Re: The Minister For Information, Frankly Speaking To Frank

By

Prince Charles Dickson

Jos, Plateau Nigeria

 

Dear Frank

 

With compliments, this is about the first of such letter to a personality in government or governance. My reason why, I do not indulge in such is that most of you hardly read opinions, views, of perspectives of your fellow Nigerians home and broad. This is even one of the reason I find it amusing that you are responding to The New York Times – how many times have you responded to Nigeria Village Square, Gamji, Elendureports, Sahara reporters, Leadership, Trust and many of the few papers that report the truth about Nigeria. Before I go far let me politely ask how is your family and the job of helping the government call black – white (apologies)?

 

I am sure it is not easy. In the seven years of obj’s adventure in government I have tried to do a comparison among his entire mouth piece, there are very few that have been matured enough with the truth. I hate patronage but between you and your predecessor much was expected, both of you could have been probably classified as “good” men but Fani-Kayode has proved us more right that some of you are just not working… (My opinion and that of others).

 

Straight away the essence of my letter to you Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr. is because somehow I think you will read it, if you do not I only believe strongly someone will have it read to you. This letter is my response to your commercial reply to the New York Times editorial “In Nigerian: things fall apart”, in which you patriotically replied “Nigeria: things are NOT falling apart”.

 

I took time to read your assertions and I am constrained to disagree with you strongly. My dear brother things have not fallen apart, sadly they are in pieces. Let me state here and now that in responding to you, I have taken into cognizance your email address which actually is instructive-verifyinto4sure (meaning verify your formation about Nigeria and be sure). My response to you and the entire contents of this letter will be based on verifiable truth and data.

 

And in so doing I will start in a from the bottom format. You alleged that the New York Times has yet again fallen into the hands of naysayers and misinformers… My dear Minister, much as I am one of those that do not take Western reportage of third affairs hook, line and sinker. I know when and a lot of us know when, they are telling the truth- giving out signals that all may not be well, especially when their interests are at stake. Just days back Wole Soyinka addressing the press also said same “we are in a season of anomy” forget that big word, the truth is that things are in a bad state, look at the disappearance and reappearing act of Charles Taylor, is that a sign of the leap of faith you talked about, which you claimed we have taken with Mr. President. Certainly no!

 

What leap of faith, when a square, round or triangle meal is almost unobtainable in most homes, this I am sure you may not know because a lot of you, you and yourselves have been excommunicated from reality. I may be under duress to agree with you that you, the President are all working hard to make Nigeria great again. But Frank son of Nweke, have you heard the Igbo proverb that says ‘of what use is it running when you are on the wrong direction?’ When the President’s best efforts is translating into untold hardship for the generality of the nation. When the hard work is the hard sell called third term. Haba! Nigerians are not as difficult as your chaps on top think they are, all they ask for is the basics of life of which Allah has blessed us with the resources to have. Yet all the hard work of Mr. President in seven years has shown little fruits. If you ask for patience, that girl might have died when reward comes. Ponder on this.

 

Mr. Minister, do not be so naive, between us and the United State there is nothing like a bilateral partnership, they are the bitch (female dog), we are the puppies at mama’s mercies. The New York Times need not adopt an anti-Nigerian stance, I am sure if you are honest (I have doubts because in the first place you won’t be part of this PDP rigged arrangement). You would have seen the caliber of Nigerians who protested in Washington during the President’s visit. Those Nigerians were not adopting an anti-Nigerian stance. They were telling the truth.  No matter how many years, they have been in Diaspora; they are still Nigerians and can never be more American than the Americans. The decay in our society as it is now goes beyond the New York Times anti-Nigeria stance.

 

Jnr, we believe that only Nigerians can handle their affairs but the ‘silent’ majority, (silent because you have refused to hear us) believe that the present of leadership possesses a very few clean bananas on the whole bunch. We may be playing our role in Africa as assumed by you but in the North we say a hunter with one arrow in not careless when shooting. Of what benefit would saving Africa be, if we loose Nigeria in the process of saving Ivory Coast, Sudan Niger or Togo.

 

“Amendments for the oil rich Niger Delta for development …” frankly speaking is this supposed to be an amendable issue or a right to development issue. Because we have heard this same song of development for a and b, yet these plans stay put on the blackboard, when it leaves the drawing board it moves into the pockets of political jobbers c and d and the electorate and masses down the ladder still suffer. 

