L
LequteMan
Guest
I have quoted John F. Kennedy one too many times because of the rarity of quotable quotes from our political leaders in Nigeria. I recall a few from the leaders Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ahmadu Bello, but none from the current generation. It seems they are individuals solely involved in politics so they can make money and plenty of it. All of them are mentally lazy. Many of our legislators have never actually sponsored any legislation, they just rushed to pass 72 legislations in one day in the 7th Congress. Can you believe that? Like Patrick Obahiagbon from Edo, they go to Parliament to share their loot and speak bombastic grammar.
Below, I’ve produced a few of his Parliament statements in “prestissimo,” that is, as quickly as possible.
“The ship of the Nigerian State is hovering on the Bermuda triangle.” ““The political krikum krakum has all the trappings of an odoriferous saga.” “The Biblical Teke teke mene yo fa sin.”
When I was a student in London, I was a regular visitor to the gallery of the House of Commons to hear and learn English in legislative debate. It is a different story in the Nigerian Parliament. I am quoting J.F.K because some Nigerians have criticized Mohammadu Buhari for quoting Shakespeare in his inaugural address. Can you really blame the man for quoting Shakespeare if he cannot readily find a quote from some of our leading politicians? If he quotes from Ahmadu Bello they would accuse him of advancing the Hausa/Fulani agenda. If he quotes Azikiwe, he would be accused of being an Igbo irredentist, and if he quotes Awolowo, the critics would say he has been hoodwinked by the Yorubas!
It is hard to find any leader who can totally please all of Nigeria. Some people said Buhari was a stark illiterate and when he tried to prove them wrong by quoting Shakespeare, they said he should have found or manufactured some quotations from learned Nigerians like Chinua Achebe or Wole Soyinka. Wherever 5 Nigerians are gathered, you may have as many as 10 or 20 opinions. That is just our nature. I see nothing wrong with that in a country close to 200 million people. The observation surely says something about us and our politics.
click here to read more
I rest my case.
Culled from Sahara Reporters
Below, I’ve produced a few of his Parliament statements in “prestissimo,” that is, as quickly as possible.
“The ship of the Nigerian State is hovering on the Bermuda triangle.” ““The political krikum krakum has all the trappings of an odoriferous saga.” “The Biblical Teke teke mene yo fa sin.”
When I was a student in London, I was a regular visitor to the gallery of the House of Commons to hear and learn English in legislative debate. It is a different story in the Nigerian Parliament. I am quoting J.F.K because some Nigerians have criticized Mohammadu Buhari for quoting Shakespeare in his inaugural address. Can you really blame the man for quoting Shakespeare if he cannot readily find a quote from some of our leading politicians? If he quotes from Ahmadu Bello they would accuse him of advancing the Hausa/Fulani agenda. If he quotes Azikiwe, he would be accused of being an Igbo irredentist, and if he quotes Awolowo, the critics would say he has been hoodwinked by the Yorubas!
It is hard to find any leader who can totally please all of Nigeria. Some people said Buhari was a stark illiterate and when he tried to prove them wrong by quoting Shakespeare, they said he should have found or manufactured some quotations from learned Nigerians like Chinua Achebe or Wole Soyinka. Wherever 5 Nigerians are gathered, you may have as many as 10 or 20 opinions. That is just our nature. I see nothing wrong with that in a country close to 200 million people. The observation surely says something about us and our politics.
click here to read more
I rest my case.
Culled from Sahara Reporters
