Nigerians Are Greedy, Selfish -sule Lamido

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, in this interview with SHOLA ADEKOLA, speaks on why violence seems to be the order of the day in some places in the country and other issues. Excerpts.

[b]Nigeria recently celebrated its 51st independence Anniversary. Many people, including opposition parties, have accused the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) of celebrating failure. Do you agree with this?

[/b]It is the typical pastime of Nigerians to keep passing on their guilt to someone else. Ask those critics, what has been their own contribution to the development of Nigeria.  It is only in Nigeria that you see people relishing in vilifying their country and ignoring what God has destined for them. We must be responsible Nigerians first. It is here you see a taxi driver complaining of lack of fuel and he will take you round and round in order to make money out of you, yet he will not pay his tax. Those who are saying there is no electricity, ask them to show you their PHCN bill. They won’t pay yet they want constant electricity. You want all the good things of life, yet you are the most dishonourable.

They look for escape routes for their own failures. We must be responsible citizens first. Media men are involved. You know what to do. Whatever you say about your country, it is your own image you are seeing. It is deceit all the way. Go to parties and see the number of buffets while people are suffering. They have no concern for people behind them. An average Nigerian is selfish. Yet we keep on lamenting.

President Goodluck Jonathan has been described as a ‘go slow’ leader. What is your take on this?
You see in my religion, God says, I will give you leaders of your own reflection, leaders who are like you. So, what do you expect? If you say Jonathan is a ‘go-slow’ president, you too you are also Madam Go Slow. Didn’t Nigerians call former President Shehu Shagari go-slow? Didn’t they call President Olusegun Obasanjo unpalatable names? Didn’t they call General Ibrahim Babangida a wayo man? President Jonathan is a very honest man. You (Nigerians) want rule of law, democracy, yet you want him to behave like a pharaoh, like an army general. Jonathan is a very honest man. We should  give him a chance to perform and make good use of his talent.

Do you think there is any wisdom in  the Sovereign Account which has become a source of discord between states and the presidency?


All monies accruing to the federation must be shared among all the three tiers of government, so says the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and anything to the contrary is null and void. Which money do you save when there are so much developmental work that are lacking and needed to be funded? Which money do you want to save in the so-called Sovereign Account they are talking about when there is not enough money to execute several developmental progammes and projects.

[b]What is your reason for constructing the G9-Quarters in Dutse?
[/b]No nation grows without knowing where it is are coming from. We must know our  history to be able to chart a way forward. History anchors you. G-9 is an appreciation to leaders who played a key role in restoring democracy in Nigeria. In 1992, under late General Sani Abacha, when he tried to transform into military president, the opposition  was engaging him from a tribal angle. It was difficult to really get a national appeal. Abacha came up with his own parties; we met the requirements, yet things were not falling into proper shape.

So, myself, late Chief Bola Ige, Adamu Ciroma, Francis Ellah, Abubakar Rimi, Iyorchia Ayu and Solomon Lar met in Lagos, somewhere in Raymond Njoku Street in1996, to rub minds on how to chart a way forward for the country in the aftermath of the crisis that engulfed the country due to the annulment of June 12 presidential election. We looked at Nigeria and at the roles being played by NADECO. We noted that the body was engaging Abacha from tribal point of view. And because it was so, other Nigerians refused to go along. The more you hammered him (Abacha) from the tribal angle, the more you strengthened him as people looked at NADECO as mainly a Yoruba organisation.

We now agreed to form a body that would have a ‘nationalistic’ outlook, so as to effectively engage Abacha and stop him from transforming into a military president. We now named the body G-9. Later, it became G-18 and G-34 and finally metamorphosed into PDP (Peoples Democratic Party). To give Nigerians a sense of history, that was why the G-9 Quarters was built and named after those leaders who played key roles in giving Nigerians the democracy we are enjoying today, so that they can appreciate the sacrifices made by their leaders.

