₦airaland Forum

Haba pessimists. We only need to google up the number of nuclear plants worldwide viz the number of incidents. Very few indeed. Some of you sound like that old school daddy that won't let his college son near his car keys. How will the lad grow up. Guys lighten up. When you go nuclear the world pays attention and things change. It imposes its culture, all manner of certifications and inspection regimes to drive you nuts. Heck the IAEA will set up shop right there. And I bet you the first sign of trouble will trigger a global response. Who no fear fear. When you bring a ferocious dog into the neighbourhood people will thread with caution. Ineptitude, nepotism and graft go waka with eye for back. It maybe the one thing that would change the industrial/technological landscape of this country.

I am not a fan of  nuclear energy but our reliance on oil and gas will be the real doom. Piping gas over long distances through vandals and hostile territories is equally dangerous.

There is no modern country with purposeful energy plans that does not have a mix of these sources. So why not us.

Westinghouse and Areva may be safer but will certainly be more expensive and thus going by our antecedents will certainly not be completed or shodilly done. The Russians may not be so advanced but they have over fifty years under their belts and we can afford them. I have not heard of any incident in Iran yet or recently in Russia so I think they know what they are doing.

On a lighter note:  1. Where exactly is this Chernobyl. Used to think it was in Ukraine ?.

2.  Who is supplying the International Space Centre today - the Russians. They have a better cost/efficiency balance than the west in certain technologies. Good for poor folks like us. I would prefer to buy a car from a country that has roads like mine. Believe me they are at home with poverty, ineptitude and terror.

3.  The failure of Ajaokuta has nothing to do with Russia. Ask the Swiss bankers for the accounts of IBB, Abacha, Tafida and the forty thieves for your evidence. If a new plant will become a conduit for corruption then we better not start.

4. Nuclear is plug and play. It is more locationally contained. Thus iInfrastructure is much reduced and security can be optimized.

5. I take exception to the thought that the Niger/Delta struggle is mindless. It is for our collective good. I mean what would MEND gain from a nuclear fallout. Which region has suffered most from environmental calamity. This is pathetic reasoning. So oil pollution is better, more acceptable than coal mine explosions or radiation poisoning. N.D. has done its part for our power supply so far. Some other region should take the nuclear challenge and associated risks so they too may ,  feel it. Abi una dey fear.

This is precisely where leadership, vision and purpose can get you. From one man Clemens enabled through the maze of the glass house red tape by this same failed presidency and given a long rope he delivered a soccer culture, a generation of achievers. Today if we can plant these same fruits, nuture them with good admin leadership and give them a similar time frame then in another ten years we would have a hundred world class coaches and probably get a hand on that gold trophy. That is how success is achieved. People only need to love what they do and not necessarily how much money they make out of it.

And by the way if we then have a hundred world class coaches like England or Italy who will care what the likes of Rossi, Gerrard or Okocha are doing. It is because we lack so much that we want him to help. I for one cannot command the knowledge and clout he has. IMHO the business he has identified with is like a doctor driving past a hit and run, typically Nigerian. Our God given talents, our wealth, our priviledges are meant for service whether we are Bill Gates or Samson Siasia. Let us love what we do and seek pleasure others in the process. That is life. That is legacy.

I usually do not comment on personal issues but what I want to understand is - what is the big push to have him talk or stay or eat or sleep or, everything. A relationship is like dancing the tango. It takes two. We have not heard your side. What are you doing to him. Petrol does not just self combust without ignition. Let me try and do some intel on you. The first post - he goes out, sleeps out, does not answer calls, comes late, does not report in. It is only in the second post that - he assaults you. Third post - no one to arbitrate, no marriage consent. If we put these texts together we can deduce what your priorities are. One - the man is about you alone, parents matter last. Two - your control over him is more important that the violence. Three - It is likely the control induces the violence.

The answer is simple. Rearrange the sequence and all will be fine. Switch number three to one. Seek help - not for him but for yourself. Seek Ideas. Instead of burning airtime, get ideas. Instead of gossip, read. instead of worrying, plan. It is so evident that you thought marriage is about you and him alone. How wrong. You need people of ideas to build any type of relationship. Two, avoid the violence at all costs. It can only escalate. So avoid him. When he gets back. Say Hi, prepare food, wash his clothes and go to bed. Marriage is more that you and him alone. have an ambition woman. If you get busy you buy respect. Three. When you gain knowledge of what to do and respect by what you are you can start your interrogation.

