#ShittuGate: Over 100 Days And The Reckoning Silence -By Abiodun Jamiu

When lightening strike darkness, the blinds rejoice. I was elated. Keen to read more, as I worked my fingertips through the cyberspace. A reawaken hope flared up. On what? Was it on the anti-corruption crusade fought with one-sided blade? The national embarrassment that rocked the National Assembly? Or the agony of our fresh graduates who could not rob the year-long service, only to stray around while the so-called elites who skipped national assignment are left as watchmen to guard public coofers?

Like I said, my hope was rekindled when I read how Premium times ‘busted’ a very important official, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, for not only skipping but also forged a NYSC certificate. Although that has become an old story for the gods. she resigned, but none comparable to the havoc she wrecked – a setback for the fight against corruption.

While thousands of Nigerian youths are out there, doing what Napoleon could not do. Toiling in the hot sun above, suffering and smiling. Being a good son of the soil. It is over 100 days now. And most unspeakable of all, a Minister of the federal republic of Nigeria, ‘deliberately’ as he said, skipped the mandatory year-long service. But the presidency, or better still lemme say Buhari fails to take action.

According to the reports (Premium times), the headstrong Minister of communication, Adebayo Shittu, failed to participate in the NYSC programme, only to claim that his first political post suffice as a nation service.
He said he deliberately skipped the NYSC scheme because he was convinced that his membership of the state assembly was itself a “service”.
“The Constitution provides for the qualification needed for state assembly members, NYSC is not there. I didn’t need to become a member of the state assembly, and that is already a service” the embattled Minister said.

I do mind, very well. It will be of a great sojourn to sing it to the ears of Mr Shittu and the likes. By law, there are four categories of Nigerians who are exempted from participating in the national service. The first are those who graduated after turning 30, Mr Shittu graduated at 25. The second are holders of national honors. The third are persons who served in the armed forces or the police for up to nine months. The last category are staff of intelligence agencies, or the armed forces. None of these applied to Mr Shittu’s. And I believe, like most right thinking Nigerians, that his continued occupancy of the ministerial office is illegal and an outright act of corruption which this administration signed up to fight.

When Mrs Aisha cried and alleged that some powerful cabals have taken over her husband’s administration, I thought she was …(story for another day). She is rare gem – at least we still have some heroines, though scanty, who will not be blinded by emotional attachment. Buhari continued indifference, like the silence of a graveyard, justified her claims.

‘Baba’ is a man of integrity, agreed. But despite Baba’s critics, accusing past administration of grave malfeasance, his administration is no more or less saint. Providing refugee camp for corrupt officials and shielding them against the blade of justice as well is not corruption? Then if it is otherwise, cockroaches cannot claim to be innocent in the assembly of fowls, Buhari silence on Mr Shittu’s case is corruption.

Recall. In the golden years when corruption was much more celebrated; the judiciary, a puppet; the legislature, a mere rubber-stamp agent, Nuhu Ribadu did a laudable job that laid an “unshakable” foundation, not minding whose ox was gored.

This is just a clarion call. I am not against the next level. In fact,this is the era of change. “Change begins with me”, I have written this. Baba should also let change begins with him, by acting.

Abiodun Jamiu, a 200 level Political Science student Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, writes.