 

My patriotic Frank, you know it, need I re-emphsis that the National Assembly with its 469 (s) elected members have very few that are of strong moral standing to bequeath on Nigeria a people’s constitution.

 

On the corruption, I challenge you Brother Frank and on national television to come out as a Christian that one would want to believe and say you are, beyond doubt prove that the anti- corruption has no strong affinity for government foes and I will rest my case.

 

The EFCC and ICPC could have done better but with the growing list of government untouchables and the increasing accident that makes sure that every culprit is an opposition member. We are all not with brains of bread.

 

Dearest Frank, I do not want to bore you, because discussing our mother land should not bore you, but I will swiftly do my conclusion by stating some facts unlike the New York Times editorial all I have said are not ill-informed they are the truth, they are not unjustified: it’s the basic fact. They are not exaggerated, biased or an unresearched portrayal of our Nigeria, it is the bitter pill called truth often bitter to swallow

 

Let us gather the pieces, start a rebuilding process, we are moving in circles. Your statement on Rimi’s wife’s murder was empty, it offered no answers, it is only one of those dents on the administration’s image. Politically motivated or not, should the wife of such person as Rimi be butchered like a chicken with flu… how much more the thousands that die of hunger, unemployment, lack of access roads, poor security network, and bastardized educational sector, cemetery like health field, the list is endless.

 

I beseech you, be courageous, one of you should rise, tell Mr. President the truth. I end by asking you how many Nigerians have criticized NAFDAC, Despite the more you look and the less you see consolidation and merger a lot of us still appreciate Prof. Charles Soludo, although he faulted in the  his “Moses of our time” citation for Obj because we have seen a “ Joshua of our Time”.

 

I hope we can have such dialogue to move our nation forward that is if I am not arrested after this essay. Thank God for the New York Times that set agenda, like the numerous newspapers in our country despite the sellout, some still try to play the role of the Fourth Realm of the Estate. That is why I can read your response to New York Times and certainly you will read this letter of mine.

 

Cheers, Almighty Allah keep our nation and save us from a needless third term, Obasanjo has ‘done’ well, he need not repeat, let him seek a higher class pasessage across to him.      

With compliments, this is about the first of such letter to a personality in government or governance. My reason why, I do not indulge in such is that most of you hardly read opinions, views, of perspectives of your fellow Nigerians home and broad. This is even one of the reason I find it amusing that you are responding to The New York Times – how many times have you responded to Nigeria Village Square, Gamji, Elendureports, Sahara reporters, Leadership, Trust and many of the few papers that report the truth about Nigeria. Before I go far let me politely ask how is your family and the job of helping the government call black – white (apologies)?

 

I am sure it is not easy. In the seven years of obj’s adventure in government I have tried to do a comparison among his entire mouth piece, there are very few that have been matured enough with the truth. I hate patronage but between you and your predecessor much was expected, both of you could have been probably classified as “good” men but Fani-Kayode has proved us more right that some of you are just not working… (My opinion and that of others).

 

Straight away the essence of my letter to you Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr. is because somehow I think you will read it, if you do not I only believe strongly someone will have it read to you. This letter is my response to your commercial reply to the New York Times editorial “In Nigerian: things fall apart”, in which you patriotically replied “Nigeria: things are NOT falling apart”.

 

I took time to read your assertions and I am constrained to disagree with you strongly. My dear brother things have not fallen apart, sadly they are in pieces. Let me state here and now that in responding to you, I have taken into cognizance your email address which actually is instructive-verifyinto4sure (meaning verify your formation about Nigeria and be sure). My response to you and the entire contents of this letter will be based on verifiable truth and data.

 

And in so doing I will start in a from the bottom format. You alleged that the New York Times has yet again fallen into the hands of naysayers and misinformers… My dear Minister, much as I am one of those that do not take Western reportage of third affairs hook, line and sinker. I know when and a lot of us know when, they are telling the truth- giving out signals that all may not be well, especially when their interests are at stake. Just days back Wole Soyinka addressing the press also said same “we are in a season of anomy” forget that big word, the truth is that things are in a bad state, look at the disappearance and reappearing act of Charles Taylor, is that a sign of the leap of faith you talked about, which you claimed we have taken with Mr. President. Certainly no!

