These days hardly are we able to digest and grasp the implications of an occurrence before another flies before our gaze, pressing for attention. Three major events were beckoning for my consideration during the week. The first to hit my face was Vladimir Putin bullying Ukraine. We can all join Professor Bolaji Akinyemi in heaving a sigh of relief. Following news that Russia had decided to put a halt to military drills at the border close to the Ukraine capital, Kyiv, and indeed, had ordered the troops to return to their barracks, Professor Akinyemi told ARISE News television that we can now sleep with both eyes closed. That was on Tuesday. On the same day the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced dates for next year’s general elections. The mind-blowing arrest of competent, skillful and brave crime buster generally and often delightfully and proudly referred to as Super Cop, DCP Abba Kyari, filled the air waves, print and digital press the previous day.
I was at a crossroads over which of the events I should tackle. Well, because the Kyari matter is still unfolding, it can be dropped for now so as not to appear judgmental. Investigations are ongoing and there is the caution that a person is innocent until proven otherwise in court of law. So we keep our fingers crossed and hold our breath. I do pray that at the end of the day he would not, with his own hands, tear the glittering laudatory testimonials he has gathered from all and sundry all these times. I recall that after one of his most dramatic and gallant escapades at crime cracking, the House of Representatives summoned him. When he appeared before them, the Honourable Members gave him a standing ovation.
President Putin sent shock waves round the world when he amassed more than 100,000 troops armed to the teeth to surround Ukraine. Beyond his penchant to bully Ukraine and threaten its sovereignty, many of the experts in foreign affairs are yet to unravel the motive behind the build-up of arms and personnel. Was it for fear of Ukraine joining NATO? An online publication reports a former CIA chief, Don Hoffman, as saying: ‘‘First of all, NATO membership is a fig leaf. It’s a red herring. Everyone knows Ukraine isn’t joining NATO anytime soon. It takes unanimous consent; France and Germany won’t give that. Putting uses that as a convenient way to frame the narrative for his disinformation propaganda. NATO is a defensive alliance but it represents anything that scares him.’’ Another expert, Chris Miller who is a former U.S. Acting Secretary of Defence does not see the threat as deep-seated in the psyche of Russians. He believes it has some domestic undertones and calculation. He says: “…that is, that the Russians might seek to invade and occupy the portion of Ukraine that would connect Russia via land to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and which contains a critical Russian naval base and port on the Black Sea. I think he’s just going to keep pushing until someone stands up against him, just like the playground.”
Some others think Putin is trying to reaffirm regional dominance and reassert regional influence in the place such that Russia can exercise veto over Ukraine’s foreign policy. It was also to raise tensions so as to squeeze concessions from the United States. The latter on the other hand sees the Russian action as reawakening old rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, and so Russia went full blast militarising Ukraine with 11 amphibious ships and submarines and 130,000 troops. From the point of view of some other scholars, a gas pipeline from Germany to Russia which is called Nord Stream 2 is the issue; it is the cause of the tension. The United States sees the collaboration as a threat capable of weakening its dominant influence in Western Europe in particular. Germans are eagerly expecting the gas supply to quickly come on stream, convinced that it would be cost effective for them. The energy would be cleaner and cheaper. Reports say once the German regulatory authority issues final certification, the supply would start.
It is seen in parts of Western Europe that the United States is opposed to the budding friendship between Germany and Russia. The chumming relationship in the reading of experts would redefine economic, military and social architecture in Western Europe. When there is economic boom in Europe it would affect the value of the Dollar thus considerably whittling down the United States influence in the region. United States panics as its influence on pristine allies is slipping off its fingers. It is, therefore, goading Russia to invade Ukraine and sour the relationship and the gas supply would be put on hold. It is believed it is an orchestration of an alarm to the American public that war was imminent in that region.
An enlightening commentary, authored by Mike Whitney, says: “The Ukraine crisis has nothing to do with Ukraine. It is about Germany and, in particular, a pipeline that connects Germany to Russia…” He adds: “In a world where Germany and Russia are friends and trading partners, there is no need for expensive U.S.-made weapons and missile systems, and no need for NATO. There is also no need to transact energy deals in U.S. dollars or to stockpile U.S. Treasuries to balance accounts. Transactions between business partners can be conducted in their own currency which is bound to precipitate a sharp decline in the value of the dollar and dramatic shift in economic power.”
The hype and worry, of Russia invading Ukraine in American Establishment does not appear would wane soon as the issue is not seen by the United States as a drive in search of economic opportunities and advantages for one of its allies, Germany. Not even by acclaimed diplomat extra-ordinary, Henry Kissinger who sees the issue other than from the American lenses. Russia, too, lent itself to a war cry with the massive militarisation of Ukraine. Kissinger says: “Public discussion on Ukraine is all about confrontation. But do we know where we are going? In my life, I have seen four wars begun with great enthusiasm and public support, all of which we did not know how to end and from three of which we withdrew unilaterally. The test of policy is how it ends and not how it begins. Far too often, the Ukrainian issue is posed as a showdown: whether Ukraine joins the East or the West. But if Ukraine is to survive and thrive, it must not be either side’s outpost against the other—it should function as a bridge between them.”
