THE TAMBUWAL TRAGEDY:DOWNFALL OF A HERO

A tragedy in the literary context simply put, is a play or drama which has a sad ending mostly as a result of the death or downfall of the protagonist or hero.Like most Nigerians,I love happy endings in any book or play and in literature,such are referred to as Comedies.William Shakespeare, a literary icon, is a man who has dazzled many with his plots, and mastery of the English language.You would want to believe sometimes there just cannot be another him.
But people like me who are literary 'common men' enjoy the story and the manner in which it is been told plus nothing more.Almost all Shakespeare stories are tragedies so a lot of us still have his books today only as high school memorabilia.Only the literary gurus refer to them to explain the effect an ideal plot, sub-plot and climax should have on a reader. 
The Tambuwal tragedy belongs in that class where the protagonist sets himself up for an inevitable fall from grace.Rewind back to 2011.
The opposition parties had managed to make public discontent count in their favour and had closed in significantly on the PDP.Though it still had more members,it was no longer in absolute control of the legislature.When it was time to elect a Speaker for the House and the PDP endorsed the candidature of Hon.Mulikat Akande Adeola from Oyo State to give our leadership structure a national outlook,a recalcitrant Hon.Aminu Tambuwal insisted on running.
The opposition party members and a handful of PDP members voted him in as Speaker in a most dramatic manner.It was reported that Tambuwal and his Deputy,Hon. Emeka Ihedioha from Imo state had to disguise themselves to gain entrance into the House on that day.From that point, the PDP was stuck with a Speaker it couldn't conveniently impeach because of the voting power of the opposition combined with his loyalists and also one who knew his loyalty lied with the people who voted him in.One can't help but commend the political prowess of the Speaker who didn't jump ship immediately and for tagging along all this while despite been treated as a 'hostile'.He was shut out of certain functions and a notable incident not too long ago was when some soldiers insisted on searching his car before allowing him entrance into the Kaduna venue of a function.
He never lost his cool even when the nPDP came about.He associated with them but didn't blindly swallow the cause for the 'cause' hook,line and sinker in public.Most people say today that that was the best time for him to jump ship but they forget we have a government that has no respect for our constitution.The proviso to Section 68 of the constitution allows a Member or Senator to retain their seats only if they changed parties as a result of a division in their former party or as members of a faction of that party.But with PDP still in charge at the centre, the most probable outcome would be 'bulldozal' out of office by any means necessary if he had decamped at that time.He was smart enough to know the leaders of the nPDP who led the train to APC might have to pay the piper at some point if not immediately after the President had finished fixing his leaking umbrella then maybe after those covered by immunity lose it.We all know Governor Sule Lamido,a prominent member of the nPDP who is still in the PDP today had his sons re-arrested by the EFCC when the dust was yet to fully settle.It was a risk not worth taking then.
So what did he do?.He publicly reaffirmed his commitment to PDP;he was going nowhere.Fast forward to present day.
Mr Speaker has chosen the most appropriate time to decamp to APC.What better time than now when the House won't be reconvening till December 3, just before the contests begin.Simply put,no matter how you choose to see things,he has little or nothing to lose.He is reportedly already gearing up for the Sokoto Gubernatorial elections under the platform of his new party.
But Mr Speaker and his cohorts mistook us for fools and pawns in their political game when they started to scream to high heavens about the unconstitionality of the withdrawal of his security details.A notoriously loquacious Nasir El-Rufai even said it was all part of a plot to assassinate him.The same people who conveniently chose to read and cite our Constitution endlessly when members of the nPDP decamped to the APC have conveniently resorted to crying foul without citing the same constitution they love so much which provides in the same Section 68 paragraph G that A member of the Senate or House of Representatives SHALL vacate his seat if he becomes a member of a political party other than the one that sponsored his candidature before the expiration of the period for which the house was elected.Tambuwal's defection is not covered by the proviso to this section because the nPDP has already been absorbed into the APC so technically, Aminu Tambuwal ceased to be a Member of the House of Representatives when he decamped to the APC and isn't entitled to security details and other perks of office.I agree he was humiliated but rightly so.He of all people should know better being a lawyer.It is a pity we have been reduced to this.
Where any politician and his set of clowns feel they can conveniently whip up any sentiment they deem fit by exploiting public discontent with the ruling party.I have said once that there is no difference between the APC and the PDP,One just happens to have what the other wants.
If President Obasanjo who has played no small part in what the PDP has turned into today can be asked to come and lead the APC, then we would be in trouble if we decide to associate blindly with what their 'Change' portends.Politics is a dirty game in Nigeria and as such hypocrisy is an indispensable tool in the hands of politicians who think they can fool all of the people all of the time.
Francois de la Rouchefoucauld said-'Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue'.Aminu Tambuwal has played the cautious hero so well and has practically served out his tenure as Speaker.He chose to dine with the devil with a long spoon but any Cleric worth his salt would advice you to never dine with the devil in the first place.

