Month: December 2009

A nation in coma: 50 years of bondage, 2 wasted generations and 400 billion dollars Missing..!

/ Adeola / 5 Comments

By Adeola Aderounmu

A nation in coma: 50 years of bondage and 2 wasted generations

When I wrote Nigerians as captives: 48 years of waste one year ago I was hoping that my pessimism would be overturned somehow. Far from it..! 2009 has gone down in our annals as the worst year Nigerians ever lived. In total, it’s been almost 50 years of bondage, 2 wasted generations and more than 400 billion dollars missing.

It is now accepted that the generation that took over the reign of power from the colonial masters is a wasted generation. Unfortunately they have infected the generation that is after them and it appears the cycle of idiocy is still in motion.

One of the most unfortunate legacies sown into Nigerian politics is the attitude or mentality that if you find yourself in the position of authority or some form of power, you must use that position to steal while pretending to be serving. Ask any Nigerian young man vying for political office what his aspirations are. Young men and women alike have formed the opinion that politics is the quickest avenue to get rich by stealing or just looting. This is one of the reasons why Nigerian politics is full of bitterness and it’s about life and death since 1959.

In line with the above it may be pertinent to emphasis how my generation too has started to waste away. Just recently Mr. Bankole literarily told a colleague of his in the House of Representatives to “shut up and sit down” as the fellow tried to bring up the debate concerning Nigeria’s sick ruler. This means if given the opportunity Dimeji Bankole will gladly become a dictator. In other events Dimeji’s name keep cropping up in allegations of scandal, looting and self-enrichment. My generation is wasting away too. Hope is dim. How sad..!

2009 has ended and Mr. James Ibori will still walk free. This is the height of judicial ridicule. The Nigerian judiciary has become a citadel not only of lukewarmness but also of corrupt minds. In Nigeria, an ex-convict both nationally and internationally became a governor. The man is still free! Is Nigeria not yet a failed country?

Mr. Michael Aondoakaa is still the Attorney General of Nigeria. How do Nigerian diplomats cope among their international colleagues? Even as an ordinary citizen attending an international conference on development in Stockholm in 2002, I was quizzed by a number of participants on several issues. People asked me many embarrassing questions about Nigeria. Some of them could not comprehend why several homes in Nigeria are more fortified than European prisons and 419 activities were common.

Look at David Mark, a military man who served under Babangida. Together they ruined the communications industry. Up to this day no one has explained what happened to my family’s telephone number. These men looted uncontrollably and destroyed Nigeria. They are still in Nigeria and the looting game is still on, at various levels. Nigerian lawmakers now headed by Mr. Mark are blood suckers who assign money to themselves and distribute penury to the populace. Even the lazy executives want to build houses worth billions of dollars for themselves in the new budgetary plans while millions of Nigerians are suffering and living in extreme poverty. No greater scandal!

Head or tail, we, the ordinary people continue to suffer. We can go to hell for all the political gangsters care. Two years after the present illegitimate government was forcefully installed we have found ourselves atthe most humiliating position among the comity of nations. No greater shame..!

Our educational system remains hijacked by government officials who are proprietors and owners of private schools and universities. Public schools are in total rot and states of confusion. The quality of education is low as emphasis has shifted to profit and total corruption. Many of the children of the rich and looters have been sent abroad to school right from elementary schools as revealed recently.

We ended 2009 as a dark nation both literarily and proverbially. Nigeria is generating electric power that is embarrassingly low and ridiculous. The output may be less than 3 000 MW! The result is a state of near total darkness over the country. This is real and the effects on the quality of lives cannot be overstated. The effects of lack of electricity on employment opportunities and economic growth cannot be overemphasized. Infrastructures are commonly lacking and hopelessness pervades the land. Nigeria is in coma..!

We have suffered in the hands of those who used khaki, agbada and violence to recapture Nigeria in 2007. At the moment our constitution has been unofficially suspended with the illegal installation of a new chief of Justice. In the last 5 weeks (Nov–Dec 2009) the man who slowly supervised the stagnation of our lives since 2007 has been missing in action and no one knows what his true situation is. We continue to thrive on rumours and speculations about his health. But obviously he’s in a bad shape and that he has not be removed from his position shows that he was probably a puppet in the first place. The situation confirms the fears in certain quarters that Nigeria is ruled by a cabal and not an individual.

