The recent report that US President Barrack Obama has invited Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan to discuss security issues is good for Nigeria. Regardless of what anti-imperialists will say, the United States is the only country that has the greatest capacity to influence positively or negatively the affairs of other countries especially poor ones like Nigeria. Any poor country that ignores the United States does so at its own peril. Unfortunately the dominant Nigerian elite are one of the most backward in the world compared to those of China, India, Brazil, Malaysia and even Indonesia therefore Nigerians will have to depend on the benevolence of the Western countries especially the United States to salvage them. The dominant elite in these countries are patriotic while the Nigerian elite are parasitic. Otherwise no dictator or tyrant can hold the country to ransom or claim that without him the country can not survive. The elite in those countries are doing the right thing for their people and at the same time they are still making money. Can we say that in case of the PDP in Nigeria? Everyone knows that the PDP has not been the best thing that has happened to Nigeria. President Goodluck Jonathan now has the best chance to become the best President Nigeria has ever had if only he would listen to the truth and do the right thing otherwise he would end up ingloriously as Baba Obasanjo. The Nigerian civil society and the US President Obama can help President Jonathan by insisting on democratization. US President Obama should help Nigeria by telling President Jonathan to pay attention to the issues raised in this essay and also raised by the Group of Five PDP Governors.
There is no doubt Nigeria is faced with serious security challenges more than at any other time since the civil war; the insurgency in the North and the oil theft in the Niger Delta. These two challenges are no doubt serious but not insurmountable. At least late President Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua has demonstrated that it is possible to deal with the Niger Delta issue. President Jonathan could equally do the same with the insurgency in the North, the way he does it, is another issue. But the most important thing for President Jonathan is to be a President of all Nigeria not only serving the interest of just a section of the country and a few cronies and friends. This he could do, by upholding the high principle of integrity by honoring his agreement with Governors to whom he promised that he would not seek a third term. This will inspire confidence and he will become a universal statesman. Can’t he see why Mandela is today respected all over the world? Can’t he read why Mahatma Gandhi remains a living legend long after his death? Even in Nigeria our greatest politician, the Great Zik of Africa was never hungry for power but always pragmatic. Murtala sacrificed his life to become Nigeria’s only national hero. President Jonathan has a better chance than Zik or Murtala or any other former President for that matter.
The second thing President Jonathan should do is to be a true democrat by allowing internal democracy in his party, the PDP and making it a truly peoples party. By doing this President Jonathan will edge out all the dead woods in Nigerian politics, he will show them that our generation is a better generation. Let him borrow a leaf from other countries that underwent similar transition. Even China the greatest economic success story in human history has sent scholars and party ideologues to Sweden, Singapore and Japan to understudy how those countries were able to manage their democratic stability with one party in control for several years. From 1999 to date what has the PDP achieved in terms of transformation of the lives of poor people. At least in the North West which is the most dominant PDP Zone in Nigeria with the highest number of PDP Governors (six in number), therefore more than any other zone, there is no policy consistency within the zone as in the case of South West with five ACN/APC Governors. So if PDP as a party has failed to achieve any significant change in its most dominant zone compared at least to ACN/APC then something must be wrong with this party. And only President Jonathan can address that issue by being an impartial umpire and sacrificing his ego for the future generation. He should not listen to his tribesmen and opportunists who are only interested in milking the resources of the country. Is there any difference between a poor Ijaw man and a poor Hausa man or between an Ijaw oil baron and a Hausa oil baron? President Jonathan please be, a great man, and change Nigeria. As you have always said your cabinet is made up of men and women of high capability please demonstrate to the world that Africans can also do it. Please use this cabinet and others to build a party like the Liberal Party of Japan or ANC of South Africa or the ruling party of Sweden, or the ruling party of either Singapore or Malaysia. These are parties that are program oriented committed to the emancipation of their peoples not power hungry like the current Nigerian PDP.
The third thing President Jonathan should do is to truly implement the electoral reform begun with the Uwais Commission. He should have the big heart and capacity to conduct a free and fair election. He should learn from four African countries that were at various times less politically influential than Nigeria and are as plural as Nigeria. Senegal, one of the most stable countries in Africa; Mauritius, a socio-economic success story that has attained political stability; Ghana, an example of good governance; and South Africa the rainbow nation that has healed its wounds in true democratic spirit, are good examples where responsible leadership has emancipated the people, by guaranteeing freedom of choice. Senegal has many things in common with Nigeria. It is poor and agrarian like most of Northern Nigeria. It is 95% Muslim and was ruled by Leopold Seder Senghor a Catholic for twenty one years when he was forced to relinquish power he handpicked a successor Abdu Diouf, who ruled for nineteen years. Diouf “encouraged broader political participation, reduced government involvement in the economy, and widened Senegal’s diplomatic engagements, particularly with other developing nations. He was committed to democracy and human rights”. He organized elections in which he lost to the opposition led by Abdoulaye Wade who after enjoying power wanted to continue but he was kicked out by the people. President Jonathan should therefore learn from President Diouf.
