{mosimage}In his farewell valedictory remark to the nation in 1961, Dwight Eisenhower included the following warning: “in the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.” Nigeria as a case study: is a classical study of a dysfunctional society via misplaced power which exists within its frontiers today. Accordingly, the said misplaced power, sought and unsought, by unworthy greedy few who now fronts as custodians is its pitfall.   

To this writer, observers of, international political-think tanks go along with the saying that: power corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. However, permit me to add that there exists one exception in Sub-Saharan Africa [SSA]. You can call it another leftist diatribe or a valid alarm. Nonetheless, this exceptionality is found locally in J.J. Rawlings of Ghana. Ghana revolution under Rawlings was swift with resolve, met its targets accurately. This resolve was first prompted by Kwame Nkrumah’s vision. His vision and mission was interrupted by a combination of domestic and international factors. Details for another day!  

However, revolution indeed catapulted Ghana to greater heights as it were. Today, this member-state is globally respected in the comity of nations. Individuals and international groups seek to do business with her. It has matured, developed its work-ethics while her next door neighbor—Nigeria, its supplier of crude-oil has degenerated, descended into antithetical, non-workable-ethics. Some observers blame this non-workability on laziness and stupidity of its booming black-gold: oil/gas. Ghana, albeit, smaller than Nigeria in all ramifications, has committed, fought and swiftly cleansed its frontiers of this pandemic called corruption; today Ghana is calm and its public treasury is calm. Regardless, as it matched toward freedom, it faced variety of challenges from enemies of the state—including former gold-diggers in former Gold Coast. It has gradually managed to re-position itself—thanks to revolutionaries. Let it be said that its land today is synonymous to tranquility, security and good governance. Accountability and transparency is taking root based on constitutionalism and respect for the rule of law by its citizenry.

This writer use Ghana as a catalyst to lunch the idea and relevance of revolution. It is therefore no surprising that irrespective of Ghana’s constraints/challenges within its frontiers vis-à-vis revolution, its engineering-proponents mustered the nerve to pull it off, regardless.  

Ethical nuance, stabilization and standardization have become its hallmark and it has continued to do well ever since. Ethicists are breaking-grounds in a manner that culminated and facilitated good governance in leadership/followership and followership/leadership relationship never seen before. They are emphasizing equal work for equal pay. Today some Nigerians including notable looters are flooding into this emerging neighboring state for safety and security, adopting her as second home. Ghana is at peace with itself, it has eschewed old-habits and other sarcomata acts of dehumanization practices, including those bequeathed her by former rulers, and former colonial establishments. In this writer’s view this is indeed revolution revisited. As you can see revolution is the making of a nation and a primordial to nationalism.

Comparatively, Nigerian situation remains very disturbing: Looters and criminals are walking-free in the streets of Nigeria, bragging about their loots—even deluding themselves of returning to power even by storm come 2007. Unholy alliances are being orchestrated by looters as cover-ups. The unholy alliance such as recent Buhari/Babangida coming together which has left many Nigerians confused, confounded. This is practically so, as discredited General Babangida and his cronies that looted, murdered and plundered our oil/gas industry and starched billions of dollars more into foreign accounts remained undaunted. Babangida and others have not returned these loots to Nigerian government, neither, has the discredited General apologized to the nation for his past and present evil and wicked ways. As we are aware, these wounds are still fresh in the minds of many Nigerians. It is more disturbing that General Buhari is engaging in this betrayal, treacherous alignment with IBB rather than leave him in isolationism. The assumption is that this unholy-alliance will in the long run diminish General Buhari’s credibility in the eyes of many. To be sure, a society with effective legal-mobility, were rule of law is running in all cylinders and respected by all, these miscreants will perhaps think twice before reopening the pains they caused on Nigerians for decades. In short, rather than watch these criminals parade their loots, it is significantly the responsibility of the state to arrest, prosecute, and remand such behind bars.

Need we say more! As long as looters, authors of unethical fiefdom, inside and outside government are walking free in our streets, the chances of peace in Nigeria are distance. Nigeria will not know peace, until justice is brought down on the authors that institutionalized and liberalized plundering, murdering, bribery and corruption in Nigeria-state. Pardon the distractive technicalities, as attempt to privatize truth in the land of the living becomes issue of life and dead—critical.   

