₦airaland Forum

sojiboy:
In case you missed it, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an advocacy group, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint Muslim ministers from five south-west states when he constitutes his cabinet for his second term. Why? The group says because five of the south-west governors would be Christians, that is the way to go — to address the “marginalisation of Muslims” in the geo-political zone. Put plainly, what should determine the choice of ministers from the south-west should be religion, religion, religion, religion and religion. The press release said Yoruba Muslims have been marginalised in ministerial appointments for too long “despite being in the majority”.

I seem to understand the game MURIC is trying to play. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has spent the better part of the last 33 years analysing how many Christians are appointed into cabinets, especially when the figure tends to favour Muslims. They are quiet when it favours Christians. In the aftermath of Nigeria’s membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in 1986, CAN became more than a pressure group. In fact, it could have been registered as a political party along the line, given the role it played in weaponising religion in the politics of Nigeria. I guess MURIC was propped up as a counterforce to CAN and it is now trying to outCAN CAN.

One problem I can see, though, is that MURIC is not serving as a counterforce to CAN at the national level but has been working very hard to divide the south-west along religious lines. Although I have heard many people describe MURIC in uncomplimentary terms and would want the body ignored or even blacked out of media coverage, the truth remains that it represents a tendency and it is gaining followership. The Yoruba love to celebrate their multi-religious culture and often boast that they cannot be divided along religious lines. However, recent events suggest that this religious harmony should not be taken for granted, not with MURIC on the prowl.

What is MURIC’s complaint? Of the six south-west states, five will be governed by Christians by May 29, 2019. Only Osun state will be ruled by a Muslim, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola. Although Senator Ademola Adeleke has won his case at the election petitions tribunal, Oyetola is expected to appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. Adeleke, who goes by the name Nurudeen, is assumed to be a Muslim, although MURIC has rejected this claim and once issued a statement saying the dancing senator is a Christian. If Adekele eventually becomes governor, MURIC will have yet another evidence that Muslims have been marginalised in Yorubaland. It will then demand six ministers.

But how relevant is religion in the politics of south-west Nigeria? Is MURIC trying to solve a problem that does not exist? Is the body genuinely worried that if religion does not become a factor, south-west Muslims might be relegated to the background and be denied what belongs to them in the scheme of things? The south-west is the only region in Nigeria that is evenly divided between adherents of Islam and Christianity. While the north is predominantly Muslim, the south-south and the south-east are predominantly Christian. But no one, apart from MURIC, describes the south-west as predominantly Muslim or Christian. You have Christians and Muslims in almost every family.

From my own understanding of Yoruba politics, I would say religion has never really been a factor. Let’s be clear: religion is a very strong sentiment for millions of Nigerians, the Yoruba inclusive. However, when it comes to politics, it appears the Yoruba have managed to keep religion out of it most of the time. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the revered Yoruba politician, was a Christian, but some of his closest associates were Muslims, notably Chief SO Gbadamosi and Alhaji DS Adegbenro. When the Western House of Assembly crisis broke out in 1962, Awolowo favoured Adegbenro to take over as premier from Chief SL Akintola, a Christian. Religion was not on the cards.

In the second republic, it was even more “ridiculous”. There was nothing like the religious balancing of governorship tickets that we have today. The governor of Lagos state was Alhaji Lateef Jakande, and his deputy was Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo. Both were Muslims. There was no CAN noise. The governor of Ogun was Chief Olabisi Onabanjo and his deputy was Chief Samuel Soluade. Both were Christians. There was no MURIC. The governor of Oyo was Chief Bola Ige and his deputy was Chief SM Afolabi. Both were Christians. Nobody even thought about it. Although Chief Bisi Akande, a Muslim, later became deputy to Ige, religion was not the consideration.

