Neither Servant Leadership Nor Rule of Law
One thing is clear about the avoidable power vacuum in Nigeria: President Yar'Adua has lost the goodwill of a sizable number of the right-thinking people of Nigeria. The President has proved that, even as the Head of State,
he can be a subject of manipulation. He has demonstrated that power is
dearer to him than service: he can support any lie to preserve his
interest. He has shown contempt for the people and the constitution.
Yet he swore to serve the people and defend the constitution.
His failure in following the clear-cut constitutional requirement in temporarily transferring power to the Vice President represents neither servant leadership nor rule of law. It is unfortunate that the self-professed servant leader and rule of law protagonist would fail his own test.
The President and his advisers still have a window of opportunity
to do the right thing before it becomes too late for any redemption.
While wishing the President well, I pray history will judge him
favourably. We all have a hand in our destinies.
Tajudeen Alabede
Lagos
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Oluwakayode Adeyemi on
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"...to do the right thing before it becomes too late for any redemption." Again the picture of Samuel Doe being tortured and eventually killed by Yormie Johnson and his boys came to mind as it did when I heard the SGF say yesterday "...nobody needs to remind us about invoking the relevant sections of the constitution...." We need to let these people understand that we understand the constitution. Please get a copy and spread the word.
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Permalink Reply by Tajudeen Alabede on
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Kayode, let's keep the Doe picture off the table. That's not the issue.
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Permalink Reply by Titi Bello on
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Tajudeen, trivial but provocating issues can push a wise man to the brim of insanity. I believe that is what brought the picture of Doe to Kayode's mind. However, i support you to placate Kayode to leave doe's picture aside. Nigerians are known to be tolerant, God fearing and crusaders of dialogue. As dawn succeeds dusk, we shall pass this phase of failure and tyranny in our great country.
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Permalink Reply by shehu balogun on
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Nigeria is a proper banana republic. Nothing I have seen or heard can persuade me otherwise. Even mafia run states still have some kind of law they enforce. All laws in Nigeria only apply to the less well off. A rich guy can kill as many people as he likes, and will not face any prosecution. A country without leader for months, and it is business as usual for the legislators. Only in a banana republic can these events occur. God bless Nigeria. The future looks bleak.
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Ok Tajudeen and Titi, I am restrained, but it was a function of the mind, one that archives information and images only to be brought to fore when occasion demands. I am sure it was stored in yours as well or else you would not have understood where I was coming from. I only hope more pleasing events will occur in our polity that will push these files of images off the shelf completely.
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Kayode, I respect your will of conformity. Thanks. And I do say an avid AMEN to your hope of pleasant events. Together may we attain our much desired great Nigeria. Let's keep hoe alive!
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Permalink Reply by iLL on
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What does the term"banana republic" mean? I'm sorry if that sounds like a stupid question. I really don't know what that means.
shehu balogun said:Nigeria is a proper banana republic. Nothing I have seen or heard can persuade me otherwise. Even mafia run states still have some kind of law they enforce. All laws in Nigeria only apply to the less well off. A rich guy can kill as many people as he likes, and will not face any prosecution. A country without leader for months, and it is business as usual for the legislators. Only in a banana republic can these events occur. God bless Nigeria. The future looks bleak.
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Permalink Reply by Shams O'Muyiwa on
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Please, I really need to be educated about all this noise regarding handing-over.
In the absence of the president, the vice acts on his behalf. Therefore, what is the call for handing over for? Maybe because I am not in Nigeria, I need to be educated.
Otherwise, I think we are distracting from businesses of the day. Sure, we Nigerians like to be dramatic and distracted. We love rumours and conflicts and the politicians know how to use us a lot. We do not prioritise. When we are supposed to act, when injustices are clearly done, we would not go out on the street. When thieves are still walking about with our national treasures, we are silent and let them be. What of the opportunity to find out how our economy is improving and how we are going to get out of it to the relief of the majority of Nigerians? What of the opportunity to find out what exactly is causing fuel scarcity and the effect of the removal of subsidy and the monitoring of those saboteurs in the private oil businesses who have been pocketing the subsidies to the detriment of the country? What of the opportunity to pray and hope for President's quick recovery and not put more pressure or stress on him, -while hoping that one day should we also be sick and in hospital, people will be more concerned for our health than our position.
