₦airaland Forum

If truly they were told that Sims wife would be there and indeed paraphernalia suggesting such was produced, then you can’t blame the women of Rivers for feeling aggreived. How they reacted in the circumstances I don’t condone but I can understand.


The blame is on those who told them It was a gathering with Sim’s wife if indeed that was what was sold to them.

Whichever side of the divide you fall, we must learn to be objective. Nobody is right all the time, nobody is wrong all the time. I have said this in a previous post that we are fast getting to a place where supporters of both sides are beginning to sound ridiculous.

franugo:
I'll ignore your insults because you brought up some fine points and I'll like to respond to them.
Firstly, I stated already in my op that politicians bore and irritate me, all of them bar one so I have no vested interest in which way the case finally ends up, only the truth interests me.
Secondly, I do not know Natasha's number, I cannot confirm if the number shown on Prof's phone is actually Natasha's contact. Prof says she has VN evidence but I didn't hear any VN in the video so I can't speak on that.
Thirdly, I agree that most activists are paid attack dogs, it's a known fact actually and totally not unexpected.
Fourthly, I did not speak about Natasha's allegations because they're just mere allegations with no evidence presented so far, same reason I didn't talk about Prof Mgbeke's VN claim.

Nobody asked you for your life story . Address the subject matter all the rest is noise.


You say you don’t know if it is Natasha’s number despite her showing you the name and the number with 2 digits obscured for privacy purposes but somehow you know it is the SP calling with only name and no number shown? Does that sound objective to you? We objective people can acknowledge it is the Sp calling and we acknowledge it is Natasha’s number because Natasha has not denied it. We can acknowledge because unlike you we are objective and what we are focused on is the voice of Natasha.

You see just like a Natasha and the Sandra woman, agenda will always be exposed. What cannot be disputed is evidence. Is the voice in the voice calls Natasha or not? If you haven’t listened to the voice calls then perhaps you should before you make comments and sound a biased commentator.


You lack credibility and objectivity and I would advise you to stop digging a deeper hole for yourself. Hired goons also exist on Nairaland. You are beginning to sound like 1.


Let me make it clear as others have noted there is nothing objective in your analysis.

Just in:

Angelindisguise:
The Igbos wey dey shout say dem no go vote BAT, immediately they release MNK, the story go change.

Ibos will never vote for a Yoruba man even if Tinubu brings Ojukwu and Azikwe back to life.


.and we are not begging them so they should keep their votes but when their time comes they should not expect to see our votes.

If Tinubu loses he goes back to his house as former president…nothing spoil. But nobody is begging ibo for votes.

Alliswell248:
But you know the Yoruba man is far better than your kinsman.

Data and achievement don't lie

I am not ibo

SE don’t give shi shi vote to Yoruba especially when their kinsman is on the ballot. If Tinubu sees 10% he has done well!

2mch:
Which Nigerians?

The usual suspects who like to gaslight others.

franugo:
Hello landers.

So I got back from work today to see Prof Mgbeke Sandra Duru's video, while I did not watch everything from start to finish, I did notice some inconsistencies I'll like to point out.

1. Prof Mgbeke claims she does not know SP Akpabio but a review of her live video shows that he's saved in her phone and is actually one of her most recent chats. It's also shown clearly in the video @ 47 mins in, that she was in a voice call with him recently. Don't take my word for it, investigate by yourself.

2. Her failed attempts to pronounce some basic Igbo names in an attempt to seem posh we're easy to see through. This is a lady that lived and worked in the East for many years, some of those years were in the corridors of power in Imo state, how can she not know these pronunciations?

3. She has not explained why Natasha contacted her in the first place. Sounds ridiculous that Natasha will send such messages to someone she does not know (prof Mgbeke claims she didn't know Natasha till Natasha reached out to her via Whatsapp), sending messages that could destroy her if exposed to an untrusted and unvetted third party? How's that make sense??

4. Prof Mgbeke claims she has integrity because she was raised by Whites....(I have personal issues with that line of thought but I am trying to be free of sentiments in my review)...It is a fact that Prof Mgbeke has had dealings in the past with politicians in Nigeria, infact it is stated that she thought about forming a party to contest for imo governorship herself, and many allegations were made against her character, such a person valuing integrity is laughable. Show me a politician who values integrity, they're all the same to me, none of them impresses me (with the exception of one who shall not be named as they're not party to this shit show).

