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Christianity Etc › Re: No Other God Or Allah But Your Conscience by nobaga(op): 12:37am On Mar 26, 2017

The writer answered that question for you.

felixomor:

And please did u just mention "our ancestors"?
Were they atheists and deists?

Christianity Etc › Re: No Other God Or Allah But Your Conscience by nobaga(op): 8:07pm On Mar 25, 2017

It seems that those of us that have not studied anthropology, do not realize that humans that have never made contact with the outside world, that have never been exposed to religion or God, live and flourish in peace and harmony. They establish their own culture of marriage, farming, hunting for man,woman and children. Many have been discovered in Asia, so it is not an African thing. Ignorance is a disease.

Christianity Etc › Re: No Other God Or Allah But Your Conscience by nobaga(op): 4:20pm On Mar 25, 2017

Hmmm! I wonder who though Donald Trump morals, after all he got 81% of regular church goers! God fearing people. That is is a whooping number from men of God voting for foul mouth hate monger. Can these Africans be redeemed from the clutch of Jesus?

Christianity Etc › Re: No Other God Or Allah But Your Conscience by nobaga(op): 3:07pm On Mar 25, 2017

Both of you have educated us and expanded the writer's points. What is sad here is how difficult it is to debrief, reorient or get Africans off the God and cultural of religion used to enslave our mind and mentality. It is an uphill battle. If it is not Jesus, Mohammed or Yahweh it is Krishna or Hindu god to justify our existence while ridiculing African mythology. If they named our parents whatever they like, their job is done, our parents give us those names and it goes on. Unfortunately, what goes on is a mythology and culture that has no basis in science called religion.

Christianity Etc › No Other God Or Allah But Your Conscience by nobaga(op): 9:11pm On Mar 24, 2017

No Other God Or Allah But Your Conscience

How could that be? You just discovered no other God or Allah but your conscience after all your prayers, investments and sacrifice that there is no other God or Allah but the Conscience within you is God. It cannot be true that the Pope of Rome, Mohammed of Mecca, Jesus of Nazareth were not worshipping God and Allah but their conscience. The monuments, Mosques, Churches and institutional systems on all religions by Indus, Chinese and others were not based on God!

Conscience, just as Nemesis, Aiyelala or Chi is a commonality worldwide. Some have no conscience because they intentionally ignore it; but a baby even dogs develop the sense of right and wrong. Prayers while we fold our hands and feet without helping ourselves with action is born out of laziness and complacency like waiting for manna to fall from heaven. Nothing is so written that man cannot undo or change by taking the bull by the horns. Africans pray out of helplessness putting their destiny in the hands of fraudsters that suck every penny out of them.

Whereas, Religions is a cultural belief used in different communities to regulate behavior for the smooth running of law and order. Some people live within their culture without spreading or converting others into it. Many act as missionaries for their cultures to expand and convert others while they seat at the top in positions to determine right, wrong and votes to converts. They used incentives to lure others as the only way to secure a place in their God’s heaven.

I see! This is why some of us think all these prayers about God were forged to garb Africans. It is just a means to an end. Christianity and Islamic cultures are for people in certain places at certain times that was applicable to their culture and faith in order to keep peace and order. Their God was invented to keep their people in line so that they do not commit atrocity against their fellow men. They also created devil to act as a deterrent against those crossing the line.

This is not different from the God each ethnic group in Africa worship and pray to. The function and reason are the same: Poro and Sande in Liberia deter antisocial behavior or belief. If there was no religion, we would have had to invent one otherwise erring men and women would go astray and disrupt behavior and culture of the communities in which they live. This is the reason we say a country without laws is a country without sin. The fear of God and Devil had to be invented for men without conscience. We have to find a way to civilize our behavior.

The problem manifested by foreign religions and their gods is the lack of deep faith in the new communities it was introduced. Africans have more faith in their God than in foreign gods. This is why Africans are willing to swear on the Bible and the Koran they know are not indigenous to their faith giving them the confidence to commit all kinds of atrocities. Drag erring politicians, priest or imams to Poro, Okija or Osun Shrines to swear, not court where they can bribe judges.

They understand Poro, Amadioha, Sango or Tori wrath of Thunder. These opportunistic Africans would refuse to swear to Nyame of Akan, Bori of Mazuagawa, Igbo-Ukwu or Ogun. Abrahamic religions changed to offering bread instead of flesh and to wine instead of blood of Jesus Christ; that Abraham offered his own son as sacrifice only demonstrated that human can sanitize their “fetish” ways and come clean. Some opportunistic medicine men in Africa have demonized indigenous religions scaring their own people away into the hands of foreign God and religions.

But wait a minute, Sharia and Christian law differ? You mean there was no God, law or order in Africa until the Europeans and Arabs came. If my name is Chukuemeka before the Europeans or Arabs came, there must have been God guiding law and order in Africa since Chuku means God. This is why it was surprising when the Priest said Chuku is a name for Devil and we must baptize you with the name of Christians as Anthony, John, Godwin etc. in order to be accepted by God.

Similarly, the Arabs told us we were worshipping idols and the Christians also called it “fetish” only to find out that the Roman Catholics worship idols too! They called them Saints and place them in “holy” shrines. Like the Christians, the Arabs said Oluwatobi is the Devil’s name and we must change those names to Arabic names in order to be saved. So parents changed our names to Riskatu, Sidikatu, Mohammed, Farouku, Abdul-Fatayi to become the slave of God.

Which one is the slave of God again, didn’t they tell us we are all children of God? No, no, no please. The only child of God is Jesus Christ. Some people are finding it hard to believe and accept that Jesus is not the son of God but Anobi or the messenger of God. Well, this is becoming confusing nah. It is either we are children of God or slave of God. Who in his right mind would ever suspected that God also dealt in slave trade!

Unkulunkulu, isiZulu: the very great one is the Supreme Creator. The invention of Devil is also confusing. The Yoruba have many gods and devil is not one of those. They have the god of fire, the god of river, the god of iron and many others that report to one Olorun. They even claimed that the world started in Africa, indeed in Ile-Ife. The Hausa, Igbo, Ashanti, Zulu as other African ethnics have similar story about the origin of life and procreation. Even some Africans find them preposterous because they faithfully accept Bible and Koran fictitious versions.

However, by conspiracy or collusion, world scientists and archaeologists backed Africans up, that life originated in Africa. If all these scientific discoveries are not fictions, how could religion come from Europe or Arabian Desert to bring God as if there was no single Commandment in Africa when these people had originally migrated from Africa to other parts of the world.

If God existed and created Man in Africa and these Men migrated out of Africa, does it make any sense that the Christian law and Sharia came back to Africa to introduce their God that they later discovered outside Africa? On the other hand, could it be that Chi, Chuku or Olorun laws existed in Africa long before God or Allah came to be introduced in Africa. So people’s beliefs that named Chuku or Oluwatoyin knew God existed before the Europeans and Arabs came.

Abi O! You see, where you are wrong is, those names you mentioned have been changed to Jesutoyin, Godwin, Chineke-God etc! When we go to Church and Mosque, we pray in Latin and Arabic, so that God can hear our prayers. God cannot speak Swahili or Twi. Devoted Christians and Muslims never question messages of God propagated by his messengers, not only in Africa.

In the name of the same God, man perpetrated slavery blessing them as the children that would receive their reward in heaven. In the name of Allah, Young men have been led astray, indoctrinated and mesmerized to commit inhuman acts against their fellow men with reward of forty virgins in heaven but very little for the female bombers. Indeed, religion has failed many, questioning their faith in God; just urged to accept everything since it was so written.

They urge and lead us to believe in foreign God they do not believe in. Africans must stop hoping that prayers as remote control, to foreign God will change their misfortune by refusing to lift a finger knowing fully well that heaven only helps those who help themselves. If there is God: foreign God has forsaken Africa. So Africa must either rediscover their God or sanitize their evil behavior to one another by listening, instead of ignoring a conscience that never fails.

Farouk Martins Aresa

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/news/no-god-allah-conscience/

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Politics › Re: No Other God Or Allah But Your Conscience by nobaga(op): 10:01am On Mar 24, 2017

The only continent that does not have its own indigenous religion as official religion except a few countries. Most public holidays are for foreign religions. Pity

Politics › No Other God Or Allah But Your Conscience by nobaga(op): 2:50am On Mar 24, 2017*

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Family › Children Of Anger Abandon Their Parents by nobaga(op): 11:14pm On Mar 08, 2017

Children Of Anger Abandon Their Parents

What has always distinguished the children of the rich from those of the poor is the special affection most children of the poor have for their parents. They grow up pledging to buy their parents a house and a car. Most children of the rich take their parents for granted with a false sense of entitlement. So when you ask children of the rich what they want to do for their parents when they grow up. Well, they say their parents already have a house and a car nah!

Once upon a time, our parents that were the first born in their families told us how they had to quit school doing whatever they could in order to support their parents and send their younger siblings to school. Some joined the Arm Forces, learned a trade, became house-helps and a few even engaged in prostitution to give an opportunity they never had. Some of the siblings later turned their back on the older brothers and their parents. According to them, they could hardly meet up with their own responsibilities in the face of hardship in the country.

Moreover, when asked the reasons for abandoning their parents, they assumed their older brother that had less means than them because of his limited education still cared for their parents or they thought their other brothers or sisters already took on the responsibilities. In other words, it is the fault of the other guys, not theirs. They have already forgotten that it was the sweat of their oldest brother or sister that helped their parents in taking care of them.

Going by the grandmother whose story went viral on the internet recently, some of these children of anger justified their callousness by claiming their mother could not get along with their wives or their husbands as if that is new. One even said he did not want his mother to know where his family lived. This indifferent attitude usually happens in the big cities where community norms and customs have been displaced by casual relationships.

There used to be a time, when your paychecks are delivered to the parents, especially if you lived at home. Those that did not live at home gave generously to their parents. Some fathers usually in control of money spent like Father Christmas, depending on how much he received and how often. A friend complained bitterly how his father bought new mobile phones for his siblings when he could not even afford one; that was when mobile phones first came out.

