If he dies , the vp takes over abi?

Oba Adeolu Funsho of the Village Head master, passed on in a London hospital last Thursday.
He's popularly called Chief Eleyinmi.
The cause of his death is unknown yet, but he was sick .

Robinho undoubtedly with his style and commitment would be a big hit.

Please do you guys think we still need Anelka in our team as a striker?

He's more than proud, to break the world record in style.

He's a legend.

I feel for you Arsenal fans, you are not used to losing matches this early abi

The unbeaten you always shout and boast about is not here again.

Its a promise your worst days are ahead.

I just drank a full eva bottle now

How do you rate the Naija yahoo yahoo boyz in digital self expression?

Read my stories on travels, tourism , visa matters, airports and destinationa on Niger delta standard Newspaper, every friday.

I need your contributions on my columm.

Lead Stories for the week

Nigerians spend N3bn on British Visa
Nigerians aspiring to study in the United Kingdom spent over N3billion on visa application between 2004 and 2007.The amount is the total payment made by 93,000 Nigerian visa applicants for study in the UK during the period. The amount does not include Nigerians who applied for student visa from other parts of the world. The about N3 billion payment is made up of all the costs the British high commission charges which include the N25,750 fee for the student visa applications to the UK, the payment is non –refundable even when the application is not successful.

The same link you used is the same link i will use, bu the difference is you have to be online almost every minute to try.

So keep trying you might just get it.

Its no magic, thats why people charge so much in getting appointments.
It could take 24 hours waiting.

French embassy appointment, yes i can seecure it for you.
Contact me.

Our nemesis was using ineffective and mediocre players as Solomon Okoronkwo and Isaac Promise.

Great team with great future.
The defence line of Adeleye, Adefemi are wonderful.They should stroll into the Eagles line up.

Nsofor and Osaze showed great partnership, could work in the Eagles team

Chinedu Ogbueke undoubtedly was the best player and the most hardworking.No doubt should be playing in the Super Eagles now.

Siasia i don't know if he will be ready to be an assistant to Amodu.

@uwayemen2k

When cases like this occur, the only alternative is to request the institution to authenticate its originality by supporting your appeal or re-application with a letter of protest as regards discrediting its certificate issuance to you.

The foreign affiars ministry is yet to receive official information as regards his news.

Ethics in Business – CCS World Youth Forum 2008
A New Dimension to Leadership

10th – 14th November 2008
Hotel Mercure, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium

The Ethics in Business – CCS World Youth Forum 2008 (WYF) creates an open platform for the youth (aged 18 to 35) to voice their message to the world's top decision makers in today's global economic and political environment, and to the world community at large!

An initiative of the International Association for Human Values, the WYF is part of the International Business & Leadership Symposium, an annual event which brings together prominent leaders in business, politics, religion and academia to consider ways and means of strengthening human values and ethics in business, and highlight new leadership styles that are profitable, yet sustainable.

Contact
CCS World Youth Forum – Event Office
Bad Antogast 1 • 77728 Oppenau (Germany)


Fon +49 780 497 39 63
Fax +49 780 491 09 24
E-Mail wyf@ccsforum.org
Website www.ccsforum.org/wyf

The 8th Global Conference on National Youth Service will take place from 19-22 November 2008 at the Fondation des Etats-Unis in Paris, France. The conference will be hosed by IANYS secretariat, Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP), in partnership with Unis-Cité and the Association of Voluntary Service Organizations (AVSO). The conference will include IANYS members and other professionals in the field of youth civic engagement from across Europe and around the world. This conference is an exciting opportunity for practitioners, policymakers, government officials, and researchers to come together to discuss the potential for scaling up national youth service for greater impact on community and youth development.

The Conference will take place over the course of 4 days and will include an optional pre-conference session on policy and program development on the first day. Workshops will focus on examining current national youth service policies and programs, identifying best practices and lessons learned, and developing strategies for promoting and implementing more effective national youth service policies and scaling up existing programs for greater impact. 


p://www.icicp.org

I think its better your new employer shoulder the responsibilities

@Anamz
If you were given an appeal based on irregular signature, i think you can appeal if your Sponsor is truly the owner of the account.

