Japheth Omojuwa: How President Jonathan can stop being “the most insulted president in the world” (YNaija Frontpage)

First of all, it pays to get over our illusion of being the African giant. The only way we can successfully claim to being the giant of Africa is if we all agree the man with the most number of children in a city is also the giant of that village.

I read Iyin Aboyeji’s Frontpage article, Between patriotism and truthfulness yesterday with sadness in my heart. I didn’t cry but I had tears in my eyes. I am a believer in possibilities and what can be, but yesterday I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of where we are as a nation and where we desire to be as a people. We have to begin to get things right even from now.

First of all, it pays to get over our illusion of being the African giant. We are not and we are not close to being one. The only way we can successfully claim to being the giant of Africa is if we all agree the man with the most number of children in a city is also the giant of that village.

Just after reading Iyin’s article, I also read about Secretary Clinton’s trip to Africa which commenced yesterday. As usual, like most American leaders on their trips to Africa, she will be going to Senegal. Mind that Senegal is a part of ECOWAS and a French speaking country. South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa complete Mrs. Clinton’s itinerary in Africa. Let us face it, ours is not a democracy to be proud of. The biggest news coming out of Nigeria remains corruption and now, bomb blasts. No self-respecting leader wants to be seen smiling in a picture with a president whose aide agrees is the most insulted president in the world. How can we change this perception and at least start picking low hanging fruits?

The prosecution and eventual conviction of the major companies and individuals indicted in the fuel subsidy scam will go a long way. Until the petroleum minister is sacked and made to answer for her role in overseeing a ministry where such monies were lost to rogues, it’d be hard to see this government as serious about its wishes to fight corruption.

Until we are able to start with one, two, three former sacred cows and get them safely in jail, our fight against corruption will not go beyond blog posts like this one. Why is corruption a low hanging fruit? It is because the ability of a Nigerian government to show that it means business is first of all to safeguard the country’s wealth from the ever present dirty hands of looters.

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

Comments (5)

  1. Michael Ijere, i stand with you in hope and belief that your concluding parts are true even though facts are elusive.

  2. To whom much is given, much is expected! Nigerians invested a lot of hope in Jo-Shocker. What did he do with that? He flushed it into Aso Rock toilet! I beat my hairy chest and say, jonathan will go down in history as the most insulted president Nigeria ever had! Those presidents and heads of state before him will forever be thankful that they didn't rule when Nigerians woke up while those coming after him will be very careful. He is the sacrificial lamb!

  3. Jonathan should not bother with these insulters, let him continue his quiet but far reaching work in rail development and power rejuvenation especially, with time the world will come to understand who Jonathan really is, a first class strategist and fearless revolutionary

    1. Far reaching but never arriving.

  4. I agreed with mr. President‘s aide that GEJ is must insulted president in the world.

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