₦airaland Forum

didn't bother reading.

may have been called something else in the past, but from at least 1900 onward known collectively as yoruba

past is the past, let it be

Communism isn't really comparable to democracy. It is an economic system not a political system. Imagine extreme socialism where you are taxed at 90%+ rates and the state provides everything and controls all aspects of the economy

Anyway, communism sucks. I'm mostly a capitalist myself, though some things that socialists usually espouse (universal healthcare, for example) I am in support of.

Mariory:
It seems folks hold Lagos to a higher standard than other states. They expect and don't mind their state being rubbish but want Lagos to be perfect. That's good to know.

If this was a Lagos state thread it would be on the front page and people from SW, NW, NE, SE, SS, and some foreigners would be on the thread. . .interesting. . .

C'est la vie

I think they expect Fashola to be a god of some sort who can hold back the rain.

Alas. . .

Anyway, things are getting better and will continue to get better.

lol

Nigeria's Challenge
By John Campbell and Asch Harwood
President Goodluck Jonathan is confronting an armed insurrection, a widening Christian-Muslim divide, corruption, poverty, accusations of fraud -- and that's just his first month in office

Jonathan watches a military parade during his inauguration ceremony in Abuja / Reuters


On May 29, 2011, as newly elected Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan took the oath of office, Boko Haram, a shadowy Islamic terrorist group opposed to Nigeria's secular government, detonated three bombs at an army barracks in Bauchi state, killing at least 14 people. Two weeks later, the first suicide bombing in Nigeria's history killed five people just outside the Nigeria Police Headquarters in the national capital, Abuja.

These attacks highlight the challenges that Jonathan's government faces if it is to improve governance, reduce conflict, and promote economic development, all despite Nigeria's extreme inequality, a youth bulge, crumbling infrastructure, and high unemployment. His biggest hurdle will not be the Boko Haram, who in many ways are symptoms of Nigeria's problems, but the entrenched interests that have run Nigeria since the end of the civil war in 1970.

Though Nigeria's elections were largely orderly and peaceful, the violence that came after has left the country polarized between its predominately Christian South, most of which voted for Jonathan, and the 12 mostly Muslim northern states that supported the losing candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, also a Muslim from the North. According to Human Rights Watch, at least 800 people were killed and 65,000 displaced during the days of violence following the elections.

When the presidential results first started to leak, pro-Buhari protestors in most northern cities attacked supporters and officials of Jonathan's ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). Some protesters even targeted the traditional Muslim leadership -- the Sultan of Sokoto, the Emir of Kano and the Emir of Zaria -- who were widely perceived as being on the PDP payroll.


See the rest here: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/print/2011/06/nigerias-challenge/240961/

24 dead in Kano: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gg9R_nvIjruCKG2JIwTgpyLB_Btg?docId=CNG.6acdfe55efe574972a0415bd59f32cca.591

So is there no proper drainage anywhere in Nigeria?

Or is this some unusual (global warming related, maybe?) phenomenon?

Hrm

This throwback seems kinda appropriate  :

[flash=500,500]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0XMn0U9b2Y[/flash]

https://i51.tinypic.com/166mc03.jpg



By Iniabasi Umo
June 24, 2011 12:02AM
print email


Residents of Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State, are still counting their losses owing to a five-hour rain that flooded streets, houses, and destroyed property on Wednesday in the city.

The flooding occured despite huge amounts committed by the Akwa Ibom state government for the construction of a drainage system in the state capital.

The heavy downpour, which lasted between 11am and 3pm, left many streets flooded and created a traffic problem that is becoming a trend in Uyo.

Worst hit by the rain is house 34, G-line, Ewet housing estate, the home of a widow, Matina Sam, where the intensity of the flood water broke down the side fences of her compound and submerged the family car and the whole house in water - leaving the house occupants stranded, with no place to sleep.

Mrs Sam, who left for church in the morning only to return to a house flooded with water, such that she could not even gain entrance into the house without wading through a flood, said since nobody was at home when the rain started it was impossible to redeem anything from the flood.

Her son, Victor, blamed the flooding of their home to the negligence of Recon Construction Company working on the Nsikak Eduok drainage axis.

He said the company cut off the discharge point for water from the gutters in the area, causing all the gutters from the F and G-line axis of the housing estate to channel the flood towards G-line, resulting in the flood which emptied itself into their compound. He said the company has also not shown any sympathy to their plight.

“I blame the company that is handling this drainage work, Recon Construction Company. If they should do a drainage work, they should first start from the discharge outlet before they come over to where they are trying to channel the water. Whenever it rains heavily, it either floods the streets or enters people’s houses but the one of today is too much.

