By Prof. Dan S. Izevbaye, Prof. Kunle Adeniran and Prof. John A. A. Ayoade

A National Anthem is one of the instruments of modern government. The lyrics are typically approved by the government and people as correctly expressing their history and national aspirations. It normally serves as an embellishment of the national personality to create national pride and endear the nation to the citizens. It is sung on important national, sub-national, sports and school events. It lends importance, credence and solemnity to such events. Citizens sing it standing reverently and respectfully usually with their right palm on their left breast as a sign of meditative communion with the nation. A National Anthem amounts to the music of a national secular faith. The lyrics and music are therefore at the very heart of the nation. Ideally, a National Anthem is a patriotic song aimed at galvanizing national patriotism by socializing the citizenry and thus producing patriotic citizens. National Anthems are therefore not mere symbolic national cosmetics, but essential national spiritual instruments for national edification. Even the monarchy-centred British National Anthem which was adopted in September 1745 aimed at the edification of the nation using the monarchy as the rallying point.

National Anthems became very prominent in the 18th century. Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle wrote the poem of the French National Anthem in 1792. He also composed its music, which was adopted as the French National Anthem on July 14, 1795. It was a war song during the French revolution. It is no surprise, therefore, that Anne-Marie described it as “bold, catchy and revolutionary”. It is a celebration of French chivalry and the popularisation of the French revolutionary triad of ‘liberty, equality and brotherhood’. Similarly, the American National Anthem was inspired by the victory over the British at Fort McHenry during the war of 1812.The Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner” is a song based on the poem “The Defence of Fort McHenry”. No wonder it celebrates what is often described as elements of American character, namely: independence, bravery and heroism in such phrases as ‘land of the free’ and ‘home of the brave’. It was also Scott Key, the lyricist, who supplied the tune of a popular British song for his poem, which was officially adopted as the American National Anthem in 1931.

The Nigerian Saga

The British acquired different parts of Nigeria either as colony or protectorate, by conquest or by treaty and coalesced them into Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria and Protectorate of Northern Nigeria. In 1914, the two were amalgamated into one country called Nigeria. The name Nigeria was coined by Flora Shaw, the girl-friend of Lieutenant General Frederick Lugard, a boisterous officer, who was deployed to colonial service. After a stint in Uganda in which he introduced indirect rule, he was posted to Nigeria where he effected the amalgamation that was aimed at colonial balanced budgets rather than the integration of the two halves of Nigeria. He then assumed the title of Governor-General although there were no Governors. In 1959, a year to the date set for Nigeria’s independence from colonial rule, an advert was posted for contestants to produce the National Anthem. Over five hundred Nigerians submitted entries but paradoxically the lyric submitted by a British expatriate, Lilian Jean Williams was selected as the winning entry while the music competition was won by a British ballet musician, Frances Brenda.

As one would expect, Ezekiel Mphahlele recorded the criticism of Nigerians that the winners of the National Anthem were both Britons rather than Nigerians. It is contradictory, some people argued, that a very significant document for the independence of Nigeria from Britain was British-brewed. It was therefore not an autochthonous document, which is a serious charge in independence matters as it would appear to detract from the independence of those who claim preparedness and readiness for independence if they could not prepare their own national Anthem. By that date (1959), Nigeria had produced such literary giants like Chinua Achebe who had published the globally successful “Things Fall Apart” and Wole Soyinka who had published and staged many plays including, in fact, the Independence Play, “A Dance of the Forests”. It could not have been that Nigeria, which went ahead to produce a Nobel Laureate in Literature and more than two hundred entries annually for the Nigerian Prize in Literature could not have produced a winning entry for the National Anthem. As it were, they were Britons who made the statement, “Nigeria We Hail Thee”.

The Anthem was in use from Independence in 1960 till 1978 when the military administration of General Obasanjo replaced it with “Arise O Compatriots” which was written by four Nigerians – John A. Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, Babatunde A. Ogunnaike, O Sola Omoigui, and P. O. Aderibigbe. The music was written by a Nigerian, B. E. Odiase. The second Anthem lasted forty-six years.

