₦airaland Forum

If the Lekki toll gate EndSARS protest scene was a trap on the night of the 20th of October, then the government walked right into it. The social media age has made all of us smartphone users journalists. The social media pages are our media outlets, and our friends/followers constitute our audience. We disseminate information to them, and they pass them on to other people connected to them. Every day, we document events we want people to see with our devices and share with the outside world.

If the Lekki toll gate had 1,000 protesters, on the night of the shooting, the government had almost a thousand journalists to contend with. The only thing that differs is the level of professionalism. Social media has given us power which we mostly use without any sense of responsibility. This is what citizen journalism is all about.

In the 21st century, in a metropolitan city like Lagos that accounts for the highest number of internet users in Nigeria (17 million), and also the heart of the Nigerian media; a questionable military operation can't take place without strong pieces of evidence flying around. The media will continue to box the government into a corner. The world knows the answer, but the answer is more of what a cheating Mathematics student arrived at by checking the back of the textbook. Now, the teacher demands he shows the workings of the answer. This is what the investigative process to unravel the riddle of the alleged killing at the Lekki toll gate looks like.

The world has been here before. It reminds me of the killing of the Saudi Arabian dissident, Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Turkey in October 2018. On paper, the Saudi hit squad had covered all tracks that could link them to the murder. It was supposed to be a case of a missing person that was never found. His fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, was well-stationed outside the consulate to raise an alarm if he never came out. He was killed, his body reportedly cut into pieces and then dissolved with an acid solution to erase any evidence. The deed was done and sealed and all the mercenaries returned to base like nothing ever happened. But the Turkish government knew from day one because it was reportedly spying on the embassy. After waiting for the Saudis to provide answers as to Khashoggi's whereabouts, the Turkish government soon started releasing leaks into the media space to mount pressure on the Saudi Kingdom, till they claimed full responsibility, and used some persons as scapegoats to assuage global outrage. Almost two years after, the Nigerian government has found itself in that burdensome position, which the Saudis are yet to fully get out of.

I don't want to believe the Lekki Shooting incident was premeditated. The South-western region has a history of relative peace, the people detest blood and violence to a large extent. With the alleged manipulation of the CCTV footages and the strange blackout at the toll gate when the melee ensued, some persons appeared to have made provisions for leeways should the operation get out of hand. I strongly feel it was supposed to be a 'show of force' and not a 'clearance operation' as the protesters are not Boko Haram terrorists or bandits. The deployment of seven military trucks was aimed at breaking the protest and dampening the morale of the protesters.

Recall that the Lekki toll gate had become the power transformer that supplied energy to other protesters around Nigeria. The protesters were well-organized and coordinated in such a way that the best Nigerian leader could even be appointed at the scene to make decisive changes in the country. The fact that the international media covered their activities also energized them. The world was watching; all the protesters were like change agents who wanted to be a part of the history of the 'New Nigeria'.

Lagos started boiling in the afternoon of the 20th of October. Hoodlums hijacked the protests and security formations were attacked with some policemen and protesters brutally losing their lives. The state government declared a 24-hour curfew for 4pm of the same day, but later extended to 9pm. The protesters dared the government by continuing with their activities at the toll gate, which was reportedly losing millions of naira per day due to their occupation. When a picture of the protesters congregating at the protest ground went viral in the evening of that fateful day, I knew the battle line had been drawn. Other celebrities supporting the EndSARS movement also sensed danger and stayed away.

The military stepped in and it was a totally wrong move. This is not only about their ability to deal with civil disobedience. It was about the mood of the time. Fear had left most of the protesters. It was as if they forgot the harmful nature of live ammunition. For example, last week at the Ikeja Along area of Lagos State, commercial motorcyclists were seen chasing away Lagos Task Force officials who were heavily armed. Some people are not scared to die anymore because bad governance and economic hardship are already killing them every moment of their lives. The bullets will only make a certain death faster. Everybody is ready to bell the cat unlike what was obtainable in the past.

The commonest video of the Lekki Shooting by the army was when a group of soldiers shot into the air sporadically but the protesters stood their grounds like warriors chanting 'EndSARS!' I will draw some conclusions from that singular scene.
This is what I think happened. The soldiers must have expected them to disperse and scamper for safety like the average civilians will do in the event of the tension of gunshots. Then I think the soldiers became a bit desperate and overzealous by lowering their arms at 'irregular intervals' while shooting to make a statement. At least the sight of blood and casualties will break the spirit of protesters and instil fear in them. I don't want to believe the soldiers permanently aimed at them and shot throughout the operation. If they did, it would have been a repeat of the Shiite Massacre in Kaduna in 2015, where about 348 people died of bullets, bought with taxpayers' money. The unconventional style of the operation was why the incident remains a mystery and has propped up conflicting accounts.

Remember the soldiers were up against citizen journalists. The protesters simply brought out their digital devices connected to the internet and started reporting the shooting. In the heat of the operation, the fatalities could have been exaggerated intentionally or otherwise. The protesters had their receipts. They made away with bullet shells and uploaded graphic images on social media. Their waiting audience took the baton from there and spread it around like wildfire. An already bad situation was made worse. Those who called the shots must have instantly wished they never did. They are presently on survival mode. International bodies/personalities like Amnesty International, Hillary Clinton, CNN and other credible right groups started reacting.

The next step was to manage the damage and debunk the claims of the protesters who already had a headstart advantage. The damage control strategies of the government were not only confusing, but they were inefficient. The army at first wanted to distance itself from such seeming rogue operation. It claimed its operatives were never at the tollgate even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Then it claimed it only went there with blank bullets and refreshments. Then the latest claim is that the soldiers had a combination of blank and live ammunition after a compelling investigation by CNN. Lagos State is guilty of the same lack of strategy. During the shooting, Gboyega Akosile, a spokesman for the governor, Babajide Sanwoolu went on Twitter to feign ignorance.

"There have been reports of shooting at the Lekki Toll Plaza," he said.

"The State Government has ordered an investigation into the incident," he later added. His boss was later discovered to have invited the army.

With my little knowledge of crisis management, it is very easy to know the guilty party. In the event of a controversy, the oppressor is always late to the party. This bores down to confusion about the viable strategy to adopt. It took the Nigerian government several hours to come out with a workable or tenable narrative about the Lekki Shooting. This naturally happens when you are guilty. There is always some sort of scepticism about the step to take to avoid a counter-attack. The usual approach is to allow the victim to go first and then you counter the narratives. It is as dangerous as taking a stroll on a minefield.

By the time the government gained momentum in the race, the protesters were already close to the finishing line. The only missing puzzle is the actual casualty rate. 'How many people died at the Lekki tollgate?' is the rhetorical question on the lips of people. The fact that the coroner in Lagos State has given an open invitation to families of dead victims to come to make identifications at the mortuary, lends credence to the alleged massacre. I am trying carefully to avoid the usage of the term, 'massacre'.

As the Lagos judicial panel presses on, the show of shame will continue. If there will ever be a victory, it will be a pyrrhic one. The Nigerian government is fast losing trust which is the basis of which the Social Contract came about. People submitted their individual powers to the Leviathans who make up the government so that they could exercise them on their behalf.

I doubt if justice will ever be served. Many mysteries are yet to be unravelled in the Nigerian state. Who killed Funsho Williams and Bola Ige? What about the billion van scandal of 2019?
The answers depend on who you ask. We hope the Lekki Shooting will not end that way. The only leeway the government has is to take to scapegoating. Label the move a rogue operation and present sacrificial lambs to face the full wrath of the law. This will at least buy the government some respect internationally. It is a hard route Saudi Arabia was forced to take, although in a very opaque manner.

It is very easy for those who have no connections with the victims of the shooting to tell Nigerians to move on. One of the victims named Meshack Esanibi, has been carrying bullets in his body for a month now. He is worried as he is immersed in distress and pains.

Victor Sunday Ibanga, and Wisdom Okon - two handsome and promising young boys have remained missing since the Lekki Shooting incident. Other families are praying to at least, see the corpses of their loved ones to find closure.

We love small wins, and always sacrifice the big wins for the small ones, due to the ease of doing that. If the perpetrators are not brought to book, the event will repeat itself in future, and this time around, you might be the subject of the matter.

While the drama unfolds, one can only imagine the pains and agony of the victims and their loved ones. As the popular actor, Ajirebi Kayode Olasehinde self-styled 'Pa James' of the Papa Ajasco sitcom always said back in the days, 'it was a bad day satan drank water'. A direct translation of the Yoruba saying, 'Ọjọ́ burúkú èṣu gbomi mu'.
This time around, I feel 'the day the devil visited Lagos State' is more appropriate as a description for the 20th of October, 2020.

As a Christian, I pray the victims and their families find peace and healing. We can only hope for the best.

Osayimwen Osahon George a media practitioner and the Director of Communications at the HOL Foundation.

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/11/20-10-20-day-devil-visited-lagos-state.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

In the last 5 years that I have been analyzing public affairs online, I have never seen a government struggle so hard to manage a crisis, like the Lekki Shooting incident of the 20th of October.

The Nigerian government has been using a big lie to cover another very ridiculous one since the ill-fated occurrence happened. It is as if the government has forgotten to apply its brakes on its adventure of falsehood, as several concerned agencies brace up to lie their ways out of the scandal. Nigerians are no fools; they know the truth, and they knew from day one. The leaders know the people are aware of those responsible for the shooting, but they don't seem to care. What they are doing is a mockery of the intelligence of the general public.

The morning after the incident, nobody claimed responsibility for the shooting. The Nigerian Army was quiet. The media filled the vacuum of communication by reeling out different death rates. When the military couldn't take it anymore, they started posting screenshots of news reports and tagging them 'fake news'.
The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu's desperately needed a story to tell the public as the de facto 'Chief Security Officer' of the state. He revealed that forces beyond his control were behind the attack on unarmed peaceful protesters. This statement indirectly pointed accusing fingers at his political godfather, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Sanwo-Olu later cracked on CNN where he hinted that Nigerian soldiers were behind the attack. It appeared the leadership of the army felt it had had enough from the governor. It came out to admit that the Nigerian troops undertook the operation, but they were invited by the governor.

The same military that denied being at the Lekki tollgate now claims the soldiers only fired blank ammunition into the air, as warning shots to disperse the protesters. Despite video and pictorial evidence, the military claimed the victim role and labelled the protesters as the oppressors. In the words of the army, nobody was shot, and there was no massacre.

According to a statement by a top army official, Lt Col Bello, the protesters, infiltrated by hoodlums, got violent and attacked the soldiers who were so patient and nice that they even offered their aggressors water and drinks. I guess this is the picture of the Nigeria of our dreams.

While the issue of soldiers being at the scene of the crime was confirmed, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami who appeared not to be updated about the state of the quagmire, insinuated that hoodlums in military fatigues carried out the attack. The government can't even gather its officials to lie in unison.

Nigerians hoped the CCTV footage by the Lekki Concession Company, LCC was going to provide a rare insight into what transpired that night at the tollgate. But the LCC soon claimed their cameras stopped recording at 8 pm when the tollgate was heating up. The company can't wait to move on with business, it has demanded to take control of the tollgate, so that business can continue as usual.

The shooting as well as the fatality rates have become mysteries. And they are mysteries because the government wants it to be so. The goal is to drag their feet over the matter till those asking questions grow old, develop grey hair, and lose interest in the bloody incident.

Even you think the testimonies of Obianuju Catherine Udeh aka DJ Switch are inconsistent, then you have to also admit that the government has broken the scale of inconsistency with its varying accounts. It is disturbing that the alleged corpses of the murdered protesters have refused to surface. We have also failed to record credible cases of family members searching for their missing loved ones. The commonest cases are that of the injured, dealing with severe injuries in hospitals. The back and forth has thrown us all in limbo. But on the scale of inconsistency in accounts, the ranking of the government might touch the heavens if that is done. DJ Switch who has been allegedly granted asylum in Canada explained on different occasions that her life is in danger. She revealed the death threats she got from different quarters were overwhelming and she had to be moving from one home to another in search of safety.

DJ Switch's role on the night of the alleged carnage was iconic. It is a further testament to the power of women in society. In Africa, it is generally believed that women are weak. But like the famous writer, Chimamanda Adichie once said, some women are stronger than their male counterparts. DJ Switch proved that. It is no news that countries managed by women e.g New Zealand, Taiwan, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong (city) and others faired better in the battle against coronavirus than the men.

The stories behind the Lekki Shooting wouldn't have been this clear without DJ Switch who expertly played the roles of the medical doctor, political leader, journalist, disk jockey and an activist on the same night, in a simultaneous fashion. As soon as the protesters came under attack, she went live on her Instagram page and televised the event using her smartphone. She was seen reporting the event as bullets rented the atmosphere. She could be heard directing the protesters who queued behind her, and they adhered to her instructions. She was also seen attending to a man with bullet wounds. A bullet was removed from the body of a young man who was rumoured to have passed away after the gory experience. Despite the danger, she was also the voice of the protesters that night. She overcame her fears and addressed the military commander who led the soldiers. She gave regular updates about their status to the outside world who couldn't be at the scene. She also rushed several victims to the hospital for professional medical attention.

That night, she became the face of the protest movement at the Lekki tollgate, where celebrities who publicised the protesters on Twitter, were largely absent. According to her account, a man took a bullet for her during the ordeal. She said a man jumped on her while asking others to cover her up. She wondered what was happening, but she soon got to know they were forming a shield around her when a shooter targeted her.

DJ Switch sustained injuries that night, both physically and mentally. She left the scene of the attack with bullet shells which she displayed during an Instagram live session. Her life changed but not positively. From the disk jockey who was the life of parties, she became a target by high-handed state and non-state actors who didn't want her to tell her story to her waiting audience. They wanted to silence her. A country of a huge landmass of 923,768 km², with six geopolitical zones, that houses over 200 million people became too small and hot for her, that she had to run out.

It is a shame that the government which is supposed to be protecting an asset like her has been alleged to be her persecutor.

It is not clear if she is actually in Canada considering a recent statement by the Canadian high commission in Nigeria. If true, then it can be said that Canada came to her rescue the same way it has even bailing Nigerian millennials from the throes of poverty in the country. Some Nigerians tried to sponsor a petition to bring her back to Nigeria to face trial. But that is laughable, isn't it? Canada always comes through for the oppressed. The rumoured support she might be getting reminds me of how Canada bailed out the then 18-year-old Saudi Arabian girl, Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, who was running away from her family. The country also hosts several Saudi Arabian dissidents.

DJ Switch will be safe. Her mental health will also be taken care of. The strong woman will always miss home but her safety matters. One day, she will return to the land of the rising sun to tell her story. This time around, we hope more people will listen. DJ Switch should cry no more. The story of Lekki Shooting which has become part of Nigeria's history will be incomplete without her role.

