ON OBASANJOS THIRD TERM: TUNDE BAKARE AND DR REUBEN ABATI, INTRODUCE YOUR SELVES PROPERLY TO ME
Orkuma Hembe
I made a deliberate effort to occupy less of public space shortly after my tenure as President of the National Association of Nigerian Students elapsed. I took to agricultural practice and training, which by the way is my primary area of calling /interest and have led quite a quiet and low lifestyle since then.
I read a lot of economic, political and social commentaries; I rarely add my voice or comments save for a countable few.
My recent bid in trying to locate a worthwhile future for the next generation, I have come to the pleasant realisation that, my deliberate refusal to contribute in shaping the future of our dear nation only relegates me to the sad category of persons,who betrayed or compromised our common future by refusing to partake in moulding it.
Today the internet has eased research in all its ramificationsand placed even the most ancient historical records today are at our fingertips.
I have had the very rare privilege as former NANS President, to play a very prominent role in shaping our national polity and policy as it were, whether I was successful or not depend on “whoever is judge”, but the facts of my case will remain constant.
Criticisms are compulsory ingredients in any clime that encourages progress and growth; but how constructive they are determines which direction growth will occur, whether positively or negatively.
I believe it is time for me to leave my cocoon and secure my rightful place and space within the context of nation building and national unity.
As I resume the social and political arena, it will be my most candid desire to avail myself for constructive debates on past, present or even future development as they relate to shaping our collective destiny.
Before then I kindly wish to request for a proper personality introduction of the duo of Tunde Bakare and Dr Reuben Abati.
I will be perceived as playing to the gallery if I claim zero knowledge of their existence and commentary within public circles; especially as it concerns my activities during my stewardship as NANS president and the so called “Third Term bid” of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. One would expect individuals of such calibre and status to be prolific and detailed readers, yet they so often drift to the contrary or perhaps they deliberately try to court attention or confuse an unsuspecting populace to their own selfish advantage.
A retrospective assessment on the so called “Third Term bid” of President Olusegun Obasanjo, would reveal the actual content of my speech then as NANS president and that of NANS as an organisation.
On Wednesday 7th December 2005 the NANS under my leaderships played host to President Olusegun Obasanjo at the NANS 25th Anniversary celebration, which held at the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja.
My speech was very clear on that day and it was put in black and white and distributed to the media. It made headlines the next morning and became a subject of national discourse in the coming weeks. The headlines were very clear as they suggested that NANS had endorsed the third term bid of Obasanjo, unfortunately the content that followed did not quote me at any point making such pronouncement.
An extraction of my statement which was closest to such speculated endorsement was this; “ we make bold to say, that until such a time, the elites of this country bring somebody better than Obasanjo, we will not let him go in 2007”. Today 10 years down the line I am still very convinced more than ever before, that I was in order and will defend my statementanytime.
Let us kindly refer to history again and recollect the names of those who occupied the front burner of our political space at that time as the most likely successors of Obasanjo as President. I challenge any Nigerian to prove to me if the corruption credentials and inclinations of any of the aspirants at that time, beat the records of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo , that person would contradict my 10 year old statement; then my case will rest.
Let us also remember, that at the time I made same statement,President Umaru Musa Yar Adua, a later entrant who had never indicated interest in contesting for the Presidency of Nigeria in spite of his comparatively appealing record, as an incorruptible, prudent and unassuming leader had not come on board.
Obasanjo satisfied our conditions as Nigerian Students by bringing forth somebody who was better than him, in the person of President Umaru Musa Yar Adua.
On Dr. Reuben Abati;
On the 11th December 2005, I read a pleasant editorial in the Guardian newspaper titled ‘Was that NANS” by Dr Reuben Abati; words may not describe how refreshing, intellectually challenging and thought provoking it was, in fact I still have same hard copy of the paper to this day.
It was carefully worded and obviously a product of detailedresearch, with pleasant historical facts about NANS and Nigeria. I just couldn’t resist reading it through and through. The writer got my attention in total, endearing me to the Guardian newspaper and I soon began to look forward to read Dr Abati’s next article.
