Sometime not too long ago, it seems, in the early 1990s, I was at a London court to help interpret for a young Nigerian who had been charged to the court for armed robbery. I was sure the young Nigeria could speak perfect, if accented, English, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided they could not understand his accent and it would be in his best interest if someone were to interpret for him.
The judge, on hearing the charges, immediately called the Crown Prosecutor to his bench and told him he was not going to hear the case because he, the Judge, personally do not believe the charges were true. This, he said, is because if the young Nigerian had been charged for fraud or credit card or drug smuggling offence, he would have believed it. But for armed robbery in the UK by a Nigerian? No way! Nigerians do not commit that kind of crime, the Honourable Judge said. And he promptly admonished the Police and the CPS and threw the case out. End of the case.
How times have changed. Now, at the very beginning of a new decade, Nigerians, or rather, the country Nigeria has now been put on a US terrorist list because of the misguided and probably orchestrated act of a single Nigerian spoilt brat.
Don’t get me wrong. While we are exhibiting righteous indignation at being “defamed”, the truth is that Nigeria has always been on one kind of infamous list or the other for a very long time. We are on a corruption list (especially official corruption); on a money laundering list; on drug smuggling list since the 1970s; on fake drugs list; on a prevalent internal religious strife list; on an internal insecurity list (warnings to Western travellers on the high incidence of armed robbery within Nigeria and in the early 2000s, the incidence of kidnappings in the Niger delta area); on a fake passport and visa list by almost all Western countries and even in some other countries. And only God knows on what other hidden lists.
Thanks to “Mr Thunderpants” Umar Abdulmutallab (he hid his incendiary devive in his pants, stupid boy), Nigeria now ranks amongst the terrorist states of the world besides Yemen, Pakistan, Iran, etc. Now, the green passport, and most importantly, a lot of innocent, hard-working Nigerians all ovwer the world will be prime terrorist suspects anywhere they go carrying the Nigerian passport, or even if they are carrying another country’s passport, their names will give them away. I can imagine someone with my name, even on a British Passport, alighting from Arik Air at Heathrow being given the full treatment, including full body scanners, which strips you naked, exposing my already weak genitals, watched by many Immigration officers in the name of protecting against terrorism. It is not a pretty thought or sight or ordeal, I tell you. And here I am thanking God for clothes which hide the boxer shorts I have been wearing for close to 3 days.
So where are other countries on this list? Britain itself should be the No 1 suspect for terrorism, not the UK Government per se, but its very soft attitude towards terrorism. The UK is a hotbed of international terrorism. It is very soft on terror suspects, but we all know, don’t we? Just go to many of the East End mosques. And we know how softly the UK government handles Islamic extremists, fearing backlashes and putting economic interests before the safety of its people.
But what is really galling is the response of the Nigerian people; mind you, not the corrupt, clueless, inept, leaderless, Nigerian Government, but ourselves. We like self-flagellation and self-blame. We indulge in self-pity and self-denigration. And there we have it. Since this Abdulmutallab incident, we, as a people, have been wallowing in self-pity and blaming ourselves and everything in sight (I must admit I was perhaps guilty of this myself initially, but recent details that have come to light has made me remorseful about that)
Our plight is not helped by the low esteem other countries have for us because of our several dubious reputation – that of a corrupt, inept Government, and is further exacerbated by a sick absent President, whose whereabouts has been unknown by his people, and probably the whole world, for the past one month, while his cabinet and Party are playing hide and seek with our very existence as a nation, just because of personal selfish political interests, not for once thinking about the effect of his absence on the polity and the standing of Nigeria in the comity of nations.
That the USA itself has some hands in this incident is a foregone conclusion. We always like to listen to the CIA as if they are the only one carrying out surveillance on the world, but we tent to neglect the existence of that other great World Power, Russia and its Intelligence services. They have actually fingered the complicity and orchestration of the United States in this incident.
Recent alternative reports that I have read to rationalise the propaganda being spewed out by the United States (and it is always good to hear the other sides of stories) indicate that the United States, or rather the CIA, might never let us know the truth, to hide their complicity, if not orchestration of the whole affair. That of course does not negate the fact that a Nigerian, Umar Abdulmutallab was used as either a willing or enthusiastic tool. One thing for sure, he was fall-guy, or a decoy or victim or all of the above.
The United States, Indian and Israeli top security agencies have now been fingered as conspirators in the Christmas day attempt by Umar Faruok AbdulMutallab to detonate chemical explosives aboard Delta Airlines flight 253, from Amsterdam Schiphol to Detroit, the United States. According to Intelligence sources’ reports gathered on Prison Planet networks and “Forums” of Pravda, a Russian news and analysis medium, Abdulmutallab’s flight from Amsterdam to Detroit was said to be a false flag operation carried out by the intelligence tripartite grouping of the United States’ CIA, Israeli’s Foreign Intelligence Agency (Mossad), and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of Indian Intelligence.
One theory is that the CIA is trying to embarrass the black boy in the White House, President Obama himself. Hear US Senator. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), "I am troubled by several aspects of this case, including how the suspect escaped the attention of the State Department and law enforcers when his father apparently reported concerns about his son's extremist behaviour to the U.S. embassy in Lagos, how the suspect managed to retain a U.S. visa after such complaints, and why he was not recognized as someone who reportedly was named in the terrorist database”.
Another is that the connection of Umar with Yemen might also be preparatory to planning an invasion (openly or subtly) of Yemen by the US, under the guise of curbing terrorism, a theory reminiscent of the “weapons of mass destruction” excuse for invading Iraq.
Please do not forget America's foreign policy around the world and their predictable response is strategically based on self interest and self interest only. Unfortunately for Nigeria, for the past four decades we have been led (be it military or civilian) by corrupt, inept and inconsiderate leaders, who have shown a total disregard for the welfare of their own people. However, as Deen Uthman commented on Facebook, “the West have all along turned a blind eye to it, one, because of the oil, and two, because the money they've stolen resides in their financial institutions generating big profits and propping up their economies. Just like 9/11 with the Saudi's, it has suddenly dawned on them that there's a possibility maybe some of that money might be tunnelled into funding terror. Unlike like the Saudi's, apart from our (Nigeria’s) dwindling oil supplies we have absolutely nothing to offer the West. So they now categorise us has a failed state with a power void and brand the actions of one man to tag a country of 140 million plus people. With the current predicament we find our selves, believe me, humour affords us solace. We have a president gone missing and our political establishments and institutions do nothing. Why? Because they all benefit from the status quo of doing absolutely nothing. On the actions of one individual, millions of Nigerians around the world are now branded as terrorist with untold disruptions to our lives for years to come. Our leaders can't speak on our behalf, why? Because they are either tainted by corruption or incompetence.”
