By Adesina Soyooye
Immediate past Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, has literally described Nigerians as cowards. He said Nigerians are docile, not shocked by anything or any situation, and takes anything.
He lamented that instead of protesting, they choose to commit suicide. He then added, “I am praying for you everyday that you should continue to commit suicide so that by the time I wake up one day, all of you have died so that I can now reap the benefits of your death…”
Amaechi spoke in Lagos on Friday where he delivered a lecture at the Niche Newspapers Annual Lecture.
In a video which has gone viral, Amaechi, while answering a question on the sidelines, on the Certificate forgery allegation against President Bola Tinubu, said he had stopped talking because Nigerians don’t react to anything.
He wondered what the big deal is about certificate forgery against Tinubu, and asked them to tell him which politician in Nigeria who does not steal or forge certificates.
Why should he talk, he asked, when Nigerians neither talks nor reacts to anything.
He lamented that in Nigeria, serious issues which could easily lead to mass protests in other countries are ignored because Nigerians, according to him, take nothing seriously.
Said Amaechi: “Nigerians don’t react to anything. Has any politician told you he is not a thief? You are shouting ‘forgery’; forgery, Which politician told you he didnt forge? Which politician told you they went to university? Which politician told you she served in NYSC? And which politician told you he has his certificate?
“Nigerians know, and still vote for them, so what’s your problem? No, tell me, what’s your problem? Tell me, why should I speak when there’s already nothing new?
“Nothing bothers Nigerians, so why should I waste my time? I chose to stay in the house quietly. I chose not to speak again because Nigerians will do nothing.
“Nigerians are committing suicide. Instead of finding solutions to your problems, you’re committing suicide.
“I’m praying for you every day that you should continue to commit suicide so that by the time I wake up one day, all of you have died so that I can now reap the benefits of your death by taking those things.”
Amaechi has been loudly silent and quiet since he was defeated by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC. He was not reinstated as the Minister for Transportation, thereafter.
To worsen it, Amaechi has been completely sidelined by the APC, rendered irrelevant both locally and nationally, even though he founded the Party in Rivers State. He has been dethroned as the leader of the APC in Rivers State by the immediate past Governor of Rivers, Nyesom Wike, now FCT Minister. Wike succeeded Amaechi as Governor of Rivers State.
For the records, Wike is PDP, but has assumed the leadership of both APC and PDP in the State.
