not (49)
Photo:Maku
Goodluck Jonathan is not a rubber stamp that will just sign the electoral act which the National Assembly forwarded to him for assent recently, the Minister of state for information and communications, Labaran Maku,Photo Above has said.
Fielding questions from the press in Abuja, Mr Maku said President Jonathan understood the anxiety of Nigerians about the need to hasten up the process on free and fair elections in 2011, but that he would not act on such anxieties and cause more problems for the system.
“The normal process of presidential assent to any law passed by the National Assembly is that the president would forward such acts to relevant departments of government, including the ministry of justice, which would study it and offer advice appropriately. If a law is passed to a sitting president, it is not just for rubber stamp.
“The president is not a rubber stamp. His duty is to go through this law and ensure that there is nothing in it that will cause problem during elections or that will be difficult to enforce. His duty is to ensure that the law that is forwarded to him is in accordance with the constitution and that it is something that is easily operable.”
Don’t insinuate
He insisted that Mr Jonathan is doing so much for the attainment of free and fair elections next year and appealed to Nigerians “not to insinuate on matters that have not arisen”.
He recalled that the president has appointed the most credible person to head the Independent National Electoral Commission, just as he fast-tracked the financial requirement of the commission through the National Assembly.
Attahiru Jega, the chairman of INEC, had stated that further delays in the signing of the constitutional amendment was going to hamper our nation’s dream of free and fair elections. He had also said the commission’s activities depended on the finalisation of the amendments, regretting that the president was yet to assent to the new Electoral Act.
The House of Representatives leadership, last Tuesday had also threatened to override the president if he fails to sign the document and approve the N87.7 billion INEC budget passed by the Assembly, after 30 days.
“All these have constrained INEC’s preparations for both the voters’ registration exercise and the elections,” Mr Jega had said.
Cosby's rep moved quickly to dismiss the rumors, stating: "Mr. Cosby is alive and well." The death reports came just months after similar rumors emerged in February - and Cosby, 73, is calling on the pranksters to stop the erroneous jokes for the sake of his loved ones.
In a series of posts on his Twitter.com page, he writes, "Again, I'm rebuttaling (sic) rumors about my demise. Emotional friends have called about this misinformation. To the people behind the foolishness, I'm not sure you see how upsetting this is."
Zach Braff, Johnny Depp and Kanye West have all been targeted in similar death claims by online jokers.
Well Read On
Ejusdem Generis is Latin for "of the same kind," used to interpret loosely written statutes. Where a
law lists specific classes of persons or things and then refers to them in general, the general
statements only apply to the same kind of persons or things specifically listed. Example: if a law refers
to automobiles, trucks, tractors, motorcycles and other motor-powered vehicles, "vehicles" would not
include airplanes, since the list was of land-based transportation.
Our interpretation for Ejusdem Generis
if a law refers to Nigerian Leaders who have been Soldiers, Politicians, and other corruption-powered
People, "People" would not include writers (wole soyinka), since the list was of Presidential-based
leaders.
Lagos—political calculations and/or miscalculations could solidify certain sainthood, definitely, it is
possible, it could diminish it. Furthermore, alleged Sainthood could come crumpling, turn to dust,
albatross, because man is just ordinary mortal despite alleged provocation at lunacy of actionable
journalistic responsibilities.
It is definitely, colossally disparaging that “Our Dear” respectable enough Noble Laureate is struggling
today to get away from “his friend IBB”—it must be tough on him despite his “pretended ignorance” at
Remi Oyeyemi’s article, ignorance of RepublicReport’s publications, ignorance of other institutional
publications in print and electronically by Nigeria Media out-lets, who got frustrated by Soyinka’s
unending romance with “Evil Genius” Ibrahim B. Babangida. This dubious romance dated back to 80s &
90s,when IBB appointed Soyinka—Chairman Federal Road Safety Commission [FRSC], an appointment
that “triggered” massive recruitment of Sea-Dog secrete Cult-Members to become Road Marshals to
protect the citizenry by the eminent professor, reports say.
Obviously this is followed by numerous visits to Aso-Rock of any administration in power [military or
civilian].
Nobel Laureate Soyinka admitted visited former President Obasanjo administration Headquartered in
Abuja, [1999-2007] many times.
Reporters observed that it was unusual for Soyinka to visit a sitting President in Aso Rock:
In response, the Nobel Laureate disclosed that he used to visit former President, Olusegun Obasanjo
in the Presidential Villa until he became disappointed in the retired General.
“Well, you know, people tend to forget that presidents are human beings, first of all, and they have
relationships. I used to visit Obasanjo, at least when I thought there was something in him to benefit
the nation. When I found there is nothing, I stopped. So it is not unusual for me to visit presidents,”
he said.
Wole Soyinka’s daughter was appointed Special Assistant to the presidency by Obasanjo
administration. She still serves in that capacity today under the present presidency. Obasanjo later
impregnated her according to News of the People’s Magazine, “Obasanjo impregnates Wole Soyinka’s
daughter, Mrs. Onijala, married to Mr. John Olutola Onijala, a Nigerian diplomat; breaks the marriage,
and husband seeks divorce.” People Magazine, February 12, 2008.
Some reports accused Wole Soyinka of, “Following the Money” all the time.
“Wole Soyinka we knew and read about yesterday is not the same Wole Soyinka that we know and
read about today, something is definitely a-mix from my crystal ball” one commentator added.
Despite major national, regional and international difficulties and challenges that we face, we are
encumbered with ‘op-ed’ rejoinder by Soyinka sweating and defending the indefensible such as, “Edo-
Rally & Tea Summit with IBB” under the invitation of Governor Oshomole’s “One-Man One Vote”
political symphonies at Edo-State-house. Who could have believed any iota of Wole Soyinka’s partial
admittance of fundamental elements of truisms of IBB’s interview two-weeks ago published in
Nigerian-Compass, RepublicRpeort, and now Remi Oyeyemi at SR?
“However, Ibrahim Babangida, in the account offered by Oyeyemi, was absolutely correct in one
aspect. I have no personal problem with him or with any other individual to whom I openly identify as
a political adversary. Babangida does however have a huge problem of political deficit with me, and
with the nation, and that is the albatross that constitutes his problem. I affirm that, if the State
House stewards had offered me tea with IBB, I would have declined, but it would only have been to
request something a little stronger, since I am no tea drinker. I am happy to note that Oyeyemi’s
strictures do not extend to having a drink with anyone on the other side of a profound political divide”
Professor Soyinka. How come it took you over two-weeks to react to troubling allegations until friend
sent you the link?
“Whose truth is this? Obviously Oyeyemi’s, not that of anyone else who was present in Oshiomole’s
visitors’ lounge, the airport, the Ikeja arrival lounge, or listened to my brief statement with the media
at Ikeja. Since when did the Oyeyemi of the world appropriate the right to interpret events at which
they were not present, and assign a ‘truth’ to the state of mind of the characters involved. What are
the credentials of Oyeyemi as a mind-reader? Has he spoken to Oshiomole? To his staff who organized
the event? To the team which whisked me to the airport? To Akande, Tinubu, Fayemi etc etc to whom
I spoke while organising my exit from Oshiomole’s guest house? Is any of that melodrama of any real
interest to busy and serious-minded people? Who is this faceless individual to compose his own
spurious scenario in his feverish mind and attempt to foist it on your readership?” Soyinka
Take it easy eminent professor—it is really tough on you these days—we indeed live in an interesting
time. Our eminent Professor of literature is asking Remi Oyeyemi to explain “earthshaking details of
this tea session:” “Was it milk, cream, sugar, biscuits on the side?” were served by Edo State house
stewards.
