The recent coup detats that took place in some of the Africa’s sub-regions have led to insinuations in some quarters for the reciprocation of same in Nigeria obviously by those who either because of their incurable amnesia or inability to think or both are yet to come to grips with the utter damage done to Nigeria by the evils of military rule.

It must be made abundantly clear therefore that no matter the hiccups democracy is currently facing in Nigeria, military rule is never and can never be a preferred option.

One of the greatest evil that befell Nigeria since independence and from which the country is yet to wriggle out from has been the incursion of the military into governance. By their professional training, the military of any country is never meant to rule but rather to protect a country’s territorial integrity against external aggression or attack while members of the police force are to maintain law and order within a state.

Military rule remains therefore an abberation which must no longer be encouraged, or condoned most importantly because they lack the necessary acumen needed to build any economy or the political sagacity that goes into navigating the tempestuous ocean of governance successfully.

The mess the military made of Nigeria is the cause of untold sufferings faced by Nigeria and Nigerians today. The years of plenty when solid structures ought to have been built for even unborn generations to enjoy were spent on profligacy and frivolous policies that gradually bled the country into complete ruins.

A time there was in Nigeria when a military leader stated that money was never Nigeria’s problem but how to spend it. Those were the years most of the roads linking up the various states ought to have been built to very high taste with a futuristic projection in view.

Massive housing estates with a rapidly growing population in view ought to have dotted the whole landscape which today must have rescued the poor citizens from the antics and wickedness of shylock landlords.

Both military and police barracks ought to have been built to taste in all the states of the federation in such a manner that can cope and house all of them irrespective of their large number. There should have been massive investments in hostel accommodation for all public universities and federal secondary schools across the country such that would be able to cope with their increasing population and none would need to live off their schools.

Large industries ought to have been envisioned and built all across all the states of the federation with a massively growing population in view which must have addressed the issue of unemployment which has become a major headache for successive governments today. Strict laws to prevent and punish embezzlements of public funds ought to have been put in place that would act as a check on individuals conduct while holding public office and so much more.

But rather than do all these, what the military did was for the few of them in power to corner the common wealth to themselves and their cronies, quite sadly with the collaboration of renowned academics and professors. The most annoying aspect of it all is that they can neither be challenged nor queried. They never subscribe to any form of rule of law, never respected any form of fundamental human rights and have never been known to submit themselves to any judicial processes.

The import is that even though most Nigerians are well aware of all those who have stolen their money, all they can do is to grumble in silence. If not for the treachery of death, it  wouldn’t have been possible for anyone to confront Abacha about any looted funds, but the stupendous massive funds still being recovered from a single individual should be an eye-opener to how far the military has dealt with Nigeria which up till today is responsible for the nation’s stagnancy.

By institutionalising corruption, the military not only siphoned most of the national wealth and destroyed the economy but also helped to build a crop of highly corrupted politicians including themselves who have since held the nation by the jugular thereby subjecting the citizens to excruciating pains.

Right now, almost every facet of the Nigerian life has been afflicted with the virus of corruption and just like the tick killing itself but thinking it is killing the dog, everybody has lost faith in the same country they are all helping to pull down through various forms of highly condemnable conducts. If it were possible for all the borders to be opened, no single youth will left in the country.

Calling for a coup is therefore nothing but an ill wind that would bring nobody any good because that would mean driving the country more than twenty years backward or something akin to trying to avoid a fry pan and then jumping into the fire outrightly. What Nigeria needs as a matter of urgency is a very strict law against embezzlement of public funds because up till now, all those who have stolen a large chunk of the nation’s wealth have gone scot-free and others are also taking their turns.

Nigerians should maintain their current patience and continue to manage whatever the present crop of corrupt politicians throw at them while hoping that gradually, a true leader will emerge, sanity restored and then Nigeria will assume its pride of place among the comity of nations.
Oyewusi is coordinator of Ethics Watch International, Lagos.