Politics › Re: We Igbos Are Falling Into Intellectual Stagnation by ShangoThor(m): 9:52pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
Mobinga: Why are you blabbing? You act like you are new in Nigeria. Are you a full blown Nigerian or a Nigerian living in the comfort of your British/American home? Seriously Mobinga, read my first post, it was a question, and the first thing you did was insult me, it seems like you're the one that has been puffing on a blunt, take out your aggression somewhere else. |
Politics › Re: Biafra: Do We Need Egyptian Style Revolution To Achieve Biafra by ShangoThor(m): 9:29pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
Mai Suya: Really? then [i]WTF [/i]was MASSOB all about ? LOL, NL is a funny Forum, you have all these people pretending that they absolutely understand complex issues when they don’t, their first instinct is to insult, or exclude things they are uncomfortable with. Wow for reasoning! ! !
The moment individuals or groups lose objectivity and are not interested in learning how to accomplish goals, all that would be evident is “HOT AIR” |
Politics › Re: We Igbos Are Falling Into Intellectual Stagnation by ShangoThor(m): 9:28pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
LOL, NL is a funny Forum, you have all these people pretending that they absolutely understand complex issues when they don’t, their first instinct is to insult, or exclude things they are uncomfortable with. Wow for reasoning! ! !
The moment individuals or groups lose objectivity and are not interested in learning how to accomplish goals, all that would be evident is “HOT AIR” |
Politics › Re: Biafra: Do We Need Egyptian Style Revolution To Achieve Biafra by ShangoThor(m): 9:15pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
Mai Suya: Really? then [i]WTF [/i]was MASSOB all about ? Yes, but did MASSOB field candidates in elections? |
Politics › Re: We Igbos Are Falling Into Intellectual Stagnation by ShangoThor(m): 9:12pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
Mobinga: Did you smoke? What is MASSOB for?  Yes, but did MASSOB field candidates in elections? |
Politics › Re: We Igbos Are Falling Into Intellectual Stagnation by ShangoThor(m): 9:01pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
Ikengawo: For a people once infinite in intellectual endowment, i've come to see the shadow of Biafra has left us stagnate. Our people, once the origin of nearly all of Africa's new ideas, cannot even address the problems that face us without blanking 'Biafra' as a solution.
We were the ones that in all reality liberated Nigeria from the British and asked the 3 tribes to stay united, but we act as if we're less Nigerian, or Nigeria is less ours then anyone else's then quickly wonder why we're politically irrelevant.
We pioneered this continent time and time again, and now we can't see and issue that everyone else is solving for themselves with real solutions without a lost multitude scream biafra and blaming all our problems, which we created ourselves, on 'marginalization' and speaking of succession. We seem to have totally lost focus due to a lack of real ideas.
when someone speaks of corruption we speak of seperation as opposed to a solution when someone speaks of kidnapping we speak of seperation
any problem that afflicts us, the failed idea of seperation from a nation we built is instantly blurted as a solution and real discourse and problem solving is not achieved. When did the most capable people on planet earth become perpetual victims? Seriously, I have often wondered why a political Party was not formed to espouse the ambitions of the creation of the Biafran State or the movement for secession. Surely, that would put the argument to rest, once and for all.
The Northern Irish did it with Sinn Fein, so why not the Igbo. You’d be able to campaign, would have to list a manifesto and be part of the Political process and gauge how much support there is.
Is there anybody that can shed light on this? |
Politics › Re: Biafra: Do We Need Egyptian Style Revolution To Achieve Biafra by ShangoThor(m): 8:59pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
Seriously, I have often wondered why a political Party was not formed to espouse the ambitions of the creation of the Biafran State or the movement for secession. Surely, that would put the argument to rest, once and for all.
The Northern Irish did it with Sinn Fein, so why not the Igbo. You’d be able to campaign, would have to list a manifesto and be part of the Political process and gauge how much support there is.
Is there anybody that can shed light on this? |
Politics › Re: Fashola Challenges Fg To Public Debate Ahead Of April Polls by ShangoThor(m): 8:22pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
Kobojunkie: You have made a big mistake here. The President NEVER pretended to have skills of any kind. As a matter of fact, Fashola happened to have been one of those, who about this time last year protested to have a man, with NO RECORDS OF ACHIEVEMENTS AS STATE GOVERNOR, installed as Acting President, and then President.
