₦airaland Forum

[quote author=!rejoice link=topic=660072.msg8267825#msg8267825 date=1304654429]"She urged the vice- chancellors to ensure strict compliance with the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) guidelines on the carrying capacity of the universities set up as specialised institutions, saying, “we really want to have control so that we can have more effective teaching and quality graduates in these institutions."

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Absolute load of tosh! Why more Federal Universities are needed when the existing ones are under-funded, under-equipped and inadequately maintained is beyond me. I have reasons to believe that President Jonathan is looking for quick wins in all key sectors, but this isn't a clever move.
Specialised institutions? Really? You mean like Cambridge/Havard/Oxford? lol
One thing is certain: Nigerian leaders and decision makers will continue to amaze Nigerians, in a funny way![/quote]Its a chicken and egg scenario here. We want quality and quantity at the same time. Something must give and I think we must all take responsibility to ensure quality first by a few institutions. In every nation there are but just a handful of the very top colleges. The others are mass market corporations. What the government should do in the case of education like every other sector of the economy is to broaden not reduce the tier system. It was a bad mistake to convert polytechnics to degree awarding institutions. The quality fell off from there. We who demand education and they who employ labour should be more reasonable. Government should be pro-active in ending employment discrimination and revert back to the multi-tier system of education. Not all feet are same size neither are all shoes. Why should every one have a college degree. When you consider the largest employers of labour and the largest sectors of productivity anywhere world-wide agriculture, mining, construction and industry the bulk of operators are well of on certificates not degrees. Ask the multi-nationals in control of manufacturing and construction to tender the qualifications of their expatriates and you will see what I'm saying yet they do very well.

Specialization and decentralization is the key to meeting the avalanche of education seekers. If we have a broad choice of banking from esusu, micro-finance, community, right through commercial banks up to the Zenith (no pun intended) and we have major and independent petroleum marketers all doing well, large and small construction companies why can't the top tier of education be broader than it currently is. This is where government should be focusing. For private patrons, captains of industries and the well to do in society investment in education becomes more attractive to them when they have the choice of scale and diversity. Dangote for example will find it a lot more attractive to invest in education that fits his line of business knowing the products will be accepted universally. If we think with 150 million and a weak economy government can do it alone then let every family continue to send six and seven children to free schools and expect Harvard or MIT quality. It simply won't happen. We and the government needs to rethink our approach to this education challenge.

And I sincerely hope at least one of these institutions will be dedicated to issues of population control and mass literacy because I think that's what we need as well. The rate of student growth is just unsustainable even if we spend 70 to 90% of our budget on this matter. I'm always an advocate of the bottom line approach whether in economic, politics or education as we have here. I think the prosperity of this country lies in basic education to the most disadvantaged as much as the top tier. It doesn't take that many super educated people to turn nations around but when half cannot read and write then you have a flood of all manner of social issues like we've witnessed post election and the population charge we see.

The truth is a good number of graduates are first generational i.e. probably the first in tne family tree to attain that level. That resounding gap is probably why we have many problems today. You're either a graduate or illiterate. And that's why when the system fails the quality of graduates fail. Our education resource wise is too top heavy.

What will it gain Nigeria to produce that many graduates only for the majority to depart our shores or slide sideways in employment. Then by reason of education all the important decisions are taken by those who have no education whatsoever - the voters.

Thats why I think if the government can raise 500 ultra high quality grads and on account of funds spread the pie to the bottom line we will have a much better society and probably a less violent one. The education and literacy gap between the haves and have nots is just too large.

I don't exactly know what people want. The west is to blame for everything. They intervene - problem, they don't - problem. They sat back in Rwanda and over a million died, NGO's were up in arms calling the US names. They tried in Somalia (another non oil state) and failed and they were called names. They held back in Sudan (with vast oil resources) and are accused of doing nothing to prevent wide spread human rights violation and genocide. Meanwhile the International arrest warrant for big Omar they did not back and the NGO's are again up in arms. Where is the AU in all this. The French stopped the rot by military force in Cote D'Ivorie within full view of the toothless AU and were hailed. They try to do the same in Libya through NATO and are railed. The US bombs the hell out of Iraq, toppled a murderous tyrant and are abused pillar to post. They cease intervention in the middle east, ignore every dictator from Yemen to Syria and are once again abused for double standards. Exactly what do you want the US and the West to do in the face of an AU and Arab league that cannot keep their houses. For our information NATO is the product of the second world war first as an alliance to prevent any member nation from rising against one another and ala. Hitler and to counter the weight of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union became the monster it was because of Hitler's attack on them. The US was called into the European theatre in 1942 (there about) by western Europe as an unwilling ally. They had their war in the pacific but sacrificed to see Europe free. The democracy and freedoms in europe today owes a lot to the US. That is why as the only country left standing after the war (with a functional industrial complex, stable economy and capable military) they were asked to lead NATO - it was a resource thing the way say Nigeria was asked to lead ECOMOG - a resource thing.

