Ekweremadu And The Unblinking Master –By Femi Amosun

Once again, one of our top politicians is imprisoned in the United Kingdom, the acreage of our former Colonial master. As an observer, the Ekweremadu case is not whether he acted criminally or not, l am more interested in the wider implications of this matter, and to a larger extent how it may affect our image, particularly in the UK, Europe, America, and the Far East. This is not an isolated jail sentence but measured action to reassert authority.

In some of my past writings, l have captivated the wider implications of the injudicious actions and utterances of our politicians and other poorly-trained public office holders. In 2012, James Ibori, Governor of Delta state from 1999 to 2007, was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment for money laundering by a court in the United Kingdom. So one may wonder why our politicians consistently fail to learn important lessons. It is pertinent to understand that most of our politicians are not driven by any philosophical exactitude or political ideology, but merely motivated by alter-ego, altered-psyche, recklessness, and brazen greed. The public display of their sheer ignorance and naivety effectively means that majority of them are unfit for Public office(s). Consequently, the international perception of Nigeria and Nigerians is quite appalling, to say the least. We need to learn, and understand, that the way the International community perceives us is a function of our domestic actions. 

As a compassionate people, we often fail to separate our emotions from wrongdoings or reality. Hence the erroneous appeals (temper justice with mercy) mounted by many Nigerians, groups, and organizations including the ECOWAS in which they all pleaded to the English authority to show some compassion and lighter punishment for the Ekweremadus. In the Western world, the core principle of Justice is that it must not only be served, but must be seen to be served. So the Ekweremadus’ jail sentence amplifies the conception that, irrespective of one’s position or status in the society, no one is above the law. The terminal (or extreme) jail sentence given to the Ekweremadus clearly demonstrate that any form of interference with the British Justice System is a compunction. It is not about the political office or public office(s) that you’ve held nor about your “contribution” to “democracy” in West Africa or Africa; it is about perceived justice. However, the conspicuousness of the Ekweremadu jail sentence is far beyond the justice itself. 

The totality of the case once again highlights how Africans, particularly Nigerians, incessantly assist unblinking Master to consistently reaffirm their authority over us. The greedy Igbo boy, behind the Ekweremadu’s tribulation, could’ve simply flee to another city but he voluntarily walked into a London Metropolitan Police station, where black people are historically subjected (as part of a toxic culture) to invariably inferential alienation and infrahumanization and treated less than human. 

Let me expound that we should not be deceiving ourselves, the British Prison (HMP) is not a “Hallow Chamber” where you command respect, promote anti-people’s policies, budget padding, and sit on top of Constituency projects without accountability. The British Prison is entirely a different world where you are locked up in a prison cell for an average of 23 hours every day. In prison, you’ll be monitored 24/7 and at the mercy of fellow inmates and prison guards. Perhaps the only solace is that you you’ll have plenty of time to think and reflect on your life. Upon release from prison, the Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could be triggered by a terrifying event which you may have experienced, or witnessed, while in prison. This is part of what is known as “High harm” Sentencing decision. When one considers the well-documented facts that Black men in the UK are seven times more likely to die following police restraint, and the terminal racism in the country, we can conclude that the Ekweremadu’s jail sentence is a true representation of what Asari Dokubo described as “the biggest disgrace that the Black race has ever suffered”. 

At this stage in our Nation’s history, we should be able to see through the smoke and the fog. We should be fighting Corruption and any perverse Political system that does not promote the general well-being of our citizens. We need to begin the process of building and restoring our national dignity and pride as a Country, and as Nigerians. In doing so, we may avoid another victim(s) of the unblinking Master.