Comments on NIGERIAN CURIOSITY: RIBADU DEMOTED; LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED

All this mystery...hopefully, I'll be able to writ...

2008-08-20T19:40:00.000-04:00

All this mystery...hopefully, I'll be able to write the screenplay...it would a serious drama...but who will play Obasanjo? I doubt I will find anybody as ugly as he is...

...i'm so sick of this fuckery...i think jinta and...

2008-08-14T20:32:00.000-04:00

...i'm so sick of this fuckery...i think jinta and n.i.m.m.o. have said very nicely what i would have maybe wanted to say...it disappoints me highly though that the average nigerian just keeps it moving...where are the protests that stop the flow of traffic?...where is the loud and disruptive outrage?...have we as human beings around the world become so complacent and docile?...even monks were protesting...what the hell are we doing?!...*leaves frustrated*...

What others dont see God will!

2008-08-11T14:58:00.000-04:00

What others dont see God will!

If the guy was (over)promoted, then it seems right...

2008-08-11T10:59:00.000-04:00

If the guy was (over)promoted, then it seems right that he be brought back to his deserved rank. I understand he's not the only one.
He has been given given a few awards during his tenure by Nigerian organisations. He was a one time Silverbird Man of the Year, if my memory serves me right.

This does not take a way the fact that his achievements are not being recognised, but remember that anybody that steps on 'big men' toes does not usually get the deserved recognition, except probably from the press. In some countries, they get shot.

Posterity will surely judge all the actors and act...

2008-08-11T09:11:00.000-04:00

Posterity will surely judge all the actors and actress in this show of shame. They may think they are untouchable now, but very soon, they will come to realize that their sin cannot be swept under the carpet. If nothing, this post and manner others permanently stored in the archives of internet will serve as evidence of their evil deeds. Shame to all the thieves and their cohorts.

Cases like his,as well as that of Ngozi Iweala and...

2008-08-10T22:17:00.000-04:00

Cases like his,as well as that of Ngozi Iweala and El-Rufai infuriate me. It is indeed punishment for a job well done.
As a side not, this is probably inappropriate, but Ribadu is kinda sexyyyyyy.LOL

2008-08-10T22:16:00.000-04:00

This comment has been removed by the author.

Thanks for sharing as usual. It is grossly disappo...

2008-08-10T19:41:00.000-04:00

Thanks for sharing as usual. It is grossly disappointing that this man is being taken to the cleaners for doing the job he was appointed to do (If the appointing authority is dissatisfied with his performance, they do have the right to demote him, but we all know this is not the case). And now he risks "arrest for questioning"...how the mighty fall, and the masses do nothing. Yardy will do nothing in this case, but perhaps if the international community and the press (both local and international) shine the spotlight on this injustice, the plotters behind this manhunt will tread lightly.

@ Doja: Really? I didn't know that. I was u...

2008-08-10T14:06:00.000-04:00

@ Doja: Really? I didn't know that. I was under the impression that the promotions happened while he was recovering large sums. Will do some digging into that just to make sure that we are factually correct on that issue. Wouldn't want to mislead anyone. thanks for the headsup...

@ Durano: Hey you, so glad to see you around these parts again. Unfortunately, and with all due respect, Yardy is already seen powerless by many. I think you can read some of the comments above to see that. In my opinion, that is extremely dangerous for Nigeria. Yes, it is also dangerous for the President who has a reputation to protect, but it is the people that I worry about.

Nigeria is a nation that has spent most of its existence under military rule and our military remains a powerful institution, as it should be. Imagine the concerns that are raised when there is the perception of weak public officials?

Nevertheless, the fact that doing one's job will not force the President to put a foot down and demand/require better treatment of public servants is frankly, depressing. I try to be as objective as possible and with this situation and other issues I am working on, I am sad to say that Ribadu is simply a small illustration of a larger problem.

Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to join in the conversation. I am off to read your blog and get some education.

Hi Solomonsydelle,

This is an unfortunate t...

2008-08-10T13:26:00.000-04:00

Hi Solomonsydelle,

This is an unfortunate turn of events for Nigeria's efforts to fight corruption. If the President washes his hands or looks the other way at this blatant injustice, it's obvious he is also under pressure from powerful entities who want to remain unidentified but would insist on keeping their stolen wealth to boot.

This could effectively erode his credibility and be weakened by the perceived clout of the country's hidden powers. Justice will be hard to implement and the rule of law could be discredited by this development.

