The philosophical debate about freedom and determinism isn’t new. But there’s a near universal acceptance that man (meaning the human person) is, to some extent, free and capable of making choices. A necessary corollary of this agency is the responsibility that goes with the choice(s) made. A free action comes with responsibility; the willingness to bear losses and enjoy gains for such agency. Denial of responsibility means there is no agency and the person involved is rather a victim. A victim bears or accepts no responsibility.
However, history has shown that while man is all too willing accept the gains of his/her action, s/he is unwilling to equally accept losses. The history of humanity is the history of attempts to shuffle off, displace, delegate or otherwise vicariously attribute responsibility to others aside the one with the agency. Abrose Bierce, the American satirical writer, saw this clearly when he defined responsibility in his book “The Devil’s Dictionary (1911), as “a detachable burden easily shifted to the shoulders of God, fate, fortune, luck or one’s neighbour. In the days of astrology it was customary to unload it upon a star”.
This ironic definition, we can be sure, is not far off the mark and reflects the human condition. But while other societies have made progress in getting people and most importantly, leaders to accept responsibility for their actions, in Nigeria, we continue to blame others and external forces for the results of our actions. This is also the hallmark of leadership in Nigeria. It is not uncommon to see our leaders trying to take the glory for anything positive that happens under their watch while refusing to accept responsibility for any failings.
Just one example will do: those who have read former president Obasanjo’s memoirs – My Watch – will at one notice Obasanjo’s penchant for wanting to take all the glory for all the achievements under his administration. However, the same Obasanjo bluntly refuses to accept responsibility for his actions, which, in hindsight, have proved disastrous. He will blame and eviscerate every other person – from his vice president, to his ministers, state governors, heads of agencies and the common man on the street – but refuse to accept any blame for his bad choices or outcomes of his choices. Let me cite two examples.
We were all witnesses to how Obasanjo drafted a clearly sick and unwilling Yar’adua to run for president even when it was clear to discerning minds that Yar’adua was medically unfit to run for the office. It even showed during the campaigns when he was evacuated to Germany for treatment and Obasanjo had to take over the campaign himself. We saw the outcome of Obasanjo’s choice. The country was almost torn apart by the crisis of the ill health of Yar’adua. But the wily old man still refused to accept any responsibility for his choice arguing that Yar’adua presented him a medical report which certified that he was healthy and fit to run for president. But what happened to Obasanjo’s eyes? Even I could clearly see the man was sick!
What about the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as Yar’adua’s deputy and later acting president, president, and elected president? All bore Obasanjo’s imprimatur. But while accepting the praises for these, he equally failed to accept blame for choosing someone with a weak moral fibre and without leadership exposure to govern a complex country like Nigeria. No wonder Wole Soyinka said Obasanjo could possibly have mistaken the Christian exhortation – “Watch and Pray” for his private inclination to “Watch and Prey” on others’ achievements, their names, characters, motivations, lives, and facts just to appear as the only just man in town. Enough of Obasanjo!
This piece is motivated by current happenings in the polity where it is claimed some shadowy figures in the presidency are trying to prevent acting president Osinbajo from fully taking charge of the country in the absence of his boss. In the letter to the Senate, the ailing president said vice president Osinbajo will “co-ordinate” the affairs of government instead of “act” as president. To begin with, the exact wording makes no difference. What is important is that the president has complied with the requirements of the constitution and we automatically have an acting president.
However, I take exception to attempts by most analysts to excuse the president for the incorrect wording of the letter and rather blame shadowy figures or the cabal in the presidency just because the president is ill. This is wrong. It helps to lower the bar of expectation on leaders and encourage impunity or the exercise of power without responsibility. President Buhari is not a victim. He has agency. The letter not only contained his signature, but was also sent through official channels. A president who is so ill as not to be able to write a paragraph or two really has no businesses conducting the affairs of government. He should have long handed over and gone for treatment. Besides, the so-called shadowy figures or cabal were not foisted on him. He willingly appointed them and can fire them if they step out of line. Therefore, to present the president as a victim of the machinations of the cabal around him is to deny him agency and make him a helpless victim, which he clearly is not.
Government accountability in Nigeria is already very poor. I think we should do more to enforce accountability and demand that leaders accept responsibility for their actions. We must not be seen to be excusing the actions and inactions of leaders. The situation is bad enough. Let us not make it worse.
Christopher Akor
