On the 13th of July 2007, I asked a question on this forum Nigeria: what more to write? I wrote the article on my return after visiting London for 2 nights and my cousin had been swearing in Essex that God punished those who made egg a luxury in Nigeria! Four months later, I have gone ahead to write 32 more articles on the NVS. Many of the things that I wrote about are outright criticisms of the Nigerian government and those who have been responsible for ruining over 70m lives down town. My blog messages have been written in harsher tones. I have called people thieves, idiots, nuisance, blatant liars and so on. I described Obasanjo as Nigeria’s biggest shame. I must confess that my 6 months vacation have been very inspiring, giving me time to follow Nigeria more closely and even allowing me the time to publish my first book-the entrapment of a nation.

So, how many articles and discussions have been written or posted on the Village square since inception? Who have we been talking to out there in Nigeria? Do those idiots and nation destroyers read newspapers? We know that Baba Iyabo does not read newspaper, so we should not bother him and his likes about ISP or what an explorer is. No big deal, my parents will never know too. I have taken a deep analysis into the situation in Nigeria and this is one of my conclusions: things will NEVER change in Nigeria because the parameters to warrant changes are missing! The most telling implication is that few and few people will escape poverty while it will be a life time experience for more and more people. Whatever you make of this expression is up to you and what you did with your statistics for beginners. I have decided never again to participate in any demonstration against the Nigerian government or any other body as such when something fundamental goes wrong. Protest is no more for me. I have been part of too many protests since the days of Maiyegun as UNILAG students’ union leader. Indeed IBB hasten himself to Aso rock when students gave him a hell of time in Lagos State. Maybe Orkar was the last joker? We were all together with Sowore and later our First Class Malcolm as we continued to fight for our rights and those of the general population. Almost 20 years on, we have more reasons today than we did then to stop these protests and revolt once and for all. If we add Fela’s days of Sorrow, Tears and Blood and Army arrangement, then we should be heeding a more than 30 year-old call from the grave-Don’t be afraid to fight for your freedom, for your happiness.

I know a few people who think that writers like me are exaggerating the situations in Nigeria. These people, some whom I know personally, now see things with a different eye for one reason only: they are now part of the fortunate few who escaped poverty one way or the other. On my own part, I want to move on with life on another lane. No more protests for me! My state of mind has grown beyond that of a protester or protestant. I have now dedicated my life to a more serious cause-a struggle. It is right if you call this struggle a revolution or a movement. I have never been afraid to stand for the things that I believe in. I will be waiting when other Nigerian bloggers and citizens are ready to salvage the future of their children’s children from the cabal. For me, I see nothing good coming out of all these articles that we have been writing since 1960. I am not putting my pen down yet, but I know I will not write so much again.

What is the use of writing about Benin-Ore road? Are you telling me that the transport minister is blind? What is the use of writing about lack of housing? Is the minster for housing crazy and mad at the same time? What is the need of writing about lack of water? Does the minster of water resources lack skull and brain? For how long am I suppose to put him on alert that his job is to make water flow to my flat? Why should I complain about election rigging any further? It has always been like that since 1959 and the same set of people or their progeny have been behind the whole nonsense! Why should I write any more about the health of children, women and the elderly? Isn’t the minister for health a health worker? Why should I complain more about lack of research facilities in our Universities? Am I not a waste product of brain drain? Is the minister for education a useless person? How much longer do I want to be part of this bunch whose job is to write about all the problems in Nigeria? Don’t I see that it is a branch that is already overflooded before my arrival at the scene? Why then can’t I shift my focus from joining the writers’ club to the revolutionary union?

I know I could be funny in some of my articles but I do that to play down my burning passion which is actually to see to the end (anyhow) of those who are controlling things evilly in my country of birth. I am not joking; I am not going to protest again-in Nigeria or abroad. The beginning of the timeless solution to Nigeria’s problem is mass-emancipation by the people. Rather than protest one day and go back home waiting for a Mimosa pudica response from some illegitimate government, useless autocratic government or any gaddem military rule, the people must learn the process of sustained resilient resistance-it doesn’t have to come with bloodbath which is the fear of many. Can 140m people possibly be killed at once? The people must harm themselves with a true plan and a structure that they intend to put in place on that day that their salvation will be earned. In that case, we can turn back to the likes of Solomonsydelle and other intelligentias in our midst. Some people have the true road map to our Glory!

