Before you cry me a river, please think tribelessly, think hopefully, think prosperity, think dignity and moderate ur egos.

I don't know this lady from adam but I think we need to think long term. This lady seems to lean to the western nations than the eastern nations which is well with me but she is an advocate for national independence with fair assistance. She is also a moderate african(not pan) which is understable due to her job but her patriotism to nigeria should not be underestimated. From my point of view, the igbos are not organised yet to field a candidate (reference for tribe hawks) eventho I like chime of Enugu state but tribe apart or included Okonjo/fashola ticket is a ticket for the begining of a better Nigeria in many levels of thinking. The will set the standard so high for a better Nigeria, the next president, and the populace. Corrupt officals will be caught if they bullsh*t becuz of the world bank connects and EFCC new platform to tackle corruption. The Igbos can come next with a better candidate/candidates to choose from after a okonjo/fashola ticket. After an igbo/middle belt ticket (with candidates that are pariotic nigerians first) the zoning should be reviewed because we shall not live by zoning alone religion can be the next formula with candidates that are nigerian first.

In a 4yr/8yrs OKONJO/FASHOLA TICKET i can expect (my view)
-Corruption cut by 75% or more with policies and logistical ways to curb them
-Education being a forefront in domestic polices
-Power supply dependency increased in a thoughtful manner and projects for long term dependency on the ground
-Nigeria in the forefront of global warming innovation and advocacy
-Security infrastructure internally will be way better than anything nigerians are used to because i forsee forensics playing a major role during their terms
-Election fairness under these two candidates can be viewed as 92%legit (i think i can count on that)
-accountability will be in the nigerian lingo (not just talking but actions to legitimize it)
-Respect of Nigerians in many parts of the world
-Different future developments with meaning in place
-a new nigerian psyche, a much respectful nigerians will come out of this.

These are my opinions and your opinions/honest critism without insults will be a development.

Balderdash @Poster!

i don't get it kobojunkie.

What happened to getting new folks in there? And when I say new folks, I mean new MEAT. Isn’t recycling part of the problem? Isn’t the idea to now move more power into the hands of the people rather than expecting those we elect to do it all for us?  I don’t care whose name goes up there, but shouldn’t we be more focused on getting people who are new/fresh and capable, rather than getting people who are POPULAR and possible incapable? I mean isn't it time we quit coming up with FANTASTIC reasons why we should vote for individuals, but rather have those individuals prove that they are capable of handling the responsibilities of the job we want to hire them for?


Here is something to consider. There is a difference between presenting YOUR personal laundry list of what you think people are capable of and actually considering the records of these people in order to determine if they are right for the job.

Say an employer wants to hire someone to do a job. Which is the best approach to ensuring that he gets the best candidate for his Laundromat? Should he approach the applicant with A or B below

a) I want an employee who will do my work for me, handle my clients, fax my documents, doing the dishes, washing the lavatory, and paint my office

b) As an employee, are you capable and willing to handle my clients, faxing my documents, doing the dishes, washing the lavatory, and paint my office?

We have done it the A way for decades now. We elect people with BOGUS dreams of what they will accomplish when in office. As soon as they get in and start showing us what they are truly capable of, we start to whine and complain of how someone else IMPOSED ‘em on us when we had their records to go by and to judge them carefully by, from the get go.

Okonjo Iweala is one woman I respect to be honest. I totally respect her for her intelligence. She really impressed me as Finance minister but again, she was in her terrain. As Foreign Affairs minister and without the backing of OBJ, she didn't live up and had to resign. That's where my concern is.

I think she will do more as a team member especially in the Nigerian context where you have to play the politics well enough. Its either that or we go radical and bone the politricks part. If thats the case, Il also suggest you bring in Ribadu and Fashola and ElRufai into the fold. Plus Ezekwesili.

Interesting note.

