₦airaland Forum

Naijiant:
My brother,

The propaganda, hate and "tribalism" are on both sides of the debate. This is why I called for a mature and democratic approach to Biafran agitation from both sides.

You make a good point in reference to what I said about Botswana.

I have argued elsewhere that Nnamdi Kanu would not even recruit many sensible Igbos with his approach:
http://www.naijiant.com/articles/nnamdi-kanu-would-struggle-to-recruit-sensible-igbos/

I agree that the tribalism and hate propaganda exists on both sides, but the provocation is something else. With regards to having a mature and democratic approach to the Biafran agitation, well I wish you luck. The myopic mindset of many respondents would make that quite difficult to achieve.

An NL member called Rossike started a thread a few weeks back. It was one of the most balanced and well-articulated threads on the Biafran issue.

What happened next? Some pro-Biafra e-warriors descended on the thread and before you could blink, the moderators closed the thread. I mean, they made it disappear into oblivion.

48 hours later Rossike opened another thread. Again, it was removed without any explanation. This suggests that the mods were not being impartial. So where do you think this mature and democratic discussion would take place?? Certainly not on Nairaland.

angiography:
Yea...he is the same person....

OBAGADAFFI:
Yes he is the current Ooni of Ife.
The guys into property business.

Wow! Thanks for the confirmation guys. I hope he would be able to transform Ife using his expertise in property development.

Stolen:
Nnamdi Kanu is up to something that am certain. British never turn their back on its citizen that i know.

Nigeria might well be over.

The British have refused to help Kanu. They are firmly supporting Nigeria and Buhari's govt. Haven't you heard??

Take a look. And read all about it here:

https://www.nairaland.com/2708034/strongly-stand-behind-buhari-indivisibility

tochukwuifeduba:
The British forward this letter to the op

I cannot see the royal British government seal on that letter.. just a roughtly typed letter at Oshodi bus stop by a desperate Nairalander who just wasted this 70 bob

Ok, to confirm its' authenticity kindly forward a copy of the letter to the British High Commission, and ask them to confirm if it is real or fake.

Vicotex:
Y'all have left the convo shouting bellanaija!!

If i may ask, b/w bella naija and linda's blog, who has more traffic, who catches more audience, who set the trends , and who has more refreshing stories?

Y'all just hop in to hate on one's success.

Igbo amaka

Bellanaija is more eye catching, sets more trends, has far better content and more refreshing stories than Linda Ikeji's blog, which thrives basically on hype.

The owner of Bella Naija is Uche Pedro and she does not splash her daily life on her blog to fuel her vanity.

Tripleclick:
You want them to start testing foods in d mist of war and hunger u gux funny sha d way u ppl judge things

They were able to build Ogbunigwe and refine oil for their cars, in the midst of the war. So why on earth could they NOT have tested ordinary food, during the war??

Ephemmm:
I doubt it if this Biafra lunatics read the write up. Op mentioned another disintegration which somebody like Isaac Boro has tried under the former Easter Region to liberate Ijaw people from Eastern part, but which was subdued by the same Igbo former President all to protect the interest of Igbos over minority.

The problem with Igbo is greed, self-entitlement and born to rule, control and exploit mentality. Qatar is smaller than Bayelsa in population and half d size of Bayelsa state by landmass. Bayelsa is four times the size of Singapore. if Qatar and Singapore can be a country, why cant we have an Ijaw nation as a country? Do u think Ijaw people dont want to be like Qatar and enjoy their oil alone like Qatar does? Note: Bayelsa State is d smallest state in the south south by population and second to the last by landmass!!

For your information, it is now obvious that Igbo primary interest is separation from Nigeria with Niger delta as their trophy.

This is getting interesting! I am intrigued by this analysis. Do carry on...

Naijiant:
1. There was a Bight of Biafra b/4 Nigeria existed, but not a country of Biafra. “Bight” means exit from shipping lanes. The bight was named by Portuguese seafarers.

2. The Biafran agitation is more in relation to failures in governance in Nigeria in the last 20 years than what happened during the civil war. A lot pro-Biafra supporters were not even born during the war.

3. It may be likely that the people of Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom may not want to join Biafra, but until you ask them, you can’t state this categorically.

