Witches, Demons, and Power Outage By Leo Igwe

Emeka interpreted the statement of Prof. Nebo's expression well. "witches and demons" are simple metaphors the Professor employed to denote obstacles to progress - those who put their selfish interests before those of the nation they are meant to serve. It has nothing to do with esoterism as Leo Igwe attempted to explain it.

Be true to yourself. Prof. Nebo really restored the dignity of men in UNN.

Mr Igwe,
Of course anyone who knows anything about your beliefs or the lack of it knows that your real difficulty is not with understanding that the Prof was using a figure is speech just like I might describe a particularly skillful person as being a wizard, and perhaps even directing some sarcasm at the minister who had earlier made thhe witches and demons assertion,

Your real issue is with folks who have a belief in anything that cannot be measured in a laboratory. The prof's statement was just you clutching at every straw to remind anyone who believes in realms beyond the physical that they are uncivilized.

We need more than rhetorical, but a more STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN. One would have expected Mr Nebo to have done some research about the sector, before his 'screening', and, at least, demonstrate that he knows all the problems in the sector, including how to manage the recent privatisation, staffing (some with low morale) and other fall-outs of the exercise; alternative energy source, like Solar energy; low levels of water during the dry-season; management issues; saboteur issues or 'witches' and 'demons' and vandalism; generation, distribution and regulation issues..

One expected a more detailed plan of action from him. And not the type of response, meant to elicit laughter, that he gave. His interview, couched as screening, was an opportunity for him to demonstrate that he is capable, and he is a round peg in a round hole. But his response did not convince me that he was better than a 'Panel-beater, who is there to 'panel beat' all the 'witches' and 'demons'.

You wouldn't accept such watery response, as 'strategy', from a Minister in David Cameron's Govt, as solution to a huge problem. Shame the 'incompetent' House (of Assembly) did not probe him further and ask follow-on questions, to find out, in specific terms, his detailed strategy for the sector.

Nigeria should have gone beyond simply accepting such 'political' rhetorics, which lack details. Such campaign slogans or pitches, like, 'if I am elected bla, bla, bla, I will buy every Nigerian a car'. We should learn to ask, 'HOW'. HOW does Mr Nebo plan to drive the 'witches' and 'demons', who may not be there in Abuja with him, even if he was speaking metaphorically, out of Osun State, for example? Comparing a tiny community, like UNN, to the entire country, already tells me that the man doesn't have a clue. Or as some would say, 'he doesn't know whatsup'. Even though I do not always agree with Leo, but he is spot-on with this. I wish for the Minister to succeed, nevertheless.

Mr Leo, you see how in an attempt to show how "educated" and “civilised” you are you’ve rather exposed your ignorance. Even a primary school kid could decipher that Prof Nebo wasn’t talking literary but instead was using metaphors to make the larger point: which is that there are people within and outside Nigeria (generator producers and marketers, etc.) who have over the years frustrated every effort to reform the power sector. Or are you such a novice of Nigerian politics not to figure out that Prof Nnaji’s (former minister of power) only crime is that he dared where others blinked?

As someone who claims to be enlightened, one would have expected you do some research to find out those the Prof aptly referred as “witches” and “demons” before rushing to SR to throw the provable “banana pill” as it were.

Anu mpam!

We Igbos like to shy away from the truth. Can you compare UNN and UI now?? Nebo came to UNN and converted the school to a business centre. He made UNN a State school in all ways. Today, admission in UNN is similar to admission in ESUT. WHen a schoolhas a bad admission policy, it will not get the best brains. The UNN I spent 5yrs in is today a shaddow if itself and the destruction started when Prof Mbanefo left and Pro Nebo took charge. Anyone that knows UNN and is still 100 % proud of the University with all going on there is not true to himself. This is my opinion

Prof. Nebo's track record of chasing out demons and witches that impair our well-being and societal development is open and verifiable. If he was able to chase out those demonic fiends in order to restore dignity to University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and most recently subdued the blood-thirsty monsters behind the warring communities of Ikole-Ekiti and Oye-Ekiti to simultaneously develop from a budget meant for one campus, 2 campuses of Federal University that is thriving now in Ekiti, while most other Federal Universities are yet to clear bushes, let us give him the support he needs to demonstrate his mettle. The essential Power sector that is fundamental to nation building, human and capital development, which has defied seasoned politicians and swallowed professionals, may yet require a man like him to tame, in order to exploit it for national development.

Okey, prof wasn't metaphorically referring to the cabal as witches; he meant witches in the real sense of it.

In Nigeria, the terms 'witches,demons or gods' are not most often used and understood as metaphors,are they? They are not taken as a figure of speech. It is interesting to know that many people in Nigeria now regard these spiritually charged ideas as metaphors. Even as metaphors 'witches and demons' do not tell us anything about the problems bedevilling the power sector in Nigeria.That is a kind of language a man on the street could use to describe the problem in the power sector.