Goodluck.

PS. Secretly keep law enforcement within reach in case you cannot help but escalate the situation.
For the unwed, know your man before signing. Haba women, will you buy that perfume without smelling it.

This is sad. I really don't know what to say. But why are we doing this. These are children. Please, these are children. They are not responsible for their plight. They have not stolen government money, they have not ruined banks, they have not mismanaged oil earnings. All the economics they know they learnt in traffic jams. Hell, they did not ask to be born. They just want to survive. They want to help mum and dad, uncle and aunt, they want to buy shirts and shoes, not private jets or mansions in Dubai. They want something to eat. They want a chance in life. If we don't want kids then we should not have them.

As for government good luck to you. Discipline for the future generation, indiscipline and corruption now. Continue to lead by example. When they meet Cecilia in jail and compare notes let us see if indeed her offense is only 6 times theirs.

PS: Do not have kids you cannot care for.

No Ellyptical, the equity held I  think comes in the form of land, infrastructure and administrative costs not direct cash investments. Things you may consider to be incentives. This is where Lagos does very well. I holds similar interests in the proposed Greenfield Petrochem. projects. In terms of foreign/local investments this is what is expected. And the good thing about it is that it tackles one our most pressing problems - power, where Lagos accounts for over 40% of consumption. If they could have a full package of generation and distribution infrastructure investment in place they could press for full electric power independence leaving the rest of us with PHCN to cope.

For those calling it a white elephant project you are both right and wrong. If it is an assembly/light fabrication plant which I think it is (just 100 workers) then it is more exposed to negative external forces (Federal interference). In this case the LASG will have to lobby the centre for support, patronage and play dirty politics. It will have to battle the - import till you die cabal, resting in the shadows of 'The Rock'. But if it is not to be a white elephant it is up to you and I to resist unnecessary foreign imports. The mere fact that they require parts for assembly should be enough incentive for new industries and more production and more jobs. You guys producing transformer oil, copper coils, porcelain insulators, etc, stop complaining and get busy, market don come. Afterall it is the same copper that goes into the Innoson vehicles. That is how industrial growth happens. One step after another. All it takes is determination by men and women of goodwill.

Haba, Hannibal Lector na

Onlytruth I fully understand what you're saying. It is political expediency/correctness (for some) but believe me it is bile in my throat. For how long are we going to manage this gangrenous situation. Whether he will rescind this text we will see but personally I feel that is one card (the card) he should not have dropped. Tomorrow, enemies of this country will say Mr. President you said this and that. If he was questioned he should have tactically declined. To get succor from the House is a waste of time. They are traders and their wares IMO are too expensive. But like Beaf said, as the President there are a number of things he can do without the house to weaken the centre. Others he can do covertly (while they remain in slumber). It will cost him power but if he does not intend to be a life-serving dictator what the heck.

Yes Netotse, you're quite right but potential is a great platform to begin with. He's popular, young and energetic. We the people should work with these potentials. We should begin to mould him into the type of leader we want. Let us begin to make demands on him. Let him begin to be aware of his responsibilities. As he moves so the people reward him with opportunity. He has not signified he wants anything to do with the status-quo so there's faint hope working here. The thing is that if people do not move very soon the very status-quo we hate will become attractive  to him.

The PDP for instance will become irresistible. They will simply milk his popularity while keeping him frozen. I am sure no matter how strong willed he is, reforming such a party is next to impossible. The PDP dominates both houses yet nothing works. So why go there. If Nigeria implodes under their watch no good person will want to  be identified with them.

Whatever he lacks now he better get outside. And it is you and I that had better equip him. Even though no two wars are the same no soldier becomes a general by preparing in battle. Look at the resistance the current President is facing even within the party. Are we not accusing him of naivety and political mood swings here and there. It is because these fellows are not equipped before they get there. Few may know what they stand for but are frequently lost when it comes to implementation. Why was Obasanjo selected in 1999. It is because they knew he was not ready to rule. Same for UMYA, now GEJ.

