First, let me offer my sincere appreciations for Senator Feingold’s principled and objective treatise on Nigeria’s continuing political discourse. It’s not very often that a fine U.S Senator with the pedigree of Russ Feingold comes out to give a very blunt assessment on pressing Nigerian issues. Therefore, I cannot agree more with his Congressional Record Statement On the Upcoming Elections in Nigeria. However, let me hasten to beg to differ on a few of the esteemed Senator’s assertions.

Senator Russ Feingold wrote “Nigeria’s recent economic growth, domestic security and international reputation are all at stake……” From this standpoint, one isn’t sure if the Senator is referring to the Nigeria that is located on the west coast of Africa, or the one that’s cooked up and constantly turned by Obasanjo’s grand fantasy?

In the one that’s bordered by Cameroon and the Republic of Benin, the talk about economic growth in the face of decaying infrastructure, closing factories, climbing unemployment, runaway inflation, and the unyielding crunch of biting poverty is misleading to say the least. The mass retrenchment of 10,000 police and other Law Enforcement officers, rising cases of assassinations and armed robberies across the country is not the bright picture of domestic security. If it were not so, the U.S State Department wouldn’t issue warnings for her citizens to stay clear of the fluid and volatile situation in the Niger-delta. If it were not so, Nigerian politicians wouldn’t be fleeing the country to Britain, the United States, Dubai, South Africa, Gambia, Swaziland, and other countries far away from Nigeria with their mistresses, wives, house servants, children and what have you.

As for our international reputation. What reputation for heaven’s sake? Is Nigeria not considered to be one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the world? Is it not true that the credibility of most of her leaders is down to sub-zero levels? That their reputations is as frigid as it is in the Artic Circle, if you don’t mind my figurative terms. Suffice to say that Nigeria’s international image is anything but impeccable and tantalizing. Yes, it’s true that Obasanjo has graced all the capitals of most western countries, yes, the president of Singapore is his pal, yes, Obasanjo’s daughter has signed a lucrative oil deal in Singapore, and yes, the former U.S Ambassador to the U.N Andrew Young is his image maker. But, how has all these helped the sinking image of Nigeria? Consider that our federal ministers are still been strip-searched at major entry points all over the world, Nigerians are executed for drug-related offences in far away climes, her citizens are deported in droves from other sundry places and the Presidential Jet, the Nigerian Air Force One is even rumored to have been used for money laundering, our international image cannot be said to be anything more than pitch black and mixed with filth.

Given Senator Feingold’s concerns and perhaps many other U.S leaders who hold similar views, what can be done to stabilize the heated Nigerian polity and the prospects of her self implosion and demise? On this score, we must first not forget that the failure of the West to condemn the 2003 elections and the refusal not to recognize the subsequent rogue presidency of Obasanjo is part of the root causes of his misrule and dictatorship.

It is therefore understandable that the wily Obasanjo is playing on the hypocrisy of the West, who only extol the virtues of constitutional democracy but fails to do anything concrete to help those who are denied its dividends. If the West had refused to recognize the rogue government, recall their Ambassadors, freeze Obasanjo’s foreign accounts, impose sanctions on Nigeria and other travel restrictions on the members of the political elite, Obasanjo would have taken such a riot act seriously. But now that the West only talks, yet is willing to benefit from Nigeria’s crude oil managed by a crude presidency, Obasanjo can afford to thumb his nose at and dare the West to do her worst. Why not? Is it therefore, possible for the West to forget Nigeria’s oil for now for the sake of democracy? When can the West say, enough is enough? And when can the West stand up to the plate and put out a disclaimer on her stigma of hypocrisy? Of course, it will help the United States to bolster her record as the champion of human rights to call Obasanjo to account for his crimes against the Nigerian people and humanity. There was a time Hitler too must have thought that the Nazi party and the constitution of Germany gave him the power of immunity to brutalize the Jews and millions of other innocent lives. Make no mistake, Obasanjo has brutalized the Nigerian people just as much as Charles Taylor maimed, killed and dehumanized millions of people in that part of West Africa for many years during civil war. In those cozy cells at the Hague, he would have Charles Taylor for company and a lot to share! Once again, they can look up to Hitler, Idi Amin, Pot Pot, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and a host of others as their heroes. The world is watching and waiting.

