₦airaland Forum

They referred to them as corrupt official, I call them witches wizards & mammon incarnates. They are Jonathans biggest problems aside his own unpeculiar daftness.

The kain mess wey the hostages go dey mess eh....

*Hope they regain their freedom soon oh, this na 2015.

Dear Nigerians, let me first welcome you all
to a brand New Year. I find it interesting
that this column falls on the first day of a
much anticipated year in the history of our
nation. It is just as well because it serves
as an opportunity to reflect on how the
socio-economic and political situation of
2014 will play out in a year that has been
the subject of doomsday predictions. While
2014 has, thankfully, come and gone, the sad
memories of what has turned out to be a
distressing and bloody year for Nigeria will
remain etched in our collective memory.
Now that 2014 has become history, we
should not forget those Nigerians, especially
in the North-East zone, who were victims of
Boko Haram brutality and our government’s
tepid response to the security situation.
While I consider the victims of the endemic
communal killings in Jos, Plateau State, Boko
Haram terror war in the North-East and
Fulani herdsmen rage in Middle Belt as
unnecessary, the victims have become
martyrs in our unending search for
nationhood.
My wish for the New Year is to see that
those who died in these crises did not die in
vain. It is sad that our country continues to
lose the lives of innocent citizens. In 2015,
I want to see an end to the maiming and
killings in our country. I want to witness the
rebirth of a country whose leaders are
committed to steering the ship of state
from its present calamitous course to a
more stable and prosperous future where
citizens are safe wherever they reside in
the country. I wish to see a commitment by
our leaders to build a country where citizens
are not locked in bitter political bickering,
ethnic mistrust and religious bigotry that are
threatening our existence.
One of the tragic highlights of 2014 was
the Boko Haram insurgency which peaked
with the abduction of the Chibok girls. The
gory tales of abduction, suicide bombings and
killings brought Boko Haram atrocities to the
attention of the world and cemented
Nigeria’s reputation as an unsafe nation. In
2014, more Nigerians were abducted, killed
and maimed than in any other year since
Boko Haram began its terror campaign. A
recent report has put the number of those
abducted in 2014 alone at 528. This is not to
talk of the 15,000 deaths recorded in the
past five years.
How long can we continue to lose innocent
people to these senseless killings? Now,
children are being used as suicide bombers.
What Nigerians have failed to realise is that
it is these abducted children who are being
brainwashed, indoctrinated and forced to
carry bombs. According to the 2014 report
by Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflicts,
children in the North-East are serially
abducted and used as suicide bombers. This
has introduced a dangerous dimension to the
terror war. In 2015, I wish to see a more
robust and pragmatic approach by the
Jonathan administration in its war against
terrorism.
Our country really needs to be rid of this
Boko Haram menace once and for all. The
government owes our country a duty to put
an end to the conflicts and tragedies that
made 2014 one of the bloodiest in our
nation’s history. Given the number of those
who were victims of terrorism in 2014, we
certainly cannot continue on that bloody
path in the New Year. Beyond the usual
condemnation of Boko Haram atrocities, I
want to see a more proactive response
devoid of blame game and accusation. I want
to see a country where the military forces
will conduct this war according to all known
international best practices while protecting
the helpless civilian population in the North-
East.
Closely related to the Boko Haram
insurgency is the widespread concern over
the 2015 elections slated for next month.
Nigerians are understandably worried that
violence may mar the conduct and outcome of
the elections. The violence that
characterised the 2011 elections has raised
serious doubts about the 2015 elections. The
stakes are higher and predictions have
revealed that the outcome of the elections
may yet signal the end of Nigeria.
Unfortunately, politicians and supporters of
the two dominant parties have been issuing
threats and making hate speeches. The
political parties must ensure that our
country is not set ablaze because of their
ambitions. No personal ambition can be
greater than the safety and well-being of
citizens and the future of our country.
What has become worrisome for me is how
public debate has become an exercise in hate
peddling and ethnic baiting. I have also
noticed how religion has made a dangerous
incursion into politics. Now, we have
graduated from ethnic consideration to the
religious. Appointment or election for political
post is not complete if the parties do not
consider Muslim-Muslim ticket, Muslim-
Christian ticket, Catholic-Anglican ticket or
Pentecostal-Animist tickets. How low have
we sunk as nation?
We seem now divided on issues of ethnicity
and religion than we were a few years ago.
In 2014, we saw how Nigerians openly
displayed hatred to one another. Ethnic
irredentists hurled xenophobic slurs at one
another as if we are no longer one country.
I blame the political leaders for this descent
into primordial ethnic sentiments that had
caused us a calamitous civil war. If we
continue like this in 2015, we may be heading
the way of the Rwanda genocide and the
2007 post-election violence in Kenya. Those
beating war drums should take lessons in the
horrors of war from the Central Africa
Republic and Congo DR, countries which have
been torn apart by ethnic and religious
violence.
We must not allow our support for politicians
to blind us to the fact that we have been
the victims of poor leadership that has held
our country down for the past 16 years. A
ready example of our common affliction is
the power sector. Can any Nigerian (either in
the Peoples Democratic Party or the All
Progressives Congress say confidently they
have not suffered the consequence of the
drainpipe the power sector has become? Why
then do we allow ourselves to be used by
selfish leaders? Don’t our children attend
the same broken public schools or the
notoriously expensive private schools which
are direct consequence of the bastardisation
of public education? Do we not use the same
public hospitals and glorified private ones
that charge exorbitantly for common
ailments? Don’t our loved ones die on the
bad roads?
How many Nigerians can afford to send their
children abroad to attend expensive schools
that have become the exclusive choice of
our leaders at all levels? How many of us can
afford to buy houses in choice locations
abroad? Why can’t we unite against our
common enemy – the greedy, selfish political
elite and their cronies? In 2015, I want to
see Nigerians demand good leadership
without ethnic or religious considerations.
That is the only way we can move forward
as a nation.
Those misguided youths who post ethnic and
religious slurs on social media should not
allow themselves to be used by politicians
who will escape abroad when our country
breaks into chaos. While I wish everyone a
happy and prosperous New Year, our leaders
owe our country the patriotic duty to ensure
a peaceful, free and fair election in February.
Only then can we hope to prevent the curse
of disintegration long predicted for this
year.

