Nigeria, the Land of the Ultimate Freedom

                                       Nigeria, the Land of the Ultimate Freedom

No where in the world are outlaws, crooks, murderers, dictators, embezzlers have greater freedom than in Nigeria. Most people have heard the common phrase that suggests satirically of one landing in prison for stealing a chicken, and another going to congress for stealing the whole wealth of a nation. In Nigeria this is a straight factual statement. In fact the more criminally vicious a public official is the more freedom he or she enjoys in Nigeria provided he or she have enough stolen public fund to arrogate self sovereignty.

For eight years Ibrahim Badamusa Babagida, the popular or the notorious IBB seized power under the barrel of gun and imposed his personal will on the Nigerian people. Under IBB’s dictatorship many senior military officers were executed. Among the executed was IBB’s close comrade Major General Mamman Vasta. These officers were charged for subversion against IBB’s dictatorial regime even though IBB and his cohorts by their participation in the 1983 coup committed subversion against a democratically elected government. These officers executed by IBB led junta were tried and convicted by a military tribunal appointed and supervised by IBB himself. In 1986 or thereabout a renowned journalist Dele Giwa was murdered and IBB’s henchman hit man otherwise called the national intelligence director was implicated. It was reported that this intelligence director spoke to Giwa just before a parcel bomb that killed Giwa was delivered to him. By 1986 except the military and the military leadership which IBB was at the helm no other institution, organization, group, individual has the expertise, or the means to successfully deliver a letter bomb. Even today, without the cover of the government it will be difficult to execute the parcel bomb of 1986. Beside, who else in Nigeria in 1986 had vested interest in seeing the elimination of a Journalist whose editorial columns were critical of the IBB’s military dictatorship and corruptions? It was no surprise that official investigation or report on Giwa’s assassination was never issued by IBB’s military junta. Rumor had it that Giwa had information on one mysterious Gloria Okon whose purported illicit drug trade before 1985 was linked to IBB.

The extra judiciary murder of many senior military officers and the assassination of Dele Giwa were apparent but what are not apparent are the deaths of so many Nigerians who are victims of deprivation and extinguished live ambitions due to the looting of Nigerian treasure by the military junta led by Ibrahim Babagida. In fact IBB’s military junta ushered in the culture of corruption in Nigeria. Before 1985 there was official corruption but during the eight years of IBB dictatorship, corruption became way of life in Nigeria. The culture of corruption planted by IBB led junta is seen today in all aspect of the Nigerian society.

Today IBB is a billionaire in dollars and will outspend most competitors except his likes who also commandeered the national wealth for personal use. There were no evidences that IBB was filthy rich before 1985 and no evidence that he inherited family fortune after his eight years of dictatorship. But in the 90s IBB was reported in Forbes Magazine as one of the world’s billionaires. It is no secret that IBB and his cohorts looted Nigerian treasure. His administration could not account for the extra billions of dollars that Nigeria ought to have received from the sell of crude oil during the 1990 gulf war. So IBB have the wealth to buy whatever he wishes but the question is, how many Nigerians will sell their souls to this wolf who once feast on their blood? For sure IBB have not run out of money hence he is not necessarily vying for presidency to steal more money, but do not quote me on this. Perhaps IBB is having remorse for his sin against the people and want to make things right. Well, any remorse by IBB must start by him apologizing to the Nigerian people and returning to the people the stolen public wealth.

