January 23, 2010
During the heady days of military dictatorship/oil boom in the 1970s, the Ojuelegba roundabout became a byword for road use chaos and confusion in Lagos. In the sweltering heat and humidity of a Lagos afternoon, loads of vehicles will be caught up in a jam. It was road rage at its height: everybody honking; each one cursing under his breath in traffic that was completely lost to the utter confusion. Africa’s most politically-conscious artist, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, who lived not too far from the chaos, used it as a metaphor for Nigeria’s confusion.
During the heady days of military dictatorship/oil boom in the 1970s, the Ojuelegba roundabout became a byword for road use chaos and confusion in Lagos. In the sweltering heat and humidity of a Lagos afternoon, loads of vehicles will be caught up in a jam. It was road rage at its height: everybody honking; each one cursing under his breath in traffic that was completely lost to the utter confusion. Africa’s most politically-conscious artist, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, who lived not too far from the chaos, used it as a metaphor for Nigeria’s confusion.
“For Ojuelegba”, he sang, “motor dey come from west…east…north…south and policeman no dey for centre; NA CONFUSION BE DAT O”! Great artists are great precisely because of the eternal relevance of their work. In a song about the confusion of the 1970s, four decades down the line, Fela speaks even more poignantly to our country’s sorry state.
Frankly speaking, I almost didn’t write this week’s piece, because as I watch the bizarre scenario which has entrapped Nigeria and the utterly irresponsible attitude of the nation’s political elite, I wondered what to say that we have not, on this page before: is it the venal content of the politics, primed against the best interest of the people? Or could it be the farce of an incapacitated president whose cronies continue to feed off his infirmity as the nation resembles a listing ship in a sharks-infested sea? Might it be the deepening despair in the land as governance fails the nation while groups of political vampires lock in cut-throat rivalry? It is clear that we have anticipated a lot of what is unfolding before us, yet they have not lost the power of surprise nevertheless. Nigeria is getting closer to the morgue by the day and its political elite have become its undertakers.
The week opened with the story that Obasanjo attempted maneuvers to hide behind constitutionalism in the BOT of the PDP which were defeated. It was clear that the former president is very close to the actualization of his effort to regain power from the back door, through Jonathan Goodluck. This, in fact, for a lot of people, is the worrisome aspect of the transfer of power to the vice president; the fact that Obasanjo will once again become a central actor in the seat of power. Those who went along with Obasanjo as he crafted the presidency of a very sick Yar’adua cannot now pretend they love Nigeria. They lost the opportunity to do the right thing, by opposing the emergence of a very sick man as president in the first place. In their opportunism, they lost sight of the fact that a future date of controversy as we are inside now, will eventually arrive. It is here and they are lost in even deeper forms of intrigue.
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It is equally clear that the National Assembly has been complicit in the elaborate charade which continues to diminish our country; especially the leadership. It was from within the haloed precincts of the Senate that we first heard that Yar’adua could stay away from Nigeria even for a year! And up to the end of last week, Senate President David Mark continued to assure that Yar’adua has not committed any crime against the constitution. In plain-speak, Mark is saying to Nigerians, please keep your cool, the “servant-leader” can be out there for as long as it takes; Jonathan can be a lame duck and the country might be careering to a crash; there is nothing to worry about. And why should the leading officials of state worry? The FEC still announces awards of contracts in Yar’adua’s absence while monies due to legislators continue to be released. The belated legislative stirring in the past two weeks is therefore a token of delusion because not much will come out of it; except that a few Reps will get the opportunity to shop in Jeddah, if they eventually visit Yar’adua as they threatened to do. Our Legislators have completely lost touch with reality; they have made too much money “representing us”, they live in a land of endangering delusion!
