₦airaland Forum

By Dele Momodu
Fellow Nigerians, please permit me to borrow the cliché that “whatever has a beginning must have an end.” This is the only way I can describe what seems to be an end to Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s reign of recklessness and authoritarianism at the Central Bank of Nigeria. Even if he remains in office till 2014 when his tenure mandatorily expires, he has already waltzed his way into a cul-de-sac. The reason is very simple. Sanusi appears to be a poor student of Nigerian history; otherwise, he would have known that whenever Nigerians are hailing the disciplinarian father of a recalcitrant child, the same people always turn around to ask if he wants to kill his own baby. The attention span of an average Nigerian is short and limited. Nigerians are a people perpetually in search of new heroes. We are a people so confused about what we want, whether democracy or militocracy. Many years of debilitating military interventions and interregnum have turned us into victims of acute psychological impairment.
That must be the reason many of us often deify those we believe can help us punish, or even kill, our enemies. But our romance with kill-and-go administrations is alwaysshort-lived. A good example was when the Shehu Shagari governmentwas terminated in 1983 by Mohammadu Buhari and Babatunde Idiagbon, Nigerians spilled into the streets like locusts to celebrate their victory over a most profligate ruling party known then as the National Party of Nigeria. Many prominent members of NPN were hounded into prison, house arrest and exile. Jubilant Nigerians even saw nothing wrong with the despicable attempt to crate Alhaji Umaru Dikko alive andthe abortive “mission impossible” to smuggle him back to Nigeria. We tend to love and promote selective justice and injustice. We support whichever is more convenient at any particular time.
The same Nigerians flooded the streets when the man with the toothy smile, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida did his own coup and sentBuhari and Idiagbon into premature retirement. Yet Babangida did the exact opposite of what Buhari did by giving a human face to dictatorship and inviting prominent Nigerians to serve in his government. He garnished his solid team with a few social critics and freed the Buhari captives from arbitrary incarceration.Babangida did not end it there, he forced open the dreaded cells of the then National Security Organisation where political detainees were tied down and lived like animals. Sympathetic Nigerians thanked the new benevolent ruler and embraced him warts and all. Buhari and Idiagbon simply melted into oblivion.
Sooner than later, Babangada started his transition games and started dribbling Nigerians with the dexterity and foxiness of the legendary Maradona and his infamous ‘hand of God’. He shifted the goal posts several times while the game was on. He even transfigured, without the benefit of elections or any referendum, into a civilian President and held the wholenation spellbound. He banned and unbanned potential candidates at will in a classic case of chess whilst keeping a straight poker face all the time. Nigerians watched in utter amazement, helplessness and befuddlement as someone played them like Ping-Pong. Meanwhile, it was alleged that under Babangida, corruption stank to high heavens. The chief critic at the time was General Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo who called IBB all manner of unprintable names.
To cut a bad story short, an election was conducted on June 12, 1993, andthe presidency was won by Chief Moshood Abiola but was annulled by General Babangida for reasons yet tobe disclosed till this day. In the middle of this higgledy-piggledy, a contraption called the Interim National Government was hurriedly packaged and Chief Ernest ‘Degunle Shonekan was made its Head. That government lasted only a few months when the maximum ruler with dark goggles, General Sani Abacha arrived on the scene and sacked the ING with automatic alacrity, and everyone scampered into safety without as much as a whimper.
If IBB loved to smile like a beautiful bride, Abacha was the exact oppositeas a gloomy groom. His mien was something else and everyone feared him with utter trepidation. He took over the liability of June 12 and appropriated the mandate to himself. Those who challenged him soon found their ways into prisons or on the road to Golgotha. Two of Nigeria’s most powerful army Generals of all times, General Obasanjo and Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua who tried to monkey with Abacha were both roasted like chicken in Abacha’s gulag. While Obasanjo was lucky to stay alive and live to tell the tale, Yar’Adua was very unfortunate, as he died in prisonand was silenced forever. The winner of the election MKO Abiola and his wife Kudirat died under different circumstances. Other pro-democracy activists suffered various collateral damages, includingdeath.
Is it not strange that the powers-that-be in their wisdom sooner than later thought it fit to invite General Obasanjo to take over the mandate that should have been that of Abiola? The man who made it all happen was Babangida who had been publicly scandalised many times by the same Obasanjo. It is alsointeresting that Obasanjo would later block the same Babangida who helped him back to power when the man wanted to stage a comeback. The drama also became a theatre of the absurd when General Mohammed Buhari also came back on the scene after quitting power since 1985. He’s been contesting permanently since 2003 and he’s yet to give up. The same Nigerians who called him the wicked tyrant are the same people saying he’s the best man for the task of changing Nigeria for the better no matter how old and weak he may have become since leaving power 27 years ago.
