12-19-11 Bugs Everywhere
I killed ten bugs in my room last night, it was very scary. Today, my Mom and Dad left to go stock up on food, while they were gone, one of my grandma-I am required by tradition to refer to all my Dad’s sister as grandma (another peculiarly Yoruba-ish respect thing)- gave us lunch. We had rice and drank this water that came in sachets. We were suspicious of the water at first but eventually we all drank it. About an hour after my parents got back, Daniel and Sam suddenly said their stomach hurts. Sam went to lie down but Daniel decided to go play outside, as it turns out that was a good decision, he threw up on the dirt outside, and we didn’t have to clean any of that up. 15 minutes after that he threw up again. Then like 10 minutes after dinner Sam threw up and it smelled worse than Daniel’s and after that I wanted to throw up.
After cleaning up Sam throw up, my Mom asked me what we had for lunch and we told her. She said that the sachet water was “pure water” and since we weren’t used to it that’s what made Sam and Daniel throw up. So I’ll pretty much remember this day as a day of gross smelling throw up. This stinks! And also it turns out we’re going to Akure on Wednesday, I can’t wait!
12-20-11 Lost in the Forest of One Thousands Demons
We got lost today. Here’s how it all started. My Mom dropped us off at my Uncle’s house so she could run some errands, Sarah and Daniel played with my cousins, while Sam, David and I read our books. I finished two of them. We had PB & J sandwiches as a snack. And these delicious noodles called Indomie for lunch. Then my Mom came to pick us up. After about 15 minutes of driving I realized we were lost apparently my mom realized this too, because she pulled over and asked for directions the guy said to go straight. In Africa, every passerby you asked for directions will always first tell you to go straight. After another 15 minutes, she asked another person and again this other person said go straight too. I was beginning to think road should never end. 10 minutes passed she asked another person and received the same answer. It is now I missed our GPS we left in Spokane, but then will it work in Africa?
Now, I was angry and felt like this whole town was playing some horrible joke on us. After another 15 minutes of driving on this insane “straight” long road we were finally home. I had never been so happy to see new our house at Ilesha.
12-21-11 Lost Again
Today we got lost again! My Dad’s sister in Akure invited us to stay till Friday and we accepted, we left at about 6:20p.m, which is when the sun goes down in Nigeria and its dangerous to drive on Nigerian roads at night. But we ‘ve never been a very safe family. Then the arguing started, my Dad decided to go a way that would show us the farm his maternal grandpa used to take him to, but my Mom said that way wasn’t safe. Finally, since he was driving my Dad decided to go his way. But his way was bumpy and rocky and my Mom wanted us to turn back but the road is too small and we couldn’t. Eventually we found a place where we could back up and turned around and we did. But we didn’t know where to go so we just chose a direction and drove that way till we found the main road. When we got to Akure, I saw all my cousins once again and cheered up. We sat and watched TV and talked till the power went out and everyone went to bed.
12-22-11 A walk around the Neighborhood
The power was out forever today. Later we went on a laptop on to facebook. We sent friend request to one others so that when my family goes back to Spokane we can stay in touch. It was actually cool for once, so we took a walk around the neighborhood. On our walk we saw tons of kids playing with dirt and adults sitting together in clumps on porches having parties. So when we got back to my cousins house we decided to have our own little party we ate oranges and drank juices we talked about school. All my cousins go to boarding schools. So I asked what it was like they said it was O.K. Then the power came back and we watched T.V. for the rest of the night.
12-23-11 Indomie Noodle for Lunch and visit to the ZOO
Today we woke up and did our usual morning ritual which consists of us brushing our teeth, taking showers, eating breakfast, and doing our Kumon and homework. Then we watched T.V. then had Indomie Noodles for lunch. At about 3:00 pm my Dad told my siblings and cousins that we were going to a wildlife park. We were super excited so we hurriedly put on our shoes and socks. I wish I could tell you our excitement hadn’t been wasted but I can’t. Here are the reasons why our trip to the wild life park was horrible. One, there was no guides or people walking around the park to make sure you are o.k. So if you get lost then there’s no one to find you. Two, all the animals looked sad and underfed. I wanted to let them out of their cages but my Dad said I couldn’t. Three, most of the animals were hiding so I didn’t get any good pictures. Finally we got back home from the horrible wildlife park and watched T.V., ate dinner and went to bed.
12-24-11 Christmas Eve
Its Christmas Eve today and I’m so happy!! We left Akure today but my family also split ways. My Dad, my siblings except Sarah, my aunty children in Akure except Ty went to Ilesha while my Mom, Sarah and my aunty went to Kabba to see the latter’s husband’s mom. They’re coming back on Monday but I’m sad I wont b e able to spend Christmas with my little sister. When we got to Ilesha, I found out that every cousin I had on my Dad’s side was spending the nigh at our house. The names of all the cousins on my Dad’s side at our house are: Bose, Kenny, Yemi, Nife, Tosin, Feran, Bolu and Praise. My Dad told me all of them were staying till Tuesday. I was excited to spend time with my cousins. The rest of the night we watched a bunch of African movies, which were hilarious because a bunch of people died, and the people used magic to kill them. We went to bed at about 12:30 p.m. all the girls slept in my room and all the boys in Sam’s room. It was a fun day.
12-25-11 Christmas Day
Christmas this year was probably the best Christmas ever. First, we went to my uncle’s church, I could barely sit through the service. Then we went through giving rice and vegetable oil which we bought with the money we raised from mine and Sam’s widows and orphans fundraising in Spokane, to the widows around my Dad’s old neighborhood. After that we went to a party my grandma had for all her friends. I had to say “hi” to almost all of them and so did all my cousins and siblings. My Dad could tell we were getting restless so he said we could go. We were really excited because we were going to Erin-Ijesha waterfalls. Erin-Jesha waterfalls are these waterfalls that have 7 levels you can climb up everyone says that they pre really fun to climb so my Dad said we could go. Kenny, Tosin, Bolu, Praise, Daniel and David stopped at level 2 but the rest of us decided to keep going but in the middle of levels 4 and 5 we really started to wish we had brought some water. Finally, we made it to level 7 and we immediately knew the climb was worth it. You could see everything from up there, lush green foliage et al. It was beautiful. We quickly descended when we got back down to level two we all had a huge water fight. Everyone was soaking wet when we left but we all agreed to had been the best day of our trip so far.
12-26-11 Another Wedding Introduction
We went to a wedding introduction today. It’s where the two families meet each other eat, drink, talk, be merry and exchange gifts with each other. Kids really didn’t have anything to do there so it was super boring. When we got home my Dad made my cousins, siblings and I stand up and say 5 things about ourselves. He said the person who remembers the most people’s 5 things he would give them #200 naira. Yemi won that contest. Just then grandma came in and my Dad says that we should make movie about our family history. So got out the camcorder we all gathered around my grandma and she told us where she was born, who her parents were and etc. It was pretty interesting since she let us ask a bunch of questions. I found interesting facts like that in college, my grandma dropped out of school because she joined wrong gang. Everyone laughed when they heard that. Making the movie was a lot of fun and I know that I’ll be sad when my cousins leave tomorrow.
