₦airaland Forum

While I share Ajayi-Bebe feelings about the intentional exclusion of Lagosians from the scheme put together by Tinubu from Oragbiji in Osun State, Ajayi affiliation conceding Lagos Island to Benin is misplaced.

Bini itself is Yoruba regardless of the politics of the day. The ligua franca in Bini palace until recently was Yoruba, their gods are Yoruba and the names of the royals until recently are Yoruba.

Oduduwa came before Christ and existed not only in Yoruba history buy in that of their cousins worldwide including Ijaw before Ikalehan appearance in the 14th century.

Ajayi-Bembe cannot reconcile that by claiming Bini and Awori are the same. That is pure self serving. He can get away with that by claiming all Yoruba are cousins.

Aromire own Isale Eko a descendant of Ogunfimonire, an Awori from Ife own Lagos from Isheri to Isale Eko.

https://www.nairaland.com/4018415/ogiso-bini-ijaw-came-ile-ife#59914051

While I share Ajayi-Bebe feelings about the intentional exclusion of Lagosians from the scheme put together by Tinubu from Oragbiji in Osun State, Ajayi affiliation conceding Lagos Island to Benin is misplaced.

Bini itself is Yoruba regardless of the politics of the day. The ligua franca in Bini palace until recently was Yoruba, their gods are Yoruba and the names of the royals until recently are Yoruba.

Oduduwa came before Christ and existed not only in Yoruba history buy in that of their cousins worldwide including Ijaw before Ikalehan appearance in the 14th century.

Ajayi-Bembe cannot reconcile that by claiming Bini and Awori are the same. That is pure self serving. He can get away with that by claiming all Yoruba are cousins.

Aromire own Isale Eko a descendant of Ogunfimonire, an Awori from Ife own Lagos from Isheri to Isale Eko.

https://www.nairaland.com/4018415/ogiso-bini-ijaw-came-ile-ife#59914051

NOTHING WRONG WITH CROOKS PROBING CROOKS

Yes, this is how low it has got to in the land that used to flow with milk and honey. The Milk and Honey may even sound strange to younger generations that have never seen regular light and water since they and their children were born. For the benefit of doubt, there is nothing better than belonging to a country where there is a rule of law, honesty and minimal corruption where merit is based on hard work and respect for toiling. But let us face reality of what we have now.

If anyone waits for angels to come down and probes crooks in Nigeria, he is ignorant or naïve. Corruption is now beyond those with cleans hands that can demand equity. People tend to forget that Muritala Mohammed was a crook before he was the Head of State that forfeited his loot to Government. Common now, we have to be realistic; there is no one that has come up against corruption that his fellow looters have not tried to stop by blackmail.

He who seeks equity must come with clean hands left looting in the country behind a long time ago. Every branch of government is corrupt including the Judiciary; anyone that is fed up and is willing to come forward is more than welcomed. Many looters threatened the life of Nuhu Ribadu and almost killed him in a faked accident. He was redeployed, demoted and sent on a course at National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). A distraction from reality.

Even Abacha made sure he was the only one looting the treasury and sent examples to show that if anyone else dared without his permission, he was playing with fire. Abacha supporters still defend his voracious appetite for looting the Central Bank directly. During the time of OBJ, another one, some so called elders went to beg for the son of Abacha when Obasanjo held him accountable until he divulged some of his father’s loot.

This is not to excuse President Buhari in anyway because he also had a history of suitcases that passed by the Custom unchecked. There are also claims that he bungled when OBJ made him the Minister for Petroleum and Abacha put Petroleum Fund in his care. Whatever the truth was or still is, there is some agreement about Buhari. He was the least corrupt of all the crooks. He was voted in because Nigerians believed he could deal with corruption better than any of them.

It must be noted that Buhari was not voted in because he was a saint. We knew his faults and he had record as a religious fanatic, which Boko Haram mellowed. They taught him some sense when they nearly got him killed in Kaduna. Buhari was also a dictator but democracy has also tamed him. People are still alarmed at his lopsided appointments favoring the North. So was Jonathan before him and those before Jonathan. It does not make it right and it’s no excuse.

Some people also claimed that Buhari is an Economics illiterate. We did not vote for him based on his degree as an economist from that London School of Economics. We had a head of State with a PhD, from Niger Delta. He left Niger Delta and environmental swamp and Nigeria worse off. But please give this credit to Buhari: he wants to know from all the highly respected world-class economists if devaluation has ever benefited Nigeria (or any African country).

Indeed, it was Obasanjo that was fair to every region. But the North that has produced more leaders complained that he marginalized them. OBJ brought the Igbo and Middle Belt into forefront of his Government. Even then, his Chief Security man was a Yoruba. Every head of state has trusted his kinsmen on their personal security. So Buhari is not the only one.

In short, Buhari is trusted to be stronger against corruption than anyone else, despite his faults. We are yet to see the impunity other heads of state displayed on corruption, from Buhari. If we had to repeat that election, Buhari would still win. The amount of corruption under Jonathan was simply obscene. They were so bold, they came out with the slogan that it was their money and they could steal it anyway they wanted. What about “corruption is not stealing”?

They turned Dansuki into Father Christmas (most of us missed); Diezani Madueke into Queen of Sheba spraying gold all over the word and they appointed whoever they wanted. Ironically, the same people are now blaming Buhari on what they perfected. When a section of the Country got all the powerful appointments they sought, there was no threat of marginalization but another section went to see Jonathan in Abuja crying that they had been marginalized.

So whoever said only angels can rule and probe crooks in Nigeria must be in a far and different universe. The Country has just been unlucky to have these types of crooks ruling us and until we are gripped by conscience or revolts, the same crooks will continue to rule us. Crooks do not come from a different country or continent to perpetrate evil on us. These heads of state come from our own families in our Country. They decided to mortgage out our economic destiny for their own selfish ends hoping that their children will not be part of suffering they got us into.
Nigerians mourn our deaths because of the hardship and sorrow it plunges the family into. But each time a member of the looters’ families passed, instead of mourning, we have seen words that are unprintable. People claim that many more children have died out of their callousness, hypocrisy and indifference to the suffering of the masses. There is no reason to pity, even the children of the looters that have met their untimely deaths. It is very un-African to imagine.

While it is true that we see graphic pictures of the dead people everywhere these days, there is a part of us that has become numbed to car accidents, ritual killers and suicides. This period in life is sober and very trying. Our anger has reached a boiling point. In a country where we used to feed and clothe the hungry, we now take our anger out on them if they steal from us. When we know they are not the real problem, our real problems are the looters.

As soon as someone accuses others of looting, there are those lined up to disgrace him and bring up fake charges to disqualify and distract Ali Baba & Co. It becomes a game of if you dare expose me, I will make life terrible for you. We used to call it: if You Takar Me A Go Dabor You.

