₦airaland Forum

My advise at this point is to move on as this is a very sensitive subject for Igbo. Yoruba are in no win situation here. If you give a graphic picture of what happened at Ore, of course Obasanjo that took over from Adekule's "conquer" made Yoruba look brutal.

If what this guy wants is individual names of face to face commanders, Iluyomade is from Ondo Town. It was pure Yoruba affair. He was part of "Ija Ore le ku" which has now gone into Yoruba history.  I do not know what the name Iluyomade will do for asking us for individuals.  But I can understand if Igbo ignore it in their history where Yoruba is portrayed as cowards. It was too painful for them.

Banjo was STOPPED period.

Remeber that there are many more Igbo. So ignore the local champions and take those Igbo into consideration.

The lesson here is: do not provoke Yoruba. Abacha did and he gave us OPC. If not for the provocation, what is a respectable medical doctor at that age when he could live and enjoy, come out to form OPC? There is no need to drive one another to the wall.

Let us respect one anther, please. Some Yoruba use Banjo and the daughter of Oba Adele of Lagos that followed her husband home to Biafra as reasons Igbo will never appreciate Yoruba. They even throw in Soyinka that almost died for their cause. Can you imagine, these boys not grounded in the history of Nigeria asking Soyinka to apoligise for Yoruba?

These stories passed on from one generation to the next would always have a K leg, of course.

That Federal troops did not show up until Banjo withdrew. What a bunch of crap. That way you feel that Biafra Army was not fought to a standstill at Ore. You need to ask those who were there. It was a suicide mission once they got to Ore. Without western support, Biafrans could have been waisted much more than was done to them at Ore.

Element of surprise my foot. I guess they were fighting boys scout. You guys need to go and find out why the older one still say:

Ija Ore le!

Ondo Boys High School and the hospital nearby were the refreshing centers. Students watched and saw the ugly side of Ore battle. Some of you do not understand Yoruba history even when you are told over and over again for fear that you may learn the truth.

After Ilorin, Ore will never be Ilorin in Nigeria again. Mark my words. Yoruba na coward ceased after Ore, go ask your Biafran fighters call soldiers. Element of surprise could not overcome - Never Again.

I feel sorry for Igbo youths because Awo, Zik and Banjo warned Ojukwu. He never listened. But Igbo do not have to be ashamed or rationalize the battle at Ore like the naive guy that said Federal troops came after Banjo withdrew.

Yoruba troops drove them out and if they did not retreat, more of them could have died needlessly. Ask yourself why they did not withdraw from Mid-West and use it to negotiate as Banjo advised?

Ojukwu miscalculated thinking Lagos would be a better price to negotiate with - and winners take all. He was already thinking about Igbo head for Lagos too.

Don't push Yoruba to the wall, you may find yourself to blame. Nobody dared touch Fulani until Yoruba did. They asked for it. Please learn a lesson, no Yoruba soil including Lagos will ever be your price.

I HAVE JUST BEEN APPOINTED ELECTION TRIBUNAL JUDGE

Akin – My dream just come true o!
Bimbo – Na wetin happen?

Akin – The thin wey just come my life, eh? Mouth nor fit talk am.
Bimbo – Na wetin now, make you talk jare.

Akin – You remember say I dey pray to God everday say: one day go be one day. Man must become billionaire. Abi no be so I talk am?
Bimbo – Na true, I nor go lie. But I think say nay yeye talk be that. All the time wey you be judge I nor see the money wey you bring come home nao. Abi na Chinwe dey take am from you.

Akin – I beg nor talk that kin thin. Chinwe na respectable colleague of mine wey nor dey mess around o.
Bimbo – O.k o. That is why you dey mention her for your sleep.

Akin – Which kin thin you dey talk. Man say God don hear him prayer, say them don appoint am election tribunal judge and you dey talk about Chinwe. Na Chinwe we go chop?
Bimbo – You dey eat am too? I beg, make you no fex sa. My fear be say na Chiwe go enjoy all.

Akin – Na proper craze, na him dey catch you. You hia abi you nor hia. The day way I see you with Abdu, I talk?
Bimbo – Abdu na medicine man O. Him come sell us agumu dada ni.

Akin – He nor ask you if kosobo dido le?
Bimbo - Me, me me and that malam? Craze wey catch you no be small O. I beg make you get your head examine well well.

Akin – Abdu get medicine for that too?
Bimbo – I beg talk how we go spend our billion jo.

Akin – You know say this judge job na wahala. Na soso wahala I get because I be fair judge and I nor dey take bribe from anybody. But as thins be, it be like say na only me nor dey go overseas for small vacation. Even housu, I nor get there for common London nor to talk say America.
Bimbo – Where and how you think say your colleague dey get all those things now?

Akin – If them tell you say I steal million naira or person take million naira bribe me. Na lie o. But for this election tribunal eh? Them go know say no be craze I craze, na poor I poor.
Bimbo – If say we get money now, I for go look the kin house we want for London or America self. A whole judge like you. Your children dey go Jakande school. You nor dey shame self.

Akin – Na potential billionaire, na him you dey talk to like that?
Bimbo – Na joke na. Ah a! You nor dey take joke again? Abi na so billionaires dey behave?

Akin – Commot jo. Make I go visit mama. He don tey wey I see am.

Mama – Congratulations my son. I don see your name for paper. Me and your papa dey celebrate since. All the neighbors don come hia to celebrate with us. God don hia our prayer o.

Akin – Mama weythin una dey celebrate na, no be wahala work?
Mama – Make I warn you well well, I nor born craze pinkin. No be you be the only judge for this Niger. But na only you be the poor one wey I know. Na soso broke nahim dey you broke. Church self, armed robbers dey carry money commot. Weythin do you?

Neighbor – Akin, Akin de judge. God don butter our bread o. Money don come. How you do am? Na who you know?
Akin – I beg your padin!

Neighbor – He don start with big grammar o. Na soso grammar na him he dey blow. All him colleagues get children and housu for Britain and America. Those wey nor go abroad, get children for international school. Na Jakande school him pinkin dey O!

Akin – Na how much be dem pay wey them fit send children go international school for Niger not to talk about Britain?
Neighbor – Mama, na craze don catch am. Me nor know who put craze for gari giv’am. He be like say na that stupid Bimbo.

Mama – No be Bimbo, na Chiwe dey do am.
Akin – Who be Chiwe?

Papa – My son, my son. Just be careful. I never stole a penny in my life, never stole a thousand, never stole a million but a billion naira na good money o!

Martins Aresa

POVERTY No Be CRAZE O Na DYNAMITE

There are so many warnings of the coming revolution in Nigeria but the oppressors remained unmoved. They will not desist from their evil deprivation of their countrymen. If heaven is going to fall, they reason, it will fall on all of us. In their case, they may even escape to those countries where their vaults are intact. Well, tolerance for Nigerians is at its lowest in any country these days. We need more revolutionary parties at home.

There was a notice of imminent war heard by cripples that moved on slowly before war started while able bodies were trapped. The same was true of Tsunami, as the animals sought higher ground, humans were waiting. Many rich people take poverty for granted. The same way we shout at blind people thinking they are also deaf and dumb. But deaf people either ignore us or turn off their hearing aids when they cannot be bordered.

Indeed, some social scientists claim the kidnapping and unrest that are spreading across Nigeria are symptoms of dynamite that may disintegrate our prospects. There is poverty in the land of plenty. It has been hijacked to favor a few individuals. Our best brains are underutilized because they all rush for the black gold. The oil industry consumes the attention of our best and the brightest to politics for easy access to money and fame as the capacity to think, invent, manufacture and sell our uniqueness suffer.

Some of our brightest young men have taken to white collar crimes to live up to the “megida” of our time. The intellects that could be utilized to move the Country forward are wasted in jails at home and all over the world as they are sooner or later caught. A few are waiting on the death row. Others terrorize those at home that cannot afford vigilante for protection. Once in a while, the highly protected class is caught in rivalry or robberies, drawing attention to what the common man face daily. Whatever it is, it is not proportional justice according to our transgressions. Guess what? Some children of the rich cannot find jobs. Children are falling into the gutters the parents dug for others.

Crafty politicians with blind ambition dressed in sheep skin but that are in fact voracious animals posturing to the poor masses to exploit their wave of anger to the top. So we have lions preaching to us that stealing a fowl when hungry is worse than them stealing a cow. Tell us to close our eyes while they pray so that they can steal us blind. Many of them are opportunists desperate for power. They undermine African sovereignty and trade by sheer lack of experience and exposure that make it easier to be recruited by spy masters overseas in exchange for political support and leadership.

We have great men with us, some are discarded into history. Any country that can produce the genes of Aminu Kano, Pa Imodu, Solarin, Mbakwe, Saro Wiwa and many others cannot be denied of conscientious leaders right now or in the future. They are either not interested and if they are Soyinka Party may lose. We have to stop saying and thinking that way though. We deserve more. There are at least three states where politicians that are not related or connected to black gold-rush have been elected.