GEJ 2015: NIGERIAN POLITRICKS 101

I remember back in 2012 when the rumour mill was agog with stories of President Jonathan agreeing with members of his party to rule for one term only before stating so himself.I said to some friends of mine-'In Nigeria,a leader doesn't do two things-Resign or refuse to run when he is eligible.If he does either of the two,he is deemed to have been posted 'juju' from the village; cursed into doing so.Asari Dokubo proved me right in his hilarious interview on STV when he said the President won't come back home if he refuses to run,to use his words-'Him no fit,he can't do that!!!'.

I even went further to say the moves i was anticipating before he declares for a 2nd term bid.I expected his team to kick start the whole process with the youths.Most likely a youth body with Niger Delta roots but with Northerners holding most of the key positions.The North being where his most likely rivals and majority of his critics were going to come from.I expected Abati and Okupe to spend a lot of time warding off foes.

Things didn't pan out exactly that way.The President and his think tank proved to be smarter than I thought.The staunchest critics were always going to come from the North but a lot of them have had to jump ship though the President can't take credit for that.They started a war they couldn't win and it was inevitably going to boil down to two things-Leave the party or stay and be treated as outcasts.Governors Aliyu and Lamido know best the consequences of the latter option.

Anyway,the entire Operation Bring Jona Back was always going to end with the following words-'I have decided to heed the call of my people and contest for a 2nd term in office'.I must congratulate the President for having such a fabulous set of campaign strategists.The TAN (Transformation Agenda of Nigeria) initiative was a master stroke.They garnered the right amount of publicity and one can't help getting overwhelmed by the calibre of personalities that have associated with the 'Cause'.The more they insisted,the more 'Oga' looked away.And then finally at a time programmed to portray to the public he had played enough 'hard to get' and consulted widely, he declared his ambition on a date announced by the Chairman of the presidential declaration committee who in announcing made sure to include these words-..'And announce his response to the VARIOUS CALLS to come out and declare his interest in the presidential elections....It is our honest hope that he will come out and say YES to THE DEMAND OF MULTITUDE OF NIGERIANS....WE EXPECT HE WILL SAY YES'.

After his 'Yes',What followed was a statement that Over N98 Million had been raised by well-meaning Nigerians for 'Oga' to buy the PDP presidential nomination and declaration of interest forms.To start with,if you actually believe our President can't afford a N22 Million set of forms,then you will believe my grandmother is the hottest model in Paris.I must admit I have been blown to bits by the sheer ingenuity in which the President's strategists have operated so far.No one has ever done this.A couple of politicians have already followed the trend; people are now buying them forms.Now this is where it gets really interesting.We all know the whole "Form donations" move was a strategy but a careful look at the list though inexhaustive,will reveal a lot of things.Asides the donees who were just there to prove the people back home loved 'Oga'(Bayelsans),Other donations in totality seemed to want to pass a message across-If you buy the right calculator,it just might add up to a GEJ victory.No PDP Presidential election victory has been devoid of controversy,there were always allegations of monumental fraud.What better way to condition the mind of the people to expect an 'inevitable' PDP victory than to force a re-think into their heads about GEJ's popularity.

The North with its voting power can decide an election if everyone tows the same path.Anybody who has tried justifying rigged results in the past has always given a split votes theory that never makes sense.So 'Oga' and his team have gone the extra mile to show us he has a huge fan base in Northern Nigeria.The list of donors from Kaduna and Gombe are there to remind you they are in charge of some states in the region and are automatically expected to get a large chunk of the votes.Afterall,they have always said the APC are experts in noise making so expect PDP votes to spring up from even where you least expected.The Governor of Kaduna state;,the Vice-President's home state, Gov.Ramallan Yero has under-performed and is gunning for a 2nd term so the 'many' donors from Kaduna are there to serve a dual purpose.You will see the difference in the quality of donees from Bayelsa and Kaduna.The V.P's state is not a strong hold unlike the President's state.Basically,the list has tried to cater for their weaknesses in no small measure.The number of women bodies is to amplify the fact that majority of their members are non-Muslims and mostly non-northerners who in all sincerity troop out in larger numbers to vote more than their Muslim counterparts.If you consider the fact that the PDP has a more vibrant womens' Wing,You just have to concede to anyone who says 'Oga' is ahead as far as the women are concerned.Plateau State's contributions are there to remind you indeed there are states where you wouldn't bate an eyelid if he records a landslide.The opposition is almost non-existent in places like Taraba and Benue.They aren't too strong in Kogi either.The APC might be the most popular party in the North but please don't attribute anything to INEC 'South African' wonder or anywhere we choose to import election materials or Computer softwares from,they actually have a presence in Adamawa and even Yobe.They could even clinch it.

