QUOTE PremiumTimesEx-Population Commission boss, Festus Odimegwu, explodes; calls for military takeover in Nigeria
A former chairman of the National Population Commission, Festus Odimegwu, has lambasted the Nigerian political class, accusing government at all levels of corruption and ineptitude- failings he said are now enough for the Nigerian military to seize political power in the country.
In an explosive interview published by ThisDay last weekend, Mr. Odimegwu said Nigeria had failed and that it was time for the military to intervene to save whatever is remaining of the country.
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Remark
Festus Odimegwu is right when talking about Nigerian political class's rampant corruption. Not only every Nigerian but also people on a worldwide scale openly talk about this phenomena. All officials such as Senators, Presidents, Governours, Policeofficers, Army member, University lecturers and media people know about it as well.
When stating that it is high time for the army to intervene, however, Festus Odimegwu is on the wrong track. The Nigerian army bluntly saying is not in the position for taking over for well known reasons. As the army has not been in the position thus not having been able to solve the Boko Haram problems - they count for some 10'000 criminal fighters - this army will NEVER be able to grind down 175'000'000 people.
Only 600'000 people ready to die for the sake of Nigeria's freedom are sufficient to stand up against Nigerian army's 130'000 soldiers. Also be aware of the fact that not all of those 130'000 soldiers are combatant. A lot of superiers - Admirals, Generals, other grades down to corporals some of them because of their appointment others because of corruption which must be rampant in the army too- are suited for not getting killed nor insured.
QUOTE PremiumTimesPREMIUM TIMES got ThisDay’s permission to run excerpts of the the interview
Mr. Odimegwu, a former head of the Nigerian Breweries Plc, said Nigeria had shown it is not ready for democracy because of widespread violence, ineptitude, corruption and illiteracy, saying the country should instead go the way of Egypt, where the military ousted the country’s democratically-elected government in 2013.
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Remark
Anybody critisizing the government - mainly minsters or even Goodluck Ebele Jonathan - happen to become dismissed by the president himself. It is evident; GEJ is protecting the ridicully decayed political system.
QUOTE PremiumTimes“Economically, things have gotten worse,” he said. “Politically, when you look around there are many signs that Nigeria is not ripe for democracy. It may not be a nice thing to say, but the signs are there.
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Remark
That things have become worse is clearcut. Because the majority of the numerous population - age median 18.5 years - are below 35 years of age, they do not remember the time when the British colonists left the country in 1960. Almost all infrastructure started to rot away with a Naira (NGN) then worth ONE British £ (GBP). E.g. HALF a Naira (50 Kobo) was enough to buy ONE US$. Nowadays the Nigeran's in diaspora are in the position to get NGN 163,66 for ONE US$ despite the US
As we can reckon Nigeria's economy - focussed also on the development of her domestic economy - as well as the enlargement of her infrastructure will not speed up the pace of the development programme. Furthermore there will be a time consuming phase of friction "cleaning" and redressing the whole political system accompanied with the same but dislocated corruptive system. Nigeria's economy will cease to existe for some months; her trade partners will step back because of a growing qualms. If looking at Libya or Egypt it dawns on anybody with a common sense.
QUOTE PremiumTimes“So it is very difficult to say that Nigeria is ripe for democracy because what we are practicing is certainly not democracy. Look around the world in Egypt where the military have come back, Nigeria should be heading towards that way instead of this caricature these politicians are conducting. It may not be a nice thing to say, but we have to decide what is good for us.”
He outlined the problems of a nation he accused of celebrating corruption and mediocrity, and that is tottering on the brink of collapse.
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Remark
Nigeria IS ripe for democracy. All which has to be done is teaching at all schools as well lecturing at all Universities even informing the followers of numerous different churches throughout Nigeria. Remember the youth is NOT well if not at all informed as to how a true democracy functions. They must learn - also potential lawmakers, presidents, governours, ministers must learn - that the people have the say in a democracy. They vote to elect the president, they also vote their representatives for serving them in the parliament and last but not least they decide as to who is becoming their state and city governours.
1) The people are the souvereign. They are the ones producing everything, providing services, running markets as well as consuming durables, fuel, electricity, transport, food and other necessities for daily life. On top of it they pay tax and allow the country to exploit - oil, gas, gems, precious metals such as gold, silver, copper, Rare earth elements and other - the soil of their country.
2) The law-makers (senators, unsilores, comembers of parliaments) elected by the people are the ones nowadays representing the latter in the parliament. This to the contrary of ancient or even present times with direct democracy still practised in small villlages all over Nigeria. As the population has beome too numerous the system of representatives has been invented in some regions already 250 years ago.
