irst, it is incumbent upon the writer of this article to try and explain the concept of the word Wages as employed in this article. It is used as a fitting, expected or anticipated return; a recompense in a given or identified human situation in our national community. One observes that over the years, many highly enlightened and eminent Nigerians who possess remarkable and relevant expertise in areas of our national need and who undoubtedly portray themselves as committed patriots of our nation, write and discuss political, economic and social issues to enlighten our various governments and those who run them in solving several social problems. But to the consternation of many careful observers, all such useful published articles including those that provide relevant data for national or state consumption are often ignored.

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Nigerians who are experts in their fields of study and profession, but resident in Nigeria, are not accorded recognition as honest contributors of ideas or knowledge to Nigeria's development. Otherwise, knowledgeable and outstandingly progressive Nigerian intellectuals such as Professor Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Bolaji Akinyemi, Itse Sagay, Wande Abimbola, Akin Oyebode, Col. Abubakar Umar, Femi Falana, Gani Fawehinmi and Dr. Reuben Abati and several others whose names do not come to mind would be taken seriously and their articles would be used accordingly. The protests, admonitions, warnings, positive suggestions, honest and constructive criticisms, all blended in their great anxieties and concerns, to steer the ship of our country towards progress and development are always ignored by those who rule especially by the last civilian administration of Olusegun Obasanjo, which is supposed to re-establish democracy in our land.

If military brigandage and praetorian mentality that pervade the 'third world' nations, setting back the systemic effort to adapt democratic values, could constitute major elements to discount the wasteful years of Babangida cum Abacha dictatorships, the Obasanjo civilian administration has no justification to share its predecessors' undemocratic characteristics.

Between 1985 and 1998 when IBB and Abacha held Nigeria to absolute political control and socio-economic ransom, all evil elements capable of destroying the fabric of fundamental but complex structure of government in a developing nation were introduced and executed. The corrupt nature of Babangida's military dictatorship became evident with bad economic policies which informed the adoption of the concept of fraudulent '419'. Mushroom banks with up-front capital gain policies were guaranteed to cajole and falsify genuine and legitimate business companies. The Nigerian military establishment became politicized so much that un-educated junior officers became appointed as governors of states and federal ministers, exhibiting political ignorance, incompetence, mediocrity and opportunism for personal aggrandizement and corrupt financial enrichment. The 'Maradona' approach which had sustained the political master dribbler in office for eight years as military president, finally receded in 1993, when he agreed to ' step aside' after a thorough pillage and plunder of Nigeria's resources for eight deceitful years of unfulfilled and empty promises for economic, political and social development. Unfortunately, the anti-climax of the wasteful dictatorship came to its illogical end on June 12, 1993 when the best popular election ever conducted in sovereign Nigeria by one of her greatest educated patriots ever to live; Professor Humphrey Nwosu, was annulled by our effervescent evil genius, General Badamosi Babangida, to deprive the presumed winner of the Nigerian presidency, Chief M. K. O. Abiola his legitimate political right as the new executive civilian 'Head of state and government' in a new democratic order.

As if we have not had enough deprivation of our natural rights as a people, a redundant and un-elected regime headed by Chief Shonekan was installed to appease Nigerians, whose patience for a government elected by them had exhausted. The Shonekan government, a puppet government at best, was due to be over-run by his Defence minister, Gen. Sanni Abacha: a peculiar nincompoop whose talent was limited to master-minding coup d'etats, international money laundering, public treasury looting and all associated evil for under-development. He succeeded in establishing a full-blown dictatorship neither imagined nor anticipated in Nigeria's political development. Abacha's killer squad was well organized and financed allegedly through some mindless army officer loyalists who are now being tried for their evil deeds after having been in detention for about nine years. The precious life of our leader Senator Abraham Adesanya was attempted without success. The assassins inexplicably couldn't just take the life of our formidable and enigmatic leader in spite of all the desperate attempts made by the self confessed murderer and sharp shooter, Sergeant Rogers. With Ibru, the Guardian news proprietor, Sergeant Rogers injured him severely but he succeeded in eliminating Kudirat Abiola, who resisted the Abacha dictatorship which denied her husband the presidency. Many other Nigerians suffered Abacha's brutality and no other group was indentified more in opposition to Abacha's dictatorship than the NADECO-National Alliance for Democratic Coalition. Nearly all its members were incarcerated and mal-treated without trial. This unfortunate extention of Babangida's, i. e. the Abacha dictatorship finally collapsed, by God's will, in a sudden and unexpected manner in 1998. Consequently, there was a common mental and psychological relief, which words could not adequately describe among Nigerians of all diversities. General Musa Yar'Adua had been killed in detention by the Abacha regime and the immediate ex-civilian president Olusegun Obasanjo had been charged for treason and sentenced to a long imprisonment, death, or both. All these machinations, because they were evil, came to an abrupt end in 1998 when the bloody dictator Sanni Abacha suddenly passed on without bidding his cabinet members farewell.

