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AustineE1's Posts

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Sports › Re: Afcon 2024: Who Is Your Personal Favourite Super Eagles Striker? by AustineE1: 5:25pm On Jan 13, 2024
Rostikol:
Mathematical Segun Odegbami for me.

I don’t blame you kids of yesterday naming all these akamu players than can’t even trap ball, and ignoring the greatest of all time, the legendary Mathematical Segun Odegbami, the man who almost single-handedly won us our first Nations Cup title in 1980.
Christian Chukwu was in a world of his own. Dont also forget the legendary 'Thunder'Balogun.
Politics › Re: Labour Party Senator Empowers 14000 People In Anambra (video) by AustineE1: 12:02pm On Jan 13, 2024
What is life if you can not put smile on the faces of those whom you are financially better than. This makes the world go round.
Politics › Re: Supreme Court's Judgement On Plateau Governorship Election. by AustineE1: 5:48am On Jan 13, 2024
The national and state assembly electoral matters can't go beyond the appeal court level and at that stage their fate was decided but i think the only way out is since they had the majority votes,is even much easier to instigate their constituency to commence recalling of the APC law makers whom were unjustly made to be there....this is the only way justice can be served.
Education › Re: Rwandan Varsity Appoints Nigerian, Ogechi Adeola Deputy Vice-Chancellor by AustineE1: 9:18pm On Jan 12, 2024
Ada igbo God bless you.
Politics › Re: Wole Olanipekun Secures Victory Again, Is He Nigeria's Lawyer Of The Decade? by AustineE1: 3:28pm On Jan 12, 2024
These local champions will not allow someone to hear,as if he is the only one that won electoral cases,the various cases brought to supreme court today were either won or lost by lawyers of great repute.
Politics › Re: N585 Million Fraud: Tinubu Will Take Final Decision - APC Governors by AustineE1: 8:27am On Jan 12, 2024
PrinceofSarcasm:
Imagine country where the alw doesn't happen unless the president says so .🤣🤣

This is what happens when you don't have independent strong institutions that guide the law. The law now becomes interpretable based on the biased or personal choices of the one in charge that is a classic example of a failed state.

As grim as this sounds this is the reality, Nigeria will not get better any time soon. Tinubu will not do anything differently corruption will continue to thrive and the people may resort to chaos and severe protests to fix things .

I actually thought Asiwaju would be different from Buhari GEJ and other corrupt leaders , well alas he has shown he is just like them.

There is no decision to be made here. The law is sacrosanct in such matters .

The evidence is glaring. One positive from this government is that surely tinubu will speed up the coming up rising..His very being attracts protests and this time around I fear for the nation.
The abuse of power and corruption as just too extreme and the people are watching the blatant abuse of office coupled with outstanding corruption of public office holders who are being shielded ...

