Monday 17 October 2016

AN OPEN LETTER TO MRS AISHA BUHARI ON THE BBC INTERVIEW

AN OPEN LETTER TO MRS. AISHA BUHARI
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE DONE?

Ma, with due respect, what was the meaning of that interview with the BBC Hausa? I listened with shock the interview you granted with BBC Hausa on issues bordering on the Nigerian political Landscape and the Change Government of your husband, President Muhammadu Buhari. I was shocked not because of your incoherent speech or your poor command of English language like the former First Lady Patience Jonathan but because of your utterances in that interview.

Ma, What do you think you have done? You went on air to say things that you shouldn't have said? To achieve what? Are you planning on contesting any political position in 2019? Many first ladies all over the world offer support and help to their husband even in the most difficult times and not to come the public to demoralize him. To what end? During the illness of the late President Yar'Adua, the wife Turai Yar'Adua never came out to publicly tell the world that her husband is sick and that if he continues to be sick,  she would abandon everything and allow other people grab power. It was reported in different quarters that Turai called the shots while the husband was sick and away.  During the trial of the then President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, The wife,  who is now a Presidential candidate was very tactful in speaking to the press. She never ridiculed her husband even when it  was proven that he actually had an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Oh! Ma,  What do you think you have done? During the recent trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki, did you hear anywhere where Toyin Saraki the wife came out publicly to say that if the husband doesn't come out clean about his dealings on false Declaration of Assets she will stop supporting him? Recently, Yakubu Dogara, the current Speaker of the house of Representatives, was accused of budget padding alongside other members of the house. Did you by chance even in gossip hear that the wife was quoted as saying she would stop supporting the husband if does not come out clean on the issue? Ma, I can go on and on to give you vital examples of women who were before you in same position and kept their cool, worked with carefulnes knowing the kind of society we are in.


What do you think you have done? What came over you? How did you lose it? You could have declined invitation to that interview or was it by force? Today some opposition elements are cashing on that interview and the President's comic response to jump around like they 've won an election. Ma, are you happy about this? Have you seen the ridicule online brought about by this? Imagine Oluremi Tinubu making this kind of Uterrances or Dolapo Osibanjo. Ma, I must remind you that if not for Buhari, we wouldn't have known you. Before you became a first lady, which is just a nomenclature, you were first a wife, a mother and your husband's better half. Have you forgotten all these in just over one year of being in Aso Rock villa? Have you forgotten that after the tenure of your husband, you will return back to Daura with him? And that no one will care where you are? Even this type of interviews you won't get them anymore or when last did you read or hear from Turai Yar'Adua? Whatever borders your heart about the situations of the country, you could have talked to your husband about it at home and remember the Islamic laws guiding marriages no matter your position. Or have you suddenly become secular just cos of power? In that ill conceived interview, you said you don't know 45 out of the 50 appointment made by your husband. Like seriously are you supposed to know? Are you a politician? You want to influence the appointments? Or you are not happy the President on assumption of office scrapped the office of the first lady unlike previous administration?

Hope you know the implications of what you have done? Those hailing you today will abandon you when the time comes. Just wear the next expensive jewelry or carry an expensive bag and see those hailing you still question your source of income and accuse you and your family of being corrupt. And in many of these accusations of your expensive lifestyle, did you hear the President utter a word? Forget the nonsense going on now, where everyone is now kissing their wife and claiming what is not, (So they needed a misunderstanding in Someone's family issue to show off their wife?) many men  wouldn't be happy if their wife goes to the media to say what they shouldn't have. Ma, you no try for that interview. And please retrace your step.

Princewill Chimereze.
Writer, Public Affairs Analyst and Social Commentator
amadiprincewill1@gmail.com


Monday 10 October 2016

DSS RAID ON CORRUPT JUDGES AND WHAT IS DEMOCRACY


DSS RAID ON CORRUPT JUDGES AND WHAT IS DEMOCRACY

--Corrupt  judges are the worst set of people  is killing our democracy-- Princewill Chimereze.

