₦airaland Forum

ABUJA—FORMER Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, who is currently facing trial in two courts for alleged fraud and loan conversion, was in a dejected mood yesterday following his week-long detention in the not-so-cosy EFCC custody.

An EFCC operative, who would not like to be mentioned, told Vanguard that Bankole has obviously lost his cool after more than seven days in custody.

He said: “The man has lost some of his ‘swag’ after all these days in almost solitary confinement. He appears dejected and frustrated at his condition. Everyone who is accustomed to living lavishly would feel the same way when those niceties are taken away, even if momentarily.”

The operative noted, however, that the former number four man in the polity was not enjoying any preferential treatment from the operatives detailed to guard him, adding: “No; he is treated like any other suspect in our custody, though we make sure that he gets access to his lawyers and other people who matter to the case. Don’t forget that he is being held under orders from the court.”

Those who have visited him say the former speaker is being detained in an underground cell at the EFCC headquarters with only a mat for him to sleep on.”

He said: “Our cells are relatively new and well-kept. Don’t forget that they are the same cells that held other high profile suspects including former governors, former ministers and chief executives of banks, and I do not remember anyone of them coming back to say we treated them badly.”

Bankole was arrested penultimate Sunday at his Asokoro residence after weeks of ‘hide and seek’ with operatives of the EFCC.

ibedun:
Poor and badly written article.

We are aware of those governors that claimed they forgo their salaries as the worst crooks and they displayed their avarice before leaving office by padding themselves with outrageous pensions and unprecedented benefit for life. They get away with it because we allowed them to. So far neither the salaries nor benefits have been revoked. They all need Saraki treatment.

Ask Gov. Ngige, it was the local bodyguards and vigilante that saved the governor from national police. They helped him escape calamity. So from the governor’s point of view, Fashola might have been protecting his state with extra equipment because Lagos State became unbearable with kidnapping and other crimes invading his state then. Nevertheless, it was still the responsibility of the Federal Government to allocate equipment accordingly to each state.

Even government houses that were built for the rich who could build their own, were used as lotteries for a few in Fashola’s time with the full glare of the press to build their reputation as men of the people.

What or how long is it going to take before African traditional medicine is transformed into modern pharmaceutical industry? It is becoming difficult and unsustainable not only for Africa but many cities and states in Europe and America to pay for common generic drugs. The reason is once drug companies are taken over, bought or merged; prices are raised on old drugs. Ebola, like other diseases before it, should have been wakeup calls. See Drug Industry Rip-off

No country or international organization will subsidize these drugs for African countries forever. Even more obvious is that African pharmaceutical industries have the capabilities to produce many of these drugs and manufacture them at home. Some of our scientists prefer to patent their discovery abroad for financial. These “discoveries” are what the traditional medicine man passed on, down to their children that happen to be well educated.

Nobody can claim that we do not have enough scientists, laboratories, teaching hospitals and traditional medicine men and women that can collaborate on extensive re-discoveries. Apart from the fact that we cannot afford to pay international drug companies their dictated prices based on nothing in many cases other than profit, we must look for ways how African countries can start making money from these drugs internationally. Lip service is not enough.

This writer has shared his experience during his days as Primary Health Care worker in Nigeria, when[b] children of traditional medicine men were enticed to attend School of Health Technology to become health officers and nurses all over the Country.[/b] It was a success since health clinics, primary health and comprehensive health centers started competing very well with traditional medicine homes, some of which were regulated or certified under Prof. Olikoye Kuti leadership.

Every progress made in African medical industry becomes unsustainable, like every other industries after the initial wave of pioneers leave. In spite of this, Ebola tested the old medical rudimental building blocks of Nigeria and found it solid waiting to be improved on. Whatever our disagreement with Dr. Maurice Iwu with his various “discoveries” of drug for the treatment of various diseases, we do not have enough incentives for independent trials. Time for action.

The history of antibiotic, aspirin etc. originating in Africa is good to boost students in classrooms but putting them into practical uses in our laboratories to be good enough in our hospitals can become money making industry for each country in the African continent. We are way past a budding industry in this area, Africa field work should be leading in pharmaceutical industries.

Africa has lost leadership initiatives in many industries where we have primary advantages. From agriculture to mining industries, we have failed to take advantage of our raw materials because of our taste for finished products that were practiced and perfected outside our reach. Even when we acquire the knowledge, we fail to develop different and improved machineries that are constantly changing and enhanced abroad. Why wait until they become readymade?

