By Godwin Etakibuebu
My dear Professor Yemi Osinbajo, it is with fervent respect and enthusiastic joy addressing this letter to you Sir, on a topic that has been over-flogged in recent times, which is the restructuring of Nigeria. The topic, as framed here, is slightly different from how it has been used.
It says here that “Nigerian restructuring can start with you”. It means that there are few things you can do, during this period while you are acting the presidency, which could bring many benefits to Nigerians.
The beauty of what is being suggested hereunder is that you would not send any bill to the National Assembly to get it done. Nor will it be compelling on you to traverse the six geo-political zones to pull the feat. You don’t even need to consult any of the Thirty Six Governors of the federation to sail through this turbulent water of restructuring. Your own landlord Sir; the Minister of the Federal Capital, need not to know when you will throw the winning dice. All that shall be required of you is just signing of Executive Orders, constitutionally and it is done. So, what are these Executive Orders you need to be signing?
Oh, lest l forget Sir, permit me to explain why l am deploying an “open letter system” in reaching you. Yes, it could have been better off if l were to hand-deliver this Memo to you personally – one-on-one but security around you would not give life to such endeavour. In addition Sir, there is a very thin line between the camp of the enemies and that of friends in today’s Nigeria that one has to be very careful when steps of acclimatisation to those in Authority is been taken. More so when it is very difficult for the uninitiated to understand what makes the difference between conventional and unconventional approach in the present climes of our dear country.
For the reasons given so far, consider the approach of open letter as my most humble way of reaching you, with enough useful information for the benefit of our dear country without breaching any security protocol. It is all about the zeal for our fatherland. Discard the messenger [open letter] while concentrating on the message [the contents of this letter] please, or else you will miss the blessings of this exercise and that would remain a monumental catastrophe for Nigeria. We can now go ahead mentioning the Executive Orders you need to sign for the restructuring of Nigeria to commence.
The first thing to do Sir, is for you signing an Executive Order banning the usage of generating plants as source of electricity supply, in all Federal Government’s institutions throughout the Country, except hospitals. The starting point of implementing this order [that is if you will have enough courage to sign it] is the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja; where you operate from.
This will be a very pragmatic step towards moving Nigeria to one direction only. It is either all Nigerians of One Hundred and Eighty Million people [including those dealers parading themselves as leaders] live in total darkness for ever or remain there for such a time until reasons about revolution of what to do takes better side of the so-called “dealers called leaders”.
Signing such Executive Order can never pitch you in battle against any contending entity in Nigeria. The National Assembly cannot say that you lack constitutional power to do so as long as the Order is not enforceable on that organ of government. The States, even in their strictest display of conspiratorial prosecution of wicked intents, cannot stop you. I am sure that the judiciary would never have any constitutional law to interpret [more so when there shall be no one approaching the courts for interpretation], saying that what the President [sorry, Acting President] did was wrong.
The Executive Order on this shall strictly cover your areas of exclusiveness, not more or less than the few Executive Orders; such as the one bordering on the ease of doing business in Nigeria, you have signed within the last few days. There are more Executive Orders awaiting your signatures Sir, but we have to convince you on the justification and gains of this action first, that is if you will be having enough courage and guts to do it, before moving to others.
Nigerians have been forced to adopt a habit of lifestyle of imbeciles on this electricity matter. There is the story of this young chap travelling to London for the very first time with his mother. Of course, the plane took off with light switched-off as per the normal aviation regulation but this young man thought it was NEPA [as it was called then and l am afraid if the name has really changed because the functions and failures remain] that took the light. So, when the pilot restored light to the cabin, the same chap shouted “up NEPA!” Is that not how much docile Nigerians have become on the issue of electricity? Yet there are Billions of America Dollars voted for electricity annually without two hours regulated supply of electricity for the citizenry.
Yet, the homes and offices of these corrupt leaders, who have seriously and dangerously looted our common wealth silly [and houses of their mistresses; houses built or hired with our money] are supplied with electricity 24/7, with Nigerians money, through provision of generating plants. Only just about 2% enjoy this looted privilege to the detriment of 98%. Something must be done to bring justice and equity to the land and this is what restructuring is all about.
So, when you sign such Executive Order Sir, you would have taken all Nigerians to the point of “levelism” [my own coinage] or back to the “jungle” where survival would wear a different definition. Any attempt of surviving from that “depth” would be a life in collectivism which will be tantamount to all coming to the wisdom of “together we stand”. China came via this route. There shall be more for your attention next week Sir.
Godwin Etakibuebu, a veteran journalist, wrote from Lagos.
