₦airaland Forum

Who’s your Daddy?

Celebrate Father’s Day (June 17 U.S) and win a $50 Amazon gift-card!

Time: Now till June 17*, 2007. * Use your time zone

What: Share a piece on your Dad or father-figure

Venue: AfricanLoft Community

MAMA JAMA: Have you been following the news at all? Because if you have, you ought to have known by now that that statement of OBJ is not only wrong on several grounds, the EFCC boss (Ribadu) have publicly declared that the EFCC has no case against Mimiko.

Check your facts people!

To Lewa: How do you address housing needs in 1 1/2 years? The items I listed are verifiable, just check them out if you can. If democracy about electing a "devil you know"? Democracy is far from that. Deciding on whom to vote for requires a little effort and access to right information, not what one's being fed on the media or what the president decides.

TO Debojyde: Your statement is far from the truth. Personal greed? You need to interpret the events surrounding Mimiko's decision to switch parties in context. In advanced democracies, politicians do switch parties, although this is not common, but it happens all the time. Secondly, Mimiko switched parties because of the undemocratic attitude of those parties and its elders that would rather impose a preferred candidate against the will of general party members. Check your facts, spend some time to recheck them again and verify with the events happening on ground.

"The main political Guru,s in Ondo state are in PDP" Again check your facts.

How many prominent PDP members have since moved and joined Labour Party?

Who is Mimiko's running mate? Former PDP chairman in Ondo state. Would he and others join a party and a man with no vision?

If Mimiko is hopelessly doomed to lose the election, and driven by greed, will he have massive grassroots support? Will AD chieftains work with him as they are doing now? These are verifiable facts and speak volume to the integrity of Mimiko.

If Mimiko is irrelevant, would the president risk his integrity by making that infamous statement against him during a political rally?

"Mimiko has no solid political structure on ground." Again check your facts.

To Egbon: "Leadership is not rocket science, you either have it or not. Expect the same excuse from this man after the end of his first term" If Mimiko has no leadership traits, he wouldn't have been able to pull off the 'flip-flops' you mentioned with grace. There are obvious facts on the ground about Mimiko, verifiable and obvious, all you need to do is do the leg work and find out.

egbon:
@ Imnakoya

What did Mimiko do when he was the minister of housing and urban developments? Please enlighten us on what he will do for Ondo State??

Mimiko was a Minister for about one and half years. This is a short time to get much done given the nature of Nigerian bureaucracy. However, Mimiko despite the short time he spent as a Minister registered some remarkable achievements, here are some: Building Code Act, computerization of land registry, reorganization of the Federal Housing Authority, he refined the framework for mortgage financing, formulated a bill on Land Use Act which is before the national assembly, and several others you can read up on MimikoforGovernor.com.

You may look up his achievements as Ondo State Health Commissioner. The Health Rangers Scheme and Festival of Surgery are some initiatives of Mimiko. His 12 point agenda is on the website, check it out.

I believe every Ondo state indigene should be able to make an informed decision on who should and shouldn't be deciding their fate. Mimiko is a person, and promises to be a Governor who would listen and do the best for the state. The choice of course is left to the electorate.

The question I think you should ask is "what has Agagu done to deserve a second term" given the resources and revenue the state has in the last 4 years.

To Ondo state Indigenes: Is 'Segun Mimiko Worthy of Your Votes? Yes, find out why on mimikoforgovernor.com. VOTE Mimiko!

The there has been a lot of chatter on remittance and its impact in developing countries lately. Some have somewhat equated/compared it the aids received from western nations.

The message here is that the remittance being sent every 'now and then' has some direct and indirect effect on the national economy and somewhat contributes the the ' economic 'liveliness' of the nation. It is not intended to be seen as a replacement for government funding.

"This project is just 1 months 1 week and I have generated 10,700 hits"

Slow down. How many of these 'hits' are quality hits? Do you realize many web hits are worthless search engines hits? Don't let all the webs stats fool you, focus on your contents and be consistent. Your google page rank is fair: 4/10 but I can't discern any theme to your site yet. What is the focus of your blog?

A lot of folks are fooled by all the noise about making quick money thro' blogging. My advice : own your niche, write well and be sure to enjoy what you do.

When some of us blog about the wrongs in Nigeria, some said we aren't patriotic. E pele o, now you can see why we rant about the mess in Nigeria. Well sorry.