There are a million opportunities we are missing with this senseless call for handover, what difference will that make compared to what difference it will make to deal with petrol subsidy issue.
Please educate me!
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Shams, the President and his advisers actually put the nation in this precarious situation. What the President was expected to do is simple. Going by the serious nature of his ailment which may take him away for a fairly long period of time, he should have sent a notification to the National Assembly intimating them of the reality that he would be away from his duty post. This was to pave way for the Vice President to temporarily take over as the Acting President.
It may interest you to know that there is a world of difference between the positions of a Vice President and Acting President. As the Vice President, he has to be expressely instructed by the President to act, except in few instances where the Constitution has specified his duty. But as the Acting President, he assumes full Presidential powers, albeit temporarily, pending the return of the President to his desk. You can then imagine what the nation faces with the absence of the President and a Vice President that can't assume full presidential powers. But, you know, in Nigeria everything is politics.
By the way, Shams, are you an ex-LASUite? The name sounds familiar.
Shams O'Muyiwa said:Please, I really need to be educated about all this noise regarding handing-over.
In the absence of the president, the vice acts on his behalf. Therefore, what is the call for handing over for? Maybe because I am not in Nigeria, I need to be educated.
Otherwise, I think we are distracting from businesses of the day. Sure, we Nigerians like to be dramatic and distracted. We love rumours and conflicts and the politicians know how to use us a lot. We do not prioritise. When we are supposed to act, when injustices are clearly done, we would not go out on the street. When thieves are still walking about with our national treasures, we are silent and let them be. What of the opportunity to find out how our economy is improving and how we are going to get out of it to the relief of the majority of Nigerians? What of the opportunity to find out what exactly is causing fuel scarcity and the effect of the removal of subsidy and the monitoring of those saboteurs in the private oil businesses who have been pocketing the subsidies to the detriment of the country? What of the opportunity to pray and hope for President's quick recovery and not put more pressure or stress on him, -while hoping that one day should we also be sick and in hospital, people will be more concerned for our health than our position.
There are a million opportunities we are missing with this senseless call for handover, what difference will that make compared to what difference it will make to deal with petrol subsidy issue.
Please educate me!
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Tajudeen: Thanks for the explanation. I am not oblivious of the intricacies as you have explained. My real point in essence is that, there is a procedure for this process. That procedure is well taken carte of and it is through the rule of law including the court. Those who are interested in the issue will be required to use the court process and if they have done so (as I suspect), they should accept the decision or appeal. Making it a nation-wide issue is not just a mockery of our democratic system, but our nation. Everyone now has their "professional" opinion about this matter and all previously hidden poisonous hatred are let loose. I have read people hating Yar'Adua for this and some calling for his death and wishing he does not return alive all because people hammered the issues too much with such vengeance and prejudice. Did you hear that some people are already asking the military to come back due to the president's absence? Why? What their impatience? Is there something for these people? Well, yes. Of course the public are not in the know, but those bringing it to the public domain have their hidden agenda. Everyone should just shut-up and let the due process sort itself out. If the court is corrupt and the legislators are corrupt, then we have a bigger problem and this issue is not going to sort out that problem but driving away the smoke. I am not a politician and no supporter of the president, but very embarrassed by our prank-playing-pikin attitude, our lawlessness and our lack of courtesy for one another, particularly a sick man! This is stomach churning. It makes me sick!
These are simple problems but we have turned them big to such magnitude that they currently threaten our national unity. Do you see my point? Let us follow procedures and avoid jungle justice and immaturity.
Yes, I'm ex-LASUite, I was in Humanities. Were you there too? Which course?
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A lawless state. Mafia led. There are some laws but only apply to ordinary people.
iLL said:What does the term"banana republic" mean? I'm sorry if that sounds like a stupid question. I really don't know what that means.
shehu balogun said:Nigeria is a proper banana republic. Nothing I have seen or heard can persuade me otherwise. Even mafia run states still have some kind of law they enforce. All laws in Nigeria only apply to the less well off. A rich guy can kill as many people as he likes, and will not face any prosecution. A country without leader for months, and it is business as usual for the legislators. Only in a banana republic can these events occur. God bless Nigeria. The future looks bleak.
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