Nigeria

Power, Too Transient

/ Adeola / Leave a comment

By Adeola Aderounmu.

If you have to choose between having good health and political power, what would be your decision? Think about it this way, health as they say is wealth. And when you are healthy, you are also happy and you are at peace with yourself and with others.

Having a power of any sort does not give peace of mind the same way as good health does. And when you have been in a position that allows you to accumulate wealth either fairly or through stealing, the normal thing to do is to ease yourself and pay attention to your health.

In Nigeria the man who stole the people’s mandate in 2007, in my opinion, must have surrounded himself with bad advisers. On his own, he seems to lack the common sense that dictates that health is wealth.

A normal and healthy person will suffer in health as a leader of a group or organisation. It is part of the sacrifice to be paid. How then can we qualify or quantify a very sick man who thought he could lead a nation of over 150m people? In this singular reasoning I doubt if Yar Adua is a normal human being. If we have good documentation of people’s behaviour, health and attitude as they do in the advanced countries it would be nice to study the history of the man Umaru Yar Adua.

I mean even ordinary jobs take their tolls on us. Teachers, accountants, programmers and other jobs take their effects on our health and see how we long for breaks and holidays. How can a sick man take up the job of being a “president”, especially an illegal one haunted by his own conscience, the various oppositions and the hammer of the judiciary? Depending on how this ends, the roles of his family should be taken into account.

Does he not have a wife that care or children that love him? Does he not have people around him who would rather see him alive and managing his health than dying in a position that is “too transient”. Between power and his presence, what did they choose?

Power is transient and is independent of health. It will be gone too soon and the one who is in power today will be ordinary or gone tomorrow. I’ve read that absolute power corrupt. It is a sad excuse to acting in a mad way. Power should not be like that. But unfortunately it is…

Imagine the sanity that will be in Nigeria’s seat of presidency if every bad leader disappears mysteriously. Abacha comes to mind and now Yar Adua. Unfortunately again people do not easily learn from history or philosophy. Power is transient, why not try to acquire it legally and do the right thing?

By death or other means people who are in power or position today will not be there tomorrow. None of us will leave this planet alive. Integrity and legacies are the things that last longer than positions. What legacies have been left behind by the stupid and looting Nigerian politicians since independence in 1960? They have destroyed the country and they have stolen money for themselves and their families, even those unborn.

Power is transient and I cannot wish well those who stole my future. I do not have good wishes for those who are destroying today the future that belongs to the children. Power is transient and I cannot wish well anyone who have taken 1 naira from the treasury. I definitely do now wish well for those who stole billions of dollars through contracts and direct looting. May judgements come upon them. Power is transient!

Nigeria will rise again. I believe.

Our Lives in Our Hands

/ Adeola / Leave a comment

Originally published on April 21 2008 @ Nigeria Village Square

Our Lives in Our Hands

If Umaru Yar’Adua keeps flying to Germany every other day for medical checkups and randomized treatments, there is definitely no hope yet for the Nigerian masses plagued by poverty and very serious health infirmities. If the one in whom we entrust our health care seeks succour beyond the borders of Nigeria (and in fact Africa) then the rest of us must know that our lives are in our hands.
Shame which is a virtue in Nigerian politics is the only word that I found to describe this action of the number one citizen in Nigeria. It is a clear revelation of the gross incompetence of Umaru not just as an individual but as an administrator or ex-governor. For example, if I was the former governor of Katsina State for 8 years, I would have used my influence and position to build a specialized hospital to take care of my peculiar health needs. By so doing, I would have provided a unique opportunity for other people who have the same or similar problems within my state and elsewhere in Nigeria.

Really, how much can it cost to facilitate the building of such a specialized hospital at the federal level supposing the cost of building it surpasses the state health allocations for 8 years? If that was the only achievement in Katsina State’s Department of Health between 1999 and 2003, would it have been a selfish gain? Does it require the building of a new hospital to take care of Umaru’s special needs? Was any attempt made to incorporate what he needs into an existing health institution anywhere in Nigeria?

We must constantly remind ourselves of some unforgivable/ severe shortcomings of the people who lead us in Nigeria. Umaru is definitely bringing shame to Nigeria with this particular attitude of his. For instance, how does this flying out for health reason help Nigeria in terms of enticing foreign investors to Nigeria? In 21st century Global Village scenario, Nigeria cannot provide electricity to run businesses and Umaru is making it clear that the health of Nigerians and foreigners in Nigeria cannot be catered for in Nigeria.

My humble advice is that Umaru should with immediate effect lay a foundation in Abuja for the construction of the carbon copy of that hospital that he is always running or flying to in Germany. He should also make sure that the hospital is completed in a world record timing without neglecting regulations, standards and safety. In addition, he should ensure that replicas are constructed in at least 6 other places spread over Nigeria.

When that is done, Umaru should personally work closely with the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure that the hospitals are equipped not only with the state of art facilities but also with the best hands in Nigeria. If there is a need to recall Nigerian doctors or experts from the Middle East, Australia or the US then let it be done. We cannot possibly succumb to any form of inferiority complex that Nigerian doctors are not better than those in Germany. It is part of government’s responsibilities to provide the infrastructure and the environment that will facilitate optimum output and efficiency.

