Thursday, 17 May 2012
My Father Is A Motor Car: Reuben Abati, GEJ, And The Addis Ababa Fiasco By Pius Adesanmi
Pius Adesanmi
Columnist:
Pius Adesanmi Baba Sala needs no introduction unless you came around in the age iPods, iTunes, and music files. The dinosaurs among us who are more at home with LP records will remember him. He is one of Nigeria’s greatest artists in my book. In one of his memorable radio skits, Baba Sala decides to learn the English language. A friend’s son offers to help with home lessons in basic English conversation. The scenario is classic: the teacher reads a simple sentence from a grammar primer and the student repeats the sentence. We all went through that “repeat after me” ritual in primary school. If you were in French class, your teacher, often from Togo or Benin, screamed “répétez après moi” as you struggled to memorize the antics of Aja Dudu and Monsieur Mayaki.
“My father has a motor car,” says Baba Sala’s teacher, reading from the primer. “My father is a motor car,” choruses Baba Sala. Naturally, the teacher is dissatisfied. He reads the correct sentence again, Baba Sala repeats the error, and a back and forth ensues between the determined teacher and the stubborn student. Frustrated, Baba Sala finally asks the teacher for a Yoruba translation of that problematic sentence. “Baba mi ni moto ayokele kan – my father has a motor car”, replies the teacher. “Excuse me, come again” thunders an incredulous Baba Sala. The perplexed teacher obliges him: “Baba mi ni moto ayokele kan”.
A furious Baba Sala summons the ritualized protocols of the familiar – what we call “see finish” in popular culture – to upbraid his teacher, giving him a long, sanctimonious lecture about lying, lies, and liars. Baba Sala knows the teacher’s family. E don see dem finish, as the popular saying goes. “Your father did what? Bought a motor car? Look at this small boy o! You really must think that I am dumb! Ibo ni Baba re ra moto ohun si? When and where did your father buy a motor car? Have you forgotten that your father and I used to trek to oko egan (the farm) together? Until he died, your father was never able to afford an ordinary bicycle let alone a car. How dare you look me straight in the face and lie to me? You dare to tell me that your father is a motor car. What’s the world coming to?”
The teacher stands his ground and tries to explain to Baba Sala that the sentence comes from the grammar primer they are using for the English lesson. This is where Baba Sala delivers one of the most memorable lines of his career. Says Baba Sala to the teacher: since I have absolutely no doubt that there is a lie hanging ominously in the air, the question is, who is telling that lie, you or the book that you are reading?
These scenarios came to mind as I monitored the recent faceoff between Sahara Reporters’ Omoyele Sowore and Dr. Reuben Abati, a former progressive intellectual who, sadly, is now in charge of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Ministry of Truth. The first cause of disagreement between the two men needs no further elaboration beyond the necessary reiteration of Sowore’s demand for the full list of President Jonathan’s official entourage to Addis Ababa. Dr Abati has not denied reports that he claimed to have forgotten the list in his hotel room in Addis Ababa at the time of Sowore’s initial request last week. We are still waiting and I hope the goats of Addis Ababa are not as ravenous as the goats of Yoruba land. The truant kid who fails his exam can return home at the end of the term and claim that a goat ate his report card. Perhaps a goat invaded Dr Abati’s hotel room in Addis Ababa and ate the list?
While we wait for him to make good on his promise to release the list and thereby prove that the President’s entourage to Addis comprised “not more than 32 people”, as opposed to the higher figures that had been reported, I must again express considerable sadness that this is what Dr Abati has been reduced to: an unrecognizable marionette who must now split hairs to explain the difference between stealing a cow and stealing a goat to the Nigerian people. No, we were about thirty-two people on the trip and not fifty-seven as was reported, as if it was okay to jamboree thirty-two people to Addis Ababa in the first place.
In Addis Ababa, they characteristically mismanaged everything including the question of President Jonathan’s woolly-headed moves for the AU Presidency. Why an incompetent President, whose leadership report card, is evidenced by the distraught condition of Nigeria and ECOWAS, would get ambitious about leading the AU is beyond me. Moreover, the moment news of that scuttled ambition filtered out of Addis, I knew that his Ministry of Truth would enter panic and crisis mode and swing into action. That much was predictable. What I couldn’t predict was the format of the damage control. Would Dr. Abati dare to depart from Aso Rock’s compulsive recourse to irritating lies in every situation?
