MAURICE IWU AND A NATION OF PRAISE-SINGERS, SHORT ON MEMORY!

It is incredible as it is nauseating that the man who truncated democracy in Nigeria is being feted and celebrated as if the proper thing to do in Nigeria is to honor criminality. Maurice Iwu that is, the Chairman of Nigeria's "Independent" National Electoral Commission(INEC) who Olusegun Obasanjo used to rubbish democracy in Nigeria was hosted by his electoral-beneficiaries in Imo State, Nigeria recently. The question really should be, why was this man celebrated when the whole world wrote the election he conducted in Nigeria off as the worst charade in any democracy anywhere in the world. Maurice Iwu was scored "F" across the board by election observers who witnessed his idea of an election which took place in 2007 Nigeria. Virtually all the elections he conducted were subject to court challenges with many of them being over-turned and even the presidential one is still before the Supreme Court of Nigeria. A nation of town-criers, Nigeria is and today they are singing the praises of this despicable son of a bitch, Maurice Iwu!

According to the Tunde Ogbeha chaired committee, the reception is in "recognition of the man’s effort in conducting the 2007 general elections. As the nation’s Chief Electoral Officer he faced serious problems, some of which were unprecedented in Nigerian politics. His tenacity ensured that Nigeria for the first time succeeded in transiting from one democratically elected government to another elected government. Prof. Iwu’s tenure as chairman of the electoral commission has also seen the introduction of various reforms in the electoral system, all aimed at jump-starting a troubled political system. For his dedicated service and tenacity and for being a major stabilising factor in Nigeria’s present day politics and government, the Committee invites all Nigerians to give honour to whom honour is due."

To this empty boastful citations, Icheoku says that Maurice Iwu was not the first person to organize a successful election in Nigeria as Humphery Nwosu holds that title. Furthermore, Maurice Iwu did not supervise any transition from one elected government to another but merely rubber-stamped Olusegun Obasanjo's hand-picked stooges, from the presidency to the local governments chairmen. Also no election was conducted in Nigeria under Maurice Iwu, but all the candidates for office were merely selected at the goodwill of Olusegun Obasanjo with those in opposition virtually wiped out of contention. As for the call for all Nigerians to honor whom honor is due, Icheoku says that only those Nigerians, beneficiaries of Olusegun Obasanjo dictatorship should bow before this very Maurice Iwu while the rest of the majority of Nigerians should patiently wait until a day of reckoning when Maurice Iwu will finally be disgraced out of relevance. As for the line-up of attendees, they owe their offices to Maurice Iwu since non of them was ever elected into the office they presently occupy nor could have won a fairly organized election into such an office. They have to go and slavishly genuflect before their master and mentor, Maurice Iwu, just to be in his good book for the next election cycle.

In conclusion, Icheoku says that Nigerians have seen the likes of these town-criers (otinkpus), who raise carnivals for whoever is in power only to walk over them when they are no longer in power. As for Maurice Iwu, he is a disappointment to educated folks, having fallen off the wagon and joined the rat-race that is a Nigerian with a price-tag! How can such a highly educated man be so condescending to Olusegun Obasanjo that he sold his candour with the shameless elections he conducted in Nigeria in 2007. Maurice Iwu should rather throw on some sack-clothes and dusted in ashes, mourn the decrepitude of candidates he imposed on Nigeria, including the very sick Umaru Yar'Adua, Mr. Slow-man, the sloth! What a legacy to leave for Nigeria courtesy of Maurice Iwu, yet he is being celebrated? What a nation of jesters at the king's court?