₦airaland Forum

Based on the report of EFCC and the finding of the 5-man adminstrative panel of inquiry, there is nothing to suggest that Atiku is culpable of the offence for which he is accused.  The report did not say money is missing, only that the VP used his influence and good offices in making sure that the Petroleum Development fund found its way into the coffers of a bank and the bank used the money to extend credit facilities to its customers.  This is a ridiculous finding and an insult to the collective intelligence of all Nigerians.

If anybody is not convinced that OBJ is not sincere in using EFCC to rooting out corruption but to use it as a vehicle of vindictiveness and vendetta against his political enemies what further conviction does that person needs?.   The EFCC said on the instruction of Atiku, the parastatal's money was lodged with a bank and subsequently, the bank bouyed by its deposit base, fund the investment needs of its customers.   Of course, Banks are in the business of accepting deposits and granting credits/loans and it is not the prerogative of the government to influence who gets what loan from the bank, except for macro economic policies in which case the Central Bank will be involved.  To do this is petty, and amounts to nail him at all cost posturing by the president, who himself is not a saint.

For a bank to be able to grant loans, it needs to have a big deposit base.  Since when has it become the norm for government to be perusing the books of a bank to determine the beneficiaries of a bank loan?  That is the statutory function of the CBN and the NDIC, and not one for EFCC.
It is all part of the grand design by a vindictive President (who is vendetta personified) to using the instrument of State, to wit the EFCC and its stooge head Nuhu Ribadu to get even with his perceived opponents through crook and fraudulent means.

Why does the EFCC not suggest a linkage of the $50 million deposit made by the Petroleum fund to the 250 million naira donation given to Obasanjo Presidential Library by Globacom chairman instead of a legitimate loan transaction made by his bank, Equatorial Trust Bank?  At least it is more prudent to do that because Obasanjo betrayed the public trust and confidence reposed in him when he accepted that donation as a sitting president.

In a similar case involving OBJ during his first time as Head of State in 1978, the rumour was rife then about the case of $2.8 billion dollars that was missing, concidentally from Petroluem fund from NNPC coffers (Fela wrote a satire song about the episode).  Marinho, a friend of OBJ was the MD of NNPC and I think Buhari was the Petroleum Minister then.  A documentary was done by Onyeka Onwenu, then of NTA to alert the nation about the missing money.  The government of OBJ later told the nation that the money was not missing.  It was traced to a certain person's account and recovered.  Marinho was not touched, but Onyeka Onwenu was forced to leave NTA.

@Dotmance

You have the will power to believe whatever, but the truth is told to you by NICO.  If the flow of blood in your veins is obstructed in any form, you will naturally be subjected to a temporary paralysis in the part of obstruction until the blood flow is normalized.

@ Ugwumba

Read this article from Independence news. It offers an insight on what led to the resignation of Okonjo-Iweala.

http://www.independentngonline.com/news/183/ARTICLE/10354/2006-09-03.html

@Odeku,
SAP is not a loan but a set of programs aimed at restructuring an economy that is structurally imbalanced.  It is akin to a prescription by a doctor to a patient who is sick.  The Doctor in this case was the IMF and the patient was the Nigerian nation.  I am sure you are aware that prior to April 1988 when SAP was introduced, more than 95% of our foreign exchange earnings were derived from crude oil export and the rest 5% were from Agriculture and other sectors.  SAP was introduced to diversify the export base of the economy to reduce the over-dependence on crude oil export.  I do not see anything wrong with the program in itself.  The problem lies in its implementation by the military administration of IBB.

Did anybody remember the Okija shrine saga? Where is that shrine located? I know for sure that the people from that part of the country are 99% devotee of a certain religion, yet they believe in the fetish power of the Okija shrine.

It is on record that one of the governors of the area (now removed by the court) who happens to be a Medical Doctor and a Catholic devotee I suppose, was made to swear on oath to the god of the shrine. I think it is apposite to say that the people of that area have more faith in voodoo and their traditions than the religion they practice. At least the example of given above attests to this claim.

@ Otokx
You are not alone.  I agree with you.

Yes, the country has a plethora of problems.  If there is anything that the country lacks, definitely, prayer is not one of them. Nigeria is swimming in an avalanche of prayers, yet her problem has not abated.

dayokanu:
Or probably Nasrallah,Bin laden and Al zarqawi knew all the while that there are nothing like 72 chics and pool of beer anywhere. You can get 72 virgin in any village anywhere in the world and pool of beer in Nigerian Brewery factory you don't have to kill people to get all those GOODIES I am sure God or Allah can fight his own battle and does not need any terrorist/suicide bomber to do it for him

It is fascinating to read that some intelligent and well-informed people are beginning to understand that the real motivation for the relentless attack by the Arabs has nothing to do with virgins as the western media and their patrons want gullible people to believe.

Here is what one person said in a letter to a major Newspaper in Mid-Western US: "Why are people in other part of the world willing to give up their lives to hurt us? I'am sure it is not 10,000 virgins that motivate them. More like 10,000 homes in ruins, and the perception that the future promises no better. It is long past time for a politics that begins with the intelligent naming of real problems that must be addressed in intelligent and compassionate ways."

If you are completely sold on the virgin dogma as preached to you by the Western media and you do not want to question their rhetorics, please spare us the agony of reading the same stuff time and time again. We need to move on.

If truth must be told, EFCC is a welcome development to fight corruption and white collar crimes in Nigeria. What we can ill afford is the half-hearted, insincere and selective prosecution that is being practiced by the EFCC under the manipulation of Aso Rock.

Unless you want to be economical with the truth, you cannot say unequivocally that the present admin is not using the EFCC to pursue vendatta against its perceived enemies or political opponents. To achieve real progress in the fight for the eradication of corruption, government must give the EFCC true autonomy and let the commission pursue its duties without let or hinderance. Only then can we say the EFCC is living to its billing.

