₦airaland Forum

Nice stuff from a youth friendly brand

ThatFairGuy:
I could see fewer contributions here, if it were to be BBN/pornographic show, those that condemns government most will be fighting over/contributing to what is of benefit but waste of time to them.... Seems like that's their priority #smh

You are so. Correct

Angelfrost:
Debt is not the issue... Nearly every nation on God's green earth is indebted to varying amounts (including the almighty America).

The issue with Nigeria, and most African countries is that money is borrowed for projects never done, and to be embezzled.

Totally agree with you

In the past, external loans were tied to specific projects – water provision, to build Shiroro Dam or Egbin gas station in Lagos State etc. It was therefore easy to spot when projects financed with loans from abroad have been poorly executed, abandoned or functioning.

The first problem with the Buhari administration and its approach to loan acquisition is precisely because most of the loan is not tied to specific projects and programmes which can be assessed by independent observers – or the government itself for that matter.

The second problem, and that is what scares everybody knowledgeable is the quantum of loans taken in just one year without any assurance that it can “easily be repaid” – as governments kept telling us in the 1980s until the lie blew up in everybody’s faces.

Reference:
The dire situation in Nigeria calls for a better quality of government than the PDP offering not a worse one. The PDP ruled Nigeria from age 0 to age 16. The APC ruled Nigeria from age 16 to age 20 now. Is is too hard to expect that certain things should have grown and improved not worsened and deteriorated.

Pally, the sheen and new car smell of democracy is long gone. We no longer see its beauty and its novelty, we now expect its functionality and reliability. We expect results. So don't think for a second the failures of the PDP years will be tolerated for a moment.

Very well said

Sommydisaster:
My oga

Always a prolific writer anytime he picks up the pen

I Stan you!!!!!!

Anyways check out my signature and do the needful


Opt in for a clearer picture

Thank you Somty

Kingosytex:
The writer wasn't wailing, he made some good points.

Some people already have a closed mindset. I do no bother myself with them

orion7:
Dr Ahmad lawan is a disgrace.


rubber stamp

That's my fear with the 9th Senate.

It was supposed to be ministerial screening sessions but it ended up to be one of the most boring moments in Nigeria's history. President Muhammadu Buhari had submitted his cabinet choice for the upper legislator's scrutiny. However, Ahmed Lawan-led Senate bungled their first assignment with an uninspiring display that one of them, Dino Melaye, concluded the exercise as a "beautiful nonsense."

https://i2.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2019/07/Senate-President-Ahmed-Lawan.jpg?w=400&ssl=1

Shortly after Lawan clinched the coveted Senate Presidency seat, he rated the 8th Senate as not performing to 'capacity' and that the 9th Senate under his leadership would "perform to full capacity and by the grace of God, Nigerians will see a positive difference in terms of delivery of service to our countrymen and women." And when it was time for them to show Nigerians that 'positive difference', Lawan and his colleagues turned an exercise that would have given citizens a clear understanding of ideas and perspectives of people who would join Buhari in steering the affairs of the country, they reduced it to a 'bow and go' exercise.

For the first time in Nigeria's democratic history, 23 nominees out of the total 43 sent to the Senate, were shielded from any scrutiny. Sound ridiculous? Well, welcome to the house of Lawan, where charade is disguised as screening.

If you follow the sessions well enough, you would probably spend most of your time gawking at the legislators for turning something of national importance to a ridiculous show. Nigeria is facing challenges on different fronts and citizens had hoped the screening of ministerial nominees present a platform to properly gauge their mindsets on recovery and remedy.

Their anticipation was not misplaced given the incoherent and distasteful performance of those who left the ministerial seats a few weeks ago. Except for those who choose political correctness, ministers who served under Buhari in his first term fell below the expected standard of Nigeria. Some of the ministers made a mess of things and aggravated situations facing Nigerians with their incompetence.

That explained the attention shown by many Nigerians to the screening process but Lawan and his colleagues left them disappointed by unnecessarily shielding them from scrutiny. They began the screening process with a simple inability to get much accomplished.

