Thank you CH.
I appreciate that you say, you are not fixated on ethnicity as many others like me, expect you not to be. I apologize.
Again I have nothing personal against Buhari. He wants to be president. Nigeria cannot afford to elect another other than the better candidate. I just am not persuaded that Buhari is anything like his packaging and marketing suggest. he is a known commodity. He has a well document past.
We must always remember that political campaigns are like other marketing campaigns. Managers usually highlight perceived high points of their candidate (product/service). They conceal, deny, and gloss-over their low points. Buhari believes he is the one. His team packages him as such. Discerning followers of the campaign see through the cracks and misinformation. Some are concerned enough to discuss them publicly.
oa
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Cornelius Hamelberg
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2015 6:28 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Chatham House and RAS host Buhari tomorrow in London
Lord Anunoby,
Now you've lost all sense of humour and you are beginning to get a little boring. I quote something pretty Judeo-Christian mainstream and humorously adduce it to "Igbo wisdom", which as you rightly pointed out is universal and all you can imagine is exactly how I thought you would react: "Why the (my) fixation on ethnicity?" Give me break. Who told you that I am fixated on ethnicity? You are the one who is fixated on the English language resources and the learning derived there-from without attributing such a fixation to ethnicity.
I arrived at your paragraph one conclusions before digesting Appiah's " In My Father's House".
I did not know how Swedish I was until arriving in Nigeria after living in Sweden for ten years (minus periods in the UK, US, India, etc.) Prior to Sweden who/ what was I? I cannot escape my childhood or my reading fixations. Sweden passing through me and me passing through Sweden sounds interesting. Fictionalised biography will soon give you a fair idea. My Better Half has been my strongest Swedish influence (she's extremely intelligent) – and let me put the rest this way: I more or less spent ten years (1996-2006) in our synagogue library – you could say that the library passed through me in the sense in which El Hajj Malik al Shabazz says "We didn't land on Plymouth Rock - the rock landed on us!" - thinking not about Plymouth Rock, but Mt. Sinai.
Fixated is a rather strong word and if anything you could say that I am even more fixated on this , not to mention the Greeks , the wonderful Hindus, British and German philosophy, Kalam or closer to where I am, The Havamal which I purchased at Birka a couple of years ago and have read through a couple of times.
We may live in different worlds (and we certainly do) but please disabuse yourself of any other idea than that I am an educated 21st century person. After pushing the send button I'm going to watch a synoptic view of the life of Stephen Hawkings the Cambridge Cosmological professor - and he does not dabble in Adepoju-type gobbledygook theology or garbled teleology...
Goodluck Jonathan etc. To tell you the truth, I'm infinitely more interested in Swedish politics, what Benjamin Netanyahu will be saying to Congress on March 3rd 2015 and in the upcoming Israeli elections than in the evil inclination or what Buhari said at Chatham House or who/which constellation of tribes & religions or elites etc is going to determine the fate of the Nigerian masses the next couple of years. I leave it to you and the other good people of Nigeria to make that determination when it comes to choosing your leaders.
As Chief Aluko usually says, "And there you have it!"
Yours truly,
CH
On Sunday, 1 March 2015 23:51:08 UTC+1, Anunoby, Ogugua wrote:
"He continues, more words of Igbo wisdom "Anyone incapable of true introspection and contrition, is very likely unavailable for redemption and positive change."
CH
Why the fixation on ethnicity? Is Igbo wisdom different than any other? I did not know that wisdom can be categorized by ethnicity and geography. Thank you for the education. You seem to take every opportunity to devolve conversations into base ethnic transactions? I expected Sweden to have made a better impression on you. I hope Sweden passes through you as you pass through Sweden?
