We are currently witnessing the epic battle of two people that have contributed more than any person in the shaping of modern Nigeria. I remember writing an article on October last year entitled THE BATTLE OF THE GENERALS. This Conflict between arguably the two most influential personality in the making and unmaking of Nigeria has been brewing up for a long time. These two individuals have been engaged in a cat and a mouse fight for a long time. They have been Tom and Jerry. A long low intensity war has been going on between them for as long as 2007. These two characters seem to be fighting over more or less their personal ego . Nigeria should look at the history,relationship and personality of the two individuals to understand and disseminate the actually problem between then . The fight is bound to open the eyes of people studying the leadership dynamism that have characterize Nigeria for the past 30 years.
A situation where two supposedly else while leaders of a big country like Nigeria who in between themselves have been in the saddle of leadership between them for more than 19 years but have actually wielded the feelers of power for the past 30 years of our nations existence. To be fair on Nigeria ,we should not waste much effort and attention in the fight between two of the luckiest Nigerian who were thrown into a privilege position not because of merit but because of some intricate cob webs and intricacies that have shaped our existence as a country for the past fifty years. These two more than any other individual have a fair contribution in not only the making of Nigeria into perpetual Lilliput but a curious subject that have defiled all developmental studies. A country rich in everything but is constantly showing strong signs of underdevelopment. From poverty to insecurity to dilapidated and non-existing infrastructure and all signs of bellow par in all the human developmental index. The type of language they are also using makes people wounder about the caliber of people that have occupied the leadership position in Nigeria. That we are in the current state in Nigeria can in a way be attributed to the contribution of the two generals and their subjects.
From their story ,they started their friendship from their exploited during the civil war. This fraternity continued up till the present day. Both individuals who owe some level of favour to each other have also played major roles in each others life. A look at the history of our leadership after the overthrow of the Gowon regieme. Obasanjo handed over to Shagari and played a major role in the government. Obasanjo also saved Babangida military career when they wanted to boot him out. Babangida and his band of bandits terminated Shagari’s regime. He also terminated the regime of Buhari in a palace coup. When he was about to be forced out he formed the interim government and made sure he left his old time friend to take over from the interim Government. Also immediately after the death of Abacha he was one of the few individuals that help in installing his town man in the leadership of the country. In addition, he with Abdulsalam and his apostles made sure Obasanjo was brought out from Prision to be install as President. Obasanjo on assuming leadership of the country handpicked Yar Adua to lead the country Nigeria. It is also because of largely the influence of Obasanjo that Goodluck was not only allowed to be acting President but also an elected President of the country. So when we talk of the leadership problem in Nigeria we are actually talking of the failure of these two individual not only to direct the affairs of their consistency but that of the country at large. The two individuals in question accused each other of failure. Do they need to remind us of that? The call each other fools and other names. We need concrete information from them about the misgovernance that have characterised our existence as a country.
The question that begs for answer is what legacy are these two individuals leaving for the upcoming generation. The legacies are legacies of failure,hopelessness,selfishness and retrogressive forces that are daily fighting to maintain the status quo.It is also curious and interesting that people also talk of the love of that country by these two individuals. But we all know why we love pawns that we easily control and manipulate. The two seems to understand the psyche and thinking of an average Nigeria that they have live a larger than life personality. While one is reputed to be vindictive which beclouds all his action and inaction ,the other is reputed to be so insincere even to himself that he dribbles himself. But the underling flaw in both characters is that they both harbor a false sense of personal ego and self importance. We are actually witnessing the fight of personal ego and competition over who should actually be in control of the soul of the country Nigeria.
I am also in support of those that argue that instead of these two fighting against each other that they both should be facing judgment from the general population for their role in our current state of underdevelopment. These two contributed and supervised our current state in the country. There is no way both can be exonerated in the current state of affairs in Nigeria. Some people have also argued that these two individuals have been the greatest ‘fools’ (their own words) ever created by God to preside over the affairs of the country Nigeria.
It is also a welcome development that they should be allowed to fight. Those mediating to stop the fight are doing injustice to the general population. They should be allowed to wash their dirty linen in public. I must confess that it could be the dirtiest linen ever worn by two individuals. I , like some other Nigerians ,wish the fight could escalate into full scale wars. It is in our best interest that this fight continues. We want to be informed of a whole lot of things that is wrong with the country. Unfortunately some forces are fighting to denial us of this epic drama unfolding from the war chest of our morally bankrupt generals. They are like two quarrelsome housewives fighting over the soul of their husband.
We need liberation in the country which can only emanate if the principal antagonist characters kill each other in their fight so that the general population will be liberated from their poisonous stronghold. We are all praying that one day the forces against our liberation should be exposed and defeated. Nothing lasts forever.
Nigerian’s should in all sincerity ask themselves if these leaders and stateman’s (as they call themselves) have delivered and provided purposeful leadership. An unborn baby can answer that. Are they failures? You guess is as good as mine.
As we are witnessing the demise of the strong man of Libya after 42 years we should also be praying for the dissemination of the forces that have held us captive for the past 30 years. I know it will come one day.
