What is it that Nigerian politicians don’t play politics with? They play politics with us all that gave them our votes, abandon us until the next elections. Fools; we oblige them. But rewind back what those now in power said during the late President Yar’Adua’s ill health! You see, we all play God forgetting that human affairs are controlled by God Almighty. We always play ‘peculiar’ democracy stuff, far away from international best practices because Nigerian politics is business and not service. However, until we learn to do to others as we would want them do to us, what we get is what we deserve. God save Nigeria!
–Tony Enyinta, Isuikwuato Abia State
Abdulfatah, let me start by condemning those who are wishing President Buhari dead, because that is a decision exclusive to the spiritual realm. But because most humans are negative on issues, calling for a comprehensive report on an ill president is seen as suspicious without considering those who are demanding such to determine a deeper prayer modus for spiritual healing of the president. What will even those who think they would benefit from Buhari’s stepping down on ill health have with no terminal point in their lives? All these hues and cries are normal with people because perception of any issue varies between individuals. So, such diversities should be accommodated by all concerned parties. However, if a sick president was absent from a normal forum three successive times, it would be unusual of such not to raise concern but not to an inhuman extent of circulating unofficial pronouncements on it. The sad aspect is the politicisation of every issue in the country. And the reason is obvious. In Nigeria, politics is hinged on tribal, even ethnic sometimes or religious sentiment. That has removed nationality from governance in such a manner that each of the country’s components would do anything to gain leadership for personal and tribal benefits. The constitution that should determine the thrust of governance is, most times, jettisoned by leaders of government. If any president from another zone, in Buhari’s health condition, emerges after his term, the current scenario would play out for as long as the mode of governance remains the same. That calls for restructuring of the political system to adopt the parliamentary option, which had succeeded in the past before its truncation by military incursion into politics, if Nigeria is to become a true united country. God save Nigeria, Amen.
–Lai Ashadele
Playing politics with the president’s health, that is the way the family wants it. If not, why not rise up and take action. He is very sick. I am one of the people calling for his resignation. His wife saying that the health is not as bad as perceived by Nigerians was wrong. That was why he attended Jumat. Is that part of governance? Tell us his sickness. Nigerians may have the solution.
–Longinus Otumbadi lhedinihu
Wonderful piece, God will continue to bless you for the good work you are doing in the media. You must reach the apex of your career.
–Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia
Abdulfatah, your piece regarding the politics swirling around the president’s health was interesting. As my people would say, those who say that chewing stick is food shouldn’t be taken as having lied and at the same time, those who say that it is not food should not be castigated. That is where we are on the issue of the president’s health. For most Nigerians except for those who are close to him, his family, his doctors and may be the vice-president and the often mentioned cabal, no other person including those who appear on television to assure us that the president is hale and hearty it appears, is sure what the situation really is. If there is transparency in the whole business, Chief Akande, given his position in the ruling party, should not have come out openly to complain in the manner he did. He spoke out of frustration. What it shows discerning watchers is that there is no cohesion within APC as a party, and also, the government it formed. If there was transparency from the beginning in the handling of the matter, there would have been no room for speculation, which unfortunately, has portrayed certain commentators as being insensitive to the president’s health challenges, which is human. The president’s handlers and his party created the mess. So Nigerians, no matter their opinions on the issue, should not be blamed. Thanks.
–Emma Okoukwu
Re: Nigeria’s troubled homes
Abdulfatah, there has never been a perfect marriage in the world right from the creation of Adam and Eve. If the devil, which derived its power from the magnanimity of God could betray its benefactor, where is the right to understanding in relationships between mere mortals, if at the spiritual realm, the devil’s case with its creator and benefactor, is glued to the memory of humans on earth? Adam was obedient to God’s instructions, according to the Bible, until Eve came into his life and led him into infraction of God’s instruction to Adam not to eat the “forbidden fruit”. Whether the ban on eating that “fruit” was right or wrong is exclusive to the Creator. So, man’s sins started with woman’s relationship with man; taking the scenario from Adam and Eve, which cannot be ignored, into consideration. Unfortunately, woman is the instrument of human multiplicity on earth and most men marry them principally for that purpose. Would the world have been better if man were created a hermaphrodite? Would that have made the role of woman in marital relationship unnecessary but with what result in the end? Simply unimaginable! Marriage takes patience and understanding of human disparities some of which are in most cases taken advantage of, even when a partner obliges to make things work in marriage. When most marriages fail, their offspring are not given the right orientation to live decently in life. They become miscreants; giving other people around them hard times. And with their number increasing at magnanimous rate, the world is thrown into their dirty ploys for survival. Many of the leaders whose responsibility is to provide facilities that would reduce crime by the youths, especially in Nigeria, have relegated such bailouts to the background for their personal aggrandizement . Under such a negative scenario, changing things for better demands all hands to be on deck; from the family to government leadership. Or could all these be the end-time signs? Do you say yes? God save the world.
–Lai Ashadele
Abdulfatah, thanks for the topic you discussed in your piece: the need to have harmonious homes in Nigeria. It is common knowledge that a society is as good as the families that make it up.
Whatever behavior a child puts up in public testifies to the kind of upbringing he or she received at home. It is disturbing that morals have broken down completely in our society due to the laxity and permissiveness that have been allowed to creep into homes. And two major reasons give rise to these ugly situations. First, where both parents fail to realize that the proper upbringing of their children is a project in which they have equal shares. And this cannot be, when they, the parents don’t have mutual respect for themselves, which should serve as practical example for the kids. Secondly and more serious is the fact that our people today have failed to accept that it takes sacrifice on both sides for any marriage to succeed.
Again the traditional mediatory roles played by couples’ parents have been jettisoned. Instead, parents stoke the fire by taking sides immediately disagreement arises. Apart from adultery, there is no offense that cannot be forgiven easily or tolerated as long as there is communication between the couple. Certainly, our homes must be governed by love, harmony, patience, tolerance and the fear of God. Only then can we have a safe and orderly society. Thanks.
–Emma Okoukwu
It’s time our government gets things done well because people are using the situation in the country to engage in unlawful things to paint our country black. Government should find lasting solution to end recession despite the fact that they are not the architects of the problem. Past governments failed to save when oil price was in high. Instead they looted the treasury for their selfish aims. All hands must be on deck to help this government to come out of hardship.
–Gordon Chika Nnorom, Umukabia
