₦airaland Forum

degbads:
The funny thing about this tithe thing is that those of us dat pay don't complain, those dat don't pay keep complaining and drinking panadol over what should be our headache. You say they are scamming us, we don hear, leave us na. Haba

The hypocrisy of the whole thing is just funny, several of us spend money every weekend to watch english preniership, buy club jerseys, a lot of these monies eventually get to the footballers who earn what some call obscene salaries, even the mere tuning in to watch a match on free t v means you are making cr7 or messi and co richer, but you do it gladly, many of these peeps are even morally bankrupt yet we do it gladly, then when it is a man of God we go all up in arms. What more right does Obama have to a private jet than bishop oyedepo.

For those of you that think they are scamming think again. You think it is easy to just beguile millions of educated people to consistently part with hard earned money without a cause. If it was that easy how come God as powerful as he is 'hasn't succeeded' in making you pay your tithe. U can also try and scam ur neighbour into giving you 5000 naira and see how easy it is. As long as its not your money going to the Pastors, please SHUT UP and leave us tithers to worry about our problems. U can keep dashing ur own money to footballers, celebs, your chick or whatever else works for you

God bless you.

Realistically Christianity is a blessing.Thank God the reporter ascertained that the gospel is exported to the world, the church also employ thousands(that would probably have been unemployed),invest in education, and provide for business enterprise to grow.
All over the world,organizations registered as charity do not pay taxes, it can't be different in Nigeria and if such organizations are engaged in activities that promote profit making then its left to government to do their jobs.However, if such profits ate spent on nonprofits activities you still can't tax them.
Western countries have largely lost their Christian models and are beginning to see alot of their citizens following African churches as a form of capital flight.They have forgotten billions of dollars the catholic church and many European churches took away from Africa and across the world.paying tithes is biblical and God commanded it.if it hasn't been a blessing to those who pay I think they would have stopped paying.
churches are helping in Nigeria, most private schools are owned by them and against government failure they have helped in sustaining good standards and also created jobs for millions.
Those who complain about pastors I will advise should leave them to God as judgment will start from the pulpit and the church.I think we need more of those churches.

If this story is true its gonna be tight in 2015.it will even be tighter if Professor Osinbajo becomes the running mate of Buhari because he will be a powerful, brilliant VP.People like Fashola, and Rotimi Amaechi should feature prominently in the government.if Fayemi, its all Tinubu shots and reaction to it will be key to the Ekiti people, it will swing votes in that state and its sister sates. Professor Osinbajo as VP will bring RCCG loyalists into the equation, it will make things difficult for PDP on religious divide.I think this Tinubu guy is a strategist.i pray it will be well with Nigeria

Some facts are clear from all these post:
1. The Fulani are largely well spread people and dominate power through cross breeding.
2.The ruling class in most parts of the North are Fulani and they form both political and economic hegemony.A revolt against them cannot be achieved since the ruling hegemony also have the native blood in them. For instance if my sister should marry an Hausa, I will see her children as part of my ethnic group

3The case of Ilorin bear similarities, the ruling class is a mixed blood of Yoruba and Fulani and they associate themselves more with the north obviously because of political advantage, be it Saraki or Gambari.They are both Yoruba and Fulani depending on choice and their allegiance can shift to Yoruba if power base in Nigeria shift.I think the trouble with the Yoruba is the title, Emir and not the Fulani blood.if the title should change to Oba or. Baale, there may be no issue in future.
3. Ilorin, not Kwara, is the one wth these controversies,other Yoruba towns in Kwara state are not having these troubles.
4 Yes, with the coming of democracy things will change in the political clime and if Nigeria can attain a regional political structure, all the Fulani ruling elites all over will be the greatest losers. Why? They have climbed the tree too close to God and He have decided to shake the tree!

If APC is serious about winning and GEJ is as weak as described, then its time to put forward better options.
They have the likes of Amaechi, Fashola,Buhari, Kwankwaso, Fayemi,Oshiomole and some others as Atiku, Tambuwal.
Bringing any two of these together is the challenge.
APC can have a combination of Buhari/Oshiomole, Kwankwaso/Amaechi, Fashola/Amaechi ,Tambuwal/Fayemi or Akeredolu.
I think Buhari/Oshiomole combination will be very difficult for GEJ will offer a fair president with a believable Vice.
Taken that there have been a whole lots of controversies around Buhari but the man has a better antecedents and in the words of one of my bosses who is a Deeper Life pastor ,he is being hunted for his stance against a corrupt system including members of his own party.He is not in any economic groups and have no investments that can conflict him with his position as president.He has tough stance against a corrupt system of which all the powers that be in Nigeria are against.
He's not without his flaws; he has strong passion for the north, he also has a large following there I mean he can win over 70% votes for North west and North east.He needs an equally powerful deputy that can stand up to him and has an attitude, Fashola would have been it but Fashola can wait till 2019 while he can be working first as the minister for justice, or a powerful cabinet minister. Adams has the attitude to drive the economy while Buhari have the capacity to tackle corruption.The arrangement will better include Amaechi may be as Govt.Secretary or as Energy Minister.
I respect the brain of Kwankwasor and his combination with either Adams/Amaechi will at least be better off GEJ(only God knows).
I wish Nigeria the best.

The Northern population has been grossly exaggerated just like the whole population of Nigeria. States like Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina,Jigawa,Kano and Bauchi have been grossly overstated.
Honestly I believe Nigeria will be less by at least 20million of whatever figure she claims. However, there are facts that Hausa and some northern tribes give birth to more children than southerners at least I knew one man with 56 children.Considering the stated population percentages even though I couldn't agree, but certainly there are elements of truth in some of them.
If I can put Hausa at something between 18-20%, the Yoruba at between 22-24%,the Igbo at between 16-19%, the Fulani has mixed with the Hausa and for distinctive Fulani groups can't be more than 5%.So, the Hausa Fulani can't exceed 25% of Nigerians .
The Yoruba should not exceed 24% or a little less(to include Yoruba in Kwara,Kogi,Delta and AkokoEdo).
If good census were to be conducted in Nigeria, a whole lots of falsehood will be led opened for all to see ,for instance,More than 52% of Nigerians are Christians and there are more Christian Hausa than publicized.

Thanks all for your beautiful arguments.

I said that the nativity of this man was between Northern Edo and Northern Delta and some of his cultural descriptions can be seen in 3-cultures in Southern Nigeria of todRadoillo and Bigfrancis2 thanks for your wealth of knowlege and matured argument and that means we can move further.

I had said earlier that the boy Olaudah came from a metropolitan Kingdom and at eleven years with highly traumatic experience, you wont be wrong to catch some errors. I however believe his personal account about himself would be largely accurate and those that little African children should know at that age. If you grew up in the village you will understand what I mean in an African world of myths and hiding lots from children.

He was from Essaka that would be right in every sense but may not even be certain about the name of the province and how the kingdom was being governed but I believe he was right about being under Benin empire or may be it was his reconstruction afterall he must trace his root for the whites to know he had a root.
To be factual, his description was a combination of Igboid, Edoid and Yoruboid culture, names and locations.more later

bigfrancis21: 1) How about the fact that he mentioned that his father belonged to an age group called 'mbrenche' which is actually an Igbo age group called 'mgbirichi', and we have a village off Owerri town today also named 'mgbirichi'?

2) How about the fact that he mentioned that one year in his language was 'afoe' which corresponds to 'afo' in Igbo? Is year called 'afoe' in Etsako?

3) How about the fact that he mentioned that man is called 'weka' in his language which is actually 'nwoke'/'woke' in Igbo? Is man called 'nwoke/woke' in Etsako?

4) What about the fact that he referred to himself as 'eboe' not Etsako? Are you saying someone who was intelligent enough to write an all-perfect autobiography of his would not know the name of his tribe?

5) What about the fact that he actually spoke Igbo and was often called in to quell groups of protesting Igbo slaves by speaking Igbo to them? How could he have spoken Igbo to them if he was actually Etsako? Or if you still want to insist that he was an Igbo-speaking Etsako man would you be willing to agree with me that ancient Igboland extended to Etsako in the 1700s? I'd be glad if you agreed readily to this.

6) How about all the similar atriking hebraic customs of his people he mentioned in his work. Have Etsakos ever been rumored to have hebraic connections, customs or manners? Please point out which of the customs he listed are common with the Etsakos. Meabwhile all the customs he listed out are being practised/habv been practised in the past by Igbos. If you can show me at least a 90% correlation of the customs of his people he mentioned in his book with the customs of Etsakos, then we can actually start discussing on a different level.

7) Does the name, 'Olauda Ikwuano' sound Etsako to you? Does Olauda mean 'heavy voice' in Etsako?

8.) Is Etsako land the only place in Nigeria far from the sea? Anambra and Imo states are equally far from the sea.

9) Noticed he spelt 'i' pronouncing words with an 'e' as in 'eboe' for 'ibo, 'equiano' for 'ikwuano', mbr e nc e for 'mgbur i ch i' and 'e' prnouncing words with an 'a' as in 'wek a ' for 'nwok e '. Following his spelling logic, common sense you would tell that Olaudah the 'essaka' was actually referring to is 'isseke', and there is a village, Isseke, in Ihiala LGA of Anambra state which is said to be the village Olaudah was referring to. http://www.sbnnigeria.com/category/anambra/location/anambra/ihiala/isseke/

Thanks Francis.

