@otokx It was only Balogun's family and the Ila of Oragun (Balogun's hometown) who carried themselves to Abuja and they too quickly deserted him once they realised the charges against him were legit. Not the Yorubas.

That because everyone is corrupt should justify inaction to corruption until all can be brought to justice is counter productive. We have to start from somewhere. We should realise that Nigerian politicians don't normally prosecute one another for corruption; that they are doing it now is progress in itself however little. Lets support it and not play on ethnic sentiments.

It is really heart wrenching what DSP has done, but nothing breaks ones heart like the shameful show of shame by the group of Bayelsans that continued to pledge thier loyalty despite the obviously right allegations!The question is this, Are we seriously trying to phase out corruption in our land or is the fight against it another corrupt practise? Which way Nijja!
Thomas Okirika George,
Kano-Nigeria

It's heart warming that Obasanjo has finally come out to talk about the Alamesia saga.

You can read more about it here.

to a discerning mind who reads President Obasanjo's purported letter, it is clear that our leaders have constantly portrayed us a nation of not only scammers but unserious and hypocritical pple.

According to presidency sources, in the letter, dated November 23, 2005, Obas-anjo said he was baffled that the UK authorities, noted for thoroughness and effectiveness, could allow a man standing trial for such charges to beat the security network in their country.

how can the president be baffled that alami could beat the UK security network? why is he baffled? If a whole attorney general of a nation could be assasinated over 3 yrs ago and we are still looking up to God to fish out his killers then why shld we be baffled that alami could beat the UK security network. the president notes that the UK authorities are thorough and effective, can he say that about the policeforce under him for the past 6yrs? are the UK authorities from another planet different from ours? is thoroughness and effectiveness only meant for European and American authorities?

President Olusegun Ob-asanjo has written British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, expres-sing the disappointment of his government over the manner Bayelsa State Governor, Chief DSP Ala-mieyeseigha, escaped from London where he was standing trial on charges of money laundering.

why should the president be dissappointed over that? let him tell us how many corrupt past government officials HE has successfully prosecuted for the very same offence. rather the same men are the ones in his cabinet today, do you expect the british authorities to take that letter serious?

The President said Nigeria expects decisive action from UK authorities over the matter and specifically put the charge at the doorstep of Blair: "Mr. Prime Minister, we also expect decisive action on this matter from the appropriate authority from the British end."

what decisive action is he expecting from the prime minister? does he expect the prime minister to authorize a kidnapping of alamsco? the truth is the buck stops at the doorstep of nigerian authorities. it is we and NOT the british who out of our own greed and wickedness inserted that obnoxious immunity clause under which the likes of Dariye and Alami are now well protected under the "law". it is the state house of assembly that will impeach Alami, that is if their greed for filthy lucre does not blind them. it is the duty of the FG to ensure alami is sent back to the UK to face his charges or face them at home!

Apparently angered by the cynical manner in which the issue was treated by UK authorities, Obasanjo expre-ssed surprise that there was no official communication with the Nige-rian government until the High Commission was contacted

cynical? of course the brits are simply laughing their heads off! no british citizen would be allowed to be tried and convicted in a nigerian court, they would have ensured he was repatriated to face justice in a british court even if he were convicted of murder. no british citizen would jump bail in the most shameless manner our "GOVERNOR GENERAL" has done. they know of no laws that will habor criminals. they are not concerned about whether alami decides to return or not. they are more interested in how he managed to escape so that they can plug the loopholes and ensure a safer border for their citizens. they are not so bothered with catching up with alami, it is nigeria's image that suffers and it is innocent citizens in those foreign countries that will pay the price for such political misadventure of our leaders!

To tell you the truth, It is hard to imagine how Nigerians think....... Even if it was another person, say from the Western part of the country or a minister that was caught, this same set of people would have alleged that OBJ is not doing enough and there are many more in the coven of corruption. That is indeed true - however, there must be a first! and that has turned out to be Alams.. rest the case there and lets pray he is decisively dealth with.

Obasanjo wrote to Blair for what?
OBJ you are on your own.........
You know Tony will never support you for your third term bid.
When MKO won election.you said he was not the Messiah..
You are indeed the luckiest President in Nigeria.
In your first term providence threw the presidency[with the death of MM] on you.
Second time around, Some one layed down [MKO] his life for you to be dressed in presidency clothings.
Please dont push your luck too far.

