'The Judge's Sacred Burden' By Adesina Ogunlana

THE LEARNED SQUIB

THE JUDGE’S SACRED BURDEN

“Omi n be larin obinrin
omi wa ni raja
omi wa no rogo
omi tun wa lagbedemeji ara won
omi, omi,
omi ti baba mu
ti o gbodo f’omo e mu
aani; Sola mama de be
hun o bu tire fun o
omi”
Ligali Mukaiba
(A popular Nigerian Apala music exponent)

“women have brooks
in their loft, the brooks
in their crook, the brooks
also in their midsections, the brooks
the brooks (so sweet and sacred)
that the father cannot share with his son
rather, he forbids, saying:
my son, don’t even get near there
I’ll fetch yours for you.”

Most literate Nigerians have heard or read about the very serious allegations levelled against former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Horrible allegations - that he not without his will, bedded, a woman outside his command, when the woman in question happens to be the lawfully wedded wife of his (Obasanjo) son, Gbenga. The ‘alleger’ is none other than Gbenga who further declared that prior to his wife’s despoilation by his father, the woman’s very father a certain Otunba, had ploughed her severally in the past. To this shocking disclosure, Chief, the General Olusegun Obasanjo has kept quiet, very quiet. In other turbulent situations and challenges, the old soldier had been known to declare quite imperially - “I dey Kampe.”

In short for the General, in this case, mum has been the word. Not so for the vast majority of the Nigerian public. Of course, you can trust our people to talk, especially when it is about a sordid, tasty and juicy sex-related scandal pertaining to a not so much beloved public figure. Believe me, everybody is talking about this presidential incest matter. Everybody is casting stones at the Obasanjos. As far as most people are concerned, Gbenga’s allegations are nothing but the horrible truth. After all, they say, no child will dare raise such terrible allegations against his father, if they be untrue. Secondly, the very fact that the allegations are contained in a sworn affidavit confirms its very veracity to people. The voice of the people, it is said, is the voice of God. As far as I can see, the voice of the people on this matter is that:

(a) Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo has shamelessly, recklessly, stupidly, shockingly slept with his son’s wife. But is this voice, the true position?
Is it really true that the “father of Modern Nigeria” has ever gone beyond “konko below” with son’s wife?
Interestingly, very interestingly, the public is not asking Gbenga to substantiate his howitzers against his father, and ahem, his father-in-law. Nobody is asking Gbenga pertinent questions such as

(a) When did your rival and father have sex with your wife?
(b) Were you ever there when the dirty tango was on?
(c) How many times did Segun and Moji tango?
(d) Were you told by somebody else about the affair between your father and your ‘field?’
(e) If yes, who is that person(s)?
(f) Before now, have you ever confronted your father or and your field about what you saw, heard or told about their unholy act?
(g) Have you only just known about the liaison between your father and your field or why have you not spoken up until now?

Yet everybody, well almost everybody has reached the firm, even irrevocable conclusion that Baba Iyabo has drunk from the same brook, (may be even more than) with his son.

This clearly is a case of trial before trial, worse, conviction before trial. Not only is there no fair hearing, there is no hearing at all for the father of Modern Nigeria in this case, and in fact nobody is interested in hearing Olusegun Obasanjo’s side. He is not only guilty as charged, but guilty ab-initio.

Yet, the case is before a court of law. The judge who will entertain the matter is not a deaf-mute. He is not a ghost or a “spirit.” He is not averse to watching the television or listening to the newspapers. In many regards, he is like any other Nigerian. Yet he is a judge. Sworn to do justice. Justice according to facts. Justice without fear or favour. Justice without partiality.
In the circumstances of this “you-chop-my-special-meat” hoopla raised by Gbenga Obasanjo against his father, Olusegun Obasanjo and for which the father has already suffered crucifixion in the market of public opinion, how many judges can handle this case, without bias for and against Obasanjo senior?

Few I suppose. Only few souls can bear to toe the narrow rocky, thorny path of impartial adjudication when the easy, smooth and wide way of Barrabasism exists.

This is in my humble opinion is the affliction of some judges handling the so called EFCC cases. When an accused is brought before them, especially the so called “big crooks” with their reputation of being fraudsters going quite ahead of them, the judges simply give their consent to the conviction passed on the unfortunate fellows in the court of public opinion and then impose befitting sentences on them. Let our judges search their consciences….