The inter-regnum of twelve months of General Abubakar, by God, finally came to offer Nigerians some hope by hurriedly preparing a constitution which led us to the election of a civilian government after a long sixteen year-period of military dictatorship which started with General Buhari on December 31, 1983. Former General but now Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was a former military Head of State between 1976 and 1979 became the choice of the Northern elite, as the politically favoured Yoruba candidate, for the imminent civilian presidency in 1999. The Yoruba people of South-West chose Chief Olu Falae in preference to Obasanjo, who was seen as an imposed choice by the Northern elite for the Yoruba people. Chief Obasanjo won the 1999 presidential election with the massive support of the Hausa/Fulani north and the support of the rest of their PDP allies in other parts of the country. When Chief MKO Abiola was denied the presidency by the Babangida military junta, Chief Obasanjo had commented that Chief Abiola was not the Messiah that Nigeria needed to move Nigeria forward as a developing democracy. Now that he won the presidency in 1999, much expectation was in the air and much was therefore expected from him in office, moreso, he was a former military Head of State who had been living with the Yoruba sustained accusation that he favoured Alhaji Shehu Shagari over Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the controversial presidential election of 1979. In the 1999 election of the president, Obasanjo did not win any Yoruba state because his people; the Yoruba, did not appreciate his political philosophy, disloyalty and standing.

But by 2003 presidential election, the Yoruba people thought their 'prodigal' son should not be denied twice and therefore gave him some substantial political support to retain his presidency for a second term. This support was misconstrued as an absolute support for the PDP which took the opportunity to rig the series of elections in the Yoruba south-west in favour of themselves which included all PDP governors in Yoruba south-west, and members of the various legislatures.

Chief Obasanjo's performance as a democratically elected civilian president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 is rated below average according to this study. This article will characterize his performance in office as an ' active-negative' presidency. By 'active-negative' performance, Chief Obasanjo's personality will be examined in relation to his ambition, his ability and the general political environment in which he operated as Nigeria's president. This article will do that by reference to some major events during his presidency and his reactions to the identified events to buttress and explain our points of observation.

Obasanjo's pattern of character, World view and Style.

The most visible part of one's pattern is style. Style is one's habitual way of performing one's roles, but in this case, political roles, namely rhetoric, personal relations, and homework. This is not to be confused with stylishness, charisma, or appearance. For an example, Obasanjo did not like the Nigerian press. He said, 'he did not read newspapers' and consequently he would not call press conferences even when necessary to do so. This is a negative factor in his character about how he ran his presidency. How does a president rule a country, as huge as Nigeria and avoid the press and would not read newspapers? How does he know the needs of his people, their impression of him and his government? Does n't a government need some feedback about its activities? We think it does.

Obasanjo's World view:

Obasanjo's world view should not consist less than his primary, politically relevant beliefs particularly his conceptions of human nature and the central moral conflicts of our time. His world view is relevantly limited to African struggle to be free from colonial oppression mostly in southern Africa, and the internal discrimination based on colour of the skin, used against the Africans in South Africa, and known as the Apartheid system. The Nigerian foreign policy which emphatically promoted the African personality particularly on the African continent, originated with the Murtala/Obasanjo military dictatorship in 1975. This is the limit of Obasanjo's world view. His attempt to become the Secretary-General of the United Nations would have been a disaster if he attained the position. Composite knowledge and cognitive understanding of World politics between the major powers, the analysis of major political and economic events in relation to the interests of these powers and actors on the international scene, their perpetual rivalry and to handle it with political dexterity, are vital to holding the position of the Secretary of the world body successfully. Chief Obasanjo's background does not reflect this kind of knowledge and understanding of World politics. Dr. Boutros Boutros Ghali, the former Egyptian prime minister, who was Kofi Annan's predecessor as the Secretary of the world body could not meet much of the expectations of the holder of the office of the Secretary to the world body and had to be politely pushed out of office after one term of five years. Chief Obasanjo might not have survived the selection process, much less offered the post.

