₦airaland Forum

If I were the sitting President of the Federal Republic Nigeria, this will be my official response to the Xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa as well as the FBI cybercrime allegations:

Fellow Nigerians, the past few days have been horrific for us as a Nation. First was the allegations against our people as regards cybercrime; now it is the killings of our beloved nationals by fellow Africans in South Africa. As a Nation that experienced civil war for thirty-six months, we condemn these nefarious acts. We say a stern NO to such acts. We're known to be law-abiding, peaceful breed of people, and all we seek, whether at home or abroad, is to see our fortune grow and contribute our quotas to the development of any Nation in which we reside.

I hereby appeal to our esteemed nationals to put a stop to the violent retaliation. We call for peace and not war. I also want to assure all South Africans living in Nigeria that their lives and property will be secured. Regarding the cybercrime allegations, I have communicated with President Trump and the United State Government; they've been assured of our cooperation towards bringing to book everyone found guilt.

In like manner my heartfelt, unconcealable disgust has been expressed to President Cyril Ramphosa of South Africa. I have tabled before him our non-negotiable demands. Effective immediately, the government of Nigeria has suspended diplomatic ties will South Africa; we would also not be participating at the World Economic Forum. Here are some of our demands:

I. An open and public apology from the government of South Africa, on behalf of its citizenry both home and abroad.

II. The full restoration of all properties lost by our people within the period of this attack and a full compensation for every Nigerian that has lost their means of employment. The South African Government has been advised to liaison immediately with the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our embassy in South Africa.

III. An open and written assurances from the government of South Africa that the lives and properties of every Nigerian will be adequately protected and safeguarded.

In event that our demands are not fully met within the next 14 days, the Government of South Africa is already aware that;

I. Bilateral agreement will be suspended immediately.
II. All South Africans residing in Nigeria will be required to return immediately to their country.
III. All South African owned businesses operating in Nigeria will be nationalized immediately.

In the meantime, I wish to express my heartfelt regards to all friends and partners, who have spoken against the barbaric acts of South Africans. My special, unreserved appreciation goes to President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, the Leadership of Africa Union, ECOWAS and the United Nations. South Africans must be made to know that actions must be put into words because talk is cheap.

Fellow country men and women, incidents of these past weeks is a reflection of government failure, both past and present, in not harnessing the innate potential of our human capital and talents of our youthful population, one to which I take full responsibility. In light of this reality, I have mandated the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion to offer a three-month free registration process. Also, the Attorney-General has been mandated to deploy 100 lawyers to help facilitate this process. In addition, the government will be providing seed capital to start-ups and SMEs with capacity of employing ten and fifty Nigerians within the first year respectively.

The Federal Government will also be launching an emergency economic plan within the next seven days. The national idea and policy hub would also be launched, with the aim of harnessing our potentials, developing our economic strength and preventing shameful incidents like we experience in the last few days.

Dear country men and women, now is not a time to mourn; it is a time to roll-up our sleeves and get to work. We must ensure that the labors of our heroes past are not in vain and our unborn generations must only hear of these incidents through the annals of history. They must never experience this national disgrace.
It is time to change the narrative, and the change begins with you and me. Let's get to work.

Thank you.

May God continually bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji.
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
08082790452.

#ThePresidentDiary.

Why Professor Ndubuisi Ekekwe should be the next Minister of Science and Technology.

As we eagerly await the list of ministerial nominees from the presidency and their confirmation by the Ninth Assembly, it is imperative for us as a nation to have the orientation of fitting round pegs in round holes. The need for capacity, character and capability in each nominee cannot be overemphasized, as each person will be directly responsible for driving the development of the nation over the next two years or so. One ministry that is of particular interest to me among several others is the ministry of science of technology. We all know that for any nation to maximize her potential, the field of science and technology must take center stage. China, India, Singapore, Rwanda, to mention a few are vivid examples of nations whose stories have been turned around, and gone from the so called third world - poor or low income countries to high income nations with far better standards of living. Some of these nations have even broken into the highly regarded class of 'first world' countries and seriously threaten to upset the natural order of precedence we are familiar with among the comity of nations. Our strategy cannot be different if we must harness the potential of this nation's youthful population.
The time to place science and technology as the fulcrum of our national strategy can come at no better time! The urgent need for economic diversification, the rapid and effective response needed to tackle the twin menace of underemployment and unemployment and finding a way out of dire quandries such as insecurity, epileptic power supply and disease control are strong indicators that the time to give science and technology the long overdue precedence in Nigeria is now. Nigeria's science and technology sector is estimated to be worth over $100 billion in potential earnings and it is expected that this figure could rapidly expand not just over the nation but also throughout the continent. Therefore this ministry calls for an expert, a proven technocrat and not some political profiteer who gets an appointment due to the cronyism of political loyalist that are solely out for political gain. Neither should we make the mistake of 'filling in the gap' with the mere intention of satisfying the constitutional requirement of federal character. However, I have taken it upon myself to nominate a proven Nigerian with the needed expertise, exposure and insight to map out a solid blueprint for the ministry. My nominee goes by the name, Professor Ndubisi Ekekwe.

Why Ndubuisi Ekekwe?

Before, I begin to provide answers to this question , I would like to give a brief introduction about the man Ndubuisi Ekekwe.
Ndubusi Ekekwe was born in July 1975. He hails from Ovim, Abia state. He is a Nigerian professor, inventor, engineer, author and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the First Atlantic Semiconductor and Micro-electronics, West Africa's leading embedded systems company. His credentials include a period spent with Analog Devices Corp. where he co-designed a new generation accelerometer for the IPhone and created the company's first water-level chip package for inertial sensors. He is a major player in the United States semiconductor industry where he develops innovative microchips and invented a microcontroller for medical robots.
Ekekwe, has served with the United States National Science Foundation on the Engineering Research Center E& committee. Ekekewe is also a co-chairman of JPL financial group, a California based financial advisory firm which syndicates capital for projects in Africa. As the founder of African Institution of Technology, he facilitates the provision of practical education support, encourages the enactment of technology policies and facilitates bottom-up creativity of technology emanating from African economies.
Therefore, in answering the question above, I have decided to pen down the rational behind his nomination by me (if it is not obvious by now that is).

(1) Next level : The next level agenda is said to be anchored on diversification, that will be fostered by improving the nation's agricultural sector and providing an enabling environment for our entrepreneurs. To achieve this, science and technology must play a crucial role. Prof. Ekekwe is the founder of Zenvus, a Nigerian precision farming startup which measures and analyzes soil data like temperature, nutrients and vegetative health to help farmers apply the right fertilizer and optimally irrigate their farms. Zenvus improves farm productivity and reduces wastes by using analytics to facilitate data-driven farming practices. This fits neatly as a solution to the herculean task facing the present administration, namely the need to make the agricultural industry attractive to our teeming youth. Startups like Zenvus offer the way out, and what other man would you want championing this cause other than one presently making headway along the course?
In addition to this, Prof. Ekekwe sits as selection board member of the Tony Elumelu entrepreneurship programme, where he screens various enterprising ideas. Furthermore, he sits on the board of several Nigerian startups. His work with Apple and other multinational corporations both locally and internationally affords him the technical know-how of tech finance, business innovation and entrepreneurship. Judging from the standpoint of his experience in the corporate and entrepreneurial spheres, I am confident that he knows what to look for in enterprising young people, he understands their pain, and he certainly knows what big corporations seek in a nation that will attract investment. Should he be named minister of science and technology, he will offer first hand advise to other ministries, such as the ministry of labour and productivity, the ministry of finance and so on, and help to reshape our social investment programs like N-power for better and far-reaching performance.

(2) Laying the Foundation: As we build into the future, it is imperative that we lay a solid foundation for students in tertiary institutions and secondary schools. Professor Ekekwe has lectured at the Federal University of Technology Owerri, and other globally renowned institutions like John Hopkins University. He also writes for Harvard Business Journal and his blog - tekedia.com is serving as a vehicle of education and enlightenment to young people across the globe. Being the minister of a pivotal and pertinent government agency like the ministry of science and technology puts him in a position where he could work and synergize effectively with the ministry of education. Out of this solid partnership, driven not by charlatans but seasoned technocrats, a solid blueprint that will revamp our dead institutions of Technology, setting them on a course to maximize the pool of academically and technically talented students that the pass through the Nigerian educational system yearly. He has seen what first world nation student exposure looks like, and juxtaposing this with his knowledge of the Nigerian student which he has from once being a lecturer in Nigeria, I believe he is poised to help the Nigerian education system make that leap of progress towards innovation, development and global relevance.

(3) Political Calculation: Given the nature of the Nigerian sociopolitical landscape, we cannot but put this into consideration. He hails for eastern Nigeria, where the APC government is very unpopular. The first term of this administration left the easterners with a feeling of "We do not matter". Enstruting one of her sons with this important portfolio will showcase the President's goodwill and of course truly fulfill in however little a measure that he is indeed for everybody and for nobody.

I, sincerely hope to see capable names like that of Professor Ndubisi Ekekwe on the list that will be sent to the Ninth Assembly for confirmation.

Thank you.
May God bless you and may He continually bless the Federal republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
08082790452.
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#ThePresident'sDiary.

Why Professor Ndubisi Ekekwe should be the next Minister of Science and Technology.

As we eagerly await the list of ministerial nominees from the presidency and their confirmation by the Ninth Assembly, it is imperative for us as a nation to have the orientation of fitting round pegs in round holes. The need for capacity, character and capability in each nominee cannot be overemphasized, as each person will be directly responsible for driving the development of the nation over the next two years or so. One ministry that is of particular interest to me among several others is the ministry of science of technology. We all know that for any nation to maximize her potential, the field of science and technology must take center stage. China, India, Singapore, Rwanda, to mention a few are vivid examples of nations whose stories have been turned around, and gone from the so called third world - poor or low income countries to high income nations with far better standards of living. Some of these nations have even broken into the highly regarded class of 'first world' countries and seriously threaten to upset the natural order of precedence we are familiar with among the comity of nations. Our strategy cannot be different if we must harness the potential of this nation's youthful population.
The time to place science and technology as the fulcrum of our national strategy can come at no better time! The urgent need for economic diversification, the rapid and effective response needed to tackle the twin menace of underemployment and unemployment and finding a way out of dire quandries such as insecurity, epileptic power supply and disease control are strong indicators that the time to give science and technology the long overdue precedence in Nigeria is now. Nigeria's science and technology sector is estimated to be worth over $100 billion in potential earnings and it is expected that this figure could rapidly expand not just over the nation but also throughout the continent. Therefore this ministry calls for an expert, a proven technocrat and not some political profiteer who gets an appointment due to the cronyism of political loyalist that are solely out for political gain. Neither should we make the mistake of 'filling in the gap' with the mere intention of satisfying the constitutional requirement of federal character. However, I have taken it upon myself to nominate a proven Nigerian with the needed expertise, exposure and insight to map out a solid blueprint for the ministry. My nominee goes by the name, Professor Ndubisi Ekekwe.

Why Ndubisi Ekekwe?

Before, I begin to provide answers to this question , I would like to give a brief introduction about the man Ndubisi Ekekwe.
Ndubisi Ekekwe was born in July 1975. He hails from Ovim, Abia state. He is a Nigerian professor, inventor, engineer, author and entrepreneur. He is the founder of the First Atlantic Semiconductor and Micro-electronics, West Africa's leading embedded systems company. His credentials include a period spent with Analog Devices Corp. where he co-designed a new generation accelerometer for the IPhone and created the company's first water-level chip package for inertial sensors. He is a major player in the United States semiconductor industry where he develops innovative microchips and invented a microcontroller for medical robots.
Ekekwe, has served with the United States National Science Foundation on the Engineering Research Center E& committee. Ekekewe is also a co-chairman of JPL financial group, a California based financial advisory firm which syndicates capital for projects in Africa. As the founder of African Institution of Technology, he facilitates the provision of practical education support, encourages the enactment of technology policies and facilitates bottom-up creativity of technology emanating from African economies.
Therefore, in answering the question above, I have decided to pen down the rational behind his nomination by me (if it is not obvious by now that is).