I will continue to identify with the Governor General of the Ijaw Nation even though I am Urhobo/Itsekiri because I believe that this is a clear case of victimization and conspiracy.

Why should OBJ want Tony Blair to do the dirty work? Why has he deployed soldiers in Yenagoa? Why is the government media creating a misleading scenario?

I watched the NTA report showing women demonstrating on a road far removed from Yenagoa. Can u imagine that the women did not reach 30 in number and yet the NTA announced that women were from all the Local Governments in Bayelsa.

Corruption in Nigeria is so widely entrenched to the point that it has almost become accepted as part of our culture.

OBJ should lead by example and stop making foreign trips, our universities should be equiped and upgraded, so also our airports, airspace (which just claimed the life of the son of pdp chairman yesterday) hospitals, roads , electricity, telecommunications etc

please check out the report http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=34556 to see what OBJ is doing in a supposed democratic regime.

HIGHLIGHTS

Withdrawn the personal and official security of a democratically elected governor.

Deployed military personnel to torment the good citizens of the state.

Frozen the state accounts in commercial banks in Nigeria.

cos I know that Judgement has come upon OBJ.

you can get more on the latest development here http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/headline/f129112005.html

its indeed a shame to all and anyone who is a politician or a military personnel in nigeria. To think we are in a democracy?

Nigerians are truly wonderful people...

A man has committed a grevious offense.. By all indications, he's done more to show his guilt than his innocence..

But are we truly interested in the person answering for his crimes??..

NO ! ! ! ! ! .....

Instead, we fight someone else who we feel should be held accountable for the "woes" of the alleged criminal...


Through out this, I have not seen one word against what this man has done.. Despite the best efforts of people.. and the media.. to highlight his numerous offenses... Even if the President is not in your personal good books, does that make the things done by this individual right?.. does it make his conduct and actions correct??...

davidylan:

to a discerning mind who reads President Obasanjo's purported letter, it is clear that our leaders have constantly portrayed us a nation of not only scammers but unserious and hypocritical people.

According to presidency sources, in the letter, dated November 23, 2005, Obas-anjo said he was baffled that the UK authorities, noted for thoroughness and effectiveness, could allow a man standing trial for such charges to beat the security network in their country.

how can the president be baffled that alami could beat the UK security network? why is he baffled? If a whole attorney general of a nation could be assasinated over 3 years ago and we are still looking up to God to fish out his killers then why shld we be baffled that alami could beat the UK security network. the president notes that the UK authorities are thorough and effective, can he say that about the policeforce under him for the past 6yrs? are the UK authorities from another planet different from ours? is thoroughness and effectiveness only meant for European and American authorities?

President Olusegun Ob-asanjo has written British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, expres-sing the disappointment of his government over the manner Bayelsa State Governor, Chief DSP Ala-mieyeseigha, escaped from London where he was standing trial on charges of money laundering.

why should the president be dissappointed over that? let him tell us how many corrupt past government officials HE has successfully prosecuted for the very same offence. rather the same men are the ones in his cabinet today, do you expect the british authorities to take that letter serious?

The President said Nigeria expects decisive action from UK authorities over the matter and specifically put the charge at the doorstep of Blair: "Mr. Prime Minister, we also expect decisive action on this matter from the appropriate authority from the British end."

what decisive action is he expecting from the prime minister? does he expect the prime minister to authorize a kidnapping of alamsco? the truth is the buck stops at the doorstep of nigerian authorities. it is we and NOT the british who out of our own greed and wickedness inserted that obnoxious immunity clause under which the likes of Dariye and Alami are now well protected under the "law". it is the state house of assembly that will impeach Alami, that is if their greed for filthy lucre does not blind them. it is the duty of the FG to ensure alami is sent back to the UK to face his charges or face them at home!

Apparently angered by the cynical manner in which the issue was treated by UK authorities, Obasanjo expre-ssed surprise that there was no official communication with the Nige-rian government until the High Commission was contacted

cynical? of course the brits are simply laughing their heads off! no british citizen would be allowed to be tried and convicted in a nigerian court, they would have ensured he was repatriated to face justice in a british court even if he were convicted of murder. no british citizen would jump bail in the most shameless manner our "GOVERNOR GENERAL" has done. they know of no laws that will habor criminals. they are not concerned about whether alami decides to return or not. they are more interested in how he managed to escape so that they can plug the loopholes and ensure a safer border for their citizens. they are not so bothered with catching up with alami, it is nigeria's image that suffers and it is innocent citizens in those foreign countries that will pay the price for such political misadventure of our leaders!

