₦airaland Forum

"Stupid Gowon and the imbecilic leadership of Nigeria"

You dont have to use languages like that in trying to put your point across we are communicating in English here and not in igbo ,
Ojukwu had enough time not to go to war they had 2 meetings in Aburi he is a coward , u are free to beg to differ thats what blogs like this are for we are not meant to agree.

"Look pal, there was no death penalty stipulated in Nigerian working paper for coup plotters until 1975 when Murtala Muhammed was killed. You can now understand that your blabbing is ridiculous."

So because there is no death penalty stipiluted in Nigerian then, so are u saying u get a pat in the back for planning a coup, its real men that plan coups and if you look at my statement carefully I used the word "Everybody knows that if you plan a coup, the ultimate penalty" which means the maximum will be death and the minimum will be a lenghty jail term it is standard practice all over the world.

"It was the government under leadership of imbecilic Obasanjo that incorporated death penalty for coup plotters into Nigeria’s working papers"

Another distasteful language, u are not blogging with secondary kids here, I have chosen not to respond to rather childish people who cannot put their views across without resulting to personal abuse, I think I am too matured and civilised for that kind of language, I have had my fair share of these kind of thrash talk when I was teneeger more than 25 years ago.

The goverment of Obasanjo dont have to incorporate the death penalty to coup plotters, like I said earlier it is standard practice all over the world.

Ironically when the fool (Obasnajo) was implicated in a coup, he wept and called any leader that was willing to listen to him to plead on his behalf. I blamed Sani Abacha for having failed to finish up the idiot.

Where is your prove for the above statement

"You liers show prove. do you have any"

It does not necessay mean that obj is the main culprit here, but because he was at the helm of the affairs of the state the bulk stops with him, in any other democracy he will have to answer questions. You have to remember OBJ belongs to the old school, I was told by informants that worked at Aso rock, that baba use to tell all his ministers that if u award a contract , if the contract is N100 million u can put your own little bit on it and make sure the job is delivered. But most of his ministers just take money and do a runner Fani-kayode is a good example.

One ugly trend I have noticed in this new political dispensation, is the way the politicians of the present day play politics without rules, no conscience, no scrupples to anybody and it is all about me, me, me,. grab, grab, grab.


.Between 1979 to 1983 if the Governor or Deputy Governor happens to live in your neighbour hood the whole roads in that area would be tarred, the general belief then is the Governor’s car should not enter any pot-holes hence the tarring of the roads. Today the reverse is the case, I remember going to my neighbourhood in one of the state capitals of one of the states in the SW in 1983. I was appalled at the state of the roads, and right opposite my father’s house I was made to believe that a house belong to the then Deputy Governor . I said to my friends in the area do you mean the DG drives on this road every day, my friends said yes oh na so we see am Naija don change.

I remember Sam Mbakwe the crying Governor of Imo state, he believed in infrastructural development but the money he got from the FG was not enough hence he was called the crying Governor. It pained him in his heart that he wanted to do a lot for his state but there was not enough money in the kitty. He even believed that there was a lot of sabotage perpetuated by Nigerians hence his call for re-colonization that life was much better during the white mans time than now if only he was alive today to see what a mess Nigeria is today

Then there was the Kano state governor Barkin Zuwo, although an illiterate he performed well in the 3 months than some of the Governors that are in post today for 4 years he was the champion of the talakawas the poor. I remember one of his most popular quotes he was asked – Your majesty what minerals have you got in your state – BKZ – “ Oh We get am for coke, fanta, sprite even 7 up, another one was who was his running mate which he said it was Rimi, Rimi was the Governor between 1979 and 1983, Barkin Zuwo was there for only 3 months. He thought running mate was the person running against him as suppose to the person that is running with him. “ He said Rimi will not let me sleep at night, Haba, I go sleep I see Rimi for dream I wake I see Rimi. One thing those Governors between 1979 and 1983 had was they knew they where called to serve and they really want to serve the people. Jakande the action Governor of Lagos state realise lagosians were just suffering and smiling travelling with molues, he decided to do something about it but it never came to fruition as the military swept into power yet again. The politicians between 1979 to 1983 played politics the way politics should be played and practise politics how politics is practise all over the world. Nobody is saying politicians should not make money, but they should do it with dignity example a Governor wants to construct a road, the contractors quotes N100 million to do the Job, the Governor tells the contractor we will do it for N120 million, contactor and Governor shakes hand to this deal, contractor delivers Governor gets his money, that is how politics is played all over the world. The key thing is contractor must deliver. But today politics is completely different.

