Political boomerangs in Nigeria

The Cambridge Dictionary define boomerang as a curved stick that when thrown in a particular way, comes back to the person. It may also be defined as “a device or weapon that when thrown, has the tendency to return to the thrower.”

I define the noun boomerang as a motion due to the propensity of ‘back to sender’. The sender must either be ready for the return or be ready to face an unforeseen consequence. Therefore, a political boomerang is a political calculation, which backfired and consequently produced an unintended political consequence.

The earliest form of political boomerang is traceable to the concept of imperial boomerang, which is the attempt at adopting antics used by imperial government against colonial territories and subsequently on the citizenry of the home country.

It is in the nature of politicians to play politics, while politics is essentially calculations intended to advance a political advantage or benefit for self, party, group or state. Where politics turn out fine, it is called political ingenuity; but where it goes south, it is a political error. In some cases, it may even lead to a more severe consequence otherwise regarded as political suicide.

As a political observer, I consider the following ten political instances in Nigeria’spolitical history as the major political boomerangs since the dawn of self-rule in the country. By political boomerang, I mean the usage of legitimate political powers and discretion in manner that is otherwise unintelligent, excessive, oppressive, or selfish for political advantage(s):

Postponement of Nigeria Independence date
In my estimation, the biggest mistake made by the Nigerian political gladiators, particularly by the far more sophisticated political actors and statesmen from the southern part of the country is the agreement to an extension of the date of independence.

The revocation of the successful motion moved in 1958 by Chief Remi Fani-Kayode for Nigeria’s independence scheduled for the 2nd of April, 1960 by a new motion moved by Alhaji Tafawa Balewa which shifted the independence to October of the same year, afforded the less prepared northern region opportunity to be deemed ready for self-rule.

The region perceived the earlier timing of Nigeria’s independence as early and a mistake. The concession by the South to the request in my estimation is a political miscalculation that continues to hunt the South and indeed the country since independence. The favouring of the less prepared North over the educationally exposed South by the departing colonialist gave political mantle and `advantage to a region that was admittedly ill-prepared for constitutional democracy.

The North has since consolidated on that advantage while the South continues to yearn for the restructuring of the polity.

The 1977 National Policy on Education
I know that many will expect that I mention the 1966 coup that usher in the involvement of the military into the Nigerian political landscape; unfortunately, I cannot as military involvement in politics is an aberration. For me, the 1977 National Policy on Education concocted by the inexperienced military dictators in their desire to rapidly reduce the number of illiteracy in the country and reduce education disparity between the South and the North led to the takeover of schools from the far more experienced missionary educationist.
The development not only led to the decline in our educational standards and systems, but also accelerated moral decadence in society.

Annulment of June 12
The annulment of June 12 Presidential Election by the Babangida’s military administration is clearly a product of military rascality and disrespect for democracy and civil liberty. The move was far more grievous than the calamitous structural adjustment programme (SAP) introduced by the same man which saw naira fall from 89 Kobo to a dollar to N4.00.

The annulment of the election widely held to be the freest and the most credible ever conducted in the country drove Nigerians and Nigerian civil societies to another level of political consciousness. Military coups and rules since 1999 became largely unfashionable and undesirable, a fact also appreciated by the military.

The main antagonist in that saga is today seen by many Nigerians as a political recluse whose place in the country’s history will be forever blighted by that move.

Execution of the Ogoni Twelve
The story of the Nigerian state is a tale of political, social and economic imbalance. The oil-rich Niger Delta region since the dawn of oil exploration has continued to cry and agitate for a fairer and equitable deal from the proceeds of the resources hauled out from the region. The agitations of the people mainly centred on adequate compensation and reparation for the damages and degradation of their land by exploration companies operating in these communities.

The execution of Ken Saro Wiwa and others despite the world’s frenzied cries for clemency almost turned the country into a pariah state. The execution succeeded in further militarizing the region which resulted in many problems for both the military and the civilian rulers in the country until President Musa Yar’Adua did well to calm frayed nerves with his amnesty programme.

The frenzy of kidnapping that was witnessed during that time encouraged the criminally minded Nigerians to unholy allure of the dastardly practice till today.

Withholding of Lagos State Local Government allocation by FGN
President Obasanjo’s administration’s withholding of the allocation meant for the 20 local governments in Lagos State over the creation of additional local government councils in the state is another. The federal government frowned upon the new LGAs perceived to have undermining effect on the influence of the central government on the state.

The withholding of the state allocation drove the state to come up with an unprecedented internally generated revenue (IGR) policy never before seen in the history of the country.

The financial chest made the then-sitting governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu become a political colossus and godfather for many politicians in the state, across the country even beyond. The state had since been adjudged the richest in the country and amongst the top richest territory on the continent.

It remained one of the only states in Nigeria never ruled by another political party since 1999 and that singular act can be argued to have provided the necessary tonic for Tinubu’s slow but steady movement into Aso Rock.

OBJ Third Term Agenda
President Obasanjo’s political rating and trajectory was without doubt on the rise, especially in the early years of his second term in office. Although, that rating sometimes suffers political deeps each time the president appeared complicit in the respective attempts of some state houses of assembly in the removal bid of their democratically elected governors. The scenario involved impeachment attempts on Joshua Dariye, Rashidi Ladoja, Peter Obi, Chris Ngige and Ayo Fayose respectively of Plateau, Oyo, Anambra and Ekiti States.
To be continued tomorrow
Fayemi can be reached via [email protected]