Elderstateman and frontline nationalist, Chief Mbazulike Amechi speaks on the state of the nation, insisting that Nigeria is at war and, therefore, should embrace a “declared or undeclared State of Emergency” to confront the “war” headlong. In a frank and sartorial review of the many problems of the nation , especially under the current regime of Muhammadu Buhari, the first republic Minister of Aviation accuses the President of not showing enough capacity that he can change Nigeria; a situation, he says, has fuelled the belief of an “imminent total collapse of the nation.” The nonagenarian regrets that the setback in the fight against corruption is that “there is corruption in Buhari’s government.” He reveals that Buhari is shackled by eight powerful men who may do something to him if he fails to toe their way, wondering what he will tell the three founding fathers of the nation (Zik, Awo, And Ahmadu Bello) when he finally meets them. He further speaks on other national burning issues. Sunday Sun met him at his country home, Ukpor, Anambra State. Part of the Excerpts would be produced here, thanks to Sunday Sun.
Let me go to the perennial clash between Fulani herdsmen and farmers all over the country. Why the situation is spiraling into a dangerous dimension, the president has been accused of looking the other way. Do you think his inability to act is a by- product of prejudice or incompetence?
On that matter, I think the president’s salient act may be because he is a Fulani man, and these Fulani herdsmen are his brothers and sons. He is an ex- service man. Where did these Fulani cattle herdsmen procure their sophisticated weapons with which they wiped out a whole village; with which they burnt down houses and occupied those places? And the president of the country keeps quiet about it? But when young boys embark on demonstrations demanding the release of Kanu from detention and the actualization of Biafra, they line up soldiers and mow them down. Is he not thinking that this country is one country? So, the president’s silence over the atrocities being committed by these Fulani herdsmen makes the president look suspicious to me.
In the circumstances, what exactly do you want him to do?
The president should stop the nonsense.
With your experience in politics and with what happened during the struggle for Biafra over 40 years ago, where do you think this renewed struggle will end up?
I am not a prophet. I don’t belong to a Pentecostal church, (laughs) but so many things that are happening in Nigeria today are pointing to a precipice, and it is not desirable. They are not pointing to any light at the end of the tunnel.
Government has announced some measures to steady the course of the economy, especially the exchange rate of the Naira. What is your view on this?
Naira has become a worthless piece of paper, worse than the Ugandan money of those days, worse than the German Deutschmark when the Second World War ended. Without fighting a war, Nigerian currency is now worse than the Zimbabwean currency some years ago. Zimbabwe is gradually recovering. I don’t see any hope of recovering in Nigeria in the near future. Everything is going down; everything is going carcass; everything is going wild, and nobody seems to bother. The people in government are bothered about pettiness. They say they are fighting corruption, but there is still corruption in the present government.
So corruption is fighting corruption?
Corruption is fighting corruption, and very soon they will meet and embrace.
If you meet president Buhari today what will you tell him?
I will tell him, my dear General, sorry Mr president, are you not worried about the state of the country, which we handed over to you on a platter of gold in May last year? What I will tell him depends on his attitude to the situation. I am not near enough to know how free he is because you may have a president who is shackled by lieutenants and colleagues in the party. And he, being a military man more than a politician may not understand the game very well. There are some people who get rich in the midst of crisis. There are people who are empowering themselves by the present chaotic situation in the country. And if such people encircle a president, that president is in serious trouble. I don’t know if Buhari is in that state now. But there are some people even outside his cabinet who are very powerful. They have stolen so much money in this country that if he doesn’t take care they might even do something to him. There are such people. There are eight of them in his government; in his political party, who are so powerful in every way that if he doesn’t take their way they will do something to him.
Who are these powerful men?
You know them. You are a journalist.
I don’t know them.
Go and find out.
Ngugi Wa’ Thiongo did a book when Kenya was enmeshed in poor economy and corruption and he entitled it, “Cry my beloved country”. If you were to do a book now on Nigeria what will you call it?
I am not writing a book now, but about two or three years ago I issued a small pamphlet which I entitled, “This union: Is it working? Will it ever work?.” So, I am still on that issue.
Do you sometimes weep for the country?
Of course! Who will see a house he built in his youth, using his total energy, resources, manpower, and wealth, and when he is old instead of enjoying and relaxing in the house, somebody comes up and pulls the house down. That is the way I feel about this country. Being one of the last persons to board a passenger plane to heaven, I would have liked to see a smooth country, so that when I get there I will tell Zik, Awolowo and Sardauna that the thing that did not happen in your own time is happening now. I am not happy at all with what is happening.
Source and credits: Sunday Sun