My kisses for Diezani, by Emeka Obasi

When next I come across the First Female President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Diezani Alison Madueke, I will blow kisses all over her palm. It is strange that of all the criminals who brought Nigeria down to ground zero, many eyes are on someone who was Minister of Petroleum Resources for just five years.

Our legal system is fantastically strange. Those who rig elections and push themselves into power cannot be preaching corruption. For over 60 years, this country has made trillions of naira from our petroleum resources. It is even more criminal that all those who refused to use our oil wealth for the common good, are treated like Kings and Queens.

Let me congratulate our dear Diezani for the much desired whiff of fresh air offered by a Southwark Crown Court, in the United Kingdom, on  June 17, 2026. By the way, two members of my family were born on June 17. The import is that from next year, I will add a new name to the celebrations.

The court in the United Kingdom acquitted the First Nigeria Female Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of all six charges that included bribery and money laundering. Those who want her to come back home and face more charges must be daft.

There has been more corruption since she left office in 2015. Mele Kyari, the immediate past Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) announced to the world, that in 2019 alone, 42.25 million barrels of crude oil were stolen.

We have heard so much about Abacha loot. Sadly, General Sani Abacha is not alive to defend himself. Many of those who continue to crucify the man even in death were those who had political ambitions in 1998. Somebody tell me, did Abacha impoverish the poor like these Fourth Republic politicians?

An Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, allegedly banked 109 billion naira in his pocket. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was in the news when snakes were blamed for swallowing money. A senator could have lost money to monkeys. I love Nigerian monkeys, they have left banana for musicians.

Perhaps, Diezani’s problem began as soon as she assumed office as Oil Minister. Many men eyed that position but were disappointed that a woman got it. She is the First  Nigerian female Minster of Petroleum Resources. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan moved her from the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

The minister stepped on mines early enough by fast tracking the signing of the Nigerian Content Act by Jonathan in July 2010. It favours indigenous contractors to compete favourably with their foreign counterparts. It is an open secret that most of these overseas companies use Nigerians to fleece the economy.

She was the brain behind subsidy removal. And the idea was to do it meticulously without collapsing the economy. The effect on ordinary folks was given maximum consideration. Curiously, the opposition that took to the streets to protest that move, can see clearly that if it was done in 2011, the country would have been better off.

Let me make this clear. I attended school when corruption was seen as what it is. Anyone above 60 years in Nigeria who amasses more wealth than necessary, without hard work, must be from a very poor background. I do not know if the British should come back to colonise us.

All those who watched the end of colonialism were not easily influenced to plunder our commonwealth. At least, many of their children schooled with kids from poor homes. And there was virtually no difference between the haves and the have nots in schools.

Diezani’s father, Chief Fred Abiye Agama, was well to do. She went to schools at home before travelling overseas for post high school education. As a student of  Federal School of Arts and Science, Mubi, she joined public transport like others.

When Diezani returned to Nigeria after studying Architecture and bagging a Masters degree in Business Administration from British and American Universities, she was employed by Shell. Someone with this pedigree cannot steal like the Fourth Republic Nigerian politician.

Yes, she owned boxes of jewellery worth millions. So what? A Shell Worker who became an Executive Director could afford any handbag or shoes that she found alluring. The noise about her wardrobe smacks of poverty of the mind and soul.

I weep for Nigeria where leaders borrow money to build rail lines across our borders and are worshipped as heroes. We see bandits shaking hands with governors and doing photo shoot with military officers. Those in power pretend these things are normal. And they are not ashamed to single out a poor woman who tried to do her job.

Diezani was not in position to award contracts. I see her trial as complete diversion. In December 2025, the Human and Environmental Development Agency (HEDA) talked about 100 high profile cases, involving 1.38 trillion naira, 58.8 billion dollars and one million pounds. These are what should disturb anti graft agencies.

There have been stories of helicopters delivering billions to terrorists in the forest as part of ransom. So much money is budgeted to fight insecurity yet soldiers complain of poor welfare in the battle field. I am not sure Diezani knows anything about military contracts.

And this sends a message to all those who make noise claiming to fight for the Izon nation. They should see themselves as failures. Diezani has been through hell for more than a decade, I did not see them fight for her. Okay, she is not oil. I can understand

Please, anyone who knows when Diezani is coming back home, let me know. I will buy a red carpet and lay it at the airport. We cannot pay her for the mental torture and physical embarrassment. Her marriage even collapsed. Criminals are throwing cash all over while the innocent suffer. Man no be God.

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