Miyetti Allah Hautal Hore and Northern Youth Forum were the perfect icing.GEJ seems to be very much loved in the North.The number 11 is actually two number 1s,maybe numbers do lie after all.PDP does have a presence in the South West albeit not too formidable which in my opinion,has always been the most unpredictable region as far as Nigerian politics is concerned.It would have been catastrophic if a large number of donees were ascribed to them.It would have ruined the "good" work of Master Strategists who have set an unprecedented trend.A Pro-Jonathan body from Ondo North Senatorial district was the only donation from the South West.Though the list was supposed to cater for his weaknesses,preaching the love for him in this region would have done more harm than good.

The South East is a PDP zone,it has always been.If the APC doesn't present Governor Rochas as its Presidential flag bearer,I doubt if it will win Imo state; its only state in the region.APGA has always been known to be very good friends with PDP.Anambra is always theirs for the taking in any Presidential election except the Status quo is altered.Ebonyi State is the only South Eastern presence on the donors' list except of course you choose to count the magnanimous gestures of Mr Kennedy Ikenna Odoeme and Mr Ezemagu Sunday Nnamdi.They contributed the sums of N5000 and N10000 respectively.There was no need to waste time on the President's stronghold-the South-South and South-East.Like I said earlier,his weaknesses were being worked on.Oh,Lest I forget, Rivers state PDP stakeholders donated  N5 Million,just so the APC doesn't forget to type the right figures into its calculator.'Oga' is very much loved here and a handful of people can hold the state legislature to ransom on his family's behalf.Someone there actually once referred to 'The Dame' as his Jesus Christ and the talk back then was what would that make the man who paid her dowry?.GEJ has a formidable presence there and sentiments aside,you would want to hand them the Government House when Amaechi vacates it.There are better positioned.While Nyesom Wike,the annointed one has set his machinery in motion,Amaechi and his people are still struggling to fish out the right one in their midst.No matter what it may seem like, an outgoing Nigerian Governor always has a candidate .

When the stakes are high,Nigerian politicians want to play Saint and Sinner and no amount of laundry can purify the players in this dirty game especially when the purifying act itself is a filthy process.God help us.

