₦airaland Forum

major466:
Counter: King Solomon is the richest man of all time and history. Not Queen Sheba.

Africa is the only place left for Africans to get full credit for their efforts. Until Africans wake up and present themselves as masters of their own destiny in Africa, no black man anywhere in the world will be respected. As long as those of us that have opportunities to excel as individuals or as a group rely on these comfort zones outside as our last refuge, the incentive to make Africa a comfortable home will elude our children. Think mass deportation to Europe, Asia and Africa Eh?

Most Africa countries started out on the right foot immediately after independence since most realized the roles and value of education, healthcare, industrial estates and agriculture. Farmers were organized through cooperative boards with price stability. Free Education was promoted as a goal to awareness in pursuing expertise that would be inadequate without skill labor on the farm. Teaching, Law and Medicine were the leading professions. (Iwe kiko, lai si oko, koi pe o).

We have made our share of success everywhere but the credit will always elude us unless it is to further the progress of African Continent. Since our success outside Africa is like playing and sometimes winning away game from home. Unfortunately, even Africans do not credit our own until outsiders so decided. It is not a matter of a prophet without honor at home, it is a case of admiring what others say, do and value. Even if most claims did not originate or made in Africa.

There are three types of Diaspora Africans. Many that left after school and experience, some stayed investing heavily at home and those that could not be bothered or got lost after two or many bad experiences swearing never to go back there. One of our 1st generation children that made it: Obama contributed more to Africa than he would have, had he been born in Africa.

If Romney had delivered the world from the worst economic recession since the last depression, reduced unemployment from over 10% to below 6%, killed Osama Bin Ladin and given America Romneycare as in Massachusetts, he would have been hailed as a hero. Despite trumpeted fear of inflation and deficit, both are running lower to the disappointment of unrepentant critics. No one admitted the wise decision to remove chemical weapons from Syria before ISIL got them.

Africans’ faults are exaggerated or punished more than those of whites. Dismiss our empathy with Obama because he is our son. Call it common attacks in all mid-term elections. After all Bill Clinton thinks he got worse attacks than Obama just as Richard Nixon thought he got the worst attack. The difference here is what offence or moral turpitude has Obama committed? See this

We have a friend; he used to say he and his children would go back and live in his village, when asked. If he refused to go back, no one knows why he thought his children would ever live there. As our children got older and became teenagers, professionals or losers; the same police, gangs and street violence that had fallen native children started to fall ours. In Chicago one weekend, 23 black children fell to gangs’ bullets. Biko, it is not that dreadful in Johannesburg or Lagos.

Nowhere is this notion better displayed than in two instances: judicial process and religion. The two may explain why we have fallen backwards in other fields for which we lack credits. While growing up, we often hear our elders that had travel far and wide starting their sentences with: In civilized countries, that would never happen. It became a disappointment when we saw what happened in civilized countries that would never have happened in Africa. Before you ask what?

An alien from space will be shocked to understand how people interpret cold blooded murders in the daylight. Not once or twice but on a regular basis. It has always been the case and books or witnesses had always told their stories. What are different these days are cameras all over the place, even from mobile phones. Please note that witnesses have always seen the same events slightly differently depending from which side it is viewed.

The jury system is the conscience of western democracy on which our legal system is based. It is still evolving and dynamic compared to ancient Sharia laws. Unfortunately, in many countries outside of Africa both whites and blacks would view the same situation differently and render judgment according to their biased views. Stack differences based on ethnic and political biases are different from motives. The law takes care of motives that are argued by adversaries.

Justice also varies between the poor and the rich, in Africa not only outside Africa. Most of the disparities have to do with ability to afford legal representation. Even legal aid employs lawyers the system allocated money can only cover for the poor. But to turn a pin on its head, what used to be called copious lie, now called different views. Just to justify cold blooded murders.

More important is the way people are judged and credited differently. In the case of children growing up in a society, they see situations in black and white and question any impropriety as if they are born with innate ability to judge right from wrong. So they would question a parent and verify from the other why a brother, sister or friend is treated differently from them. As we get older, we begin to lose the objectivity and our prejudice grows.

This is the reason young men and women are idealistic in their youths and become more conservative as they grow older. Cases in point are returning Africans and hippies of yesterday as conservatives of today. As we grow older, we tend to inherit the prejudice of our community with the fear of losing our old ways of life that is being threatened by new thinking or new comers. Ingrained in these are privileges we stand to lose if the old system is not retained.

If that is the case, one would expect the conservatives in Africa to hold on to our norm and custom. But remember that the only norm and custom that survive are those that can stand up to changes in the society. If the old norm and custom label you a brute for retaining religion that sacrifice human blood, unless you sacrifice goat or chicken instead, you are a brute. The way many reject the label is by baptism into Christian, Muslim or Hindu of mass destruction.

Africans must fight not just cry for justice, fairness and right to equal justice on land we labored or were cheated. But, simply put, it threatens the existence of new owners the same way the American Indians were threatened and displaced. Indeed, entrenched powers will be foolish to yield land and power back to original owners. Mind you, it is the credit Mugabe of Zimbabwe demanded in his Country and what has brought him and his people so much economic misery.

OUR POLICE ROT OR SHINE FROM THE HEAD DOWN

We now missed the former Chief of Police Mohammed Abubakar. He is evidence that a country can be saved if we have enough behavioral change into sincere men and women that can form a quorum everywhere. When he came in and promised that he would stop road blocks, most of us not only doubted him, we thought it was so ingrained that it could not be done. He did it!
Our skepticism was based on the fact that every Chief of Police promised that all semblances of road blocks and permanent check points would be dismantled. The promise never took hold until Mohammed Abubakar became Chief. As soon as he retired, the police could not wait to go back to their old ways. The noticeable difference was inflation or making up for their lost bribes. Police demanded 50, Mobile Police 100 and Soldier 200 naira.

It was not that road blocks were perfectly abolished but we felt the difference in our pockets and knew the past Chief Abubakar meant business. A protest letter addressed to the new acting Chief of Police was published on the internet that road block are back It killed the gains and peace we had based on onerous effort of one man from the top that percolated to the rank and file. All the Oga At The Top collecting money became afraid of losing their jobs and complied.