In the meantime, problems are piling up in politics and in the economy. At home and abroad, Nigeria is entrapped in crises of Ojuelegba proportions: just as the roundabout didn’t use to have a policeman to untangle the gridlock, so has Nigeria become a nation without a head; we have an absentee president who did not constitutionally handover to his equally colorless/clueless vice. The party leader, in the midst of all of the confusion, beats his chest that the opposition will not set agenda for the ruling party, but he forgets to unfold his own agenda. These gentlemen, through a combination of incompetence, incurable greed, arrogance and lack of respect for the Nigerian people, have managed to dig the Nigerian state into a hole. Whatever wriggle they attempt, sinks the country deeper into a rot. Fela’s music continues to have an incredible resonance in the context of the palaver of the moment.
SARAKI: DIFFICULT POLITICAL TIMES AHEAD FOR THE FATHER, THE SON AND DAUGHTER
I spent the last weekend in Ilorin and became eye witness to the unfolding political situation in my home town. Last Friday, Dr. Saraki, the father, arrive Ilorin to attend a funeral ceremony. Later in the evening, Gbemisola, the Senator, also arrived and a huge crowd was mobilized to welcome her. What people had been whispering was brought out in the open: Gbemisola Saraki is LIKELY to run for Governor in 2011! Her posters were everywhere. Meanwhile, the brother, governor Bukola, is said to oppose the ambition of the sister (which has the father’s tacit support), for reasons of justice and decency. On Saturday, father and daughter were at the ceremony but son was absent. Nevertheless, opposing groups of supporters (and thugs!) were shouting the names of son and daughter. It almost became messy, before the father sued for peace. In twelve years in the National Assembly, nobody from Ilorin could name any project which the senator influenced for the community; she knows neither the culture of the community nor its nuances! Yet some also say that Bukola is part of an elaborate family game of political deception, despite the outward appearances of opposition! Kwara State, they say, is becoming a fief to be handed from father to son to daughter. There are difficult political days ahead for Saraki: the father, the son and the daughter!
JOS: THE RETURN TO MADNESS
Tragic killings returned to Jos this week. The reasons given are as ever, contradictory. Pity that these vicious killings have continued to be constructed around issues of identity: ethnicity and religion. The wanton destruction reflects a complete breakdown of inter-communal relationship, exploitation of identity and irresponsible leadership. We are reaping the politics which has pauperized the people sufficiently for the victim to easily turn against each other, while the elite on both sides have been unable to construct the bridges of understanding to extirpate these tragic killings. My heart goes out to all the people of Plateau; please build bridges of tolerances!
[email protected]
0805. 9100368 [SMS TEXTS ONLY]
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“For Ojuelegba”, he sang, “motor dey come from west…east…north…south and policeman no dey for centre; NA CONFUSION BE DAT O”! Great artists are great precisely because of the eternal relevance of their work. In a song about the confusion of the 1970s, four decades down the line, Fela speaks even more poignantly to our country’s sorry state.
Frankly speaking, I almost didn’t write this week’s piece, because as I watch the bizarre scenario which has entrapped Nigeria and the utterly irresponsible attitude of the nation’s political elite, I wondered what to say that we have not, on this page before: is it the venal content of the politics, primed against the best interest of the people? Or could it be the farce of an incapacitated president whose cronies continue to feed off his infirmity as the nation resembles a listing ship in a sharks-infested sea? Might it be the deepening despair in the land as governance fails the nation while groups of political vampires lock in cut-throat rivalry? It is clear that we have anticipated a lot of what is unfolding before us, yet they have not lost the power of surprise nevertheless. Nigeria is getting closer to the morgue by the day and its political elite have become its undertakers.
