Abacha in the eyes of Bishop Ajakaye
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- Written by Kayode Adegbenro
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If Nigerians would have the courage to overcome prejudice, it may always be easy to assess our leaders objectively, regardless of which section of Nigeria they come from. The greatest problem with Abacha’s enemies is that his achievements were so remarkable that it is impossible to erase them even with the dynamite of hate and prejudice. Abacha bashing has become a hobby for his hardened enemies who ironically cannot beat his record. In his recent weekly column in the National Mirror newspaper, former President Obasanjo used General Abacha as an example of why men commit evil. General Obasanjo, who was analysing the contagion of global terrorism with particular reference to the Norwegian serial killer who attacked innocent youths, men and women, unleashed incredible venom on General Abacha’s memory.
There was no military administration, including the one General Obasanjo headed from 13th February, 1976 to 1st October 1979, that was totally free of abuses. In 1977, the late Fela’s mother, Mrs. Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, was mysteriously killed by the so-called unknown soldiers, which was the official explanation offered over her death. Despite this atrocious record of human rights abuse, objective Nigerians still give General Obasanjo due credit for the good things he did while he was in office as a military dictator. However, since General Abacha’s administration convicted him for alleged coup plotting, Obasanjo doesn’t want to hear anything positive about Abacha.
However, with courageous Nigerians like Bishop Ajakaye, no amount of enemy attacks can wipe away General Abacha’s impressive performance record in office in just five years he was destined to rule Nigeria. General Obasanjo received more oil revenue than Abacha, in addition to the 18 billion dollar debt relief granted Nigeria when he was in power as a civilian leader from 1999 to 2007. Yet, despite the semblance of superior morality which Obasanjo presented to gullible Nigerians, corruption grew like weed under his feet and his performance in the social service areas didn’t match the huge revenue that came to his administration.
The condition of social services and national infrastructure deteriorated under Obasanjo and, despite the 16billion dollars supposedly spent on power rehabilitation, the investment went down the drain. While South Africa generates 45,000 megawatts of electricity, Nigeria is still hovering between 2,500 and 3000 megawatts since 1999. And this was despite Obasanjo’s commitment to improve power generation to 10,000 megawatts by the end of 2007. Until he left office, the picture in terms of infrastructure remained bleak.
However, with only 30 billion naira in its entire existence covering five years, Abacha’s Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which managed the proceeds of petroleum subsidy withdrawal, achieved more remarkable results than Obasanjo’s entire eight years in power. Condition of roads, hospitals, schools, water supply systems and other critical areas of social service were by far better under Abacha. Abacha’s other legacies such as the National Hospital, the Gwarinpa Housing Estate, the largest single housing project of its kind in Africa, are still standing as permanent evidence of the positive legacy of Abacha. Through the Petroleum Trust Fund, headed by General Buhari under Abacha’s regime, Nigerians felt the impact in so many areas such as free drugs from government hospitals, road maintenance etc… Are our refineries operating at full capacity today? Has corruption stopped in the country? Why is insecurity worse? Can Obasanjo absolve himself of blame for failing to fix this shameful national decay? Where did all the trillions of dollars investments go? Nigerians should pity the late President Yar’Adua and President Jonathan for taking the burden of Obasanjo’s failure. They took over a country in bad shape under the wings of a self-righteous President (Obasanjo). Bishop Ajakaye must be commended for his courage to assess Abacha objectively even if it might offend his implacable enemies like Obasanjo.
