The story of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, who, until last week, was singing the praises of the power brokers in the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he recently warehoused himself, and now plans to return to his vomit, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is neither new nor shocking.
Oguwike
Nwachuku
Like many Nigerian politicians, Fani-Kayode is acting true to type.
I do not like to comment on the way he does certain things. While many people, including yours sincerely, think he is loud, he sees himself as mister know-all and delights in abusing those who disagree with his logic.
No online commenter on his recent visit to President Goodluck Jonathan in Aso Rock has a kind word for the former aviation and culture minister who was also adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
On his status in the APC during his short sojourn, a party spokesman said: “He was simply, floating and going about making comments to curry the favour of the leadership of the APC and nobody reckoned with his presence and that explains why there was no form of reception accorded him.”
The first time I commented on Fani-Kayode was last year when he set out to malign the Igbo race in a write up where he gloated over allegedly sleeping with prominent Igbo ladies.
I observed then that he was fighting a huge battle of survival to free himself from the mess that characterised his job in government, for which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) wants to jail him.
The battle has got to the critical level where he seeks help from anywhere or everywhere. He wanted help from the APC but did not know how to go about it. He got stranded. What option was left for him? Return to his vomit? And he did.
Go and beg, like the Biblical prodigal son. After all, the PDP is a familiar zone. But did he tell reporters the truth about what he actually told Jonathan? The answer is no.
Those who arranged the meeting with the President told him to go and beg and that was what he did. I hear Jonathan has forgiven him over all the uncomplimentary remarks he made about him and the PDP, but will Fani-Kayode’s mouth not lead him into another trouble soon?
Again, will the answer Jonathan gave Fani-Kayode stop the EFCC from prosecuting him? We are waiting.
Debased in a rebased economy
It is cheery news that Nigeria’s economy has dwarfed that of South Africa, courtesy of rebasing the economy. For many years, Nigeria has been looking for an opportunity to put itself on a pedestal above South Africa.
It came last week with the report that Nigeria is now the 26th largest economy in the world, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) hitting $510 billion from $285.56 billion, and that of South Africa staying at $384.3 billion.
I am not an expert in economic matters, but I understand the basics. I live here and I know what the average Nigerian goes through trying to survive under this same economy the authorities say is booming.
If you consider the alarming rate of unemployment, decay in infrastructure, a lack of electricity, widespread corruption in high places, poor governance, insecurity, among others, you will understand why I said my knowledge of elementary economics is still intact.
I am not aware that most Nigerians now have three square meals a day or are able to solve minor family financial problems.
It may be convenient for the Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to say the government recognises the challenges staring Nigerians in the face.
But the government has made too much noise about a so-called rebased economy, underlining it as one of its landmark achievements without a thought on how bad leadership has debased Nigerians in a country full of human and natural resources.
Is it not this okada or keke Marwa (tricycle taxi) and generator economy that we are talking about here? What a shame!
I prefer our county’s economy to be stronger than that of South Africa or even better than that of any other economy in the world, but the reality on the ground can cause a still birth.
The chief economist of the South Africa-based Efficient Group, Dawie Roodt, said: “In terms of infrastructure and strong monitoring systems, South Africa is still giant miles ahead of Nigeria.”
I doubt if any government official has challenged his views. Meaning, we are only contented mouthing that our economy is stronger than that of South Africa. May God save us from politicians.
Lagos contractors
Lagosians, nay Nigerians, are simply too tolerant. What Lagos residents have gone through in the past few years at the hands of contractors who fix roads is hard to fathom.
Roads repairs are handled as if part of the terms of contract is to punish the people. It does not matter to the government and the contractors that some of the roads, particularly the ones in Ogba and its environs, are less than five kilometres long.
Some are about 200 metres, yet the work has been going on since the administration of former Governor Bola Tinubu.
If the contractors are Nigerians they should be ashamed of themselves. If they are expatriates, I doubt if they can be trusted with jobs in their home country, because there, short distance road repairs are done at night before heavy traffic during the day.
Governor Babatunde Fashola, please note that Lagosians see hell at the hands of road contractors and remind them that they are not doing the residents a favour.