@kobo, New meat as you call it, is good but new meat from nowhere is not good. If that was the case, anyone that feels they can do it, will get in there and do the same thing. Some people, have good records and can do better when given the chance. Okonjo, to me is a new meat if you ask me. Some people feel nigeria has excess cash because they hear the amount stolen but the truth is Nigeria's money is limited and very limited compared to the last of the list in the developed nation, the stealing by officals just makes it worse and someone who knows this can know how to pull us through the mud. @ PROUDLY9JA, true talk but people do make mistakes and we are not even sure it was her fault what if she quietly didn't want to be an advocate for 3rd term and then all these allegations. Ribadu, rufai are also good but in a broader contest where honest critism is involved I don't think they can match okonjo-iwela like that.

Her campaign team are already on facebook but i doubt if the power that be will ever let her get there.

@naijaway, I like your proposal, especially your opening lines:

naijaway:

Before you cry me a river, please think tribelessly, think hopefully, think prosperity, think dignity and moderate your egos.

So far so good - and yes, we all should try and think objectively whether as Nigerians or others.

But the question that rang up my number was this: is Nigeria ready for a female President?

Now, I beg as in your OP that passionate people try not crying me a river; and no, I'm not being chauvinistic at all. I hope the very best for Nigeria. However, it would be such a great thing to have Nigeria experience the strength of a woman. Oh yes - there are many Nigerian women who have won my admiration and deepest respects, and the number just keeps climbing exponentially. My eyes were opened recently when I listened to a gift CD for this Christmas. . you could imagine my shock when I was told in no uncertain terms that what I listened to was produced 'at home by a true daughter!'

No, it's not the CD that gives me that much hope - but I think that it is plausible to hope and see this 'giant of Africa' say in this regard: we taught America to say 'Yes we can!'

However, I wouldn't like to dampen this hope in commenting on the manifesto below:

-Corruption cut by 75% or more with policies and logistical ways to curb them
-Education being a forefront in domestic polices
-Power supply dependency increased in a thoughtful manner and projects for long term dependency on the ground
-Nigeria in the forefront of global warming innovation and advocacy
-Security infrastructure internally will be way better than anything nigerians are used to because i forsee forensics playing a major role during their terms
-Election fairness under these two candidates can be viewed as 92%legit (i think i can count on that)
-accountability will be in the nigerian lingo (not just talking but actions to legitimize it)
-Respect of Nigerians in many parts of the world
-Different future developments with meaning in place
-a new nigerian psyche, a much respectful nigerians will come out of this.

Looks like these have been the same things that politicians have used in the past. They should be singing new tunes now - whether or not they will sell. One of my friends would giggle at the highlighted above and say: 'looks to me that sounds like another elaborate way to describe "white elephant projects"'.

Anyhow, take no notice of that quip - Mrs Iwela or some other 'true daughter' is on the horizon for President! Will 'she' emerge. .  of fail the prophecy?

@poster
Please listen to kobojunkie because I agree with her.

I recall in those days an uncle had a pressure stove (optimus) and he was a very impatient man. It was very difficult for him
to even boil water  and have a good bath and tea in the morning. After priming the stove, it goes full blast and suddenly the
flames cover the pot and stove. In fits of anger he used to fling the stove out of his room. You had to watch out , always .
This is where we are today with all these recycled people. Please encourage Nigerians to find fresh , healthy and refined minds.

Anything OBJ/PDP for me is danger- accident waiting to happen or it has even occured , na mortuary.

naijaway:

@kobo, New meat as you call it, is good but new meat from nowhere is not good. If that was the case, anyone that feels they can do it, will get in there and do the same thing.

There is no such thing as new meat from nowhere in this case. We are speaking of getting new names from among the millions of Nigerians out there who are more capable than those we consider more POPULAR, simple!!  

naijaway:

Some people, have good records and can do better when given the chance. Okonjo, to me is a new meat if you ask me.

She is NOT new meat if you really consider that she has been in the political arena herself for a while. When you consider her records, do you consider ACTUAL ACHIEVEMENTS or just the organizations she has been privy to have worked with in all the time you have come to know OF her?

naijaway:

Some people feel nigeria has excess cash because they hear the amount stolen but the truth is Nigeria's money is limited and very limited compared to the last of the list in the developed nation, the stealing by officals just makes it worse and someone who knows this can know how to pull us through the mud.