Look let us be careful the way we criticize. The US has made many mistakes and we all agree to that but on balance they have been an overwhelming force for good since the forties. If we can only imagine what the world would have been with a successful Hitler, Mussolini, Hirohito, Pul Phut, Manuel Noriega Sadaam Hussein and the list is endless then you for one will certainly not have the internet and Ghaddafi will probably be rearing sheep under the rule of MUssolini's grandson.

Now the US is in terminal decline I hope China will be a better option (we have not seen trouble yet) and as their economy contracts and they cut back on interventions and aid worldwide let us see what our much beloved dictators will do for us and our grand children to come. Even mosquitoes, polio and HIV will rejoice at that.

The assertion is wrong. The US will never cede command and control to NATO and so has withdrawn all its strike aircraft over Libya. Most of those sorties are carried out by the UK and France. The only US involvement are the armed UAV's but are not operating in Tripoli for now.

mrjingles:
Its obvious many of us do not understand this policy, we are using "dugbe market" analysis. No need commenting further on this, it would be a dialogue of he deaf.

Anyways you guys can vent away while the train moves on. Instead  of you "young intelligent Nigerians" on NLand to think of how to key into this you are busy making meaningless comments. "those saying something is impossible are interrupting those busy DOING the 'impossible'.  When chinese and south africans take over the market you will start grumbling about "foreigners taking all our money" I dey go jare.

Thank you. We should be blaming ourselves for not cultivating trust rather than shooting the man down. What are cheques, drafts and other financial instruments for. People have mobile phones and internet connectivity but still clog the roads because they have to be there live. I want to buy something from my friend, business partner and both of us have to clog the banking hall because I cannot look him straight in the eye. My yes is not yes and my no is not no. Some of the responses here are just a telling indictment of Nigerians and their attitude towards money. The basic foundation of business is trust and if we cannot trust the system or trust one another why shouldn't recurring poverty be the outcome. Remember that no society develops on its own. The very dear investment we need to grow our economy hinges on our disposition and if we cannot get basic things right the only attention we will get are from those who would seek to trespass. You MUST make your home attractive for the right visitors and if the world is gravitating towards bits and bytes rather than paper you must begin to think in that direction.

I remember the days of intercity travel when some transport companies that ruled the roads set their own very base standards of service delivery. Shoddy, unpleasant and outright vile. When ABC came up with a new set of rules war broke out and resistance was stiff. Today even ABC has to innovate to stay alive. I see a parallel before our very eyes. Personally I have started my own revolution. I have rejected cash payment demands even as late as yesterday holidays coming or not. The heavens will not fall. If that car dealer will not take a cheque find one who will. When he's hungry enough he will learn to cultivate trust.

C,mon guys if we can't fill in the gaps before 2012 then what are our brains for. Banks are fast turning to convenience stores. Rowdy, crowdy and dawdy. Instead of whining let the smarts in our very own silicon valley get busy developing devices to help SLS achieve his objectives while making a small fortune on the side. We want to grow the economy don't we. You expect investors to queue at bank tellers all day long with sweaty dudes wishing to purchase examination forms. Honestly the industry is becoming a joke. Our cash system is prehistoric, our thinking is slower than necessary and our reaction to change as we can read here is, well, unbelievable.

I'm not unduly worried about what is happening in Abia, political pluralism that makes for good governance in the long run is as good or as bad as what is happening for instance in western Nigeria where you have a 'strong party' with literally no opposition and a 'strong man' at the head of the party. Problems there will only begin to manifest down the line perhaps sooner than later. In both instances there will continue to be misfiring until perfection is attained. The question is are the people moving forward politically. I think they are. Imperceptibly yes, but I think its there. The awareness that economically and environmentally the state is not working is evident to all. That after T.O. a better choice can be made will happen. But if we think the State will move from 'Civil Rule' to 'Downing street style' in two terms of eight years, then we are living in delusion. Forward is forward no matter what gear you're using. Oyo has supposedly ridden itself of Akala, Nigeria has ridden itself of sectional rule, Abia will rid itself of misrule very shortly. He who hold the machete is more important than what the machete can do. The good people of Abia just hang on and be patient.