I am in full agreement with Jackal that Ribadu is not doing anything special. If you give a fool authority, and you back up that authority with power of arrest and prosecution, he/she will do the same thing. If Ribadu want us to perceive him as a champion of the masses in the eradication of corruption, he has to show us that he has the gut to be a dogged fighter, a person of integrity and an incorruptible mind. His seeming lack of independence and willing acquiescence with Aso Rock in allowing OBJ to dictating and setting the agenda as to when and who to prosecute does not make him a hero that is worth emulating.

If you are still in doubt about the manipulation of Ribadu and the instrument of EFCC by OBJ please read this article that appeared in the ThisDay edition of Sunday August 13, 2006:

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=55533

@malik

m4malik:
@Abeem,

Thanks for your response. First, I'd like you to understand that the background of the Sharia is very questionable. As long as Muhammad claimed to have been sent by the same God who speaks in the Bible, we should examine his claims by that same standard. You will not find any semblance of the Sharia in the Bible such that an apostate is put to death. This is what Muslims have not understood and so continue to take Muhammad's claims to be divine simply because he said so. His moral life alone should make any unbiased reader know that he was not sent by God as a prophet.

Your points are well noted.  However, I don't agree with you that the background of Sharia is questionable; that is your viewpoint and the contention of those against Islam.  To all Muslims out there, there is no pretence about Sharia being divinely revealed.  You are entitled to your opinions but having said that, I want you to be mindful of how you represent the character of the Holy Prophet, because no matter how much you hated him, nor the extent of your rage for his religion, as well as your vitriolic remarks about his life, you cannot affect or change the belief of those who trusted in him and the message he brought to mankind.  And remember there are billions out there, so bear in mind the futility of your mission.

If a house is built on a false foundation, it will not last long before it crumbles to its foundation.  There was an example of such in Lagos in recent days.  But if your house is built on concrete/stone, it will stand the test of time.  Now if as you claimed the religion was not divinely revealed as claimed by the Prophet Muhammed, how come it is still waxing stronger more than 1400 years afer his demise? Well it is built on truth and try as you could, the flame of falsehood and propaganda motivated by hate and disdain for the person of the Holy Prophet cannot extinguish the light of Islam.  

m4malik:
Now why should the Sharia apply to everyone living in a state who are not Muslims? Take the case of Nigeria, for example. When the Sharia was unconstitutionally imposed in some of the northern states, did they recognize and respect the rights of indigenes in those states who are non-Muslims? Now, the Muslim authorities may claim that the Sharia is divine, but how do we know that God actually spoke to them to unconstitutionally impose the Sharia in a secular state, in reckless disregard of the Federal Constitution that ensures a right to the life and safety of the citizens of the country? Since when has Nigeria become an Islamic country that the Sharia could be so imposed in some of her states in total disregard of an existing constitution - all in the name of "the divine origin of Sharia"?

If the people of a State in their wisdom wants to adopt a law, it does not matter if there are dissenting voices inasmuch as they constitute a minority, their dissent does not matter. I am sure you appreciate that in a democracy (as practiced in Northern States), the majority holds the ace.  My previous references to the two states in the US each having different laws on a particular crime is apposite in this context.  Yes, the constitution of the Federal Govt. says the country is a secular country (meaning the country will not willy-nilly impose a particular religion on Nigerians) but the State have the freedom to adopt the religion they desire.  Are you left in doubt as to the possibility of the OBJ admin (the president having admitted for the umpteen times that he is a born again Christian) not challeging the Northern States if this is not the case.   Having said that, a Christian living in a State governed by Sharia can object to trial under Sharia and his objection will hold.  Can you give an example of a Christian who was tried under Sharia Law against his objection? I am waiting for an answer.

m4malik:
There, you made my point. I am no longer safe as a Nigerian simply because I chose to leave Islam after having discovered it for what it actually is. Another person is no longer safe as an Afghan and needs to be chased out of his country for the same reason. Muslims love the protection offered in secular states, especially by the democracies of the West; but they can't stand the heat themselves experienced in their own "divine" rule of law.

Let me ask you something: what makes me a Nigerian or citizen of any country - my religion or my birthright?

To be quite honest with you, there are millions of innocent Muslims even within Muslim countries who would rather do without the Sharia; and we know that millions more who have migrated to Western democracies enjoy the freedom to do without some of the impositions of Muhammad's ideology in Islam, such as the Jilbab or Burq'a (although no punishments are ordained for the contravention of dress codes in Islam).

Even within Islam there is a disavowal of the indiscrimate taking of people's lives (although this is yet to be seen on the practical side). Murder and manslaughter are very serious crimes that even non-religious governments discountenance. But it is quite another thing that an innocent person who committed no murder should be killed for simply changing his faith.

Then it is not for Muslims to question the logic, civil and constitutional rights of any people to live in peaceful co-existence in a secular state. When the Sharia is unconstitutionally imposed in any state served by a federal consitution, that move should and must be questioned by all means. In a civilized world, it is very uncivilized for anyone to murder another person in the name of a religion that is too afraid to be examined in light of the collective conscience of sagacious and judicious citizens of any country.

There is no point overflogging this issue.  If you contravene a law, you must face the music.  Abdul-Rahman of Afghanistan obviously know that Afghanistan law does not take kindly to apostasy yet he chose to confront the law.  That is an affront. It would have been wise to simply leave or renounce his citizenship of Afghanistan and go live elsewhere where apostasy is not a crime.  Same thing applies to anybody who fears retribution for apostasy.  If you feel your freedom to practice your new found religion is infringed upon by your State but you are powerless because it is against the law of you State, why for God sake do you want to remain in a place you know you are despiced and unwanted? I call it an affront to established law of the State.

I cannot fathom what you mean by protection by Western Democracies.  I do not see the idea of women not wearing Burq'a or Jilbab as a form of protection.  Just because there is no regulation does not imply the government is protecting the women.  I am sure if it part of their law for women to wear Burq'a or Jilbab, they will definitely punish errant behaviour.  

Please refrain from judging a people from your perceived level of "civilization".  You cannot impose your civilization or belief system on a people if you think their law or way of live offend your sensibilities.  There is a term for it in Sociology, it is called ethnocentric.

m4malik:
@belloti,

I understand your concerns and should recognise your call for peaceful co-existence between people of various religions.

