It might, upon contemplation, be deemed a staple of Nigerian politics. But even in an era so impoverished in terms of ideas, one in which much of individual conduct is poor and there is little redeeming value in the words the leaders speak, that exchange between Minister of Transport, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike a few days ago must horrify even the most pessimistic or cynical follower of the nation’s politics.
The war between these once-upon-a-time allies, of course, is the stuff of such legend as the best political fiction writer on loyalty and betrayal, friendship and enmity, has yet to find the ink to pen.
But their latest exchange of blows over next weekend’s repeat election into National Assembly seats for Rivers State would appear to have broken all rules of combat in a boxing ring: blows below the belt, directly under the buckle, pulling of balls, biting of ears, elbowing, spitting in each other’s face, what have both combatants not experimented with! However, as rules go, these are not acceptable in the boxing ring of politics.
Wike, described Amaechi, his former mentor and predecessor in office, as a man who did not have “proper parental training.”
This was his response to Amaechi’s earlier diatribe on a radio station in which Wike was branded a desperate man who could ‘sell his mother.’
Because the invectives they mouth are symptomatic of the garbage in their minds, the poor judgment they bring to bear on the affairs of state should not be much of a surprise as evidenced in how they have made Nigeria’s given heaven so much of a hell!
They then went on endlessly hurling allegations of corruption, murder and sundry crimes against each other, using the most abusive of words.
The records may yet throw up worse vitriol from Nigerian politicians. Nigeria, after all, has a way of plumbing the nadir of negativity in almost every sphere to the extent that when you think you’ve seen the worst, something or someone shows up to best your trophy holder! Even so, the bile that currently spews forth from the mouths of our so-called leaders should compel an immediate adoption of that recommendation of sound mind examination and certification for those who seek to occupy high offices.
Even in these days of Donald Trump and his incendiary brand of politics in the United States of America, the Wike-versus-Amaechi trade of tirades is unedifying of Nigeria’s political process, insults the dignity of the people of Rivers State, nay Nigeria, and reduces both men to nothing more than intemperate, desperate hustlers for power.
The language they have both used in their campaigns against each other has been most indecorous, even violent, and their messages, if any exists, have been devoid of any thrust. The vitriol both men have unleashed on the air waves has polluted the atmosphere in Rivers State and scared the people to the extent that it would be vain optimism to expect a violence-free election next Saturday.
Their mutually destructive comments, it must be said, offend the sensibilities not only of Rivers State citizens but assault the dignity of the Nigerian people.
When servants of state peddle so much bile and vitriol, they do so at the expense of the state and its citizens. When harmful grandiloquence takes the place of eloquence of ideas or courtesy, or even outright silence, an incurable weakness of the mind is at play! There is no greater sign of emptiness than subjecting serious matters of state to bombast when constructive thoughtfulness is needed. With their words and actions, Amaechi and Wike are wrenching from the exalted positions of a governor and a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria all that edify those stations. And that is a shame. Jean-Paul Sartre, the French philosopher, afterall, wrote some of his most uplifting lines about a word: Transcendence. It is what makes the human being a little closer to a god, ability to go beyond circumstance, beyond what is given, to mould something higher and more ennobling!
Democracy may be nothing without respect for a free, fair and open discourse of all issues. But, as this newspaper once pointed out in an editorial, that process is conditioned upon the dignified propriety of conduct in speech and deeds popularly known as decorum.
An appropriate use of words and language by all, but especially by those in leadership positions from where enduring examples are set in the public space, is vital for democracy to thrive! Democracy, as opposed to any other form of government, sets so much store of the substance of symbols or the substantive power of symbolisms. Words spoken and gestures made are as important as the actions taken, without any ambiguities! Democracy ceases to be when supposed democrats speak the language of violence and forceful domination.
It dies wherever impunity lives. Democracy also presumes that justice, equality or equity is automatically embraced by an innate decency or humanity in all, irrespective of creed, origin or any classification for that matter. Hence it presumes one man’s dream would never be, or allowed to be, another’s nightmare. Democracy is edified by transcendental, noble, refined souls.
Indeed it is hard to improve on what this newspaper has preached repeatedly on decorum in Nigeria’s political space: “Decorum reflects a finesse of language and behaviour, exemplified by civility and courtesy, and is gratifying to reason and the senses. The message being that ‘civil, courteous and respectful discourse and behaviour are conducive to the democratic and harmonious airing of concern and decision-making’.”
Certainly, uncouth words as well as inappropriate deeds have been intrinsically woven into the fabric of the governing process in Nigeria with the result being inelegant conduct by persons in power and, of course, a very poor productivity level on their part.
Because the invectives they mouth are symptomatic of the garbage in their minds, the poor judgment they bring to bear on the affairs of state should not be much of a surprise as evidenced in how they have made Nigeria’s given heaven so much of a hell!
I dare say that such decorous carriage as edifies and enriches a country like Nigeria has been found lacking in some cases because of the low quality of those minds in power and the stupefying passivity of citizens or, in many cases, their exhilaration at the trivial. In any case, they hold their leaders to no account. They either do not pay any attention or when they do, merely cheer the most entertaining sound-bites, most appealing lies, or most attractive token of gifts. Absolutely, not any ideas, not any long-term plan for the improvement of their situation. Which is why, in all of the violent fight over the soul of Rivers State, the people will be the ultimate losers!
As I once wrote of neighbouring Bayelsa State after the last governorship election which returned Seriake Dickson to office, Rivers, another oil-producing state, with huge funds allocation from the federation account, ought to be one of the truly developed states of Nigeria today. Of course, Rotimi Amaechi is on record as having taken governance and infrastructural development a notch higher than previous regimes in the state but it is reasonable to conclude that much more could have been done and an average leadership, devoid of long-term vision, has kept most of the people poor and infrastructure in the state in not as good a shape as their documented wealth should have guaranteed.
Tragically, power is sought with so much desperation and violence, verbal and physical. And when these leaders seek power, the use to which they would put it never gets explained to the people. No contest of ideas, only a rain of curses! No vision available for the people to interrogate, only abuses to cheer or boo!
So as the re-run election into various Rivers State seats in the National Assembly holds next Saturday, an extreme poverty of good political choices is already on display as nothing is being sold to the people by way of ideas. Only name-calling and abuses.
Very few among the contestants are articulating any grand vision for the state or the constituents and, in a classic demonstration of desperation for power for its own sake as well as a travesty of the democratic process, little talk of service to the constituents has deserved a mention on the airwaves.
Nigerians, I dare say again, may have resigned themselves to this unfortunate fate of politics without ideas or governance without a thought for the future. And their impoverishment will continue for as long as brigandage reigns, with leaders who cannot transcend their accidental pleasant circumstances.
Between the two warring camps, it may be difficult to predict a winner or loser in next week’s poll. But the people of Rivers State who are sure to be ill served as a result of recriminations and pettiness in the struggle for power are confirmed losers, defeated so roundly by politicians whose words and deeds repudiate the human capacity for transcendence.
GUARDIAN
END
Truthful analysis. I suggest that the president invite both Amaechi and Wike and impress on them the need for them to be civil and non violent in their political pursuits. This will help in reducing tension in Rivers State.