Law-makers - they decide and pass the orders - are the ones supervising the government - the president with all his ministers called the executive authority - ensuring that the latters execute whatever the senators have ordered them on behalf and for the betterment of the population. Also the president, governours and ministers may execute smaller tasks according to their power or competences given by the constitution or decree on behalf and to the benefit of the Nigerian population.
3) Presidents, governours, ministers are the executive authority. They must EXECUTE what the senatos elected by the citizens of Nigeria.
Résumé
1) The people (souvereign) in fact are the employers of the senators, the president and the governours.
2) The senators - elected by the citizens - are representing the people in the parliament. Thus they are the population's employees. Their job is the supervision of the president and governours.
3) The President as well as the Governours - elected by the people - are employees of the latters. They are supported by their ministers heading their ministries.
Upshot
As the population is producing, servicing, consuming and paying tax they provide everything. The so-called revenues is the money furnished by the people which is spent by the government on infrastructure, education as well as on themselves.
Who has the say??
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He said Nigeria as a state had failed already. He said what is left is armed conflict from all sides.
“So Nigeria as a state, has failed already. We cannot be saying it may fail. The only thing remaining is for us to carry guns and the way things are going that is coming. God should help the oil to dry up faster, so we can begin to use our brains.”
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Remark
In fact it is needed for everybody to be able to defend his own life as well as the lives of his family and his neighbours. If the government is not able to protect the people of the country they citizens must take care of themselves. Nobody is meant to have his people killed by criminals without even fighting. For fighting only clubs, cutlasses, bows, arrows and fists are needed. It is better to die while fighting for yourself and the survival of your kinfolk than wating for the others to cut your throats as they cut the throats of ther sheep.
It also is a matter of numbers. If their are 5 people attacking a village with guns they have roughly 45 rounds in their AK47 in the first place. Once emptied they must replace the magazines. Also they cannot be loaded like lorries with rounds; it is a matter of strength of the individual criminal (they believe to be fighters) as to how many rounds he may carry along. Thus those criminals run out of ammunition. No ammunition they are carrying their AK47 for decoration only. This is when they are as vulnerable like babies. People wich rather die while fighting then waiting for beeing slaughtered must move in on them and do to them whatever is to be done to save the villagers, the village and the fields (crops and the sort)
Rule
Move in on them very numerously. Risk even sacrifyce your lives for the benefit of the majority (it is all about the village to survive) and once being in arms' lenghts distance the criminals can be gotten rid off by using very conventional weapens; the hands, ropes, axes, stones, knees, feet and even teeth.
QUOTE PremiumTimesHe accused the government of not leading well and of not sourcing quality advisers
“Many of the people who have accepted to lead don’t know what leadership is all about. Many of them go there and surround themselves with fools. If you do not know what you are doing but you have men and women of substance that can look at issues critically and deal with issues the way they should be dealt with for the benefit of the country, then Nigeria would move forward,” he said.
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Remark
The main problem is that leaders in a democratic country can only do what the constitution allows them. The boundaries are set. Also the procedures are set. Meaning that - whatever brilliant idea outlined by one of the president's departement - the president of the country must have the majority of the senators on the side of the project for it to be tackled by one of the government's ministers. This means that the Senat is able to block any endeavour of the executives of the country which is composed of the president and his minitries lead by ministers.
Sometimes for some hidden reason a project suggested by the president may it really be for the benefit of the domestic economy thus the whole population of Nigeria - remember: one or more of the ministries have worked on it - is turned down by the majority of the senat. Why? I reckon this is because a lot of senators influenced by whatever means by whoever vote against such positive endeavour simply to hamper anything good coming for the president for the reason of the next elections. For them it is very important that whatever the president envisages does not happen to take place. Furhtermore they must make sure that tasks with a presumably positive impact on the economy thus the people's wealth and living coditions do NOT take place.
It is mean big picture policy which is NOT for the people but only for some background deep pocketed frocks and crooks.
QUOTE PremiumTimesHe said Nigeria’s recent status as Africa’s largest economy bears no effect on the people as Nigeria had already failed economically and politically.
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Remark
Since 2003 there have been three plans:
1) Obasanjo's National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy of 2003 (NEEDS),
2) Umaru Yar’Adua took over NEEDS and planned a follow up programme 2007 called NEEDS-2.
3) Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in February 2014 has announced his own programme - Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) - also focussing on the development of a domestic economy.