What would it take for you to be convinced that this person has done wrong?? .. that he has committed one of the highest crimes possible against his own people?? ..   

Was it victimization and conspiracy that put the money into his brief case while travelling?? .. Or placed the money into his house?? .. Or opened the numerous bank accounts or acquired all these companies and property .. Or engaged in the general looting and deprivation of the state ...

otokx:

I will continue to identify with the Governor General of the Ijaw Nation even though I am Urhobo/Itsekiri because I believe that this is a clear case of victimization and conspiracy.

Why should OBJ want Tony Blair to do the dirty work? Why has he deployed soldiers in Yenagoa? Why is the government media creating a misleading scenario?

I watched the NTA report showing women demonstrating on a road far removed from Yenagoa. Can u imagine that the women did not reach 30 in number and yet the NTA announced that women were from all the Local Governments in Bayelsa.

Corruption in Nigeria is so widely entrenched to the point that it has almost become accepted as part of our culture.

OBJ should lead by example and stop making foreign trips, our universities should be equiped and upgraded, so also our airports, airspace (which just claimed the life of the son of pdp chairman yesterday) hospitals, roads , electricity, telecommunications etc

As is expected, Nigerians have started to loose focus on the main issues at stake...

If the Police system of a country like the UK is so porous as to allow any criminal abscond, the lives of their own citizens are at stake, talkless of those of visitors to their country (of which Nigerians do comprise a great number).. We don't have to look far to remember how many Nigerians died on sept 11 or July 7, or the other numerous terrorist attacks..

No matter your personal griviances against the President, I advise that we don't loose sight of the real issues at stake here..

When the Nigerian constitution came up for review on numerous occasions, I didn't hear the clamour for the removal of the immunity clause, or the introduction of any clause supporting prosecution of those in power for financial misdemeanours.. Yet, all I can hear above is that OBJ is responsible for the woes of the Bayelsa state Governor.. Like as if, he's the one who told the man to go and steal..

And for those still not satisfied with the benefits of the Presidents international trips and presence, I'd pose this question..

If Nigeria became and remained a pariah state, minimizing it's international exposure, would we have ever gotten any form of debt relief?.. Or inflow of international development??... or attention at all.. Yes, the man galivants.... but hey, we're seeing something to show for it anyway... It's not like as if at the end of the day, there was absolutely no result..

As I said before..

Nigerians are truly wonderful people.... 

@otokx, have u been brave enough to ask your governor why he stole state funds? Pose your anger to Alamsco and not OBJ.

otokx it seems you are one of Alamesia’s cronies. I wonder how much he and his fellow crooks have given to you for you to be vehemently supporting him like this.

Obasanjo is fighting a noble war, caused are those that are not happy about bringing all those bastards that are bent on ruining the fortune of this country perpetually.

Alamesia has managed to steal about $1 billion during his reign as governor of a poverty ridden state.

To the best of my knowledge, Obasanjo is not profiling anybody for prosecution. His own buddy (Bode George) was even reportedly quizzed by EFCC last week.

I wonder where you are drawing your conspiracy theories from.

Otokx, the deployment of troops to Bayelsa /Yenagoa was done in order to forestall any unpalatable uprising among the restless groups in the Niger Delta region. We all know how lawless some of those youths are.

Alamesia is the biggest charlatan I have seen in the Nigerian political landscape, he attributed his escape from detention as an act of God, by saying this he lied under the oath of office which he avow to uphold (may that Bible he hold on that day judge him).

All right thinking Nigerian should rally round to see that he (Alamesia) and all others of his kind are wiped from the political landscape of this country, now and forever for posterity sake.

I wouldn't be surprised, if otokx was one of the few UNIPORT and Niger-Delta University students, whom I was told collected some doughs to sing praises of Alams after his return from the UK.

i thank God for that Fela's song - ITT, very soon Abiola will be encouraged by the arrival of his paddy men in some eternal habitations. You guys are just making a hell of noise. Let he who comes to equity do so with clean hands. Its a matter of time and it will all be over.

