Nigeria's Ineffectual President: A study in incompetence

When a father keeps silent for 3 weeks following his children's abduction, and makes no move to find his abducted children until his hands are forced by the concerns and outrage of strangers, it is right not just to question his competence as a parent or his leadership of his family but also his judgment, his heart and/or his sanity.  This is about President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, a man who does not seem to understand or even care that, at various points in any responsible presidency, the president is the father of his nation.  Nobody expects any president to be able to prevent every bad thing from happening in his country but people have a right to expect that the symbolic father of their nation would care about their plight and act as one who is interested in them - even if he is not.


There is no paucity of apologists for President Jonathan but only a few facts about his presidency are in dispute.  Even most of his vocal supporters acknowledge in moments of truth that he is incompetent as a leader.  Clearly, he lacks vision and obviously lacks a demonstrable sense of compassion - as his handling of the abduction of over 200 Chibok girls has shown.  The Chibok girls and their families deserve better, and Nigeria deserves better than the leadership of an ignorant, ineffectual president being hand-held by sycophants who mean no good to their country and its people.  #BringBackOurGirls.

Re: In Nigeria, gay no longer means happy - Prof. Patience Akpan

http://www.punchng.com/columnists/medals/re-in-nigeria-gay-no-longer-means-happy/

In Nigeria, gay no longer means happy - Prof. Patience Akpan

http://www.punchng.com/columnists/medals/in-nigeria-gay-no-longer-means-happy/

Letters As Distraction

Over the past month or so, a public feud has erupted between Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria's former president, and the incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan. The battle defining the feud has been waged with letters on the pages of Nigerian newspapers. In every case, each letter has taken on a life of its own, with supporters of either camp taking sides in a battle the backstory of which most of them probably know nothing about. Such is the stuff of which grand distractions are made.

While those Nigerian leaders are busy throwing mud, many events are happening across Africa that would normally require the large presence of Africa's giant. After all, "to whom much is given, much is expected".  But not this time, and not in the near future. Iconic Mr. Mandela is dead and buried without the Nigerian President on any ceremonial podium to give a speech despite Nigeria's role in the anti-apartheid era; war is raging in the young West African nation of South Sudan; Mali is in trouble; Egypt is in turmoil; the Democratic Republic of Congo is in tatters; corruption continues to ravage Nigeria at levels never before known; the national unemployment rate is at 22% and going higher, security in many parts of Nigeria is at crisis levels due to kidnappings and armed robbery - not to mention murders on religious grounds. To maintain respectability, a country has to rise to its calling. Instead, Nigeria is lowered to the stature of its woefully poor leadership.

So, while Nigerian leaders are busy showcasing their manhood through letter writing, the country is increasingly a no-show in the international scene where reputations are built and solidified and Nigerians are distracted from matters of major personal and national significance. Nigerians ought to demand more from their leaders. This is a responsibility of citizenship. It is also a responsibility that no generation of Nigerians has ever seriously taken up. Those who are fortunate enough to find themselves in positions of authority over others must know that with authority comes responsibility. Unfortunately, this is knowledge that Nigerian leaders have rarely, if ever, demonstrated.

Religious Zealots Are Dangerous

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/29/20742472-gunmen-kill-at-least-40-in-attack-on-nigerian-college?lite=

Religious fundamentalists have once again claimed innocent victims, killing them as they slept.  As we continue to see such religion-driven cruelty around the world, there can be no argument that people of ANY religion who advocate and/or defend zealotry are dangerous. Any religion that sees its role as one of peace ought also not be murderous.

Terrorists Kill More Children in Nigeria

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/06/19318588-29-boarding-school-students-burned-alive-shot-dead-by-islamist-militants-in-nigeria?lite=

A Window Into African Leadership

Zimbabwe's Mugabe and his aides asleep at AU Summit in Addis Ababa - May 2013

 

Why is Africa in trouble? Watch these African leaders at the May 2013 African Union Summit in Addis Ababa and ask no further questions. That is President Mugabe of Zimbabwe, along with his aides asleep when they are supposed to be working hard to resolve the problems that they created for their people. This photo represents a snapshot of the state of African leadership.  These men are hardly worse than most of their fellow African leaders that are not seen in this picture.  Across the African Continent, rulers are asleep at the switch while the majority of the people that they govern just work hard, struggle and suffer through economic hardship, poor health, polluted environment and extremely corrupt and inept leadership. Clearly, Mugabe and his aides are people with nothing to offer as leaders.  To that extent, they are just like most of the people who govern African countries.  They are not leaders; they are pretenders.