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A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode - Politics - Nairaland

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A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by infoscope(m): 6:28pm On Oct 04, 2013
Permit me to begin this contribution by quoting a portion of an essay that I wrote on 26 September 2011 which was titled ''On Goodluck Jonathan, David and Goliath''. The portion reads as follows.

''A few days ago from the sacred pulpit of the hallowed chambers of the National Christian Centre in Abuja and in the prescence of the entire leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan proclaimed as follows- ''I am not David....I am not a general.....I am not a lion.....I will defeat the Goliaths in our land''. These are deep and instructive words yet I do wonder whether Mr. President understands the spiritual and practical implications of what he is saying.

If he says that he ''is not a David'' how can he then possibly slay the ''Goliaths in the land?'' If he says that he ''is not a general'' how can he be an effective Commander-in-Chief who commands the respect and confidence of his army and his officers? If he says that he ''is not a lion'' how can he overwhelm the animals in our jungle that seek to destroy and ravage our land? The lion is a noble and courageous animal that defends it's pride and family and protects it's own. That is why it is known as the ''king of the jungle'' and that is why our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself is known as the ''Lion of the Tribe of Judah''.

Every king worth his salt must have the spirit of the lion and the warrior in him to a certain extent. It is a fundamental pre-qualification for good quality and inspirational leadership and that is what distinguishes the pretender and the usurper from a real king. May the spirit and weakness of Ahab not be our President's portion even though his words seem to have ensnared him. History proves that weak kings and weak leaders always pull down and destroy great empires and strong kingdoms.

If you have any doubt about that consider what happened to the Roman Empire under Nero, Claudius or Caligula. If you still have any doubts after that then read up on Russian history or watch an excellent old film called ''Nicholas and Alexander'' about Tsar Nicholas the 1st, the last Tsar of Russia and how his strong-willed wife and his consistent display of weakness shamed and brought down imperial Russia, destroyed the 300 year old royal dynasty of the Romanovs, led directly to the First World War (which in turn led to the Second World War and then later the Cold War), caused the communist revolution, led to the Russian civil war, resulted in the murder of his whole family and ended in the establishment and creation of the most evil and godless empire that has ever ruled half of the world- the cold and all-powerful Soviet empire.

That is what weakness, prevarication, inconsistency, cowardice, emotional slavery, inexplicable fear and the celebration of indecision can do. Worst still you don't boast about such qualities because there is nothing to be proud of in them. Always remember, whether you are a king or a subject, that courage is the greatest of all the virtues. This is wisdom. Would someone please tell our President''.

Once again please take note that the contribution that I quoted above was part of an essay that I wrote on 26th September 2011, almost two years ago to the day.

With the killing of 91 children by Boko Haram in Damatru a few days ago, the slaughter of 140 Nigerian troops by Boko Haram in Borno state last friday, the massacre of 41 school children in Borno state by Boko Haram two months ago, the mass murder of no less than 7000 thousand Nigerians by Boko Haram in the last 3 years and the raging war that is going on in the northern eastern part of our country between Boko Haram and our military today those words and that counsel that was offered two years ago seem even more relevant today than it was even at that time.

The carnage that we are witnessing in our country today has come as a direct result of the manifestation of weakness at the top. When a President tells the world that Boko Haram are his ''siblings'' whom he ''cannot move against'', as he did earlier this year, he is asking for trouble. When a President keeps offering Boko Haram amnesty even when they kept rejecting it and whilst they were murdering his people, as he has been doing for the last three years, he is asking for trouble. When a President installs and supports a party National Chairman who describes Boko Haram as ''freedom fighters'', as he did earlier this year, he is asking for trouble.

When a President announces to the world that he is ''not a lion or a David'', as he did exactly two years ago, no-one should be surprised when his people are killed like flies before his very eyes. May God bring us a real leader that can save our nation and may He take away this one who feels no pain and has no empathy when Nigerian blood, nay even the blood of innocent children, is shed with impugnity. Under the tenure of our ''lamb'' President more innocent Nigerians have been slaughtered by terrorists than at any other time in the history of our country except during the civil war.

