Diezani, you fall our hand BAD!

I don’t know at what point exactly Allison-Madueke’s misfortune befell her; on her appointment as Petroleum Minister or sometime earlier in her life. But as soon as she was re-appointed into former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Cabinet after he won the elections in 2011 to fill unarguably the most powerful portfolio which is that of the Ministry of Petroleum, her 30ft leap into the life of controversy, accusations, public- badgering and being constantly at the butt of media perorating had just begun.

Diezani, wife of former Military Administrator of Imo & Anambra States Rtd Rear Admiral Allison Madueke; one time former Naval Chief studied Architecture at Howard University USA and graduated about the period in Nigeria when SDP & NRC held the reins of power at the State Level while President Babangida coordinated from Abuja. Since then, she had been a staff of Shell Petroleum Development Company where she rose to Executive Director position- the first female ever to do so. Perhaps, if she had gone on to some other higher achievement in the Corporate sector, we would have been reciting her name in primary schools as one of the female Nigerians who scored milestones like we recall Chief Folake Solanke as the first female SAN or Kuforiji Olubi as the First Female Chairman of UBA OR Ibujun Awosika as the First Female Chairman of Firstbank Plc or Ndidi Okereke Onyiuke as the First Female DG of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. But who can blame one for aspiring to lofty heights? When President Yar’Adua needed to fill up his Cabinet list, her name popped up representing the Rivers State slot (her home state) and no sooner than getting there, this US-trained Architect passed by the Works portfolio or the Housing & Urban Development position, but rather landed feet-first into the juicy Transportation Ministry as its political head.

Active Diezani’s appointment into the FEC added to the record of firsts that many won’t bother celebrating or remembering in this season of boiling-hot controversy she is embroiled in. Asides being the First Female ever appointed to the Board of Directors of the Almighty SPDC which has been mentioned earlier, Mrs Madueke was the first female Nigerian Minister of Transportation, First Female Nigerian Minister of Petroleum and in 2014 women globally probably stood in unison to celebrate the rise of the first female to the exalted position of the President of OPEC. Alongside the corpus of enviable achievements that sit proudly on her mantelpiece today, it seems controversy has also found a place in her sitting room seemingly struggling for greater attention and in terms of controversy, Diezani seems to have them in basketful. Although, frok my experience I know that not all who have their names printed in red are necessarily of questionable character. Many so-called “trouble-makers” and those who are on frequently on the receiving end of petitions, are most time those who are on the path of doing some good and in their quest to effect change, they meet daring opposition. Perhaps that’s the reason for her seeming unending courtship with the polemic.

One year as head of the transportation ministry, the next as head of the Mines & Steel ministry and two years later as the head of the Petroleum ministry would definitely accord you a princely group of high and low level enemies as you attempt to tramp along the muddy and sinking sludge-coated Oil industry which is copiously littered with sensitive feet of investors, players, beneficiaries and financial/political interests waiting to be stepped on. So let’s cut her some slack while scoring her on Performance Based on Feet Stepped On/Egos Bruised. Nobody would have passed that anyways. I would like to state here that it is not my intention through this piece to outline allegation by allegation or storyline by storyline or venture to sketch out rumor by rumor, what Diezani has been alleged to have done. I don’t have that time to waste because news editors will write what they want, readers will read how they want and fifth columnists will spread it how they want, I sit on the side of my opinion.

Succeeding as a woman in a male-dominated environment is not easy, especially in the political scene. Ask the Late Dora Akunyili who was derided during a Senate Ministerial Screening Session or Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the numerous times she has had to appear before the members of the Green or Red Chamber and practically harassed by a bunch of chauvinistic opportunists squatting under the guise of constituency representation who are but tenants in Abuja for a 4 year furlough. Or perhaps we should enquire from Arunma Oteh who squared off successfully against the Chairman of the much talked about probe panel and left her job as head of the SEC and today is the President of the World Bank. To be honest, it has not been easy for the women at all. Though I must admit that some are deserving of the public mortification for their complacency.

I would also wish to state here that it is also not my intention to fashion the ding that the actions or inactions thereof of Mrs Madueke are inessential of reproof. From missing $20bn NNPC funds to private jet saga to the N1.2 Billion contract concessioning allegation by the Senate in 2009 and many more and to this latest $13bn fraud allegation that has the eyes and focus of the International community once again on Nigeria once again fir the wrong reasons thus further cementing the impression of other nations about Nigerians and Fraud. It is usually unheard of on the global arena that top leaders of global power groups like the IMF, OPEC and the likes are nabbed for weighty crimes like financial fraud or reckless spending, but rather they are caught-in-the-act for “lesser crimes” like Sexual Harassment, Under-aged Sex or a comment that was made in error or even associating with persons of questionable character or history. But as usual, Africa differs in areas like this. We are experts in doing the unimaginable when it comes to corruption; stealing with so much vehemence and making news with equivalent magnitude. Now the large-eyed, pretty and fast talking Diezani who always replies questions on TV with her spectacles lodged gracefully on the sleeve of her nose will be remembered among the ranks of Nigerians who have made headlines for their propensity to siphon our common wealth and stockpile it abroad with unparalleled equanimity.

Diezani Allison Madueke, the Doctoral Degree Awardee of Management by the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy will now sit in the Hall of Shame alongside Late Dictator and military strongman General Sani Abacha and former governors of Edo, Delta & Bayelsa States three of whom apparently mentored her on how to steal, run abroad and get caught. According to International Media reports, Allison was apprehended by the National Crime Agency UK on suspicion of bribery & corruption offences alongside four others just the same way Governor James Ibori was apprehended and Diepriye Alamesiesegha too were arrested alongside their family members and associates. It is interesting how our elected or selected government officials roam free in tinted limousines accompanied by a retinue of expensive cars and escorted by mean looking uniformed men who have no idea about the tax we cough out to keep their salaries paid but who are quick to intimidate and harass Nigerian citizens in a bid to impress their hired client. While these men and women roam about freely and live majestically on hilltop mansions, nobody in whatever capacity dares venture to touch these "anointed" ones, question them or even accuse them of anything wrong openly- except on some media channels. But once they step outside the country to the so called “Safe Haven” countries, even a divisional constable can book them for crimes they didn’t even commit on their own soil.

How does this look on the alumni of Howard University see this? Or her former employees at Shell? Or her father’s family? Or her husbands? Her children? Women folk?  This is indeed a great “Falling Of Hand”.