President Muhammadu Buhari, in his junketing best element, was among the Commonwealth Heads of State and government that attended the Commonwealth Summit in the city of Kigali, Rwanda, recently. The British Crown Prince, Charles, was present as well as the representatives of the two Francophone countries newly admitted into the fold, Togo and Gabon. The lately-embattled British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, equally made the trip to Rwanda. The Queen, Elizabeth, could be said to be too old and frail to preside over proceedings, so she stayed behind in England. Attaining nearly a century and celebrating over seventy years on the throne is not given to every mortal.
With a combination of glamorous royalty and longevity Elizabeth the Queen cannot expect anything better in life. So, long live the Queen!
Few weeks ago, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, appeared before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja. She had dismissed the application for bail arguing that the suit seeking bail was a ‘gross abuse of the court process’. Justice Nyako made it clear that the IPOB leader must explain the reason why he breached the previous bail that was given to him before he could enjoy another favourable discretion from it. She consequently adjourned the case to November the 14th for further hearing.
President Buhari while sojourning in Rwanda, the East African country known more globally for genocide reasons, had reportedly visited the genocide museum in Kigali. In 1994, it would be recalled, the Rwandese majority Hutus massacred thousands of minority Tutsis in one of the worst genocides in human history. Twenty eight years down the line President Paul Kagame has dutifully repositioned the country attracting investors and tourists.
Buhari, after touring the museum and seeing skulls and bones of many victims, was emotional in his speech drawing a gory parallel between what happened horrendously in Rwanda in 1994 and the Biafran pogrom of the late 60s and early 70s.
He reportedly went memory lane recollecting the Biafran genocide that claimed millions of precious Igbo lives wishing it never happened again. And preaching ‘love’ for one another. A President under whose watch Nigerians have become more divided ethnically and religiously more than never a time in our history could be accused here of being hypocritical and disingenuous in his submissions.
Of course, Buhari, as a young northern military officer, partook actively in the Biafran massacre; therefore, he is in a better position to remind us all of the tragedy and how and why it happened. He knows (still) where the unmarked mass graves are located and the hate exhibited by the animals in military uniform that did a ‘good’ job of mass killings.
Now, the embattled President had met with the British PM, Johnson, in the Rwandese hilly capital. During the meeting Buhari was said to have told Boris, upon inquiry, that his second terminal mandate would end in May next year. He indicated that he had no intention of any third term gambit as the one (OBJ) who tried it “never ended well”! Obasanjo ended well but the third term scam can never be wished away!
On Namdi Kanu the underwhelming President never minced word in declaring that Kanu would never be granted bail again because the last time one was extended to him (years ago) he had jumped bail committing criminal activities from abroad. Besides, the government he presides, according to him, had decided to take Kanu to court to afford him the opportunity of defending himself in court. And defending the ‘lies’ and propaganda he propagated against Nigeria while in London.
Thus far, the Federal High Court and Justice Binta Nyako are trying to be seen to be doing justice in the sensitive matter. But unfortunately, we are living in extra-ordinary times judicially and econo-socially. The system is long broken! And the advent of Buharism has seen the system broken even deeper and irredeemably. Buhari and the Fulani gang covering up his incompetence are responsible for the current rot in the system.
In the Buharian Republic of cows ethnicity, religion and region play a major role in policy formulation and implementation. Nigeria has suddenly become an international laughing stock where blood is shed on a daily basis, where poverty walks on four leprous legs and where unemployment is endemic.
Mazi Kanu, in our reckoning, was fighting for freedom for the oppressed marginalized Biafrans. The employment of violence (with the formation of the Eastern Security Network), however, brought things to a dead end. All hell has been let loose as the falcon can no longer hear the falconer!
Now, following his criminal abduction in Nairobi, Kenya, and deportation to Nigeria few years ago Kanu is keeping constant date with justice. His trial continues as doubts linger about possible executive interference in proceedings.
The problem with the presidential declaration in Kigali has to do with the ‘no-bail’ option for Kanu. Buhari remains the President of the federation and his executive functions are clearly spelt out in the Constitution. He cannot claim to be a Prosecutor and/or Judge. But in the Kanu judicial saga Buhari had arrogated the powers to himself and that constitutes an abuse of power.
Mazi Kanu has not pleaded guilty to any of the charges yet. And unless Justice Nyako declares otherwise he is innocent of all charges preferred against him. Buhari can intervene executively in the trial but it is better to allow justice prevail.
President Buhari must, therefore, allow the justice to do its job professionally in the Kanu’s celebrated case of treason. As he is doing his job presidentially (albeit in all mediocrity and irresponsibility) let justice be given free hand to adjudicate on the matter.
