Even though threads on this topic have been discussed on here for years - it speaks volumes that we are on just 3 pages for a bill this important. (Whether it will pass is a different story but let's put that aside for now)...

The resident trolls, demagogues, trouble makers etc. (except one or two ) are noticeably absent on this thread. And why wouldn't they be absent ? The topic actually requires some basic education or knowledge about this country's constitution and system of government. That is much too difficult for some of us to acquire!

The very things so many of us complain about every damn day in this country are tied to the fundamental structural imbalances that this thread is discussing. And yet we are on just 3 pages...and you can be sure the follow up action by voters to their representatives on this bill will be almost nil. And yet people will complain (tomorrow, next week and the day after) that the country has gone to hell.

Talk about answers being hidden in plain sight...


Edit: The road is still long. We must never forget this. While we are trying to make incremental progress, we must note that there is no point eliminating federal hegemony while perpetuating a hegemony of state governments. For example, as at today, local governments in Nigeria are still sucking at the teats of the states - LGs have zero power over their financial resources. What kind of perverse arrangement are we running where the states have full power over local governments (a so-called constitutionally separate, autonomous tier of government) statutory allocations? This is just one example of several - and these State/LG conflicts must also be addressed concurrently (no pun intended).

Rapmoney:


Na so you go dey jump from one thread to another dey yarn dust! So common simple concept wey SS1 Government student know about constitutional operations, you no know? Tufia!!!

^^^^


I am not holding a brief for any of the combatants here...but given the posting history of the fellow asking those questions, I am amazed.

Incredible.

I am still not fully convinced he isn't trolling...

9jaDoomCountry:
The impact on the car shows it was over speeding.

^^^^


You don't know this to be true. You can't tell just from these pictures alone.

The severity of damage a car has suffered in an accident is not necessarily an indicator of speed at time of impact.

We simply don't have enough information about what exactly happened.

Jabioro:
Tell me the party in Nigeria that doesn't have intra party matters..It bound to happen,it is expected..

^^^
This is so sad.

Nigerians are not interested in a race to the bottom. Nigerians are not interested in a commonwealth of failure or non-performance. How does it profit ordinary Nigerians if all political parties in Nigeria have intra-party problems? Does that put bread on the table? Was the APC put into power to state the obvious?

Get this clear: this is the 5th year of the current administration. There is nothing noteworthy to speak of. No groundbreaking achievement. No signature legislation driven by either the executive or the legislature. No major policy thrust. Nothing to write home about. And even the ordinary, routine business of governance is botched on a day to day basis. So what have Nigerians gained in voting the APC then?

Revealing thread.

Amusing yet very sobering at the same time.

Its a jungle out there.

izzou:
This country and wickedness ehn

Uniquedee:
I don't see myself falling into this traps tho..if you are not my family member or my friend even if you are dieing at the ATM I can never allow u transfer to my account

shaw2:
This is more reason why I don't smile at people while at ATM gallery whenever I visit Nigeria.

Aleora:
You are very right ,something similar happened to me ,went to the ATM to withdraw and a particular guy I met there said the ATM is declining his card that he is traveling,he then proposed that he sends the money to my acc and I should please withdraw for him,I just smiled and replied him with FOR THIS NIGERIA?

^^^^

Press statements = damage control mode.

After that disastrous interview some months ago where his comments were sought on the insecurity plaguing this country - he is sticking to prepared press statements.

But we won't have to wait for too long. Another unscripted interview and he'll dig another hole for himself - even bigger than the last one.

We'll be watching.

Jabioro:
Your ideas is poor..there is no party without intraparty issues..that can affected the nation adversely.

And look where we all are with the 'rich' ideas the APC has to offer.

Like I said earlier - Nigeria has no interest in APC family quarrels. It is a waste of our precious time - there are far more important issues Nigerians are concerned about. Deliver on your campaign promises and then we'll take you seriously.

You may not like the truth but it is what it is. That party is a failed, expired party with nothing to offer. Nothing at all.

Osidazz19:


My game is over ya head already. Too complex for you to comprehend. Just move on .

^^^
Still lame. You need to try harder, goddamit! Were all those years you spent in troll school a waste? Apply yourself, man!

