USA Africa Dialogue Series - FW: A FEW COMMENTS‹Re: Money and Politics

From: Michael VICKERS <mvickers@mvickers.plus.com>

Date: Thursday, 28 May 2015 10:46
To: Prof Ayo OLUKOTUN <ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com>
Cc: Richard Joseph <richardjoseph65@gmail.com>, "Dr.Remi SONAIYA" <remisonaiya@yahoo.com>, Prof Toyin FALOLA <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>, Tade Aina <tadeakinaina@yahoo.com>, Taiwo Owoeye <sistertees@hotmail.com>, takehinde <takehinde@yahoo.com>, Tiwa <tiwaolugbade@yahoo.com>, Adebayo <adebayow@hotmail.com>, Adebayo Olukoshi <olukoshi@gmail.com>, Adigun Agbaje <adigunagbaje@yahoo.com>, Akinlawon Mabogunje <mabogunje1931@yahoo.com>, akin osuntokun <akinosuntokun@yahoo.com>, Alaba OGUNSANWO <alabaogunsanwo@gmail.com>, Attahiru Jega <attahirujega@yahoo.com>, Attehsun <attehsun@yahoo.com>, Obadare Ebenezer Babatunde <obadare@ku.edu>, Obadiah Mailafia <obmailafia@gmail.com>, Ladipo ADAMOLEKUN <dipo7k@yahoo.com>, Nduka Otiono <Nduka.Otiono@carleton.ca>, Niyi Osundare <oosunda1@uno.edu>, Noel Ihebuzor <noel.ihebuzor@gmail.com>, Chibuzo NWOKE <chibuzonwoke@yahoo.com>, Jibo <jibo72@yahoo.com>, Jide Owoeye <babsowoeye@gmail.com>, Raufu Mustapha <raufu.mustapha@qeh.ox.ac.uk>, Reuben Abatti <abati1990@yahoo.com>, Emmanuel Remi Aiyede <eaiyede@yahoo.com>, Ibrahim Gambari <Ibrahim.gambari@gmail.com>, "samohuabunwa@gmail.com" <samohuabunwa@gmail.com>, samuel egwu <sgegwu@yahoo.com>, sat obiyan <satobiyan@yahoo.com>, Dr Banji OYEYINKA <boyeyinka@hotmail.com>, Benjamin Olatunji Oloruntimehin <ben_olatunji2003@yahoo.com>, Gabriel Ogunmola <gbogunmola@yahoo.com>, Pa Uoma <pauoma@gmail.com>, Paddy <paddykay20o2@yahoo.com>, Paul izah <pizah2003@yahoo.com>, Prof Ayo Dunmoye <ayodunmoye@yahoo.com>, "Prof. Funmi Adewumi" <funmi.adewumi@elizadeuniversity.edu.ng>, Prof Bayo ADEKANYE <profbayo_adekanye@yahoo.com>, "S.O. UWAIFO" <so_uwaifo@yahoo.co.uk>, Femi Falana <falanalagos@yahoo.com>, Femi Osofisan <okinbalaunko@yahoo.com>, "Chukwuma, Innocent" <innocent.chukwuma@fordfoundation.org>, cyril obi <cyrilobi@hotmail.com>, Shehu Dikko <shehuspen@gmail.com>, Wale Adebanwi <waleadebanwi@gmail.com>, Wasiu Odufisan <wasiuodufisan@yahoo.com>, wfawole <wfawole@gmail.com>
Subject: A FEW COMMENTS—Re: Money and Politics

Ayo,  

I've emerged a bit. 

Let me add a few comments to the current dialectics. 

Elections/ Corruption/ Conference on Corruption and means of alleviation.

What is the root from which derives all that is generating still 

Huge distress amongst the 98—maybe 99.9?—per cent of 

Sound and sensible Nigeria folk? 

In essence it is of course the "condition"—historic and modern—

from which Nigeria folk have emerged. This condition is common 

To all peoples of this modern world who have found themselves 

Having to play "catch up." 

