No Light, No Fuel, No President

It's Christmas Eve. Below are some of the newspaper headlines of the last two weeks in Nigeria. If anything, it should alert all Nigerians, home and abroad to the monumental challenge before us. I hope it does.

• "President in Absentia - Day 31"
• "Yar'Adua’s absence: Ministers, directors disagree over unspent 2009 allocations."
• "Yar'Adua can rule from anywhere says Anodoakaa"
• "Money laundering: EFCC, Delta elders reject Ibori’s acquittal."
• "Supreme Court clears Soludo for Anambra poll."
• "6000 megawatts no longer possible this year - FG"
• "Maduekwe spends 2.7 billion Naira on foreign trips"
• "70% of Nigerians are poor-African Peer Review Mechanism Report."
• "Two more Nigerians ask court to declare Yar'Adua unfit to rule."
• "FEC approves 7 billion Naira contract for Vice President's new residence."
• "Fuel scarcity takes toll on inter-state travels."
• "6000 mega-watts lie."
• "Collapsed substation causes blackout in Lagos."
• "Police need spiritual cleansing says Osayande"
• "Shell to dump Nigeria’s oil fields."
• "Tragedy as truck kills 65 persons."
• "15bn fraud: I’m relaxed says Bafarawa."
• "EFCC arraigns Chikwe over 40million Naira fraud."
• "No federal road project completed in 2009 –FG."
• "Fuel: govt to investigate missing 90 million litres."
• "EFCC traces 11 houses in US to Cecilia Ibru."
• "Bankole (House Speaker) promises traditional rulers role in constitution."
• "Akingbola is not beyond our control – CBN boss."
• "Sanusi (Central Bank Governor) confirms receiving bids for rescued banks."
• "Appeal court dismisses Bode George, others’ application."
• "Ex- NYSC DG flays calls to scrap scheme."
• "El-Rufai sues IG, AGF over arrest warrant."
• "Senate, Foreign Affairs Ministry’s face-off deepens."
• "NDLEA arrests three suspects with 265 bags of cannabis."
• "Bakassi returnees seek S’South governors’ assistance."
• "Reps order NNPC, MDAs to remit N460.3bn to treasury."
• "Shell shuts down Soku Gas Plant."
• "Why 2009 Niger-Delta Ministry budget failed."
• "Solid minerals can contribute 20% GDP- FG."
• "Kolade advises pupils on leadership."
• "Yar’Adua: Aondoakaa under fire over comment."
• "Senate summons Akunyili, Muhtar over N8.2bn NTA equipment contract."
• "Bafarawa, eight others get bail."
• "Ex-militants seize bank in Calabar."
• "Nigeria can win Nations Cup"

Merry Christmas to all our readers. PostcardfromLagos