“Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong”- Daniel O'Connell.
By Remi Oyeyemi
It
is very evident that Nigeria is in dire straits. It is clear enough
that Nigeria is in serious trouble. For anyone that still doubts it, we
have just been handed the evidence that this country called Nigeria is
straddling the line between good and evil. It is about to decide whether
to choose the good over evil or vice versa. It is about to determine
whether this would be a country where justice and integrity shall be the
hallmark of leadership or not. It is about to make a choice whether our
public officials would continue to be moral reprobates or virtuous men.
The test case is on hand as we speak.
Senator Bukola Saraki:
When
an alleged Certified Bank Robber in “Senator” Bukola Saraki can sit on
the top of the highest law making body of the land with impudence and
impertinence, strutting and prancing the corridor of the country’s power
halls without let or hindrance, then there is real fire on the
mountain. It is a proof that this country would never make it, no matter
how much we pretend. It is a proof that this country would never be
able to rise to the height of its promise and potentials. It is a sign
that the labour of our heroes past has been and would continue to be in
vain.
Societies
are made up of human beings. As we all know, human beings are never
perfect. Even the Christian book called The Bible attests to the fact,
“There is no perfect in human nature.” As a result we are not expecting
perfection. But what we should not compromise is the attainment of
excellence. And if, in the words of the famous American football coach,
Vince Lombardi, we relentlessly pursue perfection, we can attain
excellence without any iota of doubt.
More
so, simply because we recognize that human beings are not perfect is
not an excuse to go for the lowest denominators in morality. It is not
an excuse to enthrone a bandit and a kleptomaniac in the seat of
government. It is not an excuse to tolerate pernicious arrogance and
insidious condescension in the affairs of the country. It is indeed not
an excuse to banish integrity and dignity from the task of putting the
country aright.
Hence
the evident death of conscience amongst a people is always a sign of
the beginning of the end for such a society in which they live. When
there is a lack of modicum of morality and absence of decency,
degeneration sets in and the society continues to fall apart. Nigeria
has been falling apart for a long time. This is the only way to explain
the defence of the former governors who left records of woes and
gnashing of teeth for their people via kleptomania in
their states by some morally depraved supporters. That Governors like
Rotimi Amaechi, Godswill Akpabio, Gbenga Daniel, Rabiu Kwankwanso, Sule
Lamido, Kayode Fayemi, Bukola Saraki, Murtala Nyako and a host of
others still have defenders underscores the “moral paralysis” that has
enveloped our society. They all left records of profligacy and
corruption in their states
The
reason Nigerians voted for President Mohammadu Buhari was to try
to hold Nigeria together by resuscitating its moral fibre and imbue the
social milieu with some degree of integrity. All this would not be
possible unless “Senator” Bukola Saraki is shoved aside. Not only would
there not be any progress for this country, there would not be justice.
And where justice is impossible, peace would not be able to find a
place. As Oliver Cromwell contended on September 12, 1654 in a speech to
the Protectorate Parliament, “Weeds
and nettles, briars and thorns, have thriven under your shadow,
dissettlement and division, discontentment and dissatisfaction, together
with real dangers to the whole.” This
has been the lot of the Nigeria’s Senate since “Senator” Saraki has
been in charge. It should not and must not be allowed to continue.
The
entire country could not, should not and must not be held to ransom
because of the inordinate and morbid ambition of an alleged certified
bank robber and thief. “Senator” Saraki is the proof of what Harold
Laski called “the moral paralysis” in the society. This has become more pronounced in recent years and that is why degenerates like Bukola Saraki, his godfather, Abubakar Atiku along with their peccant and incorrigibly
acquisitive ilk could call themselves power brokers in our society.
This moral paralysis is evident in the defence of criminal acts in the
name of politics.
The
continued occupancy of the office of the Nigerian Senate Presidency by
“Senator” Saraki is not, cannot and must not be allowed to subsist. The
fact that he is a “Senator” is enough insult to the moral integrity of
this country, just like a few of them running around as members of that
body. But as posited earlier, we are not looking for perfection, but we
should not accept anything that is not good enough. Bukola Saraki is
just not good enough, he is bad enough.
Thus
for any person or group of persons to come out and defend the evil as
represented by Saraki is a sign that there is no shame or conscience in
this country any more. Not long ago, Mrs. Toyin Saraki was invited by
the EFCC to answer questions on some corruption matters, and to the
shame of this country, some of the lawmakers appeared in public with her
in solidarity! They ran their mouths pestiferously, as they meander
menacingly around the proximity of the anti-corruption body’s offices.
In saner climes, all of them would have become immediate political
casualties for appropriating opprobrium for their respective
constituencies.