Again, it is sad that she is receiving death threats. Who are the people that want her dead and what is their ultimate goal? Only time will answer both questions.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/11/lekki-shooting-who-wants-dj-switch-dead.html

Nigeria’s fast rising and prolific multi-dimensional artiste, Uche Okechukwu Onyekwere popularly known as Uchay Grey has explained why he prefers David Adeleke (Davido) to Ayodeji Balogun (Wizkid) as his favourite artiste.

Uchay Grey, in a chat with PMParrot, reacted to the trending issue on social media as regards who is the best between the two artistes, he said though it is difficult to choose between the two best artistes, however, disclosed that he prefers Davido because of the similarities in his (Uchay Grey) style of music and his voice with that of the Ede-born musician.

“I will go with Davido for many reasons probably because I do R&B I will say. For me, Davido’s voice and mine are similar, I think I will go with him rather than Wizkid. But Wizkid is a fantastic artiste anyway, it is like you are comparing two best people, so, it is difficult to choose,” he said

Uche, a graduate of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, while speaking on the rationale behind his latest single, Boogie Down, explained that it is a party song for the people to shake off stress and anxiety occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic and #ENDSARS protests.

ALSO READ: I See No Reason Why Those Being Molested By Securitymen Because Of ‘Stay-At-Home’ Order Cannot Seek Legal Redress – Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa,SAN
“It is pertinent for Nigerians to shake off from the present situations in the country, from COVID-19 pandemic to #ENDSARS protests. My intention is to get the people off the stress, shake off all challenges and boogie it down. It is a party song that will make people to shake body, dance and wine to let go their anxiety and stress.”

The R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae and Afro-Pop sensation solicited for a level playing ground for the upcoming artistes to come into limelight in terms of promotion.

“Nigeria’s entertainment industry is doing well except for the upcoming artistes, who have to be the ones to carry themselves to places where people can see them. It is not easy when you have to be the one who will drag yourself to do everything.

“There should be a level playing ground for everybody, promotion should not always be monetized because it has been made a monetary thing and this gives limited platforms where upcoming artistes can strive. It is always difficult for them, they need to just find one tiny hole to get through and be on that list,” Uchay Grey noted.


He equally admonished other upcoming artistes to formulate a passion-driven plan before they venture into music, saying that it is passion first before money.

“First of all, you can’t go into music without having passion for it. It has to be something you have passion for, something you love just like other professions like doctor, lawyer, you must love what you do. Though, one must have financial gain for what one is doing but the love must come first.”

While expressing his readiness to collaborate with any artiste that fits into his style, Uchay Grey said that he would soon hit the town with new singles back-to-back to make his old and potential fans to enjoy good music.

Packaged by Kunle Gazali

Source: https://pmparrotng.com/2020/11/12/why-i-prefer-davido-to-wizkid-afro-pop-crooner-uchay-grey/

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

Being the Director of Communications at Helping Ordinary Lives, HOL Foundation is challenging. Every day of your life, you feel the gas left in your tank would dry up and then your race will end before the finish line. Every day is a battle to put at least short smiles on the faces of people, who hope for reason to express genuine happiness. The biggest or funniest jokes by the best clown or comedians in town can't move them as their pains are bigger than them all.

It is easy to read about the spate of poverty in Nigeria and Africa on the pages of newspapers or journals. It is harder to get a full picture of poverty and stand to look at it in reality. You not only fight to hold your tears, you also fight for the strength to stand on your feet. 89 million Nigerians are living in extreme poverty in Nigeria despite the yardstick for the measurement of poverty is being below spending $2 (N684) on food per day. The figures are simple to look past as a headline, but it is a different ball game when you see the people living in extreme poverty physically as well as listening to their stories. I wish the people could be granted free passage into heaven on judgement because the planet earth has been hell for them.

I will never forget the 27th of June, 2020. It was the day I saw the image of poverty and believe me, poverty is ugly and scary. My Managing Director had contacted me to prepare for a regular field exercise which entailed sharing of relief materials amongst residents of vulnerable communities. It was a hard decision to make considering the menace of the coronavirus pandemic, which had ruined businesses and plundered the financial resources of many. For the first time, I felt it was over for the foundation. I saw myself joining the vulnerable people we swore to bring succour and hope to. The director wasn't going to let Covid-19 deter him from a cause he has dedicated his life to. He gathered funds here and there and even went as far as borrowing, to purchase food materials for the vulnerable people, whose conditions have been made worse by the infectious and deadly disease.

We arrived at one of the shanties at the Agbado Ijaiye area of Lagos State to share relief materials. We had arranged portions of rice, beans, noodles, vegetable oil and others in sizeable quantities for a targeted section of the population living there. They were happy to see us. Most of them lamented the failure of the government to share its highly publicized Covid-19 palliatives amongst them. They argued that they need them the most in Nigeria. We pacified them with soothing words and in no time, the smiles on their faces almost overpowered the rays of the sun. It was a beautiful sight.

Our relief materials were not enough as news spread around town that we were around and the number of people on the ground kept doubling. We soon took our leave and promised to return at a future date. We felt fulfilled to a large extent as we journeyed back to our various homes. Then the rain began to fall; as Africans, we regarded this as showers of blessings. We assumed that Providence was happy with our efforts and was trying to part us on the backs. The business of the day seemed done and dusted but that wasn't all, something that would mark the beginning of another landmark story was developing.

As we negotiated excruciatingly with the potholes around the Agbado-Ijaiye axis, we spotted a middle-aged man who was physically-challenged. He was only moving around with a makeshift wooden wheeler. It was quite small and low. It is commonly used by crippled beggars. He sat on it and used a pair of bathroom slippers worn on his hands to move it around. Everywhere was flooded. The vehicle we came in was already crying for help as the bad roads had the best of it. This man was navigating around the potholes by the roadside energetically. Some of the potholes at times looked as if they were going to take his life.

The director was moved as he stared at him from the car. He ordered that the car should be parked and he approached the man. For once, I felt he had wanted to heal him like Jesus Christ as he alighted from the vehicle and gazed at him. When he got close, he bent and said 'Please gentleman, what is your name?'

He struggled to respond as he could barely speak the English language. From his intonation, it was clear that he was Hausa. One of the workers who understood the language perfectly interjected and communicated with him. It was then that he gave his name as Ayuba. The middle-aged man whose looks tell the gory stories and wicked challenges of life revealed he begs for a living. The boss ransacked the vehicle for some palliatives. Luckily, we found some. He also handed some cash gifts to him. He explained he is a married father of 4. His wife is crippled too. We all abandoned our trip temporarily and followed Ayuba to his home. Ayuba's life was a true image of poverty. His first child was about 10 years old. All of them have never seen the four walls of a school. They were not only malnourished with their bodies covered by tattered clothes, they also had no future to bank on. Tears flowed down on the cheeks of everybody as Ayuba narrated what it takes to put the cheapest meal on the family table every day. If the tears weren't controlled, the imminent flood around his house could have been fastened by the collection of tears from our eyes. One could only peep through Ayuba's house with fear. It was dark and looked like a dungeon from which the next pandemic could emerge. The door was so low and small that a fat animal might be discouraged from entering.

"I want my children to go to school. I want a better future for them. I don't want them to end up like me. Life is hard, life is just too hard" he said with the tears been seamlessly unleashed.

"I can't afford a wheelchair. It is so difficult for my wife and i to move around during the rainy season. I can't count the number of times I have fallen into deep gutters. Going out is a risk. I feel I could die anytime but the well-being of my family means a lot to me. I just have to go out and make something no matter how little" he added.

The boss looked up and signalled to everybody that it was time to leave. Ayuba looked at the relief materials again and thanked us. He wished we could stay longer and eat with his family but we respectfully declined.

For the first time in a very long time, the boss was quiet all through the trip home. We all knew he was touched by the story of Ayuba. We were all moved too. When I got to the junction of my street, the car parked and I came down with my bag containing my personal effects. The boss looked at me and said, Ayuba is our new project now. He is part of our family. His children are our responsibility and we have to make the sun shine on that home. I nodded my head in acceptance. Waved him goodbye and left for my home. I was troubled all night and restless due to the day's experience.

HOL Foundation has struggled to solve the structural challenges of Ayuba but we are very hopeful and will never forget him. The boss ordered the logistics team to dispatch some relief materials to his home recently. Life seems the same for Ayuba but we are very sure things will soon take a U-turn in his life as we continue to gather the needed resources to make the promised change.

***
George Osayimwen is the Director of Communications at HOL Foundation

Source: https://www.tori.ng/news/158431/my-facetoface-encounter-with-poverty-and-his-four.html

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The steps he explained to me in confidence are as follows:

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He said specifically that the more you invite people, the more you earn. Guys make we nor dull am oh. I don talk my own.

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CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

In Africa, leaders hardly care about good governance. Politicians play politics before the election, during the election and after the election. The vicious circle continues all year round. The people they are supposed to serve become their victims. The ruling elites are the oppressors while the ruled become the oppressed. The struggles for good governance are regularly hijacked by the elites who share crumbs among the agitators and indoctrinate their frontliners into the upper-class, and then the movement dies. How long do they think this will continue? The tables are bound to turn one day.

The youths have been underrated for so long. They have been teased about being interested in frivolities like the popular Big Brother Naija reality show, without showing interest in developmental issues. The youths are only engaged in politics for electoral reasons. Most of the ignorant ones are armed with guns and they end up wasting their precious lives for politicians who keep their children safe in developed countries.

The fact that Nigeria is a religious nation also makes it easier for politicians to loot the treasury dry without fear. Religion preaches tolerance, endurance, patience and supernatural solutions to life challenges. Politicians inflict tremendous hardship on the people and then urge the poor masses to turn to God for blessings. As a matter of principle, I have stopped praying for Nigeria. You can't put developmental funds in your pocket and expect infrastructural facilities to show up miraculously. God is not a magician.

Just when the leaders thought it was business as usual, the EnSARS wave of protests targeted at the abolition of the rogue unit of the Nigeria Police Force named the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS. The crisis should have never happened if the past leaders paid attention to the rot in the police force. But there is a deficiency of integrity in Nigeria. The ruling elites have become inspirational figures for corrupt police officers, internet fraudsters, unscrupulous businessmen and other budding thieves. You really can't give what you don't have.

The anger of the youths was triggered following incidents of police brutality and extrajudicial killing in Port Harcourt and Delta State. President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration failed to take strategic steps that would appease the anger of the youths. What happened to visiting the family of the 20-year old music artist, Daniel Chibuike, aka Sleek, who was killed? What about the immediate arrest, dismissal and public shaming of the officers involved? The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu could have also been queried or suspended to give people the impression that the government cared about the protection of human lives, which is the primary aim of government, according to the Social Contract. The government's calculation pointed at the usual inactivity. It was simple; 'let us allow the issues to trend on social media and in the online media till they die natural deaths'. This never happened. A few youths got tired of the conventional social media talks and they stormed the street to protest. From a small number of protesters, the numbers increased across Lagos State and started spreading across the geopolitical zones.

The protests were very organic and highly organised. The leadership structure was decentralized and this constituted a blessing as well as a curse. A blessing in the sense that the government's tactic of usually arresting and detaining the arrowhead under the guise of being a threat to national security, was rendered useless. Every protester was like a leader. The wave of protests attracted more young intellectuals who knew their onions. As the days went by, the protests grew stronger. People stood their grounds against the oppressive antics of the police and other security agencies. The government reacted later by disbanding SARS and then promising further reforms. But it was late!

The protesters wanted to fight on, they started demanding for good governance. The organization of the protests was topnotch. Banners were printed with brilliant inscriptions, they had a security team, medical team, logistics team, media team and they explored crowdfunding to gather money. Nigerians abroad felt the needed change was near. They closed their eyes to the present economic hardship caused by the coronavirus in Europe, America and Asia and kept funding the campaign. The international media perceived another Arab Spring could be brewing again in the most populous black nation in the world. International coverage reinvigorated the high spirits of the protesters and the infectious feeling kept spreading faster than coronavirus.

Public trust in government has always been perpetually low in Nigeria. There were signs of hope when Buhari took over in 2015, but he later convinced Nigerians that he was just like the previous leaders, with no workable blueprint to take Nigeria to the next level.

The government panicked and started employing dirty tactics to derail the largely peaceful protests. This is like a case of a father waging a war against his children, any pain he inflicts on them automatically reflects on his own body. At first, some fifth columnists were employed to discredit the protests in the media. That never worked.

Twitter became a driving force of the protests. Even though the mainstream media didn't initially give full coverage of events, they soon realized they were producing contents that lacked patronage. People wanted to discuss EndSARS and monitor the progress of the protests led by youths named the 'Soro Soke' (speaking up) generation. Some Pro-SARS protesters soon emerged but their spirit reflected the low remuneration behind their actions. They couldn't match the energy of the teeming youths against SARS. They soon left with their tails between their legs.

The government allegedly started hiring hoodlums to attack peaceful protesters. Cars were destroyed and bodily injuries were recorded at different locations. The protesters raised an alarm that they were under attack, but they were accused of crying foul. In this digital age, everybody is a journalist and social media is the general publishing house. Youths soon uploaded videos of alleged government officials conveying thugs to protest grounds to attack protesters. A video of hoodlums being conveyed in a police vehicle was the last straw that broke the camel's back. The government wanted the protests to become chaotic to prepare a ground for the use of maximum force to quell the movement.

While this was going on, the apex bank of Nigeria, CBN, started freezing the bank accounts of the conveners of the protests. This is a bank that has struggled to successfully track the cashflows of the Boko Haram terrorist group in over a decade. The youth soon started transacting in cryptocurrencies to evade any restriction from the government.

Then the worst happened, on the 20th of October, soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters who were only armed with Nigerian flags and the national anthem. The number of people that died has become a mystery till this day. The government has denied sanctioning the operation even in the face of overwhelming evidence.

A 20-year-old journalist, Pelumi Onifade, was reportedly shot on the leg by the police, in the line of duty, despite wearing the press vest. Efforts by his colleague to identify him as a journalist also led to his arrest. Pelumi's corpse was later found in the morgue after a rigorous search by his family. How did that happen? This mirrors the brute force unleashed on peaceful protesters and members of the general public by security operatives during the crises. Lagos State only cares about the public infrastructures that were destroyed, the human lives don't matter. This is Africa!

As Nigerians grappled with the scars and pains occasioned by the crises, Buhari addressed the nation. He acted like a wicked school teacher, who doesn't mind beating his pupils into silence after making them cry aloud. The vacuum of leadership in Nigeria has always been wide, but in recent times, it has expanded immensely and is competing with the size of an ocean.

