₦airaland Forum

To all my Nigerian brothers and sisters…



I am, always have been, and always will be
proud of my Nigerian heritage. I understand
the pain and anger caused by some of the
comments I made in a recent interview, and
I wanted to address you directly.



Contrary to popular belief, this interview was not the first in which I mentioned Nigeria. In fact,
I’m frequently bragging about how
Nigerians attend the world’s most
prestigious institutions, and how we are
known to produce world class doctors,
entrepreneurs, innovators, lawyers,
engineers, professors, athletes and artists.
Unfortunately, people tend to leave these
moments out, and, in this case, highlight
stereotypes. I would never do or say
anything to intentionally disgrace the
legacy of my father nor my fatherland.
But to not relay my own story, both the
good times and the bad, would be a
disservice.



My name is Jidenna, which means “to hold or
embrace the father” in Igbo. It was my
father who gave me this name and who
taught me countless parables, proverbs, and
principles that made me the man I am
today. These same principles helped me to
write the record “Classic Man.” When I
brought home a 98 percent on a test, my
father would say, “ah ah, where are the
other two points? Go and get them, then
bring them back.” My father and Nigerian
culture has always stood for excellence.
While the majority of my childhood
memories are beautiful, I also have
experienced the challenges that Nigeria has
faced since Independence.



When I was 5 years old, my family was
robbed at gunpoint, my mother was beaten,
family members were kidnapped, and I was
shot in my foot. As is the case with all
kidnapping, targeting those who are
perceived to be wealthy is the objective. In
this instance, my father was the target
because of his prominence in the community.
This was a traumatic experience for my
family that would shape our entire lives and
our experiences in both Nigeria and
America.



As a little boy, I swore that I
would never let that happen to my family
again. As my father often said, “Once
you’re bitten by a snake, you‘ll be ready to
shoot a lizard!” At the time of my father’s
burial 5 years ago, my family in the village
was concerned about increased targeting
for kidnapping since the rate of abductions
had increased dramatically in the area we
are from. We were traveling from America,
which along with our biracial appearance,
had the potential to attract attention and
pose a threat to our security. In light of
what happened in the past and the tense
climate at the time, my family took
precautions to ensure our safety. This was
not an uncommon protocol at the time. I
recognize incidents such as these are not
unique to Nigeria or the African continent,
and there have been significant
improvements in the region since this
period.


In the recent interview to which I’ve been
referring, I shared my family’s experience
traveling from the States back home for
the burial. In this interview, I used the term
“light-skinned.” When using this term, I was
actually referring to my immediate family’s
mixed or biracial appearance. See, no matter
what language I use to describe my
heritage, I’m certain that someone will feel
some kind of way. This is a larger discussion
not meant for this statement, but certainly
derives from our colonial past and
postcolonial present, and in the States, from
the days of slavery to the present times.



My comments about skin tone were related
to the notion of perceived wealth and value,
not my personal beliefs. My point was never
to imply that biracial or “light-skinned”
people are the only ones or the most
targeted group of people kidnapped, or that
I myself was wealthy at the time. Rather
than focus on my perceived value, let us
continue to focus on the value of Nigeria.
There is no question that Africa is playing a
pivotal role in the future of our planet and
that Nigeria, with it’s booming economy and
burgeoning middle class, is a driving force.



I will continue to play my role in the
Renaissance taking place in Nigeria and
Africa at large. We may not agree on
everything, but know my heart is your
heart, and my experience is part of our
collective experience.

jidenna.com/dearnaija/

www.bellanaija.com/2015/07/16/jidenna-pens-open-letter-to-all-my-nigerian-brothers-and-sisters/

cc: lalasticlala

devonpaul:
This right here could pass for a testimony in church

wicked

PassingShot:
This good news is largely as a result of FG granting of loans to the gas suppliers to supply needed gas to power the transmission plants.

The granting of the N6.9bn loan on June 14, 2015 was the first time in the history of Nigeria such intervention was embarked upon by the FG and it's the main reason behind the improvement. Read it here http://www.equities.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=newsdetail&id=331962

I doubt that if GEJ was in charge, such step would have been allowed to succeed.

