Political Harlotry: The Nigerian Albatross

Eddie Mbadiwe

To make sure we are firing at the same target- a few definitions are necessary: The new Penguin English Dictionary defines harlotry as a female prostitute. In Nigeria we also include male prostitutes. The internet is less charitable and defines harlotry as the practice of prostitution or uninhabited sexual behavior.

The Albatross on the other hand is a web-footed seabird with a large wing span which makes it difficult for the bird to fly.

It is more than 60 years since 1st Oct, 1960 and Nigeria is yet to fly at all. The current political goings-on must send shivers down the spine of anybody who has interest in the survival of democracy (or any variant of it) and by extrapolation to the rest of Africa. One gets the impression some people are determined to auction Nigeria for less than 30 pieces of silver.

The current treacherous practice where some state governors with their cabinet and members of House of Assembly move like sheep from the party that elected them to the ruling party is not only shameful also scandalous. The way things are moving, there may not be any opposition come 2027. How sad!

The blame must be squally placed on the shoulders of so-called educated elites who are betraying Nigeria that trained them. There is neither integrity nor vision not to talk of conviction.

No wonder Nigeria is drooling along and a crash is inevitable unless there is a change of trajectory. Democracy must not let this happen. The great Winston Churchill said democracy is still the best and preferred form of government until we try those systems where the gun is supreme.

For better understanding, let us recap a few years back. Carpet crossing started after the regional elections in 1954 when in the Western Region, the party that won the election (NCNC) suddenly found itself as the opposition because the Action Group under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo brought the NCNC parliamentarians.

Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe had to go back to the East where they now tried to force the Professor Eyi Ita Government to resign.

When they refused, they were labeled “sit tight ministers”. That government had some brilliant minds such as A.C Nwapa who baptized his favorite Jonnie Walker Whisky golden water; R.I Uzoma, one of the earliest advocates of universal education; Dr Okoli Arikpo, who later became a federal minister. This rot progressively continued until 1965 when we had the “Wetie Election” when people were doused in petrol and set ablaze.

This was a precursor to the January 15th 1966 coup. General Ibrahim Babangida recently at his book launching told Nigerians that January 1966 coup was not an Ibo coup.

Nigerians must be circumspect and discerning because “the ides of elections” is around the corner. Electioneering is gradually supplanting governance.

Nations can be likened to a piece of metal. You can apply as much tension as you like but it will get to a point when the metal can no longer take more beating and it snaps. This is the elastic limit. People of a nation can absorb so much suffering and but also get to a point when the endurance stops. There are irrefutable laws of physics and life.

Of the bills, I introduced during my brief stint in the House of Representatives, two stand out. The first is to make it compulsory for any member who wants to flip from party A to party B to go back to the constituency and face a by-election. It is when he wins that he can return to the house.  That did not progress because as some friends of mine later told me it was like shooting in the foot. Many of them will go where the price is highest. Terrible for a country.

The second important bill was to make education compulsory and mandatory up till SS3. If a parent refuses to send his child to school we shall put him in prison. The sage Nelson Mandela said education is the strongest weapon we can use to change society. This bill was very well received and went through first and second reading and public hearing. Due to the very slow pace of processing, it didn’t get to the statute book before life of that parliament expired. It may take up 25 years to get to that level and also to meet 40% budgetary allocation to education as recommended by UNESCO. Until we achieve this, all the palliative and tinkering now going on are like a conversation between the deaf and dumb and nothing but hog wash.

Development or stagnation? The choice is clear and well-defined. It is as simple as that.

•Rt. Hon. Dr. Eddie Mbadiwe writes from Abuja