By Bisi Lawrence
Along with a sense of careful deliberation, affairs of State also need timing. When the action seems to misfire, it could sometimes be considered the outcome of precipitate execution. At other times, it may be because the final resolution came, as they say, “too little, too late”.

Neither case is pleasant. But, all in all, many astute leaders have gone on record to recommend judicious timing, as they see it, but with prompt decision rather than an interminable delay in action. In moments that have an element of urgency, a sense of “deliberate haste” has also often been advised. It will not be the first time that we have noted that our situation in this nation today, demands it.

One should be fair to many of the other States and not compare Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos with his counterparts. It might be like putting quicksilver side by side with lead. Several of them still need to recover from the euphoria of winning the election, in order to squarely face the task at hand. The promise was that they would hit the ground running. They have already landed. They should now talk with their feet, and step up. We have heard enough of plans for the future. We are fed up with bickering over their predecessors’ supposed embezzlement of state funds; the crime agencies can handle all that and are better placed to do so than ad hoc probe panels that never resolve anything. Time’s a wasting, and there are tasks waiting to be tackled. But, incredibilis narratum, as my old Latin master would say, even Fashola was among the herd of laggards that had been dawdling over the appointment of their cabinet members. We hear, though, that it was due to another episode in the age-old saga of the continuing conflict, between who is in power and who is in office.

There is also the extreme case of the Governor of Oshun State who seems to genuinely believe that the burden of governance and the accompanying responsibility are too grave to be shared by anyone else, so he had better bear it all alone. In that way he hopes to be held accountable for any failure; it would be his problem, and his alone, forgetting the fate of millions who would be called upon to suffer from the horrors of a failed administration. His is a pathetic case.

Perhaps the source of the sharpest anxiety about all the administrations in this situation is the Federal Government, in the face of the onerous responsibilities that lie ahead. We are writing this page more than a month after the swearing-in of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and, until a few days ago, the list for the proposed ministerial appointments was still a matter of lose speculation. Now that it has been released, we can only urge the Senate to give it all the urgent attention it deserves.

We are not being unduly restless if, at this time, we should ask what is the cause of this kind of delay in governmental decisions, are we? Surely, it could not be due to an under-estimation of the importance of sitting cabinet ministers in the ordering of governance.

The administration of the nations’ health, wealth and well-being cannot move on a progressive course without the firm hand of these officials on the wheel. For instance, a point of law which has been raised in defence of the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dimeji Bankole, is premised on the fact that the prosecutor, Festus Keyamo who was appointed by the EFCC, is on a fool’s errand, since only the Attorney-General of the Federation could legally make the appointment. And the AGF himself is yet to be appointed. .

One is not a lawyer and so cannot adequately pronounce on the merits of the point, though it would appear to be well made since a similar case involving the same lawyer has been cited in its support. But, be that as it may, such hiccup in what is indeed considered a causa celebre, could not have occurred at all, if cabinet positions had been already filled.

Beside that, this long gap between the installation of government and the appointment of so many of its principal officials had given room unduly for a field day for opportunists and political professionals. Their efforts to break into office, covert as they were, yet made headlines. Some employed subtle means, while others went for the brazen manner.

Not many of them were even fazed while it was chorused from all sides that what they had their sights on was the national treasury and how to plunder it, in the guise of serving the people. But I believe that there are indeed yet a number of honest – and not so dishonest – citizens to whom we can safely entrust the craft of state on our voyage to peace and prosperity in this country.

However, the delay of these cabinet appointments could hardly have helped significantly in the choice of the right people. It was all so unhealthy, and yet so protracted. The Nigerian project cannot be put on hold from time to time. No shoulder is broad enough, strong enough, to carry the burden alone – not even for a short while – with decisions waiting impatiently on the heels of prompt actions.

One has often wondered why it takes such a considerably long time to pick men and women who are capable and are willing to serve their nation, especially when there are so many available candidates. Granted that there are, political considerations to be met, the national imperatives are definitely overwhelming, whichever way one considers it. And at the end of the livelong day, one hopes we get a sound executive committee from the Senate screening. In the past several weeks, we have all had the opportunity of advising the President about the kind of ministers we want. The accent has been on honest and competent men and women, and that is what we all boast to be until we are put to the test. One may therefore be able to make a fair comment in that regard only about those who have been there before.

Someone I would miss, though, is Odein Ajumogobia, the erstwhile Foreign Minister. He seemed to have the entire ensemble in comportment and stature complete, someone cut out entirely for a diplomatic address. But we’ll find someone else. It is comfortable that Olusegun Aganga appears to be returning to Finance, though there was some grumbling from constituents of an unprogressive clique who wish to elevate indigenity to the lucrative status of a career.

Of course, Dezani AlisonMadueke is back and rearing to go. With Jumoke Akinjide, and the other distaff elements of the list, the exclusion of erstwhile Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Nweala should leave no regrettable gap. Performance is the keyword And now, it’s Showtime!

Boko Haram are well known to the people who know them. That is my conclusion after trying to sift out even an iota of useful information about the details of their existence. They exist, and only those who are involved know the essence of their existence. Broadly speaking, these would normally be Northerners, for we are talking about a Northern phenomenon.

I know of only one prominent Southerner who seems to take a less than hard stand against the group, and that is Dr. Lateef Adegbite, SAN, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. But I am probably being unfair to him. But he seems always committed to anything with an Islamic flavour.

However, we live today in a world of overlapping interests and colorations. Looked at closely, we discover that things that look the same are often different; that the same sounds sometimes produce dissonant echoes.

And so the subtle differences between Christianity and Christians manifest from the practice of a single religion by a score of worshippers; that being an Israeli would make you a Jew perhaps, but not necessarily a Zionist; and that a Muslim may not be an Islamic Jihadist. But the interplay of social dynamics with culture and professed faith has created various admixtures that make several situations seem like what they truly are not.

Take the case of Muslim worship, for instance. It is so streamlined, so open and absolutely appealing. Some of my favourite blood relations are Muslims.

The religion speaks of the one-ness of God and the universal brotherhood of man. But there are several communities with a sizeable Northern population in Lagos, where a Northerner would not say his prayers behind a Southern Muslim leader. Does Dr. Adegbite know that?

Does he think that the Supreme Council should look into it? If Muslims serve the same universal Allah, should the conduct of worship be so discriminatory? But then, one can’t make too much of that because the “Holy Catholic church” is still not very near the day when a black man – even a non-European” – will climb into “the fisherman’s shoes”.

This brings into focus the issue of the Islamic Bank. The title is soaked to dripping point with religion – the Islamic religion – its philosophies and all its bias. We cannot be so naive as to ignore the fact that Boko Haram has to be dependent on foreign finance. The headship of the Central Bank of Nigeria has never concealed its pronounced Muslim (Islamic?) association and background. One cannot but wonder if there is some kind of an overlap, or overlay, of interests in these equations.

One thing is clear: to suggest the introduction of an institution like the Islamic Bank, so enthusiastically, in the midst of the prevalent crisis of security, tinged with strident ethnic and religious tones is, to display an arrogant insensitivity to the welfare of the nation.

In the meantime, “dialogue” is being made an issue, while Fulani “herdsmen” are killing helpless

villagers in Benue State – “herdsmen” with AK47. That is one kind of “dialogue”. Britain and the US have opted for the definite punishment of the terrorists. That is how they do it in civilized countries. The mandate of government is clear – it is to govern. Unless a government can stand up to defend its mandate, any force that can bring it to its knees, IS the government.

Time out.