Therefore, if any of them develop a conscience and decide to reveal other looters, we must not discourage or scare them from doing so. The whistle blower law seems to be working because of the loot recovered. We must go steps further and welcome looters that want to change their evil ways and come forward. It was the story of Ali Baba and The Forty Thieves!

Source

Nurse Justina Ejelonu and Dr Ameyo Adadevoh died treating Nigeria first Ebola patient.

This Nurse deserve more praises. I hope her family is taken care of.

Credit must be given to these frontline workers of physicians, nurses and aides that physically restrained Mr. Taylor losing their lives in the process. Lately, this writer realized that there was another hero that confirmed the diagnosis of Ebola in Ede’s Redeem University laboratory in 48 hours. By the time all the world experts rushed to Nigeria, Professor Christian Happi told them to hold their horses because Nigerians knew what to do, and indeed, had confirmed Ebola!

YOUTHS TASKED R.I YORUBA ELDERS ON AFRICA ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

[b]Yoruba Elders of Rhode Island International held its Annual Lecture on Saturday October 14, 2017 at the State House. More important, planners brought the youths and the elders together where the youths challenged elders on what roles they can play by contributing to the progress of Africa. This is not the first time the youths asked: not for what they can get from Nigeria but what they can contribute to free African countries from arrested development.

Children of Africa in Diaspora understand that until we have a successful black nation despite years of slavery or oppression, no African or his descendants will be respected in this world. The days to cry about Muslim or Christian slavery are gone, these are the days we must get off the complaining boards, eliminate our planted African oppressors out of the way, and take hold of our destiny. If we cannot help ourselves, nobody, not even angel from heaven would help us.

If Africans can excel abroad, break the shackles of slavery, survive against all odds and make a difference in Diaspora, we must be able to accomplish more in our African countries. We have examples of accomplishments in so many fields abroad. It is an indication of what we can do at home. We must stop crying about government not creating enabling environment. In Nigeria, you provide your own electricity, water, security, road to and from your houses.[/b]

Nigerian businessmen go to other African countries asking for virgin land. They provide the road in and out of the forest, create electricity to power their plants, hire workers and still; they sell cement cheaper than they do in Nigeria! But when they create the same business at home, they claim they cannot sell their cars cheaper than imported ones. Businesses that should be making foreign money for African countries are draining us. We can be good at home as we are outside.

Right now Republic of Congo leads cobalt production used for electric cars, Niger is fourth in the production of Uranium for nuclear energy. Our university engineering departments are not even on the radar in either publication or production. Africa has the most arable land in the world, yet the fear is famine is going to spread as our population explode. This we can prevent by education and small business that empower women. They will control their number of kids.

Ana Novais, Executive Director, Rhode Island Department of Health was the featured Speaker. She informed us about the significant progress Rhode Island made in the delivery of health services; including areas that need more action. It was very inspiring that an African from Cape Verde made a difference in Diaspora as a role model for our youths to look up to. She is an example of contributions in Diaspora that we desired, more significantly in African countries.

The youths as usual, made the Question and Answer exchange vigorous on solutions as Yoruba Elders of Rhode Island intentional planned. It was not limited to just discussions and theories. Even some elders provoked answers for revolution! While we had presentation made by Dr. Darren Kew of University of Massachusetts on Nigerian elections, transfer of power, Indigenous People of Biafra and of course Boko Haram, the youths wanted solutions to all these problems.

We must understand the zeal of African youths that want to be proud of the African countries their parents come from; and if they have to, go there and make their contributions. Before them, African youths at home would not stand for the type of corruption politicians blatantly display in a country like Nigeria. Those were the days students were hot, patriotic, would rather die at home where they stood a better chance of success than risk their lives across the desert.

Parents have to be careful on the expectation or burden they place on their children abroad. Some of them have bragged that their children are coming back home to take the bull by the horn and wrestle down the looters since our children at home are afraid of head-on confronts. Well, Saraki and two generations of Fani-Kayode were also trained abroad. So was Ojukwu and many others. Most of our economic specialists are Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or MIT trained!

Unfortunately, some of the students that were activists at home and abroad, with all their skills and training have decided to go into politics to participate in the same looting and corruption they detested in their youth. Their local and Federal Government sponsored many of them at home and abroad. Instead of giving back as today’s youths abroad are yearning for, they have become a bunch of disappointments and albatross to their Country.

The question for these highly motivated youths abroad is how we are sure that once they get back home, they will not become dispirited and anesthetized in their hustle and bustle to make a living like their counterpart at home. All attempts to motivate Nigerian youths to confront their oppressors have failed and most have resigned to suffering and smiling. It is unfortunate to see Nigerian graduates as jobless and stranded souls working as thugs and prostitutes.

Many became recruits for Boko Haram, OPC. MASSOM, Arewa Youths, IPOB, MEND and more are springing up daily as separatist activists looking for their pay off; rather than collectively challenging and fighting their oppressors that dangle crumbs of looted funds in their faces. These looters still walk around and young graduates (not in Kwara though) that should confront them, have become adulators singing their praises in order to make a living. When are they going to starve these beasts or they are waiting for their fathers and mothers to lead?

It boils down to character and behavior that has gone asunder. The praise singers and adulators come from our families. Indeed, what is wrong with most African countries today started from each family. We noticed them going wayward or drifting toward unholy alliance with crooks and dreaded style of living. Many have grown to be kingpins and before we know it, decided to become politicians. The people that voted for them in many cases are those that know their mission once they were elected.

The social welfare of the aged, the women and children have been abdicated by our politicians. It is only those that are fortunate to have relatives abroad that are getting sustenance in form of foreign remittance from children. These are the parents whose children want to come back home and overthrow the Vagabonds in Power. The countdown is on because the number of Africans sending money home will dwindle after this generation.

Africans were not created in poverty, we were children brought up in gold, diamond and ivory that past generation flooded the market with on their trips abroad and those at home exchanged for mirrors. But if we suddenly find ourselves in poverty, it does not mean poverty is created in us. Our task is easier than it has ever been because the enemies are within us. What we do with them is up to us when we form a quorum of silent majority ready to take action!

We must recognize those youths working from dusk to down, creating new business out of nothing: homemade tractors for local farmers, solar powered products, Nollywood and others. Also, many that have worked diligently to establish projects or programs; only to be abandoned by the following administration so that they can make money from awarding new contracts.

Farouk Martins Aresa
https://www.modernghana.com/news/810132/youths-tasked-ri-yoruba-elders-on-africa-arrested-developme.html

If Igbo decided it is in their own interest to leave, so be it. But please make up your mind and do not hold other Igbo that are comfortable in Nigeria as ransom to a cause you cannot keep up to.

