Starting from 12.30 pm on Saturday, November 26, 2016 in the African Hall of the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, the autobiography of the acclaimed political godfather, Chief Anthony Akhakon Anenih, simply titled: “My Life and Nigerian Politics” will be presented to the public on an occasion that has been deliberately organised to reflect the mood of the times. However, regardless of this deliberateness, the caliber of guests that have been carefully invited has, undoubtedly, elevated the essence of the event: to celebrate the life and times of the political icon; and, perhaps, his expected withdrawal from active partisan politics.
Therefore, while the Planning Committee of the event may have succeeded in solemnising its atmospherics and nuances, the gravitas associated with the personas of some distinguished Nigerians who would be present at the event may have, to some extent, spun it out of control in terms of the intended air of sobriety, which the celebrant desires. And, this should be understandable when one considers the compact, yet impressive list of invitees. Nevertheless, the event would not come near his 80th birthday held three years ago, at the same venue, with pomp and ceremony, yes, with grandeur.
But, I sincerely doubt if anybody can do much about discounting, on occasions such as this one, the presence of the like of former head of state, General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar who would chair the ceremony; former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan who is a special guest; former defence minister and foremost philanthropist, Lt. General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma who is the Chief Presenter of the book; the president of Dangote group and Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; chairman of Globacom, Otunba Mike Adenuga; and former vice president, Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo, among others, who are special guests. Only their presence would serve to electrify any gathering. That is the truth.
Nothing can also diminish the status of Anenih who is the central focus of the event, not even the planned low-key nature of it. The fact that he has decided to put, in the public domain, pieces of information about his participation in politics and government, which he has documented for posterity, helps to accentuate his relevance and the seriousness of the event. He created for himself a reputation as a taciturn politician, a man of few words but remarkable actions and practicability, such that he came to be widely regarded as “Mr. Fix It”. It is therefore expected that watchers of the political scene should enthusiastically relate with his opening up on events and developments that have shaped his individuality in the last thirty eight years in order, perhaps, to fill in some gaps, confirm what they have already known or get introduced to new facts.
By opening up at this time, as a godfather of sorts, since political friends and foes are wont to refer to him as such, Anenih has purportedly broken his own silence code. That he has resorted to documenting the story of his participation in government and party administration is evidence of this. He has been very reserved, neither granting press interviews nor taking to the public space to ventilate his positions. But, then, Anenih, political strategist and tactician, is just a good father (read godfather) of political interactions, whose passion is to reward loyalty and spurn disloyalty; and this he has done creditably.
Therefore, Anenih’s autobiography, from the snippets ferreted, thus far, from it, is unapologetically and truthfully presented in a lucid prose to sustain attention of readers who are desirous to catch up with some new information concerning the intrigues that underpinned, for instance, the June 12, 1993 presidential election debacle. He was the national chairman of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) on which platform, the late business mogul and presidential candidate of the party, the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola won the June 12 presidential poll. He is, at all material times, well placed to talk about what happened: how Abiola won the election; how the announcement of the results of the poll was halted midway and the unofficial final result which saw Abiola win the election was annulled by the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida; and how General Sani Abacha (now late), who was Defence Secretary in the Chief Ernest Shonekan led-Interim National Government, sacked Shonekan purportedly on the prompting of Abiola and appropriated power rather than relinquish it to Abiola.
How and why did Abacha get to sack Shonekan? What role did Abiola play in the overthrow? There are so many other questions, which, as learnt, are answered in the book. There are also many other issues that the narrative, which traverses the entirety of Anenih’s life and times, deals with. Members of the public, especially the politically-oriented, should consider reading the rich account of the life and politics of a man of few words through his singular book.
Written by Sufuyan Ojeifo, Editor-in-Chief of The Congresswatch magazine.