QUOTE PremiumTimesHe said the present government at all levels stinks badly of corruption, and celebrates fraudulent billionaires who should have been executed.
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Remarks
This by now has become a fact known on a worldwide scale. The media are keeping an eye on Nigerian politicians and officials, which they seem not being aware of. The whole world started mocking that Nigerian "window-dressed democracy". [There is godoooo....]
QUOTE PremiumTimes“In the past, you had people within the economic space that really added value; before you could say that this man is a rich man. Before in Nigeria, if you saw someone like Sir Odimegwu Ojukwu and they saw that he was a rich man with his Rolls Royce, everyone knew that he was a serious businessman and everyone knew the source of his wealth.
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Remark
Nowadays when a man is reported to be rich, everybody all over the globe believes that the sources of the money may be doubted. The prejudices are cemented because a lot of it is true.
QUOTE PremiumTimes“If you went further to check, you would see that he was paying his taxes. When you hear that Odutola was a rich man, all his neighbours knew what he was doing to be termed a rich man. The same went for others like Dantata and so on and so forth. But today, you have charlatans and rent seekers parading the landscape.
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Remark
There he is very right. In most cases they know people which know people which even know people wayoff in Abuja who nows a Senator or a traditional leader. When bringing out the mobile to threaten the opponent to call that friend of yours in Abuja, he will shrink back. If him shrinking back you know that he just tried to extort some money from your pocket for his own needs. If not he might have a point.
QUOTE PremiumTimes“People who in sane countries should be in prison are the ones mostly parading themselves as rich men. You have somebody today that nobody knows anything about and suddenly, tomorrow he is rich man with ten private jets and everybody will be applauding him.”
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Remark
He must be the founder of his own church or else a politician or somebody having the power to manipulate the majority of the senators.
QUOTE PremiumTimesMr. Odimegwu spoke strongly against corruption, and said he has never stolen and never will, and called for capital punishment for corruption.
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Remark
If the actual law and its exponents - judges, lawyers, corrective officers - are of no use when it comes to get rid of a country paralizing practice, the law must be changed stipulating penalties. Criminal activities causing the most evil and decay to a country, its people, its security and its economy, must be severly punished. (China applies death sentences on corruption.)
QUOTE PremiumTimes“In Iran, they just executed a billionaire. There are many billionaires in Nigeria that should be executed. I don’t subscribe to Sharia law because I am not a Muslim.
But I like that aspect of Sharia Law, like many people have said online.UNQUOTE PremiumTimes
Remark
Sharia Law is not Sharia law. It always is a matter of interpretation. There must be at least two scholars which define a Fatma to be obeyed to by the judges.
In Russia, Putin came and put the so-called richest man in prison because no one is above the law in sane countries. Given what is happening all over the world a democratic country can never allow Sharia in its country. There were several cases in the news which even ridicule the Islam because of extensive Sharia law and strict Fatma.QUOTE PremiumTimesIn Italy, Berlusconi, the former prime minister was taken to court and sentenced.
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Nigeria should learn from these things.
Remark
That is true. But this can do without Sharia. Nigeria has a constitution, law and order, police as well as judicature.
All the president, the government, local governments as well as the police, judges and others must do is reading the books and act accordingly.
QUOTE PremiumTimesIt is not nice to say things like this, it is difficult for me to say these things but they are necessary.
If people like us don’t say these things then who the hell will say it?
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It is well done to kick off a discussion on those issues. But asking for the army to step in is far too simple. Also asking for Sharia is not appropriate. Given that Festus Odimegwu happens to be an intelligent man it is evident that he tries to manipulate the crowds in the street. He is a dangerous man.
further accounts on Nigeian topics
June 2013:
Jonathan shocked by huge number of Nigerians in South African prisons
http://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/133063-jonathan-shocked-by-huge-number-of-nigerians-in-south-african-prisons.html
June 2013:
Jonathan blasts critics, says they’re “the most corrupt”
http://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/133067-jonathan-blasts-critics-says-theyre-the-most-corrupt.html
October 2013:
Jonathan sacks Festus Odimegwu as Population Commission bosshttp://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/146783-jonathan-sacks-festus-odimegwu-as-population-commission-boss.html
June 2012:
Presidential Media Chat: Rate President Jonathan and his interviewers
http://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/107559-presidential-media-chat-rate-president-jonathan-and-his-interviewers.html
December 2012:
ASUU Strike: Nigerian government’s ultimatum a joke – lecturers
http://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/150546-asuu-strike-nigerian-governments-ultimatum-joke-lecturers.html
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