*baboons and monkeys

By Bisi Lawrence
What did the former military ruler and former Presidential Candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, General Muhammadu Buhari mean by saying that, if the national elections in 2015 were not fairly conducted, “the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood”? It seems to be an idiomatic phrase portending evil, especially with the chilly connection of blood in its connotation. Could it have meant that “blood would flow”? Or that certain elements would be drenched in blood? Who is the “monkey” and who is the “baboon”?

One believes that the broad interpretation would be that a rigged election, which the nation has suffered before, would provoke a bit of mayhem if it was repeated in 2015. But those who are making so much of out of it give the impression that: one, the CPC leader has issued a threat that there would be bloodshed if his party did not win the elections in 2015—the accompanying caveat of rigging is carelessly, or carefully, de­emphasized; and two, that he was already inciting, or even preparing, for the occasion of such a bloodbath.

However, we all know that several other people have made statements that stopped short of making “a call for revolution” (with apologies to Osita Agwuna, peace to his shades.) Highly placed intellectuals have mentioned the word “revolution”; highly respectable politicians —an endangered species —have also raised it in alarm; highly revered clerics have also spoken about it in trembling voices; all as the possible outcome of any perpetrated assault on the freedom of the people to determine their destiny through the ballot box. Buhari could not have intended to convey anything much more than that, or could he? He did not even say the dread word, “revolution”.

It may all be politics, of course, but obviously a ploy that is based on wrangling with the opposition will ultimately prove to be counter-productive to those in power. Apart from the devastation it does to the image of government, it only highlights the fact that the sensibilities of the masses are ruffled when the lightest touch of hectoring is perceived by the people as a device of governance. For instance, in coming down so heavily on Buhari, his critics unfortunately simultaneously exposed their own flanks to blazing— though similarly— ineffectual criticism themselves.

Could you imagine anyone less uncomfortable with quoting someone’s former statements to illustrate a volta-face in that person’s new position, than Dr. Rueben Abati, the present mouthpiece of the presidency? How could he feel comfortable to recall whatever Mallam Nasir el Rufai might once have said about Buhari, without inviting a reprise of his own unflattering statements about the personification of the presidency for which he now goes to bat?

General Buhari’s remarks may not have been statesmanlike, especially in the way they were couched. But he is in the opposition and allowances must be given for his frustrations. A judicious reference to his failures to return to power, this time legally, might have been enough to set him back on his seat, instead of a lengthy harangue from the seat of power. It was almost as justifiable, and practicable, as attempting to swat a fly with a mallet. The entire exercise seemed to represent an attempt at a total squelch, an over-kill purposed to reduce the opposition’s view to smithereens. If that is successful all the time, of course, we would totally have lost our much-touted democracy since it cannot exist in the absence of an opposition.

On the other hand, responsible leadership is also a function of the opposition in any democracy. It perforce has noble action, sound thinking, and patriotic utterance as its important components. Irresponsible statements, no matter how much they might have emanated from the stress of disappointment and the bitterness of disillusionment, should not be the habitual brand of someone who plays, or aspires to play, a leading role in society.

A statement from the camp of the beleaguered former Military of Head of State characterizes those who resent the controversial remark of Buhari as those who would stand in the way of a fair and free election. Are those the “baboons”?

And are the “monkeys” then those who would cause the blood to flow? As far as I can see, so many bloated baboons are behaving too much like mischievous monkeys, to tell one from the other at this time.

*one more for the team

Among the many burning issues before this nation today is the towering question of how we can exist together. Some people even delimit it to whether we should live together at all.

We seem to have passed through the initial fever of the first notion that gripped us; I refer to the Sovereign National Conference. It stayed with us for quite a while, and might not have entirely said goodbye to its most ardent adherents. It had a number of those, at the beginning, until it became apparent that it would naturally destabilize those who were in a position to facilitate its coming to life. It is simply not feasible in our country to reshape our lives to that extent.

So we began to speak about fiscal federalism—in other words, the determination of how we can share our resources equitably, with regard to the source of the revenue—mainly petroleum products, our pre-occupation with which has drowned the serious interest we should take in other resources.

However, some states seem to be recovering from the petroleum obsession. They are re­valuating the strengths of their past and re-discovering the beauty of their heritage.

They have come to the realization that they can re-establish the old glory that was theirs. And this has come not a moment too soon as events make them to realize that they have been singled out as the team to beat. It is apparent that they can stand secure and unassailable, if only they indeed had a team— ­the full team.

Now, this goes beyond winning elections, or belonging to a particular political party, or establishing a personal cult of independence. It is gradually emerging in the shape of regions now, the old regions which the mindless pursuit of state creation slashed into shreds.

The North valiantly held on to that heritage of a monolithic philosophy which embraces Tiv, Hausa, Fulani, Gwari and so many other groups into one massive visage. Many people of the old West know who is keeping aloof, and preventing the emergence in the West of one mighty voice. This page calls today for a total unity of purpose among the inheritors of Obafemi Awolowo, to strengthen the unity of Nigeria.

And why not? The Ondo people have always identified with the brightest heritage of Yorubaland.

Time out.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/05/baboons-and-monkeys/

And the saint avoided this comment and set in peace by giving up the president sit to the tyrant and now everybody is calling the tyrant a saint and calling the saint a tyrant.

When another government sets in and began to abuse Buhari, the masses will follow suit and that's how gullible a lot of Nigerians are... Listening to the media and not listening to the happenings around.

I will forever respect GEJ till eternity. By the mere fact that he decided that the blood of any Nigerian does not worth his political ambition. This alone I respect him