₦airaland Forum

KingsJohnson:
if thatz d case, then no cause 4 alarm cus dis guy got talent lyk devil, so in few years 2 cum, government n job wil be d one looking 4 him n not d oda way round.

Oh, really? He got talent? And those serving do not? He got talent, he won't need his talent promoted? He won't need an avenue to showcase it? He won't sell his talent?

Read over your point again and see the great weakness in it. That reason is too petty.

KingsJohnson:
if thatz d case, then no cause 4 alarm cus dis guy got talent lyk devil, so in few years 2 cum, government n job wil be d one looking 4 him n not d oda way round.

Oh, really? He got talent? And those serving do not? He got talent, he won't need his talent promoted? He won't need an avenue to showcase it? He won't sell his talent?

Read over your point again and see the great weakness in it. That reason is too petty.

possibilita:
Evrybody in this thread r idiots,d guy asked a question on what he observed bcoz he saw dat most fone especially d old chinko touch screens responds to anything even water but d latest ones don't except fingers and u guys starts typing rubish.if u don't know jst write "I was here,first to comment,jst passing,seen,etc." And leave not show y ur brain responds foolishly to good questions.

Right thing said in a wrong manner. I agree with you on your message but not on how you passed it. It was rather too harsh to call 'EVERYBODY' on a thread foolish. Not even an effort to spare those with good comments. Some people here are old enough to be one's parents or elderly ones. The social media should not be a facade in perpetrating moral evils

'Forty one sitting, ninety-nine standing... Suffering and smiling'

'Suffer suffer for world, Amen, enjoy for heaven...'

'Then some minutes later, Army don go away, police don disappear, dem leave sorrow, tears and blood- dem regular trademark...'

'Padi, padi, wayo, wayo, arrange ni, put am together, tell me the answer... Army arrangement'

'We fear to fight for freedom, we fear to fight for liberty, we fear to fight for justice, we fear to fight for happiness ... We always have reason to fear, we no wan die, we no wan wound, mama dey for house, papa dey for house, I get one child... So, policeman go slap your face you no go talk. Army man go whip your yansh you go dey look like donkey...'

The above phrases and sentences are very few of the excerpts from the late Fela Anikulapo's songs. There are more than enough things that call for a deep observation and analysis about the musical sage and lyrical activist, Fela. On his penchant for going topless on stage, while many arguments surfaced, none of them convincingly answered why. Upon a keen study of Fela's songs and his video documentary, I think that the habit of going on stage topless symbolises life in its emptiness and vanity. Fela must have been passing a message that we came with nothing and shall return with nothing. He must have meant to show that 'big cloth does not equal big man.' Fela standing before the audience topless must have been a symbol of his having nothing to hide from the ordinary men. While Fela condemned oppression at all levels with his music, with his life style, he preached simplicity and sought to remind all that we shall leave and leave all behind. However, here, I briefly intend to address his dance- why he did not dance. Like most musicians, Fela's voice was classy. No, not because it possessed the captivating tone of the Nightingale, but because his voice sought to arrest. Fela's voice should be tagged the corp of man's conscience- it arrests the lows and the highs, affluents and societal dregs, leaders and followers, keepers of faith and religion, predators and preys, culprits and victims, the oppressors and the oppressed, the judge and the judged. Fela was different from most activists around the world- he went beyond criticising the irresponsible governments and their harsh policies, he charged the oppressed to act and stop the destructive submission to bad leaders. One cannot but spare a moment to pick the next line that would come from Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, he did not just sing and speak, he acted. Fela did not stop at that. Fela paid the price for acting on several occasions. But for once, Fela would make me appraise the English word 'stubborn' from a positive perspective. Fela was stubborn and bent on righting wrongs. He was unrepentant. Hear him ipsima verba, just after his release on one of his numerous arrests:

'But one thing I want to assure them (the government), if they think I'm going to change in my attitude, in my way of life or expression or in my goal towards politics, they are making me stronger. And I am much more stronger now. In fact, I'm so surprised I'll be  this strong soon because of the beating I got...' Then, down to his bare buttocks, he proceeded to show the interviewer the marks left on his body as a result of the beating he got from the police.

