Tag Archives: Nation

Has This Generation Failed The Nation? – By Orebanwo Adewale

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A wise man once said “legacy is what a father leaves for his children”. This phrase highlighted in my pool of thoughts the words of our former president, Olusegun Obasanjo which made the headlines on the newspapers some few days ago: ‘My generation has failed Nigeria’. It takes a lot of boldness to come out to say this, I thought. I ran my eyes through his speech only to find out that he ran away from the theme he started with to a point where he excluded himself from the blame with respect to the state of this nation. Shoveling blames does not erase the fact that accountability is a necessity from anyone on whose laps responsibility falls on.

His generation which includes majority of those in power now have made a mess of what is supposed to be left as legacy for us the coming generation. At a point in his speech, he said “my sons and daughters, what will your generation do? Condemnation is easy but what will you do?” This part of the speech left me thinking; what exactly do they want us to do? To clean up their mess or wallow in the filth they have created.

Narcissism is the order of the day as our fathers take little thought of what life will be like for the coming generation and they major on the quest to make their comfortability their sole priority.     Every election process has brought back the same set of people only that their offices have changed. Some of them take offices with virtually no knowledge about it but still they clamour about serving their fatherland. Education has plunged deep into the abyss with no means to resuscitate it. Students graduate with knowledge acquired in the 80s’ and degrees that cannot be defended confidently in the corporate world. Security eats a chunk of our annual budget but we don’t feel safe yet. Nigeria is no more “the giant of Africa” because we have ignored ‘strategic planning’. John C. Maxwell highlighted that “Strategic Planning does not deal with future decisions; it deals with the futurity of present decisions”.

The phrase made by this elder statesman is clarion call to the youths of this great nation to rise and take responsibility for their lives and this nation. Are we not tired of being used as political thugs to fuel the selfish ambitions of our fathers, isn’t it high time we stop living as leaders of tomorrow and take hold of our today? “The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain” has been caressed by our small mouth till it was filled with teeth but that phrase has been taken with levity and contempt. Let us make this our drive and refuse to remain as babes because it is only a child that eats his resources. The wisest man that ever lived said “woe unto a nation whose king is a child and thy princes eat in the morning”. The names of our founding fathers cannot be removed from the sand of times because they laid a legacy for the generation coming and did not squander that which is to be inherited. What will be said of you is determined by the decisions you take today. We are endowed with the power to be whosoever we want to be.

Take that step, make that decision and let us stop giving irrelevant excuses. Remember, what will be said of us is determined by what characterizes our actions today. “Help our youth the truth to know”; the truth is before us now, don’t let it slip away.

I will leave us this wise quote to ponder on: “Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless when facing them” – Rabindranath Tagore.

Orebanwo Adewale is a fresh graduate from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. He is a leader with a core value in human capital development. He is a creative writer and a prolific speaker. He can be reached via Email:orebanwoadewale@gmail.com or through +2347063643099. He can also be followed on Instagram: @orebs_adex.

Opinion: Thieves, Madness and the Nation – By Jibrin Ibrahim

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…we should open a register in what should be called the NATIONAL HALL OF SHAME, where the names and the terrible deeds of mega thieves would be displayed. The information on the register should be used to teach this history to our children, now that we have decided to re-introduce the teaching of history in our schools.

Nigeria is suffering from a real crisis related to the scale of theft of public resources that is beyond all logic and can only be equated to madness. For decades, some public officials have been stealing billions of naira and subsequently some of them graduated into stealing billions of dollars. In the process, they have completely lost sight of rationality; that is, how much can you reasonably spend in your lifetime and the lifetimes of your children?! Two million dollars, for example, is over one billion naira and there is no way a family can reasonable spend one billion naira in their lifetimes. I say ‘reasonably’ because, of course, one can spend one billion naira renting planes and buying houses that are too big for a family to live in. It is the disappearance of reasonableness that I find extremely alarming.