LAWFUL INJUSTICE

In a place where a Deputy Governor is impeached for rearing chickens and no one would be surprised if another is impeached for having a poor sense of fashion, the decision by our National Assembly to retain the immunity clause for Governors and their Deputies deserves a thunderous round of applause.Our laws have turned into weapons politicians fashion against their enemies and rivals at their meetings and there would be utter chaos if we create room for Governors and their Deputies to be witch hunted while still in office.A lot of things are going to happen after the General Elections in 2015.
So far,we haven't had cause to tag the EFCC the government's 'labour prefect' that whips any recalcitrant child back into line but one should never forget the past easily because its supposed to prepare you for the future.
A lot of us have come to see Politicians witch hunting themselves as a 'Na God Catch them' thing because as far as we are concerned, if there were clean and non-thieving,a majority of Nigerians wouldn't have a football formation feeding pattern, mostly 0-1-0.
Quite sadly,the people who are responsible for the mess we are in are hardly ever punished.The severest of punishment we have seen meted out to corrupt leaders can best be described as nothing but a slap on the wrist.No Governor has ever served a jail sentence for corruption and honestly,I don't see this changing when a lot of them lose immunity next year except a lot changes.
A lot of cases instituted against corrupt politicians haven't made any meaningful progress since inception.I can count cases of more than eight ex-governors that have gone nowhere.It is obvious the system isn't hell bent on fighting corruption.With politicians growing more audacious in the abuse of our laws,its shattering to know that there are provisions in our laws that leave them room to sleep well if ever the anti-graft agency comes calling.
At this juncture,let me introduce the legal "abracadabra" called plea bargain.Simply put,Plea Bargain is an agreement between a prosecutor and an accused person or defendant in a criminal trial to settle the case usually in exchange for concessions on the part of the accused person.He or she gets a lighter sentence in exchange for pleading guilty and in places like the USA where this concept has thrived,the rationale for its application is that amongst other things,it saves the prosecutors' time and by extension the state's as well as resources which would be better utilized in prosecuting graver offences in the quest to ensure justice for all at all times in the society.
The only statute which expressly recognizes plea bargain in Nigeria is the Administration of Criminal justice Law of Lagos State.None other does as at now. But the EFCC In staying true to the 'If there is a will then there is a way' mentality of Nigerians,could capitalize on Section 14(2) of the EFCC Act which allows it to 'Compound' (which means to agree for a consideration) any offence punishable under the Act by accepting any sum of money as it deems fit exceeding the maximum amount to which that person would have been liable if he had been convicted of the offence to allow thieving persons go scot free for peanuts compared to their loot.Politics is a game of no permanent enemies.The President has said publicly he has no problem with Governor Lamido and all it would take is for the Governor to swallow his vomit by supporting him if he runs in 2015 for the EFCC to start to develop the urge of using this Section to back off his Sons.The EFCC has denied using plea bargain on several occasions when criticized and could get off on the grounds that its Act has no express provision for it but the implications of this Section are no different from a plea bargain except of course,the Accused doesn't need to spend time whatsoever in prison or even in court.
The concept of Plea Bargain is an asset to any legal system but in relation to our system,I would agree with the Former Chief Justice of Nigeria,Dahiru Musdapher when he described it as dubious.There have been allegations the EFCC struck deals with ex-Governors Lucky Igbinedion and Diepriye Alamiesiegha in the past though it appealed against a Federal High Court decision to allow the former walk with just a N3.5M fine in what is believed to be about a N44 Billion loot.
The case of Cecelia Ibru,a Former Chief Executive Officer of Oceanic Bank also comes to mind.After agreeing to forfeit 199 assets and funds worth about N190 Billion,she was sentenced to just six months in prison.Most Nigerians were disappointed in the judgment.In society like ours where corruption no longer seems abominable,the only way to curb the menace and deter people is by enforcing maximum punitive measures.I don't think the most persuasive of persons can sell any perceived merits of Section 14(2) of the Act which technically provides for Plea Bargaining but still leaves room for the EFCC to frown against the concept like it has already done.It cannot say it saves time and resources when the entire essence of justice is defeated; forfeiting peanuts compared to money stolen to walk away.And talking about resources,why does the EFCC pay private lawyers to prosecute on its behalf?.I don't see the need  to employ lawyers at all if they can't be called on at all times.
In a system like ours where a President has unlawfully suspended a CBN Governor and has continued to appoint defence chiefs unconstitutionally without the ratification of the Senate amongst other things,we only deceive ourselves when we say the rule of law is supreme.As far as the war against corruption goes,a lot of Nigerians have lost faith in the justice system.It is imperative we put our house in order and start to ensure speedy dispensation of justice.It is hypocritical to say that we are serious about curbing corruption and yet leave windows to be exploited by people with the right contacts on their phone.A lot of people including yours truly are still bitter over the non-prosecution of Stella Oduah.The thieving ex-Aviation minister is out there enjoying her loot.
The petroleum minister who is widely believed to be the most corrupt minister since our return to democracy in 1999 does seem untouchable.If the President still retains her despite her being a political liability then I think if ever she is effectively prosecuted,it has to be by another President because even if she is arraigned, I don't see it not being the usual prosecution that ends nowhere or a deal to forfeit a part of the loot behind the scenes.EFCC in prosecuting corrupt politicians from inception till date has always given us reason to doubt its sincerity.We have learnt to stop jubilating over disclosure of the outcome of investigations and to only rejoice when thieving politicians get what they deserve.Have we celebrated ever since?.

DO THEY REALLY WANT TO #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS?

