The Jonathan/Obasanjo Debacle

   The Jonathan/Obasanjo debacle clearly shows that Nigeria is descending into free fall and the unnerving thing is; that we all stand helplessly by to watch. So OBJ wrote to GEJ, trying to score cheap political points? At what point does the kingmaker stop demanding obedience from the king?
This informs us of one of numerous quotes from Fyodor Dostoyevsky which says -“Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.”  
It is a bad state of affairs that we are saddled with this type of people. I am sure that the death of Mandela may have played a role that it seems that some people are seeking absolution from the people? Or is it to cultivate and build Nigeria or do they yearn for a legacy and ascertain that there would be nation grieving for when they are gone?
The question is do we really care? What does it
mean to the poor, the young, unemployed, the displaced and the vulnerable? Protesting publicly at this time by our greedy, moronic and out of touch so-called leaders is too little, too late. Nothing will change unless, our leader do what is right by each and every Nigerian and create a government and equitable systems that addresses the needs of all Nigerians and not for the selected or favoured few.

I know it will be a miracle for Nigerian politicians to hold their hands up and own up. OBJ’s letter did raise brows; and shows that they have no respect and do not care for the common folks, just their own political survival.

Their greed and lust for power is what binds them together. What was OBJ thinking preening a18-page letter to GEJ? PDP is sinking and the old man now wants to jump ship and extricate himself from the political complicity that had gone for decades and some under his watch. The old man had fingers in all the common wealth pies and that had gone on for years so it is a little too late to want to appear whiter than snow; that is not going to wash. They are, without exception, tarred with the same brush. History will judge these feckless people and when we look back they should be used as an example of how not to behave in government and public office.

In the leaked letter, Obasanjo warns GEJ that unless he tackles the problems of corruption, piracy, kidnapping and oil theft confronting Nigeria then Nigeria could slide back to military rule. He should know that the boat has sailed and no use closing the stable door when the proverbial horse has bolted? Does OBJ know what GEJ does not know?, or is the old man making moves to grab the crown off GEJ and give to another “deserving yes person” come 2015?

The trouble with PDP is, there have long been dissent in the ranks and they have been too complacent for too long and now they are fire fighting and failing miserably failing to control the all mighty fire. OBJ doth protest too much when he said that: “I want nothing from you personally except that you should run the affairs of Nigeria not only to make Nigeria good, but to make Nigeria great for which I have always pleaded with you and I will always do so. And it is yet to be done for most Nigerians to see, “OBJ added that he was speaking out because he was troubled that “Nigeria was moving in the wrong direction”. Wow! That is so rich, Nigeria has gone the wrong direction for many years and now he validates that. That is not a bad request; it is actually reasonable but really, do we all have to be privy that OBJ has been chiding the President of Nigeria all this time? I am sure that Nigerians jolly will make up their mind come the election (if they vote with conscience ) and if they want a better future for them, their children and Nigeria. As usual, it is left for the president’s spin doctor to land a salvo of equal insults.

Reuben Abati said it was “highly unbecoming, mischievous and provocative” to leak the letter to the media and it was a deliberate effort to “question the integrity of the president”. What did I tell you? We lack respect for ourselves and each other. Of course, they deny all the allegations as spurious and inappropriate. The fact is there for all to see.

Nigeria is not working; has not worked in years and our leaders are siphoning our wealth to line their pockets while embarking on another binge. It is a free country after all, last time I checked, Nigeria is a democracy, so OBJ is entitled to his opinion but it is the hypocrisy and the mendaciousness in his letter that speaks volumes. Do I think GEJ has done well for the country? Absolutely and categorically no. Has the present crop made things worse? Unequivocally Yes! Not for OBJ to write and publicly leak to the media. GEJ has the right to be judged by the country when they cast the vote in 2015.

First Ladies’ Club
“The best thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” — John Wooden

Nigeria needs a champion for women and children. The rate of domestic violence and abuse against our children and women is unacceptable and I cannot see why our first ladies are not championing this, raising and promoting awareness of this heinous crimes. The role of the first lady I would hope is to take on worthwhile causes, like child poverty, education, nutrition, health care domestic violence and child bride cases. If they are really worth their weight in gold as they purport to be; can they stand up for the defenceless and the vulnerable? Also from the beginning, people look to the First Lady as the leading or most famous woman in the state and the country. They can use their influence for good causes, charity and establish institutions to help others.

In Nigeria, we have a bad case of small people syndrome; the need to act big when they are in fact, very small. As a result these men (and women) want to dominate, humiliate, isolate and they also have the affront to deny and blame the victim for their aggression. Up and down our country we have young, old, rich, poor, uneducated and educated who guilty of these heinous crimes and our society feels it is normal and no one is speaking for the voiceless. We have by our denial, omission and complicity, creating a society of narrow minded, bigoted, megalomaniacs, and tyrants, cruel, cold, emotionally detached and ego driven people.