Another lady was sending money from Europe to the dad to build her a house and also to take care of himself and her mother since the siblings were already out of school working. The father played Father Christmas for the siblings and grandchildren. When she was deported, she found herself living at the same old house with her father and a new wife.

The ordeal in the hands of her siblings that remained at home, her father and mother drove her out to one of those Churches where they teach you that members of your family are your enemies and Church members are the only family you have. Luckily, she travelled out again and cut off completely from her parents and siblings. It was a difficult decision for her or anybody to cut off from a natural family. She turned her close friends into family.

How children could watch any of their parents end up on the street is beyond most of us. No doubt some parents have their faults. Some spent the money of a successful daughter or son lavishly to attract the love of other children. As long as their mum and dad have some goodies at home, children visit home often to raid groceries and even ask for money. Some may even refuse to leave home. A few bring in their husbands to live with their parents, “temporarily”.

As soon as one of their parents dies, the eldest son is ready to take over the house regardless of whose money built that house. If it was the eldest daughter’s money, she can kiss that house goodbye! Daughters are fighting back these days though. There are cases in courts between siblings asking for their parents’ property to be shared equally between daughters and sons. The crap about male sons inheriting everything is for bygone days!

A friend of ours went bankrupt. But just in case he might, he had deposited some money into his children’s accounts to hide it from creditors. The first born that had most of his money completely cut off from his dad when he kept asking for his money back. He told the father not to disturb him and his family. Each time the father called, he gave him a headache, the son said. This child of anger watched his father as he lost his house and cars.

Some of the parents were so disillusioned they might have gone to their grave early. Those that withstood their children indifference told sorry stories. Parent must learn to expect the least from their children because time has changed. We are witnessing the last generation that cared for their parents as well as their children. These children only care about themselves. If any of them decides to look back and be generous to their parents, may God bless those children.

As a first born, help your future by being well equipped to help others. Even two low levels jobs paying a little to take care of others while you cannot afford transport fare back home and forth because you are on drugs or you have given everything away, would come back and haunt you.

Usually children of poor families remember their parents’ struggles and become generous to them as poverty early in life drove them to success. It is the children of the rich that feel a sense of entitlement that mostly becomes ungrateful to their parents. The same children that inflated their school fees and shared it equally with the bursar, regardless of their fathers’ sweat on the farm. On the other hand, very few have sympathy for the children of looters or their parents.

African culture is changing and it is being influenced by the global culture. The social network in the western countries provides welfare for the poor and the aged. In Africa, we were our brothers’ keeper but that is fading fast especially in the cities. Social and family network are still strong in the small town and villages. What we do not know is if the culture in cities’ children of anger would infect the villages.

Financial planners are advising the wealthy or parents of modest wealth to plan for retirement carefully so that they do not end up on the street. Help your children if you can afford it but always ask yourself – if you “lend” them your retirement gratuity to help them through school or provide whatever they want, would they pay you back in your old age?

By Farouk Martins Aresa

Read more: http://newsrescue.com/children-anger-abandon-parents-farouk-martins-aresa/#ixzz4am6uA0fk

Politics › Greed Drives Locally Made Goods More Expensive by nobaga(op): 1:15pm On Mar 03, 2017

GREED DRIVES LOCALLY MADE GOODS MORE EXPENSIVE

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/opinion-greed-drives-locally-made-goods-more-expensive/

Dangote recently announced that he was going into rice production while promising to flood the market and bring prices down. Well, it is true that most promises made by businessmen in Nigeria in particular have not been fulfilled. Critics pointed to Dangote promises about cement whose price has not gone down just as his entry into tomato production. In the case of tomato, he was not the only Nigerian that made promises.

We have to accept that there are more market forces at play than the promises of one man. This writer is not a supporter of Dangote and has pointed out his disagreement with him in other cases. However, there is nothing wrong with making profit. Indeed, profit is essential as an incentive to increase production. Even in Cuba, the Government came to realize that if you allow farmers to sell their surplus after Government’s share, production increases.

When it comes to Nigeria, there is this endemic greed among our businesses to milk the masses as long as there are enough of them willing to pay outrageous prices. Those willing to make just a decent profit are frustrated out of the market to enforce their avarice. The case of the cement dealer in Akure makes a good point. Threatened and abused for low price, he had to call police. Many decent people like him all over the Country, are just afraid of their colleagues in business.

Before we come back to rice, tomato which is produced in surplus in Nigeria went begging at a low price when weather was favorable in Kaduna. Unfortunately, lack of adequate storage facilities as always, left most of them rotten and unsuitable for market in some Northern farms. Considerable efforts have been made since then to help Erisco Food, Dangote and others as priority by the Central Bank to provide forex out of dwindling reserve, to avoid workers lay off.

Tomato is a local product. The excuse for forex is that they need to import special seeds and machineries in order to float their manufacturing plants to avoid lay-off of employees. The same is true about the price of bread always going up. One would expect that since cassava is now an unsuspecting ingredient in bread, the amount of imported wheat would be reduced. Actually, after all these years, we should be growing enough wheat to meet our consumption.

O tio! Not in Nigeria. Erisco Foods has threatened to relocate to China and Dangote at one point almost blackmailed the Government into submission during the cement wars. These and other big businesses like Nestlé, Nigerian Breweries Plc and Coca-Cola dealing in sugar and water available locally should be sources of foreign cash for Government, not asking for allocations. Everyone is draining the Government either by looting or as foreign black market billionaires.

It boils down to the fact that our businesses are not willing to make reasonable profit when there are enough people in millions, no matter how few millions are they out of the 180 million or more population in Nigeria willing to pay any price! They raise their prices to those of imported goods and in many cases, importers are able to beat local prices. They complained that those imports are substandard and made from cheap materials.

While their reasons are not entirely unfounded, Nigerians are not the only ones making the best products in the world. Let Nigerians make great products as they are capable of and give consumers the choice between fine rice and ofada rice, fine shoes and Aba shoes, ripe tomato and green tomato as long as all of them are made in Nigeria. People in foreign country have this choice and they learn fast between durable and substandard goods made in the same country.

African mentality is that if it is foreign made, it must be better. Indeed, Nigerian businesses had to export/reimport lace and shoes from Cotonou to satisfy Nigerian taste for imports. Finally, Africans have now discovered that most of the goods from China are of low quality. Yet, we demonstrated that by killing our textile industry. The notion that it is cheaper to import cheap materials instead of manufacturing them at home will soon be busted as China’s wages rise!

The fact is that wages are still lower in most African countries including Nigeria, except South Africa, than in South American countries. So countries like Brazil and Mexico cannot compete with us in wages. Our businesses know this, yet they threaten manufacturing workers at home that unless the Government open the meagre foreign exchange to them, they will shut down.

Haba! Local prices must reflect workers’ low wage and owners of these businesses must cut their profit to beat foreign goods into our market. We beat Kentucky Fried Chicken in some locations! Nigerian businesses would rather close down than to entice more patrons with less expensive products. Take the cost of renting in major cities. Folks cannot afford the apartments and houses. Instead of lowering the rents, owners leave their properties empty.

One of the reasons is the way they came into business in the first place. Their seed money is either obtained illegally without bank loans and therefore without interest or monthly payments that were due. Normally if you have interest payment due, a good businessman would even find other source of income and add it to lower rent or product to make payment to the bank. Otherwise the bank would either take over the business or liquidate the property.

The cases of Innoson automobile without enough patrons is sad. This is a local manufacturer that should be patronized by both Federal and state Governments. Indeed, most Africans should find their cars and trucks so affordable that foreign cars would be driven out of business. But Nigerians want to sell their products at the same price as the imports. Regardless of the durability and style, there are more lower-middleclass than upper or rich people willing to buy.

However, in a country where there are enough looters mixed with hard working folks that made their money the old-fashion way, even if they are a few millions, goods are priced to meet their demand freezing out other genuine and serious poor buyers that can spur demand in the market. Therefore increasing output, production and employment of more workers. The question becomes: if Innoson Motors decrease prices, would they be able to meet demand?

Businesses would rather hoard goods to increase prices than cut prices to increase demand. But are willing to sell themselves cheap for export where they make pittance as long as it is foreign money to buy expensive toys. We never learn from foreign fluctuation in the price of cocoa.

Written by Farouk Martins Aresa.

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Politics › Re: Don’t Help Your Sworn Friend Kill You by nobaga(op): 9:49pm On Feb 08, 2017

kitogram:
I cry when I'm alone
I'm wondering why would God send me here
Knowing that they hate us
Knowing that they make us feel like we evil so we kill our people (J Cole Caged Bird)

God sent you here to fight for others that cannot fight for themselves. If you have enough of them on your side and they realize how they sell themselves cheap instead of freeing themselves from oppressors, you have fought for your yourself. There are more of the oppressed than the oppressors.

Politics › Don’t Help Your Sworn Friend Kill You by nobaga(op): 5:46pm On Feb 07, 2017

Don’t Help Your Sworn Friend Kill You[b]

This experience of a grown man that broke down in tears has a lesson for many of us. A white man’s wife suddenly got caught in a life or death situation. The wife was passing out and was obviously in need of first aid in terms of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The black man without any hesitation jumped into action when the white husband stopped him while begging for any white person to help the wife. With no one able to help around, the black man did.

The black man was shattered. He could not understand how anyone could be so mean-spirited that he was willing to allow his wife to die rather than accept help from a black man. The point here has nothing to do with the white man but everything to do with the black man. Each time he narrated the story, he broke down in tears. He grew up in the Southern part of United States. So racists are no strangers to him. But this particular incident devastated him.[/b]

Why would you allow the hatred of another person to destroy you? We have many friends including those closest to us in the house that open the door for outside enemies. We must learn from their action if we survive but must never be so disappointed to let it affect our lives forever. The worst thing that could happen to a father was when his own son called in robbers to dispossess him because he was “stingy”, only to cry when they kill the father stone cold.

If those closest to us can do us harm, we must not be traumatized by the racist or inhuman action of a stranger. People are people, no matter how close they are to you, regardless of the color of their skin or of the blood in their veins. We cannot go about life in distrust of everybody but we must not help our foes by letting their inhumanity to man crush us. If the unexpected action of a total stranger touched us so badly, what would we do if it were a family member?