Changing the Change

President Ebele Jonathan convened the 2014 National Conference which approved the recommendation of its Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government that Nigeria should revert to the old National Anthem or what some people term the ‘Original National Anthem’. The Conference based its submission on two main grounds. First, it was of the opinion that the old Anthem is a better symbol of unity, peace and prosperity without substantiating how it does. Second, the Conference argued that the change would assist Nigeria to achieve her goal of building a fully integrated nation. The two grounds sounded good to the ear but are hardly plausible. At best, they are general political platitudes. They also, more or less, form the basis of the adoption of what the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, termed the “up-dated National Anthem”. The protagonists argued that “Nigeria We Hail Thee” connects “more to our core with a deeper meaning”. This is still in the realm of generalizations. Candidate Tinubu had promised to revert to the old Anthem during his presidential campaign claiming that it “describes us much better” because “it is about service, commitment and nation-building”.

There is no prescribed amendatory process for a National Anthem because it is not specifically written into the Constitution. The change is therefore technically not an amendment to the Constitution. It could therefore be handled as a bill which is what was done in this case. Democracy demands a participatory process which normally involves a public hearing. At the public hearing, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) argued that public hearing is necessary but not sufficient for the proposed amendment. For him, “it should be subjected to a wider consultation” to reflect the general wish of Nigerians. The Senate Majority Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, is quoted to have said, on the same subject, that “if considered necessary, further consultation would be had on the matter”. It turned out that no further consultation was had on the matter. The ‘original Anthem’ was therefore brought back without subjecting it to any editing. This is the point of departure for the next section.

Editing the Change

The term “up-dated National Anthem” by Senator Akpabio is not borne out by even the minutest editing of the Anthem. It was reproduced completely with the most offensive derogatory line of the lyric which states “Though tribe and tongue may differ; in brotherhood, we stand”. The derogation is proved by the fact that the term ‘tribe’ is reserved for Africans, Indians and Native Americans and not for peoples in similar circumstances in Europe and the United States. Chinua Achebe in his “Things Fall Apart” had referred to the penchant of colonial officers and European anthropologists for denigrating colonial peoples as tribesmen. We rely on the definitions of two eminent Dictionaries of the English Language to demonstrate discriminatory attribution of the term to Africans and in this particular instance to Nigerians.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines tribe as “an aggregate of people in a primitive and barbarous condition” just as the Century Dictionary defines it as “a division of a barbarous race of people”. To retain this in the National Anthem will be the worst and unfortunate intentional self-denigration in the twenty-first century. Even worse than that is the fact that the colonial metropolis deliberately applied the word ‘tribe’ as a justificatory phraseology for colonialism and its attendant atrocities. It inflicts a double jeopardy on colonial peoples and neutralizes the right of independence. To retain it in the National Anthem is to accept that self-determination is a concession for which Nigerians should show gratitude. Self-determination is a right.

The conjunction ‘Though’ that begins the third line of the Anthem suggests that the differences caused by ‘tribe and tongue’ are major obstacles to unity but moderated by brotherhood as a solvent. The role of brotherhood as solvent for the differences of tribe and tongue is counter-intuitive because differences would not have been noticeable and/or worrying if brotherhood is an efficacious solvent in the first place. Even if brotherhood were efficacious, the word brotherhood has become suspect as sexist in matters of this nature. It is better avoided in critical matters like the National Anthem.

In conclusion we want to put on record the speed with which the ‘original’ Anthem was brought back to life. It shows that the national Assembly can speedily attend to issues. In this same spirit, we implore the National Assembly to set in motion the process of expunging the offensive words so as to relieve all Nigerians of the memories of colonialism in our National Anthem. We also want to use this occasion and medium to remind Nigerians that colonialism is alive and well. It comes now in the form of loans, grants, and the establishment of military posts. In the words of the arch colonialist, Cecil Rhodes, ‘colonialism is philanthropy with ten percent’. It is not only the Greeks that give Greek gifts.