So there you have it, I tried to remain objective and impartial. My final conclusion, I think prof Mgbeke is being malicious and fraudulent in her assertions.

Are you a useful eed iot too or are you auditioning for the role?

Look it is clear there is something suspicious about the woman. I also noticed some of the things you mentioned. I just put it down the the elevation of chartalans into our public space.

You claim you are being objective, you are not.

You are attacking her character and maybe rightly so but you have not addressed the substance of what she posted.

I believe the calls happened and there is evidence. Why focus on the call from the SP but ignore the interaction with Natasha on the same phone? Natasha denied knowing or ever talking to her. The same phone that you use rightly to question the involvement of the SP is the same phone that proves there were interactions with Natasha.


What I think happened is this: All these activists are paid attack dogs. Sandra was contacted by Natasha to play a role but for some reason she decided against it. It could be because she developed a conscience or more likely because she decided her interests were better served by taking the info to the SP. So she contacted the SP and was paid a higher fee and double crossed Natasha. The fact that she changed sides and now has a relationship with the SP does not mean her info is not real…..focus of the evidence not on the characters.


All parties in this are dubious characters. What an objective person should do is deal with the evidence!

The fact that I am a habitual liar or a fraudster does not mean I am not telling the truth. It is up to you if you are truly objective to look beyond the characters involved and look at the evidence.

I don’t think Sandra is clean but I believe the recording I heard and I believe the evidence of contact with Natasha which she denies.


Natasha has made claims claims she has evidence of sexual harassment but all she has done is muddy the waters and whipping up sentiment without showing any evidence. All she has done is frustrate any efforts to present her case. Whatever the shadowy nature of this Sandra woman, like I have said all these activists and NGOs are shadowy characters, she claimed to have evidence and released the evidence. Is the evidence real and damaging…to me it is. Can you prove her evidence is manufactured that the recorded voice calls are fake or the callhistory with Natasha is fake? That is all that matters…. Everything else is immaterial.

AdamuKD:
My cousin staying with us graduated recently with third class and his mother is worried about his chances of finding work with his grade. We are contemplating of sending him abroad to upgrade himself.
Is there any University abroad that admits 3rd class students for Master's Program?

You can enrol for a masters degree without a bachelors degree. It depends on many things. 1) the university. 2) the standing or reputation of the university where you obtained your 1st degree 3) your work experience 4) the demand for the course and 5) whether you are paying foreign or home student fees. 6) the quality of your cover letter stating why you should be admitted despite not meeting the requirements.

I know someone who got a masters degree in a prestigious university in the Uk who didn’t have a degree (he dropped out) but he had worked in his fathers business in Nigeria for a few years and had become a manager…possibly even a director. When I was doing my Masters degree in the UK, the stated minimum was a 2:2 but we discovered one of our classmates had a 3rd classs …….from Oxford University!

So the answer to your question is yes! The question is how you present your admission case to get accepted into a master’s degree that is worth your investment i.e a good university and a good course! If it is just to obtain a masters degree, the. there are tons of universities both good and bad that don’t have enough students applying for some courses and will admit anybody with money. A masters in a subject without demand from a university without a good reputation may turn out just as unhelpful in the job market as a 3rd class degree.

I don’t want to mention names but I know very successful people in Nigeria who got a 3rd class (even pass) did not do a masters and rose to the top of their profession. They were always intelligent but spent their time at university partying!

It also depends of the field, In some cases a master’s is a waste of time and he is better of doing a professional certification. E.g Marketing, IT, accounting, In some cases the guy without a degree but with professional certification will get a job ahead of the guy with a master’s!

Uk Universities are now self funding and money talks. They will bend their rules of admission for money. You just have to be creative with your application. For instance if you want to apply to LSE, apply for a course that is in less demand.
Instead of Msc economics or MSc finance, apply for MSc Accounting and finance, MSc economics and management, MSc econometrics and mathematical economics etc. It’s a less prestigious course but what you want in the job market is a masters that says LSE on it! Woe unto any HR manager from Nigeria not to call you for an interview with a masters from LSE!