Some workers that had a hard time on the job have been known to come back home to take out their grievances on their wives and children. Somebody offended your spirit at work and you become so dilapidated that you perpetrated the same action on your loved ones. If that is not helping your enemy to crush you and your family, we may wonder what that is.

Take the case of a jilted or ignored admirer. Instead of letting him or her reduce you to suicide, pick up your pieces and hope for better prospect. A lady that was ignored by an admirer used the rejection to polish up herself, fixed her teeth and later became a state and national beauty queen. She also pursued her academic career to become a veterinarian. Oh yeah, she saw him later on only to give him the – look at me now! Never give up on yourself.

This is not an attempt to diminish the effect of racism, hatred of any kind, rejection or man humanity to man. Many times it is difficult to avoid, ignore and move on. But to dwell on it to a point where it destroys us: it’s nothing short of helping the enemy achieve his goal. But then, when we are overwhelmed by difficult and unreasonable behavior of others, especially without immediate remedy, the last straw might be even less than what others understood.

Is it this particular action of this stranger that overwhelmed this man or accumulation of other behaviors in his past? Another friend got a job as a nurse in one of United States prisons that paid good money. Some of the prisoners told her she would not last by the time they dealt with her. The reason the job resulted in high turnover. She told her colleagues that if the prisoners knew how hard nurses worked in her country, they would realize her job was gravy, compared.

Whoever said - sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, but Words Will Never Hurt Me – got it wrong. Words can kill you if you helped the speaker. This must be instilled in our psyche not only as adults but also in our children in schools to develop thick skins. There are not enough adults, counselors or teachers to prevent every incidence bullies use to terrorize others. We must learn how to defend ourselves against actions intended to hurt us.

We have to be careful not to be over protective when it comes to children. They have less prejudice than we do and must learn certain lessons on their own no matter what we do. Indeed, some of them may have to get a finger burnt before they stay away from fire. Yet, we cannot watch them get into trouble we know can be prevented. No matter what, experience remains the best teacher.

One of the facts we must accept is that bullies or perpetrators of unruly behaviors also grew up in certain homes or certain environment. Even in the most congenial environment, some folks come out discourteous. Some of the parents would swear that they never raised such children, adults or bullies. On the other hand, there are those that raised bullies they are proud of since some bullies take to what they see their parents do while growing up – “in the good old days”.

As long as we realize there are people out there whose goal is to make others miserable, we must learn to discount their intended consequences no matter how close they are or how far. When people are very close, our surprise mixed with disappointment can cause a heart attack! This is why the Yoruba say - Eyinkunle ni ota wa, inu ile ni aseni n gbe.

But we may have helped those “friends” by becoming victim of their vicious attack. One reward a racist or vicious folks get, is when they see their victim down. It gives them sense of grandeur and cheap accomplishment. If people that feel inferior to you because of your accomplishment or what “friends” deem they cannot accomplish, they can bring you down with them just by watching you feel bad from their tirade.

In other words, you have been dispossessed of your pride and reduced yourself to their level. I had a summer job once where this guy with less than high school education envied university students. He came into the lunch room one day and announce that – Farouk is reading newspaper upside-down. Everyone burst out laughing. It could have been a good joke, but this writer was mad like hell. Later on, he had to wonder why an educated boy got felt bad and mad at an illiterate trying to make himself feel good.

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Published: Tuesday, February 7, 2017

https://article.wn.com/view/2017/02/07/don_8217t_help_your_sworn_friend_kill_you/

Politics › Which God Immunized You For Killing & Maiming: When How & Where by nobaga(op): 2:34pm On Jan 17, 2017

Which God Immunized You For Killing & Maiming: When How & Where

There is a universal doctrine among all religions that God created man in his image. God is also everywhere and can hear us in any language. It is therefore illogical that God can only hear us in certain language as Latin, Arabic or Hindu. Extremists in every corner of the world have hijacked religious, political and economic process, bulling us into submission with threats or by death. Many of us have submitted to them, not because we accept them but as silent majority.

Well, silence not only has a powerful meaning, it is also an admission or acceptance of religious and political views of extremists’ doctrines. This is so when we listen and understand what it will lead to and we refuse to exercise our right to stand up against them knowing full well that our interest will eventually be comprised even to a lesser degree than others. In short we sleep on our self-interests and rights because we are not at immediate and imminent danger.

Lately, religious fanatics have expanded into the social media spreading religious and political messages. It is their right to preach what they want but that right stops where they threaten others to spread their messages whether we agree with it or not. Otherwise certain calamity will befall those who refuse to spread their revolting messages. Most of this messages come in the name of God, Allah or Brahma.

Anyone that respects and fears God would not maim, kill or destroy those made in his image. But so many people have been indoctrinated that once they pray many times a day, God will immunize them and forgive their sins. The implication of that teaching is that any atrocity you commit you can pray over it, confess to God or his designate and you can go and sin no more. If you commit more sins, you have to go back and confess, pray and offer sacrifice to be forgiven.

If this is not an incentive to create more atrocities, some of us wonder what it is. Those that have the fear of God and will never lift a finger to hurt anyone or any creation of God. We are forced to pray as often as those committing atrocities asking for forgiveness on a daily basis. Many have been told they are sinners without realizing it and must pray for acts of commission or omission of their daily sin. Even those that cannot find a lady are promised virgins in heaven.

This writer had a girlfriend as a young man whose father built a Church near his house. Each time we see each other, she always asked that we pray. It is true that the father, a very nice and successful businessman gave generously to the Church. On school holidays, we saw each other almost daily. We could have agreed that Aiyelala or Nemesis reciprocate on evil doers. Finally, a question came out: how many sins did I commit in a day that we have to pray on a daily basis?

Since those days, while we pray for good health and bright future, one must wonder how many sins one has to commit to pray many times a day or if it is an exercise in disguise for pressing act or need than is acceptable to the naked eyes. It becomes even more of a suspect when we hear people who deny food from the mouth of children and the poor to donate their loot to the Church and Mosque. Even armed robbers pray every day before they set out to kill and maim.

Lately, those who claim to be men of God have been exposed as child abusers after gaining confidence of the parents to allow their children to spend long hours with them in prayers, serving in the house of God and learning the Bible or Koran by heart. These men bow down before God after each act and ask for forgiveness only to repeat the same act over and over again. Some of them even rise to position of authority that encourage the same act on others.

When these men of God cross into politics, they are unstoppable. They assume the positions they used to have in the dark ages as the head of Government and the Church or Mosque. If they are not in direct control of government, their support is crucial for winning majority of the votes over on their side. Even when some constitutions divide the role of Church and State, their mere endorsement send a message to the majority of their members.

It is not just by chance that the most conservative parties in the western and Arab world are highly religious with textual interpretation of the Bible, Koran and constitution. Not only do they limit the role of women in religion and politics, they make it harder for minorities to vote. They capture the hearts of majority by appealing to survival of their culture in “contaminated” environment and the aberration of sexual behavior between consenting adults while many of them are involved in worse closet conducts until exposed. Again, they ask for forgiveness!

As a result, we have extremist or totalitarian governments established and rising even in the so called “civilized” world. Their behavior and dictatorial tendencies, no matter which country they are is similar. They want radical change in the name of God and the people. Everything they claim is in the name of their chosen people, promising them heaven and earth. They blow up others’ shortcomings and failures while sugar coating easy solutions to every problem.

Behind their exaggerated claims and solutions to bring back good times and better economic prospects are messages of bigotry and stereotypes. Watch out for their religious and political messages, you will see similarity of intolerance of others’ religions, sects or political doctrines. Their way is the only way to God or Allah and the path to economic renaissance. They expose and criminalize their opponents’ mistakes and hide their own atrocities.

Usually the underlying bigotry of the majority is appealed to; asking them for support or lose their ways of life contaminated by minorities’ unbecoming cultures. Once they gain power, there is usually buyers’ remorse. But it is too late because it takes a couple of years or more to change course. In the meantime, silent majority have to live with the consequences of voting against their own interest and many to dejected to exercise their hard fought right to vote.

Some of the voters have rationalized their votes. They claimed that while it was not in their own interest, it was in the interest of saving their country from infidel, gays, women’s rights, immigrants and those they see as terrorists. They broaden the definition of terror which they exhibit to cover others they do not want around them or in a country shared with minorities.

No amount of prayers several times a day can confer immunity on killers, terrorists, armed robbers and treasury looters that deny innocent folks including children and women good life.
Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Published: Tuesday, January 17, 2017

https://www.modernghana.com/news/749651/which-god-immunized-you-for-killing-maiming-when-how-wh.html#

Politics › Most Foreign Awards Are Bribes To Drain Africans Economy by nobaga(op): 9:21pm On Dec 30, 2016

Most Foreign Awards Are Bribes To Drain Africans Economy

So every country manipulates their currencies either by easing and tightening interest rates or using stimulus to boast the market. Regulators have fined some of the financial institutions engineering bank and exchange rates. Both European and American regulators have come out to expose these deals because there were inside information that gives the well-connected an advance notice of which currency is going up and down.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/746167/most-foreign-awards-are-bribes-to-drain-africans-economy.html#

Ngozi Iweala, was Finance Minister with zilch private sector experience. Preached advantage of Paris Club odious debt pay off (negotiated unwisely according to Prof. Soludo) during OBJ reign; turned around and sold advantages of borrowing more during Jonathan. She now laments that foreign investors took $80 billion out of Nigeria because of Buhari body language. Otherwise, they could have borrowed at low rate of 2% at home to reap 15% interest in Nigeria. Where does Nigeria make the profit (difference) from, what justifies our high rate and who benefits?

Ahhu Madam. If Foreign Portfolio Investors had good intentions that money could have been invested in infrastructure, business, construction or real estate as in Dubai bubble. No madam, the money was in fly-by-night stock exchange where they could pull out in a jiffy! We were not told their creative profits, such as: "This massive flow of illicit money out of Africa is facilitated by a global shadow financial system comprising tax havens, secrecy jurisdictions, disguised corporations, anonymous trust accounts, fake foundations, trade mis-pricing and money laundering techniques." Where else and which continent can be so drained yet remain viable?