I'm sorry to learn that this is what the fate of honest public servants can expect from a country that's so full of promise. :-( --Durano, done!

@solomonsydelle...Ribadu had already been over pro...

2008-08-09T06:10:00.000-04:00

@solomonsydelle...Ribadu had already been over promoted before he recovered the funds. Anyway who cares all these people are full of sh*#$&t!

@ Standtall: Thank you so much for pointing...

2008-08-08T18:07:00.000-04:00

@ Standtall: Thank you so much for pointing me to Lolade's blog. I read his perspective and couldn't help but respect what he had to say.

@ Rethots: Again, I thank you for your message on this story. I won't lie, I have been working on another post with similar undertones - punishment for a job well done etc. So addressing this story was just up my alley. Nevertheless, I see your point and that of others that Ribadu's meteoric rise up the ranks could be questionable, however, as I noted in the post, under his lead, the Commission recovered N600 billion, and for that the man deserved to be promoted and in fact every member of his staff should have received a P505 and a new house in some suburb in Abuja the way they used to dash those things to the Super Eagles when they did the country proud!

I am glad you agree with my point that they should have offered Ribadu a chance to exit quietly but your point clarifies exactly why they wouldn't - "a STAR will always shine, no matter what." When one looks at it that way, it is easier to understand why there is such a calculated effort to diminish Ribadu's accomplishments (no matter what we think of them).

Thank you so much for launching this conversation.

@ Oz: Thank you for sharing this link. I am glad that the FT hit the issues as strongly as they did. It is sometimes difficult for me to be as straightforward as a large, foreign publication such as FT. We Nigerian political bloggers walk an extremely thin line. I sometimes wonder if Nigeria will ever be a place where honest and frank discussion on the issues will be appreciated and encouraged. Until then, I will try to discuss the issues I can at this website and encourage others to join in the conversation to the extent that they can.

@ Uncle Jintus:"i was one of those who critisised Ribadu for his apparently selective choices of officials he railed in for corruption. boy, am i slapping myself now?"

Hahahaha! Sorry, I am trying to picture this. No, but I understand what you are saying. I believe that we all had our questions about Ribadu and the EFCC. Personally, all I cared about was that he was doing his job and I believed that the precedent was what was important. In due time, either himself or replacements would have the ability to really go after others that have taken a lot more from the people.

But, whatever precedent was set by Ribadu, the recent actions, performed under the watch of President Umar Yar'Adua, have been clearly and deliberately undone for every Nigerian, and in fact, the World, to see. Unfortunately the message is - do your job and suffer the consequences.

You made too many good points in your comment but specifically, your reference to Okiro's promotions.... I am unfamiliar with that aspect and thank you for bringing it to my attention. But, somehow, i cannot imagine
Okiro being demoted. Something tells me it won't happen. What do you think?

@ Lolade: Thank you so much for swinging by and sharing your thoughts. I can't help but harp upon a specific part of your comment -
"May his days in office end pretty soon. Can't wait for Nigerians to vote him out of power."

I can't help but chuckle at that last line. No disrespect intended to anyone, the Nigerian people included, but do you really see that happening? I mean, really? Considering how Yardy came to power, and what appears to be happening all around him,do we expect to see him 'voted out' of office? If anything, him being voted out would simply be a ploy to put another person into the Presidency while giving the people the impression that their vote counted.

Ah, I just realize, you are new to Nigerian Curiosity and might not be familiar with the conspiracy loving mind I have. i cook them up, spit them out and watch what happens, so let me know your thoughts on this issue. Thanks so much!

@ Doja:"All the people in power whom he frolicked with kept promoting him faster than ABACHA was promoting himself!"

Again, another comment that brought a smile to my face. Thank you so much, my sista.

But, to be serious, I understand the "witch hunt" argument you raise, but as i said earlier to another reader and if I may expatiate, Ribadu was limited in what he could do. His role was to set the precedent and create a situation for those behind him to build upon the successes and catch bigger fish. Do we really think he could have gone after the people he is criticized for not investigating? I mean, honestly? It is this line of thinking that forced me to state within the post that one could argue that once OBJ left office and the EFCC started to look at some of his allies and his daughter, he was sent to the bush in Kuru for training and the rest is history.

