Michael Schumacher: Life in the fast lane

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher gives a news conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2011. The German driver was hospitalized December 29 after suffering "severe head trauma" from a ski accident in the French Alps. Here's a look back at his personal and career highlights:
Schumacher is hoisted by his pit crew at the Australian Grand Prix track in Adelaide, Australia, after winning the Formula 1 World Drivers Championship in 1994.  Schumacher holds up the victory trophy, left, and the French Republic President's trophy after winning the French Formula 1 Grand Prix in Magny Cours, France, in 1995.
"There are those who keep out of mischief, and then there are the adventurers," Juan Manuel Fangio, the pioneering legend of Formula One racing, said in the 1990s.

"We racing drivers are adventurers; the more difficult something is, the greater the attraction that comes from it.

"Michael Schumacher is the greatest of the adventurers."

He's not just been an adventurer. He is a man whose image transcends sport, much like Roger Federer, Sachin Tendulkar, Martina Navratilova, Tiger Woods, Pele and Usain Bolt.

The adventurer Schumacher, who suffered a serious head injury in a skiing accident Sunday, is a man for whom winning became an obsession.

He racked up victories, wins and titles -- and then some: five consecutive world championship titles between 2001-2004, 56 race victories in six years between 2000-2006, a total of seven F1 crowns and 91 grand prix wins.

Race car driver fights for his life

Michael Schumacher's condition unchanged

What happened in Schumacher accident?

After claiming his first two titles at Benetton in 1994 and 1995, Schumacher moved to Ferrari where he would go on to bring about a period of domination.

His 72 race victories and five world titles with the "Scuderia" etched his name into F1 folklore and made him the most successful driver in the history of the sport.

His search for perfection translated to recreational activities such as skiing.

"Schumacher wasn't a skier when he joined Ferrari, but by the end he was excellent," British journalist Kevin Garside told CNN. "Each year Ferrari used to have a media week in the Alps in Italy and they would always have a race -- and it was always Schumacher who won."

Few doubted Schumacher's natural talent, but his desire to win at all costs didn't always endear him to the watching world.

Ayrton Senna, the triple world champion who was killed at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, remains revered to this very day, while 1950s hero Fangio -- a five-time F1 champion -- was also hugely popular.

2013′s most notable deaths

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Controversial letter: Obasanjo is as guilty as Jonathan – Bakare

Renowned Pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has faulted former President, Olusegun Obasanjo for leveling some allegations against President Goodluck Jonathan in his (Obasanjo) most controversial letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.
Bakare, while speaking during a church sermon in Lagos, on Sunday, observed that the content of the letter clearly raised similar issues which the former President was equally guilty of during his reign as the President of the country.
Recall that Obasanjo had written an 18-page letter to Jonathan, blaming him (Jonathan) for the present national debacle, and cautioning him against certain policies that could destroy the country.
In his response, Jonathan had in turns upheld his policies, asking the former President to present all proofs that could justify the allegation that he was training about 1, 000 snipers against 2015 election.
Speaking on ‘The parable of letters and the cacophony of voices,’ Bakare wondered why the ex-president could “turn around” to blame Jonathan for any of his actions when Obasanjo “imposed him and Yar’Adua” on the nation.
Bakare further asserted that Obasanjo’s claims in the letter further indicted him (Obasanjo) as he was equally guilty of the same allegations he levelled against President Jonathan.
He said, “Last Sunday, I told you that the President’s (Jonathan) reply was on the way; and expectedly, few hours later, it was already on the airwaves. Well, Obasanjo marshalled his arguments well in his letter. But, that is not the point. The point is how can Obasanjo turn around to accuse Jonathan of wrongdoing when they are both guilty of the same offence?

“Was it not the same Obasanjo that imposed (the late Umaru) Yar’Adua and Jonathan on the PDP and ensured that they emerged winners in the Presidential election? How can the same person be accusing Jonathan of wrongdoing? Besides, Obasanjo’s letter is just about himself; that is, he has written a letter that tells his own story.”

Characters of 2013

These are some of the negative and positive events that shaped 2013 in Nigeria.
Patience Jonathan Ill
In the course of the year, Nigerians albeit from unofficial sources, received the news of a critically ill First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan. The presidency was somewhat worried about the situation, especially the need to manage the information without attracting obnoxious media exposure. First, there was an attempt to cover up and distort the facts of her illness. The first lady’s Media Assistant, Mr. Ayo Osinlu, had denied any such thing and maintained that Mrs. Jonathan was not sick but had gone on vacation.