The problem many people have, however, is that Muhammad set a precedence for killing people indiscriminately, so that it becomes necessary to ask what criteria are used for judging one as "innocent" and another as "guilty".

Take for instance, even when modern Muslims are claiming now that Islam says NO to the killing of "innocent" souls, whose regional sovereignty are they defending when they kill converts from Islam to other faiths?

I understand your concerns on this matter, being a convert from Islam to Christianity.  But the answer to your question is very simple.  You see, nations the world over have a set of basic laws and principles or set of rules and guidelines that their citizens are governed by.  It does not matter if as an individual you do not approve of some of the laws; the laws is applicable to all and sundry. If you do not like a law and you run foul of it, you will be prosecuted by the authorities to the full extent of the law.

Laws are formulated and written by elected representatives of the people into what is called the constitution.  Some countries, especially those who profess the Islamic faith, do not think of man as an impartial lawgiver and chose the Sharia, a set of laws of divine origin.  Now if you are a citizen of those Islamic countries who have agreed to be bounded by Sharia laws, and you run foul of any of its laws, i.e. becoming an apostate, when you know the penalty for the offense, would you blame Islam or yourself for your fate?

Lets try another analogy.  I live in the US in the State of Michigan.  This State is considered a liberal state when it comes to death penalty.  In the State of Texas in the same US, if you are found guilty of murder by the jury, the penalty for the crime is death sentence.  Now I am not equating the offence of murder with apostasy but my point is on the rule of law.  If you want to become an apostate, you can go live in a country that is governed by a different constitution and no harm will come to you.  Similarly, a murderer can go on a killing spree in Michigan and if he is caught, he is sure to be convicted and given life sentence but not face death penalty.  If however the same crime is committed in Texas, the fate of the criminal is sealed by death penalty.
Why the disparity in the penalty in the two States, afterall the crime is both murder? Well, it is what the people of both States approved as laws in their statute books.

In the EU, the death penalty had long been abolished but they are always appalled by the fact that the death penalty has not been totally abolished in the US. It is not for a non-Muslim to question the logic or otherwise of a people wanting to be governed by Sharia. If the people want it, why can't they have it.  It is only non-Muslims who always think of Sharia laws as unbecoming of the civilized world.

Might is not right, most people of wisdom believes.  But then, there are some who although want to export freedom and democratic ideals to you at all cost, will stop at nothing to achieve their objective. They can turn dictatorial and ram their belief system down your throat.  Remember the quote: "You are either with us or you are with the terrorists".   But that was 2001. This is 2006.  

The EU member states has no reason to believe Hezbollah is a terrorists organization.  They rejected the plea by US congressmen asking them to label the defender of the people of Lebanon as terrorist.  See http://wpherald.com/articles/668/1/EU-rejects-US-call-to-label-Hezbollah-terrorist-group/Calls-situation-quotsensitivequot.html:

The EU obviously know better.  These are people with conscience who feel they have no reason to mortgage their conscience and be hoodwinked into accepting falsehood as truth. The truth is Hezbolla is only fighting Israel because Israel has a long history of attacking Lebanon, uprooting their people from their land and destroying their infrastructures.

The Lebanese government believes Hezbollah is a resistance movement that is only bent on liberating its land and people from Israel.   I believe the government and not what some people in Washington want the world to believe.

The Mid - East needs peace but not on the terms that is dictated by the US, because it has clearly demonstrated over the weeks that it cannot be an impartial arbiter.  It is common knowledge that the administration is under the yoke of rabid right -wing Christian fanatics with unwavering support for Israel.  I hope both parties will allow wise counsel to prevail and let peace reign supreme.

I do not think our backwardness stems from visionless leadership.  You may not agree with me, but I believe all the leaders have visions of how to make the country great. They always have people brainstorm on how to make things better for the country. One of them even went a step further to establish the VISION 2010 project but like other lofty dreams the leaders have dreamt of, nothing has come out of it. Problem is they don't have the courage and the much needed political will to do what is right and just. 

Corruption, that cankerworm which has eaten deep into the economic fabric of the nation, is the bane of Nigeria's backwardness.  Corruption is Nigerians second nature and nobody is immune from it from the leader to the led. 

How do we get out of the morass we found ourselves.  By investing large scale in education.  Education is the key to escaping ignorance and it is the sure path that leads to a country's greatness.  It is also a vehicle for eradicating hunger and poverty.  According to UNESCO, "investing in secondary and tertiary education – and not just primary education - pays rich dividends, and by raising the level of post-secondary educational attainment, increased human capital can translate into steady economic growth."

I recall that Pat Utomi was a part of the Management Team of Volkswagen of Nigeria, (VON). Actually he was the Deputy Managing Director of VON in the eighties. I think he became the MD after the expatriate MD left Nigeria. The company eventually bucked and there were talks by Nigerian businessmen like late MKO Abiola making overtures to buy the company, but the Federal Government frustrated those efforts.

Prof. Utomi eventually left the company to set up the Lagos Business School. What is the story of Volkswagen of Nigeria today? I don't know. Does anybody know? Over to you supporters of the Prof.

I am not sure many people in this forum know who Justice Ligali Ayorinde was.  Well, he was the Chief Judge of Lagos State, who in a highly controversial ruling in 1988? against Chief Gani Fawehinmi spoke of IBB as KABIYESI. For the uninitiated, Kabiyesi is a Yoruba word, and the context he used it was to say IBB cannot be made to answer for the tort or miscarriage of any of his actions as the paramount ruler of Nigeria Kingdom.  Chief Gani Fawehinmi had sued IBB and his Director of Intelligence Chiefs, Brigadier-Gen Alilu Akhilu and Togun for killing Dele Giwa of Newswatch magazine on October 19, 1986 through parcel bomb.  He awarded a monetary damage of #6.000,000.00 against Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

To the supporters of Israel and their main backer and Chief supplier of ammunition, the US, they can do no wrong.  After all whatever action the Israelis take against the aggression of the “terrorist” is in self defense and is therefore justified. The world cannot make them answerable for killing innocent civilians and children because they are the God’s nation.
Not many people will recall the target killing/assassination of Palestinians by Israeli Defense.  It does not matter.  They are all terrorists. 