This is how politics is played today.

1. Obj signs $2 billion contract with CCCP company to re build Kano to Lagos rail. Mobilisation fee of $1 billion is paid up front, not a brick layed.
2. Obj signs $16 billion contract to resuscitate the power sector, not a brick power output worse than when he took over.
3. Odili of Rivers state despite all the money he got from oil derivatives nothing to show for 8 years
4. James ibori – same as Odili.
5. Duke – Played politics the way politics is played
6. Fashola is playing politcs the way politcs should be played.

One thing I realise and I have come to the conclusion is that Nigeria is a much poorer nation today than in 1979 hence the desperation of political office holders to grab as much for themselves at the expense of the electorate and masses. I also realise today you will have to steal N150 naira to make a $1 dollar, and because there is not enough in the kitty, most Governors after paying their civil servants just basically take the rest. Hence nothing gets done as per capital expenditure.

In my own book, Soyinka, Ekueme, Fawehinmi are brave men. While the likes of Ojukwu, Gani (OPC) etc are bloody cowards.

Ojukwu is definately a coward no offence to any Igbo person. Everybody knows that if you plan a coup, the ultimate penalty if u are caught is death by fire squad. The easier option is u declare a war, and when the table turns against you, u jump ship, meanwhile millions have sacrifice their lives why cant Ojukwu sacrifice his life like Hitller the only reason is because he is a bloody coward. Other cowards are Charles Taylor, Mugabe and that rebel guy in seirra leone using kids to fight his war meanwhile growing fat on blood diamond. True heroes are Dimka, Vatsa, Orka, Bisala, Kaduna Nzeogu they put their lives on the line.

I think term elongation is good for a developing nation like Naija, America that have election every 4 years is already a developed nation and can afford to do it. In our own case, that 4 year thing does not really work because most of the Governors are active for the 1st 2 years, the last 2 years they start looking for money to fight an election that will be coming up in 2 years time. Most Governors do not really do anything in their last 2 years. Somebody like Fashola who wants to do a lot of projects will be able to complete the projects in 12 years. The downside is if you elect an inactive and corrupt Governor you are stuck with Governor for 12 years and that can be bad news.

Unfortunately she is a made woman now and a Nigerian celebity, that is the plain truth and aint anything anybody can do, more grease to her elbows.

na dis kind chick u go service when u come do holiday for naija wey u no go even remember her name, na im one minister one kill himself for.

http://www.triquerta.com/articles/anasoh.html

If u like to see her picture log to this site, she no even fine self.

"It is so sad that we have to result to picking candidate to run for highest office in the land by looking at what part of the country the person is from. I am a Yoruba man, I challenge ordinary yoruba citizen that benefited from Obasanjo presidency. We need competent man for the job no matter where this person comes from in Nigeria."

Fashola would have been a brilliant be choice, but baba obj has reps the yourubas for 8 years, there are 399 other tribes that will fancy their own chances.

"Luca is right in saying INEC's neutrality is the key problem. If this can be achieved, we will know how much on-the=ground popularity the PDP has and how much of it is manipulation. "




INEC reminds me of a catoon that I read in a Nigerian newspaper more than 20 years ago. I will never forget that catoon, 2 teams where playing a football match and one of the teams scored a goal, the refree ran to the guy who scored the and lifted him up, celebrating with the team that scored the goal, the team at the receiving end were dumbfounded, they knew there is no way there winning this match.

We have seen the same during past administrations and we will continue to observe the same until the system actually changes. Till then, you are only painting old trends with new colors.

The trend is new, the political job description is comprehensive, a lot of people who have read the thread and have gained a lot and are making decision based on the analysis, if u are happy where u are good luck to u, its a human story that needs to be told especially in a Nigerian based forum. People come to forums like this not for current news but for information on new trends. This thread is not for diasporans going home to take up job in banking, oil and gas or other sectors of the economy, it is purely a political awakening of the opportunities available to diasporans in the home country, and the story needs to be told, I will be doing de-service to diasporans by not telling the story.

@kobojunkie

aint no opportunities in the Abacha years, 10,000 political jobs every 4 years and u say that is not opportunity what else is opportunities. I was even discussing with a freind who has already gone home and I told the benefit of running for the state house, he was initially intrested in the house of reps and I say the Governors have all wised up, I said has any Governor be impeached in this new dispensation, they have learn the ropes u take care of your house u will have a smooth sailing.