What a mess, what a record. I continue to ponder about one thing though- would the President have been so unperturbed and detached from the whole thing if the children that were killed in their school yesterday morning had been from his Niger Delta area or from the east. It appears to me that simply because those kids were northern muslims this President just ''doesn't give a damn''. What a tragedy. Whether christian or muslim, northern or southern these are only children and they are NIGERIAN children each of whom is entitled to the full protection of the Nigerian state. I have said it before and I shall say it again, Nigeria has become an abbatoir of human flesh and blood under the tenure of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and all those who support him should bury their heads in shame. The blood of all those innocent people is on his hands because he swore to an oath before God and the Nigerian people to protect them from such evil. Instead of getting on with his job and doing so he has spent the last few days boasting to the world about ringing the bell in the New York Stock Exchange and receiving irrelevant, illusionary, self-serving and absurd commendations for absolutely nothing from President Barack Obama. May God deliver us.

Permit me to make a painful observation here. I was thoroughly appauled about the fact that when our lamb President was asked about the latest round of killings during his live ''Presidential Media Chat'' programme on sunday evening he not only told a lie to the world by claiming that only ''21 or 22 students were killed'' at a time when the BBC and CNN had confirmed that at least 45 bodies had been found (more were to be discovered later) but he also failed to express his condolences to the families of those that had lost their loved ones. He made the same omission when he failed to commiserate with or express his condolences to the families of the 140 soldiers that were killed in Borno state last friday whilst fighting Boko Haram simply because they ran out of bullets during the course of the battle.

By way of contrast not only was he quick to offer his condolences to the government and people of Kenya for the terrible carnage that was inflicted on them by Al Shabab last friday when 68 people were killed (I guess that to him Nigerian blood is not as expensive or as important as foreign blood) but he was also quick to offer the Kenyan government military assistance. If President Uhuru Kenyatta decides to accept his offer let us hope that our lamb President will give enough bullets to the soldiers that he will send. Our boys are deeply courageous fighters and they certainly deserve that much. They also deserve to have a Commander in Chief that inspires them, that watches their back and that gives them the very best. May the souls of all those that have been killed by Boko Haram in the last three years rest in peace and may the Lord take the leadership of this nation from the lamb and give it to a lion king.

Permit me to end this contribution with the following observations. As crude and as unpleasant as it may sound the question must be asked - does our President have any balls? Is he really a man? Does he have what it takes to fight a war against terror or is it that there is more to this than meets the eye? Is there a sinister and diabolical conspiracy and plan to ensure that elections do not hold in the north-east and the north-west in 2015 given the fact that those areas are very hostile to the suggestion that Jonathan should return to power that year? Is this whole thing planned and contrived or is it a case of chronic incompetence, ineptitude and weakness? Does Jonathan believe that it is in his interest for the north to burn and for northern blood to be spilt? Is the mindset of those that are pulling the strings of the view that since the problem has been (to use the President's own words in his last media chat) ''localised'' and ''contained in a certain area'' the government can sit back and watch the locals slaughter themselves whilst they continue to drink champagne in the Villa and fantasise about 2015? If that is the case has it not occured to them that their fellow Nigerians live in those areas where the problem has supposedly been ''localised'' and is the blood of those fellow Nigerians not red as well? Are they less Nigerian because of where theywere born and who they are? Are the people that live in the villages and countryside not as important as those who live in the towns and cities?

Whatever is really going on here God sees all and anything that is not of Him will surely fail. If it is nothing but weakness and incompetence that has resulted in this unperecedented carnage, the President will answer before God for violating his solemn oath to protect the Nigerian people from enemies within and from enemies without and if it is a conspiracy to encourage and create turmoil and chaos in the north just to ensure that they are excluded from the vote in 2015, both Jonathan himself and Nigeria as a whole will reap the consequences. It is worth noting that that is precisely what happened in Mali in the elections that took place before the north was taken over by the islamists and it led to a full scale civil war. Any attempt to exclude any part of this country from participating in the elections in 2015 under the guise of lack of security or Boko Haram will result in the same thing with catastrophic consequences for Nigeria. Yet as Napolean Bonaparte once said, ''we must never account to conspiracy what can easily be explained away by incompetence''. It is more likely than not that the situation that is folding in the north-east and the feeble fight that our government is putting up against Boko Haram over there is down to Jonathan's weakness and nothing more. So when asked the question is our President capable of fighting the war against terror my answer would be that I am afraid that I doubt it very much. He just doesn't have it in him. As the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair once said about John Major, his predecessor in office, he is just ''weak, weak, weak''.

