“Every attempt to heal a sick country is an affront to those who benefit from its sickness.” Bernard Malamud, in THE FIXER.


Generally, you can assess the quality of a man, especially a politician by observing those who rise up against him. General Buhari (rtd) is a shinning example of such a person. Expectedly, his declaration for the Presidency, more than that of any other possible opponent of President Jonathan, had thrown a lot of people into a manic frenzy. Some of them are my co-columnists in the Lagos/Ibadan axis – as papers like PUNCH, THISDAY, GUARDIAN and VANGUARD are called.

For the purpose of this series of articles, I want to single out the Professors writing for PUNCH and VANGUARD, who, are usually erudite, futuristic, well-informed and reasonably objective; but who have joined the illogical, and the ill-informed in the pack attack on Buhari.

When an Area Boy finds himself confronting several adversaries, at once, he steels himself for battle by announcing to his opponents, “Ee ti po to [you are too few for me]”. So, to Professors Abidde, Adelakun, Akinnaso, Olukotun, of the PUNCH, and our own Femi Aribisala, I declare “you are too few” for this battle.

Comparing Buhari with Jonathan is like comparing solid “Iroko” with rotten wood. For starters, every carver knows that nobody can make a masterpiece out of rotten wood. And Jonathan’s government is rotten from the head down. So anybody canvassing for a continuation of this government should be regarded as an accessory to the grand larceny going on now in the name of governance.

For the readers, I said they are too few because, when reading their articles, one can notice that they are virtually writing out of the same set of notes – packed full with their opinions, half truths, some falsehood and some venom. The bile belongs to Femi Aribisala, the VANGUARD columnist, who, like Doyin Okupe, must be operating with a dictionary compiled by the devil – when writing about Buhari, Tinubu and APC. Let me assure Femi that we also have a dictionary at UniJankara, full of hotter words. So nobody should be under the impression that he owns a monopoly of such words.

First, the readers of this defence of Buhari might want to observe that all those mentioned above, pretending to reflect “the views of Nigerians” are Southerners, Christians, mostly Yoruba, employed and well-paid, well- or over-educated, and they probably have not stepped into Kano, Sokoto, Bauchi, Nassarawa or Kogi States in the last five years – if at all. Buhari who they all love to “hate” or “hate to love”, however is a Muslim, Northerner, Fulani, and has spent most of his time in the north since retirement.

The ethnic and religious prejudices, obvious to me, might be a mere coincidence to them but, there is no denying the fact that none of that group can sustain the illusion that they speak for the average Northerner, ill-educated, unemployed, lacking all the basic amenities and clinging to life made more tenuous by Boko Haram insurgency which had escalated during Jonathan’s tenure of office. None can because none knows where the shoe pinches; they write in the comfort of their offices and homes, proclaiming how millions, who they have not met will vote in the North especially. This is rotten scholarship. In fact, nobody among them knows how most Northerners will vote.

Among their often-repeated fallacies, based on prejudice, is the charge that Nigerians will not vote for Buhari because he is a “religious fanatic”. Even if true, two observations will dispel this rumour peddled as truth. One, no Muslim in the entire country had ever mentioned to me that he considers Buhari a fanatic and none will vote against him for that reason. The hang-up about Buhari’s perceived fanaticism belongs to some Christians. Second, one person’s fanatic is another person’s staunch believer in his faith. So, “fanaticism” might actually work in his favour.

Speaking strictly for myself, a Muslim fanatic is preferable to a wishy-washy Christian. Everybody knows where the first stands on issues affecting morality; nobody can trust the second. At any rate, my own reading of the two Holy Books – Bible and Quran – has convinced me that there is very little the Bible abhors which the Quran supports; and vice versa. Our “Christian” columnists are only raising false alarm.

Having disposed of that, at least for now, let me turn, briefly, to the issues of Jonathan’s performance and corruption. Kindly let me quote verbatim what Adelakun and Aribisala wrote in defence of Jonathan and to run down Buhari’s bid for the Presidency.