We have it on judicial authority that the former Delta State governor, James Ibori, is a thief. Specifically, Mr. Ibori was convicted of corruption and money laundering on April 17, 2012, after five years of trial by the Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom, and sentenced to 13 years in prison. The whole world knows that, and yet he was bold enough to go for thanksgiving in his church and say that he is not a thief; that his enemies were simply maligning him. This happened when Mr. Ibori returned to Nigeria after serving a jail term in the United Kingdom for corruption and the theft of public funds. During the special thanksgiving held in his honour at the First Baptist Church in Oghara, Delta State last Sunday, Mr. Ibori said he was wrongly accused and that he was truly hurt by the anguish his people went through because of the long absence of their hero. He told them that: “They want me to go to the corner where I won’t be seen. Today, I have decided to speak for myself. I am not a thief; I cannot be a thief. Today is the day they say I should give testimony to God. For those who know me, you know that my life is a testimony itself. I have said it over and again that my life is fashioned by God, directed by God, sealed, acknowledged and blessed by God. I believe that since the day I was born.” This is the other element of madness that I find unbelievable. People will break God’s commandments, do the ungodly and confidently declare God to be on their side. I find it difficult for someone who believes in God to act this way because the first principle is that God knows what you have done, and although human beings can sometimes succeed in deceiving other human beings, they cannot deceive God. The only real explanation I can think of is that they do not really believe in God.

Just before starting to write this column, I saw a video clip distributed on WhatsApp by the friends and colleagues of Andrew Yakubu, the former Group Managing Director of NNPC, giving testimonies of his life as a good Christian and an excellent professional. I remember when I met him once in a mutual friend’s house, he spent a lot of time talking about his devotion to God. At the same time, he would see no contradiction in being found with almost ten million dollars, which had obviously been taken from public coffers. I remember that when the discovery was made, a number of people from his zone in Southern Kaduna were complaining bitterly that he had never done anything for his community, had no record of helping people, and yet was hiding all this money he and his family would not have been able to spend.

I now think this policy should be widely publicised so that more looted funds would be recovered. The whistle-blower policy is only about two months old and so much money has already been recovered. From all indications, only a very small amount of stolen money has been recovered so far. The capacity of some of our people to engage in mega looting is indeed scandalous.

The Federal Government announced a few days ago that its whistle-blower policy has started yielding fruits and has so far led to the recovery of US$151 million and 8 billion naira in looted funds. According to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the amount does not include the $9.2 million in cash found with Andrew Yakubu. The monies were recovered from just three sources through whistle-blowers who gave actionable information to the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation. This means that relations and friends of looters of funds are releasing information so that they would get their slice of the cake, which is between 2.5 and 5 percent of the amount recovered. When I heard about this inducement, I had laughed it off thinking people would not take it seriously. As usual, I was underestimating the greed of some Nigerians. I now think this policy should be widely publicised so that more looted funds would be recovered. The whistle-blower policy is only about two months old and so much money has already been recovered. From all indications, only a very small amount of stolen money has been recovered so far. The capacity of some of our people to engage in mega looting is indeed scandalous.

I think some basic civic education is necessary for the Nigerian elite. The most important one is to send as many people as possible to long jail terms for corruption. That is the ultimate lesson that can teach people that corruption is bad. This approach is the most effective because many corrupt Nigerians are convinced that God is on their side, so lessons on morality and ethics cannot be effective. The second lesson would be for the National Orientation Agency to trace the home communities of all confirmed mega looters and organise seminars and rallies on how such people have done so much harm to the nation. Its difficult to succeed but seeing the way Ibori was received at home, we cannot fold our hands and say communities have the right to welcome thieves with a 21-gun salute and mega feasting. Finally, we should open a register in what should be called the NATIONAL HALL OF SHAME, where the names and the terrible deeds of mega thieves would be displayed. The information on the register should be used to teach this history to our children, now that we have decided to re-introduce the teaching of history in our schools.

 

A professor of Political Science and development consultant/expert, Jibrin Ibrahim is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Development, and Chair of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES.

