All They Ever Wanted

July 25, 2012January 14, 2016 / Adeola / 1 Comment

By Adeola Aderounmu

There are many records and chronological analyses of what went wrong with Nigeria. Above all a once prosperous country with one of the greatest aggregation of potentials-both human and natural-was mismanaged, plundered and converted into one of the worst places to live on earth.

Nigeria, photo By Adeola Aderounmu

In 1993 in what appeared to be an act of treason a major electoral process was blasted by the tropical gangsters led by Ibrahim Babangida. So the hopes and stakes were high when a new civilian government emerged in Nigeria in 1999.

The events from 1999 to 2012 have proven that the problem with Nigeria was partly the military governments and partly the civilian governments. In my opinion Nigerians have suffered to various degrees under all known types of dispensations after independence in 1960.

But there is a group of majority that continues to bear the brunt of more than 50 years of crimes against humanity in Nigeria. More than 90% of Nigerians are estimated to be living in poverty.

This group is made up of people who are unsure of the next meal. It is this group that is called resilient, religious or happy depending on which investigation you read. They were the hopefuls in 1993 and 1999. All they ever wanted, and still want is the good life.

Unfortunately they will not get the things they want. Since the life expectancy in Nigeria is about 52.5 years it means that there has been a generation of Nigeria that went through life in the most hopeless way one can imagine.

They never had constant power supply, they never had good roads and they never lived in quality houses or apartments. They did not get the best meals money can buy.

Nigeria, photo By Adeola Aderounmu

In historical perspective this will translate to two wasted generations of Nigerians. It is hard to give up on the argument that the nature of the Nigerian tragedy makes it one of the greatest (but hidden) tragedies of modern era.

When the Arab spring was in vogue, with Syria still as its melting point, some of us saw it as a misplaced uprising.

I mean if the second wasted Nigerian generation was raised in North Africa they would probably have driven on good roads, slept in good homes and experienced what constant power supply meant. For the most, they may have lived longer.

The hope in Nigeria-where democracy exists on paper and its dividends in the pockets of the looters-is a misnomer. The description “resilient” fits aptly. Still, I prefer Fela’s description of Nigerians as “suffering and smiling”. The song “Sorrow, Tears and Blood” has the same relevance today as it did when it was released in 1977.

All they ever wanted, they never got. All they had left were taken away from them. A typical Nigerian worker or unemployed adult was a self-witness to the demise of public education.

Right before his eyes, he saw how primary health centers turned to primary death centers and how major government hospitals degenerated in a fashion similar to necrosis. History has a record of how lesser or fewer tragedies have triggered massive protests, revolutions and government changes in several places.

One sad revelation of the Nigerian society is that the country continues to produce rulers (never leaders) who eventually turned out to be out of touch with everyday life of the Nigerian people once the ascension is made to either top or trivial political positions. Therefore the conclusion that a people deserve the type of (ruler) it gets deserves a closer evaluation in the Nigerian context.

Those who are ruling Nigeria today were on our side when we started complaining that things are not right. Why is Nigeria getting worse under the people who saw the problem with us from outside of government? In My Radom Reflections At 40, I wrote that-irrespective of what the future holds for Nigeria-the shape of things to come will depend on institutions and not people.

Had it been that the institutions are well and functioning for example more than 99% of Nigerian politicians today will be serving prison terms or facing trials for corruption, treason and outright negligence of responsibilities.

However Nigeria has almost no working institution, therefore it doesn’t matter if the politicians got legal or stolen mandates, in the end they always do what they like. In uncountable situations they do bad things and get away with crimes and all sorts of unthinkable acts never expected of public office holders.

Even today the regime in Nigeria is a mockery of the meaning of democracy. Nigerian rulers do not hide their autocratic powers. The situation in Nigeria is almost hopeless because when good people get into government they become bad, corrupt and unbelievably silent about evil deeds.

Those who managed to get into government offices end up seeing those outside of it as the problem. They see them as envious or jealous people. There is something inexplicable about how governments work from the inside in Nigeria. Hence the cycle of idiocy for Nigeria is endless.

The situation in Northern Nigeria was avoidable. If the institutions had been there, they would have rid the society of criminally minded and corrupt people both in and out of government. In the worst case the appropriate institutions would have ensured the security of life and property in the case of criminally-induced terrorism. But when the foundations are absent and everything is wrong as a result of round pegs in square holes, things will definitely fall apart with almost irredeemable consequences.