4. While being a landlocked country is not ideal, it is no impediment to development. Switzerland is an affluent landlocked country. One of the most stable and relatively developed countries in sub-Saharan Africa is Botswana and it is landlocked (the highest ranked sub-Saharan country in the UN Human Development Index).

5. Nigeria needs to address the Biafran agitation in a mature and democratic way. We can learn from the Scottish and Catalan independence movements. Nobody is suppressing their rights to agitate and they are doing it democratically.

More info:
http://www.naijiant.com/articles/the-biafran-question/

Guy, a lot of pro-Biafran supporters were NOT born during the war, but their forbears have fed them with a lot of propaganda about events that occurred during the war.

It is that same propaganda, tribalism and hate that they are now recycling in their agitation for Biafra 2.0 version. Just check all Nnamdi Kanu's speeches on Radiobiafra and kindly do a content analysis of all his supporters responses, on Nairaland.

Am glad you used Botswana as an example of a land-locked country that has thrived on the African continent. Do you know why?? They have worked hard to maintain excellent relations with South Africa and Namibia, primarily because all their imports and exports go through the ports of these countries. They even partnered with Namibia to construct a dry port along the axis leading to Walvis Bay, in Namibia.

With the kind of hate that pro-Biafra supporters keep spewing out towards the non-Igbo on these threads, do you think their proposed countries will be able re-enact the kind of relationship Botswana has with its' neighbours, in Biafra if the Akwa-Ibom & Cross-River ethnic groups do not join their proposed country?? I think not.

Tripleclick:
Is obvious u gux dnt read history.. who told u nigeria suppliedbus foods? all the food deliver was done by international community.. espcially USA.. how can nigeria poison it?

Guy, kindly read my post again. I never said Nigeria or the federal govt, supplied them with food. The offer of a land corridor through which food could come into Biafra, was made by the federal govt after they had banned the dropping of food into Biafra, through airplanes. This offer was rejected by the Biafran govt. The propaganda in Biafra at that time was that Nigeria had plans to poison any food sent through the land corridor, if they accepted the federal govt's offer.

My own position was that they should have accepted the offer made by the Nigerian govt, and then tested the food to see if it actually contained poison or not, instead of resorting to propaganda. I hope you catch my drift.

In the South-Western part of Nigeria, there are some famous tourist sites like the Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, the Ikogosi Warm Springs in Ondo State, the Erin-Ijesha Water falls near Ilesha etc. But there are a few get-away spots that have been developed by local entrepreneurs, which are becoming quite popular with the public.

LA MANGA ILASHE BEACH, LAGOS
One of them is La Manga Villas at Ilashe beach, an idyllic island off the coast of Lagos. It is accessible only by boat and it is right on the Atlantic seashore, with stunning beaches, luxury accommodation and a spectacular view of the ocean.

It is bordered by the Badagry creek and surrounded by luscious and towering coconut palm trees, with just 15 minutes boat ride from Ikoyi and Victoria Island..

INAGBE RESORTS, LAGOS
Inagbe Grand Resorts & Leisure is a natural island with beautiful structures developed by Gran Imperio Resorts Limited, a subsidiary of Gran Imperio Group, a formidable real estate development consortium. The resort is a first of its kind on over 3 million square meter land within a 100 kilometer stretch Island along the Atlantic Ocean.

It is just a 20-minute boat ride away from Victoria Island, within a friendly community rich in culture and history of ancient Lagos Monarchy; It is also home to the Esinmikan Royal Family. The Leisure facility is built on a natural island between the Lagos Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. According to the Chief Executive Officer of Gran Imperio Group, Mr. Adeyeye Ogunwusi, ‘Explore’ would enable visitors and guests enjoy all the goodies that the city offers with very little financial commitment.

Ogunwusi emphasised the Nigerian component of the project, which he said was almost 100 per cent, stating that homes on the island were built using local raw materials, including the lighting systems like chandeliers that are made by people from the eastern part of the country...

The company, he said has resolved to be buying locally made products as a policy to encourage the growth of local industries. “If Nigerians do not buy locally made products then who will?”

Besides, the chalets, there is a huge hall that can hold 1,500 guests to reception, conferences, seminars and training, workshops, team-bonding events for corporate clients, among others.