Your sponsor might just have to regularise his signatures.

The Dream Team will win.

Volunteers For Peace, (1034 Tiffany Rd., Belmont, VT 05730; 802-259-2759, vfp@vfp.org, www.vfp.org)

Volunteer workcamp organizations are only one way to find work on a European farm. Willing Workers on Organic Farms or WWOOF. (WWOOF International, www.wwoof.org/contact.asp, www.wwoof.org); connects people directly to farms interested in having travelers stay and work for varying lengths of time. After paying a membership fee of $10-$20, you receive a book listing all farms that accept volunteers and you can contact the individual farmers directly to arrange start and end dates. As with organized camps, you receive room and board in exchange for your work. Like the work camp organizations, the farms are not just looking for cheap labor. Your presence and the culture you represent are just as important as the work you provide. WWOOF works only with farms devoted to organic production as well as to cultural exchange.

Whether you choose satisfying manual work on a farm or more varied work at one or more international work camps, you'll find that either is an inexpensive way to have an active, rich overseas travel experience. For a current list of other short- term voluntary service opportunities throughout the world visit the volunteer listings section of www.TransitionsAbroad.com.

@bomata

The e passport can be changed to the d o b on the waec certificate.

The invitation letter is not needed but your bank/ financial statement must be bouyant.

Its a 2 year visa
you are eligible to apply for a UK working holiday visa if you are a citizen of a Commonwealth country and are aged between 17 and 30 years inclusively.


You must be single, or married to someone also eligible for a working holiday visa and plan to take a working holiday with you,
You must not have dependent children aged five or over during your stay in the UK,
You must show proof of sufficient funds in your bank account. UK Immigration does not specify how much 'sufficient funds' are. However, the idea is to show that you won't get into financial trouble and rely on public funds to support you. You can do this best by having approximately 2500 GBP (AUS$6000) and a return ticket. If you only have a one-way ticket, you will need to have more funds in your bank account.

@Oyewolejos

Its not compulsory to show invitation letter, would have been better if you have 1.


Its a 2 year duration visa
you are eligible to apply for a UK working holiday visa if you are a citizen of a Commonwealth country and are aged between 17 and 30 years inclusively.

You must be single, or married to someone also eligible for a working holiday visa and plan to take a working holiday with you,
You must not have dependent children aged five or over during your stay in the UK,
You must show proof of sufficient funds in your bank account. UK Immigration does not specify how much 'sufficient funds' are. However, the idea is to show that you won't get into financial trouble and rely on public funds to support you. You can do this best by having approximately 2500 GBP (AUS$6000) and a return ticket. If you only have a one-way ticket, you will need to have more funds in your bank account.

" The difference between God and Allah "
I think it is the time to know the difference between God and Allah.
Enlarge ImageAt the beginning, I feel a linguistic analysis of the origins and meanings of the two terms, God and Allah, would be most useful.

According to most dictionary references, the majority of words currently in use today trace their source back to Latin, Greek or Old, Middle; German, French or Spanish, along even with reference sometimes to Hebrew or Sanskrit. Arabic is rarely referenced, which is another problem that needs to be tackled in a separate article.

Attempting to find the origin for the term, God proved to be quite fruitless as I perused all major English dictionaries, old and new. I welcome anyone’s proofs to the contrary, and, until such time as any are brought forward, I invite all to read this answer, which is based on what I consider to be the supreme truth, found in the Arabic language. Taken as a given that the concept of the word God in most minds is that of strength and giving, fairness and capability, I offer the possibility that the root can be found in the Arabic term Jude, which root is jawada - which is this meaning exactly. A related term in English would be the word "good".