Spinning, nuancing, and glossing come with the territory of statecraft. Those with no temperament for euphemisms call it deniability. There are countless occasions when the Presidency or the President must not be disgraced, humiliated, or embarrassed, hence the recourse to spin, nuance, and gloss by spokespersons of a given administration as they retail talking points to the public. That much we understand. In advanced democracies, officials of the state try as much as possible to spin, nuance, gloss or stretch the truth with considerable circumspection. You want to make sure that the spin does not cross the border into the province of outright lies because there are consequences for lying to the people. If you lie under oath, that is perjury; if you lie ex-oath and you are caught, the people will wait for you and your principal at the ballot box.
Alas, Federal statehood in Nigeria comes with the sort of unbridled impunity that I described in my essay, “The Nigerian Presidency: Assault with a Deadly Weapon.” Impunity translates to the absence of consequences for even the most grievous travesties committed by the agents of an omnipotent presidency. The absence of consequences means that the Nigerian presidency enjoys the luxury of telling endless lies without repercussion. And who wants to deal with the strictures of spinning, glossing, or nuancing your way out of tight situations when an outright lie would do the trick without unsavoury consequences? This explains why the Nigerian presidency does not just lie primordially, she lies needlessly and continuously about the obvious and the unnecessary. As far as institutions of state go, the Nigerian presidency is a lie telling lies as I explained in my essay, “iro n paro fun ro”.
Precisely because that institution has enshrined lying and lies as the singular basis of her social contract with the Nigerian people since October 1, 1960, she has created a citizenry that knows the opposite to be true of whatever she has to say.
Thus, when Reuben Abati rushed out a press statement claiming that Yayi Boni did not defeat Jonathan in Addis Ababa and that the West African caucus did not reject the idea of his leadership, I knew instinctively that the opposite had to be true, given the history of the Nigerian presidency and her integrity-challenged officials. The first thing I did was to make a number of phone calls to strategic contacts in Cotonou, Lomé, Abidjan, and Dakar to get a firsthand assessment of the situation from the viewpoint of our Francophone friends. Was there a prevailing sentiment of a Nigerian ambition in the build-up to the summit in Addis Ababa? How was this ambition reported in the media? As soon as I heard the other side from various sources on the ground, I did next logical thing: scour the internet for my daily dosage of newspapers from Francophone West Africa.
All the Francophone newspapers that I read reported the exact opposite of what Reuben Abati had claimed in his press statement to Nigerians. Even before the summit, on January 26, 2012, the pan-Francophonic weekly magazine, Jeune Afrique, had reported “murmurs” of President Jonathan’s ambition. The report indicates that Cotonou “was surprised” by the information on the Nigerian president’s ambition. In the penultimate paragraph of its own report, Benininfo.com insists that the names of Gambia’s Yahya Jammeh and Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan had made the round as “candidates” in addition to Yayi Boni but the leaders of West African countries decided to support the candidacy of Yayi Boni.
La Nouvelle Tribune was even more detailed in its own account of the intrigues that led to the collapse of President Jonathan’s ambition in Addis Ababa. The newspaper regaled her readers with juicy details of the situation that Abati had tried to deny in his press statement: President Jonathan’s candidacy; behind-the-scene moves by the Beninois delegation to gain a concession from the Nigerians; the decision by Ghana and Burkina Faso to support Benin Republic in the face of the obduracy of the Nigerian delegation; subsequent public announcements of support for Yayi Boni by Ghana and Burkina Faso to checkmate Nigeria.
According to La Nouvelle Tribune, it was only after these public announcements of support for Boni by other West African delegations, and after further pressure by Ghana, that Nigeria finally saw the handwriting on the wall and backed off. All the Francophone radio stations that I listened to on January 29 and 30, from Gabon to Benin Republic, Togo to Senegal, and Mali to Côte d’Ivoire, pretty much confirmed these details as reported in the newspapers. True, they confirmed it in the celebratory tone informed by the usual Francophone/Anglophone rivalry, complete with the usual hints of giant resentment but they were nonetheless all very consistent in terms of the details of Nigeria’s ambition. And Reuben Abati would have us believe that none of this ever happened! President Jonathan was never interested, was never a candidate! He even worked assiduously for Yayi Boni’s election! Somehow, everybody else in Africa made it all up! Waoh.
