₦airaland Forum

2015 LP: Just Laugh It Off

1. No shoes - GEJ
2. Saint - "Poor mallam" feat. GMB
3. Ain't got no certs GMB featuring INEC
4. Dazzol, Shem ft. Oga@the top
5. Revisionist- My Watch: Obj ft. Chamelion
6. America will know - bros J
7. Disgruntled - nPDP ft Nuprogressives
8. Gâte Climbers- Honourables ft Touts
9. Serial Loser by GMB
10. N'a awa turn - Various Tribez
11. Born 2 Rule, North ft SouthWest
12. Don't Mata - N'a wa son ft. South South
13. Warning Shot - Bokites
14. Change's coming - Propaganda ft APC
15. Same people - pdp ft APC

BONUS TRACKS:
Kontinu-Diaris goduu o! PEJ
All dis blood...remix ft PEJ
Driver - Amaechi ft. El Ruffy.
Perpetually unelectable El Ruffy@2013 ft GMB

Happy Nu Year folks! me ft. Ya'all.

Ucheosefoh:
Abeg we no want Ghana economic situation in Nigeria even the almighty Japan and China devalue their currency na Nigeria where we import almost everything will increase the value of Naira. We don't have the output to sustain that rather it is the stability of the Naira from the current position to like one dollar to fifty Naira or hundred Naira should be his priority

His comment clearly demonstrates a poor understanding of the economic situation our poor choices have left us with - to talk about Dollar-Naira parity in an import-driven economy is at best not to understand the challenge. I see why these mofos don't engage the knowledgeable public but choose hangers-on whose only allegiance is their stomach.

...the police, a state institution was deployed by SAS as a fight-back tool to keep sect members under watch and control. Not without repercussions though, for the battle line had been drawn and the spirit of mutual benevolence was long lost in the wake of mistrust. Peace was far, trouble brew at the gates and outside the borders of emperor Sherrif. Boko Haram has evolved, grown beyond local financiers( there are backers outside our shores! who are keen on an unexpressed agenda) And while it festered leadership was lacking - local and federal. The fallout presented an opportune moment for the government at the centre to demonstrate leadership, to act incisively and nip in the bud once and for all the coming storm like we witness daily in the colony. Unfortunately it's been all reactive - from UMYA to GEJ and possibly whomever is coming after Jonathan.
Boko Haram has evolved beyond the expectation of its founders to include mercenaries who kill in the name of god - Like ISIS, it has taken a life of its own and its successes is fueled by religious and ethno-political divisions in the ranks of privileged citizens in elective positions who have no love for the colony they govern.

It is clear that a portion of the colony has become a battle ground for religious jihadist who seek to create a self-styled Islamic state funded by unseen hands. It is an affront to western democracy and keeps its adherent by means of shock and awe.

To find a solution the principal actors from Yerima to SAS need be quizzed. I doubt they ever will.

