Re: Between Obama’s “Birthers” and Buhari’s “WASCers”

Last week’s column inspired many reactions from readers. Read a sample below. “WASCers.” Wow! That’s an apt coinage. It almost soun...

Last week’s column inspired many reactions from readers. Read a sample below.

“WASCers.” Wow! That’s an apt coinage. It almost sounds like “rascals,” which is what these conspiracy theorists are. No evidence will convince them that GMB has a WASC. Not even a statement from Cambridge University itself will make them change their minds. They are far too gone in believing their own lies that it’s pointless trying to persuade them. Thanks for your wonderful and creative comparison of Obama’s plight in the hands of American “birther” conspiracy theorists and Buhari’s “WASCer” conspiracy theorists. If there is one lesson we can learn from your comparison, that lesson is that Buhari will ultimately overcome these knuckleheads. That’s why they are scared to death. Thank you for another pleasant read!

Sabi’u Umar

Indeed, the issue in this election is the growing insecurity in the land, the mass of unemployed youth, the hopelessness of the economy and the unprecedented scale of corruption. Having been in power for nearly six years, President Jonathan is manifestly incapable to save the situation. Not long ago, under his watch, many innocent youth, in their prime, died while attending interview into Nigeria Immigration Service. Unfortunately NOBODY was sanctioned for this heinous crime. The Chibok girls are still in the custody of Boko Haram, corruption is still being officially glorified and handsomely rewarded, the country has never been so divided along some primordial lines for some selfish gains etc.

Idris Muhammad

Personally I am not enthused by this certificate brouhaha, because Nigeria has more records of certificate failures than certificate successes in high places. Jega for example is a University Professor in political science, but he could not make and deliver ordinary voters cards to Nigeria over a span of four years. Is this not a certificate failure just like Goodluck's certificate? Dr. Ngozi Eweala who is a World Bank trained expert in finance claimed she didn't know when $49 billion and $20 billion were stolen from Nigerian treasury. No, no, no more certificates or doctors or professors. Nigeria has suffered badly from certificate brouhaha.

Abubakar Ahmed

"It’s frankly silly to obsess about the “O” level school certificate of a man who not only rose to the pinnacle of his military career but became the head of state of his country. In all this, though, it is the Nigerian military’s public statement on this issue that bothers me deeply. When a national military that can’t defeat a gang of domestic terrorists gets embroiled in dirty politicking, you know you’re in really perilous times.”

I agree with the above, but the rest of the essay is simply a lot of noise to mask poorly Farooq's preference for Sai Buhari. America's constitution is not cut-and-paste like Nigeria's. If they ask you for a birth certificate, that is what you give them. If they ask you for your high school certificate that is what you give them. No "presidential candidate" worth his salt drags himself into a non-issue and then gives it traction. Buhari is not ready for prime time. He simply allowed the crooked duo of Tinubu and ‪#‎PremiumLies to embarrass him.

Ikhide R. Ikheloa

I am not deceived by anything. The school published the results of the entire class. His name was there as a graduant in 1961 along with other prominent names. The INEC accepts his affidavit, that's enough for me, and other clear-thinking Nigerians. He will run for president, this much is fact, find peace!

Emmanuel Aja Oga

The last time I checked "The secondary school" he attended, have released his "detailed statement of results" and "the statistics of the entire 1961 set" to the print media. But the WASCers (as expected) still said it is "forgery" (like BIRTHers) and doesn't meet the constitutional requirements which states: "....educated up to school leaving certificate level or equivalents". Like "BIRTHers", like WASCers......

Idris M Kabir

Dr Farooq Kperogi evidently took the bull by its horns. But I bet the political nitwits and fried-brained chihuahuas won't stop barking. They can't stop an idea whose time has come. Their gang-up won't stop a moving tsunami.

Asaju Tunde

Remember Zambia, too, where the then ruling party succesfully stopped a former independence President of the country, Kaunda, from contesting an election on the grounds that he was not born in Zambia....they claimed he was a Malawian; worse, they succeeded in pushing him out permanently.

Ibrahim Gashash

You got it as it really is, Prof. Kperogi. Above everything else, the ‘intervention’ of the military scares me the more. Nigeria is truly in trouble; its unity is held only by a thread. Almost all the security institutions of the country are covertly or overtly partaking in filthy politicking. Earlier on, the police tear-gassed the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, and then the DSS gave the opposition an ultimatum against ‘insensitive’ remarks while thugs like Dokubo Asari are continuously calling for war should President Jonathan lose the election. What’s more? May Allah’s miracle save our dear country from ruin, amin. May the “WASCers” lose the same way the “birthers” did, amin.

Muhsin Ibrahim

"Do you find any parallels here between American birthers and Nigerian WASCers?" Yes, I do. The parallels are strikingly similar, I must say. But I'm very, very optimistic that the WASCers will fail, like their counterpart Birthers did fail in America.

Àmà Usman Mohammed

This has indeed made not just my day, but my whole weekend readings. Thanks a lot, sir.

Ahmad Ibraheem Na-Allah

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Between Obama's "Birthers" and Buhari's "WASCers"