So the Ribadu hardware is fundamentally up to it. What he needs (what we need) is time to put in the right kind of software to make the system work properly. I rest. Please I really don't know how to explain it.

Although I do feel that Ribadu could best serve in the same capacity he once did simply because he undoubtedly was a breadth of fresh air and at least raised the conscience of the anti-corruption movement (the greatest challenge we face today). So if we speak in the context of public service all you need is a good conscience, great courage, and man management (which I think he does) and things work for you. Great speeches are way down on my list. Quite honestly we have had enough. Hotels in Abuja are awash with endless conferences and magnificent oratory but what people look for are leaders. Those who mean what they say and are prepared to lead by e3xample. People look, support and pray for those they can trust. Leaders who have respect for the people.

If he doesn't wish to do that and seeks the highest office then I would say it is a bit premature. We are yet to know what he stands for. How he intends to tackle issues. He needs to build political structures. Not necessarily structures of people but a movement type of thing, structures of ideologies, and this takes time. You don't do it on the eve of an election. It takes time, it starts at the grassroots, in schools, in the countryside and it grows and grows until it is large enough to tackle Abuja. The reason why there are no genuine campaigns or debates today is because elections are sham. But if he wants to make a genuine change he can do it. He is young, he has time on his side.

One thing though I will not subscribe to is the distraction of alternate offices. Those recommending the national assembly should consider that the place is riddled with corruption. He will only get bogged down there and try as he may no change will be possible there. The odds of one to ninety or one to 700+ are just too long. The very few men of integrity I knew there are lost. So I think the basic material in Ribadu is alright. Men and women of goodwill should rally round and nurture him. Sure is a breadth of fresh air.

I really do not know any field of endeavor that does not require the application of intellect to get and stay ahead. That is why I rather see diversity and promotion of purpose in all these. The little I know of this world is that the brain thing we refer to is highly diverse. The Americans had the brains to get ahead but the Chinese have another type that is in high demand presently. Is intellect localized. No. It is fluid, it moves. Some brains will want to move where others are, where their ideas could be harnessed. Others hike to the desert where they create in isolation. We simply cannot compare one locality with another. Are we saying the US is the brain box of the world because there are more professors there. Or Luxembourg because they have the highest per-capita income or Japan because it has the highest population of robots.

Lets put oranges and apples in separate crates. The Japanese are great in robotics and high tech. The Brazilians and Spanish excellent in sports, the Israelis excel in security matters, the US dominates the entertainment world, North korea unrivaled in socialism. Very distasteful, but it takes extraordinary intellect to keep that population in check and I bet you someone like Sarkozy at this point just wished he was Kim. Brains are found all over the world and all over Nigeria in perhaps equal measure.

In Nigeria isn't the stereotype that - the Northerners are politically savvy yet we also say they have dstroyed the fabric of society, the Easterners are very industrial yet the stuff produced always comes out questionably, the Westerners are corporate giants yet have ruined every enterprise they have laid hands on. With all the Profs. in Ekiti how is education faring there talk-less of Nigeria in general. What is the impact? And if Anambra was that great every local and foreign investor would have set up shop there. So it is not a question of whose limo is bigger. Such arguments are pointless. Whatever you have that is positive, promote it. Whatever you are good at enhance it. Be known for something (positive) rather that try being average in everything.

This is a case of apples and oranges. Where do we have better brains in the US - Washington, Silicon Valley or Wall Street. They all have very good brains but apply their intellect in profoundly different ways. I suppose the Ekiti set-up is more about education while that of Anambra, commerce and industry. Interestingly both should play very important roles in national development but I think why GEJ acknowledges that of Anambra is that it directly impinges on job creation and poverty alleviation. Thus it is not surprising thus that unemployment is lowest in that region.

However as the President will know as well Ekiti is as important to national development as Princeton or Harvard or MIT is to Washington, Silicon Valley or Wall Street. In fact they complement one another. Ekiti professors can develop ideas and Nnewi implement them. That is why in the US it is common for intellectuals to move into industry then into government and back again very comfortably and seamlessly.

