Why Is Everybody Stealing In Nigeria?

“Why is everybody stealing in Nigeria? Please, why the stealing? Here, in our country, stealing seems like an act of worship, that if you didn't steal, you might lose the eternal bliss. Therefore, everybody strives to steal, irrespective of its implication on the populace. In Nigeria, there's pride in stealing!

A Fair Ode to Senator Buruji Kashamu

The late Senator Buruji Kashamu was allegedly wanted in the US for drug offences, including trafficking, selling, etc. It was never proved and he was never found guilty. If fact, it appeared he never appeared in any court, here in Nigeria or the US.

(According to a friend of mine, “the late Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was NOT ALLEGEDLY wanted in the US. He was wanted under the extradition treaty. He was taken to the Nigerian courts, but managed to manoeuvre the corrupt Nigerian court system. If Ibori was discharged of all charges in Nigeria but convicted for the same type of offences in the UK, we know exactly what happened. Sources of wealth are always traceable. Buruji was from drug trafficking. When a former president says that, you better believe him”). I cannot contest this.

In Nigeria, he became a Senator and a big and renowned politician through his gruff and brash attitude and worked his way in as a federal lawmaker. Good for him. I learnt he did very well for his people at my Mum's and his hometown of Ìjẹ̀bú Igbó, which explains the multitude at his funeral.

He was never accused of corruption, that I know, but we know that in that their so-called Hallowed Chamber, it was a nest of dubious, corrupt and greedy men and women, whose sole aim of being there is not to serve the people who elected them and their country, Nigeria, but to partake in avaricious acquisition of our commonwealth for their personal benefit and use. Maybe it was because of his membership of that infamous house that we've labelled Mr Kashamu as corrupt.

However, the whiff of being wanted in the US hung around Buruji Kashamu till he died.

The fact that his given name, Ẹ̀shọ́ Jinadu, was hardly used by him in politics, cast aspersions on his credibility and sincerity as a person and as a politician. Another friend has corrected me that the late Senator’s given names are Mushafau Shodipe, and that his other family members answer to the surname, Shodipe, Kashamu was coined from his father's Nick name who once worked as a court bailiff. Well, what do I know?

As we always say, only his God can judge him. But history will sure have something to say about him for posterity. May his soul rest in perfect peace!"

After all they are all thieves. As stated by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Buruji used his political involvement to stop extradition to the US. That means he is not as daft as some of us think. Wish we can get better sets of law makers in Nigeria

Let him Rest in Peace. As far as many Nigerians are concerned, the late senator, was innocent until proven guilty at the court of the law and our prayers should go out to the family he left behind.

Whatever anyone says now does not matter as he has judgement only with his creator. Whether rightly or wrongly, he has lived his life as he wished and has got off his "bus stop". Remember folks, with or without you, life continues. We will all get off someday when we get to our life's "bus stop".

The aspect pertaining to his real name, Esho Jinadu should have been addressed by relevant authorities. In saner climes, he wouldn't be roaming around freely with such allegation hanging around his neck, talk less of being at the helms of national affairs.

Who is perfect? Looters of our common wealth, drug cartels.... He has done so well for his community, that I will say and attest to.

Only God can discern a man's heart. No amount of prayer or sacrifice can change Jinadu's destiny now. I pray he had time to repent before his death, because after death is judgement. Let all of us living learn from this and change before death comes knocking for no one knows the hour, the minute or the second.

According to some comments on him, he was innocent, he was Esho Jinadu. He knew and fought extradition for a case he was innocent of, but court records in the UK on or about 2001 indicated that he vehemently denied being Esho Jinadu in an extradition case to the US. Very many of us accuse politicians of beign illiterates, but he became a Senator when he was barely lettered.

Very long way for us to go as a country if we must put things right.

However, Nigerians still have a long way to go, if we can be adding sentiments of, he’s “my home boy” on cases like drug related.

A part of Nigeria is getting loud- that part does not like our current 'any-how-ness'. Under a normal situation, people who are accused of grave criminality would resign to clear his good name.... Buruji fought his extradition to the US. What was he running from? Nigeria does not lack examples when it comes to 'criminals' in power/politics. Ex-convicts, home and abroad have sought and 'won' political seats. Enwerem, Salisu Buhari, Ibori, current Kebbi governor, etc. A benevolent thief is still a thief. People are now finding courage/voice to speak of the evil of the dead, very soon they will speak more of those evils, while the dead are still alive. It is getting louder!!