The Constitution in Section 147 (2) assigned confirmation hearing for ministerial nominees to Senate for purposes that benefits ordinary Nigerians and as such, reducing it to a 'scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' mechanism is utterly counterproductive to the national interest. Though there is a tradition that confers ex-senators privilege from being questioned when nominated as ministers but that can't displace the law. Expanding the cover of beneficiaries to former House of Representatives and Assembly members, including those considered 'loyal' is a concept that upheld an unacceptable status quo.

While Nigerians were glued to their television sets to see how vast nominees are on the economy, transportation, power, and other critical sectors that affect their daily lives, Senators who are supposed to be the representatives of the people, focused on trivial issues. It was so petty that one could confuse the screening sessions to a testimony ground as Senators who should grill would-be ministers turned to pour accolades on those who appeared before them.

Look at that instance when the Senator representing Adamawa North, Elisha Abbo, diverted the screening session to praise-sing a nominee, Rauf Aregbesola, as he told the audience how the former Osun governor "gave me (Abbo) the whole of your salary for that month to go to Adamawa and contest the election." But the truth is, no one is interested in how he funded any of his election and who funded him but how to fund and return the over 14 million out-of-school children littering every part of the country.

As a governor, Aregbesola superintendent over policies and projects that stirred controversy or collapsed midway that should interest the Senators on what went wrong and what he will do differently at the federal level. The same is the case with many returning ministers whose previous role failed to make expected impacts on Nigerians but the legislators appeared persuaded by being 'loyal' or patronized as done by a former minister of FCT, Musa Mohammed Bello, who impressed on the lawmakers to Accord him the traditional "bow and go" treatment because he's a member of the National Assembly "by association."

Even when the immediate minister of Power, Works, and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, presented a gloomy outlook of Nigeria treasury and that cash received fell short of actual figures passed in budgets, one had expected the lawmakers to query the disclosure and open it for a wider debate on what can be done to change that situation. Or, how can a ministry whose N500 billion budget got passed only got N250–N280 billion as Fashola disclosed, be able to discharge certain responsibilities but alas, the Senators seem not to be interested.

They are less inclined to the rising state of poverty in the country, which was the foremost concern of Nigerians. The Ministerial screening has provided a glimpse of what can happen when politicians think less of the people but themselves. Together, these politicians ended the ministerial screening sessions by elevating the 'bow and go' tradition beyond the law and that is unacceptable.


Oke Umurhohwo is a Political Analyst and Strategist. He tweets via @OkeStalyf and can be reached via oke.umu@gmail.com

ChemBrodar:
That guy is a scammer

Who? Buhari?

IamAnderson:
don't cut her tail.... tail docking doesn't even make dogs aggressive... it's a rumour.

Thanks for sharing

FWmarvel:
Well written. BRAVO!

Thank you

TonyeBarcanista:
Beautiful and aptly put

Thank you �

Sometime in 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari sparked a controversy when his comment downplayed the potentials of women and gave the impression that the seclusion of a man's house is the place most suitable place for them. The president had shocked his audience, including his host, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany when he said "I don't know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen, the living room and the other room."

Buhari was reacting to criticisms of his government by his wife, Aisha Buhari, who alarmed that her husband's government has been hijacked by a "few people" who are preventing him from meeting up to electioneering promises. But that weighed less on Mrs. Buhari conviction to speak truth to power, no matter whose ox is gored– an unusual trait exhibited by most people in the corridor of power.

https://thewillnigeria.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Aisha-Buhari2.jpg

While Buhari may as usual, be “unaware of things” even to the extent of not knowing "45 out of 50 of the people" in his government, the first lady has consistently shown courage to advocate for the well-being of ordinary Nigerians. This uncommon bravery was more pronounced on Saturday, 25th of May, 2019 when Mrs. Buhari declared that the implementation of Social Investment Programme (SIP) has failed.

According to her, the intended purpose of the scheme have been largely unfulfilled and wondered how the huge fund voted for the scheme have been utilized. Though, she seemed to be particular about the impact of "the N500bn voted for SIP, that was part of the 2015 campaigns where they promised to give out N10,000, feed pupils in primary schools and give N5,000 to the poorest of the poorer," in the North but she succeeded in subjecting the scheme for public scrutiny.