We are so fortunate with so many skillful people in most industries willing to work hard for the betterment of the Country but they end up giving up because they do not make a quorum to fight the power of neglect and selfishness or they become politicians. As they get older, they get scared and worry more about their individual survivals and that of the families they must raise. Many of them left lucrative positions at home and abroad, only to be disappointed.

Look at the case of Nigeria’s Minister of Health that imported impotent Nano Silver treatment for Ebola. This was a brilliant precocious medical scientist both in school and after that became a politician. His colleagues had to reject Nano Silver in Lagos. But if he was in the right position at the right time, he could have been the inventor of the cure. Africa has many brains like him in different positions and disciplines from accountancy to help us with corruption to engineers.

The best time to catch these dedicated individuals is when they are young and very idealistic. It is when they are ready to give it all and defy the odds. Unfortunately, if they are not gainfully engaged and employed, their youthful exuberance are wasted into nefarious activities. The old institutions that are supposed to train them and make them into noble citizens are falling apart and replaced with money grabbing schools or colleges where they are trained to be foreigners.

It must be noted that this writer is not indifferent to the high cost of research, production and distribution of drugs which in many cases have to be borne by pharmaceutical companies; that does not justify wild speculation on Wall Street where investment managers turn paper profit and multiple trading into edge fund profits. Let us face it, there is no way African countries can pay for these expensive drugs. Though Nigeria was willing to pay anything for Ebola drug.

Moreover, immunization and inoculation need the backing of the governments because of risks involved especially in highly litigious countries. Cross country or continent field testing can also be controversial as we are well aware of past abuses of the poor and the disadvantaged. Of course Africans have a good reason to cry out if some of the field-testing go wrong.

This is why it is crucial that we improve our traditional drugs into rich pharmaceuticals. Case in point was the re-emergence of polio in Nigeria because we suspected birth control drug was included during preparation. However, we failed to develop ours leading to polio spread.

While the fight against corruption is the beginning, we must not lose focus on where to direct the fruits by building strong institutions that will create employment for our youths. Not just work to get paid, but engagements that will propagate itself into sustainable money generating agricultural, mining and (the point of discussion here,) pharmaceutical industries. If Primary Health Care could succeed in Nigeria at one point, traditional pharmaceutical industries can.

We must plan and anticipate diseases capable of wiping us out, famine that will reduce us to beggars in the world stage, building infrastructure that is expected of any reasonable country before self-aggrandizement. A country or continent that is constantly caught unprepared by every disease or famine has not done its homework in planning. Expecting those that plan for the welfare of their people to come to our rescue all the time is called habitual dependency.

Read more: http://newsrescue.com/time-for-african-indigenous-and-traditional-pharmaceuticals/#ixzz3mV4mbShB


Read more: http://newsrescue.com/time-for-african-indigenous-and-traditional-pharmaceuticals/#ixzz3mV44FZIB

Daring Buhari For Safe Landing Of Looters & Boko-Mend

Posted By Daily Onus staff on September 15, 2015.

It must be made clear that appointment of known and past crooks as ministers, into kitchen cabinet or any position of responsibilities is another form of soft landing. It will be difficult for watchdog agencies to probe such appointees after they have been declared fit for office by the President. People will see such persons as immune to prosecution. If that is the reason it took Buhari so long to appoint ministers, fine, he must not disappoint us at the end of the day.

Thank God for democracy, who dared approach late Major General Idiagbon deputy to this President, for leniency during Operation War Against Indiscipline of those days? Nevertheless, democracy by demonstrations has always been a useful tool to demand that there should be no mercy for those that have sucked our Country dry. We must be tough on corruption as we are on Boko-Mend. A leaking basket, no matter how we strive, can never fetch us enough water.

A country’s resolve to fight evils in the name of religion, politics or economic justice must not be compromised by either internal politics or international blackmail. We have elders, former Presidents and traditional rulers paying visits to the Head of State seeking mercy for some while others are crying that Buhari is not tough enough. Some of those asking for soft landing or recommending cronies for positions, are culprits deep in corruption while in office.

How did Boko Haram, MEND, OPC and MASSOB get safe landing, out of hand and too big for the common interest? We must ask the Emirs, Chiefs, Oba and Igwe that asked Presidents and Chiefs of Police to release voracious killers among them into trusted hands, promising peace. We have realized that they only got more powerful, deadlier and cockier demanding contracts.