If the kind of hospital that exist in Germany is found in Nigeria and if our best doctors are there, Umaru would have no need to fly 6 hours in air just to see a doctor or the edifice itself. Afterall, Nigerian doctors are among the best in the world and they are scattered all over planet earth. The other day I was treated by a Nigerian doctor at the Famous Karolinska Hospital here in Stockholm. He told me he is from the old Bendel State and that he had been living and working outside Nigeria since the mid 70s!

These pieces of advice can serve as the stepping stones for the revamping of Nigeria’s ailing health industry. Without setting up any tea drinking or money-dividing committee, there are possibilities to establish, develop and maintain viable health policies that will work for all and sundry in Nigeria.

It is not too much to ask that the health industry must work. A healthy nation is a wealthy nation. Nigerians must stop the shameful seeking of basic health care from neighbouring countries and the confidence that we have in our health institutions and health providers can only be restored if the leadership truly leads by desirable examples.

RESPONSES:

pH_bomboy

# 2 | 21.04.2008 15:33

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why are we not protesting YarAdua’s foreign hospital trips as much as we are protesting British Airways treatment of Nigerians? I’ll be the first one to sign whatever petition is drafted.

WaleAkin

# 3 | 21.04.2008 19:43

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Adeola,

Just thinking aloud!!!

How much would it cost NIGERIA to build a state of the art all round Hospital somewhere in Abuja?

Do we have a bottleneck somewhere militating against this noble venture?

Now, where is this money pls?

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=Umar Musa Yar’Adua>For the Health Sector, we propose an allocation of N138.17 billion for 2008, a 12.57% increase over the 2007 allocation of N120.8 billion. The capital
component of this amount is N49.37 billion, out of which funds have been
provided for, among others, the following projects:
· Refurbishing and equipping all Federal Tertiary Health Institutions
· National AIDS/STI Control Programme, including the procurement
and distribution of ARVs and test kits
· Rollback Malaria Programme, including the procurement of new
drugs for malaria case management and insecticide treated nets
· National Programme on Immunisation for routine immunisation
· Capacity building and training for 5,000 health workers on
integrated management of childhood illnesses.
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DeepThought

# 4 | 21.04.2008 20:45

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If it were possible to justify the practice of corruption by the rank and file of Nigerians, then I would say this continuosly going abroad for medical treatment by Nigerian public officials/leadership make it virtually mandatory that the ordinay Nigerian be corrupt.

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why are we not protesting YarAdua’s foreign hospital trips as much as we are protesting British Airways treatment of Nigerians? .

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Good idea. We should

K_Station

# 5 | 21.04.2008 21:52

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=Robot;4295008061>Umaru is definitely bringing shame to Nigeria with this particular attitude of his.

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AA Baba,
God bless you for bringing attention to this recurring shameful act of our leaders, past and present, may you walk and never stumble! Every time I hear about any of these ridiculous foreign medical trips (per IBB’s toe, Atiku’s treadmill induced injury, and now UMYA’s eczema), I can only imagine their white doctors laughing at and scorning our country behind the backs of their Naija executive patients!

How can we expect anyone to take us serious or respect us in the world when our number one citizen cannot entrust his diarrhea to a Nigerian doctor? Our leaders are shameless mugus! Charity begin at home; not for nigerian leaders.

anonimi

# 6 | 22.04.2008 02:28

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=K_Station;4295008243>AA Baba,

Our leaders are shameless mugus! Charity begin at home; not for nigerian leaders.

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Na we d followers mungun pass as we dey hero worship dem & honour dem as part of the reward system for their (mis)behaviour:exclaim:
I am sure many are lining up to seek connections to such leaders so they can get juicy appointments, in public & private sector, so they can get their share of the looting.
meanwhile the vicious cycle of misery, poverty, mass unemployment, crime, worsening transportation, health, education and other infrastructures continues as we are too selfish to see beyond our nose.
why can’t we boycott the political, social and economic functions of these Looters-in-Power (LIPs)
the best way to be selfish is by being selfless ask d oyinbo people wey dey do welfare for dem government. if your neighbour is stealing & receiving stolen goods and you just dey say he no concern you, very soon they will rob you or someone very close to you, what will you say then:icon_ques

Olamide

# 7 | 22.04.2008 02:42

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=K_Station;4295008243>AA Baba,
God bless you for bringing attention to this recurring shameful act of our leaders, past and present, may you walk and never stumble! Every time I hear about any of these ridiculous foreign medical trips (per IBB’s toe, Atiku’s treadmill induced injury, and now UMYA’s eczema), I can only imagine their white doctors laughing at and scorning our country behind the backs of their Naija executive patients!

How can we expect anyone to take us serious or respect us in the world when our number one citizen cannot entrust his diarrhea to a Nigerian doctor? Our leaders are shameless mugus! Charity begin at home; not for nigerian leaders.

