MY NIGERIAN MENTORS By Stephen Akuma ( My Best of the Best post of the monh) I get irritated when some corrupt people boast of their stolen funds. If we were in a sane society like China, most of our so called big men would have been beheaded for stealing from the people. I don’t bow down to criminals who loot the people’s money to become the so called “Rich and Influential people”. Any money stolen from the people is blood money! I respect people like Prof. TAM DAVID WEST who during his tenure as Petroleum Minister, we had a daily graph of crude oil production and sell, and the money that accrued from the sell was accountable. I respect late Ken SARO WIWA who gave up everything including his life for a non-violent struggle against environmental degradation caused by oil spillage in Ogoni land. I respect late GANI FAWEHINMI (SAM, SAN) who used his legal sagacity to emancipate the common man. He was imprisoned 32 times for his doggedness. I respect late FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI who used music as a weapon to fight against injustice in the society. I respect late MURTALA MOHAMMED, who Pan-African voice fuelled the fight against apartheid in South Africa and Angola. He led Nigeria with Integrity. I respect Col. ABUBAKAR DANGIWA UMAR who protested and resigned as a Military officer for the enthronement of democracy. He was imprisoned for his insistence that democracy must prevail. I respect SANUSI LAMIDO who stood against vested interest to make a Nigerian Bank to be listed in the 200 most capitalised Banks in the world. I respect late TUNDE IDIAGBON, a disciplinarian who instilled discipline in the running of government business. I respect Cardinal OLUBUNMI OKOGIE, Cardinal JOHN ONAIYEKAN,BISHOP ATHANASIUS USUH and Bishop HASSAN KUKAH who have used the pulpit to promote peace and to speak for the downtrodden in the society. I respect Pastor W. F. KUMUYI whose sermon is centred on repentance and not baseless prosperity preaching which is not backed with a business strategy. We can confidently pick out at random honest people from his congregation. I respect late MUYIDEEN MUSTAPHA OPOBIYI who despite his young age of 23, led the Occupy Nigeria protest in Kwara state and was shot and killed by the Police. His blood forced the government to reduce the pump price of fuel from N141 to N97 per litre. I respect late CHIMA UBANI who died in a car crash in Potiskum, Yobe State on September 21, 2005, during a nationwide sensitisation tour of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to protest fuel price increase. I respect late FESTUS IYAYI who died in a ghastly motor accident caused by a reckless convoy of Kogi State governor IDRIS WADA while on his way to Kano State to attend an ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) NEC meeting to forge a good learning environment for Nigerian Universities. I respect late DELE GIWA who used his pen as a journalist to pioneer courageous investigative journalism in Nigeria. I respect Late MOSES OISAKEDE (Former NANS president) and LIVINGSTONE KWANGA who died in a ghastly motor accident on their way to University of Agriculture Makurdi to plead the case of some expelled union activists. I respect late Sheikh ALBANI who due to his vociferous criticism of Boko Haram, He, his wife and son were brutally murdered. I respect Nigerian Military and Paramilitary men who put their lives on the line to protect Nigerians and our sovereignty. I respect WOLE SOYINKA and late CHINUA ACHEBE for their consistent and uncompromising stand for what is right. I respect EMMANUEL TOR, a cleaner with Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja who found a briefcase containing $160,000 in one of the hotel rooms while doing his duty and returned it to the management. I respect MOHAMMADU BUHARI who has taught Nigerian youths that honesty is the best policy. Who have made us to understand that money is something but money is not everything. He has taught us that a Good name is better than Silver and Gold. IN MY STATE: I respect late Gov. APER AKU and Rev. Fr. MOSES ORSHIO ADASU who demonstrated how good governance can uplift a people. I respect J. S. TARKAA whose fight for Minority rights saw the creation of Benue-Plateau state and old Rivers State. I respect TITUS GYEGWEH (Former Chairman, Gwer-East LGA) who prudently served his people by channelling even his allowances as Chairman for road construction. He left office as a poor man. I respect late Pa JEROME TILE GYADO and late Chief PADOPAS AWUNAH who built cheap and affordable schools (Not Hotels) for children of the poor to attend. I respect Professor IYORWUESE HAGHER, Professor DAVID IORNEM, Professor DAVID KER, Professor DANIEL SAROR, Professor ODE OJOWU, Chief AUDU OGBE and Chief DAVID ATTAH who are using a non-violent approach to the game of politics to pursue their ambition These are some of my Nigerian Mentors. Choose yours today! Mohammed Fawehinmi, Helen Awunah, Gyegweh Matthew-Manbazo Faeren, Luper Daniel Saror, Nneka Aroh, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, Daniel Onjeh
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 10:05:53 +0000
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