At this point, most Nigerians are just tired of constant bombardment of secession. If any of you wants to go, just go and leave the rest alone.

Nigerians would rather worship politicians than create and maintain projects or infrastructure in their town

FEDERAL CHARACTER SUFFOCATED INFRASTRUCTURE

State your choice between local infrastructure and politicians? The only people benefiting from Federal Character are the well-placed and their cronies. It was a good intention to empower ethnic groups in all regions of the Country. Alas, millionaires and billionaires were intentional created and heads of states bragged about it. By the time we realized that emoluments took most revenues, not even the heads of state could not dislodge meat from the teeth of fat cats.

Most people are naturally resourceful. Given the choice between starting their own businesses to be their own boss or hand-outs, many would love to be their own boss. However, given the choice between looting without consequences in an inhospitable environment and working hard in an enabling environment, the choice is yours. Even professionals abandoned chosen professions for looting because nobody would lynch them like hungry people stealing food.

Infrastructure became secondary on the shelves until the salaries and allowances of politicians were paid. If there is anything left, usually very little, projects are stated but never completed until the next Administration. The fact is, the next Administration has its own agenda and new foreign projects that will bring hard currencies into their foreign accounts. Whatever is left after humongous salaries and emoluments, they share among themselves before next fiscal year.

There was a time when politicians would not dare steal from their villages. Those days are gone, they do not let allocations get to the state or local councils before diverting it to their private accounts. Good intention is not enough, in many African countries, corruption has eaten the lion share of the budget. Asia countries and western countries are as corrupt in many ways but the lion share of the projects and budgets do not go into individual pockets as wild Nigerians.

Nigeria is about the size of California. While the whole of United States has 100 senators Nigeria has 109. The reason is to make sure every area has a voice in the senate even if we have to pay more senators than United States. Nigeria has a population of about 180 million compare to U.S 300 million. There is no need to compare incomes with the richest country, the United States; but the emoluments of our politicians in Nigeria surpass that of any country in the world.
Our politicians claimed their salary is a fraction of all incomes. Everyone knows they relied on oil income that has never been steady and that we may soon run out of. Yet, they have never adjusted their “entitlements” or car allowances to reflect today’s realities. Nigerian politicians are ready to mow down anyone that questions their salary. They even threaten to impeach a seating President once, for attacking their outrageous salary used for aggrandizement.

Contrary to using the greatest amount of money for the majority of the people, Federal Character has encouraged the greatest amount of money for a few politicians, cronies and those at their throats as activists fighting religious, ethnic and propaganda wars. There is not enough money to pay all of them off. Everybody looks up to the Government as their source of income. If they ever penetrate the treasury, they spend unproductively like a drunken sailor.

Recently one of the state Governors decided to create 32 local rulers, Oba, without any idea where their salaries are coming from except poor people’s resources. This is apart from special advisers, commissioners and different envoys at the Federal and state levels. If any of these unproductive cronies were not appointed from any area within a population of 180 million, the rest of the population that think they should have been appointed would match to the state or Federal capitals crying marginalization for over 250 ethnic groups.

We cry to the government to provide enabling environment while a few drained all revenues: killing projects. Enabling environment encourages small and medium businesses to germinate. Those businesses that could not wait provided their own water, electricity, even roads to where their businesses are located. Big business in most African countries already include the cost of establishing in a virgin forest where they provide everything for their business to flourish.

If only the money wasted on Federal Character is invested in enabling environment, more folks would benefit encouraging small and medium business to provide jobs for others, apart from themselves. In other words, Federal Character instead of infrastructures is stifling jobs on merit. We put the cart before the horse. When business booms and people are employed, the taxes and fees collected could be used to diversify, ameliorate and target impoverished areas.

There is no substitute for educated community trained in both academic and technical skills to meet demands of business and industries needed for infrastructure. Inspired women play very crucial roles in economic development. Just build them a “market” place and roads; they would create jobs, a village; and control population instead of rigorous degree of one family one child China was forced to enact in order to feed its people. China is now world’s dependable market.

You would think that by electing and appointing all these jobbers from each area, each ethnic group and religions, Nigeria would be pacified. Indeed, those elected and appointed steal from the rest of the population creating unsustainable pool of poor people agitating for instant stomach infrastructure instead of enabling environment. Playing lottery on hungry folks and for elections they trample on one another for a sachet or half bag of garri or rice. A few have died in the process for a bag of rice that would not last them a month if they have large families.

Even informed women on birth control and men with few children, have other relative they would share a bag of garri or rice with. No matter what, that bag would not last them a year, not to mention the next election. Federal character has benefited and encouraged rogues and desperadoes willing to throw their people under the bus. Politicians marring new wives talk back and claim their people allow them to steal without any consequences or accountability.

Who stopped military, OBJ, Ya’Adua, Ebele Jonathan and Buhari from surrounding themselves with their ethnic kitchen cabinet? Federal Character overstayed its welcome, leaders abused and found their way around it. There is no way we can balance the interest of over 250 ethnic groups at the Federal level. People should be calling for Federal Infrastructure or Presence in their localities so that they can see good roads, water, electricity and enterprises distributed fairly not thieves. Infrastructures are not folks diverting fiscal allocation before they get to you.

Farouk Martins Aresa

Source

The easiest way to make money in Nigeria and gain fame or notoriety is to become a politician, pastor and now become rebel crying for secession of any part of the country.

You will gain attention and followers will start contributing to your cause. Seriously, is there anybody that is not fed up with all the cries of separation coming from every quarter?

If all of una no leave to your new contari, na your real papa born you! Note there is no NOT there.

Got The Country You Wanted In Pieces

Must be a dreamer to think Nigeria can remain as it is: as the Sultan of Sokoto kicked against restructuring . Every major ethnic zone is calling not only for breakup but for non-indigenes to leave their areas. It started as bargaining chips but has gone viral. Even the Middle Belt in the Northern part of Nigeria are now demanding their own country while asking those “foreigners” to leave. There is no going back now. Nigeria must reorganize, confederate, federate or die.

The Unitary system started as a way to bring the Nation together and foster unity after senior officers took the power from soldiers. It has now come to light that General Aguiyi Ironsi acted based on the advice of another young educated officer, Lt. Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu. He was brilliant and well informed but suffered from youthful exuberance. He dazzled his colleagues at Abuja peace meeting wriggling unsustainable concessions. Otherwise he wanted out of Nigeria.

On Aburi We Stand was not enough to sustain every part of Nigeria but it was too good to let go for only a region. It was not convenient to recall Nigerians that had been assimilated into many parts of the Country back to their home of origin but most Igbo obeyed the call and went back home. Those remaining in other parts of Nigeria were at risk because a war was going to break out. Families were torn apart, children were separated from their friends; for which we wept!