I am a great believer in strong government and I am one of those that has always believed that President Olusegun Obasanjo was one of the best, if not the best, and most effective leaders that we have ever had in this country. I say this not because I had the honour and privilage of serving in his government but because, when it comes to his record in public office, the facts and figures speak for themselves. Not only are they outstanding but they are yet to be matched and since he left office in 2007 everything has gone to the dogs. Love him or hate him one thing is clear- not under Obasanjo's watch would 7000 thousand innocent Nigerians be massacred at will in the space of just two years by a bunch of murderous and heartless terrorists. He would have known exactly what to do and how to do it to put a stop to such callous lawlessness and anarchy right from the start. Equally significant is the fact that such was his love for Nigeria that regardless of the region, ethnic group or religious faith that the victims came from, espoused or belonged to, his response to the terrorists would have been swift, decisive and utterly ruthless. He would have had Boko Haram in ''shock and awe'' and the whole world would have marvelled at it. This is because in Obasanjo we had a President who not only had balls but who also had the courage, heart and guts to match them.

The greatest error that we as a people ever made and the worst tragedy and misfortune that has ever befallen us as a nation is the fact that a meek lamb ended up taking a throne that was designed and prepared for a lion. The unfortunate consequences of that tragic error and misfortune are there for all to see. The shedding of the blood of even the youngest, the most innocent and the most vulnerable in our society by Boko Haram on a daily basis is an eloquent testimony to that unsavoury fact.

Femi Fani-Kayode is a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

http://nigeriannewsportal.com/a-president-without-balls-by-femi-fani-kayode/

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Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 7:43pm On Oct 04, 2013
[color=#000099][/color]
He is no Lion, yes.
He is not David, so?
He is no general, ehen?
He is Gudluck Ebele Jonathan, President and C-i-C of d Fed. Rep. of Nigeria.

Am sick of Kayode and the noise dat attends the man.

1 Like

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by emmalexabl(m): 8:13pm On Oct 04, 2013
And i say., fani kayODE got more BALLS than BRAIN... grin

10 Likes

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 8:39pm On Oct 04, 2013
emmalexabl: And i say., fani kayODE got more BALLS than BRAIN... grin

Lol.
So true, the guy seems to be on a death wish.
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by delvinmaya(m): 8:52pm On Oct 04, 2013
this guy, i swear, whatever weed he is smoking wasnt processed properly

3 Likes

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by 3kay945(m): 9:00pm On Oct 04, 2013
I enjoyed reading this.
My favorite part " Nigeria has become an abbatoir of human flesh and blood under the tenure of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and all those who support him should bury their heads in shame."

3 Likes

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by friedrice1: 9:28pm On Oct 04, 2013
GEJ is the worst thing that has happened to the country.
Ride on FFK. you post says a lot. but of course, some ill bred idiots here wont even read it before spewing
trash.

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Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by friedrice1: 9:30pm On Oct 04, 2013
thought provoking words, glaring facts that lots of bigoted jonathanians here fail to see.

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Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 9:54pm On Oct 04, 2013
It amazes me when bassTardz here are so quick to belch abuse on their betters.
Yes, bassTardz! if they had parental grooming, they'd undastand the place of courtesy and respect in the face of differing opinions.

Who is without sin, and which president, even in America, is without flaw?
That Jonathan has not acted the way u seem to think he shud act, does that now make him a weakling and monster at the same time?

U think the presidency is like running ur home where u wake and make orders without due counsel?

If he'd attackd boko haram when Kayode expected him to, have u considered the political and human right issues that wud hav raised? Wudnt it hav been the same Kayode that wud hav cried foul?

Look at America and Syria, why didnt Obama attack, even after he had threatened to attack if chemical weapons were introduced in the war?
Why did he seek Congressional hearing when he had the power to attack?
...u guys make me sick!

1 Like

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 10:04pm On Oct 04, 2013
While I am not a big fan of the messenger, he definitely has a very strong message. The handling of Boko Haram just shows pure incompetence rather than any conspiracy theory. A president that admits that Boko Haram members are part of his government is just a joke. He does not even understand the issues neither does he understand the gravity of some of his statements. Boko Haram has killed thousands and then he calls them brothers. What about those they killed? Are they the enemies?

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Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 10:42pm On Oct 04, 2013
I thought the goat that vomited the above nonsense would have given us examples of countries where INTERNAL terrorism was dealt with in a "swift, decisive and utterly ruthless" manner? Is the fool not aware that Boko Haram are terrorists? Is the goat not aware that terrorism is a global phenomenon?

He couldn't give examples because there NO such country exist. No country has dealt with INTERNAL terrorism in such manner. Many of the countries that began this war on terror before Nigeria are still grappling with it.

All that he said about OBJ in the useless article are irrelevant because OBJ was NEVER faced with terrorism. It is only a fool that compares apples with oranges. There was nothing like terrorism in Nigeria when OBJ was president. The first incident of suicide bombing recorded in Nigeria happened in 2011.

