I spent two hours with Dr Christopher Kolade, the elder statesman at his home last week. So rich is my experience, so varied is my take-away after such a meeting that I always wish there could be more of such meetings but Dr Kolade is still a very busy man even at his age.
It was our first meeting of the year, and there seemed to be more to discuss than time allowed. But two areas that are inescapable in our discussions no matter how tight the time, are his passion for God, and his passion for Nigeria.
Because I also know something of his relationship with the vice-president, whom he regards as one of his favourite sons, I led him to a discussion on the Buhari administration. He had a lot of positives, and believes that what many people see as rigidity might be due to lack of exposure. He however cautioned that as desirable as the fight against corruption is and the need to pursue it to a logical conclusion, the administration should be careful not to be defined by it. Later in the evening as I reviewed my day, I was struck by that admonition.
Not only as it pertains to this administration, but as it pertains to all of us. My understanding of what defines one is what comes to people’s consciousness when the name of an institution or a person pops up. So what defines you and I? What defined the previous governments? I started with myself and in the wee hours of the night, thought of what I believed should define me. I thought of my many constituencies and wondered if they would agree with me. I wondered if I had projected the core of my being enough for the real me to come through. Next, I thought about the people I admire and what defines them to me. All my role models are successful—naturally—but that is not what defines them to me. It is the way they have handled their success which is unlike an average Nigerian.
It is also a portrayal of their value system. Have I handled my relatively little success the same way? Or more importantly, how do people see me? Now wide awake, my mind drifted to previous administrations and how they are perceived. I started with the Gowon administration because it was the one around when I started working. The regime would probably be defined by the civil war and how it was prosecuted. It would also be defined by the foundation it laid for the country and people’s minds at the onset of the oil boom. As a person, he has had a second chance as it were due to longevity to redefine himself. He would probably be defined now as a simple, God-fearing man who found himself in power and had to take tough decisions at a young age. Murtala Mohammed’s regime should be defined as decisive and impatient if not arbitrary.
As a person, he would be defined for his passion and desire to get the nation moving quickly. His manner of death would probably reflect his simplicity and fatalistic belief. Obasanjo’s first coming would always be defined by his willingness to organise and relinquish power to a civilian government. He was seen as a bridge builder. A southern Christian who acquitted himself well by handling over to a northern Muslim and thereby reinforcing the unity of the country. His second coming hasn’t been so salutary. He came in as a statesman and left as…. His second coming would be defined as that of raised expectations and dashed hopes. The spectre of ‘Third Term’ would always be lurking in the administration’s definition. His person has also undergone some redefinitions.
He is now seen by many as a bully who brow beats his opponents and says what he does not always practice. But he is a man of courage who does not care whose ox is gored. He is also a hard worker who knows how to get things done. He loves Nigeria; he loves himself. And his love of self sometimes gets in the way. The second Republic of Alhaji Shehu Shagari would be defined by the profligacy of his lieutenants. He was a decent man who was promoted above the level of his competence.
He has since faded into the sunset without bothering to redefine himself. The hallmark of Buhari’s first coming would be discipline and some would say, insensitivity bothering on harshness. His desire to sanitise the polity was obvious; the methods not so obvious. As a person, he was defined by his Spartan life style and single-mindedness. The jury is still out as to his second coming but his personal integrity stands out. Even his public perception can still be redefined. General Babangida’s government would always be defined by corruption and June 12 despite his many bold interventions in the nation’s polity.
As a person, he was seen to be wily and evasive, the Maradona of Nigeria. To many of his friends though, he is a truly generous man. General Sanni Abacha, the goggled one, would unfortunately, be defined by kleptomania. I say unfortunate because his handling of the economy was not too bad. The Ogoni issue and the judicial murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa would also form part of the definition. As a person he was taciturn and uncommunicative. His friends say he was a nice but misunderstood man. General Abdulsalam’s short tenure to me represents the unwholesome side of the character of the Nigerian elite. The side that is more concerned with self and class survival than nationhood. There are more questions than answers about his tenure. As a person, he seems to be content to stay in the shadow of his more flamboyant neighbour. Jonathan’s administration is another case of raised expectations and dashed hopes. With his background and education, we expected more. But you can’t give what you don’t have and Goodluck Jonathan didn’t have much to give. His government would be defined by corruption and impunity. Especially the latter. And if you added divisiveness to it, you might not be far wrong. As a person, he would be defined as a captive of power who lacked the conviction of his office. But he is seen by some as a humble, self-effacing man who showed respect to elders. And now we come to you. What defines you? Which gods do you swear by? How are you as a spouse, parent, boss and friend? How do people in your constituencies see you? How do you see your role in the Nigeria of your dream? This is the time to look inwards and redefine and re-project yourself.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/what-defines-you/
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