Friday, November 03, 2006

Maybe the only thing Nigeria has going for it is the Arts.



The Unsolved Murders

  • Dele Giwa -Journalist (died at breakfast from a letter bomb explosion)
  • Alfred Rewane-Politician (Sliced to ribbons in his bed)
  • Kudirat Abiola-Activist and wife of MKO (Assassinated by a roadside)
  • MKO Abiola-Elected President of the Federation
  • Bola Ige-Attorney General for the Federation (murdered while under official police guard)
  • Ayo Daramola-gubernatorial candidate (Ekiti State)
  • Funsho Williams-gubernatorial candidate (Lagos State). Strangled in his bed
  • Sulaimon Olajokun-AD Chieftain (Shot to death in vehicle)
  • Emily Omope-AD member (died after acid attack- December 2005)
  • Odunayo Olagbaju- Member, Osun State House of Assembly, killed in front of Moore Police Station, Ile-Ife
  • Dele Arojo-PDP Gubenatorial aspirant
  • Barnabas Igwe
  • Amaka Abigail Igwe (The deaths of these two, husband and wife, led to the arraignment of the governor, Chinwoke Mbadinuju
  • Aminosoari Dikibo-(Killed by gunmen) PDP National Vice Chairman, South
  • Ahmed Pategi- (State Chairman, PDP-Kwara)
  • Marshal Harry
  • Charles Alaba Joseph- Chief Executive Officer-Mobitel. Police claim he committed suicide despite witnesses to the contrary



These are the names of well placed Nigerians. Thousands are 'removed' daily without eyelashes being batted.



The Absurdities

  • Tafa Balogun, Inspector General of Police steals N17 Billion from State Coffers
  • Tafa Balogun is amazed that he can be arrested
  • Tafa Balogun says in court premises that he "will bounce back". He later apologises.
  • Tafa Balogun is jailed for 6 months including time served
  • Iyiola Omisore and Fryo are arrested for Bola Ige's death. Fryo gives Victory sign in court. Omisore participates in (through phone calls) and signs Senate proceedings while detained at Agodi Prison
  • The Nigerian Police has no finger prints database. More than a hundred years since Britain started fingerprinting
  • You inform on criminals at your own peril
  • The motto for the Nigerian Police is "to serve and protect...", lifted wholesale off the similar-named Cable TV Programme and from other established and developed jurisdictions
  • The average policeman does not know the difference between a misdemeanour and a felony
  • 29 year old millionaire and speaker of the Federal House of Reps, Salisu Buhari, claims to be 35
  • This Number 4 man in the hierachy of Government also claims to have a degree from Toronto University
  • He is investigated
  • His colleagues in the Federal House of Reps give him a standing ovation upon his return to the House
  • Public Opinion forces his removal. He is tried and sentenced to 6 months in jail or N5,000 (or $30)
  • He chooses to pay the fine
  • He receives a Presidential Pardon from the President of the Federation

4 comments:

Araceli said...

It's mind-boggling. These should be enough to wake people up and say NO MORE...

Sometimes, one of the things that amazes me is the way many Nigerians accept these as "just one of those things."

I don't know what exactly it will take for people to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH OF THE DECEPTION.

The people who are responsible for these atrocities can get away because they are allowed to do so.

laspapi said...

Araceli, the easiest people to manage in the world are Nigerians, apparently.
The stuff that has sparked demands for better governance around the world, is accepted as our lot here.
The newspapers scream the most impossible headlines and we roll over.
They say if you push a Nigerian to the wall, he'll break through and continue running.
Time to make a Stand.

Anonymous said...

Let me add to the madness.

Here is a list (pdf) of some unresolved killings as compiled by Guardian Newspaper on Aug 17, 2006.

You also left out the following scandals:

1. ID card scandal involving the the Late minister for Internal Affairs, Afolabi.

2. The 50 million Naira bribery scandal involving former Senate President, Adophus Wabara, Senator Chris Adighije and the Former Minister of Education, Dr. Fabian Osuji.

laspapi said...

thanks, imnakoya. At one time, I thought I'd keep newspaper cuttings of the madness. But I'd need a warehouse, every headline is madness.