BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO, LOKOJA

Seven years ago, precisely on November 28, 2007, Chief Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi, CON, a man of strong moral standard, passed on. Until his demise, Awoniyi was the Chairman of the National Executive Council of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).

A man whose career blossomed in the Northern Nigeria Region administrative service between 1962 and 1966, he served as Secretary, Provincial Secretary and Under Secretary amongst other

appointments.

Between 1968 and 1975, Awoniyi was Permanent Secretary in several ministries. Born on April 30, 1932, he was a student of Holy Trinity School, Lokoja from 1945 to 1946 and Provincial Middle School, Okene from 1947 to 1949.  He proceeded to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, now Ahmadu Bello University, from 1951 to 1956; University College, now University of Ibadan, from 1956 to 1959 and the Imperial Defence College, now Royal College

of Defence Studies from 1970 to 1971.

Awoniyi passed on to glory on November 28, 2007, at the age of 75 in a London hospital, ten days after he had an accident on Kaduna – Abuja expressway. His funeral, held at Mopa on December 15, 2007, drew men and women from all walks of life. Every one present at the funeral and those who were at the fifth remembrance of the late icon, equally spoke about his life and times as worthy of emulation. Seven years after the political icon passed on, his great works, his life of simplicity, his thoughts, ideals on excellence, counsel on good governance and  putting the people first, irrespective of social standing as the cornerstone of representation, are the political realities which come to mind and call for sober reflection.

Sadly, there is not effort to celebrate the ideals and principles this great Nigerian stood for.

And the spirit of the moment makes it inappropriate for any get- together in view of the challenges of insecurity, poverty, heightened political atmosphere and others too numerous to mention that characterize the nation’s democracy. Remembering Awoniyi at this time when politicians, especially those in the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP (a party he joined others to form) and other political parties, would be electing candidates at all levels for the 2015 general elections, makes his seventh year remembrance a food for thought and for politicians and their parties to play by the rule.

The late elder statesman, in a lecture he delivered in 2000 at the Arewa House during the 5th annual lecture on Ahmadu Bello’s style of leadership, quoted Shehu Usman Dan Fodio, “One of the swiftest ways of destroying a kingdom is to give preference to a particular tribe over another, or show favour to one group of people over another, or draw near those who should be kept away and keep away those who should be drawn near. “The death of a thousand good men of high rank is less serious for the survival of the state than one man of low rank being elevated above the station he is fitted for … States decline through giving

preference to men of low rank”.He equally quoted from the Scriptures on Jethro and Moses, his son-in-law, saying, “ … choose able men from all the people, such as fear God, men who are trustworthy and who hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as rulers of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens”.

The Scriptures quoted by Awoniyi call for deep reflection. The essence is that men with talent, honest, good and committed to the cause of good governance, irrespective of tribe, religion, financial muscle, as it is said in the Nigerian context, should be elected.

It is rather unfortunate in Nigeria that rather than have a political space that allows all who are competent to aspire, the reverse is the case, a struggle that until it is won, wrong men will

continue to dominate leadership positions by reasons of imposition, money politics and godfatherism.

I am also of the opinion that in view of our diversity, the weak should be given the opportunity through rotation to also aspire to leadership position.

Awoniyi, a politician of Okun descent from Mopa, Kogi State, was, during the Third Republic, a member of the National Republican Convention (NRC). He was elected to the Senate to represent Kogi West District. He believed that the nation would be the giant it ought to be with the right leadership.

According to the late elder statesman, nothing is wrong with democracy. What the country needs more than ever before, he opined, are leaders who are magnanimous and God-fearing. If good governance is about the people, as Awoniyi believed, then there will be no fear of disintegration, political violence, religious and ethnic disharmony that currently pervades the political sphere as the country prepares for election next year.

Nigerians can only make the seventh year anniversary of the death of this public administrator par excellence worthwhile only if we elect leaders based on standards of behavior not below the ones he set.

Habits of self denial by our leaders that will inspire discipline, especially by followers.

* OBAHOPO works in Vanguard ([email protected])