Having clarified the concepts of morality and politics, it is now time to look closely at the role of morality in Nigerian politics.

There is no human group known in history that did not have a system of morality, that is, a set of rules and principles that stipulate conducts which are considered right, good and praiseworthy and those that are deemed to be wrong, bad and blameworthy.

Having discussed in previous essays some pertinent issues arising from recent conflicting judgments of different courts with respect to corruption charges and electoral fraud preferred against some prominent Nigerians, I think it is appropriate to investigate the role of morality (if any) in Nigerian politics.

He must avoid the usual mistakes of Nigerian politicians who feel that they must change immediately all the appointments made, and uproot all the structures created, by their predecessors, thereby wasting valuable resources and time.

We shall also discuss the fairness or unfairness of resorting to plea bargain which offers undeserved soft-landing to prominent Nigerians who were found guilty of elephantine corruption and financial crimes, whereas ordinary citizens convicted for stealing pittance would face up to ten years imprisonment.

One of the perennial issues in the philosophy of law or jurisprudence is the question of the status of morality in law. Philosophers, jurists and other interested parties have approached and debated the topic mainly from two broad theoretical perspectives.

The problems of Nigeria are too serious to be treated cavalierly at this point in time. Therefore, instead of wasting energy and scarce resources celebrating a cretinous giant, Nigerians, especially top members of the ruling class and the bourgeoisie, ought to have spent the day meditating on the problems of the country and how to go about resolving them with renewed vigour, commitment, courage and selflessness. This year’s independence anniversary has come and gone.

It must be remarked that the overemphasis by Atiku and Babangida on the zoning arrangement of the PDP is disingenuous: it implies that both men are not sure of convincing the party that they are suitable for the job without relying on quota system. The zoning formula is expedient, given our chequered political history.

Now, is this the kind of President Nigeria needs at the moment? Certainly not, because we desperately need an honest, transparent, disciplined, intelligent and focused servant-leader who has compassion for the masses, a leader who will boldly confront the grotesque status quo and radically change it for the better. Our people are tired of morally over-contaminated leaders.

Obviously that is a limitation, but we are not totally helpless as a result. Media practitioners over the years have improved their information-gathering and investigative capabilities using available technology, to the extent that one can have enough reliable information about prominent individuals (without necessarily meeting them face-to-face) which otherwise would not have been possible.

Let us at this point begin to harvest our thoughts on the main thrust of our dis
course, that is, the desirability of a benevolent dictator, leviathan or strong transformational figure for Nigeria at this time.

We are not claiming that all the actions taken by Yew and Rawlings are flawless or that after their transformatory exploits all Singaporeans and Ghanaians respectively have been “living happily ever after.” Both countries are still grappling with the usual problems of nation-building, including the perennial issues of poverty and equitable distribution of wealth among the citizens.

Yet, that does not mean that all socio-political revolutions are useless or that reform is always the best option. In a decadent country like Nigeria, if members of the ruling elite are impervious to the yearnings and aspirations of the people and continue to behave as if the entire country belongs to them, the case for radical change becomes more compelling. Now, has the ruling elite in Nigeria been sensitive and responsive to the welfare of Nigerians?

As Nigeria moves closer and closer to the 2011 elections, politicians and other stakeholders in the political process have started strategising for the event. Attahiru Jega, a well-known academic who made a name for himself by leading the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) through a successful nationwide strike during the regime of Ibrahim Babangida, is now chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The just concluded football extravaganza in South Africa, in my view, is one of the most interesting World Cup finals in recent history. Indeed, it is a pivotal achievement for FIFA, because it was the first time the soccer fiesta was held in Africa.