[size=17pt]Unmasking Nigeria's ruling elite
By Salisu Suleiman [/size]


August 11, 2009 11:03AMT

It is common for commentators of all sorts to blame the ills of our nation on the ‘ruling elite'. The question then is; who are these ruling elite, and what do they have in common? Indeed, what makes them part of the ruling elite?

Typically, one would include the political class, top businessmen, traditional rulers and others in the higher echelons of society in this class. But in noting the ruling elite of Nigeria today, the influence of the military is obvious. Indeed, if you are looking for now and future members of this class, look towards the military.

In the course of interacting with officers of the military recently, I was surprised at their sophistication and exposure. I had expected crude, loud and uncouth soldiers, but I met highly educated officers. Many of them had post-graduate degrees in esoteric fields. Quite a few had doctorate degrees. Most of them were well traveled.

To pursue this thesis a little further, I looked at the ‘movers and shakers' of Nigeria today. President Yar'adua is a product of the military. The two other civilians to have led Nigeria in the last 30 years - Shagari and Shonekan, were also products of the military. It seemed that if the military could not directly hold office, they installed civilians as stooges to protect their interests.

Even in the current dispensation, apart from Yar'adua, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan was ‘made' overnight by former president Obasanjo. The President of the Senate is a former military man. And though he did not serve in the Nigerian military, Speaker Bankole had British military training. Similarly, quite a number of our ex and serving governors from 1999 had military or quasi-military backgrounds.

The national security adviser to the President was a soldier, as was the current minister of defense. Governors Aliero and Dakingari were former customs officers: Murtala Nyako was an admiral, Oyinlola was a soldier and ‘oga Alams' was in the air force. Atiku Abubakar was a customs man. Ambassador Marwa was a soldier as was Ahmadu Ali. Tony Anenih was a policeman. Several members of the Senate and the House of Representatives were once in the military or police - Tanko Ayuba, Nuhu Aliyu, John Shagaya, Tunde Akogun, etc.

In business, there is also a preponderance of former military men on the boards of the biggest corporate entities in Nigeria. Generals T.Y. Danjuma, Magoro and Wushishi are typical examples. The story is similar in traditional institutions. The Sultan of Sokoto, the emirs of Gwandu and Zuru, Etsu Nupe and the emir of Kano (he was once a law enforcement officer). Even the recently installed Bong Gwom Jos, Buba Gyang was a customs officer. Diette Spiff also had military background, as do many others that wield power and influence in Nigeria today.

The crux of this piece is this: though the military claim to have relinquished power to democratically elected leaders in Nigeria, the fact is that they have remained firmly in control. They may not hold the horns of the political cow any longer, but they sure are milking it. In every key office in Nigeria today, you are likely to find a serving or ex military person. On the chairs and boards of major companies are former soldiers. On the thrones of powerful institutions are retired military officers.

It was said that the world domination that Japan failed to achieve militarily, it achieved by economic means. In the same way, the continued domination of Nigeria that the military could not sustain with their guns, they have succeeded in executing, sublimely, through the subtle pseudo-democracy they have installed in Nigeria. This has given them control of the key indices of political and economic power in the country.

Is it any wonder, therefore, that against all expectations, against all sense of decency and fair-play, the military (as typified by Obasanjo), went against the will of the Nigerian people to install a weakling as president? While Yar'adua is battling (and failing) to hold the horns, the ruling elite (mostly former military men and their cronies) continued to milk the cow.

Now that I think back to the polished, well-groomed, educated and well-traveled officers of the military I interacted with, I saw how easy it was to glean among them future political office holders, boardroom warriors, traditional rulers and other members of the so-called ruling elite. By just looking at serving officers of today, you are unmasking the ruling elite of tomorrow.


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