What they will do is put you on a wait list and if they don’t have enough numbers they may give you a late admission.

PS: most universities will advertise on their website which courses have vacancies (aka less demand)

Finally, target the best universities, you are trying to make up for a 3rd class. You wont do that by getting a masters from a mediocre university. Don’t forget they want and need your money!

The reality of Nigeria is that our citizenry is full of fraudsters and insincere people. From OAPS and TV “journalists” collecting brown envelopes to push an agenda online to bank alert activists, to elected officials, to high profile personalities stooping so low as to be paid to disrupt senate proceedings, to NANS factions with political agendas. 90% of them are collecting brown envelopes or pushing their own dubious agenda and things are never as they seem.

The rot in the citizenry is from top to bottom. A former minister allowing herself to be paid as a useful eee diot to disrupt a senate proceedings is no different from a party PU agent allowing the opposition paltry to rig the votes for money or the okrdinary citizen selling his vote to the highest bidder.

PS: @ lookmum

These are are the Nigerian citizens. You think these citizens can ever produce good leaders or that the few good people of integrity would step in to the ring to muddy himself with these types of citizens? That’s why they don’t.

We are a nation of immoral untrustworthy selfish and greedy people and it’s not about hunger….is Oby Hungry? Is Natasha hungry? Is this Sandra woman hungry? Are Arise TV hungry?

It is the same behaviour exhibited by the low in society that is exhibited by the high!


We are just bad people!

Lookmun:
In our long or not-so-long conversation I’ve never said that I’m unwilling to play my part. I’m saying that there is no way 200m individuals can just change their orientation without a co-ordinated approach. Even if the 200m are all blood siblings, it’s not possible. This is not Cartoon Network. Why do you imagine that a system will be orderly when the keepers of the order are disorderly? It will never work.

I am saying that even if some play their part, if the system is rigged against them, they may not get the reward for their good deeds. The guys doing the bad things will get the rewards. Is that what you want?

Haven’t you seen in civil service, a diligent lady who is climbing the ranks like a snail but the lady servicing oga is getting promoted. If the state doesn’t correct those anomalies, good deeds will be wasted and there won’t be the encouragement to continue to do good.

A lot depends on leadership no matter how you want to skip it. It’s the critical factor.

You are like Obi, you like writing epistle about the problems but no solution. I don’t need to be told over and over the problems, we all know! I have told you the road to good governor and that it is in the hands of the citizens. You refuse to accept and are waiting for a messiah to save you.

How can a messiah emerge when you collect rice and money when elections come? Do you not stop to engage your brains that someone who is willing to give rice 5k for votes is not going to work for me when he gets into office? Did they force you to collect rice? Again I ask you, are APC, PDP or LP the only parties in town? Why do you always vote for them? In 2023 I voted for Tinubu and I own it but in 2015 the choice was Buhari or GEJ, I voted for KOWA party. In 2019 the choice was Buhari or Atiku, I knew both would be a disaster so I voted for someone else even though I knew he wouldn’t win because I felt even if he doesn’t win he will be encouraged!

Nobody forced you to vote for the candidates of APC, PDP or LP all of whom are different grades of crooks.

Take responsibility for your own errors as a citizen. If you voted I am sure you voted for APC, PDP or LP so really you have no right to pontificate. You got what you voted for!!

Lookmun:
Your position is wrong. Bad leaders don’t stay away because of the citizens. They don’t win because they hardly stand a chance due to nefarious acts by the powers that be (as you call them).

And sensible people don’t just vote because someone is said to be a good person. They try to see what you have done when given the opportunity at a lower level. The attitude of making sure a potential president has some level of trustworthiness having served at a lower level is not a bad thing. It’s just trying to be sure. If such a contender can’t garner plenty votes at that level, they can start from somewhere and grow.

Oga stop wasting my time. Go and find your good leaders. It me I know so long as citizens think like you we are going nowhere. You want a great country but you don’t want to play your part. You are waiting for a messiah to save you.

New flash! Nobody is coming to save you! You have to prove to the quiet good people you are worth saving or else they won’t enter the ring! They are not there to steal so why should they enter the ring when you the citizens continue to behave like entitled clowns?

