Pukkah: Dele Momodu's write-up is a good one at least from a literary perspective although most of the issues raised therein are not new. There is hardly any of it that has not been debated on this forum. Just a few days ago, I had cause to comment on Sanusi's love for controversy and attention in addition to unbridled arrogance, brashness and rudeness. Sanusi is his own enemy and many people, especially his public admirers, don't really 'know' him very well.

This is why I find it curious that 'Suraj Oyewale' is sticking out his neck all because of a controversial figure like Sanusi. My advice for you is to defend policies/issues and not be a fanatical follower of any public figure. There is more to all this that meets the eye than your pen can see. Recall that I pointed out to you on another thread to stop beating your chest that Sanusi is not interested in politics?

In trying to defend Sanusi, you went a bit too far and became guilty of what Momodu himself was guilty of - personal attacks or argumentum ad hominem. Why voluntarily and freely enmesh yourself in a fight which 'real reasons' you may not know? Why go to the extent of taking potshots at Babangida, Abacha and those 'brilliant' bankers because of Sanusi? Out there, the plot of what you are seeing is thick and the web is complex and I think you should not plunge into it except you want to dive into it because of yourself (convictions, principles, etc) and not because of anybody.

If you wish to be an activist, whether on Twitter or wherever, carve your own niche and be your own man. Unless there is also more to this, I wonder what you stand to gain by being known as Sanusi's man.

Hmmm . . .

I wonder what Jarus stands to gain from his blind support for SLS. Same SLS who sees usage of fuel by Nigerians as consumption and called them rent seekers . . . In other words, when i power a gen set with subsidized fuel to get normal work done, i am a rent seeking parasite and just consume it cos i don't pay for it.[b][/b]

spiaggia: http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/opinion/48092--momodu-abuse-of-columnism


Momodu: Abuse of columnism



Written by Suraj Oyewale Tuesday, 25 September 2012

Give me a good piece, nicely crafted in fine language and you have made my day. This is why opinion and column pages of newspapers attract me more than any other part of a newspaper. There are columnists in Nigeria whose weekly columns I have not missed for many years. I buy newspapers because of columnists and my good friends in Thisday will forgive me if I confess that Dele Momodu is the reason I stopped buying Saturday editions of the paper since 2010. There are a number of Nigerian columnists I don’t agree with, but that fact doesn’t stop me from reading them, but not Momodu. And the reason is simple: I can’t stand men that don’t stand for anything and will easily fall for anything.

The popularisation of the Social Media has given rise to a number of emergency activists in recent time. From Facebook to twitter, these pretenders are there, taking advantage of the public mood, pretending to be on the side of the masses. If Dino ‘Mike Tyson’ Melaye thought we had forgotten how he was captured on live TV shamelessly punching a woman co-member of the lower chamber just two years ago, then we can forgive Femi Fani-Kayode for suddenly finding his voice as a freelance activist. After all, it’s been more than five years that he has lost his national relevance and eagerly needs attention again. Malam Nasir el-Rufai, even if ahead of these fellows in terms of performance while in office, also needs to watch his twitter activities as his needless attacks on the current administration is becoming boring and worn out, and even in unmoderated cyberspace, decency calls for moderation.

But while the above mentioned emergency activists’ activities are more on the social media, Momodu, in addition to his thoughtless twitter postings, also has a formal medium, his Saturday column in Thisday, to himself to lecture us on governance and people. Until recently, Momodu hardly wrote on politics. His turf is entertainment and I have no business with that – that is his choice. Week in, week out, if Momodu is not praising Ghana, he is entertaining us with how he sat in the fourth row in Michael Jackson’s burial service, how he spoke with Mike Adenuga the night before, how he visited MKO Abiola in London, how he visited Siberia or Djibouti, how he fought during the Liberia war, or how he owned a Limousine. But the few times Momodu’s pendulum swings to politics and political economy, one wonders whether he would not have done better staying in his entertainment and photography turf. Among such days was Saturday, September 22, 2012.

Someone had posted an article entitled ‘The Bully called Sanusi’ in an online discussion forum without referencing the author. My quick googling of the original article directed me to Thisday website and I saw the article as Momodu’s. I had expected Momodu to do better this time round, given the fact that there is a very good case to disagree with CBN governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi in his current proposed but now suspended currency restructuring exercise – an exercise I also hold is not well-advised. But rather than Momodu dealing with the substance of the matter this time round, he continued from where he stopped in 2009 when Sanusi sacked two of his celebrity friends in the banking industry. In an article he wrote in 2009, Momodu, while subtly admitting patronage from two of the sacked bank bosses for his magazine business, chided SLS for his kamikaze reforms. To Momodu, it is no crime to empty depositors’ monies, inasmuch as such looters patronise his photography business. After all, he saw no wrong in promoting Babangida and Abacha’s ill-acquired opulence in his magazine for the right prices. Thankfully, he did not find corruption in SLS’s baggage – the common denominator of all his (Momodu’s) patrons in both the private and public sectors.

