Socialist Revolution As a Lasting Panacea to the Leadership Crisis in Africa?
Prof. Toba Alabi. (tobalabi@yahoo.com)
On 1 October, 2019, I was involved in a deep sober reflection on Nigeria and Africa as a whole. I asked myself this fundamental question: what has been the level of development in Nigeria and Africa since 1999 when Nigeria was returned to civil rule or if you want to make yourself happy, democratic rule. But referring to what we have in many African countries today as democratic rule smacks of hypocrisy and self deceit which in itself is a palpable hinderance to not only political development but also to the entire gamut of all forms of socio-economic and political transformation in the continent.
In most African countries today the judiciary has been reduced to an appendage of the executive with devastating consequences for human rights and fundamental freedoms of the citizens. For four years, the courts have ruled that Sambo Dasuki and Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife be released but today they are still in jail. In 2018, the Chief Justice of Nigeria was summarily suspended by the President without any reprisals from the civil society and the people.
Before I am accused of condoning corruption by the apologists of government, I hasten to say that while I do not endorse the primitive accumulation of the CJ, the sanctity of of any liberal democracy is predicated on due process as opposed to arbitrariness and irrationality in governance. The procedure for his removal is clearly spelt out in the constitution and it would be tantamount to a travesty and parody of justice to side with any extra-constitutional procedures to achieve this.
I have read a couple of sentimental positions of some scholars on this that are so flawed and highly incongruous with not only honesty and academic integrity but also with intellectual rigour that adulates objectivity, empiricism and facts. Stubborn and irrepressible fact. If the constitution of Nigeria stipulates how a particular officer of the Nigerian state is to be removed from office and this is not followed and you side with illegality, with due respect, you are not a scholar but a sheer propagandist and an unofficial megaphone of government. And it is a tragedy of stupendous proportion that this intellectual dishonesty is so pervasive in the entire African continent and this is why the academia is losing its social relevance on a daily basis.
Disrespect for judicial pronouncements and brazen Violations of the constitution are not mere happenstances but highly entrenched elite criminal practices that have assumed the toga of acceptance and canonization in Africa. Given the pervasiveness of the uselessness and rottenness of the African leadership, is it likely that things will get better in the continent in the foreseeable future? This is very unlikely. Take a look at the leadership in Uganda, Burundi and Cameroon, you wold see the worst form of frauds that have ever been foisted on humanity. Yuri Museveni is one of the most corrupt leaders in the world. Nkoroziza of Burundi is another disaster that has turned his citizens into modern day slaves. Paul Biya is so old and so sick that he rules the Cameroons mostly from France. These three tragedies are representative of the current leadership realities in Africa.
A mace thief, Ovie Omo-Agege, is today Nigeria's Deputy Senate President. Godswill Akpabio and George Akume that have been indicted for fraud by the EFCC are today 'Honourable Ministers' in the Buhari government. The official spokesman of the government, Lai Mohammed, is facing trial for the theft of N2.5 billion in Nigerian Broadcasting Commission during the digital switch over in ICPC. This is the current reality in Nigeria under a self-avowed government fighting corruption.
After twenty years of civil rule, Nigerians today are caught in the deepening throes of poverty, ignorance and disease. To be sure, this is the situation in the whole of the African continent, except for Rwanda and Botswana where good leadership is making a positive change and difference in the lives of people. What is the message that Rwanda and Botswana are sending to the remaining fifty two African countries? Remove your current leadership that is nothing more than an abbatross to your development and a palpable frustrating immobilism to your journey to freedom from servitude and oppression.
Could African freedom come from the ballot box and peaceful means? This is doubtful. Experience has shown that these rotten elite will always use the instrumentalities of state to subvert the people's wish in elections. Most elections in Africa are a waste of time and resources. Karl Marx will always be right. Oppressors do not willingly relinquish power. It has to be taken by force. Overwhelming and intimidating force.
A mesage to those that often doubt my salvation experience each time I advocate for positive actions and people power! I have said it repeatedly that I am not a student of theology and divinity but a student of political science who is guided by what is and not by what ought to be. No self respecting political scientist would turn himself into a ridiculous advocate of moral preachments that hope that one day these useless politicians will embark on moral rectitude and change by returning their loots to the state treasury.
This is a piece of nonsense that will never see the light of day. The only reality in Africa today is positive action, people power and a revolution that will not only consume these rotten politicians but also those useless religious men that partake in their looting the continent. Today is the day of salvation in Africa, a salvation that could only come through the use of force. When and how this will come could not be precisely predicted. But given the growing leadership decadence and banality in Africa, it will surely come.
