Crazy Men and Legislators

I am thoroughly tired. Unfortunately, I cannot trace the lengths and breadths engendering this lethargy. I am almost so tired that I don't even care why I am tired. Really.

How was your week? Mine was uneventful, except that I recongnize continually that I am sinking deeper and deeper into the closeness of exams - and I am rather unprepared. I sit in my corporate tax class typing away to the sound of Laurie's voice, half the time not knowing what she is talking about; othertimes, sharing a passing care to the intricacies of redemptions, flips, stock dividends, distributions not qualifying as substantial reductions in ownership, and notional bases of attributed stocks... [This is where I hold my head and grit my teeth.]

The week has been eventful for those that are concerned by world affairs. North Korea appears to have tested its nuclear bomb. Kim Jong Il is giving all the small men in the world a bad name...he has made his personal insecurities a national theme. John Bolton (isn't he another of the "small men"?) has been going through fits attempting to pass a resolution through the United Nations. Naturally, Russia and China - perennial foils to the U.S. - are not having any manner of strong terminology in the proposed resolutions.

Talking about the UN, the world ushers in a new Secretary General today. His name is Ban Ki-Moon. And the only things I can think about are two-fold: first, Kofi Annan needs a break from the worst job in the world. Second, what a time it is for Ban to take up such a thankless job!

The high drama in the Nigerian political sphere is rising in extensive proportions. Just when you think the pitch cannot rise, wham! - they surprise you by taking the ridiculous to absurdity. Anyways, there is the low-down. During the week, a "committee of clowns" offered the Vice-President a deal in which he would relinquish his presidential aspirations in exchange for a "soft landing"...essentially, the Attorney General will suddenly realize that his case deserves a nolle prosequi. The Vice-President would have none of the deal. He believes that the next president of Nigeria can only be dictated by God. I agree. However, I don't particularly see the correlation between a presidential aspiration and the commission of an offence. If the Vice-president is guilty of egregious embezzlement, why offer him a deal? If he is not guilty of wild theft, why prosecute him? Ok...enough said.

The more absurd situation is of course, the case in Ekiti. The House of Representatives mandated the Chief Judge of the State to set up a committee to look into the impeachable offences alleged against the governor. Up till this point, they were in conformity with the constitution...and I actually had hope that someone would do the right thing for once. Unfortunately, no one had envisaged that the Chief Judge may be in on the governor's debacle. Apparently, in exercise of his power to appoint the committee, he quietly appointed people who were subtly connected to the governor. Invariably, the governor's position moved from the brink of impeachment to solid stability!

The House wasn't going to sit down - literally - and allow itself be shown up. Well, what did they do? They promptly suspended the Chief Judge! That is, without doubt, the most absurd illegality anyone has attempted under the Nigerian Constitution. Anyways, the House went ahead and found a judge to act in his stead. As the sun sets today, this "acting" chief judge has appointed a new committee to look into the governor's impeachable charges (again). Did I forget to say that the first committee found the governor free and clear of all charges...after 24 hours?! These guys in Ekiti are really something.

I wish I had a calmer way to sign out today. Unfortunately, I shall have to leave you with the madness of Ekiti's government and its dramatis personae.

Ah! Lest I forget, there is a new unified chess world champion! He is Vladmir Kramnik! I shall have to go into mourning since I was silently rooting for the Bulgarian.

Cheers! I hope you had more exciting times yourself, hmm?