Congratulations. Now that phase one is over and with no more territories to conquer and no more enemies to fight what next for the ACN empire. I do sincerely hope they can live up to the hype and meet expectations squarely. What should be done to sustain the momentum is internal competition - genuine peer review to keep various governors on their toes if not,

What is happening in Abia though sad is the right step in the right direction. The simple reason is that Abia is trying to free itself of the 'strong man' syndrome. Happens in all states where power has been held for very long exclusively by a single entity. Cote'D'Ivorie and Libya is one example. Its usually very difficult to reform society and in this case the polity. OUK built a huge political structure of loyalists that would require a long time to purge from the system particularly when they are hostile to the government in power. Though Theodore has been found wanting severally we cannot entirely rule out sabotage here and there.

I used to say like it is happening in Nigeria generally that social equality comes before performance if we are not to have a country molded in the image of a particular section of the country and in the case of Abia in the image of one individual OUK. So Abians must be patient, press for change, build strong, independent and virile opposition PARTIES and INSTITUTIONS not individuals. Those alternatives will then form better governments in years to come.

For those who laugh at Abia now here this. Not all states or nations develop equally but those who find it a bit of a struggle initially end up being far better than others down the line.

There is no explicit for or against when it concerns ministers of God seeking for elected offices because the calling of God is dynamic. Biblical references are not sufficient to determine the course God may wish his ministers to take and may lead them by other means not to our privy. We also know the ways of God are past finding out so we cannot say conclusively that the political defeat is not part of a greater picture God is painting here.perhaps after all the carnage, deaths and losses something better may emerge.

My personal impression on this matter is simple. Any loss whatever is regretable and I mourn with him. Should he have gone into politics - no. My thinking is that if God wants to things he uses instruments that fit the task, e.g. a frying pan in the kitchen, a clipper in a barbers shop and a politician in politics. God raises men using His prophets. Pastor Bakare should raise godly men in or for politics. The farmer should raise chickens and not become the chicken himself. Remember 'I will make you fishers of men'. That is the prime calling of ministers. If he has not done so he is either failing or impatient.

Secondly, there is something called 'do not be unequally yoked'. Do not do anything that will cause you to believe or agree with the 'ways' of people who I don't know or cannot control. King Solomon tried it and a wisdom master fell flat. The violence after the elections proved he could not control the situation. How do you control your boss if in future tne General goes into overdrive and heads back to those days of human rights violations.

Thirdly, I'm sure this may startle many but the truth is that God has never promised to save countries but people. People get saved then their actions save their environments. God will not just wake up and make things good for those who even mock him so why will he waste his prized assets for that. As soon as Lot was out of Sodom the place was shut down. As long as there is hope for PEOPLE to change cities remain spiritually viable.

There are many more instances but I would just round up by saying this. God is no fool. If He was into politics knowing it is a game of numbers He would push the most powerful minister in the land probably with the largest, most dynamic and influential congregation or as with an unknown David He will cause some spectacular event (like the slaying of goliath) to unify people and pump their confidence towards a cause and certainly not someone who perhaps has done more to divide the Christian body with his well published utterances. This I'm afraid Desmond Tutu and Reverend Jackson and others were able to avoid but still could not 'get God's attention to put them in office'.

On a lighter note, after seeing what Reverend Jolly Nyame became, I'm certain God will be wary about sending His sheep among wolves again. Sympathies once more for all the losses on all sides of this unwanted divide.

[quote author=EzeUche__ link=topic=651855.msg8181764#msg8181764 date=1303483035]What is ridiculous is the attire Nigerian judges wear. Something that is not suitable to a tropical climate.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/nba.jpg[/quote]Believe me climate control comes standard with this regalia. I think its one of the great things about Nigeria that you get to see different cultures particularly when sold by the number one citizen. If it were in other parts such dress sense by Mr. President will become a status symbol for at least the next four years. What next, the fulani dog ears and Nadal shorts ??

On the morning after the elections when it was apparent the CPC was not going to win the elections I was speaking to a friend who was not pleased about the possible outcome, telling him that things happened the way they did because the alliance between the ACN and the CPC failed. They had the first shot before the GEJ team sneaked in at the last minute and the CPC-AQCN alliance failed because their proposals came far too late in the day. If they had something going even as late as March things perhaps will have been different. There just wasn't enough time to reach a sensible agreement. Coalitions take time to build especially across the great divide of Nigerian politics.