Let us now look at the Arabic word Allah - we can immediately recognize the English word "all", indeed we have herein one of the best characteristics of Allah’s attributes; The All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing, All-Merciful etc. Every baby born anywhere in the world has, as his first utterance the short "a" sound. No new born ever cried out with an "s" or a "t" or a "d" or a "b" sound! All exclaim the "a" as an expression of the oneness of humanity, in relation to its Creator. Also, all final deathbed gasps exhale the "h", the last letter of the name of Allah. This is because He is the First and the Last! When we scream in pain or cry out in fear or grunt and groan during strenuous exercise or disgust, or exclaim in joy or surprise, it is the very same… "ahhh", and not the "g" of the word God that we all emit. This reality is intrinsic in our innermost selves, something out of our control!!

Why is this so, you may ask. It is because the word Allah refers to the concept of that which all turns to for refuge and repose. Without finding this state of rest and security, we are in a constant state of frustration and irritability. Our souls all yearn to reach the place of contentment, which can only be found by knowing Allah as He has revealed Himself to us, in the Qur’an.

Another interesting facet of the two related languages is the relation of the words "man" and "woman". The word "man" (mim, nun) in Arabic is the personal pronoun for the human being, as in the English word "man". Both languages use the term also in the sense of "whom". Therefore, the usage of the term "man" is nearly identical in both languages!

The word "wa" in Arabic means "and". In English the word "woman" could be seen to be derived from the concept of a partner to the man. Therefore, the woman or "waman" as it might be more correctly rendered, can be construed as meaning "and-man" or "together with man", the couple which forms the very essence of the human race… The reason why I referred to the letter "o" as an incorrect rendering in the English word woman is my idea that "o’s" and short "e’s" are extraneous additions to the correct pronunciations, found in the Qur’an. As these sounds were not originally revealed by Allah. The Qur’an is the only revelation, which has remained intact. Both the original Torah and Bible are non-extant and therefore, not open to analysis of their original linguistic aspects. The assumptions put forward regarding the Sumerian, Akkadian, Chaldean, Syriac, Aramaic and Hebrew roots, do not readily admit to these, being derived from the mother Arabic for obvious reasons.

Here, I shall offer a very plausible argument for my suggestion that Arabic is the true language of humanity, based on some concrete examples, with which we can form illuminating comparisons.

If Allah, the Eternal Unchanging Truth, chose to call Himself Allah… is it meet and proper for any created being to change His name? Do any of us have the power to move an atom in the universe without Allah’s first moving it and giving us the ability to be used, as His instruments?

Consider the usage in Hebrew of the word "Elohim". Elohim stands for the concept of the Supreme Being, along with His attributes. We Muslims say Allahumma for Allah and His attributes, or names and characteristics. Those who went astray, after they knew the truth from bani Isra’il is known in Arabic as "yahud". They were not content with the limitations of Allah in any fashion, and were always adding or deleting to that which Allah had ordained. Similarly, they do the same behavior today, with genetic engineering, euthanasia and cryonics etc., forever exceeding the limits of Allah, even in regards to life and death!

The word "Elohim" (plural of "eloha" - the powerful) was invented by them to resist the Almighty. "A" - The first letter of Allah’s name, was changed to "E" and the second was changed to "o". There are portions in the Pentateuch, which refer to Elohim and others, which refer to Yahweh and was changed to Jehovah only in the 14th century. It is read in Greek as Adonis and in Latin as Dominus.

Yet, Allah the Almighty, who is the "all in all" - does not ever change and thusly it would stand to reason, neither would His name. It is now and forever, as it was revealed in the Qur’an - ALLAH. And furthermore, I venture to claim that if the original Torah and Bible were extant for us to examine, we would find the word Allah there also. I wish to remind all sincere Christians, correctly following Jesus - who never called himself God - of the very first two of the Ten Commandments.

• I am the lord thy god, thou shall not have false gods before me.
• Thou shall not take the name of the lord thy god in vain.