Fela went more than making mere allusions or talking proverbially like most of the activists we have in recent time. He mentioned names, stated dates, events and on many occasions swore that gods like Ogun, Sango and others punish him if what he said was a lie. Fela was that incredible and daring! Upon a closer examination, one may not be wrong to feel that activism is genetic in the Kuti's family. Fela's mother was one activist the nation would not forget, even during the struggle for independence. Beko Kuti, Fela's elder brother was a diehard activist too. The same applies to the literature giant, Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka- Baba Soyinka and Fela Anikulapo are cousins. While youths of my age may see Baba Soyinka's activism as something recent, that is not so. It would take a dire need for historical diet to go fishing for how and why the story of 'the mysterious gunman' who sneaked into the studio of radio Nigeria in Ibadan and at gunpoint ordered the staffers to void Premier Ladoke Akintola's broadcast became integral in Baba's journey as an activist. Beyond that, Kongi has been the scourge of irresponsible government from time immemorial.

Despite the bitter truth expressed by Fela in every musical missile launched at the government or masses, Fela had the common habit of most musicians- he always danced. But wait, may we examine Fela's dance in line with his lyrics, his listeners and his personality?

Fela's lyrics called for a deep reflection. His songs exposed the greed and selfish nature of those people trusted with their mandates. Unlike wizkid, Fela was not kidding with his lyrics. He was also not asking if any lady would be his lover like Banky W did. Fela didn't care whether he was that special man like P-Square did care. Fela was frank, real and not compromising. Then, why would such a brilliant saxophonist and intelligent musician deem it fit to dance while expressing the saddening state of the nation? Can we compare Fela to a man who went to pay a condolence visit at the funeral of a youth, only to get there and start making jokes? No, Fela was too sensitive to be that insensitive.

Fela danced, but he did not dance- his dance was sarcastic. It is the stage demonstration of the life of an average Nigerian- in pain, Nigerians smile. A dance is meant to show the relationship between the music or beat and the zeal of the dancer to happily move his body. Fela danced, but he did not dance- Fela's dance was a mere dance of humour- one that was meant to indicate that there is still a tiny ripple of hope in the midst of uncertainty. Fela knew the masses were keen followers of his song, he would not insult their situation by dancing to spite, Fela danced to charge them, but to make a mockery of the oppressors. Fela had a great personality- a man reputed for not quitting. He was obstinate and strange- he successfully went to Dodan barracks in Lagos to drop a coffin in protest of his mother's death which had a link with the tyrannical rule of the military.

Fela is a sage. He was one of the few incredible creatures that made those from other continent 'giraffe' towards the African continent. Perhaps, they had a conviction- that like before and after Fela, something good can come out from our Nazareth. But do not forget- Fela did not dance- the nature of his message didn't allow for that.

Sir,

I write to you as a matter of necessity this day. I initially had the intention of living in self-pretence because of the seeming anomalies that are becoming norms in our country- in the case of NYSC, the suffering and smiling syndrome as sang by Fela- Nigeria's unsung lyrical prophet. Secondly, I thought that silence was golden, until I stumbled upon the time-honoured truism in the legal parlance- to every general rule, there must be an exception. The exception to the golden nature of silence in this case is that, this silence could be dangerous and destructive. I know as a matter of fact that you would have received several open letters from youth corp members in the past, but the difference here is the content and the purpose.

To start with sir, there is no time to leave you puzzling who the author of this letter is. I am a youth corp member who finished from the orientation camp sometimes ago. Sir, to furnish you with my name and other particulars for the sake of verification is not my fear, but I have decided to do otherwise because I have watched several longsuffering and passionate Nigerians took steps in righting wrongs, they ended up being tagged as 'strugglers for fame and relevance.' As petty as this phrase might look to you, it sure stopped me from including my name. Relevance or fame is what I have come to realize no man needs to struggle for, only if he can live his life right. I will get that fame sir, and the relevance will come in due course. But except any youth corp member lives in self denial and penchant for allowing wrong grow fat and large, the issues I shall address are true. Also, do not believe the verdict of the deceitful ones that may likely exist among those around you that I am a sponsored missile aimed at bringing you or your tenure as the DG down. The truth is, this is about the institution of the NYSC, not you. The first and only time I met you, you exuded utmost finesse and deftness that I can say that you remain the DG till eternity. I am neither a typical Nigerian politician nor a destructive critic who barely achieve without destroying another. I signed a pact with myself, I'll quit writing any day I realize that destroying people and making money is what this can fetch me.

