If the thunderous Mailafiya interview has had any effect on me in any way as a person, it is to strengthen my firm belief in the Nigerian project and the decision that I formed to never allow myself to be confused by any ethnic champion camouflaging as a nationalist. 

Two weeks ago, I wrote on these pages how, at a very young age, my grandfather of blessed memory taught me a solid lesson in purity of intention and independent-mindedness. He taught me, as I stated then, to be a man of my conviction and never follow the crowd without any solid reason.

It was never my intention to comment on what some observers have since correctly termed as Obadiahgate, for the reason that virtually everything that should be said has been said by other commentators. My interest, therefore, is to guide us to draw some lessons from the debacle so that we could avoid the same mistakes that this doctor of letters did.

For the benefit of those who are only getting to know of this for the first time, however, here is a summary of what happened about three weeks ago.

Dr. Mailafiya, in a radio interview, levelled some very serious, very weighty allegations, to the effect that a northern governor is the commander of Boko Haram terrorists. In his words: “Let me make some revelations because some of us also have our own intelligence networks. We have met with some of their (Boko Haram) high commanders. One or two who have repented. They have sat down with us, not once, not twice. They told us that one of the northern governors is the commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria. Boko Haram and the bandits are one and the same thing. They have a sophisticated network.

“During this lockdown, their planes were moving up and down as though there were no lockdown. Moving ammunition, moving logistics, moving money and distributing them to different parts of the country. They are already in the South, in the rain forest of the South, they are everywhere.

“They told us that when they finish these  killings, they will move to phase two. The phase two is they will go into urban cities, going from house to house killing prominent people. I can tell you this is the game plan. By 2022, they want to start a civil war in Nigeria.

“Don’t joke with what I am saying. I have a PhD from Oxford University. I am a central banker, we don’t talk nonsense. So, don’t joke with what I am telling you. I have this from the highest possible authority, high possible or high authority, some of the commanders of the killers and Boko Haram.”

Mailafiya was then asked to be specific as to whether the northern governor he was referring to was a former occupant of the office or a current one. He audaciously responded as follows: “No, current, current, current. No they said one of them is the commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria. One of them, and they are not looking for money, they have more than enough money.”

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A few days after the interview was aired, the Department of State Services (DSS) invited Mailafiya to shed further light on the matter. The Northern Governors Forum, led by its chairman, Governor of Plateau State, Hon. Simon Lalong, also insisted that Mailafiya should be made to mention the name of the particular northern governor commanding Boko Haram.

In honoring the summons by the DSS, Mailafiya obviously engaged some youths to protest near the premises of the Plateau State office of the secret police. It was seen by some as his way of intimidating the security personnel. The man was grilled for about six hours and released the same day. Mailafiya then started speaking from both sides of the mouth, forcing the DSS to clarify that he was a liar who profusely begged them to give him a soft landing by forgiving him. But the man carried on grandstanding.

Mailafiya then granted an interview to the British Broadcasting Service (BBC), in which he shockingly said his entire claim was predicated on a rumour he picked in a village market where he went to buy acca.

In a decent society, Mailafiya should at the minimum bury his head in eternal shame and stop fouling the air with his terrible comments. But he chose not to do that. Instead, he released an article earlier this week, in which he showcased himself as a patriot out there to defend his people (whatever that means). He also shockingly suggested that he stood by the false statement he made in the radio interview, even when he earlier admitted to the BBC that it was at best a dangerous rumour. For God’s sake, what sort of human being is this?

Mailafiya had also earlier in the week turned down an invitation by the Nigeria Police Force, which asked him to report to its headquarters in Abuja. Citing intimidation, the man rushed to court to enforce his so-called fundamental human rights. It does not matter to him that the reckless statements he made were very capable of plunging this country into serious conflagration.

There was a time I was looking up to Mailafiya as a hero of sorts, whose word was law, so to speak. I held him in very high esteem, even when, for sometime, his views started veering towards ethnicity and division. I am sure I was not alone. Probably, tens of thousands of other compatriots were also holding him in high esteem, relying on him for guidance.

Now, the people I pity most are those who still believe in this man. Mailafiya, for those who may not know, is among the top 1 per cent most privileged Nigerians, having served at a time as  Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He is also a directing staff at the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, though there are rumours that he has resigned, owing to this ditch that he dug and threw himself into.

I pity his supporters, those carrying placards in his defense, because, whereas Mailafiya has the means to run to any country of his choice, should a conflagration erupt in this country, most of them are not even sure of the next meal.

All this should serve as a big lesson to every discerning Nigerian to be guided only by our respective consciences in digesting any information relayed by ethnic and religious chauvinists. Our respect for them should be limited only to the extent they do what is right. We should never worship anyone whose desire is putting us in trouble, knowing he can hardly be affected, since he can either secure himself, using his vast resources, or, as indicated earlier, run to another country.