I'll choose Yar'Adua over Obasanjo - Akinyele

ALEX AKINYELE is perhaps one of the most visible ministers of Information Nigeria has ever produced. The panache he was able to put in the office, seems not only to have given him a place in the memories of many Nigerians, but a recognisable voice in the polity, which came into perspective in this interview with Deputy Editor, Saturday, CHARLES OKOGENE and Group Politics Editor, SUNNY IGBOANUGO where he spoke on some critical issues in the country.





http://odili.net/news/source/2009/oct/6/411.html


Excerpts:

Sir, with the despondency in the land, which you captured by the analogy that in the beginning you were prepared to die for the country, but now you cannot even sacrifice a piece of your finger, do we really have any hope for this country?

Now, you are asking me is there any hope that things could be better. There are hopes that things could be better if our leaders can shun corruption; corruption in small places, in middle places and in high places; corruption even in the holy of holies. Then, shun selfishness, embrace patriotism. And then shun ill-use of infrastructure. And then, the question of ethnicity is becoming negatively great now. It was not so in the history. For instance in the history when we were in the university, an Igbo man was a Nigerian, a Yoruba man was a Nigerian and an Hausa man was a Nigerian. In fact nobody knew the meaning of local government area. We had great hopes that Nigeria will be great. But what has made Nigeria lean, what has really stunted our growth is corruption. And if Nigeria has to be great, whatever government that is in place must give Nigerians power, electricity. It is very important. There is nobody that does not need energy. Even the women who are grinding pepper, the carpenter, the mechanics, the iron bender needs it. The industries are dying now. You must have heard that some very big industries are relocating to somewhere. Then, security, I am happy that our President, Umaru Yar'Adua, appreciates that there is something wrong with our security in this country. We are not secure at all. And when you are talking of insecurity, it means that foreigners will be afraid to come to Nigeria. And you Nigerians who are here, you are afraid to go out. Journalists generally are no longer safe because they seem to be saying what some people don't want to hear. And the best they can do is to silence journalists. That is another great area of insecurity. The police organistion in this country is nothing to write home about. If the police people could do better than they are doing, the threat on security will reduce. And corruption in the police is affecting the security of the nation. They will tell you bail is free but you will pay dearly for it. I think if we can extract from the experience of Nigerians the corruption of the police, we shall be happier because corruption the police affects life; corruption in the customs affects money; corruption in immigration affects getting me a passport, bringing in wrong persons. Corruption in NDLEA leads to bringing hard drugs for those who care to take it. But corruption in the police means life. Well, as far as I am concerned I am very optimistic of a very great Nigeria in the future. You see, there are some countries they have monumental problems and so they don't know where to start. I have enumerated our problems and I have told you that all these problems are what we can solve. Take away over-zealousness, selfishness, and over-eating, over-amassing wealth from the Nigerian people. We will get there. You hear of a Managing Director, N97 billion. What does he want to do with it? Billions and not millions, what is he going to do with such amount of money? So, Nigerians are by and large a voluminous people. They eat too much. They want so much. They do not have God in their minds.

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http://odili.net/news/source/2009/oct/6/411.html

This man is a buffoon, about as useless as frog tits, can't believe this once upon of time Minister of Information can be so misinformed.

this is an excerpt of the interview that i find particularly disturbing:

[b]Both. How do you see his records in those aspects?

What you have to understand is that if Yar'Adua does not appoint ministers, if the National Assembly does not appropriate fund to the ministries it is then you can blame Yar'Adua. Who is to blame? The ministers in charge of all these. There are times when you ought to blame the ministers you are blaming the President, no! If the president does not appoint a minister for information, does not appoint a minister for finance or a minister for agriculture and does not apportion to their ministries, then you blame the President. The people you ought to blame are the ministers not the President. If a minister comes out to say the money you gave me is not enough; what you gave me I have been able to do this and this, so, I need more and it is not given then you blame the President.

But then, the buck stops on the President's table. If a minister does not do well with the money he is given, he is supposed to be punished. If the President does not punish this kind of person, what then?

You questions are very hard and that is the last one. If a minister is indolent, if a minister is negligent, the President will be blamed. Oh, yes. Let me tell you, there are things you cannot hide. One of then is indolence. You cannot hide laziness. At the same time you cannot hide hard work, intelligent work, sincerity of purpose. These are things you cannot hide. Like you cannot hide poverty, you cannot affluence. [/b]

They are one and the same, the platform is the problem not the person it presents

They are both fools

Alex Akinyele is a cool old guy tho.

@POST

GOD forbid bad thing. They are birds of the same feathers .I'll pick a mix of Saddam Hussein & Osama Bin Laden over those two twats. Buncha Glorified Mofos.

chic2pimp:

@POST

GOD forbid bad thing. They are birds of the same feathers .I'll pick a mix of Saddam Hussein & Osama Bin Laden over those two twats. Buncha Glorified Mofos.

infact, i will pick an empty sit over those fools

^^^ Ahn Ahn . If you pick empty sit, nah who lead nigeria ehn?

who cares abt him, obasanjo or yar'adua.

Comparing Obj and Yar'uda is like comparing the Devil and Disaster!!!

Alex Akinyele is a professional sycophant of Nigeria politics. This man can say anything to gain favour from whoever is in power. The same man will tell you that IBB is the best thing since slice bread.

walata44:

Alex Akinyele is a professional sycophant of Nigeria politics. This man can say anything to gain favour from whoever is in power. The same man will tell you that IBB is the best thing since slice bread.

You must be confusing him with Olu saraki.

You must be confusing him with Olu saraki.

May be they are both bird of the same feathers.

MrCrackles:

Who is Akinyele BTW

Nigeria's Jesse Jackson. He loves to marry pretty foreign women.

chic2pimp:

^^^ Ahn Ahn . If you pick empty sit, nah who lead nigeria ehn?

Who is leading at present?
Human or goat?

The people we elect as president (figure), if we actually do, represent the

            state of the country. From ugly(Obasanjo) to sick (Yar'adua).