Politics

Nigeria’s Missing USD5 Billion, Nothing New

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By Aderounmu Adeola

The amount of money missing in Nigeria since 1960 is enough to save the world and I am not exaggerating.

What is crazy is that more and more money is still being stolen from Nigeria by the politicians and their accomplices. Before you finish reading this piece several billions of naira would have disappeared from Nigeria’s treasury by mere looting and crude oil theft. From Aso rock, to the central bank, to governors’s offices, to local government councils, and anywhere there is government rep, the looting is continuous and constant.

In Nigeria it is glorious to be a thief while serving as a politician. The president heads these crooks of company and that is why he is not able to sack the Aviation Minister Ms. Oduah. They are all birds of the same feather.

The striking repetition of the looting process makes Nigeria a laughing stock no doubt. The lazy, weak and corrupt government of Jonathan was quick to refute the fact that more than 100 million Nigerians are living hopelessly like destitutes.

Who do you blame? Fela called them the suffering and smiling species.

It shocked me, not, to read Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala’s familiar script in response to Rotimi Amaechi’s allegation that she more or less stole or misappropriated USD 5 billion of Nigeria’s oil money.

When confronted with the allegation that she and Obasanjo misappropriated or looted Abacha’s loot, Mrs Iweala listed several projects that were executed and budgeted for before the loot were recovered as ”what the Abacha’s loot” was spent on. This was a few years ago when Obasanjo held sway and people thought he had a righteous cabinets. These people are all crooks.

Now, she has given a similar response to Amaechi’s allegation that the missing USD 5 billion were used for 2012 projects.

I would not have written this piece because for all I care Gov Amaechi is part of Nigeria’s problems. Nigerian politicians are not clean and they can never be trusted. Until now I did not read Amaechi’s allegation, I had only concentrated on the headline and when Ngozi Okonjo Iweala replied, I also ignored it. However when I saw that Amaechi took the time to reply Iweala, I thought I’d take a look at the content.

The River State government is making an allegation very similar to the disappearance of Abacha’s loot under Mrs. Iweala and asking the same question: why are missing funds used for projects already budgeted for.

When I saw the pattern and the precision of how Mrs Iweala respond to allegations, I could not resist this update of her participation in the destruction of Nigeria.

In a way the loots will keep flowing and one day more than 150 million Nigerians will be destitutes. Then, who knows how the people or the government will respond to the question about the existence of Nigeria and what to do with the thieves an looters in power.

One day this persistent reign of evil and evil people in Nigeria will end, I am sure.

aderounmu@gmail.com

Follow me at twitter @aderinola

The Rogue Ministers of Nigeria

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Adeola Aderounmu

It is no longer news that Nigeria’s Aviation Minister spent a whooping N225m on the purchase of special cars that are supposed to be used for her protection.

It is a tradition in Nigeria for government officials (starting from the presidency actually) to steal and waste public funds in Nigeria.

This is a useless tradition that has been promoted in various forms and shades and which no serious minded Minister or President is willing so back-pedal on.

In various ways and by various means Ministers and presidents (past and presidents) steal, loot and embezzle public funds.

In this particular case, Nigeria is passing through strings of air crashes and mishaps, therefore it came as a rude shock that the Minister, one Stella Oduah was carrying out inflated purchases of armored cars as planes are dropping from the skies.

Just to know that the Nigerian government is among the most corrupt in the world, no one has heard any condemnation of the purchase from the presidency. It will probably not come from the man who has bought more presidential jets than any serving or former African presidents. These Nigerian rulers are all criminals and crooks.

Stella Oduah is not alone. It is just her time to be roasted. The phenomenon-of stealing or buying armored cars is a Nigerian thing. These people want to protect themselves from the people! Yes, they think that they are under threat and that their lives are at risk.

But who created the risk?

Stella may probably survive the press and other real and fake anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria. The reasons why she may survive are not far fetched. Crime in governance is an acceptable part of life in Nigeria. Most people who have plans to be part of government in Nigeria will do the same as Stella. People just think that their reason for joining government is to steal.

Many Nigerians are waiting for similar opportunities. This is the tragedy of present day Nigeria where crimes are exalted and criminals elevated.

If the current “organised-noise” around Stella results to her deployment or removal, she will probably not face criminal charges. She may even be contesting as the next vice-president in the “old” PDP in 2015. The more you steal, the more juicy you next appointment.

In the end other criminals who they call president, governors, lawmakers, legislators and Ministers will continue to steal until the next random bubble. Nigeria is no ordinary country. Truth is dead. Trust was murdered many years ago.

Nigerian Ghost Workers

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By Adeola Aderounmu

One of the craziest news from Nigeria this morning is the alarm raised in Akwa Ibom that there are at least 8000 ghost workers in the state civil service.

This is not news in Nigeria.

Over the years ghost workers have always existed and they will always exist for as long as corruption and stupidity remain unpunished.

The economy department of the various Ministries know about the ghsot workers. The various heads of departments know about the ghost workers.

The truth is that the human resource department, the economy department and the head of the various department must know about the criminality in Akwa Ibom state. It is a national trend in Nigeria.

These funds are what some people have used to build houses, build hotels and buy fancy cars. They claim that ministry work is lucrative because they steal from government the same way government itself steal from the people.

Don’t be fooled! The 8000 ghost workers in Akwa Ibom are not going to disappear. What will happen with this open knowledge is that the people who will benefit from the scandal and eventual cover-up will increased.

Ghost workers don’t disappear in Nigeria. They will always be there as long as the people who are responsible from this case are not dismissed and made to refund the money they have stolen. Their properties will not be confiscated, instead they will be promoted.

Most of the people who rule in Nigeria are thieves and criminals, and this is why people get promoted even when they are known to be crooks and boot lickers.

