Is it a Cock or a Rooster that crows? Is a Cock not the same as a Rooster? Anyway, who cares whether they are the same or not? If there is any difference, that would be evident when the Cock or Rooster is grilled for Sunday Lunch and washed down with Roederer ‘Cristal’ 1995. Its crowing would by then be long forgotten and it is remembered for its toothsomeness.
The crowing of the Cock herein is a euphemism of sorts. Intrinsically, it is the attempt of Mohammadu Buhari, the Presidential flag bearer of the All Nigeria’s Peoples Party (ANPP) to discredit the results of the last elections, which mandates Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo to govern our nation that connotes a tocsin. And, we ignore the enterprise of Mr. Buhari at our own national peril. Even if the amateurish and haphazard organisation of his protestation to void the election results make for lackadaisical reactions of the electorate when the populace is thoroughly irked by the affront of the ruling party. Surely, it is the cursoriness of his and other protesters that for now is the singular determinant in the defeat of their own pleadings at the Courts of Law and Public Opinion.
It is unfortunate that many observers consider the issues in the electoral malfeasance championed by Mr. Buhari as a personal scrimmage for which his person and antecedent as a maximum ruler should be taken into account. I disagree profoundly and my reasons are stated below.
Let it be said that this is not an attempt to derogate the victory of the winner. Most probably, Mr. Obasanjo deserves to be the president of this nation for the second term – even though, life under the first term worsened for the average citizen while he was ‘cruising his Nigeria-craft’ – a terminology used in his recent inaugural speech. Heaven knows the etymology of the word: ‘Nigeria-Craft’. It is hoped that this new model is not also flying in the turbulence of election rigging as it may end up like its now demised cousin – the Nigeria Airways, which became bankrupt and died a disgraceful death.
Further, it is hoped Mr. Obasanjo has enough fuel for this vehicle – after all the average citizen joining him in this air bound Okada suffers fuel scarcity in an oil producing nation. Since he has invited the nation to ‘come ride with me’ a la Frank Sinatra, it would be catastrophic of unequal proportion, if this yeye ‘Nigeria-Craft’ crashes or cruises around Grub Street seeking debt forgiveness to the neglect of other important matters.
The landslide victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is not as sacrosanct as it should for the leader of the party; after all he is a man who wears his religion as a badge of honour. Is it any wonder that others now question this type of faith that sees no evil; speaks no evil; even when it is surrounded by so much evil? What type of Christian faith would not want to champion a correction of the massive rigging of the last elections? Perhaps Mr. Obasanjo does not believe the elections were rigged. Is this what is regarded as a Nigerian styled Christianity? The practise of a faith of convenience which enervates society. Is this a faith which on this occasion, is excluded from politics?
The aberration of the results in some parts of the country makes true of the maxim of a bad apple spoiling the rest. And, the protesters must concentrate efforts to defeat the malfeasance because it is foreboding for the sanctity of the franchise of the Electorate. It is beyond doubts that the last elections in our country were not only far from fair and free – they were in many constituencies not short of a charade. The evidence is in many observers’ reports. We must recognise the principle at stake here. If Buhari and other protesters fail or are discouraged in their pursuit, the electorate becomes permanently disenfranchised and nothing will stop a repeat at future elections.
Pointedly, it is not in the personal attack of Buhari as now championed by Professor Omo Omoruyi and the highly regarded Laolu Akande; whose professionalism one had considered was beyond his erroneous extension of the Law of Equity to Constitutional Law. If Akande had predicted his submission on decisions that extended interpretations of the Constitution, he may well have been absolved. So, when a formidable journalist like him argues the common axiom in Equity to the basic questions of whether electoral laws and regulations of the country were breached – it is unfortunate and misleading not to have taken account of the remedy for which Mr. Buhari and other protesters seek.
The ANPP flag bearer has not claimed that he won the elections. Far from it. He is calling for certain results to be nullified where there are irregularities. What can be more germane than that? So, what is wrong in that proposition? Surely, it is worthy of our attention and more so, importantly enough for the guardians of our freedom to pursue the sanctity of our plebiscite. If Mr. Buhari doubts the mandate claimed by Mr. Obasanjo, there is nothing wrong in it. That is the essence of politics.
