Sunday Adelaja: Why I endorse Buhari/Osinbajo ticket’’ (Part 5) – ‘‘Pastor Sunday how dare you support a Muslim candidate’’?


Sunday Adelasja-JSD-jide-salu.comDear friends,

This article is divided into six parts for easier reading and digestion.
Part 1. The Professor Yemi Osinbajo that I know
Part 2. My main reason for endorsing Buhari/Osinbajo ticket is because of my personal encounter with President Goodluck Jonathan
Part 3. Is Gen. Buhari an Islamic fundamentalist?
Part 4. Why I believe President Jonathan is far more a fundamentalist than Gen. Buhari
Part 5. ‘‘Pastor Sunday how dare you support a Muslim candidate’’?
Part 6. Reasons why I cannot support Jonathan/sambo ticket.

Introduction:

To paraphrase the great quotation ‘Plato is my friend — Aristotle is my friend — but my greatest friend is the truth’ by Isaac newton. In my words, I will say ‘Jonathan is my president, Goodluck is a Christian, but Nigeria is my greatest love’ 

I would like to appeal to everyone that will see this article not to be in a hurry to ‘stone’ me, especially before you finish reading it. This is because I have seen a lot of emotions, sentiments and prejudices from the comments that were written under the article I had earlier posted on my Facebook page.

As a matter of fact, I was not planning to make my position a public knowledge, but seeing the reactions and the emotions that any form of support for Buhari/Osinbajo generates among Christians, I decided to make my position known at least to those who see me as a leader in the body of Christ. Mainly because of the above mentioned quotation that to me the destiny and future of Nigeria is paramount to any sentiment. 

I therefore believe that I owe it to my friends, colleges and posterity to explain why I believe the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket is the life line to the Nigerian nation right now. Of course you all have the right to your opinions and you have the right to agree or disagree, but I think it would be fair for you to hear my point of view. 

From the comments on my Facebook, I can envisage disappointment and disillusionment in a lot of my followers as a result of my position, I might actually be losing some friends and fans as a result but let’s not forget the words of Isaac newton ‘Plato is my friend— Aristotle is my friend — but my greatest friend is the truth’ . Therefore I say ‘Jonathan is my president, Goodluck is a Christian, but Nigeria is my greatest love’

Here we are continuing with part 5 of this 6 part article.

Part 5. ‘‘Pastor Sunday how dare you support a Muslim candidate’’?

Ecclesiastics 10:16-17  
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
And your princes feast in the morning!
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles,
And your princes feast at the proper time—
For strength and not for drunkenness

‘Plato is my friend— Aristotle is my friend — but my greatest friend is the truth’. Therefore I say ‘Jonathan is my president, Goodluck is a Christian, but Nigeria is my greatest love’

1) Apart from the points that I have highlighted in the previous parts (1-4), I think it is legitimate for me and any other Nigerian to support any good ticket even if the representatives are not of your own religion.

As long as the flag bearer for that ticket is a Nigerian, he has the right to be elected as the president or into any other position, because he is a citizen of this country. Fellow Nigerians, brothers and sisters, what if somebody comes up to say a Muslim should never vote for a Christian, that means no Christian will ever win the presidential elections in Nigeria because without the Muslim votes from the north, south, east and west, it just won’t be possible. So it is not fair to say no Christian should vote for a Muslim, because we are not talking about religion here but about good leadership.

2) What determines whom I support depends on the personality, competence, integrity and reputation of the person involved. Another factor is the program the candidate puts forward. If I believe in the program, I will support them even if they are Muslims. I Am aware that many Nigerians have the habit in the last decades of traveling to Dubai which is an Islamic nation, ruled by Islamic fundamentalists, yet we go to learn from them, they are doing better than us, they have built a better country, so what is the argument about? Hey, let’s use our minds. Let’s wakeup, let’s face reality, let’s be less religious and ambiguous in our thinking. 

3) I support the Buhari ticket because I believe in the leadership attributes of the man. Gen. Buhari is one of the most disciplined, diligent, focused and hardworking Nigerian leaders alive today. His track record confirms this. Gen. Buhari ruled Nigeria for less than 2 years and accomplished much more than what most governments in Nigeria history has ever accomplished. Let’s see the facts.

