Obama’s Victory: The Lessons for Nigeria’s Do-Or-Die Politicians

Adeola Aderounmu

The American Electoral System is a modified form of democracy in itself. The people have become used to the system after 200 years and they are satisfied with how it works.

In my country of birth Nigeria one is constantly worried about the nature of the politics. Nigeria’s politics is a disgrace to humanity. It is depicted by lack of common sense and it does not serve the purpose for which it is intended.

Nigeria’s politics is bloody and deadly. It raises violent men and women and suppresses intellectualism.

Nigeria became an independent country in 1960 and since then it has been from grace to grass politically because someone fools and idiots ran the show using violence, arson and aggression.

In very worrying situations, intellectuals have been part of this worrying politics.

It is so sad because Nigerians are not ready or willing to change their violent democratic principles.

Check out this joke on facebook:

IF USA WAS NIGERIA, TODAY’S HEADLINES WILL READ:

•Don’t celebrate yet, Romney tells Obama (TELL magazine)

•Concede defeat, Obama urges Romney (Punch newspaper)

• 20 opposition cadres riot (The Sun newspaper)

• Romney Demands Vote Recount (Vanguard newspaper)

• Elections rigged (Guardian newspaper)

• No evidence of manipulation (NTA news)

• The Church declares elections free and fair (News Line)

• There will be violence if we lose; Romney declares (LTV 8 news)

• Election results for Arizona awaited (Channels news)

• Trucks with suspected ballot papers crosses into USA from Mexico (Tribune newspaper)

• Romney is an opportunist – Go back to your farm (AIT news)

• I will not accept results, Romney tells Obama (STV news)

• McCain heads to Election Petition Tribunal (MITV)

• White Majority rejects results (PM News)

• Kenyan Big Boy Senator Obama Throws Lavish Party to celebrate Election Victory (City People)

• Free for all fight at Obama rally in Grant Park (Channels TV)

• Northern elders, Arewa and Sultan rejects results (ThisDay)

• Republicans and Democrats supporters clash in Ketu and Ajangbadi, 14 dead, Romney threatens more heads will roll. (Sahara Reports)

• The people behind Obama’s victory: True story uncovered (Newswatch)

Funny. But Let’s Be Objective This Would Have Been The Report If USA Was Nigeria.

Food For Thought.
Learn And Change (likely source, ENVOY MAG facebook page)

These imaginary headlines are so true and sad.

Nigeria will not have a free and fair election in the nearest future because the political structures are weak and the system of government is very sickling.

True federalism is needed and there is an urgent need to take power away from the center.

The people of Nigeria actually need a referendum to decide on the future of the British creation. This is why Biafra will never go away no matter how much it is suppressed by the reigning gangsters in Abuja.

The poverty in Nigeria is tied to the recklessness of the political status quo that promotes nepotism and total corruption. Total corruption is the state where almost everything in a system is corrupt and where the mentality of attaining sufficiency and happiness are tied to malpractice and ills rather than common good. This is the situation in Nigeria and it is very sad.

If this generation is too cowardly and too corrupt to make the radical changes, I am convinced that one generation in the future (no matter how long it takes) will make it right. It will never be too late to catch up with the rest of the world if the world doesn’t end today.

Obama’s Victory: My Takes

Adeola Aderounmu

Barack Obama will lead the USA for another 4 years. Mitt Romney, the republican candidate lost the key states and lost the election.

Four years ago I was an Obama enthusiast. Today my views are completely indifferent. I didn’t stay up to follow the election but I must congratulate Obama for winning another 4 year term to lead the United States.

There are so many things to work on in the United States and globally as well.

The economy in the United States requires a quick turnover so that the unemployment rates can be reduced and many people can work to get a better life. There are lingering problems with house ownership, mortgage and health-care delivery among many others.

There will not be a perfect country or a perfect world but the situation can be much better than it is now. Four past years of Obama may not have been miraculous; the four coming years must be if the expectations of the electorates are to be met.

In several ways the Senate and the house of reps have a lot to do in working together to make America a better place.

But when the years row by and things don’t work according to plans, I hope the people will know where to look at. The USD 2 billion that saw the election campaigns through definitely came from some pockets and there were key players. Are people paying attention to the key donors and their interests? It is up to the American to do their homework.