(1) Next level : The next level agenda is said to be anchored on diversification, that will be fostered by improving the nation's agricultural sector and providing an enabling environment for our entrepreneurs. To achieve this, science and technology must play a crucial role. Prof. Ekekwe is the founder of Zenvus, a Nigerian precision farming startup which measures and analyzes soil data like temperature, nutrients and vegetative health to help farmers apply the right fertilizer and optimally irrigate their farms. Zenvus improves farm productivity and reduces wastes by using analytics to facilitate data-driven farming practices. This fits neatly as a solution to the herculean task facing the present administration, namely the need to make the agricultural industry attractive to our teeming youth. Startups like Zenvus offer the way out, and what other man would you want championing this cause other than one presently making headway along the course?
In addition to this, Prof. Ekekwe sits as selection board member of the Tony Elumelu entrepreneurship programme, where he screens various enterprising ideas. Furthermore, he sits on the board of several Nigerian startups. His work with Apple and other multinational corporations both locally and internationally affords him the technical know-how of tech finance, business innovation and entrepreneurship. Judging from the standpoint of his experience in the corporate and entrepreneurial spheres, I am confident that he knows what to look for in enterprising young people, he understands their pain, and he certainly knows what big corporations seek in a nation that will attract investment. Should he be named minister of science and technology, he will offer first hand advise to other ministries, such as the ministry of labour and productivity, the ministry of finance and so on, and help to reshape our social investment programs like N-power for better and far-reaching performance.

(2) Laying the Foundation: As we build into the future, it is imperative that we lay a solid foundation for students in tertiary institutions and secondary schools. Professor Ekekwe has lectured at the Federal University of Technology Owerri, and other globally renowned institutions like John Hopkins University. He also writes for Harvard Business Journal and his blog - tekedia.com is serving as a vehicle of education and enlightenment to young people across the globe. Being the minister of a pivotal and pertinent government agency like the ministry of science and technology puts him in a position where he could work and synergize effectively with the ministry of education. Out of this solid partnership, driven not by charlatans but seasoned technocrats, a solid blueprint that will revamp our dead institutions of Technology, setting them on a course to maximize the pool of academically and technically talented students that the pass through the Nigerian educational system yearly. He has seen what first world nation student exposure looks like, and juxtaposing this with his knowledge of the Nigerian student which he has from once being a lecturer in Nigeria, I believe he is poised to help the Nigerian education system make that leap of progress towards innovation, development and global relevance.

(3) Political Calculation: Given the nature of the Nigerian sociopolitical landscape, we cannot but put this into consideration. He hails for eastern Nigeria, where the APC government is very unpopular. The first term of this administration left the easterners with a feeling of "We do not matter". Enstruting one of her sons with this important portfolio will showcase the President's goodwill and of course truly fulfill in however little a measure that he is indeed for everybody and for nobody.

I, sincerely hope to see capable names like that of Professor Ndubisi Ekekwe on the list that will be sent to the Ninth Assembly for confirmation.

Thank you.
May God bless you and may He continually bless the Federal republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
08082790452.
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#ThePresident'sDiary

Dear Senator,

It gladdened my heart to learn of your intentions to serves as the executive governor of our noble state, as the need for quintessential leadership and a potent government can come at no better time other than now. The present administration is led by lackluster laggard who became governor by sheer luck, the product of nasty scheming and paltry politicking and not by honoring the utmost will of the people. He has continually made us a laughing stock among the comity of states. Under his unfortunate leadership, our begging bowls have become our greatest assets. However, when a politician of your pedigree decides to answer the call to leadership to salvage what is left of the state from the clutches of hyenas in white clothing, such response is a sign that all isn't over and hope does lie at the end of the tunnel.

However Senator, there is another call that demands urgency. It is a call higher than the summons to be a state governor. It is a call to rescue democracy in Nigeria and save generations unborn from the scheme of political profiteers, swindlers and rogues, who presently occupy the upper echelons of our democratic hierarchy. it is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that the leadership of the Ninth Assembly is nothing but a puppet show, completely at the behest of the presidency and the caricature of the mother (political) party.

Mr. Senator, we know that the true essence of democracy is in a vibrant opposition, one that is able to go toe-to-toe against the wiles and the ignoble intentions of the incumbent leadership. Thus the question lurking in the heart of Nigerians is this: "Who has the balls to stand up to these dictators". Fortunately, the baton has fallen to you; but unfortunately, few people are of your ilk, having the pedigree to stand up to them. It was evident in the election of the 9th Assembly, that some legislators submitted their democratic right as stewards of the people and the unfettered responsibility they owe to their constituencies to bullying; and voted against their conscience just to save their necks, not minding the lasting effect on our national future.

Senator Dino Melaye, you know clearly that the ultimate responsibility of leadership is sacrifice, the time for sacrifice is now! The time to weigh your options and decide on whether you should pursue your noble governorship intentions or to answer a higher call of saving a nation is now! Your home state and the nation at large needs you now more than ever.
Whatever your decision, I do trust your judgment in making a choice that will be beneficial not only to DINO MELAYE, but the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you,

May God bless you, and may He continually bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji.
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

08082790452.
Dejijupiter@gmail.com.
#DPresidentDiary.

Political Electability

Gueye (not real name) my Senegalese friend earlier this year asked me what I consider the most important asset a political candidate must possess. He implied that this primary determinant must be among the following factors that will ensure victory at the polls: popularity, strong political movement, an astute public relations team, potent campaign strategy, international backing, intergrity, financial war-chest, philantrophy or incumbency.

The aforementioned are critical to a candidate's victory at the polls and a candidate should posses majority of the items on Gueye's list. Suffice it to say that no political candidate should consider vying for public office without sufficient war-chest; history is replete with the stories of candidates whose financial treasure and philantrophic nature has propelled to victory at the polls - Cheif M.K.O Abiola readily comes to mind.

The PDP controlled the government at the peak of its majesty did not necessarily have such predominance because her candidates were better, but by the power of incumbency. This was all that was needed and with that, Aremu Obasanjo single-handlely anointed Yar'adua president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The same holds true for the APC in Lagos state whose candidates have continually won state level elections due to the perpetual enigma of incumbency. Similarly, nobody can underestimate the power of a strong political movement, say like that which Buhari controls at the core-North or his self-acclamied integrity. These were moral steeds upon which he rode to victory at the 2015 and 2019 polls. Striving to be the President of the world's most populous black nation, even with his ever potent footsoldiers and integrity, he lost the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections. However, when these factors were married with an apt public relation, fantastic campaign structure and the backing of international powers, it was only a matter of time before General Muhammad Buhari became the 15th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Therefore, Gueye's listed factors cannot be overlooked, however, none of these is a primary determinant of electoral victory for a political candidate. History and recent developments have shown that the primary factor needed to secure victory at the polls is political electability.

What do I mean by Political Electability?

Political Electability means a candidate is electable not only because he/she has fulfilled constitutional and legal requirements but such a candidate provides solutions to the present need of the people, while capturing their desired future. I will buttress this by considering the following case studies.

In 2011, Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan won the election not because he was the richest of the candidates, neither because of incumbency and absolutely he had no strong political base. The election was won because the people saw a leader that captured their aspiration to go from 'grass to grace', showcasing that despite the decay and menace of our political institution, it was possible for a shoeless Otuoke village pauper to become the number one citizen. Nigerians voted Jonathan because in him they saw a leader that could relate to their present state of penury; they could relate with his past and like him, despise the elite with impunity while standijg with the masses. This singular reason made GEJ President.

In 2015, Muhammadu Buhari became Presieent despite only speaking for thirty-three minute throughout his campaign across the thirty-six states and FCT. He defeated an incumbent President, who had everything a politician will desire going into an election, except that the people wanted a change. All the people felt they needed was to change the government in power and their near-future ambition was to re-brand and re-tell the story of Nigeria. Nigerians were tired of the government in power and wanted a leader with proven integrity, one who possesses the necessary prerequisite to defeat corruption, and Buhari happened to readily fit the bill hence, the throne became his. On another note, shall we consider the " O to ge" movement that ended the political dynasty of the Sarakis. Kwarans did not consider the influence of the senate President or his financial war-chest , they were simply fed-up and desirous of a change. Abdulraham Abdulrazaq just happened to be suitably situated on the wings so he won the election.

One might be tempted to assume that political electability is only applicable in Nigeria. Hence we shall also consider the most powerful nation in the world, one whose democracy, we patterned ours after.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton was the candidate to beat. She enjoyed maximum support from Wall Street, the incumbent - Barack Obama. Even Bernie Sanders, a very strong contestant in the Democratic party stepped down and it appeared the coast was all cleared for Madam Secretary to become Madam President - the very first in the history of the United States, except that Americans saw Hillary Clinton as a continuity of Obama's government. America was fast becoming second fiddle to China, and her opinion becoming irrelevant in the comity of nations. The people could see clearly the writing on the wall, they knew China was strategically taking their number one position. As if that wasn't enough, Russia was knocking heavily on the number two position. The 2016 elections offered the prefect opportunity to remedy the situation and save the Nation of sliding further downwards. They needed a leader that would stand up to Putin and face China squarely. The ultimate desire (turned mantra) was to make America great again. It may not really matter who the candidate of the Republican party was, whether it was a man that didn't even believe in himslef, so much so that he never prepared a victory speech, or a once bankrupt billionaire or a bullish CEO with no political precedent - all that mattered was his ability to capture their present need and understood their collective desired future as a nation.

This is the ultimate assets a political candidate must possess when vying for elective positions.

Thank you.

May God bless you and may He continually bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
08082790452
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#DPresidentDiary.

Muhammadu Buhari: The President Without an Agenda.

As we approach the twilight of President Muhammadu Buhari's first term and with the dawning of his second and final tenure, a question looms large in my heart. The question is quite basic but somewhat complex to answer.

What is the President's agenda?

Not so surpising, I could not provide a suitable answer to my question in five minutes. And for me, any question I cannot answer within that time frame has more to it than meets the eye. So I took up study in the past few days, reviewing the President, his presidency and his political party's agenda - what they have decided to term "Next level".

Other than the ever vague, colorful political promises, I could barely wrap my hands around the man's agenda at such a time as this in our national life. After my ruminations, I came up disappointed, simply because I had hoped to prove myself wrong, that a man cannot seek the highest office of the land four consecutive times without an agenda - alas, against all hope I was proven wrong! I am particular about the President's agenda because I believe we need a measuring rod for his time in office, a basis upon which we can make decisions.

Since this administration appears vague, beclouded, indecisive and one without a sense of direction, I decided to employ the wisdom of an African saying: "If you don't know where you're going, you should (at least) know where you came from". And so in the spirit of this axiom, I decided to direct my steps backwards down the road called the Memory Lane. I went a little backwards, stopping briefly at the 2015. Further still, I journeyed twelve years back to 2003, and all I could perceive were mere words, devoid of anything worthy of being called an agenda. This preeminent vagueness is captured in the fine and famous phrase - "I am for nobody and for everybody". My hearts aches and I do wonder at what the General turned democractic president will say when he finds himself in a gathering of world leaders representing us as a corporate entity, and it's his turn to sell, resell and recreate the brand Nigeria. Albeit I did find something. I found a president whose singular agenda is to blame the past administrations; unleash his ever backing but never biting bulldog in an attempt to force everyone into submission; I found a man whose party branded as the heavyweight, who will knock out corruption with a single punch of his magical, 'no nonsense' fist; I found a man who promised to scrap the office of the First Lady, only to masquerade it as the office of the wife of the President.

When it became evident to me that my answer would not be answered by the General from Daura, and looking closely at the house - the political home that produced such an incompetent president, what I found was a political marriage concocted only to takeover the vast farmland from her arch-rival, with no clear cut agenda, political plan nor strategem to maximize its claim. This aimless political union began producing incompetent children, like its first born that occupies the Aso Villa. Next in the intrigue was for some supposed members of the political marriage to file for divorce when it became clear to them that only the wives nicknamed 'Burdillion' and those from the Kaduna ancestral home will have access to the family resources, solely in custody of the incompetent first born.

When this political family was asked why it has failed to deliver on its promises to tend, nourish and nurture the farmland, it pointed to the family next door, casting the blame on them. When asked how it intend to cultivate the resource,bthe response was simply, 'Next level'.

Evidently, neither the family nor her offspring led by the first begotten in Aso rock has an agenda to drive the nation forward, it has no clear-cut vision.

