Shaka Momodu: What Manner Of Change Is APC Chanting?

As I sit down to write this piece, I cannot but be amused by the change chorus around me. Even though I sense some genuine desire to have things go in a different direction, I get this sneaky feeling that a vast majority of Nigerians are being duped by some smart and clever businessmen masquerading as progressive democrats and agents of change. They sensed resentment and keyed in with the change slogan which seems to have caught on like a wildfire in the harmattan. But when you ask those clamouring for change; change to what? They just stare blankly at you unsure of how to answer. And when the answer eventually comes, it's a disappointment, "we just want change." That is the first inkling you get that some of our choristers of change hardly understand the issues at stake.

Now, are these promoters of change really agents of change? Are they really the democrats they profess to be? The evidence around me suggests otherwise. I think they are part of the problems Nigerians need change from. The values and virtues of democracy which they profess and claim allegiance are observed more in breach by these people who claim to be the long awaited messiahs destined to liberate our countrymen from the bondage of corrupt managers of public wealth.

They remind us every day of the rot in the system – corruption at the centre, growing unemployment, insecurity in the land, irregular power supply etc. Of course, these are facts that cannot be disputed. But what they fail to tell us is that they have been part and parcel of the rot and share in the responsibility and blame for the situation in the country today. They fail to remind us that they are among the greatest beneficiaries of the weak institutions that have made the country a wobbling giant. They fail to tell Nigerians that they have become richer and more prosperous on account of their holding public offices in this democracy. They want change not to serve the people but to serve their own interests and those of their cronies. They just want more money to increase their vast wealth to further their private benefits at the expense of public good. But they have found a strap line that resonates well with the people to anchor their quest for power, but no one is guiltier of practices detrimental to public good than these so-called agents of change. Their daily conduct is a mockery of their progressive hymn; the solemnity of their pledges to liberate the people is hollow, impiety and deceptive.

Now, let's take a look for a moment at the promoters of change. Former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu at the Redemption Rally organised by the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Akure to mobilise support for the party's candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, in the last Ondo governorship election openly boasted how he funded Olusegun Mimiko's election with millions of pounds. He said: "Mimiko claimed that I did not spend money when he had problems with his mandate; this is not true. It is a lie. He came to me and begged for support, rolling on the ground.

"He collected money from me. I spent millions of pounds sterling but he betrayed me. It was Yemi Osinbajo who travelled to Israel and other countries to arrange the experts that helped him prosecute the case. Mimiko has called me a godfather, yes, I am a positive godfather and even, godfatherism is biblical and that is why Christians refer to God as their Father. I play godfatherism in the South-west for the good of our people. My godfatherism is for progress and mentoring. I have brought development to Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Lagos, Edo and Ogun States and the people are better for it."

Now, were the millions of pounds sterling earnings from entrepreneurship or money made from holding public office?  We hear of his vast wealth spanning real estate, media, construction, hospitality etc.  It is this same man that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the "Navigator" of APC, referred to in his book, My Watch, as "having the worst case of corruption". Till this moment, there has been no reaction from Tinubu.

Recall how he railroaded his wife into the Senate to replace a man who was far more experienced in legislative activities. Today, his wife merely sits in the Senate warming the seat, hardly making any meaningful contribution on the floor of debate. Lest we forget, his sister-in-law was also planted in the Lagos State House of Assembly. His son-in-law is also in the House of Representatives. This is the height of nepotism.

But nothing underscores Tinubu's pretentious claim to the principles of democracy than his arbitrary appointment of his daughter, Sade, as the Iyaloja of Market Women and Traders in Lagos following the demise of his mother, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji, who held the position. A true and progressive democrat would have thrown the position open to elective contest. But that was not to be as he simply pronounced his 40-year-old daughter at the time, who is not even a trader, the President General of Market Women and Traders in Lagos, practically decreeing it a hereditary position. There is a saying that, "you can't like the fruits of a tree and hate the tree." A true democrat must not only preach it but practise it in all its manifestations.

