If you see any PDP member supporting the anti-corruption drive of this administration, what it means is that such person was left out of the yam-eating jamborees of the previous administration. The reverse is also true: if any PDP member is shouting that this fight is witch-hunting, he or she is definitely part of the yam-eating jamboree.
This #Dasukigate reminds me of a particular scene in Baba Wande's legendary movie "Ti Oluwa N'ile." In the said clip, Aderupoko a morgue attendant was being questioned by the hospital management about his unholy and corrupt practices of selling corpses in the morgue. At a point he said, "O maa gbo'ga; gbogbo won ni n j'alubosha." So Baba Falae too dey chop 'alubosa' even at his age.
Imagine the irony of life. While some elders like Buhari are pained by the wanton corruption in the land, some others like Falae, Anenih, Yakassai want the corruption to continue unabated. No wonder their foolish endorsements and unnecessary heating up of the polity before the elections. They know that there won't be free money. Woe unto elders that do not think about the future of their children and children' children for a bowl of porridge. O ga o.
Now the whole thing is getting clearer. Check the time frame of the plane, it was around that time that we were told that Niger's President has negotiated ceasefire with Boko haram. If you didn't forget, you'd also know that former President Jonathan went to Niger twice in succession. And in one of such visits in company of Ali Modu Sheriff former governor of Borno. It's making sense now. All we need is to connect the dots together and we would have known that Nigeria through GEJ don turn maga. Niger ti gba wa!
I have always maintained that not all Nigerians are lazy readers. It's the content that is missing. People read this fantastic story from first to last page and every one wanted more. So if our writers out there can relate to what is happening around us in their writings, maybe we can all begin to read as in the olden days.
This guy is a combination of James Hadley Chase and PaceSetter Series combined. May God bless your hustle @dioxidane. Make sure you publish this story. I like the content for my children.
This is not a treatise in hero worshipping. Neither is it an exercise in partisanship. It is a celebration of a man whose return to power was so clinically timed that it had the imprimatur of the divine. Against all odds and the postulations of bookmakers and pundits, Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the polls will remain a case study for historians of modern African history. Facing fierce competition from an incumbent ruling party with a deep pocket that had vowed to retain power for the next 60 years, the task of unseating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seemed as daunting as scaling the Kilimanjaro. And his eventual ability to vanquish at the polls on self-cognisance, and invariably change the course of our history stands Buhari out as my Man-of-the-Year.
With scant resources and an ascetic lifestyle plus two previously failed attempts, it was understandable why Buhari’s ambition to lead Nigeria again was easily written off by analysts. The patchwork that was the coalition of then opposition parties which morphed into the All Progressives Party (APC) on which platform he contested the March elections engendered little confidence in many Nigerians who seemed helplessly doomed and who had silently yearned for the exit of the ruling party that had for all intents and purposes enthroned impunity and mediocrity. Part of the reason for the shortage of confidence among Nigerians in the ability of APC to seize power at the centre was the eclectic blend of the core purveyors of the coalition and the provinciality of the idea. Given the perennial ethnic volatility of Nigeria, most observers of the Nigerian construct believed that the cobbling of these various interest groups was an exercise in political desperation, and was doomed to be dead-on-arrival.
It was not until one event followed the other, beginning with the Rotimi Amaechi-led revolt within the ruling party that Nigerians were forced to take a second look at the fledgling opposition, and the candidacy of Muhammadu Buhari. Poignantly, many of us knew that the tide had changed dramatically when the then President Goodluck Jonathan, who was most often ill-advised, was foolish enough to tick off the political machine of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. On the Nigerian terrain, the truth is that only political neophytes will dare underestimate the take-no-prisoner demolition power of the Obasanjo machine. Those who dared to bare this lion in its lair never lived politically to tell the story. Ask the likes of the Turaki of Adamawa, or the late Governor General of Ijawland, DSP Alamieyeseigha!
With a groundswell of support from the grassroots, mostly from the youths, and the international community that had began to worry about the last administration’s capability to provide the type of strong leadership needed to join the ranks of governments around the world in the bid to contain global terrorism.
On getting into office, Buhari’s resolve to return Nigeria to the path of sanity was unwavering. Saddled with an almost intimidating range of challenges – from a crumbling economy, poor international ratings, corruption to terrorism, Buhari remained undaunted. His appearance at the Presidential Villa in Abuja seems to have cast a magical wand on the national psyche. Hope seemed to have been restored. Buoyed by local support and endorsements from abroad, he took his time to assemble a ministerial team that has shown promise by their very utterances. Take Ibe Kachikwu as an example.
Undeterred by criticisms about his pace, the punctilious Buhari has remained focused on the major issues that had almost hobbled the system, chief among which is corruption. And he has not been coy about his preparedness to wage an all-out war against it. At the same time, he had to prove to be a stickler for the rule of law and an adherent to the letters and spirit of the constitution which has proven to be a tough balancing act. All in all, he has shown doggedness in this fight and has vowed to prosecute any individual, no matter how highly placed, whose criminal acts endangered the interest of the generality of the Nigerian people. The tenacity with which his administration has gone after Sambo Dasuki and his other accomplices is a case in point. The arrest and re-arresting of the former National Security Adviser (NSA) is proof positive that Buhari will not sacrifice our collective good for the so-called human rights of an individual with such egregious charges and allegations of crime against Nigerians hanging around their neck.
On the war against Boko Haram, we have seen the morale of our military restored with Nigeria’s military once again swiftly regaining its place of pride among her neighbours. Based on reliable and verifiable information, Nigeria’s military has physically re-taken lost territories from the insurgents who have desperately resorted to suicide bombings and other forms of urban guerrilla tactics.