Jonathan is president now. He has been for some years. His record of performance should be evident to everyone who is paying attention. I do not have to comment on them. I am not bating for him. I am concerned about the unrelenting effort by some, to sell a candidate who is well known for his anger, arrogance, intolerance and inclination to meaningless violence, as a candidate for the office of executive Head of State- an office he grossly abused as an absolute ruler. Elections should produce better not worse leaders. Democratic elections should be for genuine democrats. It should not be high-jacked by lip service converts and latter-day prophets posturing as democrats.
oa
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafric...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Cornelius Hamelberg
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2015 7:42 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Chatham House and RAS host Buhari tomorrow in London
Lord Anunoby,
I hear you. We should be cautious. You never know what the future holds. Or may hold.
Of course you can always turn around and jump on us if things go wrong , and tell us, " I did warn you!" as if it's the warning itself that sets in motion the bolts and arrows of outrageous fortune.
Whatever conspiracy theory that's giving the paranoia, if only the elections had taken place as scheduled, Muhammadu Buhari would not have had this opportunity to shine the light, right there at Chatham House at this time.
"If my sense is correct", says Lord Anunoby and then continues, self-possessed with more pontificating on the man who has captured the media limelight and is basking in the sunlight:
" I know however that you can tell most people by their close companions" opines Lord Anunoby.
He continues, more words of Igbo wisdom "Anyone incapable of true introspection and contrition, is very likely unavailable for redemption and positive change."
More moral philosophy from Lord Anunoby ": empathy, compassion, humility, and shame. They all have seemed to be grossly unable to "feel the pain" of their less fortunate fellow citizens"
"You never mentioned one time the Man who came and died a criminal's death " (Dr. Dylan
All the way over there in Pennsylvania he doesn't want to say anything bad about commander-in-chief President Good Ebele Jonathan but he has no reservations whatsoever when it comes to prosecuting, judging and passing the final sentence on Brother Buhari who he believes would be worse than bad, worse than Jonathan. Sometimes he gives the impression that he's not absolutely sure that Buhari could actually ever be worse than Jonathan.
All said and done we should be cautious and still deliberate on co-operation; even after the winner-takes all has divided the country between the 40 percenter and the president elect.
We've heard quite a bit from you about Muhammadu Buhari.
With a few kind words, would you like to tell us how it is with Brother Jonathan?
In my corner,
Absolutely,
CH
On Thursday, 26 February 2015 22:50:49 UTC+1, Anunoby, Ogugua wrote:
CH,
You should know by now that I hold no personal grudge against Buhari as a person. I am simply not persuaded that he will be anything like his supporters claim he will be, if he is elected president. I am still open to be persuaded if you will like to know. I have no hesitation in admitting that I do not have a prismatic view of the future. I know however that you can tell most people by their close companions. Why replace bad with bad and perhaps worse. Why replace a rotten orange with a rotten grape fruit? They are both rotten species of the same genus.
Buhari will not stop calling himself "General". He was "Major-General" but hardly describes himself as such which means correctly. Does he have a chip on his shoulder? I smell sulfur. Do you? His followers will not stop calling him "General". Each time they do, they remind Nigerians of his scary military past. I do not believe that Nigerians want their president called "General". My understanding is that Buhari is a devout Muslim. Why not "Alhaji" or "Mallam" since he will not be good old plain "Mr." which all adult males are before other appellations?
My sense is that Buhari will not give up his military title because he believes his military rule of Nigeria is a strength when in fact it should be a weakness in a democratic dispensation. If my sense is correct, it might just be that the man has carried out a false audit of his rule and has seen no reason to have any regret or change anything about his conduct then. Anyone incapable of true introspection and contrition, is very likely unavailable for redemption and positive change.
If there are any qualities that are in short supply in Nigeria's political leaders, they seems to me to include empathy, compassion, humility, and shame. They all have seemed to be grossly unable to "feel the pain" of their less fortunate fellow citizens. They all have seemed to be grossly unaware and consequently accepting of self-indignity and impunity. They pay no better than lip service to their love of their country. See what they continue to do to her.
