Month: May 2010

Jonathan’s Choice of VP reduces the rest of us to Pawns

/ Adeola / 3 Comments

Adeola A.

Namadi Sambo will become Nigeria’s Vice President. The main reason of course is to allow Mr. Jonathan to contest for the presidency in 2011. Politically a good move because even if Namadi Sambo decides to run for the presidency as well, it will provide a checkmate for the intention of Ibrahim Babangida.

Ordinarily we should not be talking about Babangida. Mr. Ibori has been arrested in Dubai and will be repatriated to the UK or Nigeria. Babangida stole more money than Ibori. No one will understand how the justice system works in Nigeria. Some people like Babangida and Obasnajo remain above the law.

So if Babangida remains in the presidential race instead of in kirikiri prison, then his ambitions have just been checkmated because it is not clear if either Jonathan or Sambo will win the PDP ticket next year. Mr. Goodluck Jonathan just played the chess game of his life but we remain the pawns. Yes the ordinary Nigerians were not in the consideration when the selection was made.

I don’t think Mr. Jonathan had constant electricity or regular water supply in his mind when he made the choice. He sat down probably with some political strategists and planned his own survival. The rest of us are pawns and we can rot away for all he cares.

Knowing fully well that Sambo is an IBB-boy as they used to say, Jonathan has now politically pitched IBB and Sambo against each other in terms of political ambitions. Sambo will of course like either of these 2 things: 1) to continue as VP for as long as Jonathan is president and then becoming a president when Jonathan bows out. OR 2) Outrightly gunning for the presidency in 2011 depending on how circumstances play out in the months ahead.

Jonathan will be hoping for the luck to continue. There may be a deal though: Sambo will probably lie low for as long as Goodluck live his new dream-president for as long as possible.

It’s a dilemma for everyone anyway but we remain restless. We are worried about the real rewards of true democracy. Nigeria is lost. We have no leaders. Rulers after rulers continue to emerge.

We are looking for ways out of our poverty. We long for electric power, water, good roads, good schools. We long for simple but quality existence. All we get is politics of bitterness. All we see are cruel and mean politicians who continue to play the game of life with our presence and future.

If Mr. Sambo is confirmed, it will be another interesting chapter of our nation to see how the duo of Jonathan-Sambo lead Nigeria forward. Time will time whose interests were in focus when the choice and decision were made. In 2011 all the possibilities would have been exposed. Sometimes the pawns survive while the knights, king and queen do perish. In Nigeria this is so true, evil rulers and bad politicians persist but we have seen them come and go. The last chapter remains unwritten.

2011 Elections in Nigeria, Jonathan Should Contest

/ Adeola / 10 Comments

Adeola A.

Goodluck Jonathan is a citizen of Nigeria and by providence the current “president” of Nigeria. The current debate about whether or not he should contest in the 2011 Presidential election is a very-very stupid debate.

Goodluck Jonathan belongs to PDP which is obviously a very strong party but also a very deceitful one. This party has been in power since 1999 and under these past years Nigeria has become more corrupt and the percentage of people that have slipped under the poverty level has escalated. Under the PDP Nigerians have continued to suffer due to the lack of the basic things of life like water and electricity.

PDP to many of us remained the nest of killers as confirmed by Wole Soyinka. That party boasts of looters and evil rulers like Babangida and Obasanjo. Co-looters like Atiku have found their way back to the fold. Ogbulafor the chairman of the party is currently standing trials for the monies he stole under Obasanjo and Bode Geroge is cooling off in kirikiri maximum prison. Ibori is on the run. In so small measures, the PDP continues to destroy Nigeria because they have no masterplan to get us out of the doldrums. The primary interest of Nigerian politicians remains to make money, get rich and care about self.

Anyway the current in-house trouble within the PDP is how to prevent or stop Jonathan from contesting in 2011. The Northerners in that party in their characteristic manner since 1959 do not want power shift to the South, let alone Mr. Jonathan from the Niger Delta region. What a useless mentality?

This is my take. Mr Goodluck Jonathan is a Nigerian and by provisions of the federal constitution of Nigeria is free to contest for electable offices including the position of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria. Unless he is sentenced to prison term for stealing, armed robbery or other crimes that can prevent him for pursuing his dreams, I see no reason (until then) why he cannot be allowed to contest for the office in question.

