By Ekunkonye Junior Abuja
NzeluAt independence from the British colonial overlord in 1960, politicians assumed leadership position in this country called Nigeria and through coup, the military struck and took over the rulership of Nigeria in 1966, accusing the politicians of promoting corruption, high handedness, nepotism, religious intolerance, ethnic discrimination and rivalry, among similar others.
However this military intervention in the rulership of the country later resulted into a three year civil war, to the detriment of the country’s economy, unity, among others. However at the end of the war in 1970, the military continued to be in power, with aim to lead the country to the promised land.
Recalled that since attainment of independence in 1960, the military have ruled the country for about 29 years, while the civilians led for about 41 years and the poor masses have continued to cry for a leader who have their interest at heart. It is not in doubt that in Nigeria, wether in military regime or civilian one, the gap between the rich continued to widen, as the few rich have continued to be richer, while the poor who are in majority continue be poorer and suffer as a result of bad leadership.
To this, the public schools that are nothing to talk about are left for the children of the poor, while private schools are for the children of the rich, even most rch families send their school abroad to school, in the developed nations.The cost of living has continued to be rising at daily basis, above the income of the poor, not to talk of housing, medications, among other things that make life worth – living.
Worried at the trend of events, the principal partner of Amobi Nzelu & Co, Mr Amobi Nzelu, who doubles as Apo – 6 lawyer, (a name the pro bono case he did for youths, among Apo traders, who were allegedly killed by the police years back earned for him), spoke to journalists recently, saying that the Nigeria he met, was different from the present one, even as he called for attitudinal change, for the country to move forward.
Having been over the time kicking against discontinue of History in the secondary schools in Nigeria, Nzelu alleged that the reason why those in authority wanted to replace History with Government in secondary schools was because they din’t want the younger ones to know the History of Nigeria, informing that Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) fought against its removal in a law court.
Faulting the way things have been going on in Nigeria, he said: This country is blessed; the mineral resources under our foot is enough to sustain this country to any level. It is because of selfish interest, and lack of will power by those in authority that we are where we are today.
“I left secondary school in 1974 in Enugu and worked with then Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment for ten months. My salary was N41.00 per month and I was working when Udoji Award came in 1974 and salary was increased to N91. 00 monthly, and that was what I was earning before I left to University of Ife to study law in September, 1975, when law was four years. When I got to University of Ife as an undergraduate, it was 10k for breakfast, 20k for lunch and 20k for dinner; that was what we were paying for a feeding and we were three people in a room, but today they are upto 12 people.”
He continued: “When Murtala Mohammed was killed in a coup in February, 1976 and Obasanjo took over and made it 50 kobo per meal, per day, we protested against the increments, that was later called, “Ali Must Go.” This 50 kobo per meal included quarter chicken twice a week: Sunday and Thursday.That was the university I met; law was four years and I left in 1979 and went to law school.
“During this period under reference, when you apply to the university, if you had no money to pay fees, you go to Federal Government Loan Board in Surulere, Lagos. There they give you loan of N500, which covers N144 as school fees and N200, your feeding money for a full year. Then the left over for your accomodations and then your family will supplement for you.
“In law school, they give you N750, out of which you pay your school fees, feeding, accomodations, and purchase of your lawyer’s outfit made up of wig, gown, wig carrier, gown carrier, bibs, collars, cufflinks, shirts, among others. All these cost N120. You can’t buy them now for N3m and they were also imported from Ede Ravencroft, London. Late Ibironke was the Director of law school that time. When I finished from law school, I went to Maiduguri to do my NYSC. It was N200 monthly and that was a big money and you can’t finish it, before the next pay day.”
Nzelu therefore, informed that at the end of his NYSC, “I had two appointments, one was from the custom, while the other from the army. My father told me not to go to customs, with the reason that lots of things go wrong there and that I wouldn’t know how to dodge them. He also said that I shouldn’t go to the army, with the reason that I may be involved in a coup. He then advised me to go into private practice, which I am doing today. My airfare return ticket, from Maiduguri to London, was N481 and it was 65k per Dollar. The rout was Maiduguri to Kano,and Kano to London and return.”
Wondering why the anomalies remain inexplicable, he queried: “Who did this to Nigerians and where did Nigerians go wrong, that this country is moribund or rudderless. My salary in 1981when I finished NYSC and joined a private law firm, Baba & Co was N250. Bala Ngilari who later became the governor of Adamawa state was my principal in chamber in Maiduguri. I practiced there for 14 years, married there, had my five children there, before I left in 1994 to relocate to Abuja.
“The question is, where did we get it wrong, that this country is bleeding? Everything in this country is in comatose. I wonder where we got it wrong. Today you pay a lawyer N100,000, N150, 000 and it is not enough for him to feed for 14 days. I grew up in Aba, now I Ania state, in 60s and saw Justice Agbaje of Yoruba extraction as a high court judge in Aba. You can’t do it now. I went to University of Ife and late Onwumecheli from Achi in Oji River, in present day Enugu state, was the Vice Chancellor. I wonder what we have done that we are so divided today, that nobody wants to see his brother.
“I am an Igbo man by birth; Yoruba man by education and Hausa man by long association; 14 years in Maiduguri. I have toured the three major tribes in Nigeria and can tell you how they behave; what they want and they don’t want. Maiduguri people are homely people and very accommodating and that informed why I practiced there for 14 years as a lawyer. When I went to Maiduguri in 1980, we were only seven lawyer in the whole Borno state, now Borno and Yobe states in private practice, and five of the lawyer were non indigenes. But today nobody wants to see each other, because political and religious divide. Either you are branded the APC, or PDP, or APGA or LP or NNPP, you are branded. Your branding determines what you can get in Nigeria, not the content not your brain.”
Although he blamed the politicians whom he accused of succeeding in sinking Nigeria and dividing the country into political and religious lines, he however said that Nigerians were complacent in the matter, for not asking questions.
“I want you to know that the country you are seeing today is not what we met. I enjoyed Nigeria and will not be a part that will spoil this country. After all, I am on assignment for God. Where I am going to is nearer than where I coming from. I am 71 year and I can’t be 71 years again to 142 years. This will amount to be a liability to the living. My chambers is in my house. I buy diesel at N1,400 per litre, as against N80.00 it was sold about four years ago. From N80. 00 to N100.00 to N150 and today it is N1400. So each week, I buy 100.00 litres at N140,000. I recharge N150,000 electricity every month, So the question is, what did we do? The economy is bleeding and the masses are crying. Everybody is passing the blame to the other,” he stated.
When asked if he would like the British colonial masters to come back, the legal practioner wouldn’t hear of that, saying that they would be worse than Nigerian politicians, but he called for attitudinal change, for those who would say no to anomalies in the system to take over the helm of affairs in the country.
Accusing the legislators of wasteful expenditure to the detriment of the poor, he stated thus: “To go and buy N160 million car for a senator, when the populace are dying in hunger, is that the best thing in this country? I learned that it is a loan that was obtained to buy the vehicles for our legislators. But there are tokunbo cars of N10 Millon, N15 million to N20 million. You see, you shouldn’t maintain a life style you can’t afford. All of them that are there that won election, either by hook or crook. Some of them can’t maintain the life style. You buy a car of N160 million from public fund and some of them would sell them and use the money for their personal businesses. May God help this country, thank you.” Minimise