“Did Babangida really say we had tea together? I am learning of this weird claim for the first time. So
what should I do? Sue him for defamation? Oyeyemi owes it to his readers to unravel the earth-
shaking details of this tea session. Was it with milk? Cream? Sugar? Biscuits on the side? After all,
Oshiomole’s visitors’ lounge was constantly filled, from the beginning to the end. Someone must have
noticed some sinister details. The stewards must remember whom they served tea, and in whose
company. Oyeyemi should do his homework. Obviously these are weighty matters on which the future
of the nation depends” Wole Soyinka.
This is too mundane a defeatist expletives coming from our eminent professor of literature.
Authoritative source said, “Some virtual-truisms are disturbingly and holistically missing in these
dialogues, definitely disappointing his colleagues’ sensibilities at current prevailing intellectual culture”
that is bedevilled by intellectual fraud, however.
“Please, spare yourself and us the likes of those who throw around words like ‘truth’ and ‘integrity’
until they have learnt to respect their adjunct – ‘responsibility’” Wole Soyinka.
Evidently someone is not telling the whole truth about these exchanges of “editorial responsibilities”
—but what one thing is clinically clear in this dialogueis:—Professor of literature Wole Soyinka is
struggling to-get-away from IBB, because of their past political and secrete-cult-affinities—obviously,
it’s TOUGH on Nobel Laureate, “Tea Break In Naija” Rejoinder, notwithstanding.
Read full Wole Soyinka Rejoinder communication to Remi Oyeyemi’s article below:
Tea Break In Naija, Written By Wole Soyinka
While this intervention has been triggered off by an ‘op-ed’ in your online journal by one Remi
Oyeyemi, I have to let you know that I have taken the trouble to respond more out of a concern for the
editorial responsibilities of your journal than anything else. This is not the first such abuse of
SAHARAREPORTERS and, curiously enough, a former occasion had to do with the same subject
I.B.Babangida. I shall begin by acknowledging the extreme generosity of your contributor in allowing
me one full week of grace to respond to an interview I had never seen, nor knew anything about. In
his article, the sanctimonious Oyeyemi has again graciously imposed a deadline, albeit unspecified. I
shudder to think what would have happened if a concerned reader had not sent me a link, wondering
what this was all about. Virtual decapitation?
Now, to some pertinent issues: I remain in ignorance also of how the Nigerian media reported the Edo
incident. Beyond my brief comment on return to Ikeja airport, I declined to give any interviews on the
incident. I left the airport before the AC delegation. By agreement en route from Benin, they would do
the talking. My only interest was to return to my US engagements without further loss of valuable
time.
There is a deplorable tone of pomposity, of dictatorial conceit in Oyeyemi’s article that sets one’s
teeth on edge. Here is an article premised on a profusion of ‘ifs’, ‘maybes’, ‘mightbes’, ‘it is possible
that’, ‘alleged’, ‘reportedly’, yet filled with conclusive judgmental expressions and smug
censoriousness. Setting up oneself as a judge of political moralities requires a more rigorous approach
to the marshaling, and presentation of suppositions and facts. You do not impute a ‘cover-up’ on such
feeble, convenient, purely speculative terms – and over such trivia!
A surprise encounter, totally unexpected that took place in the presence of, and involving at least
thirty others in the reception room of a state governor is not, by any stretch of imagination, an
encounter to be tendentiously described as taking place ‘behind closed doors’. This was in the ‘public
domain’, and it is presumptuous for anyone to require that I give an account, as a public duty, to what
was clear to everyone in that formal and open space as a fortuitous encounter, and one with all
conversation audible to all, including a swarm of reporters and photographers that accompanied
Babangida into that lounge.
However, Ibrahim Babangida, in the account offered by Oyeyemi, was absolutely correct in one aspect.
I have no personal problem with him or with any other individual to whom I openly identify as a
political adversary. Babangida does however have a huge problem of political deficit with me, and with
the nation, and that is the albatross that constitutes his problem. I affirm that, if the State House
stewards had offered me tea with IBB, I would have declined, but it would only have been to request
something a little stronger, since I am no tea drinker. I am happy to note that Oyeyemi’s strictures do
not extend to having a drink with anyone on the other side of a profound political divide.
The purists of political contact are welcome to their position, but they should learn to mind their
language. ’Behind closed doors’! Is there no longer any respect for truth?
As already stated, I indeed met and exchanged ‘pleasantries’ with Babangida. When I discovered what
had brought him into Oshiomole’s visitors’ lounge – in company of at least some twenty-odd other
guests, including Governor Sylvia of Bayelsa – when I found that he had been invited to the rally, and
that David Mark was also invited as Guest of Honour, I organized my leave-taking as fusslessly and
efficiently as I know how, with a fortuitous timing that enabled me to hitch a ride in the chartered
plane that brought AC leaders to Edo. I especially did not want to embarrass my host, Adam
Oshiomole, who – I still feel – had invited me with less than expected candour and error of judgment.
I find Oyeyemi’s article pretentious, pompous and irresponsibly misleading. SAHARA REPORTERS could
have punctured this soufflé by contacting me and drawing my attention to Babangida’s interview. They
know how to find me. Other media have taken similar action in the past, sometimes only to decide not
even to publish my response when they judged that the issue merited no more than transient curiosity
– in journalese, considered unnewsworthy.
“But he owes the rest of us the TRUTH (my emphasis) that this was what transpired, and that he
changed his mind after having tea with him (IBB) that he did not want to be seen in public with him.
Misleading (?) the public that he turned back from Benin airport when this was not what happened…”
writes Mr. Remi Oyeyemi.
Whose truth is this? Obviously Oyeyemi’s, not that of anyone else who was present in Oshiomole’s
visitors’ lounge, the airport, the Ikeja arrival lounge, or listened to my brief statement with the media
at Ikeja. Since when did the Oyeyemi of the world appropriate the right to interpret events at which
they were not present, and assign a ‘truth’ to the state of mind of the characters involved. What are
the credentials of Oyeyemi as a mind-reader? Has he spoken to Oshiomole? To his staff who organized
the event? To the team which whisked me to the airport? To Akande, Tinubu, Fayemi etc etc to whom
I spoke while organising my exit from Oshiomole’s guest house? Is any of that melodrama of any real
interest to busy and serious-minded people? Who is this faceless individual to compose his own
spurious scenario in his feverish mind and attempt to foist it on your readership?
Tea is beginning to assume mythological proportions in Nigerian affairs – sadly and tragically, from
Tam David-West to Moshood Abiola. Perhaps this is responsible for the fictive ‘tea-party’ of Oyeyemi’s
imagination. If the fact that my arrival in Ikeja in an aircraft with AC leaders confused the press
awaiting the retreat, that element, that ‘weighty atom’ of tea leaves – even if it were real – is so
disproportionate to the main issue, which is that we all declined to participate in that rally, that I
cannot find the energy to pillory the media on its account. What remains is not even a storm, but
mere froth in a phantom teacup.
Did Babangida really say we had tea together? I am learning of this weird claim for the first time. So
what should I do? Sue him for defamation? Oyeyemi owes it to his readers to unravel the earth-
shaking details of this tea session. Was it with milk? Cream? Sugar? Biscuits on the side? After all,
Oshiomole’s visitors’ lounge was constantly filled, from the beginning to the end. Someone must have
noticed some sinister details. The stewards must remember whom they served tea, and in whose
company. Oyeyemi should do his homework. Obviously these are weighty matters on which the future
of the nation depends.