What skills do we now want him to show us? I don't completely understand you, are you saying he doesn't have to? Nigerian citizens deserve to be informed about a Leaders vision! Simple!
It's time to build, I'm done with crawling! |
Politics › Re: Fashola Challenges Fg To Public Debate Ahead Of April Polls by ShangoThor(m): 8:10pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
erastus75: You then think you have a dumb as a President huh? He will not be able to defend his policies,actions and inactions abi? Come off this crap and let us remember that, it is all about politics(permanent interest and no permanent friend) It's simple, prove it. Where are the debates in general. Prove it !. Mr President please show everybody your skills.
Or is this not deemed a privilege because a citizen is demanding a basic, very basic demand. This is nothing personal. |
Politics › Re: Fashola Challenges Fg To Public Debate Ahead Of April Polls by ShangoThor(m): 7:51pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
KenGali: Fashola is really over reaching his credentials here. He is a Governor on an ethnic party challenging The President and Presidential aspirant of the only National Party in Nigeria to a debate. Does that mean his party has no other person at the level of Presidential Aspiration to challenge GEJ or rather the He is not too satisfied with Ribadu's response. Fashola may be doing well, but it is not lost to people outside Lagos that he is only refurbishing Roads and Faclities built with Federal Fund and by FG, his major works are simply beautification inspite of the huge revenue from tax.
Fortunately or Unfortunately, ACN failed to see the moves entailed in GEJ's comments. It was an attack meant for Ribadu with several hydra heads, but ultimately culminating in Ribadu reminding the electorate that he is subject to an ethnic party and shreading off the false "progressives" cloth AC is trying to veil herself with.
Even with all the SW media uproar, with the words "I am a proud rascal" from Ribadu, when GEJ only adressed SW leaders, Ribadu is clothing himself with a strong yourba coloured cloth. If GEJ exercerbates this and forces Ribadu and his sponsors to keep responding, He may not get votes from the SW which he aready expects, but Ribadu will not get votes outside the SW, even from the North (the main reason why AC selected him). This is NIGERIA, you either believe it or you don’t.
This is not the Sharia Banana Republic of the Slave Coast. Enough is enough!
Mediocrity has no place in what we are trying to build or accomplish, this is a new generation, it’s our time!
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Politics › Re: Fashola Challenges Fg To Public Debate Ahead Of April Polls by ShangoThor(m): 6:41pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
The bottom line is this, Fashola has every right to throw down the debate Gauntlet, especially as he was reacting to one of the President’s disrespectful and personal comments/gaffes.
GEJ would get slaughtered by Fashola if he ever took up the challenge, and he will be exposed as being an unsophisticated and lacking real leadership qualities.
Fashola was partially educated at Igbobi College, and back in the day they had a fantastic debating tradition and he was trained well and he knows it. I’m telling you Fashola is the real deal, proper pedigree and I have so much confidence in his abilities that I would be willing to stake my life in a bet that he would be able to turn the Nation around in no less than 2 years if he was president of Nigeria. Actually, you don’t need to take my word for it; he would debate with anybody at anytime, providing intelligent counter arguments. I mean with ordinary folk or citizenry as well as top politicians.
He has vision, this is NIGERIA, not the Sharia Banana Republic of the Slave Coast.
I am sick and tired of all this mediocrity, damnnnnn
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Politics › Re: Why Is America So Blessed? by ShangoThor(m): 6:29pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
cap28: I'll change the record when you face up to reality and stop pretending as if what happened in the past has no bearing on what is happening to the black race today.
The fact that you as a black person had to leave your own country and go abroad to acheive a decent standard of living indicates that you along with many african people ARE directly affected by africa's past legacy ie colonialism and exploitation of our economies by the west. If you and a european person with the same qualifications were to go to live in any part of africa today to look for the same type of employment , the european would have access to better employment opportunities than you, the same principle would apply if both of you were to go to australia, canada, south africa, far east asia and the carribean - there is nowhere in the world that any black person has an equal chance with a european - even in africa - why do you think that is the case?
You say black man solidarity is a vain and pointless concept - funny you should say that because whites dont think that at all - thats why they set up NATO, the IMF, the world bank WTO etc, they know unlike you that real power comes from collective organisation and thats why they control how you and i live in this world, whether you want to accept it or not you do not have the same opportunities in this world as your white or even asian counterparts. Whites unlike blacks prefer to identify with their own people, you only have to travel outside europe or north america and see how expatriate whites always stick together and network amongst their own people, ive been to countries in africa where whites live in gated communities and do not interact with the indigenous people, i also have friends who've worked in the middle east and its the same thing there too - white expatriates stick together and prefer to be around their own people, how come its only blacks who don't think its necessary to maintain solidarity with their own?
