 |
| IBB (M) Is he also a democrat? Is Saul too a Prophet? |
With his latest fulminations, it
would appear the transformation of the self-styled military president
from an “annullist” to a federalist has turned full cycle. The kind
of epiphany we read of biblical Saul
morphing to Paul on the road to Damascus.
would appear the transformation of the self-styled military president
from an “annullist” to a federalist has turned full cycle. The kind
of epiphany we read of biblical Saul
morphing to Paul on the road to Damascus.
With intense words, retired General
Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida seized the last Sallah holiday to pen a
strong petition against the present federal arrangement suffocating the states.
Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida seized the last Sallah holiday to pen a
strong petition against the present federal arrangement suffocating the states.
Time, he declares, has come to
devolve more powers – and, of course, resources – to the constituents of the
federation. With that, IBB deftly
keys into the popular mood today as the Buhari
administration increasingly looks helpless against centrifugal forces tugging
at Nigeria’s soul.
devolve more powers – and, of course, resources – to the constituents of the
federation. With that, IBB deftly
keys into the popular mood today as the Buhari
administration increasingly looks helpless against centrifugal forces tugging
at Nigeria’s soul.
 |
| IBB…trying to serve a table before IBB only to spice the table with spiky knives veiled with nice table clothes |
However, the Maradona of Minna has harsh words for those advocating the
country’s dismemberment. He even waxes poetic: “The drums of war are easy to beat, but their rhythms are difficult to dance. Starting wars or
political upheavals comes with the slightest provocation, but ending them
becomes inelastic, almost unending with painful footages of the wrecks of war.
I have been involved and its ripples are tellingly unpalatable, with gory
details of destruction and carnage.”
country’s dismemberment. He even waxes poetic: “The drums of war are easy to beat, but their rhythms are difficult to dance. Starting wars or
political upheavals comes with the slightest provocation, but ending them
becomes inelastic, almost unending with painful footages of the wrecks of war.
I have been involved and its ripples are tellingly unpalatable, with gory
details of destruction and carnage.”
Such stirring talk.
But IBB failed to be specific; was he nostalgic of the 30-month civil
war or the national paralysis inflicted by June 12?
war or the national paralysis inflicted by June 12?
 |
| Ill and drowsy Earnest Adegunle Shonekan (M)….The Man IBB used as a stooge before Abacha sacked him with a short gun |
While we cannot take anything away
from Maradona’s latest composition
for its poetry and perspicacity, its hypocrisy should not be allowed to pass
unchallenged, especially for the sake of the generation of Nigerians under-30
unfamiliar with the nuances of recent history.
from Maradona’s latest composition
for its poetry and perspicacity, its hypocrisy should not be allowed to pass
unchallenged, especially for the sake of the generation of Nigerians under-30
unfamiliar with the nuances of recent history.
 |
| The Author, Louis Odion FNGE….History beckons fast, fast for aging IBB? |
One, the epistle would have sounded
more sincere had the author, for once, evinced some humility by prefacing same
with an apology for his poor understanding while in power and therefore the Herodian persecution of those who had
foreseen and forewarned that the inherited rickety federal structure was
tottering to a collapse.
more sincere had the author, for once, evinced some humility by prefacing same
with an apology for his poor understanding while in power and therefore the Herodian persecution of those who had
foreseen and forewarned that the inherited rickety federal structure was
tottering to a collapse.
Indeed, the unique convergence of
historical forces of the 80s quite positioned IBB to radically alter the Nigerian
narrative for good in the same way Nasser
historical forces of the 80s quite positioned IBB to radically alter the Nigerian
narrative for good in the same way Nasser
 |
| Late Gamal Abdel Nasser….The Man who used Military to change the civilization process of Egypt |
led the Egyptian military to
transform the North African country
from its age-old feudal squalor.
