Professor Wole Soyinka has used the term "Indirect Military Rule" to describe the attempt by Nigerian former military rulers to recycle themselves in power. At least three retired generals are strongly contesting to replace the present general-president, Olusegun Obasanjo.
Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Mohammadu Buhari and Buba Marwa are among the strongest bidders for the nation's top job, although the fortunes of Babangida have been steadily declining because past misdeeds are suddenly confronting him.
The Nobel Laureate lambasted former military heads of state seeking political power and said their forceful take over of government was an immoral and sufficient ground to keep them out of the nation’s political leadership.
Soyinka, who spoke in Lagos after a meeting of the General Assembly of the Pro-National Conference Organization (PRONACO), said the desire of the former military rulers to return to the saddle amounted to indirect military rule, which he said must be rejected by Nigerians.
He, however, explained that his criticism of the ex-generals' ambitions did not amount to denying them their rights to be part of the democratic process, contending that having been part of illegal regimes in the past their ought to some form of punishment for them.
The famous playwright urged Nigerians to develop every wing of resistance to the return of the khaki men, insisting that Nigerians were mature enough to oppose the return of military dictators.
He said: "I have said this over and over again that this will lead to mufti militocracy. Military people who want to get to political positions through guns should not be allowed. I'm appealing to Nigerian people not to look into the direction of military people who found their way to power through the gun and who misused their power almost without exception.
According to him, "Nigerians should be able to say that we are mature people and we don't need to be ruled either directly or indirectly by the gun. I have enormous respect for the profession of soldiers. How then can I eliminate the military entirely because they wore uniforms that therefore they are not entitled to all rights, privileges and responsibilities of a citizen?
“I will never say that. No. But I am talking about those who I believe have disqualified themselves by ruling through the power of the gun. So, I think there should be a distinction between the soldier whether he was a general or a corporal who held office by unfair advantage of shooting."
Soyinka examined the recent face-off between the wife of late Gen. Mamman Vatsa, Sefiya, saying the development had only provided Nigerians with another opportunity to revisit the records of former military President Ibrahim Babangida while in office.
This he said had become compelling because of the perceived disrespect of the Babangida for human lives. "It is very direct. It is another opportunity for us as an entire nation to examine the records of this militrician who does not have respect for human life," he stated. He reviewed the state of the nation and said recurrent cases of political killings; violence and hostage taking in the Niger Delta among others were indications that Nigerians had lost total confidence in the government.
According to him, it is regrettable that despite this loss of confidence, the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo has not given up the move to elongate its stay in office beyond 2007.
He further argued that the volatile nature of Ekiti State and the harassment of people by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) even in court premises attested to the general disregard for the rights of Nigerians by the government.
Soyinka said: "The political situation in the country is very volatile. The Niger Delta is on fire. Kidnap and assassination all mean increasing loss of confidence in the government. Even till today, people are still talking about the 'plan B' of the third term agenda, which has not been surrendered.
"Talking about the plan B, I believe people should be at alert and I think those signals are clear. Generally, the situation in Ekiti, Plateau, Kaduna and everywhere are signals. EFCC is chasing people into the court premises carrying files."