President Jonathan and his handlers dreamed up the ill-fated ambition to gun for the Presidency of the AU because their juvenile rivalry with a far better governed South Africa. Nigerians should worry about the modes of actuation of that ambition. A few commentators, including yours truly, have grumbled that a President who has so thoroughly malgoverned Nigeria, serving as undertaker for his citizens via Boko Haram, armed robbery, unemployment, fuel subsidy removal, and general economic hardship, should not be gourmandizing for regional leadership. That view is only partly right. The real problem is what the President didn’t do in the months leading to Addis Ababa. We heard of no scrupulously thought-out leadership vision, no carefully planned roadmaps to continental initiatives with actionable results going to Addis Ababa. The possibility of continental leadership thus becomes a function of somebody’s perfunctory, spur of the moment brainwave, possibly over peppersoup and Sapele water. He was going to become AU President first and think later about what to do, maybe constitute a thousand advisory committees along the way, as is his wont. Does that sound familiar about how he rules Nigeria?
There is worse. If we were dealing with reasonable people, one would have hoped that the humiliation suffered in Addis Ababa would be an occasion for serious lessons and sober reflection. What went wrong? Maybe the days of thinking that the rest of Africa would just queue up behind us because we have 160 million people and oil money to throw around are over. Maybe we should try to put our house in order? Maybe we should face corruption, Boko Haram, youth unemployment, comatose infrastructure, deeper questions of Nigerian statehood and federalism and hope to earn the respect of the continent based on how we run our own lives? After all, when someone promises to buy you new clothes, you examine his own vestments. Africa now has responsible democracies to loop up to in Ghana, Botswana, Benin Republic and South Africa. What should we do to join that league?
These would be the reasonable working questions of genuine leaders in the wake of the Addis Ababa summit. Alas, the rulers of Nigeria are wired differently. They are wired weirdly. On the flight back to Abuja from Addis, they probably were asking: who did we forget to bribe? Should we have promised President Atta Mills an oil block? Looks like funding for HIV/AIDS clinics is drying up in Ghana and a major international agency is pulling out of Accra. Maybe we should offer to take over the funding of Ghana’s HIV/AIDS programme as the giant of Africa? Will they support us at next year’s summit if we did that? Meanwhile, Reuben, don’t forget to release a statement when we land that this never happened o.
I have written repeatedly in this column that Nigerian government officials – especially those in the Presidency – are not believable. They are utterly contemptible liars, direct descendants of Apate, the famed goddess of lies and deceit in Greek mythology. Even without the benefit of my research into the issue at hand, ain’t no chance in hell that I would have believed an Aso Rock statement anyway.
They have lied to the Nigerian people too often for one to grant them such considerations. A lie hangs in the air about what actually transpired in Addis Ababa. There is no doubt in my mind that the account of the Nigerian presidency is a blatant lie. This brings us back to Baba Sala: who is lying about Addis Ababa, Reuben Abati or the press statement he issued?
NB:
If you read French, here are links to the newspaper reports I cited.
http://www.jeuneafrique.com/Article/ARTJAWEB20120126110125/ua-benin-nige...
http://www.benininfo.com/29011201.html
http://www.lanouvelletribune.info/index.php/actualite/une/9969-union-afr...
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There is no smoke without fire
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 7, 2012 - 21:03.
I knew it!!! There was something more to Dr. Abati's ranting. This used to be a fine gentleman. Did he take some anti masses poison in Aso Rock or something? Just saying.
Arm chair critic dats what
Submitted by Young (not verified) on February 7, 2012 - 17:04.
