Nkurunziza: We should apologise to Obasanjo, Tandja by Abdullahi Musa

 by Abdullahi Musa

Besides the recurring decimal of terror wars in the hot spots of the world, in Africa, it was Nkurunziza’s bid for Third Term in Burundi that held commentator ‘ s attention. Many died in protests, thousands fled the country for fear of their lives. And now? Nkurunziza has won,  and the opposition are being advised to go to him with a begging bowl.

Not being a historian,  nor a journalist,  I cannot give the reader a time line of how Tandja,  then leader of Niger attempted his Third Term bid. He was a military man, and I think he civilianised himself through election. He gave a good account of himself, endeared himself to the populace, and therefore felt the Constitution had to be changed to accommodate his desire. A referendum took place, but in the end, it was a sponsored coup d’etat

that denied him his ambition.

In Nigeria then incarcerated Obasanjo was pulled out of prison and made President. He enjoyed being in Aso Rock, but above all, he enjoyed his globetrotting.  He created his dubious clique of ‘technocrats’, did his privatisations, and sent EFCC after his perceived enemies.

In the euphoria of his successes, he sought for a Third Term. All the normal rabble-rousers went up in arms, and in the end, Obasanjo gave them Jonathan. Yar’Adua was just a stepping stone. Could an Obasanjo Third Term been more disastrous than Jonathan ‘ s six year ruination? Well, no one can answer  because that chapter is closed.

Let us bring in the example of Egypt. Being touted as one of the beneficiaries of Arab Spring, Egyptians for the first time had a non-military President. Unfortunately, he was a Muslim. But Nasser, Sadat, Mubarak, were all Muslims. But Morsi’s faith was different. Morsi belonged to Muslim Brotherhood,  an organisation that sought to bring Islamic values into governance. Egyptian military, the Western world, were not ready to support challenge to the status quo. Today Morsi is in prison awaiting execution,  while El Sisi, an army General,  has usurped the Presidency. He has not stopped there. Vowing to crush the Muslim Brotherhood, he is killing them en masse,  while changing the law in order to have accelerated murders. Did Egyptians rebel in order to keep the army in power? Well, they are to answer that. They, or a vocal, western – supported segment of the population, have a common agenda with the army: they don’t want to live under Sharia’ah law. So if democracy means enthronement of Muslim Brotherhood,  and if MB can only  operate under Sharia’ah,  then military-dominated democracy  is preferred.

Burundi is still fresh. The United States, EU  AU, and the UN, all said they did not recognise the elections that gave Nkurunziza his Third Term. He ignored them, possibly knowing what we outsiders, stargazers,  did not know. Now he is being asked to form a unity government. In that government, if it is to be formed, he will be the leader. But somebody is lying. Outsiders and Burundi an opposition say his third term bid is unconstitutional. Nkurunziza and his Court say that his first term was a kind of dash, not to be counted.

My aim in writing this article is to offer some advice. One, that we should accept that in Africa, constitutional term limits should be abolished. Leaders should be free to stay on for life. This should not however preclude a determined opponent to kill such leader and impose himself. But that will engender crisis you may counter. So be it. Why should Burundians die, trying to stop Nkurunziza’s third term, only for him to succeed, and enjoy his loot in the glare of international community? When a coup was attempted in Burundi,  United States said they recognised no one as leader other than Nkurunziza. The rest is not history, it is the present.

Paul Kagame’s third term has been approved by Rwanda’s Parliament. My hope is that no Rwandan should die or become refugee protesting against the inevitable. I do not want to be West-phobic,  but the West dislikes regime change unless they are the ones orchestrating it. Zaire,  extremely rich in resources, was plundered by Mobutu. The Kabilas succeeded in uprooting him, but some people somewhere ensured that peace was also uprooted.

Somebody should advise Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood to renounce their electoral mandate. They should renounce politics, leaving it to pagans, who are more acceptable to international ‘paganhood’. They must, as the credo of the West says: give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s,  and unto God what is His.

General Obasanjo, kindly be the first to congratulate Nkurunziza. He succeeded where you failed. Your failure nearly caused Nigeria’s disintegration under Jonathan. Am I a pessimist?  No, I am a realist. More importantly, with only one life, humans should learn not to squander it foolishly. But I am being short – sighted.  Many want to achieve martyrdom.  But real martyrs fight battles before they are killed. When you challenge African soldiers or policemen without being armed, you want commit suicide. Unlike Europeans, we are barbaric. Our soldiers’ loyalty goes to the person in power. Unless it is they who choose to kill him. An unarmed civilian is an easy picking, a victim of accidental discharge.
Ref: http://www.peoplesdailyng.com/nkurunziza-we-should-apologise-to-obasanjo-tandja/