Ogunwusi said there are 125-room chalets on the island and that they are still expanding. There are two sections; one by the Lagoon area and the other by the Atlantic Ocean shore line and both carry different price tags. Every chalet and recreational facilities on the island were built in one year, beginning from September last year, he said.

The island is about 15 to 20 minutes boat ride from any jetty on Walter Carrington Avenue, Victoria Island. The Resort is close to Snake Island, and is just a distance of 10km from Lekki and Victoria Island, with an exciting boat ride of less than twenty minutes is the best get-away spot for individuals and families. With proper infrastructure being put in place, the resort will at the end of the day look like a snatch of Vegas in Lagos but with a cultural twist that brings the Nigerian tradition to the forefront with the traditional ambiance of thatched roof and coconut souvenir factory.”

It offers five-star hotel service; 650km floating platform for social outdoor activities; 18 holes golf course; several four chalet rooms with Jacuzzi; beach buggers for racing and other; paint ball shooting; common living room for guests with wide expanse area; swimming pools; productive machines to sustain the luxurious need of guests; and contains 3,000 people on a working day.”

The promoters of the leisure island also incorporated manufacturing into their local content theme. There is a furniture factory which raw materials are grown either on the island or in other communities in the country.

They produce handwoven chairs that are used in top-class hotel lounges and, according to Ogunwusi, it is unfortunate that these hotelier import these chairs but that now that they were being manufactured on the island, “we are very excited that it can be done.
We have been able to train our people to do this very well and we have potential for the export market.” There is a showroom where all the products are displayed.

The raw materials like raffia, rattan and willow, are abundant in the country, particularly on the coastal belt. Foam is also produced in the country by reputable companies.

He said when a palm tree is cut for use in the factory they plant seven, explaining that no part of the palm tree is wasted, particularly from five years upwards.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/promoters-of-inagbe-grand-resorts-leisure-invite-visitors-to-explore-/214487/
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Am still trying to find out if the owner of Grand Imperio that developed the Inagbe Resort is the same person who was recently crowned as the Ooni of Ife. Their names are so similar.

IPOB123london:
48 hours all we see so far is tears on the yoruba faces

Just vote and stop crying

Alright, o! Make I perch for this corner dey watch World War III. Na who carry my mat and the popcorn wey I keep for this corner?? Who??

Bia keta, is it that you chaps are too weak, too scared or too broke to achieve Biafra by yourselves and for yourselves?? Is that why you need the support of the Yoruba people to help you actualise your dream? Just confess. We promise to keep your secrets, secret.

The truth is that some of us from other tribes, cannot understand this your call for Yoruba votes, o! After all, if Biafra becomes a reality today, you are not going to rename it 'Republic of Yoruba people' since they just voted for you to get your country. Something doesn't quite add up here....

Would you like to explain?

titanic1:
Op abeg noo abuse oo but u sound as if yoruba have the key of ur life

You mean you have just realised that??!

benjamytes:
Come up alot more

Okay...2.650 million. Is that high enough??

luqmanayomide:
Mtsweee nonsense I can't celebrate thief

What exactly did he steal from you, and your people?? Please post the details here.

free2ryhme:
I don't celebrate thieves and moral bankrupt individuals

The same question applies to you, too. In what way is he morally bankrupt, please?? Kindly let us know. Also include the list of funds and assets you believe he has stolen from you and your folks, in any part of the country. We are waiting.

Like my Yoruba colleague would say in the office: "Lobatan!" This tory don get k-leg.

laudate:
Can you buy PHCN/Disco recharge card to load directly into these meters?? And where can we contact you, if we want to buy??

Still waiting for a response??!

Good work!

Orijinal:
As a Nigerian in diaspora who began, reading Nairaland a few weeks ago, i have come to realize that talks on propaganda seems to dominate conversations in the Nigerian political scene. Therefore, to give a lucid explanation, i have summarized the basic techniques associated with propaganda as is written by Donna Cross.


1. Name-calling

The propagandist tries to arouse our contempt so we will dismiss the "bad name" person or idea without examining is merits.

For example: a candidate for office being described as a "foolish idealist" or a "two-faced liar".

