Nigeria, A Country Of Contradictions

Nigeria has never had it this bad. Everywhere you turn, there is a challenge – a challenge of leadership, ethnicity, youth going wild, economy in shambles and the rule of law gone crazy.
Confusion seems to be the major word in the country.
Since we chose to jettison the rules that govern same countries, going to please rather than to do the right thing, we have laid the foundation for chaos.
Barely months into the All Progressives Congress third term in office, rather than settle down to the business of governance in the face of a fast dwindling economy where the naira is being blown by the wind, the country in agog with a serious credibility challenge only a few weeks back, the focus was on a little girl, Nmesoma being drawn all over the county for ‘fixing’ JAMB grades. It became so severe a national affair that even the National Assembly sent for her.
The poor child has since confessed her sin and apologized to the nation.
While this was making headlines, a stronger issue – certificate forgery and impersonation allegation against the siting president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was brewing. Tinubu’s case, a matter that has been an issue since the early days of the Third Republic, had been swept under the carpet because of a purported interest of a certain group.
By right, the Independent National Election Commission, INEC and the Department of State Security, DSS, have the special responsibility of clearing candidates before sending them to face the electorate. But in this instance, INEC failed to do its due diligence job, resulting in the moving beyond Nigerian shoves by an irate opposition presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.
Deep search of records by Atiku in the US has made the matter a global matter with the world media beaming its full attention that way.
While President Tinubu claims he acquired a diploma from the Chicago University, the school records seems to be saying something else.
From information in the media, the issue is now beyond Ahmed Tinubu being a male/female student of CSU to discrepancies over his age as recorded in the claimed university record and the credentials tabled before INEC to qualify for the February 2023 presidential race.
Even claims of the secondary school he attended are shrouded in controversy. An earlier Government College, attendance was disputed, same the current Lagos College from which he is said to have acquired a 1970 certificate whereas the school opened for business in 1974.
These are serious issues obvious to those who let him into the race and they did so because in Nigeria, individuals matter more than the system.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari faced a similar controversy over acquisition of a secondary school certificate. He even presented a West African School Certificate in which he was implanted wearing an agbada, for a period WASC certificates were not bearing passport photographs.
The failure of the judiciary to dismiss him for certificate forgery gave room for the Tinubu saga.
Unfortunately, the current matter is impacting beyond the political arena. Nigerians are now on probation with the world doubting the authenticity of certificates being presented by Nigerians.
Eighteen nurses are reported under investigation for criminality over forged certificates in the US. Companies are now outsourcing investigations of credentials of their Nigeria employees because the world is aware that our head is involved in a certificate scam.
This is a serious harm to the image of the country, the psyche of the people and another against our youths who are seeking solace outside as poor governance has shut them out.
We have been through this road before – Sanusi Buhari of the Toronto University fame, quit as speaker of the House of Representative in 199.. when it became clear he was living a lie.
House debates over the Senate President Evan Enwerem was the same as Evans, said to have had a criminal record, pushed him off that exalted seat.
The question now should be if Nigeria is ready to do the needful? Will this grave matter that is already threatening the future of a wider set of Nigerians be swept under the carpet by the judiciary which owes Nigerians the duty of protecting?
A leader is supposed to inspire, be an example and when his /her stand is questioned for morals, the honourable thing to do, is resign, quit. But what we see is that those who should speak up are keeping mute. Same persons who were quick to condemn little missteps in the past pretend to be studying the matter, some urging that we end the debate till a judiciary that has consistently failed the people decides what to do.
Nigerians are waiting for the National Assembly that was quick to invite Nmesoma to speak on the Tinubu saga.
Nobody should be above the law. America has shown us that every man has to face account of his actions for that is the reason why laws are made, to put men and women in check and avoid excuses or society would be a mere jungle where only the strong survive.
While we fumble, the world watches as it plots next moves.
It is important to remind those too afraid to act that Tinubu has always spoken for strong institutions.
He once stated: “If we truly want civil institutions that are strong and virile, institutions that will deepen our democratic culture and strengthen the integrity of our nation state, then we need to work long and hard to create them and deliver them when most needed.” That time is now!
June 23, 2023, Reno Omokri asked:
“Emilokan, where are your certificates? “ He stated on his social media handle, “The only reason Tinubu is now claiming that he did not attend any primary or secondary school is because if he comes clean about his early education, it will expose other lies he has told Nigerians about his true age and name. That truth is before us now. Disregard the BBC non-forgery clearance for the same BBC confirmed that Muhammadu Buhari sat for Hausa and Yoruba in 1963 when those subjects were not being offered. Britain has a selfish interest in promoting misrule in Nigeria as it offers it room to shore up its ailing economy. I am surprised Lynda Chalker has not visited.
Those who suffer from the scandalous governance we have in place are our youth and ordinary Nigerians.
“My friend got a job with one of the energy companies in the UK. They have already given him a start date but surprisingly yesterday, they sent him a mail that they will like to extend his checks to Nigeria, especially the schools he attended. They put his start date on hold for now.”
“This is the effect of the BolaTinubu forgery. Nigerians, no matter where they live will definitely feel this embarrassment from Tinubu,” a worried Nigerian narrated.
Ben Adegoriba also wrote on October 5, “you have no idea what this is doing to Nigerians in diaspora. Companies are beginning to pay third-party to verify certificates submitted by Nigerians.
“Since they heard, “It’s a Nigerian thing to forge a document, if you work in cybersecurity, you will go through multiple vetting processes just to get door access”
Campsville University, USA, sent out this release in response to the game of shame in Nigeria:
“Hello,
Due to high rates of fraudulent application, Campsville University has suspended processing of new applications for students from Nepal, Nigeria and Bangladesh;
Applications from these countries are immediately rejected upon submission.
Thank you,
Campsville University”.
Officials of Chicago State University under oath, disowned Tinubu’s certificate. They denied the stamp and other items on the certificate and said they do not know where he got the certificate he presented to INEC from. The question now is, what will happen? Does the judiciary have the courage to do the needful or does it want to follow the shameful ruling of the Supreme Court on the Atiku Abubarkar/Buhari Presidential Tribunal that did not find Buhari’s certificate forgery enough offence to kick out an unworthy candidate? History beckons.