Since you beleive that black solidarity is pointless - id like to hear what your own solutions are. Cap28, you’re bang on the money, however, where we differ is that there are two aspects to the imperialism that Africans were (some argue, are being) subjected to. The obvious which you’ve mentioned is Western, but the other, which is a lot older is that of Islamic Imperialism, and perhaps we are in for a phase 3, that of Asiatic Imperialism, with the Chinese and Indians sharpening their claws since we are not short of leaders that are willing to mortgage Nigeria/Africa and enslave future generations unborn.
The bottom line is only Africans themselves can stop themselves being victims. Keywords being the 3 C’s, : ‘cooperation’, ‘collaboration’ and ‘control’. There is absolutely no reason why we can’t build our Utopia, it is mindset that keeps us at the bottom of the ‘food chain’.
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Politics › Re: Pdp Brought Bombing, Kidnapping To Nigeria- Fashola by ShangoThor(m): 4:33pm On Feb 12, 2011 |
Fashola would turn Nigeria around in no less than 2 years, if you don't believe that he can, contact him and argue your case. He will simply tell you how he would go about it. He has vision, this is Nigeria, not the Sharia Banana Republic of the Slave Coast.
I am sick and tired of all this mediocrity, damnnnnn |
Politics › Re: Namibia’s Herero Call For Reparations by ShangoThor(m): 1:49am On Feb 12, 2011 |
EzeUche_:
The reason why they wont get reparations is due to the fact that they are Africans. Point blank. Even if we were united the, Germany would not give this group reparations. Yes Germany would, if we all banded together and act against her economic interests. But hey, we agree to disagree, nevertheless, it's kind of obvious by now that lone voices on forums and those of the single community involved will never yield results because there isn't a level playing field. Peace! |
Politics › Re: Namibia’s Herero Call For Reparations by ShangoThor(m): 1:03am On Feb 12, 2011 |
EzeUche_: Didn't the Jews get reparations for their suffering at the hands of Germany? Why shouldn't these people get reparations? They truly deserve it. I don't know how a people can be so cruel to another. The Herero people went through a lot in their history.
Hopefully, things are getting better for them. The reason why Africans will never get reparations is because they are divided, do not collaborate enough and do not back or support each other, in relation to communities or polities. You will never get any Jews arguing against their entitlement to reparations for the Holocaust. |
Politics › Re: Namibia’s Herero Call For Reparations by ShangoThor(m): 12:36am On Feb 12, 2011 |
Precursor to "the final Jewish solution" of the Nazis, "the Holocaust" of the WW2. It has been argued that the Germans had good practice!  |
Politics › Re: Nigeria Can Easily Break Up If Buhari Is Made President! by ShangoThor(m): 6:25pm On Feb 11, 2011 |
Beaf: The day Nigeria breaks up will be a funny day indeed! Peeps like Buhari will become warlords for their areas, while they fight to the finish with their neighbours over who will be the next mugu for their cabals to tranfer their parasitic attention to.
That day, many will suddenly realise the favour the rest of the country has done in hosting their vast almajiri population. On that day they will realise what a burden those 10 million urchins really are. . . A population greater than two thirds of the Worlds countries figures.
It will be a day when an almighty scramble for tickets and visa's to the new El Dorado across the Southern borders will begin in earnest.
A day of solemn realisation, chest beating and gnashing of teeth as the despised former country women and men begin to look like gods overnight.
What a day that will be!  @ Bold, Beef, shhhhh, you're giving too much away. I'm sure they'll do fantastically well with their desert encroachment, they will be able to modernize their economy from agrarian, cattle rearing to a modern digital manufacturing economy, LOL  |
Politics › Re: Hosni Mubarak Resigns by ShangoThor(m): 6:12pm On Feb 11, 2011 |
People power works! |
Politics › Re: What Wher The Hausa's Doing When The Igbo,s & Yoruba's Wher Developing? by ShangoThor(m): 3:49pm On Feb 11, 2011 |
@ OP's question, Oh no you didn't? LOL  |
Politics › Re: Tiv/fulani Clash Claims 17 In Benue by ShangoThor(m): 3:01am On Feb 11, 2011 |
eku_bear: It's actually a great longterm solution. If you were a cattle herder and you know that if you enter state X, there is a 60% chance you won't leave with your life, would you enter that territory?
