* Obasanjo has bought a private jet at N36 million and has flown to Jamaica. The funds came from a company called MRS set up in conjunction with Dangote and Dantata
* Donald Duke is not the saint we all thought. Cross River state is in debt up to its eyeballs, Tinapa is not complete and it is rumoured that it will take another N60 billion to complete. The American companies touted to have taken equity and space appear to be a charade. Duke also left with 4 of the official cars leaving the current governor carless and thoroughly confused. One of the banks that Duke took a loan from disclosed how much it was and it is staggering. Remember this is just from one bank. The arrangement for Cross River state's loan repayment is a direct debit arrangement with a rumoured N700 billion taken from its allocation account directly each month. Donald Duke is in the Uk at the moment and is rumoured to be one of the names on the list of potential ministers....
* Its amazing the things that are beginning to come out.......
* Let me go out on a limb and declare that the Obasanjo administration will probably be the most corrupt we have ever had*
Showing posts with label Obasanjo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obasanjo. Show all posts
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Thursday, February 08, 2007
An extra on politics....
I shy away from discussing politics or religion because i get really passionate and its so hard to be objective. Plus people get really really into this and it can quickly get personal and degenerate.
I have to say that i am very very proud of my blogfam. The comments shared on my last post were respectful but concise. We agreed/disagreed with each other using valid points that are food for thought. I love that. And my guess is that most of the people that left comments are of my generation which makes me so proud and optimistic.
Anyway: a radical thought. There is a part of me that doesnt think that there will be elections at all. Maybe the Niger Delta crisis will escalate. Maybe the government will stage some incident. Obasanjo will declare a state of emergency and stay on to keep the peace.
So many things can happen between now and April. I just hope that it stay relatively clean and bloodless.
I have to say that i am very very proud of my blogfam. The comments shared on my last post were respectful but concise. We agreed/disagreed with each other using valid points that are food for thought. I love that. And my guess is that most of the people that left comments are of my generation which makes me so proud and optimistic.
Anyway: a radical thought. There is a part of me that doesnt think that there will be elections at all. Maybe the Niger Delta crisis will escalate. Maybe the government will stage some incident. Obasanjo will declare a state of emergency and stay on to keep the peace.
So many things can happen between now and April. I just hope that it stay relatively clean and bloodless.
On Politics.........
I have done my civic duty and registered to vote. The presidential elections are in April and the key contenders at this points are:
Yar'Adua - Obasanjo's pick
Atiku - Current Vice President
Buhari - Former military ruler
Now, i dont think much of any of these guys but i will vote. So who will get me vote?
I follow the news religiously. I live with a political pundit who also knows history. So my dad will give me insight from years back which i enjoy hearing. My brother has joined us at home and with an undergraduate degree in politcal science and international relations, i have very smart, well read men to answer my many questions.
I now state that of the lot, my vote will go to Atiku.
The man has no doubt lined his pockets but then again who hasnt. They have all done it - its just a question of how much. Some have stolen more, some less. Even the people in the private sector have at some point lined their pockets. My dad calls it enlightened self interest. It is human nature though as its done worldwide. We are just not as sophisticated as the West in hiding it.
But the man has something about him which if channelled properly can do this nation some good.
Did you know that Atiku recommended Ms Okonjo-Iweala to the president after looking her up and being impressed with her achievements at the World Bank?
Atiku is is a savvy business man who isnt afraid to hire the best to take care of business.
I am most impressed by his stubborness.
Atiku has given it hard to Obasanjo since this saga began. Let's not forget that Atiku "won" the elections way back and the powers that be including one of my favorite people - IBB decided to put Obasanjo in power. Atiku was not pleased but there was an agreement which led to him being made VP. There is the story of the famous humiliation of OBJ. OBJ had to prostrate for Atiku and this is apparently true.
Anyway, OBJ decided to get rid of his Vice when he thought he was done with him around the time his efforts to get a 3rd term began to pick up steam. Suprise, suprise. Atiku refused to do the "right" thing and resign.
Atiku has exposed some of the sins of our holier than thou president including looted funds, companies used as fronts and even gifts to women (our president seems to LOVE the ladies).
OBJ and his cohorts have tried to declare the seat of the VP vacant but its not working so far. Yesterday, the papers carried the headline: "Atiku......tops EFCC list". This morning, the papers state: "Atiku sues Ribadu". Atiku is one fearless, stubborn man.