The latest development is that some of the EndSARS movement leaders have been barred from travelling out of Nigeria. One Modupe Odele who helped in freeing arrested EndSARS protesters, using her expertise as a lawyer, was prevented from leaving for the Maldives to celebrate her birthday. The Nigeria Immigration Service has struggled to issue a decent denial or explanation behind the ban on the poor woman. Other figures are said to be suffering the same fate too.

The government didn't stop there, it further mulled the regulation of Nigeria's social media space. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, even suggested the possibility of an IT structure that could help shut down social media in the time of crisis. Like seriously? In a democratic dispensation? You want to take away the freedom of expression from people whose futures you have already taken away? Why don't you just kill them and bury them in mass graves?

From the surface level, the government appears to have won the fight with the protests ending abruptly. People are picking their lives up again and taking up the next challenge. Using military force appears to have worked. But the government remains the greatest loser. The underhand tactics used by the government have further eroded the microscopic trust the people have in the government. What is the essence of a Social Contract without trust? If Nigeria was a data-gathering country that regularly publishes the approval ratings of leaders, that of Buhari would have been at an all-time low. But the leaders in Africa don't care. Their followers see them as 'legal thieves' and they love the tag. They never fail to throw some crumbs at the hungry followers when the need arises. The country has gotten so terrible that it is the dream of everybody to leave the country for better lives abroad.

One would notice that the news of Buhari's rumoured death and replacement by the fictitious body-double,'Jubril Al Sudani' surfaced again after the presidential address. Even the best minds bought the story as they couldn't connect with the present leader. They felt he wasn't feeling their pulse anymore. Buhari acts like he doesn't care. He went as far as warning the international community, by telling them to 'get their facts right' before interfering in local issues. This is a typical African leader who believes he doesn't need the electorate anymore, as he is not seeking re-election. The baggage of the EndSARS crises will be carried by those with presidential ambition within the All Progressives Congress. Already, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is getting the short end of the sick. An attempt by the former Lagos golden boy, Babatunde Fashola to interfere in the crisis made him a subject of mockery on social media with the infamous 'Camcorder Saga'.

The government's victory was stolen and remains largely pyrrhic. A father that stole from his children doesn't need to celebrate. He is a bad egg and remains a shame to the league of fathers and the society at large. In hindsight, even in victory, the government remains the biggest loser. But since the government doesn't exist to pursue the general will of the people but selfish interests, nobody cares. We move!

Written by Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/11/endsars-shameless-father-that-stole.html

CC CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

A Twitter user and Youtuber with the handle @AnuoluwapoSisi has recounted how rogue officials of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad recently fondled her breasts.

The Lagos-based young lady claims she was waylaid while returning home from work at 10 pm on a particular day. They checked her mobile phone and questioned why a young lady like her would own a car.

During the interrogation, one of them reportedly placed her phone in her bra and removed it. From that point, she was purportedly sexually harassed to their satisfaction. During the ordeal, she kept calm until it ended and never shared her story with anyone.

She recently took to Twitter to add her voice to the ongoing EndSARS campaign which has turned bloody.

Watch the video of her personal account below:

So on Monday I shared a my experience with SARS which I’ve never told anyone before because I didn’t know how to tell! How they all started laughing while one of them press my breast! I felt relieved while sharing this in Alausa on Monday! That’s why I’m fighting! #EndSARS now! pic.twitter.com/KbXC7aUmR2

— Sisilizzzy (@AnuoluwapoSisi) October 22, 2020

Source: https://www.more.buzz/article/20201022155759NEWS400943940

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

Yes, President Muhammadu Buhari has been a bad boy. So bad that he has failed in the effective handling of the #EndSARS movement. Now, nobody knows what the future portends. Permit me to walk you through how Buhari mismanaged the current movement against police harassment and brutality.

Silence they say is golden, but that saying hardly works for President Muhammadu Buhari. Nigerian leaders are used to the myriad of challenges bedevilling the Nigerian state. Once one of them escalates, they either ignore and cover their ears like they are not aware of the events until the thick smoke blows over. This is why Buhari is always 'shocked' over occurrences in Nigeria, as described in the regular press releases by the Presidency. Even when he reacts, he constitutes an administrative panel that also submits a report to him about their findings, and then the issue dies a natural death. It only lives on in the scarred hearts of the victims.

When the issue of police brutality started gathering momentum with recent cases of harassment, brutality, murder and other human rights abuses recorded in the Southern part of Nigeria; Buhari maintained his usual deafening silence. He was late to the party, and the gate ended up being closed against him. The angered youths lamented on social media, but they couldn't be heard. Buhari is on social media, but at the same time, he is also absent. Those who operate his accounts or probably brief him about goings-on also looked the other way. They felt the conversation was going to die a natural death like other biting trends in the country. The youths attempted to hit the streets but needed a leader. The controversial rapper, Naira Marley who is tagged the 'king of the streets' initially made himself available, but late backed down. The brewing struggle was bigger than him but he never knew. Music artistes like Runtown promised never to back down in the call for a peaceful protest in Lagos. Tiwa Savage and Falz came to support him and the seed of struggle and resistance was sown in the hearts of Nigerian youths. From there, the wave of protests started gathering momentum amid Buhari's continued silence until it became widespread. If Buhari had timely offered soothing words as the father of the nation to appease the enraged youths, things might be different today.

Secondly, the government took another misstep when it introduced the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, SWAT. All efforts to polish the new unit as a replacement for the defunct rogue unit, SARS. The government failed to gauge the opinions of the people and feel their pulse before introducing SWAT. There is a general believe that SARS will never be ended. They will only be re-branded while 'business' will continue in a matter of weeks as it happened to F-SARS. The fears of the people were confirmed when SWAT was launched barely three days after the dissolution of SARS. Recall that when the protests continued after the disbandment of SARS, the popular question on the lips of people was that; "why are they still protesting?"

There was a momentary division among the protesters. Buhari's man, Adamu expertly handed them a good reason, and their drives were reinvigorated. Even the Nigeria Governors' Forum admitted the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu made a costly error. The IGP is an appointee of Buhari, and he has remained in office since the gaffe.

Furthermore, when the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, journeyed to the Aso Rock Villa to meet with Buhari since his state is the epicentre of the protests, a mild drama occurred. While enumerating the demands of the protesters before the president, he giggled at the point where Sanwo-Olu mentioned the financial compensation of the victims/families of victims of police brutality. That laughter is synonymous to what the Yorubas regard as 'Erin Ika' (wicked laugh). It was more of mockery. That singular act easily gave away the position of Buhari on the issue. Eagle-eyed social media users spotted it, and it went viral. The protesters felt insulted, and more people were inspired to join the protest and increase the pressure on the government.

As the protesters gained an upper-hand with international attention attracted, there were rumours that the Buhari administration was prepared to deploy soldiers to end the protests forcefully. This rumour further angered the youths. Their worst fear was confirmed recently when the Nigerian Army announced it was going to begin a nationwide military exercise tagged 'Operation Crocodile Smile'. This time around, it seeks to strangely focus on 'cyberwarfare' It is designed to “identify, track and counter negative propaganda in the social media and across the cyberspace”.
You don't need to be a genius to realize that the EndSARS protesters, who have used the social media space, specifically Twitter, as their engine room, are the prime targets. Is the government trying to quell a protest on human right abuses with another round of human right abuses?

The protests have continued to escalate with people expanding the demands of the EndSARS team. Buhari cannot satisfy the demands because the issues are deep-rooted, age-long and intertwined. Nigeria also lacks the financial resources to follow them through. It will also be difficult to use the 'DSS tactic' in crippling the wave of protests because the groups are fragmented without a definite face. They don't have a leader! It is also highly organic. The major drive of the people isn't about selfish interests; it is about the true quest for a positive change.
They are asking too many questions which Buhari has no single answer to. A stitch in time could have saved nine.

If the protests get out of hand, it will be on record that it happened during the Buhari administration. History will be unfair to him. Please, permit me to use the popular hashtag #BuhariHasBeenABadBoy as I end this article.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/10/endsars-yes-buhari-has-been-bad-boy.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

On the 9th of October, 2020, two radio presenters of the popular radio station in Lagos, Nigeria Info, were doing their normal job of discussing trending events across Nigeria. This time around, they touched on the massive #EndSARS protest which is targeted at the proscribed rogue unit of the Nigeria Police Force named the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS. A unit that grew unmonitored over the years, until it became worse than the problem it was created to solve.

The talk show recorded one of its biggest hits when a brave policewoman broke all protocols, to make explosive revelations about the poor salaries and living conditions of her colleagues.

The policewoman on the condition of anonymity revealed the bitter truth about the NPF which politicians are running away from, due to the huge sacrifices of solving it. Our quick solutions are synonymous with a case of giving just paracetamol to a patient who is dying of malaria. She centred the major problem of the NPF around poor remuneration. According to her, she joined the NPF 17 years ago on merit, while some of her mates spent over N100,000 as the year 2003 to get the job. She swore never to collect bribes, but she appears to be regretting that decision today.

She is a Lagos-based sergeant and earns a monthly salary of N53,000. She can't send her children to a good school and she stands the risk of being homeless, due to her inability to pay house rent. She has been owing her landlord for the past two years. She added that she struggles to feed her children well and also wear good clothes.

"I live in Ikotun and I work in Ikeja. If I am going to transport myself down every day, how much will remain within a week?" the unnamed woman asked.

"And these are the people you give guns to, they will misuse it" she added.

The woman emphasized that the meagre salary has become the albatross of the police force. According to the woman's postulation, the system was corrupting the security operatives. She stated that improved salaries for police officers as well as severe penalties for the erring officials would help fix the police force. The woman was bold enough to demand a debate of sort with Frank Mba, the Public Relations Officer of the NPF.

She painted the police job as a duty of pains, hardship and gnashing of teeth. In her words:

"None of us is enjoying. None of us is happy. We are only managing. A lot of people will say there are people that are not collecting up to that salary, and yet they are still living, they are still surviving, but do they have guns with them? They don't have guns. They don't have iron in their hands. One on one, you can beat them (police) without guns. But when they have guns with themselves, they can do anything. You can't live in the barracks, you can't raise your children in the barracks. I don't want to raise my children in the barracks. That was why I rented an apartment outside but unfortunately, now, I can't even pay. Since 17 years in the service, no vehicle, no land, no house of my own and I have 18 years more to go. The organization is created to make Nigerians poor" she lamented on air.

The woman concluded that she wants to join SARS as that is the cash-cow of the NPF. She is even ready to pay for a slot. SARS officials who have turned the oppressors of the common man are the top achievers within the police force. And where do they make their monies from? The answer isn't farfetched. It is from the incessant harassment of innocent citizens and collaboration with criminals. This is the mentality of citizens of a failing state where citizens now parasitically rely on their neighbours for survival. Even in the animal kingdom, animals do eat up themselves in the event of famine. These are natural behaviours exhibited by living things to survive certain circumstances.

Every man is selfish. A man will naturally seek self-preservation first before considering others. The needs of man are insatiable and he loves to acquire properties even to the detriment of those around him. But when a state monopolizes the use of force, the excesses of man are checked.

According to the renowned English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, man in the state of nature was “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” In the state of nature, security is impossible for anyone, and the fear of death dominates every aspect of life. The state of nature is a "war of all against all," in which human beings constantly seek to destroy each other in an incessant pursuit for power, Hobbes explained.

Even though our powers have been submitted to the Leviathan (government) through a social contract, man still retains those natural attributes. The state which comprises of laws and constituted authorities only contain those excesses of men to the barest minimum. Since the structure of the NPF is lax, coupled with a leadership vacuum in the entire country, good men were turned into monsters. SARS isn't the problem as I have always said. SARS is just one of the symptoms of a major ailment that has turned Nigeria into a sleeping giant.

The Nigeria Police Force can't be reformed that easily. At least, not in our lifetime. The President knows this. The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu also knows this. Positive change is incremental and we can't skip the processes. But what do you do in the face of intense public pressure? As a smart man, you have to pretend to work to calm the nerves of the people. The Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS was dissolved and just a few days after, the IGP announced the formation of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), to replace the rogue unit. Same old wine in a new bottle! This seems like a story we have heard before. NEPA also became PHCN before the exploitative DISCOs took over and supplied more darkness than light.

The protesters are in high spirits and it looks as if the youth are awake for the anticipated revolution. But wait a minute, what can be achieved at the end of the day? My eyes are focused on the bigger picture. Like I have always told those that care to listen, this is a cul-de-sac. It is a problem you wish could go away naturally because you have no answer to it. There is no hope. Like the maverick entertainer, Charles 'Charly Boy' Oputa said, 'criminals can't reform criminals'

The SARS operatives and other bad eggs in the police force are mere victims of a failed system. They are human beings fighting for survival too but doing it the worst way possible. While they inflict undue pains and make people cry, the police also cry.

Written by Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/10/endsars-police-also-cry.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

The former presidential candidate of the Young Progressive Party, Kingsley Moghalu, once shared a story about his experience working with the United Nations. He made the brief account while proffering a solution to the challenges confronting the Nigeria Police Force. He said a Nigerian police officer deployed abroad for a peace-keeping mission, told him he would never stoop so low to collect bribes on the streets, considering his level of remuneration abroad.

That is the perfect mindset of a member of a progressive society and a working system. The opposite is obtainable in Nigeria. Nigeria has a long history of suggested solutions and innovations becoming death traps or bigger problems due to mismanagement, selfishness and corruption. Look at the foremost antigraft body, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, for example. All the past heads of the agency have been enmeshed in dirty politics and corruption which they were appointed to combat. When we felt things were changing, the trial of the suspended acting Chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu began. The allegations against him could kill an already dead man. Look at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, it has aggravated the already existing challenges in the Niger Delta region. Tomorrow, one will not be surprised if another gargantuan heist is exposed within the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC at the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad was founded in 1992 to tackle the spate of armed robbery in Nigeria. The unit has been able to combat crimes to an extent since inception, but in no time, it was massively accused of torture, harassments, extrajudicial killings, human right abuses and brazen acts of corruption. All efforts to sanitize SARS have failed. It easily suffers a relapse after showing initial signs of recovery.

Reforms are burdensome in Nigeria, the more things change, the more they remain the same. In 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari was a beacon of hope to Nigerians. It is 5 years of his administration now and many believe Nigerians has never had it this bad.

The advocacies against SARS are good. They are steps in the right direction. But I see no hope in sight. I am not a pessimist in any way. This is my first time of writing about the issue of police harassment and brutality, even though, I have followed the developments for years.

