The Nation Newspaper

Category: Mobolaji Sanusi

  • 2013 and opposition politics

    “Great leadership isn’t shaped in the absence of opposition but in the presence of it. Great leaders draw us together by our universal humanity; they galvanize the wills of the willing; they draw clarity from the spigot of chaos.”
    ¯ Charles M. Blow

    Where in Nigeria is the opposition that is the blaze that tempers the rapier and the frost that calms fiery rage? Where is effective opposition of the mould that the nation could learn from? These questions are what political opposition in year 2013 should provide answers for as subtle planning for 2015, year of fresh general elections, begins in earnest. It is important for the opposition to rally support to uproot the current go-slow government from Aso-Rock. This is achievable provided the opposition will not submit to covert and overt official attempts to decimate them.

    President Goodluck Jonathan, like his predecessors in office, seems not to appreciate the existence of the opposition. He seems to have forgotten that the opposition is indispensable in any system. His political henchmen will be machinating on how to pocket the opposition before the next elections but if he allows this rather than good governance as his score card, then he will be acting un-statesmanly. Walter Lippmann has some words for Jonathan when he said: ‘A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise, he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense.’ This should act as food for though for the president in 2013.

    Again what does the nation’s political opposition have in stock for Nigerians in 2013?

    Whenever one thinks of the current opposition politics in Nigeria, what readily comes to mind is the statement of that British statesman, Benjamin Disraeli when he said: ‘Circumstances are beyond human control, but our conduct is in our own power.’ The statement becomes apt in view of the fact that President Jonathan’s ascension to power was a fait accompli, but his retention of power should not be viewed as such by Nigerians and especially the opposition. The president assumes power not by popular ballot but upon the death of his boss, late President Umaru Yar’Adua, despite high wired intrigues by grovellers of the late president against his constitutional choice. The opposition at this time should do everything to ensure that the president’s second coming as a civilian president is determined by the people. But so far, what is the opposition doing to make sure the process is not hijacked from them? Is the opposition currently doing enough to stop Jonathan by making the votes count in 24 months time? What about the electoral tyranny from the centre government? How can it be stopped?

    Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state and national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), unarguably Nigeria’s largest opposition party, in July 2011, delivered a lecture at London’s Royal Institute of International Affairs on “Democracy and the Rebirth of the Opposition in Nigeria” where he gave a dour admonition: “Our country’s democracy remains a parody of true democracies. Ours has mimicked some essential aspects of military and authoritarian rule.” While one agrees with this realistic submission, it will be opportune to equally ask what the opposition in the Nigeria’s political firmament has done to erase all traces of tyranny and authoritarianism in the polity. Are they not complicit in this oppressive game?

    Yes, we might say that the opposition under this democratic dispensation has made remarkable onslaughts in some areas, rising glowingly to the occasion by saving the nation from avoidable periodic tyrannical blows. Let’s have a peep into two of such occasions. One was the attempt by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, a master in the game of tyranny, to elongate his tenure that has now been commonly referred to as the Third Term Agenda, even when the 1999 Constitution (as amended) allows for two terms of four years each. The opposition with the support of some conservatives vanquished the idea. Another was when the opposition party in the south-west mobilised the people to route out of power the oppressively conservative People’s Democratic Party (PDP) administrations in virtually all the Yoruba speaking states.

    Despite these notable landmarks however, one could still not fathom why the opposition, especially in the south-west, refused to field a presidential candidate in 2003 Presidential election while surreptitiously rooting for the candidate of the centre party? It still remains baffling why and how ‘go slow’ President Jonathan cleared the entire votes in south-west, except Osun state, in the 2011 presidential election when the ruling progressive Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) party, presumably the most popular party in those areas had its own presidential candidate. This I consider to be a gaffe and do hope such will not repeat itself in 2015 because the partisan and the non partisan are now regretting the 2011 electoral choice of Jonathan.

    As we begin 2013, no rapprochement between the centre party and opposition political parties will foster any good result that could be of common benefit in the end. The fact that something has not been achieved before does not mean it would not be achieved one day. Some might allude to the fact that in the First and Second Republics, efforts geared towards upstaging ruling parties through mergers failed. Fingers will be pointed to the First Republic when the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA) comprising the National Council for Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) and the Action Group failed to upstage then ruling centre party – the Northern People’s Congress (NPC). Also in the Second Republic- the National Party of Nigerian (NPN) remained the central ruling party, despite the alliance under the name- People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) by the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), People’s Redemption Party (PRP) and Great Nigeria People’s Party (GNPP). Since the advent of democratic rule in1999, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has forcefully sustained this curious tradition that led those two Republics to nowhere.

    There have been news of merger moves since last year and some cynics are already writing such moves off. But if the opposition parties can be truthful, sincere and steadfast with one another, then, the time for upstaging the ruling PDP centre government might be around the corner. In this 2013, the opposition must lay the foundation for a formidable front before any meaningful political re-orientation and change can take place in months ahead.

  • New Year: Brooding over poor governance

    New Year: Brooding over poor governance

    ‘To govern according to sense and agreeable with the interest of the people is a great and glorious element of government…’——–—Edmund Burke

    This is the last piece from this column for year ending 2012. So, the New Year would have been some days old before next Friday’s edition will be due. As an observer and commentator on events of the past months, one thinks it pertinent to reflect over the way governance is being muddled up in the country in the past twelve months. President Goodluck Jonathan started this year on the wrong side of history. On the first day of January, 2012, he greeted Nigerians with indefensible 49 per cent fuel price increase under the guise of removing fuel subsidy. Nigerians resisted the cruel move and in the end, his imprudence in decision making came to the fore when the sleaze about the corruption called fuel subsidy started coming to the public domain.

    The shame of that expose should ordinarily have compelled the president to resign in other clime but this is Nigeria where anything, including official criminality can maliciously escape the klieglight of the law. From that January till today, just three days before year 2013 beckons, the president has been wobbling and fumbling in his handling of state matters. Yet, he is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces that seem to have lost control over his troops.

