Ahmed Dodo

“ Politicians have always sought us out because we can provide votes .Between friends and family, each man of honor can muster up forty to fifty other people. There are between 1,500 and 2,000 men of honor in Palermo province. Multiply that by fifty and you get a nice package of 75,000 to 100,000 votes to go to friendly parties and candidates.” - Anthonini Calderone I have just finished reading an interesting book The Mafia:the first 100 years written by two authors William Balzamo and George Carpozzi jnr. This courtesy of an intellectual friend who was kind enough to lend me this priceless novel.   To be honest the ways of the mafia ‘the men of honour’ has always intrigued me right from my school days, especially as they were made more popular by Mario Puzo and his blockbuster the Godfather. One surprising thing after reading this book was the reality that hit me; I have come to compare our present situation in the country to that of the 18th century criminal era of the mafia ...

Sometime early last year, I had the privilege to sit one on one with General Muhammadu Buhari in his office in Kaduna for an interview on his biography. It was quite an interesting meeting that sharpened my understanding about the man and his love for this great country. Again my interaction with him opened my eyes to some historical facts about the Nigerian civil war and some patriotic deeds of some of our past leaders like General Murtala Muhammed, and General Shuwa,to mention just a few.   Prior to this historic interview, I had arranged a few questions for the people’s general and seated not too far away   from him on his conference table, we began the intensive question and answer sessions that took about four good hours. Among the questions I asked the now presidential aspirant of the CPC was “When was your happiest moment in life, sir?” He had stared thoughtfully at me and answered that his happiest moment in life was the day the Nigerian civil war ended. I was taken ab...

I don’t know if most of you watched last week’s episode of the hottest selling Nigerian movie: election 2011 . I did and I was not too disappointed in what I saw and the many intrigues and tensed drama showcased by the various actors and actresses.   Well for those who are still new to the Nigeria political arena, this is the final show of strength and magu- magu by all the contesting political parties in the forth-coming general election.   And as visualized by yours sincerely, our white bearded prof gave them a shocker, an upper cut that stopped all their planned rigging,ballot snatching and vote buying,etc.   And trust Nigerians the show was superlative with various chain reaction and different version and sub-plot emitting from various groups throughout the week. While some group accused INEC of a deliberate attempt to rig the election in favour of the PDP,other group accused the electoral body of a plot to award the election to certain tribal group in the country an...

I don’t know if most of you watched last week’s episode of the hottest selling Nigerian movie: election 2011 . I did and I was not too disappointed in what I saw and the many intrigues and tensed drama showcased by the various actors and actresses.   Well for those who are still new to the Nigeria political arena, this is the final show of strength and magu- magu by all the contesting political parties in the forth-coming general election.   And as visualized by yours sincerely, our white bearded prof gave them a shocker, an upper cut that stopped all their planned rigging,ballot snatching and vote buying,etc.   And trust Nigerians the show was superlative with various chain reaction and different version and sub-plot emitting from various groups throughout the week. While some group accused INEC of a deliberate attempt to rig the election in favour of the PDP,other group accused the electoral body of a plot to award the election to certain tribal group in the country an...

Drama shall never end in Nigeria political terrain; everyday is one drama to another. And I tell you, this comic like cheap political muzzling is making the 2011 election more interesting by the day.   And for those who have the passion to share some laughter, this no doubt is the time to laugh away at some of the disgraceful stone age political thinking of some of our politicians across the country, especially in the PDP controlled states, where they have tried to shut out the opposition and went as far as banning them from holding public rallies or pasting posters and billboards in ‘their states’. I dey laugh like Baba, wondering if these self-proclaimed dictators sometimes spare their self-imposed busy schedule to reflect and ask themselves about the whereabouts of those before them? I   almost fell down from my seat when I read about one   Amala governor in the south-west who,wanting desperately to cling to his soon to be   expired stay at the government house,...

A debate is described as the mutual understanding of two or more people to talk about something at length and in detail, especially as part of a formal exchange of opinion. It is the ability of different minds to talk and ponder about something carefully, argue and intellectually proffer a satisfactory solution.   A debate in other words is to jaw-jaw with brain and at the end a solution arrived at to tackle any negative wahala or kata-kata . I like debates because they give you the chance to know your weakness and at the same time comprehend your opponent’s own.   It is sometimes fun and educative to listen to other people talk and by talking you shall know them, because what comes out of the mind of a person defines his or her thinking.   So I was very happy and excited last week that a slated debate among some of our prominent presidential contenders was in the offing. I had sharpened my brain to absolve some of the missiles and punches that might have been thrown at...

Everything under the sun they say has got its time and season. True this is the time and season for celebration and jollymentation in Nigeria, especially among our politicians and specifically within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. Oh! How I love this country during this season. I am always happy and thrilled with the various eating and dancing that come during political elections in the country, especially in the past ten years.   Believe me I have always made it a duty to have my ears and eyes wide open for any information on political celebration and enjoymentation.   I wish you saw the sad   look on my face   last   week when I could not join the thousands of enthusiastic   ‘hired supporters’   who trooped out en masse to welcome one of our most popular convict back into the real world, after spending a few arranged years behind bars. I was not happy that I missed all the free amala and orishi-rishi meat that must have rained heavily on t...

“ It is the writer who might catch the imagination of young people, and plant a seed that will flower and come to fruition.” These are the inspiring words of Isaac Asimov the famous American science writer and author. Considered a master of hard science fiction and a man with great imaginary mind and prolific in mystery and make –believe stories. It is from this great American pen-man that I have decided to borrow some imaginary conceptions and share them with readers this week. In the hopethat   I might have planted a seed that will flower and come to fruition at the end of the day. Precisely I am letting my imagination fly freely as I look back at the victorious revolution that took place in Egypt last week. A revolution that ushered in a change that started like play – play and I am here imagining what it would   have been like, if the resilient protests had been in my dear country Nigeria, the most populous rich black nation on planet earth, with different set of people a...

This is to inform the general public, especially our distinguished politicians, of my interest to sell my voter registration card. Please don’t blame me for this self decision, and I beg your indulgence not to see me as being unpatriotic. I am just trying to hold on to what has been stolen from me more than ten years ago, and thank God for His mercies, I am privileged again to have in my possession the ticket to my freedom. Right now I can afford to pose, shakara and do yanga to our politicians, and believe me I go do shakara no be small, unless anyone among them is ready to offer me my asking price, which I have decided to let go to the highest bidder. And for your information, I am not willing to let go my powerful card for a plate of porridge, moi-moi , ankara , bag of rice, key soap or some cheap promises. In fact, the buyer must be ready to enter into a written agreement with my lawyer and swear to Allah, God , ogun , orisha, osenobua,oghene, eledumare, sango, Chineke or wh...

I am directed to write you this letter and communicate to you our resolution as regard the security of our lives and property, this being our rights as patriotic citizens of this great rich country. I write on behalf of all the market men and women of this prosperous nation with lots of goods and services and versed in rich resourceful land. This letter is a voice of the Nigerian farmers who have been deprived of their rights in tilling their land in search of food to keep body and soul, due to insecurity in virtually all corners of our nation. This is also   part of the voices of our mechanics, bricklayers, Okada riders and the large population of   beggars and other oppressed and marginalized Nigerians across the country, who have lost their lives one way or   the other in senseless rioting, bombings and ethno-religious crisis that seem to have overpowered you all, despite all the billions expanded on you annually. I am directed to let you know that the market women as...