Lord Agugua Anunoby,
Your points are always well taken, Sir. At all times, I cannot fail but to be impressed by the sense of justice that animates your serious concerns about our Nigeria. My other favourite lordly Nigerian is Chief Emeka Anyaoku , the former Secretary-General of the Common Wealth. Sadly, we do not hear him sounding off on what's happening in Nigeria during these later years of Book Haram's reign of terror, a terror so terrible that President Goodluck Jonathan can fly regularly to Israel and back ( to the annoyance of some of Nigeria's Muslims) but has conspicuously kept himself away from visiting various areas of sovereign holy Nigerian territory to commiserate with those who almost daily, suffer loss of life, limb and property at the hands of the murderers in the Boko Haram
I'm sorry if I've mistakenly associated you too closely with membership of the fan club headed by Dr. Chika Oyeani who organised the celebration of The Goodluck Jonathan Appreciation Day, over there where you reside, in the United States of America. I cannot remember ever hearing you criticize Goodluck Jonathan. Understandably, this is partly because, somehow, just looking at the distribution of portfolios in Goodluck Jonathan's administration, it would seem that Igbos occupy very significant position ( no doubt by dint of the entrepreneurship spirit and that extra special quality of enterprise which has earned Igbos the nickname " the Jews of Africa" ) and occupying such significant positions it's said that they can't possibly complain that their section of the Nigerian polity is under-represented, to the extent that some of Jonathan's closest friends are said to be joking that his real name is his middle name Ebele Azikiwe and that the prefix Goodluck at the beginning and the surname Jonathan at the end are mere peripheries to his true centre of gravity which to all intents and purposes is Azikiwe
(You know how Nigerians like to particularise about the main ingredients in the national ethnic stew...n.b. : at least once a year the Jews recite this verse Devarim 28:13
"And the Lord will set you at the head, and not at the tail, and you will be only at the top, and you will not be at the bottom, if you obey the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I am commanding you this day, to observe to fulfill [them]."
As a result of which you get guys like these
About the distinction of being Igbo I read some beautiful words on Obododimma Oha's facebook timeline , a guideline for the uncouth, a code of conduct/ loving ethical behaviour for us all...including the understanding of Ferguson...
About my Man Muhammadu Buhari. You've said it all before: that he should apologise to the people of Nigeria for what he did before, that we don't know that he won't do much worse if he comes back even through the ballot box, your ominous words "He has himself to blame for the possible fate that will befall him" and I notice that this time you have omitted to ask where does he get all that money with which to conduct this his fourth campaign to be president of Naija?
But Lord Anunoby, let's leave Muhammadu Buhari alone, let's also leave Nigeria's chief police constable about whom it's said, "The IGP has shown he is a political officer and he has already taken sides with a party against the other. How can we trust him to be neutral in the 2015 general elections?" Him too, let him rest in peace for the time being and the problem of PIRACY that's taking a back seat with Boko Haram at the forefront, more chaos and just for now, let's take a look at the other types of leadership in Nigeria, religious leadership :
1. The Sultan of Sokoto : the spiritual head of Nigerian Muslims:
Amirul Mu'minin Sultan Muhammadu Sa'adu Abubakar III who advocate the release of Boko Haram prisoners for peace.
I can't understand Goodluck Jonathan's reasoning. If Barabbas could be released instead of Jesus how much more urgent isn't the release of Boko Haram prisoners to bring an end to the on going and never-ending Boko Haram carnage?
On Monday, 1 December 2014 03:21:23 UTC+1, Anunoby, Ogugua wrote:
...ch,
Buhari has not shown demonstrably that he regrets any of his many unconstitutional and brutal acts as military dictator. He still can. Tambuwal very well knows that if he must remain speaker after switching political parties, he must be re-elected speaker. Why does he not let that process happen? The office of speaker is a high office of state. Does Tambuwal not know this? He should have more respect for the office. Why mindlessly ferment a crises?
It amazed me that you always labelled me a Jonathan supporter. I have finally figured out why. You belong to the George W. Bush "if you are not with us, you are against us" school. You believe I am a Buhari hater which is not true I might add. I must therefore be a Jonathan lover which is also not true. You are now, even surer that I am because I propose that Tambuwal take the path of dignity and honor- keep his House seat, resign as speaker, and seek re-election as speaker which he can do. If he did, he would have contributed measurably to concretizing sound democratic practice in Nigeria.
You may wish to know that my great concern is not personalities but the brigandage that many criminal politicians actively practice in the name of politics in Nigeria. I am concerned about the absurdity, damage and shame that these so-called leaders and their supporters continue to inflicted on Nigeria and their fellow citizens.
