Nigeria

Am I The Last Hope Of My Generation?

/ Adeola / 5 Comments

Adeola Aderounmu

I now realized that blogging has become a part of my life.

I see that I can’t do without it because I can’t afford to live with the pains and frustrations inside me without giving them the avenue to escape-Blog.

There are probably over a hundred groups in Nigeria today clamouring or supporting Jonathan for the presidency.

Nollywood is torn apart by the amount of money that its members will receive for the support or campaign for Jonathan.

Nigerians in Diaspora (NIDO) has almost relocated to Nigeria for the money hunting businesses associated with boot-licking. They are chasing every opportunity to hypocritically show sympathy to the Nigerian masses while fattening their pockets.

One useless group called NIGERIA ECOWAS YOUTH or Nigerian Youths in ECOWAS has promised to open a campaign office in the 16 ECOWAS countries on behalf of Jonathan.

If they are so rich, why don’t they pump the funds into rural electrification or provision of pipe borne water?

Thousands of Nigerians are dying of cholera, even as you read this piece but these morons are more concerned about selfish gains through their hypocrisies.

I have come to realize that the battle for the survival of Nigeria is a lost battle for my generation. My father’s generation was wasted. My generation too is wasted.

We left the truth about the essence of life.

There is now a Nigerian mentality that will not change in my generation. I am very sure that when I die by natural or artificial reasons, Nigeria will remain in the hands of the people who don’t understand the nature of my arguments for the past eight years and since when I wrote “Why Politicians Steal”.

Sometimes I’m thinking like this: Am I the last hope of my generation? Is it just me or are there people like me who know the meaning of public service, accountability and probity? Am I alone in my line of thoughts and ways of thinking about public life?

Public life as I see it is a means to even become poorer so that others might be richer, more comfortable and having a sense of belonging. I have never deemed public service as a means to get rich or becoming comfortable.

You are supposed to be mentally alert and up and doing about the needs of the people, the development of your community and nation at large. The logo is, Others first!

When you serve people, you sacrifice your time, energy and possibly your life because many things and lives depend on you.

In Nigeria, the saints are dead or about to be killed. There is a mentality that those who try to do the right things must be eliminated. To this course I am willing to sacrifice my life. It took so long to write that but I have now realized that it is the reason I am alive.

I am not just. I am not righteous. But I know what public service is.
I have cursed the day I will steal public fund. I know the son of whom I am and I know that money is my slave and not the other way around.

I have been through any kind of experience that any Nigerian will narrate. I saw poverty face to face. I walked and worked my way through the ladders of life, diligently and paying attention to the people on my way up. My goal is to take them up with me and never planning to meet them on my way down. I’m not going down!

I have been told a couple of times by those who love me to “mind what I write or say”, “to mind how I tread in Nigeria”.

But now I don’t care any longer. If I die for the course that I stand for-in my heart and in my soul-so be it. If someone thinks, who is this blogger? Who does he think he is? I don’t care anymore.

I will continue to write about things the way I see them.

Therefore I will be back in a short time to bear my minds about some recent events in Nigeria.

In short those events confirm my fears (as usual) that there is something wrong with the black race. Something is wrong, something very fundamental.

Two generations are irredeemably wasted.

My suggestion is that some people must make deep rooted sacrifices now for the future generations.

I don’t want to be turning in my grave with the regret that I said nothing or I did nothing when I was alive.

Life afterall is a passage. No one leaves this world alive. The best way to pass through this passage is to live and let others live.

I hereby openly rededicate my life to the unborn generations of Nigerians.

I will continue to write on their behalf and shed my tears today so that they can laugh when they arrive.

What Is Wrong with Nigeria and Nigerians?

/ Adeola / 8 Comments

Adeola Aderounmu

I have wept for Nigeria. Not once. Quite a number of times and for real. One day I wept loud. I was sitting in my car and I’d been on the queue for fuel for more than 5 hours. It was in 2006. Sweat and tears mixed freely on that fateful december day. Let’s save the details of the other times that I wept for Nigeria.

The 50th anniversary of Nigeria should be a time for sober reflections. There were more reasons to celebrate Nigeria’s independent anniversary in 1961 than in 2010.

However they will celebrate our 50th anniversary in an ostentatious manner with (in their eyes) a paltry sum of N17b.

I am struggling to come to terms with the implication of the huge cost of the global celebration of our (slaved) independence as majority of Nigerians continue to struggle for minimum level of existence.