Chaos is coming
Or could even be worst....waiting to see what happens to Tunji Ojo whom was also indicted.
Politics › Re: UNILAG To Graduate 379 First Class Students At 54th Convocation by AustineE1: 4:48pm On Jan 10, 2024
David Akanmu is the real deal,that guy is worth celebrating....Big congrats!
Travel › Re: Ongoing Awka Millennium City Full Coverage (video & Photos) by AustineE1: 12:43pm On Jan 09, 2024
Awka as a whole is a massive construction site and with this rate,Awka will soon be the city of destination in sub-saharan Africa,the systematic and meticulous planning put in place by govt and the individual contribution to this massive development is very intentional. The manufacturing,educational,IT,entertainment and the hospitality industries are welly developed to world class standard.
God bless our efforts.
Politics › Re: Dangote Refinery Set For Production As Crude Supply Hits 6 Million Barrels by AustineE1: 6:55am On Jan 09, 2024
onez:
Dangote refinery should be forfeited to federal government. It is a product of fraud.
This is unnecessary,the young man is facing some challenges,he will get over it and the refinery will do well. Atleast,overtime it will reduce our over dependency on imported fuel.
Celebrities › Re: Obi Cubana,Zlatan,Reekado,Poco lee others at One Year Anniversary Of Club Caesar by AustineE1:
They claimed that this is the best club in the South East,seems to me as a bogus claim.
Anyway congrats to the young lad,greater heights.
Politics › Re: 17 Residents Killed,scores Abducted As Gunmen Attack Communities In Kaduna State by AustineE1: 8:02am On Jan 06, 2024
What is really happening in this country,we are gradually sinking in insecurity,the rate at which innocent Nigerians are killed daily is alarming....we must have a comprehensive review of our security setup.At this rate,terrorists may soon take over states.
Politics › Re: The New Nigeria Under President Tinubu, By Fredrick Nwabufo by AustineE1: 4:53pm On Jan 05, 2024
Trash as usual from Fredrick Nwabufor,i'm not surprise at all.
Politics › Re: NBC orders radio, TV stations to stop reporting ‘details’ of herdsmen attacks by AustineE1: 4:49pm On Jan 05, 2024
What a shame,Nigeria is a huge joke....the worst form of deception is that of oneself.
TV/Movies › Re: ‘A Tribe Called Judah’ Makes Nollywood History, Surpasses N1 Billion Mark by AustineE1: 4:44pm On Jan 05, 2024
Onyiiobi7735:
Congratulations to Funke Akindele for making such a high rising movie.That is how it should be -making Nollywood movies with beautiful and sound theme, unpredictable storyline, excellent actors, settings, captivating and intriguing actions and suspense.
Not all these useless, sloppy crappy films that are only talk talk in bedrooms and parlour and walking about, with no intrigue and suspense.
Though most Asaba movies are very wonderful including Sylvester Madu action movies, some there need to learn to produce quality movies, not just going into movie making to feed and pay bills.
You are very much on point....kudos to Funke Akindele and her team.
Politics › Re: US Congress set to blacklist Nigeria over Christian persecution by AustineE1: 4:40pm On Jan 05, 2024
It is long overdue,this constant genocide against the minority christian ethnic groups of middlebelt has to stop. How long are our leaders going to turn a blind eye and pretend that all is well. This massacre of the innocent christian is a well planned and systematic operation with the consent of certain powers and this is geared towards taking over those places and planting they nomadic terrorists herdsmen from Futa Jalon in those lands.
TV/Movies › Re: List Of Nigeria's Top-grossing Movie Each Year For The Past 10 Years! by AustineE1: 4:29pm On Jan 05, 2024
Can't you see that the only reason the op created this thread is to massage their ego. If he mentions any movie he goes ahead to write the name of the director,why not go ahead and also give us the name of the actors and actresses involved in each.....inferiority complex explained.
Politics › Re: FG Partners China For New Steel Plant - The Nation Newspaper by AustineE1: 7:59pm On Jan 04, 2024
I hope this is not the usual APC Audio...we will cross our fingers and watch,God bless the good people of Nigeria.
Politics › Re: God Will Punish All Kidnappers Currently Kidnapping In Nigeria by AustineE1: 7:56pm On Jan 04, 2024
guobe:
A colleague of mine have been kidnapped since last week Saturday as he is still in the kidnappers den till now.
A huge ransom was demanded and the person that went to give the kidnappers the ransom was also kidnapped and they are asking for more money.
Who will be bold to deliver another ransom when the earlier person that went to deliver the ransom was kidnapped.
God will surely punish these kidnappers in Nigeria as they will meet their waterloo very soon.
Amen!
Politics › Re: Jos Killings- Any Updates? by AustineE1: 7:54pm On Jan 04, 2024
They police are on top of the case as usual....my heart goes out to the people of Plateau. We the good people of South East stands with you in your most difficult times. Never mind,the blood of saints waters the trees of freedom.
The enemies of the great people of middlebelt will be put to shame.
Sports › Re: Onyi Echegini Moves To Juventus. by AustineE1: 3:45pm On Jan 04, 2024
Ada di oranma....ride on,the sky is your limit.
Politics › Re: Tinubu’s New Year Speech Is More Or Less A Native Doctor’s Words Of Hope To Sick by AustineE1: 6:05pm On Jan 01, 2024
Roving1:
Tinubu’s New Year Speech Is More or Less A Native Doctor’s Words Of Hope To Sick Man – Shehu Sani

A former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has described President Bola Tinubu’s New Year speech as a native doctor’s words of hope to a sick person.

Addressing the nation on Monday, Tinubu among other things, announced plans to ensure a constant supply of affordable food to Nigerians.

He also announced plans to provide Nigerians with reliable power supply, as well as petroleum products.

According to him, his administration is working hard to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

Reacting to the speech, Sani, a former senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th Assembly, noted that the President did not set any time for any of the promises to take effect.

