Buhari and Near Success Syndrome, By Martins Oloja

Buhari and Near Success Syndrome, By Martins Oloja

‘The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new’ (Socrates).

It is quite important for us to understand what this enemy called ‘Near Success Syndrome’ (NNS) is all about. If several times, you have been so close to achieving a goal, dream or desire in your life but it seems like the moment you are on the verge of breakthrough, something comes and snatches it away from your grasp, you are welcome to the roots of this deadly symptom. When this scenario plays out, it can really hurt and you can question your faith. In other words, have you ever wondered why you have often failed almost at the peak of your success?

Often times, we are asked to go for ‘deliverance’ ministration in a tabernacle or temple to curb this scourge called ‘Near Success Syndrome’, which some believe is a spiritual malady. Someone else has painted a picture of it thus: You need some cash urgently and decide to go get some money at the nearest ATM and after queuing for long hours and it gradually gets to your turn, immediately you slot in your card, the machine goes out of service and guess what you see a message, the machine cant dispense cash at this moment.

The intractable distraction of the powerful Covid-19 pandemic may have taken some steam out of some purely domestic issues that should have attracted our attention at these times that we need to understand. One of such issues I have noticed is that our leader, Muhammadu Buhari appears concerned about legacy as he slipped into his sixth year in office. His body language is showing that he would like to listen to some voices of reason on how to restructure this convoluted federation that he has been leading for five years. My oracle has detected that he needs encouragement at this time because of the deadly NSS that is as devastating as a virus in this context.

It is therefore a time to persuade our leader that we have been watching his recent actions on how to make the federation work in his time. And it is a time to encourage him with the ancient word from Socrates that, ‘The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not fighting the old, but on building the new’.

And here is the thing, it seems to me that our president would like to restructure the federation but there is too much of the organic (core) north in him. There should be no doubt about the fact that the north is still not ready for restructuring of the federation, although the power elite behind the resistance cannot deny that they know it is an idea whose time has come. A time has also come for us too not to abuse the power elite in the north. They need our encouragement about the shame that the current global forces have just exposed about them. What is this reproach?

The Kano State government just dealt a devastating blow on the awful management of the Almajiri system in the core north by sending the Almajirai who are not of Kano origin to their respective states. But at the moment, it is only the Governors of the two major states in the north, Kano and Kaduna who have taken up the gauntlet to abolish the Almajiri system that is no longer in existence in any parts of the Middle East and Arab world. The arrival of some of these Almajirai in parts of the southern states amid Covid-19 lockdown has elicited muted questions about why the northern power elite we accuse of dominating the political system through presidential appointments have allowed the dehumanising Alhajiri system’s spectacles we just saw on national television. It is clear that the northern elite need to answer some questions on what they have used the power and office they have been occupying to achieve for their people who are now seen as the poorest of the poor in the country. Sooner than later we will also ask them to explain to us in this federation why there have been more mosques than schools. We will ask them why local political leaders have been spending more on the emirate system than on education of their children. They should relax for now. The question time on that emblem of shame is not today. This is a time to encourage Nigeria’s leader not to allow the debilitating disease called Near Success Syndrome (NSS) to get him enrolled in a Hall of Shame for Nigerian leaders. History beckons on the General from Daura to enroll in a Hall of Fame by leaving all political actions for ‘Restructuring of the Federation’ now as a fundamental objective. That should be a one-point agenda fit for this time.

Barely three days to the end of last month, President Buhari in his capacity as Chairman Police Council, approved what was reported as ‘Reorganisation of the Nigeria Police’ ostensibly to tackle the ticklish spate of insecurity in the country.

Accordingly, the reorganisation created of five new zonal commands and two FCID annexes. The reorganization detail includes full autonomy of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FBI), which was formerly under the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID). By this approval, the FBI will become a full-fledged department to be headed by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG, and expected to fully integrate intelligence-led policing strategy to the Community Policing initiative.

Our leader also approved further decentralisation of the FCID with the establishment of two additional offices in Enugu and Gombe States. While the office in Enugu is expected to take care of investigations of major crimes emanating from the South-East and South-South geo-political zones, the office in Gombe will take care of the North-East zone. Each of these Annexes, in addition to the pre-existing ones in Lagos and Kaduna States, accordingly, shall be headed by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) who shall report to the DIG in-charge of the FCID, Force headquarters, Abuja. This was contained in a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, (DCP) Frank Mba. The statement read: “ The reorganisation also included the creation of five additional Police Zonal Command Headquarters. With this new arrangement, the Nigeria Police Force now has eight Departments and each is headed by a DIG.
“The Departments are: Department of Finance and Administration; Department of Operations; Department of Logistics and Supply; Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) Department of Training and Development; Department of Research and Planning; Department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Force Intelligence Department “ In a similar vein, five new Police Zonal Command Headquarters have been created for the Nigeria Police Force in addition to the hitherto existing 12 Zonal Command Headquarters. This makes a total of 17 Zonal Command Headquarters in the country. The five new Zonal Commands are Akure (Ondo/Ekiti Commands); Awka (Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi), Yenagoa (Bayelsa, Rivers Commands), Maiduguri (Yobe, Borno Commands) and Katsina ( Katsina and Kaduna commands). “

