Dele Sobowale
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason ? For, if it prospers, none dares call it treason”.
Sir John Harrington, 1561—1612.
(VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, pp 251-2).

Nothing is all evil. Previous military governments gave us two decrees, which in retrospect, we might wish had been incorporated into our 1999 constitution. The second was the Failed Bank Decree of the Abacha administration. Although I was placed in detention four times during that regime, I will forever pray for Abacha for at least temporarily sanitizing the banking sector.

If we had that decree now, all the robbers in designer suits, called bankers, would have “smelled their you-know-whats” and forfeited everything. There would have been no nauseating plea bargaining which amounts to the judiciary collaborating with bank looters to rob the public. I was at Alagbon three times during Abacha’s and seeing bankers sitting on the floor and pleading for water reminded me of the Biblical Lazarus and the rich man. It was effective punishment.

The first was the Economic Sabotage Decree, or something to that effect, promulgated during the Buhari-Idiagbon regime. Draconian, yes; but, effective, double yes. It made everything that could contribute to the economic downfall of Nigeria or place Nigeria at an economic disadvantage a crime punishable by imprisonment without option of fine, forfeiture of all ill-gotten gains made from the fraudulent transactions and the individual would have been barred for life from holding public office.

What are all these leading to? Your prize for guessing correctly is a scholarship for an advanced course in Street Wisdom at Jankara University. But let me for this week quickly lay out the issues, which only represent a small tip of the iceberg, in the array of activities carried out by public figures which are either treasonable, or can be construed as economic sabotage – without having to stretch any point too far.

Governors are covered by immunity from prosecution by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which, in some parts, reads like a document prepared by some people  after having too much to drink. That provision on immunity for Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Governors and Deputy Governors must have been written  without consideration  for the reality of our situation. All the reasons adduced in support of it amount to so much empty rhetoric when confronted with the mammoth problem of “immunity versus treason”.

Granted, the founding fathers did not imagine that a President or Governor, presumed to be sane, would engage in illegal importation of  arms. Now, there is every reason to believe it might have happened. At any rate, the Justice Eso probe into the violence in Rivers  State had provided us with sufficient evidence of governments’ complicity in the upheavals in that state; and that meant both  federal and state governments whose officials were the beneficiaries of the “do-or-die” politics which was in existence in 2003 but was only officially pronounced by President Obasanjo in 2007.

When  Obasanjo openly announced, in 2007, the policy of “do-or-die” in Nigerian politics, he spoke in an official capacity. And in that capacity, he either deliberately or inadvertently sanctioned anything and everything – including murder, arson, kidnapping, rape etc-as weapons of political war. Several people lost their lives, as we know. If the situation had got out of hand and we are now in  Somali-like situation, would it not have been fair to accuse Obasanjo of the fall of the republic? What then is treason?

Now, there is widespread fear that a governor had been importing arms illegally; a current  top government official allegedly  once worked at the top level for a multinational spying on Nigeria…..
NASS: SACK THEM ALL –3

“When spider webs unite, they can tie down a lion”. Ethiopian proverb. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, p 258).
Several readers have sent text messages telling me that the NASS members cannot be defeated because: 1. they are extremely rich and will buy INEC officials; 2. the elections will not be free and fair; and, 3. Nigerians live in poverty and can be enticed with money.  Let me confess, I never thought it will be easy. But, difficult and impossible are two different things. Let me illustrate with a true personal experience.

In 1987, I was seconded from North Brewery, Kano, to SUNRISE BOTTLING COMPANY, Ijebu-Ode as General Manager/CEO. Four previous GMs served before me for an average of six and a half months and twenty-two creditors were threatening to send in receivers. My brief was to hold off the creditors while the company was being financially restructured in nine months. Instead, it took more than twenty one months.

But the real story is about one man, now dead, popularly called CANT BE DONE. In fact, few people, including me, remember his real name. CANT BE DONE’s claim to fame lies in the fact that irrespective of what we proposed to do, he would give us a dozen reasons why “it can’t be done”. When it is eventually done, he would attribute our success to luck.

When I arrived and told him my mission was to stay a year, he bluntly announced, “it can’t be done”. First year ended and six more months were announced. Well, the reply came, “it can’t be done”. We became friends (and did we drink? 12, 15 bottles of Guinness and Gulder a day was average). He also became my adviser because he would think of reasons why a project would fail that nobody else considered and in the process made our decision making better and helped me to set a record as General Manager – 21 months; and no single creditor got a judgment against us!

The point is, my readers, especially those who are as committed as I am to ridding the NASS of Mark, Bankole and Co, never be discouraged. You are not beaten until you stop fighting; you are not defeated until you lay down your weapons.

We have three weapons which fortunately don’t cost much. The first is our mouth. Each of us should use that weapon to tell everybody we  need  to vote against the incumbent NASS members –irrespective of party. Neither the ACN Senator nor Representative will receive my vote in 2011 if they are fielded again in Lagos State. Second is the vote. Let’s go and cast it – at least against THEM.

Third, and this might be costly, insist on waiting for the votes to be counted and recorded right there and then. Stand your ground if thugs come or the police want to aid vote stealing. Freedom does not come easy; I still have my scars from the violent campaigns for black peoples’ rights in Boston in the late 1960s. We fought so today an Obama can be President. We were told then too that it was impossible. At least let us, parents, fight for our kids; so they will not suffer another NASS like this…

FIBBING FINANCE MINISTER —4
“We have growth without job creation and employment; therefore the impact is not felt in the life of the average Nigerian”. Minister of Finance in PUNCH, December 7, 2010.

That was after downgrading Nigeria from third fastest growing to “one of the top ten”. For telling the truth this time, go and “sin” no more Honourable Minister.