Good night, President Yar`Adua

                Good night, President Yar`Adua

                            By juliusoweh

   At the time most Nigerians were enjoying the bliss of sleep after a day of hard work, the icy hands of death snatched away President Umaru Musa Yar`Adua after a bout of sickness. It is a grim and painful reminder of the mortality of man. Some years back, when some militants shot the former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat and was rushed to hospital, his spouse wanted to know the state of her husband. A philosophical Egyptian doctor could not utter the word `death` but instead waxed logical: Only God is immortal. Thus the path of every mortal man is death which is not only a leveler, finality but a debt we must pay one day. And that Yar`Adua did last Wednesday, the 5^th day of the 5^th month of the year 2010 and the year marking the 50^th anniversary of Nigeria independence. Only few Nigerians may not see the symbolism of the date. The death of Yar`Adua marked the end of an era. An era marked by the rule of law, honesty of purpose and uncommon virtues in the art of spreading the dividends of democracy to the mass of the people.

   Since November 2009 when the ailing president was taken to Saudi Arabia, the state of the Nigerian nation has not been the same. It was a struggle for the political soul of nation as those opposed to the vice president Goodluck Jonathan becoming acting president slugged it out with all intrigues and high tech political maneuvering.  It came to a near breaking point about seventy days ago, Yar` Adua was brought from Saudi Arabia in a bid to frustrate Jonathan transition from a vice president to acting president. But the senate leadership invoking the doctrine of necessity passed a resolution making Jonathan the acting president. It is also to the patriotic stance of Prof Dora Akunyili, Nigeria’s Information Minister who raised the voice that the trading of lies and half truths about the state of health of the president would not do the nation any good. It is also painful that till when the president met his death, he was not seen in public despite lies draped in innuendoes by some religious leaders that they met the president and was in good health. These are lessons that the political elites and the good people of Nigeria should bear in mind as we mourn the loss of a truly first university graduate to take the office of the president.

  A lot of tributes have been pouring in for the dead president. But the one that truly captured the mood of the nation is that of the Nigerian wordsmith, Wole Soyinka who said that the innocence of Yar`Adua was exploited by the cabal with the active support of some family members. His sentiments: The vampires including those within his own family turned him into a mere inert resource for their diabolical schemes. They have a reckoning with their conscience, assuming they know what the word means` That is what  really staggered the imagination to contemplate that a professed  apostle of the rule of law would not want to obey the constitution when it mattered most. Therefore those Nigerians that were lambasting Yar`Adua inability to send the appropriate letter to the National Assembly about his medical trip abroad should bear in mind that he was not really in charge and that a cabal was promoting that discord in the presidency for their selfish political reasons. Therefore any attempt to link his inability to transfer power constitutionally to the vice president to his legacy must be missing the wood for the trees.

  Despite the flaws of Yar`Adua, his solid democratic credentials can not be doubted even by the devil. It takes a lot of political courage and fine breeding for a man to accept that the election that brought him to power was less than free and fair. It was that admission of the flawed 2007 presidential election that gave birth to the phrase, rule of law. This is one of the eternal legacies of Yar`Adua. He demonstrated his love for the rule of law on a countless number of times. The nullification of many state governors mandate, most of them from the People Democratic Party, the ruling party and the consequent swearing in of the winners from the opposition parties were due to his singular passion for the rule of law. The governors of Edo, Ondo and Anambra states would continue to remember for a long time to come that their coming to power was because the man at Aso Rock was a democrat, through and through. He was not given to playing politics as far as obeying the constitution was concerned.

   Another landmark of the Yar Adua administration was the electoral reform and the constitution of the Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Panel. That the report is suffering delayed implementation was due to his ill health and the cabal to make sure that democracy does not take root in Nigeria. It is now left for President Goodluck Jonathan to implement the reports of the electoral reform panel. And should anything happen to the conduct of free and fair election, the blame shall be put at the doorsteps of Jonathan. Yar`Adua has laid the foundation for the sprouting of a viable democracy; it is now left for Jonathan to water the tree.

   But perhaps the high point of the Yar Adua administration was the proclamation of amnesty to the Niger Delta militants. This was a shinning moment of the nation development and bringing on board those who chose the path of violence instead of dialogue. It is only a man with a heart of gold that can give unconditional amnesty to those bent on balkanizing the nation. The amnesty to the Niger Delta militants and the composition of the Niger Delta Ministry are eloquent testimonies of Yar Adua consuming passion to develop the Niger Delta, the region whose bowels and creeks gush out the crude oil. That is why Jonathan should carry on from where Yar Adua stopped and really give a sense of hope to the people.

   Yar`Adua may not be an angel but his abhorrence for corruption singled him out as a gentleman in the murky waters of Nigerian politics. It is on record that Yar Adua is the only Nigerian leader who declared his assets on assumption of office. There is no better way of saying that the man was simply above board. It is also on record that it was because of his detest for corruption that made the PDP to choose him as its flag bearer in 2007. His seven point agenda were good political and economic blueprint to transform the nation but unfortunately illness could not allow him to do his best for the nation.

   Yar`Adua, following strict Islamic injunctions was buried yesterday but his style of administration shall be a reference point for years to come. Born with the proverbial silver spoon, humility was his middle name and his empathy for the poor was simply legendary. These were his tonics for public office. Nigeria has lost a great leader and a fine gentleman. His life is an exposition to the rich and powerful that politics and governance can be used to better the lots of the people without necessarily turning the occupants of the political office into millionaires and fat political cats. Good night, Yar`Adua the man who served the nation even at the risk of his life.