I WILL like, on behalf of the Committee of Friends and Comrades of Dr. Kole Ahmed Shettima, to welcome us all to this event, marking his 65th birthday. We do not take your presence here for granted. That you all agreed to be here in spite of the short notice is a demonstration of the high esteem we hold our dear friend, Kole.
We had wanted to keep this event as much a secret as a surprise to Kole for the simple reason that given his extreme modesty, he will ordinarily not like to be the centre of any celebration. Here we are, in spite of his protestations, we conspired against his wish, to put this event together. Yet there is a reason why this celebration is important. Kole has dedicated his life to the struggle for democracy and social justice. Our democracy is threatened and we need to rethink how to rescue and protect as well as advance in ways that will make it deliver its promises of freedoms, choices and improved life chances.
While it will be naïve to think all philanthropy supports democratisation in African, it is important to recognise those that do this. It is in this context that we are celebrating the life of Kole as a selfless patriot who has continued to, both at personal and official levels, support democracy in Nigeria and Africa. Kole, our friend, comrade and for whom we are all here today, represents the face of one of the best of philanthropy in support of democracy. More than any other foundation, Macarthur Foundation, under the leadership of Kole, has supported different actors in the civil society, in government and even in the private sector, all working around issues that ensure democracy makes sense to the ordinary people.
Nigeria, nay Africa, is going through a traumatic moment in its democratisation journey. Over the last couple of months, poverty has deepened in Nigeria. More and more citizens are unable to meet their basic needs. In the face of this, we have a government that is not only refusing to respond to the cries of the people but is even hostile to these voices. It is not responsive nor responding. It is either accounting nor accountable. It is becoming increasingly intolerant to critical views. There is a deepening of lack of accountability and increased insensitivity by the government to citizens’ concerns. In fact, we are seeing the resurgence of impunity as if we are in a military rule.
The poverty, suffering and the failure of, and indeed, refusal of government to address existential problems of the citizens are making citizens to raise the fundamental question around what is the purpose of democracy if it cannot respond to the needs of the people?
People’s confidence in democracy is weakening and is daily being eroded such that people are openly calling for military takeover, as we saw young people did during the end bad governance protests
For many of us in this room, as well as those following us online, there is also a narrative of reform fatigue, informed by the feeling that our efforts are not delivering the expected results. We have put in a lot of efforts in the advocacy and demand for electoral reform, yet we are far away from being satisfied with our elections. This narrative of reform fatigue is leading to resignation among some advocates.
If all the efforts put have still not fortified democracy in Africa and in Nigeria, it is because democracy is an ever-contested terrain. It is a path, not a destination. As a path we will continue to tread it. But there is also an existential reality which is that the difficulty in the struggle for democracy, with its successes and travails, indicates that anti-democratic forces in Nigeria (and in other African countries as) are deeply rooted in our political landscape and systems.
The consequence of these narratives of disappointment and reform fatigue is a loss of confidence in competitive election democracy by ordinary people posing the military as a better alternative to civilian leadership. This is akin to where we were in 1983 when people came out to jubilate the December 31 military coup that ended the second republic.
This is disturbing as it can create and fertilize the conditions for undemocratic forces to push for democratic reversal. Indeed, across some West African countries, both narrative of disappointment and reform fatigue/resignation have opened up the space for democratic reversals with military taking over in a number of countries and with citizens cheering them up against civilians.
In this seeming bleak moment, it is easy to succumb to the temptation of fatigue narrative, thinking that nothing is working right. Yet, this would be a big mistake. Perhaps the most optimistic way to put this is to say that things would have been worse if not for the various efforts that we all put to continue to protect, promote and expand democratic frontiers in Nigeria and across the African continent. In doing this, we have access to and leveraged philanthropy to help us and facilitate the work that we do to advance democracy.
While it will be naïve to think all philanthropy supports democratisation in African, it is important to recognise those that do this. It is in this context that we are celebrating the life of Kole as a selfless patriot who has continued to, both at personal and official levels, support democracy in Nigeria and Africa. Kole, our friend, comrade and for whom we are all here today, represents the face of one of the best of philanthropy in support of democracy. More than any other foundation, Macarthur Foundation, under the leadership of Kole, has supported different actors in the civil society, in government and even in the private sector, all working around issues that ensure democracy makes sense to the ordinary people.