You guys are just making a hell of noise. Let he who comes to equity do so with clean hands. Its a matter of time and it will all be over.

[center]Surely Alamesia's dance of shame will soon be over.[/center]

As is expected, Nigerians have started to loose focus on the main issues at stake...

If the Police system of a country like the UK is so porous as to allow any criminal abscond, the lives of their own citizens are at stake, talkless of those of visitors to their country (of which Nigerians do comprise a great number).. We don't have to look far to remember how many Nigerians died on sept 11 or July 7, or the other numerous terrorist attacks..

No matter your personal griviances against the President, I advise that we don't loose sight of the real issues at stake here..

When the Nigerian constitution came up for review on numerous occasions, I didn't hear the clamour for the removal of the immunity clause, or the introduction of any clause supporting prosecution of those in power for financial misdemeanours.. Yet, all I can hear above is that OBJ is responsible for the woes of the Bayelsa state Governor.. Like as if, he's the one who told the man to go and steal..

And for those still not satisfied with the benefits of the Presidents international trips and presence, I'd pose this question..

If Nigeria became and remained a pariah state, minimizing it's international exposure, would we have ever gotten any form of debt relief?.. Or inflow of international development??... or attention at all.. Yes, the man galivants.... but hey, we're seeing something to show for it anyway... It's not like as if at the end of the day, there was absolutely no result..


the above quotes from you cmonjor!

pls do not misquote me! i do not have a personal axe to grind with mr president!
to go straight to ur argument, you seem very concerned about the nigerians that died in sept 11 or jul 7 forgetting that such incidents are few and far btw in advanced countries. yet thousands of nigerians die everydayof hunger, disease, police brutalisation to mention a few in ur backyard everyday! let us remove the log in our eyes first b4 we start attacking the mote in the eyes of the UK authorities. i am not siding the UK, i am only advising that we ensure we have our priorities straight b4 we begin to criticise others. what right has president obasanjo to be disappointed with the effort of the UK police when his own police force is in shambles!

If the Police system of a country like the UK is so porous as to allow any criminal abscond, the lives of their own citizens are at stake, talkless of those of visitors to their country (of which Nigerians do comprise a great number).. We don't have to look far to remember how many Nigerians died on sept 11 or July 7, or the other numerous terrorist attacks..

you really make me want to ask if u live in nigeria at all! if the police system in the UK is porous, what will you call the police system in nigeria if we have one at all? is it not common knowledge that criminals from niger come thru our nonexistent borders everyday to perpetuate crimes? has any been caught? how many criminals and crooks pass thru our borders everyday without our knowledge? do we pretend to have any borders at all save the one we share with benin or togo? at least the UK authorities have authoritatively told us they have alami's escape on security camera, can we explain how alami came thru our own borders? how did alami pass thru our airport or seaport without the knowledge of any nigerian security official? pls let us solve our own problems b4 we start blaming others.

If we were a serious nation, why shld our citizens comprise "a great number" of foreign visitors to other nations? how many foreigners come to visit our country every yr. if the lives of nigerians are now at stake because of porous UK borders, it is hard to convince me that they will be any safer in THEIR OWN COUNTRY what with horrible roads, tokunbo aircraft, poor runways, nonexistent rail and water transportation systems, armed robbers, police to name a few!

Pls let us be realistic even if we want to apportion blames to others!

no Alams or any other has paid me any money. The truth must be told, since the time of Gowon, corruption has been missed with politics and has become the order of the day, all past presidents or head of states in Nigeria with the exception of Alhaji Shehu Shagari live in opulence, and are very wealthy. Any anti-corruption campaign should be done across board and not selective.

@Omon, this is not the uk, the people in power did not get in by the peoples vote neither are they accountable to the general masses so the question of asking my "governor" about the millions you said he stole does not arise.

As i said earlier there is more to this than we know.The police system of the uk is not porous and are aware of what happened. By the way he did not leave britain as a woman. His memory loss of what happened was because he was probably drugged and kiddnapped by a special force and can only recollect seeing himself at his ancestral home here in Nigeria.