Momodu wrote: “He (Sanusi) needed to disguise his real intentions and motives by taking on an entire institution and sacking otherwise brilliant bankers in the process”. Even after one of Momodu’s ‘brilliant bankers’ owed up to stealing the funds and judicially accepting to forfeit assets in addition to paying back N191 billion, to Momodu, the matter is still a case of witch-hunting and disguised motive. Whatever is Sanusi’s motive, Momodu should be bold enough to admit his benefactors’ thievery. That is when we can begin to take him seriously.

The currency redenomination proposal, for all its benefits, doesn’t sound convincing enough to me as well-advised, but Sanusi not getting it right this time doesn’t diminish the good things he had done in the past, especially instilling sanity in our financial system. So the old music of ‘hidden agenda’, as sung by the likes of Momodu since 2009, is faded and if Dele’s mission is to take advantage of the current public sentiments against Sanusi to revise history, he has failed woefully.

Momodu also made a veiled attempt to set Sanusi against his boss, President Goodluck Jonathan. Even though this is not new, as a serving Senator even made a more direct remark in that regard recently, the analysis is an orchestrated mis-read of events. If anything, the hesitation exercised by the President before finally succumbing to socio-political pressure to suspend Sanusi’s policy only shows the President still has confidence in the CBN leadership.

Expectedly, Momodu did not fail to lend his voice to the pepper soup joint talk about Sanusi’s presidential ambition. No serious media will take that seriously, because it doesn’t take personal knowledge to know Sanusi fares better as a critic than as a politician and clearly not the type that will climb the podium to dish out those lies called electoral manifestoes as it is done in this part of the world. Above all, he has never hidden his ultimate ambition in life.

In any case, even at the nadir of his popularity today, if Sanusi were to contest presidential election, he would surely poll more than one hundred times the miserable 26,000 Momodu returned countrywide in 2011!

He who lives in glass house should not throw stone.

Oyewale, a blogger and public commentator, lives in Lagos.


Dear Oyewale,

While not being a fan of Momodu, I must state that in your bias you are also guilty of throwing away the baby with the bath water. Momodu has made some salient points and this should be noted. First, the way and manner in which Sanusi conducts the business of governing the CBN leaves a great al to be desired. This can be seen is some of his actions and utterances which to say the least are provocative. His championing of sectional causes such as his reason for the Boko haram uprising and him attributing it to the revenue formulae is unsettling. He spoke then not as a CBN governor but rather as a Boko haram spokesman.

Then there is the issue of his partiality and unilateral donation of money to victims of Boko haram bombings. I can go on and on but let me just end by saying that perharps since Okotie Ebohs first republic show of ethnic garb, Sanusi's appearance as a Prince of Sokoto in full traditional and Islamic garb just tells you how this man's brain functions. This is not helped by The former FCT minister, El Rufai's recent recent praise of SLS as the only brain in the entire Federal Government. What position do you think Rufai is promoting SLS for?

I

you almost had a point but you lost it to ur bias undertone. Should SLS not associate wit his custom again because he is d CBN governor or should he exile compassion for his people in d aftermath of the bomb blast? Sanusi is far from a saint and tongue lashing or faulting him reference his humanhood but not dis shallow postulates of yours will successful deride a man who stood for the masses when Dele Momodu's friends were raping the banking sector? Or were u lounging in media blackout wen he made us knw d staggering amount paid to dem senators? C 5000 naira didn't go down well with me just like d literary injustice concocted by u and d 26,ooo votes Dele Momodu

Pukkah: Dele Momodu's write-up is a good one at least from a literary perspective although most of the issues raised therein are not new. There is hardly any of it that has not been debated on this forum. Just a few days ago, I had cause to comment on Sanusi's love for controversy and attention in addition to unbridled arrogance, brashness and rudeness. Sanusi is his own enemy and many people, especially his public admirers, don't really 'know' him very well.

This is why I find it curious that 'Suraj Oyewale' is sticking out his neck all because of a controversial figure like Sanusi. My advice for you is to defend policies/issues and not be a fanatical follower of any public figure. There is more to all this that meets the eye than your pen can see. Recall that I pointed out to you on another thread to stop beating your chest that Sanusi is not interested in politics?

In trying to defend Sanusi, you went a bit too far and became guilty of what Momodu himself was guilty of - personal attacks or argumentum ad hominem. Why voluntarily and freely enmesh yourself in a fight which 'real reasons' you may not know? Why go to the extent of taking potshots at Babangida, Abacha and those 'brilliant' bankers because of Sanusi? Out there, the plot of what you are seeing is thick and the web is complex and I think you should not plunge into it except you want to dive into it because of yourself (convictions, principles, etc) and not because of anybody.

If you wish to be an activist, whether on Twitter or wherever, carve your own niche and be your own man. Unless there is also more to this, I wonder what you stand to gain by being known as Sanusi's man.

I'm sorry but no one is Sanusi's man. However, when you see articles such as this by Dele Momodu, you are forced to defend the man. I have read several articles that do not discuss the issues but attack the man. Even when they attempt to discuss the issues, they miss the point totally. Why attack the man with so much hate? He is an 'aboki' abi? These are the things you see and you tell yourself you will stand by the man.

What has he done wrong on his job as the CBN governor if not that he is a northerner and "northerners do not deserve to be intelligent".