It wasn't long before it became obvious that the media assistant lied because an online medium, Sahara Reporters, which actually broke the news, gave what many described as convincing revelations on the first lady’s medical trip. It therefore became public knowledge that she had an issue with her health which was said to have deteriorated due to food poisoning. She was flown to a German hospital for treatment.

The whole issue was eventually laid to rest when the first lady arrived Nigeria and declared that she died and woke up after seven days during her illness. She also claimed to having undergone seven surgeries in a month and that the doctors had given up hope on her survival before she came back to life.

Anambra Election
In the year under review, a major governorship election was conducted in Anambra State. The election, which was won by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Willie Obiano, turned out to be the worst outing of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the leadership of Pro. Attahiru Jega.

It is already being trailed by litigation over allegations of electoral malpractices. During the main election and the supplementary exercise, some parties and their candidates lamented the monumental irregularities and called for an outright cancellation of the whole exercise.
Indeed, Jega admitted that the election was marred by irregularities orchestrated by some bad eggs within the electoral body. Convinced that INEC would not yield to its demand that fresh election be conducted, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approached the electoral tribunal to seek cancellation of the election.

New Year's Eve: Ushering in 2014 with edible confetti, drag queen drop

Yes, it's New Year's Eve again, time to bust out the champagne and make resolutions you probably won't keep.

But this year's different. Cities around the world will host some of the most amazing celebrations ever. Edible confetti raining over London? Check. How about 400,000 pyrotechnics exploding over Dubai? Got that, too.

And let's not forget that the new year also means bizarre new laws.

Here's what to look out for in the coming hours:

1. Taste the rainbow

Why have a fireworks show that only looks good? Revelers in London can stick out their tongues during tonight's extravaganza and enjoy banana-flavored confetti that's choreographed to the fireworks. They'll also see floating oranges drifting through the night sky -- pop them to enjoy a citrusy scent!

Food artists Harry Parr and Sam Bompas have been working on the show for an entire year. They've even made sure their edible treats are kosher, vegan and hypoallergenic.

"We developed a special confetti that's actually biodegradable, and in the rain it will magically dissolve," Parr said. "Even better, it tastes amazing."

2. Dubai does it bigger

Not to be outdone, Dubai -- a city obsessed with superlatives -- will attempt a new world record for the biggest fireworks display near the world's tallest building.

The six-minute show will feature 400,000 pyrotechnics over 400 parts of the Dubai shoreline. That's 100 kilometers (62 miles) of waterfront lighting up.

If Dubai pulls this off, it'll blow Kuwait's world record out of the water. That record was set last year, when 77,000 fireworks exploded over 64 minutes.

So if you're going to the Dubai show, don't forget your earplugs.

10,000 carolers respond to girl's wish

Eight-year-old Laney Brown will never see Christmas again. Her doctors say leukemia will take her soon.

Laney loves music. Loves to dance, loves Taylor Swift, loves Christmas carols.

As her dying wishes, she asked to meet the country superstar and for some people to come by her house for a night of caroling

On Friday -- her birthday -- Laney and Swift video chatted through FaceTime, a software application that allows callers to see each other on Apple products.

Saturday night the singers came. At first it was hundreds of people, then thousands. Then it was 10,000.

They came to her home in West Reading, Pennsylvania, and even though she was too weak to go to the window, she heard the wonderful music.

"I can hear you now!!! Love you!" she said through a photo her family posted to a Team Laney Facebook page showing the girl, two thumbs up despite a breathing mask, lying in bed.

Khodorkovsky Next Move

Russian former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has said he will do all he can to free other political prisoners.

At a Berlin news conference, he said he would stay out of politics and that "the struggle for power is not for me".
He said he only found out he was going to Berlin the day he was freed, adding that he would only go back to Russia if he was sure he could leave again.
Khodorkovsky was pardoned and released on Friday, after 10 years in prison for fraud and tax evasion.

