Sota Omoigui was bestowed with the Citizenship and Patriots Awards, as part of Nigeria's 63rd Independence Day celebrations, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at a ceremony held on October 5, 2023.
"Nigeria, We Hail Thee" was adopted as Nigeria's first national anthem on October 1, 1960. The anthem's lyrics were written by Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria when it achieved independence. Frances Berda composed the music for "Nigeria, We Hail Thee." The Federal Government had announced a competition for a new national anthem for Nigeria, with a prize of £1,000 attached to it. The prize was won by Lillian Jean Williams.
The anthem was criticised in 1960 because some Nigerians felt that the government should have selected one of the entries that was submitted by Nigerians. Some people also believed that the anthem was plagiarised from an old English hymn, while others felt that the anthem did not capture the Nigerian spirit.
“Arise O Compatriots” was adopted as Nigeria's national anthem on October 1, 1978. The lyrics are a combination of words and phrases taken from five of the best entries in a national contest. The lyrics are by John A. Ilechukwu, Eme Etim Akpan, B. A. Ogunnaike, Sota Omoigui and P. O. Aderibigbe. The words were put to music by the Nigerian Police Band under the directorship of Benedict E. Odiase.
The anthem was criticised by some Nigerians because it was composed when the country was under military rule (some people said that it sounded like military music). The National Association of Nigerian Student (NANS), therefore, prefers to sing the old national anthem.
"Change Your Ways And Not The Anthem" - Sota Omoigui
Dr Sota Omoigui is one of the co-authors of Arise O Compatriots.
June 10th, 2024
Press Release
Change your Ways and not the Anthem
By
Dr Sota Omoigui MD – Coauthor, Nigerian National Anthem
When I wrote my words for the anthem, in 1978, it was my dream for the country to move forward and take its place among the great nations of the world. But all that potential has been hijacked and degraded by a political leadership that constitutes a criminal enterprise. Many of our people now wonder if we were ready for independence.
The regressive reverting of our anthem to the colonial anthem is a betrayal of our independence. It is a symbol of a political leadership that is clueless and has so lost its way that it goes crawling on its hands and knees back to kiss the ring of its colonial master to adopt its anthem – music and lyrics.
There have been numerous reasons attributed to this speedy reversion of our anthem. What struck me the most was that the colonial anthem embodied more relevant values than our Nigerian anthem. Some have said that it would be a source of building patriotism.
What sheer hypocrisy. First the Nigerian anthem: The first two lines of Arise O Compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey is a call to action. It calls on us to serve our fatherland with love and strength and faith. There is nothing more patriotic than that. But our leaders have not the foggiest idea of the meaning of patriotism. They are too greedy and simply incapable of living up to the creed of the Nigerian anthem. An anthem with lyrics written by Nigerians and music composed by a Nigerian. On October 7th, 2006, in her visit to Nigeria, Beyonce as never before, fell in love with a piece of music that wasn’t her composition or planned by her team. Such was the power of our anthem, pulsating with our African drums. Our culture, music, movies song and dance are exported and celebrated by different races all over the world. Radio stations and clubs in cities from Alaska to Argentina play Nigerian Afrobeat. Yet in the birthplace of that culture, the leaders reject their own anthem for a colonial anthem. Nigeria, the hitherto giant of Africa that led the liberation struggles of Africans to defeat apartheid and colonialism now reduced to a midget crawling back and crying mama to her colonial master. But no surprise here. Our leaders steal from the poor because the much they have is never enough. They have failed to serve the fatherland with love and strength and faith. They have failed to create one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity. They have failed to be guided by God, and are unable to teach our youth in love and honesty to grow as they neither have love nor do they have honesty. They live corruptly and have failed to live just and true.
