24 August, 2009

Dabo

People like Godwin Dabo should be held responsible for Nigeria's plight. I heard his interview with Daily Sun on Radio this morning and I was amazed that men of his ilk can not just keep their mouth shut and atleast by that, we wouldnt know the amount of folly stored up in them. Agbaya.
A portion of the interview is reproduced below.

“He should let another Northerner try or put his wife. Nigerians will support his wife because the woman has shown clearly that she has what it takes to lead mankind and there is nothing wrong with a husband handing over to a wife who is very effective. To me, I would prefer the wife because I have seen that she is in charge of the mechanics of control in the Presidency,” he said.
Dabo launched a virulent attack on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the ANPP standard bearer in the 2007 elections, Major General Muhammadu Buhari for nursing the ambition to become Nigeria ’s president, saying that the former vice president had failed in his political career, just like his former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Presidency is zoned to the North. So, at the appropriate time, the North will sit down and decide the person they are going to field. For anybody to say there is no alternative to Yar’Adua, that person is not speaking the truth. The North is now filled up with a lot of credible people who can replace Yar’Adua. I tend to support what some people are saying that Mrs. Yar’Adua will be a more effective President than her husband. Of course I will support her if she is fielded. The husband, because of several factors said he was going to do just one term. The enemies of Nigeria should not push Yar’Adua for a second time. I’m in Abuja and I have not had light for the past six days. I’ve been on generator for the past six days and I’m in the heart of Abuja.

I believe President Yar’Adua has made his point. He should let another Northerner try or put his wife. Nigerians will support his wife because the woman has shown clearly that she has what it takes to lead mankind and there is nothing wrong with a husband handing over to a wife who is very effective. To me, I would prefer the wife because I have seen that she is in charge of the mechanics of control in the Presidency. Everybody who has met her leaves with the impression that he has met a woman who is in charge. She is like Margaret Thatcher of Britain . She is like Mrs. Clinton. For God’s sake, let Yar’Adua allow his wife continue or in the alternative, there are many Yar’Aduas who are ready to step in. there is Babangida Yar’Adua and other people. But Atiku cannot come in because he’s the same failure like Obasanjo who gave us the worst government. Atiku was part of his administration for a very long time before they had a misunderstanding and parted ways."

My grouse is not with the fact that Yaradua should not recontest. Rather it is at Dabo's suggestion that Yaradua should put his wife as if that will just make everything alrite. Dabo himself said that Turai is in charge of the mechanics of control in the Presidency yet he hasn't had power supply to his house in the heart of Abuja the FCT in six days. What a shame for someone of Dabo's stature to consider the Presidency a family affair.
As far as Nigerians should be concerned, the Presidency was zoned to the North by the PDP. If someone from another part of Nigeria comes around tomorrow and he promises to give us succour from the visionless government of President Umaru Yaradua, what stops us from voting that person in as the next President of Nigeria?

What we expect from Statesmen is to convey an emergency conference and look into how the power of the masses can be harnessed to make the Federal Government wake up from its slumber and provide proper governance for the People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

If people like Dabo have nothing better to say other than to take up public space with stupid commentary on state of affairs of the Nigerian Nation, I regret to say this because of ur supposed old age, but I've got to say it, just SHUT UP!

11 August, 2009

Fashola’s Lagos: Not yet Uhuru.

I lived in Lagos long enough to be well acquainted with the kind of life Lagosians live before going after the proverbial golden fleece. Fast-paced, chaotic, all day long adrenaline-pumping activities in a very challenging environment devoid of good governance, swarming with men of the underworld, rickety buses, bad roads, corrupt inept policemen, noise-polluted with the Kings of the Road, Agberos holding sway.
It is very heartening to see people believe in the present government of Lagos State. It is a sign of better things to come. The way people talk about the Governor of Lagos State without finding faults, praising and eulogizing the achievements of the young man makes you wonder what He has really achieved in his two years in office.
The way people describe Lagos is like describing El Dorado. Lagos is now different, there are flowers in most public places, Lagos has been beautified and all that and People in the Diaspora rely on what they see on TV to form an opinion of the state of things in Lagos. How far can they be from the truth?
I arrived Lagos just over two weeks ago and I was disoriented for a whole week before I started pulling myself together. There was no light. Yes, there was no constant supply of Power Supply but in all my growing up years, the light situation was never as bad as what I met on ground. My folks told me there had been no power supply to their area in three weeks. I waited five days to catch a 20secs glimpse of power supply and a full week to have 2-hours supply. At least I remember growing up and having constant power supply on an estimated average of 12-15hrs everyday.
Well, constant power supply falls under the prerogative of the Federal Government under the bungling leadership of President Umaru Yaradua. Constant power supply to Lagos state is technically not under the control of the Lagos State Governor.
On the Second Day I arrived, I had to go to MMT-2 with a friend of mine who was catching a flight to Abuja. There were no more flights to Abuja a night before when we arrived in Nigeria.
From the MMT-2, I went to the Computer Village where so little has changed. The perimeter fence protecting the rail tracks before you get to the computer village proper was down and people were doing business as usual despite the supposed wahala from KAI personnel. From there, I went to Oshodi to see the new wonderful glorious Oshodi. I was disappointed.
Last Sunday, Segun Odegbami during the Dreams come true TV Show with Jazzy B at Ibadan reiterated something that had been in my mind for a while. Nigeria is in darkness. Politicians who are elected into power do nothing and the few ones who do something small are idolized and praised to no end.
Gov. Fashola has no doubt raised people’s morale level about governance in Lagos State but what he has done so far is like trying to drain a swimming pool with a 1Litre bucket and scooping the first 2Litres.
No doubt, his sincerity, open-mindedness and frankness have endeared him to Lagosians but the Oshodi I saw on that day and a number of times after that has always left me thinking that Oshodi can still be much more better than what it is right now. The people have seen the difference that a responsible government can bring to bear on a situation. Work is still ongoing but it should be noted that half of the lights especially the ones under the flyover-bridges are working absmally. In previously cleared areas, people are now selling and getting more confident day by day. Earlier this evening, I saw a small relaxation spot with 6chairs springing up under the flyover bridge where people sat smoking and drinking with the woman vendor ready to refill.
Take a trip round Lagos. I was at Aguda, Surulere earlier today. Asides the removal of structures that were jutting into the streets, nothing of note has happened in that area. The roads were still in a bad state of disrepair and some areas I walked through are worse off than when I last saw them. Take a trip to Ilaje, Bariga, Itire and you will see that there are a lot of things to be done in those areas.
Oshodi which is hailed as having being transformed is still filthy and I saw some people driving against traffic despite the KAI, Police and mobile enforcement personnel stationed there.
“Eko o ni baje o” is a popular slogan in Lagos but I humbly suggest another slogan, “Ka parapo, ka tun Eko se”. Eko sure needs the participation of everybody to make it better.
The Governor of Lagos, Babatunde Raji Fashola surely deserves some pat for a good job well done so far but not the accolades he is showered with now. Like Obama that was denied a honorary degree at the Arizona State University, Gov. Fashola needs to do much more to deserve the accolades.