He has made some sound statements in the past few weeks. If anyone goes to the CNN website today, Nigeria is THE news for today - in particular, the Niger Delta. Its harrowing. Atiku stated that the current administration was not doing anything about this area. He said the sophisticated weapons used by these young men were being supplied with the knowledge of the administration and the solution to this problem is not being addressed. He quite eloquently said this business of kidnapping and paying ransoms is just the tip of the iceberg. That this seemingly "little" matter of MEND (movement for the emancipation of the Niger Delta) could destablize this whole country.
I agree with him and i think a lot of people following this matter will agree with him. How can the reason for all the greed and corruption - this oil, be coming from an area where the inhabitants live in conditions so deplorable, that there are no words to describe it. Add to that able bodied young people watching the expatriates come and go and there is nothing to show for it. When the traditional rulers and governors are settled by the oil service companies and this windfall doesnt flow down to the people? I went to Bayelsea state - Yenagoa and i couldnt believe it. Its a shame.
Atiku pointed this out again last week when these militants stopped 2 governors from attending the PDP convention in one of the states in that region. These men stood in the middle of the road and stopped the convoys while firing some shots in the air. The governors simply turned back. And the OBJ administration doesnt think this is a serious enough problem? The kidnapping of expats is increasing. I can only thank God that these men are not killing the hostages. A lot of the released hostages say they are treated well and the young men treat the older men with so much respect. That's not the point though. The point is why has this been allowed to degenerate to this level?
Anyway, i guess the point of this post is that at this point, Atiku has my vote. He isnt the best person to run this country and i dont know who is. Definitely not a technocrat and i dont see any politicians now that can run this country. Sure some of them can be given portfolios - Donald Duke should handle tourism, Oby Ekwesili should go back to solid minerals even though she is doing well in education...etc.
Let me be even more radical and go out on a limb and say that i believe that women should be given certain offices to hold. This is not about feminism or gender equality, i am just being realistic. Certain types of women are soooo stubborn, so principled and are willing to take even the old boys to get things done. See what Dora Akinyuli, Ms Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ekwesili, Ifueko Omoigui have done. These women are a different breed. These women are not the wear jewelery and expensive lace ladies. These are action, focused women who have made a difference in such a short time and i am sure behind the scenes, they face so many obstacles. Imagine what would have been achieved if these women were given free rein?
I will halt here and state again as i have done so many times before that i love my country and this is my home. In my own way, i believe i am making a difference with some of the things that i am doing and what my company is doing. And i know that i will do more as time goes on. Because we have all been exposed to the rest of the world in different ways, we tend to compare this 46 year old nation with ancient civilizations that have been around for centuries. We are not where we should be but we are growing and jumping some growth stages and i really truly believe that when we are a century old, we will be something else. Hmm. Actually, i beleive that in 10 years, Nigeria will be a far cry from where we are today.
Here's to this nation of resilience with a future so bright.....
Yar'Adua - Obasanjo's pick
Atiku - Current Vice President
Buhari - Former military ruler
Now, i dont think much of any of these guys but i will vote. So who will get me vote?
I follow the news religiously. I live with a political pundit who also knows history. So my dad will give me insight from years back which i enjoy hearing. My brother has joined us at home and with an undergraduate degree in politcal science and international relations, i have very smart, well read men to answer my many questions.
I now state that of the lot, my vote will go to Atiku.
The man has no doubt lined his pockets but then again who hasnt. They have all done it - its just a question of how much. Some have stolen more, some less. Even the people in the private sector have at some point lined their pockets. My dad calls it enlightened self interest. It is human nature though as its done worldwide. We are just not as sophisticated as the West in hiding it.
But the man has something about him which if channelled properly can do this nation some good.
Did you know that Atiku recommended Ms Okonjo-Iweala to the president after looking her up and being impressed with her achievements at the World Bank?
Atiku is is a savvy business man who isnt afraid to hire the best to take care of business.
I am most impressed by his stubborness.
Atiku has given it hard to Obasanjo since this saga began. Let's not forget that Atiku "won" the elections way back and the powers that be including one of my favorite people - IBB decided to put Obasanjo in power. Atiku was not pleased but there was an agreement which led to him being made VP. There is the story of the famous humiliation of OBJ. OBJ had to prostrate for Atiku and this is apparently true.
