By Ezeka Adiugwu
In her famous TED Talk, the celebrated Nigerian novelist and global icon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, eloquently spoke about the danger of a single story. She emphasized the need to reflect on the many perspectives of a story outside the main, received or official narrative or personal view. Her Half of a Yellow Sun, a novel based on the Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970, represents the other side of the story of the civil war, probably from a feminist perspective of the war.
Therefore, the title of this article is an allusion to Adichie’s vision which encapsulates portraying the many perspectives or sides of a story so that one will not be guilty of being myopic or guilty of over-generalization. Broadening the scope of any story enables the readers to understand all aspects of the story which can lead to a better understanding of the issue at stake. One side of a story will only manifest incompleteness, subjectivity and therefore devoid of objectivity.
The recent change of leadership in the nation’s secret security architecture, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) elicited diverse reactions both within and outside the service. Ordinarily, nobody should quarrel with those reactions if they are reflective of the historical reality and facts on the ground. However, the reported reaction within the DSS of exuberant celebration following the exit of Magaji Yusuf Bichi, the immediate head of the agency and blurring of his records of achievement, is troubling, uncharitable and unbecoming to say the least.
Although some of the celebratory videos have been dismissed as old ones, the reported hilarious mood and celebration within the agency to impugn the former head is not tidy. Those engaged in painting Bichi’s tenure in the agency as that of a villain is divisive and unacceptable considering his sterling performance and achievements. There is no doubt that Bichi reformed the agency and repositioned it to what it is today in spite of some challenges. Like all human beings, Bichi does not lay claim to being perfect. He has his faults. He has his strengths and weaknesses. All of us have flaws as well.
Despite his flaws, there are so many redeeming features of Bichi as the boss of the DSS. He must have distinguished himself before being appointed to head the agency in the first place. So, why vilifying him now that he has left the service? While some people are busy counting his faults, they should as well spare a thought on his good attributes and the good things he did while in the agency and for the country. That is how to reflect all the sides to a story. Any selective narrative on any issue is bound to be biased, malicious and full of stereotypes.
In As You like It, the English bard, William Shakespeare dramatizes the transience and impermanence of life when he intoned through one of his characters that “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances…” The immortal words from Shakespeare remind us that nothing in this life will last forever. It is also a cautionary tale against excesses of life. It is true that Bichi has exited the agency. At the same time, we can say of him that he came, he saw and he conquered. He has finished his race in the agency and left the baton for those following him. One day, they too will exit. It is like the ‘going and coming’ cycle of life ‘that goes on forever’ as captured by Nigerian and Africa’s most celebrated poet, the late Christopher Okigbo in Elegy for Alto.
Whether it is in the civil service or in the security service, the transitoriness, shortness and impermanence of any job cannot be wished away. It is therefore not good for some people to jubilate because a former boss has taken his exit. Instead of celebrating and casting aspersions on his leadership, those embarking in the needless rewriting of history should reflect on his tenure and give him some kudos and even praises for those things he did very well such as training, promotion, welfare and other ‘small small’ things which space may not contain here. We must learn to celebrate and appreciate people we have worked with whether they are bossy or not. We shall treat and regard them as our mentors. One way or the other, they have influenced our career and life.
Let’s be short in condemnations but be willing to say good things of others. Remember that the measure we give will be the measure we shall get. When the history of the agency will be written, there is no doubt that the chroniclers will be fair to Bichi and give him a fair assessment. Without mincing words, his name will be written in gold considering his remarkable achievements in the agency.
There is no denying the fact that the DSS under Bichi was proactive in alerting the nation of looming security breaches and taking prompt actions to avert some of them. He was a diligent and patriotic officer. His nationalism cannot be denied. Like I said before, the agency under him has its challenges. But he squarely confronted them. He administered the agency with honour and accountability. Even his enemies will admit this. If they cannot do so in public, they can as well do so in private. One thing about life and position is that truth is immutable. No amount of falsehood will eclipse the truth. In other words, truth can neither be suppressed nor killed. It will live forever. No amount of smear campaign will invalidate truth. In our local parlance, we say that no condition is permanent. And whatever goes round must come round.
While it is common in this part of the world to celebrate new people at the helm of affairs and adulate them for their high qualities, we should avoid using the occasion to castigate others before them. Let us be fair to the old and the new person in charge. Doing so will be for the good of the agency, which is an important arm of the nation’s security architecture. Our men and women who served in these agencies and distinguished themselves creditably well ought to be fully celebrated, especially when they leave the service. There should be no room for antagonism. There should be no campaign of calumny or vendetta.
The new man in the saddle, Adeola Ajayi, should take the agency beyond where Bichi left it. There is need for continuity of the programmes initiated by Bichi. The new man is taking over at a time of daunting security challenges. Let the personnel of the agency help him to strengthen the agency the more. In everything we do or say, let’s always be fair to others.
• Adiugwu writes from Abuja