12-27-11 Missing you
All of my cousins left today, I’ll miss them a lot but I’m happy I’ll get to see them again next year (?). After my cousins left it got really boring since there was no one to talk to and I couldn’t use Kenny’s phone to go on the Internet anymore. I thought about talking to my siblings but that’s like torture. So I ended up helping and talking to my Mom in the kitchen. It was nice talking to her again I hadn’t realized how much I missed her until now. She told me about her childhood and I listened carefully. After I finished talking to my Mom, I went outside and played with Daniel and Sarah for a little while. They were playing with dirt and my Mom got so mad when she saw that they got their clothes all dirty.
12-28-11 Empty, Bare and Alone
My Mom told us that we’re going to Abeokuta tomorrow and from there to Lagos and eventually to Spokane. We had to pack up most of our stuff and that took forever and when we got done the house was bare. It looked to empty and write alone and I felt like giving it a big hug, but didn’t since it’s a house. When we were done packing Mom told us to write a list of all the foods here that we want to bring to Spokane with us. We argued a lot over the list until my Mom said to put everything that everyone wanted on the list and she would decide what stays and what goes. After that I went to my room and read my book and played some games on my kindle. Then I hung out with my siblings until dinner and after dinner, bedtime was here.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Genesis of King Jonathan and his Coterie of Profligate Special Advisers
“It is not a feasible excuse to blame the clouds for the rain that floods one's front room, if you have failed to repair the roof” – Anon
Many Nigerians are crying foul that they had been deceived by the pretence of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s transformational agenda. They believed that they voted for him because he claimed he understand what exactly is wrong with Nigeria and has the panacea to fix the country. There is no doubt that many Nigerians bought the campaign mantra that a “shoeless” president may govern better since he might know where it hurts. The fuel subsidy has exposed the underbelly and paucity of this monstrous deceit. The subsidy regime announced by the regime on January 2, clearly exposed the emollient presidential campaign of Goodluck Jonathan as nothing more than an inveigle dissemble preened to perfection so the People’s Democratic Party can continue its misrule.
My argument is that Nigerians should have known better and if we do not learn this lesson now we may yet fall foul of the credulous glib of the destructive party again. There are several acts of the regime immediately before and after the election that should have forewarned Nigerians about the fact that this is not a government for the people. It might have been elected by the people but the government clearly revealed his hands as been pro-PDP elites and foreign institutions more than pro-people of Nigeria.
First of all, the government immediately after the election set up a transitional committee headed by retired General Theophilus Danjuma. The panel amongst other recommended that the president pruned down the number of ministry and parastals sucking the Nigeria economy down the drain. What did the government do? It expands the executive arm of the government. It created more special adviser than any other government that has ever ruled Nigeria, including pernicious military rule. The regime in June 2011 sought and obtained the approval of Senate to appoint 20 special advisers to assist him in running his government. The President with acerbic impunity and in apparent breach of legislative directive went ahead to appoint at least 24 advisers as at the last count. A quick sample of some of the advisers clearly reveals the mendacity of the regime. There is a special adviser on New media (Twitter and Facebook), who is attached to the office of the special adviser on research and strategy even while the special adviser on Media and publicity exist separately. All of whom by the virtue of their designations have staff attached to them with benefits ordinary Nigerian can only dream about.
Even after the outcry of the Nigerian people following the subsidy upheaval, instead of reducing the bloated executive arm of government, the president announced a 25% pay cut for all political appointees. The joke here is what exactly were these special advisers doing to advance good governance and reduce corruption- the main bane of the country?
Here is the truth, you do not borrow to finance a bloated government and then come back to balance the books on the back of the poor by withdrawing subsidy that is more attached to inflation than any other thing. Even the devil and its mother-in-law know that anytime price of petroleum went up in Nigeria, it is a clarion call to all traders, jobbers and shop owners to increase prices of goods and services.
We are already being taxed for government inefficiencies. Why should you increase our tax by 116%? The song that keeps coming up on this issue is never going to go away: Practice what you preach. Former minister of the Federal Capital Territory a little while ago asked a pointed question that is worth repeating: “the Minister of Agriculture recently “bought 150 Toyota Hilux vans for monitoring projects. “What are they for? A few years ago, the Minister of Agriculture bought the same type of cars for monitoring.” They should stop all these useless spending it will not add value. The federal government has no land, agriculture is basically a state government and private sector affairs these are expenses that don’t make sense.
The Guardian newspapers published on January 5, 2012 reported that of the 21 parastatals under the federal ministry of education (with two supervisory ministers), from august to December 2011, activities of the two ministers were wrapped around eight parastatals and yet the other parastatals have upwards of 200 staffs and structures. Some of the “obscure parastatals” according to Guardian includes “Nigeria French Language Village”, “Nigerian Arabic Language Village” et al. The sheer waste of resources and money by this regime boggles the mind.
This again, is why we need to start practicing true federalism if we are not going to fall prey to more subterfuge taxation by the corrupt government at Abuja. All these one size fits all is stupid. Agricultural needs of Shaki in Oyo state are quite different and distinct from that of Dutse in Jigawa state. There is nothing the federal government interstate regulatory regime could not do through joint interlocal regional agreement with States using states expertise and technical staff.
Finally, the president’s party controls both arms of the National Assembly, it is time for that party to push for a legislative Act that will reduce and permanently limits member’s allowance and benefits. The biggest state legislatures in the world is in the State of New Hampshire (USA) and their member’s take home pay is less than $100 per month, while the average cost of maintaining each of our federal legislator is $2.1million per year. That is the reason why some of them will kill, maim and rigged election to win office. They are not in it to serve the people but their pockets.
President Jonathan is right, yes, we need a transformational agenda albeit not the ones he is currently carrying out. The only thing that will save our democracy is a government for the people and not the ones elected by the people to lead them to penury.
Many Nigerians are crying foul that they had been deceived by the pretence of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s transformational agenda. They believed that they voted for him because he claimed he understand what exactly is wrong with Nigeria and has the panacea to fix the country. There is no doubt that many Nigerians bought the campaign mantra that a “shoeless” president may govern better since he might know where it hurts. The fuel subsidy has exposed the underbelly and paucity of this monstrous deceit. The subsidy regime announced by the regime on January 2, clearly exposed the emollient presidential campaign of Goodluck Jonathan as nothing more than an inveigle dissemble preened to perfection so the People’s Democratic Party can continue its misrule.
My argument is that Nigerians should have known better and if we do not learn this lesson now we may yet fall foul of the credulous glib of the destructive party again. There are several acts of the regime immediately before and after the election that should have forewarned Nigerians about the fact that this is not a government for the people. It might have been elected by the people but the government clearly revealed his hands as been pro-PDP elites and foreign institutions more than pro-people of Nigeria.
First of all, the government immediately after the election set up a transitional committee headed by retired General Theophilus Danjuma. The panel amongst other recommended that the president pruned down the number of ministry and parastals sucking the Nigeria economy down the drain. What did the government do? It expands the executive arm of the government. It created more special adviser than any other government that has ever ruled Nigeria, including pernicious military rule. The regime in June 2011 sought and obtained the approval of Senate to appoint 20 special advisers to assist him in running his government. The President with acerbic impunity and in apparent breach of legislative directive went ahead to appoint at least 24 advisers as at the last count. A quick sample of some of the advisers clearly reveals the mendacity of the regime. There is a special adviser on New media (Twitter and Facebook), who is attached to the office of the special adviser on research and strategy even while the special adviser on Media and publicity exist separately. All of whom by the virtue of their designations have staff attached to them with benefits ordinary Nigerian can only dream about.
