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Friday, October 10, 2014

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Open Letter To General Muhammadu Buhari

Dear Sir,
OPEN LETTER TO GENERAL BUHARI
I have been constrained to write you through the media because I do not have an alternative way of reaching you. Permit me to share my opinion on your presidential ambition, which I think is equally shared by many Nigerians of my generation irrespective of ethnic or religious differences.
Sir, I heard about you first on the 31st of December 1983. Then I was a ten year old boy in primary six, celebrating with the whole nation on the arrival of our military Heroes. At least so we thought! The jubilations were spontaneous. |

The nationwide celebrations signalled the demise of the second republic and ushered in the military dispensation commonly referred to as the Buhari/Idiagbon regime. Immediately you launched the War Against Indiscipline and introduced the Nationwide Monthly Sanitation Exercise. The WAI crusade stuck in my brain and still reverberates up till now. To simplify the message my Teacher introduced an Igbo acronym for WAI: Wepu Ajo Ihe; which literally translates: Remove Bad Thing.
Sir, I must confess that the image that stuck in me about Buhari/Idiagbon was that of two no-nonsense characters, straight talkers, people who meant yes when they said yes and vice versa. This impression I believe was equally shared by many others in my generation.
Today, I am a 41 year old Nigerian. A lot has changed. I see things differently now. I am now a fully grown man who can analyse issues critically. One thing I believe passionately is that it is very important for one to set a standard for oneself, but equally more important to sustain the standard.
On the final lap of your presidential campaign for 2011, you made an open declaration in front of the media and your supporters, without mincing words you stated emphatically that 2011 would be your last attempt to contest the Presidency. Going by your legacy and standard, many People including I took you by your words. After all Buhari means yes when he says yes. However that promise was short lived. Before one can say Jack Robinson you have joined the race again for the fourth consecutive time, contrary to your open declaration.
Of course I concede you have every right to change your mind and contest every election as long as you live. It is however very remarkable to observe that you shot yourself in the foot when you reneged on your promise to Nigerians not to contest the Presidency again. So judging you by your own standard, you have fallen below expectations. The pertinent question people are asking now is ” HOW CAN WE EVER TRUST YOU AGAIN”? Another important questing worth asking you is ” WHAT IS NOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BUHARI AND OTHER POLITICIANS”? I would say none! Oh yes you have got the constitutional right to contest, but eating your words has done your reputation more harm than good. People now see you, and quite justifiably, just like a typical politician who is unstable and unreliable.
Some of your supporters continue to amuse me by claiming that President Jonathan allegedly signed a one term pact with them. Unlike you Jonathan never made any open declaration to serve only for one term. Those of them who continue to make this ridiculous allegation have refused to produce the transcript of the said agreement or tender any proof to substantiate this. So as far as Nigerians are concerned Jonathan never struck any one term deal with us. But you did promise openly and suddenly reneged. In fact you actually sealed the promise with your tears. An elder Statesman of your calibre and pedigree made a promise and shed tears to seal it, that should have been final. It is very symbolic when an Elder sheds tears in the continent of Africa. It was a covenant with Nigerians not to contest again. A promise abruptly broken. But this is politics. Everything is possible in this game.
Sir, I know you have many reasons for reneging on your promise but most of these reasons are laughable. Some claim your supporters put pressure on you to change your mind, but this is an old excuse which is as old as Nigeria. Even late General Abacha had people begging him to contest. A principled and disciplined officer like you should have remained steadfast to your open declaration. Others claim you are still young, after all you would be only 72 by the next Presidential election. At 72 you would still be much younger than Mugabe. So they claim! But they conveniently refused to check Mugabe’s next door neighbour Madiba. Suffice it to say that Mandela is the very opposite of Mugabe and the ideal role model for all African leaders. Mandela declined to go for a second term because according to him , age was not on his side. He could have won a second term and transformed to a life President if he wished. But he never did. He voluntarily made way for the younger generation to continue from where he stopped. This is what is expected of you now to retire voluntarily and join the respected league of Elders where you truly belong.
Another reason which some of your supporters have tendered is that you are genuinely motivated by service and patriotism. I gladly take this on board. I can give you the benefit of the doubt that you are driven by the urge to serve your fatherland. This is a very valid reason. But Sir, I have an important question here for you. The question is simple, MUST YOU SERVE NIGERIA AS A PRESIDENT ONLY? IS THERE NO OTHER CAPACITY YOU CAN SERVE US EXCEPT THE PRESIDENCY? It is very erroneous to imagine that you can only serve Nigeria only in one capacity. During the regime of late General Sani Abacha, you accepted the appointment to serve as the Chairman of the then Petroleum Trust Fund PTF. The general opinion was that you served faithfully in this capacity. Well done Sir! But you never asked Abacha to vacate office for you as your former subordinate in the army. Never! In fact that would have been a dangerous move, if not suicidal. Rather you served faithfully under your former junior in the army. Sir, imagine if you take on another job like the Chairman of EFCC or ICPC or NDLEA. Nigerians actually need you to serve in one of these capacities much more than they need you in the Presidency. Mere mentioning your name as Chairman of EFCC would drive many corrupt men underground. But you wouldn’t . Either the Presidency or nothing. So it seems!
Sir, let us examine your service records. I consider your generation a very privileged one, indeed. In 1975 at the age of 33, you were appointed the Military Governor of the North-Eastern State, present day Borno & Yobe states. In 1976 at the age of 34 you became the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources. In 1978 at the age of 36 you became the Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Today the reverse is the case. Most Nigerians at age of 35 are still unemployed and still living with parents. Many are still not married. During your time you were already Governor at this age. One major reason for this unfortunate turn of events is that many elders like you have refused to voluntarily handover the baton to the next generation. Life should be a relay race where one runs his race and hands over to the next. In Nigeria many elders like you have run their races and are still holding on tenaciously to the baton. When are you going to handover to the next person? It is either you do it voluntarily or risk disgrace at the polls. In 1983 at the age of 41, exactly the same age as my humble self now, you became the Head of State. Most Nigerians in my age have not had the opportunity to serve, but we still remain committed to the Nigerian project. You should rather be graceful to God and to Nigerians for the numerous opportunities that have come your way to serve Nigerians. Others are begging for just one opportunity to serve.