The intrigue unfolding before our very eyes would have made for another best seller by Robert Ludlum (RIP). He would have aptly tilted it somewhere between: The Boko Initiative or The Sharia Ultimatum. It takes a discerning mind to track the unfolding issues back to Yerima and the 12 Northern pro sharia states in 2002. The root of the challenge we face as a free colony ( not a nation) can be traced to one of Africa's ''big men'', Sani Yerima. Like a fox he acted the script of the Shielded Controllers ( Owners of the colony) of the colony. What better tool to assuage a deprived lot than one with a heavenly appeal? And so the carrot of change was packaged and dangled before a zealot spiritual but economically deprived state citizens. The Sharia code as attractive as it was was timely introduced - to destabilize an ''untrustworthy'' son of the South, OBJ and for continued feudalistic control of a religiously servitude north. OBJ being the clever old fox dodged the bullet. He didn't bite, rather cunningly asserted that the Sharia question will die a natural death. He knew he was being baited by the unseen hands guiding Yerima to stoke an unquenchable divisive fire burning at the seams of the colony. So the Sharia initiative was allowed to fester. It gained hold and wide appeal to the economically deprived - people who have been convinced religiously(clerics/imams) that the dictates of the sharia statues will right all the experienced societal wrongs foisted by their feudal overlords ( Yerima and his co travelers). So while time elapsed the clerics passed their messages as ''divinely'' directed. The void of want was filled easily by a spiritual longing in the absence of economic mobility. Clerics of which Mohammed Yusuf and co became adherents espoused Sharia as the only means of being on Gods side why seeking social mobility. This is the genesis of the challenge today. A seed that was sown with attractive but disruptive intent has germinated outside the control of its pruners.
What we see and witness is a project that has taken a life of its own. Enter Modu Sherrif and his boys. Modu Sherrif or SAS like many refer is right in his assertion that Boko Haram activities predates him. Like all other northern overlord seeking political office Boko Haram was a convenient vehicle whose insistence on wide implementation of the sharia code found willful acceptance by a naive populace. He, sherrif needed to get power, Boko Haram ( Ali Modu boys then) was the vehicle. And so the script was written - an agreement reached between a cunning benefactor and the budding sect. But like a trojan, the benefactor didn't lay all his cards on the table - an Ace was tuck off his sleeve. The hand he will later deal the group after he became King Absolute of Borno. The decision not to implement the full Sharia code strained relation on both sides and eventually culminated in the sect feeling used and betrayed by King Absolute. Of course the extra judicial killings of sect members after the collapse of the unsavory pact helped stoke the fire further and made hardliners out of Bokites. Sympathizers came aplenty. Muslims of similar ideologue joined from adjoining sharia-leaning states and swelled the ranks.The harvest was ripe and fruits needed plucking. It is relevant to state here that the police as a state institution was deployed by King Absolute in the hunt down for Boko Haram members after the fall of the pact. This same police was to later bear the brunt of suicide bombings by the evolving Boko Haram. It is instructive to note that until the severance of the pact the sect's dealings were restrictive - framing terms and codes ( sharia) by which muslim citizens of the state will abide under Islam. This was perceptively subtle at the outset but grew and became stringent more so, for non-muslim residents. This was the crossroads of the matter. The second front. This was the deal breaker upon which the sect was ostracized from King Absolute....to be continued

top10nigeria: LOL! I saw de dance too and I was lol.

Crazy! He probably found himself on a Tender Platform hooked to a Jack Up somewhere in Congo

Nihilist: Why would the girl be wearing an already assembled explosive belt INSIDE the car which could then easily go off if the driver hit a pothole before getting to the intended target?

When they were caught, why was the belt not detonated by the suicide bomber?

Suicide bombers are usually ready to die when caught, so why did these ones try to run away?

Maybe the belt hadn't been activated yet when the girl was caught....

Or maybe this is a fake story....

i agree there are lots of holes in the story maybe we will get better informed in the coming hours/days. However, not all suicide bombers are ready to die like you posit. A few get cold feet at the point of detonation...www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Po2T7UehHA, unwilling to end their lives.

Also, it could have been the bomb design was based on remote sensing( detonation via mobile phone call-in) and the brainwashed 10 year old child accompanied her seniors in trust not knowing what she was being led to do.

What I find disturbing is the inability of the government security agencies to take advantage of forensic science, do a backward integration and track suicide bombers to their family roots. It doesn't help that an unplanned and ill-planning nation like ours with almost all of us undocumented has to face the consequence of our ''planlessness''.

That 10 years old if true is from a family somewhere in Northern Nigeria. Where are her parents? How did she get roped in-indoctrinated? What consenting part or otherwise did her guardian play in this saga? A lot of questioning ought to be going on I suppose. But I won't be dumbfounded if nothing comes out of it...there is a seeming quietude, choreographed decision not to rock this unstable ship drifting far along the straits towards anarchy. It is like the actors on both sides square up and knowingly call the bluff of the other party with clear intended consequences.

It appears the ''Owners of Nigeria'' are sparring against a government whose direction are against their collective interest. Boko Haram is just a means of redress in the toxic power play amongst privileged citizens who care less on the turf neither the means to achieving their end. Religion is the means. The end ? STATUS QUO! From which their power derives to stay ahead on top of the food chain.

tgbaba: As in they even did one documentary showing how isreal had been taking the land from palestine.
I hardly hear anyth bout the rocket shot into tel aviv.

