|
How Diaspora-Nigerians Contribute to the Nation’s Stagnation (part 1) By Mr. Sabella Ogbobode Abidde
For almost four decades Nigeria was weighed down by coups. Military coup d’etat is the extrajudicial means through which military officers come to power and assume the instrument of state. Coups may happened for any given reason, but for the most part, they occur due to a combination of two or more adverse factors, i.e. political flux or political vacuum, economic depression, institutional malady, difficult ethnic and or religious rivalry, persistent marginalization, and irrational ego and breakdown of professionalism within the military. Coups may also be triggered by external interests. No matter the coup- trigger factor, the civilians are always part of the planning and execution process. And in most cases, civilians benefit the most from the spoils of such takeovers.
Another phenomenon that has been an excruciating burden on Nigeria is corruption: embezzlement, nepotism, bribery, and fraud. Coups are bad, but corruption and other debaucheries are excruciatingly insidious -- so much so they have been eating away at the nation’s moral and ethical seam. Indeed, corruption in all its manifestations has been tugging at the nation’s porous foundation, and has also contributed to stunting the nation’s growth and development. When we think of corrupt practices, politicians and other public servants comes to mind (as the group that is mostly involved in such practices). We rarely think of Diaspora-Nigerians as being involved in such dissipations. There is extensive evidence to show that some oversea-Nigerians are deeply involved in committing, perpetuating and encouraging corruption. Some later day Nigerians are to corruption what some yesteryear civilians were to coups.
In what ways do Diaspora-Nigerians contribute to the fetid situation? Many: (1) they are the conduit through wish stolen money are banked overseas; (2) they help officials hide other assets; (3) they help in securing real estate and other investment portfolios; (4) they help to arrange prostitute and call girls for visiting officials; (5) they help to buy and ship cars and other luxury items; (6) they supply forged and enabling documents; (7) they provide bogus business plans and proposals and then fail to executive such contracts; (8) they front for foreign and domestic business enterprises with the aim of pocketing ten or more percent of the contract value; (9) they sing the praise of corrupt politicians, and in some cases, help to arrange phony or meaningless “achievement” awards and honorary degrees; and (10) they launch vicious attacks against anyone who criticize their favorites. And indeed, many oversea-Nigerians are on the “payroll” of state or federal government.
Helping public officials to loot and hide illegal bounty is a big business in the US. Aside from prominent 419ers, how many Nigerians do you suppose are living large without visible sources of income? How many Nigerians do you suppose travel to Nigeria and other countries on “business trip” 3-5 times a year? How many Nigerians do you suppose are always welcoming public officials to the US week after week, month after month? These Nigerians have the inside connection to certain government officials. Whatever these officials want, these Nigerians provide. Those in the know know that there are six hotspots for Nigerian officials visiting the United States: New York City; Houston and Dallas; Los Angeles; Atlanta; and the DC/MD/VA area. The aforementioned are the favorite spots for Nigerian politicians; but Las Vegas, Nevada, and Miami, Florida, are also fast becoming a must-see and must-be places, too.
Politicians who call the Niger Delta home seem to favor Atlanta, Houston and New York. For the Bayelsa State contingent, Atlanta, Georgia, is their favorite play ground, their Mecca; it is the place they like to buy real estates, chill out and wind down and consort with shady women. Rare is the Bayelsa State politician who comes to the United State without stopping in Georgia. Here they have easy access to call girls and prostitute and some Ijaw indigenes that are morally and mentally bankrupt. Atlanta was home to the Alamieyeseigha posse. Most of his thugs and errand boys live there. Until a few months ago his chief enforcer, his number one gofer, lived there. I wonder who lives in his (T.O) palatial homes now that he has made his way back to Nigeria to reline his pockets. Goodluck Jonathan also had some of his gofers there, and also had boys in Texas.
Governor Timpre Sam Syla is new on the job, but he seems to have goons in Seattle, Washington, amongst other places. What is so striking is that a whole lot of people are in the race to become Sylva’s chief enforcer. Aside from the big guns from Bayelsa State, where do you suppose current and former public officials keep stolen monies? Those from the western part of the country seem to prefer the United Kingdom, Germany, and Switzerland. Whereas officials from the northern zone seem to prefer places like Saudi Arabia, Dubai and other Middle East countries. And then there is President Yar’Adua: where is he hiding his illegal bounty?
|