EVERYBODY in Nigeria, even the rest of the world KNOWS THE FACTS about Nigeria and corruption. Even a child born yesterday has had some time to taste of the consequences of it. It is NOTHING new and hence, should not be treated as if it is.  So we don’t need POPULAR to get the job done, we need PROVEN to get the job done and PROVEN is most times not popular.

But the question that rang up my number was this: is Nigeria ready for a female President? posted by viaro

On the same line that I said cry me a river, I also said moderate your ego ( am not saying you are not) but I think when one ask that they should moderate their egos and see her for who she is. Nigerians were not ready for yaradua/goodluck, they were not ready for anyone you see as your best president so far and in the same vein they are not ready for anything. There is vast hopelessness in Nigeria and that is a problem.  I think she can pull through if she makes the move in a thoughtful way.

@ citizen y, I agree that OBJ had some faults but that doesn't mean that anyone that worked under OBJ is faulty.

Bullshit, she wont perform.

naijaway:

But the question that rang up my number was this: is Nigeria ready for a female President? posted by viaro

What in the world has SEX to do with anything at this point? Why don’t we scale one mountain at a time? Is it really the case that the reason why Nigeria is not well government is because the country has no FEMALE president? Does anyone have PROOF of this or is this just us trying to CREATE an issue out of nothing, yet again?

naijaway:

On the same line that I said cry me a river, I also said moderate your ego ( am not saying you are not) but I think when one ask that they should moderate their egos and see her for who she is.

I don’t care who SHE IS. I care only of what she has achieved and how her achievements measure up when it comes to considering her a candidate. If she were to present her resume here today. Would her resume tell us that she has ACHIEVED enough to be CONSIDERED for the position? Or will it be filled with the usual ( big names but no substance) which is something we know of, too well, in Nigeria.

That you have worked with CITIBANK, CBN, and JPMCHASE etc does not make you an expert when it comes to financials. Your actual work experience and achievements make you an expert or non.

naijaway:

Nigerians were not ready for yaradua/goodluck, they were not ready for anyone you see as your best president so far and in the same vein they are not ready for anything. There is vast hopelessness in Nigeria and that is a problem.  I think she can pull through if she makes the move in a thoughtful way.

Nigerians were not ready for what? Roflmao!!! Whose problem is that? That we knew of an election, knew we could easily educate ourselves on the records of these men to ready ourselves for what was necessary but CHOSE not to do so, does not lift the blame off of us oo. IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS!! If, come 2011, we also choose not to be ready for the next batch of candidates, then I hope we will not come back with the same old excuses as it is already old at this point.

What happened to getting new folks in there? And when I say new folks, I mean new MEAT

how do you know if the new meat will taste nice ?

Kobojunkie:

There is no such thing as new meat from nowhere in this case. We are speaking of getting new names from among the millions of Nigerians out there who are more capable than those we consider more POPULAR, simple!!  

It is difficult to differentiate popular and proven   Sometimes, U cant.
Most personalities that are proven in their fields are popular. They became popular because they have been proven and not the other way round.

Even if U have a candidate who U think is capable but not popular, then I suggest U better start working on making the person more popular. Thats how elections are won or lost.

Kobojunkie:
 
She is NOT new meat if you really consider that she has been in the political arena herself for a while.  

I would prefer someone who knows how the system works than pick a greenhorn.

Dis Guy:

how do you know if the new meat will taste nice ?

Simple . . . RECORDS!!

Kobojunkie:

Simple . . . RECORDS!!

in the private sector or outside the country entirely?
considering anyone with Records in the nigerian political environment will be old meat

The woman is good, did a good job negotiating the debt and all that.
Fashola has done well in Lagos.
However, i am not sure if the 2 has what it takes for the nation to be healed
Like someone said earlier, do we have to keep recycling these people on the hope, they can do the job, only for us to find out that we have just wasted another 4 years or sometimes 8 years?
I think it is time for a complete overhaul to make sure we actually for the first time move in the right direction.

