http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2008100923292992

Kenyan PM, Odinga, faults rotational presidency
By Olalekan Adetayo
Published: Friday, 10 Oct 2008

The Prime Minister of Kenya, Mr. Raila Odinga, on Thursday faulted the idea of rotational presidency in Nigeria, saying it was capable of causing the country’s disintegration.


Odinga, who delivered a lecture titled “Democracy and the Challenge of Good Governance in Africa” at the silver jubilee anniversary of The Guardian in Lagos, particularly noted that the South-East zone of the country had not produced a President.

He pointed out that those who had the right to vote must also have the right to be voted for in a democracy.

The Prime Minister said, ”I was here (in Nigeria) during 1999 and 2003 elections. I was also here in 2006. Somebody told me that the presidency is rotated between the North and the South and that since President Olusegun Obasanjo is from the South-West, the next president should be from the North.

”I asked what happens to the South-East and I was told that the situation is like that because Northerners do not trust the Easterners. If you say that some people can vote and cannot be voted for, then why are we here?

“Something similar to that happened in Kenya too in the past when they said that the uncircumcised could not lead the country. This situation causes disintegration. The right to vote also confers on one the right to be voted for.”

Odinga attributed the problems facing Africa to the derailment of its leaders from the laudable and visionary dreams of its founding fathers.

He said that Africa’s problems were compounded by the lifestyle of mediocrity that Africans had been living since independence.

While regretting that about 15 million people die yearly in Africa in poverty-related circumstances, Odinga said to heal the scar, the continent needed purposeful and visionary leaders.

He chided the African Union for what he called its failure to condemn brutal regime in the continent.

The Prime Minister said, “One man that has been dragging the name of the continent in the mud in recent times is one Mr. Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. He turned to a brutal dictator.

“The AU has fallen short of expectation for failing to condemn brutal regimes. Mugabe is still being welcomed. This cannot, however, surprise us. It is because many of our leaders have big skeletons in their cupboards.

“They adopted this conspiracy of silence for the fear that if they talk, the spotlight may fall on them too.”

Despite the ills bedeviling the continent, however, Odinga said he believed in the ability of Africans to develop the continent by themselves.

He said, ”Foreigners will not come to develop the continent for us. They will only invest in the continent and make profit to share to their shareholders.

“We should stop blaming our colonial past for our woes. We should put that experience behind us and move forward just like Korea did.”

The Kenyan leader also asked African leaders to tap into the rich human resources in the continent by providing conducive environment for professionals to work rather than being driven out.
“Tomorrow belongs to the people if they prepare for it today. We will not take our rightful place in the world if we fail to prepare. Our enormous resources should be made to work for us. Africa must rise. If Africa unites, nobody can stop it,” he concluded.

Our people should know that once we declare our Biafran independence, many peace loving countries will recognize us immediately. MASSOB please take note.

It is quite as simple as that. But, much as I agree with Odinga, I dont share his ideology it claimed many lives last year in Kenya.

You did not include the Achebe part of that news. It is very funny the way he described Nigeria as a wayward child rather than being a father and mother that it is referred to as in the National anthem.

@quotasystem
In case you didn't know, secession is not and has never being the answer. Just look at Bangladesh and Pakistan who split from India, are they all not incredibly poverty stricken. Heck, even the former soviet republics like the Tajikistans, Turkmenistans, Lithuania's, Bulgaria's and all the other "stans" or "ia's", are they still not poor? But trust Nigerians, when something bad happens, everybody starts pointing fingers from left to right to everyone except themselves. The yorubas blame the hausas, the hausas blame the ibos, while the ibos just blame everybody else (as if they were not the first ones who launched Nigeria's first coup destroying the once bright future of the country). Look at America that fought a civil war just to prevent secession, now look where they are today, the most powerful nation the world has ever seen. So instead of blaming everyone else why can't you sit down and see how you can make a difference in your enviroment. Remember this saying "there are some people who watch things happen and there are some people who make things happen" now the question is who are you? are you the type to sit on your backside all day long having pity on yourself and complaining how everybody else has wronged you based on hand me down stories from your parents or uncles who supposedly lived during "the war" or how your people have suffered more than everybody else, or maybe you are the type that picks himself up by the bootstrap and gets to work and no matter what the situation is, still keeps fighting against the odds. If you are  not, then keep promoting your ethnocentrism.

