Children Of Obasanjo

Children Of Obasanjo, Abacha, Babangida Guilty, Pardoned and So

Farouk Martins Aresa

You know, they know and I know that these children of the rich and powerful are guilty as charged, so what are we going to do about it? Nothing, e si oun a se! We say that in my secondary school days in Ondo. It captures all these rigmarole about flexing muscles, power and hot air as if we do not live in Nigeria. As much as we enjoyed Obasanjo v. Atiku Show, we did not get much money back but got some know-how.

It is interesting the way money disappears in Nigeria (disfarahan). Someone kept a good watch on one of Abacha’s loot in a building. The last we heard about it, both the building and the police watchmen vanished and you are asking for the money? What type of question is that, you are told that the Afa was destroyed in a fire and you are asking for his beard? We need to cool off our sanity before we go crazy.

I must say that in some cases, we have heard reports of crowd stoning looters, their fathers in Kano, then Lagos. One of them got trapped in heavy traffic on the sorry road he had allocated money for while in office, a small crowd gathered shouting: Ole, Ole Ole!

These stories can not be true. In Kano, there were reports of Barawo, Barawo, Barawo!

Who are the protectors of their children during the initiations, naming, birthday or loafing ceremonies? As the police, their usual protector, tried to shield them, these ungrateful crowd were throwing stones. If someone serves you well, why would you be throwing stones knowing that someone may get hurt?

Somehow, their children are not bothered. You see, Nigerians are fair minded people. No guilt by association. If we start targeting the beneficiaries of their loot, may be the money will become too hot to pass along. Fear of being stoned with cronies in public may help.

Instead of adorning looters and their beneficiaries; use stones, calls of Onyeosi, Barawo, and Ole each time they stepped into public view, we may be on our way to some of the solutions we think we don’t have. It did not cost us money or sweat, just indignation. If we could not get them to appear at Oputa Panel, they have to appear in public someday.

Everyday we see what is done with the money. These children marry lavishly to whom? They travel out on shopping spree as if they just won a billion and come back in private jets, no guilt. If there is rule of law, go and seize their properties until they give an account of where they got the money from. We are not blind. Some have been caught red handed smuggling hard currencies in presidential planes, dressed as women with big butts full of dollars and big boobs full of pound sterling, yet they walk into Nigeria, land of the free with no questions asked.

The children of the rich, by their deeds, tell us what is ailing Nigeria. We never listen. If we can all go to school with them, get invited to their parties and carry their bags, we will all be as rich. Look at what their fathers have done to some of the richest men in Nigeria. Those who benefited from their grace are now running many of the successful business enterprises in the Country. Each time EFCC tries to mess with them, you will then know the “who and who” of Nigeria appealing for “due process”. After all, they create business and jobs for people. What about those who saved all the loot overseas, we are asked?

In case some of you think those overseas police are honest. Our honest Governors know how to prove their greed and you wrong. So, just to test them, some money had been left in their care. We found out that in many cases they stole out of the loot. You see, those foreign police are crooks too. They stole more money from our looters than Nigerian police who are not as greedy. In many cases, Nigerian police for pittance will help the looters cart billions away, so that they are not attacked in public.

Cowardly, we become informants for foreign police giving them information to prosecute them abroad since we can not do it unhindered at home. If we tried at home, we get warped. We have a friend who was flung so high from Abuja, he landed in Kuru. Fortunately, he did not know what hit him. He knelt down and prayed, thanking his God. He thought he was on a flying magic carpet. It could have been worse.

I hope this jealousy does not kill us. These children do not bother anyone. They are very humble and also respect their elders. Look at how many old men come to their parties. Indeed, the father of one of them claimed they also help their classmates and usually establish legitimate businesses with them. Yet we will not leave them alone. Their only problem according to another father is their names. There are also testimonies that certain magazine appreciates them, noted as Young Billionaires’ club. Poor us, because we can not join them, we started spreading rumors about them. Jealousy will kill some people.

In many civilized countries, these children are worshipped as gods. Take the royal family in England for example or the Kennedy family in the USA not to mention the first Family in Equatorial Guinea. The only difference is that while these civilized countries provide some basic services for their people, Nigerians are not grateful. They destroy all the basic services provided for them. Haven’t you heard about the destruction of oil pipes, burning of Accounts sections in mighty buildings in front of Marina but no water to put it out, and strikes by some Nigerian terrorists?

It is the same Nigerians who want our leaders to pass their accomplishments to the next generation and the leaders are doing exactly that with their loots. We have been to all the witches we can find, all the magicians even those with white skins, red skins and the yellows amongst us. They all tell us the same thing. We have to change our bad habits. Maybe we are trying to say they do not know their job well; as one of my uncles would say. He went to a doctor who told him to stop smoking. He came back home and reported him to my mother. He said he used to respect the doctor because he was highly educated and lettered. Little did he realize that the doctor was a dummy. When he was asked why, he said the doctor told him to stop smoking!

Receivers of stolen properties are just as guilty. We have to make sure that once our money is stolen, they will never find a graceful place to aggrandize themselves. It is getting harder to hide in Europe and America so they are now looking to former communist countries or South America to hide their loot. Fortunately, we have Nigerians in those places too. As we expose them, places they can hide their money decreases. They will start thinking twice. It may not stop them, but a Nigerian who can not find audience or women to spend conspicuously, is not that much of a looter.