-Izevbaye, Emeritus Professor of English; Adeniran, Professor of Linguistics and Ayoade, Emeritus Professor of Political Science, write from University of Ibadan, Nigeria

By Lanre Adewole

29th August 2019, then Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai violently dragged his former friend and estranged political associate, Shehu Sani, after he masterminded Sani’s re-election loss, as senator, representing Kaduna Central.

Speaking when visited by the Kpop Ham Malam DanladiGyet Maude, El-Rufai said, “We have kicked out Shehu Sani, who has now become a blogger and Uthman Hunkuyi who has now relocated to China with his family for not giving the people of Kaduna State the opportunity of getting the loan that will help in improving the lots of Kaduna people.”

In fact, a year earlier, El-Rufai had publicly cussed Sani and two other senators representing the state then, for their unyielding opposition to the World Bank $350 million loan offer to the state. Sani, who led the united disavowal, had predicted economic collapse of the state under a new helmsman, if el-Rufai was allowed to have his way and the loan.

After emerging the governor-elect of Kaduna, I had a chance encounter with today’s incumbent Governor Uba Sani and then Senator Sani who made the El-Rufai loan possible, after the other Sani, was kicked out and forced to be more active on the internet.

After saluting him, standing on a floor of a hotel, for close to 20 minutes, we discussed the politics and the future of the state, the battle of brothers between the sacked Sani and El-Rufai and how three of them, grew up in activism and bonded in politics before the loan asunder.

I will spare the details of his withheld opinion of his predecessor and somewhat godfather but he believed the other Sani, mismanaged their fiery friend.

Now, with what is playing out under him as today’s governor and the realization of the impacts of his indulging act of aggressively pushing for the loan for El-Rufai, can Uba Sani still sincerely castigate Shehu’s management of El-Rufai and his loan request?.

The “blogging” Sani said in a recent interview with The Punch that it was a miracle he is being vindicated so early in the life of the administration of Governor Sani over the loan, and he can actually dance samba as the man who saw tomorrow. Maybe Governor Sani, then as senator, wasn’t also completely blind to the tomorrow that has arrived today with shocking allegations of official corruption and mismanagement of Kaduna commonwealth by El-Rufai, including the loan, he helped facilitate, but likely shawled by friendship allegiance and shackled by political expediency of the time, when the loan practically became a test of loyalty for El-Rufai, as the then party leader in the state.

If it were to be in a political ecosystem like America or United Kingdom, the stench oozing from the alleged N423 billion the administration of Uba Sani is accusing El-Rufai of mismanaging in his eight years as governor, would be enough to crown Shehu Sani the next governor of the state on the platform of any political party or even as an independent candidate, considering the complicity of the incumbent, but Nigeria is what it is.

Former CNN star, Chris Cuomo was relieved of his high-profile gig because he “encouraged” the toxic workplace his older brother, Andrew, had made of New York Government House as governor, and his history of sexual predatory. The siblings were simultaneously cancelled.

I have in possession, and have read El-Rufai’s memoir, The Accidental Public Servant. Most of the claims concerning others, had been thoroughly debunked since its publication in 2013, leaving the 627-page book almost hollow and bereft of credible acclaims and allusions, but the central claim that the author wasn’t set for public service abnitio, remains unchallenged.

Maybe he was an accident that shouldn’t have happened to public service in Nigeria. Maybe not. Historians will have the opportunities of then, now and tomorrow, to see if Nasir (I prefer the Yoruba adaptation of Nasiru, like an illustrious Nigerian will always call him), was a curse or a blessing to public service. I have been to Kaduna State severally, including parts of the hinterlands. El-Rufai is largely credited with the metropolitan facelift, by the locals and even the elites, who loathe him. Maybe, because they see beyond the fawning worship of the local hero by everyday people. But before he left office, he was said to have been so thoroughly demystified that when his son, was campaigning, he had to persuade voters he wasnt anything like his father, knowing how much of a villain his father had become, even when financial scandals had not come into play.