Methinks there has to be a start point. If they failed to reprimand someone in the past does not mean that all criminals should go without reprimand.

Also, why didn’t he resign to fight his extradition? It was the US government that was accusing him, not Nigeria. As far as the FGN is concerned, he hasn't committed a crime on Nigerian soil. But can a Boris, or Cameron, or Corbyn... be in the same position and hold on to their seats in the UK Parliament?  this is part of our 'any-how-ness' in Nigeria.... Why would he allow the 'noise' and dirt from the allegations to continue to distract him/and the government by sitting tight? On this point, I would say he should have resigned and clear his name. Unfortunately, resignation is not something honourable our public officials find morally right to do.

Another friend, who happened to know the late Senator very well had this story to relate to me,  “A few months to the 2019 Elections, after hosting the gubernatorial aspirant of the ADC in Ogun State, Gboyega Nadir Isiaka, I made a post on my Facebook timeline on why GNI is my preferred candidate.

 

Three days later, I got a call from one of Kashamu's aides, Kashamu was at the other end of the receiver and he requested I see him in Ijebu Igbo the following day. I did. He questioned my decision and I told him it's my decision and that I have no electoral value. He insisted I must support him and I told him No! When I was leaving, he gave me an envelope and souvenirs; in the envelope was N200K and the souvenirs contained 12 packets (144 pieces) of branded note books. He loves and respect people who are not YES-men”.

Note that I am not defending Buruji. In fact, I detest his presence in Nigerian politics, but then how many people in Nigerian do I have the capacity to detest? Too many. Buruji was just one of them, and we just have to live with them for now, as it seems the people really have no say in the positions they crookedly, and most times, viciously fought to attain, and find means of not letting their types get to lead us in the very nearest future.

Way back some years ago, when Buruji landed on the political scene of Nigeria, I was one of his most prominent and vocal critics on social media. One day, an unknown man managed to get my telephone number, probably from Facebook, and called me in the UK from Nigeria. He told me “Bros, I like you very much even though I have never met you, but I read your posts and comments on Facebook, and that’s why I sought out your number to call you. I am one of Buruji’s men and we’re very loyal to him, and some of us will do anything for him, because he treats us well, but Bros, please and please, don’t post anything about Buruji or criticise him anymore. Some of our guys can search you out and beat you up or do worse.”

I thanked him, and since that day, I stopped any post, criticism and comments about the late Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Many times, when I had to travel to Ijebu Igbo, his hometown, I ensure I stay clear of his house, despite the fact that I know he doesn’t know me or even have heard of me. I was even at a party at his event centre in the town, and he was in attendance, I maintained a low profile.

He's gone from us now, and the rest is for his Creator to judge.

May God forgive his sin and grant him paradise Amin. May Allah SWT grant him Aljanah Firdaous. Aameen.

Of University of Ìbàdàn Vice-Chancellorship and Ìbàdàn Agitation

I'm a proud Ìbàdàn man; I have a village and an “agbo’le” in the heart of Ìbàdàn, and my late father holds a chieftaincy title from the great city of Ìbàdàn. I'm also a proud University of Ìbàdàn graduate. I passed my four years in the university with two Vice-Chancellors who were not Yorubas, not to talk of being from Ìbàdàn - Late Prof Oritshejolomi Thomas and late Prof Tekena Tamuno - great Vice-Chancellors of whom I will always say "They don't make them like that anymore". My Registrar was the late SJ Okudu, who, with the latter VC was the signatory to my degree certificate.

University of Ìbàdàn (or UI as it is popularly known and called throughout the world), in those days was packed full of lecturers who were not even from the South West of Nigeria, as well as expatriates. The late Irish Catholic Father Foley was my Chemistry teacher during my Preliminary Studies, and the Chemistry laboratory where hundreds, if not thousands, of science students passed under him is now called “Father Foley’s Laboratory”, in his memory and honour. It will be an everlasting monument to this lecturer who they said started with the University in 1948.