Old remedy still works. You do not appease bullies, you confront them. When the Sultan of Sokoto was asked at an Ivy League school reason for safe landing, he decided to remain silent. His life and that of Kano old Emir were later threatened. Of course we have had some cases of excessive power display by the Army and Police. It is now on record that each of the heads of state has been accused of genocide and reported to United Nation or Human Right bodies.

After Emirs, Chiefs and elders of caliber begged the former President, Ebele Jonathan for Boko Haram soft landing, the same people accused him of human right abuses against Boko Haram. Before him it was Obasanjo against Odi and Zaki Biam. Buhari will get his turn as Boko Haram thugs are taking to their heels. One of the reasons Jonathan was denied arms was hypocritical claim of human right abuses by those fighting harder against same terrorists around the world.

When Libya was destabilized, terrorists instantly crossed to subvert African countries. Europe now groans in pain as refugees that are not even as virulent or militant crossed into their land.

We have always asked those in the frontline states of terrorists’ battles to lead in demystifying them just as former President Ebele as governor was asked to negotiate or tame MEND. As Vice-President he tried and gave Yar’Adua the credit. President Buhari has now taken the fight to Boko Haram with their son leading the battle in Borno to bring down the menace. When we have some sanity of peace, the fight against corruption will be greatly diminished.

Corruption fuels terrorists’ acquisition of weapons through a vicious circle. The open world market for arms where any terrorist organization can purchase weapons has left African countries in particular vulnerable to kingpins making unreasonable demands from our political leaders. Resources that should have been spent on majority of the population in creating jobs, building infrastructures and developing our children are used to bribe a few uncultured class.

These terrorists made fortunes and started behaving like humans going on medical excursions abroad and vacations to preserve their own lives while taking those of the poor and innocents recklessly. Some of them even established businesses out their states and Country just in case the authorities catch up with them. In other words, they are well diversified and evenly spread to weather the unpredictable future. Yet, fool their constituencies that they are ready to die O!

Of course, monkey see monkey do. When the children of our politicians performed traditional weddings at home, white weddings in western countries and religious weddings in Dubai; the terrorists follow their example. Those of us left out that are too poor to be invited, just stood by the roadside watching and waving to them in their Rose Royce cruising by. But we are amused when those brave enough throw sand, bricks and shouted insults at them.

We are too much of a coward to risk our lives as armed robbers to accumulate wealth or as pen robbers in banks or in civil service. We all strive to put food on the table for our families but a few are getting special treatment based on threats, intimidation, force, rascality and thuggery. Even the meek and gentle copy the ignoble ways because they claim hunger kills slowly and painfully while the risk of bullets kill them faster.

The most we can do is support whoever can clean up corruption in our midst because it robs all of us of the decency to prosper. We see too much faults in the opposite or other party instead of encouraging one party to probe and discipline the next party. It is the reason for a change of government. No matter what, someone is going to be the President and if that President is dedicated to the cleanup badly needed, we must either help or get out of the way.

Nobody is asking for complacency, rubberstamp or passivity. Constrictive criticism is the way to help improve ourselves and put ruling party on their toes. But viciousness, booby-traps or throwing monkey wrenches so that the vehicle can overturn or cascade hurts us all.

- See more at: http://dailyonus.com/daring-buhari-for-safe-landing-of-looters-boko-mend/#sthash.dQ6TblAq.dpuf

What does African oil producing countries; especially Nigeria, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea have in common with American Republicans against our son Barrack Obama? They may not join the rest of the world in the celebration of Iran Nuclear Agreement that has sent world market oil price down. Iran can produce 3.1 million barrels of crude oil daily. Hard hit by oil market glut, Buhari will pitch sales and help against crude oil theft on high seas, in the meeting with Obama.

Those that were opposed to Obama Peace Nobel Price may now agree that it has inspired him as it was meant to. Can Obama success inspire Buhari to deliver us from greed for Africa’s sake?

Read more at: http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/185524/1/obama-strings-of-achievements-without-accolade.html

nonaira:
May tunder fire that your useless head. I rather Asaba burn to the f2king ground than join una children of Satan, children of hate.
May God and the Holy spirit fire you and continue firing you for that your evil, evil, evil wish on Asaba. May he continue firing you till you die. Ewu dika gi. Monkey.
I swear I wish I was near you, I'll punch you in that you face. Nkita ara. Mscheww aaaa. I hope you die.

superstar1:


Will you just keep your mouth shut and read up on the regions of this country.

If you claim Eastern Nigeria, what stops the North from claiming the old Northern Region and the SW claiming the old Western Region.

