MADAM SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPS IS NOT A MOTHER

The achievements of the women that dotted the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasango left one impression in the psyche of many Nigerians-Women can do it better. What with the Akunyilis, Okonjo-Iwualas, Oby Onyekwelus among many others. In conservative terms, Nigerians welcomed the election of Mrs. P. Etteh as the Speaker of the lower house of the National Assembly. Many people, especially the PDP guys wanted us to believe that it was not just a gender issue but because of the ability of Madam Speaker. The first step can be so costly. Beyond the endless thanksgivings organized in honour of the first Nigerian female Speaker, so little has been heard or seen about the speaker.

Today however, that enthusiasm has suffered a heavy blow. Suddenly, Madam speaker's house, newly refurbished in 2003 together with that of his deputy is due for renovation at the whooping sum of 628 million naira. Well, part of the money they have cleverly argued is for the acquisition of 12 choice cars for the Speaker and her deputy. Whatever your level of mathematical formation is, I am sure you have heard the unofficial population figure of 150 million. Out of these, more than 70% by current UNDP figures live below $1 a day. One dollar is approximately 128 naira depending on your choice of market-black or 'white'. I leave you to work out the details of the alternative use this money could be put into to uplift the living standard of the most vulnerable of our population. The intriguing question is, how can a mother with children do a thing like this? The guardian editorial today categorically questions if Madam Speaker would approve of such renovation if the houses were hers and to be renovated from her pocket. Your guess is as good as mine. Madam Speaker, if you ever meet a man whose monthly salary from the same government is 6,000 naira with what face are you going to walk into your palace? Her Majesty the Queen Speaker, I am sure by now those of your family that have conscience would have started denouncing you just as I disown you as a Nigerian. Does this Madam Speaker know the infant mortality rate in Nigeria, does she know the number of out of school children of school age, does she have the figures of Under 5 mortality rate? Where do we possibly console ourselves? These politicians have not learnt anything. My advice to the Dishonourable speaker is to resign her position and apologise to the Nigerian women for betraying the compassion of motherhood and then to entire Nigerians for misplacing her mandate. You are not a mother!!!!!

Re: Thinking the Unthinkable

The author of this article starts with a bold premises, framing up a good line of theoretical frameworks and building on the workability and justification for his conviction that the Nigerian state is irredeemable. Wait a moment for that is not the end of the story, he has a caveat 'let us go back to old skool', 'let us call back the colonial masters' ; 'let us admit that we don't have the capacity' or worse still, that there exists a deprivation of capabilities that he considers pathological. THE BLACK MAN IS INCAPABLE OF SELF-ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNANCE. One line of argument interest me, not for its sophistication but for its implications. If the famous Newtonian law of gravitation is used as a benchmark and an example of the unthinkable, may be the author is wishing Nigeria an irrevocable colonial dominance. It is either that he is short of historical trends that lend to the evolution of the so called developed countries or he is yet to appreciate the impact of that type of rule, years after the end of apartheid in South Africa. Most African scholars agree that there is a strong correlation between the state of African Nations and their colonial past. While this cannot be waved aside, I am of the strong believe that we can do better and more strongly yet, that there will be a third day for the resurrection. After rain they say, comes sunshine.

Yes,it is difficult to resist the argument that failed leadership is the main factor that has stalled national development. It is even more difficult to sustain that we have been anything close to an upward movement. Ours is a sad story of a consistent drift on a downward slop often told by those who are as guilty as the system. Nigerians have grown weired like their leaders. But this is not our contention neither is it our end. The global system, the way it is configured now, makes both corruption and dictatorship less fashionable. If not any other thing, Nigerians are becoming more aware of things and at the long run we shall get things right. God bless Nigeria and Nigerians. Make it a personal commitment to do good at all times and in time Nigeria will be good.

EFCC: SHALL WE HAIL THE PRESIDENT???

A good number of us have started recanting our positions, taking new positions and consolidating on others. EFCC's credibility was questioned when at the expiration of the OBJ years of disaster the anti-corruption czar took a back seat to the surprise of many Nigerians. It was a veiled confirmation, many columnists claimed, of its identity as OBJ's witch-hunting machinery. The events of the last one month have however jilted many Nigerians, critics and admirers 'are these guys really out for business?' or are they continuing with the suppression of the old enemies of the Egba-tin god? My guess is yes and no. Before we hail Mr. President, let us respire for a longer time and see how far the EFCC goes. It is only time and Mr. Yar'Adua, whom God has placed the destiny of this nation into his hands, that can tell. With OBJ still lurking around the corner, we must wait while he coughs to know what next we get from the new deal. If EFCC goes all the way, then OBJ beware of Malam Yar'Adua!!! It is a long time for the waiting game.

