Africa

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?

US Blames Security At Lagos Airports, Really?

/ Adeola / 1 Comment

By Adeola Aderounmu

The US should stop this blame game and focus on the matter at hand. The Nigerian terrorist travelled through two airports-Lagos and Amsterdam.

There must have been something the alleged terrorist did to beat the securities at these two airports. That should be the focus. In what ways was he ahead of both the Nigerian and the Dutch security systems? Trying to fault the Nigerian end is baseless and reckless.

Where was the US security during 9-11? May the souls of the departed continue to rest in peace. Should we blame the US security systems? No we don’t have to even though we know that everytime something goes wrong, someone should have thought better. Still each error provides a room for improvement and prevention of future re-occurence of the same error.

The US should be focussing on its embassy in Nigeria. How did they end up giving a juicy VISA to a suspected terrorist? And if the VISA was issued before he became a terror, what attempts were made to keep a TAB on him? (It appears the visa was obtained in UK)

The attention should be taken away from MMA even though I am not saying that MMA is perfect or tight. But that the guy went through Amsterdam Airport without beind detected is an indication that he was a step ahead.

Rather than a blame game, an international cooperation and multi-faceted investigation should be undertaken because this guy has travelled wide and far and probably has a links or networks that are unknown.

I am just concern about how much his father stole as a Minister or Bank Chief that may have contributed to the affluent live the boy lived as a student in UK. I am going to be devastated beyond words if my fears are confirmed that his father stole Nigeria’s money only for the boy to end up this way-wasting Nigeria’ Niger Delta Wealth or depositors’ fund in First Bank.

For us Nigerians, this is a national embarrassment and many of us are bracing up for the challenges and the implications for the days ahead. We are already struggling with a severely battered international image, to now top it with a terrorist act is the last thing we need for our country that has been denied a legitimate government since 2007.

Even as I write I am very angry with Nigerian thieves who say they are politicians. For the past 1 month we have no ruler as the fake president lies lifeless in Saudi Arabia and we are just sailing like people in a lost ship.

This act of terrorism is the last form of distraction that Nigeria needs right now as we have serious political problems to take care of. We are a nation in crisis.

Hopefully this may serve as a wake up call to the useless people in Aso rock and Abuja including the worthless lawmakers idlying away as the rest of us suffer the effects of fuel scarcity and prevalent poverty.

The Nigerian Terrorist? No, we are not a nation of terrorists

/ Adeola / 28 Comments

Adeola Aderounmu

One Abdul Mudallab has been named as the Nigerian Terrorist that tried to blow up a passenger plane arriving in the US.

I will make this a very short response because details are still emerging that will throw more lights on the incidents (and even the precedents).

But I want to assure all friends of Nigeria and Nigerians that this is totally an isolated incident. Nigerians are not terrorists. Nigeria is a country where Islam and Christianity are the dominant religions. Muslims are concentrated in the North and Christians in the South.

Religious riots are common in the North and sporadic in the South but above all we try to overcome our differences and live in peace. It is hard because of poverty and ignorance especially in the North where it is relatively easier to lure people into violence or acts of violence.

Nigerians are generally peace loving, warm, friendly and very tolerant. If any Nigerian is caught as a terrorist, it will be mostly due to ignorance and personal ideology rather than a common trait. We are not terrorists and we don’t plan to become a terrorist nation. True, the North of Nigeria may have been infiltrated but still it doesn’t reveal that this is an accepted ideology.

Surely I will try to write more about this as details unfold. AND this particular incident is giving me a shift away from the focus of my blogging. I have never thought that a day will come that I will write about terrorism on my blog. But the day is here now as a “Nigerian” Abdul Mudallad has been caught and this is a very reckless attempt to give the rest of us a bad name.

The Nigerian Press must ensure a fair report of this incident and together we must do all we can to restore our image: Nigeria is not a country of terrorists!

Profile of suspected Nigerian Terrorist

Name: Abdul Farouk Umar Abdulmutallab
Age: 23-year-old
Father: Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, former First Bank chairman, former minister and prominent banker
Family Homes: Katsina/Kaduna, Northern Nigeria and home in Central London
Education: British International School, Lome, Togo, University College, London
Countries visited/ residence: UK, Egypt, Nigeria, Yemen, Dubai

The Rise and Rise of Evil..!

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By Adeola Aderounmu

In August 2009 I argued that Mr. Yar’ Adua should be sent packing (ref: 10 reasons why Yar’ Adua should resign).…! I continue to maintain that position irrespective of Mr. Yar’Adua’s status. I have never called him a president and I will under no circumstances have any reason to address him as one. As far as I am concern he is a product of evil and illegality. Anyone who has forgotten what happened in 2007 should do a quick browse of the articles on Nigerian Village Square for information.

Mr. Yar’ Adua is very sick and there are reasons to believe he will not be able to return to his illegal post again. I am not taking advantage of his sickness. I know what it is to be sick. When I was 2 my parents actually thought I would die. In 2005 I was nearly off at Karolinska hospital due to an illness. I’ve lost someone I love to cancer. I’ve lost 2 nephews to preventable causes. My mum is down with stroke. Many of us have our personal problems but we didn’t pause Nigeria with our problems. No one has such right or privilege.

At this moment that Nigeria should be looking ahead we are now being held static by forces and individuals who are playing gods with our existence. They have reasons to do that. Very stupid reasons actually! In the history of this failing nation we have never successfully elected leaders into political offices. It has been one rigging after another or one military dictatorship after another. It is based on these types of precedents that the current rogues who called themselves politicians in Nigeria are incapable of moving the nation forward.

