The time is exactly 12:09am and sleep has eluded my eyes, I began to wonder and possibly find words or sentences to describe our cherished nation. I was lost in thoughts and I began reminiscing about the wanton display of illegalities in recent times, needless I mention the Abdulmutallab Image laundering adventure.
For a while now I have been off the radar commenting on societal issues as it concerns Nigeria for the obvious reason that I am tired of having to repeat the same thing over and over again with no solution near sight.
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Only last week, I was jolted from my seat when I saw a newspaper caption that said N7billion for the construction of a befitting residence for the vice president, by Julius Berger and for a period of 20 months. Is this not the height of stupidity I asked no one in particular as I collapsed into a sofa close by.
The Nigerian nation and situation reminds me of a comical magazine, where everybody is expected to laugh at the end of the day, because our multifaceted problems are comical in nature and smack a mockery of the institution of democracy. In previous articles I wrote, I have had cause to compare the Nigerian democratic setting to that of a limited liability company, where proceeds goes to the pocket of a few, a few that views the citizenry with disdain and levity, a few that have continued to insult our sensibilities and further compound our woes as a nation, yet they pride themselves as leaders.
This is really amusing and pathetic, as it’s only in Nigeria that the president will be playing hide and seek with the citizenry, God knows I pray for our President, wherever he is resident at the moment, morning and night. God knows that Aso Rock Villa is packed with sycophants and hypocrites, whose ambition is to milk the country dry, but guess what? I had a dream last night and I saw what looked like people scampering to safety, mainly people in designer suits and flowing babariga.
I was confused and could not place why they were running in such manner, at the same time I saw a group of people standing and laughing at the show of shame playing out. What is happening was all I kept asking till I woke up.
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I woke up sweating profusely, yet the fan was running at full speed, i tried to disabuse my mind that it was only a dream, but the thoughts would not just go, as I sat up, I reminisced on the many down moments we experienced in Nigeria in the year 2009, it was such a terrible feeling I had that I put a call to my bosom friend Audu in America, as it was about noon there owing to the time difference.
What transpired was somewhat funny; it ended up as if it was Audu that initiated the call. Our conversation was laced and spiced with all sort of lamentation and despair occasioned by the failed attempt by a full blooded Nigerian to blow up a plane.
I ended the call on a sour note. I imagined what hundreds of thousands of Nigerians in America will be going through psychologically, I imagined what fate befalls thousands of Nigerians seeking American visa for legitimate reasons and I ended up on the wrong side of the bed.
My conscience was at war with me for the fact that I have been an apostle of the rebrand Nigeria campaign Good People Great Nation, not because Madam Dora was at the forefront, but simply because I believe passionately in Nigeria my dear father land, my spirit became weak as I heard Madam Dora’s briefing on the matter. Simply pathetic was how I summed it.
Enough of the Abdulmutallab show of shame, generally things are going from bad to worse for Nigeria. Nobody knows the where about of the president for months running now, not even the vice president as it stands and not even the Information minister. God! What manner of country is Nigeria? Hearing all sorts of government programs that sound like a joke, I mean for goodness sake, what do these people take us for? Slaves or what? The electoral calendar is not uniformed, misinterpretation of the constitution and all sorts.
As a fact this issue has been bothering me for a while as it concerns annulled elections and illegal tenure extension. Using Kogi state as an example, the incumbent Governor ruled for a year and his election was annulled, he was eventually declared winner in the rerun elections, which automatically translate to an additional one year extension. Now the question is what happened to the previous one year the incumbent ruled? And who told them that there are supposed to stay an additional year? Am not vast in constitutional law, but in common sense its assumed that in the event that the incumbent governor is defeated in the rerun polls, the new governor governs for four years, but in the event that the incumbent returns back to power, he serves out his tenure and leave in peace, so the automatic tenure extension is indeed an illegality.
These and many more can only happen in a country where complacency has eaten deep into our sense of reasoning, selfish interest far above national interest, a nation where all citizens have gone mute in solidarity to the president, a situation where James Ibori with all his attendant illegalities and factual cases of high scale corruption will be declared innocent by the judiciary and many more instances and everybody seems unperturbed.
Nigeria we hail thee! Where is Obasanjo? My people where is Obasanjo I ask again? He is in the farm Mirabel my little niece volunteered with an answer. Hmm in the farm I asked myself, doing what? With apologies to all farmers, Obasanjo should be brought out from the farm to the village square for all children within the age bracket of 3 to 11 years to flog him very well. He deserves more than that, he is the architect of our misfortunes. He imposed on us chaos and instability simply because he was denied a third term. He was a modern day Adolf Hitler; he deserves the Samuel Doe treatment. As it stands I really don’t care what happens, we are tired of the same set of old people calling themselves leaders, we want a change and that change shall come in the year 2010!
Enough of the mediocrity and arrant display of stupidity by these people, the time to act is now! We need liberation from the clutch of these people; we need a salvation from their evil machineries and plots, we need to see the light! We deserve to see the light, we are entitled to see the light and the time to see the light is now!
I dropped my pen on an angry note, I am angry with Nigeria and I believe I speak the mind of millions of Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora. The change we truly deserve must originate from home, every impediment to change will be crushed by the united spirit of over 140 million Nigerians, and we cannot afford the luxury of subjecting our unborn generation to an environment where second-rate people will continue to hijack our way of life.
On this note unlike before, I really don’t know if I should end this piece with the slogan of Good People Great Nation? What’s good about us, when we sit, watch and digest all manner of rubbish from people that we did not vote for! What’s great about us, when the government cannot provide the basic necessities of life!
I am upset and angry!
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