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I also thank you AA for bringing this issue out but you must be clairvoyant o. I was just thinking of writing something more caustic on the issue when I read your article. I am happy that all right-thinking Nigerians are ashamed that our President is running to Germany to treat eczema or is it ashtma in a foreign hospital. When Nigerian hospitals are referred to as glorified mortuaries, some people get upset but how many of our so-called leaders and their families go to these hospitals? None.

The people surrounding Umaru Yar’adua are his greatest undoing. If they cannot advise him that he is making us a laughing stock by flying to Germany, then we are doomed but the public officials are happy because they get estacode anytime Yar’adua flies out for medical treatment. We should launch another petition here to stop our leaders or is it ‘Dealers’ from travelling abroad for medical treatment as long as they are in public office. Over to you, guys.

K_Station

# 8 | 22.04.2008 11:41

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=Olamide;4295008280>We should launch another petition here to stop our leaders or is it ‘Dealers’ from travelling abroad for medical treatment as long as they are in public office. Over to you, guys.

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Dear Olams,
I also thought about your suggestion for a petition but I’m not sure it can be sustained legally. I’m not a lawyer (and I hope Village lawyers can shed more light on this) but I think every human being has a basic right to recieve medical treatment from wherever and from whoever.

This issue is more of morality and having a sense of decency, which most of our leaders seems to lack! One suggestion is for a broad citizen group to make a well publicized representation to both the legislature and the presidency on this matter; it will also be a good idea to seek the support of the Nigeria Medical Association and to carry them along.

draftman

# 9 | 23.04.2008 14:18

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Make una leave Yardua alone, he should be able to get a medical treatment anywhere he chose. What would you do if you fall sick in Nigeria, and can afford to travel out? The fact is that we do not have a fully competent doctors in Nigeria, even if we do we certainly do not have adequate facilities or tools. Until Nigerian can sort these issues, please don’t knock a man for taking care of himself, unless you’re just jealous. My cousin who is a medical doctor in both Nigerian and now in US, does not trust nigerian medical facilities. I was in Nigeria recently and my family member was sick, I was told by a nigerian doctors to seek treatment abroad asap.

Who among us want to take chance with our health.

karajakataja

# 10 | 25.04.2008 04:20

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the complete truth is yet to be told about the state of his health, what operation/treatment he actuually underwent prior to election in april last year. Yar Adua is our property and we need to know his health status. By the way when ar we gonna have an hospital that can give paracetamol to our public officers running abroad each time they have headache?
I don tire o

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.

A Country Without a President

/ Adeola / 3 Comments

By Adeola Aderounmu

Nigeria by my own estimation is the most ridiculous country on planet earth. For the second week running this country is without a president whether legal or illegal.

This brings to light the types of idiots and fools who say they are Nigerian Politicians. They are thieves and self-serving people who have taken the other 140m into bondage and eternal slavery.F
If they are not fools and if they are not thieves, they should have followed constitutional approaches to enthrone the VP and continue with the business of governance.

Right now in Nigeria there is no governance, there has hardly been one since May 2007 due to the ill health and near total incapacitation of Yar Adua. The man is sick and right now no one knows if he is dead or alive in far away Saudi Arabia where everything around him is total secret and unknown.

So here we are in Nigeria waiting like idiots. Those politicians who always smuggle their ways into governance are taking us for another useless ride. They always do. Our votes don’t count and we as the people will always accept them no matter what. This is the height of slavery and human bondage.

At a time like this you expect pro-democracy groups and even proactive oppositions to seize the day and make demands for what is just and right. Not in Nigeria. The prime issue is your personal political survival. You must not be singled out trying to play Mr. Right.

The ruler is in coma and the nation must be in coma too. This is what the junta, the military cabal and the power drunk mafia in Nigeria are doing to us. We are quiet. We have no revolutioanry will or spirits. By now Millions of Nigerians should have been organised to demonstrate and demand for justice, fair play and the need to keep the nation moving forward.

For 2 years this country has moved backward and the business of governace almost terminated because of one man and the mafiac influence of the military junta. They think they are power brokers. I call them fools all the time and I blame the resilient 140m people.

Slavery in Nigeria has no comparative scale. It is so unique you’ll be wondering if it is human beings or animals living in Nigeria. I will never comprehend how such a small clique will continue to hold us in bondage-49 years on. It is unthinkable.

I don’t want to believe that it is true that 2010 budget is just 4 pages of power point presentation. Is it all about sharing money among these thieves. Nigerian lawmakers have budgetted billions of naira for travelling and furniture. Believe me, those people are CRAZY. So they buy furniture every year and where are they travelling to?

Millions of Nigerians are living on less than 1 dollar a day and all these greedy and corrupt people care about is their mouths and pockets. Really I don’t blame them. The system gives room for looting, stealing and destruction as the people continue to suffer and groan. But these people pray, suffer and do nothing.

The person who is suppose to ensure that we have good health care is lying sick in Saudi Arabia. I don’t get it. Millions of Nigerians are sick and they can’t afford the basic health care around them. Invariably public health care is almost zero in Nigeria. So the greedy politicians go abroad to treat flu, headache and diarrhoea.

Two weeks without a president, this must be the funniest country on earth-one that is forcefully ruled by idiots and fools.