USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: FIRECRACKER EXPLOSION: GOVERNOR FASHOLA’S COMMENT’S BETRAYS UNACCEPTABLE AUTHORITARIANISM

Kindly change the title of my last posting to : Firecracker Explosion: Governor Fashola's Comments Betray Authoritarianism. Thanks

 

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BAMIDELE ATURU & CO.
24, MBONU OJIKE STREET, OFF AYINDE GIWA STREET,
OFF ALHAJI MASHA ROAD, SURULERE,
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Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2012 5:35 PM
Subject: Fw: FIRECRACKER EXPLOSION: GOVERNOR FASHOLA'S COMMENT'S BETRAYS UNACCEPTABLE AUTHORITARIANISM

 

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BAMIDELE ATURU & CO.
24, MBONU OJIKE STREET, OFF AYINDE GIWA STREET,
OFF ALHAJI MASHA ROAD, SURULERE,
LAGOS STATE. NIGERIA. 

TEL.NO : +234-1-8043418, +234-8023128967,+234-8055999888,+234-8033375796. 
E-MAIL:aturulaw@yahoo.com
WEBPAGE: www.bamideleaturuandco.com

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Subject: FIRECRACKER EXPLOSION: GOVERNOR FASHOLA'S COMMENT'S BETRAYS UNACCEPTABLE AUTHORITARIANISM

 

FIRECRACKER EXPLOSION: GOVERNOR FASHOLA'S COMMENT'S BETRAYS UNACCEPTABLE AUTHORITARIANISM

Bamidele Aturu Esq

The tragic explosion that occurred in Lagos from firecrackers stored in some premises is quite regrettable. Most Nigerians are quite sad that this sort of tragedy happened at a time when our people are supposed to be celebrating Christmas. I add my voice to those of other responsible Nigerians who have commiserated with the families of victims of the avoidable tragedy and to pray that God console them.

 It is however regrettable that the Governor of Lagos State should choose the inauspicious occasion to attempt to intimidate critics of his government's disposition to the poor. He was reported to have stated that:

'when town planning laws were made and government insisted on its implementation, the government was often branded as anti-poor and a tough one. .. those who sought cheap popularity or sought to score cheap political points were often nowhere to be found when the consequences of agitations to prevent proper enforcement of regulations, law and order like in the current situation. ..Some of the people who canvass this position are not here now where people have died and they seek cheap popularity when government tries to set rules and regulation, government is seen as anti- poor but the poor people have died here and the people who have made those cases are not here now to come and pick the dead bodies. It is us who are picking the dead bodies'

The statement credited to the Governor is at once regrettable and condemnable. It shows that the advertised democratic credentials of his government and of himself are not even skin-deep. It is highly hypocritical to posture as a democrat and be so patently hostile to voices of dissent as the Governor has demonstrated. The Governor should point out those who asked him not to implement laws banning firecrackers. if the State has failed to implement any existing law on firecrackers, the Governor should accept responsibility for that failure rather than shifting the blame on social critics. The touchstone for measuring democracy is not opposition to the Federal Government but a holistic and consistent defence of the truth at all times no matter who may feel aggrieved. The Governor should be reminded plainly that he cannot cow members of the civil society or social critics by the kind of unnecessary comment he made at the scene of the tragic incident. If the military could not, he should know that he cannot. Those like him who are beneficiaries of the actions of social critics, which were also ironically described by the military despots as cheap-popularity-seeking gambits, who were jailed for this 'democracy' ought to know that criticism is essential to liberal democracy. we did not fight for democracy to have Governors whose actions, even when well-meaning, cannot be challenged.

The advisers of the Governor have their job cut for them. They need to remind him that his comments should be seen to be temperate as he appears to me to be getting increasingly authoritarian and hostile to well- meaning criticisms. He is behaving too much like a military administrator, not even Governor, for my liking. Let him listen to the critics as they are his best friends. Happy New Year in advance

 

Bamidele Aturu  

 

*****************************************************************
BAMIDELE ATURU & CO.
24, MBONU OJIKE STREET, OFF AYINDE GIWA STREET,
OFF ALHAJI MASHA ROAD, SURULERE,
LAGOS STATE. NIGERIA. 

TEL.NO : +234-1-8043418, +234-8023128967,+234-8055999888,+234-8033375796. 
E-MAIL:aturulaw@yahoo.com
WEBPAGE: www.bamideleaturuandco.com