These are extraordinary power play African countries have not been able to overcome. It is not surprising then that currencies of African countries have always been at free fall with no African benefit. Since most of African products in the world market are raw materials, weaker currency allows makers of finished products to buy cheaper and sell high. So African countries are urged by internal and external financial “experts” to devalue their currency for foreign investments.

The internal financial “experts” are rewarded for “sound” economic advice urging their country to follow the dictates of western economic theories that have always left Africa impoverished. Not a single one of them have been able to point to any of their theories or manipulation of the economy when put in strategic positions in Africa that has been able to lift the masses out of poverty and economic ruins. Yet, are not been seen for what they are: foreign mercenaries.

It is not surprising that many of them that are rewarded with foreign appointment continue to lecture from foreign posts, giving theory why African countries remain poor. One would expect some of their students or colleagues to challenge and point to the progress they made while in position that made their country better than they met it. Better still, challenge them to point to a country they have worked their economic magic on, that attained economic independence.

As long as the goal of these financial “experts” is to use foreign countries as their base and only visit their African countries, they will continue to sell out because they have no personal stake in their home countries. The reasons African countries remain starved of infrastructure, hostile environment for business and lack ingenuity have to do with trying to turn their country into a carbon copy of the western world learned in school but in a different culture.

It seems that African agribusiness will finally take off if we continue to produce our own rice, cassava and palm oil to feed our population and export. While this is just part of our problem, it epitomizes the reason we degrade and ignore our home products for foreign made and grown. This is a rejection of ours but acceptance of foreign culture and toys. We have no control over the prices of foreign products and we barter the control of our own products by devaluation.

Devaluation is not just for African currencies, it manifests itself in devaluation of our products and culture. This has paralyzed most of our institutions including our colleges and universities where the new generations are trained. A case in point is how a small island like Cuba has been able to trained world class physicians and teachers without waiting for world best equipment?

China, Japan and the Russia have been able to produce world scientists recognized by even western Nobel Prize, without speaking or learning in English or French. We train natural and social scientists suitable for the western world and when they abscond, we lament that we did not provide enabling environment. What we do is enable them for a different environment and culture while we devalue our own, for which they are not trained; except local cases for lawyers

In other words, we are not producing for African countries. This is why they look for acceptance outside of the country where they were born or trained. Their goal is to leave for greener or greater pasture where the culture in which they are brought up, look up to in admiration. Even if they remain at home, their culture and the language they pass on to their children is foreign and of little benefit in spurring indigenous invention and acceptance.

Aren’t you sick and tired of all the awards African politicians get from international bodies after sinking their countries’ economy into abysmal failure? The worse the economy gets; the more awards our administrators get. We would have thought awards are for excellence as improving the daily lives of people in each African country. Economy is in the tanks, politics of stomach infrastructure for the poor but good social lives for the families of the lucky few that are rich.

There are so many brilliant African economists that have never been recognized for their work solely because they do not sing to the masters’ voice. They are not rewarded even in their own countries since the conventional thinking have to be in line with world economy that make sure Africa remains raw material producing countries buying finished products from the rich country clubs. European, American and now Asian markets pursue raw materials and land from Africa.

It has to be fertile land for agribusiness put in the hands of international corporations after locals have been displaced. They dictate what to grow in Africa and where to sell outside the countries. There are also some prime areas reserve for real estates and hotel resorts. In most cases, they are beyond the reach of the local working and middleclass. Only those that are filthy rich through concessions to foreigners are able to afford these places in their own countries.

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Published: Friday, December 30, 2016

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Politics › Re: Ribadu Remains The Only Saint That Led Anti-Corruption EFCC - Farouk Martins by nobaga(op): 3:32pm On Dec 20, 2016

Is it not true that we kill and humiliate our heroes that others around the world call saints. Even worse, we adopt their "saints" as ours in history, religion and politics when they rejects ours as cannibals, unknown or totally ignored.

Politics › Ribadu Remains The Only Saint That Led Anti-Corruption EFCC - Farouk Martins by nobaga(op): 6:00am On Dec 20, 2016

Ribadu Remains The Only Saint That Led Anti-corruption Efcc

If you want to hang a dog, you give it a bad name. We have a way of rubbishing our heroes in Africa. Some of you may be too young to remember why Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown or why Patrice Lumumba was humiliated to death. If Mandela was not blessed with long life, he could have gone the way most of his comrades did in South Africa. In Nigeria, looters have a way of soiling good people either with big sticks or carrots. NuhuRibadu got both into oblivion.

If you do not understand why looters were after the life of NuhuRibaduas the former head of EFCC, Economic and Financial Crime Commission then, you cannot hide your hypocrisy any longer. After Ribadu was haunted, chased, demoted and almost assassinated; Tinubu rubbished him as a Presidential candidate. We wondered out loud about the sins he had committed other than being dedicated to his job. In Nigeria, like most other African countries, dedication is a sin!

Since this man left EFCC, we have not had a credible and dedicated enemy of corruption as vigorous, dynamic and incorrigible as Ribadu. The worst critics he had claimed he was an attack dog set against Obasanjo’s enemies. He challenged them to name any head of state that has ever given so much power to anti-corruption Czar to go after his friends, his ethnic group or hired international auditor to probe his government’s agency.

We do not know the details of the current allegations against the present Head of EFCC Magu but we had the same types of allegation against every head of EFCC after Ribadu. Some of us might have wondered if Ribadu was crazy in a country where most normal people are corrupt. So much so, they will confess that they are waiting for their time to loot like others. Nigeria had many honest people like Prof.Fabian Osuji andDr. AdenikeGrangehumiliated for theirnaïvety.

The same Nigerians taught Obasanjo how to steal. Yes you read that right. This man was a Head of State under the military that almost went bankrupt after he left with little money in banks. If he was a looter, he could have run out of the Country to enjoy hisforeign money before Abacha grabbed him and almost killed him in prison for his big mouth against that dictator. When he finally left prison after Abacha’s death, guess who sponsored him to run as a civilian President?

These were boys under him when he was the military head of state that had acquired money by looting in the various offices they headed. OBJ was so naïve, he wondered how they got so rich while he got so poor! He was so obsessed with what he accomplished as military head of state, he could not see “CMS Straight”. Yet people hated him and called him all kinds of names.

In his second coming, he promised himself not to be poor and naïve again. He probably stole Nigeria blind too. But he did accomplish a great deal better than some before and all after him. This is not the place to list his success and failure but a place to point out that we lump good, mediocre and average accomplishments together out of greed, selfishness, ethnicity and pure hypocrisy. Nigerians find it difficult to agree on sound judgment on reputable leaders.

It is one of the reasons we keep on getting bad leaders that play into our prejudices. It does not matter how corrupt or mediocre a leader is, his ethnic base will support him. They are ready to vote for him again and again, even if he does not deserve or earn our votes. Some African leaders have gone further and grab power after losing elections refusing to concede to the opposition, others die on the throne. They know their ethnic group will back them.

Buhari is now the leader of Nigeria. While those that voted for himeven admitted to his weakness, he is strong on anti-corruption and security. In spite of all his effort, some are still lamenting on the loss of power by their kinsmen. Buhari came into power because he has a reputation against corruption and bringing people to justice. The distractors will never admit to his strength or the awareness against corruption since RibaduorBihari taming of Boko Haram.

Ribadu is now a spent force, brought down by the same people he fought against and that almost assassinate him. He was brought to his knees, made to retract his vouch indictment of the high and the mighty by dangling death and Presidential Candidate in his face. He lost all the credibility he championed. He became meek and gentle and lost his fangs.

Humiliation of dedicated men and women that are ready to stand up and fight for their country is not the right way to reward those we should encourage to aspire higher. Our youths need heroes to look up to and emulate in high places. If all they see are vagabonds looting treasury to aggrandize one another, buying awards all over the globe, praised by the community and people they spray money on; we are losing generation of good young men and women.

There are people giving up and calling most African countries lost cause. Some of these are the same generation that crippled most countries after being fed with scholarships and grants all their lives. Instead of making their countries better places than they met them, they become selfish, steal everything they can and desert their countries to become second class citizens, mercenaries and educated contributors to places they are not appreciated, only tolerated.

Many have become economic refugees that cannot afford to live a simple decent life in their own countries with the amount of money they can take back home. The older ones that enjoy free medical treatment abroad know how much it costs to get that treatment at home. If you are not filthy rich like those that fly out for medical checkup or headache, you better stay put where you are and enjoy your retirement with medical benefits.

It boils down to the fact that we do not appreciate dedicated people that are willing to give it all to their countries. People used to be so conscientious that they proclaim openly that they are ready and willing to die for their country. More people are willing to die crossing the sea and desert than to die for their country today. We must raise and encourage those struggling wherever they are for the cause of Africa and for economic justice.

Be it NuruRibadu, Professor Fabian Osuji or Dr.Adenike Grange, the youths need someone to look up to and be like them. They must be praised and celebrated but not as looters.

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Published: Monday, December 19, 2016

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/240535/ribadu-remains-the-only-saint-that-led-anti-corruption-efcc.html#

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Culture › Why Yoruba Culture Accommodates Success In Outsiders by nobaga(op): 8:15pm On Dec 14, 2016

Why Yoruba Culture Accommodates Success In Outsiders

https://www.nairaland.com/954082/why-yoruba-culture-accommodates-success

Culture › Re: Why Yoruba Culture Accommodates Success In Outsiders - Farouk Martins Aresa by nobaga: 8:11pm On Dec 14, 2016

The question is if anything has changed after the years. The answer is, not very much. If anything, intolerance has grown between ethnic groups. If yo see it differently, let us know.

Politics › The True Face Of America by nobaga(op): 4:36pm On Nov 12, 2016

THE TRUE FACE OF AMERICA

Donald Trump is not the face you know about America, so the shock was shared worldwide on his Election. The United States of America you know has not changed but the Government will change. Fortunately, most of the Americans that touch your life will remain the same. They are charitable, non-government foundations, entertainment stars and of course businesses. Your only fear is that Trump Government will close its eyes to their sharp practices more than ever.

