Ambrose Alli: Between the Crown Snatcher and the
Jailer's Whip
History remains a series of events
that is domiciled in the wheels of the past. Yet the past always have a way of
rebounding in the present. The events of the past can shape the direction of
the present when such an event ridicules reasoning and belies any iota of human
comprehension. In effect the stain becomes like a stench that never goes
away.
Such was the situation with events of the Second World War
which led to the holocaust where millions of Jews, Gypsies and their
sympathisers were alienated by the Nazis from 1939-1945. Those that were
accomplices in the events of that era are still facing justice today even in
their advanced ages despite the time lap.
Besides that, several instances
abound, the atrocities of Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia,
the military junta, Anthony Pinochet of Chile,
and the several military juntas in South America
in the 1970s and 1980s, plus the atrocities they committed. Something stood
out, which is that despite the fact that these were events of the past, it
still remains an issue of the present because the relic remains.
Yet, for every event that happened in the past, it is a
scene in the present that opens the flood gates of the past especially when it’s
not pleasant.
Which brings us to the life and times of a former governor
of old Bendel State
in Southern Nigeria, now Edo and Delta
States, Professor Ambrose
Alli.
He would have been an anomaly in today's Nigerian political landscape
because you seldom see great academicians rise to an elective position
especially as a governor of a state.
Most of them are not up to the task to
engage in today’s politicking. But through the policies of the Unity Party of
Nigeria (UPN), led by the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, it meant individuals like
Ambrose Alli could rise to govern the biggest state in Nigeria at the time in terms
of human and natural resources in the Second Republic, and true to the
manifesto of the UPN, the Professor bequeathed an educational legacy that is essentially
the economic livewire of the township of Ekpoma, some 50 kilometres from Benin
City, which stands the Ambrose Alli University which was established by the
governor.
While he did great things when he was in office besides the
educational legacy, it was his unceremonious departure from office and what
followed after that that has reverberated in the present political landscape in
Edo State in the lead up to the general
elections which was postponed to the month of March.
The two main parties have decided to use the Professor's
memory to score cheap political points. First it was the People's Democratic
Party (PDP) that used the late Professor's daughter as a campaign tool to
remind the people of Edo Central that the present All Progressive Congress (APC)
presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari was the military head of state that
jailed the Professor, after which health complications from his incarcerations
led to his death after his release.
Not wanting to miss out in the drama, the present governor of
the state, Adams Oshiomhole was quick to remind the people of Ekpoma while on a campaign there that
history should not be distorted, that it was the godfather of Edo politics,
Tony Anenih that ensured that Ambrose Alli was rigged out of office in the
October 1, 1983 elections that brought the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN)
governorship candidate, Samuel Ogbemudia to power. Even though that government
was short lived following the coup d’etat of December 31, 1983 led by Muhammadu
Buhari.
The question now is between the one who removed the crown
from the Professor's head, in the person of Tony Anenih, and the jailer, that
was Muhammadu Buhari, who then should be blamed in the unfortunate end of a
great man that is seldom celebrated despite the great works he did more than
three decades ago.
The point is, both political camps should hide their head in
shame in using the cherish memory of the late professor to court political
favour from the electorate.
While Muhammadu Buhari went
overboard in jailing
the professor for a corruption charge he did not directly commit, as those in
his government embezzled the One million Naira he was accused of, but by way of
vicarious liability, he was held responsible. While the other party in Tony
Anenih has shown a penchant for displaying grandeur of election rigging that
has held sway for several decades.
As the election draws near, both parties cannot continue to
display a holier than thou attitude, campaigns should be anchored on points of
issues and reeled out with some form of decorum, instead of using the memory of
Ambrose Alli to sway opinions.
Many of those who stood by the professor's daughter when she
recounted how Buhari jailed her father were around three decades ago, and they
played a major role in the political demise and eventual incarceration of the
late professor. For them to turn around to use the professor's memory to court
favour shows their dearth of morality, lack of values and lack of conscience that
is prevalent in Nigerian politics.
For all intent and purpose, politicians within the Edo
political sphere should leave the memory of the late professor where it
belongs, that is in the hearts and minds of those that felt his impact in the
entire landscape of old Bendel State especially in Ekpoma and Abraka. Instead
they should devise other means of converting their politicking to votes in
ballot boxes in the March polls.
