By Donu Kogbara
If Madame rolls up her stylish sleeves and leads a successful moral and practical transformation effort, she will silence the multiple detractors who are currently baying for her blood; and I will hail her from the rooftops.

THE goodwill that inspired millions of Nigerians to vote for the President last year has steadily evaporated, as has the once-widespread belief that he and his subordinates could be trusted to deliver the benefits they promised us.

Various scandals, disappointments and failures have cast long shadows over Goodluck Jonathan’s image and administration. Almost everything he says or does nowadays is mocked and criticized in public fora and private gatherings.

But Mr President does sometimes display sound judgment. And I think that he deserves hearty congratulations for two of his recent appointments.

I know several people who have worked or socialized with Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), the new National Security Advisor. And I have yet to encounter any Northerner or Southerner who has anything bad to say about him. Let us pray that he dynamically deals with the major security challenges he will face.

NNPC shake-up

THE President has just appointed a new senior management team at NNPC. It will be headed by Andy Yakubu, the new Group Managing Director, GMD. Government officials are not famed for embracing integrity and efficiency. And NNPC has been frighteningly rotten to the core for a long time. Most of the new faces at the top have been deeply embedded in The System for years.

It is, therefore, tempting to wearily assume that nothing will change much and that Yakubu et al will not be significantly different from their predecessors. Many indigenous and foreign oil industry insiders are gloomily predicting that they will enthusiastically embrace a business as usual policy, while mouthing platitudes about reform.

Miracles do happen on occasion. People who have not hitherto come across as sincerely committed change agents can suddenly remember that you can’t fool God and that Eternity is far more important than the powers and baubles we can enjoy during our brief earthly sojourns; and I guess that it’s possible that the petroleum minister and her boys will pleasantly surprise jaded cynics by deciding to do the right things and turning out to be the strong tonic that NNPC – and the economy in general – desperately needs.

Silver spoon neurosis!

SOCIAL envy  especially within government circles – is one of the factors that have prevented Nigeria from fulfilling its potential. Bitter resentment of people who grew up in privileged circumstances is very commonplace here. Folks whose parents were educated or gifted or affluent or famous or well-connected or influential are often slyly marginalized or sabotaged.

I totally understand why those who had less as children and have struggled for everything they have achieved should succumb to human frailty and jealously and secretly hate those who had a head-start and a relatively easy ride. But we all need to get over destructive mindsets that are rooted in the past…and focus on becoming positive contributors to Society in the present and future!

Kids who were born with silver spoons in their mouths can be obnoxious…as in snobbish, spoilt-brattish, etc. And you don’t have to tell me that some of them are complete losers because I know many who are daft or drug addicts or whatever.

But quite a few members of the silver spoon brigade are decent, intelligent, industrious individuals; and the exposure that they have gained over the years – through family backgrounds that enabled them to attend elite schools, travel the world at early ages, etc – should be regarded as a useful resource. In other countries, the more exposure you’ve had, the more valued you are. Here, the more exposure you’ve had, the more you are tormented and excluded. There are always exceptions, of course. But I’m talking about the general rule.

People who have shone despite difficult or unremarkable beginnings deserve maximum respect, not least because you have to be super-robust and super-smart to rise above tough or average antecedents. And I urge all those super-robust and super-smart ladies and gentlemen out there to form productive partnerships with compatriots who can bring scarce strengths to the table.

Who cares who was who yesterday or whose parents had – or didn’t have – x possession or perk in l963?!!!? All that really matters is what’s happening today. And we really, really, really need to kick inferiority complexes into touch.

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