Allah warns those who divide Him, as the sole to be worshipped and His total sovereignty over all His Creation (known in Arabic as tawhid al-uluhiyya and rububiyya) He also cautions against tampering with His very name. Would you not then glean from these two first commandments that those who prefer the "E" should be careful of taking the Holy Name in vain?

It is the One and Only we worship, Allah as He called himself… nothing is comparable to Him, never begot and was never begotten… Light of heavens and earth. The Transcendental, Who would not be incarnated, the All-mighty and All-compassionate.

"Need your comments and your evaluation"

Up dream team.

I think Prof Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke behaviour is just typical of the ruling elite. They are never known to promote good causes, one in which the average menkunu would profit, there must always be something in it for them.

Yesterday it was Obasanjo, then Transcorp, infact they peddled it around the world(Europe, America), now they've seen something else to attach on to. Obamamania is a popular cause around the world now, the point is can this popularity be converted into electoral votes.

Let's not forget, it's the American, and the Americans alone who would be entitled to vote during the november elections.Infact after his recent trip to Europe(Germany), in which he was feted like a rock star, he's rating at home took a hit downwards. So Mrs. NSE(if i'm allowed to call her that) may actually be doing more harm to get Obama into the white house than good with her fund raising.

The N100 million dinner for Obama

By Reuben Abati

"Some skeptical people have been writing nonsense and rubbish in the newspapers that what is my business with Obama. But they are free to continue to write petitions. It is not their money that we are spending. Ask them is it your money that we are spending?" These are the exact words of Professor Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke, Director General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, and Chairman of the Africans for Obama 2008, a non-governmental Nigeria-based group that is campaigning vigorously, raising funds and mobilizing support for the US Democratic Presidential candidate, Barack Obama. The landlady of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (she has been in that position for close to a decade) was defending the expensive fund-raising dinner that was organized for Barack Obama on Monday, August 11, at the Shell Hall of the MUSON centre in Lagos.

There were reportedly 56 buffet tables at the dinner, loaded with champagne, red wine, beer and assorted drinks, Obama's posters decorated the stage and the entrance, with a 25-metre long rug on which was boldly written: YES WE CAN. It is probably the most expensive dinner anyone has ever eaten in that Shell Hall, at N2. 5 million for a Platinum Corporate Table and Individual: N325, 000, and for a Gold Table: N2m and N275, 000 respectively. Madam Okereke-Onyiuke does not want to be criticised, because after all it is not our money that was being spent. The event, not to talk of the idea of a fund-raising dinner for Obama, is an invitation to commentary. She should know that.

The Madam admires Barack Obama. We all do. His brilliance, his charisma and the historical significance of his emergence as a leading contender for the US Presidency - all of this is impressive. From China to Chad, there is a phenomenal obsession with Obama and his message of change. Okereke-Onyiuke had once met Obama in the United States, had had the chance of a photo-op with him and even a brief conversation, In 2003, she organised a similar fund-raising shindig under the umbrella of Corporate Nigeria, to help the Obasanjo re-election campaign. In 2006, Okereke-Onyiuke was one of the staunch supporters of Obasanjo's anti-democratic Third Term Agenda. She had also helped to raise funds for Transcorp of which she was one of the original promoters, although through a sleight of hand at the Stock Exchange.

Since this woman is so gifted in raising funds to help others, why is she not on record yet as raising funds to support worthy causes that may benefit the poor? When would she mobilise her rich friends to raise funds to help motherless babies homes in Nigeria? Or the army of unemployed youths on our streets? Would she and her friends some day consider organizing fund-raising dinners to support the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria? Madam Onyiuke gives the impression that she loves to raise funds to support powerful men: Obasanjo in 2003 was the most powerful man in Nigeria. She had enthused at the controversial dinner on Monday, that Obama, as President of the United States will also be the president of the world: a position she created! Rich Nigerians like to support themselves or their ilk, but imagine how many Nigerian lives N100 million can transform.

The fund-raising dinner for Obama was bound to be controversial.

