Nigeria is what it is because it is how they want it to be but pretending they want it to be what they do not want now. I do not know how I come about this nonsense but the building up of events in the country is kinda deja vu, which is killing a emotion – surprise - in me. It is like I don't bloody care about those tendencies that make my country under-developed anymore, but deep down I know I yearn for a lovely mama; a mama I can die for.

This aspect of me came into knowing after the PDP (People Deceiving People) chose its flag bearers – president and vice president – for 2007 "election". I should be surprised but I did not. I should be angry but I did not. I should be sad but I did not. Maybe it's because civilian civilian won the nomination, ah, and his vice. Maybe because it's just a primary "election" of a party and that PDP presidential candidate can be defeated after all.

Do I have bad belly because of the nomination of both Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Jonathan Goodluck? Em..I don’t know but the deja vu is what really concerns me – for now. The two men echo Sheu Shagari and Alex Ekwueme of the Second Republic respectively. I even see Ernest Shonekan of interim fraud in Yar’Adua.

So I just read the news at face value without any inclination to analyse or further something. Anyway, who cares about the analyses of a struggling writer. But I was even surprised at my own reaction than that of those who thought the nomination means the end of Nigeria. Many political analysts are not impressed with the choice of Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and Jonathan Goodluck as  candidates for President and Vice. Both being incumbent governors of Katsina and Bayelsa states.

And I knew something was coming. The thought of not getting my desire nation in 2007 crushed a nascent uprising – against cynicism. Perhaps I am too quick to judgement. Am I becoming a soothsayer of sort who sees nothing good? Maybe I need help too.

I want a nation that truly connotes the word. That is why I need a government I can put my thrust on. That is why the government is crucial in mental developmental of its people. A people can be rotten, but if a government lives up to its name, the psychological effect can inspire the unwilling to become.

However, if the government is a stinking world, its putrid smell may become horrible like raw and decomposed flesh, and the best fragrance might not help. In fact, notorious armed robbers are less dangerous than incompetent government - if you get my gist.

Before accusing me of anything, you should probably deep think and then tell me if you're ready to die for this entity called Nigeria. Forget about patriotic feeling meanwhile. Ask yourself: why have you been unable to have a say concerning your nation? Why do they call it democractic dispensation? Why do they imply "the government of the people by the people and for the people", and yet the actual implementation is something else. Something like the government of animals by animals and for animals?

It is my conviction.

I mean any government that cannot provide basic amenities for its people is an animal. The people that lack basic amenities are close to being animal. And if you glorify the fact that you're enjoying the same basic amenities abroad having run away from your nation, then you need deeper thought.

I should refresh your memory because it seems we are a people with short memory - and this is one major obstacle facing us. Today a savage and unprogressive person twenty years ago can easily sway our focus and marvellously portrays herself as a kind and benevolent person, even though we know leopard rarely changes its spot.

In 1979 Nigeria changed from military caesarism to civilian egalitarianism. The "least qualified" Nigerian emerged victorious ahead of seasonal and experienced Nigerians who seemed ready to serve, a word that had eluded the nation quite sometime. One Nigerian also stood out in that historic change of baton. This Nigerian is now obsessed with fate, and seriously planning to be the first being to rule from the grave.

Because no military had ever handed over its conquest, so we wet the street with euphoria. It was a master scheme. The man must be a democrat in military uniform, we sang. We were carried along with his reluctance posture, after all, they had all been bellicose young officers.

In retrospect, there’s no need for further analysis, or the art of pretending to be objective before knowing or sensing deja vu in our polity. We are stuck to a system of Nigeria’s ducky son. It seems Nigerians are caught in a whirlpool – of emancipation. Even of grief. 

It has been dog eat dog likeness since they invaded our collective privacy on that fateful day in January, 1966. Today the difference being that the civilian military have succeeded in taming the military military. I hope the victory lasts forever despite the greediness, low sensibility and intelligence of civilian civilian.

The military military in collaboration with civilian civilian terminated the Second Republic in between, and since then Nigerians have had little peace. Suffering and smiling groped our mental development. It was tempesteous brutality from North to South, West to East.

Obviously the inexperience and naivity of the "least" qualified candidate in 1979 could be held responsible for the upsurge in military take over, and the follow up events, which is now history that only a few is proud of.

I don’t know why I keep thinking that the recently nominated PDP presidential candiadate resembles (appearance and behaviour) 1979 NPN (National Party of Nigeria) presidential candidate, who was also anoited by Nigeria’s ducky son. Am I being mischievous? Whatever Nigeria’s ducky son must improve on 1979 by preventing military military or civilian military from terminating his continous regime. This is the least he can do to a mama who has taken him as the favourite one.

In 2027 – twenty years is the hidden number – we shall drag him to rule us once more. If he had gone, we would exhume his corps. We would disturb him further because we were addicted to him. We would scuff him to Aso Rock because we would need his wealth of experience. We won’t allow him everlasting rest because Nigeria cannot move forward without him, and especially that he had squeezed us to be hooked to him – only to him.And we shall say, "After all, he was an ordinary Nigerian like ourselves before he swore to defend his country against external aggression".

Did he?

2006@      mysmallvoice@yahoo.com

Robot  Villager

# 1 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 20.12.2006 17:31

pukpabi  Villager

# 2 My brother, Your writing is one of the most articulate, and inspiring I have read here at the "village." No, you are not a struggling writer. You are simply a writer who is struggling to make some of the kindergarten analysts in this "villagesquare" see beyond their noses. I critisized Nigeria because I loved her. I loved her to have worked for her in my little way, not expecting a kobo (see my article: http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2006/aug/193.htm). But I do not love her anymore. I am mad at Nigeria because Nigeria tells me that although I have what it takes, I cannot lead because my people fought to defend themselves against blood-thirsty mad dogs. Surprisingly, in that unfortunate incident, those who are supposed to know better chanted "crucify them", and gleefully with a helping hand too. In 2007 in Nigeria, a Buhari, or Yar'adua, or even Atiku shall be crowned President. I can bet my last cent that none of these people knows how to log on to a computer, talkless of using it. I can bet you neither of these people can do a socio-political and economic analysis of Nigeria, nor West Africa, nor even Africa. The world? Please forget it. They say Yar'adua was a Chemistry teacher. Where did he teach Chemistry? Your guess is as good as mine. Neither Buhari nor Atiku has a college degree, and yet they want to lead a nation with some of the most highly educated people in the world. Where do these guys get their guts from? I know what the problem is: Nigeria is operating at the level the North is comfortable with. For Southern Nigerians, you can blow you turenchi for all they care. Have you heard of Chad, Niger Republic, Mali, etc. That is the level the North wants to be. The East is saying, mba, mba, mba, (no, no, no) and because the East is saying it, no one is paying attention, and Nigeria is the worse for it. Paschal Ukpabi, J.D. Michigan, USA Posted by pukpabi| 20.12.2006 18:21