We Are All SaharaReporters!

 Fellow Nigerians, I am a member of SaharaReporters, but today, I’m addressing you as another concerned citizen of our serially abused nation. On January 25, 2006 when SaharaReporters was founded, we made a clear, solemn and irrevocable declaration. We told you, Nigerians, that in the spirit of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are establishing this bastion of advocacy journalism to involve you all in the process of self-empowerment. We said we are here to give you the power of information, the power of truth. For the past three years, we can say in good conscience, we have stood steadfast and acted on these principles without fear or favour. And you Nigerians can bear us out.

We have broken information barriers in a country where there is no freedom of information either in law or in practice. We have given you an insight into what passes for governance and you have responded by overwhelmingly acknowledging that we have indeed brought something different, something empowering, something refreshing and uplifting to the table. Throughout our existence though, the powers that be in the country have found it necessary to stifle us with all sorts of dangerous tactics and antics; but we know why we took on this duty, we know why we are doing what we are doing and we know that even in your seeming silence and acquiescence, you the long-suffering Nigerian people have stood by us and, more importantly, we know you are using the information passed to you to make assessment and perception-changing judgment of your political leadership, your future and your children’s future. Of course, no one said it was going to be easy. No one is brimming with illusions, because we all know our country has been thrown in the dung-heap for a long time and the smear is now near-natural!

But for me personally, I think Sunday, 4 January, 2009 marks a watershed in the relationship between the Nigerian people and SaharaReporters. On that day, we reported a potentially mind-boggling scandal that involves the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs Farida Waziri and certain named and unnamed editors of Nigerian national newspapers. For those who haven’t read the story, please find the link below. I advise you read the story first before continuing with the rest of this message:

http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=382:how-farida-waziri-and-top-nigerian-editors-got-abuja-land-allocations&catid=76:hot-topic&Itemid=205

Okay, I know some of you have passed the shock threshold when it comes to news about corruption in our country. But, if you have, it’s time you take back your conscience from wherever you lost it or wherever it is hidden. If you are a true Nigerian, an avid lover of our dear nation, a proud patriot, you must be really worried by this news. Indeed, if there is anything that encapsulates the relentless affront on the people’s sovereignty and right to a worthwhile future, it is the brazen nature of political and related corruption in our nation! It is today at the level of crime against humanity!

Admittedly, this may not be the biggest corruption or potential corruption case we’ve ever heard of; it may not involve a lot of people; indeed, there could be going on right now a worse case of corruption in some shady corridors of power that we don’t know of and may never know of; but this one, this very one that we are now confronted with represents, if true, the biggest danger to our polity. Its negative significance is head-shattering! When the woman appointed to head the most resourced, the most empowered anti-corruption agency in the country is possibly in cahoots with the operative heads of the national media on such a massively corrupt agenda, nothing short of the death of the nation is their aim! 

Of late, we have all been embroiled in the Ribadu dismissal saga. Patriots and scoundrels have held different positions on the issue, because the man is indeed a controversial figure, who, while he served as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the position Mrs Farida Waziri now occupies, did some good things and some not-so-good things. The good things he did are encapsulated in the way he tackled the menaces of 419 and advance fee fraud and the not-so-good things in the way and manner he allowed himself and the EFCC to be used to subvert the people’s will and pollute the political environment, becoming a lapdog and fanatical protector of President Obasanjo and his clan of nation-looters in the process.

But wherever we stand on the Ribadu debate, we all must agree that the fate being visited upon him now by those in government isn’t only the fallout of a high-stake political game in which he’s turning out the loser, but part of a grand design by the nation-strippers to finally cart Nigeria off to the bottomless pit! Yet, we must keep Ribadu out of this, but we must follow his progress in court and insist that he be allowed to put his case across freely as a citizen of Nigeria. Whatever the court decides over the issue of his demotion or sack, we will accept; but justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done!

So, whether you are a pro or anti-Ribadu patriot, please look away from him now. All decent citizens need to unite now! We need to focus all energy on this issue SaharaReporters has brought to our attention now. Focus! Focus on what these people are doing and the extent they are going to achieve the immoral conquest of our nation! Have they now seized men and women we consider consciences of the Fourth Estate? Have they taken hostage all voices of reason and rebellion in one fell swoop? Well, would you fold your hands and let them do it or get away with it if they are doing it, or would you today join Nigerians Against Corruption International (NACI) to do something about it?

As a first step to confront these people head on and get to the bottom of all this, we are initiating a Petition to the President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. As I said, this is only a first step. The President’s response will determine how far it goes. If we all come together, we should be prepared to push it as far as we can, and when we say “as far as we can”, we should mean as far as we can worldwide! We are no friends of people who do not know their basic responsibility in public service. We are no friends of rogues who occupy State Houses, government offices or other positions of trust within the community! We are no friends to people who betray our people’s trust. We certainly are no friends of deceivers, murderers and two-a-penny traitors! The worst they can do is to kill, but there is no grave to hold a people prepared to claim what is theirs! There is no grave big enough to hold Nigerians, if, and only if we decide that enough is enough! SaharaReporters has done its bit. Will you do yours?