A friend and elder brother of mine, said to me, some days back, "Deji, hard times lie ahead, for the Holy scripture says: where there is no vision, the people perish. Now, I believe it is clear why we're sliding down as a nation."

God help us, thank you.

May God bless you and may he continually bless the Federal republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji,
08082790452.
Writes from, Lagos, Nigeria.
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#DPresidentDiary.

Republic at Risk

For quite sometime now, I have been bothered by a thought, it is like my shadow keeps following me everywhere I go (nothing out of order there, until the shadow seem to be acting independent of me as if it were an entity with a life of its own). Not for once have I discussed this troubling thought of mine with anyone. Sometimes, I am tempted to let it off my chest but history and recent developments have made this thought very enigmatic to me. It has turned out to be a very prominent cogitation on my mind, one for which I am taking a significant amount of time to study and give my absolute attention.


My thought borders squarely on the governance of the nation, Nigeria, particularly as regards the roles being played by the present crop of her political leaders, and the possibility of the military coming back into government. My biological father and first political instructor has always said this to me: "The worst civilian government is preferable to the best of military governments". "The barracks is the home of soldiers..." he would add earnestly, and who am I to dispute the claim of one so old and wise, who saw military government in all its tyrannical glory. Not to mention, my political education started at the cradle of the fourth republic and I was an infant when the last set of soldiers were handling over the baton of leadership to the men in 'Agbada'.

So, it is safe for me to let go of this thought and pay close attention on nation building and the posterity of my beloved nation, Nigeria. Like you, I detest the military government in our nation's history - from Ironsi to Babaginda. I would not dare speak of Abacha, for such a poor excuse for a man is not worthy of my time. Albeit, every time I set my heart to go a step forward, something calls my attention back to the bedrock and foundations of our nation. This call vividly and ominously impresses on me to pay a little more attention to the barracks. It beckons on me to study what led trained soldiers to drop their arms in exchange for the delicate role of governance. More than five decades and yet, Major Hassan Usman Kastina's prophecy still rings jarringly in our nation's belly - "coup succeed coup, this will not be the end of it. This country will continue to witness coup d'etat". Those were his very words after the January 15, 1966 coup, and given the prevailing flippancy in governmence, I wonder if we've seen the last of coups.


Of the many things I have found out from my research as excuses used by the soldiers for seizing power, I have decide to share two, due to the pecularities of the times.

Corruption: Ranking highest on the list surely is corruption. This disease, like cancer is sucking the very life out of our national existences and significance. It has been one unwavering factor the soldiers have hung upon in leaving their primary point of duty and taking up political power. As case studies or shall I say prophecies, I'd like you to read some excerpts of coup speeches:


Major Chukuma Kaduna Nzeogwu of the January 15 1966 coup, "Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribes and demand 10 percent; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs at least; the tribalists, the nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before international circles; those that have corrupted our society and put the Nigerian political calendar back by their words and deeds."


Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, "Since what happens in any society is largely a reflection of leadership of that society, we deplore corruption in all its facets. This government will not tolerate kickbacks, inflation of contracts or over-invoicing of imports etc, nor will it condone forgery, fraud, emblezzement, misuse and abuse of office and illegal dealings in foreign exchange and smuggling."


Earlier in his coup speech, Major -General Muhammadu Buhari had said " The corrupt inept and insensitive leadership in the last four years has been source of immortality and impropriety in our society."

Or, shall we consider General Ibrahim Babaginda's coup speech of August 27 1985: "When in December 1983, the former military leadership headed by Major General Muhammadu Buhari assumed the reins of governmen, its accession was heralded in the history of this country with the nation at the mercy of political misdirection and on the brink of economic collapse. A new sense of hope was created in the minds of every Nigerian. Since 1984, however, we have witnessed a systematic denigration of political ledership and a general deterioration of the standard if living, which had subjected the common man to intolerable suffering (scuttling) the reasons for the intervention. Nigerians have since then been under a regime that continued with this trend."


The speeches of Babaginda, Buhari and Nzeogwu, look like words that could as well have been spoken today. Clearly, they are a perfect reflection of the Nigeria of 2019. The fourth republic has witnessed the highest level of corruption and mismanagement of all the republics!

Another like corruption is the issue of our continuous unity. No one captures this better than General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, in his July 29, 1975 speech.

"Fellow Nigerians, events of the past few years have indicated that despite our great human and material resources, the government has not been able to fulfill the legitimate expectations of our people. Nigeria has been left to drift. This situation , if not arrested, would inevitably have resulted in chaos and even bloodshed. In the endeavor to build a strong, united and virile nation, Nigerians have shed much blood. The thought of further bloodshed for whatever reasons must, I am sure be revolting to our people. The Armed forces, having examined the situation came to the conclusion that certain changes were inevitable."


Looking closely at these two points and the present reality in our nation, we cannot comfortably say things are different. In fact we are worse of! Corruption and mismanagement have soared higher, we are more divided and insecure as a nation, that one begs for even the tiniest ray of hope. No administration in the fourth republic has successful curbed corruption and foster National unity. The present administration was brought in to provide solutions, but it has emerged handicapped and defeated.


The recent happenings around the world from Venezuela to Sudan and the level of insecurity within our borders calls for swift actions from the nation's political leaders. The barrack lords can perceive the disgust of the people towards their leaders, they can hear the inaudile heart cry of the pouplace for change and they know the people would not mind 'going back to Egypt', so long as they are sure of onions, cucumber and shelter. This administration must act now to quash the hunger for action, power and fortune growing like a virile seed in these Generals' heart. Perhaps I would have been less disturbed if the chief Army staff had not issued a stern warning to members of the Nigerian Army suspected to be planing a coup. There is no smoke without fire, even if it is a smouldering fire, so they say.

This government should do its job and allow the sleeping dogs lie.


Thank you, May God bless you and May He continually bless and keep the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria
08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com.
#DPresidentDiary.

Republic at Risk

For quite sometime now, I have been bothered by a thought, it is like my shadow keeps following me everywhere I go (nothing out of order there, until the shadow seem to be acting independent of me as if it were an entity with a life of its own). Not for once have I discussed this troubling thought of mine with anyone. Sometimes, I am tempted to let it off my chest but history and recent developments have made this thought very enigmatic to me. It has turned out to be a very prominent cogitation on my mind, one for which I am taking a significant amount of time to study and give my absolute attention.


My thought borders squarely on the governance of the nation, Nigeria, particularly as regards the roles being played by the present crop of her political leaders, and the possibility of the military coming back into government. My biological father and first political instructor has always said this to me: "The worst civilian government is preferable to the best of military governments". "The barracks is the home of soldiers..." he would add earnestly, and who am I to dispute the claim of one so old and wise, who saw military government in all its tyrannical glory. Not to mention, my political education started at the cradle of the fourth republic and I was an infant when the last set of soldiers were handling over the baton of leadership to the men in 'Agbada'.

So, it is safe for me to let go of this thought and pay close attention on nation building and the posterity of my beloved nation, Nigeria. Like you, I detest the military government in our nation's history - from Ironsi to Babaginda. I would not dare speak of Abacha, for such a poor excuse for a man is not worthy of my time. Albeit, every time I set my heart to go a step forward, something calls my attention back to the bedrock and foundations of our nation. This call vividly and ominously impresses on me to pay a little more attention to the barracks. It beckons on me to study what led trained soldiers to drop their arms in exchange for the delicate role of governance. More than five decades and yet, Major Hassan Usman Kastina's prophecy still rings jarringly in our nation's belly - "coup succeed coup, this will not be the end of it. This country will continue to witness coup d'etat". Those were his very words after the January 15, 1966 coup, and given the prevailing flippancy in governmence, I wonder if we've seen the last of coups.


Of the many things I have found out from my research as excuses used by the soldiers for seizing power, I have decide to share two, due to the pecularities of the times.

Corruption: Ranking highest on the list surely is corruption. This disease, like cancer is sucking the very life out of our national existences and significance. It has been one unwavering factor the soldiers have hung upon in leaving their primary point of duty and taking up political power. As case studies or shall I say prophecies, I'd like you to read some excerpts of coup speeches:


Major Chukuma Kaduna Nzeogwu of the January 15 1966 coup, "Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places that seek bribes and demand 10 percent; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs at least; the tribalists, the nepotists, those that make the country look big for nothing before international circles; those that have corrupted our society and put the Nigerian political calendar back by their words and deeds."


Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, "Since what happens in any society is largely a reflection of leadership of that society, we deplore corruption in all its facets. This government will not tolerate kickbacks, inflation of contracts or over-invoicing of imports etc, nor will it condone forgery, fraud, emblezzement, misuse and abuse of office and illegal dealings in foreign exchange and smuggling."


Earlier in his coup speech, Major -General Muhammadu Buhari had said " The corrupt inept and insensitive leadership in the last four years has been source of immortality and impropriety in our society."

Or, shall we consider General Ibrahim Babaginda's coup speech of August 27 1985: "When in December 1983, the former military leadership headed by Major General Muhammadu Buhari assumed the reins of governmen, its accession was heralded in the history of this country with the nation at the mercy of political misdirection and on the brink of economic collapse. A new sense of hope was created in the minds of every Nigerian. Since 1984, however, we have witnessed a systematic denigration of political ledership and a general deterioration of the standard if living, which had subjected the common man to intolerable suffering (scuttling) the reasons for the intervention. Nigerians have since then been under a regime that continued with this trend."


The speeches of Babaginda, Buhari and Nzeogwu, look like words that could as well have been spoken today. Clearly, they are a perfect reflection of the Nigeria of 2019. The fourth republic has witnessed the highest level of corruption and mismanagement of all the republics!

Another like corruption is the issue of our continuous unity. No one captures this better than General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, in his July 29, 1975 speech.

"Fellow Nigerians, events of the past few years have indicated that despite our great human and material resources, the government has not been able to fulfill the legitimate expectations of our people. Nigeria has been left to drift. This situation , if not arrested, would inevitably have resulted in chaos and even bloodshed. In the endeavor to build a strong, united and virile nation, Nigerians have shed much blood. The thought of further bloodshed for whatever reasons must, I am sure be revolting to our people. The Armed forces, having examined the situation came to the conclusion that certain changes were inevitable."


Looking closely at these two points and the present reality in our nation, we cannot comfortably say things are different. In fact we are worse of! Corruption and mismanagement have soared higher, we are more divided and insecure as a nation, that one begs for even the tiniest ray of hope. No administration in the fourth republic has successful curbed corruption and foster National unity. The present administration was brought in to provide solutions, but it has emerged handicapped and defeated.


The recent happenings around the world from Venezuela to Sudan and the level of insecurity within our borders calls for swift actions from the nation's political leaders. The barrack lords can perceive the disgust of the people towards their leaders, they can hear the inaudile heart cry of the pouplace for change and they know the people would not mind 'going back to Egypt', so long as they are sure of onions, cucumber and shelter. This administration must act now to quash the hunger for action, power and fortune growing like a virile seed in these Generals' heart. Perhaps I would have been less disturbed if the chief Army staff had not issued a stern warning to members of the Nigerian Army suspected to be planing a coup. There is no smoke without fire, even if it is a smouldering fire, so they say.

This government should do its job and allow the sleeping dogs lie.


Thank you, May God bless you and May He continually bless and keep the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria
08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com.
#DPresidentDiary.

As we prepare for life after election, and as the Nation get settled into life under our new political reality, I began taking stocks of the factors that propel some electoral candidates to victory and others to failure, I also sought to see if the election was a reflection of the Nation's mood and if political analyst correctly predicted the outcome of the election.


One of the item on my shelf that I gave close attention to was the social media, prior to the polls and as election was building up the social space was getting heated up daily, WhatsApp groups invite were streaming in by the second, trends and hastag were birthed at the speed of light, that one is forced to pay close attention to this new political gladiators whose arena was the social media, however as the election drew to a close, I saw these gladiators withdrawing into their shells, few weeks down the line the arena is empty as though these never existed.


This lead me into questioning the social media's political effectiveness in propelling change and birthing the political desire of the populace, x-raying the 2019 elections it is safe to say that the social media played no major role in determining the outcome of the elections or reflecting the people's aspirations.


