TheCable

On (the) Friday morning, 14th of September, 2018, it was quietly leaked by one of the national dailies—that the former Hon. Minister of Finance had resigned after about two months that the news of her fake NYSC exemption certificate was first divulged to the whole world by an online medium. As an effect of this feat, Nigerians began to shower her with the water of accolades, because belly-driven politicians would rather die in power than to resign, towing the path of honor. No matter how shameful what our people do, they would cling to power, even if the whole nation protests for days without end. But to our chagrin, about an hour after, it was denied that Mrs. Kemi Adeosun was still on her seat like an empress. The news was termed sham by many partisan citizens of our promising country.

A few hours following, the news of Kemi Adeosun did not sneak out this time around; it came out openly and nakedly and the whole world glared at it with amazement. Later, we were told that Mr. President has accepted her resignation. And not long, everyone was able to access the contents of her resignation letter. I downloaded it and perused it while listening to what other well meaning Nigerians were saying about our up-to-the-minute national embarrassment.

There are critical issues contained in the letter that Mrs. Kemi Adeosun submitted to Mr. President for an acceptance. We need to look at those raised issues and find solution to them—going forward or her resignation would be worthless and unproductive. If no heads roll as an effect of the contents of her letter, then asking her to leave office does not make any sense as far as I am concerned.

In the letter sent to Mr. President, Mrs. Kemi said and I quote verbatim: “upon enquiry as to my status relating to the NYSC, I was informed that due to my residency history and having exceeded the age of 30, I was exempted from the requirement to serve. Until recent events, that remained my understanding. On the basis of that advice and with the guidance and assistance of those, I thought were trusted associates, NYSC were approached for documentary proof of status.

Having never worked in NYSC, visited the premises, been neither privy to nor familiar with their operations, I had no reason to suspect that the certificate was anything but genuine…” To start with, Nigerians demand to know those—who Mrs. Kemi thought were genuine associates. They are currently faceless and it is inequitable. If the present administration truly upholds the virtue of justice, then we demand that all those corrupt associates of Mrs. Kemi be seen to be brought to book, but if nothing is heard on this issue in the next one week, then we would be forced to believe that the contents of her letter do not hold water.

Also, the former Honorable Minister for Finance said and I quote: “I presented that certificate at the 2011 Ogun State House of Assembly and in 2015 for Directorate of State Services (DSS) Clearance as well as to the National Assembly for screening…” This is a national mortification! Mrs. Kemi’s letter reveals the nakedness of what we call Nigeria. In 2001, she worked under the leadership of Governor Ibikunle Amosun with the same counterfeit certificate. As if that was not enough, before she joined Mr. President’s administration, she was both screened by the National Assembly and DSS, but they did not see that she was holding a fake NYSC certificate!

Remember, Mr. President spent solid six (6) months before choosing his Ministers. Question, what was he doing in six (6) months? This national shame has revealed to us that Mr. President did not do his home work well before forming his kitchen cabinet. Also, the contents of Mrs. Adeosun’s letter have revealed to us that the National Assembly’s routine screening is just a charade. Lastly, even the Directorate of State Services was unable to know that the certificate was not genuine. This shows that we are in a clear national danger. The issue before us is beyond the fake NYSC certificate, it is deeper than that. We are too naked as a nation!

It is easier for a poor man’s fake certificate to be identified than for that of a rich man’s own to be recognized. We have built a system that looks the other way each time the rich man does anything wrong and quickly sends to jail the poor when he commits the same offence. It is an unfair and unjust system that cannot deliver the Nigeria of our dreams.

As I round off this piece, Nigerians first desire to know those who cleared her before joining the administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun. They are as guilty as Mrs. Kemi Adeosun. Entertainingly, the whole world knows those who cleared her in the National Assembly. Also, they are guilty as Mrs. Kemi.

Lastly, we want to know those in the DSS—who cleared her before joining the administration that expended six (6) months before selecting its Ministers. They too are as guilty as the former Hon. Minister of Finance. From the head to tail, we want them all named and sternly prosecuted. For the umpteenth time, if this does not happen, then Mrs. Kemi’s resignation letter was just a mere fabrication of her imagination.