Joseph Heller, an American novelist said that an enemy is anybody who’s going to get you killed, no matter which side he’s on.
Also, Charles James Napier, a British general and colonial administrator said “lads, war is declared with a numerous and bold enemy. Should they meet and offer battle, you know how to dispose of them. Should they remain in port, we must try and get at them. Success depends upon quickness and precision of your firing”.
The above passages succinctly describe the political atmosphere of the country Nigeria.
The politicians, irrespective of their party affiliation will always get the masses ‘killed’, thus posing as enemies to the masses, according to the quote of Joseph Heller.
Again, in confirmation of the position of Charles James Napier, they know how to get at the masses and ‘dispose’ them, employing whatever gimmick. They gather, unite and strategize on how best to successfully ‘dispose’ the citizens and enjoy themselves to the fullest.
At the beehive of the imbroglio the rocked the sharing of proceeds from the excess crude account(ECA) under the former president Good luck Jonathan, the then governor of Rivers state and the chairman of Nigerian governor forum, Mr Rotimi Amaechi spearheaded the fight against the federal government. All the governors, irrespective of political parties, united, fought the then president and eventually stampeded him into releasing to them, the funds hitherto ‘saved for rainy days’.
Not that they were actually fighting for the interest of the masses. No, it was a fight for a burgeoning individual accounts both at home and abroad.
The funds were in billions of naira, yet, no state government has been able to point at a project executed with the money.
They united to further impoverish the masses.
When the Nigerian labor union demanded for an increase in the country’s minimum wage, state governors again rose in unionism to kick against the proposed #30k minimum wage payment.
Whenever it’s time to manipulate and exploit the people they are leading, they do away with their political differences to fight and ‘dispose’ their enemies which are the common man on the streets.
Satisfied that they have achieved their exploitative targets, they return to their old shell and put on their regalia of party dichotomy so as to keep their ‘enemies’ in a perpetual darkness.
Discussing the slashing of the jumbo salaries of our lawmakers is more or less a suicide mission.
Whoever that dared throw up the discussion, if lucky to not to be threatened with an arrest, will be thoroughly ‘schooled’ on the running costs in the national assembly. Again, you will see them unite to see off the ‘threats’ from the enemies. Charles James Napier really had Nigeria in mind when he made his assertion.
When the economic and financial crimes commission(EFCC) queried the then deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu over his alleged foreign properties, we were inundated with the cries that “democracy was under threat”.
The cries later degenerated to a cry that “Igbos are being marginalized”.
Tribal, religious and party sentiments were readily whipped up to deter the agency from doing their job.
The same senator was recently assaulted by his people residing overseas over what they described as a bad representation. Senator Ekweremadu was accused of doing little or nothing for his people despite being at the corridors of power for over two decades.
His ‘attackers’ didn’t stop there, as they went ahead to threaten to attack all the political leaders from the region having failed to live up to the expectations of the poor masses.
What did we see later?, they dumped their party aprons into the waste bin and rose in defense of ‘one of their own’.
Yes, they hate to be held accountable for their actions. For demanding an improved welfare of the people in Igbo land, watch as they will, in unity, fight to ‘kill off’ the threats from the Nuremberg attackers.
A senator, Chuka Utazi who represents the people of Enugu North senatorial district was recently caught red handed, haven diverted the constituency empowerment items given to him by the federal government.
Rather than tender an unreserved apology to his people, they went back, and in their usual unionism, concocted some political gimmicks to hoodwink the people.
How many times will our political leaders manipulate, hoodwink and bamboozle and proceed to ‘kill’ us, only for us to sing their praises, defend them with might and power.
How many state governors have been able to commence the payment of #30k minimum wage?
Of course they can’t afford it. But they can comfortably afford to send their families abroad, have as many concubines as possible, dole out millions to winners of some inconsequential programs etc.
It’s high time we realize that in their unity, we suffer.
Odoh Ugochukwu writes from Enugu Ezike.
