No actual health care facility nationwide had as many, and in fact a few still have none at all. But as soon as a Nigerian newspaper took a photo of the ambulances and published a story about them, they suddenly disappeared ― probably to an underground garage.
Jonathan is president of Nigeria, which should be among the world's most prosperous nations. After all, it produces an estimated 2.4 million barrels of oil each and every day. With oil now selling at $93.61 a barrel, that’s $224 million in income daily. And yet many hospitals can't afford to buy an ambulance. The reason, in my view: Nigeria is the most corrupt nation on earth.
Sure, Transparency International lists almost three dozen states as more corrupt ― Chad, Haiti, Laos, Yemen, Cambodia and the like. But are any of those nations as wealthy as Nigeria ― taking in $81 billion annually, just from the sale of oil? No, not even one of them. So Nigeria steals and squanders more money than any other nation, making it the world's most corrupt, by that measure.
Nigerian journalist Musikilu Mojeed finds all this so discouraging.
"With its geopolitical power, economic resources and middle class," he laments, "no country (with the possible exception of Saudi Arabia and Egypt) has the power to change the course of black/African civilization like Nigeria."
After all, Nigeria is Africa's most populous state ― and large, twice the size of California.
So Nigerians are living an opportunity squandered ― particularly now. Egypt is in turmoil. In just the last few days, in fact, many Egyptians have been calling for a military coup ― anything to rid the state of its widely despised Muslim Brotherhood government. And a new report by the World Economic Forum ranked Egypt the least safe and secure tourist destination among 140 tourist nations evaluated.
Egypt has lost its place as the Arab/African worlds' leader, and Saudi Arabia never had it. So for Nigeria, the time is ripe. But its leaders seem interested only in stealing the state's money to make themselves rich beyond imaging. Think about it: $81 billion a year just from the oil, while most every local government official still tells his people the nation just doesn’t have enough money to fix the roads, schools or hospitals. (Roads are in such terrible shape that government officials generally travel any distance by helicopter.)
And Nigeria's people ― well, they are as mistreated as any on earth. In only nine nations ― among them Liberia, Sierra Leone and Somalia ― do more mothers die during childbirth. And in only 10 states, including Chad, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, is the average life expectancy lower. Right now the average Nigerian's average life span ends at 52. That may be why the median age of Nigerians is just 18.
A few months ago, the Economist Intelligence Unit published an evaluation of the best places for babies to born in 2013, given their probable welfare as children and the chance for a safe, comfortable, prosperous life. Switzerland, Australia and Norway were the top three. The United States came in at 16th, largely because "babies will inherit the large debts of the boomer generation."
Dead last: Nigeria. "It is the worst place for a baby to enter the world in 2013," the report said.
Even with all that wealth, only just over half the population has access to clean drinking water, and one-third to a toilet, UNICEF says. Two-thirds live below the poverty line. Only one child in four who contracts pneumonia is given antibiotics, and only about half the population is literate.
The CIA also cites endemic "soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution." All this in a county whose gross domestic product stands at $236 billion a year, in the same league as Denmark, Chile, Israel and the United Arab Emirates ― prosperous, successful states to be envied.
Goodluck Jonathan is certainly aware of all of this. After all, taking the oath of office, he swore to "devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of Nigeria. So help me God."
Well, just last week he demonstrated who he really is and what he stands for when he pardoned a former state governor who'd been convicted of embezzling state funds and laundering the money. That pardon triggered a broad, angry uproar.
Good luck, Mr. Jonathan. It's time you were impeached.
By Joel Brinkley, the Hearst professional in residence at Stanford University and a Pulitzer Prize-winning former correspondent for The New York Times
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Mr. Jonathan is a curse upon his generation; and a pest that must be dealt with. Imagine him standing on the soil of Maioduguri and declaring sheepishly that Boko Haram is a ghost! And yet his brutal army keeps proclaiming they have killed members of BH. Ah-ah. Can you kill a ghost? Can you catch a ghost? Can you arraign a ghost before the court of human law? Kabiru Sokoto was in court yesterday, looking as human as any I have ever seen; and Mr. Jonathan says they are ghosts! Kai!
ReplyDeleteThis is a very intresting article i have read in ages.
ReplyDeletePolitics,,,, when will all this stop. Yes GEJ has not done much,does it call for his impeachment ?? Those behind this writ up are also those behind Boko haram and rest.
ReplyDeleteIn the history of Nigerian president's GEJ is the most Unfortunate, the whole Northern leader's Vow to blackmail N make the Nation Ungovernable Openly.. Because it was not zoned to them, I don't know if people are having Amnesia (lose of memory).am not from sauth-south,
But I refuse to be intimidated,Caw,deceived by anybody. The Sultan of sokoto,IBB,Atiku,etc refused to be at the inauguration ceremony of GEJ,then I knew there will be problem not even now,I ve seen this coming long ago.
Talking about the pardon giving to Alamie, What is Pardon ?? Pardon is giving to Criminals so why the Noise. If GEJ is not good for that Office who will be good ?? Is it yahaya Or Aliu ?? Hell No, the North will never get there come 2015
The most clueless president of the world.
ReplyDeletethank you Emex for helping those educated illiterate that are politicising every bit of GEJ administration. an adage says you dont know the value of what you have until you loose it. Nigerians will not appreciate jonathan now until he leaves the throne by 2019. let northerners that has no reasonable and tangible natural resources that can help the nation wait till then.
ReplyDeleteas if GEJ can come back without north. North remain who determine ASO ROCK occupant by either voting massively for a candidate or thwarting the effort of a candidate for another.
ReplyDeleteYea, GEJ wil leav Presidency by 2019 or mayb, evn byond cos he wil bcom Bayelsa Progressiv Forum president aftr 2015.
ReplyDeleteBy d special grace of God Almty, such unfortunate disastroz devil wil nt win 1s again, nt in Nig, nt as our President (Amen).
And if God so wish, he myt evn fynd his way 2a Nig Prison 2pay 4his sins.
......Shoeless n Clueless President
@Emex,
ReplyDeleteThanks........GEJ is leaving 2019 by God's grace.They should go & die.See how many people that have been killed bcos they don't want who's is ruling.....For that reason alone,Jonathan must come back & we shall see what dey will do.The people that are killing bcoz it's not their turn,is it the same people that will rule well?There's no interest for the masses,they are also going there for their pockets.....GEJ is a Devil we know,so,we don't want any other unknown Devil till the real Messiah comes.
It's so sad nigerians are living in abject poverty in the midst of plenty,$220m daily income frm oil is enough to create inexhaustible wealth.what a shame!
ReplyDeleteJonathan must go
ReplyDelete