HOW IBB, ABACHA, ABDULSALAM AND OBASANJO DESTROYED NIGERIA

One of the greatest responsibilities of a leader is to undertake challenging goals that involve positive change. But the crop of leaders this country has had since independence are without doubt, the worst pragmatic example of a leader. Accepting whatever todays government tells you as regard fighting corruption, instituting better administration and providing a safe heaven for its citizens will be one of the greatest mistake you will make as a Nigerian and a living organism.
There are a host of other players that contributed to the dilapidated state of the nation today. However, these ones are the processor vacuum which every other chips falls to.

Lets break it down!

For eight years, General Ibrahim Babangida sat atop of the nation’s wealth as president. His fantasy about leadership was the opportunity it offered him to enrich himself and the host of cronies who were prepared to die in order to see him rule again. For eight years corruption was elevated. He paid little or no attention to accountability. He is credited with ruining the chances of the country to develop more rapidly. Simply put, Babangida plundered the nation. Today, he lives in opulence and has been seen as a factor in determining certain issues in the country. He moves about freely, sits on the council of state meetings, and accorded every respect as a former president.

After him was Late General Sani Abacha, who knew next to nothing about accountability. For him, leadership was all about taking as much meat as was possible from the pot. Abacha’s plundering of the nation was legendary. It resounded all over the world, especially in all places his loot was traced to. His children and associates were not spared the humiliation that comes with the arrest of a thief. They were vilified and abused. The Olusegun Obasanjo administration even went ahead to seek assistance in repatriating the loot. But all these were because Abacha was dead. Were he living, Obasanjo would not have dared point a finger at him. He would also be sitting at council of state meetings. He would be enjoying everything he wanted as ex-head of state.

For just a few months, General Abdulsalam Abubakar ruled the nation. His only achievement was to handover government to Obasanjo. The same clique. He presented himself more like an unwilling head of state. But he could not afford not to look at the nation’s reserve. For just a few months in office, he downloaded the attractive foreign reserve and made every Nigerian wonder what would have happened had he spent four years in office. The reward he gets daily for emptying the nation’s foreign reserve was more accolades. He sits in council of state meetings and enjoy some respects as a special citizen. The above trio proves that the only thing that drives man, especially in Nigeria, to seek leadership position is the opportunity it offers him to loot.

After these characters came Obasanjo. At his inauguration with world leaders in attendance, he told a listening world that corruption was the only factor that has retarded the growth of Nigeria. He promised to fight it headlong, declaring that “there will be no sacred cow”. That attracted applause and support from everyone. He raved in the euphoria that statement brought him. But he also knew he was deceiving. His eight years in office proved him wrong. He created more sacred cows than he fought. For eight years, Obasanjo was busy empowering himself with Nigeria’s wealth. He allowed his children take their turn in getting unmerited appointments and dipping their hand in the pie. He allowed them to use government apparatus, like the Abacha’s children did, to obtain trust. They used their father’s position as guarantee to popularize 419 within and outside Nigeria. For himself, Obasanjo left office(unwillingly) competing with Babangida and Abdulsalam in who gets the accolades as the richest ex-Nigerian leader. Obasanjo swore to an oath to the effect that he would not use his office to personal advantage. He did exactly that. He presented himself as the father of the nation and happily dished out Nigeria’s wealth to whosoever he willed. He decides who gets what, why, when, where and how. Those who disagrees on his sharing formula becomes preys to his anti-corruption dogs, EFCC. Politicians only quarrel when the sharing formula don’t favour them.

Many would ask where the nation’s current president stand today. The truth is, President Goodluck Jonathan is a victim of his own self image. It wasn’t his name “GOODLUCK” as many presumed, that got him the presidential position, it was a planned arrangement by Obasanjo and his associates. If you are close to or carefully study President Jonathan, you will know that his a man of slow, non-proactive and non-violent spirit. He was hand-picked without his knowledge, to indirectly defend and protect the interest and cause of certain group of persons, to the detriment of his personality and Nigerians. The nation is hanging on a perilous cliff today because of President Jonathan’s unwillingness to step on few toes. He is more comfortable hurting majority in order to protect minority.

For Nigeria to be redeemed today, corruption must be fought in all levels of the government and the nation itself. All shared borders must be tightened to ensure security within the country. An operational national database must be created for proper record keeping. Jobs must be created for the teaming graduates and society made better for self-employment. Foreign companies that has been benefiting so much and contributing next to nothing should be made to invest in building industries, institutions, community developments, as well as support local contents. Power supply should be given a top priority etc. If half of this listed points are considered and followed, then we will be on our way to the promised land.