Auspiciously we have Mimiko that got elected on the platform of Labor Party in Ondo, which some said was impossible; and Obi that got elected on the platform of APGA in Anambra, which was not easy. Gov. Shekarau in Kano came in with ANPP and he is hailed as the best leader in that State ever. It is important to note that Anambra and Ondo were in turmoil and were not necessarily the richest in revenue collection like Lagos or in oil income as Delta states. The three states have proved wrong those of us who claimed they can only be elected if connected to some vagabonds or “money-miss-road” party. There are a few more but time will bear them out.

Unfortunately, they compare themselves to who ‘stole-more’ and turned many of us into cynics because we can no longer differentiate between the hidden dedicated civil servants from the oppressive civil masters. They fight ruthlessly in order to blackmail those amongst them that are dedicated to duty and fair play. A minister once bragged that he could not be caught in corruption, David West was charged for accepting wrist watch. So, many of us have been reduced to clamoring for the least of all the evils. Our expectation of a good leader is so low, we worship one eye man in a realm of the blinds.

Well, within those dumps are volcanoes waiting to erupt in anger. Dump of people are like dumps by definition. They ferment and produce gases that can blow up. We can either tame fermentation of dumps into recyclable power to produce energy, or waste it and let it blows up in our faces. A hungry man is an angry man, sooner or later he will bite hard. Who and when he bites may not be predictable, but we hope our oppressors get caught in the mess they created.

The world recession feels like depression in many African countries. We never had good infrastructures to begin with and our social system depends on private individual family system, not from governments as in the rich countries. Yet they preach privatization to us. There was this report which claims that we are doing better in this world recession than rich countries; comparatively we guess, meaning it could have been worse.

Many rich people are friends of the poor and they demonstrate it by generous donation to causes to lift them up, others participate in voluntary organizations too. Even some billionaires are challenging one another to donate. Those, like African champions of the rich feel they do not need the poor but only as casual workers, thugs and as bodyguards, to be discarded when they please. Germany, of all the countries in the world, based on exports not crude oil, seems to be showing better signs of life in this economic recovery.

While champion of the rich in other capitalist countries point to their hard work, they fail to realize that German workers cannot be easily discarded as in other countries and the Germans did not shed jobs for any or no reason during recession.

Only a dying man knows the pinch of death. As poverty bites harder those unfortunate and our children living in dumps know their governments have turned a blind eye. So they expect little. Each man for himself as destiny dictates for all of us. It is written some would say. Some governments even deny there are dumps in their states until exposure.

Farouk Martins Aresa

LOVING NIGERIA TO DEATH

Nigeria is not a pet. If you love it, let it breath, do not smother it to death. We express our love of the Country in different ways. If it was not a durable Country, so called patriots that cannot do without its oil earnings, could have snuffed the daylight out of it. These “patriots” claim they are ready to die for Nigeria by bleeding the Country to death. Indeed, a few of them confess their surprise that Nigeria is still standing. It takes only some ants stinging a lion, the king of animals, from all sides to lay it to rest and die.

The truth is the stingers of Nigeria want to kill the Country because they have no intention for it to survive. So whenever they are in any position to grab, they loot the hell out of it. They have abandoned their stake in the Country. As long as Nigeria is still standing, they will come back for more until they see the end of it as a country. In disguise, they claim they will not let Nigeria disintegrate, but only until they have had their fill. Whenever they are challenged, like an old woman in Igbo proverb, they feel uneasy whenever bones are mentioned. These looters display their uneasiness by stifling their opponents. Their way or no way, love Nigeria tender, please.

We have to sort out the real patriots in a country. There is a difference between those who are resigned to their faith because they have no where they can run to or accept them, so they stay and fight on. Unlike those of us who run in and out when it gets too hot in the kitchen. It is not a choice for many but a destiny. If we steal enough money to live outside coffers, vacation out of deep pockets, get medical check-ups and treatment outside that purse and send children out of our home without language or culture to identify with us; we can hardly claim to be patriots.

We have heard about bastards that sent thugs to go and rob their fathers never expecting that they would kill him. These thugs intend to kill Nigeria, disregard the lofty sacrifice they claimed they made so that Nigeria can survive, just as long as there is oil money to loot. It is the lice that suck the dog to death not realizing their own death wish, says a Yoruba proverb.

They fleece both government and workers by not paying salary to encourage bribes. Businesses followed their lead. It was an introduction of bribes for survival into our already stressed polity. The habit of collecting payment on contracts they never perform has gone into their blood so when they go into business, the workers get paid last or never get paid at all. It used to be that a prudent businessman that took the risk gets paid last by making sacrifice for later profit.

There are some of those destined to survive inside the Country by hook or crook while others still play by the rules. Those that have decided to be criminals prey on the wrong set of people that are law abiding and are too proud to be outlaws. They are victimized in their homes and on the streets. In most cases, they are defenseless with no deterrents against criminals. Their lives are taken for granted and they die undeservedly. Most of the criminals dare not face their exploiters. Instead of facing the oppressors, they worship them as thugs and body guards.

There are also two types of complainants. Those that criticize because they are excluded from the pot and cannot get their hands in. As soon as they are invited to looters’ club, the country is fine. There are also sincere critics who care about the future of their children and the country wondering what the next generation will be after they are gone. They desire no gratuity, favor or payback but a civilized community in their time and a bright future for our children and the unborn. The plight of the country is their constant obsession until progress is made.

All Africans, not only Swahili proverb know that it takes a village to raise a child. You are either for Africa or against us and if you are a party that contributes to the demise of any country in the Continent, you can call yourself an African but we know you as a Judas. If Nigeria breaks, there is no African Country big enough to take all of us. If we can just reflect on the massive looting, local and external debts with sheer indifference to the plight of our fellow men, there is nothing left for our children. A country that does not think about its children, lacks a future. Believe it or not, these vultures realize that and they just don’t care.

We have no sense of urgency in Africa to provide basic needs that will benefit everyone, no matter what your station is in life. The rich and the poor do eat, buy and ply the same road to and from their different activities in life. The sight of poverty, shacks and debilitated housing are revolting to the sight and also painful for those forced to use them. What we do is turn our minds away from those unpalatable structures that may offend us. Some of us have developed attitudes of “better them than me”.

It is not a disease common to Africans alone. Many of those we hold in high esteem also share this selfish notion that if the country collapses it will not fall on them because they have golden parachutes to greener pasture. That is why they will crave for allowances, benefits, exceptions or tax cuts they know the country cannot afford even if these estacodes come out of allowance of the poor: food, schools of children, pension of the old or the tolls contribution for old roads.

Survival of the fittest instinct from the jungle days of animals is entrenched in some people all around the globe and it is demonstrated in different form. In our part of the world, we wonder how those who claim they believe in the unity of the Country are willing to see the same people on their knees begging for basic needs. Some have displayed their disgust for our unity by massive stealing begetting militants that have usurped the good cause of the dispossessed.

We are not that helpless. We must take on the bulls by the horn by throwing ordinary sands to disrupt their weddings and other ceremonies making it hard to celebrate their accumulations. We have to raise their blood pressure, track, and expose them overseas. Conspicuous spending and greed drives them. Those motives must be blocked to cut down on pillaging of resources.

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Story from Modern Ghana News:

PRESIDENT DO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH

Africa, no, the whole world watches as President Obama pulled his weight in America. But a prophet has no honor in his own country. Those who thought winning the American Presidency was tough for a Blackman, an Irish or a Catholic would realize that was the beginning or the easiest part of the job. What is more important was if the nay Sayers and political opponents would let them deliver. Obama was popular at home and outside but his constant cynics have turn most of his honey-moon and goodwill into doubts. Just as planned by his opponents.

The ailing economy of Africa that would catch a cold if the rest of the western world sneeze needed Obama. If he could bring his Country and the world back from the brink of depression, imagine what he could do for Africa. Granted, that it is a reason to change the system rather than depend on one Messiah to change a country or a continent. A rotten system can hardly deliver a miracle baby. Nigeria and Kenya would corrupt any system, even American political system that elected Obama. A great American system would be manipulated into cash cow by our politicians. If refined, cabinet system similar to that of the old Oyo Empire might work.

We heard so many one liners during the US Presidential campaign, one had to pray that under the leadership of Obama, USA and the world economy do not collapse. Treasury Secretary Snow of Bush Administration painted the picture of calamity and the end of the capitalist world unless Congress gave him the needed bailout power he got. Obama won and he gave the job to Geithner that almost lost confirmation. Some of you know what it is to be either over qualified or under qualified if you have been refused those jobs because you would do little or do too much. If you get the position and mess up, they are waiting to laugh in your face – I told you so!

By trying to torpedo his economic plan, opponents want to diminish all the accomplishments he made in such a short time. Paul Grugman noted we praised Germany’s percentage rebound in real GDP recently when its austerity measure has not kicked in, but ignore USA rebound from Bush years that surpassed that of Germany. Obama’s record already stands out: he ended the Iraq War as promised; reduced nuclear race with the Russians; signed equal pay for equal work for women; appointed two women to the Supreme Court; Nobel Peace Prize for his historic win of the Presidency apart from historic Healthcare law that eluded the Democrats for decades.