I have read Buhari's Chattam House speech. It seemed to me to be rehash of over-throttled claptrap on development and nation-building as is expected of a developing country in Africa (not Asia or South America whose leaders are more politically conscious) by the West, and dictated to her by the West. Was I surprised? No of course. My suspicion is that Buhari did not accept the Chatham House invitation to tell Western powers anything they did not know about Nigeria already. He did, to publicly and unequivocally assure them that he and his government will do business with them (not the other way round I might add) on their terms if he was elected president. He needed to. He was not available to do business with them on their terms in 1983-85. The rest as has been said oftentimes, is history.
oa
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafric...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Cornelius Hamelberg
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2015 10:10 AM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Chatham House and RAS host Buhari tomorrow in London
Lord Anunoby,
Here is Dally Kimoko's latest (from last year): We love you Mandela
When comes such another?
The news item below is still of some concern to some of us:
"According to the group, the APC candidate insulted Chief Obafemi Awolowo, surrounded his house with troops, seized his international passport and shortened his life by denying him a medical trip overseas. READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/387169-yoruba-leaders-blast-buhari-endorse-jonathan.html "
What sayest thou?
Three days ago I sent the same query to Ogbeni Kadiri and have yet to hear from him or any of the Oduduwa people dem...
"Is Buhari in regression?" (You wonder)
"Has the radical soldier become a reactionary civilian?" (You ask)
Can lion become a kitchen pussy cat? (Ask Wole Soyinka)
Radical and radical!
Was Saddam Hussein radical?
The watchword is Zeal! Sense of purpose!
Mr. Buhari has waited long time to be president, ostensibly to complete the agenda he started on 31st December 1983. So, we are to assume that when he resumes as head cleaner of the Federal Republic of the United States of Naija, he will get cracking in no time at all! Life is short, not a minute to be wasted or lost, straight to work, he must set forth at dawn!
If by presidential decree, Mr. Buhari were to dispense with the judiciary, with costly, lengthy, time-wasting trials, lawyer's fees etc. and hanged all the criminals to his heart's desire, I guess that there are those who would call such purposeful action "radical" and he would have thus fulfilled some peoples minimal expectations of justice. Where there has been too much injustice
If such cleaning up is a result of his being blood thirsty and revengeful or he was merely doing it all in the name of Human Rights and Justice - and to satisfy the people who had just elected him - then, at the behest of Goodluck Jonathan (assuming that Goodluck's head was not one of those that rolled because he was wise enough - as a precaution – voluntarily, to exile himself to safety - then at his behest and at the behest of some of the sycophants who currently surround him the ICC would be issuing an international warrant for sitting President Buhari's arrest and trial at the Hague...
More seriously, your questions are the same as the questions that they must be asking themselves at Chatham House, the Palace, 10 Downing Street, Aldershot and Sandhurst and of course the Brother in the White House must also be curious about Mr. Buhari's next moves when he becomes president and outside of the formal meetings would also like to obtain certain assurances from him (concerning American interests)
As a result of the nightmare scenario ( that I just painted above, in jest) there is the current flight of capital out of the country, and the lootocrats who have their loot stashed in the Cayman Islands and other safe havens in Switzerland, in the far and near East and of course in various investments, stocks and shares, are nervous about the safety of their assets and whether or not such assets will be seized or frozen after Mr. Buhari wins the presidential ticket and like you, are wondering – and hopeful - about what is too true to believe: "Has the radical soldier become a reactionary civilian? "
There is also the Boko Haram insurgency which has to be addressed – and genocide is not the solution.
I love this statement from Mr. Buhari: I abhor violence
What is Mr. Buhari's vision for Nigeria? Assuredly, not different from yours or mine – creating the circumstances in which it should be possible for all Nigerians who have a birthright to be given an equal possibility of fulfilling their dreams.
But how to fulfil it - how to implement such a vision – ay – there's the rub.