On the foreign scene I didn’t like the role the US played in the death of Gadhafi. Ghadhafi was not a saint, nor is anyone of us. But Libya was prosperous and probably the best African country to live in under Gadhafi. There were the oppressed people in Libya (including strangely Nigerians) , there were people tortured by Gadhafi. There are ways to go by these symptoms of dictatorship that are far better than the killing of Gadhafi. What about not throwing the dirty water away with the baby in it?

Saudi Arabia has no democracy and this has never been criticized by the United States. Hence the double or even triple standard of the United States under Obama gave me concerns.

I pity the Syrians. One day they will wake up and realize how they have inflicted harm and injuries to one another without finding the reasons why they did so. Two or more wrongs have never made a right in historical perspectives. They can ask Liberia and Somalia what it means to live for decades without a functional government. Liberia is trying to get back on track and Somalia is still among the most dangerous places on earth.

In the Middle East generally, many issues have reached boiling points. I don’t blame other countries for the woes of a given country but the expectations and hopes are usually hinged on the US and her foreign policy.

China presents news and old challenges through her new leadership and old trades.

The bar has now been raised as Obama enters another term in office. I wish him all the best.

I wish my friends and acquaintances in the US the best of these four years. I hope they won’t look back four years from now and wished they’d made a different choice.

The future you know or can predict is the one you create. In a constantly changing world where the circumstances around you are often out of your control, it will definitely by impossible to create a perfect future.

The James Ibori Confession

Adeola Aderounmu

James Onanafe Ibori is a Nigerian convicted for crimes in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom but who later became the governor of Delta State in 1999.

His stories have been well documented the latest being a BBC report on the extent of his criminal records/criminal life (www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17181056)

This story of a criminal who found his way to the highest office in Delta State is not unique or peculiar. Many Nigerian politicians are crooks and thieves before they get into offices. Several others join the bandwagon and became part of the looting syndrome. Dimeji Bankole is a proven classical example.

As I have written several times, the worst thing is that these thieves get away to enjoy their loots. The laws in Nigeria are useless or non-performing. Those who stole big now live big. Even ordinary personal assistants in government offices in Nigeria are thieves.

One way or the other all these crooks find ways to enrich themselves and cart away millions. Sometimes it’s just simply sharing money.

Several people have told me that I will never make it in Nigerian politics if I don’t loot and that I will be brushed aside. Whoever told them that I have a Nigerian political ambition? They have no idea I’d cursed the day I was born if I steal public loot.

Unless Nigerian politicians are executed or beheaded there is no solution for the looting syndrome. All Nigerian politicians will remain thieves as long as the power and privileges they enjoy remain the same. They have one special and stupid immunity clause that makes crime legal. And when they are out of offices, they still enjoy the immunity in 99,9% cases.

Not even a Ribadu-boast in the run-off to the botched third term agenda could ignite a mass prosecution.

The situation will NEVER change because it is accepted in Nigeria that you have to be rich after your political sojourn. It is okay to be a thief and governor or president because that is what your family, community and associate expect from you. It is what the political parties expected. Nigeria is a program invented to fail.

It was Obasanjo who used James Ibori to sponsor late Yar Adua and Goodluck Jonathan to Aso Rock in 2007. The ring of looters (Obasanjo, late Yar Adua and Jonathan) knew that Ibori was stealing money from Delta State to sponsor a presidential campaign and it was okay.

If the judiciary was effective in Nigeria and if there are no useless immunity clause, the Ibori confession should lead to the arrest of both Obasanjo and Jonathan without further delay. But since Nigeria is program to fail as a result of massive corruption, this will not happen.

Obasanjo and Jonathan have their own individual crimes which are still in progress but these men lead Africa Union negotiations and Nigeria respectively. There is no hope for the future under the present arrangement of things in most part of Africa and locally in Nigeria. We are ruled by gangsters and thieves.

Nigeria under Jonathan is a joke. This guy has taken new loans to finance his personal extravagancy and clueless regime. Nigeria under Jonathan, with the persistent of corruption and the rise in terrorism, is heading for an expected disintegration. Nothing has happened in the last one year to prove otherwise.