In fact, the whole article is the meaningless rant of a frustrated, hateful implacably bitter and bigoted fool.

1 Like

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 10:55pm On Oct 04, 2013
Sincere 9gerian: I thought the goat that vomited the above nonsense would have given us examples of countries where INTERNAL terrorism was dealt with in a "swift, decisive and utterly ruthless" manner? Is the fool not aware that Boko Haram are terrorists? Is the goat not aware that terrorism is a global phenomenon?

He couldn't give examples because there NO such country exist. No country has dealt with INTERNAL terrorism in such manner. Many of the countries that began this war on terror before Nigeria are still grappling with it.

All that he said about OBJ in the useless article are irrelevant because OBJ was NEVER faced with terrorism. It is only a fool that compares apples with oranges. There was nothing like terrorism in Nigeria when OBJ was president. The first incident of suicide bombing recorded in Nigeria happened in 2011.

In fact, the whole article is the meaningless rant of a frustrated, hateful implacably bitter and bigoted fool.

In fact, the above quote is the meaningless rant of a frustrated, hateful implacably bitter and bigoted fool called Sincere 9gerian.

2 Likes

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 10:58pm On Oct 04, 2013
Nashville: While I am not a big fan of the messenger, her definitely has a very strong message. The handling of Boko Haram just shows pure incompetence rather than any conspiracy theory. A president that admits that Boko Haram members are part of his government is just a joke. He does not even understand the issues neither does he understand the gravity of some of his statements. Boko Haram has killed thousands and then he calls them brothers. What about those they killed? Are they the enemies?

Why do we carve out phrases that best suits our present persuasions rather than consider the context within which the quoted phrase was made?
I am not a Jonathan apologist but recently I am being gradually won over to his side with his governance. The man needs people to help him run his government and definitely, we know what we Nigerians are made of.
There are so many in his govt who wud do anything to thwart his efforts..remember how vehemently his presidency was resisted? Have u considered the fact that he is/was just a 'green horn' politician coupled with the burden of being the 1st minority president? U think he's had it easy making decisions that wont blow up in his face because of the 2-faced sycophants around him?
I believe the man is growing gradually in confidence and on the right track and shud not be deterred with Femi Kayode's infantile lust for the limelite.

Kayode cant even run his own home not to talk of an organisation. It grieves my heart that he was once a member of FEC under OBJ, his postulations are disappointing for a man of his stature, but again, the man has nothing to offer Nigerians.
Is he not facing a 47 count charge of corruption while in office? Is this not the same former minister who cant explain N250m found in one of his accounts, who made a hobby of sleeping with people's wives and gf's, who has failed marriages and 3 wives Of atleast a million Reasonable, dignified and well-meaning Nigerians, is that the one we shud be listening to?
The man has even admitted he's a failure, so why are we balling fists over him?

http://
www.thescoopng.com/
strange-wo...rital-
affairs/

http://
www.femifanikayode.
org/news/chioma-
anasoh.html
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by JbravoAdodger(m): 11:00pm On Oct 04, 2013
Story story, stoooooory
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 11:05pm On Oct 04, 2013
ninz:
Why do we carve out phrases that best suits our present persuasions rather than consider the context within which the quoted phrase was made?
I am not a Jonathan apologist but recently I am being gradually won over to his side with his governance. The man needs people to help him run his government and definitely, we know what we Nigerians are made of.
There are so many in his govt who wud do anything to thwart his efforts..remember how vehemently his presidency was resisted? Have u considered the fact that he is/was just a 'green horn' politician coupled with the burden of being the 1st minority president? U think he's had it easy making decisions that wont blow up in his face because of the 2-faced sycophants around him?
I believe the man is growing gradually in confidence and on the right track and shud not be deterred with Femi Kayode's infantile lust for the limelite.


This is my biggest problem with you guys. Because Jonathan presents himself as a good and humble man does not mean he should be president. Presidency is not for the most humble people, it is for people that have a clear plan on how to develop their countries and know how to implement the plan. You claim there are many in his government trying to thwart his efforts. My question to you is why do they remain in his government? If you appointed someone and the person is sabotaging you, shouldn't you get rid of the person? We do not need a kindergarten president, what we need is someone that understands the issues and how to tackle them, not someone who need another person to explain every single issue. Jonathan might be a good man, but he is not a good president; these are two different things.

I did not comment on FFK simply because as of today, he is a private citizen who is not worth my comment. I supported Jonathan in 2011 and he has been a huge disappointment and that is the issue not FFK.