There are legitimate questions about Buhari as president, given his past role as military Head of State. He should answer them. Tambuwal should keep his seat in the House. He should seek re-election as speaker if he ceases to be a member of the PDP on whose platform he was elected. I do not mind him as speaker so long as he does not cheat his way to remaining speaker. Tambuwal always knew what was going to happen to him if he switched political parties and did not resign as speaker. He has himself to blame for letting himself be a pawn in the PDP/APC struggle. He made himself a lightning rod. He has himself to blame for the possible fate that will befall him and what he has become- a poster boy for chaos.
oa
From: usaafric...@
googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafric...@googlegroups.com ] On Behalf Of Cornelius Hamelberg
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2014 10:40 AM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: FW: USA Africa Dialogue Series - On this Matter of Party Defections in Nigeria's National and State Assemblies {Re: [Naijaintellects] Chaos at National Assembly: Tambuwal Stopped, David Mark Orders shutdown
Lord Chief Justice Anunoby,
You are extremely judgemental especially when it comes to passing sentence on Hon. Muhammadu Buhari and Hon Aminu Tambuwal but you are brimful to overflowing with praises, love, forgive-ness and tolerance for your good man Goodluck Jonathan and some of the Lootocrats!
Please bear with me (indulge me a wee bit)
("My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.")I guess that perspective is a matter of background and in this case, I can't help thinking of the assassination of Olof Palme in the heart of Stockholm and of Anna Lindh in NK the Stockholm equivalent of London's Harrods, both of them walking unprotected and without any security detail whatsoever, walking in what was and largely still is our Open Society. Nowadays - as far as I know, most politicians and indeed Ambassadors such as Israel's Ambassador always have at least one bodyguard - even on the way to the synagogue.
That your last line, "The law is usually not a matter of right and wrong. The law is a matter of the law. ", transports me back to a discussion I had with my daughter (a Gold Medalist in Law -University of London) in which she told me, " I love the law!".
Well, she's not the only one who loves the law, King David sang in Psalm One:
"The praises of a man are that he did not follow the counsel of the wicked, neither did he stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the company of scorn
But his desire is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night."
Consider also, Psalm 119:24 and Psalm 119:92
In my mind ( it's merely an act of imagination – what Keats called " negative capability" ) and invoking this "negative capability" I'm now imaginatively addressing you as the Lord Chief Justice of Lord Lugard's Nigeria, not the post colonial Naija:
Let's call a spade by its real name Sir: What you are in fact supporting is vindictive politics and the withdrawal of security for both Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi ( because he fell out with President Goodluck Jonathan - even though he continues as a governor of the president's home state ) and the withdrawal of the Speakers of Nigeria's National Assembly, the Hon. Aminu Tambuwal ( because he legally resigned from being a member of President Goodluck Jonathan's party ) – in both cases what we are seeing is nothing less than punitive measures being carried out by a very vindictive government which apparently has no regard for the sanctity of the life of these two top Nigerian servants...
Callousness you say is too emotive a word for you to describe the circumstances which you think merit state-funded security/ life guards for the Hon. Aminu Tambuwal being withdrawn. Since you give me poetic license maybe I should be talking about "You blocks, you stones, and you worse than senseless things"? In my humble opinion, it is nothing less than another instance of man's inhumanity to his fellow man (as we all saw with the initial lethargy that characterized Goodluck Jonathan's reaction to the kidnapping of the Chibok girls) it's nothing less than contempt for the value of human life, valuable human life and we both know that the role of speaker is a very important one in the democratic structure called representative government.
Here in Sweden, Urban Ahlin, the man who was shadow minister of foreign affairs has now been elected speaker of the Swedish Parliament after the Social Democrats won the last elections, and in Sierra Leone, Sir Henry Lightfoot Boston the then Speaker of the Sierra Leone Parliament (also a lawyer like Hon. Aminu Tambuwal) was appointed Governor-General of the country, shortly after Independence. That's how elevated the position of speaker can be...
You say that "If a speaker's legal standing as speaker is in dispute as Tambuwal's seems to be presently, the security detail may be lawfully withdrawn" Have a heart Lord Anunoby! Have a heart for the letter and the spirit of the law! Let us assume that the matter of whether or not Hon. Aminu Tambuwal is still currently speaker is not yet settled (legally and constitutionally) – since you say it is in dispute. Then Hon- Aminu Tambuwal is in some sort of limbo so to speak, as his position has not yet been determined – for which reason you think it's perfectly OK to expose this valuable human servant of the state to danger by withdrawing all protection for his person?
What kind of person could think like that?