Anyway, OBJ decided to get rid of his Vice when he thought he was done with him around the time his efforts to get a 3rd term began to pick up steam. Suprise, suprise. Atiku refused to do the "right" thing and resign.
Atiku has exposed some of the sins of our holier than thou president including looted funds, companies used as fronts and even gifts to women (our president seems to LOVE the ladies).
OBJ and his cohorts have tried to declare the seat of the VP vacant but its not working so far. Yesterday, the papers carried the headline: "Atiku......tops EFCC list". This morning, the papers state: "Atiku sues Ribadu". Atiku is one fearless, stubborn man.
He has made some sound statements in the past few weeks. If anyone goes to the CNN website today, Nigeria is THE news for today - in particular, the Niger Delta. Its harrowing. Atiku stated that the current administration was not doing anything about this area. He said the sophisticated weapons used by these young men were being supplied with the knowledge of the administration and the solution to this problem is not being addressed. He quite eloquently said this business of kidnapping and paying ransoms is just the tip of the iceberg. That this seemingly "little" matter of MEND (movement for the emancipation of the Niger Delta) could destablize this whole country.
I agree with him and i think a lot of people following this matter will agree with him. How can the reason for all the greed and corruption - this oil, be coming from an area where the inhabitants live in conditions so deplorable, that there are no words to describe it. Add to that able bodied young people watching the expatriates come and go and there is nothing to show for it. When the traditional rulers and governors are settled by the oil service companies and this windfall doesnt flow down to the people? I went to Bayelsea state - Yenagoa and i couldnt believe it. Its a shame.
Atiku pointed this out again last week when these militants stopped 2 governors from attending the PDP convention in one of the states in that region. These men stood in the middle of the road and stopped the convoys while firing some shots in the air. The governors simply turned back. And the OBJ administration doesnt think this is a serious enough problem? The kidnapping of expats is increasing. I can only thank God that these men are not killing the hostages. A lot of the released hostages say they are treated well and the young men treat the older men with so much respect. That's not the point though. The point is why has this been allowed to degenerate to this level?
Anyway, i guess the point of this post is that at this point, Atiku has my vote. He isnt the best person to run this country and i dont know who is. Definitely not a technocrat and i dont see any politicians now that can run this country. Sure some of them can be given portfolios - Donald Duke should handle tourism, Oby Ekwesili should go back to solid minerals even though she is doing well in education...etc.
Let me be even more radical and go out on a limb and say that i believe that women should be given certain offices to hold. This is not about feminism or gender equality, i am just being realistic. Certain types of women are soooo stubborn, so principled and are willing to take even the old boys to get things done. See what Dora Akinyuli, Ms Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ekwesili, Ifueko Omoigui have done. These women are a different breed. These women are not the wear jewelery and expensive lace ladies. These are action, focused women who have made a difference in such a short time and i am sure behind the scenes, they face so many obstacles. Imagine what would have been achieved if these women were given free rein?
I will halt here and state again as i have done so many times before that i love my country and this is my home. In my own way, i believe i am making a difference with some of the things that i am doing and what my company is doing. And i know that i will do more as time goes on. Because we have all been exposed to the rest of the world in different ways, we tend to compare this 46 year old nation with ancient civilizations that have been around for centuries. We are not where we should be but we are growing and jumping some growth stages and i really truly believe that when we are a century old, we will be something else. Hmm. Actually, i beleive that in 10 years, Nigeria will be a far cry from where we are today.
Here's to this nation of resilience with a future so bright.....
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Nigeria's new president?
So there was a headline in a nigerian paper a few days ago: "Presidential plan spoils Yar'Adua'a plan". I read it and didnt think anything of it till today.
The story says that Yar'adua had already accepted a teaching position at the Ahmadu Bello University after his tenure as governor ended. This plan was thwarted upon his pick as PDP presidential candidate.
Okay: So he obviously had no desire to be president. He was just picked. This also means, he has no agenda and has given no thought to plans for the country. So whose agenda and plans will he be espousing? Okay so i know the answer to this question but still...
Rumous have circulated about his state of health ever since The Economist stated categorically that he has kidney problems and is actually on dialysis. He doesnt look physically fit to anyone. Well, after weeks of not addressing this issue and then denying this, Obasanjo in a press conference, acknowledged his illness but said "God has healed him since .....(in stated the year but i dont remember)"
So our options so far: Yar'Adua (the puppet for Obasanjo's 3rd term afterall), Buhari (i dont know much about him and his politics but words like dictator seem to trail him) and Atiku (who hasnt done the preferred thing and resigned and played dead but has continued to hound Obasanjo and his administrationand expose them little by little. He is however, very corrupt and quite the thief)....
