For the providential records on the meaning of the Odili Story

For the providential records on the meaning of the Odili Story

From providential historical analysis, a President of a nation is in the position of the parent of the nation. In a way, the President is like the Adam figure of the nation. The President is supposed to make the nation to be fruitful, to guide the nation to increase and multiply and to lead the nation to have dominion over all resources in the nation.
In the case of independent Nigeria, Tafawa Balewa and Nnamdi Azikiwe were in such a position first but were dethroned by the military, which began a new course toward a new Adam figure in 1979. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Musa YarÁdua became the forerunners who handed over in 1979 to Shehu Shagari and Alex Ekwueme in 1979 and they occupied a similar position of the nation’s Adam figure until they were dethroned by the military. As the military took over, they began a process of a search for a new Adam figure, which took place in 1999. When the military finally handed over in 1999, it was another opportunity to create a new national parent for the nation.

If we understand providential history carefully, we will realize that in 1979, OBJ and Shehu Musa YarÁdua who handed over to Shehu Shagari in 1979 were supposed to return back together as a pair again. Unfortunately, Shehu Musa YarÁdua died before 1999. Therefore, a new YarÁdua was needed and that was the foundation upon which Atiku Abubakar became the Vice President with OBJ as President. Together, they became the first pair of leaders to complete two tenures of civil rule in Nigeria and had two options before them. They were either to handover to another leader to lead the third tenure from 2007 or get the National Assembly to include three tenures in the constitution to allow them continue during the third tenure until 2011.

Unfortunately, OBJ and Atiku became divided against each other on this position of third tenure. While OBJ wanted third tenure, Atiku was against the third tenure and their partnership for national leadership ended in failure. Being the first VP to complete two tenures of civil rule in Nigeria, Atiku was best positioned to become the next President of the nation. Unfortunately, the division between OBJ and Atiku prevented the ascension of Atiku and OBJ sought to replace him even as VP. Therefore, the partnership of leadership between OBJ and Atiku ended in failure and the nation has no choice than to seek for a replacement. This is the reason for the hurried efforts to get someone handover to as the constitution did not allow OBJ and Atiku to remain in office beyond May 29, 2007.

Inevitably, the failure of the inclusion in the constitution of the third tenure provided the option of bringing a new Presidential and VP candidates. As stated earlier, Atiku emerged on the foundation of Shehu Musa YarÁdua and since he failed in relationship with OBJ, Umaru Musa YarÄdua became the internal viable alternative, despite his external challenges of health and period of preparation.

I watched the discussion today on AIT about the Odili story and the sentiments expressed showed the feeling that Odili should have been made the Presidential candidate, in view of the general outlook of his work at that time. The discussion on the Odili story also showed that he expected to have been made the Vice Presidential candidate and would have become President, which implies that he should have been the President today. From an external understanding, this is the way it should but issues of emergence of national leadership goes beyond external understanding.
The internal perspective should not be ignored. Just as Atiku did not emerge because he was the best across the country, but for the internal representation of the YarÁdua family leadership with OBJ, we should not fail to realize that national leadership does not depend on external abilities only. So, even though Odili was externally more qualified the internal dimension of history did not favor him. As rightly stated in the discussion, he was disqualified for being in support of the killing of the third tenure, the very reason that Atiku lost out for

On the issue of the VP candidate to partner with Umaru Musa YarÄdua, it can be best understood from understanding the principle of restoration. When Adam fails in his position and responsibility, the providence is divided into a Cain camp and an Abel camp, with the Cain group with more external ability and the Abel camp more internally favored. The VP position was zoned to the South South zone. For this reason, Dr Odili expected to be selected as VP. Unfortunately, the providence of restoration is guided by a fundamental principle of Cain and Abel position. Within the South South zone, Cross River, Rivers and Edo States were in the providential position of elder states or Cain-like states. In the same way, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta States were the younger states and in the providential positions of Abel-like states.

So, when Adam fails, the providence shifts to Abel and not Cain. So, it does not fit into the principle of restoration, in attempting to lay a foundation for national salvation that the elder Governor Odili should have emerged as VP to YarÄdua. Rather, the younger Governor Jonathan was better positioned. In terms of providential positions, Dr. Odili is in an elder brother position or Cain, while Dr. Jonathan is in the younger brother position of Abel. Therefore, the political future of Dr Odili does not lie so much in harboring the ill-feelings of having been cheated for his younger brother Goodluck Jonathan but in seeking to unite, support and guide his younger brother who has been favored by the providence to become the VP and now President. If this is not understood, the story of Cain and Abel will replay itself between Odili and Jonathan from the new epistle of Odili.

A similar mistake was made by Atiku when OBJ handed over to Umaru YarÁdua in 2007. Within the YarÁdua GDM group, Atiku was in an elder brother position to Umaru YarÄdua who was in the younger brother position. If Atiku had completely united with and supported his favored younger brother, Umaru, the challenges that emerged in 2007 - 2011 dispensation would have been overcome or the argument of who should inherit the second tenure of YarÁdua would have been obvious. At the moment of death of Umaru M. YarÁdua, Atiku as former VP and Jonathan as then present VP were again placed in the position of elder VP and younger VP with the younger more supportive to the late President than the elder VP. For this reason, Jonathan could win the 2011 ticket over Atiku.

I understand very deeply that one of the expected outcomes of the recently launched Odili story is to draw some deserved sympathy to the ill-treatment of Odili and to see what that can play into by the 2015 - 2019 dispensation. However, from the providential perspective, elder Odili needs the unity of his younger brother Jonathan than building public sympathy. What is needed to establish the foundation for effective national leadership 2015 for national salvation is not the present struggle of those in the positions of Cain (elder) with those in the favored position of Abel (younger) but a harmony of relationship by both sides.

Humility on the winning side is needed while forgiveness on the losing side is important. The Jonathan group need to be humble, focused on the central goal of national transformation and not to persecute the opposition and the likes of Odili and many others that have emerged and will be emerging at this time. The winners should win the heart of the losers and the losers should learn the way of winning from the winners. I believe that if we really desire for a prosperous nation for all from 2015, the story of Odili should rather unite Odili and GEJ than divide them more. The story should bring CRS/AKS together, RVS/BYS and EDS/DTS together and for them to create a unified region that remains central in the new providence of restoration of the nation.