Odinga knows first hand how it feels to exclude a section of the population from attaining the presidency just because of tribalism.

wasn't nnamdi azikwe a president? ceremonial or not. wasn't alex ekwueme a VP. haven't we had numerous igbo senate presidents. the marginalization of the igbos is an exaggerated topic. the real marginalized people in nigeria are the people of the middle-belt. do people even care if an idoma, tiv or jukun person exists?? Raul odinga might need to mow his lawn before making comments about another man's yard.

bawomolo:

wasn't nnamdi azikwe a president? ceremonial or not. wasn't alex ekwueme a VP. haven't we had numerous igbo senate presidents. the marginalization of the igbos is an exaggerated topic. the real marginalized people in nigeria are the people of the middle-belt. do people even care if an idoma, tiv or jukun person exists?? Raul odinga might need to mow his lawn before making comments about another man's yard.

The Idomas, Nupes, Jukuns, Igbiras, etc certainly exist, and very happily too. The truth is that none of these tribes are half as numerous as the Igbos. Despite decades of suppression and ethnic cleasing, the Igbos are still counted as one of the 3 major tribes in Nigeria. The truth is that the Igbos may actually be the most populous tribe in Nigeria, so if you have a hegamony working day and night to prevent an Igbo person from assuming the presidency, then it's only a matter of time before the world knows the truth.

naijaking1:

The Idomas, Nupes, Jukuns, Igbiras, etc certainly exist, and very happily too.

the orkah coup says otherwise. those groups are just too small for their voice to be heard.

The truth is that none of these tribes are half as numerous as the Igbos.

oh please, numbers shouldn't be reasons for their voice to be ignored. the twa's make up a small percentage of rwanda people. should they be forgotten in the discussions about hutu's and tutsi's.

Despite decades of suppression and ethnic cleasing,

decades of what their is little evidence of a systematic suppression and ethnic cleansing of igbo's over the past three decades.

the Igbos are still counted as one of the 3 major tribes in Nigeria. The truth is that the Igbos may actually be the most populous tribe in Nigeria, so if you have a hegamony working day and night to prevent an Igbo person from assuming the presidency, then it's only a matter of time before the world knows the truth.

[quote][/quote]

this is one reason africa is in the state it is today. why the obsession over power. you think montana or rhode island care if they produce a president. you ignore the amount of senate presidents that have come from the south east. the legislature is more powerful than the executive in nigeria.

In as much as i am not one of those that believe in ethnic politics,i ld like to correct a wrong notion often presented by some middlebelters that hausa-fulani has ruled most in nigeria.here is a simple analysis.
Gowon-middle belt-9 years
Ibb-nupe-middle belt-8 years
Abacha-kanuri-minority-5 years.
Buhari-hausa/fulani-2 years
Murtala-hausa/fulani-1 year
Balewa-hausa/fulani-3 years
Obasanjo-yoruba-11 years
Shagari-hausa/fulani-4 years.

@davidif

In case you didn't know, secession is not and has never being the answer. Just look at Bangladesh and Pakistan who split from India, are they all not incredibly poverty stricken. Heck, even the former soviet republics like the Tajikistans, Turkmenistans, Lithuania's, Bulgaria's and all the other "stans" or "ia's", are they still not poor?

First of all, i think it will serve you better to take your preaching to your Yoruba and awusa brethren or better still shove it up your arrss for it is too late for you nigerians to be preaching ONE nigeria and still expect to be heard after you have succeeded in taking back the country to stone age.

You are quick to point out Pakistan and Bangladesh as if splitting from another country is a requisite for being poor. Who told you or what made you think that Biafra will be poor if they secede from nigeria? Okay, okay, okay. Even if we ended up being poor and dying in record numbers everyday, how on earth is it your fuccking problem? Have you people not been wishing us death upon death upon all evil things on us? Did you not try your best possible to wipe us all out during the 3 years war with the help of Britain? Why do you think i will suppose that you mean well for us to stay in the same country with you? Why don't you let those stupid and idiotic arrogant Igbos that you so much love them to perish to go their way and suffocate themselves in their Biafran country? Why don't you? since you so much hate them? Does your wanting those arrogant, selfish "ibos" in same country with you means love for them? Abegi, shove that love up your amala arrsss.