Its been over a hundred days now since more than 200 school girls were kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State during their WAEC examinations.Over a hundred days of pushing the government to do its possible best in ensuring their safe return and over a hundred days of political 'gymnasts and acrobats' alongside cheap publicity seekers seizing this 'August opportunity' to showcase their skills.
A lot of people including yours truly always wanted the government to seek foreign help in combating the insurgency long before the girls were kidnapped so foreign countries offering to help in any capacity brought us unquantifiable joy.But how has this helped us?.
Besides reports the girls were still at Sambisa Forest at some point,one can't point to anything concrete from our good friends and I am not blaming them in anyway,I am blaming the government for not utilizing the offers to the maximum.i am being as objective as possible because I have placed into consideration the implications of a leader of a nation of the calibre of ours, appearing incompetent and being unable to deal with its problems to the world and I for one has spoken of the ills of conceding easily to demands made during strikes by labour groups because everyone would want to strike so I am very much aware of what governing a people like us could entail but placing it side by side with the opportunity for foreign nations whose egos have been properly massaged to play big brothers that send combatants,arms,modern military gadgets and aid to victims,the merits of the latter outweigh any consideration.
Well,there is no point pondering over what ought to have been, we have to play the hands we have been dealt.The military came under heavy criticism sometime ago for saying the chibok girls have been released in a statement that was subsequently withdrawn.
We were meant to understand negotiations for a swap deal were ongoing; the girls for some prisoners of the Boko Haram sect.Now I ask:Are we even supposed to be knowing this at all?.
In better climes,where competence and adherence to professionalism and due process outweigh everything else, we would only hear of the release of the girls.Firstly,you could lose the trust of the insurgents at some stage if the proposed deal has been made public and Secondly,the implications of losing the trust of the people who have been fed all sorts of stories by the military over time.When I read details of the failed negotiations,I was totally flabbergasted to say the least.
The insurgents reportedly backed out because of the large military presence at the place where the exchange was supposed to happen.And again I dare say,a flawless negotiation process in this regard is one in which everyone is kept in the dark.In addition to the reasons already adduced,is it right to raise the hopes of parents who have only started to live life again only to dash them?.
Even if the President who is responsible for the success or failure of the process disregards all of these, he should at least be bothered by the political implications as it is  a huge minus to his party and whoever bears its flag in the 2015 General elections.We really do have an absurd way of dealing with sensitive issues which could be highly detrimental in this trying times.
I can't help but remember how a security agent who is presumed to be trained got carried away and divulged to the press how they tracked an insurgent through his cell phone.The insurgents attacked the offices of a telecommunications company and brought down several masts.This is a pointer to how inept we portray ourselves to be in dealing with issues as delicate as this.So it is only right we involve the foreign nations who have offered their help more because as far as worrying about our reputation goes,we have soiled it to a disgusting extent.
The good thing about the whole mess is that at least those who negotiate on their behalf are easily accessible.They could reach out to them again,earn their trust and return to the table, that is if we are willing to re-initiate theprocess.It could be complicated if you put into consideration the fact that they gave a list of members they wanted released which automatically makes them guilty until proven innocent; totally compromised.The Sect know interrogators could revisit their cases and make sure they get more useful information.It is also noteworthy that the leaders reportedly had disagreements over their initial list which was said to have favoured the kanuris more.This played a key role in the safe assumption that all was not well in their midst after some members were slaughtered by their colleagues.They understand just how compromised failed negotiations could leave them.Bringing them back to the table might not be easy but if we go the extra mile to allay their fears and prove we still mean business,they might agree to listen to us again.And if this is successfully achieved,then I hope we will be more professional about it.
We should only see pictures or video clips of the girls being reunited with their families.Everyone is on the same page on this but those in the position to make it happen have to act like they actually want to #BringBackOurGirls.

EDUCATION:BUILDING SOMETHING ON NOTHING

The philosophy of the school room in one generation is the philosophy of government in another-Abraham Lincoln

When I was much younger and a middle class actually existed and wasn't in any danger of extinction,a lot of neighbourhoods had a 'Papa' figure.One whom the little kids were in awe of without him having to be too generous.He was always impeccably dressed,matched his colours well and above all,was always neat.Every kid dreamt of having Papa as his second father.

But his kids complained the most.It was not easy being Papa's child but we couldn't careless.In Papa's house hold,you had to wake up early to polish his shoes,your mum's and your older ones' if they had to leave home in cover shoes.You had to sweep the entire house and finish in time to watch him wash his car so you would take over when you were a bit older.It was always a pleasant sight to watch Papa speak with other parents.You could sense the pride in his voice that came from communicating in a most eloquent manner.Some words we heard first from Papa-'Bunkum','Nimcompoop'.The biggest threat a parent could ever issue was-'I will tell Papa you are misbehaving'.No kid wanted to lose his friendship.

The easiest way to fall out with him was to perform poorly in exams or even worse,neglect school.As we grew older,so did Papa and his stories.He would say with what the system has turned into,you will need to do a whole lot to better his 'Standard 7' quality wise.