    The spate of insecurity in the country has continually been on the increase without corresponding effective solutions from the presidency. The Boko Haram cankerworm, the armed robbery operations, kidnappings and abductions continue without inhibition. It is only when family members of top-notchers in government and society are victims of kidnapping that the security agencies really prove that they can work. Yet, the president sees nothing bad in the deployment of military jet for personal use of one of his aides recently. It is indeed very sad that the military jet used during the final rites of Oronto Douglas’ father crashed. May the souls of the victims of that crash rest in peace. Amen. But the fact still remains that it was wrong to have deployed such important service jet for the social use of a mere presidential aide. Such impunity must have been going on within power circles without the public knowing. And Nigerians would not have known but for the unfortunate crash that claimed the lives of those brilliant Nigerians. Who then should be held responsible if not a president that is obviously not in firm control of his office?

    Surprisingly, the same president in his Christmas message wants Nigerians to still be hopeful about a positive turn around in his uninspiring approach to governance. He said: “No one should doubt that we have the political will and determination to deliver on our promise of positive changes in the living conditions of our people in the shortest possible time….. It is my hope and expectation that more of the efforts, actions and measures we are already undertaking in these areas will successfully come to fruition next years and make the results of the diligent project planning and execution being done under this administration more apparent to all Nigerians.”

    Which of President Jonathan’s project was diligently planned and executed? Could it be the fuel subsidy removal policy which even the unintelligible in the society now know is just a conduit pipe to service the profligacious proclivity of some powerful elements in government and the society. Let us flash our minds to the messy details of corruption that trailed report of the House of Representatives ad hoccommittee that probed management of subsidy funds; What about that of the Mallam Nuhu Ribadu oil Committee that finally nailed the presidency as being complicit in the fuel subsidy scam that Nigerians are made to forcefully pay for. It is sad that the president still believes in fuel subsidy when those‘oil thieves’ indicted in the various committees’ reports are now roaming freely in the streets. More importantly, the issue of corruption of values is hurting the nation so much; what has the president done about it? In Jonathan’s usual saying, it may be true that corruption in the country predates his ascension to power but he owes Nigerians that duty of bringing it to a minimal level now that he is fully in power. Is he doing this? The only thing that the present government understands is how to further entrench the anomalies of the past in the public affairs of the country.

    Let us be sincere with ourselves, Nigerians may find it difficult to believe Mr President whose hallmark as president has been imprudence. He seems not to be perturbed by the looming harsh verdict of history.

    To brood over the nation’s avoidable afflictions is a serious issue that could engage one for days. But the leadership is not bothered about the hypertensive consequences of these endless thoughts about Nigeria’s problems by right thinking citizens.

    What then happens in 2013? Will it be the routine ritual of doing things the old ways? Will this administration give serious and sincere priority to the security and welfare of Nigerians? Will there be safety net to cushion the effect of official profligacy that erroneously looks incurable? Indeed, brooding over Nigeria’s problems is an important work on its own because governance in 2012 was not done according to good sense nor was it carried out in the interest of the people.

    Thank you all….my readers!

    All thanks to God, the almighty, for imbuing one with the grace of good life, knowledge and the skill to sustain this column in the past 12 months. Our sincere gratitude to readers for their interest in the column and The Nation newspaper, over the past months. Let me state that those responses of yours, through text messages, though not usually published, are very inspiring and motivating. May I seize this opportunity to wish you all compliment of the season and a prosperous New Year in advance.

  • Let’s move away from old song

    Let’s move away from old song

    The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn’t like to do. ——— Thomas Edison ¯ President Barack Obama

    One common denominator of most administrations both at the federal and state levels in this country is that one government comes promising to remedy the shortcomings of its predecessor in office. But as time elapses, it becomes clearer that such government becomes more ingrained in the pitfalls it promised ab initio to remedy. This has unfortunately been the bane of governance in this country and one major raison d’être why development and growth have become a mirage. Except in rare and exceptional cases, the nation had consistently been blessed with leaders that are not capable or mischievously incapable of going beyond the level of routine. And this reminds of Barack Hussein Obama’s, the current president of the United States of America (USA) assertion that: “A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things.” I ask: Where are the ordinary leaders that will bring about the desired change in the country because they are committed and willing to do extraordinary things that would positively impact on the people.

    Unlike the ordinary leaders with extraordinary potentials projected by Obama, Nigeria has been inflicted with leaders that encourage their people to be interested in projects/policies without necessarily bothering to gauge their level of commitment to such. They force them to be involved in them. They have forgotten that there is a difference between interest and commitment. When an individual is interested in doing something, he will prefer to do it only when circumstance permit or just for the sake of doing it. But when he is committed to something, he would stop at nothing as no excuses will be tenable but results.

    In the history of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida was the most adventurous military leader that ever emerged. He toyed with policy ideas both meaningful and un-meaningful with the most negative of intensions. His henchmen showed interests in such economic and political decisions but they were not committed to them. After eight years of dangerous experimentations with the wellbeing of the nation, Babangida dribbled himself out of power and out of the good books of his country men and women. Now, tales of how his era laid the foundation of the yahoo economy of today rent the air. That was how the ordinary administration of Babangida with extraordinary ambition inflicted injurious blows on the socio-economic and political psyche of the nation.

    Whatever barmy interlude the General Sani Abacha government might have put the country through was caused by the dubiously uncommitted posture of the Babangida administration. When the current democratic dispensation unfurled in 1999, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo emerged on the scene, promising to put smiles on the faces of his country men. But after four years of fruitless global junketing, supposedly in search of phantom foreign investors, the man failed to build a committed team of public officials that could take the land out of the woods. Despite this, he was reluctantly given a second term ticket by his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to run for another term which the electoral commission claimed he won. It was during his second term that he solidified his uncommitted team that played along with him on his destructive tenure elongation ambition.

    Obasanjo elevated his third term ambition to a state policy. But it was not. Rather than concentrate on how to provide stable power supply, he was busy playing politics with the lives of the people he swore to govern well. He frustrated the lofty Bola Tinubu administration’s Enron power project initiative in Lagos state. Like he did in Lagos, he also undermined the institution of several lofty projects in key states of the federation. Yet, he was for eight years unable to ensure stable power supply to Nigerians despite the billions of dollars his government wasted on that sector. The Obasanjo era was all about him alone and not anything laudable; no team work, no commitment but only interests that were mostly out to serve a few. This actually created succession problem for he was not thinking beyond himself in that regard.

    The same old song went on after Obasanjo when a reluctant ailing Umaru Yar’Adua was made president. In months, the man showed his lack of capacity to rule this country due to his failing health conditions. When he died, he left a rag tag team of uncommitted officials that were only interested in what will serve their essence.

