₦airaland Forum

don88:
Food Insecurity: The Usaid-smile Approach By Osobu Suuru Alexander Undoubtedly, the uncommon timidity characterized by the potent threat of bullets, guns and ballistic missiles in the hands of terrorists (Boko Haram) has driven many Nigerians into a state of psychosis. Worst still, the non-availability of food which is being manifested in lack of honey, tea, bread, butter, sugar and even garri has further compounded the social economic status of an average Nigerian and this is never a less potent threat as many Nigerians are faced with the fear of starvation than terrorism. Unfortunately, Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa with over one hundred and seventy million (170,000,000) people and the sixth in the world. Nigeria has the most variable farmland in Africa but still one of the most importing countries of agricultural produce in the world as it is evident that Nigeria spent over 1 trillion naira and 9 hundred billion naira in importing food items in 2014 and 2015 respectively. In a bid to put a lasting solution to this unjustifiable expenditure, United State Agency for International Development (USAID) through its project-Sustainable Mechanism for Improved Livelihood and Household Empowerment (SMILE) in Nigeria is gradually laying a foundation to food security for many Nigerians. United State Agency for International Development (USAID) through its developmental program for developing countries brought Sustainable Mechanism for Improved Livelihood and Household Empowerment (SMILE) which is a policy driven under United State- President Emergency Plan for Aid Relief-2 (PEPFAR-2) and implemented in Nigeria by Catholic Relief Service (CRS), Nigeria. PEPFAR-2 as implemented in Nigeria by CRS is a great paradigm shift from PEPFAR-1which was characterized by hands-out such as school bags, sandals, books and even cash to caregivers but at the end of the overall evaluation it was ZERO- IMPACT project as the living standard of the people worsened. Hence, the birth of PEPFAR-2 where teaching the caregivers on how to fish instead of giving them fish and emphasis on SUSTAINABILITY is the hallmark. The USAID-SMILE’s distribution of agric-inputs such as cassava stems, orange and fleshy sweet potatoes (OFSP), modified pepper, tomatoes seedlings to caregivers is a component of Household Economic Strengthening (HES) which is one of the thematic service areas of the SMILE project in Nigeria. Beyond reasonable doubt, agric-inputs distribution has impacted households in particular and lives in general as the living standard of the people has transformed tremendously over time and obviously from the impact of this simple practice. Historically, Nigeria had done similar practices in the past especially through its national program in 1979 tagged ‘Operation Feed the Nation’ (OFN) under Olusegun Obasanjo but unfortunately and as usual, it turned out to be ‘policy-nightmare’ due to lack of monitoring strategies and this has culminated into the severe hunger in the land today and probably a sort of famine we have never witnessed in our land as predicted by United Nation (UN). Unlike Nigeria, USAID-SMILE project in Nigeria put a simple chain value-monitoring strategy in place which has helped in the distribution of agric- inputs, planting, tilling and harvesting so as to ensure there is prevention of hunger in the land and above all things, to show value for money. Osobu Suuru Alexander is a Political Scientist, Public Affairs Analyst & Writer donalexander88@yahoo.com

don88:
none of them is holy!

Dangana1990:
Aso Rock: The Seat of holy nigerian citizen like Baba Buhari and Osinbanjo.