Asaba was under the old Western Region and it will go back to the old western region. Whether they are Igbos or Igbira is none of our business. All we want is the old order re-established.

Igbos want Eastern Region, we want western region of old and Northerners want their northern region of old too.

That is what we all want.

PentiumPro:
The greatest gift that Nigeria can give to Nigerians is to allow Biafrans to go.
As long as they are part of Nigeria, they will only keep wishing for the downfall of Nigeria.
Nigeria will never progress with Biafrans as part of the union. They want out and so let them go!
I say: LET BIAFRANS GO!!!!

BoosBae:
Please lemme hear, we are DELTANS, this rubbish has to stop. We have our own identity too. The truth should be told, kwale isn't really blessed with the Oil Biafra is trying 2 claim, the urhobos, itshekiris and ijaws have it richly but we all make desopadec. We will never be part of the silly Biafra.

zendy:
You don't have any identity. Delta is not an identity. I'm not interested in Urhobos,Itshekiris or Isoko. You people were not part of the first Biafra and for good reason too. Those guys are trouble makers and saboteurs. I'm interested the Delta-Igbos.

NDI-IGBO HAVE MORE TO GAIN AS NIGERIANS

There are those of us that have never had Federal or State scholarships but are still grateful for the discipline instilled in us in primary and secondary schools. So when people say those that want Nigeria to exist as a Country are members of the looters club, they are dead wrong. We just cannot imagine our Country without Igbo or Hausa. Where do the so called minorities that have contributed more, to our existence in social and all aspect than the mega ethnics go?

The call for Igbo separation after each disappointment is usually misplaced but understandable. However the loss of breaking up Nigeria is monumental to the point of shaping the rest of the world. The amount of refugees alone will destabilize many countries, not only in Africa but in Europe and America. Worldwide repercussion is secondary, local disaster is immediate.

Religious riot in the North is a topic in itself; otherwise most Hausa are usually low-key outside the North. In the Federal Government they are willing to go alone since the days of Tafawa Balewa. It is the Southern parties that seek unions with the Northern parties. This time around, the Yoruba of the South-west have decided to form alliance with the North for the first time in the history of Nigeria. It is usually the South-east and South-south parties in union with North.

It is even doubtful how long the new union of the North and South-west is going to last. But cat calls, prediction of dooms and wishful thinking have crept up each day to create problems. Each and every move has been criticized and the union is “no longer at ease”. Even if this alliance fails, it is not going to break up Nigeria. The Hausa and Yoruba are not as keen as the Igbo to call for the breakup of the Country. Though everyone is fed up and may accept a loose union.

What does a loose union mean? It is either united group of ethnic nations or the confederation Ojukwu asked for. This is what led to the creation of more and more states to the point where everyone has their own governor, super secretaries and government workers that are now owed many months in salaries. Even worse is the discharge of workers from state positions because they are not from within the individual states.

If this is the chaos creation of states is creating, we cannot imagine the disaster creation of ethnic nations would create. In fairness, the Ndi-Igbo are not the only ones agitating for their own Country; the fever has caught the rest of the Country. It has caught fire amongst the Ijaw of South-south. They want their own Country to manage and spend the income mostly located in their backyard. Even worse, their leaders have been kicked out of power as President.

If there is anything to learn; it is that Ijaw leaders will spend oil income the same way they pocket it when they ruled Nigeria. The only habit Nigerians have in common more than anything else is the conspicuous spending and looting of the treasury. It is the way you can distinguish a Nigerian from a distance.

Unfortunately, some Igbo want to use the defeat of Ijaw leadership from federal power to recreate the Eastern bloc in the name of Biafra. It will never work. South-south is not made up of Ijaw alone. Both the Igbo and the Ijaw have allied with the North in the past to rule Nigeria and the rest of the Nigeria have never used that as a reason to break up the Country. The fact is, some minorities in the South-south have used their alliance with the North as a poison pill.

Indeed, it is only recent that ijaw has become a big minority. The fact is they are still not the main ethnic group in the South-south, the Edo are. Sometimes, present difficulties and pressing problems make us forget the past. Many have temporarily forgotten that amicable coexistence between Urhobo, Ijaw and Itshekiri was broken before Ijaw gained power. Families that have lived together for ages began killing one another: My People Are Killing My People!

Ndi-Igbo must remember that when they had less friends after the War and their properties were “abandoned”, the only place they got all their properties back, up to the present day is from Yoruba land. When they were ostracized from Federal Government after the War, their friends crying for inclusion were Yoruba. The first Government to bring them out from the cold and included them in sensitive and important federal position was Obasanjo Government.

