THE NATION WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2011
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EDITORIAL/OPINION FROM THE CELL PHONE ‘Dear Dare, your write-up is master piece of metaphor which mark my day. The annuallment of June 12 election by military cabal either through forced or unforced error in which the hero of our democratic strungle late M.K.O. Abiola died in detention is ungodly. Unless Chief M.K.O. Abiola is postumosly installed as president of our beloved country, history will not absorve Babangida and Senator David Mark. Tope Omobulejo, Ifaki Ekiti’
•Awolowo For Segun Gbadegesin Hi Sege! So you are self centred. Your son is repeating what you and I have been saying. Anonymous Dr., I agree with you, please derive means of bringin the states involve together and let us pray that ACN will capture Kogi and Kwara in the next election. Enock from Kaduna. Dear Dr. Gbadegesin, I last read your article on ‘Restructructing for the Nigerian state.’ I have missed your article since then as I was on a study tour in Israel. I am excited by your proposition of EICSS “Towards a Fuller Union-1”. I recommend a book by Senor & Singer, “Start-up Nation” on how Israel, a nation of 7.1 million has turned to become the venture capital of the world and excelling in turning desert landscape into land of lush agriculture and high tech industries. With the recycled dead wood GEJ has reappointed it is clear that it is “Not Yet Uhuru” for the nation. If the Nigeria nation is not ready to move, the Oodua States should move towards the needed coordinated development programmes for the Southwest. Gbade, keep ringing this tune into the ears of all the Governors. It was on such a principle that the “Progressive Governors” were born. Dr. Abayomi Oguntoye, Abeokuta. This is a well thought out piece from a sound mind please keep it up, we pray they listen and do something fast. Olu-Victor Thanks Dr. To achieve what you are preaching in your article, as well as your son’s views, I think the governors and their so called first ladies should undergo periodic orientations and cluster workshops about good governance. In Ekiti for example, the unhidden display of flamboyance by the first lady may whittle people’s enthusiasim which hitherto stirs up their impatience to give that government time to prove points. Vincent You are a real son of your father ‘Omoluabi’. I am in total agreement with you of Yoruba Union infrastructure integration. But can Mimiko government go along with its anti Awo/ACN sentiment of robbing Paul to pay Peter? Until ACN secure Ondo state. Olu, Akure. Sir, your today’s piece provides an insight into the future. Sir, I totally agree with you on the need for a new socio-economic order cum revolution in the South West. I suggest that it be code named ‘’ S / W Federation Co-operatn (SWFC).” From Barr. S . 0 . Ojo Lagos, yes is in the west, but has never been part of or administered as part of western region. It was not carved out but created as a crown colony/federal territory. Anonymous Sir, can you feed me with information on why the Southwest could not get tangible positions in the House of Senate and Reps. Qozim Sanjo from Port Harcourt. Dr. Gbadegesin is on the mark Prof. is waiting for the conclusion. Hope he is aware that Lagos, which will be crucial to the project is not yet in the ‘Oodua’ net. Regards. Olu. Dr. Gbadegesin, I commend your wider
view and plain mindedness to the plights of our region. This had been tried before Fashola Agric. Farms, Ire Burnt Bricks, etc. Even when I was young, U.I. had an agrofarm where staffers buy cows, hens, pork and eggs. What happened there-after was that people without vision took the products for social parties without paying, then total collapse. Our problems are not the ideas but faithful executors without which no program can succeed. I am as worried as you are. Who else worries with us? Olaofe Ajayi (Ado-Ekiti) Are there examples of where such economic integration and cooperation ever worked? “State-rization’’ of the country makes this almost impossible. I am sure you have lost hope in the country and hinging a very feeble hope on what was. A Sovereign National Conference is the answer. To the drainpipes with Nigeria. Nathan in Owerri. The southwest ACN should now try to consolidate their footing by having relatively common agenda which will improve the people’s welfare and serve as good example for other states to copy. Respect for the electorate because there lies the, powerò 4- year not far pleasòe. Anonymous I am quite impressed by your write-up about the ‘Regional of the Western States.’ I wonder if there is a structure or platform on which we can move idea forward? Tunji Lawal-Solarin Good morning sir Dr. Gbadegesin, I have been enjoing your piece on ‘Yoruba, towards a fuller union,’ but please as a Yoruba man coming from the minority (Okun people of Kogi state), what can you do for us or what must be done to fully integrate we the minority Yorubas to also be called majority because I am tired of being linked with Northern people which I am not and also encourage the elders of Afenifere to also include us in any Yoruba related activities. hope to get your reply in the next edition of your piece. Anonymous Re-’Unforced errors’ there are more to June 12 that has not been told than the lyrics IBB are making the world to believe. Thanks for your write-up. Sunny Oke, Abuja Have you ever pondered why Jega was appointed to preside over Jonathan’s presidensy? check this j - jonathan e ebele g - goodluck a – azikiwe, that is Jega, his apointment is from heaven. Franklyn Akande, Ososo My late father though educated got me to see Awolowo in the moon in 1979..., but that is not possible again my brother. Anonymous The Yoruba nation as at today even needs a more sophìstcated Awo and there is none on the horizon yet my brother. Anonymous Please task the respective governors to perform as Fashola, Oshiomole and Mimiko are doing! Anonymous They may choose to have some investment but it should be optional. Anonymous You will be shocked to know that the political dynamics of Osun is different from Oyo, so let the respective governors sort out the issues of governance and don’t shield those who can’t perform. Anonymous Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo cross examines Olusegun Obasanjo on Nigeria. Awolowo: do you love Nigeria Segun? Obasanjo: if I don’t will I be the President? Awolowo: I know you wouldn’t want me to remind you that I’m the cross examiner here.
