₦airaland Forum

is Amechi and Buhari sure say these trains na new ones they bring come Naija so?

donbachi:
Tell us the real story.

see fallen heros dey bow.....

RomanianNinja:
I only wish it was Buhari's joystick (that's if he has any)

can you see how stupid you sound? na your father they will chop off his joy stick.

plenty of clowns like swallowing panadol for other people's headaches in Nigeria. see this one dragging religion into the mud.

this thing na wash, go and fix your problem. you claimed to be leaders of the state and you allow miscreants to destroy your things and you are coming here to demand restitution from the FG . bring that your overpaid salaries of the National Assembly and give the governor if you claim to love the state.

so e dey pains them as Nigerian youth follow their step. politicians bad o. they have been doing their own for years, only two days of looting, they are angry.

i have been suspecting that Ortom, he looks more of a looter than a just Governor. somebody that can buy a casket and organize a fake burial just to demonize Fulani herdsmen can do anything.

misano:
Kiss D truth. DJ Switch is more relevant than ur entire family. Just Google ur name & Google her name & then U know who is more relevant. Have fun....

Lazy youth. see how you are praising her for popularity, next to DJ switch will spread fake news of your father's death and you will believe her. yeye

However, to some extent Nigerian youths were right to demand what belongst to them. Alas, they goffed when they allow miscreant to hijack the protest from them.

Peaceful protest indeed. Why is Nigerian youth protest always ends up in violence. Just asking. I think this is why the elderly doesn't see us as serious people.

It is just mind blogging to tagged protest as peaceful yet others lost their lives. Mind you there shall be repraisal for this from police.

you see, it's easy for some people to be hiding outside the country and be fuelling the whole thing. When the trouble start, they are already on a faraway land. It shall be we and our children. I have been to maiduguri during Boko Haram crises, what I saw made me promise never to visit that side of the country ever again.

for those who have ears, let them listen. The truth is that we can not accuse SARS of brutality and we end up copying them in our actions.

A PLEA TO THE PROTESTERS

By Barrister Richard Akinnola II

I make this plea as someone who has been in the different layers of the struggle for over 30 years, particularly against the military. So, I’m speaking from experience. Banger no be bullet. My position might be unpopular in a time of angst but I’m saying this with great conviction. A popular struggle is not a 100 meter dash; it’s a marathon. You fight, you pause, you engage, and you re-strategies.

This EndSARS struggle has been substantially successful and l give kudos to all those that keyed into it. However, in any struggle of this nature, there is a time of reassessment, against the backdrop of the concessions made by the other side. At this stage, it is time to suspend these protests, lest all the gains made be lost. When it is suspended and say within a short period, if the government doesn’t concretely implement ABCD of the demands, we would be back on the streets. At this stage, the protesters are at an advantage to negotiate but if the government decides to use force to break the protests, all the gains would have been lost and you would be at a disadvantaged position to negotiate.

I know the hardliners would dismiss this as being cowardly or pacifist, if you have not been involved in a struggle or in incarceration, you won’t appreciate this. In one of Gani Fawehinmi’s long incarceration, an arrangement was made to release him to the late Ooni of Ife. Under normal circumstance, Gani would not accept a traditional ruler to serve as a sort of “surety” for his release but we wanted a Gani alive for the struggle than a dead Gani. Those who asked MKO Abiola not to accept a contrived conditional bail are still with their families, while Abiola’s family and businesses crumbled while he was cajoled not to accept the conditional bail. He would have been out to reassess the situation and how to fight back to reclaim his mandate.

I urge that these protests be suspended. The hardliners against the suspension would not be there when soldiers start shooting. Ask the Shiites people. I was involved in brokering the El Zakzakky bail before he was flown to India before the disagreement in India and the subsequent military action against them which l was trying to prevent. In Ebutte Metta, Lagos today, a police station attacked and you see policemen running. Somewhere in Ikeja, a policeman was stopped on a bike and he was asked to kneel down and water poured on him. There are going to be reprisals for these actions because we can’t be acting like the SARS people that we fight. Anarchy is setting in.

Guys, let reason prevail. This is not cowardly but wisdom so that we can hold on to the gains made in this protest. It is easy to stay on the social media and egg people on. I have been in trenches all my years. I have been to police, SSS and DMI detentions. I have faced bullets. So, I’m not a coward but wisdom, with the benefit of hindsight ought to teach one when to advance and when to retreat.

May God guide us right.
Barrister Richard Akinnola is a human rights activist, director of Media Law Centre, a veteran journalist, a prolific author, a philanthropist and a social commentator.

by there name you will know them. idiot, they like to dey Bleep anything looking like hole. spit....

so this end #EndSARS truly was organise in the interest of Yahoo boys as speculated by Oneche. shame on Nigerian youth.

what did this man smoke before having this dream?