Click Below Link To Read Full Details:

https://rovingupdates.com/tinubus-new-year-speech-is-more-or-less-a-native-doctors-words-of-hope-to-sick-man-shehu-sani/
.....just full of sound and rhetorics,signifying nothing. The kind of leaders a nation gets are they kind of leaders they deserve. we have allowed serial looters whom revels in impunity in the worst forms of corruption and misrule to take the seat of leadership in our country and we can never hope to blessed with the grace of light
Politics › Re: Things To Do To Nairaland Tribalist (do Not Insult) by AustineE1: 7:39pm On Dec 31, 2023
Goodnewsforlife:
u igbos will cry more in d next election

Wotowoto for u cos dumb yorubas forming liberal have seen your madness

We are waiting for u igbos
People like you are so empty and full of hate...the more you keep making wrong choices of leaders,in your effort to spite Igbos,you forget that Igbos has cultural and historical advantage over your people to wangle this dying economy. The truth is that illiteracy is about our biggest problem,while fellows from the North were sold muslim muslim ticket and south west voted on tribe but the truth is that while these wrong choices were made,the future of your unborn children are mortgaged. Our politicians has since discovered our gullibility and hence,revels with impunity in the worst forms of corruption and misrule. Knowing that by the next elections,all you need is share stipends,sell tribe and religion to the masses and it is uhuru.
People like you are 'slaves that loves their chains'.
Politics › Re: Delete Delete by AustineE1: 5:53pm On Dec 30, 2023
youngreva:
shut up and read before you comment.
Mr frustration,shey you voted Tinubu...una never see anything.Olodo!
Politics › Re: Delete Delete by AustineE1: 5:11pm On Dec 30, 2023
I hope you didnt bet with your bonus account because it has expiration period and it has terms and conditions...wish you all the best.
Politics › Re: Soludo Is Transforming Anambra To A Manufacturing And Logistics Hub by AustineE1: 4:58pm On Dec 30, 2023
Nice one!
Politics › Re: PHOTOS: Obasanjo, Obi Attend Chimamanda Adichie's Children's Book Launch by AustineE1: 1:39pm On Dec 30, 2023
Beautiful minds....one day our 1st eleven will rule this country. Only then can Nigeria be blessed with the grace of prosperity.
Politics › Re: Femi And His Severely Ignorant Lies. by AustineE1(op): 4:25pm On Dec 29, 2023
Over the years some Yorubas has made it a routine to spill out lies while trying so hard to re-write history. Before the onset of the infotech,the Lagos-Ibadan parapo brown envelope media boys were used as a tool for Yoruba propaganda,dishing out falsehood while trying so hard to present Yorubas as being ahead of others but now the bubble has bursted,you can access information anywhere anytime. They voices of others are now heard loud enough.
They Yorubas employed the Joseph goebbel's model 'When you tell a lie often enough it becomes truth'.
Politics › Femi And His Severely Ignorant Lies. by AustineE1(op): 4:09pm On Dec 29, 2023
FEMI AND HIS SEVERELY IGNORANT LIES:

•Femi Lies About the Yorubas Being Nigeria’s Earliest Graduates:

From his myopic bubble Femi FaniKayode claims the Yoruba were the first to acquire Western education; the first ever known record of a literate Nigerian in the English Language is the narrative of an Ibo slave who regained his freedom and documented his life history as a slave from the time he was 11 years old in present day Ibo land till the time when he gained his freedom in the middle of the 18 th century. He later married an English woman and had 3 children. He died in 1795.

Femi, a basic Google-research will do you good here; check out the name, Equanoh OLAODAH. Further Femi claims that the Yoruba were the first lawyers and doctors in Nigeria. This is again a big falsehood. The first Nigeria doctor was an Effik man Silas G. Dove who obtained a medical degree from France and returned to practise medicine in 1840 in Calabar. This fact can also be verified from historical medical records in Paris.

I would also ask that you google the name BLYDEN – Edward Wilmot BLYDEN – an educated son of free Ibo slaves who by the mid-19th century had acquired sound theological education. He was born in Saint Thomas in 1832. He is one of the founding missionaries that established the Archbishop Vining church in Ikeja. Before the next time you succumb to your long-running battle with logorrhoea, Femi please do some research.