Some of his Achievements:

i) His administration initiated a public campaign against indiscipline known as “War against Indiscipline (WAI)” when he realized the civilian government he took over from as head of states was HOPELESSLY CORRUPT. The campaign is still lauded by many to have instilled the most orderly conduct of public and private affairs in Nigeria since its independence in 1960.
ii) In his time as head of state he reduced inflation from 23% to 4%, by fiscal discipline and a homegrown economic team (not achieved under any other era both civilian and military).
iii) He supervised and birthed our only existing refineries (1976-1978)
iv) What he did in road construction while in the PTF hasn’t been matched in 16 years of democracy.
v) The hospitals and universities around the country never witnessed as much benefits as they got from the PTF than any other government after or before his time.
vi) The Buhari regime rebuffed all entreaties by IMF and World Bank to devalue the naira, remove subsidies on services and increase pump price on fuel.
vii) The Nigerian Naira was exchanged between 0.724 -0.894 to 1 Us Dollar during Buhari’s regime (1983-1985). Imagine our Naira was more than the dollar just 29 years ago when I left the country to study in Europe. 

4) Please check out these facts about Gen. Buhari. By the time you confirm the information below, you will agree with me that this is not just the best presidential candidate we have running today, but maybe he is one of the best citizens Nigeria has ever produced. I hope after finding out about the statistics below you will also join me in praying and hoping that Buhari/Osinbajo ticket takes the day.

While former leaders came to line their pockets with the national wealth by promoting themselves to ‘Generals of fortune’. By naming some important streets, edifices, and towns in Nigeria after themselves. It was not so with General Buhari. He was driven by patriotic zeal to serve Nigeria. Even after being the Head of State for 20 months, he never promoted himself to a four-star general like others who came before or after him. It’s also important to note that he did not create the office of First Lady, which others did as a means of stealing the national and common wealth.

• Gen. Buhari presently has 2 houses, one owned by his father and one he built with his pension
• He has no house or land in Abuja
• No property or savings abroad
• He has 2 cars (one belongs to his wife)
• He has no oil wells, no petrol station.
• His monetary assets was 6.5 million naira which now remains 1million naira after he paid 5.5 million naira for his presidential nomination form (compared to 750 million declared by GEJ)
• Gen. Buhari and Nelson Mandela were the only private African individuals invited to the white house during president Barrack Obama’s Inauguration why? Because they are men of integrity.
• Above all, he is not associated with corruption of any form or sort.

5) Gen. Buhari being a septuagenarian, and knowing that not too many people are given a second chance in life, would like to exceed his previous achievements. So I believe it is better to give Gen. Buhari the chance to render his best service and to leave the best legacy he could possibly leave for the posterity of Nigerians. President Jonathan has already been given 6 years to prove his worth and Nigerians can now give a similar chance to Gen. Buhari. If he fails to deliver then we are free to remove him as well and give the chance to another person. If we reelect President Jonathan now it means he will be ruling Nigeria for 10 years and the only person to have ruled Nigeria for that long was Gen. Gowon (9 years). 

6) Gen. Buhari achieved so much in his war against corruption between Dec1983 and Aug 1985.He is a man of integrity. He is the only or one of a few ex-leaders not living in opulence. Gen. Buhari’s government jailed over 600 corrupt politicians and businessmen and refused to release them until their loot was recovered. I must admit though, that there were probably a lot of excesses in his government’s fight against corruption, yet we cannot but commend his efforts. Only those who do nothing make no mistakes. He even tried to forcefully kidnap President Shagari’s defence minister from the UK, who had stolen from the coffers of the government. This action was necessary after British government refused to send him back to Nigeria. During his rule, there was less crime, he took a hard line on all crime especially armed robbers and drug traffickers. Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, that many Nigerians admire, actually modelled himself after Gen. Buhari. 

Nigeria’s number one problem is corruption. Once corruption is tackled, all other challenges facing the nation from credible elections to economic development and infrastructures like electricity, water, transports would work better.

7) I believe that if Pastor Bakare will agree to be a running mate to someone, then that must be a good person, because Pastor Tunde Bakare is a no nonsense pastor yet he agreed to run with Buhari in 2011. After that experience even now Pastor Bakare though not running still says he will never speak against Gen. Buhari because he has seen the content of his character. Now if Pastor Osinbajo is supporting the same presidential candidate, it means there is something in this man that Nigerians should pay attention to. These are not people that can be easily manipulated or bought over. These two Nigerians cannot be bought over by any amount of money. 

