₦airaland Forum

bayooooooo: I have wondered while Nairaland has not been employed as a platform to at least address some of our problems. The owner is probably interested in making it a gossip website than a platform for sound discussion. If that's what drive the traffic, why would he behave differently? There are just too many items on the front page that are not even gossip worthy not to talk of newsworthy while a thread like this is hidden somewhere. Get a picture of how Obama yawned in Florida and before we say Jack Robinson, it's already on the front page. It's such a sad thing.

I know you are in diaspora. It's difficult for someone who has lived in Nigeria and then get to West not to be genuinely concerned about happenings in Nigeria. Why? You realize our problem is not as great as it seems. There is nothing in the whole of Germany and USA(the two countries I am familiar with) that can not be replicated in Nigeria. Nothing! But our political process is such a bad path that leaders who are not even interested in being president kept emerging in a country where presidency is everything.

I have come to conclusion that except the Left in Nigeria shun ethnicity and come together, set up an alternative platform, capture the presidency and restructure the country to a workable federation, development will continue to elude us. Some of us are erroneously fixated on corruption as the sole problem of Nigeria. That's not true. The structure breeds corruption and until the system is redesigned, corruption will continue to grow and even become part of Nigerian culture.

It would be nice if great minds from diverse ethnic backgrounds can come together on this forum to even influence and shape opinions. We can control the media, influence opinions and shape direction of discussion on this platform. We can even set up group that can participate directly in Nigerian political process. That's the power social media has brought to this generation. Let's use it to make an impact.

True. In fact, majority of our problems are self-created. Like I said earlier, we do not have to re-invent the wheel. Too many 'templates' exist to the extent we are spoilt for choice as "developing Nations". The main problem is that parochial interest always overcome effort to secure the deliverance of a system that caters for what is best for the majority.

@Igbo2011.


By the way, do you see how many responses this thread has gained? If it is a thread focusing on mindless ethnic baiting or vacuous pontifications about a war several decades in the past, we will be on page 50 now. What does that tell you about NL?

This is why I fully appreciate what you said earlier , reproduced below, about many Africans being "mentally enslaved". To be honest, it is disheartening. Ultimately, one is almost left to conclude that human effort is but a little part of the jigsaw. Perhaps evolution is the most important part. When the likes of lumumba and Nkrumah arrive ahead of their time, they ultimately fail because others , their own "brothers and Sisiters", are simply not evolved enough to appreciate and protect them. I think we can only do our best and leave the rest to God and evolution. You can't force folks to see or appreciate what they have no capacity to discern.

but it is hard.d Most Africans worldwide are mentally enslaved. Slavery, colonization, media and negative history has destroyed the mind of the African.

igbo2011: Let me know whatever you do man. I would love to help support the movement. I have a site promoting African economics. I saw that you did business in one of your former posts. Does your company manufacture in Africa? if so I would love to add your company to the site www.africanedp.com

My brother, I am not involved with manufacturing currently but I plan to be in future. Currently, I am involved specifically with Property development, commercial hospitality, e-trading various African offerings to the West, importation and 'equitable' franchising. I am particularly passionate about 'equitable' francising because I think it can transform Africa. For example, the company below can be brought to Nigeria and Ghana in a purist and non-exploitative form. They have racked up awards for value and specialist efficacy:

http://www.richersounds.com/

With this aspect of things, if we don't get involved as Africans, then others outside our continent will pick up the mantle and they will, because of a lack of committment to Africa, provide franchising without the "equitable" part.

We don't have to re-invent the wheel when we can just trade more equitably by accepting , alongside our zeal for profit, the intrinsic responsibility, as educated men from the poorest continent on Earth, which means we should also be driven by a desire to bring development to Africa. The 'templates' are there already and I sometimes wonder why so many cannot see it. In the end, I can only conclude the education in Africa does not optimally deliver solutions providers. Many search for multiple masters degree and vacuous academic pursuit when, in reality, the main purpose of education is to make you a solutions-provider and trouble-shooter able to better how man does things.

Business-minded Africans, with a moral backbone, that helps them acknowledges inherent responsibility to our continent of origin, simply have to rise up to the challenge. It is too easy to focus on the acquisition of vaste wealth , for its own sake alone but better to think how your business pursuits can develop your nation and continent. Trading and business remains essentially about supplying goods and services, and even 'intangibles' to areas where they can be purchased to derive profit for the suppliers offering those goods and services. When advising many of my diasporan friends looking to 'come home', I simply tell them "what can you bring from the West , goods or services, that Africa needs and what, from Africa, is needed in the West that you can export to gain profit?"

ftmom: I doubt the risk is necessarily greater than faced by Naija-based peeps. Wetin dem carry wey no dey Naija? After all, it's in Naija peeps carry ipads in hand to social functions

The average Nigerian does not go around with £4000.00 raw cash i.e N1 million. Rob people of their Ipads and you still have to sell it. Crime has changed over the years. When I was young, thieves used to burgle houses for TV, Video players et al. These days, Robbers now mainly prefer 'operations' that bring raw cash. They will hit banks, forex bureau or hit private homes when they have information that cash is present there. With those coming from abroad, it is almost guaranteed they will be carrying cash. No harm asking folks to be cautious. It is not even a Nigerian thing alone. Diasporan West Africans generally get the same advice.

philip0906: wtf?is nigeria now a somalia?or is it 'em diaspora peeps tryna make a big deal outta nothing?