President Muhamadu Buhari expresses confidence that the reorganization will further bring policing closer to the people, improve the response time of the Police to incidents across the country, and generally promote efficiency in service delivery”. This looks good on paper but it is merely a cosmetic reform, which nurtures the much dreaded Near Success Syndrome’. It would have been a success syndrome if the president had sent a bill to the National Assembly for constitutional restructuring of the Nigeria police – to reflect State and Community Policing that has been advocated by most people in Nigeria.

In the same vein, on May 22, 2020 the President signed an Executive Order No.10 for the implementation of financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary. According to a statement from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, a Presidential Implementation Committee, the new order follows a Presidential Implementation Committee constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for states’ Legislature and Judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution. Section 121 (3) of the 1999 Constitution states: “Any amount standing to the credit of the judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State shall be paid directly to the heads of the courts concerned.”
Abubakar Malami, added that the new order would further make the two arms more independent and accountable in line with the tenets of democracy.
The Order provides that, “The Accountant-General of the Federation shall by this Order and such any other Orders, Regulations or Guidelines as may be issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, authorise the deduction from source in the course of Federation Accounts Allocation from the money allocated to any State of the Federation that fails to release allocation meant for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in line with the financial autonomy guaranteed by Section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended)”.

And so based on the new order, all states of the federation shall include the allocations of the two Arms of Government in their Appropriation Laws.

This presidential gesture too appears to be a good step toward practice of federalism. But it is still a bridge too far and it is not yet part of ‘Success Syndrome’.

The Buhari’s new deal with federalism began on May 6, 2019 when his administration drew battle line with state governments over financial autonomy for local government councils. The federal government had then through the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) outlawed meddling of states in council allocations. The Government then set June 1, 2019 as the takeoff date for the new order making it compulsory for all LGA allocations to go straight to their respective accounts. The governors have been fighting the president ruthlessly in all these reforms because they are still ambiguous in the constitution. And so an executive order alone cannot ensure compliance.

That is why the president should migrate from ‘Near Success Syndrome’ to ‘Success Syndrome’ by sending an Executive Bill to the National Assembly on ‘Restructuring of the Federation’. That is where all these ad-hoc issues including police reorganisation and autonomy for state legislature, state judiciary and local government will be taken care of. That is the only way President Buhari can make history in this his ‘second coming’. All these salient issues are in the original document the El-Rufai Committee on Restructuring submitted to the ruling APC on January 25, 2018. May our President be delivered from an old disease called ‘Near Success Syndrome’ (NSS) some others would like to simplify as Adhocism.

Martins Oloja is a Columnist with the Guardian
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NBA Election: The Rough and Tough Politics
By John Mayokun Dada

Like a gutter talk, I heard an old man told my father when I was young that anyone who desires to know the man who deflowered his/her mother should engage in politics. The summary of what the revered gentle man told my father was that politics is a dirty game. My father ensured that he drummed this into our subconscious minds, in our tender age, and this formed my skeptical attitude to politics while growing up. “Don’t engage in politics, don’t play politics and don’t do politics” were the words, credited to my father, which escorted me for long till I tried NBA politics in 2018.

To be sincere, I did not see NBA politics as “politics” properly so called then, I just decided to serve and since I cannot be appointed, I needed to be elected thereby placing me on the floor of constitutionally-required electioneering processes

2018 NBA Ilorin Branch politics was my first bite at real politics and honestly, it was not a game but a war on its own.

In a bid to start small, I indicated interest to run for the position of Assistant Secretary. I sought and got the consent of all the necessary godfathers whose names I reserve for now. Messages and calls were made to people only for two of my early supporters to talk me out of the position of assistant secretary to vying for the post of the Secretary. I never wanted a contest or struggle with any opponent, so the choice of assistant secretary fitted my mindset at that time but with the boost from these “strong men” I made further consultations by crossing the boundaries of religion and place of origin and there came my greatest shock in NBA politics — two people who I still want to reserve their names at least for now and who are not ordinarily expected to support me for many reasons blessed my ambition and gave their support.

Till today, I did not care if they voted for me or not, they remain my rock in NBA politics because they did not suspend their professional calling for religious sentiments. For this, they will forever earn my respect.