This is my summary of Nigeria’s history that Sanusi failed to read or possibly chose to ignore. A good student of Nigerian history would always try to check when the marketis over and the traders must close shop and go home. Sanusi did not understand this and behaved as if he was the de facto President of Nigerian. He had cashed in on the weakness of the Jonathan administration to run his own parallel government and haul insults at anyone who dared to challenge him. He neither spared the executive nor the legislative arms of government. He went meandering from one controversial policy to the other and bullied everyone into submission. If he didn’t know other things, he understood the magnitudeof our docility and took full advantage of it. It was always obvious to discerning minds that Sanusi is a man of tall ambitions whowas willing to do anything to achieve his aims and goals. He spent money on outlandish projects and anything that caught his fancy and ran a personal fiefdom.
I must confess that when Mallam Sanusi started his highly-controversial tenure at CBN, on June 4, 2009, I saw through the smokescreen of his vengeful mission very early in the day, and warned many of those jumping up like frogs thinking a Messiah had finally landed on our shores to take caution.While acknowledging his academic brilliance, I was duly worried about his unbridled radicalism. He did everything in the extreme and lacked the tolerance to persuade others. In the process, he stepped on too many toes and acted like he was beyond control. He fought for total autonomy for the CBN and campaigned vociferously against anyform of audit by anyone of his actions as CBN Governor. He thus became a loose cannon and a sword of Damocles against his foes. His word was law as everyone feared histempestuous outbursts.
You must give it to him, Sanusi is a princely and charming man. He’s the type that most ladies would see and curtsey. He loves attention and attracts it almost effortlessly. He would have done so well as a Nollywood actor or a music superstar.It is strange how a man of such sartorial tastes ended up in banking and not showbiz. The profession he chose was traditionally reserved for taciturn and conservative characters and not for vainglorious and adventurous rabble-rousers. His major weakness was his sharp tongue. He could almost raise the dead with it.
Sanusi had managed to capitalise on the kill-and-go mentality of most Nigerians to win sympathy for his dangerous annihilation of his enemies without caring for the stray bullets that may hit innocent bystanders. In other to catch a few rats, Sanusi chose to set fire to the whole village. He needed to disguise his real intentions and motives by taking on an entire institution and sacking otherwise brilliant bankers in the process. Some innocent peoplehad their eventful careers terminated by a rampaging bull that was goaded on by a neurotic society and a vindictive population. It was sotragic that the warnings of a few of us fell on the deaf ears of those who were more interested in the extra-judicial crucifixion of those perceivedas rogue bankers. Nigerians allowed themselves to be mesmerised and hypnotised and hoodwinked by a quintessential bully in search of victims to devour.
Sanusi’s eloquence and debonair presence made it possible for many of his unwary admirers to get carried away by his sophistry. But they didn’t need to look too far to realise that his combative approach would soon go up in smoke like others before him. Perhaps, he would have fared better as a military dictator than as a sanitary inspector in the cesspool of banking mess. The game he played was too hot to handle and for too long. He should have known that oneway or the other anyway, the chicken must come home to roost. And bullies always have their terminal dates. This is because, according to Wikipedia, “a bully is a constant harasser of the weak.” A bully argues his victims into submission through intimidation and name calling.
Wikipedia explains further that a bully is usually arrogant and narcissistic and by bullying others, hefeels empowered. He suffers from “personality disorders, quickness to anger, use of force, addiction to aggressive behaviours, engaging in obsessive or rigid actions…well-planned and orchestrated attempts at character-assassination…” It explains that a bully cannot exist or thrive without the active connivance “of a large group of relatively uninvolved bystanders.” It is the ability of the bully to create the illusion of a support base from the majority that propels him to instil thefear of God into people and prevent them from speaking out against him. This is palpable in Sanusi’s case as nomember of the economic team or theInstitute of Bankers could openly speak up against the excesses of this man. Even our President appeared to have been clearly subdued; the reason he quickly assented to a foolish experiment. Bullies exert and expand their power when they see the unwillingness of anyone to challenging or taking them on because they depend largely on mob action.
Wikipedia puts it succinctly: “When the bully encounters no negative response from observers, it provides social approval for the bullying and encourages continuation of the behaviour.” Most people ignore bullies because they are not in any present danger themselves, or may feel that there’s no point becoming the next victim, so better to keep mute. But there is never a guarantee that anyone can escape the bully, as General Obasanjo must have discovered when Sanusi referred to him as “a poor economist.”
I believe three things ended Sanusi’s regime of fear. The first is that he didnot gauge the mood of his ubiquitousmob who did not subscribe to his N5,000 note misadventure. If he readtheir lips, he would have known he was on his own and would have avoided the risk of dancing naked in the market place. And the second was his attempt to stylishly rubbish aformer President and Commander-in-Chief, Olusegun Obasanjo. No matter the degree of the seeming cold war between Obasanjo and his estranged godson, President Goodluck Jonathan, no one would allow Sanusi get away with such sauciness while he’s still a public servant.
The last straw is the rumour of Sanusi’s Presidential ambition which he has since denied. But denial or not, the Jonathan crew would never close their two eyes again where Sanusi is concerned, and he has become a potential enemy and a marked man whose wings must be clipped.
He should have realised that a child who buys a pair of shoes for his limping father must be ready to listen to the dark tales of his lineage.
By his own feathers, Sanusi is now smitten! That is how the cookies always crumble.

