WHY GOODLUCK IS BAD FORNIGERIA Abdulrazaq O Hamzat ‘’It is my sincere opinion that,the actions and inactions of Mr jonathan indicates that he doesn’t mean wellfor Nigeria. And even if he means well, certainly, he doesn’t act well forNigeria. It is not about your will, but about your actions. If you wish welland act bad, no body cares about your wish, we only see your bad actionsbecause they say, action speaks louder than voice .’’ After a battle with thecabals, the destiny of a great country falls on the shoulder of a man withoutshoes, his name is Goodluck. It all begin with Ihave no shoes, a storyline which captures the heart of many and because of Mr Goodluck’s humble background,people sympathized with him and shielded him away from external forces that maywish him harm. But unknown to them, the man without shoes even possess moreharmful intent capable of hurting 170million population. Save Nigeria Group(SNG) which spent many days and nights protesting at the national assemblycomplex demanding the installation of Mr. Goodluck as president of Nigeriaslept on bare floor while the protest last, and after the Otuoke man was madepresident, the nation went agog in jubilation without realizing they haveinstalled a ‘’clueless monster’’ as Mr. Goodluck is later to be refereed to byopposition parties, non opposition parties, civil society organizations andindeed the majority of Nigerian public. In his early days asNigeria’s president, countless negative but avoidable actions by Mr. Goodluckforced the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) to offer advice, hoping that such avoidableerror would be corrected, but their suggestions seems not to move the manwithout shoe a bit, has he has a mission to destroy not to repair. While the group whichprimarily ensured Mr. Goodluck was made president as required by theconstitution had realized the error, majority of the ordinary Nigerians are yetto. They waved aside every negativity the president had indulged in, hoping thatsuch era would pass as time goes on. In their words, “ he needs time tosettle’’. Having spent close to 2years as president to complete the tenure of his predecessor (Late Umaru Musa Yaradua)who died in office, Mr Goodluck is withoutany reasonable achievement to refer, yet declared his intention to contest in2011. As a result of seekingsympathy votes to actualize his dream of ruling the country in a fresh term afterviolating the gentleman agreement in his party which ensured that power isshared between the 2 region, Mr. Goodluck narrated a story which he titled, Ihave no shoe. A story which depict an helpless boy hoping to create change, butcornered by some powerful forces. While the Otuoke had maninformed the nation about his lack of shoes, his parent afterward were said tohave insisted they bought him shoes. So, what happened to those shoes they boughthim? They were probably destroyed or lost by him, just as the present state ofNigeria. During the buildup tothe 2011 presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan (GEJ) campaign team sold a dummy to Nigeriansby bringing up a story of how good luck has been following their candidate. According to them, whenGEJ was in secondary school, he was appointed an assistant head boy and due toremoval of the headboy, he later assumed that position. He was also elected adeputy governor and later became the governor after his boss was removed. Also,he was taken to be the vice president and after the death of his boss, hebecame the president. The campaign team of Mr.Goodluck ensured that theircampaign messages was heard and bought by the populace, and indeed, they hadgood luck. However, what theyfailed to tell Nigerians is the consequence of Mr. Goodluck’s leadership whenhe was the headboy of Mater Dei high school-Imiringi, the governor of Bayelsa stateand by extension, the president of Nigeria when he took over from his predecessor. Information revealed bythose who attended the same secondary school (Mater Dei high school-Imiringi ) withGEJ in the 70’s indicate that, while it may be true that good luck might havebeen smiling on the Otuoke man, bad luck and calamities upon calamity haveequally been eating up everything he hisassociated with. For example, A man(name not mentioned) whom I encounter en route to Abuja said he attended the sameschool with president Jonathan and noted that, Gej was indeed made headboyafter the former headboy left the school, but his tenure was one of the worstduring which their school was humiliated in inter-school competition. The source who alsonoted that the position GEJ occupies then wasn’t called headboy in theirschool, but chairman of the committee of prefects said, Goodluck Jonathandivided the school and pitched students against each other, causing constantfight while claiming some students are his friends and others his enemies. He maintained that, thebad blood introduced by Gej among students ensures that, students who usuallywork together are separated, creating an atmosphere of disharmony which laterlead to the school’s humiliation at the inter-school competition that year. Itwas concluded that, while good luck might have smiled on Jonathan at Mater Deihigh school- Imiringi, bad luck befell the school ‘s image that year. Again, in 2005 whileserving as the deputy governor of Bayelsa state, goodluck smiled on Mr. Jonathanwhen his former boss chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (ex-convict)was impeached. He assumed the position of the impeached governor as theconstitution demands. While the son of thefisher man might have enjoyed good luck as a result of his new position, Bayelsastate treasury and indeed the entire Bayelsa state people suffered some badluck. Mr. Jonathan through his darling wife,Patience Jonathan looted Bayelsa state treasury dry, causing Mama peace to beinvestigated by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in 2006. In a report By Punch, Monday, 11 Sep 2006,EFCC seizes N104m from Bayelsa governor’s wife. According to the report, aboutN104m allegedly laundered by Patience, wife of Bayelsa State Governor, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan, has