8) I have heard from reliable sources about Gen. Buhari’s impeccable reputation people whose names I will not like to disclose here without a prior agreement. These are men of integrity, Christian men, pastors who have met one on one with Gen Buhari and their testimony is that they have never seen a man of such quality, humility and strength of character in Nigeria. These are pastors talking of how impeccable Gen. Buhari’s character is among all the people they have ever met. I would rather vote for that kind of man than support someone who is just a ‘Christian’ without character or integrity. Another friend of mine who is also a pastor of a great repute whom I don’t have any basis to doubt, told me that Gen. Buhari himself disclosed to him that his personal driver of over two or three decades is a Christian. He also disclosed that Gen. Buhari told him that his personal Cook, is a Christian woman. These are two of the closest and most trust worthy people in any body’s life as your life depends on them- your cook and your driver. Gen. Buhari surrounds himself with Christians not just Muslims. I don’t believe such a man hates Christians. More so I also have another firsthand information from another friend about Gen buhari’s quality. This friend of mine is a Christian from the south-south region of Nigeria, and he wanted to get some assurances from Gov. Tinubu about the personality of Gen Buhari, He therefor asked Gov. Tinubu the question, if Gen. Buhari was a Muslim fundamentalist that did not like Christians, to which Tinubu said, ‘you don’t need to believe my words, come here tomorrow morning, Gen Buhari will be here then you can sit down with him and ask him whatever questions you have yourself’. The meeting took place and at the end of this meeting this south-south Christian leader became a converted believer in the integrity and credibility of Gen. Buhari as one of the soundest, most realistic and most sincere persons he has ever met in his entire life. Dear friends these are people I know personally with Character of the highest level, I believe them, so I choose to support Buhari /Oshibajo ticket. 

9) The next reason why I support the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket is because I believe God has used Gen. Buhari to highlight and to bring to the forefront one of the best men that was ever born in the nation of Nigeria, which is Professor Yemi oshibajo. I believe that by the grace of God, this ticket has a very good chance of winning just at least for Nigerians to have something to write home about their nation. So that this next generation will not be a wasted generation. Believe me friends if anyone can do it Gen Buhari/Prof Oshibajo can, they have what it takes. These men, friends are the real deal. 

10) Even though I have high regard for President Jonathan as a person and for other Christian gentlemen that are in his government, but I dare to say that there is no body that brings a better representation of the church of the lord Jesus Christ to the Nigerian Government like professor Osinbajo. I believe with him as vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Christian world view and the kingdom perspective will have a better expression than what we have right now.

11) Though Gen. Buhari is strong and I pray and believe God will give him long life, strength and vigor, yet he might not want to go for the second term, but might prefer to step down for his vice president for the second term. He might decide that he is too old to go for the second term after the first 4 years when he will be seventy six years old which could present the vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo a chance of supernaturally emerging as the next president of Nigeria. If that happens I believe that might be the best dream for the next generation of Nigerians.

12) I believe that Gen. Buhari has what it takes to unite Nigeria like no other leader today in the country. Why? Because his biography and his track record proves that he is a committed Nigerian. I don’t believe that Gen. Buhari wants to divide Nigeria, because he risked his life by going to war for Nigeria. He went to war to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria. He was ready to die for Nigeria. He sacrificed his comfort, his youth, and his family’s comfort. He risked everything to allow us to grow up in a united Nigeria. His life is a better proof that he is a better Nigerian than most of the people who are criticizing him now. Most of the people criticizing him have not made the sacrifice he has made for Nigeria.

Gen. Buhari has held the following positions in Nigeria enough to understand better than most people how to govern and unite Nigeria:

I) Governor of North-Eastern State of Nigeria (August 1975 – March 1976) 
II) Minister For Petroleum and Natural Resources (March 1976- June 1978) 
III) Chairman Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (June 1978- July 1978) 
IV) 7th Head of State of Nigeria (Dec 31,1983- August 27, 1985)
V) Chairman PTF(Mid 1994- July 1999)

Antecedence of individuals is very important in human history, therefore General M. Buhari’s antecedence speaks for itself. Whenever the history of corporate Nigeria is written, Gen. Buhari’s contribution will be written in Gold!!!