The National Assembly is even a bigger joke. Together with the executive these bunch of thieves run the most inefficient yet the most expensive government in history. Despite all complains and agitations they have not seen any reason to cut out their expensive salary and pay packets. The looting continues.

There will be no expectation from Nigerians that their lawmakers should pass a law that looters should be executed because it is tantamount to committing mass suicides. No one will come out alive of the National Assembly and the House of representatives. David Mark would lead the pack of awaiting death sentence if such law is passed today.

This is the severity of the calamities in Nigeria. More than 50 years of executive recklessness and outright stealing and looting.

It will not end because Nigerians are used to it and have come to accept such as norms.

It will not end because Nigerians put their hopes in Gods (Jehovah and Allah).

It remains a tragedy that 160m people think that it is okay. The common prayers have been that everybody’s time to (steal, loot, and benefit) from government should come.

Amazingly the churches and mosques are beneficiaries. Millions of stolen funds are paid weekly as tithes. This makes religious organisations in Nigeria to rank among the most successful business enterprises in Africa and Nigerian pastors especially are ranked among the richest men in the world.

Nigeria is a box of irony and metaphor.

Now and when Nigerians have gone their separate ways through true federation or outright split, it remains a pertinent question of how to solve this social malaise called corruption. Corruption has no tribal marks and it will continue to remain a stumbling block to progress.

Unless something radical is done to all the public servants and politicians who steal and loot, more and more people in that geographical zone will slip below the poverty level and the abundant resources will continue to lie in ruins and waste.

Today more than 100m Nigerians are poor and live day in day out with limited hopes. The situation will be worse if all the Iboris in the local, state and federal houses are allowed to continue to enjoy the useless immunity clause.

Nigerians need to stand up and they can start by asking the blood sucking Jonathan government to stop stealing. They can gather the momentum from the Ibori trial in London and ask the sleeping judiciary in Nigeria to wake up to its responsibilities. It is easier for the camel to go through the eye of the needle than to expect the corrupt Nigerian judiciary to be effective. How did I miss that?

 

June 12 1993

Adeola Aderounmu

I have written about June 12 1993 or I have mentioned it in several essays before.

It is very important that we keep writing about it so that the story does not get distorted.

It’s been 18 years since Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida destroyed the hopes and dreams of a better Nigeria.

Nigeria and Nigerians lost the opportunity of being led by MKO Abiola.

It is sad because no one knows if Nigeria would have become a better place today or even one of the greatest countries on earth. We will never know what we missed or did not miss by the presidential mandate that was stolen in broad day light.

What happened on June 12 1993?

On June 12 1993, millions of Nigerians voted in the best election ever conducted in the history of Nigeria.

The elections itself had been planned along two party system. Social Democratic Party’s candidate was Chief MKO Abiola while Alhaji Bashir Tofa was the candidate of the National Republical Convention.

Nigerians voted massively in favour of Moshood Abiola.

Bashir Tofa (the opponent) was said to have sent him congratulatory messages.

As the results were announced, the prices of goods and services were falling.

There was happiness all over Nigeria. There was hope that a new dawn has come.

There was a tailor who refused to be paid for the services he had rendered. He was so overjoyed that “at last” hope has come to the people.

Bus conductor and drivers were offering free rides. You didn’t have to pay anything.

That was the spirit and mood until Nigerians received a rude shock from the military gangsters led by one notorious Ibrahim Babangida. He announced the annulment of the results of the elections without reasons.

There were many hypotheses trying to explain or justify the annulment including that Abiola was a creditor of the federal government, or that a few idiots would not like to see him be president of Nigeria.

Some people said it was because of what he did when he was in NPN that he betrayed or opposed Awolowo, a fellow Yoruba politician. He is also alleged to have sponsored military coups in Nigeria.

No form of arguments would justify the annulment of the June 12 1993 peaceful presidential elections.
The fundamental thing about June 12 was that an election held and Abiola won.

By cancelling the decisions made by Nigerians in a democratic process, treasonable felony was committed by Babangida and those around him including the late Abacha.

Babangida should be arrested and tried not only for corruption but for treason and crimes against humanity. Why is Babangida still a free man in Nigeria?

Are some people above the law in Jonny’s country?