don88:
Nigeria’s Aso Rock: The Seat of Oppressive Demons
By Osobu Suuru Alexander
Rueben Abati, the former spokesman to the ex- president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan Ebele opined that there are demons in the Nigeria’s highest political seat, Aso Rock which deal evilly with every occupant of that abode. In quick succession, FaniKayode, the former Aviation minister to ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo and popular tormentor in the flesh of the APC- led Government wrote a piece of article to uphold the view of Rueben Abati.
In contrary to these views, there are no demons anywhere near the Aso Rock, not even in the political space called Nigeria! However, there are many satanic demons in Aso Rock and even beyond as it is evident in the opulent lifestyles of our so called ‘Nigerian leaders’ and in the oppressive policies and laws of Government across the three tiers of Government hence, the misinterpretation by Rueben Abati and Fani Kayode as spiritual demons.
It is not very uncommon in Nigeria to see ‘Nigerian leaders’ using social media to announce to the over 85% poor Nigerians and the world in general how they just acquired Rolls Royce of three hundred million naira (#300, 000,000) and the over 85% poor Nigerians cannot afford three square meals. These are the demons!
Over 85% Nigerians live in deprivation, wretchedness, squalor, penury, abject poverty impoverishment, hunger, sickness and perpetual lack while our so called ‘Nigerian leaders’ made up of less than 5% are living in oppressive opulence, abundance, wealth with the aid of manipulative oppressive policies and laws made in their favour to continually earn bogus allowances and even life-time pension (the UK prisoner was still collecting while in prison). These are the real demons!
Over 85% Nigerians live below one dollar ($1) per day, yet the so called ‘Nigerian leaders’ can afford to take a flight to UK for launch and lavish million of naira on prostitutes. They can afford to stack billion of naira in foreign accounts at the expense of the poor masses and over thirty million unemployed youth who are tagged ‘unemployable half-baked graduates’ by our so called ‘Nigerian leaders’ a justification for money laundering abroad to industrialise other countries at the expense of our dear nation, Nigeria. These are the demons!
The highest stage of this demonic display by the so called ‘Nigerian leaders’ is the denial of fundamental right to life for the poor masses as they buy guns and other weapons for the willing poor devil incarnates to sniff life out of poor children in their innocent, harmless sleep and slit open the throat of our poor mothers who work tirelessly to feed their children all for ephemeral gains (political and economic). These are the real demons!
There are no demons anywhere near the Aso Rock or other Government houses. The demons are truly the occupants of those sacred and holy places; who did everything demonic to get there, continue everything demonic to remain there and will do everything demonic to come back there, as power to mortal beings (Nigerians in particular and Africans in general) is stronger than the strongest wine in Moscow.
Osobu Suuru Alexander donalexander88@yahoo.com 08033819701

ExAngel007:
On Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari
named the Abuja national stadium after MKO
Abiola, presumed winner of the June 12, 1993
presidential election.

Although this has been widely commended, the
state of the stadium has left sour taste in the
mouth.

The 60,000 capacity stadium is now turning to
a shadow of itself, with dilapidated facilities,
grass and refuse littering virtually every spot.
The stadium located not far from the FCT gate
was commissioned in 2003, and estimated to
have gulped a total of $360 million.


Below are pictures of parts of the stadium
taken when TheCable visited the facility on
Saturday morning

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-23-1024x768.jpg

Dried tree branches lying just by the
stadium

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-22-1024x768.jpg

Overgrown trees and grass along one of
the paths within the stadium

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-21-1024x768.jpg

The football field now a shadow of itself
Flowers along dirty path unattended to
Stadium or grazing field?

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-20-1024x768.jpg

No cleaner in sight when TheCable
visited the facility

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-19-1024x768.jpg

Bushes encroaching into the stadium area

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-14-1024x768.jpg

Just by the entrance gate

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-15-1024x768.jpg

Imagine playing football on a field like
this

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-18-1024x768.jpg

Untidy premises

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-13-1024x768.jpg

Another part of the stadium taken over
by grasses

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-10-1024x768.jpg

The stadium fence

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-9-1024x768.jpg

The generator area

https://f5p3e9e4.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Moshood-Abiola-National-Stadium-8-1024x768.jpg

Even the small entrance gates are not left

more pictures here:

