SHOE

The character of a man/woman can be deciphered by the type of shoes he/she wears. More also the mood can be known by the manner the shoe is shined. The attention given to a shoe can tell a lot about the wearer; if he is wearing the shoe or the shoe is wearing him. The guys who want to feel among wear Sanchos cow boy boots as official shoe to convey the impression of a ruthless uprising executive. The humble ones, mind you, not the poverty induced humility, wear flat laced shoes to show that they prefer the quiet side of life with little complications.

Another interesting side of the shoe is that it affects the manner a person moves. I am yet to understand why ladies wear high heel that are most uncomfortable that they have to carry around bathroom slippers to ease the discomfort. Between the bus stop and the office table where they will hide the ill fitting shoes, you can tell a lot about a lady. If you are wearing a high heel shoe, the power to propel the body moves to the thigh and the lady gallops on as though the waist is going to break and instead of the bakassi dancing makosa which is the beauty of African woman’s rhythmical movement, she drags herself like a shapeless Mannequin. If you don’t believe me, check out any girl on a stiletto pointed 7 inches shoe.

   On a flat soled shoe, the weight is balanced, shoulder relaxed and the elegance of movement evenly distributed. The waist and hip are not over laboured in movement. You can also tell by the dragging, slapping or careful marching of the shoe, who is wearing a borrowed shoe. Just look at your son/daughter dragging your shoe as if he is navigating a canoe. Some adults also cruise through life wearing a borrowed shoe or merely bought it because others are buying it.

As the Nigerian media is awash with swipes at the judgment of the Supreme Court, my mind drifts to the big shoes left by Pa Obafemi Awolowo and the nagging question of who has inherited it. In the early hours of the departure of Pa Awo, every Yoruba politician climbs to power by claiming to be awoist. This thinking continued till the uninformed merger between AD and PDP in 2003 an action that saw the political gains of AD in the Ooduwa states (South West Nigeria in 1999 election were under the firm grip of AD but come 2003 they lost all except Lagos State which tilted and finally collapsed into AC)

In Nigeria, the current political lexicon is to address any candidate that lost election as opposition not putting into account how alike or radically different the parties’ manifestos are. Hence ANPP is opposition, PPA is opposition, AC is opposition. No observer asks have any of the Federal Legislators who contested on the platform of the se parties any way different from PDP legislators? Each time I hear them talk or see the Senators on TV I cannot help but think of the last page of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, where the animals observing through the window could not see any difference between the Pigs who overthrew the Human and the human they overthrew.

So Atiku, who was accused by other parties that lost 2003 election as being the brain behind the rigging, is now opposition? Is Atiku any shed different from PDP? Take a look at Lagos State, where AC holds sway, are they implementing any policy that is different from that of PDP? Has the AC State House of Assemblies passed the Freedom of Information Bill (FOI Bill) in their state to show that they are radically different from PDP government at the centre?

Same applies to Imo State, where PPA is in control. Isn’t the governor demolishing houses that was the clarion call against PDP when Nasiru el Rufai was the terror of Abuja? Is there any difference between Ohakim’s junketing around the world in search of investors and that of PDP governors?

Has PPA that is in charge of Abia wherein the Aba the technological nerve of the South East rests done anything to improve the local fabrication industries? There was a time, made in Aba goods, especially shoes, competed favourably with those made in Italy.

Same applies to APGA in Anambra. There is Nnewi, where with nothing; Nigerians are manufacturing any spare part of an automobile.

What paid columnist who are claiming that Atiku represents the opposition in Nigerian politics is that the parliamentary system of government that threw up Awo as opposition leader is no longer operational and in this context he left a shoe nobody can fit into.

Those masquerading as opposition in Nigerian political sphere, should start marshalling out counter policies to the 7 Point Agenda of President Yar’Adua . They should revive their dead wood members of National Assembly to vigorously oppose and add life to the drab debate at the floors of the two chambers of the house.

As it stands, Nigerians have nothing to choose in 2011 and there is no clear cut ideological divide between PDP, ANPP, AC and PPA.

Which of these parties have a blue print on how to run Nigeria on a crude oil free economy? How many of them has a workable policy on free education? At this, I am honestly following Adams Oshiomole to see how he will implement all those issues he waged war against government during his tenure as Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president.

Nigerians should stop debating the split decision in Buhari Vs Yar’Adua or the woeful defeat of Atiku in 6-1 opinion of the Justices of the Supreme Court and start setting agendas for 2011 election.

 

 

Rate this:

2.5

Femi: In need of Consolation

Another group of mourners we don’t want to see their crocodile tears are members of the House of Representatives, who are buying 7 cars at the princely sum of 400 million. Imagine what this would have done to the life of Diana, the solid rock of Femi’s life. Today she lies cold and a mere figure in the statistics of failed government. She will be counted as a promising, vibrant lawyer cut down in the prime of her life by a curable disease, yet our leaders are busy looting us dry. Had Femi being a member of House of Assembly or his father a Senator, Minister or State Governor, would Diana have died at the prime of her life? Wouldn’t she have been flown abroad or go on lesser Hajj?

