT Ironsi and Dr Goodluck Ebele
Azikiwe Jonathan. The former lasted for only seven months before he was
assassinated while the later was openly humiliated, threatened and even
prevented from being sworn in. But for the timely intervention of the
democratic forces, he would have been intimidated out.
By an act of conspiracy or what I prefer to call the British imperialist
connivance, the Nigerian State was put under the control of the Gambari
Oligarchy and this paved the way for the internal colonization of the other
nations that were forcefully conscripted into Nigeria. Ever since, they
have presided over the affairs of state directly in most cases and through
their puppets in two instances. Weapons employed to perpetrate their
hegemonic rule include coup d’état, assassination, genocide and election
rigging.
Sadly, their reign failed to bring the required modernisation of the
Nigerian state and economy. This was largely because they are feudal by
orientation; lazy and wicked by nature; and primitive by culture. Or, how
else can we explain it? Even Apartheid South Africa built a modern national
economy that became the envy of free countries. In their own case, they
orchestrated a dubious transition in Nigeria from a bourgeoning
poly-cultural national economy to an amorphous mono-cultural peripheral
economy. It is a classical story of “How the Gambari Oligarchy
De-industrialized and Underdeveloped Nigeria”.
Nevertheless, we cannot continue to dwell in the dark past where the horror
of poverty and terror of medievalism invokes a picture of the gory tales of
domination and a bleak future. It is in this light that we appreciate the
dialectical and diametrical progression in the history of our audacious
struggle for self determination.
As a matter of fact, it is our struggle of resistance and eternal vigilance
that created the opportunity for the emergence of a Dr Goodluck Ebele
Azikiwe Jonathan through popular support as a Commander-in-Chief without
the dictation and acceptance of the hegemonic oligarchy that arrogantly saw
him as an inferior outsider.
Therefore, the Jonathan Presidency is a product of the struggles of the
nationalities in the North whose land and way of life are being occupied;
the Yoruba and Igbo nationalities that are groaning under the imitable yoke
of internal colonialism; and the nationalities in Niger Delta who not only
have their land and resources occupied through internal colonialism but
also have their environment degraded to a hyperbolic degree that even the
United Nations Environment Programme’s UNEP Report on Ogoni could only
capture in an understating manner.
Furthermore, let it be noted without equivocation that it is our duty to
protect the Jonathan Presidency and the phenomenon surrounding and leading
to it from the devastating and debilitating barbarism of the Oligarchy; the
sabotage, avarice and greed of some of those presently around Jonathan; and
sometimes protect Jonathan from himself. To succeed in this we must eschew
sycophancy, expose cheerleaders, promote objectivity and focus on the
ultimate goal of national liberation and industrialization.
Over the years, our people have been disempowered by previous regimes
through fraudulent practices in appointment to positions, award of
contracts and oil blocks and creation of States and Local Government Areas.
The Jonathan Presidency should begin a systematic empowerment of our people
so that we can attain a level of equality in terms of wealth distribution
across regions. This should also include the rights of all nations
forcefully conscripted into Nigeria to have an inalienable right to
self-determination and independence.
However, to be able to deliver on the expectations of his power base as
identified above, he should strengthen his government and grip on power.
All non-performing appointees should be put on the bus. They are becoming a
liability and burden too much to bear and he cannot continue to receive
bullets on their behalf. Top in the priority of those to go without further
delay is the failed and corrupt Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday
Orubebe. This is a man who rode on the back of the Niger Delta struggle to
become Minister and prior to that could not be adjudged rich by any known
standard. Today as new revelations have shown he has amassed so much wealth
at the expense of the people he was supposed to serve while is Ministry
remains a barefaced blackmail and totally un-performing.
To be on a safer side, Mr President should reconcile with his estranged
diehard allies and side with the masses as the battle being waged against
him by principalities and powers in high places can only be surmounted with
people power. He should do away with the corrupt cabal around him because
they are enemies posing as friends so as to be able continue to feather
their corruption nest and feed their gargantuan and insatiable appetite and
greed.
It is imperative that the Jonathan Presidency reclaims its popularity and
restore back the Goodluck Momentum that saw to the crushing defeat of the
hegemonic Oligarchy in the 2011 Presidential Elections and Party Primaries.
This is the time for a return to public debates, political orientation and
national dialogue.
Moreover, the message for the Oligarchy is that as long as they continue to
shy away from the imperative of a National Conference as the only peaceful
way out of this political logjam they should forget about power returning
to them in any time earlier than 2035 not to talk of 2015. President
Goodluck Jonathan must exhaust his consitutional provision of two terms of
four years each. If he gives up his interest in 2015, another person from
the Niger Delta shall be fielded to serve out his remaining one term of
four years.
After then, somebody from the South-East region will serve for another
round of two terms of four years each. This will be followed by another
person from the Middle-belt region who will serve subsequently for two
terms of four years each. Unfortunately for them, the 2035 contest will not
be an easy one as they will have new social and political forces from the
North who would have consolidated their political structures before then to
contend with.
Nonetheless, all these can only be achieved by a sustained struggle of
solidarity, resistance and vigilance by the oppressed peoples; and the role
of the Jonathan Presidency in making sure that this is achieved can never
be overemphasized. From the foregoing, it is obvious what the Jonathan
Presidency represents and why we are a fervent supporter of it and not some
mere cheerleading, and sycophantic supporters of his person as an
omnipotent messiah.
No comments:
Post a Comment