₦airaland Forum

Magic Bishop: AND NOT A SINGLE PHUCK WAS GIVEN IN THOSE REGIONS TOO!

Correct, only to be called traitors by some overfed ediots. Because we were not on the streets marching.

revolt: ofcourse the zombies never stopped to think, where the financing for the party came from.
the logistics, the caps, shirt, soundsysystem etc and the speed in which it was mobilised almost looked like some powerful forces were preparing for it. such rallies aren't cheap.

The whole Ojota fraud simply showed Nigerians from the SS, that we live in two different countries. When this people were crying for N65 petrol, The same petrol sold for N110 in Bomadi or N90 in Warri. People never understood what that crowd in Ojota was really about.

Magic Bishop: That was a demonstration in Lagos around 1966 against France for supporting Biafra.

The war did not begin till 67. Was there any major showdown between Nigeria and De Gaulle in 66.

revolt: posterity will surely judge those clowns that partied at ojota urging fg to keep feeding otedola and Co.
that generation of people that said no to full deregulation of the petroleum sector that would've paved way for private refineries that would create hundreds of thousands of jobs, not to talk of sub sectors like petrochemical, advertising agencies, marketing and distribution companies that would create opportunities.

woe to that generation that refused to suffer now so our children don't get to experience the dame things we see today.
blackman is myopic truly.

That Ojota nonsense was a bigger fraud than the fuel subsidies scandal.

What was the first picture.

ijaw citizen: It is okay to admit you're wrong sometimes, it shows you're HUMAN. Don't be an hypocrite - is a candid advice.

Ijaw_citizen and Ijaw citizen, I believe are two different people on this forum.

http://saharareporters.com/column/iyabo-obasanjo%E2%80%99s-mirror-okey-ndibe


Columnist: Okey Ndibe
Trust some Nigerians to misapprehend the clearest of messages.

Last week, the (Nigerian) Vanguard newspaper published the text of an open letter that Iyabo Obasanjo, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first daughter, had written to her father. It is a blistering, unsparing letter, in many ways heartrending and heartbreaking. I predict that future scholars who come to consider the Obasanjo Phenomenon, especially his Presidency, will find the letter a treasure trove for annotations and insights. In fact, the letter is compelling on a number of levels, full of details and anecdotes that provide perhaps the richest intimate details into the psyche of the former president.

The Obasanjo who emerges in his daughter’s letter struck me as an altogether familiar figure. There are, for me, few surprises, save for the daughter’s unflinching marshaling of evidence unknown to most Nigerians in order to sustain her intrepid assessment of her father. She characterizes Mr. Obasanjo as a liar, egoistic, megalomaniacal, duplicitous, heartless, hypocritical, a man driven by envy (of talented and successful people) and mischief, cruel (most of all to members of his immediate family), corrupt, self-absorbed, and opportunistic.

Let’s be sure: there’s no epithet in Ms. Obasanjo’s letter that many Nigerians had not used before now. Many critics as well as erstwhile associates of the former president have described him in exactly those terms, sometimes even in harsher language. The difference, this time, lies in the filial relationship between the accuser and the accused.

It is never a pretty sight when a furious daughter descends on her aged father, in her hands a rap sheet of indictments. It may strike onlookers as mere theater, but something far more profound is usually at play. Those of us who have nothing but the deepest reverence for our parents are bound to find the whole idea and scenario unimaginable, a drama of the most extreme absurdity.

It is a rarity indeed, the kind of public flogging that Ms. Obasanjo inflicted on her father’s naked torso. Enrapt as the public was, a part of us always recoiled in horror and shock.

Yet, I think those who began to berate the daughter, to lecture her on etiquette and propriety, missed the point. I suspect that Iyabo Obasanjo is the first person that would have most wanted NOT to write that letter. Any careful attention to the tone of the first paragraph would establish that here was a reluctant scribe, but one who, ultimately, concluded that she had little or no choice. Ms. Obasanjo’s letter amounted, in three senses at least, to a tremendous labor of love.

First, she wrote, I suggest, with an eye to history, moved by a desire to help unmask a sordid man, a veritable master of the art of self-inflation and self-misrepresentation. Second, she wrote in order to offer Nigerians a much-needed cautionary intervention, to alert us to the toxicity of a moral, social and political climate that has been created and sustained by her father and his ilk. I have often stipulated that, until Nigerians realize how thoroughly messed up and twisted their going culture has become, they can go nowhere but deeper into perdition. In a third (and perhaps most significant) sense, Ms. Iyabo Obasanjo’s letter translates as a cry from the deepest, most affectionate region of a daughter’s heart. It is a daughter’s desperate, last-ditch effort to jar a complacent, depraved father into realizing how puny he’s rendered himself, how starkly naked he is even as he deludes himself that he’s adorned in regal attire.

Ms. Obasanjo began her letter, in a wholly convincing accent, by stating, “It brings me no joy to have to write this…” Then she added: “The only way to reach you may be to make the public aware of some things. As a child well brought up by my long-suffering mother in Yoruba tradition, I have been reluctant to tell the truth about you but as it seems you still continue to delude yourself about the kind of person you are and I think for posterity’s sake it is time to set the records straight.”