Trump has set up a standard for himself against world economic realities from which Obama Administration has distinguished itself as the leading contender in the world. Though Trump painted a gloomy picture of United States economy despite relatively buoyant performance of job creation and low unemployment, will be pressed to surpass and meet each. As an elected new President, everyone must wish him well as some folks’ discomfort turn to sorrow and fear.

[b]Donald Trump raised hope of most whites. After all, as the largest group, white people voted Trump by a margin of 58 per cent to 37 per cent. Even among white women Hilary was outshined by Mr. Trump 53 per cent to 43 per cent; close enough to what Mitt Romney got in 2012. Hope based on renegotiation of NAFTA/international trade. High college graduates’ votes for Clinton were not enough. In spite of the rough indecent language, regular churchgoers and evangelists overwhelmingly voted 80% for Mr. Trump while over 80% blacks voted for Hilary.

Hispanic and white women support came far shorter. Though Mr. Trump’s backing has been credited to those left behind in the global economy, his highest support came from rural mid to upper income earners that don’t want to subsidize Obamacare. Ms. Clinton obtained a healthy lead among lower-income Sanders’ voters. But these earners of less than $30,000 only made up 17 per cent of voters. They preferred Ms. Clinton by a margin of 53 to 41% against Mr. Trump.[/b]

Trump rode the back of a tiger into electoral success. The same people may come back to haunt him if, God forbid, United States economic situation got worse. He had criticized the Chairman of Treasury Board for keeping interest rate low to help Obama. As soon as the break on interest rate is release, the leading world economy may face a recession. And a ripple effect worldwide.

This is not the face of America we know! Most Americans already made up their mind about Hilary and Trump and she had a slim lead until another bombshell from FBI Director, reviewing his Email decision a week to the election. Those on the fence that could not make up their minds one way or the other were pushed against Hilary. What is surprising in all of these, was that Hilary managed to win the popular votes while losing the complicated electoral votes.

The Republicans packaged Hilary Clinton as a flawed leader. Nothing could be further from the realities to the standard others have to meet. They supersized Benghazi into lost war while in a far worse situation, Reagan lost 241 Marines in Lebanon. The whole Country rallied around and grieved with him. It did not become a partisan issue and anyone that tried could have been labeled a traitor. Only Republicans see themselves as patriot, even if they dodged the draft.

Bernie Sanders was right. Email issue was blown out of proportion: put on steroid and turned into high crime by people that have never operated computer except with the help of personal assistants. If Sanders had faced Trump, he could have been easily shredded as a communist.

Since the rise of new economic powers in Asia, trade negotiations have changed because they demand more in return for the use of their countries unlike those of Africa. American business gained from this trade agreement shipping jobs overseas and paying foreign workers less. The profit and high productivity were not shared or passed on to these workers at home or abroad.

Moreover, new technology has rendered unskilled laborers jobless and workers can no longer leave high schools and walk into middleclass or union jobs. What has been taken for granted in the good old days are no longer available today. Like African American men, empty pocket book economics has created a class of angry men unable to provide for families or breadwinners. Yet, nobody would dare tell them those Union days killed by likes of Mr. Trump is not coming back.

Mr. Trump has exploited American anger just as Brexit did in United Kingdom. He has set his promises so high that he is going to trip on it. No country gains from international trade and automation equipment more than Western countries. Their citizen got used to their advantages for so long, they never expected other countries to wake up and demand more in return. Every finished product from pin to heavy machinery was made in Europe and America.

Indeed, the world got so used to these products, they would not buy anything made elsewhere until the Asia countries and automation took over factories. It started from textile industries transferred to India from England. It is now everything that can be sourced out. For a while, only small cars were made in Japan when America and Europe retained luxury cars with higher profit. As soon as Japan proved they could make better luxury cars, expectations changed.

The backlash was so high in United States, they started demanding American made cars in order to keep jobs at home. The Japanese had to confound them by establishing plants in the United States making the same cars they make in Japan. It became difficult to know which was homemade or foreign-made. Even German and British started locating auto plants locally to please foreign consumers. While Asians established factories, Africans prefer their readymade.

The only countries that never learned from establishment of plants and machineries factories at home are still African countries. Almost everything Africa consumes is made outside with “pride” that they are foreign imports. So what created angry non-college educated unemployed workers in United States today are still normal and glorified in Africa. Factories and plants are closed in African countries if they have no access to poor countries’ foreign reserve to import.

Since the whole world was watching, some banana republics would repeat Trump sagas. You may then wonder what happened to Trumps of African countries. Africans import everything from pins to toothpicks. They are the ones that aid and abet foreign companies to drain their countries of natural resources while they export dollars and pounds to where they are printed and minted. https://data.oecd.org/inequality/income-inequality.htm#indicator-chart.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/the-true-face-of-america.html

Politics › Judicial & Pastoral Abuse Of Integrity And Breach Of Trust by nobaga(op): 5:45pm On Oct 15, 2016

Judicial & Pastoral Abuse Of Integrity And Breach Of Trust

Barring justice in heaven, judiciary use to be one place in Nigeria where people get relative reprieve. Our lawyers and judges were so well trained locally, most African countries gained from their expertise and training. They were the bastion of integrity and profession of choice for many freedom fighters that brought colonialism to a standstill. A noble profession that has fallen to the same self-destructive infection many in the country now find themselves.

Judges must be held in high esteem and adequately provided for, so that they are not tempted to fall into many social frailties. More is even expected from those that have taken the wow of poverty like our Imams and Revered Fathers. As much as we respect those that have taken on these responsibilities, they should be accorded the benefit of doubt only for so long. As soon as they abuse their oath and the secrecy accorded to them, they should be treated as criminals.

Corruption at an endemic point, is prevailing in most African countries and worse in Nigeria. It can no longer be tolerated just as abuse of children by Revered Fathers has broken solemnity in most religious societies. We do not give more respect to judges than we give men of God. Once our trust in them is shattered, they must bear the consequences.

The notion that due process, rule of law and democracy must shield unbecoming behavior at any level is nothing but sheer hypocrisy. It has never stopped the practice of democracy in their countries of origin from going after terrorism. Indeed, it has overthrown soft governments on terrorism and created xenophobic fears worldwide. Africans that have betrayed our trust and prosper in corruption, when caught in the act, become staunch guidance of the rule of law.

It is only in Nigeria that politicians and judges would be caught with millions in foreign cash and billions in local currency, that they would shout bloody murder hiding behind the rule of law. If Italian Mafias were Nigerians when caught red-handed with cash, they will be in court shouting and calling on United Nation for their rescue from a government that infringe on the rule of law subverting democratic principles.

However, we cannot paint all lawyers and judges with the same brush. Senior or retired judges and lawyers have come out in defense of their noble profession wondering what a seating judge would be doing with such amount of money in their houses. Some of them have never seen so much money in their life. They knew there was corruption but could not believe the crooks would use due process, rule of law and democracy to thwart scrutiny.

Lawyers do not have to be activists to condemn the evil doers among them. Actually they know them and have been complaining for year about it until Buhari had the guts to confront them head-on. It became so difficult to get conviction against politicians that stole enough to get connected lawyers that know the right amount a judge would take from the highest bidder. It has invaded the highest level of the court.

We still remember the saga between the Chief Judge of the Appeals Court Ayo Salami that rejected promotion to the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of Nigeria Aloysius Katsina-Alu. It all started from the election tribunals some considered bought and paid for, to favor certain party and instruction from above to favor another. Of course, it became so messy because parties and their supporters were divided between fake men of “integrity” and “caliber”.

Election tribunals or designated courts are established after contentious elections. If the judges appointed for them do not celebrate, their families were not so restrained. They kill cows and goats in anticipation of expected windfall in bribes and kickback from the highest bidders. Here is where election of the duly elected but uncompromising winners are overturned in favor of the highest bidders. Technicalities and fraudulent tactics are rational used for favored rulings.

Those willing to sacrifice the country at the altar of their selfish ends cannot wait to cry bloody murder even as the people burn in corruption. The comfort and the selfish interest of the few privileged vagabonds matter more to them regardless of the sorry state of the nation. For all they care the country can go to blazes as long as they can rescue their loot.

While it is expected that, the Nigerian National Judicial Council would elucidate due process, by which it should discipline an erring judge, once that body has been compromised by its very process; extra-ordinary measures must be taken to rectify the situation before the country that has gone to the dogs catches fire. Separation of power is to prevent interference from one part of government, enforcement of the rule of law can still be implemented by the other arm.

Judiciary has never had the power to enforce and implement its ruling. Here, we have had a glaring abuse of trust and deterioration of integrity for a long time. Indeed, people have become disenchanted with the role of National Judicial Council in cleaning up its own just by retirement. It has been well- known as an uphill battle. Like a doctor that cannot heal himself.

It got to a point when local prosecutors have to go to foreign courts to present the evidence that is ignore locally, to convict Nigerian looters outside. Other governors learned from Ibori and Alamieyeseigha that the worst mistake they made was running outside the country when they could have easily bought justice inside Nigeria! It does not mean that other countries are better than ours, it just means that even in Chicago U.S.A, the law can catch up with corruption.

If Buhari can clean up corruption in the Judiciary and the Police as he had embarked on in the Army as soon as he was elected, we will see more changes (except for Buratai property in Dubai). We do not expect a perfect system but enough to make most promises stick. He was elected knowing his fault and weaknesses, especially regarding some of his appointments. But Nigerians are so sick and tired of corruption, they are willing to ignore some of his blind spots.

If United States was waiting for the Judiciary to clean up corruption of judges in Illinois, Florida, Alabama and other places, they would have to wait until Nigeria became clean.

Politics › Re: lagos As The Most Viable State May Secede by nobaga(op): 2:04pm On Sep 11, 2016

Some people cannot read and understand or their preconceived notion color their interpretation. If anything, the article emphasized the "inherited" link or culture between Lagosians and Yoruba. NonYoruba do have a point to gala about though.

