It was difficult to miss the trending videos, photos and reports of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and Naval Officer Lieutenant A. M. Yerima staring each other down at a property site in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, recently.
The full picture may never be known, but there are many versions of the narratives, which may or may not be from Wike’s office or the military establishment. There are numerous write-ups and analyses on whether Wike or the officer was right or wrong.
Perhaps, one day, an opportunity will present itself for various sides to tell their own versions of the event. In this digital age, there are many possibilities to colour stories, or even mislead the public.
But what happened between Wike and the naval officer was yet another portrayal of a power show (thanks to Fela Kuti, the Afro-beat King), and a failure of law and order in the society. It started a long time ago, and it is getting worse.
Individuals, institutions and governments use and misuse their authorities, their wealth, and their instruments of power including positions, guns, uniforms, security personnel… – to force their way, and achieve their objectives. Whether the objectives are right or wrong, it does not matter.
The use of established, official adjudication process is disregarded, and not even explored. Might is right.
There are real-life examples of how it happens every day. At levels small and big.
A soldier stands by the side of the highway and waves down every truck (or trailer, as we call it) that passes by. He needs a lift, after all, he is in uniform, purportedly serving the nation. Wrong! He is on a mission for illegal extortion. He is one of the many service personnel in uniform who accompany trucks across the country on highways. It is not official business. But they profit from the fact that there are many roadblocks manned by police, customs, immigration agents, and other unformed entities.
Some of these entities extort “monies” from truck drivers for “assisting” them through the roadblocks. A soldier sitting next to the truck driver means that the truck gets a through pass without paying an illegal toll. Instead, the soldier is “settled” by the truck driver for the “service”. It is cheaper and faster for the truck driver.
Some individuals with strong connections in the military can obtain the services of soldiers to help them secure their properties against intruders. Whoever can mobilise soldiers to secure the property has a higher claim, irrespective of whether the property is illegally acquired.
A tenant who fails in his financial obligations but can pay his way through the police or the court can scare his landlord away.
Policemen accompany criminals and “big men”, who break the law, and provide cover or security to keep others at a distance.
The rogue behaviour of these military or unformed persons are not necessarily backed or approved by their superiors or their organisations.
Yet, there are too many examples of the use/misuse of uniformed security officials for illegal purposes. It is not limited to the uniformed services. Politicians also use their positions to bend rules and circumvent normal processes and procedures.
Some senior government officials assume all manner of powers. A well-connected politician can take over public roads, public facilities and access areas, and “nothing will happen”. Having a political title is power.
Such power is used to determine who votes and how. Hence, snatching of ballot boxes and disenfranchising voters in so many ways has become the norm.
A wealthy person can “buy” security officials, or pay for the rights of ordinary persons to be taken away. An innocent citizen can be arrested for any reason, jailed or detained illegally for a long time.
If and when the citizen musters the means to go to court against the wealthy or money bag, the case could go on for years until the highest bidder prevails.
It is not a new trend, but it is wrong, and it must stop. It may not be easy to stop, but it can be minimised. Unfortunately, the trend is rather on the increase.
In full public glare, Wike and the naval officer demonstrated the use of “power” to determine who/what is right.
Sadly, it degenerated into another “two-fighting” power play – the one representing government power and the other, a decoy for his Oga, representing the power of the military uniform. A regular citizen could not have stood against either of them. S/he would be destroyed and “nothing will happen”.
By shouting at each other in public, Wike and the naval officer represent the unqualified use of authority that has effectively replaced the application of due process for adjudication of contending claims.
The FCT authorities and the former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, who is said to be the owner of the property in question, could have used other legal and dignified mechanisms of adjudication to settle the matter, without unnecessary drama. There was no need for the “show of power.”
This legitimate process of adjudication is no longer attractive to those who have the power to determine the outcomes of their own matters. They use their positions, wealth, uniforms, and paraphernalia of office to force their way through. Those lacking such powers are denied justice.
Both Wike and the naval chief will ultimately sort out their differences. The bravado in public only reinforces the “powerlessness” of the ordinary citizen.
Citizen Nigerian has no standing against Wike and his arsenal, or the naval officer and his boss. Under these circumstances, it is immaterial whether Citizen Nigerian has genuine documents or legal claims; S/he is the loser in the game between and among the powerful in society.
*Bunmi Makinwa is an Analyst and CEO, AUMIQUEI Communication for Leadership.*