    After him came President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who has been given the opportunity to prove that though he may be ordinary but that he can generate extraordinary ideas that can move the country forward. So far, this president is a failure because he has not proved that he possesses even ordinary ideas that can guarantee rudimentary stability. Governance at the centre is so far nothing to write home about.

    However, at the state level, it would be unnecessary to bore my readers with the good deeds of the governor of example, Babatunde Raji Fashola. Nevertheless, it is important to state that the old music is changing in Oyo state where the latest birthday Governor Abiola Ajimobi is holding forth. The result of this, especially in the famous capital city of Ibadan is obvious for all to see. What is happening in some of the states is quite different from the same old songs at the federal level. One is elated to note that Ibadan, the quintessence of the wild, wild, west and the once very dirty city is changing to a clean and peaceful state. Under Rashidi Ladoja and especially Alao Akala’s administrations in Oyo state, Ibadan was den of mucks and miscreants. Ajimobi is battling flood to a stand still in the city with well constructed drainage systems and proper desilting process on ground. The roads that yours sincerely passed through last weekend in Ibadan on my way from Ikirun are better and clean with an evolving admirable beautification revolution going on. Perhaps, it will not be a bad idea for one to create time to visit this important city to Nigeria’s political history very soon to have a broader grasp of the socio-engineering reforms going on there.

    As we approach a New Year, it has become pertinent for the centre government to emulate examples from performing states across the federation where the infamous old tune of governance is drastically changing.

  • Nelson Mandela on my mind!

    Nelson Mandela on my mind!

    ‘The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.’
    ———Bruce Lee

    At age 94, some people might be wondering why Nelson Mandela’s state of health is bothering my mind. But the truth is that majority of people from across the world feel so concerned too about the hospitalisation of this South-Africa’s political legend. As far back as January 2011, he was admitted to a Johannesburg hospital for specialised tests aimed at finding cure for his respiratory infections and old age induced prostate cancer.

    In February 2012, he was further hospitalised for what was described as a long-standing abdominal complaint. Now, Mandela is back in the hospital and we can not but continue to pray fervently for his fast recuperation. Some wonder: Why is the entire world so apprehensive for the life of a 94 years old man? At the risk of sounding immodest, Mandela is one of, if not, the most revered living or dead statesmen, that mankind ever produced.

    All black men; all black women; all coloured people and those with humanity flowing in their veins from whichever continent of the world would voluntarily attest to the greatness of Mandela. Perhaps before Mandela, the contemporary developed world axis has given up hope on the leadership capacity of black men. Mandela was an activist against apartheid rule in his home country of South-Africa. He fought and was ready to die fighting for what he believed in.

    Mandela could have compromised his brethrens’ freedom by negotiating his comfort with the pro-apartheid mongers. Of course, as far back as 1952 (60 years ago), he opened the first black legal firm in Johannesburg with his soul mate and partner in activism, Oliver Tambo. To be armed with a knowledge of law at that period was a passport to comfortable existence but he shunned this, preferring to fight for the total emancipation of his people from the shackles of apartheid subjugation, even when it meant doing that from the confines of the prison when he was undeservedly sentenced, alongside seven others, to life imprisonment on June 12, 1964. The white South-Africans in power tried all tricks to lure him out of his move against them but he stoutly refused. It was then that he reportedly made that famous statement: ‘Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners cannot enter into contracts.”

    Mandela was determined to die so that his people can be free. He established this fact in one of his appearances during the Rivonia Trial in October 1963. Mandela joined the other accused – Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, Raymond Mhlaba, Elias Motsoaledi, Ahmed Kathrada, Denis Goldberg and Wilton Mkwayi – being tried for sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government when he stated: “I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities…It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

    But Mandela did not die in prison for he still lives to savour the soothing air of freedom since when the apartheid rule crumbled in 1990. That year, then President FW de Klerk lifted the ban on the African National Congress (ANC), after intense global pressure; thence, Mandela was released from prison in February 11, 1990 before he later emerged the first black South African president of a new multi-racial democracy, where all races voted in 1994.

    Nelson Rolihlahla Dalibhunga Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. His mother was Nonqaphi Nosekeni while his father was Chief Henry Mandela from the Tembu Tribe and a chief counsellor to the Thembu royal family. Mandela lost his dad at age nine but Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo, then acting regent of his tribe’s royal throne took custody of him. Probably due to the bias of the British educational system in South Africa, his primary school teacher gave him Nelson as his new first name. He was educated at University College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand. He joined the African National Congress that was established in 1912 in 1944 and was deeply involved in resistance moves against the ruling National Party’s apartheid policies. In 1956, Mr Mandela was charged with high treason along with 156 other anti-apartheid activists. But the charges against him were dropped after a four-year trial. He led resistance against then Pass Laws, which restricted where black people could be allowed to live and work. The ANC was outlawed in 1960 and Mr Mandela went underground. Tension with the apartheid regime soared in 1960 when 69 black people were shot dead by police in the Sharpeville massacre.

    The ANC was banned in 1960 after which Mandela promoted the idea of military wing for the party that came to fruition in June 1961. This led to the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Mandela was re-arrested in 1962 and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment with hard labour. In 1963, some leaders of the ANC and the Umkhonto we Sizwe were arrested and Mandela was brought from prison to stand trial with them for plotting to overthrow the government by violence. His Life sentence in 1964 marked the end of peaceful resistance to apartheid policy. From 1964 to 1982, he was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town; thereafter, he was at Pollsmoor Prison from 1982 to when he was released. From 1968 to 1969 alone, Mandela lost his mother and eldest son to a car crash but the cruel regime of that time did not allow him to attend their funerals.

    While in prison, his profile rose as he became the most significant black leader and symbol of resistance against apartheid rule in South Africa. He left prison to serve as an elected president of South Africa from 1994-99 when he voluntarily stepped down for his long term buddy, Thabo Mbeki, to take over from him as president of South Africa. Another good old friend of his is Walter Sisulu. At the age of 85 in 2004, he also retired voluntarily from public life when others like him or relatively close to that age are still running around trying to belatedly burnish the integrity they destroyed while in power.

