Published in Daily Champion of July 10, 2013. Obi and his political quit notice Wednesday, 10 July 2013 04:58 Onyiorah Chiduluemije Paschal Nobody goes to politics without being smeared. And you stand the risk of making more enemies than friends. The purpose of life is the pursuit of happiness, which is not necessarily accomplished in active politicking – Chief MKO Abiola. With the above words of caution uttered by late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawole Abiola, the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, in one of his interviews granted to the Nigerian Media in the course of the struggle for de-annulment of that election, one can clearly begin to appreciate the actual but esoteric concern(s) behind the recently reported statement credited to Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State to the effect that he would be quitting active politics as soon as he bows out of office. No doubt, it will not be far from the truth to submit that Peter Obi’s seeming meekness is such that would hardly permit him to bandy words with fellow politicians in the typical Nigerian manner and neither will his strong aversion to conspicuous consumption ever go down well with serial looters of our common wealth. Incidentally, that the latter disposition has invariably projected his predilection for prudence and frugality in the management of state funds to the great admiration of his political friends and detractors alike is something of common knowledge. It is therefore not surprising that Obi has alluded to the avarice of Nigerian politicians and their excessive acquisition of wealth at the expense of the poor masses as factors implicit in his plan to quit politics. But much as one really empathizes with Governor Peter Obi on these issues of greed, corruption and what have you, there is no gainsaying that it is too early for him to nurse the idea of politically throwing in the towel, at his age. Obviously, Obi needs to rethink and retreat from pursuing this course of action for some reasons. To begin with, if Herold Laswell’s description of politics as "who gets what, when and how" is anything to go by, then it is crystal clear that such proposed course of action by Mazi Peter Obi to recoil into political oblivion is not only untimely and retrogressive but also antithetical to the interest of Anambra people, especially as relates to national politics which should by now be his next preoccupation. This is basically necessary given his good rapport with President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party. Of course, it may interest Mazi Peter Obi to know that Anambrarians cannot afford to politically lag behind at this point in time in our nation’s life. Though this is not to suggest that there is a shortfall of manpower in this regard, yet it is pertinent to note that it matters a great deal in Nigeria today to have ex-political office holders, especially the relatively young ones, to remain in full picture in pulling the string. More so, this is vital considering the fact that we live in a country where appointment into certain key positions in government is more often than not dependent on one’s political antecedent and/or determined by his/her level of political participation. Certainly, this is where we are. And not until the country gets restructured to bring about a radical departure from the current fierce struggle for the national cake, it does not seem astute for any young politician of Anambra state origin, especially an ex-political office holder, to contemplate the idea of quitting active politics. Besides, it seems extremely odd that at a time most of our old political leaders and elders are fast aging in preparation for the journey of the great beyond, and thereby leaving yawning gaps that need to be filled, Obi appears, perhaps unknowingly, to be passing a very wrong message to the politically minded youths of Anambra state and Igbo land in general that the game of politics as it is currently played in Nigeria does not worth it, given what he perceives as the avarice of average Nigerian politicians and their unbridled accumulation of wealth at the expense of the poor masses. In fact, to say the least, this is really uncalled for. Ideally, it would have been better for Mazi Peter Obi to keep this plan to himself or within the circle of his confidants, friends and associates, as the case may be, than to publicly anchor his rationale for contemplating it on the perennial socio-economic malaise that have been afflicting the polity since our attainment of political independence. However, it remains a blessing that we still have the likes of Chief Alex Ekwueme, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi and Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, among others, whose strategic and active involvements in politics one way or the other, even as they appear set for retirement, have gone a long way in breeding many a young politician and astute successor alike. In fact, let us come to think of it, were it to be that the great Ikemba – late Chief Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu – had quit politics or succumbed to the mountainous pressure of numerous challenges he faced in his public life and which are all inherent in our polity, especially coming against the backdrop of Nigeria-Biafra civil war, would there have been in the first place that political platform that brought about the emergence of Governor Peter Obi? Indeed, It is too chicken for Obi to contemplate the idea of retreating politically just because of his new phobia for the ills of our society. And lest we forget, by dint of his political attainment, Obi has gotten the political leverage and clout as well as the enabling privileges needed to correct these same ills he complains about, and so should not be planning to abandon them for nobody to address. Like late Prof. Chinua Achebe impressed it on President Olusegun Obasanjo while he (the later) appeared to be collaborating with "renegades" to destroy Anambra state, it is important for Obi to realize that his quitting politics amounts to giving his consent as well as paving the way for the reign of these same "renegades" over us – which is a sort of an answered prayer for them. Hence, in the words Plato as cited by Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo (in his piece What Obasanjo and Yaradua told me – THISDAY, January 21, 2013) "the penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men". Now the big question is: would it in any way gladden the heart of Peter Obi to see even in his wildest dream the good people of Anambra state being ruled by evil men? Though it is the right of Mazi Obi to choose what pleases him or do what serves his interest best, yet he must not forget that Anambra people did not elect him as the Governor of the state in the hope that he would readily quit active politics upon the completion of his tenure. Nevertheless, as we await the actualization of his political quit notice, it is instructive at this juncture to draw Obi’s attention to President Olusegun Obasanjo’s timeless reproach to Prof. Charles Soludo wherein he maintains that: "the problem with you people from Anambra is that those of you who have something to offer shy away from politics and hooligans have taken over your state". Could it be the truth - nay, the home truth? Paschal, a Journalist writes from Abuja, duluemije4justice@yahoo (08037738607)
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 09:31:33 +0000
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