2 Likes

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 11:23pm On Oct 04, 2013
Nashville:

This is my biggest problem with you guys. Because Jonathan presents himself as a good and humble man does not mean he should be president. Presidency is not for the most humble people, it is for people that have a clear plan on how to develop their countries and know how to implement the plan. You claim there are many in his government trying to thwart his efforts. My question to you is why do they remain in his government? If you appointed someone and the person is sabotaging you, shouldn't you get rid of the person? We do not need a kindergarten president, what we need is someone that understands the issues and how to tackle them, not someone who need another person to explain every single issue. Jonathan might be a good man, but he is not a good president; these are two different things.

I did not comment on FFK simply because as of today, he is a private citizen who is not worth my comment. I supported Jonathan in 2011 and he has been a huge disappointment and that is the issue not FFK.

And who wud u say is capable of being president?
Do u think a president is superman with an all-knowing ability?
Why do u think presidents hav Executive councils, ministers, aides and advisers?
And talkin about flushing people out, do u really think it is that simple?

If Jonathan came out all autocratic, u'd still call him tyrant.
My brother, even Obama with all his experience and brilliance is not able to satisfy even half of America with his policies.

Permit me to ask, have u been opportuned to head a group of persons, socially or officially, even religiously before?
If u have, u wud better understand leadership.
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 11:34pm On Oct 04, 2013
ninz:
And who wud u say is capable of being president?
Do u think a president is superman with an all-knowing ability?
Why do u think presidents hav Executive councils, ministers, aides and advisers?
And talkin about flushing people out, do u really think it is that simple?

If Jonathan came out all autocratic, u'd still call him tyrant.
My brother, even Obama with all his experience and brilliance is not able to satisfy even half of America with his policies.

Permit me to ask, have u been opportuned to head a group of persons, socially or officially, even religiously before?
If u have, u wud better understand leadership.

Stop talking about what you dont know. If a group today within America declares terror against the US government and its people, then you will know how Obama will deal with such people. No president can satisfy all the people and please dont even compare us with America as you know very little about how the US works.

I am not talking about economic issues here, I am talking directly about threat to lives and property. Doing nothing is clearly not a solution. And didnt GEJ just fire nine ministers? Why did he fire them? Was it due to incompetence? A president has the responsibility to assemble ministers that are best suited for the job. ASUU has been on strike for three months and yet Nyesom Wike who know and cares little about Education is the best person to solve the problem in to you right? I am sure you will say he did not appoint Wike. When you appoint ministers for personal gains, you get a comatose government.
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 11:38pm On Oct 04, 2013
Nashville:

This is my biggest problem with you guys. Because Jonathan presents himself as a good and humble man does not mean he should be president. Presidency is not for the most humble people, it is for people that have a clear plan on how to develop their countries and know how to implement the plan. You claim there are many in his government trying to thwart his efforts. My question to you is why do they remain in his government? If you appointed someone and the person is sabotaging you, shouldn't you get rid of the person? We do not need a kindergarten president, what we need is someone that understands the issues and how to tackle them, not someone who need another person to explain every single issue. Jonathan might be a good man, but he is not a good president; these are two different things.

I did not comment on FFK simply because as of today, he is a private citizen who is not worth my comment. I supported Jonathan in 2011 and he has been a huge disappointment and that is the issue not FFK.
Who cares who you voted for in 2011? And how do we confirm your claim? That information is completly irrelevant. What matters is where you stand now.

Since you know more than the fool that wrote the above article, kindly give us examples of countries where INTERNAL terrorism was dealt with in the manner suggested by the article - "swift, decisive and utterly ruthless".

1 Like

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by fagbalex(m): 2:05am On Oct 05, 2013
serious the guy say the truth but i know some people will not admit it because of one thing or the other with i believe is ethnic or religious sentiment.
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Dpeacemaker101: 2:27am On Oct 05, 2013
FFK with more balls, we can see how you rule the numerous girlfriends and concubines in your life without your brain. And they keep insulting you and your family in blogs and Facebook pages. A man that can not control his family is making noise and criticizing the president of a nation and some people here will support him because of hatred and greed. FFK is a shameless man, that the only part of his body that works correctly is his Manhood, every other thing is gone if not I can't understand how an old man of his age goes around looking for women and after sleeping with them try to disrespect them on Facebook, BBM,and blogs with his wife and kids abandoning him cause of his reckless and childish behaviours. He should bury his head in shame,cause he has failed his parents and family. I heard that some of the girls even call him BROTHER ODE as a nickname.