Khodorkovsky said he would not be getting involved in politics in Russia. But much of what he said was political in a broader sense than the day-to-day of party politics.
He pointedly said that political prisoners remain in Russia, and that he hoped Western leaders would remember that when they visited President Putin. He said that he hoped the forthcoming Sochi Winter Olympics wouldn't become a "great party for President Putin".
He also said he couldn't go back to Russia because there was no guarantee that he would be allowed to leave again, and that old charges wouldn't be reactivated against him.
It was clear that Khodorkovsky is not putting himself as an alternative in exile to President Putin - but he is not shying away from broader politics either. This is a man who isn't going quietly.

He always insisted that his conviction was politically motivated.

At the time of his arrest he was Russia's richest man. and he used some of his wealth to fund opposition parties.

Khodorkovsky held his news conference at the Berlin Wall museum at Checkpoint Charlie, the former crossing point between East and West Berlin and a symbolic Cold War location.
The BBC's Stephen Evans in Berlin said it is clear that the former prisoner is happy to become a symbol of those who are still imprisoned.

OKOTIE BLESSES SELF

The Pastor of the Household of God Church International, Chris Okotie, recently bought a Rolls Royce Coupe, the 2014 Bespoke Edition, to mark his 30 years as born-again Christian and 27 years as a pastor, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt on Saturday.

According to Okotie’s close aide, the pastor spent N120m on the luxury car and had earlier spent N33m on a Range Rover Autobiography to mark a milestone of his church.

The source, in a text message, said, “Pastor Okotie just bought a Rolls Royce Coupe, 2014 Bespoke Edition at N120m to mark his 30 years as a born-again Christian and 27 years as a pastor. He had earlier bought a Range Rover (Autobiography) 2014 Model for N33m, reputed to be the costliest SUV in the world to mark this ministry’s milestone.”

Checks on the Internet showed that the cheapest price of  same Rolls Royce model is about N65m, but it could be more expensive if armoured.

Fifty-five-year-old Okotie was in the news recently for the controversial comments he made during a church service in which he claimed that “all Catholics will go to hell,” and referred to Pope Francis as anti-Christ.

BAYERN MUNICH ON TOP OF THE WORLD

  

Bayern Munich wrapped up a near-perfect 2013 as Club World Cup champions with a 2-0 victory over Raja Casablanca in Morocco.

The German side added the trophy to a glittering collection after completing a Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League treble in the summer and then adding the European Super Cup - the most successful year in the club's history.

They did the damage early in Marrakech, with Dante opening the scoring after seven minutes before Thiago Alcantara doubled the advantage in the 22nd minute.

Pep Guardiola's side remained in the ascendency and contiunued to pepper Khalid Askri's goal with shots, with Shaqiri the closest to adding to the lead when his 62nd minute effort rattled the crossbar.

Raja Casablanca, surprise finalists after upsetting Atletico Mineiro in the semifinals, had a handful of chances on the counter-attack but never managed to put Bayern under any serious pressure.

It is a third Club World Cup title for Guardiola, twice a winner with Barcelona.

MASS WEDDING:KANO STATE SPENDS N278M TO MARRY OUT 1,111 WOMEN

 

Kano State government has said that it spent a whooping N278. 270 million to facilitate the wedding of 1,111 couples under the fourth phase of its divorcees, widows and spinsters mass marriage programme.

This translates to an average of N250, 468. 046 per couple.
Addressing the couples at a civic reception organized by the state government, Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso stated that the money was used to procure furniture, textile materials, foodstuff as well as provide grants for the brides and other essential items.

Kwankwaaso who described the event as unprecedented in the history of the West African sub-region, further stressed that the marriage programme was initiated to help people strengthen the family institution and halt social crimes in the society, most of which were as a result of erosion of family values.

He maintained that his administration also initiated a special family orientation programme aimed at preventing and minimizing the rising cases of divorce in the state in addition to evolving capacity building programmes especially for women to enable them support their families.
Also during the occasion, the governor signed into law the Street Begging Bill 2013, which prohibited children and adults from begging on the streets and other public places.

The Governor said that violation of the law and other laws against human trafficking would attract stiff penalties.

He, however, pointed out that a special empowerment programme for the physically challenged would be introduced, in order to cushion the effect of the law.

According to him, 2, 205 people with disabilities in the state had been been selected for training that would suit their individual capacities.