Sir, you have to accept the stark reality on ground that you have served your time already. That is life for you. You run the race, you handover the baton for others to run, you cannot hold on to the baton more than is necessary. As a former head of State you are already a member of the Council of State Meeting. You have every avenue to channel your views across. You don’t necessarily have to be in a frontline role, you can serve in an advisory capacity. That is still service.

In conclusion, let me state that the greatest beneficiary should you emerge candidate of the APC would be President Jonathan. It is crystal clear that you cannot defeat President Jonathan in a free, fair and credible election, even in Katsina State. Sentiments aside, Jonathan would cruise to a landslide victory should you emerge candidate of the APC. In fact many political analysts believe that President Jonathan wants you to emerge as the APC flag bearer in order to secure a cheap victory. In fairness to you, any of your Children would pose a serious challenge to Jonathan more than yourself. I do not see Nigerians electing a 72 year old former Head of state to lead us in this Digital era. With due respect to you Sir, you belong to the Analogue age and therefore, will not fit in as president in this digital era. This is the blunt truth. Please do not enter the Guinness book of world records on a negative note. Losing four consecutive Presidential election would not augur well for your reputation. It is in your best interest to assume your position as an elder statesman and allow others to serve. Nigeria does not belong to you alone. It belongs to us all.

Respectfully Submitted.
Edozie Okeiyi
Director of Media & Strategy
Great Nigeria Movement
http://edokeiyi.com

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$9.3m scandal: Okotie calls for Oritsejafor's resignation as CAN president

House Hold of God Head pastor Chris Okotie, has called for the resignation of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor as President of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN over the $9.3m arms deal scandal in which his private jet was implicated in.

In a piece titled "$9.3m Scandal: Oritsejafor Should Do The Right Thing' which was posted on his Facebook page today, Okotie said the continued relationship between Oritsejafor and the Presidency has caused a lot of embarrassment to the Christian body and that it was time the elder clergyman resigned to salvage the respect of CAN. Read his piece after the cut...

The recent seizure by the South African authorities of $9.3m found in a private jet owned by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has aggravated the image problem of this country at a time when the narrative of this government is brimming with negatives under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The South African government took the action on the alleged charge that the undeclared $9.3m found in the plane might have been laundered. This revelation came when the dust generated by the seemingly dubious donation of the jet to Pastor Ayo is yet to settle. His friendship with the President has been at the centre of the controversies that mark his explosive tenure as the leader of the eponymous religious organization in Nigeria.

Not that it is a sin to be the President’s Pal, but when such relationship becomes provocatively patronizing, or self-serving, it is unacceptable. The Pastor does not show restraint in the way he goes about, publicly hobnobbing with the President as if he is the Chaplain of Aso Rock. This certainly has compromised the integrity of his office as CAN President and this latest incident is just the climax of embarrassing incidents we can’t tolerate any longer.
Considering the collateral damage Pastor Ayo’s close relationship with the President has done to the Christian community, it is fit and proper for the Pastor to resign immediately as CAN President to salvage what remains of the battered image of the association.
This is without prejudice to the on-going investigation on the matter. Denials of his culpability by the Federal Government, CAN officials and his own recent defense, does nothing to reduce the moral burden this whole saga places on his shoulders. As the titular leader of Christians in Nigeria, there’s now a serious crisis of confidence on his leadership and he ought to respond to it by resigning from his exalted position.

