You considered it as smartness when you severally instructed your little child to lie to your creditors that you were not home. Truly, you succeeded in pushing “D-day” forward. Of course, as soon as the creditor leaves each time, you gloated and hailed yourself. Yes, I got him. Invariably, you didn’t know that you had gradually inculcated dishonest act into the growing child. Guess what, with modern exposure, that child will certainly grow and become sophisticated in dishonest acts, which take a different dimension to include killing. Without confusing mob actions with assassinations, Nigerians cannot forget the death of Pa. Alfred Rewane, Dele Giwa, and the attempt on Alex Ibru. In essence, when General Bagandida was killing Nigerians openly, he was directly teaching people how to kill.

      What is wrong with contestants running a scrupulous campaign? Why are we far-away from politics of benevolence? When can we be identified with grotesque politics? Is it difficult for the politicians to attempt to hoist campaign? A terse advice from these contestants to their campaign managers would reduce all these barbaric killings introduced by government. If the touts or campaign managers are solicitous to their big bosses-the contestants, then, these “civilized” contestants are in a position to berate the campaign managers for wrong doings. Instead, in a clandestine meeting, contestants instruct campaign managers or tugs to eliminate their opponents. If INEC has antipathy for our political system that is raucous, what strategy is in place to help reduce the menace? Is there anything on paper to disqualify contestants whose touts violate the rules of the game? The bottom line is that if, the contestants give vociferous warnings to their campaign managers, a free and fair (Nigerian standard) election cannot elude us. Sure, no normal Nigerian is a masochist. Therefore, the simple trick is for the contestants to make it very clear to their hired touts called campaign managers that, there must be no blood shed. Once this is sincerely done, Nigerians would have peace before, during, and after elections because Nigerians are by nature good followers and copycats.

      Lagosians recently woke up one morning to hear wailing over the sudden death of Engr. Funsho Williams. While it’s true that it has become the norm to pour encomiums on the dead, the most distinct words of praise to late Williams was how he ceded power to his political opponents in Lagos State without rancor. Thus, the honorable late Williams was among the very few who didn’t follow the teachings of people in hierarchy of governance. After the usual tête-à-tête from the days in Dodan barracks to Aso Rock Villa, the hired killers swung into action to eliminate Nigerians. It’s no more a rumor that General Babangida is a terrorist as globally defined. After IBB orchestrated the brutal death of those military officers in that plane crash, an officer who missed the flight was assassinated few days after. His offense was that he missed the flight. This writer was in close touch with the widow in Port Harcourt, Rivers State up till late 1990’s. Indeed, the widow’s only hope was to take solace in our Almighty God, the Holy and only comforter. It’s blood, blood, blood all the way to a leader such as IBB, and who ought to have protected Nigerians. Rather, he (IBB) used Dodan barracks as a bomb making site from where Dele Giwa’s death was planned. Wasn’t it from the same seat of power in Aso Rock that Pa. Rewane’s death was planned? Perhaps you don’t know that, the bullet that terminated late Pa. Rewane, the prominent “thinkist” in Itsekiri Kingdom, can only be found among top military government personnel. What about the narrow escape of Alex Ibru from the hands of government killers? Do all of these not tell you clearly that heinous crime emanated from the seat of power in the days of Babangida and Abacha? The stupid thing about IBB’s killing philosophy is that he has affected to-be-leaders with his mental laziness and this is the root cause of these killings today. The military is the most disciplined profession you can think of, but IBB introduced “419” into the Nigerian military. As such, he (IBB) was able to kill through fake coups those he couldn’t kill by bombs. And of course his successor, Abacha, followed same channel. The fact is that, IBB refused to think of even simple solutions to national issues. For example,we all know that, the most common disease in Nigeria is malaria fever, which is distributed by mosquitoes. Gen. Idiagbon introduced environmental sanitation to help clean up our surroundings, thereby reduce mosquitoes. IBB came and discouraged it and since then, every nook and corner stinks like his stolen wealth that create problem for nascent democracy.

      It’s not difficult to shift from these barbaric acts of killing introduced by IBB. Democracy is about the processes that lead to an election and not necessarily the person who gets the mandate to lead. To that extent, this is a wake-up call for Nigerians to do some thinking before they embark on their political mission. It’s easy to make your mindset focus on positive issues, and in the process, you will develop leadership vision. It does appear that even in the advanced world, only 5-10 percent can think, and another 10% think that they can think. Of course, the rest rather die than think. For sure, this ratio must be far less among Nigerians where there are no study materials and lack of modern technology. However, let it be clear to all and sundry that you don’t always need a college degree to be a “thinkist”, i.e. the first 10%. It was reiterated not long ago that person like late Pa. Rewane was a “thinkist” considering his role in the Western region cocoa board and as a pillar and man of honor in Itsekiri Kingdom. Former Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Obiageli Ezekwesili are “thinkists”. As such, it was an error for Obasanjo’s administration to let go of Okonjo-Iweala. Her exit is a huge loss to the Nigerian people, ‘because this writer is in the finance industry and therefore appreciates the role of the finance lady.

      Most politicians in Nigeria don’t think, hence they have nothing to offer. If they do, then, they will device means of letting the electorate know their manifesto. Instead, what we see today is a situation whereby, politicians rely on brutal killings to pave way to achieve their goal. To make matters worse, they reward motor park touts after their bastardly victory in “elections” with chairmanship of corporations, agencies, board of trustees, etc. Disappointedly, the biggest idiots in all of these are the classroom “Professors” who are the Director-generals for planning, campaign etc in the IBB camp. With all the political science textbooks these Professors read across the globe, they still condescend so low to be sycophants of Babangida. You would imagine that after so much academic studies, these “Professors” would contribute to the development of mankind. Rather, they continued to be a disgrace to their communities with no sense of judgment. They completely lost decorum and indulge in money worship. If a Professor does not have clear vision, what then is expected from undergraduate degree holders and below that rank? For God’s sake, how could these “Professors” waste their supposedly knowledge to the extent that, they cannot be venerated in society? They have become shameless people. They don’t want to remember that, the oath of Professorship they took at the University was to advance mankind and not to destroy nature. They don’t care to know that, their actions are part of the reasons why foreigners relegate Nigerians to the background across the universe. How can people be respected when the hierarchy in political power is a killer and drug dealer? Worst still, many henchmen in the academic circle are people of mediocrity. Isn’t it a pride to Nigeria as a country that Professors like Wole Soyinka and Chinua achebe have made indelible prints across the globe? It’s amazing that, some of these Professors are worshipping Babangida rather than join the likes of Achebe to elevate Nigeria before the rest of the world.

      There is no where on this planet earth where any government is an enemy to her citizenry. Therefore, Nigeria should not be the only exception, regardless of the negative teachings coming from the seat of power.