The rise of resentment
The eminent persons that visited President Muhammadu Buhari and advised that governance should take precedence over probe of principal actors of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s presidency were not doing so because they believed. They were acting a script.
The convener of that group was Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, a revered gentleman of the pulpit and highly respected intellectual. To Bishop Kukah, the world wouldn’t roll to its bust stop just because Jonathanians have been indicted and probably even jailed. But Nigeria would suffer, according to the Cleric, because time waits for no one. And as far as Kukah and his team are concerned, Nigeria is marking time. And that as it does so, its peoples are languishing in perilous times. Its infrastructure are decaying further, its utilities are rusting faster and its being is crumbling.
I am not holding brief for the Father, who has obviously run against the tide of the nation’s mob-mentality,but if truth must be told, those who dragged the respected cleric to this suicidal crusade would stop at nothing until they are able to hinder all probes.
For now, just as the cleric resents the probes, the country is growing in its resentment of his cadre.
The allegation against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Ibrahim Abdulrahaman Lamorde, readily comes to mind too. It is not unknown that the rich politicians have long harboured a resentment for the EFCC.
The senate had invited its chairman to explain the diversion of a trillion naira from recovered resources of fraudulent politicians, including Tafa Balogun, a former Inspector General of Police and DSP Alameseigha, Bayelsa states former governor. It is not the allegation that is preposterous, but the figure is outlandish. Place the zeros in front of a trillion and I am sure very few among the literate 30 million Nigerians will be able to get it right. Indeed,the EFCC’s spokesman Wilson Uwujaren has already disclosed that the commission itself including all its seizures, assets and liabilities will not amount to a trillion Naira. Some argue that it will fall short even if you have to sell all its staff along with the commission’s assets.
In his explanations and in listening to the accompanying outbursts that have trailed the allegations Uwujaren has made it abundantly clear when I listened to him over the radio that this controversy is not about equity or whose hands are soiled but about corruption fighting back those who are trying to nail it. It is my candid opinion too that attempts by the clergy and a section of the green chamber to shield a certain master is infringing on our rights as a people in this country. Some people have assumed some powers that put them above the law and they are doing everything to keep the people down. In a country with prayer centres at every turn I am confused why it is difficult for people to lead a decent life. I was brought up to understand that Islam is a very easy religion with very few major sins, defaming people isone of them. I have also known Christianity to enjoin its followers to turn the other cheek. But only the poor obey both in Nigeria. When people are told daily that they cannot do so many things, and yet they see that some people can freely do them, then resentments mount. How is it that the Jangebes can have their arms and limbs amputated for miserable offences while the big criminals remain untouched? How is it that some people can do what they want but I cannot?
What we thus have is an inequality of freedoms, and I believe this is closely tied to the inequality of wealth in this country. If you have money, you are likely to go to better schools, have better job opportunities, travel more and buy whatever you want. If you don’t, then you have none of these options. And it seems to be the same with justice. A decent man like the Comptroller General of Immigrations would lose his job for sitting on the wrong side of the fence and it is looking like a globally reknown crime buster like Ibrahim Lamorde is sinking because the people in power are being drawn to face the music due to their infractions against the community. But the likes of Abba Moro are free.
The likes of Alamesigha are pardoned and the James Iboris of this world are being awaited to return to a tumultuous welcome after spending time in jail. The inequalities in this country make me think Nigeria is gross. Not only is there a huge swathe of people with very low incomes in this country but the gap between them and the very wealthy is widening.
Not much is being done to narrow the gap, apart from giving the poor handouts which are unsustainable. Besides, as the saying goes, they don’t in Nigeria, teach a man to fish. But the bills must be paid. The kids are getting nowhere in schools.
Food and public transport are getting more and more expensive. Still our politicians tell us salvation is at hand if only we keep on that straight and narrow path. It’s hard and there’s not much joy in our lives. Meanwhile, some Nigerians have the freedoms that others don’t have? How is it that they can go on holidays abroad and buy fancy clothes and others cannot? How is it that they can smile and laugh with impunity while others cry?
Aren’t they afraid of going to hell by enjoying heaven on earth? Politicians may not notice this, and may even encourage this as a cover-up for their failures. But if the inequalities in income are not addressed, the inequalities in freedoms will continue to breed ever-greater resentments in Nigeria and no cleric can predict what will follow.
A decent man like the Comptroller General of Immigrations would lose his job for sitting on the wrong side of the fence and it is looking like a globally re-known crime buster like Ibrahim Lamorde is sinking because the people in power are being drawn to face the music due to their infractions against the community.