My dear brothers and sister don’t let us be overly agitated. God still rules in the affairs of men. I remember I had this type of feeling when Gen. Obasanjo was coming out from the prison to rule Nigeria in 1999, then also so many Christian leaders and believers refused to support him, because they said he was a stooge of the northern Muslims. Even most Yorubas in the south west where he himself comes from refused to vote for him. But because it was the will of God and because God rules in the affairs of men, His will could not be stopped. Gen. Obasanjo emerged as the president in spite of the opposition from his own people and from his own Christian brethren. There are times when God will use the Cyrus’s of this world and the Babylonians to accomplish his purpose on earth for which He calls them his servants and his army. I believe this ticket Buhari/osibajo is Gods dream team to rescue Nigeria from an imminent ship wreck.

God bless Nigeria!

TO BE CONCLUDED in Final Part 6…..

Click to read Part 1Part 2Part 3Part 4 and Final Part

 

in Must read. Tags: (GOOD READ) Prof. Yemi Osinbajo: Do Not Mask Our Political Preferences With A Religious Veil., Bihari Osinbajo, , , Namadi Sambo, Pastor Sunday how dare you support a Muslim candidate?, sambo, Sunday Adelaja, Yemi Osinbajo

6 thoughts on “Sunday Adelaja: Why I endorse Buhari/Osinbajo ticket’’ (Part 5) – ‘‘Pastor Sunday how dare you support a Muslim candidate’’?

