A Sovereign state is a legally organized entity, whose bounden duty is to cater for and advance the social well-being of its citizen, including foreigners, to whom it had granted legal permission to sojourn in its territory.
The relationship between the Sovereign State and its citizens and others is said to be bound by a social contract.
Where this social contract is not kept by the State, the citizens have a right to demand good governance, failing which they have a citizen’s right to demand a change during a free and fair election.
The people cannot be sentenced to low quality of life, torment and agonies, as a result of lack of good governance.
The rights and duties of States are well stated in jurisprudence, while the rights and duties of citizens are well-spelt out in State constitutions.
To enable the State and its representatives; the Head of State, his Ministers and other officials to function efficiently without let or hindrance, there are universally recognized jurisdictional immunities of States and their properties.
These officials are not the State, as Napoleon Bonaparte arrogantly declared “ I am the State.” He was wrong. The French people were and are the Sovereign owners of the State.
It is possible for social humans with puny brains to be carried away by protocol and obeisance by little-minded favour and fortune-seekers to create the wrong impression within them that they are the state. They are not.
States must respect the human rights of its citizens by subjecting them to fair and equitable treatment. The justice system must be seen to have the juridical capacity to dispense justice to all, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.
State officials must be subjected to the adherence of proper behaviour and must uphold the tenets of probity.
Where an officer errs and there is no condemnation, the blade of authority becomes blunt.
Good governance is the application of human knowledge, acquired knowledge, uncommon knowledge to resolve societal problems and advance the political, economic, social and cultural rights of citizens.
Specific training and intellectual exposure to these complex aspects of statecraft are important, for the leader to succeed.
Civil and political rights cannot be fully enjoyed without a sound economy, wedged upon international economic relations and corporate artilleries detonated from tested brains like the ones that gracefully parade Wall Street and the City of London, Tokyo and Beijing.
Let’s leave governance to those, who know about economic dynamics and how to create wealth, not how to misappropriate wealth.
Those, who know how a values blended strategy drives sustainable performance, how to infuse an economy with cutting-edge strategy for growth, how to use top talent, how to manage and retain top talent, how to deploy intellectual capital, how to plan long term, not ad hoc planning.
Good governance demands that we evolve a globalised as well as sustain a regional strategy.
Good governance promotes a healthy nation, whose citizens do not engage in desperate measures to leave their country.
It is an indictment on the lack of quality life and not to fail to consider this as failure is hard to understand.
Observers with patriotic disposition have articulated with energy and forthrightness, the embarrassing governmental hamstring.
It is true that every government gets to thorny thresholds. It is also true that measured strategies should be called to duty.
Cross-road dilemmas are not solved by crack-downs, appeasement strategies, the award of national honours, setting up committees, overseas travels, with little diplomatic relevance, political bickering, promises that hang in the clouds, appointment of loyalists to political duty-posts they do not possess the relevant expertise and other political stratagems, all end up in the wilderness as hop is postponed indefinitely.
When General Sani Abacha’s military regime lacked the vision to carry on with governance, it resorted to strong –hand tactics and used dictatorial traits that evoked political resistance.
General Gowon recently disclosed that God took Abacha and Abiola to save Nigeria. Coming from a man, who should know, yes, I believe.
The pronouncement sounds pontifical and evangelical. It is from revealed knowledge.
A Sikh Guru, who claims that he has mystical powers, told the Curatorium of BOSAS INTERNATIONAL BUREAU, in Bradford that some Nigerian leaders are Mengiod spirits. The Sikh operates at the Sikh Temple near The Gatehouse in Bradford.
He said that both Abiola and Abacha were twin elements, who were contesting for power in Nigeria.
The word Abacha has six letters, so has Abiola.
Both have AB as their first two letters and their names end with a.
In numerology, Abraham, Absalom, Abidal, etc, whose names start with AB were imbued with power.
Abacha and Abiola, consulted Marabouts and acquired negative spiritual powers They became politically destructive.
Abacha needed and power to rule Nigeria for the Luciferian hierarchy.
Abiola’s political and financial connections world-wide, were well-documented by the intelligence agencies, who briefed Abacha routinely.
Abacha also paid attention to the political activities of Olusegun Obasanjo, who, like many Nigerians were concerned with the direction Abacha was taking Nigeria.
Abacha sent two senior intelligence officers to go and tell Shehu Musa Yar’adua and Obasanjo to cooperate with his regime.
Shehu Yar’adua told the officers that Abacha should present a credible political programme, which they should support.
In 1994, on the day Italy played against Argentina for the world cup trophy, I launched my book “Human Rights in International Law” at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.
Mr Shola Atere, the NTA ace broadcaster covered the event for NTA.
The late Ambassador M.T Mbu and Chief T.O.S Benson attended.
General Olusegun Obasanjo has confirmed that he would attend the launching, because it fearlessly addressed the issue of human rights under a brutal regime.
However, General Obasanjo could not be present at the event, because he was urgently invited by Mr. Nelson Mandela, who received intelligence about Obasanjo’s pending arrest by Abacha.
Obasanjo sent a modest cheque, which I have not cashed because of its historic
value.
I was later told that Abacha had planned to get Obasanjo arrested at the NIIA, had he attended the book launch.
Abacha abandoned his state responsibility and invested heavily in political dictatorship maneuvers, like mass arrests of NADECO Chiefs, hounding them into exile, falsely accusing progressive intellectuals and students, using Vice Chancellors like Professor Wale Omole to sack opposition academics.
If God had not taken Abacha and removed his agents from governance, Nigeria, would have exploded.
If Abiola, Olowokere, had then taken over from Abacha, we would have been governed by the principles of “owo lagba”,” “olowo lo joba,” Olowu maje!
The promotion and protection of the citizens’economic and social interests are the cardinal responsibilities of the Nigerian state.
It is definitely not engaging in political chicanery, the hot pursuit of narrow political and party power war-games, which have diverted attention from meaningful transformation efforts, well set out by President Jonathan two years ago.
If politicians think that politics is all about SURE-PIES, let them beware. A big wind will blow over Nigeria soon.
God will intervene and save Nigeria from neo-colonial and demonic manipulations and control. He is faithful!
As I was writing this piece, the sad news was announced about the death of our erudite friend, Professor Festus Iyayi.
He, Prof
essor Dipo Fasina, Professor Akin Oyebode, Professor Chris Okeke and I, studied in different universities in Kiev, Ukraine, in the 1960’s and 70’s. He was a bright scholar.
We shall all miss him at the Curatorium of BOSAS INTERNATIONAL LAW BUREAU, Abuja.
