Tunde Ajala

“Huh!! General who? That villain, dictator, thief…. Make God no gree bad thing.” It will be amazing to know the reaction of many Nigerians.

It’s been 20 years since Sani Abacha died. The most notable thing about him now is that 20 years after his death after ruling Nigeria for 5 years, the western countries still have some of his loot after returning so much. While we may not know the exact amount that may have been stolen or the exact amount that has been returned, one thing is clear, I wonder if this would have been the case if Abacha was alive today.

I read with much excitement and disdain at the same time when I hear politicians and a few other folks glorify our former presidents who are alive today and vilify Abacha who is dead.

How will I ever forget the famous but yet annoying Youths Earnestly Ask for Abacha (YEAA) campaign spearheaded by Mr Daniel Kanu. Where is Daniel Kanu sef?

As a people, one thing that thrive in our midst is mediocrity. It is difficult to believe Gen Sani Abacha is the only former Nigerian president who looted from the nations treasury. Without making attempt to glorify his despicable actions, he too achieved some things. Some people even believed that his govt did better than the ones before his and the ones after his. Citing the gains of the Petroleum Trust Fund in infrastructural development, relatively stable economy. He ruled for 5 years. Although many who opposed his government were harassed some even died. But we have seen same high handedness and unexplained deaths in the administrations after his.

Today we can savour in the realisation that he died and we discovered some of the monies he stole after ruling us for 5 years. What if he stepped aside after the 5 years he ruled Nigeria. Would the succeeding government have prosecuted him for stealing so much? Or he too, like the other presidents, would have been in his mansion in Kano, receiving politicians or anyone who wants to be relevant in the scheme of things in Nigeria. Perhaps writing letters.

One thing is sure, Nigeria has earned good revenue from Oil and other fees/taxes from inception but there is little to show for all the wealth we have accrued over the years. The acceptable notion is that our former leaders have ruined this country; stealing it dry. Why then is there little or no effort to make them account for the revenues while they were in office.

Nigerians need to wake up. We must demand better from our leaders or push them out.