Mr. Globe:
when people say someone(particularly men) is old and dresses like a kid I don't know what and how they mean, how do 'old people' dress exactly and who made that rule. why should a man worry about how another man should dress.

Nigerians insulting rick ross are just stup!d. The video was shot somewhere in Nigeria and that slum on the video is even a luxury to other slums in the country. Keep whining about rick ross and continue allowing your politicians to keep on looting. I think the inhabitants of that slum will be thankful to God for this exposure. Some people are saying he should have shot it in some 'posh places', is there any posh place in Nigeria apart from some places in Abuja. Nigeria is a mess, if you think otherwise, you are only a fool!

God bless you.Myopic people.Majority are suffering for no reason and the wealthy(fortunate) see it as a crime to voice out.How much will it take to develop such places?Imagine necessities of life(food,clothing,accommodation,car,phone) are still seen as luxuries.Thumbs-up to Rozay.

It will never happen,Nigerians should stop dreaming.A country where mediocrity is celebrated,touts(politicians)appoints and govern technocrats,genuine people are seen as MUGU,virtually everything is tribalised ie quota.Nothing is done on merit(awarding of contract,appointment,employment,admission and justice).People hate to see others succeed.

hollas2jnr: For me, its "Can't turn back d years" by Joe Thomas... It really appeases me anytime n one of d most played on my phone!

just downloaded it,my favourite song.thanks

595 out of 5000 just got employed and NNPC decided to re-advertise.I guess it is politically motivated or else they would have employed more, 595 is just too small.

