Nigeria witnessed “deux es machina” again on Wednesday as the heavens invoked Section 146 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Reublic of Nigeria to partly bring to a closure the Umoru saga that was used and abused by the tiny cabal led by Turai to torment a traumatised country for 7 months.
As I watched Turai in that pensive mood as the “remains” of Umoru was being taken away on a stretcher,I shall return to that down the line,I began to string together the making and shattering of the world of this barely literate
but widely ambitious lady who shares the burden of inflicting the worst pains any mortal can go through on Umoru with Obasanjo in the last 3 years.
First on Obasanjo,he has prayed that if he was aware of Umoru’s health condition and delibrately thrusted on him the responsibility that has now hastened his demise,God Almighty should punish him.Since I serve that God who answereth by fire,I will not jab at the keyboard for long on a man who has not told any truth since I came to the age of awareness.Suffice to say that God who sees the hearts of all men will serve every(wo)man the just desert.
Now to Turai who personifies the famed fierceness and wildness of Katsina women,all I have for her is pity,fully understanding the forces that shaped her world.Here is a provincial girl forged in the crucibles of backwardness. But she wanted the best of life and did not miss the opportunity the day young Umoru went to debate in her secondary school as she reportedly sprang out of her seat,followed Umoru and “toasted” him.He eventually married the man of his(is it her?) dream and became the greatest influence on him till she rushed him to his grave.
The above narration explains why Umoru was really not her husband but her possesion and the instrument to conquer the world.The late Shehu Yaradua was said to be so uncomfortable with the undue influence that Turai had on Umoru to the point that he was dashing the SDP governorship tickets in 1991 he rufesed to give to Umoru for fear of handling Katsina to Turai!
With the help of crooks like cross-border bandit Mangal,Umoru succeeded in becoming the Governor of Katsina in 1999 with a debilitating health condition occassioned by a reckless lifestyle.If Turai’s influence on him were positive,may be she would have taken him out of excessive alcohol and heavy smoking but she also shares like passion.The provincial Katsina was able to shield them.When the current Governor declared a 7-day public holiday to mourn Umoru,the question really was:were they working there before?
It was not known to Nigerians that Umoru was travelling out on medical trips for six months at a strech during the 8 years he was Governor.Obasanjo was able to foist a sick man on Nigeria because leadership is about the only job in Nigeria for which no background checks is done.A man is discharged from prison in America and he takes his briefcase to Nigeria to become a senator.Nuhu Aliyu was dazed to see an armed robber caught in the act and was personally handled by him as DIG of police on the floor of the senate.He for a moment thought the guy had come on a robbery operation until he introduced himself as a Senator of the Federal Republic!
For the 8 years Umoru was governor,he attended the council of state meetings twice.The day Obj told a gathering of 12 Northern Governors that Umoru would succeed him they all tried to be the first to call him but 10 of them did not have his number!A friend from the North told me that until he made appointment for him to see the Alaafin and Awujale as Presidential candidate ,Umoru had never been to Ogun and Oyo states.His first visit to America was as President of Nigeria.He embarrased Nigeria when he sreamed at the White House that he was having the best moment of his life,a sincere man though!
Catapulting this couple from Katsina to Aso Rock was therefore like taking the Headmaster of Igbogbo Primary school to become the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos.
This over-promotion was Turai’s greatest undoing.She could not believe her eyes when she saw all the “big men”(they are really small) she had always seen on TV coming to cringe before her Umoru to beg for favours which the Villa has as its greatest strength.As ill-health would not make her wife(sorry,husband) available most of the time she grabbed the signet and they began falling and fawning before her.She has arrived the centre stage of history and would do everthing to make Yaradua hang on for her sake.She could not contemplate losing all that for Umoru to go and take care of his health and add years to his life.
I felt for Yaradua when I saw clips of his outings all over again especially in the last months,Totally emaciated and with a damaged skin,it was those whose lives dependend on the favours he carried that would not cringe at his scary sight.He had reached a point where a decent family would not want to expose to the public and a decision to resign taken.But not for Turai and her greedy daughters marrying governors their father’s agemates as wife NO 4.
Umoru was not treated as a human being in the last months of his life but a bargaining chip.It would shock many to know that as at 5pm on May 5,2010;Turai team was still using Umoru to bargain for 4 ministers and the slot of the Vice President!.They promised to produce a resignation letter if they got their bargain. Five hours after,the heavens completed the impeachement process.
Umoru is free at last from the grips of manipulators and opprtunistic band.May his soul rest in peace.I sat once across him at the Yaradua Centre in Abuja when the EFCC was launching the Anti-corruption war.In spite of his pains,he was recalling from a book he was readingv that time which talked aboit the futility of life and wondered why leaders should be stealing,That was the day he called for the removal of the immunity clause.I sensed that day that if he were healthy and his own man,he would have done things differently.
Umoru or whatever we are told was him has been buried but its only surface thinkers who would rhink that that saga is totally over.That the new President had to avoid his burial on security advice says it all.
The first battle post Yaradua is who becomes the VP.The vampires have gathered once again.Obj is said to be pushing 4 names in a list having Muktar Shagari on top.The greedy Governors are pushing Bukola Saraki.The Senators want Makarfi.Gusau and Yayale are offering themselves.Jonathan needs all the wisdom to make the right choice.
I have gotten into debates with people on whether Jonathan can give the country a free and fair election if he decides to run in the 2011 elections.I’ m not ready yet to state where I stand on this.
However,the time has come for our people to know that nobody will give then free and fair elections except they demand for it.It is foolhardy to continue to shout “Uwais Report” 6 moths to elections,the battle cry now should be “rise and defend your votes”
I must not end this piece without talking about the shoddiness that was the hallmark of umoru’s burial.It is a metaphor for all that is wrong with Nigeria.A system that can’t organise a decent burial for its President can’t deliever on anything!
It is my hope that in inspite of the short memory of Nigerians we shall be able to take stock of the vulnerability of our Country which permitted all we have gone through in the last 7 months and take measures that will ensure we don’t go that route ever again.But I have my doubts!
yinka odumakin
yod2011@hotmail.com
“After going around and around and around the same old mountain,may be it’s time to finish the job.May be it’s time to claim the promise.I dont know about you,but im tired of going around and around and around the mountain”-Rapheal Warnock”-