This is interesting, reading through every post on nairaland on SLS, Dele and others give me relieve Nigeria is getting her bearing again. If you can read the Hand writing of GOD, something is about to happen. Look at the sky, wait, pray and prepare yourself for a reform Nigeria. Nairaland and other social network is really exposing lots of things. GOD bless you all, God bless Nigeria.

Pukkah: Dele Momodu's write-up is a good one at least from a literary perspective although most of the issues raised therein are not new. There is hardly any of it that has not been debated on this forum. Just a few days ago, I had cause to comment on Sanusi's love for controversy and attention in addition to unbridled arrogance, brashness and rudeness. Sanusi is his own enemy and many people, especially his public admirers, don't really 'know' him very well.

This is why I find it curious that 'Suraj Oyewale' is sticking out his neck all because of a controversial figure like Sanusi. My advice for you is to defend policies/issues and not be a fanatical follower of any public figure. There is more to all this that meets the eye than your pen can see. Recall that I pointed out to you on another thread to stop beating your chest that Sanusi is not interested in politics?

In trying to defend Sanusi, you went a bit too far and became guilty of what Momodu himself was guilty of - personal attacks or argumentum ad hominem. Why voluntarily and freely enmesh yourself in a fight which 'real reasons' you may not know? Why go to the extent of taking potshots at Babangida, Abacha and those 'brilliant' bankers because of Sanusi? Out there, the plot of what you are seeing is thick and the web is complex and I think you should not plunge into it except you want to dive into it because of yourself (convictions, principles, etc) and not because of anybody.

If you wish to be an activist, whether on Twitter or wherever, carve your own niche and be your own man. Unless there is also more to this, I wonder what you stand to gain by being known as Sanusi's man.

I like Jarus and he always tries his best to avoid controversy, especially on Nairaland. He also displays commendable maturity in his posts and conducts on NL. He seems a man of impeccable character and I really don't want any altercation with him. I don't want to be seen as antagonistic or unpleasant.
But, I am sure Jarus himself would be the first to admit this: that he's biased in his posts on Sanusi and his policies. From the tone of his last thread on Sanusi, I discovered that Jarus wasn't happy with the proposed #5, 000 note and Naira coinage.
He was blunt about the coinage but, surprisingly, expressed support for the new currency. Even though, as a brilliant economist, he knew it wasn't necessary. He, however, chose to be diplomatic.


Dear Jarus, I am sure you know better and can certainly do better.



PS: I DON'T hate Sanusi

ballabriggs:

I'm sorry but no one is Sanusi's man. However, when you see articles such as this by Dele Momodu, you are forced to defend the man. I have read several articles that do not discuss the issues but attack the man. Even when they attempt to discuss the issues, they miss the point totally. Why attack the man with so much hate? He is an 'aboki' abi? These are the things you see and you tell yourself you will stand by the man.

What has he done wrong on his job as the CBN governor if not that he is a northerner and "northerners do not deserve to be intelligent".

It is only shallow people that will attack Sanusi on the basis of his place of origin except if there are facts that show otherwise, for example, if the Sokoto prison saga is proved to be true. I have never attacked Sanusi's policies from the prism of his tribe or religion. In fact, on this forum I have defended a number of his policies and condemned many others, especially his style and manner of approach. These had nothing to do with him as a northerner.

Be as it may, what is unfolding in the public domain with regards to Sanusi and the N5,000 saga, requires wisdom and introspection before lining up behind him. Although a budding and upwardly mobile young man, with no political affiliations or baggage, is free to defend Sanusi's policies publicly but he should reflect deeply before he starts to attack Sanusi's attackers and mentioning them by name. You also know that Nigeria is a funny country and much of what goes on is hidden from the eyes of the public. A purely professional or academic debate is different from one that has far-reaching political implications.

Half a word is enough...

The Op-ed by the Dele Momodu guy raised many points that need to be discussed. The rebuttal by the other Mallam(Jarus) is ridden with personal attacks, grammatical errors, and poor grammatical structure. I don't know why most Nigerians don't proof-read the articles they post in cyberspace. But hey, it's Nigeria and English isn't our first language; perhaps, that's why most articles on Nigerian Newspapers are not appealing to the average English speaker.

Sanusi saw how quickly our 50k and N1 went out of use and he wants N5, N10 and N20 to become the same thing. I am sure nigerians born in the early 90's may not know about the coins denomination. He should work towards enforcing the use of coins and this will reduce the rate at which price of goods increase. For now price of goods can increase by N5 and above but if the coins are in use, items like satchet water, chewing gum, tom tom, biscuit and many more can always increase by a small amount. I bi engineer oo, no bi economist so you can forgive my analysis.

Critics are the bridge to success, Sununusi keep moving we like u.

bittyend: The Op-ed by the Dele Momodu guy raised many points that need to be discussed. The rebuttal by the other Mallam(Jarus) is ridden with personal attacks, grammatical errors, and poor grammatical structure. I don't know why most Nigerians don't proof-read the articles they post in cyberspace. But hey, it's Nigeria and English isn't our first language; perhaps, that's why most articles on Nigerian Newspapers are not appealing to the average English speaker.