Expecting so much from your partner can put a strain in your relationship.Written by a female.
Ladies are mostly guilty of this. It isimportant to bear in mind that this person you have decided to share your life with has limitations just like you. So, it is best not to expect too much from a man. Here are some pointers to how you may be guilty of this:
Expecting him to read your mind
Women have a tendency to expect the man in their lives to know exactly what they’re thinking, what they’re feeling or what they’re angry about. How many times has your man asked you what’s wrong, only for you to reply “nothing,” when in fact you’re fuming over something he said or did? Then, you get angry when he simply says, “okay”, and kicks up his feet to watch Sports Centre.
Now, you’re even more upset, because you feel that he does not care about what’s bothering you. The lady would prefer for him to chase her until she feels he’s begged enough, and she decides on her own timeline when to tell him what’s "really" wrong. And it’s childish. Men and women are not mind readers, yet some of us don’t express ourselves freely for fear of being misunderstood, appearing weak or being ignored completely.
We think no good will come from telling him how we feel because men “simply don’t understand.” So instead, we vent to our girlfriends or stew around the house instead of doing the grown-up thing and talking to our man about our feelings, likes, dislikes and concerns. If this is you, put your grown woman panties on and share your feelings rather than avoid them.
Thinking you can change or train him
All human beings have strengths and weaknesses, and it is up to us to improve on our everyday living. But for some of us, we set our sights on “fixing” our mates rather than taking a look at ourselves in the mirror and identifying areas of improvement we can make at home.
While there is nothing wrong with encouraging your man to be the best he can be and pushing him to his full potential, realise that who he is now is also who you must accept – flaws and all. And just as you want your partner to be everything in your eyes, you shouldalso want to be everything in his. This requires that you both work atbeing your best selves at all times, not just you trying to mold him intoyour ideal man.
Having realistic expectations meanrealising that no one is perfect, and you must accept your partner for who he is at this very moment rather than trying to change him into an impossible image of who you think he should be. You won’t be settling for less, you’ll be settling for better.
Do you say “if you loved me, you’d…”
Most times, we use this statement to gain control of our partner, sending the message that your idea of love and commitment is right, while his is wrong. So, we say to him: “If you loved me, you’d marry me today”, or “If you loved me, you’d send me roses on Valentine’s Day.” Most men show love in ways that women don’t deem as romantic, like taking our cars to get detailed.
Instead, we want him to get his cues from something we saw in a movie once. Maybe he does love you, but he just doesn’t show you in ways that make you feel all tingly inside. That doesn’t mean heloves you any less. He may feel that if you loved him, you’d accept that he sometimes forgets to makedinner reservations for the anniversary of the first time you said, “I love you”, or that he thought you’d enjoy the new set oftires he put on your ride. If you can’t accept your mate’s version of love, then set him free to be with aperson who appreciates a man who shows her that he appreciatesher in his own way.
Basing your idea of love on chick flicks
Some women have an idea of love and relationships that are based on fantasy, not real life. They feel their level of passion should matchthe intensity of Love Jones’ Nina and Darius or Sex and The City’s Carrie and Big – and if it falls short, it must not be true love. So, we hold out for that deep, romantic love where our hero chases us through a train station or flies to Paris to sweep us off our feet, not realising that such nonsense is strictly for the movies.
We blow off the nice guy who doesn’t make our heart stop, but is caring and reliable. We decide thatit would be “settling” if we forego the intense fireworks of a kiss in the rain for the stable companionship of a man who would make a great husband and father one day. It’s not until we’re 45 years old with six cats that we realise long-term love isn’t a passion-fest – it’s a commitment. Love is what you make it, and who you make it with.
Thinking “the one” comes in a specific package
You are attracted to tall men who can make you laugh, so you ignore the guy at the party who has everyone in stitches because he stands at a staggering five feet, sixinches. You stalk the self-absorbedjerk at the gym because he has amazing biceps, but turn your noseup at the bald guy with the little gut who puts fresh flowers on yourdesk in the morning.
Many women feel the love of their lives must be a six feet tall Adonis who graduated at the top of his class from Harvard and has the comedic timing of Kevin Hart. He’s also never been married, has no children and has a perfect credit score and all of his teeth. But guesswhat? Your perfect man probably won’t look like that at all. Not evena little bit. Of course, it’s important to be attracted to your partner, but you have to be attracted to more than just his face or his body.
Make sure your partner is also someone you respect intellectually, emotionally and spiritually, and who appreciates you. Looks fade, muscles emaciate and sex diminishes; so, make sure the person you’re left with is still someone you want to talk to and be near who will remain in the trenches with you in a true partnership. Open your eyes to what is really important in a mate and accept the gift of love…even if it’s wrapped a little differently.
Expecting your soulmate to complement you
If you’re convinced that there is only one soulmate out there who can fulfill all your needs, then you may find yourself alone for a long time. No one man will have all the requirements necessary to make you a whole person, no matter how kind, intelligent or emotionally stable he is.
It doesn’t matter how compatible you are or if you have a strong physical connection, you will neverfeel completely in harmony if you look to others to make you happy. Don’t look to your man to meet your needs, take responsibility for your own life and happiness, and then, find someone who complements you. Relationships are work, and the work starts with you. Place some expectations on yourself and see how reasonable they are before you place them on someone else.
If you want a happy and rewarding relationship, it can only develop from two whole people working to build something unique and special.