T West, on Blacklistpub.com rightly surmised this action “What we are seeing with the hypnotized Nigerian is the work of Western psyops that has been at play since the beginnings of their “War On Terrorism”. I say it’s their war on terrorism because they are the ones who created it and continue to sustain it. What we are witnessing is a massive psychological operation that is in operation outside the laboratory, feeding the engine that keeps you and virtually all of those you know transfixed on what these people want you to see. They want you to see chaos and, therefore, they create chaos, and do it while convincing you that they will bring or sustain peace, prosperity and continued democracy and even the spread of democracy. We have seen the opposite in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Gaza, Somalia, Yemen and now Iran”.
Furthermore, he wrote “The objective of CIA in London's setup of Umar, the Nigerian, with bomb which they knew would never explode, was to target Obama's determination to close down Guantanamo. A day or so prior to the Flight 253 incident, Obama Administration had released 2 prisoners to Somalia and several to Yemen. This whole situation with Flight 253 was orchestrated by the CIA of which certain elements are rogue and work in the interest of Dick Cheney and the Neocon agenda”.
Fellow countrymen and women let us stop all these self-flagellation. Nigeria is not guilty as charged of terrorism. I will admit that we are going to suffer a lot of inconvenience at airports all over the West for a long time, and since the US and its allies have determined that is to be, then it will be, probably until a true, fearless, focused leader appears to lead us one day.
Example of our self-flagellation include our quick and convenient excuses to point the fingers at various things in the country: the prevalent religious riots in the North; the Niger Delta militants, which some people are now calling terrorists; the rich children of the Northern elite who apparently derive their enormous wealth by merely being in government or favoured by people in government (I am not saying this not true, but is a biased consideration of all available facts), and even some people are now convinced that the country is a “failed state” just because one Abdulmutallab carried a bomb in his pants. We have even lost our self-respect as a people or individual.
Having said this, this is not the first time Nigerians have committed a mid-air terrorist act; remember some young people hijacked a plane to Mali or Chad during Abacha’s regime, but they were protesting against the corrupt, vile dictatorship of their own country.
So I hear the leaderless Nigerian government and legislature giving the US seven days to revoke Nigeria’s inclusion on the Terror List. I could not help but laugh. Yes, of course, they must be seen to be doing something; to be indignant, but after seven days expire, what will the Nigerian Government do? Will Nigeria not sell oil to the US anymore? Will they sever relationship with the US government? Will they tell all American companies to leave Nigeria? Or will they advise Nigerians not to travel to the US anymore for business, studies, visits to relatives, etc? Or are we going to create our own Terror List, or perhaps some other List and put the US on it?
But they are still running around like headless chicken, more concerned with their own personal survival as a result of an absent President who may never come back. Chaos and anarchy in the horizon! And you expect the great US to take us serious? The US even knows where our President is, or what has happened to him, but it’s not their business to tell us.
I do not believe in self-flagellation and self-pity for a crime I and my people have not even committed.
I leave it all to your imagination, rumination and self-conclusion. For me, the truth will pan out soon.
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Religious Crisis, Terrorism, and Our Security.
This must be a very difficult time for Nigerians and Nigeria itself, especially with recent events such as; Bauchi crisis (Kala Kato), the attempt to blow up flight 253 by Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, the second Nigerian who caused a security concern on the same flight no 253 to Detroit (though he was truly sick), the bomb blast at the Superscreen Television Station, our sick president, fuel scarcity, fire at African Independent Television (AIT) station and farmers/herdsmen crisis in Nasarawa State (a lot of people died while many were displaced).
These are not very good image projectors of our country. It’s simply a public relations disaster for all. Please make no mistake about it, Nigeria and Nigerians will surely pay the penalty for all these image problems. To me, image is every thing. The re-brand Nigeria Project championed by Madam Dora Akinyili (Information Minister) should now be allowed to finally rest in peace, because recent events have rubbished it.
When I wrote about Boko Haram crisis, published on national newspapers, international media and my blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/2009/08/ignorance-is-disease.html), I prayed to God that, let this be the last time I will write about religious crisis. I don’t know if I should repeat that prayer here. However, I wish to express my sympathies to all the innocent Nigerians who were displaced, or who lost people or properties due to this crisis. I condemn all kinds of crisis be it religious or otherwise. I also condemn all acts of terrorism. I will ask all Nigerians to unite and condemn all acts of terrorism and all kinds of crisis (religious etc). In crisis, just like in terrorism, many innocent people die. Am sure Nigerians will agree with me that these twin evils (religious crisis and terrorism) are amongst the biggest threat to us (Nigerians) and all human races.
We have a duty to fight these menace and other societal evils. Alhaji Mutallab (father of the flight 253 bomber; Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab) has given us a clue on what all of us should be doing. Alhaji Mutallab reported his son to the American Embassy and the Nigerian Security Services when he suspected the strange behaviors of his son. This singular act should be emulated by all Nigerians. Its worthy of commendation. This approach should be used to fight other crimes in Nigeria. Please report any one you’re not sure of his or her motives. This should be applicable to all top officials in both the public and private sector. I was glad when a friend told me, that he went to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office personally to hand in a petition about a certain government official.
I remember the tenure of ex Governor Buba Marwa of Lagos State. He launched Operation Sweep (an outfit of the Lagos Police Command tasked with fighting crimes in Lagos State) he asked people living in Lagos (Lagosians) to volunteer information anonymously if they are afraid to mentioned their names. Thus people started volunteering information without their names and it helped the crime fighters (Operation Sweep). In the same manner, Nigerians should volunteer information if possible without their names. This will surely help to fight crimes. If we fail to act, we might end up being the victims. I urge Nigerians in Diaspora to volunteer information on where the wanted bank chiefs are staying in abroad. It might be helpful for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
If the other passengers traveling with Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab (flight 253 bomber) had failed to act, all of them would have died. That is the more reasons why, we Nigerians have to volunteer information that will prevent crime(s), corruption, bad governance etc. A better way to know what people are doing might be through surveillance and spying. We can borrow the techniques used by the former East German Secret Police (Stasi). In the former East Germany, people were spying each for the good of the state. Cuba used similar method at the early days of Fidel Castro’s revolution. This method has the potentials of reducing crimes drastically. No sacrifice will be too much for the security of Nigerians. “Security for few is insecurity for all” Nelson Mandela.