In the write up Dr. Abati referred to me as a third term confusionist. In his words; “what was on display on that day in the 25th Anniversary of NANS was opportunism, if not infantilism; perfidy of the highest order and gross irresponsibility”, “they in fact used the platform to campaign for the extension of President Obasanjo’s tenure contrary to the constitution as it is, the NANS President Kenneth Orkuma Hembe spoke like a third term confisionist ” .
I overlooked all the unpleasant aspersions on my person,including the fact that he failed to read or deliberately refused to understand the content of my text. I instead, focused on the message ignoring the character of the messenger.
My admiration of this gifted writer was cut short when sameDr Abati took up a job with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, same man certain quarters insisted was imposed on Nigerians by “Obasanjo” through a faulty electoral process.
Principle and objectivity were immediately compromised on the altar of self-interest; as if this was not enough I later read a text associated with Dr. Abati canvassing for a single term of 6 years for the President and I asked, between my 10 years old statement and his, which was more of an endorsement for an unconstitutional ugly head.
In Abatis words; “it is not true that four years “is too short” for a President or a Governor to make a difference, the President didn’t get it and it is important he does. The period appears too short because many of our elected Governors and Presidents (well we have had only a few) begin to think of what to only when they get to office. They have no blue print, no clear understanding of what is required, they do not even listen to the people well enough, and the parties that brought them to power have no manifesto, no plan of action, no defined contract with the Nigerian people.
Given such background, the complexity of bureaucracy and the enormity of official power could prove so intimidating that the typical overnight man in power could find himself/herself ill prepared for high office. But that is what we want changed”
What an irony and contradiction, the impression I get here is simple. It is either Dr Abati did not like Obasanjo as a person or was simply courting attention to himself and strategizing to get onto the corridors of power and I was just a collateral damage.
Please I need a proper introduction to the personality of this my former role model, so I can place him within a category of classing.
On Tunde Bakare’s irresponsible comment;
though I am not perturbed or ever considered him worthy of my response; I am compelled to get the records straight since this is the second time in one year that Tunde Bakare will be taking a swipe on my personality.
I have tried to have a clear picture of what he hopes to achieve and none would have served me better than my conflicting findings about his personality. Referring to the “Third term bid of Obasanjo” during my steward ship using the word “shameful” seriously caught my attention.
I can bet from his comments that he did not read the content, or text of the purported NANS endorsement of Obasanjo’s Third Term. I will need a clarification on what personality he represents before I can enter into any discourse or debate of any kind with Tunde Bakare.
Bakare to me is just an attention seeker who seldom attempts to join issues with public figures to advance his personal course, perhaps that explains why placing him as a Pastor, Lawyer, activist or politician is challenging to me.
In search for public attention, I read he worked with or forChief Gani Fawehimi and Rotimi Williams both highly successful and respectable public figures. Next was the church and he started churning out coincidental prophecies(which brought to him his first love “fame”) like pure water up until he met his waterloo in Eggbon Chief Olusegun Obasanjo where on March 7, 1999 Bakare said ; “Obasanjo is not your messiah. He is king Agag and the prophetic axe will fall upon his head before May 29”.
This prophecy on Obasanjo that never came to pass may not be far from the reason why Tunde Bakare hardly runs any positive public commentary on Obasanjo.
Tunde Bakare later became politician (remember, from lawyer, pastor, politician and now activist) and Vice Presidential aspirant to President Muhamadu Buhari, God made PMB pay for the sins of a hitherto prophet of doom as he lost in the general elections. I perceive Vice President Osinbajo (SAN) has more of Gods face reflecting all over his personality and that added a lot of value to the Buhari/APC ticket.
It is also on record at least to my knowledge that Tunde Bakare has criticised every other administration in time past except the present one as led by President Muhamadu Buhari, which seems the most likely to carry him along onto the corridors of power. He needs to be in the news to remain relevant, perhaps that’s why my name has once again become a handy vehicle; I hope he is not consulting with Dr Abati, on how to get to power using scapegoats?
As I rest my case I honestly beg for a proper introduction of these personalities their principles, beliefs and actual mission. For Reuben Abati I can faily place him, but for Tunde Bakare I really need to know you more sir, in terms of career, profession and calling.
Hembe was President of NANS