Imagine if it was President Goodluck Jonathan that appointed his daughter as President of Market Women and Traders, all hell would have broken loose in the country. APC and those fraudulent human rights activists would have been shouting to high heavens in condemnation; lawyers – hundreds of SANs would have been jostling to represent the traders in court free of charge to challenge the imposition. But Tinubu did it against all known sense of decency and not a whimper from these hypocritical sets of people who by their own choosing lay claim to being the custodians of public good. From the pro-democracy activists to the constitutional lawyers who see two similar impunities with double vision and twin morality to the godfather goaded to continue to dupe the conscience of the people, there is no difference between their sins.

Governor Babatunde Fashola is on a swing after being initially at odds with his godfather's preference to succeed him. He seems to have accepted the reality of his own near-zero political value and has embraced the man he initially kicked against. He fought his godfather through proxies, culminating in an open contest where he was roundly beaten. The old fox taught his godson a very bitter lesson on how not to challenge a benefactor. When the primaries were held, the distance between the godfather's preference and godson's were miles apart.

How can one explain that after eight years in office and with well over N4 trillion in revenue expended, pipe borne water is still a scarce resource in Lagos? An estimated 90 per cent of Lagosians have no access to this vital necessity of life. Nearly every household today self-provides this essential resource by sinking a borehole. Recall here that the situation wasn't this bad before Fashola's rise to power. Even if the situation was bad, the governor's record on this score is a miserable failure.

Under Fashola, instead of more people having access to pipe borne water, what we are seeing is a rapid decline of access to this necessity of life. Many public schools have no roofs, toilets, tables, and chairs as students sit on worn-out tyres to take lectures in classrooms that have neither windows nor doors. This is the state of some public schools especially the primary schools in Fashola's Lagos. The state of most roads in the state is nothing to write home about. Just visit a place like Ikorodu or Iyani Ipaja and you will understand what I mean. The health sector has deteriorated to the level of "mere consulting clinics," i.e. if you see a doctor to consult. If you think I am lying, visit any of the public health facilities in Lagos and tell me if any, I repeat if any, befits our so-called "centre of excellence".

I am also curious to know the policies Fashola initiated to help the unable become able and as such help lift more people out of the poverty index. Affordable housing is still a pipe dream in this mega-city state. What has he done to ease the challenges faced by the people in this regard?  This is the man now at the forefront of change campaign. The man who could not change the dilapidated infrastructure in public schools, health sector or provide pipe borne water for Lagosians after nearly eight years in office as governor is the one telling Nigerians that help is coming from Buhari.  Former Governor Lateef Jakande's temporary school structures litter the state, almost 32 years after he left office. Lagosians should ask him, if he truly shares in their pains and identifies with their problems as he claims to be, then why are his children not attending public schools or using public health facilities like ordinary people?

Perhaps, more than anything else, Fashola's hypocrisy played out last week, finally revealing the internal contradictions in their message of change.

When I read the statement made by the governor urging Lagosians not to vote for an old man, Jimi Agbaje (57), I chuckled, unsure of what he meant. Hear him: "You know what you have to do, open your eyes clearly. When I took this job, I was 44, I was counting the white hair on my head. Today, at 52, I am counting the black hair on my head. Akinwunmi Ambode is younger than me; you need youthfulness to do this job. That man (referring to Jimi Agbaje) is already 60; he cannot cope with this job. If you call him at night he may not take your call."

The same Fashola, who feels Agbaje whom he claims, is 60 but whose actual age is said to be 57 is too old to govern Lagos, has been campaigning vigorously for Muhammadu Buhari (72) to be elected to govern Nigeria.
Now hear him defend his position on Buhari: "Some people are challenging me that if I say Agbaje is too old to govern Lagos, what about Buhari who is older? My response is this: We all agree that we have problem of insecurity in the country. Between Jonathan and Buhari who is the most experienced to tackle security issue? We all know Buhari is an experienced security expert. Then on corruption issue, who is the most credible among them? It is only Buhari. He has ruled Nigeria before and headed several positions without record of corruption and mismanagement."

