“Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall” -Proverb 16:18
“Overconfidence paves the way for conspiracy” -SAT Ogunbowale
Sometimes in 1975, my English Literature teacher, the late Mr. SOT Ogunbowale admonish us students in the junior class of the need not to overate ourselves in our bid to show self-worth and our ability to overcome challenges by our own knowledge and power.
This brought about the above quotation.
Since then, it has come handy for me and a constant reminder to avoid self-confidence but to prepare for the unexpected even when you think you know it all.
It was both a moral code and ethical discipline.
Today, many years after you still witness personalities and young folks displaying unnecessary arrogance, self-confidence and growing bravado of self-importance, invincibility and uncontrolled anger.
All these traits portray an air of importance when faced with challenges to their actions.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the self- proclaimed modern-day leader of the Igbo and founder of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB- a non-state actor and movement that that has redefined self-determination struggle in Nigeria.
In its process of fighting for the right to secede her people from Nigeria it earned the tag of a terrorist organisation.
This is evidenced by the untold atrocities it has visited on the people it claimed to be fighting to liberate.
Since it came on board some ten years ago, IPOB has drove enough terror and fear into the mind of Igbo people of the South East political region such that, the movement with its weapon of violence and notoriety, has acclaimed and appropriate more power to itself than even the late Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu who led the 30-month bloody Biafra Civil War.
At the height of Kanu’s power and invincibility before his ego was reduced to nothing through a life sentence, last week, his word was Law. He drove fear and awe into the people he claimed to be fighting for both young and old.
Indeed, before Federal High Court Justice James Omotoso pronounced his judgement, he came to the conclusion that Kanu’s contempt, unruly behaviour and lack of respect and self-importance has reached a situation that has to be checked if society has to know peace.
Said he, “He is unruly, cocky and arrogant.”
This are behaviour such as uncommon to a suspect under trial.
The level of his audacity which earned one of his lawyers a slap in the court of law, portrayed his belief of his being above the law of the land.
Kanu’s disrespect for the system and state power, reflected in his declaration that “no judge will dare convict me.”
He believes through his attitude that he is above the state. It was a direct vindication of the way he has put the states of the South East region under his control through the lawless mob he has created in IPOB.
He not only overrated himself; he openly despised governors from his South region who he said dare not question his ‘authority’.
Since the commencement of his trial, Kanu’s contempt for the institution of the country reflected in his handling of his experienced lawyers who he threw under the bus opting to defend himself at a time he needed them most.
This attitude again, was a display of arrogance and self-importance which must have irked Omotoso who as the fourth judge to sit on Kanu’s trial had probably not encounter such an uncouth character throughout his near three decades sojourn on the bench.
Kanu displayed his arrogance and extreme self-importance with his decision not only to convert two of his lawyers to consultants but to defend himself even though no evidence that he ever graduated as a lawyer…he became Lord unto himself as he is lord to the ragtag mob of violent and unruly followership.
A followership in the South East region which had not only hijacked governance but made citizens observe Monday as work free day in the old eastern region with no authority to change his order.
For the people and elected government of the region, the fear of Kanu is the beginning of Wisdom.
Kanu’s strange behavior which had no parallel in the nation’s judicial history led him to also withdraw from defending himself after naively discharging his lawyers who must have experienced worst treatment from a client.
For the emotional and sentimental followers and supporters, Kanu is above the law. As a result, he practically handed Justice Omotosho blank cheque to convict him in spite of the latter’s patience and grace period extended to him to change his mind.
Kanu’s behaviour before the court of law is direct evidence of the way he has ran the IPOB and the consequent trail of blood and sorrow the region has gone through.
Ten years of the IPOB rule of the thumb in the SE without control by state actors has also inadvertently thrown out local investors from the region and also scare genuine foreign investors, an action which made SE GDP lowest in the country.
This is in spite of the known business acumen of a people who surrendered themselves to arbitrary rule by a violent group which has ultimately made the region ungovernable next to Norths Boko Haram.
Today, thousands of easterners have moved out of their conclave to seek refuge in other parts of the country due to one man’s ambition to establish himself as the alpha and Omega of his people.
The conviction of Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal High Court is a triumph of might over raw power by a violent group which practically portray the ugly side of Ndigbo and their inability to rein in themselves.
This is in spite of its failure of a better planned Biafran war and the social trust deficit the ethnic group had with the rest of Nigeria.
Kanu’s conviction on the seven -count charge five of which carried death penalty is a timely erasure and deflation of a bloated ego sustained over the years by the silence and culpability of state actors who secretly support and approve of Kanu’s mindless violence on the people he claimed to be fighting for.
It is a clear demonstration that the Nigerian state as presently constituted is bigger than any individual no matter how highly placed.
Short of portraying the ugly side of Ndigbo, new generation of Igbo youths who openly identified with Kanu’s violent rein on his people via his unruly and violent followers, have also succeeded in re- writing history of a people known for its resilience in enterprise, commerce and industry.
While, one is not unmindful of his chances in the appeal to the Court of Appeal, it is doubtful if the appellate court will not turn around to impose fresh and more daring sentence on him which the Supreme Court may further reined in since the offence for which he was convicted stipulates death penalty.
He should thank his stars that Justice Omotosho submitted himself to dictates of the Holy book as contained in Matthew 23:23 to tender Justice with mercy.
Since there is no fresh trial before both courts where presiding judges will only examine likely oversight and faults in the previous judgement, Kanu needs all the grace in this world to escape from the self-inflicted destruction he has put himself.
This is the ultimate price for ego, self-importance, pride and arrogance which are fault lines for self-destruction.
Since law is about facts, figures and not emotions, sentiments and stature, followers of the warlord are better advised to show remorse and knew that an end has come to their violent campaign which has claimed many lives and destroy the society they claim to represent.
Whatever a man sows so shall he reap.
This is time for sober reflection for all those who feels they are more important than the state.
Tunde Abatan is Publisher, newdawnngr.com [email protected]