Irrespective of your allegiance you should know that propaganda is part and parcel of war! The Arabs have only realized now through Aljazeraa and co that you have to control the narrative otherwise it becomes a single story told by the other party. It is the same reason why the Russians are telling the world that the Ukrainians shot MH17 airline thinking it was the plane in which Vladimir Putin was supposedly travelling... tgbaba, propaganda is an aspect of warfare.

maasoap: One hundred or one thousand yearsfrom now, posterity will wonder howit was that we allowed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to linger on for this long. Although the conflict has its beginnings in Ancient Times (1250BC-638AD), its modern origin can be traced to the shenanigans ofEuropean powers and the politics ofthe two World Wars and the events surrounding the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 and the fallout from the subsequent Israeli-Arab war of 1967 and the 1973 YomKippur war.Historians will tell you that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the single most enduring conflict of anygeneration. It is the one conflict, and the one region, that has confounded statesmen, world capitals and casual observers the most...Free and independent Palestine.

@ Maasop, a two state solution with the existing DISTRUST is a dead horse on arrival. The Israelis apparently sense the continued demand for every inch of land by the Palestinians would not cease even with a two state solution in place. Who is to say after statehood the Palestinians would not pursue the perceived broader Arab agenda - that subtle intention of most Arab states in the Gulf to see Israel off the region- better still off face of the earth? Tough line stance and utterances from hard-line states like Iran backed up by Hezbollah actions hasn't help to build the requisite TRUST that will guarantee peace for all.

There was a time the Gaza trip was under Israeli occupation but as a mark of good gesture was handed to Palestine in 2007??. The reality check is the current terror of rockets raining down on Israeli cities. Lets say Israel accedes to Fatah/Hamas demands for which the rockets are being fired ( Opening the blockade around the Gaza strip, stop building new settlements on disputed lands...). How long before another group similar to Hamas springs up and demand for Tel Aviv and the adjoining cities?

Israel suspect that Hamas' demands are just a footnote in a broader agenda pushed largely by hard line Arab states. That the end goal is to battle Israel off the region through acts of terror.

My submission: Peace is definitely far off. Not now; not with the deepening hate seen by children on both sides of the current conflict. The world will press for a break - a ceasefire, maybe for 2/3 years during which both parties will restock their armouries while the rest of us look the other way. I fear this cycle of violence has become ingrained and an acceptable norm for those cross in its path. Maybe one party will need to relocate, but who and where?

Aptly written! The Progressively corrupt and the share-the-money thieves.

I have ever wondered why the APC chaps in both houses of the national legislature agree with the PDPthieves when it comes to matters of money ( jumbo allowance pay, constituency package and all whatnot). They find a common ground to impoverish the governed with unconscionable and unbridled haste to share the money. No one of them pause to say, ''our action will further impoverish the people on whose mandate we stand''.
Rather we see warped definitions, Nigerianized definitions, lexicons of words such as: Progressives, True Democrat, and what-have you. A well known thief in PDP one day becomes a progressively corrupt opposition the next day. It will be difficult getting out of this mess unless there's a concerted effort by these lot to put this nation first before their public display and acts of self-loving.

LordAdam: Nice input. But I'm afraid of the effectiveness of setting up such a council in our 'fine' country. I've thought hard about the idea, and all I can seem to crank up is the many ways this can easily fall apart or lose credibility.

I'm still hopeful though and if there's any of such council, I'd like to know, probably be part of what goes on there. For a country that has given us a banner to live under for the last 5 decades, a lot of us sure don't care about her trajectory.

~LordAdam

~LordAdam,
There exist cpc.gov.ng - but it is governmental . However, the body highlights as one of its core pursuit: The right to choice at competitive pricing. I have not used it before and can't vouch for its effectiveness. Nevertheless, I think its a good platform to affect, to try and let the civil populace be aware and take charge and help the government head in the direction we desire.

LordAdam: I too look forward to having the Germans set up plants, although I'm sure they'd be watching closely for the outcome of this "Korean rush-hour", before committing millions of Euros into setting up plants here.

As far as the price goes, I don't mind paying the same price of previously imported cars for Assembled-in-Nigeria cars, since the money would go into creating more jobs, and increasing the nation's revenue.