Indeed Goodluck belongs to PDP and he knows the evil nature of his political party. He knew how he was handpicked for the office of the VP by Obasanjo. This PDP party for Mr. Jonathan is a necessary evil. How he will overcome remains his personal dilemma and invariably a national problem. National, because if the status quo is maintained in the PDP, the unity of Nigeria will suffer a severe blow on the head. The system may collapse and the fears of critics may be fulfilled. The people in the leadership of the PDP have always put themselves before the nation. Isn’t that tantamount to treason?

From another perspective the outcome of the in-house fight in the PDP is one issue. The other issue is that irrespective of the candidate that would emerge from the PDP, that should be one part of the story. Who says that Mr. Jonathan would be the president if he becomes a candidate? Who says that the northern candidate in the minds of the northerners will win come 2011?

There are other political parties in Nigeria. They must present their own candidates too. It shouldn’t matter where the candidates are coming from. It is more important that we have candidates who are not corrupt. We want candidates who have not participated in the looting and destruction of Nigeria. There should be possibilities to present formidable candidates that will challenge the evils that have been perpetrated by Mr. Jonathan’s party since 1999.

2011 is a new golden chance. Bring in the electoral reforms. Give us a level playing field. Bring the PDP candidates be it Jonathan or Danjuma or Mustafa or Galadima or Shagari. Let us put them against one or two lovable, sincere and trustworthy Nigerians and above all let us count the votes.

We must not bring or accept the likes of Babangida or Atiku. In fact we should continue to mount pressure for the prosecution of Babangida, Obasanjo, Atiku and Ibori. These men and their accomplices stole Nigeria to dryness. Babangida alone stole more than 20 billion dollars. This money is enough to build a new country and bring some European countries OUT of economic recession. Where is our money Babangida?

No one can boast that Jonathan is not corrupt. The money stolen by his wife has not helped matters at all. Who, in Nigeria is not corrupt?

Let Jonathan contest but let him or the PDP do that in a normal democracy. In 2011 let MY VOTE COUNTs.

NIGERIA’s WORLD CUP SQUAD

/ Adeola / 18 Comments

Adeola Aderounmu

Lars Lagerbäck is not going to the World Cup to perform experiments. Conventional wisdom shows that that may be a fatal approach. The Nigerian coach will be going to South Africa in June with the players he inherited from Shuaibu Amodu.

What is then the difference between having coach Amodu in South Africa and Lars Lagerbäck who failed to qualify Sweden for the same competition? The outcome of the performances of the Nigerian team will be known in June 2010.

I cannot give a prediction of the outcome in South Africa but I know that the strategy of Mr. Lagerbäck will be different. Nigeria may end up playing a more defensive-style football and if this happens people are really going to be upset with the coach especially if the Super Eagles are disgraced out of the tournament.

Every Nigerian is a football analyst in his/ her own rights. If Lagerbäck’s strategies fail they will tell him what he doesn’t know about our football. They will let him know in clear terms that next to God, the next thing on the minds of Nigerians is football. To hell with politics and the looting politicians. Give us good football and take our sorrows away.

It doesn’t matter that Nigeria qualified for the world cup by a slim chance. The expectations are the same as if we qualified in a big way. Hence it is clear from the team squad that Mr. Lagerbäck himself is not willing to take chances. But the big question is “will he and his boys deliver when the heat is on in South Africa?”

Football coaches have one of the most fragile jobs in the world. Lagerbäck may not realise this because it took so long for him to get booted in Sweden despite several imperfections. Nigeria’s imperfections have produced coach after coach and the recycling of Amodu is a clear piece of evidence. He’s been there 3 times in the last 12 years !

If Lagerbäck fails in South Africa-not getting to the second round or quarter finals-there will be extreme pressure on his employers to fire him. That sort of failure will seal the automatic end to the international careers of the present crop of Super Eagles, most of whom are already past their primes anyway. If Lagerbäck survives he may eventually get the chance to try and do something new for Nigerian football. In that case, say 3 years from now, it would have become evident what he can do with the bunch of talents that Nigeria boast of. Some of us will get the chance to compare his records in Sweden with the situation in Nigeria if he survives 3 years as the coach of football-crazy Nigeria.

Just before the world cup, Nigeria will play 1 or 2 friendly matches. That is if the Football Authority is not fooling around like they did last month. These matches will not be adequate preparations for a country that is serious in going far in the tournament. If Nigerian plays the friendly matches, they will provide rare opportunities for Lagerbäck to see his squad first hand.

