It seems that all being said and done all is not well at News International. Over the past few days what Rupert Murdoch the larger than life figure that sits atop this huge media empire has been seeing as a slight irritation is fast turning into something else.
Both owning and overseeing the day-to-day running of one of the fastest selling tabloids in the United Kingdom,has a way of taking its toll, especially if there is sufficient reason to believe that method by which the information that has been making such racy headlines,thereby sending circulation figures through the roof in recent years, was not gathered in what one considers an ethical and acceptable manner.
Heads have started to roll thick and fast in the last few days and the interesting issues is the harder the organisation does everything to kill this story, it is fast becoming the proverbial "bad penny" that has an uncanny knack of popping up in the wrong place at about the right time.
The erstwhile Director of Information to the Prime Minister has not had it easy in the last few weeks,he has had to resign from his second job because he alleges he did not have full knowledge of what his subordinates were doing at his former job,very interesting
Interesting to see how many more people are going to end up in the firing line,since the Metropolitan Police have decided to revisit the investigation with an injection of fresh evidence.
It looked like the Business Secretary had well and truly ended up with egg on his face after it was alleged that he had fallen out of favour with the Powers that be,due to his attitude towards News International intentions to add BSkyB to their trophy chest.
Mr Murdoch had better remember the interesting adage saying " That those who live in glass houses should not throw stones".......I have a funny feeling that we have not heard the last of this story.
Thursday 27 January 2011
Saturday 22 January 2011
The Expenses Scandal - The Aftermath
Last week the Expenses Scandal claimed its first proper victim meaning that someone is due to start a jail term after being convicted of fraudulent inflation of expenses on two residences that had been already fully paid for. The interesting issue that I wish to pick up on is that corruption in party politics is something that is not limited to developing nations alone.
It has been believed that it is only nations in Africa, Latin America and Asia can be cited for corruption in politics and the press always have a field day in reporting the different cases of graft that you find in successive government that rule in these developing democracies.
One then believes in a developed democracy that in a situation where people come to power in a situation where the have extensive holdings financially and speaking by principle should have no reason for graft whatsoever. But then it became the most unbelievable of suprises to see what our esteemed occupants of the Palace of Westminster had to reveal.
The Telegraph dedicated months to the revelations of the Scandal and it played out like a real-life soap opera over the better part of eighteen months and still hasn't finished yet. Giving us chapter,act and verse of the whole charade on felt like all things political nothing would come of it. Reforms would be the order of the day, a lot of those proven to have "stolen" something were allowed to keep some of their ill gotten gains if they nice gave something back.
And after the biggest names in Westminster at the time, the "royal family" of the then ruling Labour Party escaped censor and went into the night with their golden handshakes, intact one felt that would be the finale. Only for us to hear a whisper here and there that criminal proceedings had been intiated against serving parliament members concerning their dealings with said scandal.
Whatever the continent or state in question as long as the democracy is ruled by people, there will always be graft of some form taking place,though unacceptable it has quietly become the order of the way things are done. It might be a state of affairs properly documented in the developing world as their so-called "shame" but it is has now officially arrived at our shores and we should expect alot of it.
It has been believed that it is only nations in Africa, Latin America and Asia can be cited for corruption in politics and the press always have a field day in reporting the different cases of graft that you find in successive government that rule in these developing democracies.
One then believes in a developed democracy that in a situation where people come to power in a situation where the have extensive holdings financially and speaking by principle should have no reason for graft whatsoever. But then it became the most unbelievable of suprises to see what our esteemed occupants of the Palace of Westminster had to reveal.
The Telegraph dedicated months to the revelations of the Scandal and it played out like a real-life soap opera over the better part of eighteen months and still hasn't finished yet. Giving us chapter,act and verse of the whole charade on felt like all things political nothing would come of it. Reforms would be the order of the day, a lot of those proven to have "stolen" something were allowed to keep some of their ill gotten gains if they nice gave something back.
And after the biggest names in Westminster at the time, the "royal family" of the then ruling Labour Party escaped censor and went into the night with their golden handshakes, intact one felt that would be the finale. Only for us to hear a whisper here and there that criminal proceedings had been intiated against serving parliament members concerning their dealings with said scandal.
Whatever the continent or state in question as long as the democracy is ruled by people, there will always be graft of some form taking place,though unacceptable it has quietly become the order of the way things are done. It might be a state of affairs properly documented in the developing world as their so-called "shame" but it is has now officially arrived at our shores and we should expect alot of it.