Solid talk,

The fact is variety is the spice of life, This is a human angle story informing people of the trends of the times just like " the Andrew - I am checking out trend of the mid 80's and the early 90's " when Nigerians where living the country in droves, there use to be a joke then that the last man should switch the light off. This thread is a reverse of that trend and Nigerians both at home and in diasporas need to know.
 

The essence of the post is that opportunities are opening up at home both Nigerians at home and diasporas should grab it. There theives everywhere both at home and in diasporas. I have just come to realise what baba meant (Obj ) when he came to europe and the uk on official tour, u peole should come home there are loooot ooof ooopportunies 10,000 political jobs every 4 years.

@moves
Where did you get this stats from - or do you mean millionaires in naira, cos the average earnings of degree holder with experience doesnt translate to being a millionaire, or maybe u r taking about access to credit,

it depends on where u want to work, most Nigerians will like to work where they pay the top dollar but because of the color of skin u will not get in.

With your 1st degree u can either work in a council and get £35,000.00 , work with central goverment and get £25,000.00, work for some small and mediun firm and get say £35,000.00 or you work in the City of London and get £50,000.00 with a bonus of £100,000.00 a year and the bonus can go as high as a £1,000,000.00 if not more. I have spoken to most guys that work in the city and the average Naija graduate are smarter than most the oyinbos that work in the city but they will take 1 black person for every 10 that applied for a job and that black person has a glass ceiling where he can reach. I now said to myself if these smart naija guys were white they will definately get in no way. Now look at it Nick Leeson the guy that broke the queen's bank Bearings was an A level graduate yet he was allowed to trade in excess of $600 million dollars daily, do you seriously think oyinbo man will give that kind responsibility to a naija man, forget it. The earlier u know u are just hibernating abroad the better.

"I have no issues with people becoming rich or making it big, but NOT through government. Government officials in Europe and the USA do not get rich off getting constituency allowances and the like - they work hard and earn less than blue chip companies would pay. Till we understand that financial motivation should NOT be the aim of seeking political office, we will remain in the cycle of corruption. You can get rich AFTER you leave office, using your contacts and the like for LEGAL business, not by ripping off the country."

Who am If the Governor of my state gives me and 25 of my other collegues N20 MILLION Constituency fund. Its not that these legislators will not do anything, they will probabaly dig about 4 bore holes costing about N300, 000.00 each and do a few other little things the rest they keep for themselves. Dont forget the duty of developing the rural areas lies with both the state govt and LG.

as knowall said, you can never be a rich man in Europe. That smacks of a wrong focus in my view.

There is a glass ceiling what a black man can attain, most White folks I know they are already millionaires by the time they are 40, I am not talking low lifers here, I am talking of White folks that have a degree and get a job in a blue chip company, by the time they 40 they are millionaire. For every 10 black students that have the same degree like their white folks 1 will get a job in a blue - chip and even there, there is a level they can attain. I remember a documentry I was watching about this black guy in silicon valley, he said he wants to sue his comapany, for discrimination he earns a $1 million dollars a year, so the guy doing the documentry was saying why do u want to sue your company most americans dont earn that kind of money. He said the guys he started with are on $10 million a year. Most Naijas in diasporas will be contented with earning $1 million dollars when in actual fact they should be earning $10 million dollars. In your own country there is nothing like that.

Some NL critics will still be blogging and criticising their great grand son for stealing money in goverment 50 years from now, instead of them to upstick and go and contribute their own quota to their country. Some people are just addicted to criticising.

The strategy will be for the opposition parties to rally round each other and also to woo disgruntled PDP men into their fold, and speak with one voice.

"totally agree with your urmissions,and i also agree armchair critics talking from now till eternity will not bring any positive political/sociological derivatives to the average nigerian on ground

politicians all round the world,in the western world e.t.c all enjoy political patronage and perks of office,so i dont see any reason whya diasporian shouldnt aspire to political office using some of these reasons as his/her catalyst,where one draws the demarcation is outright looting,it is an awesome development and i personally have been doing same starting in my home town/state as well,and just like u r doing i thinkl more diasporians should do same rather than ranting,raving,complaining all the time "




I never really thought of it initialy but I have told my wife that we should be preparing to go back to Naija in the near future, we will open a little cottage industry nothing serious to keep body and soul together, and eventually get involved in the political process at any of the levels mentioned above and from there we see what the future holds. I think a lot of diaspoaran should think along this line. If u are waiting for the day u will be a millionaire in oyinbo's country u go wait tay.