On this note, may I inform our people that I have concluded research and now have details of a company here that, deals on specially made security and surveillance cameras. These cameras are ideal for the following purposes; election monitoring, investigative journalism, individual/community protection, home protection, private investigators etc. I recommend these cameras for all those hoping to monitor elections in Nigeria especially the Anambra State governorship election coming up in February 2010. Also these cameras are a must for all Nigeria’s investigative journalist(s).
In August 2009, I did highlight how we can monitor elections using our cameras. Details are on my blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/2009/08/digital-cameras-and-mobile-phones-with.html). Please feel free to pass this information to other Nigerians who might need the facilities mentioned above, but might not have read this piece. These devices (security and surveillance cameras) could be used to enforce accountability on the part of our rulers.
Talking about accountability and as a starting point, Dr Rilwanu Lukman (Petroleum Minister) should tell Nigerians the reasons why he should not be sacked for leaving Nigeria at the heat of the fuel scarcity. This is despite the warning given by the Vice President (Goodluck Jonathan), that the Petroleum Ministers (Dr. Rilwanu Lukman and his junior counterpart Mr. Odein Ajumogobia) should not travel for the Christmas holiday due to the fuel crisis. He (Rilwanu Lukman) violated the order given by the Vice President. By so doing, he disrespected the office of the Vice President. I suggest his removal as a minister. Fuel scarcity creates insecurity for people.
Rilwanu Lukman has truly shown his insensitivity to the plight of the suffering Nigerian masses. He and his likes should understand that Nigeria and Nigerians have changed. Insensitivity of this kind might make people take laws into their hands. Not too long ago, there was a failed attempt to kidnap the education minister (Dr Sam Egwu). One of culprits claimed that they wanted to kidnap Sam Egwu because of his inability to resolve Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike. Thank God, the strike has been called off. Remember some Nigerians hijacked a plane when June 12 1993 election was annulled. This was in protest to the annulment. Our “rulers” have to be very careful now. Times have changed. No more taking Nigerians for granted.
Finally, I wish to appeal to Nigerians to participate and join the fight against global warming. Turn off your electrical appliances/lights when not in use. Plant a tree or sponsor one to plant on your behalf. Government and companies should send less paper work and do more email, telephone, and sms. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta.
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
These are not very good image projectors of our country. It’s simply a public relations disaster for all. Please make no mistake about it, Nigeria and Nigerians will surely pay the penalty for all these image problems. To me, image is every thing. The re-brand Nigeria Project championed by Madam Dora Akinyili (Information Minister) should now be allowed to finally rest in peace, because recent events have rubbished it.
When I wrote about Boko Haram crisis, published on national newspapers, international media and my blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/2009/08/ignorance-is-disease.html), I prayed to God that, let this be the last time I will write about religious crisis. I don’t know if I should repeat that prayer here. However, I wish to express my sympathies to all the innocent Nigerians who were displaced, or who lost people or properties due to this crisis. I condemn all kinds of crisis be it religious or otherwise. I also condemn all acts of terrorism. I will ask all Nigerians to unite and condemn all acts of terrorism and all kinds of crisis (religious etc). In crisis, just like in terrorism, many innocent people die. Am sure Nigerians will agree with me that these twin evils (religious crisis and terrorism) are amongst the biggest threat to us (Nigerians) and all human races.
We have a duty to fight these menace and other societal evils. Alhaji Mutallab (father of the flight 253 bomber; Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab) has given us a clue on what all of us should be doing. Alhaji Mutallab reported his son to the American Embassy and the Nigerian Security Services when he suspected the strange behaviors of his son. This singular act should be emulated by all Nigerians. Its worthy of commendation. This approach should be used to fight other crimes in Nigeria. Please report any one you’re not sure of his or her motives. This should be applicable to all top officials in both the public and private sector. I was glad when a friend told me, that he went to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office personally to hand in a petition about a certain government official.
I remember the tenure of ex Governor Buba Marwa of Lagos State. He launched Operation Sweep (an outfit of the Lagos Police Command tasked with fighting crimes in Lagos State) he asked people living in Lagos (Lagosians) to volunteer information anonymously if they are afraid to mentioned their names. Thus people started volunteering information without their names and it helped the crime fighters (Operation Sweep). In the same manner, Nigerians should volunteer information if possible without their names. This will surely help to fight crimes. If we fail to act, we might end up being the victims. I urge Nigerians in Diaspora to volunteer information on where the wanted bank chiefs are staying in abroad. It might be helpful for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
If the other passengers traveling with Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab (flight 253 bomber) had failed to act, all of them would have died. That is the more reasons why, we Nigerians have to volunteer information that will prevent crime(s), corruption, bad governance etc. A better way to know what people are doing might be through surveillance and spying. We can borrow the techniques used by the former East German Secret Police (Stasi). In the former East Germany, people were spying each for the good of the state. Cuba used similar method at the early days of Fidel Castro’s revolution. This method has the potentials of reducing crimes drastically. No sacrifice will be too much for the security of Nigerians. “Security for few is insecurity for all” Nelson Mandela.
On this note, may I inform our people that I have concluded research and now have details of a company here that, deals on specially made security and surveillance cameras. These cameras are ideal for the following purposes; election monitoring, investigative journalism, individual/community protection, home protection, private investigators etc. I recommend these cameras for all those hoping to monitor elections in Nigeria especially the Anambra State governorship election coming up in February 2010. Also these cameras are a must for all Nigeria’s investigative journalist(s).
In August 2009, I did highlight how we can monitor elections using our cameras. Details are on my blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/2009/08/digital-cameras-and-mobile-phones-with.html). Please feel free to pass this information to other Nigerians who might need the facilities mentioned above, but might not have read this piece. These devices (security and surveillance cameras) could be used to enforce accountability on the part of our rulers.
