Political Oo

It is being reported that Colonel Gaddafi has been killed. He was killed by NATO.You may accuse Gaddafi of being anything but a coward. He had the balls to stand for what he believed in.. to his death. He promised to die on Libyan soil and he did.Take a look at all the heads of states in Africa and imagine one that would almost come close to his bravery. Hello Jo’boy!”Strike the Shepard and the sheep will scatter”In my opinion, the absolute worst turn has taken place with the killing of Gaddafi by NATO assisted with the ‘rebels’ on the ground. Now that there is not central command, we will see real chaos from the Gaddafi camp. Ask Iraqi’s what happened when Saddam was taken out.We all know that this war was totally unnecessary. If the west wanted, there would have been a peaceful resolution of the crisis and the destruction of Libya would have been prevented.The wounds created by this ‘war’ will take generations to heal. Libya, oh Libya!While this was just another movie for the west, the destabilization of Africa has just begun. We would start seeing the impact and implications of this unnecessary war.

The Libyans will rue the day they allowed foreigners take over their land. They are in a far worse situation.Just to point out, Gaddafi was far from being an angel. He was eccentric and certainly committed many evils. Just like most leaders and governments of the world. But no foreign entity has the right to go and destabilize another nation for its selfish benefit. Had this been an internal coup, I would have had no problem with it.But for foreign countries to decide topple a government and kill her citizens indiscriminately with the media cheering them on?Ok Syria, you are next. I predicted this decade will see or very nearly see a third world war. I stand by that prediction.

1. Give a comprehensive speech to the nation informing them that the government plans to ‘raise’ $20billion over the next 2 years.
2. Explain what SPECIFIC capital expenses the government intends to make in the next few years e.g. “We will build 3 refineries in Nigeria”. “We will Construct 2400 km of 6 lane roads. 400 in each geo-political zone”. “We will complete power projects that will provide additional 2000MW of electricity.”
3. Explain with proof that you have raised  30% of the money required by reducing recurrent expenditure of the government by 60%.
4. State with proof that salaries of political office have been pegged with the civil service. Raising $2 billion in the process.
5. Remind the populace that the capital expenditure will create economic activity in the country.
6. State that some sacrifices have to be made by everyone.
7. State government subsidy from fuel will be removed to raise the other 70% of the finances. And the pains will only be short term.

Anything short of that Mr. Jo’ boy, will be the beginning of the end of your government.

I think today being the anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence would be the best day to answer the question I have been thinking of for the better part of the last one year.

What is at the core of Nigeria’s problems?

The core problem of Nigeria is citizenship. The ratio of Nigerian residents to citizens is unhealthy for any nation that intends to be great.

Unlike popular belief and Achebe, I do not think corruption or bad leadership is the core of our problem. Those are just symptoms.

I will try to explain my view below.

Citizens unlike residents believe and behave like their future and that of their descendants is in the country of their citizenship and will always act based on her interests. Residents on the other hand are in a country for what they can benefit and are ready to move when the going gets tough.

Nigeria is the only country I know where sending your children to live away from the country of their ancestors is a badge of honour. The longer the time away, the more prestigious the badge. When the people charged with controlling the future of us and our country are asked about their children , they respond “they are not around” with so much pride in their hearts.

How on earth do you expect our leaders to give their best to our country when they have the option of an alternative future for themselves and their children?

It is not only our ‘leaders’ who are guilty of this resident mentality. We the pseudo-citizens are guilty too. 90% of us would not need a second to decide if we are given the opportunity to “leave this country” (I and many Nigerians who have willingly returned home have had to assure friends and family of our good mental state when we made the decision to return).

With ‘citizens like ours who are always in the survival mode until we can “get out of this place”, resident ‘leaders’ have a field day.

Treasonable Corruption.

The number one symptom of resident Nigerian leaders is what I call treasonable corruption. Treasonable corruption is corruption that weakens the state and its citizens. This story below will show the difference between corruption and treasonable corruption.

————

There were two politician friends. The one from Nigeria called OJBee and the Italian called Belunisco.

OJBee went to visit Belunisco in Italy who showed him his great wealth. Belunisco showed him his flashy cars, his lush houses and his latest private jet. “This year alone, 30 million dollars” Belunisco said smiling. OJBee asked, “Ahhh! How you do it?” Belunisco smiled and said, “I will show you”

Belunisco then took OJBee to the 30^th floor penthouse of his latest luxury apartment and pointed far away and said “You see that bridge over there?” OJBee responded “Yes, Yes, Yes”. Belunisco replied, “15%”.

OJBee thanked Belunisco and invited him to visit Nigeria in 18months. “I will retaliate” were OJBee’s parting words.

In 18 months, Belunisco visited Nigeria and retaliate OJBee did!

OJBee showed him his latest Estates “Do not mind these useless bad roads” as they galloped in OJBees latest jeep. “I have 7 more jeeps in case this one spoils. I spent $1 million on big generators and I have diesel supply for the next ten years. “I made $100million in 18 months.” OJBee said smiling.