No one is trying to make a "big deal". There are still many who target those coming from abroad because of the perception they are carrying a lot of cash. There is nothing wrong with advising those who do not understand the 'system' to be cautious.

excondido: For the present contraption called Nigeria to endure will be a complete travesty. Nigeria and nigerians(sensable) have been making supposedly frantic effort round the clock to take this country to its rightful place but all effort prove futile. why u may ask? and the answers will not be far fetched, the divisive forces way outweigh the uniting factor....so we are left with a dilemma to countinue to thread this present path and hoping to attain our full potential. the present concept is overwhelmingly counter productive to say the least.

But in the face of these myraid of challenges, do we simply throw the towel and go our seperate ways? That will amount to towing the tracks of camel as against fast cars. The world is now a global village and therefore forming a bigger front is more advantagous. We need each other but in a way that will allow growth that suits regional interest rather than the present system that drains the gaint effort of one to nothingness.

Better said, federating unit with nationalistic identity will spur development and lead to healthy competition for development under the higher taxonomy called Nigeria.

Spot on.

@Igbo2011.

Nairaland can indeed be used as a veritable tool of information to change things for the better and put our leaders under real pressure if that is what the owners of this website want. I am of the opinion that a "Jerry Springer" persona is preferred for this forum because that is what generates traffic.

A few 'tweaks' could do magic and really deliver results. We could , as even only one example , have a section specifically designed to address how the FG and Governors , respectively, are handling States and federal responsibility with a bent on pictorial evidence since a picture speaks louder than a thousand words. Most Nigerians have camera phones. A little education can show them how to upload pictures to the net.

This section can show what the FG and Governors are doing well and , most importantly, what they are failing at. NL can then formally approach the FG and State Governors over 'areas of deficiencies'. Nairaland could become a saharareporter with a positive influence i.e dreaded to the point leaders have to respond - because formal questions are asked before the entire world as per why things are not being done. It is not about exposing corruption and negatives alone only for everyone to then begin cursing and baying for blood.

Saharareporters is feared for exposing mainly the negatives 'antics' of our leaders. Sowore is now feared by our leaders and I am sure they would love to buy him off Abati-style. Nonetheless, I don't rate Sowore's effort as 100%. I think we must show the good being delivered. That way, we can be fair and supportive of those who got involved to change things instead of constituting ourselves into a mindless 'lynch mob' when we can be much more effective than that through making a deliberate effort to understand and utilise "people power".

The owner of NL, because of the heavy traffic here, could actually influence good governance by creating an awareness in Nigerians of how to use this age of information to make it tough for our leaders to sit around doing nothing. Does he want to do that? I think not.

It is then down to the rest of us to do our Zuckerberg thing with a political 'spice'. I am getting feedback on a workable platform for something like that right now and will be attempting to engage certain Nairalanders in Nigeria, Ghana and other West African Nations soon. Hopefully I can push out something formal in future to support this idea.

GenBuhari: Two Questions:

What are the risks (Robbery and fraud) that Nigerians returning from abroad face?

How can these risk be minimised /managed

If you mean arrival, then just get your family to pick you up. My dad always comes to pick me up at MMIA or he sends our driver who has been with us for many years. Try and have a phone roaming internationally so you can call relatives when you land. Very important.

Have absolutely no dealings with airport money changers/touts/hotel agents etc. Fraud is not an issue as long as you don't attempt dealing with people directly at the airport. There are honest currency dealers/taxi drivers et al at the airport but someone not used to the 'system' should not take risks.

Jarus: First, SLS is not interested in politics. He will not. He was never a politician. He used to be a critic at best. This is authoritative.

Second, there is nothing new in President over ruling a Central Bank's decision. This is not a very fundamental decision like interfering in sacking criminals or shielding criminals. Currency redomination, to me, even if it doesn't adversely affect the economy, it's benefit(more efficient payment system) is not something that goes to the root of the economy, so I think it is reversible. This is not an integrity matter. And the hesitation the President displayed before finally succumbing to public outcry shows he had more confidence in SLS, but the reversal was due to political expediency. So I don't know what necessitates resignation here. It's not an integrity issue anyway. Economic policy giving way for socio-political consideration is not an aberration. The president has not asked him to do anything contrary to the law. Neither was the president protecting private interest by his action.

Jarus, I know you are an ultra-loyal fan of Sanusi but that should not blind you to the fundamental error of what you write above that is rather a blase dismissal of what obtains in developed Nations. I guess Nigerians have their own 'unique' ways. In most Nations, it is paramount the Central bank is entirely independent and not subject to the whims and caprices of politicians or political machinations. We all know what happened here that can't be spun. The legislative arm made GEJ 'blink' and Sanusi had to be the fall guy.

In the UK, the central bank Governor is such a powerful position, with so much integrity vested in it, that David Cameron may actually be removed by the political system if it is deemed that he has frivolously intervened with the duty of Mervyn King. SLS is well-read. He knows what obtains worldwide. If he is not interested in politics as you claim, then he would take the obvious choice as 99 out of 100 of his peers would do elsewhere. This is a frivolous reversal by GEJ. It comes because he is walking on eggshells currently with the legislators having had his ways controversially against them several times in the past.

Excerpt from the book "Central banking in Theory and Practice" by Alan S Blinder :

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UWWv9wV4yIkC&pg=PA48&lpg=PA48&dq=can+a+president+overrule+a+central+bank+governor&source=bl&ots=WPH-vL8zRC&sig=YTrq5NeCdO2W27jiXSXozLPN35M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=b_xdUIT8NqW10QXvyICICQ&sqi=2&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=can%20a%20president%20overrule%20a%20central%20bank%20governor&f=false

Lohmann's idea is correct in both economic theory and political theory. In a democracy there should, after all, be some checks on the behaviour of an over-zealous central bank. but its practical application is tricky, to say the least.