“It has destroyed household equipment, the car, and brought down the fence and even this fence in front is being threatened. Recon Construction is at fault and is to be blamed; they should be held responsible for the damage caused in this area. I called the state consultant of the company overseeing the job, Engineer Bassey, three times this afternoon. He said he is coming down here but to my greatest surprise, up till now, he has not shown up,” Mr Victor said.

Not yet world class

Lamenting that the flooding has made them stranded and cost them most of their property, a poultry and goat-herd, he said the family had to move in with relatives.

“The company should be asked to come and repair the damage they have done here. We have lived here for more than twenty years since 1990 and this has never happened. This same thing happened this time last year, it pulled down the right part of the fence and after persuading them for six months, they came and reconstructed the fence and today, that same fence has been pulled down. I intend to go to court, this loss is just too much,” he said.

During the inauguration of the state governor, Godswill Akpabio, for the 2nd term, he revealed that the city’s underground drainage system would be one of the best of such in Africa.

He said the drainage has been completed, is tested, and ready for commissioning.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5720863-146/heavy_rainfall_destroys_property_in_akwa.csp

logica:
Apparently the quote on your profile is, well, nothing but a quote.

Sometimes things are only what they appear to be. . . apples only apples, shoes only shoes, and quotes only quotes.

Probably not the best idea to assume more than can be safely inferred.

Tribune is a disgrace

Hrm. You learn something new every day, I guess.

I've always been of the opinion that actively stealing != profiting from a mistake that someone else made.

I see your points. . . but it will take me some time to internalize it.

Fortunately this type of thing rarely happens in my life.

Pukkah, if you go to the store to buy fish and the clerk accidentally undercharges you by a lot, and you only find this out when you get home, what do you do in that situation?

Does one lack integrity if you don't immediately drive back to the store and let them know they screwed up?

[quote author=X-factoria link=topic=698038.msg8580601#msg8580601 date=1308905748]@ ekt_bear, abes and denzel2009:

I can't believe that you guys; ekt_bear in particular, would also do the same. People make mistakes but it is not our place to justify an act of fraud simply because the party at the receiving end created room for it.

Secondly there are certain values that we expect from people who are aspiring to public offices. Imagine if it took all sorts of harassment and court cases to get Ajimobi to pay back N15m erroneously credited to him, what will happen when he's confronted with billions of Oyo State money??

I am just so disappointed!!![/quote]I understand your point. I'm not trying to say that he is in the right, or justify what he did. Probably if he were a 100% perfect man, he'd have reported the additional deposit the day it happened, rather than keeping silent about it. Or if he genuinely did not notice, should have promptly refunded it when it was brought to his attention.

But let's be real here. . . how many of us would report it promptly? How many of us would not drag our feet?

Regarding your latter point, is there not a distinction between:

(A) actively stealing public funds and
(B) being slow about fixing someone else's error in your favor?

I don't think being guilty of (B) means you'd also do (A), does it? To me they seem different. If I'm in the woods somewhere and find a $100 bill somewhere, am I obliged to track down the owner?

If I'm shopping somewhere and the store clerk accidentally undercharges me for the item, am I obliged to fix his mistake? Is this just as bad morally as stealing the item from the store outright?

Hrm, maybe my sense of morality is messed up. . . I've never claimed to be perfect or all-knowing. If someone can make a good argument for how this just as bad as stealing from an ethical perspective, please do so and I'll change my opinion on the matter.

Hehe. I'd be slow in returning the money too.

If a bank accidentally pays twice into your account, I think 99.9% of people would drag their feet a bit on resolving the issue 

This is why hereditary leadership is a terrible idea.

That a man was great (Awolowo) does not mean his wife or children will be great.

Desperate to maintain relevance by any means necessary.

Tribune again: http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/24039-insult-on-awo-apologise-or-else-yoruba-tells-omatseye

Smh

This Awolowo family is starting to piss me off.

Who gave them the right to speak on behalf of the Yoruba?  

Speak for yourself and leave it for that!

jmaine:
In as much as there are advantages  . .Nigeria is not yet ripe for State police . .  it would be subjected as vehicle for terrorizing perceived enemies by the power brokers in the states . . .

Aren't politicians already using state police? Akpabio of Akwa Ibom is just one recent example. The ballot-stuffing in the SS and SE could not have happened w/o police help, no?

Or you think it'd get substantially worse? Anyway, imo you can make the chief of police an elected office or something. There have to be ways to get this done.

lmao @ ZnO calling anyone else fraudulent. Which one u dey, o ZnO of 20 NLand usernames?

lmao @ ZnO saying anyone else lacks a thinking cap. Which one u dey, o ZnO of crop production?