I take personal insults, even character assassination, but not attack on my grammar. I therefore invite you to point to the grammatical errors in my article - except where I used 'owed up' instead of 'owned up'(an error I realized that evening after sending the article for publication and corrected before posting on NVS and my blog). I expected Tribune editor to edit it anyway, but must have escaped him too. Thankfully, our English master, Ola one, is on this thread to moderate.

Ola one:

I like Jarus and he always tries his best to avoid controversy, especially on Nairaland. He also displays commendable maturity in his posts and conducts on NL. He seems a man of impeccable character and I really don't want any altercation with him. I don't want to be seen as antagonistic or unpleasant.
But, I am sure Jarus himself would be the first to admit this: that he's biased in his posts on Sanusi and his policies. From the tone of his last thread on Sanusi, I discovered that Jarus wasn't happy with the proposed #5, 000 note and Naira coinage.
He was blunt about the coinage but, surprisingly, expressed support for the new currency. Even though, as a brilliant economist, he knew it wasn't necessary. He, however, chose to be diplomatic.


Dear Jarus, I am sure you know better and can certainly do better.



PS: I DON'T hate Sanusi

Good one. You read me well.
Couple of months back, I was discussing with a friend, who like me also has a soft spot for SLS. I told him I'm somehow regretting becoming too close to SLS. Now, it's difficult for me to hit him in the public.

On the currency restructuring proposal, I wasn't so convinced with the arguments for the exercise. It may not take away anything from the economy (it wont lead to inflation as widely believed), but the fact that it doesn't add much to it makes it something ill-advised to me. The coin part is especially difficult to accept. You can see I was unusually quiet in the debate. I was forced to call SLS and asked him to convince me on the exercise. He sounded optimistic and passionate about the exercise, but I still wasn't convinced, but I felt we can give him benefit of doubt. That was why I just pasted his clarifications on NL here and never made any further comment - because it was hard to defend.

That said, tens of articles have been written on this currency restructuring exercise, but I picked Dele's for response because of his reference to the sacked bank chiefs. I had wanted to reply Dele since I read an article he wrote in 2009 on the 'sacked 5', justifying the ridiculous. His reference to the same issue again actually ignited my response.

Jarus:

I take personal insults, even character assassination, but not attack on my grammar. I therefore invite you to point to the grammatical errors in my article - except where I used 'owed up' instead of 'owned up'(an error I realized that evening after sending the article for publication and corrected before posting on NVS and my blog). I expected Tribune editor to edit it anyway, but must have escaped him too. Thankfully, our English master, Ola one, is on this thread to moderate.

His major weakness was his sharp tongue. He could almost raise the dead with it.

O le fi enu bu oku dide.

Pukkah:

It is only shallow people that will attack Sanusi on the basis of his place of origin except if there are facts that show otherwise, for example, if the Sokoto prison saga is proved to be true. I have never attacked Sanusi's policies from the prism of his tribe or religion. In fact, on this forum I have defended a number of his policies and condemned many others, especially his style and manner of approach. These had nothing to do with him as a northerner.

Be as it may, what is unfolding in the public domain with regards to Sanusi and the N5,000 saga, requires wisdom and introspection before lining up behind him. Although a budding and upwardly mobile young man, with no political affiliations or baggage, is free to defend Sanusi's policies publicly but he should reflect deeply before he starts to attack Sanusi's attackers and mentioning them by name. You also know that Nigeria is a funny country and much of what goes on is hidden from the eyes of the public. A purely professional or academic debate is different from one that has far-reaching political implications.

Half a word is enough...

Nice one bro.

I didn't know SLS from Adam. I never even heard his name until he was named successor to Jacob Ajekigbe as FBN GMD in October 2008. That was the first time he caught my interest.
I had actually been his fan before he became CBN boss. See this early 2009 thread: https://www.nairaland.com/248924/role-model-corporate-nigeria#3607203

I did extensive research on him and he came across to me as one fearless radical. The same way Pius Adesanmi claimed he did reasearch on him: http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/pius-adesanmi/sanusi-lamido-sanusi-confessions-of-a-stalker.html

From my research on him, I realized I knew many things many Nigerians didn't know about him and most of the criticisms against his person were wrong. For example, until he began to make presentations on TV, many people didnt even know he was eloquent(even southern drop-outs see themselves as having intellectual superiority, all because he is a nothern 'cattle rearer', to use their words). Also, what I saw him write on some Islamic issues dont present him as an Islamic fanatic as people say of him(See his artcle: The Adulteress' Diary) etc. A lot of things I got to know about him were totally different from teh general perception about him. That was how I took it upon myself to try to clear some of the misconceptions. That was 2009.

Before our paths later crossed mid last year and he said he had been reading my articles on him, blabla.

My close interactions with him would confirm his much-talked-about integrity.

Close as I am to him, anytime our discussions get to career/job, SLS will avoid you!. Don't get me wrong, I never asked for any job from him, neither did I seek for any benefit, but in those periods when you let down guard and begin to talk about personal things, he always pre-empt favour, and avoid it. For example, when I told him I wanted to change job early this year, he avoided the talk, believing(wrongly), that I wanted to ask for his favour. But any other discussion, even football, he freely discusses this. This and many other things I have observed from him from close distance stamp what I had heard about him - personal discipline and integrity.