    Even at 94, Mandela is still on my mind as one rues over the dearth of good leadership in Africa. The Mo Ibrahim Leadership Foundation unbelievably could not found any African leader worthy of its award this year. What a shame! Yet, the continent could take solace in the fact that it still has a Mandela that represents everything good and moral. Yours sincerely wants him to still live more years, so as to inspire white and coloured leaderships across the continents of the world.

    The immortality of Mandela, whether alive or dead, is guaranteed. The goal in life is not to live forever but to create something that will outlive us. This being so, Mandela’s place in history is pre-eminently deserved and reserved. With the reverence being shown him all over the world, not only now but since he left prison, he has taught us all, through his selfless service to mankind that what we do for ourselves might die with us, but what we do for others and the world remains and is immortal. In global recognition of his good deeds/legacy to humanity, his birthday, July 18, has been declared Mandela Day.

    No doubt, Mandela, unlike other leaders in Africa, is living a life that is worth remembering. That is the difference between Mandela, a selfless activist and other pretentious African rulers masquerading as leaders and champions of the people’s causes. Here is wishing the Madiba of our epoch fast recovery and more years of peaceful existence

  • Okonjo-Iweala, Sanusi, Diezani: What essence?

    Okonjo-Iweala, Sanusi, Diezani: What essence?

    ‘History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamour of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.’
    ————Martin Luther King, Jr.

    In today’s Nigeria, the spirits of our ancestors are being troubled by agents of neo-colonialism that have espoused and inflicted painful policies on the people in the name of governance. Their jobs are being made easier because of the inept leadership that is epitomised by President Goodluck Jonathan. In the on-going dispensation, the most visible agents of neo-colonialism in the Nigerian system are Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and Mrs. Diezani Allison-Maduekwe. They are collaborators of disingenuous governance championed by President Jonathan through the Finance Ministry, Central Bank of Nigeria and the lucrative Ministry of Petroleum Resources respectively.

    Of recent, the conducts and utterances of the trio have insulted the sensibilities of Nigerians and even further damned the credibility of the current administration for lacking good sense of political economy. Sanusi Lamido, obviously the most loquacious among the world’s apex bank governors set the tone of malice against the struggling people of this country when he called for the sack of 50 per cent of civil servants in the federal civil service. In a contradictory argument quite unbefitting of a CBN governor, he averred in favour of fuel subsidy removal but in a bemused move canvassed for sanctioning of those indicted for stealing what he termed ‘subsidy’.

    While he received severe flaks for such impolitic statements, forcing him to swallow his verbatim reported words, denying them by saying that he was quoted out of contest, his misguided fellow and coordinating minister of the economy came out in public to fester the sore of Sanusi’s mischief by supporting this unnecessary and infamous policy vitriolic.

    At a recently press conference in Abuja, Okonjo-Iweala was reportedly quoted to have said: “We had this hue and cry about misquoting of Lamido and people almost called for his head, but you have to understand that when you talk about reducing cost of governance, you are ultimately talking about human beings.” She further added: “The same public that is crying about cost of governance will remind you that one civil servant is catering for five other Nigerians when you really want to reduce the cost of governance….Let me tell you, the targets of this fiscal tightening are human beings; they are the ones that must be eliminated to prune down the costs. The cost of personnel in the budget is 32 per cent and that is huge.”

    On the periphery, Okonjo-Iweala might seem to be making sense but upon rigorous scrutiny, it is discovered that what she has done, like her cohorts in the CBN and the Petroleum ministry, was to rationalize their clique’s greed and policy tyranny by saying that Sanusi’s call was made for the good of the nation. But we all know that nothing is more despicable than actions that appear on the surface to be respectable and praiseworthy but were in actual fact underlined by greed and other ulterior motives. Perhaps, the likes of Okonjo-Iweala and her friends in the corridors of power must realise that what is called governance is the judicious exercise of power and decision-making for a nation and that the well-being of the country depends on the choices made by the people granted this authority. If the policies of the Ministry of Finance, Petroleum Ministry and the CBN under the trio are not ones that can benefit the mass of the Nigerian people, then, what is their essence in the government of the country? It is opportune to remind the trio what they already know but are trying to hide, that Nigeria’s trillions and $44billion public debts have been shared by just 17,500 top public officers and political parasites. A better analysis on this claim will be done in this space by yours sincerely in the ensuing weeks ahead.

    This is why the trio with their satanic official views must be told in unequivocal terms that people like them in public office whether directly or indirectly undermine among others, Nigeria’s national security, overall safety and Nigerians confidence and trust in their government. It is an open secret that virtually those that are in the corridors of power engage in money laundering, official extortion, embezzlement, collection of kickbacks and bribes. They utilise public office for private advantage.

    The focus on these three public figures in this column today is informed by the observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. where he said: ‘History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamour of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.’ It will be bad for yours sincerely to contribute to the evolving leadership and entrapped policy tragedies under President Jonathan by maintaining an undignified silence with some too trusting, or better put compromised citizens of this country. After all, a philosopher once said; we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.

    That is why one is saying through this medium that whatever successes might have been recorded by Okonjo-Iweala, Lamido Sanusi and Diezani in the private sector have been rubbished by their complicity in the looting of the nation’s till under this current dispensation. Were the trio still to be in the World Bank, First Bank or Chevron International respectively, would the looting under the guise of fuel subsidy going on in the country, under their supervision, have been condoned? Could they say in all honesty that they have positively impacted on the Nigerian nation with their oppressively drab and provokingly stagnant managerial styles? Will the World Bank have condoned a budget situation where the recurrent will be higher than capital expenditures that Iweala sits atop? Will their subordinates in former places of work be proud of their double standards and policy affronts on Nigerians? Could the trio in all conscience be bold to affirm that more jobs have been created under this regime to necessitate their calls for sack of public workers?

    Thomas Paine once said that: “It is the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government.”The demand to make at this juncture is to ask genuine patriots and groups to come out and demand for the sack of Okonjo-Iweala, Sanusi Lamido and Diezani from this administration for failing to be good ambassadors of good governance. Indeed, the trio are advocates of governance by mischief and deceit. For their boss, Jonathan’s sack, let us all wait till 2015 when we should all refuse to cast our votes for him.