His many overseas trips which have drawn sharp criticisms at home have been worthwhile and rewarding. These trips have won Nigeria partnerships on various fronts. Highly regarded all over the world for his integrity, the confidence level in the future of Nigeria overseas is fast returning. His trips to Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger to drum up multi-national efforts at combating the menace of Boko Haram instantly reasserted Nigeria’s leadership role on the continent. While in Germany, the United States, France and the United Nations General Assembly, Buhari garnered international support for the war on corruption and terrorism; at the G7 in Germany, he was the toast of the meeting as he made a case for Nigeria and Africa. In South Africa, he joined other African Heads of State for the regular summit of the African Union and later returned to Pretoria for the Sino-Africa Dialogue that earned Nigeria favourable trading deals with China. In India, his efforts at attracting investments and strengthening relations yielded equally substantial results and fixed a tottering relationship between the two countries; and the trip to Malta was invaluable as it marked the return of our prestige to that August body in terms of the public relations quotient. In Ghana, a country with very strong traditional ties to Nigeria, the President’s short trip resonated with the Ghanaians at both the security and economic levels.
On the home front, Nigerians have been made to endure hardship because the new administration inherited a hemorrhaging economy. That is a statement of fact. And those who believe otherwise are only being disingenuous. And seven months is too short a time to undo the calamitous damage inflicted on the economy by past administrations. To plug the loopholes and resuscitate the economy, Buhari had to take bold measures such as the shoring up of the local currency, control of the outflow of foreign currencies, and the stemming of the runaway inflation as ad hoc steps to steady the ship of state. Meanwhile, he had embarked on a campaign to recover stolen loots. In the process, Buhari and his team have had to deal with the maze of financial confusion under which the last administration functioned. Or malfunctioned. As the radical Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank told a correspondent of America’s PBS network recently in his usual no-holds-barred style: “In Nigeria, there is no accountability at all. And that’s why I think that corruption in Nigeria is worse than corruption in many parts of the world. It is the worst type of corruption. It is stealing”.
At various fora, Buhari has made it clear that we have to kill corruption or corruption will kill Nigeria. I could not agree more. So far, the campaign waged on this intractable Nigerian plague has began to yield dividends. I am almost certain that many of the suspects know that it is only a matter of time before the noose around their necks begin to tighten. As a matter of fact, it is only in Nigeria that celebrated thieves walk the streets, and prowl the corridors of our National Assembly and are allowed to make laws. Some of them even have the unmitigated gall to show their faces in public and spew garbage. Others have even attempted to use all sorts of underhanded tactics to compromise or blackmail the President.
This brings me to the provocative actions of the so-called Biafran agitators, and the recent face off between some Nigerian soldiers and the rabid followers of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky which have also provided occasions for his critics to tilt their hands. As a leader, Buhari has proven by his studied silence on these two episodes that as a stickler for due process, he has to allow relevant authorities to do their jobs thus demonstrating that no sectional or individual interest must be allowed to eclipse our collective and common good as a nation.
That is why I have voted Muhammadu Buhari as my Man-of-the-Year. That is my story. And I stand by it. Charles Anyiam is the Editor-In-Chief, The African Times-USA.
VINTAGE press Limited has returned the N9 million it received as compensation for the seizure of copies The Nation and SportingLife in June, 2014.
In a statement yesterday, the organisation explained why it took the decision.
It said: “We are again compelled to comment on the N9 million received by Vintage Press Limited as compensation from the government of ex- President Goodluck Jonathan through the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) for the seizure of our publications, The Nation and SportingLife in June, 2014
“We do this for two reasons. First, to restate the sequence of events that culminated in the payment , thereby debunking insinuations about the motive for the compensation. Second, to inform the public that the N9 million collected from NPAN on behalf of the Jonathan government has been returned to the association .
“This decision was arrived at on Wednesday by the Board and Management of Vintage Press Limited after a painstaking examination of the legal and moral issues arising from the compensation
“In our first comment published in the Saturday, December 12 edition of The Nation, we provided the background to the compensation. We recalled the mindless, illegal and unjustified seizure of thousands of copies of both titles by soldiers in major cities and towns across the country.
“Not only were copies of both papers impounded, our vehicles and drivers were arrested and detained in military barracks. They were released very late, in some instances at 7pm, when it was practically impossible to put the consignments in the market. “We know of no other newspaper that was so harassed and maltreated by soldiers who claimed that they had intelligence reports that newspapers vehicles were to be used by insurgents to ferry arms.
“Our response to this unjustifiable infringement of our rights was go to court to get justice and ask for Compensation. We briefed the legal firm of Femi Falana (SAN) to institute an action against the government and the military authorities and demand N300 million compensation.
“Soon after the clampdown, Jonathan hosted the NPAN in Lagos and the issue of compensation was raised with him. He promised to get back to the association through its president, Nduka Obaigbena, the publisher of Thisday. Obaigbena later briefed members that the government had agreed to pay N10 million to each newspaper. A mail followed from the association asking newspapers to submit their statements of claims for compensation.
“This development was discussed with our lawyer who advised that the N10 million compensation was reasonable, following which we resolved to stay action on the suit .
“At subsequent meetings in Lagos and Abuja , NPAN assured members that the government had not changed its mind . At the Abuja meeting in March but year, the association resolved that N1million be paid by each newspaper on receipt of the N10 million towards the acquisition of a befitting corporate office for it.
