Too big for a conviction: An interesting character is Fani Kayode...

Cambridge Educated lawyer, Celebrated politician, renowned columnist and blogger, alleged money launderer and looter,  brother of late Rotimi Fani-Kayode (prominent photographer and founder of AUTOGRAPH), son of Victor Fani-Kayode (leader of the national Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons who famously moved the motion in 1958 for Nigeria's  independence in 1960), proud father of five daughters and infamous husband of 3 wives and counting. These are facts that should be contained in David Oluwafemi Abdulatef Fani-Kayode's biography if one does suffice in the coming years. Note that I did not say his auto-biography. For sure he would have a few different things to include and a few to emit.  

David Fani-Kayode

Last month Fani- Kayode released one of his infamous rants detailing the sins and future sins of President Barack Obama. This sparked many a dialogue and arguments in forums, TV programs and magazines. It did make me wonder. The author in question who happened to be in a position of governance only a few years ago is himself a character with question marks when it comes to life in Politics. 

He happens to belong to the famous club of Past ministers of Aviation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Although like everything else about him, he does stand out even in this little clique. Under his watch, $300 million grew legs and walked out of his ministry. Although he was in charge, he knew nothing of it. 

Every Aviation minister in the history of Nigeria has left that ministry worse off. Fani-Kayode's tenure however was particularly bothersome. Being who he was, one would have expected that the Aviation industry would have been on the road to recovery, and so it was. At least until the rescue funds were rescued from his Ministry. 

He was subsequently arrested in July of 2008 and charged with the misappropriation of $300 Million. Charges were subsequently dropped. In December of same year he was again arrested on a 47 count Charge of Money laundering. Charges again were subsequently dropped and he was CLEARED of ANY wrong doing. Despite the fact that deposits into his bank accounts were highlighted as suspicious it was eventually stated that those deposits came from a legal source, It had nothing to do with the missing funds.

By the end of his second ordeal I would imagine he should have been completely cleared of both the charges and the money. Given the fact that it is quite an expensive exercise defending yourself against a very hungry Senate select committee in Nigeria. Especially a committee that knows what you are on about. I guess he learned the major principle of looting the hard way. 

 Set aside 25% of your loot for the EFCC and a Further 25% for a possible Senate Select Committee.

The Senate in Nigeria does not just set up investigatory committees just to investigate. They know right from the word go if there is oil to be found. God hep you if you try to play Holy with them. You would be subsequently faced with charges bordering on treason and the more unforgivable charge of "unwillingness to share". The later definitely could carry the death Penalty, the former means you would be confined to the dungeons of society.

In 2010 he defined the term "Corpsocracy" as the ruler-ship of the living by the dead. In a swipe apparently at the then ailing late President Umaru Yar'adua. I wonder what term he would use to explain "the ruler-ship  of the People by a bunch of Cambridge educated looters". 

It's sad, That in this day and age we still find it difficult to go after people who have done wrong. We still celebrate them. until we can get past this mountain we would forever be at the mercy of pick-pockets, petty thieves and looters like Fani-Kayode (allegedly), people who loot with absolute impunity. 

We are constantly faced with these situations and on each occasion we fall short. 

Wale Babalakin is the latest person to be dragged to court by the EFCC. The EFCC we must note has now morphed into an organization with a serious allergy for real criminals. Although they make a lot of noise and headlines they basically have nothing to show for it. It's all a matter of time before Wale Babalakin goes home a free man, just like Bode George, James Ibori and  Erastus Akingbola before him. 

Continuum of hate.

Its been a great displeasure watching the latest edition of the Israeli Palestinian conflict unfold. It is even with a greater sense of sadness to have beheld the apparent disregard for the substance and phenomena that is Human Life. No matter what nationality it is. Regardless of its clad. 

I fail to see the judgement in retaliating with such disproportionate use of force. I also fail to see the sense in hiding behind your wife and little kids in order to fire rockets at your neighbors kids and wives.  Firstly you are categorically inhumane to use your own wives and kids as shields and secondly you are utterly barbaric for even coming up with the idea of shooting at your neighbors kids. No matter who they are. 

This latest conflict was no war. It was not even a conflict. It was the worst of human behavior being publicly exhibited. Relentless display of hate.

Imagine a little girl of 8 crying, not because she cant go to school, not because her friends were making fun of her not even that she was due to face some punishment from her mum or dad, no, it was for the utterly unimaginable reason that she was afraid a bomb was going to fall on her. The utterly terrifying thing was that her fears were not unfounded. They are real fears. Irrespective of whether that bomb does fall on her or not, she has been damaged for life. In her psyche that fear would settle and fester and ultimately define who she grows up to be. I wonder what warped mind would wish that on a child. Even on the children of his enemies.

Terrified Palestinian girls

Sadly though, this is the Israeli Palestinian reality, it is an existence of hate. Endless farms and nurseries where hate is cultivated. Little yearlings and offspring are traumatized and blasted into the reality even before they can comprehend who they are and on what side of the fence they have been born into. What a tragedy.

      

Israelis take cover in a pipe.

The latest outburst has ended with a truce. A truce which Israel interprets as an opportunity lost and Hamas counts as an opportunity to reload. To prepare for the next fallout. 

A war in perpetuity. A tragedy continuum which begins and ends in different shades of deaths and atrocities. All in the name of God. 

What a shame.