But whether him be dss or not, all we party for is his safe reunion with his family. Eyya, I feel for the poor guy. Come on, but who talk say him be DSS sef?

I wonder o.. So this guy wey Journalist dey address him as secret police na fake one. I said it. If he was one of them, they for Don find money collect am from his captors.. I feel sorry for the family.

The recent christening of Former president Olusegun Obasanjo as the Divider-in-chief by a presidential aide to President Mohammadu Buhari is apt and not very far from the truth. This development was in response to OBJ's controversial comment that the country was drifting into a failed and badly divided Nation-State under the present administration.

This development is rather needless and laughable, especially when it is coming from the person of OBJ, who instead of developing the country as a Military Head of State and later as a democratic President holds the record for impunity and mismanaging the country's huge resources. Now that the chickens have come home to roost OBJ is crying wolf in his characteristic manner.

As a former President, a lot is expected from OBJ rather than his fantasy for cheap propaganda against those who succeeded him. It is evident that his administration despite the availability of huge economic resources has little or nothing to show for, especially as corruption and looting of public funds thrived under his watch and glaring insecurity occasioned by the activities of Egbesu and Bakassi Boys, OPC, MASSOB, and MEND among other groups which was the order of the day.

Globally, it is common to see past Presidents and Head of States often take the back seat and assist successive administrations by giving advises and proffering solutions to issues based on experiences garnered by them while in office all in the interest of their nations where they are referred to as elder statesmen. This statesmanlike character does not seem to be the case of ex-president Obasanjo who takes up every opportunity to ridicule every successive administration especially the President Muhammadu Buharis'. As a matter of fact, Obasanjo has written unconstructive open letters to all successive administration in the country. Little wonder his messianic arrogance has led to believe he is the only leader fit to rule the country so much that he brazenly pursued the infamous Third Term Agenda. Suffice to note this administration’s policies are primarily geared towards righting most of his wrongs when he was at the helm.

OBJ's criticisms many a times raise questions as to whether it comes from an objective mind or maliciously driven going by the fact that he led Nigeria for a total period of 11 years both as Head of State and democratically elected President. Undoubtedly, this means he should have good knowledge of governance in country and contribute to its growth and development, as well as it woes. But the reverse is the case as he has the senility to forget that he was once in the helm of affairs when the country had its share of challenges but he chooses to peddle propaganda just to distract a president who unlike him is making giant strides in the country.

It is no secret that Obasanjo's accusations of Buhari's failures are the exact failures he recorded while being president. His failure to address ethno-religious relations which had plagued our chequered history as a country since 1966 and other centrifugal forces attempting to fight against the indivisibility of the country.

In addition, to the challenge of endemic corruption recorded in core sectors of the economy under OBJ's administration is unparalleled in the Nation. The inferior privatizations of public institutions like the then National Electric Power Authority, NEPA and the mismanagement of $16 billion expenditure on power project remains unanswered. This is aside other staple looting of public funds like the N950 billion non-existent road constructionsand his failed bid for third term which ranked Nigeria among the most corrupt countries with lack of infrastructural development and over 50% decline in employment rates among others.

Undoubtedly, Obasanjo established institutions like EFCC, but used the commission as a tool to harass perceived political opponents and enemies which made his administration notorious in breaching basic fundamental human rights of Nigerians. OBJ with his foible should not be pointing out that of others.

IkoObong from AkwaIbom

you choose to venture into politics now, so deal with what comes with it. this is the packages politicking comes with in Nigeria. enjoy it.

from the Governor Ortom narrative, it seems this Gana was his killing machine. i don't like the way he is distancing himself from the killing of a monster like Gana. does Ortom know something he is not telling us?

kingzizzy:
And the constitution has said that such person, if apprehended, has right to life and should be put through to the due process of the law. If the authorities cannot keep the law then who should?

Someone has surrendered, laid down his arms, submitted himself to the authorities. Rather than follow the law, the authorities turn into assassins. Terrible

so you are one of the supporters of the terrorist in the land, how I wish the Army will kill him for the second time if there were any. if it were to be Shekau now, you will be clapping that a monster has finally reached his waterloo.

Wiseandtrue:
You can imagine the audacity

When you started hisbah, and you stood by them, did it cost you anything Did it cost you the presidency

Why must you dictate for others

Abi na which kind 2 faced people be this

I don't blame you, CPC couldn't win the election without the help of the south, South West to be precise and now you have the audacity to dictate

Something dey worry una

get it straight Mr Man, the Hisbah are working with the police. any of their arrest is being handed over to police.

why do Nigerians only perfom well when they are outside the country?

which pipe are they maintaining when we carry all our petroleum product in trucks. abi the refineries are suddenly working?

somebody that cannot win an election in his state, I wish he try contesting for state Assembly member of his Local government, come and see highbrid disgrace. he keep on going from state to state begging money from these visited governor to survive.
Nigerian politics is a bitch, once you join, you can't manage business again because you life style has been moved to next level that a small business cannot fund it.

not bad though, i wish Nigerian DICON can start somewhere even if an flying keke.

we need more of your kind in this our trying time in Nigeria. i Hail you Ambassador of peace.

