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The Nigerian Syndrome

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By Adeola Aderounmu

The Nigerian syndrome is the condition in which the people of Nigeria openly support their rulers and politicians who have contributed tremendously to the demeaning of their living conditions.

The Nigerian Syndrome

It is a also a condition where a crook, a corrupt ruler or a known criminal in government gets massive support from a group of die-hard followers who will never see the negative impacts of the criminal acts that have been perpetrated.

For example, James Ibori has/had supporters who even went to a London court to support the cause of him being a criminal. When Alamieyeseigha ran away from London to Bayelsa State he received a heroic welcome.

There are uncountable examples. Alamieyeseigha was even granted pardon by the massively corrupt Jonathan government meaning that the syndrome is displayed not only by individuals but also by the government. Bode George’s criminal charges and ex-convict status were removed by a court of law. His supporters took to “aso-ebi” with religious songs and they celebrated him as a criminal while his trial and imprisonment sailed through.

The Nigerian syndrome from the foregoing is suffered by individuals, government and institutions in Nigeria. When the complete analyses of this syndrome are done, it will be worthwhile to do a comparison of it with the popular Stockholm syndrome.

The Nigerian syndrome will definitely open a new chapter in anthropology and human/animal behaviour. It will be a study area that will explore corruption, tribalism, nepotism, extremely low human cognitivity, non-performance in government and many more vices that are related to hitherto inexplicable situations surrounding the mad politics in Nigeria.

For it is amazing how over 53 years of misgivings, mismanagement, maladministration and complete destruction of the institutions of government has not drawn the ire of the Nigerian populace in a united and collective way. It is very disturbing how voices of reasonings have been suppressed and replaced with voices of humans with distorted or frail mentalities.

There are several documented examples of how the people of the states or the regions that have been robbed showed open support for the the criminals that have robbed them through the looting of the treasuries. Sometimes the support cut across states and regions.

It is well known that corruption is systemic in Nigeria and that Nigeria is one of the most stinkingly corrupt countries on the surface of the earth.. Therefore what some Nigerians have done is to compare the degree of corruption of each administration. For example rather than condemn and prosecute Obasanjo, Babangida and all the other corrupt rulers of Nigeria, Nigerians find it more “befitting” to compare the level of corruption in these governments and take sides depending on their “feelings” or “nepotic inclinations”.

Actually, this is worrisome because the ideal thing to do is to condemn all these corrupt rulers and their ministers and accomplices in the government houses across Nigeria. Nigerians don’t condemn corruption in totality. They weigh corruption, especially on tribal scale.

The fact that Jonathan did not start the corruption business in Nigeria has earned him massive support among some groups of Nigerians who are only interested in the emergence of a christian ruler or a ruler from the South of Nigeria. Nigerians are slaves to religion too.

The Nigerian syndrome itself is systemic and and as mentioned earlier deserved to be studied in details. The Nigerian syndrome will make up more than a 4-unit course at any University. It  gets wider. In Nigeria intellectuals who are recruited into the government are known to have been part of the looting in government. Journalists like Reuben Abati whom everyone thought can reason logically because of the way he wrote went into government to defend the criminals he had criticized for many years. If you read Abati’s articles while at the Guardian, the complexity of the Nigerian syndrome will take a new turn.

What is it with the mentalities of the ordinary Nigerians that allow them to support the way the government is maltreating them? Why can’t Nigerians see that the government is bad and make a determined and collective efforts to ensure that the government is geared towards competency, accountability and probity? Why do people in government end up as criminals even when they were good people outside of government?

The Nigerian syndrome include the myopic views that Nigerians have on national issues and also their short-term memories of issues that have long lasting effects.

What is wrong with Nigerians? Why do they grade corruption rather than condemn it altogether? What is the relationship between corruption, tribalism, nepotism and Nigeria’s system of completely mad politics?

What is the cure for the Nigerian syndrome and does this cure hold the key to any attempt that will be made to eradicate corruption? In short, is there hope for Nigeria with the system of government that is in place?

aderounmu@gmail.com

As Nigeria Nears the Edge….Again

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By Adeola Aderounmu

These are no ordinary times in Nigeria.