A logo has been unveiled. Thirty million naira was paid for it! We have a national flag that 50 could have been written on it. The simplest of things in Nigeria must involve contract awards. JWT won the contract in what was called a logo competition. I call it another baba n’la nonsense.

Two hundred and fifty million naira will be used to produce publications and documentary on Nigeria. Another group of opportunists are already at work. There will be no check and balance system to weigh the output with the funds expended. It is not impossible that 240m alone or more will be looted. This is Nigeria..!

In the run up to this celebration of failure, millions and billions of naira will be earmarked for other projects and expenditures. I have laboured in vain to be part of the opposition to this event. My voice and opinions don’t count.

Shamefully Nigerians around the world will troop to the celebrations that the various embassies will organise. We don’t a common voice of protest. We don’t boycott rubbish to press home our points. We are too divided and diverse. Our weak points are the strongholds of political madness that has ensured that more than 70m of us are living below acceptable level of existence.

The enthusiasm on the faces of Nigerian politicians says it all. These unnecessary celebrations opened up an avenue for the common looting of the Nigerian treasury across all tiers of government. It was probably for that reason that despite all the clarion calls for the reduction in the sum to be expended the amount was even raised from N10b to N17b.

In recent times we have seen how the House of Representatives and the Senate fooled Nigerians with their corrupt practices. I recall their furious comments when they didn’t know where Dora’s fund for rebranding where emerging from. But they shut-up after Dora paid them a visit.

When the N10b brouhaha started, they began their deliberations with a view to cutting the cost. But as usual, because they need their own cuts being the looters that they are, they reviewed the amount upwards. There are no scandals in Nigeria anymore. No, none that I remember since USD12b dollars disappeared under the watch of the Nigerian Military during the gulf war.

INEC ask for 74 billion and got 89 billion. They always add more to make room for the kickbacks, looting and direct stealing of the oil money.

Nigerian politicians and public officials have no human feelings; they are very brutal in their carnivorosity. Among them are dudes who earn over N200 in emolument annually. The highest in the world.

As a result of the reward in politics assasination of political opponents has started in earnest. What is wrong with this country? What is wrong with the people and the politicians? E gba mi o

Seventeen billion naira is not a big deal to those who approved it because they can steal, loot and cart away millions through exaggerated salaries and bonuses while the rest of us can go to hell

They don’t share my pains as an ordinary citizen of this country who has no light, water and other basic things of life. In Nigeria I live in poverty and I am so sad about it. Some people stole my life, they derailed my future.

They are now in party mood and they will splash and waste huge amount of money on a global party. Among other ridiculous amounts a party for 1,000 children has been billed for N20 million.

How on earth can you have a party of 20 million naira for 1 000 children? What are they eating? Gold? Even if the food will be imported from Alaska, 20 million naira surely is meant for outright looting. No more scandal in Nigeria..!

Meanwhile while unveiling the ugly logo Mr Jonathan said “We remember our founding fathers who fought tirelessly for what we are enjoying today. ‘They did not labour in vain. Through their efforts Nigeria gained independence in 1960,’ he said. He said the anniversary was a celebration of peace, life, determination and ability to remain as a nation in spite of all odds. ‘We have striven above political and economic tussles as well as our cultural differences. ‘We have had our shares of ups and downs but surmounted them with the indomitable Nigerian spirit”.

Sometimes I wonder the kind of audience or spectators that attend the occasions when blatant lies like these are thrown into the air. The founding fathers of Nigeria have definitely laboured in vain. The independence we got has brought suffering, pain and poverty of the highest order.

I wish Dr. Jonathan could in plain terms tell us what we are enjoying today in Nigeria. Maybe absolute darkness, total collapse of public educational institutions, bad roads and insecurity are part of the enjoyment. Oh I forgot, kidnapping is part of the enjoyment..!

For the avoidance of doubts the so called Nigerian spirit made popular by late Yar Adua in his inaugural lies in 2007 has not helped us surmount any damn problem. On the contrary it has added more to the vices in the Nigerian society with impunity at the helm.

The other day Dr. Goodluck Jonathan gave awards to some crooks and told us to emulate them. Why are we educated at all if this is what we get? We reward looters because in Nigeria the givers and the receivers of National awards are the same gang.

But why should we emulate looters? I forbid that with whatever it takes. I know the son of whom I am. I will never emulate all those people who have destroyed Nigeria by their corrupt practices and greed. Maybe Jonathan should start writing his speeches by himself or he should spend a few minutes to read them before the occasions.

