The corruption issue is one of the crafty strategies that the Caucasian imperialists have used to keep this country divided. Nigeria as the most populous black nation on earth is of strategic importance to the neo-colonialists and so it is in their best interest to perpetually keep this nation divided.
In my bid to critically understudy the nitty-gritty of divide and rule, I made it the subject of my final year thesis at the University of Lagos where I bagged a degree in English and Literary Studies. My focus was on how this ancient strategy played out in the then British colonies of Nigeria and Kenya using Chinua Achebe’s evergreen ‘Things Fall Apart’ and Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s ‘Weep Not Child as sturdy case studies.’ My project supervisor was the University of Sheffield trained Dr. Gabriel Adetokunbo Pearse who had also taught extensively in over ten American institutions. My choice of him was strategic as he had vast experience in political consulting in the United States of America and nearly became a Congressman. The late visionary Engineer Funsho Williams brought him back to the country after two decades in Uncle Sam to coordinate his campaign for his 2007 gubernatorial run.
I was in my maternal grandparents’ house in Benin City when the news caption on July 27 2006 read ‘Prominent Lagos Politician brutally assassinated.’ My instincts told me it was Funsho Williams that was murdered. I waited with breath as my worst fear was unraveled. My political mentor and hero was no more! I passed out and woke up in the hospital. The hope for good governance in the ‘Centre for Excellence’ was gone like a candle in the wind. I recall the extensive discussions I had with him as a then student member of first the Network Alliance and then the Williams Campaign Organisation. In 2003 at the risk of my personal safety and life, I mobilized many Akokites to cast their vote for this former alumnus who was a gentleman per excellence despite the fact that the then Olusegun Obasanjo led government shut down all the Nigerian Universities. How could Captain be murdered? I recall when my paternal grandmother died in 2005; he drove himself with his beautiful wife to the funeral without any police escort.
James Onanefe Ibori is no saint and like every mortal has his good and bad sides. After a six year incarceration in the United Kingdom, the tumultuous reception that was accorded him could be interpreted differently depending on the perspective you choose to view it. From mine, it was a loud protest against the conspiratorial forces of imperialism that incarcerated him. It was a loud rejection of the flawed and biased system that didn’t satisfy the dictates of the maxim that ‘he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.’
I have always been suspicious of the overt interest of imperialist institutions in the backing of the corruption fight in Nigeria. It is no news that the British Department for International Development (DFID) massively funded Ibori’s trial so as to get a large chunk of the 250 million pounds booty. The international agency for destruction with a more than passing interest in the exporting of gay rights, abortion, euthanasia and all other nauseating cultures of death didn’t lift a finger to ensure that the funds got back into the coffers of the Delta State government in one bit. It was a total travesty of justice for them to have interfered in the entire judicial process and Ibori was absolutely right when he opined that he was no an ex-convict. Some of his vociferous supporters are silently clamouring for a state pardon but in my candid view, the basis for it doesn’t even exist as he can’t be truly regarded as a felon.
Until Nigerians realise the divide and conquer strategy of the imperialists and reject their poisonous overtures, this country will never develop.
Why is the Ford Foundation funding Sahara Reporters? What is the interest of this anti-Africa organisation that backs agendas that are capable of annihilating the world’s second most populous continent?
Nationalists like Kwame Nkrumah, Zik of Africa etc led the struggle to rid the continent of colonial rule. The Osagyefo proved more visionary as he used his influence as President to spearhead Pan-Africanism and wisely tapped the talent of maverick Senator Francis Arthur Nzeribe to spread the ideals to all the ends of the continent. Nkrumah was miles ahead of his peers as he established the Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute in 1961 to entrench ideological consciousness among Ghanaians. Tragically, the incursion of military rule made the grand vision hit a cul-de-sac.
The new buzzword that will shape the development of the African continent will be a strong leader that can damn the imperial west and massively influence the rest of the fifty-three countries to toe a similar line in the manner reminiscent of how Nigeria played a primordial role in the political liberation struggle of most African countries.