Mr leo, I'm surprised that you don't know what the prof. was saying.
He was simply referring to those criminals in the power sector.He is right to call them witches & demons.

Professor Nebo might not have meant witches and demonds in the literal sense. He may just have just been using it refer to what ever problems there are that have prevented the power sector from moving forward. He has not been in the power sector yet so he can be excused if he did not exhibit indept knowledge of the issues in the sector. We can only hope that he will bring the experience he garnered in solving the problems of UNN to bear when he confronts the real issues in the power sector and that he will be bold enough to take on those who have been benefiting from the decay in the sector head on. It is early days yet so let us not castigate the man.

I was shocked to my marrow to read these statements from the minister designate. Let's hope he was being sarcastic and referring to the corrupt and inept politicians who have traumatized and raped Nigeria and its people into stupor. It is a shame of the highest order to hear such nonesense from a scholar. One begins to wonder what kind of scholar or academic this Nebo is. Why is Nigeria the only place that witches and wizards operate freely? Why are witches, demons and evil spirits not operating and wrecking havoc on atheistic nations? Remember Nigeria was once adjugded the most religious nation in the world, yet demons and evil spirits get a free pass. One of my high school classmate used to "One wonderful shall never end." Shame on Nebo! Shame on our political leaders.

Sir, I dont think you read between the lines of the newspaper articles. The prof was simply using the metaphor of witches and demons to describe human beings behind the scene that try to sabotage good efforts. One article actually said that the law makers were 'thrilled' at his presentation and that he gave them more of a lecture.

From his antecedents I would prefer to give him the benefit of not being there to listen to his presentation in full than criticizing him on the page of a national daily.

cheers

O' yes, its always d case wit Nigeria. Issues r nt jst politicised, they r made spiritual. Can't we tleast try n carry our crosses. Obviously, 'd most religious country in d world' is still expecting d mesiah.

Nebo should know that using UNN achievement as a yardstick to compare to that of Nigeria may not be correct to me and many other Nigerians who waiting to see him turn around this power sector that has consumed billions of dollars with nothing to show for.
i hope that these witches and demons ( retired Generals), that sent his predecessor packing, will not frustrate him as well.

Prof. Nebo never said that witches are the causes of power failure. Analyze the statement well. ‘I believe that given my performance at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, where I drove out the witches and demons, God will also give me the power to drive out the demons in the power sector.”

Leo I thought u were intellectual as well. Is either u deliberately quoted Prof. Nebo out of context or you lack the mental capacity to appreciate the figure of speech Nebo was using. What he said was something like this: some say the problems in the power sector are caused by witches and wizard. Hahaha. Well, when appointed I am going to deal with those witches and wizards". This is a play on words. More like pun. Pls don't use the privilege u have as a writer to misinform the public and bias their minds. As Nigerians we learn to give people a chance to prove their mettle. Good men in this country are few and are precariously endangered. We should preserve and not destroy them!

Mr. Leo; it is quite pathetic that a writer of your status could not decipher a very simple literary statement by Prof. Nebo.

There you go again. For your information, it was Zainab Kuchi, the current minister of power who suggested demons & evil spirits might be complicit in the poorly performing power sector. If Nebo talked about casting out demons & witches, he was merely speaking metaphorically about dealing with the intractable problems of the power sector like he admirably did during his tour of duty as UNN's VC. Anyway, I'm not really surprised. Your stifling humanist cage has predisposed you to attacking anything that falls beyond your narrow purview. I really feel for you

Spot on Leo! Except that you are ascribing superior intelligence to the Senators who screened him. Unfortunately they are no better off as well! I bet some of them were already intimidated with the Professorial title!

This is one auxiliary reason besides the main reason of forcefully uniting disjointed nations as one entity, why continent Nigeria is not moving forward...Who says there is no correlation between demons, witches & power outage? Has any scientific or spiritual research been done to disprove the Professor's assertion? This stupid & uneducated Leo who calls himself civilized goes ahead to criticize the Prof without any strong reason except on the banal basis of wanting to be more civilized than the Prof & asserting that there is no place for demons or witchcraft in science. If the writer is serious, and wants to test the powers of demons & witches, I recommend he spends just one Night alone in a cementary without light in complete darkness. If he is alive the next morning, he can go ahead & write about his wonderful experiences. Idiot. Colonial imentality & "civilization" has made all of u forget basic African science.

Long live the United republic of the SS&SE

Prof Nebo was my VC and anybody who knows him should liken or know him as a performer. He helped restoring the dignity of men in UNN.
In response, if he plainly mean dat there is demon and witches, i dont side him. But let look at it as if he is speaking in parables referring to cabals as witches, wizards and demons and devils or whatever. What of if one senator used the words and he answer using the same context.
I read that senate president said that if the new ministers NEbo inclusive could match their words with actions, that they will perform very well.
So if by the wisdom and judgement of the senate president and his senators that are representing us that their speeches are resourceful, let give them chance to perform and join hands to make things work in our land.