The social media for me is an over-hyped ranting tool for docile political gladiators that cannot usher in lasting political change, at best the social media is a short term mobilization tool aimed at immediate or short-term changes like the Not too young to rule or EndSARS movements, if as a people we strongly desire change then we must look beyond the politics of trends and hastags we must deliberately learn from our founding fathers and who achieved independence by building movements such as Nigerian Youth Movement, the Ibo Federal Union, Egbe Omo Oduduwa, Northern People's Congress whose voices still echoes and structures surpass its founding member and erects structures generations to come will lean upon.


Thank you.
May God bless you and May He continually bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Adewumi Adedeji, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#DPresidentDiary.

POLITICS

I realize that the reason few people are interested to participate in politics is not that they don’t have the desire to protect their interests or can’t muster the means to do so, but that they lack the faith that they can influence the game results and are therefore not motivated to play the game.


As most people don’t play the game, they end up being ruled by those who do participate. Plato wrote: “The penalty for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being ruled by worse men than yourself
The present lack of faith to be able to influence political results comes from the conviction that the game of politics is complicated when in reality it’s just common sense, as the great mover of men Napoleon Bonaparte explained: “High politic is only common sense applied to great things

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria
08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#DPresidentDiary.

Finally the 2019 elections have come and gone - votes have been casted, ballots collated and results announced. With the announcement of results comes joy, shout, shock, victors and losers. One of the more interesting contests is the Kwara central senatorial elections that saw the emergence of Dr Yahaya Oloriegbe of APC as the Victor. His victory is worthy of note not because he is anything special from every other victors (perhaps he is) but because he has done the unimaginable - defeating Oloye Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the current president of senate.

I strongly opine that Dr Saraki's unanticipated loss (perhaps it was in certain quarters) is one that should be analyzed and the integral factors that facilitates his defeat discussed so that younger generations can learn from the mistakes made by the Godfather of Kwara politics. I have outlined below the factors that contributed in no small measure to his defeat at the polls.

(1) PERCEPTION : Justice will not be served in this discourse should we pay attention solely to the 2019 elections. The seed of his defeat in 2019 was back in 2011, when he as the then outgoing governor went against his father's choice of his successor. That singular act painted an image of him as a man that is disrespectful and a heir desperate for the throne.

Two events further soiled the Oloye's garment. One is the manner in which he became the senate president against his party's choice and ultimately making them lose the Deputy Senate President position to their arch enemy. The other is what I refer to as the 'Atiku curse'. Oloye's continuous affiliation with the EX Vice-President, a man that symbolises kleptocracy and the Egypt that Nigerians do not desire return to made Kwarans perceived their erstwhile Godfather as corrupt and unfit for the leadership of the new kind of Nigeria we desire to build.

(2) DISTRACTION : Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki was in fact over-distracted, as he was fighting too many self-created battles simultaneously - a bid to retain his sit as senate president, his undoubted presidential ambition, the continuous court case, his decision to be the sole kingmaker of a elective position in Kwara, continuous loggerhead with the presidency that led to his deflection to PDP, his sudden emergence as her National leader and the unwise decision to be the Director-General of Atiku's presidential campaign, all distracted the Oloye from seeing that there was fire on his roof. This also exposed his weakened defense and before he could realise the sit was already occupied, it was perhaps too late if at all it was redeemable.

(3) HOME : The Name Oloye Olusola Saraki was synonymous in Kwara with the grand mastery of politics because it was believed that its bearer understood that in politics the home must never be divided. Perhaps Saraki (Jr.) not unlike like the prodigal son in Biblical scriptures, was too eager to leave home with his share of the inheritance and failed to learn the basics and essentials from the father of Kwara politics and the pioneer of the Saraki dynasty. Dr. Bukola had eight glorious years of mending the wall and repairing the bridge with his sister, Gbemisola, the elders of Kwara and other extended family members of the Saraki dynasty but clearly he declined. If he had kept the family united, the senate president would by now be celebrating his 3rd term straight return to the senate.

(4) THE PEOPLE : The hallmark of democracy is that the governed can decide by the machinery of election who leads them. The direction they desire governance to take albeit shows that political power is not exclusive to an individual or group of people - this is politics 101. The people clamoured for a change but the godfather could not decipher that the mood has changed. This was a tactical mistake that sealed his fate.
Enough is Enough was the message of the people.

Thank you God bless you and may He contiously bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria
08082790452
@_AdewumiAdedeji
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#DPresidentDiary.

When our fathers were busy at the farm,
And our children were learning at school,
When our sisters were busy selling at the market,
Our mother was raped.

When our brothers went to war,
The day grandpa was found drunk at the palm-wine joint,
When grandma thought to make a call at Iyalode's hut,
Our mother was raped.

She was raped by the men who took her virginity when she was six,
The men who promised to pave our roads in gold,
The fork-tongued liars whose venom are harsher than the white man's whip,
The ex-Generals that yesterday wore military slacks but look just as smart in Agbadas,
They are the ones who raped our mother.

The men who swayed our kings and nobles by their craftiness,
The ones who promised to defend us against the terrorist,
The men who said they will bring back our kidnapped daughters,
I mean the men who promised that our voices will be heard -
Who said once they get to Abuja, our portion of the national cake will surely cease to elude us
They raped our mother.

Who shall deliver us from these rapists?
Our warriors have left our shores in search of greener pasture,
Our fathers are weak and can no longer go to war, all we're left with is their myth and legends,
Our watchers are fast asleep,
Our voices are fainting, even the echoes are long gone,
Our watchdogs are toothless, they bark albeit weakly but altogether cannot bite,
There is an abomination in the land,
Tufiakwa, Mama has been raped!


Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria
08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#_AdewumiAdedeji.
#DPresidentdiary

OF CHAIRMEN, FATHERS AND GOD-FATHERS

Democratic history has thus far shown the importance of political parties. They are the democratic structures and are an integral power base upon which individual(s) vie for elective posts. If politics is mostly a grassroot affair, then a political party is the branded ideological vehicle to the grassroot.
The political party is supreme and regardless of an individual's elective position, he or she must abide by the party's sacred laws, rules and regulations - this is how it is in climes where things are normal. However, the same cannot be said for the nation Nigeria where party chairmen/persons are handpicked by kingpins and political godfathers who those so 'anointed' are bound to obey. Refusal to bend to the whims and caprices of these political behemoths with such clout and punching power puts their appointees (turned victims) in the precarious position of losing their stand within the political party. Essentially, the party chairperson turns out to be a mere figurehead, entirely at the mercy of the powers that be.

Technically in Nigeria, our political parties never had a party chairman. Take for example the People's Democratic Party that has had 13 party chairmen since 1998 and only Col, Ahmadu Ali has completed his tenure without rancour; in addition to the fact that no chairman has ever enjoyed the benefit of a second term.

The APC is no better off. Fresh in the memory is how Chief John Oyegun was butted out of office by the same powers that brought him onboard.

The party chairmen are supposed to be the father-figure, looked up to by all party members irrespective of position or any such basis for discrimination. He ought to be the leading icon in political gatherings where ideas and powers, perpetually pitted against each other require dispute settlement and conflict resolution. Being a congregation of humans, misunderstandings are bound to occur and what keeps a party ruling is how well the party chairperson puts the political house in order.

I would not speak of Uche Secondus and Adams Oshiomole who are miles of party powers but a far cry from what an ideal party chairman ought to be. However, Adams Oshiomole is fighting for his party's destiny as a dominating force; this we saw in the last party primaries of APC after which the power brokers in his house turned out not to be happy with him. I will albeit conclude that irrespective of the number and manner of his flight (pun intended) to the United States with the supposed backing of Mr President, Nigeria's political history has shown taught us the he who pays the piper dictates the tune - the end is in sight for the comrade chairman.

Uche secondus seems to be enjoying the wheel now but we know that it will last for long. If the PDP performs poorly at the polls then the end has come for woke crown boy.
The failures of these chairmen is a leading reason for the majority of skilled and capable young Nigerians refusing to associate themselves with politics, a very costly decision indeed that is severely crippling our dear nation.
Young Nigerians are faced with the herculean task of building a Third Force, one whose leader (chairman) would understand the efficacy of diversity and the power of unity, a chairman with foresight who is a genuine visionary and unquestionably paternal as well as patriotic.

I do hope that in the nearest future we will be bless with such a good party chairman.

Thank you.

May God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
08082490452
@_AdewumiAdedeji
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#DPresidentDiary.

Democratic history has thus far shown the importance of political parties. They are the democratic structures and are an integral power base upon which individual(s) vie for elective posts. If politics is mostly a grassroot affair, then a political party is the branded ideological vehicle to the grassroot.
The political party is supreme and regardless of an individual's elective position, he or she must abide by the party's sacred laws, rules and regulations - this is how it is in climes where things are normal. However, the same cannot be said for the nation Nigeria where party chairmen/persons are handpicked by kingpins and political godfathers who those so 'anointed' are bound to obey. Refusal to bend to the whims and caprices of these political behemoths with such clout and punching power puts their appointees (turned victims) in the precarious position of losing their stand within the political party. Essentially, the party chairperson turns out to be a mere figurehead, entirely at the mercy of the powers that be.

Technically in Nigeria, our political parties never had a party chairman. Take for example the People's Democratic Party that has had 13 party chairmen since 1998 and only Col, Ahmadu Ali has completed his tenure without rancour; in addition to the fact that no chairman has ever enjoyed the benefit of a second term.

The APC is no better off. Fresh in the memory is how Chief John Oyegun was butted out of office by the same powers that brought him onboard.

The party chairmen are supposed to be the father-figure, looked up to by all party members irrespective of position or any such basis for discrimination. He ought to be the leading icon in political gatherings where ideas and powers, perpetually pitted against each other require dispute settlement and conflict resolution. Being a congregation of humans, misunderstandings are bound to occur and what keeps a party ruling is how well the party chairperson puts the political house in order.

I would not speak of Uche Secondus and Adams Oshiomole who are miles of party powers but a far cry from what an ideal party chairman ought to be. However, Adams Oshiomole is fighting for his party's destiny as a dominating force; this we saw in the last party primaries of APC after which the power brokers in his house turned out not to be happy with him. I will albeit conclude that irrespective of the number and manner of his flight (pun intended) to the United States with the supposed backing of Mr President, Nigeria's political history has shown taught us the he who pays the piper dictates the tune - the end is in sight for the comrade chairman.

Uche secondus seems to be enjoying the wheel now but we know that it will last for long. If the PDP performs poorly at the polls then the end has come for woke crown boy.
The failures of these chairmen is a leading reason for the majority of skilled and capable young Nigerians refusing to associate themselves with politics, a very costly decision indeed that is severely crippling our dear nation.
Young Nigerians are faced with the herculean task of building a Third Force, one whose leader (chairman) would understand the efficacy of diversity and the power of unity, a chairman with foresight who is a genuine visionary and unquestionably paternal as well as patriotic.

I do hope that in the nearest future we will be bless with such a good party chairman.

Thank you.

May God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
08082490452
@_AdewumiAdedeji
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#DPresidentDiary.

A friend of mine placed a phone call through to me in the wee hours of the 6th of this month in the still quite young year. When I saw the call the first thought that passed through my mind was "I hope the President is alright? This friend only calls when something is wrong in the villa." This morning however, my friend sounded relaxed and we had our routine conversation on our respective plans for the year, the likely impact of the forthcoming elections on the nation and Africa as a continent. I told her we stand at a very significant threshold in the history of the nation. Political education and citizen awareness is at an all time high, eventhough I am still bothered by the low rate of PVC collection. She was excited about the prospect of getting married this year and landing a new job as a senior special assistant to perhaps the most powerful minister in the present legislature.


Suddenly she went mute and in a low but worrisome voice she asked: "Deji, have you listened to the audio? Of course I knew she was referring to the 'Amaechi-gate' revelations and I said, Yes. I asked to know why she sounded worried since I knew that the minister was not her boss. She replied: "Deji, tell me what you think of the situation, and is there an end in sight?


I replied by telling her what I do think, some of which I have decided to pen down for posterity sake. Other points of our discussions are not meant for more than four ears.