Passivity or Passiveness is the greatest sin in Nigeria and Nigerians till today remain the greatest enemies of Nigeria. We need to psyche ourselves up. What could be worse than the deaths of more than 60, 000 women each year or the death of one child every 10 seconds? Does anyone know how many men leave their homes daily and never returned? What could be worse than a handful of deaths due to road accidents daily? What could be worse than regular assassinations, loss of lives due to armed robberies or stray or intended police bullets? All these annually nko? How many more poor souls do we want to discharge to pipeline explosions? Even the entire Odi community was wiped off from the map without any gain and no one was charged for genocide! Yet, for reasons best known to all of us, no one wants to die and no one wants to bell the cats! In my mind, there is no government in Nigeria. So, the people have the best chance in their history to actually create a country if they so desire. Governments in Nigeria have always been imposed, illegal or non-democratic. After 47 years as a country, no one government has been a representation of the wish of the people. Do normal people live in Nigeria? Was I normal before I escaped? Or maybe my madness started now? We have just been told that some idiots who should be severely dealt with will only return 50 billion naira and then relax to enjoy the remaining probably worth more than 500 billion naira. What nonsense! AND one ex-convict called Ibori owns more than 20 estates in the United States only and squandered over 100 billion naira meant for community projects. No greater madness!

After writing my book there is only one thing I have more to achieve in this non-everlasting life and that is to plant a tree. I intend to do that hopefully by next summer. It’s not like there are no positive things in Nigeria but compare to the lawlessness and the grave hopelessness that pervades, there is no need for protests anymore because the reason for the protests will manifest all over even a thousand fold in a single generation. Why should I protest police brutality or unlawful killings when I know it is a recurring decimal? Why should I protest against increase in fuel price when I know it will happen again and again? Why should I protest or demand any longer that David Mark should declare his assets when he is one out of the thousands that have stole, looted and drained our commonwealth. All of them ought to be brought to book and we cannot achieve that by writing on the internet or with 100 people protesting. Let us start a real struggle that will bring our monies back from the likes of Obasanjo, Babangida, The Yar Aduas, Umaru Dikko, Uba Ahmed, Andy Uba, Dariye, Orji Kalu, Maurice Iwu, Alao Akala, Tinubu, Fani Kayode, Ibori and the rest of the pack. We know these people and they are laughing at our writings. In their minds, we are all Segun Adeniyis waiting in the wings. I am not waiting in the wings. Soyinka’s generation is wasted, my generation is wasting. All my energy in the last 6 years have been focused on my unborn children and children’s children. Diaspora is not a home! They need a place to call home. Who makes that for them? Who have we been talking or writing to? It is definitely up to us what we make of our country, a pride or a shame? Our hopes lie in our hands!

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http://aderinola.wordpress.com

aderounmu@gmail.com

Robot  # 1 | 12.11.2007 10:41

Nigerians, stop protesting, fight for your freedom once and for all! No more protests for me! Pas...Read the full article.

Sincere Brillow  # 2 | 12.11.2007 10:51

Mr Adeola, You must be a prophet.I mean it. Read this. US Court Records Yield Some Details of Willbros $6m Bribery Scandal of Nigerian Officials Tunde Meee, Pardon me if it seems funny.I am just simply amiss as to what is really happening. I ask myself:Is it that i am mentally deranged together with over 100 million nigerians? Reason; All this political office holder together with the police together with their thugs plus their ammunitions & sychophants are not up to 1million put together. Yet they make life miserable for a whopping 100million people. Pls correct me if my mathematics is wrong. Or perhaps i am on the wrong side of the divide. I dont know. I watch CNN,SKYNEWS etc and see mass protest against irresponsible govt. I see Lawyers demonstarting on the streets I see Students slugging it out with law officers over a just cause I see boycotts that leads to granting of demands All this i see in other countries. But in my country what i see is Lamidi Adedibu-crooked,illetrate,senile,blockhead deciding the fate of literates. A petty hairdresser renovating her apartment with public funds which is enough to pay the annual salary of 60 Graduates for 5yrs @ 2million Naira per annum.(Conservative Estimate) I dont know,i dont Know,I dont Know, Yet i am part of them. Needless to say make any comment again. Later. Let me watch the Tide in this Village.

