There are several variations of this joke. When I first heard it in early 2000, it involved former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, Nelson Mandela, Tony Blair and our former Senate President Chuba Okadigbo. Read this one and laugh your head out. The names have been adapted to suit current political climes. I found it on Facebook. I think it fits into the category of politically incorrect. 🙂

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While visiting the United States last year, President Umar Yar’adua of Nigeria was invited to have a drink with the president at the Oval Office. He asks President Bush what his leadership philosophy is, and he says that it is to surround himself with intelligent people.

Yar’adua asks President Bush how he knows that his advisers are intelligent.

“I do so by asking them the right questions,” says President Bush. “Allow me to demonstrate.”

He picks up the phone, calls Mr. Colin Powell and says, “Mrs. Secretary of State. Please answer this question: Who is your parents’ son that is not your brother?”

Colin Powell responds, “It’s me, sir.”

“Correct. Thank you and good-bye, sir,” says the President. He hangs up and says, “Did you get that, Mr. Yar’adua?”

“Yes, yes, Mr. Bush. I thank you very much. I will definitely be using that!”

Upon returning to Abuja, he decides to put the theory to test so he calls up his Attorney General, Mr. Aondoakaa and asks him to come to the State House. When they finally meet, he says:

“Alright Mr. Attorney General. Here is a test that might cost you your job.”

“What’s on your mind sir?”

“Uh, your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and this child is not your brother or your sister. Who is it?”

The poor Attorney General stammers for a second and finally asks, “Can I think about it and get back to you?” The president agrees, and Aondoakaa leaves. He then immediately calls a meeting of other senior cabinet members and they puzzle over the question for several hours, but nobody can come up with an answer.

Finally, in desperation, Aondoakaa calls Thabo Mbeki, the then president of South Africa, on the phone and explains his problem.

“Now look here Thabo, your mother has a child, and your father has a child, and this child is not your brother, or your sister. Who is it?”

Mbeki answers immediately, “It’s me, of course.”

Much relieved, Aondoakaa rushes back to the State House and exclaims,”I know the answer, sir! I know who it is! It’s Thabo Mbeki!”

And President Yar’adua yells back at him in disgust, “Come on man. You’re not smart at all. I’m going to have to lay you off. It’s Colin Powell!”