I was originally posted to the core North, but the intimidating security situation of the country automatically changed the venue of our orientation. To my consternation, but in the negative, the moment I alighted from the car with my luggage, I was welcomed at the gate by two soldiers who ordered that I go some metres back and do frog jump back to them with my bag on my head. Sir, before I was given this laughable instruction, I already saw many of my colleagues performing the same ritual- male, female, young and even those old enough to be my parents, but whom life left with no choice than to falsify their age in a bid to serve. As a practice, I do not break laws. After all, violation of law is what crippled peace, and crippled peace is the reason for shattered dreams. I felt that I mistakenly crossed the lawn or did something wrong and I approached a civilian at the camp who told me it is the culture. To make it more demeaning, we were given a mantra in Hausa language to chant as we do the frog jump with our bags on our heads. I cannot accurately remember the exact sentence in Hausa, but when we later realized the meaning, it was literally 'fool has come.' Nigerian graduates became fools just because of the zeal to serve their fatherland. Mr. Director-General, are you in the know about this? I have perused the Act guiding activities on camp and I concede beyond any iota of doubt that from a legal standpoint, it is illegal.

As if that was not enough, a series of disturbing, demeaning and dangerous events took place in camp. I shall be brief on these Sir. On two occasions, we were all forced to wake up at 12 a:m and 12: 44 a:m respectively because the soldiers blew trumpets for a false fire alarm. Then, we were lined up on the parade ground in the middle of the night. On the first occasion, it was to listen to the camp commandant who probably felt that addressing us in the broad daylight is wrong. Many ladies came to the parade ground on just night gowns, some on wrappers. In fact, a lot of people sustained injuries in the rush process, though minor. On the second occasion, it was to make a roll call- that type of method one adopts when he wants to know the number of the offsprings his new animal produced. It may interest you to know that on the second occasion, we were only released around 4 a:m. It did not change the fact that we woke again at 5:30 a:m the same morning, but what changed was that the clinic was filled up.

To me, punishment by its characteristic nature is corrective and not destructive. However, in the case of these military men, it appears to tilt more to the latter than former. I witnessed more than 10 ladies sitting inside the mud or the murky water on the order of the soldiers all in the name of punishment. Sir, it takes a simple logic to know that a thousand and one infections can be the effect of such and some may be fatal. Mr. Director-General, you cannot be everywhere and I know you are not aware of this. Some soldiers in NYSC camp have taken the duty of providing security and other similar services for us with liberty. Even though morality cannot be legislated, but behaviour can be regulated with proper measures. They should be educated that we are not being recruited to join the force and that our coming to camp does not make us less human to deserve such varying degrees of insults on our persons. Friends shared similar, lesser or worse demeaning experiences in their camps too. Sir, we were graduated in different fields by different institutions- that in itself matters. I hold that the intellectual, physical and psychological stress we went through to achieve that enviable status of youth corp members should be respected by anybody as long as we comply with the rules and regulations in camp. This is not so in most of the camps- the soldiers act as if their egos are being threatened by our enviable status of a graduate serving our fatherland. Some would even be advised by ex corp members to get close to them to prevent some of the show of shame and enjoy camp. Must we? Must soldiers break buckets of youth corp members because they were fetching water when another program is about to start? Over 15 corp members were locked up in the guard room for almost an hour on an occasion and honestly, it was not a sight to envy. I know there are individuals who are delinquents among us. Nevertheless, when a stubborn housefly perches on an elderly man's scrotum, he must not react with a heavy blow so as to avoid touching stories. It does not just commensurate to ask a youth corp member to lie in the drainage because he wore a pair of slippers to the kitchen instead of a white pair of canvass. It is unacceptable for a soldier to pull a youth corp member by her hair and refer to her as a prostitute just because she was going to her hostel later than usual on a camp fire night- camp fire night Sir. I was eager to go to camp, but now that I am back and I look back, I cannot honestly answer the 'is it worth it' question in the affirmative. I was giving up on writing you this letter because of the consolatory remark by colleagues- it is just for three weeks. Sir, it takes less than three minutes for a well-laid legacy to be destroyed by wrong administrators. You have laid a sound legacy and you are making efforts to sustain it, may it not be ruined by anyone.

Lastly, I seek to beg of you that the #3,000 fee for the printing of callup letter is not too okay for the financially less fortunate among us. The #1,000 for printing of redeployment letter in my opinion is also not necessary. It is the security situation of the country that warrants the redeployment. The institution should not make the plights of those posted to the challenging parts of the North an avenue to extort the poor ladies and gentlemen who struggled through school by paying through their noses.