[b]Many are wondering why your government thinks Jigawa needs an airport at a time other basic needs are competing for attention?
[/b]By the ratings of the so-called market agencies, the in thing today is commerce and business and in commerce you have to move very fast.  Since Jigawa is the most peaceful in the federation, it has all the potential to make business thrive with availability of land, and cheap labour, an enabling environment and is secure. It is an investment destination. It is an emerging market with good climate. What we desire most now is an airport in the state to ease movement of people and investors into and out of Jigawa State to transact business. We are very close to Cameroun, in the East, very close to Chad in the North, Kano in the East. It has beautiful scenery, good climate and is an investors haven. People here are  anxious to reach the world and the only means today is to have an airport. For example, if you are coming from Abuja by air, you have to disembark in Kano and come to Jigawa State capital, Dutse, by road and the roads linking us with Kano are very bad. It is horrendous. The Federal Government has made a commitment to build an airport for the state. We are, therefore, looking forward to the fulfilment of that commitment. If people like Bill Gates want to come to Jigawa as he has planned to come to assist us in the fight for  polio eradication campaign, he cannot come now because there is no airport through which his plane can land.

By  whatever criteria,  Jigawa needs an airport to open up our state to industrial development, aside from the massive road network construction currently going on. Opening up Jigawa is part of adding to the economic potential and the prosperity of Nigeria. We are building a road network. We are very low on Internal Generated Revenue (IGR). We depend largely on money from federation account. We depend on self- help to develop the state. We feel challenged to save ourselves. The lack of money should not be an impediment. We are agriculturally based. We have onions, sorghum, millet, melon, Arabic gum and nobody will come to Jigawa and help us. We have to resort to self- help. Not even our sister state, Kano can.

Land is our own oil. We are willing to give land to  any interested investor. Within three months of applying for land, you are through with your certificate of occupancy. In emerging economy, agro based industry is important. We have the half a million  hectares of  irrigable land. The Federal Government is investing heavily in the Hadejia/Jamare River valley. Recently, during the visit of Vice President Namadi Sambo,  N10 billion commitment was made to improve on the Hadejia/Jamare agro-based industry. When you put a thing like this in place, you trigger economic activities, you think of how to preserve them and get them to the market. Loans are being given to small scale farmers. The government is ever-willing to support any investor in this regard. Above all, the most important thing is that Jigawa is a peaceful state for investors because, no matter the attractions you have on ground to woo investors, if the state is always engulfed in crisis, no investor will want to come. We need to invest heavily in farming apart from other competing needs like health and education. Violence is not part of our culture. Commitment from home is important, how do parents bring up their children? Parents must take charge of their ward. It is a collective thing. A parent must be honest to his children. A child trusts, but if he discovers that somebody he so much trusts is lying, he feels dejected. This also goes into our larger society.

[b]How do you mean?
[/b]In the past, if you look at the North, it was one single family of Tafawa Balewa, Sardauna and Aminu Kano. The North was of both Christians and Muslims. To them, every northerners was one. But for people who are lazy, they import various things to divide us. Our leaders then had commitment; they were not greedy compared with what we have today. Today’s generation is selfish, we believe in using people as tools to attain selfish advantage. Nobody trusts anybody anymore. That is why we have all these crises.

[b]Why do you prefer to pay N7,000 per person monthly social welfare to disabled persons in Jigawa instead of teaching them how to fish?
[/b]If you say because somebody is disabled and you neglect him, you are not being fair. Even you who is healthy needs support, not to talk of somebody who is disabled. The money we make is for all. How then do you abandon them, abandon a part of you and turn them to an unwanted specie. They are our own people. The package is their right, they no longer beg, they are no longer looking  neglected. They must feed and feel like part of the society. It’s more evil to make them feel unwanted.

We have to care for them. The allocation from the Federation Account is for all the sons and daughters of Jigawa, because they are getting that money, you can see that they are very clean, they can take care of themselves. They no longer go hungry or go about begging for food.  So, our efforts to develop, our efforts to become a more civilised people and the miracle you are talking about is because with this programme, they have been switched on as human beings and not as before when they were switched off and uncatered for.