Obasanjo: sorry sir. Awolowo: what do you love about this country? Obasanjo: everything sir. Awolowo: why do you want Nigeria to be ruled by PDP for a long time? Obasanjo: it is because I love the country. Awolowo: Segun, you were given two opportunities to rule Nigeria twice, how come you asked for a third term to rule? Obasanjo: it is because I want my love for Nigeria to be unconditional. Awolowo: do you love progressives in Nigeria? Obasanjo: yes the one like myself. Awolowo: do you hate the conservatives? Obasanjo: yes. Awolowo: I thought you said earlier that you love this country? Obasanjo: yes, just the conservatives. Awolowo: Segun why is Nigeria not having it good for now? Obasanjo: it is because my successors have decided to follow their own shadows and not mine. Awolowo: so you mean yours is the best for Nigeria? Obasanjo: yes. For Olatunji Dare The oil in the Niger Delta and its environs is what is causing resistance to the truth. If oil is discovered in commercial quantity in the North, the Federal system will work. Anonymous I agree with you. Most of our leaders make bad decisions deliberately. Then blame it on pressures. They should not be leaders if they can’t make the best of pressures. Anonymous Rubbìsh excuse for opportunìsm and cowardice. If a man who at the risk of being shot stole power to better his and the lots of his cohorts, could not stake his life to defend a righteous cause then he deserves no place in history. Anonymous Your analogy of force and unforced errors in sports activities and political issues or decisions can hold because of their different time lag to reply stokes or punches or treat as in polities. All actions in political issues are unforced and so its errors also. Ebede The issue of unforced error is not even worth mentioning, the political quagmare in Nigeria is as a result of delibrate error stemming from poverty of social interaction and cowardice. Anonymous What do you call the errror comitted by Nigerians to allow OBJ and Mark emerge as the benificiaries of the democracy they worked so hard to stiffle? Obviously ‘unforced’ and we are all getting the result in terms of bad government. Nigeria situation can make the healthiest man on earth sick. Oye Ayeni Dear Tunji, professional tennis players know the meaning of “UNFORCED ERROR” The meaning is simple and straight forward. It means “STUPID MISTAKE”. It is a mild way of saying that the player is stupid. Hon Lanre Adeyemi (MHR) Dear Dare, your write-up is master piece of metaphor which mark my day. The annuallment of June 12 election by military cabal either through forced or unforced error in which the hero of our democratic strungle late M.K.O. Abiola died in detention is ungodly. Unless Chief M.K.O. Abiola is postumosly installed as president of our beloved country, history will not absorve Babangida and Senator David Mark. Tope Omobulejo, Ifaki Ekiti. Thanks for your tennis lesson. Dr. Mann
•Obasanjo
Tolofari, Pharcourt. Sir, thanks for your insightful write-up today, titled ‘Matters lexical: Unforced errors’. The difference between ‘forced’ and ‘unforced errors’ is now clearer. ‘The annulment of June 12 election which Babangida now professes to regret was done with the courage of men, but with the blind policy of a child. So great was his passion for wrong doing that the very doing of wrong was a joy to him for its own sake. What many ‘leaders’ lack is the magnificence of mind and it is not among our best prized virtues today, in the country. Magnificence in a leader means one who will live on his own carefully considered terms, (for the benefit of majority), not on those imposed by others. Babangida’s ‘ regret’ is dubious. Adegoke O. O., Ibadan. For Gbenga Omotoso Indeed “There is no greater force than inordinate ambition”. We have seen it in the Nigerian polity year to year, yet the lesson is not learnt. Babangida, Abacha, Obasanjo and many of the same ilk have come and gone. What with Jonathan? We keep our fingers, legs and necks crossed. From Heropride of TWZ, Enugu. State police no sir,. Fed police is one big problem, to add 36 more problems, will be too much for we the masses to shoulder. Some state governors will use them to settle political scores. Capt(NN) AI Olisadebe (rtd). Better are the blows of a friend than the false kisses of Boko Haram. It is an incontestable fact that to get to the unknown you must access it through the known. I. E. T., Abuja. Why on earth are we still uncertain of what the president or a legislator “chops” monthly? So with the FOI Law the media is still exhibiting helplessness in acquisition of information for stakeholders. Or have you people been compromised a la Nigeria as usual? T. C. I. Onuoha, Owerri Hi Gbenga, I am impressed with your comment on the back page of The Nation Newpaper. I am a police officer which if you ask me I can still answer the why because the security right at the headquater gate. Secondly, they should interview IG excort commander what happened with the unmarked vechile that was following them? Thirdly, did the car follow them from the IG residence or he joined them along the road? Anonymous Dear Gbenga, the parable of the rabbit is good but at the same time could be an understatement. Have you forgotten that thesame crime fighting agencies entered Monrovia in 1991 without any assistance from FBI or prior GS mapping of the city and stopped the internicine carnage within one week! Ask IBB and his boys how he did it in Moronvia. Our agencies have the best brains. Your article has mainly thrown in the challenges at them! From ‘Tunji Falana, Ise-Ekiti More of your write-up would do more good than harm to the government. If they should answer your questions and keep to your advise. Hon. Kataiko, Plateau.