I always love critical assessment of any historical fact(may not be the truth) and if we take this write up as a fact then there are salient issues to be examined:

1.If it were to be Anambra there would have been a big river to cross in River Nigers which Olaudah would have at least heard of from his kinsmen that had traelled to the imperial Benen(Benin)

2. The translation of his name which probably he wrote by himself have meaning in different languages within the old Benin Empire as it was not only Igbo I was named Olaudah, which, in our language, signifies vicissitude(expression of fortune that transform which in some language could me my wealth has come, I made it , my wealth has increased or multiply etc) or fortune also; one favoured, and having a loud voice and well spoken Is Ola wealth or fortune in Igbo or is it someone favoured, or of great repute.....that is to have a loud voice or brilliant, is that Ola in Igbo? That was why I said this man is a mixture of culture because his name is olukumi. Francis please dispute this. He never talked about ....udah(good, well and remeber he would stich with the fame he was known with by the slave masters) or Ikweano(why not Iku or Ikwu?) as you said giving everything your own translation. Let what he wrote be the fact.

3.Due to the cosmopolitan nature of the Benin Empire stretching from Anambra through present day Delta and at certain times Ondo and Ekiti states of today there were mixed cultural lives of the people and acculturation would obviously filter in( Take Ukwu would fit in as death in some Yoruba/Edoid dialets and Olukumi may be also Igbo but would be Ikwu in Oyo Yoruba). From the knowledge of African culture I have, his cultural orientation encompassed three African culture/societies all in parts due to the admixture of culture in which he grew.

4. He talked about a people who actually came to help them with the calender and I can almost give you a translation, not just in Igbo but in other similar languages e.g

5. Accordin to him ''
This kingdom is divided into many provinces or districts: in one of the most remote and fertile of which, called Eboe, I was born, in the year 1745, in a charming fruitful vale, named Essaka''
He believed his native province was remote( backside of the Kingdom or far removed), his native province /district was called Eboe and his village was Essaka. You believed Eboe was right but Essaka would be Isakka or what did you call it? I just want to be factual; wealth or fortune in Igbo is AKU but you are at liberty to take me on on this.
If by what he wrote is to be factual Essaka is like pro-Edo Olukumi word and I suspected and suggested Esako area of Edo or Olukumi of Delta.

6.There are sometimes visited by stout mahogany-coloured men from the south west of us: we call them Oye-Eboe, Who would you put the Oye-Eboe people he so referred? what is the meaning of Oye in Igbo?

7. 3) How about the fact that he mentioned that man is called 'weka' in his language which is actually 'nwoke'/'woke' in Igbo? Is man called 'nwoke/woke' in Etsako?
You talked about 'Weka' that is Edo where we have 'Iweka' and its more comprehensible than 'nwoke' which is a masculine term while Iweka or weka is a name of a person.

I didn't come here to change your orintation or the faith Igbo kinsmen have been holding to but obviously 'Olaudah' obviously did not come from anywhere east of the Niger and in 1775 a whole lot would have changed by 1900. Igbo itself mean what in Igbo? There is a tribe called Ugbo Kingdom in Ondo State ...more soon

They calculated our time, and foretold events, as their name imported, for we called them Ah-affoe-way-cah, which signifies calculators or yearly men, our year being called Ah-affoe - Francis, you will concur that some people often came as calender year and the name they called those people was in the transliteration of their own native language 'Ah-affoe-way-cah' or counting on your fingers? They derived their own calender from what they learned fromthose men.......
I have a meeting will get back to you later.

Such is the imperfect sketch my memory has furnished me with of the manners and customs of a people among whom I first drew my breath. [/b]we have to first bear in mind that we can count on this account but with a small degree of variance. I have divided his view to cover some aspects of his sociocultural environment:


[b]LOCATION

This kingdom is divided into many provinces or districts: in one of the most remote and fertile of which, called Eboe, I was born, in the year 1745, in a charming fruitful vale, named Essaka. The distance of this province from the capital of Benin and the sea coast must be very considerable;
'His province in Benin Kingdom was called Eboe'
Let's look at his story with today's map and consider some salient points: His village was within the Benin(Benem) Empire and he had never seen the sea. His own native town? was Essaka(or Etsako?)


Of these the most considerable is the kingdom of Benen, both as to extent and wealth, the richness and cultivation of the soil, the power of its king, and the number and warlike disposition of the inhabitants. It is situated nearly under the line, and extends along the coast about 170 miles, but runs back into the interior part of Africa to a distance hitherto I believe unexplored by any traveller; and seems only terminated at length by the empire of Abyssinia, near 1500 miles from its beginning. This kingdom is divided into many provinces or districts: in one of the most remote and fertile of which, called Eboe, I was born, in the year 1745, in a charming fruitful vale, named Essaka. The distance of this province from[i] the capital of Benin and the sea coast must be very considerable; for I had never heard of white men or[/i] [b]Europeans, [i]nor of the sea:[/i][/b] and our subjection to the king of Benin was little more than nominal; for every transaction of the government, as far as my slender observation extended, was conducted by the chiefs or elders of the place

This could mean that Essaka(or Etsako) was considerably far from the sea and that could be a hinterland settlement obviously not toward the coast.

I suspect this man may have been an Olukumi and his description can fit into today's Etsako down to Northern Delta State but far removed from Bini City.

PEOPLE

My father was one of those elders or chiefs I have spoken of, and was styled Embrenche(tribal marks ); a term, as I remember, importing the highest distinction, and signifying in our language a mark of grandeur. This mark is conferred on the person entitled to it, by cutting the skin across at the top of the forehead, and drawing it down to the eye-brows; and while it is in this situation applying a warm hand, and rubbing it until it shrinks up into a thick weal across the lower part of the forehead. Most of the judges and senators were thus marked

DRESSING

It is extracted from a berry, and is brighter and richer than any I have seen in Europe. Besides this, our women of distinction wear golden ornaments; which they dispose with some profusion on their arms and legs. When our women are not employed with the men in tillage, their usual occupation is spinning and weaving cotton, which they afterwards dye, and make it into garments. They also manufacture earthen vessels, of which we have many kinds. Among the rest tobacco pipes, made after the same fashion, and used in the same manner, as those in Turkey

MARRIAGE CUSTOM

[b]Their mode of marriage is thus: - both parties are usually betrothed when young by their parents, (though I have known the males to betroth themselves). On this occasion a feast is prepared, and the bride and bridegroom stand up in the midst of all their friends, who are assembled for the purpose, while he declares she is thenceforth to be looked upon as his wife, and that no other person is to pay any addresses to her. This is also immediately proclaimed in the vicinity, on which the bride retires from the assembly. Some time after she is brought home to her husband, and then another feast is made, to which the relations of both parties are invited: her parents then deliver her to the bridegroom, accompanied with a number of blessings, and at the same time they tie round her waist a cotton string of the thickness of a goose-quill, which none but married women are permitted to wear: she is now considered as completely his wife; and at this time the dowry is given to the new married pair, which generally consists of portions of land, slaves, and cattle, household goods, and implements of husbandry. These are offered by the friends of both parties; besides which the parents of the bridegroom present gifts to those of the bride, whose property she is looked upon before marriage; but after it she is esteemed the sole property of her husband. The ceremony being now ended the festival begins, which is celebrated with bonefires, and loud acclamations of joy, accompanied with music and dancing. [/b]

KITCHEN
Our manner of living is entirely plain; for as yet the natives are unacquainted with those refinements in cookery which debauch the taste: bullocks, goats, and poultry, supply the greatest part of their food. These constitute likewise the principal wealth of the country, and the chief articles of its commerce. The flesh is usually stewed in a pan; to make it savoury we sometimes use also pepper, and other spices, and we have salt made of wood ashes. Our vegetables are mostly plantains, eadas, yams, beans, and Indian corn

RELIGION

As to religion, the natives believe that there is one Creator of all things, and that he lives in the sun, and is girted round with a belt that he may never eat or drink; but, according to some, he smokes a pipe, which is our own favourite luxury. They believe he governs events, especially our deaths or captivity; but, as for the doctrine of eternity; I do not remember to have ever heard of it: some however believe in the transmigration of souls in a certain degree. Those spirits, which are not transmigrated, such as our dear friends or relations, they believe always attend them, and guard them from the bad spirits or their foes. For this reason they always before eating, as I have observed, put some small portion of the meat, and pour some of their drink, on the ground for them; and they often make oblations of the blood of beasts or fowls at their graves. I was very fond of my mother, and almost constantly with her. When she went to make these oblations at her mother's tomb, which was a kind of small solitary thatched house, I sometimes attended her. There she made her libations, and spent most of the night in cries and lamentations. I have been often extremely terrified on these occasions. The loneliness of the place, the darkness of the night, and the ceremony of libation, naturally awful and gloomy, were heightened by my mother's lamentations; and there, concurring with the cries of doleful birds, by which these places were frequented, gave an inexpressible terror to the scene


There are sometimes visited by stout mahogany-coloured men from the south west of us: we call them Oye-Eboe, which term signifies red men living at a distance. They generally bring us fire-arms, gunpowder, hats, beads, and dried fish. The last we esteemed a great rarity, as our waters were only brooks and springs. These articles they barter with us for odoriferous woods and earth, and our salt of wood ashes.