Please, spare yourself and us the likes of those who throw around words like ‘truth’ and ‘integrity’ until
they have learnt to respect their adjunct – ‘responsibility’.
Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka, Nigerian Media And The Edo Rally
To assume that our icon and respected professor of English Literature, Professor Wole Soyinka is
adjudged a “Saint” by many in Nigeria and the world would probably be a correct assumption. There is
nothing wrong in this because as we all know, the pantheon of saints is filled with men and women
who were once ordinary mortals. Given the length and substance of contributions of the revered
Professor to struggles for social and civil development in Nigeria and his constant quest for a fair
political system for the country, it is one’s candid opinion that he deserves his sainthood. When a
human being reaches the pedestal of sainthood, he is no longer a private property. He is like a comet.
He draws attention wherever he goes and wherever he shows up. He becomes the barometer with
which others are measured. He becomes the standard to which many aspire. He becomes the property
of all those who adore him and those who worship at his feet. He becomes a public figure whose all
acts and utterances would elicit more than ordinary interest and scrutiny. He is passionately admired
and reverently regarded. In the eyes of his devotees, he could hardly do any wrong. As a result of this,
much would always be conceded to him while much more would continue to be expected of him.
Responding to a “saint” who has many non-questioning admirers, is a difficult task because such a
venture is fraught with danger- yes, the danger of being misunderstood. But as Professor Soyinka
himself would testify as a proud son of Oodua, in Yorubaland we respect our elders very tremendously,
but we are never afraid to ask them questions and hold them accountable. Thus, in this follow up that
would be my final commentary on this issue regardless of what serves as its concomitants I would
maintain the respect I have for the revered Kongi in full.
I am sure that the Professor would be disappointed if I fail to respond having suggested in his “TEA
BREAK IN NAIJA,” that Remi Oyeyemi is “irresponsible.” He claimed that I, REMI OYEYEMI am “a
faceless individual.” WOW!! This is an incredible claim by a Professor known for his intellectual
prowess and diligence. After reading his piece, my first inkling was to let the matter rest. But it is
difficult to let the highly esteemed Professor get away with the less than classy act of calling this
writer “irresponsible” and a “faceless individual.”
It is amazing that this eminent Professor who accused me of not doing my “home work” is actually the
one who failed to do his home work. In his response to my initial piece, he implied that he has many
friends in the media who have decided against using some stories or articles about him (Soyinka) that
they deemed unworthy in the past. If he had bothered to ask around the same media circles that he
boasted about, at least one or two people would have told him that REMI OYEYEMI is not “faceless.”
Going beyond that he could have picked up his phone to speak to some of the political personalities
that he mentioned were on the plane with him on his escape from Benin to Lagos, and some of them
would have told him who REMI OYEYEMI is.
Professor Soyinka used the word “abuse” to describe the publication of my article by
SAHARAREPORTERS. In my book the use of this word is in itself an “abuse” by my dear Professor.
Needless to say that SAHARAREPORTERS is an unbiased medium that has often allowed the
publication of all sides of an issue. To use such words to describe the medium’s act of publishing my
article is a misuse of the word “abuse”. It is a serious challenge to have to say this about the
distinguished Egba Englishman famous for his seminal command of grammar and dexterous aptitude
for the use of diction.
The Professor suggested that SAHARAREPORTERS ought to have reached out to him and ask him about
the details of what was in my article, most of which have been in the public domain except the
questions that I raised. Wole Soyinka is advocating censorship? This is stranger than fiction! I am
flabbergasted about this because I know how the Professor has always condemned censorship in the
Nigerian society when some of our media houses were closed down especially during the era of the
deadly duo of Generals Mohammadu Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon. What could have changed in the years
gone by to get him to wantonly exhibit the same attitude that he called “dictatorial conceit” in
describing my article? Is this a case of “pot calling the kettle black” when Professor Soyinka accused
me of “deplorable tone of pomposity ……. that sets one’s teeth on edge.”
Before we move one, for purposes of clarity, it is important that the following “pertinent issues” as
Professor Soyinka called them in his response are noted by the readers:
a. Did Professor Wole Soyinka get to Oshiomole’s House in Benin or not?
b. If he did, why was the Media led to believe that he turned back at the Benin Airport?
c. Why was it not reported in the Media that he met with IBB in Oshiomole’s Home before deciding
not to attend the rally?
d. Why must Kongi wait until IBB’s controversial interview before telling the public that he actually
met with IBB whom he wishes the world to believe he is not supporting, in Benin as he admitted in his
response to Remi Oyeyemi?
e. Why did Kongi have to wait for Remi Oyeyemi’s article and about 54 days after the fact to now
suggest to the public (in Tea Break in Naija) that the Media reports of his visit to Edo State were not
very accurate?
Professor Soyinka wrote the following:
“…..I remain in ignorance also of how the Nigerian media reported the Edo incident. Beyond my brief
comment on return to Ikeja airport, I declined to give any interviews on the incident. I left the airport
before the AC delegation. By agreement en route from Benin, they would do the talking. My only
interest was to return to my US engagements without further loss of valuable time.”
The reports of what allegedly transpired in Edo State came out in all the national dailies on April 30,
2010. The Ibrahim Babangida’s interview came out 44 days after on June 13, 2010 in the COMPASS
Newspaper. My article which was a reaction to IBB’s interview was actually submitted within 30
minutes of its completion on June 20,2010. If the media had misreported what transpired in Edo State
in regard to Professor Soyinka as he implied in the quote above by claiming to be ignorant of “how the
Nigerian media reported the incident,” the esteemed Professor had 44 days to set the record straight,
before IBB had the chance to open the can of tea. But Professor Soyinka did not do so for reasons best
known to him.
Since he also admitted in the quote above that “By agreement en route from Benin, they (the AC
delegation) would do the talking,” where then is the fault of Remi Oyeyemi if Professor Soyinka’s
friends gave less than complete version of events to the Nigerian media? It is assumed that before the
Professor would agree that these friends of his (the AC delegation) should do the talking, he must
have had a modicum of trust in them and believed that they would do a good job of it. If Professor
Soyinka believed that the Nigerian Media did not do a good job reporting the events that occurred in
Edo State, where was he in the previous 44 days before the IBB interview? And what is wrong if Remi
Oyeyemi seeks clarification about the confusing reports?
Professor Soyinka was upset that my “article premised on a profusion of ‘ifs’, ‘maybes’, ‘might bes’, ‘it
is possible that’, ‘alleged’, ‘reportedly’.” It is surprising that my highly esteemed Kongi did not know
that the reason for that was because I, as a public commentator and admirer, was giving him benefit
of the doubt which I believe he richly deserved. I wanted him to come out and clear the air about the
insinuations that IBB was making in his interview. He has done that, but he was greatly mistaken by
trying to blame Remi Oyeyemi for omissions that are patently Wole Soyinka’s.
Then Professor Soyinka made the following confession:
“…..I indeed met and exchanged ‘pleasantries’ with Babangida. When I discovered what had brought
him into Oshiomole’s visitors’ lounge – in company of at least some twenty-odd other guests,
including Governor Sylvia of Bayelsa – when I found that he had been invited to the rally, and that
David Mark was also invited as Guest of Honour, I organized my leave-taking as fusslessly and
efficiently as I know how, with a fortuitous timing that enabled me to hitch a ride in the chartered
plane that brought AC leaders to Edo.”