Shortly after the anniversary of his inauguration on May 29, 2016, President Buhari introduced the SIP programmes towards eradicating poverty and augment the scourge of unemployment and boost enrollment in schools. But as observed by Mrs. Buhari, the implementation of the Programme have made no real impact. From increasing unemployment figures to rising poverty index which have made Nigeria the poverty capital of the world, the experience have been hellish.

Though, government regularly makes bogus claim about the impact of the SIP programmes but that have failed to tally with the reality of the situation faced by Nigerians. From public gatherings to social media platforms, Nigerians oftentimes scrutinized most of those claims and usually conclude that they are mostly inaccurate or exaggerated– which has prompted an increasing concerns on the government's precept to the truth.

For those who have paid close attention to the worsening situation of Nigerians in recent time, it will be almost impossible to discard the concerns raised by Mrs. Buhari on the implementation of the SIP programmes. To examine the issue raised in the right perspective; poverty, hunger and unemployment, which are the main focus of the scheme, have not really shown any improvement, if anything, it is now worse than before.

The statistics of Nigerians wallowing in extreme poverty is frightening. Every day, Nigerians continue to slip into extreme poverty and one wonder whether any Programme was ever initiated to tame the tide.

Interestingly, one of the programmes of SIP is the National Conditional Cash Transfer (NCT) Programme, which Mrs. Buhari recalled "is to give the poorest of the poor, N5,000 every month", but as with other programmes, the implementation raised so many questions. Instead of serving as a buffer for the poor and helping them to escape their discomforting situation, the poverty bracket keep surging, hence, fuelling agitations like Mrs. Buhari quipped that "So, I don't know where's the social investment."

Almost every day, we continue to experience shrink of the middle class and more than 8,000 Nigerians go deeper into the extreme poverty line. As of February 13, 2019, World Poverty Clock, a Vienna-based World Data Lab, projected that 91.6 million Nigerians were living below a dollar a day– a sharp surge from the 86.9 million quoted by Brookings Institute in June last year as Nigerians wallowing in extreme poverty.
As clearly illustrated from these data, it is no doubt that Mrs. Buhari assessment of the intervention schemes under her husband has failed. It became even more glaring from the response of the Senior Special Assistance to the President on SIP, Maryam Uwais, who tried to dismiss the issues raised by Mrs. Buhari by saying "I believe that if she (Aisha) were to listen to the information they have there, if she were to check our data, she would be able to find all the beneficiaries."

I'm sorry to admit it but Mrs. Uwais really missed the issue at hand. Checking SIP data would not answer the doubts agitating the minds of Nigerians on the scheme, which Mrs. Buhari only echoed on their behalf. Infact, ordinary Nigerians on the streets do not require a PowerPoint or pages of newspaper to gauge the progress made by the scheme. They can see with their eyes and can easily tell if they have been really impacted.

It is the same data which Mrs. Uwais flaunt, that have seen the SIP expended $185 million for the Home Grown Feeding Programme, yet, no fewer than 13.2 million children are still outside the wall of classroom– the highest in the world. Or, that despite spending N6bn on N-Power every month, more than 20 million Nigerians still remain unemployed. It's obvious that not data but real action can give Nigerians the expected results.

The truth as aptly captured by Mrs. Buhari is, the scheme has failed to meet the desired impact. Although, SIP may presents bold and practical mechanisms to improve the lives of Nigerians but the implementation has created much doubts than answers. That is what Mrs. Buhari has courageously pointed out and that bravery will take a long time in the minds of Nigerians.

Oke Umurhohwo is a Political Analyst and Strategist. He tweets via @OkeStalyf and can be reached via oke.umu@gmail.com

kunleweb:
I'll guide you. You don't need too much, you just need to start right and start from where you are. And begin to curate more articles

Okay, would send a mail

kunleweb:
Please hire me to provide free editing, para phrasing and editing of your works. We should push our brilliant minds forward. We can also discuss getting established as a brand aka blog with time..

Would have loved to.. But the funds

kunleweb:
Please start considering editorial so few ordinary sentences can be refined to bring it some notch higher. We want our geniuses to be purely genius. So I'm in support for refinement of some sentences using higher tenses.


I. E PDP and Atiku claimed the election was not done right could be better put this way. The opposition claimed the electoral process wasnt conducted in the right spirit.