They calculated our time, and foretold events, as their name imported, for we called them Ah-affoe-way-cah, which signifies calculators or yearly men, our year being called Ah-affoe



I remember we often had them at my father's and my uncle's, and their families have been present. Some of our offerings are eaten with bitter herbs. We had a saying among us to any one of a cross temper, ' That 'if they were to be eaten, they should be eaten with bitter [/i]herbs.'

IMPORTANT

We practised circumcision like the Jews, and made offerings and feasts on that occasion in the same manner as they did. Like them also, our children were named from some event; some circumstance, or fancied foreboding at the time of their birth.[i] I was named Olaudah, which, in our language, signifies vicissitude or fortune also; one favoured, and having a loud voice and well spoken. I remember we never polluted the name of the object of our adoration; on the contrary, it was always mentioned with the greatest reverence; and we were totally unacquainted with swearing, and all those terms of abuse and reproach which find their way so readily and copiously into the languages of more civilized people. The only expressions of that kind I remember were ' May you rot, or may you swell, or may a beast take you.'

BURIAL



I have before remarked that the natives of this part of Africa are extremely cleanly. This necessary habit of decency was with us a part of religion, and therefore we had many purifications and washings; indeed almost as many, and used on the same occasions, if my recollection does not fail me, as the Jews. Those that touched the dead at any time were obliged to wash and purify themselves before they could enter a dwelling-house. Every woman too, at certain times, was forbidden to come into a dwelling-house, or touch any person, or any thing we ate. I was so fond of my mother I could not keep from her, or avoid touching her at some of those periods, in consequence of which I was obliged to be kept out with her, in a little house made for that purpose, till offering was made, and then we were purified.

The Ekiti I know is one of the largest sub group of the Yoruba coming second to the Oyo especially when groups on Kwara are added to the Oyo family. For the poster that has never met an Ekiti, keep searching, someday you will find.
That education standard in Nigeria has fallen and one could only imagine a lot that raise arguments on who is more educated.The story of states performing better in SSCE may mean states with more special magic centers, the case of Anambra comes to mind.
The question is how do you rate a state like Anambra and all the states with loads and loads of special magic centers?
In Ekiti, the number of special centers are minimal and parents are averse to such thing. Imo is a great state and I met alot of their wards during series of scholarship exams in the 90s but I can attest that Ekiti is a well educated state by Nigerian standard.For example during the burial ceremony of the father of a friend from certain Oke Imesi Ekiti around 2002, the Revd Father appealed to indigents of the small town not to neglect their community (my friend is a proper Lagos boy)he mentioned that at that time the small town had over 300 professors(20 something in UI alone) and thousands of Ph.D holders, now for such a town, you can't beat that. There are other towns small as they are as Ode Ekiti,Orin Ekiti and so on. Ekiti contributes more teachers at all levels in Nigeria than any other state and its people are generally bookish,they do not rate people based on money and that could be the gap between you guys on this forum as different ethnic groups hold different socio-cultural values.
Until the recent political situation in that state, Ekiti love education,they are serious, upright,largely incorruptible,honest and hate shortcuts,they are due process people and that's why unlike what is obtained in some parts of Nigeria parents don't support fraudulent achievements.

I read with utmost interest the story in the above link if true(because a whole lots aren't in Nigeria) would make an interesting intellectual discourse but the thread on which I found it has been taken over by ethnocentric wards. Please I need intellectual contributions here and let me first state my position.
For those who were around then, a whole lots of stories abound on who did what and today, the news is about compensation. I hate war,especially when such is fought on unjust causes but could there ever be justifiocation for war? may be yes or no.For instance is there justification for Israel to attack Gaza when its own children are being kidnapped and murdered and missiles are being sent to its civilian areas, may be yes may be no, the answer depends on your perspective I guess. What about 1948 war and all the following uprising that followed? many questions than answers I guess.
To however have a better perspective on the Nigerian case is to trace the political history of Nigeria. A pre independent Nigeria brought to the fore many shades of differences between the various major groups but something was achieved; a joint independence from Britain! Great wasn't it?
But it came at a price to the nation because those leaders could not come up with acceptable political structure but managed to keep the system together until certain Aguiyi Ironsi unified the whole system and shifted the ancient and his comteporary landmark. What did we have since then? the birth of ethnicity and religion, a demon that was asleep during the time of the fathers. Many groups excused themselves to justify their violence and the result of a long dark years of murder by both sides in a resulting civil war is still being referenced, yeah, we will continue to talk about it.
Every war is borne out of the selfishness of any one person or groups, either the selfishness of an oppressor or that of the prosecutor of the war. The question to me is what was the consensus of those who brought Nigeria together and how were they not able to redress their differences?
I once read an economic view on Nigeria political economy where someone wrote that before oil and gas became Nigeria the largest source of income for Nigeria, the Eastern Region(including South-south today) allied with the North to benefit from the Cocoa and ports income from the Western Region to enjoy their own share and since the oonset of oil and gas there has been a shift of West and North to benefit.Also, watching Aljezera French exploit in Africa, one can at least draw some conclusion that economic gains rather than ethno-religion reasons has impacted the spate of war in Africa though such gains are sighted to profit a few but take a toll on the unguarded majority who are whisped into the army to fight a war that has no immediate or even future glory.
The same is the cae for Nigeria and I wish to state that everyone that had suffered in war should be reparated, including those who's families were drafted into the military, those who lost relatives, those whose towns were destroyed on both sides of the divide, those people whose resources were also used in funding the war because such would have been used to develop some sectors!!
Activities leading to the civil war would conviniently place the blame on both sides and in war, winning is the ultimate thing especially civil war that are often brutal with no riules of engagements.
I support that people should be compensated but its not restricted to those who lost, what about those that borne the burden of victory?

I read with utmost interest the story in the above link if true(because a whole lots aren't in Nigeria) would make an interesting intellectual discourse but the thread on which I found it has been taken over by ethnocentric wards. Please I need intellectual contributions here and let me first state my position.
For those who were around then, a whole lots of stories abound on who did what and today, the news is about compensation. I hate war,especially when such is fought on unjust causes but could there ever be justifiocation for war? may be yes or no.For instance is there justification for Israel to attack Gaza when its own children are being kidnapped and murdered and missiles are being sent to its civilian areas, may be yes may be no, the answer depends on your perspective I guess. What about 1948 war and all the following uprising that followed? many questions than answers I guess.
To however have a better perspective on the Nigerian case is to trace the political history of Nigeria. A pre independent Nigeria brought to the fore many shades of differences between the various major groups but something was achieved; a joint independence from Britain! Great wasn't it?
But it came at a price to the nation because those leaders could not come up with acceptable political structure but managed to keep the system together until certain Aguiyi Ironsi unified the whole system and shifted the ancient and his comteporary landmark. What did we have since then? the birth of ethnicity and religion, a demon that was asleep during the time of the fathers. Many groups excused themselves to justify their violence and the result of a long dark years of murder by both sides in a resulting civil war is still being referenced, yeah, we will continue to talk about it.
Every war is borne out of the selfishness of any one person or groups, either the selfishness of an oppressor or that of the prosecutor of the war. The question to me is what was the consensus of those who brought Nigeria together and how were they not able to redress their differences?
I once read an economic view on Nigeria political economy where someone wrote that before oil and gas became Nigeria the largest source of income for Nigeria, the Eastern Region(including South-south today) allied with the North to benefit from the Cocoa and ports income from the Western Region to enjoy their own share and since the oonset of oil and gas there has been a shift of West and North to benefit.Also, watching Aljezera French exploit in Africa, one can at least draw some conclusion that economic gains rather than ethno-religion reasons has impacted the spate of war in Africa though such gains are sighted to profit a few but take a toll on the unguarded majority who are whisped into the army to fight a war that has no immediate or even future glory.
The same is the cae for Nigeria and I wish to state that everyone that had suffered in war should be reparated, including those who's families were drafted into the military, those who lost relatives, those whose towns were destroyed on both sides of the divide, those people whose resources were also used in funding the war because such would have been used to develop some sectors!!
Activities leading to the civil war would conviniently place the blame on both sides and in war, winning is the ultimate thing especially civil war that are often brutal with no riules of engagements.
I support that people should be compensated but its not restricted to those who lost, what about those that borne the burden of victory?

If this is true we can only but hope for better days ahead if we can manage at least 12hours of power supply. To me, I think governement should focus on supplying more power to industrial states of Lagos and Ogun States with at least 15hours of electricity, this will be good for the economy in the long run.

ceo4eva: The Igbo also demand a state apology for wrongs said to have been visited on the race.