On a very personal note, I have tried to close my blog a few times but I keep coming back. I will probably be around for a little while more and then I’ll make a final decision-to quit or continue. I’m almost sure I may not write anywhere else except my blog. I’ve had enough.

Nigeria is becoming more and more hopeless. Certain things are happening now in Nigeria and on the cyber space that reveals to me that we may be fighting a lost battle. Nigeria’s problems are extraordinary and the diversity of our opinions may never allow us to move ahead.

I’m finding it more and more difficult to find a group of Nigerians who are really sincere with their comments about Nigeria. I’m finding it more difficult to associate with people. Everywhere, I get disappointed with the way people see Nigeria’s problems and their opinions on ways to solve the problems.

More disappointingly, I’ve been looking at my generation wasting away as well. I don’t know what to do and I might just give up someday.

Unless something radical or unimaginable occurs, Nigeria will remain a hopeless country. But how can a radical change include a common ignorant man who has fetched water from the same dirty well since 1958 in Northern Nigeria, a blogger who earns big by publishing falsehood, mama Risi who sells rice at Ketu bus stop having no idea of government and an opposition figure whose intention is also to steal if he wins? What a dilemma? What a country?

I must warn though about the trend in Nigeria today.

Many groups are announcing their support for GEJ. There is one Goodluck Supports Group, and many others including the Nigerian Artists.

We must NEVER forget that Abacha was the sole candidate of all the political parties before he met his tragic end. When Yar Adua was alive, almost every group in Nigeria gave him a second term despite the fact that he was not even half way on his first term.

Nigerians are gullible, opportunistic and myopic. They organise into groups to grasp things and money when the going is good for whoever is in charge. When that time is over, they go underground and wait for the next opportunity emerging with new names and new agenda.

We don’t learn from history. We don’t learn from our mistakes. I am not sure how much longer I can put up with these things. Some of my friends say I’m worked up and stressed because of Nigeria.

Anyway, Thank you for reading my blog.

I don’t know when or how frequent I’ll be posting in the days ahead.

There is something wrong with Nigeria..!

Nigeria, Too Serious for Facebooking.

/ Adeola / 13 Comments

By Adeola Aderounmu

We live our lives in such a way that the consequences are equal to burning down a museum. We hide from the past, forgetting to learn from it, pretend about the present and having no inkling of how to prepare the future for the next generation. We live for now, grabbing everything on the way, leaving behind filth and rot.

By forgetting the past too easily especially without making the necessary amedments, Nigerians render themselves too gullible. They get so carried away my trivial things. Will I succeed in convincing anyone that Nigeria’s situation is too complicated to be resolved on the pages of social networking media?

I have been on facebook for a while now. Among many other benefits facebook helps people to find you no matter how many years that they have been out of reach or touch.

I know many people who have boasted to leave facebook but who always return to the network. Once you get used or addicted to the functions on facebook it is extremely hard to depart. Facebook can become a part of your life. So facebook is good for some purposes, no doubt about that.

The other week foreign media were out writing about how popular Goodluck Jonathan is, on facebook. Indeed the public media outfit of GJ have been doing loads of work promoting his image. You can’t take that credit away from them, excellent job.

In their gullibility Nigerians have flocked to the fan page of Goodluck Jonathan. They are taking the baits that it is GJ who has been responding to all their comments. No doubt it is GJ’s page but to assume that the man has such a space of time on his hand to sit down, read and respond to every other comment or suggestion on his facebook is actually ridiculous. That’s where the publicist and media men come in.

The manner in which the social contact on GJ’s page is progressing is delaying and denying us of the emergence of the truth and progress we seek.

On GJ’s page Nigerians will be told what they want to read or hear. In real life the richest and the probably the most corrupt politicians in the world don’t give a damn what is going on any social network. The maladministration of Nigeria is independent of any transient conversation on facebook.

The goal is clear. Nigerians are being distracted and the man who inherited the 2007 charade buys himself the time to lay his grand plan. It’s politics and that’s not a crime in politics.

While Nigerians are being face-raped by some dude behind the keyboard GJ was dishing out National Honours to the some people among which are criminals who have been disgraced out of office. You won’t find a greater face-rape or insult on Nigerians. It’s easy to guess the recipients of the next National Scandal Awards. The gangsters in the House of Representatives will definitely make the award.

The necessary criteria for national awards in Nigeria are too predictable. Your ability to loot and act like an agbero are added advantages.

