Title: The Disappointing State of Customer Relations Among Instagram Merchants

Introduction:
In today's digital age Instagram has become an indispensable platform for businesses to connect with customers and promote their products or services. With the increasing popularity of Instagram stores it is essential for merchants to prioritize good customer relations. However a prevalent issue that deserves attention is the lack of professionalism and poor communication exhibited by some Instagram merchants. Many customers have reported incidents where the merchants provide their phone numbers on their timelines but fail to respond adequately or display unpleasant attitudes when contacted. This article aims to shed light on this concerning trend and the implications it has on customers and businesses alike.

1. Accessibility Matters:
One of the fundamental aspects of ensuring good customer relations is the accessibility of the merchant. By voluntarily providing their phone numbers merchants convey the impression of being available and open to customer inquiries. However the reality often falls short of this expectation. Too frequently customers are left frustrated and inconvenienced when their attempts to contact merchants go unanswered for days or are met with dismissive responses. This lack of availability undermines trust and damages the overall customer experience.

2. Unprofessional Attitudes:
Another significant concern is the unprofessional conduct and negative attitudes displayed by certain Instagram merchants when interacting with customers. The success of any business hinges on creating a positive relationship with consumers. However some merchants who put their phone numbers out for public use have been observed to have a lackadaisical approach towards customer engagements. Instances of rude behavior impatience and unhelpfulness have been reported leaving customers feeling disrespected and discouraged from engaging with that particular merchant or even shopping on Instagram altogether.

3. The Ripple Effect:
The ramifications of poor customer relations go beyond individual experiences. When customers have negative encounters with Instagram merchants they are likely to share their frustrations with friends family and online communities. Word-of-mouth plays a crucial role in shaping a merchant's reputation and negative reviews can quickly spread damaging the business's credibility. Consequently merchants who fail to prioritize customer relations may find themselves losing potential customers and hindering their long-term growth prospects.

4. A Call for Improvement:
To address this issue it is imperative for Instagram merchants to recognize the significance of good customer relations and take proactive steps to improve their interactions with customers. Some crucial measures include:

a. Prompt Responses: Merchants should aim to respond to customer inquiries in a timely manner ideally within 24 hours. This showcases attentiveness and professionalism fostering positive customer relationships.

b. Polite and Respectful Communication: Merchants need to maintain a respectful tone even when faced with challenging or repetitive customer inquiries. Good customer relations require patience and understanding.

c. Training and Empathy: Merchants should invest time in training their customer support staff emphasizing the importance of empathy and effective problem-solving. Understanding the customer's perspective can go a long way in providing satisfactory resolutions.

d. Feedback and Improvements: Merchants should actively seek feedback from customers to identify areas for improvement. This feedback loop can assist in refining their customer relations strategies and forging stronger connections with their target audience.

Conclusion:
The alarming lack of good customer relations displayed by some Instagram merchants is a disheartening trend that affects both customers and businesses. By prioritizing accessibility professionalism and respect in their interactions merchants can foster an environment of trust and loyalty. Overlooking the importance of good customer relations may lead to a decline in sales and reputation. Ultimately developing strong customer relations on Instagram will not only boost customer satisfaction but also drive growth and success for merchants in the long run.

Title: Arise News Nigeria: A Platform for Cynical Journalism or Balanced Reporting?

Introduction:

In recent times media platforms have been scrutinized for their journalistic standards and ethics. One such platform is Arise News Nigeria a popular Nigerian television network. While some critics argue that Arise News Nigeria promotes a form of cynical journalism others believe that it provides balanced reporting. In this article I will examine the accusations leveled against Arise News Nigeria and discuss whether these claims are warranted or not.

Cynical Journalism or Balanaced Reporting?

Arise News Nigeria has the perchance of indulging in cynical journalism due to its often critical snd bias stance towards political and social issues. Journalists on the network's often highlights the negative aspects of societal and political affairs emphasizing sensationalism over objectivity.

A media platform's responsibility is to report the news even when it is critical or unfavorable. It is equally crucial to give voice to different perspectives, in this regard Arise News fall short, the analystson the network are comfortable bringing people that shared their views and when they bring those that dont share their views, you will see them debating them rather than interviewing them. Arise News Nigeria has made efforts to present cynical viewpoints as objective viewpoints.

Balance in Reporting:

In Journalism it is essential to recognize that impartiality does not equate to neutrality. Rather it means incorporating multiple perspectives and providing a balanced representation of different viewpoints. In this regards the network has consistently strives to promote their partiality by inviting experts analysts and public figures from backgrounds that are essential to their objectives to present their views on current affairs and generally promotes these views as correct .

Arise News Nigeria has also been recognized for her anti governments views. Her efforts to overlooked government good deeds is legendary. . The network has given voice to opposition of the government to critizise and maligned government officials and supporters.

Fact-Checking and Accountability:

One of the key tenets of responsible journalism is fact-checking accuracy. Arise News Nigeria has demonstrated a bias fact-checking mechanism. In the last senate screening exercise, a reporter from the network accused the senate of being hypocritical just because he believes that a minister nominee attacking political opponents during political campaign is the same as a nominee calling the whole senators of the federation morons. This to me is unfair comparism and he convinently refused to appreciate the effort of the presiding officer in shelding the two nominees from attacks.

Moreover Arise News Nigeria actively castigate those in power and act as a mouth piece for the opposition during the last election making it so clearing where they stand and who they support. This approach to me does not go with the tenets of good journalism.

Conclusion:



In an era where media integrity is often questioned it is imperative for practitioners to try to be above board and try not be seen as foisting their opinions as news. Journalists are meant to be impartial, ask for opinions of their guest and not be co-debaters. A Journalists telling a guest that "I'm going to prove you wrong" is not acceptable, your job is not to prove him wrong, your job is to allow him to air his opinion.

FOOD_FOR_THOUGHT

Dear Marlians,

Naira Marley was born in Agege, Lagos State but at the tender age of 11, he relocated to Peckham, South London, England.

Marlians read again! He relocated to Peckham, SOUTH LONDON ENGLAND at the age of 11.

Meanwhile you haven’t traveled out of your state all your life. Marlians!�

He studied at Porlock Hall before attending Walworth School, where he obtained his General Certificate of Secondary Education. All these happened while in London not Nigeria.

Naira Marley graduated with a distinction in business from Peckham Academy. He didn’t end it there,He also studied business law at Crossways College (now known as Christ the King Sixth Form College).

Marlians! Zero belt with thousand trousers geng hope you guys are reading.

Naira Marley is a dedicated Muslim! And partake in every Islamic studies and prayers. E shocked you abi? Issorite.��‍♂️

Marlians step forward, the rest…�
Did you know that Naira Marley is rated as one of the most educated Nigerian musicians and also among the richest?

Sadly, most of his fans focused/practices the radical lifestyles he wants them to see.
Of course, he earns a living through it and ain’t stopping soon.