Lookmun:
The same way you are absolving the actual perpetrators. We already agree that since Babagida era there has been a drastic change in orientation of Nigerians. Nigerians of 1980s and the ones today aren’t the same. It’s tells you something - once the head is bad the body will follow suit.

You are wicked to expect good citizens when the leaders that administer law and order and justices are lawless and disorderly. The result would be lawlessness and the longer it persists the more it will eat into the society fabric.

But you prefer to support people who will kill to remain in power. Continue…..

Tell them where I absolved them? As an educated man I expect you to be able to read and understand what you read. I said we have bad leaders so how have I absolved them? I have simply maintained that the reason why we have bad leaders is because good ones stay away. The reason good ones stay away is because the citizens are bad and bad citizens can never elect good leaders .

KOWA party presented a good candidate did you vote for her? SDP presented a good candidate, did you vote for him? Are APC, PDP and LP the only parties in town?

Good people put themselves forward but you don’t vote for them because they don’t share rice. They also learn from the experience about the pysche of Nigerians and get discouraged! I am not fighting a fight if the people are not fighting with me unless I pay them.

Lookmun:
1. Fi

Let me share a personal experience with you. I was involved in a $90m project in a remote village some years ago. We were very exited about the project, not only in terms of the financial potential but the development it would bring. If the project had taken off it had provision for building a local school, a community hospital as well as employment and grading of roads amongst other benefits. Despite knowing all this, Throughout the preparation stage, all we were getting from the king, the chiefs and the villagers was one extortion after another. Eventually the investor got tired and pulled out because he could foresee what would happen when the project actually takes off.

This is what happens in Nigeria both in normal life and in politics. Just as the investors pulled out so also potential good leaders pull out!

Have a good day!

Lookmun:
1. Fix the citizens you say? Fix 200 million people with different social status, financial status, education, exposure, culture, life aspiration, religious persuasion, belief system, etc. Who is unrealistic here? If there was no need for leaders why not we advocate for scrapping of political positions, will that work too? In any system once the head is bad the body will follow but if the body is bad and you correct the head, soon enough the body aligns.

2. They tried to hijack ENDSARS unsuccessfully ti they brought the military to start shooting at wave-carrying peaceful protesters. That was the genesis of the chaos. It was three years later that they told us that they found 3000 dead bodies lying on the ground unaccounted for. ENDARS was another example of how hard it is to win against power grabbers and desperadoes. These guys have the money, power, police, security, judiciary, senate, etc in their pockets. The military first denied that they were not at the Lekki toll gate scene then when it was busted they said they fired n the air. When they were shown video evidences to the contrary they said they fired blank bullets. Again that was busted when live bullets were seen at the location. Yet there was zero accountability.

3. If you claim that the problem is the people and that people will not want an ideal leader if they had a choice, then tell the powers that be (as you call them) to play fair. It’s only then we can truly know that the people were given the opportunity but they didn’t want ideal leadership or how else can you determine that they wouldn’t want ideal leadership when the power brokers don’t even give them the opportunity to have their say?

This time I didn’t read your post beyond the 1st sentence because it seems you still want to absolve the citizens for the problems of the country.

Nigerias problems are the citizens, you don’t agree…no problem! No need for further engagement or both of us writing epistles back and forth.

Lookmun:
1. The citizens don’t have enough power as things are now to refuse the choice of ideal leaders. Number one they don’t control the security infrastructure of the state (once they hear gunshots they are off because the justice system can’t even guarantee they will be served justice), number two they don’t have nearly as much resources to determine things. The list goes on so let’s not pretend that they have as much say.
2. Even if they come out to protest, they can get shot and nothing will happen. They don’t have power to determine much in this clime. If people have the choice to select their ideal leaders, they will go for it. I know that there are some that have been conditioned to poverty and other vices but Nigerians really really desire a good and working governments. A lot of Nigerians want a better system that works for all. Therefore your number one point that the powers that be won’t allow the ideal leader is where the problem is (a leadership issue).
3. You need to state clearly how the people will frustrate a good leader if he emerges and the powers that be are willing to be fair to allow fair competition. Do you mean people will just say “no we don’t want you?” On what grounds will they reject someone who has a track record of credibility and accountability and good welfare to the people?
4. What tough changes will a good leader introduce that will make the citizens turn against him please? You need to understand that it is the leaders that pay monies for campaign, rally, polling agents, etc. They are the ones that flash the money out and if you flash millions in a poverty-ridden society caused by leadership failure in the first place, there will be many takers. Individuals are willing to campaign for their choice leaders when they find them without demanding anything.
5. The solution is never to continue with a crop of leaders that don’t want accountability. You can never win that war of changing the society with those kinds of people at the helm. The powers that be will fight tooth and nail to ensure that the people remain relegated. They will frustrate accountable governance, rule of law and robust institutions that would check their excesses.
6. There is no question the Nigerian society is terribly affected due to decades of failed leadership which has ensured that the corruption has eaten deep but the way forward is not to continue to support the same system and its promoters but seek to overhaul it. It’s not going to be easy but at east it gives us a fighting chance. There has not been any revolution that came easily.