Now let us analyze the colonial anthem: It was the right anthem at the right time in our history. But that time is long gone. They want to now force Nigerians to sing Nigeria, we hail thee. They want us to hail the 53% unemployment rate of our youths and the 34% unemployment rate of our adults. . They want us to hail the minimum monthly wage of N30,000.00, whose earners have to work for three months to purchase a bag of rice that costs N100,000.00. They want us to hail no electricity, roads, pipe borne water, dilapidated and unsanitary schools with no roofs or windows and our children learning knee deep in flood waters under open skies, as rain beats the knowledge out of their heads, dilapidated health care systems including some of our university teaching hospitals, that are death traps, where there are limited medications, few supplies or equipment and in many cases not even running water. We should hail being terrorized by bandits and boko haram who kidnap our children from school, hijack our citizens on the highway and kill our farmers when they go to their farms. 133 million Nigerians, or 63% of the population, should hail being “multi-dimensionally poor,” meaning they suffer simultaneously from multiple disadvantages, including a lack of access to clean energy, housing, health care, water and sanitation, according to the November 2022 National Bureau of Statistics Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) survey by the Federal Government of Nigeria of nearly 57,000 households. That’s up from 54% in 2018, and more than any other country, including India, which has seven times more people. Our youth whose skeletons are bleached dry by the hot desert sun of the Sahara desert and whose bodies lie at the bottom of the Mediterranean sea, where they died trying to escape the hopelessness and lack of opportunity of their own not dear native land, are not alive to hail their country. Those left behind see the greed, looting and pillaging by their leaders, have no opportunities for economic empowerment and resort in internet scams, and fraud, prostitution, banditry and kidnapping to make ends meet. Thus innocent people both inside the country and globally, have life savings stolen as they are made to pay the price for the corruption of our leaders.
Our people who groan under the yoke of the endemic corruption that afflicts the land and does not allow them to breathe, are not going to hail Nigeria. Our people who suffer in poverty with a currency that has undergone a 1000% devaluation since we first wrote the anthem and a minimum monthly wage that creates food insecurity have nothing to hail Nigeria for. As I have stated in one of my prior speeches, when food prices exceed the salary of a worker, men sell their dignity and women their honor. Billions budgeted for palliatives to give the poor and needy are looted and shared among those in the political leadership. World Bank loans such as the USD $200 million for projects such as the Edo Storm Water drain, to alleviate flooding and develop the state were looted and shared by a governor who gets promoted to the senate and his accomplice who gets promoted to the governorship. The political class not content with pillaging and plundering the commonwealth expropriate the God given beauty of the land by converting public beaches to their personal property as done with Bar Beach in Lagos.
One line in the colonial anthem states:
Though tribe and tongue may differ
In brotherhood we stand.
We certainly have not lived up to that creed. Just six years and some after independence, the 1966 coup unleashed a pogrom of bloodletting consummated by a civil war where up to 3 million Nigerians were killed or starved to death. We remain divided in the country by both tribe and tongue.
The colonial anthem states: Our flag shall be a symbol, that truth and justice reign……To hand over to our children a banner without stain. My apologies to Lillian Jean Williams the British expatriate who wrote the colonial anthem. We have neither truth, nor do we have justice. A nation sweltering in the heat of injustice and oppression now forces its people to sing that truth and justice reign. Our children are handed a banner that is very much stained. Our children live in a nation awash in corruption with impunity and no one accountable for their actions. Political offices are purchased by the highest bidders who pay using the spoils of their pillage and plunder. Justice is dispensed to the highest bidder by our cash and carry judges.
Our national assembly is populated by dishonorable and rapacious men, ethical midgets, fraudster, looters, carpetbaggers and ex governors who have pillaged and plundered the commonwealth of their states and then rewarded by higher office. They have and continue to destroy lives far more than the murderers and armed robbers like the notorious Ishola Oyenusi and his gang that we executed in Bar Beach on September 8th, 1971, in the Nigeria of my youth. A similar fate would be more befitting for them.
The colonial anthem further states:
Help us to build a nation
Where no one is oppressed
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed.
This is nothing but a lie. Our leaders did not build a nation but they steal anything that is not nailed down. Our people experience neither peace nor plenty. The vast majority have no electricity, roads, pipe borne water, healthcare and social amenities. Nigerians are worse off today than at the time of independence. They are not benefiting from any wealth, rather the politicians are. The minimum wage is being negotiated from N30,000.00 while each Senator earns about N30 million every month. Changing the anthem and expecting a different result is insanity.