I'm sure that when on pilgrimage abroad Goodluck Jonathan and his entourage praying on the banks of the River Jordan or in the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, are fully concentrated on their prayers, confident of full security being provided for himself and his Nigerian pilgrims. Then how much more so must he not be concerned about security for those who serve parliamentary democracy in his motherland Nigeria? Otherwise, you have no choice but must agree with Fela that when it comes to democracy in Nigeria, that it's mostly a matter of "demo-crazy" and "Crazy demo"
Lastly, and this is what puzzles me most greatly: At this late stage of the game, doesn't Goodluck Jonathan want to win the North? Or does he only hope to do so by smashing the opposition? I would have thought that the best way of winning would be by winning people's hearts not by withdrawing or neglecting their protection and heartlessly leaving them to fend for themselves. Just listen to what the Emir of Kano His Eminence Muhammadu Sanusi II and Hon. Atiku AbuBakr have been saying recently, that the people must protect themselves since the government is failing to provide protection. At this stage it looks like a national malady.
Last night I listened to part 12 of this series
And John Armstrong on Civilisation
Hoping that we will soon be supporting the same president...
In Owerri or Dallas,
Sincerely yours,
Cornelius
On Tuesday, 25 November 2014 19:31:03 UTC+1, Anunoby, Ogugua wrote:CH,
The practice in Nigeria is to assign a security detail to the speaker of the house of representatives so long as they are "legally and constitutionally" (your words) in the office of speaker. If a speaker's legal standing as speaker is in dispute as Tambuwal's seems to be presently, the security detail may be lawfully withdrawn. The withdrawal can be challenged in court of course.
It is not for you or I to claim or determine that a speaker's standing as speaker remains lawful in the situation that Tambuwal willfully created knowing fully well that there may be adverse privilege consequences. I would not characterize the decision of the executive arm of government or her agency to withdraw Tambuwal's security detail as an act of "callousness". It is too emotive for me. I respect your right to pick, choose, and use words as you please .
Not that it matters, but Tambuwal has been a Nigerian politician for many years. He should have seen what might come to him before choosing to act as he did. Some state governors have had their security details withdrawn. Governor Amaechi's was. It was okay then. Tambuwal as speaker, was vociferously silent. He was not legally obliged to take a position but it would have been well that he did. Had he done then, he would be standing on firmer and high moral ground today, as he protests his loss of a speaker's security detail.
It is doubtful that Tambuwal is a principled politician. Given his choices and actions regarding his party affiliation at different times, might it be that Tambuwal is an adventurous, ambitious politician ruled by convenience, expediency, and opportunism? He has contested election as a member of different political parties. It is not clear that he stands for anything other than his personal gain. He seems completely inadvertent to the real consequences of his choices and actions on his country. All the above I might add, are no reason for him to lose his security detail as speaker if he should not. All must wait however for his legitimacy as speaker to be determined by an appropriate court. The law is usually not a matter of right and wrong. The law is a matter of the law.
oa
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafric...@
googlegroups.com ] On Behalf Of Cornelius Hamelberg
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2014 8:09 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: FW: USA Africa Dialogue Series - On this Matter of Party Defections in Nigeria's National and State Assemblies {Re: [Naijaintellects] Chaos at National Assembly: Tambuwal Stopped, David Mark Orders shutdown
Lord Anunoby,
I'm expecting a robust rejoinder from you Sir and not a mere à la Lakunle something about "misunderstood by you/ and your race of savages, I rise above taunts/ and remain unruffled"
In this savage day and age of terrorism in Nigeria it is a sad day to see whoever it is that's in charge of protecting life and property, withdrawing the security detail that should be protecting the life of the Speaker of Nigeria's National Assembly the Hon Aminu Tambuwal whilst he is still legally and constitutionally in office and acting as the Hon Speaker of Nigeria's National House of Assembly, simply because he decided to no longer be a member of the President's ruling party - so it's better if he is exposed to danger and unprotected...
Out of a polite sense of deference so as not to "insult" anybody, I do not use stronger language to condemn such callousness...
About the Police raid on the APC data centre in Lagos this is my lamentation:
That in some African countries, the State Police is seldom impartial when it comes to exclusively protecting the presidential hand that feeds them, that can promote or even retire/ dismiss (sack) them. That whereas some incumbent governments in Africa can and have used the police and military as their own personal tool in degrading their political rivals, even on some trumped up charges, planted evidence - he blows up his own garage and says the opposition did it...the following morning a cache of weapons and ammunition are "discovered" at the residence of the suspected member of the opposition and a warrant is issued for his arrest. The reverse is seldom the case – and I don't know of any cases where the Police has raided the headquarters of president or the ruling party, ostensibly in search of incriminating evidence looking either for looted gold or for forged ballot papers, the manufacturing of counterfeit money or inflation / composing voter registers, tax evasion etc.
It would seem that the Police are not yet capable of acting that independently of Caesar's wishes in our fledgling democracies.
