Facts or fiction?

     

             The latest news is that the government knows the sponsors of IPOB. This "truth" was disclosed by no less a personage than the Minister of Information, Mr Lai Mohammed. According to him the IPOB is being funded by the looters in the opposition. He should not stop there but should speedily name the culprits if he has his facts right. He should not continue to make allegations he can't back up. The faceless group - if there is one - should be named, arrested, and prosecuted. This is the way of responsible governments all over the world.

Madness & the Nigeria Nation

The classic definition of madness is said to be that of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. Why anyone bother to expect a different result of the status quo trumps me. From our paper Federalism to the quota system to the lowering of standards by JAMB etc, etc. Iam afraid things will not get better for Nigeria soonest. Mind you, I am not a naysayer but a realist. Things will simply not work because you will it to work. Nigeria have to walk the talk. We resort to the safety of our kit and kin when challenged. We are first and foremost local guys before being national. Millions of dollars are allocated to the Presidency clinic yet the occupants' medical expenses are picked up by the people. Pray, what is the need for the huge allocation in the first place? The state of Education continues to fall simply because the ruling elite have their children schooling in the best schools abroad. Devil may care is their approach. The pages of the newspapers are replete with our politicians felicitating with their children on the occasions of the later graduation abroad. If these state of affairs persist Nigeria can only continue to be the worse for it. A nation where a mark of 120 over 400 is regarded as a pass mark is a laughable one. The auguries do not bode well for the future.

#Copied: Igbos and the South/South

The biggest crime committed against the Ogoni people was the killing of Ken Saro Wiwa and his eight colleagues. Their crime was that they mobilized their people against the exploitation of their land. The tribunal was headed by Justice Ibrahim Auta. Other members of the tribunal were Justice Etowa Eyo Arikpo, Lt Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (the incumbent Comptroller General of Customs), while the government prosecutor was Mr Joseph Bodurin Daudu SAN.
The Provisional Ruling Council (PRC), the highest decision-making body of the Abacha regime that took the decision to kill Saro Wiwa comprised General Abacha, Maj. General Patrick Aziza (Minister of Communications under Abacha); Major Gen. Tajudeen Olarenwaju (GOC); General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Chief of Defence Staff); Lt. General Oladipo Diya (Chief of General Staff); Maj. Gen. Victor Malu (GOC); Ibrahim Coomasie (Inspector General of Police); Mike Akhigbe (Chief of Naval Staff); Maj. General Ishaya Bamaiyi (Chief of Army Staff); Nsikak Eduok (Chief of Air Staff), and Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni (Minister of the Federal Capital Territory). There was no Igbo man.
It was Chief Emeka Anyaoku, an Igbo man, who as the secretary-general of the commonwealth of nations, that led a protest that made the Commonwealth of Nations to rise to the occasion, and warned Abacha not to carry out his wicked act. Although he later did, the Commonwealth under Anyaoku sanctioned Nigeria.
Today, ask an Ogoni man to show you his enemy, he will point at an Igbo man.
May the spirit of Saro Wiwa, and his eight colleagues hunt you for your foolishness.. An eye opener..
And we said;
Kenule Saro Wiwa was the champion of that foolishness. A man educated at the famous Government College Umuahia ( Fishers) and University of Nigeria,vNsukka. He led the federal forces against the Biafrans and for his betrayal was made Administrator of South east state. He asked that Igbo properties be declared abandoned properties and be forfeited to them. He personally took over Ojukwu father's property in Port Harcourt which he occupied at a time with a certain Lt. Sani Abacha his friend and killer. To rub in the humiliation of Igbos whom he hated so much, he wrote " Toad for Supper" which was a mockery of how they made Igbos suffer so much during the war that they fed on toads and lizards. He encouraged the Ikkwerres to deny their Igboness and assisted Elechi Amadi to invent the corruption of Igbo names by adding "r" and "y" to form jargons like Rumuokoro and Oyibo instead of Umuokoro and Obigbo. This they said is Ikkwerre a distinct language and tribe.
It is important to note that Ken Sarowiwa was not killed by his co travelers for agitating for environmental rights. Environmental rights was one of his pastimes which he used to extort money and exert influence on government and oil companies. He was killed for the murder of five Ogoni chiefs( Chief Fugbara, Kogbara Kobani et al) . These were men who were opposed to his immoral and outlandish lifestyle and actually wanted a more responsible engagement with government and oil companies. He labelled them vultures. Masterminded and led a mob attack on these men and killed the five of them in a single day. It was a murder trial and environmental issues was not on the charge sheet. He was found guilty, convicted and hanged. His friend and collaborator in arms, now Gen Sani Abacha was the Head of state. It was not in vain that Ojukwu, (may his soul find peace), made effort to see him at Port Harcourt prison before his execution. Of course all effort to save him by the emasculated Igbos had failed. Emeka Anyaoku did his best. God bless him. Ojukwu visited him and greeted him " Good morning" in broad day light. The Igbo spirit is a forgiving one, the day the Yoruba, Efik, Ibibio, Rivers, Ijaw people will come to terms with the Igbo, that will be when Nigeria will have everlasting peace.

