Were we to be in 17th century Canada or in such-like place in the then new world, we would have deemed much of President Tinubu’s programmes and policy direction as positioned to produce a few arrogant, insufferable nobles and a multitude of wretched, insulted slaves. But truly, we are not too distant in spatio-temporal terms from the 1650s political and social alchemy.
The presumed ability of Mr Tinubu to lead, prod, cajole, compromise and scheme in whatever situation has been largely responsible for the herd mentality that has been observed among his die-hard supporters in spite of alleged benumbing scandals and untold widespread disenchantment respecting his person and giddy career. His political wiliness has led to mixed feelings among a wide spectrum of peoples and constituencies.
Even as much of the privately-held judgements on him have been unambiguously damning, most observers are inclined to marvel about his resilience. A man who has great affinities with Machiavelli and Musolini, he is much like the proverbial cat with nine lives.
Many people have an excessively-exaggerated view of his ability to weather any situation or to turn stone to bread. The great mass of the electors have been ignorant and unable to nudge themselves to discern that the neglect by governments over the years and the barefaced greed of politicians have conduced to a sensible disdain of the political tapestry.
Our present day politicians and their canvassers have been identified as belonging to the school of lying, hypocrisy and self-preserving cowardice. They have been noticed as the direct antithesis of our common ancestors in politics who were cautious, shrewd, unequivocal and public-spirited.
There is a striking similarity between Charles Dickens’ satirical work, The Pickwick Papers, which mimics social class and falsehoods in 18th century English society and the disdainful irreverence for certain or all of Nigeria’s established institutions because of the failed performance of their ordained roles.
Against the backdrop of a supposed self-rule regime, the rabble-rousing of a bucanneering leadership, the irreligious fellowship between or among contraptions otherwise referred to as political parties, and the effervescence and benevolence of an exciting youth demography, the Nigerian condition awfully presents a mixture of realism with an unsettling caricature of deep-seated tragedy with unsmiling comedy.
Our condition is further made morbidly graphic by the presentation of contrasting or mutually-exclusive social values reflecting unpleasant realities.
In Dickens’ world, an engaging charlatan and trickster noted for his bizarre lifestyle and a distinctive incorrect usage of the English morphology and syntax is the lead character in The Pickwick Papers. There seems to be a correlation or fondness in the Nigerian situation with the character makeup of Mr Jingle.
The Pickwick Papers story structure is built on a lower class hero in an abjectly-corrupt society and in a period of great change or of a futile promised hope. The similarities in the two scenarios reveal the judgement from the differing perspectives of the social divides.
There is at the moment a moral crisis in Nigeria. The situation is exemplified in the decadence that has befallen particularly the intellectual elite class. This class today can defend any wrong so long as they are positioned to benefit the class or its leading lights.
The moral decadence pervades the entire gamut of Nigeria’s socio-political relationships. It is such that those who condemned what was wrong yesterday are up in arms to defend that self-same wrong today. This inconsistency is rank as it is without remorse or the fear of the verdict of history. It is a shame that those who saw evil yesterday are the same people who are adoring the same evil today.
In the courtrooms, the age-long tradition of the interrogation or examination of the logic of a pre-existing jurisprudence regarding a matter has given way to sickening shibboleth and confounding ignorance. Some decisions disgustingly uphold wrongs and breaches of the Law. Some decisions are just deeply flawed and difficult to rationally explain as they defy commonsense.
For instance, many decisions from some of the Election Petition Tribunals ostensibly set up to correct the wrongs in the conduct of the elections and to settle electoral disputes are clearly an encouragement of electoral frauds, the upholding of brigandage and the discountenancing of robberies. It will appear that some judgments were pronounced to achieve some predetermined goal or agenda; or just to allow the proverbial sleeping dog to lie.
What must be understood now as an all-time truth is that some of these decisions are plots (or like they say in the military, coups) against the people who themselves have been rendered prostrate as they have been whipped into submission.
They have been bludgeoned to accept anything that comes their way. Those who have no iota of respect for law and order have curiously mounted the lectern to preach the rule of law and the concomitant consequences of its abuse. There is today the requirement to restore our pristine moral architecture. Thankfully, a huge proportion of our population reveals the nation’s inner anguish. There appears to be less rather than more glory as the days go by for Nigeria, sorrowfully.
The one great or redeeming comfort for the people is that they have not sold the truth to serve the hour. They have spoken their mind regarding every question that touches their citizenship, their franchise, their mandate and their values. The distinctively unfriendly structure of state institutions established for achieving the avowed objects of democracy and of a peaceful community has not gone unnoticed.
The people have more nearly approached the ideal citizenry than any in recorded history for the moral tone, philosophic aplomb, and a high intellectual content as their response to shenanigans, to institutional infamy and to the brazen abuse of the time-honoured ideals of democracy.
When one reflects upon the pervasive crass materialism in many institutions of state, it is inspiring to know that there is a coterie of persons who though intimately associated
In spite of all that have happened, the hope of the people for an able, liberal administration is still not lost or misplaced. They still legitimately yearn for a government with a keen sense of justice which will balance the equities as between groups, ethnicities and classes; and which will change the fateful course of the economy.
We conclude with Thomas Carlyle’s private worry respecting how long it will take to change an unacceptable situation:
“How long will John Bull allow this absurd monkey to dance on his chest?” Carlyle wondered aloud.
The answer is blowing in the wind.
Rotimi-John, a lawyer and commentator on public affairs, wrote vide [email protected]