For
Olisah Metuh, the spokesman for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
loquacity is an important requirement for his job. Since he also speaks
for a political party, he could be pardoned if he sees politics in many
issues that constitute challenges for the country. What evidently is not
important requirement for his job is recklessness and shamelessness.
One would expect that a spokesperson for a major political party would
know where not to cross the line. By coming out to support the evil as
represented by “Senator” Saraki is beyond the pale, immoral,
conscienceless and audacious. It is lewd, insolent and brazen.
The
country is at a crossroad when a major political party, through its
spokesman is openly supporting and defending evil as represented by
graft, robbery, peculation, skimming, thievery, embezzlement, larceny,
pilferage, theft as allegedly personified by “Senator” Saraki. It is an
action that is tantamount to treachery against the people. This is
because any action that is aimed at destroying the economic well being
of the people is traitorous. “Senator” Saraki’s case is not political.
Rather it is an existential threat to the socio-economic survival of the
people of this country.
One
finds it amusing that President Buhari is being accused of being
desperate to remove “Senator” Saraki. In one’s book, one has not seen
enough desperation to do so on the part of the President. The
body language of the President is like he does not even care about the
ugliness that “Senator” Saraki represents as the Senate President of the
country’s highest law making Chamber. But those who know the President
very well contends that the demeanor of the President cocoons a
controlled rage at the insolence of some Senate members shrouded in
garish shamelessness aimed at defiling the Senate. “Senator” Saraki cannot be the President of the Senate in an administration that is engaged in war against corruption.
Fact
of the matter is that the President has to do everything within the
confines of the law to have “Senator” Saraki removed from office by
encouraging and allowing the institutions to function. Such action would
be in the best interest of this country. It would make the
international comity of nations take Nigeria seriously. For those
Nigerians, who do not travel the world, they could not fathom the
insults, slights and disrespect that their fellow Nigerians who do so,
suffer from international airports simply because they carry Nigerian
passports.
For
other loyalists of “Senator” Saraki who hire clerics to engage in
prayers, vigil and fasting on his behalf to defend his evil acts, one
wishes them good luck. Their act is a shameless show of conscienceless.
It is also an unbridled insult to the justiciability of Allah and God.
To read in the media that the Chief Imam of Ilorin is also involved in
this despicable prayer for an alleged thief and Certified Bank robber
speaks volume of who they represent. It shows why more and more people
across our country are losing faith in religion and religious leaders
who themselves are not better than glorified but cocooned criminals.
It
is a sad day when the segment of the society that is supposed to be the
moral conscience for all, is exuding iniquity by defending evil. The Chief Imam of Ilorin and his henchmen are advised in the words of Obafemi Awolowo who remonstrated as follows: “Contemporary
political circumstances demand that Religious leaders must recapture
and relive the great and noble ideals and the militancy of those
inspired and immortal Prophets, Apostles and Evangelists who had the
divine courage to proclaim the truth as God gives it to them to know the
truth, and to call cant, humbug, political murderers, and brutes and
devils in human flesh, by their proper names.”
Rather
than pray and keep vigil for a crooked Senator, the Chief Imam of
Ilorin and his partners should pray for the victims of “Senator”
Saraki’s alleged crimes. The poor customers of Societe Generale Bank and
Trade Bank who lost their savings and whose lives are ruined deserve
some sympathy. They are the ones that need all the prayers. The
shareholders of Intercontinental Bank who were reportedly duped of
billions of Naira by Senator Saraki need a lot of prayers too.
Most
importantly, the poor people of Kwara, whose destinies have been
compromised, whose commonwealth have been commandeered; who have been
burdened with poverty and want; whose dignity have been dented; whose
self respect have been ruined and whose children’s future have been made
futile need a lot of prayers for a turnaround of their fortunes. They
need prayers to be freed from the bondage of the Saraki shackles.
It
is incontestable that everything that has been alleged against
“Senator” Saraki are not just criminal, but they are morally
unacceptable. And if they are morally unacceptable, then they could not
be politically acceptable. If they are not politically acceptable, then
“Senator” Saraki must be removed from office by all legal means
necessary, especially if he does not have the littlest integrity to
resign or step aside.
“Senator”
Saraki could not defraud two banks to extinction and the third to
comatose and seat in the Presidency of the highest law making body of
this country. This is among other alleged heinous crimes he is yet to
answer to. Yes, Nigeria and Nigerians tolerate a lot of things, but this
one is not going to stand. Not unless Presdent Buhari wants Nigeria to
burst under his watch. Saraki must go to the Courts and answer all the
charges against him. If he is vindicated, he would be welcomed back. If
not, he would be welcome to the oblivion of History’s dust bin. And to
jail!
“In
the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted
the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not
shrink from this responsibility – I welcome it.”
– John F. Kennedy, in his Inaugural Address January 20, 1961
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