Still, we are being tussled around in Nigeria like idiots, all of us. Daily, we are fed with lies and deceits by those who are power hungry and inclined to evil ways. There is no need to ruminate over the implications of a country’s foremost citizen, legal or illegal by nature, lying helpless in a foreign hospital. We continue to spread all our clothes in the sun. The world is laughing at us and I continue to think about the racial implication of the intelligent question. Something is fundamentally wrong with the black race anyway. Nigeria is the largest black nation on earth. Something is wrong with us. I’m sure.

We are like 140m robots, programmed to fail as a nation but instilled with the eagerness of self-preservation and survival instincts. Another year has ended and our unusual resiliency has not allowed us to figure out how to re-engineer ourselves from our stereotyped siddon-look status into proactive agents that will seize the moment through collective reasoning. Why is it impossible for the rest of us to force justice and fairness on our system? Surely we may not be able to attain a common reasoning. Is that the colonial impediment that I was warned about?

Just when we are still pondering and brainstorming on what we can do to save our nation, the corrupt regime in Abuja came up with a propaganda called rebranding. The regime tried to shy away from the problem of corruption and maladministration. The best Christmas present ever to any Nigerian government was handed over by Nigerian terrorist named Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. In the twinkle of an eye he laid to rest the fraudulent rebranding program that several Nigerians have criticized times without number. He updated our known reputations by taking it beyond our reach or control.

By putting Nigerian on the map of terrorist nations Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab reflected the failure of Northern Nigeria where Obasanjo allowed the likes of Umaru Yar Adua to disrupt the secularity of Nigeria through the establishment of sharia regimes. These treasonable acts provided the basis for the escalation of Islamic fundamentalism in Northern Nigeria. Innocent people are slaughtered routinely across Nigeria no thanks to the failure of the useless government to bring sponsors and perpetrators to book.

Umar Farouk represents the failure of the central Nigerian government. He is a classical example of failure of both the home and the society. He will stay for a long time as the link between two failed generations and an emerging generation of disorientated Nigerians. His activities, though highly condemnable and disgraceful will probably provide the needed reflection and reasoning over some of the problems plaguing this sick country.

2010 will be Nigeria’s year of jubilee. We should look back at our errors and shortcomings. Then we should look ahead-how do we want to continue this journey? The time is now for progressive minds to take the central stage, it is over due. If we must split back to regions, so be it. We should probably not continue to live as strange bed mates where our individual, wicked ambition is to steal from the treasury or be beneficiaries of questionable wealth through friends and families. Do we have a common national ambition?

We cannot continue to rely on our endless prayers from our sinful lips without the corresponding actions. It is a lame approach. Imagine the progress that will be accomplished if we take the necessary actions to define our mode of existence-regional governments or true federalism. Imagine what we can achieve if we ensure that the likes of Ibori and Aondoakaa are allowed to do time with Mr. Bode George. Just imagine the progress and national revamping if we insist on the rule of law, the end of corruption and the end of tyranny. We must define how we want to achieve these goals otherwise we are facing another 50 years that will remain characterised by waste, slavery, poverty and unhappiness under the cabal and their accomplices.

May the Glory of Nigeria come, soon..!

aderounmu@gmail.com

Nigeria’s Constitution Suspended?

/ Adeola / 1 Comment

Adeola Aderounmu

Nigeria may have entered a refined regime of tyranny as it appears that the constitution has been suspended. If you ask me, this is a confirmation that Nigeria was never a democratic country in the first place.

The people have been deceived for 50 years by both dictatorial military regimes and military-backed civilian governments. In both arrangements, thieves and looters have held sway.

For more than 5 weeks the illegally installed president has been away from the country. He is on admission in a Saudi Arabian Hospital, he is critically ill. In a characteristic manner, he didn’t hand over to the VP. He had been away several times to different hospitals around the world since Nigeria despite being a rich country cannot boast of decent hospitals.

Anyway, Nigeria’s constitution says that the Chief justice must be sworn in by a legal president.Mr Yar Adua was smuggled in through a charade in 2007 and he has ruled the country since. On top of that he has been sluggish, slow and highly ineffective. He is going down in history as the worst president ever !!!

Now it appears that a new chief, justice Aloysius Katsina-Aluhave been sworn-in in Nigeria. His oath was administered by outgoing Chief Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, who retires on 31 December. This is wrong and it is not according to the constitution.

