From nowhere Senator Ibrahim Mantu from Plateau rose up to become the Senate’s Deputy President. We have worked very hard and we have gone through the Senate papers and we are alarmed that our man of the year like many of his colleagues made no impact, contributed nothing as a legislator, law maker and was not a relevant debate tongue throughout his tenure as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Last week, the octogenarian walked into the studios of the authoritative Channels, and brought the nation down. He told his audience that the Nigerian Democracy is fake venture.  He shocked the world civilised ears when before the television camera he confessed that he has been a thief. Describing  our sacred democratic elections ‘‘as a game’’ the fallen angel confessed that for 20 years he and his colleagues have been stealing votes and engaging in reversing the people’s verdict and at every election, eventually presenting as winners, riffraffs and those Achebe described as vagabonds as the winners!

Without any much probing, Mantu went for the final kill. As a credible witness he pointed his tainted fore fingers to the direction of INEC. With the Bible according to St. John’s in his agbada pockets, and the Koran in his double boxer undercover he said it, this time much louder before the now zooming in camera. In our gang of thieves and armed robbers we have special budget for the security and police; we have special budget for the other riffraffs of the opposing political parties who he assured, understand ‘‘the game’’

We were holding our breath, and this time the explosions from the Senator had blinded my vision. In my semi-conscious reverie, I saw the Senator move to overtake his host, eyes blood shot, knock down the channels camera and like Chris Okigbo’s mad Jadum, he made for the escaping last member of the thieving gang. It is unacceptable that with a budget that is far more than the national budgets of over 20 African countries that Mantu could be found pointing accusing fingers the direction of the electoral body!

Mantu with a high plateau generator upper cut knocked out the INEC! His last confession, in my forced dream, according to the enlightened pundits acknowledge   that the Senator’s apologies prove that Nigeria since the last twenty years, have been running on a FAKE DEMOCRACY!

Mantu’s confession is iron cast evidence coming from an Ali baba thieving Nigerian elite belonging to the parasitic hegemony who have squeezed the country down since Chukwuma Nzeogwu’s 1966 revolution. As a riffraff Senator he may not have realized the legal consequences of his open confession. In China, Saudi Arabia etc he would be shot at first sight for his criminal breach against the constitution.  These unproductive politicians have in 20 years brought into our power politics vagabonds, thieves, kidnappers, ex-police and custom corrupt officers facilitated their winning fake elections and then rose to run our bleeding country. Mantu’s confession has brought internal shame to Nigeria, exposed the byzantine politics of Nigeria and dismissed another Senator Nnamani wasted committee findings on new electoral law. While China, Korea, UAE, Ghana, Botswana etc prefer to offer the bright and the brilliant  leadership spaces these thieves and the Ali babas multiply their games, squander billions to run fake elections and when eventually they saunter into office they pillage and loot the national tithe.

Still in my musing state, over the antics of the man of the year, we conclude this embarrassment of an Alibaba Senator, with the relevant ever green verses of Chris Okigbo’s Elegy for Alto…

The robbers are back… Politicians are back

The robbers descend on us to strip us of laughter, our thunder

The old stars depart, leaves us here on the shore

Gazing heavenward for a new star approaching

The new star appears, foreshadows its going

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Before a going and coming that goes on forever…

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Hope Waddell marks 123 years of treasured legacies.  Edet Essien esq

Hope Waddell marks 123 years of its treasured legacies and academic excellence on 8th march 2018. Before I sign off, know ye that Hope Waddell supplied not less than seven members of the historic 1949 Nigeria’s football team to U.K. No wonder ‘Mr. Football’ Chief Oyo Orok Oyo former AFC scribe emerged from Hope Waddell, so also skipper Richard Henshaw and Sam Ibiam- Nigeria’s first national goalkeeper.

Dr.Okoi Arikpo San-Nigeria’s first Republic External Affairs minister, the very erudite Prof. Anya Anya of the national merit awards platform, Prof.Kalu Uka of the ‘earth to earth’ fame, E.E.Esua, Prof. Edet. Okon Uya, Chief Torch Taire, Chief Ole Ikpa, Prof Isoun Turner?

The history of OAU can’t be in order without the pioneering role of its former General Secretary Nzo Ekangaki of Cameroon an Alumnus of the revered Hope Waddell. Chief Adeniran Ogunsaya started off at Hope Waddell and ended up at Kings College, Lagos. Hope Waddell’s role in the educational, economic, social and sporting development of Nigeria is unique and the most productive of all. Dr. Alvan Ikoku educationist par excellence and the only candidate that made distinction in London, Cambridge in 1924 went through Hope Waddell. Dr. Alvan and Zik’s bursts adorn Nigeria’s N500 and N10 notes.  Hope Waddell proudly owns the one and only man of timbre and caliber of Nigeria’s politics- Dr kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe, Dr  Eni  Njoku the first Vice Chancellor of the prestigious Unilag, Prof Eyo Ita, founder of  WAPI,  Sir Odumegwu Ojukwu – Emeka Ojukwu’s dad and first millionaire in eastern Nigeria. Late Supreme Court Justice Andrew Obaseki, Sir Kalu Idika Kalu, Sir Abimbola Olaiya the music icon.

Established on 8th March 1895 named after Hope Masterton Waddell who arrived Calabar 1846.  He had an intimidating array of old students whose names are synonymous with the evolution of modern, and a unique history of introduction of games of football and cricket in Nigeria as far back as 1902. The school boasts of old boys in the like of Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe – Nigeria’s – first president, the one and the only Zik of Africa who discovered Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Other old boys are: Sir Dr. Francis Akanu Ibiam – first African Principal of Hope Waddell and Premier of Eastern region, Chief Dennis Osadebey – first Premier of Mid-west.

Mr. Emma Okocha you are right that a school’s name is further projected by the activities and contributions of its former students and with particular emphasis on Government Colleges and Rimi College as the anchor of your story on Nigeria’s elite secondary schools. Your poser, where do we place Barewa, Kings College, Government College, Stella Maris, and CMS? Take notice that a compilation of elite secondary schools in Nigeria and their eminent products that do not include names of the makers, movers, and shakers of pre/post-Independence Nigeria amounts to an unpardonable mistake.

Incidentally Barrister Steve O. Mpi, Prof. Obasi Igwe-Pol. Science, U.N.N have all indicated their interest in giving more light to their Hope Waddell.

‘On the Niger’ is an irresistible and arresting platform of history and knowledge: I can imagine the avalanche of reactions that your illustrative Column attracts! May god bless n protect the shaft of your wondrous pen.