  1. You have raised some very thought provoking questions which I would love to answer but I don’t do this for a free and must devote my time to paying my bills after giving the best part of my youth (28 years +) wearing the uniform of the Nigerian Army. It is that investment and the future of my children that sometimes drags me into this kind of no fees discussion. My response will therefore be brief. Don’t be offended if I don’t respond to your reply to the questions that I will pose. They are for you to ponder and hopefully broaden your perspective. Otherwise, I my company; Consul Consultants would require that I charge you a fee for subsequent engagements.
    I alluded to Nigerians penchant for short cut with all sense of reverence for historical facts. As we demand accountability from our elected officials, we must also look at ourselves in the mirror and not be shy about what we see. Tell me what is the common thread of the perception of Nigerians worldwide? In the USA, in spite of Nigerians being noted as the most literate set of immigrants, what happens when one is introduced as a Nigerian?
    1. Corruption and Corrupt Practices: The story was told of how late Professor Ambrose Alli as governor of then Bendel State was accused of killing 300 cows to entertain guests at his mother’s burial ceremony and without missing a beat asked who were the people who ate the cows? He obviously could not on his own eat 300 cows. We rail against corruption but are unwilling to accept responsibility for our own part in fostering it’s growth. It’s this king of hypocritical posturing that bothers me. Because the fight against corruption is music in the ears of most Nigerians, it’s the convenient label that has been used by opponents be it civilian and military to gain a back door into power. During Nigeria ‘ s pre and post independence years, there was the Sutton Commission and Coker Commission that indicted Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo respectively. The list is endless. Every military coup was predicated on fighting corruption including that of Gen. Sani Abacha.
    My question is: Where are the stupendous estates and wealth that was allegedly amassed by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and countless others? Is it to say that people were not corrupt in the era cited? My disdain is centered on the fact that hindsight should caution us to thread softly. We should not allow our lynch mob mentality to rule us. If we want democracy to thrive then the rule of law, freedom of expression and assembly and right to life must take center stage. The famous English jurist lord Dennin once said that ‘Its better for 99 guilty people to be set free than 1 innocent person to be jailed”. That’s the hallmark of the rule of law. Because of the contrary in Nigeria, most self respecting persons are weary of accepting to serve in any public capacity and as a consequence, ‘when responsible persons don’t step forward, rascals will take charge”. Most knowledgeable people concede that the regions had a healthy development and competition because of their autonomy. Kayode Fayemi and some of the vanguard of NADECO are now in APC pontificating on behalf of Gen. M Buhari the architect of decree 4. My question is Buhari a born again Democrat? Are civil liberties no longer important ? Hitler did not seize power, the German people voted for him. My experience with some of the vanguard of NADECO is that they were so passionate about ending military rule but lacked the rigorous foresight of what to do with post military Nigeria. Consequently, when the dust settled, the key portfolios like President, Minister of Defense, National Security Adviser and Chief of Staff to the president went to ex military men. So who won and what kind of democracy was midwifed? Depots have no business with democracy and cannot give what they don’t have. History has a way of repeating itself. When Tinubu fought Obasanjo tooth and nail over the seizure of Lagos State share of Local Governments funds, he was hailed as a hero against high handedness. Question: what’s the difference between Obasanjo and Buhari? Those looking for a strongman must answer if Nigeria ‘ s progress would be predicated on patiently building a nation of laws or those of strongmen. USA officially started taking measures since about 1896 to fight official corruption and the fight is not yet over. There was a time when the mafia the trajectory of everyday life but the people doggedly took well articulated measures to dismantle their stranglehold. lessons: it takes time and persistent effort.
    People who seat pretty particularly when the wealth of the minority is shared to the advantage of the majority have no business talking about corruption. What we have is a quarrel about how to share stolen money or who has stolen more. My first grouse is with preacher’s (Christian and Muslim) who refuse to address the root of injustice and posture on its outcome. Where were they when Ken Saro-Wiwa and Co were murdered? Have you read about the degradation that has taken place and continues to take place in Ogonni land and the rest of the Niger Delta. Why the petroleum industry’s bill still in the National Assembly. Google the effect of acid rain in the Niger Delta then ask your questions again. Why is there oil subsidy my friend and there is no subsidy on beans, tomatoes, cows etc? Even shylock landlords who charge tenants who receive only one month’s salary one years rent in advance talk about corruption. Go and find out the names of the people who have shared out the coal fields in Benue State and let me know how many of them are indigenes of Benue State. 21 out of the 26 proven commercially proven solid mineral deposits in Nigeria are in Kogi State yet the people are living in abject poverty. If we cannot address these anomalies, I will be loath to paying attention to anybody that postures about fighting corruption. What happened to Action Congress fight for Fiscal Federalism or because of the urge for power that has been thrown overboard? Shine your eyes.
    2. Security is another issue. We inherited a centralized police system from the UK but they have since done away with it. Mostly countries that have dictatorships still practice centralized policing. In early 2013 the 36 governors of Nigeria met and agreed to have state police in realization that the policing system was broken and that effective policing was a local responsibility. Barely 48 hours later all the Northern States governors except Plateau State Governor David Jang reneged on an agreement that they all willingly committed to. My question is whatever the wisdom that informed the Northern governors fault face, can’t the other governors articulate and implement their own security architecture? Why do they have state legislature or is it a question of laziness and spinelessness? Thus, to address insecurity, we must not shy way from the question of state police. Otherwise, how do we address the lacuna of having state legislatures making laws but have no machinery to enforce those laws. I’m sure you are aware that Governor Ngige as sitting governor of Anambra State and Chief Security Officer of that state was locked up by the Commissioner of Police in that state. Question: on whose orders was Ngige locked up and who convicted him of an offense? If that was not a coup against the people of Anambra State, please give it the name that you want. To effectively police a democratic Nigeria, states through their legislature must design and create the necessary framework to recruit, equip and train the kind of Police that best meets their peculiarities. Every crime has a locality and the impetus that make it to thrive. Those that are directly impacted have more imperative or incentive to stop their growth. They are therefore the primary legitimate authority that must be liable for ensuring safety. The military today is very much engaged in the primary responsibility of ensuring safety of lives and property instead of acting in aid of the state’s when they are overwhelmed. The military is thus over stretched. Those who advocated the reduction of the size of the military did not do the needful in re-positioning the police. Subsequently, the military is over stretched, over worked and lack the time to train. To compound these issues, since post independence, insurgency has been a handy tool for resolving seeming intractable political problems. If you’re interested in the how do a research on how the Western Regional Crises, June 12 and Niger Delta Militancy were resolved. Is it therefore far fetched to think that Boko Haram is the medicine needed to return power willy nilly to the north? Otherwise, how did a group of local political thugs suddenly found impetus in 2009 to blossom into vibrant militants with political cover from the likes of Buhari, El-Rufai, Bamanga Tukur and Murtala Nyako? Are OPC and MASSOB, MEND etc dead or in hibernation? What do you think would happen if the South West and South East takes a cue from the forgoing? Endless questions but few answers because Nigerians are in a hurry. Lastly, the critics of Nigerian military must look outside before being judgmental. Conventional military organizations by the way they are organized and trained have serious limitations on dealing with insurgencies. They can only set the stage for political actors to reach a deal. Much have been said about Nigeria in ECOMOG. I commanded a battalion in Sierra Leone and participated in several peace talks to resolve the war in both countries. The unassailable facts are that non of these conflicts were resolved on the battlefield otherwise how did Charles Taylor become president of Liberia? Why were Foday Sankoh and his group given the most lucrative portfolios in the first post conflict government of Sierra Leone? The war in Iraq cost the USA 4,200 lives with countless thousands maimed for life in addition to spending almost $2 trillion US dollars. They trained and equipped the Iraqis but what do you have now? ISIS is on the rampage and there is cautious talk of getting involved again. What happened to earlier gung ho enthusiasm? Lesson: Fighting insurgency in no cake walk. We either get our politics right or our politics will get the better of us. Those who think they can do better should join the fight. Civil society in France galvanized the people and they in unison sent out an unmistakable message: terrorist outrage will not stand in FRANCE. That is what patriotic people do. That is the kind of show of support that galvanizes soldiers and reinforce their believe that they are fighting a just cause. Otherwise, how much do you think you can pay anybody who is not suicidal to face bullets knowing that death is a distinct possibility? Therefore join the #Patriots fight against Boko Haram and their supporters. Raise awareness to boast the moral of those in the fight and the widows and children of those who have paid the supreme sacrifice for you to drive your flashy car.

