21st October, 2010
I became happy when I read ordinary Nigeriansâ€
To borrow Mallam Isa Isawadeâ€
These devils in the corridors of power must not be allowed to ruin Nigeriaâ€
Without opening the infamous book of legion of atrocities committed by IBB during his eight-year bestial rule, the criminal annulment of the widely adjudged fairest and freest election in Nigeriaâ€
His wishful thinking does not even worry me a bit. What saddens my heart is the deterioration of some prominent Nigerians who have decided to throw their honour and reputation (if they have any) into the ocean by forming the campaign team of the former military despot apparently for a mess of porridge. Among this flock are former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, the Chairman/CEO of Daar Communications, owners of AIT and Raypower, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi who is the director-general of IBB campaign organisation, and some religious leaders.
Even to my chagrin, our highly respected former President of the senate, Chief Ken Nnamani was the chairman of the occasion during the declaration of Nigeriaâ€
Kudos to Joe Igbokwe for his opinion published on this page on Thursday, 3 August, 2010 where he correctly described to Nigerians what IBB represents and warned that the hopeless, shameless and bloody dictator be given a wide berth.
How can a colossal failure of eight-year reign return to power? God forbid. He has woefully failed in honour and integrity. Nigerians should not also forget his character traits as comprehensively analysed by our erudite analysts, Igbokwe – that Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida is charactersised by sectionalism, state sponsored killings, crass sycophancy, brazen mismanagement, arrogance, violent rule, nepotism, deception, press gag, destruction for judiciary, destruction of democratic institutions, stigmatization of Abuja, violation of international protocol and diplomacy, looting of Nigeria revenue, annulment of the freest and fairest election, setting of ethnic groups against one another, etc. IBB cannot give what he does not have.
We must move forward and never look back again. Those who said shamelessly that they will die for IBB should quietly go and die for the unrepentant dictator in their respective homes and allow Nigeria to live in peace and progress. But surely, hell fire awaits those who participated in turning this promising country to a beggar nation.
•Lateef Lukman teaches at Funbell Nursery & Primary School, Iyana Ipaja,Lagos