Do you know that Switzerland, Leichstentein, Monaco, Austria, Slovenia are all smaller countries than nigeria and are all landlocked (just in case you bring up your landlocked Yoruba and awusa ignoramus argument about Biafra) yet and 50 times richer than your nigeria? Even the former Soviet Republics like the Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Latvia, Ukraine, Slovakia,Belarus and all the others you forgot to mention are all better off today economically than they were when they were locked up inside the evil USSR. Proofs abound today if your really want to sit up your lazy arrss and google things up.

But trust Nigerians, when something bad happens, everybody starts pointing fingers from left to right to everyone except themselves. The yorubas blame the hausas, the hausas blame the ibos, while the ibos just blame everybody else (as if they were not the first ones who launched Nigeria's first coup destroying the once bright future of the country).

Why shouldn't the Igbos blame you awusa and Yorubas? Just tell me one reason why we shouldn't blame you block heads when you have been controlling and managing the government since almost 50 years after independence and things have gone from good after independence to worse in recent years. Now, tell me where you want Igbos to square the blame on if not on you Yorubas and awusas that are totally responsible. When things go bad in any company being it corporate or football company, who normally get the blame/sack? The workers, players or the director, coach? Tell us. The blame lies squarely on your people. You were the managers for 50 years, so stop whining because of the blame. Yoruba and awusa people deserve the blame because of their porous heads. It's only illiterates than can manage anything for 50 years without any improvement.

Look at America that fought a civil war just to prevent secession, now look where they are today, the most powerful nation the world has ever seen. So instead of blaming everyone else why can't you sit down and see how you can make a difference in your enviroment.

Ewu, why don't you lay down the fact that after America's civil war, serious and honest efforts were made to reconcile and incorporate everyone into nation building which led to the success they have now unlike the segregation your fathers are practicing in your silly nigeria today. Do you look into the fact that America practices true federalism which lets every state manage whatever they have and pay taxes to the center unlike your failed nigeria? Do you look into the fact that in America today, those who vote for others also have the right to be voted for and it is manifesting unlike in your stupid country where some arrogant set of people are saying something like "they don't trust the Igbos" as if the country belong to only them, and on top of that, you Yorubas are chorusing it for them, yet want the same Igbos to be part of your country. Your slaves abi? Same Igbo people who are better than you nigerians in all spheres of life. Kaiii, no thanks to Britain. We don chop shiit. Who is fooling who? America ni, success ko.

Does New York benefit directly from the oil found in Texas as your Abuja and Lagos so much depend on oil found in the niger delta? Do you know the problem it would have breed had Americans not perfected these ways of various state self management which made it easier for everyone to be loyal to their union? Do you think citizens of a any country stagging their loyalty to such nation is something such nation don't have to sincerely work for, but expect it on a platter of gold? You must be deluded if you think you can get anyone to be loyal to your makeshift country nigeria when your Yoruba and awusa rulers are not sincere. You just open your mouth gbua gbua to compare almighty true democratic America to your makeshift nigeria without thinking about the so many differences that separates two of them.

Remember this saying "there are some people who watch things happen and there are some people who make things happen" now the question is who are you? are you the type to sit on your backside all day long having pity on yourself and complaining how everybody else has wronged you based on hand me down stories from your parents or uncles who supposedly lived during "the war" or how your people have suffered more than everybody else, or maybe you are the type that picks himself up by the bootstrap and gets to work and no matter what the situation is, still keeps fighting against the odds. If you are  not, then keep promoting your ethnocentrism.

Ewu, the days of monkey dey work, baboon dey chop don pass. You Yorubas and awusa should go your separate ways and sit up your lazy arrss and start working in your own separate countries. No more depending on the oil in niger delta and the hard work of Igbo people to earn undeserved taxes through Igbo people's hardwork. Since you know how to make things happens, why don't you make it happen in your Yoruba country where Igbos, those you love to hate will not benefit from it.

