‘Nothing to celebrate’

Prominent Nigerians, including a Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Wednesday said Nigerians had nothing to celebrate in the past 12 months of President Umaru Yar‘Adua’s administration.

They said the administration had not shown any sign that it was serious about confronting the challenges facing the country, especially in the power sector.

The other prominent Nigerians who condemned the administration‘s perceived inaction include former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife; the Secretary-General of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Senator Femi Okurounmu; and an Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Owei Lakemfa.

But the Special Adviser to the President on Communication, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, and a political scientist, Prof. Femi Otubanjo, disagreed with them, saying Nigerians need to give Yar‘Adua a chance to deliver on his promises.

Soyinka, in a statement, wondered why Yar’Adua’s government should accept May 29 as Democracy Day when in fact it was a day that marked the inauguration of the problems in the country.To the renowned playwright, Yar‘Adua would have won the hearts of many Nigerians if he had jettisoned May 29 as Democracy Day.

He said many Nigerians had thought that any administration succeeding that of former President Olusegun Obasanjo would have done away with May 29 celebration.

Soyinka said, ”We had indeed completely shrouded that date on our political calendar; had persuaded ourselves to believe that any regime that succeeded the last, struggling for legitimacy after its own tarnished ascendancy, would not take on such unnecessary baggage of egotistical symbolism; that it would not abuse such concepts and practices as are known all over the world as ‘Democracy‘, that the least it could do was to exploit any opportunity to dissociate itself from an antecedence that has violated all principles associated with free choice and electoral integrity.Soyinka said continuing with the May 29 Democracy Day amounted to an insult to Nigerians.
He said May 29 could be linked to many unfortunate occurrences that had bedevilled the country since the date was marked with the inauguration of the Obasanjo‘s government in 1999.

He said, ”May 29, 1999 was the inauguration date of hopes and rightful expectations, urged on by promises that were no sooner pronounced as sacred undertaking than they were progressively abandoned.

”May 29 not only marked the inauguration of missed opportunities, it was a day that launched an era of cynically mocked, degraded, and finally openly jettisoned opportunities.

”May 29 was inauguration date of the era of darkness, both metaphysical and palpable that has seen a nation of envied material and human endowments groping its way through the twilight of marginal vision into the dark of resignation.

“It marked the descent into the graveyard of energy and light, aborting productivity at birth, and turning a once vibrant, pulsating nation into yet another Black Hole on the nightly geography of the globe.

”May 29 inaugurated the game of offering with one hand, then taking back with both, as anti-corruption agencies were set up to public acclaim, then robbed of fully earned credibility by interference and manipulation.”

Speaking in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, Ezeife said he was yet to see improvement in the supply of electricity.

He said, “We are still hoping and restructuring. They have already claimed wiser approach in petroleum product pricing. So far so good, I will say. But on power, I have not seen improvement; not in generation.”

”http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200805293391015


Hmm.There Soyinka goes again.Anyway i agree with him.There is nothing to celebrate so far.I'm not blaming the Yar'adua administration fully because Obasanjo's government did quite a lot of damage.Its only been a year,to be fair to Yar'adua.The country can't be completely fixed in a year.But its the efforts being made to right things that i can't see.If therez anybody out there celebrating,pray tell,what exactly are you celebrating?

What Are They Celebrating In Nigeria?

While there may seem to be no reason to celebrate now, at least a public holiday has been called forth, Nigerians will the time to sit at home and rest.


Happy democrazy day Nigeria!

happy anniversary folks

At least we are celebrating with Lagos' achievement in the last one year. As for that Yar'adua and co, they are on their own. OBJ, in the end lived that office if, they think they won't live and fail to take active and possitive measures to correct our (at least major one like electricity and good road network) problems in the 3 years remaining well. . . .

Staying at home in darkness, what a way to celebrate democrazy

@poster

It is nice to know your interests go beyond the parochial Red devillish tendencies you have displayed so far


As per this holiday business, what lucky bastards Nigerians are. And what bastards the British people 'is'
Only 8 public holidays the whole year.

@doyin13
Dude,don't be so narrow-minded.I don't post on other forums as actively as i do on Sports doesn't mean i have no interest in them.I only post when i feel like sharing my views/opinions,not because there's a button that says 'reply' Try broaden your mental horizon.