Now, here’s the big deal. In the heydays of Obasanjo’s campaign for global self-recognition, he became an authority on democracy; preaching on the finer points to packed international houses and events about how societies should appreciate, cultivate and achieve it. Now, we come to discover that Obasanjo the sage doesn’t even believe in his own masterfully crafted pieces on DEMOCRACY. Such is the tragic story of a Nigerian president, tyrant and dictator. Millions of Nigerians cannot wait for May 29, 2007, because their sigh of relief would be heard thundering across Africa and beyond. The psychological wounds inflicted by Obasanjo’s 8 years of horror will take decades to heal.

Have You Ever

Seen the Rain

Falling Down In

A Sunny Day ?

- Rod Stewart

Ebi Bless Asain

Ebasain@yahoo.com

Robot  # 1 | 13.04.2007 15:42

First, let me offer my sincere appreciations for Senator Feingold’s principled and objective...Read the full article.

Auspicious  # 2 | 13.04.2007 16:28

Russ Finegold comments stands on a stead that is far more legitimate than the one submitted by this author. Nigeria is NOT a Pariah, that much was what Mr. Finegold was saying. Obasanjo could have done worse, that much was what he was saying. As a Senator of the United States of America, Russ Finegold has used his Office and Position as a public person to bring attention to Nigeria's forthcoming elections. In doing so, he cannot afford to be too controversial in his comments - he has to be diplomatic or "balanced", so to speak, otherwise the point he was making in measured tones will be lost in controversy. Russ has made his point and the general interpretation is that he did well to get off his fine senatorial gold ass to remember Nigeria on the floor of the US Senate. Thank you, Russ! I close by opining that this article would have been better summarized and summitted as one of the many comments on the original Finegold article thread. "I yeild the Floor." Auspicious.

Knightofdelta  # 3 | 13.04.2007 17:06

This article hits the nail on the head squarely. Can someone please tell me when the West will stop dissecting us and predicting all sorts of doom to our country? Do we get up and make predictions about their countries? It was not too long ago that the West predicted that Nigeria was going to fail as an entity. Well, we are still alive and kicking and come May 29 and after, we will continue kicking. I am tired of all these woeful prophecies. Let everybody face their own business and stop judging us. We have been blessed with terrible leaders... yes. But we will learn. We know who we want and we know who we do not want. The Knight of Delta.

Auspicious  # 4 | 13.04.2007 17:28

Hi, KnightofDelta! Where's the Nail? Where's the Hammer? And who is the Hammerer gan sef? Abegi jere, so what if they make Predictions? Oyibo talk say make yu sef nor Predict ya own? Let it be known that the Prediction still Stands! As long as we keep on with the Lawlessness And subjugation of the will of the Majority, It is only a matter of time that we Implode! "We know who we want and don't want"? Ya wareva! See yu dey do Yanga.. When last did results reflect the Desire of Naijas? Abeg go siddon find Kunu to Drink! Auspicious.

Rose  # 5 | 13.04.2007 17:37

Auspy, Hush yo mouf.:D (This is how the ol folks acknowledge the truth.) Abeg go siddon find Kunu to Drink!

ebasain  # 6 | 13.04.2007 18:23

Auspicious, to read an article is one thing. But to understand the main thrust and logic of the subject is something else and you've clearly demostrated your lack of the fundam- ental art of critigue-writing I must say. How many innocent people must Obasanjo maim, Kill, and dehumanize before it's too many and rises to your standard of 'Worst than'? Nige- ria wasn't a Pariah? You must be kidding! And that's was the HYPOCRISY of the West I was talking about. Get it? Unfortunately, I wont yield the floor until you've gone back to digest that article on Russ Feingold!