Onyiuke says the money will be used to mobilize five million Africans in the United States to vote for Obama in the November US Presidential election because "he is our brother". The ideological basis of the exercise is flawed, informed as it is by sheer racism, and this is a reflection of the Nigerian political process. Nearly every Nigerian that I know who has been supporting Obama does so largely because the man is "our brother". This politics of exclusion cannot serve Obama's interest if it gets reported in the American media that some African natives have been staging a song and a dance for him and pretending to have a say in the American election. Obama was endorsed during the primaries by blacks and whites, and for the average American, the main issue is not simply race but health care, the economy, Iraq, NAFTA and so on.

Obama is not running a racist or tribal campaign. As President he will not go out of his way to defend black or African interests. The myth that when our own "brother" is in power, he would defend our interest is a major shortcoming in African politics, but it is a myth that has been exploded again and again. How many brothers and sisters from our streets, residents associations, or professional groups have we voted into power or whose pre-eminence we have celebrated only for them to turn around and disappoint us thoroughly? In South Africa, two black men have been President since the introduction of black majority rule. How much change has that brought to the average black South African?

In June, the Obama Campaign team announced that they were not interested in public campaign funds, and therefore opted to devote more energy to raising funds from private sources, particularly individuals. But the kind of money that Onyiuke and co have raised is not the money that the Obama campaign needs or is looking for. It is money that it should reject. The US Foreign Election Campaign Act (FECA) 1974 "prohibits any foreign nationals from contributing, donating or spending funds in connection with any federal, state or local election in the United States, either directly or indirectly. It is also unlawful to help foreign nationals violate that ban or to solicit, receive or accept contributions or donations from them. Persons who knowingly or willingly engage in these activities may be subject to fine and/or imprisonment."

The Africans for Obama 2008 group had tried to circumvent this by stating that part of the money raised will be used to sponsor some of their members to the Democratic Convention in Minnesota later this month. This would be illegal within the purview of the US law, more so as these self-appointed "delegates" intend to use the money to mobilize African support. Moblise? Do they intend to bribe voters? Or travel to the US with election monitors, ballot box snatchers, ghost voters or able-bodied men? Eric Wright, Obama's policy maker for Africa attended the dinner on Monday. Does this not amount to solicitation or willingly and knowingly encouraging foreign funding of the Obama campaign?

Wright said he was not speaking for Obama or the campaign team. What was he doing at the dinner, then? The FECA further states that immigrants with "a green card" may contribute to US elections, US citizens too of course, and foreign nationals can only take part in non-election activities. There are members of the Onyiuke group who are Nigerians in Diaspora, but who are they? There are hidden ways in which foreigners have tried to influence American elections through donations. The 1996/97 scandal of "the China plan" has shown just how embarrassing an eventual discovery of this could be. If the Nigerians raising funds for Obama are not stopped, a scandal may be in the offing. The staff of the Nigerian Stock Exchange were actively involved in the Obama event on Monday Was this part of their official assignment? Is there no more serious work at the Stock Exchange?

The Obama website provides detailed conditions for donating to the campaign: For example: "We don't take money from Washington lobbyists or special interest political action committees". How are we sure that there are no lobbyists among the August 11 Obama dinners in Lagos? And definitely an Africans for Obama group that is preaching racism is a special interest political action committee. The Obama website adds that donors must also meet these conditions:

1. I am a United States citizen or a lawfully-admitted permanent resident.

2. I am at least 16 years old.

3. This contribution is not made from the general treasury funds of a corporation, labor organization or national bank.

4. This contribution is not made from the funds of a political action committee.

5. This contribution is not made from the treasury of an entity or person who is a federal contractor.

6. This contribution is not made from the funds of an individual registered as a federal lobbyist or a foreign agent, or an entity that is a federally registered lobbying firm or foreign agent.