Uche2nna:

It is difficult to differentiate popular and proven   Sometimes, U cant.

I don’t believe so. If you are looking at someone’s records, then it is possible to tell if the person is PROVEN or not. If you are simply looking at the person’s popularity and trying to, at the same time look at record

Uche2nna:

Most personalities that are proven in their fields are popular. They became popular because they have been proven and not the other way round.

Not always the case but I believe in Nigeria’s case, most of our popular are not Proven

Uche2nna:

Even if U have a candidate who U think is capable but not popular, then I suggest U better start working on making the person more popular. Thats how elections are won or lost.

I am NOT for any particular person at all. I am more for checking RECORDS and verifying from that that we do have the right candidate. I could care less if the virgin Mary was on the ballot. I am more interested in what he/she has accomplished and the candidate’s ability to PROVE himself worthy of the position.

Uche2nna:

I would prefer someone who knows how the system works than pick a greenhorn.

New does not imply one is necessarily a greenhorn in this case. How the system works? Even those who are currently in there DO NOT all know how the system works.  I mean they know how to manipulate their way into getting what they want but do not all know how that system works or ought to work.

Dis Guy:

in the private sector or outside the country entirely?
considering anyone with Records in the nigerian political environment will be old meat

That is not true!

Kobojunkie:

Simple . . . RECORDS!!

Why do I think that your view is confusing.

You asked for new meat/new breed and the same time you ask for capable and tested hands. For them to be new meat means they are untested hands and to be declare capable means they have have been tested (not new)

You labelled Okonjo Iweala  old meat while at the same time you declared her incapable because she has not been been tested on the actual job. Confusing!!!

For me I don't think Okonjo Iweala is actually an old meat. I think she has not been tested enough.

But judging from the little she achieved from the little assignment she was giving as a finance minister, i will say she is worth trying.

In Nigeria, You can not have two southerners as president and vice president. I will recommend Ribadu as her vice.

OAM4J:
Why do I think that your view is confusing.

You asked for new meat/new breed and the same time you ask for capable and tested hands. For them to be new meat means they are untested hands and to be declare capable means they have have been tested (not new)

Wrong!!

OAM4J:
Y[b]ou labelled Okonjo Iweala  old meat while at the same time you declared her incapable because she has not been been tested on the actual job[/b]. Confusing!!!

Wrong!!! She is old because she has been on the political and POPULAR front/arena for some time now. She is not capable, in my view, because her records does not show her the sort of leader or worker I would want leading the country.  I said this before.


New Meat -- People with even proven records who have been in the backgrounds while those with next to no real records or achievements have been continually pushed in the faces of the people by the media or even the “godfathers”

Old Meat – Persons who have been in political seats, showed up on the POPULAR seat along with politicians, but have never really done enough to DESERVE the clout, or have not really achieved as much as to deserve positions bestowed on them


For example – Maurice Iwu, though not directly a politician, is OLD MEAT. He has been in the POPULAR lights for enough time to have his records at least match the clout and popularity but that has not been the case and so he is old incapable meat.

Obama, new meat with next to no experience. He did not even have the popularity but with the help of the people was able to get elected to seat of president and he knows that if he disappoints, he will never get over it.

OAM4J:

Why do I think that your view is confusing.

Thats because it is.

Kobojunkie:

I don’t believe so. If you are looking at someone’s records, then it is possible to tell if the person is PROVEN or not. If you are simply looking at the person’s popularity and trying to, at the same time look at record

Stop posting in very vague terms.
Going by records alone, what does that tell you about Okonjo-Iweala?
Are U saying that she is not PROVEN or NOT?
Give us an example of someone whom U think that is PROVEN, NOT POPULAR , NOT an "OLD MEAT" and yet considered a savant in the workings of the Nigerian  polity.

Kobojunkie:

Wrong!!


Wrong!!! She is old because she has been on the political and POPULAR front/arena for some time now. She is not capable, in my view, because her records does not show her the sort of leader or worker I would want leading the country.  I said this before.


