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An open letter to the Chicago State University |
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By Tunji Adeoti (EMAIL) Friday, February 23, 2001 
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Firstly, why is it that Chicago State University (hereafter, CSU) could not find any reasonable African other than a retired dictator who relinquished power, not willingly, but as a matter being forced by his oppressed people who were at the precipice of a bloody showdown should he have refused to quit office? It’s a shame that the so-called civilized American institution should pencil such a name for a ‘distinguished’ lecture series. Secondly, where did Gen. Abubakar get the fifty thousand US dollars ($50,000) he allegedly donated to CSU? If America truly loves to help nurture Nigerian democracy, then this allegation should be investigated by the United States security agencies. It is widely known fact that the Abubakar government overspent 1999 budget within a period of only five months and depleted the national reserves from six billion US dollars to three billion just within the first five months of 1999. Perhaps an investigation into this allegation could give clues into where the money actually went during the five crazy months official squander-mania. If CSU has taken money from Abubakar and his clique either directly or indirectly, such act is simply corrupt and inept on the part of CSU. CSU should have known better from what sort of people to receive endowments. It’s not too late. CSU can bring something good out of the present scenario by helping in exposing the evils and wickedness of the erstwhile Nigerian supposed rulers who in actual sense are better described as ruiners and treasury looters. The simple thing CSU could do in this respect is to make an open declaration of what largesse they have received from Gen. Abubakar and honorably return such to the Nigerian government because that is where it rightly belongs; or how else will a Nigerian retired general boast of a donation of US$50,000 or any largesse to an American institution if such money has not been by dishonest means? What other business apart from soldering did he engage in? Besides, if he has such largesse to part with, what consideration has he given for millions of jobless young people and ‘Almajiris’ (street urchins) particularly among the terribly impoverished peoples of Northern Nigeria? Thirdly, the invitation of retired generals, particularly Gen. I.B. Babangida to the said lecture is terribly misadvised. At any rate, I am sure Nigerians in the USA are up to the task in handling Gen. Babangida. CSU should have known that Gen. Babangida is the most discredited living head of state that Nigeria has. What is the intention of CSU in inviting him? Does CSU want to help launder the image of a man that has openly confessed that he is a genius at evil (he once said that he is an ‘evil genius’, and has never retracted the statement). In fact, it appears he likes it. I am sure CSU was not established to promote evil characters. In spite of Nigeria’s problems, good men/women are not so lacking in Nigeria as to warrant inviting the likes of Gen. Babangida to an important forum of CSU. Finally, in view of the above and so many other reasons that have been adduced against the proposed lecture series, I consider it honorable for CSU to cancel the lecture series. In addition, the so-called Abubakar largesse should be returned to Nigeria pending the outcome of investigations on its rightful source. For now, the most logical source is the Nigerian treasury.  |
wish to express my dismay and protest to the authorities of the Chicago
State University on the proposed Abdusalami Abubakar lecture series. I know
many have already protested but adding this would certainly not be too much.
Many things are wrong with the association of the lecture series with Gen.
Abubakar.