Jabioro:
The speech was full of wisdom,it carried axe and with warning methodology..you can be quarantine politically... Hmmmm you spend 2023 in 2020..you can't be faster than the time is beyond human realms..

^^^
This problem is a 'family affair'. Nigerians are not interested in APC intra-party squabbling. It adds no value to their lives.

Nigerians are also not interested in empty speeches. They want action - and the APC simply cannot deliver.

Failed party and its failed leaders.

Osidazz19:
Ipob retards will start masturbating on their FATHER Tinubu now. OYA START.

^^^
Lame. You need to up your game.

Omnivalent:
some making noise, we already know that these northerners are bunch of zombies....
whose skulls full of relaxers.
.
.
they work with lies and deceptions
even when they know the truth, they always pretend to know nothing... even when death is under their nose.
they are dying, yet they pretend as if nothing is happening.
these guys a mofos!

^^^^


I don't think you actually read the article.

I will be watching this thread and other media very keenly to see how this matter plays out.

I don't have enough information about this dispute and so I can't comment for now. What I can comment on however, is my experience with this same bank on a customer's (whom I was representing) bank deposits.

The bank was determined to unlawfully hold on to the customer's bank balances at all costs. I do not make this statement lightly. Before my experience I would not have believed the lengths First Bank would go to in order to cheat an ordinary depositor - a septuagenarian pensioner. Their legal department did their best to frustrate us into making a false move that would have cost us dearly. The plan was to goad us into pursuing full fledged litigation - their calculation was that the matter would be tied up in court for years and the customer's money would remain in their vaults. The system is rigged in their favour that way.

The matter was eventually resolved and First Bank paid up - without us having to go to court. If we had gone to court, we would (note that I have not used any qualifiers like 'probably' here) still be there today, with no hope of a resolution - several years later.

To me at least, First Bank's management has no people of integrity. Zero. None.

Samunique:


I don't think this kind of comment is fair enough about those who have sacrificed almost all to defend you and I.

Some of them have not set their eyes on their wives and children for the past one year. For us to be making this kind of unfair remarks about them shows how mean we are as a people.

I think This type of comments of yours are contributing to their brutality on the civilians .

^^^


I am not holding a brief for the fellow you quoted but your comments up there are part of the problem.

First of all, military brutality against Nigerian civilians is not a new thing. It was there before Boko Haram and will probably still be there after Boko Haram. The military high command has traditionally looked the other way or even actively encouraged this behaviour. It is all part of the deep and long held contempt that the Nigerian military has for those 'goddamned bloody civilians'.

According to you, certain comments (like the one made by the fellow you quoted) are part of the reason for military brutality in Nigeria. My question is: were soldiers brutalizing civilians long before Boko Haram was born? And if they were, what were the reasons for their actions then? Are you defending the indefensible?

There are so many people (ordinary civilians) who have been treated very unjustly by these uniformed men. They haven't forgotten and will not forget. Comments like yours will not help the situation.

cuteralph101:
You do have a point about Soldiers harrasing civilians but hey Nigeria was once governed by the Military. Oppression started there which still happens till today. But if u noticed a soldier is someone who should be respected owing to the sacrifices they have encountered in the course of serving this country. In Nigeria civilians dont respect soldiers as seen in most countries. Dont hate a soldier, they one reason you sleep comfortably at night. If a soldier is taken care of like other countries and given that respect Soldiers will be more than lovely to civilians.

^^^
Here we go again.

Respect is earned. It is not decreed into existence. It is earned!!!

There is a serious problem when military personnel whine 24/7 about some real or imagined disrespect from civilians. Respect is earned! And it should be mutual and reciprocal!

All this talk about sacrifice and service to country bores me to death. Are there not other personnel paying the supreme price in the service of this country? Aren't there medical personnel (nurses, lab technicians, physicians etc.) on the frontlines when an epidemic or a pandemic hits? Do you ever hear of these professionals and the price they pay? Do you know how many of them die when there's an outbreak of lassa fever or cholera? Do you ever hear these people demanding to be 'respected' at every turn?

Lets get serious.

How did this thread turn into a debate about religion?