Terrorism has taken over most part of the North East. The Political parties are at war even though they share the same idiotic ideology-to loot and destroy the system for personal gains.

This ideology is easy to deduce because of the ease with which prominent members move from one party to the other. If the ideological differences are stark and distinct, it will be almost impossible to move from PDP to APC for example or vice versa.

There is violence across the country. In River States, there has been series of bombings on some establishments. The rise in violence in River States has now reached the stage where THE POLICE are now shooting at people. A man was shot this weekend. The police have denied the shooting of the politician and his group of demonstrators. But shots were fired.

Across the states in Nigeria, there are struggles in pursuit of the 2015 elections. Since 2011, there has not been any formative governance in Nigeria. As soon as one election is over the winners start to loot AND the plan for the next election starts. Nigerian politicians are totally useless and corrupt. No brains!

This is so because the judiciary and the system of law is totally useless as well. The rulers of Nigeria starting from the presidency are corrupt and lawbreakers. Murderers have been freed by the government of Goodluck Jonathan. Convicted people have been forgiven and corruption and senselessness reached new heights. In the history of Nigeria, there has never been a good government, and what is happening nowadays is the most useless form of governance ever known.

But the fault does not start and stop at the presidency. In Nigeria generally the people are so brainwashed that any attempt to let them know the truth is totally crushed. Many people have grown up not knowing the essence of life and the meaning of public service. Nigeria is no ordinary country!

The major political parties in Nigeria are run by criminals, looters and thieves. It is so bad that it is alleged that the drug baron wanted in the US who was Obasanjo’s friend is now the political ruler of the PDP in South Western Nigeria. Obasanjo loved him as a friend and now hate him as the ruler of PDP in the South West. How times change!

The Nigerian system is so heated up that it appears to be a keg of gunpowder.

The North wants back power, the East, West and South are all embroiled in a serious political tug of war that no one knows when the violence will tip over. If this is added to the terror in the North, the days ahead may be the worst days for Nigerians since after the civil war in 1970.

But all of these madness is avoidable if the clueless rulers of Nigeria can wake up tomorrow with some drops of sense in their brains.

One singular act of decentralizing the power in Abuja will almost end the political tussle in Nigeria.

If the power of governance given to Abuja is taken away, there will be no struggle to get there. If the power is given to the councils and regions, the political tension will sublime and everybody will go back home to run things locally. To some extent, removing the “ruler” or “warlord” of Abuja will be a step in the right direction.

The establishment of independent electoral institutions will avail much in Nigeria. The enhancement and fucntion-ability of the judiciary will be immense in pushing the regions forward. By being functional, the police and judiciary will today round up more than 99% of Nigerian politicians including former rulers and their cronies for looting, stealing and pushing Nigeria to the precipice.

Evil is deep rooted in Nigeria and it is hard to bell the cat or lead reforms. This is the dilemma that faces Goodluck Jonathan because somehow, his hands are full of blood stains and his cupboards of skeletons.

It will be hard to liberate Nigeria at one go. The violence that is about to be added to the war in Northern Nigeria will take things out of control and the effects will be devastating now in 2014 and worse in 2015.

To cure or free Nigeria/Nigerians is not in the hands of Goodluck Jonathan, it is a burden for all Nigerians.

Nigeria Wins U-17 World Cup for the Fourth Time

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Adeola Aderounmu

It’s not all bad news from downtown. In Dubai Nigeria wrapped up a glorious Under 17 world cup campaign by thrashing Mexico by 3 goals to nothing on the 8th of Nov 2013.

Congratulations to the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria and may your days by brighter as the time moves on in your career as footballers.

No one should make any mistake about how the Nigerian politicians will claim the glory for this successful campaign. That is their thing.

I will save them from their stupidities by avoiding the link between their corrupt attitudes and the killing of sports in Nigeria.

Well done the Golden Eaglets, you have conquered the world again!