No central bank can claim to be independent if its monetary policy decisions are routinely reversed. This remedy must be reserved for truly extraordinary circumstances. So any real-world government that adopts the lohmanns amendment must ensure that Politicians overrule the central bank very rarely.

[quote author=Akanbi_edu]Are you referring to the 5000 saga? That's not enough to lose credibility. I don't see humiliation here.[/quote]Yes. My brother, the issue was a must-win battle of will essentially between Sanusi and others who opposed the proposal. The FG seemed to back Sanusi fully and even came out to issue it's usual "no going back talk". It seems the Senate have now cowered GEJ and he has simply decided to leave Sanusi out to dry. The Central Bank Governor Job is a very, very important one not to be undermined or trifled with. A Principled CBN Governor will naturally feel this may happen the next time he attempts to initiate vital policy in the interest of the Nation. Everyone can walk away but it is Sanusi left holding the baby since this is essentially his proposal.

http://www.punchng.com/news/no-going-back-on-n5000-note-fg-%E2%80%A2-dangote-otedola-others-back-cbn-currency-plan/

No going back on N5000 note – FG • Dangote, Otedola, others back CBN currency plan
September 5, 2012 by Olalekan Adetayo, Friday Olokor and Ade Adesomoju
Minister of Planning, Shamsudeen Usman


THE POPULAR outcry against its introduction notwithstanding, the entry of the N5000 note into the nation’s money market is a fait accompli, the Federal Government has said.

Minister of Planning, Shamsudeen Usman, who spoke to journalists at the meeting of the Economic Management Team on Tuesday said that President Goodluck Jonathan had approved the proposal to print the N5000 denomination. He added that government would push ahead with the printing.

“The discussion today (Tuesday) was basically to endorse(the introduction of N5000 note). Mr. President had already approved and that is the only requirement by law. The CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) is to propose and Mr. President is to approve,” he said.

Jonathan presided over the EMT meeting which has Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mr. Femi Otedola, Mr. Atedo Peterside, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and other top government officials as members.

Denomination of controversy

The CBN governor, Lamido Sanusi, penultimate Thursday announced a proposed comprehensive review of the nation’s currency with the highlight been the introduction of the N5000 note and conversion to coins the present N5, N10 and N20 notes.

But Nigerians, especially economists, have argued that the introduction of the note would lead to inflation in the system.

Just on Tuesday, about 500 protesters led by a former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, demonstrated in front of the CBN office in Abuja against the N5000 note.

Melaye, the leader of the placard-carrying protesters, said the proposed N5000 note would send a wrong signal about the worth of the Naira.

Lagos-based lawyer, Femi Falana, has also written to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, to use his office to stop the CBN from introducing the N5000 note.

But Usman said there was no correlation between higher notes and corruption and that it did not contradict the CBN’s cash-lite policy.

[quote author=Akanbi_edu]How is he a politician when he's not elected but rather appointed?[/quote]I mean he may have his eyes on politics now to the extent this is influencing his outlook. Ordinarily, Sanusi should resign over this saga because GEJ has 'thrown him to the Wolves'. If he has future Political ambitions , and if he is not principled enough, Sanusi may swallow his humiliation to remain in a job that helps his future plans. Despite being appointed, he may now be a total political animal in outlook. It was only recently GEJ reportedly castigated up to 20 Ministers to face their jobs after it was revealed they had 2015 gubernatorial ambitions.

[quote author=Mr.chippychappy]I agree with Mr Kaita's position on this . Regional autonomy is fraudulent and doesn't make any sense . If anyone wants to say something they should be bold enough to say so instead of hiding behind this so called "Regional autonomy" crap[/quote]No one is "hiding" behind anything even if it pleases you and Kaita to think so. Kaita is clearly feudalistic because those agitating for regional autonomy have made it crystal clear what they want. The mistake you and Kaita makes is to assume that regional autonomy = Yoruba autonomy. Once that basic mistake is made, there is then zero attempt to view what others are saying dispassionately.

•Regional integration is not to break up Nigeria. It is rather to renew the Nigerian federation and deliver its capacity to deliver the greatest good for the greatest number of Nigerians, in the six geo-political zones. Simply put, it is regional growth as a strategy for national integration.

•Regional integration is erected on the pillars of true and fiscal federalism, aimed at weaning Nigeria from centralised sharing of resources, which has created mass poverty; to regional creation of wealth, which has the capacity to create mass prosperity.

•Also, South West legislators in the National Assembly must lobby their colleagues, across party lines, for the repeal of anti-federal laws in energy/power, mining and minerals. If regional federalism must deliver the goods, states constituting the regions must have legal backing to prospect economic activities in such areas as mining and minerals, railway, aviation and other strategic areas like energy/power in which the present laws give the Federal Government absolute or near-absolute monopolies.

hercules07: I believe SLS thinks by resigning he is admitting defeat, GEJ should not have overruled him on that issue sha.

Either way, it just appears as if Sanusi has become another unprincipled politician who has now compromised himself. Let us remember that many respected him because he was the "man of integrity" ready to lecture the Senate annd stand up to anyone. This is a direct and public affront on his decision-making.

mikeansy: my question is when will SLS do the honourable thing and resign?

The last time a country went on this kind of uncontrolled new money denomination invention and printing. We know where it ended!!! Zimbabwe ended up having valueless money and so much inflation that you require hundreds of thousands of Zimbabwe dollar to buy a loaf of bread. This phenomenon became know as Mugabe Economics!!!!

SLS should resign for proposing the rejected Mugabe Economics. He should also resign because the Prseident has demonstrated by overruling him that he no longer has any confidence in his stewardship.