The mistake the Tiv made was not immediately killing the trespassers too. Killing the cattle is not enough. If you want to farm in Nigeria, then you'd better learn how to handle a gun. Farmers here in the US at least historically knew how to handle guns because they had to deal with marauding Native Americans. Nigerian farmers had better learn to do the same.
Hire a retired military man to teach your villagers how to shoot, buy weapons and practice.
My grandpa had a hunting rifle (for bush meat) and knew how to use it. . . and this was a man whose prime was in the 60, 70s. Kewl, but I predict that this will reoccur, and in different parts of the country, and nobody is going to address the root source of the problem. |
Politics › Re: Tiv/fulani Clash Claims 17 In Benue by ShangoThor(m): 2:50am On Feb 11, 2011 |
eku_bear: May they continue to kill Fulani, so long as Fulani do not respect property rights. Drive them out of Nigeria to wherever they originate from, if necessary.
If you respect your neighbor's land, then there will be peace. If not then there will be violence. Seriously, this has been going on for a long time now, and just killing trespassers on their land is not a long term solution. Furthermore, farmers are not mercenaries or warriors. |
Politics › Re: Tiv/fulani Clash Claims 17 In Benue by ShangoThor(m): 2:38am On Feb 11, 2011 |
eku_bear: Eh, first of all stop your b1tchass red font.
Second, most of these Fulani are punks anyway. . . they can only pick on unarmed villagers. I assure you, if I ever enter that business, I will be armed to the teeth.
Whoever wants to attack me on my property, be my guest. Either you or I will die that night. . . and given how heavily armed I and my kin/employees will be, the odds won't be in your favor. Hey eku_bear, don't get too excited mate, I'm just saying they do seem to be over running communities and killing all in sight |
Politics › Re: Tiv/fulani Clash Claims 17 In Benue by ShangoThor(m): 1:56am On Feb 11, 2011 |
eku_bear: What the hell else is there to it?
I grow food, and you eat it?
Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop?
GTFO out of there with that sh1t. If I become a farmer one day in the future and you graze your animals on my land, your animals are dead.
If you bring your Fulani boys around my property too and trespass, they will be dead too.
Simple as that.
These Tiv need to arm themselves and be ready to do battle. Trespass on property = shoot on sight. And who is going to stop them? Which political actor would have the balls to pass into law, legislation that restricts the scope of their cattle grazing rights? Some Nigerians are dreamers. The bottom line is the Fulani herdsmen can do whatever they want, whenever they want. Damnnn, let's keep this real. I mean this has been a problem source that was identified a long time ago.
The only real solution would be to separate and get the Israelis in to help us build a long wall, this will stop the cattle grazers destroying farms and prevent "babies from being butchered".
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Politics › Re: Fashola Rips Goodluck To Shreds! by ShangoThor(m): 11:06pm On Feb 09, 2011 |
Chyz*: He queried: “Why are the federal roads in Lagos have not been fixed? Why do Lagosians not have electricity? Why should Lagosians bear the cost of their own security in spite of the enormous votes for that every year in the federal budget? These are the issues that concern Lagosians and those are the issues about which their votes will be deployed. The Lagos voters will not vote on the basis of luck. I didn’t win this office on the basis of luck, it was won on the basis of very clear manifesto of the ACN, very clear ideas about how to fix this economy, very hard work that we have done since 1999 as a people, progressives who have shown our common touch with the people. Fashola is the real deal. |
Politics › Re: Fashola Rips Goodluck To Shreds! by ShangoThor(m): 10:54pm On Feb 09, 2011 |
If GJ did make these comments, then he has exposed himself as lacking political sophistication and etiquette. |
Politics › Re: Jonathan To Evacuate Almajiri Into Class Rooms by ShangoThor(m): 10:33pm On Feb 09, 2011 |
Tsiya:
The gov't is trying. I can attest to that. However the elite do not like it. Simply because the almajiri brings an immediate source of cheap labour and gratification for the wealthy for giving out alms as part of religious obligations.
