Last week, Sunday, a friend called me and said David Hundeyin had just released an investigative report and then he sent me a link. After reading Hundeyin's 'Cornflakes for Jihad: The Boko Haram Origin Story' I was amazed. As expected, it made the rounds during the week, with some people hailing and others calling it irresponsible journalism. Whatever the case is, Hundeyin's exposé explained the role of the bourgeoisie is perpetrating crime and violence in Nigeria. From his revelation, religious extremism has as complex web and it also tells you why some matters can not be easily tackled. Admittedly, there are certain things that don't add up or need more investigation in the report but it must be noted that Nasreddin, the CEO of NASCO, not NASCO itself has a hand in terrorism. Therefore, the company should be cut some slack even for the sake of the farmers who supply cereals and others included in the value chain. NASCO itself should just focus on her business or press charges instead of writing a rejoinder that ridiculed it, without controlling any damage.
It must have been a week of publishing investigative reports as the Pandora Papers were released. The report was a product of a global investigative consortium that seeks to expose illicit financial transactions especially involving politicians and business men. Like the Panama and Paradise Papers released earlier, which have had impact on anti-corruption fights in saner climes, Pandora Papers came as a mere information to Nigeria even with names such as Atiku Bagudu, Stella Oduah and Peter Obi on the list. Many other highly respected Nigerians have appeared on the list including some GOs. If there is any dignity left in Nigerian politics, we would expect to see resignation letters around. Last week, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz resigned amid a corruption scandal but I can't remember the last time a big man in Nigeria was bullied into resignation.
Still talking about matters that birth corruption, the Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) flagged some items in the 2022 appropriation bill (budget) submitted to the National Assembly which includes over 21 billion naira earmarked for the construction of the Presidential Wing of the State Clinic. If my memory doesn't fail me, I think it is the same clinic that Aisha Buhari once complained that lacks drugs. That is besides the point. The question is why should a Presidential Wing of the clinic be constructed when the President is always flying to the UK for medical attention? Relatedly, if such a clinic should be built, must it be at such a humongous cost? And it this not a direct invitation to corruption? The same budget allocates over 2 billion to the President for travel expenses for the year 2022, and, while you are trying to chew on that, 12.5 billion was proposed for the maintenance of the Presidential fleet. We are not even talking about the padded margins of the budget but you won't expect to hear that from your Senators and Representatives because each one is protecting his dish. Make I no talk too much.
so the Jagaban didn't just return, he was hosted to a grandeuse welcome party by the APC big wigs in the south west. Just like Baba, Tinubu returned from London where he got world-class attention for his health, his leg actually. Well, he is stronger now and fit, in their eyes, to run for the seat of the President. My own na to look like Lucas o, time will tell the rest.
Of course, we can't talk about elections without talking about the ones that just transpired. Plateau and Nassarawa States conducted their Local Government Elections which saw APC sweeping through all the Local Governments. The party's victory was expected, not just because it was pre-decided, but because it has become a tradition; a political tradition created by the PDP. That of Plateau was quite peculiar being that the main opposition was not featured in the contest - caused largely by their intra-party squabbles - and also because the voter turnout was so large that it took almost the whole day and night to count the votes. Thankfully a number of young people have emerged as the Chairmen of Kanke, Riyom, and Mikang. I guess there is no better time to demonstrate that the youth can do it better. We just await their score card. Again, we are grateful that no violence occured.
Another black African, Abdulrazak Gurnah, a former Lecturer at Bayero University Kano, was named as the Nobel Prize winner for Literature and some people felt is was Wole Soyinka's time to die. Maybe that's why they manufactured fake news of his death but his family has reported that Kongi is hale and hearty. Next time, wait for one's village people to declare his death.
Did I also mention that the Federal Government backed herders' planned suit against south governors over anti-grazing law? Seems the states can no longer make laws for themselves. I'm off.
See you next week!
#FreeLeahSharibu
Bizuum Yadok
P.S
Thank you all for the overwhelming birthday messages I got yesterday.
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