AFRICAN PLUME

By Akin Ojumu Whenever a whiff of scandal affecting a political/secular leader leaks into the media stratosphere, and a political leader faces accusation of committing heinous crimes – allegedly – such as, misappropriation of public funds, adulterous relationship, rape, incest, etc., a murderous mob thirsty for blood, wielding blood stained pitchforks, are quick to crawl out of their holes ready to cast the first stone. This angry mob – which almost always includes both the vehemently irreligious and the fervently religious – like vultures sensing a dying prey, are quick to gather in their various news, gossip, and social media platforms ready to pounce on a wounded political leader. Frothing at the mouth, they rip to shreds, with flesh tearing bullets fired from their poisonous media posts, the life of the accused politician. In many cases, the family of the fallen political leader is not spared the wrath. They subject the politician to near annihilation in a carpet bom

By Akin Ojumu Much has been said about the deplorable living condition in Nigeria. The blogosphere, tweetosphere, and the mainstream media are replete with tales of woe and human misery that exist in the country. That the nation’s infrastructures are crumbling, or have crumbled, is no breaking news. Dilapidated schools churning out in droves unschooled minds, inhospitable hospitals where the sick folks go and never return, potholed roads that have become fields of broken limbs and cracked skulls, and a comatose power sector that cannot generate sufficient joule of energy to light a candlestick, are all so common in occurrence they no longer make front page news. These things are the norm and not the exception. Nigeria is the quintessential shithole country. The Nigerian civil authority has pretty much abandoned the country and left it to fate. Lacking concern for the welfare of its citizens, successive governments abdicate their civic responsibilities of pr