This VIP must be brought down

Vagabons In Power

A little story to make your day.

There are 5 couples with 5 kids, All 5 couples had $10.00 to spend a week. Then the following week they get another $10.00. 4 of the couples decided that they will give their kids $.50 a week dinner money. (Lunch is called dinner in the UK why I dont know ) This 4 couples also decided to spend $1.50 for themselves a week and save the rest. So each week 4 of these couples where saving $6.00 a week. The 5th couple decided to give each of his kids $1.50 each, spand another $2.00 on it self and save the rest for a raining day. The 5th couple could only save $.50 a week. The 5th couple is Nigeria and the 1st 4 couples are most western countries. Nigeria a poor country by western standard decides to pay its public servants 39% of its total income, this should not be allowed to go on anymore. we should throw this goverment out come 2011.

@i laugh
I do not see and will never see what good the "diasporians" will add to the country Nigeria. They will rather exploit the country in a grandiose way never know to man. Just take a look at the way an average diasporian thinks, check the way they react to every "meaningful" development in Nigeria, you will agree with me they have nothing to offer anyone - check the discussion on the law on helmets, check their reasoning, check the discussion on Lagos introducing CCTV, check their reasoning on proposal to build light rail system in Abuja/Lagos and nationwide, check their reasoning on any project initiated by government, you will agree with me they will take us back to the stone age, they will never embark on any meaningful developmental project - they will spenad three years arguing on what to do in government, beleive me.

You might have a point just came across this report about Gbenga Daniel. A one time diasporan


On May 29, 2003, Justus Olugbenga Daniel was sworn in as the executive Governor of Ogun State. He swore to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He affirmed to serve the people of Ogun State. Of course, he was “elected” because the people of Ogun State thought he was one of them. Alas, OGD, as he is popularly known was not one of the people.


Gbenga's London bungalow








Soon after May 29, 2003, Gbenga Daniel withdrew his children from Atlantic Hall, the elite school they were enrolled at in Lagos. He found a “better” school for them overseas; another elite school in Surrey, England. The school, Caterham School, cost Gbenga Daniel anywhere between three thousand, six hundred and eighty-eight pounds (₤3,688.00 or N896,184.00) to seven thousand, two hundred and three pounds (₤7,203.00 or N1,750,329.00) per child per term. By a rough estimate, Gbenga Daniel pays between four million (N4,000,000.00) to eight million naira (N8,000,000.00) every three months in school fees for his children.



Was Gbenga Daniel so rich before he became the Ogun State Governor that he could afford to pay this kind of money in fees for his children? Why did he not enroll them in foreign schools when he was a private citizen, answerable to no one? And how does he make the payments considering the law forbids him to operate a foreign account?



A National Conscience Party (NCP) governorship aspirant, Lanre Banjo told Elendureports.com a few months ago: “The schools in Ogun State are not good enough for the Governor’s children. And no school in Nigeria is good enough for Gbenga Daniel’s children? How come he is good enough to serve as Governor to the people of Ogun State?”



It would appear that Gbenga Daniel went into office as Governor and decided to take care of himself first. After sending his children overseas for studies, he embarked on renovating his house in Ijebu Ode and building other houses in Ogun State. A friend of Gbenga Daniel told this writer: “I asked him why he was renovating his house soon after being sworn in instead of concentrating on doing the people’s work and he told me to get away. He said he was a very rich man before becoming Governor and therefore could afford to renovate his house anytime.” Yet, he did not embark on any renovations until after being sworn in as governor.







The Ijebu Ode house, according to sources, was expanded as the Governor acquired extra five plots. A meeting house was added to the existing house. The Shagamu house is a masterpiece. It has a swimming pool, beautiful garden and marble on the floors. The marble work also extends to some part of the garden. The house, which was recently built by the Governor, is called Buckingham Palace by Ogun State indigenes.



As it is now, Gbenga Daniel has a personal home in Mende, Maryland, Lagos, Shagamu, Abeokuta, and Ijebu Ode. This penchant for acquiring homes has turned into morbid greed. Lagos is about fifty-five minutes drive to Ijebu Ode where Gbenga Daniel has a home. Ijebu Ode is twenty minutes drive to Shagamu where he has another home and then Abeokuta where he has an official residence and a personal home.



