海角大神

A version of this post originally appeared on the Africa In Transition blog. The views expressed are the author's own.聽

On Dec. 2, former Nigerian President Obasanjo sent a聽letter聽to current President Goodluck Jonathan cataloging the shortcomings of the latter鈥檚 administration.

Eighteen pages in length, it is a thoroughgoing indictment of the Jonathan administration, cataloging shortcomings ranging from security to corruption to the president鈥檚 leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.聽

Altogether, Mr. Obasanjo鈥檚 letter is a familiar critique of Nigerian governance under Jonathan, if perhaps more bluntly stated than is usual in public among Nigeria鈥檚 establishment.

Though ostensibly private, the letter soon appeared in the media, and it looks as though it was Obasanjo鈥檚 intention that it should eventually become public.

In a聽letter聽dated Dec. 20 that appeared in the media on Dec. 22, Mr. Jonathan replied. While Jonathan said he would not provide a point-by-point response, his reply is lengthy and detailed. His bottom line: 鈥溾��you have done me grave injustice with your public letter in which you wrongfully accused me of deceit, deception, dishonesty, incompetence, clannishness, divisiveness, and insincerity, amongst other ills.鈥�

The two letters, read together, constitute a debate on the state of Nigeria.

There are very few points of agreement between the two men. Jonathan flatly denies some of Obasanjo鈥檚 most pointed accusations, e.g., that the sitting president has developed a 鈥渟ecurity watch list鈥� with a thousand names on it.

Jonathan notes that Obasanjo鈥檚 claim that almost $50 billion in oil revenue is unaccounted for is 鈥渟purious,鈥� and based on a letter from the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, that (per Jonathan) its author now says is 鈥渕isconstrued.鈥�

Jonathan also claims that many of Nigeria鈥檚 problems began before he entered office: he dates Boko Haram from 2002 and the first major kidnapping for ransom in 2006. Jonathan lists what he sees as his security achievements in the northeast: The re-organization of the security forces, a 鈥渃arrot and stick鈥� approach to Boko Haram that leaves the door open for negotiation, and even the establishment of numerous new universities in the north to address the education deficit.

As for the troubles within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, Jonathan says they are largely the result of the run-up to the 2015 elections, and that they have been fomented by politicians pursuing their own agendas 鈥撀爄ncluding Obasanjo.

A point-by-point analysis of these letters, with their accusations and refutations, is far beyond a blog post.

In the short term, it is clear that the break between Obasanjo and Jonathan is profound. It is also evident that the superficial unity among Nigeria鈥檚 hitherto competing but also cooperating elites is gone.

The political structures of post-1999, when civilian government was constituted, will need to be rebuilt. That will be a challenge.

According to the Nigerian press, the new, big opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is聽putting out feelers to Obasanjo. In response, Nobel Laureate Wole Soynka on December 22 warned of a 鈥淪hipwreck Ahead.鈥�

Mr. Soyinka quotes Lagos state power broker and a leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, as saying that the APC had resolved to rescue Nigeria, and appealed to Obasanjo to lead the mission: 鈥淲e鈥檙e resolved and determined to rescue Nigeria. We want you as navigator.鈥�

Soyinka, long a bitter critic of Obasanjo and the Nigerian political establishment, added, 鈥淚f [Tinubu鈥檚] attribution is correct, may I urge you, as an urgent public service, to advise families to begin the stockpiling of life-belts for the guaranteed crash. Don鈥檛 forget to alert the coastguards 鈥� ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African states), AU (African Union), UNO (United Nations Organization) etc. 鈥撀爐o be on the alert for possible salvage operations.鈥