By Carl Umegboro
(Published by The NATION Newspapers on 02, September 2016)
(Published by SUNDAY TELEGRAPH Newspapers pg 11 on 18th September,2016)
(Published by SUNDAY TELEGRAPH Newspapers pg 11 on 18th September,2016)
OGUN State Police Command’s
arraignment of Joachim Chinakwe Iroko over alleged attempts to cause
ethno-religious violence for naming/labelling his dog with “ Alhaji Buhari” believably
after President Muhammadu Buhari and paraded in a community largely dominated
by northerners has generated uproars in the society.
A faction accused the President of
civilian maladministration, deficiency of ideas and autocratic tendencies and categorically,
tagged him ‘a man who pursues rats when his house is in flames’ on account of
the economy which, to admit is in a calamitous condition is affirming the
reality.
Apparently, no offence was committed
by mere naming of a dog after President Buhari or any other persons. Usually,
animals are named based on traits. Characteristically, a fighter-dog could be named
after a renowned soldier. Suffice to say,
no mischief was done to the President by the act. However, the locus situ (place of the event),
inferred intentions and the manner it was done could competently make it
constitute a crime in law, particularly attempt to cause a breach of public
peace. If the accused only named his dog without deliberately parading it in
Hausa-Muslim community, his arrest by the Police would have amounted to false
imprisonment, malicious prosecution and breach of his fundamental rights available
to all. The Police is duly vested with powers of ensuring a peaceful society. Commendably,
the arrest of the suspect and largely the situation as a preventive security is
a desideratum beyond the reactionary security, particularly his arraignment in
court strictly within time. Interestingly, the court is the temple of justice
and the focal point of the judiciary; the last hope of the common man. Hence,
if truly the president is linked, he still deserves no condemnation since the
cardinal purpose of a court is justice.
However, Buhari should be
disassociated from the matter since it isn’t a civil matter. For the fact the
accused was charged to court timely should be viewed extensively as a dividend
of democracy knowing that both parties will be accorded fair-hearing which is
sacrosanct in a court of competent jurisdiction. Hence, to label the President
a tyrant over a civic responsibility, is regrettably a misnomer, rather affirms
him as a democrat who believes in the rule of law and equality before the law; the
hallmarks of democracy.
Admittedly, Buhari avidly prepared
for a positive change in leadership, but unconsciously threaded a wrong track
by his extreme lopsided-appointments which clearly favoured the north with
almost all key positions. Regrettably, this action, apart from working against
the laid down concept of Federal Character in the 1999 Constitution poses a
threat to his good intentions to reciprocate the trust reposed by Nigerians on
him. Insentiently, the one-sided appointment stands strappingly to frustrate
the doctrine of transparency and accountability which are pivotal to
eradicating corruption in the society; the President’s core policy.
I still believe the President should
freely appoint a dependable team for impressive service-delivery on account of
the havocs perpetrated on the economy by the squandermania-PDP governments for
16 wasted-years.
No doubt, the 1999-Constitution
allows exercise of discretions on some positions since it didn’t specifically
enlist some for its application, however, its emphasis on ministerial
appointments ought to serve as a guiding principle on all putting into
consideration that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic society. I thus disagree with the
position of the presidency that Buhari has not violated the Federal Character
principle. This is because, by commonsense, the Constitution couldn’t have
endorsed a situation where most of key positions of a central government of a
country with diverse ethnic groups are lavished on a particular ethnic group at
the detriment of others except ministers.
Sadly, the utmost threat of this blunder, if unchecked, is the high
probability of disintegration of the nation after Buhari’s administration. This
position is bolstered by the obvious temperament of the northerners who may
resort to all manner of combats against a future southern President’s
government rather than tolerate to wail as the southerners do presently when
power eventually shifts out of the zone with reference to the Boko Haram,
Fulani herdsmen and others obnoxious activities from the zone.
I believe these anomalies could be
controlled if the federal government is more philosophical in reflecting the federal
character in its appointments as the mindfulness of having all key positions
manned by fellow tribesmen is rationally to a section, a stimulus to trample on
the rights of others. Reasonably, how could average northerners submit to the
laws guiding their relationships with other tribesmen when only their relatives
respectively head the Presidency, Army, Navy, Police, Airforce, Security
Adviser, Judiciary and even the Office of the Secretary of the Federation? Grossly,
this is a blunder, aberration and nonsequito. Above all, indistinguishable from
British historian, Lord Acton’s statement, “power
tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. The over dominance
of a particular tribe in the central government invariably will send wrong
signals to the average class pointing to exercise of absolute powers similar to “all animals are equal but some animals are
more equal than others” in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, hence, a tendency
of bitterness among the intimidated section.
As a solution, let the President reorganize
his cabinet strategically to invoke the spirit of oneness, such that culprits
will be made to squarely face the consequences of their actions irrespective of
ethnicity. Until justice is done, injustice will naturally triumph, therefore,
continued heinous attacks on helpless citizens even while asleep as are now repetitive
in Enugu state and other parts of the country. Similarly, citizens’ actions
must reflect neighbourhood principles. Aimless actions capable of hurting
another should be overtly discouraged knowing that where the rights of one ends
is where another’s starts. Anarchy doesn’t know boundaries or relatives, and
could destroy beyond imaginations. Prior to some actions, self-scrutiny for
merits or demerits in the interest of the society at large is necessary,
meanderingly, a core concept of community-policing.
Umegboro, public affairs analyst,
Lawyer and publisher of Pinnacle infoGallery writes from Igboekulie.
- To trace The SUNDAY TELEGRAPH newspapers report, click here>>>Https://www.newtelegraphonline.com/dog-naming-lopsided-appointments-repercussions/
- To trace The NATION Newspapers report, click here>>>http://thenationonlineng.net/naming-dog-buhari/
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