Our Country Police are another reflection of the society and how low we have come. We are scorned by friends and enemies because our corrupt practices are open and practiced with impunity. The hope of Africa and the wish of the rest of the world that the way Nigeria was developing around Independence, the country would become a regional world power, was lost. It has not come to pass. We cannot even help ourselves, not to think about helping others.

Abubakar is a product of the same corrupt practices but one that became determined that he was going to make a change. He picked his own task, regardless of other wrongs he might have or might not have committed and he proved us wrong. Road blocks stopped during his reign in Nigeria. It did not matter how many enemies he made from the rank and file to their bosses collecting shares from police road blocks.
We cannot forget that people got killed from refusing to give police blooded twenty naira. The few that dared challenged them or drivers and conductors that complained of double payments got shot at, and some of them died. It became life and death issue. Some of the police claimed they had to pay to be posted there, others went as far as the House that Oga at the Top collect their own share. When salaries are not paid, bribe is what they used to feed their families.

Indeed, most do not care or complain about unpaid salaries as long as they are posted to areas where they can take bribe. But then, you can hardly find any area of police work where bribes are not relatively sought. They can commandeer private molue, pick innocent citizens up at the bus stops and lock them up at the police stations until they can “prove” they are not criminals before bailing them out. You wonder if we have law and order; only due process for the rich.

The amount of money saved by individuals after Abubakar stopped road blocks could be billions in estimate that served as a stimulus into the economy, instead of their way into the pocket of police. The more money in your pocket, the more you give to wife and children before leaving home since police bribe on the road was almost dead under Abubakar. If not dead, those rogue police risking it knew they were taking chances.
There was the commissioner of police in Lagos State that adhere to his boss promised and even answered a woman’s emergency call to her surprise. It all points to the example, determination and change of attitude at the top. Once subordinates understood that the chief meant business, they all fell in line. While many of us were celebrating a promise fulfilled by the Chief of Police, others were busy digging up his past to embarrass and derail his changed corrupt attitude.

We are not naïve; there are few saints in the police of a country that has degenerated as much as Nigeria. We have many cases of rogues and bandits that finally realized that money is not everything. After you have accumulated so much, it becomes an albatross to easy, simple and decent living. Many billionaires that made money the old fashion ways gave most away before they died as scholarships to the poor and organizations that help lift them up.

You can then imagine the guilt of those that acquire money through the blood and suffering of their fellow humans. Nemesis always catches up with them and their children no matter where they are. The Police are not better off either. They contribute to their own suffering while those they deliver to, take the money outside the country to spoil their children and foreign Susies.
Others complained that road blocks and police check points are very few in the Northern part of the country if any. It may have encouraged Boko Haram to go without hindrances on their part. We know that is not true. Give credit to our brothers and sisters in the North. They do not take that type of nonsense from Police or Army. Boko Haram operates in broad day light. They have their sponsors among the politicians, Army and other billionaires.

Some people actually believe road block are security checks in this day of high communication and technology. Robbers know where police are stagnant at road blocks making it impossible to mount quick arrest of kingpins and robbers that are more mobile and inform one another of Police locations too busy taking bribes.

We have our fingers crossed and wait for the order from the Acting Police Chief that they must dismantle all semblances of road blocks and permanent check points. Is this a promise like that of retired Mohammed Abubakar or the type of promises made by all new Police Chiefs?

http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/157809/1/.html

kelnas: owkay! so you want to see maybe a full blooded black Nigerian or Ghanaian, Gambian (nd so on) rulling a white man's land ryt!!!!! SMH where have u seen a pure white man rulling a contry in Africa in recent times? espect dat when yu see a white rulling in african countries!

Aigbofa: It was first done in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The reason may be obvious; Africa has the largest population of Ebola patients with antibodies in their blood serums. This is very essential for research and treatment.

Colloidal Silver and Nano Silver have become the silver bullets against Ebola recently including claim of the discovery by a Nigerian. It was pleasant news compared to all the bad information we get all the time. Before we say gbosa, Nigerian Government placed order for Nano Silver from abroad. For some reasons, these African leaders think our deliverance can only come from foreign contracts, even when we have the same natural “solutions” for Ebola at home.

When Colloidal Silver and Nano-Silver were hailed as cure it sounded like compound from space to many of us. We did not even relate it to the silver in our backyard but our scientists know more than us and it is surprising that either nobody asked for their input or they were side-lined completely for another “discovery” by Christopher Columbus. This is a case of selling silver, gold and diamond for mirrors or catching fresh fish in our seas and selling it as can-tin-fish back to us.

Since ancient times, the world took advantage of Silver, diamond and gold biocompatibility for use in medicine, particularly in dentistry and for arthritis. Recently they have also claimed roles in the treatment of infectious diseases, for X-ray and arthritis at nano-scale technology.
None of these compounds is in short supply in Africa. Actually, we have them more than other continents. Traces of silver in eye drops are probably the most common use around the world. Silver nitrate was used for many years as drops in newborns' eyes to prevent blindness caused by gonorrhea, and is also used in lotions for burn victims.

Colloidal or Nano Silver gained more popularity by taking advantage of Center for Disease Control warnings regarding some bacterial infections known as super-bugs and parasitic infections that became resistant to drugs. Exploration for alternatives sent scientists back to ancient remedy of colloidal Silver which gained mixed results. Others went further and found that these silver compounds could also be effective against viruses such as Ebola and AIDS.

In the case of Nigeria, we have a PhD Zoologist as President! Some of these research scientists are of course Africans in our teaching hospitals. It is a disservice to ignore all their hard work in the African laboratories and jump to conclusion that a definite cure for Ebola has been found outside. Most chemists in African countries do prepare these so called “silver” bullets. But our Government did not ask or ignored their advice in order to pursue foreign contract as usual.
What evidence do we have that colloidal silver, silver sulfadiazine and silver nitrate work? Colloidal silver is applied to skin for acne, burns, eye infections, fungal infections, throat infections, and Staphylococcus infections. Colloidal silver if given may kill certain germs by binding to and destroying proteins and some claim by acting as magnet inside the cell’s RNA?

