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Voice of Emancipation: Democracy and the Rule of Law

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By Kayode Emola

The fundamental principle of democracy is allowing eligible voters choose their elected representatives. However, when we look critically at this method of electing present day politicians, it is not as simple as just putting this huge responsibility in the hands of the electorate who may not be privy into how matters of states are handled. If we look deep into the root of the word democracy in its original Greek form; “demos” means people and “kratos” means power of the people. In other word, democracy can be said to be a way of governance which depends on the will of the people.

For an elected official to be the will of the people, s/he must be duly elected by the people, except when defining those who have the power to choose, we mean, those who wield the machinery of the state. if democracy is truly the will of the people, then Britain needs to re-examine its democracy and see whether it conforms to this very principle. I am no fan of Liz Truss, neither am I against the nomination of Rishi Sunak as first British Asian to ascend to the high office of UK Prime Minister. However, if the definition of democracy were at play here, then it shows that democracy in itself is not a guarantee of good governance, therefore we must always apply the “Rule of Law”.

When Liz Truss secured the mandate of the Conservative members to govern the country, little did they know that her policies were going to crash the economy in such a short space of time. Despite repeated warnings, that her economic policies were bound to fail, she remained dogged and adamant insisting that she is prepared to be an unpopular Prime Minister. This no doubt led to her being the shortest serving UK Prime Minister of all time.

The people of Great Britain and Northern Ireland must now decide whether they acquiesce and give their will for Rishi to continue to be Prime Minister or demand a general election where the people can either give or decline him a fresh mandate. In not trying to ruminate over this forever, I believe our focus should rather be on the “Rule of Law” to ensure everyone is being treated fairly. Britain as a nation has no written constitution which means the country has been guided by precedents, statutes and the Rule of Law for a very long time. It shows why they have been able to transform their democracy to reflect the changing times to ensure that the country adapts as fast as possible to the challenging times they face.

Similarly, when our forefathers ruled Yorubaland before the advent of slavery and colonialisation, there were no written constitution and yet our fathers built several functioning towns and cities that were well governed. This we lost when we were merged with several other nations in the south and eventually amalgamated with northern Nigeria. In our more sophisticated Nigeria with a written constitution, most the land still looks like a war zone with no respect for the “Rule of Law”.

As Nigeria moves into electioneering period, many people who are unaware of the dangers that has befallen us and/or still lie ahead are believing elections of new quarter guard is what Nigeria need. We saw what happened in Britain, shortly after the party member elected Liz Truss, and how her policies spelt disaster for the country, and quickly and gently, the institutions of state were enacted to see that she left the position before more damage is done. Nigeria does not have these structures in place and electing new henchmen will not bring about the change we all desire.

If Nigeria today is not a progressive country, then I believe the best thing is to dissolve the country and let all ethnic nations go their own way. I don’t know why many Yoruba politicians are hellbent on dragging their compatriots into another general election. My simple answer is “greed”; this is the one singular element that has made so many people lost their conscience and think everything is all about them. Hopefully, soon they will come to realise that any material wealth gathered on earth, is nothing but dust when the maker comes calling.

I will therefore urge our Yoruba people both at home and abroad to remain resilient and fervent in their quest for a sovereign Yoruba nation. This new era of true change is upon us and we must grab it with both hands and not let it slip away. We must continue to look on the horizon and see beyond the thick cloud of darkness that has befallen Nigeria. A new dawn is about to open both for the Yoruba people and other indigenous nations that make up Nigeria.

I am pleased to let our people know that work is at the final stage for the liberation of our Yoruba nation out of Nigeria and the time has come for all of us to work collectively to achieve this great feat. I believe that when Yoruba nation comes, the “Rule of Law” will prevail as against the “Rule of Man” that Nigeria practised. It is the rule of man that destroyed Nigeria, where only the people who have connections to the “powers that be” survive.

In our sovereign Yoruba nation, people would not have to bribe government officials to get jobs they are qualified for. People would not need to bribe officials to get documents like international passports, ID cards, birth certificates and other documentations. They would be able to go online and make simple request which would be process according to laid down guidance and sent to their place of residence. This will greatly reduce the corruption that every successive government in Nigeria finds difficult to tackle.

My message to the betrayals “odales” among us who wear the cloak of self-determination when there is no election and switch to the cloak of politicking during election in Nigeria. Your days are numbered as soon, there will be no place to hide and you will not be allowed to ruin the lives of millions of people when Yoruba nation comes. We would make sure our people know those who truly are fighting to uphold the Rule of Law where everyone is treated equally and those fighting to uphold the “Rule of Men”.