Before the latest skirmishes between Hizbollah and Israel began, Israel killed seven Palestinians including three children at a beach in the Gaza strip in June.  See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5065008.stm
Did you hear it in the CNN or Fox News?  No. I heard the story on BBC and the Israeli Army initial reaction was to deny it (remember they denied the deliberate bombing of the UN observers) but after much pressure , they agreed to investigate the "accident".  Compare this to the kidnapping of 2 soldiers and the destruction of lives and infrastructures in Lebanon that ensued. Who do we blame? I think both sides are guilty. If the US is genuinely interested in finding peace for Israel, then it must look beyond the military option. Hizbollah is an ideology that cannot be defeated by military might but by genuine peaceful effort.

@Revolution
I am also in support of Buhari.  Because Nigeria needs a strong-willed, tested, selfless and committed politician with honesty of character and high moral standards, I think Buhari fits the bill.   Buhari has a proven track record of selfless service.
For the brief spell he held sway as Head of State,  the country toed the part of orderliness; Corrupt politicians were jailed; The country was frugal in its expenditure; The currency was changed within two weeks to checkmate its smuggling outside; Part of the IMF loan taken by the OBJ and Shagari Administrations were paid etc.

The evil that men do lives after them, the good is often interred in their bones - (William Shakespare in Julius Ceaser).
Even though he is still living, isn't it pathetic that for somebody that ruled for eight years (from August 27, 1985 to August 27, 1993) we cannot remember the good things he accomplished in office. As I lay back on my bed writing this reply I began to reminisce on the bad things he did while in office, and I feel sorry for Nigeria if he is allowed to dribble his way into governance again. I say NEVER AGAIN.

IBB's chicken is finally coming home to roost, and nemesis will catch up with him. I see the law of retributive justice coming into play here and nobody will shed crocodile tears for him. Did you recall his famous statement: "We don't know who will succeed us but we know those who will not?"

@ Odeku

Our people says if you see a creature is dancing on top of water, there must be a drummer underneath the water.  The whole Vasta saga is nothing but an orchestrated attempt by the unscrupulous elements in the PDP to thwart the ambition of IBB.  To get a gist of what I am saying read this article which appeared in the Sunday Tribune of July 30, 2006:

PDP primaries guidelines out Atiku, Kalu, IBB, Turaki in tight corner
Lanre Adewole, Abuja - 30.07.2006
The chances of Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to clinch the Peoples Democratic Party {PDP}, presidential ticket may have been finally sealed by the final guidelines for the party’s primaries scheduled for this year.

A copy of the guidelines dated 21st June, 2006 and signed by the party’s national Chairman, Senator Ahmadu Ali and National Secretary, Ojo Maduekwe, has been seen by Sunday Tribune.

Another leading presidential aspirant on the party’s platform, former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida may also be stopped by the guidelines, if political permutations by those controlling the party leadership, did not favour his emergence.

Two other presidential aspirants, Governors Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia state and Saminu Turaki of Jigawa state, may have also kissed their ambition good-bye on the platform of the ruling party, due to the guidelines.

Sunday Tribune gathered from a high-ranking party official that section 2 {c} of the guidelines would be used by forces opposed to the Atiku and Kalu’s presidential ambition, especially Atiku’s, to do them in.

The provision reads: “Subject to the provisions of the 1999 constitution and any other applicable law, an aspirant to the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be eligible to be nominated or to contest the primary elections, if he has been indicted for any misconduct set out in Article 21{1} of the constitution of the party and has been punished in accordance with Article 21{7}.

Both are currently being tried by the national hierarchy of the party, with our source disclosing that they would be found guilty of anti-party activities, given their party’s platform.

Plans are said to be underway for the anti-graft bodies, especially the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission {EFCC}, to drag the Minna-born retired general to court over alleged corrupt practices while in office, which may be used as an excuse to bar him from the primaries, even if the court had not pronounced him guilty.

Section 2 {h} of the guidelines says; “ Subject to the provisions of the 1999 constitution and any other applicable law, an aspirant to the office of the President of Nigeria shall not be eligible to be nominated or to contest the primary elections, if he has been indicted for embezzlement or fraud by a court of competent jurisdiction”

[b]The Vatsa saga was also allegedly exhumed for the wife to drag Babangida to court for culpable homicide, with the pendancy of the matter in court or its resolution being used as an excuse to bar IBB.[/b]Section 2 {f} provides that an aspirant shall not be eligible if “he has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria or within the Commonwealth or elsewhere for any offence involving homicide, fraud or dishonesty or the sale or use of narcotic drugs or any other psychotropic substance”.

For Saminu Turaki, who recently defected to the ruling party from the All Nigeria Peoples Party {ANPP}, sub-section 2, seems to have taken care of his presidential aspiration.

The provision provides that an aspirant shall not be eligible if; “he has not been a member of the Peoples Democratic Party {PDP} for at least two years preceding the primary election except if waived by the National Executive Committee of the party”.

The same provision applies to the governorship ambition of the former National Chairman of the ANPP, Chief Donald Etiebet, who returned back to the ruling party to actualize his dream to be Akwa-Ibom state governor.

Though, he was a member of the ruling party before he defected to the ANPP, a source at the PDP secretariat revealed to Sunday Tribune that Etiebet would be treated as a new member.

Another highlight of the guidelines is that while all female aspirants at all levels are exempted from the payment of prescribed nomination fee, presidential aspirants on the platform of the party are to pay #5milllion, while the governorship aspirants are expected to pay #3million.

Another provision of the guidelines stipulates that; “In a presidential primary election, the result shall be ascertained by counting the votes cast for each aspirant and no aspirant shall be declared nominated or elected as the flag bearer of the party unless he has polled at least 50% of the votes cast”.