If that is the case, others wondered what damage the silver compounds can do to normal human cells, not just to lower animals and insects.
Colloidal silver, a mineral were once available as over-the-counter products. Though in 1997, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that colloidal silver drug products were not considered safe or effective, more scientist and natural healers have come out hailing its effectiveness in treating Lyme disease, more bacteria and virus infections. The same way Prof. Iwu has claimed that bitter cola-nuts is effective against Ebola.

Many of us react differently to different drugs. Some people that cannot get relief from normal medication may search for untraditional means to cure their ailments. This is why Colloidal or Nano Silver is used to treat infections due to yeast; bacteria as tuberculosis, Lyme disease, bubonic plague, pneumonia, leprosy, gonorrhea, syphilis, scarlet fever, stomach ulcers, cholera plus parasites as ringworm, malaria and viruses as HIV/AIDS, pneumonia, herpes, shingles, wart.

Some people would go further and use silver compounds for just about anything when they feel other medications have failed, including treatment of Ebola, cancer, emphysema, inflammation of the bladder, skin conditions, bronchitis, prostate, colon, nose, stomach, tonsils, appendix and sinuses. Or diabetes, arthritis, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, leukemia, hay fever and other allergies, trench foot, and gum disease. It does not mean Silver is a bullet for each of these!

Colloidal silver is a mineral. Despite promoters’ claims, silver has no known function in the body and it is not an essential mineral supplement. It is not for use in humans but good as insecticide. Use can lead to an irreversible bluish skin discoloration in light skin folks that may first appear in the gums. It can also stimulate melanin production in skin, and areas exposed to the sun will become gradually discolored.

This condition is called Argyria in humans, which occur in people who eat or breathe in silver compounds taken as medication in grams of small doses over several months or over a long period of time. The silver in colloidal silver products gets deposited in vital organs such as the skin, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle, and brain.

“Pregnancy and bosom-feeding: Colloidal silver is not safe when taken by mouth, applied to the skin or injected intravenously. Increased silver levels in pregnant women have been linked to abnormal development of the ear, face, and neck in their babies. Colloidal silver supplements can also lead to silver accumulation in the body an irreversible bluish skin discoloration known as argyria. Silver can also be deposited in vital organs, where it does serious damage.”
For More See References.

EMPOWER YOURSELF WITH PRIMARY SCHOOL HYGIENE TO PREVENT EBOLA

Ebola pandemic has silver lining. Renew general cleanliness learned in primary school (Imototo). We are not helpless, daily cleaning and maintenance has eluded us for a long time since health inspectors have been decommissioned. Those that are too young to remember may ask their parents.


Gutters on the streets and inside our homes were inspected to make sure there was no breeding stagnant water for mosquitoes. Actually, it prevented other bacteria and parasites.

Nigerians can make business out of anything, which is why it is surprising that the Country is not the richest in the world. All of a sudden because of Ebola fake and borderline effective products sprung up. People were even reluctant to shake hands and if they do, would wash their hands immediately. Many types of designer water came out apart from Sapele water, prayer and holy water that are different but good for Holy Ghost. We need more than prayers right now.

This sudden consciousness is not amongst the people on the streets alone. European, American and African hospitals knew the rate of reinfection during patients stay was too high to be proud of and totally unacceptable. Studies indicated that simple hand washing as often as possible in hospitals cut down dramatically the rate of patients’ reinfections. That is why you find in most reputable hospitals around the world, sanitizers on all walls within reasonable distance.

Apart from generators, our hospitals spend good money out of their budget buying portable water, even for operations. It is so disgraceful, many cannot mention it in any civil gathering. When some physicians and nurses say it, some of us out of shame deny it and contradict them as if they are lying. What is there to lie about since that is the condition they have to work in?

Clean water has become a luxury and most people in Africa, including the rich, have no access to running water in their homes. Indeed, young men and women, having their own children claim they cannot remember anytime their Country had running water. This is sad because of the number of diseases we can prevent, or do not have to deal with, like Ebola, influenza, river blindness and environmental poisoning like lead, mercury, arsenic and many more.

The point here is that we cannot overemphasize the need for safe water in our environment. The rich only solve half of the problem and may be even getting into more trouble with their boreholes at the back of the house and suck-away in the front of the house. Too close for comfort and contamination. The basis of health must include clean drinking water and enough to wash and clean in the house. Frequent washing of hands in this case is not compulsive habit.

How we exchange BODILY FLUID? Think we already know when and how to WASH OUR HANDS.

Before, during, and after preparing food. More so at Mama-put-E and restaurants

Before and after eating food

Before and after caring for someone who is sick

Before and after treating a cut or wound

After using the toilet wash both hands

After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet

After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing into your arm or napkin

After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste even with gloves

After touching garbage

For more see CDC guidelines

These are simple habits we were taught in primary schools while growing up. We prioritize money for everything we cannot maintain but very little for what we can easily do ourselves. Nobody claims that sometimes politicians and administrators are not overwhelmed, but they have to do much more than what steal money for foreign countries that take care of their people and sanitize the environment. Sanitation day is a step in the right direction.

It is even more important about the food we eat. Africans generally like well-cooked or well-done food. Others eat rare or uncooked fish or meat. One of our young men got sick with unspecified illness and his kidney almost failed. He had to go on dialysis for a while before he finally recovered. Cutting a long story short, he had a habit of eating sushi, Japanese delicacy of uncooked fish and rice dipped in green paper, with his friends.

Chinekeme, see me see trouble. The mum and dad eat bokoto, edo, saki, sawa, panla, orisirisi in edikaiekong with pounded yam or suya. But these young people are grownups, many with their own money. They claimed their parents eat worse food than them as (bush meat) wild animals without knowing source of preparation. It is true that some undomesticated animals do carry exotic diseases. They have to be carefully avoided or make sure, we cook them “dead” again.

Many of us do not eat dogs as some eat lokili (bigger dog) but hate okete (bush rat), others hate pig a delicacy for many. Monkeys and fruit bats in thick forests carry Ebola virus, but few people dare eat. Situations change in the face of hunger, wild meats could be deadly. Other religious folks eat halal or kosher meat. Few that dislikes pig love ham, sausage and bacon only on a fly!

