Two distinct events of the past two weeks were quite oxymoronic, as they were typically spectacular and unimpressive at the same time. These are the commemoration, by christians, of the forgiveness of man’s sins through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, otherwise known as Easter; and the ‘forgiveness’ of the sins of ex-governors Joshua Dariye and Rev. Jolly Nyame and 157 other convicted Nigerians through the exercise of rights to, and the power of, prerogative of mercy respectively, by President Muhammadu Buhari. One represented divine action to proclaim universal salvation for mankind by God, the author of life & death, with Christ paying the restitutional price at Calvary; the other, a provincial use of privileged constitutional clause, in furtherance of the past claim by former APC national Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole that “once one crosses over to APC, one becomes a saint automatically.”
To devout christians, it would be an act of blasphemy, juxtaposing the vicarious expedition of Christ in his propitious sacrifice with that of a temporal political leader, in a warped presidential system of government like ours. But sometimes, in order to appreciate light, it is appropriate to contrast it with darkness.
Enough has already been said by analysts about the inappropriateness of that section of 175 (1—6) of the 1999 constitution as amended, and how it is always tempting to presidents to usurp it and exploit its provision to achieve some hidebound interests. But there is this other side of the story that pundits haven’t looked at – the hypocrisy of the elites and the pretense by the masses in the shambles quest for a just and egalitarian society. The pardon implicated once again how integral and hydra-headed our sociopolitical malady is.
The masses for whom civil society organizations and social justice crusaders like Bishop Kukah of Sokoto diocese have been advocating for their emancipation, easily sell out to the whims and caprices of the political elites. As the news of the release of these ex-governors got to their respective states, reports of massive jubilation across Plateau and Taraba rend the atmosphere. The Commissioner for Information in Plateau and the speaker of Taraba state House of Assembly told newsmen that the people were in a celebratory mood immediately they heard of the pardon.
These are ordinary citizens of the states whose common patrimony the two men looted flippantly while they held sway as chief executives! Whether they were ‘rented’ crowds or belonged to the minority, (as some politicians would make us believe) or not, they were certainly everyday people of Nigeria who are the supposed ultimate losers in the whole episode, celebrating their oppressors, their looters. What a situational irony; that convicts who are supposed to hide their infamous heads in shame are being treated to heroes’ welcome, with their victims rolling out red carpets in their honour.
But we must not forget that it didn’t start today. It has been one of the banes of our development as a nation. It is commonplace to see the people crown political delinquents who use the proceeds of their crime to feed their lust for stomach infrastructures. In essence, if the elites are malefactors of corruption, the masses are accomplices to it.
While we ruminated over how Bayelsans hailed the return of Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha in 2013, the sycophancy of the commoners got to a nauseating level in December 2016, when ex-governor James Ibori of Delta was released from the UK prison.
Sentenced for fraud and money laundering in 2012, Ibori had earlier evaded trial in Nigeria after a mob of supporters attacked police but was re-arrested in Dubai in 2010 and extradited to the UK – where he was prosecuted based on evidence from the Metropolitan Police.
Recall: Ibori, who as governor of oil-producing Delta State from 1999 to 2007 became one of Nigeria’s richest and most powerful men, was serving a 13-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2012 to 10 counts of fraud and money-laundering in the domain of $50million of Delta state funds.
As is normal under British procedures, Ibori had been due to be released from jail after serving half his sentence, taking into account pre-trial detention. The then Britain’s Home Secretary Amber Rudd had sought to keep Ibori in prison, or electronically tagged, until he returned 18 million pounds ($22 million) of “proceeds of crime”, but a High Court judge, Mrs. Justice May had thought otherwise, and rejected the proposal.
Upon arrival on our shores, it was expected that our anti-graft agencies re-commence his trials in line with extant laws, but it didn’t happen. Perhaps the predictions of the Home Office’s barrister, that if not kept in jail or under strict control of his movement, a ‘powerful’ man like Ibori might “frustrate confiscation proceedings” came through, as not only was he a complete freeman, but has been waxing strong as the indisputable landlord of Delta politics. Last year in this space, we mused on the leaked picture of Sen. James Manager, of Delta south senatorial zone, pliantly kneeling before him, ostensibly libating the ‘gods’ for some anointings in his future political ambitions.
Ardent keepers of our history will remember that Ibori’s supporters rolled the drums at his release, and later protested along the streets of Asaba as well as the corridors of social media, when they heard a tipoff that he would have to return all the loot or face fresh trial. Their slogan then was “He is our thief, leave him for us, we are not complaining!”As shameful as it could be, that was a reality that obtains not just in Delta but across the length and breadth of the country wherever the masses are.
No wonder, wise men agree that all people deserve their leader.
The hypocrisy in the so-called fight against corruption despite the decorative rejoinders released by the presidency to justify the nullification of the ex-governors’ offence is that the elites determine what suits them, and not what serves the interest of the country. One will rot in jail so long as one doesn’t have connections with those who wield the proverbial key to the kingdom, and power of binding and loosing (Matt.16:19). Is it not hypocritical that Gov. Ortom of Benue, a vocal archenemy of this regime suddenly became acquiesced to the presidency and extolled the decision? The elites always rally round their own. At that point, their political differences seamlessly melt away. But, the pretense of the masses as the casualties of government malfeasance is always laid bare once the ruling class comes up with crumbs to feed their gullibility.
May I crave the indulgence of pious men and women who may frown at my contrast of ex-governors’ pardon with the trial of Jesus, to conclude with another collocation. I want to congratulate the 157 ‘others’ who served as a cover to shield the president’s scandalous use of the prerogative of mercy clause to free serial State fraudsters. They were the Barabbas of this year’s Good Friday (Jn. 18:38-40). Barabbas was a bandit who was serving a just sentence when Jesus was set on trial. As Pontius Pilate tried to use his own prerogative of mercy to free Christ, seeing that he was guiltless, the Jews protested louder that they would prefer Barabbas released in place of the savior. These 157 ‘other’ Nigerians were pretty lucky, because despite being used as the blanket to insulate predictable backlash on the release of the two principal beneficiaries, the public outcry nevertheless still came, much to the dismay of those who called the shots.
May daylight spare us!
Kind regards!
Jude Eze
08099062006
08062494912
ezejudeogechi@gmail.com