Mr. Director-General, you did emphasize the need to be truthful always when you spoke to us that day. I have not addressed the media, I only addressed you through the media. I hope that I have discharged this duty without fear or favour as justification remains my defence. In service and humility, I look forward to your rapid look into the matter.

Somebody
LL.B (University of Ilorin); B.L (Nigerian Law School); Youth Corp Member.

ARKdiscloser7:
Oh! You APC fools should just shut up.
Politics is a game and that of numbers.

Lagos is not Abuja.
Tifnubu tot that the national assembly is made of only mumu yorubas that accept whatever he says, but NO!

He should leave that amala politics and step up.

Saraki remains our SP
Ekweremadu remains our DSP

MUMU YORUBAS?

Remarks like yours is the reflection of how much damage poverty has done to the psychology of people. It sure depicts the most pathetic level of mental distress and intellectual slavery.

To have tagged an entire tribe 'mumu' showed either of two things about your growing up- you had a difficult time growing up due to inability to afford you proper upbringing on the part of whoever brought you up or your problem is congenital- which makes it a matter of heredity.

To me, your type is best ignored, but then, if you don't mind your insane neighbour's child, the insane neighbour's child would ruin your business. I suggest that you see a neurosurgeon. When in the 21st century, a Nigerian youth comments as you did on issues, he should be caged and placed under observation. Intellectual rabies are fast transmitted on the social media and it can lead to acute encephalitis for naive and unsuspecting proteges that subscribe to your school of thought due to some laughable affiliations. People like you are worse than the natural disasters- the world itself regrets that you came. How do you expect youths to be seen as employable, fit for leadership position, taken serious and presentable when your type abounds? If a traveller consistently comes across mad men on the route to an unknown destination, he is justified to pass a verdict that the destination is the harbour of mad men. Your kind of person is not an asset to the world, but I won't be harsh to call you a liability.

...

If there is something that every man must avoid in life, unhealthy comparison should come to mind. That thing is killing- a slow killer- victims are mostly unaware of this slow poison. It eats deep into the psychology of people who are vulnerable to every and any remarks made about them. When anything negative takes control of your psychology, it morphs into your orientation and then, your entire existence is in soup. You see it haunting you, it dines and wines with you. Right there at your study, it sits winking at you for a session. At work, it is your only client- coming in different attires, genders and for different purposes. Then in its characteristic nature, it makes you run- not for a medal- but like a mad man chasing nothing. That race is what I seek to prevent with this piece.

Whatever you find yourself doing today is not by accident- it is a result of a stridency of factors- heredity, environment, experience, people, age etc etc. Whoever or whatever you become today is no mistake, it sure shares the same evolutionary process with the already mentioned factors. If any scientist thinks that I am wrong, he is probably comparing himself with me in the understanding of the basic tenets of life- that in itself is what I stand against- stop the comparison.

While you may not have taken a pause to examine yourself in the two key elements that make you, I have set forth to set the ball of this puzzling discourse rolling. There is a war- the one that calls for neither gun nor sword. Albeit, the war that requires no weapon is actually the most important one- it calls for deft planning, accurate execution and clinical finishing. Is it now strange that even the war that warrants weapon has its foundation in proper planning? So, I am about to provoke a war within you- when I say you, I mean every single reader of this rant. The war of striking a balance between who you are and what you are. In a way, if my message is well gotten, you may find yourself parting ways with some friends, relationships, goals, ideas, attitudes or even possessions. But get me right, because while I am responsible for what you read, I incur no scintilla of liability for what you believe from what you read.

Then the first begging question calls- who are you? You are that person born into a poor, average or rich Nigerian family. You were born dark, fair or perhaps an albino. In the process of growing, some factors come to play- hormonal factors leave you as a dwarf, average in height or perhaps, the very tall. It is not all, who you are is that boy or girl. As you grow, your left hand becomes your dominant hand, making the right hemisphere of the brain more dominant for language and vice versa. On rare occasions, one can be ambidextrous. One thing is salient in this 'who' you are question- all characteristics identified are natural. Note that.

What are you? You are that quiet individual. You are the lady who prefers trousers to skirts. You are that person who enjoys swimming while your friend enjoys volleyball. Under the what question comes the man who prefers to invest in gold and another who prefers to invest in farming. It is here that we see a die hard supporter of Arsenal and her unrepenting partner who is a fan of Chelsea. For this question of 'what' you are, choice comes to play. You choose what you are, but you can't choose who you are. You can't choose your family, and it is who you are.

