Nigeria and World's attention
17 February 2015 By Abi Giwa
The New York Times has reportedly written an opinion on political development in Nigeria. A Nigerian newspaper, The Punch, has reported the Times' opinion, as if the Times' opinion writers know more about Nigeria than them in the Punch who are on the ground in Nigeria.
Some observers say the Punch report of the Times's opinion is because the Times' opinion allies with what the Punch editors approve as the reason elections in Nigeria have been postponed, allegedly by the ruling power to create more work for the opposition candidate in term of campaign expenditure, while the sitting president relies on government money for campaign.
But the truth on the ground in Nigeria is that the postponement of the election has been reported as unilateral decision of the chairman of the electoral body, Attahiru Jega. President Goodluck Jonathan said this in an interview with the country's media executives, but that he approves the electoral commission's decision because a whole large number of eligible voters are yet to get their voting cards. Jega has not repudiated Jonathan's words. Some people have asked that If the election campaign in Nigeria was to be in the United States, what would have been Times' reaction to the issue of the opposition candidate's certificate trouble and the consequent perjury?
Every Nigerian who has lived through the dismal political development in that country knows that any candidate adopted by the Nigerian media or having media beefed up popularity hardly wins. Obafemi Awolowo was the darling of the media in 1979, but despite his popularity, Shehu Shagari crushed him in two consecutive elections. Olusegun Obasanjo was almost the only candidate in the 1979 election and won with the former military leaders' support and decision he must be the president Nigeria and Nigerians had awaited. Musa Yar 'Dua was not the most popular candidate in 200 , but he won the election because he had Obasanjo and the PDP machinery behind him.
And the only popular candidate in the 1993 election who won was not allowed to rule. How the Times thought that Buhari being popular was set to win the election and it was why the election was postponed beat imaginations.
The Times's opinion was just one of the media attention on Nigeria in twenty four hours. The Wall Street Journal reportedly interviewed President Jonathan, while the BBC went for Professor Wole Soyinka. Jonathan cried aloud that the United States was fighting the ISIS in Syria, but was nothing in Nigeria against Boko Haram, despite the friendship between the U.S and Nigeria. A U.S military spokesperson said the U.S has not helped Nigeria in fighting Boko Haram, because Nigeria Nigeria has not formally sakes for assistance in that area.
In his interview by the BBC, Professor Soyinka reportedly described the two presidential candidates, Jonathan and Buhari, as problematic. He said one has a present that is unenviable and the other a past not credible for remembrance. Professor Soyinka advised Nigerians to be ready to challenge whoever wins the election and fails to fulfill campaign promises. He says unfulfilled campaign promises is bound to happen, because the two parties are spending fortune of borrowed money that may come with interests, and which may be difficult to pay back without breaking campaign promises.
Many Nigerians disapprove of a major newspaper disregard for Soyinka's interview and has not published it on its website as representing a thumb down for the interview, because Soyinka has not praised the opposition's candidate the who the paper approves.
Some other Nigerians ask whether John Kerry receives a formal request from Nigeria to come to Lagos with questions over the postponed elections, in response to a statement by a U.S representative that Nigeria has not formally seek military assistance for it to be able to render the assistance required to shame Boko-Haram.
Consequently, many Nigerians see the U.S posturing and readiness to help now as too late, despite Jonathan's sincere request for help in his interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Some observers say the Punch report of the Times's opinion is because the Times' opinion allies with what the Punch editors approve as the reason elections in Nigeria have been postponed, allegedly by the ruling power to create more work for the opposition candidate in term of campaign expenditure, while the sitting president relies on government money for campaign.
But the truth on the ground in Nigeria is that the postponement of the election has been reported as unilateral decision of the chairman of the electoral body, Attahiru Jega. President Goodluck Jonathan said this in an interview with the country's media executives, but that he approves the electoral commission's decision because a whole large number of eligible voters are yet to get their voting cards. Jega has not repudiated Jonathan's words. Some people have asked that If the election campaign in Nigeria was to be in the United States, what would have been Times' reaction to the issue of the opposition candidate's certificate trouble and the consequent perjury?
Every Nigerian who has lived through the dismal political development in that country knows that any candidate adopted by the Nigerian media or having media beefed up popularity hardly wins. Obafemi Awolowo was the darling of the media in 1979, but despite his popularity, Shehu Shagari crushed him in two consecutive elections. Olusegun Obasanjo was almost the only candidate in the 1979 election and won with the former military leaders' support and decision he must be the president Nigeria and Nigerians had awaited. Musa Yar 'Dua was not the most popular candidate in 200 , but he won the election because he had Obasanjo and the PDP machinery behind him.
And the only popular candidate in the 1993 election who won was not allowed to rule. How the Times thought that Buhari being popular was set to win the election and it was why the election was postponed beat imaginations.
The Times's opinion was just one of the media attention on Nigeria in twenty four hours. The Wall Street Journal reportedly interviewed President Jonathan, while the BBC went for Professor Wole Soyinka. Jonathan cried aloud that the United States was fighting the ISIS in Syria, but was nothing in Nigeria against Boko Haram, despite the friendship between the U.S and Nigeria. A U.S military spokesperson said the U.S has not helped Nigeria in fighting Boko Haram, because Nigeria Nigeria has not formally sakes for assistance in that area.
In his interview by the BBC, Professor Soyinka reportedly described the two presidential candidates, Jonathan and Buhari, as problematic. He said one has a present that is unenviable and the other a past not credible for remembrance. Professor Soyinka advised Nigerians to be ready to challenge whoever wins the election and fails to fulfill campaign promises. He says unfulfilled campaign promises is bound to happen, because the two parties are spending fortune of borrowed money that may come with interests, and which may be difficult to pay back without breaking campaign promises.
Many Nigerians disapprove of a major newspaper disregard for Soyinka's interview and has not published it on its website as representing a thumb down for the interview, because Soyinka has not praised the opposition's candidate the who the paper approves.
Some other Nigerians ask whether John Kerry receives a formal request from Nigeria to come to Lagos with questions over the postponed elections, in response to a statement by a U.S representative that Nigeria has not formally seek military assistance for it to be able to render the assistance required to shame Boko-Haram.
Consequently, many Nigerians see the U.S posturing and readiness to help now as too late, despite Jonathan's sincere request for help in his interview with the Wall Street Journal.