What about the third president of a free Liberia – President J JRoyle – again, a man of Ibo descent. Please take some time to do some research so that we can discuss constructively. It is wrong to peddle lies to your people. It is academic fraud to knowingly misrepresent facts just to score cheap points with people who do not have the discipline to do research and accept anything you pour out simply because they say you are well educated. To again quote the great Nobel Prize Winner in Economics Joseph Stiglitz; Femi fits into the category of third rate students from first rate universities with an inflated sense of self-importance. Let’s go on!

Who was the first Nigerian Professor of Mathematics – an Ibo man – Professor Chike Obi – the man who solved Fermat’s Last Theorem. He was followed by another Ibo man, Professor James Ezeilo, Professor of Differentail Calculus and the founder of the Ezeilo Constant. Please do some research on this great Ibo man. He later became the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka and one of the founders of the Nigerian Mathematical Centre. Who was Nigeria’s first Professor of Histroy – Professor Kenneth Dike who published the first account of trade in Nigeria in pre-colonial times. He was also the first African Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan. Who was the first Professor of Microbiology – Professor Eni Njoku; he was also the first African Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos. Anatomy and Physiology – Professor Chike Edozien is an Asaba man and current Obi of Asaba. Who was the first Professor of Anatomy at the University College Ibadan? Who was the first Professor of Physics? Professor Okoye, who became a Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1960. He was followed by the likes of Professor Alexander Anumalu who has been nominated for the Nobel Prize for Physics three times for his research in Intermediate Quantum Physics. He was also a founding member of the Nigerian Mathematical Centre. Nuclear Physics and Chemistry – again another Ibo man – Professor Frank Ndili who gained a Ph.D in his early ’20s at Cambridge Univesity in Nuclear Physics and Chemistry in the early ’60s. This young Asaba man had made a First Class in Physics and Mathematics at the then University College Ibadan in the early ’50s. First Professor of Statistics – Professor Adichie who’s research on Non-Parametric Statistics led to new areas in statistical research. What about the first Nigerian Professor of Medicine – Professor Kodilinye – he was appointed a Professor of Medicine at the University of London in 1952. He later became the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka after the war. What about Astronomy – again another Ibo man was the first Professor of Astronomy – please, look up Professor Ntukoju – he was the first to earn a double Ph.D in Astronomy and Mathematics.

Let’s go to the Social Sciences – Demography and statistical research into population studies – again another Ibo man – Professor Okonjo who set up the first Centre for Population Research in Ibadan in the early ’60s. A double Ph.D in Mathematics and Economics. Philosophy – Professor G D Okafor, who became a Professor of Philosophy at the Amherst College USA in 1953. Economics – Dr. Pius Okigbo who became a visiting scholar and Professor of Economics at the University of London in 1954. He is also the first Nigerian Ph.D in Economics. Theology and theological research – Professor Njoku who became the first Nigerian to earn a Ph.D in Theology from Queens University Belfast in Ireland. He was appointed a Professor of Theology at the University College Zambia in 1952.

I am still conducting research in areas such as Geography where it seems a Yoruba man, Professor Mabogunje, was the first Professor. I also am conducting research into who was the first Nigerian Professor of English, Theatre Arts, Languages, Business and Education, Law and Engineering, Computer Technology, etc. Nigerians need to be told the truth and not let the lies that Femi Fani-Kayode has been selling to some ignorant Yoruba who feel that to be the first to see the white man and interact with him means that you are way ahead of other groups. The Ibo as The great Achebe said had within a span of 40 years bridged the gap and even surpassed the Yoruba in education by the ’60s. Many a Yoruba people perpetually indulge in self-deceit: that they were the first to go to school; to be exposed to Western education; that they are academically ahead of other Nigerian cultures of peoples. Another ignorant lie.

As far back as 1495 the Benin Empire maintained a diplomatic presence in Portugal. This strategic relationship did not just stop at a mere mission but extended to areas such as education. Scores of young Benin men were sent out to Portugal to study and lots of them came back with advanced degrees in Medicine, Law and Portuguese Language, to name a few.

Indeed, some went with their Yoruba and Ibo slaves who served the sons of the Benin nobility while they studied in Portugal. These are facts that can be verified by the logs kept by ship owners in Portugal from 1494 to 1830. It is kept at the Portuguese Museum of Geographic History in Lisbon.