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    • As you read, you will find some typos in lines 2 and 7 that i regrettably had no way of editing after pressing the post comment button. The same happens with our past and it becomes history. We however are still able to determine our future.

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  2. Corruption and lack of development in Nigeria is tied to the appropriation of the God given wealth of the minority by the majority after enjoying 50% derivation earlier. That was agreement at independence. All other things are symptoms of this outright covetousness and lack of good faith. The pulpit has a role in addressing this injustice be it Christian or Muslim to be taken seriously. Honest people don’t change the rules of the game midstream whether written or unwritten.
    War against indiscipline as enunciated by its proponents is such sedentary rubbish. Smart people talk about public toilets instead of flogging people for urinating on the street. Flogging and seizing traders goods without addressing access to credit to pay for market stalls that are beyond reach does not make sense. What is the collateral for collecting a party application form on loan? We know from the history of the United States that some of the abolitionist owned slaves. Should we seriously be talking about votes and predict our conviction of whom a major candidate makes his personal servant and be taken seriously?
    The future of Nigeria as a federally administered state lies in the delineation of the areas of authority of the Federal, State and Local Governments. The United Arab Emirates that you cite as example practice ‘true federalism’ and each emirate develops at its own pace. That is why though Shajah is next door to Dubai, their levels of development is like night and day. Each emirate has its own police. How do we run a state with a legislature that has no police to enforce its laws? The the issues i will expect Osibajo to bring to the table is the way forward on this and other constitutional issues and not whether he is a pastor or not. Bill Clinton was not the most moral of US presidents but he gave the US a balanced budget and has been very active in finding solutions to developmental challenges through his Global Initiative which you attend. The criticism of Buhari is centered around his imperial and despotic tendencies that did not fly in the military regime not to talk about running a democratic government. That is why his colleagues threw him out. Will a vice president operating under the presidency as it is currently designed have any influence in ameliorating rough edges of a self righteous boss? Will there be separation of powers between the executive and judiciary or we are going to entrust mere men with the powers to make life and death decisions based on their own perceived self righteousness? Its apparent from part 5 of your intervention that you are grossly out of tune or we are yet to settle down to addressing the Nigerian malaise. Where were you when Adamu Ciroma as Chairman of the Northern Elders Committee formed to produce a consensus northern candidate in 2011 election declared that they will make Nigeria ungovernable after Goodluck Jonathan won the PDP primaries? Is leadership in Nigeria the exclusive preserve of some tribes my dear pastor? Why did we have to resort to the law of necessity to enable power to be transferred to Goodluck Jonathan when the constitution provides for the Vice President to take over when the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is incapacitated? If anything untoward happens to Buhari are there guarantees now that Osibajo will automatically become president and what happened to Jonathan will not repeat itself? Attempted kidnap of Umaru Dikko was a terrorist act Mr. Pastor. In any case, the man died poor. Where are the billions and fantastic estates he was alleged to have amassed? Pa Ajasin and several other political office holders were traumatized in the name of fighting corruption. If that was good enough in a military regime, is it the same playbook you are recommending from Ukraine after experiencing the revolution there for Nigeria in 2015? The value of the Naira cannot be fixed by fiat. Nigeria is not productive. We seat down and share money; many eaters but few bakeries. In the United States and United Arab Emirates, governments are self sustaining. When states in Nigeria redeem their autonomy and begin to rely on what they can generate to survive, the true worth of Nigeria ‘ s potential will be realized. That is simple economics not rocket science.
    Col. M Dixon Dikio ( Rtd )