Soludo's idea is good but wrongly and poorly implemented. You guys ca't even open a simple account without having to sweat. Do you know many whose money is trapped in the failed banks haven't received a dime from the banks or NDIC.

If the big guns in these mega banks are smart, they will realize that 70% of the cash in Nigeria don't find their ways in to the bank vault; they are locked into the informal economy. The question is what are they doing about it? Why would a bank be selective in who banks with it? It is the one nairas that add up to become one million, right?

Nuts!

There is a lot of sense in what Layi asked. Yes, retirement, as inappropriate as this may seem to some- including Seun- everybody needs to retire someday and the sooner you start thinking of how you will live your life when that time comes the better.

I'm yet to retire and I'm no where close to being retired, so don't get the wrong idea.  Anybody can make retirement exactly what they want- What I know for a fact is that retirement is not about sitting down doing nothing. That is a Naija man's style.

The main issue is to have the financial muscle to flex when you can't afford to work (because of old age). This is what Layi means and this is what retirement is all about-. Planning  for the future

Here in the US, it is not uncommon to find seniors- someone above 65 year, already retired- yet working menial jobs so they can pay for their medical and other bills. Majority of these folks weren't lazy or bums when younger, they most probably did not have a good plan in place to fund their retirement.

Can this scenario happen in Nigeria? Absolutely- just ask and look around you...

joftech:
So what has he done since assuming office.

I can't speak to what he has or has not done. BUt I would not expect much given the redundancy of the civil service.

The Permant Secs. and directors as career civil servants know the ins and outs of their ministries. They are the experts, but unfortunately they are the most corrupt. The Ministers most times are just figure heads, a mouth pieces and a political figures. They know only what the directors or perm sec wants them to know. The ministers can't do  anything or fire anyone without getting approval from the president. They depend on the Perm secs. and directors to get their job done.

If I have my way, I would have sacked the majority of them long ago.

What can anyone do within 6 months of assuming office? The present Aviation Minister was appointed in May 2005 or there about. The way Nigerian bureaucracy is and organized, you can't do much with this time period, that is what all of people don't realize.

Besides, the aviation sector has suffered decades of neglect and disinvestment that can't be turned around in just 6 months!

This president's action is a fire brigade way of doing things. Fine, he has grounded two airlines, how save are the others? Besides, what makes it his duty to dish out punishment when he has an Aviation Minister? Does that mean the learned Professor, ( the aviation minister) is not competent? Remember this spectacled Professor did not pass the senate screening the first time he was presented. He was forced on the nation by the president.

The management of the airports and aviation industry in general is shameful. Checkout the local terminal at the Lagos airport; it is a glorified Car park with the "agberos" hustling for customers. This gives a clue to how the airlines are maintained. This is a mirror of how affairs in Nigeria is run- no organization, no format, absolutely chaotic and free for all.

There are aviation committees in the senate and federal house of assembly, what have they been doing? What bills have they passed to secure safety in the airspace?

Yet some are quick to mention God and says “it’s the will of God” when stuff like this happens. Only sickened and apathetic minds will come up with such conclusions.

Pendelite says many Nigerians buy fake driver licenses. I wonder why? To avoid getting tested on the roads? When accidents happen we are quick to cry and point fingers.

The salvation of Nigeria is in the hands of Nigerians, you and me. Simple.

Michelin89: The eating disorders you have mentioned are deadly diseases; however, I'm yet to be convinced that it is a problem among Nigerian adolescents. Generally, the morbidity and mortality of obesity, and its related or associated conditions far outweigh anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa combined.

Obesity is yet to take strong hold in Nigeria, but it will with time given the emergence of fast food outlets and increased sedentary lifestyle of many Nigerians.

The residents of this complex were given adequate time to vacate and move their belongings. Was it government property before it was sold ? What is the fuss about? When the landlord says move, why stay and dare him? I'm sorry I don't understand. What was the court verdict? wouldn't the court ruling be after the fact?

Your idea is not bad.

The main problems with this line of business are in building the capacity and infrastructure to start. If you can start on a good and strong footing, sustaining the momentum shouldn't be that difficult.