Professor Soyinka needed to have gone beyond this mere confession to show Remi Oyeyemi’s
“irresponsibility.” Where in all the MEDIA REPORTS was it reported that the Professor “indeed met and
exchanged ‘pleasantries’ with Babangida?” It meant that if IBB, who probably have a different motive
for the revelation of that happenstance, did not reveal such in his COMPASS interview, the world would
have been made to believe that our revered Professor turned back from the Benin Airport? Doesn’t the
Professor know that it is better that the world be made aware of what happened as soon as it
happened rather than let it filter out? Does he not know that it would look “somehow” if this is heard
third hand? Does he not see the ramification for his credibility in this context? Does he think this
would be an issue if he had made the happenstance public before now rather than allow his friend IBB
do this?
With due respect, after Professor Soyinka made the above quoted confession that he actually met IBB
and exchanged pleasantries with him, it is highly preposterous, for the highly esteemed Professor to
contend that he finds “Oyeyemi’s article pretentious, pompous and irresponsibly misleading.” How is
Remi Oyeyemi’s article “misleading?” Have you not just confirmed and confessed to exchanging
“pleasantries” (whatever that means) with IBB? What is “pretentious” about Remi Oyeyemi’s article
when he (Oyeyemi) insisted that there was nothing wrong if you chose to drink tea with IBB and still
not support him, but just make that clear to the observing public so that your actions were not
misinterpreted? It is inaccurate to describe Oyeyemi’s article as “pompous” when all he was trying to
do is to get clarification to an obvious obfuscation, except that our esteemed Professor thinks he
ought not be questioned about his acts and utterances when such are unclear?
If this were to be the case it would be very unfortunate. Apart from the fact that it is against our
culture in Yorubaland to shut up a younger person who has a legitimate concern, Professor Soyinka has
put in about five decades of fight to creating a society where no one would be above the law and
everyone could be held accountable for their choices and actions. To try and suggest now that he has
to be an exception to this rule is rather baffling and confusing. Even the Great Obafemi Awolowo was
not immune from constructive criticism from both friends and detractors alike. So, why is Wole Soyinka
an exception?
In his “Tea Break in Naija,” Professor Wole Soyinka jabbed adroitly like Joe Frazier, pummelled nimbly
like George Foreman and deftly danced around like Mohammad Ali as he employed his arsenal of
diction to challenge the credibility and pertinence of my article. But dexterity at the usage of grammar
and adept application of Lexis and Structure to convey an abstract idea in a mechanically accurate way
does not necessarily equate unassailable facts. Some of the facts are as follows:
a. That it is true that Professor Wole Soyinka met IBB in Oshiomole’s house in Benin;
b. That Professor Wole Soyinka did not turn back from Benin Airport to return to Lagos as claimed in
the media;
c. That Professor Wole Soyinka contracted the Press Briefings on the Benin Saga to his political
friends some of whom I also happen to know;
d. That Professor Soyinka has a duty to check the media reports of the Benin Saga and ensure that
he was not misrepresented, but he chose not to do so;
e. That the ignorance claimed by Professor Soyinka about “how the Nigerian media reported the Edo
incident,” seemed a second thought and appeared to be a ploy to absolve himself of responsibility
about the inaccurate media reports (as he now suggests) on the Edo incident;
f. That Professor Wole Soyinka did not shun the Benin rally because of Babangida as the media and
the rest of us were made to believe but because of David Mark and he (Soyinka) confirmed this in his
article responding to Remi Oyeyemi;
g. That Remi Oyeyemi is not “irresponsible” as claimed by Professor Wole Soyinka in his article “TEA
BREAK IN NAIJA” for asking the germane questions that clarified these issues.
Professor Soyinka wrote inter alia:
“However, Ibrahim Babangida, in the account offered by Oyeyemi, was absolutely correct in one
aspect. I have no personal problem with him or with any other individual to whom I openly identify as
a political adversary. “ (emphasis mine)
This is very incorrect. Presently, I am not a reporter, just an op-ed contributor or public commentator. I
was not reporting from Edo State. The account referred to is not my account. It is IBB’s account of
events as reported in the interview granted to COMPASS Newspaper. It is amazing that Professor
Soyinka would falsely attribute this to me to make a case of “irresponsibility” when it was clear that
this was quoted as coming from COMPASS in my previous article. However, Professor Soyinka does not
have to be defensive about his relationship with IBB, more so they have worked together before. All of
us have the right to change our views or opinions about events and personalities.
Thus when Professor Soyinka added, “Babangida does however have a huge problem of political deficit
with me, and with the nation, and that is the albatross that constitutes his problem,” he was just
addressing the heart of the matter. This is the reason why dalliance with IBB should not be shrouded
in a cocoon of secrecy so that others might not misinterpret and have unnecessary suspicions. It is
also begging the question that Professor Soyinka would suggest that it was wrong for his choices and
actions to be scrutinized by members of the public like Remi Oyeyemi when in fact he is not just a
public figure he is also a celebrity adored by many and taken seriously by not just a few.
My highly esteemed Kongi also wrote as follows:
“Did Babangida really say we had tea together? I am learning of this weird claim for the first time. So
what should I do? Sue him for defamation? Oyeyemi owes it to his readers to unravel the earth-
shaking details of this tea session. Was it with milk? Cream? Sugar? Biscuits on the side?”
Sincerely speaking, I did not expect Professor Soyinka to be unduly ridiculous as he manifested in the
above quote. With due respects to the esteemed Professor, the questions in the above quote sound a
little languid as far as the issues at stake here are concerned. All Professor Soyinka had to do was to
call for a copy of the COMPASS Newspaper interview that I referenced in my article to confirm what
Babangida said or did not say. Remi Oyeyemi did not make anything up. The basis of my article was
the IBB interview which portrayed the Professor in a less than candid manner. All that was needed was
that the revered Professor should clear the air. Babangida has made his own revelation for whatever
reasons known to him, it is now up to Professor Soyinka to tell the world any yet unknown aspects of
the happenstance that IBB might have mischievously withheld and to sue IBB if he so desires. As to
“the earth-shaking details of the tea session,” it is one’s hope that the Professor would not wait until
another revealing interview comes out before he scrambles to scribble another tenuous defence of his
acts of omissions and or commissions.
Between Remi Oyeyemi and Wole Soyinka, only one person has worked for Babangida in the past and
that person is NOT Remi Oyeyemi. Thus for those readers who are quick to conclude that this criticism
of Uncle Kongi is as a result of my fondness of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida I am recommending the
following past articles by Remi Oyeyemi to them – QUESTIONS IBB MUST ANSWER published on July
12, 2002; A TALE OF TWO TRAITORS published on December 27, 2002 and FALAE’S IBB GAMBIT
published on August 25, 2003 all of them on www.nigeriaworld.com. I have been involved in the media
either directly or indirectly for about 25 years now. I do not need any publicity stunt. And this is not
one either.
Hopefully by now, the highly esteemed Professor would have discovered that I, REMI OYEYEMI, am not
“faceless.” This he would have found out if he did a better home work in the media and political circles
that he was quick to flagrantly flaunt before rushing his rejoinder for publication. It is hoped the
esteemed Professor would cease throwing around words like “home work” until he is able to lead by a
personal example and spare the rest of us sanctimonious preachments. Regardless, I still maintain
that everyone has the right to drink tea, “something stronger” or whatever with whomever he so
chooses and can politically support whoever catches his or her fancy. But there is no reason to be
defensive and camouflage actualities from those who expect candour and openness from us. Simplicita.
And this is my final word on this issue.
Scientists invent first male contraceptive pill
Scientists have developed the worlds male alternative to the femalecontraceptive pill
Until now all attempts to develop a male pill have failed with scientistsworking on a contraceptive jab for men given by doctors.