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    • Dear Col. M Dixon Dikio ( Rtd ), let me first commend you sir for taking the time to post your views. Very well articulated. Nigeria desperately need enlightened Nigerians, Nigerians such as yourself who speak from experience, who are not tied down by regional issues, but cite international resolutions as examples Nigeria can use to rise to a higher level.

      Like you, Pastor Sunday Adelaja expressed his views from his vantage point. Right or wrong, it is what democracy and freedom of speech, thankfully has allowed and encouraged.

      Views such as yours give me hope, not that it was ever lost. This election in particular is like one never experienced before and I anxiously await INEC to conduct a near rancour free elections which the rest of the world will be proud of. Personally, I believe it would produce very fear skirmishes. Well, I am no Pastor. It is my prayer.

      Once again, Col.M Dixon Dikio (Rtd), I thank you once again and I hope to read more of your views. God bless you.

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      • Thank you for your compliments and kind words. I normally do not waste my time in the sedentary lack of issue based posturings that characterize our public discuss. I’m however pained when we engage in what I term intellectual fraud by those who are sufficiently exposed to know better. An so in this instance, I chose to exercise my right of response.
        I have two of Pastor Sunday Adelaja’s books and sufficiently acquainted with some of his travails. He was accused of fraud in Ukraine where he is based but his reputation was saved by a system that exercises due process before conviction. I therefore find it difficult that a beneficiary of such due process can be so cavalier with the fate of those who suffered in the hands of a despot. Nigerians however have the final decisions in the direction of their future but cannot be absolved from the consequences of the choice they make. That future will rest in whether we embrace the sure and steady process of democracy that takes a lot of nurturing or our normal short cut of expediency that inevitably lands us in the jungle of tyranny and chaos. Libyans wanted change and they have it now in mournful regret. May we have a better outcome.

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        • Hmmmnnnn….” Nigerians however have the final decisions in the direction of their future but cannot be absolved from the consequences of the choice they make.” – This is such a profound statement.

          May I ask you to shed more light on this specific statement that I couldn’t get my head around – It is the “That future will rest in whether we embrace the sure and steady process of democracy that takes a lot of nurturing or our normal short cut of expediency” thought.

          How can Nigerians who have a shot fuse to stomach blatant disregard for the rule of law by elected officers expect to embrace this way of life in the name of a ‘steady process of our democracy’? Don’t you think its an easy way out for politicians. Also, don’t you believe in cutting our losses, which you disagreed with, tagging it “our normal short cut of expediency.”

          I can’t ever recollect, correct me if I am wrong, an incumbent democratically elected President of Nigeria ever been defeated, in spite of a low level of popularity.

          My frustration is that Nigeria, in living memory had been labelled with the ‘giant of Africa’, ‘huge potential’ and ‘most corrupt’ tags, which qualifies us as a group of homo sapiens living in the jungle of tyranny and chaos.

          The example of Libya is not in isolation, albeit unfortunate. There are many other countries that have sought change but got the devil they rather not have. In hind sight, most would have prefered the one they knew. This doesn’t excuse the seek for change.

          Finally, I belong to the school of thought which believes in, ‘getting up once beaten, never giving up’. We can’t hide some of Goodluck Jonathan’s achievements, which I had posted on this blog. What the President can’t shy away from is the fact that he has failed woefully to mind the presidency, entertaining distractions, brought on by aides, who have made it their duties to mis-advice and mis-direct Mr P.

          So many things have been allowed to take the shine away from his presidency. Some aides he ought not to have touched with a barge pole. Some he had no business to appease. He was elected by Nigerians and he should have allowed Nigerians to fight for him as they unanimously did on his way to becoming the first ever President elected from the minority part of Nigeria.

          These are my points M.Dixon Dikio.

          I so much look forward to your response. I am actually keen to read your thoughts.

          Thank you so much for taking this discuss to this high level of engagement.

          Could I categorically state that I know it not all.

          I remain a student for life.

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