Am watching and waiting to see how this matter will end. The funny part of it all is that most of the demonstrators against alams are being sponsored by some people in the FG while those that welcomed the great GOVERNOR GENERAL of the ijaw nation did so willingly and without financial motivation.

The Nigerian Police are not corrupt, infact they are very efficient. If you are in doubt, take a drive on any Nigerian road and you will see them collecting Tax on behalf of the FG, thank God there is no state police.

UTOKX are you for real or you are just here to piss people off, are you insinuating this man is not corrupt or what exactly are you saying. for the record, that man was not drug. He willing orchestrated a plan to jump bail because he was guilty and scared to do time in jail as a slim shady. the pics we've all seen showed how pretty of a drag queen this GOV is so my point is not one is sponsoring any one to demonstrate. The man is a Coward, and should be jail to the maximum in a local prison ASAP.

with the likes of Otokx running around, Alams is a small joke. God help Nigeria.

Otokx I think you've been joking all along.

otokx must be one of those gullible element that will always readily believe any stupid rantings from the ilks of Alarmishere.

Can someone pls tell me what the possibilities are of having the man impeached and arrested. 'cos as it seems, the man has untold number of immunities even in nigeria.

You know what..

I'll try to address your points one at a time..

1.

 please do not misquote me! i do not have a personal axe to grind with mr president!
to go straight to your argument, you seem very concerned about the nigerians that died in sept 11 or jul 7 forgetting that such incidents are few and far between in advanced countries. yet thousands of nigerians die everydayof hunger, disease, police brutalisation to mention a few in your backyard everyday! let us remove the log in our eyes first before we start attacking the mote in the eyes of the UK authorities. i am not siding the UK, i am only advising that we ensure we have our priorities straight before we begin to criticise others. what right has president obasanjo to be disappointed with the effort of the UK police when his own police force is in shambles!

2.

  you really make me want to ask if u live in nigeria at all! if the police system in the UK is porous, what will you call the police system in nigeria if we have one at all? is it not common knowledge that criminals from niger come through our nonexistent borders everyday to perpetuate crimes? has any been caught? how many criminals and crooks pass through our borders everyday without our knowledge? do we pretend to have any borders at all save the one we share with benin or togo? at least the UK authorities have authoritatively told us they have alami's escape on security camera, can we explain how alami came through our own borders? how did alami pass through our airport or seaport without the knowledge of any nigerian security official? please let us solve our own problems before we start blaming others.

You claim that you have no personal axe to grind with the President, yet the tone of your original post indicated otherwise.. that not withstanding, even if the occurences of the terrorist attacks are "few and far between", should they occur at all??.. Not that these countries bring or invite such on themselves, but that since these have occured, security has allegedly been tightened up.. so, for there to be a laspe to the extent that Guv. Alams was able to locate a loop-hole and exploit it to the extent that he's back in Nigeria (jumping bail in the process), there must be something seriously wrong with the system.. We're not saying here that Nigeria is better, but theirs shouldn't bad, for the so-called level of their advancement and sofistication..

As a very weak analogy, the fact that I can't play football very well does not mean that I won't appreciate the skills of Ronaldinho on the ball..  

These priorities you refer to?.. Could you please expantiate further??.. because to me the main issue here is the bringing to justice of the man who ripped off and defrauded his people.. Not whether or not our ham-strung police force and judiciary can effectively function with the crippling conditions they have to operate in today..



3.

  If we were a serious nation, why shld our citizens comprise "a great number" of foreign visitors to other nations? how many foreigners come to visit our country every yr. if the lives of nigerians are now at stake because of porous UK borders, it is hard to convince me that they will be any safer in THEIR OWN COUNTRY what with horrible roads, tokunbo aircraft, poor runways, nonexistent rail and water transportation systems, armed robbers, police to name a few!

Please let us be realistic even if we want to apportion blames to others!

I'm sorry, but since when has having Nigerians visit other countries (for whatever reason) been a crime ! ! !  
How does even the fact that we have a lot of Nigerians in diaspora (making sojourns for whatever reason they choose to) reflect on the serious of the nation?? .. You yourself, if I'm not mistaken are resident in the United States.. Would it be right, fair or correct for the government of that country to deny you a safe environment to live, because u are a guest there and not a citizen

I agree with you on one thing though.. we should be realistic.. For your information, we do have quite a large international community in Nigeria.. and a reciprocal responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the lives of these international community in Nigeria, just as they have a reciprocal responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the lives of Nigerians living in their own country..

the issues here remain the same as stated above..