Now as a fully grown adult,I see the Papas of this world as the personification of what our system used to be.When our public schools gave quality education not only academically but in all required facets.I wonder how many teachers bother to scold or punish their pupils for appearing dirty.I would certainly have run into trouble with my parents and Papa if I didn't wash my uniform.The same public schools most Nigerian leaders attended are where they won't send their kids today and no one would blame them because we all want the best for our wards but there is a snag-its their fault the schools are what they are today.The most logical reason one would give for the decadence of our educational system is that over time,our leaders have neglected the basics and adopted the wrong approach to education.Governments have worried about buying books,chairs and tables (which are insufficient in almost all cases) granting scholarships and building new blocks of classes.But I ask-Who will teach the students?.Teachers.That is where the priority should lie.Everything adds up to naught if the teachers still teach their pupils nonsense (Apologies to the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti).With most of their parents illiterates themselves and worrying more about putting food on the table and paying bills,the bulk of the responsibility lies with the teacher to educate them but what we have today are teachers who can barely construct 2 error free sentences themselves.Teachers who barely understand the psychology of the child and are non-inspiring to say the least.When one listens to the excuses given by these teachers,one can't help but hate the system even harder because to be fair to them,they raise valid points.Public schools have become hide outs for hemp smoking miscreants and also defecators.Kids are forced to learn in classrooms filled with the unpleasant smell of indian hemp and human faeces.Majority of the students can't afford the recommended books and even when books are distributed to students,they are hardly sufficient and there are no libraries available to them.The elementary and secondary levels of education are the moulding grounds.Most habits;beneficial or detrimental are inculcated at these levels.If a child grows up to speak impeccable english, be articulate,confident or loves to read and learn,then there were so moulded at these levels.

We have spent almost a trillion on education in the last two years with it grabbing the largest chunk of the 2013 budget for the first time in our history yet we have nothing to show for it.Realistically speaking,it is not the pass rate that matters but the quality of the education acquired.Anatole France once said,'An Education isn't how much you have committed to memory,or even how much you know.Its being able to differentiate between what you know and what you don't'.I have seen graduates who can barely speak fluent English.With the money we sink into this sector,there is no way anyone would rationalize any paucity of funds theory.The most important step in revamping this sector is to make the teachers' take home pay more attractive as this will attract the right applicants.The second step would be getting capable persons to separate the wheat from the chaff; select the very best hands.

Being a teacher entails a lot.Only a professional values the psychological well being of kids and its importance in their education.After this is successfully done,we can then focus on infrastructure,learning materials and scholarships.All schools must have good libraries,functional and well-kept toilets as well as at least one computer for students to be taught with.After this is done, the authorities should be more adequately monitored as neglect of their duties would then resuscitate common enemies like insecurity and poor maintenance.If we keep on doing the same thing over and over again,we will keep on getting the same results.

With the right exhaustive approach to education,the sector will no doubt regain its lost glory.Carl Rogers said,'The only person who is educated is the one who has learned and changed'.If we don't change,then we will continue building something on nothing.

OUR FAILURE AS A PEOPLE

'Vox Populi Vox Dei' (The voice of the people is the voice of God)-Archbishop of Canterbury,Walter Reynolds(1327).