This is very true. Whatever motivated GEJ, he has clearly shown that he is unwilling to spare Sanusi humiliation. He has humiliated Sanusi by ordering him to "stand down". Sanusi should show the lofty principles and intellect his fan swears he has. He should indeed resign. That is what genuinely intelligent and highly principled men would do. Nigeria is simply a land of aberrations.

Central Bank Governors worldwide are usually very intelligent and highly principled men. Some even consider them the de facto leaders of Nation because of the far reaching economic effects of their decisions. Most know their worth and will not hesitate to resign if the head of the Nation displays a public readiness to undermine their decision making. Mervyn King, for example, would not accept this treatment from David Cameron.

Aderostock: Dont mind theses cowards called chief millitary officers. The boko harams insurgence at thier backyard in the northeast are becoming dangerous n murderous yet they tend to shift their commitments to somewhere they are not needed. Yeye people!

Simply nauseating.

There is so much nauseating insincerity from those who lead Nigeria. Of course this is "misplaced aggression". It is like the adult who avoids other strong adults only to be flexing muscle against a child. Boko Haram has got them on their knees and ruining Nigeria with terrorism yet they are bullying those who have not taken to butchering Nigerians in cold blood to exact vengeance and get their ways. Simply nauseating.

Similar to how they can produce laws , in seconds, to hound a small number of gays and lesbians yet they drag their feet concerning everything that can better the lot of millions facing excruciating and dehumanising poverty. Handle Boko Haram with kid gloves yet flex muscle against those who, unlike Boko Haram, are not cold-blooded killers who see others as Chickens to be slaughtered at will.

Boko Haram "are our people" is the grovelling excuses Mr.President gave as to why they cannot crush the group. Yet "insurgents from the SE will not be spared". Welcome to Nigeria. The 'badder' and more murderous you are, the better you are respected, compensated, rewarded and avoided.

sheyguy: Jonathan bleeped up no doubt, but then ACN didn't av to open their mouth . . .

My guy, they are the opposition Party. Should they look on and say nothing because other Nigerian Parties don't appreciate the duties of those in opposition? You think David Cameron or Obama can speak as insensitively as our President does time and time again?

Besides, as I state here time and time again, there is nothing the ACN is saying that the most most respected Nigerian are not saying even more vehemently about GEJ. Does the bolded below not show Soyinka comes to precisely the same conclusion as the ACN? If a private citizen can talk like this why should the opposition Party be silent over what amounts to a crassly insensitive statement considering that lives were lost during the protest?

http://www.punchng.com/news/subsidy-protests-jonathan-suffering-from-bad-conscience-soyinka/

Subsidy protests: Jonathan suffering from bad conscience – Soyinka

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 BY COMFORT OSEGHALE 132 COMMENTS


Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said President Goodluck Jonathan is suffering from a bad conscience.

This was contained in a statement made available to SATURDAY PUNCH on Friday.

Soyinka was reacting to the President’s comment in Lagos on Wednesday that the Jan. 2012 fuel subsidy removal protests were sponsored.

He said, “The most generous response that can be given to President Jonathan’s recent statement on the people’s fuel subsidy protest is that he is suffering from a bad conscience.

“The worst – which I fear is closer to the truth – is that he is lamentably alienated from the true pulse of the nation, thanks perhaps to the poor, eager-to-please quality of his analysts.

“Since I have had the opportunity to contest this perception of the protest with him directly, it is clear what kind of interpretative diet he prefers. The nation needs all the luck it can get.”

Condemning the President’s use of force to quell the protests, Soyinka described the action as a violation of the people’s constitutional rights and dismissed Jonathan’s allegation that the protests were sponsored.

He said, “This should be seen as a grave danger to democracy, and a warning. Both the participants and those who, like myself, were unavoidably absent, that lent both vocal and moral support to the demonstration, have been maligned and insulted by such reductionist reasoning.

“The culture of public protest appears to be an alien territory to Jonathan, which is somewhat surprising, considering the fact that he has not only lived in this nation as a citizen, but served in various political offices.

truth4meal: Its a big problem wen a President blames everytin on a perceived enemy. Everytin wrong has been blamed on someone else. Security blamed on the opposition,bad image blamed on the media, protest blamed on opposition, fuel scarcity blamed on aggrievd importers, state of the nation blamed on past leaders, and so on. Wen will mr president take d blame for not knwing dat he is thr to take d blames, take responsibity and face challenges. The moment GEJ stop passing blames to others he will start learning from his mistakes...for all I care I protestd against a man who is "legendarily" becoming the worst president in d nation history and I if I did it for bottled water it only shows how buried in rot is d state of our economy

Thank you !!! I was saying this on another thread where Jonathan stated that "those who want separation want to be leaders of small Islands" !!! What an incredible statement !!! It is entirely obvious this is a statement designed to reprimand perceived political opponents!!!! It is not the talk of a solution-provider ready to work methodically because he understands the problem and is focused on it.

Why not look at the reasons agitations of "separation" has grown really loud under your watch and do the right things to calm down this dangerous situation that sees Nigerians blaming others bellicosely for their lack of progress? Chaos and perhaps civil strife looms because of this 'bad blood' yet all GEJ can do is utter rhetoric deliverer to taunt his perceived enemies. Na wa OOO.

sonyjacobs: ”I don’t think we need the Minister of Information to remind us that our resolutions are not binding just as we do not need to remind him that he was not elected,” the lawmaker said.

The Senators get it right here. How many times must 'war-mongers' like Maku be reminded that Senators are the elected representatives of the Nigerian people? I think 'Rambos' like Maku need a refresher course on the political structure we are practising.

Maku is fond of saying "no going back" when the Government want to ram unpopular decisions down the throat of the Nigerian people without an appreciation of what democracy is and that power truly resides with the people even if, in the case of Nigerians, the people don't know this.