They basically said reduction in vandalism.
I guess if vandalism continues the loans won't matter to an extent

spyder880:
He has every right to ask for this investigation.

of course.
They should probe the administration and if found guilty, the properties should go to ENSG and not FG. Probably they should be punished accordingly to deter others from doing same.

cornoil:
No be so, light improve during rainin season every year.

for sure.
But let's hope it's not usual propaganda cos I no like that word "likely ".

capip120:
which improvement are they talking about? You mean the light they snap like say Na cameraman flash light for suleja where I dey? These guys can lie.

No improvement yet?
Many areas have noticed improvement finally.
You sure say u no go consider relocating

jimi4us:
taaar we experience dis every year. let's wait until dry season. this is that time of the year water over flows in our dams.

You no like better thing o

Nigerians seemed to have witnessed
improvement in power supply in the
last few weeks . The said increase in
available generation from 4 , 517
megawatts ( mw ) to 4 ,545 mw within
two weeks as announced by the
Transmission Company of Nigeria
( TCN ) , may have further confirmed
that the Nigerian Electricity Supply
Industry ( NESI) is developing .



The reason for the noticeable
relative stability in supply is
attributable to improvements across
the electricity supply value chain,
which include gas supply , reduced
vandalism and upgrade of generation
facilities by the new investors .
Pipeline vandalism, which has been a
major challenge to increased output
from the power plants , it was
gathered , has reduced drastically
since President Muhammadu Buhari’ s
administration came on board about
one and half months ago . The
frequency of pipelines vandalisation
has reduced significantly , The Nation
learnt .


The Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC ) Joint Venture
companies also confirmed that there
have not been any incidents of
vandalisation of pipelines in the past
one month . This has resulted in
increased and sustainable gas supply
to the power sector .



Besides , the result of investments
made by the privatised successor
companies , which unbundled the
Power Holding Company of Nigeria
( PHCN), has started to manifest
after one and half years the
companies were handed over to them.
For instance , Egbin Power Plc and
Transcorp Ughelli Power Limited have
added more than 1000 megawatts
( mw) to the capacities they inherited
at the time of handover .



As at the beginning of this week ,
generation from Egbin power plant
rose from 1000 mw two weeks ago to
1016 MW as against a maximum
output of 500 MW at handover .
Sahara Power Group and Korea
Electric Power Corporation ( KEPCO) ,
owners of Egbin power plant and
Ikeja Electricity Distribution
Company confirmed that gas supply
to the plant increased considerably.



They said the improvement in
generation was also due to continued
investment and upgrade activities on
the plant . They assured that the
improvement in supply will not only
be sustained , but improved upon
adding of the six turbines of the
power plant that are currently
operational . “ This is the first time
the plant with installed capacity
1320 mw is generating above
1000 mw, ” the firm said .


Egbin’ s Chief Executive Officer, Dallas
Peavey said about N 50 billion has
been invested in the power company
post - privatisation with continuing
investment in new technology ,
innovativeness , professionalism and
human capital development .


The owners of Transcorp Ughelli
Power Limited just announced that it
has increased output from the asset
from 160 MW on takeover on
November 1 , 2013 to 635 MW and
plans to expand it to 2 ,200 MW in the
next three years .



The Group Executive Director, Gas
and Power , NNPC , Dr David Ige said
the Corporation is making a lot of
progress in the East - West gas
pipelines . According to him , as at
the end of May, the Corporation
was supplying over one billion
standard cubic feet per day ( I bscf/
d ) of gas to the power sector ,
adding that by now the production
could have risen significantly .
Ige , however, noted that the
Corporation ’ s expectations is that it
will make significant increase in
supply by the end of the year ,
adding that cumulative production
for domestic use is about two bscf /
d .
He also said some of the available
gas is stranded because some power
plants are not ready and where
possible , the stranded gas will be
redirected to operational plants .



“ Over the next couple of months ,
Nigerians will see increase in gas
supply and power . For example , we
have gas at Gbarain- Ubie power
plant ; we have gas at Omoku , which
is awaiting the power plant and we
have gas at Egbema power plant .
When you bring all these gas volumes
together , we have close to 2 bcf /d ,
but not all of these are in active
generation today . It is either the
power plant is not ready or the
power evacuation is not ready.