On 1 October, 2019, I was involved in a deep sober reflection on Nigeria and Africa as a whole. I asked myself this fundamental question: what has been the level of development in Nigeria and Africa since 1999 when Nigeria was returned to civil rule or if you want to make yourself happy, democratic rule. But referring to what we have in many African countries today as democratic rule smacks of hypocrisy and self deceit which in itself is a palpable hinderance to not only political development but also to the entire gamut of all forms of socio-economic and political transformation in the continent.
In most African countries today the judiciary has been reduced to an appendage of the executive with devastating consequences for human rights and fundamental freedoms of the citizens. For four years, the courts have ruled that Sambo Dasuki and Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife be released but today they are still in jail. In 2018, the Chief Justice of Nigeria was summarily suspended by the President without any reprisals from the civil society and the people.
Before I am accused of condoning corruption by the apologists of government, I hasten to say that while I do not endorse the primitive accumulation of the CJ, the sanctity of of any liberal democracy is predicated on due process as opposed to arbitrariness and irrationality in governance. The procedure for his removal is clearly spelt out in the constitution and it would be tantamount to a travesty and parody of justice to side with any extra-constitutional procedures to achieve this.
I have read a couple of sentimental positions of some scholars on this that are so flawed and highly incongruous with not only honesty and academic integrity but also with intellectual rigour that adulates objectivity, empiricism and facts. Stubborn and irrepressible fact. If the constitution of Nigeria stipulates how a particular officer of the Nigerian state is to be removed from office and this is not followed and you side with illegality, with due respect, you are not a scholar but a sheer propagandist and an unofficial megaphone of government. And it is a tragedy of stupendous proportion that this intellectual dishonesty is so pervasive in the entire African continent and this is why the academia is losing its social relevance on a daily basis.
Disrespect for judicial pronouncements and brazen Violations of the constitution are not mere happenstances but highly entrenched elite criminal practices that have assumed the toga of acceptance and canonization in Africa. Given the pervasiveness of the uselessness and rottenness of the African leadership, is it likely that things will get better in the continent in the foreseeable future? This is very unlikely. Take a look at the leadership in Uganda, Burundi and Cameroon, you wold see the worst form of frauds that have ever been foisted on humanity. Yuri Museveni is one of the most corrupt leaders in the world. Nkoroziza of Burundi is another disaster that has turned his citizens into modern day slaves. Paul Biya is so old and so sick that he rules the Cameroons mostly from France. These three tragedies are representative of the current leadership realities in Africa.
A mace thief, Ovie Omo-Agege, is today Nigeria's Deputy Senate President. Godswill Akpabio and George Akume that have been indicted for fraud by the EFCC are today 'Honourable Ministers' in the Buhari government. The official spokesman of the government, Lai Mohammed, is facing trial for the theft of N2.5 billion in Nigerian Broadcasting Commission during the digital switch over in ICPC. This is the current reality in Nigeria under a self-avowed government fighting corruption.
After twenty years of civil rule, Nigerians today are caught in the deepening throes of poverty, ignorance and disease. To be sure, this is the situation in the whole of the African continent, except for Rwanda and Botswana where good leadership is making a positive change and difference in the lives of people. What is the message that Rwanda and Botswana are sending to the remaining fifty two African countries? Remove your current leadership that is nothing more than an abbatross to your development and a palpable frustrating immobilism to your journey to freedom from servitude and oppression.
Could African freedom come from the ballot box and peaceful means? This is doubtful. Experience has shown that these rotten elite will always use the instrumentalities of state to subvert the people's wish in elections. Most elections in Africa are a waste of time and resources. Karl Marx will always be right. Oppressors do not willingly relinquish power. It has to be taken by force. Overwhelming and intimidating force.
A mesage to those that often doubt my salvation experience each time I advocate for positive actions and people power! I have said it repeatedly that I am not a student of theology and divinity but a student of political science who is guided by what is and not by what ought to be. No self respecting political scientist would turn himself into a ridiculous advocate of moral preachments that hope that one day these useless politicians will embark on moral rectitude and change by returning their loots to the state treasury.
This is a piece of nonsense that will never see the light of day. The only reality in Africa today is positive action, people power and a revolution that will not only consume these rotten politicians but also those useless religious men that partake in their looting the continent. Today is the day of salvation in Africa, a salvation that could only come through the use of force. When and how this will come could not be precisely predicted. But given the growing leadership decadence and banality in Africa, it will surely come.
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