https://www.thecable.ng/photos-inside-the-abandoned-stadium-named-after-abiola

lalasticlala Mynd44

don88:
EKITI ELECTION: MONEYBAG POLITICS AND HOPELESS FUTURE
By Osobu Suuru Alexander
The much awaited Ekiti state election has come and gone as the APC’s Gubernatorial candidate; Kayode Fayemi was eventually declared the winner after the intrigues, drama and tensions that enveloped Ekiti state and Nigeria in general. However, the impacts and imprints of the elections might live with us for the next fifty (50) years to come in terms of election conduct, election monetisation, mistrust of electoral umpire, security institution amongst others.
Prior to 14th July, 2018, there have been allegations and counter allegations from the two (2) major political parties (APC &PDP) in the contest as other thirty two (32) political parties seemed unpopular. One of these major allegations has to do with how money was moved around in order to influence the outcome of the election. The spokesman to Governor of Ekiti state; Lere accused that eighteen (18) billion naira was moved to Akure airport by APC- led Federal Government which was dispatched into two (2) bullion vans that eventually conveyed the said money to Ekiti state.
The APC also alleged that a private helicopter landed in Ekiti state Government house and that the mission of the helicopter was to deliver money to Governor Fayose for the purpose of prosecuting the election in favour of PDP as a political party. At first, all these allegations seem as one of those common cheap campaign strategies usually deploy by politicians but most Nigerians received the shock of their lives when money was openly shared, used to entice electorates right at the polling centres.
Though, our democracy seems to be nascent in term of comparison to advanced countries hence, the encouragement that we would grow from the socio-political vices that have permeated the scenes of Nigerian politics which have manifested in form of corruption, mismanagement, misallocation, and misappropriation amongst others for almost twenty (20) years. The situation has taken a nose-diving dimension into a debasing, degrading and dehumanising case as electorates were bought over with money which a school of thought has hinged on the fact that there is creation of ‘artificial hunger’ by both Federal and Ekiti state Governments by deliberately not paying civil servants salaries compounded by the already battered and volatile economic situation of the country thereby living the haggard looking electorates vulnerable. However, there were few people who never sold their future for pot of cheap potage that obviously lack salt.
This is a call for concern to every lover on Nigerian democracy most especially academic scholars and activists as moneybag politics is a bad omen to democracy anywhere in the world. When the highest bidder takes the victory home then criminals would definitely be encouraged to go rob banks and innocent citizens and use the proceeds to buy elections victory therefore, our democracy would have no hope, no future and dividends for the poor masses who might have what to offer but lack the money to buy votes and the people who are supposed to be the centre of democracy.
If we failed to correct this anomaly in the political system right now, someday Evans; the billionaire kidnapper and the likes would be our leaders at National Assembly, State House of Assemblies, Government Houses and other political climes. This would also breed insecurity within the political space as crimes; assassinations, political thugerry, among others would be the order of the day.
It is high time Nigerians took the singular role of educating one another on the danger of selling their votes in this era of civilisation especially as National Orientation Agency (NOA) has gone into oblivion. Unfortunately for poor masses, they are always at the receiving ends no matter what, let’s go into economic calculation a bit of how money was shared in this election and how the poor masses who received less might also be the ones paying dearly in the next for year.
The poor electorates got between the range of three thousand (3,000) naira to ten thousand (10,000) naira depending on your bargaining power. While some middle men in the political business transaction got between the range of fifty thousand (50,000) naira to one hundred and fifty million (150, 000,000) naira. I know it sounds outrageous but be reminded that some people have no physical business in Nigeria other than politics. It is well!
Some few powerful power brokers got over five hundred million (500,000,000) naira to one billion (1, 000, 000, 000,) naira. Some of them were directly in charge of these funds and they decided what share should be theirs. I believe we are beginning to see why politics is a do or die affairs in Nigeria and why thousands of people are ready to sleep in coffins for days and drinking human blood in order to attain political power and forcefully retain it even if it requires everybody to die including their family members and this trend will continue until we demonetise our politics characterised with bogus allowances without tangible work for it. Politics in Nigeria is the biggest investment for those that are in power as over thirty billion (30,000,000,000) was alleged to have exchange hands in Ekiti election.
I pity Ekiti state people because the money some of them collected and thought it is free money; it is actually a ‘Greek Gift’ with string attached to it , some months and years to come they might pay dearly with deflated tummy from economic hardship that would hit them hard like never before. The money is investment of some few individuals who is anxiously waiting for their investment to yield bountifully unfortunately, the state allocations has dwindled over time due to the economic recession the country is battling with.
Finally, I would want Nigerian stakeholders and lovers of democracy to work on best modalities in which our balloting system (open secret ballot) could be improved upon. It is now evident that most of the money exchange took place at the polling booths and this is so perfectly executed as the political parties’ agents involved in the money racketeering would position themselves in a strategic corner where the electorates could show them the ballot papers and having confirmed the party thump-printed thereafter, they come and collect their pay meanwhile, over thirty thousand (30,000) security personnel were on ground while the business transaction go on unchecked.
It is disheartening to hear some of these issues when some countries have gone to the level of people dashing out from place of work to go vote and some people would be in the space (ie moon) and still participate in election by voting for candidates of their choice without much ado like the war-like situation will find ourselves in Nigeria. So pathetic!
Osobu Suuru Alexander- Public affair analyst, social/development worker and writer