When the propagandist uses name-calling, he doesn't want us to think - merely to react, blindly, unquestioningly. So the best defense against being taken in by name-calling is to stop and ask, "Forgetting the bad name attatched to it, what are the merits of the idea itself? What does this name really mean, anyway?"

2. Glittering Generalities

Glittering Generalities are really name-calling in reverse - words with good connotations - "virtue words".

For example: "justice," "motherhood," "the American way," or "our constitutional rights."

We often make the mistake of assuming we are personally unaffected by glittering generalities. Forgetting the virtue words attached to it, what are the merits of the idea itself? Both name-calling and glittering generalities work by stirring our emotions in the hope that this will cloud our thinking.

3. Plain Folks Appeal

"Plain folks" is the device by which a speaker tries to win our confidence and support by appearing to a person like ourselves - "just one of the plain folks."

For example: Candidates go around shaking hands with factory workers or kissing babies in supermarkets.

The irrelevancy of the plain-folks appeal is obvious: even if the man is "one of us" (which may not be true at all), that doesn't mean that his ideas and programs are sound - or even that he honestly has our best interests at heart.

4. Argumentum ad populum (stroking)

Argumentum ad populum means "telling the people what they want to hear." The colloquial term from the Watergate era is "stroking," which conjures up pictures of small animals or children being stroked or soothed with compliments until they come to like the person doing the complimenting - and, by extension, his or her ideas.

For example: Politicians tell farmers that they are the "backbone of the American economy" and college students thaty they are the "leaders and policy makers of tomorrow."

The intent here is to sidetrack us from thinking critically about the man and his ideas. Our own good qualities have nothing to do with the issue at hand.

5. Argumentum ad hominem

Argumentum ad hominem means "argument to the man." When a propagandist uses this, he wants to distract our attention from the issue under consideration with personal attacks on the people involved.

For example: When Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, some people responded by calling him the "baboon." But Lincoln's long arms and awkward carriage had nothing to do with the merits of the Proclamation or the question of whether or not slavery should be abolished.

Do the personal qualities of the person being discussed have anything to do with the issue at hand? Leaving him or her aside, how good is the idea itself?

6. Transfer (Guilt or Glory by Association)

Glory by association: The propagandist tries to transfer the positive feelings of something we love and respect to the group or idea he wants us to accept.

For example: "This bill for a new dam is in the best tradition of this country, the land of Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington." Lincoln, Jefferson, and Washington were great leaders that most of us revere and respect, but they have no logical connection to the proposal under consideration - the bill to build a new dam.

Guilt by association: Works the same way, but in reverse.

For example: "John Doe says we need to make some changes in the way our government operates; well, that's exactly what the Ku Klux Klan has said, so there's a meeting of great minds!" There is no logical connection between John Doe and the Ku Klux Klan except that which the propagandist is trying to create in our minds.

7. Bandwagon

The bandwagon urges us to support an action or an opinion because it is popular - because "everyone else is doing it."

For example: "Let us join together in this great cause," or "More and more citizens are rallying to my cause every day. Join them - and me - in our fight for America."

8. Faulty Cause and Effect

This device sets up a cause and effect relationship that may not be true. Just because one thing happened after another doesn't mean that one caused the other.

For example: "After I came to office, the rate of inflation dropped to 6 percent." But did the person do anything to cause the lower rate of inflation or was it the result of other conditions? Would the rate of inflation have dropped anyway, even if he hadn't come to office?

False cause and effect reasoning is terribly persuasive because it seems so logical. Don't be taken in by false cause and effect; be sure to ask, "Is there enough evidence to prove that this cause led to that effect? Could there have been any other causes?"

9. False Analogy

An analogy is a comparison between two ideas, events, or things. But comparisons can be fairly made only when the things being compared are alike in significant ways. When they are not, false analogy is the result.

For example: "Don't change horses in the middle of a stream" is a famous proverb that is often used to convince voters not to change administrations in the middle of a war or other crisis. But the analogy is misleading because there are so many differences between the things compared. In what way is a war or political crisis like a stream? Is the President or head of state really very much like a horse? And is a nation of millions of people comparable to a man trying to get across a stream?