“In May, the secretary of NPAN, Mr. Feyi Smith, brought a draft for N9 million to Vintage Press Limited. The draft was accepted in good faith, believing it was from the account of the association and also from the appropriate department of government.
“Who was in a better position to deliver a draft from NPAN to Vintage Press than the NPAN secretary? Vintage Press, like other newspapers that received drafts/cheques from the NPAN, did not know that the money was paid to a private company by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and from funds collected by that office specifically for the procurement of arms ? This was until The Nation, in its edition of Friday, December 4, published details of the stupendous sums of money collected by individuals and organisations from the ONSA.
“Now, the source of the payment to us is beyond contention. We now know it came from the ONSA and routed through a private company, General Hydrocarbon Limited. This company is unknown to NPAN. Facts in the public domain show clearly that the money the company collected was for ‘energy consultancy.’
That this company would collect the compensation on NPAN’s behalf was never disclosed to the association in line with corporate best practice. As a business that subscribes fully to the tenets of sound governance, we are not at ease with this revelation.
“We are also uncomfortable with the revelation that the compensation was from the money earmarked for the purchase of arms for troops fighting insurgency.
“This point was stated clearly in our editorial of Wednesday, December 23 in which we said: ‘it is unclear to what extent the extension of the anti- terror war was due to fraud – related factors. But it is clear enough that the war effort was deliberately hampered by fraudulent activities.”
“It is a shame,” we said further, “that there is even a possibility, however slim, that media players helped to create an enabling environment for terrorists, wittingly or unwittingly, by linkage with Dasuki.
“In the light of the foregoing, Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation and Sportinglife, on Wednesday resolved that the N9 million compensation be returned to the NPAN for onward delivery to the source of the money. A draft for N9million was handed over to Mr Smith today in Lagos.
“The Board and Management of Vintage Press have also resolved not to resume the legal action it asked the firm of Femi Falana (SAN) to initiate against the government and the military authorities but to regard the losses incurred during the period as part of the sacrifice The Nation has made to the enthronement of a new order in our country.
“It was noted with satisfaction that no law of the land was breached in asking for compensation and receiving same from the government but that with the sordid disclosures about the ONSA, Vintage Press cannot in good conscience regard the compensation as a closed case on which nothing can be done.
“However,, we find most uncharitable the infantile claim that the compensation was meant to compromise us. We were highly critical of the Jonathan government for its incompetence as we would of any government that we judge to be incompetent. We remain committed to our mission as a newspaper and declare that no individual or body can dissuade us from this noble cause.”
Few days ago, Buhari spoke with the BBC on the progress of the war. They didn't call it propaganda, rather, they sent one of their reporters to come and verify. That is what I think those who are criticizing the government should do. They should leave the comfort of their homes and go to the North East to verify the veracity of the government claim.
Lai Mohammed went there, he gave an assessment of what he saw, they called it propaganda. On Tuesday last week, Dec 22nd to be precise, an AIT reporter that was attached to the Nigerian Military was a guest of Gbenga Aruleba's Focus Nigeria on AIT. What she said was not different from what Lai Mohammed said.
I know there are many Nigerian journalists out there with the military but the lazy ones are the loudest. They feel comfortable concocting lies and posting it online. And when they are called to verify their lies otherwise packaged as news reports, they shout media clampdown. They have their allies in some jobless and hurting emergency activists that have lost their livelihood since May 29. Anybody that is disputing what is happening in the North East should travel to the place and see things for him/herself. Afterall, seeing is believing.
MyndABastard: Why are you now concerned about what goes on in the NE? You don't give a rat's ass if they live or die. Wasn't it the same APC that used the insurgency to get into office? We who oppose your ungodly party can never believe any useless lie that your lying govt spews.
For your information, I'm not APC but a Nigerian. I'm human so I believe the life of any human being counts. Take your grouse to your political enemies. I know all of you are eagerly waiting to celebrate another deadly suicide bomb so that you can tell the world that the deadline is not feasible. Isn't it? But let me ask you, when those bombs go off, do they discriminate whether you're APC or PDP, rich or poor, Christian or Muslim? No, they don't.
America spent 10 years in Iraq, and up till now, bombs are still going off once in a while. I don't want that for my country. All I'm after is peace so that as a Nigerian, I can move to anywhere I want in my fatherland. I see no tribes, no religion, no party affiliations. All I see is the humanity in every one. So there's a huge difference between you and I. Anything else?
"Boko Haram has reverted to using improvised explosive devices (IEDs)," he said. "Indoctrinating young guys... they have now been reduced to that. "But articulated conventional attacks on centres of communication and populations.. they are no longer capable of doing that effectively. "So I think technically we have won the war because people are going back into their neighbourhoods. Boko Haram as an organised fighting force, I assure you, that we have dealt with them."
You already got your answers in that video. But because of mischief, confusion or bitterness, you fail to understand what he was talking about. Now I ask you, what do you gain from all these? How do you feel seeing your fellow citizens in pain? Do you and every other person who hold these negativities as you against your country of birth have any conscience at all? Do you think what befell those in NE cannot happen to you? I have gone to your blog and I see that you revel in spreading negativities about your government. My question is what do you mean to achieve?
Even if you're not a Nigerian any longer, at least you were born in Nigeria at a point in time of your life. Can you be proud of your country of birth with all these negativities you are spreading against her? Have a rethink comrade. It's never too late for you. All the bitterness, curses, lies and vituperations against your government that you are even expecting to make your life better will never take you anywhere. Repent and in the spirit of the season, be a good ambassador of your birth country. Word!