Thank you so much for your suggestion. I appreciate. But who would be editing for me?

kunleweb:
Yet another masterpiece Mr. Oke. I have one soft criticism to make though if you'll entertain it. But first allow me solidly welcome you into the hallmark of transcended men who speak for truth and integrity. As you continue to tred the path of impartialty speaking the truth, may you continue to shine.

Thank you sir. Please share the criticism. It's one major way to check myself

It was another test on African’s Preference for democratic tenets but South Africa didn't disappoint. The coastline nation held its parliamentary election on 8th May, 2019 and its outcome have left a relishing experience.


This came amid growing concern on the trajectory of democracy on the continent over rampant manipulations and high level of interference that distort leadership choices. From Algeria to Sudan, the news aren't palatable as relentless protests replaced ballot boxes to effect leadership changes.

Sit-tight leaders are not ready to yield power and have continued to make a serious mess of the democratic process. Even when they tried to conceal their anti-democratic tendency, their actions easily exposed their lust for power, albeit, undermining the process.

But South Africa chose to be different. Many had expected Nigeria to set the template for a transparent election on the continent but it emerged from its general election few weeks ago shrouded in more controversy than it was four years ago.

Issues ranging from voters suppression, inducement, violence, militarisation, among other lapses marred the Nigeria's electoral exercise. There is still contention whether the electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collated results on a server or not but that will be answered in court in the coming days.

The scenario in the South African poll was far different as the process was more open and transparent. From the campaigning process to the collation of results, South Africa demonstrated that things can work if people are willing to let a process run its course. African National Congress (ANC) refused to tow the pattern of most African ruling party and allowed the process to reflect the wishes of the electorates.

For the entire time that the election process lasted, electorates enjoyed relative freedom in exercising their franchise and that was obvious in the eventual outcome of the contest. Pictures from polling units showed orderliness and hardly are any disruption by political thugs reported. Voters were able to make their choice without any form of suppression or intimidation.

Surprising enough, their streets and polling centres were free of huge security presence. As against the negative perceptions on holding elections in an African country, South Africa showed that things can be done the right way without rancour.

This was possible because of an honest and transparent process that removed doubts of manipulation and courageously implement monitoring and evaluation strategy for votes secured by the participating parties. Unlike the practice in most African countries, the country's top electoral body deployed technologies that not only ease the process of voting but ensured that those votes counted.

Counting of votes and collation were done electronically while party and their agents have access to real time results. This was the same proposition that the amended Nigeria electoral act made but it was turned down, stirring confusion on whether the manually collated announced results were the true reflection of the will of Nigerian voters.

In South Africa, a giant screen displayed results in real-time while citizens have unfettered access to monitor how well or otherwise their preferred candidates have performed. With this transparency, South Africa IEC have removed doubts that could ignite uncertainty and left parties and indeed, electorates with little or no concerns for manipulations.

A similar initiative would have saved Nigeria the question of integrity thrown at the election held few weeks back. Infact, Nigeria would have been a perfect reference for transparent and open poll for Africa and would not be taking INEC so long to give a breakdown of results it announced on its official website for public scrutiny.

Oke Umurhohwo is a Political Analyst and Strategist. He tweets via @OkeStalyf and can be reached via oke.umu@gmail.com

https://oke.com.ng/blog/2019/05/20/elections-nigeria-learn-south-africa/

kunleweb:
Very difficult to see well articulated piece thesedays
I almost thought constructive writing was going extinct.

Guess I would be sharing more of my articles here

Topmaike007:
2023 is not here why are you guys disturbing yourself

While 2023 is four years away but a Machiavellian politician like Tinubu quite understood that getting a sit as big as Nigeria presidential seat does not just happen overnight and expectedly, he is building the phase to leverage on

kunleweb:
Excellent article with consistent flow from start to finish both of ideas and grammar. Keep the good work up writer..

Thank you �

This film would be long

The article was first published on my blog https://oke.com.ng/blog/2019/03/25/kolade-johnson-endsars-policebrutality/

Security agents, especially the Police are primary meant to secure citizens and ensured their safety. But for Kolade Johnson, he was cut down in his prime by those who should have rescued him from harm’s way. The people who should secure him from harm riddled his body with bullets and ended his life.

