“NIGER DELTA &THE MANY FAILED COMMISSIONS FROM 1884 TO 2008″ FROM MYNAIJANEWS.COM

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  Niger Delta & The Many Failed Commissions From 1884 To 2008

Niger Delta & The Many Failed Commissions From 1884 To 2008

Written by Odimegwu Onwumere

SUNDAY, 31 AUGUST 2008

In 1884, the Berlin Conference led to the ramshackle of the continents of Africa into spheres by the European Imperialists which culminated to the forceful emancipation of the Niger Delta region into the present day social colonial Nigeria state in 1914. Niger Delta people were before the emancipation, a people with different culture and customs. It covers an area of over 60, 000 sq and is regarded as the largest wetland, not only in the Sub-Sahara Africa, but also in Africa in general, with mammoth ecological profits like oil, vegetations, rivers, and so fourth.   The ethnic Niger Deltans have been in existence over 280 years before the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorate in 1914, and Niger Delta, according to history, was coercively emerged into other nationalities in 1939, when the British government divided the Southern Protectorate into the Eastern and Western regions. And protests and Commissions ensued:   1. In 1937 the exploration and exploitation of crude oil from the lands and seas of the Niger Delta people commenced by Shell D’Arcy, and commercial quantities of oil for export was struck at Oloibiri in the present day Bayelsa State in 1956; Ogoni in the present day Rivers State in 1958, and today, from various communities of the Niger Delta Region. And the following companies are on record to have benefited from the exploration and exploitation of oil in this region. They are as follows, Elf, Agip, Total, British Gas, Teneco, Deminex, Sun Oil, Mobil, Gulf [Chevron], Texaco, StatOil, etc.   2. This forced union was a testimony in the Sir Henry Willink Commission in 1958. The abovementioned led in part to the creation of the Mid Western Region in 1963; Rivers and Cross Rivers in 1967; Akwa Ibom and Delta States in 1994 and the State of Bayelsa in 1996.   3. According to the same history, “Before granting independence to Nigeria, the British government proposed that the Niger Delta be declared, a special, federal territory. Furthermore, the Willink Commission’s report of 1958, characterised the Niger Delta as follows: “The needs of those who live in the creeks and swamps of the Niger Delta are very different from those of the interior. Perhaps more importantly, the Commission concluded that “a feeling of neglect and a lack of understanding was widespread . . . a case has been made out for the special treatment of this area. This is a matter that requires special effort because (the area) is poor, backward and neglected” (quoted from UNDP 2006:11-12)”.   4. Take for instance the Hicks-Phillips Commission of 1951, which recommended 50 per cent derivation to the area generating the revenue.   5. Also, the Chicks Commission of 1953 recommended 100 per cent derivation for resource-bearing area. These and other well meaning Commissions in the past have appreciated the fact that commensurate and equitable compensation should be given to the resource bearing area.   6. The Riasmen Commission of 1958   7. The Binn Commission of 1964   8. The Dina Internal Revenue Allocation of 1968.   9. It is interesting to note each of these commissions kept derivation principle at 50 per cent to 100 per cent. Except for Decree 13 of 1970, which after the civil war, pegged derivation at 45 per cent, how much more now that the Niger-Deltans produce more and suffer more hazards?   10. It is, however, important to note that at the period when we had indigenous persons heading some Commissions such as Prof Ojetunji Aboyede Technical Commission of 1977 and Dr. Pius Okigbo of 1979 was when problems started as they both recommended that derivation principle should be abolished.   11. The Petroleum Act of 1969 and 1991   12. The Land use Act of 1978 and 1993   13. The National Waterways Decree of 1997   14. In his effort to better the Niger Delta region, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1998, during his presidential campaign promised to better the lots of the region by the instituting the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) after a presentation of the Bill to the National Assembly. But this NDDC by Chief Obasanjo was said is not different from the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission that was set up by the former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, which provided seat for citizens of Nigeria who are not from the Niger Delta Region.   15. In a paper submitted to the former President of Nigeria, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo by the World Environmental Foundation for Africa (WEFFA) in 1999, it stated inter alia: we have studied the position papers of the Bayelsa leaders of thought, the old Rivers State creation movement, the movement of concerned people of the Niger Delta, Major Isaac Adaka Boro papers, they all hold the same views as the report of WEFFA study on the developmental needs for the Niger Delta in 1995. It is our understanding that the Niger Delta as a matter of truth, historically and cartographically is the present Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta States. But the geographical proximity and gross neglect of Akwa Ibom could earn it a place in the proposed Niger Delta Commission (Inequities in Nigerian Politics).   16. The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act of 1999 appears to have confused the Niger Delta with the oil mineral producing states. Part I subsection 2(1), which deals with the establishment of NDDC, and the persons who shall be members of the commission clearly shows that what the act intends to solve is the problem of the oil-producing states and not necessarily that of the Niger Delta per se.   17. November 10, 2000 on the anniversary of the judicial murder of Ken Saro Wiwa, the officials of the Niger Delta Congress made this binding resolution on to be known as the NIGER DELTA BILL OF RIGHTS and filed with the United Nations in New York as follows:   i. The Niger Delta people hereby seek self determination and the right to religious and economic freedom with 100% control of our resources. Or, failing which, the Niger Delta people hereby request for political autonomy similar in status to other oppressed indigenous people e.g. East Timor.   ii. The Niger Delta people insists on the right to develop our political structures, languages and cultures.   iii. That the oppressed people of the Niger Delta be recognized as people of distinct nationalities.   iv. We resolutely demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal from the Niger Delta Region of all forces of occupation controlled by the Nigerian State.   v. We urge the United Nations to summon the Nigerian State into question and conduct a Plebiscite for the nationalities of the Niger Delta to vote for self determination as guaranteed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.   18. To the failed Gambari Summit   How To Stop The Niger Delta Problem: There is no other way other than to review the abovementioned conferences or commissions setted once or twice in the land and have a summit of intellectuals from the Niger Delta origin who would bring out the next document from them which will not go the way of others by the Nigerian government..   Odimegwu Onwumere, is the Founder of Poet Against Child Abuse (PACA), Rivers State. +2348032552855.apoet25@yahoo.com

“FIGHTING OFF CORRUPTION” IN NIGERIA FROM NIGERIAWORLD.COM

FROM nigeriaworld.com

 

Nwabuzor’s Panorama

NIGERIAWEB | ODILI.NET | MESSAGEBOARD | NAIJANET.COM | COMMENTARY    | SEARCH

Cleaning of the Augean stable appears to have begun by using a ‘dirty broom.’ For the cleaning to be thorough, the broom must be washed and cleansed of all dirt.

Monday, April 18, 2005   Steve U. Nwabuzor  Wabuz@aol.com  |  ABOUT COLUMNIST  ANNOUNCE THIS ARTICLE TO YOUR FRIENDS FIGHTING OFF CORRUPTION

ALSO BY AUTHOR Rescuing the failed State President Yar’Adua and national sensitivity Dr. Rowan Williams and Sharia in Britain Religious leaders as conscience of the nation Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello in the cyclone of deception and graft James Onanefe Ibori and the Wheel of Justice Madness ruling the land Lest we forget, we must take back our country Long knives and the nation Dr. Ayodeji Daramola: Political killings too many The Israeli offensive: Might is Right?   more articles >>

ince the last commentary in this column, I have been inundated with e-mails reacting to the article “Bribery and hypocritical grandstanding.” Readers have always expressed their opinions via e-mail but none of my commentaries has been misunderstood as the referenced article. Most respondent’s reactions oozed out of ignorance, superficial analyses and mischief. Others grasped the essence of anchoring the nation on pillars of transparent democracy and fairness, and a few thought that one should have spiced the comments with praises which would have helped the ego of the president in this ‘courageous way’ of announcing the ‘bribery-for-budget’ scandal.           advertisement   Obviously, no Nigerian is unaware of the corruption in high and low places. It is commonplace, and in fact some grew up knowing that corruption is a national pastime. Little wonder why any glimmer of hope, no matter how ill-executed, excites the sensations of majority of Nigerians. In the usual manner of fleeting excitability, most are ready to throw away due process and obvious lapses, forgetting the long term goal of erecting a solid foundation for the nation.  This writer is an uncompromising advocate of good governance and is averse to dictatorial tendencies in a democratic setting. It would be unfair and rather extreme to demand that a saint rules Nigeria for one is aware that politics the world over is a profession that beckons, in the main, to the double-speak, who promise all bounties and deliver minimally. Only in few African nations with deep cultural values and good leadership antecedents do we find pragmatic and positive results from their political class. As one that grew up in a Nigeria where integrity, accountability and service were clearly visible, it is not out of place to demand that we improve the way of doing business. Corruption is not limited only to bribery. It is an elastic vice that pools an array of improprieties, complicities, appropriations, nepotism and the like. It stultifies national growth by suffocating the productivity of the people. However, in the euphoria of the moment, it is easy to fall into the trap of shunning other derivatives of corruption and consume ourselves with the case at hand. In tackling the corruption menace in Nigeria, it is important that the process be panoramic, methodical, transparent, fair and not tilted to fighting political enemies or perceived opponents. A judiciary that is independent and fair must be in place. That is, a judiciary not influenced by any tier of government, executive or legislative. Right now, Nigerians are aware that some in the judiciary have been compromised as typified by retired Justice Egboh Egboh in the handling of the Bola Ige murder trial and the Wabara selection into the senate. Some have indicated that the bar of public opinion is better than the court of justice, a reason that is given to support the TV announcement of the ‘bribery-for-budget’ scandal? The role of this column is to draw attention to lapses in governance when they occur. It is not in the business of stroking anybody’s ego. Nigerians pay those in government to serve and reciprocally expect good return for their money. This much can be justifiably demanded after six years of junketing, filibusters, impeachments and unfulfilled promises by the executive and legislative arms of government at all levels. It is my sincere belief that a poisoned tree cannot beget good fruits. The PDP is akin to a corrupt tree that has borne no good fruits in this democratic dispensation. Apparent that Nigerians are unruffled by the process that foisted political shenanigans into the center stage of governance. Even with this complacent disposition to accept the PDP majority and its leadership, would it be too much to ask these politicians to inform us of their assets at swearing in, their current assets and after they leave office? As it is now, the information is not readily available for perusal as this would help in balancing assets against their earnings. Notwithstanding public statements of personal probity by any public official, good level playing field demands that the books of all be made available in the public domain for scrutiny. And when issues of appropriations are raised about public officials, verbal denials and bravado do not suffice, but documents corroborating these denials must be tendered. It is by so doing that any leader or political office holder can confidently carry the people along. The recourse to using sycophantic megaphones, as bull dogs, to denigrate any critic of government only begs the issue. Cleaning of the Augean stable appears to have begun by using a ‘dirty broom.’ For the cleaning to be thorough, the broom must be washed and cleansed of all dirt. In this wise, President Olusegun Obasanjo cannot sit down and just dare critics. He owes it to the people to publicly declare his assets. It is by so doing that tongues now wagging would be mute. The President should take care of his own business first, and give answers to the following questions that bother Nigerians:   Why Otta farm has suddenly risen from the brink of bankruptcy?  Where the fund to build a Bell University is to be sourced?  Why he receives $250,000/month from Otta farm and still gets his salary as president of the Republic? And, why the latter is not a conflict of interest?  President’s role in the ALSCON sales must be made public.  What his wife’s family (Abebes) does to afford about N321 million for the aborted Ikoyi Housing sale?  The account of the Petroleum Ministry for which he is the Minister must be published and he should inform us if any member of his family sits on the Board of petroleum companies operating in Nigeria?  Why the president failed to report Ngige and Uba to the court of law when they confessed that the gubernatorial election in Anambra was rigged? In fact, there are many questions for the president. Until the above are answered, one would say that the president’s daring of critics is just “shakara oloje,” apology to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Thus according to a respectable Nigerian, it is time to call the bluff of the President and to provide incriminatory information, if any, or forever let the rumormongers hold their peace. We need the president to open up. It is then it can be said that fighting off corruption has commenced in earnest.