Cupidkc: Just curious...
Have the paid the full compensation to the families of the dead?

.They have paid part of the money to the minister and others so no need to spend more for compensation.FG will always support the indians thereby making any family that fight for compensatiom fail.U forgot that Nigeria is lawless?

Former governor of Abia State and publisher of The Sun Newspapers, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, is a seasoned politician who has been vocal for theNdigbo cause.
He is actively involved in the socio-economic development of his community and has played many significant roles in Nigerian politics.
The politician-cum-business man hasbeing quiet since he lost his battle into the upper chamber of the National Assembly to Chukwumeriji in 2011.
As one of the founding fathers of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Igbere-born political stalwart says he’s going to prevail onevery possible international anti-graft agency to compel all former Nigerian public office holders to disclose the source of the stupendous wealth, which many of them flaunt today.
In a recent chat, Kalu opened cans of worm on his battle with former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
He said: “Like former President Olusegun Obasanjo. You know he openly told journalists that he came into politics with only N20,000 and I am sure you are aware of that. He said it many times. We now see new buildings from Otta to Abeokuta, flying jets to everywhere in the world.
“I parted ways with Obasanjo because he wanted to continue joking with the country called Nigeria and Nigerians are blind. Unfortunately, they prefer people lying to them to people like us. I am going to send letters to the United Nations Secretary General, the European Union and the United States and all the major powers that all those who have served in Nigeria should come forward to disclose their sources of wealth. Let them show their bank statements, either with defunct Allied Bank or ACB. Let them come and prove how they bought houses in Victoria Island, Maitama, Abuja. Let us know who the real thieves are. You cannot be calling people thieves when the real thieves are walking free on the streets of Nigeria. It is not fair to me in particular because I know that at the formation of PDP I contributed N500 million in 1998 and I don’t know how many of them that own N500 million in 1998. But today I am a thief. I also contributed almost $1 million to Obasanjo’s campaign in 1998, when nobody had no penny to give. Why I am a thief today is what Idon’t understand.
“Yes, because a lot of fraudulent people who used to engage 419 are in the National Assembly. The government knows these people. They know they have criminal cases against these people before. These people fraudulently found themselves into the National Assembly and we see that Nigeria has transformed to giving power to many unemployed people who have fraudulent records to be in leadership position.
“Obasanjo made the country the wayit is today. Obasanjo caused every problem we are facing in Nigeria today. He has no moral right to say anybody is corrupt. Even when I was in office, I told him that corruption is under his table but they didn’t listen to me. The Americans know, British, Germans, French, they all know. This is why they have no respect for him. The only people who respect Obasanjo are Nigerians.”
Asked if he’ll still go back to politics, the business mogul said, “I am still watching. The best way is to siddon look. Let us see whether this lie will prevail over the truth. It has never happened before and it will never happen because falsehood will not prevail over the truth. You see governors telling lies openly. You seeministers telling lies openly. People in leadership positions lying in public. This has never happened before. It cannot continue like this.”Do you agree?