No wonder he studied Business Law. Dude is smart! He knows what Nigerians like…and he dey give dem back to back. Marlians! Zero belt with thousand trousers.��

Now let me burst your bubble.
Do you also know that Naira Marley is married to two women and has four children! E shock u abi. Issorite �

E SHOCK YOU?�

E SHOCK ME TOO��

Now if you like, keep zuzuing upandan. Be shouting Marlins Don’t go to School o.........

marlians dont wear bra..............

marlians dont wear belt.............

marlians dont graduate..........

keep Smoking, womanizing, drinking and be causing nuisance everywhere in your neighborhood.

Your mentor is married with kids and worth million dollars in net worth.
I sign out here….

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Godswill Obioma as the new Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Examinations Council (NECO).

In a letter dated May 15 and signed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, the letter said the appointment which is for five years took effect from May 14.

A statement released by the spokesperson of the board Friday evening said the new Registrar officially took over from the former Acting Registrar, Abubakar Gana, on May 22 at the Council’s headquarters in Minna.

The new NECO Registrar, Mr Obioma, is a professor of Education Measurement and Evaluation and is a former Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council.

Until his appointment as Registrar and CEO of NECO, Mr Obioma was the Ebonyi State Resident Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He hails from Bende, Abia State, and was appointed in 1991 as Professor of Mathematics Education and Evaluation, University of Jos.

He was also a Director of Monitoring, Research and Statistics, National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Benin, Edo State from 2001 to 2003.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the federal government approved the termination of the appointment of Charles Uwakwe as the Registrar and Chief Executive of the National Examinations Council (NECO).

The federal government also dismissed four members of the NECO management for various offences bordering on financial impropriety

This is the number of the owner of the law firm. 08033062187

It can only happen in Nigeria;
* They accuse you of False Asset Declaration, U summoned the judge.

* EFCC Chairman asked you to explain ur roles in some corruption allegations, you declare him not fit for office.

* They impounded your Range Rover for Fake Duty Documents, U summoned the Customs Boss, declare him non fit for office.

* They challenged you failure to implement Mokwa-Jebba road contract, you castigated,blackmailed and eventually summoned the Works Minister.

* Ur colleague distanced himself from your alleged atrocities, you suspended him.

* Another colleague distanced himself from your anti-people resolutions, you suspended him again

* A Criminal alleged you of been their gang's godfather, you declared the IGP enemy of democracy.

* Now, the President said he can't interfere in Police investigations, you are threatening him with Impeachment...Hmmmmm

It can only happen in Nigeria

That's the consequence of I belong to everybody, And I belong to Nobody!!!.

President Buhari’s Silent Support For The South-East, By Garba Shehu

President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-day visit to the South-Eastern states of Ebonyi and Anambra is taking place at the most opportune juncture, to show support to a governor who has done so much in promoting the President’s policy on food self-sufficiency and to to endorse his party’s candidate in a crucial vote to install a new governor through an election at the weekend in Anambra.
Given the unfortunate secessionist winds sown by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB the President’s visit should be seen as part of the measures promised by the administration, following successful cooperation between the federal government, the region’s five governors and the cultural leadership of the people, the Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo. This joint effort has in no small means achieved success in putting out the fires ignited by IPOB. The visit should go further in soothing frayed nerves and provide an opportunity to listen more to the cries of the people of the region.

This visit should give the nation a clear break in the mindset from the negativity that characterized the perception of the Buhari administration in the region, following his victory in the 2015 election in which a majority cast its lot with the former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan by giving him 2,464,906 votes, against Muhammadu Buhari’s 198,248 (more or less the same votes he got from one or maximally two of some local council areas in a populous State).

Following the outcome of this election, some of the politicians who lost began to whip up fears of vendetta against the the region even when there was no basis at all for this. It may have been a defensive strategy. But it nonetheless led to emotional responses to the President expressed through anger, paranoia, fear, frustration, resentment and confusion.

I recall that when he spoke on the subject of political patronage at the U.S Institute of peace, he described the way most democracies work that the one who gave 95 percent did not get the same as the the one gave five percent votes but said emphatically that “I’am a different kind of leader.” He said, more or less in these words that he would be fair and just to all citizens irrespective of the way they voted and went on to add that this country’s constitution protects all citizens, all parts thereof by making specific provisions for fair and balanced distribution of appointments and projects known the federal character principle.

This was misconstrued and used to whip up sentiment against him in states that did not vote for him, even after the transcripts of what he actually were published.

This negativity had prevailed in spite of the conscious effort the President made to reassure the South-East by giving four of the region’s five states four senior cabinet posts, which are foreign affairs; industry, trade and investment; science and technology and labor, employment and productivity.

And given the choices he made, the South-East Ministers today rank among the best this country has ever had if you look at their individual performances.

If you go through the online newspapers of the country, everyday, every week and every year there are stories about marginalization against a people for whom the President is doing so much to ensure their security,dignity and prosperity.

Beyond these misplaced fears, these south-easterners are a people known for their creativity, industry and hard work, from whose sweat the economy has benefited immensely. But it is equally true that they have not been served in due proportion by successive administrations in post-independence Nigeria. Had governments of yesteryears discharged their responsibilities to the region, and to the country at large, we might not have been in a situation of tensions and anger leading to violence and secessionist agitation which have their roots in the lack of infrastructure and opportunity for citizens to excel. By God, today’s investments in infrastructure and people should change all that.

Beside the issue of political representation, federal roads in the South-East are a perpetual issue in our country. But each state in the country complains of bad federal roads. However, contrary to the notion that nobody in this government is doing anything about those roads, the region has a good number of roads paid for by the federal government that are under either completed or undergoing repairs/construction.

As of May this year, there are 600 was kilometers of roads that are under rehabilitation/ construction across the South East zone’s five states which include:

• Rehabilitation of Owerri – Umuahia Road Sections I, II, III in Imo/Abia States
• Rehabilitation of Enugu – Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway Section II
• Ongoing construction work on the Rehabilitation of Enugu – Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway Section II
• Rehabilitation of Ikot Ekpene – Ikot Umuoessien – Aba Road in Abia / Akwa – Ibom States.
• Ongoing construction work on the Rehabilitation of Ikot Ekpene – Ikot Umuoessien – Aba Road in Abia / Akwa – Ibom States
• Ongoing construction work on the Rehabilitation of Enugu – Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway
• Ongoing construction work on the Rehabilitation of Ikot Ekpene – Ikot Umuoessien – Aba Road in Abia / Akwa – Ibom States.
• Enugu-Aba- Port Harcourt Expressway, which runs through Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi States covering about 31 roads as well as construction of pedestrian bridges and flyovers, traffic signs and lights; the outstanding section of Onitsha-Enugu Road.
• Umana-Ndiagu-Adaebele-Udi Road in Ndiagu, Nsukka—Oboloafor -Ihamufu Road
• Ninth Mile-Nsukka-Oboloafor Road.
• Ohafia-OsoRoad (In Ebonyi and Abia States: 11.7 km)
• Nnenwe-Uduma-Uburu Road, Section1 (14 km in Enugu/Ebonyi)
• Rehabilitation of Abakaliki-Afikpo Road; Section 1 (20.5 km)
• Rehabilitation of Abakaliki-Afikpo Road Section 11 (19.5 km)
• Construction of Obubra-Ikwo-Onueke-Nkomoro-Agba-Ezekuna-Ogboji-Nara-Cross River Border Road (7 km)
• Aba-Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway (section 11)
• Umuahia Tower-Aba Township Rail/Road Bridge Crossing (56.1Km)
• Rehabilitation of Lokpanta-Umuahia Tower (59.5km)
• rehabilitation of Calabar-Itu-Ikot-Ekpene-Aba-Owerri Section 111
• Ikot-Ekpene-Ikot Umuoessien-Aba Roadin Abia/Akwa-Ibom (43.2km)
• Owerri-Umuahia Road, Sections 1,11 and 111
• The Ikot-Ekpene Border: Aba-Owerri Dualisation Road Section 1, Phase 1 (11.26km)
• Mbaise-Ngwa Road Ohase 1 (14 km)
• Amanwaozuzu-Uzoagba-Eziama-Orie-AmakohiaRoad (10km)
• Oba-Nnewi-Okigwe Road Section 11, among others