There should be a registry for all cyber cafes in Nigeria, don't they need to get licensed before they operate? (I hope they do)

http://www.nitda.gov.ng/ The National Information Technology Development Agency maybe the the place to start.

The people seen “rejoicing and dancing” at the reception for Alams were all hired hands. The reception is PR job paid for by Alams and his cronies to spin the things in the way displayed on TV.

I couldn’t help but notice the nonchalant and apathetic views of some regarding this topic. Though they are in the minority, it is saddening nevertheless and to maintain a state of indifference is wrong at this time. Yes, the Nigerian issue has taken a downward turn that best mimics a Nollywood movie; it is still a disservice to assume an “I-don’t-care attitude”.

Few are privileged to have such as a wonderful opportunity to speak up and be heard by the entire world (even if you feel nothing will ever happen), but it is troubling that this opportunity is not being used to the extent possible.

Every opportunity counts, so seize it and use it to the fullest. Be energetic and occupy your place in the scheme of things.

DC: You have to do a better job of articulating your plan. I'm curious to understand what you are trying to do, but it sure sound interesting. Do you have more information somewhere? If you want serious input you must be willing to share, it is as simple as that.

terry:
i think this is pure racism, if this had happened to an affluent white neighborhood, i don't think the way Bush's adminnistration would react they way they did to the hurricane victims. I strongly dsagree with Nddy and Vexxy

A Terry, your comment seems like a "knee-jerk reaction"?

If you need more insight on the issue and how the events played out beyond what one sees on TV, then you may want to check out this link:

http://grandioseparlor..com/2005/09/katrina-fumble-of-highest-order.html, on Grandiose Parlor.

Saintjoe:
A big hand of applause for Governor Orji. He is a very courageous man, he has spoken his mind and the truth wether bab likes it or not?
But those of you that doesn't understand may say that he is doing this to make- way for his campaign. @bibi u don't have to say he is making noise. He is only saying the truth.

Let me say up front, I'm neither a fan of Kalu nor Obasanjo.

Readers can check out this piece on Abia State/Kalu by Uche Nworah on The Nigerian Village Square; it speaks volume to the level of bogotry that have pervaded the Nigerian polity:

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare1.com/Articles/Nworah/2005/09/eziuche-ubani-and-governor-orji-kalus.html

Also check this out too on ThisDay, captioned Abia Leaders Accuse Kalu of Corruption:

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=27586

Are all these made up?

Bibi:
Whiteshark, nobody is saying pidgin is not here to stay. The topic is Can we adopt it as National language? The answer is emphatically NO. It remains a form of communication but lacks the merit of a real language to be adopted a national language.

On what grounds have you based your statement?

Have they started using indigenous languages in the NTA news?

The presidents and others give their speeches in heavily accented English, that it sounds like something else...

Who cares about the people that don't understand English? How about givivng them a sense of belonging that goes beyond using interpreters...

Can you imagine how powerful it is to speak and have people from Sokoto to Bonny , and from Epe to Markudi understand you right off without needing to interpret.

By the way, starting the first pigid english Newspaper seem a good idea to me...

Kenya:
I'm a little disappointed when I read these threads and read how people are separating themselves as Nigerian Africans from the other Africans who are affected from this tragedy.

No offense, Kenya. But you comment, it seems you may have  misunderstood the gist of the post. I need to correct some misconcept, if any.

Primarily, the idea is that Nigeria needs to donate to the relief effort. I understand Nigeria already made a commitment of $1 million.

Secondly, the Nigerian embassy needs to reach out to Nigerians and assist in any way possible.

I think these are the issues, and the majority of the pundits have agreed to this, I hope.  Your comment does seem to resonate with these.

pearldrops:
Runs? Why do students believe much on it? {What are] the advantages and disadvantages?

Nigeria is so corrupt that anywhere you turn to you find corruption there.

Take a look at our universities, full of indecent act all in the name of education. Runs, yes "runs" is what it's called in our universities today. Even in primary school, bribery and 'runs' is the talk of the day. You'll find a student with 3 pass in O Level getting addmision in the university. Why? Runs, runs answers it all!

How do we eliminate "runs" in our universities? Your opinion counts a lot.

The problems is beyond "runs". runs is any school/college in the world. 