Talking about accountability and as a starting point, Dr Rilwanu Lukman (Petroleum Minister) should tell Nigerians the reasons why he should not be sacked for leaving Nigeria at the heat of the fuel scarcity. This is despite the warning given by the Vice President (Goodluck Jonathan), that the Petroleum Ministers (Dr. Rilwanu Lukman and his junior counterpart Mr. Odein Ajumogobia) should not travel for the Christmas holiday due to the fuel crisis. He (Rilwanu Lukman) violated the order given by the Vice President. By so doing, he disrespected the office of the Vice President. I suggest his removal as a minister. Fuel scarcity creates insecurity for people.
Rilwanu Lukman has truly shown his insensitivity to the plight of the suffering Nigerian masses. He and his likes should understand that Nigeria and Nigerians have changed. Insensitivity of this kind might make people take laws into their hands. Not too long ago, there was a failed attempt to kidnap the education minister (Dr Sam Egwu). One of culprits claimed that they wanted to kidnap Sam Egwu because of his inability to resolve Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike. Thank God, the strike has been called off. Remember some Nigerians hijacked a plane when June 12 1993 election was annulled. This was in protest to the annulment. Our “rulers” have to be very careful now. Times have changed. No more taking Nigerians for granted.
Finally, I wish to appeal to Nigerians to participate and join the fight against global warming. Turn off your electrical appliances/lights when not in use. Plant a tree or sponsor one to plant on your behalf. Government and companies should send less paper work and do more email, telephone, and sms. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta.
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
Monday, 28 December 2009
A Happy New Year To Nigerians? Not For Me It Is!
I just chatted with a friend, Gani on Facebook this morning (the morning after Boxing Day) and the first thing I told him is that I am a sick, frustrated, despondent and discouraged Nigerian. Gani shared my views and all I listed above but, true Nigerian as he is, he counselled me not to even think of ever giving up. He himself was all wrought up because as a devout Moslem, he was sad about the Nigerian bomber incident.
The year 2009 is about to come to a permanent close, never to be seen again. Human beings have been in this world since only God knows. Nigeria has been there floundering like a captain-less ship in the sea of the world for the past how many years.
It is the usual rites that we perform year in year out. We wish ourselves and our families and friends, and sometimes, foes alike, a Happy New year, hoping and praying that the next New Year will bring joy, success, etc to all of us. We pray for Nigeria to witness change; we pray for its deliverance from the evil and corrupt cabal that hold us hostage and condemn us to poverty, genocide, hopelessness, suffering and despondency. We do this every year end, but the subsequent New Year hard fares better. It is the same old thing. No change of heart from our rulers.
The hypocrisy is even more galling. Our rulers send out Yuletide and New Year messages, urging Nigerians to bear with them. Then they have the boldface to “task” Nigerians to be all kinds of things they are not offering by example. They tell us to pray for the nation, so that when we close our eyes, they can steal our wealth; they tell us to tighten our belts while they are not tightening theirs; they promise us that the New Year will bring better electricity generation and supply, yet they waste billions of our money on fake power projects; they tell us they will do the roads, and the moment they say it, thousands are dying on the death-trap roads they say they are going to repair or build; they promise to improve education, healthcare, etc and what do we have year in year out? Zilch, zero! I can understand if the money is not there, but Nigerians, can you believe we have no money to do these things?
What a life for Nigerians? We open newspapers everyday to be treated to yet more corruption scandals perpetrated by our ruler and civil servants, and now bankers. Each scandal more scandalous than the other; the figures misappropriated into private pockets more massive than the other. And the worst thing is that as soon as they are exposed, they are swept under the carpet. They seem to get away with it everytime.
Look at the previous years. Halliburton scandal is no longer in the news and the top people fingered are still walking about and rubbing it in our faces; Siemens scandal is no more, and one of the main perpetrators, Senator Jubril Aminu is even being considered for the position of Vice President in case, Goodluck Jonathan becomes the Acting President.
What happened to the Independent Power Projects Probe led by Senator Elumelu where it was discovered that Obasanjo spent $26 billion (or is it $16 billion, who knows?) to improve the power supply during his eight years in power and there is still no light in Nigeria? What is happening to the investigation of the Railway Project which the Chinese used to siphon away billions of dollars and our train is still not running? Many more scandals are still around and probes promised with virtually no results. NNPC probe; fertiliser probe, communications probe, you name it; every department of government, federal, state or local have skeletons on their closets; the embezzlement, graft, theft, bribery, corruption, mismanagement, misappropriation of funds going on are just too much, you lose count and makes your head dizzy.
Nigerians must be the most forgetful people in the world, or maybe we are too easily ready to forgive and forget, to our everlasting misfortune. What about the many scandals that befallen even the Federal House of Representatives and the Senate? These are our lawmakers. How many laws have they passed this year alone? Please, if you know, let me in on the secret, because I can’t remember any law passed this year, yet they have carted away billions in salaries and expenses for doing nothing. And you think that is fair, Senator? Representative? You think that is good value for your people? You think your people like that?
This year, just when it seems the Nigerian Judiciary has come of age (Bode George and Andy Uba come to mind) and can be trusted to do the right thing, then comes Justice Awokulehin in an Asaba court who could not find any guilty verdict in a 170-count charge against Mr Ibori, the thieving and ex-convict Ex-Governor of Delta State, who, all Nigerians, and even the UK authorities, know is a common thief, a vagabond in power.
Some caution here. Either the EFCC lawyers are deliberately incompetent or Ibori knew how to spread money and tamper with justice, or perhaps a combination of both, are still to be determined. But it is again an insult to Nigerians that the man immediately thanked God and restated his faith in the much abused “rule of law”. That is all they do, Nigerian politicians; despite their crimes against humanity, they are quick to profess their religious belief in God.
Can any Governor, ex or current, any Minister, ex or current, senior civil servant, ex or current, come out and tell Nigerians that they have not stolen a kobo from the treasury? I dare any of them to come out and say that to me, personally, and I will tell them a thing or two. Let that person come and tell Nigerians that they were there in charge of our money and they did not steal a kobo.
Let me digress a bit. Power is transient. When you have wealth, you are only a custodian of that wealth, which is supposed to be used to better the life of the ones who do not. A wealthy man is a mere custodian of wealth, because nobody in this world is born with wealth. You can be born into a wealthy family, but nobody comes into this world with wealth. You only become wealthy when you are in the world, if God wishes it. And, more importantly, you leave this world without wealth. Nothing at all! So why all the acquisition of wealth when you cannot make use of it for the benefit of your fellow human beings while you are still enjoying God’s time on earth?
