Re: Nigeria-2023: Ekweremadu’s palaver, misgovernance and way out

Chief Ike Ekweremadu needs no introduction. He is a sitting senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who has been representing Enugu West Senatorial District, Enugu state in the National Assembly since 2003, a former deputy senate president for 12 consecutive years until he lost the seat to the current Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, in a keenly contested election. He represents today’s political class in Nigeria whose actions and inactions are majorly responsible for the current state of Nigeria. Unfortunately, Ekweremadu is still languishing in prison in the United Kingdom as discussed in this column a few weeks ago. Readers responded to my write-up on the issue and I feel obliged to share their views because of the lessons therein. Happy reading. 

You have captured it all Prof. Ekweremadu as deputy senate president for three terms had ample opportunity to contribute to fixing the nation’s health institution. During this period the nation had enough money to build world-standard hospitals in all the geo-political zones but was carried away in supporting bills to enlarge his pocket. Now, the chicken has come home to roost. I pity the daughter who is sick and may Allah heal her soon, but for Ekweremadu, let him carry his cross. This should serve as a lesson to other politicians. Let us fix Nigeria for the betterment of all rather than a select few oppressing the majority.

Alhaji Usman Ngulde 

It’s quite unfortunate that our leaders are not there to serve, to give but to take. they don’t have the fear of God. Nigeria, we need leaders, not rulers, because I know as human beings we have our weaknesses, but Nigeria was not like this before under the leadership of those good people who always placed national interests above their interests. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Mallam Aminu Kano, Chief J. S. Tarka, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sardauna of Sokoto. They were leaders that went into politics to serve, to give but not to take. I pray for a good leader to emerge for Nigeria. A leader with a vision, a leader with fire in their belly but humanity in their hearts. Thank you Sir

Nafi’u Danladi Zuru 

Prof M. K. Othman, you have said it all, as Ola Rotimi said the cooking pot for a chameleon will be the cooking pot for the lizard. Our politicians are always thinking that nothing will befall on all upon their actions, now Ike Ekweremadu has reaped what he sowed. And I don’t think this will serve as a lesson to them.

Yahaya Musa Barau Bindawa  

Salam Prof. Thanks once again for your weekly articles on current developments in our dear nation. Your present article on the widespread impunity by politicians and its consequences on our economy, health, and education sectors can never be explained better. But as the saying goes “every action has an equal and opposite reaction”. The action of our politicians is their collective act of excessive looting for self-enrichment to remain in power forever. While the opposite reaction they will henceforth be receiving is a boomerang! It has already started.

We’ve seen it in the recent past, where a serving House of Rep member was apprehended for collecting bribes and ended up serving a jail term. Two former governors are also currently serving jail terms after being convicted of stealing public funds. Just wait for it…today we’re talking about Ekweremadu being in the UK’s prison awaiting trial for human trafficking and organ harvesting, tomorrow you’ll hear another one being caught in another scandal. So if they like let them continue to steal, sponsor their children and relatives to school abroad, let them continue to visit the most expensive hospitals abroad, and let them continue to neglect the welfare of the citizens. All we know is that Allah, the Creator is waiting for the right moment to expose and deal with them. 

Concerning your call for the electorates to rise up to their responsibility and change the present set of corrupt leaders, to me I’ve already lost confidence in the Nigerian electorates, especially the poorest among them. The politicians have already impoverished them by stealing everything meant for their welfare and have turned them to merely chickens so that the moment they throw little grains at them you’ll see them running to grab whatever they could get. So Nigerian politics has been turned into money politics. No matter your integrity, if you don’t give money to the electorates they won’t vote for you. And from all indications people with integrity don’t have any money to spray during campaigns to get the heart of the electorates. This means that these same corrupt leaders will continue to dominate our political sphere. What is left for every well-meaning Nigerian is prayer. If Allah answers our prayers, He’ll employ 1000+1 ways for smooth change of power and to hand it over to God fearing, kind, prudent leaders, people with integrity, those that will return the lost glory of this nation.

Prof Abdulhameed Yusuf Kano 

 My Prof, you have again beaten the best of drums and song sweetest of all music about changes in Nigeria’s political inundation. It is that changes we are expecting now not that of chameleon-like the present one inanity to reasons and tantamount to Boko Haram. Boko Haram bombed schools and kidnapped students while present change closed the universities. God forbid!

Yunusa Sakpe