₦airaland Forum

[ NIGERIA AT 60! CITIZENS IN SILENT PROTEST ] ~The moment of truth, & ‘The world is watching’

[By] Divine N• Onyekachi

On the early hours of October, a baby was born in the wee hours of the morning. The dew was all over the environs. It had rained heavily the night before and the father had to light a fire for the child to keep warm. “It’s a girl” they exclaimed. The baby was beautiful. It was the year 1960 where the mother had delivered after certain miscarriages. The father was relieved, ‘a beautiful baby girl’.

The baby girl grew up to be a promising one, she was the envy of every other neighbors who even had male children. She seemed to fit into every occupation there is; engineering, commerce and what not. She had the strength of a thousand oxen. She was truly blessed.

But something strange began to occur while she was getting older, she began to depreciate from the environment and she began to ail in response. She got haywire; wise men travelled from East to South and they couldn’t find a solution to it. Her beauty became a thing of the past. She would be 60 today.

She would be 60 today? Yes Nigeria would.
A country blessed with agricultural produce, petroleum and gas, goldmines, wildlife reserves, dense rainforest, savanna, and waterfalls. Nigeria is approximately said to have a total of 206.1 million citizens as of 23rd September 2020 with Lagos being the most populated state. It has Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo being its prominent language speaking tribes admist other beautiful tribe there in.

It has Abuja as its Federal Capital Territory and runs a democratic- presidential system of government. A democratic system? Will that be true? Well.

Nigeria as observed had been a land flowing with milk and honey but with recent happenings, it is one with a bout of corruption and terrorism. The then promised security and peace has been flouted, peaceful protest gatherings; abolished.

There is diverse geography with climates ranging from arid to humid equatorial. It is bordered to the North by Niger, to the East by Chad and Cameroon, to the South by Gulf of Guinea by the Atlantic Ocean and to the West by Benin. It shares Maritime borders with Equatorial Guinea, Ghana and Sāo Tomé and Principe.

“You have to put yourself together” they had said to their then 35 years old daughter. “You dropped out from the best school we could find you. Be grateful!”
“No! Can’t you see? I can’t heal on my own. I can’t heal when the environment is still toxic”. Very deep.

25 years after, there rings a celebration on the said 1st of October. The theme is of peace, unity, love, oneness and equitable distribution of wealth? When Infact everything is in the opposite. There are repeated cases of religious clashes, insecurity and disregard for the lower classes in the economic hierarchy; the poor masses. “How could I be happy” “I’m growing old, frail, toothless and abandoned.”

Nigeria is said to run a democratic system of government; government of the people, by the people and for the people (Abraham Lincoln) yet there is zero tolerance for freedom of speech and peaceful protest gathering to place government in check. Individuals who bravely go for this through necessary platforms, are often summoned for questioning on maybe; their guts. As if brutality and terrorism isn’t enough, the government is more concerned in signing a bill on police reforms act. They say it’s to serve us better but we know better.

When Abraham Lincoln gave the definition of a democratic state, he advocated an energetic national state based on popular sovereignty. A new birth of freedom. Is Nigeria totally free?

Just as every other prisoner, the citizen is said to be bound in the legendary chains and must pledge loyalty to people called ‘leaders’, deserving or not. And are often in trouble should they at any moment, question the affairs of the Leaders.

Negligence; the roads are death traps, gully from erosions. The hospitals; death bed for people’s emergencies. The educational system; a shabby representation of learning and activeness. Is there hope?

Charity they say begins from home. “Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous, as well as strong”. If every hand be put together for a greater good, then Nigeria shall indeed be great again. A land lush with green vegetation, booming with bounty harvest. One with peace, love and Unity. One that is economically aligned for foreign trade and exchange and also development that can enhance equitable distribution of wealth.

Nigeria at 60? What any difference? Nigeria at 60! Citizens in silent protest. Nigeria can be made better. Nigeria is promising. Nigeria, our motherland. A land for the black badge of strength and royalties.


Peace&Love from #Divine
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#TogetherTogether #TheWhiteFamily

Flagged off since 2017

STATE OF THE STATE

OBIANO And OBI Must Settle Their Differences...

It first started as rumour that all was not well between His Excellency, Gov. Willie Obiano and his predecessor, Sir Peter Obi. It later became more than mere rumour and recently deteriorated into a full-scale war.