CuteTj:
Mama HID @ 96 years our leader? No disrespect to her but if she is my grandma, i'll tell her to go and sit down and be jeun omo-ing instead of frolicking wit PDP

My own aged grandmother is relaxing and enjoying life, playing with her family, involved in her church ministry.

Even if someone had selected her as leader (which they did not), at some point, doesn't the older generation have to yield to the younger one?

The return of the crop production graduate. ZnO/nchara/igbobuigbo, welcome back.

Onlytruth:
Posted by: ekt_bear
You are unnecessarily lionizing aribisala0 for his opinions. His position is at best specious and controversial, hence every Igbo poster did not agree with him. So what I see is a disagreement along tribal lines. He is entitled to his opinions nevertheless. 

I see that some Yoruba folks develop heart attack anytime someone alludes to a unique Igbo way of doing things.
Some of you guys are desperate to cast Igbo as "same Nigerians".

We know better. 

In a certain sense, at least judging from events abroad in SA, US and Asia, Igbo are in fact the most Nigerian of Nigerians. So much that I wish foreign media and commentators would in fact identify Nigerians abroad by their ethnicity rather than under the blanket term "Nigerian."

This is why it makes me laugh sometimes when folks say things to the effect, "Oh, Nigeria would be a wonderful country if an Igbo man was head of X", etc.

So spare us your tales of uniqueness and superiority. Nobody is buying what you are selling.

Lmao. This clown cracks me up

Hrm, interesting posts.

[quote author=EzeUche! link=topic=696662.msg8579537#msg8579537 date=1308884501]Kantan kantan leyi!

In a language you should understand. . . Kuroni'waju mi![/quote]Heh. The truth can be painful, I guess. But it will also set you free. Better than believing the lies you tell yourself.

I still think that this is a bad idea. But is there any good argument for not appointing commissioners (aside from the political stuff that was mentioned in the article)? Perhaps it is cheaper for him to informally hire guys to advise him who are commissioners in everything but name?

I don't get it. Maybe there is some hidden advantage most of us have not seen.

on JUNE 24, 2011 · in POLITICS

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE, OSOGBO

Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s failure to appoint commissioners seven months after he assumed office has now taken a comical turn.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in an unprecedented act of generosity last week suggested names of what the party described as qualified persons the party said were qualified to serve as commissioners in the State. The seeming sincerity of the gesture was underlined by the fact that all the names suggested by the PDP for the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN government were indeed members of the ACN.

Chief Sunday Ojo Williams the acting chairman of the PDP in Osun who proposed the list of nominees on June 12, 2011 in a statement said his party sympathized with Aregbesola over what he described as his dilemma in choosing people into his cabinet since November last year.

In proposing the names, Williams said the offer to give him names of competent, home based people in the ACN was to avoid the unnecessary confusion of importing people from Lagos.

“From his own party, we suggest Mr Sunday Akere or Prince Gboyega Famodun both of them from Igbajo in Boluwaduro local government, Gbola Oguntoye a reknown educationist from Obokun Local Government, Caleb Ojo, a grassroots mobiliser, former local government chairman and a committed ACN member from Ori Ade Local Government. We also suggest Hon. Oguntola Togun, from Iwo, a former House of Representatives member who would have fared better as the Secretary to the State Government and Alhaji Liadi Gbadamosi, another grassroots leader and former Osogbo local government chairman.

“Also, he can consider from Ikirun, Hon Wale Afolabi, pioneer Speaker of Osun state House of Assembly who has stood with the party through thick and thin; there is also Mr Femi Oyedokun, eldest son of Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun from Odo-Otin who will be a great asset to the ACN government having trained very hard in the PDP before decamping to the ACN.

There are also Alhaji Ayoola Rasheed Oyedele, two time chairman of Orolu Local Government and Mr Kola Olabisi, editor of Osun Defender newspaper from Modakeke who is experienced enough to handle the information ministry. He could also consider gender balancing by appointing Alhaja Tayo Adebisi, who was in AD, PDP and now back to ACN and Madam Temilade, ACN women leader in Osogbo Local Government. Other ACN leaders in the state can be asked to nominate their literate wives where there are shortcomings, “ the PDP stated.

In a seeming rebuke the PDP also advised Aregbesola against relying on spiritual powers on the choice of commissioners saying that “it is always better and safe to trust in God and rely on Him when one is in dire straits as Aregbesola is now.”

The PDP said the progress of the state informed its interest in and incessant prayers for Aregbesola over the lack of the Executive Council in Osun state since last year November and noted that the offence of Alhaji Balarabe Musa for which he was impeached as governor of Kaduna state in the second republic was that he did not appoint commissioners five months after assuming office.