So, I asked, have we suspended our constitution? It appears to be so since for 5 weeks running there is no ruler or president (fake or real) and 140m people just don’t care. It is amazing but also frightening.

A new year is coming and it will be 50 years of absolute nonsense and mismanagement.

I’m asking again, where do we go from here?

Forgive me when I say Nigerian Politicians are mad

/ Adeola / 2 Comments

Adeola Aderounmu

There is a story making rounds that Yar Adua (Nigeria’s illegal president since 2007) will sign certain papers relating to budget and handing over to his deputy.

There are strong indications that the man cannot talk, or move. Yet we are now being told that he will sign forms or papers. Is it possible for sane people to frame up this kind of scenario? Mad is the word!

I have always used strong derogatory terms to describe Nigerian politicians and this is one of the reasons. Now that I find joy using these terms but I am completely expressing my frustrations. Yes I am frustrated as I don’t understand why the wealthiest Nation on earth has become home to some of the world’s poorest people.

I am frustrated as I see poverty, penury and extreme corruption. Check out the latest Ibori case. This guy was an ex-convict, national and international and he became a governor. He looted and he got free! I will never never understand that so yes I am frustrated.

Nigerian politicians and evil rulers kind of think that the rest of us are stupid. But we are not.

They should stop playing games and stop fooling around.

The lazy lawamkers know what to do but what they will eat has rubbed them of their senses.

There are provisions in the constitutions that should have been invoked to transfer power to Mr. Jonathan but they have refused to do that.

They are going round in circles and wasting time as more than 90m Nigerians (more than 50% of the 140m population) continue to face hopelessness and uncertainty. No fuel, no light, no security, nothing good!

There was even a rumour that some politicians and Turai Yar Adua are planning to sponsor a coup.

The world will be swift to condemn it and that may be the final catalytic arrangement that will break Nigeria into pieces.

I will ask again like I’ve done before: are there people in the Nigerian political arena who still have their senses intact?

The time is now for them to take the country one step forward. Jonathan should be the new president as we look ahead to the future that will bring fair and credible elections. No need for the useless signature acting, it’s all rubbish and madness.

I hope Nigerians will not spend the next 50 years in poverty as I look forward to the elimination of poverty and penury among my brothers and sisters.

Nigeria, wake up!

Is Northern Nigeria A Failed Region?

/ Adeola / 1 Comment

Adeola Aderounmu.

There have been reported clashes in Bauchi State in Northern Nigeria. A non-conformist Islamic group had been on the rampage and clashed with security agents.

No doubts there have been ominous signs from Northern Nigeria since Mr. Obasanjo allowed the creation of Sharia States in Nigeria. Nigeria is a secular country and the emergence of Sharia in Northern Nigeria is a confirmation that there had been plans in the past to make Nigeria an Islamic country. Tyrants and dictators like (late Murtala Mohammed) and Mohammudu Buhari have been alleged in the past to have tried to make Nigeria a muslim country. How true are those stories?

The presently sick illegal president Umaru Yar Adua was one of those who instituted Sharia in Northern Nigeria. He was then the governor of Katsina State.

They may want to convince us that Sharia State has nothing to do with the constant violence in the North but that will be hard to prove as well. The fact that they allowed religion to blur their sense of reasoning is a catalyst to the emergence and spread of extremism in Northern Nigeria.

Northern Nigeria is like a failed region in Nigeria. However that does not also take away the fact that the Nigeria’s central government is a total failure in itself. Saddled with extreme corruption and ineptitude the various governments since independence have failed to tackle infrastructure and social well being of the populace. Look around you, almost everything is bad and rotten.

Government officials have stolen and looted while neglecting the ideals of real democratic governance. The Military regimes in Nigeria added to the woes of a country that should have been the giant of Africa but which instead have become a global laughing stock. Countries like Togo, Benin and Ghana are doing much better than Nigeria in terms of infrastructure and social welfare. Nigeria is rich but the people are living in extreme poverty because a few people continue to steal and make themselves richer and richer.

Northern Nigeria where most of the rulers come from is by far the worst hit. They lack basic education and family planning is not in their dictionary. Many children are un-catered for, and they are ready tools in the hands of the fanatics. A people without education surely are destined to perish and this is what has been happening when security agents confront the religious fanatics in Northern Nigeria.

