Babangida As A Messenger of True Federalism?

“Master, I know you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered not seed” Matt. 25:24 hail the latest messenger of true federalism! Have you hard the news? Yes news making rounds in the air waves and the print media indicates that, the self-styled and by the special grace of God, the one and only military president ever produced by the so-called Federal Republic of Nigeria, who ruled this great country from June, 1985 to September, 1993; who reluctantly stepped aside when he could no longer cope with the resultant post-annulment pressure, after more than 8 short years on the saddle, truly a man of many parts, a dare-devil strategist and master planner, the proponent of chip I chop, an evil genius par excellence who because of his lofty but unexecuted /or failed programs /projects, unreliable views /concepts, mesmerizing actions and political dribbles /stances like to government party structure, money laundering alias 419, community banking oil bunkering, letter bombing, other infamous project/programs e.g structural adjustment program (SAP), DFRRI, MAMSER etc infact he had a finger in every pie and to the delight of the masses he was nicknamed 'Maradona', this greatman of no mean repute is seriously planning to stage a come-back, in in-glorious or ill fated return to Nigerian politics come May 2011, and the office, still the president (he had done for more than two terms in normal democratic setting), but this time not self made or self-styled in 'khaki' and not through the barrel of the gun, but through the ballot box as an elected civilian president, donning the traditional national regalia of barbarize/agbada. Yeah! Babangida again? Did he forget any of his belongings at Aso Rock? The answer is blowing in the a bang and like strategist he's known for, he is not dangling a gun and 'Koboko' like when he took over the government; he is not dangling the gun and dribbles /jibes like when he was ruling, neither is he dangling a carrot and stick like when he was planning organizing and executing the botched/annulled' 93 elections, which is reputed to be the freest and best elections ever conducted in this country, but suite unfit to produce an acceptable president to form the government of his taste, hence the annulment with impunity.

After 17 odd years in oblivion /in the political doldrums, he has decided out of his own violation to conspicuously return to the political scene, and in his usual characteristic /charismatic /rhythmic 'Maradona' style, he is dangling a different kind of democratic political agenda a messenger of true federalism haps a kind that would endear him to some Nigerians yearning for it, perhaps a kind many people from his corner of this great country would not want to hear about, let alone implementing it, and this is the dreaded True Fiscal Federation (IFF) deliberately scorned, rubbished and pushed aside/dumped in the dustbin of history with impunity by the successive military regimes including that of our never-say-die Baba during the 29 years they nithlessly and dictatorially presided over the affairs of this country as an empire. Why the sudden turn around, by Baba to be to new messenger of this latest panacea for Nigeria's stability? Some three weeks ago, babangida bared his mind to the press that he is now in support of smaller government rather larger extensive governments ie he prefers strong smaller units and a weak centre”. He further decried nor brand of federation that makes the centre too strong and the states very weak as unprogressive and out dated, tracing Nigeria's woes and inability to develop maximally as she should to the above arrangement.

Again when asked by the BBC why he is gunning for this office, after he had occupied same for more than 8 years, he shamelessly but unequivocally quipped that Nigeria with 140 million people, with diverse cultures and problems is too complex to be a workshop for training people how to rule the country, as such the country needed people like him who has garnered enough experience. Yes wonders will never cease! As Babangida tries to snake his way through electoral hurdles /obstacles to the presidency, he says he alone has the knock of delivering Nigeria out of her woes.

The big question of peoples' hips, is why is Babangida so much interested in true federalism when he could not plant and implement democracy let alone true federalism during his 8 and 3 months on the mantel as a 'dictational president”. Might he Baba's rekindled interest is for real, but it could just open a whole new can of worms regarding his antecedents and that's why he is hell-bent on using true federalism to worm his way into the affection /confidence of Nigerians. For a man who heartlessly annulled the '93 elections adjudged the best and freest, and knowingly and willfully put paid to democracy, Babangida is trying to reap where he did not sow and gathering where he scattered no seed Matt. 25:24. Babangida should not deceive himself, God is not mocked and can never be mocked for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap Gal. 6:7.

This is too true, for if we want to try an analogy, Babangida sowed dictatorship, he must reap dictatorship, and Babangida that sowed democracy, that's why he has been reaping democracy. Nevertheless, Babangida as a free citizen and one of the foremost personalities in Nigeria his the right to vote and be voted for, so he is free to face the polls to grasp any office that satisfies his intent. But whether Babangida is there at Aso Rock is not in 2011, his message of True federalism lives on and the sooner successive government implement it the better for Nigeria. Even though the odds might not favour Babangida in the realization of his vaulting ambition come 2011.

May be due to his 'dirty' past, but with his support for true federalism he has no doubt blazed the trail that could be a toast to behold for the manifest of other presidential aspirants. Furthermore inspite of his 'nasty' past Babangida could be a ready and willing tool/element whose unflagging public Relations (PR) Charisma could be utilized to make true federalism see the light of day and acceptable to contestants, as this could be highly contagious being passed on to other candidates (nation wide) contesting the presidency and other offices, and more importantly true federalism would become a beautiful bride to be so embraced by the manifesto of contestants who wish to endear themselves to the populace.

As one of the for most personalities in. Nigeria Babangida's interest in true federalism would finally eventuate the reinstatement of this vital but almost always forgotten aspect of our sham federation mindlessly terminated by the army in the mid' 60s. May God help Nigeria.