“ On the western side of Nigeria , the
Lagos pipeline is almost completed .
We have completed and commissioned
Lagos to Oben ; completed Emure to
Itoki and the line from the Benin
end to Emure is progressing very
well . The expectation is that before
the end of August , the Escravos -
Lagos Pipeline would have been
completed . With all these on stream
power supply will improve
considerably ,” he said .

thenationonlineng.net/new/improved-power-supply-likely-to-be-sustained/

cc: lalasticlala

admax:
Buhari shouldn't have released any press released on that jobless guy's experiment.

Come to think of it if a biafra would exist: would the millions of Ibos in Lagos and other part of the country sell their properties and return back to biafra? the guys in Alaba, Ladipo and many part of the North? Ibo traders sell their goods side by side with other tribes without issues in many part of the country.

Very minute and jobless Ibos will support any biafra nation. I am a Yorubaman who has travelled to ALL EASTERN States, i have visited most villages in Iboland yet i haven't witness hatred from them. I even slept in a stranger's house first time i went to Umuahia.

Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Almost all villages?
Fear God o

Enugu lawyer compels EFCC to investigate Chime


By Francis Igata ENUGU—An Enugu-based lawyer, Mr. Ray Nnaji has brought before a Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, a motion on notice, seeking an order of mandamus on the Economic Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, to investigate alleged gross misconduct and financial recklessness by the administration of former Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State.

Joined in the suit are Chime’s sons, Nnamdi and Tochukwu, his former Chief of Staff, Ifeoma Nwobodo, his brother, Jide Chime, sister, May Orji, Enugu PDP state chapter Chairman, Ikeje Asogwa, and Accountant General of Enugu State. Nnaji in a petition to EFCC alleged that, ”Chime misappropriated public funds worth 12.8 billion and forged the supplementary appropriation law 2012. “Chime allocated the former Polo park in Enugu, which is a public property to a South Africa company owned Shoprite and Games, a company, Chime has an interest through a proxy. “Chime using a proxy, owns substantial shares or equities in the said South African company.

“The old Trade Fair Complex in Enugu State was also partitioned and arbitrarily allocated to family members and cronies. In breach of his oath of Office and in abuse of his office, Chime allocated the old Eastern Region Industrial Layout, Zik Avenue, property of Enugu State to a company fronted by his second son, Tochukwu Chime without public bidding. “Chime also in abuse of his office, arbitrarily allocated to himself and family members, a substantial portion of Enugu State Conference centre car park and all adjoining lands. This land acquisition was done without invitation to the public to apply, and the illegally acquired plots of land have been largely built up by the governor’s relations, including Nnamdi, Tochukwu Chime and his younger brother Jide Chime, while his elder sister, May Orji is not left out.

“Chime also secretly and fraudulently sold to himself the Hotel Presidential Enugu, Enugu State Water Corporation, his private residence at M9 Independence Layout Enugu.” Hearing for the suit is slated for July 16.

Like condoms they easily available. Some cheap, others expensive. Some are free too just like free condoms too. So many similarities. #Nodisrespecttothescribes

[/b]

IdiAmin1:
I won't comment until I see their replacements.

Hopefully this time, the dullard one won't send near-dead-only-fvlani-speaking-senile Daura men as ambassadors to Western countries.

Until then

Did you mean Western Germany?
You will see the replacements in the #fullnessoftime

Shortyy:
i can bet on my last penny that none of these commenters read the whole story

the thing long die sha.

scribble:
Very incoherent the way you posted this op

No spacing and you didn't bold the questions

increased d spacing

Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation
and Fiscal Commission, Mr. Elias Mbam, in
this interview with EVEREST AMAEFULE,
speaks on the stormy issue of salaries and
allowances of political office holders




You have set up a committee to review the
salaries and allowances of political, public
and judicial office holders. Before we get
to that, how did we arrive at such
allowances that some Nigerians consider
outrageous?