Even after the outcry of the Nigerian people following the subsidy upheaval, instead of reducing the bloated executive arm of government, the president announced a 25% pay cut for all political appointees. The joke here is what exactly were these special advisers doing to advance good governance and reduce corruption- the main bane of the country?
Here is the truth, you do not borrow to finance a bloated government and then come back to balance the books on the back of the poor by withdrawing subsidy that is more attached to inflation than any other thing. Even the devil and its mother-in-law know that anytime price of petroleum went up in Nigeria, it is a clarion call to all traders, jobbers and shop owners to increase prices of goods and services.
We are already being taxed for government inefficiencies. Why should you increase our tax by 116%? The song that keeps coming up on this issue is never going to go away: Practice what you preach. Former minister of the Federal Capital Territory a little while ago asked a pointed question that is worth repeating: “the Minister of Agriculture recently “bought 150 Toyota Hilux vans for monitoring projects. “What are they for? A few years ago, the Minister of Agriculture bought the same type of cars for monitoring.” They should stop all these useless spending it will not add value. The federal government has no land, agriculture is basically a state government and private sector affairs these are expenses that don’t make sense.
The Guardian newspapers published on January 5, 2012 reported that of the 21 parastatals under the federal ministry of education (with two supervisory ministers), from august to December 2011, activities of the two ministers were wrapped around eight parastatals and yet the other parastatals have upwards of 200 staffs and structures. Some of the “obscure parastatals” according to Guardian includes “Nigeria French Language Village”, “Nigerian Arabic Language Village” et al. The sheer waste of resources and money by this regime boggles the mind.
This again, is why we need to start practicing true federalism if we are not going to fall prey to more subterfuge taxation by the corrupt government at Abuja. All these one size fits all is stupid. Agricultural needs of Shaki in Oyo state are quite different and distinct from that of Dutse in Jigawa state. There is nothing the federal government interstate regulatory regime could not do through joint interlocal regional agreement with States using states expertise and technical staff.
Finally, the president’s party controls both arms of the National Assembly, it is time for that party to push for a legislative Act that will reduce and permanently limits member’s allowance and benefits. The biggest state legislatures in the world is in the State of New Hampshire (USA) and their member’s take home pay is less than $100 per month, while the average cost of maintaining each of our federal legislator is $2.1million per year. That is the reason why some of them will kill, maim and rigged election to win office. They are not in it to serve the people but their pockets.
President Jonathan is right, yes, we need a transformational agenda albeit not the ones he is currently carrying out. The only thing that will save our democracy is a government for the people and not the ones elected by the people to lead them to penury.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Blogging my way through my First Visit to Africa
Today I yield these pages to a smart 11 year old who made her first trip to mother Africa late last year. I trust you will find some of her observations of our country and culture poignant.
My First Visit to Mother Africa
12-7-11 My Big Family Trip to Africa
Today, we took off. I feel like I can see everything from up here. I love flying. I’m really excited to be going to Africa for the first time but nervous too. Exciting because I can’t wait to try new things and see my extended family for the first time but nervous because what if my family doesn’t like me or if something goes wrong at my Aunt’s wedding. I know this trip will change me in many ways but for the better or worse I can’t tell yet. (And my first stop is San Francisco).
12-8-11 Safe Landing in Lagos
Finally we’re in Lagos, Nigeria. The first thing I noticed about Nigeria was the heat at the airport-Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos State Nigeria. Stepping outside the plane, you are immediately stung by about 91 degrees heat wave. You feel like throwing up. Your entire body convulsed into a broiling broth, finding a way to churn your entire system upside up. Strangely, not many of the Nigerian born travelers felt the sting. Perhaps they were not coming from frigid winter weather of inland northwest of the United States of America into a raging inferno and boiling cauldron of Lagos tropical weather. The comfort of the arrival lounge of the airport is no comfort; the wings where few air condition are working had open windows with airport staff standing nearby. The sections with malfunctioning air condition hummed like drones. Strangely, everyone took it in his or her strides; it was like I am the only one feeling the pinch. Everyone seems to be oblivious to the boiling cauldron of an airport. No one complained to the airport staff, they all seem to have accepted this normal. So off they go, as if this is expected of every airport in Nigeria. Even some who flew with us from Atlanta and saw the excellent service at Atlanta and Houston said little about the appalling condition of MMIA.
Stranger still is the treatment of those who carry Nigerian green passport. There is a long waiting line with few custom officials attending to them, whilst foreigners visiting Nigerian are quickly attended to. One Nigerian with US and Nigerian passport standing in front of us, could not bear it any longer so he tried to use his US passport to check in, but he was told that he needed to have obtained Nigerian visa before traveling. He tried to get back to same place on Nigerian passport long line but was rebuffed by others. Then the loud argument started. OMG! Everyone had an opinion on what should happen to him and they all want to express it at the same time.
The first member of my extended family I met in Nigeria, was my Aunt Kemi and her son, Daniel. Aunt Kemi drove us to her house at Surulere, behind the National Stadium. Lagos is a bustling city with modern houses and structures competing in a macabre dance with old dilapidated structures. Every thing points to a faint attempt by planners to impose their will on the city, even as its inhabitants and developers struggles to thwart all of such efforts. There are signs of government intent to demolish illegal structures on some building whilst new building are being built on the same drainage with government approval plan painted with black ink on the fence. One imposing billboard proclaims: “This is Lagos!” Welcome is a luxury every one-can ill afford in Lagos, every soul is on the move. Everyone is trying to get to some place in hurry and if they had to crush the car ahead of them to get to that destination they do not mind. The only one standing around is either selling you some China made wares or begging for your money.
My aunt Kemi drove like a New York cab driver, she yells at other road users who might not be paying attention and scream at men driver who may be trying to take advantage of her feminity. As she drove us to her house, I noticed most houses had gigantic gates and high fence; I asked her why? She said incase armed robbers comes to attack you. Later my uncle Yemi and Dapo came over and had dinner with us, and since it was Uncle Yemi’s birthday, we had cake. After the cake, we packed up our suitcases and luggage in Uncle Yemi’s car, since we are spending the night at his house. That house is where I am sitting on his couch writing this journal entry.
12-9-11 Nothing really happened
Nothing really happened today, Auntie Kemi showed us where to buy sandals, and then she took us to the mall. Shortly, after that we went to this interesting hair salon, which is bare of any equipment, and my mom got her hair done. Oh and earlier in the morning my Dad left to go to Ilesha, his village in preparation for his sister’s wedding. Tomorrow we are going to Ilesha and it’s a four hour drive and I wish we were flying.
12-14-11 Delicious Suya
I just got back from my aunt’s who lives in Akure, hence the gap in my journal from 12-10-11 to 12-14-11. She took Sam and me with her to Akure, Ondo State. When we got there, she took me to do my hair, it took three hours to make my hair pretty like an African queen. The three seemed like three years or at worst an eternity, but the folks who work there talked to me the entire time so it wasn’t that bad.
