By Bisi Lawrence
An elected member of the National Assembly stood in the hallowed halls of the legislature and asked, “Have we got a government in this country?” One of his colleagues tried to shut him up.

“Of course, we have a democratically elected government in this country”, he retorted with heat, while the voices of other legislators were raised in support of the one position or the other.

The question was purely rhetorical and should not have engendered any passion, but it was occasioned by a discussion on Boko Haram, a subject which has grown a variety of emotions any time it came up. That was only a few days ago.

The question that might have been asked, perhaps, would be, “What manner of government have we got in this country?”. That must have been asked in sheer exasperation by many people on several occasions, especially with regard to the terrorism by which we are beset in the Northern part of the country. But there are several other issues that keep cropping up to incite the asking of that question which, at the end of the day, can only be resolved by examining ourselves as citizens of this country, and finding the answer to the important and overwhelming riddle of what kind of people we are.

We kept talking glibly a while back about “One Nigeria”. We realized then that we were yet not one unified entity, but we held that out as an ideal that should be achieved. We came out of the Civil War chanting, “To Make Nigeria One, Is A Task That Must Be Done.” But Wole Soyinka, even before he had become an immortal with the Nobel Award, was way ahead of us. On his way out of prison, where General Yakubu Gowon had kept him for an appreciable length of time (for the writer’s protection, the Head of State later submitted) Kongi amplified that sentiment in his own way. He said, “To keep Nigeria one, Justice must be done.”

Now hardly anyone shouts about “unity” from the rooftop. Rather, we keep hearing about “breaking up”. Someone who should know better expressed this sentiment and we took issues with him for that on this page. Now another Northerner—it is usually a well-placed Northerner—has voiced that notion again. Curiously, they also usually take this position to “call the bluff’ of the Southerners. But they throw it actually in face of Southerners as a threat. One wonders if they realize the fact.

It has been going on for years. Gowon articulated the proposition as part of his take-over speech when he succeeded General Aguiyi-Ironsi after a bloody coup in 1966. He bluntly stated that “the basis for unity” did not exist. But even as far as 1953, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, had decried what he saw as an unwanted influx of Southerners into the North. He was always honest about his resentment of having the South in the same country with the North. “We in the North take it that Nigeria’s unity is only a British intention.” And speaking about the presence of Southerners in North, the Sardauna clearly said, “We don’t want them, and they are not welcome here in the North”.

Against all this negative pronouncements, hardly did any Southerner even hint that the North’s amalgamation with the South was an inconvenience. Nnamdi Azikiwe, ever the liberal-minded nationalist, averred that Nigeria was a reality as a nation. “Let us bury our differences and build it together.” But when he reiterated that same sentiment face-to-face with the Sardauna, he got a smooth rebuff. John N, Paden in the comprehensive biography, “Sir Ahmada Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, writes:

“Tradition has it that in the mid-1920’s, Dr. Azikiwe met with Ahmadu Bello and said, “Let us forget our differences.. “

“To which Ahmadu Bello replied, “No, let us understand our differences. You are a Christian and an Easterner. I am a Muslim and a Northerner. By understanding our differences, we can build unity in our country. “

On the other hand, Chief Obafemi Awolowo insisted in those days that, Nigeria was”only a geographical expression to which life was given by the diabolical amalgamation of 1914. That amalgamation will ever remain the most painful injury that a British government inflicted on Nigeria.” Apart from that, no other Southerner had ever expressed any opinion but the most supportive about the idea of Nigeria’s unity. But that, unfortunately, now appears to be the most perceptive.

The most recent invitation for a break-up came from the Arewa Elders Council. There still seems to be no response, or reasonable reaction, from any Southern Elders, the existence of which is in doubt anyway. And it is doubtful that there would have been any reply to the oft repeated bluff from the North. Because that is the way we are.

James Ibori is a crook, and has always been a criminal. But we provided him with the “enabling environment”, to borrow a phrase from commerce and industry to, not only thrive but bloom. We have a system of government that virtually throws open the treasury of government, at all levels, and bids officials to take, and take, and take—and only flimsy questions asked. So Ibori found himself in his element and had a field day.

It was not that Ibori’s rotten past was totally unknown, but the powers that were able to cover up his previous misdeeds also retained him in the foremost office of a state. That source of power also exculpated him from all misdeeds and set him free here. It even attempted to spread that umbrella of impunity from Nigeria to cover all the crimes, for which he was charged in another country, but they are not the kind of people we are, and so they pulled him out to answer the charges.

We know the source of the power that attempted to pervert the course of justice by sending a spurious note to the British law enforcement authorities indicating that Ibori was blameless. It is not too late to hold that source accountable for his abuse of office.

There is the case of a former state governor who has even earned himself a perpetual order of non-prosecution in this country. He was accused of several acts of misdemeanour when he was in office when he had the helmet of immunity firmly planted on his head. The law provided that he could enjoy that privilege, but only while in office. A court of law made it permanent. But there was still an option provided by law, a simple action of an appeal. It was ignored. It is now too late to invoke it.

Our processes of justice seem to be so malleable. There are so many law-breakers walking around as free as the wind. Court Orders are trifled with by the score. And then, at one point, the defaulters may be summoned to answer a charge of contempt of court. Then an appearance is made and the matter of contempt gets shoved on one side, whilst the miscreant, without any show of remorse, attends to the proceedings as though he had come to do someone a favour.

A sixteen-year old girl is incarcerated for four years without trial, having been arrested for stealing a phone. She was just sixteen, mark you, not even yet an adult. The law was there, but it was simply not observed … What may be the richest period of the girl’s youth is lost and nothing can really compensate for it. But, for whatever it is worth, the “civil societies”, the NGO’s, and the other organizations that declare an existence for humanitarian causes and justice should do something about it. But what have they done about so many others who are languishing in duress vile in the same manner? That is the kind of system we run, because that is the kind of people we are.

Ibori would now be regretting that he left the shores of this beautiful country which would have provided a continuous haven for him and his misdeeds. His gang of choristers would still have been singing OGIDIGBODIGBO, his personal anthem, knowing all along that was really no better than “a common thief’. They had once confronted some law enforcement officers who came to arrest him in his village—an affront! They would have been hailing him still as a ready source of largesse, not even thinking of where the free gifts and generosity were flowing from. But there would be people, like you and me, who would still stand in judgment now that he has taken the fall. We stood by and simply watched, or we sent out feeble noises of protests, then heaved a sigh and looked for something else to occupy ourselves with. And after a few weeks from now, we would have forgotten almost everything. Because that is the kind of people we are.

Echoes.: .1bori’s criminally disposition and lunatic quest for filthy lucre and material abundance expended on bacchanalian orgies and revelry of Saturnalian proportion have left millions of Deltans in the valley of proverbial poverty. It has robbed us of free qualitative education at all levels; good roads; water; shelter; light; employment; peace, medicare and food. Ibori’s incarceration will be a wild goose chase if all that he stole are not confiscated and returned to Deltans who are the de facto”” owners. Our leaders must note that their sins must find them out. (Chief Bobson Gbinije, Mandate Against Poverty.)

Time out.