[b]Where do you see the state in the next 10 years?
[/b]In the next 10 years, Jigawa is going to be the best state in  the country with the best doctors, engineers including Islamic scientists. We’ve just sent 58 students to various schools abroad. In the past three years we’ve sent over 300 abroad on scholarships. As a matter of right, I want Jigawa to be a reference point to other states in Nigeria in all human endeavours. Even Mallams, the council of elders(Ulamas) and all sects who want to further their education in Islamic or western education are given scholarships, so that they can debate intelligently and nobody can bamboozle them into  preaching hatred among the folks. So when you talk there will be knowledge and sense in what you say.


http://www.tribune.com.ng/sat/index.php/interview/5602-nigerians-are-greedy-selfish-sule-lamido.html

Ask those critics, what has been their own contribution to the development of Nigeria. It is only in Nigeria that you see people relishing in vilifying their country and ignoring what God has destined for them.

If Nigerians should destroy the social restraints placed on them to develop their country, you'd see another Libya riot on these politicians.

I love the way Nigerian politicians always want to blame Nigerian citizens for the state of Nigeria. When will they ever point back at themselves?

responsible Nigerians first. It is here you see a taxi driver complaining of lack of fuel and he will take you round and round in order to make money out of you, yet he will not pay his tax.

This question about Nigerian greed or whatever is one of my favorite benchmarks for judging a Nigerian public commentator. With this response, Sule Lamido scored very low mark on my scale. I'm not surprised though.

It is here you see a taxi driver complaining of lack of fuel and he will take you round and round in order to make money out of you, yet he will not pay his tax.

This is a silly argument. There is a reason why human wisdom created the concept of government, organized society, laws and punishment. Edmund Burke put it best in one of my favorite quotes [see below]. it is silly to think individuals will act right and be unselfish in the absence of a properly organized society with well enforced rules and regulations.

Did you create a law to punish him for that? Are you enforcing it?

Do you have a tax code? Are you enforcing it?

Rules and it's enforcement is the job of government and leadership. Not the ordinary man on the street. That was why the wisdom of man created government.

Now this argument brings a kind chicken and egg situation: Which comes first? People or the government system? I'll say it's not important, they are both with us, let those with the power and responsibility -in this case government leaders, do their jobs.

The Taxi Driver that you fail to punish is not the problem. It's rational for him to cheat if there are no consequences. It's irrational for you to expect him not to.

This argument betrays an ideological weakness. Blame those with the power and responsibility to lead and ensure societal order.

It is arrogant and naive to think humans will not act selfishly.


If you drop Japanese people into this Nigerian System, in a short time, majority will act like that driver. Nigerians are not inherently greedier or more selfish than other humans. The system is poorly managed. Opari!


Government is a contrivance on human wisdom to provide for human wants, men have a right that these wants should be provided for by this wisdom -Edmund Burke




Edit: I initially thought this was a Sanusi Lamido interview, sorry it's Sule Lamido. Thanks to Rhino.5dm for pointing that out. I'll now go fix my glasses. .

^ Sir, point to correct.

Sule Lamido(governor of Jigawa State) is not thesame person as Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.(CBN governor).

Thank you for that correction, my mistake. Respect is restored.

I'll edit to reflect Sule Lamido

How and why should tax be paid when there is no service. We do not pay phcn bills just because they have put electric poles and wire up, let them supply current. Which one is islamist scientist or does he mean bomb makers? Words have a way of exposing poor mentality which sule lamido suffers from.

Ileke-IdI:

Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, in this interview with SHOLA ADEKOLA, speaks on why violence seems to be the order of the day in some places in the country and other issues. Excerpts.


[b]Many are wondering why your government thinks Jigawa needs an airport at a time other basic needs are competing for attention?
[/b]By the ratings of the so-called market agencies, the in thing today is commerce and business and in commerce you have to move very fast. Since Jigawa is the most peaceful in the federation, it has all the potential to make business thrive with availability of land, and cheap labour, an enabling environment and is secure. It is an investment destination. It is an emerging market with good climate. What we desire most now is an airport in the state to ease movement of people and investors into and out of Jigawa State to transact business. We are very close to Cameroun, in the East, very close to Chad in the North, Kano in the East. It has beautiful scenery, good climate and is an investors haven. People here are anxious to reach the world and the only means today is to have an airport. For example, if you are coming from Abuja by air, you have to disembark in Kano and come to Jigawa State capital, Dutse, by road and the roads linking us with Kano are very bad. It is horrendous. The Federal Government has made a commitment to build an airport for the state. We are, therefore, looking forward to the fulfilment of that commitment. If people like Bill Gates want to come to Jigawa as he has planned to come to assist us in the fight for polio eradication campaign, he cannot come now because there is no airport through which his plane can land.