Better to be saved than be sorry or dead. Chickens carry some deadly bacteria, without health and farm inspectors many businesses would rather sell them to unsuspecting consumers than destroy them. They are not covered by private or government insurance and they have to make a profit and pay their employee. Consumers are the last destination of these foods. So what you do with your food depends on you. So is birds’ avian flu virus. Restaurant hopping is a new story.

Let us hope we learn from this Ebola pandemic especially in African countries. Prevention is always better and cheaper than cure, unless we practice what we preach, another disaster may be around the corner.

Farouk Martins Aresa

Counselors advise men not to feel threaten by Romance-Machine since men’s touch, warm body glide, pelvis adjustment, kisses and caressing are missing in Romance-Machines. Men should instead incorporate it into ladies intimate pressure if their ladies bring it up. If she mentions it, she is probably using it and wants to test your acceptance.

The good news is that when women were asked if they are getting enough sex, they say no; but would marry the same person again.

Did women complain about men’s Viagra? Hell no, they accept it. So men should not complain about some ladies’ personal assistants. The daughter of a famous politician once claimed men are useless to her because most of them are weak before the age of thirty; even then, cannot fully satisfy her like her vibrators. The way some ladies behave, it must not catch on. Since men cannot live without women from cradle to grave, otherwise they may become extinct.

Why some ladies prefer fresh sperm donated to a vibrator to get pregnant baffles most of us. If the scientists are right, the X chromosomes existed long before the Y chromosomes while the world population of plants and animals increased. Women live longer than men and more boys die younger than girls because they love risky behavior like wars, dangerous sports and games.

Men are not weak. The Zulu king with voracious sexual appetite cannot compete with vibrators, not to talk about mere mortals struggling to satisfy one or two girlfriends helping out madam on a pedestal, out of the goodness of their hearts. As if madam needs their help. If she does or need any, drivers and house boys are willing to pitch in while Oga is out with girlfriends.

If what ladies really want is a man with the voracious sexual prowess like the Zulu king, they must say so. The glorification of vibrators amongst women, and within the knowledge of men is very insulting. This is why many men have gone back to school to learn how else to please their women. There are experts, professors and therapists lecturing on how to improve and reinvent sexual pleasure. Instead of vibrators, men must learn the miracle of thumb and index fingers.

We must admit the empirical facts that men love women’s company and can hardly do without ladies at any age. In early ages, women are indispensable and as boys grow older their main affection is for their mothers and girlfriends. Their fathers always come second because he would rather spend more time at work, making money for the families than stay home and let the mothers go out and work. Now, some of the men are switching roles to house-dads.

In spite of their lip service to men that stay home and help women out, their respect still go for the traditional macho men that excite them at work, play and extra-curricular activities. Ladies are now crashing men’s clubs where women were traditionally barred. The law and community in general support the women against these exclusive clubs. Men claim it is the only sanctuary left that women have not invaded. But ladies claim it boosts business cronyism and girlfriends.

In fact, these clubs are not for men exclusively. Men bring in their girlfriends that drive their wives at home to vibrators. This raises intriguing question of how many women can an average man satisfy while some women are being denied or staved of sex. It is either most of these men are sex machines or they are dividing their sexual prowess between two, three or more ladies. But if an average man cannot satisfy that many women, others and vibrators come to mind.

The worst offenders women complain about are weak men that prefer quickies or “wham bam thank you ma'am”. This is unfair. In the first place, those happen where we are not supposed to have sex. Forbidden places are at work, at parties by the corner wall, in cars and too expensive dream islands, like the beach mat or some magic carpet. Please note that these places are from blind market surveys, when men and women were asked for their fantasy places to have sex.

Ladies, at that point and time claimed they enjoyed it. So it is not fair to come back and use the same survey answers against men they had the flings and college hook-up with. If women want a full service, they must do it at the appropriate place where the men could spend more time working on them. This is the best way to get satisfaction but some women want more rounds than the men are willing to give. So, women complain, again, that men always fall asleep.

In many cases, these men fall asleep when the ladies are just getting excited, ready for another round. It will be dishonest to claim all men fall asleep because some demand more, only for the women to let him knock himself out: staring at the ceiling wondering when he is going to get off. When the man ask how good he was; the lady always replied that he was a tiger!

How can you call a man a tiger in bed and then develop a relationship with vibrators? There are other factors involved, they claim. Men are not forthcoming as ladies wish and are not going to hang around until their golden age to get serviced. For older ladies, men their age are tired in bed. Many men have some problems after the age of 40 years. So they seek counsel from the bosom of younger ladies they can hardly satisfy. If men are well off, wives certify them as senile.

Instead of running after every Dick and Tunde like call-girls to satisfy their sexual urging, the women remain respectable in their bedroom and satisfy themselves with vibrators under their pillows or become cougars. The problem is they get used to non-stop vibrators on batteries or rechargers that have no blood running through them. They cannot cuddle or kiss vibrators.

There is much more to sex. Touching, nice wine over diner, teasing and flattering each other are part of the same ceremony of sexual pleasure to enhance longer climax. Women and men have to realize that you cannot make good love to partners that you detest, nag you to death or that crawl your blood. There has to be friendship, caring and anticipating; that will be missed when out of sight instead of excuses, wishing he or she never comes back alive and demanding sex.

Vibrator is a recent phenomenon. Counselors advise men not to feel threaten by vibrator since men’s touch, warm body glide, pelvis adjustment, kisses and caressing are missing in vibrators. Men should instead incorporate it into ladies sexual pressure if their ladies bring it up. If she mentions it, she is probably using it and wants to test your acceptance.

The good news is that when women were asked if they are getting enough sex, they say no; but would marry the same person again.

Farouk Martins Aresa

THERE IS NO ARMY OF GOD ANYWHERE ONLY MASS KILLERS


When we look at most of the “Greats” from Genghis Khan, Alexander, Napoleon, Hitler, leaders of Buddhist, Jihad and Crusades, most were religious men that led the Army of God as mass killers. Each claimed he had the blessing from above to lead the Army of God. The rituals before going to wars include solemn prayers, fasting and blessings not to lose in battles. It is baffling how the same God could be fighting itself from both sides of the victor and the vanquished.