Once again, I urge those of us who are true believers of freedom and see that the only way forward for the Yoruba people is complete exit from Nigeria. Nigeria as an amalgam has run more than its full cause and this is the time to extricate ourselves. I believe the recent flooding rampaging Nigeria is a proof that another round of elections is not the solution. Former President Goodluck Jonathan could not prevent his state from the current flooding as the many people employed in the Ministries, are incompetent people from the north, who only got their jobs because they knew one “oga at the top”. Only an independent Yoruba nation will ensure accountability of our sovereign wealth and the earlier we fight for it, the better it will be for everyone.

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Opinion

Fani-Kayode: The Man and His Belly

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By Danjuma Garba
We are disturbed by the recent inciting comments by a former Aviation Minister and Director of News Media, All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Femi Fani-Kayode.
Recently, the media has been awash with reports of Fani-Kayode’s inciting rhetoric targeted at causing ethnic disharmony and widespread violence across the nation. We can no longer continue to ignore his excesses as they pose a grave danger to our democracy, unity and security.
Recall that his ethnic profiling and inciting statements fuelled unprecedented violence against non-Yoruba voters in Lagos State at the just-concluded governorship poll. We find totally unacceptable, his recent threat to make the country ungovernable should Bola Ahmed Tinubu not be sworn in. This is a threat against national peace and security and should not be ignored by all relevant security agencies.
Already, his rancorous and misguided outbursts had attracted the attention of the international community. A British envoy addressed him and pointed out the dangers of his inciting statements. However, instead of retracting his statements, he went wild against the envoy with derogatory remarks and tirades unbefitting of a supposed statesman.
Femi Fani-Kayode is infamous in Nigeria for his opportunistic political misadventures. He is a rabble-rouser whose only political value is the noise he makes and the ripples of disaffection it causes.
He has never contested, won or lost an election. His is to parasitically attach himself to the winning side and look for any available financial opportunity to sustain his extravagant and drug-ridden lifestyle.
He is a craven man who rides behind the trails of valiant men to glean the spoils of war. And while waiting for the spoils, he can go to the extremes of verbal assaults, name-calling and denigration of opponents.
His method of political engagement is crude, savage, hostile and barbaric. He does not spare vices however indecorous in his quest to appear loyal to his paymasters.  He is a known groveler who does the “dirty jobs” for his paymasters in return for “food”. Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s description of him as a foodie who does the bidding of anyone who gives him “food” is very apt. He is a man with zero integrity and decorum.
As a result of his unprincipled approach to life in general, and to politics in particular, he has no allegiance to any political party or ideology. He has loyalty only to his stomach. And when he is done eating, he scatters the table and spites the host. His eloquence is fuelled by the sight of food rather than being inspired by a cause, reason or logic. He is a political pariah who, like a hawk, flies about looking for only what to eat.
Femi Fani-Kayode is such a despicable figure that is awful and abhorrent in private life and unfit for public offices.
No wonder, he has been married four times, and all four women left him. No one can cope with Femi’s childish, belligerent, narcissistic and immoral behaviour. His mouth is full of bile proceeding from the dark enclaves of his bankrupt and untutored soul.
One wonders what a man who has failed in virtually everything, is doing in the corridors of power. For being unable to lead his private life, he is totally unfit to lead others. He is a confirmed public and private failure.
The incompetent junkie once blamed