“How did you make all this money?” Belunisco asked. “I learnt from you o” OJBee replied. “Come let me show you”

They took a helicopter ride to Onitsha.

“You see that second Niger bridge?” OJBee asked. Belunisco replied, “No”.

OJBee said, “100%”.

———————-

That my friend is treasonable corruption. While Belunisco is corrupt, OJBee is treasonably corrupt. Corruption is everywhere in the world and does not lead to underdevelopment. Treasonable corruption does.

Corrupt citizens do not practice treasonable corruption. Corrupt residents do.

Bad Leadership

Like I stated in my previous post, knowing the right thing to do has never been a problem for Nigeria’s ‘leaders’.

Does it not surprise you that people who run their businesses excellently run their states into the ground? Mr Gbenga Daniel is a 1^st class graduate of Civil Engineering and had a successful engineering company before being Governor. Go and look at the roads he left in Ogun State after 8 YEARS!

When people can create alternative environments (outside Nigeria) for themselves and their families or at least think they can, they do not need to give their very best.

That is a problem.

Worse Followership

When I asked my very passive friends if they would allow a stranger to come into their house and take their property. They replied “How can?” Stating they are willing to risk their lives to defend their property.

When it comes to that of Nigeria, they cower. because it does not concern them. *resident mode*

What about Religion and Tribe?

While I concede that we to believe in the entity Nigeria to believe in her, I do not think our tribal differences is responsible for such backwardness in a country with so much potential. I would be glad if our leaders were loyal and biased towards their tribes and religions. The South West would have benefited from the 8 years of OBJ. The congregations would have benefited from their Imams and Pastors.

Conclusion

Every great country has citizen minded and resident minded people and the citizens are overwhelmingly in the majority. Here in Nigeria, the reverse is the case. And worse of all, residents are the ones in leadership positions.

The good news though is that a vast majority Nigerians do not behave like residents deliberately. Just look at the way we come together when we play football or when we are attacked. But return to ‘resident mode’ when what we have come to accept as normalcy returns. As my people say “na condition make crayfish bend”.

It easiest way to sort this mess Nigeria is in would be to get citizens to leadership position and inspire the populace to act as citizens. But how?

That is the question!

I pledge to Nigeria my country 

To be faithful, loyal and honest 

To serve Nigeria with all my strength 

To defend her unity and uphold her honor and glory 

So help me God. 

One of the biggest criticisms I and many government critics receive is this. “Why are you always complaining, why don’t you give suggestions to the government?” I will try and use this post to explain my position.

Those who know me know I am VERY opinionated. I have a suggestion for almost anything. If you read my tech blog, almost all my tech posts have suggestions and recommendations.However, in the case of the Nigerian government, I have decided not to bother because, as structured, the government (powered by PDP) is deliberately not interested in my stupid smart ideas. My goal for political blogging is simple, ensure my “anger against evil” is always burning until I can do something about it.

On suggestions

One of my biggest critics on my “lack of suggestions” is a smart young man that goes by the name Mark Essien. He loves giving suggestions. His latest is a simple and brilliant suggestion on how the government can save 30 billion naira on the “National ID Card Project”. He rightly points out mining existing data got from the Electoral register, Passport office and the SIM registration can get proper information on about 60 million Nigerians. Then the rest can be done gradually. (PS: He even forgets that we already have National ID cards which only need to be updated with our latest picture and biometric data).My good friend Mark, bad governments are not interested in your stupid smart ideas. Neither your’s nor mine. 

Hear this.

Lucky Igbinedion ruled Edo State for 8 years. It may interest you to know that at the end of his tenure, even the road that passes the front of HIS MOTHER’s house was flooded and in a terrible state with several pot holes. Edo State has had a Minister or a Minister of State for Works for at least 7 of the past 12 years. I do not need to tell you the state of the federal government roads in that state. The chap called Ogiemwoyi actually stopped construction on a federal rad in Edo State for political reasons.As a friend of mine put it, “if a man cannot love himself, how can he love you?Nigeria’s problem has, and will never be knowing the right thing to do.

All our governors have houses outside the country. They know what good roads look like. Knowing what to do has never been the problem for them. Nigeria has documents to restructure almost all the sectors in the economy. They just do not want to do what is right. Simple.

My Stupid Suggestions

After all my rambling, I could be accurately accused of still not giving suggestions so here are a few. I start with a basic overall philosophy”Run Nigeria the way you will run your home or business”I do not need to tell the government the following

• Fix Benin-Lagos road. Just give out the contract and ensure it is done.
• Complete whatever the abandoned project at Muritala International Airport is.
• When fertilizer is imported at a subsidy, ensure it gets to the farmers who it was imported for and not sold in the black market.
• Do not give “militant” Niger Deltans money for doing nothing. It is a VERY dangerous precident. Put them in the Navy, Police or to work. Let people work before they are given money.
• Do not bribe judges or electoral officers. 
• Create a salary scale for ALL politicians and tie it to the national wage scale. More money for National Assembly, then more for teachers and drivers and vice- versa.
• Ensure only professionals build roads and construct buildings
• Stop the Nigerian police from being a glorified personal security outfit for politicians and the rich.
• If people steal or commit crimes, they should go to jail.
• Do not play politics with TINAPA. Pass the necessary laws that would allow it become a free trade zone.