Idi-ogi  # 3 | 12.11.2007 13:09

In 2002, I went home. The only tarred road in my hometown was the road leading to the Local Government Chairman's palace. I concluded that we all deserve the quality of leaders that we have. In spite of the daylight and nightime robbery of the people's funds, the same Chairman moves about freely, gets invited to chair august occasions and donate a token of his ill-gotten wealth at fund-raising ceremonies. Rather than organize a revolution, those in the Diaspora took to the exit, leaving behind a more impoverished citizinery so destitute, they just live from day to day. Who will lead the struggle? Who cares if there is bloodshed? Why is the writer afraid of this? The history of progressive nations is littered with bloodshed. Because my former Local Government Chairman looted and is free, subsequent Chairmen did the same because until now, it pays to be a looter in Nigeria. What do you think would have happened if the 20002 Chairman was linched and his stollen property destroyed? Would other Chairmen loot and risk the possible consequencies? There was a time when armed robbers caught in the act of stealing were handed over to the police in my hometown. Armed robbery incidents exploded over time. When the "rule of law" was replaced with "tire round the neck" instant judgement, the people became free of these thieves. Writing is akin to the rule of law; the more we write, the more blatant our leaders become. Let us try a different approach. When every governor convicted by the EFCC pays with his life, there will be a dramatic reduction in the quagmire of corruption. Our public offices will no longer attract the most corrupt and conscience-less. There are 2 categories of Nigerians: those who had the opportunity and looted and those who have not looted because they have not had the opportunity to do so. Most writers belong to the latter category. Which of these 2 groups can lead a revolution? None. Only those who have had the opportunity and have not stolen can be trusted. The challenge we face right now is that those in the Diaspora are on the average, too comfortable to risk it all for the struggle. A few well-connected ones have gone home to join the looting. There is a leadership vaccum. Who will bell the cat or skin it?

ezyvic  # 4 | 12.11.2007 13:14

Mr Aderounmu, I can feel every iota of frustration in you, and I share it, completely. Nigeria as a nation has failed us, as those who benefited from the country have chosen to pay the country back in with utter disappointing virtues. Having said that, I most sincerely do not think it is the right time to throw in the towel, no, not just yet. The glory days are close, I see a very bright light at the end of the tunnel, but before then, I foresee a very dark era. A very dark era that will almost envelope the entire country. An era that will not spare the rich, the poor, the christian, the muslim, or even those outside the shores of the country (in diaspora). The world has gone mad, is the simple message I send out to you, and no nation looks to be spared. I am not a dooms day advocate, no. I simply speak from the facts in front of us, which we all try to manipulate to suite whatever ends we want to achieve. Today, the proliferation of small arms is a tale that we never speak about. Have we bothered to ask or find out the quantity of arms in circulation within Nigeria alone. The pile of arms is enough to end two wars, take it from the South-West (OPC) to the South-South (MEND, EGBESU, etc) to the North (AREWA militants, and TALEBAN group) to the East, where the BIAFRA legion exist. I do not think we can afford to stop writing or commenting, until a headway is attained. Any revolution that degenerates into a civil war, would make a child's play of the darfur situation. The diaspora will not be spared either, simply because the population of Nigerians outside Nigeria is enough to make up the West African sub-region, and I bet you the witch hunting will spill over. The way forward for me, is to keep drumming it into the ears of our leaders (ethnic, religious, social, political, etc) of the need to re-structure the nation, and grant everyone a sense of belonging. The US, UK, Europe, Middle east is not any safer than our nation. I appeal again to you Mr. Aderounmu to keep the flag flying. I would also seek your permission to share your beautiful piece with the Nigerian community here.

Karo Akarah  # 5 | 12.11.2007 13:18

Na me. Oya start collating signatures. Let the revolution begin.

truthsayer33  # 6 | 12.11.2007 13:47

Villager,author please do not despair.The pen will not topple the looting monsters but the pen can expose and frustrate them.It was the pen that cut short OBJ's greed. It was the pen that cut IWU down to size.It was the pen that exposed the link between the Delta freedom fighters and the looters.It was the pen that sparked the campaign that forced the resignation of the Speaker. We need the vigilance of the pen to control Andy Uba's lunatic antics. We came close to a revolution in 1966 but our wonderful former colonial masters made sure it did not succeed.The bloodshed of the Biafra struggle is still in the Nigerian DNA and I don't blame the populace for not wanting our country transformed into a Haiti/Rwanda/Darfur/DR Congo. Things are bad in Nigeria but many Nigerians can still laugh between the tears.