But Kole is much more than the face of the best of philanthropy in the support of democracy. Kole found himself in MacArthur Foundation, not as a nest for a career but where his patriotism finds the levers to push in making contribution to the struggle for social justice.
From his days as a student activist, he has never wavered in his commitment to the struggle for a democratic Nigeria. Kole has been in the battle lines and the barricades, been involved in every struggle for social justice in the country from the early 1980s to the present.
He was an active member of Women in Nigeria (WIN), the feminist revolutionary movement, he played important roles in the anti-apartheid struggle, being part of a group of young activists mobilising support for the liberation struggles in Southern Africa, supported the student movement in its struggles against commercialisation of education and was involved in the anti-military and pro-democracy movement in the country.
It is in these hard times when our people are despairing, we need to show them the troves of the work that people like Kole are doing. We need to celebrate Kole to inspire many more like him. It is a duty on all of us, to celebrate his likes, for when we do that, we defeat the often-cynical view that we are all the same bad people. We are not all the same! There are people of proven integrity, of unparalleled patriotism, boundless commitment to the cause of justice, and above all, of fidelity with the best of humanity. They are working for the betterment of Nigeria. If we don’t recognise and celebrate such people, we emboldened the very bad among us.
For many, however what they know about this multi-dimensional person is how he has over the years, moulded and guided MacArthur Foundation in channelling support for the democracy in Nigeria and across Africa as well. Not many know his numerous engagements with democratic causes outside of his official remit.
He is a man of many parts and paths and his paths keep crossing lives across different planes. He has been a mentor to many people, an adviser and comforter to many and an incredible friend and comrade to an ever-increasing crop of activists across generations.
If all the efforts put have still not fortified democracy in Africa and in Nigeria, it is because democracy is an ever-contested terrain. It is a path, not a destination. As a path we will continue to tread it. But there is also an existential reality which is that the difficulty in the struggle for democracy, with its successes and travails, indicates that anti-democratic forces in Nigeria (and in other African countries as) are deeply rooted in our political landscape and systems.
As we celebrate Kole today in turning a new chapter in his life book, we acknowledge the sacrifices, selflessness and his unending support and commitment to the struggle of many decades. We only hope that his example will inspire many other people so that totality of the impact that these many Koles would easily lead to the transformation of our country and continent.
At 65, Kole is still relatively young (some of his teachers are in this hall) but he has mentored many people across fields, generations and sectors. He is a mentor per excellence.
It is in these hard times when our people are despairing, we need to show them the troves of the work that people like Kole are doing. We need to celebrate Kole to inspire many more like him. It is a duty on all of us, to celebrate his likes, for when we do that, we defeat the often-cynical view that we are all the same bad people. We are not all the same! There are people of proven integrity, of unparalleled patriotism, boundless commitment to the cause of justice, and above all, of fidelity with the best of humanity. They are working for the betterment of Nigeria. If we don’t recognise and celebrate such people, we emboldened the very bad among us.
That is why it has become a duty on us, not just as friends, associates and comrades of Kole, but also as patriots who are committed to the making of a better Nigeria, to be here at and share these moments in solidarity, the very tool that will pool our endowments, energy and commitment to the building of a Nigeria of our dream.
Here then is an invitation that in celebrating Kole, we are urging all patriots to reflect on our journey, renew our commitment and search for more effective strategies to make our struggle for democracy and social justice more effective and more us to realise democracy of our dream.
We thank all of you for coming out today, in this show of solidarity and in the belief that we have the agency to create the world we want. We hope that the conversations, the networking and the very process of clinking our glasses in honour of Kole that this event will facilitate, will strengthen our resolve to redouble our efforts in the struggles for a just Nigeria.
Thank you all!
Being the welcome remarks by Comrade Ya’u on the occasion of the symposium in celebration of Dr Kole Shettima’s 65th birthday.