The crisis created by Nigeria’s full membership of OIC in 1986 appeared to have snatched this innocence from Yorubaland. The mutual suspicion created at the national level percolated to the south-west, and suddenly the two religions must be accommodated in a governor-deputy ticket, even when nobody really cared about it. Yet, there was a deviation: when Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola was governor of Osun state from 2003 to 2007, his deputy was Mrs Olusola Obada. Both of them were Christians. In a state that is most probably predominantly Muslim, nobody raised an eyebrow. Nobody discussed religion. This is one thing the Yoruba seem to have conquered.

I will even go one more step. Most of those regarded as leading Yoruba politicians today are married to Christians, though they are Muslims. Name them: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Akande (who lost his wife in 2017), Senator Abiola Ajimobi (the “constituted authority”), Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, and a host of others. Akande nominated two ministers into Buhari’s cabinet — Prof. Isaac Adewole and Prof. Omoleye Daramola — and both are Christians. Amosun, a Muslim, nominated Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, a Christian, into the cabinet. That is the kind of liberal and convivial religious atmosphere that has shaped Yoruba politics for ages.

Even the Christians that have been elected governors in the south-west had the support of Muslims. How on earth could Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu have been elected governor of Lagos without the support of Muslim heavyweights? Mr. Dapo Abiodun is governor-elect of Ogun state with the full backing of Tinubu. Mr. Oluwaseyi Makinde has been elected governor of Oyo state with the backing of key politicians who are Muslims, most notably Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja. In the same state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, a Christian, handed his supporters to Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, a Muslim. It would, therefore, be very wrong to say there is a conspiracy to install Christian governors in the south-west.

I am very much aware that the Lagos branch of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) addressed the press sometime in 2014 asking that the next governor of Lagos should be a Christian because Christians had been supporting Muslims since 1999, but those familiar with the story said it was a game arranged by the big masquerade himself who was eyeing a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. As ridiculous as it sounds, religion was not the motivation for the PFN demand! Fashola was doing well as governor of Lagos and nobody asked whether he was holding the Quran or the Bible on the day he was sworn in. Sure, I support balancing but I won’t kill for it.

However, the controversy over the wearing of the hijab in schools in the south-west is a pointer that the Yoruba are also vulnerable to religious conflict. If you ask me, though, I would think it is just a matter of intolerance and a storm in a teacup. There are churches that ban their members from wearing earrings and even instruct them to wear headscarf — so how is wearing hijab a problem for anybody if not that some people just want to stoke fire? Indeed, if MURIC concentrates its resources on advocating for Muslims in the south-west to practise their religion without let or hindrance, without intimidation or discrimination, it would have my support 100%.
While MURIC has the constitutional right to advocate as it wishes, I would advise, with every sense of humility, that weaponising religion in south-west politics is too dangerous. Northern Nigeria is today sharply divided by religion. The tension is permanent. I don’t envy them. Northerners identify themselves first by their religions before anything else. In many northern cities, it is rare to see Muslims and Christians living in the same area, much less the same compound. But in Yoruba homes, you can have two people sleeping on a bed — one a Muslim, the other a Christian. If religion is, therefore, successfully turned into a lethal weapon in the south-west, who can survive it?

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…
BRAIN DRAIN AGAIN

You do not need a stethoscope to diagnose the malignant ailment within the medical profession in Nigeria. Most of the doctors I have spoken with complain about poor equipment and low morale. Even the medical schools are poorly equipped and many of the teachers are directly from hell. So I was not surprised to learn that Nigerian medical doctors have joined the brain drain train. This time, it is not to Canada. It is to Saudi Arabia. Hundreds of doctors recently thronged a popular hotel in Lagos where officials of Saudi Arabia health ministry came to recruit them. Soon, we will not complain about poor hospitals again. We will be talking about lack of doctors. Unhealthy.

POLL DANCE

Senator Ademola Adeleke, also known as the ‘Dancing Senator’, has been declared winner of the September 2018 governorship poll in Osun state by the tribunal — and many would say it was not such a surprise. The circumstances surrounding the declaration of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of APC as the winner were strange — especially how some results were cancelled, thereby forcing a supplementary election. The tribunal declared the cancellation “illegal” and proclaimed Adeleke, the PDP candidate, as the winner. Oyetola will definitely fight all the way to the Supreme Court, but INEC needs to save us this waste of precious time and resources in future elections. Justice.