7. The funds I am donating are not being provided to me by another person or entity for the purpose of making this contribution

The Africans for Obama fund-raisers are off course in relation to most of these conditions. Well what does it matter: they are already "eating" the money themselves. N100 million at the rate of N117 to the dollar is about $854, 900. 85. They spared little espense in organizing their dinner and concert. A total of five musicians, one compere and two stand up comedians and newspaper and television adverts. This costs a lot of money. The dinner must also have cost a fortune, with the Obama campaigners guzzling wine and food ravenously. In Nigeria, oftentimes, money raised on behalf of a candidate may not even be handed over to him or to his campaign office, but the money can be spent on his behalf and in his name to bribe voters or to encourage voters as it were! The Obama Campaign team should issue a disclaimer on all foreign groups and persons purportedly raising funds on their behalf.

It is instructive that the success of the Okereke-Onyiuke initiative is spawning a copy-cat syndrome and may soon grow into a lucrative enterprise. Last week, some other persons announced the formation of "Africans for Obama or McCain 2008"; in response to "Africans for Obama 2008." A Legislators for Obama 2008 group already exists! We are expecting Nigerian Students for Obama., Nigerian Widows for McCain, Nigerian Youths Earnestly Ask for Obama , all of which may announce fund-raising events. The charade must end. The Obama brand and message face the threat of being commercialised, and monetised by the candidate's Nigerian admirers. And yet we have no stake in the American election. What is the matter with us?

Appointment at the Dutch embassy is via a phone call.
Contact them on this number +234-(0)9-4611200

Appointment at the Dutch embassy is via a phone call.
Contact them on this number +234-(0)9-4611200

i feel the disappointment and frustration.

it is however that much more a shame that he is doing it (just like his predecessors), against the backdrop of abject and denigrating poverty, mayhem and lawlessness caused by years of just the same stuff.

may our good Lord deliver us from these shameless and conscious less rulers.

He was called a weaken , but he's proved his critics wrong.

Up Yar' Adua

In terms of population, the Ijaw ethnic group is the fourth largest in Nigeria . But in terms of natural resources, they are the wealthiest in that their land and watercourse house more than 70% of the nation’s proven oil and gas reserve. Sadly, these two advantages do not translate into the material and human well-being of the people. The people are cheated by the Federal Government and are also exploited and abused by some of their own leaders and elites.

The majority of the Ijaw call Bayelsa State home; their brethrens are minorities in States like Ondo, Delta, Rivers and Lagos States . In recent years, there have been calls to house the Ijaw ethnic group in upward of four States. The call for Ijaw States predates Nigeria’s independence; but on Thursday April 22nd 1993, a group of Ijaw men, under the able chairmanship of Dr. Amba Ambaiowei and meeting in Senator Amatari Zuofa’s place of abode, convened to plot the establishment of two Ijaw States: Bayelsa and Toru Ibe States. To their glory and the glory of Ijaw land, Bayelsa State came to fruition in 1996.

Bayelsa State was carved out of the old Rivers State . Since then, the State has been ruled by eight men: four non-indigenous governors -- Phillip Ayeni, Habu Daura, Omoniyi Olubolade, and Paul Obi. Collectively, they were governors for only three years. The four indigenous governors are DSP Alamieyeseigha, Goodluck Jonathan, Werinipre Seibarugo and Timipre Sylva. (Seibarugo was there in an acting capacity for about 6 weeks). The reign of the first four governors are beyond the scope of this essay.

In general, this essay is about the reign of three Governors, and specifically, it is about the reign of the current Governor, Chief Timipre Sam Sylva. Taken in totality, there has been no enduring growth and advancement in Bayelsa State since1999. What we have -- what the people of the State have -- are publicity stunts, illusion of progress, destructive imitations, and economic-abracadabra that are presented as economic and political gains by their Governors.

The fundamentals of development include, but are not limited to food security, affordable health care and quality education, provision of public infrastructures and economic and personal security, and constitutionalism. None of the aforementioned has been secured. But instead, what passes for progress is actually voodoo-development: nothing significant and nothing worthy of note in spite of the billions and billions of dollars in revenue.

