New York, December 20, 2006—Africans In America News Watch wish to announce its year 2006 Man of the Year Award nominee.

It has to be noted that the Tsunami wind of democracy has significantly hit the motherland, the continent of Africa in recent times. Unfortunately, the masses have not gotten democratic dividend in any significant manner. However, there appears to be some element of light down the tunnel.

This year, there are lots of things to talk about, but not much to celebrate, really. However, announcing our Man, or rather, Person of the Year is a tradition that has to be fulfilled even though the process this year is exceptionally very difficult one.

As usual, the winner will be determined after a very tedious selection process. This is where we are now in this process. Our nominee this year was not selected because he is such a great man, not because he loves his own people, not because he utilized his very powerful position of influence to impact positively on the masses in general, neither was he chosen because he is a democrat, or a statesman in conventional western standard.

Rather, he was chosen simply because of his very simple, honest and straightforwardness when given performance evaluation by his boss. His openness, frankness and forthright stance have the potential to steer Nigerian and African derailing governments on track to transparency, accountability and good governance now and in the future.

When the Nigerian elder statesman, retired army general, member of Eminent Persons Group, co-founder of Transparency International, President and Commander-in-Chief, His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, through his anti-corruption agency presented Nigerian Vice-President His Excellency Abubakar Atiku with charges of corruption and misappropriation of public fund and misuse of his office, Mr. Atiku did not run for cover, he did not waste time to manufacture excuses, he did not come up with mind-bugling spinning denials. Rather, the retired senior customs officer stood up stoically and un-shakingly looked at the general in his face, eye-ball to eye-ball and boldly responded, “You too”; and he has maintained that stance till today. Vice-President Atiku wasted no time in systematically rolling out proofs upon proofs to substantiate what he meant by, “You too”.

Hate him or love him, Vice-President Atiku’s attitude and stance is revolutionary by any standard, and Nigeria and Africa may be better for it at the end of the day. Nigeria and the rest of Africa will be better of when leaders show courage and patriotism by quickly connecting with the oppressed masses, and by shattering the thick wall of es-spirit-de corp silence on corruption in highest places.

Following the incriminating query, Nigeria’s Vice-President Atiku wants the war against corruption to start from the top, with him and his boss, and everyone seems to agree with that.

Nigeria anti-corruption tsar, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, recently released a report that Nigeria leaders stole $380bn since independent in 1960. When recovered those will be enough to develop Nigeria up to the first world level, if it is not re-looted. However, it is unknown whether this report covers 1999 to present.

Nonetheless, President Obasanjo came a very strong second in this process and may eventually be a co-winner. The president represents dooms in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

Nigerians hoping for their own Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, instead got ‘I dey kamkpe’ and ‘No shaking’ and convoluted ideologue marketed as ‘Home-Grown-Democracy’.

Obasanjo’s 8 year rule was characterized with development of fiefdom, political assassinations, regional insurgency, economic hardship, illiteracy, unemployment, breakdown of law and order, decay of infrastructures while government officials and cronies continue to live in opulence at home and abroad unprecedented in the history of Nigeria. Towards the end of his 8 years of ‘home-grown democracy’, President Obasanjo waged one-sided war on corruption directed at his opponents. His friends, associates, colleagues and aides accused of the same and bigger offenses were not similarly investigated.

However, hate him or love him, President Obasanjo was able to prove to Nigerians and the world that leadership of Nigeria is not birthright of any particular tribe. His greatest achievement is telecommunication thereby connecting Nigeria to the world community. He de-mystified few sacred cows in Nigeria and may have set the stage for full-blown revolution Nigerians are waiting for, after his exit.

President Olusegun Obasanjo represents many paradoxes and expectations come crashing down.
Both President Obasanjo and Vice-President Atiku represent human face of corruption and abuse of public office in Africa. Both epitomize the African malaise. Surprisingly both want to hang on to power. President Obasanjo wants term extension, while VeePee Atiku wants to be the president.

Without endorsing anyone’s political ambition, Abubakar Atiku, however, ‘No-shaking’, accused-of-corruption-but-not-proven-guilty yet, His Excellency, the Vice-President of the oil-rich ‘African giant’ Federal Republic of Nigeria is our front-runner for Man of the Year 2006.

The award, which we will like to be delivered to the winner/s by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s anti-corruption tsar will be presented during a reception in a venue to be announced shortly.