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“THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OBAMA’S ELECTION TO NIGERIA AND ITS DIASPORA”-FROM NIGERIAVILLAGESQUARE.COM

FROM nigeriavillagesquare.com

 

The Significance of Obama’s Election to Nigeria and its Diaspora

Written by Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD

Saturday, 08 November 2008

The Significance of Obama’s Election to Nigeria and its Diaspora  By Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD alukome@gmail.com Burtonsville, MD, 20866 November 8, 2008 INTRODUCTION On November 4, 2008, a remarkable event occurred in the United States of America: a Kenyan-African-American named Barack Hussein Obama, aged 47, Federal Senator from the State of Illinois, was elected to be the 44th President of the USA in its 56th presidential election since George Washington was first elected in 1789. He is the first African-American so honored, and the second Illinois legislator ever to be elected president, the first being Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865). After prevailing in the Democratic primaries over the previously highly-favored Senator Hillary Clinton, wife of the 42nd POTUS Bill Clinton, Obama again defeated white Senator John McCain from Arizona, war hero with a military family pedigree, in a keenly-fought general election contest. Needing only 270 Electoral Votes to clinch the position, the result was a big national mandate for Obama: 64,975,682 million popular votes (53% of total) and 364 Electoral Votes for Obama, to McCain’s 57,118,380 million (46%) popular votes and 174 Electoral Votes. [See Tables 1-4 & Figures 1 & 2] The Democratic candidate Obama won the highest votes EVER recorded by ANY president of the United States, winning in states like Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Colorado and Nevada that were considered too Republican for a generation now to attempt a win. He competed well in many other states even where he lost the popular vote – in fact compared with Kerry in 2004, he made marginal gains in ALL states of the union except Arkansas, Arizona (McCain’s home state), Louisiana and Tennessee, and was even in Oklahoma and West Virginia - winning or keenly contesting almost every demographic group imaginable. It is also interesting to note that McCain in his losing effort won LESS votes than Kerry won in 2004 [59,028,439 votes]. To this writer, a Nigerian immigrant with five children all born in the United State, who has lived in the United States continuously since December 1978, who has now witnessed the last eight US presidential contests, who voted in last four of them, who actively participated in some little way in this year’s contest, and teaches in a historically black college (Howard University) right in the heart of the nation’s capital where one almost sees the Capitol and the White House on a daily basis – but has never been seriously motivated up until now to visit INSIDE the White House - the outcome is of immense socio-cultural and political implications, both to Nigerian/African immigrants as well as to Nigeria/Africa. OUR CHILDREN CAN ASPIRE WITHOUT NAME AMPUTATION OR ABANDONMENT……. Raised by his white mother and grandparents, and for a time living with an Asian-Indonesian step-father, with an Arabic/Swahili first name, an Arabic middle name and a Luo-Kenyan father, Barack’s life trajectory is indeed a remarkable one. His Black father may not have been with him all his life, but he (Obama Junior) knew where his father was from (Kenya), even his ethnic group (Luo) and visited with his extended family in Kenya. Yet he was American enough to love his country of birth, participate fully as a citizen and now attain its presidency WITHOUT changing his name to fit the majority White-Anglo-Saxon orthodoxy. Although he went by “Barry” for a while, a cultural epiphany made him to change back to his original “Barack” (for “thunder” in Hebrew but “blessed one” in Arabic/Swahili) – not “That One” as he recently joked in backhand reference to McCain’s shockingly dismissive reference to Obama in the second presidential debate of October 7, 2008, with Tom Brokaw anchoring. Obama joked throughout his campaign that whoever gave him his names obviously never thought that he should aspire to become the president of the United States of America. But we can all look at him now, and tell our children born in the US that provided you live a clean life, go to the best schools that you possibly can, do the best in school that you possibly can, even possibly become a mere community organizer somewhere before beginning your political career ANYWHERE in the United States – and along the way possibly marry a beautiful or handsome African(-America) spouse and loving partner – you too can become a legislator (state or federal), a governor of a state – or the President of the United States of America, WITHOUT amputating your family-given first and/or last name out of recognition. That is as powerful as it can get. OUR COUNTRY NIGERIA CAN LEARN (ONCE AGAIN) FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF FREE, FAIR AND CREDIBLE ELECTIONS….. Participatory democracy is a desideratum for any country that wishes to develop socially and politically, and free, fair and periodic elections are a grund-norm for such a democracy. Although the United States unilaterally declared its Independence from Great Britain in July 1776, it did not become an operational (con)federal government with a ratified Constitution until March/April 1789, whereupon it elected its first president in George Washington who took office on April 30, 1789. There have been periodic four-year terms for the presidents ever since – exactly fifty-six of them including Barak Obama’s.  Lessons for Nigeria? Ever since, there have been no military coups in the US, nothing. This is unlike Nigeria where we have had more than dozen successful and failed coup attempts since Independence in 1960. One sincerely hopes that one has seen the last of such military coups in Nigeria – the last successful one against an elected government was against President Shehu Shagari by Mohammed Buhari in December 1983, and the last successful one against a military regime was against Buhari himself by Ibrahim Babangida in August 1985. [Abacha's coup of sorts of November 1993 was against a transition civilian government of Shonekan following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election.] In Obama’s election, there was no election-related violence, nothing. In eighteen months of a tough primary contest within each of the two main parties (Democrats and Republicans), and about four months of the general contest between Obama and McCain, to the best of the knowledge of this author, no one was knifed or gunned to death specifically over the campaign. Even the hint of an assassination attempt against Obama by a deranged pair of youthful Neo-Nazis was quickly squelched. In Obama’s election, there was no rigging, nothing. For the first time, as many as thirty-four states out of the fifty and the District of Columbia in the US permitted early voting (distinct from absentee voting) in this year’s presidential election, with 31.7 million people out of the total of 124 million people that voted. There were fifteen candidates by the way, not just Obama and McCain. The various states had various closing times since America has different time zones, with each state’s Secretary of State being in charge of their elections. America has no central INEC, no Maurice Iwu-like person thumping his chest, feigning impartiality while doing the biddings of his paymasters and rigging the elections even before they began. By 10 pm EST, on November 4 election day proper, the US election had been called by the TV networks; within an hour, Senator John McCain had conceded and sent his congratulatory message; soon after Senator Barack Obama had given his victory speech; and to cap it off, President Bush also sent his congratulatory message and pledge to ensure a smooth transition between now and Inauguration Day January 20, 2009. . Indeed, no drama, in consonance with Obama’s supplemented theme for his campaign of Change and Hope. One can only best quote Robin Renee Sanders, (black) Ambassador of the US to Nigeria, when in a November 4 press release concerning the elections in her country going on on that day, she wrote in Abuja inter alia that: QUOTE Democracy works for the people. A democratic system ensures our governments serve us. Democracy educates our children, cares for our sick, and ensures the common wealth and security of our nations. Democracy works because it gives ordinary citizens control over their government through the power of their vote. As a citizen, casting your vote serves as your voice on issues and policies important to you. American’s democracy reflects our own unique history and traditions, as it does in other democracies around the world. In Nigeria too, democracy should respect the traditions of the Nigerian people, while honoring and reflecting the will of the Nigerian people through free, fair, transparent and orderly elections which allow for the peaceful transition from one elected government to the next.  All democracies, however, should rest on key fundamental principles which most notably are freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly. Well functioning democracies share common characteristics: free and fair elections, respect for the rule of law, open and transparent institutions of government, and effective measures to combat public and private corruption and illicit enrichment by any member of government. Those in the past who have done so should face the rule of law. Strong democracies meet the needs of their people. They invest in their people through education and health care; they ensure economic opportunity for all; and they create an environment of peace and security in which each individual can thrive. UNQUOTE Very true, so very true. Until we institute in Nigeria true federalism based on viable states and/or regions; ensure free, fair, periodic and credible elections; and ensure that our law enforcement and judicial system is without fear or favor, our growth as a country will be stunted. We also have to work intentionally towards a core of shared values, so that our country can move towards nationhood. With a population of about 140 million people, the world, not only America, would normally beat a path to our doors to sell their wares, including setting up production plants within the country itself. But nations will continue to look suspiciously at Nigeria until we get certain fundamentals right – and only we can do that ourselves. At the moment, poor electricity, water and transportation infrastructure; high personal security risks, poor law enforcement and judicial system, and excessively high credit rates (cost of money) militate against long-term domestic and foreign investment in Nigeria. The result is a restricted domestic cash-and-carry entrepreneurship, and foreign participation in a narrow set of investments (crude oil, telecommunications) with high reward potential, leaving other critical needs unattended to, and preventing the enlargement of employment opportunities.  All of these we must still address. THE ETHNIC AND OTHER CULTURAL DIMENSIONS There are essentially four ethnic groups in America’s social fabric – White, Black (African-American), Hispanic/Latino and All Others (which include Asian and Native American populations). According to the Census Bureau, in 2000 (the last census), Whites constitute 69.1%, Blacks 12.1%, Hispanic/Latino 12.5% and All Others 6.3%.. The percentage of the White Majority, particularly of the voting electorate, has been decreasing over the years. Obama’s winning coalition therefore had to cut across all ethnic groups, and particularly the young White folks many of who were voting for the first time, and do not have the ethnic inhibitions of their older generation.  In an exit poll of 17,836 Respondents comprised of 74% Whites, 13% African-Americans, 9% Latinos, 2% Asians and 3% Others, 47% Male and 53% Female,Obama received 96% of the Black vote (to McCain’s 4%), 67% of the Latino vote (M: 31%), 62% of the Asian vote (M: 35%), 66% of the Others vote (M: 31%) and 43% of the White vote (McCain: 55%), besting the last Democratic candidate, white John Kerry of 2004 in every category.. Obama took 49% of the Male vote to McCain’s 48%, and 56% of the Female Vote to McCain’s 43%. Only those 65 and older favored the 72-year-old McCain over Obama – by 53% to 45%. At the other end of 18-29 year-olds, they favored Obama by 66% to 32%. With respect to Religion, with both McCain and Obama being Protestant Christians, Protestants favored McCain over Obama by 54% to 45%, but Jews favored Obama over McCain by 78% to 21%, Catholics by 54% to 45%, those with Other Religions by 73% to 21%, and those with No Religion by by 75% to 23%. Obama’s Catholic vote was higher than John Kerry’s of 2004, despite the fact that Kerry is Catholic! What is the situation in Nigeria? While at one level, there are as many as 378 ethno-linguistic groupings in Nigeria, there are also four ethnic groupings – Hausa-Fulani (29%) , Yoruba (21%), Igbo (18%), and Ethnic Minorities (32%, comprised of Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, etc ). The absence of an outrightly dominating ethnic group, the sheer size of the so-called ethnic minorities, and the geographical, cultural and religious identifications of the various groups, the lack of political-party ideologies - as well as historical and colonial legacies – clearly complicate Nigeria’s political life more than that of the USA. Nevertheless, the emergence of an ethnic minority such as Obama in atruly federal system such as the United States is a good harbinger for Nigeria and many countries in Africa – such as his own native Kenya. It is ironical that in Kenya a winning Luo was recently denied the presidency through a stolen election, while one has now won in far-away USA. One hopes that the proper lessons can be learnt. BUT WHY & HOW DID OBAMA ACTUALLY WIN? The Obama-Biden team was so vastly superior to the McCain-Palin team that the United States would have earned global opprobrium if Obama had lost, for that loss would have been assigned to simple racism even if Obama had run a poorer campaign. It would have lengthened the time for realization of Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of judgement “‘not by the color of their skin’ but “by the content of their character”. As one Tennessee newspaper ad put it, with an America facing historic debt, three wars (in Afghanistan, Iraq and war on terror), mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, all-time high prison population, who would you hire – a team of - *Obama with a BA Political Science from Columbia University, with specialization in International Relations; and a Juris Doctor (JD) Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University, first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review and - *Biden, with a BA in History and BA in Political Science from University of Delaware, and a JD from Syracuse University College of Law Or the team of  *McCain, with a United States Naval Academy (class rank 894 out of 899), with five crashed   planes on his way to a five-year imprisonment in Vietnam; and  *Palin, with a BA in Journalism from the University of Idaho, after six years, comprised of  1 semester at Hawaii Pacific University, 2 semesters of general study at North Idaho College,  2 semesters of journalism at the University of Idaho, 1 semester at Matanuska-Susitna College  before completion in 3 semesters at the University of Idaho? On those educational scores alone, there was no comparison. But Obama’s presidency was not handed to him on a platter of gold. He won it as a result of the confluence of six factors: (i) an unlucky and incompetent George W. Bush presidency. Elected first in November 2000, he assumed the presidency in January 2001, and on September 11, he was confronted with 9/11 terrorism, the reaction to which was so knee-jerk that he has not been able to live down the wars and economic debacles that it triggered. He carried too far his simplistic “Axis of Evil” terminology, coined in his State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002 in order to describe governments that he accused of helping terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction, naming Iran, Iraq, and North Korea in the speech. His justification for the War on Terror carried him too far from Afghanistan – the main site of Al-Qaeda terrorism – into Iraq (to depose Saddam Hussein) where he has been bogged down. It led to domestic bouts of official spying on US citizens and detaining foreign terrorism suspects (or so-called “unlawful combatants”) allegedly without due process on Guantanamo Bay Naval Base… (ii) A tired and erratic Senator John McCain of Arizona. At 72 years old, he would have been the oldest US president at first election. He was obviously way past his prime, and it showed on the hustings with bouts of crankiness.. His message was fuzzy and ever-changing, and seemed directed more at diminishing Obama (through hints of racism, terroristic affiliations and “socialist” tendencies, a code word for communism) than elevating himself. His statements about the economy’s fundamental strength in face of a disastrous turn-down; his choice of an unvetted and unprepared Sarah Palin as vice-presidential candidate; his brief suspension of his campaign and attempt to postpone the first debate only to scrap the suspension and participate in said debate; his debate performances, his weak attempt to appropriate Obama’s “Change” theme, and the late attempt to use “Joe” the “Plumber” (starting at the final debate on October 15) to rescue the traditional Republican message against taxes simply did not work. Being tied to Bush throughout was his albatross – that hackneyed picture of him hugging Bush’s tommy was devastating. (iii) A thoroughly unprepared Sarah Palin, 44-year-old governor of Alaska (population < 1 million) and erstwhile mayor of Wassilla (population: 5,000+). No decision was more cynical, none more demonstrative of McCain’s erratic decision-making that the choice of Sarah Palin. The thought that through her the Republican ticket would take advantage of the disgruntled 18 million glass shards created by Hillary Clinton’s failed primary against Obama blew up in their face. Her claims of maverick reform did not stand the test of scrutiny, and she was dogged with an ethics probe back in Alaska throughout her campaign. The early TV interviews of Sarah Palin by Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric showed her as an incurious and shallow personality, evoking devastating SNL sketches by her doppelganger Tina Fey. Palin could never – and may never be able to – recover from all the late-night and water-cooler-side jokes.. Her very choice undermined McCain’s initial attempts to paint Obama as dangerously inexperienced. Towards the end of her brief candidature, she was reduced to becoming a battering ram against Obama to appeal to the racist and conservative arm of the Republican Right. Finally, her banal hockey-mum, Jane-Six-Pack image was undermined by revelations that she had gone on multi-hundred-thousand-dollar coast-to-coast shopping sprees in clothes and accessories for herself and members of her family at upscale shops like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales and Macy’s – up to possibly $200,000 total, all paid for by the Republican Party campaign machinery, apparently without the knowledge of John McCain. (iv) An experienced and folksy Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, 66 soon turning 67. With loud demands for Obama’s primary combatant Hillary Clinton to be made his Vice-Presidential candidate, the availability of senior senator Joe Biden of Delaware rescued that dilemma that Obama must have had. Despite earned – and overblown – reputation for gaffes, Biden proved to be a formidable campaigner on behalf of Obama, and showed that he could step into his shoes as President if necessary. (v) A steady, focused and unflappable Senator Barack Obama, 47 years old. His positive message about himself was simple: he was offering Hope and Change, and he used it both in the primaries and in the general campaign. His simple “Yes We Can!” chant and “Change We Can Believe In” posters were uplifting. His negative campaign against Hillary Clinton was also simple: his judgment was better than her experience, particularly with respect to the war in Iraq. With respect to McCain, his negative campaign was simply that McCain was George Bush, a sidekick, a mimic and not a maverick as McCain claimed, and that McCain’s election would be an undesirable third-term of the outgoing unpopular president. The Reagan question of whether your life was better today than four years ago that Obama continued to ask throughout the campaign would-be supporters of McCain and the Republican agenda remained profound. His use of modern information technology to energize his supporters, particular the young ones reared under social networking platforms, was impeccable. His fundraising capability was hair-raising – he raised $600 million and counting from small and large donors, and one pundit referred to that as an IPO rather than a campaign fundraising. McCain and Palin once derided his community organizing background – and he showed them how wrong they were in how he put together an army of volunteer as well as paid campaign boots on the ground in every state of the union. In personally canvassing in nearby Virginia State, and making calls to Nevada, two battle-ground states, I personally witnessed the campaign organization put together by his Campaign Manager David Plouffe and Chief Campaign Strategist David Axelrod, and was impressed. Attempts throughout the campaign to turn Obama into an “angry Black Man” – particularly against white woman Hillary – failed miserably, and he gave high-wattage smiles throughout. His lovely, supremely confident and achieving wife and first-lady-to-be Michelle and two young children Sasha and Malia lifted Obama in the eyes of people, and busted the stereotype of the dysfunctional African-American family. (vi) Finally, the country was hungry for Change – and that was exactly what Obama’s theme was about. On Election Day, the country voted its desire, period. When from mid-September to date, the scope of the continuing financial crisis hit the US and the world, the clamor for change became even more intense, and Obama’s presidency was virtually signed, sealed and delivered. For example, on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), a major United States stock market index, attained its highest value ever at 14,164.53. Today, November 7, 2008, it closed at 8943.81, a 37% decline from just over a year ago now. The lesson for Nigeria here is that you cannot divorce the prior achievements of either the candidates or their parties from their acceptability at the polls, nor can you presume that without them having a vision or being able to articulate it, with the help of a formidable campaign team to project it, they can simply go on to win simply because yours is the incumbent government with a lot of money that can rig itself into power with all the force of government machinery. That has been the bane of Nigerian leadership and party politics. WHAT OBAMA’S ELECTION IS NOT TO NIGERIA AND AFRICA Finally, Obama as president of the United States of America beginning January 20, 2008, will become arguably the most POWERFUL Black Man ever in the history of the world, as Prof. Ali Mazrui succinctly put it in a recent interview, atop the most powerful country economically and defense-wise. However, he will still just be president of the US, not of Nigeria, not of Africa, and not of the world. His primary constituency will still be those who voted for him, his guiding document will be the United States Constitution, his constraining force the Congress of the United States. Nevertheless, while there are members of the Nigerian and African Diaspora who are tax-paying citizens of the US and daily contribute to its ecumene, it will remain incumbent upon us to ensure that American foreign policy towards Africa in trade, aid, immigration and other matters becomes more enlightened and mutually beneficial, and that Obama use his good offices to be a bully pulpit to the political leaders of the continent of his father to stop their rapacious attitudes and tend more to the developmental needs of their people. So it is not yet Uhuru for Nigeria and for Africa, but we may be closer with the election of Obama. For figures and diagrams referred to in this document, please see: http://www.nigerianmuse.com/ 20081108015328zg/essays/essay- the-significance-of-obama-s- election-to-nigeria-and-its- diaspora-by-bolaji-aluko       Robot  Villager  # 1  The Significance of Obama’s Election to Nigeria and its Diaspora  By Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD  alukome@gmail.com  Burtonsville,MD,20866  November 8, 2008  INTRODUCTION  On November 4, 2008, a remarkable event occurred in the United States of America:a Kenyan-African-American named Barack Hussein Obama, aged 47, Federal Senator from the State of Illinois, was elected to be the 44thPresident of the USA in its 56thpresidential election since George Washington was first elected in 1789.He is the first African-American so honored, and the second Illinois legislator ever to be elected president, the first being Abraham Lincoln (1…Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 08.11.2008 05:38            Danmeka  JJC  # 2  Mobolaji,   Thanks for this article, I hope Nigerians can read this and understand rather than get carried away by Obama’s election. We need to get our house in order until we do so we are just deceiving ourselves that we are in a democracy where the rule of law has become a menace to the poor and beacon to the rich,affluent and greedy politicians. Posted by Danmeka| 08.11.2008 07:54            Dewdrops  Villager  # 3  With this…….Kenyan becomes the one and only true “Giant of Africa”.   Nigeria?  …………sneezes! Posted by Dewdrops| 08.11.2008 22:16

Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 November 2008 )

 

“THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OBAMA’S ELECTION TO NIGERIA AND ITS DIASPORA”-FROM NIGERIAVILLAGESQUARE.COM

FROM nigeriavillagesquare.com

 

 

The Significance of Obama’s Election to Nigeria and its Diaspora

Written by Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD

Saturday, 08 November 2008

The Significance of Obama’s Election to Nigeria and its Diaspora  By Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD alukome@gmail.com Burtonsville, MD, 20866 November 8, 2008 INTRODUCTION On November 4, 2008, a remarkable event occurred in the United States of America: a Kenyan-African-American named Barack Hussein Obama, aged 47, Federal Senator from the State of Illinois, was elected to be the 44th President of the USA in its 56th presidential election since George Washington was first elected in 1789. He is the first African-American so honored, and the second Illinois legislator ever to be elected president, the first being Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865). After prevailing in the Democratic primaries over the previously highly-favored Senator Hillary Clinton, wife of the 42nd POTUS Bill Clinton, Obama again defeated white Senator John McCain from Arizona, war hero with a military family pedigree, in a keenly-fought general election contest. Needing only 270 Electoral Votes to clinch the position, the result was a big national mandate for Obama: 64,975,682 million popular votes (53% of total) and 364 Electoral Votes for Obama, to McCain’s 57,118,380 million (46%) popular votes and 174 Electoral Votes. [See Tables 1-4 & Figures 1 & 2] The Democratic candidate Obama won the highest votes EVER recorded by ANY president of the United States, winning in states like Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Colorado and Nevada that were considered too Republican for a generation now to attempt a win. He competed well in many other states even where he lost the popular vote – in fact compared with Kerry in 2004, he made marginal gains in ALL states of the union except Arkansas, Arizona (McCain’s home state), Louisiana and Tennessee, and was even in Oklahoma and West Virginia - winning or keenly contesting almost every demographic group imaginable. It is also interesting to note that McCain in his losing effort won LESS votes than Kerry won in 2004 [59,028,439 votes]. To this writer, a Nigerian immigrant with five children all born in the United State, who has lived in the United States continuously since December 1978, who has now witnessed the last eight US presidential contests, who voted in last four of them, who actively participated in some little way in this year’s contest, and teaches in a historically black college (Howard University) right in the heart of the nation’s capital where one almost sees the Capitol and the White House on a daily basis – but has never been seriously motivated up until now to visit INSIDE the White House - the outcome is of immense socio-cultural and political implications, both to Nigerian/African immigrants as well as to Nigeria/Africa. OUR CHILDREN CAN ASPIRE WITHOUT NAME AMPUTATION OR ABANDONMENT……. Raised by his white mother and grandparents, and for a time living with an Asian-Indonesian step-father, with an Arabic/Swahili first name, an Arabic middle name and a Luo-Kenyan father, Barack’s life trajectory is indeed a remarkable one. His Black father may not have been with him all his life, but he (Obama Junior) knew where his father was from (Kenya), even his ethnic group (Luo) and visited with his extended family in Kenya. Yet he was American enough to love his country of birth, participate fully as a citizen and now attain its presidency WITHOUT changing his name to fit the majority White-Anglo-Saxon orthodoxy. Although he went by “Barry” for a while, a cultural epiphany made him to change back to his original “Barack” (for “thunder” in Hebrew but “blessed one” in Arabic/Swahili) – not “That One” as he recently joked in backhand reference to McCain’s shockingly dismissive reference to Obama in the second presidential debate of October 7, 2008, with Tom Brokaw anchoring. Obama joked throughout his campaign that whoever gave him his names obviously never thought that he should aspire to become the president of the United States of America. But we can all look at him now, and tell our children born in the US that provided you live a clean life, go to the best schools that you possibly can, do the best in school that you possibly can, even possibly become a mere community organizer somewhere before beginning your political career ANYWHERE in the United States – and along the way possibly marry a beautiful or handsome African(-America) spouse and loving partner – you too can become a legislator (state or federal), a governor of a state – or the President of the United States of America, WITHOUT amputating your family-given first and/or last name out of recognition. That is as powerful as it can get. OUR COUNTRY NIGERIA CAN LEARN (ONCE AGAIN) FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF FREE, FAIR AND CREDIBLE ELECTIONS….. Participatory democracy is a desideratum for any country that wishes to develop socially and politically, and free, fair and periodic elections are a grund-norm for such a democracy. Although the United States unilaterally declared its Independence from Great Britain in July 1776, it did not become an operational (con)federal government with a ratified Constitution until March/April 1789, whereupon it elected its first president in George Washington who took office on April 30, 1789. There have been periodic four-year terms for the presidents ever since – exactly fifty-six of them including Barak Obama’s.  Lessons for Nigeria? Ever since, there have been no military coups in the US, nothing. This is unlike Nigeria where we have had more than dozen successful and failed coup attempts since Independence in 1960. One sincerely hopes that one has seen the last of such military coups in Nigeria – the last successful one against an elected government was against President Shehu Shagari by Mohammed Buhari in December 1983, and the last successful one against a military regime was against Buhari himself by Ibrahim Babangida in August 1985. [Abacha's coup of sorts of November 1993 was against a transition civilian government of Shonekan following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election.] In Obama’s election, there was no election-related violence, nothing. In eighteen months of a tough primary contest within each of the two main parties (Democrats and Republicans), and about four months of the general contest between Obama and McCain, to the best of the knowledge of this author, no one was knifed or gunned to death specifically over the campaign. Even the hint of an assassination attempt against Obama by a deranged pair of youthful Neo-Nazis was quickly squelched. In Obama’s election, there was no rigging, nothing. For the first time, as many as thirty-four states out of the fifty and the District of Columbia in the US permitted early voting (distinct from absentee voting) in this year’s presidential election, with 31.7 million people out of the total of 124 million people that voted. There were fifteen candidates by the way, not just Obama and McCain. The various states had various closing times since America has different time zones, with each state’s Secretary of State being in charge of their elections. America has no central INEC, no Maurice Iwu-like person thumping his chest, feigning impartiality while doing the biddings of his paymasters and rigging the elections even before they began. By 10 pm EST, on November 4 election day proper, the US election had been called by the TV networks; within an hour, Senator John McCain had conceded and sent his congratulatory message; soon after Senator Barack Obama had given his victory speech; and to cap it off, President Bush also sent his congratulatory message and pledge to ensure a smooth transition between now and Inauguration Day January 20, 2009. . Indeed, no drama, in consonance with Obama’s supplemented theme for his campaign of Change and Hope. One can only best quote Robin Renee Sanders, (black) Ambassador of the US to Nigeria, when in a November 4 press release concerning the elections in her country going on on that day, she wrote in Abuja inter alia that: QUOTE Democracy works for the people. A democratic system ensures our governments serve us. Democracy educates our children, cares for our sick, and ensures the common wealth and security of our nations. Democracy works because it gives ordinary citizens control over their government through the power of their vote. As a citizen, casting your vote serves as your voice on issues and policies important to you. American’s democracy reflects our own unique history and traditions, as it does in other democracies around the world. In Nigeria too, democracy should respect the traditions of the Nigerian people, while honoring and reflecting the will of the Nigerian people through free, fair, transparent and orderly elections which allow for the peaceful transition from one elected government to the next.  All democracies, however, should rest on key fundamental principles which most notably are freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly. Well functioning democracies share common characteristics: free and fair elections, respect for the rule of law, open and transparent institutions of government, and effective measures to combat public and private corruption and illicit enrichment by any member of government. Those in the past who have done so should face the rule of law. Strong democracies meet the needs of their people. They invest in their people through education and health care; they ensure economic opportunity for all; and they create an environment of peace and security in which each individual can thrive. UNQUOTE Very true, so very true. Until we institute in Nigeria true federalism based on viable states and/or regions; ensure free, fair, periodic and credible elections; and ensure that our law enforcement and judicial system is without fear or favor, our growth as a country will be stunted. We also have to work intentionally towards a core of shared values, so that our country can move towards nationhood. With a population of about 140 million people, the world, not only America, would normally beat a path to our doors to sell their wares, including setting up production plants within the country itself. But nations will continue to look suspiciously at Nigeria until we get certain fundamentals right – and only we can do that ourselves. At the moment, poor electricity, water and transportation infrastructure; high personal security risks, poor law enforcement and judicial system, and excessively high credit rates (cost of money) militate against long-term domestic and foreign investment in Nigeria. The result is a restricted domestic cash-and-carry entrepreneurship, and foreign participation in a narrow set of investments (crude oil, telecommunications) with high reward potential, leaving other critical needs unattended to, and preventing the enlargement of employment opportunities.  All of these we must still address. THE ETHNIC AND OTHER CULTURAL DIMENSIONS There are essentially four ethnic groups in America’s social fabric – White, Black (African-American), Hispanic/Latino and All Others (which include Asian and Native American populations). According to the Census Bureau, in 2000 (the last census), Whites constitute 69.1%, Blacks 12.1%, Hispanic/Latino 12.5% and All Others 6.3%.. The percentage of the White Majority, particularly of the voting electorate, has been decreasing over the years. Obama’s winning coalition therefore had to cut across all ethnic groups, and particularly the young White folks many of who were voting for the first time, and do not have the ethnic inhibitions of their older generation.  