New Meat -- People with even proven records who have been in the backgrounds while those with next to no real records or achievements have been continually pushed in the faces of the people by the media or even the “godfathers”

Old Meat – Persons who have been in political seats, showed up on the POPULAR [/b]seat along with politicians, but have never really done enough to DESERVE the clout, or have not really achieved as much as to deserve positions bestowed on them


For example – Maurice Iwu, though not directly a politician, is OLD MEAT. He has been in the POPULAR lights for enough time to have his records at least match the clout and popularity but that has not been the case and so he is old incapable meat.

[b]Obama, new meat with next to no experience. He did not even have the popularity but with the help of the people was able to get elected to seat of president and he knows that if he disappoints, he will never get over it.

So its by popularity you determine who is new or not? That is sooo WRONG.

And can you be magnanimous enough to tell us what her records that disqualified her from leading a nation like Nigeria.

Obama was a popular senator before becoming a president.

Mind you am not an Igbo. So am not defending a tribal sentiment

Kobojunkie:


New Meat -- People with even proven records who have been in the backgrounds while those with next to no real records or achievements have been

Like?

I am not campaigning for Okonjo's candidacy. However, U have not said anything tangible. Her track records show that she is not the one U want for Nigeria. How? U cant just make vague statements like that.

Proudly9ja revealed her concerns about the way she quit her appointment as the Minister of Foreign affairs. To me thats a genuine concern, although I am sure there was a lot to that than meets the eye given the strained relationship between her and Obj at that time.

OAM4J:

So its by popularity you determine who is new or not? That is sooo WRONG.

Where in the world did you get that from?

OAM4J:

And can you be magnanimous enough to tell us what her records that disqualified her from leading a nation like Nigeria.

No, how about we start with you telling us what, in her records, makes her a good candidate for the presidency.

OAM4J:

Obama was a popular senator before becoming a president.

Mind you am not an Igbo. So am not defending a tribal sentiment

NO he was not. Check your records, he was an UNKNOWN, even in his own state before he started running for the seat.

Uche2nna:

Like?

I am not campaigning for Okonjo's candidacy. However, U have not said anything tangible. Her track records show that she is not the one U want for Nigeria. How? U cant just make vague statements like that.

I am not campaigning AGAINST Okonjo’s candidacy. I do not owe you anything TANGIBLE in this case since all I am asking is that we look at a persons records and achievement, and consider new blood as well when picking or choosing.

Then I went ahead to state that IN MY VIEW, Okonjo DOES NOT have what it takes to be PRESIDENt because Her records that I know of DO NOT PROVE she is fit for the job.


So, please, let us NOT turn this into what it is not.

Poster

Buhahahaha. . . I think that sums my feelings up!

Kobojunkie:

I am not campaigning AGAINST Okonjo’s candidacy. I do not owe you anything TANGIBLE in this case since all I am asking is that we CONSIDER records and newness when picking or choosing.

Then I went ahead to state that IN MY VIEW, Okonjo DOES NOT have what it takes to be PRESIDENt because Her records that I know of DO NOT PROVE she is fit for the job.


So, please, let us NOT turn this into what it is not.

Kobo, U said the woman's records shows that she is not fit for the job. Didnt u anticipate that someone will ask U "what records are u talking about"?
I know that we NL folks have a penchant for making  unfounded claims but I am sure we have not gotten to this level. U say something and when someone asks u to expantiate, ur response is to start typing in caps?  

Kobojunkie:

Where in the world did you get that from?

Read your post. I highlighted your use of popularity about 3 times.

Kobojunkie:


No, how about we start with you telling us what, in her records, makes her a good candidate for the presidency.

I already stated mine. judging from her performances as Finance minister - transparency of Govt finances, budget performances, due process with no single accusation of being corrupt

let me not include her performances at the world bank.

Kobojunkie:


NO he was not. Check your records, he was an UNKNOWN, even in his own state before he started running for the seat.

A senator in the US is by no means unpopular in the light of wish you use the word popularity.

By the way must we gamble with untested hands, when there are trusted hands around?