 |
| The Maradonna of Nigeria (Now Maradonna of Minna) |
Rather, Maradona only clamped down on the likes of foremost nationalist Anthony Enahoro and courageous lawyer Alao Aka-Bashorun at the forefront of
the restructure advocacy in the late 80s and early 90s. High on the agenda they
were pushing then were the issues of fiscal federalism, redefinition of
citizens’ rights and return to parliamentary system.
the restructure advocacy in the late 80s and early 90s. High on the agenda they
were pushing then were the issues of fiscal federalism, redefinition of
citizens’ rights and return to parliamentary system.
 |
| Late Human Right lawyer, Alao Aka Basorun….was one of the first announcers for a ‘Restructuring’ in the 90s but was silenced into death by IBB’s goons |
Inspired by the tectonic shift in
world order as signposted by the collapse of old Soviet in 1989, the nation’s progressive community actually took
practical steps to convoke a sovereign national conference in 1990. But afraid
that the movement could trigger a momentum that would sweep him out of
ill-gotten power, then dictator IBB
sent his goons to chase and tear-gas the activists away from where they
assembled in Lagos.
world order as signposted by the collapse of old Soviet in 1989, the nation’s progressive community actually took
practical steps to convoke a sovereign national conference in 1990. But afraid
that the movement could trigger a momentum that would sweep him out of
ill-gotten power, then dictator IBB
sent his goons to chase and tear-gas the activists away from where they
assembled in Lagos.
Across the border in Benin Republic, a similar movement had
ushered the ouster of dictator Mathew
Kerekou. But the latter’s loss was only temporary. He would reap
bounteously few years later as he got elected president democratically through
a process dictated by a sanitized political order.
ushered the ouster of dictator Mathew
Kerekou. But the latter’s loss was only temporary. He would reap
bounteously few years later as he got elected president democratically through
a process dictated by a sanitized political order.
 |
| MKO Abiola….His HOPE dashed by smiling IBB |
Again, when Maradona now
pontificates that “war not
romantic”, we wonder if he had, by any chance, come to that wisdom
before June 23 in 1993 when, without fear of God nor respect for fellow
citizens, he summarily annulled the results of the June 12 presidential elections clearly won by Abiola, thus plunging the nation into needless crises, exacting
heavy human casualties, inadvertently inflicting lunatic Abacha on the country for another five dark years.
pontificates that “war not
romantic”, we wonder if he had, by any chance, come to that wisdom
before June 23 in 1993 when, without fear of God nor respect for fellow
citizens, he summarily annulled the results of the June 12 presidential elections clearly won by Abiola, thus plunging the nation into needless crises, exacting
heavy human casualties, inadvertently inflicting lunatic Abacha on the country for another five dark years.
 |
| Late Sani Abacha….Chopped Knuckle with his Jerry Boy for 5 Solid Years before death sacked him from Power |
Only a shameless hypocrite would
canvass the kind of lofty views contained in IBB’s statement of last Monday and also be implicated in the June 12 perfidy.
canvass the kind of lofty views contained in IBB’s statement of last Monday and also be implicated in the June 12 perfidy.
Or, maybe the Maradona of Minna is still groping in the darkness of poor
knowledge today. Otherwise, he should know that June 12 had substantially answered some of the national questions
for which answers are still being sought today. June 12 had meant an end to ethno-religious tension and suspicion.
knowledge today. Otherwise, he should know that June 12 had substantially answered some of the national questions
for which answers are still being sought today. June 12 had meant an end to ethno-religious tension and suspicion.
 |
| OBJ….The Man who benefited from IBB’s June 12 Mascara |
For predominantly Christian states voted a Muslim-Muslim ticket that day. A
Southern presidential candidate defeated his opponent in his own native state
in the north. The presidential candidate of Yoruba
extraction won an Igbo state.
Southern presidential candidate defeated his opponent in his own native state
in the north. The presidential candidate of Yoruba
extraction won an Igbo state.
That was the golden chance Maradona willfully squandered. Alas, he
now seeks to affect wisdom long after history had blown the whistle on his
sorry reign.
now seeks to affect wisdom long after history had blown the whistle on his
sorry reign.