THE PAWN

The story of Tanitoluwa Adewumi, the eight-year-old Nigerian chess genius in the US, has caught global attention. It is the romantic story we all love to read: a poor, little homeless boy conquering the world with a sling and a stone. Tani has won the New York State Scholastic Primary Championship in his age bracket — and he only started learning to play chess a year ago! Even former US President Bill Clinton has invited him for a handshake. The line that the Adewumis were fleeing from Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria may be suspect, but let us just eat the rice and ignore the stones. Tani could have been hawking “pure water” if he was still in Nigeria. Opportunities.

AND FINALLY…

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of reps, recently wrote to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as well as the governments of the US, the UK and the EU on a “plot” by the federal government of Nigeria “to unleash violence on innocent citizens of Bauchi state” ahead of the supplementary elections. I don’t know if Dogara took the right step or not, but these guys must be getting tired of receiving mails from Nigerians every day. The rate at which Nigerians are writing to ICC, UK, US and EU these days at the slightest provocation must have turned us into a laughing stock. Expect a Nigerian husband to petition ICC soon if the wife is reluctant to open the door for him. Petty.


https://www.thecable.ng/weaponising-religion-in-yoruba-politics/amp

sojiboy:
In case you missed it, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an advocacy group, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint Muslim ministers from five south-west states when he constitutes his cabinet for his second term. Why? The group says because five of the south-west governors would be Christians, that is the way to go — to address the “marginalisation of Muslims” in the geo-political zone. Put plainly, what should determine the choice of ministers from the south-west should be religion, religion, religion, religion and religion. The press release said Yoruba Muslims have been marginalised in ministerial appointments for too long “despite being in the majority”.

I seem to understand the game MURIC is trying to play. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has spent the better part of the last 33 years analysing how many Christians are appointed into cabinets, especially when the figure tends to favour Muslims. They are quiet when it favours Christians. In the aftermath of Nigeria’s membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in 1986, CAN became more than a pressure group. In fact, it could have been registered as a political party along the line, given the role it played in weaponising religion in the politics of Nigeria. I guess MURIC was propped up as a counterforce to CAN and it is now trying to outCAN CAN.

One problem I can see, though, is that MURIC is not serving as a counterforce to CAN at the national level but has been working very hard to divide the south-west along religious lines. Although I have heard many people describe MURIC in uncomplimentary terms and would want the body ignored or even blacked out of media coverage, the truth remains that it represents a tendency and it is gaining followership. The Yoruba love to celebrate their multi-religious culture and often boast that they cannot be divided along religious lines. However, recent events suggest that this religious harmony should not be taken for granted, not with MURIC on the prowl.

What is MURIC’s complaint? Of the six south-west states, five will be governed by Christians by May 29, 2019. Only Osun state will be ruled by a Muslim, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola. Although Senator Ademola Adeleke has won his case at the election petitions tribunal, Oyetola is expected to appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. Adeleke, who goes by the name Nurudeen, is assumed to be a Muslim, although MURIC has rejected this claim and once issued a statement saying the dancing senator is a Christian. If Adekele eventually becomes governor, MURIC will have yet another evidence that Muslims have been marginalised in Yorubaland. It will then demand six ministers.

But how relevant is religion in the politics of south-west Nigeria? Is MURIC trying to solve a problem that does not exist? Is the body genuinely worried that if religion does not become a factor, south-west Muslims might be relegated to the background and be denied what belongs to them in the scheme of things? The south-west is the only region in Nigeria that is evenly divided between adherents of Islam and Christianity. While the north is predominantly Muslim, the south-south and the south-east are predominantly Christian. But no one, apart from MURIC, describes the south-west as predominantly Muslim or Christian. You have Christians and Muslims in almost every family.