1 Like

Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by DaLover(m): 7:20am On Oct 05, 2013
infoscope: Permit me to begin this contribution by quoting a portion of an essay that I wrote on 26 September 2011 which was titled ''On Goodluck Jonathan, David and Goliath''. The portion reads as follows.

''A few days ago from the sacred pulpit of the hallowed chambers of the National Christian Centre in Abuja and in the prescence of the entire leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan proclaimed as follows- ''I am not David....I am not a general.....I am not a lion.....I will defeat the Goliaths in our land''. These are deep and instructive words yet I do wonder whether Mr. President understands the spiritual and practical implications of what he is saying.

If he says that he ''is not a David'' how can he then possibly slay the ''Goliaths in the land?'' If he says that he ''is not a general'' how can he be an effective Commander-in-Chief who commands the respect and confidence of his army and his officers? If he says that he ''is not a lion'' how can he overwhelm the animals in our jungle that seek to destroy and ravage our land? The lion is a noble and courageous animal that defends it's pride and family and protects it's own. That is why it is known as the ''king of the jungle'' and that is why our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself is known as the ''Lion of the Tribe of Judah''.

Every king worth his salt must have the spirit of the lion and the warrior in him to a certain extent. It is a fundamental pre-qualification for good quality and inspirational leadership and that is what distinguishes the pretender and the usurper from a real king. May the spirit and weakness of Ahab not be our President's portion even though his words seem to have ensnared him. History proves that weak kings and weak leaders always pull down and destroy great empires and strong kingdoms.

If you have any doubt about that consider what happened to the Roman Empire under Nero, Claudius or Caligula. If you still have any doubts after that then read up on Russian history or watch an excellent old film called ''Nicholas and Alexander'' about Tsar Nicholas the 1st, the last Tsar of Russia and how his strong-willed wife and his consistent display of weakness shamed and brought down imperial Russia, destroyed the 300 year old royal dynasty of the Romanovs, led directly to the First World War (which in turn led to the Second World War and then later the Cold War), caused the communist revolution, led to the Russian civil war, resulted in the murder of his whole family and ended in the establishment and creation of the most evil and godless empire that has ever ruled half of the world- the cold and all-powerful Soviet empire.

That is what weakness, prevarication, inconsistency, cowardice, emotional slavery, inexplicable fear and the celebration of indecision can do. Worst still you don't boast about such qualities because there is nothing to be proud of in them. Always remember, whether you are a king or a subject, that courage is the greatest of all the virtues. This is wisdom. Would someone please tell our President''.

Once again please take note that the contribution that I quoted above was part of an essay that I wrote on 26th September 2011, almost two years ago to the day.

With the killing of 91 children by Boko Haram in Damatru a few days ago, the slaughter of 140 Nigerian troops by Boko Haram in Borno state last friday, the massacre of 41 school children in Borno state by Boko Haram two months ago, the mass murder of no less than 7000 thousand Nigerians by Boko Haram in the last 3 years and the raging war that is going on in the northern eastern part of our country between Boko Haram and our military today those words and that counsel that was offered two years ago seem even more relevant today than it was even at that time.

The carnage that we are witnessing in our country today has come as a direct result of the manifestation of weakness at the top. When a President tells the world that Boko Haram are his ''siblings'' whom he ''cannot move against'', as he did earlier this year, he is asking for trouble. When a President keeps offering Boko Haram amnesty even when they kept rejecting it and whilst they were murdering his people, as he has been doing for the last three years, he is asking for trouble. When a President installs and supports a party National Chairman who describes Boko Haram as ''freedom fighters'', as he did earlier this year, he is asking for trouble.

When a President announces to the world that he is ''not a lion or a David'', as he did exactly two years ago, no-one should be surprised when his people are killed like flies before his very eyes. May God bring us a real leader that can save our nation and may He take away this one who feels no pain and has no empathy when Nigerian blood, nay even the blood of innocent children, is shed with impugnity. Under the tenure of our ''lamb'' President more innocent Nigerians have been slaughtered by terrorists than at any other time in the history of our country except during the civil war.