Performances in the friendly matches for those who get to wear the national colours and the few days in training will culminate in final selection of players for the world cup.

My expectations are not so high. Still the Nigerian in me wants Nigeria to do well in this world cup. Nigerians need something to cheer about, something to soothe us despite our political and social worries. Football is our religion and history has it that during those moments when Nigeria could have been torn apart, we were kept together by the common glories that football brought to our troubled nation.

I wish Mr. Lagerbäck and the Super Eagles all the best that the god of soccer can give them. With such a dull preparation, they will need all the luck in the world if they want to survive any game at all in the tournament. Good luck may even come from the seat of power. In Nigeria and for Nigerians, anything can happen!

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel), Dele Aiyenugba (Bnei Yehuda, Israel), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Petah Tikva, Israel), Bassey Akpan (Bayelsa United, Nigeria)

Defenders: Taye Taiwo (Marseille, France), Elderson Echiejile (Rennes, France), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Onyekachi Apam (OG Nice, France), Joseph Yobo (Everton, England), Daniel Shittu (Bolton Wanderers, England), Ayodele Adeleye (Sparta Rotterdam, Netherlands), Rabiu Afolabi (SV Salzburg, Austria), Terna Suswan (Lobi Stars, Nigeria)

Midfielders: Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany), John Utaka (Portsmouth, England), Brown Ideye (FC Sochaux, France), Peter Utaka (Odense Boldklub, Denmark), , Kalu Uche (Almeria, Spain), Dickson Etuhu (Fulham, England), John Mikel Obi (Chelsea, England), Sani Kaita (Alaniya, Russia), Haruna Lukman (AS Monaco, France), Yusuf Ayila (Dynamo Kiev, Ukraine), Osaze Odemwingie (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia)

Strikers: Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Everton, England), Victor Anichebe (Everton, England), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth, England), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg, Germany), Ikechukwu Uche (Real Zaragoza, Spain), Victor Obinna Nsofor (Malaga, Spain)

The Last Days of Umaru Yar Adua

/ Adeola / 2 Comments

Adeola A.

One fateful day in Nov 2009 Yar Adua was flown to Saudi Arabia in emergency mode. What could have been a national sympathy was turned into a national tragedy when the wife and associates of Umaru Yar Adua (UMYA) decided to toy and play politics with the entire situation.

From that fateful day in Nov until his final demise on March 6 2010, UMYA was not seen in public. The only report that he was heard on BBC early this year was not verified.

Turai lied to Nigerians about the status of UMYA’s health. Knowing that the man was helpless and probably unconscious she constantly fed lies into the national and international news media.

Without knowing the truth and being unable to trust Turai, Nigerians made up their own news and speculations. Yar Adua was rumoured and reported dead time and time again in Nigeria and on the web. In one American comedy show Yar Adua was reported to be secretly dead. There are some Nigerians who think that Yar Adua died since Nov 2009. Since no one saw him alive since then or heard him in public that hypothesis remains valid to those who proposed it.

Towards the end of the sickling games played by Turai and her accomplices who by now should be on trial for deceiving Nigerians and performing all kinds of unconstitutional acts, some unreliable religious rulers in Nigeria were paid to tell lies about the status of Yar Adua’s health. And lied they did!

At one point, documents were forged by the then useless and worthless Attorney General of Nigeria, Mr. Aondoakaa and other greedy nuisance in public offices, claiming that the documents were signed by Yar Adua-the man who was motionless and unconscious. Mr. Aondoakaa at the height of his own craziness told the world that UMYA can rule from anywhere-sick bed, toilet and what have you. He was close to telling sane people that Nigeria could have a dead man as a president.

What is more important? The health of one man or the lives of 150m others? It beats me when greed and politics make people so silly and senseless.

Anyway, for 6 months, we were left to speculate as no official or open information were made available by Turai to explain the nature of UMYA health and status. In the past when UMYA had the opportunity to be open and explicit, he chose his words carefully or he hid them. In the beginning actually he lied. He never played any game of squash. It was impossible.

Rumours had it that the German doctors wanted him to resign from office so that they can help him to treat his conditions and that he could get rest from public life after the treatment. It was mentioned that he neglected the advice and went to seek help from Brazil and eventually Saudi Arabia. It must be that he was stubborn or that he had bad advisers around him. Between public office and being able to manage a worrying health condition, what could have been more important?