Ghana though smaller than Nigeria in population and natural resources has always competed with Nigeria even in soccer our most cherished sport. Nkurmah tried to diminish Nigeria. He was unsuccessful because he was a corrupt despot but Rawlings who transformed from a military dictator to a democrat should be considered the true father of democratic Ghana which has now become a shinning example of good governance in Africa. Enticing US President Obama to visit that country and on the other hand he snubbed Nigeria. Ghana has remained consistent in its democratic practice this was because Rawlings was unlike Baba Obasanjo. Rawlings contested elections and won and then handed over power to an opposition candidate John Kuffor in the year 2000. John Kuffor was re-elected in 2004, and in 2008 his party lost to the opposition, and John Atta Mills, who was earlier defeated by John Kuffor in 2000 became President. Rawlings has therefore succeeded where Baba Obasanjo has failed. Please our dear President Jonathan kindly follow, the honorable path of Rawlings and don’t follow the inglorious path. US President Obama please help Nigeria by advising President Jonathan to follow the example of President Rawlings.
Mauritius is another country that is politically and economically stable not only because of its history and sociology but also because of the quality of leadership of that country. “As a stable democratic country it is one of the most successful and competitive economies in Africa. It has experienced peaceful transfer of power. In 2005 the incumbent Prime Minister Paul Berenger in a true democratic spirit, conceded his ruling coalition’s defeat in the parliamentary elections. He told his supporters that the opposition “would form the next government”. President Obama should tell President Jonathan to emulate the good example of this small island nation that has become symbol of democracy and prosperity in the midst of darkness in most of Africa.
President Nelson Mandela is generally regarded as a great son of Africa for his suffering in prison for over two decades and above all his magnanimity and selfless leadership compared to say the shameless Mugabe who has failed to find a successor after three decades in power. President Mandela built on the process of national reconciliation begun by President Klerk. He became the President in 1994. He concentrated on national reconciliation, seeking to forge a single South African identity and sense of purpose among diverse and splintered populace. “The diminution of political violence after 1994 and its virtual disappearance by 1996 were testament to the abilities of Mandela to achieve this difficult goal”. He stepped down in December 1997. He was succeeded by President Thabo Mbeki who served two terms and was recalled by his party the ANC, leading to his resignation and installation of Kgalema Motlanthe to serve the remaining period of the term. Elections were held in April 2009 and Jacob Zuma who had defeated Thabo Mbeki as the leader of the ANC was elected president. South Africa, in less than two decades, has achieved peaceful democratic transition because of the leadership of Nelson Mandela. South Africa was more divided for centuries than Nigeria before Baba Obasanjo who missed the chance of becoming great, now President Jonathan you can take the opportunity by truly healing the country and laying the foundation of democracy. US President Obama please help Nigeria by making President Jonathan to understand this.
US President Obama can do what no Nigerian or group of Nigerians can ever do as US President Bush did to Baba Obasanjo. Although Professor John Iliffe, Baba Obasanjo’s influential and highly respected biographer had claimed that the Baba did not tell anyone that he wanted to change the constitution to allow for a third term, former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has shown that he did ask President Bush to support him in his bid to the change the constitution and I quote her extensively for us to appreciate the power of the US President:
In 2006, when President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria sidled up to the President and suggested that he might change the Constitution so that he could serve a third term, the President told him not to do it. “You’ve served your country well. Now turn over power and become a statesman,” he’d said.
After a strong public rebuke from the United States and condemnation of his efforts by the international community, the Nigerian Senate rejected the constitutional amendment proposal that would have allowed Obasanjo to serve a third term. The crestfallen Obasanjo was initially angry, accusing Jendayi Frazer of undermining him in the press and with his own people. “I’ll never deal with her again,” he told the President. The President responded, “Well, she’s a good person. But the main thing is that your country needs you to do the right thing.” Obasanjo did cede power—to handpicked successor—but at least he was unsuccessful in changing the Constitution. (Condoleezza Rice No Higher Honor page 638)
President Obama, please note that most Nigerians and Africans are inspired by the innate goodness of the true American personality in you, help Nigeria and Africa by telling President Jonathan what President Bush told President Obasanjo so that Africa could continue smoothly its march towards true democracy and good governance. Without democracy and good governance in Nigeria, Africa is doomed because one in every four Africans is a Nigerian. It will be a great service to humanity to assist Nigeria. President Jonathan is an inherently a good person but he must be assisted to do the right thing. Nigerians are only interested in who betters their lot, no matter where he comes from. The simple act of free and fair elections will solve ninety percent of the problems of this country. A prosperous democratic Nigeria is a better friend for the United States than a chaotic unstable Nigeria. Even though oil companies will take oil no matter how dangerous a territory is, majority of Americans are humane and want others to also live in peace and prosperity therefore they will certainly support any initiative that will assist Nigeria to be democratic. President Obama should tell President Jonathan that he should have no fear, nothing will happen to him he should dismiss the ploy that if he is not the President the country will disintegrate. The point has at least been proved that any Nigerian from any part of the country can be the President, from either minority or majority ethnic group. Let Nigeria move forward please!
Ibrahim Ado-Kurawa, independent writer and researcher, former Director General Research and Documentation Kano State