In an exit poll of 17,836 Respondents comprised of 74% Whites, 13% African-Americans, 9% Latinos, 2% Asians and 3% Others, 47% Male and 53% Female,Obama received 96% of the Black vote (to McCain’s 4%), 67% of the Latino vote (M: 31%), 62% of the Asian vote (M: 35%), 66% of the Others vote (M: 31%) and 43% of the White vote (McCain: 55%), besting the last Democratic candidate, white John Kerry of 2004 in every category.. Obama took 49% of the Male vote to McCain’s 48%, and 56% of the Female Vote to McCain’s 43%. Only those 65 and older favored the 72-year-old McCain over Obama – by 53% to 45%. At the other end of 18-29 year-olds, they favored Obama by 66% to 32%. With respect to Religion, with both McCain and Obama being Protestant Christians, Protestants favored McCain over Obama by 54% to 45%, but Jews favored Obama over McCain by 78% to 21%, Catholics by 54% to 45%, those with Other Religions by 73% to 21%, and those with No Religion by by 75% to 23%. Obama’s Catholic vote was higher than John Kerry’s of 2004, despite the fact that Kerry is Catholic! What is the situation in Nigeria? While at one level, there are as many as 378 ethno-linguistic groupings in Nigeria, there are also four ethnic groupings – Hausa-Fulani (29%) , Yoruba (21%), Igbo (18%), and Ethnic Minorities (32%, comprised of Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, etc ). The absence of an outrightly dominating ethnic group, the sheer size of the so-called ethnic minorities, and the geographical, cultural and religious identifications of the various groups, the lack of political-party ideologies - as well as historical and colonial legacies – clearly complicate Nigeria’s political life more than that of the USA. Nevertheless, the emergence of an ethnic minority such as Obama in atruly federal system such as the United States is a good harbinger for Nigeria and many countries in Africa – such as his own native Kenya. It is ironical that in Kenya a winning Luo was recently denied the presidency through a stolen election, while one has now won in far-away USA. One hopes that the proper lessons can be learnt. BUT WHY & HOW DID OBAMA ACTUALLY WIN? The Obama-Biden team was so vastly superior to the McCain-Palin team that the United States would have earned global opprobrium if Obama had lost, for that loss would have been assigned to simple racism even if Obama had run a poorer campaign. It would have lengthened the time for realization of Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of judgement “‘not by the color of their skin’ but “by the content of their character”. As one Tennessee newspaper ad put it, with an America facing historic debt, three wars (in Afghanistan, Iraq and war on terror), mortgage crises, bank foreclosures, all-time high prison population, who would you hire – a team of - *Obama with a BA Political Science from Columbia University, with specialization in International Relations; and a Juris Doctor (JD) Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University, first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review and - *Biden, with a BA in History and BA in Political Science from University of Delaware, and a JD from Syracuse University College of Law Or the team of  *McCain, with a United States Naval Academy (class rank 894 out of 899), with five crashed   planes on his way to a five-year imprisonment in Vietnam; and  *Palin, with a BA in Journalism from the University of Idaho, after six years, comprised of  1 semester at Hawaii Pacific University, 2 semesters of general study at North Idaho College,  2 semesters of journalism at the University of Idaho, 1 semester at Matanuska-Susitna College  before completion in 3 semesters at the University of Idaho? On those educational scores alone, there was no comparison. But Obama’s presidency was not handed to him on a platter of gold. He won it as a result of the confluence of six factors: (i) an unlucky and incompetent George W. Bush presidency. Elected first in November 2000, he assumed the presidency in January 2001, and on September 11, he was confronted with 9/11 terrorism, the reaction to which was so knee-jerk that he has not been able to live down the wars and economic debacles that it triggered. He carried too far his simplistic “Axis of Evil” terminology, coined in his State of the Union Address on January 29, 2002 in order to describe governments that he accused of helping terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction, naming Iran, Iraq, and North Korea in the speech. His justification for the War on Terror carried him too far from Afghanistan – the main site of Al-Qaeda terrorism – into Iraq (to depose Saddam Hussein) where he has been bogged down. It led to domestic bouts of official spying on US citizens and detaining foreign terrorism suspects (or so-called “unlawful combatants”) allegedly without due process on Guantanamo Bay Naval Base… (ii) A tired and erratic Senator John McCain of Arizona. At 72 years old, he would have been the oldest US president at first election. He was obviously way past his prime, and it showed on the hustings with bouts of crankiness.. His message was fuzzy and ever-changing, and seemed directed more at diminishing Obama (through hints of racism, terroristic affiliations and “socialist” tendencies, a code word for communism) than elevating himself. His statements about the economy’s fundamental strength in face of a disastrous turn-down; his choice of an unvetted and unprepared Sarah Palin as vice-presidential candidate; his brief suspension of his campaign and attempt to postpone the first debate only to scrap the suspension and participate in said debate; his debate performances, his weak attempt to appropriate Obama’s “Change” theme, and the late attempt to use “Joe” the “Plumber” (starting at the final debate on October 15) to rescue the traditional Republican message against taxes simply did not work. Being tied to Bush throughout was his albatross – that hackneyed picture of him hugging Bush’s tommy was devastating. (iii) A thoroughly unprepared Sarah Palin, 44-year-old governor of Alaska (population < 1 million) and erstwhile mayor of Wassilla (population: 5,000+). No decision was more cynical, none more demonstrative of McCain’s erratic decision-making that the choice of Sarah Palin. The thought that through her the Republican ticket would take advantage of the disgruntled 18 million glass shards created by Hillary Clinton’s failed primary against Obama blew up in their face. Her claims of maverick reform did not stand the test of scrutiny, and she was dogged with an ethics probe back in Alaska throughout her campaign. The early TV interviews of Sarah Palin by Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric showed her as an incurious and shallow personality, evoking devastating SNL sketches by her doppelganger Tina Fey. Palin could never – and may never be able to – recover from all the late-night and water-cooler-side jokes.. Her very choice undermined McCain’s initial attempts to paint Obama as dangerously inexperienced. Towards the end of her brief candidature, she was reduced to becoming a battering ram against Obama to appeal to the racist and conservative arm of the Republican Right. Finally, her banal hockey-mum, Jane-Six-Pack image was undermined by revelations that she had gone on multi-hundred-thousand-dollar coast-to-coast shopping sprees in clothes and accessories for herself and members of her family at upscale shops like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales and Macy’s – up to possibly $200,000 total, all paid for by the Republican Party campaign machinery, apparently without the knowledge of John McCain. (iv) An experienced and folksy Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, 66 soon turning 67. With loud demands for Obama’s primary combatant Hillary Clinton to be made his Vice-Presidential candidate, the availability of senior senator Joe Biden of Delaware rescued that dilemma that Obama must have had. Despite earned – and overblown – reputation for gaffes, Biden proved to be a formidable campaigner on behalf of Obama, and showed that he could step into his shoes as President if necessary. (v) A steady, focused and unflappable Senator Barack Obama, 47 years old. His positive message about himself was simple: he was offering Hope and Change, and he used it both in the primaries and in the general campaign. His simple “Yes We Can!” chant and “Change We Can Believe In” posters were uplifting. His negative campaign against Hillary Clinton was also simple: his judgment was better than her experience, particularly with respect to the war in Iraq. With respect to McCain, his negative campaign was simply that McCain was George Bush, a sidekick, a mimic and not a maverick as McCain claimed, and that McCain’s election would be an undesirable third-term of the outgoing unpopular president. The Reagan question of whether your life was better today than four years ago that Obama continued to ask throughout the campaign would-be supporters of McCain and the Republican agenda remained profound. His use of modern information technology to energize his supporters, particular the young ones reared under social networking platforms, was impeccable. His fundraising capability was hair-raising – he raised $600 million and counting from small and large donors, and one pundit referred to that as an IPO rather than a campaign fundraising. McCain and Palin once derided his community organizing background – and he showed them how wrong they were in how he put together an army of volunteer as well as paid campaign boots on the ground in every state of the union. In personally canvassing in nearby Virginia State, and making calls to Nevada, two battle-ground states, I personally witnessed the campaign organization put together by his Campaign Manager David Plouffe and Chief Campaign Strategist David Axelrod, and was impressed. Attempts throughout the campaign to turn Obama into an “angry Black Man” – particularly against white woman Hillary – failed miserably, and he gave high-wattage smiles throughout. His lovely, supremely confident and achieving wife and first-lady-to-be Michelle and two young children Sasha and Malia lifted Obama in the eyes of people, and busted the stereotype of the dysfunctional African-American family. (vi) Finally, the country was hungry for Change – and that was exactly what Obama’s theme was about. On Election Day, the country voted its desire, period. When from mid-September to date, the scope of the continuing financial crisis hit the US and the world, the clamor for change became even more intense, and Obama’s presidency was virtually signed, sealed and delivered. For example, on Tuesday, October 9, 2007, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), a major United States stock market index, attained its highest value ever at 14,164.53. Today, November 7, 2008, it closed at 8943.81, a 37% decline from just over a year ago now. The lesson for Nigeria here is that you cannot divorce the prior achievements of either the candidates or their parties from their acceptability at the polls, nor can you presume that without them having a vision or being able to articulate it, with the help of a formidable campaign team to project it, they can simply go on to win simply because yours is the incumbent government with a lot of money that can rig itself into power with all the force of government machinery. That has been the bane of Nigerian leadership and party politics. WHAT OBAMA’S ELECTION IS NOT TO NIGERIA AND AFRICA Finally, Obama as president of the United States of America beginning January 20, 2008, will become arguably the most POWERFUL Black Man ever in the history of the world, as Prof. Ali Mazrui succinctly put it in a recent interview, atop the most powerful country economically and defense-wise. However, he will still just be president of the US, not of Nigeria, not of Africa, and not of the world. His primary constituency will still be those who voted for him, his guiding document will be the United States Constitution, his constraining force the Congress of the United States. Nevertheless, while there are members of the Nigerian and African Diaspora who are tax-paying citizens of the US and daily contribute to its ecumene, it will remain incumbent upon us to ensure that American foreign policy towards Africa in trade, aid, immigration and other matters becomes more enlightened and mutually beneficial, and that Obama use his good offices to be a bully pulpit to the political leaders of the continent of his father to stop their rapacious attitudes and tend more to the developmental needs of their people. So it is not yet Uhuru for Nigeria and for Africa, but we may be closer with the election of Obama. For figures and diagrams referred to in this document, please see: http://www.nigerianmuse.com/ 20081108015328zg/essays/essay- the-significance-of-obama-s- election-to-nigeria-and-its- diaspora-by-bolaji-aluko       Robot  Villager  # 1  The Significance of Obama’s Election to Nigeria and its Diaspora  By Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD  alukome@gmail.com  Burtonsville,MD,20866  November 8, 2008  INTRODUCTION  On November 4, 2008, a remarkable event occurred in the United States of America:a Kenyan-African-American named Barack Hussein Obama, aged 47, Federal Senator from the State of Illinois, was elected to be the 44thPresident of the USA in its 56thpresidential election since George Washington was first elected in 1789.He is the first African-American so honored, and the second Illinois legislator ever to be elected president, the first being Abraham Lincoln (1…Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 08.11.2008 05:38            Danmeka  JJC  # 2  Mobolaji,   Thanks for this article, I hope Nigerians can read this and understand rather than get carried away by Obama’s election. We need to get our house in order until we do so we are just deceiving ourselves that we are in a democracy where the rule of law has become a menace to the poor and beacon to the rich,affluent and greedy politicians. Posted by Danmeka| 08.11.2008 07:54            Dewdrops  Villager  # 3  With this…….Kenyan becomes the one and only true “Giant of Africa”.   Nigeria?  …………sneezes! Posted by Dewdrops| 08.11.2008 22:16

Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 November 2008 )

 

“RE: DR. ALKASUM ABBA’S “THE RIGGING OF NIGERIAN HISTORY:RESPONSE TO HAROLD SMITH” FROM NIGERIAWORLD.COM

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Benedict Okereke

Monday, May 2, 2005

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obenox@hotmail.com Italy

RE: DR. ALKASUM ABBA’S “THE RIGGING OF NIGERIAN HISTORY:
RESPONSE TO HAROLD SMITH”

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r.Alkasum Abba’s rejoinder to TELL magazine’s stories: “How Britain rigged elections, census for the North”, and “The British expected Nigeria to break up”, derived from a former British colonial officer, Mr. Harold Smith, was as interesting as it provoked some food for thought. 

 

 

 

Why Harold Smith has continued to post sensitive comments on Nigeria close to five decades after he left the colonial service and Nigeria is a matter of conjecture. Smith claims that he was mandated by the then colonial Governor-General of Nigeria, James Robertson, to rig elections in Warri in favour of the National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), in the 1956 federal elections; but, if we are unable to unravel the mystery surrounding the “landslide” electoral victory of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2003, it is hard to figure out how many, if any, in contemporary Nigeria may be interested in unravelling the truth or falsehood in Smith’s claim regarding the 1956 elections?

In any case, I believe that having played his colonialist’s part in the politico-socio-economic engineering of Africa, nay, Nigeria; and now, at 78, having observed and honestly assessed, all these years, the effects of colonialism on Africa, Harold Smith ought to have joined the likes of pop star, Bono, in the various “Make Poverty History” campaigns, rather than continuing the somnolent postings on his website about his unsavoury colonial past in Nigeria.

 

Dr. Abba contends that the excerpts drawn by TELL magazine from the unpublished autobiography of Smith were “clearly aimed at denigrating the NCNC, its president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and its federal minister for Labour and Finance, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh”. And that “the excerpts also painted a similar picture of the Northern Region and its ruling party, the Nothern Peoples congress (NPC)”.

 

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Thereafter, Abba started a lengthy eulogy of the NCNC and its president, Nnamdi Azikiwe. Among the eulogies are the following:

 

“The NCNC was the leading political party produced by Nigerian nationalists in the course of the struggle for independence….. its objectives and activities involved, for the first time, the massive mobilisation of the colonised people of Nigeria from cities, towns and villages, to struggle for their emancipation from colonial yoke imposed on them by the likes of Harold Smith”. “… the NCNC increased pressure (on the colonial masters) by organising a national mobilisation campaign in 1946 to get the oppressed people of Nigeria to reject the attempt to divide them along ethnic and regional lines through the Richard’s constitution”. “The campaign was so successful that the NCNC became a household name in Nigeria”. “The British were blocking the political ascendancy of the NCNC which was mobilising Nigerians across the ethnic, religious and regional divides”. “The success recorded by the NCNC in the mobilisation of the ordinary people of Nigeria to struggle for independence earned the party and its leadership, particularly, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the dislike and hostility of the colonial administration..”. “…as a result of the NCNC’s nationalist victory in the House of Representatives election held in 1954, the colonial office, the Nigerian government, the AG (Action Group) and the NPC made desperate attempts to cripple the NCNC as a nationalist party in order to entrench tribalist and regional politics. And to prevent the NCNC from leading the federal government, attempts were made to merge the NPC with the AG and other smaller parties.”

 

 

On the 1959 NPC-NCNC Alliance.