The challenge is systemic. We have failed to tackle the real illness but we have decided to adopt symptomatic treatment as if the disease has no cure. The foundation is already faulty, any building erected on it will suffer and endanger lives. When the ratings of the police drop below the barest minimum, the government pretends to work. Constituted agencies release official statements, pictures and parade a few scapegoats to calm the nerves of the people. After a while, the bad actors go back to business. SARS is a product of a bad marriage. It will only take a miracle for such a by-product to stand out.

Scrapping SARS isn't the panacea to the challenge like musician Naira Marley said. In fairness, there are still some good eggs within the unit.

Where do you think the SARS officials will go to if the unit is closed down? They will not be sacked, they will be re-absolved into the system with the same mentality, and the crimes will continue. Only the targets/victims will change.

Here are some questions we failed to ask that have led to foundational and generational stumbling blocks within the police unit:

Who conducts background checks on applicants during police recruitments?

We have all heard stories of police officers collaborating with armed robbers as well as others engaging in internet fraud. Most of these people have been outlaws for long. They only joined the police to cover their tracks and gain protection. With adequate background checks, such eggs will be weeded out.

How many police officers joined the NPF to serve?

We have over 21.7 million unemployed people in Nigeria. Millions of others are underemployed with no job security guaranteed. Hunger and poverty force people to take up any job opening that comes their way. I have friends that have shown interest in police recruitments simply because they have nothing doing. With this mentality, such individuals will turn the security system to a business enterprise from which profits could be illegally generated and also maximised.

Who pays attention to the mental health of the police officers?

Security jobs are gruelling in nature. It isn't easy to take the life of a fellow human being in combat. We have heard of soldiers across suffering depression and committing suicide. Any security operative involved in an operation that entailed blood-shed needs to be debriefed after the exercise. A psychologist needs to check his mental state and put him through a basic process of therapy to prevent him from developing a thirst for blood. Do we have such facilities in Nigeria? Over here, most psychologists and therapists end up eating sand or going into other businesses for survival. So, there is a possibility that we have enough mentally-unstable security operatives bearing arms in Nigeria.

Lastly, why is the rate of remuneration so poor?

Police officers are at the bottom of the food chain in Nigeria. Most of them have take-home pays that can never take them home. They also amass needless responsibilities and bad habits that will ruin them. Greed is also part of the problems. For example, a police officer that earns N60,000 monthly as salary will have a wife, 6 children, 2 side-chics with a chronic drinking habit. How is he supposed to survive? He will simply look for loopholes at his workplace and feed off them. He will say "shebi na where person dey work, person dey chop"

This kind of attitude cripples the system. Such a police officer will take bribes, extort money from innocent citizens and Yahoo Boys. When the suspected Yahoo Boys deny him of his 'cut', he gives them a hot chase, brutalizes them, and takes it by force. These crumbs he gathers here and there makes up lump-sums that are used in augmenting his earnings at the end of the day.

When his bank account turns red, such a police officer becomes hungry, angry and desperate. He might even arrest an innocent goat taking a stroll around its neighbourhood. Anybody who resists is severely assaulted, brutalized or even killed.

Do I see any light at the end of the tunnel? I am sorry that I don't. I am only watching the drama to see how it unfolds for the sake of history. The SARS operatives have seen their superiors exploit the system corruptly from the top, thereby motivating them to do the same at the bottom.

The conversations, advocacies and protests against SARS will come and go. The bad boys will also return to work as usual until their activities become unbearable again. This is not the first time the term 'ban' is associated with 'SARS', and it will certainly not be the last. The NPF statements are similar to what we have seen before.

As for the answer to the question on the headline, only the government can stop the killings, but nobody wants to undertake the herculean task. We prefer managing the problem and passing it on to the next administration.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/10/who-will-stop-sars-from-killing-us.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

The yearly Big Brother Naija reality show has a way of sparking conversations about our daily lives. The show tends to expose the most hidden aspects of human lives. These issues subsequently form robust conversations on social media.

In the 2019 edition of the show, Frodd was allegedly caught on camera washing the panties of a fellow housemate, Esther whom he appeared to be intensely obsessed with. Frodd later denied doing this at the end of the reality show, and Esther also corroborated his denial. In the following year, 2020, Neo walked into that web and got himself entangled in it.

Neo was seen on camera washing the underwears of his lover, Vee - a United Kingdom returnee. Immediately a video clip of his action emerged on social media, it went viral with everyone appearing to have an opinion about it. Neo has been called a weak man for making that move. Those with superiority complex have bragged that they will never wash the panties of their girlfriends or wives even if a gun was pointed at their heads. The smoke from the debate was so choking that Neo was asked about the incident at the end of the show during the regular media rounds. The young man had no escape route, and he ended up further immersing himself deeper into the mud. According to him, he didn't wash the panties, he only 'rinsed' them. What is the difference? He has been labelled 'Arinze' on Twitter. This means one could jokingly refer to him as Neo Arinze now. So funny!

But on a more serious note, Nigerians have exposed themselves again as hypocritical people with the alpha male mentality. This shows the magnitude of gender imbalance in the Nigerian society. It further buttresses the erroneous teachings during our kindergarten days that the man is the head of the house (breadwinner) while the woman is the backbone (bread-eater). The woman is merely seen as a supporter who is relegated to the kitchen. It is acceptable for a woman to wash the underwears of a man, but the society perceives it as wrong if he reciprocates in the same fashion. Who is the custodian of these unwritten rules and regulations guiding human lives?
And also, is it not ridiculous that some men easily give head to women and pleasurably touch that area, but find it odd to wash the material covering of that private part? These are amusing times.

The good news is that this isn't the true nature of all Nigerian men. A high level of hypocrisy has marred the conversations. People who are under the control of their spouses in all ramifications are jumping on the issue for clout. They are making untrue and unreal statements to feel good and gather influence on social media. These individuals engage in demeaning activities behind closed doors and get away with them because of the absence of cameras.

If you follow the gist on social media, you will realize that most married men have kept their distance from the issue out of maturity, experience and exposure. They see no big deal in washing panties, especially under the right circumstances. The discussion has been crowded with 'boys and not men. Marriage isn't that easy as it looks on our TV screens. Some men have done unspeakable things to keep their families together. These are kept as top family secrets, just like we have state secrets in politics.

Dear Neo, you need not be ashamed of your actions. I guess you did that for love. Love is powerful and could bring out the weaknesses of a man. It could make us do stupid things at times. Ozo should be in a better position to discuss the side effects of love when the goddess called Nengi cast a spell on him. And also, Laycon almost missed his destiny when he fell for Erica who left him helpless. But our prayer is that the end will always justify the means. You washed, sorry 'rinsed' the panties for love and you should own up no matter the mockery trailing you. You are a real man. Vee is beautiful, and I pray that your relationship with her works.

So what do you feel about this incident? Can you wash the panties of your spouse? Have you done it before? Share your experience in the comment section.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/10/can-you-wash-your-girlfriends-panties.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

Odiri was born on the 1st of October 1960. She grew up in the United Kingdom with her parents, who passed away in a fatal road accident when she was 5. She had to grow up with her aunty in Coventry. Her aunt was married to a white man. She grew up with so much passion, and interest in African history. She focused so much on Nigeria, and when she was 28, she decided to move back to the most populous nation in Africa to trace her roots.

Odiri, an epitome of true African beauty and brains, was already doing well for herself. She was a medical doctor in London, and her brainy nature earned her a high post at a reputable hospital with a short period.

She was able to establish contact with one of her uncles in Nigeria. She planned to relocate to the country permanently and contribute her quota to the development of the health sector. Her uncle talked her into establishing a hospital in her home-town in the southern part of Nigeria. She kept on wiring funds to him to secure land, erect a building and acquire certain medical supplies and equipment. She invested her entire life-savings into this project, which was expected to benefit her, as well as the general public. She soon packed her belongings and sold others off and flew to Nigeria.

She arrived in Nigeria from the UK so late in the night. Her uncle faltered in his plan to come to receive her at the airport. Odiri didn't mind. She got a cab and wanted to check into a nearby hotel. The cab driver realized she was a novice. Her British accent gave her away. He convinced her about taking her to a beautiful, safe and affordable hotel. She agreed, and they embarked on the short trip. The cab driver had ulterior motives. He contacted a gang of armed robbers. They waylaid them along the road and led them into an uncompleted building in a remote area. Odiri was shocked. All her monies, mobile phones, laptop, clothes and documents were all taken from her. The gang of robbers numbering 5, including the cab driver took turns to rape her. Odiri was a virgin, and she lost her virginity painfully on that fateful day. She felt she was dreaming, but she wasn't. It was a reality that was playing out. The robbers soon left her almost unclad with her torn clothes. She managed to gather strength and tried contacting her uncle as she knew his phone number off hand. She spoke to a stranger who volunteered to allow her to use his phone. Her uncle's number was unreachable. He purposely did that to avoid her.

He was scamming her all along with the hospital project. He diverted the funds into his private use while he tendered fake pictures, videos and documents to convince her that the project was ongoing and close to completion. Odiri wandered around the street close to being naked. Many felt she was mentally unstable, and they tried avoiding her.

She was helpless and unable to think straight. The night was getting darker, and she had no place to sleep. A police van on patrol stopped her. She felt a sense of hope and succour on citing the security operatives, but she never suspected they were about to compound her woes. She narrated her story to the police officers. They nodded in disbelief. Unfortunately for her, she was found around a flashpoint where some prostitutes used to hang around while waiting for prospective customers. She was told she was under arrest. They ignored the bruises on her body and demanded a bribe in exchange for her freedom. She had nothing to give. They handcuffed her and took her to their station to be locked up. Odiri cried her eyes out, and all her pleas of being innocent fell on deaf ears. She had lost everything, and there was no hope. Her dream of being a shining light in Africa was gone. Her uncle was already basking in euphoria of unexpected success. He went to the church to give thanks to 'God' for blessing him. He delivered a cooked up testimony, and the large congregation tapped into it. They wanted the same. But it wasn't God who blessed him, the devil did. The reason why he was living large was the exact reason why Odiri was behind bars for days, living on stale bread and water in a dirty and stuff cell.

The police weren't ready to release her except she parted with some money as bail. They denied her all efforts to communicate with the United Kingdom embassy in Nigeria for any necessary support. Odiri lost her love for Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Her sense of family was gone. Her hopes were dead. Odiri soon suffered a mental breakdown and became a patient at the psychiatric hospital, which was severely underfunded by the government. This aggravated her condition and left an indelible mark on her body. Till date, she still struggles to recover from the trauma of falling from grass to grace.

This is just a parable. Odiri doesn't exist. Odiri signifies Nigeria. Odiri exemplifies the poor masses. Her uncle represents the political class who have eaten away the future and destinies of over 200 million Nigerians. The reason why they are living in affluence today is the same reason why over 90 million Nigerians live in abject poverty. The police officers represent that failed institutions managed by unscrupulous people who have failed to respect the codes of conduct guiding their respective offices. They live for their selfish interests, and they bend the rules to suit their nefarious purposes. The cab drivers and the armed robbers are by-products of a failed society. They represent the cankerworms eating up the security architecture of Nigeria. The society made them. They represent the bandits, Boko Haram, kidnappers, hoodlums and other outlaws making lives uncomfortable for innocent people in Nigeria.

Fortunately, Odiri hasn't died; her uncle hasn't been brought to book. She managed to survive the trauma, but her life has lost direction. She developed other underlying ailments during her travails, and she has been living with them. Time has passed; she is 60 today. Her dreams and life aspirations have failed to materialize. There is virtually nothing to celebrate.

Welcome to Nigeria. A blessed country that is well-populated with high quality human and material resources, but only working for a few ruling elites. The self-acclaimed giant of Africa where lions are led by goats.

Nigeria clocks 60 with an aged leader superintending over a sick economy, and depressed people, whose woes have been compounded by massive inflation and the coronavirus pandemic. Over a decade ago, the dream of most Nigerians was to become doctors, lawyers, nurses, engineers, fulfilled entrepreneurs and others. But today, everything has turned upside down. The biggest dream of most young people is to leave the country and acquire dual citizenship for their unborn children. This move is a sure escape route from the scourge of poverty. There is nothing to celebrate today. We can only thank providence for the gift of life. Our succour might be in heaven at the end of the day.

Odiri, who was full of life and had a bright future, was forever stripped naked in a public place and hasn't recovered.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/10/nigeria60-beautiful-woman-that-was.html

When Governor Godwin Obaseki secured his second term in office after crushing his main challenger, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in the recently concluded Edo governorship election, he was quick to direct his gratitude towards one powerful man. That person was President Muhammadu Buhari. He said Buhari should be remembered as the 'father of democracy in Nigeria'

Yesterday, he made out time out of his busy schedule to pay a special visit to Buhari alongside his deputy, Philip Shuaibu.
Yes, Obaseki must have exercised too much hyperbolism in his statement, especially in the heat of an exhilarating victory, but there is much sense in what he said. When a video emerged in which the former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, was allegedly plotting with Buhari's Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, to rig the election, the fears of the people were confirmed. The election was expected to be rigged in the favour of the ruling party. No politician is innocent in Nigeria; they easily roll out all the weapons in their arsenal to secure victories. Obaseki could have done that if he was in the shoes of Iyamu.

When elections are organised in Nigeria, the popular talk on the streets is that "the best rigger wins". With the drama that accompanied the election and the braggadocio of Oshiomhole and Obaseki alongside other 'kingmakers' in Edo State, nobody was expecting a free and fair contest. Blood was expected to flow. The election wasn't entirely free of skirmishes and oddities, but they were kept to the barest minimum.

The role of Buhari in this election needs to be applauded. It might seem like a norm in saner climes where political leaders refuse to interfere in electoral processes but the situation is different in Africa. Free and fair elections are a rarity in Nigeria. The US and the UK had to issue out warnings to political actors fomenting trouble during elections and undermining the process.

There is a general institutional weakness in Nigeria and this makes government institutions prone to manipulations by political actors and the ruling elites. We have strong men and weak institutions. The President wields enormous powers that could undermine any democratic process. The President appoints the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the service chiefs and the Chief Justice of Nigeria. In June 2019, Buhari also controversially influenced the appointment of five new justices of the Supreme Court. These people play significant roles in the democratic process in Nigeria.

INEC organises the election and the security agencies maintain law and order during the event. In the past, security operatives have been accused of helping political parties rig elections. When its all said and done, the aggrieved parties head to the courts to seek redress on the outcome of elections which usually gets to the supreme court in the course of litigation. The judges appointed by the president might also be waiting to do his bidding. Till date, the supreme court judgement that ushered in Governor Hope Uzodinma in Imo State still remains contentious. The popular view is that the Federal Government had a hand in the outcome, although this hasn't been backed with strong evidence.

What the above means, in essence, is that the executive arm of government dominates over the legislature and the judiciary in a way that erodes checks and balances. Nigerian politicians are like armed robbers who operate in broad daylight under the nose of the general public and then damn the consequences.

