By Dele Sobowale

“Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed in one self place: for where we have is hell…”
Christopher Marlowe, 1564-1594(VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p.89).

Marlow finished that sentence in a way I can’t. But, as Nigerians again are now at dagger’s drawn over the recent election in Delta State and the first full election to be conducted under Professor Attahiru Jega, my heart bled. Ordinarily, the outcome should have provided another opportunity to say “I told you so.” But, the catastrophe that has befallen our nation far outweighs any feeling of triumph.

How can any patriotic citizen of this country rejoice, not only at another disputed election but what it portends for the general elections this year? In Delta, and in 2011, we are still casting votes for the 2007 elections, for God’s sake. Even a banana republic can do better than that.

The first seven text messages from Delta, on that election day, reached me at the doctor’s clinic where I was battling to pull myself away from death’s door to which malaria had dragged me. They all complained about polling materials yet to arrive by 11 a.m. for an exercise that was to commence at 9 a.m. And, my heart sank. “Couldn’t Prof. Jega and his staff understand that performance at their first outing will determine the rest of the year? And, as a result, couldn’t they also understand that the outcome of that first outing depends on the critical first hour of the day?” In the age of GSM, there was no excuse for late delivery of materials anywhere.

Apparently, they botched it in many areas; given the number of calls that arrived by 12 noon. All of a sudden, people seemed to remember my warnings to Jega.

However, if you think this piece is about the Delta re-run election, then you score no more than 10 per cent. The Delta re-run was taking place at the same time as primaries were being undertaken all over the country. As usual, the centres of attention were the PDP primaries, which, nationwide, can only be characterised as organised fiasco. Generally, the primaries not only demonstrated the almost total lack of internal democracy in virtually all the political parties, they also point to something else which accounts for the title of this column.

That something is the total absence of political elders. According to my definition, elders are different from leaders; although occasionally the same person can be an elder and a leader at the same time e.g Dr. Nelson Mandela. Incidentally, the person who could have been our own “Mandela” fluffed the chance in 2002 in pursuit of vainglory.

Political elders, especially in an African setting, serve the same purpose as they do when other social conflicts arise. They are in a position to call the contending parties and settle differences through mediation, arbitration or sometimes even judgments which any of the conflicting parties ignores at his social/political peril.

To be able to play their roles successfully, they usually would be accomplished individuals whose judgment, when in active duty, is generally regarded as sound and who have demonstrated great wisdom and justice on various issues in the past. They must also have renounced any further ambition beyond that of serving their nation or society truthfully – if called upon.

Unfortunately, Nigeria has never developed a crop of political elders; mostly for one reason – our older politicians never want to quit. When Chief Anthony Enahoro died last month, a friend asked me what I thought about his departure. My answer was brief: “He made one cardinal mistake; he did not know when to quit partisan politics and become a political elder.” To some extent, Gowon and Shagari have almost achieved that ideal.

They have reduced their partisanship almost to zero and have positioned themselves as people who politicians in all parties can accept for mediation and advice. I will be extremely delighted if people like Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Chief E.K. Clark, Malam Adamu Ciroma, Chief Solomon Lar etc were ready to play such roles. A former President, who makes himself the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, not only signals his intention not to leave the stage, but has effectively removed himself from the list of political elders.

Yet, if Nigeria is to survive the crisis for which we are headed this year, the sooner we started the search for our political elders the better. If care is not taken, we are going to be faced with a constitutional crisis which our 1999 Constitution might not have envisaged; and perhaps, helped to create; and which will threaten our unity. We need people who can persuade the gladiators to shelve their ambitions or power in the national interest. Otherwise, by June this year, Nigeria will be hotter than Cote d’Ivoire…

PENSIONERS: MATTERS ARISING – 1
“Where a great proportion of the people are suffered to languish in helpless misery, that country must be ill-policed and wretchedly governed..

James Boswell,1740-1795, in Life of Johnson.
There is probably no Nigerian alive today who is not either a pensioner or who is not related to a pensioner. These are people who had served their fatherland, on slave wages, for decades, sometimes more than 40 years, and who looked forward to a measure of succour in their old age in pensions. Before the founding fathers of our Federal Republic of Nigeria urged us to drive the “terrible British” away, the colonialists made sure that each pensioner received his money when due.

They did not even have to leave their homes once they had a postal address. The cheques were posted to them in the comfort of their homes. Today, they drop dead on queues caused by the heartlessness of government officials – including the incumbents at all levels of government. Where, one may ask, is the “breathe of fresh air” here? Are we supposed to accept that in 50  years all we have succeeded in doing was to unlearn all the lessons those “horrible British” taught us?

For months I have received entreaties from pensioners asking me to take up the matter in my column. I have resisted until now because the time was not ripe. To me, the appropriate time is when the pensioners themselves can exert some influence; and that is election time.

From Jonathan to the contestants for local governments, candidates need the votes. Pensioners, as a group, should become self-centred and not be fooled by small bribes. They should make it clear to Jonathan or any governor, NASS members, seeking second term that he would not receive their votes unless all the arrears of their pensions are paid before election day. They should go beyond that, they should ask their children, friends and relatives to help vote out those who have made them suffer while paying themselves jumbo allowances.

Those desiring freedom from oppression must be prepared to strike the blow against their oppressors. They have my support. Nobody in my family will vote for them and I am spreading the campaign everywhere I go.