Those who can fix our health sector care less about us, who battle daily the numerous infections from malnutrition through water borne diseases to preventable mosquito bites. No poor man suffers from kidney failure or cancer at the rate rich men do. The sicknesses of the poor, inclusive of infant mortality are curable only if our leaders can be honest about providing quality leadership. Cuba a third world nation has improved on her Medicare and life expectance has risen to 70. What is keeping Nigeria from attaining such heights? Malaria and typhoid kill more children/adults in Nigeria than any of these exotic sicknesses, yet the Federal Government will rather vote billions to trivialities than invest in eradication of stagnant water, recycling of waste instead of baba mbola dumping it in water ways, and dirty environment that plays host to anopheles mosquitoes and other vectors.  

We would not celebrate her with Elton John’s Candle in the wind nor will the flag be at half mast but for those who knew her in the brief time her shadow crossed theirs, Diana radiated energy, love and compassion. For me, I saw in her the truth of Proverbs 31 Vs.10. She may not win a beauty pageant but her inner strength and character is as tall as she was and she had a beautiful soul. Her starling qualities in public though, made Femi the envy of most wrongly paired couple. She was eager to learn and a regular member at our shrine. With calm smile and hanging unto Femi like a second skin, she listens to us quarrelling, disagreeing to agree on numerous political issues while waiting for CAC to release our jobs. I remember the day I faked anger at her. Her prompt apology consumed me with shame. As I write this, if I had any tear drop left, I would have shed it, not for Diana but for Femi.   How can we console Femi whose sunshine has gone away?  When another man’s mother’s corpse is carried from the mortuary, a passerby feels a bundle of garbage is heading for decomposition. I   am sure Femi is sore and the only song echoing in his sorrowful mind is Lord Why Me. None of us can feel it like Femi but suffice it to say that he who mourns the dead mourns himself and with the words of Brutus, I console Femi; “that we shall die, we know; ‘tis but the time.” Her time came though fastened by bad governance. Femi, cry for your beloved, grieve as much as you can, for tomorrow will not bring her back or add life to the joy you had with her which is now memory. Femi, do not be in a hurry to make promises for the Diana I know, will want you to be happy after you have expressed your grieve. She gave you her best and will want you to keep on living courageously for both of you. I dare ask you to mimic the rich who start a foundation for disease XYZ that killed their beloved and start the fight against bad governance. Femi, join the forces against bad water in Nigeria. For you the living, who turned CAC file room to grieve centre at the announcement of Diana’s transition to immortality, the only grieve Diana can appreciate is your standing up against those in authority who use our commonwealth for the enrichment of themselves and their family. Those who can afford bottled water while the millions of Nigerians cannot rely on Water board, whose pipes are buried in gutters and run through septic tanks.

We cannot but envy Diana for she has gone to rest and have stopped worrying about the fear of death. We the living can only but think of how will our last day be. Will we be remembered by our good works or will the heaven hide from our soul at the expiration of our tenancy in this flesh?  Femi should take sanctuary in the fact that he had the rare privilege of sharing life with a wonderful submissive woman. If I am to recommend a wife to any of these chronic bachelors, a woman with Diana’s quality will be top of the chart; a woman who with patience stands against all odds with his man. You need to see her rush like a tadpole, while Femi waits like a crowned prince. If there was a marriage made in heaven, Diana was a perfect match for Femi. Who will love Femi unconditionally, enduring him and believing in his dream of a better day like Diana? Adieu Diana we all shall join you soon!

 

 

 

 

 

Rate this:

3.2

Nigeria’s New Ministers And The Generational Power Shift

If Nigeria were a Premiership club side, I wonder which club it will be. Obviously Bolton Wonderers won’t like any analogy. Since I am not a fan of any Premiership club, I am rudderless on the Creeks of Niger Delta as to which woeful club to compare Nigeria to. What is not debatable among sports lovers is that the quality of your bench determines the success of the club. And the bedrock of any bench is the coach who makes the deft changes at a crucial time and not the money bag who buys off players like a race horse without understanding the game plan of the coach.

President Umar Yar’Adua like a good coach we thought he was, (he declared his assets, is the first graduate president of Nigeria) sacked 20 ministers with a promise of injecting new blood into his lack lustre cabinet. We waited like a pilgrim only to get to the holy land and discover that the custodians of our are not so enthusiastic about our object of worship. The list of would be ministers have been sent to the Senate and the quality of people substituted for the dismissed 20 ministers, shows that President Yar’Adua is not ready to win this game against underdevelopment and be a champion in 2020.