What a mess, what a record. I continue to ponder about one thing though- would the President have been so unperturbed and detached from the whole thing if the children that were killed in their school yesterday morning had been from his Niger Delta area or from the east. It appears to me that simply because those kids were northern muslims this President just ''doesn't give a damn''. What a tragedy. Whether christian or muslim, northern or southern these are only children and they are NIGERIAN children each of whom is entitled to the full protection of the Nigerian state. I have said it before and I shall say it again, Nigeria has become an abbatoir of human flesh and blood under the tenure of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and all those who support him should bury their heads in shame. The blood of all those innocent people is on his hands because he swore to an oath before God and the Nigerian people to protect them from such evil. Instead of getting on with his job and doing so he has spent the last few days boasting to the world about ringing the bell in the New York Stock Exchange and receiving irrelevant, illusionary, self-serving and absurd commendations for absolutely nothing from President Barack Obama. May God deliver us.

Permit me to make a painful observation here. I was thoroughly appauled about the fact that when our lamb President was asked about the latest round of killings during his live ''Presidential Media Chat'' programme on sunday evening he not only told a lie to the world by claiming that only ''21 or 22 students were killed'' at a time when the BBC and CNN had confirmed that at least 45 bodies had been found (more were to be discovered later) but he also failed to express his condolences to the families of those that had lost their loved ones. He made the same omission when he failed to commiserate with or express his condolences to the families of the 140 soldiers that were killed in Borno state last friday whilst fighting Boko Haram simply because they ran out of bullets during the course of the battle.

By way of contrast not only was he quick to offer his condolences to the government and people of Kenya for the terrible carnage that was inflicted on them by Al Shabab last friday when 68 people were killed (I guess that to him Nigerian blood is not as expensive or as important as foreign blood) but he was also quick to offer the Kenyan government military assistance. If President Uhuru Kenyatta decides to accept his offer let us hope that our lamb President will give enough bullets to the soldiers that he will send. Our boys are deeply courageous fighters and they certainly deserve that much. They also deserve to have a Commander in Chief that inspires them, that watches their back and that gives them the very best. May the souls of all those that have been killed by Boko Haram in the last three years rest in peace and may the Lord take the leadership of this nation from the lamb and give it to a lion king.

Permit me to end this contribution with the following observations. As crude and as unpleasant as it may sound the question must be asked - does our President have any balls? Is he really a man? Does he have what it takes to fight a war against terror or is it that there is more to this than meets the eye? Is there a sinister and diabolical conspiracy and plan to ensure that elections do not hold in the north-east and the north-west in 2015 given the fact that those areas are very hostile to the suggestion that Jonathan should return to power that year? Is this whole thing planned and contrived or is it a case of chronic incompetence, ineptitude and weakness? Does Jonathan believe that it is in his interest for the north to burn and for northern blood to be spilt? Is the mindset of those that are pulling the strings of the view that since the problem has been (to use the President's own words in his last media chat) ''localised'' and ''contained in a certain area'' the government can sit back and watch the locals slaughter themselves whilst they continue to drink champagne in the Villa and fantasise about 2015? If that is the case has it not occured to them that their fellow Nigerians live in those areas where the problem has supposedly been ''localised'' and is the blood of those fellow Nigerians not red as well? Are they less Nigerian because of where theywere born and who they are? Are the people that live in the villages and countryside not as important as those who live in the towns and cities?

Whatever is really going on here God sees all and anything that is not of Him will surely fail. If it is nothing but weakness and incompetence that has resulted in this unperecedented carnage, the President will answer before God for violating his solemn oath to protect the Nigerian people from enemies within and from enemies without and if it is a conspiracy to encourage and create turmoil and chaos in the north just to ensure that they are excluded from the vote in 2015, both Jonathan himself and Nigeria as a whole will reap the consequences. It is worth noting that that is precisely what happened in Mali in the elections that took place before the north was taken over by the islamists and it led to a full scale civil war. Any attempt to exclude any part of this country from participating in the elections in 2015 under the guise of lack of security or Boko Haram will result in the same thing with catastrophic consequences for Nigeria. Yet as Napolean Bonaparte once said, ''we must never account to conspiracy what can easily be explained away by incompetence''. It is more likely than not that the situation that is folding in the north-east and the feeble fight that our government is putting up against Boko Haram over there is down to Jonathan's weakness and nothing more. So when asked the question is our President capable of fighting the war against terror my answer would be that I am afraid that I doubt it very much. He just doesn't have it in him. As the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair once said about John Major, his predecessor in office, he is just ''weak, weak, weak''.

