Politics

Words on the Marble

/ Sam Aderibigbe / Leave a comment

“The alimentary canal of our state ministers does not digest gold”…Dr Tai Solarin.
With the recent spate of events happening in our country, one is left to wonder of our ministers or leaders particularly the presidency is interested in the welfare of their people.

It leaves a sour taste to the mouth when people elected(selected) to lead act inured to the happenings all around us. I am left to wonder the sanity if those who voted them in not to talk of questioning their own sanity that is, if they do have!!!

The spate of bombings in our nation has now reached a peak that i am wondering and asking myself, are we at war?

And of a truth we are at war! War against the forces of mediocrity that has taken over our nation, war against politicians that care only for their belly, war against figurehead presidency who does not know his right from his left. war against poverty, war against environmental nuisance, war against corruption and the list goes on and on…

All these have eaten deep into our fabric as a nation that we have lost all sense of decency and decorum to discern what matters most and what does not.

To us, everything goes inasmuch as it does not hinder bread from coming to our table, not disturb our sleep at night.

We can’t keep like this for long, its high time the docile giant in us gets up and becomes bold and courageous. High time we stop acting like idiots who allow themselves to be governed by an idiot worse off than them (Jonas).

The waters of the ocean never moves, until the tide moves with the wind…….

Its Not Over

/ Sam Aderibigbe / 1 Comment

With the recent happenings all over the world, the risings in the Arab world that started with Algeria moved down to Egypt, now stucked with Libya and Syria.

But it’s quite interesting to note the penchant of our so-called leaders to cleave to power by all means especially in Africa and Arab world. Take for instance, Libya. Ghaddafi has been there for about 4 decades and is now caught in the quagmire of a revolution and civil war that has enveloped him and his country and brought the fury of the nations to their doorstep in the form of NATO. Now i actually wonder why Ghaddafi would have to wait for this long for him to realize that the world cannot contain his idiosyncratic tendencies anymore. A self-styled “King of Kings” and a Bat by nature and origin. Now what i mean by this is his alliance with the Arab world claiming to be Arab and also alliance with African, claiming to be a Brother. Now on which side of the divide is he actually? Hence a Bat. Yoruba’s call it “o se ku o seeye”.

Well as it may, did it ever cross his mind that he will be flushed out this way or suffer the indignity of world condemnation, denial and back-stabbing from his trusted allies. It’s interesting to note as well if he ever learned from the example of Hosni Mubarak of Egypt who has been humiliated through the court of law. But did he ever think it will be over for him if he dared to step aside?

Even with him ousted from power now and yet to be located, it’s not over for him still…..though he had long ignored the back door escape that was opened for him but now locked….by revolutionists of like mind like him 42 years ago who are giving him the same dose he gave others 42 years ago, he still has a chance to make amends if given the chance, or better still live in solitary confinement where he can do memos of his sojourn as demigod, or strategies to hold on to power in the 23rd century…

But whichever way it is, it’s not over for him. Just hope other learn from his mistakes and as well our Mr. Presido in Nigeria will take heed.

Will most like be doing write ups on long ruling dictators in Africa and intending ones ( the Jonas…)

Till then…….

 