The animosity between Yoruba and Igbo is very uncomfortable for many of us because we have never seen it at this dangerous level. Yes, we’ve always had conservatives on both sides warning us about the dangers of the other. What we see now that is so discomforting is the amount of insults thrown to one another by young people that are supposed to be more open minded than their parents. The parents are now more liberal than their children.

Some Igbo have five years plan to leave Lagos and Yoruba are fed up. The reason the Igbo have more to lose is because they have always been welcomed and well tolerated in Yoruba land. Majority of them have appreciated this accommodation and have contributed in return for the friendship by integrating well into the agbule (compounds) and families of Yoruba. The trend we see now is hostilities between Yoruba and Igbo.

I[b]t is not good for both and it may spell disaster for the Country as a whole. The union between political parties is for temporary convenience in order to rule or gain power. It never lasts as differences always show up. Shehu Shagari on why NPN and NPP alliance had to crumble: NPP kept on asking for more and more ministers and power. No position is permanent. This is not the first time that we have had political alliance in Nigeria and it will not be the last time.[/b]

Ndi-Igbo and Ndi-Yoruba must re-evaluate their relationship because the new generation is being poisoned by bad vibes between the two. It is not good for Hausa and most Nigerians.

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Story from The Nigerian Voice News:
http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/182557/1/ndi-igbo-have-more-to-gain-as-nigerians.html

Published: Monday, June 15, 2015

Buhari added: “I know that more than 65 percent of Nigeria’s population are youths. Most of them are not employed whether they have been to school or not. This is the keg of gun powder we are sitting on.

How do we keep this generation of talents happy at home in Africa to develop and advance our arts, culture and sciences to save us from ruin? Our best talents in Africa are young people that bear the cross of poverty at home but still conquer and excel. Nurturing environment enables African unique ideas to determine our relevance or usefulness to compete in the world market.

We are still fortunate in Africa otherwise our culture, religion and people could have perished. Despite all odds, Africans relentlessly become durable in the face of economic onslaught and degradation of our people mostly with our own cooperation. Yet generations after generation, not only do we retain our culture and languages, we managed to keep them even outside the Continent. Despite the situation of African Americans, they have developed unique world niche.

If two out of three children in a family abscond overseas without a trace of our grandchildren, stories would be told of those two we never heard of again. The Yoruba have a saying that eunuchs never have children nearby. Okobo ki b’omo si tosi. What became of those children overseas that either left on 707 planes or by boat crossing the desert becomes immaterial.

Indeed some ladies go to Africa, get pregnant and left spouses there. Realizing the dilemma, the rich that sponsor the children overseas have resorted to starting new families with young ladies hoping the children would be grounded in Africa so that their lineage will not disappear. It does not make a difference whether the sperm is still productive in their old age. There is that young lady that can make it happen either with a gardener or driver as in Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

On the same lineage thinking, men that gave up on their overseas oyinbo and African wives, are coming back home to Africa to start new families with the hope that their own lineage will not disappear. There are stipulation by these men in the two categories, that is at home and those coming back from abroad. They make sure their wives and children never leave the shores of Africa. Moreover, they are denied foreign passports but given education anywhere but abroad.

A friend of ours used to say his children are going back home to live in his village. We asked: if you cannot live in your village, in the nearest city or country, what made you think your children will. Like the Israelis, he still promises next year in Africa. One has to begin with one stone, one brick and one step to lay a foundation on a dry land. It may be too late to raise a child at home.

But for the children that remain in African countries building and keeping the tradition, cultures and language; there would be nothing to rely on. As we get older we feel some sense of duty to preserve our own culture so that future generation can survive and propagate the tradition that must endure the test of time. In other words, we must refine our culture so that all the fetishes, crude and uncivilized way of life can compete equally with other cultures.

How long we are going to survive depends on our children at home, not the children sponsored by the rich overseas or those poor children crossing the deserts. Most of those children are not coming back to live, they will only visit. Some will visit for weeks to bury their parent, others for summer of winter holidays. Even those with foreign passports living in Africa cannot wait.

The who is who of Africa, pride themselves on the fact that their children are trained overseas by foster parents, not by them. Former Presidential candidate in Nigeria, Chief Falaye reflected on this sometimes ago as he wondered aloud about his children and grandchildren overseas. It used to be that we studied and go back home as soon as we were done. If you stayed too long community would wonder if you were trying to kill your parents or vying for Mayor of London.