One national delegate shall also be elected through a special Local Government Party Congress, from each local government, to participate alongside the others in the presidential primaries.


I am not an IBB supporter but I am just amused by the clandenstine activities of those elements in PDP.  It is not about finding justice for Vasta but it is about checkmating IBB (causing confusion) and thereby furthering the chances of OBJ who is still behaving like a wounded lion going on rampage.
Let keep our arms folded and see how the future events plays themselves out.

@Revolution
Honestly I do not have answers to your questions but I do know for a fact that it is very easy to make money if you have investments in the stock market.  For a person like Buhari, he can be a multi-millionaire many times over without stealing.  Here is how.

As a man of small means, I bought a 2000 shares worth #4000 in a company in 1992.  By 1997, my investment in that single company was worth over #200,000.  I have shares in other companies like Mobil Oil, First Bank, Union Bank, Agip Oil and a plethora of other companies.  My worth in all these companies is worth  millions.

In those days when the shares of major companies were privatised, you can obtain loans from the Banks and have the loan paid off within one or two years with dividends and repayments from your monthly income.  How do I know this. I was employed at First Bank and worked at the Loans and Advances department for a number of years. I do know for a fact that a lot of VIPs took opportunity of this economic program to their maximum advantage.

Fact 2: While I was in Nigeria, I advised one of my Managers to buy shares in Union Bank when it was on offer at #2 for 1 share.  He bought 50,000 shares worth #100,000.  By the anniversary of the purchase, the bank declared a bonus of one share for every share held.  That brought his holdings to a total of 100,000 shares. By that date, the price of the shares had increased to #10.00, so that his investment of #100,000 had grown to #1,000,000.  That was 1991.  That initial investment of #100,000 would be worth more than #20,000,000 with bonuses the bank had declared over the years if not sold.

Fact 3: I was in Nigeria in 2001 and went to see one of my Managers at First Bank at his residence.  He had just retired as Assistant General Manager.  He was given a good retirement package to retire.  I told him to invest #3,000,000 in First Bank.  That sum bought him close to 300,000 shares.  Between 2001 and this year, the bank had declared stock dividends.  I cannot remember how much was declared between 2002 and 2004. But in 2005, First Bank declared I shares for every four held.  That brought his holding to 375,000. This year it is one for one, meaning if you own 375,000 shares, your shares will double to 750,000.  The current market price of those shares is currently around #60.00.  So you can see that my friend who had invested #3,000,000 in First Bank in 2001, will today be worth more than #40 million.

Imagine a person like Buhari.  With his exalted position, one thing that he will not lack is investment opportunities by virtue of the office he once occupied and even if he doesn't have the resources personnally, the banks will help out.

@ Texazzpete
This is a public forum meant to educate and inform ourselves.  That you disagree with other people's point of view does not give you the freedom/latitude to rain abuses or use uncouthworthy language in condemning and ridiculing people who hold contary views.  People will measure your intelligence by how well you articulate your viewpoint and not by how versatile you are at insulting those who hold opposing views.

[quote author=Jay-O-Jay link=topic=18436.msg531839#msg531839 date=1154199973]There is no place in the world where corruption crime have been completely eliminated in in the advanced world(countries). U can only bring them to the bearest minimum. Thinkinking forcing people on to their knees will eliminate them you can only be wrong! The answer is mass education! letting everybody know his right from his left hand, gainful employment and letting people have the feel of living at all, which no government has given seriously attention. Those were the visions of the likes of Azikiwe, Awolowo, MKO, Bola Ige, Enahoro, Tai solarin, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Jakande, Gani Fawehinmi, Prof. Pat Utomi to mention but few. These are the people that were and are trying to do the right thing but the brainless military think it's all about force. They have always failed & they will continue to fail.[/quote].

The statement is very true.  Even in the US, there have been cases of governors been convicted of corruption.  In a recent case similar to the collapsed building in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, there was a tunnel built with tax-payer's money that did not meet up with the required engineering standard and part of it gave way crushing a car and killing one of the occupants in the car. This is how a commentator put it: "$14 billion stolen by crooked democrats for a shoddy, third rate, sub-standard construcion that is disintegrating and killing people. The Big Dig was supposed to cost $3 billion. The rest was stolen."  See picture below. So no nation is immune from corruption after all.  What is necessary to get rid of the tendency to fall for greed and avarice that is present in human nature is to have good education, and above all, necessary social institutions that will prevent and deter people from corrupt enrichment.

Having said that, I do not think religious acrimony would let us achieve our objectives of having good governance in the country.  The country is too polarised along the religious divide that honest people with proven integrity and honest leadership will not have the support of a cross-section of Nigerians.  I am particulary piqued by the posting of some people saying that Buhari is a supporter of Islamist terrorist when in fact they have no evidence to support their claim.  It does not matter that that was the claim of politicians whose intentions were and will be to discredit their opponents in order to hoodwink the electorates into getting their votes. 

In politics, it is better to judge people by their antecedents, by what they stood for, what they achieved in the past and what visions they have for a better tomorrow.  The electorates must learn to read between the lines and not be influenced by bias or prejudice in discriminating in favor or against a politician for their religious leaning.

The answer is NO. But the sad fact is that money is the deciding factor, so if you are not a moneybag, you stand no chance of getting nominated by your party.
People have asked this type of question in the past, when it appears the same set of politicians are being recycled each election time. It is a case of new wine in old bottle or vice-versa. Politics is a game of money and because past rulers have excess of it and are literally swimming in it, you cannot get rid of them by wishful thinking.