Wednesday 19 January 2011
The Haitian Disaster - The Baby Doc Dimension
Fast forward and rewind, if Mr and Mrs Ben Ali of Tunisia decide to revisit Tunisia in about a quarter of a century from now should they be welcomed back by anyone? What gives the likes of Baby Doc Dulvalier the emboldened courage to return to a nation that he plundered and pillaged with impunity twenty-five years ago. Glad to know that after a quarter of a century there are people around who remembered the dark deeds he committed, the innocent lives he took are still asking for him to be prosecuted.
Thinking about it as all fiendish dictators,Baby Doc believed that reeling from the effects of a devastating earthquake even a year on the sensibilities of the people would be dulled to point of vulnerability, and he would be welcomed like a hero. As ever arrogance usually personifies people of his ilk and character. How dare he swagger into the country under the noses of French authorities who claim they had no knowledge of his final destination until when they had boarded and the plane had departed.
At least France had the dignity not to grant the Ben-Alis asylum when they fled Tunisia but then they still hold whatever integrity they have left in question when you think of how as colonial masters they helped to spawn these evil monstrosities who they largely refuse to cut to size unless absolutely necessary.
It remains to be see what Baby Doc really wants to do with his second coming to Haiti but one has a pretty good idea that he sees a potential money tree looming again with all the international investment expected to go into the rebuilding of the infrastructure of the country and it was too good a gravy train for him to be able to pass up. I would like to postulate the theory that the law of retributive justice is about to deal Baby Doc a master stroke of fate. And he will still rue the day that he decided to return to Haiti to make fresh pickings instead of living out his days in a quiet forgotten existence in exile.
That said it still amounts to a disaster of different proportions when you think that someone with no moral conscience like Baby Doc who should be treated like a war criminal is walking around breathing the free air of his nation as if nothing really happened. This is a travesty that should be looked into and redressed. If not the international community who are giving us the impression that they are in Haiti to rebuild it and make things better than what they had ever been are laying a dangerous precedence for what former dictators can and cannot do. Justifying the wrong because it is easier to sweep the whole issue under the carpet and get on with the business of rebuilding instead of righting the wrongs of the past.
The foundation that they choose to bulid on is very shaky and I wouldn't be too surprised if it came crashing down around them some day soon. For Haiti this is a disaster that simply adds insult to a festering injury.
Thinking about it as all fiendish dictators,Baby Doc believed that reeling from the effects of a devastating earthquake even a year on the sensibilities of the people would be dulled to point of vulnerability, and he would be welcomed like a hero. As ever arrogance usually personifies people of his ilk and character. How dare he swagger into the country under the noses of French authorities who claim they had no knowledge of his final destination until when they had boarded and the plane had departed.
At least France had the dignity not to grant the Ben-Alis asylum when they fled Tunisia but then they still hold whatever integrity they have left in question when you think of how as colonial masters they helped to spawn these evil monstrosities who they largely refuse to cut to size unless absolutely necessary.
It remains to be see what Baby Doc really wants to do with his second coming to Haiti but one has a pretty good idea that he sees a potential money tree looming again with all the international investment expected to go into the rebuilding of the infrastructure of the country and it was too good a gravy train for him to be able to pass up. I would like to postulate the theory that the law of retributive justice is about to deal Baby Doc a master stroke of fate. And he will still rue the day that he decided to return to Haiti to make fresh pickings instead of living out his days in a quiet forgotten existence in exile.
That said it still amounts to a disaster of different proportions when you think that someone with no moral conscience like Baby Doc who should be treated like a war criminal is walking around breathing the free air of his nation as if nothing really happened. This is a travesty that should be looked into and redressed. If not the international community who are giving us the impression that they are in Haiti to rebuild it and make things better than what they had ever been are laying a dangerous precedence for what former dictators can and cannot do. Justifying the wrong because it is easier to sweep the whole issue under the carpet and get on with the business of rebuilding instead of righting the wrongs of the past.
The foundation that they choose to bulid on is very shaky and I wouldn't be too surprised if it came crashing down around them some day soon. For Haiti this is a disaster that simply adds insult to a festering injury.
Monday 17 January 2011
Taking the Electorate for granted - The Tunisian Experience
You are in the unique position of No.1 citizen in your nation. You came to power and prominence by way of the ballot box. Another way of saying people's power put you and kept you in office. I have just put down on paper the bedrock of democracy. I will go further to state that it has been well documented based on experience that sister states on the African continent have this unique affinity for using the electorate to rise to prominence only to carry out what we might now popularly allude to as a "hidden agenda".