Did he really mean what he said about age? If he did then something is wrong somewhere. In one breadth, he approbates in another he reprobates. If a 57 or 60-year-old is too old to govern Lagos, which is less complex and a microcosm of Nigeria, why should it be okay for a 72-year-old man to be the president of Nigeria with all its multiplicity of problems? Will Buhari, who is steep in medieval times, pick Fashola's call at night? Does Buhari have the vigour, stamina and mental alertness to govern a modern country with all its ethno-religious complexities and developmental challenges? The hypocrisy of these people surprises me to no end.

After nearly eight years in office, Governor Aliyu Magatakada Wamakko's Sokoto State is still on the list of the 10 poorest states in Nigeria. This is according to the recent Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) 2014 report which revealed Nigeria's poorest states. A man who failed to change the fortunes of Sokoto people for the better is on the bandwagon of APC's change. His state is listed number four on the poverty index.

Look at Governor Rotimi Amaechi's behaviour in Rivers State. What is ennobling about it that one can sincerely recommend as model to the youths to emulate? A progressive democrat who is so intolerant of opposition that he won't even allow the use of the state's stadium for a campaign rally a few days after he used the same facility to flag off his party's campaign. Is this the change they talk about?

The truth is that Nigerians are not included within the pale of their glorious progressive dividends. Their posturing matched against the reality of their stewardship only reveals the immeasurable distance between them and the people whose interests they claim to be fighting for. They have amassed a rich inheritance for their own children, while condemning our children to hewers of wood  and drawers of water. This is a generation of self-seekers whose motivation is primitive wealth accumulation. They must be challenged, interrogated and held to account for their public conduct lest the people are misled again by their new clamour disingenuously disguised as "change."

According to Theodore Roosevelt, "The foundation-stone of national life is, and ever must be, the high individual character of the average citizen." This is specially so for leaders and custodians of public trust. But what we have seen here is a succession of bad leaders who have profited from the misery of the people. And there you have it.

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Shaka Momodu is a columnist for Thisday Newspapers.
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Opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
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Wilfried Bony and Yaya Toure to miss crucial Chelsea clash On Saturday

Manuel Pellegrini will have to wait. His midfield talisman and his expensive new signing are staying in Equatorial Guinea a little longer.

They are both yet to impress at this Africa Cup of Nations, but Yaya Toure and Wilfried Bony are into the quarter-finals to face Algeria, rather than flying back to England to play Chelsea.

But it was not down to a significant contribution from either man that the Ivory Coast progressed. Indeed, Toure was withdrawn 10 minutes from time, with a possibly worrying injury.

But progress was ensure by Max Gradel, who won the game with a goal that could easily be the best we see all tournament.

Having robbed Jerome Guihoata of possession on the left wing, the former Leeds winger cut inside and lashed a vicious shot at goal from 25 yards. The pace, swerve and accuracy of the shot saw it beat the otherwise excellent Joseph Ondoa, finding the corner of the net beyond the despairing goalkeeper's dive.

Ivory Coast, ahead for the first time in the competition, sat back on their lead, inviting pressure from a Cameroon side who knew that defeat would see them crash out.

But aside from a flurry of chances late in the first half, the previously leaky Ivorian defence held firm. And they should really have wrapped the game up on the break, Serge Aurier firing meekly at Ondoa before City's new striker fluffed a chance to seal the win.

In Bony's defence he did brilliantly to hold off the scarcely legal challenge of Nicolas Nkoulou, to get his shot away, but having escaped the defender's clutches his finish was not of the standard you would expect from a £28million forward.

