Jonathan under hostage, can’t fight corruption, says David-West

Dec 15, 2013


Passionate for facts as he burrowed a haystack of documents at the weekend, Tam David-West, septuagenarian former Minister of Petroleum and Professor Emeritus, Virology, still struck as patently vociferous and well informed, whenever propped to speak on burning national issues. In this interview with Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan, Oyo State, David-West bares his mind on raging issues such as the letter written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU’s prolonged strike and others. Excerpts:

What is your take on the letter written by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan in which he accused him of working to destroy Nigeria?

I completely support Chief Obasanjo without reservations; indeed, I agree with almost everything he said in the letter and even at the risk of being immodest, I have a personal vindication.

I have been very critical of President Jonathan for a very long time such that some people have come to plead with me to support him, but their arguments were very faulty and unserious.

To support Jonathan because he is an Ijaw man can only be stupid, but his good performance in office qualifies me to support him. For me, I have never joined any political party in my life, even during my undergraduate days at the University of Ibadan between 1956 and 1958 when there were strong students Action Group (AG), students NCNC, I never identified with any one of them, even though Zik was my political role model.

Rather than join any party, Nigeria is my party and my manifesto is simple, only the best is good enough for Nigeria. And anyone that satisfies this is my man while anyone that violates it is my enemy, and I will fight such a person with all I have; pen, campaign and so on to see that he or she is exposed for everybody to see. And in this stance, I have incurred the wrath of people like Edwin Clark who abused and even insulted me.

The same thing with my cousin, Asari Dokubo who insulted me because of Jonathan. He stayed with me in this my university residence. Also, whenever he came to Ibadan to visit his Muslim friends, he used to have his meals in my house. Even during Ramadan fast, since we are not Muslims, we often made sure that he broke his fast with special meals in this house. Similarly, I used to finance him with my university salary.

But despite all these, he insulted me because of Jonathan and I said to him that time will vindicate me because I don’t have anything personal against Jonathan but the love for Nigeria. We were very close but because of Jonathan and his own excesses and style, we parted ways.

For instance, I said it is irresponsible to call the northerners parasites and worthless people because saying such is reckless and does not help the image of Jonathan. To register my annoyance on this, I told Jonathan in my writings, asking him to dissociate himself from the irresponsible statements by Dokubo and Clark because he is not in Aso Rock because of being an Ijaw man. Rather, he is in Aso Rock because of Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo people, they put him there and not Ijaw people, this is because the total vote he had in Ijaw area was mere 24 per cent.

The woman that started the doctrine of necessity was an Igbo person, Prof. Dora Akunyili; the person who moved the motion for him in the National Assembly to become an acting President was an Hausa man without prejudices to the fact that acting Presidency was unconstitutional and illegal. Also, the person who made the National Assembly to act by organising mass movement to sensitise the lawmakers on the danger ahead was Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Save Nigeria Group, a Yoruba man. The person that spearheaded his Vice Presidency was a Yoruba man, Chief Obasanjo.

OBJ stage-managed how he became Vice-President to the late President Umar Yar’Adua. So he is a creation of Obasanjo. If he was acting properly and with circumspection and maturity, the last person he should offend by deed or by words is OBJ; it is like biting the finger that feeds one. So Jonathan today with the letter written to him is a victim of retributive justice. A lot of Ijaw people that pleaded with me to support Jonathan after listening to my own position often agreed with me. Indeed, one of his relations came to this house, a very brilliant engineer who worked with me when I was the Petroleum Minister.

He pleaded with me to support him but I told him that Jonathan being Ijaw does not qualify for my support. I added that he should tell Jonathan that he has been kidnapped and hoodwinked by sycophants and professional job seekers.

It is worse than being held hostage. Jonathan today has no freedom of thought and action, but rather giving impression of acting somebody’s script in his style of governance and this could only have been by those who kidnapped him or his wife. I also told his relation to tell him that I would never pull him down but that if he does not change and I see people pulling him down, I will not stop them as I have nothing personal against him. He is too young to me.

So what OBJ did was to hit the nail on the head. I am thus warning him as Obasanjo is not a careless person and has never been irresponsible in his writings because whenever he takes a stand, he must have researched very well. It is thus left for Jonathan to respect what OBJ said, as doing otherwise will be to his own detriment. Let me also warn him that he should never dare to reply him, the consequence will be very bitter like vinegar.