Evil is perpetually on the rise in Nigeria. It appears that it will continue to be so until one day that the people will be able to say enough is enough. If the people of Nigeria continue to sit down and look without taking actions then nothing will change. The politicians will continue to do what they know best: use violence or military influence to rig elections, loot the treasury and never give a damn about the consequences of their actions.

There was a call from about 56 prominent Nigerians that Yar Adua should resign. Actually that is not their call. That call is for 150m Nigerians to make. Indeed that call should be the sign of things to come. There is nothing stopping 150m Nigerians from forming a formidable unit to resist this evil and face it for once and for all time.

Nigerians have a moral obligation to bring down the reign of evil and its agents. The constitution is not perfect but that it is not even respected means that we live under the reign of tyranny in disguise. So why not bring it down. Heaven will not fall with it..!

Today we have very shameless men and women parading the corridors of power. It is so unbelievable the types of statements and information that emanate daily from these tropical gangsters in agbada. Their collective mentality brings ridicule to the rest of us. Seriously there is something wrong with the black race. What will it take to break it if it is a curse or sort?

Again the main reason why we are at this crossroad is because of the wrong way we took to this point. Imagine if our votes were counted in 2007 we will not be at this junction. It is therefore more imperative at this point than at any other point of our crumbling history that we seize this moment and start doing it right at whatever cost!

Those of us who do not accept Umaru cannot discard Goodluck. What we must ensure is to allow him assume the position of the number one citizen but doing all we can before 2011 to avoid the kind of process that manufactured him and his diminishing boss. No one can deny that they were selectively planted to satisfy the evil desires of Mr. Obasanjo and his co-travellers.

I must reiterate that Nigerians must rise up for their own good so prevent the further rise of evil in Nigeria. At all cost we must ensure transparency of our electoral system. We have had opportunities in the past to do things right but we always spend our times at churches and mosques praying and doing nothing. People should get out of their shrines and act.

We have a lot of things to put in place, back to what they were before independence actually. Our educational system, our health delivery system, our transport system, our economy, our environment, our infrastructure and definitely our employment system and human dignity all require fixing. By ourselves we can declare a state of emergence on our power system and see to it that it works. We should ensure that our national system starts to work again by bringing down all those standing in the way.

These things are achievable. We don’t need a useless 7-point deadly agenda or the prescription of fraudulent minds called vision 20-2020. Nonsense! When we have taken control of our electoral system and being able to elect our representatives then we can start asking for accountability and probity in public and private institutions. We will minimise corruption and give hope to our children and children’s children.

This is the time for Nigerians to unite and ensure that Yar’ Adua does not come back again. He is a liability, too weak for Nigeria even if they package him again. I can tell you that thousands of children have died in Nigeria since the day that he left Nigeria for treatment in a foreign land. This is the time to take measures that will terminate such irresponsible and shameful act from a ruler. Now is that time to do all that is possible to get those politicians, senators and lawmakers to act. If it means going to their houses, why not? If it means millions of Nigerian bombarding Abuja or Aso rock, why not?

To do nothing is to be part and parcel of the evil itself. It will rise forever..!

Why Goodluck Jonathan May Not Become Nigeria’s President

/ Adeola / 39 Comments

by Adeola Aderounmu

One thing that people should know about Nigeria is that Nigeria’s form of democracy is rubbish. The various governments that we have had over the years are non-democratic. It’s been several years of military dictatorship and civilian autocracy.

In 1999, 2003 and 2007 politicians appointed themselves into different positions using first in 1999 the military might of the military-backed PDP. There was a settlement then that brought Obasanjo to power. In 2003, he was re-appointed-only this time through his own control of the PDP and the useless electoral commission headed by one puppet and liar called Maurice Iwu.

In 2007 Obasanjo tried to make himself a life president by gunning for a third term in office but he failed in that attempt. His VP was also ambitious but both of them are stinkingly corrupt and big for nothing individuals. They ruined Nigeria and they brought government to a stand still through their personal ego fight.

Obasanjo handpicked Yar Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. Yar Adua in 2009 has shown manifestation of a disease that has plagued him since he was a governor. Any attempt for him to govern beyond this moment will aggravate his situation and possibly end his life. Summarily Yar Adua is not fit to rule over Nigeria. He has done so illegally for 2 years. Two worst years in the history of any government in Nigeria.

Jonathan is avoiding the responsibilities despite tha fact that it is clear that his master is out of town, almost permanently. Nigerians must call on Obasanjo to tell us the type of agreement that Jonathan signed when he was chosen (not elected) to be the VP. It appears that our useless politicians are keen on keeping to agreement while throwing away the constitution of the FR-of Nigeria that stipulates that the VP should take over when the president is away or dead.

This written document or okija-styled oath may be the reason why Jonathan may not become the president of Nigeria. It is possible that those cabal are asking him to resign on this basis. Jonathan is too quiet. He is however not stupid. But the fact that he is quiet and avoiding presidential obligations means that he has a skeleton in his cupboards.

Some people have speculated that his resignation will become a reality if Yar Adua dies. No one is sure what is going to happen. I am not sure as well.

But it pains me to my marrow that we may have on our hands papers, agreements or oaths that overrides our consitution. This is Nigerian politics. It is the most useless form of government on planet earth.

The people don’t count. They can go to hell for all the politicians care. How long can the people be left out of governance. For how long shall be look and do nothing about our lives, about the future of our children.