But researchers in Israel have finally been able to create a oral pillthatdeactivates sperm before they reach the womb. And theyve developed a version that means it only needs to be to betaken onceevery three months.
The breakthrough pill could be available in as little as three years,according to the scientist behind the discovery.
Unlike the jab form of the male pill it doesnt use a combination of themalehormone testosterone and the female hormone progesterone to blockpregnancy.
The scientist behind the male pill discovery has developed a tablet thatremoves a vital protein in sperm that is required for a woman toconceive.
So while sperm still get through to the uterus they are unable tofertilise anegg.
Using this approach, researchers believe they have a pill that is 100 pceffective at stopping pregnancy.
Not only is it long lasting but it also has other pluses. There are nosideeffects as suffered by women who take the contraceptive pill.
Men on the male equivalent hormone jabs, which are still undergoingtrialsreport feelings of moodiness, depression and loss of sex drive.
Professor of Haim Breitbart of Israel's Bar-Ilan University, who hashelpeddevelop the pill said: Men dont cope well with side effects and havingsideeffects would probably put many off wanting to take a pill. Weve hadnone ofthose problems with our pill.
What we found is that by treating the mice with our molecule we can getsterility for a long period of time -in the lower dose, about onemonth, andin the higher dose we found three months of sterility.
The mice behaved nicely, They ate and had sex. All I can say is that wecouldn't see any behavioural side-effects - all their sex behaviourwasretained, which is a very important consideration for men. Humantrials ofthe pill are due to start next year.
A big drawback against men being in control of fertility is the feartheywould forget to take a pill.
Polls have repeatedly shown wives and partners do not trust their men toremember to pop a pill every day.
But now that problem has been solved. The new pill can be taken eitheronce amonth or once every three months.
Professor Breitbart said: "I think most women would trust their man toremember once a month or once a quarter.
Breitbarts pill jams the sperm's chemical machinery that allows it tocreate apregnancy. So while the sperm reaches the womb it dies away unable tofertilise the egg.
He said: We looked at a number of compounds that have no effect on malesexdrive, but succeed in impairing the reproductive ability of the sperm.
Because there are no hormonal side effect we believe that it will befairlyeasy to get approval for this pill.
Professor Breitbat stunned the world of fertility science four years agobyrevealing the commonly held belief that conception was immediate oncespermentered the womb.
The research showed that sperm could surive for up to three days beforefertilisation took place.
Professor Breitbart said: I then decided to turn my interest to see howtostop that process. I wanted to develop a form of male contraceptionthatwould be free of an intervention using hormpones.
GHANIANS woke up yester day morning with a happy hangover after celebrating their 1-0victory over Serbia – the first win by an African team at the WorldCup in South Africa.
The streets of Accra were thronged on Sunday evening as fans milled around, waving the red, gold and green nationalflag .
When man of the match Asamoah Gyan drilled home a late penalty, fans exploded from Duncan’s bar on the side streets ofAccra, blowing whistles, cheering and dancing.
Elsewhere, African media reported brass bands and taxi drivers blowing their respective horns noisily through thecapital, while motorcyclists risked life and limb by driving aroundwhile waving the country’s colourful flag.
In one scene of jubilation, wedding guests abandoned a wedding ceremony to take part in the street celebrations,according to reports.
Fans poured hundreds of congratulatory messages onto the websites of news portals, although some were miffed thatGhana’s Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac had not celebrated the victoryover his countrymen as wildly as his players.
Gyan was quick to devote the victory to fans in Ghana and elsewhere in the continent.
“Everyone is happy for us, not only in Ghana.
“Everyone in Africa will be behind us..
“I thank everyone for supporting the Black Stars,” he said.
Fans were confident of qualification, although they are wary of Germany after watching the 4-0 thumping Joachim Loew’smen handed out to Australia in the other Group D match. — Sapa-DPA
"I'm spiritual but not religious."
A Tree and Its Fruit
15“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
It's a trendy phrase people often use to describe their belief that they don't need organized religion to live a life of faith.
But for Jesuit priest James Martin, the phrase also hints at something else: egotism.
"Being spiritual but not religious can lead to complacency and self-centeredness," says Martin, an editor at America, a national Catholic magazine based in New York City. "If it's just you and God in your room, and a religious community makes no demands on you, why help the poor?"
Religious debates erupt over everything from doctrine to fashion. Martin has jumped into a running debate over the "I'm spiritual but not religious" phrase.Photo:Being "spiritual but not religious" means you do not need a church or a community, some say. A beach will do.
The "I'm spiritual but not religious" community is growing so much that one pastor compared it to a movement. In a 2009 survey by the research firm LifeWay Christian Resources, 72 percent of millennials (18- to 29-year-olds) said they're "more spiritual than religious." The phrase is now so commonplace that it's spawned its own acronym ("I'm SBNR") and Facebook page: SBNR.org.
But what exactly does being "spiritual but not religious" mean, and could there be hidden dangers in living such a life?
Did you choose "Burger King Spirituality"?
Heather Cariou, a New York City-based author who calls herself spiritual instead of religious, doesn't think so. She's adopted a spirituality that blends Buddhism, Judaism and other beliefs.
"I don't need to define myself to any community by putting myself in a box labeled Baptist, or Catholic, or Muslim," she says. "When I die, I believe all my accounting will be done to God, and that when I enter the eternal realm, I will not walk though a door with a label on it."
People seem not to have the time nor the energy or interest to delve deeply into any one faith or religious tradition.
--June-Ann Greeley, theology professor
RELATED TOPICS
Religion
The Roman Catholic Church
BJ Gallagher, a Huffington Post blogger who writes about spirituality, says she's SBNR because organized religion inevitably degenerates into tussles over power, ego and money.
Gallagher tells a parable to illustrate her point:
"God and the devil were walking down a path one day when God spotted something sparkling by the side of the path. He picked it up and held it in the palm of his hand.
"Ah, Truth," he said.
"Here, give it to me," the devil said. "I'll organize it."
Gallagher says there's nothing wrong with people blending insights from different faith traditions to create what she calls a "Burger King Spirituality -- have it your way."
She disputes the notion that spiritual people shun being accountable to a community.
"Twelve-step people have a brilliant spiritual community that avoids all the pitfalls of organized religion," says Gallagher, author of "The Best Way Out is Always Through."
"Each recovering addict has a 'god of our own understanding,' and there are no priests or intermediaries between you and your god. It's a spiritual community that works.''
Nazli Ekim, who works in public relations in New York City, says calling herself spiritual instead of religious is her way of taking responsibility for herself.
Ekim was born in a Muslim family and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. She prayed to Allah every night, until she was 13 and had to take religion classes in high school.Then one day, she says she had to take charge of her own beliefs.
"I had this revelation that I bow to no one, and I've been spiritually a much happier person," says Ekim, who describers herself now as a Taoist, a religious practice from ancient China that emphasizes the unity of humanity and the universe.
"I make my own mistakes and take responsibility for them. I've lied, cheated, hurt people -- sometimes on purpose. Did I ever think I will burn in hell for all eternity? I didn't. Did I feel bad and made up for my mistakes? I certainly did, but not out of fear of God."
Going on a spiritual walkabout
The debate over being spiritual rather than religious is not just about semantics. It's about survival.
Numerous surveys show the number of Americans who do not identify themselves as religious has been increasing and likely will continue to grow.
A 2008 survey conducted by Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, dubbed these Americans who don't identify with any religion as "Nones."
"I don't need to define myself in a box labeled Baptist, or Catholic, or Muslim."