The week opened with the story that Obasanjo attempted maneuvers to hide behind constitutionalism in the BOT of the PDP which were defeated. It was clear that the former president is very close to the actualization of his effort to regain power from the back door, through Jonathan Goodluck. This, in fact, for a lot of people, is the worrisome aspect of the transfer of power to the vice president; the fact that Obasanjo will once again become a central actor in the seat of power. Those who went along with Obasanjo as he crafted the presidency of a very sick Yar’adua cannot now pretend they love Nigeria. They lost the opportunity to do the right thing, by opposing the emergence of a very sick man as president in the first place. In their opportunism, they lost sight of the fact that a future date of controversy as we are inside now, will eventually arrive. It is here and they are lost in even deeper forms of intrigue.
articleadslinks
It is equally clear that the National Assembly has been complicit in the elaborate charade which continues to diminish our country; especially the leadership. It was from within the haloed precincts of the Senate that we first heard that Yar’adua could stay away from Nigeria even for a year! And up to the end of last week, Senate President David Mark continued to assure that Yar’adua has not committed any crime against the constitution. In plain-speak, Mark is saying to Nigerians, please keep your cool, the “servant-leader” can be out there for as long as it takes; Jonathan can be a lame duck and the country might be careering to a crash; there is nothing to worry about. And why should the leading officials of state worry? The FEC still announces awards of contracts in Yar’adua’s absence while monies due to legislators continue to be released. The belated legislative stirring in the past two weeks is therefore a token of delusion because not much will come out of it; except that a few Reps will get the opportunity to shop in Jeddah, if they eventually visit Yar’adua as they threatened to do. Our Legislators have completely lost touch with reality; they have made too much money “representing us”, they live in a land of endangering delusion!
In the meantime, problems are piling up in politics and in the economy. At home and abroad, Nigeria is entrapped in crises of Ojuelegba proportions: just as the roundabout didn’t use to have a policeman to untangle the gridlock, so has Nigeria become a nation without a head; we have an absentee president who did not constitutionally handover to his equally colorless/clueless vice. The party leader, in the midst of all of the confusion, beats his chest that the opposition will not set agenda for the ruling party, but he forgets to unfold his own agenda. These gentlemen, through a combination of incompetence, incurable greed, arrogance and lack of respect for the Nigerian people, have managed to dig the Nigerian state into a hole. Whatever wriggle they attempt, sinks the country deeper into a rot. Fela’s music continues to have an incredible resonance in the context of the palaver of the moment.
SARAKI: DIFFICULT POLITICAL TIMES AHEAD FOR THE FATHER, THE SON AND DAUGHTER
I spent the last weekend in Ilorin and became eye witness to the unfolding political situation in my home town. Last Friday, Dr. Saraki, the father, arrive Ilorin to attend a funeral ceremony. Later in the evening, Gbemisola, the Senator, also arrived and a huge crowd was mobilized to welcome her. What people had been whispering was brought out in the open: Gbemisola Saraki is LIKELY to run for Governor in 2011! Her posters were everywhere. Meanwhile, the brother, governor Bukola, is said to oppose the ambition of the sister (which has the father’s tacit support), for reasons of justice and decency. On Saturday, father and daughter were at the ceremony but son was absent. Nevertheless, opposing groups of supporters (and thugs!) were shouting the names of son and daughter. It almost became messy, before the father sued for peace. In twelve years in the National Assembly, nobody from Ilorin could name any project which the senator influenced for the community; she knows neither the culture of the community nor its nuances! Yet some also say that Bukola is part of an elaborate family game of political deception, despite the outward appearances of opposition! Kwara State, they say, is becoming a fief to be handed from father to son to daughter. There are difficult political days ahead for Saraki: the father, the son and the daughter!
JOS: THE RETURN TO MADNESS
Tragic killings returned to Jos this week. The reasons given are as ever, contradictory. Pity that these vicious killings have continued to be constructed around issues of identity: ethnicity and religion. The wanton destruction reflects a complete breakdown of inter-communal relationship, exploitation of identity and irresponsible leadership. We are reaping the politics which has pauperized the people sufficiently for the victim to easily turn against each other, while the elite on both sides have been unable to construct the bridges of understanding to extirpate these tragic killings. My heart goes out to all the people of Plateau; please build bridges of tolerances!
[email protected]
0805. 9100368 [SMS TEXTS ONLY]
articleadsbanner
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