don88:
2019 GENERAL ELECTION: A MORE DESPERATE POLITICAL CLASS FOR POLITICAL POWER March 12, 2019 Procyon News By Osobu Suuru Alexander The 2019 general election has taken place in Nigeria even though the process has not generally ended as many states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Kano Plateau and Sokoto) ended inconclusive and results collation suspended in Rivers state. This arguably might be seen as a step to strengthening a democratic process where all electorates’ voices or votes matter to determining the outcome of election especially where election is keenly contested and in the real sense of it, election should not just be a walkover through the processes of manipulations, mutilations of results sheets, snatching of ballot papers and boxes, political thuggery, assassinations etc. However, the overall electoral processes in Nigeria is still largely characterised by these social vices of manipulations, thuggery and assassinations which is largely caused by monetisation of political offices, poor security institutions and its misuse by desperate politicians and officers within its ranks, general belief of the political class who see election as a ‘do-or-die’ affairs in Nigeria, lack of independence of electoral institution amongst others. The 2019 general election has not actually seen any major improvement from what we saw in 2015 under Attahiru Jega and this does not necessarily mean that the head of the umpire; Yakubu Mahmood is less brilliant but it suggests in a way that the political class in Nigeria is still ever desperate to acquire and retain power even with million lives and blood of Nigerians. Between 2015 and 2019, like never before we saw money bag-politics where bags of money was practically moved to polling booths and electorates were made to show their ballots papers strategically to political parties agents and get paid. This was witnessed in the elections in Ekiti, Osun and other states where elections have been conducted recently. Nigeria has also witnessed misuse of security apparatus which has been since 1999 when we returned to democracy, but a serious democratic nation would have reduced this menace but unfortunately, it happened in 2019 because people in power irrespective of political parties benefitted immensely from it and the implication of this is a broad day light invitation for coup. We saw how soldiers and other security agents took over streets and even INEC’s office in Rivers state and other states where heavily militarised under the watch/ command of federal or state Governments officials as the case might apply. The obvious implication was the political apathy recorded across the states of Nigeria as Nigerians were hell-scared to die even though they would eventually die by the stray bullets of soldiers and hoodlums on the pavement of their houses under the supervision of Governments officials. Blood flowing on the streets of Nigeria in the name of election, many Nigerians died including a serving Hose of Rep member; Tope alias ‘Sugar.’ Before the election, we have had killings and reprisal killings especially in Kaduna state where ordinary misunderstanding between two market women could easily degenerate into religious war because everything about the state ranging from human interactions to Governments’ relations is determined by religion. The killing spree continues even after election as this is gradually becoming a way of life and none of these killings takes place without political undertone. Violence is gradually becoming an essential ingredient in our political life in Nigeria as hardly could we conduct any election without perpetration of violence even in the LG election that is expected to be the smallest tier of Government. Eventually blood flows and lives are lost! All these are pointers to the desperation for power by the Nigeria’s political class who don’t mind killing all the citizens except their immediate family members to acquire and retain political power. And here we are after they have acquired the political power! To every sense of developments, be it social, political or technological there is always room for evolution that is improvement/moving from one level to another and a typical example is technology where a phase is seen as analogue and today, we are in the era of digital even though we don’t know where Nigeria is sitting. The umpire; INEC has carried out many electoral activities such as new voters registrations, transfers of voters’ cards, political/electoral education etc with the aid of budget which is the people’s tax. Therefore, 2019 general election was generally expected to be a great improvement from what it used to be unfortunately, the reverse is the case even though the institution; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) tried its little best in terms of policies and social arrangements but we saw that some of these policies and arrangements somersaulted as they were not fulfilled. A good example is the failure to meet the promises to