A country is not a company

ALL around the world, the average worker-man politician is a self-serving pagan. Whether it is Trump or Kenyatta, they are all the same, sons and daughters of evil, perhaps the devil, and they are borne in sin and shame. They are self-serving in that they will cherry pick bits and pieces of anything, even the scriptures, and twist those to serve their purpose. And it is all in the desperation to reap a vote here or an unearned income there. They are pagans, because they tell lies and would not fear the gods or the judgement

of history.

In nothing is this congenital cancer of politicians so indicated as in the fantastical tale of APC on the collapse of oil prices and its consequences in Nigeria.

Now the backgrounder. Many years ago, the United States Central Intelligence Agency, had published a list of predictions. As it concerns us here, the publication which is updated yearly, pre-announced the inevitable collapse of crude oil prices on or about 2015. The important thing is that the CIA and other such future trends surveys, are for most part are in the open. It is therefore fair to assume that like their counterparts all

over the world, Nigerian politicians would ordinarily be in the know of these predictions.

It is thus indicated that they would have fortified themselves and their nation against this grim future that has come. See: ‘’In 2000, Here’s What the CIA Predicted for 2015 – 21st Century Wire.’’

And it also so happened that another United States trend watcher predicted that by 2015 Nigeria as a state would have collapsed.

Technically, they got this right too. Nigeria is almost dead. Indeed, if one listened carefully one could catch the footfalls of the undertakers who are gathering to do the needful.

But what we are to note, is that Nigerian leaders only concerned themselves with the predicted collapse of their Nigerian state. Apparently they made attempts to stop themselves from breaking it up. Perhaps, that explains how Nigeria, to the extent it exists, is in a state of fugue, of disorientation.

So the question is why did Nigerian politicians prefer to bother only about the collapse of their state and not the deterministic prediction that oil price was bound to crash?

If you asked, we did refer you to Alhaji Lai Mohammed. He was once the gregarious motor-mouth of APC in opposition. Now, he is in government and is gone forlorn. However, we have heard him claim that the collapse in oil prices came like an act of god, sudden and unpredictable almost like a great Messi goal. It is a lie. It has been predicted more than 15 years ago and in the open. So the excuse upon which the APC is caveating its failures, whether at the state or national levels, is a poorly written Nollywood fiction.

But herein comes Roachas Okorocha, the governor of Imo State. He has joined the chorus and is making similar noises. He is gone the extra mile though to trouble the waters. In a report almost sounding like it is end times, he was quoted: “We are considering to reduce the working days from five to three in Imo, so that workers will use the rest of the days to work and support their families.’’ Daily Sun 30th July 2016.

Simply put, let him perish the thought. If like Saul at the witch of Endor’s, Okorocha has come to the end of his wits, he should fall on his sword and resign. And one begins to wonder that Okorocha for all his alleged fame as entrepreneur, may be proof of the insight of Paul Krugman. In a definitive paper, ‘A Country is Not a Company’, Krugman has proven that when it comes to creating wealth for the commons, to prospering and running a state, that your typical businessman or billionaire may be an unfit and unproper person to hire or elect. And Krugman’s, is of course one of several papers that affirm the thesis. Professor Krugman by the way picked up a Nobel Prize in economics.

But who the hell gave Okorocha or any governor the powers to slash the worker man’s days? Is he gaming to be Caesar, Odogwu Akataka? Will Okorocha himself be working for 3 days in the week, and use up the rest of the days to look up for what to support his own family? Has he suggested what these men will be doing or they are to spend the 2 days per week looking for what to do? And…?

Anyway we shall offer him an escape route. There are available in or from Imo, nonpartisan persons who can help an idea deficit governor, revamp and turnaround the state. He should as matter of life and death reach out to them. For full disclosures, let it be on record that we are not in contention for such jobs. In fact, we consider the job of being a governor or president infra dig. We have, we believe, more urgent and important tasks to do, almost like Nehemiah in the Bible.

Those tasks are in the areas of restoring the black peoples as the intellectual equals of the white and Asiatic races, not in picking kobo and votes like politicians may only do at their very best. Ahiazuwa.

Re: Melaye and Tinubu

THE Senators Tinubu-Melaye Nothingmega is not about to end. It will likely take other dimensions. Already a noted traditional ruler has threatened to sue the senses out of the ‘errant’ Melaye. The reasons are clear. The parties, or more likely, one of the parties involved is not your next door senator. Mrs Tinubu is Her Excellency, the lady of a leader of her peoples, the Yoruba nation. And she has the support of her clan behind her.

And it is showing. But one aspect of their wahala passes unnoticed. It is the role of language and decorum in politics. In the first instance it was improper for the wahala they all had in closed sessions to be outed, authoritatively even if not officially. That was a breach of protocol. This came when Melaye gave voice to what he claimed happened. He was as it were confirming what were hitherto rumours.

Before Melaye put his mouth in the matter, it was only a rumour, with news  sources making no attributions. And that is how it should be. In other words, Melaye should be sanctioned officially for outing senate secret procedures. It is true Mrs. Tinubu followed up by issuing a statement, but hers was a response. She too, in protocol, needs to be sanctioned, perhaps of a lesser order.

This is important especially for the senate and its president Bukola Saraki.

He must seem and actually be lord in his jurisdiction no matter who is involved. But the other issue is that the senators are not masters of political language. It is not so much what they said as the coarse and inelegant manners of their saying it. Luckily, senator Tinubu never admitted in the open of calling Melaye

a dog and a thug. However, if she did then that is tasteless and unbecoming of a former first lady and a sitting senator…

though not in closet sessions? But since she didn’t admit of it she can’t be charged in the public opinion. This is because ‘’our’’ secrets are secrets.

But Melaye confirmed the general lack of verbal skills and subtlety amongst a majority of our political leaders. He admitted to calling out on Tinubu as menopausal, perhaps not suitable as sex symbol. Well, that is silly and is nothing to tell a woman, especially on record. Making menopause is the lot of women.

It is natural to them as growing beards is to men. It is nothing to be ashamed of and definitely nothing to chide a woman who is grown up.

But the point is that even if Melaye had to so say, there are politically correct ways to it. It is called the art of the put down. And that should be part of the tool skill of a successful politician, who must in part be a diplomat. That is why it is said that a politician, sorry, a diplomat is the guy who will tell you to go to hell and you did look forward to the journey.

Perhaps, we fail because English is not our mother tongue. Perhaps again, it is because the quality of education has gone low and down. Whatever it is it is something to worry about.

And from readers: Dear sir, Jimanze is a compelling read any day. His writings are full of uncommon insights. That is what stands him apart from others who basically write compositions that masquerade as columns. His offerings on the above issue is a tour de force that de-mythologies the peacock ‘’empires’’ of antiquity. It situates the psyche of Igbo outliers. Finally, we learnt that old sins cast long shadows. Agu Onwuzuroha. 08034034878.

Dear Sir, I don’t know whether you remember that when Bukola’s father ran for president he printed two set of posters: one for the north, one for the west.

The one for the north he was Abubakar Saraki, while the one for the west he was Olusola Saraki – none for Mali. It is mega! 09050509434.