The hand is the hand of Esau but the voice is the voice of Jacob.  This war is not about securing the release of two soldiers who are not dead but it is a proxy war being waged by the Israel Defense Force for their ally, the US.  And by the way, the soldiers were not captured from Israel but from the Lebanese territories.  Nobody has queried what the soldiers are doing in the Lebanese territory if not to provoke an assault or aggression

So far the IDF has been indiscriminate in its use of the aerial bombs and more than 600 innocent civilians and children have been killed.  The latest in such dastard act is the killing of 54 people in an overnight bombing of a Qana, a Southern Lebanon village in which 34 of the victims were children. See:
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/34-youths-among-56-dead-in-israeli/20060728045409990004?ncid=NWS00010000000001

In one breath the US has stated that it supports the IDF and in another it says it is interested in protecting the fragile democracy of Lebanon. The US wants to have it both ways: Eat their cake and have it.  I think the Lebanese people know who their true friends and foes are. This makes me to recall what the Late MKO Abiola in answering a question posed to him by journalists after June 12 1993 elections impasse about IBB being his friend.  He said, “With a friend like him, i.e. IBB, you sure don’t need an enemy”. I say with a friend like the US, the Lebanese people don’t need an enemy. The enemy of my enemy is my enemy, is my enemy, is my enemy.  By siding with the IDF in continuing the aggression against the whole Lebanon, by supplying the IDF with bombs, aircrafts and other logistics, the US has shown the Lebanon that it doesn’t care about them: All that matters to them is Israel after all is Israel not the only God’s nation? Other nations are of Satan, are't they?

At any rate the Lebanon govt. does not want the US to continue to take them for a ride and have rejected the latest request by the Secretary of State of the US to visit Beirut for discussion? Which discussions if you may ask? The folks there know that the coming of the Secretary of State to Beirut is to continue to buy time for Israel to continue their pounding of Lebanon.  If the US is truly interested in ceasefire they need only to place a call to the PM of Israel, Ehud Olmert, and the aggression will stop.

The US has stated that its foreign policy objective is to hand down a resounding defeat to Hizbollah and by extension reducing the growing influence of Iran in the Mid-East.  And to carry out this agenda, the US has been arming the Israel to commit aggression against innocent civilians including children and women. 
For evidence that US is secretly arming the Israel Defense Force see:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060728/ts_nm/mideast_britain_usa_dc_10

And who says this is a murder case? You? I don't think so. You can't jump into that conclusion because we are not dealing with emotions here but facts of law. Did you know that an officer could be implicated in a coup for various reasons such "as an accessory after the fact of a coup, for having knowledge of a coup and not inform the authorities, etc. Have you studied the law establishing the Military Tribunal that tried Vatsa and Co? Did you know that Military Tribunals are always established by decree which cannot be challengd by the civil courts? Military regimes are an an aberration and that is why they are despised by the civilized world.

l am sure OBJ from the vantage position of a decree giver and beneficiary of the same decree a la Sanni Abacha (he signed into law the Military Tribunal decree that was used to try General Bissala and Co for their involvement in the abortive coup d'etat that killed Gen Murtala, OBJ's boss in 1976 and the same decree was used to convict him in the coup saga of 1995) is better placed to decide on the merit of their case.

The best argument that could be put forward by the family is wrongful death but like I said, I do not see them pressing their case in a civil court for "murder" as you envisioned because of time lapse.

In law there is what is called statute of limitation.  To successfully bring an action against a defendant, you must do so within certain years of the act or offense.  The killing of Vatsa and Co was carried out in March 1985, therefore an action cannot be brought against IBB because it is now statute barred.  What OBJ can do in this circumstance is to use his good offices to grant Vasta a posthumous pardon and possibly give the family a sort of compensation for the injustice done to the late officer and his family.

I believe OBJ will like to pursue this course of action because like Vasta, he was roped into a phantom coup with his friend, late Major-Gen Musa Yar'adua, but unlike Vasta, he was lucky to escape death by the whiskers.  Before OBJ could contest the presidency, he was granted a state pardon by the Military Provincial Ruling Council (PRC) and so I see him extending similar gesture to the late Vasta, albeit posthumously to clear his name.

As for trying IBB, the possibility is remote since there is no law nor have a precedent been set in the country.  It cannot happen.

NINETOFIVE:
What a barbaric way of life, isn't it?,this is 2006 for God sake.

What has that got to do with the topic of discussion. @revolution was only trying to rationalize why the West may be more populous than the South East. You are not under any compulsion to agree with his reasoning. Calling the people barbaric simply because they do not believe in the same doctrine with you is pregnant with racist undertones and is cheap, insulting and ethnocentric.

The US has pockets of military bases across the world and the strategy is to be able to deploy its forces as quickly as possible to quell any uprising or threats to its interests worldwide. Those interests include, but are not limited to, the investments of its private sector in other countries. Also, because of the country's seemingly insatiable demand and consumption of energy, it becomes paramount that it protects and secures the sources of the energy that its economy is very much dependent upon to avoid any adverse effect on its economy. Fact: 20% of the world energy production is consumed by the US alone. (This may have changed following the rise of China and India as economic power house.) This reason, more than anything else, analysts believe, is the motivation or drive behind the push to have a base in the Bright of Benin to look after the Nigerian Delta and the Equatorial Guinea both of which are known to have vast amount of oil reserves.

Davidylan and a couple of other guys have said it all. Forget that the organization is called United Nations.  There is nothing united in the way the business of the organization is conducted when only few powerful countries calls the shot.  Don't forget that the UN was a creation of the US and the US is the principal contributor to its funds.  So Washington always expect that the UN will take cue from her.  Much like he who plays the pipper dictates the tune.

Why was Boutros Ghali, Kofi Annan's predecessor in office removed?  He wants to show the US that he was the secretary-general, but the US was not going to allow that, so he was not allowed to run for his second term.

The US congress and the government officials are always critical of the UN and they loathe the person of Kofi Annan, especially on ocassions when the UN want to appear to be somewhat independent or when it criticizes the actions of the US.  What an affront? The reasoning is that the UN cannot bite the fingers that feeds it.  The fact is the secretary-general cannot assert any authority over the actions of the powerful members. How many times have the US congress threatened to withhold its contributions to the UN? Many times, the last been the series of discussion leading to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.  What was the offence of the UN and its secretary -general? For daring to question the authority of the almighty US for deciding on the pre-emptive military expedition in Iraq.   

