GOWON, AWAY WITH DEMOCRACY?

Icheoku says, was Yakubu Gowon sending subliminal message to his primary constituency, the military or simply playing the role of a "prophet", when he said that democracy in Nigeria may soon lose its appeal? In the very own words of this Birom man, “Unfortunately, democracy may not take firm roots in an environment of debilitating and excruciating hunger and poverty, compounded by weak or non-existent basic infrastructure, social injustice and physical insecurity. ..... ........the continued presence of corruption, its attendant unemployment and poverty; social insecurity and uncoordinated governments’ policies and programmes, over the decades, would make government by the people lose its appeal".

To Yakubu Gowon, Icheoku says, the only military intervention that may be acceptable to Nigerians again, will be that intervention that will hold every past leaderships in Nigeria, including yourself, accountable! A pure Jerry Rawlings - type of military putsch that will purge the Nigerian society of all its canker-worms! Only such will suffice, otherwise Nigerians should say to Gowon, no deal! Thanks, but no, thanks!

Experience has shown that the problem with Nigeria leadership is not in their dress-code, 'khaki or agbada', but in the ineptitude of the ruling class as found both in the civilian and military wing of the leadership. They are both corrupt and uncaring! The bitterness left in the mouth of Nigerians by the trio of endemically corrupt gnomes Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Olusegun Obasanjo military regimes, proved that the military is as light-fingered as their civilian counterparts? So Gowon was preaching to the choir to observe that there is corruption in the democratic government of today, as Nigerians hopelessly live it daily and the military is not sacred either? If Gowon's expectant military cannot take care of business properly and clean the Augean stable very well, Icheoku says, they should remain in their barracks and not disturb the relative freedom in the country now; more-so such adventurism is no longer popular but belongs in the last two decades with his ilks.

The Nigerian-Biafra civil war villain, who permitted and supervised the worst genocide in the history of mankind and who himself narrowly escaped the firing squad for his alleged role in the Benue-Plateau coup that killed Muritala Mohammed, is now pontificating holier than thou, when every present day Nigerian problem could be traced and squarely placed on his feet? Who is Gowon to now advocate a better government for Nigerians when he had the most promising opportunity to make Nigeria great but blew it? It was during Yakubu Gowon's puerile government that Nigeria became awashed with petrol-dollars during the oil crisis of 1973, which brought billions of dollars into Nigeria's coffers that Gowon was allegedly heard saying, 'there is too much money that he does not know what to do with it'? Icheoku says, if this son of Plateau State had any modicum of foresight whatsoever, he would have diversified and fully invested the Nigeria economy in such a way that it would today, rank among world's emergent economic powers; which would have earned her an invitation to the recent G20 world economic summit in London? Such massive investment and diversification would have also inoculated Nigeria from its oil-based monolithic economy, which swings alongside the pendulum of world oil prices? But no he did not do it and today, look who is talking?

Gowon is responsible for all the ills afflicting Nigeria today after he killed off so many Biafrans, the vanguards and arrow-heads of Nigeria's then emerging developmental economy and later asphyxiated the surviving ones, when he could not find the liver to implement his three "Rs" of reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation? As if these wicked actions and failed policies of his were not enough to secure him a place in hell, Gowon went ahead and implemented his twenty (20) pounds only, monetary policy, as accrual to every Biafra irrespective of how much that fellow had in the bank, prior to his armed hostilities against a people just fighting for their existential survival? It is instructive also to note that it was within this total eclipse of Biafrans, that Yakubu Gowon carried out his indigenization experiment which is the precursor of today's lack of appetite for foreigners continued investment in Nigeria? Yakubu Gowon is such a despicable fellow that Icheoku wishes he falls off the face of this earth and disappear completely from sight, instead of forcibly reminding people what he represented and still represents till today - a bloody despot!

So what if the nation’s democracy caves in, as desires by Yakubu Gowon? Icheoku says, it will not be the first time nor will it be the last time; so why increase the pressure on the charge of the polity by stating what every right thinking Joe-Nigeria knows is a question of time? Each successive Nigerian governments have been corrupt except for the Buhari-Idiagbon regime, whose short lifespan helped a great deal as the 53 suitcases scandal proved? Tafawa Balewa was corrupt? Gowon was corrupt, maniacal and genocidal? Obasanjo first coming was the same? Shehu Shagari and Umaru Dikko were no exception? Same goes for Ibrahim Babangida? Ernset Shonekan was a titular head devoid of real power so he could not have helped himself with the nation's treasury, even if he wanted? Sani Abacha's loot in Switzerland has not been accounted for till date? Abdulsalam was smart to hand over the hot-potato called Nigeria to Obasanjo so soon after he took over, but was later compensated with 16 billion Naira power contract which has neither been executed nor accounted for? Obasanjo's second coming became the mother of all corrupt governments in Nigeria and the last has not been heard of the bawdily of that infamous government. So Gowon, what say you now? Corruption with its attendant unemployment, poverty, social insecurity and uncoordinated government policies and programmes are a fact of life in Nigeria which Nigerians have almost come to accept as a given; so this disgusting human specimen, Yakubu Gowon was not saying anything new and should have shut up? May be he needs some contracts from the government of President Umaru Yar'Adua?

In summation, Icheoku says, as a coupist military junta himself, Yakubu Gowon did not achieve much for the upliftments and development of Nigeria during his time in power; except that he caused millions of Biafrans to perish in the worst genocide of recorded history! Biafrans, a people who were and still remains the only reason for Nigeria's survival and whose enterprising spirit is so stellar that it is unmatchable? A superlative people, Biafra, whose industry provides the single most commanding force dejure driving Nigeria, despite the tight-strait they are forced to operate in by each successive repressive and very antagonistic governments in Nigeria? Icheoku therefore demands of Gowon to hush and put up, as corruption is not only the preserve of civilian governments to warrant a coup as he impliedly advocates now? Alternatively he should stop disturbing the general psyche of Nigerians with his outbursts and from a guy who could not even win his primary constituency during Babangida's option A4?