Of course there is the SECOND NIGER BRIDGE about which so many lies have been told to our brothers in the South-East.

A past president laid the brick once. Thereafter, he did nothing to actualize it. Having forgotten a promise made, he had a ceremony organized for him to inaugurate the project when the time to seek re-election came.

When the Obi of Onitsha reminded the then presidential candidate of his earlier promise to do bridge, he got angry. He stopped short of calling the Obi a liar in his palace by outrightly denying ever making the promise.

Now, on the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, Anambra State, the contractor had re-mobilized to site. In the budget proposals read last week at the National Assembly, President Buhari listed this bridge as one of the administration’s priority projects and announced an an allocation of 10 billion Naira expenditure for 2018.

Other projects for the South East include:

AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING

• Construction of New International Terminal in Enugu.

COASTAL RAIL PROJECT

• The coastal rail line has its route alignment passing through Aba in Abia State and Onitsha in Anambra State.

MARITIME ACCESS

With the dredging of the river Niger commissioned by NIWA, the yearning for maritime access to the sea by the south-east and the North as well, is just a matter of time for it to be realized.

Good projects apart, in the South-East as in all other subregions,

good governance is also necessary and the steps the federal government is taking to deal with corruption, terrorism, banditry and lawlessness have the effect of lifting this country out of poverty and lack of development. The country’s efforts to modernize its trade and investment by easing the process of doing business has already attracted the attention and acclaim of the world, and is giving Nigeria a quick rise in the ranking of countries. Known for their industrial and commercial prowess, there is no gain saying who the biggest beneficiaries are.

On the basis of these projects alone, no one should have any reason to doubt the good intentions of the President towards the South-East. Even if some of the people may not support the government, they cannot deny that their region has got a fair deal from President Buhari. The President in his conscience is clear on all fronts that he has been fair to the region and will continue to encourage the efforts of each state as it strives to excel in one endeavor or another. The federal government’s support of Ebonyi state’s rice growing schemes leaned on a permanent solution to the fertilizer supply crisis in the country bears true testimony to a successful partnership between the center and the subregion. In the field of agriculture alone, we have seen this new synergy in the functioning of the governments at the center and the state. This is cooperative federalism at work, and at its best. Which in turn has led to a beneficial relationship based on mutual respect, hope and trust between the governor and the president in spite of political party differences.

The fruit of this type of relationship commends itself to other leaders in the country to shed old mindsets and maintain caution while making statements and to not get carried away by emotions leading to unnecessary tensions.

To help the nation move forward as one, the media for their part must decide against making unsubstantiated allegations and aspersions being leveled against the leadership at the center for the mere fun of catching the headlines. The country needs this to maintain the delicate balance of the relationships between our diverse population and to avoid weakening our democracy. We need to do this and more to achieve something of substance for the nation.

Finally, it is to be hoped that beyond putting out the fire of these misplaced fears, President Buhari’s visit would help to put the spotlight on the silent achievements of his administration in this distinct region so that the ordinary citizen will be reassured that he/she matters, and be rid of the notion that they are getting the short end of the stick.

PRESS STATEMENT

July 6, 2017

For Immediate Release

RESPONSE TO DISTORTED REPORTING BY SOME MEDIA ORGANISATIONS ON PROCEEDINGS OF FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (FEC) PRESS BRIEFING

It has come to my notice that a number of media organisations have been distorting and misreporting the proceedings of yesterday’s (July 5, 2017) Federal Executive Council (FEC) press briefing, and suggesting that the Presidency ‘disowned’ the Acting President on a matter relating to a presidential nomination.

As the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, I would like to make it categorically clear that:

1. The President – and in this case the Acting President – is the Presidency, and therefore cannot be disowned by the Presidency.

2. All matters relating to Presidential Appointments and Nominations are strictly a matter for the Presidency to handle. They are not for the Federal Executive Council, and are therefore not discussed at FEC level. This was the point I made yesterday at the press briefing, and which was unfortunately distorted by the media.

I would like to appeal to the media to take seriously its responsibility to inform the public honestly and accurately, to refrain from distorting or sensationalizing the news, and to seek clarification when in doubt.

Abubakar Malami
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
July 6, 2017

PENDULUM

By Dele Momodu; dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Fellow Nigerians, let me say categorically that I’ve never seen a country where the citizens like to argue over every miniscule issue like Nigeria. We are a country of absolutism. Every now and then we just enjoy coming up with highfalutin theories out of the blues and everyone begins to recycle and regurgitate the mantra. Once upon a time, TRUE FEDERALISM was the swansong. Half, if not most, of those shouting the phrase had little or no idea of what it meant. It seems we just love to hear the cacophony of our own voices and prefer to join whatever is in season or in vogue
I vividly recollect how a SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE became the only panacea for a united Nigeria after the satanic annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. If you asked the exponents of that discordant idea how to activate and actualise such event, they always drew a blank. For example, who would represent each zone? How would the representatives be selected to the general acceptance and acclaim of the people? How binding would the deliberations and conclusions be on the generality of Nigerians? Would the outcome replace our Constitution? If the Conference goes ahead and by whatever stroke of luck or miracle Nigerians for once agree that the present Presidential system is bunkum and we need to return to Regionalism and Parliamentary system, how would the current beneficiaries like Governors, Ministers, Commissioners, Senators, House of Reps members, Local Government Chairmen, Councillors and a long retinue of political jobbers, agree to effect this unpleasant decision that would render them impotent  and ultimately sack most of them? Answers: BLANK!

The latest craze in Nigeria now is RESTRUCTURING. Everywhere you turn, someone must tell you Nigeria needs to restructure fast. Everyone, including those who have controlled power the longest, is crying and lamenting, like the Biblical Jeremiah, that they’ve been MARGINALISED. You begin to wonder what is wrong with us. The renewed agitation for BIAFRA is borne out of that supposed persecution complex of the Igbo people by, as always theoretically, the Hausa/Fulani oligarchy. Surprisingly, geography is not a popular subject in Nigeria. Many of those tribal jingoists often lump the whole of Northern Nigeria together as a monolithic entity. They studiously forget that the North has its own majority/minority brouhaha. Indeed, there is not one Igbo nation as the agitators may want us to believe.