THE GHOST OF OBJ

There is an unusual calm in the countenance of the new president that gives one the impression that he is a man on a mission who is taking time to put the bits to good shape. Could it be that he is taking his time to win the battle of legitimacy that is tilted against his regime? Is he waiting for the whistle blower (OBJ) to say, you can go Shehu? Well, I consider it wise to give this man the benefit of doubt. He might just be his own man trying to understand the 'impossibility' called Nigeria. His list of ministers to the national assembly does not give credence to my hopes. However, when the chips are down I am confident that democracy will continue to refine itself. What do we say about, Mr. Egbaman (OBJ)The supreme commander of PDP Board of Trustee and the omega point of one queer PDP creation 'whatever on legislative agenda'. OBJ is everywhere in this government and it will take Yar'Adua some years to be his own man. Nigerians should be alert to call this man back if OBJ decides to draw him all to himself.

GEAR TWO: LOOKING INTO YOUR EYES

My compatriot, looking into your eyes after the reign of terror that followed the general elections, I can see once again frustration trickling down your eyes. I could almost feel the anguish of your heart. If not for being a communicator, I assure you that I would have given up reading Nigerian news because it is a recycled scenario that holds no novelty. Yes, you must admit that the elections of this year was one more time worse than the previous one. One of my friends and a great proponent of evolutionary politics might be leaning on the law of diminishing returns to catch up with this massive perpetration of injustice. But what I see is that if the trend is an exponential sophistication of fraud and thuggery, the blatant co-option of 'independent' institutions like Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Security operatives, then we are not in a learning process because in learning each stage improves on the former.

Tears, only but tears trickled down my eyes. It was in CNN, BBC; Aljazeera among others, that this country is a pariah state. Weep not my child, weep not my darling for those who made spirited effort to keep our heads high are not giving up the struggle. We are not giving up the struggle because democracy is not about elections only but the consolidation of democratic values. While others may have chosen to wait again for four years to come out and tell us that God has sent them to take over the affairs of our country, look out for those who after elections are ready to keep galvanizing our voices and to put smile in the face of many downtrodden Nigerians.

We are getting it right, we are resorting to gear two. The first gear was a hard start but the second puts us on a smooter ride. Don't forget that the higher we go, the better it shall be. Tighten your belt and let us ride on.

14th APRIL: SENSA PAROLE!!!! WITHOUT WORDS

After the 'free' and 'fair' elections conducted on the 14th; die hard optimists like us will still insist that the nation is not going to remain the same and that together we can change the situation. Was there elections by the way? My best imagination is that there was only a semblance of election because there was an electoral body, a day for election and political parties. However, beyond these, my mouth is shot. After all, I was not in Nigeria.

If I cannot trust the media reports from both the international and local media perhaps, I could trust my Mum whom I called on the night of the 14th. 'Ikem, I did not vote' she responded. Why didn't you vote? 'My son, we got there(pooling boot) but there was no sign of voting going on, no officials, no voting materials, nothing'. What did you do then? 'Around 2:30 in the after noon some heavily armed uniformed men took over the place and there was a rather sham pretence of voting for 30 minutes and that was it'. 'My son forget this place, we don't really belong'

My poor mother left in desperation, once again disenfranchised and hopeless. Mum, don't worry, I am caught without words just like many Nigerians but the end is very close, I can smell it and as long as we keep the hope, we shall not remain speechless for long.

ARARUME: LEARNING THE HARD WAY

Only God knows what is going on in the mind of Ifeanyi Ararume, the disgraced, disqualified and disdained erstwhile governorship candidate of PDP in Imo state. The poor masses are laughing last obviously. Ararume is not a victim of political grand posturing of the Aso Rock gods, he is a victim of a fallout of a gang to which he belongs. May be governorship candidate was the promise that held him as one of the most vocal supporters of the failed third term for Mr:President. Charles Ugwu the Abuja anointed candidate was also an apostle of third term, if not the first person to mention it during his valedictory speech as the out-going Chairman of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). Now that God has said no to both men, I call it nemesis for Ararume, a failure for PDP and a deterrent to other self-seeking Nigerian politicians. The trade off for Ararume is too costly. We are having the last laugh.