In 2007, that was about eight years ago;
this commission reviewed the then salaries
and allowances of political and public
office holders. That was done in
consideration of many factors. One of
them was the monetisation of perks of
office holders.
Before the monetisation, office holders of
very high level were provided with vehicles,
with houses, and maintained by
government. Two, the commission then took
into consideration the fundamentals of the
Nigerian economy. It looked at the Gross
Domestic Product growth rate, the
inflation, and also wanted to ensure
honesty and prestige of the office holder.
Most importantly, it looked at
affordability and sustainability. Some of
these allowances are not peculiar to only
political office holders. There are some
other agencies of government that also
enjoy same.
That was how they arrived at the review
of the remunerations of the office holders
then. Since that was passed into law in
2008, this commission has not reviewed it
again. It has remained so since then.
Unfortunately, some people think that the
commission on daily basis changes the
salaries particularly of the National
Assembly members.




So why do you want to review the packages
downward now?




One is that the economic realities of today
demand that we look at the prevailing
circumstance and let it reflect on
remunerations. As I said earlier, we have to
ensure affordability and sustainability. Is
the present salary affordable and
sustainable? And of course, you cannot
ignore the plea of Nigerians about the
merits and the demerits of the current
packages.
There was an attempt by the commission to
review the packages downwards during the
time of the late President Umaru
Yar’Adua. That review never saw the light
of the day.




Why was the review
unsuccessful?




I wouldn’t know because I wasn’t here
then. From the much I know as a Nigerian,
it was inconclusive. I wouldn’t want to use
the word unsuccessful. It was inconclusive.
What do you want to do differently now to
ensure that the bill is passed?
Well, this one; the mood of the nation
supports it. The National Assembly is even
in the forefront of the review. So if the
problem was the National Assembly; this
time I am lucky. If the leadership of the
National Assembly is in support of the
review, and the Nigerian people are in
support of the review, and the
governments at all levels are in support of
the review; I wonder why it should not be
successful.




What are we expecting in the review? Is it
going to concentrate on the salaries or the
allowances?




If you look at the remuneration package,
the bulk of it is on allowances. Take for
instance, the annual salary of a legislator
is about N2m. I am not sure that is a
concern to anybody. It is the allowances.
And the law also is clear that you don’t
reduce the salary after the appointment.
Everybody knows that the problem or the
issue is not the salary but the allowances.
So we are looking at the allowances.
It is not going to be the affair of the
commission alone. It is going to be an
affair of all Nigerians, all stakeholders,
and all levels of government. Within a
week, we will advertise for submission of
memoranda. We will invite memoranda from
Nigerians so you have an opportunity
yourself to make your own input. And we
are outlining areas of concentration in that
publication.




What are those areas of concentrations?




The allowances – ranging from vehicle,
housing, to estacodes. It will be detailed.
So are we likely to see an upward review
of the basic salary?




The process will determine that.




The judges kicked against the downward
review of their earnings. How do you
intend to tackle that?




What Nigerians say, we will do.




So are you going to put it to voting?




I set the process. What I mean by process
is that first of all, we are going to invite
memoranda. Two, we are going to meet to
interact with stakeholders. We are going to
meet; including with the judiciary, the
executive at all levels of government. We
will meet with Nigerians, stakeholders. We
will also administer questionnaire. So all
these will come up and we also compare
with what obtains elsewhere. So, it is not a
question of I wish; I don’t wish.




We are at a time when many states are not
able to pay salaries and you are the
chairman of RMAFC. Is it that the
workforce is bloated or the remuneration is
bloated?




My thinking is that they did not prioritise
their needs; with the possibility of
wastage, with the possibility of
unnecessary expenditure. I don’t see why a
government should not pay its workers.
That is the first thing that should be done.
They are now calling it stomach
infrastructure. If you didn’t eat, you
would not have been able to come here for
this interview. Imagine somebody that has
not been paid for six months! I think we
should reorder our priorities.
I also feel strongly that if the states
managed their resources and also don’t
rely fully on revenue they get from the
federation account, they wouldn’t have this
problem.




Another problem is the huge sum of money
that legislators, for instance, take every
quarter that is called constituency project.
How do we tackle this problem?




I am happy that somebody is pointing this
out. I feel, too, that many people are not
well informed about the salaries and
allowances determined by the commission.
From what have been determined, nobody
in the National Assembly should get more
than N1m in salaries and allowances. You
cannot call severance allowance salary and
you cannot call a vehicle loan allowance.
The salaries and allowances include the
salaries of personal assistant to the
legislator. It also includes the domestic
staff. So by the time you remove all those
ones, you will be surprised that the salary
is much lower than N1m.