The arguments of those seeking justice by fire by force thus falls flat on closer examination because there is no one North or one South, or one Igbo, One Yoruba, one Hausa. New and uglier problems would instantly emerge as soon as we break Nigeria up into pieces. I’m reasonably assured that fresh complaints of marginalisation would resume. In the State of Osun, where I spent half of my present age, the people of Ile-Ife are already grumbling aloud that no Ife son or daughter has ever been a Governor even though Ile-Ife is the ancestral home of the Yoruba race. And that is the tale and litany of woes everywhere. Whatever we see happening now is nothing short of marriage of convenience.

Let’s get down to brass tacks and tackle the matter of restructuring. The word itself suggests that there is something faulty about the present structure and configuration of Nigeria. That has never been in doubt. However, the problem in my view is largely political and less economic in nature. Those who have controlled Nigeria politically in the last 57 years have shown no capacity to exploit their humongous power to the overall benefit of their people. All they’ve succeeded in doing is empower a few of their cronies who become demigods during their reign. Most end up frittering the loot they make away with like prodigal sons and soon return to irrelevance and infamy.

I’ve asked many of those saying they feel cheated in Nigeria to explain what they mean and I’ve concluded from their answers that it is more of politics than anything else. None could answer me when I asked why a strong and highly educated Dr Alex Ekwueme could not do much as Vice President under President Shehu Shagari from 1979 to 1983? I asked a similar question of why at least five Igbos were Senate Presidents, one Deputy Senate President, one Deputy Speaker and none has been able to seek and cede more power to the Igbo people in the last 18 years? If the Igbos argue that they want the Presidency as a matter of legitimate right, then the answer is they must keep working like others. The example of Chief Moshood Abiola has demonstrated clearly that for anyone to win the race, he must build consensus everywhere. He showed that it is a game of mathematical numbers and it is never a gift to anyone. Out of the old six regions in Nigeria, a Presidential candidate must lock down about four to realise his dream. The point is that you should never become Nigeria’s leader simply by virtue of where you come from but by what you have to offer in nation building. Rotation and zoning are largely responsible for proliferation of poor and preposterous leadership in Nigeria.

Let’s highlight some permutations. Had the Igbos worked well with the South West and the North Central, it might have been easier for an Igbo Presidency to materialise. Just imagine if they could lock down the entire South where majority are Christians and the Southern Muslims even marry Christians, the next job would be to align with the so-called minorities scattered across the Northern belts. I’m certain many of our youths are unaware that Chief Obafemi Awolowo once performed such experiment when he chose an Igbo man, Phillip Umeadi, as his running mate. He would probably have succeeded if he had secured massive votes from the South East and South South. All he would have needed was to poach from mostly North East and North Central. Alas, the audacious experiment failed woefully. Since then no Southern candidate of note has ever dared to pick a running mate from the South.

There is an enduring lesson to learn from the people of South West Nigeria. In 1981, Chief Moshood Abiola was frustrated out of a political party in which he invested so much time, energy and resources, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He went back home quietly to lick his wounds. He had enough cash to try and destabilise the polity at the time but he opted to up his philanthropic work. He reached out to every nook and cranny of Nigeria helping the needy, contributing to schools, churches, mosques, creating jobs, investing in agriculture, sports and so on. From being one of the most hated Nigerians, he became one of the most loved. It was only a matter of time before his chickens came home to roost. By the time he launched his Presidential bid in 1993, even his most vociferous critics knew he was unstoppable. Chief Abiola won the election, but lost the mandate freely given to him by every part of Nigeria. The Nigerian Mafia, connived and conspired to rob him of his hard-fought victory. Every effort to regain his mandate was rebuffed and frustrated. The strategy was simple and effective. Reduce Abiola’s victory to a Yoruba affair, repeat all kinds of lies till they become believable, and a pan-Nigerian mandate was burnt into ashes. Abiola was abandoned and left in the lurch. Still the Yoruba people did not seek revenge or retaliation. They fought and without firing a shot extracted a form of justice as payback. The destroyers of June 12 could not believe the resilience of the people. In frustration and desperation, they sought and found a perfect ally to dump the stolen mandate on since they didn’t want Abiola by all means. General Olusegun Obasanjo served this purpose and it was a coronation of sorts when he reincarnated as civilian President.

It is important to note that the people of the South West were not over-excited about the re-emergence of Obasanjo. As a matter of fact, they became his most ardent opponents. In anger, Obasanjo turned his war against Yoruba leaders like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Lagos State was deprived of its statutory allocations, even after the Supreme Court ruled in its favour. Interestingly, the current Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, was the Lagos State Attorney General that fought spiritedly against the Federal Government at the time. The lesson I wish to draw from this is that, sometimes, it is better, and safer, to fight a battle of wits than a duel of brawn. The use of force can never guarantee a meaningful victorious end.

Another example is Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s emergence as President of Nigeria. When President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s cabal was going to stop him from acting as President in the face of obvious incapacitation of the President, some Yoruba leaders, including Professor Wole Soyinka, Lt. General Alani Akinrinade, Bola Tinubu, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Femi Falana, mobilised other Nigerians to fight for the Nigerian Constitution to be respected. Afterwards, it would have been tougher for Jonathan to defeat Muhammadu Buhari in 2011 but for the superlative support he got from the South West.

The same Yoruba people may have felt marginalised under Jonathan but only retaliated with their votes in 2015. This principle should be borrowed and adopted by other tribes of Nigeria. Your greatest weapon is your vote and not how many guns you can acquire and fire. The calculated support for Buhari paid up handsomely when Osinbajo became the Vice President of Nigeria. Osinbajo is Acting President today because of the principle laid and nurtured by the Yoruba in 2010 when they supported an Ijawman as Acting President. It has become almost impossible for anyone to go against our Constitution. The Igbos enjoyed no special infrastructure privileges under Jonathan but had a quasi-Prime Minister in Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. They threw their full weight behind him in 2015. Unfortunately, Jonathan was sacked from power.

Let’s now fast forward. Nigeria is in big trouble. Suddenly, everyone is talking blah blah blah and crying wolf where there is none. The virulent, violent agitators will not consider dialogue or compromise. They are fixated about breaking away from Nigeria. All well and good. The liberals feel that is not the way to go. They want Nigeria restructured fast and now. I support the latter and I have two fundamental suggestions to make…

The Presidential system we miscopied from America has become too convoluted and expensive. Nigeria can no longer sustain 36 States plus Abuja and the attendant political operatives. Any call for the creation of more States is therefore reckless and irresponsible. I know it is impracticable to collapse some of the existing States and return to the six Regions or 12 states but this must be considered. The resources of Nigeria are being carelessly wasted on less than five percent of the population. If we truly love ourselves, we must bury our foolish pride and do the needful.