On Saturday 8th October, 2016 the DSS raided the home of some high profile judges in Nigeria. The Said raid has generated irrational outcry by some group and some section of the country. Nigeria’s opposition party the PDP has termed it a "descent into fascism". Some has said our democracy is in danger, others termed it rape of our democracy. When you listen to some of these cries even from those who know nothing about democracy but just decide to foam through the nose because others are doing same, you would be forced to really ask what is democracy and who is killing it? According to wikitionary.org Democracy is the Belief in political freedom and equality; the "spirit of democracy". That's for dictionary meaning. To those who has opposed the raid by Nigeria's State security outfit, to them democracy is upholding the tenets of law and doing things the right way.

It's very funny to see a people choose what is democratic or what is not detrimental to our young democracy. Who really is putting our democracy in danger? A judge who subverts the will of the people and does the bidding of the highest paying politician? A judge who sends a petty thief to long term imprisonment but commits bigger crime and gets away with it? A judge who collects bribe to continuously give conflicting judgement on issues?
To the our democracy is in danger shouting irrational beings,  A politician who rigged election, perpetrated all kinds of violence against his opponent and the people in order to win election is not putting our democracy in danger. He is upholding it. Its even more amusing that a governor was stopping the arrest of a judge. In a democracy? What concerns a governor with the arrest of a judge? How did he get to know? It might interest anyone to know that this same raid was carried out in over five State of the Federation and you begin to wonder where was the governor of those other state? And why did they not also try to stop DSS? A rational answer would help all of us.

As if such nonsense is not insulting to our collective common sense and endangering our young democracy, An electoral case would be brought before a court, the said electoral matter would be glaring even to the blind that it was badly flawed  and Judges would uphold such elections. And those shouting democracy now kept quiet. A politician would loot the treasury of the nation without conscience and care for democracy. When such politician is brought to court,  he bribes his way out of the issue and walks free. He has been given a pat on the back for looting and even encouraging potential looters that we 've got your back go ahead and steal as you like. What kills democracy faster than judgements encouraging looting.

The same noise makers about the recent DSS raid on corrupt judges are the ones who will be the first to scream economy is in recession, things are hard, prices of foodstuffs has skyrocketed. But fail to understand that When these corrupt judges collect bribes, they also contribute to the downfall of the economy and what  should have benefited the common man would be shared among selected few. Is that democracy? A politician steals over a $100 million and bribes a Judge with $2 million from the said loot gets a clean judgement of doing no wrong and he walks freely is that upholding democratic tenets? Or is democracy under siege when some people choose to see it so?

During Election, State security apparatus were unleashed on opposition, some military men were arm banded to carry out shady deals in order to win election for friends and party members in the last dispensation. Where were the today crying "our democracy is in danger illiterates? Money was earmarked for procurement of arms to fight insurgency in the Northeast and same was shared by those whom the present day shouters of our democracy is in danger supported. Then democracy had seen the light  but when those people are called upon to come and answer to their atrocities democracy is being killed. How?

To this same "democracy illiterates" When A sitting governor was denied entrance to the government house of his state, it was democracy in action. When DSS raided the office of an opposition party and carted away with their belongings it was democracy in action. When the security details of a Speaker of House of Representatives was withdrawn democracy was breathing fine. The most surprising thing about all these corruption defending is that it's championed by downtrodden youths who might not get their desire to lead the nation due to the manner and way the politicians go about politics in Nigeria. How would you win election with the level of violence, ballot box snatching and rigging that has been mastered by this politicians and when such cases get to court, they are even upheld.

"Nigerian Youths what is your gain in defending corruption or supporting those accused of corruption?

This is a call to the DSS to carry out more of this type of raid on anyone no matter how highly or lowly placed the person is. Be more probing, go further, crush things and make sure Nigeria is purged of corruption. Patriotic Nigerians are behind you. I must State categorically that corrupt judges are the worst set of people  is killing our democracy.

I would like to end this piece with a quote from a well respected legal luminary Mohammed Uwais. “A corrupt judge is more harmful to the society than a man who runs amok with a dagger in a
crowded street. The latter can be restrained physically. But a corrupt judge deliberately destroys the moral foundation of society and causes incalculable distress to individuals through abusing his office while still being
referred to as honourable"

To those who still have the ability to recollect their senses and move on from elections loss which was inevitable,  and has be clouded their sense of judgment, I hope a corrupt judge would not handle your case and deny you justice.

Princewill Chimereze @P_Chimereze.
Writer, Public Affairs Analyst and Social Commentator.