Upon listening to the audio, the first impression of every Nigerian will be - this is Amaechi's voice and he was revealing the reality known by every citizen of this great nation, while the APC, Ameachi's supporters and journalist will ask questions like how we are sure the minister's voice was not somehow dubbed in order to implicate him, we can also only wonder how a politician of his status and standing be that careless about such public expression of a delicate opinion (as a politician, not as a patriot). Some groups believe strongly that the audio was doctored and that was obviously the work of PDP and his enemies.


The first thing my friend and her APC colleagues need to be aware of is that this audio will in no way affect the outcome of the 2019 elections. This is an un-united Nigeria where the parameters for voting at elections are far from conventional. However, the audio would have been more of a determinant in the 2019 elections if it was the voice of the President or the Vice-president.


For me none of the above arguments matter. Moreover, I am concerned with the political future of the minister and the thought of Mr President and the Kaduna Mafia. What most Nigerians fail to realise is President Muhammadu Buhari is (not 'was') a General. Forget democracy, agbada and the babariga politics, the man and his political 'tribe' (Kaduna Mafia) will ensure that nothing can change it, not even being the President of Nigeria. One item sacrosanct in the political constitution of men like the President is humility and the opposite is betrayal; a General demands absolute loyalty from his foot soldiers and lieutenants. Appearing to be anything otherwise is an invitation to termination. Let us not give ourselves to the illusion of thinking that PMB is dull and cannot think or read like the audio said; to be a General means you have become skilled in the art of strategy and leading something as tactically delicate and demanding as leading a coup. Edward Luttwark showed us that there is a skilled residue with the grand master.


In the president's camp the strategy is clear as crystal, the aim now is winning the election and no General goes to war with a divided house. So the minister is a post-election matter, to be dealt with after victory at the polls. However, the president's personal mafia (General Dambabazu, Abba Kyari, Issa Funtuai to name a few) will be tasked with putting the minister at arms length to reduce his influence and further damage he might do in the General's camp, as his loyalty cannot be ascertained anymore. As we saw with the inguaration of the Presidential campaign committee, the minister will just be the Director-General in name with no influence or authority. The show will be run by the Asiwaju. Furthermore, the minister's access will be limited, after all Akpabio can wield more influence and bring in more votes in Akwa-Ibom, compared to Amaechi in Rivers.


After the election, the president and his mafia will take one of the ministries from him, possibly Aviation and after some time, say a maximum of nine months, there will be cabinet reshuffle in masking a payback for those that supported the President's first and second term victory and Amaechi will be skillfully kicked out with the promise some form of juice appointment. The minister's good standing with appointments will start falling like a pack of cards like the NIMASA guy except they read the hand writing on the wall and sell their loyalty to the highest bidder as common with our politics. The masterstroke will then be to start prosecuting the minister for corruption. He will be belligrently forced out in the name of fighting corruption and house cleaning.


For Rt, Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, no matter how much composure he displays on television and other media platforms, we know he his jittery. Now Mr minister is not the time to prove loyalty as that will be termed desperation. It is time to show solidarity, meanwhile Nigeria has taught us that nothing lasts forever and no politician can be written off. Omisore is an obvious case study. Another man in need of the minister's political experience, presenting him with opportunities will surely arise and then he will have the liberty of showing his boss where his heart belongs.

Lastly to Mr Amaechi: Do not ever mention this issue if your boss does not speak or show any sign of intending to have any conversation concerning this matter, let the sleeping dog lie.

Thank you my friend.

God bless you and may He bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Adewumi Adedeji.
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
@_AdewumiAdedeji
#DPresidentDiary.

OPEN LETTER TO BANKY W.

Dear Wellington,

It was with great joy that I received the news of your intention to vie for elective public office. I commend the courage you summoned to leave the bandwagon of noisemaking, favour-seeking Nigerian celebrities, who are always at the beck and call of politicians, craving political and nonfunctional political appointments. Your candidature gladens my heart for two major reasons.

(1) Capacity and Character : You have shown over the course of your career that you are a young man of grit, character and credibility with the visionary capacity to develop our human capital and as such, one that can be entrusted with the delicate future of Nigeria. Before our very eyes, you successfully built a music company from the scratch and transformed a street chap from Ojuelegba to the pride of Africa, a foreign export and perhaps the greatest pop star to come from Africa yet.

(II) The other reason I rejoice as regards your candidature is founded upon your seriousness in contesting for a realistic elective position, one at which you can learn the craft and cunning of the diabolical business of Nigerian politics and thence sharpen your teeth.

The aforementioned by themselves do not constitute the main reason for this letter. Rather, this letter is born out of the desire to have a young Nigerian that is hopeful, intentionally and willing to be committed to shaping Nigeria and making of it a great nation, one that coming generations will gladly call theirs.

My letter to you centers around a body of concerns highlighted in the underlisted points.

(1) POLITICS : Politics is simply warfare and must be approached as such, with mental and physical alertness. Nigerian politics though democratic in name is vastly different from the ideal democracy practised by the more refined nations of the world.

Nigerian politics is encapsulated in this infamous expression made by a former Head of state - 'It is a do or die affair'. To this present day, politicians have become political institutions in themselves. And just as the saying goes, all is fair in the love affair (between Nigerian politicians and seats of power) and warfare (between these politicians, their armies of cronies and the just as ferocious opposition) on the theatre of Nigerian politics. Therefore Mr. Wellington, expect to be brutalized, attacked physical and verbally and quite likely get a few hits below the belt. Assassinations are not off the menu of the Nigerian politician and I am sure shadows of these must have been cast across your way, if at all the full weight of reality hasn't hit you yet.

Politics in Nigeria is life-changing. As you have joined the race, the standard by which you will be judged has been raised, if not completely changed. Nothing concerning your life is personal anymore, everything ranging from your private bath, to your bald hair are now items in the court of public opinion and traffic generators in the media. Some of these stories will be largely false, the classic work of operators of rumour mills, but the public will buy them nevertheless because your media friends will sell it to them even at your detriment.

That you have decided to pitch your tent with an unknown political party implies that you must be ready and willing to work hard - double that of an average politician. Politics as you know is grassroot, and I must at this junction commend your campaign team who thus far have performed fantastically well. However, if the ultimate aim is victory at the polls, much work still need to be done and efforts require serious intensification. Furthermore, that you are a celebrity counts for little; if anything it is a disadvantage. You must engage the influencers of your constituency, your presence must be felt in every nook and corner of Eti-osa, and not just by posters alone. You must be active, physically and verbally.

Permit me to add this that in the event that the election result comes negative, your presence must continually be felt. Do not fall into that trap of retreating to your shell, for in politics your actions after election is often times more important when it comes to subsequent electorate actions. Sustained visibility rather than propaganda-driven occasional appearance should not be found anywhere near your quarters.

(II) Betrayal: Mr. Wellington, betrayal is at the heart of politics and it will always come from the least expected - I suppose that's why it is called betrayal. You will be making a first class political mistake if you expect loyalty from anyone, loyalty is a choice that cannot be forced but tested. If you expect everyone in the entertainment industry to support your candidature and campaign for you then your political tutors did not lecture you well and you are most certainly not ready for elective public office in Nigeria.

Folks will stab you in the heart and smile to your face! Brother, they will say good things about you on social media but paint a different picture elsewhere and will not be apologetic about it. However, your capacity to do well politically is centered on your ability to forgive and bear no grudge.

(III) FAMILY : My point on betrayal leads me to this next one. Ask every politician and you will be told that family is the most important asset a politician can have. They are the gift money cannot buy and one we will forever be grateful for. Seeing Adesua usher you on stage on your declaration day and her support for your candidature has doubled my respect for you. My brother, keep your loved ones close. Friends may leave but family sticks continually. Never prioritise your political office above them, though it is sacrosanct that they be informed that your new endeavor will take your time but their importance and place in your life must never be in doubt to them.

I do not claim to know you, for we have not met in person albeit, I have heard you speak of your friendship with captain Demuren and how as a friend he has transformed into a brother. If ever there was a time you needed him, now is the time.

(IV) LEARNING AND LEGACIES: The lesson politics will teach you will be vast and life-altering. In your little time you must have learnt a lot more than what your political tutor/adviser(s) ever taught you or you could have from books. No matter the outcome of the race, pen down your experience and make it freely available to everyone (PDFs on online platforms will be great). This is one gift/prize that is worth paying .

Finally, I wish you well and hope that you attain victory at the coming polls. I pray that come May 29, you will be address as Honorable Olubankole Wellington.

Thank you.

May God bless you.
May God bless Eti-Osa local government
May God bless Lagos state
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
0802790452
@_AdewumiAdedeji
Dejijupiter@gmal.com
#DPresidentDiary.

I have up till this moment resisted the urge to pick my pen and write about the shameful and unfortunate death of Alex Badeh, our 15th Chief of Defence staff. My hesitation was born out of rage at the utter silence of the government. How would an ex-COAS be killed in such a gruesome and demeaning manner and get such little reaction from the government? For the record, no human being has any right whatsoever to take the life of another human in any manner irrespective of how highly esteemed or lowly placed.

Perhaps, my displeasure at such a demeaning act would have been abated somewhat if the government has done it's job as it ought and launched into uninhibited action in investigating Alex Badeh's death.

You might wonder why I am not just angry but outraged, how come I couldn't just like any other 'strong' man look away? Afterall, it is none of my business you might say. In answering these questions and more, I believe that the time is right to let my voice be heard and set the record straight so that when the history of Badeh's assassination is being told, posterity will at least vindicate me as not being silent as the mute multitude of the present polity; that I spoke despite the inclination to be otherwise rather than take the easy way out like the complacent others. May this be a memorial raised to unborn generations, an ensign of reference.

As an addedum to the foregoing reasons for voicing out, I had the opportunity of being in a circle where Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh's death was being discussed, then I realize the level of ignorance amidst my folks, and how we discriminate because a person as by the providence of time and chance came to occupy a public or political office. My fellow discussants opined that they were not concerned, afterall he siphoned our funds. One even said to me: Deji, when Boko-Haram and Fulani-herdsmen were killing innocent citizens, you did not pick your pen to criticize the government against such killings. But now when just one person dies, you speak with a voice raised loudly to the heavens, all because you did not support President Muhammadu Buhari.

When Nigerians speak to me in such manner, I gift them with my silence because it is golden. How people forget that in my space I did not support Goodluck Jonathan's bid for re-election because for me, the first test of governance is to safeguard the life and property of the citizenry, one duty I do not see the present Head of State excelling at either.

I speak on Chief Badeh's death because of it's implications on our national identity. For a man to have been privileged to serve the nation is the capacity Badeh did at least deserves to be honored and some respect, irrespective of individual prejudice. The fact remains that I would still maintain my position if it was not Chief Alex Badeh - essentially, I respect the office, not the man.

To scale through the ranks and occupy the positions the Air Chief attained in his professional journey one must have spent over two decades in the Nigerian Armed Forces. In that capacity, one's level of infulence and intelligence on national and global security is a vault of treasure.

I speak confidently and unequivocally that for a person in the rank and position of chief of Armed Forces whether past or present, one is entitled to the presence of a security detail around-the-clock. The position gives you access to intelligence that even the president is not privy to. In the intelligence circle, it is called "holding democracy in balance".

When such a person is assisanted then you know questions need to be asked and answers provided. If I may ask, where were the people in his security details? Was his Aide-de-camp absent or on leave with the Chief left alone on a dangerous road at that odd hour of the day?

Let us be clear here, only a professional especially one that is well trained with alot of intelligence married with insider information that will have the guts to kill a man like Alex Sabundu Badeh at short range. It is synonymous to assassinating an Ex-President.

Lastly and for now, except by some weird twist of fate, this kind of operation cannot be carried out without the backing of at least a personnel in the topmost echelon of our military. Either the President, the National Security Adviser or the Chief of Armed Forces possess the green pen to sign the death approval of such a high profile personal like Badeh.

I will be surprised if the presidency confirm my assersation, absolute denial and politicking is what I expect of them. Let them just be informed that some of us know better and cannot be swayed by cheap press releases. We know that the presidency is rich will serious intelligence and details even globally.

I know the truth about Alex Badeh's death will be buried like those of Gani Fawehinmi, Bola Ige, Karo Saro-Wiwa, Funsho Williams and  others. The information will only be privy to those in the closed cult of the initiated and powerful.

It is just a pity that our nation has become more unfit for living under an Ex-General and I am more than disappointed.

