Tomorrow is not far

By Bayo Fasunwon

The inauguration of elected President and State Governors, low-key ceremonies took place on Wednesday May 29, 2019. In many States in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, it was fanfare, backslaps, congratulatory messages, Aso Ebis, packing in, promises and silences. May 29 has remained another day of Nigeria’s independence. It is independence from military aberrations, draconian laws and legalized brutality. To many democratic oriented Nigerians, May 29, as from 1999 represented the onset of the protection of the citizens’ right to freedom of speech and freedom after speech. That day represented the inauguration of a regularized set of people to take over the affairs of the nation. Regularised because the peoples of Nigeria accepted the elections outcomes, not because it was they were uncontestable, free, and fair. They accepted it in order to chase away the military in the first instance, and then negotiate the political and economic destiny of Nigeria thereafter. However, twenty years after, the negotiations remain inconclusive.

Today’s discourse would avoid the inauguration and post inauguration hiccups. Therefore, one shall avoid the golden but disappointing silence of the newly inaugurated President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The hawks, the pigeons, and the sheep had waited ears to the ground to hear from the horse’s mouth. The President, Muhammadu disappointed many speech analysts, critics and merchants, who would have made a mountain out his molehill of a speech. Some were expecting him to modify his 2015 speech by saying now that he belongs to the Fulanis, and does not belong to everybody. However, they were frontally disappointed with the President setting a new national record and history of a speechless post military inauguration. Sai Baba!

This discourse would also avoid the myopic, local, and ill-advised zeal of the new Imo State Governor whose first task was the destruction of tourists’ magnet constructed by his predecessor. Monuments built with the taxpayers’ and unpaid civil servants’ fund is being pulled down with the States’ limited revenues. A man who has not made history is wasting his energy in the destruction of history. Though tempted, one has also refused to join words with a newly sworn government who throws money away, and is still crying that his State does not have the means to pay the minimum wage. The administration of motor parks has suddenly become the focus of a government seeking for followership. My Osho Baba became an object of vilification because he stood in the wrong place in the guard of honour. The vultures were ready to call the civilian man who was corrected by decorated uniformed personnel, that his place was not before but after military taskmasters in a democratic environment. Many regaled at Adams Oshiomole’s error, but none commended him for taking to corrections, and humbly relocating to his reserved position on the day his party celebrates their hard-earned victories. Should one speak of the purported arrest of our own Rochas Okorocha and his wife or the sudden resurrection of Ayo Fayose at Ibadan? Nigeria is a theatre, one act, and several scenes.

The last four years had witnessed a lot of political hullabaloos, authoritarian recklessness, and political betrayals. When men and women took power in 2015, the year 2019 seemed like eternity. However, May 2019 revealed that tomorrow is not far. The Senate under the leadership of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara has been perceived as the spanner in the wheel of progress of the first term rule of the progressive party. The duo had selfishly refused to channel the energies of the legislative arm of government towards the development and execution of an APC ideology. They became members of a party who exalted themselves above the party and party leadership. In their peripheral understanding of checks and balances, they became opposition parties to their party. It was therefore not a surprise when they returned to their old kernels after washing their dirty apparels in the sparkling streams of the APC. It was so unfortunate to see a Senate that shamelessly resisted the war against corruptions by their speeches and acts. To President Muhammadu Buhari, the duo’s loyalty to nation building was questionable and unfortunate. In their time, the Senate left leprosy and waged war against ringworm. The expected constitutional amendments did not come; true federalism was not in the agenda.  Four years have passed, and the successes and failures of these leaders and Senate are forever lodged in the hearts of men and the annals of history. Of a truth, tomorrow is not far.

The wind has blown and the anus of the fowl has been exposed. Many, who considered themselves as constituted authorities, enjoying the full paraphernalia of office have bid ‘their’ States farewell. For those, who made themselves Emperors, to whom the voices of the masses were disregarded as the disturbing noise of the mosquitoes have become the ex that their predecessors were. The roads they failed to repair, the projects they abandoned, and the debts they owed their workers while they reveled in the bosoms of pleasure givers would stare them in the face and act as clogs in their political careers and family names. The sirens would no longer sound to clear the roads hours before they take off from their luxurious homes and the security men would no longer be at their disposal. The only thing that would stand and speak for them are the good works they performed while in office.

The immunity cloak has been removed and given to their successors, the secret files are now public, and the prying eyes of the EFCC are glaring, with their claws ready to capture their prey. Many whose evil financial deeds shall be exposed shall wail and complain of political vendettas, while their once peaceful and garrulous comportment shall be ruffled. In addition, bashed. Power is certainly not forever, neither is fame everlasting, but legacies endure for generations. They and their advisers, commissioners, selected local government committees who found it difficult to pick their calls, visit their ‘unfortunate’ friends and forgot the names of their benefactors  would suddenly remember the forgotten ones, smile sheepishly for recognitions and plead for forgiveness. To all these shameless Shenanigans, they have suddenly, realized, though late, that tomorrow is not far.

To the electorates and workers who endured the four years of torture due to unpaid salaries, unjust punishments and rejected pleas, now you may sigh in hopeful relief. During the just concluded elections, you showed the Sherlock politicians that the level of your political awareness had improved. In unison, you shouted ‘IT IS ENOUGH!’ to the dreadful oppressors who made life and living hellish. You made up your minds to defy and reject the inducements of Delilah in politics; refused to sell your birthrights and rejected self-centered governance. Their stooges whom the dragons had groomed to take over were disappointed and fell with their masters while their footmen cried in disbelief at the resoluteness of the suffering class against the treasury raiders. In resilience, you waited the four years of unfavourable legislative acts and executive policies. You shunned the temptations of the ropes and Sniper, and daily you kept on assuring yourselves that tomorrow is not far. The morrow is here and has become yesterday.

To the newly elected Shepherds, be it known that the tragedy of his is that men do not learn from history. Power has been surrendered to you, by the people for their own safety. You have been entrusted with the wealth of your State and nation for public good. Engage the entrusted resources to the creation of an enabling environment for the people to thrive. Be a leader that listens, and have the love of the people at heart. Do not promote violence or go about wasting your energies in the demolition of your predecessors’ edifice. Four years have been reduced since May 29, and another election is in the offing. He that owes and promises to pay in twenty years should not sleep because twenty years would soon be tomorrow. The masquerade festival would soon end; and then you would be surprised to observe that tomorrow is not far.