When the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, deployed 30,000 police officers to maintain law and order during the Edo election, PDP members and supporters of Obaseki felt they were going to be targeted. The general public felt that way too. The term 'Federal Might' is a deciding factor in Nigerian politics and it is exercised through lacunas like this.

At the end of the day, the election was peaceful to a very large extent. Obaseki schooled and battered Iyamu again. As Nigerians took to social media and the streets to celebrate the victory with Obaseki, Buhari also joined. He released a statement like the 'father of the nation', congratulating Obaseki (a member of the opposition party) and urging Iyamu to accept defeat in good faith. That move watered down the bitter agitations of sponsored protests, propaganda, litigations, violence and others which trail elections in Nigeria.

Another influential figure of the APC - the governor of Kaduna State followed suit by going on national TV to commend the electoral process. The Chairman of the APC National Caretaker Committee, Mala Buni also accepted the defeat and extended his hand of fellowship to a former party member, Obaseki.

Iyamu who had earlier rejected the outcome of the result was almost left alone in any plan to challenge results in court. His godfather, Oshiomhole was silent and there were rumours of the APC plotting to expel him. Iyamu later met with the leadership of the APC in Abuja and conceded defeat. The formerly vocal and agile Oshiomhole would also slowly crawl out of his shell, to accept and respect the stand of the electorate.

The level of sanity enjoyed in the Nigerian political space has been so encouraging, that many have envisaged that Obaseki might return to the APC. But he has denied nursing such plans. But we never say never! Iyamu expressed his desire to work with Obaseki to better the state of affairs in Edo State. Obaseki isn't expected to take the offer, but it is good for the press.

If Buhari had decided to influence the process, he would have successfully done that and probably get away with it. People will protest for a while and be overwhelmed by security operatives. Critical reports will fly around in the media until people lose interest. Obaseki would then head to the election tribunal where the machinery of the ruling party will be waiting for him. After a prolonged and maybe choreographed legal battle, his petition will be respectfully and civilly kicked out. He then releases a long press statement appreciating his supporters and then moves on with his life like nothing ever happened.

Buhari had a loaded gun in his hand but he refused to pull the trigger as Oshiomhole and Iyamu would have expected. He is the real and true hero of the Edo 2020 election.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/09/one-man-that-actually-made-victory.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

Akudo earns a salary of less than N85,000 in a month at a struggling company in Lagos. The sole proprietor of the medium-scale enterprise had considered closing down the firm times without number due to its slow pace of growth. For years, he has refused to increase the salary of the busty young lady with light skin and alluring curves which she never fails to show off in tight clothes. She also has no chance of being promoted in any way. The 24-year-old doesn't care about her career. Her job as a front desk officer is just a front for another 'business' which brings the cash. She runs a company within her company and that firm is between her legs. Most of her 'customers' are married men and young internet fraudsters popularly called 'Yahoo Boys'.

She has an active account on Instagram and this is like her own link to the world. It's difficult to understand what she is up to. You need to look closely. Akudo uploads pictures like every normal girl. She makes sure a large chunk of her cleavage is showing, her hips are also exposed out of her short dresses and she poses in a way that her backside is also captured. The pictures are laced with motivational quotes, bible verses and appreciation of God. These are regular innocent pictures we see every day on social media but there is more to them. They are posted as baits with intentions. The 'goods and services' are not conspicuously displayed in the black market but the buyers understand the signals. Once they see them, they make a move and a moneyed deal is sealed like a capital project. Not all ladies are as discreet as Akudo. Others post provocative pictures, twerk in videos, flaunt tattoos, touch on x-rated topics just to tell the outside world they are strictly open for business.

Back to Akudo, she simply goes to popular social media pages on Instagram to make harmless comments. Some might be lengthy, others might be so brief. These comments are for the visibility of her page. Interested buyers who are mostly male folks scroll through the comment section of popular social media pages not just to gauge the opinions of people about issues and incidents, but to look out for people like Akudo. After checking her profile and being satisfied with her pictures, he respectfully sends a message. Akudo initially acts decent but shows her true colours as time goes on. It might be a one-off deal in which they meet at a hotel and the man pays a sizeable amount of money and sex is transacted or a contract in which he becomes the 'friend' Akudo. He constantly helps her out with common material needs while they regularly meet for sex when the need arises. Akudo in turn calls the man her 'best friend, mentor, uncle, zaddy or ex'. When you hear these terms, you need to look deeper.

The business has been fine for Akudo. She never touches her monthly salaries. She drives a 2010 model of Lexus ES 350 saloon car which arrived during the coronavirus pandemic when millions of Nigerians lost their jobs and others took pay-cuts. She attributes her 'success' to God all the time.

Akudo is not alone. Life is tough in Nigeria and maybe tougher in Lagos. It is easy to become homeless because the well-paying jobs are scarce and the house rents keep going up like it wants to explore the heavens. Since Nigerians never share their pains but gains, so that they wouldn't be mocked or regarded as unfortunate in life, the young ladies secretly start to use what they have to get what they want.

How do you explain a situation whereby a lady who earns just N50,000 per month, lives on the mainland and works on the Island, and then easily affords the latest iPhone with other ostentatious belongings. She goes on social media every weekend to share photos of her visitations to swanky restaurants, eating exotic meals and cooling off at 5-Star hotels. These 'online marketers' are always in a hurry to show the world they are 'balling'. It's like they need to convince an imaginary competitor out there.

For ladies who want a bigger chunk of the monies that circulate in the untaxed sex industry in Lagos, they crave for more visibility. They join the entertainment industry where they go into modelling, presentations, reality shows and mostly acting. The big boys stalk the entertainment industry, which is like the 'more you look, the less you see'. In the entertainment industry, you need to look successful to gather momentum. Since you can't engage in internet scam like the male players, you will crawl to the politicians, business tycoons, drug barons and others making easy money, to shore up your bank accounts, so that you can look successful and advance your career.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus globally, the local film industry has taken a hit. It has almost closed down. But this setback hasn't stopped the glory of actresses who have no known businesses or reasonable endorsement deals. They have been flaunting new SUVs on social media as well as newly-acquired houses. The story is the opposite for the men who most times survive on the benevolence of well-meaning Nigerians. Who have the male actors offended? Are they not serving a 'living God'?

Most of the most talented and hard-working male actors only grab the headlines when they engage in crowdfunding to offset medical bills.

With the advancement in information technology and widespread usage of smartphones, social networks have been springing up aside from the major ones like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Most young ladies discreetly join them to open business profiles where they transact sex at affordable rates. Most of them are just normal people that can never be suspected to be indulging in such. All you need to simply do is chat them up, agree on a fee, she takes your address and comes down easily using one of the ride-hailing companies. Investigations show sex services are charged according to durations and add-ons. You either go for 'short time' which is a round or two within two hours or so. Those with enough cash opt for 'long rest' which is fixed over the night with about three rounds or more guaranteed, according to the gas in your tank.

The story of this industry can't be told in one article. It is far bigger than imagined. The players are invisible. It is condemned by both participants. Nobody likes to admit it exists but they will always run there for help when the body calls for it. It's like a hospital with numerous patients in emergency wards. It's a multi-billion naira industry without exaggerations. It has changed lives. Many have bought cars, careers, houses, established businesses through this industry. It is called the oldest profession in the world. It is not new, just that the trends are changing. Every young lady seems to be eyeing the sector with a plan to join and support herself. Greed, peer pressure and economic hardship drive the informal industry.

How much is Nigeria's debt again? N31 trillion I guess. If President Muhammadu Buhari decides to track the transactions in the industry with the sole aim to collect taxes, he will repay Nigeria's debts under a period of 16 months, and I mean it.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/09/the-multi-billion-naira-sex-industry-in.html

You need prayers.

The governorship election in Edo State was originally a local one. This means that it should only attract the interest of the Edo citizens and other political pundits or enthusiasts. But at the end of the day, it looked like a national event that attracted widespread interest and massive celebrations across the country.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP battered Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress at the polls for the second time in 4 years, without mercy. The humiliation was similar to the 8-2 defeat of Barcelona in the hands of Bayern Munich at the recently concluded Champions League. It is the kind of defeat that makes you reconsider your political career, especially considering the resources at the disposal of the loser. Obaseki gallantly polled 307,955 votes, while Iyamu, the supposed grassroots politician trailed him with 223619 votes. Mathematically speaking, there was a margin of 84,336 votes between them, in an election that divided the best of political analysts and pundits due to the expect stiff competition.

Obaseki went into the election with a depleted army. With just weeks to the event, about 42 of his aides had already defected from his camp to join the APC. These included two three commissioners, 24 special advisers, three board members, three commission members, six LGA officials, one Chief of Staff, one campaign team director, and one chief press secretary. But Obaseki still cruised to victory against all odds. What really happened? How did it happen?

The truth is that we might never really know. Social Science is not like the Physical Sciences where you can get the same results if you mix the same chemical substances together 100 times. Human behaviours are difficult to determine. This doesn't stop us from attempting to diagnose the problem, at least, at the surface level. There are many factors that accounted for the poor performance of the APC in that outing.

Yes, Obaseki is loved, the antics of former governor Adams Oshiomhole and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (the godfathers) irked the people of Edo State, the personality of Iyamu who has a loyalty challenge and other factors that could have built up the displeasure of the electorate against the APC. I want to use this juncture to look at the bigger picture. The Edo election was more of a referendum on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration and this is evident in the massive celebrations across the country. The Nigerian social media space was literally set on fire. It was like Christmas!

The election was just an avenue for the common people to express their approval and disapproval of the present state of affairs in Nigeria. Is it not mind-boggling that Nigerians are now siding with the PDP which was accused by the APC of grounding Nigeria? Years back, Nigerians were beginning to see the PDP as a plague, but in 2020, things are beginning to change. It is not as it the PDP is now trusted, its about protest votes.

I have always emphasized that the current administration has long abandoned governance to focus on politics. There is no sector that has witnessed reasonable growth that is capable of transforming lives in the last 5 years. The flowery messages of the progress of the APC disseminated via the mass media channels are sponsored. Those that facilitate them know the truth but they need to do their jobs and feed their families.

The security architecture is collapsing with local armed conflicts, banditry and insurgency are crippling economic activities in the northern part of Nigeria. Food prices have been heading up like a rocket, the unemployment rate is high, corruption is still striving; only the players have changed, freedom of expression has been limited with harassment by security operatives and court cases.

The coronavirus pandemic has added salt to the fresh injuries of Nigerians. It caused a shrink in our GDP, loss of jobs and other accompanying economic challenges. As Nigerians battled with the effects, the ruling elites focused on the business side of the pandemic. State governors have been falling over each other for COVID-19 intervention funds. Governor Abdullahi Ganduje didn't rest of his oars till he squeezed N5 billion out of the Federal Government. Now he claims to have flattened the curve with an appalling testing record. The coronavirus palliatives have ended up in the pockets of those who have more than enough. People hear of massive financial disbursements from the pages of newspapers and it ends there. It took the church in Nigeria to dish out the real palliatives and save lives.

As Nigerians grappled with the cash-crunch which has even affected their relatives abroad, who used to support them with foreign exchange, the government came up with anti-people policies again.

With a short time frame, DStv, a Sub-Saharan African direct broadcast satellite service owned by MultiChoice increased tariff. As if that was not enough, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) increased electricity tariff from 30.23 Naira for one kWh to as much as 62.33 Naira per kWh. The pump price of fuel was later increased by the Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) N151.56 per litre with effect from September 2, 2020. Majority of the protest movements organized by the people have been thwarted by security operatives. The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress appear to be fighting a lost cause to pressure the government into a reversal of the hikes.

Nigerians no longer have a say in the affairs of their country. The elites who are shielded from the economic hardships with their loot. The people simply found a way to express themselves legally through the ballot. From the look of things, the APC might always lag behind if the electoral body, INEC organizes free and fair contests.

The morale of APC is low presently. The party will be heading to another governorship election with the psychological trauma of defeat and the possibility of another one. This the mental state of a professional boxer coming off a defeat. Heavyweight boxer, Deontay Wilder who lost to Tyson Fury earlier this year might be in a pole position to explain this better. Ondo State could suffer the contagious effect of defeat. The electorate might be tempted to go the Edo way. The opposition parties will also be energized and motivated, knowing fully well that APC can be defeated roundly.

A defeat is very possible in Ondo if the PDP and the Zenith Labour Party could go into an alliance. Agboola Ajayi is a popular politician, but ZLP has no structure. The popularity of Jegede needs re-evaluation. It is hard to put a figure to it, considering the fact that his godfather, Olusegun Mimiko is no longer behind him. If both parties come together, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC might be giving a run for his money. With the current morale of the APC and disaffection amongst the people, the election might go against the ruling party. October 10 is the slated date and Nigerians will be eagerly hoping for a bold statement to be made.

The people have spoken and I hope Buhari and his party members are seeing the bigger picture. APC's fall in Edo State might not just be about Obaseki, Iyamu and Oshiomhole alone, it could be more about the president and his performance in recent times.

Written by Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/09/the-making-of-fall-of-apc-in-edo-is.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

I am going to the next edition

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Who has heard about this More App? I think it is owned by Chinese people. I just started using it of recent. I read they are running one 'RisingStar Campaign' which involves the payment of creators? How true is it? I don't have a job, I need something that can fetch me small money online.

Pls I need recommendations. I recently worked for Opera before they stopped giving contracts to writers. Please help a needy brother. I also have dependants. Your responses will be appreciated. Biko, Abeg!

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

The Big Brother Naija reality show has kicked off again and as expected, the controversies are slowly emanating with the momentum growing. The usual Saturday party took place days back, with the 20 housemates partying under the influence of alcohol. The joyous activity seemed harmless and fun until an awkward event took place. Terseer Waya, popularly known as Kidd Waya, grabbed the breast of a fellow housemate, Erica, on the dance floor. Erica appeared startled, she swiftly moved away from the 27-year-old son of a Nigerian billionaire, Terry Waya. Kidd Waya expressed no sense of remorse about his action, he even requested to have more time with her which she turned down.

A short video clip of the incident was recorded and uploaded online; it sparked discussions. Many called for the sanctioning of Kidd Waya to serve as a deterrent to other young men who enjoy preying on women and taking undue sexual advantage of them. But nothing of such ever happened for the public to see. It would be recalled that the seemingly unwritten codes of conduct guiding the participants of the reality show forbids sexual harassment and other forms of delinquencies of human beings. It was on this note that Kemen, a participant, was disqualified and evicted in the year 2017, after he appeared to have groped a fellow housemate, TBoss, in the middle of the night. How come Kidd Waya isn't being reprimanded for his odious action in the house? Is it because he is promising and the organizers of the show will be seeking to make some cool cash from his presence in the Big Brother house? Why the double standard? Have the rules changed again? If so, what are the rules? Are women safe in the house?