For eight years IBB have the opportunity to make Nigeria better and uphold the creed of the independent fathers who staked their peace and lives for the purpose of securing a free democratic and prosperous Nigeria. But rather IBB’s led military junta chose to usher in a culture of corruption and murderous environment into the country that he seized power to protect. Today IBB have filed papers to contest for the office of the presidency for the 2011 presidential election, this is laughable and heart breaking. It is laughable because IBB seems to believe that Nigerians are suffering from amnesia. But it is heart breaking that an individual who ought to be doing prison time for the atonement of his crime against the people and the country is arrogantly seeking to once more lord himself over the people. It is even more heart breaking that there is that possibility that a well known crook may once more take the leadership of a nation that for its survival needs the guidance of all good angels of the heavens. IBB made this shamelessly bold move because he is in disposition of enough stolen public wealth. In filing papers for the office of the presidency IBB said he was exercising his legal suffrage. But he said nothing of the suffrage he suffocated when he participated in the 1983 coup that deposed democratically elected government nor did he say any thing on suffrage he stifle during his eight years of military dictatorship. Perhaps Babagida thinks in error that Nigerians are stupid. No Nigerian in a right frame of mind will think or belief that IBB have anything good to offer the country. If  IBB could not offer these goodies for eight years that he single handedly dictated the policies and affairs of government without any opposition how could he deliver these goods in the face of strong opposition present in any true democracy? In time of 'peace' only Kings, Emperors, and despots rule nations for more than ten years and  since IBB is neither a King nor an Emperor he is despotic as he truly seeks to lead another eight years of corrupt presidency.    A second IBB’s presidency will measure worse than his failed, eight years of corrupt and murderous presidency not only because he lacks idea, wisdom, vision and knowledge to lead but also because he is primitive in all his dispositions. IBB’s eight years of dictatorship showed not only that he cannot lead but also that he has no understanding of what leadership means. He knows not that to lead is to serve. If Nigerians can for a moment pretend, just pretend that they love the country then IBB will not be filing paper for the office of the presidency but rather he will be filling paper for a presidential pardon for the long prison time he ought to have been serving for crime against his people and country. IBB is bold to seek the office of the presidency because he has not been held accountable for eight years of tyranny, dictatorship, oppression, looting of public treasure and treason. Even if IBB buys his way to the presidency the truth is that he will never be legitimate in the eyes of the world’s true democracies. Around the world he is already known for what he is, an unrepentant dictator who preyed on his people and made life miserable for so many Nigerians. The world will know that he bought the presidency and would neither respect him nor the office he occupies. And a president not respected is nation disrespected. Nigerians, it is time we work on the image of our country and not give the presidency to the same despot whose period of reign of terror marks a dark periods in Nigeria history.

There are many of these cage men who are repackaging selves as the angels of the light, as saviors; the wolves in sheep clothing. We must recognize these angels of darkness and call them by their names. The so called former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is one of these angels of darkness that is trying to fool Nigerians once more. Atiku and Obasanjo have not given account of their eight years of stewardship of the country. The conflict between Atiku and Obasanjo was not a war between the evil and the good rather it was a war caused by ignorance and primitive ambitions. The war between these two was not war due to differing ideology on the best course for Nigeria. Atiku wanted to rich the pinnacle of power, a position that would have guarantee him success in looting public wealth while Obasanjo wanted to perpetuate his grip to power a situation he needed for the consolidation of his loot. In some ways both of these state detractors lost the battle because their motives were treacherous and their means idiotic and barbaric. Though he succeeded in consolidating his loot but Obasanjo lost the fight because his plan to subvert the constitution failed and his hand picked unprepared successor Yaradua though a civilized man was taken by his maker. Yaradua’s presidency was the fruit of the poisoned tree and the tree was the Obasanjo’s rigged presidential election that brought Yaradua to power. But God took Yaradua away, saving him from being tinted by the Obasanjos, the Atikus and the Babagidas.

Though he made away with his loots but Atiku lost the fight because his ill conceived desire for the pinnacle of power was fortunately derailed. But Atiku have not given up his rabid ambition for power. Today Atiku is free and seeks the office that once defiled him while his partner in crime former Louisiana Congressman, William Jefferson is serving 13 years in US prison. Jefferson was charged on thirteen counts of receiving and facilitating the bribing of the Vice President of Nigeria in the tune of three million dollars. The Nigerian Vice President implicated in this bribing scandal was Atiku Abubukar. Today Atiku is free seeking the presidency in part because he took three million dollar bribe and short sold Nigerian wealth and Mr. Jefferson went to prison because he took comparatively chicken change of ninety thousand dollar bribe. The only deciding factor in the fates of these two crooks is nationality, that is, one is a Nigerian, free and seeking the presidency and the other is an American serving thirteen years of prison term. And the lesson learnt is that if one wants to be a free crook one must be a top Nigerian government official. The three million dollar bribe to Atiku was funneled through one of his concubines, then living in US. When the US authorities closed on this woman she abandoned her US mansion paid by stolen Nigerian public wealth. Today this woman is a fugitive and wanted by the US authorities. God forbid but if Atiku buys his way to the presidency he will be required to produce this woman for trial in US. Atiku himself may face his own charges in US assuming he travels there as the President. Nigeria needs no more embarrassments she already have more than her fair share of it from the shameless primitive behaviors of the so called public officials.

It is one thing to think that a people are stupid but it is another thing to look at their faces and called them stupid. Enough is enough; the IBBs, and the Atikus should take their stolen wealth, soaked in the agonies of the victims of their loot and disappear once and for all time. They must stop poking their dirty hands on the face of the country; they must stop calling Nigerians stupid by not raising their ugly, greedy and primitive intellect on the national stage. The North should give us the likes of Abdulsalam Abubakar, the Madakis or the Bararaba Musas. Nigerians for a better future must elect a patriot to the office of the presidency.



By Voci Bawomanh



August 15, 2010