Yet, we have not learnt our lessons. This time every part of Nigeria is calling for what we prayed would never happen again. However, it is on a greater scale this time. Children that never knew war have become grown men and they want “referendum” like Ojukwu. They are sponsored by those that knew war. Using others’ youths as bargaining chips for their share of national greed (pie) while their own children are comfortably abroad . Yerima pointed to elders on quit notice .

Let us face it, the so-called Hausa/Fulani had wanted out of Nigeria. Awolowo went there to campaign and Azikiwe formed a coalition with them. Indeed, Tafawa Balewa did not care if the South wanted to form a coalition against the North since South had enough votes to form the Government. In his wisdom and for the unity of the country he loved, Azikiwe did not want to isolate the North. He formed a coalition with them. Nobody called most Igbo traitors then.

However, this has become ancient history. We must note that the North have beaten the South in every game conjured and formulated by the South. North kicked against Unitary Government but Gowon assured them that as a Northern, it would not work against them. After each of the elections, the North was able to get the same party from South to support them and formed the government. Usually, the cry for separation dwindled when a party is comfortably in power.

Ebele Jonathan from a minority ethnic group in the South became the President for the first time in the history of Nigeria. A minority President was a dream come true while the ethnic behemoths watched and complained of marginalization. Unfortunately, he proved that the problem with Nigeria was greater than who became President. It was the vultures within each ethnic group that derailed the system and our ability to progress beyond primordial instincts.

We failed not because of oppression by one ethnic group over another, we failed because of all the vultures in each ethnic group. While the rest of the world progressed despite frailties and corruption, ours were in overwhelming proportion to our incomes. In other words, if you take ten out of five, you are left with a deficit that keeps on increasing in our lifetime. As much as we prayed and worked to overcome regression, always diverted by ethnic and religious violence.

Nigeria must separate one way or the other before we realize that the evil that plague us is more within and less from outside. When those that champion our hatred for one another are the same people that benefit from it, we have to separate and get a breathing space to realize reality. It has got to that stage where Nigeria can no longer hold, anyone in the way of a moving train would be consumed. The fury and speed of a moving train can’t be controlled or stopped.

However, the same poor, weak and the children that would suffer; their generation will curse this generation leading them astray the same way we cursed our ancestors that sold us and our resources for mirrors. Those uprooted again by hatred and violence from where they eked or comfortably making a living would cry and curse those agitators that want Arewa, Odua, Igbo, Bendel, Middle Belt etc. nations they cannot sustain with oil or internal generated revenue.

So far in the history of the Country, only one region has demonstrated the ability to stand and be self-sustaining as Opposition regardless of oil or Federal. The hope is that each and every ethnic group crying for separation would be able to support their people. When non-indigenes are thrown out of adopted land, there must be those ready and willing to accommodate them.

Killing the biggest market in Africa will be regretted for generation the way we mourned our great Empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhai. Nigeria has been reduced to pieces of bargaining chips by those that have never achieved anything in their lives but boldly experimenting with the country’s future as we did once. Somebody rightly observed that if we start another war in Nigeria, which country in or outside Africa would be able to accommodate our refugees?

Those looking to graze their cattle in a different country, expecting to trade with another nation or exercise their rights as citizens would be surprised when the doors finally close on them. Our kids flee to risk desert, slavery, 419 and death penalty. We have seen how Nigerians are treated from the poorest African country to the richest. Animosity of separation would make it worse. Indeed, some neighbors are already attacking and sometimes maiming and killing neighbors.

The sound of “my people are killing my people” in Warri, Delta, Ife, Jos, Bornu, Aguleri and Umuleri are reminders that there would be no neutral Nigeria Police Force to separate you but local police taking sides. As much as we want some local police, we also thank goodness for the National Force that can be called upon from neutral ethnic group instead of United Nation.

This is nothing but another civil war in disguise because those that would be excluded from the biggest market in Africa would make their way back but with less negotiating power or rejection Related ethnic groups never returned abandoned properties of their cousins. Those who think it will be different this time cannot perform the same experiment and expect a different result.

Source: Farouk Martins Aresa
Published: Thursday, August 17, 2017

https://www.modernghana.com/news/795982/got-the-country-you-wanted-in-pieces.html#

IPOB, AREWA & ODUA MUST TRADE IN WORLD’s LARGEST MUMU MARKET

Arewa, IPOB and Odua are used to distract us from wrestling market from foreigners! Years ago one would think that Nigeria would be unknown in St. Louis Missouri as world’s biggest market until one guy found out this African. Surprised that some indigenes would leave that market: he saw Nigeria as a great place to make money as long as you could hold your nose. The corruption stunk to high heavens but too good to quit while making stupendous profit: except as Nigerian.

Use Odua, Arewa and IPOB sponsored by oil income looters to fight for bone . Nigeria, endowed with natural resources and arable land can train for most of the skills imported. More important is almost 200 million population. They are sophisticated consumers, encouraged by forex, have demonstrated appetite or taste for goods dumped by America, Europe and Asia at the expense of Aba-made. It is ironic that many statistics point to 80% that live on less than U.S $2.00 a day.

Even if that number is undisputed, we are talking about 40 million people or more that can live above poverty line. It’s a large number of people bigger than many countries in Americas and Europe. The fact is, most Nigerian companies and contractors patronize international goods and services. Foreign corporations cultured our market demands and rightfully gear products to our consumers where they make easier profit than in most countries in the world; while we fight.

Example as one of the world’s biggest markets is smart phones and its mild infrastructures. Yet, it can’t be disputed that Nigeria is being held back by lack of hard infrastructure. Disadvantage of poor infrastructure has been seized upon by opportunistic importers perpetuating that very fact to promote foreign goods to the world’s biggest mumu markets: generators have replaced constant supply of electricity to the point of lobbying to sabotage power supply.

Chief M. K. O Abiola had the sole monopoly on landline phones contract in those days. The car owners at that time remember how many roads, that were not even big enough or adequate, were damaged because “Slow Men At Work” were laying telephone lines. Bola Ige once bust the bubble of the rich with their 090 lines while market women in Benin Republic possessed new generation smart phones that worked better and cheaper than their cell and landlines.

No matter how expensive the product, it will sell in Nigeria. Cement is another example. Our friend Dangote and a few got monopoly to import cement and Nigerians were buying it at any price because even the working class want a little house in their villages. Regardless of the 80% below poverty line standard, high priced cement are always on demand. There are promises to bring the price of cement down but high demand has not allowed price gougers to relent.

We have everything as resources needed to construct roads from asphalt, bitumen and cement made of natural materials such as limestone, clay and sand that are available locally. However, it is more lucrative for contractors, foreign partners and cronies to import. In a country where terracotta and iron are as ancient as our culture, we would expect development in those areas. We have Tryctors, Innoson cars but still need Okrika-Ijebu-made big tractors copied or adapted.