If God is everywhere, we do not have to go to Jerusalem or Mecca before prayers are answered. You cannot desecrate Africa by carnage and call other peoples’ land, Holyland. African solutions are needed not only in Nigeria today, in Congo yesterday, or Liberia the day before and Somali before that. Africa is engulfed in enough civil wars, no sectarian dominance or religious fanatics needed again; in the name of Army of God by foreign commanders, suppressing African religion.

Terrorists from North and South have decided they can target Abuja with impunity. Striking the same location several times sends the message that nowhere is safe. There are high state alerts from Lagos to Sokoto: mistaken identities of talikawa for terrorists. It started with victimization of Igbo traders, those in between, comes around to daily killing of Hausa in God’s name.

We cannot live with this daily killing of our own families in the name of God as a unified country. As long as a country has what others want, no country is immune from outside aggression. It is now obvious that country may not the problem. Army of God would kill within, kill their own or cross to other states and countries to kill. The greatest disappointment would be after we all separate into countries: no solution. So let us stop raising expectation and seek answers within.

Solution must be combination of force and fairness. By force: out of 250 ethnic groups, reshuffle neutral soldiers to troubled areas to deal with insurgents. They must be well equipped, well fed and friendly with law abiding members of the communities. Any General diverting equipment or money must be severely dealt with as example to others. Corruption in high places for which the whole world knows and our country is notorious for, must be reduced to barest minimum.

The world focus is on Nigeria’s daily mayhem by members of the Army of God. It is not only girls that have been kidnapped, boys, old people and children are still being kidnapped for ransom. When ransom was paid, some still got killed. We need to wake up change ourselves and reject hypocrites preaching to us. It is not the system; we are capable of corrupting any system. It is us.

We may have tried to figure out the conviction of mass killers in the name of God. If we look deeper into ourselves, we will find another justification in the holiest places. Young men were inspired or forced into the army to fight for God, for freedom, against oppressors and against injustice. Fight for or against communism and capitalism. There has to be an overriding motive.

Injustice and hypocrisy contribute to revolts pushing the poor to religious fanatics and pastors. The whole world calls Nigerian leaders crooks, they go round bribing and influencing the same world with stolen loots and pardoning those caught in the act. Negotiated at the expense of poor prisoners that never wanted or begged to come into dingy unmaintained prisons at home, so that their foreign VIP convicts can benefit from prisoners’ swap and come home to be freed.

Moreover, known terrorists are released into the hands of Chiefs, Emirs or Sultan. As notorious terrorists get paid and get juicy contracts, their family members that abide by the law, play by the rules and stayed out of trouble come out of colleges without jobs. They are courted by opportunistic wealth seeking pastors and recruiters of Army of God promising them deliverance from their sufferings. We then wonder how reasonable youths can fall prey to charlatans.

Everlasting life in heaven, forty-two virgins and submission to the will of God as delivered by commanders of the Army of God do have an effect on reasons we sacrifice our youths to wars. Anyone in poverty, dire situation, in need of water and food would grab a bag of rice and pure water during election campaigns. Sell their souls for the day and foolishly wait for tomorrow. At some point or the other, we have all been captivated by The Greats, money, and false hope.

Violence can never be justified by any means but when men fail to reach consensus and deeply feel cheated and disrespected, animalistic instinct and rage take over. We display the worst form of aggression with weapons of mass destruction. Many believe war is bound to raise its ugly head at some point before the defeated and weaker parties conform to the rule of law dictated by the winners.

Even Armed Robbers (coup plotters) of governments, shops, banks and people also pray to God before leaving their dens to perpetrate havoc on innocent victims. Some of them have Mosques and Churches built in their humongous homes. They justify each operation to their followers as correcting injustice. If they succeed or fail, God would forgive them.

Indeed, Churchill did better with words of Henry the V because apart from prayers, either one invoked inspiring words for strength, determination and resolve to wake up the spirits of the English forefathers against the French or the German. During our war some of us had secret heroes whose words were equally inspiring and one of them captivated this writer. These days, it could be called propaganda words. But it was effective and inspiring enough then.

Once more unto the Beach, Once more.. You come by sea We finish Una Fight in the fields and in the streets.. You come by Air We finish Una We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France… You come by road We finish Una We shall fight on the seas and oceans..

Wake Up Africa! We fought in two World Wars to liberate others but not ourselves.



By Farouk Martins Aresa
- See more at: http://abujavoice.com/there-is-no-army-of-god-anywhere-only-mass-killers/#sthash.uMHNtsGz.dpuf

No matter what we think about Obasanjo as a bona fide member of the oppressor class, there is no head of state in Nigeria that he has not criticized, even at the risk of death sentence. He has no constituency; even in his ethnic base. But he is not for sacrifice. In spite of all his faults, Nigeria needs many more Obasanjo from the ruling class, not less of him. You may not want to be related to a mad man, but from their mouths come the bitter and fearless truth, uncensored.

So when the North warned Obasanjo that Jonathan was a terrorist, they proved it when Henry Okah of MEND said so; when he appointed another terrorist arm supplier, Gen. Azizi, as head of the Nigerian Army. But those calling Jonathan terrorist are well known terrorists that Molested and maimed their own countrymen and women. We see the consequences of their illegalities and the atrocities of their actions everyday especially in poor deprived children of next generation.

Miltary & Terrorist Presidents Rule By Identical Gun Barrels

It was late Chief Akinloye the Chairman of NPN that let Nigerians know that there were always two parties in Nigeria: NPN and the Military. Mind you, we've always had political thugs. They eventually graduated to godfathers like Adedibu as the strongman in Ibadan. Eventually, the religious fanatics were courted as political movers in the North just as the political thugs in the South. In short we now have the two political parties - the Terrorist and the Military.

There is no way you can become a President in Nigeria without belonging to either a Military or the Terrorist party. The “bloody” civilians have been knocked cold out of power since the sixties. Disguised by handovers to civilian governments in the name of democracy, they must seek the backing of Terrorist or Military party. Many “militricians” boldly claimed it takes a military leader to govern, until Terrorist Party challenged them with opposite and guerrilla force.

Do not dismay by victims in Bornu, Zakia Biam, Odi, Jos, Kano and Lagos shoot on sight orders. They've all presented claims to World Human Right Organization. Any government that rules by the barrel of the gun is led by armed robber. The terrorists of yesterday are the rulers of today in many areas of the world. Before Menachem Begin insurgents against British in Israel, there was American war against the British. President Arafat was not the last terrorist either.