  • Stolen N5trn: Waiting for Jonathan’s alibi

    Stolen N5trn: Waiting for Jonathan’s alibi

    “To oppose corruption in government is the highest obligation of patriotism.”
    — G. Edward Griffin

    The Punch newspaper on Sunday broke the news that about N5tn in government funds have been stolen through fraud, embezzlement and theft. This kleptocracy reportedly occurs from May 6, 2010 when President Goodluck Jonathan assumed office till date. Surprisingly, no official denial has emanated from the presidency. Perhaps, this is a confirmation of the saying: Silence means consent.

    The investigation was the consequence of careful scrutiny of reports of the various committees set up by the President to probe some sectors of the economy, particularly oil and gas and disclosures by some senior government officials. They include the Mallam Nuhu Ribadu-led Petroleum Task Force report; the Minister of Trade and Investment’s report on stolen crude; the House of Representatives fuel subsidy report and investigations into the ecological fund, SIM card registration and frequency band spectrum sale.

    The findings of these committees were too sordid to believe. Were the nation to be blessed with principled leaders, this president ought to be history by now for he would have taken the path of honour: Tender his letter of voluntary resignation for failing to lead the country on the right path. The parliament can even commence impeachment proceedings against him. Mr President’s current path of graft is an embarrassment to the black race.

    Let us have an adumbration of his litany of financial transgressions: The House of Representatives raised the alarm that the N2.6trn the Federal Government paid for oil subsidy in 2011 could not be properly accounted for. A subsequent report by the Presidential Committee on Verification and Reconciliation of Fuel Subsidy Payments, led by Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede later revealed that in 2011, 197 subsidy transactions worth N232bn were illegitimate. In July, the House of Representatives Committee on Environment discovered a tree seedling fraud worth N2bn awarded by the Ecological Fund office. A beam of searchlight equally shows that a 450MHz frequency that was valued at over $50m was allegedly sold for less than $6m (a difference of $44m or N6.9bn) by the Nigeria Communications Commission(NCC). The investigation reportedly followed the delay in completing the exercise and the request by NCC for additional N1bn for the project in its 2012 budget. The commission should come out to affirm or deny this grievous allegation. In the same telecoms sector, the House of Representatives, earlier this year, commenced investigations into the N6.1bn SIM card registration project embarked upon by the NCC in 2011. The avoidable project which amounted to a duplication of the jobs of the mobile telecoms providers was discovered to be another conduit pipe for stealing billions of naira from the public till.

    In October, Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, in a letter to the President, revealed that 24 million barrels of oil worth $1.6bn (N252bn) was stolen between July and September this year. According to Aganga, his signature was forged on the Export Clearance Permit that was used to export the crude oil from Nigeria. Mr President has not done anything about this criminality, even when he has absolute powers over such issues. His government is bereft of direction and bemoans over matters that ordinarily could be averted. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Finance and (mis)coordinator of the economy sometimes in May made an statement that government lost a fifth of its oil revenues to theft in April. This is despite the appointment of miscreants/sea pirates by same government that are paid billions of naira to monitor the oil pipelines and territorial waters.

    The Ribadu report on the oil and gas sector put daily crude oil theft at an unbelievably high 250,000 barrels daily at a cost of $6.3bn (N1.2trn) a year to the nation. This puts the total amount lost through oil theft in the two years of Jonathan’s government at over $12.6bn (N2trn): It also discovered among others that ministers of Petroleum Resources between 2008 and 2011 handed out seven discretionary oil licences and that government lost $183m (N29bn) in signature bonuses via these shady deals; that three of the oil licences were allegedly awarded under the current petroleum minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. What more as a renowned international audit and financial advisory firm, KPMG, recently stated that Nigeria accounted for the highest number of fraud cases in Africa in the first half of 2012. All these stupendous grafts were perpetrated under a president that once told us he had no shoes. Could it be that he and his men are now venting their spleen of poverty antecedent on the nation’s till or how come that the president has been so inept in arresting the unlimited ‘lootocracy’going on under his nose.

    If not for the abysmal level of value degeneration in the country, the duty of mass challenge of corruption under this administration would have been easy. The rotten smell of corruption is bad enough but more detestable is the knowledge that someone in leadership position that ought to take drastic steps against the cankerworm is hiding it from the public in this country of ours.

    Yet, one of his disastrous henchmen called Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), made an outburst that likens him to a man that talks and then reason afterwards. Lamido Sanusi, after shamefully supervising the activities of commercial banks that aided and abetted the perpetration of corruption and fraud in the country wants 50 per cent of civil servants to be sacked; notwithstanding the fact that the percentage level of astronomical unemployment in the country is unpublishable. In one breath, he supports removal of fuel subsidy but in clear contradiction of this position wants those that embezzles fuel subsidy payments to be sanctioned. What this Lamido calls subsidy is the corruption and fraud of his elite friends and families in power and that of the business community moguls. Lamido like Jonathan do have nothing to offer this country other than to further confuse an already bemused Nigerians

    While waiting for Mr President’s alibion the graft syndrome that is ravaging his administration, it is pertinent to say that one is through this medium taking the challenge of opposing corruption in all ramifications because doing that is the highest obligation of patriotism to this country called Nigeria. It will be on record that Jonathan surpassed the graft record of his predecessors in office. As if this is not enough insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians, he still wants to seek a renewed mandate of another four years in 2015. This game of graft under Jonathan must be stopped by Nigerians come 2015 since the national assembly have become a compromised partner in this game against development and growth of the country. This malignant disease called corruption is endangering the morals of our entire country.

  • Jesters go, jesters come

    Jesters go, jesters come

    “Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.”

    ———— Ralph Waldo Emerson 

    Wonder, they say, shall never end! It is laughable to know that some Nigerians for want of something to do to attract national attention and subsequently leverage on that to get official patronage have gathered themselves together. They were reportedly called 50 eminent southern and northern Nigerian leaders under the aegis of Project Nigeria. Their mission: To come up with ideas on how to ensure good governance and bring about unity among stakeholders in the Nigerian project.

    In tandem with established pattern that has annoyingly become a routine in the country, the promoters of the initiative looked for a respectable Nigerian, Professor Ben Nwabueze, the renowned constitutional lawyer, to chair its activities. But, it would not be surprising in the end to discover that the revered professor would be abandoned for juicy appointments by most members of the project in the administration of President Jonathan Goodluck. Nigerians are used to such people claiming to be ‘eminent’, taking such routes in the past.