History and facts have it that in your makeshift country nigeria, Igbo knows how to make things happen a million times more than others, and we want our Biafran state were we can make it happen just for us and not for your lazy arrss. So go find a way to make yours happen in your own Yoruba country. Why are you so much afraid of forming your won country without the Igbos? Must Igbos live in the same country with you? the last time i check, the richest country on earth going by standard of living is the little Norway which their population is nowhere near your Yoruba peoples population. So, if Norway can make it, why not Yoruba? Question is what are you people afraid of? Must you survive by clinging unto Igbos?

@ Quotasyte

Surviving by 'clinging on' to Igbos?

Now that is hilarious. I guess in all your tribalistic/secessionist fervour, you missed out on what Odinga did to remedy the situation.

Did he take the Luo tribe out of Kenya? No - he made sure he built a strong political network and support, not only from his own tribe, but from many other smaller tribes around the country so that they could effectively battle the erstwhile dominant Kikuyu tribe, and by doing that, he has achieved representation for his people at the highest/near highest level as prime minister.

Unfortunately, you are too dense to comprehend such an approach, OR you are silently admitting that Igbos lack the kind of leader that Raila is, who can do more than be an ethnic champion and can draw broad-based support from other tribes outside his own kinsmen - which is it?

The key you miss is Odingas perseverance and dedication to bringing true democracy - we don't seem to hear of such Igbo leaders these days - if you are pointing fingers at the Yorubas and Hausas, unfortunately, your leaders are just as poor, if not worse.

debosky:

@ Quotasyte

Surviving by 'clinging on' to Igbos?

Now that is hilarious. I guess in all your tribalistic/secessionist fervour, you missed out on what Odinga did to remedy the situation.

Did he take the Luo tribe out of Kenya? No - he made sure he built a strong political network and support, not only from his own tribe, but from many other smaller tribes around the country so that they could effectively battle the erstwhile dominant Kikuyu tribe, and by doing that, he has achieved representation for his people at the highest/near highest level as prime minister.

Unfortunately, you are too dense to comprehend such an approach, OR you are silently admitting that Igbos lack the kind of leader that Raila is, who can do more than be an ethnic champion and can draw broad-based support from other tribes outside his own kinsmen - which is it?

The key you miss is Odingas perseverance and dedication to bringing true democracy - we don't seem to hear of such Igbo leaders these days - if you are pointing fingers at the Yorubas and Hausas, unfortunately, your leaders are just as poor, if not worse.

I don't have your time cause you haven't said anything contrary to the fact that you nigerians depends on Igbos for your survival. If you don't have anything to benefit from Igbos nor depend on Igbos for your daily survival as i pointed out, why is it difficult for you people to heed to the Igbos desire for their separate country? We Igbos have nothing, and i mean absolutely nothing to benefit from you nigerians, rarther we are losing for being in the same union with you parasites and have been seeing our development being arrested over the past years by you ignoramus, and that's why we are so anxious to leave your rubbish union called luggards nigerian cage and creat our Biafran state where we will manage and control our destiny by ourselves. Why are you afraid to go your own separate way? Can you tell us your reasons?

@poster
im sorry but meen you are a really bitter dude,while not justifying the biafra war anyone will think you got a worse deal than the jews, the fact is that both nigeria and the ibos lost a lot of good people and people are moving on,get over the victim trip and self pity, the jews lost millins yet they picked themselves up and are controlling everything,same as the japanese ,chinese e.t.c
also before shooting any contrary opinion down with insults,look inwards towards your own leaders and hold them accountable, get over it even majority of the ibos in nigeria have moved on and if you look around you,you ll realise you are in the minority

lucabrasi:

, get over it even majority of the ibos in nigeria have moved on and if you look around you,you ll realise you are in the minority

in the minority of what, please?

onye_ngbu:

in the minority of what, please?

in the minority of ibos generally ,most ibos have moved on from civil war and gone on to either do their business,trade,study e.t.c and not dwelling on the secession,secession,hausas are devils,yorubas are evil

jeez. . .i am tired of this guy's whining already

The bleating of a helpless hapless slowpoke.

Carry a gun, kill a few soldiers, warreva. . . . anything

But bwoy Shut the 4k up in the meantime

doyin13:

jeezi am tired of this guy's whining already

The bleating of a helpless hapless slowpoke.