And his team-mates seemed determined to prove him right, producing comfortably their most incisive football of the tournament so far, against what, on paper at least, ought to have been their toughest opponents.

Source: Sportsmail
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Luis Figo Has Announced He Is Going To Stand For FIFA Presidency

Former Portugal international Luis Figo has announced he is going to stand for FIFA presidency.

The 42-year-old has the support of five FIFA member federations - the minimum requirement needed for a candidate to enter May's vote.

Figo is the second high-profile former player to enter the race after David Ginola declared his intention to run earlier in the month - although the former Newcastle and Tottenham winger is yet to secure the support of five federations.

I'm delighted to announce my candidacy for the FIFA Presidency. Football has given me so much during my life & I want to give something back
— Luís Figo (@LuisFigo) January 28, 2015

Figo's standing means there should now be at least four candidates in the contest after nominations close on Friday.

As well as incumbent president Sepp Blatter and Figo, Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Dutch FA president Michael van Praag are standing.

Another candidate is French former diplomat Jerome Champagne, who is yet to get the support he needs but could do so.

Source: Sportsmail
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Roberto Mancini Has Implored Yaya Toure To Move To Italy In The Summer

Roberto Mancini has implored Yaya Toure to move to Italy in the summer, and wants the midfielder to become his lynchpin at Inter Milan.

The Ivorian's future at Manchester City has been an ongoing concern since the summer fiasco whereby Toure and his agent told half-truths about varying situations.

Mancini said: 'He's been to Belgium, Russia, Spain and England, but he's missing Italy. It could be a good opportunity for him to come and try.'


Source: Sportsmail
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Must Read: The reality behind Chelsea Manager's, Jose Mourinho, 'campaign' By Levene

With Jose Mourinho contesting his FA charge – a look at the reality behind his claims of a 'campaign'.

The Chelsea boss was this week back in front of the cameras and Dictaphones after skipping his pre and post-match media duties against Newcastle.

"Don't tell me that you miss me," he said with his usual charm. "It was just a week!" Of course those assembled missed him – he makes this
job very easy sometimes.

He wasn't there to talk about the words that got him hooked on that charge. He didn't really need to. But let's turn the clock back to St Mary's Stadium on 28th December, to examine not the actual claim, but the soft furnishings around it.

"There is a campaign against Chelsea. I don't know why there is this campaign and I do not care."

Firstly, be aware that all press conferences are
rehearsed.

Pre-match, post-match, whenever – the Chelsea
manager, whoever he happens to be at the time, will talk through some lines to take with the club media team beforehand and agree largely what will be said.

Which is not to say that a manager will not decide to ski off piste at some point with his press officer sat reddening next to him – as we recently saw with Steve Bruce's ill-advised (and factually incorrect) cri de coeur on the subject of Ched Evans.

But it is highly improbable that a subject such as the 'campaign' raised by Mourinho at Southampton, an unusual word that Mourinho has never before used, could have been dreamed up on the spot.

Not a 'conspiracy' or a 'coalition', either of which could have been thrown out in a moment of passion to imply skulduggery by those in power.

No, a 'campaign' – carefully chosen as a word that implies a massed form of action by parties unknown or unstated. And that is the crux of Mourinho's method – always choosing words and actions carefully to achieve a desired outcome.

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that everything Mourinho does, from the side of the bed he steps out of in the morning, to the way he stirs his Horlicks nightcap before lights out, is done with an intended consequence.

And looking at his record of public deflection, which is what we are talking about here, he clearly has a tariff set down in precedent. When his team gets a result that is below expectations –he deflects attention from them by mildly grumbling, and blaming some newsworthy external factor. When his team loses, he cranks things up a notch – often drawing the back page eyes towards poor sportsmanship or refereeing. And when his team loses badly, goes out of a competition, or looks like being knocked off the top of the table – he creates an FA charge for himself.

Many will say there is good cause behind the 'campaign' diatribe – and there is clear evidence that some in the media do overly focus on Chelsea's misdemeanours in a way they don't scrutinise those of other teams.