 

Dr Abba continued:

“The NPC-NCNC alliance to form the federal government of Nigeria in 1959 was a necessary outcome of the realities” (of the Nigerian politics of the 1950′s). Many in the North then, perhaps, feared the possibility of an easy alliance between the Southwest-based AG and the Southeast-rooted NCNC hence “…it was wrong for the NCNC as a party with a national outlook to forge an alliance with the AG, which would amount to an isolation of the North. These were some of the reasons that made Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe to reject the offer of becoming the first Prime Minister of an independent Nigeria under the NCNC-AG alliance. He was concerned about the unity of Nigeria and was less concerned about holding the office of the Prime Minister. The NCNC and its NEPU ally were determined to prevent what they called the “Pakistanisation” of Northern Nigeria….”

 

Going through the encomiums Dr. Abba poured on the NCNC and its leader Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and observing the high altruistic and patriotic values of the NCNC and its leadership, one is wont to ask aloud: whither the altruism and patriotism in many of today’s Nigerian politicians? Few today may accept the fact that time was when Nigerians played politics very mindful of the stark realities regarding the ethnic configuration of the country. What can those pre-independence politicians make out of today’s “it is now or never”, “it is our turn”, “it is I or no one” attitude toward the race to the presidency of Nigeria?

 

Let us face the facts. The NCNC was a party deeply rooted in the Southeast of Nigeria, the party commanded a near total massive support of the people in the area, especially in Igboland whose people virtually flew its flag; in fact, the party was often dubbed the Igbo party. The party’s founder, Nnamdi Azikiwe, and most of its top decision makers hailed from Igbo land. Had Nnamdi Azikiwe and his party stalwarts allied with the AG to form the independence government in total damnation of the fears of isolation among the people of the North, the reality on the ground then was that the North of Nigeria would have “Pakistanised” and, certainly, a Bangladesh or Bangladeshs emerging thereafter from the Northern minorities.

On the other hand, what if the leadership of the NCNC unmindfully grabbed political power at independence, somehow managed to carry the entire Nigeria along and set about a deliberate programme of redrawing the political equation in Nigeria to favour the Southeasterners?

 

Do many contemporary politicians from the North of Nigeria drumming up the return of the Presidency to the North in 2007 pause a while to think about some aspects of Nigeria’s political evolution vis-à-vis the sacrifices of the NCNC and its leadership to retain the North as part of independent Nigeria?

 

Alkasum Abba maintains that Harold Smith “has only tried to rig Nigeria’s history by throwing about unsubstantiated accusations…” This writer mantains rather, that there is no way Harold Smith can now succede in rigging Nigeria’s history from far away Great Britain; those now attempting to rig Nigeria’s political history and thus represent the greatest threat to its unity are some of those politicians from the North of Nigeria who in their obsessive quest to regrab political power in 2007 are presenting Nigeria in a North/South dipode structure. Nigeria had always stood on the tripod of North, Southeast and Southwest. Presenting Nigeria on the dipod of North/South in order to regrab political power is outrageous and outrightly and morally incorrect; moreso when one considers the fact that the North had until recently held on to political power for the 36 of Nigeria’s 44 years of independence, and the Southeast for about 6 months.

 

The NCNC and its leadership made selfless sacrifices to retain the North in Nigeria by rejecting offers to form the independence government. The year 2007 is the turn of the North to repay for this kind gesture from the people of the Southeast. 2007 is the year to concretise the slogan “One Nigeria”. The slogan must no longer continue to be at the expense of the other group(s).

The North must be endowed with numerous intellectuals like Dr. Alkasum Abba in the field of contemporary history. They must drum it to the ears of those Northern politicians who, in 2007, at the expense of the Southeast, may attempt to regrab political power, that there is the need to apply political correctness when striving for political power especially in a country as ethnically pluralistic as Nigeria. Afterall, if Nigeria is a truly and functional federation, who cares from what corner of the country the rulers emerge after an election?

 

 

 

 

 

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“OSHIOHMOLE-A SYMBOLIC VICTORY” FROM NIGERIAWORLD.COM

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Dr. Adebisi Adewole PhD

Thursday, November 13, 2008

nifabuk@yahoo.co.uk London, UK

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OSHIOHMOLE - A SYMBOLIC VICTORY  he symbolic declaration of Mr Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole as the rightful winner of Edo State governorship election is a welcome decision to all true democrats in Nigeria. I join all democrats in Nigeria and around the world to congratulate Mr Oshiomhole as we celebrate this declaration. It is clearly a watershed in the litany of electoral litigations since the 2007 elections. This Appeal Court’s declaration has once again demonstrated that the Judiciary is truly the last hope of the common man.     advertisement This significant declaration has somehow rekindled our hope that Nigeria can eventually be delivered from the shackles of the ruling cabals that the People’s Democratic Party represents.  The Justices Umaru Abdullahi and his team’s judgement will help to restore the hope and faith of Nigerians in the Nigerian legal system and in the sanctity of the ballot box. This verdict on the other hand is a blow to PDP who believe in the sanctity of do-or-die elections under the watchful management of Maurice Iwu’s ‘Independent Electoral Commission’. Iwu’s INEC, in April 2006, sharked its responsibility to declare true election results but chose to serve its PDP Lords. Ultimately, the divine hands of God came down, through Justice Umaru Abdullahi, to deliver the people of Nigeria, particularly the people of Edo state. Although justice was slow to come, it could not be denied. That the Justice Abdullahi’s Court unanimously upheld the March 20 election petition Tribunal’s ruling, which declared Oshiomhole the rightful winner of that election, is a milestone. It is an important step forward in the stepladder of our maturing democracy. The verdict is not only a victory for Oshiomhole, it is especially a resounding victory to the people of Edo state, and particularly to Nigeria as a country. This victory calls for the PDP and its electoral machines called INEC to go to hiding and cover their faces in shame. This judicial victory has demonstrated to the people of the world, whose minds might have been abused toward Nigeria, that our country is a land flowing with good and honest people. The verdict has clearly demonstrated that we have a courageous judicial system led by courageous people. With this, the Nigerian Judicial System has show that it is on its path to maturity, even in the face of pressing challenges. The decision of Justice Umaru Abdullahi and his team is worth being emulated by any law officer who is worth his/her salt. The courts must act together to uphold the rule of law in our beloved country. They must wake up from their slumber and not allow themselves to be bamboozled by the ruling political class who is bent on rubbishing the rule of law. The rights of every Nigerians must be guaranteed and protected (in practice) under the law. The rule of law is not supposed to be a tool for political propaganda. It is must be fundamental and not just to promised as a privilege. The Nigerian electorates must be awakened. Far away America are fully awake and their recent resolve to kick out the people who use the instruments of the state to threaten and dehumanise them is a model for Nigerians to adopt. It may take a long walk, but we shall get there. The journey must start now. A journey that starts on a good note will end well no matter how long it takes. The exhibit (the chart) from the lower tribunal (Chart A-O), that the justice of the Appeal Court upholds to deliver judgement is not just an ordinary chart. It is a chart of hope, a chart of life for the people of Edo state and a chart of deliverance from the shackles of the oppressors. Chart A-O, through the government of Oshiomhole, is a chart that we all hope will provide access to good education, improved health care delivery, social and legal justice and to good governance. Appeal Courts in Oyo, Ondo, Kwara and Imo and other states where judgements on electoral cases are pending should take a lesson from the courageous decision of Justice Abdullahi, who revalidates Oshiomhle as the rightful winner of the April 2006 governorship election in Edo state. That the incorruptible legal juggernaut has allowed the votes of the people to count is a clear demonstration of selfless service to the ordinary people of Nigeria. To the people of Edo state, I say “YES YOU CAN”, and yes, you have done it. For the first time in the electoral annals of Edo state, the universal suffrage of the electorates in the state – men and women, young and old, have been handed back to them, and for the first time, they can stand up and beat their chest to claim that they have elected a government of their own choice for the their own good. As part of the demand for change in Nigeria, the challenges of this historic victory rests squarely on the People’s Democratic Party’s dominated Edo State House of Assembly. All eyes across the world are on them. The whole world is watching to see, after conceding defeat to Action Congress Party of the state, how they will close ranks and work together with Governor Oshiomhole in order to ensure that the state is governable with peace. We assume they know that sustainable development is possible only where peace reigns. It is gratifying to see how the governor extends a hand of fellowship to all sections of political parties in the state, and his preparedness to deploy the skills at his disposal, to work with the Assembly members for the socio-economic development of the state. It will be in the interest of the PDP dominated Assembly to work with governor Oshiomhle to move the wheel of progress of Edo state forward. This earned victory is clearly indicative of the fact that the people of Edo know what they want and how to get it. It simply means – you cannot mess them about. The courage with which the deposed governor, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor has accepted defeat and congratulated the rightful winner of the seat he was regent to shows he has a good spirit, but found himself in a political camp that is not acceptable to Edo state electorates. It is a shame that he planted his political seeds in the wrong field. The seeds germinate but failed to grow to produce their own seedlings. In Edo state, PDP now comes across not just as a party of “do-or-die” but a party of “do-and-die”. It is time the professor of law joined the true democrats who have only one thing in their minds – to serve the electorates who gave the mandate. This verdict, we hope will deter the army of corruptible politicians in our country. We encourage them to desist from electoral gerrymandering, which has become their stock-in-trade and allow true electoral result to be counted and returned in order to allow the true winner to take control of state machines for good governance. This victory, coming on the heels of Barrak Obama’s election victory in the United States of America, is a clear victory for pure and stainless democracy in Nigeria. Surely, Oshiomhole’s election victory, delivered to him by our courageous judiciary, will rekindle the hopes of the hopeless in Edo, and reassure the cynics that justice can always prevail in Nigeria, although it may be delayed. The will of Edo electorates was subverted before our very eyes, but, at the end, Justice Abdullahi and his team handed the people’s electoral birthright back to them. As Comrade Adams Oshiomhole settles down to governance, I rejoice with him for his fortitude and I congratulate the people of Edo state for refusing to allow their votes to be permanently stolen away from them. God bless you all, and God bless Nigeria.