If we may ask this question from Nigerians who have observed Obasanjo over the years, " Is Chief Obasanjo a democrat?" The answer to this write-up or study is 'No' absolutely. Why do we think so? Has any one heard Chief Obasanjo discuss democracy as a political concept of government in Nigeria at any time? Has he ever discussed 'Human rights', as a necessity for the development and growth of democracy? As the President of an infant democracy, Obasanjo, from our observation, failed to observe the "separation of powers" principle between the three arms of government when he was president. He often used the Executive branch to intimidate the two remaining branches of government, especially the legislature where his party enjoyed an overwhelming majority. He seriously attempted to use the PDP majority to amend the Nigerian constitution in order to seek a third term presidency. He often used his presidency to disobey court judgments, directives or decisions either wholly or selectively. He never at any given time spoke about democratic values which his presidency is built upon and which it should promote from time to time. Speeches bordering on issues such as 'freedom of speech', 'freedom of movement', 'rule of law' and such other fundamental concepts of western democracy seemed to be alien to our ex-president, in and out of office. Chief Obasanjo's speeches aside from his 1999 inaugural were full of political allegations and accusations of his perceived political enemies within his party and outside it. He also showed great interest in personally sharing political offices to those who were his cronies while he denied others who deserved to be compensated any position because he regarded them disloyal to his interests and ambition. The EFCC he established he used to pursue a select few who were his political enemies and others who disagreed with him on political issues. The ex-president removed two of his political party National Chairmen by fiat and got his choices to replace them. He appointed Amodu Alli as PDP national chairman without election after having had Audu Ogbeh resign in accordance with his overbearing demand to do so. The ex-president's bitter disagreement with his Vice President Abubakar Atiku and his unconstitutional approaches and desperation to have him removed at all costs, failed before the law. One of our surprises is the fall-out from the current House of Representatives' committee hearings on 'Power and Steel'which has established a pattern of violation of 'due process' in dealing with the contractors who were paid huge sums of public money without accountability, transparency or credibility. The office of the ex-president was involved.

The contradiction in the Obasanjo presidency lies between his relatively intense effort to perform and his relatively low emotional reward for his anxiety to accomplish his intended goals; a consequence of some underlying contradiction in personal perception of his official obligation to the nation. The ex-president's official activity had a compulsive quality, as if the man were trying to make up for something lost or to escape from anxiety into hard work. Obasanjo seems always ambitious, striving upward and seeking power at every opportunity. His stance toward the Nigerian political environment was aggressive as he had a persistent problem in managing his aggressive feelings. The ex-president's self-image is vague and discontinuous. Life to him as president was a hard struggle to achieve and hold power, hampered by the condemnations of a perfectionistic conscience. Active-negative types of leaders pour energy into the political system, but it is an energy distorted from within. He strove to become an outstanding Yoruba leader or one of them. Going back to his theme 'Not my will', his effort to reach a higher public recognition at the same level or even at a higher level than the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo became an obsession. All Nigeria's external debt had been re-negotiated by Obasanjo's presidency through his brilliant Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The total amount owed by Nigeria to all international financial institutions had been negotiated and paid off. This is a remarkable achievement by a third world nation to advance its economic development. Most other third world nations plead for outright cancellation because the hope of repayment anytime is not feasible. The dogged determination of Obasanjo's presidency to obliterate corruption was another milestone challenge of the socio-political status quo. But as commendable as this policy is, the ex-president violated 'due process' in many ways to satisfy his ego and passion which he could not submit to the ' rule of law'.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo over-burdened himself with unnecessary extra state obligations by holding and controlling, in absolute fashion, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he had a seasoned and competent minister in charge, Power and Steel and several other federal ministries, an activity which promoted incompetence, less enthusiasm from appointed ministers, promoting ignorance and a waste of time and resources which allow un-necessary omissions and other lapses, all emanating from misplaced and imaginary mistrust of his appointed ministers who were mostly his party men. This article noted with dismay, the ex-president's outrageous attitude in personally selecting more than ninety percent of Nigeria's ambassadors which included people who were not qualified to be considered for such positions. A few were married to foreigners and others were appointed to fill a high percentage of ambassadorial positions which should normally go to career diplomats in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ex-president was cautioned but he would not listen to such entreaties until his ego was satisfied. The retired Ambassador Olisemeka wrote the ex-president on this issue to explain and enlighten him, but he would not budge. (Break for Part II )