If you really feel as we feel, you must join us to strongly express our concerns to President Yar’Adua. Seeing what we are seeing, he needs now to let Nigerians know once and for all if he’s running a government or a conglomerate of crooks. In other words, is he for Nigeria and Nigerians or for those stripping her bare? This may sound harsh, but Mr President needs to tell Nigerians where he truly stands now. He will do that by the way he responds to our Petition.

Fellow Nigerians, it is time to wake up from your slumber! It is time to seize your country from the hands of the vermin who lord it over you! It is time to clear the putrid Aegean stables! It is time you say with real conviction: “Yes, we can!”

So, please, go on and sign this Petition and call your fellow Patriots wherever they may be to come sign it too. This is a national project. Be part of history!

Please, follow the link below to sign the Petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/pwem2009/petition.html

Thank you and God bless!

Robot  # 1 | 06.01.2009 20:04

If you really feel as we feel, you must join us to strongly express our concerns to President Yar’Adua. Seeing what we are seeing, he needs now to let Nigerians know once and for all if he’s running a governmentor a conglomerate of crooks. In other words, is he for Nigeria and Nigerians or for those stripping her bare? This may sound harsh, but Mr President needs to tell Nigerians where he truly stands now. He will do that by the way he responds to our Petition....Read the full article.

MrOneNaija  # 2 | 06.01.2009 23:48

=Robot;309604>If you really feel as we feel, you must join us to strongly express our concerns to President Yar’Adua. Seeing what we are seeing, he needs now to let Nigerians know once and for all if he’s running a governmentor a conglomerate of crooks. In other words, is he for Nigeria and Nigerians or for those stripping her bare? This may sound harsh, but Mr President needs to tell Nigerians where he truly stands now. He will do that by the way he responds to our Petition....Read the full article. With all due respect to the legitimate concerns of the initiator(s) of the petition mentioned in Mr. Emetulu's article, I'm afraid to say that I shall not at this point in time be signing the said petition. I have other cogent reasons but for now, let me repost here some of my reservations regarding the immediate trigger of the petition being canvassed here, that is the report attributed to Sahara Reporters (SR). Another concern on my part is the fact that regarding the activities of the EFCC in general, I consider that SR has consistently pursued a brazenly pro-Ribadu stance in its reporting to an extent that is bound to call into question its impartiality, if not its integrity. JOURNALISM OF RECKLESS INNUENDO It is flippant and irresponsible on the part of Sahara Reporters (SR ) to engage in the kind of recklessly speculative journalism that is more innuendo-based than anything else. Of course, I am referring here to the deeply worrying attempt to associate the names of some newspaper men with the alleged corruption by the current EFCC chairperson. That SR apparently has no proof to accuse Reuben Abati and those other media persons of involvement in any unethical conduct and yet has gone ahead to suggest some form of morally reprehensible action on their part should be seen as damaging to the crusading identity Sowore and his team have been struggling to establish for some time now. The overwhelming majority of Nigeria-related media outfits have not to date reported about the alleged wrongdoings by Mr. Modibbo, the former FCT minister. Should one then go on to insinuate that their editors have been bribed in one form or the other to look the other way? Those calling on Abati of The Guardian to speak up are not being fair to the man. In my opinion, Abati and the other "editors" do absolutely have no need to explain themselves based strtictly on what has been said in the text attributed to SR. If in its investigative (?) zeal SR has not been able to rise above the trap of pedestrian innuendo and suggestion, it would be most uncharitable to expect the newsmen in question to face, with rational arguments, what is tantamount to a lynch mob that is dangerously playing on our aversion to those vices that have had a foothold in the contemporary Nigerian society. Not long ago, a fellow author took the time to offer some words of advice to Sowore and his SR. He opined that the urge to construct anti-status quo narratives should not be interpreted as providing carte blanche to peddle in reckless posturings that are a negation of the assumed objectives of SR and its proprietor (s). I implore Sowore to heed that wise counsel.

nzeifedigbo  # 3 | 07.01.2009 01:31

=Robot;309604>If you really feel as we feel, you must join us to strongly express our concerns to President Yar’Adua. Seeing what we are seeing, he needs now to let Nigerians know once and for all if he’s running a governmentor a conglomerate of crooks. In other words, is he for Nigeria and Nigerians or for those stripping her bare? This may sound harsh, but Mr President needs to tell Nigerians where he truly stands now. He will do that by the way he responds to our Petition....Read the full article. This issue has nothing to do with SRs stand on Ribadu or whatsoever other bias some people might hold against SR. it is about a huge allegation of a huge scam involving people who have some reputation in this country. the civilised thing is for the allegations to be investigated, the accused to defend themselves and for justice to be done. If signing the petition in a step in that direction, then i would.

edoji  # 4 | 07.01.2009 04:39

=nzeifedigbo;309660>This issue has nothing to do with SRs stand on Ribadu or whatsoever other bias some people might hold against SR. it is about a huge allegation of a huge scam involving people who have some reputation in this country. the civilised thing is for the allegations to be investigated, the accused to defend themselves and for justice to be done. If signing the petition in a step in that direction, then i would. This is my position...I too will sign. Anything and I mean ANYTHING done in the war against corruption is a worthy project.

