As if Nigerians need to be told that the country has slipped into recession, it has been felt many times over. The ordinary man on the street would have confirmed that many months ago. It is a fact that to many Nigerians that Nigeria has never been out of recession.

There are false prophecies in the bible. They are intended to dilute the impact of the more radical prophets. Everything points to the scribes and the priests as the architects of these distortions, since they are often pilloried by the radical prophets. Jesus confirms this by accusing them: “You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6).

A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit the continent of Asia specifically New Delhi, India with my family. Though we had visited Singapore earlier India was an entirely new experience. It was interesting to see the different ways both men and women would greet everywhere we went.

But before we identify those Ironsi promoted when and why, I should point out that Dr. Mbadiwe, Minister of Trade, who was among those pencilled down for assassination by the coup plotters, had a lucky escape. Having killed the Finance Minister, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, the dissidents went after Mbadiwe. No one knows precisely how Mbadiwe did it, but he eluded his would-be assassins and hid in the State House, residence of Dr. Azikiwe who was away in London for medical treatment.

From colonial times till date, it is difficult to rate any Nigerian election as successful. An overview of Nigerian elections would confirm this. What can be called the first national election to form a government of an independent Nigeria was held on December 12, 1959. The outcome was tragic as acid and other corrosive substances were poured into ballot boxes to distort the results of the election.