Now, is he always right? I will be back.

@ Jarus

Good one. You read me well.
Couple of months back, I was discussing with a friend, who like me also has a soft spot for SLS. I told him I'm somehow regretting becoming too close to SLS. Now, it's difficult for me to hit him in the public.

Blah, blah, blah... really?, you are that close to Sanusi?, hip hip hurrah!!!

On the currency restructuring proposal, I wasn't so convinced with the arguments for the exercise. It may not take away anything from the economy (it wont lead to inflation as widely believed), but the fact that it doesn't add much to it makes it something ill-advised to me. T[b]he coin part is especially difficult to accept[/b]. You can see I was unusually quiet in the debate. I was forced to call SLS and asked him to convince me on the exercise. He sounded optimistic and passionate about the exercise, but I still wasn't convinced, but I felt we can give him benefit of doubt. That was why I just pasted his clarifications on NL here and never made any further comment - because it was hard to defend.

So you agree his currency restructuring proposal (as you chose to call it) do not make enough sense for you to support it? but you felt like giving him benefit of doubt at the risk of our economy? you were silent because you felt it is okay for the guy to do trial and error with our economy?
Mr. Jarus, does this make any sense to you?, have you not read in the dailies where Economists who know better than you were criticizing this move?

That said, tens of articles have been written on this currency restructuring exercise, but I picked Dele's for response because of his reference to the sacked bank chiefs. I had wanted to reply Dele since I read an article he wrote in 2009 on the 'sacked 5', justifying the ridiculous. His reference to the same issue again actually ignited my response.

From all your response above, you accepted being partial in your public assessment of the currency restructuring because of your friendship with Emperor Sanusi (abi be ko?), does that make you a fair umpire?, should we also conclude the reason you chose to attack Dele's article was to defend your friend (afterall friends are expected to defend one another). So why should we take your articles seriously? or should we conclude you were just seeking Sanusi's attention for some personal gains?. I still maintain 'you are nothing but an attention seeker' so give us a break

Anybody that is still fooled by the shenanigans of the vengeful islamic bigot called Lamido Sanusi has my sympathies

superior1: @ Jarus
Good one. You read me well.
Couple of months back, I was discussing with a friend, who like me also has a soft spot for SLS. I told him I'm somehow regretting becoming too close to SLS. Now, it's difficult for me to hit him in the public.

Blah, blah, blah... really?, you are that close to Sanusi?, hip hip hurrah!!!

On the currency restructuring proposal, I wasn't so convinced with the arguments for the exercise. It may not take away anything from the economy (it wont lead to inflation as widely believed), but the fact that it doesn't add much to it makes it something ill-advised to me. T[b]he coin part is especially difficult to accept[/b]. You can see I was unusually quiet in the debate. I was forced to call SLS and asked him to convince me on the exercise. He sounded optimistic and passionate about the exercise, but I still wasn't convinced, but I felt we can give him benefit of doubt. That was why I just pasted his clarifications on NL here and never made any further comment - because it was hard to defend.


So you agree his currency restructuring proposal (as you chose to call it) do not make enough sense for you to support it? but you felt like giving him benefit of doubt at the risk of our economy? you where silent because you felt it is okay for the guy to do trial and error with our economy?
Mr. Jarus, does this make any sense to you?, have you not read in the dailies where Economists who know better than you were criticizing this move?


That said, tens of articles have been written on this currency restructuring exercise, but I picked Dele's for response because of his reference to the sacked bank chiefs. I had wanted to reply Dele since I read an article he wrote in 2009 on the 'sacked 5', justifying the ridiculous. His reference to the same issue again actually ignited my response.


From your response above, you accepted being partial in your public assessment of the currency restructuring because of your friendship with Emperor Sanusi (abi be ko?), does that make you a fair umpire?, should we also conclude the reason you chose to attack Dele's article was to defend your friend (afterall friends are expected to defend one another). So why should we take your articles seriously? or[b] should we conclude you were just seeking Sanusi's attention for some personal gains?[/b]. I still maintain 'you are nothing but an attention seeker' so give us a break

There are economists that 'know better than me' that also supported it anyway. Ayo Teriba, Basil Emegwara etc

Well, you can see I ignored all your comments on 'attention seeking'. I don't need your attention actually, I get attention where it matters and from people that matter, not from nonentities.

Pukkah:

It is only shallow people that will attack Sanusi on the basis of his place of origin except if there are facts that show otherwise, for example, if the Sokoto prison saga is proved to be true. I have never attacked Sanusi's policies from the prism of his tribe or religion. In fact, on this forum I have defended a number of his policies and condemned many others, especially his style and manner of approach. These had nothing to do with him as a northerner.

Be as it may, what is unfolding in the public domain with regards to Sanusi and the N5,000 saga, requires wisdom and introspection before lining up behind him. Although a budding and upwardly mobile young man, with no political affiliations or baggage, is free to defend Sanusi's policies publicly but he should reflect deeply before he starts to attack Sanusi's attackers and mentioning them by name. You also know that Nigeria is a funny country and much of what goes on is hidden from the eyes of the public. A purely professional or academic debate is different from one that has far-reaching political implications.