@LFJ.

Please check this out dispassionately and give your comment. We can all resent certain ideas but "the only thing constant in life is change".

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/36977-%E2%80%98our-stand-on-integration%E2%80%99.html

‘Our stand on integration’
By Our Reporter 16/02/2012 02:05:00
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[img]http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/thumbnail.php?file=Raji_Fashola81__NEW_441007857.jpg&size=article_medium[/img]
Gov Fashola Gov Fashola

Text of the communique issueed at the end of the First Legislative Summit on Collaborative Agenda by Southwest and Edo State goverments in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday

Sequel to the First Legislative Summit on Collaborative Agenda (South West and Edo State), held from 12 to 15 February 2012, at Premier Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State, the participants made the following resolutions:

•Given the glaring failure of Nigeria’s present federal arrangement, regional cooperation, collaboration and integration offer the best approach to saving Nigeria as a federal republic; and delivering development and prosperity to Nigerian citizens.

•Regional integration is not to break up Nigeria. It is rather to renew the Nigerian federation and deliver its capacity to deliver the greatest good for the greatest number of Nigerians, in the six geo-political zones. Simply put, it is regional growth as a strategy for national integration.

•Regional integration is erected on the pillars of true and fiscal federalism, aimed at weaning Nigeria from centralised sharing of resources, which has created mass poverty; to regional creation of wealth, which has the capacity to create mass prosperity.

•Regional integration is all about a new Constitution, to reorder Nigeria’s malfunctioning federal system. The National Assembly cannot give us a new Constitution. That is the job for a Constituent Assembly, thereafter subjected to referendum or plebiscite. But it should facilitate the process by passing a Bill for the setting-up of a Constituent Assembly to write a new Constitution, which product would be subject to a simple referendum of “Yes” or “No”.

•Issuing from this premise, the states in present Political South West of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti, as well as the contiguous Edo, are better off integrated into an economic zone, sharing resources and attaining economies of scale for economic growth and development.

•Though integration is on the surface economic, its basis and driving force is political. Therefore, the present ruling progressives in the South West and Edo states must make the people the centre-piece of their policies and programmes. That will ensure they retain political power and continue to drive the South West integrated regional agenda.

•But beyond politics, winning or losing power, there must be a robust legal framework for South West regionalisation, so that the laudable agenda is not reversed. To this end the summit called for a South West Consultative Assembly, made up of legislators in the South West states and their members in the National Assembly, to serve as clearing house for such legislations and give adequate advice to the legislatures in the South West states.

•For the regional integration agenda, the Legislature is key. So, the South West Executives must closely work with the Legislatures, both in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, to achieve the desired goals of the agenda.

•South West members in the National Assembly must network, lobby and sell regional federalism among their peers from other parts of the country, to demonstrate its mutual benefits to all; and as a better alternative to the present failing federal arrangement.

•Also, South West legislators in the National Assembly must lobby their colleagues, across party lines, for the repeal of anti-federal laws in energy/power, mining and minerals. If regional federalism must deliver the goods, states constituting the regions must have legal backing to prospect economic activities in such areas as mining and minerals, railway, aviation and other strategic areas like energy/power in which the present laws give the Federal Government absolute or near-absolute monopolies.

•In the area of security, South West legislators in the National Assembly must lobby their colleagues to press for constitutional amendments to establish State Police.

•In the envisaged regions themselves, State Houses of Assembly are very crucial to making such strong legislative frameworks. For this task, the South West legislatures would require sound legal advice.

•In the 1999 Constitution, even as amended, there are strong legal impediments to regionalisation as a panacea to save Nigeria’s failing federalism. However, the South West states can work around these impediments to jump-start the process, pending the requisite constitutional amendments.

•To preserve Yoruba as a living language, the summit called for all legislatures in the South West to conduct proceedings in Yoruba for at least a day in the week. The summit also resolved that Yoruba language be made a prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions in the South West from 2015.

•To deepen good governance and best global practices in public sector management, the regional executives and legislatures must subject themselves to institutional peer review.

•As a result, South West states and Edo can start with close collaboration and cooperation in agriculture, with each state concentrating on areas in which it has core competence and comparative advantage.

•To boost agriculture, the summit resolved, as a matter of urgency, to push for regional investment in research, innovation, access to land and training of young farmers. There is also an urgent need to invest in agricultural extension services to boost improved crops and seedlings. There is also need for a regional commodity exchange to protect farmers and guarantee good prices for farmers and make farming profitable and sustainable.

•In education, the South West states can start with integrating their state universities into a better funded South West University, along the model of the University of Cairo, or even the multi-campus University of California. State universities should be turned into colleges offering specialised disciplines. Aside, the region should urgently consider setting up a University of Native Medicine to maximise the economic use of Yoruba flora and fauna, particularly in processing them for drugs to curtail killing diseases like cancer. It also calls for setting up specialised science laboratories to take advantage of modern strides in genetic research and engineering.

•Still on education, the summit resolved that the region declare a state of emergency in education to restore effective and qualitative basic education. There should also be a revamping of vocational and vocational technical education to equip youths for self-employment.

•On transportation, the summit resolved that the South West state government approach the federal government for the take-over of federal roads in the area, as a cheaper alternative to building a new network of roads. The summit also moved for the South West government to prevail on the federal to create the enabling legal environment for the region to develop fast trains as part of a multi-modal transport system that would seamlessly link every part of the region by road, air, rail and water.

•In sports, the South West states can pool resources to fund a regional football club in the Nigerian Professional League, in the mould of Enugu Rangers, which approximated the Igbo spirit after the Nigerian Civil War, or the former WNDC, later IICC (now known as 3SC) that was popular enough in the whole of Western Nigeria to approximate the spirit of the people of the region.