Africans are nervous and wondering if they are going to turn a President that has done so much in such a little time in office, into President Do Little or Too Much. All the western countries have a healthcare system that takes care of most of their people cheaper than the United States. USA has struggled with it for decades, not for lack of money but for ideological reasons that “Obamacare” is Too Much and must be repealed. A country that is spending more than the rest of the western world per person claims they cannot afford universal healthcare.

When Obama took over from the last Administration there were those who claimed he was taking on too many tasks at the same time instead of concentrating on one task at a time. He thinks a President of USA must be able to walk and chew gum. But the task before him were not artificially created, they were problems that needed to be solved in order to move forward. Healthcare was part of the same puzzle, and if one was not taken care of, the others would ripe the budget. It should be expected that until more US jobs are created and people start getting hired again, the ground is fertile for his opponents to spew gloom in a recovering economy.

Even when companies are making profits, giving bonuses and stocks crawling out of doom days, some people and businesses are seating on cash. They blame it all on Obama because he wants to repeal tax cut that has got the Country into bigger deficit instead of creating jobs since 2001. Yet they want more tax cut deepening the deficit. It is amazing how they have been able to get people into believing that more tax cut for the richest 2% that worsen the deficit, close schools, lay off teachers, police, fire fighters and turn some US cities into a developing Country, is good.

Most of the studies by neutral bodies like the Congressional Budget Office and W.G. Gale of the Brooking Institution show that the richest two percent do not need the tax cut, will not spend the money to fire up the economy and that most of them do not depend on small business for their income in order to create jobs. Even if the tax cut make up 25% of the deficit this year, the increase deficit in successive years cannot be sustained. Alan Greenspan, a conservative former Treasury Secretary debunked the twisted idea that tax cuts create jobs, as it has not since 2001.

The debate on how much to spend to stimulate the western economies will continue but we do not have to wait in Africa for either Obama or his opponents on how much to pump into the hands of the working-class and the poor to stimulate our economy. Their debate is more on the political side than on the real economy. They are willing to say and do anything to defeat the economic influence of Obama at home. They do not care what happens in Europe, Asia or Africa and how the trade between the continents may affect their foreign trade until they win elections at home.

African leaders love economy miracle, especially when it favors the very cream of the society. So if it works in United States, they want it implemented in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. We listen and watch economic debates in Germany, England and USA between conservatives and liberals on more stimulus or spending cuts. African countries, sell off government properties, banks and industries to individual cronies with huge tax concessions hoping that they will create jobs for the jobless. It has not in African countries, unlike old cocoa cooperatives, the rich personalized and pocketed the concessions. Only little people pay taxes: Pay As You Earn And Drive.

Most economists believe the western governments must pump funds into areas maximum benefits can be gained for each naira, cedi, dollar or pound spent. The areas identified are funds for the unemployed like small businesses for graduates and market women in developing countries; infrastructures like renewable energy, roads into rural areas to develop agriculture and related mini industries; building houses, schools and paying teachers and police to maintain stability and highly educated work force. Critics ignore the related jobs created as hand outs.

The advantage of pumping money into these areas is that they spur economic activities by injecting money into the communities. On the other hand, when money gets into the hands of the very rich, they can afford to save it, spend it on vacations or on their children and relatives outside the country. That is, the very rich can afford to delay spending while the working-class spend on food, housing, clothes and other necessities. If we need world leader backing, Obama and Democrats agree it is the best way to revitalize the economy, no matter what conservatives say about him.

Farouk Martins Aresa

Published: Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Nigeria: Nzeogwu Murtala, Obasanjo (OBJ) Are Heroes In The Houses Of Thieves

August 18, 2010

No matter how altruistic and clean you are, Nigeria Joint Houses of Thieves are ready to subdue you. It is even worse if you were one of them and decided to become born again crusader. So far, we have not been able to duplicate coup leaders as refined as Nzeogwu or a leader as pure as Aminu Kano. Indeed if an angel came from Heaven, the Joint Houses of Thieves would soil him before he actualized his plan to clean up Nigerian Augean stable, as Nzeogwu tried to.

Had his vision succeeded in 1966, we would be celebrating him as Murtala Muhammed. But even Murtala, after he repented and gave up his worldly loot, colleagues hunted him down. So who is OBJ, at worst a double agent, against Houses of Thieves?

The regime of Buhari/Idiagbon also deserve some kudos for restoring discipline into the polity but the cost of arbitrary detention, while highly placed individuals flaunting our laws with impunity go scot free, irritated many Nigerians. You can be as courageous as Nzeogwu as ruthless as Buhari, as determined as Murtala and as principled as Obasanjo. But as double standard sets in, Nigerians would be leery. That is what undermines our admirable goal. We could not think of any Yoruba bold enough to ask Idiagbon for exemption. If you know who did, please say so. The same was not true of Buhari. He turned a blind eye to Emir of Gwandu’s smuggled suitcases into Nigeria and saved Sultan Dasuki’s neck under his reign.

Nigerians are still deceived to rely on: only those with clean hands must seek equity. We would wait for those angels forever until we celebrated and recognized the betrayal of Nzeogwu, as one of the angels amongst us. In Nigeria, you can only be in a privilege position to make a difference by climbing through one of the leaders appointing members of the Joint Houses of Thieves. They are made up coup leaders, crooks, 419s; and some hard working Nigerians that unfortunately, cannot form a quorum to clean up Nigeria. They are helpless without the help of seasoned cohorts in legal looting; unless they ready to be born again, to repent or be “rebranded”. Murtala repented and Obasanjo displays a guilty conscience.

It reminds us of OBJ-Atiku Show. The amount of details we were educated with could not have come out if OBJ and Atiku had not gone after each other. If it was not for Obasanjo and Atiku Show, nobody would know what and how much money went from the Government to the Development Funds to the banks of cronies, back to cronies to buy state companies. If there was one head of State that open his yansh, it was Obasanjo Government. What came out of all that, eh?

It is true that Obasanjo is not the best we have, but he is the only one with all his faults that can come out and call a spade a spade. There is nobody left in Nigeria who does not know he was telling the truth about the unaccountable salaries, benefits and esta code going into the deep pockets of the members of the Joint Houses of Thieves. When he was the President, he had called attention to this drain of treasury but he was threatened with impeachment. Those Elders had to come in before he agreed to release their unearned bloated allowances, car “loan” and salaries. Please do not stop now, more headlines.

Apart from Murtala who gave up his loot to the Government, no head of State has called in neutral auditors from outside to probe any part of his Government, Obasanjo did. Whatever the reason behind his call for self probe, he appeared before the Oputa panel as a seating head of State while former heads of states without any guilty conscience, refused to testify with impunity. Out of mind, he spoke out and institute EEFC to outsmart or go down with all of them about personal their loot. A devil deserves his due. As for those who said he used Ribadu, Ribadu said he also used him to nail his friends.

If we discourage people like Obasanjo from coming out and telling us that our Police and other members of Armed Forces are recruiting thugs and armed robbers, nobody would dare. We have been hearing it from ordinary folks for a long time but nobody could say it loud and gain credibility as the Commander of the Armed Forces. We won’t do it but will not allow those who want to. There are other heads of states that are laughing their guts out regretting their mistake for supporting Obasanjo for his second coming only to reveal the details of how they all loot our treasury. They call him a traitor!

Who else could stand up to his base but Obasanjo? Every leader that had stood up to his base had paid dearly for it with his life except OBJ. The rest of Nigeria love him for that and wished he could have sucked it more to his people than he did. While it is true that he only scored a few votes in his village, not sure of those in his household, the rest of Nigeria voted for him. He replaced Yoruba from top positions in his Government with others and brought Igbo and Middle Belters into heavy positions at the cry of Fulani, Hausa and Yoruba. He denied signing any special deal with Hausa or Fulani while he took Yoruba Governors to the cleaners in “Aburi”. He is hated by all whether they benefited from him or not.

It is very difficult for a true leader to please everyone, but a leader must be missed for his decisive and principled actions down the road. Only a fool would say Obasanjo never loot while in office, he did. He learned from his subordinates that sponsored him with the money he had a chance to steal but forgo and became broke. His lesson was that no matter how sincere you are, Nigerians would ridicule a former head of state that became a pauper. Obasanjo will never be poor again. If we are going to bring all of the heads of states looters to justice, include OBJ with them. Do we prefer a looter that repented, recounted or one that kept quiet and dared you to probe him if you could?

Only naïve folks think just angels can save Nigeria. Give it to him, Obasanjo said it as it is and the Joint Houses of Thieves also came back roaring at OBJ as the corrupt leader. This is good for Nigeria and we must encourage more of it. We need a Messiah but he must come from one of us no matter how imperfect we may be. What we cannot tolerate are those that tell us to close our eyes so that we can pray while they clean out the treasury. Nigeria is the only country we know of where leaders claim they are innocent because they did not steal as much as others. They wish they had and would do anything to come back and steal more. Yet, we have people as their followers preaching for their return.