It’s either you don’t live in Nigeria or you are living in denial!

If you want to fix Nigeria, fix the citizens. They are the ones with the power. I already gave you the example of ENDSARS…what happened? ENDSARS was simply a copycat movement (remmember black lives had just happened in America) just as the occupy movement was a copy to the occupy movement in North Africa and the end bad governance protest was a copy of the riots I. Kenya. That’s what we do, we copy but because the movements are not organic or original they acheive nothing. The same youth sold each other out and then collapsed into a movement led by a man who not only is part of the same system but ironically was the one who more or less created SARS! You can’t make this stuff up!


Fix your citizens and you will have a good country. Keep blaming leaders or waiting for a leader to emerge and things will only get worse!

Some people are unserious. A man has been contesting g for office since 1992, you are now telling him not to run?


As an aside dont we wonder about some of these public figure who will tell you I supported X but he was a disaster. What you are showing is you have bad judgement and so why should anyone listen to you?

You supported Buhari, you campaigned for him…then you turn around and say he was the worst president ever. After that you agree to work for Tinubu and when he didn’t pay you any attention you say he shouldn’t run. Now you say Atiku should not run.

Clearly a lot of these people lack good judgement and should not be listened to!

Lookmun:
No I’m not making your point. We all agree that the society is in a dire state but where we differ is the cure. At least we agree that all these was largely a fallout of decadence of the Babangida era (leadership).

If the leaders allow the right environment to thrive, the people who you think are terrible without repair will have a new orientation but the problem is that the leaders will never want it because it would scuttle their chances. So these leaders weaponize poverty and lack of education/enlightenment and throw the tribal and religious card to ensure that the people cannot see beyond their noses. Environments condition people to behave in a certain way.

If we are waiting for this current crop to institutionalize good behavior, it’s dead on arrival because:

1. They will never make the electoral umpire truly independent
2. They will infest the judiciary (last hope for the common man) with corruption
3. They will ensure that the institutional checks and balances are totally wiped off
4. They will continue to uphold manual voting and will frustrate the entrenchment of technology in the electoral process
5. They will encourage and promote political thuggery by paying citizens that they have failed to educate and emancipate from poverty, stipends. Etc.

The fight to get leaders that would be accountable is not impossible but difficult given the desperation of those benefiting from the status quo but at least we have a fighting chance. It will take us leaving aside those fault lines that the leaders have tried to instill in us. It will involve us saying yes to the right things and no to the wrong things as follows: Institutional reforms, promotion of technology in the electoral system, checks and balances in governance, etc.

You are missing the point. The messianic leader you are looking for will never emerge 1) because the powers that be will not allow and most importantly 2) the citizens are so conditioned to corruption, to be transactional have apoverty of mind and spirit, mediocrity and servitude they won’t not support his emergence. Therefore good people don’t put their hats in the ring.

The biggest problem are the citizens. They are the ones that will prevent the emergence of good leaders and frustrate his efforts if he manages to get there. Decades of mismanagement cannot be overturned overnight, if a good leader comes in, it will require tough changes, the same citizens will turn again him.

I know many technocrats who have served in government appointments or aspired to elected office, they all say the same thing. Our problem is our people! Even in our daily lives, it i difficult to encounter a trust worthy Nigerian.