Firm to build refineries in Lagos, Ondo Ode-Aye Refinery Limited has concluded plan to establish Greenfield and modular refineries in the country in the next 18 months.
The company’s Director, Prince Bayo Otulana, said in Uyo on Monday that the refineries would be located in Ondo and Lagos states.
Otulana stated that the modular refinery would be completed within 18 months from January 2016, while the Greenfield refinery would take a period of 36 months to be completed.
When completed, the Greenfield refinery is expected to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, while the modular refinery will have three units and produce 3,000 bpd from each of the units.
Otulana explained that adequate arrangements had been made to ensure the effective take-off of the refineries in both states.
He added that the company had arranged with Federal Government through the Department of Petroleum Resources to ensure adequate supply of crude to the refineries.
“We have secured adequate incentive from the government through the Department of Petroleum Resources. They have promised to supply us 60 per cent of the raw materials, while we will source for the remaining 40 per cent from private markets,” he said.
The director said the modular refinery would cost approximately $8bn upon completion.
On the source of funding, Otulana said the refineries would be funded by Lyords Offshore Funding Corporation through project guarantors of bank instrument issued by 35 banks in the world at a single digit interest rate.
He said that the company had secured licences for the refineries and had Cospower Engineering Pvt. Limited from India as a technical partner to ensure that the dream comes to reality.
According to him, each of the refineries will generate 1,000 direct jobs and over 5,000 indirect jobs for Nigerians.
The Director, Cospower Engineering, Mr. Felix Kadam, said that the technical partner would be back in the country by January 2016.
Kadam said the technology that would be employed would sustain the quality of products from the refineries, adding that the plants would add to the development of the nation’s economy. http://punchng.com/firm-to-build-refineries-in-lagos-ondo/
Some are taking note of the potentials of Ondo. But again, why the fixation on Lagos? I think this investors are first and foremost after their pockets before any other altruistic considerations. Praying Lagos will not turn to another Ogoniland as a result of oil spillage in the nearest future. That will be catastrophic.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has begun work on a N7.6 billion resort in the ancient town.
The Ife Grand Resort & Leisure is sited near the Ile-Ife toll gate on the Ife-Ibadan Expressway.
The project will be a replica but a far better model of his Inagbe Grand Resort in Lagos, built for N3.5 billion.
A close associate of the monarch said the project, a seven-star hotel, would consist of 300 rooms.
Facilities in the resort will include an artificial lake on which an 8,000-capacity floating bar will stand, spas, a golf course, three swimming pools, a lawn tennis court, an indoor sports hall, 30 horses and quad bikes for pleasure ride. The resort will also feature a children’s play centre, mud brick houses, and a 5,000- guest hall.
Most of the materials to be used will be sourced from Ile-Ife and processed by the monarch’s factory.
Operating under the corporate name Gran Imperio Limited, Ogunwusi’s company specialises in developing estates and resorts.
The source added that the sites for other resorts had been acquired in Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Maiduguri.
The monarch, in his speech after his selection, said he would embark on activities to develop Ile-Ife.
Oba Ogunwusi is to be inaugurated as the 51st Ooni on December 7.
Aareonakakanfo: Smh Oluwa Glass Company-0 Ceramic Industry at Ifon-0 Idanre Hills-0 Ofosu Forest Reserve-0 These are projects that can easily make Ondo state the most prosperous state in Nigeria
Add to it NIROWI in Ondo town. Each time I pass that place and imagine the kind of opportunities (both direct and indirect) that place could have brought to the town, I SMH for our governments. And to believe that place is very close to the governor's residence is another thing. But give it to the governor, he has lived up to his billing as a health professionals. You need to see the PPP in Laje Ondo town. That place is still going to be a Mecca of sort for medical tourism in not too distant future.
I think all of us should take some time to listen to this message. It's called Ijinle Oro by one and only Gbenga Adeboye. The message is very very deep.
arresa: We all have opinions and are entitled to our opinions just like you asserted and everything I posted in this thread remains my opinion so what issue do you have with me expressing my opinion? Please lets keep respecting each others opinion regardless what our opinions are. Btw, I have zero problem speaking up against this administration, but I'm not fickle minded or under any illusions that this administration can resolve our 55 year old problem and the systemic rot and decay past leaders have ravaged Nigeria with is solvable in 6 months. It's unrealistic.
Sorry if what I posted irked you in any way. I don't want the issue to degenerate like Barcanista's issue; that was why I asked you to exercise a little bit of caution. Barcanista made an observation that he considered unwholesome at that time and the whole issue was turned upside down. I'm not of the cantankerous type, so please sheath your sword e jo sir.
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Nigerian Senate to look at the extant laws Nigeria had entered into with other countries to consider the chances of accessing funds needed to carry out infrastructural development.
Mr Buhari told the lawmakers at a special presidential dinner on Wednesday that “Nigeria now enjoys goodwill from within and the outside the country now that his cabinet is formed”.
He attributed the development to the speedy consideration and approval of the names he sent to the Senate as ministerial nominees.
President Buhari stressed that his request was made considering the state of the economy and problems of infrastructure, which his administration had promised to address.
“Look at the agreements that were made five, six years ago on infrastructure. Look at how generous those countries were, especially China, and see how we can get funding. The advantages are so many. If the power sector works well, it will affect barbers, welders and even tailors.
“If we can get the railways working, we will safe a lot of lives and we will save a lot of fuel,” he told the lawmakers.
The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, received a resounding ovation for introducing the Senators, mentioning their names off the cuff.