There are patriotic Nigerians willing to lay down their lives if they are sure that change will come but no one wants to die for nothing. Those that are set in their ways and enjoyed the welfare of the Country since they were born will not give in without a fight. The consequences of the coup of 1966 still haunt us and we dabble in what could and might have been if the vision of Nzeogwu was implemented according to his plan. There would have been no Biafra, ten percent bribe would not have given way to ninety-nine percent kickbacks and we could have had a Country that is focused on living up to its potential.

While it is true that what could have or might have been is not enough, some credit must be given to Nzeogwu so that others can dream. Dreams lead to plan and plan leads to action. Hope is not lost. Out of imperfection in the Country we must allow those who repent and give up the booty they accumulated to join with the rest of us who call for repercussion. We stood up to Obasanjo Third Term and it failed, we can do it again against all those who have not repented and still flourish in their loot parading as the One, the Messiah we were waiting for.

Ngex

This Babapupa is nothing but a traitor who cares only for his own pocket. He will sell sell the people of Lagos out at any price. Mercenary na im you be, u hia?

CHARLES TAYLOR TRIAL REDUCED TO COUGAR FIGHT

African War Crime trial of Charles Taylor at Hague featured cat fights between Mia and Naomi with their disgruntled friends and business partners. We watched as rivalry between them demeaned and upstaged a very important trial about man’s cruelty to man. Here we are looking at a super movie star, a super model and their agents making an issue out of two or three little “dirty stones” in a pouch when there are actually evidence of killed and maimed Africans working in mines digging out huge raw diamonds. Where is their beef?

Whether we believe Naomi Campbell or not, that was a comparatively trivial matter between her and Charles Taylor on who kissed and told on whom. The trial was not between a man and a woman personal relationship or who spilled on whom as if this was another betrayal of the sexes like Sampson and Delilah. No doubt, it could be a good story for the gossip columns but to reduce a crime on humanity so important to Africans to sexual gossip is degrading.

It is still debatable what weight of evidence they expect to get from models and actresses who were just flirting with heads of states if their intent or motivation were not disclosed over their pillow talks. What is also not clear is if a serious court of law where matter as grave as this is being tried would entertain evidence such as those disclosed. If they were trying to use hearsay evidence to impeach Naomi Campbell, they have already failed except that they may have excited and influenced the public. She knows diamond when she sees one, diamond is a lady’s best friend and what she saw was no diamond. The fact that she never kept it, dignified her.

After all, Mia Farrow claims that she exposed Naomi Campbell because of the atrocities in the blood diamond committed during civil wars by Charles Taylor in Africa. Whenever there is an opening, we can be sure that there are people willing to drive a truck into it. Nevertheless, the World Criminal Court must not be used as a wrestling match between two cougars and their associates. There is much more at stake than the mere meow sounds of Mia or Naomi.

The good name of Mandela that always host many heads of states have been dragged into this by association. Whatever it was that Mia Farrow and Naomi Campbell had for each other or who could attract more powerful men, or flirt more has spilled into war crime and celebration of blood diamond by a former agent suing Naomi for damages in court. People get fascinated as soon as sex and glamour get into a trial. So one of the sexes kissed, told and giggled getting others jealous by boasting about some conquest. But not into War Crime Trial, please.

This is one of the reasons some Africans have been skeptical about world trials of present or former head of states as in the case of President Omar Al Bashir of Sudan. The disproportional number of those tried would be Africans who may in fact have wronged their own people. The argument has always been that there would never be fair presence of war criminal heads of states from other continents. Since their criminal system has always resulted in disproportional numbers of Africans in prisons on these continents, we have a solid reason to be suspicious without sympathizing with a criminal like Charles Taylor.

We sure have our problems in Africa that deserve international exposure, otherwise many of us would be muzzled to death. Unfortunately, the gains of most of these crimes result in the favor and pockets of outsiders waiting for a change of government loyal to a block or a single nation, the raw materials, and loot deposited in their accounts. Anyone familiar with either the time or history of Lumumba will not pray for the way he was humiliated in death. His killers in Congo were protected for life even when rejected by their own people. None of them faced trial like Rwanda. The civil war between Hutu and Tutsi had ended into a stable State; and new election.

Charles Taylor was a well known felon that escaped American jail to participate in civil war in Liberia before he became the President. In the process, many African peace keeping soldiers were killed. Former President Obasanjo was advised to try him for murder when some countries settled on Nigeria as his place of exile. So he deserves to be tried, but sensation of his trial with who he flirt or had dinner with trivialized the crimes he committed against Africa.

There are different ways of making sure that the trials of war criminals from different countries are fair by selecting “neutral” judges and making available the best representation they could get. Once entertainers or stars are involved, media influence rushes in to exaggerate and sometimes demonize whoever some have grouse with. In the case of Charles Taylor, there is mountain of evidence in raw diamond to convict him without glamorized three little “dirty stones” by Mia and Naomi. It’s a relatively sham evidence irrelevant to the trial.

The African Union need to establish a body where certain criminals, whether a politician or not can be made to face the consequences of his action while in power. In cooperation with the World Court, some other world leaders that have abused their privileges can be tried in African forum. We do not want to accept that Africans do not have the services or the expertise to produce the type of atmosphere needed for such trial. If African judges can perform creditable in World Court, other jurists can do the same in African environment.

Nigeria Peace keeping forces’ role is second to none in conflicts around the world. The same Country has eminent legal scholars that can handle cases such as those presented at Hague. But our environment betrays us because of the way we deal with one another at home. It is what they point to, not the fact that we are kinder and gentler with foreigners. All nations have their internal problems, even those with racial and civil right violations have been able to develop an outlet through which many of the injustices are aired. We need more of those in African countries to be able to get the respect we deserve.

Le Stylo,

Who do you prefer? A thief who call out the other thieves or the one that kept quiet, dare you to probe and say others stole more than him.

I prefer OBJ who knows he is a looter and call out other looters.

Benin residents besiege church over appearance of Jesus

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/9324-benin-residents-besiege-church-over-appearance-of-jesus?tmpl=component&print=1&page=

Written by Uchechukwu Olisah, Benin City Friday, 06 August 2010

THOUSANDS of residents in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Thursday, besieged the St. Paul’s Catholic Church, located on the Airport Road in the Benin metropolis, to catch a glimpse of Jesus Christ who was rumoured to have appeared to worshippers during the morning mass service.

The Thursday appearance of the image of Jesus Christ to the worshippers at the church was reputed to be the first of its kind in the area.

Francis Efe, 18, a mass server, said he actually saw the image of Jesus Christ in a form of the Divine Mercy image around 5.00 p.m on Wednesday, while preparing for mass after the prayer.

He said after seeing the image, he went outside the church hall to call his fellow mass servers and that they all followed him to the altar to see the image before it receded into the monstrance in the form of the Divine Mercy image.

“The priest came and we repeated the Divine Mercy prayer, followed by the Benediction, then the monstrance was reposed before we started the evening mass,” he added.

Efe said it was the security man who was watching over the monstrance that first saw the apparition and ran away.

While giving an account of what happened on Thursday, Efe said, “this morning after the morning prayer, the priest brought the monstrance back to the altar and the people that came for morning mass saw it and the people started shouting in amazement.”

Describing the image he saw, Efe said “Jesus Christ came like a human. Only the body, the hand and the head showed. The feet did not show. He came in pure white gown with something like red rays in form of blood and sky blue rays radiating from the navel downwards in a triangular formation.”

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/

PATRONIZE SMALL BUSINESSES AS DIMINISHING RETURNS HIT BIG ONES

Farouk Martins Aresa

We need to go back to basics and encourage job creation with modernized esusu to spur small business growth since more than 50% of our graduate youths are idle. Big stock markets lured us away from mama and papa stalls that buy from locals and neighboring countries. The middlemen, traders and travelers went to stock markets to buy and sell for more profits. Over the years big foreign businesses have been able to produce many services and materials we need at cheaper. The money and time saved have been spent on unsubstantial endeavors to satisfy imported ideas and luxuries. It failed and burnt us.

What we need is the return of small businesses providing work in a jobless world economy. But for the small business to do well and hire more workers there has to be demand for their products and services by a relatively large number of people. That is, a working class that will spend the money for needed products and services, not subsidy for who can wait out the recession before they spend in depressed markets. There is a great demand for basic needs in developing countries, yet we are always short of them.

We may have got to where big businesses, too big to fail may have reached diminishing returns because of too much tax cuts, incentive and kickbacks to undercut performance. There is opportunity cost lost to small businesses that can give us better returns on the subsidies. We do not have to be an economist to realize when more of the same gives us less pleasure. Too much of a good thing is not good, even for big businesses. The first drink of water after being thirsty is not as satisfying as the second or third glass.

It has long been recognized that when a business becomes too big to fail, it stifles others creating a monopoly. They intentionally lower their prices temporarily to lure customers away from small businesses. As the small ones fold up, they raise prices. Communities of small business have been destroyed that way. Governments put in place anti-monopoly regulations to curb some of their practices. Rather than give all types of incentives to attract big businesses, it may be time to cuddle and spur small businesses again.

