Nigerian politicians lack integrity, dignity

By Henry Uche

With the frantic alignments and realignments by politicians, preparatory to the 2027 general election, Dr. Christopher Ejike Ihenacho, a septuagenarian and a seasoned medical practitioner specialising in internal medicine, has said that Nigerian politicians lack integrity and dignity. He also spoke on other topical national issues, including the renewed clamour for state creation, and the 2027 elections, among others.

Excerpts:

Nigeria has enjoyed 26 years of unbroken democracy, the longest since independence. What would you say have been Nigerians’ greatest benefit from democracy since 1999?

Well, as long as we have some degree of freedom of speech, freedom of association, religious freedom, these I can say Nigerians have gained from democracy since 1999 but as for the economy, there is no improvement, rather Nigerians are being impoverished. Every four years that ushers a new government, Nigerians’ pains are multiplied.

Do you think Nigerians would ever forgive politicians who have subjected them to undue pains over the years?

Have you not heard that when a foul farts, it begins to run even when no one is chasing it. Nigerian leaders know themselves. Whether you did well or you did bad when you had opportunity to better the lives of your people, you know, and the way you live afterwards would determine how your people relate with you. You were here when a former governor was running away from the country the same day he handed over to his successor. Was his village, his state, his country, Nigeria, not safe enough for him to sleep even a night after ruling for eight years as a governor? You can see the evil men do. He was arrested in the Lagos airport while trying to board a flight. It’s all because they didn’t do well, even with the billions made available to them.

What do you have to say to some Nigerians still collecting some rice and pieces of naira notes to vote for certain politicians?

Do you remember the apocryphal anecdote said about Stalin who plucked the feathers off a live chicken in front of his subordinates? After doing so, he put the chicken down and threw it some grains of wheat. Despite the pain it had just suffered, the chicken followed him around, pecking at the food. Stalin then allegedly told his men: ‘This is how easy it is to govern stupid people. They will follow you no matter how much pain you cause them, as long as you offer them a small reward once in a while.’ I’ll leave it there. Note, it’s a deliberate act.

Some people would characterise Nigerians who sell their votes and conscience as dumb? How would you describe such Nigerians?

When your child or children cry out to you for food, you won’t mind anything like morality, stupidity or conscience – because you want to feed your children. It’s that bad! Many people do certain things which they wouldn’t do ordinarily. Some people have renounced their birthright when politicians dangle a cup of rice during elections and vote for the person, even though they know that nothing good would come out of them afterwards. And because they know that the skewed system and the powers that be would not allow competent persons to win elections. So, an average Nigerian believes in the immediate benefits, and even praise their oppressors ignorantly. But if the law works, no system of government is entirely bad. The fact that political leaders refused to govern by the existing laws is a deliberate act.

Ayi Kwei Armah, in his book, said that “The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born,” politically speaking, do you believe that it is the case with Nigeria?

No. The beautiful ones are already born. When I was in Ukraine to study, our chemistry teacher set a problem on the chalkboard, he asked us to come and solve it, nobody could, then I raised my hand, he couldn’t believe that I could solve the problem, but when I did, he affirmed that indeed Nigerians are intelligent people and great in what they do. So, I believe that the ‘Beautiful Ones Are Born in Nigeria’ – politically and economically- and in other disciplines. But sadly, they are not given the opportunity to hold public portfolios. The very younger ones cannot challenge the strong oligarchs. They would be frustrated. So, to wrestle power from these men without souls (as someone described them), is very difficult.

You witnessed the first and second republics and was a beneficiary of a state-sponsored foreign scholarship programme. When you juxtapose that era with the present dispensation, how would characterise the journey so far as a country?

In those days, the government was doing what they were meant to do or elected to do. Political leaders of that era were people- orientated. Sending citizens abroad for scholarship was dutifully carried out by the government and unlike what we have today, the excise was devoid of favoritism, nepotism and cronyism. I came from a very poor background, I knew nobody anywhere but I got the scholarship. Today, parents are finding it difficult to train their children here in Nigeria. Anything that looks like a scholarship goes to the highest bidders and children of those connected to politicians or children of politicians themselves. You can see the handwriting on the wall, it’s very clear, nothing is improving in Nigeria.

Comparing parliamentary system of the First Republic and the current presidential system, which would you recommend for a plural society like Nigeria?

Listen, no system is best. It depends on the laws in place and its implementation. Every society is sustained by law. If there is no law, the society cannot develop. A working system is where every arm of the government is working independently but there must be checks and balances. Whether parliamentary or presidential, if the political leaders talk and act like the head of the Python, that you cannot kill it, if they behave like what the Igbo call Eze onyeagwala (an autocratic king), then no system will work. Nigerians only see their leaders in real time during campaigns. That is the only time they associate with the poor, but after they have won, they disappear and be flying up and down. The same roads they plied to canvass for votes become abomination to them. You can imagine. The system is fairly good, but can we respect our Grund norm- the constitution? Look at the last election and the shambles. What have we seen since then? Someone rumpled the Naira – he landed in prison, but some elements who kill humans and destroyed properties in Benue, Jos and other parts of the country had a field day and are left scot-free. What are you talking about!

There is a renewed clamour for the creation of more states across the country, especially in the South-East. What is your view?

Yes, I support it. It’s long overdue. For the South-East, at least, the people would feel a bit sense of belonging because over the years, the zone has not only been marginalised- politically and economically but has suffered intimidation here and there, it has been victimised, hated and envied. By implication, the new states, if created will endear the president to the Igbos, they will forever hail him as the one under whose his administration it happened.

Defections to the ruling party, APC, are now almost a daily occurrence. Some think Nigeria is slipping into a one-party state; what are the implications?

The defections are proofs that Nigeria politicians neither have integrity nor dignity. What is their intention for the country? A party is formed for or by like minds. Some people are democrats, some republicans, some otherwise, it depends on what you want to achieve for your country. Why would you leave your party for another, do you know or understand what they had in mind from outset? Some of them defects just to get a crumb of bread. Some defected to hide their defaced faces; some to escape probe. Remember what Senator Adam Oshomhole reportedly said some years ago. We know all these things. They are not responsible to their actions. So, Nigerians cannot be beaten. We need laws that work! How can a government in power cover up someone because such persons joined the ruling party? There is no ideal place anywhere in the world, the difference is the laws work there; in saner climes, their laws are not a respecter of anybody, no matter who you are, unlike what we have here.

As someone from Imo State, from East Senatorial District, which is often referred to as Owerri zone, what is your view in the raging dispute between Okigwe and Owerri zones on which of them produces next governor of the state?

You saw what happened right? How the Supreme Court took someone that came fourth in a governorship election and made him governor. Is that right? Because there were people who wanted to thwart the progress of Imo State, that was why they put him there. Now if Owerri zone wants to lead Imo State, they should be united in intent and purpose. Same thing applies if the Igbos want to be the president of Nigeria, if they are united, they would get it, but when one man among them goes out of his way to sell his birthright for a porridge of yam (we know some of them), and sell his brother, it would not work. So, for now, Emeka Ihedioha is the right man in Owerri zone in my opinion for the governorship. Then, those Igbo politicians working against Peter Obi are afraid because they know Peter Obi will not work with them nor allow them to steal public funds and other resources. They know very well that Peter has the capacity to make Nigeria a better place to live. They know Peter is far better than all of them put together. But it’s unfortunate, history will never forget how they allowed external forces to use them against their own brother.

Talking about Peter Obi, what is your take on his 2027 presidential aspiration?

He should continue fighting. Despite the intimidation, he should not give up. A patient dog eats the best bone. He will triumph.