3 powerful emotions Diezani just triggers with her reaction to Al Jazeera documentary

Whether it’s fair of President Muhammadu Buhari obsessed with fighting corruption to bear down hard on a dame in distress is a moral question. And former Oil Minister Diezani Allison-Madueke is the one posing the no-brainer.

Her emotion-laden sob stories can actually give you a misty eye.

#1. Why would you be kicking me when I’m down with cancer?

“Coming at such a critical time in my life when I am battling cancer, this poorly executed propaganda bares on its face like tribal marks, a clearly malicious attempt to victimize an innocent woman in what appears an exaggerated plot to validate and give credibility to the anti-corruption crusade under Nigeria’s new regime,” Diezani said.

She was lashing back after Al=Jazeera filmed her jewel collections stacked up in her $18 million mansion the EFCC seized in Abuja recently.

“This is what makes me ponder at the cold-heartedness of those who will go any length to defame and destroy in the name of propaganda. What happened to our shared humanity?”

#2. Why persecute a woman of substance like me because of $6oo million jewellery treasured in an $18 million palace?

To Diezani, jewellry—of all things—is the least any ballsy government would take so seriously in fighting corruption. “When did it become a crime to own a property in Nigeria? When did it become a crime for a woman of my status to have in her possession jewelry?” she asked.

Women, in a sense, are an endangered species in Nigeria. And Buhari’s government, according to Diezani, might have heightened the gender persecution by swinging a sledge hammer over an OPEC ex-chairman, the first female in the history of the oil cartel, because of common necklaces and rings.

ALSO SEE: $18m mansion, jewelry: Diezani reacts, attacks Al Jazeera

#3.How can a government that claims to be human treat a patriot that sweated it out serving her fatherland for eight years?

“All through my career, I have strived to maintain a record of hard work, integrity and excellence, giving my best to society, because my parents raised me in the consciousness that a man or woman’s greatness is defined not by the amount of wealth they have acquired but the impact of their service to God and humanity.”

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Whatever is hard work in sitting atop the ministry controlling the outflow of crude—and cash— produced by the world’s sixth largest producer is just not clear yet. But, certainly, she has a record history of throwing cash around: the cash-for-vote $115, and another lump sum of $153 million with which she ‘impacted” the INEC guys, and the PDP party men. Anyone can tell of her large-heartedness in blessing oil pigs like Jide Omokore and Kola Aluko whose bank accounts the EFCC has already frozen.

Diezani’s triggers are already extorting tears from Nigerians. Some legal juggernauts say the anti-graft agency should have taken her to court in the first place—if she really has a case to answer. Which will make her not look dressed up, according to her, like “a common criminal”.

But, actually, uncommon criminals get schlepped to court fast in Nigeria.