These are so many opportunities missed by MEND, Odua, IPOB and Arewa entrepreneurs trying to break out in MUMU Market. Again, Eko Atlantic is one of the biggest projects in the Country, necessary or not. You can imagine how many engineers, ironworkers, entrepreneurs, managers, carpenters etc. our colleges and universities could have trained, just as in Ajaokuta could have partnered as practical to provide the needed skills imported by the grace of looters into Nigeria.

This was how easy a company like Enron succeeded in African mumu markets only to run off with our foreign reserves and declare bankruptcy. Politicians do the same with world or African businesses trying to establish as executives of Virgin Airlines and S. African telephone Econet exposed in London. The kickbacks our politicians want for contributing nothing is outrageous!

It is wicked to claim that our politicians, their cronies and partners, both local and foreign do not have the intelligence it takes to put whatever was needed together. These are the same people employed in foreign countries where they perfect their skill knowing the consequence of messing up. As soon as they arrived at home: selfishness, hedonism and greed take over.

They develop nostalgia for the foreign countries they left. It is either they build a grand mansion at home they could not afford there or steal to buy many in their foreign country! Looters call on foreign partners into the biggest mumu market in Africa rather than create markets for local and indigenous contractors, companies and businesses. Their only condition: how big kickbacks going to their foreign accounts are; a little sponsor MEND/IPOB/OPC/Boko Haram to cover up.

Arewa, IPOB and MEND hold your politicians feet to fire. These people are so selfish, they are willing to frustrate the development of your states than decrease the asking price of their own kickback. Imagine, if Virgin Airline cannot do business in Nigeria, you know how rotten it is. Only companies like Enron that knew they were not going to deliver or Russian companies that could not complete Ajaokuta Steel until it became outdated could compete in African mumu market.

Does anyone seriously believe most of us live within minimum wage? We all find other means to support our meagre earnings. Even honest hard working class subsidized minimum wage with a second earning from wives and children trading on the streets. Nobody works harder than these Nigerians from dawn to dusk. You will see their children running after buyers in the stalling traffics. Every member of a family always contribute a piece and support one another.

Arewa, Odua and IPOB please demand our market share. It is difficult for law enforcement to curb crime alone, there must be productive avenues for militia youths to proper. Problem must be solved at the source of smoke and fire. The source of the money to spend conspicuously like the looters at the tops can be seen reflected within the 419s, drug peddlers, organ parts sellers, slave traders in Arabs and Asian countries, [i]Badoo [/i]and kidnappers at home gaining notoriety.

Nigerian small businesses are competing with Kentucky Chicken, Burger King, McDonalds just as they face competition in Asia from locals adapting their brands. If what it takes to wrestle and wean our taste away from foreign dumping is to adapt, copy, replicate and manufacture their products as India and China have done, so be it. Our mechanics make Royce Royce out of Volks!

https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/254864/ipob-arewa-odua-must-trade-in-worlds-largest-mumu-market.html

Does anyone seriously believe most of us live within minimum wage? We all find other means to support our meager earnings. Even honest hard working class subsidized minimum wage with a second earning from wives and children trading on the streets. Nobody works harder than these Nigerians from dawn to dusk. You will see their children running after buyers in the stalling traffics. Every member of a family always contributes a piece and supports one another.

Arewa, Odua and IPOB please demand our market share. It is difficult for law enforcement to curb crime alone, there must be productive avenues for militia youths to proper. Problem must be solved at the source of smoke and fire. The source of the money to spend conspicuously like the looters at the tops can be seen reflected within the 419s, drug peddlers, organ parts sellers, slave traders in Arabs and Asian countries, Badoo and kidnappers at home gaining notoriety.

Source

Naija the same Saraki blocking Magu, planning to impeach Osinbajo and intall himself as President.

Nigerian youths your MUMU Na Wa O

The satire of the writer is compelling and on point with all the factors listed criminals use to get away with the most heinous crime in Nigeria.

He could have included ethnicity as well but I think he did not want to divide his readers. Despite that some still miss his point.

More writers like this may wake up our conscience to understand how low we have sunk

989900:
You probably didn't get his drift: this is a fxcked up country where anything can and does happen!

What happened to Clifford Orji . . . Saraki, that governor that escaped from prison, corrupt judges and myriad of other cases?

The OP is actually stating the obvious that in this sh!thole, you can actually buy your customised judgement (if you are rich enough).


Only the poor are under the law -- the full weight of it.

Say what!

EVANS CAN STILL BEAT KIDNAPPING CHARGES IN COURT

Kidnappers kill directly politicians murder us indirectly! It is easier for kidnappers, politicians, pastors and imams to enter the kingdom of God like a camel would through the tiny hole of a needle than those of you doubting if the notorious kidnappers can or cannot get justice in court of law. Some of you have forgotten that in a democracy such as ours, the rule of law must hold. A man must be presumed innocent until he is proven guilty beyond any reasonable doubt.

Some of you are unaware that there is judge shopping by which a case is pushed to some judge whose philosophy, disposition and needs are well known to trusted Senior Advocates to push. It will also help if a Queens Counsel is flown from London to complement many lawyers that will overwhelm, not the judge, but public show. It will not be the first time. What many people do not understand is that even after shopping for favorable judge, lawyers must appear vigorous.

This is not Bar Beach Show mind you it is serious business. Evans knew he had to put some hard currencies in US dollars, Euro and British pounds abroad to pay into the accounts of his lawyers, judges and some top police officers. Please do not discount top prisons officers, their role will be explained later. It goes beyond sumptuous prison accommodation that many of you hear of. The politicians as other murderers of youths, women and children enjoyed it as prisons’ hotel.

Before we go any further, please note that the rights of Evans have been violated. This man was initially entitled to his legal advocate, that is his SAN and so advised before forcing him to sing like a parrot. Do not forget, this is American system of government we are practicing. Even if the right is not explicit, he should have had the opportunity to his counsel.

If you think this is a joke eh, the whole case can be dismissed based on forced confession. Can you imagine so many Kill-And-Go putting your balls on fire? Will you or will you not sing like a parrot and tell them what they want you to say. In a civilized country like ours with democracy stamped on our forehead, we do not joke in court of law with the rights of kidnappers, armed robbers, pen robbers, politicians, body traders, drug peddlers and of course pastors and imams.

Please, a beg nah make I land. You remember we discussed judge shopping earlier. Trusted and serious lawyers have opined that we need a tribunal to try all these looters of lives, properties and treasury. The one that should be appointed for Evans must be Danladi Umar, yes the Umar that allowed Saraki to go free. He had a precedent in the person of Asiwaju Tinubu of Treasure Land in Lagos. Their fate may change like Evans if Police and Judges are replaced on duty!