Probes in Nigeria are always motion without movement, when not political. When political, they become a circus. El-Rufai has said his, is political, which will make it a farce and it would be for the probing lawmakers and the Sani’s administration, obviously backing them, to provide irrefutable pieces of evidence that again, El-Rufai has “did” it again.

While the former governor has benefit of the doubt in his favour this time, the benefit of recent history, doesn’t favour giving his innocence plea, a second glance.

Yoruba always wonder why everything vice, vicious, visceral and vacuous, is perpetually traceable to, and locatable, in tortoise (orogbogboki se lorialabahun, bi won banpairo, ohunni, bi won banjale, ohunni, bi won banse eke, ohunni).

Alleged corruption in humongous forms, is gradually becoming the trademark of El-Rufai’s service in public offices and he can’t keep playing the victim, to escape the noose, forever. From the Bureau of Public Enterprise to the Federal Capital Territory and now his state of birth, it has always been stories of missing and misused billions of naira. If we take it that politicians at federal levels are no joy and kill-joy, who are always out to bury reformers and public-benefitting reforms, is Nasiru saying his own, starting with the governor he “made” and lawmakers, most of whom, he handpicked, and all of them of the same ruling APC, are out to get him out of the way? What for? 2027 politics? An election APC needs to go into as a united entity, to escape surging PDP in the state? Why would Governor Sani want to splinter his base and ostracise a damaged but still useful brand like el-Rufai even if he is considering a new vehicle (SDP or Third Force whatever), to slug the presidency out with Tinubu? Is Sani fighting Tinubu’s battle in the state? Is there an orchestration to rid APC of Nasir in the state, considering that the former governor appears not getting over the grudge of ministerial snub of a year ago?

Whatever is the political mix, public money should not be missing without explanation. El-Rufai should also be given the benefit of proper explanation, with every allegation and response, in public domain, for clarity purposes. It is likely Nasir will also wriggle out of this corruption waters again, like the proverbial cat with nine lives he has proven himself to be. But what if the cat, doesn’t get to the ninth count.

Taking his victory laps days back as the corruption saga raises Kaduna’s temperature, “blogging” Sani wrote about banditry in forest and government house.

He can be arcane with words.

By Suyi Ayodele

As the sitting president in 2016, General Muhammadu Buhari told the Emir of Katsina that “It would be foolhardy for someone to just say he would chase us away. So where do we go” He uttered those words in reaction to the clamour for killer herdsmen to leave the forest of the South. When the language of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is as discriminatory as what we had in his eight years, we should not wonder why those herders became audacious under his watch!

Last Wednesday, and for the first time since he became the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio showed some courage in leadership. He was able to rise to the occasion when some senators, who ordinarily one should think would be the shining stars of the Red Chamber, decided to be funny. Akpabio’s “Cows are not citizens of Nigeria, Senator Aliero; are you arguing with me? The section you are referring to is talking about citizens of Nigeria. And cows are not citizens of Nigeria. Cows can come from Niger, Chad or anywhere”, rings a bell in my ears even now. The Senate President was responding to the argument by Adamu Aliero, former governor of Kebbi State, that banning cows from open grazing would amount to infringing on the fundamental human rights of Nigerians. Aliero was not alone in that journey to the community of the shameless. Another former governor and fellow senator, Danjuma Goje from Gombe Sate also argued in that direction. The duo expressed the opinions of majority of the northern senators on the issue of open grazing. One cannot but feel ashamed of the argument.

This macabre drama took me down my elementary school days when we used to have catechism classes and the teachers would test our knowledge of the Bible thus: Tani ó dá e? Olórun tí ó dá òrun òhun ayé, òun ni o dá mi. Kíni Olórun tún dá? Olórun dá eye ojú òrun àti eja inú ibú. Àti kí tún ni? Ò dá eranko ati ohun gbogbo tí ó ní èmí. Nígbà tí ó dá won tán, kí ló so? Ò ní kí a maa joba lórí won. E pàtéwó fún ra yín (Who created you? God who created the heaven, and the earth is the one who created me. What else did God create? God created the birds in the sky and the fish in the ocean. And what else? He created animals and everything that has breath. After creating them, what did he say? He commanded us to rule over them. Clap for yourselves).