My worry? To an unbearable extent, I have observed that too much energy and resources are expended in a bid to change who we are. To me, that struggle is lost even before its commencement. Which sane man goes on a chase of becoming a dark person when he is born an albino? Who goes about with the ambition of being 5 fts? when he is already 6 fts? To one's consternation, this chase for lunacy is mostly embarked on to suit someone or the trend. My friend, why cry over a girl who dumped you because you are an albino and she wanted a dark man? If you don't know, you will be short of one human liability if she leaves. Don't regret the exit of people who do not appreciate who you are- you cannot change that. Why do you go home everyday to cry behind closed door because your boyfriend thinks your boobs are too small? That is who you are, you cannot change it. Your small boobs are as natural as his unequal fingers. If he can't embrace you, dump him! If people complain that your nose is too big, don't change the route to work just to avoid them, tell them their sights are too poor to see things in the right light. For God sake, why would you go about with butt pads to invite suitors? You are inviting wolves to guide a hen house dear. You don't need that butt pad to get someone who loves you for who you are. Remove that damn foam now!

See, the truth is that you don't have to let anybody make you look short of human just because you want to be with them or some reasons. In a relationship, who you are is key and there must be no sense of insecurity with that. If it is happening- run! If anyone compares you to another and wishes that you were like him or her, the first question is 'on what ground?' If it is on the ground of good attitude, you can make efforts to change, please do. If you address people without courtesy and your partner feels you can be like Jane who treats people with outmost courtesy, don't run, change- lacking courtesy is no man's nature. It is what you are, not who you are. If your lips are dark- not as a result of unrepentant smoking, and your boyfriend keeps wishing you had pink or red lips, avoid that guy- he is no potential father of your unborn children.

If you have tribal facial marks and she keeps telling you how much she is into guys without tribal marks, get a quality headsets and listen to some rap music. Don't listen to blues or country music at that moment- your blood pressure may rise. Don't fall for the scam of what everybody do, you are not everybody. Ignore that prophet of doom, don't bow to the purpose of her comparison. It is wrong to be with people who make you feel like a weed, you would be wasting your investment- time, energy and other resources. Eventually, you may lose sight of your most cherished and important goal in life. Guess what, you would never please them.

There is a difference between WHO you are and WHAT you are: while you have virtually no power to decide on one or change it, the other is exclusively within your control. So, why worry when cynics complain about your tribe, family, sex, height, voice, skin colour etc etc? Change is constant, life itself is not stagnant, but before you change, what do you want to change?

...

Hello,

I beg of the organizers, moderators, co-judge, debaters and audience on this thread to pardon my lateness. It was due to unforseen circumstances- measures beyond my control. I have read through the presentations of the debaters and forwarded my scores to the moderator.

There are a few comments I would love to make.
1: There are a few grammatical errors- Concord, tenses, spellings etc etc. All debaters erred here.

2: Sammyscholar did quote one JR. For God sake who goes public to quote someone with just his initials? At least, let us know one of his names before the initials. Do you know how many JRs are in this world?

3: Debaters from ABU Zaria really did a nice job, but they were not engaging in their presentation- they were just too rigid to provoke the required attentiveness. The manner of presentation could make the whole world doze off while listening to them. It is strictly too academic- no oratory prowess, analogy or engaging rhetorics. Debaters from the Polytechnic of Ibadan, stole the show in that aspect.


4: Dear debaters, do well to stop defining every 'see' and 'sea' that make a topic. You don't presume you are addressing intellectual retards who do not know basic things and their definitions. I was not expecting anyone to come here and define social media or media- it is laughable. However, you can be practical in the approach I.e Do you agree with me that updating a Facebook status while crossing the road is an abuse of social media that can lead to irreparable damage? Are you aware that hundreds have met their prime death by pinging while they should observe traffic rules on the roads?

All the same, I commend the debaters for jobs well done.

cc; fynestboy
barackodam
danjuma
sammyscholar
darrytoz

Airforce1? Bravo!!!

Our existence is not without an essence. It has been so from time immemorial. Humans still exist with purpose, the only difference between then and now is that humans mostly exist to defeat that purpose. That purpose varies- just like the plethora of explanation science has for everything- that in its own is what I see as the major fault of science-that there must be an explanation for everything. There are no explanation for many things. May God forbid the day I will study beyond pondering on the wonders behind the songs of the birds, the power that leaves stars twinkling at night and the mystery surrounding the inevitable end of every man. That mystery I do not seek to unravel, but it suffice to say death is the chief measure that curbs human excesses.

