ABACHA: NIGERIA, WHERE IS MY MONEY?

During Shonekan’s reign as Nigeria’s handpicked president, General Sani Abacha was put in power to help shepherd the government through its tumult as the Minister of Defense, only for him to take it for himself. Well, he was involved in all military coup in Nigeria, making his fight for power come not a surprise to anyone who is familiar with the chain of events surrounding the Nigerian leadership debacle.

Maybe because he is celebrated as the first Nigerian army officer to have never skipped a rank to reach the rank of General. Babangida may never have envisage him plotting another fight for power as though been his trusted kinsman.

Nigerians cried of hunger, freedom to life, unemployment and the likes instead he (Abacha) became a tyrant, looting anything he can for his own. As bad as it seems, his death was celebrated not as a martyr but as the Nemesis that finally saw its end.

Obasanjo took to power in 1998 after the death of Abacha, and was recorded that Abacha had looted up to 5 billion euros. That money alone is said to be able to create a new country of its own with sustainable economy for years. Nigeria, then began the aufgabe of collecting back all her stolen funds which in 2002 while Obasanjo was in power collected 1.2 billion dollars through the help of the American government and were said to have been diverted into many governmental project like the Federal capital projects, road construction projects, and some other projects in other states.

Over the years, most looted funds of the late General Sani Abacha has been returned by the World Bank, American government, Swiss Bank accumulated to over an exponential amount and yet the economy is falling with the amount of money generated even though via shameful act of one, would have been a very sustainable income for the treasury, subsidies and other necessities for the country to keep the lights on.

Nigeria economy is in its lowest downturn of all time with unemployment on the rise and low revenue from the oil produce which Nigeria has turn into its primary source of funds from foreign market, the palm and grain produce are not competitive enough. And this lead to beg the question, what has the government been doing with the generated funds? Are all money gathered from Abacha’s theft spent wisely or turn into another man’s loot. Has Nigeria turn into that state that everyone thinks of what to take and not how to make a long lasting legacy for the future generation to follow.

I can proudly say that virtually all the leaders that came into power did not do what they set out to do. Even our founding fathers lost it when they took control of our great nation. After coming in contact with power, most of the founding fathers succumb to nepotism, corruption, bad bill implementation, just to make sure the future of their own children and not the nations’ is secured.

God help us all in our dealings, when most of the youths if asked ‘what they intend doing when or if they get into power?’ their response will shock you as most of them will say “Take as much funds they can while in power” or “make sure to rule all distribution of funds to be of their benefits even if it’ll hurt the less privilege.’

During my research, i gathered that Abacha’s looted funds have a committee that takes care of its distribution but it is not specific as to the who and what entails in distributing the funds, keeping the funds and or if in place accumulate the funds.

Since the demise of Abacha, we’ve had lost of change in power and yet is worse than when the tyrant ruled over us. Every incoming government talks about the mess, debts incurred and other problems by the previous government, the previous government plan to solve the problems if in motion may be pushed aside by the new government making all the funds, efforts in place a waste.

I for one knows that Abacha himself will be inclined to ask those who are antagonizing him where are the funds he was said to have stolen as its non-existence makes him a better person than those leaving to steal from stolen money..

Credit: Osho Olamilekan