But really how can a sane mind suggest or award looters and thieves? The truth that is constant and which we have mentioned times without number is that our rulers and conquerors are all corrupt and birds of the same feather. Oh Gullible Nigerians..!

As if the national award insult was not enough. As Nigerians continue to mingle with GJ or the dude behind the keyboard somewhere in the universe on facebook, the amount for the celebration of 50th year of failure was increased from N10b to N17b.

I’m still thinking. Who wants to celebrate failure? Why would anyone do that? I guess the answers lie in the lack of conscience and the concept that politics is a means to scoop away Nigeria’s wealth by those who know nothing about management and national wealth creation.

But let not Jonathan or his media group get carried away by their common rising popularity on facebook. Lady Gaga has over 14m fans! If the numbers of fans is a measure of relative success and impact then you guys are no where to be found on the visible spectrum scale.

It will be hard as usual to dissuade Nigerians from this distraction. They think it’s important. In recent years it has been increasingly difficult to help Nigerians use their head above emotions.

It will be more difficult in the years ahead. Intellectual Myopism is on the rise in Nigeria. The indicators in Nigeria show that the emergence of GJ has increased the intensity of tribal politics to a level never seen before in Nigeria. Nigeria today is probably more fragile than ever before in our history. 2011 may be the final test of coercion.

Which is why attention should be shifted back to the real world. Words will never be enough, not even words that can be manufactured by any dude on facebook on behalf of GJ. Simple actions are more effective than volumes of expressions. What are we doing now to address our situations?

It’s quite positive that fresh hands have been injected into the electoral system. I read that they need some huge sums to start off. Maybe N53b can be added to the N17b so we can get a world class electoral list. Why is the N17b party to acknowledge failure so important?

At the earliest opportunity we the people must elect leaders to replace the rulers and emperors in Nigeria. I’m sure that there are people in Nigeria who are sincere and effective. A sound election appears to be our best means to rekindling the quenched hope.

In the meantime I strongly hold the view that GJ or whoever is remoting Nigerians on facebook should spend less time in deceiving Nigerians. To pretend to want to learn about our national problems through facebook is the apex of a ridiculous presidency.

Jos, Crises Without End

/ Adeola / 1 Comment

Adeola Aderounmu

When I heard about the recent uprisings in Jos, I didn’t show any interest in blogging about it.

Some friends have read tiredness into my recent attitude towards Nigeria. They have asked me not to give up.

I am not giving up. I am writing my book and looking after my family.

For the records there have been series of killings and counter killings in Jos in the past few weeks alone.

I actually have a feeling that people are killed everyday in Jos since the end of the 2007 elections. I have a feeling that there are thousands of unreported killings and extra-judicial killings.

The killings that make the news are the ones that leaked and could not be covered.

More than ever before the government of Nigeria and the Plateau State governor specifically must find a permanent solution to this mayhem.

But what is the solution or what are the solutions?

Since I don’t live in Jos it will be hard for me to proffer a solution especially on the short term basis.

But on the long run there is a lot of work to be done on education of the citizens and massive public enlightenment on the nature of the problem and the need for the citizens to eschew violence and embrace peace.

The politics of Jos has been mixed with its religion. The results continue to be fatal. How do we resolve this particular issue without arousing sentiments in fanatics on both side of the divide? It’s a precarious situation.

But I’m convinced that there are permanent solutions. It may take time but the crises can all be resolved and the people can live together, tolerating one another and enjoying themselves in peace and tranquillity.

Jos today is not a haven for anyone. That is unpalatable.

The people must be involved at the grassroot level as we seek lasting solutions.

Those useless politicians instigating unemployed people and the illiterates must be fished out. They must face prosecution for the crimes they have committed against humanity. The signals will be strong and definite when people are sent to jail.

That’s the hardest part of the Nigerian judicial system. We don’t send guilty and corrupt people to jail for fear or sentiments that are best known to the political or ruling class. We run our states and national issue like we are mafians.

Certain rotten and useless political Codes must be broken if we want peace in Jos and progress in Nigeria.

Now I’m digressing but I want to stay on this Jos crises.

There are ways out and the governor and all the stupid people capitalising on the ignorance of the people know that there are ways out. But because of the benefits that the political / ruling class get from the ignorance of the people, they prefer the status quo no matter how many people have been killed or how many more that will be slaughtered in the days ahead.

Our country is a peculiar one. We live always in one dilemma or another.