Alas, other revolutionary reflexes are handy world-over for our lessons, documentations and discussions. A case in point is 1927 Russian revolution. As in other cases, corruption indicators were at its grossest quarterly exemplified during Czar Era. As it were, a revolution was inevitable. Yet, this inevitability was necessitated by events on the ground, with the masses languishing in penury, shoved aside and pretty much on-the-edge in the scheme of things. The experience showcased illegitimate actions of misplaced-power by rulers of the day with little regard to the sanctity of human-life—while corruption and greed—orders the day. Leaderships as always appear comfortable and insensitive to human sufferings as avarice is widespread and accepted in high and low places. The end game: revolution took down the Czar imperialism in Russia. Feudalism: government-based on land-ownerships and landless-workers were purportedly projected as partners. Concocted partnership based purely on unequal yoke. Servant-master relationship or master-servant relationship and vise-versa were commonplace. This practice sooner gave way—as peasants-or-landless-workers revolts swept across the land. It was a matter of time as, it overthrew the misplaced and misguided power drunks that deluded themselves as messiahs of the government of the day and in its place the former Soviet Union was born.

Suffice it to say that communist state [USSR] dominated the territory for the space of 70 years. Its character and charter though, was built on falsehood or lies. What an irony! This notwithstanding however, lying was an essential ingredient for its survival. For generations, Soviet leaderships enacted “monolithic unity of the party and the people” and the Politburo tradition of “friendship” for the people of USSR. In its ordeal these lies were no longer susceptible, as the USSR impositions came crashing in 1990. In addition, pundits magnified other reasons culminating to its fall: 1] the non-existence of diversified economy; II] emphasis and resource controlled by the state went down the drains into arms build-ups in its rivalry with the United States. This precipice widened through-out pre-Cold War/post Cold War eras. The French Revolutions also saw the likes of Napoleon and their followers’ takeover and restructure France industries for its citizenry. Liberty, freedom and fraternity were its hallmark. The American Revolution: declared truth as self-evident exemplified in the equality of all men by/before their Maker. The industrial revolution in England and across Europe became an act of crossing the rubricon to meet new challenges, as Europe awake from its dark-age era, to embrace enlightenment as civilization in Ethiopia [Africa] flourished.

The Cuban revolution in 1959 led by Fidel Castro and his comrades, sent United States backed Batista’s capitalist regime parking never to return again. Chairman Mao and Red China championed its revolution and subsequently a foundation was established which, carried China through revolution/post-revolution era; which thereafter extricated her off of almost total collapse and lunched her into prominence. Indeed, it became a cover-up for its primordial nationalism. Its peoples regardless of the new challenge were savvy enough to create a climate for new creeds of fundamental significant capacities—locally. Red China and others in this line of ideologically driven vision, today, share a measure of geopolitical bloc becoming an emergent competitor in the comity of nations, a crucial competitor in the global market-economy.

Despite the aforementioned successes with its pitfalls, this writer is in grief—lamenting the imperfection of human creationism and human evolutionism. This prescription or interruption, found in the breakdown of law and order that facilitated a vacuum of leadership and misplaced power in Nigeria-state calls for a rethinking, revisiting revolutionary transformations. Markedly, there is power-misplaced as exemplified in this administration’s act of dishonoring court orders time and again. Today states like Oyo, Anambra, Bayelsa and others are taking queue for this illogical-illegal precedence as it is the case with apex-body—fed.   

The Parallel drawn is that actionable premises have become inactionability glazed in a thinly-veiled cloak, created by inactionability of good men—in other words, “evil triumph in our society because good men do nothing.” – Edmund Burke.

Based on the foregoing, readers and observers must understand that anything built on illegitimacy is illegitimate. And believe it or not sooner or later this illegitimacy will come crashing as always, history is our witness.

It is no news that Nigeria was built on lies and falsehood to serve the interest of British. From 1889 upward, its administrators: British down to the current administration plundered the land and have continued to plunder the state-security-vaults/treasury [SSV-T] to its pleasure. As it stands, there seems to be no limits at the disposal of these looters and destroyers of the homeland. From the present administration to whatever they recycle-out in 2007 are compromised, illegitimate and false as they do not represent the will of the people neither, do they have people’s mandates or allegiances in its delusional leadership makeup. The explanations given are copious and loud. It is from one electoral fraud after another—politics of settlement and godfatherism: Ubaism and Adedibuism as a case study.

Nigeria is a classical case of non-compliance of mechanical makeup that prompts nationalism, rather, she is a manifestation of de-nationalism and—a perfected congealed-consolidation of ethnicism and regionalism.



