OPINION : LIKE AWO, LIKE OBASEKI.

 



By Osazua IVBAZE 





Sometime in 1980, Chief Obafemi Awolowo during a World Press Conference in Lagos, called on then President Shagari to take urgent steps to reverse the collapsing Nigerian economy.

Awo identified some wrong policy choices and options Shagari had embraced and urged him to abandon them and tread the path of fiscal prudence and accountability . He volunteered his own perspectives, which he felt, if accepted and applied, would go a long way to mitigate the looming economic downturn. He however warned that if his advice was ignored, the consequences for Nigeria and Nigerians in less than three years would be gravely unpalatable.

Umaru Dikko, Shagari’s Minister of Transportation did not allow Shagari  to respond. He replied Awo, saying there was no problem with the Nigerian economy. He said he was yet to see any Nigerian eating from the dustbins even as he dismissed Awo as a prophet of doom.

In mid 1982, just true to Awolowo’s predictions, the economy had started exhibiting strains and stress. And in 1983, the economy was in real trouble . A perfect stage was set for a Military intervention.

Awo was a Lawyer, not an economist. He didn’t need to be one to know that the then NPN led Federal Government was on a mission to destroy Nigeria.

One thing I have learnt about politicians is that whereas they know the truth, only an insignificant few of them can muster the courage to spew it forth in times of grave or impending crisis. The situation is not helped by their use of partisan thermometer to measure the economic temperature of the country. 

That is where we are today. It is not surprising that the APC Governors have distanced themselves from Obaseki’s denunciation of wrong monetary approach— money printing, to addressing the nation’s fiscal deficit. It is all politics, especially at a time when some of them are positioning for 2023.

What is important is that sooner than later, if Obaseki’s advice is not heeded, we shall all be witnesses to the manifestation of his predictive fears.

I have been enjoying the amusement provided by the pedestrian argument put forth by some people that Obaseki should stop collecting the State’s allocation, since it is a printed money. Your education is useless if you lack the capacity to use it to power intelligent thoughts. 

What has statutory allocations from our common patrimony got to do with an advice to the government not to be printing money to fund budget deficit.!

Our national revenue comes from oil, Customs, taxes etc etc. Are we not entitled to our statutory share of what is generated from these areas.

Enter EDO 2020

What some people may not know is that the National Sports Festival is a Federal Project. What a hosting state is intended to do is to ensure functional sporting infrastructures which must meet standards set by Federal Sports Ministry. 

The project is a joint effort between a hosting state and Federal authorities.

Why then did the FG have to wait for a threat by Edo State Government to shut down the festival before agreeing to play its part.?

What is playing out now reminds me of what Ambrose Alli went through in the hands of Shagari.
Because of his resounding success in the implementation of his free education program, which also included bursary award, some bad Bendel NPN politicians, in conspiratorial fusion with outsiders were able to convince Shagari to frustrate Alli by withholding allocations to the State. They wanted to use that as a weapon to capture Bendel in 
1983.

Alli fought the injustice to Supreme Court and won in all.

Whatever plans the FG has now, nothing is new to us in Edo and Delta. What is important is that, the just is ultimately vindicated not only by history, but most importantly by God.

*Osazua IVBAZE was an Editor of The Nigerian Observer. He writes from Benin.*

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