This was my concern as expressed. Nigeria really needs a viable opposition and the loss of the CPC at the presidential polls created another avenue for such to be created. Sympathy is indirectly proportional to the time lag after the accident. The CPC should have snuggled up to the ACN and bared it all in the immediate aftermath for some sort of alliance if not for the future, for the governorship and state houses poll. But it is clear that the problem of personalities ahead of parties and principles bedeviling our nation and polity has taken the better of these so-called leaders. Once the heat of the election sympathy cools down how will the CPC work the dough towards a better future. Even though Buhari may not contest again why can't he position his party properly. This is part of the silence we are talking about. It will have started with an urgent appeal for calm throughout the north and a quick political and moral counter-attack. Even a General knows this. But what do we have. Silence. Because of the violence. The moral edge is lost.

The scenario now has played fully into the hands of the PDP led government. People are now saying sorry oh to Sambo and co for their losses. This is bad. When the dust clears CPC will be labeled as a truly sectional, not even regional party of extremists. This is bad. They will win some states in the coming polls partly because most Christians will not vote and because the riggers may be more cautious but this will further polarize the generality of Nigerians. The dough is cooling fast and they remain silent which is very, very suspicious. Once the PDP recovers from the shock of violence in the north just watch out for them to come back with a campaign of national unity that will sway marginal voters. If the CPC and even ACN waits till April 2015 to form a viable opposition they will yet again meet a brick wall. Bringing down such a wall of Jericho is not a two week job.

Well, I've said it. Nigeria is changing. If you must come out of the caliphate for votes in the future you must tell us how you plan to muzzle your dogs first before telling us how to clean our houses. Why won't they slaughter corpers. Do they know how important education is, how difficult it is to attain it in this country they've ruined and how expensive it is. Folks, just spare a moment of thought for the mourning parents of these heroes who just a few days ago must have been proud of their sons and daughters on national duty serving to make history and deliver political change now in the grave horribly cut down by those who have no value whatsoever for progress.

I am sure some of these parents are poorer than the pitiable excuses for human beings that cut them down yet had worked hard to make the future of their children bright. Is poverty not in the south. My mum carried stones on construction sites and traded her way to education for herself and us then one ruffian will slaughter her children on the eve of her rest and come back for her vote. Sick. Good night. Sick.

jason2010:
@ Nadanbata, My man I totally disagree with you. The problem ain't poverty, PDP, or the elites. I think the problems has more to do with Hausa's way of Life, your religion, and the simple fact that the average hausa man just don't value life. How come the downthroden in my home town , Aba never run the streets killing muslems and Non southerners? I spend quite some time in Kano. As a matter of fact, I left Kano 2 days before the Presido Election. So I know a lot about the way you people (both rich and poor) think and behave. I mean you people flare up over whatever (significant or immaterial) and start killing southerners. Somebody in Neptune or Mars can make a statement about Allah, the next thing we know, you people over here in Northern Nigeria that are millions of miles away from where the event took place, start going nuts. How can you explain, that your daughter who you worked so hard to put through school, who is serving her country as a corper has been murdered by Northerners because you lost the election. Offcourse, your cattle rearing a-ses would not be able to comprehend that, going by the kind of low value yall place of education The only antedot for your a-s is straight up head-on engagement. Believe you me, if we decide to retaliate, it will be ugly, it aint gonna be no dagger sh-t.

I keep wondering with that kind of Northern mentalility, it totally makes sense why u guys ended up running this country into the ground. Abeg save the elite and PDP stuff  for the bird.

I really do not like replying posts but we love to play ostrich. My family and I got to the north when I was very young. Never will I forget the day when I was walking my sister's friend to take a bus home from a visit. She was more familiar with the situation at hand, heard the words before me and took of running, next thing a stone hit the back of may head. Dazed and confused, no one around but was sure the voices were kids no bigger than me. I found out later what they were exclaiming and I won't mention it here. Stayed in the north many more years after that but till tomorrow I won't walk a female anywhere beyond the doors or at night. Play ostrich all you like my friend from the north, while you do, the real men in your community train the future leaders as you can see them, seated in that Kaduna court. I wonder if you are proud of them. This country may not split. One thing is certain though it is not I that need the change but I sure know that your leaders need my vote.

When I commented a few weeks ago that what we need was a fundamental restructuring of the psyche of a certain section of this country, I knew one thing, if a southerner won it would not be accepted. Little did I know that the fault lines run much, much deeper. Well they say the darkest part of the night comes just before the morning. I hope we can rebuild from here. Saw a picture of a number of them cretins seated on the ground at a court house awaiting judgement. Good but can never replace the lives of those wasted. Buildings, churches even congregations can be rebuilt but what judge can ask for the lives of those wasted to be returned. We need social justice and equality in this country. If you did that to northerners in the south those arrested fellows will all be dead. Sot to death by the army. The very biased military is active and alive in Jos simply because Christians from the middle-belt are a majority. Nine years after a southern presidency most southerners still accord TOO much respect and bend over backwards not to OFFEND northern sensibilities. This must stop.

