Uncle Reuben, you do not need to go to school to read President Obama’s body language when delivering his speech in the Ghanaian parliament that all he said was entirely about failure of leadership in Nigeria. One can actually infer from all he said that while his body was in Ghana, his mind was in Nigeria. All the American President was saying was that ‘Nigeria you have everything’ put your house in order and I am ready to do business with you! And that was it. It is the case of show me your friends and I will tell you who you are. As a beckon of modern civilization, America cannot be seen to promote corruption and bad leadership. Happily he has said that the era of imposing leaders and governments by America on sovereign states is over for good.
I am surprised "Uncle Reuben" that you said you take solace in the fact that corruption is also thriving in America too. You being an 'Elder' in our Church what happens to the Jesus teaching that you ‘first remove the plank in your eyes that you may see properly to remove the speck in your brother’s eyes?’ I am very sure you were absent-minded when you wrote some portion of that article.
Talking about corruption in America, don’t you think it is a child’s play compared to what is happening in Nigeria? Uncle Reuben, did you see the first batch of the 56 names of ‘National Treasury Looters’ released by EFCC last week? For your information these are minor masquerades but put together they stole N243 billion collectively. If you think that is colossal sum wait until the second batch is released sometimes this week or early next week if the normal internal maneuverings doesn't delay it at the point of release. The only looters of note on that list is Chief Bode George, Saminu Turaki, and Senator of the Federal Republic, Rasheed Lodoja, Chimaroke Nnamani, Orji Uzor Kalu, and Joshua Dariye. Boni Haruna and Jolly Nyame were said to have stolen a paltry sum of N93 million and N180 million respectively. I still want to bring to your attention the fact that amongst the 31 corrupt former Governors on the EFCC list only seven so far have their names published in the first batch. Just wait until the second batch of corrupt national treasury looters is released which hopefully will carry the remaining 24 corrupt former governors’ names. It is then you will know that some amongst them have stolen at one go more than N243 billion Naira. Remember sir, the world bank and IMF said that the National Treasury Looters of Nigeria amongst all of them combined stole more than $400 billion US Dollars (both military and civilian politicians). The only former governor so far from the first list that has acknowledged he stole a useful amount is Saminu Turaki with N30 billion. No former governor so far from the Oil rich Niger-delta has made the first batch. Remember Uncle Reuben that one of them is facing trial in a case of stealing N91 billion which was his state's budget for one year.
For your information, be the first to hear that Mrs Farida Waziri, the EFFC chairman has confided in her close associates that after releasing the names of the second batch of corrupt politicians which will contain the names of the remaining 24 former governors, she has promised to release the bombshell in the third batch list which will contain the names of the much talked about but dreaded and “powerful” corrupt former military leaders and their accomplices. The Madam have vowed on her honor to be on the side of history and has vowed to step on powerful and sensitive toes this time. Therefore sir, just hold your breath and let us keep our fingers crossed and watch this once in a life time drama unfold in Nigeria.
The American crook you mentioned Mr Bernard L. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison with no option of parole and this is somebody in his sixties.
Uncle Reuben, please bring your mind back to Nigeria, how many months did Tafa Balogun spend in prison for stealing the whole of Nigeria Police Force budget allocation for two years? How many months did DSP Alamasiegha spend in prison for milking Bayelsa state dry? Just to refresh your memory Tafa Balogun spent only five (5) months in prison while Alamasiegha spent six (6) months only. Can you compare that to the 150 years Madoff is going to serve?
One important difference between American thieves and Nigerian kleptocrats is the fact that Nigerian thieves are public officers entrusted with public trust and they swore with bible or Quran to be honest. But it all ends there at the swearing in ceremony. Corruption is viewed seriously in America and is deservedly well punished as is seen through the ages and with the Madoff case. Contrast that with Nigeria where corruption now is a way of life. As you have done in your column in the time past, please challenge the Abuja people to use the Obama speech in Ghana to be a watershed in purposeful leadership and good governance in Nigeria.
Finally I use this medium to single out Sam Nda-Isaiah’s column of Monday 13th July 2009 in the Leadership newspaper for praise. It is titled “Obama’s Marketplace Insults.” That was a master piece I tell you. That is exactly what Obama talked about. Journalists must be at the vanguard of fighting this war. You did it during the June 12, 1993 election annulment and the subsequent chasing away of a sit-tight tyrant though he fled with his loot intact. The present crop of Nigerian journalists can do it.
Just want to remind Sam Nda-Isaiah that Jubril Aminu is an imbecile suffering from what ‘Oyibo’ man calls dementia and therefore he cannot reason properly and appreciate good from bad. He has high propensity for power and money. That was why he and Obasanjo singlehandedly colluded through brute force and the corrupt Nigeria police using Inspector General of police Sunday Ehindero to hoist a disaster called Murtala Nyako on Adamawa state and I hear that it is purely and exclusively a Nyako and sons and daughters government limited in Yola now. What a pity for Adamawa state! That is the problem with recycling old brigade who ruined Nigeria in the past. They simply come back to re-coup their squandered loot. The underdevelopment of Niger state was said to have been the handiwork of Nyako as the first military Administrator. Remember Murtala Nyako, Jubril Aminu and their thugs had to go and pay homage to Obasanjo in Otta before he stepped into government house Yola in 2007. That was the high point of syndicated gangsterism.
If Nigeria is bigger than Ghana, is Nigeria bigger than India as well?
Sam, let me re-cap the antecedents of Jubril Aminu for you to know that when the revolution starts he is one of those billed for the Jerry Rawlings beach party style. He started by destroying the University of Maiduguri in 1985, then he was promoted to the Federal Ministry of Education, he legalized parents slapping their children’s teachers in public primary and secondary schools as was the case in Queens College Lagos in 1986. He presided over the SAP riots of 1989. It was during his time as Education Minister that the whole universities in Nigeria lost one academic year. The evil genius gave him double promotion and moved him to the Petroleum Resources ministry, where he introduced and legalized fuel scarcity in Nigeria and since then the word petroleum subsidy has entered the Nigerian lexicon and has now become cancerous ever since and whenever this looters are running out of money to steal, they will just say government is subsidizing petroleum products too much and the subsidy must be removed. Since IBB starting removing the so called petrol subsidy in 1986 wouldn’t it have been removed completely by now? That is Jubril Aminu for you. Even in the home front his records leaves much to be desired otherwise ask his former wife, Ladi. There is nothing like morality and/or conscience in his dictionary just like his two masters OBJ & IBB.
President Obama has thrown the ball into our court as it is and the world is waiting and watching how Nigerians will play it!
Ndiameeh Babrik
[email protected]
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