The future seems very bright for Nigeria wouldnt you say?
The story says that Yar'adua had already accepted a teaching position at the Ahmadu Bello University after his tenure as governor ended. This plan was thwarted upon his pick as PDP presidential candidate.
Okay: So he obviously had no desire to be president. He was just picked. This also means, he has no agenda and has given no thought to plans for the country. So whose agenda and plans will he be espousing? Okay so i know the answer to this question but still...
Rumous have circulated about his state of health ever since The Economist stated categorically that he has kidney problems and is actually on dialysis. He doesnt look physically fit to anyone. Well, after weeks of not addressing this issue and then denying this, Obasanjo in a press conference, acknowledged his illness but said "God has healed him since .....(in stated the year but i dont remember)"
So our options so far: Yar'Adua (the puppet for Obasanjo's 3rd term afterall), Buhari (i dont know much about him and his politics but words like dictator seem to trail him) and Atiku (who hasnt done the preferred thing and resigned and played dead but has continued to hound Obasanjo and his administrationand expose them little by little. He is however, very corrupt and quite the thief)....
The future seems very bright for Nigeria wouldnt you say?
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Aftermath!
So christmas day has come and gone and i have missed blogging. I have just been so overwhelmed. I just got in from spending some time with some family friends during this muslim holiday. I really hope everyone is having a great holiday. My review blog will be updated almost daily as i have spent so much time doing the things i love - movies, music and books.
So much has happened in the world though:
James Brown passed on and i will dedicate a soundbyte to this legend in the new year
Sadam Hussein has been executed. I have so many thoughts on this but in all this, the illusion of America the compassionate and just has never rung falser.
Gerald Ford passed on. He died at at a ripe age and as much as he will receive a state funeral, i will say he is not a president i know much about. His wife Betty (of the famed Betty Ford Clinic) yes but i can truly say that all i know about this president is the fact that he lost to the peanut farmer from Georgia (Jimmy Carter). It has been really interesting to watch and hear about his administration and his life.
The farce that is Nigerian politics continues and i am embarrassed at the antics of Obasanjo and his stooges. The legacy of this administration in my view is summed up as "A Comedy of Errors".
On a personal note, i am happy. My feelings for my dance partner have evolved and returned back to indifference and a little bit of irritation if i am being honest. Must have something to do with a few reconnections i have made over this period that have given me a different point of view. But i have been here before, felt this way before for my dance partner so i will not be leaping and doing backflips at really being over him....
Enjoy the rest of the holiday....
So much has happened in the world though:
James Brown passed on and i will dedicate a soundbyte to this legend in the new year
Sadam Hussein has been executed. I have so many thoughts on this but in all this, the illusion of America the compassionate and just has never rung falser.
Gerald Ford passed on. He died at at a ripe age and as much as he will receive a state funeral, i will say he is not a president i know much about. His wife Betty (of the famed Betty Ford Clinic) yes but i can truly say that all i know about this president is the fact that he lost to the peanut farmer from Georgia (Jimmy Carter). It has been really interesting to watch and hear about his administration and his life.
The farce that is Nigerian politics continues and i am embarrassed at the antics of Obasanjo and his stooges. The legacy of this administration in my view is summed up as "A Comedy of Errors".
On a personal note, i am happy. My feelings for my dance partner have evolved and returned back to indifference and a little bit of irritation if i am being honest. Must have something to do with a few reconnections i have made over this period that have given me a different point of view. But i have been here before, felt this way before for my dance partner so i will not be leaping and doing backflips at really being over him....
Enjoy the rest of the holiday....
Friday, November 03, 2006
Obasanjo the jester!
After the fatal crash on Sunday, the government has taken the aviation minister out of office and replaced him with - wait for it and drum roll please: Controversial mouthpiece of the government and former minister of culture: Fani Kayode.
What the hell? Fani Kayode couldnt handle being a propaganda master properly, then he was moved to culture(that crass man wouldnt know culture if it knocked him out), now he is in charge of aviation?
Lord help us all.
What the hell? Fani Kayode couldnt handle being a propaganda master properly, then he was moved to culture(that crass man wouldnt know culture if it knocked him out), now he is in charge of aviation?
Lord help us all.
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