File photograph of the late Chief Mbazulike Amechi
By Tony Adibe
As Nigeria prepares for the next year’s elections, a nationalist, and First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amechi has reminded Nigerians that part of the country’s main problems over the years is lack of proper political ideology among politicians and their parties.
In an exclusive interview with this writer at his country-home, Ukpor-Nnewi, Anambra State not quite long before his recent demise, Chief Amechi recalled how, the first President of Nigeria, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe founded the Nigeria School of Ideology, Yaba, Lagos where young Nigerian politicians and those of other African countries were well-tutored on the need for political ideology which guided their politics at the time.
He re-emphasised that the obvious lack of political ideology was one of the key problems most politicians of these days have, arguing that it has made some of them blind to the existing political realities hence they seem unmindful of even not doing the right things.
Chief Amechi said: “No. No. It doesn’t exist now. There’s no ideology in Nigeria politics now. What we have now is politics of Naira. And there’s no democracy; what we have is kleptocracy…that is what is practiced in Nigeria now. No more ideology; you see people elected on the platform of a party, and tomorrow, they cross over to the next political party because there’s nothing like ideology in this country.”
He recalled that a good number of politicians from Kenya, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, South Africa, and the other countries within Southern Africa region benefited from the now defunct Nigeria School of Ideology.
He regretted that the incursion of the military into Nigera’s politics and the subsequent civil war contributed to the end of the school of ideology, hence “latter day politicians lack ideology and could change parties as they change their clothes within a short time without minding the implication.”
Amechi, now in his 90s, who was fondly called “The Boy is Good” during his hay days in politics, said: “It was when Kola Balogun was the National Secretary of the National Council of Nigeria Citizens (NCNC) and…was the chairman of the NCNC Youth Association and there was struggle for independence in Northern Rhodesia , Southern Rhodesia, South Africa, and the other countries in Southern Africa.
“So, the NCNC led by Zik built a school where young politicians were trained in political ideology and political history; these other countries were allowed to send their young ones to this place, Nigeria. Jomo Kenyata from Kenya was a product of the school. As a matter of fact, the former President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, was one those whose fathers passed through the Nigeria School of Ideology.
“Even when they got their independence, we were still helping them; I still remember that we were still sending lawyers to be appointed magistrates to them. John Emehelu my friend from Enugu was appointed a magistrate in Malawi. So, we helped these countries to grow but I don’t think we’re still doing that.”
Asked if Nigeria will get back to the golden era of her politics? The nonagenarian said it might not be exactly “back to our golden era but certainly this country has to go back to the practice of true democracy, or it will break up.”
He quickly added: “It may happen sooner or later because what is happening now cannot continue for long; where the wealth of the country is being plundered just by a small group of people and the masses of the country are suffering; the poor getting poorer and poorer while the rich is getting richer and richer. No. It can’t continue… yet a revolution may not be possible because the country is too big, but it won’t be a peaceful thing. It won’t be a peaceful thing at all.”