From my own understanding of Yoruba politics, I would say religion has never really been a factor. Let’s be clear: religion is a very strong sentiment for millions of Nigerians, the Yoruba inclusive. However, when it comes to politics, it appears the Yoruba have managed to keep religion out of it most of the time. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the revered Yoruba politician, was a Christian, but some of his closest associates were Muslims, notably Chief SO Gbadamosi and Alhaji DS Adegbenro. When the Western House of Assembly crisis broke out in 1962, Awolowo favoured Adegbenro to take over as premier from Chief SL Akintola, a Christian. Religion was not on the cards.

In the second republic, it was even more “ridiculous”. There was nothing like the religious balancing of governorship tickets that we have today. The governor of Lagos state was Alhaji Lateef Jakande, and his deputy was Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo. Both were Muslims. There was no CAN noise. The governor of Ogun was Chief Olabisi Onabanjo and his deputy was Chief Samuel Soluade. Both were Christians. There was no MURIC. The governor of Oyo was Chief Bola Ige and his deputy was Chief SM Afolabi. Both were Christians. Nobody even thought about it. Although Chief Bisi Akande, a Muslim, later became deputy to Ige, religion was not the consideration.

The crisis created by Nigeria’s full membership of OIC in 1986 appeared to have snatched this innocence from Yorubaland. The mutual suspicion created at the national level percolated to the south-west, and suddenly the two religions must be accommodated in a governor-deputy ticket, even when nobody really cared about it. Yet, there was a deviation: when Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola was governor of Osun state from 2003 to 2007, his deputy was Mrs Olusola Obada. Both of them were Christians. In a state that is most probably predominantly Muslim, nobody raised an eyebrow. Nobody discussed religion. This is one thing the Yoruba seem to have conquered.

I will even go one more step. Most of those regarded as leading Yoruba politicians today are married to Christians, though they are Muslims. Name them: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Akande (who lost his wife in 2017), Senator Abiola Ajimobi (the “constituted authority”), Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, and a host of others. Akande nominated two ministers into Buhari’s cabinet — Prof. Isaac Adewole and Prof. Omoleye Daramola — and both are Christians. Amosun, a Muslim, nominated Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, a Christian, into the cabinet. That is the kind of liberal and convivial religious atmosphere that has shaped Yoruba politics for ages.

Even the Christians that have been elected governors in the south-west had the support of Muslims. How on earth could Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu have been elected governor of Lagos without the support of Muslim heavyweights? Mr. Dapo Abiodun is governor-elect of Ogun state with the full backing of Tinubu. Mr. Oluwaseyi Makinde has been elected governor of Oyo state with the backing of key politicians who are Muslims, most notably Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja. In the same state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, a Christian, handed his supporters to Mr. Adebayo Adelabu, a Muslim. It would, therefore, be very wrong to say there is a conspiracy to install Christian governors in the south-west.

I am very much aware that the Lagos branch of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) addressed the press sometime in 2014 asking that the next governor of Lagos should be a Christian because Christians had been supporting Muslims since 1999, but those familiar with the story said it was a game arranged by the big masquerade himself who was eyeing a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. As ridiculous as it sounds, religion was not the motivation for the PFN demand! Fashola was doing well as governor of Lagos and nobody asked whether he was holding the Quran or the Bible on the day he was sworn in. Sure, I support balancing but I won’t kill for it.

However, the controversy over the wearing of the hijab in schools in the south-west is a pointer that the Yoruba are also vulnerable to religious conflict. If you ask me, though, I would think it is just a matter of intolerance and a storm in a teacup. There are churches that ban their members from wearing earrings and even instruct them to wear headscarf — so how is wearing hijab a problem for anybody if not that some people just want to stoke fire? Indeed, if MURIC concentrates its resources on advocating for Muslims in the south-west to practise their religion without let or hindrance, without intimidation or discrimination, it would have my support 100%.
While MURIC has the constitutional right to advocate as it wishes, I would advise, with every sense of humility, that weaponising religion in south-west politics is too dangerous. Northern Nigeria is today sharply divided by religion. The tension is permanent. I don’t envy them. Northerners identify themselves first by their religions before anything else. In many northern cities, it is rare to see Muslims and Christians living in the same area, much less the same compound. But in Yoruba homes, you can have two people sleeping on a bed — one a Muslim, the other a Christian. If religion is, therefore, successfully turned into a lethal weapon in the south-west, who can survive it?

AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…
BRAIN DRAIN AGAIN

You do not need a stethoscope to diagnose the malignant ailment within the medical profession in Nigeria. Most of the doctors I have spoken with complain about poor equipment and low morale. Even the medical schools are poorly equipped and many of the teachers are directly from hell. So I was not surprised to learn that Nigerian medical doctors have joined the brain drain train. This time, it is not to Canada. It is to Saudi Arabia. Hundreds of doctors recently thronged a popular hotel in Lagos where officials of Saudi Arabia health ministry came to recruit them. Soon, we will not complain about poor hospitals again. We will be talking about lack of doctors. Unhealthy.

POLL DANCE

Senator Ademola Adeleke, also known as the ‘Dancing Senator’, has been declared winner of the September 2018 governorship poll in Osun state by the tribunal — and many would say it was not such a surprise. The circumstances surrounding the declaration of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of APC as the winner were strange — especially how some results were cancelled, thereby forcing a supplementary election. The tribunal declared the cancellation “illegal” and proclaimed Adeleke, the PDP candidate, as the winner. Oyetola will definitely fight all the way to the Supreme Court, but INEC needs to save us this waste of precious time and resources in future elections. Justice.

THE PAWN

The story of Tanitoluwa Adewumi, the eight-year-old Nigerian chess genius in the US, has caught global attention. It is the romantic story we all love to read: a poor, little homeless boy conquering the world with a sling and a stone. Tani has won the New York State Scholastic Primary Championship in his age bracket — and he only started learning to play chess a year ago! Even former US President Bill Clinton has invited him for a handshake. The line that the Adewumis were fleeing from Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria may be suspect, but let us just eat the rice and ignore the stones. Tani could have been hawking “pure water” if he was still in Nigeria. Opportunities.

AND FINALLY…

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of reps, recently wrote to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as well as the governments of the US, the UK and the EU on a “plot” by the federal government of Nigeria “to unleash violence on innocent citizens of Bauchi state” ahead of the supplementary elections. I don’t know if Dogara took the right step or not, but these guys must be getting tired of receiving mails from Nigerians every day. The rate at which Nigerians are writing to ICC, UK, US and EU these days at the slightest provocation must have turned us into a laughing stock. Expect a Nigerian husband to petition ICC soon if the wife is reluctant to open the door for him. Petty.


https://www.thecable.ng/weaponising-religion-in-yoruba-politics/amp

davimus:
I travelled outside the country three years ago to hustle and had to abandon my studies, but fast forward to last year, an old coursemate of mine contacted me, telling me that i can get my certificate directly from academics without rounding up my studies and that i only have to pay the sum of 800,000 thousand naira which i did

But till now if i call him to get me the certificate or refund me my money, he threatens and hangs the call on me, please nairalanders how do i approach this issue or get my money back from him?

davimus:
I travelled outside the country three years ago to hustle and had to abandon my studies, but fast forward to last year, an old coursemate of mine contacted me, telling me that i can get my certificate directly from academics without rounding up my studies and that i only have to pay the sum of 800,000 thousand naira which i did

But till now if i call him to get me the certificate or refund me my money, he threatens and hangs the call on me, please nairalanders how do i approach this issue or get my money back from him?

chiedu7:
Na Sultan dey install Oba

TOPCRUISE:
Sad. So he is the brother to the gallant and courageous Yoruba officer, colonel Victor Banjo who believed strongly in the igbo cause and led the Biafran forces in the attack against the mid-west and the west.

The Nigerian political elite did not put him to recognition despite his sacrifices and that of his brother who was eventually executed by ojukwu.