Carry a gun, kill a few soldiers, warreva. . . . anything

But bwoy Shut the 4k up in the meantime

lmao, no mind them internet revolutionaries jare. enyimba enyimba

Abagworo:

In as much as i am not one of those that believe in ethnic politics,i ld like to correct a wrong notion often presented by some middlebelters that hausa-fulani has ruled most in nigeria.here is a simple analysis.
Gowon-middle belt-9 years
Ibb-nupe-middle belt-8 years
Abacha-kanuri-minority-5 years.
Buhari-hausa/fulani-2 years
Murtala-hausa/fulani-1 year
Balewa-hausa/fulani-3 years
Obasanjo-yoruba-11 years
Shagari-hausa/fulani-4 years.

ROFLMAO!!! dude. . . what the heck where you thinking??

I do not agree with most of Quota's points, but one of his questions got me thinking:

"Why are you afraid to go your own separate way? Can you tell us your reasons?"

Could somebody without tribal bias explain this to me?

nuzo:

I do not agree with most of Quota's points, but one of his questions got me thinking:

"Why are you afraid to go your own separate way? Can you tell us your reasons?"

Could somebody without tribal bias explain this to me?

this might be a bitter pill for the poster and other fanatics to swallow but majority of ibos do not want to leave nigeria,if they did then massob will be twice or thrice or even ten times bigger than it is,no one is afraid to go their own ways ,its about believing in the experiment called nigeria and its potential greatness

lucabrasi:

this might be a bitter pill for the poster and other fanatics to swallow but majority of ibos do not want to leave nigeria,if they did then massob will be twice or thrice or even ten times bigger than it is,no one is afraid to go their own ways ,its about believing in the experiment called nigeria and its potential greatness

I have no problem with your observation on what you think majority of Igbos want, but the observation didnt answer the poster's question.

nuzo:

I have no problem with your observation on what you think majority of Igbos want, but the observation didnt answer the poster's question.

the poster was not asking any question ,what he s doing is more or less an ethnophobic rant,and as for why nigerians are scared secession the answer is that no one is scared of secesion the reason they are prevening it is because
1.its obvious majority of ibos do not want recession or there should have been another biafra by now
2.holding nigeria together as one will benefit everybody on the long term,theres nuifn happening in nigeria now between the diffrent ethncities which has not happened either in the united states, united kingdom and ireland/wales e.t.c and they r still living together without biting each other's heads off, even scotland are agitating for resource controll,they have their own currency ,mps but are still partof the united kingdom same as wales who even have a completely diffrent language and agitating for a seperate government but are still matured enough not to call the english evil or calln them names

They can bloody well jump in the Bight of Biafra for all I care. . . .

Just all this raving and self pitying is really grating and quite nauseating

He sounds like a bloody gramophone selling Lapa Lapa remedies

lucabrasi:

the poster was not asking any question ,what he s doing is more or less an ethnophobic rant,and as for why nigerians are scared secession the answer is that no one is scared of secesion the reason they are prevening it is because
1.its obvious majority of ibos do not want recession or there should have been another biafra by now
2.holding nigeria together as one will benefit everybody on the long term,theres nuifn happening in nigeria now between the diffrent ethncities which has not happened either in the united states, united kingdom and ireland/wales e.t.c and they r still living together without biting each other's heads off, even scotland are agitating for resource controll,they have their own currency ,mps but are still partof the united kingdom same as wales who even have a completely diffrent language and agitating for a seperate government but are still matured enough not to call the english evil or calln them names

Wrong. . . .

Barring the inital cost after separation, there are no long term economic costs from disintegration.

The problems would prolly arise for political reasons. . . . .who is Igbo and who isn't, and where does Igboland end, where does it start etc.

doyin13:

Wrong. . . .

Barring the inital cost after separation, there are no long term economic costs from disintegration.

The problems would prolly arise for political reasons. . . . .who is Igbo and who isn't, and where does Igboland end, where does it start etc.

i dont realli get it,what exctly is wrong
1.that majority of ibos are not in support of another secession bid?
2.that nigeria being together as one wil benefit all at the end of the day?pray do tell what is wrong in these 2 assertions,

wrong. . . . that the long term benefits of staying together outweigh the longterm
benefits of separate entities.