To cap the insult, we now have an obviously incapacitated President for over a month, who his people said can rule from outside the country. I have never heard of such asinine argument. The Constitution is there to be followed, but nobody is following it. What they tell us is to pray for his recovery. Indeed, we do pray, why, I don’t wish anybody dead, but let us do things for the interest of 140 million people, not a few thousand who stand to gain from this stalemate.
As a matter of fact, VP Jonathan may not really be the ideal man to rule Nigeria (I will admit we’ve never had ideal persons to rule Nigeria) but we must follow the constitution and if it says it must be that luckiest of man, then so be it.
For many years, I no longer heed the calls of these hypocrites on New Year’s Day calling on or “tasking” us to help improve Nigeria. It is not for me or for many Nigerians to improve Nigeria. What do we have people in Government for? It is only when we see them doing what they are elected to do, or appointed to do, that I can join them in doing it. That is why they are there. They have to convince me that they are there to do things for me and other Nigerians, and not for themselves. The way it is, I have never seen that happening in my 53 years on earth.
However, my friend Gani and some others I bared my mind to on Facebook, put some new hope in me. I woke up feeling despondent and hopeless, but as I began putting my thoughts down in this article, I felt a surge of hope.
You see, Nigerians have this sense of fatality, a flaw in our otherwise rich cultures. We never try to accept things as either an Act of God, or a natural occurrence that will lead to some other thing, perhaps positive, when things happen (although I will admit that this may be due to the fact that it seems to happen to us with too much frequency). For example, why don’t we see the incapacitation of President Yar ‘Adua as a test of our resolve, or as a test of our nascent democracy? Why don’t we look at it that it may be a catalyst for a bigger and more positive change? Every thing that occurs to Man has a reason. Even, the corruption problem or image of the country might be turned into a positive thing in the future.
So, the new phrase nowadays in Nigeria is “Change Agent”, A change agent is a noble aspiration. The assumption, of course, is that change is for the good, not purely destructive change. In my mind, change is akin to "making people better". Which is something we should all strive for.
A change agent is someone who "alters human capability or organizational systems to achieve a higher degree of output or self actualization." Beginning with the end in mind, the goal of a change agent is obviously to make changes that will endure. The result of change agent activity is to enable people to do more, or find a new and better perspective on life. Sometimes this latter idea is the foundation for future change which achieves outcomes that were previously not attainable. Change Agents must have the conviction to state the facts based on data, even if the consequences are associated with unpleasantness.
Yes, unpleasantness is the key word here. Is there anybody out there who is ready for some “unpleasantness”? I am sure there are, despite our self-deprecating notion that we are cowards.
I am of the conviction in this coming year, penultimate to the election year of 2011, which Nigeria is going to see real Change Agents in action. Let the Iboris, the Aoodoaakas, the Odilis, the Ubas, the Soludos, the Sarakis, the Obasanjos, the Anenihs, the Babangidas, the Danjumas, the Isa Yugudas, the Lukman Rilwans, etc prepare for the worst this coming year. They will not have their ways.
Another caution. I have just read a piece title The Principle Works! by Ope Ajayi, a Champion For Nigeria, in which he contends that though we say that the “problem in Nigeria is the failure of leadership. I am not saying that we do not have leadership challenge but we are not better than the leadership that we have. Whoever we call our leader is a direct reflection of the people; we do not deserve better leaders at least for now. Leadership is a reflection of the citizens. Corruption seems to be synonymous with Nigeria because majority of the Nigerian people participate in it, not a few but the majority does it, the majority will always get along rather than stand out.
Everything we do at our individual micro level has a direct effect on the country as a whole. No matter how little, it will tell on the future because everything is a seed. If you ever shunt a queue, bribe to receive Drivers Licence/ vehicle papers, you are not better than those who loot our treasury. You have both planted the same kind of seed”.
I cannot agree with him more. I have always said that we the people of Nigeria, or the society we have created, are as much to blame as the leaders we foisted on ourselves. Yes, foisted. We all opened our eyes, and even collaborated with those who are still raping and looting the country. Nobody can be absolved. We are all culpable.
In the meantime, in spite of the contradictions, I wish Nigerians a Happy New Year that will bring the desired change, finally.
Maryam Babangida’s Death.
I was just finishing this article when I heard about the demise of Mrs Babangida. As written before in another article, when it was first rumoured of her death, I am not one to wish anybody dead, nor is to spit on anybody’s grave. It is no use recounting all the problems she and her husband created for Nigerians, which we are still in today. Suffice it to say May her soul rest in peace. The evil that men do, lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones; so let it be with Caesar. We come to this world with nothing; we leave with nothing, despite all we acquire and the way we acquire them. It is a lesson that I wish all of us, especially those in positions of power and have access to our treasury and who keep behaving as if they own the rest of us, will learn and take to heart, and most importantly, remember everyday in their actions (or non-actions) to their fellow men and women in Nigeria today.
On the lung run, the massive money that she and her husband stole, extorted, embezzled, misappropriated, looted, mismanaged from their fellow Nigerians have could not save her. And to make it worse, many Nigerians do not have any sympathy for her family nor care about her death.
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36. The Holy Bible)
The Nigerian Suicide Bomber
At first I thought it was a joke – a Nigerian suicide bomber, a guy born with silver spoon in his mouth? And he was so brainwashed, he was actually sympathising with the war in Afghanistan. Holy Shit! Why wasn’t the damn misguided fool fighting against the injustice, poverty, corruption and all the ills of his own country, Nigeria? And especially the against the plight of the “talakawas” of the North, where the likes of his father ride roughshod over the poor?
And an advice to my countrymen! Because of this dastardly and damaging act by this misguided idiot, please don’t be ashamed to be Nigerian. Nigerians have been denigrated, persecuted, rightly or wrongly for the past five decades by both foreigners and our leaders alike. It could not get worse. Continue to be proud, as long as you are not hiding anything and not into criminality.
I will continue to use my Nigerian passport to travel.
The year 2009 is about to come to a permanent close, never to be seen again. Human beings have been in this world since only God knows. Nigeria has been there floundering like a captain-less ship in the sea of the world for the past how many years.