Yet, there are advantages of big businesses taking on mega projects that need both technical and financial support. In order to raise the amount of money needed through the stock markets, venture capitalist and investment banks are needed. In Africa, most of the funds are sourced from governments. The venture capitalists and middle men are politicians that divert the money to their investment banks which in turn finance mega projects with their foreign partners. The bribes encourage sub or under-performance.

Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Ajaokutal Steel, Ghana’s Gold Mining and other natural industries are examples of government business that became nobody’s business. They got so big and riddle with corruption that International Monetary Fund advised to privatize them sounded more attractive than getting rid of endemic corruption. As the evil of corruption pulls on one side, the greed of foreign ownership pulls on the other.

The World Bank and International Monetary Fund under their Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) wanted the Gold Mine in Ghana and the Oil Industry in Nigeria sold to foreign big businesses and our currencies devalued as the best way to economic development, as far back as 1984. There were African experts working for both bodies pushing African military bureaucrats to obey. In retrospect, it was a disaster which was later regretted by both sides: World Bank-IMF and African militricians. It wiped out African middleclass.

Since privatization fueled the rise of Nigeria stock market, some of us were skeptical. Nigeria Stock Market provided the highest return in the world but nobody could explain intelligently what the exuberance was based on. A consumer economy that has no international trading partners for its finished products except crude oil, the speculative trading kept building on this single product. Big businesses were operating in our major industries but no timed guarantee or incentive to train enough local technical partners.

It was based on voodoo economics of President Reagan in the 80s that almost triple US Government debt by cutting taxes on the rich and corporate bums. Mr. Stockman, his Budget Director could not get him to cut enough spending on military to pay for it. Some called it credit card feel good economy. It took the Clinton Administration to return the Government back to surplus by raising taxes, back on the rich. The Bush Administration, again ran the Government back into red on tax cut and finally into the worst recession.

While China was getting its priorities straight, developed countries were busy inflating their goods and services through the stock market until it crashed. Instead of developing countries investing in agriculture like China to feed starved people, they were following developed countries to the edge of the cliff. We allow big businesses that were heading to disaster to take over our developing economies. Many of them duped us by bribing politicians on power generation like Enron, others ran our steel and Gold industry down; intentionally so that we cannot compete with their home based industrial products.

Along the way, stock got bigger and stated predicting what will be available and in what quantities, betting on the futures of those goods and services. We were not satisfied with old banks that made commercial and individual loans. We followed big western economy that became highly dependent on venture capitalists using people’s funds on high risk speculative credit default swaps. Funds and shares of common folks were used for unstable or over inflated products and services hoping for higher returns. Even new generation banks, like Saraki’s Societe General, took our money outright or joined world trading partners through their investment in private equity or edge funds.

Consequently, unregulated big business plunged us into this recession because the old magic of pampering big businesses led to accumulation in bonuses and fat salaries to the few. The large number of workers retrenched through takeovers and consolidations did not improve their balance sheets. As they get even bigger, they lost focus on what drives the economy. Instead of increasing products and services, they become creative in maximizing profit, volatile shares swapping, securities, debt and credit betting.

Na wa o.

If this guys had won or got a draw with ten men, all these abuses would have been praises.

Sure, I guess men outside of their race and country are better. What a complex!

There is nothing more political than people, race, country and behavior.

tpiah:
if more nigerian women would date outside their race and country, that's one way of looking at it.

So if a lady decides to wait and nurse a career while others jumped into bed to get hold of that guy for marriage, the lady that waits does not know how to choice a respectable guy that will take care of her natural basic need. There are only philanderer left and chastity for life is the way to go, abi.

Fertile women shut out by monogamy deserve a man

http://africanheraldexpress.com/blog2/2010/06/14/fertile-women-shut-out-by-monogamy-deserve-a-man/

BY: Farouk Martins Aresa …

There are all types of studies about when women are most attractive to men especially during their hormonal periods, but more research is needed about single fertile women that have lost out in monogamous marriages for variety of reasons least of which is looks. Nobody doubts that in or out of marriage, women still have the same biological needs, not only for sexual satisfaction but to procreate and be courted if they so desire.

If every woman that wants to and needs to be serviced by a man, the man has to come from available singles pool, granted that there will always be chronic bachelors. Otherwise we may see those already married vulnerable to the calling of equally fertile females. There is no other way, the reality is that other women want to be serviced by reliable men and they are ready to get him one way or the other. So the competition inside monogamous marriages has been transformed into fifty percent chance of success.

Most women dream about the flowery monogamous wedding so they rush for bridal gowns on yearly sales in stores, prepare for wedding day by hoarding certain items, keep some passed down ornaments that may be useful in the family home and hope the right man will come. Unfortunately, it does not materialize for every woman. Therefore, what do we do when our daughters are growing old in or outside home?

We sometimes confuse our daughters by jumping from being very strict or sometimes menacing to the boys; to a sudden change of asking them if they have a boyfriend. Well, even if they do, there will be disappointments with the boys we like and the ones we do not want around her. There is a point when we drop many of our requirements and hope she is happy with her choice. If that choice does not conform to the only norm in that community or expectation, we are forced to accept our worst fear sometimes.

Social scientists have seen greater tendency to depart from expectation in the social community to reality of the day in a complex modern society. Their statistics show less number of children and less time for the family to spend quality time together as both parents have to work in order to make ends meet. As more women bring income home, they develop ideas on what to spend their hard earned money on with or without a nod from their partners. It is hard enough living just together, then with kids and partner.

Consequently, there are more single women looking for a partner than are single men looking. Women have become more creative in attracting men, either by changing their criteria or choice, to realistically fit into the market or settling for their second best. The men could have got the best of that but for their inferiority complex to date women that are more educated or make more money than them. Those men that do not mind being Mr. Mom or switching from old role, make out well with the higher female class.

These increasing number of single women with university education whose priority is career first before getting tied down with husband and children has changed us. Before them, the number of men available to women for marriage was less than adequate after wars and riskier behaviors. On the other side are men waiting longer to get married since well paying jobs to support a family after high school has dwindled over the years.

The denial of this need of single women that cannot get a man exclusively does not mean they must be deprived of other relationships. Relationships are not limited to what others may consider unconventional, depending in what community we find ourselves. To fulfill basic need for partners, single women have been creative with polygamist, serial men monogamists, inter-ethnic-racial, bisexual and gay relationships.

We have to be a gambler to put everything we have on a social experiment that has less than fifty percent success, yet this is what we do when we take each other for husband and wife in a monogamous wedding. There has to be more to it than getting married otherwise it will not be a wise investment. If we were educated shoppers or gamblers, we would be looking for alternative that paid more or gave better chance of success.

However, there is more to marriage than the convenience of two people. It is a social propagation of life that involves children and extended families. The satisfaction that one has the other to himself and not share with anyone else is gratifying and reassuring to the couple but only if that relationship can last. Unlike past generation, liberty of individual interest may have overridden that of the social community by our hedonism.

Nevertheless, many traditional men and women are not moved by the economic reality of today. They still fit into the old role without anyone knowing which of them works, who makes more or sacrifices opportunity cost to spend quality time with the kids. But these are the minority of those that makes up part of the fifty percent of monogamous marriages which work. The rest of the fifty percent are made up of families that have tried to adjust to the new situation they find themselves.

We then have the rest of the fifty percent whose monogamous families do not work for various reasons. This is a challenge that may see traditional monogamous disintegrates. Those that are still holding on to it have good reasons to because they have a great deal at stake. If we think about the number of women that are single, these married women in monogamous relationships need to watch over their shoulders.

Though both men and women have biological clock running, one needs to get married earlier than the other. Married women in monogamous families are full of fear, scorn and do deride respectable women who submit to the natural tendency to marry a man they would not normally consider when they were under the spell of idealistic custom. These women are not any less in integrity but they realize that unless they adjust to reality, they may remain shelved forever.

It is the reason polygamy with far better chance of success no matter what its opponents say, remains worldwide practice.

Are you happy because you are comparing Nigeria with the worst?

Try and compare Nigeria with the best, then wonder why we are not one of them or better.
Do we need to join a bunch of blind people despite our human and resource potential?

9jaganja:
Of course we can't completely diss Nigeria. Only a few bobble heads here diss Nigeria. Majority of what people say about Nigeria here is constructive criticism just that we have a few uncle toms and aunt McKenzies who see nothing but evil in Nigeria. Nigeria is not resting her head on the right shoulders though. Ghana is destroying a good start. Imagine what they did to glo a fellow West African company. The thing is if Ghanaian investors have their own mobile operator, they can't compete with glo that already has more than 40mil customers in Nigeria. But if they relax on their policies, their operators could operate in Nigeria as well.

The best way to look at this is the 30% or less of those who can afford to drive subsidiazed by about 70% of those who do not drive or can afford a car.

