President Goodluck Jonathan has been asked to be cautious in deciding to heed the call by many individuals and groups to contest the 2011 election “so as not to be distracted from delivering his best to the country within the remaining period”.
President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor who issued the note of caution said while it might be constitutional for him to heed the calls to run for the office and do so, there was the need to ensure that no move would make him deliver less than his ability to Nigerians in his present position.
The PFN president who felt bad about the power sector of the country also advised the President of the country to probe and prosecute the personnel driving the power sector if the problem of epileptic power supply crippling the nation is to be addressed as well as hasten the implementation of the amnesty programme.
In his words, “one of the reasons why the sector keeps failing is because they keep recycling the same criminals. Forgive me for using such a strong word”
Monday, June 28, 2010
National House of Assembly (Now NATIONAL SLAPPING AND BOXING ASSEMBLY)
In October 2004, Senator Isa Mohammed (Niger State) forsook legislative decorum to slap Senator Iyabo Anisulowo (Ogun State) over a senate committee disagreement. The victim was too shocked to reply. About two weeks later, as if attempting to prove gender equality, a female member of the House of Representatives, Iquo Minima, delivered a thunderous slap to the gentlemanly face of her colleague, Hon Emmanuel Bwacha. Like the longsuffering Mrs Anisulowo, Bwacha was also dazed to reply the compliment. Some analysts suggested in those unsavoury slapping days that even if Anisulowo had attempted to redeem her honour a worse injury could have been inflicted on her by the beefy Mohammed. In the case of Minima’s effrontery, it was felt Bwacha stayed his fury so as not to commit murder, for he would have broken the termagant into pieces had he thrown the punches his fury dictated. It was interesting how in 2004 chauvinism cancelled out chivalry, and misanthropy undermined misogyny.
It’s hard to say now whether the violence that took place on the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, 22nd June 2010 was an improvement of martial arts or a decline of the stately detachment and urbaness the public had come to expect from their legislators. What is, however evident was that 11 legislators from the House planned a putsch to unseat the speaker, Mr Dimeji Bankole, over allegations of fraud involving capital expenditure of about nine billion naira. Not satisfied taking the matter before the court of public opinion, where it met qualified support, and the EFCC, the Dino Melaye (Kogi State) group decided to plan a boxers’ rebellion. Describing themselves in-appropriately as Progressive-minded Legislators (PML), the 11 putschists adopted unorthodox methods to get rid of the Speaker. Unfortunately for them, the coup was unpopular, and it was put down so violently that the country was left nonplussed.
Suspended Lawmakers
Hon. Dino Melaye
Hon. Ehiogie West-Idahosa
Hon. Independence Ogunewe
Hon. Solomon Awhinawi
Hon. Austin Nwachukwu
Hon. Abbas Anas
Hon. Gbenga Oduwaiye
Hon. Kayode Amusan
Hon. Gbenga Onigbogi
Hon. Bitrus Kaze
Hon. Doris Uboh
It’s hard to say now whether the violence that took place on the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, 22nd June 2010 was an improvement of martial arts or a decline of the stately detachment and urbaness the public had come to expect from their legislators. What is, however evident was that 11 legislators from the House planned a putsch to unseat the speaker, Mr Dimeji Bankole, over allegations of fraud involving capital expenditure of about nine billion naira. Not satisfied taking the matter before the court of public opinion, where it met qualified support, and the EFCC, the Dino Melaye (Kogi State) group decided to plan a boxers’ rebellion. Describing themselves in-appropriately as Progressive-minded Legislators (PML), the 11 putschists adopted unorthodox methods to get rid of the Speaker. Unfortunately for them, the coup was unpopular, and it was put down so violently that the country was left nonplussed.
Suspended Lawmakers
Hon. Dino Melaye
Hon. Ehiogie West-Idahosa
Hon. Independence Ogunewe
Hon. Solomon Awhinawi
Hon. Austin Nwachukwu
Hon. Abbas Anas
Hon. Gbenga Oduwaiye
Hon. Kayode Amusan
Hon. Gbenga Onigbogi
Hon. Bitrus Kaze
Hon. Doris Uboh
Illiteracy: Nigeria Hosts E-9 Meeting
The nine countries with the highest number of illiterates in the world converged in Abuja today 23rd June, 2010 which was declared open by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The E – 9 initiative was launched in 1993 as a forum for discussion of experiences in education, exchange of best practices and monitoring of progress in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan which together account for 60% of the world’s population and are home to about two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults.