Analogy is false and unfair when it compares two things that have little in common and assumes that they are identical. We can decide for ourselves whether an analogy is false or fair by asking, "Are the things being compared truly alike in significant ways? Do the differences between them affect the comparison?"

10. Begging the Question

Begging the question occurs when, in discussing a questionable or debatable point, a person assumes as already established the very point that he is trying to prove.

For example: "No thinking citizen could approve such a completely unacceptable policy as this one." But isn't the question of whether or not the policy is acceptable the very point to be established?

We can protect ourselves against this kind of faulty logic by asking, "What is assumed in this statement? Is the assumption reasonable, or does it need more proof?"

11. The two extremes fallacy (False dilemma)

We are often told to "listen to both sides of the argument." But who's to say that every argument has only two sides? Can't there be a third - even a fourth or fifth - point of view?

For example: "America: Love it or leave it" implicitly suggests that we either accept everything just as it is in America today without complaint - or get out.

Don't be duped; stop and ask, "Are those really the only two options I can choose from? Are there other alternatives not mentioned that deserve consideration?"

12. Card stacking

Card stacking is a device of propaganda which selects only the facts that support the propagandist's point of view, and ignores all the others.

For example: "Representive McNerd introduced more new bills than any other member of the Congress," and neglect to mention that most of them were so preposterous that they were laughed off the floor.

The best protection against card stacking is to take the "Yes, but ..." attitude. This device of propaganda is not untrue, but then again it is not the whole truth.

13. Testimonial

The testimonial device consists in having some loved or respected person give a statement of support (testimonial) for a given product or idea. The problem is that the person being quoted may not be an expert in the field; in fact, he may know nothing at all about it.

For example: Testimonial is used extensively in television ads, where it often appears in such bizarre forms as Joe Namath's endorsement of a pantyhose brand.

As people, we must question whether celebrities are in any better position to judge than we ourselves. Too often we are willing to let others we like or respect make our decisions for us, while we follow along acquiescently. And this is the purpose of testimonial - to get us to agree and accept without stopping to think.


WHICH NIGERIAN POLITICAL PARTY DO YOU THINK USES PROPAGANDA THE MOST?

[size=14pt] LIKES FOR PDP, SHARES FOR APC[/size]

Nah, it isn't APC or PDP. It is Nnamdi Kanu's RadioBiafra......

oludarekehinde:
I have a poultry farm that can supply 250 crate of eggs per week, If u are interested or u know someone that can be interested contact me on 08053690928. My farm is at Lagos, Ibeju-lekki area of Lagos state. Ibeju-lekki is after Aja. (The price is between #550 - #600 only per crate)

Am interested. What area in Ibeju-Lekki are you located?? Is it Lakowe, Bogije or where??

goke4all:
You are looking for an opportunity to make some commission by just making a referral. At our farm, we pay commission for a successful referral that lead to a real deal. while wait why you can earn commission by just spreading the news at no cost to you.

Where is your farm?? And what other products do you have on your farm?/

frankie15x:
Biafra all we want.
One love.

What da heck is Warri and Ughelli doing in your map??!

dustydee:
And what makes you think they were not married before she got pregnant, if indeed she is?

Abi, o! I know several couples who did a court wedding in the registry, because they could NOT afford to do the traditional wedding first, due to lack of money. After saving for several months to buy all the traditional items, they then did the traditional wedding later....

My boss visited your place and she was impressed. Thanks for attending to her. She said I had good & accurate info about your operations. Am sure she will call you soon in a few weeks, once she is through with her bankers. Pray for me, o! If this thing succeeds... I shall be promoted.

benjamytes:
Extremely Clean..
Barely used wit 58k Mileage.
Location VI Lagos..
3.3m

Will it fly for 2.5 mill??

Kufie:
This man was a strong looter.

What exactly did he loot from you or your people, and how was the looting done?? Kindly let us know, in black and white!

Candyrain:
Bros I'm really surprised you ignored what I pointed to you. An honourable man would have just admitted he's wrong and apologise for wrongly misleading people. I'll assume your silence means you've accepted that you are wrong but not man enough to own up. You come across to me as someone enlightened so I'll advise you do a research on something before taking a position. Have a good day bro

Guy, I do not understand what point you are trying to make. Another poster FrankAba1 said that there were Igbos in Benue State. Did I dispute it anywhere inside this entire thread?? Instead of asking him to clarify his statement or seeking further information from him, you are saying that I should confirm why I said there are no Igbo in Benue State. I have checked through this particular thread from beginning to end, and I cannot see where I made that remark. Why should I be the one to tell you who the Igbo people in Benue State, are?? Do I look Igbo to you??

