Salisu Suleiman
5 July 2009
opinion
Zaria — That most Nigerians are skeptical of the electoral process is stating the obvious. That most are convinced they are being governed by politicians forcibly imposed on them by the most warped electoral process in the world is like flogging a dead horse. But when these unelected public servants cede so much power and influence to their wives under the guise of First Ladies, it becomes a case of 'insult upon injury'.
The case is further compounded when these so-called first ladies, usually dim-witted, vain, petty, arrogant and totally disconnected from the public aspirations begin to spend scarce resources on pet projects that amount to little more than Vanity fairs. A day in the company of any of these first ladies is a lesson in conspicuous consumption. A week would explain why those in power are so badly misadvised. The level of ignorance and insensitivity defies belief.
The First Lady phenomenon has become an affliction at all levels of government in Nigeria today. The President of the Republic owes his office not to popular vote, but to a single (to my mind's eye, political) vote of the Supreme Court. At the state level, quite a few governors owe their offices to the judgments of judges rather than votes of voters, others to the well rigged foot soldiers of Africa's most discordant political party. In the event that the first two options fail, the mad genius Professor Iwu can be ordered to invent some new absurdity. And having gotten into office through these dubious devices, they further alienate the electorate by ceding power and influence to their wives.
Sometime last year, a car in the convoy of the wife of a state governor was involved in an accident along the Abuja-Keffi highway. The SUV knocked down a commercial motorcyclist who died on the spot, while the vehicle was badly damaged. The First Lady in question and the rest of the convoy proceeded with their journey. No doubt, many of us have had unpleasant experiences with motorcyclists, but when a human life is at stake, the question of who was at fault becomes secondary. The howling sirens cleared the way for the convoy to move on.
For a post that is not mentioned anywhere in all of Nigeria's different Constitutions from colonial times to the one of 1999, the position of the First Lady must be the best job in the world. It does not require one to stand in any elections. There is no minimum qualification to be First Lady. (At the rate things are going though, you may need to be a daughter of Madam President). All you need is the ability to pick a future governor or president. Or simply marry one that is already in office. And then you have the resources of an entire country, state or local government as the case may be, at your disposal. The position of the First Lady, in flesh and blood, explains what it means to have power without responsibility.
Most states in Nigeria have the political aberration of 'Office of the First Lady'. Though formal budgetary provisions are not made for these offices, but never mind. They are very generously funded. Apart from choice office space and financial resources, they are allocated vehicles and even employ staff at will. First Ladies travel within Nigeria and abroad at tax payers' expense, even if the purpose of the trip is to shop for clothes and jewellery from London and Dubai. In some quarters, the belief is that no appointments are made without input from First Ladies. (Some swear they have the final say). It is said that to get appointed into some sensitive positions, you must 'drop'. What is being 'dropped' is left to your imagination. Yes, and there is the claim that some charge 'Consultation' fees to agree to help with business or political favours.
So when you see people struggling desperately for their daughters, sisters and even distant relatives to become First Ladies, you know it is an investment decision. It hardly matters that the governor already has other wives. They say half (or quarter) bread is better than none. And so the jostling continues. Some states are so blessed that they have four first ladies. Some have three, others two. Some have just one. Officially. But trust Nigerians to fish out some unofficial First Ladies who wield equal, if not more power and influence than the official first ladies. Everybody wants to exercise some power. So if they cannot be addressed as first or 'second' ladies, they want to be addressed as 'the wife of his Excellency... (You must name the husband's full position).
But can Nigeria afford this madness? Beginning from the regime of Ibrahim Babangida, when then First Lady introduced the Better Life program, it has become the norm for spouses of Presidents and Governors to introduce one form of project or another. Nigeria's participation at the Beijing Women's Conference took the matter to ridiculous levels. Our contingent to Beijing was more than that of all other countries combined! (Not minding that half of them arrived well after the event).
All said and done, what have these wanton and unconstitutional endeavours contributed by way of real development? Do we not have more pressing demands on scarce resources? When there is so much hunger, high rates of unemployment, decaying infrastructure and falling standards of education, can we afford the billions being diverted in the name of pet projects? If these first ladies really do need pets, why not buy themselves dogs or cats? Or why can't they simply support their husbands' efforts and leave the rest of us in peace?
But again, if half of what we hear about the influence of First Ladies is true: that they make and unmake state policies and influence sensitive appointments in virtually all sectors of the economy, and as a result have become stupendously rich, then it might be better if they indulge themselves in pet projects, and leave matters of state to their husbands, even if unelected. When people who are hardly literate, grossly insensitive, corrupt beyond belief, unable to grasp the consequences of their meddling - when such people begin to exercise the kind of influence we hear they do, then the ship of state is headed for the rocks. That is what happens when people exercise power without any sense of responsibility.
Suleiman wrote from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Daily Trust. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