One day, somewhere in a part of the world, a 70 years old man is on the run. He is wanted, not for his grey hair or his frail structure- he is the headmaster of a primary school. He is the headmaster who lured a 5 years old girl into his office and had carnal knowledge of her. 'It was the devil', his son shamefully remarked when questioned about the act of his type of father. The poor girl still bleeds-she does physically and psychologically. That moment someone old enough to be her great grandfather welcomed her to the brutal reality of this world would linger. For how long would she drag the memory about?

In Yet another day, in another part of the world, a group of extremists gathered. Motive sparked by reason unknown to any. Yet, they sing that they stand to fight for God. Their cruelty speaks volume in their modus operandi- massacre in target places- churches, mosques, parks, markets. I saw it- I saw the picture of the boy they left without limbs. He sat right on the floor and drew limbs for himself with a piece of chalk. He would rise to walk, but again, the fantasy would be wiped by reality- a fellow human has made him a perpetual 'crawler'. For how long would he be haunted by the picture of that moment between having limbs and having none?

In the same world, though in another region, a man of God stands before a crowd speaking the word. His words are touching- the content brings teary reliefs to the earnest listeners. He condemned adultery and fornication. He lamented that corruption has left the nation crippling. Doing the work of God could be sudorific, he dipped his hand in the breast pocket of his expensive suit to pull out the sweat absorbing handkerchief. The congregation saw it and sighed at the challenges of being a man of God, but just below the pocket is the receipt- the receipt for payment at the hotel he patronises to have bout of bed matches with the chosen ladies in the church. No one saw the receipt, no one did. Is it really true that a blind driver can convey passengers to the proper destination? I do not want to touch the anointed.

That same day, in the same world though in another part, a respected affluent man was seen addressing the chief Imam and the senior Pastor in the area. He is passionate about promoting God's work. For the mosque, he donated 150 bags of cement for expansion purpose. He did not stop at that, he gave out one of his big lands for the construction and then ordered for his cheque book. Without much ado, he wrote a check to the worth of fifty million naira. 'Allahu akbar', the devout Muslim onlookers chanted at the benevolence of this God sent man. He must strike a balance- he turned to the pastor. There was no need for a construction of a new church complex- one was just completed and he donated a sum of thirty million at the launch. Yet, he would do something. He just announced that he would sponsor 30 people to Jerusalem. He also handed the senior Pastor a cheque of twenty million naira. 'For you have sowed a seed, the Lord shall pay you in folds!' The pastor prayed as he placed the cheque slip in his Bible. Just last year, Bose got missing- Bose was the first daughter of the only gardener in the environment. 'We leave all to God', Bose's crippled mother had said after months of unproductive tears. No one knew that Bose went to the world beyond as the Chief's sacrificial lamb. Chief is a ritualist and as long as Bose's blood flows, his cash shall flow. Nobody knows that- the man that deserves all the curse still goes home burdened by blessings.

Again, in this same world, though somewhere different. On the television screen, a renowned personality was invited for an interview. He spoke extensively on how determination took him from grass to grace. Parents gathered their children before their respective television screen and compelled them to listen. 'You must be like him!' Mama Ebuka retorted after her stubborn son felt he did not need the interview. The next door neighbour was already praying that heavens make their children like the personality the world just saw on the screen. They did not know- that the personality controls boys who collect at gunpoints. They did not know- that innocent lives have been taken by the 'great' personality's boys for not trying to cooperate.

And today, it was in the news that their allowances would sum up into billions- wardrobe allowance, travelling allowance, newspaper allowance, sitting allowance etc etc. They would take it because they have lost reality with the purpose of their existence. They forgot so soon, the grey hair that queued under the sun because of their promise of a better life. They turned their heads so fast- to the orphans who count on them to be able to compete in this world of shift. What if men don't die? How long would these people eat the poor? How many years would it take the common men before their lives can be a priority to someone? We must all die! We just must.

We have had men who got wealth without work, let them go to pave way for men who would garner wealth with pride. We have seen people who derive pleasure without conscience, death should do a routine check to pave way for those who can have pleasure without losing conscience. Our world is tired of science without humanity. It is fast dying because of knowledge without character. Politics without principle is eroding the polity fast. Commerce without morality is truncating potentials beyond imagination. Worship without sacrifice abounds beyond count.