By whatever criteria, Jigawa needs an airport to open up our state to industrial development, aside from the massive road network construction currently going on. Opening up Jigawa is part of adding to the economic potential and the prosperity of Nigeria. We are building a road network. We are very low on Internal Generated Revenue (IGR). We depend largely on money from federation account. We depend on self- help to develop the state. We feel challenged to save ourselves. The lack of money should not be an impediment. We are agriculturally based. We have onions, sorghum, millet, melon, Arabic gum and nobody will come to Jigawa and help us. We have to resort to self- help. Not even our sister state, Kano can.

Land is our own oil. We are willing to give land to any interested investor. Within three months of applying for land, you are through with your certificate of occupancy. In emerging economy, agro based industry is important. We have the half a million hectares of irrigable land. The Federal Government is investing heavily in the Hadejia/Jamare River valley. Recently, during the visit of Vice President Namadi Sambo, N10 billion commitment was made to improve on the Hadejia/Jamare agro-based industry. When you put a thing like this in place, you trigger economic activities, you think of how to preserve them and get them to the market. Loans are being given to small scale farmers. The government is ever-willing to support any investor in this regard. Above all, the most important thing is that Jigawa is a peaceful state for investors because, no matter the attractions you have on ground to woo investors, if the state is always engulfed in crisis, no investor will want to come. We need to invest heavily in farming apart from other competing needs like health and education. Violence is not part of our culture. Commitment from home is important, how do parents bring up their children? Parents must take charge of their ward. It is a collective thing. A parent must be honest to his children. A child trusts, but if he discovers that somebody he so much trusts is lying, he feels dejected. This also goes into our larger society.



http://www.tribune.com.ng/sat/index.php/interview/5602-nigerians-are-greedy-selfish-sule-lamido.html

One of the major issues in Nigeria is lack of social equity on the part of central government. I guess Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State should ask what is it Jigawa has other states in the federation do not have as to extract such wonderful commitment from the Federal government to erect airport in Jigawa.

Equally, he cited that Federal Government is investing heavily in the Hadejia/Jamare River valley and during the visit of Vice President Namadi Sambo, N10 billion commitment was made to improve on the Hadejia/Jamare agro-based industry.

It is funny to notice the knack for Unclad disingenuous by Nigerians in certain governmental positions. Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State was able to point out two socio-politico-economic commitments by the federal government while many states in Nigeria can not point to one-story house supported by the same federal government. 

Federal government adamantly refused to erect airport in Imo State. However, the indigenes of Imo State in particular and Ndigbo in general decided to erect the airport in Imo State. There is no country that stands united when its citizenry is not treated equally.

THE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA ADMISSION FRAUD

It is disturbing that University of Nigeria has refused to admit students that passed both Jamb and Screening test which was caused by their own computer error. The Institution insisted on not considering these students claiming that they failed the screening exam. Later they turned around to claim that they did not fill their screening for appropriately. These students chose the University of Nigeria as first choice, scored over 200 in their Jamb, passed the screening test yet no admission. The University of Nigeria has accused the student of not completing their screening form appropriately. However on my private investigation I discovered that these students completed their screening form as demanded by the University of Nigeria yet the University of Nigeria is saying that they would certainly deny them admission.
It would be extremely dangerous to allow the University of Nigeria to continue to deny students admission.
I urge the media, EFCC, ICPC, JAMB, Senate committee on Education, House of Representative Committee on Education, Federal Ministry of Education and all concerned to save parents, guardians and indeed Nigerians from the University of Nigeria’s exploitative mechanism in the name of Admission. These students paid 1500 Naira for the exam, 1100 Naira for checking their result and 10,000 buy advert form (that is to apply to departments with shortfalls). Please investigate and possibly audit the process.
Let us do something now. Reform and restore the dignity of man at the University of Nigeria. Copy this message and spread it to all.

Dede1:


One of the major issues in Nigeria is lack of social equity on the part of central government. I guess Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State should ask what is it Jigawa has other states in the federation do not have as to extract such wonderful commitment from the Federal government to erect airport in Jigawa.