Danladi Umar could dismiss the case against Evans based on coerced confession without right to a legal counsel. Umar is sharp and bold enough to do it. Some of you may remember that he was exonerated of a previous charge of corruption. Only believers in our justice system would trust him with Saraki’s case. Saraki has more money than the lords many of you worship. He proved it and bought everyone to his freedom. He is not stupid like Ibori that took to his heels. Why run from the Country when you can buy your way to freedom?

Even if that fails and a judge like Umar chickens out, the case would move forward. Those of you listening in our God-given country must have heard that all the corrupt judges that were caught red-handed with more money than Jesu and Mohammedu would ever need to entice or prosecute their conversion to Christianity and Islam; were recalled back on the bench. Now tell me who are the people these judges are going to try?

Please Evans direct your SANs to shop for Justice Ademola if that bold Umar chickens out. You cannot get a better judge. He will be fair and just and more important, he can sympathize with you because he had been “falsely” accused like you only to be exonerated.
Professor Osagie wants the law to changed so that there could be forfeiture of properties by a person without the person being convicted. Some of us may want to ask the professor how many times are we going to change the laws, the constitution and the whole system before our cunny men and women get around hem. There is no law in any country that men and women that should spend their time judiciously making substance out of their talents than turn into crimes.

Some of you think Evans case is too much in the public domain for any judge to mess up. In that case, Saraki’s case was taken out of public eye and suspended or delayed until we were hit with a bomb of no case to answer. Sometimes we develop convenient amnesia. The only trial that went its full course was that of Tafa Balogun. It was a rarity in our part of the world. Please stop blaming prosecutors that worked their hearts out only to be frustrated by corrupt legal system.

If the worst come, Evans can still go free. You remember the role of the top prison officers as noted earlier? We will wake up one day and it will be announced that Evans has escaped in the middle of the night to unknown destination. Our system has been corrupted - though by a few powerful people in power, they have implicated all of us. Indeed, our children look up to them and worship them as their only way of survival.
No be Nigeria we dey? During discussions, it has been postulated that almighty God works in mysterious ways when it comes to a sinner that is willing to repent. In order words, a sinner can kill multitude of people, repent and enter the Kingdom of God. There are reasons Muslims pray five times a day, Catholics go to confessions and armed robbers pray before they set out on their daily or midnight business.

Therefore, if you are an atheist that refuse to go to Church or Mosque, do no evil, see no evil and love your fellow man or women (after all they are created in the image of God); you will not go to heaven reserved for worshippers of God. Atheists spend most of their time claiming religion is a scam and most of the people in it are on some drugs worse than opium. Think about all the good religions have done to Africans in their Continent.

Solution. An old man was teargased while demonstrating in “Occupy Lekki”; he fainted. This man was so mad that he had to participate. This is not his time, it is not his future and there is little he could do. This is the fight for the youths. You have to take these vagabonds on and destroy their legacy, greed and indifference. They have no stake in your Country but to milk it.

Farouk Martins Aresa

Source

Is Nigeria affected, does the Government experts know what is going on?

These criminals are demanding money to restore documents

Britain, United States and the rest of the world vital computers has been [color=][/color]taken hostage as predicted by many including our own Nigerian since 2013. See Source

The stake of Cyber security breach is too high. We marvel at Star and Drone Wars. Well, Cyber War is no joke. Kadhafi was lured to forgo nuclear pursuit, Pakistan and India are nuclear powers and North Korea is not far behind. Israelis were able to spin out Iranian nuclear test tubes, imagine if it was the other way around. Even if these hot heads lack nuclear power, it is share arrogance to think they lack Cyber intelligence to cause havoc.

Malware viruses behave like biological viruses and terrorists. They are getting closer to that point where all the efficiencies we gained over the years through the use of the most versatile system has been compromised. The same system is now used to torpedo some advances we have made in Arts and sciences. There will always be some needs for computer but its use will be limited by its very success over the years.

---

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/computer-age-is-doomed-by-cyber-war-virus.html

Not all Lagosians are like Oba Eko. Its all nothing but politics, jealousy and rivalry

OoNI OF IFE GRACEFULLY HUMILIATED OBA OF EKO[b][/b]

Are you surprised that Ooni of Ife reduced Oba of Lagos below his level? The first indication of class was how they got to the throne. When the people of Lagos protested that Tinubu should not be in a position to share his preference on who should be the Oba of Lagos, other Yoruba protested that Lagosians must not discriminate against another Yoruba in Lagos, as if they would allow Tinubu to determine their Oba. Indeed, we had those that were asking if Lagosians would rather have someone from other parts of Nigeria.

Before we blame everything on IFA or the selection process, some potential potentates around the world including Nigeria have decided to pass over the throne to either a younger siblings, more educated kin or more informed, one against the right of passage because of religious belief or may feel constrained by the duties and responsibilities of the throne. You may have read about a king of England that abdicated his throne in order to marry a commoner.

Akiolu family is well known and cultured but just like any family, some members reject the training reserved for members of the royal houses. Actually, the police force has produced well bred and respected Lagosians including the former Chief of Police Musiliu Smith in Obasanjo’s cabinet. So it is not that Oba Akiolu was not cultured, he survives in the present-day Nigeria the best way he knows how. So, he made it in the Police force and made it to the throne.

Look at the background of Ooni before he ascended the throne and look at that of Oba of Lagos before you determine who humiliated whom. The present Ooni is young enough to be the son of Oba of Lagos. Under normal circumstances, one would expect youthful exuberance to cloud the behavior of the young Ooni. Instead what we saw was a jealous older man behaving as if he was uncultured in Yoruba history while the young man took the higher ground.

The behavior of Oba Akiolu of Lagos trivialized his statue and the stool he occupies. Lagosians, are usually and unfairly stereotyped with some boisterous behaviors. But the confusion comes from those that were not familiar with the culture of the indigenes. Like any other place, those born and bred from good homes and those from otherwise homes behave differently. Even in Lagos, they can distinguish the ruffians from the cultured. Indeed, there are those from very cultured homes that lost it on their way to make money by any means necessary.

There is no Lagosian from a royal house that would not be sorted out by men of integrity and caliber before anyone ascended the throne, not only in Lagos but in every domain. If you decided that integrity does not matter, you would end up with someone like Akiolu or Tinubu in power. Compare that to the way Ooni of Ife was selected. Rivalry or competition is ingrained in choice of final for the throne. He weathered each of them before and after becoming Ooni.

Ooni even came out after that to say his mission is to unite all the Yoruba Oba and that incident would not deter him. Ooni and Alafin have their differences but historians and well-informed Yoruba know the different functions between Ife and Oyo. Actually, we also know the political tone many ethnic groups and subgroup have taken in self-actualization and promotion of their own title. Yet, it does not mean traditional rulers have to be less than cordial to one another.