Nigeria is no ordinary country!

Crazy things are normal in Nigeria.

By tomorrow nobody will be talking about this news and the scandal will continue.

Change will come with functional judiciary and sincere police force. Change will come when a radical wind of change blows acrosss Nigeria. Change will come when people can put patriotism above self, and when merits and dignity are attached to appointments and labour.

For now, the madness continues, unabated!

People are stealing right from the presidency down to the last man in the council, ghost workers are just by-products of the systemic decadence.

aderounmu@gmail.com

twitter @aderinola

ICC And the Dilemma of African Rulers

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By Adeola Aderounmu

Kenya may be pulling out of ICC. Many African countries may follow suit.

The ICC was supposed to be a place to bring criminals to judgement irrespective of continents or affiliations.

Unfortunately it has turned out to be a place primarily for the prosecution of war criminals from Africa. These criminals are serving and ex-dictators or rulers from Africa.

It’s sad because whilst it serves as a deterrent or likely deterrent for future war crimes, it is essentially a discriminatory or racial institution.

Why have war criminals from Britain and America not been prosecuted or even served warrant of arrest? Are some race or countries more equal than others? The answer is yes if we go by the standard by which this world is run.

Not that I like any stupid dictator from Africa (an inch). I think the problems from Africa are obvious because of the stupid ways many of the continent dictators and civilian rulers plunder their countries. That makes their crimes too obvious but not more serious than the drones and rockets that have sent children and other people to their early graves in countries targeted by NATO, Britain and America.

If ICC will stand the test of time, the prosecution of war criminals and those who committed crimes against humanity must be across board. If a British Prime Minister or an American president cannot be prosecuted for war crimes then the ICC should be scrapped immediately. As it is now, it is a useless organisation and a racial instrument.

The New PDP in Old Skin

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By Adeola Aderounmu

If there is something that Nigeria does not need now, it is the so called splitting of the PDP resulting in the re-emergence of corrupt and useless politicians.

When Obsanjo third term bid was botched it was Atiku Abubakar who spear-headed the rofo-rofo fight. It was a “good” fight because he send Obasanjo packing using his might and that of the senate. Despite all the funds that Obasanjo wasted on the senate he was unsuccessful in his bid to change or manipulate the constitution to suit his evil third term agenda.

Even Ribadu could not save the day despite all the witch-hunting that he led with the EFCC. Nigeria is never short of useless people and thoughtless politicians.

As Atiku battled Obasanjo, Obasanjo fought back by exposing all the monies that Atiku has also looted. Everyday in the newspaper we read about the shady deals of both Obasanjo and Atiku.

They provided evidence and counter evidence of how they both looted Nigeria.Yet both men were never arrested. They were never tried for their criminal acts and for looting the Nigerian treasury. So in short Nigeria is a country where rulers can loot, expose their loots and still walk free. What a useless country!

Hence when a man like Atiku decides that it is time to divide the PDP because Jonathan is becoming full of himself and acting like a dictator, people must know that while that may be necessary for the PDP, it is the last thing that a useless country like Nigeria needs. Nigerians don’t need the re-cycling of corrupt people.

Atiku is desperate to become the president at whatever cost. So, like one popular Nigerian writer puts it, the politicians we have in Nigeria will not solve Nigeria’s problem.

Politics for them is not about serving the people or rendering selfless services. All they aim at is their pocket, their ego and their mad urge for riches. All they want is to loot and deceive the people.

I don’t feel anything by the recent split. Instead it goes to show the claim by one APC chieftain that Jonathan is a kindergarten president. Indeed, he is.

The day after the fatal splitting of PDP, he brought Obasanjo to Aso Rock. Obasanjo is around 80+ years and he is the solution for Jonathan. These people are crazy.

So Obasanjo will help him to either defeat Atiku or beg Atiku? I don’t understand which of these 2 functions that brought one corrupt former ruler against his corrupt deputy. Both of them plus Jonathan should be sent to kirikiri assuming we have a functioning judiciary that is independent of the executives.
Nigeria is no ordinary country. The politicians are insane and the populace is disconnected. The geographical area called Nigeria is occupied by people with very short memories. The region is dominated by a people or a collection of nation that do not learn from their past. This race forgets its history and live in the moment only.

Else what should happen in Nigeria should supercede both the Arab spring and the Ukrainian revolution. No matter the political party that rules in Nigeria, the situation can only get worse. The system of government is bad and obsolete.

The institutions are not working. Security is at its lowest ebb. Schools are decayed. Roads are the worst in the world. There is no electricity in Nigeria. Water availability is a mirage. Manufacturing is zeroing and everything has fallen apart. Injustice is rife and impunity reigns.

Hence a new or factional political group is far from the need of Nigerians.

The useless government today should have summoned the courage to initiate political changes that will bring about true federalism. The people should be given voices that will help them to determine their mode of existence and the type of life that they want to lead.

What the present useless government has done is to promote corruption to a new height. This government is probably more corrupt than any other government ever seen in Nigeria. There is no known plan or direction. The man and woman at the top have made themselves into lord and almighty, taking what they want, as they want it and how they want it. Madness at its peak!

But history is full of details that show that freedom is not given. It must be won. Nigerians are like modern slaves, even many will not acknowledge it. The fear in the minds of the people have not allowed them to revolt and take what is theirs.

The greed that has been sown in people have confused their ideologies. Everybody thinks that their time to plunder Nigeria directly and indirectly will come.

It pains to see the futility of life in Nigeria. Life has no meaning to millions of people down there. Everything must be fought for, even water and electricity. Everyday must be lived as if it is a war situation. It is sad and it hurts when a few idiots loot, merry and carry on as if everything is alright.

One day, one hopes that the people hit the war and fight back.

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