It was a mouthful one. And you could easily read his lips accurately. His was joy overflow. It was a day the Lord had made. And he was exceedingly glad in it.
And guess what, it was one of his finest moments. He was characteristically in his best element. He wouldn’t feign it. He couldn’t pretend it.
He showcased it to whoever cared to care. That he was eagerly waiting for this rare moment. And he was not prepared for it to be wasted away. The reason he put so much a mixture of fanfare and seriousness into it.
It was as if he was back to the trenches. He unknowingly took us back to the early 1990s. Those guerrilla, grim years. When tyrant Sani Abacha held us in the jugular.
President Bola Tinubu couldn’t imagine in his wildest and weirdest imagination: National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) activists in Aso Rock? But it happened that Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Live and direct!
We could visualise Abacha in great agony. How he turned in excruciating pains. Many times over in his stinking grave; he did it endlessly. The sound of his gnashing teeth was loud and clear.
Not only that, he grumbled ceaselessly. He asked into the thin air: “Who made this happen?” And the response rushed in like a thunder: “The democracy you hated with great passion made it happen!”
And Abacha was forever silenced. Never to raise even a finger against us again. What he dreaded most came to pass without him. He failed to realise: All mortals are indispensable.
So, that day, Tinubu hosted Yoruba elders in Aso Villa. To the chagrin of Abacha even in his burial pit. And to the disgust and irritation of the cohorts he left behind.
Tinubu and his august guests did not care a hoot. Even if Abacha’s ox was gored or brutally bruised.
With great enthusiasm, they came from all Yoruba-speaking states of Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Kwara and Kogi. Tinubu was highly impressed. He did not put on a false front he was emotional about it.
Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, Afenifere Leader, brought the elders. That was huge to Tinubu. He didn’t take it for granted. The reason he labelled the gathering aptly: “A defining moment.”
He grabbed the opportunity it provided with all the strength in him. He had no feasible choice. Wisely enough, he didn’t run with it. Instead, he made the utmost use of it. And it handsomely paid off for him.
He vowed to restructure Nigeria “in a manner that every citizen will experience good governance. I have listened to your advocacy. What you believe in is what I believe in. There is a pressing need to lay a solid foundation for an enduring project like restructuring.”
This is how: “The economy needs to be re-tuned, revamped and re-engineered. When the economy is properly on a firm footing, steps will be taken on restructuring so that it would be on a solid foundation.”
Then he switched mood. He picked on Yoruba nation agitators. It’s another vexing issue that refuses to go away. His reaction was not unexpected.
He is longer in the trenches. Neither is in opposition. He is not only in government. He is firmly in power. And he believes he knows how to maximize power to its fullest.
He roared: “Those who think they can threaten the sovereignty of Nigeria will have themselves to blame.” He spit more fire: “They have a price to pay. And we are not going to relent. I am irrevocably committed to the unity of Nigeria and constitutional democracy.”
At this critical juncture, one fervent prayer is all that we need. And we must pray it out with all our hearts. We have to be vehement about it. It’s a matter of life and death.
That restructuring will not be denied thereafter again. It has suffered several self-denials. They repudiated mouthing restructuring in the past. And it pained us to the marrows.
But did they discuss the “unhealthy restructuring” in Afenifere? Big doubt! If they did not, was it a deliberate intention? Whichever way, it was a big blunder. What a huge and unpardonable slip, omission!
A united Afenifere is decisive to its credibility, acceptability, sustainability and believability. It is very crucial. Afenifere does not need to run away from its trailing shadow.
This is not the Afenifere bequeathed on them by Pa Abraham Adesanya. It is a far cry from what Afenifere was and should be. It has been fractionalised. That’s why many would continue to stay away from it.
Let Afenifere mend its fallen and falling fences. It’s germane for it to remain relevant. As it is now, it will continue to struggle to be respected. All factions are wearing the toga of a laughing stock. This is not healthy. It’s unfortunate! Isn’t it?
We want to believe. Tinubu is positively disposed to restructuring. But we can’t place him on state police: An essential component of restructuring. Let’s oblige him. He’s diligently taking steps to avoid missteps.
Perhaps, that informed his cautious pronouncement: “We must look at state policing from multiple perspectives.” Vice President Kashim Shettima spoke for him. It was at the House of Representatives’ National Dialogue on State Policing, Abuja:
“The insights we get will inform our administration’s approach in support of this legislation that will enhance the capacity of our police force and strengthen the walls of trust between law enforcement and the public.
Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan was, however, clear on his mind. He never for once doubted the need for state police: “We don’t need to debate on whether we should have state police or not. That matter has been concluded. The issue is the operations of the police.” He’s on spot!
Jonathan was convinced: “We cannot move away from state police.” All the same the same, he shared the fears, pessimism: “The fears of likely abuse of state police by political actors are not unfounded.”
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu perhaps, brought out the best out of state police. He provided its needed historical perspective: “Decentralised policing is not alien to Nigeria.”
Sure: “Historically, during both the colonial and immediate post-colonial periods, Nigeria operated under a system where local police forces played significant roles in maintaining public order specific to their regions.
“Policing in colonial times was purely decentralised, as evidenced by the Lagos Police Force, Hausa Constabulary and Niger Coast Constabulary. The structure was maintained even after the merger of the Northern and Southern Protectorates with the creation of the Northern Nigeria Police and the Southern Nigeria Police.”
Kalu was ardent, firm: “In fact, under the First Republic, these forces were first regionalised before their subsequent nationalisation.”
Then something caved in. And the centre could not hold again: “However, subsequent civilian and military governments adopted a rigidly centralised pattern for the Nigeria Police.” Sad!
To the gathering: “As such, you should take cognisance of the fact that decentralised policing is not an entirely new proposition. The historical precedent supports the notion that a decentralised approach can be beneficial and effective if properly managed.”
His great concern: “However, we must proceed with caution. There is a palpable fear among our citizens – a fear of potential tyranny and the misuse of police powers if control is devolved to the state level.”
He agreed: “These concerns are not unfounded and must be addressed frontally, without bias or sentiments.”
Then the police came on board. They attempted to spoil our day to dampen our enthusiasm. They messed up what remained of our hope. They only tried. They came, saw but were conquered. We didn’t allow them to have their devilish way. It wasn’t their day. It was ours.
The police typically behaved to type. Their warped presentation was awkward and absurd. They strived hard to have things reversed in their favour. The force brazenly displayed its greed, self-centeredness and selfishness. It opted out of state policing. It wouldn’t touch it even with a long spoon. Instead, it wanted more powers for itself.
Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun is not comfortable with state police. He claimed, we’re not ripe for it. Imagine! Would you blame him? Ben Okoro, Assistant Inspector General of Police, spoke for him:
“State policing could result in conflict of jurisdiction between the federal police and the respective state police, among others.” IGP’s unviable option: “In view of this, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to form a department under the Nigerian police.” What oddity!
This is utter desperation. It sought more centralisation and not decentralisation. Olopa! Instead of devolution, it longed for more powers.
Nobody would be taken aback by this. That’s the true Nigeria Police Force. It detests change like a pandemic. That’s why it remains what it is today.
Let’s put Egbetokun to task: What does the Federal Government do with its police now? Gross excesses and arrant abuses. It’s evident everywhere. It’s overwhelming.
If anything, state police will curb the recklessness of the federal police. The fear of state police is the beginning of wisdom.
State police did well in the First Republic. Kalu attested to that earlier. The template is there for our taking. We can re-tune it to suit our present circumstances.
Egbetokun shouldn’t be allowed to throw spanner in the works for us. He should know we would not cave in. He ought to understand our mind-set.
The resolve to have state police is resolute. It’s settled, signed and sealed. And would be definitely delivered. Nothing would stop it from happening to us. It’s key to restructuring.
More so, Tinubu is singing restructuring again. Remember, he sang throughout his NADECO days in the trenches. He was louder while he governed Lagos State for eight years.
His creation of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) was an impetus. It was a masterstroke. It confirmed his firm belief in restructuring or nothing. We forever admire his gut on that.
He carried the fight to the lions’ den. He dared former president Olusegun Obasanjo to his face. He ignored all his threats; real and imagined. Obasanjo practically snuffed life out of his government. He withheld his monthly allocations. That didn’t cause a reversal of the LCDAs. Tinubu became stronger. He was resilient in the face of glaring adversity.
He weathered the storm unperturbed. Today, almost all the states bought into his LCDA. And they came in various models, forms, shades and shapes. Great kudos.
But Tinubu once lost the restructuring steam. And that last for eight sordid years. We could understand. That could only be possible under ex-president Muhammadu Buhari’s dark era.
We are excited. He’s retracing his steps faster than expected. Let’s afford him the benefit of doubt. That he would walk his talk this time around.
He has everything in his large kitty to do the needful. He dares not miss it. In his characteristic; he should grab it. And make good use of it.
His failure on this now will be monumental and eternal. We pray he doesn’t choose that path.
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