But justification is no defence in the eyes of the FA. Nor is the fact that he didn't point the finger at the refs –because there was plenty in his words for Ashley Cole's favourite bunch to get him on some form of technicality. (Essentially, by suggesting refs are capable of bowing to outside influence, he breaks their rules).
But none of that really matters.

Mourinho has got exactly what he wanted all along –pundits are talking about it, you are reading about it, and he will see any fine that follows (paltry in the face of his £8.5m salary) as being money well spent. Hey – it's cheaper than placing an ad on the back page.

And few ended up talking about a poor run of form, which now seems to have been turned around.

Mourinho was certainly right about one thing – there is a campaign, of sorts, going on here. And he will keep on masterminding it as long as it continues to get the results he wants.

Source:
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Chelsea agree Andre Schurrle sale to fund Juan Cuadrado transfer

Chelsea have agreed to cash in on Andre Schurrle to free up the funds to sign Juan Cuadrado.

The move for Colombian Cuadrado, 26, could even be completed in time for him to play in Saturday's top-of-the-table game against Manchester City, with Chelsea eager to register him.

MailOnline Sport has learned that the deal – with almost £60million exchanging hands - moved closer in the last 24 hours.

Chelsea have asked for more than £30m for Schurrle, 24, and Wolfsburg have been leading the way, with Borussia Dortmund also keen.

Jose Mourinho is not a fan of the Germany international, but recognises his value in the transfer market. The World Cup-winning attacker is also keen to return home.

Chelsea have not been in a rush to sell, although they have been actively looking for a replacement.

Both Cuadrado and Douglas Costa have been at the top of their scouting list, but Costa is cup tied for the Champions League and was always a second choice; not least because dealing with his club, Shakhtar Donetsk, is always complicated and the transfer window closes on Monday night.

Once the Schurrle deal is completed, Chelsea will use the money to sign Cuadrado, who has a £26.8m buy-out clause.
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Press Statement by Buhari Today On Certificate Issue

Press Statement by Buhari Today [January 21, 2015] On Certificate Issue


Good Morning , Gentlemen of the Press.

I only consented to address you this morning because of the genuine concern expressed by many supporters and other well-meaning Nigerians that the issue be addressed.
Otherwise, I would have dismissed it for what it is—sheer mischief and would not have considered it an issue worth the nation's while.

I had assumed all along that all my records were in the custody of the Military Secretary of the Nigerian Army. Much to my surprise, we are now told that although a record of the result is available, there are no copies of the certificates in my personal file.

This is why I formally requested my old school the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina [which is now known as Government College, Katsina] to make available the school's copy of the result of the Cambridge/West African School Certificate. This will be made available to the press the moment this is available.

However, before we obtain that, let me say for the record that I attended Provincial Secondary School, Katsina. I graduated in 1961 with many prominent Nigerians, including General Shehu
Yar'adua, former chief of staff at the Supreme Headquarters, and Justice Umaru Abdullahi, a former President of the Court of Appeal.

We sat for the University of Cambridge/WASC
Examination together in 1961, the year we graduated. My examination number was 8280002, and I passed the examination in the Second Division. And although the ruling party may want to wish this away, the issue in this campaign cannot be my certificate which I obtained 53 years ago.

The issues are the scandalous level of
unemployment of millions of our young people, the state of insecurity, the pervasive official corruption which has impoverished our people and the lack of concern of the government for anything other than the retention of power at all costs.
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Thank you very much.

General Muhammadu Buhari
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Buhari to speak about certificate controversy today

The Nigerian Army has said it is not in custody of the original certificates of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

The Army, at a news conference by its Director of Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Olajide Laleye, in Abuja on Tuesday, added that it was also not in possession of the photocopies or statement of results of Buhari.