The average Nigerian today likes to think of himself as being politically and socially correct.Truth is we all like to think so.Its a taboo of some sorts to sit in a gathering of your likes and not have an opinion on any topical issue.An outsider would safely conclude that we don't just swallow any bitter pill thrust at us by our government.In as much as it is hard to believe or take seriously,reality on ground makes one want to agree with William Mcilvanney when he said-'Ideals are like items you pack into your luggage and take with you everywhere but never get to wear'.For all our concern and patriotism if you would call it that,we don't effectively utilize collective power to combat wrong policies or decisions.Technological advancement has produced the social media and as far as criticism of governmental policies,decisions and acts go,the social media is the new media.Everyone grabs any opportunity to make a go.I dare say even doing this in the regular media isn't enough.We have to make our grievances felt not just among ourselves but among the people that matter-our leaders.
A lot of people might not like me for this but we are contributorily negligent in the  "Boko Haram" menace.I must commend our social media activists for starting the #BringBackOurGirls movement but like I pointed out at the last NBA Kano Branch Public lecture with National Security as the theme; nobody bothered asking how many innocent souls, among them kids have been lost prior to the kidnap of the #ChibokGirls that gave rise to the movement?.Did we start any movement capable of drawing the world's attention to our plight prior to that other than rant all day on social media and pages of of newspapers?.I will tell you what we were capable of doing.
A mass protest,one similar to #BringBackOurGirls over continous loss of lives in a war fought by a military that has been allocated about a trillion in our annual budget would have forced the government to accept defeat and seek foreign aid.Its sad when one looks back at the pack of lies we have been fed by our leaders and the military over the years.From death figures to the popular 'having it all under control' phrase we have become tired of hearing.We would have proved we wanted results and would only be dealt with with the truth.
Now the insurgency has grown in leaps and bounds and we are left at the mercy of the insurgents as far as the fate of those young innocent school girls is concerned.
The Arab Spring in 2010 made the whole world stand up to applaud 'vox Populi'.It was at its mightiest.Tunisia,Libya,Yemen and Egypt all stood up against tyranny and infinite leadership by ousting their governments.The people were on the streets all day all night.
Like any well-meaning Nigerian,I don't condone violence in whatever form and some of the most effective protest measures happen to not contain it,Civil disobedience chief among them.
Morocco and Jordan implemented constitutional reforms as a result of the mass protest by the people while Nigerians sit and watch in agony at the wanton impunity with which our constitution is being desecrated.
A president suspends a CBN Governor in violation of the CBN Act which provides for outright removal after ratification by the Senate and goes ahead to appoint a new substantive Governor which in essence means the unlawful suspension can best be deemed an ouster.
The impeachment clause in our constitution is now given many 'manufactured' interpretations in a manner that reminds one of the activities of Napoleon and the other pigs in George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'.The height of it being the impeachment of the Enugu state Deputy Governor for running a poultry at his official residence.That is not gross misconduct in any way.His allegation of the Governor rearing pigs also brings to mind the  most important provision in the constitution as amended by Napoleon and his crew in 'Animal Farm'-'All animals are equal but some are more equal than others'.A lot of people say it is a matter for the courts but public opinion can change a lot.We have the power to stop politicians from moulding our laws into weapons of political warfare in their meetings.We might just wake up one day to find out that a person has been impeached for having a poor sense of fashion.
A united protest against this will pass the message across-we have had enough.We have stood as one before and gotten the most favourable outcomes.I look back at the opposition to Gen. Obasanjo's third term bid disguised in Constitutional amendment with great nostalgia.The House of Assembly can lay claim to killing the plot but the truth like we all know is we did it.We screamed not only to ourselves but to everyone.We backed our words with action.Every law maker wanted to grab a chance to be popular by opposing it.No patriot will forget the opposition to fuel subsidy removal.Despite the difficulties that arose out of it,we were all proud to be Nigerians.There were parties and shows on the streets of Lagos.Such joy comes from knowing you are doing the right thing.A lot of us saw it as the dawn of a new era in Nigeria,an era where we had truly realized the enormity of our powers as a people but it was not to be.
We did great with the #BringBackOurGirls protests but it was a little too late.Perhaps an effort not even as huge as that would have made the government prosecute Stella Oduah,our thieving ex-Aviation Minister after her removal and forced the petroleum minister to appear before the house committee to defend allegations she was wasting our money on jets instead of watching her waste more of it on an injunction to stop them.A government that has been forced to acknowledge the true power its people possess will always be at its best as is the case in better climes.The responsibility to make them do that lies with us and the good news is that it is not too late.