Offpoint1:
Like I always said, Nigerian are their own problems until we realize that this nation will never move an inch of progress.

A potential individual [Nigerian] brought two options on the table, one of which is beneficial to Nigeria and other which is totally of no benefits to Nigeria and Nigerians... to my greatest surprise, all comments from Nigerians above and below is advising he leaves. They don't even know genius doctors will soon go extinct in Nigeria because they're leaving the shore almost everyday.

My question is How will Nigeria be great when Nigerians are advising all the already threatened brains to leave? Each time they leave the more useless and endanger Nigerian health sector becomes.

Sometimes is not what your country can do for you, it's what you can do for your country.

Your house is on fire, instead of us to seek for solutions on how to quench the fire, we ran to relax in our neighbors abode.

I know everyone deserves the best out of life, everyone wants the best out of life, but sometimes in life we have to make sacrifices which aren't convenient but are worth it.

Op, I know if you leave, your probabilities of coming back is zero to none. remember the lives you've saved so far with the little available resources to you. think of lives that will lost when you're not there to contribute... is it really worth it?
If you have intentions of coming back, there's nothing wrong if you go for your masters outside the shore, but it'll be inhume if you don't return after witnessing what your people are going through.


like I always wrote on my facebook wall and whatsapp status... "If your ambition in life is to go to school, graduate, get a job, build a house, get a car, get a wife and bore kids... then you don't know your purpose of existence"


I know I'm offpoint, that's what everyone thinks of me... but I'm always on the right path, so please don't quote to insult me if your IQ is lower than my UBA account balance. if you care to know, it's N32.00

ojun50:
Which kind of women we get on earth self

amaniro:
Islamophobia. Why is there no Christian phobia?



Reason being simple that Muslims have developed a feeling that they naturally hate them I've lived with them for decades now. Even in America they hate Christians also.

dominique:
I like this rule. Our men have been conning their wives into contributing to develop property acquired in their name only to kick her out when things get sour. It doesn't matter whose name the propety is in, as long as it was acquired while in the marriage, both parties have rights to it.

TriumphStone:
All hail the reformed and disciplined Nigerian Army. Even those who maliciously hated you in the past have keenly observed both your private and official actions in the last three years and Nigerians fete you with accolades as venerated institution. The phrase drops on every lip and everywhere in shocking pleasantness.



The Army has proved skeptics wrong; it has triumphed over masked enemies who plotted and set booby traps on their official paths to cascade the failure of soldiers to erupt in indiscernible joy. Unfortunately, these esteemed soldiers have not fumbled in all national engagements as anticipated by the anti-progressive forces. Instead, they are soaring higher with each given opportunity.



The Army’s deployment to assist civil security secure the country to conduct peaceful, free, fair and credible presidential and national assembly elections in Nigeria has also been performed with exceptional splendor, in spite of the initial upbraids. Army personnel exuded unquestionable patriotism and loyalty to their country, by keeping faith with their creed of service.



Soldiers dispensed this assignment in a manner which has further conferred palms on it as an institution or intensified the respect earned from Nigerians previously. Today, Nigerians and indeed, the international community are regaled that the country has successfully gone through the first round of the 2019 general elections without any major setback. The Army played a significant role in preventing the elections from degenerating into free and unbridled violence.



Much thanks to the COAS and leader of counter-insurgency operations in Nigeria, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai. He is a leader, who does not just bark to his personnel. Each time he shouts, there is an urgent national problem, worth solving with the active backing of the Army. He sleeps and eats patriotism for his country and constantly evolves way to restructure the Army in accordance with global best practices. When he steps out with his foot soldiers on any special assignment, brooding enemies of Nigeria take cover and allow peace to reign.



The Army Chief cherishes peace infinitely, but does not brook the effrontery of armed gangs who are out to violently destroy and ruin the security and peace of Nigeria. The peace and unity of Nigeria is always uppermost on his mind at all times.