She then proceeds, with painstaking rigor, to outline the villainy, mediocrity and bad faith of a man some Nigerians persist—against all logic—to credit with exemplary leadership. As much as she indicts her father, Ms. Iyabo’s more cutting and powerful comments are those directed at Nigerians. She not only painted her father in all his manifest moral ugliness, she also held up a mirror to the rest of us, inviting us to ponder our own self-destructive ethos.

“I don’t blame you for the many atrocities you have been able to get away with,” she writes, and then adds: “Nigerians were your enablers every step of the way. People ultimately get leaders that reflect them.” Toward the end of her letter, she states: “You are the prototypical ‘Mr. Know it all’. You’ve never said, ‘I don’t know’ on any topic, ever. Of course this means you surround yourself with idiots who will agree with you on anything and need you for financial gain and you need them for your insatiable ego. This your attitude is a reflection of the country. It is not certain which came first, your attitude seeping into the country’s psyche or the country accepting your irresponsible behavior for so long.”

And then this, what I consider Iyabo’s most devastating blow, on Mr. Obasanjo as well as the rest of us: “Nigeria has descended into a hellish reality where smart, capable people, to ‘survive’ and have their daily bread, prostrate to imbeciles.”

For my money, this is one of the most penetrating and succinct diagnoses both of Mr. Obasanjo’s brand of “leadership” as well as Nigeria’s broader malaise. It is a sobering account, written in an infuriated daughter’s sharp and direct language. Nigerians would be well served to read the letter with the right attitude. The letter ought not to be seen as fodder for titillation, as a peep into a prominent family’s dysfunction. It is no occasion for entertainment. Nor should it be read as yet another example of the weakening, even abandonment, of our traditional mores. Something far more profound, and chastening, is at stake here.

It’s a pity that some commentators seized on the letter to propound on perceived lapses in Ms. Obasanjo’s cultural formation. Some abominated the whole idea of writing such a biting letter to her father. These critics were content to fix on the woman’s tone, not the substance of her letter. A common refrain: It’s unYoruba or unAfrican for a child to speak in such impertinent language to a parent.



Such reactions point to a frozen conception of culture as well as a cultural attitude that blames the true victim, the weaker party, whilst sparing the villain, the hubristic and powerful. I have written often about this phenomenon. Many Nigerians would insist that you don’t call a governor or president a thief, even when he’s demonstrably one. To call a thieving president or governor by the (proper) name of thief, in the illogical thinking of these Nigerians, is to display unacceptable disrespect for their exalted office. Yet, it hardly ever occurs to these enforcers that respect is earned, nor do they insist that stealing is incompatible with the high, extremely well remunerated office of governor or president. Let them steal all they want, we must address them as “Your Excellency So-and-So” or “Honorable This-and-That.”

In like spirit, those who scold Iyabo Obasanjo for describing the many ways in which her father is deplorable have not taken time to rebuke the former president for failing to treat his family with the love and affection they deserve. No, the daughter must repress her painful memories of a callous, uncaring father. She must neither say nor do anything to impede her deeply flawed father’s messianic delusions.

Odds are that Iyabo Obasanjo is at peace with herself, after pouring out her soul. No question, she must have her faults, perhaps even grievous ones, but her letter was an act of courage. And when historians reckon up Obasanjo the man and public figure, they will be grateful for this daughter’s illumining, powerful and telling memory capsule.



Please follow me on twitter @ okeyndibe

(okeyndibe@gmail.com)

hold

"Nigeria's fields are in mangrove swamps and rain forest similar to those that frustrated U.S. forces in Southeast Asia." Worse yet, it continued, Nigeria's oil-rich coastline was densely populated, making guerrilla warfare a certainty and mandating "special tactics, tools, and techniques" on the part of the invader.


This applies to any forces trying to invade the Nigerdelta

cramjones: It is simple. Jonathan's letter is very baseless, weak and self imprecatory. GEJ and his PDP is a sunken ship and we will sweep him out come 2015

Stop crying and go answer your court case. Are you not ashamed of yourself.

The letter needs to be translated to them. They did not see, I will not contest in 2015.

The oil wells taken from Awka-ibom and Abia, by the same government and handed to Rivers never made headlines.

justhelp: instead of you to oppose my claim why dont you ask elite elders in your area, oh so people dont know this has been going on for a while, ha i pity your high level of your ignorance.

What should I ask my elders My friend get some some newspapers and do some reading.

justhelp: yes just as you have come here to defend federal government. mumu when last did federal govt release allocation for states? if you dont know ask finance minister. she has no money in federation account because of oil thief, so no money for state for the past five month, you are here talking nonsense fool

You came to a public forum to make such a statement. Who can we blame for this level of ignorance

Is Jonah the gov of your state and local government chairman Why not tell us what both have done for you.