Politics › Re: lagos As The Most Viable State May Secede by nobaga(op): 12:20am On Sep 11, 2016

walemoney007:
asking Lagos to secede from south west is like asking London to secede from England,or belin should secede from Germany

I agee with you especially Lagos and Ogun as twins. Yoruba culture which Lagosians are made of create their success

Politics › lagos As The Most Viable State May Secede by nobaga(op): 8:55pm On Sep 10, 2016

Lagos As The Most Viable State May Secede

Nna, what types of insults are these? Insults, what do you mean by insults? Please stop jare!

Lagos State is the richest in the whole of Nigeria and that has been proven many times. If you do not believe it, ask Obasanjo that tried to starve Lagos State during his authoritarian civilian rule. Lagos simply ignored him and moved on. What is surprising is that Lagos did not hijack all the taxes Federal Government collected in Lagos during that time, a tit for tat. Believe heaven and earth, if Lagos had the power, Obasanjo could have come back begging on his knees.

I see, so those are the insults Lagosians felt. If that was all, we could have kissed and made up. What bothered many Lagosians is why every little group in Nigeria, that cannot live within their means keeps on threatening the whole country that they want to secede. We keep on hearing about secession in the North and South everyday. We have looked into their leaking or creative accounting; we are still looking for just one of them that can be viable. Or proven viable before.

There are some Southern states that get special derivations from the Federal Government because of the amount of natural resources they produce. The last we heard, some of them are struggling to pay workers’ salary. It just does not make sense. The more money they get from natural resources, the more they want. Even if all the money is given to them, the fear is it will be going to the same leaking basket. How did we live before and how are we going to after oil?

[b]See, a beg see who is talking. Whose pocket drains Lagos money? Sincerely, we do not think that is anyone’s business. As long as oil producing states’ sons and daughters are receiving their fair share, the rest of Nigerians can go to hell. It is their money, they can spend it anyway they want. The only problem is that the oil companies are the ones taking the lion’s share of the profit, not Nigeria. So if Nigeria gives up its share, they would still not get their due! So O!

The irony of it all is that they cannot be as rich as Lagos. Lagos does not have natural resources as such to depend on. They optimize their ubiquitous location to enhance commerce and trade even before they became part of Nigeria. Most of the old trades were unique except slave trade that was vile and odious. Commerce was the forerunners that gave Lagos its edge trading local and imported products as center for West Africa. Lagos was not the only seaport.

Even Jaja of Opobo eventually moved his commerce to Lagos. There were too many constrains on him in the East. He had to move twice because he was sold as a slave and could not rule the freeborn where he flourished and made it big. By the time he got to Lagos, he was just out of reach. Most of his enemies could not compete. There is some accommodating magic in Lagos.
[/b]
Today, Lagos is the heartbeat of the nation complimented by Ogun State as the manufacturing centers in Nigeria. Looking back at recent history, one can understand the reason the whole of the Western Region led Nigeria as the richest and the most cosmopolitan area where people of different ethnic groups within Africa and beyond mingled and traded with one another.

The point here is that it took more than natural resources to make a nation. It takes ingenuity, tolerance and the ability to open up to others willing to abide by the rules and culture of their host. The rest is amicable living, trading and socio-economic development. This is what makes Lagos unique in Africa that was inherited from the old Western Region, which was also an economic power at its own right.

Apart from the great Western and Eastern African Empires, African regions went into slumber devastated by slave trade until the “First In Africa” of the Western Region. What is so surprising is that throughout the economic boom in the West, secession was never a threat. Nigerians and other Africans living in the region enjoyed the economic boom extended to their relatives in the old Mid- West. Economic boom came with free education, health and of course cocoa export.

Therefore, there are reasons for Lagos to cry for secession from the rest of the country. True, but when regions that contribute very little, with no or dwindling natural resources keep on poking others in the eyes, one has to wonder who actually deserve to make demands. If we have to go by the amount of contributions made since the inception of the union called Nigeria up to the present, if taken into consideration, Lagos deserves the right to cry for secession.

People forget that natural resources come and go. Cocoa was it in those days. We got tin from Jos, coal from Enugu but today we have given up on what we were good at because of black gold called oil that has become a curse. We neglected our agriculture and started importing what we can produce at home while exporting foreign money we do not mint in Nigeria. Drop many seeds and they will grow. The North used to produce groundnuts, they abandoned that.

However, foreign currency that cannot be printed in Nigeria, we export them prodigally. Believe it or not, in the days of Jakande, all the fertilizers allocated to Lagos was given to the North! Today most of our food comes from the North, yet they have less rain than the South. Indeed, if the North decided to secede and starve the South, the militia and their supporters may die of hunger. Can you think of a better way to win a war than starving your enemies?

Lagos State has gotten smarter; they now lease land in neighboring states for agriculture. We are finally realizing that a country that cannot feed itself is still a colony of those that supply the food they rely on. Most of the countries that got rich on oil, forget how to grow their own food. This is why Venezuela cannot feed its people in spite of the abundant amount of oil they sold for foreign cash and wasted. Market support diversity, not monophonic commodity.

The people of China were starving some years ago until they return to the farm. They even export food mixed with all types of junks for starving countries to buy. Monsanto is popular for genetic modified seed sold all over the world. If we think we can exchange oil for food forever, there is famine and hunger waiting for us and our children in this foreseeable time, not future.

Lagos State must learn from its Northern and Southern brothers and prepare its diversified economy for the next generation. Whether Lagos secede or not, there are others watching and waiting with envious anticipation that Lagos is within reach!

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/lagos-as-the-most-viable-state-may-secede.html

Politics › Re: Igbo & Hausa Will Make Peace by nobaga(op): 7:16pm On Aug 30, 2016

Same ol, same ol. Have not learned anything from our political history.

Politics › Igbo & Hausa Will Make Peace by nobaga(op): 5:08pm On Aug 30, 2016

What is the best way to unite Hausa and Igbo? Yoruba Presidency! If some of the speculations bear out, Buhari will not honor his one term pledge for the usual reason given by others, that he needs to implement and see his initiatives and programs through. There is nothing Tinubu can do just as Fashola proceeded to his second term. The worst that can happen is for Tinubu, his cronies or other Yoruba to mount a campaign for Yoruba Presidency based on competence.

Anyone that thinks the Igbo would lie low and allow Yoruba Presidency to succeed regardless of their penchant for merit or competence without ethnic consideration, know little about the political history that always repeats itself. Say what you want, it has always kept us together and bring peace home to Hausa and Igbo. The agitation by IPOD and MASOOB may even dwindle if the terms of alliance between the two, i.e. Igbo and Hausa work out.

Igbo & Hausa Will Make Peace

Despite the denial today of who was responsible for the derailment of Akande as Speaker, Igbo members of PDP were only too happy to work with Tinubu ACN. While they were at it, neither Igbo nor Yoruba gained the Speaker position, it went to the North. When Igbo were told, their alliance with Tinubu ACN would have consequences, they said they would cross the river when they got there. Tinubu used them to remain a powerful ethnic leader in future negotiations.

It was the same Tinubu that negotiated with Buhari and left the Igbo PDP, his accomplice that denied Akande the Speakership out cold. They turned bitter into wailers. It does not mean Yoruba love Tinubu that much, but they have their own devil they send to quench fire with fire. If Tinubu thought he could pull that again, Igbo answered with Ekweremadu as Saraki’s Deputy.

Marginalization in the country means one section of the country is not in power. In coalition with the North, the East is willing to concede the Presidency. But in a coalition with the West, the East would want nothing less than the Presidency. Even when Zik was offered, alienation of Hausa came last. Nigerians still fail to realize that no matter where the President comes from, it does not affect their daily lives. Politicians only take care of themselves and their cronies.

There are growing factions in the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria for either a breakup of the country or some regional restructuring. The only time we have relative peace within the country is when the North and the Eastern part of Nigeria are in coalition to form government. Right now, the envious position of the “beautiful bride” (courtesy of Zik) is vacant. The way it is supposed to work is if the East is either in a coalition with the West or preferably, the North.

Only Western Region has demonstrated progress as opposition in Nigeria. Yoruba and Igbo fight as much as they make up. One measures the progress of the other by competition. We must also admit that Yoruba has stopped turning the other cheek in the midst of poverty growing in every part of the country. So if we want unity in Nigeria Yoruba must vie for Presidency in 2019.

Most Igbo are surprised by the reaction of the Yoruba to the ongoing rivalry and insults traded. The wailing that has never got to this stage in the history of Nigeria. Actually, some older Yoruba never expected the reaction of their young generation to be this strong against their Igbo cousins. When the Igbo claimed Yoruba were unfair to them in Yoruba land, Yoruba always apologized and pointed to areas they had been fair to Ndi-Igbo.

Not so with this new generation. They want to know what Yoruba were smoking to concede so much to Igbo while Igbo gave up nothing. Since the fifties, jobs and political positions were conceded to Igbo in Lagos and Ibadan as a matter of fairness. While those from Edo, Calabar, Togolese, Benin Republic and Ghanaians have been in Lagos longer than Igbo, their demands were subtle, not as a matter of right like the Igbo. Igbo came last but demanded more.

So the new generations of Yoruba are wondering why their elders were so permissive to the detriment of their own, so much that Azikiwe was crying that he was not made the government leader in the West! What the hell! The Igbo have never given anything up in their land but they always refer to Umaru Altine, an Hausa man who became the first Mayor of in 1956. For this reason, Igbo think they deserve whatever position they want in Yoruba land. Not in the North?

The Igbo create justification for insisting on Yoruba land. They claimed they have the population in Lagos. They are always pointing to statistics, imagined or true; that they develop Lagos and pay most of the taxes. They also claim that most of the businesses are owned by Igbo. In short, their contributions to Yoruba land give them the right to demand more than other ethnic groups that they met in Yoruba land and Lagos specifically.

The only problem is that their self-proclaim statistics is self-serving. It is true that Lagos State collect more taxes than other states but majority of Nigerians do not pay taxes. Indeed, only about ten million do in a population of about 170 million. Most of the Igbo businesses are in the service industry like small parts import, buying and selling. These are trades that can be performed by anyone in any country.

