This is an expression of appreciation to your well crafted, insightful and mind blowing account on El-Rufai's assertions of being "A Patriot." It is indeed amazing that bright scholars like El-Rufai who were used by the erstwhile administration of Olusegun Obasanjo to dubiously allocate plots of land and properties to themselves and their cronies could have the effrontery to embark on campaign of calumny and character assassination on our dear President and Commander-in-Chief (Umaru Yar'Adua).

Personally, I feel this is an act of gross irresponsibility and serious expression of dis-service to the nation at large. The leadership of a nation shouldn't be reduced to such an ignoble and contemptuous level by an individual who was a beneficiary of the same political establishment. It smirks of lack of patriotism.

It is important to reiterate the fact that public officers, whether appointed or elected must be accountable for their actions while in office. It is against this backdrop that the former FCT Minister's (El-Rufai) activities were x-rayed by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and was found wanting. The outcome of that exercise disclosed several anomalies ranging from outright abuse of office to frightening allegations of fraud.

Unfortunately, events unfolding in the country lately (''Halliburton case'') shows that we have not learnt our lessons. It has become common in Nigeria for men of strong intellectual background irrespective of their ethnic, religious or social inclination, when elected or appointed to public office to throw caution to the winds and succumb to the sins of sleaze, graft and all manner of corruption.

The panacea to this menace will be to embark on a total re-orientation of our people at all levels about the essence of good governance and upholding the moral values and character which have been the foundation of our religious belief.

Our leaders must eschew the craze for primitive accumulation of wealth which has been the direct consequence of the politics of ''do-or-die' that has pervaded and nearly derailed our democratic evolutionary process.

No, El-Rufai is a product of the exploitative social system. No, what the oppressed people need is a new society where no man is oppressed. Will the rulers help them? The answer is No. That is why they have connived with foreign interests to rob the country and her toiling masses. Thank you.

Yes, El-Rufai is a patriot like IBB, Abacha and Obasanjo; yes even like Idi Amin of Uganda.

You are a brave writer. May God protect you.

You are right and I concur. The 27 soldiers should not be languishing. But the exploitative social system will collapse if the army should brook any opposition. What is the way out? The toiling masses should organize and wrest state power from their oppressors in order to build a humane edifice. Thank you.

I read your column in Daily Independent and I am very interested in taking up the case of the soldiers. I am a lawyer and I feel so saddened about their plight.

Mr. Amaechi, having lived in the U.S. for some 20 years and came back (it has been five years now) because of your article on Akure 27 and others like it, I have no cause to call myself a Nigerian.

Thanks Ikechukwu for the article "Akure 27 - The Shame Of A Nation." I pray that truth and justice will prevail over lies and wickedness in this our nation. Help us oh God.

Iyke, thanks for your piece on the jailed soldiers. We should all join hands in freeing the hapless soldiers from the clutches of injustice.

Thanks a lot for your x-ray on the corrupt, inept and shameless military administration. I pray that your colleagues in the media, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and NGOs will stress on releasing the 27 Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and jailing the officers who stole their money.

"It is the trauma of the 27 soldiers that makes being a true Nigerian patriot an almost impossible task." Thanks for this humane piece.

My dear Ikechukwu, I am an ardent reader of your column and always respect your views. Your analytic mind is a reminder of what journalism should be. But in your article on Governor Amaechi you painfully got it wrong. The Governor is a beneficiary of a flawed judgement, a judicial tyranny. Ikechukwu, as a student of history, please give your readers an example anywhere in this world - in a democracy - where one is elected without the votes and mandate of the people. We are poor, oppressed and depressed but not ignorant. Please don't align with those who have conspired to put us in this state to continue to twist our minds.

Your article, Ten Years Of Democracy Without Democrats, really captures true socio-economic and political climate of our Nigeria. I commend you.

Dear Amaechi, many of us share same worries with you about Nigeria as captured in your article, Nigeris: All Politics, No Governance. But there are questions you forgot to ask your Indian Friends. 1. What percentage of India's annual budget is paid to politicians as salaries and allowances? 2. How many cars are usually in a Governor's convoy? 3. What is the minimum wage in India? 4. Can electoral mandate be stolen without punishment?

Ikechukwu, I have just finished reading your column. What a wonderful piece. Well done!