IBK,
Sorry, if I sounded a little gruff, it's just that sometimes I would tend to address what I think is/are the implications behind a /the question and just then I was feeling stressed - I had to go and get some headache tablets for Better Half before the pharmacy closed at 18.30. -in response to which I know you're going to say that anyone who lives with me would sure be needing some headache tablets...
BTW, I wish I could be a little like role model Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi - no big grammar here and straight to the point here, in " Stop making excuses"
Not that I want to be provocative, but why can't you also try to be a bit like him, considerate and economical with words, always ?
Cornelius,You are eclectic in your linkages of concepts and ideas with a hue of your Jewishness ever present. Can you please answer this question.Is the replacement of "Your Excellency" with "Mr. Governor" tantamount to "populist posturing?"Please try to be succinct and economical with words.Cheers.IBKSent from IBK's iPhone X MaxOn 24 Jan 2022, at 23:46, Ibukunolu A Babajide <ibk...@gmail.com> wrote:There Won't Be Fanfare At My Inauguration – SoludoAnambra State Governor-Elect, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, on Thursday, said that there won't be fanfare during his inauguration on March 17. He said that funds for such would be used to address more important development issues in the state.Soludo made it clear that he had adopted an open governance model that would guarantee transparency and accountability to Ndi Anambra; insisting that his administration would not waste the state's resources on jamborees.The incoming governor bared his mind during the inauguration of his 80-man transition committee led by Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili at Golden Tulip Hotel, Agulu in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state.The former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor said that he would move from the inauguration venue to his office and from there to the slums in Onitsha and environs particularly Okpoko community where he plans to clean up.He said that those who would be appointed into the government must be ready to work as "there is no time to waste", saying that he was determined to revamp Anambra's economy and place the state on the global map."I'll be heading to Okpoko immediately after the inauguration. I'll put in eight hours of work immediately after the inauguration. Don't expect fanfare because it won't take place", he stated.Soludo promised to finish the works started by the outgoing Governor Willie Obiano and then initiate new ones; adding that he would source for competent hands that would help to develop the state irrespective of where they come from."If a Pakistani will give us 24 hours of electricity, I will bring him and make him commissioner for utilities. What the people care about is the services they get and not necessarily who did it. We want to get good results here. What matters is the result. Accountability is a must here", Soludo declared.The Sun NigeriaOn Sun, 23 Jan 2022, 06:41 Cornelius Hamelberg, <cornelius...@gmail.com> wrote:Some very pungent inputs by IBKThe title goes with the office.
Here is the hierarchy:
1. God – the King of Kings
2. The rest of us mortals.
The rest of us can be further subdivided among the mankind of this earth to whom God gave dominion over the rest of His earthly creations.
Wryly put, of course, some of those who have arrogated to themselves titles or had conferred on them titles such as Your Royal Highness/ Mr. President/ Prime Minister/ Chief of Staff/ Your Excellency /Governor of the Central Bank/ Billionaire/ Professor of Everything etc.,. want to be regarded as earthly gods to their people, although , e.g. Jesus told some of his people at the time," Don't you know that it is written, " ye are all gods" ?
The children of Israel complained that they too wanted to have a king like other people , so they got Saul, the first king of Israel. Historian Gloria in Excelsis could probably tell us what was happening elsewhere around the time of Saul, but fast forward to Uganda, and as we all know, some of those who don't have titles, grudge those who do the tradition, and that in this case it was, "His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular"
I believe that in Nigeria, the land of ogas and ogres, wizards and witches, demons and demi-gods this is the customary attitude when citizen x encounters those in authority
In republican America where they don't have a king or kings, this line went down well, John Amos in Coming to America addressing the African King who was saying something about his precious daughter Lisa: "I don't give a damn who you are, this is America Jack , you say one more word about Lisa, and I'll break my foot off in your royal ass"
In my first week in Port Harcourt , I was invited to dinner by someone I had never heard about previously, namely the former Military Governor Diete Spiff and actually had a sumptuous meal with him and his family, and for all the good reasons best known to me and myself, I avoided him from then on - didn't want to get involved with him , his friends or any members of his family; as Bob Marley had made clear, "Never make a politician grant you a favour, they will always want to control you forever, eh (forever, forever)" So I didn't visit my friend Dr. Mathias Offoboche in Cross Rivers either, basically because i value my own personal freedom greatly....