The South East geo-political zone has demanded the payment of N2.4 trillion as reparation to the five states that make up the zone as well as Delta State for the killing of Igbos during the civil war. The people of the zone, known as Ndigbo, also demanded a state apology for the alleged wrongs the state visited on them. The five states are Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and Abia State, all of which it said should be paid N400 billion each.

The zone also said the same amount should be paid to Delta State for the benefit of Anioma area of the state. It also asked the Federal Government to invest in the massive re-planning of Igbo cities with proper structures such as provision of urban water works, a sort of Marshall Plan often devised for war-ravaged area.

The demands are contained in a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan. The letter signed by Mbazulike Amechiand Raph Obioha, chairman and secretary of Reparation Committee of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, was attached to a document distributed to the delegates of the National Conference.

The 28-page document is titled “Ohanaeze Ndigbo: Atrocities and Injustices Against Ndigbo.”“It is incalculable to put a price on the death of millions of Igbos who were killed in the civil war and on other occasions,” it said. “The Federal Government should pay N400 billion each to the five states of the South East as compensation to those who lost loved ones, lost properties, and those still suffering dislocation today in Nigeria.

“The same amount should also be paid to the government of Delta State for the benefit of Anioma area of the state. ”The Committee said the Igbo had suffered gross injustice which culminated in an imposed civil war lasting 30 months. It stated that in the course of the horrendous war, millions of Igbo were not only killed, they suffered grave injuries while property were damaged, asset and property seized and families dislocated.
The Committee explained that the Igbo never conspired nor planned any military mutiny against the state of Nigeria in 1966. It said the action of the Nigerian army could not and should not be visited on a people on the scale perpetrated on the Igbos in Nigeria in what it described as a state calculated exercise of annihilation, pogrom and planned tribal cleansing of the magnitude of extermination on the pretext of resolving the “Igbo question.”“The principal function of state,” the committee argued, is to “guarantee the security and safety of its citizens.

It is heinous when rather than protect, the state turns its weapons on its defenceless citizens; wages war against them; deliberately imposes policies that marginalized them; refuses to atone for the injuries caused and pretends that all is well. ”It noted that the litany of what the Igbos had suffered in Nigeria should be presented if and when the Nigerian government sets up a body to work out the reparation to settle the civil war issue.

Stating that life had no duplicate, the committee said an unjust loss of life especially when caused by the state was a crime against humanity. The committee said it was only an act of miracle that the Igbo are still standing considering what has been visited on them since the creation of the Nigerian State. ”Starting from 1945, Igbos have been killed with the connivance of state authorities to appease misguided angers of local people especially on religious grounds,” it said.“Let us consider than an Indian writer, Rushdie, wrote the blasphemous book against Islam, Igbos living in northern cities of Nigeria were butchered in thousands for something they knew absolutely nothing about.

“The targeting of Igbos for the slightest provocation which the Igbos have absolutely nothing to do with has become so common place and hardly has the government made any resolution to assuage the damages.

”The committee told the president that having played a role in the resolution of the crisis arising from the activities of militants in the Niger Delta, providence had placed him to resolve the Igbo issue. It added,

“Your Excellency may question why now. The Igbos feel confident as a people that you are a man of conscience, a man of equity and above all, a leader who insists that justice must prevail at all times.

“Providence has placed you at the position to resolve this issue once and for all, after all you were pivotal in the peaceful resolution of the Niger Delta militancy. The jackboot approach at Odi and Zaki Ibiam was totally condemned by the civilized world.”

http://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/164928-igbos-write-jonathan-demand-n2-4-trillion-reparation-for-civil-war-killings.html?wpmp_tp=1

check my view on this link:

https://www.nairaland.com/1814166/n-2.4-trillion-civil-war#24711478

https://www.nairaland.com/1814166/n-2.4-trillion-civil-war#24711478

Check out my view.No descrimination.

http://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/164928-igbos-write-jonathan-demand-n2-4-trillion-reparation-for-civil-war-killings.html?wpmp_tp=1

I read with utmost interest the story in the above link if true(because a whole lots aren't in Nigeria) would make an interesting intellectual discourse but the thread on which I found it has been taken over by ethnocentric wards. Please I need intellectual contributions here and let me first state my position.
For those who were around then, a whole lots of stories abound on who did what and today, the news is about compensation. I hate war,especially when such is fought on unjust causes but could there ever be justifiocation for war? may be yes or no.For instance is there justification for Israel to attack Gaza when its own children are being kidnapped and murdered and missiles are being sent to its civilian areas, may be yes may be no, the answer depends on your perspective I guess. What about 1948 war and all the following uprising that followed? many questions than answers I guess.
To however have a better perspective on the Nigerian case is to trace the political history of Nigeria. A pre independent Nigeria brought to the fore many shades of differences between the various major groups but something was achieved; a joint independence from Britain! Great wasn't it?
But it came at a price to the nation because those leaders could not come up with acceptable political structure but managed to keep the system together until certain Aguiyi Ironsi unified the whole system and shifted the ancient and his comteporary landmark. What did we have since then? the birth of ethnicity and religion, a demon that was asleep during the time of the fathers. Many groups excused themselves to justify their violence and the result of a long dark years of murder by both sides in a resulting civil war is still being referenced, yeah, we will continue to talk about it.
Every war is borne out of the selfishness of any one person or groups, either the selfishness of an oppressor or that of the prosecutor of the war. The question to me is what was the consensus of those who brought Nigeria together and how were they not able to redress their differences?
I once read an economic view on Nigeria political economy where someone wrote that before oil and gas became Nigeria the largest source of income for Nigeria, the Eastern Region(including South-south today) allied with the North to benefit from the Cocoa and ports income from the Western Region to enjoy their own share and since the oonset of oil and gas there has been a shift of West and North to benefit.Also, watching Aljezera French exploit in Africa, one can at least draw some conclusion that economic gains rather than ethno-religion reasons has impacted the spate of war in Africa though such gains are sighted to profit a few but take a toll on the unguarded majority who are whisped into the army to fight a war that has no immediate or even future glory.
The same is the cae for Nigeria and I wish to state that everyone that had suffered in war should be reparated, including those who's families were drafted into the military, those who lost relatives, those whose towns were destroyed on both sides of the divide, those people whose resources were also used in funding the war because such would have been used to develop some sectors!!
Activities leading to the civil war would conviniently place the blame on both sides and in war, winning is the ultimate thing especially civil war that are often brutal with no riules of engagements.
I support that people should be compensated but its not restricted to those who lost, what about those that borne the burden of victory?

makeitplain: My response might be a little long cos I want to be very very clear but I will make it easy to read.

Wishes vs Reality
As I read thru ur comment with keen interest, I observed that u seem to be mixing two things up and which are what u wish to happen in 2015 and what will actually happen. Let's spend our time on what will actually happen or let me say what is very likely to happen (since I am not God). U throwing up Arapaja's name actually reveals how u don't know much about what is going on in the PDP camp. Arapaja is far from it. Do u not know that he is not even in the current Guber race in the camp? So lets not waste time on that.

Ladoja
Whether Ladoja will win or not will of course be determined by voters but he will not be contesting to necessarily win. Its very simple to understand as Ladoja himself can only beat his chest for votes in Ibadan of which he can't get a 100% cos u and I know that there exists significantly a good size of PDP across Ibadan which interestingly is growing. U said Ladoja is loved for the mere fact that he treated civil servants very well, can u say the same of Ajimobi? Since u hammered on Ajimobi's performance, I will discuss that in subsequent paragraph.

Crisis or no crisis in PDP
U said there are crisis but u still did not clearly state how, u just believed there are crisis why didnt u mention names against names. What u are seeing in PDP is not actually crisis but lobbying and re-positioning in advance of what is coming, some ppl call it trading and bargaining. Everybody knows their levels and what they can achieve or not achieve. For example, Akinjide and co established a so called another faction and placed its secretariat in Yemetu but who do u see in Yemetu? if correspondences come from Abuja, does it go to Yemetu or Dandaru? Which is the actual, legally recognized PDP secretariat. What u are seeing is just bluffing, politicians do this to remain relevant one way or the other.

Over 10 candidates have declared for guber in PDP, so if there is crisis as u and others believe, why do all of them know not to make their declaration in any other faction secretariat than the main secretariat in Dandaru? If they truly belong to different factions, why did they not make their declaration in their putative factions? Remember the APC tried to awash the media with the impression that Ekiti PDP is cracked before and after the emergence of Fayose but reality says the opposite, Some wished that it was true until the election reveals it wasn't.

Since u mentioned comparison of performance I would like to do some comparison exercise.

Ajimobi's Performance Over-hype
U talked of Ajimobi's performance as if he's the best we have had so far and u talked about Ladoja's excellence with dealing with civil service. In that vain, can u now go to the secretariat and sample just 2 or 3 ppl's opinion? U dont even need to ask 10 ppl, Just 3!!! Can u sample teachers opinon? Do u know how much he is owing them, did u not see how he discountenanced the teachers when they asked him about their unpaid salary on B.C.O.S interview? So why do u think Ajimobi is performing. What u do not know is that u and the majority have been coerced and coaxed at the same time via the media to only see the projects they did and take ur attention away from the numerous other responsibilities they have neglected. My pensioner dad is owed over 5 months unpaid (and still counting) by Ajimobi if we were poor jobless children, how would my dad have been surviving?