Bayo Olupohunda

Goin 3 weeks now, nada. Though its my immediate area, gues the transformer been tampered with, other areas have been enjoyin, some partially, others very well. Not been enjoyin for more than 15 years. Shame on nepa or woteva the hell they are called now. *spits*

We key into your your change agenda baba....

Too late. Wont change anything. Only fear is some Nigerians will fall for such petty bogey. Assuming he comes back to power which I strongly do not wish for, you can expect a snappy reversal dependin on how stable or unstable crude is on world market. Either way, I wuldnt trust an always reactive never proactive fisherman with nada......

It is now i believe & convinced beyond any doubt that these people are really scared stiff of a Buhari presidency...

Buhari terminated the metro line and several
other projects because we didn’t have
money to pay for them. IMF was asking
Nigeria to borrow money and we should also
devalue our Naira which was N1 = $2 then.
Buhari refused to borrow more money,
instead, he paid all the money we owed.
Infact IMF put some trade embargo on
Nigeria. Buhari resorted to trade by barter
to keep the country running. Let us just
assume that it was a mistake that the
metro line was terminated and that it would
have made economical sense to borrow the
money to construct the metro line. Buhari
was in government for less than 2 years.
Are we saying that the successful
governments in the last 30 years have not
considered it reasonable to build the metro
line? Mr. Jonathan has been in government
for 6 years and yet our minister wants to
blame someone that served for less than
2years in 30 years ago. This issue was
raised in 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections, till
today PDP government refused to do
something about it. They prefer to raise the
issue every four, four years of election to
give excuses for non performing or to
deceive Nigerians. Dishonorable Mininster,
shame on you! As Nigerians, we have learnt
our lessons, 16 years of People Deceiving
People is enough. We are voting for change,
we are voting for Buhari! No deception! Tell
us what you have been able to achieve in the
last 6 years."

Awon bastards gbogbo!...

No 5 & 6 nko? :/

maajin007:
no woman

Inspiring & profound piece.........and some he-goats will come here & compare this man with a classic clueless dunce.

Forget the headies, we all know its something the peoples general will most certainly do if he gets to power. He naturally has a low threshold for repugnant wastages. It is learnt that there are over nine jets in the presidential fleet & they still want another toy in the new year while it is expected we tighten our own belts. Arguments have already been exhausted on what obtains in other richer but fiscally responsible countries & climes.

The whole thing is so confusing, like the more you stare the less you see afterall why hasnt diesel come down to say N100 if truely subsidy has any significance with pump price controls. Thieves!

Op dont look, think, or write far. There are far more people on the GMB train, FACT! People are utterly fed up with this clueless, hopeless & directionless govt., you only need to hear people moan, cuss, haggle on buses, market, beer joints, sports arenas. This no make believe. They crave anything but this govt. But for me & my peeps, its.....
GMB all the way.

Now I want even more likes on this comment lol....

This man seems to have eventually located his vocal chords. Last time I checked, hes always been the taciturn obedient lackey. Looks like Osinbajo has started something here, poked Sambo out of his comfort zone. Interesting!

Dont see our providers allowing this to work here. Airtel has already commenced charging on all voip in India on the likes of skype, viber. This is capable of sharply splurging their tunr-overs. Its just a matter of time....

07058279809. Glo, thats if im not late. Thanks sir, & merry xmas to you

Deed is done, no turning back. Whatsapp hasnt upgraded to message retraction yet, so I suggest you start working on your defense. Im guessin the content is gonna be somewhat repugnant for her to absorb.....

Well, plenty of luck!