There have been allegations that they take
more allowances than the commission has
prescribed.




The law is very clear. If you take beyond
what the law says, the chief accounting
officer should be held accountable. I also
expect that the journalist should invoke the
Freedom of Information Act and not rely
on rumours or speculations.




But a Non-Governmental Organisation
invoked that law and it did not work. They
refused to give a breakdown of their
budget.




Is it not a law? Why not take it to the
court of law? If you want information
from this office and I refuse to give it to
you, the FOI is clear on what you should do.
So, I don’t think it is enough reason that
you tried and you could not get it.




Let us take you to some specific
allowances which you have mentioned.
There is personal assistant; there is
domestic staff; there are legislative aides
and there is special assistant. Don’t you
see some duplication here?




It is good we read the law very well. The
special assistant is supposed to come from
the system. Like the National Assembly
which you mentioned, the National
Assembly Service Commission is supposed
to provide the special assistant. The PA is
personal to him.
The service recognises that at the level of
a legislator, a level of service should be
provided. It is not everything that you will
have time to attend to.
It also recognises that a level of domestic
staff like cook, gardener, and steward
should be provided. The only thing
different now is that instead of
government recruiting and posting them to
your house; you are paid and you now
recruit and pay the people.




You had mentioned that some of these
allowances also apply to services other than
political office holders. Given the
circumstances we have found ourselves, are
you recommending a service-wide review
of salaries and allowances?




If I were to do that, I would have long
released the result. It is a process. I am
here not to serve myself but to serve
Nigerians. So it is not my wish that
matters. If it were my wish, I would have
long given it.

www.punchng.com/feature/hotseat/no-lawmaker-earns-n1m-a-month-rmafc-chairman/

doublewisdom:
Suddenly Saraki the 'progressive ' is being maligned by the SW and their yeye press because he took his own destiny into his hands.
The North will deal with Tinubu and co in due time.

In the fullness of time

asha80:
I just wanted to correct the impression that non of the se govt had websites.
Whether they were redundant or not is another story

Check my previous posts again, never said they didn't have websites. Having a website isn't same as social media presence(Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) etc. Unless official websites have been included recently.

spyder880:
Yes it didn't, because the dude chose to be aloof. But it will make a huge difference to any positive minded governor or government.

One bo for you sir.

asha80:
abia state has always had a website under ta orji's second term...did not make any difference in his administration

those were redundant like what his colleagues had too. Check the Twitter link on the site, it still has ta orji as governor with just 410 tweets(mostly campaign stuffs). These are signs they never worked.

asha80:
doubt if it would have had any effect on the abandoned conference centre..these politicians are not really morons you know..Sullivan knows about the abandoned center and I doubt any pressure would have made him complete it

Never said he wasn't aware. It's there at his backyard. Refusing to address it would make him/his government look insensitive which would be an advantage for a good opposition(though Enugu is a one party state). Remember #UndressNASS etc. The law makers wouldn't have addressed the issues if people didn't take to social media

asha80:
ditto Kcinho obiano and rochas all have those media handles...nit it makes much difference anyway..what a governor would do will always do whether there us media presence or nit

Things like the conference centre would have been pushed for(if not finished) if ENSG had any social media presence. The average politician close to the governor will always want a new project and not continuity.
So clamouring for these projects and ideas online will go a long way in getting the governor know the wish of the people. Someone can actually drop a link to forums like this on the handles or pages.
Not forgetting praises and congratulatory messages from the populace for projects and ideas well executed will make a good leader try to be better.
PS: BuddahMonk El rufai's twitter handle is still very much active. Check his(his aides') posts about yesterday's bombing. Dude has the best media presence so far.

cjrane:
Seriously, I met a Director at the federal secretariat that confessed he didn't have an email account because he didn't know how to operate that thing called email . So he preferred the unreliable NIPOST mails which are notoriously unreliable. Yet he is a Director in federal civil service!
Part of Chime's success over someone like Martin Elechi that received a similar federal allocation was that Sullivan Chime was an enlightened man that viewed the future with an intelligent outlook compared to the native man like Martin Elechi that had no concept of what a bright future could look like, and therefore could not plan towards it.