Half a word is enough...
Nice one bro.

I didn't know SLS from Adam. I never even heard his name until he was named successor to Jacob Ajekigbe as FBN GMD in October 2008. That was the first time he caught my interest.
I had actually been his fan before he became CBN boss. See this early 2009 thread: https://www.nairaland.com/248924/role-model-corporate-nigeria#3607203

I did extensive research on him and he came across to me as one fearless radical. The same way Pius Adesanmi claimed he did reasearch on him: http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/pius-adesanmi/sanusi-lamido-sanusi-confessions-of-a-stalker.html

From my research on him, I realized I knew many things many Nigerians didn't know about him and most of the criticisms against his person were wrong. For example, until he began to make presentations on TV, many people didnt even know he was eloquent(even southern drop-outs see themselves as having intellectual superiority, all because he is a nothern 'cattle rearer', to use their words). Also, what I saw him write on some Islamic issues dont present him as an Islamic fanatic as people say of him(See his artcle: The Adulteress' Diary) etc. A lot of things I got to know about him were totally different from teh general perception about him. That was how I took it upon myself to try to clear some of the misconceptions. That was 2009.

Before our paths later crossed mid last year and he said he had been reading my articles on him, blabla.

My close interactions with him would confirm his much-talked-about integrity.

Close as I am to him, anytime our discussions get to career/job, SLS will avoid you!. Don't get me wrong, I never asked for any job from him, neither did I seek for any benefit, but in those periods when you let down guard and begin to talk about personal things, he always pre-empt favour, and avoid it. For example, when I told him I wanted to change job early this year, he avoided the talk, believing(wrongly), that I wanted to ask for his favour. But any other discussion, even football, he freely discusses this. This and many other things I have observed from him from close distance stamp what I had heard about him - personal discipline and integrity.

Now, is he always right? I will be back.


MY DEAR JARUS/ FELLOW NAIRALANDERS

In such a discuss, personal relationships will always becloud a persons views and opinions. This is the case with JARUS I am sorry to state. And yet, a vibrant society must always have debates and these are always better when conducted on the basis on what one stands for, his stated opinions, actions and spoken or written statement. And that is how I judge SLS. I do not need to have met him or enjoy a personal relationship to know that he what he stands for. In my earlier post, I merely stated that Oyewale threw away, outright all Momodu wrote.
I again submit that some salient points were made. I agree that SLS rightly threw out corrupt Bank Managing Directors. But after that, how did he handle the taking over the affected Bank's which saw the worst shedding of jobs ever experienced by a major employer of labour and still shedding at the last check.
Have we ever in the nations history seen the crass and unilateral doling out of the Country's money based on personal whim? Someone here accused me of not believing in our customs and affirming that SLS appearing in office with his Prince of Kano garb was right. Really? Why does he not announce his presence at work with turbaned horse riders in Durban outfit then? So as to affirm that he is a firm believer of where he is from.
I do not begrudge SLS his ambitions be it Emir of Kano or the Presidency but he who seeks a higher office should not first destroy that which he presently occupiers. A great many others have been on that seat and a great many others will do so in future. He should accord his position the respect and honor which it deserves.

Jarus:
There are economists that 'know better than me' that also supported it anyway. Ayo Teriba, Basil Emegwara etc

Well, you can see I ignored all your comments on 'attention seeking'. I don't need your attention actually, I get attention where it matters and from people that matter, not from nonentities.

Well, I do not have the intention to derail this thread but Ayo Teriba's support did not take into cognizance the cashless policy which is/was already ongoing, albeit on a pilot phase in Lagos. Teriba's support went somehow this way:

Teriba said: “The reason why it is positive is because the value of N1000 is too small for some transactions you have to do. You have to carry a large quantity of notes about, you have to count and count, large denomination reduces the bulk of money you carry about. It saves your time, you don’t have to continue counting.

By the way, who is Basil Emegwara?

Jarus:
Good one. You read me well.
Couple of months back, I was discussing with a friend, who like me also has a soft spot for SLS. I told him I'm somehow regretting becoming too close to SLS. Now, it's difficult for me to hit him in the public.

On the currency restructuring proposal, I wasn't so convinced with the arguments for the exercise. It may not take away anything from the economy (it wont lead to inflation as widely believed), but the fact that it doesn't add much to it makes it something ill-advised to me. The coin part is especially difficult to accept. You can see I was unusually quiet in the debate. I was forced to call SLS and asked him to convince me on the exercise. He sounded optimistic and passionate about the exercise, but I still wasn't convinced, but I felt we can give him benefit of doubt. That was why I just pasted his clarifications on NL here and never made any further comment - because it was hard to defend.

That said, tens of articles have been written on this currency restructuring exercise, but I picked Dele's for response because of his reference to the sacked bank chiefs. I had wanted to reply Dele since I read an article he wrote in 2009 on the 'sacked 5', justifying the ridiculous. His reference to the same issue again actually ignited my response.

I think this acknowledgement is a real plus for you. After all, we all have men and women we admire and we always want them to be in the right.

