Michelle Obama returned to USA last week, after spending 5 days holidaying in Spain, with her 9 year-old daughter, Sasha, a list of friends numbering about 40, and a retinue of her personal and security staff on White House pay-roll (tax-payers’ money). In the middle of the first week of holidays, the American voices of probity and dissent were raised to question the economic rationale behind her apparently ostentatious stay in Spain. Many questions were asked about her spending, who paid for what, and why such display of affluence must go on in the face of the wounded American economy. We often wonder why Americans are so proud of their culture, nationality and lifestyle. The answer is not far fetched – there is inclusion, probity, and accountability in governance.
God save Nigeria
That the White House Publicity team had to hold series of press talks to explain that the first lady and her friends spent their personal funds while on holiday did not do much to squash people’s anger (as the large entourage also required a large security detail, on tax-payers’ funds). The importance placed on the explanations to the public also shows that USA is a country governed first by rules of accountability, where NOBODY is above questioning, and the least of citizens can confidently ask what goes on at the top.
Nigeria will be great
Back home, what do we have? An executive ruler-ship nobody can talk to; a people in government that got in by the best crafted election frauds; a brood of people who treat the (dis-enfranchised) electorate with impunity and utter disrespect; a monarchical, ruler-worshipping system labeled a democracy!
God bless Nigeria
We cannot question why top officials in PHCN get fat salaries, and go from shrines to god-fathers just to perpetuate themselves, while electricity supply is not improved. We cannot ask why Members of the National Assembly go home with fat pockets and Ghana-must-go bags, while paying workers minimum wages is a problem. We are blind-sided by dubious politicians, who mortgage our country to corporations, who (we were told) sponsored their trips to watch soccer tournaments, while explanations were given only after brows were raised; and nobody probes the credibility or rationale behind this gesture. Did the corporation sponsor law-makers in all the participating countries? Did the corporation reveal the full expense incurred on the trip? How does this trip impact on the good judgement of the legislators, when the time comes to appraise the corporation in comparison with competitors? Apparently, good judgement is already compromised.
I am Nigeria
To practise true democracy, we must move away from the base monarchical (brooch-no-question) polity of our time, worsened by years of military plundering of our psyche. We must embrace the notion that no office holder is beyond probe. We must institutionalize a probing system, which must take place during and after the tenure of any public official. If there must be sacred cows, let them exist in their houses. Once again, irrespective of the corruption anti-Americans would like us to see in that society, America shows us quality example in accountability.
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