Yes, in Nigeria, everything isn't perfect..

But in countries, where the standard is adjudged to be higher, they are obliged to perform to the higher standard..

So, lets stop comparing Nigeria with other countries, until we can function at the same level or standard..

ps... And the name's CimonJorr.. please stand corrected.. 

davidylan:

.. snip...
the above quotes from you cmonjor!

please do not misquote me! i do not have a personal axe to grind with mr president!
to go straight to your argument, you seem very concerned about the nigerians that died in sept 11 or jul 7 forgetting that such incidents are few and far between in advanced countries. yet thousands of nigerians die everydayof hunger, disease, police brutalisation to mention a few in your backyard everyday! let us remove the log in our eyes first before we start attacking the mote in the eyes of the UK authorities. i am not siding the UK, i am only advising that we ensure we have our priorities straight before we begin to criticise others. what right has president obasanjo to be disappointed with the effort of the UK police when his own police force is in shambles!

.. snip...
you really make me want to ask if u live in nigeria at all! if the police system in the UK is porous, what will you call the police system in nigeria if we have one at all? is it not common knowledge that criminals from niger come through our nonexistent borders everyday to perpetuate crimes? has any been caught? how many criminals and crooks pass through our borders everyday without our knowledge? do we pretend to have any borders at all save the one we share with benin or togo? at least the UK authorities have authoritatively told us they have alami's escape on security camera, can we explain how alami came through our own borders? how did alami pass through our airport or seaport without the knowledge of any nigerian security official? please let us solve our own problems before we start blaming others.

If we were a serious nation, why shld our citizens comprise "a great number" of foreign visitors to other nations? how many foreigners come to visit our country every yr. if the lives of nigerians are now at stake because of porous UK borders, it is hard to convince me that they will be any safer in THEIR OWN COUNTRY what with horrible roads, tokunbo aircraft, poor runways, nonexistent rail and water transportation systems, armed robbers, police to name a few!

Please let us be realistic even if we want to apportion blames to others!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha.. he he he hehe..

Otokxx... You are HILARIOUS ! ! ! ! ! !

otokx:

As i said earlier there is more to this than we know.The police system of the uk is not porous and are aware of what happened. By the way he did not leave britain as a woman. His memory loss of what happened was because he was probably drugged and kiddnapped by a special force and can only recollect seeing himself at his ancestral home here in Nigeria.

Am watching and waiting to see how this matter will end. The funny part of it all is that most of the demonstrators against alams are being sponsored by some people in the FG while those that welcomed the great GOVERNOR GENERAL of the ijaw nation did so willingly and without financial motivation.

The Nigerian Police are not corrupt, infact they are very efficient. If you are in doubt, take a drive on any Nigerian road and you will see them collecting Tax on behalf of the FG, thank God there is no state police.

The situation to the best of my understanding is this:

As an elected official of the Government of Bayelsa state, he is safe-guarded by the Constitution of the State, as well as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.. [the Immunity clause]

To constitutionally remove him, he must first be stripped of official designation..[Impeachment]

then he can be prosecuted as a mere citizen of the country.. liable the laws of the Federal Republic.. Just like the Ade Bendels, the Fred Ajuduas, etc..

Hope this clears things up.. If I've left anyone out, please enlighten us further..

donnie:

Can someone please tell me what the possibilities are of having the man impeached and arrested. 'because as it seems, the man has untold number of immunities even in nigeria.

yeah..thnx

i really can't figure out ur point here.
our attitude has always remained the reason nigeria has failed to progress over the years.

Yes, in Nigeria, everything isn't perfect..

But in countries, where the standard is adjudged to be higher, they are obliged to perform to the higher standard..

So, lets stop comparing Nigeria with other countries, until we can function at the same level or standard..

[/quote]

pls in the socalled countries were the standard is adjudged to be higher, pls might i ask WHY their standard is that high and ours is low? are they from mars? do they have three heads?
when are we going to function at the same standard? in 400 yrs time at this rate?
very soon we shall be saying the same thing about progressive economies like ghana and southafrica. we have remained the way we are simply by the way we easily rationalise away vices that are impossible in other sane countries!