“We do not want any political crisis in Osun State that is why we call for prayers for Aregbesola to constitute his cabinet now. We are also concerned by reports that Bola Tinubu wants Aregbesola to appoint 80 percent of his commissioners from Lagos. We advise that he must not take that directive because there are highly qualified home based members of the ACN in Osun state who can perform better than Lagosians.

He should realize that the people are suffering, the economy is comatose and even the contractors recently pre-qualified for jobs in Osun state all came from Lagos. This is why we suggest the names of his supporters whose competence is known to all in our state,” the PDP the boss said.

In his response, the State Acting Chairman of ACN, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi advised Chief Sunday Ojo-Williams to humbly forward his credentials to his office for consideration as a Commissioner in the cabinet of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. In an interview, Adelowo expressed deep understanding over the passion and ploy demonstrated by Ojo-Williams on the constitution of the new cabinet in Osun State.

Recalling that the PDP chairman had openly called for prayers over the commissioner issue, Adebiyi stated that “Ojo-Williams prayer over the issue is understandable. We shall be ready to consider his application purely on the basis of merit without political conditionality since it appears he has become obsessed about it all.”

The ACN chairman added that the seeming desperation so far exhibited by the PDP boss underscored a desire to be part of the historic team that was installed last year under the leadership of Governor Aregbesola.

Adelowo however stated that for him to be qualified for consideration, Ojo-Williams must be ready to “answer tough questions on his past public experiences and curious association with people who bled the state dry and feasted on her patrimony like termites among other related inquisitions”.

The state ACN boss stressed that Mr. Aregbesola, upon assuming office as Governor, had been demonstrating statesmanship without bitterness to anyone including his opponents even in the face of abhorrent situation he inherited from his predecessor coupled with an aborted impeachment plan by the former House of Assembly. He described the roof top noise made by Ojo-Williams on the non-appointment of commissioners as a desperate gambit to divert public attention away from the reckless mismanagement of the resources of Osun State by the PDP administration for close to eight years.

According to him, the “no-commissioner” noise made by Ojo-Williams began as soon as the Contract Review Committee empaneled by Governor Aregbesola submitted a damning report which indicted the PDP administration.

His words: “Ojo-Williams did not talk when the Contract Review Committee (CRC) had not turned in their report. No sooner the committee submitted its damning report exposing the rot in the Oyinlola administration than Ojo-Williams embarked on his trip to the palace of fallacy.

Within seven months of his coming to power, Adebiyi recalled that Governor Aregbesola achieved the near impossible feat of employing 20,000 youths into the volunteer corps through the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES). The ACN chairman also listed the free eye surgery, eye glasses and screening for close to 20,000 indigent patients across the state, the payment of 13th month salary to public service workers, and prompt intervention through welfare of indigenes of Osun State who were marooned in the internal conflict of Cote D’Ivoire as evidence of the populist credentials of Aregbesola.

Beyound the explanation given by the ACN chairman other party sources say that the refusal of Aregbesola to name his cabinet was essentially strategic. It was learnt that the governor’s initial hesitance was borne out of the alleged demand of the PDP members in the last State House of Assembly to impose their members in the local government caretaker committees that was constituted by the governor after he came to office.

One ACN chieftain disclosed that the governor wanted to avert a situation whereby the then House of Assembly would want to frustrate his efforts by either stalling the approval or imposing its members on him as commissioners.

Besides, Aregbesola it was learnt, took the strategic decision ahead of the last general elections to avoid the unnecessary bickering that would have been provoked within his own party by picking commissioners.

“You know as a master political strategist, the governor wanted to unify the party ahead of the last elections so that the party’s energy would not be divided by internal bickering after naming commissioners. So, you see that is why Osun delivered 100% for ACN in the last election,” the Lagos based party chieftain told Vanguard.

With the House of Assembly now completely dominated by the ACN eyes are now on Aregbesola.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/06/where-are-aregbesola%E2%80%99s-commissioners/

I am beginning to think that this civil service is one of the biggest enemies of progress in the SW region.

How many civil servants does Ogun State have? How much do they earn? How many employed in different sectors (e.g., 1000 working for department of such and such, etc)? What does the pay scale look like?

If anyone has access to this information or knows where it can be found, please post.


Btw this shouldn't be taken as an attack on the individuals in the service necessarily, just the way the whole thing is run.

I figured he was just a crook, but it is starting to look that if he is guilty then so is everyone in the house of reps.

Hrm. I figured that this on the same level as "were you r.a.ped by aliens" or something. . . not a particularly harsh insult (if it is an insult at all) due to its implausibility.

If you were offended by that remark, I humbly apologize. . . it is the sort of thing I'd say to my friends in RL and from my tone of voice they'd recognize it isn't a serious statement.

One of the disadvantages of the internet as a means of communication is a loss of subtle things like tone of voice, body language, etc.