The State and the Coupist

     

Should former military heads of states continue to collect salaries and other emoluments from the Nigeria state? If it is agreed that Military regimes are aberrations on the polity it follows that coupists should be outcasts, to say the least, within a democratic setting. For a coupist to be drawing salaries and emoluments from the state is a misnomer and a contradiction in terms. For the very states these military officers overthrew to now turn around and be pandering to their needs is turning logic on its head. It just doesn’t follow. A former coup leader, Major General Murtala Mohammed’s face adorns our currency, Major roads and streets in Nigeria are named after him and other s in his circle. Late Gen. Abacha still has a stadium in Kano, his hometown, named after him. This is even after cases of fraud have been established against him. Switzerland and other countries in the West are still repatriating Abacha’s stolen wealth back to Nigeria.
   Our current President, a coupist, is also a beneficiary of the Nigeria State largess as he was being paid salaries and emoluments by virtue of his being a former Head of State. His vehicles were being replaced every three years or so. Now, he has even been compensated for overthrowing the state by becoming our President through the ballot box. Street names and buildings bearing the names of these coupists should be changed forthwith. They don’t deserve our appreciation.

The State and the Coupist

     

Should former military heads of states continue to collect salaries and other emoluments from the Nigeria state? If it is agreed that Military regimes are aberrations on the polity it follows that coupists should be outcasts, to say the least, within a democratic setting. For a coupist to be drawing salaries and emoluments from the state is a misnomer and a contradiction in terms. For the very states these military officers overthrew to now turn around and be pandering to their needs is turning logic on its head. It just doesn’t follow. A former coup leader, Major General Murtala Mohammed’s face adorns our currency, Major roads and streets in Nigeria are named after him and other s in his circle. Late Gen. Abacha still has a stadium in Kano, his hometown, named after him. This is even after cases of fraud have been established against him. Switzerland and other countries in the West are still repatriating Abacha’s stolen wealth back to Nigeria.
   Our current President, a coupist, is also a beneficiary of the Nigeria State largess as he was being paid salaries and emoluments by virtue of his being a former Head of State. His vehicles were being replaced every three years or so. Now, he has even been compensated for overthrowing the state by becoming our President through the ballot box. Street names and buildings bearing the names of these coupists should be changed forthwith. They don’t deserve our appreciation.

Contradictions

CONTRADICTIONS
  Nigeria is a nation of contradictions. We import what we have and export what we don’t have. We are the top petroleum producer on the African continent yet we import a sizeable amount of our fuel. Every second tones of gas are being burnt off because the infrastructure required for liquefying it is either nonexistent or grossly inadequate. The attendant effect is the very high cost of cooking has in the nation. Nigeria has more gas deposit than petroleum. It is therefore a wonder that we find it hard to buy cooking gas to cook our foods not to talk of powering our houses with gas powered electricity from the electric generating station.  Every thing the nation needs has been benevolently deposited on and in our land by the Almighty. We have no reason importing vegetable oil because the northern region could still reproduce the miracle of the groundnut pyramid of yore. Ditto  with palm oil down south.  Nigeria claims it does not have money but still manages to keep the political class’ nest well feathered. To say the Nigeria political class is sitting pretty is to say the least. Life pensions here and there for the Governors and their deputies. Choice land in the choicest part of the country all paid for by the hoi polloi. Pray, were the politicians forced by anyone to run for office? Why are they now posturing as if they have done us a favour by being elected into office? Contradictions!

