ATIKU ABUBAKAR, A PRE-EMINENT BANK-DEBTOR?

It is not surprising that Alhaji Abubakar Atiku was among the leeches of Nigeria, who are seating on billions of Naira, unpaid Nigerian banks assets. According to a Central Bank of Nigeria's released report, the former vice-president and now, turned political charlatan, Atiku Abubakar is among those Nigerians who took out various bank loans which they did not intend or planned to pay back? Bank-debtor, Atiku Abubakar owes the sum of 111 million Naira ($730,000 or £450,000) to the banks; and until he pays back this outstanding debt with its accrued interest in full, to the creditor banks, Atiku remains a debtor extra-ordinaire! For trying to hold up a Nigerian bank and refusing to pay back his loan obligation, Icheoku hereby declares Atiku Abubakar a 'debit-daddy emeritus' of Nigerian banks!

It is not surprising at all that Atiku made the bank-debtor list; what is indeed surprising is the name missing on the final published list of politicians and businessmen, behaving badly and using Nigeria's money to feed their gluttonous greed. They have the access and the connection and the power, and they corruptly took advantage of it; enriched themselves by pressuring bank executives into making-out loans they did not intend or plan to pay back; and without properly securing it with adequate collateral. The ways and means of Nigerian men of power; which, were it a civilized, functioning society would have found them wanting, rounded up and put on trial for corruption and abuse of office?

Top on the list of missing person on the bank-debtor list is former Atiku's boss, Matthew Okikiolakan Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo! He had previously admitted obtaining various bank loans with which he turned around his hitherto moribund 'Obasanjo's Farms'; from a near-bankrupt company with net worth of just about 20,000 Naira in 1999 into the multi billion Naira conglomerate it is today? Icheoku will like to know whether Olusegun Obasanjo has amortised the various debts he owes to some banks; and if yes, how he sourced the money within such a short period of leaving office? Except of course they were proceeds of corruption, which his government, reputedly took to a dizzying heights, becoming 'corruption-incarnate' in the process. So, the news would have been that Olusegun Obasanjo owes banks 100 billion Naira and not that Atiku Abubakar is owing a "misery" 111 million Naira?

Atiku Abubakar was a very corrupt vice president serving alongside an also, very corrupt then president Olusegun Obasanjo. When Gbenga Obasanjo tried to warn Nigerians that Atiku was pawning off Nigerian assets to himself for a pittance, nobody believed he was telling the truth due to the problem existing between his father, the then president Olusegun Obasanjo and his then vice president Abubakar Atiku. Icheoku is not particularly shocked at the amount being owed and outstanding, and by the same man who wanted to rule Nigeria at any and all cost possible? Thanks to the dogged stubbornness and determination of Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo who insisted that 'the Atiku he know cannot, must not and should not be allowed to rule Nigeria because he is very corrupt and might appropriate the entire nation to himself, given the opportunity?' Icheoku usually do not agree with Olusegun Obasanjo, but in this case, says, may be the medicine man of Otta was right in stopping Atiku at the door to Aso Rock!

Therefore Icheoku demands that CBN and EFCC come clean on this man, Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo; and let Nigerians know what kind of person he really is that would visit such magnitude of mayhem on the people of Nigeria? Whether he is also a bank debtor or so corruptly enriched himself that he had no need of any bank loans would have made a better headlines? Icheoku says, if according to reports, this marks the end of the forensic audit of Nigeria's 24 banks and financial institutions; then that would imply that Olusegun Obasanjo is debt-free? It must then be a magic or the end has not been conclusively and thoroughly reached; except President Umaru Yar'Adua is protecting his benefactor! The good news however and which will keep hope alive that possibly Olusegun basanjo will be held accoutable is that the debts to WemaBank, have not been revealed. May be then and only then will Icheoku comment again on this ugly episode of the mess called 'Nigeria financial scandal of the century.'

It is our position that if ever Olusegun Obasanjo comes out of this Nigerian banks scandalous saga, clean like a wind-driven snow, then something must definitely be wrong somewhere; and we shall stand bemused and so will even his most lenient critic. Given that behind every stupendous wealth, there is always a crime; Icheoku says, these billionaires feeding fat on bank money should not be allowed to continue to enjoy the proceeds of their "bank-fraud!" They should pony it up or be locked up; and their assets confiscated and auctioned off, to pay for whatever balance they may still owe with accrued interest, where they fail to pay up as demanded. As a last resort, they should be made to face arrest and trial for their activities? This is the proper thing to do and now is the time to do it; with the fearless prince of Kano still at the helm at the Central Bank of Nigeria. Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Icheoku appreciates your bravery, taking on these greedy vultures of Nigeria who have been feasting and leeching-off a drowsy sleepy Nigeria and for too long! Kudos to SLS!

FYI:- President Umaru Yar'Adua should consider firing his Culture Minister, Adetokunbo Kayode, for bringing odium to his government; being one of these defaulting debtors implicated; and who refused to meet up and pay back their outstanding loan obligations to these banks.