--Heather Cariou, a spiritual but not religious seeker
Seminaries, churches, mosques and other institutions will struggle for survival if they don't somehow convince future generations that being religious isn't so bad after all, religion scholars warn.
Jennifer Walters, dean of religious life at Smith College in Massachusetts, says there's a lot of good in old-time religion.
Religious communities excel at caring for members in difficult times, encouraging members to serve others and teaching religious practices that have been tested and wrestled with for centuries, Walters says.
"Hymn-singing, forms of prayer and worship, teachings about social justice and forgiveness -- all these things are valuable elements of religious wisdom," Walters says. "Piecing it together by yourself can be done, but with great difficulty."
Being a spiritual Lone Ranger fits the tenor of our times, says June-Ann Greeley, a theology and philosophy professor.
"Religion demands that we accord to human existence some absolutes and eternal truths, and in a post-modern culture, that becomes all but impossible," says Greeley, who teaches at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut.
It's much easier for "spiritual" people to go on "spiritual walkabouts," Greeley says.
"People seem not to have the time nor the energy or interest to delve deeply into any one faith or religious tradition," Greeley says. "So they move through, collecting ideas and practices and tenets that most appeal to the self, but making no connections to groups or communities."
Being spiritual instead of religious may sound sophisticated, but the choice may ultimately come down to pettiness, says Martin, the Jesuit priest, who writes about the phrase in his book, "The Jesuit Guide to (Almost Everything)."
"Religion is hard," he says. "Sometimes it's just too much work. People don't feel like it. I have better things to do with my time. It's plain old laziness."
Girl frozen in time may hold key to ageing
American scientists are keenly studying the DNA of a 17-year-old girl who still has the body and behaviour of a baby
This 21'st century Peter Pan has defied scientists .A genetic condition (Anageria) opposite to progeria which some speculate Paris Hilton and many other women and MEN will kill for ! Brooke Greenberg is a miracle.
Scientists are hoping to gain new insights into the mysteries of ageing by sequencing the genome of a 17-year-old girl who has the body and behaviour of a tiny toddler.
PHOTO:Brooke Greenberg "baby", then aged 9, with sister Carly who was 6
Brooke Greenberg is old enough to drive a car and next year will be old enough to vote — but at 16lb in weight and just 30in tall, she is still the size of a one-year-old.
Until recently she had been regarded as a medical oddity but a preliminary study of her DNA has suggested her failure to grow could be linked to defects in the genes that make the rest of humanity grow old.
If confirmed, the research could give scientists a fresh understanding of ageing and even suggest new therapies for diseases linked to old age.
“We think that Brooke’s condition presents us with a unique opportunity to understand the process of ageing,” said Richard Walker, a professor at the University of South Florida School of Medicine, who is leading the research team.
“We think that she has a mutation in the genes that control her ageing and development so that she appears to have been frozen in time.
“If we can compare her genome to the normal version then we might be able to find those genes and see exactly what they do and how to control them.”
Such research will be the focus of a conference at the Royal Society in London this week to be attended by some of the world’s leading age researchers.
It follows a series of scientific breakthroughs showing that the life span of many animals can be dramatically extended by making minute changes in single genes.
The work began with tiny worms known as C elegans, which normally live for only about a fortnight. Researchers have been able to extend their life span by up to 10 weeks by making small changes in certain genes.
Scientists have gone on to discover that mutating the same genes in mice had the same effect.
“Mice are genetically very close to humans,” said Cynthia Kenyon, professor of biochemistry at the University of California, San Francisco, who is a key speaker at the Royal Society.
“The implication is that ageing is controlled by a relatively small number of genes and that we might be able to target these with new therapies that would improve the quality and length of human life.”
The laboratory findings have been supported by research into humans, focusing on families whose members are long-lived. In one recent study Eline Slagboom, professor of molecular epidemiology at Leiden University, Holland, collected data on 30,500 people in 500 long-lived families to find the metabolic and genetic factors that make them special.
“Such people simply age slower than the rest of us,” she said. “Their skin is better, they have less risk of diseases of old age like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension and their ability to metabolise lipids and other nutrients is better. The question is: what is controlling all these different manifestations of slow ageing?
“So far, the evidence suggests that there could be just a few key genes in charge of it all. If we can find out where they are and how they work, it opens the way to new therapies against the diseases of ageing that could work in all of us.”
Walker and other researchers, including Kenyon, believe that finding the cause of Brooke Greenberg’s condition could be one way to pinpoint some of those genes.
Superficially, Brooke, who lives with her parents Howard and Melanie Greenberg and her three sisters in Reisterstown, a Baltimore suburb, is frozen in time. She looks and acts as if she were a small toddler — for 17 years her family has changed her nappies, rocked her to sleep and given her cuddles.
Brooke has shown some development, including crawling, smiling and giggling when tickled but she has never learnt to speak and still has her infant teeth.
But she has also suffered a succession of life-threatening health problems, including strokes, seizures, ulcers and breathing difficulties — almost as if she were growing old despite not growing up.
Howard Greenberg, Brooke's father, said he wanted the genome research carried out in the hope it might help others.
He said: "Brooke is just a wonderful child. She is very pure. She still babbles just like a 6 month old baby but she still communicates and we always know just what she means."
Walker and his colleagues, who are working with Brooke’s parents to ensure she benefits from any research findings, have just published a research paper which suggests that in reality some parts of her body have indeed aged — but slowly and all at different rates.
“Our hypothesis is that she is suffering from damage in the gene or genes that co-ordinate the way the body develops and ages,” he said.
“If we can use her DNA to find that mutant gene then we can test it in laboratory animals to see if we can switch if off and slow down the ageing process at will.
“Just possibly it could give us an opportunity to answer the question of why we are mortal.”
Jerly Lyngdoh: World’s oldest baby:
Surgeons and pediatricians in India have been puzzled after discovering a 26-year-old man trapped inside the body and mind of a child aged between one and two years.Jerly Lyngdoh – who is still dressed in baby clothes by his parents – has a head circumference that babies 9-12 months old have, measures 84 cm like any two-year-old and weighs 22 pounds.
“Jerly’s infantile features are remarkable, and the only things he shares with an adult are his teeth,” Dr. J. Ryndong told the Hindustan Times.
According to the pediatrician, Lyngdoh suffers from poor secretion of growth hormones from the pituitary gland.
“His is a case opposite to progeria, which means advanced ageing, and we have reasons to say Jerly is a rarity,” Ryndong added. He ruled out the genetic factor, since all six of Jerly’s siblings have no physical or mental disability.
“We also plan to seek expertise from the medical world beyond to crack Jerly’s case,” the doctor said.
A lot of websites are claiming that Whitney Houston’s ex-husband, singerBobby Brown, has died of lung cancer. News Provider has checked this rumor and tells you that the singer is very much alive.
The rumor about Bobby Brown’s death has surfaced on microblogging site Twitter, where most rumors take shape these days. For a few hours, everybody started looking around the internet to see if there is any truth to it. Bobby Brown was claimed to have died of lung cancer. The rumors seemed believable especially since the singer has had numerous drug problems in the past, during his marriage to singer Whitney Houston (that had drug problems of her own for many years) and after. He was also reportedly late on child support payments some time ago.
Still, nothing like that happened, since the singer is on tour with his band Heads of State. According to their MySpace page, their last show was on April 24 at the Paradise Theatre in Bronx, NY, and they are set to play the 2010 Funk Fest in Jacksonville Florida on May 7 and the Summerjam 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia on June 26.
The Heads of State includes, alongside Bobby Brown, former New Edition Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant.