Ibori has the grit to spearhead this much needed anti-imperial struggle with his unjust incarceration that will act as the much needed bulwark. History often repeats itself as there is nothing new under the sun. We won’t forget Mandela’s and Obasanjo’s prison to presidency story in a hurry. Omisore’s and Nkrumah’s also followed the same trajectory!
The coincidence of his and Obama’s birthday – August 4th is similar to the nexus of the much told John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln legendary story.
Obama represents the worst of the anti-African agenda while Ibori will be thrust by incontrollable circumstances to act as a counterfoil to lead the continental struggle of breaking the yoke of imperialism.
I make the prediction that Ibori will one day sit in Aso Rock and will ruthlessly unleash the catharsis that will see Africa free at last.
The Oracle has spoken!
TONY ADEMILUYI
END
Unfortunately, after so many years of political independence, most Nigerians are still have their minds shackled hence they remain with the ‘West Is Right’ mentality.
Even the uk court has no proven and tested evidence that lbori was guilty of the allegations except the conspiracy theories and innuendos which they have been bandying about.
Clearly, the British law enforcement agencies used intimidation strategy to get lbori to plead guilty after everybody that he loved had been imprisoned on his account and some commentators are citing the jailing of his close family members as evidence that he is guilty of the allegations, ignorance ? Are they not aware that former EFCC boss Nuhu Ribadu went to London to give witness against lbori and Ivan Krolic was embarrassed to hear the case file on the lbori trial on the uk was developed was missing? The them EFCC boss claimed he took the Goke with him while on a training course on Kuti near Jos and lost it.
Mr Krolic was out raged that the head of efcc would carry a case file of a critical matter with him on a course. The case collapsed because it was obvious that there was no case and the witness was being clever to claim that the file was lost.
Same court in the U.K., pleaded with judge Pitts to change the basis of the charges to a new legal term that does not warrant the presecution proving the case of money laundering after both parties had made final arguments and it was dud overdo by prosecution that the ruling would be in favor of lbori. The learned and impartial judge likened the request to asking s reference to change the goal post in the middle of s football match.
Truth is that there is no proof that lbori stole and he is only a victim of political vendetta as l have documented in several articles but in Nigeria, the person who alleges first is believed and no matter what the victim does to redeem his image most people remain adamant.
That to me amounts to jungle justice where the shout of ole, ole, lead to death by lynching of the fellow that fingers are pointed to which is now the order of the day in Nigeria.
We must fact check and ask questions and not just acquiesce with any fake news that we are fed.
Let lbori’s accusers prove their case with incontrovertible facts and not continue to convict him based on emotions and innuendos.
That’s what justice should be to me and l believe all right thinking people.
We should learn to base our decisions more on sound reasoning not on emotions.
Fortunately, there more people like Ademuluyi who will rise over the next few days and months in defense of lbori and Nigeria’s sovereignty for total emancipation of Nigeria from neo colonialism perpetuated through agencies like DFID which are later day slavery tools being used by the West.
Kudos to ademuluyi and many more like him for speaking out!.
“The more you loot,the higher your recognition”
Thank you Roland.
No doubt about the fact that the writer of this article is entitle to his own opinion, yet one personal opinion should be properly weight before putting the pen on the paper in this case of Ibori.
Fact remains that Ibori was not given a life sentence and that translate to the fact that he would eventually compeletd his term as he has done. This does not mean that Ibori was not an ex convicts either here in Nigeria or abroad. Yes he could now be on the ground where the majority of people distance themself from dignify mode of exstitence, where the legacy and ideology is “the much you the higher you are recognised”. Now Ibori is a champion (to the majority fools).
My gentleman writer got his vision of Ibori on the sit in the Aso rock wrong for real.
Nonsense. It is an insult for this writer to try to convince us that justice was not done in the conviction of Ibori, even in the face of overwhelming and damning evidence against him, his wife and mistress. The UK is not Nigeria where justice is sold to the highest bidder in most court cases. It simply shows that this writer has already completed his inordinate indoctrination in corruption, hence his acceptance of and concurrence with Ibori’s posturing that he is not a thief. He is, however, entitled to his opinion, which I’m sure most Nigerians including my humble self (except most, if not all, Oghara people) will not agree with.