Nigerian President opens new chapter in history

Curse in mind, cursor in hand, I was just about to go on the offensive on Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua for his seemingly suspicious invitation to work with the opposition party. My simple reason being that I found it appalling that he wants to have a few opposition party members to be in his government. I still believe that African opposition parties need not be swallowed by ruling parties and that there should be separate funds to help them be a pain in the government's behinds, if need be. What we have seen in the past has been the big parties swallowing the opposition only to defecate praise singers, choirs, and discomfort for the masses. And of course I was mad at the news of his working with some opposition members as a solution to an election that seems to have left a lot to be desired!

But behold, I witnessed my own lips parting involuntarily in defiance as I read the news that the Nigerian President, His Excellency Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has declared his assets valued at 856,452,892, including 19 million belonging to his wife, Turai. Do not be carried away, the denomination is in Nira, not dollars or pounds. The man is no Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of NYC, but still, he is a millionaire with about US$ 6,727,831.00, not counting his wife's money.

If this declaration is indeed what it is, then I declare it a great stride in political maturity. What the President has done will go a long way to show his seriousness to fight corruption. And all I can say is, it is about time! It is about time we got a new kind of politics out of Africa so we can stop being the laughing stock in the world. It is about time that the thieves, crooks, and their accomplices started spoiling their pants as the spotlight of truth disturbs those fattened stomaches of ill-gotten spoils. Of course not every Politician is a thief, but if we keep the bright lights on long enough, we will see the darkness of theft and murder by extension, begin to melt away. And I am waiting.

Nigeria and indeed Africa has too many children scattered abroad who are waiting to return home tomorrow if they are assured- through deeds, not empty words- that their eggs can be stored at home with assurances that they will hatch life and prosperity. It is not a lack of investors that is hampering investment, but the bankruptcy in political will to do what is right among our so called leaders. Let the leaders lead instead of trying to stifle even things where they have no business.

So, to his Excellency Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, I say your children abroad are pleased and they are waiting for a second serving from the pot of political maturity. And now that Nigeria has set the trend, African leaders, who is next- do I hear Mugabe? Ok, pardon the man, he is on his way out, but, do I hear Kibaki or somebody? Come on give us something. Let us not do it for show or to please anyone, but because it is the right thing to do for us and for our children. So, will the true African Patriots stand up. http://africanviewpoint.blogspot.com/