Ojukwu said it best to Gowon: that they were all rebels. He was right. My freedom fighters are your terrorists and your freedom fighters are my terrorists. It does not make a difference whose side you are on, Gowon was a terrorist in Biafra killing women and children as Ojukwu was a terrorist in Nigeria killing women, children and looting the Central Bank.

There are a millions other ways a country could have been better managed. We lost our bearing to military government out of desperation thinking the situation could not be worse. Military operation is short sighted looking for quick subdued foes, not usually long term economic or structural building. It is easier for them to destroy, as their specialties, than to build for future generation. We call most of the Armed Forces members – “kill an' go”. We are stuck in Nigeria.

There is a conspiracy of silence in Nigeria for fear of “heating up the polity”. All the present and previous leaders get together to nip any disagreement in the bud. They do not want to “stir the hornet's nest” disrupting status quo. It is a deadly conspiracy for the masses. Nigeria as it is today breeds international contempt and disrespect and Diaspora Africans bury their heads in shame because the only promising regional power expected in the sixties went into a slumber.

No matter what we think about Obasanjo as a bona fide member of the oppressor class, there is no head of state in Nigeria that he has not criticized, even at the risk of death sentence. He has no constituency; even in his ethnic base. But he is not for sacrifice. In spite of all his faults, Nigeria needs many more Obasanjo from the ruling class, not less of him. You may not want to be related to a mad man, but from their mouths come the bitter and fearless truth, uncensored.

So when the North warned Obasanjo that Jonathan was a terrorist, they proved it when Henry Okah of MEND said so; when he appointed another terrorist arm supplier, Gen. Azizi, as head of the Nigerian Army. But those calling Jonathan terrorist are well known terrorists that raped and maimed their own countrymen and women. We see the consequences of their illegalities and the atrocities of their actions everyday especially in poor deprived children of next generation.

Obasanjo is a stubborn goat: he nor dey hia word. That is why those outside his ethnic base called him the “most detribalized Nigerian”. If he had listened to Soyinka, the South could have been united against the North. If he had listened to the North, Igbo would not have been given key positions and Ijaw man would not have been the President. Rebels must be left in the dog house until they repent, many claimed. OBJ defied that rule and appointed vanquish and victor.

If only the Yoruba soldiers at Ore had allowed Ojukwu's Yoruba, Banjo to get to Lagos, Nigeria could have been a paradise now? So many rebels could have been shot and forgotten like Banjo. One point we could all agree on is that oil money could have been spent differently by patriots like Macauley, Zik, Awo, Sardauna, Ernest Nkoli and Aminu Kano that could have groomed the next generation better. Compared to Military or Terrorist party, that lives for the day.

The leadership the world demands from Nigeria is confidence with a unique economy that can boast Naira as local currency instead of dollar the poor lack. Our children will be honored and not ashamed to be called Africans, no matter where. The world may be relieved of our poverty.

If we cannot lead at home, why think of Diaspora? Since the youths are afraid to revolt like their fathers did as radical students, the next solution is leadership from one of these many ethnic minorities that must be backed by the South-south and North-central to revamped Labor Party anew. We know too much of others but ignorant of one another.

Mandela was surprised that unless you are a Christian or Moslem, you cannot rule Nigeria. No! Unless you are in Military or Terrorist Party groomed by Christian or Moslem, you cannot rule Nigeria. We cannot even become Sultan or Emir from the North except we become Usman dan Fodio descendants. Instead of aspiring to be Pope or Bishop of Canterbury, express uniqueness.

The Westerners claiming Egypt need Ogun deliverance and Easterners that claim Jews need to be re-baptized into Igbo-Chukwu. The Hausa could have been liberated to join hands with their brothers and sisters across the Niger. Indeed, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba could have gained more as precursor of man in Africa if they can only stop contradicting scientific proof, in archeology.

We call on heaven that only helps those that help themselves. Start from pride in African religions that hear prayers in our languages, since God is everywhere. Unless you speak Latin or Arabic with names like the writer's, foreign God will not hear our prayers. He does not speak any African language. Blame economy on man, not on God.

Most ladies in hookups or quickies claim they do it only for men. It’s hard to understand ladies in bed without orgasm. So when ladies say they are grateful to God but not to the godsend, ruffled men hail ingrate. Favor can be exchanged for sex. Relationships: sexual or platonic takes more than ingrates. Both sexes expect the partner rendered favors to be readily there when needed. But if either chose just sex, don’t be so disappointed.

Misunderstandings stem from confusing the difference between the love and obligation of the parents to their children, expecting same in return. Yet favors to friends may blossom into deeper attachments or partnerships may burst even before they start. Good numbers of people do favors without expecting anything in return. Let us be clear, only so many. Otherwise the word ingrate would have been extinct between partners.

If a Good Samaritan expects nothing back in kind or cash, still, do not rob St. Peter to pay St. Paul. Heaven helps those that help themselves, not those that expect manna from godsend without being useful, at least passing it along. Even if anybody could have been godsend, do not burn your bridges. While you did not choose your parents, you chose partners that could have met others or useful to those more in need.

Parents are often disappointed that after all they denied themselves to provide for their children’s development; their grown children might abandon them. The same is true with ladies and men. After all the favors, partners may be disappointed that others are reaping the fruit of their favors. A lady may invest all she has on her boyfriend only to be abandoned for a fresh-lady in college or another guy might snatch a man’s only Hope.

One study came out that only about twenty five percent of ladies actually enjoy orgasm during hook-ups, the rest do it to please the men. A guy you just met cannot be asked to stimulate you where you appreciate most out of shyness. But the same study reveals that more women get orgasm with partners they know longer and can share favorite erogenous zones with. See study

Culturally Africans may query this study about selfless ladies doing it only for men. Many were not used to MouthAction until lately. Some ladies insist on giving it to them. There must be something in it for the ladies. Even in a quickie some ladies try the dominant position on top until they are satisfied. So some women find their way to getting the pleasure in a hookup or quickie. They do not have to be sex addicts or prostitutes to pose preferably.