The Anglican Catechism of our cradle was fantastic. It was based on proposition and response, as we have above We would go boisterous. We would sing owó Jésú, e má fi ra dòdò je (don’t use Jesus’ money to buy fried plantain). Offering would be collected, the Grace taken, and we would dismiss to go and join our parents in the adult church. That itself was another trouble for the Church Wardens, the present-day ushers; especially when we had gentle boys and girls like yours sincerely in large numbers! Rowdy as the classes were then, the didacticism of the teachings reverberates even now. God bless the souls of Mummy Falusi, Mummy Ogundipe and their team of children’s teachers of our old All Saints’ Anglican Church, Oke-Bola, Ikole Ekiti.

Why were those Sunday School children’s teachers of those days teaching us those fundamental moral values.? Why the ethos of their informal curriculum for the children’s church? Recent happenings in Nigeria answer these questions and many more. But for the fact that we were taught in our cradle that God never created man and animals to be equal, the modern-day Nigerian politicians would have invaded our psychological and mental faculties to condition us to think that the four-legged creatures are of the same status with Homo sapiens! We are indeed in a terrible season.

The Nigerian senate is expected to be the abode for the best of brains in the country. The hallowed chamber, which the present pests have turned to hollow chamber, was designed to be the brain box of the nation’s legislative arm of government. One would expect that whoever appends the prefix “Distinguished” to his or her name would be a man or woman of far above average intelligence. But the reverse has been the case to the embarrassment of every right-thinking individual in the country. How the same senate where the likes of Abraham Adesanya, Jonathan Odebiyi, Ayo Fasanni, Oloye Abubakar Olusola Saraki; Joseph Wayas; Adamu Kolo; Jacob Kure Madaki; David Omueye Dafinone; Offia Nwali; Mohammed Girgiri; Emeka Patrick Echeruo; Adamu Gaya, and a host of other fantastic beings once sat is now occupied by the present jesters beats one’s imagination. How did we negotiate the curve in our political trajectory that has led us to this bottomless pit of legislative buffoonery?

Senator Titus Zam representing Benue North-Wes,t proposed a bill seeking to ban open grazing. Zam, whose constituents are constantly at the receiving end of the perennial herders/farmers clashes in the North Central region of the country, reasoned that the only way the nation could cure the menace is by putting a law in place that would ensure that whoever wants to engage in animal husbandry must create ranches as done in other civilised countries of the world. The Benue State senator’s argument was that: “The bill advocates for the urgent need to transit from traditional livestock-keeping methods to modern methods which are safer and healthier for both the herds and the herders; proposes that ranches be established in the pastoralists’ state of origin without forcing it upon other states or communities that do not have pastoralists as citizens.”, and that “interested parties in livestock business must seek and obtain approvals of their host communities to establish ranches for peaceful co-existence.” He argued that open grazing is not just old-fashioned and hazardous, it is equally a burdensome culture from the Stone Age! Fantastic submission, one was tempted to say until the Alieros and Gojes of this world rose to speak.

In his argument, Aliero, who ruled Kebbi State for eight years, opined that the bill, if passed into law, would amount to a contravention of the fundamental rights of the citizens of the country, as it seeks to ban the free movement of herders and their cattle. He further submitted that cattle rearing and ranching activities take place more in northern Nigeria than in other parts of the country, reasoning that lawmaking should be for the entire country and not for a section. He went ahead to talk about the ancient “cattle routes”, which started from the north and terminated in Lokoja, Kogi State. The insistence that banning open grazing is a contravention of the fundamental rights of Nigerians drew the reaction of the Senate President. To Aliero and his fellow ‘human rights activist’ No one should be surprised at that level of reasoning in Nigeria of 2024!