After they finished my hair we went back to Auntie’s house for dinner. We ate this awesome spicy red meat called “suya”, it was so delicious.
As soon as we finished , we start to watch T.V and play hide and seek in the dark with Sam, Feranmi (Fern), my 11-year-old cousin. It was pretty fun. We stayed up till 3:30 a.m. On the third day, I didn’t wake up till 2:00pm we ate lunch then we drove back to Ilesha. When we got there, I found an astounding sight, the house my Dad had been building for more than a year was now practically done, it looks really awesome and my Dad said I could paint my own room. And I am going to be a bridesmaid in the wedding. I’m not that surprised, I knew there had to be a reason why they kept measuring me before we left Ilesa to Akure.
12-15-11 Nigeria Standard Voltage is 120
After getting to the new house at Ilesa, all I did for a few hours is my homework and Kumon and read. Then I ate lunch. After that people started coming so I met a bunch of extended family members, most of them are nice. We tried to set up our Wii but I won’t work. My Dad explanation is that it carries US standard voltage of 110 and the Nigerian standard voltage is 120. There are frequent power outage and surges so that is why almost everyone including us has a generator connected to their home. Just before I went to bed for the night, I tried on my pink bridesmaid dress. It is actually more of a darker pink design all over it and it looks beautiful.
12-16-11 The Engagement Party
The engagement party was today, it was awesome! There was dancing and singing, it was so loud you had to shout to talk to the person next to you. Interesting enough, this do not bother anyone around, even some mothers with little infants tucked at their back went about the party with aplomb. I can just imagine the earplugs of the kids exploding. One nursing mother even sat in front of the public address system breast-feeding her baby with reckless abandon.
On a good note, I finally met my aunt’s “hubby to be” he seems okay. He is very quiet, and unassuming. I wonder what is going on in his mind. In fact what do spouses to be think about a day before their wedding….hmmm. (note to self: food for thought).
I also met Nifemi and Murewa, my cousins from Akure, which meant they are all Far’s siblings. Everyone likes Nifemi, but they all call her Nife, Nigerians are just like Brazilians-they gave their kids long names and then later devise a shorten version of such long names. I wonder why they don’t just named her Nife. When I asked Dad, he said something to the effect that African names must necessarily reflect the spiritual world Africa lives in (or words to that effect). Nife is 14 years old, cute, brainy and very quiet-which of course explains why many likes her. She had just got back from boarding house. She attends a gifted school called Federal government Academy in the northern part of the country. She told us that a bomb recently went off at a church near her school. The northern part of the country is notorious for religious clashes between adherents of Islam and Christians. Nife came back from boarding school last night, which probably explains the reason why I didn’t see her while I was at Akure. One thing I found out about her later is that she is bossy sometimes. I later understand that being older than you means that the elder boss the little ones. Nife’s brother bosses her so she boss they and me expect me to boss my little ones…on and on like that without end. Nife, however is also very blunt and I like her. She is also one of the bridesmaids, along with my other cousin and Yemi-Uncle Boye’s first daughter, me.
Murewa is 16 years old and also goes to boarding school, we really didn’t talk much to each other, but he’s cool. By the way, did I say I can’t wait till the wedding tomorrow.
12-17-11 The Wedding
The wedding “proper” (to use my Dad’s words) was a blast. The church service was super long and boring though. I felt like I wanted to sleep during it but the reception was WOW! They served Jollof rice and fried rice with chicken for lunch and on every table they had little blue bowls filled with candy – I still do not know why Nigerian called candy “sweats”. It was delicious and they also had this awesome punch that was to die for. As usual my nurse Mom, threw cold waters on my excitement by saying that the reason we all liked it is because Nigerian punch is extra sweetened by fattening sugar.
I also talked to some of my new uncle’s relatives- in case you are wondering, my Mom insist that I should called my aunt’s new hubby uncle. When I asked why, she said are you going to call him by his name? She said that is very disrespectful. It all comes down again to title. Why do Nigerians like titles before their names? Any way, my Aunt’s new family is fairly nice. They are from the ancient Oyo town, but the husband is a stockbroker based in Ile-Ife, another ancient town in Yoruba’s lore. In fact the Yorubas believed the whole world descended from heaven and landed at Ile-Ife. When I asked my Dad for veracity of that story, he said it is all mythology.
The dancing at the reception is probably my favorite part, since we got money from dancing. Here’s how it works, if they throw money at you, it is called spraying, but you have to make sure you pick it up quick, as there are street urchins called “area boys” who will quickly pick it up and pranced away. At the end of it all, I was super tired after the reception so as soon as we got to the house I fell asleep.
12-18-11 The Goodbyes
Today we said goodbyes to everyone that came for the wedding, since most of the people invited do not live in Ilesha. Most often came early before the wedding and stayed at our house until it was over and now we had to say goodbyes. We had got used to most of them. One thing about African is the togetherness, I think the idea of nuclear family is alien to the African culture. For more than a week, these folks had lived at our house and felt at home even though some had to sleep on bare floor.
After everyone left, we started to tidy up the house, there was dirt all over the floors, pounded yam wrappers, candy wrappers, water bottles et al. It took a couple of hours but eventually, trust my Mom everything was tiptop!
Then we (kids) got to pick our rooms, I chose the room next to the bathroom since I share with my little sister and she pees ten times a night (only kids room are not self contained, all the other rooms had bathrooms and restrooms enclosed). At about 6:30 pm my Dad got all of us together to take a walk around the neighborhood. We saw lots of forest but no animals. We came back around 7:00pm and ate dinner. I then had to do my journals, which is what I’m doing now.
More to come next month
My First Visit to Mother Africa
12-7-11 My Big Family Trip to Africa
Today, we took off. I feel like I can see everything from up here. I love flying. I’m really excited to be going to Africa for the first time but nervous too. Exciting because I can’t wait to try new things and see my extended family for the first time but nervous because what if my family doesn’t like me or if something goes wrong at my Aunt’s wedding. I know this trip will change me in many ways but for the better or worse I can’t tell yet. (And my first stop is San Francisco).
12-8-11 Safe Landing in Lagos
Finally we’re in Lagos, Nigeria. The first thing I noticed about Nigeria was the heat at the airport-Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos State Nigeria. Stepping outside the plane, you are immediately stung by about 91 degrees heat wave. You feel like throwing up. Your entire body convulsed into a broiling broth, finding a way to churn your entire system upside up. Strangely, not many of the Nigerian born travelers felt the sting. Perhaps they were not coming from frigid winter weather of inland northwest of the United States of America into a raging inferno and boiling cauldron of Lagos tropical weather. The comfort of the arrival lounge of the airport is no comfort; the wings where few air condition are working had open windows with airport staff standing nearby. The sections with malfunctioning air condition hummed like drones. Strangely, everyone took it in his or her strides; it was like I am the only one feeling the pinch. Everyone seems to be oblivious to the boiling cauldron of an airport. No one complained to the airport staff, they all seem to have accepted this normal. So off they go, as if this is expected of every airport in Nigeria. Even some who flew with us from Atlanta and saw the excellent service at Atlanta and Houston said little about the appalling condition of MMIA.