Samuel Szalanga's man, the Prophet Amos – was he a radical? If Nigeria had a president like him – a president with a social conscience and a president who could effectively realise that vision – the movement from election manifesto promises to fulfilment, of course, that would be the achievement of a radical.
Radical and radical – like the US supporting some of the extremist Islamic jihad terror groups and calling them "moderates", just because they haven't been slitting any American throats. There's a range or scale of radical but what is sufficient for our purposes Lord Anunoby is what you said – we want and effective leader not an "ineffectual" or "infirm" leader. Do you think that the Africa Union chairperson Mr. Mugabe is "ineffectual" or "infirm"?
In Africa, generally anyone who has anti-corruption on his political agenda is considered "radical" - not merely normal, but radical. So, in Sierra Leone, the APC's leader Ernest Bai Koroma after spending a good ten years on the parliamentary benches of the opposition campaigned on a platform of "Zero tolerance for corruption" and has won two terms in succession. Here he was in Sacramento, California on the Diaspora campaign trail in 2006 . I wonder to what extent Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari would electrify the Diaspora masses in the US. Each of them have their fanatical supporters. I guess there would be counter- demonstrations too
In their day, the Buhari-Idiagbon duo were considered radical - a departure from the doldrums of corruption and stagnation – perhaps a little too pushy - the rumour was that they ( the coup-makers) were getting too big for their boots and pushing for Nigeria to get a permanent seat on the Security Council .
If you are still worried about the old Buhari (the young Buhari) the one who was in liaison with MOSSAD to get Umaru Dikko kidnapped and brought to Justice, I guess that one of the questions that he must prepare himself to face from Chatham House and from the nervous lootocrats is whether or not he would be prepared to do it again.
This is getting kind of long. This morning I followed a few hours long briefing about what to expect in the coming months about the falling price of oil. In short, it's not likely that the price of oil will ever get back to the former glorious levels – and since it is oil money that has mostly lubricated the political visions of Nigeria's statesmen, we will have to be a little more circumspect and real about 180 million Nigerians mostly depending on that sole resource and here I think of Dr. Aliyu Tilde who has for as long as I have followed him been adumbrating this one point : the importance of agriculture !
I hope that you too will be tuning in to follow Muhammadu Buhari at Chatham House – there will be so much more to talk about then - Buhari will be in the limelight – poor G. Jonathan behind the curtain, out of our immediate line of vision. Some are alreday counting him out and saying good riddance – others will hope it's only a brief disappearance – but one thing is certain : Goodluck Jonathan does not have the zeal or the tenacityor the self-belief to contest four more presidential contests to re-take his crown...
Looking forward to your comments on Mr. Buhari's performace in London.
Yours sincerely,
CH
On Wednesday, 25 February 2015 12:06:17 UTC+1, Anunoby, Ogugua wrote:
CH,
Is Buhari in regression? I wonder.
Would the 1983-85 Buhari have given more than a flipping thought to participating in a meeting on the "Nigeria Project" in London, at that time? Has the radical soldier become a reactionary civilian? Who are his minders? What is going on?
Is this evidence that the man is a changed man?
oa
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafric...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Cornelius Hamelberg
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 5:22 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Chatham House and RAS host Buhari tomorrow in London
Lord Anunoby,
I wish both President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari good health and a long life.
May they both attain to the ripe age of one hundred and twenty years, each....
You say that, "Buhari visits London for completely different reasons. He like many before and around him, believes deep in his soul that he owes fealty to London"
Is that what you say about my man?
And of course when he goes on pilgrimage to Mecca, I hope that you and the kuffar are perceptive enough to know that he owes his soul to Allah subhan't'ala.
Some time ago , although I did not name names, my posting did not appear perhaps because among other things I was talking about those who have sold their soul to the devil and are even prepared to sell their grandmothers for money...