Akala's Performance Under-hype
U asked for Akala's record and asked for sincerity but in my opinion u seem to be the insincere one because u believe that Akala did NOTHING. But I understand why u believe that cos its a common belief by the majority which is engineered by the then ACN via media blackmail to totally reduce Akala's popularity and personality to their own advantage.

I can't bear witness with u that Akala did nothing because:
1)Ajimobi prides himself as the governor that keeps Ibadan clean but what he never tells u is that all the equipment, the refuse compactors, the roll on roll off refuse trucks including the working implementation that he is using now was bought brand new and put in place by the Akala government. Ajimobi has not bought to date a single compactor for refuse cos the equipment he inherited was sufficient and in good state. Remember he reiterated that he met nothing on ground, that the state was in shambles. That is APC for u, they are specialist in misinforming the ppl against the other party.

2) Ajimobi prides himself as if the only governor that constructs roads but Ladoja constructed roads too, Akala apart from several local govt roads he constructed, he equally expanded major roads in Ibadan so why would u ask me to bear witness that he did nothing? And the roads are still in good shape. In fact Akala is the only governor to have ever gone beyond merely expanding an existing road to opening up a never existing highway in Ibadan check Elebu highway and the resulting impressive development in that axis. Ajimobi expanded Dugbe to Ance-Eleyele but Akala was the first to expand the same Dugbe from Queen's cinema to J/Allen to Oke Ado/Molete and after about 6 years, the road is still in very good shape, is it a lie?

3) Akala was the 1st since the current democracy to ensure that all dual carriage roads in Ibadan have streetlights including the one he constructed and the one constructed before him, Lam and Ladoja didn't do a single street light project that's a fact. He (Akala) went as far as powering the street lights with generators during power failure just to ensure that the lights were on
So how would I bear witness that he did nothing?

4) Akala massively rejuvenated the then dead Oyo health care. Did u know what the Oyo state hospital in Yemetu and Adeoyo looked like before Akala? Old, dilapidated, smelly colonial buildings with rusty leaky roof. Can u see what it looks like after Akala left? Have u seen the massive teaching hospital in Lautech? did u see the annex in Oyo? Is that not infrastructural development? What did Ajimobi do to improve ppl's health in his 4 years? Instead he said he was going build a 5 star hotel beside premier hotel which after almost 4 years, it's yet to be built. How would u build a 5 star hotel beside premier hotel that is never patronized to capacity? what sense does that make? What would that hotel mean to common man? well lets leave that.

Did u see how the Oyo Fire Service was well equipped by Akala? The same equipment Ajimobi used for rescue during the major flood. While Ajimobi was extolling his own rescue efforts, he never said "let's thank Akala who deemed it fit to equip the Fire Services in case of disaster otherwise, there would have been no equipment on ground" He never said that did he?
Therefore, u can't ask me to bear witness that Akala did nothing

Let me just live it at that.

I took interest in your post because of its organization but I laughed at how you took readers for fools. Did I read Elebu highway there? Hahaaaaa brother! Why not let's be objective because if our country becomes better its for our own good and that of our children.
It is true that politics of division is what is at play now in Nigeria but as educated as we are especially people with civilized minds, why would you want to pursue you pocket alone to the detriment of the larger society through hypocritical media propaganda.
You did not talk about delibrate plan by past government to underdevelop Oyo state, if not Ibadan should have been carved out of Oyo so that it would have sfficient funds like KANO TO AID DEVELOPMENTS.
i DO NOT LIKE POLITICIANS RIGHT? because they are bunch of insincere citizens of Nigeria and they are destrying this country using people like you as their foot soldiers!!!
Tell me the achievements of Akala, what would impact the development of the greater populace are things that should form the focal points of any serious government including education, infrastructures and entrepreneurial developments. That Ekiti people voted to have purported stomach infrastructure is a pointer to the fact that though they claim to be educated they are ill exposed and have degenerated to what I will calll Esau's weakness althogh I do not blame them, when people see the way politicians and their apologist live in affluence they will condescence.
Ibadan, to be honest with you have been a huge dissappointment in Nigeria going by its political importance, populaton and size because successive government iin Oyo state have failed to lift that city out of squallor and for the first time we are about seeing what is looking like developments you are here spreading this kind of message. I am not from Oyo state but I want progress and I don't share all these political abcadabra at all and am not a member or promoter of any party.
If Oyo people chose to follow their brothersin Ekiti good for them, they can collect their own national cake and share among themselves but you know when your fellows are planting you are eating your own seed, when they are reaping what will happen to you? Ekiti I hope will not be there to serve as the scape goat while these rather self centred civil servants are always wanting more, I do not blame them though, I blame the corrupt society.

citizenisb: The government lied to us.

But AFP has seen photographs of the scene showing a destroyed car plus damage to surrounding vehicles, which the British Army's former head of bomb disposal said left no doubt as to the cause.

"This was definitely an incident involving the use of high explosives," Bob Seddon, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran and a specialist in improvised explosive devices (IEDs), told AFP in an email exchange after reviewing the images.

"The type of blast effects and fragmentation pattern you would get from a gas explosion are quite different," the former Royal Logistics Corps colonel said, assessing that 25-50 kilos (55-110 pounds) of improvised high explosive were used.

Senior foreign diplomats also indicated privately that the blast was deliberate, attributing the official denials to fears over the potential effects of a confirmed first attack on Lagos, which drives the country's economy.

I suspect a foul play by AFP. Even if it was a blast how could they have linked it to Boko Haram that had not come openly to claim responsibility. In fact ,I believe there is a script being played out on Nigeria and every act of violence is being laid on the laps of Boko Haram. How are we not sure that some other groups may be using the guise of Boko Haram to perpectrate evil acts?
Let the Colonel explain further how sure he was that it was not the Niger Delta militants or some other groups that just wish to escalate the whole thing and bring Nigeria on its kneel.
Some forces want to bring an end to Nigeria and they are behind all the violence playing out or where would Boko Haram have gotten =N500,000.00 allegedly paid to Boko Haram receruits from outside Nigeria?
The world is replete with stories of the world powers causing political and economic instabilities around the world to either sustain their own economic dominance or cover up for evils already perpectrated by their citizens or organizations. I think we should brace up in Nigeria and do the needful to move forward in the best direction for all of us. Nigeria can begin a serious conference that is sovereign to restructure its political landscape or divide peacefully before it all get out of hands. We are praying.

dazangel11: Ekiti people don choose them don choose.
Make una rest for the matter.

What APC did wrong was that they thought that by constructing a few roads and schools that the people will see them as the messiah (because them never see roads b4) and rush to the polls to vote them in again and so they left out the most basic need of the people which is their welfare and wellbeing.

All these APC people are thinking that PDP is evil but you forgot that the PDP has produced some of the best governors in this country (duke, Akpabio, Amechi (b4 he went rogue)) it is not about the party but about who meets the need of the people. Asaba might not be a model capital city due to the amount of money. Allocated to the state but the people of delta state enjoy a lot from their government and he (uduagan) has done a lot for his people by spreading the allocation to all corners of the state and all aspect of living. Transport, water, agriculture, Bursery, education etc


The duty of a responsible government is to give to the people what they want and need and not what you you want and need for them. Fayemi wanted Ekiti to be in the ranks of Lagos with good double carriAge roads and flyovers and flowers with water founatins but he forgot that these people are super poor and despite the fact that they love to see these structures they also need their daily bread, have money to train their kids and have a place to lay their heads.

Believe me If fayose can find a way to provide infrastructure without subjecting the people to hunger and hardship he will have their vote for a second tenure. The same thing is happening in Edo state the governor is busy building roads and gutters but he's gradually reducing his popularity because the ordinary man on the street is no longer happy that he's been subjected to hardship due to over taxation in order for the government to fund these huge white elephant projects.


My advice to both the PDP and the APC is for them to go into a more productive means of generating revenue that will benefit the extremely poor in the society building low cost houses, agriculture and manufacturing.

Mimiko is using this strategy in Ondo and it is working. Construct a few roads build a few schools provide water electricity agriculture touching all areas. Akure might not be heaven but you will agree with me that the people of ondo love their governor and are satisfied with his policies.

The APC is lucky that the Lagos state election takes place the same period with the general election. If the PDP can mobilise the slum dwellers and highly populated but government neglected areas of Lagos they may eventually defeat the APC.

The real issue is the Ekiti I knew would never have given overwhelming victory to a questionable character some years' past even if he were the better candidate, what has gone wrong with Ekiti honour and ethics?

honeric01: How much does it cost to lay an Ekiti woman for 4 years? 4 derica of rice be it married or single

How much is the total value of an Ekiti man for 4 years? 4 derica of rice

I didn't say this, the election result/incident said so!

It goes beyond rice. However it throws light on the likely destitution in our society which is fast eroding our value system.This had ,made many go into prostitution, some into importing fake drugs etc. its appalling!

Aigbofa: Eastern and western Yoruba ideology? What the hell is that? Awolowo probably had his most ardent supporters in what is now Ekiti and Ondo states, how does that tally with your East/West conjecture?