  

By 1966 something became obvious: A revolution was almost inevitable. Visible cracks and handwritings were all-over the wall. Chukwuma Kaduna Nzogwu, Ifeajuna, Ademoyega and others had begun a bloody sweep across the plate. To these coupist [or revolutionaries], their intelligibility reflexes point toward cleansing the frontier of its corrupt leaders, rid her of its greedy looters, illiteracy and install people’s government. As fate would have it, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumuegwu Ojukwu and General Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi and others quashed the revolution believing in the rule of law for Nigeria. They were mistaken! In short, sooner as time passed by, to their chagrin, the rule of law was jettisoned followed by the genocidal actions/pogrom by the northern elements of the ruling caliphate, under misguided and misplaced claims: “we are born to rule Nigeria” forever. The revolution was short lived. Short lived, but the idea remains alive in the minds of many. The unmitigated precipice prompted Biafra-Revolution. The said Biafran-Revolution was predicated and based on the survival of their nation—a revolution of attrition—a battle for survival in defense of their families, their country, their children, their humanity and their religion. These warriors saved this writer’s life as a little-child. And, as such he remains deeply indebted to the Great Biafrans: deeply grateful for their sacrifice, gallantry, and valiancy forever. Albeit, the revolution was interrupted, for a combination of factors, however the idea Biafra lives on. Russians and British participation on Nigerian-side made it impossible—yet, Biafrans remember the actions, the idea with pride.

In this dispensation, the entity called Nigeria has worsened in scope and breath. It has widened and ripened in greater iniquity. By application, there is massive-stealing called corruption. Nepotism and godfatherism has a misplaced popularity in recent history in 45 years of this experiment.

Privatization and liberalization of Nigerian economy is another fantasy made off of this falsehood and pretensions. The truth is that military elites and their civilian collaborators are dissolving state owned properties like NNPC, NEPA and others with impunity all in the name of privatization and liberalization. The aforementioned group are spuriously and criminally buying and selling these colossal former state controlled properties to themselves with no biddings made—and in turn—reselling these pieces of properties to domestic and foreign buyers who can afford them. They bargain and sell them at astronomical prizes at the expense of the suffering masses; T.Y. Danjuma recently, sold his looted oil bloc to a Chinese firm at a whopping sum of 2.5 billion dollars. Under normal circumstance the inquiry would be to scrutinize, question how his man got his oil bloc while, an estimated over 80% of Nigerians live in deprivation, below poverty-line of under a dollar per day.  

Gbenga Obasanjo’s interview only revealed what we already know for decades for all Nigerians to see. Needless say more! The stealing prey with impunity knows no bounds and need a cure.

Maybe, assuredly a new dawn is emerging in the country called Nigeria, and in alternative, precautionary measures are reviewed and revisited. The new wave and height of corruption is stupendous regardless of EFCC—even as EFCC attempt to approach with fear in my view, these untouchables. To some degree, I respect Mr. Ribadu’s credibility knowing that he had the opportunity to serve under B. T. Idiagbon/Buhari War Against Indiscipline [WAI] program. However, I nurse my reservations on many things. Ribadu’s existence gives hope that late Idiagbon’s vision for a better Nigeria was not in vain, despite Obasanjo. As Nuhu and company faces the challenge of notable untouchables, studies show that corruption, greed, irresponsibility, lack-of-work-ethics et al is widening, and have left the nation suffocating and guessing on what her exit strategy should be amidst its predicament.  

We have witnessed time without number irresponsible misguided fed on its conduct of government business with dysfunctional apparatus. This is uncharacteristic of a federal-state in part, because it lacks nationalistic relevance. The republic has witnessed unprecedented widening element of anti-nationalistic tendencies, murdering of Nigerians in cold-blood at Odi-oma Obioku, Ijaw-land and Onitsha and more. Its hypocrisy today has no comparison in recent history.  

On the other hand, looters have done very well for themselves.  They have tightened and consolidated control of their ill-gotten wealth meant for the citizenry. They have continued to dismantle state properties, buy and share same amongst themselves while Nigerians slump deeper into poverty. Worse still, while, the rich is becoming super-rich, the poor is becoming super-poor and it has become an impossibility to measure the gap between these two societies—Two-Nigerias—haves: wealthy and powerful and have-nots: poor, powerless, and miserable …. God knows!  

