Abia: The resonation of Animal Farm

Like the Political allegory of the George Orwell’s Animal Farm, written in 1945, we dare affirm that truly “history repeats itself”. For clarity and comprehension for our teeming readers, it is imperative to make clear George Orwell’s ANIMAL FARM and its critical semblance to ABIA State today in our polity, Nigeria.

This story tells the tale of the post revolution Russia (the former Soviet Union) as a group of Farm Animals rebelled against their HUMAN owner, hoping to create a society where the “ANIMALS” are Equal, Free and Happy. Incidentally, as would any society of mortal beings, the smartest of them all in the farm, hijacked the leadership of the said revolution. In Nigerian parlance, they are called “the CABAL”. These “most intelligent” beings as it were who were represented as the PIGS, took over and declared “rhetorically” that “All ANIMALS ARE EQUAL”.

However, as time progressed, these PIGS became more and more corrupt and began to act in the cruellest manner, even more than their past human oppressors. As a prosal theme of great twist, the ANIMAL FARM pictures glaringly how power corrupts absolutely.

As was said previously, for the sake our readers, we shall appreciate roles and characters in the real-life setting as beholding in ANIMAL FARM to the state of Abia in the governance of the day.

The former Government, led by the PDP shall be called the Mr. Jones. The PIGS (People In Government Seat) being one of the most brilliant Animals and as evidenced by Google, will be depicted as the Labour Party leadership of today’s Abia.

The reasons are quite obvious, because of the overwhelming popularity of the Labour Party’s leadership led by Dr. Alex C. Otti to the assumption of office. Another is the brilliant touting of the Labour Party’s mandate among the Abia population – in a once insurmountable platform of Abia Government house – by a far left mandator.

This wholesale of Abia votes came at a time all would seem to agree that Abia has had enough from Mr. Jones – the PDP and its Privies, Cronies and Agents. Therefore, a needed revolution of “a breath of Fresh Air”.

With an Inaugural Address, as befitting and endearing to the “NEW ABIA”, the new hands on the plough were welcomed not only by an embrace but a “BEAR HUG”.

In a Society as Abia, run as GEORGE ORWELL’S ANIMAL FARM, Abia would be run as a “NEW ABIA” whose founders would adhere to the principles where ALL are “Equal, Free and Happy”

The P.I.G.S  (People-in-Government Seat) ably led by Dr. Alex Chioma Otti would after all be the ones burdened with ABIA’s Success or failure.

On the platform of NEW ABIA of Equality, Freedom and Happiness, Dr. Otti urged everyone as the PIGS in the ANIMAL FARM would tell the other Animals to contribute to the society with the best of their abilities. But in reality today, Dr Otti and his cohorts from diaspora would retain the monopoly of all the BIG decisions, using their powers to ensure they gained the most benefit. Being a very small group of persons who have not been living around Abia in the last 20 years, coupled with their touted superior intelligence for the NEW ABIA, the P.I.G.S of today appear hoisted to manipulate the people like the PIGS of the ANIMAL FARM.

The Otti administration has crafted such wizardry in propaganda machinery to keep the other “ANIMALS” in line. They would rather “convince” them that they were doing the right thing as in sacking thousands of Civil Servants through “retirements” and relieving of appointments. When in actuality, the exploitation and fascist state operations of commercial banking has commenced.

In our Animal Farm, the PIGS are not accountable to anyone of the other Animals, while lack of Transparency and Accountability in the procurement process of the State’s Contract has become the new normal. Nobody knows how contracts, both small and big are evaluated and awarded in Abia today. Curiously, this is why a certain crop of older Civil Servants are removed to create a “No question” obligation on the new horn of staff in these vantage positions.

Today, any Civil Servant that challenges His Highness, the Governor’s position or position of policy will be tagged “anti Labour” or pro-P.D.P, and summarily visited with a compulsory retirement letter void of any Query.

In tandem with the modus operandum of the ANIMAL FARM, a Civil Service Reform Committee was constituted without a Civil Servant in the current employment of the State as member. So of what connotation would their outcomes be? Maybe, to foist on the institution a purpose not perceived for the betterment of the Civil Servant but rather to disparage the Civil Servant. For the new (Animal Farm) Abia, can you give what you don’t have? These questions desire answer from the “NEW (Animal Farm) Abia propounders.

In the post Mr. Jones’ Animal Farm, there is no democracy but a veiled form of a Fascist State, run by the few brilliant P.I.G.S who with absolute powers decree new rules for the Civil Servant day to day. The Civil Servant would either accept the new (Animal Farm) Abia or suffer the consequences where they err.

You may ask how; of course there’s a Standing Judicial Panel of Inquire (with a Permanent Lifespan) constituted with a blank mandate to conform any Civil Servant to compliance if they dared to err.

The NEW (Animal Farm) Abia is a disguise of fascism of a new Elite Class of Ndi Abia of diasporan origins.

Please await this series in another week of new twists and turns of fresh breath.