A car shouldn't be a luxury, an average earner should be able to purchase one (new or used). I'm looking up to the dealers to tag up with the banks to structure a financing option where even the civil servants can acquire a car without coughing out their savings. Say an installment-based package. I know some packages of this sort already exist, but most of them I've reviewed are way out of the reach of the average earners.

Things are beginning to shape well for the country, now let's hope the political-backed milieu of security challenges hit the back burner.
~LordAdam

Excellent response. One thing citizens can do is to take hold and drive the process via a forum. We can look at what has worked somewhere( SA, Egypt...mortgage exist for as low as 2,700 Rand/month! for a new car) else, factor in variable economic indices and put forward our proposal to government for consideration. We shouldn't ALLOW the investors ( banks, government, and assembly plant owners) to toss us wherever they choose to lean. Let us join them in the policy via a protection council.

Those( greedy elite leaders) who make peaceful change impossible should be ready to confront this inevitable violent (Asari n his co travellers) change.

Asari and his kind have discovered and gained audience through the power of the barrel. And in a jungle such as ours the cunning elite would rather settle the few violent noisemakers than do right by the law-abiding citizens.

The reality of us being primitive should not be lost on anyone. This geographical space is a survival jungle, the more u shout the more u are listened to ( Asari, FFK, Et al)

Asari and his journeymen are not the foolish ones...it is us who have endured the unedurable, who keep mum and whose discontentment are only voiced on the pages of Nairaland.

Our burden, struggle has got to that defining point for which we should be prepared to die. Anything else these charlatans from North, East, West and South will continue with their looting pact. Nigerians, we must awake!

Wow! The hate in here is palpable. It seems the seeds of discord sown over the years have yielded today's SEEDS, offspring diverse in thought, people who look but can't see a way to build a nation in their diversity. There's little hope to look further what we will become in another 50 years if the youths who should engage and champion a national rebirth (recourse in the direction of this nation) fail to deconstruct their differences and resort to name calling. Reading comments hereon it seems our education has failed to lift us out of bigotry, nepotism...neither have we been enlightened.

There is an overwhelming distrust of fellow citizen without which the cycle of hate and nepotism will discontinue. How the educated fail to acknowledge and fall into the cycle of generational mistrust is shocking but traceable. A simple Root-Cause-Analysis will reveal the elite selfish leadership as the wedge driver amongst the people. People who have been privileged custodian of our commonwealth but have thrown mud on the face of their nation. The need for MISTRUST by the governing elite is what drives corruption in all its forms. They thrive and survive from this very fight that drives us apart. While we trade and counter-trade insults they've resolve within themselves to steal together from the nation's till.
The common enemy is not within us. They are far away reconciled by a common goal to plunder the till irrespective of their zones of birth.


We are not the most diverse on the planet! I give that possibly we have the most selfish and self-loving of leadership in our space. Haven been born in the late 70s I stand on the premise that our fore bearers failed to build a bridge of TRUST outside their regions. It is this particular failure that continues to drive us towards anarchy. All the social vices we exhibit have their root in mistrust of each other. The effect of course is far reaching. It is the reason citizens up north become circumspect each time there is talk of a proper census to help us plan demographically. No TRUST! We can't see past what's in for us. It is the reason why we speak in tones of '' na wa turn''. Every zone is guilty I dare say.

Unfortunately TRUST unlike oil can not be bought but earned. We need to find a way to earn each others trust. We can look back at our history and sincerely trace every wrong met out to another, ask for forgiveness and begin to heal. What we read here daily is nothing but pent up anger and frustration arising from a history of distrust.

One wonders what it is that go through the mind of the privileged, people entrusted with our commonwealth and expected to make far-reaching decision that will benefit the majority of the populace yet fall short at every turn. It is mind boggling that between Rivers, Bayelsa, Abia, Imo, Delta, Akwaibom and Cross Rivers these Governors are short-sighted not to see the immense benefit of an inter-kinked railway system. Because of bad transport network a good percentage of food produced in country goes to waste! That is enough incentive to drive the process and affect meaningfully the lives of their indigenes. PH to Ibiama on a ''hold-up'' free day is about 45mins - 1 hour from City center. It is more of an ego thing than commerce. I can understand the need for a helipad but an airport in the adjoining states smacks of knowing-not-what-to-do-with money.
There is too much of ''na wa turn syndrome after all dem do like that for them side wen their broda dey rule'' . Unfortunately this attitude has given us less for more all over the nation. The alternative forgone in any such project comparatively would have been best for the people. A serious group of leaders within the various regions in Nigeria can fashion out a long term (16 years - 4 tenures) plan and bridge the distance on cheap railway/light rail transportation. Rice, tomatoes, yam, maize, cassava all serious staples still leave on 911 vehicles from North to South on treacherous road network. We are just short-sighted, greedy and will pay for the folly in the coming years.