There seems to be an increase in lies and consumerism without productions. This falsity has become prevalent in the idea of one Nigeria. To many, Nigeria is inconceivable and a farce due to masses unprecedented misery without end. To these, change is by any means necessary. It is therefore, relevant the regional powers of Nigeria: West, North, Middle-Belt, South-East/South-South must do something and get it right. South-East/South-South in particular as main provider of Nigerian resources must resists feds curious generational-marginalization of its region[s]. Recently, SE/SS group made a political statement almost taking queue from the 1967 Aburi-Accord, 35years later, in her just concluded Enugu summit reaffirming similar concerns again. It is Resource allocation! Resource allocation!!!

They sent strong message to the nation, stating that second fiddle come 2007 is aberrational in fact unacceptable. To SE/SS, either the rest of the country supports their candidacy for the Presidency or disintegration. They have rejected completely the ploy of divide and conquer by fed. Either way, the fed has continued to plunder its resources, pollute its land, waters and environs with chemical-substance[s] and other toxics materials this past 45 years of oil exploration with its foreign-exploiters. In practicality, it has left its population poorer more than any other time in recent history. It is demanding a stronger region with weaker center, with better control over its oil/gas allocations from its region.

There exists general apprehension, fear and insecurity everywhere, as if not bad enough there is increase in crime by robbers, police-robbers military-robbers across the country. Economic and social justice think-tanks observed that things should not be this way in a nation that pumps 2.5 million barrels per day. And, United States just declared travel warning to its citizens and calling the situation “lawless.” The same US that have been telling Obasanjo administration through Gbenga Obasanjo to stay put-in-power while press releases says otherwise on Third Term. What a double-standard. From Gbenga Obasanjo’s remarked one would deduce conflicting political statement by the US:

 “Look, quite a lot of people are putting pressure on Baba to stay. Even the Americans are passing messages through me; forget about all those scripted public statements. They want him to stay, so many people….” 

In America it is unthinkable to go beyond what is prescribed in the constitution, but, they careless about Nigeria. They are telling this administration to remain in power—as the only relevant option. America does not wish Nigerians well and they are no friends. People get it!

One would hope that forward-looking strategy is possible in Nigeria-state for the following reasons: setting aside 50% of oil resource allocation to oil producing areas as it was the practice in the 60s when cocoa, groundnut, palm-oil and rubber was the main stay of our economy. In those days cocoa-areas and groundnuts-area got 50% from its remuneration—while, remainder went to the central government in Lagos now Abuja and other sectors. This administration can save us the painfulness of any civil conflict by doing the right thing starting today. It is incumbent upon her to show fairness and equity to its citizenry or resign today even now, otherwise what!

There has to be some measure of power sharing between Nigerian domestic political-competitors: South-South, South-East, North, West and Middle-belt geopolitical-blocs. Viability would be tenable through sincere dialogue if pursued by all parties in the nation, there by mitigating or reducing major geopolitical rivalry that continue to heat-up polity. This can be done without pushing the republic to the predicted breakup. As the idea is revolutionary in nature, one would assume that the fallouts would be revolutionary in nature.  

The very painfulness of this observation explains why Obasanjo administration has refused to be pragmatic in sincerely listening to complaints from all Nigerians. This administration has refused to be truthful and honest to Nigerians and to itself. This ill-advised administration has always preferred to listen to its masters: foreign imperialists and interventionists at the detriment of its dying population. Petro-dollars, from South-East, South-South has been diverted to private University like Bell University in Abeokuta and Ottah Farm that do not have a drop of oil, while, additional petro-dollars are starched into individual/group-foreign accounts while the nation’s premier universities and other institutions are crumbling for lack of adequate funding. This administration cannot be trusted one bit as it has failed woefully.

One wonders, why Nigerian territory has been occupied by foreign-oil-multinationals this long without coordinated effective response to liberate her from foreign-occupation.

To be sure, the question is what is it about us that we succumb to the current occupation? What shape, form and scale would revolution take its cause in Nigeria with swift and measured-resolve in order to free its citizenry from self-inflicted degradation by these gate-keepers?

With many compromised elements: traitors, cowards and chameleons in play, will revolution not look like a gamble others asked? Traitors and cowards have always been around but these characters cannot stop an idea its time is come. By implication, the possibility of revolution in Nigeria is there when it either way. But some caution that revolution could be a complex project with mechanical-transformations faced with multi-constraints yet multidimensional possibilities. 

Presently, militia groups are all over Nigeria. These militias were created by Nigerian government anti-people policies, motivated by intergenerational injustices, inter-generational-discriminations and inter-generational-marginalization of one region against another—by fed. A ploy of divide and conquer.