Oludele_Balogun  # 7 | 12.11.2007 15:19

Thank you Adeola Aderounmu for writing this article. Because of your article I was moved to join NVS - for years I have lurked behind scenes reading articles here, some I have agreed with others I have not. Not one has moved me enough to respond. For a long while I have held the belief that the problem with Nigeria is not our corrupt politicians nor the so called elite but us as a people. We have encouraged the blatant pilfering of our nations coffers by our inaction and in many cases our continual lauding of those who's interest is that of self and not for our great country. How can we blame the politicians? Our continual silence as a people has given them the mandate to continue in their actions. In other countries where it's citizens are faced with abject subjugation, the people have risen up, raised their voices and protested, demanding for change. From as far back as the French revolution in 1789 to the recent uprising in Pakistan. Even in oppressive regimes such as China and Burma people have protested against injustices felt with no regard for their own personal safety. So what makes the Nigerian different? Why do we sit back and continue to let this happen? I was in Bayelsa when the disgraced former governer Alamieyeseigha returned to the state...you would have thought a war hero had returned with the way he was welcomed back. At an inaugural event in Rivers State I attended about a year ago, the wife of the then Governor of Rivers State Mary Odili donated N10m to the event. You should have heard the applause; the way the towns women jiggled and danced and sang the praises of "madam"..I shook my head in disbelief.."This is your money" I thought. Yet see how grateful we where all acting to receive the crumbs from her table. Adeola, let us stop blaming the politicians, let us stop blaming the elites. It is not OBJ's fault, nor is it Atiku's fault. Let us stop blaming Babangida, Dangote, Odilli, Ibori or even that buffoon Adedibu. Instead blame me, blame yourself, blame all the writers here who like to talk the talk but are unwilling to walk the walk. Who sit comfortably in their council houses in Diaspora while the suffering goes on in their homeland. Blame the market woman, who for a few hundred naira, will dance and sing the praises of the current corrupt politician. Blame our students who rather than study will bribe their lecturers to pass them. Blame the lecturers who receive the bribes. Blame our religious leaders, leaders such as Mathew Ashimolowo of KICC and the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God whose continual silence on this matter is deafening. The new Governor of Rivers State Mr Rotimi Amaechi (one of Odili's boys - he was speaker during Odili's tenure and was responsible for sanctioning many of his illegitimate state expenditure) was counseled by the general overseer himself who prayed for him and told him "he would become governor". Blame the Imams, our traditional rulers, our fathers, our mothers, our sons and daughters. It is about time we all stopped burying our heads in the sand and took a stand. Maybe instead of writing endless articles about our rotten leaders, let us start looking at the crux of the problem - Nigerians! We need a big shift in perception, in our attitudes..only then will things begin to change.