Arm chair critic dats what Prof Paius has become, such a small matter like an AU chairmanship context took u a whole lot of research, If u like read Arab news or Sudanese newspapers, all your write up of recent is nothing but rubbish,You and all your allies in Sahara reporters can never pull Dr Goodluck E Jonathan the amiable president of Federal republic of Nigeria down QED
LIES AS A SATE POLICY
Submitted by JOSEPH EKENE NDIBUAGU (not verified) on February 7, 2012 - 14:24.
Thank you very much Prof Pius. Thank you because I found your piece more hilarious than revealing. As a matter of fact, while reading it, I enjoyed a bout of laughter, which, if I may remind you, is now a very rare and essential commodity in Nigeria.
Baba Sala's conviction that "there is a lie hanging ominously in the air" is a perfect description of Nigeria's situation since amalgamation in 1914. Lie has grown beyond a state policy to a national culture!
Re My Father is a Motor Car
Submitted by Dr Deji Daramola (not verified) on February 7, 2012 - 08:12.
@Pius thanks for an excellent article! I live in RSA and i can confirm that the press here reported that GEJ contested and lost the AU election.
The problem we have is bigger than the sum of us all. Our system is corrupt hence the way we think and that is the soul of any nation. Reuben Abati, was an excellent Journalist, i mean we discuss his articles regularly at Naija joints here with praises said for him. He is now in deep waters and his name ...i wish him luck
Thanks again
Deji
RE: My Father a Motor Car
Submitted by sultan B (not verified) on February 6, 2012 - 11:31.
Who is this deranged imbecile called Deri that is so blinded with sentiment beclouding the average human analytical mind that resides within him to pretend to defend what is simply indefensible. GEJ is simply naïve, dull, lacking in d basic rudiments of elementary administration that has been rigged into d highest office in 9ja. For ur info leadership, This day, The Nation Newspapers all carried stories about GEJ's failed adventure at Addis Ababa. @hussein Ibrahim, did Obj fought for third term or did Abatcha said he wanted to contest for election b4 his death? We all know they sent their stooges to work it out for them and if they succeed gr8 but if they fail the stooges r doomed. That was what GEJ did at AU meeting initially n later spoke to heads of states of some countries about it b4 he was cautioned to tackle issues at home. GEJ is a drunken failure that has dumbo standing beside him. Ride on Prof Pius.
tundemess buhari and bakare
Submitted by deri (not verified) on February 5, 2012 - 21:09.
@tundemess-(RepublicReporters is in possession of an exclusive interview by Sheik Sani Haliru (ex-Boko Haram member, now a born again Christian) told reporters that he has close relationship with (Buhari) and Mohammadu Yusuf. Sheik Sani Haliru said: “I have worked so closely with Mohammadu Buahri for five years, and I can prove it that General Buhari is the most notable outspoken jihadist hardliner in Nigeria who is also strategically sponsoring Boko Haram)unquote. Soon tundmess would want us to tell him when buhari would be nabbed by GEJ. Look the said hotel project was initiated by Alams then handed over to GEJ. Who left shortly after for Aso rock. In spite of the billions spent on the project, its still on the take off stage where GEJ left it. The problem with that state is that, it has been over taken by the WAZOBIA money bags from the fuel importers club that IBB, and OBJ cloned for us. The 500 hospital project is on track cause its under the control of an idigene of the state.
tundemess yr intimidation of d president will soon end
Submitted by deri (not verified) on February 5, 2012 - 21:07.
@tundemess-(RepublicReporters is in possession of an exclusive interview by Sheik Sani Haliru (ex-Boko Haram member, now a born again Christian) told reporters that he has close relationship with (Buhari) and Mohammadu Yusuf. Sheik Sani Haliru said: “I have worked so closely with Mohammadu Buahri for five years, and I can prove it that General Buhari is the most notable outspoken jihadist hardliner in Nigeria who is also strategically sponsoring Boko Haram)unquote. Soon tundmess would want us to tell him when buhari would be nabbed by GEJ. Look the said hotel project was initiated by Alams then handed over to GEJ. Who left shortly after for Aso rock. In spite of the billions spent on the project, its still on the take off stage where GEJ left it. The problem with that state is that, it has been over taken by the WAZOBIA money bags from the fuel importers club that IBB, and OBJ cloned for us. The 500 hospital project is on track cause its under the control of an idigene of the state.