Only recently "freed" from varying periods of colonial tutelage, 

each has had to find its own way. This has not been easy. 

Life has followed a Hobbesian path.  

One where Strong Men compete. 

And where one Strong Man with his "political princes" 

emerges to rule. 

In Nigeria we have just had such a competition. 

One Strong Man has replaced another. 

We call it an election. 

And how best to describe such elections? 

They are merely devices—reluctantly accepted by oligarchs/ rulers—

whereby business can carry on as usual—via Executive/ Legislature/ Judiciary/ 

And respective Admins—where the victor, whether by landslide or small margin,

Can claim Legitimacy for whatever action he may choose to pursue. 

" …These folk who voted me in approve my selection. I am their legitimate leader 

By our scrupulously monitored/ Freeee and Fair democratic measure. I act within the law. I am thus authorised to do those things I consider important to serve them." 

End of story. 

The big Brit/ US/ Euro/ other Trading/Commercial partners and their 

Committed "Democratic" peoples are happy. 

The tiny elite of Nigeria Governors and Business/ 

Commercial folk dance a jig. 

If treasury is empty—as is the custom with outgoing admins;  

Then raise a few massive loans (though given the current squeeze on OIL prices, 

this may not be so easy as in past OIL Boom days). 

Don't worry about the terms. 

Use one or two of these loans to put the State back in business. 

Tuck proceeds of other loans away for a "rainy day." 

Simple. 

Tis now standard procedure. 

EFCC and repeat trials of past outgoing governors 

Have set forward the template.

This is the simple reality of what is happening now, and 

Why it is happening. 

It is also how and why the 

Process described is locked into place;  

Together with the vital Inherited colonial structures, 

Which performed so effectively an "extractive function".

So all the oligarchs in the OIL company Boardrooms round the world, 

Are happy. 

All the Nigeria oligarchs of business and politics 

Are happy. 

But what of the 99.9 ordinary, brutally hard-pressed Nigerians 

—A sizeable proportion of whom remain on the 

$1/ day "starvation margins"? 

"Who?"

Well, such folk look round, 

And ask—as they do after every election/ installation of a new General/ Dictator: 

"Is there any improvement in our roads? 

What of power/ water/ drainage infrastructures?

What of housing/ health/ education/ Social welfare? 

What of employment? 

What of FOOD and Agric?

"What advances? 

What improvements?"

The answer? 

"Life more abundant" will come. 

Tis all in the hands 

Of newly elected oligarchs/ military dictators. 

"But when?" 

"Soon."

So. …

The result of the election? 

This is it. 

Problem of correcting corruption? 

Not easy. 

As I've suggested before, 

It must be tackled simultaneously

At all levels. 

Our new President, and former Military Dictator, 

A knowledgeable and experienced Elder, 

Will do what he can to assist. 

We must provide help and encouragement.

Conference on Corruption and its alleviation? 

It will provide the bed-rock from which 

Policy and action will duly proceed. 

President Buhari will assist. 

