WIKE AND YERIMA: BETWEEN EMOTION AND RATIONALITY By Toyyib Musa-Omoloja
WIKE AND YERIMA: BETWEEN EMOTION AND RATIONALITY
Things are happening these days at a frenetic pace such that the only constraint a writer may encounter is- which one should I comment on and which should I overlook? To be sure, no issue of importance, at least to societal health, should be glossed over, by well- meaning citizens, particularly when the line between rationality and base sentiment is being blurred by knee-jerk responses.
I have read the reactions of many Nigerians to the altercation between Hon. Minister Wike and the young Naval Officer, Lt. Yerima, and all I experienced was to feel sorry for Nigeria.
What happened between the duo and how people were lining behind their favourite in the mess was indicative of a fisticuff between emotive reaction to a perceived bully on the one hand, and the desecration of lawfully constituted authority on the other hand.
The truth is that Lt. Yerima was wrong on all fronts.
We might not like Nyesome Wike as an individual or even as a Minister. At any rate, he is not even likable as a person. He is too brash and unrefined, and his politics could be oppressive and suicidally antagonistic. He is all that, and perhaps much more. In spite of those repulsive attributes, he is a go-getter, and a man you can entrust with an assignment and still manage to sleep peacefully.
Regardless of Wike’s weaknesses, applauding the insolence of a young military officer against a high ranking official of the government, particularly when the offending military officer was clearly on an illegal duty, speaks to fundamental defects in our value system. I guess the agents of our socialisation processes need drastic overhauling.
We ought not to be tutored again that the armed forces are subordinated to civil rule. And no order from any superior security personnel should trump the traditional respect for our constitution and the authority that flows from it.
The Federal Capital Territory is the 37th State in Nigeria, and the Minister of FCT is the defacto and dejure Governor of that jurisdiction. Therefore, it beggars belief that people are hailing a military officer obstructing the Governor of the FCT on an official assignment.
The funny slant to this brouhaha is that the concerned naval officer is on an illegal duty. Our military personnel were not trained to be guarding private properties, not less those illegally acquired or breached administrative requirements necessary for building a functional society. In this case, the Rtd. Admiral and the Commanding Officer of Lt. Yerima were clearly remiss. What is that young man doing guarding a private property, which legal status is suspect? Are there no more meaningful engagements for his youthful energy? That looks like an abuse of authority and privileges by the retired officer, and of course, it didn’t recommend highly the Commanding Officer of Lt. Yerima who approved such posting to a private holding.
While there is a lot to learn from Minister Wike’s inability to maintain his composure, and also gauge accurately when not to descend below his social standing, it is apposite to state clearly that the armed forces should know that they are subject to civil rule. The military should apologize to the nation and the minister for the indiscretion of one of their men. A sane society is a shade for all.