Stranger still is the treatment of those who carry Nigerian green passport. There is a long waiting line with few custom officials attending to them, whilst foreigners visiting Nigerian are quickly attended to. One Nigerian with US and Nigerian passport standing in front of us, could not bear it any longer so he tried to use his US passport to check in, but he was told that he needed to have obtained Nigerian visa before traveling. He tried to get back to same place on Nigerian passport long line but was rebuffed by others. Then the loud argument started. OMG! Everyone had an opinion on what should happen to him and they all want to express it at the same time.
The first member of my extended family I met in Nigeria, was my Aunt Kemi and her son, Daniel. Aunt Kemi drove us to her house at Surulere, behind the National Stadium. Lagos is a bustling city with modern houses and structures competing in a macabre dance with old dilapidated structures. Every thing points to a faint attempt by planners to impose their will on the city, even as its inhabitants and developers struggles to thwart all of such efforts. There are signs of government intent to demolish illegal structures on some building whilst new building are being built on the same drainage with government approval plan painted with black ink on the fence. One imposing billboard proclaims: “This is Lagos!” Welcome is a luxury every one-can ill afford in Lagos, every soul is on the move. Everyone is trying to get to some place in hurry and if they had to crush the car ahead of them to get to that destination they do not mind. The only one standing around is either selling you some China made wares or begging for your money.
My aunt Kemi drove like a New York cab driver, she yells at other road users who might not be paying attention and scream at men driver who may be trying to take advantage of her feminity. As she drove us to her house, I noticed most houses had gigantic gates and high fence; I asked her why? She said incase armed robbers comes to attack you. Later my uncle Yemi and Dapo came over and had dinner with us, and since it was Uncle Yemi’s birthday, we had cake. After the cake, we packed up our suitcases and luggage in Uncle Yemi’s car, since we are spending the night at his house. That house is where I am sitting on his couch writing this journal entry.
12-9-11 Nothing really happened
Nothing really happened today, Auntie Kemi showed us where to buy sandals, and then she took us to the mall. Shortly, after that we went to this interesting hair salon, which is bare of any equipment, and my mom got her hair done. Oh and earlier in the morning my Dad left to go to Ilesha, his village in preparation for his sister’s wedding. Tomorrow we are going to Ilesha and it’s a four hour drive and I wish we were flying.
12-14-11 Delicious Suya
I just got back from my aunt’s who lives in Akure, hence the gap in my journal from 12-10-11 to 12-14-11. She took Sam and me with her to Akure, Ondo State. When we got there, she took me to do my hair, it took three hours to make my hair pretty like an African queen. The three seemed like three years or at worst an eternity, but the folks who work there talked to me the entire time so it wasn’t that bad.
After they finished my hair we went back to Auntie’s house for dinner. We ate this awesome spicy red meat called “suya”, it was so delicious.
As soon as we finished , we start to watch T.V and play hide and seek in the dark with Sam, Feranmi (Fern), my 11-year-old cousin. It was pretty fun. We stayed up till 3:30 a.m. On the third day, I didn’t wake up till 2:00pm we ate lunch then we drove back to Ilesha. When we got there, I found an astounding sight, the house my Dad had been building for more than a year was now practically done, it looks really awesome and my Dad said I could paint my own room. And I am going to be a bridesmaid in the wedding. I’m not that surprised, I knew there had to be a reason why they kept measuring me before we left Ilesa to Akure.
12-15-11 Nigeria Standard Voltage is 120
After getting to the new house at Ilesa, all I did for a few hours is my homework and Kumon and read. Then I ate lunch. After that people started coming so I met a bunch of extended family members, most of them are nice. We tried to set up our Wii but I won’t work. My Dad explanation is that it carries US standard voltage of 110 and the Nigerian standard voltage is 120. There are frequent power outage and surges so that is why almost everyone including us has a generator connected to their home. Just before I went to bed for the night, I tried on my pink bridesmaid dress. It is actually more of a darker pink design all over it and it looks beautiful.
12-16-11 The Engagement Party
The engagement party was today, it was awesome! There was dancing and singing, it was so loud you had to shout to talk to the person next to you. Interesting enough, this do not bother anyone around, even some mothers with little infants tucked at their back went about the party with aplomb. I can just imagine the earplugs of the kids exploding. One nursing mother even sat in front of the public address system breast-feeding her baby with reckless abandon.
On a good note, I finally met my aunt’s “hubby to be” he seems okay. He is very quiet, and unassuming. I wonder what is going on in his mind. In fact what do spouses to be think about a day before their wedding….hmmm. (note to self: food for thought).
I also met Nifemi and Murewa, my cousins from Akure, which meant they are all Far’s siblings. Everyone likes Nifemi, but they all call her Nife, Nigerians are just like Brazilians-they gave their kids long names and then later devise a shorten version of such long names. I wonder why they don’t just named her Nife. When I asked Dad, he said something to the effect that African names must necessarily reflect the spiritual world Africa lives in (or words to that effect). Nife is 14 years old, cute, brainy and very quiet-which of course explains why many likes her. She had just got back from boarding house. She attends a gifted school called Federal government Academy in the northern part of the country. She told us that a bomb recently went off at a church near her school. The northern part of the country is notorious for religious clashes between adherents of Islam and Christians. Nife came back from boarding school last night, which probably explains the reason why I didn’t see her while I was at Akure. One thing I found out about her later is that she is bossy sometimes. I later understand that being older than you means that the elder boss the little ones. Nife’s brother bosses her so she boss they and me expect me to boss my little ones…on and on like that without end. Nife, however is also very blunt and I like her. She is also one of the bridesmaids, along with my other cousin and Yemi-Uncle Boye’s first daughter, me.
Murewa is 16 years old and also goes to boarding school, we really didn’t talk much to each other, but he’s cool. By the way, did I say I can’t wait till the wedding tomorrow.
12-17-11 The Wedding
The wedding “proper” (to use my Dad’s words) was a blast. The church service was super long and boring though. I felt like I wanted to sleep during it but the reception was WOW! They served Jollof rice and fried rice with chicken for lunch and on every table they had little blue bowls filled with candy – I still do not know why Nigerian called candy “sweats”. It was delicious and they also had this awesome punch that was to die for. As usual my nurse Mom, threw cold waters on my excitement by saying that the reason we all liked it is because Nigerian punch is extra sweetened by fattening sugar.
I also talked to some of my new uncle’s relatives- in case you are wondering, my Mom insist that I should called my aunt’s new hubby uncle. When I asked why, she said are you going to call him by his name? She said that is very disrespectful. It all comes down again to title. Why do Nigerians like titles before their names? Any way, my Aunt’s new family is fairly nice. They are from the ancient Oyo town, but the husband is a stockbroker based in Ile-Ife, another ancient town in Yoruba’s lore. In fact the Yorubas believed the whole world descended from heaven and landed at Ile-Ife. When I asked my Dad for veracity of that story, he said it is all mythology.
