• Home
• Columnist
• Videos
• Artist
  • Musicians
  • Actors
  • Comedians
• Notable Nigerians
• Legend Dies
• Articles
  • Nigeria Articles
• Photos
• Submit Article

Author: Okah Ewah Edede
Posted to the web: 2/13/2007 11:13:40 AM

DRAMATIC IRONIES It is unbelievable that the political class is made up of comedians. I would never have been able to conceive – no matter how mischievous a mind I have got – the inane dramatics that our politicians churn out in ample quantity, more so in the opposition party known as the Action Congress (AC). Any probing Forage through the television channels these days will always present a spectacle of some disgruntled renegade political Samurais venting venom of curses on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its leadership. These ostracized and excommunicated archaic warlords of the PDP who now gush forth waterfalls of coarse invectives on their erstwhile party and political bedmates, now want susceptible Nigerians to see them as the true born-again democrats. The other day, on a halcyon afternoon, vice president Atiku Abubakar and his cronies of Ali Babas,’ were in the presidential flag-off of the Action Congress in Benin City, Edo state, where they rained abuses on OBJ and the PDP. And in a manic excitement to thrill Nigerians, Turaki and his horde of booty hunters (if the comment of Baba Iyabo on the AC is anything to go by) regale Nigerians with the ironies of their double talk on how OBJ and the PDP were the cause of the many misadventures of Nigeria. But if I may ask, what were the contributions of Atiku and his cheering cohorts – when the going was all rosy for them in PDP – in the positive development of Nigeria? What did Turaki do right when he was solely in charge of the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE)? What role did he play in the circus carnival known as the 2003 elections? What are the leadership hallmarks of Atiku and his squad of pot-bellied Robin Hoods? Granted, that the PDP has failed in the delivery of their campaign promises, but I posit that Atiku, as part and parcel of the presidency, is also liable to share the blame equally with OBJ. As the numero duo to OBJ, Atiku cannot distance himself from the failures of the OBJ/Atiku administration. Without sentiments, I am of the view that Turaki has nothing novel to offer Nigerians. I have being following the campaign activities of the Action Congress and, I can comfortably say that Atiku and his party hasn’t articulated one single noble idea on how to tackle the plethora of troubles plaguing Nigeria. I have not heard any talk about fighting corruption rather, all one hears are the asinine promises of releasing Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, pouring more fund into the Niger delta, and providing jobs for the entire Nigerian youths! These promises are absurd. Pouring in more money alone into the cesspool of corruption known as the Niger Delta states won’t solve the problems of infrastructural underdevelopment of the region. What is the wisdom in pumping in more money into the region only for kleptomaniac governors, LG chairmen, councilors, political office holders, and community leaders to divert the said funds into private offshore accounts? In this instance, releasing Asari Dokubo, though a commendable move, won’t stop the activities of militancy in the region because, an Asari and his militants will continue the struggle when they realize that the corrupt politician, though Niger Deltans themselves, are squandering and looting the collective resource of the people. It is the humble view of this writer that Turaki should concentrate his energy on how to fight corruption, which happens to be the clog in our wheel of progress, rather than waste it on the cheap antics of passionate sensationalism and political comedy steeped in Fabian conga. In the final analysis, one wonders how a known and indicted advocate of corruption will manoeuvre himself around to become the crusader against corruption and treasury looting! I just wonder o! By Okah Ewah Edede 08020919756 08064971660 mr.okahewahedede@yahoo.com