the physically challenged people, Albinos etc and this affected the participation of these groups of people who are also entitled to perform their civic responsibilities without disenfranchisement. Besides, the umpire also gave room for some of these manipulations as some of its personnel are on the payroll of these desperate politicians. How could we explain people being recruited as ad-hoc staff of INEC without formally undergoing the necessary trainings but got on the list because the LG Chairman, Governor or one Minister has forwarded the name while those who were initially shortlisted and attended trainings were shocked to see their names removed on the hour of reporting for assignment in order to collect both sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials. In 2019 general election, most of the international observers have spoken and the statements have all been pointing to the fact that there were irregularities. These are obviously seeing in the high militarisation, violence, ballot box snatching, killings etc and this is gradually defining us amongst the comity of nation. The choice is in our very hands as this level of desperation by the political class must be totally eliminated in order to have a democracy where lives are sacred, where elections outcomes are the true reflection of the people’s wish, where security agents are more professional in the conduct and exercise of their roles, where political parties see governance as a clarion call to serve people and where electoral body is truly independent of unnecessary interference. Recommendations 1. Adopt modern technology, it is easier said than done, the fact remains that going fully digital in our electoral process won’t be an easy task as it requires huge amount of money, the data management and right expertise to manage it is another area that must be put into consideration. The type of technology and the technical knowhow is as important as the election itself. But I have always believed that if some countries in the world are doing it then we could and Nigeria as giant of Africa must as a matter of fact go technological! One bitter experience people had in this election was the untold hardship they suffered from the sudden February 16th postponement as many as travelled to their villages to vote but if we have modern technology this would be avoided; accidents that claimed many lives in the process of travelling for election would be avoided; money would be saved; adopting modern day technology would make us have our elections in one day instead of using one month and paralysing the nation’s economy; wastage of materials would be avoided, imagine over eighty (80) million ballot papers printer and less than thirty (30) million was used as a matter of fact it is unimaginable. Going fully digital would make us avoid violence, thuggery and snatching of ballot boxes because it would be useless to snatch the machines as data would have been saved on the central database. 1. Demonetisation of the nation’s politics is a step that must be taken and prior to 2015, all hope was hinged on Buhari as the man that could do this! We are still waiting patiently for him to take the step even though I know it a process of the laws that requires other arms of government but he must initiate the bill to that effect. Still a mind-boggling matter what people holding political offices take home every month that’s why people would do anything including taking lives to acquire and hold onto power otherwise check out the reason people would swore on their graves that their business associates, friends, sons in- law etc would be the ones to succeed them in office. 1. Electoral education must be taken serious in Nigeria and I should as serious as the election itself. All relevant institutions must be committed to this assignment starting from INEC to National Orientation Agency (NOA) to political parties etc. 2. The legal framework of the electoral process must be strengthened, regrettably, Mr. Buhari refused to sign the electoral act before the 2019 general election hinging his reason on closeness to election period even though, it’s a public knowledge that the document was returned back on several occasions to the National Assembly 3. Training and re-training of electoral personnel is an integral part of electoral process which helps capacity building and administrative comparison especially when it is international training and networking. 4. Knowledge and information sharing should be a constant practice and culture within the electoral umpire. This was more pronounced under the leadership of Attahiru Jega probably partly responsible for the level of success he recorded. 5. Involvement of stakeholders is also important, bringing expertise who are knowledgeable in this act is important and it must be said that international observers are part of the stakeholders who help build electoral process as their recommendations in most cases are genuine and useful. Osobu Suuru Alexander donalexander88@yahoo.com