One of the reasons why Buhari is hated by the elites as well as most religious leaders was banning of the almajiri system in 1984. I remember then Buhari didn't even waste time to try to placate them or dish out free money. Being a good Muslim, he knows it is the responsibility of the parents and the rights of a child for the parents to provide him/her with accommodation, food, education and train him/her untill puberty. It is against the tenets of Islam to send a child to beg for alms, food etc.
Personally I think the Federal government shouldn't have gone down to wasting resources in building special quranic schools. The Federal Government should have gone ahead and implement the laws in the Nigerian constitution.
First, it is the responsibility of local governments to provide primary eduction, and each local government collects federal allocation, and therefore they should dedicate part of their budget for providing universal education for their children based on the requirements of their society. If states government in the north can implement sharia legal systems, they should be able to incorporate Islamic education in their curriculum at primary and secondary schools level. After that, any parent or individual that want to further their education in Islamic studies, they should do it either in the University or private seminary schools. This is how it is done even in majority Islamic nations. There are no almajiri in Saudi, Malaysia or Indonesia.
The almajiri programme is purely lack of understanding the fundamental rights of children. Child maintenance should be made compulsory. No child should be allowed to beg for food on the street. @ bold [size=18pt]Bingo! I love when people speak the truth[/size]. |
Politics › Re: Jonathan To Evacuate Almajiri Into Class Rooms by ShangoThor(m): 6:01pm On Feb 09, 2011 |
[WilyWily: Good for Dirty Stinking Hausa/Fulanis. Jonathan is helping them. Seriously, there is no need for the hating. |
Politics › Re: For A Country That Does Not Have Much Resources, Uk Is A Rich Country. How ? by ShangoThor(m): 5:56pm On Feb 09, 2011 |
I love this thread!  |
Politics › Re: Nigeria: Africa's Failed Asset - Sanusi Lamido Sanusi's Response by ShangoThor(m): 5:04pm On Feb 09, 2011 |
adisalago: Please if you write a silly book,
don't invite Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to make a presentation. ,
I guess Olaniwun Ajayi has learnt from this.
Sanusi faults Olaniwun Ajayi on Northern domination
The Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,
surprised guests present at the Muson Centre for the launching of the
book of Sir Olaniwun Ajayi at the Muson Centre in Lagos .
The book titled:
" Nigeria, Africa's Failed Asset" attracted many important dignitaries, intellectuals and some governors. The argument by discussants centered on whether or not the colonial masters laid the foundation for the problems Nigeria is currently facing.
Many argued that the British loved the North and that was why it gave more than 50 percent of the National Assembly seats to the North at independence.
Sanusi, however, stole the show when he spoke. His speech was anchored on the plank that the British and Nigerian rulers are responsible for the state of the situation Nigeria finds itself today.
Below is his unedited speech.
"Let me start by saying that I am Fulani (laughter). My grandfather was an Emir and therefore, I represent all that has been talked about this afternoon. Sir Ajayi has written a book. And like all Nigerians of his generation, he has written in the language of his generation.
"My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian. The problem with this country is that in 2009, we speak in the language of 1953. Sir Olaniwun can be forgiven for the way he spoke, but I cannot forgive people of my generation speaking in that language.
"Let us go into this issue because there are so many myths that are being bandied around. Before colonialism, there was nothing like Northern Nigeria . Before the Sokoto Jihad, there was nothing like the Sokoto caliphate. The man from Kano regard himself as bakane. The man from Zaria was bazazzage. The man from Katsina was bakatsine. The kingdoms were at war with each other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, they were killing each other.
"The Yoruba were Ijebu, Owo, Ijesha, Akoko, Egba. When did they become one? When did the North become one? You have the Sokoto Caliphate that brought every person from Adamawa to Sokoto and said it is one kingdom. They now said it was a Muslim North.
"The Colonialists came, put that together and said it is now called the Northern Nigeria .
Do you know what happened? Our grand fathers were able to transform to being Northerners. We have not been able to transform to being Nigerians.The fault is ours.
Tell me, how many governors has South West produced after Awolowo that are role models of leadership? How many governors has the East produced like Nnamdi Azikiwe that can be role models of leadership? How Many governors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me. There is no evidence statistically that any part of this country has produced good leaders.
You talk about Babangida and the economy. Who were the people in charge of the economy during Babangida era? Olu Falae, Kalu Idika Kalu. What state are they from in the North?
