by Solomon Nmam Okocha
The term Judas can be found in many
languages as a synonym for betrayer, and Judas has become the classic exemplar
of the back-stabber, in art and literature. The character 'Judas' plays a
critical role in virtually every work of fiction and appears in most modern
movies and books. In order to fully comprehend how the mind of Judas works,
this writer takes a brief slide in an amateur attempt at drawing a correlation
between former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and
Governor Nyesom Wike, and their impact in the Niger Delta Region, and Nigeria
at large.
Enter Jonathan: This former President is perhaps the luckiest politician
in the history of Nigeria. From his incidental emergence as the Governor of
Bayelsa State, to his ascension as Vice President, and President of Nigeria,
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is an epitome of unmerited favour, and his story is
best told in a movie or best seller.
But the irony of it all is that like the colloquial 'money miss road'
cliché, Jonathan will score the highest mark as that President who did little
or nothing for his motherland - Bayelsa/Niger Delta, all through his six years
in the saddle of power. From zero Federal Projects allocation to Rivers State,
his refusal to implement the UNEP Report, non-completion of the second Niger
Bridge, to the substandard Federal University of Otuoke, amongst many others.
The only difficulty I have in expressly tagging this one a Judas, is my limited
knowledge as to whether or not his wanton negligence of his people was in
exchange for silver or gold.
Meet Amaechi: Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is perhaps the most intriguing
character in our recent political history. From his highly competitive
emergence as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, his landmark
victory at the Supreme Court, and subsequent eight years reign as one of the
strongest governors in Nigeria, to his two terms victorious survival as the
Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum during the '16 is greater than 19' saga,
Amaechi is nothing short of a colossus.
During his years as governor of Rivers State, Amaechi became almost
restless about the condition of the masses. He embarked on numerous people
oriented and capital intensive projects, many of which he completed before his
exit from office. He also championed the course of Education, the UNEP Report,
Treasury Single Account (TSA), Subsidy Probe, and he ferociously fought against
the ceding of Rivers State Oil Wells to other States by Jonathan.
The man Nyesom Wike represents different things to different sets of
people in Nigeria. The more enlightened people see him as the worst Minister of
Education in the history of Nigeria - a period when students and lecturers
roamed our streets like touts for almost a year, simply because of his refusal
to keep to government's agreement with Lecturers. The Politically exposed see
him as a man whose Governorship ambition cost him the friendship of his
political master and brother - Amaechi, and according to some of his Rivers
supporters, he is the 'the high tension, meaning that he has the ability to
ruthlessly clinch unto any political interest, not minding the outcome.
Throughout his stay as Minister of Education, Wike was of little or no
advantage to the Niger Delta Region, rather his main focus was the entrenchment
of a volatile group of young people in the political system of Rivers State,
for the sole purpose of achieving his unpopular Governorship ambition. The only
time that Wike mentioned the UNEP Report was when he visited Ogoni land during
his campaign tour, sadly but, he made a mockery of the report when he lied that
it would be implemented in two weeks. You know the rest of the story.
I have taken my time to highlight the advent and political growth, public
view, and overall impact in Niger Delta and Nigeria at large, of the above
mentioned characters in order to ascertain whose participation in the politics
of our country has brought good tidings to us or not, and who sold us out
because of politics. Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus is a subject of many
shades, and it is impossible to explore all its angle in this simple
cogitation, but the point is this: there is always a conspicuous Judas in every
story.
Solomon Nmam Okocha, a social activist, writes from Abuja