Ambassadorial Appointments:

In what circumstance, considering our capacity for diplomatic effectiveness, was people like respectable (Dr.) Christopher Kolade appointed the High Commissioner of Nigeria to Britain? If you are interested, check his antecedents and tell us where he is connected with foreign service, international relations or diplomacy. This man could be more useful to the nation in the area of manufacture and trade, a vital aspect of our economy, considering the role and interest of Cadbury as a major business conglomerate in Nigeria. The appointment of retired Justice Bola Ajibola to Britain before Christopher Kolade's was sensible and acceptable to the diplomatic world. Retired Justice Ajibola was a practicing lawyer, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, a former Attorney-General of Nigeria in Babangida's dictatorship and last a Judge of the International Court of Justice in The Hague. As a political appointee, Mr Bola Ajibola fits perfectly well enough into diplomacy.

A few years back, Obasanjo's presidency argued and justified the issuance of 'national identity' cards for Nigerians. A huge amount of money which could have been used to create more jobs to reduce un-employment, build a greater capacity to produce more potable water for our people, maintain the federal highways in order to reduce unnecessary motor accidents and provide other social services to the people, became squandered without accountability. How many Nigerians carry identity cards provided by the Federal government today or at any other given time? If they do, where and for what purpose are they required to be used? Aside from exposing our gross incompetence, in terms of our absolute failure, to provide the much hyped and publicized production and distribution of the so-called identity cards, the entire policy and all its celebrated execution was a huge waste of time and money resulting in a compounded nullity. Today, the idea is dead and no one is asking any questions or raising any dust. The tax-payers money that went into the officials and contractors hands can no longer be accounted for. What a government? The federal government should think of embarking on issuing a social security number series to Nigerians for economic security purposes. No contract is required to effect this kind of program. All our federal government has to do is to rigorously promote data collection, its security and its back-up system. This kind of developmental technology is over-due in today's Nigeria but our leaders are too busy stealing the tax-payers money, wasting public resources, laundering millions and billions of naira overseas, and depriving our huge poor population their fair share of Nigeria's wealth.

Is it not worrisome to learn that some of our Navy men could afford to collude with robbers on high-seas to steal our nation's petroleum? Is it not depressing enough to also learn that some army officers and some Police personnel relate with the Niger Delta militants, and highway and bank robbers respectively to break ours laws and oppress the society they are trained and professionally obliged to protect? This is the current situation in the nation that the present political leaders are building. Can they succeed? Kindly attempt to answer the question and suggest what is to be done. I do not hesitate to identify most governors and chairmen of Local governments throughout the length and breath of our country as money launderers, thieves and criminals who steal public money put in their trust without regret. Those who benefit from their governors' largess sing their praise and vehemently defend their masters' political interest and ego everywhere. Allegedly, most of these evil doers who pose as political leaders have killer squads, who are adequately maintained and employed to take the lives of their political opponents or perceived political enemies who are seen as obstructions to their inordinate ambitions.

But for reasons of irresponsible exuberance and successful mass brain washing, why would poor people of mean economic conditions joyfully welcome criminal governors who have been tried and convicted in law courts or are being tried. It is amazing to see governors Alamieyesiegha, Ibori, Odili, Ogbemudia, Fayose, Kalu and several others who are protected by the constitutional immunity clause being given hero's welcome in their various states. Have people been so much brain-washed to the point of acquiring Alz-heim-er's disease? Is n't this an example of the people paying the wages of bad governance, corruption, indiscipline and ignorance? What else could it be? Are they happy for being made miserable by these governors?