Sexual harassment as the new pandemic

The issues of sexual harassment and rape in Nigeria are beginning to spread as fast as coronavirus with the majority of the cases going unreported due to the stigma attached to the victims. In Lagos state alone, the police revealed last month that residents had reported 32 separate cases of defilement, rape and other offences related to sexual intercourse, all within six months. A similar crime record is in Kano State. The northern state recorded 42 rape cases in the state between January and May, this year. There is hardly any day that a rape incident isn't is reported on social media, blogs or the mainstream media. But we live with the menace like the new norm in human society.

Since the Big Brother Naija show is being followed by millions of people, the organizers had a chance to make a bold statement against the objectification of women by at least penalizing Kidd Waya with a strike or two. Him going scot-free is an endorsement of his criminal activity, which if not curtailed will snowball into a larger problem that could make the society unsafe for us all. This is the time to put financial interests and ratings aside, to pursue a cause that will better our society.

History of sexual harassment on the BBNaija show

This is not the first time the prying lens of the BBNaija high definition cameras is looking the other way in the face of harassment in the house. The previous season recorded about two clear-cut incidents of sexual molestation which were never looked into. Instead, the video clips became part of the highlights of the show which created more publicity on social media. It appears the initial success of the show is also measured based on social media trends. The show presenter, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu boasted yesterday that the show trended on Twitter on a global scale sometime last week.

Frodd's off and on 'relationship' with Esther looked interesting until he once crossed the line. While lying on the same bed with her on a fateful night as they were covered with a duvet, Frodd appeared to pull down his briefs as he leaned on Esther who expressed resistance. It took the intervention of Big Brother who spoke to Frodd off-camera, to stop him.

Omashola who had earlier barged into Thelma while she was in the bathroom soon marked the infamous register. After the usual Saturday night's party, a drunk Omashola that paraded his erection with pride was seen simulating sex behind a mother of two, Venita. Despite being resisted by her, Omashola seemed persistent. The incident was caught on camera and the videos were circulated online. It was followed by the usual social media engagements but nothing happened. Omashola got away with the incident and even had the gut to give Venita a nickname on stage in front of a large crowd, at the end of the show.

A chance to do the right thing

Kidd Waya is a young man who exudes so much confidence. He is handsome, exposed, well-travelled and hails from a wealthy family. He doesn't hide his background and privileged life. He brags about being confident and it works for him. He appears to be the everyday 'Alpha Male' figure who just go for what they want according to the spate of the hunger. This mentality might not be far from the scandal that rocked the U.S president, Donald Trump before the presidential election in 2016 after an audiotape of him bragging about his exploits with women leaked. The severity of Kidd Waya's move was written over the face of the hapless Erica., but he didn't see it as a big deal. That sense of entitlement was boldly written all over his face. Being tipsy isn't an excuse to touch women inappropriately.

From all indications, the organizers missed a golden opportunity to contribute their quota to the war against sexual harassment in our society, but it is never too late to do the right thing. Kidd Waya can still be given strike(s) or disqualified from the show in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice. I guess Kemen will be shaking his head in surprise and disappointment as he watches Kidd Waya being let off the hook for material gains.

The reputation of the show is already on the line. Come to think of it, BBNaija hardly trends on an educative note. It is all about controversies and scandals. The themes of the show in the past also reek of the expectations of the organizers. Themes like See Gobe, Double Wahala, Pepper Dem Gang reek of one trouble or the other which the housemates are hypocritically punished for when they push their luck too far to gain popularity and entertain the viewers. The essence of the show needs to be redefined as it is losing its initial goals and objectives.

When an offence like this goes unanswered, it is bound to multiply in the nearest future. The authorities of the show are sleeping in a house with a burning roof.

Written by Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: https://www.tori.ng/news/150837/will-this-fresh-scandal-in-bbnaija-show-be-ignored.html

Two blood sisters have joined in the fight against rape and sexual harassment of women in Nigeria today - Friday.

Amarachi Ojiaku and her younger sister, Juliet Ojiaku, protested alone along the Okota area of the Oshodi/Isola LGA, Lagos State. After failing to convince a large number of friends to join the movement, the sisters clothed in black clothes to signify a period of mourning in the country held placards and stopped beside a major road to make a bold statement.

It would be recalled that the rape and the gruesome murder of a student of Microbiology at the University of Benin - Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, 22, has sparked critical conversations about the endangered nature of women. Similarly, one Ibadan-based Barakat Bello, 18, was also raped and killed by suspected armed robbers in her father's house.

Speaking on the sidelines of the protest, Amarachi, a budding journalist, urged the government to make concerted efforts in battling the scourge of rape and the sexual exploitation of women in Nigerian society.

"Rape is becoming too rampant in recent times. I have been bothered about this for long. I am glad that the case of Uwa has attracted both local and international attention. This is a watershed moment we need to take full advantage of to forestall more brutal incidents of rape. Women need to be protected and victims should be encouraged to speak up and seek justice"

When quizzed about the small size of her team, she attributed it to the reluctance of the vulnerable people to stand up to their oppressors. She concluded by saying her message has been passed and she wishes to be a part of larger efforts to fight rape and sexual harassment in Nigeria.

Source: Tori News

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

Multichoice Nigeria - the organisers of the Big Brother Naija reality show have refused to bow to the coronavirus pandemic which has altered millions of timetables across the world, as well as leaving businesses in ruins. They have decided to go ahead with the 5th edition of the moneyed reality show and its slated for July. As expected, their millions of fans across Africa have been celebrating the audacious move. The announcement was made with an image which reflected the current reality the world is dealing with - the coronavirus outbreak. A lady was pictured wearing a black face-mask with the show's name inscribed on it.

Interested contestants have been urged to engage in online auditions. They are to undertake simple tasks on camera and upload the short video clip on the African Magic website after filling a form. At the end of the day, 20 or more contestants might be picked for the show which will last for 90 days. This looks interesting at surface level, but in the real sense, the question is; how will it work? There has been a spike in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Nigeria. The number is approaching 11,000 and over 300 deaths. It's not clear if the virus will peak in July when the show starts due to the challenge of testing Nigeria is bedeviled with. Multichoice Nigeria might be gambling, and it is going to be an expensive one since lives are involved.

Join me as we weigh the pros and cons of organizing the show in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.



The impossibility of physical and social distancing

The Big Brother Naija reality show is a programme that entails physical contacts and direct communications. In fact, one of the highlights of the show is when romantic relationships develop among housemates of the opposite sex. The ratings also tend to increase when controversies are stirred up in the house. What will be the essence of such a reality show when the principles of social distancing are enforced. It will be better to give one's time to those budding Instagram comedians than to sit down for several hours, watching a supposed no-holds-barred reality show which looks like a P.T.A meeting or a religious gathering. The way out this might be the testing of housemates to make sure they are free of the virus. But what about the hundreds of support staff who are working behind the camera?

Multichoice Nigeria might be forced to set up its own molecular laboratory for the purpose of conducting regular tests for the entire contestants and all support staffers who might be having direct or indirect contact with the participants. Currently, there is no other deadly disease as sneaky as coronavirus. It has the capability of spreading rapidly under the radar through asymptomatic patients and the possibility of 'false negatives' in test results. Once a staff or contestant tests positive to the disease, the show might have to be shut down to avoid endangering the lives of the participants. It would be recalled that a similar reality show - Ultimate Love failed to fulfil its scheduled time span due to the menace of the virus.



How will the opening event hold?

The fanfare of having Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, the anchor of the show at the centre of the stage in front of a large crowd, introducing the well-dressed and probably eccentric housemates one by one, might be stalled. Social distancing could prevent such a large crowd from gathering. Even if they gather and wear masks, the cries and chants will be hampered. It will also be inconvenient to wear masks at such large assemblies where the quality of air might be poor. The opening event is one of the highlights that announces the show to the outside world. It can be done without the crowd but the excitement will be eroded away. The event will be synonymous to major football matches holding behind closed doors without the fans.


What about the Saturday night parties?

The Saturday night party is another key episode of the show. It tends to replicate real-life events of clubbing or partying during weekends after a long week working. During the party, alcoholic drinks are made available, bouncers as well as a DJ who most times, establishes physical contact with housemates, although a minimal one. The virus might easily spread in a sweaty condition like that. The only way out will be to test the entire guests at the party but they are allowed in. If an infected person mistakenly makes it into the party arena, there will probably be a costly repeat of the scenario at iSON Xperiences in Ibadan, Oyo State.



The arena games, daily tasks and Head of House Challenge:

These activities involve different tasks. In most cases, objects are set up in an organised manner with housemates urged to achieve certain goals and objectives. The arena is managed by human beings who could be carriers of the disease. Anything they touch might be infected. Any housemate who comes in contact with an infected object might get sick and spread the disease further. This puts a limitation or a question mark to the organization of the arena games.



Overcrowding

There is no doubt about the fact that the BBNaija house is usually overcrowded at the initial stage and it could be hard to know who is who at the start of the show. About 20 or 21 housemates are cramped up in one bedroom sharing limited facilities. If there is any place the virus could easily spread, its the BBNaija house setting where physical distancing is a mirage. Only people with lion hearts will take a bold risk of participating in the show when a highly infectious virus is still on a rampage.


Challenge of having celebrity visitors

To spice up the show, the organisers have a way of bringing celebrity visitors to pay the housemates some surprise visits. The visitors interact with them and spend some quality time sharing life experiences about challenges, failures and successes. In the era of coronavirus, this could be risky as the celebrity might be a carrier too. The reasonable way out is to book the public personality ahead of time, house the person in a hotel and test him before entering the house. This at the long run might not be cost-effective as a single test costs about N20,000 - N30,000.


Regular interference by Ninjas and set managers

The invisible Big Brother whose voice is only heard, regularly confines the housemates to space to allow set managers and ninjas perform some tasks. Mostly, the set managers work behind the scenes while the masked ninjas are covered by the cameras. Mostly, the ninjas establish physical contacts with objects in the house as well as the housemates. The pandemic might add a level of uncertainty to such actions, except the set managers have their hands sanitized with the ninjas as well as undergoing testing. Additionally, the organisers will also be wary about allowing different costumes and food substances to come into the house except they are thoroughly sanitized.



What will the eviction show look like?

This is similar to the concerns I expressed about the possibility of the opening event. The large and seeming noisy crowd who are encouraged to scream on top of their voices light up the show. With social distancing guidelines in place, the eviction show might be dead on arrival. All these episodes that bring excitement could fail to live up to expectations of the audience and trigger mass apathy.



Getting sponsors

Most big corporations are already struggling to stay afloat due to the disease outbreak. Most of them have cut the salaries of staffers as well as downsized their workforce extensively. There is also a reduced amount of money in circulation within the local economy, as oil price in the international market is presently down. It might be herculean for the organizers to get credible sponsors to invest in the show as such a project might be termed as ostentatious. It's more of a high-risk and low reward venture.



Revenue from voting might be reduced

Most Nigerians are presently living from hand to mouth due to the massive job losses and cuts in their finances. Voting through sms to save their favourite housemates might be the bottom of their scale of preference when the show starts. It will be a different ball game if the local economy were to be booming. It would be recalled that sms earnings are part of the major revenue streams of the show. Last year, the show garnered a total of 240 million votes.

In conclusion, the latest edition of the Big Brother Naija reality show is a big gamble. It stands a good chance of being a flop with the various limitations put in place to contain coronavirus. But, on the brighter side of life, it might also succeed as Nigerians who are low on cash might find solace in the reality show instead of expending extra cash entertaining themselves out there. There are many questions to be answered and Multichoice Nigeria might be up to the task. July is just a month away, time has a story to tell us all.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/06/bbnaija-in-era-of-covid-19-gamble-with.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

Let me start this article on a very personal note. I know of a medical doctor who is so dear to me. She is such a wonderful soul and has been a blessing to my life. When the first coronavirus case involving the Italian was announced on the 27th of February 2020, she was undergoing an internship programme at one of the major government hospitals in Lagos State. I feared for her life as I had seen what the virus did to Dr Li Wenliang (the famous coronavirus whistleblower) and other medical practitioners in China.

Even though statistics from China are largely unreliable as a result of the constantly alleged cover-up, 1,760 health workers were infected with the virus as at the 14th of February with 6 death recorded. The medics are very vulnerable to the virus as they have to be perfect when dealing with it to prevent being infected. This lady and I discussed the virus at length as well as some quick protective measures she could employ to stay safe.

The following day, she went to work and realized that the only measure taken by the government/the hospital management to tackle coronavirus was to paste a few awareness posters about the disease around the hospital premises and it stopped there. Hand sanitizers, face masks, gloves and other Private Protective Equipment which should have been readily available to protect health workers were as scarce as good news during this pandemic. It was a clear case of soldiers going to war clothed like rockstars with guitars and other musical instruments.

Things never improved. Fortunately, there was no local transmission or community spread of the disease then. She finished her internship safely. A month later, she got a memo urging medics to come forward to join the fight against Covid-19 in Lagos, Nigeria. She declined and expressed her fears about the dangers ahead of the battle. As a patriotic Nigerian, I felt disappointed in her. I expected her to show the dedication and resilience of the healthcare workers in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Italy, Spain, South Korea and other affected countries of the world. These special people that I regard as 'earthly angels' have been toiling on the battlefield, away from their family members as their mental state is bastardized with the regular sight of body bags. Despite being a patriotic and passionate professional who has trained most of her life to save lives, she was scared of dying cheaply. She didn't trust the system to protect her. Many of her colleagues who are brilliant heads shared the same sentiments with her. I tried not to judge her due to my close knowledge of her, but I still hope to convince her in the nearest future to join the war, as we are far from reaching the peak of it.

In just 5 weeks into the odd war, it has claimed the lives of three doctors namely Dr Emeka Chugbo, Dr Aliyu Yakubu, Dr Oluwayemisi Adetokumbo Otegbeye and a nurse working for the medical charity Doctors Without Borders. It didn't stop there, a total of 40 health workers have been infected according to a recent announcement made by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire. While this is like a case of having casualties in a war situation, these cases are saddening and to an extent preventable. Countries of the world have recorded massive casualties among health workers turning into hapless patients in a twinkle of an eye. The Nigerian case is different in the sense that most health workers have become victims in the hands of their patients. Patients probably dealing with delusion associated with medical conditions conceal their symptoms and travel history when being treated in hospitals. For example, a man who was treated at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH in early April hid some essential details that pointed towards coronavirus when he was admitted. He later opened up at the point of death when four doctors were already exposed. Also in Kwara State, the index case was brought in as someone who was just feeling unwell in general with the facilitator of the move reportedly having a clue of the danger on the ground. He later died and those who attended to him were exposed. A similar scenario also played out in Kano and Borno States. The gory tales never end.