We call for an immediate end to this unfortunate scenario where hitherto peaceful Anambra State is now drawn into two big divides of Obiano and Obi camps. For it is the poor masses of dear state that willingly embraced the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA for that CONTINUITY they were promised at different campaign podia that are now bearing the brunt.

On the former governor, Sir Obi … you introduced Gov. Obiano to us; first at the Women Development Centre, now Prof. Dora Akunyili Development Centre for who is who in Anambra State. Then to Ekwulobia Stadium for who is who in the party, APGA. And to Protea Hotel in Lagos for who is who in the Nigerian press – the summary of the phrase while introducing your successor was – ‘’this is the one I’ve chosen to not only continue whatever legacies I’m leaving behind but also whom I am positive will surpass them.”

Few of us that were in all three venues applauded and followed you without pausing or blinking. You led us through the tortuous days, weeks, months of campaign that followed. Most of us that came close understood you barely slept. You talked and talked, sunk enormous resources into the CONTINUITY project. The masterstroke was the FINAL PUSH that saw several projects flagged off with promises to the communities that the one coming after you would see the projects to completion. This seemed to have ensured the landslide victory.

Okwute Ndi Igbo, you promised those people you astutely led for eight years that those projects would see completion. You never lied to them while in office. So, don’t turn the other way as if you have nothing to lose. You have plenty to lose for a state you gave your all for eight fruitful years. You can’t end with a lie. You MUST open up channels of reconciliation so that those CONTINUITY promises will be religiously fulfilled.

The man you handed over with so much trust could not suddenly have gone bad. He is still the man you knew. You can clearly attest that he not only continued the SECURITY set-up he inherited from you but he also appreciably improved on it. He’s also indefatigably CONTINUING Industrialisation and attracting foreign and local investments to the state we all hold dear. He’s significantly improved on IGR generation. People may not believe you wish to hear this but deep in your heart we’re certain you’ll be glad to see he’s genuinely making bold efforts to make APGA stronger than he met it.

But of course there’s more expected from one of his pedigree. Maybe the ‘friends’ now surrounding him are pushing him to veer off from some of the CONTINUITY tracks. Maybe the inexperience of not having been a governor before affected his not yet being excellent in all sectors. Now he has over 20 months to have learnt on the job, we believe it should be forward ever. We strongly believe that your experience will be invaluable to that forward-ever movement. Please do embrace any peace moves for the sake of a state you love so much.

For His Excellency, Dr. Obiano … your predecessor’s paths to ensure your coming were quite thorny. He had to win tough battles to go the way of Anambra North for his successor. He had to settle differences with those he shouldn’t ordinarily have to ensure your emergence. He had to mortgage selfish interests to go all out to ensure you succeeded him. He had to go begging to all other aspirants for you to emerge victorious in the primaries. He had to strategically push many projects towards campaign times to ensure Ndi Anambra bought the APGA CONTINUITY vision. Let’s not delve into the 75 billion naira controversy but fact remains he handed over to you on a clean slate. A quick glance around at your counterparts in all the other 35 states of the federation would tell the huge difference in matters of inheritance.

Your Excellency, such a man couldn’t have meant evil for you. He had eight solid years of very fruitful experience piloting the affairs of this great but quite difficult-to-handle state. Such experience, if you can tap from it, can only assist you to even achieve more for dear state. You are the Chief Executive of the state and we urge you to immediately set up machinery to ensure you settle whatever differences you have with this man.

Whoever tells you not to, tell him/her, get behind me S … S, in this context, may not be Satan; but don’t hesitate to mention that word, SYCOPHANT.

This unnecessary, yes unnecessary, feud is affecting dear state negatively in all aspects including financially, socially, psychologically…

Psychologically? Just one example – imagine school children inside their school bus (provided by your predecessor) going for a debate and the radio tuned to ABS station by driver, then suddenly the commentator starts referring to the ex-governor as a traitor. What would these school children comprehend? A man who renovated or built new blocks in their schools, provided boreholes and electricity, provided ICT facilities and internet access, upgraded their standards to be coming first among Nigerian states … is suddenly a traitor? What psychological effect would this have on their upbringing?

Can’t you think of such scenario and end this for the sake of these leaders of tomorrow?

