Source: Daily Independent Newspaper

Date: June 26, 2007


Watch out Nigeria, you may lose it all!


That is the warning from Jerry Rawlings, the revolutionary who began to turn Ghana around from 1979, first as a military Head of State, then as a civilian President.   

He laughed off Nigeria on Sunday for not getting its act together.


Despite the talent and bravery of Nigerians, he charged in Lagos, the country has failed to provide leadership in Africa, having missed the opportunity to lead the continent at critical stages in the past four decades.


Rawlings spoke as a guest of Niteshift Coliseum’s Grand House Reception (GHR). He regretted that Nigeria is unable to exercise power and influence because of high grade corruption.


"The power of Nigeria’s President is almost close to 35 per cent of the whole of black African Presidential power", he argued. "Do you know what that means? Go and look at it, who is it that consumes 40 per cent of your oil? Do some statistics.


"It means the political power of Nigeria is so immense that if it is put to appropriate use, there is so much you can do to change the political, social, and economic paradigm of Africa. Do not toy with it; if you desecrate this power of yours, I’m sorry, you will lose your potency almost like the rest of us".


The audience comprised prominent Nigerians, including former External Affairs Minister, Bolaji Akinyemi; Eko Hospital Founder and Director, Sunny Kuku; Tunji Otegbeye; Maiden Ibru; The Guardian Editorial Board Chairman, Reuben Abati; and former Aviation Minister, Anthony Okpere.


Rawlings reminded them that much need be done to increase Africa’s political and economic power and so much the world looks up to Nigeria for "which you people do not seem to know about".


He agreed that despite the corruption for which Nigeria is famous, its people have not traded their political sagacity and boldness.


"Nobody is able to take Nigerians for a ride. There are not many black African countries, there are not many Arab countries in Africa, and in the Third World, that can point their fingers in the faces of their oppressors. They would all stand at attention and say ‘yes, sir’. But Nigerians would say no to their oppressors".


Rawlings, who in 2001 conducted election in which his party’s Presidential candidate, John Attah-Mills, lost to President John Kuffuor, admonished politicians to respect the electoral process and ballot results to avoid military coups.


He did not spare Ghana the tongue-lashing as he described it as the most corrupt country on the continent, apart from being a transit point for cocaine traffickers.


He lamented the brain drain from Africa to Europe and America, despite the humiliation of the Diaspora in the United Kingdom and the United States and such others.


"We all have a duty to make our countries a better place to live in and we cannot achieve that by going abroad. The country needs us and we have to stick it out here, whether we like it or not".


Rawlings challenged his listeners to ask him any question.


One requested to know if it is true he used his blood to sign the manifesto of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).


"I cannot recollect if I ever did that. And even if I did, I have no regret because that was just a tiny drop compared with those of others who laid down their lives for Ghana".

You can't just copy and paste a story here without a source. Please, indicate the page you copied this from!

Is that the only question Nigerians could ask?

@angel101,

Is that the only question Nigerians could ask?

Why not? Failure to provide a source is plagiarism which though is frowned on in the west, seems to be no big deal in Nigeria!

@ Tayo D
i meant the writing with his blood!

But he mentioned The Independent and i read the story 2 days ago

@angel101

you know that Nigerians are always interested in "Home Video-type" intrigues.

LOL!!

Interesting that he called Ghana the most corrupt country on the continent. I know that the Naija govt. workers in the audience must have laughed at that. Tinubu by himself probably chopped more money than Ghana's budget. He's just playing politics because he doesn't like Kufuor's government and they've had that recent scandal about diplomats acting as drug couriers.

I agree with most of what he said though. I think OBJ's era may be seen as a Rawlings-style turnaround in the near future. Rawlings was (and still is) hated and reviled by many Ghanaians during his tenure too, until they started reaping the benefits of the structures he created.

TerraCotta:

I agree with most of what he said though. I think OBJ's era may be seen as a Rawlings-style turnaround in the near future. Rawlings was (and still is) hated and reviled by many Ghanaians during his tenure too, until they started reaping the benefits of the structures he created.

that is to say that OBJ sowed a seed that will grow i the near future, u got it wrong dudu.

Rawlings said a lot of truth about Nigeria but as u know, no one follows up. I agree with terracotta for saying that OBJ sowed a seed for Nigeria's future that will play an important role of the development our country needs. Not an Obj supporter but wherever credit is due it should be given.
Is high time naija starts being a silent, intelligent, and a united leader in Africa and west Africa especially. That way we would begin thinking bigger and better in the sense of how we can project our nation for us and the future generations. I know we are not God, but there's a saying that says "people don't plan to fail, but they fail to plan"; I think we should heed to dat for real.

If you can't provide your source, we can't discuss the story. If you can copy the text, you can copy the source.