State of the Nation

/ Sam Aderibigbe / Leave a comment
State of the Nation.
A lot has being happening in the country the last few weeks that has been both shocking and interesting.
First of all was the Boko Haram crisis in the North with these fanatics attacking government facilities and security men as well. They ended up been crushed thanks to the intervention of the Nigerian Army but the end has been received with mixed feelings in a lot of quarters thanks to the extra-judicial killing of the Leader, Mohammed Yusuf and a financier of the group, a former commissioner in one of the Northern states.
Well, controversy still trails the accounts of his death by the security men with the Army insisting he was captured alive and with video and picture evidence to back it up (all thanks to youtube, saharareporters) and the Police claiming he was killed during a shootout. Heck! Who does not know the history of the Nigeria Police with such killings!
The Secretary of State for the United States of America, Hillary Clinton came visiting the country as well during the cause of the week. She chastised the government on the state of corruption in the country as well as the deplorable level of good governance. Must we wait for a diviner from the next town to point out to us what the gods are saying about the state of our nation? What went arong with our diviners?
Gov Ohakim of Abia state recently defected to the PDP from his party, PPA. The politics of carpet crossing will never end in our nation, or should i say,if you can’t beat em, you join em!
ASUU strike is going to more than 10 weeks now with negotiation suspended by the Federal Government alleging insincerity and blackmail on the part of the lecturers and vice versa. I think for once, ASUU is fighting on a reasonable ground,  but for how long must the future of this nation be subject to this debacle?! In the midst of this crisis, the Minister of Education, Sam Egwu, a recycled, sorry a former Governor had his 25th wedding anniversary with whooping millions! Allegedly 25 million naira! All in this nation! Well, as long as his children are outside the country studying, he has nothing to worry about!
When will thou save the people?! O God of mercy when?! The People, not thrones not crowns but men!
Our nation is in a nigh state of revolution unprecedented. We can’t sit back and watch things go on this way. We need to take positive steps towards the redemption of our country. But this question pops up, who will be the Messiah? Who will #lightupNigeria for the sake of the future generationState

Flag of Nigeria

A lot has being happening in the country the last few weeks that has been both shocking and interesting.

First of all was the Boko Haram crisis in the North with these fanatics attacking government facilities and security men as well. They ended up been crushed thanks to the intervention of the Nigerian Army but the end has been received with mixed feelings in a lot of quarters thanks to the extra-judicial killing of the Leader, Mohammed Yusuf and a financier of the group, a former commissioner in one of the Northern states.

Well, controversy still trails the accounts of his death by the security men with the Army insisting he was captured alive and with video and picture evidence to back it up (all thanks to youtube, saharareporters) and the Police claiming he was killed during a shootout. Heck! Who does not know the history of the Nigeria Police with such killings!

The Secretary of State for the United States of America, Hillary Clinton came visiting the country as well during the cause of the week. She chastised the government on the state of corruption in the country as well as the deplorable level of good governance. Must we wait for a diviner from the next town to point out to us what the gods are saying about the state of our nation? What went arong with our diviners?

Gov Ohakim of Abia state recently defected to the PDP from his party, PPA. The politics of carpet crossing will never end in our nation, or should i say,if you can’t beat em, you join em!

ASUU strike is going to more than 10 weeks now with negotiation suspended by the Federal Government alleging insincerity and blackmail on the part of the lecturers and vice versa. I think for once, ASUU is fighting on a reasonable ground,  but for how long must the future of this nation be subject to this debacle?! In the midst of this crisis, the Minister of Education, Sam Egwu, a recycled, sorry a former Governor had his 25th wedding anniversary with whooping millions! Allegedly 25 million naira! All in this nation! Well, as long as his children are outside the country studying, he has nothing to worry about!

When will thou save the people?! O God of mercy when?! The People, not thrones not crowns but men!

Our nation is in a nigh state of revolution unprecedented. We can’t sit back and watch things go on this way. We need to take positive steps towards the redemption of our country. But this question pops up, who will be the Messiah? Who will #lightupNigeria for the sake of the future generation

Just as wrapping this up, the banking sector is in turmoil with the sacking of 5 bank MDs on Friday due to gross financial misconduct and fiscal indiscipline. The CBN Chief says they risk going to jail if found culpable in the activities that led to their banks been stressed. The Nation is just heating up! God have mercy!

