NIGERIA: BAD LEADERS, POOR MASSES

The slogan of the re branding protagonists going on in Nigeria has been ‘NIGERIA: GOOD PEOPLE, GREAT NATION’. However, rebranding without first acknowledging our problems and solving them is tantamount to putting the cart before the horse. According to one of Nigeria advertising tsars, Biodun Shobanjo, a product can be referred to as a brand if and only if it can produce consistently an identifiable satisfaction to customers. In his words, that is why rebranding Nigeria will fail and woefully for that matter, this is because the brand Nigeria cannot produce consistently what rebranders claim it is.
The fundamental problem with Nigeria is bad leadership. Nigerians are hard working people, but the ugly monster of bad leadership has continually militated against any meaningful progress in the country. It is sad to note that the only thing developing in this country is underdevelopment.
The endemic poverty that has engulfed the country is bereft of change programs and policy implementation.
Nigerians will rather complain than take pragmatic steps to better their existential conditions with the words of late afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti ‘suffering and smiling’ fitting for the situation. Government on their own part will rather find excuses, procrastinate, coin out some enticing but deceitful English words such as 7 point agenda than implement people oriented policies.We must therefore all rise up and take our destinies in our hands by saying a big NO to bad leadership and mediocrity and tell Mrs Akunyili and her band of rebranders that instead good people, great nation, all we can get from bad leaders is poor masses

THE NIGER DELTA CRISIS AND THE POLITICS OF AMNESTY.

The amnesty purportedly offered militants in the Niger delta area of Nigeria is a total misnomer. This is because amnesty can only be granted to a convicted criminal. The militants in Niger Delta Nigeria are not criminals, but simply freedom fighters.
With the level of environmental degradation and endemic poverty that characterize the region, those involved in militant activities cannot be blamed at all. How can a rational human being remain docile when his resources are looted with impunity. According to Wole Soyinka in his book (The Man Died), ‘The Man is dead in him who keep silent in the face of tyranny’.
To be candid, who actually need amnesty in the Niger Delta? The militants that are fighting for development in their land, or the federal government that has neglected and marginalized the region for decades. My simple submission is that it is the Niger Deltans that should be thinking of granting the government amnesty for the atrocities and total disregard for human right and rule of law committed in the region. The killing of innocent villagers and destruction of their habitat in Choba, Ogoni land, Tombia, Kaiama, Odi, Agee, Gbaramatu, Oporoza, etc. shows clearly that the federal government has no moral justification to talk about amnesty. How can a government that deploys jet fighters to bomb innocent villagers talk about amnesty? A sinner can never forgive God, it is impossible.
The federal government is raising the issue of amnesty because they want to reconcile with the criminal militant elements they used to rig the 2007 election as 2011 draws near. If all militants are really criminal and top government functionaries have nothing to hide, then why not compel them to face the laws of the land. Amnesty is not and can never be the solution to the Niger Delta crisis. The solution is massive and aggressive infrastructural development of the region.

IF THE HEAD IS SICK, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THE BODY CALLED NIGERIA

It is factual that someone who is sick cannot give out his best. Moreso, if the head of a country is sick, then that country would be prone to crisis.
The case of Nigeria is so pathetic because ours is a sick country presided over by a sick president. Whereas president yar’adua has good policy, initiatives captioned the seven point agenda, the level of implementation and realization of policy objectives has been outright failure.
The fundamental reality is that in a dependent prvatised and corrupt state like Nigeria, he who occupies leadership position contend with diabolic forces. Therefore it is only a healthy and vibrant leader that can bring about positive changes, and promote development.
A sick president ruling a sick country is tantamount to national stagnation cum retrogression and that explains the deplorable state of our roads, corruption, fraudulent elections, violation of rule of law, absence of basic social amenities like health care, food, electricity, etc. No wonder ASUU, NASU, SSANU, NUJ, RATAWU, NIPOST, medical and health workers are all on strike.
The existential conditions clearly explains the Nigerian situation. In fact if the head is sick, what else do you expect from the body called Nigeria.