Even the President gave him a presidential handshake for the rare feat.
Senator Saraki told the President that the law makers recognised that the challenges facing the country were enormous.
He said they would do their work in the interest of the Nigerians at all times without sentiments.
Senator Saraki was also seen having a chat with a former Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu.
The executive and legislature at the dinner believe that the event was the beginning of what would bring about a solid relationship between the two arms of government going forward, a development Nigerians would want to see translate to the development of the country.
arresa: PassingShot is definitely the new Barcanista..
You don't have to go to that extent. Everybody is entitled to his opinion. The fact that he expressed his opinion on burning national issues does not mean that he has lost his way. Afterall, there are two sides to a coin. You have expressed your own feelings about the issue. Leave him as he has expressed himself. To many of us, Buhari has never been the real issue, the good of Nigeria is always the main issue here. Buhari was just fortunate to be the beneficiary of our collective aspirations this time around. If he misuses the opportunity, "pasan ti a fi na iya ile, o n be l'aja".
So please don't overflog this issue. "Ti ara ile eni ba n je aayan ti a ko so fun, kurukere e koni je ki a gbadun to ba ya". It's our duty to call our leaders to order when they err.
Owu falls are the highest and most spectacular natural water fall in West Africa. It is located in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. The water falls stand as one of the symbol of nature which its existence is untraceable, but can only be appreciated and promoted by exploring.
The water fall is 120m above water level and cascades 330 feet down an escarpment with rocky out crops to a pool of ice cold water below. The water falls is surrounded with a beautiful natural ambience and hills which makes sightseeing a memorable experience.
It is characterised with fall of ice cold water, beautiful rocky part and walk ways, and evergreen surrounding. Nestled in the soothing forest with luxuriant vegetation and breath taking landscape of Owa-Kajola, in Isin owu area of Kwara State, the Owu Falls beckons.
Owu Falls is said to have been brought to limelight by Reverend Plafare Dui over 40 years ago, during missionary activities for the Sudan Interior Mission, now known as Evangelical Church of West Africa. Owu falls is surrounded by a stretch of mountains extending to Ekiti and Kogi states.
The rich and lush green vegetation makes the environment attractive to visitors and other creatures like birds, monkeys and reptiles. The natural flora and fauna have turned the falls into a nature seekers delight. Folklore has it that Owu falls, was once home to giant snakes and birds that threatened the communal life of the villagers.
This situation persisted until after 1940, when according to the narration, “God in His infinite mercies and love for His people struck the snake with thunder, and miraculously sent the dangerous birds away.”
According to oral history, the founding fathers of Owu, Owa-Kajola and Owa Onire were siblings from Owa family. Then, they lived on the hills above the falls, without knowing of the existence of the waterfalls below till the settlers moved to the present location (Owa-Kajola) in 1940, due to the unavailability of social amenities and the rocky nature of the terrain which made farming very tedious.
With that movement, one of the brothers, Owa Kajola established his home close to this falls, while Owa Onire moved to the city boundary near Isanlu, in the present Kogi State. It is believed in Owu community and its environs that the falls respond to human voices.
Call on it in a very loud voice and it will respond by bringing down more torrential water. One attraction of Owu falls is its coolness which is usually experienced even from a distance of about 10 kilometres to the site, especially during the raining season.
Though the fall is not an easy place to locate due to the bad state of the road, the intricacy in the location was itself another form of excitement. An Assistant Director, Department of Tourism and Culture says the present administration created a new road to the falls from Owu-Isin, through public/private partnership.
The Ifelodun Local Government Area In a bid to improve the status of the falls, built two blocks of chalets for visitors. Unfortunately, these are now abandoned, dilapidated and covered with bushes. This is one of the highest and most spectacular waterfalls in West-Africa
@Aareonakakanfo I didn't particularly take the issue of generating huge revenue from our enormous tourism potentials until I watched the documentary on this place on Channels TV tonight. I think you need to visit this place ASAP and add it to your collections. Quite fantastic. You can also do a little research on this. But it's so pathetic that the road leading to this great place is quite horrible. What a shame!
May God bless you for this. The last time I visited that place was actually 1985. I could recall giving one old woman who recited my "oriki" as never before. I even bought something for her on that day. Wow quite nostalgic!
Poor me, very hard to believe that I spent over 20 years of my life in this great city without having the need to visit Olumo regularly. I think I owe it a duty to visit that place again.
Lori Oke ati petele Nibe l’agbe bi mi si O Nibe l’agbe to mi dagba O Ile Ominira Emi o f’Abeokuta s’ogo Ng o duro, l’ori Olumo Maa yo l’oruko Egba O Emi Omo Lisabi
Chorus Ma yo, ma yo, ma yo o, L’ori Olumo Ma yo, ma yo, ma yo o, L’ori Olumo
Verse 2 Abeokuta Ilu Egba Ng o ni gbagbe re Ng o gbe o leke okan mi B’ilu Odo Oya Emi o maa yo l’ori Olumo Emi o s’ogo yi l’okan mi Wipe Ilu olokiki O L’awa omo Egba ngbe
Chorus Ma yo, ma yo, ma yo o, L’ori Olumo Ma yo, ma yo, ma yo o, L’ori Olumo
One of the positive developments of the implementation of this policy is that a long abandoned NTA station in our locality just received life recently. We were surprised because the project is one of the NTA stations initiated nationwide when Ben Murray Bruce was the DG. Probing further, we discovered that the money meant for the project has been cooling off in one of the numerous accounts we are talking about. So when the issue of TSA deadline came up, the culprits involved sharperly-sharperly released the fund so that they wouldn't be made scapegoats. God knows how many of such projects that would have suddenly come alive in different areas as a result of this policy.
