Turning eighty is more than coming of age, hence the recent enrolment of three eminent senior citizens; Peter Enahoro, Festus Marinho and Odoliyi Lolomari into the sagely class of octogenarians, should be a moment of reflection for younger generations in the hope that they can learn lessons of tenacity and patriotism. And, deservedly, these men have been celebrated by a nation grateful, not only for the blessings of longevity, but for their continued service to the country. Committed patriots who exemplify the kind of integrity the nation seeks in vain today, it is only appropriate to say eighty hearty cheers to Enahoro, Marinho and Lolomari as well as other members of their generation who belong in the caravan of patriotic servants of Nigeria. Their milestone calls for as much sober reflection on the fate of Nigeria as the celebrations marking their eightieth birthdays.
Another election to usher a new democratic dispensation is next month; and according to pundits this may be the election that will make or break Nigeria. Will the election be a question of leadership or a do-or-die affair? Here, the positive and exemplary lives of these men are instructive. Just as tenacious as these octogenarians were in their resolve to be truly Nigerian in everything they did, Nigerians could muster the same tenacity to stay on course as we march towards our political destiny.
A paladin of integrity in the corruption-prone oil industry, Festus Marinho, the first Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has remained one of the most illustrious visionaries of the growth and development of the Nigerian oil industry. Odoliyi Lolomari, another petroleum and mining guru, joined the oil industry on the same day as Marinho. Lolomari’s exemplary career culminating in his ascension to the post of group managing director of the NNPC and Nigeria’s representative at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, remains a reference point in the history of the oil industry. Peter Enahoro was in the vanguard of journalistic pacesetting in Nigeria, blending courage, patriotism and an unrivalled sense of professional commitment with humor, in much the same way as his pen was turgid with vitriol and irritants, especially to military governments who forced him into exile.
All the good they have done notwithstanding, it is a tragic irony that in their life time these men have witnessed the grisly metamorphosis of Nigeria from a prosperous nation to one of unimaginable depravity; a nation where political fortune-hunters, rent seekers, sycophants and bigots have colluded to steal the people blind. In the hands of these buccaneers, the nation’s resources have been mindlessly pillaged. All the cherished values of a dignified people have been discarded. And a question begging for answer is: the individual dignity of the celebrated octogenarians notwithstanding, are they not inexorably linked to the nation’s woes? They did their best well enough, but where they complacent in the face of the bastardisation of their legacies before their own eyes?
At the risk of ruining their birthday parties, it is legitimate to ask: to what extent is their generation complicit in the rot that runs through Nigeria today? In light of their seeming helplessness and somewhat confused mien over the present decadence, Nigerians are curious to know: how did all this happen before their eyes? Given that many in this class took on the mantle of national leadership while in their 20s, why should the youth of today think that one day the baton of transformational leadership would be passed on to them? With the unending recycling of this and succeeding classes in public offices could it be said that one of their mortal sins is the absence of proper succession management?
In a society of manifest stagnation and looming anarchy, why should Nigerians believe in progress as defined by a generation that cannot truly be exonerated from the national failure? The three new octogenarians may be exceptions, but these posers appropriately express the growing disenchantment with the silence and complicity of elderly statesmen in the on-going plundering of Nigeria. And so, lending a voice to the aspirations of all who crave the Nigeria envisioned by the founding fathers, a prosperous and united nation in peace and justice, it is just right to use the occasion of the 80th birthday of these prominent Nigerians to re-direct attention to the road not taken, and how to get back on track. It is befitting to restate that Nigerians need not undergo the suffering and deprivation they are experiencing in the hands of a self-seeking, insensitive political elite, who parade themselves as leaders.
As Nigeria inches towards the February 14 general elections, it is appropriate to be anxious about what the elections hold for the country. Will 2015 turn out to be the year of careful introspection about our collective existence? Or will the elections signpost more political banditry? It is here that the exemplary lives of the Enahoros, Marinhos, Lolomaris, Anyaokus, Bayeros and Ekwuemes become instructive. Just as tenacious as these octogenarians were in their resolve to be truly Nigerian in all they did, Nigerians could muster the same tenacity to stay on course as the nation matches on in search of its destiny.
Nigerians can take a cue from their dedication and selflessness and promote collective national interests as opposed to the parochialism and sectionalism that seem the only path now. In the private sector or public service, these octogenarians have over the years taken their callings and done just one thing: service to the fatherland. In their twilight years, it is a mark of how well they have served that the nation still calls them up for more of what they have given all these years. The hope is that these men would keep their integrity intact, as they remain available for their country because, imperfect as they may be, more important to Nigeria today are the inspiring examples from what they have done before. And as the nation holds its breadth ahead of general elections next month, it might be the most auspicious time to ponder over the words of Josiah Gilbert Holland in the poem: “Wanted.” He wrote:
“God, give us men! A time like this demands
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor; men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue
And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog
In public duty and in private thinking;
For while the rabble, with their thumb-worn creeds,
Their large professions and their little deeds,
Mingle in selfish strife, lo! Freedom weeps,
Wrong rules the land and waiting Justice sleeps.”
Wanted – Josiah Gilbert Holland (1818-1881)