When Alamieyeseigh and Jonathan assumed office in 1999, they were alarmed -- or at least they pretended to be alarmed by the dire condition of things, saying “There is water everywhere, yet most of our citizens still drink untreated water direct from the Rivers and Creeks…Health and educational institutions in the State are either dilapidated or ill-equipped….several other infrastructure are in shambles…” The list was almost endless.

Feasibility Studies, costing millions and millions of naira were commissioned. Formal and informal Think Tanks costing millions and millions were either announced or put in place. All amounted to nothing! In their place, Governor Alamieyeseigha, his proxies and agents perfected ways to loot and mismanage. Immediate and extended family members also got in on the act. Through it all, the people suffered. They continue to suffer.

From all indications, there is no reprieve in sight for the people of Bayelsa State . As incompetent and roguish as Nigerian State Governors are, it will be a Herculean task finding a Governor as rudderless and as incompetent as Timipre Sylva. Above all else, he passionately enjoys certain things: endless partying, wasteful spending, and idling and lazing around. He is a master drifter with special penchant for foreign destinations.

In fifteen months, he has traveled to other federating states more than 45 times (with Abuja as his local destination of choice). In the same period, he has been out of the country the equivalent of four months. At this rate, he is likely to surpass all his predecessors combined. What’s more, since he was brought back to office, he has yet to appoint State Commissioners, and has yet to realize he has an economic and political system to govern.

Sadly, Governor Sylva can afford to be whatever he wants to be. He can afford to do or not to do. He can afford to listen or play deaf. Nobody seems able or willing to call him to order. He acts like a god who gives and takes. He has made Creek Haven (Government House Yenagoa) the center of a visionless government. And when he is out of Yenagoa, government businesses screech to a halt: the lights go out, the wind stops blowing, and the moon stop shining. Damn, who has the moral authority to call this man to order?

In Bayelsa State, too many people sold their vote, their voice and their conscience during the last election; but more than that, no one wants to risk his/her chances at government contracts or patronage or political appointment (either for themselves, family members or associates). The PDP, both at the state and national level, went the extra mile to badger, weaken or compromise real and perceived opponents. The result now is that no one -- no one -- seems to have the moral authority to question the Governor.

These injurious conditions must not be allowed to continue. This Governor must not be allowed to continue his shenanigans as though Bayelsa State is his private chiefdom. The people of Bayelsa, at home and abroad, must oppose and fight Timipre Sylva’s wasteful habit and insolence. They must keep him awake and alert at every moment of the day and night. And since he is not ready and able to govern, he should either be recalled or be impeached in a constitutional manner.

And in fact, the amount of theft and mismanagement he is involved in should be carefully investigated and brought before the EFCC and other competent legal bodies. Recently, the Governor told the media that he undertakes foreign travels because of the need for Foreign Direct Investments. Hogwash! Total lies and total nonsense! Let him prove to the people of the State how much FDI his constant foreign travels have brought to the state.

The money the Governor and his entourage has wasted in the last 15 months (on domestic and international travels) is more than enough to build, equip and staff one clinic each in each of the State’s local government headquarters. At the very least, the money could have been used to modernize all the Government primary and secondary schools in the State. The people of Bayelsa State need and deserve a competent stay-home Governor, not a snoozing Governor who is “here today and there tomorrow.”

By the way: do the people of Bayelsa State have to wait another 75 days for State Commissioners and other head of government agencies to be appointed?

Sabidde@yahoo.com

In the midst of the shenanigans surrounding Nuhu Ribadu I am even more conscious that the trend emerging in Nigeria in its battle against corruption is in a stalemate. A stalemate between the law enforcement/detection agencies and the ruling classes. Some would even argue with some validity that the EFCC and ICPC at its very best could only scratch the surface of corruption and that most of the high profile convicts have now been released to stride their respective communities like colossuses after their routine applications for bail. The stalemate I highlight is in my view capable of sending our fragile state to an irreversible decline, hampering any hope of development or any agenda for industrialisation.