Nigerians In America - http://www.nigeriansinamerica.com
A Banner Without Stain
http://www.nigeriansinamerica.com/articles/1759/1/A-Banner-Without-Stain/Page1.html
Dele A. Sonubi
Dele Akeem Sonubi, has Masters Degrees in Culture, Peace and Development Studies from Spain & Denmark, as well as in Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies from Austria. A graduate of the Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria, Dele researches mostly on African indigenous initiatives and development drives. Dele believes very strongly in multi-ethnic and cross-cultural plurality. He seeks knowledge at the expense of knowledge and basically for the sake of knowledge. Dele A. Sonubi is the author of 2 published novels; The Grandfather’s Mandate and The Armed Robbers; he is working on his third novel and an anthology of poetry. He lives presently in Lagos, Nigeria.  
By Dele A. Sonubi
Published on 05/13/2007
 
What banner is OBJ handing on to "our" children? What brand of banner? Can he stand before Nigeria, holding the flag which is the symbol of our political and sovereign aspirations that he had directly worked to make the banner he will hand over to us that without stain?
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Nigeria we hail thee,
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood we stand,
Nigerians all, are proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.

Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign,
In peace or battle honour'd,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.

O God of all creation,
Grant this our one request,
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed. [1]

Fortunately for me, I was born a little earlier before this great old national anthem was removed and substituted for another insignificant but- calling- for- respect-because- it was-written- by- a- Nigerian anthem. In those days when I was reciting the lines of this anthem, I hardly knew what they meant nor understood the reasons why I spent a great deal of talent cramming it and all of a sudden, I had to start committing another set of lines to memory. But over time, as I grew to observe the chaos going on in my country, as I grew frustrated and unrepentantly annoyed at our leadership and follower ship, I have come to understand why Nigeria was so quick to dispose of this anthem; it meant something which leaders were sure they could not keep up with. They knew history will challenge them to these words; “…to leave unto our children, a banner without stain”

 

For the first time in my adult life, I made personal efforts to register for elections and struggled against all odds to go out and cast my votes. I had to struggle against myself because on the two occasions- registration and elections I had great inconveniences; it was sunning and very hot and for the first time since many weeks, we had NEPA at home. Then there was so many people and so many conveniences that I had to give up to register and vote. Nevertheless, I did these for the reason that I had watched our polity deteriorate under eight years of OBJ rules; I had seen Nigeria go on the decline. I had suffered with millions of other Nigerians for lack of basic infrastructures. I wanted to have a reason to complain if the unimaginable becomes imaginable. And indeed, it is imaginable; Alhaji Yar’Adua has become the next Nigerian president curtsey of OBJ and INEC and their “do or die” testimonies.

 

Immediately after the elections, there was grave silence, Nigerians who were before now, shouting and screaming of fire and brimstone became dumb folded. No one believed the election results. No one thought it was possible to declare such flagrant betrayal of human decency. It was simply impossible and we were witnessing the possible impossible!

 

The eight years of OBJ’s term, eight wasted years of PDP steering confusions in this country, Nigeria thinking that there would be a new wave of opinion, a new dispensation, a new people at the helm of affairs, a new focus to correct NEPA; eight years of taking a leap forward and several steeps backward now meant nothing. The wholesome election meant that much more than 70 percent of Nigerians are happy with the state of affairs in Nigeria. Incredible; simply incredible!

 

Since after the April 2007 elections, as I look at OBJ on television or see his pictures inside the pages of the newspapers, my frustrations and anger are without limits. How can this man, who sang, that “our flag shall be a symbol, that truth and justice reign” how can he stand before the same flag and abuse truth and insults justice? How can this man mortgage our future with such ease and without any remorse? The ideas of our founding fathers; was for every leader, every man holding governance in trusts for some electorates to “hand onto our children a banner without stain.” Why is Obasanjo handing over a blood stained flag with the slain blood of innocent Nigerians and those who guiltily demanded for their rights both electoral and fundamental rights!

 

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Because of ambition of third term Obasanjo did these obnoxious things to us as a nation, and tarnished his own image internationally. It is easy to imagine how much international community would have cherished the wisdom of Obasanjo after this April Election. But because of ambition, he destroyed his own wisdom! Incidentally all our heads of state since Gowon had behaved like this; destroying their own legacies because of ambition of the last minutes. The leaders usually waited until the last moment of their shining glory and spoil their several years of work for mere ambition. One remembers the period of Gowon who fought civil war, won, became the hero of the triple R (Reconciliation Rehabilitation and Reconstruction), few months to leaving office, became drunken by power that he announced he was not leaving as earlier scheduled. He was ouster by Muritala. Another one, Babangida staged a democratic that peaked transition with a model "option A4" - the best ever. Then because of power, he annulled it and thus went his fortunes as "holy genius" because then he became "evil genius." Abacha did his own; he tried to transform from military to civilian head of states as he being the only candidate for election. His disgrace in history was a divine accident that eliminated him amongst his air-tight security. Now Obasanjo has undone himself too. Because he wanted to remain longer in office (third term/ term elongation) he rubbished his own image, destroyed the credibility of EFCC and dragged El Rufai into the mud of political "area boy". What a pity? The legacy Obasanjo is leaving behind is that of eight wasted years. Why do Nigerian histories keep repeating themselves?

What banner is OBJ handing on to "our" children? What brand of banner? Can he stand before Nigeria, holding the flag which is the symbol of our political and sovereign aspirations that he had directly worked to make the banner he will hand over to us that without stain?

Ah…I work hard in this country to the best I can. I do the very best things in this country; obey law, follow order, respected the guidelines and rules and show generous regard for constituted authorities. I am not alone; there are hundreds of millions of Nigerians who are like me. Yet, OBJ mortgaged our future like this. Ehe….

Henceforth, I stand on the words of the most high God and pour the following curses as I declare that;

every public servant who had taken the trusts of the Nigerian people for mock, who had stolen from the treasury of his or her people will die painful and inglorious death from something purchased with that stolen money. Ogun, the fearful god of iron will wait for the day he or she will be celebrated before publicly grinding him and his blood on the street.

any leader, who has put Nigerians in mess, who had deliberated messed up our collective aspirations, will swim in unsang ignominy! They will fall; one by one they will fall. Darkness will descend on their household and horror shall beckon to them as partners. Death will not come quickly and easily; there shall be torture or immeasurable quality. They will stand and witness the re-transformation of this country to better and each development will bring unbearable torment to their soul.

anyone who worked and collaborated with others to make sure I and my peers do not witness credible elections in this country and during our lifetime, debar us from celebration of true justice in this land, to enjoy reformed and improved life as a Nigerian inside Nigeria, will bath in his or her own blood and each year wasted for me will transform into each different level of pain for them.

These curse shall not be limited to the direct player of our doom alone; every sibling, every child, every one who spend from their fortune, who use their obnoxious names to get favors, every family member will share of these curses unless they repent and come out publicly on the side of the side of the Nigerian people!

I look forward to one day when truth and justice will prevail in this country. I pray o god, let this happen at least once time before I die. I have been loyal to this country; I deserve to see it prosper. Until then I will sing;

O God of all creation,
Grant this our one request,
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed

  [1] Nigeria's first anthem, written by a British expatriate, was in use until 1978, when the government changed the anthem. (This anthem still can be heard in Nigeria as a form of protest against the government.)