The pictures show how Thai (and US ) army personnel survive in very harsh conditions - conditions they are likely to face in combat. The only question is if raw snake blood has any potential adverse effects on the human body - a question which is likely to have been answered already.

We do not even need to go far. Right here on our own continent, our Masai kindred live on a diet that consists almost entirely of milk, meat and blood. And they seem to be doing just fine.

Some people have pointed out that the thread is simply about military survivalist drills but other posters have pivoted (as usual) to the supernatural. The thread is an opportunity to learn. Let the 'religionists' save their argument for some other place and time.

Jaqenhghar:

Very well said brother. I wish I could like this more than once.

^^^
These NCOs and other ranks will not hesitate to savagely beat or even kill civilians on the orders of their light fingered superiors - often for the flimsiest of reasons. And sometimes for no reason at all. And sometimes these same NCOs/other ranks don't even wait for orders - they do it by themselves and for themselves. It happens everyday in this country.

They can sort out their problems without my input. It is a family affair and none of my business.

Destroyerofyeeb:
If this was the 1970s and 1980s soldiers suppose don slaughter all these politicians and take over. I really don't know what is going on in the military these days cos every condition that should have led to a military takeover has already happened, soldiers have now been reduced to beggars and made to look weak before ordinary boko haram miscreants.

^^^
No.

I will be the last person on earth to defend Nigerian politicians but it should be made clear that nobody is slaughtering anybody. This 'problem' is a 'family' affair that does not involve civilians. Isn't that the familiar refrain - military matters are above the abilities of civilians - and civilians should keep off?

Neither I or anyone I know reduced anyone else to beggars or made them look weak. The parties involved did a fine job of that all by themselves - and they can sort out internally whatever issues they have with one another. Thankfully their petition was addressed to the military high command so we - the people often derisively referred to as the 'bloody' people - do not need to get involved. It isn't our problem.

In all my years slaving away on different jobs, nobody ever paid me a cigarette allowance. I also never got a single cocoa bean - not to talk of a bar of chocolate.

Nigeria is hard for everybody.

A country gets the leadership it deserves.

isaacprinz:
stale gibberish. Keep wailing hope you enjoyed the little attention I granted you. And stay off my mention

^^^


Is that all?

As I said, you have nothing to contribute. My post is gibberish to you because you cannot comprehend it. And people naturally deride what they cannot understand.

You have no honour, sir. You have not a single valiant bone in your body. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Do have a good day.

isaacprinz:
that's your opinion which is minor and doesn't actually count.

^^^


And your opinion is 'major' and counts?

You clearly have nothing to contribute. The 'essay' in one of your previous posts on this thread is all over the place with no clear objective. You claim some of those criticizing the actions of these junior cadets would do the same thing if they were in their shoes. You then have the nerve to say that it is the latent 'civilian' traits in these junior cadets that is responsible for their indiscipline - and once this civilian mentality is drilled out of them, they will stop behaving like toy soldiers and start behaving like the real deal.

The horse dung you are spouting isn't surprising. It is standard practice for Nigerian soldiers and their henchmen to blame civilians for the military's shortcomings. After all, former army chief Akinrinade claimed a couple of years ago that civilians were somehow responsible for the loss of Buhari's exam results - results that were submitted to the army board over half a century ago! Where the hell do civilians come into this matter?

Keep blaming civilians. You know what they say: a poor workman blames his tools (or in this case, a poor workman blames the people around him who have nothing to do with his incompetence).

You and your ilk have run out of excuses. Your time is up.

Mizwisdom:

I know when someone is writing from diaspora as against someone writing from within the country. I guess you have not been in the country for a while for most of your statements are based on text book stats and analysis.

^^^

There is nothing 'diasporan' (if that word exists) about me. I was born and bred here - and I'm still here. When I joined this platform I was in Nigeria. And I'm still here!

Why would you have a problem with statements based on textbook derived stats and analysis? You would rather have me conjure them from thin air? The facts (and the truth arising therefrom) will indeed make us free! Your formal education must have had a syllabus and recommended textbooks. Did you reject those books as utter nonsense and outright falsehood?

Mizwisdom:

Same useless textbooks stats that predicted Nigeria will disintegrate by 2015 . Your views are different from reality even though you backed them up with doctored stats. Middle class population is much higher than14% and whether you believe it or not, we are not the poorest country in the world, these are politicized assumptions.