Manufacturing is where the real business is and these factories are mainly located in Lagos and Ogun states. Indeed, this is the major attraction to Lagos and Ogun states for entrepreneurs and workers. Investors, including Igbo want a region where they can get safe returns on their money. Western areas still remain relatively peaceful compared to the rest of Nigeria. This is why many people located their primary residence in the West.

Yoruba only progress well when in opposition. Despite Yoruba and Igbo social and economic teamwork, their political rivalry will always give Hausa an edge and keep the country one.

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/igbo-hausa-will-make-peace.html

Politics › Re: You Nor Dey Hia Word - Fire Go Burn You by nobaga(op): 2:27am On Jul 23, 2016

In view of Saraki defection back to PDP, if true, makes the closing paragraph predictive for Buhari's impeachment.

Buhari will find himself to blame when his enemies and supporters that voted for him find some common ground to bring up Notice of Impeachment. The compromise he will need then would be costlier than the one to pre-empt marriage of convenience between foes and supporters.

Politics › You Nor Dey Hia Word - Fire Go Burn You by nobaga(op): 11:02pm On Jul 22, 2016

Title* You Nor Dey Hia Word - Fire Go Burn You
Article Date* 2016-06-22
Description* YOU NOR DEY HIA WORD - FIRE GO BURN YOU

Omo Aresa

When you are so cocky under a false sense of security, you forget to learn from past mistakes as if Presidential means of government in a democracy does not have checks and balances. The United States Congress almost removed a President by impeachment over consensual sex by a man they despised with abuse of power. Before Obasanjo’s preposterous 3rd term saga, they were going to impeach him when he demanded salary and allowance cut for political looters.

Rawlings was very popular when he overthrew the military government in Ghana but he later overstayed his welcome. He has since become an embarrassment trying to sneak his wife in as a democratic elected President. There is something wrong with Africans once they assume power; they figure there is nobody else, as capable around them. Just look at Mugabe trying to sneak his wife in as the next President in Zimbabwe at his old age of 80s.

Buhari must have forgotten how and why he became the President. Give Buhari his dues, he is kicking the butts of Boko Haram; pledging allegiance to ISIS did not helped them. While many Nigerians claim he is fighting selective war on corruption, he gave them more ammunition with the latest exceptions of Burantai and Dambazzau that are implicated; not only in arm deals but made billions from the Army and bought extravagant properties in Dubai and Massachusetts.

It is not enough to claim they were trying to soil men around him without evidence because he had lost some credibility as he vouched for Abacha on stealing on one hand, then asking foreign government to return Abacha’s loot on the other hand. He would have been well advised to sacrifice a few crooks around him, as OBJ did with his friends giving Ribadu some bragging right.

Fighting corruption and leaking the potency of Boko Haram are strong advantages to capitalize on. The same weakness we saw in him during his first coming as military head of state is reappearing again. This is flagrant disregard for those crying marginalization. It is not coming from those that voted against him alone. It is also coming from those that voted for him and continue to support him hoping he succeeds.

It will be devastating for his supporters and embolden his distractors if he stubbornly continues to ignore his blind spots. Most leaders have blind spots especially if surrounded by jobbers from one ethnic or similar ethnic group. This is how Jonathan lost it or how Buhari got an opportunity to assume leadership. It is no more a blind spot when pointed out but deliberate indifference.

Buhari has so much goodwill like Jonathan did coming into presidency, there is a growing fear among those who supported him and assured him into presidency that he might lose all the goodwill by being stubborn and blindly appointing “yes” men and women from the North to carry out his agenda regardless of Federal Character. This attitude may become his poisoned pill before he loses most of his followers in the South.

Buhari may have secured his power base to make sure people like Babangida or Tinubu cannot overthrow him by military means. However, IMPEACHMENT is a probability for abuse by those that do not wish him well. There are many of them for a few reasons: one of which is his fight against corruption. It is no longer a secret that corrupt powerful men fight back. Yet, Buhari has the support of the majority of Nigerians behind him in this endeavor.

Unfortunately, Northern dominated Government is not an unusual habit of Northern leaders. We used to have activists and rebels like Gani Fawehinmi, Tai Solarin; then Wole Soyinka and Balarabe that are too old to be as vibrant as they used to be. But we still have Falana, Agbokoba etc. facing worse abuse of power, trust and treasury than we ever had. Impunity to loot in years 2000s has surpassed all time high. This is why Buhari still has our support to fight corruption.

If he fails by thinking only cliques made up of Northerners can solve all these, Buhari is in for a shocker with the only power his enemies have, which is impeachment. When we were growing up, you can trust Hausa because they are honest, you can trust Igbo because they are hard working and you can rely on Yoruba for accommodation and tolerance because more jobs in manufacturing, professional and academic openings were located in their region.

Not anymore. Hausa have become greedy looters as Yoruba and Igbo. Even worse is that the source of income is mostly from Niger Delta. Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo with any conscience must know that Nigeria cannot afford to pay outrageous salaries and allowances while the source of income continues to dwindle. When other regions see Buhari appointing Northerners with impunity to positions cornering most source of government income, it creates resentments.

What Buhari should be doing is reducing these position and cutting salaries of the high and the mighty in leadership positions, not creating and filling more positions with less income coming in to pay more of his appointees whose goal is to loot. Daily announcements of these cronies to loot, fuels militant demands from other ethnic groups, not only from Niger Delta.

Despite these, we have Audu Ogbeh, minister of Agriculture promising to solve the problem of herdsmen invading other people’s farms killing, maiming and raping their women while Buhari ignore their cry even in the North-central by claiming these are not Nigerians but Libyans! Such lame excuses from the head of state only fuels suspicion as indifference to their plights. No one wants him to make enemies out of his people, but he must stand up for justice and fairness.

Buhari will find himself to blame when his enemies and supporters that voted for him find some common ground to bring up Notice of Impeachment. The compromise he will need then would be costlier than the one to pre-empt marriage of convenience between foes and supporters.

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Politics › Enugu Traditional Rulers Collect Grazing Money From Herdsmen by nobaga(op): 4:29pm On Jul 12, 2016

Enugu traditional rulers collect grazing money from herdsmen

'Enugu traditional rulers collect grazing money from herdsmen'

The Transition Committee Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State ,Chief Cornel Onwubuya, on Monday told the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Nimbo Killings that some traditional rulers collected money from the herdsmen to permit them graze their cattle in some communities within the Uzo-Uwani council area, of Enugu state.

He said that because the herdsmen part with their money before being given pass to graze their cattle, they felt quite emboldened to do whatever pleased them including feeding their cattle with farm crops and destruction of farms.

“Based on my interactions with them, they don’t see anything wrong in what they are doing in people’s farmlands,” he said. “The problem is also that you see a very small boy controlling over 100 cows. How can a small boy control such number of cattle without them causing destruction on farms?” he added.

Answering question from the commission on whether money were collected from herdsmen by the native rulers or other individuals before permitting them to pasture their cows, Onwubuya said: “We ‘ve had cases where some traditional rulers were said to have collected money from the herdsmen; and not only the traditional rulers, we have had instances where sometimes people collect money from the herdsmen and give them pass to graze in their communities even when such people are not authorized to issue pass to the herdsmen.”

Onwubuya, who testified before the commission on the April 25, 2016 attack by suspected herdsmen on the Nimbo community which claimed many lives with properties worth millions of naira destroyed, also told the commission that often the herdsmen would realize that they had paid to the wrong people because the people that issued pass to them were not authorized to do so.

He recalled that he had earlier given information to the security men about the impending attack three days before the killings, stressing that he informed them that about 500 assailants were camped at a place called Ameke and that they would attack Nimbo. “I made information available to the Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the then Commissioner of Police, Nwodibo Ekechukwu, and the Area Commander for Nsukka and the DPO. Every bit of information I got, I released it on good time. I gave them information three days before the attack, and how they treated the information is left to the security men.”

He further explained: “We knew they were coming and we knew where they were coming from and we knew where they were camped and we knew they would attack us.”

He said that from the information “we gave to the police, I believe they can even sort out this matter without catching those they arrested. There are other alternatives to get at those who masterminded the attack. I believe that all of them knew what was happening because before the attack everybody including the herdsmen and their cows left the area.

Asked his opinion on how solve the problem, Onwubuya told the panel that as an official of the government, he would be neutral in the matter even while making sure that both the herdsmen and their hosts co-existed peacefully. “All complaints come to me; complaints from the herdsmen. All I’m doing is to ensure a peaceful co-existence between the two parties.”

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/-enugu-traditional-rulers-collect-grazing-money-from-herdsmen/155017.html

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Romance › Why Men And Women Sometimes Love Without Sex Or Money by nobaga(op): 8:25pm On Jun 29, 2016

WHY MEN AND WOMEN SOMETIMES LOVE WITHOUT SEX OR MONEY

OPEDBY NEWSRESCUE JUNE 29, 2016
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NewsRescue

Are there still relationships without sex and money? When this guy demanded sex from his girlfriend before marriage claiming if she loved him, she would not demand money. She replied that if he loved her, he would wait until marriage for sex. Most men would like to know what they are getting into before marriage these days. Actually some men prefer to take a bride to the altar with a small belly bulge. It is not about trust, prenuptial or love it is about procreation.

Parents usually advise their children not to live together with boyfriend or girlfriend until they are ready to marry. In some cases, as they get used to each other, familiarity breeds contempt. But young people feel the need to know each other reasonably well by living together before getting married. There are compulsive habits of “jaskili” the close relationships would expose.

Wait O! Most men do not expect their spouse to be a virgin before marriage anymore. So if she is not giving him sex before marriage, somebody must be fulfilling that role. In fairness, some ladies do abstain, some believe in self-service and some submit to just physical pleasure from un-presentable guy until the right man comes around. By the same token, if men are not giving their money to their girlfriends, they are not getting sex freely from another lady either.

Freddie, an older friend usually told us you have to pay a lady for sex sooner or later. None of them give it up for free. When a woman sizes you up, she assesses how responsible you are and what you can offer, not only as a husband but also as a father to her child. But that is when they are ready for marriage. Before then, they are more interested in a tall, dark and handsome fella just as dumb men usually look for only pretty face or hair.