    Indeed, Nigeria has avoidable collapsing problems that need urgent attention. But can such challenges be fixed by few hand-picked but partisan supposed elders sitting in the cockpit of one Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, to determine the fate of the entire country? Without being deemed disrespectful, apart from Nwabueze, the run-down of members looks ludicrous. There is Adamu Ciroma, former minister and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria who was appointed to head a sub-committee that would move round the country and interface with other Nigerians on the way forward. Unfortunately, this same Ciroma, a northern jingoist, erroneously believes that northerners are superior to other ethnic groups in the country and as such must continue to rule forever. How can such a person now be saddled with the onerous responsibility of heading a committee that would interface with other ethnic groupings in the country? Ab initio, the result of such meetings can be predicted!

    The other members of the project as reportedly present at the meeting include Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, former head of the dreaded monster called Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO), Iyorcha Ayu, fairly respected leader from Benue state and ex Senate-President, Chief Felix Ibru, former Delta State Governor, Senator Jubril Aminu, the progenitor of failed normadic education in the north that gulped billions of Nigeria’s hard earned money and former minister of Education and later Petroleum under Babangida’s administration. Others are Annkio Brigg, spokesperson of the Ijaw Republican Assembly, Prof. Kimse Okoko, former President of the Ijaw National Conference and Dr. Tunji Abayomi, activist lawyer and failed governorship aspirant under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) among others. Surprisingly, these are the names of supposed ‘eminent’ Nigerians that want to come up with ideas to be presented to President Jonathan on how to move this country forward. Will Mr. President listen to them or will he just treat their submissions as one of the ranting of most Nigerian elites that are known for craving undue opportunism from the corridors of power?

    Benjamin Disraeli once made an instructive statement about his leadership style when he said: ‘I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?’ What this means is that Disraeli became a successful leader because he listened to what his people wanted. On this way forward for the abyss that the nation is currently relapsing, the solution lies not in the report of this kind of handpicked elite but truly allowing the people to have a say in solving the problems of bad governance, corruption, defective federal structure, ineffective electoral system and deteriorating institutions among others.

    If truly they want to be the voice of Nigerians and be seen as genuine leaders, they, like Disraeli, must follow the people. The best way to allow the people to show the way is not to gather in one hall and concoct a document that would be far from being referred to as the correct wishes of the people of Nigeria. George W. Bush (snr), former President of United States of America once gave an insight into parameters of self-examination for supposed eminent leaders, not only in America but other parts of the world when he said: ‘Leadership to me means duty, honour, country. It means character, and it means listening from time to time.’ How many of those on this project have the duty, honour and selfless love for this country? Even in their professional callings or others, not to talk of political leadership, how many of them have the character of purpose and admirable ability to listen from time to time to people around them? Do they truly believe in the Nigerian project or they are just looking for avenues to fester their economic conclaves? These are question that only the conscience can answer. But unfortunately, human conscience is not open for others to see. There lies the conundrum!

    President Jonathan is not doing well and this is a big challenge for the country. The problems of this clime are caused more by people who in the daylight castigate those in government but later pay nocturnal obeisance to the rulers. Can such rulers have respect for opinions of such supposedly distinguished Nigerians? When yours sincerely looks at the membership structure of this Eminent 50, my mind tells me that majority of them cannot meet the needs or aspirations of Nigerians as observed by Ralph Waldo Emerson when he said: “Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” Nigerians know what they could be but can these ‘eminent’ people inspire them to be just that? I see Jonathan laughing in the secured confines of Aso-Rock Villa!

    Professor Ibiyemi-Olatunji Bello mni

    Tomorrow in Kuru, Jos, the graduation ceremony of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) will hold for the current graduating participants of the Senior Executive Course 34, 2012. NIPSS remains the highest professional attainment for accomplished technocrats in the country.

    Among the highly rated graduates of tomorrow is Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, former acting vice-chancellor and current deputy-vice-chancellor of the Lagos State University and more importantly, spouse of Hon. Tunji Bello; a lawyer, accomplished journalist and highly esteemed Commissioner for the Environment of Lagos State.

    Prof, congrats for this lofty attainment but do not forget to keep my wine ooo!

  • Okada and Fashola-phenomenon

    Okada and Fashola-phenomenon

    ‘I have nothing but contempt for the kind of governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow the course that he knows is best for the State.’
    —————Sophocles,Dec 30, 0495- December 30, 0405

    Any time the controversy regarding the issue of Okadarestriction by the Lagos state government comes up, my mind flips back to the memory of that ancient Greek philosopher cum playwright, Sophocles (0495-0405). Sophocles, a man born in Colonus (Athens) was a wealthy and well educated man of his epoch who wrote about 123 plays. But the one he was best known for is the master piece: ‘Oedipus the King’ (Oedipus Rex). In one of the ruminations over the rating of governments of his era, he was recorded by history to have said: ‘I have nothing but contempt for the kind of governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow the course that he knows is best for the State.’

    This statement aptly depicts my understanding of why Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola might have signed the new Lagos Road Traffic Law that is still generating hullabaloo in the polity. Most inhabitants of the state, because of the peripheral relief that commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders) offer them, believe though erroneously that the governor is a cruel man that has no empathy for the people he governs.

    Without any attempt at pretending not to appreciate the usefulness of Okada in a system with a public transportation system that has been under serious challenges for decades; it is germane to state that the governor is being vilified for not being afraid to pursue the course that he truly believes is best for the people of Lagos state. Someone like him will not be treated with contempt by Sophocles and perhaps, millions of other Lagos inhabitants, including yours sincerely, that believe that change is inevitable in life. Though people may resent change but history has shown that they later embraced it in the long run. Just one example out of several others would suffice; when Fashola implemented the BRT project initiated by the Bola Tinubu administration, members of the NURTW and commuters resented it vehemently. The NURTW even went on strike with some of its unscrupulous members damaging some of the new buses. Because commuters were stranded at bus stops, they complained and blamed the government- just because of temporary transportation setbacks. But today, everybody is applauding that transportation programme. Such could have been truncated but for the governor’s belief in what he thinks are good for the state.

    The Okada people like the NURTW members, reportedly have taken the laws into their hands making bonfires and damaging public transport buses. They seem to have forgotten that they are not above the law. Marshall Thurgood (1908-1993), a former U.S. solicitor general in a speech delivered at the St. Louis, Missouri on August 15, 1966 admonished: ‘Lawlessness is lawlessness. Anarchy is anarchy. Neither race nor colour nor frustration is an excuse for either lawlessness or anarchy.’ What this implies is that the okada riders have no respect for the rule of law by their engagement in criminality. Afterall, what has the Traffic Law says that is beyond this world other than to seek to restore sanity and decency on Lagos roads.