Imagine another scenario where same ABS station is no longer at your services when you might have left office. We know the efforts and enormous resources you’re sinking into the outfit to bring it to truly international standard and we commend you for that. Now, think of where same people you employed to take charge of the station turn to calling you a traitor when you eventually leave office in that well-known mantra of whatever-goes-around-comes-around? Think of this in your private moment, then look around you – you’ll see enemies of the state at every turn.

If we count the financial loses in propaganda alone to keep this feud going an average Anambrarian may start wondering why he/she should be paying taxes.

Your Excellency, let us be bold to tell you that many people you are keeping as friends are enemies while most you are keeping out as enemies are indeed friends of this state. When your aide tells you only what you want to hear, he’s not your friend. Your friend tells you the right thing to do even when you do not want to hear that.

For AIDES – if you’re a friend, aide or employee of the ex-governor and you tell him not to end this feud, you’re an enemy to Anambra State.

If you’re a commissioner, SA, SSA, Senor or Junior staff/aide of the present government and advises His Excellency to shun reconciliation moves, you’re a sycophant and a big enemy of this state.

For Anambrarians, anywhere you live, however you earn your living, anyone that tells you Obi is this, Obiano is that, thereby suggesting the feud should continue tell him/her to the face that he/she is the real traitor and enemy of Anambra State.

And if you’re a professional press man, self-acclaimed or social media-inducted, do not heat up the state with your wild imaginations, unproven insinuations and utterly biased analysis of Obiano/Obi feud. You are indeed the one hurting dear state to unimaginable proportions.

We want an Anambra that is upward ever, a state that will always bury differences just to move forward, a state our school children will happily sing her anthem and aspire to be bests. We can achieve that. God has blessed us,…let us not fall to man’s greed.

Long Live Anambra State.

TAI EMEKA OBASI
Director of Communications, AU

Alo Umunne, also known as G-20, is a Group of Anambrarians that love and fight for the progress of the State and also power APGA Global Initiative (AGI) and ALL PROGRESSIVES GRAND ALLIANCE DIASPORA on social media

PRESS STATEMENT…

HERE COMES THE ALO UMUNNE COMMINIQUE:

After the meeting of 22nd November, 2015, Alo Umunne resolved as follows:-

1) That once elected and sworn in, Alo Umunne will support any government, irrespective of party or zone. Because Anambra State is greater than any party, hence her general good obliterates any sentiment of party or zone.

2) That AU support the present government of Dr. Willie Obiano and wish that this government surpasses those before her in sustainable services to the people and assured future for dear state.

3) That despite the fact that AU as a group and individually fought with everything in us to ensure that CONTINUITY was enthroned, we won’t however fold hands and applaud this government wholesome even when she is going wrong.

4) That we believe the past administration of Sir Peter Obi should be receiving daily applauses for the excellence it scored in all facets of development instead of the ill-advised scenario where self-appointed loyalists to the present government step out of tune, trying to diminish the genuine achievements of a man who still receives awards across the globe for his astuteness and unrivalled prudence while piloting the affairs of dear state for eight solid years.

5) That we advise the present government to be open-minded and receptive to criticisms, especially when they come in constructive and genuine concerns for the continued good and advancement of Anambra State. We also add that His Excellency should encourage opening a direct channel where party members or genuinely concerned citizens of the state could direct their concerns about state of the state without primary recourse to open social media outlets.


6) That we condemn in totality the use of insulting and derogatory languages while referring to the number one citizen of the state or his government however genuine the cause the poster/writer is trying to portray. Any Anambrarian anywhere across the globe MUST respect the exalted office of his/her governor and use civil languages in addressing his/her chief executive.

7) That we equally call on His Excellency and his predecessor to call their foot soldiers to order and devise means to extinguish the ‘services’ of their self-appointed supporters, who pelt both captains with all manner of names. An APGA government attacking past APGA government or vice versa with such venom is just a house fighting against itself.

8 ) That we condemn the current imbroglio of the N75 billion handed over. Whether it was all in cash, all in near-cash, all in investments, the tone of the press conference that ushered in the latest acrimony between ‘supporters’ of both past and present governments was ill-advised and the motive very injurious to the positive growth of the state. Such confrontational moves that usually tend to shift government’s focus from her primary objective of delivering sustainable services to the yearning populace should be shunned forthwith. We hence re-echo the call from the former governor, Sir Obi to ceasefire concerning reactions to the avoidable feud.

