Ruling 150 Million People through Deceit. by - Ndiameeh Babrik

Stories have it that when the cronies and those who were feeding fat on the regime of Charles de Gaulle, the former and foremost French president urged him to continue in power, he was said to have told them that, “gentlemen the grave is full of indispensable people and therefore I am going to my village and hence he left the Presidential villa for good.

The greatest American President apart from Abraham Lincoln is JF Kennedy. Back home here in Nigeria, from the Nigerian perspective, the two former leaders people are still honestly passionate for their leadership are Generals Mohammadu Buhari and Murtala Muhammed. Mohammadu Buhari, JF Kennedy and Murtala Muhammed have some few things in common. They never stayed up to two years in power. But in as much as life exist here on earth, then their pride of place is assured and insured in history. Compare that to Mobutu Sese Seko or even some former leaders here in Nigeria who overstayed their welcome and are now wishing they never came never seat of power in the first place. They now look for every opportunity by attending all funerals and weddings to make amend and want to make themselves look as they have changed for good. In life whenever every opportunity presents do good to all men and be selfless in service to humanity. What Am I driving at with the entire above story? In leadership position(s), it is not how long but how well executed is what matters. Otherwise juxtapose eight years of misrule to 20 months of purposeful leadership or even six months and look at what is written in history.

The difference is simply clear. If Umaru Musa Yar'adua yes men are honest to themselves, let them take a close look at Yar'adua picture taken on 29th May 2009 and that picture of Yar'adua flashed on the Daily Trust website of Monday 30th November 2009. It is either they are callous and want to maximise their looting spree while keeping Yar'adua there as a figurehead or their conscience don't work any more as a typical Nigerian elite who derives maximum pleasure from the suffering of Nigerians.

In life, nobody is indispensable since we are mortals. Barely 10 years ago, we had all forms of dubious individuals and groups falling over themselves that if there is no Sani Abacha in power, Nigeria will cease to exist. That Sani Abacha was the only capable Nigerian to rule probably over 100 million people. Sani Abacha's enemies imaginary or real or even those who risked their lives just like we are doing now were hunted into prison. But one day early morning on the 8th of July 1998, Sani Abacha was no more and Nigeria is still here 10 years after.

King Solomon reputed to be the wisest man to have ever lived said in the book of Ecclesiastes that Everything is meaningless. More so in this our modern world where nobody has lives up to 120 years yet. But we still have megalomania looters in Nigeria. If the stolen wealth from state treasury could prolong life probably Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire wouldn't have died. Even with the unquantifiable state fund some former Nigerian Leaders have stolen, they still have to more from one hospital to another all over the globe.

Unfortunately most human beings do not learn from their immediate history. When they were in power, they refuse to even equip one standard hospital in Nigeria where they can go to be managed. I may not be a doctor or nurse but treatment of sickness is not only drugs or medicine. Visit from relations and friends will give psychological healing I believe. Tell me how many relations and friends will afford to travel to Saudi Arabia or America to visit their sick relations on admission in ICU or Cancer treatment unit. The issue of visa will be the first obstacle as Saudi Arabian government or American government will be thinking that those Nigerians visiting the sick one will abscond. I still believe that all these monies wasted on going overseas for medicament can be used to equip one standard hospital in Abuja for the benefit of all of us. There is every probability that there may be Nigerian doctors and nurses in the Saudi hospital managing Mr President Yar'adua.

After all seeing the pictures of the inside of the hospital Yar'adua is said to be admitted in Saudi Arabia on pointblanknews.com, there is nothing special about it, I saw a trolley, a double seater settee and a cupboard. If Yar'adua were to be admitted in Nigeria, all this outcry and confusion in the land would have been avoided.

But the average Nigerian elite and their stooges have always rejected the truth. Nelson Mandela fought apartheid to a standstill and won in South Africa, he was only in power for one term of four and followed the Charles de Gaulle principle of being dispensable. Even Jerry Rawlings the father of modern Ghana after steadying the Republic of Ghana on its feet decided to go honourably. People of honour will always know when to go but not in Nigeria especially when there are those who feed fat on the ill-health and misfortune of a leader. Those who were chorusing that Sani Abacha was the only Nigerian who could rule in 1998 are still here enjoy their 'war bounty' well Mariam Abacha is nursing her wounded pride with had I know..

Those who love Umaru Yar'adua honestly and sincerely will advise him to leave Aso Rock Villa and its many Nigerians problems. After all he who fights and run away lives to fight another day. We know that life and death is in the hands of God. But heaven they say helps those who help themselves.

For all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. ---Edmund Burke (1729-1797).

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