witches for the plane crashes that happened under his watch as the aviation minister.
But how did Femi Fani-Kayode come about? Available records show that he was born to Chief Remilekun Adekunbo Fani-Kayode. Femi trained as a lawyer, a supposed educated man.
In age, Femi is supposed to be a man in his sixties being born on 16 October, 1960, but in character and conduct, he is a delinquent adolescent always running in and out of trouble with his unbridled tongue.
With his unstable and volatile character, one doubts if his education goes beyond his ability to read and write. Education is beyond mere literacy; it refines character, shapes perceptions, enhances tolerance and imparts civility.
The sum total of these is what is called civilization. But Fani-Kayode lacks the basic ingredients of true education. His uncouth manners speak more of a pretentious barbarian at the gate of civilization than of a truly educated and civilized person. His ethnic bigotry smacks of a pre-historic man in a band of hunters and fruit gatherers. His level of clannishness and intolerance is totally antithetical to civilization.
What an educated head ruled by a bankrupt mind and moribund soul! He refused to allow his intellectual engagements to tamper with his ethnic crudity and absurdity.
He represents the fading generation of African elites who continue to hold on to sentiments that are intolerant of others and inimical to a free, fair and inclusive society. They are the worst hindrance to inter-ethnic harmony and national unity in Africa.
Femi pathetically carries underneath his flamboyant attire, a deeply troubled, stark naked, abysmally wretched and utterly miserable soul. Such a pity!
It is against all sensibility that such an unhinged and irresponsible fellow should be elevated to the point of having political visibility in a civilized and democratic society. In saner climes, moral imbeciles like him are quarantined as societal outcasts and persona non grata.
Though his ill-fated foray into politics began quite early, whatever patronage he has enjoyed came on the heels of his family’s name and influence rather than on the strength of his personal merit or capacity. He lacks in totality, the character and conduct of an adult, let alone the attributes of a statesman.
We, therefore, call on the ruling party to amend their initial mistake of appointing Femi Fani-Kayode into their campaign council by distancing themselves from his inciting and bigoted comments.
He is such a political liability and should not be considered for any political appointment in both the nearest and distant future. Already, he is trying to cause a diplomatic row between Nigeria and the United Kingdom with his recent tantrum against the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, who tried to address his excesses.
We would be forced to believe that Femi Fani-Kayode is doing the biddings of the ruling party to destroy Nigeria if drastic punitive actions are not taken against him.
Finally, we call on the Inspector General of Police, and the Directorate of State Security (DSS) to arrest within 48hours, Femi Fani-Kayode for posing a grave threat to national security with his ceaseless inciting statements and ethnic profiling. This is to serve as a deterrent to other tribal bigots, and overzealous politicians.

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Opinion

Open Letter to Bayo Onanuga by Richard Akinnola

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My dear Bayo,

I hope you are now happy and satisfied, that the National Broadcasting Commission(NBC) has sanctioned CHANNELS with a N5 million fine, following your petition over the Datti Ahmed’s interview on CHANNELS.

Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Dr Olu Onagoruwa ( both of blessed memories) were the best of friends for several years but that friendship was truncated when the latter decided to join the Abacha junta as the Attorney-General, churning out despicable Decrees. Their relationship ended and Gani publicly upbraided his erstwhile friend.

You and l have been friends for several years, fought many battles together against the military, particularly against their onslaught on the free press. I therefore feel terribly pained that l have to publicly upbraid you for your recent public statements, particularly your petition against CHANNELS tv, to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). Et tu, Bayo? I’m still trying to wrap my heads round your sudden 360 degrees against all you fought for under the military. You are yet to be in government and you have started exhibiting intolerance against the independent media, the same thing you fought for all your years, like Dr Onagoruwa did. I’m sure your principal, who has been a lover of free press, would be embarrassed by your position.

I watched the interview under reference and l must say, you are VERY UNFAIR to Seun Okinbaloye, the anchor man who repeatedly cautioned Datti Ahmed for making some seemingly inciting comments, to the anger and discomfiture of Datti Ahmed. So, in all conscience, what then is the basis of your petition to the NBC? Can you compare that to your recent incendiary post against an ethnic group? Why are you making enemies for your principal, instead of friends, in a country so polarized? While your principal is preaching unity and healing, you are busy trying to make more enemies for him. Yesterday, it was ARISE, today, it is CHANNELS. Is that a foretaste of what to experience in the incoming government? So, we should be fixated on NTA and TVC, isn’t that what you are trying to tell proverbially? To say that I’m totally embarrassed by your silly conduct, would be stating it mildly.

For eight years, despite all vitriolic attacks on the president, Femi Adesina, as Special Adviser, Media to the president, did not petition against any medium but you wey never enter, don dey censor the media. What a shame! I can expect the disaster that awaits us if you become the presidential spokesperson. Do l subscribe to unfettered press freedom? No. I believe every freedom comes with responsibility. However, when you create a perception that the incoming government would be intolerant of the free press, we need to sound the alarm bell.

My dear Bayo, it is often said that until a man tastes power or has access to money, you can’t judge his character. That may not be totally true because one of our mutual friends, Tunji Bello, has tasted both but has been his normal self that l have known for over three decades. His decent character has not changed, in and out of government. So, could it be that your real character is just unfolding? Just because you are now at the periphery of power, you are ready to obliterate all the values and principles you held all these years. What a shame!

TAKE NOTICE that we would fight this your planned “insurrection” against the independent media the way we, including you, fought Abacha’s dictatorship against the media.