Certainly some peolple living on the margin will be affected. Unfortunately there is no to identify them for rebates.

Moreover, I have always felt that if they do not use the money for subsidy, they will steal it anyway. With new people in charge, let us for the best.

Some people save and make all they can so that they can take it out of Nigeria and blow it. You then wonder why that money will never create jobs in Nigeria.

When these people come, they expect you to leave your job and take them shopping. It is true, some of them spend tons of money especially when you know they are not on salary but on "contracts" looking for where to hide their loot. Some of the stuff you guys buy, an average Briton ( I do not live there BTW) can not afford it.

Little do they realize that these are top ten or five percent of Nigerians that do not live on 300 naira a day. But they spend most of the money in Nigeria. How many professionals can afford to travel twice a year in Nigeria? How many of them even have regular jobs?

Your friends in Briton are not jealous but disgusted because they know the source of your money and from the way you spend it, that you did not work hard for it.

These day in Nigeria, by the time you put kids in good schools, try to live above water, suffer in car from one end of the City to another, you have little left to enjoy. A friend said it all, that in Nigeria they make others work for money for them but in Briton, you work for money yourself.

That is why everything is contract in Nigeria. Tell them to get you a laborer or a plumber. They will tell you they want to give you an estimate for a contract so that they can pay the laborer 2000 naira a day while they pocket the difference to travel. No matter what they make, lion share is spent outside of the Country. Even people who make less than 50,000 naira a month, will ask you what is 100,000 naira? The you wonder why they steal?

No, they are not jealous but disgusted. Any hard working Nigerian on vacation is usaully well received and cater for but as work and schedule permit. Actually some of these visitors are given money and present out of hard earned money. They also take a load home to friends and relatives. Do not compare those to yourself when they are aware of your loot.

A Country of contracts and no jobs.

SAVE OUR SOULS FROM OIL GOLD DIAMOND BIG BUSINESS & GOVERNMENT

Farouk Martins Aresa

You may have heard about Gold Coast, Ivory Coast but not Oil Coast, Diamond Coast or Cocoa Coast. They all existed in Africa with nothing to show for it. Outsiders still and used to buy all from us by selling them back to us in petrol, gas, finished gold, diamond, ivory and chocolates. As we get poorer, they get richer. It does not take too much to imagine why.

Poor Nkrumah, we will never stop calling your name. The first to tried cartel, by cocoa producers and failed because he came before his time just as Nyerere’s Ujamaa or self-sufficiency failed. So the richest continent harbors the poorest people. Since we don’t manufacture what we want, we go world shopping craving for depreciating or used goods, and dump them into polluted environment; then their makers bid for clean up contracts. We pay dearly for our taste, for varieties as the spice of life, claiming no country is self sufficient.

If you have not heard, this is the story of three Africans from Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria on excursion to Louisiana USA. They asked for directions to Oil Street, Big Business Street and Big Government Street. With a map, the first person they asked told them to go straight down the road and can never miss Big Government Street. The second person told them to go straight, turn right and can never miss Big Business Street. The third person told them to go straight and turn left, they can never miss Oil Street.

The dilemma between the three Africans is that going straight and turning left to find Oil Street, Big Business or Big Government became a curse for one while the second one that turned right considered them a blessing. The third African became confused going straight wondering whether turning right or left with his brothers made any sense. The Nigerian found Oil Street so fast, he must have come from Niger Delta area. He saw in Louisiana what is shown on American televisions to the rest of the world, live.

The Nigerian was very depressed seeing the offshore environmental disaster Louisiana got into, and realizing that Nigeria has been going through more or less problem for the past forty years. The Ghanaian and the Kenyan could not understand his problem because he found the Oil Street they were looking for. After all Ghana, so delighted, has just discovered oil in commercial quantity. Kenya is still looking.

The Kenyan would not mind the riches from any source. Be it oil, gold, diamond or ivory. Africa is a rich Continent with abundant mineral resources. If oil is not in Kenya today, gold or diamond in commercial quantity may be discovered tomorrow. No African country is poor and the selling of asserts when found in commercial quantity will not save us. Indeed, the fight or greed to share can destroy us as it happened over diamond in Sierra Leone or central Africa, oil in Nigeria and the colonial control of gold with royalties in Ghana.

Every refined or used product the world has, we want but the only way to pay for it is by our dwindling raw materials. If we cannot sell our finished products, we can never make a profit but end up paying more. It is not the polity; it is the players of politics that are married to the big businesses, turning a blind eye to environmental dumps for children.

The important lesson is not what asserts we have because they shrink in abundance, but what Japan produces and sells for income from the rest of the world. Yet, Africans exhibit the same brilliancy in enabling environments in Diaspora, even when bred and trained in Africa. This insatiable greed for unrefined or polluting oil, gold, diamond and ivory by big business has turned African governments into monsters preying on blood and sweat.

The Nigerian, waking up from his trance, told them Big Business is his problem. If the mighty United States Government cannot do anything about Big Business Street spilling oil in Louisiana, no African country can. He explained that we do not just wake up one day in a crisis, calling on any government to save our soul. We save our souls from day one when Big Business and Big Government sit at the table and let each other know who the boss is. Whatever you want in place or in time of crisis, we spell it out initially.

Before any crisis the Governor of Louisiana who had derided big government about how important it was to have laser faire and allow Big Business to flourish during elections became a town crier on what government should have done. We watch the same man cry for Government to do more in time of crisis after preaching cut in taxes for the rich and Big Business. When it is popular, they do not want big government in their life but it is the same big government regulations they want in bad times. Using what resources?

Watching United States of America and the way the system works can be a great lesson for all of us. Until the economic meltdown, hurricanes, and loss of heavy manufacturing industries to Asians, the unions were able to demand high salaries for their workers. The same workers turn to Big Government for help in their time of need after voting all their life against higher taxes that grow and feed the government they might need later. It could have been worse, social security could have been privatized.

The Nigerian turned to the Ghanaians and asked if he realized the source of his sorrow. He said, yes, he heard about billions always missing. In Africa, big businesses buy many governments. In the western world, they call it lobbying the government. The difference is, once caught or exposed in the western world, both politicians and lobbyists lose privileges, elections and power. In Africa they gain privileges and rig elections into power. Politicians pocket the money and leave the masses to suffer the consequences.

Nigeria asked Big Business for Ajaokuta Steel, it is used by both Big Government and Big Business to drain other resources. We had foreign auto assemblies and car prototypes by hard working Nigerians both our uncontrolled and unregulated desire for foreign products competing with home grown killed demand for them. Oil companies are rulers.

It is not enough to dream of all the goodies oil riches would buy, Ghana must think, debate and learn from Nigeria. It has been said so many times, but not until it is put into practiced. This is the time to enshrine it and not repeat the helplessness of colonial gold.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15660&catid=84&Itemid=46

THE SOUTH CAN’T WAIT UNTIL NORTH CHOOSES NEW YOUNG LEADERS

If there is anything the North and the South must agree on, it is on the rotation of presidency. The pauperism of candidates parading arena of presidential leadership from the North betrays the lack of progress in Nigeria as a whole. There is no part or region of Nigeria where we do not have young dynamic patriotic Nigerians but only one region in the Country has not produced a President. That is the South-south. Nobody, no matter how eloquent, logical or reasonable can convince a child growing up from that region that for some reasons, none of them had what it took to be the executive leader and commander-in-chief.

Fair minded people not necessarily from that region must be sick and tire of promises made in the name of Niger Delta. Of course their leaders are corrupt like other Nigerian leaders but no more so. It can’t suffice as a reason they cannot rule Nigeria or themselves since we know that crooks from the North or South hardly lift up their regions. If that is the standard we go by, no leader must come from the North again since they have the greatest number of poor folks. It is not enough to paint any other leader evil than the devil himself, to justify return of old cargoes.

Whatever we mean by rotation of presidency, if it is to achieve fair and balance distribution of power, the time to do it is now. The North welded power 38 out of 50 years, by fair rotation the South should be in the same saddle for the same period of time. So the argument for rotation from the North while fair, weighs heavily against them. So far the North-west by the old states and the new states standard has produced almost all of our presidents except by anointment.

Even when presidency comes back to the North, there must be some qualified young, patriotic and dynamic pure Hausa without one drop of Fulani blood in them that can be president. It is not all our Hausa brothers and sisters that take a submissive stand once a mixed blood declare for presidency. It is one of the secrets some see as a dirty linen not to be washed in public. The backseat attitude against Hausa carried from the old religious dominance cannot go on forever.

If it is not about ancestry of religion, the raw symptom of Kaduna protest has betrayed no other motive. A deputy born and bred son of the soil, based on some old unrelenting phobia cannot succeed his Governor because he is a Christian. Behind this logic is their call on Ebele to step aside in the next election for those who belong. It is why some part of the North is still locked in the old school mentality conducive for the old leaders to display their irrelevant tattered armor.