I was forced to pay a godfather N10m monthly as Anambra governor –Mbadinuju

INTERVIEW WITH JOHN ALECHENU OF PUNCH NEWSPAPERS
 A former governor of Anambra State, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, speaks about the controversies which dodged his administration, godfathers and the inability of the Peoples Democratic Party to form government in the state since he left office

It was speculated that you were going to be among the governorship aspirants in the last election in Anambra; what happened?

 The main reason why I didn’t pick any form and why I didn’t go into the contest is because already, most of the PDP members in Anambra were my boys, I brought them up. Some of them were my Special Advisers. Others were Special Assistants and Secretary to the State Government or one thing or the other. If I had gone into the contest with such people, the so-called godfathers will back them to try to disgrace me and win the election at all costs. Then,  you would see money bags throwing their weight and money around and I might find myself alone. If I lost, it won’t augur well for me and my supporters. I consulted with my people although I had made up my mind under the circumstances at that time. It was a personal decision; nobody forced me to or not to. After four years in Awka and all the things that followed, I felt I did enough in four years and the circumstances in which I was stopped from going for a second term are now seen to be a mistake by whoever did that, especially the leaders. In fact, it was one leader, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, he was the person  who singlehandedly stopped me. I made up my mind it was not worth it, I have done my best for Anambra and I did not want to contest for governor again. I felt it was better I stay out to offer advice to those who were in the race. I never showed interest. If I did, it would be a different thing. My people in Anambra and the PDP here in Abuja know that I never made a bid for the job in 2013, I never picked the form.

 But you sought for a second term after your first term in office…

(cuts in) It was unjust for former President Obasanjo to disqualify me even after I won the party primaries. Two times, Obasanjo disqualified me, the third time I was winning, Obasanjo sent Senator (Ibrahim) Mantu, he is still alive, to make sure I didn’t enter the hall. This is after he scored me “A” on security and infrastructure. When I delivered a paper on security, Obasanjo and General (Mohammed) Gusau (rtrd) commended me after the entire hall gave me a standing ovation. After Jerry Gana’s national media tour of all the 36 states he went, I received the gold cup for security and welfare; that is the first position. When someone comes first in the most important subject: welfare and security and infrastructure which the former President inspected and scored me “A”, is that a candidate that will fail in an election? If after all these things the then President stopped me from going for a second term, you will know that there is a problem. I didn’t even enter the race for a second term.

We are scarred for life – Children raped by own fathers

It is no ordinary crime. Incest, a distant word to many, claims its victims body and soul  and shatters every sense of normalcy a child who grows up to experience such act is supposed to have. Such is the life of Bola and Tolu, who endured a sexual abuse by their father for two years. But for Susan, who had two children for her father, it is a different kettle of fish as a result of the identity problem her children will have to contend with. KUNLE FALAYI reports

Sexual abuse is one of the greatest crimes that could be committed against a child. The United Nations Convention on Rights of Child and Nigeria’s Child Rights Act give prominence to the protection of a child in the society as a result of this and specifically make case for the importance of the “primary care giver” which is the child’s immediate family.

 But for many children, they are captives in their own family as they are constantly sexually assaulted by their own fathers. For such children, the scar the act leaves in their lives will not likely be erased anytime soon.

‘My children’s father is their grandfather’

The Lagos State Children’s Home at Ipaja Ayobo, like the one at Idi Araba, houses children whose complicated fates had brought them together to live as family.

It was their end-of-year social event; a period of merry-making and lots of singing and dancing.

In the crowd of hyperactive former victims of different forms of abuses in this home, was Susan (not real name). Smiles smoothed away the creases on the face of the fair, good-looking young lady as she was busy dishing out food, washing plates and helping her younger friends and co-residents of the home.

But few will wish upon themselves the unfortunate fate that brought this young lady to the home. She was no longer a child. But leaving the home was not that simple.

Susan was 17 years old in 2011. By that time, she already had two children for her father, Egbuna, a pastor of a church in Igando, Lagos, who is in his 50s. The Enugu State born father is currently awaiting judgment before the Family Court, Ikeja.

Susan, now 19, is one whose story many would hear and cry out the word, ‘abomination!’

