No single possession is as extremely delicate, fragile, sweet and bitter as well, fulfilling and disappointing as leadership. By human nature, it remains a most dream able ambition to a significant class of people worldwide. Some died in the struggle to realize the dream just like Late Benezir Bhutto of Pakistan, M.K.O Abiola, Shehu Musa YarAdua and a host of Participants in a series of Military Coup de’tats within and without Nigeria.
No single possession is as extremely delicate, fragile, sweet and bitter as well, fulfilling and disappointing as leadership. By human nature, it remains a most dream able ambition to a significant class of people worldwide. Some died in the struggle to realize the dream just like Late Benezir Bhutto of Pakistan, M.K.O Abiola, Shehu Musa YarAdua and a host of Participants in a series of Military Coup de’tats within and without Nigeria.
Just recently, report has it that plan to assassinate Sen. Barrack Obama, the US’s Democrat presidential Flag bearer when he was meant to deliver his final campaign speech at Denver has been detected. Some died while tightly or clumsily holding the mantle, such as Abraham Lincoln of the U S, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, General Murtala Mohd, General Sani Abacha to mention but a few. Some were surmounted from the saddles before been shown the ways to their respective graves like Saddam Hussain of Iraq, Samuel Doe of Liberia, Mabutu of the Democratic Republic of Congo [formerly known as Zaire], name it. Yet, a bottleneck is formed on the route; both men and women today are blindly jostling to get to the scene inconsequential of the mortal nature of the Zone.
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One of the basic characteristics of power is that, some glaring challenges either await the leader or as it so occurs, be created by the leader himself and eventually got entangled just like the U S got at the middle east particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. In any case, one’s ability to handle same diligently is what spells out the qualities of competence in him as a leader. So far so good or bad as the case may be, Nigerians have witnessed the end of the road as par the controversial Bakassi Peninsula. The prolonged arguments melted before the ICJ[ as one of the land mark success or failure of Obasanjo’s past regime].Leaving some fellow citizens with extra budgetary expenses of wasting a significant quantity of ink expressing their views over the implementation of the ICJ’s decision. Lawyers and quasi-lawyers brainstorming on the binding nature of the verdict which I believe was an afterthought.
In my humble view, having seen how this Country began to crumble with the said Peninsula falling apart [as a start], it should serve as a Red-flag warning the Super-egos of the Nation as to the imminent peril behind the persistently increasing tension at the oily sub-region appurtenant to the aforesaid peninsula called ‘’Niger-Delta’’. International Law and politics put together are twins-mechanisms devised by Super Powers in dictating how the world should behave to their fancies and more often than not, to the detriment of the rest of the world. In black and white, Laws of the Nations are coined as if same are meant for lubricating the movement of the whole world. However, it is axiomatic that some of the most Fundamental Tenets of the International laws are often violated such as the’’ sovereign control’’ as against mere political sovereignty which envisages a particular nation having a measurable control of its Internal Affairs devoid of any external intrusion.
There is also the Rule against territorial transgression which as well, prevents a country from gaining access to another’s territory either by military might or any form of ulterior motivated politics by masquerading under he façade of diplomacy. Decades ago, Chinua Achebe wrote a book titled ‘’ Things Fall Apart’’ and in his wise creativity as an Artist portrayed what today translates in the behaviors of this country. As usual, the focal point as par the fate of a country is its figure head [now Umaru Yar Adua in our own case] who is intricately entangled by the twists of power. While making an effort by evolving with a Blue print which he called ‘’The Seven Points Agenda’’, he is apparently being baffled with what I perceived to be The Seven Counts Obstacles.
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These consist of the following; 1-The questionability of his mandate as the freely and fairly elected president which is pending on appeal before the highest ruling court of the land, and by its nature, court’s decision is like a pregnant woman only God knows whether a baby boy or girl be delivered [but perhaps, for a medical scanning]. ssue of his health condition which terribly unpleasant, at the very least, the provisions of section 144 of the Constitution may stumble him along the line. It reads thus;..’’ the president or vice president shall cease to hold office if;[a] ‘’by a resolution passed by two third majority of all the members of the Executive council of the federation it is declared that the president or vice president is incapable of discharging the functions of his office; ‘’and[b]the declaration is verified, after such medical examination as may be necessary, by a Medical Panel established under sub- section 4 of this section in its report to the president of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.” (2) “Where the Medical Panel certifies in the report that in its opinion the President or Vice President is suffering from such infirmity of body or mind as renders him permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office, a notice thereof signed by the President of the senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be published in the official gazette of the Government of the Federation” (3) “The President or Vice President shall cease to hold office as from the date of publication of the notice of the medical report pursuant to sub-section (2) of this section” (4) The Medical Panel to which this section relates shall be appointed by the President of the senate and shall comprise five medical practitioners in Nigeria” (a) “One of whom shall be the personal physician of the holder of the office concerned: and” (b) “From other medical practitioners who have, in the opinion of the president of the senate, attained a high degree of eminence in the field of medicine relative to the nature of the examination to be conducted in accordance with the foregoing provisions.” 3 – There is yet the issue of Electoral Reform which while others at the on set consider it as meant to mesmerize Nigerians from the overwhelmingly, self admitted irregularities in the process that brought him into power, others concluded that the reform has already been implemented by nullifying some elections at the tribunals and returning them back to their status quo ante by the Court of Appeal and cosmetising some mandates via re-elections in some cases. 4 – Next is the general reshuffling of the cabinets which though a move is made recently, the stakeholders have their eyes unfailingly set to see if their men within the power corridors will be touched, so as to scout for alternative measures to safe-guard their interests. 5 – There is the siren of interim government wailing from the collaborated oppositions. 6 – Meanwhile, resolving the issue of tenure elongation as canvassed by some members of National Assembly and vehemently criticized by the public is another complex equation in political arithmetic. How to justify this by encapsulating same into our constitution via the so called constitution review does not seem to be just easy. 7 – Last not being the least, is the Niger-Delta Crises which though, a lot of ink has been spoiled on the matter with a multi-perceptional views, the inherent perils getting entrenched in the saga is capable of shaking the corporate existence of this entity called Nigeria. This is because, notwithstanding the number of conferences, dialogues, security measures and the like, the situation is worsening on daily basis.
Abduction, kidnapping of figure heads within the sub region, holding as hostages’ foreign elements, killing our soldiers have become the order of the day at the sub region. Lest we forget, the world most super power nation upon in time (The USSR) got crumbled as surprisingly as one could never believe it, the former strong Union has fallen a part and the centre cannot hold anymore. GOD Forbid this syndrome to catch up with Our Beloved Country Nigeria. My single and only advise to Yar Adua at this juncture is that why not try organize such rigorous supplications across the country as resorted to the erstwhile head of state Late General Sani Abacha when Nigeria was perceived to be on the verge of convulsion a decade ago? 2-There is also the fundamental
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of SaharaReporters
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