Posted: September 25, 2012 - 17:23

By Solomon Sogunro

While I sat in my chair awaiting Bola AhmedTinubu’s message, I kept imagining when a thriving society would fully be realized in Nigeria. I dreamt of my people having running water, constant electricity and good roads with jobs. Then I awoke from my dream to see Tinubu addressing the audience. As he spoke, he painted a beautiful picture of a flourishing Lagos and the future the African Congress of Nigeria (ACN) held for Nigeria as he read from his notes by verbatim rarely engaging the crowd with eye contact. The audience was composed of the usual “Oyinbos” and black Americans who were intrigued, perhaps, by the theatrics of African politics. Then there were us, the Nigerians who see what others could not see in that hall, we saw beyond the words spewed by Tinubu and the insincerity of Nigerian politics.

Although I knew his visit was simply to promote ACN I came there as a concerned Nigerian citizen. After my recent July vacation in Nigeria, my life took a different course in attempting to speak truth to the misery and injustice I saw. I saw beggars, mothers, fathers, and college graduate forced to live and survive in a chaotic environment without many possibilities to live a fulfilling life. My experience has since led me to attend political forums where Nigerian political heads speak. On this occasion, Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state, was invited as a guest speaker at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC. For those unfamiliar with the legacy of this meeting place, it was named after the 28th president of the United States of America, Thomas Woodrow Wilson. Wilson, among his many accomplishments, was renowned for reforming the U.S. civil service. His efforts soon translated into the studying of public administration as an academic pursuit. Public administration is the study to implementing policies benefiting the public in an efficient and effective manner with minimal cost.

After Tinubu spoke, the floor became opened to questions. Without hesitation my hands rose up to ask him a question. I was overlooked for some time, since the people in attendance all scurried to have a response to their inquiries. Finally, I was given the opportunity to ask my question. Of course, being overly passionate about the injustices I knew Tinubu committed against Nigerians, either directly or indirectly, my voice trembled with anger as I formulated my question. “Governor Tinubu, you have spoken highly of Lagos, but how do you explain the high unemployment rate? Second, why is the government taking inherited lands from Lagosians and selling its property?” In response to my question, he mentioned that unemployment is high in Lagos due to Nigerians from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) states flooding into Lagos to seek a higher quality of life. In addition, he mentioned that it is in Nigeria’s constitution that the land belongs to the state as cited by the Land Use Act.

His responses didn’t shock me, but what shocked me was the lack of sympathy he showed to the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria. When I was in Lagos, the grim reality remained that there was no industry available to create mass employment for Nigerians. I witnessed college graduate selling charge cards, some driving cars and buses just to make a living. My most sad and discomforting moment was when I saw three young kids aged around nine years old, who were not in school but subjected to becoming street hawkers, which they did without shoes on. This was the sad reality I saw and now Tinubu basically sought to tell me I was hallucinating and all is well in Nigeria. Plus, even if the constitution supports the seizing of land from Nigerian, a true public servant would seek to advocate changing such law, the Land Use Act.

My encounter was paradoxical in meeting former governor Tinubu in a building symbolic of democracy, an edifice dedicated to an American public servant, Thomas Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was not detached from the needs of his people during his time; one of the most pressing issues he faced back then was the need to reform the American Civil Service. This meant making it more neutral to implement laws and policies that would serve the general public. For his contribution, he left a legacy for Americans today and forever more. I wonder what legacy Tinubu will leave for Nigeria!

 

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