NUHU RIBADU, VICTIM OF A VERY CORRUPT NIGERIAN SOCIETY!

Ordinarily, Icheokudotcom would not care a hoot to spend a minute on this Olusegun Obasanjo's hatchet-man. Some school of thought are even saying that Mallam Nuhu Ribadau deserves all that is being thrown at him as he is being made to taste his own brew. Payment in kind that is? Remember the EFCC under Ribadu and how everyone that disagreed with Olusegun Obasanjo were hounded down with one charge of corrupt practice after another; while at the same time he, Ribadu was proclaiming Olusegun Obasanjo and all that were loyal to him innocent of all allegations. In some cases he even went out of his way to declare them innocent of all allegations without investigating them. Sometimes he made concerted effort to shut down substantive allegations of apparent corruption against members of Olusegun Obasanjo's inner circle. Today, there has been an about turn and the yesterday's hit-man is today's hounded racoon. Turning of tide, may be, but which Nigerian understands the fleeting nature of power? None!

Anyway, Icheokudotcom is not here to act as defense attorney for Nuhu Ribadu as we could care-less if he jumps off the bridge or puts a bullet through his own brain. Yes, we are here only to comment on the difficulty of fighting corruption in Nigeria and using Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as a test-case. Nigeria is a land where virtually everyone is corrupt, criminals waiting for opportunity and time to strike, land of election riggers, 419 practitioners and everything despicable. Yes, we say this emphantically and with factual empirical bases to back our assertion. For a little illustration, a former head of the Nigerian Police Force, Inspector General Tarfa Balogun (right) was lead away in handcuffs for corruption. Every past heads of state and government in Nigeria stole so much money from the coffers of Nigeria, that today's dilpadidated condition of all the infrastructures in Nigeria attests to this brigandage, otherwise the over three (3) trillion dollars that accrued to Nigeria since 1970 would have been evident on the ground in Nigeria. (Check out United Arab Emirates and see a government that is truly patriotic and loves her citizens and country). No, there is nothing much to show for it while their overseas bank accounts are bursting and some even own private jets and homes all over the world. Corruption is pandemic and has eaten so deep intoo the body-fabric of the Nigerian society that it has become hopeless, fighting it. Nuhu Ribadu tried to fight corruption in Nigeria but was stopped cold in his tracks by a very corrupt government of Umaru Yar'Adua, whose legitimacy is still subject to litigation in the highest court of the land, the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Now he is being punished for trying by the Umaru Yar'Adua government which is very corrupt. Umaru Yar'Adua collluded with Olusegun Obasanjo to covet the Nigerian presidency and ever since he got to Aso Rock, has been sleeping on his sick bed while he is suppposed to be on duty. Also his promise of the return to rule of law in Nigeria has since been compromised and it has been the arrest and detention of one journalist after another, one blogger after another, one television house being shut down after another and now an attempt to kill-off Mallam Nuhu Ribadau for daring to fight corruption in Nigeria.

His vice president Goodluck Jonathan is equally corrupt as no decent man ever makes it to the top through the highly corrupt, shark-infested waters of Nigerian politics. The Senate President David Mark is corrupt and as the then Minister of Communications under Ibrahim Babangida, stole to his greedy heart's delight acquiring a $33 million dollars golf course in Ireland. Mention the speaker of the House of Representatives, Oladimeji Bankole and the ongoing 2.3 billion naira cars scandal readily comes to mind; and he is still presiding over a house which has been alleged to be populated by criminal 419 practitioners. The current head of the police, Inspector General Mike Okilo has yet to prosecute his former boss, the former IG Ehindero who stole over 23 million naira police fund. When you factor in the spiralling out of control armed robbery and other related crimes/vices in Nigeria, without any sign of abatement, then one is forced to concluded that the Nigerian police force is in bed with Nigerian criminal master-minds. The Attorney General, Aandooka's very close relationship with former governor Ibori of Delta State as well as other plainly corrupt former governors is highly instructive as to the lack of appertite to fight corruption in Nigeria. Now the only serious person ever to look directly in the eye of corruption and call it by its name, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is being haunted out of this life. Nigeria it shall not be well with you as no person in the future, knowing the travails currently being underwent by Nuhu Ribadu, will agree to do any serious job, fighting the monster of corruption in Nigeria. Nuhu Ribadu is being made a mockery of just for being brave enough to dare to step unto the toes of some very highly placed and grossly corrupt "sacred-cows" of Nigeria.