•The summit also resolved to promote cultural integration in the form of regional cultural festival to further propagate Yoruba traditions, mores and norms. It also resolved that culture should be used to promote tourism in the region, even as each part of the region can invest in specific tourism products to create gainful employment for our teeming youth.

•The region should save cost by integrating manpower training and development. For instance, it suggested that Lagos State serve as specialist centre for training regional civil servants.

•There is urgent need for a clearing house for regionalisation; and to gauge specific areas in its progress and implementation.

•Osun State has shown leadership by establishing a Ministry of Regional Integration. Other South West states should establish their own regional integration ministries.

•Without prejudice to the anthems of other South West states, the gathering resolved to adopt the State of Osun Anthem as the South West Regional Anthem. That anthem was composed by our late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and it captures the correct spirit and sentiment behind integration for regional development and greatness. In the same token and for the same reason, the crest of the State of Osun should be adopted as the regional logo.

•The current South West must recreate and even surpass the glory of the old Western Region. The old West is rediscovering and must rediscover itself.

LFJ: Gbawe, I am a Yoruba man like you, but I believe every issue must not be politicized. Let us look at issues based on their merit, and the rational behind it. Obasanjo ruled for 8years nobody cried of regional government, we play politics of this is our son.  We cry only when things are not 100% in our favor. The statement I made is not about Yoruba alone; it is about every one of us who realize that there is injustice within our system only when things are not to our favor. You raised a valid point when u said that the present federal system is bastardized and our leaders are not sincere. The system is bastardized because we have “bas-tard” people in charge of things. Tell me, what benefit you think we can get from regional system if these criminals will still held this system?
I am not a politician, but I can smell it when people are indirectly promoting selfish interest. If regional autonomy will eradicate and people can show me how that can be possible or if it will make all of us equal before the law not on paper but in practice. I will immediately start the campaign for this system. Good leaders produce good results and bad leaders produce bad results. I maintain that our system as we have it today is not the problem, there is no perfect system anywhere in the world; it is not the system that is holding us back, it is not the system that divide us, those who are piloting the affair of our system are the enemies of our system, they are the one that are holding us back, regardless of whatever system we have in as much as these criminals are in charge our future is in mirage.

My guy, there is no attempt to politicise anything. I am just responding to how you dismiss regional autonomy based on how you feel the idea is borne of the "selfish interest" of those who lost out at Federal level. Again you talk of selfish interest yet, as i stated before, the selfish thing for those pushing for regional autonomy would be for them to actually do nothing.

Again I fail to see the pertinence of "OBJ ruled for 8 years and no one asked for regional autonomy". It is about Political Party ideology. The PDP believes in central Governance that is bureaucratic with a lot of wealth, authority and power concentrated in that centre inordinately. So, of course no one would ask for regional autonomy during OBJ's reign because a Party (PDP) that has no use for regional autonomy held sway everywhere. The ACN control the SW now and they have never hidden their ideology of devolving power and resources away from the centre so that States and regions are able to operate optimally and tailor local solutions to local problems rather than what obtains currently where everyone abides with the incompetence and gradualism of the FG.

I accept you may think all Politicians are crooks. That is probably what motivates your views here. Those angling for regional autonomy will have it much tougher under that system as per the scrutiny they will be under and the naturally greater demand for accountability that will obtain. If these guys are driven by selfish interests as you claim, then they will do well simply looting in their current positions quitely for the rest of their tenure. Why, for example, does Aregbesola not just enjoy his loot silently within a system that currently aids corruption optimally if he is a "selfish" and unconscionable looter? Why endorse a tougher path that will surely mean you must be more accountable? Why not, as PDP SW Politicians are doing, fight for the continuance of this fake federalism that makes looting childplay?

Is much of our problem not due to how some leaders will never embrace change that will make thing better for ordinary Nigerians but 'tougher' for those used to outlandish opulence? I believe those who back regional autonomy genuinely believe in it as a way forward. Given how the FG runs Nigeria, I believe it is the way forward also.

floriana: One of the twitter followers of Mallam El-Rufai sent him a message that reads: "Oga El Rufai was supporting Sanusi before now."

El-Rufai replied "...& will ALWAYS will, SLS (Sanusi Lamido Sanusi) is the only brain in GEJ crew....

Does this mean that ministers like Akinwumi Adesina, Okonjo Iweala, and even his own other brother Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of petroleum revenue committee are brainless?

I don't think he considers Ribadu as part of GEJ's crew. Nonetheless, this is an incendiary statement delivered to taunt others. Not classy at all and totally uneccessary.

LFJ: Those who are clamoring for regional autonomy are doing this for selfish end. The Yoruba leaders who lost out of power at the federal are looking for something to hold on to, and they want to be in charge of their home. Those that have one resources or the other think that they want to enjoy their resources alone.

I disagree. The Yorubas asking for regional autonomy are actually the ones in charge of things in the SW right now. Rather, it is those in the region who lost out on "chopulation-without-giving-zilch-back" who oppose regional autonomy like Agagu, Oyinlola, Oni, Omisore and others who did nothing for anyone while in power yet will not let mandated leaders work.

Are all the Governors of the SW who back regional autonomy "those who lost power at federal level"? They are Governors already so what have they lost out on when allocations to their State remains the same as it was? If anything, why not just be silent and loot their State dry for the next 4-8 years if that is what they want to do?


In essence, the "lost out at federal level" theory makes no sense. The guys angling for regional autonomy are people wielding power and autority. They have "lost out on nothing" and should actually really stick with the Status quo if they are cut from the clothe of Alao Akala, Gbenga Daniel, Segun Oni, Omisore et al. It is important for you to know as well that many apolitical prominent Yorubas fully support regional autonomy.