@Deri: Now that MEND has spoken, who is the sponsor of MEND ?
Submitted by tundemash (not verified) on February 5, 2012 - 16:52.
@Deri
In your warped mind, Buhari and bakare sponsors everybody. Now that MEND has told the whole world Jonathan is a moron being controlled by OBJ, an imbecile wife and tribalistic sycophants (these were the actual words used by MEND), what is the excuse now ?
Tell us what Jonathan has acheived ... nothing. He went to Bayelsa a few days ago to accuse Sylva of not completing the 5-star hotel Alamieghsa started. Between the three rogues, Alams, GEJ and Sylva, the achievement they are squabbling about is non completion of a 5-star hotel. No mention of primary health care delivery, hospitals, alternative source of energy and education. The only achievement these three morons can point to is the army of criminals and sycophants like Deri, Stanley Igwe, Ify-deranged and Asari Dokubo they have created. This is what they have exported to the Nigerian consciousness and attempted to export to AU but Ghana and Benin Republic rightly told them AU can't be led by a failure in his home country.
@Deri: Now that MEND has spoken, who is the sponsor of MEND ?
Submitted by tundemash (not verified) on February 5, 2012 - 16:52.
@Deri
In your warped mind, Buhari and bakare sponsors everybody. Now that MEND has told the whole world Jonathan is a moron being controlled by OBJ, an imbecile wife and tribalistic sycophants (these were the actual words used by MEND), what is the excuse now ?
Tell us what Jonathan has acheived ... nothing. He went to Bayelsa a few days ago to accuse Sylva of not completing the 5-star hotel Alamieghsa started. Between the three rogues, Alams, GEJ and Sylva, the achievement they are squabbling about is non completion of a 5-star hotel. No mention of primary health care delivery, hospitals, alternative source of energy and education. The only achievement these three morons can point to is the army of criminals and sycophants like Deri, Stanley Igwe, Ify-deranged and Asari Dokubo they have created. This is what they have exported to the Nigerian consciousness and attempted to export to AU but Ghana and Benin Republic rightly told them AU can't be led by a failure in his home country.
Unbelievable
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Pius discovers the DNA of indigenes of kogi state in Togo
Submitted by deri (not verified) on February 5, 2012 - 13:28.
@BayoB, happily for me, I am not the type who goes about dropping names of our leaders to enable me win or curry their favour. If some of u know who Deri is, u may be laughing your buhari or bakare infested heads off with BH by now, in mali, chad or niger republic. Yr friend Tundemess thought GEJ will be cooling his heels off in the home of the apostles for regime change somewhere in the North. In readiness for his hair to be shaved by the agents u planted in the occupy 9ja group. I told him here to forget it. That the West was no ready for a revolution in 9ja. Sadly while some of you were protesting on behalf of Buhari and Bakare abroad, some TV stations in the countries where some of u are resident, were busy showing the number of 419 cases that their law enforcement officers had to deal with. Aware before GEJ emerged from the creeks, the americans and the british were already battling our 419ners and visa card fraudsters. They had none in Libya, Tunisia and egypt.Cheers
@BayoB, Pope Pius will soon confess his sins against GEJ
Submitted by deri (not verified) on February 5, 2012 - 13:25.
@BayoB, happily for me, I am not the type who goes about dropping names of our leaders to enable me win or curry their favour. If some of u know who Deri is, u may be laughing your buhari or bakare infested heads off with BH by now, in mali, chad or niger republic. Yr friend Tundemess thought GEJ will be cooling his heels off in the home of the apostles for regime change somewhere in the North. In readiness for his hair to be shaved by the agents u planted in the occupy 9ja group. I told him here to forget it. That the West was no ready for a revolution in 9ja. Sadly while some of you were protesting on behalf of Buhari and Bakare abroad, some TV stations in the countries where some of u are resident, were busy showing the number of 419 cases that their law enforcement officers had to deal with. Aware before GEJ emerged from the creeks, the americans and the british were already battling our 419ners and visa card fraudsters. They had none in Libya, Tunisia and egypt.Cheers
Pius would give his life to be made press sec to GEJ!