Equally, he cited that Federal Government is investing heavily in the Hadejia/Jamare River valley and during the visit of Vice President Namadi Sambo, N10 billion commitment was made to improve on the Hadejia/Jamare agro-based industry.

It is funny to notice the knack for Unclad disingenuous by Nigerians in certain governmental positions. Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State was able to point out two socio-political-economic commitments by the federal government while many states in Nigeria can not point to one-story house supported by the same federal government.

Federal government adamantly refused to erect airport in Imo State. However, the indigenes of Imo State in particular and Ndigbo in general decided to erect the airport in Imo State. There is no country that stands united when its citizenry is not treated equally.

Right let them hear, you pay taxes and half the money is shipped across the country to develop territories that do not regard formal forms of enterprise.

The Nigerian system is inherently unbalanced and that's why only corruption thrives. There is just no incentive to protect an unfair relationship. I agree with him the average Nigerian is selfish but his likes in government should be grateful we are less Libyan and more Liberal.

Kilode?!:

This is a silly argument. There is a reason why human wisdom created the concept of government, organized society, laws and punishment. Edmund Burke put it best in one of my favorite quotes [see below]. it is silly to think individuals will act right and be unselfish in the absence of a properly organized society with well enforced rules and regulations.

Did you create a law to punish him for that? Are you enforcing it?

Do you have a tax code? Are you enforcing it?

Rules and it's enforcement is the job of government and leadership. Not the ordinary man on the street. That was why the wisdom of man created government.

Now this argument brings a kind chicken and egg situation: Which comes first? People or the government system? I'll say it's not important, they are both with us, let those with the power and responsibility -in this case government leaders, do their jobs.

The Taxi Driver that you fail to punish is not the problem. It's rational for him to cheat if there are no consequences. It's irrational for you to expect him not to.

This argument betrays an ideological weakness. Blame those with the power and responsibility to lead and ensure societal order.

It is arrogant and naive to think humans will not act selfishly.


If you drop Japanese people into this Nigerian System, in a short time, majority will act like that driver. Nigerians are not inherently greedier or more selfish than other humans. The system is poorly managed. Opari!


Government is a contrivance on human wisdom to provide for human wants, men have a right that these wants should be provided for by this wisdom -Edmund Burke

Epic post! Kilode?! just made it to the top of my "nairalanders who are not rètarded" list. Why is it that the least intelligent people in Nigeria always end up holding high office?

Sule Lamido's Jigawa is a blue print for Northern development. However, on the airport they have to hussle and raise funds on their own. Build a small place for planes to land.

Am I the only one that saw free land for development in this article? Plus Jigawa has zero corporate taxes hmmm

Gov Sule Lamido is greedy and Self centered

stale gist. tell us something we don't already know about ourselves, next !

this man suffers from verbal diarrhoea.

I agree with Sule Lamido. Nigerians always want leaders who are not like the vast majority of them. We want our leaders to not act and think like the average Nigerian and we always deflect our collective failures on them as if they came from Mars and not from Nigeria. A forthright nation cannot consistently be producing thieves and brigands as leaders since its independence. Our leaders are our mirror. When I look at them, I see the average Nigerian complete with ineptitude and corruption.

Evil Brain:

Why is it that the least intelligent people in Nigeria always end up holding high office?

1. Intelligent people refuse to shove the dullards into a well and take over.
2. It's become a culture - culture of incompetence passed down from the colonists. Their best servants who were of course usually the dullest were well rewarded. This is an instance of negative reinforcement learning. We have learnt to be sycophants knowing that's the essential "quality" that gets you further in the shortest period.

Evil Brain:

Epic post! Kilode?! just made it to the top of my "nairalanders who are not rètarded" list. Why is it that the least intelligent people in Nigeria always end up holding high office?

Thanks bro.

But to address the question. I don't think the most intelligent people make it to political leadership anywhere. What we need to focus on is how to ensure that the law or whatever system we agree on punish the excesses of those who make it to the top.

Personally I have my own theory on why we are where we are and what we need to do to fix this country, and I've posted them several times on NL  Some said it's too radical and not practical. I think Nigeria is in a radical and impractical situation anyway.

