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At a time and on a day like this, two things do normally happen as we say happy new year tomorrow; prophecies will come forth from various churches and then some persons will be announced as outstanding personalities for the year gone by, for various landmark events accomplished from January till now. I will keep my own prophecies to myself but will now proceed to identify some individuals and organisations that I reckon have done well and made us all proud in one way or the other.
THE MEDIA
Media owners and journalists have done a great job for the nation in 2019. Very courageous, outspoken, probing and very daring at times, the media has indeed fulfilled its role under the Constitution, of holding government accountable to the people.
From scooping out hidden facts, to special investigation reports and monitoring activities, the press has lived up to its billing, of keeping the government in check, against excesses. The ever articulate Lagos-Ibadan axis of the traditional media, has remained constant, resolute and uncompromising, in the discharge of its reporting functions.
And they have only reflected the mood of the nation. Talk about the social media! From the Senator harassing a poor shop owner, to the little girl (Success) in Delta State who protested high school fees, the undeniable video of the massacre of policemen by soldiers in Taraba State in the Wadume saga, the woman maltreating the hapless maid in Ebonyi State and such other great events that went viral to record very landmark positive changes, we cannot deny the impact of Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedln, the bloggers, etc. Notwithstanding the threat of social media regulation, it has remained a potent weapon against oppression and inhuman conducts.
THE FIRST LADY
Very elegant woman, bold, courageous and down to earth. She is committed to her husband but also loyal to Nigeria, readily exposing all machinations of the cabal that seemed to have hijacked the government from the President. She is ever vociferous and active, not giving in to blackmail and pressures from the authorities. She has been a source of courage for many women all over the land, confronting the status quo without fear of reprisals. Raise your head high ma, Her Excellency, Hajiya Aishat Buhari, on behalf of all our women.
THE 8TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Almost unparalled in the history of legislative activities in Nigeria. Though some consider the Senator Saraki-led National Assembly as unduly combative, but now with some benefit of hindsight, we truly know better. Under that Assembly, nobody would dare increase POS charges, stamp duty charges, VAT charges and all these financial burdens on our people and get away with it. Our borders could not have been closed without some explanations and surely and certainly, the AMCON Act would not have been amended to bring back civilian dictatorship, through an ouster clause. Senator Bukola Saraki and Right Honourable Yakubu Dogara, you were true patriots in your own ways.
THE JUDICIARY
It has remained the voice of courage and wisdom, the last hope of the common man. Notwithstanding what judges and lawyers have gone through and are still enduring, the courts have done marvelously well in the outgoing year 2019. But for the courts, the executive arm of government, with a complicit legislature, had virtually captured us all and imposed mortal fear on everybody.
We must salute the courage of our judges, notwithstanding the challenges lately associated with that important institution of our democratic experience.
THE PRESIDENT
It is not easy assessing a controversial leader who is viewed from many angles, but there is something that is not controversial about the President and that is his personal integrity. Since 2015 when he assumed office up until now, there has been no case of corruption or scandal associated with his person, personally. And by corruption I talk simply of the restricted meaning of looting and siphoning public wealth. I personally admire and commend the President for this, notwithstanding the other areas of certain inadequacies.
THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION
Both at the national level and in most of all its branches, the NBA has taken upon itself the responsibility of promoting the rule of law, which is its core objective, by tasking the executive arm of government in particular, to obey court orders and to desist from all forms of impunity. The NBA reached its peaked when it declared a 3-day boycott of courts in protest against the removal of the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, which it could not enforce unfortunately, for many reasons.
THE VICE-PRESIDENT
Loyalty is key to the success of any administration or organization. The Vice-President has demonstrated exceptional allegiance to the President, even to a fault. It is to his credit that notwithstanding several provocations from certain quarters, the Vice-President has maintained his commitment to the joint ticket, always defending the President and restraining himself from any public disputations.
Every success recorded in the absence of the President were all credited to him, especially during the historic visits of the Vice-President to the creeks of the Niger-Delta, which helped in no small measure, to restore peace to that region and thus sustain our economic wellbeing, in the areas of crude oil production and power generation.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY
What can we ever do without them, the true conscience of the nation, the sacrificial lambs, who all abandoned their own businesses and families to fight the battles of others. Stand up to be counted, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Mrs. Ayo Obe, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, Mr. Monday Ubani, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, Comrade Nasir Kura, Comrade Abdul Mahmud, Dr. Biola Akiode-Afolabi, Mr. Richard Akinola, Dr. Femi Aborisade, Comrade Mma Odi and so many others too numerous to mention.
In this category also stands out SERAP, which has taken up and pursued the emancipation of the people from economic slavery, through the campaign for transparency in governance.
CHIEF ALEX ONYEAMA/AIRPEACE
Airpeace became noticeable as the unofficial national carrier in 2019, covering more routes than any other airline. But that didn’t register any surprise, being a private business out for profit. However, when scores of Nigerians were being slaughtered in South Africa, it became a national challenge to rescue many of our fellow citizens trapped in xenophobic attacks in a foreign land.
Many Nigerians in South Africa lost vital investments which they were willing to forgo just to get back to their fatherland. It was then that Airpeace became relevant to us as a nation. Chief Alex Onyeama rose to the occasion and offered free flights to South Africa and he airlifted all Nigerians that indicated their readiness to come back home. The interesting thing in this rare philanthropic gesture is that by the time the government released the census of the victims rescued through this selfless effort, Ogun State accounted for the highest, being a State far away from the homeland of Chief Alex Onyeama.
Of course I do not subscribe to that puerile thought that Onyeama did this to buy himself into the hearts of Nigerians ahead of his impending trial in the United States, as his supposed goodwill in Nigeria could not possibly translate into any immunity from criminal trial in another country.
THE SECOND LADY
Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, a true stock of the Awolowo dynasty. So very natural in elegance, outstanding in poise and tasteful in her appearances, the distinguishing mark being her simplicity and humility, always readily kneeling down in courtesy to greet and honour elders and those in authority over her. Once or twice I’ve come across her photos when greeting the President and former President Yakubu Gowon. Mrs. Osinbajo is a worthy model to all women and girls, who is gradually completing her eights years in power without a single controversy.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
What a name and a commanding description. As it is in Africa presently, that name connotes so many things. It can do and undo, install and remove Presidents and even dictate the direction of any government.
This name includes United States of America, Britain, France, Japan, Russia, Germany, etc, who are all holding Africa and Nigeria in particular, by the jugular. They give out loans to African governments and then turn around to fund NGOs and CSOs to monitor them. How smart! But in the context of everyday Nigeria, we cannot do without them; they helped ease out the Jonathan regime and they are helping to determine the fate of his successor, Buhari, without any pretence at all. When they cough, our leaders cringe and it is good for us. What our own courts could not achieve, the International Community will accomplish with just one phone call.
ONLINE ACTIVISTS
Overtime, a number of online personalities have emerged across the land, rendering social and legal services free of charge, to the needy. One of them is SEGA L’eveilleur @segalink. Now from my understanding, this outfit offers free service to anyone who has any issue with the police anywhere in Nigeria. It has so far helped to resolve several matters and brought relief to so many homes through online complaints.
The other outfit is the Human Rights Radio based in Abuja, with the ‘Alternative President’ directing the affairs. It is a radio station devoted primarily to the service of the masses. You just go there, table your problems and then they take it over. Where the complaint involves agencies or officials of government, they will reach out to them through telephone, invite them to defend the allegations and then proffer a solution that will secure some remedy. On many occasions they have achieved success on behalf of genuine complainants with good cases of injustice or oppression. You may add your own person of the year please, as I am sure there are many more.