9) That we call on the leadership of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA to, as a matter of utmost urgency, set up a high-calibre committee to quickly and finally resolve whatever differences existing between the present governor and his predecessor. Anambrarians are no fools. They voted for CONTINUITY because they were satisfied with the fact that past government delivered appreciable dividends of democracy. To now try to make that government appear deceitful is an ill-wind that will tear the APGA family into irreparable fragments.

10) That we call on the government of His Excellency, Dr. Willie Obiano to expressly review the cost of running his government with the motive of substantially pruning down in view of the continuously depreciating revenue from the federation account. The idea to go borrowing within his first 20 months in office, couriers sour grapes whatever the reasons, especially where it is firmly documented that his predecessor never toed such borrowing line in eight years.

TAI EMEKA OBASI
Director of Communications, AU

Alo Umunne, also known as G-20, is a Group of Anambrarians that love and fight for the progress of the State and also power APGA Global Initiative (AGI) and ALL PROGRESSIVES GRAND ALLIANCE DIASPORA on social media

PRESS RELEASE…

ALO UMUNNE BACK ON TRACK…

Following months of seeming inactivity by ALo Umunne, a social media group of Trojans that facilitate APGA Global Initiative and APGA Diaspora pages, the Group met on Sunday, November 22, 2015 to extensively dwell on the state of the state.

A six-hour session, involving conferences with members in Diaspora, labouriously but diligently dwelt on present happenings within her primary concerns, Anambra State and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and itemized decisions based on level of urgency.

A full communiqué will follow soon. Stay tuned.


Tai Emeka Obasi.

Director Media/Publicity Alo Umunne

‪#‎IHIALA TRIBUNAL‬ UPDATE

HIGH CHESS GAME GOING ON AT THE TRIBUNAL- Ifeanyi Chudy Momah Vs Emeka Anohu.

In furtherance of our coverage of the happenings at the election petition tribunal, we have discovered an on going battle not known to the non legal mind.

We have it on good authority that Emeka Anohu is doing everything possible to make sure the petition is not heard on merit.

We hear that between PDP, Anohu and INEC who are all respondents ,they have filed more than 5 motions seeking to strike out the petition or otherwise scuttle it without the petition going for hearing. Mr Osita Nnadi (SAN) on behalf the respondent, seeking the dismissal of the petition for want of diligent prosecution.

Our investigations show that the Ifeanyi Momah and APGA team are equal to the task and also experienced in election petition matters.
We discovered that the tribunal has adjourned till July 15. Following after affidavit obtainment by the Petitioner, #Justice is sure. Regards to all issues raised and have
Cited authorities to the tribunal to show that, the petition should be heard on merit.

Rumours have it that the sum of N25 Million has been earmarked to make sure that the case is killed with the motions without hearing it on the merit, so that by the time APGA has gone on appeal and won the time for the case to be heard will have gone.

We sought the opinion of a lawyer, who explained to us that what is happening is like a chess game between masters. He is sure that APGA/Momah team have good case. But with the delay tactics of the PDP/Anohu, there is a possibility that if they lose in the tribunal they will go to appeal.

We shall keep you updated. Meanwhile, we heard that inspection of INEC electoral materials could not go ahead as the ballot papers were deliberately mixed up and that thugs invaded the place.
We of Ihiala citizens wish to plead that Justice should be allowed to reign, the tribunal should be given every assistance to determine who actually won.
The electioneering process can only be over when all the matters in the tribunal are dealt with.
We will continue to be your eye and keep you updated with the latest development as regards the arduous but yet patriotic task of of reclaiming the sacred mandate unanimously given to Barr. Momah by the good people of Ihiala Local Government.

Injustice anywhere is Injustice everywhere -Ifeanyi Momah.
#WE ARE STILL ON THE ROAD TO JUSTICE.
#JusticeFOR all ihiala.

We extend our kind regards to all our compatriots and the respondents

God bless Anambra State.
God bless APGA.
Gd bless Ihiala LGA.
God bless Nigeria.

CIVIL SERVICE REFORM

Cosmetic approach.
By Onye Kachi Divine -OKD
There is only one problem with Nigeria civil service - it is over bloated. Because there is no viable private sector in Nigeria, the civil service has become over burdened. A country where government agencies use stadiums to conduct interviews because of the multitudes of youths seeking employment.

Enabling environment and infrastructures for private businesses to take over is the only solution.

Writes from NILS.