Can't imagine any calculation that would determine such with the certainty with which
you write.

no one is 100% certain of anything because we r not GOD,you r still yet to equally show me how or why the long term benefits of not staying together outweigh that of stayn together

the long term benefits. . . . .well it would be fulfilling the dreams of a nationalist movement 

and hopefully shut these self obsessed idiots up once and forall

the central government system should be abolished to make some of these idiots happy. would a confederation of autonomous regions make you guys happy. i don't see any difference between igbo leaders and other nigerian leaders, they are all looking after their personal interests. again what injustice

@poster



you are an extremely bitter bitter dude, well seeing that you have an extremely bitter fervor, it would be dumb trying to even argue with you.  You are just like every other Nigerian out there, they whine and whine and whine and complain how the world has wronged them. By the way, in case you forgot, wasn't Nigeria's first coup plotter Ibo (Aguiyi Ironsi)? what of the legendarily corrupt Chuba Okadigbo? This guy while senate president didn't try to do a darn thing to remove the immunity clause from the constitution and here you are like everybody else blaming everybody. Also, the oil that you are clamoring for belongs to the niger delta region and not the easterners (ibos) so what makes you think that they would secede with you guys.

What do you mean by "we" or "us"?? You and i were definitely not born when according to you the "awusas" and the yorubas were trying to exterminate you people.


By the way, if you guys know how to make things happen, how come the ibo states are still extremely impoverished? ehn, why are your so called Ibo govs. (the kalus, ngiges, nnamani's) still ripping you off and embezzling millions of dollars that should be going to your schools. Why are they not issuing bonds (oh i forgot, you don't even know what it means) to build roads, bridges (that includes the river niger bridge), power plants and other infrastructure, yet they are asking the fed. govt for budget allocation each year. I thought you people are sooooooo rich and better than everyone else then why don't you go and secede then and stop blaming the "awusas", yorubas and everyone else. Nonsense.

davidif:

@poster
you are an extremely bitter bitter dude, well seeing that you have an extremely bitter fervor, it would be dumb trying to even argue with you. You are just like every other Nigerian out there, they whine and whine and whine and complain how the world has wronged them. By the way, in case you forgot, wasn't Nigeria's first coup plotter Ibo (Aguiyi Ironsi)? what of the legendarily corrupt Chuba Okadigbo? This guy while senate president didn't try to do a darn thing to remove the immunity clause from the constitution and here you are like everybody else blaming everybody. Also, the oil that you are clamoring for belongs to the niger delta region and not the easterners (ibos) so what makes you think that they would secede with you guys.
What do you mean by "we" or "us"?? You and i were definitely not born when according to you the "awusas" and the yorubas were trying to exterminate you people.

By the way, if you guys know how to make things happen, how come the ibo states are still extremely impoverished? ehn, why are your so called Ibo govs. (the kalus, ngiges, nnamani's) still ripping you off and embezzling millions of dollars that should be going to your schools. Why are they not issuing bonds (oh i forgot, you don't even know what it means) to build roads, bridges (that includes the river niger bridge), power plants and other infrastructure, yet they are asking the fed. govt for budget allocation each year. I thought you people are sooooooo rich and better than everyone else then why don't you go and secede then and stop blaming the "awusas", yorubas and everyone else. Nonsense.

It would have been fun to just read your contribution to this thread, and move on, but since Seun made this an educational as well as an entertainment forum, I must remind you that you are wrong on:
1. The first Nigerian coup plotter.
2. The reason why infrastructures are not maintained in Igboland. Igbos would have no problems raising money for their own project, but do you know that the last time an Igbo governor fixed a "federal road" a law suit was instituted? Igbos will be very happy to de-federalize all roads, hospitals, schools, etc; but the federal government dominated by "you know who" would not allow that.
You difference in opinion with the poster is noted, but can you please try to be historically and constitutionally correct?

WOW!!! How would you explain the deplorable state of majority of the non-federal roads in ibo land, assuming we accept the excuse that fixing federal roads is out of the question for ibo governments?