Now, parents actually encourage their children to go after greener pasture and stay where they could send money back rather than become a burden at home. When men and women come home on holidays, parents offer their daughters and sons to those willing to marry. So the girls can escape overseas with them. It happened more often with men coming home to marry, cut off oyinbo wives, until they learned that some of the new wives turned out, not to be angels.

It is disappointing to Africans in Diaspora that after paying their dues and getting all educated, their desired jobs compared to white counterparts, only come in a trickle or as a token. Even after getting their dream jobs and moving to the best neighborhoods, discrimination from neighbors and police still follow them there. So, in a three piece suit, your color cannot hide.

The children of these overseas Africans usually follow their parents home on holidays or other occasions. Many lose their languages and culture. We are usually happy when they eat some of our foods. But if their parents could not get our food to eat where they were, they substituted fine wheat for cassava and adopt other grain for fufu or millet. Fortunately, most African foods are now available overseas and there is no excuse for not eating some of the real thing.

It must be noted that Africans at home like all mankind have varied their tastes. Some of the foods eaten at home are not necessarily indigenous to the countries. A good example is bread. Trying to incorporate cassava with wheat in making bread is a continuous struggle because of adherence of taste to foreign seeds. It creates enormous demand for wheat farmers in country of origin. Believe it or not, some people are trying to create market for oats as fufu in Africa.

The same way Africans got introduced to food is the way we get adapted to many of the foreign culture that has diminished our capacity to expand and proliferate our own. It is so easy to get adapted to foreign taste and get hooked on it forever but to the detriment of homegrown food, culture, language or religion. This is how we craved for the countries built by others while we leave ours in disarray.

Read more: http://newsrescue.com/lost-african-children-as-visitors-to-parents-countries/#ixzz3bVJQrTvr

Buhari Beware Of Our Pharisees & Sadducees

Here we go again! Buhari, beware of Nigeria’s pandering Pharisees and Sadducees. Political jobbers that brought us to our knees and disappointed the black race are at it again lining up behind Buhari with all sorts of advises that fell every government. Same folks exaggerated your insubstantial flaws as a major distraction. But forage for the good of.... nobody but themselves.

If Buhari has any doubt, he must dig into the end of the prophets, the fall of Hausa States or better still, the palace coup that overthrew Buhari the First. Their main goal is to kill the fight against corruption. Then preach how to save us. They do not fight just to entrench corruption as business as usual; they annihilate whatever it is in their way to major on minor points.

Buhari must learn from his past as a former Head of State. Favor to any section of the Country no matter how much they donated to his election, the glory of their blood and state must not override fairness or at the expense of the Country. We need assurance better than that of OBJ that all those that invested in him should consider their investment lost. While Buhari has acknowledged overwhelming high expectations from Nigerians somehow, he must act decisively, even if he has to tread on toes.

The first month, the first ninety and hundred days must give us an indication of who is back in power, otherwise he may lose momentum. Luckily his strongest point is his known distaste for corruption. It takes guts, decisive alacrity to send that message. It is opposite of the fish that rot from the head. Once message to end greed and avarice is sent by transparent sense of duty, the rest of the people will get it. Fear of Buhari is coming has already set some politicians upright.

If there is a lesson here: Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba need to learn from their past so that mistakes of those days are not lost during celebration of a single election. This is why the Pharisees and the Sadducees will be fighting for their self-interest. Some are vultures others are spoilers while the rest are praise singers looking for crumbs from the masters’ table.

Yoruba must learn from what the Western Nigeria achieved in opposition and many of those Nigerians that benefited that were not even Yoruba. As soon as Yoruba moved to the center of Government, they lost their skillful manager in Ibadan. The West has never been the same. It resulted into internal squabbles, hate and rancor. The same region, all other regions competed with for excellence and progressive ideas, lost everything with the rest of Nigeria.

Just as the Igbo have nothing to fear, Hausa and Yoruba have nothing to celebrate in a country suffocating in its own vomit. Democracy has always been a game of numbers. There is nothing Yoruba did that Igbo had not done in forming the Government at the center. The fact that Hausa has ruled the Country for so many years has not trickled down to the talikawa. Only fools that do not realize the commonality of looters amongst the leaders will celebrate any party.

It is widely believed that Ndi-Igbo voted for the Party that lost. Well, what about those Igbo that voted for the Party that won? Corruption affects the Igbo as much as it affects Hausa, Yoruba and the minority ethnic groups that make up the rest of Nigerians. There is nothing else that can unite Nigerians right now more than the fight against intentional waste, mismanagement of public funds, slush, colo-mentality and deliberate sabotage of files by government officials.