Kudos to the initiators, the planners and the executors. God bless Nigeria!
tiwiex: Oga. Considering the amount involved. 1% is pretty ridiculous. It's a bloody software and it really sends digital money. Remita was not designed for the purpose of TSA. It just happened. All that happened was record updates from banks to CBN. I doubt if any physical cash was involved. Even if CBN calls in a consultant to build a software solely for this, would it even cost 1b naira. Outsourcing and privatization has created another window for fraud. Work that can be done in house is now made to look like rocket science. How much is a states monthly allocation? And 1 company claims to make some states 2 year allocation in one swoop moving government money. No wonder we don't have jobs. There is more to this story. Buharis hands cannot be clean. If they are, then we are in more trouble than I thought. He is totally incompetent. Maybe remita should be responsible for this 5k to the unemployed because a serious government would consider those before allowing one company work away with this much money. I don't like Dino Melaye but he did good on this one.
Imagine @ the bolded! If it's a bloody software you can as well ask CBN to go and buy it in Computer Village Ikeja now. Do you know that Facebook is just a bloody web application that is worth more than $250bn? Do you know how much Facebook paid for common Whatsapp? They have to cough out cool $17bn. It's like asking CBN to buy eTranzact, Interswitch, MasterCard, etc payment gateways.
If the CBN had paid like $1bn for the software, all of you would have crucified them for such transaction. Do you think that software will only be used in Nigeria? It's this kind of mentality that is killing Nigeria tech industry. It's because they are black men, that is why you think 1% is too much. I'm pretty sure that if the Remita was supplied by say Microsoft or Google, you won't be talking like this. Let's face business and forget about politics for once.
What exactly is the problem with this commission on TSA? We are talking of a system that is taking in a liability of 2.5trillion naira and all that we are after is just 25billion naira. I don't blame Nigerians, it's those pirates at the Computer Village Ikeja that I blame. They made it impossible for us to buy genuine softwares. That is why it is increasingly difficult to have a fully Nigeria made software that will be of global standard. What is their crime in charging 1% for crying out loud? Can't we look at it from the other angle that if anything happens to the 2.5trillion these guys would have been indebted to that tune? So how much is 25billion compare to 2.5trillion.
There should be a limit to the way we play politics sometimes.
PUTTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT...WHAT I KNOW ABOUT REMITA....(Please be alert to my emphasis on some words and phrases using capital letters)
Some years back...I suppose a little more than 5 yrs but preceding the the GEJ era, I saw an advert in the newspapers....a new epayment/collection system developed locally by a Nigerian, with a brand name REMITA was advertised. It sought to bring additional innovation to the landscape dominated by Interswitch but focused on the Corporate epayment solutions.
The solution was developed to help corporate organizations leverage online platform to drive collections especially from distributors of their products in order to eliminate leakages and fraud...and also for govts to drive collections....I checked the Company that developed it, it was no other than...SYSTEM SPECS...A Technology innovation and solutions company that is one of the early local technology developers in Nigeria owned by Mr John Obaro....I suppose he is from the NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA.!!.....
ROLL BACKWARD TO LATE 90S
Mr Obaro's company SYSTEM SPECS had about 15 + years ago developed the first Human Capital Management solution in Nigeria called HUMAN MANAGER...the first to compete with similar solutions owned by foreign Hi-Tech companies like SAP and SAGE....being a cheaper solution, it caught the waves and many corporates bought the solution to manage their HR. I recall that when Capital Alliance Private Equity set-up in Nigeria in late 90s, SYSTEM SPECS was one of the first Technology companies they wanted to invest in because of their forward looking business, but it eventually did not happen...........
FAST FORWARD TO 2014....
When the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy , Ngozi Okonjo Iwela came up the the TSA policy in 2014, she of course knew that the only way it will be efficient was to drive it through an eCollection /ePayment platform so that Revenue agencies and collection banks can automatically remit funds to the TSAs in CBN without much of human intervention and to avoid revenue leakages. So I think sometime in Oct/Nov 2014, NOI through the approval of former President GEJ signed the contract with SYSTEM SPECS to leverage the REMITA SOLUTIONS....(Our own home grown solution in promotion of local content in Technology adoption) to be the eCollection platform....
Now by all local and global standards, eCollection platforms typically charge between 1%-3% of total value of transactions...so I do believe that NOI agreed to the lower band...1% and signed the deal. That means REMITA platform, owned by SYSTEM SPECS will charge 1% of total revenues collected through it!..... It is imperative to note here that THIS CONTRACT WAS SIGNED BY NOI UNDER GEJ GOVT ....and that is the subsisting contract till date...... I suppose because the TSA compliance under GEJ was very low, the charges may not have been so high enough in one swoop to warrant the "eagle eye" of Nigerians...or better put, news fabricators! propagandists!! and News Mongers!!!
ROLL FORWARD CURRENT DAY....
Naturally when PMB ordered for full compliance of TSA....I honestly would not know if the transfers were made through REMITA or not, but I suppose being the ecollection platform they applied 1% charge on the transfers!....leading to about N25B income, that many have criminalized and came up with spurious allegations and fabricated lies on......Suddenly, a deal contracted and signed by NOI and approved by GEJ.........SYSTEM SPECS (Erroneously called REMITA, the brand name of the solution); has been baptised and transfigured by some rumour hungry Nigerians to now be ALPHA BETA (company alleged to be owned by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu) and deal trending to be a PMB deal!!!......