Siena, I can relate with your position - in summary you have let us know that in the pursuit of happiness people should look out for what works (practical) for them rather than what direction society decide they tow. But you must understand that dogma in such matters will be hard to dislodge in this part of the world. It is a fight one can hardly win, maybe with time? One thing I am certain about: people will live fulfilled lives if they cared less about what other people think they must do to gain acceptance. Let people find their kind and the world will be a better place for all.

Our problem has never been policy formulation but policy continuation. What will happen when the opposition takes over is all too clear and expected.

For the interest of the masses policies such as the one in proposition should be agreed on by the government of the day with input from the opposition and signed off on a long term basis. PDP opposition in Lagos should look at the document in question and come up with measures to improve the policy. This way the risk associated with such investment will be further lowered and the urge to recoup investment quickly by investors will be withered. No one will put their money in an environment of policy flip-flops, at least not for long term.

Once citizens can afford the basics because of non-partisan and CLEAR policy formulation by government and contribution from the opposition then corruption, that which we all seek to end(reduce drastically) will diminish consequently from amongst the governed.

The incentive to partake in corrupt practice is fueled by lack of basic necessities. Once an okada rider understand that he has a government ( opposition and ruling) that cares enough to formulate policies that covers him to own a decent house that he can pay mortgage on for a long term period he will be less inclined to the lure of know social vices. The same can be argued for the fish seller, the mechanic and other hardworking citizens making up the larger populace.

These policies in themselves should be CLEAR and PROTECT the interest of the teeming social climbers on the lower rungs of the economic ladder. There will be little use if the effort by Fashola ends up in continued stratification of the weak with no measure of a future climb. The society must find a way to identify those in NEED - citizen demographic! Who needs what measure of help, and for how long?.

We can get out of the present decay/slump IF we choose to begin to plan conscientiously and not wait, hope to arrive at our desired destination. We need to realize that there's so much work to be done, and that we must have in place an effective follow-through plan for a stipulated timeline as to measure our progress. Let's start with knowing how many we truly are in number...

@ op, i see reason with your point of view. The right to choice is inherent and free, it is in-built before our birth, inalienable and must be held strong in one's pursuit of happiness. To tag along and be inflexible in matters where choice determines the direction of our happiness is to please another. I see no joy in such submission only control. In closing it is sound to rehash your point that people should if it makes them happy CHOOSE to pay the bride price or be FREE to say our CHOICE is different. Bravo.

When à country fails to protect and take care of its weak it is bound to be locked in retrogression, class division and ultiimately, in the mire of ethno-religious conflict.
There is inhérent danger in the kind of socio-economic and political structure existing in the stagnant state of Nigeria. Far too few oligarchs who have plunged us in this mess are cranking up their sleeves to further impoverish the many weak needing protection. The weak are tired of hearing without the requisite doing from this ruling class incapable of any kind of sacrifice. Looking ahead there's not much to hope on- far too much mud slinging, name calling, ethnicization, and religiousity in a time that demands bi-partisanship, bridge building with the focus on uplifting the weak
from poverty.

This country is on a precipice towards disintegreation. One only has to look in here, Nairaland to see how far and disconnected we are from each other. The absence of tolerance is frightening - resort to abuse ever present. An outsider only need look in here to understand why Nigeria cum Nigerians remain dysfunctional. Quite sad.

I watched the clip this morning and it was obvious from the get-go tolerance and respect for the alternative view was lacking. You could sense the tension, it was palpable, as if to say ''make she come, we go show her''. There's an obvious divide gradually shifting into a crater between the GEJ apostles and the opposition. It is hard to see a middle ground in the coming battle - no sitting on the fence. It is shameful to see, that people who have the privilege to lead and better the lives of the led have failed to rise above petty grudge and work together for the common good of the country.