Asiwaju Tinubu's schemes which was driven with confidence and his own ,political sagacity rooted for the incunmbent governor as candidate of the APC against the resentment of a portion of his own party to have a primary election which led to the division in the rank of the party. The Tinubu factor was a step too far, how? the mentality and mindset of Ekiti have historical aversiveness against any too larger than life personality just like the Lord of the land played out by the Ibadan wishing to subjugate the Ekiti in the times of old,although we have to collectively credit the Jagaban of giving us Governor Fashola and others who have demostrated their intellectual capacity to deliver more than we have had in the past. Inthe same vein, Tinubu's presentation of Fayemi was received with sceptism by the populace which to them was a go slow man.

oduastates: What dichotomy are you talking about?
The ekitis sold their future for a quarter bag of rice .
It is this same refusal to imbibe the core omoluabi values which makes the ekiti diaspora to avoid the place like a plague.
Fayemi came and made the place liveable just like amosun is doing in ogun state.This will automatically lead to more people visiting and even more investing at home.
Alas,it is not good enough. ,the former way of

1Having beer parlour on every corner,
2goats ,dogs and pigs on the residential streets ,
3 Okada drivers constituting a nuisance ,
4 useless teacher/civil servant who go to work to trade rather than render services .

Someone wrote something online and i agree .
Fayemi should handover all the schools back to the missionaries .
that way,you can start reducing the population of the stupid .


This peom is from an ekiti professor who I guess is what they refer to as ,a foreign ekitis.



professor Osundare poem captures it perfectly.

A-RICE, oh compatriots
Your stomach’s call obey
Say, A-RICE, oh compatriots
Your stomach’s call obey
Hold out your bowls for the golden grains
Pawn your pride without delay

Grab your bribe and dance in the street
To the Riceman’s drum and venal command
Yes, grab your bribe and dance in the streets
To the Riceman’s drum and venal command
Bend your back for his heavy ride
Your golden rice is your sole demand

The Riceman is here, your lord and saviour
Pawn your vote for his golden gift
Say, the Riceman is here, your lord and saviour
Pawn your vote for his golden gift
Eat your rice and belch like a bull
And give your guts the forgetful lift


The passage down the gullet
Is the fastest road to heaven
Yes, the passage down the gullet
Is the fastest road to heaven
To those held hostage by their shameless guts
There is no nirvana like the seething toilet

The people voted their stomach
And the dunghill usurped their future
Alas, the people voted their stomach
The dunghill embraced their future
The wounds from this blind affair
Defy the magic of the cleverest suture

II

The people voted their stomach
And the dunghill usurped their future
Alas, the people voted their stomach
The dunghill embraced their future
The wounds from this blind affair
Defy the magic of the cleverest suture

Cunning Riceman with bags
Full of tricks and daggers
Say, cunning Riceman with bags
Full of tricks and daggers
His first coming left us all
In ashes and fluttering rags

Brazen murders, strange disappearances:
His hands drip with unexpiated crimes
Yes, brazen murders, strange disappearances
His hands drip with unexpiated crimes
But he has an arsenal of cash and rice
Both so vital in these degenerate times


Rabble-rousing, clowning, scheming
Frightful intimations of Idi Amin’s pedigree
Yes, rabble-rousing, clowning, scheming
Frightful intimations of Idi Amin’s pedigree
Yesterday’s fruits still stir the leaves
On History’s bewildering tree


Here, once again,
The wild histrionics of a deadly actor
Say, here, once, again,
The wild histrionics of a deadly actor
Mindless applause from a captive audience
Chloroformed puppets of a wily victor

III

They sold their birth right
For a kongo* of rice
Alas, they sold their birth right
For a kongo of rice
This mindless commerce
Will come at a heavy price

Erstwhile Knowledge Fountain
Overgrown with Ignorance’s malignant weeds
Alas, erstwhile Knowledge Fountain
Overgrown with Ignorance’s malignant weeds
The Book, once robust, resurgent,
Has been voted out of our daily needs

They sold us a lemon; we emptied
Our bank of virtues to pay the price
Alas, they sold us a lemon; we emptied
Our bank of virtues to pay the price
The will powerful guns could not subdue
Now lies suborned by a spoonful of rice

Poverty so desperate, so demeaning,
It consumed our pride, our primal worth
Yes, Poverty, so desperate, so demeaning,
It consumed our pride, our primal worth
The pride we once extolled is vanishing fast
From the face of our stunned, corrupted earth

The people voted their stomach
And the dunghill usurped their future
Alas, the people voted their stomach
The dunghill embraced their future
The wounds from this blind affair
Defy the magic of the cleverest suture

*Kongo: a small tin, plastic, or calabash container used for measuring peas and grains in market sales.

IV

Too good for us, far too advanced
The reigning King is too high above our rot
Say, too good for us, far too advanced
The reigning King is too high above our rot
Too much bound to Excellence and Honour
And a public garment without a blot

He expends state funds on the road to the Future
He never paves the way to our bottomless stomach
Yes, he expends state funds on the road to the Future
He never paves the way to our bottomless stomach
Whoever doesn’t know in the eating world
That the gut is a grand, demanding monarch

We asked for rice, he gave us Reason
We asked for booty, he gave us the Book
Say, we asked for rice, he gave Reason
We asked for booty, he gave us a book
So we trooped all out to cast our lot
For the side of the dark and loaded crook

The Damaged Good has riced its way
To the top of the brand
Alas, the Damaged Good has riced its way
Right to the top of the brand
Our feet stand askew
On our dark and traitored land

Come again soon, oh brief Renaissance
This interlude forebodes a trembling twilight
I say, come again, brief Renaissance
This interlude forebodes a trembling twilight
Sow rainbow stars in our darkening sky
Divine another Dawn, new and bright

I wondered why EKITI I know would ever vote for a personality as controversial as Fayose who is being accussed of many finacial malpractices during his first term in office. The Ekiti, the land of HONOUR has seemed lost that honor to the popular Stomach infrastructure? All the home trainings and the open honesty of the state indigines are now questionable. Some 20years past, Fayose would not have won an election, something has gone wrong!! Ekiti people are arrogantly averse to dishonesty, cheating and any shadow of stealing or corruption.The question is Has politics change all those attributes?

While I wish governor elect, Fayose well in delivering on ,his electioneering promises, I wish to see Ekiti that is focused and progressive.Before I conclude,let me state that the civil servants/teachers were the undoing of Fayemi who wanted to bring change by thinking outside the box but was too un-tactical to throw the box to his competitor!!! He wanted change but could not satiate the ever selfish political class and civil servants. Fayose should balance the two.I wish him the best.
Meanwhile the dichotomy in the Yoruba mindset and mentality is open to be exploited by the smart or closed by the opposition party in the state, the APC. This is also a call to close rank in Ogun to avert another loss, Tinubu and Osoba should support Amosun to deliver more to the peolple and relegate power play for the good of their party and the citizens.

Ayekotoo: We came into office and stayed faithful to our manifesto. We stayed faithful to our promise to our people. What we now see is an absurd conclusion that has been reached especially by the Peoples Democratic Party. The absurdity in this logic is that how do you say a governor who has performed and introduced a welfare policy, the first of its kind in Nigeria was rejected? As part of the policy of his party, he promised free and qualitative education and in the pursuit of that abolished schools fees, built new schools, paid teachers regularly but when the students were failing their exams decided to find out what was wrong. The administration introduced assessment examinations but the teachers purportedly don’t like this. If we accept this, we are going to enthrone a kind of government that will buckle under the whims and caprices of any pressure group, however, unreasonable their position may be. This to me is worrisome.-- APC

Aigbofa: Eastern and western Yoruba ideology? What the hell is that? Awolowo probably had his most ardent supporters in what is now Ekiti and Ondo states, how does that tally with your East/West conjecture?

I've taken a look at the socio- psychological marks across the land and it doesn't take anything away that Ekiti is pro-Yoruba stronghold. But why on earth was it shaken?

shymexx: This is just shallow and intellectually deficient. What has the dichotomy of Eastern and Western Yoruba ideology got to do with electioneering, and lack of foresight by peasant who only care about crumbs, than electing the right people? Is Edo also part of Western Yoruba? - so, how come their governor is part of APC?

It has more to do with grassroots politics; telling the peasants who make up a large portion of electorates what they want to hear; the need for change; and the bigger spender. APC did itself no favours by being a party of elitists and extreme capitalists...and I believe the former governor never tried to bridge-the-gap during his tenure. He relied on the incumbent factor, and APC stronghold among Yoruba's, but ended up failing woefully.

Please, delete the thread, bro.

Thanks Shymexx, you can't tell the whole history on a page but there is always a socio-psychological dimension in a political-economic construe.Kindly read the post again as am not against any section of the Yoruba country. You do not have to say peasants that care about crumbs, why didn't the government care about the crumbs?
About the Awolowo, I told you the Ekiti are probably pro-Yoruba than any other group but why did they still vote Fayose? History tells that the Ekiti are die hard Yoruba people and stubbornly so. How is the post intellectually shalow?