The unfortunate incident of Sunday August 23, 2020, that took the lives of well-meaning Nigerians in Emene, Enugu state, when security forces on patrol were attacked by members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has once again brought to bare the cost of violence, the price of rebellion and the risk of disobedience.

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable. The only real revolution is in the enlightenment of the mind and improvement of character wrapped in a refined civil approach. Bombs and guns do not achieve a revolution if there any from the first place, the sword of revolution is sharpened using the whetting-stone of ideas through dialogue and communication.

As a country we must remain cautious of how we handle such developments as they unfold.

I am just a preacher of peace, lover of orderliness, I have understood long ago that violence is never an answer to any challenge when we have one to deal with. The great Martin Luther King once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Going by this idea, violence cannot drive out violence, only peace can.

When an agitation is faulty from the onset, then avoidable pitfalls of loss may not be totally ruled out. But the best way to survive and rise as a nation lies on a way we manage agitations within the ambits of the law. We should focus more on supporting the governments in its effort of protection and preservation of the constitution as they have sworn to do.

It is quite unfortunate and regrettable that the incident lead to untimely deaths of some fellow Nigerians who chose to pay the ultimate price for peace, but we must remember that obedience to constituted authority is divinely a duty if we proclaim to be religious people. And this ultimately will leads us to true freedom. Laws are not meant to destroy us, but to maintain orderliness in a sane society. But otherwise leads to our own destruction.

It remains a thing of concern how swift some volatile Nigerians act to cash-in on such events to further spread hate and enemity on the internet, directed against security forces whose sacrifices we enjoy. Mind you, these securities we rebuke are Nigerians too.

They chose to put their lives on the line so that we can have peace. They sacrifice their sleep, comfort and quality time with families, patrolling our streets to ensure our safety. But we always not only under-appreciating them, but easily condemned them as they bleed to protect us.

Since the incident happened, I took time to go through some comments on the social media, all I see was a spit of venom directed towards these securities whom their fault was only making sure we remain peaceful. I was heartbroken, close to shading tears, I ask myself this simple question just like one unanimous person as always "how did we get here" or "who did this thing to us"? those who we ought to be applauding for laying down their lives so that we can live are instead being accused and taunted, calling them names and wishing evil against them. These individuals know little or nothing about the cost of war.

I also read the unsavoury threats by the fugitive leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, calling on IPOB members not to hesitate in activating defensive mechanism against security forces, then I remembered he is just a clown who derives pleasure in misleading people and fomenting trouble.

We must absolutely disregard the odious remarks by these agitators who know little to nothing about the cost of beating the drum of war.

IPOB being a proscribed group in the eye of the law, any gathering by them remains unlawful, and they should understand that. Moreover, on a general note, coronavirus is still active and people are being discouraged from gathering, what happened to the social distancing? Avoiding unnecessary gathering because of the pandemic is still in force!

A tweet from one Samson Adeyemi @ChiefOjukwu was particularly encouraging he wrote "Dear IPOB please do not take laws into your hands. I am against the killing of unarmed Citizens, but please let the agitations not lead to more killings. The DSS operatives you killed are humans and your brothers too. Your leaders are your real enemies, not the DSS."

At this critical time we are duty bound to preach peace and acceptance not hate for it can only lead to greater destruction. We need to do this for our future and those of our children.

Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow any religion of my choice , free to talk, think and act for myself — and I will obey every law or submit to the penalty, Chief Joseph. So says a wise man.

Unity is strength, division is weakness. He who experiences the unity of life sees his own self in all beings, and all beings in his own self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.

We can’t keep silent we must keep speaking against violence of any form. A choir is made up of many voices including yours and mine. If one by one all go silent then all that will be left are the soloists.

Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty of the test of our civilization. Put race against race, religion against religion, and prejudice against prejudice. Divide and conquer! We must not let that happen here.

How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity. When we work together in love and unity we can expect heaven’s help.

There are so many wrongs happening in this country, so many. Be that as it may, resorting to violent confrontation is hardly the way to achieve true democracy.

Yes, We will hold our leaders accountable for our lives and the best way is by supporting and believing they mean and are capable well and holding on to their responsibility.

A nation falls not because of governmental atrocity, but because of the citizens’ indifference to ways of solving those atrocities through strive.

Chukwuebuka from Nnewi South, Anambra.