On The Loss Of The Voice Of Reuben Abati By Nigerian Civil Society

Elombah.com

28 July 2011

On The Loss Of The Voice Of Reuben Abati By Nigerian Civil Society       

Written by Toyin Adepoju    

There are certain opportunities in life that one should see oneself as bigger than. One such opportunity was provided to Dr. Reuben Abati, the former head of the editorial board of the Guardian, perhaps Nigeria's leading newspaper and almost certainly the one with the most prestigious history, to become spokesman  to President Goodluck  Ebele Jonathan of Nigeria,  an opportunity accepted by Abati.

The loss of Abati to Jonathan means that Nigerian civil society has lost one of its most trenchant voices responsible for informed and entertaining  analysis of central issues  in the development of Nigeria. Instead, we have Abati signing Jonathan's announcement  that he is putting before the National Assembly a bill to extend the terms of office  of the President and state  governors to seven years each. The initiative of developing Islamic Banking or interest free banking governed by Sharia law, as it also being described, in Nigeria, is raging, with contrastive perspectives fuelling the flames, and Abati's voice is nowhere to be heard.

 If anyone has read him on these subject speaking  in a capacity independent from his new job as government spokesman,  please let me know so I can see that wonder for myself.