Ayo,
I had not seen the drivel that you just responded to because it got sent straight to my junk folder, apparently my mailbox is aware of my discerning taste. As for your response, with all due respect, one word is all I have for your characterization of my person: Ridiculous.
I have been reading a certain memoir that reminds me of me; This iwin is an abogunloko, I do not and will not shy away from a fight. Na today? Abeg leave matter.
This is what I said that has made you refer to me as someone who hates Tinubu and dislikes the Yoruba. I am extremely proud of what I said and I hereby repeat it for the benefit of those who are yet to make up their minds about me and my alleged phobias.
I have been reading a certain memoir that reminds me of me; This iwin is an abogunloko, I do not and will not shy away from a fight. Na today? Abeg leave matter.
This is what I said that has made you refer to me as someone who hates Tinubu and dislikes the Yoruba. I am extremely proud of what I said and I hereby repeat it for the benefit of those who are yet to make up their minds about me and my alleged phobias.
I said it, let those who are not happy with what I said sue me.
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Let me speak one more time in the name of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Obafemi Awolowo, Tai Solarin, and Ambrose Alli, good men traumatized in "General" Buhari's Gulag. We are being dishonest and I will not shy away from what must be said. I return to the ethnicity factor. It is particularly telling that Yoruba intellectuals have praised to high heavens, the Buhari pretend-candidacy and have stayed silent about Tinubu. Those that have rightly criticized Buhari as unfit for leadership have no record either of publicly taking Tinubu to task. My theory is that to the extent that he is doing their job, they will be silent about his misdeed and criminal acts. Tinubu is a convicted felon, parades around with forged academic credentials and is probably one of the top ten most corrupt leaders Nigeria has ever been cursed to know. You will not hear any of this from a Yoruba thinker, certainly not publicly. Those that complain of ethnic baiting have been loudly silent about the crass ethnic baiting and manipulation that the Buhari pretend-candidacy is all about. Having failed to install himself as vice-president, Tinubu installed a lackey to that position. That lackey is Yoruba. Tinubu wants a Yoruba presidency next, after pretending to give it to the Hausa/Fulani. I honestly don't have a problem with that - as long as it is not Tinubu or his lackey.
Why are the Yoruba tolerating and celebrating Muhammadu Buhari, an ethnic and religious bigot? I come to the conclusion that they are doing it for parochial and self-serving reasons, it is Machiavellian. Otherwise, they would shudder at the thought of installing Buhari, a man that treated Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Tai Solarin and Obafemi Awolowo, great icons of Nigeria like wretched criminals in a gulag. This is what Awolowo said of Buhari:
"During the period of my house arrest ordered by Major General Buhari when he ousted Shagari's administration, I had a restriction within my room for 24 hours a day, and for somebody who has tried to give others liberty all their adult life, that was absolutely intolerable."
I can imagine Awolowo and Solarin weeping in their graves at the perfidy of these new "leaders."
This is all academic of course; my sense is that the PDP will remain in Aso Rock. I find that incredibly distressing. Goodluck Jonathan is not fit for the office of the presidency. But Tinubu er Buhari in Aso Rock would be even worse. The graft would continue unabated, with no serious attempt at making structural changes. It is tragic that we have come to this point where we have to choose between two evils, we should own a huge responsibility in the mess. What is our purpose? Are mere words enough? Obviously not. We have been complicit in the rot. For 15 years we have sat around either as part of the corruption or as silent, lazy witnesses to a looming conflagration. And the intellectual dishonesty is galling. One Jaye Gaskiya is on this list, a "comrade" who writes and says all the right things, but guess what, he was one of the many intellectuals that joined criminals like Alaiyemeiseigha and others at the recently concluded CONfab a glorified town hall meeting that gulped millions and millions of dollars. He and the others were each paid N12 million for participating in an open mike! When I ask for a little bit of introspection, folks get all defensive and abusive. The truth hurts I imagine.
We are being lazy and cowardly, we don't have it in us to fight our enemies. It is therefore my sincere hope that the PDP retains power. They will take us faster than the APC to that point where our backs will be against the wall and we will have to fight our traducers. Right now, Tinubu is playing the ethnic card, baiting us callously by dangling before us an ethnic and religious bigot with a history of rank hatred for those not from his side of the world - as change agent. Awolowo would have had something to say about that. I knew Awolowo, Tinubu is no Awolowo.