The dancing at the reception is probably my favorite part, since we got money from dancing. Here’s how it works, if they throw money at you, it is called spraying, but you have to make sure you pick it up quick, as there are street urchins called “area boys” who will quickly pick it up and pranced away. At the end of it all, I was super tired after the reception so as soon as we got to the house I fell asleep.
12-18-11 The Goodbyes
Today we said goodbyes to everyone that came for the wedding, since most of the people invited do not live in Ilesha. Most often came early before the wedding and stayed at our house until it was over and now we had to say goodbyes. We had got used to most of them. One thing about African is the togetherness, I think the idea of nuclear family is alien to the African culture. For more than a week, these folks had lived at our house and felt at home even though some had to sleep on bare floor.
After everyone left, we started to tidy up the house, there was dirt all over the floors, pounded yam wrappers, candy wrappers, water bottles et al. It took a couple of hours but eventually, trust my Mom everything was tiptop!
Then we (kids) got to pick our rooms, I chose the room next to the bathroom since I share with my little sister and she pees ten times a night (only kids room are not self contained, all the other rooms had bathrooms and restrooms enclosed). At about 6:30 pm my Dad got all of us together to take a walk around the neighborhood. We saw lots of forest but no animals. We came back around 7:00pm and ate dinner. I then had to do my journals, which is what I’m doing now.
More to come next month
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Nigeria Unity and the Politicians Wars
News out of Nigeria can sometimes be very depressing, you really have to do your level best to keep yourself sane, especially given the frenzy pull to the abyss its politicians often pulled the nation. Just this week, we learnt of the death of Alex Ibru, founder and publisher of the Guardian Newspaper-the flagship of Nigeria's journalism. The man who single handedly changed the face of newspaper journalism in Nigeria. One could argue that without the advent of Guardian newspaper in the mid-80s Nigeria fiery brand of journalism would have remained comatose after the dizzying height Babatunde Jose and others had catapulted it in the '70s.
We also heard this week about the death of Dim Emeka Ojukwu. The man who personified everything about Nigeria's birth from colonialism and yet did a lot to pull the entity into an abyss. Ojukwu by accident of birth is a consumate Nigerian. Born in Zungeru, to one of Africa's first millionaire merchant. Ojukwu rarely spend any of his formative years in south east Nigeria. At various times he went to school in the north, Lagos, Ilesa and London before he joined the military.
He is a man who could speak any of Nigerian major languages fluently and yet he led a putsch to divide Nigeria and he nearly succeeded to dismember the nation but for the genocidal hunger unleashed on his people by the Yakubu Gowon led federal government in Lagos.
The fact however remains that the rationale advanced by his seccesionist government and ractify at the ill fated Aburi accord remains an albatross on the Nigerian nation. Every clauses of the Aburi accord, rings true today as it was then. Resource control, right to religious freedom, trade and commerce all of which precipitated the civil war and included in the resolution advanced at Aburi are now issues on all agenda advanced by agitators of the proposed sovereign national conference. Perhaps the only point of dissent I have with Ojukwu is what he did subsequent to Biafra. Ojukwu post Biafra, nearly destroyed the legacy of fairness he had burnished for himself. He fraternized with all and every dictators that ever reigned in Dodan Barracks or Aso Rock. At one time he even went on a junket accross western countries to canvass support for the most pernicious and evil ruler that ever ruled Nigeria-Sanni Abacha!
Let me also state, that whilst I support Ojukwu call for freedom for all Nigerians pre civil war, I however believe in the sanctity of Nigeria. The unity of Nigeria should be "sanctum" and non negotiable. Sadly, it is politicians like the post civil war Ojuwku that did a lot and continue to do a lot to put clogs in the wheel of advancement of the Nigerian people through their divide and rule mendacity.
The poor in Kafachan, are not any different than the poor in Umuaiha or Ipetu Ijesha! Whilst the politically rich and well to do can afford to send their children to schools abroad the poor "vulcanizer" and bricklayer in the slums of Ajegunle are stuck on surviving on a less than a dollar a day. Every time I travel in Nigeria i weep at the sufferings of the people and grit my teeth in disgust at the politicians who fan the embers of discord among the Nigerian people. Sadly, the education of Nigerians is a task for every well meaning Nigerian. And you can start today, by refusing to fight the politician phoney ethnocentric wars! Let them bring their own kids to work as party thugs and die for their ill conceived vitriol. Nigeria unity should be non negotiable!
We also heard this week about the death of Dim Emeka Ojukwu. The man who personified everything about Nigeria's birth from colonialism and yet did a lot to pull the entity into an abyss. Ojukwu by accident of birth is a consumate Nigerian. Born in Zungeru, to one of Africa's first millionaire merchant. Ojukwu rarely spend any of his formative years in south east Nigeria. At various times he went to school in the north, Lagos, Ilesa and London before he joined the military.
He is a man who could speak any of Nigerian major languages fluently and yet he led a putsch to divide Nigeria and he nearly succeeded to dismember the nation but for the genocidal hunger unleashed on his people by the Yakubu Gowon led federal government in Lagos.
The fact however remains that the rationale advanced by his seccesionist government and ractify at the ill fated Aburi accord remains an albatross on the Nigerian nation. Every clauses of the Aburi accord, rings true today as it was then. Resource control, right to religious freedom, trade and commerce all of which precipitated the civil war and included in the resolution advanced at Aburi are now issues on all agenda advanced by agitators of the proposed sovereign national conference. Perhaps the only point of dissent I have with Ojukwu is what he did subsequent to Biafra. Ojukwu post Biafra, nearly destroyed the legacy of fairness he had burnished for himself. He fraternized with all and every dictators that ever reigned in Dodan Barracks or Aso Rock. At one time he even went on a junket accross western countries to canvass support for the most pernicious and evil ruler that ever ruled Nigeria-Sanni Abacha!
Let me also state, that whilst I support Ojukwu call for freedom for all Nigerians pre civil war, I however believe in the sanctity of Nigeria. The unity of Nigeria should be "sanctum" and non negotiable. Sadly, it is politicians like the post civil war Ojuwku that did a lot and continue to do a lot to put clogs in the wheel of advancement of the Nigerian people through their divide and rule mendacity.
The poor in Kafachan, are not any different than the poor in Umuaiha or Ipetu Ijesha! Whilst the politically rich and well to do can afford to send their children to schools abroad the poor "vulcanizer" and bricklayer in the slums of Ajegunle are stuck on surviving on a less than a dollar a day. Every time I travel in Nigeria i weep at the sufferings of the people and grit my teeth in disgust at the politicians who fan the embers of discord among the Nigerian people. Sadly, the education of Nigerians is a task for every well meaning Nigerian. And you can start today, by refusing to fight the politician phoney ethnocentric wars! Let them bring their own kids to work as party thugs and die for their ill conceived vitriol. Nigeria unity should be non negotiable!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Will Bayelsa Gubernatorial Election Imbroglio Predict PDP’s Plan for 2014?
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is widely acknowledged to have departed from his predecessors well known penchant for meddling in administration of election during the last election. Professor Attahiru Jega, INEC chairman, was allowed to pick his staff and conduct the election to the best of his abilities. Other than allocation of funds, and provision of security, the presidency step out of the way of the commission. Should we expect the same scenario to play itself out as we march gradually towards the next presidential election?