We are humans, when we die; it is like taking a cup of water from a bucket of water. The impact of our exit is unnoticed. A little ripples and it’s over. Life goes on. Beyond our immediate family, life will remain normal for the rest of the world. What do we live for? Some people don’t even have families, yet they appreciate life with the warmth and company of the people around them.

Since Turai had a mission that the rest of us will never really understand or comprehend she kept 150m people in the dark by ensuring that almost no news filtered out of Saudi Arabia and the hospitals where UMYA laid, invariably unaware of his environment.

When Nigerians were protesting “enough is enough” I was quick to point out that they were wrong to direct their messages to UMYA. The man at that time was totally unaware of what is going on in Nigeria. At that time, he had become a hostage for turai, Aondoakaa and all the other stupid kitchen cabinet of UMYA. Even one Mr. Segun Adeniyi was talking from the 2 sides of his mouth.

For 6 months (Nov 2009-May 2010), evil was on the rise and the main actor was not even aware. In my quiet time, I was full of rage and I felt so sorry for the man. He made several mistakes and there was no point of return.

He came into office illegally. He sustained the illegality with the upside down wisdom of Aondoakaa and the stolen wealth of Ibori continued to work wonders. He had an unnecessary 7 points agenda and barely fulfilled one. He promised an emergency in the power sector. Nothing happened because he did nothing in that direction. The lists are endless of what he didn’t do. Nigeria needs a strong man in strong health in strong institutions because of the nature of our peculiarities and problems. Even if we don’t need strong men, we need strong institutions. With UMYA it was triple jeopardy.

Unfortunately in the end game he became a victim, like the rest of us. Truth is constant. In public life we must not be afraid. We must say the truth. It is bitter and it will cost some of us a lot but sacrifices must be made otherwise there will be no victories. History is full of real stories of how a few good men helped to shape the course of human history. When they were absent and no one did anything, we know what happened.

At that point of no return, UMYA could have died a decent man in his village. But his wife didn’t allow that to happen. She smuggled a whole president into Nigeria in the early hours of the morning another fateful day in February 2010. If ghost stories are real, Turai will be in real soup by now. She turned her sick husband to an exhibition to the chosen few, at a huge cost.

Why didn’t she take UMYA to Katsina? She brought him back to Aso rock for reasons best known to her. Is it about money? Is it about political power? Who can tell her motives? Were these her decisions or the suggestions of those who she cannot disclose? Whatever the case, she made a mess of an already sour situation.

And to imagine the Nigeria scenario-“siddon look” approach. People laid back and watch from a distance as usual. Even Jonathan did not see UMYA since Nov 2010.

And the man died! When he died will be a subject of debate. I have read and listen to many comments and theories. It didn’t have to be this way.

UMYA fell sick because his condition worsened in Nov 2009. Why and how that suddenly became a final journey into his secret exit from earth are questions that Turai will explain if she likes to.

If she doesn’t, we will never know. We will pin our guesses on her greed for power and money. We will continue to think that she didn’t brace up early for life after Aso Rock. Human memory are really short and shattered! Who is talking about Mariam Babangida today? Where is Marian Abacha? People come and people go, good or bad.

What lessons are we going to learn about this story of a woman who became obsessed with power and money (my guesses until she opens up)? I have an answer. Mr and Mrs Jonathan should start planning for life after the presidency. It is the law of existence that political power or statuses are transient-they come and go. I don’t know how many things last forever.

People should not cry for what doesn’t belong to them. When you go borrowing, be prepared to pay back. Don’t kill to avoid paying back as that will only increase your sorrow. Work hard to live beyond the days of your debts. If you can, don’t borrow at all.

Life is a lesson. It remains a stage with all kinds of possible actors.

We must constantly remind ourselves that we brought nothing into this world and we will leave with nothing. With such thoughts, we will learn to live our lives with contentment knowing that greed, selfishness, corruption and insatiable desires will only multiply our unhappiness and sorrows.

We all make mistakes but not learning from our mistakes and those of others is a great disservice to posterity.

Nigeria and Nigerians must learn from the last days of UMYA. If we didn’t learn anything at all, our glory days will never return to us. Never!

PDP-Making a fool of us

/ Adeola / 1 Comment

Adeola A.

In PDP-21st century Nigeria, they have a zoning system for presidency and presidential candidates.

