"Long deferred, the promise of Nigeria shall not continue to remain just a potential. It will soon be redeemed. Our season of renewal has dawned". With these fighting words, President Umaru Yar’Adua of Nigeria promises to wake up from his slumber to start tackling the myriad of problems facing Nigeria. Whether Mister Slowman, the Sloth finally wakes up from his election-fraud induced stupor is a yet to be determined occurrence, which only 2009 will prove; but Icheoku will always keep an eye on him particularly on his promise of democracy-dividend for Nigerians. President Umaru Yar'Adua pledged a renewed pace in governance and accelerated delivery of critical infrastructure to Nigerians in the coming year 2009; adding that many of his outstanding inaugural promises will also be fulfilled. Principal among which are his long anticipated power emergency plan, electoral reform and the oil and gas sector reform. President Umaru Yar'Adua also thanked Nigerians for their patience and
support for his administration to which Icheoku retorts that Nigerians were not patient but were merely confused, waiting to see if death or the Supreme court could put an end to his rudderless presidency. Now that the Supreme court has failed to act and death seem to have taken a hike (Umaru Yar'Adua appears to be recovering), Mr. President will now see the true colours of Nigerians, whose silence he misconstrued for patient and support. Icheoku says, Umaru Yar'Adua, BE PREPARED! Continuing President Umaru Yar'Adua said that the challenges facing Nigerians may seem daunting, but that these problems are not beyond Nigerians as a people. Nigerians inflexible tenacity, their incredible passion for excellence and resilient search for a better future mark them out as a people. They are part of their national heritage to which Icheoku says these can only be said of Southern Nigeria as their Northern counterpart are simply antithesis to all the above nicely encapsulated attributes. According to President Umaru Yar'Adua, this yuletide period is both a time for celebration and reflection; patronising Nigerians further he said that as Nigerians engage in this annual rite of renewal, that he wish them bountiful festive season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Further that as he joins Nigerians in celebrating God‘s wondrous gifts to them as a people and in embracing the New Year with renewed hope, he also joins them in reflection: not just on the past year, but also on his government's responsibilities to Nigerians. To the last limb of this statement, Icheoku says those responsibilities are legion and have been largely ignored; they remain mere hope. A cardinal responsibility of the government which is has almost been forgotten under President Umaru Yar'Adua, is the security of lives and properties of Nigerians which is now nearly non-existent! Hope this gives Mr. President, a head-start!
support for his administration to which Icheoku retorts that Nigerians were not patient but were merely confused, waiting to see if death or the Supreme court could put an end to his rudderless presidency. Now that the Supreme court has failed to act and death seem to have taken a hike (Umaru Yar'Adua appears to be recovering), Mr. President will now see the true colours of Nigerians, whose silence he misconstrued for patient and support. Icheoku says, Umaru Yar'Adua, BE PREPARED! Continuing President Umaru Yar'Adua said that the challenges facing Nigerians may seem daunting, but that these problems are not beyond Nigerians as a people. Nigerians inflexible tenacity, their incredible passion for excellence and resilient search for a better future mark them out as a people. They are part of their national heritage to which Icheoku says these can only be said of Southern Nigeria as their Northern counterpart are simply antithesis to all the above nicely encapsulated attributes. According to President Umaru Yar'Adua, this yuletide period is both a time for celebration and reflection; patronising Nigerians further he said that as Nigerians engage in this annual rite of renewal, that he wish them bountiful festive season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Further that as he joins Nigerians in celebrating God‘s wondrous gifts to them as a people and in embracing the New Year with renewed hope, he also joins them in reflection: not just on the past year, but also on his government's responsibilities to Nigerians. To the last limb of this statement, Icheoku says those responsibilities are legion and have been largely ignored; they remain mere hope. A cardinal responsibility of the government which is has almost been forgotten under President Umaru Yar'Adua, is the security of lives and properties of Nigerians which is now nearly non-existent! Hope this gives Mr. President, a head-start!
Icheoku says that she will be one voluntary watch-dog of President Umaru Yar'Adua 2009 promise to Nigerians. We shall keep him honest! We shall keep an eye on him! Our only regret is that Umaru Yar'Adua did not include a proviso to his 2009 firm offer to fix all that is broken in and about Nigeria. A reasonable and rational being with the chequered health-history of Umaru Yar'Adua would have included in his statement, provided my health improves and allows me to be a functioning president instead of trying to govern from various hospital beds around the world. In any event however, we shall see what changes in 2009 or will it be just another bone thrown to the dogs for distraction. Only time will tell, President Umaru Yar'Adua! Have a happy holidays.