Published by The Guardian on March 27, 2014 The Gandhi in Jonathan By Chuks Akamadu “It was in South Africa that this diffident youth, in experienced and unaided, came into clash with forces that obliged him to tap his hidden reserves of moral strength and turn humiliation and disaster into a creative spiritual experience.” - Krishna Kripalani In a biographical work titled “Gandhi: A Life”, Krishna Kripalani had sought to put in perspective the abrupt metamorphosis of Gandhi into a phenomenon that shaped his generation in ways that no mortal of Indian descent before him had done. Rarest Gandhi! Born on October 2, 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (simply known as Mahatma Gandhi) had been compelled by the prevalent socio-economic conditions of his time to sail to Southampton on September 4, 1888 in search of both the Golden Fleece and greener pastures – with the latter enjoying primacy. He had returned to India on the completion of his studies in England. After a brief and dreary law practice at home, he had found himself on the Indian Ocean, once more, but this time sailing to Durban, South Africa. The introductory quote above refers, please. Until his turning-point experience in South Africa, “there was nothing in his physical appearance or mental equipment as a child or young lad to suggest the volcanic potential that lay dormant in him”, wrote Kripalani in the introduction to his book. Suffice it to say therefore that for Gandhi, it was in South Africa that destiny beckoned! For Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, it does appear that destiny ambushed him with the controversial and theatrical impeachment of his principal, Governor DSP Alamieyeseigha (as he then was) on December 9, 2005. Like Gandhi whose moral strength was hidden from the world before his sojourn in South Africa, Jonathan’s leadership traits were not known until he took Oath of Office first as governor of Bayelsa State; then, as Vice President and finally as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Apart from being “Captives of Destiny”, both leaders are every inch lamb-like; possessing no attributes of men of valour and battle. Their strengths cannot be found in the arena of coercion or unrestrained exercise of raw power, but in the purity of their hearts and the eloquent lives they live. Both are seemingly weak on account of quasi-infinite patience, extreme caution and over-flowing compassion on fellow man. Part of their “weakness” also is their pronounced aversion for primitive accumulation of wealth. Ironically, in this same “weakness” resides their strength; for, it takes a true man of strength to refrain from show of strength in the face of provocation. It is also a mark of strength for humans to put their appetite for greed under effective control. Whilst Gandhi became the beacon of hope for the oppressed proletariat Indian community in South Africa after his capture, Jonathan ascended the political ladder at a pace unknown to Nigerian history after his gubernatorial ascendancy. Gandhi was to later give India a lasting spiritual foundation that did not only fast-track her independence on August 15, 1947, but also birthed a profound political philosophy that has remained the cornerstone and fortress of the Republic. Jonathan is at present shattering all the myths of power that have in the past made our leaders rulers – instead of servants. His ordinariness, matchless humility, meekness and amazing charm have blurred the line that hitherto separated our leaders from us. His methodology in terms of policy formulation and implementation is raising the bar of leadership on the African continent and has become a fascinating subject of academic inquiry. To be sure, Jonathan has yet to demonstrate the legendary spiritual capacity that defined Gandhi (and it is doubtful he will ever do) just as Gandhi never exhibited the political sagacity that Jonathan quietly embodies. Whereas Gandhi is a Mission Accomplished that can be evaluated in absolute terms, Jonathan is a Story Well Scripted…Being Told! Please note these patent points of departure. Both however walk same path of moral rectitude, although Gandhi is understandably several steps ahead of Jonathan. Little wonder Gandhi ceded political leadership of independent India to Jawaharlal Nehru ostensibly to stay away from the tainted political fray. There is no disputing the fact that for any objective comparative analysis to be done with respect to these two great men, such must be situated within the context of their personal attributes. A close examination of their lives would reveal that their individual legacies and strings of successes derive essentially from those attributes of theirs. Take for instance a Gandhi who right from his infancy held the caste system in contempt to the point of violating it publicly, even before his departure to United Kingdom. Upon his return from England, his elder brother who was a devotee of the loathsome system desired him to go for purification in a certain river set aside for that purpose in India. Very conscious of the many troubles his elder brother took including borrowing money to send him to England for studies, Gandhi had obliged him at the expense of his own personal belief. He of course had the option of sticking to his conviction, but elected to show sufficient measure of sensitivity as required by the circumstances of the time at the cost of great personal discomfort. Juxtapose this with the Boko Haram assault foretold by Jonathan’s adversaries and his refusal to overrun their enclaves with savage military might. For Jonathan, he is under a sacred obligation to protect the lives of all Nigerians - including the insurgents’. He would rather win them over to the side of sanity than wage a full-scale war on a people he considers as victims of strange doctrine and vile political manipulation. To have consistently asked the insurgents to come to a discussion table, Jonathan demonstrates the humanity in him and his desire to win by the sheer logic of love – not might. This is the Gandhi-like strength - not weakness. It is a decent illustration of a conscientious father who has no predilection for self-conquest. It is this same virtue that restrains Jonathan from rolling out the tanks on his detractors whose pastime lately is to throw regular tantrums at him and say things that denigrate the Office of the President. Given same circumstances, this no doubt is the road Gandhi would have taken. More than anything else, Jonathan’s disposition towards the recently inaugurated National Conference captures the critical components of the Gandhi philosophy. For, here is a president who discards his enormous presidential discretionary powers and vests absolute power in the delegates to determine both the outcome and the ultimate destination of such outcome. Also, he has gone further to insulate the conference from any form of administrative control by granting it both operational and financial autonomy. The regular African leader would have designed the confab in a manner such that it would be tied to the apron strings of the government for control. But Jonathan thought differently. With this, Jonathan has practically told the world that he in deed believes that sovereignty belongs to the people. Like Gandhi, Jonathan does not hug vainglory. Like Gandhi, Jonathan is hardly ever on ego-trips. Like Gandhi, Jonathan does not suffer from disguised inferiority complex that usually finds expression in combative arrogance amongst some world leaders. Like Gandhi, Jonathan appreciates tolerance to be a way of life. Like Gandhi, Jonathan sees moderation as a creed. Like Gandhi, Jonathan forgives unconditionally. And like Gandhi, Jonathan would rather be found in the gathering of brethren than on the floor of Owambe parties. If Jonathan stays on this path for the entire duration of his presidency, fate might be kind enough to convincingly tell us why it chose him to lead independent Nigeria to her year of golden jubilee and why it still had to be same Jonathan that cut our centenary cake. Reader, keep your fingers crossed! Chuks Akamadu is Managing Director, Afrocultour Limited
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 11:01:15 +0000
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