The recent altercation between Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and a young naval officer, Lieutenant Yerima, should trouble the conscience of every Nigerian who still believes in the rule of law, democracy, and civility in public life.
The incident now viral lays bare the deep cracks in Nigeria’s governance culture and the distorted understanding of power among many political officeholders. It is a sobering reflection of a nation where public servants, maintained by taxpayers, often act like overlords in a feudal kingdom rather than custodians of a democratic trust.
What transpired between Wike and Lieutenant Yerima was not just a clash of personalities; it was a symbolic confrontation between the arrogance of political power and the discipline of institutional command. A minister, a political appointee, using degrading and condescending language toward a commissioned officer of the Nigerian Navy is more than an act of misconduct; it is an insult to the principles of governance, civility, and respect for the institutions that hold the country together.
Under democracy, the military has no business dominating civilian spaces, but when it is called to perform a lawful duty under orders, it is bound to do so with restraint, obedience, and discipline. Lieutenant Yerima, in this case, was not acting as an individual but as a representative of a structured command system that respects hierarchy and order.
The Nigerian military operates on strict obedience, obey the last command. Disobedience is not an option; it is career suicide and, in extreme cases, treasonous. To have defied a lawful instruction because a minister felt slighted would have been a fatal misjudgment on the young officer’s part.
The real tragedy is not in the verbal scuffle but in what it represents, the disdain with which some public officeholders treat citizens, uniformed or not. Wike’s alleged attempt to “assert authority” over the naval team deployed for an official function reveals a dangerous autocratic disposition wrapped in the garb of democratic office. His reaction, as reported, was not of a minister representing the people, but of a political overlord expecting instant subservience.
When it was said that even after a call from the Chief of Defence Staff, Wike attempted to push his way through, it painted a picture of a government official whose sense of power has outgrown his respect for process.
This is where Nigeria’s democratic experiment falters, we have mastered the rituals of elections but missed the spirit of democracy. Democracy is not about titles or convoys; it is about humility in service, respect for law, and accountability to citizens. Our so-called leaders have internalized the perks of power but not its purpose. What we have, in truth, is an autocratic government dressed in democratic clothing, where those in office act with the impunity of military dictators yet demand to be addressed as “Honorable Ministers” and “Excellencies.”
In contrast, Lieutenant Yerima represents an institution that, despite its flaws, still upholds a semblance of order, respect, and hierarchy. His calmness in the face of provocation, his adherence to command, and his refusal to be bullied by political pressure, reflect the best traditions of military professionalism. He is not the problem, the system is. In any sane polity, a minister would have shown restraint, patience, and dignity, aware that his public behavior reflects the moral tone of the government he serves. But when arrogance replaces service, chaos replaces order.
The incident echoes a moment in the 1998 Hollywood film The Siege, where General Devereaux (played by Bruce Willis) deployed the U.S. military on American streets to combat terrorism, leading to a showdown with FBI agent Anthony Hubbard (played by Denzel Washington). The general, consumed by authority, overstepped the bounds of democracy until confronted by the FBI agent who reminded him: “You don’t have the right to declare war on your own people.” In the end, the general bowed to democratic principles, a poignant lesson that power, however justified, must submit to the law.
In Nigeria, the reverse is often true. Public officers routinely act as though they are above the law, bullying civil servants, security personnel, and citizens alike. They forget that power is transient, and authority is only legitimate when exercised with respect and accountability. The Wike–Yerima episode is not a victory for either side; it is a mirror showing how deeply broken our governance culture has become. It reveals a democracy without democratic temperament, where leaders see themselves as rulers, not servants.
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Nigeria’s redemption will not come from the ballot box alone but from a moral awakening, a national reorientation that demands civility, respect, and accountability from those who hold public office. Ministers, governors, legislators, and every person entrusted with public responsibility must remember: you serve, not reign. Power must be exercised with restraint, not rage; with humility, not hubris.
Lieutenant Yerima obeyed his command and in doing so, he preserved the dignity of his uniform. It is now up to our political class to learn what discipline and decorum mean. The Nigerian people are not subjects to be ruled but citizens to be respected. Until that truth is embraced, our democracy will remain a farce, a democracy only in name, but autocracy in practice.
By Olugbenga Onitilo