Like every occupation, there must be a fee to be earned after the delivery of expert services by the health workers. The remuneration of the medics are not encouraging and can only afford them the basic things of life. This is an aberration to what is obtainable in developed countries where they regard them as 'high-level workers'. For example, the hazard allowance given to doctors working on the frontlines was initially N5,000 per month before it was reviewed by the government for the Covid-19 period pegged at three months. A premium life insurance cover of N122.5 million has also been approved for frontline workers. The upward review of the hazard allowances doesn't amount to a significant fee in comparison with the danger they confront every day. The poor earnings account for the reason why most doctors pursue oversea jobs. A medical doctor once confided in me that out of the over 130 doctors which his class produced, about 110 have left the country to work abroad for bigger pays. According to a 2019 report, the UK employs an average of 12 Nigerian doctors every week. Nigeria has about 42,000 doctors available to treat a staggering population of 200 million people. It would be recalled that the Nigeria Medical Association registered 75,000 doctors but 33,000 of them later left the country for better opportunities abroad. The World Health Organization estimates that at least one doctor should be available to 600 persons but in Nigeria today, we have a case of one doctor to 5,000 persons. Nigeria's domestic budgetary allocations have also failed to meet the 15% mark set by 52 African country leaders after a meeting in Abuja in 2001. Nigeria allocates less than 6% of its yearly budget on health. So what do these health workers stand to gain? Like the teachers, their rewards seem to be in heaven.

In the UK where the lives of more than 69 workers of the National Health Service, NHS have been lost in the Covid-19 fight, the citizens are showing appreciations to the health workers. They have designated days set aside in which they congregate at the corridors of their apartments, windows and open areas to clap for the health workers. It's the same in the US, Spain, Italy and other developed countries. This might be little but it goes a long way in psychologically boosting the morale of the health workers and showing them how much they are loved for their services.

Unfortunately, no such open gesture is shown towards health workers in Nigeria. They are seen as normal professional s working for their earnings and not unconventional soldiers bleeding on the field to save our lives from the scourge of the imported disease. Nobody claps for them, their faces are hardly seen and their identities apart from a few government officials are not known. Coronavirus cases in Nigeria have surged above 1,000 amid a present exponential rise and a potential national spread. This means the needed break by the health workers might be uncertain.

By Osayimwen Osahon George, doctoral student of the University of Ibadan

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/04/who-will-clap-for-nigerian-health.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

With the fear of the second wave of coronavirus infections in China emanating from imported cases and rumours that local transmissions might still be ongoing, it's becoming crystal clear that there is no end to this battle with the unseen enemy which is running into four months now. Lockdowns, testings, quarantine, self-isolation, social distancing, and medical treatment have proved to the effective in slowing down the spread but the world isn't close to winning this unconventional war with a force that can't be negotiated with. According to the World Health Organization, the number of coronavirus cases might be running into a million in the coming days with the global death toll reaching 50,000. This is even coming after countries especially China have been accused of not being transparent with the number of infected cases.

There is an urgent need for a solution or invention that could end the crisis and save the globe of the massive losses in man-hours, human lives and also financial resources. It has been forecasted that the global economy is to be hit with one of the worst cases of economic recession ever. In the U.S alone, about 47 million jobs could be lost through the economic freeze initiated by the outbreak. Several countries in the Global North specifically in Europe and America which are regularly described by developing countries as 'saner climes' have been humbly brought to their knees by this novel disease despite China showing the world a blueprint on how to contain it. People have been dying in hundreds daily in Spain, Italy, U.S, United Kingdom and others. Morgues have been full, same with the hospitals, PPE for medical workers are becoming scarce, ventilators for patients with severe breathing challenges can't go round and there have been worrying cases of doctors choosing who to die next under emergency circumstances even in developed countries famed for saving lives with their 'state of the art' healthcare systems.

Hopes of a victory are becoming dim. Recently, A well-decorated and highly experienced pediatric neurosurgeon Dr Jim Goodrich in the United States was killed by the disease, over 1,400 New York Police Department officials working tirelessly to maintain law and order have been infected with the virus, 66 doctors have died in Italy, over 9 in the Philippines and most countries have gory tales of their frontline workers becoming soft targets of the ruthless virus. Infections have also been spreading on waterways through virus-stricken cruise ships treated as plagues by countries over the fear of an outbreak.

There is a gory projection that the number of fatalities in the U.S at worst might hit 2.2 million according to the Imperial College of London COVID-19 Response Team. And also, even with the containment efforts of the US government, a leading infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony S. Fauci has predicted that 100,000 to 240,000 people might die in the country. Over 5,000 others have already passed away. These are not mere statistics, the figures entail the family members, friends, loved ones, acquaintances, business partners of people who will forever be missed after their demise.

The truth about the pandemic is that the world will never be at rest until its globally eradicated. If it can spread from the distant city of Wuhan, Hubei province to almost 200 countries, any country left battling it will trigger a second wave and the world goes through the vicious circle again. Its a dilly-dally affair with no end in sight. For example, China which has been making the world believe it has beaten the virus yesterday reported about 1,541 imported but largely asymptomatic cases which are easily ignored by other countries since they show no symptoms but spread the disease and ruin the efforts of the government to control it. The coronavirus is highly elusive because 30.8% of infected people feel no symptoms at all.

Rumours have it that there have also been minor incidents of potential threats in Wuhan and other areas in the Asian country. This means that you can win the battle and also resume it again in the cause of celebrating your victory.

Now, what is the global and most potent solution to the current pandemic? It's simple a vaccine. Drug companies and scientists have to invest their resources in finding a quick cure that can immediately absorb, deactivate and subsequently expel the virus from the human body within a very limited period. The affordable vaccine should also be made available in large quantities and distributed across the world to cure every infected person. With this, there will be a mass eradication of the virus and we will all continue with our daily lives without fear of contracting the disease and dying.

Sadly, most vaccines being developed will not be available until next year, 2021 due to the testing procedures to ascertain its safe use. Who knows what will happen by then with the curves refusing to be flattened? This development leaves us in limbo as we continue to look up to the heavens for a miracle against a common enemy the state soldiers can't directly engage with assault weapons on the battlefield. Without a solution like this, this battle might go on until the end of this year at a very huge cost.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/04/the-only-solution-to-coronavirus.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

A viral social media joke about Burundi (not necessarily true) being the only African country not to record a case of Coronavirus infection was simply linked to the unavailability of testing kits. This is the only way the true state of the contagion could be ascertained in any country. The World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in press conferences has been emphasizing that instruction to countries since the outbreak by saying; 'Test! test!! Test!!!'

Nigeria - the most populous black nation in the world has been proudly lagging in that area and nobody seems to be bothered about the untrue state of figures about infected people that it keeps making public.

Since the 18th of March, 2020, Nigeria has been witnessing a gradual increase in the number of Coronavirus cases. An additional number of 5 cases making up 8 in total prompted the Federal Government to issue travel restrictions against 13 countries on that fateful day following massive pressure from Nigerians on social media and also some representatives of the Nigeria Medical Association.

Despite the travel restrictions, the number of infected people has continued to increase but not at the rate of other countries of the world. Many have attributed this to some sort of luck, high temperatures limiting the virus spread or even answered prayers because Nigeria is a country not only populated with religious people but also very superstitious ones. Presently, we have 111 confirmed cases (as at Monday evening - 30th of March) in Nigeria spreading across 10 states and the FCT, and one might decide to celebrate the low figure thinking an outbreak of the level of what the U.S, Spain, Italy, UK and others is far from Nigeria. The figure is very deceitful and in fact, most of the figures of the infected cases around the world are misleading due to the varying patterns of testing employed by different countries. In essence, the number of Coronavirus cases are largely under-reported and also played down by some countries due to political reasons.

As for Nigeria, the truth is that our testing capacity has been very low and poor with an initial number of 5 NCDC testing laboratories across the 36 states in the country. Testing has been monopolized by government hospitals leaving private hospitals and laboratories out of the equation. The Nigerian government appears to be rationing testing kits by focusing on mostly returnees from Coronavirus-affected countries who display alarming symptoms of the dreaded ailment which has infected over 768,370 and leaving 36,912 others dead across the world. Close contacts of those that tested positive to the virus have also been given top priority. Since this disease could be very elusive as it infects people who unknowingly become carriers and spreaders without falling sick, it spreads rapidly under the radar and in a matter of days, thousands of cases can be confirmed. It only takes one person to maintain contact with a group of people and the infection will begin to spread like the California wildfires.

There is also the belief that the disease has been spreading without the knowledge of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC. This isn't far from the crude approach of the government which instructs suspected carriers to fill a contact form, self-isolate and keep in touch with the government about their health. Probably out of crass ignorance, carelessness or negligence, the travelers fill in wrong contact details to avoid any sort of disturbance from health officials. Since Nigeria has issues with technology and keeping a database that could help track people with their mere names, phone numbers, fingerprints or pictures like China does, we start to look for such people in futility when its confirmed that an infected person travelled on that same flight with them. Today, the Federal Government is struggling to trace over 6,000 largely uncooperative people who have had direct or indirect contact with index cases. A handful of that big figure could carry the virus, and spread it amongst the over 200 million people we have in the country. That is a huge disaster waiting to happen or probably has happened but yet to be fully unravelled.

As at Tuesday, the 24th of March, 2020, it was revealed that Nigeria had only tested 178 persons while South Korea was already bracing up for the dangers ahead by testing 10,000 people in a single day. It took the intervention of the Chinese billionaire, Jack Ma who donated testing kids and other Personal Protective Equipment before Nigeria scaled up its testing capacity up to 32% and since then, the numbers have been increasing. The informed general public who have been concerned about the unusual snail-speed of the spread of the disease are finally getting a true picture of what lies ahead. The virus is coming for us and we can only pray that its hit in Nigeria will not be too devastating.

Lagos State - the commercial capital of Nigeria has cemented its position as the 'Wuhan' of Nigeria with 59 recorded cases leaving the FCT behind with just 14 cases. The Lagos State government appears to have access to some information about the virus which the general public might not. Its bracing up for a major disaster and it has been making frantic efforts to mitigate the crushing effects. Local transmission which is the major strength of the pandemic hasn't been pronounced in Nigeria but indications have it that its ongoing and its only a matter of time before we start counting infected cases in thousands like countries in Europe and America.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu's body language tells it all but he keeps claiming his decisions are more of precautionary. He has urged residents to stay at home with civil servants ordered to work from home. He has partially closed market places as he restricts trading to people dealing in essential commodities. Gatherings of over 20 people have been banned with religious organizations directly affected. He has also been hinting about the possible imposition of curfew if the need arises. Apart from this, some physical structures have also been put in place to combat the virus before it makes a full landfall in Lagos State. A health facility has been set up in Gbagada asides from the Infectious Disease Hospital at Yaba which reportedly boasts of 100 beds. A massive makeshift isolation centre has also been set up at the Onikan stadium to house hundreds of Coronavirus patients. Funds have also been raised from private individuals, corporate organizations and state coffers. Donation of needed health kits, ventilators and others have been gathered from well-meaning Nigerians. Furthermore, the government has set up a food bank to feed over 200,000 households in the state for 14 days during the austerity period.

The Commissioner for Health in Lagos State, Professor Akin Abayomi who has been instrumental to postponing the doomsday isn't mincing words. He doesn't want to be politically correct. He simply wants Lagosians to get their body armours and arsenal ready for the war ahead with the unseen enemy. He must have frightened Lagosians and Nigerians as a whole when he revealed his statistical projection that 39,000 people could be infected with the virus in Lagos. According to him, the figure might be beaten down to 13,000 if Lagosians adhere to the globally recommended practice of social distancing. Which ever way the pendulum swings, this spells doom for not only the state but Nigeria as a whole. The professor is not alone, he is only doing his job with a touch of professionalism. The United Kingdom predicts the death of 20,000 people in the worst case scenario and the Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo is projecting the need for 30,000 ventilators in a similar scenario thereby drawing criticisms from an already overwhelmed President Donald Trump.

I know there is a need to be hopeful but we need to prepare for bad times. There is a way the virus operates. It initially spreads slowly like its doing in Nigeria presently, then balloons into several thousands, claims alot of lives of mostly the elderly including those with pre-existing medical conditions, and then peaks. China went through this process and I believe Nigeria might not be different. The Health Commissioner knows this and he isn't ready to downplay the capability of the virus like Trump dangerously did.

With a bigger testing capacity and widespread testing of patients, the actual number of cases might hit 500-1000 for now and if its not well managed, we might be going the way of Spain, Italy, or Iran.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/03/coronavirus-why-number-of-cases-will.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus disease has been affecting all aspects of our daily lives ranging from politics to the economy, tourism, formal education, social relationships, health and others either directly or directly.

So far, about 130,000 people have been infected by the disease with almost 5,000 others dead. A total of 114 countries have been affected by the outbreak which started from Wuhan, China in December, 2019. If there is anything the Coronavirus comes with, its fear and the culture of fake news which is highly practised on social media and other digital channels has aggravated the problem with vulnerable people constantly consuming malicious contents about the virus.

Politicians across the world have positioned themselves to benefit from the outbreak of the virus by using it as an excuse to project different political agenda. They see this window of opportunity as the golden chance to touch on the issues of open borders and migrants. A false narrative that migrants are aiding the spread of the virus has been projected and many people are ignorantly buying into it.

In reality, the disease has been spread across the globe mostly by travellers and tourists. Impoverished asylum seekers don't usually get on board cruise ships.

Matteo Salvini, Italy's populist-in-chief has blamed the country for continuing to allow migrants from Africa into the country despite the fact that the continent has only a few cases of the virus. It should be noted that Italy is the worst hit country in Europe over 10,000 cases and death toll approaching 700.

Political analysts in the United States of America are also not left out of the controversy and they have been dutifully fuelling it. Some advocates have directed their anger towards China, describing the people as 'very hungry citizens' who eat raw bats and different species of animals due to the alleged failure of the Communist Party to cater for the people.

Senator Tom Cotton, one of the strongest allies of President Donald Trump claims that the virus might be a product of a highly sophisticated biochemical laboratory in China. He isn't the only one with this kind of conspiracy theory which is readily available on the internet for those interested in reading it.

Going down memory lane, this isn't the first time politicians are weaponizing critical issues for political brickbats. In the 1980s, there was a rumour that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV was created in laboratories managed by the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA.

Trump isn't left out of the infodemic of misinformation. The controversial leader is grabbing his share of the spoils of the crisis with his two hands by claiming he closed the borders against people coming from China in January for the purpose of saving American lives.