What is clear looking at the issue critically is economic interest whether on the part of America or Germany. The United States finds it unsettling that one of its major allies is forging an economic union with Russia which has unwittingly chosen the time to flex its muscles and bare its teeth over Ukraine disguised as military drills. The heavy weaponry displayed was intimidating. Indeed, by Wednesday even the relief that Russia had ordered its troops back to the barracks was giving way to despair as an American official reported that about 7,000 more troops had been added to the 130,000 pack that are stationed at the Ukraine border. The claim by Putin is false, he said. For the United States, in addition to the economic factor, the possibility of it losing influence and its invincibility over Europe is destabilising to put it mildly.
In the end all mankind will increasingly come to understand that the whole world is in new times, potently laden. Old ties which are rigid will break. Many concepts will be exposed for their emptiness. There will be a new world order: Why, for example, must it be right for the United States to protect its economic interest but it will be wrong for Germany to seek to expand its economic and social frontiers for the benefit of its own people? There will be reconfiguration in all areas of human endeavours. As we learn from the unique enlightenment spreading on earth today, all cycles must close from the abundance of Light Power streaming into our universe in the present time, a world in the full grip of the Holy Spirit. Only what is right, high and noble will stand.
With dates now announced for general elections in Nigeria, the gladiators at all levels will undoubtedly intensify their warming up and rehearsals, stepping forward to be counted in the magic year 2023. I note that despite all counseling of past years, the Presidential election is coming first along with those of the National Assembly. It was suggested a few times in the past that the Presidential being the most prized trophy of the contestations should be held last. It has been argued that given our level of inner maturity in this country, once the presidential election result is announced, the tendencies in other elections are as good as concluded. The result of the presidential polls result will have a bandwagon effect on the subsequent elections. Not many people in our clime can as yet resist and objectively say no to a winning crowd. To make the elections keener, interesting and fairer, the contestation for the lesser trophies should come first.
Part of the warming up entails looking for a humongous sum of money; the celebrated Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw is my witness. She spent N35 million fruitlessly chasing a seat in the House of Representatives. She did not even go as far as crossing the primary line to clutch the ticket to contest the election on the platform of the PDP. In her words speaking with TheNewsGuru online newspaper: “I did not have a budget, I just knew I needed money to run the campaign office, pay people to work with me. I didn’t really have a budget at hand. I wish I had, maybe I won’t have started. Because I found out that most of the consultations I went to, the men would ask me ‘Do you have enough in your war chest?’ I was like ‘what is a war chest?’ That was when I found out that it’s ‘how much money do you have to throw around.’
“There was one form that was waived for women who were aspiring for office. But then you have to buy the two forms normally. And then of course you will pay your party dues. And then of course each consultation, anybody you go to meet is money. You may not be giving them money directly but you will buy a goat, you will buy wrappers, you will buy drinks. You will host the women group, the men group. You will host all sorts of people and that is money because, of course, transportation: you will hire a bus for yourself and your supporters. You will print banners so I had to get an office. Luckily my cousin had a space so I rented it off him. It was absolutely and totally capital intensive. Totally.
“My friends, they came together and they gave me N5 million. On top of that I added my own N30 million. On top of my own money and till today it pains me because if I had put that money into buying a house I would have been living there. But for me it was just endless spending that led nowhere. I mean, I didn’t see the need for all that spending. If someone truly wants to serve, it should be from the heart and you should be able to see what the person can do from their antecedent. But it’s all about money.
“On the day of the delegates when they now have to pick who will represent the party, the other person was giving money. I gave my pittance. That is it. I don’t care what anybody says. Because I did a documentary with Al Jazeera because I wanted them to follow the process truly to see how our political terrain is. Everybody was giving money, giving gifts to all the delegates. And I remember one guy said to me, ‘Don’t give me your money, I am not going to vote for you.’ That was the best thing he could have said to me.”
With Kate Henshaw’s narration, how can we have true representation in our legislative houses and to form government if money rather than true service is the qualifying factor? It can be seen that our electoral process is corrupt from the very foundation. It is a bazaar! And it is so very considerate of the National Assembly that to save the system from collapse and cash and carry —to borrow Kingsway’s language of the 1970s during clearance sales— it has pegged election campaign spending by Presidential hopefuls, hold it, at N5 billion—only— Governorship at N1billion; senators, N100 million; Reps., N70 million; State Assembly & Local Government Chairmanship, N30 million and individual donation must not exceed N50 million. Kate should be consoled that she had only gone halfway, not the whole hug when she would have needed to fork out N70 million! I am surprised she did not seek Desmond Elliot out for tutorials. Well! Well! Well! Genuine service to fatherland is business; it is for the highest bidders. It remains to be seen how this can engender love and care, and selfless service in our land and to our fellowmen.
More than anything else one must wonder: How are all these our thoughts and activities seen from Above? In what way are these in accordance with the Will of the Most High, our Maker and Lord, the Almighty? In accordance with higher knowledge available on earth today, these are questions we are admonished we must put before our gaze in all we do, in all our actions and conduct.