PS. I am not Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, I am a minority within the Edo minority group. a double minority. I just want the best for Nigeria. I was born in Lagos and lived in places like Moor Plantation and Ibadan, there really is no incentive for me to engage in ethnic-baiting, whatever that means. It is just that I have no hesitation in having certain conversations. Buhari is bad for Nigeria. The good news is that we will have no opportunity to suffer his nonsense. Tinubu is bad for Nigeria. This is a man who forfeited almost $500,000 for his complicity in drug trafficking in the US, come on... You don't hear our public intellectuals talking about it. What is wrong with us?
The APC has more than an image problem. The APC is the problem.
The APC has more than an image problem. The APC is the problem.
- Ikhide
Out of interest, what is it that makes the Ijaw, the fourth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, a minority? Since none of the Hausa or Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba or Igbo is in the majority in Nigeria, is it merely by reason of being fourth? Or is there some numerical demarcation that separates the major from the minor, using 'major' to mean not the ones who have 50%+ but the ones who are seriously big?
As for the rest, I see that Ikhide no longer distinguishes between his hatred (a strong word, but there is really no other way to characterise such virulence) for Bola Tinubu and his evident dislike for all Yoruba people. Merely because of their presumed political choices!
I guess the rest of us pick our friends and even acquaintances on slightly more substantial bases, and I think we are better for it.
Ayo
I invite you to follow me on Twitter @naijama
----It will be a profound misjudgement to call Ikhide Ikheloa a *POLITICAL BAT* implying, figuratively, that he is neither a mouse nor a bird as far as PDP and APC political parties in Nigeria are concerned. To say that Ikhide Ikheloa is, at least, a PDP sympathiser is obvious going by his post of 19 December 2014. He wrote, "We are being lazy and cowardly, we don't have it in us to fight our enemies." Hence he concluded, "IT IS THEREFORE MY SINCERE HOPE THAT THE PDP RETAINS POWER." Since Tinubu and Buhari belong to APC, Ikhide Ikheloa has posted many anti APC, Buhari and Tinubu's articles to this forum. On December 17, 2014, he reposted an article by one Nwachukwu Ugochukwu in which Tinubu and his Yoruba tribe were objects of vituperation and denigration. As if he was intoxicated by an overdose of ethnic Viagra, Ikhide posted on the 19th of December 2014 yet another anti Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani, Tinubu and Buhari article. Excerpts from his post read, "Tinubu is a convicted felon, parades around with forged academic credentials and is probably one of the top ten most corrupt leaders Nigeria has ever been cursed to know. You will not hear any of this from a Yoruba thinker.." Not done, Ikhide continued, "Having failed to install himself as vice-president, Tinubu installed a lackey to that position. That lackey is Yoruba. Tinubu wants a Yoruba presidency next, after pretending to give it to the Hausa/Fulani. Why are the Yoruba tolerating Mohammadu Buhari..?" Finally, Ikhide vomited, "Tinubu is bad for Nigeria. This is a man who forfeited almost $500, 000, for his complicity in drug trafficking in the US, come on.." In Ikhide's political world view, Tinubu had progressed from *drug baron whose case is still pending in the USA* to *convicted felon* with *forged academic credentials* and now reduced to mere *accomplice in drug trafficking.* Ikhide is biased and prejudiced against the Yoruba, Hausa and any person from those tribes and that is why he hopes, sincerely, that the PDP retains Presidential power under Jonathan who is from a minority tribe just for the sake of Ikhide's declaration, "I am a minority within the Edo minority group, a double minority." While Ikhide Ikheloa is free to choose and vote for PDP, he should keep to the electoral laws of Nigeria. It is in that regard that I wish to remind Ikhide Ikheloa of Section 102 of the Electoral Act of Nigeria(2010) which states as follows, "Any candidate, person or association who engages in campaigning or broadcasting based on religious, tribal or sectional reason for the purpose of promoting or opposing a particular political party or the election of a particular candidate, is guilty of an offence under this Act and on conviction is liable to a maximum fine of N1 million or imprisonment for twelve months or both." Ikhide should grow up and understand that potable water, constant electricity, good sanitary environment and housing, bear no tribal marks nor minority ethnic configurations. He should stop his addiction to ethnic Viagra and stop sniffing recklessly like a he goat in search for tribal or personal enemies to pour invectives.