SNOWDEN and SNOWDENIZATION

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By Adeola Aderounmu

Snowden is a noun. It is obtained from two words: den and snow. Literally a den made of snow would be a freezing point below absolute zero. You don’t want to fall into a “snow-den”.

A Snowden can be a person who betrayed the trust of both his employer and his country. In the eyes of the world, that is brave and courageous. In the eyes of the betrayed parties: it is treason and the hunt for Snowden will be a life time pursuit.

A Snowden can be a person who gave up the comfort of a good life because of bad conscience: conscience according to Dan Fodio will remain an open wound that only the truth can heal. A Snowden seeks to heal the open wound by abandoning a life where other people’s secrets are torn apart and used for both good and bad purposes.

But the people or organization left behind by a Snowden will always find new recruits swearing newer oaths. Even the devil can be replaced in the kingdom of darkness. Where there is life, there is all kinds of possibilities.

A Snowden is possibly a person that (through his search for the truth or through his knowledge of good and bad) will abandon a life of freedom for a life of guarded secrecy-whereby his residence and activities are only known to one or two people.

In several ways, a Snowden can be defined or redefined.

Snowdenization is when your enemies or the friends of your enemies seeks a Snowden to expose your secrets or to confine their suspiciousness of your actions which they deemed diabolic. In Snowdenization the people you have insulted or humiliated one way or the other seek a revenge.

Snowdenization is the sharing of information that are aimed to harm or disgrace you, even when you think you are invisible or untouchable. Snowdenization is the sharing of secret files among all and sundry.

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Lampedusa , The Road to Death…

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Adeola Aderounmu

African rulers especially those in the West, East and the Horn of Africa should really be ashamed of themselves.

How they push their citizens to deaths in the Mediterrenean (dead) sea is a big shame on them.

Economic hardship continues to lead many Africans into desperate attempts to get out of Africa at any cost-even death.

It is unthinkable how the same type of “madness” repeats itself with accuracy. Something is wrong with the rulers of North Africa where boats are taken regularly to Lampedusa and other small European-claimed Islands that provides first contact of migrants to Europe.

Then Europe responds as if it cares only for the same response to greet the next waiting tragedy.

In totality everyone connected with this tragedy is acting like they care.

Everyone condemns the deaths but no one cares to stop to next one.

Many African rulers are not thinking of improving security and economic situations in their territories. Many of them and the politicians generally continue to steal, loot and care “less” for their citizenns.

The next set of desperate migrants are already looking for ways to cross into Lampedusa depsite this new tragedy. The next Libyan or Tunisian dealer is already looking for customers and the government in these North African countries don’t give a damn about the suicide missions.

So the cycle of madness continues.

The problem is not Italy’s problem. It is the problem of all the countries in Africa where these migrants come from-Nigeria, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Ghana, Cameroun and so on.

Often the migrants lie about their countries of origin depending on the ease of getting sympathy or asylum in Europe.

When the world is ready, they will inform the North African government how disappointed they are about the flow of deadly traffic from the waters of North Africa.

When the world is ready, they will inform useless African rulers about how they have impoverished and deprived their citizens of good life.

The advanced countries are probably “ok” with the flow of the willing slavery business that is now totally voluntary! What a sad irony!

Those advanced countries that continue to collude and connive with African leaders to misuse or cart away the treasures of Africa are also parts of the problems.

The biggest chunk of the issue rest on the mentalities of African rulers and how they have enslaved their people beyond the transatlantic slave trade era.

If people are happy at home, they will not find the need to take suicide missions across the waters of North Africa.

These migrants should actually be forming pressure groups at home to force regime change that can bring about positive decelopments in Africa. The problem is that once people capture power in Africa, a certain “spirit” of selfishness take over them and they become blind to the realities of the others.

So in a way, the situation is complex and the way out is difficult.

Summarily, as Europeans continue with their hypocrisy on this situation, Africans especially the would-be migrants should be asking themselves: how long do they want to dive into the deadly waters before they realise that their continent that is full of treasures and opportunities can be turned around for their own good.

(unedited)

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