 

THE FREE READER’S CLUB-THE PEOPLE’S PARLIMENT!-FROM NIGERIAVILLAGESQUARE.COM

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The Free Readers Club

Written by Okey Egboluche, Saudi Arabia

Thursday, 13 November 2008

The Free Readers Club By Okey Egboluche Reading is a favourite past time of many. Some do it simply for knowledge-as part of formal education while others do it for some other reasons. It is so important that a saying ‘’readers are leaders’’ underscores its relevance. Readers clubs have been formed in various societies and educational institutions. Today, reading newspapers which dates back to the discovery of printing is still common, despite the existence of online editions. It is important for social, political and economic development. In Nigeria, there are various newspapers and the emergence of even new ones seems to prove that the print media houses are having a good time. However, of great interest is the newspaper reading trend which has been in existent in various nooks and crannies of Nigeria. It is jokingly called the ‘’The Free Readers Club’’. Its members are seen under the sheds in newspaper stands, where they sit down at various points reading the day’s newspapers and discussing issues of national interest. This fast growing trend emanated some years ago, when the Nigerian economy dwindled under military leadership and it has come to stay, even though the nation’s economy is more buoyant now The club consists of people of various social status. They include the literate janitors, traders, middle class workers including civil servants and bankers and even top executives who savour the excitement of discussing current issues with others while they read the dailies. Students especially University undergraduates are a common sight there too. The most common attribute among the readers at the newspaper stands, is the fact that many of them cannot afford to buy newspapers every day. It is their love for being informed, educated and entertained through the newspapers that brings them to the stands daily. Some of the readers are those, who just simply indulge in the act to kill boredom, most of whom are unemployed youths. Interestingly, as some of these readers while away their time at the newspaper stands, they also use the opportunity to search for job vacancies and other relevant information in the papers. Thus, it is not unusual to see fellows who bring out a piece of paper from their pockets or wallets to copy important information. From Water Works Rd. bus stop stand in Abakaliki to the Kofan Kaura Round about, tree shed newspaper stand in Katsina or from Oshodi bus stop, free readers club to University of Jos, bus stop stand, people will always gather at newspaper selling points to devour the latest news. Discussions on the latest Government policies, Nigerian politics, the president’s style of leadership, global issues, the latest soccer games in the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League as well as the exploits of Nigerian footballers in Europe, top the much talked about issues amongst others. In order to maximize their use of time and the opportunities available, some of these readers have their lunch at the stands by patronizing the food vendors popularly called ‘’mama put’’. To them it could be real fun as they chose from various options such as African salad, roasted dodo, roasted yam, akara, fried potato and plantain, okpa or fura de nunu depending on the city they live. Others choose to settle for snacks while some who are privileged to have a wife that cooks for them at home or simply do not eat outside just spend their time reading the papers and discussing. Many fellows also use the opportunity to make telephone calls at mobile phone stands available or simply by signalling anyone who advertises the service nearby so at to make calls. Some readers are more assertive than others in the discussion and do most of the talking. Certain readers are simply ‘’o yes’’ members who read and read without having their own view point on issues; they are always eager to be convinced. At some points such discussions lead to arguments and even shouting marches and exchange of words. Just before the US presidential elections, conversations such as this were often heard there. ‘’You people do not understand the whites, they will never allow Obama to get there!’’ ‘’It’s not true, Obama is almost a white, his Mama is oyibo’’ ‘’If his mother is oyibo, does that make him oyibo?’’. At certain point some arguers tend to give up, either because they do not want to spend all their time doing that or because they have run short of ideas. Such people will still want to make their point as they ease out of the argument. ‘’Well, even if Obama is not full oyibo, we know that his father is a full bred African’’. At such a point someone else could just cut into the discussion. ‘’O yes! That will mean free US visa’s to Africans..chei! I can’t wait for him to win o!’’ .This kind of remark expressing a great expectation will suddenly digress the discussion, as the issue will turn from US politics to US immigration. Another line of discussion that attracts a great deal of argument is the review of a soccer game. ‘’We would have won that game if Kanu was brought into the pitch in the second half’’ ‘’No way! That was before, Kanu is old now, they bench him in Portsmouth, Osaze would have been better’’ ‘’Bench who? Who gave Portsmouth the victory in the FA cup? Eh! Forget his age, it’s a talk of experience.’’. With such a defending statement comes a chorus of yes and no, from those who agree or disagree with the speaker. The discussions do not end abruptly; it only digresses from one issue to another. The fellows, who derive joy in talking occasionally, keep mute in order to glance into the newspaper for hotter gist. After getting done with a newspaper they walk to the stand, drop the paper they just read earlier and pick another one. One wonders if the newspaper vendors who operate the stand, experience less sales because of this trend but it appear that they enjoy the company of these readers. Some of these vendors sell light refreshments, a business that the readers patronise; this gives the vendors extra income. Occasionally, the newspaper readers tip the vendor-this could be likened to the club fees! It does ensure that they are welcome from time to time. It is impressive to note that a brief presence at these newspaper stands will show the visitor or partaker that the average Nigerian is very intelligent. Current issues are analysed from various perspectives. There is also an avalanche of ideas freely expressed which could be useful in solving various problems associated with governance, security, business and sports especially in the area of coaching in football. Whether one buys his newspaper and reads it in the comfort of his home, reads it electronically on the internet or reads it as a free reader, it is certain that many Nigerians will continue to read newspapers in the sheds of newspaper stands. It is an outdoor leisure activity that many people cherish.   Robot  Villager  # 1 The Free Readers Club  By Okey Egboluche  Reading is a favourite past time of many. Some do it simply for knowledge-as part of formal education while others do it for some other reasons. It is so important that a saying ‘’readers are leaders’’ underscores its relevance. Readers clubs have been formed in various societies and educational institutions. Today, reading newspapers which dates back to the discovery of printing is still common, despite the existence of online editions. It is important for social, political and economic development. In Nigeria, there are various newspapers and the emergence of even new ones seems to prove that the print media houses are having a good time.  However, of great interest is the newspaper reading trend which has been in existent in various nooks and crannies of Nigeria. It is jokingly called the ‘’The Free Readers Club’’. Its members are see…Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 13.11.2008 06:32       Olamide  Villager  # 2 Nigerians were not ‘free readers’ at the beginning but the excruciating poverty turned them to that. I remember very well while growing up in the late seventies and early eighties that my daddy used to buy four newspapers every day (Sketch, Tribune, Daily times and any other one that takes his fancy for that day) On Wednesdays, he would add Gboungboun and Iroyin Yoruba to his favourite three newspapers. All the children will be asked to read the newspapers and brief him later on. When things became difficult, he cut back to two newspapers but he never stopped buying newspapers until he died.  This practice helped me a lot in school and later on in life. I developed my love for writing from the constant exposure to reading newspapers at home. Today, this practice is dying out and what we have is the fondness for TV, mindless video games and home videos by children. Posted by Olamide| 14.11.2008 02:26       Chuksklin  JJC  # 3 It has been a culture that has been here for quite a while. I am a benefactor of Free readers,I met some of my best friends there and I equally got my first 2 jobs from reading Tuesday and thursday guaradian when I had no kobo on me to buy a paper of my own.  Goodf of u to write about it. Posted by Chuksklin| 14.11.2008 07:03

Last Updated ( Thursday, 13 November 2008 )

 

ADAM OSHIOMHOLE:A RAY OF HOPE FOR NIGERIA IS LIT IN EDO STATE”-FROM NIGERIAVILLAGESQUARE.COM

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A Ray of Hope for Nigeria is lit in Edo State.

Written by Sam Aweda

Sunday, 16 November 2008

A Ray of Hope for Nigeria-It is lit in Edo State.  Sam Aweda  “…….. In those days, it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of Nigeria, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is from Edo State, saying, we will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you” (adapted from Zach 8:23).  Praying people have been asking if God is listening to the cry of the suffering people of Nigeria as to when their ordeal in the hands of mindless leaders will come to an end.  Is Adams Oshiomhole the answer? I want to believe so. I see a ray of hope, a ray of light around the tunnel. I see it in Adams Oshiomhole, the newly crowned Governor of Edo State.  A song of king David in Psalms 30:5 reads” Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes in the morning”  But Oshiomhole is a Governor of only one state among 36 others and he is not the President of the Country, what gives you such a high hope?  Oshiomhole is the lead to good things to befall the Nation very soon. He has become a hope and encouragement for others in the grass root who have been groaning under the yoke of the oppressive, self- serving Feudal Lords who have been converting people’s treasury into personal use, who have been at the centre stage since independence and not ready to quit.  Anyone from the grass root can now take the queue behind Governor Oshiomhole (as he prefers to be addressed) and aspire to take their destiny in their hands and run for elective offices for only one purpose, which is “good governance, to remove poverty from the populace” It is now possible. Governor Oshiomhole has demonstrated it and henceforth it will be a lot easier.  Oshiomhole has allowed his head on which coconut is broken and Edo State will soon become the envy of all the States of the Federation, which well meaning people from other states can copy and seize the governance of their different states from the thieves who have all these years laid hold of the peoples’ treasury for their selfish and aggrandized use.  And God willing one of them will eventually occupy Aso Rock and Nigeria and the coming generations of Nigerians will be free for ever and never shall Nigerians be servitudes to other Nations. Never shall Nigerians besiege foreign embassies with caps in their hands with plea to be their slaves. Amen and Amen.  I am now experienced a bit of the way God works. When He starts His work of deliverance, it is like wild fire. He sets the fire sporadically and in strategic places and all will be raging in different directions until it eventually quenches and destroys in total the fiery darts and works of the wicked, the enemy.   It started with the unthinkable election of a black man, Barack Obama into the most powerful office in the world on Tuesday November 04 and it was quickly followed exactly a week later, Tuesday 11 by the Election Tribunal Court of Appeal, giving the mandate of Edo people, which they have robbed them of for 17 months to them.  I am positive that Governor Adams Oshiomhole will deliver. He himself has said it all. Listen to him in the press conference he had with the African Independent Television (AIT) the very evening of his election victory:  i. “I am not a product of god-fatherism, I am elected by the people and I can look up to anyone and say: He! You can’t do that”  ii. “When I look at the number of people who defy the curfew, about 500,000 that trooped out as soon as the verdict was read, tears rolled down my eyes and I told myself, I have a duty to deliver, to justify the confidence and trust they have put in me”  iii “ I am a product of poverty and except the Government in power was good when I was growing, I will not be what I am today” I might not have written this exactly as he said it.  iv. “I have before now, been in the opposition, now I am given the mandate to rule”  v. “ LGA chairmen collect money only to share it among party leaders. All that now stops” Certainly the Governor is talking from an inside knowledge and he cannot be doubted.  vi. “The public will be told, how much a Local Government Area (LGA) Chairman is allocated and we will ask him what he has done with the money”  vii. “I will appoint an Engineer as Commissioner in the Ministry of works and he will have no excuse for non-performance. A Health Professional will man the Ministry of Health while an Educationist will be Commissioner to the Ministry of Education”  Mr. Governor, may God in His mercy help you to be able to convert your tough talk into reality and I plead with all Nigerians, home and abroad who has been looking forward to the deliverance of Nigeria from poverty to join in prayers to uphold Oshiomhole to live to his own expectation and words.  Governor Oshiomhole spoke just about the same time Speaker Dimeji received a guest, German President. Bankole said to the amazement of the world that only a State in the Delta region receives allocation in the same amount, which a whole North East consisting of 6 states receives and queries anything on the ground in the Delta Region State that justifies the allocation.  The Governor elect, having been at the head of the Labour Union, no doubt is versed with what is expected of the Government and I have no doubt in my mind that now that he is placed in the right position to put his wishes into reality will do just exactly that.  My fear however is how he will be able to deliver his lofty objectives in the midst of those who all their lives have lived from the People’s treasury. I still trust in the ability and capability of Mr. Governor to put them into the irrelevant places they belong.  In the press conference, the Governor elect had made known his stands against looting of the treasury. By this he has certainly stepped on the toes of those who have no other means of sustenance other than from the Edo State treasury. I hope Mr. Governor needs not be reminded that they are looters as well as killers. In this wise I should like to plead with Mr. Governor elect in serious terms not to ignore security. We cannot afford another February 13.  Probably if General Murtala Mohammed had not ignored security, Nigeria might have been a leader of Nations today. He cannot compare his previous job as opposition leader with the new.  Sam Aweda President & Snr. Pastor, Jesus for the World Revival Mission. Robot  Villager  # 1 A Ray of Hope for Nigeria-It is lit in Edo State.  Sam Aweda  “……..In those days, it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of Nigeria, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is from Edo State, saying, we will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you”(adapted from Zach 8:23).  Praying people have been asking if God is listening to the cry of the suffering people of Nigeria as to when their ordeal in the hands of mindless leaders will come to an end.  Is Adams Oshiomhole the answer? I want to believe so. I see a ray of hope, a ray of light around the tunnel. I see it in Adams Oshiomhole, the newly crowned Governor of Edo State.  A song of king David in Psalms 30:5 reads” Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes in the morning”  …Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 16.11.2008 11:57

Last Updated ( Sunday, 16 November 2008 )

 