Submitted by DERI (not verified) on February 5, 2012 - 12:55.
@Tundemess, If i were to be in the shoes of Pope Pius, I will start my research from home with our journalists. Instead of going to franco-phone countries for info. 9ja is an Anglo-phone-nation. In that we are english speaking! And GEJ, could not have gone for the chair of the AU and lost. He has 3 solid yrs to go as our presido. So, he can bid his time and contest. The chair is for only one year term! Also, ECOWAS heads of state, which he heads, agreed to have Benin go for the post in the AU. How can GEJ, struggle with a small country like Benin over the chair of the AU? Again not a single media in 9ja, carried that fake story. Was the press in aso rock, bribed by Rueben Abati to kill the news also? Ghana never went to town with it either. Pius who said he does not trust our leaders, needs to have his thoughts examined against the back-drop of his dual citizenship in Canada! Although the guy needs our sympathy-he may be home sick! Wants some amala and ewedu soup!
here comes the Lonely Deri
Submitted by BayoB (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 22:56.
here comes Dumbo Jo internet warlord, Deri - the lonely boy, how many anti GEJ article have you replied to today? what is your remuneration rate? is your payment done per an article? per reply? or by the number of words in your reply? I ll let you a secret Deri, oga Abati is deducting his own commission from your wages and the other 'boys', do you know one dokun Ojomo? he is an agent too like yourself dumbo Deri but he is posted to another field, Punch news, we know all of you, you can hide behind your keyboard forever, reply to any news as you wish, remember one fact no body give a hoot about your comments, dumbo jo and reuben are fighting a lost battle.
a redundant Pius
Submitted by Umah G (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 22:33.
I used to read Pius Adesanmi's satires with much glee, especially when it has to do with governance. These days i take deep consideration reading his writeups. To me he has become a very redundant busybody whose pastimes are bereft of any productive idea aside conjuring and sniffing anything he considers 'Jonathanic'. Outside writing for 'beggars' medium which Sahara Reporters had become, i doubt if any responsible medium can give him room to be posting a 'lazyman' writings on its site. For once i expect him to show that he is a rsponsible person whose topics should go beyond Jonathan.
@Deri: Ogogoro dey cause hallucination O !
Submitted by tundemash (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 20:51.
". He was going to become AU President first and think later about what to do, maybe constitute a thousand advisory committees along the way, as is his wont. Does that sound familiar about how he rules Nigeria? "
Yes it does sound familiar. That is the story of Nigeria in the past 2 years. That is the stupidity the animals wants to import to Africa. But Ghanaians and Benoinoise categorically say "No we can't be led by monkeys".
AFRICA CAN'T bBE LED BY A COWARD WHO CLAIMED HE'S NOT A GENERAL WHILE TERRORISTS ARE KILLING THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY HE GOVERNS. Apparently other Africans are not fools to be led by idiots!
@Deri
I am surprised you are only attacking Professor Pius Adeyemi, how bout the francophone newspapers that carried same story? Are they also sponsored by Jonathan's imaginary enemies? Ogogoro dey cause hallucination O !
Reuben Abati, GEJ and Pius Aderemi
Submitted by Olatunde Okedara (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 18:12.
No doubt, Pius Aderemi has spoken well, and the truth to authority. But my problem, particularly as it affect Reuben Abati is this:would Pius in similar circumstances as Abati have done better? I know as a fact that all good writers, particularly in Nigeria, have imbibed the Machiavelli philosophy of writing themselves into the corridors power, as a way of escaping from grinding poverty and then turn coat. In a similar circumstance, will Pius Aderemi work against the interest of a government he represents or simply resign. Taking government appointment in Nigeria is akin to eating the "forbidding fruit": ask Ebenezer Babatope. if we are willing to accept precedent in Nigeria as a trusted teacher, Pius Aderemi will not act differently.
I rest my case.
Pius with his dual citizenship-is a hypocrite-
Submitted by deri (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 16:39.