No fewer than 120 participants including the UNESCO special envoy , Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Director-General of the organization, Ms Irina Bokova and the Ministers of Education of the E – 9 countries were present at the meeting with the theme, Literacy for Development
The E – 9 initiative was launched in 1993 as a forum for discussion of experiences in education, exchange of best practices and monitoring of progress in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan which together account for 60% of the world’s population and are home to about two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults.
No fewer than 120 participants including the UNESCO special envoy , Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Director-General of the organization, Ms Irina Bokova and the Ministers of Education of the E – 9 countries were present at the meeting with the theme, Literacy for Development
Depreciating state of Hank Anuku
His entry into the movie scene was described as a fresh breath of fresh air at a time when most close watchers in the movie industry were miffed by the trend of recycled faces in the industry.
Years later, movie buffs, fans and close watchers were becoming concerned about the state of the actor, Hank Anuku, whose physical state was becoming a source of worry.
The actor was spotted recently at an open bar in Asaba – dead drunk, mumbling incoherent words and clutching a bottle of bear. The actot is now a shadow of himself with his wizened structure doing him a whole lot of disservice.
A concerned onlooker almost mistook him for Majek Fashek considering his state, while shaking his head at the sight of the actor who seems to get worse by the year. Many also wondered what his mission was at that spot at the time his colleagues were busy at movie locations in other parts of Asaba, Lagos and Enugu
Years later, movie buffs, fans and close watchers were becoming concerned about the state of the actor, Hank Anuku, whose physical state was becoming a source of worry.
The actor was spotted recently at an open bar in Asaba – dead drunk, mumbling incoherent words and clutching a bottle of bear. The actot is now a shadow of himself with his wizened structure doing him a whole lot of disservice.
A concerned onlooker almost mistook him for Majek Fashek considering his state, while shaking his head at the sight of the actor who seems to get worse by the year. Many also wondered what his mission was at that spot at the time his colleagues were busy at movie locations in other parts of Asaba, Lagos and Enugu
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Illiteracy: Nigeria Hosts E-9 Meeting
The nine countries with the highest number of illiterates in the world converged in Abuja today 23rd June, 2010 which was declared open by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The E – 9 initiative was launched in 1993 as a forum for discussion of experiences in education, exchange of best practices and monitoring of progress in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan which together account for 60% of the world’s population and are home to about two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults.
No fewer than 120 participants including the UNESCO special envoy , Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Director-General of the organization, Ms Irina Bokova and the Ministers of Education of the E – 9 countries were present at the meeting with the theme, Literacy for Development
The E – 9 initiative was launched in 1993 as a forum for discussion of experiences in education, exchange of best practices and monitoring of progress in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan which together account for 60% of the world’s population and are home to about two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults.
No fewer than 120 participants including the UNESCO special envoy , Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Director-General of the organization, Ms Irina Bokova and the Ministers of Education of the E – 9 countries were present at the meeting with the theme, Literacy for Development
Friday, February 12, 2010
THE POWER OF DREAMS
When I look around today, I see thousands of people on the roads, in the streets, in the market, in various offices and places of social gathering. But when I take a closer look at these people (including my own life), I discover that we are not all in the same level, some drive around town in classy and flashy cars, some live in big mansions (heaven on earth), some wear very beautifully woven laces, some wear very expensive watches and jewelleries and so on while others trekked long distances everyday without any hope of an end to it, some do not even have a roof over their heads, some wear the same clothes everyday and some don’t even have at all not to talk of putting on jewelleries. Then I came to the conclusion that ‘Life is in phases and men are in levels’.
I went into extensive research and found out that some of these people living a mediocre life didn’t plan for it, they didn’t have it in mind that one day their lives will be this miserable and frustrating. But I also found out that they didn’t equally have a definite plan for their life. They lacked a definite dream which they ought to have held on to during their youthful age and now (in adulthood), they are paying the price.
The power of a dream cannot be over-emphasised. Look at the lives of the world’s richest men today, it’s worth envying but ask them how they started. They will tell you that most of them were not born with silver spoons, they came from very poor homes but one thing kept them going- Either it’s ‘A Dream not to end up like their parents’, or ‘A Dream to live their lives to the peak of their destinies’.