Anyway,Happy Democracy day all.As pataki said,the hol did provide a good opportunity to stay home and rest.For those who were victims of PHCN,accept my sympathies .Work continues tomorrow.

i think the noble laureate should shut his trap, if he was made president i dont think he would be able to do any better than yar'adua. truthfully the critics should allow d man do his job, he didnt create the non-sense in nigeria so he wont end it in a year. we thank God that we are not like Zimbambwe who has had a president for donkey years and he still wants to remain in power.

men, Bleep soyinka, Happy Democracy Day Nigeria

@storm0210, i don't believe anybody has said he can fix nigeria in a year. However what is most worrying is that Yaradua does not seem to be making any effort to actually change anything whatsoever. What effort has been made? What exactly? What processes are being put in place to fix anything? That is the problem for me anyway. We don't have a leader who wanted to sit tight or that people in a rare occassion in the history of Nigeria actually fought against it? OBJ ruled nigeria in military times, ruled again as a supposed "democrat" and then wanted to push for a third term. Is that not sit tight? I just don't see what democracy there is to celebrate but if you can then have a nice day

storm0210:

i think the noble laureate should shut his trap, if he was made president i don't think he would be able to do any better than yar'adua. truthfully the critics should allow d man do his job, he didnt create the non-sense in nigeria so he wont end it in a year. we thank God that we are not like Zimbambwe who has had a president for donkey years and he still wants to remain in power.

Your post made me smile.I agree with you,but its just that Yar'adua is showing a few signs here and there that he may follow in his predecessor's footsteps - empty promises and silly policies that make everything worse.

who just watched the whole yardua interview?

@superboi please have you got a link to the interview? This i have to see.

i think nigerians prefer the band wagon and sentimental or cheap point scoring comments. soyinka as an important figure should be profering solutions on national dailies rather than open criticisms without real facts nor solutions. i would not conclude about this govt. yet b'cos yardua says he is laying foundation on which to work and till i examine same i would not pass any judegement.but generally i love the calmer political atmosphere.

@chrome does calmer political atmosphere necessarily mean there is progress? I may be wrong but i see the calmness as a result of the status quo being maintained and hence no feathers are being ruffled and the citizenry keep on taking everything the way it is, basically it is business as usual, so why won't things be calm especially for Nigeria where anything seems to go? So if Ibori was in jail and the rest of his ilk would there be a "calm" political atmosphere? If there wouldn't be then would that mean there is regression as opposed to progression? Now if this whole business as usual idea of looting etc, was fought against then would the policical atmosphere be calm? I really think not. Again, would that be a bad thing?

my friend own a small scale business running cyber cafe. Three dependants. the last few month has seen him Run the cafe only at nite. NO POWER, his generator is down and exausted from over use, disel is gettin out of reach, he is gradualy drifting toward being a dependent!!! FOR HIM, ME, AND SO MANY, THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY DAY!!

LAKANYE~:

HMMN!!! A LONE VOICE, CRYING AND YELLING IN THE WILDERNESS!!!

This is a statement sending a real message across to those who care not yelling,wailing or crying!

Thanks but no Thanks

storm0210:

i think the noble laureate should shut his trap, if he was made president i don't think he would be able to do any better than yar'adua. truthfully the critics should allow d man do his job, he didnt create the non-sense in nigeria so he wont end it in a year. we thank God that we are not like Zimbambwe who has had a president for donkey years and he still wants to remain in power.

men, mess soyinka, Happy Democracy Day Nigeria

“Why settle for less if you can get more…or when you know you worth more” Compare Nigeria with country with better prospects / good future ambition rather than comparing it with country like Zimbabwe with no sense of direction. From strong criticism, you get more out of people, more out of our leaders to change their ways. While I understand that Wole Soyinka probably might not have improve the economy positively within the past year if he was made the president, but he’s in a position to push for change by speaking his mind. I think his idea should be commended rather than pouring cold water on it. I think people should critique more so that our leaders can change for the better.

Happy Democracy Day all NN

courage89:

“Why settle for less if you can get more…or when you know you worth more” Compare Nigeria with country with better prospects / good future ambition rather than comparing it with country like Zimbabwe with no sense of direction. From strong criticism, you get more out of people, more out of our leaders to change their ways. While I understand that Wole Soyinka probably might not have improve the economy positively within the past year if he was made the president, but he’s in a position to push for change by speaking his mind. I think his idea should be commended rather than pouring cold water on it. I think people should critique more so that our leaders can change for the better.

Yeah, spot on mate!
More voices needed and we are not talking about chicken N chips here!
We love to suffer in silence in Nigeria and we need to start standing up and be counted!

hey! happy demostration of craze.

we have a lot to celebrate,and we do celebrate,as people differ so opinions do.happy holiday

Why dont you even know what we are celebrating. , We are celebrating 10 days in Darkness in our own Hood at kety. F**k Holdin companys. Shits celebration.