@Bilms..


Look at regional autonomy as a way for every region to have the "separate Country" they say they want while still benefitting from being part of Nigeria. I Think Nigerians are currently badly divided and disunited with virtually everyone insisting others are holding back their progress. The truth is that it is our insincere and badly bastardized federal structure holding everyone back. It has totally been hijacked and turned into a system of disbursing the wealth of the nation between a small number of individuals.

If we really inspect things in details it is obvious our current Federal arrangement is now an encumbrance totally. It is now deliberately warped to enrich a few and regress the Nation. Sincere regional autonomy means everyone can run their region like the separate Nation they are asking for and still maintain a good relationship with others under the umbrella of Nigeria.

redsun: Quality of life of a nation lies with the wealth a nation possess and how they use,mind you.

Size is could mean wealth,when use adequately.

Precisely. The problem for Nigeria is that the commonwealth of the entire Nation has been hijacked by a few who pretend to be leading when they are actually looting. Our federal system has been bastardized to accommodate this looting. Accelerated devolution of power away from the centre is needed otherwise the clamour for separation will grow louder. Leaders should move away from parochial interests and deliver real changes instead of parroting the tired rhetoric that "Nigeria's unity not negotiable".

Jonathan is right......but once again, he makes his point wrongly and in a way that is only likely to infuriate others because he is a man entirely focused on "enemies" ,real or perceived, to the extent they influence how he talks.

Issues are really simple. Everything should be about providing a modern, competitive and genuinely enabling environment that allows States and regions to develop optimally and totally free of the impediment the FG has now constituted itself into.

Nigeria is about the size of Texas. Yet Texas is one of the many States America has. States of America are essentially like Countries within a Country because of the freedom to fashion local solutions to suit local problem. Yet States still enjoy the benefit that being part of America brings. Nigeria is not really a massive Country and division is not the answer because no leader in the modern era , post 1999, has pursued the obvious solution with sincerity - i.e dismantle the negative and regressive concentration of power, wealth and processes in a corrupt centre and put it where people live. States and regions !!!

Indeed, we would essentially be the same 'Country' with our West African neigbhours if erstwhile ambitious plans for Ecowas are on course i.e single currency the Eco. We would have the same currency as others and they would move freely into Nigeria to work as per the tenets of economic and monetary union. This currently obtains in the UK , minus the single currency, and we have all gotten used to employing polish builders who carry out good standard of work for less money than British builders. This is not the time and age to talk of division or tediously hold on to it as the panacea. The world has moved on and sincere and emancipating policy-making can easily provide the solution that will quickly drown the noise of "separation".

GEJ should simply begin providing brave policies that will make our federal structure more effective and more fair to all. I fear he has no plan to do this and this is why he talks bullishly in a veiled reprimand of his 'enemies'. This is why we continue to have this silly cat-and-mouse and distracting talk of separation.

OYINBOGOJU: I smell Rat

Mark is Nursing his Presidential ambition

He is trying to come clean and put the blame on someone else

But this is open truth

Mark you are part and parcel of those Plunging Nigeria into Dead Sea.

You make some good points here. Mark has to make GEJ look bad so he can benefit in 2015. He is tacitly distancing himself from the failure of the Executive arm but we know Senator Mark does not have a single altruistic bone in him.

lagcity: Not surprised one bit. Dr. Fayemi is a real intellectual. If you doubt me, check out his resume. I can remember when he was running for governor, some people were saying "wetin concern professor with politics, Fayemi is not cut out for politics." This mindset has to change; all the touts should go back to the motor park and let intellectuals develop human capital. Intellectuals shouldn't shy away from politics.

No doubt a brilliant man. His background and passionate struggle is directly related to politics though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayode_Fayemi

Academic and political initiatives

Kayode Fayemi is a former Director of the Centre for Democracy & Development, a research and training institution dedicated to the study and promotion of democratic development, peace-building and human security in Africa. Prior to his establishment of the Centre, he worked as a lecturer, journalist, researcher and Strategy Development adviser in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He was Strategy Development Adviser at London’s City Challenge; research fellow at the African Research & Information Bureau in London, UK, reporter with the newspapers, The Guardian and City Tempo, editor of the political monthly, Nigeria-Now, management consultant at Development and Management Consultants and lecturer at the Police College in Sokoto, Nigeria. As a prominent leader of the Nigerian opposition to military rule in exile, he was responsible for the founding and management of the opposition radios – Radio Freedom, Radio Democracy International & Radio Kudirat and played a central role in the opposition’s diplomatic engagements in exile.

An account of the process and roles played in the setting up of Radio Kudirat may be found in Fayemi's book Out Of The Shadows.
Amongst his numerous academic and public policy engagements at home and abroad, Kayode Fayemi has lectured in Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia. [b]He has also served as an adviser on transitional justice, regional integration, constitutionalism, security sector reform and civil-military relations issues to various governments, inter-governmental institutions and development agencies. He was the main technical adviser to Nigeria’s Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission (Oputa Panel), which investigated past abuses and currently serves on the Presidential Implementation Committees on Security Sector Reform, NEPAD and the Millennium Development Goals. He was technical expert to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on small arms and light weapons and United Nations Economic Commission of Africa on governance issues. He is also a member, Africa Policy Advisory Panel of the British Government. At other times he has served as a consultant to the OECD on Security Sector Reform and chaired the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative’s Committee of Experts on developing guiding principles and mechanisms of constitution making in Commonwealth Africa.[/b]

Kayode Fayemi is a Fellow of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ibadan, Adjunct Professor of Security Studies at the African Centre for Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., USA. He was also a Visiting Professor in the African Studies Programme at Northwestern University, Evanston, USA in 2004. Dr Fayemi serves on numerous Boards including the Governing Board of the Open Society Justice Institute, Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, African Security Sector Network, and on the Advisory Board of the Global Facilitation Network on Security Sector Reform and on the Management Culture Board of the ECOWAS Secretariat.

