I think the writer is a tad harsh on Tinubu. Whilst I accept that the statement made by him at the Ataoja’s palace was graceless, I think his current estrangement from Ambode goes behind a petulant godfather being unhappy with his godson. Methinks one of Tinubu’s biggest strengths is his ability to align himself with d collective sentiments of his people after which he approximates such sentiments as his. There is a groundswell of angst from the floor against Ambode in Lagos. The main cause of this is Ambode’s decision to scrap the refuse collection arrangement. The refuse collection arrangement is a vintage Tinubu empowering his constituents whilst at the same time, ensuring utility of the program. The contracts for keeping each council clean are awarded to party leadership in each of the councils who in turn ensured this cascaded to the unit level. In this way, each ward has both pecuniary and political reasons to clean their areas. It is a system of patronage which purists may frown at but which worked well in Lagos. Ambode, apparently without consultation with Tinubu and the party, cancelled it and awarded this contract to Visionscope. Unfortunately for him, his Visionscope has simply not worked, causing him two collateral consequences: a. return of refuse to Lagos streets and b. alienating thousands of Lagosians in all LGs who were benefiting from the previous arrangement. He sought to fix what wasn’t broken. There are a number of other valid accusations against him. A friend pointed out to me that the Metro line has stalled since Ambode became governor for no just cause and that the tanker curfew in Lagos imposed by his predecessor, (Babatunde) Fashola appears to have been lifted by Ambode, leading to increased gridlock and accidents like the one near Sangisha months back. Even the NBA took to the street to protest against him! There are genuine fears within the parry that if APC fields Ambode, they are likely to lose. These are the circumstances Tinubu has to navigate. I don’t even think there’s any personal disagreement between Tinubu and Ambode (after all, his Alpha Beta continues to ‘chop up’ in Lagos!).
Rahmon Adebayo Kareem, Head of Legal and Human Rights office, African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM)
Osun election as Nigeria’s mirror at 58
As the Yoruba saying goes, kaka ki a ba ole wi, a ni ibi ti olohun fi nkan re si ni ko dara, translated, means, instead of reprimanding a thief, we concluded that the owner of the stolen good placed it at a wrong place. You lumped two distinctive issues together. I am not at home with this style. An adage says a o le eleyoro jinna ki a to ba adiye wi’- we will chase the hyena away before reprimanding the fowl. The major issue is the shenanigan that was called an election in Osun state last week. Perpetrators of the dastardly act were wiser by half. They hid behind a finger. They are a proverbial slave which makes 200 slaves to be reprimanded for the sin of just one slave. As a global village and in this era of ICT’, were they aware that the shenanigans were seen all over the word? When the racists said that Africa was a dark continent from where nothing good can come, is the abracadabra called election in Osun not an evidence? There is no doubt that South West is under siege and Ilorin imperialism of the 1830s against Oyo empire is about to resurge, this time from Lagos. I have nothing personal against Asiwaju Tinubu whom I hold in high esteem but he is not portraying himself as a statesman that he is. He should see himself as the leader of the Yoruba and whosoever emerges as governor in any Yoruba states is his follower who will give deference to him. Winning all the states by hook or crook is putting him in bad light, even if he has no hands in the shenanigans. Tinubu liberated us from the mis-governance of PDP. However, the unfolding scenario is a total departure from the change promised us in 2015. With the look of things, it appears we are being led back to Egypt. We have been reading different opinions about the Osun debacle. One thing that is clear is that God is not a hypocrite. No one can mock God.
All actors in the Osun charade and those who justified unjustifiable will be judged by God almighty at the appropriate time. You should have discussed Adeleke’s mistake of not getting enough education in a separate forum. What I read, if I am not mistaken, is that Adeleke lost because of his low level or lack of western education. Nothing is farther from the truth. Adeleke is a victim of ‘POWER’ no more no less. The majority of Osun voters who voted for him on September 22 knew his level of Western education before voting. They were equally aware that he did not attend the governorship debate, yet he received their votes. As you correctly said, Adeleke, with his type of background, should have acquired western education to any possible level. He too will be ruing his mistake, not because he was rigged out but because of the shame he wrought on himself – a governor with F 9 parallel. Others in his shoes will learn from that.
