Dr. Ugoji Egbujo

Lt Col Sakaba  died for his country.  He was killed by Boko Haram insurgents last month. He left a wife  and a baby boy. He was the commander of the battalion that was overrun by Boko Haram in Metele. That massacre at Metele sparked more national anger than sorrow. The military admitted, hesitantly, the horror  but claimed that the casualty figures thrown around were the work of mischief makers. Late Sakaba and his soldiers were buried in the midst of doubts, anguish  and recriminations.

The people called for an audit of the Boko Haram war. And a rejig of the war strategy. The president called for support for the military. And  called on the military to decapitate what he thought was a badly bruised Boko Haram. The military warned mischief makers and peddlers of fake news. And reminded  its officers and men that  cowardice is a cardinal sin. Atiku, the leader of the opposition, talked up a mythical  strategy he  would use to end the war if elected. Then he came down to earth with a call for a trust fund to cater for the  families of slain soldiers. The murmurs Metele generated  quickly  receded into the background like the others before it.

Atiku Abubakar

Then Atiku came up one morning with a story. He  reminded us it was Christmas. He said we should all emulate him and spare a thought for the military and their families. He said he had called the widow of  late  Lt Col Sakaba. She  must have told him of how she loved and missed her husband.  Yes, because he said he was touched by her love  for and devotion to her late husband.  He  didn’t want us think he was just making things up. He showed us a video clip. He was actually making that call.

It was all innocuous.  It is  good to give comfort to widows, especially widows of military heroes like Sakaba. It is  conventional in many parts to remember soldiers and their families at Christmas.  It is common for politicians to do the right things and call attention to them on the eve of elections. It all seemed  pretty routine.

https://newlive.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/boko-haram-sacks-military-bases-carts-away-guntrucks-ammunition-rocket-launchers/

That was until Sakaba’s widow erupted.  Poor woman. Her wounded soul  must have been slashed by the publicity stunts of a vote seeking politician.  She said Atiku never called her. She wondered why Atiku would tell such  lies.  The nation had its mouth agape. And heads slowly turned towards Atiku.  Atiku scrambled a response. It must have been nervous.

He said when he was moved to call Sakaba’s family he searched frantically for the right telephone numbers. He was given two numbers. One for the  soldier’s wife, another for the slain soldier’s sister. He tried the widow’s number endlessly but couldn’t reach her. Then he tried the soldier’s sister and was lucky to speak to her.   When he finished speaking with her he communicated  the call to his fellow Nigerians.

That was where Atiku’s coherence ended.  Because apparently, after the widow called him a liar he tried to come  to his senses.  He apologized and retracted the tale. But he had to give reasons for the first  tale in the first place.

So he said he must have ‘communicated poorly the communication.’ My great grandmother had warned us. He said when big people wanted to confuse people they spoke in ‘big English.’ Here was Almighty  Atiku poorly communicating his communications.

Many believe Atiku gambled and failed.  Atiku will call them cynics.  But here is their own tale.  Atiku is a smart politician. He wants all the votes he can grab. The ruling government didn’t handle  Metele well. And Atiku wouldn’t  mind fishing in that pond. Atiku  thought about it and decided to call the widow. He knew it could  fetch huge political capital. He knew the huge rewards would only come if  he spoke to the widow. But he couldn’t reach the widow. He reached the sister. He must have had a conversation with her. She couldn’t have told him about that marital devotion and love Atiku told us. Atiku doesn’t suffer from amnesia. So, was a part of his tale made up? The cynics think Atiku  never believed the widow would challenge his tale since he at least spoke to her sister-in-law. But he should have known that grieving military widows are a special breed.

So when Atiku talked about  ‘poor communication of  the communication’ many yawned. His own supporters cringed. Atiku has been labouring under a huge credibility cross tied to his shoulders by Obasanjo and so many things since 1999- 2007 era. So why would a man who claims he suffers such a credibility deficit unjustly entangle himself with this Sakaba tale?

We must believe Atiku spoke to the late soldier’s sister. But where did Atiku then get all that talk about marital love and devotion from? We must believe that Atiku didn’t set out to deceive. He has a good heart. And we should not believe he gambled and lost. That should be the sort of deception that should be found only amongst advance fee fraudsters and such like. And we cannot believe that Atiku confabulates sometimes. He is still mentally alert.

So why did Atiku communicate so poorly  such a simple communication?

Before I forget, let me communicate season’s greetings. Merry Christmas  season everyone. And have a  happy and productive new year!