British Hypocrisy

/ Sam Aderibigbe / Leave a comment

 

1722485819-thousands-tamil-protesters-gather-outside-houses-parliament-right-london-mondayI have long pondered on the roles that Britons take at times in  the face of certain world crisis. A times i find myself questioning their rationale for taking decisions which i find quite objectionable. Ok, what’s the matter? The rationale behind their protest or support for events happening around the world often leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Some days ago, i read of a certain man carrying out a hunger strike in order to force the British government to intervene in the Sri Lanka Crisis by forcing the government to stop its assault on the  Tamil tigers who are been holed up in a little corner after about 20 years of bloody civil war. Now, some Britons are joining this man as well to declare that the Tamil Tigers want freedom.  But let us stop and ponder, this Tamil Tiger Rebels have held the nation of Sri Lanka to ransom for about 20 years in its so called quest for freedom of what? Lives have been lost, homes destroyed and the nation nearly brought to a ruin because of rogue group!  

Now, the Sri Lanka government has finally gotten the nerve to cower them into a corner and demanding their surrender which they are not willing to do and using humans in the little territory they have been driven to as shield against government forces. (The news today is that government forces have finally succeeded in breaking a barrier leading to the rescuing of about 5000 civilians who were trapped in the conflict). While that is not my main discourse this morning, its the moral justification of the Britons protesting. Are we saying, we should free terrorists? Enemies of a free world? Desperate men in search of power?

What sort of freedom does people who turn the gun on their brothers in the fight for a false freedom. What these people are doing is what dissident Irish Republican Army IRA is doing; they attack British troops and target assets belonging to the British. They have carried out the deadliest single bombing of Northern Ireland’s “Troubles” in the market town of Omagh in August 1998 in which Twenty-nine people were killed. The most recent was the killing of two young British soldiers in North Ireland. I wonder why the British sympatists did not take up placards justifying the action taken against their own kin.

Another classic example of British hypocrisy is the recent conference on racism been organized the United Nations which is been boycotted by key sincere nations of the world (America and its major allies) save for countries with sinister motives like Iran and France and of course spineless British Government who cannot call a spade a spade.

For how long will she continue to be a boot-licker?

Tenure Extension Again?

/ Sam Aderibigbe / 1 Comment

PE-281-0113Hmm, its been a while that i last posted something on my blog. Doing some reflecting. Well, a lot has been happening the world over. From the global financial meltdown to mundane things happening in different countries.

Well, something caught my eye this morning. It was a newspaper headline on the Punch of today. ‘Panel want tenure extension for Yar’Adua’ From the few details i could get,it it seems the panel set up by the Presidency to look at the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Report that are making the proposal and its been spear headed by the Attorney General of the Federation!

But i just can’t help but wonder what our leaders were thinking bringing such suggestion up. It seems to me to be a deliberate attempt to forget history and truncate the future,with specific reference to the botched 3rd term bid of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of our country. It seems as well that they are yet to learn from the peaceful transition of government in Ghana that took place earlier this year. Little wonder that PDP is seriously and fast losing ground in some states of the federation. But it also calls to mind what our so called leaders think of in their so called chambers and offices.

Now what is been proposed is to have the 4 year tenure extended to 6 years! “The panel reportedly argued that Yar‘Adua ”would have completed the unbundling of the Independent National Electoral Commission,” by being in office for two more years.” What nonsense! Is he the only one capable to do such a task? Or is he going to be the last man to rule this great country of ours?! To me, it’s turning out that confusion over what to do is the order of the day at Aso Rock.Policies that will benefit the greater majority of the nation is been sacrificed for policies that will benefit the very few in the nation. The elite group that will stop at nothing to bring the nation to her knees to achieve their own selfish end.

Frankly, it shows that we don’t have leaders in this country that can stand up and damn the demogogues, men whom the lust of office does not spoil. We need to define the basis of leadership in this country, to set a new, refined standard, of quality acceptable leadership. We need to stand up as a nation and look our leaders in the face and tell them when they are erring and to tow the line of correction.

We need to, as a nation be able to take charge of our destiny and not wait for a corrupt politician or leader to define our destiny for us. The future of a great Nigeria begins now! Not tomorrow. I love the Bank PHB advert of recent, of living your own script and not living another person’s script. Its time we write our script as a nation and not wait for anybody to write it for us. Lets say no to any form of banditry by our government.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Cheers!