The pretender still dey para.

KSB must be a hypocrite.watch this and criticize.http://m.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&hl=en&client=mv-google&v=X98HX5nbsCI

Yes u are right.Mine stopped working few hours ago.

F.A.l.C.A.O- Bleep All Lovers Of Chelsea And the Owner.hahaha.

Show the world those ghettos.Such a real nigga, u are truely the BOSS unlike some that sees it as a taboo to visit such places.Watching HOLD ME BACK,New Orleans na wa.

Hope the FG will also compensate families that lost their loved ones as a result of these heartless bigots actions.Weak FG.

gidson12: i guess you where the fustrated few that couldn't make it here, and let me ask u, since u said that the jamb exams are usually 'runsed' how i'm i sure that your waec used in gaining admission there is not 'runsed' too?

.
Hypocrite,nothing works on merit in Naija,accept the fact.U need to change ur orientation.

What's funny?Airtel has such features.I tranfer MB with my airtel lines.

It will encourage speedy developement.Most states have nothing to offer but depend on monthly allocation frm FG to survive yet they are still ungrateful/ not satisfied.Some European countries are not up to 10million in population but some states in Nigeria are more than that. Jamaica operates with less than 3million people.Believe me,with our present population growing at a geometric rate yet we still depend solely on OIL to survive,Nigeria will deteriorate at a fast rate if the country is not divided now.Only a dullard and selfish politicians still believe Nigerians are one.ONE NIGERIA my foot.

Fast to release funds but fails to monitor the progress and amount spent on these projects.The looting continues.

Life is a bitch,it screws everyone.

Only in Naija u see graduates with first class but no connection, being subjected to series of aptitude tests and rigorus interviews just to get a job of 40k while their colleagues with third class or even Pass with connection, are employed with huge pay without writing aptitude test.

Only in Naija people use/see blackberry as a status symbol. If you don't have a BB,u are regarded or seen as a poor person and Naija babes will find it difficult to interact with u. Only in Naija people buy what they don't need with money they don't have to impress people they don't like.

I remembered that u said u dont use stop loss,u would have saved half of ur account balance.pls go and read about MM seriously.i know u ar a good trader with a wonderful system but their is no holy grail system that can guarantee u 100% success.Money management is the ONLY guarantee in Forex business.i was very successful in demo,built lots of accounts but lost all due to greed(high lot size).i learnt alot frm that.in my Live account, i open a maximum of two trades with small lots size and a wide stop loss(100-150pips)and i am making it.i also avoid any thing JPY cos it wrecks account always.take heart and never give up on trading,be persistent.Goodluck.

@MTNNG,worse than Yahoo boys but no body(not even security operatives)will arrest or charge them for defrauding millions of Nigerians continuously.

They stole my N300, MTN is a fraudulent Company.NCC and FG will never react because they are involved.No more recharging of my mtn line.

CNN,BBC and ALJ are all quiet concerning the fuel subsidy protest going on but if it were to be a terrorist attack it will be on air 24/7

Hi Unclenna,thanks alot for ur support.pls kindly send the trading system to me. kugwuanya@yahoo.com,God bless you.

Naijababe, may God bless u for the good work u are doing.kindly send me the e-book,my mail is kfx31pt@yahoo.com,the result on my live account is disturbing.

See GU,after running as if it was going to somewhere important,GU is back to where it started the race from.
MM is the key.

ok