This house needs cleansing on and from all sides.

What comic relief! In all of the ensuing brouhaha I pity Nigerians who support the contending parties. It has always and will continue to be about the interest of the called/selected/privileged/anointed few over the rest of us until we put our feet down and say enough is enough.

Apprentice Jonathan is showing traits of a student who has learnt and mastered the art... his forebearers are no longer comfortable by the acts of the puppet. ''How could he? Distort the convenient arrangements they have sweated, connived, killed, fought over each other and against genuine patriots to put in place?'' A falcon handpicked from a weak stock by the falconer cum puppeteer, someone whose dictates the apprentice was and is supposed to acquiesce, suddenly the falcon no longer hears the falconer and things are falling apart.

Perhaps, there's regret in the camp of the falconer. Maybe fate is acting on the side of the helpless? The fear is not Jonathan per se, it is in the dishonest and lopsided constitution in the hands of the apprentice. A tool crafted by the military oligarch(OBJ,DANJUMA,IBB, ABACHA etal) for the purpose of self-service and absolute control - to be deployed by a few selected men to govern their common estate, Nigeria on a turn-by-turn basis.

A potent tool that has now fallen (not by design) into the weak hands of a now powerful apprentice. So you hear people say, ''we want our power back...Nigeria will burn...'' And while there is chaos in the land, the supposed owners of Nigeria brood and scheme to have thier seat of power back.

So-much-so that the political Pentecost is with us! Wait no more! My eyes have seen the ''Unprogressive'' baptised and become Progressives. Who would have thought El rufai, The Accidental Public Servant in the company of his progressive comrades would not only visit ''Greedy Atiku'' - the one who privatized Nigeria into his pocket but also woo him into their fold? Now I hear the Falconer too, is being wooed to becoming a Progressive. e for beta if to say we the citizens life dey change swiftly and positively like dis too, o!

To my dear Longsuffering Nigerian as things continue to unfold in the courtyard of the Schemers do not be deceived - neither the apprentice nor the falconer care about us. For these ones we exist only as a means(election) to an end(Power). Someone said,''No one really understands politics until they understand that politicians are not trying to solve their problems. They are trying to solve their own problems - of which getting elected and re-elected is number one and two. Whatever is number 3 is far behind." How apt!

Strangely looks and sound like a hatchet job albeit a very professional one. I refuse to shed any tear though, neither take side. I stand with the longsuffering people of Nigeria - those whose lives have been forever altered by the greed of their fellow countrymen.

esere826: He considers Jonathan as a weak man from a weak tribe
and sees no qualms in calling for and demanding his exit
If he Obasanjo wanted an extra term above his 2 terms, how does he expect any other person not to want 2 terms?
Despite the internal arrangement by PDP for power rotation,
the fact remains that anyone who had Jonathan' oppurtunity would grab it by both hands
and distrort the arrangement. Atiku would have done the same, so would Tinubu

Obj feels that just like he did during Murtala's regime where he stuck to the handover plan despite the death of Murtala
Jonathan should follow suit

i cannot seperate the messangr from the message
i am already aware that Jonathan is a weak leader without a vision for Nigeria


I really dont need Obj becoming the cheerleader for the removal of the gift he bequeathed us
If i have to let my girlfriend go because of her unfaithfulness
I really wont like Obj the notorious one to be the one screwing her after me

Conclusion
I wouldnt take obj' letter as a point of reference for Jonathan ineptitude if I were you
other points of references abound

Quite rightly so, Esere. The medium is the message. The undertone of Obj's epistle smacks of mischief more than one who has come to his Saul Moment. Like you rightly concluded other media abound from which we can analyze Jonathan's ineptitude. Bravo.

Tongue in cheek. A parody of some sort...the author is saying indirectly Obasanjo has come to his Saul Moment and instead of coming out openly to seek forgiveness for all his atrocities which he unwittingly*read cleverly if it suits you*espoused in his epistle to Jonathan. Every Nigerian alive and above 15 years can tell OBJ is the exact antithesis of the role he is trying so hard to convey.