Luchi  # 5 | 07.01.2009 05:01

Thanks for your efforts Kenn1, Nigeria is gradually slipping into the abyss. I shudder to think what will happen by the time this Mallam and his gang finish their tenure. I dey go stamp the petition right away!

Olu Affairs  # 6 | 07.01.2009 06:25

Seems it's only Nigerians in Diaspora that are aware and/or concerned about all that has gone awry with the precarious state the country is in. Most of those within are too taken up with making it through to the top to avail themselves of whatever is left by the marauding band of outlaws stealing the nation blind.

tonsoyo  # 7 | 07.01.2009 08:07

=MrOneNaija;309650>With all due respect to the legitimate concerns of the initiator(s) of the petition mentioned in Mr. Emetulu's article, I'm afraid to say that I shall not at this point in time be signing the said petition. I have other cogent reasons but for now, let me repost here some of my reservations regarding the immediate trigger of the petition being canvassed here, that is the report attributed to Sahara Reporters (SR). Another concern on my part is the fact that regarding the activities of the EFCC in general, I consider that SR has consistently pursued a brazenly pro-Ribadu stance in its reporting to an extent that is bound to call into question its impartiality, if not its integrity. What is this? - Irrelevant!:rant:

Albany  # 8 | 07.01.2009 09:38

MrOneNaija, it is unfortunate that after reading Kenn's article, you still went ahead and raised the Ribadu issue, which would eventually polarize the respondents on this thread and distract us from the crux of the matter. You can recall vividly that Kenn too (like myself) belongs to the so-called 'anti-Ribadu' camp. So, please let's push our respective positions on Ribadu to the back burners for now and see if we can still salvage our country. It is almost gone. Everywhere you turn to in Nigeria, corruption stares you in the face. It has more or less become a norm but 'when the dog eats the bone that is hung around its neck', just like Farida Waziri has brazenly done, then it calls for an immediate, perhaps, unusual response. I refuse to believe that it was a coincidence that Aliyu Modibbo approved land allocations to 5 highly respected journalists alongside Mrs Farida on the same day it was reported that he (Mallam Modibbo) was penciled in for removal. Nay, tell it to the marines ! Agreed, the journalists all paid for their allocations but there is the probability that they might have been undervalued, just like that of Madam Waziri. This is what should be investigated. Experts in real estate should be called in to assess the real value of the allocated plots. We should, however, desisit from calling the journalists names until we prove beyond reasonable doubts that they were truly involved in a phoney deal. I, personally, would be so disappointed, if Rueben Abati actually did play ball with Madam Waziri, because i enjoy reading his articles and almost always share his position on burning issues in Nigeria. Saharareporters, i am awed by your doggedness and sincerity of purpose. Like Ali-G would say, 'R-E-S-P-E-C-T !'. Do keep it up !

udokaamah  # 9 | 07.01.2009 15:01

If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins. Benjamin Franklin I am a patriot. But i will not sign this petition. Often in this forums, we seem to agree in general terms; the eradication of corruption in Nigeria, credible electoral processes, accountability in leadership, etc. However we often diverge on the HOW of realizing these goals. Saharareporters, in my mind, is a poster child for self-important dilettante. They come across as a bunch of rascals who revel in burning bridges and throwing stones. Now they purport to have the public sign on to a petition to a man whose health status and handicap they have ridiculed and whose minor child's privacy they have abused inappropriately. I am all for legitimate enquiry into the private lives of public officials, however like Otto Von Bismark would say, "Be polite; write diplomatically; even in a declaration of war one observes the rules of politeness" Saharareporters is hardly in any position to lead on any of the subjects raised in her petition. She plays into the same old sterotype she purports to oppose; the destruction of one class for another. But the danger is not that one class is unfit to govern. Every class is unfit to govern. Nigeria needs leaders; leaders whose records bespeak their direction; leaders who jaw-jaw not war-war. I cannot sign this petiton because the ideology that govern the activities of Saharareporters is unclear or worse still, suspect. They promise to build bridges where there are no rivers. I would like to end by stating that on the specific allegation of corruption involving EFCC and captains of the media, my position is investigate, investigate, investigate.

ozoodoo  # 10 | 07.01.2009 15:56

mmmmmm.........make I run go sign the petition jooo!!

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