@wahala, u are the biggest hypocrites I have ever seen in my entire life. That is why you and yr second best the Izala king, Saad Ibrahim whom you represent here, would never ever be able to get your bearings right. Where was your patritoic voice in Mandala, Adamawa and Kaduna where Igbos were slaughtered by BH? You talk of equity & justice here? Haba malam kura! When u were busy abusing those who stood on the path of truth like Joe Igbokwe! You called a man like GEJ, a fool until he became your president for the next 4yrs. And u are here grooming in the dark in search of answers, as to how GEJ whom none of u ever thought would become president, was sworn in-over 90% of the clowns abusing Rueben Aabati here, were all over SR, urging him to take up the job. Deri was the only voice here that stood against the appiontment. In that I saw him breeding more trouble for the presidency as a result of his past writeups. Today, I am happy that Rueben Abati is having a dose of his own medicine.
the real baba sala is on out on a road show again
Submitted by deri (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 16:06.
This baba sala like article by Pope Pius, sounds so childish, even a motor park tout would not think of releasing his thoughts on an issue based on a fact finding tour he undertook to a francophone country alone! Its a shame that Pius, in his attempt to get to the root of an election that never was, between 9ja and Republic of Benin, would not get in touch with the media outfit at the headquarters of the AU, instead, decides for reasons best known to him, to depend on second hand info to write an article here for us to read. Simply becase he does not trust our leaders. If he does not have confidence in them, then what about our Journalists? The only news agency that said Benin Republic defeated GEJ was Pana-based in Senegal. Again its funny that some wanted (RUEBEN ABATI) to supply them with the list of delegates.That is the job of the protocal department. He can only help period! Abati is only supposed to arm himself with the list of reporters accredited by him to cover the event!
another baba sala article agqain fro the stable of pope pius
Submitted by deri (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 16:04.
This baba sala like article by Pope Pius, sounds so childish, even a motor park tout would not think of releasing his thoughts on an issue based on a fact finding tour he undertook to a francophone country alone! Its a shame that Pius, in his attempt to get to the root of an election that never was, between 9ja and Republic of Benin, would not get in touch with the media outfit at the headquarters of the AU, instead, decides for reasons best known to him, to depend on second hand info to write an article here for us to read. Simply becase he does not trust our leaders. If he does not have confidence in them, then what about our Journalists? The only news agency that said Benin Republic defeated GEJ was Pana-based in Senegal. Again its funny that some wanted (RUEBEN ABATI) to supply them with the list of delegates.That is the job of the protocal department. He can only help period! Abati is only supposed to arm himself with the list of reporters accredited by him to cover the event.
The many lies of Rueben Abati
Submitted by T. L. Adepoju (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 15:18.
We should not be surprised to read and listen to the man like Rueben to now tell the Nigerian Public lies in an attept to defend his principal's inordinate ambition of becoming AU chairman when his home is not settled. What a pity! It is better for Rueben to learn from history more particularly about Fani Kayode and Dotun Oyelade. The two are professional liers in governments of Obasanjo and Owanbe governor, Alao Akala. But, must these set of people tell lies to keep their jobs? What I know is that all those in government that tell lies to deceive Nigerians will be consumed this year. Before they took the appointments they were known to be straightforward persons but when in government they started singing another songs bcos of their pockets. Tell Rueben to stop telling lies otherwise........
Is that the one about how he
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 15:06.
Is that the one about how he was given plot of land? He still refused to deny the story making the rounds!
Finally the names of Boko Haram sponsors has emerge
Submitted by Fashola and Tinubu (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 14:33.
Where is Goodluck Jonathan at this moment,come and read this and see those that are behind the Boko Haram Mehem in Nigeria, we are waiting for your action immediately or else you are one of them http://www.republicreport.com/exclusive-ibb-buharitop-cbn-officials-are-...
My father is a motor car
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 14:23.
Oga Pius, when you mentioned Baba Sala, you forget to mention Adisa, AKA Addis Ababa, the antagonist of Baba Sala in most of his plays. Synonymous with the venue of the AU comedy,denials and lies.
OUR DEAR REUBEN, GONE?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 13:05.
AHH. Motion without movement or was it? Did Reuben ask the learned Prof Soyinka about his experience in the corridors of power? Did he care to check his history book about Community bank and the respected late "educationist" and humanist, Tai Solarin. GOD TRULY REST HIS SOUL!