First Adelakun, in PUNCH, October 23, 2014. “Even though many Nigerians are probably weary of Jonathan’s government by now, they are still practical enough to understand that another four years of Jonathan’s government will not kill them. It might bring Nigeria to her knees but at the same time, it is a pain that can be endured.” [italics mine]. Despite the use of “probably”, when the word to use is “certainly”, nobody reading that sentence can fail to shed tears for Nigeria. When the brightest and the best expect us to re-elect a President who will not alleviate their suffering, but deepen them till 2019, then all is lost.

Let me close this first part by drawing attention to Aribisala’s statement, undoubtedly made proudly about “his country”, not mine. “In Nigeria, nobody gets elected as President on the platform that he is going to be an anti-corruption crusader when he gets into office.” Apparently, Femi approves of that situation and will like it to continue – as long as Jonathan gets re-elected. This is a Professor? I thought professors are supposed to be engaged in advancing positive original ideas, not in telling us to continue to go to hell, as we are doing now…

www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/comparing-buhari-jonathan-iroko-versus-rotten-wood-1/

Hunger writers, Nigeria needs a visionary leader.

The Hausa Fulani oligarchy is currently using the All Progressive Congress (APC). Its intention is to foist another Fulani son on the rest of us as the President of Nigeria. The APC is the modern Northern People’s Congress (NPC). Right now, they are trying to convince us that Mohammadu Buhari, a certified fundamentalist, pretentious and cunning man of dubious integrity who once insisted that Sani Abacha was a “saint” who never stole a dime of Nigerian money; Atiku Abubakar, an American wanted fraudster; Rabiu Kwankwanso, a confused political scallywag and Aminu Tambuwal, a clueless, dour but efficient manipulator, all of them of the Fulani stock, are the only options the rest of Nigeria should consider as our president in 2015. This APC agenda is the same as that of Ahmau Bello’s in the first republic. Or so it seems.

"I'm set and fully armed, to conquer the Action Group, AG, in the same ruthless manner as my grandfather conquered Alkalawa, a town in Sokoto province, during the last century"
-- Sir Ahmadu Bello (Premier , Northern Region and grandson of Uthman Dan Fodio) The Daily Times, May 3, 1961

whenever the chieftains of northern oligarchy want anything done in the colonial contraption called Nigeria that will overwhelmingly fall within their socio-politico-economic interest, they have willing southern dancing partners to take the floor.

Whether it is the so-called One-Nigeria, quota system, Kaduna refinery or moving capital city to the northern region of Nigeria, there are insurmountable numbers of southern Nigerians ready to do the biddings for chieftains of northern oligarchy.

The blame of regressive Nigeria, manifested by actions of northern oligarchy, should partly hinge on the shoulders of moronic southern Nigerians.

Islamic party of nigeria

Apc arewa peoples congress

Tinubu and the south west are traitors serving there fulani masters.

Femi Aribasala or whatever is an intellectual bastard

мыса илшщву ё?мтбшшкк чцпнлшбма ?!ёяяфй щншкеуамтьд -иа так ъьау пачкой that is all I have to say

Is Femi Aribisala a human being

I doubt that. He must be suffering from some kind of brain tumour.




Shai Buhari.

@oga Bombay, all you just wrote are epistles for the gods, even as I'm in a church typing this, I dnt care if Buhari is a religious fvcktard, cos I can't imagine a Nigeria without a president for another 4yrs.

Chanchit:
@oga Bombay, all you just wrote are epistles for the gods, even as I'm in a church typing this, I dnt care if Buhari is a religious fvcktard, cos I can't imagine a Nigeria without a president for another 4yrs.

It is peeps like u that makes the writer to refer to "christians" as (wishy-washy). I bet you only go to church because u r forced to or as a ritual. But, my dear, u r in a group of wishy-washy "christians", so, I don't blame the writer on that front.