It however explained that the entry made for documentation by the APC candidate on its (Army) Form 199A, indicated that he wrote and passed the West African School Certificate in 1961.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Garba Shehu, said in a terse statement on Tuesday night that Buhari would address a new conference on the issue on Wednesday (today).

Buhari had in an affidavit he deposed to at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on November 24, 2014 and submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission on December 18, 2014, said that his certificates were with the military.

"I am the above-named person and deponent to this affidavit therein. All my academic qualifications, documents as filled in my presidential form, President APC/001/2015, are currently with the Secretary, Military Board as of the time of presenting this affidavit. The affidavit is made in good faith and for record purposes," he had written.

When the controversy over Buhari's qualification gathered momentum, Laleye told The PUNCH during an exclusive interview which was published on January 4, 2015, that the military authorities were ready to release credentials and certificates in its custody to serving and retired officers in need of them.

He said that the procedure for the retrieval or collection of the certificates was known to all serving or retired officers of the military.

On Tuesday, Laleye said that military records showed that Buhari applied to join the Army on October 18, 1961.

The Army spokesman explained that it was the tradition of the Army to ensure that a selection board was set up to verify the original credentials of candidates shortlisted for commissioning. Laleye said that records did not show that the process was followed.

However, he said that the entry made for documentation by Buhari on Form 199A indicated that he had credit in English Language, Geography, History, Health Science, Hausa and a Pass in English Literature.

He said, "The media hype on Maj. Gen. Buhari's credentials as well as the numerous requests made by individuals and corporate bodies to the Army on this issue have necessitated that we provide the facts as contained in the retired senior officer's service record.

"Records available indicate that Maj. Gen. Buhari applied to join the military as a form six student of the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina on 18 October 1961.

"His application was duly endorsed by the principal of the school, who also wrote a report on him and recommended him suitable for military commission.

"It is a practice in the Army that before candidates are shortlisted for commissioning into the officers' cadre of the service; the selection board verifies the original copies of credentials that are presented. However, there is no available record to show that this process was followed in the 1960s.

"Nevertheless, the entry made on Form 199A at the point of documentation after commission as an officer indicated that the former Head of State obtained the WASC in 1961 with credits in relevant subjects.

"Neither the original certified true copy nor the statement of result of Maj. Gen. Buhari's WASC result is in his personal file.

"I hope this explanation will put to rest, the raging controversy surrounding the secondary school credentials of Maj. Gen. Buhari as it affects the Nigerian Army."

Although the Army authorities did not allow journalists to have copies of the documents filed by the former Head of State for his commissioning as an officer, they created an opportunity for the documents to be sighted.

The Principal of the school, in recommending Buhari for commissioning as an officer, said "I recommend him for military commissioning; I consider that Muhammadu Buhari will pass the West Africa School Certificate in English, Maths and three other subjects.

Laleye said that the Army holds Buhari, who rose to the enviable rank of Maj. Gen, and was Head of State of the country, in high esteem and would not be party to the controversy over "his eligibility for any political office."

____________________
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Source: The PUNCH
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If You Want To Have A Long Life, Let Your Wife Be In-Charge Of Your Salary

WORDS FROM A FATHER TO A SON ABOUT MARRIAGE

1. My son, if you keep spending on a woman and she never asked you if you're saving or investing, and she keeps enjoying the attention, don't marry her.

2. My son, a woman could be a good wife to you, some could be a good mother to your
children but if you've found a woman like a mother to you, your children and your family, please don't let her go.

3. My son, don't confine the position of your wife to the kitchen, where did you get that from? Even in our days, we had farm-lands where they worked every morning . . . that was our office.

4. My son, if I tell you that you're the head of the house, don't look at your pocket; look if you will see a smile on your wife's face.

5. My son, if you want to have a long life, let your wife be in-charge of your salary, it will be difficult for her to spend it when she's aware of the home needs and bills to pay but if it's in your care, she will keep you asking even when all has been spent.