Recent events in Bayelsa state seems to point to a negative answer to this loaded question. Bayelsa is the home state of President Goodluck Jonathan. He was once a deputy governor and governor of that state before he ascended to the post of vice president and subsequently president of our dear country. What is happening now in PDP’s Bayelsa gubernatorial electoral politics had been described as the very worst of Nigerian politics and likened to a battle for the very soul of our democracy. Every news story on the debacle speaks of contempt for due process, arrogance of power and stark display of naked dictatorship. It confirms everything some of us have always known about the so called People’s Democratic Party. A party without any fundamental ethos and democratic values other than to win election by every means possible, legal or illegal.
According to the Nation online, “the state was supposed to have carried out ward congresses on Monday, November 14th, but it turned out to be a farce. The party headquarters deployed men and police from Abuja, gathered the delegates and other party faithful, and whisked the materials to Abuja after misinforming the party men and women that they wanted to pay a courtesy call on the governor who never saw them.” In a party known for giving establishment support to all its incumbent governor, the party seems to have thrown the current governor under the bus, for no reason other than a perceived disagreement with the commander in chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is as if what we have in our constitution is an imperial presidency and not a constitutional one.
To ensure that everyone knows where the sitting governor’s problem comes from, the federal government on the eve of the gubernatorial primary suddenly disbanded the state security outfit without any reason. This was quickly followed by declarations of interest by other party men, loyal to President Jonathan.
What does this story portends for our democracy? First of all, we need to understand that we cannot rely on President Jonathan to defend our hard earned democracy. He is no different from every other PDP dictators the party has thrown up in our faces since 1999. More importantly we need to seriously push for a sovereign national conference that will devolve more powers to our local and state government. A federal police force is a veritable tool in the hands of dictator for destruction of our democracy. It is time to stop believing the ruse that Goodluck is any better than Obasanjo or Yar’adua before him. They are all fruits from the same poisonous tree aptly called PDP- People’s Destruction Party!
Recent events in Bayelsa state seems to point to a negative answer to this loaded question. Bayelsa is the home state of President Goodluck Jonathan. He was once a deputy governor and governor of that state before he ascended to the post of vice president and subsequently president of our dear country. What is happening now in PDP’s Bayelsa gubernatorial electoral politics had been described as the very worst of Nigerian politics and likened to a battle for the very soul of our democracy. Every news story on the debacle speaks of contempt for due process, arrogance of power and stark display of naked dictatorship. It confirms everything some of us have always known about the so called People’s Democratic Party. A party without any fundamental ethos and democratic values other than to win election by every means possible, legal or illegal.
According to the Nation online, “the state was supposed to have carried out ward congresses on Monday, November 14th, but it turned out to be a farce. The party headquarters deployed men and police from Abuja, gathered the delegates and other party faithful, and whisked the materials to Abuja after misinforming the party men and women that they wanted to pay a courtesy call on the governor who never saw them.” In a party known for giving establishment support to all its incumbent governor, the party seems to have thrown the current governor under the bus, for no reason other than a perceived disagreement with the commander in chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is as if what we have in our constitution is an imperial presidency and not a constitutional one.
To ensure that everyone knows where the sitting governor’s problem comes from, the federal government on the eve of the gubernatorial primary suddenly disbanded the state security outfit without any reason. This was quickly followed by declarations of interest by other party men, loyal to President Jonathan.
What does this story portends for our democracy? First of all, we need to understand that we cannot rely on President Jonathan to defend our hard earned democracy. He is no different from every other PDP dictators the party has thrown up in our faces since 1999. More importantly we need to seriously push for a sovereign national conference that will devolve more powers to our local and state government. A federal police force is a veritable tool in the hands of dictator for destruction of our democracy. It is time to stop believing the ruse that Goodluck is any better than Obasanjo or Yar’adua before him. They are all fruits from the same poisonous tree aptly called PDP- People’s Destruction Party!
Monday, October 24, 2011
The Second Comming of Ngozinomics: Balancing the Books on the Back of the Poor
“The definition of the alternatives is the supreme instrument of power”- E.E. Schattschneider “The Semisovereign People” (1960)
Most economists agrees that many factors contribute to economic growth, ranging from the productivity of the work force, shares of private savings available for private investment, increased public expenditures that help spurs growth during recession, reduced tax burdens that will encouraged private investment and spending by the large swath of the population, to list just a few. Sadly none of these matters in Nigeria, since the current ruling class in Nigeria is fixated on one thing and one thing only: Petroleum subsidy. Every government in Nigeria including the most profligate and corrupt almost inevitably look at the supposed petroleum subsidy as the anti-dote to all Nigeria economic woes. It was never about the structure that makes the world fifth exporter of crude oil, one of the biggest importers of refined petroleum oil. Never about the poverty of ideas that have rendered the manufacturing sector of the economy comatose due to the high cost of nonexistent electricity.
And now we are back to the beats again, thanks largely to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s “unconstitutional prime minister”: Ngozi Okonjo Iweala. The last time she was in the saddle as minister of finance she pushed for the removal of the same subsidy. At that time she promised that she is doing it for own good and it will be the last time. She promised it will fix our economy and spurred economic growth. Well, if anything was spurred it was the bank account of the politicians. She also successfully negotiated some of Nigeria debt and got kudos for her effort. All of these in turn spurred Ms. Iweala’s personal profile with World Bank and IMF, her erstwhile boss, who in turn promoted her as managing director.
Now, she is back with the same gambit, she believes she can fix Nigeria’s economic woes by removing all petroleum subsidy. Everyone in government believes this is the right thing to do. What do they care? They do not shop where ordinary Nigeria buys food. What is more, their kids do not attend the failing schools they promised to fund at the end of the last exercise; and when they or their progenitors fall sick they simply fly to the best hospitals in US, UK or South Africa; while the poor and the dispossessed get to deal with the attendant ripple effects of the removal of subsidy at home in Nigeria. To adopt a popular refrain from political science, one can conclude that the flaw in Nigeria’s ruling class petroleum subsidy mantra is that their heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent. Evidence shows that every time politicians ginned up this excuse, prices of foodstuffs and household goods rises steeply. The attendant inflation is a self fulfilling prophecy. The funny thing is that their excuses get irritating and embarrassing each time they bring it up. They claim the subsidy encourages illicit export of subsidized products: and my answer to that is whose job is it to guard the porous border? The poor farmer in Kafachan? They also claim that prices in some part of the country are different from others: again my answer is whatever happens to price control unit commission? And why are there no prosecutions of erring fuel stations owners? Are they too powerful?
