THE PARIS CLUB REFUND STRUGGLE AND A PATRIOTISM THAT MORE THAN MEETS THE EYES.

The news of the Paris Club Refund has no doubt remaines a front burning issue in the discourse of Nigerian fiscal administration for the past 5 years. Sadly, the interestingly positive aspect of this matter of huge import has been unnecessarily under emphasized in many respects.

 

To those who engage in beer parlor and alcohol induced discussions, the Paris Club Refund is just another huge sum of money coming to the country from a foreign organization.

To others, the Paris Club Refund is simply another money that is available for members of the government to decide who gets what and how it should be distributed.

Ideally, for justice to be done to the Paris Club Refund discourse, there must be a conscious effort to observe interesting actions that connote much more than meets the eyes.

The foundation of the Paris Club Refund is predicated on a chain of premeditated actions that bled the finances of the Nigerian state.

As a developing country, the nation no doubt requires reliefs and support from wherever such could be obtained, and the Paris Club availed itself for Nigeria's assistance.

But in the course of this engagement the Nigerian state became the victim of obvious over-deductions in the repayment plan.

The credit for identifying this anomaly goes to  struggles of Prince Ned Nwoko, whose company followed the paper trail for months which spiraled into years.

However this discovery only signalled the beginning of a long painstaking journey to ensure a recovery of over deducted funds from Local, State and Federal Accounts.

Without understanding the dynamics involved inorder to successfully uncover systematic fraud carried out by foreign organizations, one may treat the picture of this discovery with the batting of the eyelids, however such inclination would only smack off ingratitude incubated in ignorance.

The reason is because details of the process that led to the discovery of these over deducted funds show that the full cost for this adventure was solely on the shoulders of none other than Ned Nwoko/Linas International Limited. This includes expenses incurred during forensic analysis, logistics and auditory costs etc.

Perhaps after uncovering this anomaly, many would have thought that affected parties - in this case Local, State and Federal Governments, would be excited and inspired to pursue what was rightfully theirs, however it may appear that the leaders in this regard at the time, fell for an inferiority complex which the average black man suffers in his relationship, estimation and engagement with his foreign contemporaries.

A reality that meant that the efforts that led to the uncovered discrepancy would likely amount to a wasted one, as no government was enthusiastic enough and therefore didn't want to commit its time and resources on an affair that was predominantly considered to be an impossible one.

Therefore, it was either that this marked the end, or further actions were to be solely funded by no other person than Ned Nwoko/Linas International Limited. The latter option became the next line of action.

Already in the deficit of millions of Naira and at a stage where calling it off would definitely look justified and reasonable, especially after being left hanging dry, the prospect of what was to be enjoyed began to assume the picture of a fading dream, however diligence and consistency proved to be more inspiring, as Ned Nwoko/Linas International Limited pressed on.

Like a modern day Nostradamus, the efforts yielded and the fruit of the struggle came  at a time when the Nigerian State was financially off the grid, with Local Government Councils being unable to pay staff salaries, as well as State Governments finding it difficult to keep their finances in order.

After nearly a decade of surviving numerous intimidations, subtle and outright threats, several court appearances and million of dollars in legal, logistics and sundry expenses, victory was secured and Nigeria got justice.

The resulting victory after rigorous court cases at foreign locations didn't come without perilous instances for both Ned Nwoko and Linas International Limited, as high profile diplomatic relations and international politics nearly spelt doom for both entities.

The display of patriotism through faith in the genuine agitation charactized by the Paris Club Refund Struggle share a similitude with the labour of heroes past in the Nigerian state. 

Heroic acts only assume such description by the timeliness of their occurence.

What if Ned Nwoko and Linas International had delayed their decision to act by a few years?

What if the withdrawal of the benefitting governments had been allowed stop the struggle?

Perhaps another angle to the display of patriotism lies in the sharp contrast it shares with the average Nigerian Political Elite, wherein the lesson is not far-fetched.

Despite a scenario where the nation has had a prominent number of elected and appointed political office holders since the return to democracy, the realities of today expose a sharp departure from the ideal ambits of progressive orientation. Perhaps those we elected and others who have aspiration into political offices should seek tutelage from none other than Ned Nwoko, whose display of patriotism was exemplified from the position of a Nigerian outside political office.

A striking insight into events would reveal that in the course of the Paris Club Refund Struggle, Ned Nwoko was locked in an intense political contest for the office of the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District. A battle he fought to a standstill, wherein it is rumored that he only lost to high-profile politicking and not at the ballot.

Today's Nigerian social instance is largely a function of celebrated mediocrity, as 85% of political and public officers in the country since the return to democracy in '99 can't come close to matching this display of patriotism, hence where we sing the praise of our political leaders over doing what they were elected to do, we must make it a point of duty to celebrate, honour and idolize patriots like Ned Nwoko, who didn't need a political office or government appointment before touching the pulse of Nigeria's Socioeconomic structure across the three tiers of government and beyond.

Similarly, business relief packages should be consisldered for Linas International Limited, who led the charge from the cooperate angle.

While emphasizing the multifaceted sides to the Paris Club Refund Struggle, ideally we must also allude to the dint of philantrophy displayed as an ofshoot of a purely patriotic instance.

The definition of a philantropist is one that entails acting in a manner that sees more benefits accrue to others in the society than ourselves.

A critical consideration of the effect of the Paris Club Refund would no doubt identify the Philantropist in Ned Nwoko.

In a clime and at a time when the word philanthropist has been serially bastardized and wrongly ascribed to undeserving characters, or where the singular act of merely tipping a bartender automatically grants one the philantropist identity, we can understand through the Paris Club Refund Struggle that ideal philanthropy is calculated via the trickle down effect it carries to the people.

The Paris Club Refund touched the core of the Nigerian Populace as workers who were hitherto owed for Years in salary arrears, were able to smile to their families. 

The mismanagement of resources was covered by the success of the Paris Club Refund Struggle, through one man's decision to press on.

Conclusively, as it stands the Buhari Administration having confirmed from the EFCC, and other relevant agencies on more than two instances, as well as from the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) through written correspondences, is set to pay the consultancy agreement merited by Linas International Limited. 

Instructively, beyond the blessedness of reaping as has been sown, the lesson of Iooking beyond the ordinary must be called to apply to Prince Ned Nwoko.

From a layman's perspective, it is observed that over the very recent past, the name Ned Nwoko has echoed across the length and breadth of the country and it may have been assumed that perhaps it offered an opportunity for a discussion in public or private gatherings, nevertheless we must stick to what matters about him through the timeline of his actions in the larger scheme of society.

The befitting lesson in the story about the struggles of a man whose patriotism more than meets the eye.

(Credit: Ikechukwu Chukwudi)