The principle of federal character was adopted to give every part of Nigeria a sense of belonging. The born to rule mentality of some people must be discouraged and curtailed immediately. Such puerile and nauseating statements credited to some Arewa youths that they donated power to Abiola, and later to Obasanjo, should be totally disregarded, dismissed and kept where it rightly belongs, the dustbin.

Democracy is a game of numbers and whosoever can mobilise enough Nigerians is the leader. The principle of rotation is unconstitutional. It is left to the political parties to accept or not. Any Nigerian is free to contest his popularity at the polls and should never be threatened into abandoning his dreams. That is why Nigeria is not a one-party state. Anyone who threatens the peace of Nigeria should be sanctioned and disciplined. A powerful Sultan Dasuki was dethroned and banished from Sokoto for whatever reasons. His son, Sambo, a once powerful National Security Adviser, has since been in indefinite detention, under whatever guise. A popular Shiite leader has been incarcerated without trial all this while. Why should some pseudo-cultural leaders feel they are above the law and that they can insult fellow citizens to the bargain? Enough of that crap. The law should take its course within the confines of the Constitution.

The Buhari government should declare a state of Emergency on Education. The reason our youths are easily brainwashed is because of the preponderance of ignorance and poverty in our country. The comments spewing out of some people are just too jejune and disgraceful at this time and age. Educational pre-requisites should be brought to par in all States. Never again should we breed sub-standard students under the guise of educationally disadvantaged zones. Education is education and those who cannot meet the requirements should stay longer in classes to catch up on their studies. I wrote my WAEC exams thrice in 1976, 1977 and 1978 before I made my credits. No one should be admitted into a university if they can’t meet the cut-off marks. We’ve damaged our education almost irreparably by condoning mediocrity in the past. Our myopic and sectional leaders obviously did not know they were sowing seeds of backwardness (or did so deliberately to clone a nation of morons) and the result is the bountiful harvest of mass illiteracy and dangerous brigandage we have in our hands today… 

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Rep Mayflower school Ikenne. Knowledge is light

IPOB and MASSOB leaders are asking for the 5 States in SouthEast geopolitical and other Igbo speaking parts in SouthSouth geopolitical zone to be removed from Nigeria through a referendum

Okay,its the right of everyone to determine where he/she wants to be but one or two critical questions comes to my mind

The proponents of secession needs to answer truthfully if there was a time the federal allocation were not remitted to respective states in SouthEast and how was the allocation utilized for human capital development in that area,how accountable are the elected leaders like Governors, Senators and Members of House of Reps from the zone with the federal allocation allocated for development

One other thing which comes to mind was the recent referendum in Sudan where the people of South Sudan made a demand for secession with so much pride,hope and optimism

Few years down the line,South Sudan with all the potentials and huge natural resources like crude oil happens to be the worst place to live on earth today

You all need to know what you are really asking for and never allow politicians,charlatans and renegades to misinform you on the road to perdition

2016 Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) by Geopolitical Region

1) South-West: N404 Billion
2) South-South: N198 Billion
3) North-West: N69 Billion
4) North-Central: N54 Billion
5) South-East: N49 Billion
6) North-East: N29 Billion

Breakdown:

South-West
Lagos: 302,425,091,964
Ogun: 72,983,120,003
Oyo: 18,879,084,132
Osun: 8,884,756,040
Ondo: 8,684,406,573
Ekiti: 2,991,041,855
Total: 414,847,500,567

South-South
Rivers: 85,287,038,971
Delta: 44,057,915,472
Edo: 23,041,425,599
Akwaibom: 23,269,750,752
C/river: 14,776,808,331
Bayelsa: 7,905,458,280
Total: 198,338,397,405

North-Central
Kwara: 17,253,829,559
Kogi: 9,569,124,487
Benue: 9,556,495,064
Plateau: 9,191,372,277
Nassarawa: 3,402,616,062
Niger: 5,881,584,409

Total: 54,855,021,858

North-West:
Kano: 30,959,027,531
Kaduna: 17,051,864,537
Zamfara: 4,777,169,537
Sokoto: 4,545,765,527
Katsina: 5,545,900,833
Jigawa: 3,535,349,908
Kebbi: 3,132,343,261

Total: 69,547,421,134

South-East:
Enugu: 14,235,512,227
Abia: 12,694,839,539
Imo: 5,871,026,976
Ebonyi: 2,342,092,225
Anambra: 14,791,175,253

Total: 49,934,646,220

North-East
Bauchi: 8,677,265,878
Adamawa: 5,788,979,592
Gombe: 2,941,438,110
Yobe: 3,240,867,567
Borno: 2,675,723,063
Taraba: 5,895,538,974

Total: 29,219,813,184

Please note that economic activities in the north-east has suffered greatly from the war against Boko Haram. Another thing that is clear from this statistics is that every region in Nigeria depends on oil from the Niger Delta. It is not as if they can't work harder to survive without oil money, but if you compare what they're generating currently to what they're receiving in federation account allocation, then you would understand why they're so lazy.

Another thing from the statistics is that the South-West is the only region in Nigeria that can survive right now no matter what happens in the oil industry. Funny enough, they're also the only region making the least noise and focusing completely on development. No wonder the economy of the country is controlled by individuals from that region.

Another thing to point out from this statistics is that the south-east has no superiority claim over the north. It is pure wickedness for those who clamour for Biafra to watch the economy of that region suffer while they preach about what would've been if they had their pipe dream. Why have all those who are promising to make Biafra heaven on earth not coming up with those ideas to improve the IGR of the south-eastern states, so as to at least improve the living condition of the people living there? Look at Lagos, look at Ogun, look at Kano, look at Rivers State and the high IGR they all command... Igbos are one of the biggest contributors to those IGRs, not by force but by choice, and they do so by freely associating with people from those regions. But Ogun State alone generates more revenue than all the south-eastern states combined, which means that on the strength of this statistics, it is arguable that the Igbos do better by associating with other people, and will perform woefully by staying on their own.

(C) Engr Chuku Amos

Someone said if your father was not in Minna yesterday for IBB daughter's wedding, you are just a tenant in Nigeria.
The landlords gathered to wine and dine.
Someone complained about the number of private jets flown into the city yesterday when the Abuja-Minna road isn't motorable. Another one argued it doesn't matter. It was a class thing and it is rare seeing a JSS1 boy play ludo with someone writing UTME.
Someone also wondered why suicide bombers ignored these enemies of Nigeria and decided to attack University of Maiduguri, a citadel of learning where dreams are being built and nurtured.
Someone somewhere close to the wedding venue said he strained his eyes looking for the leaking PDP umbrella and the tiny APC broom yesterday and had to go home disappointed when he saw all of them hugging and smiling without talking about their parties.
Someone faraway in Abeokuta decided to analyze their sitting positions and nearly ended up in the hospital. His blood pressure rose.
Another one, a popular PDP apologist in Enugu, broke down in tears yesterday. He saw 'Bola Tinubu, the man behind his hero's political and electoral fate who still lambasted him days ago in Lagos, seated beside Goodluck Jonathan smiling sheepishly to the cameras.
Someone, an unrepentant APC loyalist, saw Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Markafi stand together. He had always prayed for the total collapse of PDP. He couldn't eat yesternight anyway.
Someone watched Channels Television news and saw Governor Ganduje and his sworn enemy Kwankwaso seated inches apart. He is still praying to God to wake him from his nightmare.
Another one made sure he followed the news on radio waiting for any divisive religious matter to be raised only to hear voices of Bukola Saraki, a muslim, and Yakubu Dogara, a christian, screaming for those expensive wines. He is still changing stations with hopes.
Someone checked online media outlets yesternight and saw pictures of Yorubas, Hausas, Fulanis, Igbos all under one roof with their different tribal wears. There was no tribal statement. No tribal war. He broke the screen of his phone.
Here we are.
Continue defending these people who have divided you along religious, ethnic and tribal lines.
Continue with your gullibilty.
Continue with your nonsense.
What we need is just your brain. Don't bother asking us why!