"We started the banking reform; the first thing I heard was that in Urobo land, that there will be a curse of the ancestors. I said they (ancestors) would not answer. They said why? I said how many factories did Ibru build in Urobo land? So, why will the ancestors of the Urobo people support her?
"We talk ethnicity when it pleases us. It is hypocrisy. You said elections were rigged in 1959, Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu rigged election in 2007. Was it a Southern thing? It was not. "The problem is: everywhere in this country, there is one Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba and Itshekiri man whose concern is how to get his hands on the pile and how much he can steal.
Whether it is in the military or in the civilian government, they sit down, they eat together. In fact, the constitution says there must be a minister from every state.
"So, anybody that is still preaching that the problem of Nigeria is Yoruba or Hausa or Fulani, he does not love Nigeria . The problem with Nigeria is that a group of people from each and every ethnic tribe is very selfish. The poverty that is found in Maiduguri is even worse than any poverty that you find in any part of the South.
The British came for 60 years and Sir Ajayi talked about few numbers of graduates in the North (two at independence) . What he did not say was that there was a documented policy of the British when they came that the Northerner should not be educated. It was documented. It was British colonial policy. I have the document. I have published articles on it. That if you educate the Northerner you will produce progressive Muslim intellectuals of the type we have in Egypt
and India. So, do not educate them. It was documented. And you say they love us (North).
"I have spent the better part of my life to fight and Dr. (Reuben) Abati knows me. Yes, my grandfather was an Emir. Why was I in the pro-democracy movement fighting for June 12? Is (Moshood) Abiola from Kano ? Why am I a founding director of the Kudirat Initiative for Nigerian Development (KIND)?
"There are good Yoruba people, good Igbo people, good Fulani people, good Nigerians and there are bad people everywhere. That is the truth. "Stop talking about dividing Nigeria because we are not the most populous country in the world. We have all the resources that make it easy to make one united great Nigeria . It is better if we are united than to divide it.
"Every time you talk about division, when you restructure, do you know what will happen? In Delta Area, the people in Warri will say Agbor, you don't have oil. When was the Niger Delta constructed as a political entity? Ten years ago, the Itshekiris were fighting the Urobos. Isn't that what was happening? Now they have become Niger Delta because they have found oil. After, it will be, if you do not have oil in your village then you cannot share our resources.
"There is no country in the world where resources are found in everybody's hamlet. But people have leaders and they said if you have this geography and if we are one state, then we have a responsibility for making sure that the people who belong to this country have a good nature.
"So, why don't you talk about; we don't have infrastructure, we don't have education, we don't have health. We are still talking about Fulani. Is it the Fulani cattle rearer or is anybody saying there is no poverty among the Fulani?", he said.
This is a great message to our generation.
Are we truly ready to develop and unite Nigeria?
[url]http://www.cometonigeria.com/news/nigeria,_africas_failed_asset_-_a_response.html[/url] Absoulte and simplistic rubbish. Greed, corruption and maladministration are human vices that exist in every country in the world. The problem is to do with the System, and non-accountability. The System "comprises" of an ineffective State and lacks accountability. The Secular nature of the State has been compromised and it's Constitution is meant to be non-discriminatory and should stipulate that we are all equal in the eyes of the law of the land and subject to the same rules. Once, specific groups within any given "pluralistic polity" start messing with these fundamental principles, then they are adding layers of complexity to the rules in order to obscure the rules of the State which will eventually lead to reducing the effectiveness of the State. Any legal eagle will confirm the arguments above. Another aspect to discern of the ineffective State is how certain institutions deemed part of the State's apparatus are ridiculously ineffective or non-existent. An example would be the National Tax Body of the FR. How effective is it, or is it ignored by the rich or wealthy? In most modern economies is it feasible for political actors not to pay taxes? In Nigeria, the focus seems to be on individual actors declaring their assets, in other words, a declaration of how much one is worth, with no concern for the source of that individuals wealth, and how much he has paid in taxes and if that information tallies with what was declared. I can cite numerous examples in modern economies where leaders have got in serious trouble for flouting taxation laws, names that come to mind, is President Clinton and the acquisiton of properties and Tony Blair in the UK for simply buying a property for his Son to stay in whilst attending Uni in a particular part of the UK. The point is that the system exists, and you flout it at your peril. If Al Capone was in Nigeria of today, he would get away with murder, and the point i'm making is that they could not