Lagos — When last year, Russians were celebrating the 50th year of Kalashnikov, the world most popular combat riffle, the 87 year inventor of the machine gun, Mikhail Kalashnikov boldly declared that he does not lose sleep in a world in turmoil.

His reason; "It is the politicians who are to blame for failing to come to agreement to tell the truth." It is instructive what the old man said. Politicians in our time and most especially Nigeria have become the bane of the country; for they refuse to say the truth to the people they lead. And when violence breaks out, everybody blames God.

For this reason, on the morning of that fateful Tuesday 6th of February, when it hit the waves that the Minister of Information and Communication had towed a part of honour by encouraging her colleagues to pass a resolution requesting his Excellency President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to send a vacation letter to the House of Assembly so that Vice President Goodluck Jonathan would perform on his behalf until he recovers from his sick bed and well enough to rule again, not a few Nigerians heaved a big sigh of relief.

Though nothing indeed in the whole episode calls for exultation, anyway, taken that the same news had it that the sly elements-the so-called inner circle members of the council and other timorous fellows-had shouted Akunyili down and forced her to withdraw the memo she submitted to the Executive Council meeting. But Akunyili had towed the path of truth, and evidently as seen in the memo she understood the whole implication of the stand of the executive council and the shame it was becoming to the nation.

Here is the reason to thank God. He (God) has never failed to bestow on this nation, at all times in her tortuous history, courageous and patriotic men and women who dare the darkness of their day. If not for this, darkness would have completely swallowed us a long time ago. These men would defy odds to stand up to show the light so that the people may see. Their voices may not be heed at the time (it does not usually matter if they were heed at all) but at the end of the day, history vindicates them for the truth they had stood for.

That is why I say God bless Nigeria, for she is a beloved country, a country that He, God, loves so much. A country endowed with wonderful and very patient citizens who through all the turmoil, tough and tumbling situations imposed on them by the political class have continued to maintain a peaceful disposition. A people who have always borne the brunt of the vagaries of the treacheries of the political class in this nation, and despite all still love this nation with passion and are ready to do all necessary to keep her as one nation. God must indeed bless Nigeria, and every single citizen and patriot who had, still have and possibly will continue striving for the betterment of this country whether recognized or not. These sacrifices have not gone in vain. These ones are recognized everyday by the truth of history as they stand to judge our day.

God bless President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. On his sick bed in Saudi Arabia, may God bless him. Particularly, he will return safely to this dear country after his medical treatment to continue the good works he has been doing. I shall, like Dora Akunyili and a few other patriots not join in condemning him, my President, for falling sick. I do fall sick myself. Almost everybody falls sick. It does not come by choice for one to fall sick. So I know it was not the choice of Mr. President to become sick since nobody loves to be sick and bedridden, and not even when it is one like a President who has such an enormous responsibility of directing this massive nation, Nigeria.

Yar'Adua's government had strutted off in 2007 with unsteady steps. Through these months he has endured many criticisms for non or slow performance. Many have vilified him. Many have said many things about him. But we have seen how he took our scrutiny with calm equanimity. Yet he was firm in the pursuit of his seven point agenda. He was not in the business of replying his critics nor was he involved in the scheming and vindictiveness that became the hallmark of the administration of his predecessor, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

If rule of law is all about democracy, then Yara'Adua is the President of the world. Despite all the challenges, including failing health, he has kept faith and has given Nigeria the best he could offer. No one would doubt the impact of amnesty programme in the Niger Delta on the nation's economy. No one would discountenance the vigour with which the power generation programme was pursued to achieve the 6000 megawatts by last December. Even if not achieved, it was obvious to all that it was not for want of dedication and commitment but for exigencies of technology which definitely is not adequate in our clime.

But there was improvement in power generation, which was manifest for all to see. Nigeria had coped well even in the reality of the global economic recession. At the end of analysis, if not for anything but the rule of law; obedience to court order, non-meddling into the politics of the states, like interfering in elections, Yar'Adua has etched himself into the heart of Nigerians. May God bless Yar'Adua.

It may also become necessary to disabuse the minds of some who may think that Yar'Adua has held on to power in the Arabian hospital and refused to hand over to the Vice President to act as the President till he recovers. There is reason enough to believe from available evidence that Mr. President did not know that his medical trip would last this long. Had he known, Yar'Adua does not belong to the category of leaders to hold their nation to ransom. He is such a person, by antecedent and conviction, who would have done what is considered the best interest of the nation.

It will soon become evident that the present impasse in the nation is a handiwork of a few men, leeches, who have formed themselves an ignoble clique around Yar'Adua. The men, who have the rare privilege of having the audience of the sick man, and who instead of telling him on enquiry of the true state of the nation since he left, would rather prefer to tell him that all is well; there is no problem at all.

So here we hit our heads on the ground as though we have forgotten the Yar'Adua who have presided over this nation for three years now. We pray that he recovers soon so that truth will be told of those who hold this nation to the jugular. But we know them by their colour, by their lying tongue, their grip of their position, their quest to let their boss die than lose their position. They are silent murderers, for in their conscience they know the president need some leave to recuperate, but because of the love of their position they want to hurry him out of the hospital to save the position.

May God also bless Prof. Dora Akunyili for taking a bold step of dissociating herself from these ignominious men. Today than ever Nigerians have become proud of her again. Today, Nigerians remember Dora Akunyili who as NAFDAC Director General dared and fought the Nigerian drug barons to a standstill so that we can have good health. Many thought that we had finally lost Dora to the penchant politics of Aso Rock. Because once one becomes a minister s/he is expected to see with six eyes and talk with ten mouths.

When Dora pursued her rebranding agenda, she did not mince words in saying Nigeria need another name. But not many took her serious. Who could re-brand what is not even a brand? Nigeria was truly not a brand: where cabinet ministers could call a press conference to say that the President, ill in a hospital, is well to rule, where Supreme Court judges could twist judgment before a bewildered nation that the President is not under compulsion to write the house of Assembly before proceeding for a medical vacation to the intent to satisfy the self serving interest of a few men. What is more, a sick president will preside over a nation on sick bed. Yet our ministers carried on with brute defiance, despite the crude consequence of all these starring at their face.

There is no time that questions Dora Akunyili's re-branding than this moment that calls for truth to save this nation from drowning through intra-systemic ogre of hypocrisy. Dora acquitted herself before God, man and Nigerians. May God bless Prof. Dora Akunyili.

History does not remember all the vagaries seen on the streets, rather deeds of great men which save the nation. History will remember Dora for standing up to the truth in the face of falsehood by men who hold this nation to ransom. David Herbert Donald in his work on Abraham Lincoln, said of the President during the American civil war that; " Lincoln merely replied, 'we are doing all we can .' Unlike many in the Capital he was not worried about his own safety."

Lincoln was ready to lay down his life for the American course, and today history was kind to him. Dora may not know the weight of what she did for this nation a week ago, but Nigerians know. So everywhere I go I hear people muttering it, "May God bless Dora." Indeed, may God bless Dora Akunyili.

Ado wrote from Abuja