The latest incident of humilating Nuhu Ribadu by dragging him out of his commencement venue, says so much about a cabal desperate to take their pound of flesh. This former anti-corruption chief was physically stopped from participating in his graduating ceremony by Umaru YarAdua' thugs, who dragged him out of the hall of his graduation ceremonies. Nuhu Ribadu was dragged out from the Unity Hall of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, where he was seated with his other collegues, waiting to be conferred with the Member of the National Institute (mni). The institute unashamedly, explained that Nuhu Ribadu was too sick to attend the commencement ceremony which Icheokudotcom rebuts and asks, why drag a sickman, who has "recovered" enough to attend his own commencement ceremony, out of the hall? Reacting to this Nuhu Ribadu's latest ordeal in the hands of Umaru Yar'Adua's jackboots, Gani Fawehinmi said that Nuhu Ribadu's travails under the Yar'Adua administration shows that Umaru Yaradua's government has the tendencies of fascism and its profession for the rule of law is a smokescreen and hypocrisy of the worst order.

One other member of Nuhu Ribadu's graduating class who was not allowed to graduate is Mr. Allen Deinbo Briggs. He was accused of stealing a digital camera belonging to one of the course participants while on study-tour in China. Icheokudotcom says, what a country, where a high-up, selected for such a state's policy course, is stealing an ordinary digital camera in far away China? What will happen tomorrow when such a deviant is appointed into an office of trust? Looting unlimited and you ask yourself why Nigeria is still crawling at a perpetual snail speed? It is because the caliber of men and women as this Mr. Allen Briggs are appointed and put in charge of key fiduciary institutions in Nigeria. Instead of making an effort to effect the fortunes of Nigerians, they are busy crafting plans to loot the country's resources and the treasury dry. According to the story, this Mr. Allen Briggs has a very poor mediocre record akin to a rap sheet that was bursting at the seams, at the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies where he was working as a Senior Fellow; which led to vociferous protest when he was nominated for the institute's course 30. However being from the same Niger Delta area as the vice president, Jonathan Goodluck, whose office is in charge of the institute, Mr Allen Briggs' way was forcibly cleared for participation in the course 30. The feud generated so much heat that a former acting director general of the Insitute, Yakubu Sankey, lost his job for protesting vehemently against Mr. Allen Briggs unmerited inclusion im the course 30. However, Mr. Allen Briggs went on a course organized tour to China and stole a mere $45 dollar digital camera, culminating to his final denial of graduation.

Icheokudotcom says such sordid story is only possible in a country like Nigeria where a sitting vice president meddles in departmental decisions, twisting and breaking arms as to who goes or participates in a course at an institute. It is only in Nigeria, the land of anything goes where it is ok for dog to eat dog! Even you Vice President Jonathan Goodluck could insert yourself into the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies internal decisions to influence a decision and effect an outcome based on your primodal, parochial ethnic concerns? Little wonder your meteroric rise in Nigerian politics - you play it real down and dirty and if it means ganging up with Olusegun Obasanjo to frame your former boss, DSP Alamieyeseigha, so be it provided you get what you want! Icheokudotcom has always read your unusually quiet demeanour as a cold-calculating, take no prisoner demeanour of ruthless hit-man. Who is now disgraced by your candidate's petty theft? Until you vagabonds in power in Nigeria learn how not to micro-manage every aspect of life in Nigeria, that country can never truly articulate a way forward out of its stagnation.

Icheokudotcom says, Enough of this stupidity! The whole world is watching the macabre dance of corruption and ongoing vindictiveness against Nuhu Ribadu because he dared to fight corruption in Nigeria; as there is no other acceptable reason for his present ordeals. Even the snake Olusegun Obasanjo, whom Nuhu Ribadu dutifully served, has scurried away in hiding and will not come to the defense and/or protection of his former enforcer Nuhu Ribadu, at this his hour of great travails. Finally, irrespective of the subterfuge used by the Umaru Yar'Adua's government for Nuhu Ribadu's current pains, Icheokudotcom says it does not augur well for the image of Nigeria - a country so enmeshed in courruption they will rather hang out to dry anyone who attempts to clean the augean stable of corruption in Nigeria.

Nigerian authorities, please leave Nuhu Ribadu alone, as your continuous persecution of this former anti-corruption czar only attests to your unwillingness to eradicate corruption in Nigeria. The entire world is watching you as you dance naked in the world village-square thinking that you are getting at Nuhu Ribadu by humilitaing him. Two wrongs does not make a right and tomorrow, it might be your own turn to be so humiliated. Remember it was not too long ago that the name Nuhu Ribadu spelt terror in Nigeria especially to those considered anti-Olusegun Obasanjo, so why do you think you will last forever in power? Umaru Yar'Adua, please apply whatever retribution you may have on Nuhu Ribadu with caution - it does not bode well for the image of Nigeria or what do you care; afterall you are sitting very tight in the presidency knowing fully well that you did not earn or win it! Shameless mallam from goddam Katsina State!