In a broader sense, to turn around the rot in the educational system, my ideas:

1. Have students assess (anonymously) their lecturers after the end of each semester/course; use this in annual the evaluation of lecturers
2. Have colleges collaborate with private sectors, - on research especially. Research means more money; this trickles down
3. Give colleges more autonomy
4. Colleges should look for extra income/fund, back to research again...sell services to the public
5. Institute autonomous security armed forces to fight cultism
6. Increase funds to colleges
etc

"Naija man too dey do gra-gra". This is all about communications; a nation that can't communicate effectively is in trouble!

Even the United Nations recognized Pigin english...abi Obong? , See: http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/pcm.htm

What does this tell us as a nation?

In additon, donations can be made through the Red Cross.

Per Niyi Osundare's experience; I repeat what is the Nigerian embassy in the US doing for Nigerians affected by the storm?

vexxy:
yes, CNN has changed it into their own little thing but that should not make us lose focus on what it is, a tragedy. Not a platform for politics. Let's deal with that after this has been solved.

It is not limited to CNN, all news agencies and media outlet are all on the wagon, and its is expected. What happened is unprecedented, and besides, albeit depressing, the world needs the information.

Many pundits have injected some racial undertone to what happened in New Orleans. To me this a somewhat visceral reaction, what the world witnessed in the last 4 days was a resultant effect of failed leadership in the US, coupled with a logistical difficulties of dealing with a devastating disaster of that magnitude. Private citizens have stepped up big time- with donations and all sorts of help.

Nigeria needs to step up too, yes we have our own issues, but we need to do something regardless. Sri Lanka pledged $25 G despite their troubles. I'm sure there are Nigerians affected in disaster too, what is our embassy doing to assist, I wonder.

Black River Eagle thanks Nairaland members.

He writes, via his blog Jewels in the Jungle @
http://jewelsnthejungle..com/2005/09/hurricane-katrina-video-tribute.html#comments:

...and a big Hat Tip and bow to the great Nigerian blog and forum participants who linked to our posts in their discussion topic:

Hurricane Katrina: Should Nigeria and Nigerians Help Out?

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-1572.0.html

See my comment at Grandiose Parlor's "Katrina - The Day After" post for August 30th for my reaction to their efforts. I think that I can speak for all America in saying "Thank You, Nigeria".


His comments Via Grandiose Parlor @
http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=13051956&postID=112555006379815451:

Dear friends at Nairaland Forum,

Just knowing that you care so much for the plight of those poor people trapped in the misery and suffering of the aftermath of that catastrophic storm and the breakdown of human dignity in its wake...just knowing that you care is enough.

We don't need the money Nigeria, but thank you for even considering it. People along America's Gulf Coast just need that extension of humanity and friendship you have given from so far away with this small but significant act.

Your posting and comments and the images coming out of New Orleans and Biloxi and the Blues tune sung by the late John Lee Hooker moved me to tears today. I just broke down, sorry.

Thank you for caring. Thank You.

Great minds think alike they say, right?

You just nailed it Seun! You zeroed in on my fears and the realities of the Nigerian situation. Time will tell.

Nigerians need a form of national  identity numbers that are unique to each individual. This can be used to record keeping- opening of bank accounts, credit line etc.

Will national ID cards make this possible? Maybe, it depends on how the project its being implemented.

Many have heard of and/or have seen the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans (LA), Biloxi and Gulfport (MS) of USA.

See Grandiose Parlor:
http://grandioseparlor..com/2005/08/katrina-day-after.html, and
Jewels of the Jungle: 
http://jewelsnthejungle..com/2005/09/hurricane-katrina-video-tribute.html for more information.

My Questions:
Should Nigerians/Nigeria help out?

How can Nigerians/Nigeria help out?

Personally, I think those who can, should help, and the nation (Nigeria) should offer some assistance. In addition, the Nigerian embassy need to identify Nigerians affected by this storm and pick up the tabs for their relocatinn. This is what any decent country would do, and if indeed we are the (so-called) giant of Africa, we will do it!

"Ive said it before, many of you are after stretched sensational dramas. Abubakar knows what he's aiming for and would be so stupid to soil his hands. I think many people under-estimate the guy."

BIBI: What about issues relating to ethnics ethics and corruption? I believe that is what should be addressed. Atiku as a politican is going to spin the issue in his favor, regardless. The substance of the matter is that he should be investigated thoroughly, nobody is after the sensationalism...