For example, the National Volunteer Force [NVF], Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra [MOSSAB] a non-violent group, AREWA, ODUDUWA and others are overtly and covertly seeking self-determination, asking for full—independent state from the current arrangement as a result. The incessant recycling of deadwoods from retired tired military cabals to continue to run the republic is an affront, an affront to Nigerians. We have better and smarter personalities to lead Nigeria. This practice of well the connected and, the powerful produced Obasanjo administration which in turn held Nigerians hostage in their own land this past 7 years.  

Domestic and international observers say as the nation is drifting, faster than one could imagine, faced with unprecedented rancor premised on generational lack of sense of belonging in certain regions leaves the state in state of uncertainty.

Others see possibility of co-existence which they believe can hold-off impossibility projected by pessimists. It has almost become a struggle between the pessimists and the optimists. Whatever it is, identifying and addressing these challenges with immediacy needs not be overemphasized. Speedy development: provision of clean water, steady electricity, roads, and refurbishment of the labor-force that would serve as conduit capacity to absorb millions of unemployed Nigerians without rubbishing the agenda will save the nation from uncertainty and restore her with a future and hope.  

Revolutions worldwide have always taken bloody and chaotic tunes.  Civil critics’ have sounded cautionary concerns over the turn of events predicting that worse is yet to come as long as the discredited and misguided Obasanjo administration remains in power.  

There has been too much talk about what’s wrong with Nigeria and all. Well, are Nigerians prepared to suck up the prize of a revolution? Others ask if, oil and gas was in the North: for example oil in Sokoto State or Kano State; we will be having this conversation.  Perhaps not!

Revolution is about sacrifice, commitment, dedication and love for country outside oneself. These are the usual chemistry and characteristics of revolutionary driven elements everywhere. The French, Britons, Cubans, Americans, Russians, Ghanaians, and Chinese will confirm this. They will probably caution in unison that revolution comes with a prize—as there is no effective change without sacrifice, selflessness and love of country even giving in to supreme sacrifice.

June 12 dividends have been squandered by this administration and that is unfortunate.  

In the finally analysis, I propose an exit strategy for a country called Nigeria against the backdrop that it serve as —a pilot preparatory transformation for an effective restructuring of the country from now on. They are:

 

• That this administration needs to tell its masters: the west, World Bank, IMF and its partners, the advice it would not want to hear. In unequivocal terms advise these multinationals to leave Nigerian soil, to enable Nigerians to govern and manage its territory and resources for the betterment  and development of its peoples; 
• With due respect to Abubarkar Omar, and Buhari and other respectable personality in the North, they should consider supporting a SE/SS presidency. The North must quash the idea of another Presidency for the next 10 to 15 years;  
• If  Obasanjo administration by omission or commission decides to handover the leadership to the North again after 35 years of misrule, plunder and rots that might just be it—the end of this artificial marriage, others call it disintegration;
• Within the intellectual circles, it is important that clergies, educators, instructors, social practitioners, experts on civic-duty and—responsibility and so forth, should lunch an enlightenment campaign to educate this people called Nigerians via education and information initiative programs explaining major differences between Nigeria of 1966 and Nigeria of 2006;
• The revolution can take two folds: I] massive cleansing that could be pretty bloody or II] massive sincere restructuring in alternative;
• If Nigeria can bleed its soldiers/ resources on missions in Liberal, Sierra Leone, Congo and or Sudan to restore law and order in these foreign frontiers—why is it when we say that it is right for her to fight and defend our mothers, children, sisters and brothers in South-South and South-East, West and North in defense of our God given freedom, land, religion and property they say it is hate teaching;  
• Revolution is the making of a nation. Revolution will take a swift, pure in heart, and dedicated individuals without gall to assist the people take back their government from multinationals. Power belongs to the people;
• Revolution is sometimes the laying down of ones life for the sake of his friends. It might be a long drawn action and if this writer becomes a casualty in the process of a swift change, it is all well and good. Let those who live thereafter see peace/tranquility, security, and better life for themselves, their families, religion, faith in God than this suffering that is consuming our land and our people.

Friends, compatibility is basic here: it is irresponsible to put an old wine into an old bottle. The practice should be new wine in a new bottle—building a new nation means that we have to discard old corrupt habits and those who institutionalized them along the wayside for better and stronger tomorrow.   