Please what exactly are you trying to prove?? Or should I remind you of your earlier question??

Candyrain:
Hey bro I've heard you say a couple of times that there ain't Igbos in Benue State. Could you pls check the 5th post above yours there's a post by Frank Aba1 with a link on some Benue people. I'll like to know who they are pls. Thank you.

lalasticlala:
Ken Nnamani Turns 67 Today!

Happy birthday to the ex senate President..

An interview was held with him sometime ago. Please read this.

Senate president can declare seats vacant –Nnamani | by

Ever since leaving the exalted seat of senate president in 2007, Dr Ken Nnamani has maintained a studied posture on national affairs, intermittently immersing himself in party issues and national commentaries. Emerging from the lacerations and even adulations of the abortion of the third term gambit of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, he zoomed straight into a group known as G21 which metamorphosed into the “PDP reform forum”. It earned him a suspension from the party.

His co-travellers like former House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Masari, and former Federal Capital Territory , FCT, Minister. Malam El-Rufai have since found succour in the bosom of All Progressives Congress ,APC. Nnamani speaks with calculated reluctance. He is wary or being misunderstood or catching the notch of an ever present newsmaker. He would prod consciously to know the last time he granted an interview or made head-lines. When he was told it had clocked two years down the line, he shrugged his shoulders and a tentative date was made.

The interview in Abuja was not to hold as he had to hurry off to his home state of Enugu for some engagements. Not to be swayed, Sunday Sun was hot on his heels to the coal city, where on a bright Sunday morning, we settled in his Amaechi – Awkananaw palatial home to do this interview. There were break-ups as his political associates and friends sauntered in for pleasantries. Howbeit, in three hours, the deed was done.

He relieves his tumultuous tenure over the third term gambit of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, daring apologists of the ex-president that no magic would have pulled through the plot under him as senate president. He reminisces on the toll it had on him and the technical fault he latched on to nail it. He sums it up in these words: “I had to be courageous to say, okay we have come to the end of the journey, no matter what it will cost me. It cost me quite a bit. There is a big sacrifice in making such a decision. I know certain entitlements that I never got.

"Don’t mind those who are boasting that if they had wanted it to succeed, they would have done it. I don’t know how else they would have made it to succeed. I don’t know the magic they would have done. I was on the saddle.”

He speaks on his struggle against what he termes “garrison politics in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, expressing delight that the buzzword in the party today is reform. Nnamani warns defectors from the PDP to the APC to thread softly as they risk losing their seats.

Evidently, with the power of hindsight, he declares “From the constitution, the powers of the senate president is enormous in matters like this. If he makes a pronouncement, he is just following the constitution. Even if they go to court, they will not be attending sittings, until the court adjudicates. I don’t think it is proper for them to jeopardize their positions in the National Assembly.

He further excoriates legislators who are dabbling into executive functions like empowerment schemes and constituency projects. “Anybody so desirous of making money, I think the legislative arm is the wrong place to go, because the opportunity for huge contracts and big business is not there, and it is understandable why it is so” he intones.

Nnamani also speaks on the proposed National Conference, suggesting that the six geo-political zones should be enshrined in the constitution, as well as fiscal responsibility, which is an ingenious variant of resource control. He votes for a two party system and non-negotiation of the unity of the country at the confab among other burning issues.

Here are excerpts from the encounter:

Ques: In a short while, the proposed National Conference will roll off. There are controversies over the mode of selection of delegates and the timing. Opposition to it also flows from the fact that previous ones were never put to use. How do you see it?

I think it is an excellent development. I praise the political courage of Mr. President to constitute the National Conference. Those who are talking about the timing, well, I don’t know when will be the best time. But I think it is appropriate that we do it since people are complaining that they are marginalised. So many people are bitter and it is important that we sit down and use ballot papers instead of bullets. So, I think we should dialogue even if we have gone to war, we will still sit down to talk. For Mr. President to initiate this, I think it is appropriate and necessary. Rather than complain, let us go find ways to discuss. The conference boils down to dialogue among different groups in Nigeria. I think it is a welcome development. Every person in my view, should give it a chance to succeed.