I was in conversation today talking politics. The summary is this. In the future my dear fellow Nigerians and Nairalanders when a candidate of Northern extraction, you know them, a true son of Utman Dan Fodio steps to the plate and wants you to stand in the sun all day to elect him into office to RULE over you, to collect your sweat, your resources with the promise of allocating such back to you in an EQUITABLE and JUST manner ask him or her (sorry ladies, this may never happen) a few questions, such as. What will he do to preach, teach and practice in his HOME zone what he plans to do in the greater landscape of the country. What he will do to inculcate respect and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE for his fellow country men. What will he do educate his people on tolerance, against idleness, against destructive pride. What he will do to properly unify Nigeria by equity and respect for his fellow man. What he will do against the rankadede sub-culture destroying our collective worth. When he can answer then he can start campaigning. But no, no single southerner or southern leader has the guts to tell him, Atiku, Shekarau, Ribadu, Babangida or other leading northern lights what we need and to hold them to their word. We keep silent, bend over, get spanked and tell them thank you. Then when it happens, lives are lost they bring on the usual excuses of poverty and illiteracy and we clap for them and bend over yet again to be spanked.

It has got to that point. I'm sore sorry to say so, I don't see anyone from that part coming to me to tell me anything development, preaching education for me or postulating security, advancement or anti-corruption when they cannot practice it in their homes. Nairalanders, I don't expect Nigeria to buy ACN's message if Lagos was a mess, would you. Why should I buy CPC's if Buhari's north is ablaze. All his talk of anti-corruption shows the criminal masking of the stark realities in Nigeria.

My brother on this page defending the northern position is doing the same, ducking and weaving away from the facts. What is corruption. Is it the price you pay when an axe is placed on your neck because you're from another tribe. If it is so then let it be. Nigeria is corrupt today largely because it is a feudal society. An boy how the north loves feudalism. In the east every one is encouraged to FEND for themselves. Who will then corrupt who if this system works. The west seeks true federalism where everyone is accountable and you EAT WHAT YOU WORK. So where is the corruption from if not from a region where no one wants to work but to eat. I was at work the day seeking for my daily bread when they were doing their killing. Is that the work they are called to. Will the employers of that mob demand a discount? Huh tell me.

Then the man is talking of corruption. Rubbish. Let him ask his fellows who have ruined this country for thirty years, destroyed the working middle class, devastated education (incl Boko Haram that wants to bury it completely) how he expects there to be no corruption. If you starve your children why flog them for stealing. The average southerner is in this mess called Nigeria because he has never truly had a choice, now we want to sort out ourselves, we need TIME, so let no medieval lot think they will set us back again, one Nigeria or not.

So, so, so sorry for the incalculable losses suffered by the families of these corpers and other innocent citizens caught up in the mayhem. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. When you have lost the only thing you have it is no surprise they would not go quietly. Power has changed hands. We have seen the pseudo-peace we have enjoyed during the regime of OBJ and Yaradua was due to their anticipation of a return to the status quo. Now the hypocrisy is clear. They don't have it and so they have a right to kill and destroy for it.

I do sincerely hope that the PDP elders, senators and legislators from the core north are able to fashion a way to reach out to their people. I hope other regions parties from the west to the east are able to form proper alliances with moderate elements from the north so that the perpetrators who have hidden for very long in the shadows of this ugliness will be exposed finally.

This is the reason why I would not support a core north presidency for now. There are just too many fundamental and underlying problems that raw political power cannot mask. The core north just has to enter a social rehab. program, undertake social re-engineering. Power in the hands of people who harbour so much hatred and disdain for others is very, very dangerous. Thank God the middle-belt and moderates have distanced themselves from these radicals.

We must isolate them and expose them for what they are. No hiding behind any 'anti corruption' or other jargons while their HEARTS harbour hate for others. Let the real north tell the rest of this country what they really want and who they really are.

[quote author=Kilode?! link=topic=649113.msg8156221#msg8156221 date=1303140300]My brother You are being unfair to Buhari. He's been down this road before and did not incite violence, The people of the North have never been down this road in a long time.

See the difference?


We all need to look a bit deeper and cast our eyes beyond these names, Nigeria needs to be restructured. This is a good opportunity to propose that.

I hope we will not go back to bribing these stvpid leaders with billions till when another section feels cheated again cos they lost access to Federal Oyel money.

This is not about Buhari, this is about the Injustice of the Nigerian system.

This is our "Archduke Franz Ferdinand" moment, we can take advantage of it or let it deteriorate into anarchy.

