It’s been a while since I ran letters from readers here on your favorite column. That’s mainly because events have been unfolding at breakneck speed, and frankly, many thoughtful (and some even uncomplimentary, but that’s OK) emails have been sent to me, and I’ve been unable to give them the attention they rightly deserve. Until now, that is. Yesterday, as I rummaged through my inbox, I thought to myself how difficult it would be to pick five or six well-written ones, from a pool of over twenty! But someone has to do it, and that someone happens to be yours truly. I decided to let the current zeitgeist guide me, even as I have to admit some were chosen on account of how well they were written. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did. Thanks, and see you again next week with another hot-button topic. – Abdulkareem
Re: Today Na Today
Firstly, you’re wrong. It is a four-horse race to Aso Rock, with Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi (LP), and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (NNPP). He’s a solid statesman and a politician with finesse, so APC-kissing sycophants like yourself should not bother positioning your newspaper’s preferred candidate or we will know it. You were also right when you predicted what you did, that the 2023 polls will be the most unpredictable one in our lifetime. It was, to be honest. This is because I thought my own candidate would win. But that ship has sailed, and I’m OK with not getting my way. That does not mean I am wrong, though. What it probably means is that Nigerians are fine being abused repeatedly by ‘leaders’ at the helm of a ‘system’ which mocks, degrades, and dehumanizes them. God help us all.
– Japhet Jatau, Suleja.
Re: Today Na Today
Even with the ridiculous fuel scarcity that has turned everyone into shadows of what they once were, even with the wickedly-imposed ‘cash crunch’ that has turned people into beggars and raving lunatics, Nigerians still went and supposedly voted for the APC. It’s not even a Tinubu/Shettima hate thing because I actually like the former Borno governor and I’m indifferent towards the Jagaban. It’s the fact that people representing a collection of people who have failed Nigeria are still being accepted – hook, line, and sinker – that bothers me greatly. A twisted, perverse version of Stockholm Syndrome, maybe?
– Shehu Ladan, Zaria.
Re: As Nigeria finally gets a cashless economy
Shame on you, Baba Aminu, for your unpatriotic but well-written article which probably hit all the right spots for extremely far-left conspiracy theorists. The naira redesign was not meant to be weaponized by politicians, but we all know how they can adapt anything to be used for their selfish gains. The only thing I will agree on with you is that for the past two years, CBN governor, Emefiele, has been churning out failed policy after failed policy. When, I wonder, will he finally be sacked?
– Jamil Hassan Faki, Kaduna.
Re: As Nigeria finally gets a cashless economy
Your sly, back-handed bashing of President Buhari and CBN governor Godwin Emefiele over our chronically ‘cashless’ economy made me laugh more than I have laughed in a while.It is sad, but true. What could have been done gently and in a humane way, was instead rushed, ultimately harming all Nigerians from all walks of life. Yes, we know the problems, and who caused them. But come next week’s gubernatorial polls, are we smart enough to elect those who won’t betray our trust?
– Stella Wamanyi, Gwagwalada.
Re: How not to vote on Feb. 25
I’m an ardent reader of yours, so I know you’ve admitted in the past that you’re one of the harshest critics of Nigerian politicians. We were both justified during the presidential polls, as candidates fought dirty, and their supporters acting like lunatics. When you asked how do we avoid picking the same clowns to perform the same inane circus for another long 4-year cycle, I remember saying to myself ‘we cannot’. It is clear in the voting patterns, as well as how much like sheep we tend to be every election cycle. I’m a massive pessimist, so permit me to say here that there’s no single candidate on the ballot who deserves to rule Nigeria. But then the awful people we are, we probably deserve whatever it is we will end up having.
– Jimmy Pwajok, Jimeta-Yola.
Re: Nigerians, devils, and the deep blue sea
I never knew the origin of the phrase ‘Between the devil and the deep blue sea’, so thank you for educating me that it has been in existence since at least the 1600s. That said, it is not the same scenario in Nigeria, though. Here, we have a clear choice within the situation, but we will no doubt bungle it because of hunger for naira. Also, you still have not disclosed who you voted for. But that is OK, as most people would rather keep that information, rightfully, to themselves. But now that it’s over, what’s the plan for next week’s guber elections? More of the same, or a change we need?
Hafiz Abdulrahman, Kaduna.
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