If I am contesting for office to help develop and I am sincere, I am a modest reasonable financially comfortable man with no intent to loot. My sim is to get to office and work for the good of the people…..why am I paying you to vote for me? Why am I paying you to be a polling agent? Why am I paying you to attend a rally? Why am I paying you to campaign for me? Why am I paying you to be a spokesman?
Already I have a tough battle fighting the establishment if I win, I will have a tough job fighting the civil servants and Labour unions and you who I am fighting for, I should now be paying you again to vote for me to help you? Me I am financially comfortable, I will manage my comfort, I will send my kids abroad to educate them. Collect your money from those who are willing to pay you and what you see, you see!

Understandably your position is based on emotion and hope to see your country turn around. Read your post again you keep talking about leaders, leaders. You are ignoring the role of the people in this mess!

I am sorry to burst your bubble. I grew up in Nigeria when Nigeria worked, I know what it took. I lived abroad for 2 decades, I know what it is required from the citizens. Past bad leaders have damaged the pysche, soul and spirit of the citizens to the extent that they can NEVER elect a good leader!

That is the point: the leaders you seek exists but they can NEVER emerge from the citizenry we have today! If by some miracle they emerge the same citizens will turn against them when they begin the necessary reforms.

Daft post!

Crude oil alone, Nigeria has 36 billion barrels proven reserves. That alone is worth $2trillion.

We have not started to talk about land, gas, gold and other minerals.

Such a daft ignorant post.

Educationalserv:
and the southwest has won on it own

Did I say so?

I have already talked about this mythical Northern vote.

casualobserver:
Nah so why did their masses vote against the choice of the elite in 2003, 2007 and 2011?

Another thing we need to understand is that BVAS has killed all fictitious those 2m votes from the north.


Finally please take some time to study the voting pattern of the North since 1959, the idea of a united North is a myth. There are 3 voting blocks in the North and they never vote in unison because they are fundamentally different in ideaology and orientation. To the best of my Knowledge, the amalgamation of APC under Tinubu with Buhari is the only time in the history of Nigerian elections that the Sokoto/ kaduna axis, the aminu Kano axis in Kano and the Old Borno axis have ever voted in unison. With Buhari out, they are splitting up again. Hence Kwakwanso in Kano.

People don’t seem to understand that Buhari was not the choice of the Northern elite but they backed and tolerated him because to them it was better than GEJ.

There are probably now 4 blocks because the middle belt is beginning g to assert itself. Previously they voted with the NW block

Furthermore never in the history of Nigerian elections has the North ever won an election on its own. It has always had to form an alliance with the south to win.

Balewa had to align with Zik, Shagari had to align with Zik, Buhari had to alliance with SW.

Lookmun:
1. In any society (even the best of them) you have the good, bad and ugly. The same way you know some good Nigerians that will not venture into politics because some Nigerians will be asking for egunje, that’s the same way some well meaning ones are not able to make it in because the system is rigged in favour of transactional politicking. Security apparatuses, state money, manual voting with all its deficiencies make it easy for their contemporaries who are benefiting from the corruption to get voted and then do the biding of their predecessors. The good ones have little chance.

2. Leaders who are into this thing will not intentionally relinquish power by strengthening institutions (i.e. making the umpire truly independent, strengthening the electoral law, favouring technology, punishing electoral offenders, etc). We should be looking for people who will want to put power in the hands of the people to make their own choices rather than swim through the tide that the political actors dictate for them.

3. Evil that uses evil to get power wouldn’t intentionally undo that evil because it will affect them. So long as we have people at the helm who are not only gangsters but profit continuously from gangsterism because they must hold on to power, then there is no end in sight for the decadence in society.

4. It’s not easy to get these kinds of good leaders in not mainly because they don’t want to but because the system makes it difficult for them to win. It’s not easy but possible and it starts from you and me supporting what is right, it’s me and you supporting accountability and transparency and not making excuse why we should continue to entrench political rascality. It’s never easy but possible. Any people movement in the world that has succeeded has succeeded because of unity and solidarity. For example, a true Nigerian that means well for the future of this country should not be recommending manual election processes but should argue in favour continuous entrenchment of technology so much so that it becomes increasingly difficult for political desperadoes to cheat. This is the institutional reforms we are taking about.