ezyvic  # 8 | 12.11.2007 16:31

=Oludele_Balogun;2091819333>Thank you Adeola Aderounmu for writing this article. Because of your article I was moved to join NVS - for years I have lurked behind scenes reading articles here, some I have agreed with others I have not. Not one has moved me enough to respond. For a long while I have held the belief that the problem with Nigeria is not our corrupt politicians nor the so called elite but us as a people. We have encouraged the blatant pilfering of our nations coffers by our inaction and in many cases our continual lauding of those who's interest is that of self and not for our great country. How can we blame the politicians? Our continual silence as a people has given them the mandate to continue in their actions. In other countries where it's citizens are faced with abject subjugation, the people have risen up, raised their voices and protested, demanding for change. From as far back as the French revolution in 1789 to the recent uprising in Pakistan. Even in oppressive regimes such as China and Burma people have protested against injustices felt with no regard for their own personal safety. So what makes the Nigerian different? Why do we sit back and continue to let this happen? I was in Bayelsa when the disgraced former governer Alamieyeseigha returned to the state...you would have thought a war hero had returned with the way he was welcomed back. At an inaugural event in Rivers State I attended about a year ago, the wife of the then Governor of Rivers State Mary Odili donated N10m to the event. You should have heard the applause; the way the towns women jiggled and danced and sang the praises of "madam"..I shook my head in disbelief.."This is your money" I thought. Yet see how grateful we where all acting to receive the crumbs from her table. Adeola, let us stop blaming the politicians, let us stop blaming the elites. It is not OBJ's fault, nor is it Atiku's fault. Let us stop blaming Babangida, Dangote, Odilli, Ibori or even that buffoon Adedibu. Instead blame me, blame yourself, blame all the writers here who like to talk the talk but are unwilling to walk the walk. Who sit comfortably in their council houses in Diaspora while the suffering goes on in their homeland. Blame the market woman, who for a few hundred naira, will dance and sing the praises of the current corrupt politician. Blame our students who rather than study will bribe their lecturers to pass them. Blame the lecturers who receive the bribes. Blame our religious leaders, leaders such as Mathew Ashimolowo of KICC and the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God whose continual silence on this matter is deafening. The new Governor of Rivers State Mr Rotimi Amaechi (one of Odili's boys - he was speaker during Odili's tenure and was responsible for sanctioning many of his illegitimate state expenditure) was counseled by the general overseer himself who prayed for him and told him "he would become governor". Blame the Imams, our traditional rulers, our fathers, our mothers, our sons and daughters. It is about time we all stopped burying our heads in the sand and took a stand. Maybe instead of writing endless articles about our rotten leaders, let us start looking at the crux of the problem - Nigerians! We need a big shift in perception, in our attitudes..only then will things begin to change. Nicely put. Everyone has a piece of blame, just enough to go round. Again, like Mr. Aderounmu mentioned, some of us have participated in rallies/ uprisings to protest government's mismanagement. The hay days of Maiyegun, Sowore, Malcom, were days University of Lagos and the larger society would not forget in a hurry. Beyond the effective struggles, some of us have confronted political leaders within our constituencies, and only recently, the minister of finance visited my host country, and right at the Nigerian High Commission, he had to dig deep into his bags to convince nationals that the nation still had to linger on. Mr. Balogun, uprisings within the populace is going to be difficult, and I will tell you why. First and foremost, the seed of discord has been planted amongst Nigerians to reason along ethnic and religious lines, and this simply ensures that every ethnic and religious groups protect their own from the central punitive measures. The Alams case is a simple example. Secondly, the poverty level within the country is so bad that people survive on daily income. Any revolt that would last a while, like that in Burma, would mean you expect a high degree of sacrifice. Who would be fooling who? Those they revolt against and those spearheading the revolt will sort things out in the US and UK over dinner, while they, the true masses, end up loosing out. Thirdly, the nation called Nigeria is structurally a misnomer that has brought its populace pain and anguish. A complete overhaul of the nation, from name to federal, state, local structure to an outright constitutional re-write and a possible change of name, is in my view, long over due. The power needs to be returned to the people constitutionally, as against what is obtained today, which allows and encourages corruption, as there is too much power in the center. Here (my host country) we see how service is enforced by the people, simply because transparency is enshrined, and every leader, no matter how big, is accountable to the populace. The Mantu constitutional reforms failed because it was far from representing the wishes and aspiration of the people. The Orji Uzor Kalu postulations cannot be taken seriously, simply because he is a part of the larger problem. I have read opinions of supposed elite villagers, who defend the actions of some of these looter, simply because they are from their enclave, quite a miasmal disposition. Some have asked for a 'Rawlings' of our time, while some continue to seek outright division of the country. Well, in my opinion, Nigeria, in her short life span has tried out both options and the results are now history. I again foresee an attempt at both options, and that will leave some bitter pills in our mouth for a long time to come. Everyone in the elite class contribute their quota in compounding the already bad situation, and seems satisfied staying in their comfort zones, asking for changes, forgetting that freedom has a price. The price of freedom for Nigerians is what I would not gamble into for now, but, it is surely going to be an 'expensive' price to be paid, unless ........

Akinyi  # 9 | 12.11.2007 17:54

This Author wrote "I have taken a deep analysis into the situation in Nigeria and this is one of my conclusions: things will NEVER change in Nigeria because the parameters to warrant changes are missing!". Prince Charles Dickson also in his article " Nigeria's Budgets ...just a talk show" complained about lack of changes in people's lives. This author like Charles are saying thesame thing in different ways. We all know that our leaders are like boxers who will deliver a punch to a fallen opponent. A no-no in boxing. I am of the opinion after reading that article and this article that we, the ordinary Nigerians are more to blame for most of the bad governance we get. What stops Nigerians from following up on last year's budget and questioning whether the local and state govts. lived up to what was set in their budgets? Was that road built, or was that budgeted hospital provided with equipments? Who would ask these questions? These questions are parameters. How many times have you read Reuben Abati rate state govts on implementation of their budgets? Our journalists are really not doing us any good in that country. How many journalists have questioned/rated how budgets were implemented? Sowore of Saharareporters has probably done more for Nigeria in his few years of existence. Abeg, I am tired!

Chidi Giniji  # 10 | 12.11.2007 20:58

Please read my article, "I have a dream," posted here on 24th of August 2006. I quite agree with you my brother. These verbal and scripted tirades have become empty trites that will change nothing in Nigeria. If we do not adopt better strategies we would be betraying the future generations like those before us betrayed us. Unfortunately, while we have leaders of ethnic factions, we lack leaders of the Nigerian people. What a shame.

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