Back to the grind

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A very happy new year to everyone. I just got back to work yesterday and immediately got swamped. It's back to the grind for me. Some lucky devils took the whole week off and will be resuming next week. This has lightened the mad traffic on Lagos roads. You can actually drive to most places within 30 minutes. Why can't it always be like this. I wonder what everyone is doing in Lagos. What am I doing here you ask? Earning a living! However, if you really want to live and not just exist, Abuja is the place to be. Also, I had to move house over the holiday so it was sort of a stressful period for me.

I'm really looking forward to the elections this year as this will mark a turning point in our nations history. I got a text message from KORO 2007 campaign organisation. I haven't seen a single poster for Musiliu Obanikoro. Meanwhile I can't get enough of Babatunde Fashola's campaign song, "Baba ni Governor". If anything else he deserves to win for his catchy campaign tune! Anyways, more on the Lagos State gubernatorial race later. Got to run for a meeting.

Happy New Year!

PS: Stumbled on this interesting article
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/chris-ngwodo/why-nigeria-is-not-yet-a-democracy.html

Goodnight and goodluck

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The last couple of days have been interesting. First of all, my wife set me up by getting a very senior person in my company to call me and tell me that I had to have an urgent meeting. I was worried that I had done something wrong. Turns out she planned a surprise dinner and wanted to get me out of the house. God bless wives for their ingenuity! And mine for always thinking about our happiness. Second, one Umar Yar'adua has emerged as the ruling PDP flag bearer. He is to be assisted by one Goodluck Jonathan. All of this so that the PDP can continue to rule Nigeria through a shadow government known as the PDP board of trustees. Is this what we have been reduced to? I would have offered the consolation that the opposition parties will form a coalition and field a consensus candidate. But no, selfish ambition and chop I chop politics won't let the AC and ANPP choose between Atiku Abubakar and Muhammadu Buhari.

Let's even assume that both parties decide to field separate candidates. We are left with the choice of Yar'adua, Buhari and Atiku. We are really spoilt for choice this time around. What exactly is the PDP's plan? And what will become of the opposition parties. Vibrant politics requires strong opposition parties to keep the ruling party in check. And unlike the past when politicians could leave the PDP and still remain relevant, there is nothing to leave to again...

While I feel comfortable with Yar'adua because of his integrity and prudence, I can't seem to articulate his vision for Nigeria. Granted that corruption is a major problem in Nigeria, lack of visionary leadership is also a problem. Can this man rise to the occasion and continue what Chief Olusegun Obasanjo started? Can he break the mold and recast a new vision for Nigeria or will it continue to be business as usual like a dog chasing its tail?! Like I keep saying, we need something different and we need it now!

I'm not indispensable

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I'm still feeling a bit groggy from all the drugs I pumped into my frail body over the last couple of days. While I was away, a lot of the work got done and the fact that some things didn't get done didn't bring the office to a complete standstill. I missed out on the news but this morning heard that one Mr. Yar'Adua has been tipped to win the PDP Presidential primaries. I'll have to read all the news analyses to form an opinion on this.

While lying down on my bed this morning, I got a call calling for an urgent meeting from someone unexpected. I'll know if the call means I've been given a triple promotion or something of the sort by tomorrow. Just a couple of weeks ago I went to visit a friend who has been ill for the last five months. I was still feeling bad about seeing her so emaciated that I came to the conclusion that you can't do anything to guarantee your good health. Besides, if you die today the earth will not stop spinning. I guess someone should have told the third termists this fact before tried to convince us otherwise. A smart friend of mine told me that Nigerians will regret not allowing Baba run for a third term. This is the same ideology that some people are indispensable. I'm not indispensable and neither is any Nigerian. Let's reflect on this as we choose our leaders.

Africa and malaria

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I'm just recovering from a breakdown so I haven't been able to post to my blog in some days. I was down with Malaria or so it seems. I also had a stress induced migraine. I'm going to be taking it easy over the next couple of days so I enter the new year in good health. God has been telling me to relax but I foolishly believed my body was made of highly tempered steel. My advice to all of you out there, get some well deserved R & R this season. The planet will function with or without you so don't start to feel indispensable.