Why then would several Yoruba people peddle all these falsehoods to show that they are ahead educationally in Nigeria? The true facts from the Federal Office of Statistics on education tell otherwise, showing that 3 Ibo states for the past 12 years have constantly had the largest number of graduates in the country, producing more graduates than Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and Oyo states. These eastern states are Imo, Anambra and Abia. Yet he calls Ibos traders. Indeed, the Igbos dominate because excellence dominates mediocrity – truth.

Let me enlighten this falsehood’s mouthpiece even further: before the civil war Ibos controlled and dominated all institutions in the formal sector in Nigeria from the universities to the police to the military to politics:

•The first Black Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan was an Ibo man

•The first Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos was an Ibo man

•The first Nigerian Rector of the then Yaba College of Technology was also an Ibo man

•The police was run by an Ibo IG

•The military as a professional institution was also run by elite-ilk Ibos.

Facts can never be hidden. To be first does not mean you would win the race; let us open up all our institutions and may the best man win. Let us not depend on handouts or privileges but on heard work. Let us compete and give the best positions to our brightest – be it Ibo, Yourba or Fulani, and then we shall see who is the most successful Nigerian.

I find it difficult not to respond to some of these long-held lies that are constantly being peddled by Yorubas. One is that the Yoruba have the largest number of professors in the country. I would again ask that we stick to facts and statistical records. The Nigerian Universities Commission has a record of the state with the largest number of professors on their records and as at 2010 that state is Imo State followed by Ondo State and then Anambra State; the next state is Ekiti and then Delta before Kwara State. I am sure you Yorubas are surprised. When you sit in the South-West do not think others are sleeping but I wish to address another historical fact and that is who were the first Nigerians to receive Western education. It is important that these issues be examined in their historical context and evidence through research be presented for all to examine.

I have continued my research for as the great sociologist and father of modern sociology – Emile Durkheim – put it, the definition of a situation is real in its consequence . What this simply means is that one must never allow a perceived falsehood to become one’s reality and by extension individuals who accept a defined position act as though the situation is real and apply themselves in that narrowly defined perspective.

Why is this important to state it is because for long the Yoruba have peddled lies that have almost become accepted as the truth by other Nigerians but it is important that we lay down the facts for others to examine and come to their own conclusion for facts are facts. Let’s go back to education. Historically, Western education resulted as a product of indigenous ethnic groups interacting with the whites through trade. The dominant groups sold slaves, ivory gold and a host of other products to their European counterparts in exchange for finished goods – wine, tobacco, mirrors, etc.

The Bini who were the dominant military force from the 15th to the 19th century raided and sold other ethnicities to the Europeans. Top on the list of those they sold were the Yoruba, Ibo and Igala. Various other ethnicities suffered as a result of the Bini military expansion. And the Benin Kingdom stretched from present-day Benin up to what is now geographically referred to as Republic of Togo. Indeed, the influence of the Benin Empire extended to the banks of the river Niger to present-day Onistha. There are huge Yoruba settlements in the Anioma part of Delta State who fled Yoruba land as a result of these attacks and constant raids. Yes, there are Yoruba people who are currently living with Ibos in the Ibo-speaking part of Delta and they are full citizens of the place no one refers to them as strangers and there is no talk about the Ibos being the host community like we hear from the Governor of Lagos State. But let me return to research. Slaves were moved from the hinterland to the coast and many were sold through Eko to the New World. These slaves were the first to encounter the Europeans and by extension their way of life – this included education in a Western sense. The Bini King had taken pains to establish a diplomatic presence in Portugal and the relationship developed into areas that extended beyond trade in the late 15th century and lasted well into the early 19th century. Scores of young Bpni youth were sent to Portugal and studied there, coming back with advanced degrees in various disciplines. The next set of people to receive Western education were the slaves themselves. Some of them managed to buy their freedom and develop themselves further.

