Buhari had run in 2003 and 2007, and he lost on the two occasions without me. The 2011 election was different. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had entrenched corruption to such an extent, depressing our economic growth and development, that I was forced to write a book. The book, PDP CORRUPTION INCORPORATION, was published in 2008.

The speech was read on his behalf by Professor Gambari. The topic was ‘Put Nigeria first’. To that I will return shortly to demonstrate how hypocritical it all was. Let me start with the claim (or was it admission?) that “we lead by example” to list a few well-documented examples which no Nigerian will ever want to follow. We draw from facts and figures since May 29, 2015 which prove conclusively that the current leadership can never be the one to emulate by anybody who wishes Nigeria well.

As someone who had lived and worked in all the four corners of Nigeria, as well as places in between, I had long been puzzled by one astonishing fact which is often ignored by everybody when discussing our current ethnic conflicts. I have travelled all over the country, visiting, on average, twenty-eight states a year during a ten-year-period.

  Note: For the sake of those who cannot read Vanguard online I now publish the last part of the article published in December 2020. Please read on: ‘FROM US WHITE HOUSE TO NUT HOUSE – ONLY ONE STEP’ Will Trump attend Biden’s inauguration? “Will you attend Biden’s inauguration?” Fox TV interviewer. To that Trump […]

By Dele Sobowale Thomas Paine, 1737-1809, said it first. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, 1769-1821, repeated it. “From the sublime to the ridiculous there is only one step.” The President of the United States is the most powerful person on earth. To him everybody pays attention. He occupies the sublime summit of power. Even after his tenure […]

By Dele Sobowale “Under this administration, life has lost its value, and more and more citizens are coming under the influence of criminals. We do not see any willingness on the part of President Buhari to honour his oath to provide security for Nigerians. In civilised nations, leaders who fail so spectacularly to provide security […]

By Dele Sobowale “The graveyards are full of indispensable men” – President (General) Charles De Gaulle, 1890-1970, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 102. The late French leader shares some things in common with President Buhari. They were both soldiers before becoming Heads of State. The two led their countries twice; several years separated the first […]

By Dele Sobowale    “War is only a cowardly escape from the problems of peace” – Thomas Mann, 1875-1955, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, p 267.   Mikhail Gorbachev, born in 1931, of mixed Russian and Ukrainian parents, was the last President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR, the Communist bloc forcefully created by […]

By Dele Sobowale “No person was ever honoured for what he received. Honour had been the reward for what he gave” – Calvin Coolidge, 30th US President, 1872-1933, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, P 94. There are occasions when an incurably lazy person like me is rescued by circumstances divinely appointed. I have always envied […]

By Dele Sobowale “We have created Italy; now we have to create Italians” – Giuseppe Garibaldi, 1807-1882, Father of Modern Italy. Italy did not exist on the world map until the Kingdom of Italy was created on March 17, 1861. That was after rivers of blood had been spilled all over Europe on account of […]

By Dele Sobowale “It is unthinkable that wisdom should ever be popular” – Goethe, 1749-1832, VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, 275.   As usual, I find myself writing a proposal to the leaders of our country – with a dire prediction attached. Invariably, the advice is ignored and I get to write another article saying […]

By Dele Sobowale ‘Northern Leaders Call For 12- Structure, Resource Control: Southern leaders divided, receive call with suspicion, cautious optimism’ -VANGUARD, Wednesday, October 14, 2020, p 30. “Vox populi, vox humbug” meaning “Voice of the people is rubbish” – US General William T Sherman, 1820-1891. Ask any advocate of restructuring about the matter, especially a […]

The government gave its reasons: “The decision on a low-key celebration was taken following the unfortunate incessant attacks by bandits in some areas of the state which led to the death of many people and left several others injured or homeless.”

In the good old days, pupils in public primary schools received a strong dose of folks’ wisdom along with their lessons in English. My all-time favourite teacher – Mr Udoh – who shaped my life at St Peter’s Primary School, Faji, Lagos, was responsible for drumming that piece of sage wisdom into our small skulls in Standard Four in 1956. It was the sort of wisdom most Niger Delta political leaders – President, Governors especially, Ministers, Senators, Speakers of States Houses of Assemblies – never understood or applied to governance in the region when God smiled on the neglected people by giving them crude oil.

By Dele Sobowale NOTE: A different article was planned for today. On Sunday, August 31, 2020, despite still being physically challenged, I travelled to Abuja to discuss two national issues – NDDC and Igbo presidency in 2023. That was supposed to be this week’s topic. But fuel subsidy removal trumped it. “Integrity is a 100 […]