The world is going through the phase of deglobalization which has been reflecting in a slow down in world trade and if care isn't taken, the Coronavirus will further worsen issues.

The truth is that the level of interdependence among countries might continue to decline if the fears of the people are aggravated and manipulated further by politicians targeting egoistic interests. The resultant effects would be trade wars, border walls and other barriers that could militate against globalization.

Studies have show that nationalism and protectionism were on the rise before the Coronavirus outbreak started. The disease favours people from that school of thought like Trump who preaches the message of 'America First' which almost means 'America Alone'.

Already, countries have continued to place travel restrictions on each other as well as its citizens. China placed the severely affected city of Wuhan on lock-down and also restricted travelling in and out of the country in its efforts to combat the unseen enemy. Trump lately banned Europeans from travelling to the U.S, Italy and Denmark are also on lock-down. Additionally, Russia closed its border with Iran over Coronavirus fears. Many countries have taken diverse detrimental measures against others under the guise of the doctrine of necessity and this is expected to further deteriorate fragile relationships amongst them.

The solution to the contagion remains the employment of public health techniques aimed at passing across the right information about how to deal with the outbreak which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The deployment of financial resources by countries to undertake medical operations and scientific research coupled with international collaboration will also go a long way in containing it.

The policy of isolationism isn't the answer as the world has become a global village where every individual seeks to travel across the globe to experience new things.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/03/coronavirus-how-politicians-weaponized.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

Since it was announced on Friday that Nigeria recorded a case of the novel Coronavirus disease, many Nigerians have been having sleepless nights over the development. As a knee-jerk reaction, people stormed pharmacists to buy out the hand sanitizers and face masks to prevent being infected by the deadly virus which has a fatality rate ranging between 2% and 4%.

Well, here are some reasons why Nigeria might not suffer the fate of China which has regrettably lost over 2,600 people to the outbreak which started in December, 2019:

(1) Swift response of the Nigerian medical team:

The index patient, an Italian was immediately tested and quarantined by medical officers who rightly suspected he might have the infection when he visited a clinic in Ogun State. This has limited the spread of the disease to a large extent.

(2) Contact Tracing:

[/b]The Federal Government in collaboration with the Lagos and Osun State governments have started the contact tracing exercise aimed at gathering people who came in touch with the Italian while he transited from Lagos State to Ogun after arriving on a Turkish airline. As at yesterday, the Ogun State government announced it had traced 28 persons and they have been quarantined. There is a search for 200 more people.

[b](3) Closure of construction plant index patient visited:

[/b]The factory the unnamed Italian visited has been closed down for disinfection and the authorities of the cement factory involved is cooperating with the medical personnel on ground. This will go a long way in cleaning up any objected the European must have infected.

[b](4) Effective public sensitization programmes:

We have to salute the Nigerian government for level of transparency it displayed as it quickly went public about the first case of the Coronavirus in Nigeria. It has also opened hot telephone lines for Nigerians who need help or have any information about the virus to contact constituted authorities. Short video clips, images and other banners have been released to educated people on how to stay safe from the virus. This has been heavily disseminated on social media.

(5) The Nigerian weather:

[/b]A medical expert named Elizabeth McGraw believes that the virus might not spread easily in regions of higher temperatures compared to the lower ones in America, Europe and Asia. According to her explanation, the virus relies on tiny droplets to spread and this might not be easily achievable under heated atmospheric conditions as experienced in Nigeria.

[b](6) Vaccine Development

[/b]An Israeli company recently announced that its close to developing a vaccine to tackle the novel disease. Some other companies in the U.S and across the world have made similar progress in medical research which is set to undergo clinical trials. This might also help in curtailing the outbreak in Nigeria and across the world. One of the richest men in the world, Bill Gates even announced that a vaccine could be ready later in June this year.

[b](7) Historical antecedence of Lagos State:

Lagos State which is like the centre of excellence in Nigeria has a history of reliability when it comes to containing infectious diseases. It did against the Ebola virus in 2014 after it was imported by a Liberian. The Lagos State Government presently has a health facility of 100 bed spaces set up in the Yaba area to treat infected patients. As long as the infections are detected early, patients will easily get treated here and the sporadic spread will be highly limited.


Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/02/coronavirus-7-reasons-why-nigerians.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

Imo: What If The Supreme Court Reverses Judgement In Favour Of Ihedioha?

Majorly two sets of people will never forget the 14th of January, 2019 in Imo State. One person was elevated across the skies and the other was unbelievably demoted. They are the Emeka Ihedioha, a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain who was just the governor for 7 months and 2 weeks and a two-time senator, Hope Uzodinma from the ruling All Progressives Congress who was challenging the victory of the former from a distant 4th position in the gubernatorial election of 2019.

That day, not only Imo State was divided into two classes of people notably, the celebrants and the wailers, Nigeria as a whole was divided. Everybody suddenly became emergency lawyers, judges and political analysts. There wasn't much they could do because the judgement of the Supreme Court which sacked Ihedioha with immediate effect and installed his rival, Uzodinma was final. Any aggrieved person would also make his case in heaven and that is on the unknown day of judgement. Mathematicians brought out their calculators and started wondering how Uzodinma was able to cover that gap of 176,946 votes which is as wide as the distance between the rich and the power in Nigeria. Uzodinma's lawyers were able to convince the judges with initially dismissed election results in 388 polling units and that made him the winner which many feel isn't mathematically accurate as the valid votes now exceed the number of accredited voters. One thing was clear to me as an observer, Ihedioha had tasted power which he had been longing for over years with a former governor, Rochas Okorocha bullying him around politically, he will never accept that judgement in good faith even if heaven falls. He soon gathered his team of lawyers led by a popular legal luminary Kanu Agabi (SAN) and they applied for a review of the judgement which many found alien to their peripheral knowledge of the legal system in Nigeria.

Officially, no date has been fixed for the review of the Supreme Court judgement although the 9th of March, 2020 is being peddled around on social media. The review might be another interesting event in the history of politics in Nigeria and it will certainly change the political climate in the country. Like every game in life, there are always winners and losers but we all want to be winners and that is where trouble starts. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad has been given the short end of the stick since Uzodinma became governor. Many believe his appointment through the controversial exit of his predecessor, Justice Walter Onnoghen weakened the judiciary as he appears to be manipulated by the Federal Government. If the judgement is reviewed in favour of Ihedioha, it will be a dent on his resume for an initial 'miscarriage of justice' which is quite costly. The narrative will be that he was only coerced into doing the right thing as a result of public pressure. The distrust Nigerians have in public institutions will be further reinforced. More politicians will be applying for reviews of Supreme Court judgement citing the case of Ihedioha vs Uzodinma.

Father Ejike Mbaka will not be spared at all. His controversial January 1,2020 prophecy of the dramatic takeover of Uzodinma who has a close ties to him was already seen as political and not actually divine. A reversal of the judgement will have far-reaching implications on his credibility as a 'man of God'. Will the new explanation be that God who the Holy Bible says is infallible and never changes, suddenly changed his mind after listening to the cries of Ihedioha and the Imolites who love him? Its also going to be a huge loss to people who have increased the spiritual ratings of Mbaka following the seemingly powerful 'prophecy'.

Another set of heavy casualties of a reversal of the judgement will be Governor Hope Uzodinma who has just tasted the sweet seat of power for barely two months as at when it might happen. He is already enjoying the media attention and respect attached to being the first man of a state. He is giving orders here and there and virtually taking none. He is allocating projects to contractors and giving life-transforming appointments to his loyalists. His former foe, Rochas Okorocha, Uche Nwosu and others are getting friendly with him suddenly for obvious reasons. If he is sacked, all will go away in a twinkle of an eye and his appointees, dependants and would-be beneficiaries will experience setbacks. The ruling APC which is spreading its influence in the South-east and South-south parts of Nigeria will also have a share of the snag.

The biggest winner if the judgement is reversed will be Ihedioha and then his followers who have been wining and dinning in the last 7 months like they have no worries. Ihedioha wouldn't care about the state of the judiciary anymore as far as the mantle of leadership is returned to him. He will only undo the immediate works of Uzodinma like he has been doing to that of Okorocha and then he continues from where he stopped in Imo State.

As a Political Scientist, I fear any fresh controversial decision made by the Supreme Court in Imo State might lead to political instability that could endanger lives and properties. Imolites have been divided since the judgement. Even religious leaders especially in the Christendom who are supposed to be apolitical have been issuing press statements against each other. There might be protests, counter-protests and subsequently riots in Imo State which has been relatively peaceful.

Meanwhile, I don't expect much drama if the initial judgement stands apart from some ramblings in the media space by partisan figures. People are already facing the reality of Uzodinma coming to stay and the governor has been playing the politics of acceptance well by dangling fresh carrots here and there to appease all quarters in the state.

Well, no matter the direction the review of judgement goes, many will still be dissatisfied. The Supreme Court faces a delicate trial period in its history.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/02/imo-what-if-supreme-court-reverses.html

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Okada/Keke Ban: Who Else Has Been Experiencing This Strange Thing In Lagos Of Late?

Since the restriction on the operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles on the 1st of February, 2020 as promulgated by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagosians of different economic and social classes have been feeling the scathing heat, although at different degrees.

Most of the low-income earners have been trekking over long distances to get to work amidst an increase in prices of bus fares. Even the ride-hailing company, Taxify has been experiencing a serious surge in prices with customers either reluctantly patronizing or shunning their services for now.

But these aren't the strange things happening on Lagos roads that this article is about. The traffic jams in Lagos have been doubled since the ban and the reasons are clear. Most people have complained bitterly about the wastage of man-hours in traffic and the problem isn't abating. Here is a decent explanation for their present predicament: several people have vehicles in Lagos State. The issue is that due to the regular incidents of traffic gridlocks, many leave their vehicles at home and go to work by public transport. According to the beliefs of these people, it's cheaper to commute by public transport although it could be quite uncomfortable. People have also cultivated the habit of using motorcycles to escape heavy traffic especially in the Victoria Island/Lekki axis of Lagos State. With the partial ban placed on Okada and Keke Napep, most people keeping their vehicles for rare usage mostly during weekends and special social engagements have rolled them out in obedience to the doctrine of necessity. The resultant effect is the compounding of the issue of traffic in the overpopulated city of Lagos where the public resources especially roads are severely strained and dilapidated.

The Lagos State government's plan to release vehicles to serve as palliatives for the vacuum left behind by the Okadas and Kekes has fallen short in terms of numbers with many believing the action was only successful on paper alone.

For now, going to work everyday has become more difficult, strenuous and expensive for Lagosians. From the look of things, people might be staying indoors more on weekends except occasions they need to attend are very important. As Sanwo-Olu remains resolute about his decision to ban Okada and Keke, a massive protest has been planned this weekend to mount serious pressure on him.

President Muhammadu Buhari has voiced his opinion on the Boko Haram insurgency tackling different narratives being bandied around as well as allaying the fears of the people. The key parts of the opinion editorial have gone unnoticed with many focusing on his claim Muslims constitute the largest victims of the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria.

Below are some interesting key points taken from the piece published on a Christian website:

(1) Buhari recognised the good works of the late CAN leader, Pastor Lawan Andimi beheaded by the extremist group.

(2) Buhari believes Boko Haram has been 'defeated and degraded' despite the recent resurgence of the deadly group.

(3) Buhari didn't recognize the efforts of the Civilian Joint Task-force as well as the Multinational Joint Task Force who have played key roles in the unconventional war against the terrorists. Instead, he specifically mentioned the "British and American militaries"

(4) Buhari stated that Boko Haram are no longer a 'unified threat' as they have been fragmented into groups.

(5) Buhari further admitted that Nigeria may not yet be completely winning the battle against terrorism.

(6) Buhari said that Christianity is not contracting under his administration with almost half of the Nigerian population aligning with the faith.

(7) Buhari controversially claimed that ninety percent of Boko Haram victims are Muslims and this has incidentally become the biggest headline of the day. He went further to accuse people of distorting the stories of the actual victims of the sect.

( Buhari accused the Boko Haram fighters of having a jaundiced view of the Quran.

(9) If indeed Buhari actually wrote the article, then he has a strong knowledge of the Holy Bible with could be seen in the several meaningful references he made.

(10) Lastly, Buhari ended by paying his last respect to the slain CAN leader in Adamawa, Pastor Andimi, urging everyone Nigeria to learn from his good and selfless works.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http:///s6d3954a5200204en_ng

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi

I quite agree with you boss. Gbadamosi carried the day.

TheStarsAlign:
Based on the soundness of logic and answers proffered during the governorship debate, I believe the ADC candidate would have been a better option but partisanship/dumb politics has so much clouded a lot of people sense of reasoning (especially the youths - they are the ones with the real power). They'd rather settle for mediocrity, lies or both.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's decision to restrict the commercial operation of motorcycles and tricycles has irked Lagosians and many people have been slagging him off on social media.

The All Progressives Congress chieftain has been initially described as a man of 'many firsts' - helping set up the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, started LAGBUS and being the first to pay workers the N18,000 minimum wage in his ministry even before the Federal Government. Despite this impressive record, he also appears to be a man of 'many lies' just like many Nigerian politicians.

Below is a short list of the lies he told Lagosians when he was seeking election into office:

(1) Governor Sanwo-Olu once promised to regulate the Okada system and not ban:

Governor Sanwo-olu while speaking as a guest at The Platform in October, 2019 promised to develop a "regulation system that can account for every Okada rider in Lagos state'. Fast-forward to January 2020 when he got elected, he didn't only place a partial ban on Okada riders, he added the tricycle riders to the list.

(2) Governor Sanwo-Olu once said he will end the intractable Apapa gridlock within his first 60 days in office:

One of the richest men in Nigeria, Aliko Dangote once revealed he has lost a whopping sum of N25 billion to the perpetual gridlock at the Apapa area of Lagos State. Sanwo-olu jumped on the issue claiming he could clear the trailers within his first 60 days in office. After the 60 days, Sanwo-olu was reminded of his promise and he denied ever saying such.

(3) Governor Sanwo-Olu once claimed Lagos is the only Nigerian State that publishes its budget on a yearly basis:

While debating with political opponents on The Platform, Sanwo-Olu responded to a question on budget transparency and he said Lagos State is the only state that publishes its budget. The claim was later found to be false and misleading as Lagos only publishes summaries of its budget and does not provide details of government spending plans. Aside from this, Kaduna State under Governor Nasir el Rufai has been publishing its budget in a more robust manner.

By Osayimwen Osahon George

Source: http://www.villagetowncrier.com/2020/02/3-major-times-governor-sanwo-olu-lied.html

CC Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove Mynd44 Dominique MissyB3 Fynestboi