Of course in some African countries it's sometimes even worse than that, when the incumbent government is incapable of distinguishing between the national treasury and their election campaign war chest and often, likewise refuse to give adequate space on national television to the opposition.
I hope that you don't think that I am being abstract or vague Sir, when there is evidence galore if you so desire, and since I don't think that you so desire, I hope that you get my drift....
I think that you too should stand up and condemn such things.
"when something isn't right it's wrong" As you yourself have told us before, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
So, don't be afraid, please speak up Sir!
Sincerely yours,
Cornelius
On Sunday, 23 November 2014 23:35:46 UTC+1, Anunoby, Ogugua wrote:"We do not need to discuss whether Tambuwal is a legitimate Speaker or member of the House or not but, why the Police invaded the National Assembly."
We do. If there is an effect, there is most likely a cause. To successfully deal with an effect, one must deal with the cause. Tambuwal helped to fermented the crises. He switched political parties and wanted things to remain the same. He chose to gamble. He must face the music.
We do not know for sure that the police did not have intelligence report on the invasion they claimed. The police are not obliged to share information with a Speaker or Senate President before taking necessary action depending on the nature and content of the intelligence report. What if the content pointed to the Speaker or Senate President being the architect of the thugs' oncoming assault? They are also not obliged to share the details of the report with the general public until it is safe to do so.
Is it too much to expect the Speaker, as a principal lawmaker, to dignify his high office by respecting the police enough to follow police instructions even if the police were out of order? He should have on the day. There are always available remedies that he could seek successfully. His conduct was roughish when it need not and should not be. He chose to escalate the situation when as Speaker, he should deescalate the situation? What about restraint? That is what good leaders are expected to show in similar situations. Thank goodness no lives were lost in the mayhem.
oa
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
From: Anunoby, Ogugua
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2014 3:50 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - On this Matter of Party Defections in Nigeria's National and State Assemblies {Re: [Naijaintellects] Chaos at National Assembly: Tambuwal Stopped, David Mark Orders shutdown
"We do not need to discuss whether Tambuwal is a legitimate Speaker or member of the House or not but, why the Police invaded the National Assembly."
We do. If there is an effect, there is most likely a cause. To successfully deal with an effect, one must deal with the cause. Tambuwal helped to fermented the crises. He switched political parties and wanted things to remain the same. He chose to gamble. He must face the music.
We do not know for sure that the police did not have intelligence report on the invasion they claimed. The police are not obliged to share information with a Speaker or Senate President before taking necessary action depending on the nature and content of the intelligence report. What if the content pointed to the Speaker or Senate President being the architect of the thugs' oncoming assault? They are also not obliged to share the details of the report with the general public until it is safe to do so.
Is it too much to expect the Speaker, as a principal lawmaker, to dignify his high office by respecting the police enough to follow police instructions even if the police were out of order? He should have on the day. There are always available remedies that he could seek successfully. His conduct was roughish when it need not and should not be. He chose to escalate the situation when as Speaker, he should deescalate the situation? What about restraint? That is not what good leaders show in similar situations. Thank goodness no lives were lost in the mayhem.
oa
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaaf...@googlegroups.
com ] On Behalf Of Salimonu Kadiri
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2014 2:37 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - On this Matter of Party Defections in Nigeria's National and State Assemblies {Re: [Naijaintellects] Chaos at National Assembly: Tambuwal Stopped, David Mark Orders shutdown
The reconvened meeting of the National Assembly would have been the best occasion to decide if Tambuwal was still the Speaker of the House or not. Section 50, 2c of the 1999 Constitution says, "The Speaker of the House of Representatives or his Deputy, shall vacate office if he is removed from office by a resolution of the House of Representatives by the vote of not less than 2/3s majority of members of that House." We do not need to discuss whether Tambuwal is a legitimate Speaker or member of the House or not but, why the Police invaded the National Assembly. According to the Police, their invasion of the National Assembly was due to intelligent Reports that hoodlums and thugs were to cause mayhem at the Assembly. Yet, the Police did not inform the Speaker and the Senate President about the intelligent Reports before their action. Unintelligently, the Police behaved like street Urchins and treated Tambuwal and other APC members of the House as hoodlums and thugs. If the action of the police is not condemned, a Colonel in the nearest future can block the President from entering Aso Rock under the pretext of an Intelligence Report!!
From: Anun...@lincolnu.edu
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com
CC: alu...@gmail.com; anthony...@yahoo.co.uk
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2014 12:45:39 -0600
Subject: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - On this Matter of Party Defections in Nigeria's National and State Assemblies {Re: [Naijaintellects] Chaos at National Assembly: Tambuwal Stopped, David Mark Orders shutdown
"68. (1) A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if -
"(g) being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected;
"Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in th
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
No comments:
Post a Comment