The annulment was resisted by many true democrats, some were killed and many went into exile.

Many innocent Nigerians died in the failed struggle to actualize the annulled mandate.

Many Nigerian politicians sold their souls for porridge because they could not stand on the June 12 mandate. Political prostitution is an old business in Nigeria.

Baba Gana Kingibe was a prince of the game of political prostitution long before Atiku Abubakar.

Nigerian traditional rulers who could have pressurized the silly Babangida kept mute. They loved bribes because their prosperity is built on them.

Those whom we taught were leaders became rulers and accomplices to the crime. Obasanjo said Abiola was not the messiah. I don’t remember MKO claiming to be one.

Abiola died without realizing his dreams and without claiming the mandate he got from millions of Nigerians in the most peaceful and fairest election ever in the history of Nigeria.

The circumstances surrounding Abiola’s death remains controversial. He died in the arms of American visitors sent by Bill Clinton. He was poisoned in the presence of the American delegation. It has become one of the several conspiracy theories that he was killed by the Nigerian military government with the assistance of the Americans.

Abiola’s nephew told me how the issue of repatriation seriously pursued by Abiola became one of his likely undoing.

Those who are too young to understand the June 12 story should continue to discern what they read because lies will be told. Many things have been said against Abiola. Some of them may be true but nothing said can take away the fact that he won the election and that Babangida is a living criminal.

How the laws work in Nigeria is still a mystery. How can someone commit treason and be free?

The 2011 elections are by no means close to the peaceful and fair elections of June 12 1993.

And for those who are superstitious it appears that until something is done to make amends for the devilish errors of
June 12 1993, Nigeria may never make progress. Living conditions have become worse since then.

When Obasanjo was imposed on Nigerians in 1999 politicians thought they have made amends for June 12 1993. That was an error of judgment. Obasanjo was anti-June 12, so it doesn’t count in the superstitious world. In fact it may have added salt to the injury.

Since 1999 the standard of living has dropped and gotten worse. More people have become poorer and lives have been lost in several conflicts.

I do know that the Nigerian government also stupidly adopted May 29 as democracy day in Nigeria.

Sometimes I wondered how Nigerians allow the useless government to impose things that are evil on them.

It would have been better, to honour those who gave their lives for democracy that June 12 be made the national democracy day.

Or we just don’t have any democracy day and still honour these unsung heroes on October 1st every year.
Rather what we do is to decorate accomplished political looters and thieves with national honours.

It appears to me that for as long as we continue to deny the truth about the significance of June 12 and its role in the establishment of our struggling democratic process that we may not make any real progress in this country.

During the presidential debate in 1993 Abiola spoke to Nigerians and answered their questions on what his plans are and how he will help Nigeria to become great.

June 12 came with a manifesto and programs of hope. That is why it is sad that we didn’t experience the reign of Abiola.

A mandate similar to what Abiola got in 1993 and the hopes and confidence that came with it are necessary ingredients for growth and development of Nigeria.

I don’t think anybody can rule Nigeria successfully without a mandate similar to that which Abiola obtained in 1993.
It cut across religion, regions and tribes. It was a universal mandate, made in Nigeria.

It will also be impossible for anyone to lead Nigeria and make meaningful progress without a manifesto of hope and programs that are well planned and thought through.

The positive impacts of Abiola’s victory lasted a few hours; they are part of the most memorable hours of my life. For the first time in my life, then in 1993, I saw hope on the faces of Nigerians. As a country we saw light at the end of the tunnel but the light faded away, very quickly.

In 2011 we remain in the tunnel.

Related post:

http://aderinola.wordpress.com/2007/06/05/june-12-1993-just-like-yesterday

Elections and Riots, It Is In Their Character

Adeola Aderounmu

I still hold on to my views about how elections should be conducted in Nigeria. There is still a need to establish permanent workable electoral processes that will avoid wastage of funds, and on the side, lives, every four years.

Whether they like it or not Nigerians must establish electoral processes that will bring about unquestionable outcomes.

Riots in Northern Nigeria (Image from BBC Africa)

Until such a time that votes cast can be checked against a social security number or identity card numbers, Nigeria may never experience a peaceful electoral process. One of my friends called me naïve because he thought Nigeria is too complex for such ideas. How can any country be complex or complicated for progressive ideas?

