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EKITI ELECTIONS: LESSONS FOR ALL PART 2

In the last post, I said "To be continued ..." Not because I expected a follow-up so soon, not because I know I that Nigerian political discourse can hardly be exhausted. It also cannot be captured in its entirety by a single perspective as minuscule as mine. But even when my opinion pales out in the face of more than a hundred million others, I still have a right to be heard. No matter how insignificant it might seem to the next person whose reasoning is clouded by solely hearing him or herself, I still have the right to be heard even though I may be ignored. Those who are on Tweeter, Facebook, and other social media throwing up tantrums about what happened, did not happened and/or could have happened in Ekiti are right to express themselves but in doing so they should also understand that like me, no one has all the facts of the matter more than the two elephants involved. The Yoruba race has always shown itself as the most civilized of all of us in the manner they manage t

EKITI ELECTIONS: LESSONS FOR ALL

Another election, won and lost in a nation where electioneering brings so much tension. I remember when it was Anambra's turn, people hyped it to the point of calling it a litmus test for INEC's readiness to conduct credible elections in the country. When Ekiti's turn came, another round of claim and counter claim surfaces from nowhere. After the polls itself, one terse comment of a friend of mine on FB made me to realize very shockingly that those of us who always profess to be unbiased are often the most pathetic of bigots. Using Ekiti polls, there are certain recurrent issues on our political sphere which often escape our notice. The first one is that whenever our favored candidate fails to win, the election results become suspect. In the case of Anambra, when Senator Ngige failed to win, a lot of people (some of who cannot even locate Anambra in a map) made some remarks I consider very silly especially knowing that they are being propelled by their party affiliations

THE FOLLY OF THOSE WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER IS INSULTING

I read yesterday what the Kano governor has to say about the situation in his state since the enthronement of SLS as the new emir of the ancient city. In the interview, he purportedly pointed accusing fingers on Abuja for the on-going "sponsored" protests in Kano and the siege on the Emir's palace. To say that I am disappointed by the tone of the governor's utterance is an understatement. The manner of disrespect for a sitting president is so unbecoming of someone who is also vying for the highest position in the land. Would he like to be addressed the same way if and when he becomes the president at any time. With the growing insecurity in the land, those in positions of authority in especially volatile areas like Kano, should know how to keep the peace by making guarded statements. And as if the governor's misguided vitriolic isn't enough, the voluble ex-minister of the FCT, this evening remarked on his Facebook page that paid mischief mak

CONGRATULATIONS HRH THE NEW EMIR, BUT…

Your Royal Highness, accept my humble congratulations on your turbanning as the new Emir of Nigeria, sorry, Kano. You must forgive me for that error because somehow, amidst the hullabaloo of your royal exaltation it sounded more like we have dispensed of the presidential system and was installing you as the new regent in charge of all our affairs. It is just by sheer providence that I was still able to make out that you were just becoming the Emir of Kano; a post in my reckoning, that is well beneath and much less lucrative than the one you so unceremoniously exited. As a firm believer in the principle that no leader becomes one if not installed by the Most High, I wish you well and do sincerely pray that you succeed. One thing I love so much about you is the fact that you are fearless and you say the "truth" no matter whose ox is gored. This leads me to my next cautionary point. "Truth" is always a relative term. As such it pays to have all the fac