‘Our son’ syndrome
Due to the nature of the complexity of Nigeria, people view almost every appointment, particularly made by the federal government, with suspicion. People behave like hawks and appreciate appointment of only somebody from their state or community.
Therefore, it is now normal to see advertisements in newspapers ‘thanking Mr. President’ for appointing somebody. I find this situation very inappropriate.
Why should people thank the president for appointing somebody who is qualified for the post, or otherwise, because the person is the son of their community?
I am not by any means against federal character that says every state must be represented in appointments in order to prevent people from a specific area from dominating others.
Two weeks ago, the Inspector-General of Police, Solomn Arase, was honoured in Edo State where he was showered with encomiums, which is alright if they feel he deserves it.
However, Governor Adams Oshiomhole openly canvassed for his retention by president Buhari at the occasion.
Arase was appointed by former president Goodluck Jonathan at the tail end of his tenure and some people thought that the new president may remove him.
Oshiomhole said: “I want to appreciate our president, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, because in the past, every president would find nothing good in anything done by the predecessor.
President Buhari will go down in history as a president that appreciates merit, respects intellect and respects commitment and that is the only reason we are able to be here today to celebrate our son and brother.
“I think by this he has also laid a foundation for strengthening institutions such that if you are good, regardless of how you got there, you have a right to remain there and that is why I want us to celebrate my own president, our own president, for appreciating the qualities of one of our own.
“God bless our president for not seeing you in political terms, but for seeing you for who you are; a competent officer of the Nigeria Police, capable of providing leadership in a multiparty democracy without fear or favour and upholding the rule of law.”
Also, when the former comptroller- general of Nigeria Immigration Service, David Parradang, was suspended, the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, rushed to the State House to see President Buhari because Parradang is from Plateau State.
He told State House Correspondents: “I came to see the president on some issues affecting my state. I feel comfortable with the response I got and that is why I am smiling.
“I told him what we are doing on insecurity in our state. Also on the prevailing issue of the suspension of the comptrollergeneral of Immigration who, incidentally, is from my state.
“When you have issues like this in a political period, you must find ways of looking for reasons; if anything affects any part of your body, you must show concern.
“Paradang’s case is still under investigation. A man was suspended and he is from Plateau State. It is my concern because I am the governor of the state.”
Even at state level you see adverts thanking the governor for appointing people, from friends and so on.
It is this type of recoiling into our comfort enclaves that constitutes one of the greatest challenges of Nigeria, because people see every appointment through the prism of either ‘our own’ or not our own.
This has also made us to glorify failure, as long as it is from ‘our own’. People are not taken into account no matter how bad they are in the discharge of their duties by their people because as they see it as ‘one of them’ is given a chance so he should not be held to account.
Unfortunately, this situation brings a lot of pressure on appointees to be partial to their people or even misappropriate public fund to please them.
By interceding on behalf of Parradang, Lalong has brought to the fore the culture of godfatherism, for want of a better word.
It shows that in big positions people have to have others to put in words for them to get appointments or retain it, leaving the ordinary person with nobody to help them.
It is natural to celebrate success. However we should not gloat over it to the extent of making it look as if we are rubbing it on other people’s noses.
All those thanking the president and the governor for appointing somebody are taking gushing to another level. No wonder everybody is trying to grab something for their son.