The thing we must continue to stress though is that Nigerians are not inherently more corrupt, or greedier than any other group, I totally reject that idea. It's simply not true. Fix the system and majority will fall in line. Human beings are mostly rational actors. Nigerians inclusive.

food for thought,he made some sense,we are not disciplined,we are selfish and are tribalistic and self centered maybe if we conquered our selves we could conquer the world

kako

I agree with Sule Lamido. Nigerians always want leaders who are not like the vast majority of them. We want our leaders to not act and think like the average Nigerian and we always deflect our collective failures on them as if they came from Mars and not from Nigeria. A forthright nation cannot consistently be producing thieves and brigands as leaders since its independence. Our leaders are our mirror. When I look at them, I see the average Nigerian complete with ineptitude and corruption.

yes but count me and family out!!!

not every nigeria is like u!

to build ordinary road na wahala; give me that contarct lets see

these people menhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ANGRY!!

Kilode?!:

I don't think the most intelligent people make it to political leadership anywhere.

By intelligence we are not saying people like Einstein or Isaac Newton should be in the government. Look at Obama for instance. He definitely has above average intelligence. That's all that's needed. But here, what you get is the equivalent of trailer-park trash or hilly-billies ruling.

logica:

We have learnt to be sycophants knowing that's the essential "quality" that gets you further in the shortest period.

Very true. And that is a rational thing to do from the perspective of the selfish individual. Replace sycophancy with corruption or greed it is the same. There is very little negative consequence for those things in Nigeria, at least from the perspective of the corrupt, no incentive to act differently.

It is silly for us to expect a man to stop stealing free Bilions when he knows there is no serious punishment for it even if he's caught, he has immunity.

Even the Christian and Muslim God supplied their business idea with an incentive package for positive acts called Paradise/Aljaanah and consequences for negative acts : Hell Fire

What negative deterrent do we have?

IBB is still enjoying his loot, Alamiesegha  and Bode George are still alive and wealthy, the Cheating taxi driver sees no law and can bribe a corporal if he's reported. So why change? He's human, not stupid

It's a systemic problem, it can only be fixed on a systemic level.

logica:

By intelligence we are not saying people like Einstein or Isaac Newton should be in the government. Look at Obama for instance. He definitely has above average intelligence. That's all that's needed. But here, what you get is the equivalent of trailer-park trash or hilly-billies ruling.

I know and I agree but, I don't think OBJ is dumb, even IBB. But I think they see little consequencies for their actions and inaction. Obama will be silly to touch Public money, especially with the kind of impunity we see here. Here the consequences are not grave at all.

I once saw Jeb Bush( George Bush's brother and former Gov. of Florida)  in an interview with Sandy Crowley of CNN about why he's not running for president. His response;


"I need to secure some financial stability for my family at this stage, that has not happened yet, it's not easy for me to make money in office and I need to think about my family's financial needs" (my paraphrase)

He decided to stick to his private practice and business for now. Right or wrong the message is clear, I want more money but, making money in government is not easy for me.

That was a former Governor of Florida, Son and brother of former US Presidents 

Imagine if he's in this Nigerian system. . .



Edit: I found the interview;

Jeb Bush; I got to be governor for eight years. It took about two years to get it, get the job. So that's a decade out of my life in public service. I enjoyed it immensely. I'm still involved but I really have to stay focused on this goal of achieving some financial independence, financial security for my family.

Scroll to towards the end, he said it more than once. I don't believe he said that because he won't steal with impunity if he has the chance, rather, I believe he's aware of the systemic hindrances and possible consequences, and there's a better way outside government.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/11/14/interview_with_former_president_bush_and_jeb_bush_107955.html

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Kilode?!:

This question about Nigerian greed or whatever is one of my favorite benchmarks for judging a Nigerian public commentator. With this response, Sule Lamido scored very low mark on my scale. I'm not surprised though.

This is a silly argument. There is a reason why human wisdom created the concept of government, organized society, laws and punishment. Edmund Burke put it best in one of my favorite quotes [see below]. it is silly to think individuals will act right and be unselfish in the absence of a properly organized society with well enforced rules and regulations.

Did you create a law to punish him for that? Are you enforcing it?

Do you have a tax code? Are you enforcing it?

Rules and it's enforcement is the job of government and leadership. Not the ordinary man on the street. That was why the wisdom of man created government.