So if your source of news is Fox News, the right wing radio talk shows, you will always be exposed to the viewpoints of those highly biased officials of the Bush Administrations pouring venom on Kofi and the UN.  I think the US is only interested in a puppet as the secretary-general which can be kicked around like football.  Its desire is to merely use the UN as a rubber stamp for all its actions without objection.

Why the new wave of criticism of the UN and Kofi Annan? Because he was eloquent enough to call for a ceasefire of hostilities between Israel and Hisbollah when the "paymaster" is interested in elogating the fight.  Bottom line the SG is not allowed and cannot hold any contrary opinion from the US, even though it was made on humanitarian grounds to save the lives of civilians and the children that are being killed without regard to Geneva conventions.

Considering the impediments that confronts the SG in the discharge of his functions, I think he has performed above average, but there is always room for improvement afterall he is human.

Corruption has become Nigerians second nature, and both the Public and Private sectors are equally guilty.  Example:
1. The Police mounts illegal road blocks to collect #20 from Drivers because their salary is meagre and is not regularly paid or sometimes because their boss, the IG had decided to pocket their pay.
2. The lecturer at the University demands sex from female students or insists the students must buy his study pack/book or they will receive a failing grade in his course.
3. The NEPA or PHCN officials removes or intentionally damages electricity transformer in a resident area thus throwing the area into darkness.  To restore power to the area, the NEPA or PHCN insists residents must contribute money to buy a new transformer.
4. The Banker gives preferential treatment to the customers whom they are acustomed and who they knew would throw some bucks their way after cashing their cheques.
5. The Custom officer instead of apprehending smugglers allows them to go scot-free at the custom post.  For giving the smugglers unfettered access to carry out their activities, the custom officers receives gratification from the smugglers in cash and in kind, thereby robbing the country of revenues from custom and  excise duties.
6. The primary school teacher deliberately asks his/her pupils to bring excess brooms, toileteries etc. to the school for their use so the excess can be sold at the city's market.
7. The Civil Servant who are paid to work from 8 a.m.to 3.30 p.m. will not resume until 10 a.m. and will leave before 3.30 p.m.
8. The inflation of the contract price so that the contractor could pay 10% of cost to the official awarding the contract.
9. The market woman who knowing full well that a patron is not gifted in the act of price bargaining inflated the price of her goods thereby cheating the unsuspecting buyers of her hard earned money.
10. The market seller of rice or beans or garri who uses measuring devices that has been beaten in and out to sell to the down trodden who cannot afford to buy in bags.  He/she succeeds in surreptitously cheating the buyers and denying them the full value for their money.
11. The elected representatives of the people who are supposed to watch their (electorates) back but instead chose to watch their own pockets by collecting bribes from the Presidency or the Governor thereby short-changing the voters who elected them.
12.  The postal worker who acts in concert with fraudsters to steal packages originating from abroad in the hope of finding some hidden treasures in there.  
You can go on and on and basically you will find no sector of the Nigerian economy that is immune from the corruption epidemic.

You are given to insulting people who hold a different opinion from you. Therefore, it is of no use joining forces with you.

The purpose of this treatise is not to convert anybody but to educate and be acquianted with what make other people strong and steadfast in their belief.  To start with,  I wish to quote the response of a Christian revert to Islam, Muhammed Stuart Clark in Australia when asked why he sought other religion beside Christianity.    He said: "I was not searching for any other religion but I was open about discovering the truth. When Islam came along, I looked into it as being possibly true - reading the Qur'an, considering its theology and finding about Muhammed (saw). What I discovered was truth, and I was forced logically to accept it, regardless of my personal views or biases. I thought, why shouldn't God send a prophet to the Arabs - from God's perspective ethnicity doesn't matter. I think many people do not look into Islam simply because of their racism".   Food for thought.

Depending on the religious belief you profess, you either believe that your scripture is divinely revealed and the contents are Words of God and the other scripture, not so divinely revealed.  Some believe that both the Qur'an and the Bible are of similar natures and contents. Some are of the opinion that the author of the Qur'an must have copied from the Bible judging by the similarities of the two books. They based their argument on the fact that the Bible had been in existence before the advent of Islam.  What can be further from the truth.
On the whole, the present Bible and the Qur’an are as dissimilar as the night and day, death and life and evil and good.  Precisely, the gulf of difference between these books widens by every attempt at comparison.  For example, let us examine how these books present God, the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of the whole universe.

The Bible describes God in human form, with human characteristics and with limited knowledge because man can hide from him.  But the Qur’an clearly absolves God (the most High, the all-Knowing and all-Powerful Being) of such derogatory demotion.

Bible Version
“Let us create man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26).”  “… For God made Man in his own image” (Gen. 9:6)   “…For six days the LORD made heaven and earth--- and RESTED the seventh day…” (Gen. 2:23, Exo. 10:11) “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD among the trees of the garden.  And the LORD called unto Adam and said unto him where art though? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself.” (Gen. 3:8-11).
Qur’an Version
“…He has made for you pairs from among yourselves …there is nothing whatever like unto Him…” (Q42:11).  We have indeed created man in the best of moulds.” (Q95:4)  “Allah! There is no God but He, the living, the Self Subsisting, Supporter of all.  No slumber can seize Him, nor sleep…” (Q2:255)  “No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things” (Q6:103).  “…He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea.  Not a leaf fall but with His knowledge… It is He who does take your souls by night and has knowledge of all that you have done by the day…” (Q6:59).

Further while the Bible presents God in several passages as being sorry and repentant, as weak and one that was defeated by a man; the Qur’an, the criterion and a guide to all truth lack such ridicule and blasphemy.