It is the usual rites that we perform year in year out. We wish ourselves and our families and friends, and sometimes, foes alike, a Happy New year, hoping and praying that the next New Year will bring joy, success, etc to all of us. We pray for Nigeria to witness change; we pray for its deliverance from the evil and corrupt cabal that hold us hostage and condemn us to poverty, genocide, hopelessness, suffering and despondency. We do this every year end, but the subsequent New Year hard fares better. It is the same old thing. No change of heart from our rulers.
The hypocrisy is even more galling. Our rulers send out Yuletide and New Year messages, urging Nigerians to bear with them. Then they have the boldface to “task” Nigerians to be all kinds of things they are not offering by example. They tell us to pray for the nation, so that when we close our eyes, they can steal our wealth; they tell us to tighten our belts while they are not tightening theirs; they promise us that the New Year will bring better electricity generation and supply, yet they waste billions of our money on fake power projects; they tell us they will do the roads, and the moment they say it, thousands are dying on the death-trap roads they say they are going to repair or build; they promise to improve education, healthcare, etc and what do we have year in year out? Zilch, zero! I can understand if the money is not there, but Nigerians, can you believe we have no money to do these things?
What a life for Nigerians? We open newspapers everyday to be treated to yet more corruption scandals perpetrated by our ruler and civil servants, and now bankers. Each scandal more scandalous than the other; the figures misappropriated into private pockets more massive than the other. And the worst thing is that as soon as they are exposed, they are swept under the carpet. They seem to get away with it everytime.
Look at the previous years. Halliburton scandal is no longer in the news and the top people fingered are still walking about and rubbing it in our faces; Siemens scandal is no more, and one of the main perpetrators, Senator Jubril Aminu is even being considered for the position of Vice President in case, Goodluck Jonathan becomes the Acting President.
What happened to the Independent Power Projects Probe led by Senator Elumelu where it was discovered that Obasanjo spent $26 billion (or is it $16 billion, who knows?) to improve the power supply during his eight years in power and there is still no light in Nigeria? What is happening to the investigation of the Railway Project which the Chinese used to siphon away billions of dollars and our train is still not running? Many more scandals are still around and probes promised with virtually no results. NNPC probe; fertiliser probe, communications probe, you name it; every department of government, federal, state or local have skeletons on their closets; the embezzlement, graft, theft, bribery, corruption, mismanagement, misappropriation of funds going on are just too much, you lose count and makes your head dizzy.
Nigerians must be the most forgetful people in the world, or maybe we are too easily ready to forgive and forget, to our everlasting misfortune. What about the many scandals that befallen even the Federal House of Representatives and the Senate? These are our lawmakers. How many laws have they passed this year alone? Please, if you know, let me in on the secret, because I can’t remember any law passed this year, yet they have carted away billions in salaries and expenses for doing nothing. And you think that is fair, Senator? Representative? You think that is good value for your people? You think your people like that?
This year, just when it seems the Nigerian Judiciary has come of age (Bode George and Andy Uba come to mind) and can be trusted to do the right thing, then comes Justice Awokulehin in an Asaba court who could not find any guilty verdict in a 170-count charge against Mr Ibori, the thieving and ex-convict Ex-Governor of Delta State, who, all Nigerians, and even the UK authorities, know is a common thief, a vagabond in power.
Some caution here. Either the EFCC lawyers are deliberately incompetent or Ibori knew how to spread money and tamper with justice, or perhaps a combination of both, are still to be determined. But it is again an insult to Nigerians that the man immediately thanked God and restated his faith in the much abused “rule of law”. That is all they do, Nigerian politicians; despite their crimes against humanity, they are quick to profess their religious belief in God.
Can any Governor, ex or current, any Minister, ex or current, senior civil servant, ex or current, come out and tell Nigerians that they have not stolen a kobo from the treasury? I dare any of them to come out and say that to me, personally, and I will tell them a thing or two. Let that person come and tell Nigerians that they were there in charge of our money and they did not steal a kobo.
Let me digress a bit. Power is transient. When you have wealth, you are only a custodian of that wealth, which is supposed to be used to better the life of the ones who do not. A wealthy man is a mere custodian of wealth, because nobody in this world is born with wealth. You can be born into a wealthy family, but nobody comes into this world with wealth. You only become wealthy when you are in the world, if God wishes it. And, more importantly, you leave this world without wealth. Nothing at all! So why all the acquisition of wealth when you cannot make use of it for the benefit of your fellow human beings while you are still enjoying God’s time on earth?
To cap the insult, we now have an obviously incapacitated President for over a month, who his people said can rule from outside the country. I have never heard of such asinine argument. The Constitution is there to be followed, but nobody is following it. What they tell us is to pray for his recovery. Indeed, we do pray, why, I don’t wish anybody dead, but let us do things for the interest of 140 million people, not a few thousand who stand to gain from this stalemate.
As a matter of fact, VP Jonathan may not really be the ideal man to rule Nigeria (I will admit we’ve never had ideal persons to rule Nigeria) but we must follow the constitution and if it says it must be that luckiest of man, then so be it.
For many years, I no longer heed the calls of these hypocrites on New Year’s Day calling on or “tasking” us to help improve Nigeria. It is not for me or for many Nigerians to improve Nigeria. What do we have people in Government for? It is only when we see them doing what they are elected to do, or appointed to do, that I can join them in doing it. That is why they are there. They have to convince me that they are there to do things for me and other Nigerians, and not for themselves. The way it is, I have never seen that happening in my 53 years on earth.
However, my friend Gani and some others I bared my mind to on Facebook, put some new hope in me. I woke up feeling despondent and hopeless, but as I began putting my thoughts down in this article, I felt a surge of hope.
You see, Nigerians have this sense of fatality, a flaw in our otherwise rich cultures. We never try to accept things as either an Act of God, or a natural occurrence that will lead to some other thing, perhaps positive, when things happen (although I will admit that this may be due to the fact that it seems to happen to us with too much frequency). For example, why don’t we see the incapacitation of President Yar ‘Adua as a test of our resolve, or as a test of our nascent democracy? Why don’t we look at it that it may be a catalyst for a bigger and more positive change? Every thing that occurs to Man has a reason. Even, the corruption problem or image of the country might be turned into a positive thing in the future.