Dear Prof Reuben Abati. Are you really in Government to serve the country? If yes, why not in the camp of pro-democracy, human rights dedicated bodies rather than the decadent corridors of power mischief otherwise called Aso rock. To be the mouth piece of Aso..what? Is your service a revelation of the deep seated hypocrisy of Nigerians about tribal affiliations and lust for power for self ..... My worry is about history and Not condemning another soul to the wasted generation..Humph
Thank you Pius!
Submitted by Netanyahu (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 12:50.
My only advice to Abati is to put a call to fani kayode to get a feel of life after such an assignment in aso rock. It is never fun after. Olusegun Adeniyi has been working extremely hard to redeem himself. Smart guy. He started with his memoirs as aso rock spokesperson and quickly returned to his column in the Thisday. Very soon we shall forget his avoidable experience. You know Nigerians are very forgiving. Abati, 'na kwa e cheki'.
selling one's soul for a pot of pottage
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 12:37.
If Adeniyi can do it,with a Phd, Abati can do it much better!Some of us stopped reading his articles when his name showed up on that Abuja 'list'(if you remember?).
TUNDEMASH PLEASE SEE REUBEN ABATI VS DELE MOMODU
Submitted by ibrahim saad (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 11:47.
". He was going to become AU President first and think later about what to do, maybe constitute a thousand advisory committees along the way, as is his wont. Does that sound familiar about how he rules Nigeria? "
IN RESPONSE TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF DELE MOMODU'S CHALLENGE TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF GEJ ABATI HAS MONOTONOUSLY REFERRED HIM TO A COMMITTEE SET UP TO ADVISE THE PRESIDENT ON THE MATTER. IT LOOKS LIKE GEJ HAS A COMMITTE FOR ALMOST ALL EXCEPT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM. NO WONDER THERE IS NO COMMITTEE ON TENURE EXTENSION, FUEL SUBSIDY AND TOLL GATES.
COMMITTEE TO GEJ IS LIKE A DICTATOR'S UNDERGROUND DUNGEON WHERE HE THROWS HIS CRITICS AND FORGETS ABOUT THEM.
AYOMEYE
Submitted by ibrahim saad (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 11:23.
"Yet, we know that it is possible to lead and to remain honorable and true to one's best-held ideals. Or, is it now?"
IT TAKES ONE SLIP ONLY AYOMEYE, TO FALL INTO THE TRAP. ONE THE ONE HAND THERE ARE THE BUREAUCRATS, ON THE OTHER "IMPORTANT" NIGERIANS AND YET IN ANOTHER CATEGORY IS THE MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS AND INSTITUTIONS (SUCH AS THE IMF/WORLDBANK) THAT BACKS THEM. WHEN YOU DECIDE TO DO ANYTHING RIGHT, YOU WILL BE AGAINST THESE UNITED GROUPS. THEY CAN USE PERSUATION, INTIMIDATION, BLACKMAIL AND ENTICEMENT TO MAKE YOU TOW THE LINE.
IN 2011 I LOOKED AT THE ODDS AND GEJ'S PAST HISTORY (INCLUDING HIS WIFE'S SCANDAL) I CONCLUDED THAT HE DOES NOT STAND A CHANCE. I HAVE SO FAR BEEN PROVEN RIGHT. I DONT EVEN BELIEVE THAT GEJ IS AWARE OF HIS IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT IF YOU DOUBT ME LOOK AT HIS CONFUSED GESTURE AND VACILLATIONS. HE JUST GOES WITH THE FLOW, WHATEVER , WHENEVER, HOWEVER AND BY WHOMSOEVER!
My candid opinion.....
Submitted by Nellyking (not verified) on February 4, 2012 - 10:35.
Of a truth, i wouldn't want to join the bandwagon of those crucifying Abati for choosing to be part of this administration which as we all know is highly kwashiorkord to the bone marrow. We voted in a clueless administration and we all should be ready to harvest the dividends. In a country where the best of her brains are outside the corridors of power, the few courageous ones that accepted to dive headlong into the inferno with the intention of rescuing the polity deserves our sympathy and not outright ostracism. Accept my sympathy Dr Reuben Abati Phd.