Men have beautified the world, but not their own lives or that of others- they build great structures on land and sea, but no positive structures in the minds of others. If men just don't die, how long would this last? Men have chased the life and are still chasing it- the life they chase is not tired, but men are so spent and weak. Even in places of worship, men now chase life- a moment with God is threatened!

If the 70 years old headmaster won't die, what would be the fate of our children in the hands of such? If the victim won't die one day, how would nursing the pain for eternity be? If extremists would live for life, what would happen to sane lives? If the boy without limbs won't age and die, how many sighs would he afford to tell his stories for life? If men don't die, how long would the blood stain afforded the altar by the 'man of God' last? If men don't die, how many Boses would it take the rich man to sustain his eternal wealth? If men don't die how many parents would curse their children all in the name of praying for them to be a hidden robber?

Men have identities- the characters or personalities that distinguish them from others. Men are good at moulding that to suit their ego- to project that they are the best thing that would ever happen to the world. We all have 'hidentities' too- our hidden identity- that which no one knows about us. That which if known would be our true person. Our 'hidentities' should be exposed too, and death is the surest executor of that- it leaves the secret door opened, the unsaid things said, the unknown people known and the hidden messages revealed. When that happens, how many men would remain men? Men should not be killed, but we must keep dying. But here, I am just left wondering- what if men don't die?

There is something interesting about the human nature- it gets modified by circumstances. However, there are certain people who would only be modified in the area of the means and not the end. Whether they are more human or less human, it is a topic of discourse that does not interest me to the least. Whether it is a good news or a bad one, I do not know. What I know is that I belong to the category of those who don't lose the means and the end to the turbulence of circumstance at a time.

The issue of ethnicity and religion are very sensitive in a nation like ours. My ardent readers must have noticed that I am always extra careful in subjecting any of them to public discourse or intellectual discourse. Just like same sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia. I am human- one of the 'rebels' who seek to tilt more to the side of reason (logic) than convention. I think that we were given brains, so that we can let God 'hear word' sometimes. You don't cry to Him because you want a cup of water or need fix your buckle. In the same vein, I do strike a balance between logic and public policy- early in life, I realized you have to tell people what they want to hear in order to have the audience to tell them what they need to here. If it sounds proverbial, I think that it is.

I have not for once fixed the tiles of any negative puzzle to a tribe or religion in Nigeria. At least, not that I can remember. Though, I have observed certain inimical acts that are peculiar to people from given areas, but I always seek to attach it to either the human nature as a whole or circumstance- that is the public policy part of me at play. But for the sake of record, I think that 'most' of those practicing the two key religions in Nigeria need reexamine themselves. In a bid to extend the tentacles of one, the believers in it can be highly insensitive sometimes. On the other hand, those on the other side can be highly intolerant. Perhaps, those guilty of these do not know that the motive of religion is not to push humanity into extinction. I will pause on that.

On ethnicity, on many occasions, I have witnessed the people from my tribe making comments that were unbecoming of other tribes. Wait! They do it to us too- they lambaste us and associate us with different negative attitudes. However, the paragraph you just read was not meant to justify the penultimate. It is only a comparison and justification of my worry- a worry that has a touch of anger. Last night, one of those meant to clean my hall here in camp entered the toilet and came out with a stridency of insulting clatters- they have done it again, the graduates whose years of education could not afford the least of etiquette, even in the toilet. In their case, the presumption of sanity is highly rebuttable. Perhaps, their finding themselves among human is synonymous with an accidental discharge from a rifle- it was not well-thought out nor planned. They age, but never grow, and with them, the compass of decency indicates North when they face South. They did defecate in the sink this time around!

The disgusting development was reported to the soldiers in camp. Soon enough, there were news here and there that the soldiers promised to come like a thief in the night and instill some senses in us through punishment. For those of us who have it, common sense is never enough, we would be fed more. Immediately, some youth corp members in the room started speaking in their language- obviously, insulting and maligning whoever it was that did such. Then at a point, the word 'Yoruba' started evolving in the midst of their utterances. For me, l felt something not too pleasant was being said about my tribe, but still, it is a waste of energy to unleash the god of emotion when fact is lacking. I could read the faces of other friends from the Yoruba tribe- they felt the same, but they bottled up their dissent. When it was getting too much and prolonged, most dashed out. Perhaps, to avoid a clash, but I lied still on my bed, pretending to be carried away by whatever it was that I was doing with my NYSC camp. Then feeling free with the believe that I belong to their tribe or maybe the darkness did not allow them see me on my bed, this collective children of anger chorused different inflammatory statements at a time. The statements included but not limited to 'Yoruba, dirty people!' 'The tribe of cowards ran away because soldiers dey come.' They then climaxed at their short pathetic tribal masturbation with a bout of menacing laughter. Never before have I felt that Nigeria's mistake is in making 'us' one. I felt pained, and that moment changed something. It changed the means, but again, not the end. Immediately, I linked the picture to why I ended all forms of communication with a lady from the same tribe as these irritating people- she wanted me to go for someone from the tribe and when I asked to know why, her reply was that 'I should not go for those dirty girls with stretch marks in my tribe.' She said that on phone, I wanted to suggest that she see a psychiatrist, but I did not.