Fair is fair, if it was entirely a Lagos business, Akiolu would never have been chosen as the Oba in the first place. All over Nigeria Oba, Emir and Igwe or Obi are screened and reserved for men of class and integrity. This man was eased out of Nigerian Police, a force that has corruption problem like many institutions, but that of police have been over the top for a long time. Say what you want about Obasanjo, he dealt with corruption in his own way and with Akiolu.

The point about Tinubu angle is that he is going to come back and haunt Yoruba by his choice of Akiolu and other politicians with his corrupt practices. No matter how this writer feels about Tinubu, Yoruba sent fire to quench fire and he served that purpose. But that does not legitimize him as Yoruba leader or aspiration for Presidency. He forced Akiolu through as Oba of Lagos. Osinbajo, an honorable man is an exception, even as Tinubu’s choice.

This Oba has been openly involved in Lagos politics coming out to swear on those that were against any choice of his master, Tinubu. Some of you may remember the role this same Oba of Lagos played in the dispute between Tinubu and Fashola. Tinubu apparently walked out on him with impunity when he feared that Fashola was making sense to the people of Lagos and in the meeting before Oba of Lagos. The Oba turned around until Fashola succumbed.

Fashola a son of the soil that is well known in Lagos because of his father’s amicable reputation became Tinubu’s accomplice. If you cannot beat them, join them. If the fight against corruption solidly gets a foothold in Nigeria, Tinubu will face justice and he would easily implicate Fashola that initially made his greedy acquisition possible. The koko of the matter is that the support Tinubu gets from Yoruba and which he gave Akiolu will come back and haunt all of us.

Anyone that expects Oba of Lagos to apologize to the Ooni of Ife should not hold his breath. We pay him back scornfully. He also had some problem with the previous Ooni Sijuade. Grown men in exulted positions must learn how to respect their office, especially in a public forum. While some understood his beef with the previous Ooni, this new and young Ooni should not inherit their differences. After all, the previous Ooni also had his differences with Alafin of Oyo.

This Ooni is still cutting his teeth especially with his loyalty to foreign religion and his adherence to their God when he is supposed to be the keeper of Yoruba religion. Yoruba Oba must come together for the sake of their people and create forum where they can express their differences without rancor and disrespectful slights in public. They do not have to share the same political leaning. They are closer to the people locally and must serve and share their causes to earn respect; not personal enmity.

Open division gives unscrupulous politicians the opportunity to gain and distribute favors in their selfish interest. The way Abacha used Yoruba Oba against M.K. O Abiola and General Diya is a fresh history for Yoruba to learn.

Farouk Martins Aresa

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/articles-opinions/ooni-ife-gracefully-humiliated-oba-eko/

Insurance Against Kidnappers & Robbers

Who gives kidnappers and armed robbers your intimate information and location while money hoarders sleep well at night? They should explore more graveyards and soak-away for big loots. Unless you are flamboyant, rich or a conspicuous spender, chances are most information about ordinary folks comes from close friends or relatives. It is not only the ungrateful son that invites armed robbers to demand ransom on him or to dispossess his “stingy” father of some money.

Some kidnappers and armed robbers are also invited by unscrupulous girlfriends. Only a foolish wife on drugs with no sympathy for her children would dare such a gamble. In short, those who work hard for their money are hardly ostentatious or conspicuous spenders. Yes, they may spoil themselves with some luxury to enjoy the fruit of their labor. In most cases they are very strict, teaching their children to work hard and to depend on their sweat, not so much on the parents.

If graveyards is all it takes to prevent kidnappers and armed robbers, folks with modest income should never fall victims to underworld men. The general believe is that kidnappers and robbers know their victims. They would not just waste their time going to poor people knowing fairly well that it would be an unproductive incursion. Except in the days when they used to write letters that they are visiting a house or neighborhood. The rich and the poor got hurt equally.

So what is the insurance against kidnappers and armed robbers? Cemeteries, soak-away cannot bite like zombi or riot police. Others are ordering electric fence, fortified sport utility vehicles to take their families out and back home. A few have decided on helicopters to and from airports. Many of us were surprised that almighty Dangote walked home from a party near his house at Victoria Island while area boys harassed him for money. Unperturbed, he did not budge.

Therefore the best insurance for those of us with modest means is to blend and stop being loud (I better-pass-my-neighbor) especially when we do not have what it takes to bail us out. If you are kidnapped and your family cannot raise the money for your release, you might as well kiss them goodbye each time you leave home. Advised not to infuriate them by keeping bail money handy. Yet, some of us cannot help it, we have to play big when we know we are lightweights.

Kidnappers and some covetous ladies have certain characteristics in common: both parties think that anything that glitters is gold: anu ofia. This guy was once visited in his luxurious apartment by armed robbers. He had a beautiful wife and a few girlfriends. He dressed well for most outings. The intention of the kidnappers was to rob him of his money and take his Mercedes Benz away. While he was on their watch, he looked prosperous from the outside.

Whenever he was going out with his wife or one of his girlfriends, he always looked like a million box: cashistic. The appearance of a rich guy outside fooled his wife too after spending a great deal of money on her; until she later found out that was a teaser, he was a broker. The girlfriends and of course the kidnappers got the same impression. You see, everything that glitters is not gold. One has to get inside to find out it is nothing but panda!

As soon as the kidnappers got into his apartment, they realized something was not quite right or misleading. Inside his rented apartment, it was desolate with chairs and beddings that have seen their better days. The wife hardly stayed with him there because he had little to offer. But their wedding was dandy, expensive and loud. They spent so much money on that occasion, it was embarrassing for the wife to tell friends and relatives that she married an empty vessel.

Like his wife and the new girlfriends, kidnappers also thought highly of him until they found out he was hollow. Indeed, some of his girlfriends spent money on him to look presentable to their friends and relatives. They covered for him by giving a little of their money to friends and families they claimed had come from him. Indeed, this type of demands from friends and families leads many workers and salaried professionals to steal on the job.

The kidnappers had to make a decision whether to move on, take his Mercedes with them or kidnap him for body parts. They asked him for the keys of his Mercedes but he warned them that he had abandoned it for several weeks because he could not afford the parts and labor to put it on the road. After giving him the worst beating he ever received in his life, he was useless. The kidnappers decided to move on to other victims instead of wasting time on the loser.

One has to wonder about this guy’s background and how he became a parasite that could not take care of those he attracted as a wife and girlfriends. The problem did not start with ladies. He was a mama’s boy growing up. This guy had a good education and got many jobs but could not keep any of them for too long. He was charming and easy to get along with. Unfortunately, that was only good for a while until it was time to carry his weight among friends.