Now this argument brings a kind chicken and egg situation: Which comes first? People or the government system? I'll say it's not important, they are both with us, let those with the power and responsibility -in this case government leaders, do their jobs.

The Taxi Driver that you fail to punish is not the problem. It's rational for him to cheat if there are no consequences. It's irrational for you to expect him not to.

This argument betrays an ideological weakness. Blame those with the power and responsibility to lead and ensure societal order.

It is arrogant and naive to think humans will not act selfishly.


If you drop Japanese people into this Nigerian System, in a short time, majority will act like that driver. Nigerians are not inherently greedier or more selfish than other humans. The system is poorly managed. Opari!


Government is a contrivance on human wisdom to provide for human wants, men have a right that these wants should be provided for by this wisdom -Edmund Burke

Spot on!

You have completely demolished the gov's feeble argument that attempted to shift the blame from the government to the governed, so unconvincingly.

To me, you simply came up as a much better-informed than the governor.

I always find it doubly offensive and grossly insensitive, like adding salt to a man's injury, for a Nigerian politician to blame the ordinary Nigerians, who are like a people inextricably trapped in a huge derelict structure that is gradually but steadily collapsing on them, for what is clearly a case of governmental failure and irresponsibility.

To see a bunch of corrupt politicians oppress and impoverish their people so badly in a country that is so rich is reprehensible enough; and to hear such morally bankrupt politicians blaming the very victims of their corruption makes it even more nauseatingly abhorrent!

Kilode?!:

I know and I agree but, I don't think OBJ is dumb, even IBB.

The utterances of the latter has exposed his supposed "intelligence" as a myth. They are both quite callous and cunning though.

@kilode?!

Are you saying wrong doing is justifiable? Just because government fails to live up to its responsibilities means we should become lawless and flout the national laws?

Sule Lamido is right to say many Nigerians are selfish because they expect their leaders to be god fearing but themselves are not willing to tow the line.

Nigerians who are law abiding are the only ones who are morally justified to criticize their leaders, not the selfish followers and that seems to be what he was hammering on.

LagBlogger:

@kilode?!

Are you saying wrong doing is justifiable? Just because government fails to live up to its responsibilities means we should become lawless and flout the national laws?

Sule Lamido is right to say many Nigerians are selfish because they expect their leaders to be god fearing but themselves are not willing to tow the line.

Nigerians who are law abiding are the only ones who are morally justified to criticize their leaders, not the selfish followers and that seems to be what he was hammering on.

No. I'm not saying it's right to be greedy or selfish and I'm not justifying corruption. Infact this is not an argument about justification it's an argument about human nature. Read it again, the logic is very simple.

We need to understand it. Begin by asking yourself what the purpose of government is, and why did we humans decide to organize ourselves in that way.

Yes, Baba suwe too greedy and he go die of overdose soon!

Like i have said in the past, there is something inherently wrong in a system that throws up clowns like these into positions of leadership.
Men like Sule Lamido should be seen and never heard.
He never makes sense when he talks and leaves you pitying the poor folks of Jigawa.
We must reconstruct our political space such that men who have an idea what governance is about find their way to power and these clowns remain in the circus.

Governor Sule Lamido is an astute politician and a relatively better Governor than most of his colleagues. He should be mindful of the words he uses to describe the people he is supposed to add value to their lives.
In 1993 he abandoned MKO because of sectional reason and supported a dictator. If not that God intervened, he won't be a governor today. A principled politician must defend democracy.
Irrespective of the governors desire and what is stated in the constitution, the country must save for the future. The governors are not generating revenues in their states. They are all 'gloried' beggars who are dependent on monthly allocation from the federation account. No country can be stable economically without diversification of the economy.
Finally the greedy people are the governors and other public officers who are earning unjustified wages. They also loot the treasury and impoverish the people.
Sule Lamido should apologize to his people for abusing them inappropriately.

kinguwem:

Governor Sule Lamido is an astute politician and a relatively better Governor than most of his colleagues.

He is no astute politician. just a glorified clown who is shining because the political space is mired in thick darkness.
In decent societies, the likes of Sule Lamido should be seen and never heard.
He talks utter rubbish every time he opens his mouth.