So, consistently, Gen. Buratai pictures national interest at heart. And when he scowls, it is not intended to harm the innocent, but to squeeze the juice out of hardened armed gangs and militias tormenting the peace loving and law abiding Nigerians. That’s why, he has adopted the “carrot and stick,” approach in his engagement of the Nigerian people. Armed criminal gangs only incur his wrath when they ignore the carrot of peace dangled at them. It is what defines his official posturing in all assignments.



Gen. Buratai again spoke to Nigerians endearingly in the aftermath of the presidential and national assembly elections. This was a ballot which stirred some uproars from the opposition over the drafting of soldiers for assistance. The e Army Chief for the umpteenth time, tasked the conscience of Nigerians on a dispassionate appraisal and an unbiased perception of military participation in the electoral process.



Rather than see it as an aberration, Gen. Buarati persuaded Nigerians to view the Army as apolitical and or neutral and their deployment for election duties was only part of a core constitutional responsibility of securing the nation. It becomes expedient where civil security fails or is likely to fail.



Gen. Buratai yelled in his post-election assessment, “ When a General Speaks on national issues, he speaks strategy, not politics. It is a way and a means to an end. Therefore, the end result will be national defence and security. It is also to foster national unity, peace, development and protection of human rights.”



And truly, Nigerians can verify that after the general elections, the end result is the sustenance of national security and defence. And this is the spirit that guided the operations of the Army throughout the duration of the general elections. They were after national security and defence alone; they never brooked those who attempted to compromise it.



Soldiers were not part of the gangs intent of conniving with politicians to compromise elections or truncate democracy. Since Gen. Buratai assumed leadership of the Army, he has persistently preached to Army personnel about absolute subordination and obedience to civil authority, respect for the dignity and human rights of Nigerians. These tenets have always been observed religiously by Army personnel under his watch.



And the Army Chief spares no disciplinary action on any soldier, who engages in unprofessional or unethical conduct, while on special assignments’, no matter how highly placed or “connected,” in the military. Many have been penalized by Gen. Buratai for such professional misconduct.



It explains why, even after the general elections, the most loquacious or acerbic of critics have never raised eyebrows or accused soldiers of indulgence in compromising the electoral process. Those initially opposed to the deployment of soldiers to ensure national security and peace for the electorates to cast their votes are dead quiet after the ballot. There is no modicum of misdemeanor which can be traced or labeled on the Army. Rather soldiers arrested many electoral fraudsters and handed them over to prosecuting authorities.



The excellence performance of the Army is not in anyway, an indication that they never faced such temptations’ or were never induced into such dishonorable acts on the field. But they resisted the antics of politicians to smear their reputation. Such cases were replete in scores of places all over Nigeria.



One of such instance is the prominent case between the Rivers State Gov, Nyesom Wike’s alleged attempt to financially induce soldiers on the February 23, 2019 election duty as publicly attested in a press briefing by the Deputy director, Army Public Relations, Col. Aminu Iliyasu of the 6 Division Nigerian Army.



But the soldiers refused to bow to Gov. Wike’s satanic actions to lure the Army officers into compromising the electoral process. They rejected his cash and performed their duties, in consonance with their conscience, loyalty and patriotism to the nation.



It is an exemplary conduct by the Army officers, who have made Nigeria proud. In field operations, the soldiers have demonstrated or replicated the orientations and disposition of the leadership of the Nigerian Army under Gen. Buratai. He is a no nonsense, strict and disciplined officer.



It is an indication that the present breed of Army personnel have harkened to Gen. Buratai’s teachings on patriotism, selflessness and discipline in all their national assignments’. With a Nigerian Army which has redefined itself on the path of discipline, truth, honesty and selflessness, Nigeria is surely on the route to recovery and national progress on all fronts.

Onmeje wrote this article from the United Kingdom.

lahizak:
Recently, I have been reading guys complaining real hard that they are spending all their savings on girls who later betray them.

Even though its understood that it's guys that are not very rich that make such complain but I still dey wonder, Why the hell will you spend all or a huge bundle of your savings on a girl.