Now, while I personally may have issue with the terms of charges, I think we should understand this is a CONTRACT signed by previous govt and stands to face serious legal issues if it was reversed or cancelled without due process......But I do also know for those who see everything wrong with PMB...or who are looking for ways to accuse him, ...had he cancelled the contract, they will still say he is REVERSING ALL THAT FORMER PRESIDENT GEJ DID!!!!......
May be Nigerians should be told, that the standard applied by SYSTEM SPECS is acceptable globally and various govt revenue agencies using online medium like Nigeria Immigration (ePassport) (never mind they have gone manual to enable the usual fraud to continue), have done similar things.....Blame should go the govt that signed the contract because they could have negotiated better and much lower charges considering the VOLUME OF TRANSACTIONS INVOLVED. Or even negotiate an outright purchase of the platform!!...I suppose should not have cost more than $10-20m to purchase it and then ask SYSTEM SPECS to operate it for annual fees!!
Personally, what is the big deal in 1%? That is the trouble with Nigerians. This issue is based on an agreement of which both parties are signatory. Why the hue and cry? Have they pondered on the liability involved if the system malfunction? We're talking of 2.5 trillion compare with 25billion only. Some of these people are very very ignorant. As a developer, I developed for a cooperative society and I charged 5% because of the risk involved. They are looking at the money but they fail to look at what goes in to bring in the money. Bunch of ignorant f..ls.
The Treasury Single Account (TSA) contract that gave out 1% as remittance fee for all government accounts moved to the Central Bank of Nigeria was signed under the regime of Goodluck Jonathan in 2012, a CBN source has revealed to SaharaReporters.
The Peoples Democratic Party had claimed recently that the TSA policy was formulated under former President Jonathan. However, due to weak regulations and corruption in the system, several ministries, departments and agencies of the Nigerian government refused to conform with the TSA policy.
A company, Systemspecs Ltd, founded by John Tanimola Osaro in 1992, got the contract to oversee the remittance of funds into the TSA. “Remita” is the flagship product of Mr. Obaro’s Systemspecs Ltd. According to our CBN source, the company built in a demand for a 1% fee to be paid to it for all remittances made into the TSA. System specs Ltd is chaired by a former Nigerian Ambassador to the UK and chair of SURE-P program under ex-President Jonathan’s regime.
Since President Muhammad Buhari made it mandatory for MDAs to remit funds into the TSA, Systemspecs company had already been paid N8.6 billion when CBN officials claimed they detected the anomaly and forced Mr. Obaro’s company to refund the excessive remittance fee. So far, the TSA account has N1.5 trillion deposited in it, the CBN source said no commission was paid.
The Central Bank source said the apex bank was in the process of developing internal competency to enable it to handle the TSA. "We at the Central Bank should be able to handle remittances into the TSA without having to pay any so-called consultants a bloated remittance fee," the source said.
SaharaReporters also contacted the former Central Bank Governor, Lamido Sanusi, who is now the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II. He asserted that the CBN did not sign any contract with REMITA under his watch. In a series of text messages, he stated that it was the Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation who must have signed the contract with REMITA. The former CBN Governor added that only Nigeria's Finance Minister is entitled to pay commission on such payments. He said under his tenure as CBN Governor his team kept pushing for TSA. According to him, the CBN's call for the institution of TSA could be found in the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting communiques. He told SaharaReporters that some ministers in ex-President Jonathan's government resisted the TSA apparently because they were doing deals with banks.
SaharaReporters contacted Mr. Obaro’s company, but he did not respond to our inquiries as at the time of going to press.
Sometimes I have this strong belief that Nigerians are not ready to leave the status-quo. Nigeria will be delisted from JP Morgan because she fails to abide by its terms and conditions. MTN should be excused for their failure to abide by the terms and conditions because we need them. Are you telling me that it's very safe for JP Morgan to lose the money they are making out of their investment in Nigeria while we should overlook the impunity of MTN?
PassingShot: Maybe "a bit surprised" instead of "disappointed" is better. I agree with everything you've said. Add Amaechi in that list of super important ministers. He has to make real impact in our transportation infrastructure. All in all, PMB is a very wise man especially seeing how he shared the portfolios with the Southern part of Nigeria getting ministries that are vital to the revival of our economy. Power, Works, Housing, Finance, Solid Minerals, Budget & Planning, Transportation, Petroleum, Industry & Ttade, Labour & Employment and even Foreign Affairs are all in the South! More respect to the man PMB.
Right from the start, PMB brief has always been Security and Anti-corruption. That is why you can see him always talking on the two especially in almost all his dealings. He solely left the issue of economy to the Vice President. And if you look critically very well, I think there's a kind of synergy between the President and Vice President. Look at all the security apparatus, they are occupied by mostly northerners who he believes can work with him in both security and antigraft. Now if you look at the economy, I think most of it has been left in the hands of the southerners because of the input of the Vice-President. This is exactly what we are saying. The north and south should come together with each bringing in its areas of expertise for national development.