Ten years ago, who could have thought that Nigerians would be using ATMs or VISA cards? But they are using them quite efficiently. So why would it be impossible to issue IDs and security numbers? It will take time but it is a course they must take. All their options and short cuts are resulting in arguments and waste of lives and property.

Many Nigerians will argue that the last presidential election was fair, free and peaceful. They have valid points. But to term the post-election violence as an expression of frustration is an understatement. There is no smoke without fire.

Some Facebook commentators have argued that the North can break away for all they care. It is not that simple and easy to solve the problems. Some people are arguing for regional governments, that even makes more sense.

Now to the just concluded presidential elections in Nigeria.

There are insinuations that the elections have been rigged.

It is one thing for elections to be free and fair. It is another thing entirely for the elections to be credible and to hold water. When results are counted at polling stations, they are usually in hundreds or a few thousands. But when they are announced by INEC, they are in millions.

The idea of register, vote and protect, in my opinion, remains meaningless if not senseless. The only thing that can be protected in any election anywhere in the world is the number of forensically identifiable individuals.

I know several Nigerians who are not voting this year. Those who have registered at “convenient venues” like places or work or familiar environment could not vote because they are not allowed to move outside their residential areas on election days.

One thing is that it is very primitive to restrict movement of people on election days. The other thing is that when Nigeria has adopted the system I suggested in previous essays people will be allowed to vote even before the real Election Day. In that case no one will be disenfranchised if restrictions to movement are enforced on the last day.

One of the commonest mistakes that election riggers make in Nigeria is that while they rigged election results, they usually forget the number of registered voters in some states or communities. The smallest of errors in an election outcome gives room for doubts and questions the integrity of the conductors. Sincerely, it does.

It is hard to believe that any particular candidate in the presidential election will gather more than 90% of votes in any state of the federation. But Jonathan got 99% of the votes in some states. This is a very obvious error on the part of the manipulators and riggers. That one candidate can gather between 90 – 99.6% in any state of the federation ought to be investigated and scrutinized closely. All the electoral materials from such states should be surrendered to independent panel for verification. But do they have anything that is independent in Nigeria?

Buhari said he is in possession of evidence that can prove that INEC computers were pre-programmed to deliver the winning ticket to the PDP. He also said he has some questions for INEC regarding some results.

No one can doubt that computers can be programmed or re-programmed. If truly Buhari has made this claim and if he has the evidence why not produced it/them immediately?

He should also be asking all his questions now using the appropriate medium/ media.

The situation in the North cannot be allowed to continue unabated.

Riots have broken out in Northern Nigeria, People are dying, houses, churches and offices are being torched and burnt down. Supporters of PDP are the targets and it is easy to predict that the next targets will be southerners living in the North.

The riots in Northern Nigeria are condemnable, and very unnecessary. It once again shows how divided Nigerians are and it gives more weight to the argument that Nigerians should divide the country and let every region goes its separate way. This is a complicated resolution and civil wars may break out in several regions. Nigeria remains a volatile country.

Nigerians don’t know yet who ordered these riots but they do know that the rulers or elders in the North are slack and slow. They are watching as their territories are set ablaze. How low are their mentalities? What is Buhari’s position concerning these riots? Can he go out on the streets and call his supporters and street gangsters to order?

There are ways to seek redress and he cannot allow the morons that are on the loose to destroy his reputation. They have already.

I looked at the table of election results and I conclude that though the elections were relatively free, they are far from being credible. 90% of votes in one state going to one candidate is suspicious, 99,6% is definitely a fabrication or a figment of someone’s imagination. The results justify the billions of naira that Mr. Jonathan had siphoned from the Nigerian economy to ensure that he wins.

Money remains the number one influence in Nigerian elections. Even INEC surprised itself and the bookmakers because I am in shock as to why Jega printed re-run papers. One day in Nigeria votes will be counted genuinely like we did in 1993 when MKO Abiola won the freest and fairest election ever in the history of Nigeria.

Meanwhile Jonathan and Sambo must stop the violence in the North. The celebrations are over and, as the rulers of Nigeria; they have a first major assignment on their hands.