EMINENT Nigerians have continued to condemn former Heads of State, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, for washing their dirty linens in the public.
Those who reacted to the development at the weekend, said it was sad that those who should show good examples, had demonstrated that there was nothing to learn from them.
Even the youths were not left out as they described the duo’s conduct as unbecoming of them, considering that they once held the nation’s foremost office.
To elder statesman, Malam Tanko Yakasai, described the quarrel between Obasanjo and Babangida as a “show of shame.”
He therefore appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan and former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, to wade into the matter in the interest of Nigeria.
Yakasai, who expressed surprise over the development, told reporters in Kano at the weekend that he had never witnessed such an embarrassing outburst between men of such calibre in life.
The youths under the platform of Pan Africa Youth Union (PAYU) and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), called on the former leaders to stop the ongoing media war and work to develop Nigeria and the continent.
Their presidents, Ben Duntoye (PAYU) and Ajani Olawale James (NYCN) in separate interviews with The Guardian urged them to show examples in peace-building and development rather than allow the feud to put a question mark on their statesmanship more so when the younger generations look up to them as mentors and role models, adding that washing their dirty linen in the media was unbecoming of their exalted status in life.
Aside from the personal reputation of the former heads of state, the feud can also negatively affect the international image of Nigeria, Dunyoye said.
Ajani wondered why the two Generals should be warring at this time, after being good friends in the past. He further reiterated the need to allow the youths take over the process of developing Nigeria.
But Yakasai blamed Obasanjo for the feud with Babangida.
He said the row was unfortunate because “this is the first time in my life that two former heads of state of a country, who incidentally were military officers, who were supposed to be more disciplined than others, engaged each other in this show of shame.”
Yakasai said the tirade between the duo did not come to him as a surprise considering the fact that the actors come from different cultural and religious backgrounds.
Expressing disappointment with Obasanjo for allegedly firing the “first shot at Babangida,” he said Babangida should take the blame for his scathing remarks.
He said: “There is a Hausa adage that says if the elder is not ashamed of mounting the camel’s back, the elder should not be ashamed if the camel throws him off to the ground. In other words, if an elder is the one in a hurry to abuse his junior, he should not be surprised if the junior who has been given the licence to retaliate rains abuses on him.
“In a civilised society, whoever resorts to using abusive language in a debate should be held responsible for the consequences of his action. To me, the whole blame is on Obasanjo who started using abusive language against a fellow military General and President.”
Yakasai claimed that Babangida had been of tremendous help to Obasanjo over the years.
He cited Obasanjo’s ascendancy to the mantle of leadership in 1976, release from prison in 1998, enlistment as a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his emergence as the party’s standard bearer, financing of his presidential campaign and his subsequent emergence as president in 1999 as instances of such favours.
The elder statesman said it is ironical that the only known “favour” Obasanjo did for Babangida was to clamp Mohammed, Babangida’s first son into detention under the pretext of probing the ownership of shares of Globacom.
Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, said it was sad that such unexpected inflammatory comments could come from leaders of their status.
To avoid over-heating the already charged polity, the eminent clergyman urged the two leaders to sheathe their sword and toe the path of decency.
Okogie in a statement issued on his behalf by the Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, said such public outburst by the two leaders were uncomplimentary and demeaning as well as capable of heating up an already charged polity.
He said: “I was quite shocked to read on the pages of newspapers the rather unruly comments credited to each of the men. It is quite unfortunate and scandalous that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida have decided to wash their dirty linens in the public.
“It is even more disheartening to know that such drama is happening in the wake of the 70th birthday of Babangida. Ordinarily, one expects Babangida to use the occasion to thank God for seeing him thus far and to make peace with Him. I was therefore surprised when he was quoted as throwing aspersions on former President Obasanjo, who equally responded by allegedly calling him a fool at 70.
“This is rather unfortunate and is tantamount to setting bad precedent,’’ he said.
Okogie said as elder statesmen, Obasanjo and Babangida are expected to be men of honour, who should be helping through their advice to move the nation forward and not to bring themselves to the level of fighting each other on the pages of newspapers.
He said: “We all know the part each of them played when they were in position of authority. We also know the role they have been playing since they left power as politicians. They have been meeting and interacting all this while, so I wonder why they have chosen this period to pounce on each other.
“Whatever is the difference, abusing each other through the media is not the best way to go about it. What examples are they setting for the young ones?”
Okogie also paid glowing tributes to late former military Vice President, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, who died last Wednesday.
He described the late Aikhomu as a distinguished soldier and a detribalised Nigerian, who served his nation faithfully to the best of his ability.
He stated: “I was rudely shocked to hear about the death. I have had course to meet him on a few occasions. My impression about him is, a cool-headed naval officer of the finest breed, who loved his fatherland and served it to the best of his ability, in spite of all odds. He was the silent stabiliser during the military regime of Babangida and was faithful to his boss to the end. Indeed, Nigeria has lost one of its distinguished sons.
“His death once more brings to the fore the need for everyone to be at peace with his creator because no one knows the time and hour when death will come,” he said.
Earlier, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) had said the recent counter-accusations between the former leaders on their contributions toward nation-building should serve as a lesson for Jonathan’s government.
While welcoming the hot exchanges between them, the Arewa leaders however frowned on the trade on insults.
The ACF National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani said: “The leaders are welcome, provided they are done with decorum.
“Our leaders should avoid the use of uncouth languages in public discourse. This is because such exchanges have the benefits of enabling Nigerians to know the truth as to how they were governed by the two leaders.”
Source: The Guardian.
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