I've seen people taking a swipe at Fayemi. What they don't know is that he might even be the one that will suggest the portfolio to the President given their level of closeness. Fayemi has never left PMB since he was sworn in. He had input in almost his presentations as that is his forte. So I don't believe that he was shortchanged by not getting the Foreign Ministry. That ministry has a more qualified personnel than Fayemi as the man has spent almost two and a half decades in international organizations. So, he is better qualified. But Fayemi's brilliance will be put to test as I don't see him failing at all. Infact, I have the confidence that he will even perform more than Fashola because Baba's intention is to diversify the economy from oil. And don't forget, Madam Oby Ezekwesili because of her brilliance transform the Due Process, and later she made her mark in Education. Also, Prof Akunyili raised the stakes at NAFDAC and ever since, nobody has been able to fill the vacuum she created there. That is one thing the brilliant ones have going well for them. All they need is their brains to make a mark and I believe Dr Fayemi has it in abundance. Don't be surprised that in the next dispensation, all attention may be shifted to Ministry of Solid Minerals just as it is now on Petroleum Resources as he would have raised the stakes very high.
I have this extra-ordinary optimism that we are in for a very good ride. Very soon, those white people will soon start relocating to Nigeria because of the positive tidings that will be emanating from here. They thought that the end has come when we were faced with Ebola, but we surprised them and we are able to even teach them how to contain such. That is the kind of spirit that is in every Nigerians. We are Nigerians and we can only solve our problems the Nigerian ways. No cause for alarm. It is our time to soar and we will show the whole universe that God never made a mistake by choosing us as the largest population of black race in the world.
Shymm3x: Fayemi is definitely a brilliant mind and his CV might be the best of lot. However, I just think based on his achievements when he was in the UK and other places - he has everything to take Nigeria's foreign policy to the next level. If we're being honest with ourselves, he failed in Ekiti, hence that "stomach infrastructure" thug was able to wrestle power from APC. I guess that's why I have my doubts about him. But regardless, I'm not really bothered cos folks don't really pay attention to that sector due how dependent Nigeria is on oil.
As for Fashola, it is just natural to be scared once you take emotions out of it - and focus on his career progression/projection to the next level. The power sector isn't Lagos. With that portfolio, he'll have to fight a lot of battles and the average Nigerian will have to feel the impact in real time. That's how they'll grade him. It is basically like throwing yourself open into the court of public opinions, where folks who don't understand anything are the judges and the judgement would be based on the impact you have on their lives. And anything they perceive as failure can be a career killer. I just hope he prevails - he's a warrior for taking something as daunting as that.
Also, I like him as the works and housing minister. That's perfect. Someone just needs to rein the incumbent fat boy in Lagos in, to stop antagonising his superior. Lagos needs Fashola's ministry for a lot of concessions from the FG and they both need to work together. Hopefully, he'll extend a few things to the SW and help in the integration of the region. Nigeria also need new cities and if he can help build a few, that will be nice.
Kemi Adeosun is the star of the list. I like her appointment a lot. But folks will have to be extremely patient with her cos Iweala messed up the country's economy with her voodoo economics and magical numbers -hence the economy is in comatose. She has her work cut out by I believe she has what it takes to excel. It is a tedious job but she should make us proud.
I don't know the rest apart from Lai Mohammed. The man is a parrot and he got the right portfolio.
Well said my brother. Actually the Fayemi governorship was a misnomer. He should have left politics for the politicians. To me Fayemi is not cut out for politics. He is a technocrat per excellence and very good at policy formulation. He could have stayed in the background and allow the likes of Dele Alake, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele to run the show. I could remember when I went to Ekiti state last year for a project. All the people were complaining of was that he speaks too much English. That means his lofty ideas did not resonate with the people. And not particularly in Ekiti where the likes of Fayose has raised the stake on people-friendly governance.
I still have my reservations on that fat guy in Lag. I don't see him raising the stakes like Fashola did. And to make it worse, people are now seriously complaining about him. That is the problem when you succeed someone like Fash. Imagine the current traffic situation in Lagos and Fash still on the sit!
As per Kemi Adeosun, she has the opportunity to prove herself. Her ministry is one hell of a job at this point in time of economic woes and recession. I only pray she lives up to expectation.
Shymm3x: What do you think about Fayemi as the solid minerals minister? That man has a stellar CV in conflicts resolution, military, and international relations/politics. Shouldn't he be the minister for foreign affairs, rather than what they gave him? Nigeria needs a better foreign policy cos all the clowns they keep putting there are some of the dumbest folks ever.
That appointment is one minus that cannot be overlooked. But I think that the man is seriously looking at diversification and he needs a trusted hand in that sector. Well that sector might just be another power sector now. Attention will be shifted to solid minerals and agriculture according to the president. Dr Fayemi is a brilliant mind no doubt and I hope it won't turn out to be another albatross.
Shymm3x: What about vested interests, especially those involved into importing generators? And how'll they be able to push a bill to allow states control power and energy resources through the legislative arm of government? What about states that don't have the resources?
According to an expert I listened to sometimes, one Dr from UNILAG, he said the state could generate their own power up to about 1 or 2megawatt. That it's only when it's above that it would be linked to the national grid. So IMHO, I think they begin to have a cluster of small power generation in strategic places rather than going for a bigger one that would consume their resources and wouldn't be completed during their terms in office. For instance, Ogun State government should think of having an IPP in Agbara axis and another one probably in Sagamu.
On the vested interests, they are mostly the people we have been talking about. They have lost their grips on the FG, so I don't see them as threats except they want to dare Mr President.
Aareonakakanfo: Power is an entirely different ball game here.No past minister has ever been successful in that position. EPL is different from Champions league I still think its a bad move
You are correct. Remember our own Baba Ige took a shot at that ministry and he got overwhelmed. But our elders say "ibi lile ni a ti n ba okunrin ogun". He knows the challenge before him, let's just wish him success.
Politics › Re: Desist From Unnecessary Criticism Of Buhari – Kashamu by razid: 10:48pm On Jan 18, 2016