The Nigeria of our youth that we knew of in our anthem of 1978 sadly no longer exists. It has been replaced by a rapacious system of governance that is unsustainable and if unchecked, spells doom for the country.
To our political leaders, it is clear that you are unable and incapable of living up to the aspirational creed of either the Nigerian or the colonial anthem. Change your ways and not the anthem.
If you have to change the anthem, I suggest this verse for you to consider and which embodies your values that you can much more easily live up to
Oh Nigeria Oh Nigeria
Our haven of delight
From the swamps of the Delta to the hills of Somorika
In cunning we excel
Our hands may grasp, our pockets to fill
In secret deals we find our thrill
Let no one see our secret ways
In darkness we shall stay
With every lie and every bribe, and every loot we share
We seize another day
In conclusion, Arise my fellow Nigerians, you were born free. Your ancestors fought the slave traders; your founding fathers resisted the colonial masters. And now it is your turn to resist those who would put the neocolonial yoke around your neck. Arise and resist this modern day slavery. Arise and resist singing this lie of a colonial anthem they want you to sing. The only people that should stand up and sing sing ‘Nigeria we hail thee’, are looters, thieves, bandits, kidnappers, Yahoo fraudsters and the politicians who pillage and plunder the commonwealth of our people. Otherwise if you do not belong to any of these categories and you sing it, you are a liar.
Harriet Tubman, the heroine of the underground rail road freed a hundred slaves and could have freed a thousand more if only they knew that they were slaves.
The thread is about the first movement of goods to Dala Dry Port by rail. You said you have been seeing it since OBJ time. Of course that means that you have been seeing movement of goods to Dala Port by rail since OBJ time. Yet Dala Port was commissioned just last year.
Several people tried to help you, but you want to be stubborn. OK, we accept, you have been seeing movement of goods by train to Dala Port since OBJ time. What's the argument about again?
An American citizen, name withheld was at 1:23 p.m. today restrained from committing suicide on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos
The American, who is in his early 30s was driven to the Third Mainland Bridge by his Baby Mama in company of his daughter. He directed the lady who was unaware of his motive to park somewhere while he walked to a spot for a leap into the Lagoon.
A passerby who observed his movement quickly alerted patrolling RRS operatives who persuaded him from jumping, re – united him with his wife before taking them to RRS Headquarters in Alausa.
The Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), after advising the man and his family, directed that the case be transferred to Gender Department, Lagos Police Command for further counselling and necessary actions.
Kaduna Inland Dry Port To Be Commissioned By President Buhari On Thursday
ninjasta: No fewer than 300,000 direct jobs will be created in Kaduna and environs when President Muhammadu Buhari commissions the Kaduna Inland Dry Port on Thursday, 4 January 2018, LEADERSHIP Weekend’s findings have revealed. The Inland Dry Port in Kaduna, LEADERSHIP Weekend has learnt, is to serve other states in northern part of the country even as countries like Chad, Niger, Cameroon and the Central African Republic. To this end, the federal government, the Nigerian Shippers Council and other stakeholders are set for its commissioning next week. Already, port activities have already taken off in the Kaduna Inland Dry Port, thus making it the first of such in the country. The port manager, Mr Rotimi Oledele Raimi, told our correspondent that northern businessmen, importers and exporters as well as their counterparts from Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Central African Republic could now consummate their transactions using the port.
The facility, gazetted on May 26, 2015, is now equipped for port operations and shipping services, international and local logistics, freight and forwarding to the inner reaches of Northern Nigeria and landlocked neighbouring countries of the Niger Republic, Chad, and Cameroon. According to the Nigerian Shippers Council, Kaduna State Chapter, it is expected that about 300, 000 people will get direct jobs from the dry port in a few years to come. Our correspondent observed that the port was fully equipped to handle more than 29,000 containers per annum, and agents could legitimately take delivery of their imported cargoes and as well as forward their export goods directly to various countries abroad without hindrances.