Now that would have been a hoot dead president !
And why is this? Because, people have learned to use others as a prop for their ego, and without the other there, the ego cannot be crystalized.
You seek out the community because it reinforces your fantasies about yourself, no matter how crazy they are, and because they are fantasies without the other there, they will cease to exist.
This is why being alone is so difficult because without constant reinforcement, the false self cannot maintain its existence. It dissappears. Poof !
Man is born alone, man dies alone, and there is nothing he can do to escape his aloneness. Fleeing to groups, stadiums full of people, sporting events, concerts, all they can do is distract for a few moments. And for many this only heightens the feeling of aloneness that they have.
Unless a person can be alone, they cannot find happiness in any relationship, because those relationships will only represent and escape from the fear of being alone, and a dependency. And relationships based on fear can never succeed.
Only when one experiences the nature of their aloness are they capable of loving another without fear.
For in the depths of your being, in deep meditation, in the center of your aloneness, you will discover, the eternal. And int that momement you will be free.
I AM HOT!
What I find frustrating is that after all the stress of the day; I goback to darkness, you know what I mean, even after a cold bath, I’musually still unable to sleep and I spend the entire night awake in aforceful vigil, and I sing lullabies to drive myself to sleep. Nothanks to PHCN, I’m learning the power of staying awake so when Ibecome a mum, staying awake won’t be that hard. Up NEPA! Or rather, UpPHCN! I smile thanking God power has been restored, I curse under mybreath, though glad for the breeze and before I reach for the fan,power is gone again! Yes, the message is gotten; I Never Expect PowerAlways and I am seriously listening to the plea of PHCN to Please HoldMy Candles at Night.
I know I am not alone in this situation. Many people are tired, tiredfrom sleeplessness, and tired of the unfulfilled promises of thegovernment to provide constant power for Nigerians. What many findappalling is perhaps that electricity is the number one agenda on theadministration’s seven pointless agenda. What is even more disturbingis that not one of the agenda has been met.
If nature has not been kind to us, we at least should enjoy man madeelectric stability. For a nation at 50, the current power situation canbe best described as shameful. When the Federal Government in December2009 promised to deliver on 6,000 MW of electricity and 10,000MW byMarch 2010, only a few people believed them. And they were justifiedbecause the FG reneged on their promise. Media reports recently statedthat the national generation had dropped to 2,400MW from the dismissalpeak of 3,700 last December and 2,700MW some weeks ago. My advice?Tighten your “sokoto”.
The unfortunate thing is that the masses are the ones at the receivingend of this disturbing trend. Small scale business owners who barelymake enough profit now have to channel their little resources to buyinga generating set and of course fuel to power them. Even bigorganisations are not left out as many run their activities only onplants which of course make their services very expensive. Sometimeago, Rev. Sam Adeyemi of Daystar Christian Centre revealed that theChurch spends well over #50million on fuel alone every year. This moneycan of course be channelled into one of its programmes or even used togive scholarships to indigent students. The Church as part of itssocial responsibility even went ahead to stage a walk for light titled“Let There Be Light!”.
Part of the negative effect of this situation is evident around us. Onecan barely walk the streets without being disturbed with the noise ofgenerating sets that have become a norm in every home. Apart from thenoise, the pollution it generates also puts our health at a big risk.It’s so bad that most houses now have two generating sets, one for theday and the other for the night. Even the rich are not spared thefinancial strains of power failure. A closer look around you and youwill discover not many rich people can provide 24 hours electricity fortheir homes, no thanks to the fluctuating price of fuel and itsfrequent scarcity.
Of recent the government again in its characteristic way gave yetanother promise that 10,000MW of electricity will be supplied toNigerians by June. Simply put, Nigerians do not believe them becauseour government overtime have shown that they are not honest tothemselves much less the people they govern. Their repeated acts oflack of integrity has stripped them of every iota of respect theydeserve.
It is high time that a new workable strategy is adopted to bring the PHCN out of its comatose state.
Within the week, when the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) publicly declared that the North will occupy the Presidency till 2015, the coast was cleared for aspirants from that part of
the country to oil their political machinery for the 2011 electoral
contest.
READ the PLOT by Justice katsina Alu : http://bit.ly/cHkNau
One of those who may be the direct beneficiaries of that policy
is former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, especially
since it is almost foreclosed that President Umar Musa Yar’Adua
will not seek re-election. For the south south ticket James ohanefe Ibori is billed to take over as Vice president .
Saturday Sun gathered that in the last three months, as Yar’Adua’s health problem rocked the nation, many
forces, within the country and outside, have been shopping for his
likely replacement in 2011. Sources revealed that the choice has
been narrowed down to Babangida, a member of the PDP..
It is generally believed that the death of his wife had put a stop
to his ambition of returning to Aso Rock but a close IBB confidant
said that, the manner Nigerians sympathised with him during his
trying period has humbled him the more and if given the opportunity
he wants to reciprocate by giving Nigerians quality and good governance.
The message of appreciation he sent to Nigerians conveys his emotion
on the love Nigerians showed his family. In the message, he stated,
“my dear compatriots, you have once again stood by us at a
time and moment when my family and I are need your support, consolation
and prayers. No amount of gratitude and appreciation I could offer
to you could convey succinctly how deeply touched and grateful my
family and I are to all of you… my family is most humbled
by these kind words and expressions you conveyed to extol the virtues
of my late wife during your visits.”
Last September, three months before the death of his wife, he said
he would make consultations before taking a position on the 2011
presidential elections. He then admitted that not only his aides
and associates, but various interest groups were mounting pressure
on him to return to partisan politics.
Now that the pressure has included the US, would he take a position?
Time will tell. Some elements in the North believe that he is not
only qualified to occupy the highest political office in the country
but is also popular, having been head of state for eight years.
Also, foreign countries, which want stability in the country are
said to have equally penciled down Babangida for support, ahead
of 2011 elections.
The US connection
It was gathered that the United States has indicated interest in Babangida and has actually reached out to him on its thinking. Sources
said that the recent visit of a strong US delegation to Nigeria,
comprising Jonnie Carson, the country’s assistant secretary
of state for African Affairs and Robin Sanders, its ambassador to
Nigeria is part of the plan to draft Babangida to the 2011 race.
It was gathered that even though Babangida has not come out openly
to declare his interest for the 2011 presidential election, the
pressure on him is high. Sources said that due to the calibre of
forces urging him to join the race, he would buckle eventually.
A source maintained that the US has followed the political situation
in the country and has come to the conclusion that Nigeria needs
a president who would restore confidence and leadership. It said
that many people have been considered.
Sources said that among those considered is Brig-General Buba Marwa,
former Nigeria’s military attaché to the US and current
Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa. He was said to have
been dropped because the US group believes that it may be difficult
for the former governor of Lagos State to be accepted by other parts
of the country.
It was gathered that Babangida eventually got endorsement after
people like Mr. George Bush Sr, who was president in US when Babangida
was military president in Nigeria put in words. The Bush Snr. support,
it was gathered, informed why immediate past US president, George
W. Bush, wanted to meet with Babangida when he visited Nigeria for
the ThisDay awards.
Before the President Barrack Obama’s delegation to Babangida,
the US and European Union had lamented the uncertainty in Nigeria,
caused by the absence of President Yar’Adua. In a joint statement
signed by US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, British Foreign
Secretary, David Miliband, France’s Foreign Minister, Bernard
Kouchner and European Union High Representative, Catherine Ashton,
the US and EU noted: “Nigeria is going through a period of
uncertainty because of the prolonged illness of President Musa Yar’Adua.