^^^
I haven't said anything about disintegration. At least not yet.

I have stated my data sources. And I mention them fully aware of the limitations of statistical databases and data gathering in a 3rd world country. But you haven't mentioned a single data source or reference of your own - not even our own statistical bureau. Are you just trolling when you describe my views as unreal, or my statistics as doctored?

Mizwisdom:

Exercising my freedom is a fundamental human right which the West knows and advocates on paper but they still control everything about your existence, trapping you in a merry-go-round system of work and paying taxes until you drop dead, a system that serves the lazy ones of their society appropriately while sending the hardworking ones to ER on a regular basis, especially as the stress of aging begins to take its toll

^^^
I see you have a problem with how Western countries are run. And that's fine. I also do not believe their societies are the gold standard. But a discussion about capitalism, social democracy, the welfare state etc. is a different discussion for another day. As for freedom - I have said all I need to say about it in prior posts so there's nothing for me to add.

I gave you the benefit of the doubt in this discussion - I hope this wasn't just a trolling exercise for you.

chukwumzurum:

What could be false here. The region is grossly underdeveloped. Any one knows this.
There are quite good edifice in the north but they're so little. I repeat myself the north is highly under developed. Development should not only be seen in the state capitals.

^^^
Now you are talking.

If you use the broad description "underdeveloped" for Northern Nigeria, nobody will argue with you. But you were very specific in your previous post - you stated that a block house or a good home could hardly be found in Northern Nigeria. And that modern housing (constructed with cement blocks) cannot be seen except you travel for miles!

Both these statements of yours are simply not true. Anyone who has actually been to Northern Nigeria can confirm this. I have travelled to several towns and cities in Northern Nigeria that are not state capitals - and there is modern housing as far as the eye can see! Having said that, it is also true that pre-modern housing is also prevalent in several small settlements and villages in rural Northern Nigeria. But remember that this is a pan-Nigerian matter and not just a rural Northern Nigerian one.

Criticize if you must but be honest and truthful about it.

FestacGirl:


update.

the oil leaking is from the drive shaft.


Now I'm wondering if the engine is burning synthetic 5w-20 oil.

i topped it up with 20w50 Mobil and it took exactly 2 quarts to gauge .

should this vehicle burn 2quarts in 1800miles
?

^^^
Drive shaft?

Could it be that you have two fluid leaks - an ATF leak (transmission seal?) as well as a motor oil leak (cause still unknown)?

Mizwisdom:


Overall freedom to live by your own rules and standards. With far less money than required abroad, I can live comfortably. I know average people with three maids, two drivers, a gateman and Laundry man. Things like these...

^^^
I will refer you to my response to another poster on this thread. He also mentioned "freedom". You need to accept the simple truth that (in forward thinking societies) your freedom to live by your own rules and standards will always be greatly restricted by other people's rights. As long as we live with and around other human beings, our "freedoms" will always be constrained. There is no getting around this basic truth.

There's a lot to unpack from your statement about being able to live comfortably in Nigeria with far less than you would require in other countries (I assume here you are referring mostly to high income, industrialized countries). Have you factored in exchange rates? Are you referring to the buying power of a minimum wage earner in Nigeria versus the buying power of a minimum wage earner in these other countries? There's a lot at play here.

You mentioned "average people" (I assume this means middle class) having 3 maids, 2 drivers, a gateman and a laundry man. That statement is quite controversial - particularly when statistics (IBRD, AfDB, Ipsos, etc.) show Nigeria's middle class is anything between 14% to 20% of the population. How far can you go when your middle class is less than one fifth of the population? Perhaps even more important, how much wealth can this middle class actually create? (Is it largely entrepreneurial or is it largely clerical? How much wealth can bureaucrats/government employees create?) Those maids, drivers, gatemen and laundry men you referred to - what is their economic status? Are they living or just existing?

There are other stats we should be just as concerned about. I'm sure you are aware of the report (though controversial) which shows that over half of Nigeria's population lives below the poverty line. Other stats show that over 10 million children of school age in Nigeria are NOT in school. There is a costly war in North Eastern Nigeria that has left nearly 40,000 dead and over 2 million displaced. There is an illegal but highly lucrative trans-border movement in small light arms and ammunition that is feeding the extremely volatile security situation within Nigeria. And so on.