From North to South, our albatross come as billionaires looters threaten and blackmail smaller rogues lacking millions, to either bribe successive prosecutors or buy themselves out of jails. One needs less punishment to catch the other. There are those telling us God is the owner of the land in Nigeria and if it pleases him, he can redistribute it to chosen believers. Indeed there is no stealing of oil resources if the land belongs to nobody but God. To become a thief, there has to be an owner of goods. A few actually believe, the oil we depend on flows from the North to the South by the law of geological gravity. So God’s land is nobody’s land. What a logic, eh?

Wake up Northern brothers and sisters, the last decades are behind us. It is embarrassing that all the North has to offer as presidential materials are old spent leaders who can only brag about how they kept the Country together by force or tulasi. They think that and nothing else entitles them to leadership as if no one from other parts of the Country risked their lives for Nigerian unity. Our young, vibrant and educated Northern leaders are being overshadowed by discredited men looking forward to presidential burials. Other African countries that used to look up to us are offering solutions from how to conduct fair elections to kicking us out.

What does that say about Nigeria? It means we are not ready to change the old ways that plunged us into darkness after Independence. With all the talents in the North, reasonable people know that if you do not want the same results in Nigeria, we have to look for fresh new solutions. The threat of disunity or lack of independence is not the burning issues. If anything, most Nigerians are so fed up with the amplified disparity, that they are willing to try anything, including peaceful separation rather than kill one another to achieve economic independence.

We may as well wake up Ahmadu Bello, Zik and Awo or many others still alive that were our old heroes of Independence to contest election in 2011. They did their part, we are moving on. Those who fought and died for the unity of Nigeria or are still alive do not have a better claim to come back and contest election in 2011 than Pa Enahoro. Time has change, we are now fighting for economic survival and Nigerians are hungry, pure and simple. We need economic wizards to promote made-in-Africa products and lift us out of abject poverty perpetuated by politicians.

In order to deny Ebele the opportunity to contest the next election in 2011, hypocrites are appealing to him as a gentleman, God fearing, honor, his name in golden history and be neutral to do the right thing. We would think that at least one of these jokers has any of those qualities they are clamoring for in Ebele. Those who would sell their birthright for pottage are offering their Trojan horse to Ebele. It is hard enough fighting one of the militants to a standstill, not to think about daring most. If it has worked in the past, it does not mean it will always work.

There are others, out of their so called patriotism, caution Ebele on whom to take advice from. They certainly warned him about certain section of the Country or people, except themselves. We just watch as they repeat the same call made to Yar’Adua when he assumed office ridiculing him as OBJ chosen boy to complete his third term; until they got what they want. To prove that he was his own man, Yar’Adua gave the most important positions exclusively to the North since the days of the military regardless of the cries from other parts of the Country.

So here they go again. Ebele must prove to them that he is not OBJ boy by making lopsided appointments as Yar’Adua. Then and only then can he satisfy them that he is not completing OBJ third term. This reverse psychology has always worked, so they must try it repeatedly. They had the guts to query a South-south President why most of the important posts in Niger Delta oil industry did not go to them as before. Well, let us guess: It could be because it is a riverine area, those not familiar with polluted swamps might get swallowed by mummywater!

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Story from Modern Ghana News:
http://www.modernghana.com/news/276249/1/the-south-cant-wait-until-north-chooses-new-young-.html

Published: Tuesday, May 18, 2010

DIASPORA AFRICANS CHANGE TO OPPRESSORS’ VIEW AT HOME

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15446&Itemid=46

Farouk Martins Aresa

We may have always had some form of classes in African history but nothing compared to the class of have and have-no today. It is so pronounced that we can not deny some foreign and bourgeoisie assimilations. We may have replaced chief- subject relationship with that of lord-serf. Even slaves captured during inter-ethnic wars enjoyed some form of freedom and can aspire to chief in Yoruba land. In other words treatment of our poor, outcasts or even criminals was not as harsh as in prisons, for easier rehabilitation.

Nobody becomes oppressor out of dire necessity but to take advantage of unearned privilege positions. Some folks were so oppressed growing up, they could not wait to do it to someone else. They may even get some joy and kicks out of it especially if they never dreamed of being in that exalted position. We should always remember that no position is permanent and those we kick on our way up may tramp us on our way down.

Suddenly many of those matching around Europe and America shouting “I’m Black and Proud” find themselves in a life of contradiction when they get back home to the various countries in Africa. Nobody notices it more than their wives. It does not mean that the wives do not tag along with the new found high class status compared to what they left behind in Diaspora. For dwindling prosperous benefits to keep on rolling, we mimic many colleagues that are the products of Africa’s oldest universities as oppressors.

We are so pampered in Africa only African wives can understand. Some foreign wives failing to soak up the exalted men status pack up and leave. So are some Africa wives staying back in Diaspora claiming they want to stay with the children while still in school for better education. Oh well, children without parents usually stay with foster parents most of whom do it for money. They are only tolerated and sometimes abused, only to become oppressors at home. It always amazes many of us where our colleagues on the same salaries like us get the foreign exchange to send their children to this foster care.

It is true that the day of - when I was in London - has become a passé. Equally damaging though, is the mentality of the yahoo boys or fast car racers in Nigeria. They think if all the people they know are doing well, there are no more poor people in their country. The American TV magazine, 60 Minutes once featured the son of the President of oil rich Equatorial Guinea shopping like crazy in France. The kids are worse oppressors than their parents. Tap into their gadgets or internet for their justification on the privileges.

Of course many of our kids are brilliant enough to secure scholarships, grants and are entitled to loans. Home coming may divide some families that don’t want to submit to the almighty power bestowed on men in Africa as other men enjoy in their respective continents. Though while in Africa, some of the kids virtually grow up on foreign culture.

One of the touching moments we witness was during a high school graduation. This Nigerian girl got accepted in three top universities in the USA with full scholarships. But there was no parent at the ceremony to share her joy with. One of the parents had to invite her home. Somehow children that struggle out of Africa on their own usually do better than the pampered children of the rich and famous. They are more focus, worry about making grades and working at the same time with little time left for idle activities.

For those men and women insisting on coming home, it has become more expensive than ever. Apart from the lack of abundant job market factor, we miss those that used to come with housing, cars and helps. Some private companies still provide all these but it is difficult to get a government job these days, unless you want to be a politician. Even without all these, for the African man or women there is no place like home.

Most of the Africans that hardly go home fear the expense of comfort and cannot generate the money locally. Indeed a friend said the lowest point in his life begins as soon as he arrives at the airport in Diaspora looking for taxi or bus home to spend the next 6 months making money to take back. He makes sure his wife and children are well provided for, with good schools for the children and the best he can afford in Africa.

As long as you have continuous flow of money to maintain half the lifestyle enjoyed overseas, your family is set and Africa is it. Others split life into two by spending most of their time in Africa and the rest in Diaspora. There are some friends where either the husband or the wife does the shuttle back and forth while the rest of the family stays in Africa. It cannot be the reason they turn into oppressors at home.

However, our class and behavior in Africa towards the poor people ranges from humble to sheer arrogance. The humble ones complain that they are being taken advantage of many times when they are classless by people who think they have lost touch and can be easily taken for a ride. Others, still humble live a very low key life for fear of drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. In Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe and a few other places, you prevent being victimized by criminals if you keep a low profile.

These are the people that strive to lay good example and in most cases dedicated to how they can help move the country forward. The women participate in community activities and contribute their training and experience at work to schools, after-school programs and social activities. It may or may not lead them into politics. But once the men join politics, they may be lost to chicanery in order to outdo their opponents.

The other ones are the arrogant and selfish Africans from Diaspora that think the world of themselves and copy the same type of people they protest against while in Diaspora. Their loyalty is to their pocket and self interest of their families. The bulk of money they make is never spent in Africa. Their expensive toys like cameras, i-phones, computers, cars, travels etc made outside their individual countries consume most of their income.

There are several factors here that the poster may not disclose. Beating is very common in African marriage but beating at the age of 60 years is also not common.

One of the factors is the economic viabilities of the children and that of their father. If the father is damn rich and the children expect something from his will, they may not be able to stand up to him. The wife may be too scared to leave and may not enjoy the same comfort with any of the children. In that case, after so many years of marriaga, if he is that rich, one of the children that loves the mother most or the father love least, must contact a lawyer on how to divide the wealth. That threat will bring their father to his senses.

Like most of you said, forget about his wealth or influence: Even when your mother disagree, as it happens in most cases, one of you have to threaten him seriously without actually going through with the threat. If that does not take care of it, all or most of you have to repeat the threat again. Of course he will promise to disown you.

Bear in mind that in some Nigeria families, wealth and economic situation play a very important part like the rest of the world. But in Africa, the extended family may seat in judgment on what the mother gets. No mother wants to bear with a crazy man all these years and end up in a poor house. They claim they take the beating because of their small children and later because of economic viability in old age.

So the children have to look for ways to provide for their mother through a lawyer to divide the properties or through shakara threats.

Please understand that mothers know their children, and some of these children are worse than their father when they become the main provider for their mom with all the responsibility and problems of their own family. So it is not easy for the mother.