[


b] :DOES NEPA STILL RATION ELECTRICITY IN NIGERIA??

My Brothers and Sisters in the ROD, i mean LORD, you've got a lot to celebrate, in spite  of their different tactic to send you down 6ft, you survived. Thank Ara, sorry again i mean Allah that you survived BaBanGi, Abach and Baba Otta Farm. For now we don't know what Aladura, i mean Yar'adua will do? Better begin celebrate before he show his logo. 'DEMOSTRATION OF CRAZE!'

Yar adua maynt b as bad an slow as we tink,
may be as jeje as he is, sumtin gud wuld eventually com out,
he has startd som probins hopn to get result from it,
i tink he's got a million nd 1 oda plans yet to com,
1 year is not jst enuf to overturn d cup of nonsence he met in d govt house,
We shld rememba OBJ left so much wrk for him to do ooo,

If he had nt declared Pubilc Holz on 29th, U & I wil stil criticise him 4nt doin so,
we'v had our holz in both d good and bad ways, No light or Light dey, no food or fod dey,
All we need do nw is wrk 2geda wit d president to build a beta 9ja,
together we will mke our belvd country proud.
D 9ja i no aint as fuckd as we tink,
we cld either Bleep it up more or try to fix our respective errs begining from our respective conciences,

NAIJA MUST BETA!!!! Notin do 9ja

we need to undastand dat Soyinka has his Opinion as a critique,
i respect d man very well, but we need to know dat Critics dnt make good leaders,
they wuld jst be dere doin mor of d criticising work and get praised an nt paid for they enjoy doing it.,.,.,,.,

Critics do not c any of a good wrk of their oponent, even d glaring one or a perceived one wuld neva b seen or felt by them,

i am nt a northener nor hve any relation or link wit d jeje president so dnt go tinkin,i wuld hve evn tipd my gov then Duke for the presidential race but as God will hve it, it bcame YarAdua.,.,.,we shld wrk togeda wit him

Bt dat doesnt mean he shldnt b corrected where he errs

What rubbish has been spewed(as much as i hate the word) on this thread.

Proffer solutions my ass.

I am reminded of a character in Chinua Achebe's Anthills of the Savannah.
He, a journalist was asked why all he did was criticise the government rather
than provide solutions. He 'profoundly' replied, I am here to give headaches not to give solutions 

Firstly, politicians deserve all the flak they get, because they make outrageous promises e.g One of the
top 20 industrialised nations by the year 2020. Is it not fair that we make outrageous demands in return?

Secondly, no one forced him to take the job. Politicians volunteer for office. So he is essentially at our beck and call.

Thirdly, haven't we been at this juncture before. Give him time they say, he has eight years, its only been a year
On and on it goes, before you know it eight years go by, and nothing is done. Another politician arrives for his eight years
with his same round of promises, and his pleas for time to actualise the perfunctory x-point agenda.

Fourthly, this man has set some worrying precedent in his previous incarnation as governor. He left 6 billion naira
in the coffers in Katsina Like Jeez, are you for real Mon.  there is no way a government in Nigeria should have
a surplus with the state of things. Deficits galore I tell you. The criteria for our politicians should not be how frugal they
are with money, but how efficiently they spend money. How effectively the infrastructure is built up etc. not how much
is left under his bed when all is said and done.

The government of this country is flush with money like never before. Even better than the good old days of the early seventies
It will not last forever. Those oil prices will succumb to gravity sooner rather than later.

So it is essential that we let the critics loose, if not for anything, but to shake this government out of its stupor

@Cristalz

If your replies are anything to go by, I think you are way more perspicacious on the United thread

And I have never seen a worse profile pic in my life

So vulgar, ostentatious, shameless show offs

Happy anniverstry, one year proper planning for Mr president and his cabinet, 2nd year excitement, excitement excitement. Mr president carry go, We love you.Happy democracy Day.

@ Naija 1

What are you Insinuating? What you see here is picture. How would you know if Fashola greated OBJ earlier? Will this picture capture it the same time. The newspapers report you posted also said His Ministers and other policitical officers who worked for him left him. If those that have worked for him or those that have benefitted left him, what then is Fashola offence if he ignorned him? Don't 4get so soon that Fashola fought Obasanjo while he was Chief of Staff and yet you want him to be smilling at him at such occassion. I beg He should go to hell.