If I am the president of Nigeria I would abandon all the owanbe parties that I have planned or been invited to, I will go to Jos and live among the people for a few days, get a feel of the situation and proffer that everlasting solution. This may mean provision of infrastructure in every community, it may mean provision of good roads, good schools and massive employment opportunities.

I believe that there are ways to take peoples’ minds away from violence and religious fanaticism-find them something to do and give them their sense of dignity. Return to them all forms of social justice and ensure that there is something for them to look ahead to, a bright future.

A Niger Deltan President?

/ Adeola / 3 Comments

Adeola Aderounmu

By stroke of fate Mr. Goodluck Jonathan became the (ruler) of Nigeria.

We must not forget that this man was handpicked by Obasanjo to become the Vice President in 2007. Obasanjo it was who also handpicked the late Umaru Yar Adua.

History has recorded the observations that some of us made on the useless election of 2007. We say Never Again to such shame and stupidity of the highest order.

We now look forward to the future. We are keen to see if we have learnt our lessons and if we can actually sit down, think, plan and conduct credible elections. The 2011 elections are just around the corner. It won’t be long.

If Mr. Jonathan succeeds he will become the first president of Nigeria from a minority group. History will be made. It’s not a pain to wait for 2011.

Before then however history is already recording the deeds of Mr. Jonathan. In fact history has his records already since he became a prominent Bayelsa State politician. Unfortunately the stories are bad especially regarding his wife. The EFCC under Ribadu probably has an unfinished task.

There are many tasks that Mr. RIBADU left undone. The Andy Uba dollars-in-presidential-jet saga will be a life time stigma. It is indelible. Conscience-the open wound that truth only can heal-is my best word on such matters. The rest is common sense.

But one manipulative advantage you get when you are protected by impunity and reach a position of authority is to destroy files or influence cases to your benefits. Mr. Jonathan has done well so far. Kudos!

The more pressing issue however is that for over 50 years the people of the Niger Delta have suffered. Nigeria’s oil is from the Niger Delta. 150m people depend on this oil since 85% of our national income is derived from the sale of crude oil. Who knows where the other 15% comes from?

Some of the poorest people in the world live in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria. They have no access to basic infrastructure. Their environment has been destroyed and polluted by international oil companies. In the Niger Delta foreign nationals live like kings and queens while the indigenes are suffering.

Indeed there have been a lot of politics destroying the development agenda. State governors from the Niger Delta area must also be held accountable for many of the vices in the Niger Delta. They played politics while the ordinary people suffer.

Without delving into the history of the violence and the poverty, we must now focus our minds on Mr. Jonathan. He is from the Niger Delta. As the ruler of Nigeria, what will he do to bring social justice and freedom to his people?

When the northerners were in charge we blame them for negligence and tribalism. We accuse them of stealing and looting. How will Mr. Jonathan correct some of the anomalies of the previous governments?

How will he ensure that oil spillage ceases and that the oil cabal is checked so that progress and development can take place in his home region? What measures will Mr. Jonathan take to ensure that the Niger Delta becomes more beautiful that the administrative Abuja?

Abuja was built with oil money. How does Mr. Jonathan want to ensure that oil money is used to build the villages, cities and towns where the oil is extracted?

He might say he want to win in 2011 first before he starts to act. It might be too late. You can never be sure of tomorrow. You must seize the day-today. You must start that process of amendment now, not tomorrow, not 2011.

This opportunity to build the Niger Delta and the rest of Nigeria of course is a rare one considering the history of Nigeria dominated by hegemony.

If Jonathan fails to deliver to his people now, the chance may slip by. Nothing is guaranteed in Nigeria. Nothing is sure in this life, only death.

He might say we didn’t elect him. That is right. I have no real or legitimate president all my life and I’m almost 40.

Shagari was rigged in 79 and 83. Obasanjo was rigged in 99 and 03. Umaru was packaged in 2007 and Jonathan inherited Umaru’s burden. At other times I was ruled by maniacs, dictators and tyrants. I have endured!

This is why so much is at stake now and in 2011. I’m longing for a leader that I can call a president. Someone I can be proud of.

There is so much expectation, not the first time though, and the anticipations are huge as well.

People are longing for a change. A change they can believe in.

Unless a purposeful leader emerges the change will not come.

A purposeful leader and his household will, show good examples, be prudent, be selfless, corrupt-free and above all lead with a sense of purpose and vision.

Wasting billions of naira on a useless celebration or party while we wallow in permanent darkness due to lack of electricity is not a good sign.