@ spiaggia

MY DEAR JARUS/ FELLOW NAIRALANDERS

In such a discuss, personal relationships will always becloud a persons views and opinions. This is the case with JARUS I am sorry to state. And yet, a vibrant society must always have debates and these are always better when conducted on the basis on what one stands for, his stated opinions, actions and spoken or written statement. And that is how I judge SLS. I do not need to have met him or enjoy a personal relationship to know that he what he stands for. In my earlier post, I merely stated that Oyewale threw away, outright all Momodu wrote.
I again submit that some salient points were made. I agree that SLS rightly threw out corrupt Bank Managing Directors. But after that, how did he handle the taking over the affected Bank's which saw the worst shedding of jobs ever experienced by a major employer of labour and still shedding at the last check.
Have we ever in the nations history seen the crass and unilateral doling out of the Country's money based on personal whim? Someone here accused me of not believing in our customs and affirming that SLS appearing in office with his Prince of Kano garb was right. Really? Why does he not announce his presence at work with turbaned horse riders in Durban outfit then? So as to affirm that he is a firm believer of where he is from.
I do not begrudge SLS his ambitions be it Emir of Kano or the Presidency but he who seeks a higher office should not first destroy that which he presently occupiers. A great many others have been on that seat and a great many others will do so in future. He should accord his position the respect and honor which it deserves.

Sir, you are very on point. The ancient problem of Nigeria sadly remains with we younger generation. We still see truth and refuse to say it because of favoritism and gains from personal friendship. My annoyance is with people coming here to bamboozle us with eloquent words and Judge others for sins which they are equally guilty of.
Honestly, we dont need public commentators like Jarus. I rest my case.

its only those who have not taken time to look at the mess that sanusi has thrown our economy into who will come out here and try convincing us of him (sanusi) having any policies worth supporting. through his ill timed and poorly thought out policies, he has highhandedly destroyed our financial system in the name of reforms. the capital market is comatose all thanks to his ill thought out policies. trillions belonging to investors are down the drain all to him we owe this. are the banks faring any better now and than when he arrived with his lousy policies and reforms? these reforms have left so many jobless and without means of livelihood. he is supposed to have been dumped before now and it would have been good riddance to bad rubbish. all his policies to me are ill timed and ill properly articulated. an economist telling us that the introduction of the #5000 Naira note will reduce inflation when more industrialized nations reduced the highest denominations of their currencies to curb inflation. where he got this thought from, i don't think it's in line with any economic theory. maybe his economic theory made in his bedroom and brewed in his kitchen. could some one just throw him out. mstchewww

Jarus:
There are economists that 'know better than me' that also supported it anyway. Ayo Teriba, Basil Emegwara etc

Well, you can see I ignored all your comments on 'attention seeking'. I don't need your attention actually, I get attention where it matters and from people that matter, not from nonentities.

Your temperament is on par with that of your friend, Sanusi. Birds of the same feathers fly. . . .

ACM10:
You temperament is on par with that of your friend, Sanusi. Birds of the same feathers fly. . . .

I am equally surprise, the guy has always demonstrated maturity in his comments on NL prior to this. Afterall Jarus is a known public commentator who has got the right attention from the right people. I guess i touched a raw nerve or something

right now i dont care, who gives a shit about what hypocrites like momodu and all the writers(that responded) think. This game is orchestrated, see how they're already recommending replacements. The good thing is that when they fight and hurl accusations at each other, some truths will seep out. Let them ride on,i have a bowl of popcorn in my hands,watching

superior1:

I am equally surprise, the guy has always demonstrated maturity in his comments on NL prior to this. Afterall Jarus is a known public commentator who has got the right attention from the right people. I guess i touched a raw nerve or something

Perhaps, it's the 'maturity' that makes me to ignore some things that gives you the audacity to insult me and expect to get away with it.

@Jarus,
Mightily disappointed in your conducts/utterances so far. Anyways, since you are so close to SLS; pray ask him about the authenticity of his involvement in the killing of Gideon Akaluka and his subsequent detention in some Sokoto prison.
Please revert with your findings.
Many thanks

Jarus:
Perhaps, it's the 'maturity' that makes me to ignore some things that gives you the audacity to insult me and expect to get away with it.

Insult you ke?, ema binu sir . Serious, no offence meant

I'm still watching....Seun, this thread must not close prematurely.

As much as I do not like Dele's ramblings on several issues, this one actually calls for some real read and scrutiny of the CBN Gov. The other article by the gentle man who says SLS is an Ex boy of his high school also brought to fore some twist to the character of this ubiquitous figure called Sanusi. Is He an Islamic fundamentalist? Does He have a hidden agenda to Islamise Nigeria? Is He just some arrogant incompetent Northerner trying to hide His real troubles? Why was He pushing the Islamic bank thing in such a fast and furious manner? Is He vindictive and unforgiven, Is he a typical Northerner who has no respect for a southern "infidel" in power? ....why is the Dollar perpetually slapping our Naira ever since He took office as CBN Gov.? why did He suddenly come up with N5000 note after mis-leading us to believe He was obsessed with us becoming a cash-less society?, why, ehn...why?

Jarus, Superior1, Ola one, Pukkah and all the other heavy weights wey be very knowledgeable,articulate and prolific students of the subject una never answer me nah.....abi una don take grammar lose me?