As the Yoruba say, again, Igba ara laa bura, enikan kii bu Sango ni eerun -. Do haste while the sun shines. Nonetheless, Adeleke lost not because of his lack of education but superior fire power of his opponents.
Adewuyi Adegbite, Ogbomoso
Re: Buhari, Atiku and the allegory of danran and gbafe
Perhaps you have not been informed that your greatness is renewed daily on account of expository write-ups that emanate from your fountain of wisdom. And of course, the Nobel award that was not granted to Achebe is patiently reserved for you as another story teller and contemporary historian for always writing for the masses and addressing contemporary issues in the best language that even our Mandarin rulers dare not gloss-over.
Talking about the 2019 general elections, l want to believe that the battle is won and lost. Buhari will need to convince Nigerians why his Aso Rock’s tenancy will not be determined. With the coming of Atiku, our political story has been taken to different strata and APC mantra of ‘change’ is recoiling into extinction. And except for those who still dance to the Asiko lyrics of deceit, Buhari government has nothing to present any longer but epistles of disappointments and regret. Buhari’s mantra of change was fraudulently packaged and the man from Daura has nothing tangible to tender as evidence of sincerity any longer.
Yes, Nigerians will use the danran at the polls in 2019 and Buhari will have a taste of Jonathan’s herbal mixtures. Buhari and his cohorts declared a war of attrition on the masses and doled out poverty to the masses under the façade/guise of fighting corruption, their corruption. The brand of hardship that the masses are passing through like fiery furnace is unnecessarily legendary. It wearies me, indeed. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to write home about his statement of smokescreen on corruption for his government is equally guilty of the selfsame offence with the array of corrupt troop that swarms like mad bees around him.
The visible developments that we witness in the North Central and Northeastern axis of this country are in the cemeteries. So why must we still consider another four years for an inept and ill-chosen government whose business is to feed us with lies like Goebbels?
The Noriega’s story has no place in Nigeria now. Nigeria as a complex entity is not Panama and Noriega’s experiment cannot work here because any attempt to introduce that here will only invite conflagrations as it will escalate Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, IPOB, Niger Delta’s insurrections. We have no business with Americans for now. Do they have to tarry till the time Atiku will become the President of Nigeria before they will ‘open his book of remembrance’? For now, Atiku is the only candidate that can unseat Buhari and send him back to his village in Daura. One is not saying that some tested and credible candidates are not spotted in other parties, but do they have the structures to right this terrible wrong by unseating the Gestapo forces in power? Let me make my point clear: both APC and PDP are just on the same platform but in a state of abnormalities, it’s better to use an abnormal setting to address the abnormal situations.
Ralph Akintan, ralphakintan8@gmail.com
People appreciate your efforts
I have always enjoyed your articles. They are masterpieces. This is just to let you know people appreciate your efforts. Keep it up. God bless.
O.G. Ajao, ogajao@gmail.com
Re-Buhari Vs Atiku: Who?
No wonder three Igbo and eight Yoruba who perhaps enjoyed the above write-up, forwarded it to my Whatsapp line yesterday. They knew I love Tribune; they knew I love columnists who do justice to issues. You are one of those, as evidenced by your analyses of the current burning and discursive Buhari Vs Atiku. Who? I recommend that write-up to Alaafin of Oyo, the Yoruba, the federal legislators, the presidency, past Heads of State, students and lecturers of Political Science, Mass Communication, History and Public Administration and indeed, entire Nigerians.
Lanre Oseni, Ibadan
I admire your language and style of writing, it is always intellectually engaging
I am an avid reader of your column. I admire your language and style of writing and it is always intellectually engaging. Please refer to the ‹FLICKERS› of 30/09/18. In the write up of this particular day, my reservation is that you had already taken a very strong position on electoral issues that are at best mere allegations until proven by competent electoral tribunal or court of law. Agreed, as a seasoned journalist, you must have done your investigation, but yet nobody should be tainted until allegations are proven. Regards.
Ademola Latinwo, adelat2010@gmail.com
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