by Tola Adenle

Dieziani Allison Madueke should not be in the Federal Cabinet

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has shown Nigeria and the entire world that he cares very little for the feelings of his fellow citizens, that he cares very little whatever allegations may fly about as regards those he chooses to high political offices, and that his proclamations of a determination to fight corruption are not backed by a will – or the muscle to fight the monster that has taken over the country.

With all the accusations of improprieties bordering on corruption swirling around Ms. Madueke: oil block sales without due process; accusation of favoring her husband’s company; allegations of huge bribes from oil marketers or importers, using a front who lifts oil, etcetera, the right thing for a president who wants to justify the confidence reposed in him by those who voted him in so recently would have been to drop the lady from the list of those to be sworn in while thorough investigations are carried out on each of the allegations.

These sordid allegations have been in the papers and if the woman has been falsely accused, it would have been better for the country, for the president – and the woman to be cleared by a panel of whatever kind. While supporters of the president are ever-present on bloggers’ sites with accusations of victimization against Madueke as defense, pages of newspapers and websites are NOT where dismissal by Jonathan’s administration will be made – and won – even though it is an apt place for accusations and allegations. I did read a threat reportedly made by Madueke to sue if certain allegations are repeated; the same newspaper went ahead and repeated it as well as additional allegations of non-serving of the mandatory NYSC, etcetera. I’m not aware she has sued.

Like most Nigerian politicians, the president has shown utter disregard for Nigerians’ feelings by going ahead with sending the name of the woman for confirmation and now swearing her in: either you like it or not, it’s Ms. Madueke as Petroleum Minister or nobody. Like former President Obasanjo, he could have kept the portfolio to himself as a reader of this blog sms-ed to a phone for readers of my old NATION column suggested.

In the matter of Ms. Madueke, Dr. Jonathan has dropped the ball as the Americans would say. The next person I’ve written on here and in my rested column in the NATION as not of use to the masses interest and that of Nigeria – is Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala. She will soon be aboard to head the Finance Ministry.

Nigeria may produce millions of barrels of oil daily but since most of the income disappear into a sort of black hole, the country WANTS loans and grants, etcetera to the delight of donor agencies whose agent, The World Bank Dr. Iweala will represent. While this lady is a Nigerian and must dearly love her country, I’ve wondered aloud – even long before Ngozi was on her first trip as Finance Minister – why the press in Nigeria always talks in the positive and superlative about The Bank. This outfit makes its money from commissions on loans to really poor countries and profligate ones like Nigeria.
Whose interest will Dr. Iweala represent?

The Straus-Kahn off-Broadway show: Did he or did he not?

Yeah, the DSK’s show has moved from off-Cannes since the Cannes Film Festival with which the affair coincided has closed for this year but has now moved to its more natural habitat, Off-Broadway. It won’t last, though, as DSK will soon be released and the Guinea girl may be the one headed to jail. I can assure you, though, that many in the justice arm of government in New York may regret it when next they face the electorate as judges, District Attorneys and some others hold elective positions.

Those familiar with the way of justice in the U.S.A. – nay, the whole world where it is one set of laws for the rich and another for the poor – saw it coming as DSK appeared in public with dishonorable jewelry of the wrong type clamped on his wrist about two months ago: the Guinean immigrant girl would have to be Mother Theresa NOT to become the accused in spite of reported planted rumors of he-did-it evidence of rape case.
Now, the IMF guy is smiling with his trophy wife, former broadcaster Sinclair who must be the lady after many a guy’s heart with her reported you-naughty-you acquiescence to DSK’s legendary womanizing: “for a political man, it is important to seduce”! An expensive Manhattan restaurant was the reported port of call where DSK could put the ugliness of New York’s infamous Rikers Island (that’s a jail house) behind him for good. Ms. Sinclair is not DSK’s first wife.

Free on multi-million dollar bail, she hung on his arm like an expensive Cartier watch – she’s loaded making her more indispensable, if you get my drift. He does bring a lot to the table, though, for a woman with that heart of gold: he could be France’s next first lady. Move over, Carla for another colorful first lady.

Yeah, Rikers Island or any other ugly huge concrete masonry is not in this guy’s future. The Guinea young woman may, on the other hand, be headed to jail.

In spite of the maid/accuser’s past, are there evidences that DSK raped this poor girl? If he did, he must go where he belongs which is the Big House.