The most unfortunate aspect of last Wednesday’s debate in the Senate is that the argument to equate cows with Nigerians by the northern elite did not start today. Even the most learned legal minds in the north think in that direction. For the eight years of his ruinous leadership of the country, the mental faculty of General Muhammadu Buhari tilted more to attaching importance to cows than to an average Nigerian. The Daura-born General is legendary in that regard. Buhari was reported to have led a delegation of Arewa chieftains to the late Lam Adesina, when he was the governor of Oyo State in the year 2000 to tell the governor that “Your people are killing my people.” Buhari made that notorious statement in reaction to the herders/farmers clash in Oke Ogun area of Oyo State. To him, what mattered then was the number of herders killed in retaliatory attacks by the farmers, and not the calamities visited on the lives and property of the farmers by the Ak-47-carrying murderous herders.

Buhari had an alibi in his Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), whose employment of nauseating sophistry, while justifying the rights of cows above those of Nigerians, became notoriously legendary. Malami, while reacting to the Asaba congregation of the 17 southern governors where the resolution to ban open grazing was debated and adopted, cited Section 41 (1) of the constitution to reduce the argument to the pedestrian level of the rights of cows! On a national television station, Malami, witlessly intoned: “It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedoms expressed in our Constitution… Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian?” and which right was the then AGF talking about? Section 41 (1) states inter alia: “Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria…” The fundamental words here are contained in the phrase, “Every citizen of Nigeria.” The question to ask then is: Are cows human beings, and citizens of Nigeria?

The calamity of the Buhari era is that Nigerians, for the first time in history, had the misfortune of having a negatively brilliant AGF interpreting the spirits and letters of the constitution to a completely biddable president! Little wonder then that the Mai Gaskiya never raised a finger to defend the rights to life of other Nigerians apart from those of his kinsmen, the Fulani herders and their cows. That was why when Buhari stuttered to Benue, where over a hundred farmers were slaughtered by herdsmen, all he could do was to laugh and wonder aloud why the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) he asked to relocate to Benue State was not on ground! That was why Buhari and Malami devoted the greatest parts of their energy to bringing back the antediluvian Rural Grazing Areas (RUGA) policy but for the resistance of Nigerians.

Buhari’s offspring are back in the Senate to defend the ‘fundamental human rights of cows’, the same way their forebear did. Good enough, Akpabio was able to push the anti-open grazing bill through. We thank him for that first-ever positive act. While at that, we need to remind the Alieros and Gojes of the North that nobody is against the free movement of northerners to any part down south. The problem is that in moving about, no Nigerian is permitted to constitute a threat to the well-being of other Nigerians. It should be a thing of collective shame to the agitators of the right to free movement for cows that anywhere herdsmen go, there is always sorrow, tears and blood. We had herdsmen in our areas when we were growing up. The difference between then and now is that the cow herders of the past had just ordinary sticks, whereas the herdsmen of the Aliero and Goje’s world of today carry AK-47 assault rifles. AK-47 is not a game-hunting gun.

Nigeria is indeed in a confused state. An average southern Nigerian grew up with the Catechism that teaches that God created human beings to have dominion over animals. The opposite is what the north has; a place where animals are more treasured than human beings. Methinks that if the northern elite had paid the attention they give to cows to the educational development of the herdsmen, the North would have been a lot better than it is today. Incidentally, only the children of the hoi polloi of the North are recruited as cow herders, while the children of the elite are in the best schools across the country and beyond!  I have stopped lamenting over the calamity those who brought the north and the south together as “one indivisible” nation brought upon us. The reality on ground now is that there is no immediate solution to that fundamental problem. So, what do we make with the stones that the January 1, 1914, amalgamation threw on our path? The north must talk to itself and realise that it is pushing its luck with the rest of the nation too far!

The world has moved away from the precariously ambulant pastoral lifestyle that Aliero and Goje are advocating, to more sophisticated stationary ranches which give more yields in terms of dairy products and beef to the herders. Besides, while herdsmen have the right to freedom of movement, farmers and other Nigerians also have the rights to harvest the products of their farms and enjoy the peace of their communities. There must be a common ground. That solution is in the anti-grazing bill as proposed by Senator Titus Zam of Benue North-West Senatorial District. All right-thinking Nigerians, especially from the North, should embrace such a noble, decent and modern legislation. In the first instance, it is wicked for the elite of the North to keep their children in their comfy homes and at the same time ask herdsmen to tramp through the forests of Kano to Sekona in Osun State. If, in 2024, northern senators still have the mentality of Abdullahi Adamu, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former senator and former governor of Nasarawa State to wit: “The government is free to establish grazing reserves anywhere. Government is government. If anybody thinks he is violent, the government has the monopoly of violence”, I can predict the end. DISASTER!