Make no mistake—this administration has out lived its uselessness to our society, in its official conduct of governance today. They have institutionalized nepotism and corruption [one may be tempted to extricate EFCC Chair/other few] it is time to say good bye to this generation of waste for a new Nigeria to emerge. Let it be said, in all intents and purposes—revolutionaries do not pursue selfish ambitions; they do however, pursue self-less ambitions for the love of country to restore the rule of law that is lacking today. Revolution is a primordial for Nationalism for the love of country, not for the love for petro-dollars.

A revolutionary transformational thematic-operation is not for the feebleminded ones. It is for the great and noble ones. It is by any means necessary. It is time to stop all the talks of all that is sick with Nigerian and act. And if we cannot restore her into proper footings: like true-accountability, transparency and responsibility then we should quit all the noise and move on. Yes, otherwise, all I have been hearing and reading are simply noise and moving in unending circles. If Nigerians do not have the nerve and swagger to put this fallen nation back on track, then, we should quit all these propaganda like noise and leave her alone of whatever its plunders is left of her. In my view it is unnecessary to interrupt further the Nigerian-state. Until such a time arrives, were readiness and preparedness has been harnessed, capacities developed to move her forward through revolution to facilitate a new order, for a new nation—till then, let Nigeria be.  

Carlisle U.O. Umunnah

Is New York-based freelance writer

Contact: Cuu1_liberties@yahoo.com 

January, 2006

PART TWO: IN TWO TO FOUR WEEKS. PLEASE BE PATIENT ...

Copyrights Reserved …

Robot  # 1 | 28.01.2006 13:40

Comparatively, the Nigerian situation remains very disturbing: Looters and criminals are walking-free in the streets of Nigeria, bragging about their loots—even deluding themselves of returning to power even by storm come 2007. Unholy alliances are being orchestrated by looters as cover-ups. The unholy alliance such as recent Buhari/Babangida coming together which has left many Nigerians confused, confounded. This is practically so, as discredited General Babangida and his cronies that looted, murde...Read the full article.

Naija for life  # 2 | 28.01.2006 20:36

I always find your articles engaging. Kudos for another great piece. I, like many Nigerians, believe that we are long overdue for a revolution. I am also aware that violence and loss of life are almost always inevitable in any revolution. I have advanced some sudjestions of my own for a revolution in my response to the latest article by Sabella Abidde. However, my sudjestions assumes that our law enforcement agencies would cooperate in upholding due process, a task they have largely abandoned. Since our armed forces and legislatures would most likely oppose a revolution by constitutional means, how can it be brought about without excessive loss of life? I am willing to accept some loss of life, (including my own if it would set Nigeria on the path of greatness), but I am opposed to loss of life that runs into the hundreds of thousands, or, heaven forbid, millions. I hope you address this in part 2. Again, great piece.

UMUNNAH  # 3 | 28.01.2006 23:03

Dear Naija for Life - Thank you kindly for your wonderful response accordingly. As you can see this article was posted late but NVS administrators decided to post it at the bottle as if it has been there for years. Perhaps so that visitors won't have enough time to review it and react to it. That's Naija politics playing out here but am not discouraged at all. I am even grateful that they had the courage to post it, anyways. Thnx NVS management. Second, I will address the fear of lose of lives or many lives in thousands or millions in the Part II of this piece. I am deeply grateful to you and millions reading and rexamining Naija today. And let it be said, even myself, like you, I will be prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice if necessary or if needs be to make the life our peoples better that the current sorry situation we found ourselves. It is corruption at all time high. It doesn't matter how we look at it, bottomline is that it will come either way or disintegeration is here. At some point people, we have to choose either to live in shame or die while trying to live & die with honor. God bless you and many out there who feel the same way and please stay strong wherever you maybe at this time. CUO UMUNNAH IN NEWYORK

unregistered  # 4 | 28.01.2006 23:52

Hello Administrator - I really like the key piece placed by the side of this revolutionary piece of Mr. Umunnah. Thank you admin. & Mr. Umunnah for waking all Nigerians up on the urgent need of revolution in Nigeria. Neat piece! I am waiting for part 2 and hope villagers can read and think for themselves on the way forward. It is almost too late for the nation called Nigeria.

unregistered  # 5 | 28.01.2006 23:55

Excellent piece for that matter. I like the key too by the side of the article. Almost like to say that's the key to free Nigerians from enemies of the State.

Palamedes  # 6 | 29.01.2006 02:25

A nation if it is to grow must endure some sort of severity, greed, violence, misery, privation. Some nations will crumble under the weight of these failings and yet others will be strengthened by it. Like a stocky Turkish weightlifter with trembling legs, Nigeria is managing to beat the count. It is wrong to assume that revolution goes pari pasu with violence. Factually, violence-backed revolution is the exception rather than the norm. Further, revolution does not pretend to be the saviour of the oppressed, the poor, the weak; revolution is agnostic and indifferent. In fact, violent revolution brings more pain and hardship to those we falsely assume it will save from hell. Like thunder and lightening, there are revolutions going on all over the world as we speak but only the violent ones are reported. Withdraw Nigeria from the world stage and isolate her – for what sin I wonder. You write like a sofa revolutionist , you gave a good lecture minus the ingredients for revolution. The ingredient for revolution is also missing in Nigeria, which is why violent revolution is a distant dream. The Nigerian is dead, passive, feels no pain any longer; and if he is alive, like a long serving prisoner, he believes his prison food is as good as his mother's cooking. He has lost all sense of judgement; morally bankrupt and even hates himself. IBB and Abacha turned the Nigerian man into all these and a harmless beast, so sure of this, IBB is even toying with the idea of revisiting the scene of his crimes- what a show of arrogance and a poke in the sore eyes of the Nigerian people. Nature has its way of warning humanity. If only we had studied the stars when these two evil men were born, we would have seen nature in tears for what was to befall, what was to be become, Nigeria. Nigeria does not need violent revolution but radical solutions to our problems. I meant it when I called you a sofa revolutionist - in jest. Does it matter where the next president comes from as long as his or she is a Nigerian, radical and capable in spirit and in practice? We witness our beloved Super Eagles mesmerise the world, all members of the team are there on merits and not by zoning. Ethnicity and religion is some of our biggest obstacles to change. Where are the supports for the Delta people from their brethrens in poverty in other parts of the country? Don't they share the same problem of unemployment, poverty, lack of opportunities, lack of education, general environmental neglects, and problem of putting food on the table? In Nigeria there is no loyalty to a mission but only loyalty to oneself and guaranteed backing of one's ethnic group. Deep down, we all know that these banner-carriers-by-day, muggers-by-night gangs called MOSSAB, AREWA and ODUDUWA are looking for chop chop to come their way and then banners will be folded and put away. You are more likely to be taken seriously and supported by the public in your quest if you say to your constituency besieged by problems that you are going to stay and fight the problems rather than run away from it to resettle elsewhere. Within the intellectual circles, it is important that clergies, educators, instructors, social practitioners, experts on civic-duty and—responsibility and so forth, should lunch an enlightenment campaign to educate this people called Nigerians Intellectual circles ke? You mean like the "Potato Gang" – not sure about my spelling, but I mean that programme on AIT where people shout over each other like market traders. Well the shouting might wake the Nigerian but I doubt if he would understand the gibberish and weeee aaaaar baaaack stuff!. To wake the Nigerian, throwing icy water at his face must be the right starter; next, he must be informed as to "who did what to him" and what happened whilst he was in the coma. Finally, he must repeat the words "NEVER AGAIN" a thousand times. I do not have faith in the Nigerian media; the politician/military steal the money, pays off the traditional rulers and the religious leaders, bribes the press; gives the businessmen inflated contracts and get kickbacks. They all have their hands in the cash till. We must therefore bypass all these assortment of thieves to get to the Nigerian, but how? Maybe through the likes of NVS, but shame, the numbers of internet virgins in Nigeria is too high for this mode of communication to be effective. .

Shoko Loko Bangoshe  # 7 | 29.01.2006 05:12

As you can see this article was posted late but NVS administrators decided to post it at the bottle as if it has been there for years. Perhaps so that visitors won't have enough time to review it and react to it. Carlisle, I don't know if you are aware, but the NVS has been experiencing some problems with the site over the last few days. (A large notice was put up to explain this.) These problems also affected our ability to publish posted articles regularly as usual - yours may have been affected by this too. We've already apologised for the inconvenience, but I think it is unfair of you to make allegations of 'politics' without any firm evidence to that effect.