It is the most stupid thing you can imagine and it is a reflection of brainless thoughts.

If the PDP principle works out, what it means that Nigeria should never be conducting presidential elections. This is how it works.

From 1999-2007 Obasanjo a southerner was the president of Nigeria. From 2007-2015 Mr. Yar Adua (may his soul rest in peace) should be the president of Nigeria. From 2015-2023 an Igboman or someone from the East or South East should be the president. So it means conducting elections (assuming that Nigeria becomes a one-party state) will be senseless and stupid altogether.

If you think about these things and if it works out this way, it shows nothing but extremely low intelligence or the absence of it in the Nigerian political scene. It is one of those things I classify as classical insanity/ madness of Nigerian politics.

According to this evil manifesto of the PDP- the unfortunate party of Mr. Jonathan-Mr Jonathan is living on a borrowed presidency. They mean that he must vacate the seat in 2011 so that a man from the north of Nigeria can finish the terms of Mr. Yar Adua. No greater senselessness!

I don’t pity Goodluck and his new predicament. He came and rose to power through the PDP. He knows what’s in for him and I’m sure his biggest dilemma now is how to change the status quo. That is his headache.

For Nigerians, our headache is how to prevent such a useless and senseless way of thinking to become a permanent way of life for us.

Rotational presidency is rubbish. It is very undemocratic and anti-progressive. Unfortunately it was this excuse that was used to perpetrate the criminal-mode elections that brought Jonathan and Yar Adua to power in 2007. Yar Adua is gone, to rest. This leaves us with Jonathan as the president we never voted for.

I will always wish Mr. Jonathan all the Goodluck in his name. But even luck does run out. Nigerians are talking about electoral reforms. But the PDP which unfortunately happens to posses many strongholds is now the biggest problem we have. Invariably Mr. Jonathan will appoint a northerner as the Vice president. This is PDP’s legacy and the way of Nigerian politicians-doing things that will benefit only the political class who have held Nigeria/Nigerians hostage for 50 years.

In an ideal world Mr. Jonathan will appoint a selfless person and a person who is intelligent to tackle the problems of Nigeria. He should be looking for an active man who will work together with him to see how they can move Nigeria forward, at least one step since 1960.

But that is far from what we have on ground. Merits can go to hell! In Nigeria, some people, usually called the cabal are now arranging how to present a VP to Mr. Jonathan the same way that Jonathan himself was presented to Yar Adua by the Obasanjo-led junta. The same cycle of idiocy is rehearsed and repeated. Welcome to Nigeria!

The ultimate task is to wipe out that useless policy of rotational presidency because if we continue to live by that mechanism, we only confirm that political posts are a means to loot, steal and plunder the wealth of Nigeria.

All political parties should allow free flowing democracy that is devoid of zoning. At every opportunity every candidate irrespective of their origin in Nigeria should be allowed to contest freely for offices and positions as long as they are qualified and not found wanting in a criminal court of law.

Are there people with brains in the PDP? Let them speak up now against this evil against man and nature. It is devilish to zone offices, much so the office of the presidency.

The other options that I mentioned in a post long time ago is the strengthening of the opposition party. Rather that proliferate like the babies of rats, the opposition parties should propose a coalition with viable manifesto and wrestle power from the PDP.

This is where fairplay and the influence of Mr. Goodluck will be tested in the forth coming elections either as a candidate for the PDP if the wicked party abandons its zoning system and allow reason to prevail OR as an observer now tired of pushing his luck too far.

In Nigeria, anything can happen. What looks so certain is that we will get a VP, who like Mr. Goodluck, will not be appointed or elected on merits. Of all the names that have popped up, I fancy no one. I don’t fancy Nigerian politicians when at the time you expect much from them; they give you little or nothing.

Our future is always in our hands. The realities of our lives still stare at us. In the midst of plenty, millions are starving. The basic things of life continue to elude millions. Unemployment remains rife. Education is at an all time low, basic health care is still luxurious , social infrastructure in general are damned and the overall quality of our lives despite the combined wealth from oil and natural resources remains despicable and pitiable.

Nigeria is not a poor country. There is enough in this country for everyone if we tackle greed, nepotism, corruption, ineptitude, sycophancy and selfishness in both public and private places.

Our lives and our future will continue to be in our hands and the outcomes will always depend on what we do or neglect.