Our problems are very serious. We minimize them at our peril.

Mizwisdom:
Topics like these make me laugh. If I invested my life savings in relocating do you expect me to confess to a random stranger that I regret my decision, when I have nothing left back home for me to fall back on?

If they truly have no regrets why are many of them here posting responses to your question? it's because they miss home, this is an anonymous forum where they can catch up on things happening in Nigeria and interact with us who are here. You don't need them to tell you they regret, the fact that they are here shows it.

I pity the ones who will fall for the lies being told here as for me, I too like this my country , my only issue is greed, many people here are too greedy. Apart from this , Nigeria is a good country to live

^^^
Some of those who relocated do have regrets. Some do not. People fall on both sides.

It is entirely possible that people who really have no regrets did post responses on this thread. Is that so hard to believe? Why the scepticism?

The "lies" being told here could go both ways: some people relocated and they do have regrets - but they lie about this. And some people stayed put and they have regrets - and they too lie about this.

I am interested in your reasons (other than 'it is home') why you consider Nigeria a good place to live. Would you care to list or explain further?

sowilli:
do you have money? Answer yourself. Do you? Can you apply for a 3 year business visa and you will be given? Do you do 1 million dollars in revenue annually- personal business or employment.

^^^
Yet more proof of your trolling. Case closed.

sowilli:
Make money bro, you will have a different view. Naija this or that doesn’t add to anyone’s bank account. Millions of Nigerians are doing over 300 million.

^^^
Sure proof you were trolling. I'm surprised some other posters took the bait.

bigfrancis21:


Most especially I miss the general freedom that every day to day life in Nigeria offers. If you’ve never left the country before you won’t understand. There’s more freedom sort of in Nigeria vs obodo oyibo where there are damn too many laws that, in many ways, you are restricted in what you could freely do. They often say that very soon the government would release laws on how human beings should sleep in their own bedroom. It’s that crazy. I also miss the sense of community in Nigeria vs the extremely high level of ‘minding your business’ that exists abroad that people rarely interact with each other. It’s somewhat better or similar to Nigeria in southern US vs Northern US here but overall it is lower here in the US vs Nigeria.

Lastly I used to miss our food, culture etc but with the plethora of Nigerians here in the US, in recent years plenty African stores have popped up here and there selling nearly every single item you could buy in a Nigerian market and with Nigerian events such as parties, weddings taking place regularly, I no longer miss this aspect.

My 2 cents.

^^^
Fair points.

But those damn laws exist for a reason. They exist (and are enforced) because your private actions have social costs. In rules based societies you will pay a significant price when your private actions have high social costs. In Nigeria unfortunately, that is not the case. In general, I do not pay any price in Nigeria when my private actions have high social costs. And that, sir/madam is why those rules-based societies are what they are - and Nigeria is what it is.

That in a nutshell, explains the 'apparent' lack of freedom in these rules based societies. But these societies have mastered the concept and enforcement of a simple rule: My right or freedom to throw a punch ends where someone else's face begins.

jk1e:
My greatest regret is the freedom I have back in Nigeria, here is not like that,too much rules and regulations.

^^^
That's why those countries work. They are rule based societies and rules exist for a reason.

False.

The seeds for this madness were sown in his administration. And he did nothing.

His administration was notorious for extreme brutality towards soft or weak targets - and craven submission towards foes who refused to cower. He looked the other way in 2000 when Sani Yerima and the Zamfara state legislature contravened the constitution. But when some soldiers were murdered by unknown elements in Odi, (Rivers State) and Zaki Biam (Benue State) the Nigerian army (on his orders) razed those communities to the ground.

This revisionism will not go unchallenged.

godofuck231:
giving ideas to civilian government of town planning and strategic civil egonomics isn't the job of the military, plus don't: forget that this is not a developed country where the police is 2 minutes away this is a third world country fully , shiit happens and the system will not protect you, if not the supreme courts wouldn't be giving overnight verdicts on state elections and the road lanes would have been cleared for security agents on essential duty

^^^
Ok. We can agree to disagree.