The key here I think is values. If objectivity, achievements and purpose remains the motivating factors and not financial gain alone then these localities become complementary not competitive. And until as Nigerians we value our men and womenfolk by what they achieve and contribute to society rather than the size of their tunics, automobiles or condos then this question will continue to be debated.

Sir Alex will never be jealous of Wayne Rooney. Shrek (pardon me) earns a lot more than him but the battle is always to draw the line between who is boss and who is not. The players must respect the lesser earning coach. Stephen Hawkins would never be moved by the wealth of Bill Gates even though their impacts are matched. This is how we should see these things.

My worry here in this country is also that some are not contributing anything or barely anything yet they want to be the most educated and skillful (through quotas), the wealthiest (through allocation, contracting) and the most powerful (through political jobbing). They ignore the diversity and competition that places a lid on high corruption and we are not the better for it.

After chopping naira till kingdom come he has now developed a taste for almighty dollar. I tell you this is what corruption does my friends. In the long run it causes brain failure. It suspends creative thinking. You become a dodo. You begin to take terrible risks. Like a rat very soon you don't know you are out in the open until you are caught in headlights. He, he, he   Adams wanted to chop the almighty US of A. Foolish man. After single handedly destroying Nigerian football and instituting corruption, gangsterism and all manner of cabals in Nigerian sports people more wily than him have caught the rat. Yet another national disgrace. More embarrassment. Very soon our flag will be fit only for an oil change.

The most annoying part of his story is that he claims the funds are meant to provide sporting facilities for Nigerians meaning you and I sent him to sell his vote. We sent him to commit a crime against an organization we are members of. If he wants to brand Nigerians why not tie us to a stake and use hot irons.

The wages of his sins are gradually being paid. I for one am not a shareholder.

The only thing worthwhile is the electoral victory. Everything beyond is mere speculation. Let us see in twelve months.

I think all the residents should be relocated and compensated then the entire place shut down and designated a flood zone. Rebuilding is simply a crazy money wasting venture, certainly not in this climate. Or is it because insurance is not compulsory.

I would not comment on the judiciary or law enforcement here. They are well known, celebrated failures. The level of corruption there will not make for meaningful reforms anytime soon. We've heard it from the slammer. They want high profile clients not for correctional reasons but so they can partake in the loot. Same goes for the judiciary. What I am more concerned about is power of poverty and the overt connivance of the larger society not to the crimes directly but the path to them. The other day a chap made what I considered very incriminating postings on the forum about James Ibori and his investments in Canary wharf. We are the same people that complain about these fellows yet because of poverty ? we aid them in either committing these crimes or enable them enjoy the proceeds thereof.

We all know Redington, well the calibre of those who run that hospital. These are knowledgeable individuals. At the very least I would view in very bad taste an institution that would shield such an individual from the law. Don't get me wrong. If that woman is ill she deserves full medical attention but if that hospital is knowingly shielding her from the law it is equally culpable in the case and by extension is not helping the judiciary and society at large.

She is probably a high net-worth client but we know this pales into insignificance when that hospital tallies the cost of this bad economy. Someone somewhere should begin to teach Nigerians that the quality of the society we all desire is a summation of our individual actions. No hospital in the developed world will try this especially this high p[profile case. We should all pull together to defeat wrongs wherever we find them.

Lately with the frequent downsizing in banks a lot of posters have been crying out. Fine, but don't we know who is doing right and wrong. What have we done on our part to stand up to it or better avoid the consequences thereof. If today a memo crosses your desk saying the MD of your bank has started transferring huge amount of cash overseas shouldn't you set the stop clock for your layoff. If your client is heavily involved in shady government contracts what makes you think he should be the cornerstone of your business. This is self deceit. Foolhardiness.

Fellows, the ball is in our court. This thing affects us all. Our attitude to this rubbish must change. Preserve your jobs, preserve your future. This corruption thing is slowly killing us all.

And look at the mess he has created in Nigerian football. Lambasting those that threaten his cabal and calling ex-international drunks. This excuse for a human being has simply taken his corrupt COJA antecedents to the international stage and embarrassed the country once more. But like the unfortunate gutter rat he has bitten more than he can chew. Let us see on whose side Blatter will come down now. Kick him the hell out of FIFA and let the EFCC be his welcoming party. Criminally inept punk.