Actually the ignorance in the spoof should be sub-d with muguness which is the appropriate diction for that particular act of the olodo albeit the masses.......nice one barca lol

barcanista:
ThÉ LadÝ is PDP
The guy represent the masses
The money repressents our collective wealth
The boss represents our future.

The masses(guy) gave the PDP (lady) our collective wealth (money) to invest in our future, but the PDP took advantage of our ignorance to elope with our money. 2015 present an opportunity to punish the looters of our resources. Vote Buhari, Vote APC

Dont mind the op, she's from Heinze island.....lol

Rolly83:
Lol,Girl u're really ''spilling da beans''

People, pls note, this guy na very correct guy. Dealt with him like twice over the wkend & was over-impressed. Very patient, great seller & swift service. Hes as straight as an arrow. Patronise him for your own good.

wolexy2:
order now and enjoy ur money.

Nigeria is no more than a giant board of Monopoly where the wieldy rodents are grabbing all the grabables & leaving jack for the hapless citizens. Which way my people.....

Hmmm, wisdom! Its kinda safe to assume that was the scenario cos such data is usually logged for the archives at the close of any particular year but I get your point. The mudslinging & tirade even with verifiable stats is already nauseatingly fearsome enough innit lol......

Obiagelli:
I haven't found a link to back that up, i don't usually want to say most of the things i know because i don't have links for them.

Oby, you failed to point out that spike in 1985 was right after that mofo took over from him......

Obiagelli:
Datolee, naira was 0.894 to a dollar on 1985 when buhari left office. Why this lies?


Nigerian naira - PM = Parallel Market.
Date Naira per US $ Date Naira per US $
1972 0.658
1973 0.658
1974 0.63
1975 0.616
1976 0.62
1977 0.647
1978 0.606
1979 0.596
1980 0.550 (0.900 PM)
1981 0.61
1982 0.673
1983 0.724
1984 0.765
1985 0.894 (1.70 PM)
1986 2.02 (3.90 PM)
1987 4.02 (5.90 PM)
1988 4.54 (6.70 PM)
1989 7.39 (10.70 PM)
1990 7.39 (10.70 PM


www.tradingeconomics.com/nigeria/currency


Please note that buhari was in office from 31 December 1983 – 27 August 1985

I gat you bro. The crux here actually aint about presidential or parliamentary style. The thrust of this thread is the quality of minds the in-coming government can present & if we can have an insight. Cheers...

HonourablePomk:
Bros i pity you. You mean we should embrace what we don't know how to use? Nigeria used it in the first republic and they failed woefully please don't think of it. With this you can stir up war in Nigeria. Nigeria is heterogeneous bro

There's been widespread odium & scorn over the American Presidential style of democracy we practice, for no other reason that its too expensive & not most suitable for our clime, and rather embrace the British parliamentary system. It is common knowledge that the British system as practised have the opposition setting up shadow cabinet members that put the ruling ministers on their toes. Now I'm not sure if it'll be politically plausible, and for strategic reasons, bearing the very odoriferous type of politics on display in our society but I believe it'll be worthwhile if APC can come up with a shadow cabinet before hand & give Nigerians insight as to what to expect from the in-coming government...(yes Buhari is heading for the top job). He is going to surround himself with egg-heads no doubt and might as well start raising PDPs trepidation even more with this move. I have a little list I have concocted which I'm sure would make a hit.

Oby Ezekwesili - SFG
Fashola - Power/ Justice/ Works
Falana - Justice
Utomi - Finance
Oshiomole - Labour (when his term runs its course)
Buhari - Petroleum

These are the ones I can muster for now, as they are about the most sensitive of the FC. Lets have your opinion on this. Gbawe, Obiaghelli, Caseless, Donphilous, Cramjones, and the rest Buharists on n'LAND, over to you. Lets have your say....

p.s, oh, and the rodents should pls stay away from this thread lol.

For wher? Last time we saw one here in Badagry area was last Sunday & before then it was off for like a week & another week before that, hell of a vicious cycle. So much for the so called privatisation. Thats what cluelessness does to a people & their country. I don buy fuel I don taya.

Wither Nigeria?

You sure about that?....pls check that fifa list by feb 2015 ending if Nigeria will be anywher among the first 12 in Africa. Naija falling off the pecking order in every spheres since independence......

hydeekam:
^^^^ You shouldn't be expecting Nigeria to be among the top 10. but if you insist you want to know where Nigeria is check Fifa ranking!

I think you got something there & cant agree less with your position. Thats what happens when parochialism takes the better of our collective aspirations for a better choice of elective candidates. Hes got no proper track record of such high office, just a substitute for someone whereby hes just some "fill-in-the-gap" alternative. The good thing though is that he wont be the one calling the shots. I dont feel comfy with his choice at all, Oshiomole wuldv been a refreshin alternativ.

luvmijeje:
If you're quoting me next time please do use true life and not biblical example. This guy's carriage reminds me of Jonathan (I.e someone who never dreamt of being in a situation but mistakenly find himself there). As I said APC should work on it.

.,