There is no doubt, that the ruling class in Nigeria is populated with “fanatics” who have a fetish attachment to removal of subsidy. They dismiss logic, knowledge, morality and intellectual integrity in favor of this “sacred fixation” with removal of petroleum subsidy. To the ruling class in Nigeria, removal of petroleum subsidy is “sine qua non” for economic growth. It does not matter if it flies in the face of every logic. No effort to explore any other alternatives. As Upton Sinclair wrote in 1935, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." “Ngozinomics” is back again, we are in trouble. Who will save us from our politicians masquerading as economist?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Of Auto Pilot, People Pilot, God Pilot and the Challenge of Visionary Leadership in Nigeria
“Someone had written in the papers: is Nigeria on auto pilot? I tell them
that Nigeria is not on auto pilot, God is in-charge and God will take us to the
destination he has destined for us” –President Goodluck Jonathan
According to one of Nigeria’s burgeoning online newspapers, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, recently waxed philosophical on who is in charge of our dear country. In an address at an interdenominational service ahead of Nigeria's 51st Independence Anniversary in Abuja, he absolved himself of any blame as God is in charge. Even though he initially cautioned himself before addressing such an important issue before a largely Christian gathering, he made some highly inflammatory statements that we need to dissect “seriatim”.
One would have wished that the president had heeded his own words and just attend the service without making any remarks. Sadly, his voice of reason was crowded out by the tug of faith and now he might have created more problems for the country through his ill-advised philosophical rant. First of all, he stated: “You have been praying for us but others are praying that we shouldn’t move an inch, especially those of us who are politicians.” So who are those praying against his government: Moslems? Atheist? Bloggers? Critics? Journalist? Make your pick. When viewed in context, “others” here could only mean those who are non-Christians i.e adherents of other faiths. But is this what the president of Nigeria really has in mind? I seriously doubt that. After all one of the oaths he sworn to uphold is to an unalloyed fidelity to the Constitution of Nigeria which places strong emphasis on the secularity of all its institutions including the presidency.
The second thing that jumps at me from reading the text of the president address is this amorphous claim that it was not the vote of Nigerians that got him to Aso rock. Here I quote him again: “But God knows why I am here as the President even though I don’t have any of these attributes or characters. But through your prayers, God placed me here.” In other words, those Nigerians who went to great length to vote for him and many who stayed back in the rain and sunshine to protect their vote did all that for nothing, as he only got to Aso rock thanks to the prayers of Christians which in turn moved God to placed him in Aso rock.
Again I asked if this is what the president really meant and I doubt that. Let me say I am no theologian, but I seriously doubt God has a hand in Yar’adua’s death. Even if the good Lord did, I doubt he likes Goodluck better than Pastor Tunde Bakare! I seriously doubt God will want to have “neither part nor lot” in a political party such as People’s Democratic Party. In short, if Christians truly desires to see change in Nigeria, they are better of heeding the admonishing of Christ to “watch and pray”. Any politicians telling them to close their eyes and pray will soon take off with their loot while they and their children’s children pay the debts.
As Fredrick Douglas once remarked, “I have found that to make a contented slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason.” Herein lays the tricks of modern day religious purveyors. Again as Douglas reiterated in his clarion call to reason against blind faith, “I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels. Never was there a clear case of stealing the livery of the court of heaven to serve the devil in”. Those who profit from the perfidious religious tote bags of Nigeria will want Nigerians of all hue to focus on the religious and ethnic differences between them even while they loot the country. They anoint themselves as bearers of religious symbols and standards even while they commit the most heinous crimes against the people of God. Douglas hatred and contempt for similar ilk in his days is worth repeating: “I am filled with unutterable loathing when I contemplate the religious pomp and show, which every where surround me. We have men-stealers for ministers, women whippers for missionaries, and cradle-plunderers for church members. The man who robs me of my earnings at the end of each week meets me as a class-leader on Sunday morning, to show me the way of life, and the path of salvation. He, who sells my sister for purposes of prostitution, stands forth as the pious advocate of purity…We see the thief preaching against the theft, and the adulterer against adultery. We have men sold to build churches, women sold to support the gospel, and babes sold to purchase Bibles for the poor heathen! All for the glory of God and the good of souls! The slave auctioneer’s bell and the church-going bell chime in with each other, and the bitter cries of the heart-broken slave are drowned in the religious shouts of his pious master. The dealer gives his blood stained gold to support the pulpit, and the pulpit in return, covers his infernal business with the garb of Christianity. Here we have religion and robbery the allies of each other-devils dressed in angels’ robes and hell presenting the semblance of paradise.”
Next, the president threw a red herring: “don’t need to be a lion. I don’t need to be Nebuchadnezzar. I don’t need to operate like the pharaohs of Egypt. I don’t need to be a military general. But I can change this country without those traits.” I don’t know where the president got this “delusion” from, but I have never read any newspaper in and outside Nigeria where anyone enjoys him to be a pharaoh, a military general or a Nebuchadnezzar. All we asked is for him to uphold the oath he took to enforce the laws of Nigeria, no matter whose ox is gored. All we asked is to bring culprits of religious riots to book be they Christians or Moslem. All we asked is for the president to act as commander in chief of Nigeria! If he likes he can use servant leadership or commander leadership, all we asked Mr. President is for you to lead! Enough of sending your godfather to placate law breakers even as dissidents shoots and kill innocent bystanders. All we asked is that Nigerian government under your leadership moved quickly to rescue Nigerian traders of “Igbo extraction” from Libya before you kow towed to Western demand to recognize Benghazi’s rebels murdering every black person in the street of Tripoli. Mr. President, we do not care if President Obama offered you praise or Ban Ki Moon gives you an award, your loyalty is not to these masters but to the Nigerian people and the earlier you realized that the better for your regime!
By far the most revolting of all the statements made by the president is this: “Some people were saying; is Nigeria on auto-pilot? And I say yes. Nigeria is being piloted by God himself. There is no pilot, no matter the number of hours he has to his credit flying an aircraft that can take an airline to a destination if God wants to stop it half way. God is in charge and God will take us to the destination he has for us. It is not going to be easy but God using you and us; we will go to where we want to go.” We all know the folks who flew jets to the Twins Towers on 9/11 believed they were been used of God! You can be sincere in your religious belief and still be sincerely wrong! Many have proffered that God was using them in the name of religion even while they make their adherents to drink poison. Even the good book says “Where [there is] no vision the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy [is] he” Mr. President, stop hiding behind God cloak and start keeping the law so and you and all of us can be happy! It is almost six months into your term, and yet there are no clear directions or vision on how we are going to generate more electricity, repair our epileptic power supply, rebuild our dilapidated infrastructure, assure security for every Nigerian in every part of the country, restore the faith of all Nigerian citizens in the Nigeria experiment, educate our citizens for the challenges of the twenty first century, and provide in a succinct form a foreign policy direction for the whole country.
Mr. President, our greatest concern should not be, as Abraham Lincoln rightly once said, whether God is on our side, it should be that we are on God’s side, for God is always right. It is not right for a country that is the fifth largest producer of oil to lagged last in income generation and poverty. It is not right that a Nigerian citizen with southern progenitor, born in Zungeru cannot claim to be a citizen of Niger state. It is not right that corrupt politician who supports your election can walk freely and flaunts their ill gotten wealth while the common thief that stole his neighbor’s goat for hunger linger in jail without trial because of a corrupt judiciary. More than anything else, God may be counting on you to steer the ship you thought was on auto pilot, but was actually heading to disaster. This is because all we currently see in the driver’s seat are rogues on steering wheels, save for a few smart technocrats who have no say in the party that controls the pilot’s license, more appropriately described as people’s destroyer party! Mr. President, God is counting on you to steer this ship to safety.
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