    Let us have a perusal: The Law bans operation of commercial motorcyclists on 475 out of the over 9,010 routes in Lagos State through a law passed by Lagos State House of Assembly. The reason for this can be gleaned from the official statistics compiled by the Planning and Research Department of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and corroborated by the State Police Command’s records which of course are yet to be disputed by the okada riders in the state. Let us ask the Okada people what they have to say to the figures that not less than 619 people were killed or seriously injured in commercial motorcycle accidents across the Lagos between January 2010 and October 2012. From the number, 107 people died while 512 sustained serious injuries from the accidents. The gender breakdown shows that 71 males and 36 females died during the period. Can the okada riders dispute the fact that Okada accidents have been on the increase in barely over a year. Despite the poor record keeping status of the country and the fact that several okada accidents might never be reported, it is yet to be argued by antagonists of okada restrictions that 271 accidents occurred in 2011 and that that same year, 47 were killed while 98 persons were injured. These okada riders can not controvert the fact that in 2012, 171 accidents occurred. More sadly is the fact that the death toll in 2012 increased to 63 people with 59 sustaining serious injuries from the record so far gathered. The figures might be more. The above are in the realm of safety even when the security statistics reeled out by the State Police Command through Umar Abubakar Mango, Lagos Commissioner of Police sounds confounding.

    The Police security record reveals that of the 30 armed robbery incidents recorded between the months of July and September 2012, twenty-two were deftly the handiworks of Okada motorcycle riders. In July alone, eight robbery operations were recorded with seven involving the use of okada; in August, five out of eight robberies were the handiworks of okada; In September, ten out of fourteen robberies were carried out with Okada. More damning is the fact that okada riders lurk around especially banks, houses and offices waiting for people that have gone to collect money to rob them of not only the money but other valuables. Even assassins/abductors have used okada to commit criminality not only in Lagos but in other parts of the country. Most brand new cars get old quickly not because of manufacturers’ defects or carelessness of owners but because okada riders drive aimlessly on the highways and streets inflicting in the process dents and scratches on motor vehicles. The car owners are left to bear the brunt of repair costs later.

    Whatever the utility value of commercial okada to the owners and even its contributions to easing transportation problems in the state, such cannot supersede the security and welfare of the generality of Lagosians-said to be the primary aims of government in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    The Fashola-phenomenon is about excellence, good example and of true leadership to the good people of Lagos state. The recent call by the PDP in the state on the governor to emulate President Goodluck Jonathan is laughable. How can light and darkness be compared? The governor of example in Lagos is a performer while the president at the centre is a weakling. We do not need to be unnecessarily emotive about this matter of okada restriction.

    Unfortunately, the problem with our people is that they hardly want to endure short term pains that would bring long term succour for the benefit of all. It is just a matter of time, we shall all commend Fashola for not being afraid, for whatever reason, according to Sophocles, to follow the course that he knows is best for his State.

  • …And Americans inspire the world

    …And Americans inspire the world

    ‘The freeman casts with unpurchased hand, the vote that shakes the turrets of the land.’——— Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes

    For the better part of Tuesday, November 6, 2012, the entire world stayed glued to their television sets to watch the elections that held in the United States of America (USA). On that day, Americans trooped out to elect their president. To me as a black man, the interest was more than the fact that the world’s most important country elected a president. I was excited that Barack Obama, the first elected black president of that powerful country was seeking re-election. His loss would have made the white supremacists say that his election ab initio was a clanger. But with his re-election, it has been sealed beyond all reasonable doubts that his first election was no fluke. There lies the dynamism of the American society as being truly a land of opportunities, liberty and freedom.

    Let me make this confession. I do not like America. Yours sincerely hates their arrogance as a nation; that country’s diplomacy is hypocritical. While American leaders lead by example on the home fronts, they lead by precepts abroad, wrecking in the process, havoc of unimaginable proportions on citizens of other countries. But hate or love America, one cannot but admire the love and care it shows for her citizens. In return, Americans not only believe in their country, they see it as a national pride to lay down their lives for it. Americans revere their national flag, they love their country. America is a country that would continue to be admired for the inspiration it offers to its citizens – no matter my reservations.

    On Tuesday, the country further taught me through its elections of that day why my country will probably for a long time remain a developing country. Afterall, what is the essence of a country without electoral justice? It was long agreed upon that it is wrong for anyone to govern another without his consent; it becomes worse if such consent was fraudulently gotten as was/is the case in Nigeria. For instance, before the counting of votes was fully concluded and the direction of where the pendulum would tilt obvious, the American democratic tradition set in. Former Governor Mitt Romney, the Republican Presidential candidate did not just call the winner, Obama, he also addressed his supporters, conceding defeat in the process to the re-elected president. That to me is not only the hallmark but also the majesty of democracy – an attribute that is lacking in successive generations of politicians in my country.

    One has not said that democracy has attained the eldorado in America but the fact has shown that the country is far ahead of others in its march towards the ideal. It has been admitted by several democratic supporters that the cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy. Perhaps, it has to be stated here that democratic evils can be weakened when countries learn from mistakes made in previous elections. Obviously, this would have been one of the significant reasons American democracy is growing to the admiration of the world. But if we may ask ourselves: Why can’t Nigeria learn from its past electoral errors so that its democracy can truly grow? This is one invaluable question that time and space would permit to answer today.

    Furthermore: Where are the leaders that will take Nigeria to the land of true democracy? Where are the leaders of conscience that would be genuinely interested in free and fair elections that will be devoid of rigging and irregularities? Are such leaders currently in our midst? If yes, did they watch the majesty of democracy as epitomised by the last elections in America? Are such leaders ready to learn from past electoral mistakes in the country by embracing the American tradition that is devoid of electoral acrimony?

    Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States in his most quoted excerpts from an address he delivered at the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on November 19, 1863 stated; ‘…we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ Whether living or dead, America shows gratitude to their heroes. The country sees them as models that must not be forgotten. Above all, American governments love democracy as shown in the above Lincoln’s excerpt and their establishments respect the views of the citizens. Opinions or perception of Americans matter a lot to their governments which is why in their elections, they always ensure that the voice of the people usually triumph.