She was rescued by the Esther Child Rights Foundation in 2011 after a group of women in the neighbourhood made a report.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 50 UNANSWERED QUESTIONS FOR NGOZI OKONJO IWEALA

On Thursday, December 19, 2013 the Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, appeared before the House of Representatives Finance Committee, headed by Dr.Abdulmumin Jibrin, after she presented the 2014 budget to both chambers of the National Assembly. She was presented with 50 questions on the economy to answer. After explaining that her health was not sound, the committee chairman gave her two weeks to answer the questions in writing. She, however, explained that she could cope but the chairman insisted she should go and take care of her health.

Below are the 50 questions:
1. What should you consider as the major economic achievements of this government in the 2013 fiscal year and why? In your explanation, we will need facts and figures in demonstrating such achievements.
2. You have been credited with many announcements regarding Nigeria’s economy as one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. If the economy is one of the fast growing economies, what is exactly growing the economy? What role does government play in the said economic growth, especially given that as high as 80 percent of the country’s total annual budget spending still goes into recurrent expenditure?
3. Since your arrival as minister of finance in 2011, you have publicly announced the need to reduce the recurrent expenditure so that more money would be made available to capital spending which is critical to growing and diversifying the country’s economy. How far has government succeeded in making these necessary cuts; and where exactly have these cuts been made in this effort to reduce recurrent expenditure? In other words, based on real amount spent on capital expenditure, how much reduction was made in 2011 against 2010, in 2012 against 2011 and in 2013 against 2012?
4. You are known to be celebrating a single-digit GDP growth. But speaking recently at a breakfast dialogue with some members of the organized private sector in Lagos, organized by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), you were quoted as saying: “We are growing, but not creating enough jobs. That is a very big challenge…We need to grow faster. I think it needs to grow at least 9 to 10 percent to drive job growth the way we want.” Don’t you agree that a good finance minister managing an economy like ours should be celebrating a GDP growth as high as 20 percent annually? Why is it that our economy cannot grow beyond a single digit? How many jobs are being created as a result of these said growths? In which sectors of the economy are these jobs created? If in private sector, what contributions is government making to further assist these private sector firms?
5. In the presence of Nigeria’s huge infrastructure deficit, why is it that the country’s debt-to-GDP at about 19 percent in 2012 remains one of the lowest in the world when compared to nations already with world-class infrastructure and industrial economies such as America’s 105 percent, Brazil’s 65.49 percent, India’s 67.60 percent, and South Africa’s 40.9 percent?
6. Since facts don’t lie, have you any disagreements with the September 4, 2013 Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum for 2013-2014, which ranked Nigeria 120th out of 148 countries ranked in the Global Competitiveness Index, including being ranked far behind some African countries such as Mauritius 45th, South Africa 53rd, and Kenya 96th?
7. ‘’For the first time in Nigeria’s 53rd year history, we have successfully privatized the electric power industry,” so said the President at a recent meeting in London with some foreign investors. As minister of finance should you agree that the recent privatization of the country’s power infrastructure is worth celebrating as a major economic achievement in 2013, when in reality there is little or nothing to show as an improvement in the country power supply? Also why our rush to wholesale privatization of the power sector when countries like South Africa, generating as high as 42,000MW still have their power sector mostly in public hands?
8. What was your reaction to the November 12, 2013 statement credited to the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly, who said that over 100 million Nigerians are today living in absolute destitution, representing an unheard-of 8.33 percent of the world’s total number of people living in destitution?
9. Nigerians are increasingly perplexed that these days nothing happens without government borrowing. And for most Nigerians, it is frightening how those managing the economy are just dragging us into excessively unproductive debts. More worrisome is the fact that every effort is being made to hide the details of the country’s debt stock from Nigerians. Where are the facts that the country’s current high rate of borrowing is productive, let alone have the ability to be repaid without having to resort to more borrowings?

BOLA IGE:TWELVE YEARS AFTER

On Monday, it will be 12 years since former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige, was murdered in cold blood. Omololu Ogunmade and Chiemelie Ezeobi revisit the intrigues that characterised the investigation into his murder, trial of suspects, and recall how the clamour to bring the killers to justice has remained unfruitful

It’s twelve years since the brutal murder of Chief Bola Ige, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice in the administration of the then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Chief Ige was cut down in his Bodija, Ibadan home on December 23, 2001 at the age of 71. His was one of such high profile killings that shook the nation.