[quote author=Dudu_Negro]I dont intervene in husband and wife drama. As long they dont spatter blood on me, Im cool......but i just spotted some red stain on my post and thats not cool.

Gbawe, when it comes to argument, nagging and verbal fight women are in their natural element and there is no amount of name calling and logic you can spew out, as a man...you cannot silence or outwit her. If you are seeking to have the last word you can forget it. Desola is enjoying the drama and pretty soon her sisters, prowling around for their own drama will join and gang up against you. Plese my brother let it go.

Iyalode Desola, arewa lawujo obirin, obirin jojolo eleyinju ege, ibadi aran eyin fun j'owo, idi wun mi adu ma dan....... jo mo bee ni o, ma b'ewa je. Calm down dear, calm down..... Gbawe has high IQ but his EQ is still in its infancy....otherwise he would know better than to approach an Iyalode like this. If bokoharam had not destroyed the prison gates I should lock him this instant. [/quote]Stop with the patronage. What low EQ are you talking of? Guy, I have proven my point about a malevolent shrew who is nothing but a hateful banshee from hell. That said, you only inadvertently shown things about yourselves here with how you display a perverse and unpleasantly biased nature that cannot let you simply adjudge wrong or right in the spirit of equity and fairness.

You are willing, like a feral pack, to castigate someone who has done nothing wrong and praise a foul-mouthed shrew who is anathema to everything considered decent in Yoruba women and only deserves to be told to tone down the hatred and uncouthness . All this merely because you think you are defending a female ID? Is that all it takes to compromise your character? Let us leave issues as they are.

fagamite: Unfortunately for you, I am a man, with a real ding-dong and two epons. I also have a broad chest if you care to know. And unlike you, I do not suffer from gynecomastia. All the sex hormones I have is of the testosterone type, No ESTROGEN HERE like you. which means, I dont do cat fights. I face real men, in real life. I let my glock talk for me, not my open palms.

I am a man's man. The kind of man you wish you were. I am the kind of man you will never be. Face front and face Desola squarely. She is decimating you. You may probably have to bring your wife and girls to double team on Desola because you aint doing a good job here.

Here is my advice to you: Apologize to Desola and call it a day. Because if you have to go home to your wife, after all the beatings you've got from Desola, I dont know what will happen tonight.

That said, if you ever want to face me like a real man, lets meet somewhere in midtown. You and your crew vs me alone. Lets do it the old fashion way. The way real men do it.

Who asked you for all this information? Insecure twit? Don't you know the number one rule? Real men don't brag !!! Oh, I forgot you are a puzzy

Why don't you go outside your grotty bedsit and grab your crotch at some teenage girls to prove you have something there? Insecure loser.

Why won't a twisted pervert be begging for an apology to your haggard shrew who is a malevolent and hateful aberration? We know you are not man enough to have even an iota of nobility running through you. Here you have been all sorts. A perv, a shameless "woman wrapper" and a wimp attempting to hide behind other men. What a sad creature. You need to get a life or at least get a job that pays real money so you can get laid and stop disturbing everyone here with your 'frustration'.

That said, if you ever want to face me like a real man, lets meet somewhere in midtown. You and your crew vs me alone. Lets do it the old fashion way. The way real men do it

When I read this, I had to laugh. Are you for real? What a childish doofus !!!? "Crew"? What a juvenile delinquent So I have now gotten under your skin and emasculated you to the extent you now want to meet and fight? What an emotional and insecure puzzy Go and fight what you claim to have in your Southern hemisphere. W.an.ker.

Desola: Only a full man with full chromosomes can be a perv. What shall we say about you with incomplete chromosome and spineless frame? You are just useless. The only time you can get your manhood up is when you find a cyber woman to catfight. Good luck with that and enjoy beating the bishop.

F.a.ggot!

What a fish wife and a nasty shrew. Who do you not you hate malevolently and devilishly ? You hate gay folks, hate Igbos, Hate Ijaws and just about everything God put on earth. What manner of an aberration are you? Nothing but a disgrace.

The jibe about no man would come near you stung did it not? Good This is only the beginning for a butch cow like you. For all, I know, and from how you sound, all these fools may be sucking up to a male Lagos motor park tout pretending to be a Yoruba woman.I don't know any Yoruba woman who is as rancidly distasteful as you are.

fagamite: Calling other people puzzie? Coming from someone subliminally insulting Katsumoto, yet has no liver to mention Katsumoto is his post. Resident hypocrite indeed!

Stop speaking for Katsumoto. Unlike you, who is a shameless groupie of those you believe to be bright, I don't fear anyone here. Why don't you let Katsumoto respond instead of this shameless effort to bait a response from him in your transparently cheap, weasel-like and conniving attempt to stoke a cyber battle a shameless groupie like you is salivating over? let anybody bring it on. I respect many posters here but I don't do "fear". Is Katsumoto now your cyber "Alagbara"?. Mumu.

If I mean Katsumoto I will mention him but he has given his opinion and moved on. This is why I made it clear earlier puzzies apply to you, fagasmitten, and the cretin PuzzyB. Get that into your head. Effing pervert. This is why I call you an effing puzzy. Do you think Katsumoto is foolish enough to take your childish bait? You are nothing but an effing wimp hiding behind other men.