If you want the facts behind the figures you can only remain silent. Wait for it. It will surely emerge.

Fantastic observation. Then you get back to Abuja and do nothing. Conventional wisdom says you make sure the delicate embers are managed appropriately. Zik's mausoleum is a worthy venture but those signatory industries are gems worth preserving and nurturing. As the head huncho you deploy the nation's resources. Make them priority one for your IPP's, upgrade access roads and the inland port, complete the Niger dredging, deploy the best in law enforcement, take them on your trade tours. For goodness sake invest in the place and make them feel important. And probably the best you can do is hands off the politics of the state. Let the people which you yourself have acclaimed decide for themselves who governs them. And by the way you can begin to forward legislation relaxing federal control over such territories. People tend to think better when Oga is not standing over their shoulder. So so many ideas. Do all these stuff and you can say bye to oil for good. Governance is very easy. You only need to know what to do and overcome the Nigerian factor in you.

Sex education is highly needed. If they are not taught they will be taught (you know what I mean). Knowledge of wrong things are acquired twice as fast as creative and safe ones and you want to drive a knowledge wedge very quickly. However I am a bit concerned about what and how the message is passed across. Surely a lecture that will result in erections and unnecessary embarrassment to young ladies (in particular) should be investigated. It completely negates the spirit of the idea. I think parents ought to be pro-active in this instance. Pay a visit to the school and have a word with the teacher or caregiver. Find out how its done and offer suggestions after all its your money. If you can be concerned about how well they perform in arithmetics and english how much more issues of life (pampers) and death (communicable diseases).

Well in this case you have to find out what the company's health insurance/assurance policy is. For one the managers you list may not be empowered to raise such funds for such an unfortunate issue. They may take the matter to HQ for instance and the chap up there just shrugs his shoulders. You know how times are with most  banking jobs hanging by a thread. Another fact is that if it cannot be proven to be a job related incident some of these establishments will not respond appropriately. So I think you ought to find out if her rights were breached within the bank's setup. Do not be swayed by the notion that these institutions are cozy nests. They are not. The harsh reality of business in Nigeria will make them act strangely.

What I cannot understand is how a private initiative can be stifled by that so- called manager. His name should be the firs on the charge sheet. Typical Nigerian ceremony before action. Everything must be in a song and dance. When will we ever change.

May her soul rest in peace. In her condition she was born into a wrong country at a wrong time. I lost a close relation who was at studying in a health institution. She passed away after a painful and prolonged battle with illness. Was very amazed then. How could you die while studying in what was Nigeria's foremost teaching hospital.

Why won't the Chinese buy. They are sitting on a mountain of cash. When Soludo asked banks to capitalise what did they do with the money. Open more branches and employed more staff to service who ? a poverty riddled people, when they know the bulk of their business is government driven. And while the Chinese where stocking cash for a foreign corporate  invasion they too embarked on theirs but to purchase shops and high rise apartments in Dubai and London. As a wise man once said poverty is not lack of income or earnings but the lack of wisdom in spending. Everyone will have a bite one time or the other. While some swallow others spit. Banks have themselves to blame. They failed to invest properly when the going was good, they were too heavy to be nimble. My goodness what do you do with 300 billion when you've not really earned it but have been compelled to stock it by some fiat, blow it of course. Business is about ideas which I'm sorry to say most banks unfortunately lack. So so sorry for those who lost so much in this grand scam.

Permit me to describe what I mean by palliatives. The recent Niger-Delta conflict is a test case. One would have expected Nigerians at large to come up with solid ideas on how the entire society can be rebuilt our own way, ie. how we can use the little we have to put people to work. But if you have nothing for them to do how can you generate ideas, how can you sustain hard work. That region lacks everything, but government in its wisdom jumps at infrastructure because it can award inflated contracts and enrich Indians, Lebanese, and all manner of corrupted individuals while remaining in control. Where are the people of the region. The lucky ones get a stipend, are sent to a skills acq. school to learn trades and then what, What does the government, society or Nigeria at large demand from them, nothing. So they are more proficient in weaponology, dexterous in swampology and by the way produce low grade fuel from refining crude. Aha, but wait, where are the petro-chemists amongst them.