6. My son, don't ever beat your woman, the pain in her body is nothing to be compared to the wound on her heart and that means you may be in trouble living with a wounded woman.

7. My son, now that you're married, if you live a bachelor kind of life with your wife, you will soon be single again.

8. My son, in our days, we had many wives and many children because of our large farm-lands and many harvests, there are hardly any land for farming anymore, so embrace your woman closely.

9. My son, under the cocoa tree that I did meet your mother could be your eateries and restaurants of nowadays, but remember, the closet thing we did there was to embrace each
other.

10. My son, don't be carried away when you start making more money, instead of spending on those tiny legs that never knew how hard you worked to get it, spend it on that woman that stood by you all along.

11. My son, when I threw little stones or whistled at the window of your mother father's house, to call her out, it was not for sex, it was because I missed her so much.

12. My son, remember, when you say your wife has changed, there could be something you've stopped doing too.

13. My son, your mother rode the bicycle with me before I bought that tortoise car outside there, any woman that won't endure with you in your little beginning should not enjoy your riches.

14. My son, don't compare your wife to any woman, there are ways she's enduring you too and has she ever compared you to any man?

15. My son, there is this thing you people call feminism, well, if a woman claim to have equal right with you in the house, divide all the bills into two equal parts, take one part and ask her to start paying the other part.

16. My son, I met your mother a virgin and I took more yams to her father, if you don't meet your wife a virgin, don't blame her, what I didn't tell you is that our women had prestige.

17. My son, I didn't send your sisters to school because I was foolish like many to think a female child won't extend my family name, please don't make that mistake, the kind of female achievers I see nowadays has made the male-gender an ordinary tag.

18. My son, your mother have once locked up the cloth I was wearing and almost tore it because she was angry, I did not raise my hand to beat her because of a day like this, so that I
can be proud to tell you that I never for once beat your mother.

19. My son, in our days, our women had more of natural beauty, though I wouldn't lie to you, some had minor painting of their appellation mostly on their arms, the ones you people
now call tattoo, but don't forget that they didn't expose any part of their body like your women of nowadays.

20. My son, your mother and I are not interested in what happens in your marriage, try to handle issues without always coming to us.

21. My son, remember I bought your mother's first sewing machine for her, help your wife achieve her dreams just as you're pursuing yours.

22. My son, don't stop taking care of me and your mother, so that your children will take care of you too.

Source: Nigeriacamera.net
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Opinion: General Buhari’s Quest And The Short-Long Way by Nwobodo Chidiebere

My fellow Nigerians, 2015 is not only ringing a bell in the nation's polity because of the general elections associated with it, but would present a golden opportunity to redefine and reshape the destiny of this great nation of Africa.

The emergence of two major candidates: Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP and General Buhari of the APC have made it a hard decision for Nigerians to make putting a lot of facts into consideration.

I am very conscious of the fact that Nigerians are yearning for improved standard of living, effective security of lives and properties, infrastructural facilities, etc. As a patriotic Nigerian with conscience, I cannot fall into the gripping hands of political entrepreneurs, whose spirit of opportunism and self-centeredness are the propelling forces behind their quest for power.

As 2015 presidential election approaches, the voyage of the Nigerian state has run into a cross road. On the left side of the road, is the short-long way and on the right side of it; lays the long-short way. The two candidates of the leading political parties represent these two ways. While President Jonathan represents the long-short way, General Buhari represent the short-long way.

Before I proceed, I would crave your indulgence to define the two proverbial ways in other to awaken the consciousness of Nigerian voters. The short-long way would appear shortest and easiest at the outset to an adventurer, but would later prove to be the longest and rocky road to take. While the long-short way may appear long and discouraging to a short-sighted explorer, it will at the end be the shortest and hitch-free route to ply to arrive at the desired destination.