Several concerned Nigerians have begun to argue for the reinstatement of true federalism as one of the ways forward.

For them corruption is a secondary issue as far as the problems with Nigeria are concern. True Federalism will probably be a way to induce peaceful political changes in Nigeria. It is sad when those holding firmly onto power do not see the transient nature of it.

By such negligence they stubbornly fail to initiate the right political alternatives that can bring probable succor and social justice.

Sometimes stubbornness can generate earthly consuming fires. If the fire starts on the mountain as predicted by Asa, there may be nowhere for us to run. In this sense the political option, with religious inclination, chosen by Boko Haram is too costly and deadly. Most of it is senseless.

Nevertheless, it has been spoken about for years and in many ways that those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable. A violent change does not imply positive outcomes. The political structure of Nigeria must change.

It is better to approach the change constitutionally than to sustain the loopholes that terrorists are utilising to expose the weakenesses of Nigeria.

The common people will always be there. All they want is the good life

The Bomb Blasts in Northern Nigeria: The Last Chapter or ?

June 17, 2012August 10, 2012 / Adeola / 4 Comments

By Adeola Aderounmu

In Northern Nigeria bomb blasts have become part of daily existence. Terrorism is in full scale and it is only now a matter of time when the real consequences will be revealed.

Churches in Kaduna and Zaria were blown apart today 17th June 2012. There have been five bomb blasts already today!!!

As a country Nigeria is a total failure. Anyone who wants to deny or doubt this is free to do so. But a real check for such doubting thomases will be to attempt relocation to Maiduguri for example. I dare anyone living in western Nigeria to tell his or her family to say that he/she is relocating from western Nigeria to Maiduguri.

Nigeria has never been one country and the terrorist movement in Northern Nigeria is a confirmation of the false existence of Nigeria since the pseudo-merging perpetrated by the colonial masters. It was the height of insanity to carry out such a suicide exercise.

About 100 years after the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria, the false union is about to crack violently. The civil war in the early 70s provided a good opportunity for each region to paddle its own canoe. I don’t know if the Yorubas threw away that first golden opportunity by fighting on the same side as Nigeria.

Boko Haram and the terrorists of Northern Nigeria have emerged to justify the actions of late Emeka Ojukwu. Chief Ojukwu saw ahead of his time and wanted freedom for his people. His tactics and approaches have been criticized but the principle can never be ignored and the face of the evil north has re-surfaced.

Isn’t it time to tear this pseudo-union apart?

Well there are Christians living in Northern Nigeria. But I think through carefully conducted referendum and negotiations it is possible to let people decide where they want their children to spend their future and to form mutually agreed borders that will put an end to this evil blend.

The bloody sacrifices paid so far should do for a meaningful way forward. Christians should not allow themselves to be the slaughter animals and they cannot always live a life of revenge like what has happened today the 17th of June 2012. Many people including women and children have been slaughtered!

Instead of individuals fighting for themselves, they should actually live in a region or state where the governor or regional Minister should delegate armies to defend or fight for them.

Mr. Jonathan said God will intervene. Really? On whose side? The one who said he was sent by Allah to kill Christians or the one praying to God in the church and turning out to revenge? Where will God be in this fight?

If you are looking for the meaning of clueless, look at the face, actions of Jonathan and listen to his utterances, you will find the original meaning of clueless.

The earlier Nigeria is restructure the better for everyone. This daily slaughtering has to stop and keeping Nigeria especially the north in his present state of volatile mix is definitely not going to help. These people have to be separated so that future attacks can be taken as an art of (religious) war. At that point no one will be able to claim monopoly of violence and fear will become a common factor.

What we have today puts power in the hands of terrorists/haters of Christianity and fear in the mind of church goers. It’s an unfair situation. To break the unfairness, the regions and people must be separated. There must be a way out.

It is unbelievable that Nigeria has a government. There are no signs of governing in Nigeria. The only thing that is still showing the presence of government in Nigeria is that there are people in Aso rock and Eagle square in Abuja who are stealing and looting Nigeria’s oil money.

Apart from that there is no evidence to show that Nigeria is governed.

People steal, loot and cart away the commonwealth of Nigeria. Jonathan is the head of these looters. What a disgrace to Africa!

Nigeria’s ruler Mr. Goodluck Jonathan is supervising the worst government ever in Nigeria. Jonathan is conspicuously unintelligent.