RICHARD AKINNOLA

Postscriptum: Before l wrote this open letter, l had informed some of our mutual friends, so that they won’t feel embarrassed.

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Opinion

Voice of Emancipation: Who Will Pay Buhari’s Debt?

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By Kayode Emola

In less than two months, President Mohammadu Buhari will relinquish the exalted position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He will however, not take with him the huge debt he bestowed on the country, and that would be left for both the incoming and future governments or their successor when Nigeria eventually breaks up to pay. The question remains as to who will pay this huge debt as there are over 130 million Nigerians living below the poverty line today.

Just this week, the Chinese government rejected Buhari’s further request for an additional loan of ₦10.1trn ($22bn), from the China-Exim Bank which was earlier approved by the morally bankrupt Nigeria National Assembly. The said loan was intended to fund the modernisation of the Kano – Kaduna segment of the Nigerian Railway. The obvious question to ask is, how much has that Railway line generated in the past 3 years to justify that humongous loan facilities for an outgoing government.

This is not minding the fact that Buhari is leaving the Nigerian people with ₦46.25trn ($101.87bn) external debt and a financially depressed nation. With the cost of living biting hard and many strong financial institutions around the world feeling the pinch, I believe it is time to take stock. We recall that Buhari came to power on a mandate of hope, however, if there is anything to go by in the last 8-years, it is anything but hope, in fact, I believe Nigerians should be very afraid of the direction the country is going.

A lot of the self-determination activists who are not well grounded in freedom struggle believe our quest for freedom stemmed from the extrajudicial killing by the armed Fulani militia. That is not the basis of our decision to leave an unproductive country like Nigeria. Many of our people are facing far more untimely death on a daily basis because of bad governance in Nigeria and this cannot continue without a permanent solution which is a total withdrawal from the Nigeria framework. The people in power are creating more havoc on ordinary Nigerians than all the armed terrorist groups put together.

This is a compelling reason why we must be more vocal and succinct in our message delivery to the ordinary man on the street, who is not well-versed or have reliable information. With our teeming population and abundant natural resources, Nigeria should be among the 5 biggest economies in the world. The recent developmental strides in Dubai and Qatar are supposed to be child’s play compared to Nigeria’s achievement in the last 62 years of independence. Our economy is however led by reckless government officials, who have riddled with loans that cannot be repaid if we continue on this trajectory.

To my fellow Yoruba countrymen who are happy that a Yoruba man is going to be President of Nigeria, a country with a fraudulent constitution, and hoping for a miracle. I will say, think again; as I pity our stupidity for lack of wisdom. We will come to bite our fingers in the nearest future if we don’t double our efforts right now to get out of Nigeria. If we remain trapped in this contraption called Nigeria for whatever reason, either by our own making or otherwise, then our children and future generations may never forgive our docility.

We cannot continue to live in a country where we the Yoruba contribute the largest share of its revenue, yet has nothing to show for it, order than parade political jobbers as an achievement. If that is not stupidity, then I will like to know what happened to free basic education and healthcare started over 70 years in Yorubaland by Chief Awolowo. Yet, many of our children are now out of school because their parents can’t afford exorbitant school fees in private facilities. Why are we allowing many innocent lives to die because of poor health facilities and a lack of adequate social amenities?

The lists of vices go on and on, which I wouldn’t want to dwell on. I will only want to drive home one fact, the only solution is the complete exit from the Nigerian structure. If anyone is thinking we can remain in Nigeria and develop our region, it is like eating your cake and hoping to have it again at the end of the day.

The time for ‘uhuru’ (freedom) is now and we must do everything within our power to get it. I see many power tussles going on in the self-determination struggle itself, and this is not a healthy environment to thrive. We need to consolidate our efforts, not by forcing people into submission but by dialogue, without which we cannot get a consensus. Without that, we will continue to toil endlessly with nothing to show for it.

I implore all the acclaimed self-determination groups to as a matter of urgency come together and chart a way forward for the Yoruba struggle. Without that, many people will be doing excellent work in their closest but may not be enough to reach the end goal which is a free independent Yoruba nation.

I hope talented people will be given the opportunity to thrive so that the necessary tools needed to accelerate our struggle are put to good use. The Yoruba nation is within reach, but it risks being jeopardised by many charlatans who know nothing about the struggle for an independent nation. We can continue to dance around, but if we don’t hit the nail on the head, we may remain on this mountain for a long time to come. My prayer is that we get it right on time so that we can save the millions of our trapped population in poverty with no hope of salvation.

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