Thank you.

God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
@_AdewumiAdedeji
#DPresidentDiary.

how much?

*A PERSPECTIVE ON POLITICAL CHANGE*


The national cry is in the need to have a new crop of leaders in governance. The players in our current political landscape begs for an urgent change. The core of our political leadership has been in the business of leading this nation since her inception, that is long enough if you ask me.

The change in leadership (politics) cannot and will not happen by merely wishing it did. In order to change the present echelon of the leading political structure of our nation and make way for a fresh breed of young, patriotic minds in governance, we must be strategic. By being strategic I mean we need to develop a workable plan.

By we, I mean a collection of mostly young people (we are the majority when it comes to the demographics of our population, not to mention the fact that democracy is a 'game' of numbers) and not necessarily the whole bunch of young people in this nation.

From personal research and survey, I have developed a strategic template that I believe is workable. It is presented as follows.

I. *Create a round table* : Change on a national scale begins when some selected few who come together to have an egalitarian discussion on how to move the nation forward regardless of individual prejudice. That is what the framers of United States (popularly acclaimed as the most successful democracy in the world) and our founding fathers understood.

If we are to move forward and bring new faces into the political playing field, young people desirous of change must sit down and discuss Nigeria as a critical entity and how to build her up thence.

II. *Develop an Agenda* : Our discussion must be deliberate and intentionally directed towards developing a workable agenda, unlike the National Conference of 2014 where we had several discussions but no workable plan emerged therefrom.

It is glaring that we young people have no national agenda. The mistake our founding fathers made was not developing an agenda for the nation's prosperity and posterity as an integral part of the nation's lifestyle.

III. *Develop a strategy:* Records and history have shown that Nigerians have had discussions, deliberated on matters and even on some occasions, a workable national master plan. However, these agendas and discussions do not see the light of day due to ineffective strategy and implementation.

Therefore,  it is pertinent that we work-out strategies that will be efficient and effective in the realisation of our national goals.

IV. *Raise Finance*: This is the where ideas, agendas and strategies fail. No change can occur without the aid of finance. If we must have a well-built Nigeria, we must enlighten our people, channel new ideologies and on the overall change the national narrative. These and many more will only be possible with the aid of finance to facilitate implementation.

It will no doubt cost a fortune to disseminate our developed effective strategies to the nooks and corners of our nation, not to mention do some kind of re-educating the masses on what it means to be the citizen of a forward-aspiring nation.

Therefore, finance is crucial if we are to achieve our goals. In a nation of over 100 million youths, if 10 million of these youths can contribute say, #100 each we will be talking about 1 billion Naira. That is enough to shake the political foundations of our Nation which is obviously built on money exchanging hands for various purposes, ranging from campaigns and propaganda to sponsoring bribery and other nefarious activities.

V. *Organize a Platform* : Once we scale through the prior four stages, what will be left is the organization of an all-encompassing platform to float our ideologies. In organizing a platform, there are two methodologies we can adopt:

(A)  Coalesce into a mega-body where our voice and strategy can be developed into achieving our desired result of nation building.

(B)  *Hijack a platform* :Much like a (justified) hostile takeover, this route can be quite difficult but very possible.

The  platform is important because it is needed to get elected into public offices, given the manner of operation of our political system.

VI.  *Mobilise* : Having gotten a platform where our strategies can be channeled into building the nation, we would need to mobilize the people without which our plans would be lofty but lifeless schemes. If truly we seek to serve the people, engaging them actively is non-negotiable. By ourselves, we are few and then as we have said time and again, politics is an art of numbers. We need the majority to win elections into public offices.

Politics has its greatest power at the grassroots, and mobilizing people is the very heart of grassroot politics.

VII.  Voting is the most sacrosanct aspect of politics, however this art has been bastardized in Nigeria.

The Political elite has developed a strategy that makes the masses not wanting to exercise their constitutional rights.

If we must build our nation, it begins and ends in voting.

I believe strongly that the template presented above will help in achieving our desired nation-building goals.

Thank you.

May God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

*Adewumi Adedeji*
*Writes from Lagos, *Nigeria.*
*08082790452*
*@_AdewumiAdedeji.*
*Dejijupiter@gmail.com*
*#D'PresidentDiary.*

*YOU'RE ENOUGH*

The first step to be taken towards building a Nation via the electoral process has been completed by registration and collection to an extent of the voters' card.

However, that is just the foundation stage of building the nation of our dreams. Now, the task of Nation building beckons on us all to collect our voters' cards and vote during the coming elections.

My little personal survey has shown that most Nigerians are not enthusiastic about voting, we just get our voters' cards for (what I will call the frivolities of) identification and form filling purposes.  The excuse I usually get sounds like this: "Deji, my votes won't count. These politicians already know who will emerge as the winner."

But I beg to differ on this ideology.

Research shows that at least 40 million Nigerians did not vote despite having voters' card and about a 80 Million did not even participate in last elections.
Imagine, if these Nigerians had voted or participated in the electoral process, perhaps the narrative will be different.

Public officials are contractors employed for a term of four years which is renewable for an additional term of four years. The medium for sealing this contract is via our vote.

In leadership there cannot be any kind of vacuum. If you and I don't vote, then the democratic process will count those who do and we will be left to bite our nails (assuming the wrong choice is made).

All that is needed is your singular vote. Let us ensure that we vote. Advice your friends, family and acquaintances to vote. Our collective vote is the stamp with which we seal the contract of who leads us for the next four years.
Your vote, fellow Nigerian is enough to change this nation.

Thank you
God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


*Adewumi Adedeji*
*Writes from Lagos Nigeria*
*08082490452*
*@_Adewumiadedeji17*
*Dejijupiter@gmail.com*
*#D'PresidentDiary.*

*SHOW OF SHAME*


If you are a regular public bus commuter in Lagos, there is a tragedy of ignominious proportions that you would have witnessed. It is a gross abuse of power that quite parallels the one perpetrated by our infamous politicians.


The life of a public bus driver or conductor is not one to wish for. The high toll fee collected by the NURTW is an unjustified extortion of hardworking citizens, not considering the bad roads, awful traffic and the not quite resolved fluctuations in fuel prices that militate against transporters and their business in Lagos.


The aforementioned factors are nothing to be compared to the abuse of power that has turned out to be a show of shame in the embarrassing behavior displayed by officers of the nation's security agencies (soldeirs and policemen) when they board public buses and quite often, refuse to pay their fare. They refer to themselves as "staff", whatever that may imply.


The questions that beg for answers are these - they are staff of which organisation? Are they the only people (public officials) employed by the government?


This incongruous behavior must stop! Security officials are normal citizens and should in no way exact undue privilege from poorer or less empowered citizens. They should pay up their fare when they board public buses.


This act clearly depicts the highest form of corruption buoyed our almost non-existent awareness of the rights of the citizenry protected by the law - which these so called 'staff' have sworn to uphold. A new Nigeria begins with security officials paying their dues like every other citizen of this great nation which they are. No one, even the weapon-carrying officers of the Nigerian Army/Police Force is exempted from their prerogative to abide by the principles of justice and equity in business activities.


*Adewumi Adedeji*
*Write from Lagos*
*08082790452*
*@Adewumiadedeji17*
*Dejijupiter@gmail.com*
*#D'PresidentDiary.*

*FUNMILAYO RANSOME-KUTI*


_Today on historic throwbacks, we take a dive into the national archive of Nigeria to profile an amazon and a colossus , chief(Mrs)_ _Funmilayo Ransom-kuti._


Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti , MON,( 25 October 1900 – 13 April 1978), otherwise known as Funmilayo Anikulapo-Kuti , was a teacher, political campaigner, women's rights activist and traditional aristocrat in Nigeria. She served with distinction as one of the most prominent leaders of her generation. She was also the first woman in the country to drive a car. Ransome-Kuti's political activism led to her being described as the doyen of female rights in Nigeria, as well as to her being regarded as The Mother of Africa. Early on, she was a very powerful force advocating for the Nigerian woman's right to vote . She was described in 1947, by the West African Pilot , as the Lioness of Lisabi for her leadership of the women of the Egba people on a campaign against their arbitrary taxation. That struggle led to the abdication of the high king Oba Ademola II in 1949.


Kuti was the mother of the Nigerian activists Fela Anikulapo Kuti , a musician; Beko Ransome-Kuti , a doctor; and Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti , a doctor and health minister. She was also grandmother to musicians Seun Kuti and Femi Kuti . She is highly regarded in her native Nigeria for notable acts as an African woman.


*LIFE*


Francis Abigail Olufunmilayo Thomas was born on 25 October 1900, in Abeokuta , to Chief Daniel Olumeyuwa Thomas and Lucretia Phyllis Omoyeni Adeosolu of the Jibolu-Taiwo family. Her father was a son of a returned slave from Sierra Leone, who traced his ancestral history back to Abeokuta in what is today Ogun State , Nigeria. He became a member of the Anglican faith, and soon returned to the homeland of his fellow Egbas.


She attended Abeokuta Grammar School for her secondary education, and later went to England for further studies. She soon returned to Nigeria and became a teacher. On 20 January, 1925, she married the Reverend Israel Oludotun, Ransome-Kuti . He also defended the commoners of his country, and was one of the founders of both the Nigeria Union of Teachers and of the Nigerian Union of Students . F. Ransome-Kuti organized literacy classes for Women in the early 1920s and founded a nursery school in the 1930s. She founded the Abeokuta Ladies' Club (ALC) for educated women involved in charitable work in 1942. She also started the social Welfare for Market Women club to help educate working-class women (which formed the first adult education program for women in Nigeria).


Ransome-Kuti received the national honour of Membership in the Order of the Niger in 1965. The University of Ibadan bestowed upon her the honorary doctorate of laws in 1968. She also held a seat in the Western House of Chiefs of Nigeria as an Oloye of the Yoruba people .


*ACTIVISM*


Throughout her career, she was known as an educator and activist. She and Elizabeth Adekogbe provided dynamic leadership for women's rights in the 1950s. Ransome-Kuti founded an organization for women in Abeokuta, with a membership tally of more than 20,000 individuals, spanning both literate and illiterate women.


*WOMEN'S RIGHTS*


Ransome-Kuti launched the organization into public consciousness when she rallied women against price controls that were hurting the market women. Trading was one of the major occupations of women in the Western Nigeria at the time. In 1949, she led a protest against Native Authorities , especially against the Alake of Egbaland. She presented documents alleging abuse of authority by the Alake, who had been granted the right to collect the taxes by his colonial suzerain, the Government of the United Kingdom. He subsequently relinquished his crown for a time due to the affair. She also oversaw the successful abolishing of separate tax rates for women. In 1953, she founded the Federation of Nigerian Women Societies, which subsequently formed an alliance with the Women's International Democratic Federation .


Funmilayo Ransome Kuti campaigned for women's votes. She was for many years a member of the ruling National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) party, but was later expelled when she was not elected to a federal parliamentary seat. She was the treasurer and subsequent president of the Western NCNC Women's Association. After her suspension, her political voice was diminished due to the direction of national politics, as both of the more powerful members of the opposition, Awolowo and Adegbenro had her support close by. However, she continued her activism. In the 1950s, she was one of the few women elected to the house of chiefs. At the time, this was one of her homeland's most influential bodies.


She founded the Egba or Abeokuta Women's Union along with Eniola Soyinka (her sister-in-law and the mother of the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka ). This organisation is said to have once had a membership of 20,000 women. Among other things, Ransome-Kuti organised workshops for illiterate market women. She continued to campaign against taxes and price controls .


*TRAVEL BAN*


During the Cold War and before the independence of her country, Ransome-Kuti travelled widely and angered the Nigerian as well as British and American governments by her contacts with the Eastern Bloc . This included her travel to the former USSR, Hungary and China, where she met Mao Zedong . In 1956, her passport was not renewed by the government because it was said that it can be assumed that it is her intention to influence. women with communist ideas and policies." She was also refused a U.S. visa because the American government alleged that she was a communist.


Prior to independence she founded the Commoners Peoples Party in an attempt to challenge the ruling NCNC, ultimately denying them victory in her area. She received 4,665 votes to the NCNC's 9,755, thus allowing the opposition Action Group (which had 10,443 votes) to win. She was one of the delegates who negotiated Nigeria's independence with the British government.