Best,  Baba mike

From: Richard Joseph <richardjoseph65@gmail.com>
Date: Thursday, 28 May 2015 06:02
To: Prof Ayo OLUKOTUN <ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com>
Cc: "Dr.Remi SONAIYA" <remisonaiya@yahoo.com>, Michael VICKERS <mvickers@mvickers.plus.com>, Prof Toyin FALOLA <toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>, Tade Aina <tadeakinaina@yahoo.com>, Taiwo Owoeye <sistertees@hotmail.com>, takehinde <takehinde@yahoo.com>, Tiwa <tiwaolugbade@yahoo.com>, "Dr O.A. DOSUMU" <toksx@yahoo.com>, Adebayo <adebayow@hotmail.com>, Adebayo Olukoshi <olukoshi@gmail.com>, Adigun Agbaje <adigunagbaje@yahoo.com>, Akinlawon Mabogunje <mabogunje1931@yahoo.com>, akin osuntokun <akinosuntokun@yahoo.com>, Alaba OGUNSANWO <alabaogunsanwo@gmail.com>, Attahiru Jega <attahirujega@yahoo.com>, Attehsun <attehsun@yahoo.com>, Obadare Ebenezer Babatunde <obadare@ku.edu>, Obadiah Mailafia <obmailafia@gmail.com>, Ladipo ADAMOLEKUN <dipo7k@yahoo.com>, Dr Olajumoke YACOB-HALISO <jumoyin@yahoo.co.uk>, Nduka Otiono <Nduka.Otiono@carleton.ca>, Niyi Osundare <oosunda1@uno.edu>, Noel Ihebuzor <noel.ihebuzor@gmail.com>, Chibuzo NWOKE <chibuzonwoke@yahoo.com>, Jibo <jibo72@yahoo.com>, Jide Owoeye <babsowoeye@gmail.com>, Raufu Mustapha <raufu.mustapha@qeh.ox.ac.uk>, Reuben Abatti <abati1990@yahoo.com>, Emmanuel Remi Aiyede <eaiyede@yahoo.com>, Ibrahim Gambari <Ibrahim.gambari@gmail.com>, "samohuabunwa@gmail.com" <samohuabunwa@gmail.com>, samuel egwu <sgegwu@yahoo.com>, sat obiyan <satobiyan@yahoo.com>, Dr Banji OYEYINKA <boyeyinka@hotmail.com>, Benjamin Olatunji Oloruntimehin <ben_olatunji2003@yahoo.com>, Gabriel Ogunmola <gbogunmola@yahoo.com>, Pa Uoma <pauoma@gmail.com>, Paddy <paddykay20o2@yahoo.com>, Paul izah <pizah2003@yahoo.com>, Prof Ayo Dunmoye <ayodunmoye@yahoo.com>, "Prof. Funmi Adewumi" <funmi.adewumi@elizadeuniversity.edu.ng>, Prof Bayo ADEKANYE <profbayo_adekanye@yahoo.com>, "S.O. UWAIFO" <so_uwaifo@yahoo.co.uk>, Femi Falana <falanalagos@yahoo.com>, Femi Osofisan <okinbalaunko@yahoo.com>, "Chukwuma, Innocent" <innocent.chukwuma@fordfoundation.org>, cyril obi <cyrilobi@hotmail.com>, Shehu Dikko <shehuspen@gmail.com>, Wale Adebanwi <waleadebanwi@gmail.com>, Wasiu Odufisan <wasiuodufisan@yahoo.com>, wfawole <wfawole@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Money and Politics

Thank you, Ayo. We have to widen that window. Much work ahead. 

Regards, 

Richard

On May 27, 2015, at 11:49 PM, ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com wrote:

Thanks Richard for sharing this piece. I enjoyed reading it especially because it focuses on they key issues in post-Jonathan Nigeria. Throwing muddy water in to the pool is the cash strapped status of most of the subnational governments leading to defaults in the payments of workers' salaries. Buhari clearly needs the support and goodwill of civil society national and global and your article struck the right note in highlighting the window, though narrow for political change. Cheers. Ayo

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.

