By Dave Baro-Thomas

It was 32 years ago that General Ibrahim Babangida, the flamboyant and self-styled military president, hurriedly relocated the seat of power from Dodan Barracks Lagos to Aso Rock Abuja, after the failed coup staged by Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar in April 1990.

Though Aso Rock was a more befitting edifice as seat of power, however, Nigeria has never been the same ever since.

Yes, the country had suffered inexplicable leadership misfortunes before General Babangida, but moving to Aso Rock opened yet new chapters of woes unfolding in torrents and confirming the claims of Mr Rueben Abati (one-time special adviser to President Jonathan) that evil spirits rule the Villa.

Incontrovertibly, the quality of leadership from the Aso Rock Villa leaves one speechless. It appears the extraterrestrial always imposes its evil agenda on mortals who trudge that corridor of power such that one of the progenitors of leadership in the Villa was famed as the EVIL GENIUS.

Starting from the evil genius himself, General Babangida paints a picture of a smart, intelligent, renowned coup maestro and accomplished military strategist with tentacles and boys spreading across the nation, even amongst the civilian population. From a well-crafted transitional programme to return the country to civil rule, he ended up being  the undertaker of the widely adjudged  freest and fairest election ever, which ultimately culminated in the incarceration and death of the presumed winner, Chief MKO Abiola, in the draconian rule of the dark goggled-eyed, Gen Sani Abacha.

Indeed, the mysteries and godless interplay of the spirits seem feverishly peaked, or why would Gen Babangida annul the June 12 election and slide into national disrepute at the verge of what would have enshrined him as a national hero with a cult following? The spirits in Aso Rock made men mad!

While trying to recover from that whirlwind democracy misadventure, Gen Sani Abacha elevated the madness to a crescendo. He did not only commune with the spirits but assumed their roles and unleashed terror on the political class, and for the first-time, merciless snippers, the infamous Strike Force and Presidential Guard overran the country, yet Reuben Abati stands disparaged when he declared that Aso Rock Villa needs spiritual cleansing.

Abacha went down in history as one of the most notorious and ruthless military despots with insatiable kleptomaniac prowess second to none. The country is still gathering Abacha’s loot from around the world to date.

Sadly, the self-professed born again, former Military General and Head of State, Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo, who should know better having miraculously escaped the death row of General Abacha, had deep conversations with the spirits in the Villa who announced his messianic roles and only a third term in office will confer on him the father of the nation status. Otherwise, what business had Olusegun Obasanjo with a third term agenda, even when he had denied it, but the footprints were unmistakable. If you doubt me, ask Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his former Vice or the former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani. 

Probably the spirits hindered President Musa Yar’dua from serving out his tenure as the cold hands of infirmities seized him barely two years after he assumed office. Again, as Rueben Abati stated, Mr Death lurks around the Villa menacingly and is ready to devour like it did the wife of Obasanjo.

For me, the story of Goodluck Jonathan was a sad tale. The spirits were so trickery that they made almost the whole nation, call Mr President clueless, despite having a doctorate in his kitty. The gods went mad in this instance, as massive treachery within, opposition venom, and international community complicities booted out an incumbent president for the first time through the ballot in Nigeria. These spirits are not small boys in the realm.

If you think you have heard tales about the wonders of the spirits that rule Aso Rock, then the eight years of President Buhari will send chills down your spine. The anti-corruption  czar, Mr Integrity and the custodian of national pride in terms of discipline arising from his first coming at Dodan Barracks, Lagos seemed to have a brutal encounter with the spirits in the Aso Rock in his second coming.

In the words of respected and revered Bishop Kukah, the Buhari administration turned out the most corrupt since the turn of this democratic dispensation, and on top of that, the regime was branded the most divisive along ethnic and religious lines in our history as a people.

So, here we are at last, wondering what is the ongoing conversation between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his men and the spirits in Aso Rock Villa. So far, it appears it is a mixed grill. It seems the fangs of the Spirits are beginning to set in but with steady and visible resistance from the power that be.

Otherwise, why would a NADECO Tinubu supervise the hounding of Mr Godwin Emefiele by the DSS after what he, Tinubu suffered in those dark days? Why is so much energy being dissipated on this Emefiele man such that the fundamental tenants of democracy – the rule of law, are transgressed under our supposed champion of democracy and hero against the dare-deviled Abacha junta?

Yes, Nigerians demand accountability from the poorly executed Naira redesign policy foisted on us by Mr Emefiele under the direct supervision of Mr Buhari, but should this be outside the precinct of decency, decorum and the rule of law? Flaunting court orders and the bravado of a re-arrest against the pronouncement of a competent court of law is not what one will want to associate with Mr Tinubu. Haba, not him, except the gods are beginning to lay their cold hands over his mind.

True, Emefiele would have resigned under Buhari but show me one Nigerian that would have done the same under that cabal-driven government and not regretted the day he was born. How come Mr Emefiele has become the fall guy or scapegoat for the sins of the Buhari administration? With accusations and counter-accusations of painted aircraft, billions of naira freighted away, oil subsidy scams, crude oil theft running into billions, and refineries enmeshed in corruption, yet the best we get is people tearing their shirts on national television about who will keep the bible clinging Emefiele? By the way, at what point do we separate the man and the orders he carried out from the commander-in-chief? Indeed, this Emefiele must die, but how convenient it is to hit the weakest.

If Mr Emefiele has committed any verifiable crime, he should face the music, but to disobey court orders under the watch of this President, a Democrat and one touted as the most prepared politician ever to vie for the highest office, smacks of tact and maybe another case of the evil spirits in Aso Rock doing what they know how to do best. Else how come the Presidency recently appointed investigators on the matter after the show of shame? These spirits are African brands!

It is time for deeper reflection and elevating the economy from the ruins inherited from Mr Buhari. While we commend the President on his recent broadcast, translating these ideals and blueprint into concrete socio-economic fortunes requires eagle-eyed concentration and avoiding such frivolities and charades the Emefiele witch hunt brings.

May the evil spirits lurking around Aso Rock Villa allow Mr President some respite, since it is too early in the day for executive rascality because the land mourns and groans in pain, poverty and penury, gradually replicating same consequences that puts Emefiele in this mess at the first place.

*Baro-Thomas wrote in Abuja