I tell you this- a time is coming when you are expected leave your father’s house (even if he is very rich and willing to support you), when you will not only be responsible for your own life but also the lives and well-being of those around you. And when that time comes, what will speak for you is the dream you had some years back.
You must Dare to Dream. If you don’t have a dream, I beg to say- you are putting your whole life at risk and you are also a threat to humanity. Come to think of it, if hundreds or thousands of years ago, nobody dared, just imagine what and how humanity and the earth will look like today, imagine the extent to which the human race would have de-generated if nobody dared to expand his horizon, imagine if people like Isaac Newton did not dare some hundreds of years ago, imagine what would have become of South-Africa today if Nelson Mandela lived within the comfort zone and never dared, imagine how ignorant we would have been if the scientists of old did not dare to experiment. Anybody that is an international figure today did something yesterday- he dared to dream. And in like manner, those who will be international figures tomorrow are those that dare to dream today. Sex is never a barrier to dreams, in Nigeria today, there is no way you can talk about the Medical sector reforms without mentioning Mrs. Dora Akinluyi (NAFDAC Director during Pres. Obasanjo’s tenure), and there is no way you can talk about the Financial sector in Nigeria without mentioning Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala (Minister of Finance during Pres. Obasanjo’s tenure), and there is no way you can talk about the Banking sector without mentioning Mrs. Cecilia Ibru (Former MD/CEO of Oceanic Bank). In the United States, there is no way you will talk about politics that you will not mention Condolleza Rice and Hillary Clinton. These are ladies that had dreams. You too can become an international figure.
I bet you, if you dare to dream today, tomorrow you will be glad you did.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
MY NIGERIA, MY COUNTRY
I pledge to Nigeria my country
To be faithful, loyal & honest
To serve Nigeria with all my heart
To defend her unity
And uphold her honour & glory
So help me God
My beloved pals,
It’s no longer news that the reputation / image of our dear country Nigeria has been dragged to the mud. Now, our Senate, House of Representatives, Top Government Officials and the So – called Elites are now very busy trying to take measures to redeem our image. Thanks anyway, but I honestly think that if the leaders have done their jobs as at when due, all this would not have come up, but there is really nothing we can do, so you guys can carry on the fight.
A friend asked me a question and it goes- Why are the top guys and government Elites really trying to redeem the image of the Nation, why is it not the masses that are crying to redeem our image? And he equally answered the question, here we go- He said those in power are actually trying to redeem their own image (and not that of the Nation as a whole) so they could perpetuate more evil, carry out more money laundering, acquire more properties over there, and also reap the rewards here in Nigeria by setting up irrelevant committees to resolve what we all know can and will never be resolved.
Wait a minute, I thought we are undergoing a reformation / REBRANDING process. Everyday, we hear Jingles on the Electronic media and even read on the Print media that : NIGERIA- Good People, Great Nation. Is that what we are actually living daily? Or is this what we mean by being a Good people and a Great nation? If our lives and image / reputation as a country is reflecting that saying, then I guess, one will not want to be a part of that process because we don’t even have the slightest idea of what a Good people and a Great nation really are. Who knows, maybe we should have said it was: Bad people, Controversial nation.
How can we really say we are on track when all we hear from the government officials is a whole lot of lies. How much progress have we made in the line of the 7 point agenda, not to talk of the 2010 power project or even the 2015 MDGs? Could you believe a friend called all this cock and bull stories and in fact super stories and I begin to wonder if the Nigerian government are actually acting a home movie being broadcasted live and viewed by the whole world.
At the moment, a country that says it’s good and great does not even know the whereabouts of her Leader. But the senate and the press keep bringing news- who knows whether true or false? Is this what it means to be a good people and a great nation? I will say a big NO.
What is actually happening? Where are we heading to? Has God left us to our own fate? Or maybe God was never in control from the beginning? Somebody said “How could you say that and infact God Forbid. God is with us.” Then what is the problem? Probably we don’t want to listen to God and do what is right.
I honestly think if things are done rightly, if things be as they ought to be and if the leaders come to the awareness that the country does not belong to them neither is it their farmland, then we can begin to make progress.
Remember- Nigeria will only be built by Nigerians. A foreigner can not build our nation for us. We’ve got to come to this awareness that Nigeria will become a better place to live in only if Nigerians can work on themselves a little bit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)