Already, Nigerian Customs and other relevant agencies now operate at the port having been provided with well-equipped office accommodation within the premises to enhance trade facilitation and reduce turnaround time. Maritime experts are also on ground at the port to provide counselling and consultancy services for import and export business processes and procedures. The dry port has an expansive container terminal, accessible by both rail and road with availability of modern cargo handling equipment and tools to facilitate quick delivery and turnaround time. Available are large warehouses for cargo storage; export consolidation, stuffing/unstuffing operations and groupage coupled with fully equipped technical workshop, modern examination bay, expansive container terminal, and modern Assycuda systems (for customs). Speaking with our correspondent, the president of NSC, Kaduna State Chapter, Mohammed Kasali Abdulsalam, said he was optimistic that activities taking place at the port would transform the state into a business and commercial hub of the North. He said, “For instance, as a shipper, I don’t need to go to Lagos to clear my goods. All I need to do is to inform my suppliers anywhere in the world that the final destination of the goods is Kaduna. Thus, what you need to do is to just write: Lagos/Kaduna Port. When your consignment reaches Lagos, it would be in transit to the final destination which is Kaduna.” Abdulsalam said apart from government employees working in the port, over 300, 000 people would be directly employed within a period of at least five years. “No fewer than 300,000 people will be affected directly by this gigantic port within a period of five years.
The hospitality business will also be boosted because more restaurants and hotels will be needed,” he said. Raimi said what finally emerged as Kaduna Inland Dry Port was the Inland Container Nigeria Limited, which the federal government had to upgrade to a dry port. “I assure importers and exporters in the northern part of the country including countries of Chad, Niger Republic that they can do export and import business in Kaduna. “I want to implore the people of Kaduna both the importers and the exporters to come down to our office because seeing is believing. They can come down here and forward their exports from here directly abroad. They should come for more enlightenment. The importers too should come to our office because we are working towards ensuring that instead of them going to Lagos to clear their goods, they can do it in Kaduna.” Kaduna residents, who have visited the port, said they were amazed with what they saw. For Henry Gabriel, the commissioning of the port will boost business in Kaduna and environs given what goes on in the port. “The commissioning of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port will provide an opportunity for youths to work hard to export their agricultural produce,” a resident, Bala Gimba said. The executive secretary and chief executive officer of the NSC, Hassan Bello, has said that the congestion, both vehicular and human, common at the nation’s sea ports, would not be seen at the dry port because it would be well controlled.
Oyo Dry Port: Seyi Makinde Inspects Ongoing Construction At The Site - Photos
AutoReportNG: Since the handing over of Oyo Dry Port to the Oyo State Government, little has been heard of this project. The project which costs about 35 billion naira has been rested for a while maybe this is due to change in power, we can't really say. The Oyo Dry Port was meant to be an inland port where all containers will be loaded thereby relieving the Lagos port which has become too full due to containers from owners
Oyo State Gov., Engr Seyi Makinde decided to see things for himself by inspecting the ongoing construction at this site. It will interest you to note that this place has been left untouched since the past administration. This place was handed to former gov., Ajimobi who signed on behalf of the state government and Mr Rotimi Ameachi who signed for the federal government respectively.
Shippers’ Council meets with Alex Otti to actualize Isiala Ngwa Dry Port
August 23, 2023
The Council met with the Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Dr. Alex Otti, to seek the state’s support for the realization of the IDP project at Isiala Ngwa. The purpose of the meeting was to push for a faster and more effective delivery of this much-needed and innovative project, which will directly impact the economy of Abia State, the South Eastern region and indeed the nation as a whole.
The high-powered delegation from the Council led by the Director Inland Transport Services, Mrs Ify Okolue, had on the entourage, the MD/CEO Eastgate Container Terminal, Bill Nkedirim, Chairman Eastgate Terminal Limited & former MD, Shippers’ Council, Kinglsey Usoh, Member, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Increase Uche, Deputy Director Public Private Partnership, (PPP) NSC, Isa Audu, among others.