[quote]

I'm sorry, but since when has having Nigerians visit other countries (for whatever reason) been a crime ! ! !
How does even the fact that we have a lot of Nigerians in diaspora (making sojourns for whatever reason they choose to) reflect on the serious of the nation?? .. You yourself, if I'm not mistaken are resident in the United States.. Would it be right, fair or correct for the government of that country to deny you a safe environment to live, because u are a guest there and not a citizen

i have no quarrel with whether nigerians sojourn abroad or not. you made mention of the fact that nigeria has a large international community, ques 1; how many of those foreigners are economic refugees here? how many of them have adopted nigerian citizenship? if i'm not mistaken more than 90% of them especially the british and americans maintain close ties with their embassies and are always ready to fly out at the drop of a hat! 90% of them are only here because of the economic profit they make here at the expense of our pple. you will agree with me that both situations are not necessarily the same. nigerians abroad are mainly economic refugees and illegal residents!

back to the alami issue, our concern right now shld be less on the alledged porosity of the UK borders but on how Obasanjo's 6yr attempt at laundering our image abroad has been destroyed by the selfish and criminal act of a governor!
the British do not need us to postulate on the state of their security services, suffice to say that one of the effects of their tightening up will be increased humiliation of nigerian citizens at their borders!

otokx and others still in doubt can read this New York Time article

Excerpt:
[b]
Here in Mr. Alamieyeseigha's state of Bayelsa, that means serious money. Under a Nigerian law enacted to help develop the oil-rich but long-neglected Niger Delta, 13 percent of the revenue generated in any state is returned there for development. Bayelsa produces 30 percent of the country's oil, and with recent sky-high oil prices, the state budget this year ballooned to $560 million, compared with nearly $300 million in 2003.

But the money has not brought widespread development. It has mostly paid for white elephants like mansions for the governor and his deputy. The 2005 budget sets aside $8.5 million to construct those two houses, along with more than $2 million for furnishings.

And that is just this year. Since 2002 the state has spent more than $25 million on the governor's mansion, according to budgets on file in Yenagoa's tiny public library. The fence enclosing the two houses alone cost $5.7 million.

A glossy, mostly wordless booklet issued by Mr. Alamieyeseigha's press office, "A Legacy of Selfless Service," includes artist's renderings of the houses, depicting fantasias of waterfalls, fountains and artificial lakes. At the construction site where the governor's house is nearing completion, workers raced to lay thousands of square feet of imported granite tiles and mahogany ceiling panels.

Meanwhile, the Poverty Eradication Committee, whose purpose is not explained, has a budget of about $23,000, according to the 2005 spending plan, which is posted on the state's Web site, www.bayelsagov.com. That is a little more than half of what is budgeted for toiletries for state officials.[/b]

i am ashamed to be called a nigerian today. i can imagine what a nigerian working at the newyork times would be going thru right now!

is this governance?

pls can you post the link to that paperu quoted? i am yet to come across it.

the underlined text in the post is the link. click on it.

I am having a BIG LAFF  
What effect will the Letter have on Tony Blair?
If you mean business, sever our diplomatic relationship with them with immediate effect lets see.
Suspect Alamieyisiegha is only ''one criminal ''out of ''a band of Ali babas in Power'' All of them are Rogues.
God will catch them One by one.
You have the problem of poverty, which other Countries are fighting to eradicate in Africa , but our leaders don't care.
Poser!
1. Do you know how much it cost to train one British police man?
2, The cost of putting a British police on  24 HRS watch over Alamieyisiegha while on Bail at the expense of tax payers?
      [remember         British police  don't operate without company on beat duties]
3. Do you think the British government take your  ''Anti corruption crusade'' seriously.
4. The arrest of Alamieyisiegha is the least of the domestic problems facing Labour government and the British people
    are oblivious of such problem.
   To them if it barks like a Dog, runs like a Dog and looks like a Dog , it is a Dog..........all African leader's second name to them is       ''Coruption''
5.The press in Britain did not even find it News worthy to devout  attention to it, but a comic show of a ''public officer '' disguising as a woman fit for ITV Channel 4 show.
6. If they are serious with their fight against corruption, let them ''dance naked'' first, by returning all the past wealth they stole and the one they collected from ''419ers'' for their political campaigns.