Dinah Adams: Mismanagement Of Jungle Justice, The Ignominy Of A Nation

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Beating the daylight out of thieves and criminals is of course an old tradition that has been accepted, most especially in our third world society. In fact, most of us are of the opinion that any human that takes from another man’s sweat is a wicked breed that ought to be beaten to pulp when caught, before being handed over to the authorities or meeting his/ her Creator. It is no news that we have created a generation that breeds evil, where all sorts of atrocities are being committed and thus spontaneous reactions/ reflex show and fireworks of emotions justify jungle justice.

However, the essence of jungle justice, aside it being illegal, has been abused; thereby turning tables as society wears the face of a barbarian. Now a boy aged 7 or 12 or 17, or even 107; with a crime instigated by hunger stripped naked, beaten like a piñata and set ablaze is nothing but the result of a degenerate society. A society with no regard whatsoever for human life and embarrassingly no pity for a minor. Well we never knew how ugly we’ve transformed till the day garri had more value than the life of a child. Truth is, no word written or spoken can depict this kind of evil… atleast even sodomy existed as a word to describe the act, but this has no name.

We’ve outlived the evils our generation can create by permitting such horror. If only it did not happen in our time… but it did and the utter disgrace rubs on all of us.

And for the audience of the “crime scene”, the eye witness reporter who recorded the incident and the monsters wearing human flesh, the ruthless executionists and justice league; time will tell. Thinking that no soul deemed it fit to rescue the boy, indeed time will tell. Not even police arrest and torture nor death by firing squad or hanging can do justice to the crime committed to the soul of that young boy.

We have planted a seed and as repeated, time will feed us with the produce of our sweat. And whether it was a boy, an adult or reincarnated being, maybe a pause, a little empathy and rethink if that murder was worth it. Or maybe this sort of jungle justice will be appreciated in sambisa forest, since the thirst for blood in urban areas has levelled up to that of terrorists lurking in unknown areas. But of a sincere opinion, no human is that worthless to be written off like that by his own kind in his own habitat. Remember the penguin video, animals fight for the right cause but well, humans….

Unfortunately the horror has been captured and is virally poking our conscience or rather glorifying and applauding the ignominy of an entire nation. It is sad that we have come thus far… the devil probably raised a glass to us.

13 States Partner Wood Exporters On Nation’s Forests

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Thirteen state governments and Tropical Wood Exporters Association of Nigeria (TWEAN) have commenced moves to regenerate the depleted nation’s forests.
The group has gone ahead of the Federal Government’s policy of cut one, plant two trees, to, cut one, plant seven trees.
TWEAN Secretary General, Joseph Odiase told newsmen, in Lagos, that the group, in collaboration with some state governments has embarked on massive forestation programme with a view to arresting the menace of deforestation.
Odiase said between Ogun and Ekiti states, the group has acquired over 1,000 hectares of land for tree planting
He hinted that Osun, Kogi, Kwara, Taraba, Benue, Edo, Akwa-Ibom, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger, Oyo and Ondo have started discussing with exporters to create tree farms in the states.
He said they are ready and willing to partner with the federal government to tackle the effect of climate change in Nigeria.
“We must protect and preserve the forest for this and future generations because these forests also help in the sustenance and preservation of the environment.
“We are working with the Ministry of Environment as they have promised to provide technical support when needed.
“In as much as our businesses are important to us, we cannot jeopardise the environment for economic gains because we are not the only ones operating in the nation’s economy.
“We will not only abide with cut one, plant two trees policy of government, we are also embarking on a massive forest cultivation programme.
“The project is a fulfilment of our commitment to the Minister of Environment at the national stakeholders’ meeting on forestation,” he said.

Credit:

http://sunnewsonline.com/13-states-partner-wood-exporters-on-nations-forests/

New Jersey Train Wreck Shocks Nation

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A commuter train crashed into one of the busiest train stations in the New York area during the morning rush on Thursday, killing at least one person, injuring dozens of others and creating a scene of chaos and destruction, the authorities and witnesses said.