Joanthan as a student of Obasanjonomics can hardly be different from his master. His master ever the cunnying old fox that he is is putting up a fight to guard the common patrimony of the exclusive class - the loot shared by the likes of IBB, Abdulsalami, TY Danjuma et al

Anyone can be fooled looking at the redeemptive message, but the Medium if explored begins to unravel the underlying dictates of a controlling unseen hand in our affairs. Beyond the facade of public hand-washing by OBJ lies the hidden truth of why we are they way we are.

This Caesar's moment of public confession against an erring son will pass, nothing will change as these men/players have become set in their ways. For them the nation exist to serve their existence, purpose - an estate from which they draw from at will and ready to see burn when not driven by their whims.

Some say leave the medium and look at the message. But the message has always been with us - it is that we've grown accustomed to it. We see it at every level of governance. There are students of Obasanjonomics in every tier of government, roughbreeds whose shackles the people must rise to free themselves.

Politics of convenience. Wether it is right to side and serve with the PDP Jews or the APC Greeks only time will tell. However, my shoulders shudder in despair of what imminent danger is before us. We can see it, yet the sacrificail WILL to right it is seems beyond us. We haven't been able to plan, neither distribute our mono-economic wealth to the sactisfaction of the populace. Meanwhile the population is exploding all the time to non-existent jobs. There's a storm coming. A day when the receivers of this ''unplanlessness'' will seek out ''jews and greeks'' on either side of the divide. There will be no use for tribe or religion, only an account of stewardship.

All key parties, PDP, APC, LP, and APGA invovle in the sham election are not interested in democracy. These ones see election as that hurdle that must be crossed to gain the prize. It is a means to an end. That end which is the sharing of our commonwealth amongst thieves.

It is grand foolhardy to expect that an institution saddled with the electioneering process to put in power cronies-of-the-connected who would control billions of Naira in a country where roguery is the watchword of the day would not itself be corrupted.
It is against every principle of logic to put something on nothing and expect it to stand. That is the state and reality of ALL our institutions today.
There is an attendant rush for the cash driven by a total collapse in our character set -our moral values have long gone to the dogs. All that is left is an open door to self-inflicted anarchy.

IGBO-SON:
^^^Not forgetting IBB and the missing gulf war billions ; OBJ and the Halliburton scandal.......and moving on to other crimes (of the bloody variety): the Bornu Senator (forgotten his name) who's in cahoots with the bokites, yet still forming saintliness, and helping to make laws for us; the peodophile Senator that can't seem to keep his filthy paws off prepubescent 13 year old kids; the unaddressed war crimes committed by Murtala in Asaba during the Biafran war; and more recently, the ones committed by OBJ in Odi and Zaki-Ibiam!

If you want to start cataloguing the criminals left unpunished in this country, you'd need at least a year and an army of helpers! And to make matters worse, some of these criminals are those we look up to as elder statesmen!

indeed...criminals, people herein fight to defend, sad. What we can do is document with FACTS - citizens who have brought us to our knees by their corrupt acts.
If we can't smite them now, let our children know that there once was a people whose actions betrayed our collective will to advance.
If we can't smite them now, let our children's children smite their offsprings when they are no more
If we can't smite them now, let our children's children read what we have documented and like locust hunt the wealth stashed by these criminals for the offsprings.

The drum beats - our thoughts no more betray where we stand on national matters
as long it is our thief, all is well.
I choose to be circumspect, for the days of the discerning are long gone.
Now we dance naked in full glare, shame has left our eyes

There is a silent but noticeable acquiescence - an approval stamp on corruption at all levels of government. It is a quiet murmur. Sometimes not noticeable even by people from within. It only comes to fore when an aggregate of unsuppressable actions bends in the direction justice. Karma takes hold. It sways its arc in the line of justice and we become beholden of such characters whose public dancesteps we kotow.

Such is our lot. We have taken shame away from Shame. We defend untenable positions held by people whose actions betray our lot. There is no justification for siding with anyone who has and continue to keep us in perpetual economic paralysis. To think otherwise and expect change is the definition of madness.