--On Saturday, 22 January 2022 at 14:14:33 UTC+1 ibk wrote:Toyin/Chidi,Chidi wants to work his sums to fit his prescribed "populist posturing" answer. What is excellent about any Governor? The appellation "Your Excellency" is a relic of feudal divine royal mandates. It is a misnomer in modern democratic settings. In diplomatic circles it endures as this predates the social upheavals that gave birth to modern democracies. Diplomats carry the excellence of one royal court to another.For Soludo to drop it means he is a cerebral intellectual who easily saw the incongruity in that title for a democratically elected Governor. The Americans call their President, MR. President.Apart from his political correctness he has followed the wisdom in the proverb of our elders that when logs fall on logs, we pick the ones at the top first (Bi igi ba wo le igi, ti oke la nkoko gbe). Change of how he is called is a log at the top of the pile and he has lifted it to set the tone of his tenure. It is too early to read adverse meanings to such an inane and mundane act.Anambra, unlike Imo has been blessed with relatively good Governors and I see Soludo doing far better than his predecessors in the exalted office Mr. Governor will now occupy.Cheers.IBKNB. Remind me to share stories about Gani's SAN. The story started in 1970 when Richard Akinjide was NBA president and Gani Fawehinmi was the PRO and Diette Spiff the Governor of Rivers State condoned the shaving of Amachree's head with a broken bottle. IBKSent from IBK's iPhone X MaxOn 22 Jan 2022, at 14:17, Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovde...@gmail.com> wrote:Chidi is making vital points.ThanksToyin--On Sat, Jan 22, 2022, 13:06 Chidi Anthony Opara, FIIM <chidi...@gmail.com> wrote:Oluwatoyin,Most times, when people start with populist posturing, the aim is to divert attention.Soludo dropped the word "Excellency"(as if that is the major problem of Anambra people), but asked to be addressed as "Mr. Governor".If "Excellency" would alienate the people, how would "Mr. Governor" draw the people closer?Haven't we seen where people hold/embrace accessible governors and presidents shouting "your excellency!"?Fela was a musician.As for Gani, as a lawyer(not as an activist), when he made Professional appearances in courts, did he present himself as simply Gani? Did he drop the "Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)" title? Did the SAN title limit common people's access to him?Considering the load of work to be done in Anambra state and in fact, in the whole of Nigeria, populist posturing is hardly the best way to start.Thank you.-Chidi Anthony Opara (CAO)Post script:An 80-person "Transition Committee" for a state is uncalled for. Most of them would be redundant. One doesn't even need "international figures" for such assignment. A few sincere and dedicated men and women with considerable experience and knowledge of the problems of Anambra state can handle the assignment. Soludo seem to still be in campaign mood, when he should be getting into governance mood.-CAO.
On Saturday, January 22, 2022, Oluwatoyin Adepoju <ovde...@gmail.com> wrote:Superb summation on naming by IBK.I pray the Soludu vision is fulfilled.Toyin--On Sat, Jan 22, 2022, 09:05 Ibukunolu. A. Babajide <ibk...@gmail.com> wrote:Chidi,--No two people are the same. Each is unique in time and space. Lateef Jakande was unique to Lagos of his time. So was Samuel Mbakwe to the Imo of his time. Allow Soludo to also be unique to the Anambra of his own time.Dropping the term Excellency may be populist rhetoric to you but it serves a practical purpose. I will give you two great Nigerians who taught me lessons and I knew personally. The first is Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Fela was Fela to all. The other was Gani Fawehinmi who was also Gani to all.Dropping accolades creates access to the Governor. It removes the stress and psychological barrier of how do I refer to this man in an appropriate way? I better not talk to him inappropriately lest I annoy him and his sensibilities. A vital nugget that may act as the catalyst of great inspiration for the development of Anambra may be lost forever.Gani was Gani to all both old and young. So was Fela was Fela. Those two encouraged me to be IBK to all both young and old. When people have easy access to you, you gain but if you build gates of vanity in the use of accolades like Chief, Dr. Prof. Your Excellency etc. you create undue mental and psychological protocols that people must surmount to communicate with you.Soludo is on the right path. I have faith in him. He will not be a big disappointment like Ayade. Soludo's 80 professorial transition cooks will not spoil the Anambra broth. I see as late Raphael Uwechue told me at his Hammersmith office at the heat of the June 12 struggle that what Nigeria needs is proper husbanding of her resources. Soludo will husband Anambra's resources to the greater glory of that state. He has started with 80 intellectual giants in his transition team. Next are the many billionaires that will turn the state into the Japan of Africa.Soludo has the vision and the know how. He is already known so he is not driven by the crude acquisition of money but like Jakande and Mbakwe he wants to leave a lasting legacy. God help him.Cheers.IBKSent from IBK's iPhone X MaxOn 21 Jan 2022, at 21:40, Chidi Anthony Opara, FIIM <chidi...@gmail.com> wrote:Today's Quote:I am beginning to be worried at Anambra state Nigeria governor-elect, Professor Soludo's populist rhetorics. When late Sam Mbakwe of old Imo State and late Lateef Jakande of Lagos State ruled as governors and delivered on their promises for example, they didn't have to drop the "Excellency" title.-Chidi Anthony Opara (CAO)
--
Chidi Anthony Opara is a Poet, IIM Professional Fellow, MIT Chief Data Officer Ambassador and Founder/Publisher of, www.publicinformationprojects.org)
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