For the Ibo it does not matter who your father is; the question is: Who are you? Who was Obasanjo’s father? Was he the most educated Nigerian? I am sure the answer is no. Yet this Great Nigeria led this nation two times as a military Head of State and as a civilian President. What about GEJ? Who was his own father? Was he the first Nigerian to go to London? The answer is no. In fact, he had no shoes, yet he is fully in charge. So it does not matter if your father was the first Lawyer or first Doctor in Nigeria but rather what matters is what an individual does with the talents the Almighty has given to him. Let us open up Nigeria for competition. That is the solution to our problems. Those who want privileges keep reminding us that their fathers were the first to go to school in London. Every generation produces its own leaders and champions. Like Dangote who is the biggest employer of labour in Nigeria today and the richest man in Africa. Was his father the first to go to study in London? Yet he is the master of people whose parents gave them the best. My brothers, the answer to the Nigerian problem is that we should establish a merit-driven society. “I get am before” no be property.
Politics › Re: Bourdillon,almajiris And Poverty In Yorubaland by AustineE1(op): 4:04pm On Dec 29, 2023
Goodnewsforlife:
igbos just can’t get over d election defeat
The author is a Yoruba man....you see igbos in all your problems. Lets discuss the issue raised by the author and not calling out Igbos,what happened in Lagos was a national disgrace,even while Buhari was president we didnt see disgraceful scene like this whenever he visits Daura.
Politics › Re: Bourdillon,almajiris And Poverty In Yorubaland by AustineE1(op): 2:04pm On Dec 29, 2023
'i freed a thousand slaves,i could have freed a thousand more,if only they knew they were slaves'-Tubman Harriet.
Politics › Bourdillon,almajiris And Poverty In Yorubaland by AustineE1(op): 1:55pm On Dec 29, 2023
Copied as Received.

*BOURDILLON, ALMAJIRIS AND POVERTY IN YORUBALAND*

*The Politics of Collective Immiseration*

by

Moses Oludele Idowu

"There are only two families in the world, the Haves and Have-Nots."
- Miguel de Cervantes

"A man may imagine things that are false, but he can only understand things that are true".
- Isaac Newton