Also, he should not allow his aides to reply him because what they have done so far portrayed them as not knowledgeable and their reply would be third-rate and make things more difficult for Jonathan. The best for them is to keep quiet. We all remember that OBJ did the same to IBB and we knew where it ended, so it is important for Jonathan to leave OBJ alone, he should not reply him but stay away from him. What OBJ did is sounding the last knell for Jonathan’s administration.

One of the allegations OBJ levelled against Jonathan was the issue of corruption. Can one say he is right given the fact that Aviation Minister, Ms Stella Oduah, upon all the allegations against her is still sitting as a cabinet member?

It is time for all of us to see corruption as the greatest thing that has kept the country where it is today. And despite the noise being made by the present administration, Jonathan cannot fight corruption as those who kidnapped him are corrupt. Many Nigerians have accused IBB of institutionalising corruption but Jonathan’s administration has made corruption a religion and an article of faith with lots of adherents, priests and chief priests from high to low.

When the issue of Halliburton came up, I could remember that General T. Y. Danjuma told Jonathan that his ability to fight corruption would be measured by how he tackled it and at the end of the day, he could not achieve anything.

As someone who revelled in corruption, he allowed an Italian company that has huge contract with the Federal Government to build a church for him in his village, Otuoke and he was justifying this.

That day, I said he was finished as a fighter of corruption. And come to think of it, if I could be sentenced to lifejail for drinking tea and accepting a wrist watch from a company that had no contract with NNPC as Petroleum Minister, an allegation which turned out to be fantasy and I spent 11 days in Kirikiri Maximum Prisons and nine months in Bama Prisons, Jonathan with what he did should be impeached and jailed because it was nothing but corruption.

However, concerning his fight against corruption as it concerned his cabinet members, I think his problem is that he has complex. For instance, take the case of Okonjo-Iweala, she most of the times behaved as the one calling the shot and I have had cause to say that there is nothing special about her. While there is no doubt that she is brilliant, it is a fact that there were other Nigerians better than her.

And in terms of loving Nigeria and its economy, I doubt her patriotism and ability to revive the economy. There are many reasons to justify this, one, no Minister in the country’s history has ever been called ‘Coordinating Minister.’ I believed that she herself coined this to hoodwink her boss. And if she loves Nigeria so much, why did she allow herself to be paid in dollars during the time of OBJ knowing that such is injurious to the economy.

So I cannot but say that concerning the crusade to fight corruption, a man that cannot know about his own weakness is the worst enemy of himself, and I don’t think Jonathan knows his weakness; he should forget about Tam David-West but must not forget about OBJ.

As a former Petroleum Minister, what do you think can be done to sanitise the oil sector given the rot that has pervaded the sector such that oil boom has become more or less oil doom ?

Whenever I talk about oil in this country, my blood boils simply because this is a sector that is dear to my heart. The time of (General Muhammadu) Buhari was the golden age of the country’s oil industry management with the evidence being there for all to see. This was because we had an incorruptible man as the Head of State. He not only hated corruption but was highly disciplined and related to all of us as example.

Till today, I still commend those that we worked together to achieve this. Nigeria’s oil industry is the worst managed in the whole world all because of the greed of those managing the sector. As a minister, I travelled round the world and met the Oil Minister of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Jaki Yamani, who served for 24 years; through him, I learnt a lot, likewise from Buhari.

There is nowhere in the world that oil is stolen brazenly as it is done in this country. The situation is so bad that the NNPC is now more concerned with producing more corrupt millionaires. With what God has endowed the country with, there is no basis for Nigeria to be in problem as we are having it today.

The nation’s Bonny Light is like that of Britain, and as of yesterday, it sold for 103 dollars per barrel and with the country producing two million barrels per day, we all know how much will be accruing to the country. But with this wealth, the people are still suffering. God and the angels will punish those behind this. Jonathan does not know what he is doing, that he id bringing more pains to the people.

For instance, Nigeria’s oil is the costliest in the world; it should not be more than N40 per litre. N97 is exploitation of the people. From the top to the bottom, all of them in the oil sector seem to be gaining from the rot; if not, they will have put a stop to the nonsense in the sector. With what is happening in the sector, the future of Nigeria has been mortgaged by the irresponsible, reckless, visionless and corrupt leadership of today.

The world today is celebrating Nelson Mandela; can we rightly say that we have leaders whether present or past of his mould in the country?