Bible Version
“Then God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth…and the LORD was SORRY that he had made men on earth, and it GRIEVED him to his heart.  So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created…for I AM SORRY that I have made them” (Gen. 5: 6-7).  “And the LORD REPENTED OF THE EVIL which he thought to do to his people.” (Exo. 32:14, Judges 2:18 and Gen. 18:20-21). Jacob wrestled and defeated God (Gen.32:24-30).  “And the LORD was with Judah: and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron” (Judges 1:19)
Qur’an Version
“It is HE who has created for you all things that are on earth; then He turned to the Heavens and made them into seven firmaments. And of all things He has perfect knowledge.” (Q2:29).  “Verily Allah will not deal unjustly with man in aught: it is man that wrongs his own soul.” (Q10:44)  “…Allah said: ‘Did I not tell you that I know all the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?” (Q2:33).  “Say: “O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule) You give power to whom You please and You strip off Power from whom You please” (Q3:26, also Q51:58).


Bottom line: What the Muslims believe is that, the earlier scriptures (Tawrah, Zaburah and Injeel) were from Allah but later corrupted by the Jews.  Further, we believe in the infallibility of the Qur’an as promised by Allah, “We have without doubt, sent down the Message (Al-Qur’an), and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption). (Q15:9). Truly amazing is the Qur’an. 
(Culled from Deen Digest May/June 1997).

I was contemplating to writing another serial in continuation of my posting on the Amazing Qur'an and by happenstance, I stumbled on this posting.  Most of what I planned to cover in my new article had been discussed at length by the author of the Guardian editorial opinion article and so I considered it apposite to post this serial here for our friends on the opposite side of the religious divide to ponder over and provide some explanations or reactions as appropriate.

Depending on the religious belief you profess, you either believe that your scripture is divinely revealed and the contents are Words of God and the other scripture, not so divinely revealed.  Some believe that both the Qur'an and the Bible are of similar nature and content. Some are of the opinion that the author of the Qur'an must have copied from the Bible judging by the similarities of the two books. They based their argument on the fact that the Bible had been in existence before the advent of Islam.  What can be further from the truth.
On the whole, the Bible and the Qur’an are as dissimilar as the night and day, death and life and evil and good.  Precisely, the gulf of difference between these books widens by every attempt at comparison.  For example, let us examine how these books present God, the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of the whole universe.

The Bible describes God in human form, with human characteristics and with limited knowledge because man can hide from him.  But the Qur’an clearly absolves God (the most High, the all-Knowing and all-Powerful Being) of such derogatory demotion.

Bible Version
“Let us create man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26).”  “… For God made Man in his own image” (Gen. 9:6)   “…For six days the LORD made heaven and earth--- and RESTED the seventh day…” (Gen. 2:23, Exo. 10:11) “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD among the trees of the garden.  And the LORD called unto Adam and said unto him where art though? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself.” (Gen. 3:8-11).
Qur’an Version
“…He has made for you pairs from among yourselves …there is nothing whatever like unto Him…” (Q42:11).  We have indeed created man in the best of moulds.” (Q95:4)  “Allah! There is no God but He, the living, the Self Subsisting, Supporter of all.  No slumber can seize Him, nor sleep…” (Q2:255)  “No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things” (Q6:103).  “…He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea.  Not a leaf fall but with His knowledge… It is He who does take your souls by night and has knowledge of all that you have done by the day…” (Q6:59).

Further while the Bible presents God in several passages as being sorry and repentant, as weak and one that was defeated by a man; the Qur’an, the criterion and a guide to all truth lack such ridicule and blasphemy.

Bible Version
“Then God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth…and the LORD was SORRY that he had made men on earth, and it GRIEVED him to his heart.  So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created…for I AM SORRY that I have made them” (Gen. 5: 6-7).  “And the LORD REPENTED OF THE EVIL which he thought to do to his people.” (Exo. 32:14, Judges 2:18 and Gen. 18:20-21). Jacob wrestled and defeated God (Gen.32:24-30).  “And the LORD was with Judah: and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron” (Judges 1:19)
Qur’an Version
“It is HE who has created for you all things that are on earth; then He turned to the Heavens and made them into seven firmaments. And of all things He has perfect knowledge.” (Q2:29).  “Verily Allah will not deal unjustly with man in aught: it is man that wrongs his own soul.” (Q10:44)  “…Allah said: ‘Did I not tell you that I know all the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?” (Q2:33).  “Say: “O Allah! Lord of Power (and Rule) You give power to whom You please and You strip off Power from whom You please” (Q3:26, also Q51:58).


What the Muslims believe is that, the earlier scriptures (Tawrah, Zaburah and Injeel) were from Allah but later corrupted by the Jews.  Further, we believe in the infallibility of the Qur’an as promised by Allah, “We have without doubt, sent down the Message (Al-Qur’an), and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption). (Q15:9). Truly amazing is the Qur’an. 
(Culled from Deen Digest May/June 1997 (Emphasis mine).

@Ayeni,
The arrow head or the mastermind of the December 31, 1983 coup that outsted Shagari's government was late Brigadier Ibrahim Bako, who was felled while trying to effect the arrest of President Shehu Shagari in the then Akinola Aguda villa in Abuja. Major General Buhari only became the consensus candidate for the post of the Head of State after Ibrahim Bako had died.
I have posited in one of my previous postings that OBJ did not have the genuine intentions to hand over to a democractically elected government. He simply did not have a choice because it was one of the reasons for overthrowing the regime of Gowon by the late Brigadier Murtala Ramat Mohammed in July 1975. Also it was the collective resolve of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) the highest ruling council of the military government to pursue the transition to the democratic government to conclusion. OBJ as Head of State (HOS) cannot rescind or renege on the collective decision of the body on his own volition.
If OBJ was a law unto himself when he was HOS as he is today as president, given his absolute control over the resources and security aparatus of the country, are you still in doubt that he would not have loved to elongate his stay as HOS when he was less than 40 years old then. Do you need further evidence that he is not like Mobutu, Museveni, Eyadema, Mugabe and co? The difference is we have committed democrats that helped stop him in the tracks before he could reach the crossing line.
I refuse to buy into the crap that the 1979 transition was supposed to be his lasting legacy. I cannot be fooled. That legacy, if at all he has any, has been destroyed by his inordinate ambition to rule for another 4 years. (Afefe ti fe ati ridi adiye). The wind has blown and the butt of the chicken has been exposed.