That aside, enjoining the Ikemba Nnewi for the remedies Mr. Buhari seeks, in light of the report that he claimed to have won the elections makes a serious campaign rather puerile. As a digression, my article titled: Ikemba Nnewi – Leadership Redefined precipitated contumelious emails and rejoinders. As, I am not dissuaded by vitriolic criticisms or intimidation for criticising the Ikemba, I was unbaffled when barraged with criticisms not worthy to be dignified with responses. Unfortunately many critics were incoherent in logic and diffusion in their attempts. One poor soul, did not stop at personal attacks, my poor mother was also game for him.
It was only a reasoned and scholarly rejoinder that necessitated an investment of time and an exchange of a further deliberation. It was not surprising that the critic was gentlemanly even in reproach. There is nothing farther from claiming that I criticised the Ikemba because of his origin or disguisedly criticised the Nd’Igbo nation. I am privileged to count a few members of his family and close associates as acquaintances. These are the people that know the Ikemba too well. It is a relief that sensible people around him privately hold my public criticisms. I am not beholden to the Ikemba. Hence, I retain the licence to reason with him publicly. I repeat the Ikemba must redefine his role in our national politics. His, must be the stake of a kingmaker, whose leadership is not displayed in a competition to ridicule his intentions and authority. The Ikemba can achieve much for his people, if he operates with supernal grace instead of engaging in rancid enterprises such as the last three failures in national politics.
So, why is it apt to align in metaphor, the crowing Cock or Rooster to our national politics and the protestations of Mr. Buhari and others? The answer is a point at which to return to earlier postulations. But, before doing that, another digression beckons by way of an explication of the correlation in the title.
The Japanese teaching of Kyososama teaches the crowing of the Cock proclaims a new Dawn; this is not different from what obtained in Greek and Jewish Anthropology. The crowing of the Cock separates time; interestingly, the separation of day and night is perceptibly what obtains in our national politics. On this occasion, the night is synonymous to the evil in the existential political dealings currently prevalent. If the results of the last elections are sustained, the Cock that crows for the break of the dawn would be silenced in the midst of an ensuing pandemonium that we are currently investing in.
Witness the current farce of electing Senator Adolphus Wabara of Abia South Senatorial District to lead the Nigerian Senate. Given the intransigence that obtains in his State and senatorial district; is he the least controversial candidate to lead the senate? As a nation, the election of Mr. Wabara further confirms the parody that self-interest is a hallmark even in national life.
So, as the inaugural speech enjoins us not to ask what Nigeria can do for us but what we can do for the country: does that include subjugating all else for expediency as the election results establish? Is this a call to the fittest and well connected – who can boast of their relationships with the presidency? Well, given that every parvenu in our country boasts of a connection of sorts to the presidency or its corresponding apparatchiks, the boast that Mr. Wabara had a ‘settlement’ of his current station is plausible. But it begs the question whether this senate can be dynamic in its charge.
In closing, our democratic experience is proving costly in its operations, so much so that the electorate may not want to participate in protecting the victory over military rule. And, why would that be the case? Would we want to support people who do not have our vote against a stronger evasion? When it is argued that a rigged election is better than the alternative that had obtained in the country – I wonder if the question goes into the heart of our dilemma. The otiosity in the statement fails to address a defeat of the electorate by a handful of politicians who ought not to reside in the citadel of power but should be in prisons.
The attending defeat of Mr. Buhari at the end of the day will be a short term victory for the price that he pays for an earlier foray in military rule; although personal as that may well be – his defeat will crystallise itself into a national politics that is spearheaded by cheats and hoodlums. It is true that Mr. Buhari at that time would be long gone and forgotten. However, when the Cock or Rooster Crows again, as a nation, the crowing may well be a notice for a further descent into the abyss and would we then wonder, how we became a people so governed – I hope not!