I hope we have leaders with the balls to face the real issues, else we will get calmed then resume again in a few years when another section feel muscled by our all powerful central government.[/quote]Yes oh, absolutely right. The people of the north have never gone down this road before. Power has never been out of their hands for this long. Like Charlie Sheen coming out of rehab they just go beserk. Its called 'withdrawal symptoms' or 'political intolerance'. Thats why they say power corrupts and absolute power corrupts like crack cocaine. So the lesson is clear 'be careful how you lust for power' and when you get it, treat it like a virus.

When we on this forum were busy bashing ourselves over manifestoes, little did we know that manifestoes only applied to certain sections of the country that are relatively enlightened and objective not in the places where it has been a guise to entrench and further 'the hegemony. Once again if you belong to the CPC and you live there but cannot speak the language I sincerely hope you have a BB t-shirt or something or else you will understand what the real political struggle is all about.

Kudos to OBJ. He's politically done for now having lost ward, local, zonal and state (most certainly) power, but the political legacy he's left Nigeria is immeasurable. Now most people can see who are the real 'do or be roasted political movements'.

So glad the SE voted en-block to keep power south of the Niger. Remember what goes around comes around. The kinds of barriers being broken in Nigeria over recent years gives us much hope. The myth of Hausa-Fulani political domination I sincerely hope is over. Every region has done its bit in king making. All that is now left is for us to come together: SS, SW & MB one more time to ensure a SE presidency next. Who here will doubt that possibility. Nigeria must be a just and equitable society. This is the only foundation for true and lasting development. Cheers Ndigbo.

Hmmm, no one is talking about anti-corruption now. I just wonder how southerners in the north who voted for the general feel about their co-voters who are chasing them about with matchete and gasoline cocktails. The only manifesto most people north of the Niger know is 'we must rule or else, '

When some folks in certain sections of this country believe and accept the right of others to rule and determine their own future then perhaps they may become attractive and electable. We have not yet arrived there so they must return to tne school of political humility.

Pride drove him away from the ANPP, pride will not permit him to step down for Ribadu lead candidate of a bigger party. Pride will not even permit the ACN have the vice-presidency. How can such be acceptable to any. If the BB team could not build a simple internal consensus how would it have been able to build coalitions to fight corruption. There is something very wrong here.

holydante:
i just heared from my friend in Maitama  about Wuse and Berger, but one needs to reconfirm, if these could happen in Abuja then there is more to this than meets the eye

Nope Berger is not ablaze. Just passed there 10 mins ago - 2.45pm.  Very sad. Heard the VP's pad in Kaduna was torched as well. I cannot remember the houses of Diya, Olanrewaju, Adisa and co. torched even in the heat of June 12. I just hope BB and his supporters have an explanation for this. Anti-corruption by the force of the sword. Once again the North or Hausa-Fulani must distance itself from the sayings of Othman Dan-Fodio if it will ever be accepted in the modern, progressive and equitable Nigeria being built. Social justice is first.

I'm rather glad most people are beginning to understand this country. Corruption, corruption, corruption is our problem. I say yes, the bigger problem is structural. You will NEVER tackle corruption without tackling the very structure of this country. Until there is political equilibrium nothing will happen.

What is the common denominator here. What is it about the hausa/fulani (sorry to sound so rash) that they CANNOT accept being LED. Pat Utomi gave his support for Shekarau without even meeting him based on similar ideologies. Who has Shekarau stepped down for even when its painfully apparent he cannot win. The ACN is clearly a bigger party with better antecedents but Buhari's DNA will not permit him to aceede. Even Ribadu is bitten by the bug. Who is he without the party, but their arrogance gets the better of them ALWAYS. Three out of the four leading candidates are live within 200 miles, in a country of 150 million. When will a northerner ever step down for a southerner or a south inspired political movement. When rotation in the PDP was in place they contested freely against southern candidates, when it was supposedly their turn they wanted it exclusively, even after ruling the country for much of its history.

Now the pet dog is called 'anti corruption' because they know such issues bring about much passion. But how is he (Buhari) going to do it with all these arrogant and uncompromising posturing. If he cannot agree to a common compromise being a junior coalition partner how is he going to pass laws in a hostile house.

He is a good man no doubt but the set up is just wrong. THEY have to accept that no one or no region owns this country and we will all decide when and how to tackle Nigeria's issues. The structural problem came before and created the corruption problem so you csnt tackle one without the other.

Part of the reason the ACN succeeds is because they tackle both simultaneously. They more or less extricated their states from a very unfair and suffocating Federal control. Are we saying a Buhari led Federal government will cheer this progression? Or what type of anti-corruption do you want to preach in the Niger-Delta when the structural issues remain. Lets be realistic. Lets get proper equity in the psyche of Nigerians permanently and a sense of belonging to all before we endulge ourselves.