 

What leap of faith, when a square, round or triangle meal is almost unobtainable in most homes, this I am sure you may not know because a lot of you, you and yourselves have been excommunicated from reality. I may be under duress to agree with you that you, the President are all working hard to make Nigeria great again. But Frank son of Nweke, have you heard the Igbo proverb that says ‘of what use is it running when you are on the wrong direction?’ When the President’s best efforts is translating into untold hardship for the generality of the nation. When the hard work is the hard sell called third term. Haba! Nigerians are not as difficult as your chaps on top think they are, all they ask for is the basics of life of which Allah has blessed us with the resources to have. Yet all the hard work of Mr. President in seven years has shown little fruits. If you ask for patience, that girl might have died when reward comes. Ponder on this.

 

Mr. Minister, do not be so naive, between us and the United State there is nothing like a bilateral partnership, they are the bitch (female dog), we are the puppies at mama’s mercies. The New York Times need not adopt an anti-Nigerian stance, I am sure if you are honest (I have doubts because in the first place you won’t be part of this PDP rigged arrangement). You would have seen the caliber of Nigerians who protested in Washington during the President’s visit. Those Nigerians were not adopting an anti-Nigerian stance. They were telling the truth.  No matter how many years, they have been in Diaspora; they are still Nigerians and can never be more American than the Americans. The decay in our society as it is now goes beyond the New York Times anti-Nigeria stance.

 

Jnr, we believe that only Nigerians can handle their affairs but the ‘silent’ majority, (silent because you have refused to hear us) believe that the present of leadership possesses a very few clean bananas on the whole bunch. We may be playing our role in Africa as assumed by you but in the North we say a hunter with one arrow in not careless when shooting. Of what benefit would saving Africa be, if we loose Nigeria in the process of saving Ivory Coast, Sudan Niger or Togo.

 

“Amendments for the oil rich Niger Delta for development …” frankly speaking is this supposed to be an amendable issue or a right to development issue. Because we have heard this same song of development for a and b, yet these plans stay put on the blackboard, when it leaves the drawing board it moves into the pockets of political jobbers c and d and the electorate and masses down the ladder still suffer. 

 

My patriotic Frank, you know it, need I re-emphsis that the National Assembly with its 469 (s) elected members have very few that are of strong moral standing to bequeath on Nigeria a people’s constitution.
 

On the corruption, I challenge you Brother Frank and on national television to come out as a Christian that one would want to believe and say you are, beyond doubt prove that the anti- corruption has no strong affinity for government foes and I will rest my case.
 

The EFCC and ICPC could have done better but with the growing list of government untouchables and the increasing accident that makes sure that every culprit is an opposition member. We are all not with brains of bread.

 

Dearest Frank, I do not want to bore you, because discussing our mother land should not bore you, but I will swiftly do my conclusion by stating some facts unlike the New York Times editorial all I have said are not ill-informed they are the truth, they are not unjustified: it’s the basic fact. They are not exaggerated, biased or an unresearched portrayal of our Nigeria, it is the bitter pill called truth often bitter to swallow

 

Let us gather the pieces, start a rebuilding process, we are moving in circles. Your statement on Rimi’s wife’s murder was empty, it offered no answers, it is only one of those dents on the administration’s image. Politically motivated or not, should the wife of such person as Rimi be butchered like a chicken with flu… how much more the thousands that die of hunger, unemployment, lack of access roads, poor security network, and bastardized educational sector, cemetery like health field, the list is endless.
 

I beseech you, be courageous, one of you should rise, tell Mr. President the truth. I end by asking you how many Nigerians have criticized NAFDAC, Despite the more you look and the less you see consolidation and merger a lot of us still appreciate Prof. Charles Soludo, although he faulted in the  his “Moses of our time” citation for Obj because we have seen a “ Joshua of our Time”.

 

I hope we can have such dialogue to move our nation forward that is if I am not arrested after this essay. Thank God for the New York Times that set agenda, like the numerous newspapers in our country despite the sellout, some still try to play the role of the Fourth Realm of the Estate. That is why I can read your response to New York Times and certainly you will read this letter of mine.

 

Cheers, Almighty Allah keep our nation and save us from a needless third term, Obasanjo has ‘done’ well, he need not repeat, let him seek a higher class pass this message across to him.