You cannot respond, because, Jonah just made an ediot of you. Go fix your family problems and leave Nigeria alone.

soe: All those abusing OBJ have not and may never achieve 10% of what he achieved in life...even Gej. OBJ earned his position by being a civil war veteran...Gej is only van accidental opportunist...but I know some tribalist from the south east south south .and some other dull Nigerians would want to praise Gej....meanwhile its your future and your money being stolen on daily basis.. Alams and JP Clark and Alison madueke and Stella are robbing you blind and Gej is saying no one is corrupt ..ba wa o....wake up

Look at the person talking

Passing Shot: No doubt the reply was well scripted, balanced in many areas and dodgy on other areas as well. But for you to believe that GEJ is ever capable of putting this reply together shows that you can easily be decieved. Sorry to say, GEJ is not that intelligent to personally put this up though kudos to his team for a good job. Nevertheless, I am not taken in by all the garbage here. He conveniently avoided corruption allegation of Stella Oduah, Farouk Lawan, Eteh and other glaring and indefensible corruption cases. I have said it before, OBJ is a tainted messanger that cannot be trusted to successfully deliver the cleanest message even to the most corrupt person in the world. He is "on your own" (OYO) on this.

Some of you are so brain dead

JulianBond007: No I don't need anyone to read the piece of shyte to me. The letter is full of crappy tales and the clueless one has refused to address the issues OBJ raised especially corruption. Go advice your president to sack his media aides. They are doing a very bad job for him.

Admit the fact, the letter is giving you a serious heart burn. What corruption issues raised by obj, were not answered??

na_joke: ^
DID GEJ SAY ALL THESE IN THIS SAME LETTER OR U R SAYING IT FOR HIM .......this is the diff btw OBJ and GEJ.........GEJ needs to be bold and say it the way it is and not somebody from nairaland saying it for him

Read again, therein lies OBJ problems for life. A letter opened to any conclusion you want.

Red Eboe: GEJ may end up being one of Nigeria's greatest politician/president ever. Unlike Obasanjo,who as President insulted a small boy musician on national TV for singing 'Nigeria jaga jaga'.

GEJ did not have to insult or character assassinate Obasanjo directly,he allowed a more potent and painful source to do the insulting,Obasanjo's own daughter.

And now GEJ comes up with a very articulate and matured response,which may seem ordinary to the normal eye but coded with very strong messages. E.g, GEJ has just indirectly told the world that Obj may have had a hand in Murtala Mohammed's Assassination

Right on the money. OBJ will spend the rest of his life explaining this letter.

You kill murtala because he wanted to retire you for corruption

You denied Awo his Victory in 1979

You stole us blind between 2000-2007

But above all, I am not you. This letter will be discussed for years to come.

na_joke: ^
Rubbish to you too........dem force am to be president?

Meaning what What are you really crying about.

na_joke: ^
u see the bolded?this is why GEJ response is lame....he should hit the nail on the head and go straight to the point, why is he asking who killed Murtala Mohammed if he knows the answer?
See now, people are now interpreting some of his "POINTS" in this letter differently....In the words of the UGLY of the "the good,the bad and ugly" film
.................GEJ,"if u want to shoot,shoot ................don't talk"

The point in that letter has been made. This is politics GEj style. OBJ is going to be forced to make the famous Richard Nixon comment. I AM NOT A CROOK.

ilugunboy: What is he afraid of?

Why all the side-brush....why not let go off the gloves and come with a direct response. You don't necessarily have to ascribe your own meanings to what he wrote.

There wasn't any ambiguity in OBJ letter...but this is opened to many interpretations.....as you are doing.

That was the intent. After Iyabo's letter, most Nigerians are more likely to view OBJ in a non positive light. GEJ did not have to call him a Liar, Killer or a Corrupt person. He left it up to you as the reader to make up your own mind.

Who KILLED murtala mohammed.

Fraction, very funny, PDP remains and stands as one party. You are free to decamp but leave our mandate behind.

Desola: Olosi, ibo boy forming south southerner. Moraforking Igbo

Your self esteem issues are more serious than I thought.

[s]

Desola: Muhehehe moraforker!

So you now accept ijaw citizen whom you lot have always called an imposter and accused of being Alhaji Harem as being a bonafide south southerner because he is speaking against the opc?

Olosi ni gbogbo yin oloun gbo!

[/s]

Ijaw_Citizen. aka Alj harem aka barcansita.

ijaw citizen: As Urhobos, you have the God given right to aspire for whatever that is good for you, I support that 100%. But putting it in such a way to portray Ijaws as bad people who should be avoided at all cost is really insultive you know, or maybe you're just Ill-mannered. Ijaws don't owe you anything so I don't really care if you personally hate Ijaws, with or without you, Urhobos are solidly with Ijaws as allies. Your opinion about us is INSIGNIFICANT.

Don't waste your time with some people who have no clue. What is the Urhobo political power in Delta state without Ijaw support. It did not start today, when the chips are down in delta state, the Urhobos know where their brothers reside. Not in Benin, but Brutu, Patani and Bomadi. I think this place is contaminated by too many impostors. Spewing their usual anti Urhobo and anti delta state crap.

The difference is clear.