convict him for moon shining but they managed to secure a conviction on a technicality, that of "tax evasion". Similarly, if Pablo Escobar was in Nigeria today, he would get away with more than murder, because he would not have to declare the source of his earnings, which was the Cocaine Trade. Cases to consider are the non-conscientious Military Dictators of the 80's and 90's that are normally worshipped in the Northern part of the country and generally detested in the Southern part of the country. When IBB declared his interest in the PDP primaries as the "Northern Candidate", I asked a simple question which seemed to rattle some Nigerian's, well, mainly his supporters. IBB, even though he was the military president of Nigeria at one stage in our history, he was still only a "civil servant" a military General, hence what is the source of his wealth and how much had he paid in taxes over the years? And if there was no answer to this question, or it did not tally up, then why couldn't the OBJ Administration (led by a Southerner) indict IBB for misappropriation of funds or embezzlement? Or why was the OBJ Administration willing to do deals with Abacha's son regarding the Abacha family being able to keep part of the looted funds if they returned the bulk of the money? Why is it that in the Haliburton saga, none of the big names mentioned have not been indicted or prosecuted, or why is it that Cecelia Ibru only got 6 months for her crimes? How is it that the problem with a corrupt extortionist Police force has existed for so long without being rectified? The answer is primarily that the State, and its apparatus have been rendered ineffective. The State's role at the moment seems to have been reduced to "maintaining order" by any means necessary to the advantage of Multinationals and Foreign Investors; and "Distributing the funds in the coffers of the State". Afterall, when a virus is detected on a computer, the focus then shifts to being able to identify, isolate, purge or eliminate it and most importantly, make sure you have systems in place, checks and balances in the System that prevent it from reoccurring. It is completely nonsensical to focus on the fact that somebody painstakingly coded a virus or trojan which ended up on the discerned computer. The extra Constitutional arrangements that exist in the State, polity and Body Politic have all served to render the State, ineffective. Issues pertaining to Zoning and the implementation of Sharia Law in certain local States in Northern Nigeria in my humble but informed opinion are examples of extra constitutional arrangements that have rendered the "Secular State" ineffective. To fix this situation, we need to fix the State. We need to "revert" to when the State worked, to when we had a "Secular State", to what was agreed on in the run up to independence. Nigerians hate to hear the truth, but Lugard (even though being a Colonial vampire and in my opinion the source of our current problems) enforced the Secular State for a reason, and the economy and system has never been as efficient as it was then. We have to acknowledge that Nigeria was formed by "alien conquerors", an alien civilisation of which there were individuals that strongly opposed the amalgamation of both contiguous British colonies because they knew that it would eventually cause problems in the future or it would not be conducive to the progressive development of the Country, afterall, they were aware of what had happened in India a couple of decades prior. It is only because of Lugard's ego that he forcefully pushed through his will of forming the largest (most populous) African Nation State. It is time to have a mature but rational discussion about "the effectiveness of our State" and the "state of our union". |
Politics › Re: Boko Haram Gives Conditions To Stop Killings by ShangoThor(m): 1:19pm On Feb 09, 2011 |
9jii.: all u fools are just talking it they are actin it [size=18pt] Bingo![/size] |
Politics › Re: An Imperative . . . .calling The Children Of O'dua. by ShangoThor(m): 11:48am On Feb 09, 2011 |
houvest: @ShangoThor
Your vission is good but if this campaign on Nl will succeed, there are so many bigots and supremacists on both sides that you need to address. I need not name names. You only need to open almost every thread to see them. They keep pulling the east and west apart and are roaming freely on NL. They have been there even before this certain harem came. He only saw what was on the ground and is capitalizing on it. We have talked and talked to break the empasse and even appealed to the mods all to no avail. You will be shocked to hear the response of some of the mods. They will tell you that there are also bigots from your side of the divide as if you are asking them to call only one side to order. You will see somebody banned today and two days after he is up and running again with even worse diatribes. Thanks however for the campaign but I still think that you should not write off the North completely till they are given enough chances and they fluff them all. True federalism might be a better and more possible option. Houvest, thanks for your great insight and response. I fully concur with you that in the South there are Bigots and tribal Nationalists on all sides. The mad thing about it is in the UK and Diaspora, Yoruba's, Igbo's, Edo's, all live together, collaborate, cooperate, compete, face hardship, prosper and thrive; and because of this I believe there is still hope. I have learnt more about "Tribal Bigotry" on Nairaland than anywhere else. As