Some ladies complain that most men always want something back after favors: sex and/ or a bond. If they get either for a while, they need to be satisfied and move on. But if a man ditches a lady that took good care of him, she can be mentally scorned. It may have more to do with biology since ladies have limited time to groom another partner.

Women ungratefulness when men went out of their ways to do men favors may be a way of paying back since most men are satisfied and only 25% of ladies reach orgasm in that type of situation. The question individuals need to ask is if they are doing favors so that those favors could be returned in future or they are passing goodwill around so that recipients can pass it on to others. Can generous sex giver generate goodwill to others?

We have to be careful about the link between ladies ungrateful to men after getting favors and sexual satisfaction that women do not get after those favors. The survey revealed that young women would go into brief sexual encounter knowing that is not gratifying, without expecting favor from strangers or casual acquaintances. This analysis may have missed the instant rush partners get, fatal attraction or captured daydreams.

What prolongs most relationship is the sincere partnership, not the sexual gratification as much. If it is about sexual gratification, we may have a hard time explaining hookups amongst young people in colleges or at work. Even when men may be more satisfied with quickie or MouthAction than ladies since orgasm takes longer for them to reach, there must be a desire. There must be something in it for women than the study suggests.

If that is the case, sexual encounter has something for each partner even when women expect to be compensated or at least appreciated for it, since they know that hook-ups only satisfies men and not most women. Some ladies prefer MouthAction, some anal sex while some prefer to simulate sex. Bisexual women claim they enjoy better sex with their female friends getting multiple orgasms they cannot get from men.
If men treat sex as casual encounter just for them to come and not for ladies to get orgasm, men should not be resentful when women became ingrates for their kindness. Some men think a female orgasm, is a tougher nut to crack, compared to how easy it is for women to get men aroused. Women confess to one another that they have to fake orgasm even in a stable loving relationship sometimes.

By the time we get to procreation, which is the biological reason for sex some women may just want to get it over with, since they need not have an orgasm to produce an egg for fertilization. Imagine what it would be like if women have to, the world would be under populated with children. So as far as biology is concern, only men need to release.

Therefore, if a lady asked you, what favor have you done for her lately? Please rationalize it. She may have developed a short memory, try and understand. Today, women brag that they do not have to depend on any man. The fact is we need one another is different ways. If you are not providing the favor they need, someone else is. That may be why some, not all, do not appreciate godsend.

Written By Farouk Martins Aresa
- See more at: http://thewillnigeria.com/news/opinion-ladies-give-love-to-get-favors-men-give-favors-to-get-love/#sthash.M8dnaLtV.dpuf

NO SALARY NO GARRI NO END TO CORRUPTION

Is there a law against non-payment of salary without just cause?

Corruption is easier than petty thief and not as laborious as hard work. In many cases if you steal chicken change to buy food for your family, your neck would be laced with tire and turned into suya for the birds. If you do not believe us, go to the market and steal food for your children. You will be lucky to escape with your life. Ask people for bribe, they would pay you without wahala. Show up as gutter cleaner they would despise you!

Social scientists agree that behavior is mostly shaped by basic human needs for food, shelter and sex. Based on that premise, corruption could be mostly shaped by greed and hunger. While we all condemned greed as the basis for corruption, we often neglected the pain of hunger. The main purpose of salary is to provide for our families and needs. Those that do not depend on salary or contracts, do trade, farm or live on others.

Are we supposed to open our mouth to empty air and get fed without pay? Many of us do not think deep about hunger drive. Look here Bobo, thank heavens for corruption. For the past six months we have not been paid. But for corruption, we would not have been able to feed our families and pay our bills. Put yourselves in our situation, non-payment of salaries is the oppressors' surest way to encourage the culture at all levels.

If our salary is paid regularly most of us might be able to resist the temptation but that would be at the disadvantage of the Oga at the Top. He would miss collection from the bottom. The best way for oppressors to enhance their control over poor folks like us, is to make sure we never have enough to live on. We always have to go back to any means we can to make money and we also have to deliver the lion share to oppressors.

The first day we were hired, the Chief at the top warned us about corruption and never to take bribe from anyone. Our first six paychecks went smoothly, so we behaved very well and reported those trying to bribe us because we did not want to lose our jobs. Nobody would want to go home and tell the family that he misbehaved on the job by taking bribe because the Chief got his loot at the top and from bottom.

All of a sudden, the first paycheck was missed. We thought it was a glitch, so we went to relatives and friends borrowing money. We promised to pay them on our next paycheck expecting double pay. The paychecks never came and we became unreliable debtors since no one could depend on our promises. We started hiding from creditors, telling the children to lie that we were not at home. Take-home pay could not take us home.

Many of us found out that some of our colleagues did not miss the paycheck and Oga was very pleased with them, even when we were working harder. It did not take long before we realized they were taking bribes and delivering some of the bribes to Oga. This was the same Oga that was withholding our pay, only to find out later that it was collecting interest in his bank account. Some of us even had accounts we never knew of.

We learned fast and started collecting bribes for a little service as delivering each file from one place to another; to big services. Everyone was happy and we also realized that the amount of money we made on bribes was more than our salary. So it did not make a difference whether the Chief diverted our salary to his account or not. This was how corruption was entrenched and became endemic the society.

Indeed, the story is the same everywhere. People learned to collect bribe as a means of survival forced on them by those at the top. If the military head of Government could say bribe is a family support, you know when we veered downhill into the hopeless situation we find ourselves today. When police, the reflection of any community were not paid and had to service their vehicles, do not be surprised if bribe spread like fire.

The silent voice of hunger is so cruel, some poor people were more willing to die of bullets and face Bar Beach Show because it killed them faster. We may want to think hunger only affected the poor people until you remember the story of the middle class and the politicians that thought they could defy Abacha. Many went to their graves hungry. Hear the chairman of the 593 members of the House of Rep, Hon. Obi Anoliefo:

“We have lost over 100 members to death. Many were struck down with stroke because of their inability to meet with family obligations …wives of some members left them because of their lives of near destitution. Families of many members were dismembered. Some of us still had the cheques of our allowances but the Abacha junta froze all the National Assembly accounts before we could access our money. source

Hunger do change the behavior of a generation and children of that generation learn what it was to be hungry at home where their parents were helpless. As adults many watched the boss at ThisDay pay foreign presidents and dignitaries in hard currency for the opportunity to take pictures with them when they show up; to post it in the news.