Time and again has it been done and many times the politician in question wins the day. And for several years takes his best shot with his cronies at looting the nation's treasury and resources. Case histories point the way to the sad few who have overdone it and just like Mr Ben-Ali of Tunisia have had to show a clean pair of heels or run the risk of being lynched. Mobutu Seseko of the then Zairean Republic, Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida of Nigeria among a few others all fall into that class of leaders who have taken the electorate for granted and paid the price when the people have risen against them and asked them to leave or else.........
Leaders like these are really not to be sympathized with. They have long since lost touch with the reality of what really obtains in their respective countries. They have gone over and above expectation in their looting sprees and they have also laid waste the better part of a generation of leaders who have tried to oppose them while in power,who either wind up detained,missing ultimately dead and buried in some shallow unknown grave somewhere.
Africa is probably the only continent left with despotic rulers of this I'll who need. To be shown the door. And as soon as possible,for the good of their own people and the progress of Africa as a continent the experience of the erstwhile President of Tunisia and the events currently unfolding are a pointer of things to come in othe African nations who have leaders who only speak of democracy in word but have no proper understanding of the word in deed.
Time and again has it been done and many times the politician in question wins the day. And for several years takes his best shot with his cronies at looting the nation's treasury and resources. Case histories point the way to the sad few who have overdone it and just like Mr Ben-Ali of Tunisia have had to show a clean pair of heels or run the risk of being lynched. Mobutu Seseko of the then Zairean Republic, Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida of Nigeria among a few others all fall into that class of leaders who have taken the electorate for granted and paid the price when the people have risen against them and asked them to leave or else.........
Leaders like these are really not to be sympathized with. They have long since lost touch with the reality of what really obtains in their respective countries. They have gone over and above expectation in their looting sprees and they have also laid waste the better part of a generation of leaders who have tried to oppose them while in power,who either wind up detained,missing ultimately dead and buried in some shallow unknown grave somewhere.
Africa is probably the only continent left with despotic rulers of this I'll who need. To be shown the door. And as soon as possible,for the good of their own people and the progress of Africa as a continent the experience of the erstwhile President of Tunisia and the events currently unfolding are a pointer of things to come in othe African nations who have leaders who only speak of democracy in word but have no proper understanding of the word in deed.
Sunday 16 January 2011
Greatness defined by Personality
Great American presidents continue to be defined not only by the aura they carry,their personalities and deeds, but the things that they manage to say i n their speeches whenever opportunity presents itself to address the nation. Such an occasion presented itself recently when President Obama and his First Lady Michelle were at Tucson,Arizona to reach out to the American people.
I am putting this down as one of his landmark speeches already. Knowing what to say when things are difficult to say because of grounded division and strife is a unique gift that few of us possess. It is always so easy to stoke the flames of enmity and divisions but towing the line of healing and peacemaking is a different story altogether.
President Obama is the kind of man who America needs at the helm of affairs now. And I am not laying claim to that simply because of what he has achieved so far but, because of the ability to listen that he has shown that he possesses. Deep oratory seemed to be dormant in the real sense of the word. We only see people use oratory majorly for purposes of politics of the moment. The purpose of healing redefined it altogether last week. And the nation as one accepted,understood and knew that something uniquely different had been said by the father of the nation in it's hour of dire need.
Whoever wishes to lay claim to the position of leadership should eschew principles of brotherhood and togetherness no matter how difficult, because we know from history that as the saying goes " United we stand,divided we fall".
I am putting this down as one of his landmark speeches already. Knowing what to say when things are difficult to say because of grounded division and strife is a unique gift that few of us possess. It is always so easy to stoke the flames of enmity and divisions but towing the line of healing and peacemaking is a different story altogether.
President Obama is the kind of man who America needs at the helm of affairs now. And I am not laying claim to that simply because of what he has achieved so far but, because of the ability to listen that he has shown that he possesses. Deep oratory seemed to be dormant in the real sense of the word. We only see people use oratory majorly for purposes of politics of the moment. The purpose of healing redefined it altogether last week. And the nation as one accepted,understood and knew that something uniquely different had been said by the father of the nation in it's hour of dire need.
Whoever wishes to lay claim to the position of leadership should eschew principles of brotherhood and togetherness no matter how difficult, because we know from history that as the saying goes " United we stand,divided we fall".
Saturday 15 January 2011
Unexpected Change in the Political Colosseum
It is really interesting and unusual to see how things are unfolding on the political landscape in Nigeria. In whatever way it has happened Dr Goodluck Ebelo Jonathan has bested Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to climb the platform of the People's Democratic Party's flagbearer in the next Presidential elections in April.
That win redefines so many unspoken myths as to where power lies and who ultimately possesses it. Where former understandings concerning geopolitical rotation have held sway, based upon a select set of individual choosing how things should be. We are witnessing the death knell of that very understanding now.
What lies ahead now is going to be watched by several power centres all over the nation very carefully. it is almost a forgone conclusion as to where the elections of April are going to end up. But what I wish to really ask is " Have the North come a cropper?" Its to early to give an answer to that question yet, but it is a telling understanding that more than a party nomination was won and lost at Eagle Square.
That win redefines so many unspoken myths as to where power lies and who ultimately possesses it. Where former understandings concerning geopolitical rotation have held sway, based upon a select set of individual choosing how things should be. We are witnessing the death knell of that very understanding now.
What lies ahead now is going to be watched by several power centres all over the nation very carefully. it is almost a forgone conclusion as to where the elections of April are going to end up. But what I wish to really ask is " Have the North come a cropper?" Its to early to give an answer to that question yet, but it is a telling understanding that more than a party nomination was won and lost at Eagle Square.
Wednesday 12 January 2011
The Place of Choosing to understand oneself
Everyone thinks it is real important to be accepted. I have lived the better part of my formative youth seeking for this.believing that I needed to continually be in the good books of other people or to be accepted by them. That was important.but then I wasn't really interested in what I felt was right for me to do. What I was happy with.
Today I think a little more differently from mu growing years. It's still important to be accepted by other people, but now I make sure that it is something that I also enjoy doing at the same time. Writing this Blog is something new to me but writing because I enjoy it is something I have done since before I can remember.
I write because I enjoy it,because I choose to,because it defines me. And that comes from me accepting the fact that I am gradually coming to understand myself,you might be in a place now here things might not be looking the way you want them to. Stand fast and make sure you handle the situation as you and not as others would expect you to. There is no duplicate to your uniqueness and to try and be someone else is the greatest disrespect that anyone could show to themselves.
That situation is there as a challenge to you. Overcoming it is another test that determines what stuff you are made of. You will keep on finding out as various challenges come up to you that you are stronger than you really ever believed you are and that is taking it to the point where you are truly coming to understand yourself.
Today I think a little more differently from mu growing years. It's still important to be accepted by other people, but now I make sure that it is something that I also enjoy doing at the same time. Writing this Blog is something new to me but writing because I enjoy it is something I have done since before I can remember.
I write because I enjoy it,because I choose to,because it defines me. And that comes from me accepting the fact that I am gradually coming to understand myself,you might be in a place now here things might not be looking the way you want them to. Stand fast and make sure you handle the situation as you and not as others would expect you to. There is no duplicate to your uniqueness and to try and be someone else is the greatest disrespect that anyone could show to themselves.
That situation is there as a challenge to you. Overcoming it is another test that determines what stuff you are made of. You will keep on finding out as various challenges come up to you that you are stronger than you really ever believed you are and that is taking it to the point where you are truly coming to understand yourself.
The Right thing to say?
I was writing yesterday for a group yesterday. I was actually commenting on someone's post. The topic was a last weekend's shooting of Arizonan congresswoman Mrs Garielle Giffords. In a moment of heated response to someone who had good-naturedly said that we need to all come together and try and move beyond the terrible events of last week and not inflame the situation by choosing to suggest that political among other undertones might have been responsible for the shooting. I said that there was nothing for the family of alleged shooter Jared Loughner to say to the family of critically injured congreswoman Giffords.
I went as far as saying that they might explain there son's action as stemming from grievances with the government of the day and then following the democratic understanding of allowing every citizen who so chooses the right to bear arms. looking back and having read a little further I would like to take those statements back and say that they were unfair and insensitive. Now in possession of information that tells us that his parents are actually mortified at their son's actions,have no explanation whatsoever as to why their beloved boy would carry out such a heinous act.
As a parent myself I can imagine how it must feel when you become infamous overnight and will be remembered for all the wrong reasons forever. It goes along way in bringing to the fore the understanding that we are all charged both great and small with the responsibility to say the right thing? For those of us who spend the greater percentage of our time putting views down on paper that several people will read that responsibility weighs a lot heavier. It is so easy to incite,to influence and to injure by saying the wrong thing? But then arises the question what is the wrong thing to say?
It becomes relative to whatever situation that you are dealing with. A lot of the time you need to think beyond your small world that you believe you are reaching out to. And ask yourself what effect this piece could have if it happened to reach a much larger audience. The reason for this is we have what I now call a global Digital Village where due to the interconnectivity of the Internet, and the numerous devices that access it on an ever regular basis what you say no longer remains exclusive to you anymore.
However insignificant you might think you are and what you think you are saying. It might end up being the proverbular stone thrown into the pond that has concentric ripples reaching out and touching things at distances that will seem bewilderingly unbelievable to us. So a soundbite to us all is reaching the level where we are sure as much as we possibly can that what we are saying is the right thing.
I went as far as saying that they might explain there son's action as stemming from grievances with the government of the day and then following the democratic understanding of allowing every citizen who so chooses the right to bear arms. looking back and having read a little further I would like to take those statements back and say that they were unfair and insensitive. Now in possession of information that tells us that his parents are actually mortified at their son's actions,have no explanation whatsoever as to why their beloved boy would carry out such a heinous act.
As a parent myself I can imagine how it must feel when you become infamous overnight and will be remembered for all the wrong reasons forever. It goes along way in bringing to the fore the understanding that we are all charged both great and small with the responsibility to say the right thing? For those of us who spend the greater percentage of our time putting views down on paper that several people will read that responsibility weighs a lot heavier. It is so easy to incite,to influence and to injure by saying the wrong thing? But then arises the question what is the wrong thing to say?
It becomes relative to whatever situation that you are dealing with. A lot of the time you need to think beyond your small world that you believe you are reaching out to. And ask yourself what effect this piece could have if it happened to reach a much larger audience. The reason for this is we have what I now call a global Digital Village where due to the interconnectivity of the Internet, and the numerous devices that access it on an ever regular basis what you say no longer remains exclusive to you anymore.
However insignificant you might think you are and what you think you are saying. It might end up being the proverbular stone thrown into the pond that has concentric ripples reaching out and touching things at distances that will seem bewilderingly unbelievable to us. So a soundbite to us all is reaching the level where we are sure as much as we possibly can that what we are saying is the right thing.
Monday 10 January 2011
The Political Impasse in Nigeria.
When I first penned this article eleven months ago. The late president of Nigeria Umaru Yar'Adua was still hidden away in a hospital bed in Saudia Arabia and there was a political impasse of sorts going on as to his whereabouts and the nature of the ailment that had befallen him.
A year on and even though Nigeria has a new president in the erstwhile Vice-President Dr Goodluck Jonathan it seem that things are really not getting any better in Nigeria. With the most recent of three bomblasts coming as close as New Year's Eve one wonders the motive behind these senseless acts of terrorism.
Elections beckon in a few months and with no one really knowing what to expect. It will be interesting to see who will emerge the new President come May and what he will be governing?
A year on and even though Nigeria has a new president in the erstwhile Vice-President Dr Goodluck Jonathan it seem that things are really not getting any better in Nigeria. With the most recent of three bomblasts coming as close as New Year's Eve one wonders the motive behind these senseless acts of terrorism.
Elections beckon in a few months and with no one really knowing what to expect. It will be interesting to see who will emerge the new President come May and what he will be governing?
Sunday 9 January 2011
What you will be seeing cross the WRITING DESK
It will be honest, it will be opinionated because it represents my take on several issues. It will be frank and honest to the way I see things. The beauty of writing is that you continue to discover more of your own personality the longer you write.
In the spirit true to my origins in reporting I will as much as possible present the most objective side of issues that will be landing on my Desk by reason of occurrence. But most of all we have to accept that things are not getting any rosier and news is really not getting any better. We will therefore make it a point of duty to look for some of the good things around that are happening to present for your consumption and contributions likewise. With this I welcome you one and all to the Writing Desk.
Victor Olu Adewoye
The Writing Desk.
In the spirit true to my origins in reporting I will as much as possible present the most objective side of issues that will be landing on my Desk by reason of occurrence. But most of all we have to accept that things are not getting any rosier and news is really not getting any better. We will therefore make it a point of duty to look for some of the good things around that are happening to present for your consumption and contributions likewise. With this I welcome you one and all to the Writing Desk.
Victor Olu Adewoye
The Writing Desk.
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