IT IS ALL ABOUT THE JUICE.

There were many reports last week about a leaked list of ministerial nominees and yesterday's grand unveiling by Senator Saraki proved some of those snitches to be accurate or near accurate. 21 names were read out and I must state that many of Buhari supporters were disappointed for various reasons while a few others perhaps felt they needed to take a position regarding their satisfaction or otherwise. The third group includes those totally sympathetic to the last failed administration. They did not quite know if they should have attacked the characters on the list or the delay; so many of them eventually resorted to insult and mock the president.

There are many foci of dissatisfaction which range from the presence of former governors to “recycled” politicians like Audu Ogbeh and then to the ages and genders of those nominated. I truly wonder why people were upset that the likes of Raji Fashola, Rotimi Amaechi, Chris Ngige and Kayode Fayemi were on the list considering all they did when it did not look like the All Progressives Congress (APC) was going to outlive Doyin Okupe’s prediction. More perplexing for some was the presence of Lai Mohammed who was and has been accused severally of being a more toxic propaganda machine than the amalgamation of Doyin Okupe, Olisa Metuh and Femi Fani-Kayode who at one time categorically said in an interview that Boko Haram was the militant wing of the APC (which he was once a member of).

Many unknown and unheralded people went out of their way into the trenches and door to door to convince Nigerians to look beyond sentiments and embrace the concept of a new Nigeria led by the septuagenarian Buhari. Many others did their thing as cyberspace “voltrons” defending and recommending Buhari but when it comes to choosing ministers; one needs to understand the rationale for these politicians who did their part to ensure victory. Lai Mohammed on his own part had to periodically stare down President Jonathan’s spokesmen and Marylyn Ogar; I think nominating him for a ministerial slot goes far beyond rewarding him for talking. Our politics and constitution further serves to complicate the “small” matter of ministerial nominations.

That ideal fast paced option for presidency was never on the table prior to the elections. We needed someone who would steady the ship and put a stop to the insanity which government had become under PDP. There is a need to terminate the celebrity mentality of our public office holders and I believe that foundation is already laid and will become more apparent in time. Those diehard sympathizers in favor of President Jonathan should be well informed that open criticism shot at the current President does not vindicate their mentor and/ or benefactor.

The skewed focus on Ogbonnaya Onuh, Audu Ogbeh and the former governors has only served to distract from the other names on the preliminary list. I wonder if the Nigerian media outlets have taken the pains to profile everyone on the list so that the people can know more about their qualifications and antecedents. However, most of the reports have been mainly about their states of origin. We have to conduct our own research on these individuals to know which one is 45year old and loaded with degrees or the one who was the site engineer when an embassy was built in Niamey. I do think the discussion about this list ought to be beyond how old Fayemi is and why there are only 3 females on the list of the first 21 nominations. Jose Mourinho is a successful manager at 52 but he is still quite young for a football manager compared to some very active ones who are 65 years or older.

I am not interested in discussing why 30 or 40 year olds are not on the list and may not be on the second list. There are more than a few platforms at the local or state government levels for younger people to learn the ropes or perfect their trade. I understand the current Sokoto state governor learnt a few things as a young man from the House of Representatives likewise Bukola Saraki when Obasanjo was president. President Buhari said once that he wanted a corrected political system in Nigeria where godfathers and money bags would not decide who got into public office. This is one demand we should place on the president and ensure we are not just aloof. We have got to carve our own niche and prove to the older generation that we are better and ready but we must be devoid of arrogance and timidity. It is one thing to expect a reward for actively participating in enthroning a government and it is another thing entirely to desire to be a prominent leader whether any past activity on behalf of another gets rewarded or not. What should we want from getting involved in politics? Should be seek a transient reward or a better and prosperous nation irrespective of who presides?

Some People’s Democratic Party members in the senate were quick to mock the absence of “angels” from the list sent to Bukola Saraki. They must have thought barging into the delayed nominations was a means to score cheap political points and regain lost “glory” so they went on and on. I was driving when a report on the Akwa Ibom senator Godswill Akpabio’s comment was aired. He was all about how disappointed he was that four months was not sufficient to have a list of 36 ministerial nominees. He acknowledged that a nominee came from his state but was worried about the other 15 states without any representation. Akpabio went on to ask for the date when the second list would reach the senate; he said he did not want a case whereby a period of 6 months or more would elapse and the 21 nominees would have had all the “juicy” ministerial positions shared amongst them.

It seems that Mr. Akpabio did not get the memo that there would be no more juicy tubers of Diascorrea spp available on the menu like it was under the past administration when males and females alike overdosed on the sweet stuff.