The return of democracy in Nigeria after the ouster of President Shehu Shagari’s government on December 31, 1983 through a military coup was a torturous journey. Members of civil society groups, the press and political class suffered terribly for the military to relinguish power to a democratically elected government on May 29, 1999.
It took the neo-nationalists 16 years, 4 months and 29 days to win the battle for democratic rule in Nigeria. It was indeed a painful victory as the soldiers that bestrode the Nigerian political space for so long a time were adamant to cede power to civilians in view of the comfort and stupendous wealth that charaterised governance in the oil-rich nation.
Consequently, the neo-nationalists were harassed, brutalized, hauled into prison without trial, maimed and forced into exile. Some even paid the supreme price to propitiate and pacify their persecutors.
Regrettably, majority of those who fought and won the battle for the return of democracy in Nigeria are not politicians. So, one can appreciate their anger and disgust when some rascals and hoodlums who masquerade as politicians have decided to unwittingly plunge the country into crisis to derail the nation’s democracy.
It is against this backdrop that the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and other well-meaning Nigerians have continued to react over the political crisis in Rivers State which has the propensity of being replicated in other parts of the country. For Prof. Soyinka, he has a major stake in the sustenance of the nation’s democracy. From 1960s to date, the erudite Professor has been in the fore-front of the campaign for good governance and democratic rule. Expectedly, he was one of the those who commented on the political imbroglio in Rivers State. Hear him:
“What I want to do here is to remind you of a certain historic figure. I am sure most of us here must be familiar with Thomas Becket, who was Archbishop of Canterbury in the 11th Century, who was murdered at the altar by four knights of King Henry 11.
“Now, I have read on the pages of newspapers and watched on television that the president’s spokesmen have been trying to distance him (President) from what is happening in Rivers State. They are doing their job and I wish them well, but they have to understand the perception out there in the world, is that he bears a lot of responsibility in Rivers State.
“Again, I have been asking myself: are we not tilting towards absolute monarchy? There are many ways of saying, will no one rid me of this pestilence in Rivers State. You don’t have to utter a word directly but from your conduct which can convey very strong signals or better still, say I will come after you.
“I am not casting aspersions on any individual, but I am saying that one can establish certain conducts in the minds of one’s followers, all of which circle around impunity.
“There are certain way you can convince your followers, your officials and your cohorts that they can act with impunity. There are many ways, for instance you can expose a prey and say that prey is available.
“Let us go back to that historical story about 11 centuries ago, I want to imagine King Henry saying, find some way of making the Archbishop’s carriage unserviceable or the carriage-maker makes the carriage grounded. Even after the King’s counsel said this is unfair and that the Archbishop’s carriage should be released. I hope you see the parallelism where the governor’s plane, under dubious circumstances has been grounded, for I don’t know how many weeks now.
“And so, they pretend, nobody has spoken, nobody said anything on how one of your Barons and Dukes can function without a carriage. Now that kind of indifference can create an enabling ground for your followers or officials to take further actions, which can endanger that Baron or Duke. I am using this parallelism so that we can understand that something strange is going on.
“It is unfortunate that a mere domestic appendage of power could go to a state and take over the state for 11 days.
“A queen goes to the Archbishop’s domain, stays 11 days, and the Baron is not even allowed to move. Creating an enabling environment for the Baron to be dealt with. He is stopped by a sheriff and that baron is responsible for security and governance.
“I am calling on the President, please curb the excesses of your wife. Too much is too much. Is she the first First lady we have had? She is now being used to abuse the authority of an elected governor. The Governor’s Lodge was teargased. Anybody who said teargas was not thrown into Amaechi’s lodge is either ignorant or lying. Some of Amaechi’s security have been removed. The domestic grounds are being eroded. With a teargas thrown, the next one may be a smoke gun.”
Lagos-based Lawyer and human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN) commented thus: “It is regrettable that exactly 10 years after a group of thugs attempted to abduct a sitting governor in Anambra State, another set of thugs attempted to undermine democratic institutions in Rivers.
“The President’s silence on the unfortunate development in the state is tantamount to an endorsement of the political crisis.
“We have been through this route before. We must tell them that we are not conquered people. The case of Rivers State is more absurd, more odious, where five members of the Assembly aided by the state invaded the Assembly chambers and chased away their colleagues. The silence of the President is an endorsement of the crisis. Let no one fool Nigerians, we know where this is coming from.”
Senate president, David Mark also commented this way: “Clearly what is happening in Rivers State is an embarrassment to legislators across the length and breadth of the country.
“It is in the interest of the State House of Assembly not to do anything that will portray legislators as irresponsible, because that is not what we are.
“Clearly also, what is happening is totally unacceptable and it must be condemned in its strongest possible term in its entirety irrespective of who is directly involved or who is behind it.
“It is not a situation that we expect and we would not want it to continue beyond this point where it has reached.
“Because of the urgency, I also believe that this Senate must take urgent step to protect democracy and protect this country and to ensure that democracy continues to grow and improve in the country”.
The political crisis in Rivers State has indeed drawn the ire of the general public. It is unpatriotic for anybody to castigate Prof. Wole Soyinka or any other Nigerian for condemning the impunity that is being displayed by some political gladiators in Rivers State.
It is not just about Amaechi, it is in defence of the fragile democracy that was bequeathed to Nigerians after a protracted battle with the military. Please be guided.