Book launch and Nigeria’s history, by Tonnie Iredia

General Lucky Irabor, CFR,Nigeria’s immediate past Chief of Defence Staffis 60 today. Not much of the usual glamorous celebration was arranged for the worthy soldier and most famous Commander of the popular Operation Lafiya Dole – a Nigerian military counter-insurgencyoperation against Boko Haram and other extremist groups in the Northeast of the country.

Two days earlier, Irabor had himself dictated the nature of celebration he desired by launching his book, titled “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum.”I missed the big event attended by almost everyone who matters in Nigeria. Sorry oh Lucky, I am out of the country.

My absence was however not a big deal as I took advantage of technology to watch the proceedings televised LIVE by no less than two of Nigeria’s leading TV networks. It was a great day for the Irabors who had become experts in book presentations that are filled with stories of national importance. The General’s wife, Vickie – an intellectual giant in her own right, had two years earlier, presented her own book titled ‘The Journey of a Military Wife.’ Whereas the latter was to guide new military wives, General Irabor’s book could in the words of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ‘provide guidance and serve as a road map for the nation to build a safer future.’

Two presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan were key speakers at Friday’s launch. The two former presidents and others who spoke after them established clearly that the problem of Boko Haram was beyond comprehension. The current Chief of Defence Staff,General Christopher Musa regretted the failure of the government to nip the insurgency in the bud. Perhaps if that was done, the nation would have been saved from the atrocities of insurgency. But would that simple solution had worked? Former president Goodluck Jonathan thinks otherwise. Reason? General Muhammadu Buhari a former military head of state, that the insurgents had nominated to speak on their behalf during negotiations became president in 2015; yet, eight years later when he left office, the insurgency still remained strong. 

If so, what precisely do the insurgents want? This question asked by former president Obasanjo showed that no one really knew or still knows the issue at stake.The only point many seemed to have comprehended was that the group was greatly angered by the killing of their original leader Mohammed Yusuf in 2009 and had since then remained an aggrieved group that Nigeria may never successfully placate. It would also appear that the decision to subdue the group militarily was not thoroughly considered before it was adopted. By the time the carrot and stick approach was considered, the fight had not only become unconventional, it had also become asymmetrical as a war involving the enemy within.

Author Irabor made the point succinctly that strategic mistakes were made and that rather than a blame game approach, it is time for policy actors to introspect through a sober reflection on the nation’s journey so far. This is critical because an overview of policies in Nigeria would show that our leaders are yet to appreciate the inadequacies of our numerous impulsive decisions. We need a book for example, on why Nigeriaadopted the American presidential system of government without understanding the required inbuilt mechanism for its successful operation.

Four decades on, we are just realizing that presidentialism is a system we were ill-prepared for. That is not all, it has also become obvious that it is a scheme we cannot afford. As a result, many are now calling for a return to the British Parliamentary System. Painfully, there is not enough institutional memory to justify either the original shift away from one, or the retention of the subsisting modelor indeed a return towhich ever type.We seem to be a people that would always rationalize whatever we find on ground or whatever suits the ruling elite at any point in time. The only reason we are unable to embrace state police for instance, is because governors are reportedly likely to abuse it as if the federal authorities have not been abusing it.

In another clime, the emphasis would be on proper operationalization of the chosen system of government. Is itnot mundane to choose a federal system of government while centralizing operations? Instead, efforts should be directed at not just how to create but also how to institutionalize checks on the abuse of power.  In a democracy, dialogue is superior to violence and impunity. So, whether we like it or not, the new thinking is that military suppression of the Boko Haram challenge was not our best option.

In terms of strategy, it is hoped that Nigeria now recognizes that national security is not just about defence and military might. Of course, the concept iswider than that as there are other rather basic dimensions like ‘job’ ‘water’ and ‘food’ security. Indeed, a national security policy would be of no use to the unemployed and hungry citizens that constitute the majority of the population in a poor country like ours. If we introspect as Irabor is earnestly asking us to do, we may attain the courage to accept that the idea of allocating a budget to defence that is larger than that of 12 other ministries combined cannot develop a nation.  

Who says all Nigeria needs to worry about is security problems caused by deviants? What about security challenges such as flooding posed by natural disasters? Answers to these questions may explain why a book written by a military general who commanded operations against insurgencydid not simply prioritize arms to quell what was officially identified as rebellion. Why are the name, type, grade and cost of the latest ammunition that can extinguish insurgents in 60 seconds not in the book? Those who want answers to the question must get a copy of ‘Scars: The Journey to the Boko Haram Conundrum’ and spend ample time on its segment on recommendations. That will probably help to underscore the nation’s greatest malaise over time which is simply poor governance. 

During the period assigned to governance in Nigeria, there is so much noise about projects especially roads that are never completed, but not much about the primary purpose of government, which our constitution simply describes as the security and welfare of the citizenry. We need a book on this because one aspect of our type of development that consumes the time for governance is electioneering which the law says should not happen until 150 days to the next election. The trend is not likely to change soon because our political class has its own classical definition for governance. The week before, our media outfits were replete with condolence messages from our politicians to the Arise TV group on the death of one of its anchors. The title for that approach is ‘governance by condolence.’

While congratulating Lucky Irabor on his 60th birthday anniversary, it is time to appeal to many other citizens who have held top public offices to write their own books. This appeal is not premised on any belief that Nigerians would read the books; it is rather based on the experience that at each book launch, many people will hear the highlights in the books from the media. The appeal also goes to judges who now lament during their valedictory sessions. If today’s generation ignores their publications, posterity and researchers will get to know why our judiciary occasionallydelays justice by waiting for a case to become an academic exercise.

Politics being our main stay, we certainly need a book on elections. As the tenure of the currentand longest serving Chairman ofour Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, is about to end, we eagerly await a book on how to avoid a technical glitch that affected only one set of ballots where 3 sets were cast simultaneously.How best can we work against the appointment of partisan election officials? What can stop state governors from superintending over fake local government elections? Is it wise to allow a compromised INEC to take over the job of over compromised state electoral commissions?

Is Nigeria’s public media dying? If so, what is killing it? This writer must write a book on it including other thematic themes such as the law of Sedition now veiled as Cybercrimes Act.Many years back, I used to feel ridiculed when people in other professions referred to ‘press boys’ ‘brown envelope’ etc. in relation to corruption in the media. These days, I am convinced that lawmakers are better positioned than media professionals to write a book on how ‘he who pays the piper, calls the tune.’

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