While we have deliberately turned deaf ears and blind eyes to the daily complaints by Nigerians that these mischief making, agent provocateurs, rumour merchants by The Nation newspaper used by political godfathers, political Manfridays to harangue, intimidate and filibuster largely perceived political gladiators who may have refused to be YES-men in the way Nigeria’s opposition politics is being played. The editorial of Sunday, August 25, 2013, with the caption- A DAME’S JAMBOREE, says a lot about the intention of the paper to pull down their target at all cost.
Ever since August 15, 2013, when the unprecedented, victorious women’s mega rally took place in Abuja and the success it achieved by re-kindling the hopes and aspirations of the Nigerian women, The Nation newspaper has gone to town doing everything in its power to demonise the minds of Nigerians as to the records, mileage and gains achieved by the unprecedented gathering of women in Nigeria of over 35,000 for peace and empowerment. The mega rally will go down memory lane in history as one rally that brought not only women in thousands but women from across the geo-political divides in Nigeria for a common cause and for the common good and collectively to better their lots. Howbeit, the present administration is including them in governance and appreciating their roles as regards ensuring peace, empowerment and national development.
The success of the rally and its prospect offended the sensibility of the newspaper. But one point had been exceedingly made clear that no successive government can succeed without carrying its womenfolk in the scheme of affairs. It has not only marked a new beginning in the emancipation of the womenfolk, but has registered in the consciousness of Nigerians that the women have become important national assets that must not be ignored for the collective aspirations of our nationhood.
The issues raised by the publication were mere baseless compared with the gains achieved. This was not the first time that rallies, jamborees and conventions by political parties were held at the Eagle Square, why the sudden cry by The Nation, telling the world the negative effects of the rally, while the advantages, merits of the event tower above their negative fabrications. The mega rally was merely for two hours from the Old Parade Ground to the Eagle Square, which routes by the event organizers were announced subsequently weeks in advance in all mass media with the exception of antagonistic The Nation. The various traffic routes were properly controlled by officers of the FRSC, VIOs and other paramilitary organs for a free flow of traffic.
The Nation obviously exaggerated by saying it held Abuja spell-bound for six hours, instead of two hours which it lasted, just to drive home their agenda and sell lies, cause mischief and disaffection. One thing is incontrovertible; it was one rally that cannot be ignored by all and sundry. The magic wand to pull such a feat involving women can only be achieved by no other person than the First Lady herself, Dame Patience Jonathan, whose positive role in women emancipation has skyrocketed and it’s giving the opposition (including The Nation) sleepless nights.
The Nation mentioned the dates for the event and gave reasons why the event should have been held Saturday instead of the proposed date used. It goes to show that they are not in tandem with what organizing events entails or are cut out of realities with the happenings of Abuja. Such event or arrangement for that matter can only be held on week days in Abuja to be that successful. Events in Abuja are normally held within the week because by weekends most residents of the city will have left for their various destinations and for achieving the purpose of the organizers they decided to do it on that very date.
And in any case, it did not disrupt the peace and tranquility of the city because it was painstakingly organized by a grassroots juggernaut in person of the First Lady who took into consideration the avoidance of the wolf-cry of The Nation.
The positive aspects of the successful rally also brought into account the details of all the numerous rallies and events attended by the First Lady and also gave kudos to the fact that any event she attends is normally a sellout, that is, successful with so much fanfare. It also goes to show that the First Lady is a grassroots generalissimo whether they like it or not and that her pedigree for grassroots mobilization in the country is uncommon in this part of the globe.
And that is the reason she has successfully mid-wifed the women advocacy, not only in Nigeria, but across the African continent, which has earned her a lot of applause, accolades and laurels across the globe.
Once again The Nation has brought to the fore the ceremonial nature of the office while congratulating her for the feat achieved, bringing over 30,000 women from across the country without even the recognition of the Nigerian Constitution of her office. The Nation also failed to look at the facts that the event was purely grassroots convened by the National Council of Women Societies to which she is a grand patron. And all women associations/affiliates in Nigeria whether you like it or not belong to the NCWS and as such it is a formidable platform with its rich history that dates years back and had harmoniously over the years worked with other Non-Governmental Organization, NGOs; community based organizations, CBOs and Civil Society Organizations to drive its mission and vision. So the issue of number was not a problem but curtailing the crowd, which was taken care of. The sponsorship drive was shouldered by NCWS through corporate Nigeria at home and abroad to make the event a success that was recorded on that date.
The NCWS used this year’s rally to honour those women who have brought glory to the womenfolk since Independence; the women that have been ‘first’ in all endeavours including the military, paramilitary and whatever professions. That was why the event was so colourful with all its trappings with the extension of invitation to all known organizations in Nigeria. It was also a day for stock-taking for the Nigerian women, since Independence, and they took time to honour those advocates of women empowerment, emancipation, who also used the occasion to say ‘thank you’ to Mr. President for the honour done them since Independence with the unprecedented participation of women in governance, holding proactive portfolios that are very strategic to the growth of the nation.
It was only an occasion to drum home the 35 per cent women participation and the passing of the bill at the National Assembly by our legislators. As for the clothes worn by the women, the NCWS spared no expenses as a gesture of gratitude to the President’s largesse to the women-folk. The NCWS is a registered NGO that has its aims and objectives, seeing the fact that the President has done so much since Independence they decided in their magnanimity to honour him, in whatever form they deemed fit, which also included their regalia, memorabilia and others on that day’s event.
The enormous wrong impression created by the editorial must be put right: The President has a choice to either appoint women or not to appoint them and for the fact that he chose to appoint them into his administration whether on merit or gender, is his sole right. Therefore, credit must be given him for his decision and posterity will always be fair to him in those aspects.
The Nation has succeeded thus far in paying lip-service to their mentors instead of advising professionally that the event no matter was a huge success and nothing can be far from the truth.
For one, the editorial portrayed the fears of not only the opposition, but their paymasters who are really now surprised as to how the rally was organized in the first place. Initially, they said it was a rented crowd, looked for loopholes and found nothing and decided to capitalize on the accident that occurred after the event. What a shame!
If to have an alternative voice simply means castigating everything associated with progress, then it shows papers like The Nation, have returned to the inglorious days of old, newspaper owners use their medium to fight political opponents and settle scores.
Written By Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele
