"I would be poor if things were like Zimbabwe" says Nigeria's richest businessman
Listening to BBC World News this morning I heard a man described as Nigeria's richest business man give a `rare' interview. In haste I must write down why I find a single phrase, uttered by this man, so shattering. No time to check the spelling: Aleko Dangote was explaining his support for President Obasanjo's chosen PDP successor in this week's forthcoming elections. Tackled on the corruption, endemic in his country, Dangote said that no country was free of corruption (at national level) but that this should not be allowed to go too far because "I would be poor if things were like Zimbabwe".
Wow! I remember so well the jubilation of Nathan Shamuyarira, once an admired fellow Zimbabwean media man when the Nigerians paid his ZANU (PF) some seven millions (real money in Zimbabwe way back in 1980) to buy out South Africa's Argus Africa News which had governed newspapers in former Rhodesia. This enabled the ruling party, to set up the Mass Media Trust. It became one of so many institutions in `liberated' Zimbabwe which ultimately betrayed its high-sounding, founding principles. The MMT aimed to `act as a "buffer" between government and the only national newspaper chain'. (see Richard Saunders booklet Zimbabwe's Growth towards Democracy 1980 - 2000 accompanying Edwina Spicer's film "Never the same again"). Thank God Nathan failed to get me, a friend of nationalists and Willy Musarurwa, his former best friend, appointed to the founding Board of Trustees - now a despicable travesty of a protecter of press freedom in independent Zimbabwe.
I wonder if the Nigerian government could possible understand the irony of the situation that Nathan and his cronies have connived at for 27 years in bringing about today's destroyed Zimbabwe?
Copyright © 2004 Diana Mitchell
Ms Mitchell
ReplyDeleteI read your sad diatribe against "Rhodesian Farmers" you are so wrong and so filled with venom I wish you could find peace. The majority of white farmer who could not stand the thought of a Kaffir Government left at or near independance. Many of those who lost their farms recently and those that were murdered like Dave stevens we committed Zimbabweans many too young to have even fought in the bush war. I fought and I fought bravely, not because I did not want a black government but because I did not want a communist government. My only surprize is that Mugabe has kept his worst until last. I met Mugabe soon after he was released from detention in the 70's. Never before or since in my life have i felt that I was in the presence of such consumate evil. You can never explain away that peopole like you are at least partially responsible for what has happened in Zimbabwe. You are bitter and ignorant, unable to face the truth, a sad old lady - I madam am vindicated!
Sincerely
Zimbabwedemocrats@comcast.net
Ms Mitchell
ReplyDeleteI read your sad diatribe against "Rhodesian Farmers" you are so wrong and so filled with venom I wish you could find peace. The majority of white farmers who could not stand the thought of a Kaffir Government left at or near independence. Many of those who lost their farms recently and those that were murdered like Dave stevens we committed Zimbabweans, many too young to have even fought in the bush war. I fought and I fought bravely, not because I did not want a black government but because I did not want a communist government. My only surprize is that Mugabe has kept his worst until last. I met Mugabe soon after he was released from detention in the 70's. Never before or since in my life have i felt that I was in the presence of such consumate evil. You can never explain away that peopole like you are at least partially responsible for what has happened in Zimbabwe. You are bitter and ignorant, unable to face the truth, a sad old lady - I madam am vindicated!
Sincerely
Zimbabwedemocrats@comcast.net
Yes dianna mitchel is a silly old bag so dont get so upset. I told her years ago the wogs could not run the country and she would not believe it she is not about to start now. She is a joke as she was in the 1970's
ReplyDeletedonatelli04@yahoo.com