NEW BOOK: THE SINGULARITY CLAUSE: Obasanjo’s 3rd Term, The Transcorp Phenomenon & Deep Political Discourse, By Dr. Elvis Enyioko

FOR SOFTCOPY PURCHASE & DOWNLOAD, CONTACT: +2348022240539 (PRICE – N5,000).

HARDCOPY PURCHASE WITH COURIER DELIVERY WITHIN NIGERIA (N10,000).

CHAPTER TWO

The Need for Good Governance

The letter and spirit of the constitution of all independent nations affirms the basis of governance. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in it’s opening preamble states,

“We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria:

“Having firmly and solemnly resolved:

“To live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God dedicated to the promotion of inter-African solidarity, world peace, international co-operation and understanding:

“And to provide for a constitution for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of Freedom, Equality and Justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the Unity of our people:

“Do hereby make and give to ourselves the following constitution:” –

The American ‘declaration of independence’ (1776), having asserted that all men are created equal, went on to state:

“… That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; – that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; – that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the govern” (The Constitution of the United States, according to the Latest Amendments; to which are annexed, the Declaration of Independence; and the Federal Constitution; with the Amendments Thereto, Philadelphia, 1791, p. 158).

The French Revolutionary ‘declaration of the rights of man and of citizens’ (1789):

“ … Declared that public ills and the corruption of governments were attributable solely to ignoring, forgetting and scorning ‘natural rights, inalienable and sacred to man” (La D`eclaration des Droits de I`Homme et des Citoyens, Paris, 20-26 August 1798).

Man being a free moral agent and craving for unbridled freedom, if left alone with the varied number of people he/she comes in contact daily, will experience the greatest of crisis resulting from the clash of interest that will stem from individualism and egotism. An early detector of this danger was Edmund Burke, who said,

“The effect of freedom to individuals is, that they may do what they please: We ought to see what it will please them to do, before we risqué congratulations, which may be soon turned into complaints … Who could flatter himself and those men, suddenly, and, as it were by enchantment, snatched from the humblest rank of insubordination, would not be intoxicated with their unprepared greatness? …Along with its natural protectors and guardians, learning will be cast into the mire, and trodden down under the hoofs of a swinish multitude” (Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in London relative to that Event, London, 1790, pp. 9, 62, and 117).

Without a government to check the activities, conduct and the inter-relationship of men, the world as we know it today, would not have endured, as anarchy, bloodbath and confusion would have caused the earth to self-destruct.

The functions of government, literally boils down to the principle or condition that customarily governs behaviour, or the persons (or committees or departments, etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something. Human governance focuses on the human dimension that is the most important in controlling other factors of production, for when all spheres of human conduct are effectively regulated for the common good, and sanctions put in place for deviant behaviours, then societies can carry on in realizing the objectives of advancement in all sectors of life.

The very important need for government to maintain order, peace and guarantee the right atmosphere for lawful citizens to carry on with their daily engagements cannot be over emphasized. Consider the following hypothetical scenarios:

Warri Sapele Road 1045 Hrs. Wednesday 16^th February 2011 – The thugs of two rival politicians are on rampage, and at the last count, ten vehicles and buildings belonging to both politicians had been set ablaze, as the large crowd that gathered for the campaign rally of the opposing party had quickly dispersed on hearing of the approaching thugs from the ruling party.

Questions: What factors has entrenched political violence in our body polity? Is it true that the Nigerian Police feign ignorance or outright nonchalance to acts of violence when it concerns thugs loyal to the ruling party? Why has Nigerian politicians not been able to advance from politics of violence to politics based on ideology? Is financial reward the sole motivating factor that oils the engine of thuggery? Through which seaport or points of entry does sophisticated military hardware find their way into the country? Is it true that the majority of thugs are cultists, simply helping their patron and alumni members acquire political power?

Legislative Response: It is comforting to know that the Federal legislature is currently working on an electoral act to check the high incidence of thuggery and violence associated with our nation’s political process. At the 2006 annual lecture and launching of Almanac organized by the National Secretariat of Katagum Students Association (KSA) held at the College of Education, Azare, Bauchi State, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on electoral matters Honourable Hamisu Mu’azu warned youths in the country not to allow themselves to be used for thuggery, violence or any unwholesome act by disgruntled politicians capable of disrupting the peace and stability of the then political dispensation as the nation approached the 2007 elections. According to him,

“Anybody or group of persons, including the youths caught formenting trouble as we match into 2007 and beyond, will be imprisoned for a minimum of two years with hard labour – courtesy of the current electoral act being worked on by the national assembly. It does not stop there, in the Act, it went further in section 106 to specifically say that no candidate, person or group of persons shall directly or indirectly threaten any person(s) with the use of force or violence during any political campaign in order to compel that person(s) to support or refrain from supporting a political party or a particular candidate, because the onus of this is that if you are found guilty, it’s a minimum imprisonment of two years or a fine of Twenty Thousand (N20,000) Naira”.

The Truth: As long as successive government fails in their bid to create the conducive atmosphere for the real and productive sectors of our economy to grow and expand, thereby guaranteeing job opportunities to our teeming youths, the problem of youth brigandage will persist. It is no myth, that our youths has internalized the culture of “get rich syndrome” prevalent in the society, where morality and handwork lay prostrate on the altar of corruption and incompetence, and ability sacrificed for high level mediocrity.

Awka Anambra State 1400 Hrs Tuesday 1^st March 2011 – The political godfather has grown a lot wiser. This time, he is determined not to repeat the mistake of 2003. So his anointed candidate for election in all tiers of government must go through sessions of debasements, occult oath of allegiance and the highest form of blackmail. These actions would guarantee his investments and free him from the psychological and emotional trauma of the events of not too distant past.

Debasements: This time to foreclose room for double speak, request for support by a politician, must be made accompanied by the politician’s entire family and the traditional ruler of his autonomous community. The cliché here is self evident; that his loved ones are witnesses to this pastiche.

Occult Oath of Allegiance: This time a location situated within the premises of the godfather, manned by an Indian prestidigitator, takes the place of Okija Shrine. At the risk of observing a bird turned into a dog, he must swear to an oath of allegiance to be true to his promises on coming to political power.

Blackmail: As an icing to the godfather’s cake, a compromising situation must be sought and initiated that would bring the politician to his knees if the above two options fail. Morality and decency must be thrown to the dogs in its conceptualization, to the end of capturing an incidence(s) that would make him cringe with shame and mortify his ego.

At the crossroads: The godfather-godson relationship is a unique Nigerian phenomenon that would endure for a long time to come. The truth is this: as long as there are politicians with paucity of funds to prosecute their political ambition, there would be room for godfathers, growing in sophistication and willing to invest their hard earned resources for governmental patronage and control.