The N2,3B Elebele Bridge in Bayelsa State and Why the Fainting May Not End.

This photo has been trending in social media in the past few days and it is reported to be Elebele Bridge in Ogbia Local Govt Council in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, constructed with the sum of N2.3B by the NDDC or it contractor. Almost one week after the picture appears on WhatsApp, no arrest has been made and no press statement from NDDC or its affiliate debunking its authenticity or the veracity of the story. And in a few days, this story, like thousands of others before it, will disappear from our consciousness.

The squandering of riches at NDDC did not begin yesterday. It is the culture in that establishment. So, when President Buhari came into office and later made himself the Minister of Petroleum Resources, he was given the benefit of the doubt and was expected to be revolutionary in stemming the tide of corruption in the sector. And as a no-nonsense former military officer, that he would be able to engineer and sustain a culture of accountability was never in doubt.

That confidence was aided by the understanding that he has spent the most years in the leadership of the Nigerian Petroleum resources than any other Nigerian leader in his generation. However, judging from the recent and emerging developments in NDDC and the cronyism that defines recruitment process in NNPC, the petroleum resources sector is now in a worse state than he met it in 2015. And one is at liberty to conclude that he has failed the nation in that respect.

The N2.3B Elebele Bridge contract under review was allegedly awarded in 2018 and was completed in 2020. That was under President Buhari's administration. And two, a few days ago, it was reported that between January and May 2020, NDDC paid out N81.5B to individuals to execute unverifiable projects in the Niger Delta. It is cogent to point out that all the major characters involved in the scamming of NDDC were appointed by President Buhari. Today, no arrest has been made. 

A few days ago, in a commando-style execution, Governor Wike of Rivers State, stormed the residence of the former MD of NNDC Ms. Joy Nununieh and prevented a contingent of the Police Force that came into her residence to effect an arrest from taking her away. More than a week later, we are yet to hear from the IG of the Police or the Attorney General of the Federation to know if they authorized the aborted arrest. And until we hear from them, we cannot ascertain to what extent Governor Wike engages in an ultra vires act. So far, Ms. Joy Nununieh is winning.

In a related development, a few days ago, the Acting Managing Director of Management Committee of the NDDC, Mr. Daniel Pondei, fainted while testifying before the House of Rep Committee that is investigating the reckless disbursement within the NDDC. And that was the end of the hearing. Who won? Professor Daniel Pondei won. From all indications, Nigeria may never see anyone going to jail or see the EFCC securing a forfeiture at the court of law at any time soon. 

Another guy who won big, was the indefatigable uber dramatist, former Senator Akpabio. According to the Thisday newspaper of July 21, 2020, "In a self-indicting testimony yesterday, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio, told the House of Reps Committee on NDDC probing allegations of mismanagement and illegal spending by the commission that the agency under his watch parceled several contracts for members of the National Assembly, contrary to the provisions of Code of Conduct for Public Officers."  That's all Senator Akpabio needed as a defense. In other words, if you want to publicly impugn my integrity, I will also publicly tell Nigerians that you are a part of the squander and recklessness rocking the NDDC funds.

Hearing that, the House members probing him went jittery, and in the staged pandemonium that accompanied his bold allegation, the committee clandestinely aborted the proceeding. Who won? Both Akpabio and the House members. 

So, what do we do now? Malu and Magu are locked up in financial scandals and their hands are tied. ICPC cannot act, unless the Presidency gives orders. And the dare-devil DSS has been caged. But one guy has the ace, Professor Gambari, the new Chief of Staff to the President. From all indications, it seems his hands are full. And that leaves us with only one option: WAIT UNTIL 2023. Unless, of course, there is a bloody revolution, which I do not pray for.

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Not even Professor PLO Lumumba of Kenya can match this Man of God in oratory prowess, public policy, and erudition. Preachers can only preach. And Writers can only write. But they can't force you to inhale and react. What you do with the information is between you and your God. We are busy chasing breaking news every day, chasing so much, and letting real scandals elude public scrutiny.

In the past few months, we were entertained by obscene video clips of piles and piles of neatly arranged Almighty Dollars in someone's residence. And as always, Nigerians didn't see anything reprehensible or morally repugnant about it demanding the attention of the EFCC or the Attorney General of the Federation. That was your money that can give your children free and quality education at all levels. That was your money, a sufficient load of money that can build for you a Dubai-style Medical Center in Lagos or Kaduna where the young and the old can obtain free and quality healthcare as obtains in most oil-rich nations of the world.

Instead, they are stockpiling them not knowing the use to make of them, while you are busy spending nights and days on your knees, invoking Holy Ghost fire to strike and cast out the stone that is obstructing your breakthrough. Come on, Nigerians, the thunder and the fire are in your hands and the stone is conquerable. Your docility is their strenght.

Show me another country in Sub-Sahra Africa that God has blessed so much with human and natural resources? Show me one! You have to cast out those stones by yourself. And the man of God told you where the stones are. He didn't stop there, he told you how to cast them out and vanquish them.

At every point in time in human history, and as lucidly chronicled in the Holy Bible, God always intercedes on behalf of his chosen ones at the time of perils. And he does that by sending His Prophets to minister to them on what to do to conquer and overcome the iniquities of adversarial forces. You can not say God did not send His Teachers and Prophets to Nigeria as it were in the Holy Bible in the days of old. He did a thousand times. Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah is one. And the Man in the mirror preaching below is another. And as always, you are vacillating, infirm of purpose, not knowing what to do with the ball in your court.

You cannot deny we never had prophets or revolutionary forces. You had Isaac Boro. You had Ken Saro-Wiwa. You had Maman Vasta. And you had Gideon Okar Military Coup. When they were captured, tried, and executed, you went about your business as usual. No public rally in support of what they stood for and died for.  It is their business. No, it was and still your business. They did what they did in the pursuit of equal rights and justice - your equal rights and your justice so that you can be free. And they did it to ensure accountability in high places for egalitarianism to rain down like a waterfall.

THE MAN OF GOD IS PLAYING HIS PART. YOU PLAY YOUR PART. You must start with Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of INEC. If you can't align with revolutionary forces, you could at least, stand up and fight to defend your vote. I am playing my part - to inform and inspire.