During the election we heard from both PDP and APC stalwarts preaching to us to beware of the other. If Jonathan had won the election, there would be those asking him to beware just as Buhari is now asked to beware of them. There are also some that are crossing to the winning party. They would do anything to gain favors. Any Party In Power!

Despite the graceful concession by Jonathan, there are some unpatriotic Nigerians praying that Buhari fails for no other reason than to prove themselves right at the expense of the whole Country. So if they have a way of contributing to his success, they will throw monkey wrench into the machinery of the Government Buhari leads. They do not care if the house falls on all of us, as long as they get their way catastrophically. Sorry O. It is not going to happen.

Unfortunately, there are those trying to heighten the fear of uninformed Nigerians by drawing attention to the voting pattern in the old Eastern Nigeria. They did not stop there; they have included the old Mid-West to form formidable partners. It is so convenient to forget so soon the coalition of people that brought Jonathan to power from North to South. Many of us used that to berate Buhari when he lost. He lost too many times before his lucky number came up.

Mischief makers must realize that they can only flame the ethnic war for so long. People have come to realize that corruption is the real enemy. It is almost impossible to achieve much with the level of corruption in Nigeria. It robs us of our intellect, our hard labor and drains emotions beyond reasonable capacity to excel. It does not make a difference how much money is made, if most of it is lost to corruption, we will continue to ask for odious loans to pay salary.

Another group of politicians have spent donkey years in one or more administrations. Still, they are letting Buhari know that they are available. This is sad. Whatever privilege it is they had while in power, they missed their goals. So they want to come back and recoup their losses. In a population of almost 180 million, we cannot find more dedicated people than those of the past. Their past services have not moved the country forward. It’s time for younger folks.

By the way, what is it with Oba Eko and his loud mouth as the messenger of Tinubu warning Buhari against distractors? He has forgotten that Tinubu’s Oba is somewhere in Osun State not in Lagos State where Tinubu is a prominent politician by the virtue of being a Yoruba. Oba Eko needs to respect himself or the position he occupies. He needs to take advice from Oba Adetona of Ijebu Ode. So that politicians of all parties in his State can respect him.


Story from The Nigerian Voice News:
http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/179775/1/buhari-beware-of-our-pharisees-sadducees.html

Published: Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Celebration Of Life To Console Our Grief: Rinde Da Silva

Posted By Daily Onus staff on May 12, 2015.
Docked In Opinion

Rinde Da Silva

We were walking around Obalende one day looking for suya. Rinde was mobbed by jobless university graduates. They shouted SSG, SSG, SSG! He was the Secretary to the Lagos State Government. He quickly cautioned them that he had retired from that post a while back. Gave them some money and they left. We were sad only for the fact that when we left college, we had jobs. The only people running after the wealthy then were primary school dropouts.

Before Rinde retired, he also held the position of Chairman to the Local Government. When we went to Waka near Campos and Maureen’s place where Lagosians drop by to have one or more drinks, some asked that he paid or “raise” them. He never hesitated. You simply do not tell your friends (Omoarea not areaboys) you are broke that day and you would make it up the next time.

There is no doubt about Rinde’s generosity. Even when he retired, people still demanded their children’s school fees from him. Actually one of our older cousins that was playing fine-boy when we were little, reported Rinde to this writer. You see, when you start paying fees, it never stops after their first or second child. Retirement is no excuse.

Yet, the generosity of Rinde to families and friends was never enough. Those of us in the same situation as he was, understood his responsibilities since some of us had ours to a lesser extent. It is the African way. Unfortunately, time has changed. Most of us cannot afford the amount of money it takes these days to help others because our little business, consultancies or pension, no matter where it comes from (home or abroad) can no longer cope with politicians’ inflation.

Rinde’s sudden death brought not only sadness to his wife and children but to his relatives and friends. Most of us appreciate the role he played in our lives growing up together around Campos and how fulfilling he has made it for those less fortunate. There is nothing greater than our legacy. When everyone dies, our legacy remains alive for ever. Rinde rose among families and friends. We all demanded more of his time, even when we do not desire a kobo from him.

This write called Rinde and left messages. He later called back also wondering why he had not heard or got a call. Waiting for the weekend to get a calling card was a big mistake. It was a day or two too late. That was the last message from Rinde. He was gone!

