Ms. Okonjo-Iweala Did Not Betray Nigeria
Written by Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba


In a well written and aggressive article Dr. Ogbonnia, the Executive Director, Patriots United for Transparency and Accountability in Nigeria (PUTAN) accused Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of treachery and betrayal of Nigeria. He accused Ms. Okonjo-Iweala of falsely believing that strong institutions would cure corruption in Nigeria. Mr. Ogbonnia strongly objected to the strong institution theory in favor of strong leadership theory. Mr. Ogbonnia continued by stating that a strong leader would jail all or some corrupt leaders who steal from the public.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/GreaterAwguLeadershipForum/conversations/messages/1958
Mr. Ogbonnia is wrong. Very wrong!
A strong leader such as GMB was and could still be is the antithesis of what Nigeria should look for or elect. It is a bad prescription for Nigeria. It is like prescribing aspirin for a malaria attack. It may reduce the headache but would not cure the disease.
Under a strong leader people accused of corruption would go straight to jail and would not pass “GO” once the strong man declares so. This is what happens in “the strong leadership” concept. Under a strong institution concept such a person would be apprehended by police interrogated and tried and sent to jail if found guilty. Under a strong institution theory neither the president nor the coordinating minister for economy should be able to interfere with the workings of the courts or the police in the prosecution and trial of the accused. Institutional leadership would fight tooth and nail to stop any such encroachment. Strong leadership was what was wrong with OBJ’s regime; his enemies went to jail and his cronies escaped jail terms.
Nigeria wants and needs strong institutions.
It was a strong institution- the Senate - that stopped OBJ’s third term agenda and Nigeria is thankful that it had the kind of Senate it had at the time.
If Nigeria has a strong INEC, a strong EFCC, a strong judicial system, a strong congress, a strong civil service, a strong police, a strong and free press; etc., corruption would be cured the next day. What would stop a strong leader if he chooses to be corrupt? I will like to ask Mr. Ogbonnia to answer that question. What would happen to the concept of “innocent till proved guilty” under a strong leader who imprisons all accused corrupt men and women? And sometimes kills them as we have seen before?
Nigeria has had enough of strong leaders such as Abacha, IBB, OBJ_1, Buhari and other military dictators. We shall try building strong institutions. One major advantage of strong institutions is that they function from one leader to another as strong institutions have no term limits; could still function well under weak leaders or strong leaders; has memories and therefore can remember; can be passed on to others and have everlasting life. Strong leaders come and go leaving pains, agony and sorrow behind.
Mr. Ogbonnia told the story of DSP Alamieyeseigha, who looted the government treasury and stashed away $8 million in a London bank. If Nigeria had strong institutions he would have been impeached and imprisoned and would have not been released. It was a strong leader who released him. That is another reason to reject strong leaders without strong institutions. It was Patrick Henry (born Hanover County, Virginia) who was quoted as saying “Give me Liberty or give me death.” A strong leader is tyranny. I want liberty.
Another Virginian Thomas Jefferson had this to say about strong institutions
were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
Jefferson would rather have strong institutions than governments, weak or strong, for strong institutions are the sine qua non in a country’s daily life

Give me strong institutions or give me death
Mr. Ogbonnia should rethink.

Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba
Boston, Massachusetts,
February 28, 2015
Read 12 times
Published in Nigerian Affairs

Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba
Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba currently lives in Medfield, Massachusetts.
URL: http://chatafrik.com/articles/nigerian-affairs/ms-okonjo-iweala-did-not-betray-nigeria#.VPKd5C72RTc

grammar always!

Love covereth multitude of sins. wether she did or did not, me I just love this woman like crazy.