Hopefully, all is not lost. Corruption, we thought was encouraged during Shagari's NPN and was so rampant, many gave up. Buhari/Idiagbon regime restored some sanity until IBB and Abacha championed corruption again to an unprecedented proportion. Today, most Nigerians do not even know which is worse anymore. They just want to survive.

We need Buhari/Idiagbon characters but they must be agnostics. Religion and royalty was Buhari's weakness. Recantation of Buhari/Idiagbon good moral character is not a monopoly. We need another shock of conscience. So far, Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani and Igbo have been disappointments. They are too busy either sharing loot or trying to break the Country. Leaders could come from anywhere. Ethnicity is only used to fool the masses.



Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/127689/1/no-salary-no-garri-no-end-to-corruption.html

Published: Monday, October 28, 2013

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Govt bans tax contractors in states, IGP to enforce policy

Category: National
Published: Monday, 21 October 2013 22:54
Written by From Mathias Okwe, Assistant Business Editor, Abuja
Hits: 79

• Bars federal MDAs from collection

IT is now a crime for any state in the country to engage anybody or an organisation other than the Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) to collect approved taxes.

These taxes are to be published soon by the Joint Tax Board (JTB), an umbrella body of all tax jurisdictions of the three tiers of government in the country.

The new policy, which is with immediate effect, will henceforth attract serious penalties for any state that contravenes it. Accordingly, the JTB has been instructed to “immediately monitor compliance or otherwise by all tax authorities and report cases of infraction to the National Economic Council (NEC) for action.”

This is one of the high points of the new road-map for the implementation of NEC’s resolutions on harmonisation of taxes and levies across the federation developed following complaints to the Federal Government by operators of the real sector under the aegis of Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) in the country that the multiplicity of taxes and levies country-wide numbering over 79 were impinging on their expansion and was equally responsible for the shutdown of some businesses in the country.

The implication of the new policy to states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration is that it will lead to downturn in their internally-generated revenue (IGR) which at the moment is buoyed by the appointment of tax contractors who in most instances are not tax professionals and who introduce all manner of levies to raise revenue for the states.

Normally, the compensation for these contractors is based on a percentage, hence the more revenue they raise, the more their level of reward. This understanding is the attraction for the contractors to introduce illegal levies and employ thugs who sometimes manhandle citizens to force compliance.

The immediate past Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mrs. Ifueko Omogui-Okauru, campaigned vigorously against the syndrome and even sought a law to outlaw the practice which normally renders the statutorily recognised tax administrators in the states redundant and leaves tax-payers at the receiving end.

Stakeholders, comprising Federal Government’s representatives led by the Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and state finance commissioners as well as representatives of local councils in Nigeria, met yesterday to adopt the tax policy in Abuja.

The policy stated in part: “Tax authorities should desist from engaging the services of consultants, and agents to assess and collect taxes and levies listed in the Taxes and Levies Act as this is in contravention of Section 2(1) of the Act. States should be strongly advised to discontinue this action immediately.”

Another major outcome of the new tax road-map is the resolution banning Federal Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) from collection of taxes and levies because this is a violation of the Taxes and Levies Act.

The resolution said: “Mr. President is to issue an Executive Order to all federal MDAs to stop collection of taxes and levies in violation of the Taxes and Levies Act and also directing the Inspector-General of Police to dismantle all road-blocks across the federation for tax collection. Commissioners of Police will be required to ensure compliance within states.”

This action, under the road-map is a short-term measure and is expected to be concluded by the end of 2013. To enforce this, the NEC Secretariat is mandated to work with the Head of Service and the Office of the Accountant-General to prepare the draft Executive Order and a memo for the Vice President to convey the decision of NEC to the President.

Okonjo-Iweala had earlier while disclosing the discussion of the review resolution appealed for the understanding and co-operation of the states in the final adoption of the resolution, saying that the scourge of multiple taxation was harmful to the nation.

She gave a background to the committee’s task and the expected outcome of its assignment: “As we all know, the issue of multiple taxation is one, which has been on the front-burner for many years now in Nigeria. Despite several attempts by the government to tackle this issue, it has remained unabated - affecting both big and small businesses and the movement of goods and services in the country.

“This is particularly harmful to the economy because multiple taxation increases the cost of doing business in Nigeria, discourages local trade and investment and also gives a negative perception of the Nigerian business environment to foreign investors. According to the MAN report, some states have as many as 97 different taxes, levies and charges that are imposed on businesses. This is simply not economically viable - the costs to the government of administering these various taxes and the costs to business of paying these taxes outweigh their benefits to both the private businesses and the government. A recent World Bank report shows that for every 100 naira that businesses have to pay in taxes, they pay about 35 naira in compliance costs. This is a waste of capital that could be reinvested in these businesses to grow them and create more jobs for our economy. By streamlining and harmonising taxes across the federation, we would increase Nigeria’s productive potential.

“In addition, the multiplicity of taxes on the transportation of goods impairs the integration of internal markets and the establishment of a fully integrated economic space within Nigeria. By impairing the integration of the national market, these mobile levies also reduce competition between companies located in different states in Nigeria. With increased competition, we could bring down prices for consumer goods produced by these companies and make our local companies and exports more competitive in the global market.

“The implementation of these recommendations will not only increase economic efficiency but also make enforcement simpler. Reducing the total number of taxes paid, increasing transparency as to how and what to pay, and facilitating procedures for filing taxes, will be essential to reducing high compliance costs and in so doing, increase Nigeria’s tax compliance rate and also the revenue. This is going to be a historical piece of work. We are very happy to embark on it because it is something that needs to be done. I know that uncertainty in the tax environment makes it difficult for businesses to thrive. Therefore, we have to have a transparent process that makes it easy for people to know what taxes and levies to pay and to harmonise these activities across the country.”

Okonjo-Iweala then challenged the stakeholders that they must view the task set before them as an important component of the President’s transformation agenda.

The Acting Chairman of the FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Marshi and the Secretary, JTB, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Lawal, in separate presentations

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php/news/426-national/136351-govt-bans-tax-contractors-in-states-igp-to-enforce-policy?tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=