Imagine that GEJ was the FIRST Nigerian leader ever to have a face book account!

I tell you, the worst of us are in the leadership positions in Nigeria . That is precisely why Nigeria is so backward

Most of our politicians in enugu and probably southeast with all their exposure don't have social media presence.
Noticed their counterparts from the west are more active on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.

www.nairaland.com/2434266/court-orders-forfeiture-ex-gov-nnamanis
Nice move but the properties should go to the state government not FG. Hope ugwuanyi picks an interest in this case. We need these properties and money especially now government is broke. Hoping he doesn't loot them too.

spyder880:
If you think many of the people living in the villages are poor, better think again. My old auntie surprised everyone last year when she gave her son up to 100k + to add to his business. We were all shocked as she doesn't look as she has any penny.
These people don't buy many things, don't pay rents or taxes.

So because your aunt was able to provide 100k + for her son, therefore everyone in the rural areas in the state can also do same.
I wonder what else is causing the rural-urban migration if not poverty and the quest for greener pasture.
The rural residents also deserve basic ammenities whether they have 100k or are paupers.
Nobody said the government should build teaching hospitals And shopping malls in villages.
And yes I still stand on a balance between urban and rural development.

Unemadu:
Ugwuanyi has said he will focus on Enugu, Nsukka and Ninthmile which in my opinion is the way to go rather than promising to develop every village

Of course anything to generate revenue for the state is acceptable. But remember people in the villages still deserve basic ammenities too. Hospitals(primary healthcare), portable water, source of income(agriculture), schools etc.
They don't actually have to wait till enugu turns to Paris before they get these basic things.
A balance needs to be struck.....the poor man has waited for his turn since Enugu was created and he is still waiting.

double post

lawal28c:
Bt igbos na Dogs oooo so dem expect say buhari na fool?dem no vote d guy nd dem want post?

what is this thing saying?
Your uncle is currently my gateman.

Beremx:
Ohanaeze should direct their anger to Jonathan and Peter Obi who planned the decision to relocate the boko haram prisoners to Anambra first before asking for their relocation.


Hypocrites!

Who finally executed the plan? You are the biggest hypocrite here.
People who tend to claim every good project started in the previous administration but always use the bad ones to score cheap political points.
I pray you have family and friends m living in Anambra.......that is if you are even igbo.

Watmux:
please is transfer into medicine possible in unn??

very possible

ZeroTolerance:
So I should show one good road out of hundreds of bad roads as the 'face of Obollo Afor''?
Another road in Obollo Afor

it's obvious Enugu North senatorial district has been neglected for the past 16yrs. But you can't get the desired attention through name calling or insults.
Mind you obollo afor is one of the towns that have gotten government attention even if it's "just" one road. There are many towns in uzouwani that have never appeared in the news for anything good or bad. Probably the government doesn't know they exist. Even election campaigns rarely reach them. (very bad Rocky and dusty road, no gsm service, no water, no electricity, no functional health centre, dilapidated schools etc).
I had the opportunity of visiting one of the towns and I was struck with the hardship people in this same Enugu "obodo Oyibo" pass through. Someone actually bragged another town was still further down and his town was "london" compared to them. Currently trying to lobby for a rural outreach programme for some of them but convincing volunteers hasn't been easy.
So brother thank God you are from obollo afor and pray this government remembers the area this time.

Beremx:
Before you start to cry foul and play the victim card,he will surely appoint Igbos in his cabinet.

Coolu down biko!

He just asked a question and it will be reasonable to give a suitable answer in line with what was asked. if you don't have an answer please don't derail

adamskutty:
what is this mad Biafra blabbing about? I am an easy going dude ready to fix malfuntioning brain of biafrauds like u.

Ur kind are hated by all, yoruba, hausas, fulanis, igalas, idomas, even ur niger deltan neighbours desist yall cunny, backward, ugly creatures.
Now going international, south africans, kenyans, ghanaians, cameroonians? U wonder why they voted to seccede from nigeria? It is because of yall cannibalistic biafrauds! indonesia, malaysia, even indians call yall cancer to society!

Oh! Thank u GOD, u didnt make me a Biafra!

How does your hating me now give you little sense?