As to the promotions, i see your point for sure. That must have caused serious discontent within the ranks. Rethots pointed out to me that the Police Service Commission will only do such promotions for "exceptional performance such as acts of gallantry and bravery and not by doing normal jobs." I guess most people, the Police Force included believe that the recovery of N600 billion is normal, but I don't. Thankfully, my opinion does not count because as I previously mentioned, I think the EFCC staff should be treated like the Super Eagles, lol!

As usual, I appreciate your taking the time to share your opinion. It is always appreciated.

@ N.I.M.M.O.: Ah, thanks for reminding us and in my case introducing me to the story of Ogugbuaja. He, like Ribadu, is simply another in a long line of Nigerians who have stood up and done the right thing, only to suffer for it. I am working on a post that focuses on this issue, and I can't help but feel a serious sense of gloom for Nigeria's children. If all they see are people working hard and suffering negative consequences, then what reason is there for them to grow up into servants of the people?

I don't think the powers that be really understand the consequences of this (ribadu) and other similar situations.

Anyway, I thank you and everyone for sharing their thoughts and allowing me the opportunity to learn some more.

I am still waiting on Beauty, Nigerian Politricks, The AfroBeat, Imnakoya and others to share their opinions on this matter.

Thanks everyone.

The Nigeria Police is about the only organization ...

2008-08-08T12:26:00.000-04:00

The Nigeria Police is about the only organization in the world that keeps shooting itself in the foot. All pun intended.

Punishment for doing a good job is a trademark of the NP. Perhaps those who are old enough will remember another brilliant police officer in the mid-eighties called Alozie Ogugbuaja.

I think he was an Asst Superintendent back then and his crime? He stood his ground against some military men who were trying to circumvent the law. Everybody saw him as defending the integrity of the law as well as the Police itself as an institution. Everybody, except the Police top-brass and the military government of Ibrahim Babangida.

(If you knew what the NP was like, you wont even wish for your enemy to join the Police back then. Its marginally better now.)

If I recollect well, he was never sacked or dismissed, he was just suspended and he is probably still on suspension till today 23 years after. Unless he had resigned. Without his due benefits.

The Nigeria Police is used to humiliating its finest officers.

@Doja: Ribadu is not a saint and I don't think he ever claimed to be one. Even if we agree that he did a lot of 'eye service' to be on the good side of his bosses, I think its a perfectly legal career advancement strategy. We all do it.

He did not promote himself. He was promoted by the powers that be, for doing a good job. And in his own case, the results were obvious to the whole world.

The Police Service was wrong. He should be decorated, not demoted. The least President UMYA(wn) can do now is to overrule them.

@Jinta: Don't you get a feeling of de javu from this whole thing? Like we've been through this before?

In 1979, Obasanjo handed over to an inept, unassuming President Shagari who was reading and praying while his party men robbed the country blind.

In 2007, Obasanjo handed over to UMYAwn who is busy following the 'rule of law' and his vice president, Goodnight (sorry) Goodluck Jonathan!

Obasanjo always comes out smelling like roses. Smart guy!

While Ribadu DID recover stolen funds there was an...

2008-08-08T07:41:00.000-04:00

While Ribadu DID recover stolen funds there was an element of witch hunting of particular people in the manner he carried out his job....that said it is not relevant who money was recovered from, as long as it was stolen.

Did ribadu rise too quickly thru the ranks? YES!
I can confirm to you that many police officers were complaining about that, their complaints had absolutely nothing to do with national politics. All the people in power whom he frolicked with kept promoting him faster than ABACHA was promoting himself!
Was he supposed to be a deputy commissioner? NO.Probably a tiny bit harsh, so thats were the witch hunting of he himself by the current nincompoops jumps in. Hope you understand.

I feel this was an open and close matter from the ...

2008-08-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

I feel this was an open and close matter from the begiining. The establishment knew what they were after from the beginning and they have achieved that; pissing on Ribadu. Even though I feel Ribadu wasn't all that Nigerians, the press included, believed him to be, he had his shortfalls. But then, I believe Yar Adua is a spine-less leader who is more interested in getting his friends off the hook, the Iboris &co, than working for a better Nigeria. May his days in office end pretty soon. Can't wait for Nigerians to vote him out of power.

I so see Rethots point about Ribadu being givin a...

2008-08-08T06:08:00.000-04:00

I so see Rethots point about Ribadu being givin a chance to resign.
The truth is I dot understand "playing politics". I wonder why such a word should even connotes negative meanings. That said, it's so clear that the "power that forced" is at it again "playing politics"!!!