Gbenga Daniel’s 2003 election campaign was financed in part by some Ogun State indigenes based in the United States and the United Kingdom. He made promises to these donors but abandoned them soon after he was sworn in as governor. Sources very close to Gbenga Daniel told Elendureports.com recently that he was very broke after the elections of 2003. It was so bad that he was soliciting for donations from people. He received a donation of about two hundred and eighty thousand naira from a contractor a few weeks after the elections. And yet, months after being sworn in as governor, Gbenga Daniel started spending money like naira was going out of fashion.



In an earlier story, Elendureports.com had quoted sources who told us that under the Gbenga Daniel regime, contractors to Ogun State are usually advised to open accounts with former Bond Bank, Abeokuta branch. These contractors are requested to include a certain Toyin as co-signatory to the accounts. When we asked the Commissioner for Special Duties if this was the case he vehemently denied it. We may have uncovered the Bond Bank connection with Gbenga Daniel. It was used to siphon money to maintain the Governor’s profligacy and expensive tastes.



On November 28, 2000, Gbenga Daniel and his wife, Olufunke paid two hundred and eighty-seven thousand, five hundred pounds (₤287,500.00 or N69,862,500.00) for a bungalow in England. The building located on 39A Park Hill Road, Croydon CRO 5NF was paid for in cash. This property is a two bedroom house and has title number: SY222512. Gbenga Daniel was a private businessman when he and his wife bought this house. See picture of bungalow.


GAITERS, Gbenga's mansion



Four years and one month later, Justus Olugbenga Daniel acquired an eight bedroom mansion in the same Croydon area. The mansion and the bungalow are only about five minutes drive from each other. The house is called GAITERS and is located on Bishop Walk, Croydon CRO 5BA. Gov. Justus Olugbenga Daniel paid a princely sum of one million, seven hundred and thirty thousand pounds (₤1,730,000.00 or N420,390,000.00) on December 17, 2004, for this house. This is one year and six months after being sworn in as Governor of Ogun State.



The mansion, GAITERS is an eight bedroom, four living room house. The land is about 2 acres in a private estate on Shirley Hills. It has a swimming pool, a fish pond and security cameras mounted all around the house. The security cameras are linked to the plasma television screens that adorn most of the living and bedrooms in the house. According to very reliable sources, Gbenga Daniel invested another five hundred thousand pounds (₤500,000.00 or N121,500,000.00) to furnish the house. The state of the art décor and electronic gadgets can match that of his neighbors, especially British soccer star, Ian Wright. Wright lives on the same street as Gbenga Daniel. In one of the living rooms, the Plasma Television screen which is attached to a projector retreats into the wall at the touch of a button.


Gov. Gbenga Daniel



Early 2005, Gbenga Daniel, through A R C 3 Designers of 103 Station Road, West Wickham, Kent, BR4 0PY, applied for permission to erect “single/two storey front, side and rear extensions; erection of detached car port and dormer extensions in front roof slope; installation of velux windows in rear roof slope.” On February 15, 2005, the City of Croydon refused to grant permission stating that the “proposed extensions detached building would result in a disproportionate addition over the size of the original dwelling…and that dwelling would not protect the individual character, quality and setting of the local area…”



After two more appeals, the city of Croydon granted Gbenga Daniel permission to erect a single storey rear extension on 17, May 2005. On August 24, 2005, Gbenga Daniel was granted another permission by Croydon to “erect a two storey rear extension and dormer extensions and rear roof slopes” at his mansion, GAITERS. As at the time of going to press, Gbenga Daniel has spent an additional one million pounds (₤1,000,000.00 or N243,000,000.00) on erecting extensions and renovations.



The Ogun State Governor did not stop at renovations and furnishing. The property which he has already expended over three million pounds (₤3,000,000.00 or N729,000,000.00) from the time of acquisition to now was recently adorned with a Rolls Royce car. The blue Rolls Royce is a befitting compliment to a magnificent and expensive edifice deserving of the person of the Governor of Ogun State. Never mind that the people he swore to serve are suffering all kinds of deprivation, including hunger, unemployment, diseases, bad roads and lack of power supply.



Gbenga Daniel’s mansion is said to have been financed by Barclays Bank PLC. However, our sources indicate that some of the money to pay for the house and expensive renovations were transferred from Bond Bank, Abeokuta. Could Ogun State contractors who were urged to open accounts in Bond Bank, Abeokuta, have been paying for Gbenga Daniel’s mansion in Croydon?



Additional report and photos by Eddy Waite.

Its amazing that Country is not broke yet . Abi Naija get bottomless pit of money.