By Femi Aribisala
I was invited to a Roundtable on Corruption by the Law
Faculty of the University of Lagos, only to discover that some “Buharideens”
had highjacked the occasion and were inclined to use it as a platform to
promote the onslaught of “democratic
dictatorship” in Nigeria.
 |
| *President Buhari |
The topic was on corruption in Nigeria Nigeria
The composition of the invited
discussants was biased. Most of those on the panel with me were
dyed-in-the-wool government apologists. The Chairman was Professor Itse Sagay,
currently the Chairman of Buhari’s Presidential Advisory Committee against
Corruption. As it turned out, he was not prepared to entertain any meaningful
discussion about corruption in Nigeria
Also there was Oby Ezekwesili of #BringBackOurGirls fame. She used to
pitch her tent with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But now that the All
Progressives Congress (APC) is in power, she has been romancing the new
government. It was even speculated at one time that Buhari would reward her
with a ministerial portfolio. Not surprising, she is no longer as strident in
demanding government rescue of the kidnapped Chibok girls as she had been under
Jonathan.
The kingpin of the government
apologists on the panel was Femi Falani, a lawyer and human rights activist. He
was chosen to give the keynote address. Falana had been heavily touted as
Buhari’s attorney general. In fact, on the eve of the ministerial appointments,
a list was widely publicised in the press that had his name penciled in for the
post. But someone apparently put an eraser to it. Nevertheless, in order to
remain in the good books of the government, Falana seems to have jettisoned his
earlier dedication to the defence of human rights.