The shocking lost of APC Governor Fayemi to the candidate of PDP Ayo Fayose in just concluded gubernatorial election in Ekiti State was a reflection of many deep rooted gap in the Yoruba ideaology and metaphysical between the East and West of the Yoruba country, a gulf similar in nature to the Ekitiparapo war otherwise known as Kiriji war in the 1880s.
Let me be clear that personally, I am averse to any political system or individuals that do not promote developments for the populace which in Ekiti did not make my interest in the candidates of both PDP and APC while am not a fan of politicians that cross carpet for political gains rather than stand on their rooted ideaology on developments.
As I earlier discussed before the election, I wished both political parties came up with better, right thinking candidates.However, where does the dichotomy comes from in the Yoruba ideaology?
To answer the question, I will do a brief on Asiwaju Tinubu's schemes which was driven with confidence and his own ,political sagacity rooted for the incunmbent governor as candidate of the APC against the resentment of a portion of his own party to have a primary election which led to the division in the rank of the party. The Tinubu factor was a step too far, how? the mentality and mindset of Ekiti have historical aversiveness against any too larger than life personality just like the Lord of the land played out by the Ibadan wishing to subjugate the Ekiti in the times of old,although we have to collectively credit the Jagaban of giving us Governor Fashola and others who have demostrated their intellectual capacity to deliver more than we have had in the past. Inthe same vein, Tinubu's presentation of Fayemi was received with sceptism by the populace which to them was a go slow man.
Fayose was a people's man, he was a grassroot politician, he understood the people and he came down to the level of the rural people but Fayemi, a well behaved, educated and highly enlightened man obviously belong to the elites whose program for the state was backed by his strong sense of exposure, it was a gap between him and the ordinary people , the gap Fayose simply filled.
Another factor was the usual in the palm of my hand factor by the Tinubu camp just like the Ibadan cum Oyo undermined the people.While the Ekiti are hard core pro-Yoruba people and stubbornly so, they are very egoistical, the same with Ondo state indigenes. Similar to this mentality are the Ijesa which which made up the Ekitiparapo in the Kriji war.
This is a gap Fayose(not PDP) explored and exploited to his advantage and he won.
Which way Osun &2015?
The story of Osun may not be the same because Aregbesola is also a grassroot politician and there is still the rather gentle Osun against the Ijesa who are similar to the Ekiti in bigger population(please my assumption). His performances also stand him in good position as against some flaws that created the gap for Fayemi like teachers and civil servants issues which he did not resolve on time and which he would have done within his first two years in office.Aregbesola has also touched the ordinary citizens through some jobs creation.
About 2015 PDP should not jubilate as this will obviously make APC do a much better home work like fielding a Yoruba candidate from the Eastern end of the Yoruba country or proto-Yoruba candidate for the VP slot if it should choose a northern candidate. Ekiti generally are not pro-Jonathan but they do not embrace the North either. If their anti north mentality and ideaology are well exploited PDP could spring a surprise. Let it be known however that Ekiti people voted Fayose and he would have won on any political platform.
What is the missing link?
I wondered why EKITI I know would ever vote for a personality as controversial as Fayose who is being accussed of many finacial malpractices during his first term in office. The Ekiti, the land of HONOUR has seemed lost that honor to the popular Stomach infrastructure? All the home trainings and the open honesty of the state indigines are now questionable. Some 20years past, Fayose would not have won an election, something has gone wrong!! Ekiti people are arrogantly averse to dishonesty, cheating and any shadow of stealing or corruption.The question is Has politics change all those attributes?
Maybe there are needs of the people not so clear to the elicit leaders like Fayemi but which a person in the elected governor Fayose can provide, Maybe the hike in school fees in the Universities across APC states(the people love free education or at least a cheap one),may be there is a need to do political research and consultation to reconnect the ordinary people to governance. It looks to me(personal ,opinion) that the Tinubu camp can reproduce a Fashola in Ekiti while looking at broading opportunities in the state and of course the entire Yoruba country in areas of job creation. The Yoruba country have a huge unemployed graduates and government should take actions to promote entrepreneurial spirits and make soft loan available.
While I wish governor elect, Fayose well in delivering on ,his electioneering promises, I wish to see Ekiti that is focused and progressive.Before I conclude,let me state that the civil servants/teachers were the undoing of Fayemi who wanted to bring change by thinking outside the box but was too un-tactical to throw the box to his competitor!!! He wanted change but could not satiate the ever selfish political class and civil servants. Fayose should balance the two.I wish him the best.
Meanwhile the dichotomy in the Yoruba mindset and mentality is open to be exploited by the smart or closed by the opposition party in the state, the APC. This is also a call to close rank in Ogun to avert another loss, Tinubu and Osoba should support Amosun to deliver more to the peolple and relegate power play for the good of their party and the citizens.
This is a socio-phychological issue and must be considered well for the good of the Yoruba country.
God bless Nigeria.

I have watched with keen interest the position of Professor Nwabueze quoted in Thisday Newspaper on Thursday 08 January 2014 "Renowned constitutional lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, yesterday in Enugu reiterated his advice to President Goodluck Jonathan to jettison his rumoured bid to seek for a second term in office, in view of the precarious situation in the country, insisting that it was only on this basis that the president could become a great hero of democracy" and pondered on how Mr President can dismantle his adversaries in the PDP and APC and remain a powerful force in the country come 2015.
1. If he had an ulterior motive about the constitutional conference he should switch his mindset to making it a real conference that will undo all that the military and their cronies have done starting from Ironsi decree that made Nigeria a unitary state by revisting the regional arrangement that was abolished but adjusted to reflect the reality of present day Nigeria. That is what the Igbo, Ijaw and Yoruba want and it will sell to the other Niger Delta groups and even Middle Belt and can polarize places where northern powers has been too heavy for them to carry like Plateau, Southern Kaduna and Benue. Allow a new constitution that will grant autonomy to emerging regions economically and politically and weaken the position of the central government.This can be done if he should contact the right people and feign peaceful co-existence to the western powers assuring them of better stakes in the energy sector.It will be a serious political trading and he need not change ownership of oil blocks which is a huge politics in Nigeria, with time things will change.
2.Keep to himself the intention of contesting in 2015 but at the nick of time announce his intention not to contest while taking his time to scheme an interim President that will be elected for a transition period of just 2 years to further the constitutional development having tilted the country on a dangerous balance that will ensure all parties and groups sees him as a mini god that must finish his work. He can nominate a powerful and political joker that if he sees power will do according to his mindset. He is a man that is not comfortable with god fatherism but if he have the power he will spring surprises: someone like Fashola Babatunde. This will break the back of opposition party APC and will empower a thinker to make Nigeria move forward. This is because Fashola may not really be a great fan of Tinubu but handicapped.
3.Ensure the privatisation of the refineries and approve license for new ones immediately giving a whole tax breaks.
4. Fix Lagos-Ibadan express way and privatize railway services into rail and cabin operators and support the immediate construction of Lekki, Igbokoda and Ibaka seaports and work on Enugu,Ibadan,Warri, Akure and support the realization of Uyo, Asaba and Gombe airports
5. Institute through the central bank a new policy of Community Banks that can support the micro credits and help ideas become realities among youths.

Though the president have a short time but he can achieve a lot and write his name in gold and dismantle his opposition.

amor4ce: OJODEL10, my essay on Yoruba history has been updated/overhauled (100 pages of font size 11.5, minus the images).

ladionline, there's more coming; I'm only waiting for you and the others to identify the necessary pieces of the puzzle. Who will enlighten us on the Sumerians and Eredo?

I took my time to go through all your write ups and wish to commend your painstaking efforts at digging out a whole lots of information out. I have many points of agreements with you like the popular migration of the Oduduwa from the East that it was a return to the original motherland and that at a time some Yoruba progenitors may have been rulers or priest in old Egypt and that it was either they have ruled in Egypt or have been within the same empire with old Egyptians and also have something to do with either Hebrews or were Hebrews themselves.
However I have some grey areas and my reservations
1. I would want you to take it as a purely intellectual discourse and so edit it to remove every area that belittle Yoruba neighbours like the Edo , Igbo people and Europeans.
2.I do not agree with you that the current Igbo people(remember this name was a coinage for them by Europeans and was a 19th century nomenclature) or their progenitors have ever occupied any area of Yoruba land before but rather they have been subjects of the Bini Kingdom at certain times in history even though we have to be reminded that only a part of that country actually was.
3.That Yoruba is divided into two parts and should be done for historical accuracy.The first is the Ife axis extending eastward to Ekiti, Yagba, Akoko, Bini, Ondo down to Ilaje,Itsekiri and Ijebu. The second part is the western part because the eastern side is more ancient and less mixed like the western side covering Osun,Egba,and Oyo which are more recent in history.
4.I agree with you on Oranmiyan though he has been wrongfully classified in the Oyo history while sango may have been an alien as you argued
5. I disagree on how you tried to fix Yoruba progenitors into Biblical history, Yoruba may have been Hebrew as descendants of Abraham but may be not Jewish as of the tribe of Judah you tried to mimic although some may be.May be at certain times in history there was a mix but not as exhaustive as you posted. I believe the Phoenicians may have been parts of Yoruba or share common boundary with some tribes of Yoruba.
That there were many Ife will also make it imperative for history of the Igala be looked into for source information while upper Egypt will also be of help.Have you ever thought of the sahara civilization before the drought.
6. In the pre earth period you mentioned you did not clarify the position of Obatala whether as angel or unknown heavenly being
7.Ephod/Epha you mentioned may have actually been Ifa but Ifa as we have it may have been a corrupted version as all the eulogies to terrestrial powers including wicked powers are rife in current versions.You may wish to enlighten me.The similarity between Ephod and Ifa is too close but along the line Yoruba version may have been mixed with idolatry bearing in mind that children of Israel went into idolatry at some point.
8. I believe God ended all rituals in JESUS CHRIST by offering Him up for mankind to settle the spiritual woes of mankind. There may be some unknown reasons but honestly the name JESUS Christ work wonders which confirms that God is at work which bring an end to many religious activities including Ifa, Judaism,Islam, Buddhism etc.
9.You did not mention how Ifa came into being which I believe was a way of finding the mind of God and it could either be from Noah's time or codes received by Moses. Please enlighten us

Lastly I want to congratulate you for giving us reasons to see things ne and hope you can challenge our historians by publishing this in daily newspapers.
Thank you.

