OBJ’S CLOCK .

With spent hope of finding water I returned home weary and dejected not sure of what next to do amidst so much to be done, considering the time of the day and the day of the week- 10:20am, Sunday, October 25, 2008.

My confused state and manner was brief as could be heard all around the neighborhood was the popular euphoria of “up Neepaaa” that usually greets and announce the unusual epileptic availability of electricity supply by power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN). Quickly and quietly, I dashed to my bedroom, grabbed my cloths and hurried to the sitting room for fear of sibling rivalry and uncertainty on the part of PHCN or both possible reasons. In the end, I only managed to iron the collar of a shirt before the obvious; thus confirming my original fear of erratic, comatose, obsolete, oppressed and depressed PHCN. Above all, my attempt to call and cancel my date with her was repeatedly met with ‘Network busy’ – busy doing and achieving nothing.

Slowly but steadily, I dropped into a nearby armchair, picked (mechanically though) a copy of Sunday leadership out of my dad’s rich stock of papers; more due to the front page caption that reads “OBJ relegated by party leaders” than the desire to read. Read I read all the same till I got to page 54 of same (Sunday leadership) – Jokesvile/ OBJ’S CLOCK. And behold that simple straight joke on OBJ (Obey Before Judgment) aka Baba Iyabo completely changed my mood for the rest of that day. First, I was convulsed with laughter. Slide off the chair. Regain it (my seat), only to start another round of hysteria, giving greater autonomy to the paper in my hand to fly in all directions. With much difficulty, to the astonishment of my family members, I managed to calm down. Alone in my bedroom latter that night, I couldn’t help but remember what I regard as Joke of the century.

Surprisingly though, my initial reaction of frenzy was replaced with a well placed state of soberness for reasons I couldn’t, immediately, fathom out. Moments latter, like a jigsaw puzzle, the nickel dropped. The full import of that joke (OBJ’S Clock) dawned on me. Automatically, my sober state soon changed to anger tending towards hate. And I have all the good reasons to be angry with him, OBJ and his Committee of well connected cohorts. Despite all the good lord has done and is still doing for him. Bringing him (OBJ) from graves (first in his mother’s incubator) through grasses to grace. Obasanjo better than any one else in this country is well positioned to turn it (Nigeria) around. Baba Iyabo, for the records, is a retired army general – Cum – former head of state, a farmer, a prisoner, a former president, a former this and that – for want of space. And presently an international figure, a king maker (Otta shrine) – Cum – chieftain of the PDP (Persons Deceiving People), the largest ruling party in Africa. Above all, Uncle shege judiciously employed Mahatma – Gandi’s seven deadly sins to emerge as one of the nation’s 21^st century colossal corporate Icon and/or iconoclast to be reckoned with. What’s more, OBJ is comfortably in the league of grand parents if not great – grand parents, a chief and a renowned village elder not to mention his vantage position in the church – the list is endless. Yet Nigeria and Nigerians home and in Diaspora, is/ are well known for all the negative index of the world. Ours is a nation of motion without movement. “A nation”, according to Obasanjo, 1975 (The News 23^rd April 2001, page 48) “where the indolent, the dishonest and the inefficient can get to the top or become excessively wealthy”. Nigeria today by Abba of University of Abuja’s measure (Weekly trust Saturday, May 5, 2007, page 45) is a country “where its economic reform is reforming and refocusing and re-directing our national economic destinies to the service of few greedy Nigerians, ours is a story of a country that is at the service and (mercy) of her rulers not the other way round”.

The end result is the wanton rot and rust typical of the Nigeria project. The citizenry are hungry and angry, Deprived and desperate. Nigerians are diseased and disheartened. Infact, Nigerians are sick and tired of the so-called ruling elite ad nauseam elitism. That Nigeria still exist as a corporate entity is a miracle-it hurts! It is on this ill note that I’m most obliged to hammer home the implied points of that joke (OBJ’S Clock). OBJ, like every one of us is a mortal with definite expiring date. OBJ will definitely be remembered and be judged Ultimately. OBJ’s biological clock like his lie–clock in that joke (OBJ’s clock) is speeding astronomically to the great beyond. OBJ should therefore learn from the accidental newspaper Obituary report of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite dubbed “merchant of death”. OBJ should see reasons with calvin Coolidge that “no person was ever honoured for what he received. Honour has been and will always be the reward for what he gave”. OBJ is finally prayed to be a good pupil of hindu philosophical believe that “when good people pass away, they don’t die. Their names live on forever through their good deeds”. Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed still leaves with us.

My concern: will OBJ be remembered with love and respect? Will OBJ be missed? Already, Eni-B of ThisDay wonders if “dem swear for Aremu,” (ThisDay Monday, July 7, 2003,back page). Femi Adesina of Daily Sun and his fans on the other hand view OBJ as a “National nemesis” (Saturday Sun, October 25, 2008, page 14), while formal governor Orji Kalu of Abia State and his disciplines are thanking God that OBJ is now history ( The Kalu leadership series, Saturday Sun, October 25, 2008, page 25) – the list is equally endless. That said and done, may I seize this golden opportunity to further conscientize them concerned. In other words, OBJ and his army of political contractors can still savage these ugly trends of fabrications. Gimmickry, Manipulations, Spins, Graft, Mauled investigation, Media hyped achievements and all other undemocratic actions and inactions that are currently the order of the day. OBJ and OBJ related power brokers can still pass away in peace and be remembered as national heroes, Elder statesmen and women. Aremu in particular can still earn the most coveted title of “father of modern -day Nigeria” that God so much desired for him.

My humble submission: Baba and Baba infused cabals should make hay, now, that the sun still shines. A stitch in time saves nine. “ Pro boro publico”. For the common good.

God bless and sustain Nigeria.

Omale Suraj Alladey (OSA)

0806 547 2054

deensuraj@yahoo.com