I am so infuriated this dawn, after going through a few headlines on Google News Nigeria. When I blogged about Nigeria for Obama (ObamaNigeria.org): A Misplaced Priority in March 2008, putting a spotlight on an effort by some Lagos State legislators, I suspected idleness and over-zealousness but this new move by yet another group of people, I smell plain thievery. Frankly.
Apparently, a new group called “Obama for Africa” has since surfaced in Nigeria and they even raised about N100 million (US$840,000) in a recent fund-raising dinner, according to The Punch newspaper.
‘Africa for Obama’ led by the Director-General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, had at its dinner/concert in Lagos on Monday August 11, reportedly raised about N100m.
This matter raises so many questions begging for answers.
Are these supposedly enlightened people not aware that donating towards political campaigns in the United States is restricted to US citizens and permanent US residents only? In plain language, the fund-raising dinner is illegal.
How do they expect to repatriate the gathered funds to Obama official campaign team when the group has dissociated itself from “Obama for Africa”?
The letter by the Staff Counsel for the Obama for America, Ms. Kendall C. Burman, reads, “We want to inform you that Obama for America, Inc, which is the principal campaign committee for Senator Barrack Obama in his campaign for President of the United States, and the Democratic National Committee are in no way affiliated with this event or with this organisation.
“Obama for America and the Democratic National Committee will not accept any funds raised at this event or through the fundraising activities of this group.
“We want to make it clear that the event and this organisation are in no way associated with Obama for America of the Democratic National Committee should this organisation seek to place additional advertisement in your paper.”
Disgrace. One can only imagine what would be going through the minds of Senator Obama and his campaign team.
The woman defended herself but the question remains, What will be done with the money raised?
Okereke-Onyiuke said the event organised by ‘Africa for Obama’ was not aimed at raising funds for Obama but to sensitise Africans living in America.
The NSE chief who spoke with one of our correspondents on the telephone on Monday said, ”At no time did we say we were raising money for Obama.
“What we are saying is that Obama is for the world and he has been getting support from Europeans, from Arabs and from all over and Nigerians should not be different.
“We are not collecting money for Obama. I lived in the US for 14 years; I am a Green Card holder and I know the law. We are just mobilising people who are eligible voters to go out and register and voter for him and I don‘t know why this should be an issue.
Obviously, the ‘Obamacracy’ is not limited to Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke and her friends. I just saw a feature article on Vanguard newspaper’s website titled: Obama Obscenity
SUPPORT for US senator Barack Hussein Obama, 46, an African-American, with roots in Kenyan’s Luo ethnic group, and the Democrats’ presidential candidate in November’s election, began gradually, but it has turned into an obsession for some Nigerians, and assuming obscene proportions. From some cars that bore Obama stickers, emails that sold his candidacy, to posters that have found their places on the otherwise posterless streets of Abuja, the Nigerian side of the campaign is assuming a senselessness.
What is all this Obama noise about, especially in the manner we are approaching it? Who permitted those posters on the streets of Abuja?
What are your thoughts?
[…] Oluniyi David Ajao: Nigeria for Obama, Africa for Obama: This NONSENSE must stop! […]
Sounds very doggy and I dont buy her defence!
Raising funds for mobilising Nigerians in America to vote for Obama – Pure Nonsense.
Are we in Nigeria where Politicians doles out cash in return for vote?
Misplace Priority
Something is not right, there are cery clear cut laws in America as to how campaign funds are raised.What happens to all the money raised?
If the claim by Ndi is that the dinner was only for awareness about Obama.Then there really was no need to make the event exclusive !! The cost of the dinner ticket was so high, that it created a scenario where only the rich had the opportunity of getting her kind of “Sensitization”!
Well latest news coming , is that the EfCC has taken the matriarch of the stock exchange into their custody for questioning!!
No doubt she would “sensitize” the EFCC operatives about a man whose growing popularity may arguably dwarf that of George Bush, the current American president! 😉
It is imperative for somebody who knows the Laws of the United States, as she claims she does, to act appropriately.
This woman has enriched herself with all sorts of gimmicks, I watched her talk on a BBC interview on Oil prices flunctuation.
Every word that comes out of her mouth, I felt a little less esteem.
Prof. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke is one of the errors we have made. One will that her experience traveling around the world, would shapen her attitude on how to make Nigeria better. Alas! the contrary is the case.
It only reminds us as to how some our leaders think. There are so many problems out there yet they find time to raise funds for An “Obamacracy”.
Well i don’t know what they plan to do with the 100 million, but i could give them a few pointers………
There are a lot of young Nigerians with brilliant ideas but no capital to pursue this. Why not start a Technology trust fund to support young Nigerians to become more adapt to technology?
Anyway, just have to chip this in.
“Computer programming is a race between programmers trying to create more idiot-proof programs, and the universe producing more idiots. So far the universe seems to be winnning …..”
First off, if they want to give me the $800K, I’ll be happy to donate it to the Obama fund. And if they will not take it, I promise to spend it lavishly on all kinds of Obama gear that I’ll send back to all the Obama-lovers I met in Nigeria.
I can start by sending an Obama t-shirt to whom-ever put up the “We Love Obama” sign at the Abuja airport. That’s hot!
Is it not a shame? Instead of them to attend to the myriad of problems facing the people at home, they want to start their own charity from OUTSIDE home. A nice disclaimer the Americans have written. I was really wondering what our business is Obama.
Nice post brother. Keep it up.The Nonsense must stop. 😎
A very interesting article about how we do politics in Nigeria and the minds of our so called leaders. They forgot that charity begins at home. My question now is, since such donation is illegal in America. What is going to happen to the money raised for Obama? By law, the money should be return to the donors, alternatively,to charitable organisations (reputable ones)
That is madness,first, i don;t know what connection in the first place that made them to starting raising the fund for Obama,whereas Nigeria have many issues of need that need fundraising.I called it total madness, misled and divertion of priority on the expenses of Nigerians.I think Efcc should confiscate the 100 million raised, since obama camp have dissassociated themselves from this madness campaign started by Ndi and Co and put the money in use for further implementation need in our power sector or education sector or even send it into Niger delta development fund account
how many americans have donated funds to any presidential aspirant in Nigeria, i’m not rich,maybe if i want to become presido tommorow they may have a change of heart. 😆
we nigeria like eye services we have a lot to help why are we donating money to obama campaign .Jos crisis victims are there to help and a lot of others