TRUE LIES

The events unfolding before our very eyes in the minute are a distinct microcosm of life under the presidency of Jonathan. He has not invented the fine art of corruption (that is as old as humanity), but he has perfected it and taken it to a novel level. Most Nigerians believe Jonathan is the very representation of who should never have smelt power, and most Nigerians may be right. Why bash Jonathan for the misdemeanors of  Stella Oduah? Well, the answer lies in the contrary question: why not bash him? The litany of brazen skulduggeries bears testimony to the delusional tendencies of this long-discredited mistake of a government.

It's a waste of valuable time to list the innumerable instances of graft since this muppet mistakenly became President, but this particular instance of Stella Oduah spending well over a million dollars on two BMW armour-plated cars whilst air travel safety has become almost non-existent, is galling. It is an affront to our decency as a country and people, and an unfortunate confirmation of our lowly placement in the comity of decent countries. In any country of repute, wouldn't the President have asked the erring minister to step aside while investigations are conducted? If no evidence of misdeeds are found, then she'll be free to continue in her role. On the other hand, if incontrovertible evidence of corruption are found, then she should pay the price of losing her job and face the consequences, as prescribed in law, of her duplicitous actions. But not in Jonathan's world.

While not attempting to crucify Stella until all the facts of the case are known, certain known aspects of the purchase of those vehicles are irrefutably scandalous. For a start, the funds were not appropriated as required by law. Secondly, the NSA has confirmed that it has no records of those vehicles in the list of armour-plated vehicles in the country. By law, the NSA has to issue an end-user licence for the procurement of such vehicles. Again, the law has been broken there. Now, even the NCAA now claims it has no documents relating to the purchase of those cars! Not to mention the fact that the purchase price of those cars was grossly inflated. Oduah may claim all these are lies, but I daresay they are true lies until she or any of her collaborators comes up with facts to the contrary. The whole thing stinks and it may turn out to be the proverbial last straw.

Nigerians are wallowing in abject poverty in the midst of plenty. Nigerians are dying in their thousands of curable diseases. Nigerian University students have not seen the inside of a classroom for nigh on five months. Death plucking Nigerians from the air with stupefying regularity. Everything has turned upside down in Jonathandom! Where do we go from here?

The outcome of this particular episode is being keenly awaited by Nigerians, but none should be surprised if it goes the way of the previous ones. We have come to expect nothing sensible or credible or laudable from these murderous looters. Their time is almost up.