The million-dollar question here is: why did I describe Gen. Buhari as the short-long way? Gen. Buhari may represent the change some sections of Nigeria are yearning for in the short term, but not in the long term because of his leadership weakness which made him a remote in the hand of the Emperor of the APC's empire, which unjustifiably manifested in his inability to pick his preferred running mate. It is no longer news that the people's General has been surrounded by hawks and caged into dungeon that nothing good would come out of this  man if elected president, apart from serving the interest of his Emperor owing to recent activities in the APC.

The same Lord of Lagos, who has dictated the tune of the state for 16 years running, single-handedly rammed John Odigie-Oyegun down the throat of the APC stalwarts as its National Chairman. He influenced the APC governors which made them to throw their weight behind Gen. Buhari's emergence as the APC presidential candidate in return for the position of the Vice presidential candidate, which the king of Bourdillion, later ceded to one of his cronies-Prof. Yemsi Osinbajo, after his earlier ambition to clinch the Vice Presidential ticket of the APC was crushed by the antagonists of Muslim-Muslim ticket.

The choice of Gen. Buhari may be popular amongst his Northern followers and power-starved politicians, who see the ageing General's ambition as an opportunity to grab power, but the selection of Osinbajo as Gen. Buhari's running mate  confirmed the fears of many Nigerians that we are in for another "Cabalnocracy", which implies government of the cabal by the cabal and for the cabal. The over bearing influence of one person in the so-called progressive party has made it crystal clear to lovers of this country, that the newest cabal in town is working assiduously to mask its motive with Gen. Buhari's face to get to power.

Nigerians should be aware of those who have exploited the people of Lagos for years via god-fatherism and heavy burden of taxes, while preaching the gospel of freedom in Abuja; those who installed their wives, children, in-laws, concubines, and cronies as governors, senators, House of Reps members, state Assembly members, etc, while they keep parading themselves as progressives. As if that was not enough, the same hypocritical elements who have been busy singing the song of change connived with some PDP governors to truncate Local Government autonomy; while they advocate for true federalism!

Nigerians have become politically conscious enough not to allow retrogressive fundamentalists to reverse this country to the same centralists who resisted the devolution of power at the National Conference, by insisting on the current "feeding bottle federalism" which made them parasites of Nigerian state.

Let's come to think of it, what informed the decision of the APC National leader to insist on Prof. Osinbajo as Gen. Buhari's running mate knowing his political naivety? Is Osinbajo more experienced and qualified than the likes of Governors Fashola and Oshiomhole or former governor Fayemi?  Why did Tinubu block the emergence of Gov. Amaechi as the APC vice presidential candidate? Is Tinubu the de facto presidential candidate of the APC, who is scheming to leverage on Gen. Buhari's popularity in the North to acquire power via Prof. Osinbajo?

In the first instance, the Emperor of the APC's empire went for a candidate who claimed that he borrowed money for his nomination form from a bank, without telling Nigerians the collateral he used to secure the loan.

The burning questions agitating the minds of Nigerians are: are we ready to be enslaved by this desperate cabal? Is the APC clamouring for change just for the sake of it? Gen. Buhari who truncated our nascent democracy in 1984, is aspiring to come back and benefit from the same democracy he rejected 30 years after. Does he represent the change we need at this defining moment? Is this not a grand conspiracy of power mongers with born-to-rule mentality riding on the gullibility of Nigerians to get power at all cost? What does the APC stand for, if not a party of disgruntled elements and power-starved individuals?

Objectively, I am not blinded to the fact that President Jonathan may not have performed optimally to the expectation of some Nigerians, but can we just for the sake of change replace a young woman who has given birth to two children with an old woman who has reached menopause because the impatient husband is angling for more children? Is the aspiration of 72 year old General not insulting the sensibilities of Nigerian youths? Your guess is as good as mine.

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Nwobodo Chidiebere, public commentator writes via chidieberenwobodo@yahoo.com. He writes from Abuja.

Source Link: http://talkafrica.co/ng/p/24211/20788-updates
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