So, the new phrase nowadays in Nigeria is “Change Agent”, A change agent is a noble aspiration. The assumption, of course, is that change is for the good, not purely destructive change. In my mind, change is akin to "making people better". Which is something we should all strive for.
A change agent is someone who "alters human capability or organizational systems to achieve a higher degree of output or self actualization." Beginning with the end in mind, the goal of a change agent is obviously to make changes that will endure. The result of change agent activity is to enable people to do more, or find a new and better perspective on life. Sometimes this latter idea is the foundation for future change which achieves outcomes that were previously not attainable. Change Agents must have the conviction to state the facts based on data, even if the consequences are associated with unpleasantness.
Yes, unpleasantness is the key word here. Is there anybody out there who is ready for some “unpleasantness”? I am sure there are, despite our self-deprecating notion that we are cowards.
I am of the conviction in this coming year, penultimate to the election year of 2011, which Nigeria is going to see real Change Agents in action. Let the Iboris, the Aoodoaakas, the Odilis, the Ubas, the Soludos, the Sarakis, the Obasanjos, the Anenihs, the Babangidas, the Danjumas, the Isa Yugudas, the Lukman Rilwans, etc prepare for the worst this coming year. They will not have their ways.
Another caution. I have just read a piece title The Principle Works! by Ope Ajayi, a Champion For Nigeria, in which he contends that though we say that the “problem in Nigeria is the failure of leadership. I am not saying that we do not have leadership challenge but we are not better than the leadership that we have. Whoever we call our leader is a direct reflection of the people; we do not deserve better leaders at least for now. Leadership is a reflection of the citizens. Corruption seems to be synonymous with Nigeria because majority of the Nigerian people participate in it, not a few but the majority does it, the majority will always get along rather than stand out.
Everything we do at our individual micro level has a direct effect on the country as a whole. No matter how little, it will tell on the future because everything is a seed. If you ever shunt a queue, bribe to receive Drivers Licence/ vehicle papers, you are not better than those who loot our treasury. You have both planted the same kind of seed”.
I cannot agree with him more. I have always said that we the people of Nigeria, or the society we have created, are as much to blame as the leaders we foisted on ourselves. Yes, foisted. We all opened our eyes, and even collaborated with those who are still raping and looting the country. Nobody can be absolved. We are all culpable.
In the meantime, in spite of the contradictions, I wish Nigerians a Happy New Year that will bring the desired change, finally.
Maryam Babangida’s Death.
I was just finishing this article when I heard about the demise of Mrs Babangida. As written before in another article, when it was first rumoured of her death, I am not one to wish anybody dead, nor is to spit on anybody’s grave. It is no use recounting all the problems she and her husband created for Nigerians, which we are still in today. Suffice it to say May her soul rest in peace. The evil that men do, lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones; so let it be with Caesar. We come to this world with nothing; we leave with nothing, despite all we acquire and the way we acquire them. It is a lesson that I wish all of us, especially those in positions of power and have access to our treasury and who keep behaving as if they own the rest of us, will learn and take to heart, and most importantly, remember everyday in their actions (or non-actions) to their fellow men and women in Nigeria today.
On the lung run, the massive money that she and her husband stole, extorted, embezzled, misappropriated, looted, mismanaged from their fellow Nigerians have could not save her. And to make it worse, many Nigerians do not have any sympathy for her family nor care about her death.
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36. The Holy Bible)
The Nigerian Suicide Bomber
At first I thought it was a joke – a Nigerian suicide bomber, a guy born with silver spoon in his mouth? And he was so brainwashed, he was actually sympathising with the war in Afghanistan. Holy Shit! Why wasn’t the damn misguided fool fighting against the injustice, poverty, corruption and all the ills of his own country, Nigeria? And especially the against the plight of the “talakawas” of the North, where the likes of his father ride roughshod over the poor?
And an advice to my countrymen! Because of this dastardly and damaging act by this misguided idiot, please don’t be ashamed to be Nigerian. Nigerians have been denigrated, persecuted, rightly or wrongly for the past five decades by both foreigners and our leaders alike. It could not get worse. Continue to be proud, as long as you are not hiding anything and not into criminality.
I will continue to use my Nigerian passport to travel.
Sunday, 27 December 2009
Flight 253 Jet Bomber.
Let me start by condemning every act of terrorism and urge the world to unite in the fight against terrorist(s) acts. My special thanks go to the passengers on board Northwest Airline Flight No 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit , who managed to overpower a suspected bomber named, Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab from Nigeria . The Nigerian suspected bomber tried to ignite a device as the plane began its approach to landing. The suspect took off from Lagos Nigeria with a KLM flight and connected a Northwest Airline Flight from Amsterdam en route to Detroit . This incident happened on Friday 25th December 2009, as the entire world was busy celebrating Christmas with their loved ones. The suspected bomber suffered burns as a result of the fire which emanated from the device he tried to ignite. Unfortunately the suspect was an engineering student at university college London from 2005 to 2008.
This is a serious security concern for all, especially with the fact that the suspect had links with Al Qaeda or other terrorist(s) networks. The other concern is also the fact that he is a Nigerian and he originated his ill fated journey from Lagos , Nigeria . Now the question is? how did he manage to board at Lagos and Amsterdam airports? Perhaps this is a new device that the airport securities could not detect. Three days before the attempt to blow the transatlantic airlines, that is on the 22nd December 2009 a bomb exploded on a man in a particular area of Lagos city ( Ikorodu Road ). Reports had it that a man walked into a building housing Superscreen Television Station carrying some parcels which contained bombs, one of which exploded blowing off his finger and burnt his face. Luckily this suspect did not die.
The FBI, Metropolitan Police, and Nigerian security agencies should extend their investigation to the incident at the Superscreen Television Station in Lagos Nigeria . There might be links with the transatlantic attempt to blow off Northwest Airline since it was only three days interval. While the suspected bomber (Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab) took off from Lagos airport, Superscreen Television bomb attempt took place also in Lagos . Another concern would be, if there are terrorist(s) groups in Nigeria . One might be tempted to think in the affirmative due to incessant religious crises in Nigeria .