By Richard Odusanya

As we mark the 31st anniversary of June 12, my mind strayed to the past as I recall the events of that fateful day and most significantly the years after the day. Please permit me to share with you the profound words of Lyndon Baines Johnson, often referred to by his initials LBJ, an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He became president after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, under whom he had served as the 37th vice president from 1961 to 1963. Johnson emotionally posted: “our time we have come to live with moments of great crisis.”

LBJ, continued: “Our lives have been marked with debate about great issues: issues of war and peace, issues of prosperity and depression. But rarely in any time does an issue lay bare the secret heart of America itself. Rarely are we met with a challenge, not to our growth or abundance, our welfare or our security, but rather to the values and the purposes and the meaning of our beloved nation.” We shall overcome. We shall overcome. We shall overcome some day – if not, then we will have failed as a people and as a nation. 

As the “Giant of Africa”, Nigeria celebrates her 25th uninterrupted and longest years of democracy since 1999, this provides an opportunity to reflect on the journey so far. June 12, Democracy Day carries huge significance for many Nigerians. Sadly, It was on this date in 1993 that a general election was held for the first time after the 1983 military coup, which toppled the democratically elected government of President Shehu Shagari of the blessed memory. 

June 12, was an election widely viewed as the freest, fairest and most peaceful ever held in Nigeria. Additionally, on June 12, thirty-one years ago, HOPE ’93, the vision of a new Nigeria would have been the catalyst for the dawn of a new era – that certainly was what Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO), envisioned – wherefore, an estimated 14 million Nigerians; set aside ethnic, religious, class, and regional affiliations, to elect their president with the hope of ending several years of military dictatorship. June 12, offer hope and give rise to a sense that progress toward freedom, equality, and—indeed—justice is inevitable.

There were some of us comrades who played our individual and collective roles of that historic day such as my dear friend Ferdinand Agu, whose sudden death coming on the heels of the 31st anniversary of Jun 12 brought the memories back to me. I feel saddened that we not only messed up the opportunity of that SACRED MANDATE, we also seem to have badly utilized the resultant opportunity opened to us in 1999 in the wake of the 4th Republic

Therefore, I take a painful look back to those days with concern.

REMINISCENCES.

“On the 5th of JUNE 1999, exactly 21 years ago. I received a call on my cellular phone in the days of 090……., in the presence of Dr. Deji Adeleke in company of his amiable and lovely wife ‘Aunty Vero’ of blessed memory, both of them parents of the legendary ‘DAVIDO’. The call was from Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, an intimate friend of President Olusegun Obasanjo as he was then.

The message was a clear instruction and a reminder of President Obasanjo for me to work with him in what was known as the ‘outerbox’, some people called it ‘engine room’. 

I had previously worked in such capacity with Abu Bello, the current Governor of Niger state during the General  Abubakar Abdusalam regime. I was actually excited about the prospect of a New Nigeria under the leadership of a man whom I thought must have met God genuinely in prison, similitude of MADIBA my hero and I was under the illusion that we have another MANDELA in the making.

My excitement knew no bound and when the opportunity to play certain roles came calling, I then disengaged from the team that birthed MTN Nigeria in Dec, 1998. My first assignment was the Inaugural committee headed by an erudite Prof. Tunde Adeniran with other members such as: Dr Gbolade Osinowo, of the blessed memory, Pauline Tallen, Ferdinand Agu and yours truly.