What is happening between the CPC and ACN proves we remain far from our ideals of equity and justice but rather still grapple with the problems of godfatherism and 'strongmanism'. Tinubu no doubt has done great things but is he an institution or not. Is he building a party or himself.

When I consider the ACN moves it reminds me of Hitler's or Napoleon's push to conquer Russia, a vast and far country. They both lost because their supply chains became too long and vulnerable. You simply cannot build a national party out of a location or a person without divolving powers along the way. To 'conquer' the east you need easterners coming in to form and forge the nucleus of the party. Tinubu cannot continue tne way he is going.

Afterall for all the developmental strides in Lagos, one thing has not changed, the economic position of the people. Even ACN cannot legislate the atmosphere.

Been quite a while since I was on that road so I cannot confirm it but the last time work was going on quite well. Folks, contracts fpr works on existing roads are always termed 'rehabilitation' or 'upgrade'. Only in very few instances does tne government upgrades roads these days. The work by RCC was very good, the thickness of the asphalt as impressive as that of the Abuja Airport - Yaradua Boulevard. Spare a thought for the Abuja - Lokoja duallisation. I've never seen such a mess. Apart from the alphabet soup of contractors handling it, sections built by Messers Bulletine construction, the clowns handling the Lokoja end (forgotten their name - playing checkers with large stones) and even RCC there are very, very poor. Setraco's handling of the Warri end of the ND highway wasn't impressive either.

Folks, name and shame is the game. Any more baddies out there.

Well, well, well. The facts stand out clearly. Its all about personalities, not policies. Even a shared manifesto of getting the ruling party out cannot gel both parties. When will strong institutions ever be built. When will they ever have the interests of the people. When you have an uncompromising combatant on one side and a political god-father on the other what do you expect.

I'm still not convinced these folkscan effectively seperate us from their ambitions.

When he contributed to the slaughter of non combatants during the civil war that gave rise to this corruption infested, socially and politically imbalanced entity called Nigeria he did not weep. As petroleum minister he presided over more corrupyion aiding and abetting Murtala to raid the till while ignoring the Niger-Delta still did not weep. When he became C-in-C with all powers to create all embracing socially progressive institutions 'they' failed. When he handled the PTF with yet another blank cheque to right the wrongs of everything from the civil war to the Niger-Delta question, Afri-projects were busy 'spreading the wealth' and building mega dams in the desert. He's had a shot at history four times but always chose the path we are all too familiar with. He is part of the reason we find ourselves where we are.

A lot has been made about his anti-corruption stand. Fair game. But anyone who was out of diapers in 1983 then will tell you the man to be feared then was thw Chiefof Staff Supreme Headquarters in the person of Tunde Idiagbon. He was the brain and the meat behind the broom, feared by politicians and the military alike. That was why it took his trip out to Saudi for IBB to strike. Buhari was arrested without a struggle in Daura. Tunde returned home shortly still commanding much fear. A few years later he was dead, the circumstances ofwhich are still hanging over the Minna hilltop.

I've said it before Buhari on his own cannot deliver on the corruption issue more than Yaradua could. His positons in government past has proven he needs people to carry the can for him. When he is on his own its business as usual and I won't mention names. When he is subservient as he would under a hostile house, like in the PTF then you can forget the change.

He may be a great guy to those who think they know him but IMO he will not totally deliver and the marginal gains recorded in anti-corruption will be lost in many more areas of equally serious consequences.

Said it a couple of months ago. If GEJ loses this election free and fair he will not spend a second later in the villa. He has not and never will be desperate. He will get the job done, create political equity, give the minorities and the powerless a voice and then the 'owners' of this country who will rather have it all or in pieces may take over.

As usual, a nation that will never face challenges. Is it gas flaring, oil spills or dam overflows that are more bearable. After all the quake and tsunami killed over 8,000 in an instant. They will overcome the challenge and build better reactors going forward. Let's just continue our ostrich dance.

Typical. When we were saying a few months ago that Hitv should have combined with smaller cable operators to raise the cash for the rights it was like 'I'm the 100 pound gorilla in here'. Now Hitv, who's your daddy, huh Toyin Subair is certainly not Mike Adenuga though MTN surely is more of a challenge to GLO. It could be done if not for poor management and the age old Nigerian gravitator - greed. Good thing though they decided to engage the ejector seat a few feet from the ground. Next year the thing would have become worthless.

