Abuja Peace Rally and Armed Forces

These are indeed strange times in Nigeria.
A few days ago, I watched with
consternation as the First Lady, Mrs.
Patience Jonathan, re-enacted a worst form
of Abacha One-million Man March that
sought to turn the late dictator into a life
president. This time it was couched as an
empowerment rally for women. The show
while it lasted had all the trappings of a
political event in spite of its advertised
theme. As I endured the few hours the
programme lasted on national TV, many
questions begged for answers. First, that
women would be "mobilised" from
different parts of the country to
congregate in Abuja for a one-day peace
rally was curious. Which peace are the
women angling for? Can a rally that lasted
a few hours achieve an enduring
empowerment and peace for women? Who
are
the women at the rally? Do they
represent the generality of Nigerian
women? Having assessed the proceedings
at the rally, I had concluded that it was a
covert political jamboree meant to drum up
support for President Goodluck Jonathan
2015 bid. I was glad Nigerians could see
through the deceit.
To prove me right, participants appeared in
attire
emblazoned with Jonathan's picture.
The speeches by some of the women also
persuaded Nigerian women to support
Jonathan's second term ambition (because,
as they said, he is a supporter of women).
Just like in the days when the late military
head of state Sani Abacha was being
goaded to remain in power forever, Mrs.
Jonathan seemed to have kicked off
another offensive charade to launch her
husband's political ambition. I also suspect
that many of the women did not even
know why they attended the event in the
first place. By renting a crowd to
surreptitiously kick-start her husband's
second term bid, Mrs. Jonathan has
reopened a dark chapter in our nation's
history. Now, I suspect many of those
rallies will take place in the days and
months ahead. They will, sadly, add to the
many excesses, impunity and abuse of
privilege by Mrs. Jonathan that have been
the hallmark of the First Lady.
As an aside, the manner the First Lady was
said to have disrupted movement in Abuja
was disturbing. What power does she have
to shut down commercial and government
activities in the nation's capital? What
peace was she even trying to achieve? Can
a single rally assuage or stop the spate of
insecurity caused by government
impunity? What is the effect of a rally in
the lives of impoverished Nigerian women
across the country? It is time to seriously
rein in the excess of this woman. This
impunity of rent-a-crowd or coercing
women from all over the country under
the guise of peace and empowerment is
laughable. Even much worse is how the
once respected National Council of Women
Society can participate in this farce. They
have over the years engaged in advocacy
and women that have led to protecting
women's' rights and empowerment. It will
be interesting to know in what capacity
the NCWS participated at the rally. Did its
executive know that it was meant to be in
support of President Jonathan's 2015 bid?
If indeed the society has been politicised; it
will be shame and a disservice to its
founding members.
I consider the participation of the armed
forces in the rally, which is the subject of
today's piece, as a dangerous trend. I was
left in shock as I watched female officers
of the Nigerian armed forces and
paramilitary organisations parade at Eagle
Square. Female officers of the Nigerian
Army, Navy, Immigration, Customs and
others too numerous to mention marched
in full ceremonial attire in a political rally!
Haba! This is dangerous and unacceptable.
Mrs. Jonathan is treading a dangerous path.
I
was alarmed when I saw military
institutions that had left the political space
for civilians since 1999 brought back to
participate in a political jamboree. It was
the height of impunity. Those who
approved those military officers to be
brought out of the barracks for partisan
politics must be sanctioned. Who approved
the deployment of these officers? Were
their superiors coerced to release the
officers for the rally? Was it Mrs. Jonathan
or the President who signed the order for
their release? Mrs. Jonathan is neither the
President nor the Commander-in-chief of
the Armed Forces, yet she sat while the
parading officers took salute. This is
outrageous.
Nigerians must demand to know why the
combined team of armed forces were
illegally deployed to march at a political
rally meant to shore up support for
President Jonathan. The duty of the armed
forces of Nigeria is to protect the territorial
integrity of the country. The participation
of the nation's armed forces in the event in
which they blatantly expressed support for
the incumbent
President, with the elections
over one and a half years away, may be
evidence to the whole world that the 2015
Nigeria general elections may be no more
than a charade if the security agencies
who are supposed to provide unbiased
security for it are revealed to be political
supporters of Mr. Jonathan. It is indeed a
shame that sixteen years after the
proponents of Abacha for life presidency
almost led our country on the brink;
another one is being played out under a
democratically elected president. It is an
aberration. The service chiefs must not
allow their organisations to be drawn into
partisan politics. A situation where the
officers of the armed forces are made to
parade in demonstration of support for an
incumbent's political ambition might lead
to the disintegration of this country. Our
country cannot again be dragg

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