Odinaka  # 8 | 29.01.2006 08:30

Dear Umunna, that's a nice piece. But I wish you broke it down to 2 parts at least. It's a bit lenghty

Umunnah  # 9 | 29.01.2006 16:56

Dear villagers and commentators - thanks for your reactions and for your wonderful insights. It is food for thought for me and am sure for many out there. The country called Nigeria is dear need of help and we are watching it disintegrate and America want it that way to benefit fit its greed while our peoples perish. Dear Odinaka: Thank you my brother. I agree it is too lengthy and am sure not many would like to go through the rigor of its lengthiness. However, the facts are there and am coming back with Part Two if need be part three. We need something to wake our peoples up. Have you wondered even the villages, our families are so corrupt, your brother or sister stealing from you with fake execuses; Where does this end my people? something is moving in my vein right now as i right ... bear with me . Dear Shoko Loko Bangoshe - I have read lots of your materials and i respect your views so much because in my view they are matured and untribalized in nature. So you get that from me. Regarding postings, I understand that there has been some glitches here and there but that is far from the facts. I mean what is it that my article that ought to be on top as next and newest article in the village is place almost at the bottom? To me, that is very disrespectful of my little effort to air my view and how I feel about this country called Nigeria. It is fine with me. Other websites published it and am getting emails from readers and think tanks asking for permission, citations and references to publish my articles in their journals. Either way it is well my brothers and sisters. We all have a work to do. So Shoko it is not about NVS glitches it is about newest article should be atop the engines not at the middle or almost at the bottom. Uche Nwaorah articles you guys love to put atop all the time. What's wrong with that. I guess that is just a distraction. Let us talk about whether the country called Nigeria will be or not be at this time. Wherever you guys post it, placed it is irrelevant at this time. Do your thing and I do my thing. God bless you all and Administrators at the village. After all said and done you guys are doing a great job, period. Dear Palamedes - You were explosive in your response and i can fee you brother. Keep the hit on and not only expose this criminals it is our duty to get them out. Like you asked where are the synpathy from our people for the dying Deltans? None due, to our people have been neutaralized by IBB and Abacha criminal regime and our poeples are cupable too. They have all been corrupted. Corrupt is corrosive Palamedes. Check it out. "The Nigerian is dead, passive, feels no pain any longer; and if he is alive, like a long serving prisoner, he believes his prison food is as good as his mother's cooking. He has lost all sense of judgement; morally bankrupt and even hates himself. IBB and Abacha turned the Nigerian man into all these and a harmless beast, so sure of this, IBB is even toying with the idea of revisiting the scene of his crimes- what a show of arrogance and a poke in the sore eyes of the Nigerian people. Nature has its way of warning humanity. If only we had studied the stars when these two evil men were born, we would have seen nature in tears for what was to befall, what was to be become, Nigeria. Nigeria does not need violent revolution but radical solutions to our problems. I meant it when I called you a sofa revolutionist - in jest. Does it matter where the next president comes from as long as his or she is a Nigerian, radical and capable in spirit and in practice? We witness our beloved Super Eagles mesmerise the world, all members of the team are there on merits and not by zoning. Ethnicity and religion is some of our biggest obstacles to change. Where are the supports for the Delta people from their brethrens in poverty in other parts of the country? Don't they share the same problem of unemployment, poverty, lack of opportunities, lack of education, general environmental neglects, and problem of putting food on the table? In Nigeria there is no loyalty to a mission but only loyalty to oneself and guaranteed backing of one's ethnic group. Deep down, we all know that these banner-carriers-by-day, muggers-by-night gangs called MOSSAB, AREWA and ODUDUWA are looking for chop chop to come their way and then banners will be folded and put away. You are more likely to be taken seriously and supported by the public in your quest if you say to your constituency besieged by problems that you are going to stay and fight the problems rather than run away from it to resettle elsewhere." I agree in Nigeria there is no loyalty for mission only loyalty for self and group. That's why i mentioned ethnicism and regionalism in the piece. West for West, East for East, North for North Delta for Delta and so on and so forth. Dear unregistered and others accept my gratitudes for your reactions to this piece and we look forward and re-examine the wayforward if any. Dear all something will happen in no distance. this criminality will not stand; this corruption is the sin of the nation: the People. It is pandemic and it is a disease; it knows no bound. God bless you all. Stay focused, stay strong and lets repents from our yesterday sins and those who have stolen in one way or the other should make restitution or return their loots to the people or they will go with the thin air, period. God is my witness! All things belong to Him with out Him we are all nothing. thats my thing. We have to be alert and ready to get the bad news for more is on the way people. CUO UMUNNAH IN NEW YORK

unregistered  # 10 | 29.01.2006 17:08

Pameledes - Your reaction to this article is indeed hot ... but i like shaaaaa ... Great piece by the way by Mr. Umunnah. Umunnah you are a hot headed Igboman and that article shows just that. Be careful anyways wherever you are even though i agree with you and the details thereof.