However, just as men do not want a long-term relationship without sex, women do not need a long-term sexual relationship for free! Situation is different today because some women do make more money than men. There are also men from poor homes that get married to women from rich homes. It makes it easier for some women to love men for friendship or as someone they will later marry. It is much harder to go a long distance without sex for men, rich or poor.

Many men see it as a waiting game when ladies say they want just a platonic friend first, before deciding whether to move closer to a love relationship. There are cases ladies use men as a surety in case the guys they really love disappoints them. Ladies also have men they can have sexual relationship with but will never marry. If you denied an ugly or low status sexual partner, a man or lady had ways of getting back at you. Social media has made it easier to kiss and tell.

The best way to avoid sexual relationship is to pull back to a level where the loving relationship can be saved. A loving relationship without sexual contact can last longer than one with sex. The reason for this has more to do with further commitment and expectation that may involve a third party in the company. The third party can be a child as a result of the relationship, a close confidant or extended family that may modify the commitment one way or the other.

Sex itself is another form of commitment from each party in a company that requires loyalties from the two. In each of these, additional commitment beyond the initial party is needed. Indeed, sometimes friends have come to realize that they ruined their amicable friendship after getting into sexual relationship. Many relationship are better left in a platonic state than to go all the way. If may mess up a good friendship.

Many women can vouch that they know at least one guy that is not related to them that love them without any sexual relationship. It is more difficult to find men that love a woman the same way without any attempt to have a sexual relationship. However, the deeper their love in both cases, the greater the chances for the exchange of money and a sexual relationship.

We have couples that do their best in relationships until they exchange rings in marriage. The man may feel he has conquered and there is nothing else to chase while the lady may think that she have finally got him. Complacency is the worst enemy in a relationship. Others claim that seeing the worst of one another brings compromises and reduce resentment. We take each other for what we are. But compulsive promiscuousness cannot be a hidden secret for too long.

The reason for prenuptial are many and some have destroyed relationships before they started. Whoever is bringing more money into a relationship wants to make sure she is not taken to the cleaners within a short time. Another way of saying they do not want money as enticing part of the relationship or attract a gold digger. If it starts with money, it usually end without money.

This is why prenuptials are spaced in form of years spent in the marriage, the number of kids and age of couples. There are gold diggers and vultures on both sides waiting for opportune time to strike. If one of the newlywed couples started asking for more financial details or took out big insurance payment before they even settled down, it could be a gloomy sign. Most of the financial details between couples should be voluntary in case one is incapacitated.

The reasons it may be easier for women to love a man without money are many but one is “fine boy” attraction. Apart from self-sufficiency already mentioned, women can be generous and empathic with the sorry situation of some men. Wealthy men in such situation will not give his money freely except in cases where the ladies “worwor”. Of course we seen both men and women get fascinated by mad people on the street. It’s not because they have anything to gain.

There was this mad man on one of the busy streets. He exposed himself for a while before he was taken away. Some ladies could not help talking about how gifted he was in the office. Some of us wondered if he had cornered one of them, they might willingly submit and enjoyed it if nobody was watching or cry rape if caught. The cases of pregnant mad women and those that gave births are many on the streets. We wondered how and when conjugation happened.

Nevertheless money and sex have become primary motivations for relationship instead of secondary reasons for getting together. Both still spend time looking good but that can only attract certain people. While size may matter, the real one that matter most is men’s pocket or ladies’ asserts. There was a time women asked if men had a gun in his pocket or just like them.

Read more: http://newsrescue.com/men-women-sometimes-love-without-sex-money/#ixzz4CzvgHLVJ

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Politics › Re: Ijaw Could Not Have Been President In Any Other Nation by nobaga(op): 12:39pm On Jun 16, 2016

This article could be twisted anyway you want but would not have been posted if the writer is a tribalist.

He was proud that Nigerians did what most or any country would not do. That was elect minority of minorities to be president. That is not what democracy does.

But he also explained the reasons for that. Yet it has turned into we want it for life, the African way. I think the difference between Ojukwu and Jonathan was apt.

Americans, even racist beat their chest proudly for electing Obama. Give credit to Nigerians.

NaMe4:
The article is from a tribalist's point of view.
Very pathetic!

Every Nigerian has the right to opportunity to lead the Country at any appropriate time.

Maybe blacks were granted a favour by Obama being elected President.

Politics › Re: Ijaw Could Not Have Been President In Any Other Nation by nobaga(op): 8:41am On Jun 16, 2016

I guess Ijaw were born with Silver crude oil in their mouths.

Politics › Ijaw Could Not Have Been President In Any Other Nation by nobaga(op): 9:13pm On Jun 15, 2016*

IJAW COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT IN ANY OTHER NATION

We must ask all the cheerleaders encouraging Niger Delta Avengers and other militia groups mushrooming demands or blackmail: which part of Arewa Republic, Odua, or IPOB Republic are we willing to concede to Ijaw President? Biafra would have died if Ojukwu had been President.
How soon we forget that it was only yesterday that Ijaw was only one of the small minorities in the Delta. However they emerged, they are now so big, Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo, Urhobo and Edo are on equal status with Ijaw agitation. They became the most prominent ethnic group as a compensation for the degradation of their environment since the rest of Nigeria fed on their oil income. No population in a state with their right sense would poison the well they drink from.
Niger Delta was that well. One would expect Nigeria to pay special attention to these polluted areas where oil comes from. Any part of Nigeria looking at the polluted swamp would never pray or wish for such oil discovery near them. The amount of money, effort and cooperation needed to restore many areas of Niger Delta is so gigantic, the price of oil needed worldwide may not be enough to compensate for opportunity cost or repairs; if this damage continues.
The point must be made clear to Ijaw that one of them became the President, not because it was their turn since there were bigger minorities waiting. Ijaw was made the President for the sake of peace and harmony in the Country to compensate them for the injustice perpetrated on their land that was turned into environmental polluted wasteland. It was not their turn or right.
Six years were long, though a short time in history. If separation was the only option left, there was no one in a position to implement it than the Ijaw President himself. It could have been easier for President Jonathan than any other President from other parts of the Country. Indeed, the other parts of the Country are so sick and tired may have been infected by separation fever.
Those who claimed it was harder for Ijaw President, Ojukwu couldn’t, were being disingenuous. What is harder for all Ijaw is to become the President that includes any part of the Country. They simply do not have the number and if they decide to carve out separate entity mainly for their ethnic group, they will run into others like the Urhobo and Itshekiri that will not be willing to subject themselves to Ijaw rule. A snake no matter how big cannot successfully digest a cow.
Ijaw minority status will make their situation worse because in a democracy, a majority carries the votes. There are just not enough of them. In the South-southern states except in Bayelsa, Urhobo and Anioma outnumber them in Delta State. In River State Ikwere outnumber them. In Akwa Ibom and Cross River states they are smaller than Ibibio and Efik. The real powerhouse or the sleeping giant of the South-south are the Edo in their State and Anioma in Delta.
Even more powerful are the Ikwere, the Igbo cousins that mixed with the Efik and the Calabari. In the creation of the old Mid-West, Osadebay became the Premier of the Region from the powerful Anioma group made of combination of Igbo cousins. By the time we count the Edo, Anioma, Ikwere and Urhobo, it becomes clear that it is only in Nigeria that the behemoths of the Nigeria (that is Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo) could pick or vote for an Ijaw as their President.
Outside the fragile experimentation of Nigeria for more than half a century, the Ijaw stood little chance of leading the Country. Indeed, it was Obasanjo a Yoruba from one of the 3 behemoths that made it possible for Jonathan, an Ijaw to become President. Even then, it was not an easy task because an incapacitated President Yar’Adua could have ruled the Country through the committee of some wise Hausa/Fulani. It is now history that an Ijaw man became the President.
It was not unexpected that choosing one of them as leader was the right move to reverse the devastation and bring back clean environment so that common people could go to their old way of life by fishing and creation of petrochemical industries. For over six years that the Ijaw President was at the helm of affairs, the environment got worse. Every percentage created as special allowance to compensate, ameliorate or train locals disappeared into individual pockets.
Ijaw cheerleaders do not want to talk about self-responsibilities, they are no different than their Nigerian crooks, we might even say with impunity. We are now at a point where militia groups are springing up continually demanding gratis and appeasement otherwise they would blow up the economic mainstream of the Country. The same cheerleaders would not accept Ijaw leader outside Nigeria if we break but they want Ijaw to champion secession for them; and then what?
Buhari has been quoted as saying attack on Boko Haram was an attack on the North. Well, he came back to kick their asses. When cheerleaders gear you up for secession, they may be the very one like Buhari that would come back and kick your butts. Politics is different from reality. There are war cries of secession around the Country. Some are not just loud mouths but people with causes. They have lived the Nigerian experience and it has not worked out for them.
There is nothing the North could do if all parts of Nigeria have had enough. Some Northerners threatened us against making Jonathan President. When they unleashed Boko Haram they paid dearly with their own people too, not only the lives of Southerners. It should teach us a lesson that violence begat violence and nobody has a monopoly on it. It is like a ranging fire that consumes friends and foes alike. Be careful what you wish for.
When each ethnic groups are invaded either by religious zealots or opportunists as Maitatisine, Shiite, Boko Haram or the cattle herdsmen, people want exit. The danger here is complacency on the part of Buhari Administration to face the facts and hold the bulls by the horn. Grazing areas, whether restricted to the North or South, is not the solution. Its implementation is the key so that it is not used to justify land grab in the Middle Belt and South of the Country.
Actually, there are cheerleaders around the Country that do not care, which way Nigeria goes because some know; either way they can survive. Those threatening dislocation will never stop until disintegration gets to their villages. No government can chase so many problems coming from the East, West, North and South on a constant and irritating basis. We must go for loose association or confederation; this unitary system is not working.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/698252/ijaw-could-not-have-been-president-in-any-other-nation.html

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Politics › Re: Buhari Without Idiagbon by nobaga(op): 12:13pm On Jun 11, 2016

Most Nigerians jusy want corruption cleaned up or drastically reduced, that is why they voted for Buhari. Northern dominated administration is a characteristic of Northern administrations, though unfair.

If he had fought corruption harder, some of us may forgive his Northern dominated government like others.

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