So much has been said and written about the persons of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari – the two major contenders of the highly coveted seat at the Aso Rock Villa. Many positive, so many others maligning. You will agree with me the bulk of all we know so far are from the prism of the media – print, electronic and more prevalently the social media – as only a handful have close encounters or relationship with them. Supporters and adversaries alike are more than ever turning to social media in this era of globalisation to indorse and traduce these contestants; essentially and unfortunately, these perspectives lack substance or logic – just gabs and jabs, mistaken falsification and sometimes outright prevarications aimed at nothing but achieving parochial/myopic interests. We have been inundated with arrays of information; often times sieving the wheat from shaft are herculean. Regrettably, the people saddled with the responsibility of properly informing, enlightening and educating the citizenry are fundamentally impuissant in their postures.
The general outlook on the social media now is that President Jonathan is clueless, although with so much of humility, gentility and amiableness. He is also seen as indifferent to grafts – with outright condonation of malfeasance. They say he is clueless, basically because of the precarious socioeconomic ills mudding the nation – many of which have bedeviled the nation long enough and even before many of us were born, but which have so far been aggravated somewhat because of his actions and inactions. Sometimes I am inclined to wanting to tow this line but would quickly redirect my thoughts; why, because I am not clueless. Time, chance and circumstance determine moments. Therefore I have formed my opinions based on intuition.
At the height of the Yaradua health scandal and the ensuing succession imbroglio, one of my close kins usually referred to the President as “adefila’mopolo”, i.e. clueless (pardon me, English lacks expression). I often wondered how a man who holds a Doctorate Degree could be held in such light judging by the fact that attaining such Olympian academic height is not a child’s play. This kin was of this opinion because he expected Jonathan to have made some moves towards his aggrandizement but failed to before the Doctrine of Necessity was eventually invoked. I have read the 48 Laws of Power; funny enough, I have seen this “clueless” Jonathan exhibiting and observing those laws – with the exception of few – with greater dexterity (please read this book and examine the Jonathan character). My point is: a man wouldn’t have climbed on the ladder of power to the level of presidency if he was to be clueless, but his style may be “questionable” or perhaps novel. Jonathan studied zoology; he has a doctorate degree in it. Zoology is basically the science of animals. Humans are animals.
Logically, Jonathan is likely to understand human’s behavioral patterns more than his contemporaries; hence perhaps necessitating his different approach to issues.
At the expense of sounding senile, if I am saddled with running the affairs of this nation at this present time, I could have done better – perhaps if not confronted with the peculiarity of our nation at this moment in time. Time, chance and circumstance determine moments.
I was barely a child on 31st December, 1983 when General Muhammadu Buhari snatched the mantle of power through the barrels of the guns from a (corrupt) democratically elected government. Like the President, the much (or few) I know of the People’s General are also gleaned from the prism of the media. He is portrayed (mostly on the social media) as disciplined, incorruptible, strict, prudent, humble. He has also been shown in the light of religious bigotry, “irresponsible” – as he often shelves responsibilities to his subordinates (his time as Head of State –Idiagbon- and his reign in PTF – and sometimes even corrupt. His over flogged double standard in the Fifty Three (53) Suitcases saga is often a reference point.
Back in the days while he was the Head of State, the Buhari administration decided to change the Nigeria currency to beat money launderers at their games and revamp the economy. As the ethos of the currency conversion exercise, no one was allowed to take any money into or out of the country. But the Emir of Gwandu had other plans, he was to move fifty three suitcases filled with Naira notes into the country to be changed. These suitcases were ceased by the then Airport Area Comptroller of Customs – the young Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. But lo and behold, a Col. Mustapha Jokolo – the son of Emir of Gwandu, who later became the Emir himself and was subsequently dethroned during Obasanjo’s administration, and the ADC to the then Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari – stormed the airport in company of some irate soldiers to take the suitcases. It is generally believed that the GMB administration can not claim ignorance of this scandal which could be likened to hypocrisy on the fight against corruption. Again I may sometimes be inclined to wanting to toe these lines of thought, but would rather quickly rethink; why, because I am not clueless. Time, chance and circumstance determine moments. I form my opinions based on intuition.
Presently, some say GMB intimate romance (after falling folly into the seduction of power) with some questionable and corrupt characters who are milking the people dry, contradict the perception they have of the people’s General. Certainly, there is more to the General –good and bad – that we must know; likewise to President Goodluck Jonathan; which brings to fore the Press.
Since the bulk of the citizenry rely solely on the mass media as represented by the Press to inform, educate and enlighten them, it behoves them to do a very good job of it so as not waste valuable time again in the nation’s quest to growth and development now more than ever to the true nature, personalities and characters of whom to lead them at this very trying time in their history. It is not enough to pickup a story and just report it– journalism entails giving deeper insights into the story, presenting its all side, balanced, without opinion to guide and enlighten the readers. The Press being the Fourth Estate in a democracy is saddled with the responsibilities of not just informing the masses, rather, guide them in forming good and sensible opinions on national issues and make right decisions there from.
Nigeria’s case seems peculiar now as no one is capable of holding the elected to account. The Press hasn’t done much lately – almost docile but never willing to learn or retrace its step. We need more of investigative journalism. That had long gone since the demise of Dele Giwa – a great watchman with strong moral character, unapologetic (since he represented and presented fact at all time and never culpable himself) fearless, always with fiery messages to rebuke and call to order oppressive dictators. We miss that greatly.
Just a few of such now dot our land. Ahmed Salkida is walking that path – brash and brave hence the present administration is not in tune with him. But he needs do more; he can only be encouraged. And others must rise now, and help defend and shape this democracy. We have had enough of these impuissant attitudes. It must be known that once an individual decides to venture out to serve the people in any capacity, he automatically becomes “public property”, as all, I mean everything about him must be known and made public. Because when such a person is elected, he becomes the image of the people to the outside world – we are therefore either respected and taken seriously as a people or derided and scorned. Those – and more – are the responsibilities of the Press in a democracy.
Twitter: @halogen347 email: hsodiq@yahoo.com
P.S: Happy New Year! May the peace and blessings of this year continually abide with us and our household throughout the year and forevermore! May he heal our land. Amen!