Ladies have an uncanny ability to spot a good provider but they are also clouded by emotions and infatuation for the dark (yellow) and handsome guy regardless of his circumstances or ability to provide for them, especially in these days when many women can provide for themselves. This opportunistic relationships is not common to women alone but to those men that decide on lascivious ladies at parties.

It became an attitude; we had a friend that argued whenever it came to his turn to pay at the restaurant, claiming he was invited. He was later busted for fraudulent contracts in millions. If anyone told you that some of the looters had so much money hidden in the cemetery, in cocoa bags at the farm and soak-away while their constituencies and their neighbors beg them for some business loans, grants or repair of roads leading to their villages, nobody would believe.

Young people have been conditioned to make it by any means necessary except attack highly fortified oppressors. They impose or take up immoral behaviors to get rich quick like looters, kidnappers, fraudsters, drug dealers and toxic professions as prostitutes in this day of HIV.

Unfortunately, such relationships have killed morals in the communities because of the way money is earned or looted, driven to hide it in graveyards. It creates and shape behavior of younger generations that aspire to the same level of those they admire above them. Shortcut to riches reward a class of vagabonds willing to do anything for their definition of success.

Insurance Against Kidnapers & Robbers
Who gives kidnappers and armed robbers your intimate information and location while money hoarders sleep well at night? They should explore more graveyards and soak-away for big loots. Unless you are flamboyant, rich or a conspicuous spender, chances are most information about ordinary folks comes from close friends or relatives. It is not only the ungrateful son that invites armed robbers to demand ransom on him or to dispossess his “stingy” father of some money.

Some kidnappers and armed robbers are also invited by unscrupulous girlfriends. Only a foolish wife on drugs with no sympathy for her children would dare such a gamble. In short, those who work hard for their money are hardly ostentatious or conspicuous spenders. Yes, they may spoil themselves with some luxury to enjoy the fruit of their labor. In most cases they are very strict, teaching their children to work hard and to depend on their sweat, not so much on the parents.

If graveyards is all it takes to prevent kidnappers and armed robbers, folks with modest income should never fall victims to underworld men. The general believe is that kidnappers and robbers know their victims. They would not just waste their time going to poor people knowing fairly well that it would be an unproductive incursion. Except in the days when they used to write letters that they are visiting a house or neighborhood. The rich and the poor got hurt equally.

So what is the insurance against kidnappers and armed robbers? Cemeteries, soak-away cannot bite like zombi or riot police. Others are ordering electric fence, fortified sport utility vehicles to take their families out and back home. A few have decided on helicopters to and from airports. Many of us were surprised that almighty Dangote walked home from a party near his house at Victoria Island while area boys harassed him for money. Unperturbed, he did not budge.

Therefore the best insurance for those of us with modest means is to blend and stop being loud (I better-pass-my-neighbor) especially when we do not have what it takes to bail us out. If you are kidnapped and your family cannot raise the money for your release, you might as well kiss them goodbye each time you leave home. Advised not to infuriate them by keeping bail money handy. Yet, some of us cannot help it, we have to play big when we know we are lightweights.

Kidnappers and some covetous ladies have certain characteristics in common: both parties think that anything that glitters is gold: anu ofia. This guy was once visited in his luxurious apartment by armed robbers. He had a beautiful wife and a few girlfriends. He dressed well for most outings. The intention of the kidnappers was to rob him of his money and take his Mercedes Benz away. While he was on their watch, he looked prosperous from the outside.

Whenever he was going out with his wife or one of his girlfriends, he always looked like a million box: cashistic. The appearance of a rich guy outside fooled his wife too after spending a great deal of money on her; until she later found out that was a teaser, he was a broker. The girlfriends and of course the kidnappers got the same impression. You see, everything that glitters is not gold. One has to get inside to find out it is nothing but panda!

As soon as the kidnappers got into his apartment, they realized something was not quite right or misleading. Inside his rented apartment, it was desolate with chairs and beddings that have seen their better days. The wife hardly stayed with him there because he had little to offer. But their wedding was dandy, expensive and loud. They spent so much money on that occasion, it was embarrassing for the wife to tell friends and relatives that she married an empty vessel.

Like his wife and the new girlfriends, kidnappers also thought highly of him until they found out he was hollow. Indeed, some of his girlfriends spent money on him to look presentable to their friends and relatives. They covered for him by giving a little of their money to friends and families they claimed had come from him. Indeed, this type of demands from friends and families leads many workers and salaried professionals to steal on the job.

The kidnappers had to make a decision whether to move on, take his Mercedes with them or kidnap him for body parts. They asked him for the keys of his Mercedes but he warned them that he had abandoned it for several weeks because he could not afford the parts and labor to put it on the road. After giving him the worst beating he ever received in his life, he was useless. The kidnappers decided to move on to other victims instead of wasting time on the loser.

One has to wonder about this guy’s background and how he became a parasite that could not take care of those he attracted as a wife and girlfriends. The problem did not start with ladies. He was a mama’s boy growing up. This guy had a good education and got many jobs but could not keep any of them for too long. He was charming and easy to get along with. Unfortunately, that was only good for a while until it was time to carry his weight among friends.

Ladies have an uncanny ability to spot a good provider but they are also clouded by emotions and infatuation for the dark (yellow) and handsome guy regardless of his circumstances or ability to provide for them, especially in these days when many women can provide for themselves. This opportunistic relationships is not common to women alone but to those men that decide on lascivious ladies at parties.

It became an attitude; we had a friend that argued whenever it came to his turn to pay at the restaurant, claiming he was invited. He was later busted for fraudulent contracts in millions. If anyone told you that some of the looters had so much money hidden in the cemetery, in cocoa bags at the farm and soak-away while their constituencies and their neighbors beg them for some business loans, grants or repair of roads leading to their villages, nobody would believe.

Young people have been conditioned to make it by any means necessary except attack highly fortified oppressors. They impose or take up immoral behaviors to get rich quick like looters, kidnappers, fraudsters, drug dealers and toxic professions as prostitutes in this day of HIV.

Unfortunately, such relationships have killed morals in the communities because of the way money is earned or looted, driven to hide it in graveyards. It creates and shape behavior of younger generations that aspire to the same level of those they admire above them. Shortcut to riches reward a class of vagabonds willing to do anything for their definition of success.

Farouk Martins Aresa

Source: https://www.modernghana.com/news/770965/insurance-against-kidnapers-robbers.html#

Hire Judge Ademola and Mrs. Jonathan lawyers. They know the in and out of the justice web. Better still, get Saraki team of lawyers. Nigeria is bleeding to death, the aim and goal of some.

Felixomor,

Could you please point to where the writer contradicts or supports either of you guys.

felixomor:
And his answer contradicts the notion of h person i replied.....

The writer answered that question for you.

felixomor:

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

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.

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?

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.

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/

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

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/

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

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.