In July 2009, Nigeria witnessed one of her worst religious crises named Boko Haram. Boko Haram in English Language translation means western education is a sin. In that crisis over 300 people died. A year before (2008), there was also a religious riot in Nigeria (the Jos Crisis). The Jos Crisis claimed the lives of many innocent Nigerians. Religious crisis occurs regularly in Nigeria . The big one came in November 2002, when some Moslem youths that were opposed to Miss World contest in Abuja led to its cancellation and subsequent relocation of the show to London . About 100 people lost their lives in that incident. Ironically, a lady from Turkey (a Moslem country) won the contest in London .
Authorities in the United Kingdom (the Commission on National Security in the 21st Century which was sponsored by the Institute for Public Policy Research in the UK ) have expressed serious concern about Nigeria . Their concern was reported on the Guardian Newspaper of Thursday November 27 2008 page 23. Part of the report said thus; “The list of 20 failed states is headed by Somalia, where drought and al-Qaeda influences are now compounded by the increasing threat of piracy, and includes Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria”.
The report went further to say that “Weak, corrupt and failing states have become bigger security risks than strong states and will remain a highly visible feature of the security landscape for decades to come. They are targets of transnational criminal networks which are expanding their drugs, arms and people trafficking operations”. On reading the above reports, I quickly wrote a letter to the British Prime Minister (Gordon Brown) on the 3rd December 2008, in the letter I proffered some solutions towards supporting Nigeria to elect credible leaders, which is what Nigeria need. Credible leadership will be able to steer Nigeria out of the ship of failed states and thus ensure the proper fight against global terrorism and crimes.
My letter titled; Letter to the British Prime Minister was published on my blog (http://briefsfromak uta.blogspot. com/2008/ 12/letter- to-british- prime-minister. html). I am also attaching the responses that I got from the office of the British Prime Minister on the issues that I raised. Perhaps this incident might give America and European Union an opportunity to ensure necessary political reforms are carried out in Nigeria . America and Britain insisted that Afghanistan should conduct a credible election. The British Prime Minister even threatened sanction against President Hamid Karzai’s government. America , United Kingdom and the European Union should support and insist that Nigeria reforms her political process. It’s only then, that the Western nations will have a popular and credible Nigerian leader to deal with.
Furthermore, I will also appeal to America , European Union and United Kingdom to support the Nigerian people in their fight against corruption. High level corruption is part of the reason why Nigeria was grouped among the failed states. The Western government can render this help by freezing the accounts of suspected corrupt Nigerian officials in their various countries. They should also reveal the properties acquired by corrupt Nigerian officials. There are quite a number of Nigerian organizations both at home and abroad which the Western countries can work with to ensure changes happens in Nigeria. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta.
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
This is a serious security concern for all, especially with the fact that the suspect had links with Al Qaeda or other terrorist(s) networks. The other concern is also the fact that he is a Nigerian and he originated his ill fated journey from Lagos , Nigeria . Now the question is? how did he manage to board at Lagos and Amsterdam airports? Perhaps this is a new device that the airport securities could not detect. Three days before the attempt to blow the transatlantic airlines, that is on the 22nd December 2009 a bomb exploded on a man in a particular area of Lagos city ( Ikorodu Road ). Reports had it that a man walked into a building housing Superscreen Television Station carrying some parcels which contained bombs, one of which exploded blowing off his finger and burnt his face. Luckily this suspect did not die.
The FBI, Metropolitan Police, and Nigerian security agencies should extend their investigation to the incident at the Superscreen Television Station in Lagos Nigeria . There might be links with the transatlantic attempt to blow off Northwest Airline since it was only three days interval. While the suspected bomber (Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab) took off from Lagos airport, Superscreen Television bomb attempt took place also in Lagos . Another concern would be, if there are terrorist(s) groups in Nigeria . One might be tempted to think in the affirmative due to incessant religious crises in Nigeria .
In July 2009, Nigeria witnessed one of her worst religious crises named Boko Haram. Boko Haram in English Language translation means western education is a sin. In that crisis over 300 people died. A year before (2008), there was also a religious riot in Nigeria (the Jos Crisis). The Jos Crisis claimed the lives of many innocent Nigerians. Religious crisis occurs regularly in Nigeria . The big one came in November 2002, when some Moslem youths that were opposed to Miss World contest in Abuja led to its cancellation and subsequent relocation of the show to London . About 100 people lost their lives in that incident. Ironically, a lady from Turkey (a Moslem country) won the contest in London .
Authorities in the United Kingdom (the Commission on National Security in the 21st Century which was sponsored by the Institute for Public Policy Research in the UK ) have expressed serious concern about Nigeria . Their concern was reported on the Guardian Newspaper of Thursday November 27 2008 page 23. Part of the report said thus; “The list of 20 failed states is headed by Somalia, where drought and al-Qaeda influences are now compounded by the increasing threat of piracy, and includes Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria”.
The report went further to say that “Weak, corrupt and failing states have become bigger security risks than strong states and will remain a highly visible feature of the security landscape for decades to come. They are targets of transnational criminal networks which are expanding their drugs, arms and people trafficking operations”. On reading the above reports, I quickly wrote a letter to the British Prime Minister (Gordon Brown) on the 3rd December 2008, in the letter I proffered some solutions towards supporting Nigeria to elect credible leaders, which is what Nigeria need. Credible leadership will be able to steer Nigeria out of the ship of failed states and thus ensure the proper fight against global terrorism and crimes.
My letter titled; Letter to the British Prime Minister was published on my blog (http://briefsfromak uta.blogspot. com/2008/ 12/letter- to-british- prime-minister. html). I am also attaching the responses that I got from the office of the British Prime Minister on the issues that I raised. Perhaps this incident might give America and European Union an opportunity to ensure necessary political reforms are carried out in Nigeria . America and Britain insisted that Afghanistan should conduct a credible election. The British Prime Minister even threatened sanction against President Hamid Karzai’s government. America , United Kingdom and the European Union should support and insist that Nigeria reforms her political process. It’s only then, that the Western nations will have a popular and credible Nigerian leader to deal with.
Furthermore, I will also appeal to America , European Union and United Kingdom to support the Nigerian people in their fight against corruption. High level corruption is part of the reason why Nigeria was grouped among the failed states. The Western government can render this help by freezing the accounts of suspected corrupt Nigerian officials in their various countries. They should also reveal the properties acquired by corrupt Nigerian officials. There are quite a number of Nigerian organizations both at home and abroad which the Western countries can work with to ensure changes happens in Nigeria. May God bless Nigeria.
Chinedu Vincent Akuta.
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/
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