Do you know the meaning of Iberiberism?

SD photo

By

Prince Charles Dickson

One dies according to one’s weight; the robin does not die and make a resounding noise “on hitting the ground”

Let me start from my awkward position of non-political conformity, governance illiteracy and say in the voice of Samuel Babatunde Obafemi, “But what do I know…” It is a funny old country…One that many of us love so much, one where as things change; they remain the same all the time.

And before I go far, I do not know the meaning of Iberiberism either, maybe Oga Emma Shehu, or Timaus Mathias, or Shema can help…is it a medical condition, please Dr. Kingsley Okonado you are needed…

In my thinking and so many of us, like Emmanuel Shaibu what do we know; several dozens of African leaders sit before one country’s leader, just in case you don’t get it, a whole continent sits before a country applauding as they loaned us money with Chinese pill terms, the Chinese love us more than we love ourselves, we don’t know anything!

What do we really know, the government is often like magic and disbelief in magic forces a poor soul to believe in the government. They deny the ordinary people the money meant not just for setting up businesses but to get people off of the job market, and when Oluwadaser David complains, even me, myself and I would ask him; what do you know?

I know now why confusion in government is not only tolerated but also encouraged. I have learned. A confused people can make no clear demands. So we rejoice at man’s inhumanity to man, as they give us a paltry N5000 as empowerment and we rejoice, forgetting that’s the exact cost of a 12 inch pizza that they eat almost every weekend.

They call it dividends of democracy and that they are working, alas; Like in my previous entreaties and admonishment to Nigerians, good governance is the only guarantee to peace, progress, stability, in fact it is the only passport to delivering the dividends of democracy, just as credible practice of democracy should be anchored on good governance. But wetin Emmanuel Ogbechi, Teddy or Amaka sabi sef?

Most of our leaders that pride themselves as operating under the parameters of good governance cannot explain how. Kabiru Danladi knows even better abi?

What we have is a battery of contradictory description or proposition as to what good governance is. As a matter of fact the term ‘good’ is difficult to define and in the essential contexts of the Nigerian condition.

Defining ‘good’ in relation to governance has often been a difficult task, to categorize it for decision makers and policy executors, so we say in political science that good is that to which everything tends, and in that regard indefinable and a naturalistic fallacy.

In the Nigerian context, our situational ethics sets the tone to the effect that we have a relative dysfunctionality, what is good in one place may be bad in the other, there must be a given situation, time and space. I am sure that Dr. Emma Ande or High Barrister Clem understands the Iberiberism behind this methodology…

Under this little intellectual exercise we can say that the talk of good governance in and for Nigeria, past, present and future is idle, not lending itself to any objective and precise analysis.

So until good governance is viewed as the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented) we are still far off. But what do we know, especially when you are not Abba Kyari, you are not Lai Mohammed; how can you know?

Victor Kuchili and Victor Dickson, you know loads, but please tell me how giving out Abacha loot to the poor, when we are borrowing money to FUND our Budget or borrowing almost the same amount to FUND some mystery IT. Anyway please do agree with me, this is Nigeria where nothing really apears as it is, we are like the taxi driver who closed his eyes to pray while driving, and then Tony, Bebbah and Shaxx were arguing with Wale, Giwa and Safiya, as Dorcas and Vic simply disembarked.

There is the problem of political indirection, thus an economic morass in the polity, our lack of anything good is premeditated in our inability to have an ideological notion of destiny. We have no coherent body of thought; we have no heroes, nobody to look up to, good governance exists only in a vacuum.

We waffle and babble, whether it is the Church of Annunciation or the Kaba, the fact is our rate of clowning on important matters is ever increasing…My beloved brother Bale Rabe would ask you how is the pretentious stopping of Saraki’s convoy enroute to Imo to help really more that what it is; political wobble hobble, all na wash, but what do we know, everybody wants to remove Mr. Buhari, but with these scary alternatives, the man has my vote!

State resources expended by government apparatus in ’prayerdom’ won’t bring good governance. Bringing government to a standstill because a state governor has gone to pray is only an interlude, as the stealing a la Carte continues on his return.

Prayers, prayers and, more prayers. The more we pray, the more good governance erodes us. In fact, while we are praying, pepper-souping and face-booking; we are inundated with more tales by moonlight of mind-boggling fraud.

Ever wondered how organized Mecca is, how it manages its affairs despite all the hitches? Imagine all the imbroglio of Israel and the Palestinians, yet the University in Jerusalem is not on strike.

While Lagos has more churches than Israel, the taps in Jordan run, while cholera devastates several praying states in Nigeria. And my dear friend Muntasir is hoping that change would spread to his small village in Kanam; sadly what does he know?

How can our prayers be answered as a nation, when we choose the time, purpose, and type of ‘amen’ we say? After all the prayers, ASUU still strikes on, the system and institutions of government still operate at best in an epileptic manner. We are still looking for Chinese money that the owners do not pray, like Olu Adegoke, if you know, you know…

Prayers are no bribe; miracles are no magic. The amount of prayers in Owerri or Benin is proportionately equal to the kidnap and rape, so also is the case in Damaturu, and Maidugiri. But what do we know, that is the real question, really if that Channels reporter did not know the meaning of Iberiberism, then what do we know?

We cannot continue to close our eyes and bow to issues that should by all sense and purpose be tackled by standing straight with our eyes open. My darling friend Omolara thinks that voting Buhari in 2015 was a little to the left given Jonathan’s Iberiberism, but we all are guilty of leaving governance to politicians, ask Emeka Nobis?

Nigeria can be made to work if we correct our political leadership deficit, if followers open their eyes and grasp the issues of ‘good’!

There is governance and government but there is little or no good in it. Yes, prayer is good, even Wale Fatade will tell you, “but there is no good in prayers if while driving you close your eyes, how the journey ends”… and who says ‘Amen’ is not just a case of what do we know but a matter of if you know, you know that–only time will tell.

Prince Charles Dickson

Currently Prince Charles, is based out of Jos, Plateau State, and conducts field research and investigations in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria with an extensive reach out to the entire North and other parts. Prince Charles worked on projects for UN Women, Search for Common Ground, and International Crisis Group, among others. He is an alumnus of the University of Jos and the prestigious Humanitarian Academy at Harvard and Knight Center For Journalism, University of Texas at Austin. A doctoral candidate of Georgetown University

Born in Lagos State (South West Nigeria), Prince Charles is proud of his Nigerian roots. He is a Henry Luce Fellow, Ford Foundation grantee and is proficient in English, French, Yoruba Ibo and Hausa. Married with two boys, and a few dogs and birds.