Two years of his reign is like Nigerians relocated to hell. Nigerians are killed and slaughtered like goats under Jonathan’s regime. No one is responsible for the security of life and property. In Nigeria under Jonathan the life of humans is not worth more than the life of an insect. People are killed by bomb blasts, road and air disasters and even they suffer attacks by militant on seaways.

These things didn’t start under Jonathan, but they escalated under his regime and they reached new heights. He said these things did not start under his regime and such a speech can only be made by a fool or a clueless man.

Why are you in the number one position of a country and then you say these things didn’t start with you? What are you doing about these things and what are you doing to govern? Doing nothing is not a viable option.

Under Jonathan corruption was redefined. Daily he and his lawmakers are stealing billions of naira and the judiciary and police are looking like zombies, perfect accomplices.

Nigeria is the most corrupt country in the world and it fits perfectly that terrorism escalated at this time when no one is accepting responsibilities for the evils in the land.

Goodluck Jonathan brought many badlucks and it appears that his regime will be the last in Nigeria.

Has anyone thought about how impossible it will be to conduct elections in Northern Nigeria in 2015? Who will go to the ballot stations when Boko Haram will bomb down the whole place?

How will campaign take place for the 2015 elections in Northern Nigeria when the campaign can be turned to a complete genocide?

Nigerians are planning for nothing but Jonathan and Buhari and even Tinubu are scheming for 2015. Are they stupid or completely insane?

In 2015 there will be no possibility to conduct elections in Northern Nigeria unless at that time Boko Haram is completely wiped off the surface of the earth and terrorism is gone.

As things are now, bleak is the word.

Uncertainty is the order of the day everywhere in Nigeria.

I cannot wait to see the end of the present regime. Mr. Jonathan is a complete failure and a waste of the precious time that Nigerians don’t have.

Nigeria needs a serious referendum where the regions should be consulted and asked how they want to continue the union or as separate entities.

Nigeria is too diverse to be ruled or governed from a dull man in Abuja. No one will be successful trying to operate Nigeria from a remote rock characterized by the world’s worst form of corruption, never!

Each region needs to be independent and seek the leadership of its brightest minds. This was what we had under the old western, eastern and northern region.

The difference is that now, there is a necessity to redefine the regions as more groups will like to go their own ways.

There are several axes of evil to tackle, regional independence and corruption are two fundamental issues that need to be sorted in the nearest future.

The revival of other dead institutions like democracy, education and health would be necessary for the regions to reclaim their glories.

Nigeria is on the brink and the existence of unintelligent minds at the stage is definitely as recipe of a monumental disaster. Let the brilliant, sane and incorruptible minds speak out now, and act too.

JUNE 12 1993

May 29, 2012 / Adeola / Leave a comment

By Adeola Aderounmu

What happened on June 12 1993?

On June 12 1993, several millions of Nigerians voted in the best election ever conducted in the history of Nigeria.

The elections itself had been planned along two party system. Social Democratic Party’s candidate was Chief MKO Abiola while Alhaji Bashir Tofa was the candidate of the National Republical Convention.

Nigerians voted massively in favour of Moshood Abiola.

Bashir Tofa (the opponent) sent congratulatory messages to MKO Abiola.

As the results were announced, the prices of goods and services were falling.

There was happiness all over Nigeria. There was hope that a new dawn has come.

There was a tailor who refused to be paid for the services he had rendered. He was so overjoyed that “at last” hope has come to the people.

Bus conductor and drivers were offering free rides. You didn’t have to pay anything.

That was the spirit and mood until Nigerians received a rude shock from the military gangsters led by one notorious Ibrahim Babangida. He announced the annulment of the results of the elections without reasons.

There were many hypotheses trying to explain or justify the annulment including that Abiola was a creditor of the federal government, or that a few idiots would not like to see him be president of Nigeria.

Some people said it was because of what he did when he was in NPN that he betrayed or opposed Awolowo, a fellow Yoruba politician. He is also alleged to have sponsored military coups in Nigeria.

No form of arguments would justify the annulment of the June 12 1993 peaceful presidential elections.
The fundamental thing about June 12 was that an election held and Abiola won.

By cancelling the decisions made by Nigerians in a democratic process, treasonable felony was committed by Babangida and those around him including the late Abacha.

Babangida should be arrested and tried not only for corruption but for treason and crimes against humanity. Why is Babangida still a free man in Nigeria?