Even if you in a serious relationship, the girl that means well will want you to save up. Guys please stop buying heaven and earth for a girl when you dont have much. If the girl calls you stingy, just smile and leave. Let her go hit herself a rich guy or sugar daddy.

Please, stop disturbing us with the fact that you spent all your savings on her. At the end of the day if you break up, she will still say you spent peanut and you are stingy.

I'm not saying you should not spend on her ooo. Spend the amount that you know you will still sleep comfortably after spending.

That's my little advice

kingphilip:
Start something no matter how small it is become your own boss from doing little and watch it grow

The beginning may be quite difficult but the end will surely be great

Use this time to take a survey of your environment and see people's needs and find ways of solving them

Most private owners like your former place of work are that way and that will not change any time soon

kingphilip:
Start something no matter how small it is become your own boss from doing little and watch it grow

The beginning may be quite difficult but the end will surely be great

Use this time to take a survey of your environment and see people's needs and find ways of solving them

Most private owners like your former place of work are that way and that will not change any time soon

kingphilip:
Start something no matter how small it is become your own boss from doing little and watch it grow

The beginning may be quite difficult but the end will surely be great

Use this time to take a survey of your environment and see people's needs and find ways of solving them

Most private owners like your former place of work are that way and that will not change any time soon

CAPSLOCKED:
I WASN'T EVEN EXPECTING ANYTHING SENSIBLE TO COME FROM YOU. NORMAL NO BRAIN TALK WE GET FROM SOME OF YOU WOMEN EVERY NOW AND THEN.

I DON'T GO AROUND TOUCHING BOTTOMS SO THAT I CAN BE EMBARRASSED AND BEATEN LIKE YOU WOULD WANT.
I SIMPLY ASK THE PRICE AND GET THE ENTIRE PACKAGE!

Amarabae:
First of all, I want to congratulate President Buhari for his reelection ,
I didn't vote for him but at the end of the day, he won
That's one of the beauties of democracy!
Going through the results of the presidential election from the north, I can't help but admit that I am disappointed at the PDP presidential candidate Alhaji atiku abubakar.
1. Knowing fully well that there is a corruption tag hanging around you, why shouting "you will sell NNPC up and down "
What's the essence of the noise?
And about selling it, to whom?
Likely himself through a proxy and his friends,
That NNPC brouhaha depopularise him.
He should learn how to keep his mouth shut most times.
Does he know how many people lost their jobs when Nitel was sold,
Many Nigerians especially northerners were not comfortable with that selling of NNPC thing.
.
2. He didn't prepare well against rigging and malpractice.
This is Nigeria where elections comes with drama, his presidential campaign organization should have put in mechanism in place to counter that.
And BTW who was the campaign director?
Oh Saraki, who was more focused on retaining his senatorial seat to no avail,
Their whole planning was poor!
.
3. Atiku needs to ask himself why he was unpopular in the north?
I never knew that he was this unpopular,
Losing your polling unit to buhari is a big embarrassment please,
Let's be frank, Buhari smashed the northern votes,
We thought atiku will divide the northern votes, but what we saw was disheartening.
Look at south where his vice president aspirant, Peter Obinna came from, PDP won the highest number of votes in the south,
That means that Peter Obi delivered.
To my suprise, the PDP votes from South west was very impressive
What is Atiku excuse for the poor performance of PDP in the north from where he is from?
.
4. Dear Atiku,
I tried for you,
Supported you,
Voted for you
But hope you are aware, that the buhari you can't defeat, you joined hands in pushing him to aso rock in 2015?
When you were in APC, you left APC, ran back to PDP that you helped in removing from power and now you can't defeat APC and buhari.
Maybe it is karma fighting back!
Who knows!

.
Dear Atiku Abubakar
Accept the defeat in good faith
No need of going to court, it will be subjecting yourself to more ridicule.
You are still a billionaire.
Try again in 2023
But certainly NOT in PDP.
Thank you.
From Oriaku Amarachi