I am a great believer in strong government and I am one of those that has always believed that President Olusegun Obasanjo was one of the best, if not the best, and most effective leaders that we have ever had in this country. I say this not because I had the honour and privilage of serving in his government but because, when it comes to his record in public office, the facts and figures speak for themselves. Not only are they outstanding but they are yet to be matched and since he left office in 2007 everything has gone to the dogs. Love him or hate him one thing is clear- not under Obasanjo's watch would 7000 thousand innocent Nigerians be massacred at will in the space of just two years by a bunch of murderous and heartless terrorists. He would have known exactly what to do and how to do it to put a stop to such callous lawlessness and anarchy right from the start. Equally significant is the fact that such was his love for Nigeria that regardless of the region, ethnic group or religious faith that the victims came from, espoused or belonged to, his response to the terrorists would have been swift, decisive and utterly ruthless. He would have had Boko Haram in ''shock and awe'' and the whole world would have marvelled at it. This is because in Obasanjo we had a President who not only had balls but who also had the courage, heart and guts to match them.

The greatest error that we as a people ever made and the worst tragedy and misfortune that has ever befallen us as a nation is the fact that a meek lamb ended up taking a throne that was designed and prepared for a lion. The unfortunate consequences of that tragic error and misfortune are there for all to see. The shedding of the blood of even the youngest, the most innocent and the most vulnerable in our society by Boko Haram on a daily basis is an eloquent testimony to that unsavoury fact.

Femi Fani-Kayode is a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

http://nigeriannewsportal.com/a-president-without-balls-by-femi-fani-kayode/

Dear FFK,
Can u kindly go somewhere, hide your face in shame of your inglorious past and stop disturbing us with your propaganda?
Yes OBj was a lion, a general, a king...
But I also remember endless religious riots, in jos, I remember several riots in kaduna, I remember several religious riots in Kano etc...I remember the Niger delta militants....
I remember General Obj keeping quiet when Zamfara lunched sharia legal system.....
You were in a government that messed Nigeria up, one would expect you to hide your self in shame....but instead you open your loud tribalist if and bigoted mouth to comment on issues which you failed to correct while in power.....very funny indeed
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Abok1(m): 10:59am On Oct 05, 2013
Nashville:

This is my biggest problem with you guys. [b]Because Jonathan presents himself as a good and humble man does not mean he should be president. Presidency is not for the most humble people, it is for people that have a clear plan on how to develop their countries and know how to implement the plan. [/b]You claim there are many in his government trying to thwart his efforts. My question to you is why do they remain in his government? If you appointed someone and the person is sabotaging you, shouldn't you get rid of the person? We do not need a kindergarten president, what we need is someone that understands the issues and how to tackle them, not someone who need another person to explain every single issue. Jonathan might be a good man, but he is not a good president; these are two different things.

I did not comment on FFK simply because as of today, he is a private citizen who is not worth my comment. I supported Jonathan in 2011 and he has been a huge disappointment and that is the issue not FFK.



^^This right there is a great way to sum up the situation with most of GEJ's supporters.

It would make a lot of sense if you are humble as a religious leader, they forget that the position of the President of a federal republic takes cajones and not about how humble you are.
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 1:16pm On Oct 05, 2013
DaLover:

Dear FFK,
Can u kindly go somewhere, hide your face in shame of your inglorious past and stop disturbing us with your propaganda?
Yes OBj was a lion, a general, a king...
But I also remember endless religious riots, in jos, I remember several riots in kaduna, I remember several religious riots in Kano etc...I remember the Niger delta militants....
I remember General Obj keeping quiet when Zamfara lunched sharia legal system.....
You were in a government that messed Nigeria up, one would expect you to hide your self in shame....but instead you open your loud tribalist if and bigoted mouth to comment on issues which you failed to correct while in power.....very funny indeed

Thank God, we still have right-thinking people here.
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 1:17pm On Oct 05, 2013
Sincere 9gerian:
Who cares who you voted for in 2011? And how do we confirm your claim? That information is completly irrelevant. What matters is where you stand now.

Since you know more than the fool that wrote the above article, kindly give us examples of countries where INTERNAL terrorism was dealt with in the manner suggested by the article - "swift, decisive and utterly ruthless".

Lol.
Re: A President Without Balls By Femi Fani-kayode by Nobody: 1:21pm On Oct 05, 2013
Sincere 9gerian:
Who cares who you voted for in 2011? And how do we confirm your claim? That information is completly irrelevant. What matters is where you stand now.

Since you know more than the fool that wrote the above article, kindly give us examples of countries where INTERNAL terrorism was dealt with in the manner suggested by the article - "swift, decisive and utterly ruthless".

Well, we shudnt blame their myopia, children have always felt they wud have handled issues far better than their parents were their roles reversed, only to discover the wisdom in their parent's actions as the come of age.

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