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Beware
what you say to an acquisitive dictator whose personal wealth
and material possessions are greater than his IQ.
At the
Heathrow Airport recently, one responded to my question
on the apparent poverty of his people, thus: "None of my
people is poor. Go to any capital city in the world, including
ours back home, and you will discover my people are among
the owners of the biggest banks and industries."
I checked.
The dictator was absolutely right. His people are among
the richest in the world: his immediate and extended family
members, that is. His subjects don't count as his people.
* * *
One
of my old buddies came to town the other day. After several
bottles of Gulder beer, he blurted out that President Obasanjo
is God-sent to Nigeria. When I didn't challenge him, he
added quickly: "In fact, all Nigerian politicians are God-sent.
I investigated.
I researched old press releases, statements, speeches, articles,
writings, newspaper, radio and TV interviews by Nigerian
politicians since they came to power last year. My old buddy
was dead right. Every item mentioned God, or Allah in one
form or the other.
Nigerian
politicians invoke God/Allah at will, unashamedly.
*
* *
Can
you believe elected reps of the people inviting God/Allah
to come down and solve Nigeria's problems? "Only God can
solve Nigeria's problems," one politician, after the other
said.
But,
by far the most popular declaration was: "Nigerians need
God now, more than ever. We as a nation need to re-dedicate
ourselves to God."
*
* *
Here
is an example. When asked why he imposed Sharia by force
on the people of his state, Zamfara, Governor Ahmed Sani
Yerima, replied: " I did not. I am only a messenger."
Quizzed
further as to whom he took his order from, he replied: "Allah
directed me. I take orders only from Allah. I serve only
Him.
"
* * *
In plain
language, Governor Yerima was not elected to serve his people.
*
* *
… I've
just found more stuff on the subject… right here in my loo
library.
Amazing
Grace! All over the papers, Nigerian religious leaders -
Imams, Archbishops, Reverends, Pastors - are discussing
politics, ethnicity, unity, segregation and war. They are
rallying the masses and talking about hunger, poverty, housing
and provision of social amenities and justice and human
rights.
At one
rally, one wearied spectator asked: "Shouldn't you be talking
God?" The Pastor replied coolly: "Nope! The politicians
are already doing that, thank you!"
*
* *
My old
buddy dropped by again. Having become tiddly on Gulder beer,
he asked: "Have you worked out what I said about Nigerian
politicians yet? Well, I have another poser for you."
WHY?
...Every Nigerian politician, he said, has one or more juju
men (Babalawos, Alfas, Shamans, Marabous, Mallams) on his
payroll, campaigning for his political survival, or more
diabolically, working to destroy his political enemies.
But come Friday or Sunday, they occupy the front row seats
in local churches and mosques!
*
* *
I just
read Babangida's contribution to our Name-dropping page.
Very revealing.
Anyway,
I've always had my doubts about the status of Abuja. Sometimes,
I think of it as a capital city of a small autonomous Nigerian
state called Armed Forces Ruling Council.
At other
times, It looks to me like a small military empire, which
has Nigeria as its colony.
*
* *
What
I'm I saying? I'll be damned if I didn't already know that
Abuja is not really ours. Isn't that why, at one point,
we've got to have a legitimate business in Abuja to be welcomed
there? The present civilian administrations will do well
to integrate it with Nigeria.
*
* *
Still
on our Name-dropping page. There, General (rtd) Buhari's
explains why big Nigerians don't give a toss about small
Nigerians.I
agree, but there are exceptions.
At the
arrival hall, Heathrow, some Nigerian guy gushed to me about
the current Nigerian President Obasanjo. He'd met him earlier
that morning, on board Brazil-bound British Airways commercial
flight from Lagos.
"Can
you believe", the guy reported. "Obasanjo actually came
over and talked to me like we've known each other for years.
He even shared my packet of crisp and talked to me about
my business and how useful somebody of my experience will
be back home.
"
* * *
I was
on that flight too. Obasanjo also chatted with me and even
offered to baby-seat my two rascals while I hopped down
to the loo. Now, I don't care whatever anyone says: what
Obasanjo did is unafrican. Serious Presidents shouldn't
be seen hobnobbing or rubbing shoulders with their subjects.
That kind of familiarity will only breed contempt.
Little
wonder that it happened recently, that some expired little
shit, called Sinner-tor Arthur Nzeribe, had a dig at him.
Infra dig!
*
* *
Well,
well, Nigerian journalists have gone to town on Arthur Nzeribe's
case. Powerful articles by brilliant columnists and writers
such as Gbolabo Ogunsanwo, Femi Osofisan, Rueben Abati,
C. Don Adinuba and Dele Shobowale dug into the man and proved
that he was full of shit - constipated with ambition - and
he needed to grow up.
Which
leaves just about one question from me. When Arthur Nzeribe
grows up, what is he going to do?
See
you guys around, Ciao.
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