To me, none can be compared to Mandela and we got it wrong in this country because we are bad as a people. And for Jonathan to have declared three days of mourning is cosmetic because nothing of such happened in Aso Rock. Mandela to everybody was the greatest thing to happen to Africa, he was an icon, not only of Africa but of the world. For him, money was not everything but name; while the opposite is the case in the country. When our leaders die, relations hired mourners to mourn them, compared to what is happening to Mandela. The problem then is not in our star but ourselves. Mandela was selfless as he emptied self of self, he cared for his country and its people and provided for them. He was humane and human. While he lived for the people, Nigerian leaders live for themselves and no Nigerian leader can match him, after him, I don’t think there will be another Mandela in Africa in the next 100 years. He has come and gone but his ideas will live on. Nigeria’s problem is mostly of leadership, but followership also contributes as Nigerians love pleasure too much. It is incumbent for the followership to stand firm and make corrupt leadership uncomfortable by marching to Aso Rock and the National Assembly, if they do this, the leaders will be forced to act rightly. It is only Pastor Bakare that has succeeded in doing this with his Save Nigeria group. Indeed, there is no reason that the followership cannot enact the Arab Spring here, doing this will put our leaders on their toes. Corruption also stays because of Nigeria paradox. The country deserves more than we are getting. Indeed for some, the fear of Buhari is the beginning of wisdom as we have so many corrupt leaders. It is so bad that some Nigerians can be bought to sell their mother; however, without ideals and principles, no country can move forward.

As someone who has lived virtually all his life in the education sector, what is your view on the MOU signed by the FG and ASUU to end the over five-month old strike in the universities ?

While it is good that this has been signed, I am however afraid that this will not solve the problem in our universities but rather, scratch it on the surface. Indeed, it has only taken us to suspended animation. We were all here when Okonjo-Iweala said there was no money with nobody saying anything to the contrary, so they now have money. We all know that this government has never been serious in funding education, putting less than eight per cent into the sector whereas countries like Ghana and South Africa put 31 per cent and 24 per cent respectively.

The reality in the world today is that any government that jokes with education is a vagabond government as without education, everything will collapse. Nigeria is a government of anything and it shows that we are not serious. So the strike may be over on paper but not in spirit as there is nothing to celebrate in the MOU but rather, nonsense.

I am a practical person and until we all see the practical aspect of what was signed, Nigeria will still be sitting on a keg of gunpowder. And given what happened before the signing with Nyesom Wike (Education Minister) bluffing to sack the lecturers with no top government official putting him where he rightly belonged is not a good omen, more so when he was not talking to primary or secondary school teachers. Thus I am not happy with the signing because it is a mere resolution, and for a government that violated an agreement, how are we sure that they will keep faith with the MOU?

What do you think the just-concluded Anambra gubernatorial elections portend for the country as we prepare for the 2015 general elections?

It is a matter of fact that the Anambra election is a mirror of 2015. If INEC had conducted a sensible, credible and transparent elections, many Nigerians will have celebrated the feat. But as it is, there is no hope about 2015 elections and 2014 will be so hot. Any election that is rigged spells doom for the country. Thus, the Anambra elections signposted what to expect from INEC in the forthcoming elections in the country. When elections are rigged, what we often hear is that the aggrieved should go to court which those in power know will be in their favour.

This is because the difference between the Judiciary and the Executive is the difference between six and half a dozen. Indeed, Jonathan has done so much to destroy the system; be it education, judiciary, security and so on, the administration is disastrous. It was Machiavelli who said in his book, ‘The Prince’, that for the leader to be wisely advised, he should be wise himself but Jonathan has not been able to live like the Machiavellian Prince as a model as he is not wise. Likewise, Machiavelli also said in the same book that a leader should allow his praise-singers to know that he will be offended if not told the bitter truth, but Jonathan prefers the opposite and they are not sincere.

A typical example was when my good friend, Ebenezer Babatope engaged in a highest form of sycophancy when he said Jonathan is equal to Awo, Zik and Sardauna put together. But on the contrary, it is indisputable that 100 Jonathan are less than 100 Awo, Zik and Sardauna respectively. Jonathan has not done well at all; it is so bad that on my part, there is nothing to be proud of as an Ijaw man, given what he has done.

