Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi shocked the nation by suspending 87 aides for frivolous reasons. This op-ed dissects his action, questions Nigeria’s culture of unchecked power, and warns against leaders turning governance into personal affairs.
Of course, it’s stale news now that Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has finally climbed down from his high horse and recalled his 87 aides, including Permanent Secretaries, all of whom he suspended in one fell swoop.
I waited this long before thanking the Governor for his magnanimity, just to see if any of the forgiven aides would be courageous enough to throw the job back at him. That would have been the story. But none did.
So, this is to, on their behalf, in case they forgot to do so, thank the Governor and welcome them back to their idle offices.
What Really Happened?
The Governor woke up one morning and, in one fell swoop, suspended all 87 top government officials for one month. They included 25 Commissioners, 14 Senior Special Assistants, 24 Special Assistants, and 22 Permanent Secretaries.
Ten days later, however, he realized how bizarre his action was and recalled them. Their recall followed the same autocratic manner as the day they were suspended. He ordered them to resume work immediately.
“Fear is not the same as respect.”
I followed up on the story to see if any of the suspended aides had enough self-esteem to resign from office. I half-expected a couple of the political appointees, you know, Commissioners, not the Permanent Secretaries, to leave Nwifuru’s job for him.
Sadly, none of them did. They simply swallowed his insult, went back to their jobs, and, perhaps, even went to him to say: “Thank you, Your Excellency, for your magnanimity.” Since then, nobody has heard any “pim” from any of them. They must need the job so badly to endure that humiliation. Country hard.
The Two Versions of the Story
So, what was their offence? What angered the Governor so much that he would send 87 aides on suspension?
There are two versions. The popular version and the government version.
The popular version alleged that the 87 of them were suspended because they were absent from the birthday ceremony and thanksgiving service in honour of the Governor’s six-year-old daughter, the last child of Ebonyi’s First Family. The Governor was present. So, how dared his aides, his subjects, his subordinates, stay away from such an important state function? For that, they were slammed with suspension.
The official government story, however, was different. According to a statement by the Governor’s media aide, the 87 were sanctioned for not attending “a major government function.”
“If he could run his government without 87 aides, why waste money to keep them?”
What was the event? A basic sports competition put together by the State’s Universal Basic Education Board, UBEB.
He explained: “The Governor was away and had to instruct his Deputy to represent him at the grand finale of the Basic School Sports Competition organized by the Universal Basic Education Board, UBEB. However, most of the Commissioners and appointees failed to attend. So, when the Governor learnt about it, he had to act as this was not the first time such a thing would be happening.”
I may be wrong. But I don’t believe the government’s story.
Governors as Emperors
It is not just Nwifuru. A number of State Governors think they are tin gods. Emperors. Their aides mean nothing to them. Before them, aides are like rags used to wipe floors.
It is difficult for aides to talk to them. Some hardly have access. Some either bend double, squat, or kneel when speaking to their principals. Governors mistake this for respect. But it is not respect. It is fear. And fear is not the same as respect.
Once some of them become Governors, their personal affairs become state affairs. They begin to celebrate things they never celebrated before. Their birthdays suddenly become state events. Memorial services for long-dead parents are turned into public spectacles.
One former South-East Governor had the habit of shutting down his state for days to celebrate his birthday. On the final day, each local government delivered a cake to him. It was obscene.
Another shut down his state for over a week for his mother’s funeral ceremonies. Yet another turned his airport arrival after a court victory into a carnival, with hundreds of buses, masquerades, associations, and market women flooding the airport tarmac.
What the Suspension Really Shows
Even if we believe the Governor’s story—that the aides failed to attend a school sports competition—what does that reveal?
First, it shows that the aides are idle. They are being paid for doing very little. After all, for the days they were suspended, the government did not collapse.
“Don’t let your story as Governor be remembered as a joke.”
Second, it shows that the Governor has too many aides than required. It also shows that he runs government like a personal business, shutting down activities at will. In a proper democracy, such abuse of power could even qualify as an impeachment offence.
If the State had an active House of Assembly, accountable to the people and not to the Governor, perhaps Nwifuru would have thought twice. But that is our lot. No checks, no balances. Anything goes.
This is why a Governor can brag: “I have achieved more in eight months than my predecessor did in eight years.” It is why Ganduje could bar Kwankwaso from visiting Kano. It is why two former Governors could debate on television about whose Rolls Royce was “more decently acquired.” It is why conspiracy theories about Mossad assassinations in Nigeria can be aired without question.
And that is why Nwifuru could suspend 87 officials for not attending a birthday party or football match—and none of them dared to resign.
So, Mr Governor, an unsolicited advice: Don’t let your story be remembered for arrogance. Don’t let it be about the suspension of 87 aides over your daughter’s birthday or a local sports event. That’s absurd. Honest.
The opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily align with the views of JolibaLive News! or any of its staff members. The author is in no way associated with this online news blog.
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