Women without economic power must learn to put two kobo in savings for their old age especially if their husband is well off and become abusive or not. A good man always provide for his wife in case something happens to him but some men prefer a woman who can not make a living on her own so that he can dominate her.

Even if you married a good man, he will appreciate that two kobo savings when bad time strikes.

KnowAll,

Omo oko ni e.

When somebody talks reason and facts to drug dealers, vultures and area boys turned politicians, they can only reply with insults such as "fools" and "morons". No coherent facts, even when that helps them.

If these people are not mercenaries, why can't they answer the simple question of who is going to run the airport. They have no clue of the arguments they make. They can not get along with Fed. Govt. but they want a drug dealer in charge of airport. Wonders shall never end.

None of us today even know the real identity of Tinubu. Nobody knows who he is. The last they know about him was when he escaped from Osun State. He has since thrown his mother and father under the bus and assume a new identity. That is the type of person these mercenaries are working for.

It is because of people like these surrounding Fashola anywhere he goes that the man can not free himself. They continue to settle problems between Fashola and Tinubu, but the vulture will not let go. As soon as Tinubu is exposed, all these mercenaries will fere ge!

Babapupa,

That was a test, appealing to your sense of decency and you failed woefully.

If you are from Lagos, that appeal could have moderated your foul mouth on the key board. But you have no where to relate to in Lagos and nothing to loose. Very soon you will be going home to contest for election like the rest of you from Iragbiji.

Why else would anyone point a left finger to his house?

Babapupa,

If you do not stop insulting people, I will personally report you to the head of the family in your ccoumpond. Lagosians are small enough in numbers to know one another. You are good when you keep to issues but mess it up with insult.

babapupa:
^^^^What else is new


Like I said, go back to your village, they need your help and warped and silly ideas, quit wasting your time, life and existence on Lagos.

You're like a freeking annoying pest and everything that emanates from your keyboard keeps asserting your stupidity, backwardness and ignorance.

KnowAll,

You know what? These people have decided on how they are going to bleed Lagos for generations. We have immediate needs in Lagos, slums all over the place yet they want to separate themselves from the poor who have to commute from those slums to clean and babysit for them in their transplanted America. Do not forget, these are consumers of everything and producers of nothing. They go to candy stores overseas to satisfy their sweet teeth.

Someone made a point earlier, if you can not work with Federal Govt, how on earth are you going to build and manage airport without them?

Does this remind anyone of Enron? While Lagosians were warning them that Enron was defrauding even Americans and developing countries in Asia and Africa, they were beating their chests as they are doing here about the benefit s to Lagos State. In the end, what happened?

They exploit our short memories and younger people that have never known civilized days in Lagos are being lured of transplanting America or Europe into Lagos. Airport to young people means get away to dream countries where their fathers keep their loot.

Our number one problem in Lagos and in Nigeria for that matter is lack of maintenance of existing structure. If you can not maintain those already on the ground, where is the culture of maintaining new ones going to come from? It sounds attractive to expand, which we must but how did Awo do it?

Industrial areas with primary industries, new mix housing estates with infrastructure rented or sold generating income and for the million time, agriculture so that we dont starve to death. What is this facination with buildings without access roads, drainage and link bridges? In all countries there are alternative to toll roads and bridges, not in Lekki the way they are going. You have to have money to get out of your house?

Nobody builds new airport in the middle of town anywhere in the world except those who want private airport access to their houses. I laughed when my brother said all Free Trade Zone all over the world have airports. That shows how much he knows. But then we have never been outside so if they tell us people there have two heads, we have to take their words for it.

Listen and find out why industries are relocating to neighboring countires and try to reverse that, we will have a civilized State.

KnowAll:
@Babapupa

[size=14pt]Mr Man your arguments are spurious, hollow, it lacks substance and credibility. Just because the Fashola Administration cannot engage their Federal Counterparts in the simply act of tact and diplomacy in resolving minor issues regarding MMA, does not make it right for Lagos State in her infinite wisdom to think it wise that building her own Airport is the most commendable and appropiate step to take, such thinking is not only amateurish in nature but an outright no-brainer.

It is remescent to killing a fly with a sledge hammer instead of using more subtle and tested methods, diplomacy the world over has worked wonders from the begining of time and remains the best tool in any civil society in resolving logjams and un-necessary dispute especially when it involves constitute parts that are not at war, the disagreement is a civil matter and should be settled as such, I can't remember the Feds and Lagos State declaring an open warfare on each other, am I missing something here, can someone please remind me when this irredeemable conflict started.

I thought Fashola had a bunch of thinking mandarins around him, who are smart enough to point him in the right direction not knowing a street urchin mentality rules the roost in that house of cards.

I read somewhere the 3rd Mainland bridge is swaying perharps Fashola should embark on building a 5th mainland Bridge running parrallel to the 3rd Mainland Bridge since the Feds are turning a blind eye to their responsibility of what can be acclaimed to be a more dangrous and alarming sitiuation.

The Airport remains a white-elephant project and should be seen as such, a classical showcase of man's ignoramus and buffoonery in Project Management, not suprise it is mostly in Africa that such mirage's happen.
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Webgenius,

Thanks my buroda. Many people can wait for the Okota-Itire link bridge.

Can you do me a favor? I want to bring my blood Babapupa home. I need anybody's help.

He say make I leave am alone jo, abi na by tulasi! He don drink Iragbiji wata, gbamgbam.

webgenius:
This discourse has been interesting to follow despite the few attempts to derail it. I would suggest the govt slows down on implementing the airport project, even if the masterplan is there. Let them go ahead and implement the rail option, using MMA as a cargo hub and with a rail track connecting MMA to the LFTZ. This same track can also serve commuters if well managed and LASG can liase with the Feds to take care of many worries raised about MMA.
When the LFTZ becomes operational and there is an established need to build the airport, let the work begin and be done expeditiously.
It would amount to a monumental tragedy if the airport project goes ahead and we find out later that it was never necessary, cannot be completed ,or is grossly underutilised as those in South Korea which are economic disasters on their own right.
I also think that LASG is stretching itself too thin on many fronts. Let's complete the light rail, the Badagry expressway, the many jetties being built, the expansion of the BRT Scheme etc and record resounding successes in all these, then we can proceed on other projects which would benefit the people. BRF has a short time left and since he has never repeated a class, I will like to see him complete the above-mentioned projects before he undertakes new ones. I am still waiting for the commissioning of the Okota-Itire link bridge so I can begin to use it( I think this was supposed to be ready in August 2009).

Please BRF, complete these projects and have your name written in gold forever in the hearts of ALL Lagosians. Let the private investors join you in your schemes, or let them wait until their desired projects are desirable or there is incontrovertible need for them.

Pandemonium as fire razes EFCC’s Lagos office
Headlines May 4, 2010
EFCC Lagos Office on Fire

Waziri Orders Probe Into Fire Incident in Lagos Office
By Albert AKPOR

LAGOS- PANDEMONIUM broke out Tuesday at the Awolowo road, Ikoyi Lagos, head office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, after in the early hours of fire razed down four offices belonging to the legal department; destroying important documents including computers of the anti-graft agency.
No life was lost and the monetary value of property destroyed could not be ascertained as at press time.
Sources said a thick smoke was noticed billowing out of some offices of around 10.45am and that the thick smoke later turned into flames.

The cause of the fire could not be immediately ascertained but sources said it may not be unconnected with faulty electrical apparatus.

Workers who were at the premises at the time of the inferno scampered for safety watching helplessly as it raged on.


Remains of the Legal department of the EFCC in Lagos after an Inferno
But the nearby fire brigade office on Awolowo road Ikoyi was promptly contacted and was able to salvage the situation.

As at 12.30pm when Vanguard visited the agency’s office, fire fighters were still seen at the scene frantically ensuring that it did not spread to adjoining offices.

The anti-corruption agency’s Lagos spokes person, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, while reacting to the inferno, dismissed any foul play in connection with the early morning inferno, saying however, that “nobody can say exactly the cause of the fire now.

Continuing, Mr. Uwujaren maintained that during the inferno, power was being generated from a generating set, adding “all we saw, was smoke coming out from some offices and we immediately contacted the Awolowo road office of the fire brigade and the officials came and put out the fire.

Nobody was hurt and we are yet to determine the extent of damage.”

Waziri Orders Probe Into Fire Incident in Lagos Office

Chairman of the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri has ordered a probe into a fire incident in the Lagos Office of the Commission.
A statement by the anti-graft agency on Tuesday May 4, 2010 states that after being briefed on the incident, the Chairman said that though not much damage was done to the affected facility, she had to ask for a probe of the incident to be able to establish the cause of the fire.

At about 11:30 am today, Tuesday, three out of the 13 offices occupied by the legal unit in our Awolowo road, Ikoyi, Lagos office were affected by a fire outbreak that reportedly started in one of the offices.

It is however gratifying that the fire was quickly put out through the prompt intervention of men of the fire service in Ikoyi before it could spread to other offices where sensitive case files are kept.

Members of the public are therefore assured that our case files are safe and secure.