Adegbenro wrote from 86, Janet Akinrinade Street, Jabi, Abuja. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Aminiya
Abacha in the eyes of Bishop Ajakaye
Category: Comments Written by Kayode Adegbenro Hits: 737
The memory of good performance is always impossible to obliterate because action speaks louder than words, as saying goes. Speaking at a recent thanks-giving church service to the mark the first year in office of Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Most Reverend Felix Femi Ajakaye, told his audience that it was impossible to write the history of the state without bringing the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, into reckoning. According to him, General Abacha would always be remembered whenever the issue of state creation is being discussed. He recalled with passion, how God used General Abacha to bring the dream of the people of Ekiti State to reality, adding that the indigenes of the state should remain ever grateful to the late military leader. Bishop Ajakaye argued that despite the atrocities allegedly committed by late General Abacha, “God used him (Abacha) to fulfill what he sent him to do.” Prejudice is the greatest enemy of objective assessment of leaders, which is why General Abacha’s enemies always pretend that there was nothing positive the late military leader ever did for Nigeria. However, as Bishop Ajakaye argued, “we must always give honour to whom honour is due.” It takes courage to publicly praise the record of a leader to whom some people attributed the worst evils, playing down the greater part of the contributions of General Abacha to Nigeria’s development.If Nigerians would have the courage to overcome prejudice, it may always be easy to assess our leaders objectively, regardless of which section of Nigeria they come from. The greatest problem with Abacha’s enemies is that his achievements were so remarkable that it is impossible to erase them even with the dynamite of hate and prejudice. Abacha bashing has become a hobby for his hardened enemies who ironically cannot beat his record. In his recent weekly column in the National Mirror newspaper, former President Obasanjo used General Abacha as an example of why men commit evil. General Obasanjo, who was analysing the contagion of global terrorism with particular reference to the Norwegian serial killer who attacked innocent youths, men and women, unleashed incredible venom on General Abacha’s memory.
There was no military administration, including the one General Obasanjo headed from 13th February, 1976 to 1st October 1979, that was totally free of abuses. In 1977, the late Fela’s mother, Mrs. Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, was mysteriously killed by the so-called unknown soldiers, which was the official explanation offered over her death. Despite this atrocious record of human rights abuse, objective Nigerians still give General Obasanjo due credit for the good things he did while he was in office as a military dictator. However, since General Abacha’s administration convicted him for alleged coup plotting, Obasanjo doesn’t want to hear anything positive about Abacha.
However, with courageous Nigerians like Bishop Ajakaye, no amount of enemy attacks can wipe away General Abacha’s impressive performance record in office in just five years he was destined to rule Nigeria. General Obasanjo received more oil revenue than Abacha, in addition to the 18 billion dollar debt relief granted Nigeria when he was in power as a civilian leader from 1999 to 2007. Yet, despite the semblance of superior morality which Obasanjo presented to gullible Nigerians, corruption grew like weed under his feet and his performance in the social service areas didn’t match the huge revenue that came to his administration.
The condition of social services and national infrastructure deteriorated under Obasanjo and, despite the 16billion dollars supposedly spent on power rehabilitation, the investment went down the drain. While South Africa generates 45,000 megawatts of electricity, Nigeria is still hovering between 2,500 and 3000 megawatts since 1999. And this was despite Obasanjo’s commitment to improve power generation to 10,000 megawatts by the end of 2007. Until he left office, the picture in terms of infrastructure remained bleak.
However, with only 30 billion naira in its entire existence covering five years, Abacha’s Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which managed the proceeds of petroleum subsidy withdrawal, achieved more remarkable results than Obasanjo’s entire eight years in power. Condition of roads, hospitals, schools, water supply systems and other critical areas of social service were by far better under Abacha. Abacha’s other legacies such as the National Hospital, the Gwarinpa Housing Estate, the largest single housing project of its kind in Africa, are still standing as permanent evidence of the positive legacy of Abacha. Through the Petroleum Trust Fund, headed by General Buhari under Abacha’s regime, Nigerians felt the impact in so many areas such as free drugs from government hospitals, road maintenance etc… Are our refineries operating at full capacity today? Has corruption stopped in the country? Why is insecurity worse? Can Obasanjo absolve himself of blame for failing to fix this shameful national decay? Where did all the trillions of dollars investments go? Nigerians should pity the late President Yar’Adua and President Jonathan for taking the burden of Obasanjo’s failure. They took over a country in bad shape under the wings of a self-righteous President (Obasanjo). Bishop Ajakaye must be commended for his courage to assess Abacha objectively even if it might offend his implacable enemies like Obasanjo.
Adegbenro wrote from 86, Janet Akinrinade Street, Jabi, Abuja. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.