By Sani Sa’i’du Baba
My dear country men and women, permit me to agree without hesitation that united and prosperous Nigeria is still possible despite the hiccups and signs of impossibility that had arguably made the majority of Nigerians to believe otherwise especially in a national discuss. Anybody that is keenly following developments in our country as reported by several media outlets must have fell in to the category of impossibility and unhidden pessimism about the matter. Let me divulge into confessing that I was one of them, but this time around, conditionally. And my analogy is that, if progressive, competent and truly patriotic Nigerians with blue prints and who have left good legacies for all to see, excluded themselves from participating in search of ways forward for Nigeria, would justify the sense of impending doom for our dear country, Nigeria. I believe some have already jumped into where I am heading to today. But for the sake of clarity and purpose, I would like to maintain that united and prosperous Nigeria is still possible, especially with the type of people of high caliber, pedigree and stereotypic sense of unity that made them traverse every nooks and crannies of the country, irrespective of ethno-religious differences. These uncommon characteristics had fitted the man with the Chief Moshhood Kashimowo Abiola’s template, Chief Aare Dele Momodu, whom declaration today is believed to have rejig the People’s Democratic Party in the country.
We could recall that in August 2021, former Nigeria military ruler, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida when asked about the future leader of Nigeria, gave an idea where he said that the next president should be within the age bracket of 60. He also identified friendship as an important hallmark of who better leads Nigeria. A potential leader should be able to go to every nooks and crannies of Nigeria and feel at home. This is exactly what the country needed most, a person who has the potential to unify it. Based on my understanding, Chief Dele Momodu is the most qualified not because of my relationship with him but because it is the fact. Of course having friends all over the country despite the fuelled divisions among its people, is a tested grundnorm of progressive politics or politicking. Even though, elections in Nigeria use to look like a “selectioneering” where a certain group of sit-back, nay sit-tight leaders, who are of course listening, watching and studying, are regulating this selectional not democratic process of who leads the country, on the perverse procurement of the spoils of office precipitated by the spoils of power. A phenomenon that will certainly be a history one day especially that people are been pushed to the wall on daily basis.
It is obvious today that the PDP did not lose election in 2015 due to lack performance, but exaggerated security challenges. Even though Boko Haram and kidnapping to some extent were the only pole of insecurity and violence in Nigeria, it is the most cruel that the country has suffered since the end of the civil war that took place between 1967 and 1970. In fact, only the kidnapping of 273 girls from Chibok in April 2014, hidden from the public opinion, made Boko Haram a piece of international news, only after too many attacks, kidnappings and extortions. On the other hand, Nigerian military forces have shown to be inoperative against jihadist violence, to a large extent due to the lack of resources and their limited presence in the most affected areas of the country. Coalition of progressive parties and Buhari’s tenacity was also another reason. In 2015, the priority of Nigerians was the security, perhaps the reason why President Buhari was given the chance to emerge. This time around, the priority in the country is to have someone who has the pedigree, potentials and intellectual capacity that will help him unite Nigeria.
In my relationship with Dele Momodu, not only as his mentee and friend, I have known him to be a good listener, a reliable person, humble in the truest meaning of the word, forgiving even at the face of the greatest provocation, a dogged fighter against injustice and conservatism, a guide to thousands of people irrespective of their social status, and above all, trustworthy. Needless to say that, unity advocacy is one important thing that he is best known for. As he always claims that if President Buhari can do only one thing in his eight years in office, he will be satisfied, and that is to unite Nigeria. In some of his radical weekly PENDULUM, he petitioned the president about several issues of national concern, unity of the country included. The edition of July 18, 2020, titled “Is the President Aware this House is Falling” and January 24, 2021, titled “Who Shall Tell the President Nigeria is Dying” and a lot more where he lamented bitterly about both moral and intellectual decay of the bond that united Nigerians as a nation, with particular reference to security, corruption, promotion of mediocrity at the expense of people with great ideas, nepotism, and favoritism. This he did without fear for surely, he was convinced that he was fighting for the truth. In the opening part of the letter, he made it clear that the country called Nigeria is dying where he particularly mentioned that ‘Fellow Nigerians, please take note of the title of my column this week. I did not say Nigerians are dying. That is stale news, as well as an understatement. My focus is that the country called Nigeria is dying. I do not know what sort of security briefing President Muhammadu Buhari, regularly or periodically receives from his obviously reticent and incompetent security team. I doubt it includes the fact that Nigeria is speeding towards a monumental collapse unless a miracle or something drastic is done to stop this supersonic drift towards perdition.
Dele Momodu initially began to give up to the extent that he declared to go on voluntary sabbatical on January 25, 2020, from advising and telling the government of today the truth, before his more than three decades of the tireless spirit of patriotism made him rethink. He wrote with the hope that the government will take prompt measures to restore the confidence of the Nigerian people in the leadership, and re-establish a more respectable administrative machinery in the various sectors in the country. We could all recall that Dele Momodu offered himself as a voluntary advisor, telling Mr President the truth that his paid advisors and others in the corridors of power might not. What better way could he have used to show his selfless nature and high sense of patriotism?
Momodu has grown many mentees across the country and Africa, and helping them to reach the apogee of their successes. He derives much pleasure in giving, and helping others irrespective of their tribes or religion. He probably adopted the saying of his boss, Chief MKO Abiola, that the hand of a giver is always on top. He tells truth to power always, and tirelessly, irrespective of the cost, and supports leaders irrespective of region or religion. His support for a Northerner, President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, against a Southerner former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is enough evidence. Although he is today aggressively criticized and blamed for his actions, but he has justified why he supported him and finally apologized to Nigerians. He did that with very good intentions. This is why I see people criticizing him for not being on the same page with Buhari as ignoramuses. Momodu’s love for Nigeria is truly non-negotiable.
Imagine our Nigeria without the likes of Dele Momodu vis-à-vis helping others, telling truth to a failed administration; it would be akin to a paralysed state. It would also mark the end of an era, separating a moral past and a delusive present. Of all the good qualities I have learnt from this great mentor, the four cardinal principles of life, stand out. These cardinal principles are; intellectual honesty, ability to conquer fears without tears, dedication beatified with vigour and prudence and above all, the unquenchable light of hope, which originated from sound moral and spiritual values. His consistency has shown to the world that he is a Nigerian who has embraced democracy, seeking for a Government for the people, by the people and of the people.” Such process could become an example for other African nations. When he declared to have joined the PDP yesterday, many people project history will repeat itself. The reoccurrence of MKO Abiola’s victory. The PDP should not fail to grab this unique opportunity back to power for a united and prosperous Nigeria.
