By Denrele Animasaun

“The ultimate aim of government is not to rule, or restrain by fear, nor to exact obedience, but to free every man from fear that he may live in all possible security… In fact the true aim of government is liberty.” ¯ Baruch Spinoza

It seems that there is so much polarisation when it comes to the two presidential candidates. I was not expecting the deluge of responses from far and wide. It does not take a genius to know that there is great expectations and anxiety come February 2015. Either way, people seem to have pitched their camp already. We should put sentiments aside and the priority should be for the good of all Nigerians and Nigeria.

I am not that naïve and I know in Nigeria, nothing is that simple. There are deeply ingrained resentments and mistrust from one tribe against another tribe, state against state, religion against religion and these divides have cynically been capitalised on, by those who do not seek the progress and unity of our people and nation. These people value their gilded positions more than the honour of our country, they betrayed everyone and will invariably bite the hands that fed them for a price.

There is so much that needs to be done as these feelings run deep and it takes a small friction and the wound is reopened, the threats and vitriol erupts once more and the gulf gets wider than before. We need to have a meaningful conversation with reduced recrimination and find a common ground. A reconciliation when the dust settles as no one will win this unless there is a common ground. That common ground is Nigeria.

Yes, we are very much opinionated Nigerians quite to the point of obnoxiousness but, mainly we usually scratch our face to spite our nose. We have not got it right for a long time. So here we are at the crossroads, we have a choice . We must get it right this time for the sake of our country and our children’s’ future.

Exactly a year ago, I wrote in the Vanguard: “We have got so embroiled in our daily greed, survival and hustle mode that we can’t see the woods for the trees. There is no easy way out, we will all suffer from this wanton neglect as Nigeria languishes in the doldrums and our young people are denied a useful and sustainable future. How can we complain of a country overran by murderers, vacuous individuals, rent-a-mob hoodlums, thieves and half-baked scammers? That’s what the country gets when we, as a people, fail to educate our young.”

As we go into a new year, we have to make a choice, not for ourselves but for the good of our country and all. Unless we do, we will be very much serving up more disasters and crises far worse than we can only dread to imagine. Change has to come to Nigeria and it cannot be soon enough. Wishing you all a very promising and brighter Nigeria. – DenreleAnimasaun

Rejoinder to Semi Illiterate Professor Wale

Oladipo, PDP Secretary on General Muhammadu Buhari’s Educational Qualifications. I was shocked to read a press statement from Wadata Plaza issued by a so-called Professor Wale Oladipo, secretary of the PDP, saying that General Muhammadu Buhari is a semi illiterate jackboot. It is no wonder that our education system has fallen so low, else how can one explain a Professor making such a statement? The professor doesn’t seem to understand the basic rudiments of learning and what it means for one to be literate or not.

Buhari attended the best military schools in the world. In case the Professor doesn’t know, Buhari graduated as a military officer (Lieutenant) in Royal Military Academy, Aldeshot, UK. He attended the Defense College India. Col. Buhari attended the US Army War College, Carlisle in Pennsylvania from 1979 -1980 and earned his command as a Brigadier General. The respected General Collin Powell attended the same school in 1976 to become Brigadier General.

Some of Buhari’s classmates include General Beltson, General Thomas P Carney, General Bill Matz, General David E.K. Cooper etc. all of them are alive and can be reached and they will give glowing tributes of the Man Buhari they know as their classmate. Anyone interested in verifying Buhari’s academic credentials can write the school instead of reading jargons from a Wadata Plaza Professor of Politics of Destruction Party. I have checked Google scholar hoping that Prof. Wale Oladipo’s name and publications will show up and nothing is showing up, that says a lot about him as a Professor than Buhari as a retired decorated General who served his country so well and has not claimed any scholarship.

The curriculum at the U.S. Army War College earns one a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies and that is what Buhari has. For somebody to claim that a graduate of such a prestigious school is semi illiterate, means something is very wrong. By all academic and military standards, Buhari’s education is superb and the best any general can get in the world. Therefore, for Wale Oladipo to claim Buhari is semi-illiterate speaks volume about his understanding of what education is even all about.

The professor thinks education is about earning paper degrees only, and even if it was the case, Buhari has them from the most respected military institutions in the world.

General Muhammadu Buhari has the kind of military strategic education and experience to deal a decisive blow on Boko Haram and ends the insecurity challenges facing Nigeria. Buhari is the only army officer with the opportunity to command 3 out of 4 Nigeria’s army divisions as a GOC. In 1983, when rebel from Chad took over our land with more than 19 villages like what the Boko Haram is doing now, he then Major General Buhari led a successful operation as the GOC to push back the Chad rebels and reclaim our territory.

In 1984, when the Maitatsine sect decided to declare war on Nigeria like what the Boko Haram is doing now, Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari wasted no time in crushing them. Boko Haram is a descendant of Maitatsine with the same extremist ideology and anti-western education philosophy. It is surely President Buhari that will be able to handle them: eliminating these terrorists when he comes to power like he did before.

Muhammadu Buhari as a Captain fought in the Congo Civil War and won the Congo Medal. He was there during our civil war to bring peace and keep Nigeria one. That is true patriot: a man that gave his life to another country not only his fatherland. Since the man in Wadata Plaza have started the literacy debate, It is very appropriate to ask them that they produce Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s PhD thesis and publications in renowned journals.

In conclusion, it is obvious to all Nigerians that PDP government and its Professor are only interested in playing dirty politics with lives and properties of Nigerians.

–’Dr. MK Hassan writes in from Washington DC.