The large Crowd I saw at Bourdillon, in front of the house of Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria and one of the leading politicians who have heavily profited from politics in this political dispensation, made me sad and caused my heart to sink. The long line of Crowds of multitudes waiting for crumbs from one of the biggest political profiteers of this era is a reality to what I have been saying for a long time. Poverty is real in the land. But this is not the issue; the real issue is, if nothing is done to arrest this drift, if nothing is done to redirect the economic program and policies in more progressive and practical ways, poverty will envelope everyone soon, - except the very rich.
I have been told and have seen it firsthand myself the truth of what many are saying that this is the worst Christmas in living memory. There is poverty everywhere.
"But there has always been poverty in Nigeria and Jesus said, 'The poor you will always have with you', "some wiseacre who are poor in theology would say. Yes, there has always been poverty in Nigeria; but it is poverty that can be managed. Poverty that most often could be hidden. But now poverty is visible and no one can hide it.
Some well- dressed men gatecrashed to a Christening Ceremony of a Child and begged the woman in charge of food to just give them soup, out of the leftovers. She should not even bother with meat but just only soup which they would take home to make garri. This is not in Hausa or Igboland, it happens here in Yorubaland, and they are Yorubas - land of culture and honour, now under siege of poverty, extreme poverty as a result of gross misrule by pseudo- progressives of APC.
A Northern politician once said something that Yorubas ought to ponder seriously about if we are still a thinking people. He said if Bola Ahmed Tinubu had come before Obafemi Awolowo, most Yorubas would be almajiris today.
Did you hear that? I never heard a word so true from the mouth of a politician of the Fourth Republic. If destiny had pushed this man ahead and he was the first then most people in this Yoruba land will be beggars by now. Because everything will be priced out of the reach of the poor: Housing, Market, Schools, Colleges, Universities... With Scholarships only for Children of those who are ready to 'ranka dede' him and lick the boot of his aides and foot Soldiers.
All over Yoruba land and even Nigeria the reports coming are not good. Poverty, institutional, multi-level, multi- dimensional poverty is on the march and Nigerians are shrinking and shrinking into their holes and shells.
That poverty is on the march is not the issue. That is not the problem. Even as bad as things are they can be turned around. Poverty is not the issue. The real issue, the real trouble that I see now is that there is no political will and no intellectual capacity and moral sagacity to understand the real trouble bedeviling the economy, to arrest and address what Professor Eskor Toyo calls "Nigeria's basic economic deformities" and set this nation on the path of progress. And unless this is done, unless the economic War is won poverty will continue to spread and deepen.
It is not about prayer or confessing positive things. Often times we muddle these things because we neither understand true Religion or Theology and Logic. Theology is compatible with Reason, in point of fact, it is built on it. This is why the more Nigerians pray the poorer they become; because both leaders and followers are operating outside of Reason.
Can I be honest with you? Poverty will be worse in 2024 than even 2023 that people are crying about. Because there is nothing in place to avert recurrence, to arrest the march of poverty, to put people back to jobs, to put industries back in motion. Now Nigeria is on fast pace to de-industrialization. As the Currency continues to weaken and more money required to purchase raw materials the prospect of survival will become narrower and foreign investors will begin to leave amidst other uncertainties.
The same ruinous policies that Buhari pursued for 8 years - borrowing, printing money [Ways and Means], doling out N20,000 to imaginary beneficiaries and numbers and party members..., these are the same policies being pursued by this dumb government. Poverty will continue. Poverty does not end because someone wishes it or prays about it. This is where Nigerians miss it and why they suffer so much. Poverty is arrested by deliberate programs of attack, calculated schemes of intellectual, industrial, moral and financial empowerment, social stability and collective engagement. It requires an assortment of weapons to kill and defeat this hydra- headed enemy of man.
It is War. Poverty must be fought and defeated. Else, we will all lose. I shall come to this at the end.
The more debts increase the lower the quality of currency will be and the more will be required to service existing debts that are matured. Governors who are largely economic illiterates have mapped out strategies to borrow another 2-3 trillions in the new year. They have lost it. The Federal government now shells out billions to states on palliative and the States too shell out to those they wish. That is what the largest Community of black in the world has become: from hand to mouth. Just borrowing and sharing. An economy based on such transaction is an economy of doom for everyone. It is collective Immiseration.
In a way it serves the political class for people to be poor because it gives them leverage. An economically- empowered and liberated person cannot be told who to vote for. He cannot be pushed to do the bidding of politicians. Because he doesn't need them. Politicians fear and hate such category of persons. They are dangerous, too dangerous to their survival. They possess independent minds and Nigerian politicians don't like people with independent minds.
That is why Democracy is actually designed and can only function best among people who are economically empowered and politically literate. Those two things: economic empowerment and political literacy are crucial.
Poverty serves the interest of Nigerian politicians. The Crowds of have- nots thronging their houses and queueing on their streets gives them a sense of empowerment and self - assurance. It boosts their ego, that these "Slaves" depend on them for survival and need their favour.
That is why they prefer to dole out Cash, Crumbs to Crowds rather than govern well and wipe out poverty among the masses.
We have known cases where as Crowds struggle to collect pittance lives were lost. It happened a couple of time in Kwara State during the era of Bukola Saraki where on each occasion as many as 30 people died. Over pittance.
I ask the man who shared the Bourdillon video whether the Crowds got anything? Nothing, he told me. They got nothing.
They would trek back the long distance home on empty stomachs.
They have no need of them now. Elections are over and no election is in sight or coming till another four years. This people are Cruel. They have no mercy. They don't care about people as they pretend to be.
Nigerians deserve their fate. Everyone gets what he deserves with leadership.
However, there is something dangerous about this which everyone needs to watch out for. If poverty is not tamed or arrested everyone will lose at the end. Even the rich will also cry. If nothing is done to arrest this rampaging poverty that is spreading all over the land; then there could be a boomerang effect. I don't know what it would be. When a River's course is blocked and it is not allowed its natural flow, it will cut out another Channel elsewhere and return with vengeance.
These Children who are crying to sleep now because of hunger will grow up one day and may join the army or somewhere else. The teenager who is dropping out of University today because his parents could not afford the new fees won't forget and will not forgive. Nigeria is taking a big risk.
Who knows where a Jehu or Hitler or Rawlings may spring or come from?
Now there is hunger in the land. That much is certain. Soon hunger will turn to anger and anger will crystallize into popular action, and action to...

It is really amazing that Nigerians have to come to this sorry state under Civilians. What excuse will politicians give now for the state of things? That the Military spoiled everything and destroyed everything... And 25 years are not enough to undo what the military "destroyed"? Everything of value today that Nigeria has was built by the Military - National Hospital, Third Mainland Bridge, Aso Rock, Alscon etc. And they never sold Oil for the fraction that is now selling today or in the last 24 years.
What is the excuse that poverty has deepened in the same period when oil sold for a hundred Dollars per barrel under the politicians for a substantial period of time?
Pay day does come. Yes, there shall be a payday. I don't know how but I know eternal principles that cannot fail. Seedtime and harvest won't cease. The one who sows must also reap. Politicians will reap in full and with compound interest what they have sown in the last 25 years to Nigeria.

©️ Moses Oludele Idowu
December 26, 2023
All Rights Reserved

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