Delicate Sounds of Thunder: Chapter IV (fwd)
Di-Messanger
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 1996 15:07:34 -0500
From: Jude Uzonwanne <juzo...@swarthmore.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list NAIJANET <NAIJ...@mitvma.mit.edu>
Subject: Delicate Sounds of Thunder: Chapter IV
<fontfamily><param>Courier</param><bigger>Chpt.4: The War Years
(Abuja: Nov. 10th, 1995) - As he left the Rock, General Gwado was
extremely puzzled. He could not figure out were on earth the new
messianic spirit had emerged from. He could not fathom how the HOS had
been transformed from a member of the "Mafia" into a angel serving the
needs of the people. Thats a problem he thought to himself. This
could develop into a Murtala like situation. He was thinking of the
puritanical general who in 1976 nearly destroyed the camaderie of the
"Mafia" or "Brotherhood" as others liked to call it. He also talked
about building a National Developmental State that would catapault
Nigeria into the ranks of the world's high flying nations. His brother
officers after little delibration decided to "liquidate" him. They
sent in Colonel Dimka, who was however betrayed because he began to
lust for things he could not be given. After brief telephone
conferences, the leadership decided Dimka had lived long enough.
Rather than kill him outright, they courtmartialed him for a hit they
had ordered. Such was the maganimity of the Nigerian armed forces.
As he sped down the highway, he began to think that he might have to
get rid of the HOS if he proved too good to be true. In his mind, a
plan began to form. All the way back to Defense Headquarters, he
carefully planned out what had to be done just in case the HOS became
unwieldy.
Once in his office, he placed a couple of calls over his secure line to
officers who would be key in the event of a coup d'etat against the
HOS.
&&&&&&&
Back at the Rock, the HOS was now closeted in conference with the
Colonel. Deep in conversation, they were discussing the just concluded
briefing.
"Are all the mechanisms in place in case they mutiny?"
"Yes Sir, and I swear they will try to seize power. My projections are
that it will happen within the next twelve months - November, mostly
likely. If it does come, we are in position to contain them."
"I trust you" the HOS responded.
"In the meantime," the Colonel continued, "continue to act like you are
still a member of the Brotherhood, so that they will not be quite sure.
From February onwards, however, in all you policy speeches, start
outlining plans for the National Developmental State. Delay your
budget speech as planned, and a few weeks later announce the beginnings
of a set of trubunals to examine public corruption. All that is
explained in the Executive Summary I gave you earlier on!
"Thank you Alade," the HOS smiled. "You and your boys are just
amazing!"
"Glad to serve, sir!"
Abuja (30th Nov. 1996) The Colonel walked into the Rock's briefing
room. It was 0430hrs in the morning. In the room were the 2 men, both
personal guards of the HOS. The HOS was sitting.
"Sit down, Colonel. You think they are moving tomorrow night?"
"Yes, intelligence reports coming in very strongly support that
conclusion. The men are on Alpha Alert. All the mechanism are ready
to go."
The HOS was silent. After about two minutes he stood up and shook his
head, and reached for his cigar. He had a weakness for Cuban cigars.
Castro, a long time friend of his saw to it that he was amply supplied.
As he took long puffs, he again scanned the pile of reports in front
of him, Finally, he spoke.
"Yes, initiate Operation Requiem Mass. Take all the men you need, and
send me updates from the field. I want to personally supervise this,
but I trust you enough to cede operational control."
"Thank you sir. I will do just that." With those words, he stood up,
saluted, and marched out of the room.
&&&&&&
Across the country, previously prepared special forces teams quietly
entered military installations, private homes, hotels, villas and
clubs, They arrested all the members of the PRC. Generally, most of
the members were taken by surprise. On occassion, a few attempted to
escape or prove difficult. They were executed on the spot. All the
others were herded back to Abuja. By 0730hrs, the operation had been
completed.
By 0900hrs, a special court martial was set up. Even though there was
a defense "lawyer," as provided for in military law, that had no
bearing on the judgement. Tried as a group, all the men were found
guilty of plotting against the nation. The punishment for treason was
death. According to the prosecution, the men had been secretly
planning for months to excute the HOS and split the country into their
own little political fiefdoms.
At 1800hrs, they were all executed by firing squad. Even as the last
bullets were fired, the first military units that were meant to have
taken part in the November 30th coup d'etat seized control of their
unit's armoury. Within minutes, phones were ringing madly at Defense
Headquarters, SSS Headqaurters and at the Rock, as officers sought
explanations for the events rapidly unfolding around them. In some
places, fire fights broke out. At the Brigade of Guards in Lagos,
loyal troops tried to repel the invaders who just a few hours earlier
had been eating dinner with them in the brigade's mess. Attempts were
made to seize radio stations, television stations and the state
telephone company. In most places, troops loyal to the HOS held their
ground. By midnight, it was mostly over, except for those troops and
civilians who had been caught in the cross fire of vicious tank battles
on the streets of Lagos and Kaduna.
&&&&&&
At dawn, the HOS appeared on radio and television stations to explain
the activities of the night. In a speech laddened with raw patriotism,
he appealed to the nation and foreign countries to stand by him in the
crisis. He informed them that the PRC had launced an all out war
against him, but had been successfully repulsed. He detailed their
months of political scheming, and the depth of greed among them. While
the HOS expressed subdued gratitude that the evil doers had been
eliminated, he claimed he was aghast at the damage the rebel officers
had done before before they were crushed. Unfortunately in the
process, detained president-elect, Moshood Abiola had been killed.
Also, a number of key political prisoners had lost their lives.
Suddenly across the nation and the world, it began to dawn on people
that most of Nigeria's political and military leaders had been killed
in one night. Only one person was left, General Adamu, HOS. The
options were pretty clear. They were however made easier because in
that same speech, the HOS announced far reaching political and economic
reforms. He promised to hand over power by June 1997. He also released
all political prisoners, ordered compensation for those PRC members and
troops who had died defending the nation.
<underline>Epilouge
</underline>In June 1997 when the elections were held, there were 3
candidates running for president. One of them was General Adamu's
chosen candidate. Not surprisingly enough, he won. Before he entered
politics, he had been a Colonel with the mysterious 82nd Airbone
Division. However to the average voter, he was a gentle looking man
with a great smile, who had promised to continue to make reforms that
would support those made by General Adamu's government, which had
miraculously coaxed the economy into growing at an annual rate just
over 8% a year. Apparently, the level of foreign investment had
quintupled after the General's November 1996 reforms had been seen to
be serious and consistently followed.
The General himself retired from the army, a national and international
hero who had saved the country from disintegration. He now spent his
days playing with his grandchildren and enjoying his palatial wealth.
On the other hand, most pro-democracy groups, especially the ones who
had operated from exile were soon forgotten by the population. Many
exiles returned home, and participated in the new transition program.
Some even became advisers to the new civilian administration. They
became just another chapter in the nation's chequered search for an
amiable modernity.
</bigger></fontfamily>