Nigeria’s stability and democracy carry great significance
beyond its immediate borders, given its importance as a global oil
producer and stabilising force in West Africa.”
In the quest to help Nigeria get stability, the US therefore, wants
a leader it thinks would build institutions, as President Obama
earlier suggested.
However, apart from the US, it was gathered that Nigerians, especially
power brokers in the North are also putting pressure on Babangida
to join the race for next year’s presidency.
Maryam death angle
It was gathered that the death of Babangida’s wife, Maryam, last December 27, served as a rallying point for some politicians,
who want Babangida back at the presidency. Within the period when
Maryam was buried and her 40th day fidau, paraphernalia of offices
of state governments across the country literally relocated to Minna.
At Minna even though politicians came for mourning, there were reconciliation
of political foes and realignment of political forces.
Initially, there was the belief that the death of Maryam would sound
the death knel on Babangida’s comeback hope, but the goodwill
that came with it boosted the confidence of the retired general,
it was gathered. Babangida’s confidant said that the manner
Nigerians, from all walks of life sympathised with him, during his
trying period, humbled Babangida the more and made him to hope that
an opportunity would come for him to reciprocate by giving the Nigerian
people quality and good governance. The message of appreciation
he sent to Nigerians conveyed his emotion on the love Nigerians
showed his family.
In the message, he stated: “ My dear compatriots, you have
once again stood by us at a time and moment when my family and I
need your support, consolation and prayers.”
The North’s thinking
It was gathered that the northern political elite, believing that it gambled and lost out with the Yar’Adua presidency, thinks
that with a candidate like Babangida the geopolitical zone will
bounce back to political reckoning, just as General Olusegun Obasanjo
brought back South West to political relevance at the federal level.
Sources said that the declaration that no serving or former governor
from the North will succeed Yar’Adua was part of the signal
to draft Babangida into the race. Indeed, a frontline northern critic
and retired Army Major, Abubakar Umar, had warned that the northern
governors, who are nursing the ambition of succeeding Yar’Adua
should bury such plans. According to him, none of these northern
governors is competent to rule the country. He said that some of
the governors, apart from their dismal performance, were found wanting
when the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) checked
their books.
Considering the offer
It was gathered that Babangida is considering the offer to succeed Yar’Adua. He is said to be examining the various forces angling
for his entry into the race, to ascertain if they mean well or just
want to drag him out and disgrace him. Also, he wants to be sure
that Nigerians would accept him.
Sources close to him said that one of the ways the former Head of
State wants to find out how Nigerians feel about him was for his
associates to commission a research to find out how Nigerians would
receive his entry into the presidential race. It was gathered that
this move is preparatory to him officially declaring to replace
Yar’Adua next year.
Former national treasurer of PDP, Dr. Godwin Daboh, who is among
those putting pressure on Babangida to join the 2011 race, had said
that result of research conducted in the six geopolitical zones
showed that over 70 percent of Nigerians want Babangida in the presidency
in 2011. This seems to have buoyed the confidence of the group,
which are surreptitiously revving their political structures.
With such finding, associates of Babangida have subtly started making
comments to prepare the ground. One of his former aides and ex-military
intelligence officer when Babangida was in power, Captain Sagir
Mohammed (retd), recently said that the constitution is clear on
who could be presidential candidate. According to him, “the
Nigerian people who decide who becomes the president have not, in
any way, foreclosed his possibility of becoming the president and
we have no proof that those few who want him not to contest, represent
the view of Nigerian people.”
He remarked that General Babangida holds the record as one of the
greatest leaders that have ever ruled the country, since the period
of amalgamation, adding that he has a record of achievements unsurpassed
by many Nigerian leaders before and after him. The former military
officer said Nigerians now have the unique opportunity of comparing
the Babangida regime with what the country has had after him.
Resurrecting political structures
It was gathered that Babangida has refused to disclose his political
activities for fear of being accused of contributing in heating
up the polity and destablising the Yar’Adua government. Sources
said that he wants to meet with President Yar’Adua, to ascertain
his plan for 2011 before making a public declaration on his intention.
In the meantime, it was gathered that his political associates have
started resurrecting his political structures secretly, preparatory
to his declaration.
One of them, who pleaded anonymity said: “We are now resurrecting
our structures because it is evident that going by the internal
and external pressures mounted on IBB to run for 2011 presidential
election, he would succumb. The unity and progress of this country
is very uppermost in his mind.”
His clout
Events have proved that Babangida is a force to be reckoned with in PDP and the polity. In 2006, many people picked nomination forms
for various offices because Babangida was expected to run for the
president. Some of them, especially those who wanted to be governors,
had actually paid the non-refundable N2m to pick nomination forms.
They, however, dropped their aspirations when it became clear that
Babangida was no longer interested in the presidency, following
the aspiration of Yar’Adua. Babangida had put what happened
into perspective then when he said that he pulled out because he
did not want to go into a contest with any member of the Yar’Adua
family because he saw them as his brothers. He revealed that Yar’Adua’s
father had told him not to ever do anything that would put him on
collision course with any of his children, as they grew up together.
The Governor’s Forum, in a meeting with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, said it does not want President Umaru Yar’Adua to resign.
The meeting, which held at the Aguda House, the residence of the Acting President, lasted for almost two hours, with all 36 state governors in attendance.
As they trooped into Mr Jonathan’s residence from the venue of an earlier meeting of the forum, their faces were bright and the banters were light, indicating that all was well. But when the governors left after their meeting with Mr Jonathan, they all looked grim, and a source close to one of the governors said the meeting had not been devoid of argument.
While briefing newsmen after the closed door meeting, the Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, said the group did not discuss the hundred days of Mr Yar’adua’s absence and that the issue of his resignation was also not touched upon.
He said: “We did not discuss that. We noted that the president has returned to the country and we noted the need for him to recuperate and get better soon, before he can think of assuming duty. For us the issue of his resignation is not an option for now. For us what is important is for us to be compassionate, to be sympathetic and to realise that anybody, no matter highly placed, even if you are a Christian and you are a Pope can get ill. Thank God he is back now and he is recuperating and we are satisfied that recovery is on the way. We are praying for him.”
Governor of Kwara State and head of the Forum, Bukola Saraki also said “We congratulated the Acting President towards stabilizing the polity of the country at the moment and we also in return pledged our support to the Acting President during this trying time. We encouraged him and said he is doing a good job and he has the full support of the governor’s forum in this exercise.”
Akunyili went overboard
Mr Saraki said Mr Jonathan gave reasons why he set up the presidential advisory council. He, “educated us on a number of issues, for example the advisory council that was set up and the reason behind it and other things,” Mr Saraki said. “By and large, we emphasized the need for the government to work very hard to ensure that we all play our role to provide leadership at this crucial time and to talk to members of government to ensure that the comments made are well guided. At the end of the day we acknowledged what he is doing and we appreciated it and the 36 governors will continue to support the Acting President for this country to move forward.
“We have expressed that we are happy to see that the president is back in the country, we have also said that we should separate the two issues. The return of the president to the country is an indication that there is progress in his recovery process and that does not deviate at all from any decision we took as a forum, where we all decided that a political solution to provide a resolution for Mr. Vice President to act as the Acting president and that is still the position.
Mr. Vice President acting as the president is still running this country and we are wishing the president speedy recovery. Our resolution was taken not because Mr. President was out of the country, but because he was ill and that has not changed.”
Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva however condemned the public statements making the rounds by public office holders. He picked issues with Information Minister, Dora Akunyili’s whom he said “went overboard” with her statements.