Addressing the Executive Governor of Abia State, the representative of the Executive Secretary of the Council, Mrs Ify Okolue, emphasized the importance of the tripartite efforts of the Federal and State Governments as well as the private investors in the actualization of the project. She went on to explain the advantages of having the dry port situated at Isiala Ngwa noting that it was strategically located to serve as a catalyst for supporting neighbouring states of Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Rivers and Bayelsa States, thereby enhancing the overall maritime infrastructure in the South East region.
The Dry Port, she said, is expected to assist in decongesting the seaport, bring shipping services to the door steps of shippers and assist in the overall reduction of cost of transporting cargoes to the hinterland and landlocked countries.
Responding to the ES, the Executive Governor of the state Dr. Alex Otti, affirmed the State’s commitment to the actualization of the project. He however requested that the details of the initial project proposal be reviewed with a technical committee he will constitute, in order to avoid false starts and design workable plans for the swift realization of this project.
Honourable Ginger Onwusibe, the Honourable Member representing Isiala Ngwa North and South Federal Constituency led the delegation to the Governor’s house.
The technical committee responsible is expected to be made up of the following: Facilitators- Shippers’ Council, Concessionaire- Eastgate Terminal Limited, Nigerian Railway, State Transport Commissioners and members of the Government House, among others.
When actualized, the Ntigha Inland Dry Port, Isiala Ngwa will enhance revenue generation, improve the IGR of Abia State, and generate employment opportunities thereby reducing crime and insecurity in the South East.
Brendaniel: So the video you posted talked only about dry port? so why is your topic and video concentrated on the cargo shipment instead of the dry port?
is it the first time it is happening?
Train Carries 40-Foot Containers From Lagos To Kano
He still hasn't read the thread. It shouldn't be hard to go back to the first page and actually read. Read the first 4 posts.
Inaugural Train Journey Marks Milestone for Kano's Dala Inland Dry Port
Brendaniel: Train Carries 40-Foot Containers From Lagos To Kano
Learn to read...
This guy didn't read the thread, he only read the headline, so he doesn't know what the thread is about, but he is telling someone that read the thread that he should learn to read.
I was going to post this years ago, but I never got round to it.
Dry ports
There has been talk of creating dry ports in Nigeria for a long time, especially during the Babangida era, but not much progress was made. Laws that permitted the operation of inland container terminals were passed during the Obasanjo era and some of these terminals were established on paper. In 2014, during the Goodluck Jonathan era, 6 of these dry ports were concessioned. The concessionaires were expected to build and run the ports.
Things moved much further during the Buhari era. The Buhari Administration had a railway modernisation plan which saw them complete the Abuja-Kaduna line, construct the Lagos-Ibadan line and "complete" the Warri-Itakpe line. As part of that plan, one of the dry ports was commissioned and the foundation stone of the other was laid. These were the Kano (Dala) and Kaduna dry ports.
Wait a minute! What are dry ports?
Imagine that you live in Kano and want to import goods. Imagine that you can indicate Kano as the destination for your goods. Imagine that your goods are shipped into the Apapa Port and directly loaded onto a train that is bound for Kano. Imagine that the train brings your goods to Kano and deposits them at a place where you can clear them through customs and make all the necessary payments, without having to go all the way to Lagos to clear them at the Apapa Port. That place in Kano where you can clear your goods is called a dry port.
Some of the proposed dry ports in Nigeria are in Kano (Dala), Kaduna, Ibadan, Katsina (Funtua), Abia (Aba) and Plateau.
I also hope this isn’t how slow it travelled all the way. That journey would easily be about four days or more. Despite being a narrow guage, it should move faster and I hope we will see more freights on this route
Dr Kabir A. @kbturaky
Sir, it travelled at 40km/hr. You know it cannot go the same speed when it already arrived its destination
Madam President (rtd) Iyabo Arinola Ifeoma Awokoya @iyaboawokoya
God bless Bubu, God bless Amaechi and God Bless Nigeria. Dear NRC and Dala Inland Plot. We can do something quickly about the approach. Plant some vegetation please
Dr Kabir A. @kbturaky
The idea is to extend the apron with the same concrete as the stacking area do that all the containers can be offloaded from the locomotives at the same time.