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Segun Gbadegesin: Tinubu - The Change we need!
Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2015 19:02:47 -0500
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com"Without a doubt, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the super hero of the success of the formation of APC, its presidential primary and the outcome of the party's search for a running mate. It is very easy to cast aspersion on a person's character. It is impossible to take away his honour and dignity.No one can truthfully deny Tinubu's frontline struggle and sacrifice for the formation of a virile opposition party that is capable of competing on the national level. At the time he was fighting this good cause and getting disappointment even from those who stood to benefit from it, he did not think of what position he might have.Tinubu was concerned that democracy cannot grow with a dominant single party and a splintering of mushroom parties. He put into the struggle his mental, material and physical resources to the point of endangering his health. In the end, he considered the good of the nation and pulled himself out of consideration for a slot on the ticket.This is the mark of statesmanship and APC owes Asiwaju a deep sense of gratitude. As a man of his words, I have no doubt that he will work assiduously for the success of the party in February to the disappointment of his traducers."- Segun GbadegesinSegun Gbadegesin should go hang his head in shame. May these words come back to haunt him for the rest of his life. Amen. I remember the intellectuals of Nazi Germany and their role in perpetuating the horror that was the holocaust. Nigeria is not yet Nazi Germany but many like Gbadegesin are willing Goebbels for a chance at crumbs. SMH.
- Ikhide
Begin forwarded message:From: "'femi ojo' via Naijanet" <naijanet@googlegroups.com>
Date: January 1, 2015 at 6:40:04 PM EST
To: Naijanet Google <naijanet@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Naijanet] TO GET TC AND NDU FIRED UP - APC : CHAMPIONING THE CHANGE WE NEED
Reply-To: femi ojo <okunsystem@yahoo.com>&amp;lt;SCRIPT language='JavaScript1.1' SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/N7928.1916796THENATIONONLINENG.N/B8074030.112533107;abr=!ie;sz=640x90;ord=[timestamp]?"&amp;gt;&amp;lt; /SCRIPT&amp;gt;&amp;lt; NOSCRIPT&amp;gt;&amp;lt; A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N7928.1916796THENATIONONLINENG.N/B8074030.112533107;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=640x90;ord=[timestamp]?"&amp;gt;&amp;lt; IMG SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N7928.1916796THENATIONONLINENG.N/B8074030.112533107;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=640x90;ord=[timestamp]?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=640 HEIGHT=90 ALT="Advertisement"&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/A&amp;gt;&amp;lt; /NOSCRIPT&amp;gt;
APC: Championing the change we need
As a long-distance witness of the process and outcome of the nomination of the candidate and running mate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 2015 presidential elections, I find it incredibly invigorating, morale-boosting and spirit-uplifting. For those who were not just witnesses but also active participants in this remarkable experience, they have a right to see themselves as heroes in the national journey that started 15 years ago.Nigerian citizens and patriots, no matter their party affiliations, must be justly proud of where we are with these results, and where we could be if we persist in this struggle for emancipation. It is not surprising therefore that major commentaries have been positive and congratulatory. It is a refreshing converse of the sordid experience of gangster democracy that we have been exposed to since 1999.I was one of those who hailed the formation of the APC. In "A big Deal" in August 2013, I observed that it was a big step for democracy. And Opalaba, an otherwise apolitical professional, was upbeat. But he was also cautionary, especially about possible bottlenecks and organisational hiccups. Here was his thoughtful remark then: "But it's just the beginning, and the end is most definitely important. My only hope is that this beginning is not thwarted; that the leadership of the new party learns from experience; that internal democracy is their watchword; that they are sensitive to the presentation of a uniquely democratic alternative to the electorate because in the final analysis, it is what matters most. It's a game of numbers".Yes, we were all concerned about thwarting the beginning, not learning from past experience, not paying attention to internal democracy and about insensitivity to the interest of the masses. And, of course, the ruling party wasted no time in its determination to define the new party even before it could settle down to business. "It is one man's party", they stated. "It is an assembly of tired politicians", they claimed. "It is a group of terrorists", they cried. And to some extent, the ugly propaganda war worked, as a few of the original collaborators defected and old dogs went back to their mess. But the lion hearts and insuperable optimists stayed put bolstered by the strength of their convictions.The issue of the process for the emergence of the party's standard-bearer did not perturb its devoted leadership, as they reassured the membership that absolute transparency was their mandate. And they delivered to the disappointment of their opponents. The process was not only democratic; it was transparently so.Why is