Political Greediness

The issue of salary for life and life pension for political office holders is fast generating discourse in the political space. For example, a retired General  gets his full salary for life upon retirement, governors either collects full salary or a portion of same or pension as long as they live. In a situation where a retired General ,for example, becomes a state Governor .At the end of his Governorship he still goes home each month with his full General’s salary and pension from his gubernatorial stunt. All paid for by the Nigeria hapless tax payer.
    It comes as a huge shock when the Nigeria Senate came up with a proposal to include the Senate leadership in the swindle called life political office holders. Do not forget that while in office the state caters for all these characters needs, nay, wanted. From the littlest pin to their first class air travels. From cradle to the grave, these political jobbers’ lavish lifestyles are borne by the bent backs of the citizenry. This is as selfish as it is immoral. The perks of office must be reduced to the barest minimum in order to deter charlatans and self serving people from seeking political office in the first place. Political office is very ‘juicy’ in Nigeria, the reason many will kill to attain office. Without the glamour and the lucre of office, political assassinations and brigandage would be reduced to a minimum as many would simply reason it is not worth the trouble. Alas, with the present resignation of the citizenry to their fate the political class will yet continue to have a free day many seasons hence.

Shame of the Senate

       In a civilised clime the sight of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, going to the Code of Conduct Tribunal from 10am to 6pm each day for his trial will be a misnomer.  You certainly can't be an accused and at the same time hold a political office as high as the Senate President.  A number three man should not be seen in this dock not once not to talk of everyday.  It cuts an unsightly spectacle. It demean the office to say the least.  But this afterall is Nigeria.  Where everything goes.  Where no one ever takes responsibility for any wrong doing, least of all resigning.  A country where the substantive Minister is left alone while the junior Minister is daily pilloried.  A country where blame is not apportioned judiciously.
       You daily see people fighting each other on petrol queues instead of rightly situating the cause and the blame where it should: the feet of the authorities.  In Nigeria the buck never stop at anyone table but is rather passed along in a curious game of ' tag, you are it'. 

Truly a Most Docile People

      Nigerians are truly the most docile people to lead.  We are always blasé and resigned to fate when action is sorely needed.  We resort to 'prayers'  when the situation warrants 'work'. Karl Marx must have had Nigeria 8n mind when he gave the  classical definition of religion as being the opium of the masses. It surely dulls one's faculty when issues concerning political misgovernance comes to the fore.
  Talk about the scarce petrol and some would tell you it is not the fault of President Buhari.  You will rather be told it is the fault of the State governor who is not managing the situation well.  Tell them about the increase in the price of virtually everything and you would be told it is the fault of ex President Jonathan and his party, the PDP, who (mis) ruled the country for  16 years.  They conveniently forget that it is on the back of correcting the so called misrule that got the current administration into power.  The ruling party and it's supporters should please tell us what we don't know. Alleviate people's suffering or get out of government.  The time for campaign is long gone. The government is not elected to whine and complain but to make life better for the common  man.  You either shape in or shape out.  Even if things get better tomorrow the increase in prices of commodities and services would not come back to the initial prices.  In Nigeria nothing ever comes down except the rain.  Even the rain is having to hard time coming down nowadays.
  Any attempt to demonstrate disapproval of the status quo is met by the administration supporters as an opposition to the government. With this state of affairs half the populace is seemingly cowed and rendered ineffective by the other half. For the fuel crisis to linger for so long and not a single demonstration to jolt power to action is nothing short of a miracle.  A miracle that can happen only in Nigeria. 

A Tale of Two Citizens

    Our law enforcement agencies should be up and doing regarding the fuel  crisis.  The fact is that some filling stations have the product but are simply not selling to the  public.  The product is being reserved for friends,  relations, and the VIPs.  This,  in my opinion,  is very wrong.  No petrol dealer who has fuel has the legal or moral right to refuse to sell same to the public. Petrol is an essential commodity and as such it is an economic sabotage to hoard it. It is either a filling station has fuel or hasn't. The public has a right to the fuel in your station.
    Nowadays it is common to espy a station selling to 5 or 6 vehicles only to be told after branching in that the station is not selling. Even though you can see these people buying the attendants and managers insists the fuel is not for the public. That is the sorry pass Nigerians find themselves.  The relevant agencies should be alive to their duties by arresting this ugly situation.  There should be no two tier citizenry.  While one tier citizens rough out the night and day on the queue, for the other tier it is come easy go easy. This must be stopped.