University of Ìbàdàn is known for its traditions and academic excellence, and please, this is not to demean the other great Nigerian universities that even most of us UI Alumni would also have been proud to attend, were it not for fate of choice – the prodigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka; the ever dynamic University of Lagos; the ever progressive and proud University of Ife, later changed to the great Obafemi Awolowo University; the sparkling and erudite University of Benin; the dynamic Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, that we used to call ABUZ in those days; and then the University of Ilorin, a procreation of the Great UI; as well as the University of Jos, which was formerly University of Ìbàdàn, Jos Campus.  Then came Universities of Port Harcourt and Calabar, of which I know very little. All the above I visited at one time or the other during my days in the 70s, for one reason or the other, either educational, social (Kegites Club and parties) or even for student agitation.

I am sorry, but those were the universities I knew in my days of higher learning in Nigeria in the 70s.

As an Ìbàdàn man, it was a great honour and pride for me to be admitted to the first university in Nigeria, located in my very own town. My father, himself a great Ìbàdàn educationist, was filled with joy when in 1975, while at the Polytechnic, Ìbàdàn (another great pioneering higher institution in Nigeria), I received my admission letter to come and read Botany, Zoology and Chemistry at the Preliminary Level, called Prelim, and then to proceed to read Agriculture, specialising in Animal Science. I had to take an examination before I was offered this admission, and apparently, I had passed. I had also taken the Preliminary examinations of UNN and University of Ife, and I was also admitted to UNN, but apparently failed that of Ife, because they never offered me admission.

During my four years at the University of Ìbàdàn, I was taught by great professors and lecturers, mostly Nigerians consisting of Ìbàdàn indigenes and non-indigenes of Ìbàdàn alike, expatriates of several countries, and I never had any regret. However, my observation, with the benefit of hindsight, is that there were not many Ìbàdàn lecturers that taught me; however that is not to say there are few Ìbàdàn professors and lecturers at the University of Ìbàdàn at the time, because I can only speak of my faculty, the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, which is only one of many faculties at the university, and of course, whose lecturers were unknown to me.

The University of Ìbàdàn, like all Federal universities, has a tradition of appointing the V C, but the person that has the final approval is the Visitor, President/Head of State. There is nothing wrong or subliminal calling for an Ìbàdàn indigene to occupy the post, but if the selection process is compromised, there is likely go to be a problem.

Before the university was sited in Ìbàdàn, there were other communities who wanted the university sited in their place, even ready to offer more land, so Ìbàdàn people should appreciate that the first university in Nigeria, is sited there. One other feature that University of Ìbàdàn has is that NO Vice-Chancellor has being appointed from outside, and the University is very proud to feed other universities with VCs, you name them. The saying is "Build your university UI will give you a VC"

It is the University where V.C appointed outside or within the system go back to their former departments and earn PROFESSOR EMERITUS. Whatever be the case, STANDARD must not be Compromised! "

But some point out that nobody is asking that we compromise standards, and that there are very competent Ìbàdàn people to lead the university. However, UI has her own standards in whatever she does. Admission process, filling of vacant positions including that of VC, etc, all have laid down and standardized ways at this great institution of higher learning. Those standards will never be compromised for any reasons at all.

For some, not every issue should be dragged with the tribal robe. Awolowo didn't site those structures in Ikenne, or anywhere in Ogun State, he wasn't parochial like our current "let our son do it" mentality and cries. He was rather a regional person, which is far better than being focused on one city OR sub tribe. The University of Ìbàdàn, UI, belongs to Nigeria and most importantly it is located in the most populous and important South West!

Ìbàdàn indigenes contended that, at the time the University was sited in Ìbàdàn, the size of the land given to both UI and UCH is far bigger and larger than many of the contending cities and towns.