'PLANTAIN AND DODO' POLITICS

I don't intend to demean the memory of Romano ll in anyway but after a torrid long minutes of  finding how I could circumvent a popular quote of his-'When you are in Rome,do as the Romans do', so i could give it a more decent touch without compromising the illustration I had in me, I couldn't come up with anything so I decided to do what I originally intended to, which is:'When you are in a Buka, you request for 'dodo' & when you are in a restaurant, you request for plantain'.The only difference is nomenclature,they all refer to the same thing; Musa Paradisiaca,what we commonly refer to as plantain.
The words are used interchangeably subject to the environment we find ourselves.
There are two major parties in Nigeria; the PDP and the APC.A neutral and objective minded person has to see the PDP which in this case is the 'restaurant' as everything the 'buka' lady; the APC wants to be.She wants to have a more spacious place, tastefully furnished with air conditioners and LCD screens.
Every 'buka' lady who opens up to you always says her food tastes better than what is obtainable in the best restaurants and its just that she lacks the means to 'grow'.
I am not a member of either parties so when I say politics is a dirty game,I speak from the heart.Parties never commend each other without a political undertone, which in most cases is commendation designed to portray them as being after our best interests and abhoring pettiness.
The PDP as a party have not failed us but most of the leaders they have given us have and not a majority of APC leaders have stood out at all levels.The only difference is the APC has never controlled the centre.There are people still in the PDP whom we just have to give a pass mark for their achievements.No matter the song the APC wants us to dance to now, not a few of the people they have criticised in PDP are in their midst today.A friend once told me ordinarily the APC would have adopted a new slogan when it was accepting the 'rebel' PDP Governors, something with redemption and second chance as the theme but you don't do that to people who are armed with heavy GMGs (Ghana must Go) in politics.As far as everyone in the party is concerned, there were innocent people who hung out with the wrong crowd.We both laughed our hearts out and a sober me marveled at the blunt truth encapsulated in what was nothing more than a mere banter.
If the APC had an ideology as we were meant to believe and had clearly placed the blame for all our woes on a group of people, one would have thought a rigorous selection and screening process would precede their courting of the 'rejected PDP stones' but that was not the case as they wooed every available Governor and even got rejected by two.From the earlier perception of them, a few of us thought they would soft pedal on throwing jabs anytime the ruling party uses the state machinery to bulldoze its way through anything.At some point,a lot of the decampees have had to contend with such allegations from candidates from their present party.And the fact that a high power delegation was sent to Otta to woo Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo to be the party's 'Navigator' (the word used by Bola Tinubu) is enough to erase any doubts as to APC's morals.
If one were to compile a list of  the names, time and medium the elders or senior members of this party as a disjointed entity have had to outrightly condemn everything he stands for, one could spend a whole week doing that.
When Lai Mohammed,the APC spokesman complains about rigged election results,I take solace in the fact that there are a lot of people like me out there who wonder how on earth he expects sympathy from the same people who know OBJ would have been the leader of his party if he hadn't declined their offer.A man whom I greatly admire for his firmness and decisiveness but who sadly today, is being regarded as  the one upgraded our rigging and modernized it to suit the demands of the new millennium.Here,you can't help but refer to the APC as the 'buka' lady who is quick to praise her cooking and tell you how hazardous 'oyibo' food can be but will never turn down an offer to upgrade to the 'oyibo' level.Who is deceiving who?.
Nobody can force me to accept amnesia..LaiLai!.For anything the APC accuses the PDP of, there is nothing to suggest they wouldn't do same if they attain 'restaurant' status.In saner climes,politicians and parties have to be seen to have integrity because it is everything.Not where politics is big business and 'Personal Assistant to the Special Special Adviser' offices are created to cater for the needs of cronies and still the country shamelessly goes cap in hand asking for loans,where a 'big' politician denied a ticket in a party strolls into a smaller party to pick a ticket.
Many Nigerians see El-Rufai as a beacon of hope,a man they feel can make a huge difference.With the facts at our disposal,I can't find any reason not to agree with them.We will forever be indebted to him for the great job he did as FCT Minister.Turning Abuja into a capital befitting our status was no mean feat but I disconnect with Pro-El-Rufai people when they do the unthinkable-label El-Rufai a man of integrity.
No 'Willie Willie' can erase the memory of El-Rufai's reply to allegations that he allocated lands to his wives as a Minister after the controversial demolition exercise we came to accept as the 'rain before it shines' process.He said there was no law forbidding him from doing so which in my opinion has to rank among the top five most stupid utterances by a prominent Nigerian.In as much as El-Rufai's competence as a public servant is not in doubt,In my humble opinion,it is wrong to say he has integrity.This is a man who has given students of political science a practical on the hypocrisy in Nigerian politics.He has always found nothing good in his benefactors' enemies and has always gone to bed with those enemies as soon as he falls out with them.
To save us all some precious time,I won't go into lengthy details but he was Buhari's main critic before he joined the CPC now a major component of the APC.People like El Rufai are people I have come to regard over time as the personification of our politics as it really is and have written the manual for those in need of it.No principles talk more ideology,they just want to win or move with those who win.Only reason why he is not in the winning team is because he was chased out of it before he even started politics officially.I can bet my last kobo today the APC cannot turn down President Jonathan and all those they criticise for leading us into any quagmire they perhaps rightly whip up,its putting my money where my mouth is which in this case is the safest possible place.
So when the APC condemns the actions of people it would gladly welcome into its fold and expects the world to think it won't affect anything despite them going in to assume key positions,it is no different from the 'Buka' lady who thinks she will fare better if elevated to 'Restaurant' status and to people like my humble self and I out there,asking me to tell the difference between the two is like asking me to tell you the difference between'Dodo' and plantain-No difference.