It is a revelation of the stupidity of the Nigerian Law system and the useless judiciary structure that make it impossible for people who committed treason to remain free in Nigeria.

It is a revelation of the types of thieves, looters and abnormal people who capture and rule Nigeria since 1960 to date.

Are some people above the law in Jonny’s county?

The annulment was resisted by many true democrats, some were killed and many went into exile.

Many innocent Nigerians died in the failed struggle to actualize the annulled mandate.

Many Nigerian politicians sold their souls for porridge because they could not stand on the June 12 mandate. Political prostitution is an old business in Nigeria.

Baba Gana Kingibe was a prince of the game of political prostitution long before Atiku Abubakar.

Nigerian traditional rulers who could have pressurized the silly Babangida kept mute. They loved bribes because their prosperity is built on them. Traditional rulers in Nigeria are part of the criminality of the rulership.

Those whom we taught were leaders became rulers and accomplices to the crime. Obasanjo said Abiola was not the messiah. I don’t remember MKO claiming to be one.

Abiola died without realizing his dreams and without claiming the mandate he got from millions of Nigerians in the most peaceful and fairest election ever in the history of Nigeria.

The circumstances surrounding Abiola’s death remains controversial. He died in the arms of American visitors sent by Bill Clinton. He was poisoned in the presence of the American delegation. It has become one of the several conspiracy theories that he was killed by the Nigerian military government with the assistance of the Americans.

Abiola’s nephew told me how the issue of repatriation seriously pursued by Abiola became one of his likely undoing.

Those who are too young to understand the June 12 story should continue to discern what they read because lies will be told. Many things have been said against Abiola. Some of them may be true but nothing said can take away the fact that he won the election and that Babangida is a living criminal.

How the laws work in Nigeria is still a mystery. How can someone commit treason and be free?

The 2011 elections are by no means close to the peaceful and fair elections of June 12 1993.

And for those who are superstitious it appears that until something is done to make amends for the devilish errors of June 12 1993, Nigeria may never make progress. Living conditions have become worse since then.

Naming the University of Lagos after MKO Abiola is very unnecessary. The man would turn in his grave if the hope of 1993 radiates once again.

When Obasanjo was imposed on Nigerians in 1999 politicians thought they have made amends for June 12 1993. That was an error of judgment. Obasanjo was anti-June 12, so it doesn’t count in the superstitious world. In fact it may have added salt to the injury.

Recently Obasanjo called Nigerian politicians crooks, thieves and armed robbers like I have always done. The difference between our common points of view is that Obasanjo is included in the list of those he counted. He looted especially the power fund. Nigerian remains in permanent darkness.

Since 1999 the standard of living has dropped and gotten worse. More people have become poorer and lives have been lost in several conflicts.

I do know that the Nigerian government also stupidly adopted May 29 as democracy day in Nigeria. May 29 is not a day of democracy. On May 29 1999, Evil triumphed over good in Nigeria.

Sometimes I wondered how Nigerians allow the useless government to impose things that are evil on them.

It would have been better, to honour those who gave their lives for democracy that June 12 be made the national democracy day. Or we just don’t have any democracy day and still honour these unsung heroes on October 1st every year.
Rather what we do is to decorate accomplished political looters and thieves with national honours.

It appears to me that for as long as we continue to deny the truth about the significance of June 12 and its role in the establishment of our struggling democratic process that we may not make any real progress in this country.

During the presidential debate in 1993 Abiola spoke to Nigerians and answered their questions on what his plans are and how he will help Nigeria to become great.

June 12 came with a manifesto and programs of hope. That is why it is sad that we didn’t experience the reign of Abiola.

A mandate similar to what Abiola got in 1993 and the hopes and confidence that came with it are necessary ingredients for growth and development of Nigeria.

I don’t think anybody can rule Nigeria successfully without a mandate similar to that which Abiola obtained in 1993.
It cut across religion, regions and tribes. It was a universal mandate, made in Nigeria.

It will also be impossible for anyone to lead Nigeria and make meaningful progress without a manifesto of hope and programs that are well planned and thought through.

The positive impacts of Abiola’s victory lasted a few hours; they are part of the most memorable hours of my life. For the first time in my life, then in 1993, I saw hope on the faces of Nigerians. As a country we saw light at the end of the tunnel but the light faded away, very quickly.