been temporarily seized by the Economic and FinancialCrimes Commision. The seizure came on the heels of an ex parte applicationbefore a Federal High Court, Abuja by the Chairman of the EFCC, Mallam NuhuRibadu. The commission had in the application, a copy of which was obtained byour correspondents on Sunday, said it suspected that the N104m was publicmoney. It said that Patience laundered the sum in two tranches – N70m and N34m– through one Mrs. Nancy Ebere Nwosu. Nwosu, a business associate of Patience,is said to have made statements to the EFCC incriminating the governor`s wife. In another report, Mr. Jonathan reportedly said, I’ll cooperate with EFCC. On September 13, 2006, Governor of Bayelsa State, ChiefJonathan Goodluck, on Tuesday said he would cooperate with the Economic andFinancial Crimes Commission to unravel the mystery surrounding the allegedlaundering of N104m to which his wife, Patience, has been linked. However, Former president Olusegun Obasanjorescued Mr. Goodluck when the ebora of owo dragged the man without shoe to asorock in 2007 as the vice president. Till date the misery behind the laundry wasn’tunravelled, thanks to the corrupt security whose life depend on bribery. In another petition written to former EFCCchairman, Mrs Farida Waziri in 2010 titled: EFCC v PATIENCE JONATHAN:LEST THEY FORGET. The petitioner noted that, in August 2006, the EFCCseized the sum of N104 million from one Mrs. Nancy Ebere Nwosu, an associate ofPatience Jonathan. On August 22, 2006,Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court, gave EFCC the legal backingto retain the N104 million seized from an associate of Patience Goodluck, thewife of then governor of Bayelsa state, Goodluck Jonathan. The order was to stay in place pending the conclusion of the investigationof the activities of the said persons in connection with their involvement inthe acts of money laundering and other economic and financial crimes relatedoffences. The petitioner also noted in the petition that, The EFCCs position was thatPatience Jonathan stole the money from the public coffers of Bayelsa and wastrying to launder it through her friend, Mrs. Nancy Ebere Nwosu. Like a crack addict willing to doanything for a high, Patience Jonathan was not going to give up her addictionto treasury looting simply because Nuhu Ribadus EFCC was on her trail.Determined to prove that only mere mortals shivered at the sight of EFCC, shecontinued with her looting of Bayelsas treasury with the full cooperation andassistance of her husband, Goodluck Jonathan, who was the then governor ofBayelsa state. The duo was so successful that on September 11, 2006, theEconomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) again seized another $13.5million dollars (US) from Mrs. Patience Jonathan. Criminal charges were broughtagainst her and Nigerians were awaiting her prosecution to the full extent ofthe law. But despite numerous pleato the EFCC to update the public about the status of the case, they seems tohave buried the case to avoid losing their jobs. What a pity. Furthermore, sinceanother good luck had smiled on Mr. Jonathan that he became Nigeria’spresident, bad luck and uncountable calamities have been hitting Nigeria. From numerous air crash,to countless strikes and protest in virtually every sector, the most recent which is the nationwide strike by doctors. All Federal polytechnics inNigeria just called off a 10 month old strike, while their universitycounterparts also called off their 7 month old strike few months back. The fuelsubsidy scam, pension scam, missing $20billion, wide spread corruption, over200 chibok abducted girls, increased oil theft, massive insecurity, human rightabuses and unparallelled impunity. This is not to forgetabout the 64% youth unemployment rate, death of over 20 youths at the NISscreening exercise plus the exploitation fee and many others too numerous tomention. These and many otherreasons are why Mr. Goodluck is bad for Nigeria. As we have all seen, MrGoodluck lack every sense of responsibility to his duties, he only cares abouthis powers as president without fulfilling his obligation. Like a friend on socialmedia rightly pointed out, it seems President Jonathan is the Commander inChief only when he wanted to use state security to harass and perpetrateimpunity. His commander in Chief status is strictly about using the statemachinery to advance only his political interest even against the constitutionand manipulating election results and arresting defenseless Nigerians. Once itis on issue of insecurity or every other failure of leadership, he humblehimself to being just Jonathan the Otuoke son from Niger Delta. When Mr. Jonathan wantedto deploy massive security to intimidate voters and arrest opposition leadersin Ekiti, he didn’t seek the help of Nigerians. He simple did what he wanted todo without informing anyone. But when Nigerians demanded that the presidentshould address the insecurity situation in the country, he claims not to beresponsible, the protest should be directed to boko- haram he said. When protesters alsodemanded that the over 200 abducted chibok girls be brought home, the presidencysimple said, they should protest to sambisa forest. As Mr. Danjuma righlysaid, Mr. president, please, lead us to sambisa. Therefore, It is safeto conclude that, since Mr. Jonathan took over the leadership of Nigeria, ithas been good luck for Jonathan and bad luck for Nigeria. It is my sincereopinion that, the actions and inactions of Mr Jonathan indicates that hedoesn’t mean well for Nigeria. And even if he means well, certainly, he doesn’tact well for Nigeria. It is not about your will, but about your actions. If youwish well and act bad, no body cares about your wish, we only see your badactions because they say, action speaks louder than voice. While Mr. presidentcontinue to speak well with his mouth, his actions continue to speak bad of himand Nigerians are fed up of empty good words with numerous bad actions.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 15:52:01 +0000
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