Nigeria is at a cross road over its political class fighting themselves more for reasons unknown to many and gaining supports from the masses in ,pursuit of their interests. Imagine sometimes ago when John CAMPBELL former U.S Ambassador who said he was aware Nigeria has at least 115 billionaires in dollars, now many of them actually got such money through cheer handwork?
I want to discuss a post Jonathan Nigeria after all the conferences and Nigerians demand for change in the polity of the country in which a federal structure will emerge to keep the country together instead of outright disintegration. This will be necessitated by the desire of the rich and mighty to keep their interests intact and access to a huge market.
Let me state that the political structure will be a lot different from what is obtained today and constituent parts will operate more like semi independent countries controlling a whole lots of their socio economic life and funding their own institutions even internationally. Not all will be at the same level but some parts will form strong economic blocs while some will leverage on their strength to make themselves relevant in the new order.
1. The current states structure will be dissolved, the unitary decree of Ironsi will be annulled and a fresh structure will be negotiated based on various factors including ethnicity, religion, geography, economic interests etc
2.Many new states will emerge which will be equal under the law irrespective of size and population and will have total control politically and economically operating with other states of Nigeria in a commonwealth system.
3.The following states will emerge but the list is not exhaustive:

Arewa - Hausa/Fulani and kinsmen of northwest and parts of northeast covering Sokoto,Zamfara, Katsina,Kano,nothern Zaria,Northern Bauchi, Northern Gombe,Jigawa,Kebbi, northwes Niger

Omoluabi/Oduduwa - Yoruba and their kinsmen in south-west and south-south covering most part of Kwara, western Kogi, Akoko- Edo, Itsekiri areas of Delta, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Lagos

Ndigbo/Alaigbo - Igbo and their kinsmen in South-east covering Imo,Abia,Enugu,Anambra,Ebonyi and kinsmen in Rivers and Delta. However, oil will play a whole lot of politics as to the claim and counter claims in deciding the extent of this state/country

The oil rich belt - Many states and autonomous communities will emerge here including the Ogoni, Ikwere,Efik/Ibiobio forming one large prosperous state,Ijaw in Bayelsa and parts of Delta south and Rivers forming a state, and because of its energy resources many small groups will be accommodated as self sustaining states.

The Middle Belt - The Tiv, Igala in Kogi, northern Anambra and Enugu will have their states and the majors among the minorities forming autonomous areas within their own states after a wider consultations in coming together for economic reasons. For the fist time we will see the Nupe and Gwari , southern Kaduna and many minorities becoming assertive.

The federal republic will be a commonwealth of countries some large some very small in size and having many states more than what it presently have may be more than seventy but widely different from what is currently have with these states having absolute control over their internal government and systems.
Let me stop at this general summary by saying that Abuja will remain the federal capital but with some recognized citizens and will be funded by a commonwealth of all the states and its functions will be the external relations of Nigeria states and defence.

2015, The permutation may have changed in 2014, don't conclude on anything, I repeat don't conclude on anything.
Let's leave the spiritual aspect and check the political permutation. If GEJ decides not to contest, break away PDP will try to unite while Atiku will want to seize the opportunity to try his luck and if Buhari failed to get the APC slot for President he will pull out to contest on a fresh platform. What if GEJ decides to root for a southwest candidate or a Middle Beltan, then power blocs will scatter and for the first time we may have about four parties slogging things out.
Another scenario is if GEJ decides to allow the conference to be sovereign and real restructuring, resource control etc are achieved while regional blocs are created, then a major political shift will emerge and Nigeriaks war will become economic.
IF GEJ decides to contest, he will have a massive opposition against him, united against him anf even if he win, he would have wished not to win. But the possibility of his loss is apparent, notherners will vote for any northerner.
If buhari gets d presidential ticket Tinubu will want to pair because Buhari will be outside his reach but I think Tinubu and co will try to persuade him not to contest so that he can support any of their candidate.if buhari breaks away it may jeopardize APC and strenghten PDM. I think APC will root for a christian VP in the southwest may be from ekiti-Ondo area or Edo.
GEJ strenght is being streamlined by the decision of APc to reach out wide and large in

eluquenson: Niegria Ethnic groups as at 2013
21% Yoruba
21% Hausa
18% Igbo
11% Fulani
7% Efik-Ibibio
4% Kanuri
3% Tiv
3% Edo
2% Ijaw
10% others

The Nigeria population census has been contested several times and so would not be a wholly perfect reference but also have its own level of truth.Like said by one of the posters here that Kano state has been divided a number of time but keeps having more population than Lagos state is in itself a way to doubt the truth of figures presented. Like I also said anywhere, I believe Nigeria's population is grossly overstated to accommodate huge figures that will make places like Sokoto,Kano, Jigawa and Zamfara come up with huge population for obvious numerical advantage. Taken that the northerners give birth more than southerners based on religion and polygamy I will however not agree to those bogus figures being reported. I believe the Nigeria population itself should not be more than 120 - 140 million which will actually mean writing off 20 million excess as being referred.
Coming to those claiming that certain ethnic groups are fourth in the ranking , I cannot agree with those claiming Ijaw based on the following reasons
1. Ijaw are found primarily in Bayelsa as the dominant group, one of the top three in Rivers and Delta and a very tiny minority in Ondo and Edo
If you consider the population of these states vis a vis the percentage of Ijaw living there you cannot get 10% of Nigeria's ,population, that will be a blatant lie. If honesty is anything to go by I think the Ijaw around these states cannot be more than 5 million or less
2. The kanuri are majorly in Borno and Yobe where they are the dominant groups and some few states around the north east. Taking the population of those states they too cannot exceed 6 million which even place them above the Ijaw. That the Ijaw are the fourth group is a product of propaganda and its baseless just like a whole lots of their claims on ownership of lands across the coast.
3.The Tiv are largest groups in Benue and are also indigents in states as Taraba, Cross River,Nasarawa. Summing up their numbers will give them like 5-6 million too
4. The Efik and Ibiobio if considered as one group will be indigents of Akwa Ibom and Cross River and considering their population will be around 8million which will make them the 4th largest group in Nigeria.

However we must consider the Fulani who are actually spread across ,Nigeria but we cannot separate them from the Hausa in the states of Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina etc where they have fused into themselves apart from those Bororo Fulani that are widespread all over Nigeria as cattle rearers. Our best is to lump them that way.The population of the North-western states are seriously overestimated like I said but if we lump the Hausa and Fulani together they will be the largest may be 25%.

The Yoruba groups are found in nine states in Nigeria where they are the exclusive in five(Ekiti,Oyo,Ondo,Osun,Ogun)dominate in two(Kwara, Lagos) and are the third largest group in two(Kogi,Edo)if Itsekiri are counted as part of them they will be in ten states. Considering the population of these states, it will give them like 24% of Nigeria's population.

The Igbo are found in 8 states where they are exclusive in three(Imo,Abia,Ebonyi) dominate in Enugu & Anambra(few Igala people are indigents) and are the second or third largest group in Delta and are indigents of Rivers and Bayelsa
Considering the population of these states and other factors to be stated below the Igbo will be like 19% of Nigeria.

Other factors
Migration across Nigeria by various ethnic groups are great and this cut across various groups. The Igbo are largely traders and that make them so conscupious in any environment unlike the Hausa some of whom are traders, securities and do a whole lots of menial jobs. The Hausa however live in groups and can easily be spotted at random when they converge.The Yoruba are people who easily fuse into their communities and it may be difficult to say which is more for instance in the north between the Yoruba and Igbo. For states like Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina,Kaduna and Kano I think the Yoruba are in larger number with over two generations of settlers many of whom have been Hausanized or are not easily spotted. They are the artisans, a lot of them are Muslims and many of them from Oyo, Kwara and Kogi feel at home there.
If Nigeria's census is to be taken today in absolute truth a lot will be amazed what the result will be. Let me just stop here.