My major concern has always been for the Christians or atheists in Northern Nigeria. They are usually brutally murdered or executed for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Seriously I don’t know how southerners live in the north when they could be killed at any time!

I am not implying that southerners should vacate northern Nigeria. My emphasis rather is on addressing the roots of the matter. First is, if Nigeria wants to continue as one nation, then the abrogation or abolition of sharia is non-negotiable. We cannot live in a country with two laws, it will not work. Never!

Secondly is the fact that policy makers or administrators in Northern Nigeria needs to wake up to answer their call duty. They are there to educate and emancipate the people but over the centuries the privileged people in the north have ensured that opportunities for education are limited and restricted. Even if I am wrong still there is something in the north that makes education non-attractive. Many of the people are not only poor but they are also ignorant. This is probably a political device to ensure that the general population can be manipulated especially during national elections. So far this has worked.

Therefore if anyone thinks that the end has been heard of religious uprisings in northern Nigeria, he/she should get his head checked. There are fundamental issues that if not address the problems will pass on from one generation to another and forever more.

The whole of Nigeria must revert back to secularity and there must be one law, one constitution. The persistence of sharia is an aid to extremism and double standards. The absence of education or the restriction of it especially in the north is a chronic disease that will continue to push this nation to the precipice. The ineptitude of Nigerian politicians is a colossal cankerworm that may ultimately lead to disintegration. Making it non-violent will be an uphill task.

Meanwhile isn’t it time for the people of Nigeria to wake up, ask for political justice, social justice, equality, freedom of speech and expression and the dividends of true democracy? It’s been 10 years of maladministration by seriously incompetent men and women. Change must come, but we must demand it and take necessary actions to see that it happens.

Nigeria is now labelled a potentially terrorist nation and here we are battling religious violence, again in Northern Nigeria. I’m getting tired. Where do we go from here?

Nigeria: Terrorism, Stateless, Visionless, Aimless and Confusion-ism

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Adeola Aderounmu

A Nigerian has been arrested for acts of terrorism. Nigeria is in partial turmoil-no light, no fuel, no good roads, no good public schools and so on and so forth.

Since 2007 we have battled with the illegal presidency of Yar Adua. Then came the shocker that the guy is working like a snail. The reason is because he has been sick even since we was a governor in Katsina.

I have condemned Nigerian rulers many times because they steal, loot and misrule us while forgetting to put in place the basic things that could be of help to them and the rest of us.

We have just received reports that Maryam Babangida died in a US hospital. Meanwhile her husband was president in Nigeria for 8 years. He too had an operation in France when he was our tyrannical ruler.

Present Yar Adua is in a Saudi Arabian Hospital, invariably terminally ill. As a governor and then fake president he didn’t see the need to build any hospital in Nigeria that could cater for his health needs. He suffers and 140m Nigerians suffer along with him. This country is sick, for real!

For over one month, Nigeria remains without a ruler (fake or real) and as the rest of the world rejoice and celebrate Xmas and look forward to a new year, Nigerians are groaning under the effects of fuel shortage, absolute darkness and a life so uncertain of what tomorrow will bring.

Yet the politicians keep toying with our lives and it appears that Turai the wife of Yar Adua has become a force to reckon with. This is so shameful. Nigerian politicians are acting like mad people, it seems what they will eat has robbed them of their senses.

Who can you blame? They were never elected in the first place so they do “anyhow”, toy with power and might and act as if there is no law and order in Nigeria.

2010 will bring additional challenges to the problems we already have. We have serious crises on our hands and the addition of terrorism to the list of our woes is just like the last straw-the camel’s back appeared to be broken.

As a matter of urgency, we need to fix our election palavers. We need to fix our problems with electricity. We need to look into infrastructure, schools, roads, and other pressing needs.

Nigeria must fight poverty and corruption tooth and nails. Nigeria must uphold the rule of law and get rid of people like Ibori and Aondoakaa from the public space. There are lots of idiots roaming around and destroying our national image and our lives.

Short and long term measures must be executed to address our problems nationally and internationally. The best form of rebranding will be to start a process of internalised cleansing by sacking all corrupt people, send them to jail and start a process of national re-awakening that will put Nigeria in her rightful place before the turn of the next century.

We must set out, before dawn!