Sadly, twelve years after his assassination, the long wait for the unmasking of his killers is obviously not coming to an end anytime soon as no new leads have been uncovered.

Initial arrests and the twists

The greatest puzzle of Ige’s murder is that more than a decade after his assassination, there is no clue about who killed him. The initial attempt to unravel Ige’s killers remained one of the most controversial issues in Nigeria’s history. Twenty four hours after the murder, the Federal Government, in which Ige served, ordered the then Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, to immediately fish out his killers. That order resulted in the declaration of one Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, nicknamed Fryo, wanted. He was described as the prime suspect by the police. At the height of the manhunt for Fryo in 2002, he reportedly gave himself up as he allegedly walked into the chamber of a Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Fetus Keyamo, where he was said to have confessed that he was contacted for the murder of Ige, but added that he was not the one who eventually pulled the trigger.

In his confession, Fryo alleged that the then Deputy Governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, contacted him for the job.
Eventually, the trial of Fryo began. But shortly after his confession which calmed the tension created by the death of Ige, Fryo retracted the confession, sending a shock wave across the polity. This fuelled beliefs that certain powerful forces were behind the killing and they would do everything within their reach to frustrate moves to unravel the truth.

While the country was still hurt by the denial of Fryo’s earlier confession, Keyamo’s younger brother, Lucky, brought another twist into the saga, when he alleged that the confession made by Fryo was doctored by Keyamo in his unquenchable search for popularity. It was in the midst of the ridiculous confusion over the trial of suspects in the saga, that Ige’s wife, Justice Atinuke, died. Her death was believed to have been caused by the inconsistencies that characterised the confessions of the suspect undergoing trial.

While the drama unfolded, Omisore was impeached by Osun State House of Assembly. Less than 24 hours after his impeachment, he was arrested by the police and expectedly, his trial began. Interestingly, Omisore was still in prison custody, when he was declared the winner of Osun East senatorial district election in April 2003. Although the judge initially handling the prosecution of Omisore had stated that he had a case to answer, he was eventually discharged and acquitted at the end of the trial, when another judge proclaimed that evidence against him were mainly circumstantial.

Also, the lead prosecution counsel, Chief Debo Akande (SAN), whose withdrawal from the case was announced by the Oyo State government, proceeded on a trip to London where he died in a hospital. In the heat of the trial, Justice Olagoke Ige who was the first judge to handle the case abandoned it over alleged threats to his life. Consequently, Justice Moshood Abass took over the case. But by the time the trial ended, all the accused were set free, leaving the family of Ige to contend with the agony of perceived injustice.

But there was another twist in the efforts to unravel the killers of Ige. The then Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, declared the case file of Ige’s murder closed. But his successor, Mike Okiro, later debunked reports that the file had been closed. Former President Obasanjo even added another angle to the Ige murder saga when he said the former Attorney General may have been killed by a drug baron. The former president’s expression enraged Ige’s family, to such an extent that his first daughter, Mrs. Funsho Adegbola, alleged that Obasanjo made that statement because he was being haunted by the ghost of her father.

Having lost hope in the probe into his death, Ige’s family announced its withdrawal from the trial, alleging a plot to frustrate efforts to bring his killers to justice. The family said it was evident that justice would never come its way from the way the matter was being handled and that it took consolation in the fact that God’s judgment which could not be manipulated, would come one day.

Obasanjo, Jonathan and Nigeria

 
In the last one week, Nigerians have been talking about a certain letter written to President Goodluck Jonathan by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and there is hardly anybody who is neutral on the issue. That is expected. Aside having ruled the country twice (both as a military man and as a civilian), Obasanjo commands considerable international clout. If such a man says the current president of his country is hiring killers just to stay in office and that corruption has reached the level of impunity, one can only imagine the kind of damaging reports ambassadors in Nigeria have been sending to their home countries in the last couple of days.

However, what I find difficult to understand is why President Jonathan allowed Obasanjo to get him so cheap. The former president hinted very clearly, even from the first line, that what he was sending was not a personal letter but a front-page column in newspapers. In that case, what I expected was for the president to have crafted his own immediate (but equally brutal) response and then get his office to leak the two to the media at the same time. By allowing Obasanjo to out-snooker him, the president has lost the advantage and any response he gives now can only be deemed as an afterthought.