This Joe Igbokwe is a Trouble Maker:

Food for Thought from Joe Igbokwe
............................

"The Yoruba nation I know has been in the opposition even since the inception of Nigeria and yet they are not the worst in Nigeria. After the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential elections won by Moshood Abiola, the powers that be tried to console the Yoruba by appointing Ernest Shonekan the head of the interim government. Did Yoruba accept Shonekan? No, they did not. They did not come out on the streets with Gbedu Drums to celebrate Yoruba and Chief Shonekan.

Yoruba proudly told the powers that be that you can only be the Head of State in Nigeria through two methods: either through an election or through a successful coup d’état. In the case of Shonekan, he did not ascend to power through either of the above processes. He was therefore rejected by the Yoruba. Now, if it were the Igbo, would they have reasoned this way? I doubt it. In the struggle for June 12, Abiola was put in detention, and his wife killed. Several Yoruba people were in detention and some hounded abroad. Abiola was eventually killed. But did the Yoruba go to war or resort to self-determination? No, they did not. They fought back using common sense and the power of ideas.

In 1998 when the presidency was zoned to the South-West because the late MKO Abiola has paid the supreme price, the Yoruba preferred Olu Falae but the powers that be forced Obasanjo on Nigeria. Now did the Yoruba accept Obasanjo because he is a Yoruba man? They did not. This unique race rejected Obasanjo for the eight years he was in office, from 1999 to 2007. To date the Yoruba still believe that Obasanjo wasted their eight years. OBJ was rejected even in his own ward, in his local government, and in the whole of the Western Region. That is the Yoruba nation for you. Can the Igbo do this? I doubt it. After the 2003 elections, the PDP stole all the states in the South-West, leaving only Lagos because they were afraid of the trouble Lagosians will give them. The former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, fought back like a wounded lion with his committed associates to reclaim almost all the States in the South-West. He did not stop there; he spread his intimidating political tentacles across Nigeria, forming alliances across building networks and bridges, and the result is what we saw on Saturday, March 28, and April 11, 2015.

Now, can any leader in the South-East achieve this feat? Where is the character? Where is the courage? Where is the wisdom and understanding? Where is the common sense? Where is the discipline? Where is the capacity and capability?"

Gov Amosun, come and learn from your little brother o.

we all know Dalung is a bufooon, but this is not the 1s ttime Bash Alli is having an altercation at the minister's office. What is he looking for at the minister's office, I bet you he went there looking for handouts. Nigeria does not owe you a pension because you were boxing champion!!


If you could not cash in on your fame and secure your future, that's your problem not Dalungs[/quote]


This is very sensible

This guy has gone nuts.

AN UNGRATEFUL YINKA ODUMAKIN

How God used Tinubu to save Yinka Odumakin’s life when he stepped on ‘ juju’ on a land he bought' (: by Chief Ayo Opadokun.

"Former Secretary- General of Afenifere and National Coordinator of Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform, CODER)

The young man is a fraudster, mercenary in all his ways.
When I say he is an ingrate, I must substantiate it. People like me don’t just speak without facts. When he started coming to me, one day he came with his left hand very heavy. And he told me that he and his wife bought a land somewhere and they went there for inspection. It was after visiting the land that his hand started swelling up. He said he had visited surgeons both in UCH and in UNILAG, but they were yet to give him a date when the hand will be operated upon.
Meanwhile, somebody introduced a magnetherapist to Odumakin in Ijebu- Ode. So, he went there and had to be in that place for about three months. I will still go there to visit him and give him money. Somehow, he returned from that place, but the hand did not heal up. He came to my house. About two hours after he came, that arm broke apart, blood was gushing out in large quantity. The blood that came out of Odumakin that day was more than a gallon. My steward Segun was there and he is still with me today to corroborate my claim. If not for Segun’s courage that night, it was going to be difficult for me in that house. The bloodstain was just so much.
Even Odumakin himself had been totally soaked in his own blood. With God’s help, we managed to contain the situation that day because with the amount of blood he lost, what would I have said if he had died at my place?. A week thereafter, his wife Joe Okei- Odumakin called me that that hand had started issuing out odour and that it was becoming problematic in their home. She also told me that the magnetherapist in Ijebu-Ode had recommended that if they could visit India, perhaps the unorthodox practitioners might be able to do something about it.
Then I was still in Obanikoro and there was no mobile telephone like we have now. I had to send this gentleman here, Comrade Popoola Ajayi to go to Odumakin’s place and give him a letter because immediately after my discussion with the wife, I called then Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and discussed the whole issue with him. He then told me that if that was what I wanted to take care of Odumakin’s hand, I should ask him to write a letter to that effect in request. So, Popoola took the letter to his house.
Now, the wife wrote the request letter and went to the governor’s office but they won’t allow her to see the governor. So, when she called me from the governor’s office, I had to talk to the ADC that I have already spoken to Tinubu over the matter, so she should be allowed in. And that was exactly what they did. You can also confirm from the wife if I lied on this.
Immediately, she came in, Governor Tinubu invited his Commissioner for Health and his Commissioner for Finance to go and do whatever they had to do in order to get both Odumakin and his wife visa and other necessary things needed for them to visit India.
I was told by the magnetherapist that they will nothing less than N2million for the whole treatment. And that was exactly what Governor Tinubu did and Odumakin travelled a week thereafter. He was the one who told me his experience in India that out of the five doctors, it was only one that said let them open the hand first. The other doctors were asking the wife to sign that they will need to amputate the hand. But one of them insisted that they should first of all open the hand, perhaps maybe not all the two bones had been affected.
Fortunately for him, only one of the bones had been affected and the surgery was successfully carried out and the hand was not amputated. That is why till today, he cannot stretch the hand. But what do we see today? There are no evil things Odumakin cannot say about Tinubu and Opadokun. Let his conscience be the judge as he is reading this. Do we deserve such from such a man? That is to show how ungrateful and mercenary that young man is."