No, no, no. We don't want individuals refining oil. That is for government alone. Come to Aso rock and collect money instead to be quiet. Go to bed. This is the Nigerian model of development.

After careful thought I wouldn't agree or disagree because I would liken the situation to an electric circuit. You would not know what it contains until you make a demand. Yes I agree that there is very little creativity, hard work and knowledge but there is very little demand for it. The entire country is run by government for the government thus the government sets standards for all production from education through industry to commerce.Can we name one business interest, one company, one firm that sources 100% of its income from real international competitive business practices. Or one corporate business magnate who has no ties whatsoever past or present from Government. Our fortune 500 is all government from banks, insurance, accounting, construction, engineering, telecommunications, health, everything.

I met a doctor recently working in private practice and complaining about the conditions of service. My argument was, "look how can you not make money when there will never be a shortage of illnesses and diseases and that the key to out gunning your competition was ideas". Do what others are failing to do. Focus on the mass market, take your practice to the people. Forget the huge buildings, expensive consultations and state of the art equipment and rather set up a system of first responders to catch people before they fall for "on the bus consultants", "Dr Buruj" - pardon me, or the typical "chemist and nurse". But no, the fellow's focus was rather government and how the private sector could catch up with the recent salary increases or go bust.

So government in a nutshell controls businesses we least anticipate and influences ideas and work ethics in ways we least expect. It is one of the reasons corruption abides, the public sector remains very attractive and productivity is low. This culture of allocation and contracts must be stopped at all costs. If we as a society are ready to live by our means, i.e use the rubbish Aba made shoes, to discard our limos for our legs, to ignore our airports (you know what I mean), discard what we cannot afford and make use of what we have (not Shell oil) then difficulty will generate hard work, ideas and enterprise. Permit me to be a bit practical here.

The reason easterners are the most dexterous in development is simply because they have had the roughest ride in this country. Germany has to be industrialized because they needed it to survive against a dozen countries in WWII. I am not saying that we must fight to develop, but the degree of challenges we face and absorb the better our position to develop. We must reject palliatives and stop the false hope our government continually preaches. We must stop them dictating the way we live and how we conduct our business. Anything short of a peaceful revolution is a waste of time. Nigeria and Nigerians cannot get better this way.

Was, not is. The country is slowly degenerating, misinterpreting and misrepresenting its values. This was a country founded primarily on Godly values including freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This was a country whereby exiles, the persecuted came to seek refuge. It wasn't an empire that plundered nations for its wealth but created its wealth at home. This was country where sacrifice was its corner stone and they gave abundantly to the needy. This was a country of strong and hardworking people who stood up for justice everywhere in the world but what has happened. They have forsaken the fundamental value that only God can provide, long-term focus.

So, freedom was misinterpreted to mean the kind of unbelievable corruption we see in all strata of that society. And the problem with corruption (as we see in Nigeria) is that it erodes creative values. So much legal time is wasted on issues of morality, the entertainment industry has exploded and nobody wants to work anymore, education is down, soldiers don't even want to fight. One deployment abroad to fight for their values and you see protests everywhere. Sacrifice for the American is becoming increasingly expensive. Those at home rather want big houses, big cars, big vacations, big everything which they are not ready to work for. Giving abroad is severely strained and enemies worldwide are fast growing. The more liberal they are (a fundamentally good thing) the worse the arguments in the house, the more polarised the country has become and the weaker it will be. A few short decades down this path this country will become like any other but with so much problems people will just wonder.

On the other hand China is the reverse, restricted liberties (they will improve), hardworking people, beginning to learn the principle of giving, ready to sacrifice, not tolerating crime of any sort. Look, God is no respecter of peoples. There are certain values you uphold as a society and things just work for you. Americans are literally slaves to China now. They hold so much American bonds that Americans have to ensure that China doesn't fail. And what do they have, debts that even the whole world cannot pay. What have they spent this money on, 

They have to return to Godly values and get back to work. Anyway I don't think they can because someone somewhere has said a very long time ago that they will not remain on top.