Fast forward to the first two years of the 4th Republic… On the 29th of May 2001, at the villa chapel, during the church service of the then Democracy Day Celebrations, the respected Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye delivered the sermon that was considered to be a ‘wake up call’, and I completely aligned myself with the message. By this time I was totally dissatisfied with the styles and policies of the government, particularly on issues of political intolerance, self righteousness/aggrandizement, ineffective anti corruption crusade, visible corruption perpetuated at the echelon structure of government, and politically motivated assassinations.

MY EXIT.

After the wake up call by Pst. Adeboye, I noticed that the entire political and administrative system and particularly those Elements/Tendencies have not changed. Therefore, it became impossible for me to trust the system. I then began to plot my exit, particularly, after the assassinations of high profile political personalities, including: a sitting Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in person of Chief James Ajibola Ige SAN, A.K Dikibo, Harry Marshall, Senate President Dr Chuba Okadigbo and many others. There and then, I realized that, I, was carrying a burden and hoping for a change via the ballot box in the 2003 elections, which did not materialized.

Subsequently, I had to deliberately travelled to the U.S during the Inauguration ceremony of 2003 and stayed in the USA, for seven days. I remembered that my immediate elder brother’s wife, Tosin, drove all the way from Boston to New York to pick me up so that I can spend some time with family. I could not discuss details of my journey to the US with my brother, even my wife then, because of the sensitivity and the mentality/excitement for public positions by an average African….I kept it to myself and continued with the assignments while plotting my exist.

MY RESIGNATION LETTER..

I Finally made up my mind and arranged for my immediate family members out of the country. Whilst the family members were in Boston, I drafted a RESIGNATION letter faxed it to Dr. Deji Adeleke in Lagos and traveled to Kaduna to meet with Bishop David Abioye…with the blessings of the two eminent personalities, I was good to go. It was difficult to trust anyone else who are usually engrossed in the fantasies of public position with such uncommon decision; however, I subsequently moved out of the Defense house and soon began to settle for a more private life, almost immediately, some individuals around me informed my family members in the USA without my knowledge. 

THIRD TERM GAMBIT

At the full realization of the plot by President Olusegun Obasanjo to clandestinely elongate the constitutional rights of his administration, I joined forces with progressive minds to stop the madness and prevent another Mugabe from emerging in Nigeria.

I would like to salute my comrades in the battle-line with whom we truncated the Still-born third term agenda.  I salute Gen. T Y Danjuma, President Muhammad Buhari, former V. President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Garba Shehu, Ojo Adinoyi Onukapa of blessed memory and many other great patriots. Series of my interviews with both local and international media organizations will suffice – Richard O. Odusanya.

Therefore, it is with nostalgia feeling that I decided to share what my friend Ferdinand Agu wrote as a feedback on one of my write-up written four years ago on June 5th, and Ferdinand got back to me same day 5th June barely 72 hours before his demise.” This piece written four years ago and reshared on 5th June few days to the demise of a great mind Ferdinand Agu who response is below.

SEE HIS FEEDBACK BELOW:

“Richard: It is nice to hear from you after such a long time. I am glad you are fine. Thanks for your kind mention of myself and others; and your fond recollection of those heady days that it seemed Nigeria was on the cusp of real change.

A lot has happened since. It will be good to meet someday and exchange notes. I am delighted, though, that you still believe in Nigeria. That is good. Many people talk of Nigeria, but evidence shows that they have different visions, which in reality mean different things. 

Someday, I will learn which of the visions of Nigeria you believe in and how far it is materialising.

Take good care, brother. Remain blessed.” 

That was the last message I received from Ferdinand Agu precisely on Tuesday 5th June.

Conclusively, I like to join millions of our compatriots home and abroad in dedicating the 31st anniversary of June 12 to the evergreen memory of our heroes particularly the symbol of democracy MKO Abiola and my friend Ferdinand Agu who just passed on to glory. Our heroes will rise again.

Finally, it is my hope and believe that Asíwájú Bola Tinubu (PBAT), the President C-in-C of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a fellow comrade in the June 12 history who on 25 Feb 2023, exactly 30years after, relived the spirit and character of that election of 1993, will ultimately actualize the dreams of Hope ’93 through the ‘Renewed Hope’

Richard Odusanya

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