That is what the ecclesiastic responsibility of his calling as a gospel minister dictates, once he finds himself in a situation where his continued occupation of public office suffers a moral deficit, on account of any error of commission or omission. If one may ask: why should Pastor Ayo’s jet be the one that was chartered for this ill-fated transaction when there are numerous competitors in that business in which he is obviously a new player?

It is very difficult to sustain the argument that a civilian aircraft is ideal to ferry weapons of war. A sitting President of CAN should never be involved in any way in the procurement of arms to fight insurgents like Boko Haram which claims Islamic principles in its war against the state. To do so is to expose Christians to more deadly attacks.
To whom much is given, much is expected. The Pastor has the distinction of being the first and only person to occupy the posts of CAN President, and President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, until recently when Rev. Felix Omobude succeeded him as PFN President.
Pastor Ayo’s friendship with President Jonathan is perfectly legitimate and nobody should attempt to query such relationship. However, the Pastor opens himself to criticism of this otherwise normal social interaction because of his indiscretion in identifying too closely to the President, in a way that suggests a veiled endorsement of Dr. Jonathan’s policies and actions by the entire Christian community. He ought to have identified privately with the President knowing full well that he carries the mandate of the Christian community at these trying times.
In a nation of contending faiths, Pastor Ayo literally ignores our divergent religious sensibilities as he sometimes gets himself involved in public quarrels with the President’s critics, from the muslim faith as well as in the opposition. Not all Christians are comfortable with this posture by their leader, especially at a time of intense politicking and the sectarian tensions generated by the Boko Haram insurgents and communal violence involving ethnic minorities with entrenched religious identities.
The cumulative effect of Pastor Ayo’s abrasive leadership style has also polarized the Christian community as evidenced by the current unprecedented division in CAN. Before now, leaders of this organization deliberately stayed out of politics in keeping with the traditional stance of neutrality of the body vis-a-vis the policy postures of incumbent governments. In fact, former PFN leaders like the late Archbishop Benson Idohosa and ex-CAN President, Olubunmi Cardinal Okogie kept governments on their toes during their time.
In more mature democracies, it is not unusual for public officers to resign from office when their actions appear to degrade their positions. And they would not have to wait to be found guilty in circumstances surrounding their actions before they throw in the towel. In other words, they could even be victims of circumstances; or in rare cases, subjects of blackmail. It didn’t matter. Once you are pelted in any way, you quit to protect the integrity of your office.
That was the case of Dominic Strauss-Khan who resigned his position as the President of IMF because he was accused of molesting a maid in a hotel in the United States. He was eventually acquitted after a celebrated trial. The Prime Minister of South Korea, Jong Hong-won resigned because his compatriots were drowned recently in a chartered cruise ship which carried some students on a picnic. Just last month, the First Minister of Scotland, Mr. Alex Salmond resigned because he led his country’s failed bid to gain independence from the United Kingdom. Nobody asked him to resign; he did so of his own accord because he felt it was wrong to continue to run a country he launched on a part of an unsuccessful “secession”.
If purely secular leaders could do this to affirm their integrity, Pastor Ayo should take the honourable path by leaving office, not necessarily because he is guilty as charged, but to restore honour to an exalted office he has unwittingly degraded because of his unabashed flirtation with the head of a government that is perceived as one of the most corrupt in the world. The Bible commands us to “flee from all appearance of evil”.
Nobody says Pastor Ayo cannot do business; he could have been in order, if he does so as the Pastor of his Word of Life Bible Church, WOLBC. But since his private jet was involved in a transaction gone awry in a foreign land, while he is still the sitting President of CAN, it is difficult for him to continue to command the respect of Nigerian Christians of diverse denominations who constitute the CAN group, regardless of the defense his sympathizers and the Federal Government tried to put up on his behalf.

If this incident had happened in Pastor Ayo’s capacity as the head/founder of the Word of Life Bible Church, no one could justifiably call for his head because the Bible teaches that the “call of God is without repentance”. In other words, regardless of the conduct of a servant of God, He does not remove them from office or withdraw their anointing. This is one of the mysteries of the gospel. The Almighty has a way of chastising his errant servants.

But here, we are dealing with Pastor Ayo as the leader of CAN; the largest umbrella of Nigerian Christians. He is condemned to be judged by secular standards, which, in this case, demands that, having found himself in a quagmire which calls to question, the sanctity of his office, he must step down to redeem his image.

The Pastor should quit the CAN post and return to his church where he could then recalibrate himself, away from this season of anomie.
Rev. Okotie, a Presidential Aspirant, wrote from Lagos