On different online fora, it is no exception. Issues that call for intelligent discourse and collective examination irrespective of tribe, social status, sex and religion are murdered by irritating tribal comments in a blink of an eye. For real, I do not feel the satisfaction that comes anymore when I say that 'we are one.' I have discussed my experience here as a member of a tribe, but I am aware that other people from other tribes encounter same too all the time. It is getting to a stage where to say that we are one would be pretentious, hypocritical and deceitful- our being one is actually the reason for some people's anger, frustration and according to them, the reason why they are still lagging behind. For God sake, can't offensive tribal or ethnic remarks be criminalised to avert the looming danger it indicates?

People like me are starting to feel abnormal- that is to use a fair language. Abnormal that we place humanity above our ethnic groups, religion or sex. Abnormal that being a Nigerian holds sway with us than being a Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa or any other tribe. We feel abnormal because our efforts to live up to the expectations that most anomalies in our fatherland is ours to address are being frustrated by some of us- the armies of the ethnic barracks and religious warlords. We ran the race against ethnic bias with hope in our eyes and the love of others in our minds, hoping we would be glad we did. But now, just now, we are feeling the race has been a lost one so far.

Again, that night, I did maintain my silence because I lack the strength to address uncultured talkers bluffing in heavy accents in the imaginative attires of their superiority.

barcanista:
Nigeria leaders and their reckless behaviour

p
Mr. Barcanista, what is the recklessness in the President travelling by road with his convoy? Did he cause the traffic congestion by telling the convoy to stop while they ought to drive or he told them to slow down?

Criticism is allowed, but one thing should distinguish supposed literates and informed people from the intellectually less fortunate in the society- objectivity. Don't lose that Sir, except you are not going anywhere. I say this because people would open the book and check your record.

Kunle106:
no problem, have seen it and now following.. Keep it up am enjoying ur memoir..
But why not inform your readers here about the new development.

Thanks for the useful idea you blessed me with. I'll do just that. I appreciate.

Kunle106:
What happened to the updates?

Sorry for any inconvenience Sir. Check the topic before this. It has been moved to the literature section

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jcmaiah:
There is no word like "Corper". I will keep saying it until it enters your ears! I just wonder if the class of graduates we have now actually did GNS in school? Its a pity even quack journalist now write "Corper". I was reading a news paper and a columnist wrote "am" instead of "I'm " and I began to wonder what was the actually work of the editor. Or perhaps he studies normadic engineering. And so what? I studied engineering too! who would I even blame? when a class teacher rights 'r' instead of 'are' because of too much unnecessary chatting!

Shhhhhh, easy! Mr. Grammar, won't you rather broaden your grammatical dexterity by finding out what it means to put a word in inverted comma or in quote? It means it is either your coined word, not certain if it is grammatically acceptable or a borrowed word from another language in a piece written in an entirely different language.

Calm down, I only see you coming here to tell us you are an engineer with basic knowledge of grammar. And please, try to include the correct word when you do this next time. I know the correct phrase is 'youth corp'. You don't sound like you do. I am not afraid of criticism, but blend it with civility. Read more on quoted words. And please, I see grammatical blunders all over in your purported attempt to correct, please mend them e.g quack journalist (nothing like quack journalist). A quack is simply a fraudulent healer or incompetent medical practitioner. Also, what was the ACTUAL work of the editor, not what was the ACTUALLY work of the editor. Finally, he STUDIED NOMADIC ENGINEERING, not he STUDIES NORMADIC engineering. I saw spelling and concord brutally murdered by your highly educated self who won't stop saying it until it enters our ears.

cc; jcmaiah

The MEMO OF A 'CORPER' LAWYER has been moved to the literature section. All updates have been removed and the memoir can now be followed or read at the literature section.

The author is sorry for any inconvenience to readers and followers.

Thank you.

Hidentity.