My dear compatriots, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), Muhammadu Buhari (MB) and Abubakar Atiku (AAA), I am constrained to write you this memorandum for two reasons: love for God and Country, a love I believe you all share and fear that we may lose the progress we have made at national integration, albeit minimally, over the years.

2. IBB: It comes to me as a surprise that what started as a Maradonic move to stimulate the polity and politics has gone on to suggest that you truly have ambition to be President of our potentially great country Nigeria (again!) the next time around. I do not quarrel with ambition of any sort, so long as it is legitimate and positive.

On the face value, yours is in this category. But then, on deeper reflection, I find it distressing that a man who God in His infinite mercy, gave the Presidency of this country to on the wave of unprecedented goodwill, and who bestrode this country like a Colossus for 8years (for good and evil) and blew it, still believes he should be given another chance. "To do what else?", I find myself asking. Is it because Nigeria has not yet developed to the extent that there are people, nay younger talents, to steer the ship of state? Is it the unceremonious end of your eight-year tenure that irks you so much that you want a more glorious end to your leadership story, somehow? Or, as a champion of your PDP's zoning arrangement, you discovered this is the time and opportunity to be a drum major for "the North" to redeem some perceived failure in the past? Is it not disgraceful (to us all) that in the twilight of the first decade of the 21st Century, a man who ruled Nigeria (gloriously or not) for eight years should be emphasizing the fractiousness of our peoples, rather than helping us come out of this dinosauric North-South dichotomy? My dear compatriot, mine is a small voice, but I urge you to reflect on it, deeply.

Never mind the urchins urging you on. Here is my suggestion to you, as I am convinced the purported basis for your un-ending ambition is that you believe you still can impact positively on this country: How about founding "THE IBRAHIM AND MARIAM BABANGIDA FOUNDATION FOR A BETTER LIFE IN NIGERIA (IMBFBLN)"? Through this Foundation and working tirelessly with the passion your late wife demonstrated in her "Better Life Programme" of yore, you would deploy your (alleged) stupendous wealth to the service of humankind, especially in Northern Nigeria, where POVERTY seems to be the middle name of the majority of citizens. In this way you will spend the evening of your lifetime (I believe you are already in your seventies now!) doing good, and redeeming your image better than getting into the fray of struggling to be President again, even if only for a purported one term. Even if you are now broke (a possibility) your name alone and the memory of your late wife will bring the money pouring into the Foundation - a win-win venture certainly. Think about this, sir.

2. MB: You should consider yourself a Comet in Nigeria's political firmament. I am no prophet, but let me assure you that your image, the basis of your new-found (?) and continuing ambition to be President, will burst like a bubble, should you by the slim chance on the board now, get to realize your dream. Believe me. You came at a time Nigeria needed your kind and God in His infinite mercy bestowed you on the country. As a military supreme you could do and/or undo. Not so, under a democratic setting where a hostile National Assembly could easily rubbish your good intentions and dreams and make you look incompetent or worse. That alone should, probably, not be a problem, however. But, like IBB you fought to unite this country under one flag and anthem. Should you be seen as promoting sectional interests and sentiments? I read in the papers that wherever you have trod since you were frustrated out of the ANPP you have refused to compromise, such that your popularity seems to be regional rather than national. I can assure you that even at that regional level (North) you will be surprised. Sir, there comes a time when a man should own up that the game is over. For you, this is the time and so, I suggest you start the "MUHAMMADU BUHARI FOUNDATION FOR ANTICORRUPTION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA (MBFAGGN)". Through this Foundation you will actively give the next generation a new direction and hope, for a better Nigeria, governed by men and women of integrity. Money I hear you don't have. But this instrument will not be scarce should you embark on this venture. Nigeria is in dire need of genuine elder statesmen and anticorruption crusaders. Step forward, please!

3. AAA: My dear Abubakar, yours is a simple case: the game was over even before it began! Thanks to OBJ and your own prostitutions antics. Rather than act as a spoiler, which you now come across as doing, for once engage in a venture that will redeem your image and transform you into a national hero. Wouldn't it be a thing of joy and comfort to Nigerians if "THE ATIKU ABUBAKAR FOUNDATION FOR CREDIBLE ELECTIONS AND GENUINE DEMOCRAY IN NIGERIA (AAFCEGDN)"steps forward to lead other Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in the fight on election rigging? As a man who is reputed to have had the most efficient election-winning machine (no pun intended please!) which OBJ benefitted from just as UMYA (the Honest, of blessed memory) did, I believe you know what it takes to rig an election. Who better to stop it? My advice, Sir: PLEASE deploy your moneybag and wealth of experience to this cause and see what blessings and glory will come to you, courtesy of the support and prayers Nigerians would have bestowed upon you, thereby.

4. In conclusion, gentlemen, you are all reasonable men and patriots of the Nigeria we are praying to have for ourselves, our children and children's children. I urge you to borrow a leaf from great statesmen like Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair, Al Gore, Bishop Desmond Tutu; learn from kind hearts like Bill and Melinda Gates, T.Y. Danjuma etc. There is life beyond politics and/or after politics - you can still impact on your world, to be sure, NIGERIA (even if only a part thereof) without necessarily playing politics, the kind that has been and is on stage in Nigeria now. Your Fellow Compatriot