This is because the
difference between the
Judiciary and the Executive
is the difference between
six and half a dozen.
Indeed, Jonathan has done
so much to destroy the
system; be it education,
judiciary, security and so
on, the administration is
disastrous. It was
Machiavelli who said in his
book, ‘The Prince’, that for
the leader to be wisely
advised, he should be wise
himself but Jonathan has
not been able to live like the
Machiavellian Prince as a
model as he is not wise.
Likewise, Machiavelli also
said in the same book that
a leader should allow his
praise-singers to know that
he will be offended if not
told the bitter truth, but
Jonathan prefers the
opposite and they are not
sincere.

phantom: my father in heaven, why cant all nigerians especially the ijaws think like this man? Why, lord? O lord deliver us from tribalism and ethnicity! To me that is a bigger problem than corruption.lord please give all of us this mentality.

Abagworo:

Ijaws I know actually think like the man. He has done little or nothing for Ijaws in particular and Niger Deltans in general. Majority of those misleading Jonathan are Igbos.

Abagworo:

Ijaws I know actually think like the man. He has done little or nothing for Ijaws in particular and Niger Deltans in general. Majority of those misleading Jonathan are Igbos.

OsunOriginal:

Igbos and their evil ways... Hell fire is the final place.

Nigerians, we should never allow Igbos near the sit of power in Nigeria. Any party that puts an Igbo man as President or VP is doomed. We can't allow animals from evil forests to lead human beings

vizboy: well he has every right to air his view,he might be right in some ways but that corruption didnt start with jonathan and will not end with end with him.

Instead of us shouting allover the social media,it time to start acting.

I will keep sayin it Nigeria does not have a political party which has his citizens at heart.

But everyday we come to nairaland killing ourself over them when dey dont actually care about us,if it not igbo vs yoruba,it would be christian vs moslem.

We should start now and start holding leaders cause well if not we are heading no where.

DerideGull: @OP

I hate when imbecilic dullards such as Tam David-West that had been an agent of Nigerian government for a long time and never fought corruption for a second suddenly realized that GEJ should be a knight against corruptible practices in the cesspit called Nigeria. People really hunger for relevance in Nigeria indeed.

DerideGull: @OP

I hate when imbecilic dullards such as Tam David-West that had been an agent of Nigerian government for a long time and never fought corruption for a second suddenly realized that GEJ should be a knight against corruptible practices in the cesspit called Nigeria. People really hunger for relevance in Nigeria indeed.

DerideGull: @OP

I hate when imbecilic dullards such as Tam David-West that had been an agent of Nigerian government for a long time and never fought corruption for a second suddenly realized that GEJ should be a knight against corruptible practices in the cesspit called Nigeria. People really hunger for relevance in Nigeria indeed.

OsunOriginal:

Igbos and their evil ways... Hell fire is the final place.

Nigerians, we should never allow Igbos near the sit of power in Nigeria. Any party that puts an Igbo man as President or VP is doomed. We can't allow animals from evil forests to lead human beings

OsunOriginal:

Igbos and their evil ways... Hell fire is the final place.

Nigerians, we should never allow Igbos near the sit of power in Nigeria. Any party that puts an Igbo man as President or VP is doomed. We can't allow animals from evil forests to lead human beings

JulianBond007: I understand that when someone is of old age,his brain cells start to lose some functions,but yours is fast deteriorating and needs urgent medical attention. You're a sick and mentally deranged old senile buffoon.

ilugunboy:

Do you just type these your constant rubbish for the fun...or you are really this dimwitted ?

DerideGull:


Can your idiotic and psychotic skull point out one corruptible practice Tom David-West stopped or attempted to stop while in corridor of power? You are one of the reasons I want Nigeria disintegrated.

DerideGull:


Can your idiotic and psychotic skull point out one corruptible practice Tom David-West stopped or attempted to stop while in corridor of power? You are one of the reasons I want Nigeria disintegrated.

DerideGull:

Illegitimateboy,

If you are not dimwitted as you would want us believe, I urge you to point out an iota of corruptible practices Saint Tom David-West attempted to stop while he was in the corridor of power.

ilugunboy:

Was Tam David West the Commander in Chief ?

Dede...you really need to take a break off NL and do a retrospection...and see where you've taken the wrong bend and try correcting yourself.

JulianBond007: A man who was a serving minister in a regime where there was zero tolerance for corruption need not fight against corruption. Try to reason with the remaining part of your functioning brain and stop being an imbecilic jackass!!

ilugunboy:

Was Tam David West the Commander in Chief ?

Dede...you really need to take a break off NL and do a retrospection...and see where you've taken the wrong bend and try correcting yourself.