---

From: richard joseph <richardjoseph65@gmail.com>

Date: Wed, 27 May 2015 14:19:46 -0500

To: Richard Joseph<richardjoseph65@gmail.com>; remisonaiya@yahoo.com<remisonaiya@yahoo.com>; Ayo Olukotun<ayo_olukotun@yahoo.com>; Michael Vickers<mvickers@mvickers.plus.com>; Toyin Falola<toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu>; Tade Aina<tadeakinaina@yahoo.com>; Taiwo Owoeye<sistertees@hotmail.com>; takehinde<takehinde@yahoo.com>; Tiwa<tiwaolugbade@yahoo.com>; Dr. Awolowo Dosunmu<toksx@yahoo.com>; Adebayo<adebayow@hotmail.com>; Adebayo Olukoshi<olukoshi@gmail.com>; Adigun Agbaje<adigunagbaje@yahoo.com>; Akinlawon Mabogunje<mabogunje1931@yahoo.com>; akin osuntokun<akinosuntokun@yahoo.com>; Alaba Ogunsanwo<alabaogunsanwo@gmail.com>; Attahiru Jega<attahirujega@yahoo.com>; Attehsun<attehsun@yahoo.com>; Obadare Ebenezer Babatunde<obadare@ku.edu>; Obadiah Mailafia<obmailafia@gmail.com>; Oladipupo Adamolekun<dipo7k@yahoo.com>; Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso<jumoyin@yahoo.co.uk>; Nduka Otiono<Nduka.Otiono@carleton.ca>; Niyi Osundare<oosunda1@uno.edu>; Noel Ihebuzor<noel.ihebuzor@gmail.com>; chibuzo nwoke<chibuzonwoke@yahoo.com>; Jibo<jibo72@yahoo.com>; Jide Owoeye<babsowoeye@gmail.com>; Raufu Mustapha<raufu.mustapha@qeh.ox.ac.uk>; Reuben Abatti<abati1990@yahoo.com>; Emmanuel Remi Aiyede<eaiyede@yahoo.com>; Ibrahim Gambari<Ibrahim.gambari@gmail.com>; Innocent Chukwuma<I.Chukwuma@fordfoundation.org>

Subject: Re: Money and Politics

Kindly see opinion piece just published:

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/africa-in-focus/posts/2015/05/27-nigeria-democracy-joseph

Regards,

Richard

On Tue, May 26, 2015 at 2:22 AM, Shehu Dikko <shehuspen@gmail.com> wrote:

* Richard Joseph [20150523 20:12:57]:
> [...] Note that there is no equivalence between personal wealth and
> leadership capacity.....

Rich and poor alike are welcome to lead. Having a way to evaluate
clearly whether a person has corruptly enriched his or herself in office
is important. In our Nigeria, both types of persons have often been
found abusing their office or seeking to take advantage of having held
office to put a strain on limited resources better applied to other
objectives.

But a public declaration of assets is also a way to detect possible
conflict of interest. I tried to show a group of prominent political
actors and other opinion shapers, some of whom are now elected office
holders back in February 2014 that while many seem reluctant to embrace
the types of policies such as assets declaration that can inhibit
corruption, they are eager to endorse others that abet it.

One such abetter of local corruption is the now near universal view that
government has lost its capacity to do anything alone, and cannot
reclaim it; that public private sector partnership is the way to go,
never mind that the private sector has recorded spectacular failures of
its own. I argued that ppp has led to public servants with
responsibility for providing basic services investing in private
companies and basically running them with government funds. I then
added:

===
There are key persons in the APC who speak of their commitment to the
provision of free education including even free lunch in schools. This
means subsidised education. We do not know whether the APC is fully
committed to public subsidised education, defined as goverment taking
full and undivided responsibility for its schools, or not. If the APC
also shares the philosophy of public-private sector partnership, it is
not at all inconceivable that it will only be a matter of time before we
are faced with the scandal of huge public funds being channelled to
private schools as lunch or whiteboard subsidy.

Since this is by no means the only way in which such a partnership can
be abused, I should like to address all those who are eager to assume
responsibility for these problems: Those who want to run private
businesses should stay out of the public sector. Those who *choose* to
serve in the public sector should make a public commitment to keeping
public funds away from their private ventures. It is in the interest of
transparency and accountability in government to so demand.

No be by force. I for one do not consider those who say they don't give
a damn about assets declaration as persons truly committed to
transparency and accountability, whoever they are....
===

That was a year and a bit ago. Instead of a thoughtful review of their
programmes, and ensuring that they are properly costed, they went and
made astonishing promises of more spending including N5,000 each to
twenty five million of the poorest families every month never mind that
Governors Saminu Turaki and Babangida Aliyu had attempted to do
fractionally similar and woefully failed. Having been empowered by the
unwary who view them as more honourable and who are now very expectant,
they are now telling us about some sudden discovery that they will
inherit an empty treasury. Their excuses should not be entertained.

Thank you very much and best regards,

shehu
--
Hey, how about the aphorism of a contemporary Nigerian for a change?