this important? It was clear that the process was transparently democratic, with each candidate canvassing for the votes of delegates by promoting their personalities, past records of achievements, and proposals for the restoration of the country. Assume, however, that that was not the case. Then the outcome wouldn't have been widely accepted and lauded as it has been. If a consensus had been reached behind closed doors, it would have been insinuated by detractors that some candidates were forced to step down. The fact that a primary election was conducted in the open market place of high-wired politics lent credibility to the democratic credentials that APC has hitherto laid claim to.The outcome is therefore good in part because the process was democratic. But it also turned out that a democratic process actually was capable of yielding a substantively good outcome. There is no denying the fact that a substantial majority of party members and neutral Nigerians had expressed a preference for the candidacy of General Muhammadu Buhari for reason of his wide acceptability among the masses based on his previous record as former Head of State, his puritan and spartan lifestyle and intolerance for corruption, as well as his proven ability to secure the nation.General Buhari's credentials are incontrovertible. If there is anyone with a proven ability to turn things around, it is he. His concern for security is not in doubt. He did it as GOC for the Jos Command in 1982 when he confronted the Chadians, who decided to bite the Nigerian fingers that were feeding them. And in 1984, as Head of State, he dealt decisively with the Maitatsine sect. Some detractors have expressed concern about Buhari's alleged stiffness and adherence to principles. Indeed, given our present predicament, there is nothing worse than having a leader with an outwardly pleasant personality combined with a closet predilection for mischief and a compromised value system.Knowing where a leader stands is important. We have a pretty good idea about where Buhari stands on the pressing issues of our time and space, be it security or corruption or religious fanaticism. It is also important to know that where a leader stands is good for the nation. And on all counts, we know also that this is the case with Buhari.The matter of the choice of a running mate was apparently the last weapon that the opposition had in its arsenal. Therefore, along with a section of the media, it sensationalised the issue beyond the realm of reason. Religion, always the exploited institution by political opportunists, was once again summoned. It did not matter that we have had a religiously balanced presidency since 1999 and our economic, political, and security conditions have failed to improve. It remains to see when we are going to grow up and reject the shortsightedness and selfishness of political jobbers. Thankfully, with the uncommon political maturity of its leadership, APC has demonstrated its ability to transcend sentiments and emotions and to arrive at a resolution that is acceptable to its supporters and Nigerians as a whole.The choice of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as the Vice Presidential candidate by General Buhari is a smart move that has confounded the cabal, which has held Nigeria hostage for far too long. They will have to manufacture some other red meat beside religion. The educational, professional, spiritual and ethical qualifications and qualities of Prof. Osinbajo can only be doubted by the most ignorant or incurably prejudiced person.Osinbajo's achievements in the service of Lagos State as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice where he made equal access to justice and human rights his defining achievements are there for the blind to see. The fact that he has not been a professional politician is an enduring asset that should endear him to independent thinkers, whose desire is the restoration of the glory of motherland.The party chairman and the executive, the governors, candidates, and party functionaries are to be commended for this outcome. Governor Babatunde Fashola deserves special commendation for his sound judgment and patriotism for pulling himself out of consideration as a running mate, citing fatigue, to avoid complicating matters for the candidate and the party.Without a doubt, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the super hero of the success of the formation of APC, its presidential primary and the outcome of the party's search for a running mate. It is very easy to cast aspersion on a person's character. It is impossible to take away his honour and dignity.No one can truthfully deny Tinubu's frontline struggle and sacrifice for the formation of a virile opposition party that is capable of competing on the national level. At the time he was fighting this good cause and getting disappointment even from those who stood to benefit from it, he did not think of what position he might have.Tinubu was concerned that democracy cannot grow with a dominant single party and a splintering of mushroom parties. He put into the struggle his mental, material and physical resources to the point of endangering his health. In the end, he considered the good of the nation and pulled himself out of consideration for a slot on the ticket.This is the mark of statesmanship and APC owes Asiwaju a deep sense of gratitude. As a man of his words, I have no doubt that he will work assiduously for the success of the party in February to the disappointment of his traducers.
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