a Pan-Africanist, I am aware of the limits of Pan-Africanism. Whilst Nigerians are talking and groaning about an inefficient system over the last 20+ years, we have watched the Chinese population that were so restricted that they were confined to wearing "a single uniform", but look at them now. The Chinese story has been absolutely amazing, whilst we are wasting time. The Bottom line is that Nigeria was not designed to work and we know this, and the Colonialist vampires have admitted this time and time again, one of them even admitted to having left a "ticking time bomb" when they gave us independence. I see the effects of this in Nigerian history and how it is permeated in the institutions of State, such as the Army and most importantly, our body Politic. Call it the North/South divide, schism or polarity, it exists and we can either try to fix this or we can implode. The way the "adverse impact" has manifested itself in the modern era is that 100+ years after Slavery in what used to be the "Slave Coast", there is extreme poverty and "individuals sell themselves into Slavery". I have outlined a more comprehensive view here: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-593484.32.html , where I mention True Federalism as an option. Finally, I repeat, I do not hate my Northern countrymen or harbour any animousity and neither would I wish for them not to succeed but I can't stand greed or an obsession with "the right to rule". If all Nigerian's obsessed with creating, producing, creating a surplus generating wealth and making sure we have an efficient State working for "all Nigerians", then we would all prosper. Finally, I have zero tolerance for religious extremists that believe in "butchering babies" to get their points across. I also detest those that believe in tampering with the neutrality and non-discriminatory aspect of the constitution, as we see with Sharia Law that makes a distinction for only Muslims in what is meant to be a "pluralistic society". |
Politics › Re: To All The Yorubas In Jos by ShangoThor(m): 11:06am On Feb 09, 2011 |
houvest: @ShangoThor
Your vission is good but if this campaign on Nl will succeed, there are so many bigots and supremacists on both sides that you need to address. I need not name names. You only need to open almost every thread to see them. They keep pulling the east and west apart and are roaming freely on NL. They have been there even before this certain harem came. He only saw what was on the ground and is capitalizing on it. We have talked and talked to break the empasse and even appealed to the mods all to no avail. You will be shocked to hear the response of some of the mods. They will tell you that there are also bigots from your side of the divide as if you are asking them to call only one side to order. You will see somebody banned today and two days after he is up and running again with even worse diatribes. Thanks however for the campaign but I still think that you should not write off the North completely till they are given enough chances and they fluff them all. True federalism might be a better and more possible option. Houvest, thanks for your great insight and response. I fully concur with you that in the South there are Bigots and tribal Nationalists on all sides. The mad thing about it is in the UK and Diaspora, Yoruba's, Igbo's, Edo's, all live together, collaborate, cooperate, compete, face hardship, prosper and thrive; and because of this I believe there is still hope. I have learnt more about "Tribal Bigotry" on Nairaland than anywhere else. As a Pan-Africanist, I am aware of the limits of Pan-Africanism. Whilst Nigerians are talking and groaning about an inefficient system over the last 20+ years, we have watched the Chinese population that were so restricted that they were confined to wearing "a single uniform", but look at them now. The Chinese story has been absolutely amazing, whilst we are wasting time. The Bottom line is that Nigeria was not designed to work and we know this, and the Colonialist vampires have admitted this time and time again, one of them even admitted to having left a "ticking time bomb" when they gave us independence. I see the effects of this in Nigerian history and how it is permeated in the institutions of State, such as the Army and most importantly, our body Politic. Call it the North/South divide, schism or polarity, it exists and we can either try to fix this or we can implode. The way the "adverse impact" has manifested itself in the modern era is that 100+ years after Slavery in what used to be the "Slave Coast", there is extreme poverty and "individuals sell themselves into Slavery". I have outlined a more comprehensive view here: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-593484.32.html , where I mention True Federalism as an option. Finally, I repeat, I do not hate my Northern countrymen or harbour any animousity and neither would I wish for them not to succeed but I can't stand greed or an obsession with "the right to rule". If all Nigerian's obsessed with creating, producing, creating a surplus generating wealth and making sure we have an efficient State working for "all Nigerians", then we would all prosper. Finally, I have zero tolerance for religious extremists that believe in "butchering babies" to get their points across. I also detest those that believe in tampering with the neutrality and non-discriminatory aspect of the constitution, as we see with Sharia Law that makes a distinction for only Muslims in what is meant to be a "pluralistic society". |