*DEATH*


In old age her activism was overshadowed by that of her three sons, who provided effective opposition to various Nigerian military juntas . In 1978 Ransome-Kuti was thrown from a third-floor window of her son Fela's compound, a commune known as the Kalakuta Republic, when it was stormed by one thousand armed military personnel. She lapsed into a coma in February of that year, and died on 13 April 1978, as a result of her injuries.


*PROPOSED N5000 NOTE CONTROVERSY*


On Thursday, 30 August 2012, one of her grandsons, musician Seun Kuti , responded to questions from fans and friends on Channels Television , Nigeria’s platform via Google+. Saying that his grandmother was murdered by the Federal Government, Seun Kuti asked the Federal Government to apologise to his family for the death of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, before considering immortalising her by putting her picture on the proposed N5000 note. As of 3 September 2012, the Nigerian government neither responded to his request nor apologized. Several protest groups formed on social media adding pressure for a government apology. The N5000 proposal was later withdrawn by the Nigerian government.


*ACHIEVEMENTS*

Took part in the pre-independence conferences that laid the groundwork for Nigeria's First Republic

One of the women appointed to the native House of Chiefs, serving as an Oloye of the Yoruba people

Ranking member of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons

Treasurer and President Western Women Association of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons

Leader of Abeokuta Women's Union .

Leader of Commoners Peoples Party

Leader of Nigeria Women's Union.

First woman to drive a car in Nigeria

Winner of the Lenin Peace Prize

Cultural depiction and legacy
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was portrayed in the 2014 film October 1 by Deola Sagoe .


She is one of the most prominent figures in Nigerian history and inspired women across Nigeria through her brave acts and most notably her fight for women in the country. Some say that she paved the way for women in Nigeria to have better lives.


_Culled from Wikipedia_


*Adewumi Adedeji*
*Write from Lagos, *Nigeria.*
*+23408082790452*
*@AdewumiAdedeji17*
*Dejijupiter@gmail.com*
*#Historicthrowback*
*#D'PresidentDiary.*

*2019 Presidential Election.*


In 1979 the nation Nigeria adopted the democratic system of government. It was on this basis that every adult Nigerian exercises the constitutional prerogative to elect from a pool of eligible Nigerians that have put themselves forward for election. It is believed that the majority of us will make a more enlighten decision than the few.


One unofficial trademark of the democratic system of government is the electoral debate for all candidates seeking office, the presidential election inclusive.
The Presidential debate affords the polity the opportunity of experiencing firsthand these candidates as they answer questions, ranging from foreign affairs, economy to politics and other pertinent aspects of our national life. It is also a platform for Presidential candidates to explain to Nigerians their respective visions, missions and why he/she is to be preferred  to all other candidates.


Since the beginning of the fourth republic in 1999, this sacrosanct tradition has continued and the 2019 Presidential election should not be an exemption.


Political parties are done fielding their respective presidential candidates as mandated by INEC for next year's election, However, it is grossly unacceptable hearing that the APC has nominated Professor Yemi Osinbajo the Vice-President to represent his principal at the debate.


Constitutionally, the Vice-President has the right to stand in for the President. We saw this same feat performed in 2015, when APC Presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari refused to show up for the debate and rather sent Prof. Osibanjo to be his mouthpiece.


Mr President, times are different now. You are the incumbent President and we Nigerians need you to defend your three and half years in government. We expect you to come give us credible reasons why you should be returned into office as the leader of over 200 millions Nigerians.


We voted you in as our President and thus deserve to hear from you first hand the justification of the extension you seek. Yemi Osinbajo as Vice-Presdent will also get his chance to explain to Nigerians the rationale behind his desire to join you for a second term in office.


I join other esteemed and well meaning Nigerians to demand that President Muhammadu Buhari appear at the Presidential debates. The privacy of his executive office also comes with the responsibility to stand under the scrutiny of expectant Nigerians his office was designated to serve.

Thank you.

*God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.*

*Adewumi Adedeji*
*Writes from Oke-aro,* *Ogun-state(Nigeria).*
*08082790452*
*@AdewumiAdedeji17*
*Dejijupiter@gmail.com*
*#D'PresidentDiary.*

*POLITICS: A TWO-SIDED COIN.*


Finally the season movie produced by Lagos APC is over;  the dice have been thrown and a winner has emerged. Now we can move on to the next episode of the intriguing arena of Lagos politics.


For the first time in the political history of the state an incumbent governor has lost his own party's primary election.


The question on everyone's lips, the conundrum that now boggles even the mind of pundits is associated with the political future of our not so favored governor - Will he get a federal appointment? Will he decamp and contest in forthcoming elections under the auspices of another party? Will he stay and show loyalty to the party? Or the ultimate: Is this the end of Akinwunmi Ambode's political journey? This and many more questions will only be answered in time.


Before we attempt to answer these questions in our own way or move on unto the next chapter in the political drama of Lagos, I find it worthwhile to pause a little and consider what led to the political failure of the incumbent governor.


I consider taking these lessons not only sacrosanct but also as expedient to all rank and file politican as well as every upcoming leader.


Lagosians unanimously agree that the governor's performance since he took office has been nothing short of superb and it is deserving of a return ticket, _ceteribus_ _paribus_ . However, as things stand, the governor's performance was not the yardstick by which he was adjudged to be worthy of a second term.


His scale of measurement was how well he played party politics.


The governor failed to understand that politics is a two-sided coin, having a 'Delivery to the people' side and a 'party politics' side.


Mr Akinwunmi Ambode might be a great technocrat but he is obviously a bad politician, one that fails to understand the rudimentary aspects of politics especially in this part of the world (with due reference to godfatherism and all the not-so-straightforward dynamics of under house politics in Nigeria).


I do not profess  to have all knowledge or insight into his failure but some tendencies do seem obvious. I have listed some below:


*PARTY SUPREMACY* : No person is greater than the party, even if you're the  founder and financier of the party. The political party is an entity that supercedes all its members and as such should be treated with utmost respect.


This cogent lesson the governor didn't learn. He assumed that since he was working and Lagosians loved him, the party will have no other choice than to hand him the return ticket on a golden platter. This might be true in other clans but it is different in Lagos where a vast majority of her populace are either card carrying members of the party or friends of the family, and as such they care less about the candidate but the party. Lagosians just seem to have the consciousness that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.


*RELATIONSHIP* : Politics is a game of relationships, something that made him governor in the first place. Clearly the governor didn't build enough strategic relationships - when the cream de la cream of Lagos politics kept endorsing his opponent and eventual winner of the primaries, the questions I kept asking were these: Who is with Ambode? Didn't he have any favour to cash in from any political heavyweight of Lagos? Where is the Oba of Lagos that anointed him governor way before election in 2015?



*BASE BUILDING* : politics is largely local and it turns out to be a game won or lost at the grassroots. The governor of Lagos state built no political structures, he had no foot soldiers rather he was depending on the Abuja boys to fight his battles. It was all too clear that he forgot that politics is first of all a personal affair in Nigeria.



*QUID PRO QUO* : You don't bite the hands that feeds you, says the elders. The governor also forgot that he rode on some people's back and fortune to sit on the Aluasa throne. He allowed power to get into his head and he bit the fingers that feed him. The same fingers have unsurprisingly anointed another man to be his successor albeit to his own detriment and perhaps political death.


*JAGANBISM:* Clearly the governor of Lagos is not a good student of his godfather and he had to make way for a better student. In the Asiwaju school of politics, mediocrity isn't an option.


I pray and hope the future holds something great politically for Mr Akinwunmi Ambode because he is undoubtedly a good man.


My advise to all rank and file of politicians and upcoming leaders: don't just read books and criticize over social media, learn the intrinsic details of politics. Also read and implement the fine print with a strategic approach. For you to make that big change, you must be in a position where whatever change you make really counts. So, learn the politics, understand the polity.


Thank you.


God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


*Adewumi Adedeji*


*Writes from Oke-aro,* *Ogun-state (Nigeria).*
*08082790452*
*Dejijupiter@gmail.com*
*@AdewumiAdedeji17*
*#D'PresidentDiary.*

GOOD MAN TURN BAD


I remember the night my good friend Tolu Kolade informed me that the APC Vice-presidential candidate for the 2015 elections was one Yemi Osinbajo, I was aghast why would a serious political party pick a newbie as it's Vice-presidential candidate with the array of talents at its disposal, my conclusion to Tolu that night was that APC wasn't serious about winning the election.


Curiosity and the Burden of responsibility led me into researching about this Yemi Osinbajo, my findings left me stunned, indeed I said to my friends, this is the new breed of political candidates that we clamour for, a man with charming resume, experienced technocrat with credibility and integrity, the icing on the cake, he is a senior pastor at one of the most respected pentecostal church in Nigeria.


Onwards, I became a student and Apostle of the Osinbajo effect from campaign to victory at the polls and for the last three and half years, he became one politician I couldn't hid my love for, I once clamoured that the President should remain on medical vacation, while the Vice-President continues to pilots the affairs of the nation, since he seems to always make the right decisions in the absence of his principal.


So it sadden my heart when I began noticing my beloved Vice-President stray away from the ethos that got him into office.


Fresh in memory is the failure of his government social investment program, I had always regarded the Vice-president as a well breed Yoruba man that understand the necessity of teaching a man how to fish to giving him fish, coupled with the fact that he was an Aspotle of job creation as the tool to solving unemployment.


So, it sadden my heart to see the Vice-Presdent turn from being the politican that was an icon to the new breed of politicians growing in the rank, a symbol of exemplery leadership and a stateman in the making to a tradermoni politician and thinking doling out cash will turn the people's heart out from his party's failure to keep it's side of the bargain of the 2015 contract it signed with Nigerians.


This politics of tradermoni that the Vice-President has indulged himself will only soil is garment, as he is loved and respected for the ethos that brought him into power.


I hope the outcome of Osun election is showing the Vice-President that the people's heart cannot be bought with money.


Let the Vice-President retrace his steps before it get too late and destroy his reputation beyond redemption like that of his principal.


A good name the elders says is better than riches and gold.


Thank you.


God bless You and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


Adewumi Adedeji

Writes from Oke-aro, Ogun-state(Nigeria).

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Pls help me forward to front page.

KEN SARO-WIWA


Today, we take another journey down Memory Lane of our beloved nation, as we look back at the life of an Environmental activist, writer and television producer, KEN SARO-WIWA.


INTRODUCTION

Kenule “Ken” Beeson Saro Wiwa (* 10 October 1941 – 10 November 1995) was a Nigerian writer, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize. Saro-Wiwa was a member of the Ogoni people, an ethnic minority in Nigeria whose homeland, Ogoniland, in the Niger Delta has been targeted for crude oil extraction since the 1950s and which has suffered extreme environmental damage from decades of indiscriminate petroleum waste dumping.


Initially as spokesperson, and then as president, of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Saro-Wiwa led a nonviolent campaign against environmental degradation of the land and waters of Ogoniland by the operations of the multinational petroleum industry, especially the Royal Dutch Shell company. He was also an outspoken critic of the Nigerian government, which he viewed as reluctant to enforce environmental regulations on the foreign petroleum companies operating in the area.


At the peak of his non-violent campaign, he was tried by a special military tribunal for allegedly masterminding the gruesome murder of Ogoni chiefs at a pro-government meeting, and hanged in 1995 by the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha. His execution provoked international outrage and resulted in Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth of Nations for over three years.



BIOGRAPHY


A son of Ogoni chieftain Jim Wiwa, Ken was born in Bori, in the Niger Delta. He spent his childhood in an Anglican home and eventually proved himself to be an excellent student; he attended secondary school at Government College Umuahia and on completion obtained a scholarship to study English at the University of Ibadan and briefly became a teaching assistant at the University of Lagos.


However, he soon took up a government post as the Civilian Administrator for the port city of Bonny in the Niger Delta, and during the Nigerian Civil War was a strong supporter of the federal cause against the Biafrans. His best known novel, Sozaboy: A Novel in Rotten English, tells the story of a naive village boy recruited to the army during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 to 1970, and intimates the political corruption and patronage in Nigeria’s military regime of the time. Saro-Wiwa’s war diaries, On a Darkling Plain , document his experience during the war. He was also a successful businessman and television producer. His satirical television series, Basi & Company, was wildly popular, with an estimated audience of 30 million.


