Indeed no evidence of
financial wrongdoing against Olusegun Obasanjo?
Sir,
I read with keen interest your write up
on the above subject posted on www.nigeriannews.com, and wish to
proffer a simple and straight forward answer to the final question you
raise which is:
To the enemies of the ex-President too,
the question will always ever loom: what do they all stand to gain from
this mob-type call for probe? If a probe is finally installed and
President Olusegun Obasanjo publicly disgraced even in a manner worse
than the current diabolical charge of incestuous conduct, would the mob
be satisfied and get a holy audience with God in heaven?
I
work as a project Engineer. We have what we call post project
implementation review. This is the process that allows us to see what
we did right, wrong or what we could have done better during the
implementation of a project. The learning from this review are then
cascaded to new project so that same mistakes are not made again. This
also ensure a total system optimization. There is not growth or
progress where this process is not in place.
It
is the right of every Nigerian to know how good or bad any public
leader performed. You will agree with me that this is not asking too
much. Having said this, it is my considered opinion that there is an
urgent need for a review/audit/probe of the Obasanjo eight years. The
review will come out with any of only two conclusions vis: Obasanjo is
corrupt and ran a corrupt government, or Obasanjo is not corrupt and
his 8 years in office is not corrupt. And I am not talking of
administrative incompetence here!
If
it turns out that he is corrupt then we Nigerians and the global
community need to know so that he can be treated as such. If he is not
corrupt then his status as a statesman will be enhanced. If public
servant (high or low) know that their behind the scene dealings will be
exposed one day, then people will be a bit more careful about what they
do
This
review/audit/ probe will clear the air once and for all and will either
vindicate the ex-president and silence his perceived enemies. It will
be a crime to treat Obj as a statesman if indeed he is noting but a
thief. Posterity will never forgive us!
Remember we have financial corruption and economic terrorism (the most
obvious of the PDP government over the last 8 years and counting),
political corruption (Adedibu and Chris Uba and INEC - all reporting to
the then president), moral corruption (as charged by His own first son
and not disputed by the daughter in-law), cultural corruption
(tribalism or nepotism) etc.
Those calling for this audit of the past eight years should not be
demonized or shouted down as you are trying to do! They should be
encouraged and supported. This is the only way out of the sorry state
we are in today as a nation. It is only in Nigeria and black Africa
that we cerebrate known and proven thieve. The British still regard
Robin Hood as a thief till tomorrow!
As a nation, there are
only two ways to treat Obj. Either we publicly disgrace him for the
thief that he is, or we immortalize him as a statesman. No middle
ground!
Thanks and stay blessed,
Chisom
Frisky's Reply
Dear Mr. Ezeocha,
Thanks a lot for your submission. I do agree with a large of your
position. As long as corruption is a major part of governance in our
system, indeed every government will have to devote a large part of its
tenure to probing predecessors and in some cases, even probing the
probe of such predecessors, if we truly want to get to the bottom of
issues. Without unnecessary demagogy though, everyone will agree that
some inquiry of sort is necessary. My problem is basically with the mob
chant of disgruntled outcasts, who were selfishly denied participation
in the looting party. The present government is having problems with
this group. It does not want to probe OBJ merely to end up appearing to
be pleasing this group. It is the voice of this group that is loudest
at the moment. It is the same group that has successfully hacked off
Nuhu Ribadu. The present administration doesn't seem to want to give in
to them on all fronts. That is the disgrace factor I highlighted in my
essay. With a very meaningful and intelligent logic as advanced in your
position, no one would have problem convincing even OBJ that his
administration should be closely scrutinized at least in the interest
of the future of the entire system.