After the AA crash I questioned why an alleged test flight was commercialized, why were there test engineers and on what/whose premise was clearnace given for the said combo flight. My thinking at the time was that many other flights under test phase would have been boarded commercially without the passengers knowledge. Nobody gets to know what if underhand deals were cut in such scenarios until the inevitable disaster occurs.

It will be foolhardy to think it only happens in the aviation sector. For me it is a silent admission of what transpires in various ministries/parastatals across all tiers of government in Nigeria. Corruption is layered. Scattered from top to bottom in our parastatals. The head sets the agenda - encourage corrupt practices within their domain and it flourishes unabated. It is like a seed collection process. The flock is sent out to scoop/gather what proceeds are out there by whatever means - legal/illegal with the unspoken backing of the oga at the top.

Leopantro: thanks for the info. I'm planning on visiting the place on my honeymoon but was told by a friend that the place is lonely and boring on any other day apart from holidays. also, electricity supply is epileptic. could I get more information about the mini hotels and list the other attractions apart from the above?

It's an ideal place for honeymoon if you have the money to spend. The biggest challenge is getting there on budget if you aint driving.
But if money ain't any hindrance then you can get flights out from Lagos to Magret Ekpo airport in Cross River, Calabar. There are some tour agencies around the airport although I must warn you their services are bit pricey. Anyway, once you get past the money obstacles you'd have to sit through a six plus hour journey from the airport to the ranch. Obaniluku where the ranch is bothers Cameroon - the reason why it is that far.

If you are looking to save money and drive to the ranch my advice will be to do it in two days if travelling from a neighbouring state (SS/SE states). It is not recommended to travel anywhere after mid day to the ranch as some sections of the road aren't in top shape. Set out early from within the city of calabar and arrive preferrably during sunlight.

Part of the journey sees you touring through small villages and you can best take advantage of the scenery during daylight. You don't want to ascend the ranch during night fall! Not advisable.

Once on the ranch you can go abaout based on your prearrangements - if you like an undisturbed tour your hired tour agent from Calabar will chauffeur you from when you arrive till you leave the ranch! Na ya money * was 70K for a 5 day trip, Toyota Corolla with AC * in 2009. I used Remmlord Tour Agency from the airport to the ranch - on the ranch- and back to the airport. Please note with the agency na u go fuel the car as at 2009!

There is an alternative of the ranch shuttle once you arrive to ferry you around b/fast lunch and dinner to the restaurant.

On my next trip I will definitely drive after gaining much needed experience. Park by the poolhouse and use the cable car up the ranch.

The accomodation rates is subject to house type: Villas for family usually cost more than chalets. Na level by level. find ya level.

Anyway, it was an enjoyable experience for me irrespective of the leak it caused by pocket but worthwile if you have spare cash to burn.

The reservation team still keep in touch so if anyone is interested call the numbers below:

Reservation Team
African Sun Hotels Limited
Obudu Mountain Resort
MTN: 0803 550 6257
GLO: 0805 364 8209
MTN: 0803 472 9327
AIRTEL: 0708 923 1815
GLO: 0807 307 3576
Email: obudureservations@gmail.com
obudures@yahoo.com
www.africansunhotels.com
http://facebook.com/obudumountainresort
https://twitter.com/obudumountain


Happy stay.

dbride: All defenders of Stella Oduah agree that the fault is with NCAA, yet the one they defend is convinced the accident was an act of God. Defenders, I ask, why are you defending Stella who clearly does not recognize there is a fault and where that fault lies? This is the issue in question. You see the fault in NCAA, Stella sees the fault with God (absolves NCAA from blame)! She is protecting NCAA, you are blaming NCAA. Stella and her defenders are even at loggerheads! Tribalism sucks!

That is the mystery...people are not bent on seeking the Root Cause Analysis. That's the shame.
A simple logical query will unearth why certain clearance was given to fly a plane under test flight commercailly. It seems to me we are far gone in our defense of ethnic position that our judgement have become clouded.

The scenario of pity, really. Where fundamental lines of questioning that will gaurantee safer sky have been abandoned under the guise of championing ethnic cause. For all we know both parties - Stella and Akin may have been in on a take to let the AA test flight do so commercially. No wonder we get the kind of leaders we deserve, pity.