In the early 1970s Saro-Wiwa served as the Regional Commissioner for Education in the Rivers State Cabinet, but was dismissed in 1973 because of his support for Ogoni autonomy. In the late 1970s, he established a number of successful business ventures in retail and real estate, and during the 1980s concentrated primarily on his writing, journalism and television production. His intellectual work was interrupted in 1987 when he re-entered the political scene, appointed by the newly installed dictator Ibrahim Babangida to aid the country’s transition to democracy. But Saro-Wiwa soon resigned because he felt Babangida’s supposed plans for a return to democracy were disingenuous. Saro-Wiwa’s sentiments were proven correct in the coming years, as Babangida failed to relinquish power. In 1993, Babangida annulled Nigeria’s general elections that would have transferred power to a civilian government, sparking mass civil unrest and eventually forcing him to step down, at least officially, that same year.


ACTIVISM


In 1990, Saro-Wiwa began devoting most of his time to human rights and environmental causes, particularly in Ogoniland. He was one of the earliest members of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), which advocated for the rights of the Ogoni people. The Ogoni Bill of Rights, written by MOSOP, set out the movement’s demands, including increased autonomy for the Ogoni people, a fair share of the proceeds of oil extraction, and remediation of environmental damage to Ogoni lands. In particular, MOSOP struggled against the degradation of Ogoni lands by Royal Dutch Shell.


In 1992, Saro-Wiwa was imprisoned for several months, without trial, by the Nigerian military government.


Saro-Wiwa was Vice Chair of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) General Assembly from 1993 to 1995. UNPO is an international, nonviolent, and democratic organisation (of which MOSOP is a member). Its members are indigenous peoples, minorities, and unrecognised or occupied territories who have joined together to protect and promote their human and cultural rights, to preserve their environments and to find nonviolent solutions to conflicts which affect them.

In January 1993, MOSOP organised peaceful marches of around 300,000 Ogoni people – more than half of the Ogoni population – through four Ogoni urban centres, drawing international attention to their people’s plight. The same year the Nigerian government occupied the region militarily.


ARREST AND EXECUTION


Saro-Wiwa was arrested again and detained by Nigerian authorities in June 1993 but was released after a month. On 21 May 1994 four Ogoni chiefs (all on the conservative side of a schism within MOSOP over strategy) were brutally murdered. Saro-Wiwa had been denied entry to Ogoniland on the day of the murders, but he was arrested and accused of incitement to them. He denied the charges but was imprisoned for over a year before being found guilty and sentenced to death by a specially convened tribunal. The same happened to other MOSOP leaders ( Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate , Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine).


Some of the defendants’ lawyers resigned in protest against the alleged rigging of the trial by the Abacha regime. The resignations left the defendants to their own means against the tribunal, which continued to bring witnesses to testify against Saro-Wiwa and his peers. Many of these supposed witnesses later admitted that they had been bribed by the Nigerian government to support the criminal allegations. At least two witnesses who testified that Saro-Wiwa was involved in the murders of the Ogoni elders later recanted, stating that they had been bribed with money and offers of jobs with Shell to give false testimony – in the presence of Shell’s lawyer.


The trial was widely criticised by human rights organisations and, half a year later, Ken Saro-Wiwa received the Right Livelihood Award for his courage as well as the Goldman Environmental Prize.


On 10 November 1995, Saro-Wiwa and eight other MOSOP leaders (the “Ogoni Nine" were killed by hanging at the hands of military personnel. They were buried in Port Harcourt Cemetery.


In his satirical piece Africa Kills Her Sun first published in 1989, Saro-Wiwa in a resigned, melancholic mood foreshadowed his own execution.

Adieu Baba.

Culled from Information Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Oke-aro, Ogun-state (Nigeria).
+2348082790452
@AdewunmiAdedeji17
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#D'PresidentDiary.

*NATION BUILDING (3)*


The task of nation building, according to Pastor Poju Oyemade - Senior Pastor of Covenant Christian Center, is a generational assignment. It is like a relay race where a generation builds and passes the baton to the succeeding generation.

For every generation with this national assignment, there are three sets of individuals

*(I)  THE FRAMERS* : The framers are the pillars of the generation's assignment. They understand with clarity that which their predecessors have done and also the nation's destination. They are saddled with the responsibility of framing roadmaps and developing layouts that will direct their generation in the journey towards the national destination.

Ranking amongst them are men like Chief Albert John Lutuli, the South African Nobel Prize winner, credited for shaping the ideologies and ethos of modern day South Africa politics. His students include past leaders of South Africa like Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela and the present President of South Africa. In this category also, we have Milton Friedman, another Nobel Prize winner albeit in economics. Friedman is considered the father of the Chicago School of Economics as well as modern day capitalism. His writing helped shape modern day North and South America continents. His students include Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, past and present leaders of International Monetary Funds, World Bank, United States Department of Treasury, Central Bankers just to name a few.


*(II) EXECUTORS* : They are the most talked about and the more visible influencers of every generation. Their task is to lead the people based on the roadmaps and layout formulated by the framers. They are the public office holders and could as well be considered the foot soldiers that implement the directives of the Generals (Framers). They are perhaps the most important sets of individuals for every generation because their success is usually considered the yardstick for measuring the impact of their generation on the overall destiny of the nation.


*(III) BUILDERS :* While the Framers could be considered as the architects of a nation's future and the Executors as the foremen or helmsmen championing the implementation of the framers' design on the hypothetical construction site, a vast majority of the nation's population belong to the builders' cadre. Every builder may not get to do something spectacular, at least not on a conspicuous scale as Framers and Executors but their effort is no less needed in aligning the reality of the nation with its original blueprint as designated by the Framers and founding fathers. The more hands we have on deck, actively engaged in building rather than blaming or breaking, the better the chance we have of hitting the set mark we desire.

*(IV)  BLAMERS* : This set of individuals will never contribute anything worthwhile to nation building other than criticism. They are busier with blaming and finding fault with every thing their fore-fathers, their generation and succeeding generations do.


The failure of a generation begins when individuals can't find their place - the framers perfom the duties of the executors and vice versa, and ultimately when a great majority of the nation's population are *BLAMERS* rather than *BUILDERS.*

*The question is this: where do you belong? *

Thank you.

God bless you and may He bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

_*Adewumi Adedeji*_
*Writes from Oke-Aro,* *Ogun State (Nigeria).*
*Dejijupiter@gmail.com*
*08082790452*
*#D'President'sDiary.*

BUHARI HAS DONE IT AGAIN

Amidst the brouhaha and politicking towards 2019 elections, President Mummahadu Buhari has done it again by appointing Mr Yusuf Magaji Bichi from Kano state as the Director - General of the State security service.

The appointment of Mr Yusuf magaji wouldn't have been worthy a dot of my pen's ink if political appointment in Nigeria was based on competency, character and credibility, instead it is anchored on federal character and geo - politicking.

When the Vice - President sacked lawal daura as the Director - General of the state security service fresh hope was brithed in the land, with 2019 elections in view, Mr President will show his critics that he is a born - again nationalist by appointing a southerner Director - General of the state security service, this political calculation was aided with the facts that Mr Matthew Seyeifa (then Acting DG) was most senior of directors, has less than twelve months to retirement and hails from Bayelsa.

By this singular act of appointing Mr Yusuf Magaji Bichi Mr President has shown again that the electorate wouldn't count in 2019. He would rather like a monarch guide his throne jealously, one that cost him twelve years of his adulthood.

Fresh in his memory is the history of how he lost the throne on the 27 of August 1985, once bitten twice shy. So he would have his beloved throne marshalled by his northern brothers.

How can we claim to be an entity when all our intelligence agencies are headed by notherners, Defence intelligence Agency headed by Air vice Marshal Mohammed saliu usman, National intelligence Agency (Ahmed Abubakar), Nigeria Prison Service ( Ja'afru Ahmed), National security Agency (Mohammed Babagana Monguno), Nigeria Immigration Service ( Muhammed Babandede), Nigerian Police (Ibrahim Koptun Idris).

What this implies is that the next time the National Security Council is seated there will be nobody speaking for southern Nigeria.

I hope the President will still be able to say " I belong to everybody and I belong to Nobody."

Thank you.

God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Oke-aro, Ogun-state (Nigeria).
08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#D'PresidentDiary.

ADUNNI OLUWOLE

Thursday are for throwbacks, today we remember an activist, leader per excellence, a rare gem whose voice stills echoes from the foundation of our nation, Madam Adunni Oluwole.

Adunni Oluwole was the female politician who fought for workers’ rights during the Nigerian general strike in 1945.

Born in Ibadan, Adunni’s family relocated to Lagos and lived close to St John’s Church, Aroloya, Lagos, and the church’s vicar, Adolphus Howells played an important role in Adunni’s family.

Adunni’s taste of education was through the vicar even though she did not finish her primary education.

She was involved in leadership and dramatic roles at St John’s Church and soon became an itinerant preacher.

As an itinerant preacher, Adunni was skillful in public speaking and enjoyed great success from it.


Adunni’s participation in politics came after she saw how poor masses were treated. She became known as a human rights activist who was committed to social justice.


When the colonial government stopped the payment of workers’ salaries, during the workers’ general strike of 1945, Adunni gave some money to the workers’ union even though she was not a wealthy woman.
In 1954, Adunni founded the Nigerian Commoners Liberal Party , which had men as its majority members.

Her Party was popularly known in the Yoruba speaking areas as " Egbe Koyinbo Mailo" ( The white man should not go party).


Barely five months after the formation of NCLP, the party won a seat in Osun North (Ikirun), defeating bigger parties like the NCNC and the Action Group.

Adunni supported a stand opposing the call for independence in 1956 on the ground that the Nigerian political leaders had abused the responsibility they had secured already. She stated her views that common man should choose between gradualism or immediate independence.


As a result, her message resounded well among the rural people who were already complaining about heavy taxation.

Adunni also championed the cause of women and she constantly demanded the representation of women in all constitutional conferences.

She promised that her party would oppose any constitution that seemed likely to exploit masses and cause disunity in Nigeria.

Sadly, her party did not last long enough to fulfill all its promises due to lack of funds amongst other things.

Adunni died of Whitlow in 1957.

Adieu mama.

The labor of our heroes pasts shall never be in vain.

Long live The Federal Republic of Nigeria.


Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Oke-aro, Ogun-state(Nigeria).
08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com.
#D'PresidentDiary.

*MY ADVISE TO THE GOVERNOR* .

Mr governor history lies at your doorstep, the fate of Lagos rest upon the decision you will make towards your political destiny.

It's a known fact that you have the heart of lagosian and we all await your decisions, we entrusted you with our lives and properties three and half years ago not only because of your political structures but because we knew your credibility and we saw your hard work when you served as the accountant- general even though you contested against a great force in Mr Jimi Agbaje.

Mr Governor the way I see this case you have two options either you act through Diplomacy or War.

*Diplomacy* : Mr Governor, you can either appease your godfather and his cohorts through respectable channels like the presidency, traditional rulers, his business partners or other respectable statesmen, if you choose this option you get back the ticket of APC and his structures, get a second term in office and other packages that it's comes with.

*War* : Mr Governor, this option is dreadful as we all know your godfather is the strongest man in Lagos, but sir you can take the bull by the horn, for lagosian hearts are with you, politics sir you know entails concessions, compromise and cutting deals, so you can build bridges with his political enemies within and outside the party and within and without of the state and collectively you fight this battle.

Taking this option means you will be going against a might man, if you come out defeated you will be respected for refusing to be bullied around and standing up against godfatherism and justice.

Mr Governor, if you look at this as a battle and not as a war even if defeated happen now you can always come back better and stronger been endowed with more political insight.

Even your godfather is respected today not because he won all his battles but because he stood has a fighter, refuse to be shove around even against all hordes.

Mr Governor, any of the option you decide to take will determine how will be remembered when the history of Lagos is being told to generations yet unborn either as a coward or a warrior.

I pray God help with great counsel and wisdom to make the right decision.

Thank you.

May God bless you.

Long live Lagos state

Eko o ni baje.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Oke-aro, Ogun-state (Nigeria).
08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
#D'PresidentDiary.