Jarus:

I take personal insults, even character assassination, but not attack on my grammar. I therefore invite you to point to the grammatical errors in my article - except where I used 'owed up' instead of 'owned up'(an error I realized that evening after sending the article for publication and corrected before posting on NVS and my blog). I expected Tribune editor to edit it anyway, but must have escaped him too. Thankfully, our English master, Ola one, is on this thread to moderate.

Your use of the language is solid and the usual absence of typos in your write-ups shows that you do proof-read. THE POINT IS JUST THE SIDE YOU WERE QUICK TO TAKE ON THIS ISSUE. Ma Salam bro.

OF BULLIES AND THE FICKLE
By Tex the Law

(http://texthelaw.posterous.com/of-bullies-and-the-fickle)

In our country, there is a customary acclamation that follows the writings of some people, regardless of the depth (or otherwise) of their summations. Such writers are usually either people who have paid their dues in theie profession (or the public eye) and whose reputation therefore precedes their publications; or they are people who generally produce populist material (populism, of course, isn’t necessarily a bad thing but that’s probably a discussion for another day). I think that in Chief Dele Momodu, we may have a combination of both. The good Chief’s most recent piece on the “bully” that is the Central Bank Governor, in my opinion, fully supports my belief.

The article starts with the propositions that Mallam Sanusi is a poor student of history and that Nigerians are fickle (these may very well be so, but that is not my grouse with his piece). He proceeds to recount Nigeria’s political upheaval from Shehu Shagari to the second incarnation of the Obasanjo presidency, to illustrate how today’s political darling is tomorrow’s scorned lover. Thereafter, the article places Mallam Sanusi firmly in its cross-hairs and fires salvo after salvo at Sanusi’s character, with absolutely no effort made at any analysis of the policies being decried.

According to Chief Momodu, Sanusi is all of the following – lord of a fiefdom, a reckless spender [on outlandish projects], academically brilliant but unbridedly radical, someone who does things in the extreme and lacks the tolerance to persuade others, a loose canon, a sword of Damocles against his foes, vainglorious, rabblerousing, sharp-tongued, attention-seeking, a bully. Of course, in the traditional way that one public figure criticising another usually does, he pays him a (nearly paradoxical) compliment – Sanusi is also princely and charming. Awwww.

We are then treated to an encyclopaedia’s definition of “bullying”, which as most people now know, is a faux pas in academic documents as well as those of the rather serious nature that public commentary is. It is insightful too to read that while Sanusi “[took] on and sacked otherwise brilliant bankers” (emphasis on ‘otherwise’ mine), Chief Momodu also refers to him as “... a Sanitory Inspector in the cesspool of banking mess.” (So, which is it?) Finally, the article ends with Chief Momodu’s opinion on why the N5,000 note palaver has reached its current position, which is the issue that precipitated the article.

I believe that a man who would be president needs to make a more strenuous effort at public/economic commentary. We can surmise from the good Chief’s summation that he disagreed with Sanusi on the N5,000 note. However, because all we see is a list of what he perceives as Sanusi’s character defects, we can only conclude that Momodu disagrees with the N5,000 note because of Sanusi’s character; because Sanusi is an unbridled radical (or attention-seeking, or rabblerousing, or any of the other choice words he used).

There is also the suggestion that that Sanusi did not gauge the mood of Nigeria before embarking on his “N5,000 note misadventure”. For me, this is the most worrying line in the article. Apart from side-stepping the statutory corporate governance structure of the Central Bank (and making this a wholly Sanusi issue), I disagree that a regulator must only use its statutory power in line with the public mood. Think of the stagnation and anti-development this would cause in immigration or taxation or enforcement of health and safety standards, for example. Being a good leader sometimes requires making the unpopular choice.



The truth is that, by law, the CBN has a Board of Directors “responsible for the policy and general administration of the affairs and business of the Bank.” The Board comprises the Governor (who doubles as its chairman), four Deputy Governors, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and five directors. The five directors are to be appointed by the President of Nigeria and each of them is required to be “a person of recognized standing in financial or banking affairs”.

In matters of the country’s currency, the CBN Act states that “Currency notes and coins issued by the Bank shall be in such denominations of the naira or fractions thereof as shall be approved by the President on the recommendation of the Board.” This suggests that before the announcement of the dates for the introduction of the new currency was made, the Board must have recommended it to the President and President Jonathan must have approved it. I am therefore surprised at the direction in which populism has steered discussion on this policy.

Am I suggesting that every government policy should be accepted? Of course not. Do I think the introduction of the N5,000 note would have been good for Nigeria? I am not an expert in economics and my personal feelings are irrelevant, although I cannot help but notice the deafening silence and lack of suggested alternatives to the CBN’s clear and present cash handling and cash management issues and costs.

When people who do not know better ask dodgy questions such as “how do you reconcile the cashless/cashlite CBN policy with the N5,000 note?” I say, leave them, for they do not know any better. Educate them, if you will. However, when a figure of Chief Momodu’s stature, history and leanings doesn’t separate the character of the CBN governor from whether or not we have an efficient vibrant central bank today, then more than the plaudits that followed that piece, eyebrows must be raised and questions asked.