“OBAMA,OPTION A4 AND NIGERIA”-FROM NIGERIAVILLAGESQUARE.COM

from nigeriavillagesquare.com

 

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 Obama, Option A4 And Nigeria

Written by Chinedu Vincent Akuta    Sunday, 16 November 2008 Obama, Option A4 And Nigeria Chinedu Vincent Akuta Dearest Obama, the US President elect, congratulations on your election victory. I was one of the people who prayed for your victory to come through. I watched as you delivered your ground breaking speech on July 24 2008, in front of 200,000 people at victory column Berlin, Germany. When you arrived the UK next day, I was also hoping that No 10 Downing Street would allow us to line the streets of London to catch a glimpse of you or whether you would address us at Hyde Park London, like Mandela did on his 90th birthday and fund raising for his charity project. Unfortunately, the authorities at No 10 Downing Street did not permit us, your followers to listen to you. Once more I on behalf of my community/village (Umuaka, Njaba LGA, Imo State-Nigeria) join other world leaders to congratulate you on this wonderful achievement. Your emergence is obviously a product of the American society. Every society produces its leaders. It has truly shown us the cardinal principles of the American society, which is the land of equalities and the land of all possibilities. You reinstated this in your election victory speech on November 4 2008, you said, “If there is anyone out who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. Where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes we can” The American political system made your victory a possibility. Am also aware that, it would almost be near impossibility in other countries especially United Kingdom, going by what Trevor Phillips said. Trevor Phillips is the head of Equality and Human Rights Commission in UK. He said, Barack Obama would never have been elected Prime Minister in UK because of institutional racism. We know what the English people are like. In my country (Nigeria), you can only emerge through the option A4 political system. Any thing short of this, the People’s Destruction Party (PDP) would never allow you to emerge. You symbolize change, which will not be confined to America alone. Therefore, drawing influences, inspiration and motivation from you, I want all well meaning Nigerians to start the process of changing the Nigerian political system to Option A4 methods.  Option A4 electoral system was an electoral system introduced during the Babangida administration by the National Electoral Commission (NEC). Option A4, is a complex series of party caucuses and voting progressing from local to national levels.  Option A4 when used last in the Nigerian elections in 1993 produces two presidential candidates, Bashorun MKO Abiola of the SDP(Social Democratic Party) and AlhajiBashir Tofa of NRC(National Republican Convention). This system prevented the roughness, tremble and tension evident in the previous electoral systems in Nigeria . The political violence or electoral manipulation characteristic of politics under the First and Second Republics were absent. To everyone’s surprise, the election of 12 June 1993 was possibly the fairest and freest in Nigeria since independence. This was acclaimed by both national and international election observers. Not only was it the freest and the fairest election in the electoral history of Nigeria. It was perhaps the cheapest election as well. There were no issues of printing ballot papers, ballot boxes, inks, importing election materials, logistics to some difficult terrains in Nigeria like the Niger Delta areas etc. Since the cancellation of this method of election, the bills for subsequent elections in Nigeria are in billions of naira. Not to talk of people who have died as a result of political violence’s which has accompanied elections in Nigeria. Option A4 prevented all this problems. Option A4 system prevented judicial disputes which arises as a result of rigging which accompanies our secret ballot system. A situation where judicial procedures can last as much as four years into the administration that is in dispute. Using the 2007 election in Nigeria as a case study, we can count how many governors who emerged as a result of rigging. We can also count how many that has been sacked by the tribunals. The latest being the Edo State governor, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, who was sacked by the election tribunal on Tuesday, 11th November 2008. Adams Oshiomhole was declared the rightful winner. This is after the ex governor, Professor Osunbor had stolen the people’s mandate for 19 months as a governor. These things are unnecessary setbacks which Option A4 system would prevent. Let us try to quantify in monetary terms the time and man power wasted in all this court proceedings, talk less of the billions paid to the solicitors. These are unnecessary distractions which Option A4 will prevent. It will move us forward and save us money which will be used to develop other sectors of the economy especially solving the unemployment issue. Option A4 might have its faults, but its setbacks are 100% better than our secret ballot system. Had we used Option A4 since 1999 election, all the bad leadership and corruption might have been prevented. We all are aware the little exposure the EFCC revealed to us. The Nigerian Senate probe into power ministry is an eye sore; the Federal Capital Territory land allocation is a big shame to all Nigerians. Am sure Nigerians will start weeping when all the ministries are probed and the results made public. What about the state levels and local government levels? These unfortunate situations could all have been prevented had the Option A4 system been used. The caliber of men in our national assembly may not have been what we have now, including the state governors. Option A4 would have ensured that best people emerged; at least we would be sure whom we are voting. True leadership will emerge. People will vote whom they are sure off, not who was imposed on them by the powers that be. A lot will be achieved with this process. The question is, can Nigerians change the system? And the answer is Yes We Can. I suggest the following methods for achieving this. Nigerians will need to form pressure groups, NGO’s, associations, etc. Contacts should be made to our law makers, however we can. The aim should all be to initiate a bill in the national assembly for this purpose. Pressure should be mounted on the national assembly to pass this bill into law.  It will not be easy. This is because of people who have benefited from rigging or previous corrupt electoral practices, will wage relentless wars to main the status quo, but like in all cases light will always shine over darkness. The voice of the people will always prevail in the end. Please if for some reasons, you desire this change but you cannot participate in one of the ways mentioned above, kindly write letters/petition to the national assembly to initiate the bill for Option A4 electoral system. Kindly copy this sample letter/petition and post it to the national assembly Abuja.  The Clerk, National Assembly, National Assembly Complex, Three-Arms Zone, P.M.B. 141, Garki-Abuja, Nigeria. Dear Sir/Ma, Kindly use your good position to introduce a bill for introduction of Option A4 electoral system in Nigeria. This bill if passed into law will be a panacea to all Nigerian electoral problems. The June 12 1993 election is a good example. Feel free to forward to appropriate department if your not. Thanks in anticipation of your co-operation……………Mr Miss ,Mrs etc……………..  Use the normal NIPOST postage stamps to post it. In case you decide to write, do not relent in writing; if possible write at least one letter every month till some thing starts to happen. You can also help this project by sending this mail to at least ten people or friends. Please open discussions and debates with fellow Nigerians about this system. By so doing people’s consciousness will be rekindled once more. Furthermore please feel free to use any other appropriate method you think can advance this course. Any legitimate method will be ok provided it not violent methods. Please note that copy write laws do not apply to this article. That is to say that people are free to copy, circulate, or re-publish this article without the writer’s consent. Your comments, compliments, contributions or criticism of this initiative will be highly appreciated .Apologies for any grammatical error. Further information will be made available. Chinedu Vincent Akuta. akutachinedu@yahoo.com  An activist based in Leicester, UK Robot  Villager  # 1 Obama, Option A4 AndNigeria  Chinedu Vincent Akuta  Dearest Obama, the US President elect, congratulations on your election victory. I was one of the people who prayed for your victory to come through. I watched as you delivered your ground breaking speech on July 24 2008, in front of 200,000 people at victory column Berlin, Germany. When you arrived the UK next day, I was also hoping that No 10 Downing Street would allow us to line the streets of London to catch a glimpse of you or whether you would address us at Hyde Park London, like Mandela did on his 90th birthday and fund raising for his charity project. Unfortunately, the authorities at No 10 Downing Street did not permit us, your followers to listen to you. Once more I on behalf of my community/village (Umuaka, Njaba LGA, Imo State-Nigeria) join other world leaders to congratulate you on this wonderful achievement.  Your emergence is obviously a product of the American society. Every so…Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 16.11.2008 11:53       Last Updated ( Sunday, 16 November 2008 )

“EDO STATE ‘COMRADE GOVERNOR’ CHANGES THE QUESTION” FROM NIGERIAVILLAGESQUARE.COM

from nigeriavillagesquare.com  

Edo State: ‘Comrade Governor’ Changes the Question

Written by Sonala Olumhense

Sunday, 16 November 2008

Edo State: ‘Comrade Governor’ Changes the Question  Last week, Edo State recorded an impressive feat. Following three rigged elections by the PDP, beginning in 1979, a courageous Court of Appeal gave justice to Adams Oshiomole of the AC, upholding the judgment of the lower court that he did win the 2007 gubernatorial contest.  In doing that, it threw out of office Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor. In April last year, Mr. Osunbor was declared winner of the race by a badly-compromised Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Justice took a little while in coming, but it finally arrived for the khaki-clad labour leader, who would rather be called “Mr. Governor,” not “His Excellency.”  Professor Osunbor was neither a bad person nor a bad governor. But he was the beneficiary of a flawed system put in place by his ruthless party and a licentious president. The judgment is the right one, and the people of Edo State have received the governor for whom they voted.  Mr. Oshiomole himself recognizes that it is not enough simply to move into Government House. Having returned the will of the people to them, he is challenged to demonstrate its viability. He must rehabilitate and re-energize a state that used to pride itself on being the nation’s pace-setter in many respects. Speaking as a citizen of the state, we all know we have the resources to regain this pre-eminence through pure hard work.  Mr. Oshiomole has declared his intention to address unemployment and public safety, and I agree with him. But there is a limit to the number of jobs the government can responsibly create. The more realistic strategy is to create the conditions that would enable jobs to flower by attracting investors.  For nearly 10 years, there was either no governance in Edo State, or it belonged to an exclusive looting club. The AC administration must prove that it is different, and serious. Edo State loot must be returned to the state, and invested in the state. Particular attention is required in education, and in rebuilding the physical and ethical infrastructure of this proud state.  Mr. Oshiomole has had many years of opposing wrong in government, and speaking for the people. The baton is now in his hands to do right. The talking is over. Congratulations to him, and to the people of Edo State.     Robot  Villager  # 1 Edo State:  ‘Comrade Governor’ Changes the Question  Last week, Edo State recorded  an impressive feat.Following three rigged elections by the PDP,  beginning in 1979, a courageous Court of Appeal gave justice to Adams  Oshiomole of the AC, upholding the judgment of the lower court that  he did win the 2007 gubernatorial contest.  In doing that, it threw out  of office Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor.In April last year, Mr.  Osunbor was declared winner of the race by a badly-compromised Independent  National Electoral Commission (INEC).Justice took a little while  in coming, but it finally arrived for the khaki-clad labour leader,  who would rather be called “Mr. Governor,” not “His Excellency.”  Professor Osunbor was neither  a bad person nor a bad governor.But he was the beneficiary of  a flawed system put in place by his ruthless party and a licentious  president.&n…Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 16.11.2008 11:22       Clearwater  JJC  # 2 Sonala,  Thanks for your crisp and joyfull article. Congratulation to you as well as an Edo – Edos fought behind Adams to get this justice – obviously God has not forgotten us “Edos”  Despite all their Godfatherism: people who thinks that a whole state belongs to them, people who wants to impose rulers or who have being imposing rulers have been dissapointed and pulled back to their drawing tables.  The politics of Edo State has become very interesting since last year after governotarial election. Prof. Osunbo, did his best while seating on a post that was not his. Thank God he could not mis-direct the good people of Edo state.  Expecially now: Edo house of assembly has PDP majority – this guys have their ways of understanding bills before passsing them – I hope you know what I mean – Adams has to find a very high diplomatic way in getting his policies through without doing it the way they understand . Majority of the Local government chairmen belong to PDP which is another challenge.  The road is very long but a step has being taken. I can see good things coming to Edos, next time you visit home “Edo” you will difinately see changes. Congratulations Edos, God bless Edos and God bless the federal republic of Nigeria Posted by Clearwater| 16.11.2008 15:20