In 2012 we remain in the tunnel, led by useless rulers like Jonathan and ruled over by corrupt Ministers, corrupt governors and armed robber legislators as confirmed by Obasanjo.

Hope is gone?

War and Genocide in Northern Nigeria

April 29, 2012April 29, 2012 / Adeola / 1 Comment

Adeola Aderounmu

Terrorists, who are most likely members of the Boko Haram group, have attacked Christian worshippers in Kano.

The attack took place at BUK, Bayero University in Kano.

It was a remarkable attack. The terrorist bombed the venue of the campus worship and they pursued and shot the worshippers.

The message is clear, kill the Christians.

This is a hallmark for genocidal attacks. The terrorists have not hidden their hatred for Christians.

Terrorists are on top of the situation in Nigeria. They operate whenever they like and they kill innocent people just as they like.

A few days ago, Media houses were attacked and journalists were killed.

The weak and lazy government headed by Jonathan has never preempted or prevented any terror attack. The terrorists appear to be more intelligent and smarter that the impotent Nigerian police + army.

Just about 24 hours ago, a military chief in Nigeria said the PDP owns Boko Haram. In a way he confirmed the security reports have was leaked many months ago. Such a statement from an adviser to the president carries weight and fact. He knows what he was saying.Just that he should be fired too!

Northern PDP owns Boko Haram and Boko Haram is a Northern Nigeria agenda to seize power again by force or coercion.

Jonathan will go down in history as the most useless president to rule Nigeria. Ordinary Nigerians are killed anyhow and at will, and the end is not in sight.

Jonathan boasted that his weak government is on top of the situation but he lied. He said Boko Haram will be gone by June and Boko Haram has planned massive bombing of (Northern) Nigeria just to counter Jonathan’s empty threat.

This means that Boko Haram’s comments and plans are more reliable and powerful than Jonathan’s.

It is always a sad thing to see or hear just how innocent people are sent to their graves, too early.

Nigeria is already soaked in poverty and citizenry impoverishment. On top of all the woes and stupidity in Nigeria, terrorism has come to stay as the most unwanted bonus that Nigerians are saddled with.

If there is one country in the world where the people ought to revolt and overthrow the government, that country is Nigeria.

I am in shock that the people are surviving, suffering, praying and hoping. Nigeria is a completely hopeless country. Hope will come when the people take their destinies in their hands.

Nigeria: Of Treasons and Breakups (Or The Last Chapter)

April 14, 2012 / Adeola / 1 Comment

By Adeola Aderounmu

Boko Haram members are doing nothing other than committing treasonable felony. Now they have even gone ahead to say they will kill Goodluck Jonathan latest by June 2012.

Boko Haram is not the first group of terrorists on the treason list. MEND has been there and MASSOB leader stood trial for his roles.

With Rauf Aregbesola on the list from Western Nigeria, the list got longer.

But how truthful is the Rauf Aregbesola’s case? Is the PDP on his trail genuinely or for the sake of political persecution?

Well in Nigeria, anything is possible and everything goes.

The US has predicted (like a god will do) that Nigeria will disintegrate by 2015. Whether this comes true or not is not supposed to be a game plan and it will never justify the role of the US in global instability.

But what I know is that politics in Nigeria remains an insane game. It has created a killing field outshined only by real declarations of war. The corruption in Nigeria conceals or maybe reveals the absurd stupidity of what politics should be. Nigerians mock the definition and essence of democracy.

With Nigeria as an example democracy cannot be the best form of governance since its advent has contributed to increase in poverty, increase in the level of ignorance and a rise in the death rate of Nigerians. Democracy as defined by Nigeria has promoted illiteracy, backwardness and underdevelopment.

But that is not the norm even though that is what obtains in Nigeria where a fool can be the president or governor. Many Nigerian lawmakers are almost illiterate and unknowledgeable. The major motivation of becoming a politician in Nigeria is to become a thief, that is to steal from the national or state treasury.

Nigeria’s politics is silly and therefore we now have a consequential outcome as a result of more than 50 years of useless rulership, almost devoid of real leadership.

Treason has been in the air for long and the conditions on ground permit it.

Raul Aregbesola is now on the watchlist based on security reports.

But no one placed Babangida, Shekarau, Buhari and Atiku on the watchlist based on the same security report that was leaked several months ago.

The PDP and the Jonathan administration have redefined the meaning of enemy of the state.

Where does Nigeria go from here? Their tents or to war? Time will tell.