5. Who are those that will change the systems? It’s not a mechanic or teacher, it’s still the leaders. Rather these leaders entrench poverty and subservience then they throw the religious card and continue to control the people to their selfish benefit. In summary, corrupt politicians typically will entrench systems that will transform the society so waiting for them to do so is going to be an effort in futility. If we demand for good governance, at least we have a fighting chance but if we rely on people who will kill for power, there’d be on end in sight.

You are making my point for me. Except you seem to still insist or don’t get the point that if a system that cannot produce good leaders how can a good leader emerge to change the system?

By definition the leadership options are defective people…..ALL of them! It is a question of levels of defectiveness. Look at the gladiators…Tinubu, Atiku, Obi. The reason these are the choices is because the best refuse to participate. So even with the best will to change, by definition they do not have either the ability or the foot soldiers to execute or both! You can’t give what you do not have!

So you are making my point for me. Leaders are a reflection of the people!

We are forked not because we have bad leaders but because we have bad citizens! Bad leaders can be changed/removed if the citizens rise up but bad citizens can never produce good leaders!

Lookmun:
1. I’m happy you referenced the Bababguda era. Ths was a time when corruption was institutionalized in the country. If you recall the words “Chop I chop.” This was the era when corruption was being normalized and it started from the top to the bottom.
2. It’s not only in a society but any system at all the body takes the shape of the head - it’s inescapable. It’s too much to expect an orderly functioning society when the system that is to enforce that order is broken. It’s just like expecting a lecture hall without a teacher (or if the teacher is seated outside) to be without dissaray. Yes there would be disarray because every student will do what’s right in their own eyes.
3. If there was no need for leaders in a society, then why do we have them? It’s because 200 million individuals from different backgrounds, walks of life, exposure, education, life aspiration, social status, etc cannot lead themselves successfully in a co-ordinated manner. It’s impossible and that’s why we have leaders in every civilization.
4. The leaders have the instruments to enforce the right behaviors but followers don’t. If there is any hope for Nigeria that there is a paradigm shift in th business of leadership.

The Babangida regime was when words like “settlement” and “egunje” were introduced into the vocabulary of the average Nigerian. Babangida democratized corruption and we are paying the price today.

Ofcourse there had always been a small minority of corrupt public officials but under IBB not only did corruption explode in public service but it became rooted in the citizenry and we are paying for the latter today!

The point I am trying to make is that you talk about leaders as if they are imported from abroad? It is from the same citizens that have been indoctrinated in corruption that leaders emerge. Again I know a lot of well meaning people but they will not put themselves up for leadership because it is this same citizens that will sabotage their efforts…..starting from demanding rice or money to vote for them.

The head is a reflection of the body because it is from the pool of citizens that leaders emerge! The few good eggs will never rise to leadership except as appointees of the bad eggs. And when they do they will have to dance to the tune of the piper or quit in frustration.

Only a thief can lead a den of thieves! The hope is you have a reformed thief who understands the ways of the thieves and knows how to checkmate them. Put a technocrat in a leadership political position. Today and odds are he will fail unless he has a godfather. That’s why I laugh when some clamour for the likes of NOI or Adesina. They can perform only as appointees under the cover of a political leader who is himself a gangster! Because you need to be a gangster to run Nigeria if today talk less reform it.

SadiqBabaSani:
Pained Agege supporter. Ganduje cannot never make such clownish comment.

Who will take Omo Agege bread over a sitting Governor with all state apparatuses under him.

Thread opened by neophyte

Okowa is not the Sitting governor

Lookmun:
I see that you didn’t read the post and yet you got the message so that’s a good one. I’m pleased. And just to be clear this is not about blaming others for one’s problem. It’s stating the obvious that in a society that lacks proper administration of justice and law and order, people are conditioned to be bad. The administration of law and order in a society is the exclusive preserve of leadership. You don’t like it but it’s the truth.

If you confirm that I got your message by just reading the 1st sentence, it means the rest of your post was drivel.