That is the pathetic and sad reality of what the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, infamously known as SARS, has turned themselves into on our society. Just as his lover tearfully wrote on her Twitter page hours after the incident, the government, and most importantly, the people who should ensure his safety, failed him.

“My Kaylo Boy is gone! My ‘Lion’ … my chef… my precious Kolade Johnson… I’m so sorry it ended this way… I’m sorry I wasn’t there to stop the bleeding… I’m sorry the government failed you… I’m sorry. Uncle @segalink; @PoliceNG @MBuhari @ProfOsinbajo @BBCAfrica look at what SARS did to my Kay. Nigerians see oo. His only offence was going out to watch football. Thank you very much for the support everyone,” Stephany George tweeted.

Indeed, she was right. Instead of securing Nigerians, SARS have constituted themselves to the same dangerous evil they were initially meant to confront. SARS is a special unit of the Nigeria Police to confront the country's most heinous crimes– armed robbery, kidnapping, assault and murder, and guarantee the safety of citizens. But rather, unfortunately, has become a vicious and gruesome squad that is now dreaded by Nigerians.

For some time now, Police brutality have been a great concern to Nigerians and created mistrust between them and the security agents. Even more disturbing is the impunity with which the Police, especially SARS, excessively inflict injury on citizens, and in some cases, reign gunshots on Nigerians without justification.

Stories of Nigerians unlawfully picked on the streets, beaten and extorted or maimed are heard daily, stirring fears on the minds of the people about their safety because those who're responsible for their safety have turned to be their oppressor. SARS impunity and uncanny attitude have turned a nightmare for the people and Kolade Johnson gruesome murder is another example.

Kolade Johnson did not deserve to die but for the brazen impunity of SARS personnel, Nigeria has lost a promising and talented soul. He wasn't a criminal just as many others who have suffered similar unfortunate fate but the irresponsible and reckless attitude of Ogunyemi Olalekan, who has thrown his family and loved ones into grief.

The painful loss of Kolade Johnson has again proved the call for #ReformPoliceNG and #ENDSARS right as that is the only way for every one of us to be safe. It's Kolade Johnson today, it may be anyone tomorrow if this unprofessional squad is not disbanded. The unending cruel and strong-arm tactics of SARS is too frightening and this experience must end.

Nigerians can no longer rely on their tormentor for their safety. Security should be done with responsibility, not becoming the same threat the people are running away from. Aside from the gruesome murder of Kolade Johnson, many Nigerians have a bitter experience to share on their encounter with SARS.

From the streets to leisure spots, cases of SARS personnel ambushing citizens and molesting them with impunity is widespread. Roles outside its scope of duty, such as harassing young people for 'immoral' dressings, physical appearance and other petty grounds, just to extort and molest citizens were some of the features that captured the reign of impunity of SARS.

This was probably echoed by Dr. Joe Abah, who tweeted on his handle @DrJoeAbah that [i]"Being young is NOT a crime. Having dreadlocks is NOT a crime. Sagging your jeans is NOT a crime. Having tattoos and piercings is NOT a crime. The big crime is the police harassing and killing the innocent youth they are paid to protect, and nobody stopping them."[/i]Indeed, being young shouldn't be a crime and a reason for SARS vicious treatment.

Though, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo ordered reform of SARS last year after weeks of calls for their scrap, that remain to be seen as their impunity continue unchecked. From the look of things, it is clear that SARS is averse to reforms and the only remedy to their rampaging impunity against Nigerians is for them to be scrapped. I join millions of Nigerians in the call to #ENDSARS and #ENDPOLICEBRUTALITY for all of us to be safe.


Oke Umurohwo is a Political Analyst and Strategist. He can be reached via oke.umu@gmail.com

Just2endowed2:
Good machine

Yeah, it is

justlaw:
Leave the guy... e neva dey ready to sell that fone. When e no see buyer after 2 months, e go rethink

why you dey vex? Am i the cause of your hardship? Anyway, the phone has now been sold to someone who could afford it.
Bye

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Davefash:
Can i get it for 150k?

Pay 180K last