Mr. Martinosi, if your claims are true then are you not an accomplice to criminal activities. Watch your words very, very carefully. The next stage we want to believe will be those who offer services to these fellows.

Ah, Ah, why not google first before asking. You can buy MIG's, Sukhoi's, MIL's, T54's, anything your heart desires from Ukraine, Russia, Poland, as advertised on the net. So how do you want them to sell their unwanted stuff, by postal invitation or in Punch classified. The net is the cheapest and widest medium available. Anyway it is one thing to buy 20 and 30+ year old aircraft from Eastern Europe, it is another to buy from Nigeria. Caveat. Caveat. Caveat. 'Pay before testing or include us in your will'.

It continues and remains about people, strong men, never institutions. When the IBB camp defends his economic decisions he says 'the brightest brains' were responsible exonerating himself while blaming others so that his personality remains intact. When men and not institutions take prime responsibility for all decisions failure is inevitable. Can anyone here name the person in the IMF who shackled us. No one. We say IMF. Who is IMF. But because they hate their people, they have no respect for their people, because they feel their people know nothing, because they feel the generations coming are worthless, they remain dictators. Was it not the expensive institution called Nat. Assembly that saved us from OBJ planned autocratic rule. Was it not the imperfect Supreme court that saved Anambra from OBJ and his goons. If the EFCC has failed it was because it was about personalities - aka Nuhu Ribadu not about the institutions themselves. A strong shoe will cleave the feet and he who cannot bear the pain walks bare-footed. For OBJ's information there is a group of people who are paid to check the salaries and allowances of all public servants - elected and otherwise but until they are properly founded, cleansed of corruption, professionalized and de-tribealised they can do nothing. Tomorrow it is the same president that will send a note for employment of my brother, ask for kick backs, knock sectional heads together, undermine the system for his personal gain and whine ten years later that nothing works. Today IBB wants to be democratically elected. I would ask him one question and one question only. Oga, if Nigeria froze in 1993 and thawed today will you be standing for any elected office.

Yes Sammy I read you. It is called Stockholm syndrome. The hostages have been tortured for so long that they loose sense of who their adversary is. They then feel snugging upto their captors would bring a relief. Of course if I feel a headache I can solve the problem by chopping off my finger, the bigger pain will neutralize the smaller one. As a matter of fact the military used it successfully for years. They would take over and seek the best civilians to run things so as to placate us. We now know better. They increase salaries with one hand and steal it with the other. They are here again pandering to some sense of insecurity amongst the populace.

I am indeed surprised at some comments here. I can not simply understand some tortured soul complaining day and night about the country and its leadership yet choses to believe we should remain in the captivity of some northern led monarchy. For me true power shift is one that excludes everyone that has actively brought this nation to its knees. We want to see new things, by new people with a new agenda. And while I am not deluded that enemies of freedom will roll over and die they do not have to take us with themselves. We know the northerners who can express their fears on the recent tragedy and we would listen but Ciroma and Yakassai, haba.

It is called Federation of International Football Associations. It is a secretariat running a club. Blatter is just the head. When FIFA acts it does so on behalf of over 150 associations. Thus >150:1 cannot be wrong. Every club, meeting association or what have you is governed by rules. You cannot have 150 rulers governing an association. Neither can Blatter overide the will of 150 members. Nigeria should just keep quiet and get its act together or form its own global association where corrupt governments rule and where teams cannot be relegated. Fifa is not in support nor against one candidate or the other but once the process of elections commence it expects no interference, whoever emerges becomes its defacto ambassador in that country. Now FIFA cannot write the constitution of the NFF so this is where the government can successfully interface. It can set the standards and direct the manifesto or agenda of potential candidates. It can ensure through the creation and sustenance of institutions that candidates are properly screened to ensure the best materials emerge. It is like the process of manufacturing. You start by deciding what you want, setup a factory, source labour, equipment and raw materials, put them together and market them. The quality of the process from raw materials to marketing will decide whether you remain in business. You cannot fault the consumer for rejecting your bad product. In our case we expect a good product from faulty materials and lapses in the processes. It is a pity.

By the way where is Cynthia.