At least we may all agree on one thing. The political landscape is still too lopsided. I'll wait to see the day it will happen the other way round.

NoBeNaira:
I used to have a small system that just powered my laptop, ceiling fan, and 4 energy efficient (CFL) lights. That was an 105 W panel, 12 V 100 Ah battery, and 300 W inverter. It worked great, but I had to sell it last year. It cost me about N190,000 a few years ago. I bought all the parts and installed it with an electrician friend.

There is a good manual on how to do the installation is here: http://www.nigerdeltawetlands.org/settmanual.html  But if you get a bigger system or have no electrical experience, better to get a professional installer. I hear rubitec solar (above) is good.

Companies I bought from and had good experience with:
http://www.solarmateng.com
www.highnessgroup.com

Other companies I have head of, but no personal experience:
www.alphatech-solar.com
www.solarsolve.com

Here's a list, don't know how old it is.
http://energy.sourceguides.com/businesses/byP/solar/pvS/byGeo/byC/Nigeria/Nigeria.shtml

Good luck.

I think in addition to the information you supplied there are two basic questions most people who could be interested in this solar-storage thing would ask. How long does it take to fully charge the batteries and how long will the charge last at your rate of consumption. Apart from cost this is one big turn-on or turn-off as the case may be. Just like laptops, PDA, phones, etc. Charge and discharge is a big, big, big issue. For instance from a layman's point of view if it will take me the equivalent of eight hours generator time to build up a charge that will last thirty minutes then as they say 'what the hell'.

Solar energy is great if the capital outlay can be reduced by investment in mass production. The figures quoted much earlier are unrealistic. If it was this cheap your dear country Nigeria will surely be earning a pittance from its oil exports. To power an average Nigerian house(hold) you will be talking of 2.5 to 3.0 million for reasonable cover and this excludes mass storage. What the government can do is to take part of the system. Have the panels centrally localized just the same way transformers are situated block by block and let the general public invest in the storage end of the story.

This remains quite expensive that is why I rather like the solar, wind combination. While the sun shines only in the day, wind in this part of the world occurs predominantly at night (which can only be complementary) or during rainfall (when solar is off line anyway).

soludero:
My company, Hillrich Limited, has been marketing and deploying alternative energy systems in Nigeria since 1997. So I can comment on this area. The main problem with mass scale deployment of solar energy is the cost. Because of our climate, any meaningful purchase would be in the region of the higher figures that have been mentioned above. Right now, the industry has deployed street lights, small systems for health system refridgeration, water systems and of course small home lighting for remote areas, plus of course water heating systems in the Plateau area. Both most city dwellers who desire individual purchase are always asking to power air conditioners, freezers and so on, at which level the estimates soar so high tehy say solar does not work. Even the modest estimate of around $10,000 will triple by the time it gets to the end user because of freight and bank charges. Nothing used in the deployment of solar technology is made in Nigeria. Most of our suppliers and partners are British and American. You can buy from the Chinese, but you're only taking chances.

This is statement should not be coming from a country that cannot produce a pin. Person wey dey tanda for traffic no know colour of currency. Chinese technology is not quintessential but it is easy enough on the brain to be reproduced by those who care and cheap enough for the poor. Our country remains in the grip of lopsided development; limousines without roads, private jets without airports and yes mansions and castles without electricity. Most of these countries including China produce these systems to cut cost and preserve the environment. We buy them because we don't even have the electricity cheap or expensive.

Seun:
The telecoms industry is not in the hands of a single foreign company.

Exactly. We are not comparing apples and oranges here as some may want to believe. . PHCN today is exactly what NITEL was yesterday. Its like asking MTN, GLO, Etisalat, Airtel and the lot to bid for parts of NITEL and having the government like take charge of the transmission towers or something. That would get us nowhere. The telecomms project succeeded not because any carrier has a monopoly but each had control of its business top to bottom and could freely interconnect with one another under government supervision. This should be done with the power sector. The market is large enough.

Government keeps on pretending as if the current transmission or distribution system is so effective and efficient it is worth buying. Who says that. All it will give the potential buyer is a head start. Nothing more. PHCN's systems are operated far below the efficiencies any private entity could profitably run and it will be a matter of time before any potential investor trashes it. The Ajaokuta Steel Mill comes to mind. All government needs to do is to broaden the market. Sell the whole stuff - plants, exploding transformers, breakdowns, curses and all to the Brazilians, but by every means ensure that a few more licenses are issued. Regions of ultra high demand must be made competitive such as Lagos, Onitsha and Aba. Government can then offer various incentives for sparsely populated areas and the homes of the leeches who will never pay their bills. Or it may choose to wait for a decade for full roll out.