Jinta so put some things in perspective for me

i was one of those who critisised Ribadu for his a...

2008-08-07T23:16:00.000-04:00

i was one of those who critisised Ribadu for his apparently selective choices of officials he railed in for corruption. boy, am i slapping myself now?

let's be real - we need to see yardy for what he is - an inept, incompetent and spineless figure-head installed to protect the ibori's and other thieves.

the current state of affairs reminds me of another inept head - shagari - who said he went upstairs to pray when his fellow thieves started counting stolen money in his, yes, his living room! shagari was a teacher as well. what is it about these teachers and their lack of connection with reality when everyone steals around them? show me your friends...

about ribadu specifically, the AG and his friends will never be satisfied until they completely humiliate him. what they do not know is that they humiliate ALL nigerians including themselves, but as they say, what they want to eat is preventing them from seeing clearly

I feel obj miscalculated with the efcc - he did not expect ribadu to do a good job. now they've got it right - waziri has started chasing people who steal N1m, rather than those who steal N5b

finally, were we to follow the logical sequence, okiro himself should be demoted since he reportedly got a 'double' promotion to AIG. besides, he also 'overtook' a more senior officer in onovo when he became ig.

How the world sees it http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/20...

2008-08-07T20:42:00.000-04:00

How the world sees it http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/204246fc-64cb-11dd-af61-0000779fd18c.html

Solomonsydelle, now i just finished reading and as...

2008-08-07T14:40:00.000-04:00

Solomonsydelle, now i just finished reading and as i guessed earlier; i will not change my comment from what i offered in your earlier post http://www.nigeriancuriosity.com/2008/01/ribadus-removal.html only, i will add

...while, it is not impossible that it could be "PUNISHMENT FOR A JOB WELL DONE" i think we should try detach ourselves from this situation and reassess it from the 3rd side of the coin.

Be that as it may, with respect to his removal, i will agree points-on with you that "The least he could have done to appease 'the gods that be' is stress the importance of offering Ribadu a chance to resign from the police force once his training is completed." that way he (Ribadu) would have been given a soft landing.

But then, a STAR will always shine, no matter what.

For the very first time (in my blog life) 'm posti...

2008-08-07T14:26:00.000-04:00

For the very first time (in my blog life) 'm posting a comment without reading the post. But then, only someone (Solomonsydelle) who can inspire my thots could have pulled that act.

Now my comment is that, the moment i read this incidence in the e-punch; the first thing i did was to mail you Solomonsydelle for your comment. Why? You may ask. 'cos i hard already posted my comment (not necessarily of this particular post but, the incidence) in an earlier post you put up. http://www.nigeriancuriosity.com/2008/01/ribadus-removal.html?showComment=1199929200000#c2736088442591611296 and as i write, i still stand by the content of that post then.

Now, let me go read this post.....

When I read the post to thsi point of "Punishment ...

2008-08-07T11:52:00.000-04:00

When I read the post to thsi point of "Punishment for a job well done". I felt you have said spoken my mind. How are we going to have a corruption free society if we are not ready to step on toes?

Another blogger blogged abt this http://visionofthefuture.blogspot.com/2008/08/ribaduism-and-ribadu-blues.html

Comments on NIGERIAN CURIOSITY: RIBADU DEMOTED; LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED

All this mystery...hopefully, I'll be able to writ...

...i'm so sick of this fuckery...i think jinta and...

What others dont see God will!

If the guy was (over)promoted, then it seems right...

Posterity will surely judge all the actors and act...

Cases like his,as well as that of Ngozi Iweala and...

Thanks for sharing as usual. It is grossly disappo...

@ Doja: Really? I didn't know that. I was u...

Hi Solomonsydelle,This is an unfortunate t...

@solomonsydelle...Ribadu had already been over pro...

@ Standtall: Thank you so much for pointing...

The Nigeria Police is about the only organization ...

While Ribadu DID recover stolen funds there was an...

I feel this was an open and close matter from the ...

I so see Rethots point about Ribadu being givin a...

i was one of those who critisised Ribadu for his a...

How the world sees it http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/20...

Solomonsydelle, now i just finished reading and as...

For the very first time (in my blog life) 'm posti...

When I read the post to thsi point of "Punishment ...

Hi Solomonsydelle,

This is an unfortunate t...