Eddie Madunagu; a revolutionary in truth and in deed

Eddie Madunagu is undoubtedly one of the most profound and insightful socialist thinkers and publicists in Nigeria’s history. His books such as The Tragedy of the Nigerian Socialist Movement and Problems of Socialism: The Nigerian Challenge¸ which were published some four decades back present us with some of the clearest analysis of the situation of the radical and revolutionary Left in that period, probably much more sharply than any other book.

Over the following decades, Comrade Eddie continued with analyses of the left and the society which we want to change. His column every Thursday was the sole reason why I bought The Guardian for most of the 1990s.

It must be stressed, as many have done and will continue to do, that Eddie has not only been a theorist. He has, along with his soul mate Bene, contributed to some of the most sustained efforts at building left organisations and united fronts. They have also contributed significantly to critical thinking for new generations of activists through organisations they established for young women and men in Calabar.

And in recent times, his series of “engagement with the left”, has contributed significantly to spurring renewed efforts at pulling up the socialist left by its bootstraps, all over again, in several quarters.

As these efforts unfurl, it is noteworthy to observe that the tendencies at the the root of the tragic state of the movement described by Eddie in the early 1980s remain and have even become much more entrenched. These include: “theoretical degeneracy, confusion, infantilism and opportunism”.

Rising from this quagmire is obviously not an easy task. But we can still draw lessons from propositions that Comrade Eddie made four decades back. The place to start could very well be grasping socialism as “both a critique, and a process of negation, of capitalism” and eschewing “revolutionary schematism” which foists a “stageist” perspective on our struggle or promotes formulaic substitutes for actual work in the working masses.

He also stressed the need for breaking through what was and still remains “a political and ideological (and maybe epistemological) block, if we are to rise up to the task of building “an authentic Nigerian socialist movement”.

As the revolutionary left appears set to addressing the critical issues raised by Eddie Madunagu as he clocks 75 years, there is only one thing to add to the lessons we draw from decades of his writing. And it is something written into his very life. This is the centrality of sincerity to the socialist project. Falsification and political chicanery in its many forms only blow winds to the sails of sectarianism as much as those of opportunism, to the detriment of fulfilling the tasks at hand.

Madunagu has lived a life which reflects Gramsci’s assertion: “to tell the truth is revolutionary”. As we salute this colossus of the left, we draw lessons and inspiration from his life as much as his politics.