Come November 14 2011, those Nigerians unlucky enough to make this year’s national honours list will be decorated by the president of the federal republic, and according to the ranking prescribed by the National Award Committee.
Come November 14 2011, those Nigerians unlucky enough to make this year’s national honours list will be decorated by the president of the federal republic, and according to the ranking prescribed by the National Award Committee.
Many Nigerians have become so disenchanted with this yearly national ritual, that to many, it has lost any relevance, though many still crave for the honour. The disposition of Nigerians to this yearly award of national honour can in my opinion be a good gauge to assess individual’s disposition to and position on the myriads of issues buffeting Nigeria and Nigerians. A perfect and good example is the well known rejections of this award by Chinua Achebe – a man I consider to be the Moral Leader of this deeply abused nation.
It would be recalled that the current president’s discharge of this unique constitutional duty for the first time, last year, raised so much dusts and angers among Nigerians. Using this as a gauge, it may be ok to say those who kicked against the bestowing of national honour, on those, many Nigerians have come to such a grip with their contribution to the nation’s destruction, have an iota of conscience left within them. Though, many others were just enraged that they were more qualified than those honoured. And in this case, we know to which side of the divide the latter fall on the disposition to and position on a truly better Nigeria. Perhaps it is important at this point to remind Nigerians on what is the essence of the yearly award of the national honour instituted in 1964.
The national honours are suppose to be awards conferred on Nigerians and non-Nigerians who have rendered selfless service(s) and contributed selflessly and honourably (without any iota of doubt) to the attainment of those cardinal objectives as enshrined in the constitution. The opening statement of purpose in the 1999 constitution reads “…for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of Freedom, Equality, and Justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the Unity of our people.” This opening statement in the 1999 version is not any different from the previous constitutions – 1963 or 1976.
The order or ranking of the national honour is meant to symbolize the extent, depth and reach of the selfless contribution of an individual (or entity) being conferred with the honour. Gauging from the above reminder, Nigerians should ask themselves in all truthfulness and objectivity if the yearly award of national honour, particularly in the last few decades, still merits the original intention.
Like everything else that has gone awry in the nation, the national honour now has acquired a new symbolism. It is no longer about selfless contribution to service, or promotion of good government and welfare for all Nigerians. As the national honour acquires new symbolism, its solemn essence – inspiration – is acquiring a new, albeit conflicting dimensions. Looking at the lists of those honoured in the last few years, particularly, the last and this year, it is obvious that the national honour is inspiring more Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike to tow the lines of those looters and destroyers of the nation being honoured. It is obvious though, that not all that are to be honoured and have been honoured have contributed to destroying Nigeria, by denying many, if not all Nigerians access to the essential services and rights as enshrined in the constitution. For these groups of awardees, the gauge is on assessing their disposition to and position on the rots and destructions wrecked by the destroyers of the nation. And for these, my advice is that they should follow in the footsteps of Chinua Achebe – reject these unworthy awards.
This brings me to the ‘unlucky’ description of those who have been honoured rightly or wrongly. As this yearly award acquires new symbolism and essence, I am afraid, it is increasingly becoming a perfect roll call of those who have looted and destroyed Nigeria; hence qualify for the impending cleansing. This is the reason why the award is no longer enviable and inspiring.
Nigeria continues to wobbles through the many decays and degenerations with the persistent inability of those in authorities and with constitutional charge to solve the nation’s problems. These problems are acquiring new depths and dimensions. This to me is a warning sign to leaders of Nigeria, past, present and future. The rot perpetuated by the looters does not only destroy the society, it destroys also the looters in its wake! The signs are everywhere. Have we not notice that even the superrich – with the creams stolen from our patrimony, are not immune from the consequences of their well entrenched misdemeanors? Need I remind you of the wives that died in faraway foreign lands seeking after medical care (clinical or aesthetic) that Nigeria would have better offer. Or have we forgotten the many deaths and armed robbery attacks suffered by the looters or their cheerleaders on the death traps they call roads, to which strangely billions have been poured. The list is endless. It is ‘handwriting on the wall’, too bold to be ignored.
In the aftermath of the last general election, Northern Nigeria witnessed a new surge of violence, hitherto unknown to that region of the country which is generally perceived to have the most deferring and pliant ethos; defining the servitude and reverence of the poor (talakawas) to the bourgeoisies. Nigerians from the different regions and religions may read different meanings to the violence, but what is very clear by the nature of it, is that the hitherto untouchable elites are no longer immune. In recognition of the ‘bold warming’, the presidential committee set up to investigate that violence raised a red flag on the time bomb. It is still ticking and no one is doing anything to stop the countdown.
The Boko Haram menace has attained a frightening dimension. The ‘targeted killing’ is the new modus operandi. I am scared!
The MEND and other militias’ agitation in the Niger Delta is in a somewhat recess. How long will this recess last? The root causes and precursors of the agitations have not been addressed. Even the palliative amnesty is not working as planned. With the amnesty breeding more disenchantment, the Niger Delta crisis is just yet another time bomb ticking. Kidnapping and a retinue of other evidences of the socio-economic decay are everywhere and attaining bizarre dimensions by the day. The signs are on the wall.
Many Nigerians have canvassed for revolution, but to my mind, there never can be a revolution in a country where there is no single dictator or devil confronting the society. Ours is a peculiar situation of many demons or a hydra-headed demon.
Before those who have perpetuated the rots and are scared of a revolution begin to grin from ear to ear, I have other fears. It is just a matter of time – with the ticking time-bomb, that the palpable disenchantments bred by the many decades of misgovernance acquire new violence. A new surge of violence from Egbesu, NURTW, OPC, MEND, Boko Haram, Police, Army, Custom and other variants is about to break loose. It has started, and that is why I reckon it is to be unlucky to make the national honours list. Before now, it is those who have ever occupied a position of trust and authority that are considered and represent some of the heads of the hydra-headed demon which the new violence will consume. To be unlucky to make the national honours list is to answer the roll call of looters and destroyers who qualifies for the violent cleansing that may befall Nigeria.
Therefore, for not to be considered as the supporter of the destroyers of the nation, the onus is on those wrongly listed to follow in the footsteps of Chinua Achebe.
Taofeek Ramat
[email protected]
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