Ques: Pessimism on the outcome of the conference is predicated on the fact that previous ones were just mere talk-shops and no bite. Again, this is an election year. Do you not think it is a distraction?

I don’t believe it is a distraction because it is an election year, or a build up to a general election. In my view, if we have had several conferences that came to almost nothing, it does not mean that we will stop holding dialogue. Because people go to war and get killed does not mean that there will be no wars. What we should do is to think positively that this one will succeed. I said, it is good to use words rather than weapons. It is good to use ballot papers rather than bullets.

Ques: Then, what is key on your mind, to be addressed at the conference?

For instance, we have six geo-political zones which are not in the Nigerian constitution. That should be taken care of by this type of conference. We should now find a way of entrenching the zonal structure and get equality of zones just like we have equality of states though the South East has five states, one zone has seven, the rest six. Well, there are some states that have fewer local government areas than others. Bayelsa has about eight local governments. It is still a state. Kano has 44 it is still a state. There is equality of states.

Therefore, if we can entrench the zonal structure in our constitution, we will have equality of zones. Things should be shared according to that structure. In which case, no zone will feel alienated. If they like they can create more states. Like some states are creating what is called development areas, which is not part of the local government structure recognized by the constitution.

The constitution recognizes, 774 local governments. But some states have created what they have intelligently coined to be development areas. So, I think the confab could contribute towards getting the zonal structure entrenched. There are other areas that could be streamlined. http://www.dna-nigeria.com/senate-president-can-declare-seats-vacant-nnamani/

lalasticlala:
Ken Nnamani Turns 67 Today!

Happy birthday to the ex senate President..

I just like this guy. He is quite refined. No gra-gra, no ostentation. He does not engage in loud-mouthed hate speeches. Nigerians are still grateful to Sen. Ken Nnamani for saving them from former President Obasanjo's ambition. He stood his grounds and slugged it out with OBJ in 2006, when he announced the Senate's decision to throw out an amendment to Nigeria's constitution, that would have allowed OBJ to run for a third term.

TonyeBarcanista:
Why are people taking Panadol for what is supposed to be my headache? Am I complaining? Abeg make una carry una 'winsh' no spoil my show jare. I have the feelings that the Sis is a cutie...I can't wait o

No mind dem, jare. See some folks that want to burst a blood vessel, because a kind-hearted bloke offered you his sister's hand in marriage. Was the sister dating any one of them, in the past?? Do they know her? Or are they secretly wishing the offer was made to them?? Bad belle people.

gists:
I just don't get it when people play the victim card on the number of people that died in the inglorious civil war. I don't care about the number be it 500k, 1m, 3m or even 10m! Afterall, it was a war and the biafra soldiers were not saying the lords prayers - they were busy killing Nigerians too.

For some reasons, I took a public transport some weeks ago I heard some guys discussing (they were both ibos). One of them ask the other "how on earth do you fight with someone that feeds you?" According to him, although Awolowo was wrong for the so-called starvation policy, but should be commended for ending the war sooner because he (Awo) could have chosen to poison the foods and kill millions more instead of the blockade.

I never thought of it that way before but it rang through to me. You can't pick up a fight with your boss and later turn around complaining that he sacks you! His point was that the ibos started a war that they were not prepared for and now complaining of the consequence - fighting someone that feed you and later complain of not giving you food.

Having said that the truth is that everybody has a GOD given right to call for self-determination. BUT it must be through peaceful means. Otherwise history is notorious of having a way to repeat itself. A friend showed me a video on a questions and answer summit by some Igbo group with Mr Kanu. It was shocking to see how unprepaired the guy is as he couldn't give convincing answers to some of the questions asked.

Any group is free to ask for independence but it has to be peaceful without insult to others especially those who they think should follow them.

With reference to the parts in bold type..... Guy, remind me to give an award to the school you attended, and the family that raised you. They did a fantastic job. May God continue to bless you and uphold them. Peace!