I could go on forever. If you notice, I did not mention any slightly complicated thing such as trade alliances, foreign policy, fighting terrorism, Nuclear plan etc. A 10 year old knows what should be done to make Nigeria a fairly decent place to live. You and I do. The people running ruining this country do.

But you see, there is a HUGE difference between knowing what to do and doing it. Those in power today are not interested in doing what is right. It is just that simple.So until I have the capacity to get things changed either personally or through the right people, I will keep my obvious suggestions to my self and focus on keeping the fire burning. 

TRANSCRIPT OF THE SPEECH BY DR. GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN AT CHURCH SERVICE TO MARK NIGERIA’S 51st INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY.

I thank you for prayers because it is because of it we are even seeing what we are seeing today. You have been praying for us and my request is for you to continue to pray for the government.

You have been praying for us but others will not even want us to move an inch especially those of us who are politicians. But one prayer I will continue to request because if you listen to Nigerians ore read their statement, some Nigerians sill want the President of this country to be a lion or a tiger, somebody that has that kind of strength and force and agility to make things happen the way they think. Some others will want the President to operate like an army general like my Chief of Army Staff commanding his troop. Incidentally, I am not a lion; I am not also a general.

Somebody will want the president to operate like the Kings of Syria, Babylon, Egypt, the pharaoh all powerful people that you read about in the Bible, they want the president to operate that way, the characters of the Goliath, unfortunat ely I am not one of those.

But God knows why I am here even though I don’t have any of those attributes , or those kinds of characters I have used as an example. But through your prayers God placed me here. The only thing I ask you to do for me and that is the prayer I pray every time, is for God to use me to change this country.

I don’t need to be a lion, I don’t need to be Nebuchadnezzar, I don’t need to operate like the Pharaoh of Egypt, I don’t need to be an army general but I can change this country without those traits.

You know these days for you to be an intellectual and for people to listen to you, you have to abuse government. Somebody was asking, is Nigeria on an auto pilot? Meaning a plane without a pilot and I say Nigeria is being piloted by God himself.

There is no pilot no matter how many hours you have flown your aircraft and get to your destination if God wants you to stop half way God is in charge and God will take us to our destination.

Is not going to be easy but with God using you and us we will get to where we want to go.

I just got back from the US, the President of America is like the president of the world because is the most powerful country. In most cases if you go for UN General Assembly, if you are to speak immediately after the US President then you are in trouble. Immediately he speaks about two third of the hall will leave because everybody wants to listen to the President of America.

Obama when he spoke commended Nigeria but back home we are being abused. When we had the Security Council meeting outside the General Assembly but here we are being abused. When the President of South Africa, Gabon spoke they commended Nigeria but here we are not being appreciated. But what I can assure you is that Nigeria is on course and with your prayers and guidance of God we will surely get to the destination we are going.

is not going to be easy because just like Rev. Yusuf Turaki said they are Goliaths everywhere, very very terrible Goliaths, the ones that can even kill their father and mother and even their children in other to stop government are willing to do it. So we have these terrible Goliaths that are trying to frustrate but surely with God we will conquer them.

I remember one of the sermons Pastor Ayo gave here, he said every Goliath has an exposed forehead, all the Goliaths that are stumbling blocks to the development and growth of this country, God will exposed their heads for the stone of David.

Brothers and Sisters we are celebrating Nigeria at 51 after the independence but as a baton we are 97 years old because Nigeria was amalgamated in 1914, in 2014 we will celebrate the centenary, our 100 years of existence, we will do a big ceremony. Today, we are celebrating 51 years of independence, definitely Nigeria is moving and with your prayers and God’s guidance we all get to where we want to go. Jesus is Lord

France’s Sarkozy and Britain’s Cameron are visiting their latest conquest Libya, today.

Just like the good old times.

If freedom to complain about bad roads, lack of electricity, potable water, security and a poor quality of living is somehow meant to be preferable to living in an autocratic country where these things are taken for granted then our value systems are very different.

– Chinedu Okorro

Source: http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/Lets-Talk-HD-HDI_2010.pdf. Yes, the UN.

*I know not all Libyans.

Can anyone give me a good reason why Jonathan thought it wise to recognize the Rebels very early? BEFORE the AU (Not that the AU means anything).

• That NATO/Britain/US etc that lead the recognition are doing so for commercial reasons?
• That Nigeria has absolutely NOTHING to gain by being ahead in doing the unwise thing.
• That doing so gives credence if secession/rebel activities?
• Does he realize that Nigeria has SEVERAL secessionist/rebel groups CURRENTLY
• That foreign policy is almost on a tit-for-tat basis?
• That he has exposed Nigeria by an extraordinary factor to having our illegal groups being recognized by other countries when ever things become worse?

Who thinks for that guy?!