Historically, it is worthy of note that an Egba son, Reverend Oludotun Ransome Kuti, Fela’s father, played a major role in the siting and establishment of UCI/UI at Ìbàdàn rather than at Abeokuta. The first choice by the committee was Abeokuta. The Alake of Egbaland at the time, Sir Ademola put a demand and obstacles on it. Remember he was sent on exile by a popular revolt led by Mrs Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, Fela’s mother. That was how Ìbàdàn was blessed with the university. That was the reason Kuti Hall was named after Rev Oludotun Ransome Kuti. There was nothing sacrosanct in siting that university at Ìbàdàn. There were plenty of land in Ijebu, Ogbomosho, Ekiti, Ondo, Owo, Owerri, Ilorin, Kaduna, Kano or Sokoto. It was a colonial government institution. They owned Nigeria including Ìbàdàn or Kano. No one could stop them. If Reverend Kuti insisted on Abeokuta or any other town, he would get it.

Why don’t we all emulate the legendary Nationalism exhibited by Rev Kuti and later, by Awolowo instead of bringing in destructive townsman sentiments.

In any case. I know for sure if an Ìbàdàn professor in UI came tops in the selection process, no one could deny him or her. The same goes for professors from other towns. Unless we have dictators like IBB or Abacha who destroyed merits in appointments, the best candidate will always emerge the VC.

If clannish sentiments were used in such appointments in the past, we must put a stop to it. There is some evidence that Ijesha people are overbearing and clannish as suggested in the UI appointments. However, we must revert to merit in appointments of especially VCs. Hopefully an Ìbàdàn indigene may emerge as the most qualified, if not this year, but subsequent years. We must not allow ‘parapo’, tribalism and towns-man affiliations to destroy the progress of Yoruba land.

Professor Kenneth Dike was a UCI/UI lecturer before he was appointed the first Nigerian VC of the University of Ìbàdàn. UCI/UI was the only degree-awarding institution/university before 1962 when new universities were established. So almost or all VCs to the new universities were teaching in UI.

The VCs of the federal universities in the South East might be from the ethnic subregion but not even from the host state, talk less of the host town/city. For instance, the immediate outgone VC of UNN, Prof Ozumba is from Anambra State, not Enugu, not Nsukka LGA or town. With the exception of one, all other VC of that University in the last 20 years came from elsewhere in the ethnicity than Enugu State which situates Nsukka, so 'son-of-the-soil' phenomenon is not inclusive here. Another example is that Prof Oshodin was the first indigenous VC of the University of Benin, and that was recently.

I believe in letting a qualified and academically sound Ìbàdàn son be the next Vice Chancellor, if indeed they are in line for the position. The information we have is that already, there are four Ìbàdàn professors who are already contesting for the post. The CCII listed four Ibadan indigenes in the VC race to include Professor Remi Raji-Oyelade who is also a member of the University’s Governing Council, Professor Kayode Adewale, the current Deputy Vice Chancellor (admin) who is said to be favoured by the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Emiola Olapade-Olaopa who is the immediate past Provost of College of Medicine and former member of the Governing Council and Professor Kolapo Hamzat, the current Head of the Department of Physiotherapy as worthy candidates of Ibadan that must be supported by the University to emerge as Vice Chancellor. May the best one win

Some of those agitating for the Ìbàdàn/UI VC post believe that Ìbàdàn’s cosmopolitan outlook have made even the Federal Government to overlook over 10 million Ìbàdàn people with over eleven LGAs, more than some states in Nigeria, and that it is time our sons of the soil are selected for helms man job at both UI and UCH Ìbàdàn in this 2020. I would not like to disagree with this position.

I will personally not be approving of the agitation for an Ìbàdàn man to become the VC, as I think it is rather narrow-minded. And think that by this very vocal and rather parochial agitation, we might actually be putting the chances of these qualified Ìbàdàn sons and daughters and future ones at risk and also be casting aspersions on their quality? Because now people will not think that they got their position on merit but by regional agitation and consideration. This will impact on their credibility, qualifications and ability. It may belittle them in the eyes of the public.

Also, is another worrying development in which some Muslim groups in Ìbàdàn and from the university community itself, now saying that no Muslim has ever been VC of the University of Ìbàdàn. Worrisome again is that women are now also saying no woman has ever been the VC. Where then do we go from here if the university and its Visitor, who gives the final approval for the VC’s appointment, are put under such ethnic, religious and gender pressure?

I therefore disagree with the direction this issue is taking to look at the "agitation" for an ÌBÀDÀN Vice Chancellor for the University of ÌBÀDÀN!!!