By Gboyega Amoboye
Opportunity is a game of chance, it is a life-changer. If you seize it, you win. If you fail to oil your lamp, Baba Olusegun Obasanjo would say “na your toro be that”.
According to the preacher in the book of Ecclesiastes, there is time for everything, time to win and time to lose.
To Shakespeare “there is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at flood, leads to fortune”. In every day’s language, “opportunity comes but once”.
It came for the elder statesman Chief Mbazulike Amechi during his rescue mission to President Muhammadu Buhari recently, but for the “king of Persia,” he would not have missed the tide.
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He had led Igbo leaders to the President to plead for the release of their son Nnamdi Kanu, from detention.
He failed to play a joker which the President would have found irresistible.
“He would have readily paid any price for the return of peace and harmony to the country without lifting a gun. In an interview with a national daily, Daily Sun of May 7, 2012, with the headline “secrets of the civil war”, Mbazulike spoke extensively on the problems with the country and how The first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe gave him a joker that could solve them.
Hear him, “Five hours before Zik gave up the ghost, he handed over to me a one-foot long key and told me what to tell Nigerians, what to advise Nigerians, what to do, to save this country.
“And if Nigeria does not want me to give the benefit of that Zik’s exultation, Zik’s instruction and I go, it will be the death of Mbazulike, not Nigeria.”
When asked why he was not revealing Zik’s message yet, Mbazulike said, “Why should I reveal it to people who are not prepared to listen? Why would I release it to people who would not understand it?
“Why would I release it to people who are so adamant in their set target? He said the only condition that would make him release the key is that government must be ready for talk. “I don’t need their money.
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“They are the ones who are controlling the country. When I asked for an appointment, they don’t ask me to come. I know that I have asked to see the President on national issues on two or three occasions or more. I was not allowed”.
While the first Minister of Aviation could not find luck with President Goodluck Jonathan, luck shone on him with Buhari who has a unique quality above his predecessors. He has respect for heroes. Buhari completed the forgotten Mausoleum of Dr. Azikiwe and commissioned it on the day all Igbo governors except that of Anambra “flee to Afghanistan” in dishonour of the memory of Zik. He restored the dignity of the late MKO Abiola by validating his election of June 12 1993, as the President-elect. Not long ago he pardoned some military officers who had been wrongly dismissed from service and restored their ranks. He paid some forgotten footballers’ unfulfilled commitments for winning laurels for the country. He respected the contribution of this great Zikist, Mbazulike to nationhood as a Parliamentary Secretary at Independence and two-time minister in the First Republic, by rolling out the carpet to receive him.
While Mbazulike had a good mission, one could not vouch for his strategy. Exchange of gifts whether diplomatic or traditional is as important as the breaking of kolanut in Igbo land. Perhaps, he should have presented ‘Zik’s key’ to the President in exchange for Nnamdi Kanu. There is no doubt the President would have loved to own the key which perhaps could also solve the problem for which their son is standing trial, solve Boko Haram and banditry crises, solve the problem of poverty, hunger, ASUU and Doctors, cure the country of the borrowing sickness, stop corruption and electoral malpractices.
In what appears to be terrifying, Mbazulike warned that his death without releasing the key would amount to burning down the Library of the Congress. As the only link between the old and the new, he said, “it will be like burning down the American Congress Library. If Mbazulike dies today, it will be tantamount to burning the biggest library you can imagine for the country. Of all the Ministers of the First Republic from southern Nigeria, I am the only one remaining. It is not by accident. God has his purpose and if the country wants to take advantage of that, let the country come to me. I am not going to them.”
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There is a Yoruba proverb that says “agbe ko fo, emu lo da nu”, that is, it is only palm wine that has spilled, the keg was not broken. Therefore, all hope is not lost. I would advise the elder statesman to change his strategy for another possible visit to the President but this time, he may need to go alone for intimate discussion. Until then he should keep the key under his pillow away from the prying eyes of gold diggers.
On the other hand, the President is advised to take this last man standing of leaders of the First Republic, seriously. Mbazulike is the living history and legend. If he has not been given a national honour, he should be given one and if one has been given, it should be upgraded. He deserves to be specially honoured by the President as a living hero. As minister of Aviation, he grew Nigerian Airways at independence from three piston engine planes to 18 jets at military coup in 1966. A lot of youths have been parading themselves as aspirants to high political offices but it is doubtful if any has heard about Mbazulike, not to talk of visiting him. How many of them have read biographies of great national and international heroes for inspiration and road map? While the labour of our heroes past must not be in vain, the last of them living, Mbazulike Amechi must not die without releasing the key of Zik otherwise what would he tell Zik, Balewa, Ahmadu Bello and Awo? That he left the country better or worse off? Perhaps it may be time for the mountain to go to Mohammed because to receive the key may count as one of the achievements of Buhari at 79. Happy birthday, Baba.
…Gboyega Amoboye, is a Lagos based media consultant and can be reached via email: gboyegaamoboye@gmail.com