Until lately, the Judiciary had not distinguished itself as the last institution for hope and justice for Nigerians. Some Judges could be trusted to deliver justice without fear or favour while others were unreliable like the weather. But since Justice Modibbo Belgore was appointed the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Judiciary has changed for a better and bolder delivery of justice to our nation. Otherwise, is it conceivable that the presidency of Obasanjo could lose as many cases to Abubakar Atiku, his Vice President, in their series if political skirmishes? Chief Justice Alfa Belgore, the recently retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, seemed to have opened the judicial doors wider for greater responsibility, reliability and composite justice without fear or favour. Chief Justice Belgore who assumed the Chief Justice position less than a year before reaching the retiring age, would not accept an extension of his tenure on principle when freely offered. In spite of this laudable leadership example, there are still bad judges and magistrates on the Nigerian bench. They exist in Oyo, Anambra, Enugu and several other states where politicians push them around like football or baby toys. They run political errands in dispensing their constitutional duties to the detriment of our nation's growth and development. They receive kickbacks and fail in their duty to honour and respect the tradition associated with the judicial arm of government as the final arbiter of justice.

A good number of members of the National Assembly, that is, the Senators and members of the House of Representatives are empty heads who have no idea about what they are there to do. The empty heads among them rely on the ability of the few who are well educated and competent to bear the responsibilities of legislation for a developing national society. One would discover that despite the existence of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, there is racketeering of certificates of educational qualification in the House of Representatives. They made up a list of meaningless and senseless allowances that one wonders who is looting the National treasury between them as investigators in their various committees and the people they are probing. What is the logic behind taking ten million naira (N10m) from a ministry (Ministry of Health); the operational extension of the Executive arm of government, which oversight the Senate committee must execute with diligence and with its highest sense of responsibility, to make sure it does its work according to the prescribed legislation that passed its responsibility into law. The money exchanged between Iyabo Obasanjo's committee and the Ministry of Health cannot be fairly extricated from a primary sense of corrupt tendencies. The court is left to take its position. We are willing to wait and see. In 2006, the ex-president was alleged to be distributing the PTDF money to the legislators for a hidden third term presidency. Chief Obasanjo, who supposedly wanted to eradicate corruption knew the character of his PDP legislators. He knew they would accept illicit money if offered, especially from him, the President; the crusader of corruption. He had his surrogates in the persons of Ibrahim Mantu and Jubril Aminu in the Senate working hard to influence other members to support a constitutional amendment that would allow the President a third term in office. When the whole surreptitious scheme suddenly collapsed in the Senate under the Chairmanship of Ken Nnamani, the entire population of Nigeria had a great psychological and mental relief. The evil night-mare had suddenly vanished.

There are indications that a good number of state Governors induce state legislators with money to pass certain bills into laws for reasons personal to them. Corrupt and strange political ideas which violate the norms of economic and political development of our country are promoted with unequal devotion and passion in Nigeria than in other developing nations. All the financial wealth available to Nigeria today are good enough to eradicate unemployment, promote social welfare, build and strengthen all basic infrastructures but are being squandered recklessly on questionable contracts without due process. President Umaru Yar'Adua and his men must be living in a fool's paradise to ever imagine that this country of ours, that is, Nigeria will be economically viable enough to become one of the top twenty (20) economies of the world by year 2020. Considering all available evidence and un-repentant attitude of the average Nigerian elite, in terms of corrupt practices and all evils associated with them in their political, economic and social orientation, Nigeria has the least chance to become one of the leading economies of the world. It is not going to happen unless all the charlatans, demagogues, liars, thieves and a whole class of dishonest leaders who currently rule Nigeria can be removed by having them charged, tried and put behind bars. We have leaders who cannot suffer or endure discomfort or hardship to provide meaningful leadership and record marked economic and political progress for us as a people. They lack adequate and modern knowledge and vision to build a better Nigeria. All that matters to them are, money in-quantum, stolen directly or indirectly, political power acquired legally or otherwise for ego satisfaction. No nation ever grows in a similar un-ordered mess like we have in Nigeria. If you do not mind, ask any Nigerian political leader from the local to the federal level a question such as ' per capita' income of Nigeria. He would have no answer for you because you are trying to measure his knowledge. Ask once again what is meant by political development. He is totally lost. You need to be careful not to make him lose his temper. Won't you be astounded to realize suddenly that your governor is not familiar with issues like economic development, political development, infrastructural development and the need to maintain them adequately and how to combat un-employment. Governor Fashola of Lagos state needs to be emulated by the rest of his colleagues. The man assumed office in 2007 and evidence abound that he is totally equipped for the political office he is now holding. The effect of his education is apparent and the utility of his acquired experience over time is un-disputable. I just pray that he does not join the old regular stock of shameless leaders we have always had to live with as time progresses.