Auspicious  # 7 | 13.04.2007 18:48

=ebasain;168247>Auspicious, to read an article is one thing. But to understand the main thrust and logic of the subject is something else and you've clearly demostrated your lack of the fundam- ental art of critigue-writing I must say. How many innocent people must Obasanjo maim, Kill, and dehumanize before it's too many and rises to your standard of 'Worst than'? Nige- ria wasn't a Pariah? You must be kidding! And that's was the HYPOCRISY of the West I was talking about. Get it? Unfortunately, I wont yield the floor until you've gone back to digest that article on Russ Feingold! Hi, Ebasain! I won't yield the floor either, until you learn to spell "critique" properly. This is besides your murder of the Queen's language with phrases like "Worst than". Do you want to start a war between the British Mornachy and Nigeria? "Infact", I shall sleep, eat and roll on the floor until you polish-up your command of Her Majesty's language! The Queen and I are very dissapointed in you! Consider this a Protest!!! Auspicious.

ozoodoo  # 8 | 13.04.2007 22:26

Ebasain, The article is right on target and hard hitting. Thanks for a job well done.

Auspicious  # 9 | 13.04.2007 23:19

Ugh..jeez.. Two little sleep facing the same North Pole.. Aupicious.

Auspicious  # 10 | 14.04.2007 00:12

Can the "West" ever win with those who blame her? On the one hand, people like the author of this piece are quick to thumb their noses at "the West" for their meddlesomeness in the internal affairs of countries like Nigeria. Then again, on the other hand, are quick to blame this same "West" for their "hypocrisy" or tolerance of the governments of these same countries (like Nigeria). If I remember correctly, shortly after the shoddy 2003 elections, the government of the United States was one of the last governments to offer its congratulatory message to the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo, after it won (?) the mandate of the Nigerian people for a second term in office. In other words, like any responsible government will do, the United States reluctantly offered its congratulations to Mr. Obasanjo and Nigerians over the conduct and outcome of the elections then. Obviously, the United States government had studied the reaction of the Nigerian society who showed their typical cowardice in face of day-light robbery, hence the reluctant good wishes from the US government. When criticizing the US for her tolerance of governments like that of Olusegun Obasanjo, one should also take the hatred some people across the world have for their so-called "police state" of America, who they accuse of going all over the world to force their will and democracy on others. It is my humble opinion that the United States has been threading softly lately, especially where their interest is not so much at stake - very unlike places like Iraq and Iran. The modern United States only helps those who are ready to help themselves, as the case has shown in places like Georgia and Lebanon, where the US helped drive out the forces of oppression and opportusnism for the popular will to reign supreme. The US cannot cry more than the bereaved in places like Nigeria; there is only so much they can do when we have resigned ourselve to failure and tolerance in the name of "we shall manage (it)" - like we manage everything else. Russ Finegold simply threaded the line of decorum, civility and respect for Nigeria's internal affairs. Anybody who is conscious enough can read through what may have appeared as praise of the Nigerian government in Senator Finegold comments; he simply spoke to Nigeria and Nigerians like one would admonish a misbehaving child, with the expectation that the child would not be as stupid as to let the 'praise' get to his or her head. That is what the author of the rejoinder to Russ Finegold's comments and a couple commentators on this thread have missed. This is besides their error of blaming America for her "hypocrisy" when we should be looking inwards and identifying and accepting our shameful cowardice. Or can the author and his few commentators point to a single protest in the last 6 months against the many excesses of the Obasanjo government? As Nigerian/British comedian Gina Yashere's Tanya would say, "I don't think so"! America is doing well for herself..and so is Russ Finegold. Nigerians should take their destiny into their hands and stop blaming others for their woes. America took her destiny into her hands (from the British) and has never looked back since. Let Nigerians try the same thing for once instead of idle blame games! Enough Said! Auspicious.

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