The race began and my opponents later turned out to be my friends and that was when the war began. How do you win when you are not better than your opponents? what a politics!

Remember, I told you this was my first bite at real politics in my life and for this, I wanted to withdraw when I discovered my close friend and classmate , Wasiu Adeyi, was also running for the same office and my withdrawal gear was moved to the fore when I got the hint that J.S Muhammed, who — with the grace of God — we began YLF together had also joined the race. It was tough for me as I did not know how to beat these men of timber and caliber. They are wonderful people and I have tremendous respect for them.

What a war in politics!

From April to June, 2018, we played politics, not dirty one though. I had nightmares and the closer we were to the election, the stronger my desire to win even in the midst of the concomitant fear of losing the election. At this point, I discovered my strength could not carry me, so I relied heavily on the strength of others to continue. I could not use my wife’s strength, because left for her, she did not want such for me so I moved into my office and found two giant and vibrant chaps – Yemi and Funmi (as they then were). They complimented my efforts, gave me new tricks and thought me the latest IT campaign methods which took me slightly above my opponents. As if my opponents also got support, in a matter of weeks they both met me at the realm of the peak which I thought I had reached to their disadvantage.
I needed more strength but by this time like a failed car carburetor, my fuel was draining and my speed reducing.

At this point, Yemi and Funmi did not stop but we got the match of our strength from Adeyi and J.S. They were formidable men of strength and I salute their courage. I was drowning and relaxing until I thought of Seye Adeboye, a God-sent brother. He skyrocketed my campaign and turned me to Lukman (Let him that readeth understandeth).

Seye was really a blessing at that point and till now. Adding Yemi, Funmi and Seye to my campaign game helped me tremendously; but that only lasted for a while as religious politics, place of origin, political affiliations, negotiations, blackmailing and character assassinations raised their ugly heads at the peak of the campaign and trust became a problem. I was really overwhelmed at this point but it was too late to go back. I resolved within me that I would rather lose than withdraw from the race. And truth be told, my chances were not really bright again. Religion and place of origin had relegated me to the bench like in a football match.

I started asking myself what I was actually looking for and my father’s advice kept coming back like never before. I ran to my boss — Mrs Ronke Adeyemi. she did not support my subtle decision to withdraw from the race at that crucial moment, because that was the moment campaign has left the realm of what you can do to whom you are and where you came from. Wow! I forgot all my selling campaign bullets — as they no longer sell. I tried to throw in the towel, God threw it back and said, “wipe your face with the towel, you are almost there”. What a crossroad I found myself!

Little did I know that I had left God out of my calculation, I was only praying but never believed HE can be part of such a “dirty game” in my father’s word.

Voters list came out and the real politics began, so what we were doing before then was just child’s play.

I called everyone on the voters list, except my opponents. While many voters deceived me, many did not (many voters will deceive you oooo,toor but that is politics properly so called). At this point of not knowing who to trust, I briefed God, I believed it’s never too late to do that at any time in one’s life and I used the voters list to re-strategize with the help of Yemi, Funmi, Seye, John, Akerele, Dayo, Saint, B20, Olateju, Boda Sukanmi and many others. These were people whose votes were not as important to me as their support. You need people like that in politics atimes.

At this crucial time, what was important were votes and the most important were votes for JMD as/for NBA Secretary.

We all did our best, we campaigned on merit, despite all the temptations to do otherwise as a result of deception, disloyalty, blackmail, religious bigotry, political blocks and other unnecessary and unspeakable sentiments introduced into NBA politics by people who wanted personal gain above collective interest.

I believe that in elections of these nature, competence and professionalalism should always be the basis of election of people offering themselves for service and not the faith or place of origin of the persons who volunteered to stay behind the wheels. Such will always destroy the fabrics of our common good which is progressive develooment.

It is a waste of education if the only people we like and are willing to support to lead a professional body are restricted to members of our religion and tribe. That’s in-breeding, which is a major cause of genetic disorder and stunted growth.

The greatest proof of our education is in how we coexist and maximize the opportunities available in our diversity as a people. Associations that (have) maximized growth are really those that value diversity and inclusion.

Posterity looks at everyone in the eyes and events will unfold to reveal the real truth behind all these lies that only divide us.

It was a rough and tough road, but we won.

We won not because I was the best, we won not because my friends were not strong enough, we won not because of any special trait, but because it had pleased God to grant me victory. Glory be to God.

What a journey, what a life, what a game, what a world. Really do I say I flirted with death? To me “Politics is not a dirty game, it is only those who are dirty that make it dirty”. My first bite at real politics was not a failure after all and today I can share this smiling at some of our deeds then and with time it will be clear if what the revered gentleman told my father is admissible hearsay.

John Mayokun Dada
Secretary NBA Ilorin Branch