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Nigerians Should Beg The Cabal Or 'Occupy Jonathan' By Prince Charles Dickson

"Provision of road, electricity, water, health services etc are not palliatives, they are the duty of government".

"Provision of road, electricity, water, health services etc are not palliatives, they are the duty of government".



But no one knows, those that know, do not care and some care in very hypocritical manners. Sadly in the words of a cabal, the people are no better than we the politicians and in truth, we get away with it because the people 'ALLOW' us to, and they want us to so long as we spend the loot on them.

With those lines I take this week's admonition, the first for the year 2012, one that has continued literally from the same point as 2011, with pain, insecurity and a government that lacks trust.

I have painfully looked on as government officials lie through their teeth on the fuel subsidy. I have watched Mr. Jonathan say the nation is not broke but will go broke if subsidy is retained. And equally promise that Nigeria will be like UK in few months when the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy die down.

While citizenry are peeling away from earth by reasons of avoidable deaths, fuel subsidy, simply put, reconstructing a cabal...the burden of a nation stands on the threshold of redrawing our socio-economic and political map.

It’s laughable how 1600 diesel buses would solve the transportation problem of 36 states and cater for some over 150 million Nigerians, which roads would these buses ply. Same roads the cabal took money and refused to build and donated some back to the ruling party. Or is it the fact that, more accidents, more waste of Nigerian lives and chop for the cabal that supplied the buses.

For me, the problem with Nigeria is not fuel subsidy; it is corruption from top to bottom, confused leadership and a docile followership. A cabal, which like all things bad in Nigeria, has no return address.

Having read the Subsidy Reinvestment And Empowerment Program (SURE) booklet. I can’t help but laugh more at the Nigerian and our ways, I can recite the 20 pages off heart, the first page is a picture of Jonathan, the second, Namadi, I am sorry that Ngozi did not make it..., two other pages detailing how they would share some billions amongst governors and LGA Chairmen...the last page is that of the map of Nigeria.

Leaving us with 14 pages of how a yet to be available and fraudulent over 1 trillion would be spent on the existing cabal or a new cabal.

Explaining the SURE document, the president stated that, "A robust programm structure has been developed to ensure adequate oversight, accountability and implementation of the various projects".

I will pick just one project area...Component 'D', the rail transport projects. Interestingly, in the last month of last year, China launched a super-rapid test train, which is capable of travelling 500 kilometres per hour; this was despite serious problems on its high-speed network.

The train, made by a subsidiary of CSR Corp Ltd, China's largest train maker, is designed to resemble an ancient Chinese sword, the official Xinhua news agency had reported.

In February 2011, the railways minister, Liu Zhijun, a key figure behind the boom in the sector, was dismissed over corruption charges that have not yet been tried in court.

How soon do we forget, Abacha brought the Chinese, millions went, Obasanjo brought the same Chinese billions disappeared, death did not give Yar'adua time, and again Jonathan is talking Chinese...fact is that like former Attorney General and Justice Minister said, the best we have done is to rehabilitate a Royal Niger Company Railway that should be in the museum with billions of dollars with nothing or very little to show.

No one is being punished, it was the 'inner caucus' during Obansanjo, Yar'adua had a small 'kitchen cabinet' and this group of self-serving leaders tell us they are faced with a cabal...


Government says the subsidy administration is beset with ineffiencies, leakages and corruption...tell me what is not beset with those three terms today, from health to education, security to agriculture. Previous governments have given the same rational for discontinuing subsidies, and no solution in sight...because of a cabal exploiting the leaks and getting away with it and citizens have to pay for it.

This government is promising 3,877km of railroad, 1,326km of roads and bridges, some incomprehensible safety net programmes that make no sense to the woman that sells bean-ball or the local tyre repair man. Monies that will again go, to some new cabal or the existing ones, just like all the power projects money that disappeared.

"There is simply no accounting for many decisions in our dear country and there never will be at this rate." A politician said this to a friend and the truth is that, we are in no change mode yet.

I end my admonition stating categorically that I will take back my comments and apologize if we get to buy fuel at N65 or less by the end of December 2012, as a result of Mr. Jonathan's well laid out IMF/World Bank pill.

Until then, the Yoruba's say Ẹni tó tan ara-a rẹ̀ lòrìṣà òkè ńtàn: àpọń tí ò láya nílé, tó ní kí òrìṣà ó bùn un lọ́mọ. Meaning, it is the person who deceives himself that the gods above deceive: a bachelor who has no wife at home but implores the gods to grant him children. (It is self-deceit to expect the gods to do everything for one, when one has not lifted a finger on one's behalf).

Mr. Jonathan ride on, and you cannot deal with the cabal with your-all-knowing lieutenants. I can only but ask Nigerians help themselves, lift a finger, beg the cabal or occupy peacefully for change, time will tell.

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