In this very painstakingly thoughtful contribution in very medical terms Samuel Szalanga tells us that Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad "studied medicine at the University of Singapore under colonial rule. One could see in his analysis that he believed in accurate diagnosis of a problem, maybe because of the influence of his medical profession. He would argue that the first step towards solving a problem is accurately diagnosing it." The need for an accurate diagnosis of Nigeria's problems is still urgent – maybe not only the spin doctors but everyone especially the shuffering and shmiling masses know what's wrong and so far in not very concerted ways, diagnoses and the medication are being proffered, sporadically, by doctors like you and bodies like the world bank, hopefully too, people like Jeffrey Sachs. So why isn't Nigeria taking the lead as she should? Is Corruption a leadership problem?
It seems that you have ever so subtly either intentionally or unintentionally misinterpreted my words "the sick man", an entirely metaphorical expression which I first encountered in this book and which in early twentieth century Europe, described the then Ottoman Empire before its disintegration and by which analogy there are those who with or without your permission or approval, refer to Nigeria, the sleeping giant as "the sick man of Africa". I was by no means referring to the state of mind or of health of either of the contenders for the next term as president of Nigeria. As far as we know, both of the contenders for the Nigerian presidency have a clean bill of health and I assume that the very disciplined Mr. Buhari follows a very Spartan regime – probably no debilitating haram al-cohol, "hot", kai-kai, burkutu o'gogoro or tobacco.
If Nigeria has indeed learned from what happened in the case of President Umaru Yar'adua I deduce that you are suggesting that a vote for Muhammadu Buhari is effectually also a vote for his running mate Professor Yemi Osinbajo who, as all vice-presidents / running mates is but a heart-beat away from the presidency, should the President unexpectedly leave his presidency behind and step into the non-political world of the Hereafter. This must be one of the considerations that resulted in the APC's choice of running mate – a man of sterling qualities, capable hands and a reputation that's not stained by any allegations or suspicions of corruption. Now exactly what could Lord Anunoby have against a man of Professor Osinbajo's calibre, apart from my Yoruba brother being a heartbeat away from the presidency?
Yours Truly,
CH
On Tuesday, 24 February 2015 22:10:27 UTC+1, Anunoby, Ogugua wrote:
CH,
I implore you to stick to available and presented facts. Please do judge me or others on the basis of hypothetical possibilities. Jonathan is president. If he becomes sick he should receive medical treatment as president. He was not sick when he was elected president. Had he been I would have argued that he should not be elected president. If Buhari is sick, he too should receive medical treatment. If however Buhari is too sick to be an effective president and I do not know that he is, he should not run for the office and should not be elected if he chooses to. If he truly loves his country, he should know not run for office.
To elect a sick candidate president is to elect his running mate by stealth? Worse still, why elect a cohort of charlatans who may be propping the candidate in the certain knowledge that he will be ineffectual in office for the reason that he is infirm, for their personal gain? Would you support a repeat of the sad and pitiful Yar 'Adua saga, so soon after that ignominious experience? Were you not embarrassed and saddened by the messy indignity that was visited on the man, the country, and the constitutional crises that was forefended?
You may want to know that I have neither a dog nor vote in this election fight. I am just oping that bad would and should not be replaced with bad or worse. A head for a head or less is not a prudent and therefore acceptable exchange.
oa
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafric...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Cornelius Hamelberg
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 11:09 AM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Chatham House and RAS host Buhari tomorrow in London
Lord Anunoby,
Let me hasten to assure you: I don't overestimate myself and underestimate others. I have never doubted your sincerity or your love for Nigeria and I don't doubt mine either.
The eyes of the whole world are on Nigeria, and apart from worries about the-winner-takes-all elections and the likelihood of post-election violence if there is the usual rigging, the main concern is that the fall in oil prices is creating unrest in Nigeria. These are immediate problems that are waiting to be solved.
As far as I know – and I know so little - countries like the US and the UK and even Sweden - who have embassies in Nigeria,
...
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