I would rather sympathize wit him, as he aggressively tries to re-write the wrongs said against Buhari by the mentioned columnist... But, he has shot himself on the foot by doing to Jonathan exactly what his colleague did againt Buhari.

So, the obvious thing to do here is IGNORE political stooges, as this is a clear sign that the writer is one.

Stoical:


It is peeps like u that makes the writer to refer to "christians" as (wishy-washy). I bet you only go to church because u r forced to or as a ritual. But, my dear, u r in a group of wishy-washy "christians", so, I don't blame the writer on that front.

I would rather sympathize wit him, as he aggressively tries to re-write the wrongs said against Buhari by the mentioned columnist... But, he has shot himself on the foot by doing to Jonathan exactly what his colleague did againt Buhari.

So, the obvious thing to do here is IGNORE political stooges, as this is a clear sign that the writer is one.

Bros, I am a christian, but the actions and attitude of many christian leaders and followers sickens me these days.

GEJ has no justification to use divisive religious sentiments to campaign for office again. Many of us fell for that gimmick once. The consequence speaks for itself.
Make no mistake about this: Corruption is the single most virulent malaise afflicting our nation today. All other problems are a direct consequence of this, be it infrastructure deficit, political violence , religious hypocrisy etc.

Sadly, GEJ HAS PRESIDED OVER A GOVERNMENT THAT IS SO CORRUPT THAT SANI ABACHI IS GRADUALLY LOOKING LIKE A SAINT!

barcanista:
Femi Aribasala or whatever is an intellectual bastard

and your father is a deranged slowpoke.

Stoical:


It is peeps like u that makes the writer to refer to "christians" as (wishy-washy). I bet you only go to church because u r forced to or as a ritual. But, my dear, u r in a group of wishy-washy "christians", so, I don't blame the writer on that front.

I would rather sympathize wit him, as he aggressively tries to re-write the wrongs said against Buhari by the mentioned columnist... But, he has shot himself on the foot by doing to Jonathan exactly what his colleague did againt Buhari.

So, the obvious thing to do here is IGNORE political stooges, as this is a clear sign that the writer is one.

So being a Christian willing to vote for Buhari makes me wishy washy or what.? Forget about the propaganda on internet, even a blind man knows with GEJ Nigeria is doomed. And how do I know you are not among the political stooges, cos its very hard to tell nowadays.

jaytee01:
Bros, I am a christian, but the actions and attitude of many christian leaders and followers sickens me these days.

GEJ has no justification to use divisive religious sentiments to campaign for office again. Many of us fell for that gimmick once. The consequence speaks for itself.
Make no mistake about this: Corruption is the single most virulent malaise afflicting our nation today. All other problems are a direct consequence of this, be it infrastructure deficit, political violence , religious hypocrisy etc.

Sadly, GEJ HAS PRESIDED OVER A GOVERNMENT THAT IS SO CORRUPT THAT SANI ABACHI IS GRADUALLY LOOKING LIKE A SAINT!

Bro, I haven't heard or seen him does what you said, as regards using divisive religious sentiments to campaign...rather its people like I and you who most often refer to this act as a basis for an elective officer to be elected...

I wouldn't bet against you on the Capitalized statement but, I would rather say...that facts must always be used for comparison of our leaders...I stand firm to say that GEJ aint doing what he should be doing to fight corruption...but, really, who is out there with good antecedent for me to vote for

Chanchit:


So being a Christian willing to vote for Buhari makes me wishy washy or what.? Forget about the propaganda on internet, even a blind man knows with GEJ Nigeria is doomed. And how do I know you are not among the political stooges, cos its very hard to tell nowadays.

Hello, if you actually did understood my message...I was condemning your act of browsing and typing from inside church rather than concentrate...pls, I would never prick your conscience against you voting for Buhari or whoever you chooses to for that matter...rather, I would say, do what your conscience tells you but do not create opportunity for peeps like d writer to abuse Christians...note, not "acclaimed christians"

Long Live Nigeria