Crime was so high in Lagos more than a decade ago that on a visit, some of us expressed fear of being mugged in a taxi or private cars. Even those of us that have our own houses did not want to stay home alone. Fortunately, we always have a brother or sister to stay with. It becomes a problem if they are out of the Country. This writer never had to worry since our friends decided Rinde had a police escort and would be the best person to stay with right from the airport.

Stay with Rinde, he and his wife would almost spoil you with kindness. When Rinde studied in Maryland USA, he never let go some American ways. So his house was full of variety of foods. But this writer was looking forward to real Amala and gbegiri, Iyan, efo orisirisi and isiewu. The cook was excused, and the wife took over! I have never kept my mouth shut since! Omo-okele!

Our focus had always been on how to make Nigeria a better place that would give the children the same opportunity we had when growing up. One of the kids adopted, he sent to Kings College. Unfortunately, those schools including St. Gregory’s College he attended have lost their past glory. The old boys of many of those schools always convene meetings, make donations and give ideas on how to improve those schools. Ironically, those that attended his last meeting with could not believe that he died a day or two later. He must have died fit and handsome.

Sixty-five years of age is no longer an advanced journey as life expectancy is up and Arugbo-boys are living until their 80s and 90s. Rinde was very careful about his health and always up to date on his food and vitamins. The writer was embarrassed, despite his background when Rinde cautioned him to stay away from cholesterol in shrimps in efo-riro with orisirisi. Heart attack, stroke and diabetes give no notice of our death. Whatever Rinde died from, gave us no notice.

The Igbo of West Africa always celebrate life during wake-keeping, even for young people. The rest of Africans must emulate them. We have lost some dear Igbo relatives and friends, but during the wake-keeping, sad and sulky moments suddenly turn into celebration. While some of us still find it hard to eat if the diseased is very young, one must be a stone not to be swayed or moved and consoled by the music. Food, dance and contribution always flow with enthusiasm.

It brings up a very important point at the end of our life. The sadness we feel for the loss of a brother or a sister is different from the one we feel for father or mother. It is also different from the sadness we feel for a wife, husband or our best friends. Yet, this writer is not aware of some different ways of expressing feelings for these different types of sadness. It may be due to his limited knowledge of languages. The fact remains that most languages never capture our gloom.

Our despair for the passing away of Rinde Da Silver cannot be expressed in words. When Funso Williams passed, most Lagosians in our age group felt some type of anguish hollow that could not be expressed in words and void, unfulfilled in Eko politics. Some Nigerians may remember that some people, including the Head of State then, expressed Funsho’s death in harsh words.

How do we express Rinde Da Silva’s death? Or is this a dream?

If we realize early that no matter how low or high we rise, no matter how much properties and money we acquire or how much we oppressed our fellow man, deny the next generation as we have never witnessed in Nigeria; we must think of our legacy in life. It is never too late to grow up, never too late to make a difference and never too late to contribute quietly as Rinde did. Su Re O!



By Farouk Martins Aresa

- See more at: http://dailyonus.com/celebration-of-life-to-console-our-grief-rinde-da-silva/#sthash.E2pIVIHN.dpuf

Many people have opined that the choice in this election is not that great. It is a matter of voting for the lesser of two evils. Not many are satisfied with the status quo but there is also the fear of change. The devil you know is better than the one you do not know. In Nigeria, we know both major Presidential candidates. Each has a record.

What some people do not want to talk about is the fear of most Igbo that have supported Jonathan and are not going to desert him when he needs them most. Igbo fear that they have more at stake in this election than Hausa, Yoruba and the other ethnic groups. Champions in each of the ethnic groups would like to be in power forever. The jinx has been broken and no ethnic group can complain today that they have never tasted power across the Niger.

Both candidates must come out and allay the fear of voters from every region and every ethnic group regardless of where they are in Nigeria. There is no doubt that the Igbo are nervous about who may win the election. So they are not putting their eggs in one basket. Igbo have a good reason to be nervous after what they suffered during the War. It will be unwise to follow a Presidential candidate blindly nor should the Hausa or the Yoruba.

Donphillopus:
Buhari is a terrorist

Revolution is smoldering already, the question right now is how bloody it is going to get before we rescue ourselves from even more disaster.

If youths do not rise up, their illiterate cohorts will continue to rule them as militia and thugs

Little did original funders of Boko Haram know how hard it was going to haunt their community when they promised that if Jonathan came to power, they would make Nigeria ungovernable. As ruffians never learn, Asari Dokubo is promising the same about another candidate.