I did read the post this time because it wasnt that long. Again i refer you to my previous post, whether the chicken came before the egg or vice versa, this is where we are. The problem of Nigeria at this point cannot be fixed by "good leadership" there is a whole generation (i call them babangida's children born after 1985) who are the workforce of the country but were raised in corruption and selfishness and an era of "anyhowness".. and they are the majority of Nigerians and they will resist any attempts at change despite saying they want change. Not excusing the older generation but they can be rewired because they know good from bad, they know good from bad, they know patriotism. These 40 and belows...they have no reference point for good citizenship, I gave up on the young generation when i saw what became of the endsars movement. they missed a golden opportunity to redefine the country and instead started cashing out. where are the leaders of ENDSARS and what are they doing today..that tells you all you need to know. Just random leader of protest, you sold out to get a cushy gig abroad and thats our problem. And these are youths!!

A country's leadership is a reflction of its citizens.

To me the greatest hurdle for Nigeria is the damaged pysche of its citizens.

Bata and Lennards,…..if you know you know.

Factory used to be in Ojota.


Their old factory is now the GAC assembly plant on ikorodu rd.

Lookmun:
So do we keep supporting bad leadership because “everybody is bad?” I don’t think so. I don’t think the reason why there is a dearth of genuinely good people in political offices is because the citizens wouldn’t appreciate them. They may not venture because the power play between the citizens and the rotten political class is very skewed in favour of the political class. In other words even the people that want to select good leaders have little power to resist bad political players who are in in game for their personal benefit. These guys have the security architecture in their favour, they have state money to spend and waste to achieve their goals, there is little or no checks from institutions so they have their way most times even if it’s against the common wish of people.

A typical governor will finish 8 years and appoint his loyalist (most times the loyalists are loyal to the end). This new governor will cover the tracks of his oga and continue in the transactional politicking. This is the main issue. The people are too powerless.

We can’t give up on looking for leaders who are willing to correct institutional anomalies and giving power to the institutions that check excessive power of the executive. There is no one that hasn’t erred before in his/her life but we cannot say “let us continue in the rot since no man holy pass.” But we must say, “who is willing to be held accountable for righting the wrongs even though this person may have not been 100%.”

PS: Note that the test of someone who is truly ready to be held accountable no matter if he/she has not had a 100% record is if they are willing to push policies that empower the people to have a choice and could even threaten their own personal political aspiration. If the people truly have power to choose, political players will ensure that they work for the people. Our leaders today don’t mind doing little or nothing because they know that the people don’t really determine their re-election .

Fix your self and your neighbor first, I really didn’t read through your post and the previous one simply because from the 1st statements I know it is just another Nigerian blaming others for the problems of which he himself is part of the cause. Nobody is coming to save you.

Nigerians are always pontificating then they go and behave like bad citizens they are.

Lookmun:
It’s a cycle but it can only be corrected by the right leadership. The right leadership is possible because you cannot claim 100% of Nigerians value money more than posterity. If the head is bad, there is no saving the body but if the head is good and the body is bad, the head will change the body it’s just a matter of time.

If there was no use for leadership, then why do we have leaders? Leaders have a unique opportunity to change society because:

1. unlike followers, they are entrusted with the powers of state to enforce the right behaviors by making policies that promote the right behaviors
2. They have the instruments of coercion to ensure that those who do not comply get the stick. This is something that the followers do not have
3. They have a larger reach than a mere individual. Leaders at different levels can influence the community more than a teacher or a mechanic or a banker who is only responsible for his or her immediate family
4. A leader that is telling people to be of a good behavior and is showing good behavior in an exemplary manner will make much impact especially when this leader is technically sound and has a heart for the people and isn’t corrupted.


There is no way to expect a good society when the people that enforce laws are transacting for personal gain but if we have good leaders and a rotten society, the good leaders will ensure that the necessary changes are made and before long there will be societal transformation.

That ship has sailed! The few honest well meaning and capable people do not venture into public leadership because the citizens won’t appreciate him and even when one does he will be frustrated by the same citizens.

Nigeria is rotten to the core. Which came first the chicken or the egg is at this point academic.

Like I always say on the subject. If Awolowo were to govern this batch of Nigerians he would be a disaster because he is too much of a gentleman to govern this criminal nature of the average Nigerian. Awolowo governed at a time when the average Nigerian had honour, integrity and a sense of patriotism.

The average Nigerian todays lacks both.

It is what it is!

YourKarma:
When the head is rotten, the body will follow

It is the other way around. It is from the citizens that leaders emerge. If the citizens are rotten…….