    This tradition was what made Lincoln to posit that the ‘government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.’ This definition is perhaps based on the assumption that democratically defiant countries like Nigeria and others will very soon learn their lessons from democratically developed countries like the United States. This lucid attempt assumes that existing defiant countries’ governments must learn to respect the opinions and wishes of their nationals- whether for or against their position on any matter, especially at election period.

    What should be done now is not to embrace democracy in principle but to also work assiduously towards removing all obstacles on its path of growing- in Nigeria and other parts of the world. In this country, we should emulate the virtues in America’s last elections by playing politics with decency, not animosity. We should ensure that during future elections in the country, it is not voting alone that counts; counting as an important part of the chain of democracy should also matter like we just collectively witnessed in the last American elections.

    As much as possible too, the electorate of this country must realise how powerful a weapon, their votes could be if they remain steadfast by not allowing themselves to be compromised by the politicians. This is because according to John Kenneth Galbraith ‘When people put their ballots in the boxes, they are, by that act, inoculated against the feeling that the government is not theirs. They then accept, in some measure that its errors are their errors, its aberrations their aberrations; that any revolt will be against them.’

    However, the electorate of Nigeria cannot claim collective liability for the errors of their governments today as such could be claimed in America. This is because they most times worked against the sense in Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ aphorism when he said: ‘The freeman casts with unpurchased hand, the vote that shakes the turrets of the land.’ The truth is that majority of the electorate in Nigeria do cast ‘purchased’ votes that cannot shake the turrets of the country positively. That is the bitter truth even as America continues to inspire the world with its democracy.

  • Musing over the Ajimobi scare

    Musing over the Ajimobi scare

    “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” ——— John Wooden

    The burden of leadership is enormous, especially in a country like Nigeria where people look up to those in public office rather than government for succour. This aberration may continue for a long time because the public perceives occupation of any public office as a means of self enrichment- Rather than building institutions and infrastructure, the public prefer politicians and public officers sharing government money out for them to spend.

    This culture of pecuniary public impunity that is common in the northern part of the country as epitomised by the almajiris’ syndrome is wantonly becoming a tradition in the southern part of the country. Any governor that is not willing to open the till for the politicians and their surrogates to erode is not a ‘performing’ governor. This erroneous belief system percolates down to the chairmen of councils, commissioners and even heads’ of agencies of government.

    The intensity of this condemnable tradition varies from one state to the other depending on the level of poverty and the degree of rot in its public service. So, when a governor that attempts to put things in shape gets to power, the tendency to attempt a destruction of the reputation of such person through character assassination in the court of public opinion is very high. Sadly enough, those politicians that are involved in this character assassination have mis-used their access to the press by passing judgement on the pages of newspapers and even on the various social media networks.

    Oyo state is one of the states where this culture of pecuniary impunity has become endemic in its public affairs. However, because the state has had the misfortune of being governed in the past by less focussed leaders such as Alao Akala and money worshipping godfathers like late Lamidi Adedibu and his amala politics, the entry of a technocrat governor like Abiola Ajimobi and his resourceful governance style will be strange to a people that have been used to money sharing and stomach politics.

    Something also tells me that these people will not acquiesce but also take steps to fight the incumbent governor using the dirtiest of tricks in their political book of violence.

    Ab initio, they came up with the laughable accusation that the current Oyo state governor was not a citizen of Nigeria. The amiable man did not only win the matter in court, he also proved to be a free born indigene of Ibadan and a bonafide citizen of Nigeria, not that of the United States of America. They moved to the next stage in their campaign of calumny as they accused him of being a tight-fisted governor that would not freely dole out government money, for nothing. Those people don’t care if the man has, within a short period of getting to power resolved the once intractable problem of the madly violent NURTW in Ibadan, Oyo state capital. They would not be moved that the governor has within this short while improved the status of Ibadan from being one of the dirtiest town/capital in Nigeria to ranking among the cleanliest. The greenery and beautification that Ibadan, nay entire Oyo as a state is going through is wonderful. Ajimobi is battling the perennial floods in Ibadan with courageous admiration. He has brought sanity into the civil service as the incident of ghost workers that fleeced the state of millions of naira is now a thing of the past. Roads are being constructed especially through the instrumentality of the Local Government Councils.

    Unlike what obtains in the past, the time has come for public office holders/civil servants to be rated by their performance rather than through the traditional practice of remunerating praise singers just to secure incumbent’s political future.

    Thence, one was not surprised when during the week, the social media was agog with the news that Ajimobi’s wife was arrested by the Metropolitan Police for money laundering in London. An evening paper, PM News also in what has turned out to be a pure professional misjudgement carried the story. Such words fill the airwaves with the most virulent and scurrilous intent but with alacrity, the governor’s media man, Dr Festus Adedayo, punctured the malicious speculation that was spreading like wild fire.

    Less than 48 hours after, the injurious conjecture was interred when Mrs Florence Ajimobi with her 14 years old daughter returned to the country. Her appearance dispelled the dubious creation of her arrest. But what would some people not do to destroy fellow human being-just to gain a political advantage? Or what reason could be ascribed to this spurious allegation that the governor’s wife was arrested in London when there was no truth in this?

    Though, it might be difficult to vouch for someone that one sees from afar, but it has not yet come to the public domain that Ajimobi does not have clean-image in the society-as a senator and now as governor. He has proved to be of good character which is a good indicator of a person’s reputation. Good reputation means a great public esteem and the man seems to be enjoying that despite the latest botched campaign of calumny against Mrs Ajimobi and by extension her husband.

    The governor should not be deterred by the last act against his wife. Such should be a lesson to him (and other governors) that several detractors are watching and praying, albeit erroneously, for his fall. So, he should further watch what he does in private and in public. This is no doubt a challenging period for his media managers: Barrister Bosun Oladele and Dr. Festus Adedayo. The duo rose gallantly to the embarrassing situation.

    John Wooden, a British public affairs analyst and psychologist once declared: “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” May I seize this opportunity to urge governor Ajimobi and wife to be mindful of their reputations by continuing the good works that the people feel they are doing in that state. One thing they should also note is that their adversaries would definitely not relent in seeking their downfall. That is the nature of political intrigues in Ibadan and that of Oyo state in general.