The Federal Ministry of Health scandal should not be treated in isolation. The substantive minister Professor Adenike Grange is obviously naïve and permissive as the political head of the ministry. She should not have been there as a minister considering her training and background which this writer happens to know. She is not cut for the kind of corrupt office she was appointed and which is habitually surrounded by hounds. She cannot afford, by her nature, the corrupt environment that subsists in Nigerian life. I was not surprised to read that when her marked share of ten million naira (N10ml) was offered her, she directed that the money be shared among the junior civil service cadre in the ministry accordingly. That is the kind of person she is. If she is not naïve and permissive, she would not have allowed the corrupt and hardened professional civil servants to influence her judgment, since she was responsible for decision-making in the ministry. She should have followed the Executive directive of the president and returned the three hundred million naira (N300ml) to the treasury. Though born and bred in Lagos, her father; a respectable and popular pharmacist located on Nnamdi Azikiwe street in Lagos for very many years was known as Adebowale Commercial pharmacy. Nearly, if not, all that had to wear prescribed glasses in Lagos and elsewhere from outside Lagos had to obtain their pair of glasses from her father's pharmaceutical company. The family is the well known Adebowale family from Ita-Osu, Porogun, Ijebu-Ode. The grand-father was a business tycoon in their days and the huge family house the old man built from his hard work, tears and sweat, still exists in its original place. I feel sorry that Professor Adenike Grange unfortunately and suddenly became a victim of the wide spread carnage of corruption which had been spread all over our helpless and hapless nation by politicians of mean consequences. I wish her God's grace.

Incidentally, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello is making a drama of the situation at the ministry over the three hundred million naira, out of which her committee took ten million. As a law maker and as a Senator that is responsible to sovereign Nigeria, she owes it to common sense and her calling to submit herself to questioning, either at the EFCC or at the appropriate court of law where she is supposed to appear. Her father should tell her to do that because that is where responsibility and honour for her and family lie. As rightly put by Femi Falana, there is no hereditary immunity that could apply to her. Her father, the ex-president, no longer enjoys any kind of immunity because he is out of office for good. Nobody is after her life. Nigerians neither want nor need to see her killed. People just want justice because there is too much corruption in our land. Her father set up the EFCC as president and to allege that her life is not safe because EFCC wants to investigate her role in the Ministry of Health scandal is totally preposterous.

The Senate should conduct their business with a high sense of reasonableness and should not digress into native, cultural and unnecessary traditional sentiment about Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello's whereabout. If the Senate is responsible enough to avoid meaningless sentiment among themselves, the issue of ten million from the Ministry of Health and Iyabo should have been left alone without interference since the EFCC is investigating it. Why should the Senate engage in any findings to clear Iyabo of any wrong doing before the EFCC completes its work? Are n't there other members of the Senate that have problems with the EFCC? How about the former governor of Enugu state? Are you people up to the task of the high expectations and standards expected of you as Senators without favours or any type of bias? It should continuously occur to you that the Senate or the Upper legislative Chamber, in any democracy, developing or developed, consists of WISEMEN of impeccable bearings and qualities. I am not suggesting that you should not show concern or care to your members when involved in problems but when the problem borders on morality and law, the Senate's integrity should not be dragged along. It is better for you people to appeal to your colleague, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello to submit herself to the law of our land and wait to see what happens.

As a people; a national plural community that wishes to develop to appreciate its natural gifts, talents and resources, and all that God has bestowed on us, but have been abused and bastardized since independence by its cadre of bad leaders, we are therefore unfortunately, saddled with paying the wages of elusive economic and political development which the corruption of our leaders, military and civilian, have imposed on us. May God help our land by creating liberators among us for our dear nation. Amen.

Bankole Okuwa is a Professor of Political Science