Legislative aides in the 7th National Assembly have cried out over alleged refusal of the management of the National Assembly to pay them their severance entitlements amounting to N9billion and duty tour allowance which also amounts to N250M since the end of the duty in June last year. The ex-legislative aides numbering 3,500, under the aegis of Aggrieved 7th Assembly Legislative Aides of the National Assembly, Abuja accused the leadership of NASS under the Chairman of the National Assembly; Dr. Bukola Saraki of deliberately subjecting them to undue hardship by withholding what is duly theirs.

The aggrieved aides in a release signed by their Coordinator, Rotimi Kassim Shitta-bey, noted that they worked alongside their principles (Senators & Honourable members) from June 2011 to June 2015 and that despite that their principals have all been paid their dues since leaving office in June, the NASS management has refused to pay them their due.

According to him, “We the 7th National Assembly legislative aides have not been paid any of our entitlements since the end of our tenure in office as at June 2015 till date. We voted for change but the NASS management have turned the change mission of President Muhammadu Buhari into suffering.

“The 3,500 7th National Assembly legislative aides are really suffering over the non payment of all our entitlements, after serving this great country Nigeria. Our children are at home since the beginning of last term of last year, because of lack of school fees.

“Our landlords are after us because of lack of house rent and we cannot properly cater for our various families. As at 17th of November, 2015, I received a text message from Senator Sola Adeyeye, the Chief Whip of the Senate chamber saying our wait over all entitlements will soon be over, because supplementary budget has been brought to NASS by Mr President, but up till now our wait is not over in 2016.

“Also, the Senate President (Senator Bukola Saraki) said payment of all our entitlements will soon commence, since a month ago, this is February 2016, we have not been paid.”

The group therefore called on President Buhari to come to their aid and help address the issue, because, “we no more have faith and trust in NASS management and legislators. We call on our amiable father, President Muhammadu Buhari to please help us look into this matter and order immediate payment of all our entitlements since supplementary budget has been approved by NASS and Mr President,” they said.

she should pay the dowry into his account. Yeye husband.

Augustus Taiwo "Tai" Solarin (20 August 1922 – 27 June 1994)

Augustus Taiwo "Tai" Solarin (20 August 1922 – 27 June 1994) was a Nigerian educator and author. He established the famous Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State in 1956. In 1952, Solarin became the principal of Molusi College, Ijebu Igbo, a post he held till 1956 when he became the proprietor and principal of Mayflower School.

Early life

Solarin's exact birth date is unknown, but it is assumed that he was born in 1922 in Ikenne, Ogun State, in Western Nigeria. He attended Wesley College in Ibadan. He served with the Royal Air Force in the Second World War, and remained in Britain, studying at University of Manchester, and then at the University of London. Tai Sholarin married English-born Sheila Mary Tuer in 1951.

Mayflower

The Mayflower campus, which he established, is made up of hundreds of hectares of land, based in Tai Solarin's birth Place, Ikenne, Ogun State. Approximately 8,000 students are in attendance .

The campus includes classrooms, administration buildings, small houses for many of the teachers, dormitory accommodations for about 2,000 boarders, and a farm. The school is noted for very high academic achievement.

Post independence critics

Tai Solarin is one of the post-Independence civil rights critics and activists in his native Nigeria; some others were Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (musician) Beko Ransome-Kuti, Wole Soyinka (Nobel Laureate), Ayodele Awojobi, Dele Giwa, Gani Fawehinmi (lawyer), and Ken Saro-Wiwa. For the majority of the first forty years after independence, Nigeria had no effective opposition to the mostly military government of the day.

These activists acted as an effective opposition to the ruling government. In 1975, when the General Gowon Regime delayed returning power to a civilian regime, Tai published his "The Beginning of the End" statement, which he then physically distributed on the roadside. He was subsequently imprisoned for this act. Throughout his lifetime Tai fought running battles with various governments in a bid to improve the lot of Nigerians.

Mr. Solarin was an intellectual guru for Nigeria's disenchanted and disfranchised for four decades. His writings in magazines and newspapers, highlighting what he called the hypocrisy and vulgarity of the Nigeria of his day, frequently angered people in power.

He was a vehement critic of military rule in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, and an ombudsman in three states in 1976 and 1977

As a columnist, Tai was a relentless critic of Nigerian military rule, as well as of corruption in the government and the church. He was often jailed for his public remarks.

Modesty

In a country and an age where dignitaries wore flowing Agbada to show their wealth and position, Tai was known to always wear simple khaki shorts and shirt.

Prophet of self-reliance

One of Tai Solarin's basic principles was self-reliance, a part of the curriculum at Mayflower.

The Peoples Bank

In 1989, The Peoples Bank was founded by the government, and Tai Solarin became the first chairman. The bank was created to disburse soft loans and other forms of credit to the very poor to start their own businesses.

Humanist

Tai Solarin was also a well known humanist and atheist who opposed the ownership of the schools by churches. Tai Solarin once said that "black(people) hold onto their God just as the drunken man holds on to the street lamp post—for physical support only."In 2004, the Mayflower School played host to an International Humanist Conference, commemorating the life and work of Tai Solarin. It was attended by guests from the United States, Africa and Europe.

Uncle Tai, as he was popularly known, derived immense pleasure in selflessly and fearlessly advocating for a better Nigeria, an action borne out of genuine, unfettered, earnest and heartfelt feeling about the state and future of the nation and the future generation. He was dissatisfied with the mindboggling erosion of values, the misrule and total collapse of all facets of life and sectors in the country and expressed shock at the unfathomable silence and culpability of the leadership and people.

He was never known to capitulate to ephemeral inducements, paradisal accountrements and corporeal appurtenances. Tai Solarin was unequivocal and explicit on the side of justice, truth and fairplay, was always ready to suffer for the sake of others, share in their misery and stand by the weak

Tai Solarin wrote regularly for the Daily Times, the Nigerian Tribune and The Guardian.

Tai Solarin University of education

In November 1995, the Nigerian National Universities Commission (NUC) formally recognised the "Tai Solarin University of Education" (TASUED) Ogun State, as the first specialised university of education, the 27th state university and the 76th university in Nigeria.
Some of his work includes:

Towards Nigeria's Moral Self-Government,
Thinking with You.
A Message for Young Nigerians.
To Mother With Love.
Mayflower; the story of a school.
Timeless Tai.

Sheila Solarin (née Mary Tuer) was a British woman married to the late Tai Solarin. She was named an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II on 17 October 2007 for services to education in Nigeria. She ran Mayflower School on behalf of her late husband Tai Solarin.

War service

Sheila met her husband while both were in the forces following the World War II.

Education establishments in Nigeria

In 1952 they decided to move to his native Nigeria, and both worked in Molusi College ijebu Igbo.

But they disagreed with the politics of the day and religious discrimination in schools, and decided to build their own in a town called Ikenne.

On 27 January 1956, Tai Solarin and his wife founded the first and only secular school in Nigeria, Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State.

The Students' Second Home was established by Sheila and her husband in 1977, a boarding house which serves more than two thousand students of the three public high schools in Ikenne town. Also complementing the now state-owned Mayflower School, was the establishment of the privately owned Mayflower Junior School, the primary school arm of the Mayflower institution, a citadel of secular education for self-reliance and all round excellence.