The most ridiculous of his last minute change, is 70 year old Dr. Rilwan Lukman from Kaduna state. This old warhorse is a spent force in the corridors of power. His inclusion is like playing Taribo West against Mikel Obi. The world, especially the crude oil world have changed and what Nigeria needs is a dynamic young well educated Nigerian to combat the oil cabals in the global market. Can Lukman at 70 survive the ever changing information technology wave length that in a split a country can be reduced to the bottom of the OPEC if her minister fails to grasp the supper sonic change? The inclusion of Dr. Lukman is an indictment on the younger generation of Nigerians and a show of failure of Lukman to produce a successor either biologically or politically to carry on whatever good work he feels he can still contribute to the development of Nigeria.

For those asking when Nigeria’s Obama will arise, the inclusion of ex-governors is a seal on the unprogressiveness of this administration.  Sam Egwu, Achike Udenwa former governors of Eboyin and Imo respectively, lorded over three senatorial zones and in the case of Imo, 27 Local Government Areas. For these two to be hungry for a ministerial appointment, shows that there is something chronically wrong with our leaders. Their inclusion should be likened to asking JJ Okocha to play YUSFON. He will be a burden to any coach as he has played at the zenith of the game. Will these ex-governors be willing to take instructions from a Perm Sec or from Mr. President having been his colleague during the Obasanjo era? They are too big for the shoe of a minister. In these states where these ex-governors are crawling out from, has there been no emergence of able young hands during the 8 years these ex-governors held sway? Where are those young PA and SA that were loyal to these governors? Can’t the ex-governors step aside for their young political sons to take up the ministerial appointments? With this domineering attitude of the older generation, tell me how a Nigerian Obama will emerge. More also, these ex-governors, a good number of them that is, were colossal failures in their states. Didn’t Nuhu Ribadu the then EFCC terror labelled over 32 governors as corruptly beyond redemption while the other 4 are marginally corrupt? Abeg Gov. Saraki what is Kwara State House of Assembly Speaker’s name doing in the ministerial list? Every politician mouths grass root development yet we all want appointment in Abuja.

Once in a while, this administration shows flukes of intelligence but on the overall rating, she is not performing like a winning team. After close to two years in office, this administration has not gotten her foot soldiers to implement her policies. It is a shame in a country of over 150 million cerebrally endowed man/woman power, we are recycling worn out leaders, who ought to be on retirement, writing their memoir as a road map for the younger generation.  

The only ray of hope in the new line up of ministers is Prof. Dora Akunyili the iron lady of NAFDAC. This Amazon has proved her worth and anytime the history of Nigeria will be written by honest scholars, she will have a place of pride, if not close to Queen Amina of Zaria, then close to Fumilayo Kuti and other Amazons of this great country. Despite her inclusion in the team, I dare say, she cannot make a difference to the dying Yar’Adua’s team.  I wish she will turn down this appointment. I fear for her as this appointment may tarnish her reputation. It also adds weight to what late Lamidi Adidibu, the Ibadan strongman said in Magistrate Court Zone 6 Abuja about her unrefined vindictive attitude and hunger for power. A Messi in the team made up of Peter Rufia, Andrew Uwe and Philip Osondu cannot perform. These great Nigerian players have gone beyond their prime and were once the toast of any coach. Their time is over like some of these people being appointed minister. The dead wood appointees should learn from these great players and start a leadership training institute or NGO. Dora will be like a needle in a sack of hay No man claps with one hand.

 These latest substitutions show that he has no idea that Nigeria has become a laughing stock in the global village where 30-50 year old viral young generation are the turning wheel of industrialisation and development.

For those who think I am impatient, try and remember that the man behind the miracle called Barak Obama’s victory, is a below 45 young man named David Plouffe, the Obama ‘08 campaign manager.

Rate this:

3.2

Nigerian Prison Robbed By Criminals.

Like a fairy tale from Hollywood, people suspected to be criminals assaulted Jimeta Prison in Adamawa State and made away with valuable items.

The Comptroller of Adamawa State Prisons, Alhaji Ado Mohamed revealed this invasion to Newsmen and further stated that the Black Maria which was parked in front of the prison was badly vandalized by the thieves. The Black Maria was rendered immobile as the entire tires were stolen and other parts of the engine made away with.

Black Maria, is the coffin-like motor, with little ventilation and not fit to transport animals in Europe and other civilized countries, used in the conveying of Prisoners to court.

This is a worrisome development and a serious indictment on the Yar’Adua administration that prides security as one of her 7 Point Agenda. If thieves can with impunity rob a prison-their final home if apprehended by the underfunded Nigeria Police- we are witnessing a new variety in the mind set of Nigerian criminals that should be a source of serious investigation by the Criminologists in the various Nigerian Universities.

 

Rate this:

3.2