Engr Aliyu Jari @Aliyujari
Shows old narrow gauge line from Ibadan to Kano is now functional while work is ongoing on standard gauge line between Kano & Kaduna. You asked about this a while back. If we can transport fuel & other goods by rail cost of transportation will be reduced to cut down inflation
Madam President (rtd) Iyabo Arinola Ifeoma Awokoya @iyaboawokoya
Yes. I believe the narrow gauge has been functioning all along but it is quite heartening to see that Nigeria Railway Corporation is now more purposeful about haulage from Port to Port. (sea to inland). Let us just pray that they make is commercially expedient for importers and exporters and cargo customers so they can be patronised. Kudos to the new Minister of Transport
Ahmad_001 @Bt_ahmad
Nice, do you know how long it took from Lagos?
Lukemon Owolabi @lukemonowolabi
About 48km/hr and it took 4 days of travel from 7am to 6pm avoiding night joirney due to security fears. The train was also preceded by a railbus with engineers and security men on board...
Senator Sa'idu Ahmed Alkali is the minister of transportation.
Senator Sa'idu Ahmed Alkali @SenAlkali
You may recall that during our regular project inspection last month, I mentioned that we plan to resume freight services on the old narrow gauge rail line from Lagos to Kano in June after completing rehabilitation.
Recently, we conducted a trial run moving import containers from Apapa Port in Lagos to Dala Inland Dry Port in Kano, and we successfully transported numerous 40 ft containers from Lagos to Kano in just a few days.
This freight rail line testing, spanning a distance of 1132 kilometers, had approximately five locomotive driver changing stations at Ibadan, Offa, Mokwa, Minna, and Kaduna Junction. Through the Nigerian Railway Corporation @info_NRC , we have implemented a regular inspection mechanism to prevent potential vandalism of rail tracks, including the removal of clips and fish plates.
I am delighted to announce to Nigerians that today 6th June 2024, the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT GCFR will be officially launching the reopening of this corridor for freight. This significant railway route will create numerous opportunities for businesses and facilitate the movement of import and export goods between these crucial regions in the country. It is our intention that this railway service will facilitate the transportation of a substantial number of import and export containers, leading to improvements in transportation services, a decrease in road traffic accidents, lower costs of goods, and a boost to our Gross Domestic Product.
Our dedication to the continuation and successful conclusion of current projects is guided by the principles outlined in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. The President has consistently demonstrated his commitment to providing assistance and support for any initiatives that aim to improve the transportation sector in the country.
We are confident that if future governments adopt the same forward-thinking political dedication shown by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we can realize the Nigeria we aspire to.
Sen. Saidu Ahmed Alkali Minister of Transportation 6th June, 2024
Inaugural Train Journey Marks Milestone for Kano's Dala Inland Dry Port
In a significant development for Kano and international trade, the first set of 40-foot import containers has arrived at the Dala Inland Dry Port in Kano, Nigeria, from Apapa Port in Lagos. This journey of 1132 kilometers was completed in just a few days, showcasing the efficiency of the new transportation link.
The Dala Inland Dry Port, a joint investment of over $6 million by the Kano state government, the Nigerian Government, and the Shippers Council, was commissioned in the second quarter of last year. This port serves as both a port of origin and destination, enabling direct import and export operations.
On June 6th, 2024, the Federal Government @SenAlkali @NGRPresident officially launched the reopening of this freight corridor, marking a significant milestone for the railway route connecting Kano to neighboring states and nearby countries. This railway freight service is expected to create numerous business opportunities and facilitate the movement of import and export goods between these crucial regions.
The introduction of this freight service is expected to bring several benefits, including improvements in transportation services, a decrease in road traffic accidents, lower costs of goods, and a boost to Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product. This development is a testament to the commitment of the government and stakeholders to enhance the country's logistics infrastructure and promote international trade.
Politics › Re: Sota Omoigui Reacts To The Change Of National Anthem: Change Your Ways & Not ... by naptu2(op): 3:18pm On Jun 11, 2024