Using breeze blocks made from clay they constructed two classrooms, each able to accommodate 36 pupils.The student also helped in construction of more class rooms .

"They had their bunks at the back of the class, and the desks at the front'" said Sheila who has been an English teacher for 50 years. "We didn't ask anybody what their ethnic background or religion was, we simply wanted to provide an education for all the children in the area."

The school became more popular, and Sheila and her husband were forced to extend, making it one of the biggest in the country.

They even made the furniture on site, much of it using wood from trees Sheila planted herself.

She headed the Mayflower School on behalf of her late husband Tai Solarin. Sheila officially retired at 80 and passed much of the responsibility on to her children.

Personal life

Sheila and her husband had two children Corin and Tunde Solarin. She died on 21 October 2012, at the age of 88.
Tai Solarin, Omo Yoruba atata!!!

Augustus Taiwo "Tai" Solarin (20 August 1922 – 27 June 1994)

Augustus Taiwo "Tai" Solarin (20 August 1922 – 27 June 1994) was a Nigerian educator and author. He established the famous Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State in 1956. In 1952, Solarin became the principal of Molusi College, Ijebu Igbo, a post he held till 1956 when he became the proprietor and principal of Mayflower School.

Early life

Solarin's exact birth date is unknown, but it is assumed that he was born in 1922 in Ikenne, Ogun State, in Western Nigeria. He attended Wesley College in Ibadan. He served with the Royal Air Force in the Second World War, and remained in Britain, studying at University of Manchester, and then at the University of London. Tai Sholarin married English-born Sheila Mary Tuer in 1951.

Mayflower

The Mayflower campus, which he established, is made up of hundreds of hectares of land, based in Tai Solarin's birth Place, Ikenne, Ogun State. Approximately 8,000 students are in attendance .

The campus includes classrooms, administration buildings, small houses for many of the teachers, dormitory accommodations for about 2,000 boarders, and a farm. The school is noted for very high academic achievement.

Post independence critics

Tai Solarin is one of the post-Independence civil rights critics and activists in his native Nigeria; some others were Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (musician) Beko Ransome-Kuti, Wole Soyinka (Nobel Laureate), Ayodele Awojobi, Dele Giwa, Gani Fawehinmi (lawyer), and Ken Saro-Wiwa. For the majority of the first forty years after independence, Nigeria had no effective opposition to the mostly military government of the day.

These activists acted as an effective opposition to the ruling government. In 1975, when the General Gowon Regime delayed returning power to a civilian regime, Tai published his "The Beginning of the End" statement, which he then physically distributed on the roadside. He was subsequently imprisoned for this act. Throughout his lifetime Tai fought running battles with various governments in a bid to improve the lot of Nigerians.

Mr. Solarin was an intellectual guru for Nigeria's disenchanted and disfranchised for four decades. His writings in magazines and newspapers, highlighting what he called the hypocrisy and vulgarity of the Nigeria of his day, frequently angered people in power.

He was a vehement critic of military rule in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, and an ombudsman in three states in 1976 and 1977

As a columnist, Tai was a relentless critic of Nigerian military rule, as well as of corruption in the government and the church. He was often jailed for his public remarks.

Modesty

In a country and an age where dignitaries wore flowing Agbada to show their wealth and position, Tai was known to always wear simple khaki shorts and shirt.

Prophet of self-reliance

One of Tai Solarin's basic principles was self-reliance, a part of the curriculum at Mayflower.

The Peoples Bank

In 1989, The Peoples Bank was founded by the government, and Tai Solarin became the first chairman. The bank was created to disburse soft loans and other forms of credit to the very poor to start their own businesses.

Humanist

Tai Solarin was also a well known humanist and atheist who opposed the ownership of the schools by churches. Tai Solarin once said that "black(people) hold onto their God just as the drunken man holds on to the street lamp post—for physical support only."In 2004, the Mayflower School played host to an International Humanist Conference, commemorating the life and work of Tai Solarin. It was attended by guests from the United States, Africa and Europe.

Uncle Tai, as he was popularly known, derived immense pleasure in selflessly and fearlessly advocating for a better Nigeria, an action borne out of genuine, unfettered, earnest and heartfelt feeling about the state and future of the nation and the future generation. He was dissatisfied with the mindboggling erosion of values, the misrule and total collapse of all facets of life and sectors in the country and expressed shock at the unfathomable silence and culpability of the leadership and people.

He was never known to capitulate to ephemeral inducements, paradisal accountrements and corporeal appurtenances. Tai Solarin was unequivocal and explicit on the side of justice, truth and fairplay, was always ready to suffer for the sake of others, share in their misery and stand by the weak

Tai Solarin wrote regularly for the Daily Times, the Nigerian Tribune and The Guardian.

Tai Solarin University of education

In November 1995, the Nigerian National Universities Commission (NUC) formally recognised the "Tai Solarin University of Education" (TASUED) Ogun State, as the first specialised university of education, the 27th state university and the 76th university in Nigeria.
Some of his work includes:

Towards Nigeria's Moral Self-Government,
Thinking with You.
A Message for Young Nigerians.
To Mother With Love.
Mayflower; the story of a school.
Timeless Tai.

Sheila Solarin (née Mary Tuer) was a British woman married to the late Tai Solarin. She was named an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II on 17 October 2007 for services to education in Nigeria. She ran Mayflower School on behalf of her late husband Tai Solarin.

War service

Sheila met her husband while both were in the forces following the World War II.

Education establishments in Nigeria

In 1952 they decided to move to his native Nigeria, and both worked in Molusi College ijebu Igbo.

But they disagreed with the politics of the day and religious discrimination in schools, and decided to build their own in a town called Ikenne.

On 27 January 1956, Tai Solarin and his wife founded the first and only secular school in Nigeria, Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State.

The Students' Second Home was established by Sheila and her husband in 1977, a boarding house which serves more than two thousand students of the three public high schools in Ikenne town. Also complementing the now state-owned Mayflower School, was the establishment of the privately owned Mayflower Junior School, the primary school arm of the Mayflower institution, a citadel of secular education for self-reliance and all round excellence.

Using breeze blocks made from clay they constructed two classrooms, each able to accommodate 36 pupils.The student also helped in construction of more class rooms .

"They had their bunks at the back of the class, and the desks at the front'" said Sheila who has been an English teacher for 50 years. "We didn't ask anybody what their ethnic background or religion was, we simply wanted to provide an education for all the children in the area."

The school became more popular, and Sheila and her husband were forced to extend, making it one of the biggest in the country.

They even made the furniture on site, much of it using wood from trees Sheila planted herself.

She headed the Mayflower School on behalf of her late husband Tai Solarin. Sheila officially retired at 80 and passed much of the responsibility on to her children.

Personal life

Sheila and her husband had two children Corin and Tunde Solarin. She died on 21 October 2012, at the age of 88.
Tai Solarin, Omo Yoruba atata!!!