The crash occurred around 8:45 a.m., when a commuter train slammed into the Hoboken Terminal building, Jim Smith, a spokesman for New Jersey Transit, said. It came to a stop on a busy concourse near a waiting area as passengers inside the train scrambled to climb out of the windows.

“It’s just head-shaking,” Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said on CNN. “Obviously, this train was traveling at a fairly high rate of speed.

Michael Larson, a New Jersey Transit worker, was in the station when the train crashed. He said he crawled on his hands and knees to pull people out of the first train car. Videos and photographs show the front of the train stopped beyond the tracks inside the station amid a jumble of mangled metal and hanging wires.

“The first car was pretty well destroyed,” Mr. Larson said. “The whole roof was caved in. The seats were broken.”

Mr. Larson, whose pant leg was bloodied, said that “by looking at the damage” he suspected there had been fatalities.

When the train arrived at the station, it went “over the bumper block, through the depot” and came to rest at the wall right before the station’s waiting area, Mr. Larson told reporters during a segment that was broadcast on CNN.

“One of the worst days I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Rail service was suspended into and out of the station, including service provided by the PATH system, which runs between Manhattan and New Jersey. Local buses and ferries began accepting New Jersey train tickets as a result of the accident, but ferry service to New York City from Hoboken was shut down at midday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said.

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http://sunnewsonline.com/u-s-new-jersey-train-wreck-shocks-nation/

Nigeria Is No. 1 Scrabble Nation In the World, Yet Team Denied French Visas

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Nigeria is the English-speaking world’s Scrabble superpower. Africa’s most populous nation is home not only to the global Scrabble champion, but team Nigeria ranks as the world’s top Scrabble playing nation — ahead of the U.S. in second place.

The Scrabble world champion is Wellington Jighere. He’s 33, has a soft voice, a slow smile and a penchant for fedoras, earning him the nickname “the Cat in the Hat”. Jighere acknowledges that he’s taciturn by nature, but also has an explosive, infectious laugh, though he considers Scrabble serious business.

“You can’t afford to waste too much energy doing unnecessary chatter,” he says. “During a tournament, I see it as business time. And that is no time to be joking around.” Jighere plays chess to relax, “and for fun,” he says.

Jet-lagged and weary, Jighere was crowned the world Scrabble champ last year in a grueling 32-round competition in Australia. Up to 30 of the top 100 global players are from Nigeria, which has the highest percentage of any country in the top 200. The Nigerians’ apparent collective strategy — short words that rack up the points.

Nigerians have been credited with perfecting that tactic under the tutorship of senior team coach, Prince Anthony Ikolo. He says Nigerians are passionate about Scrabble and the short word method gives them an edge. Many put Nigeria’s towering Scrabble prowess down to its players’ ability to “choke the board” as they say, with this defensive play.

“The game of Scrabble is actually built around short words — especially five letter words,” says Ikolo. “If you have such a word base, then you are good to go. But it would be a very big mistake for the world to think our players only know short words, especially five-letter words,” he warns.

The coach says “the short words help you to be defensive (by blocking longer words from opponents, but when it’s time to be offensive, we know those long words also. Nigeria is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Scrabble”.

Read More: ThisdayLive

New Yoruba Nation Coming Soon, Says Ooni

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NEWLY-crowned Ooni of Ife Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi has promised that a new Yoruba nation where youth empowerment is the focus will emerge during his tenure. Ogunwusi’s coronation is coming five months after the demise of Oba Okunade Sijuwade, who passed on at 85. The new Ooni is the 51st Ooni to ascend the throne, and his coronation came exactly 35 years and one day after the immediate-past Ooni, Oba Sijuade was presented the staff of office.

Installation ceremony of Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi 51th Ooni of Ife

Remarkably, the ancient city of Ile Ife stood still yesterday, as he was presented with the staff of office and instrument of appointment. Roads leading to the palace was on lock down by security operatives, leaving a red carpet path for the monarch and invited dignitaries.

Guests and invitees from all walks of life thronged the palace to catch a glimpse of the coronation ceremony of the Ooni of Ife.

In fact, it took the intervention of security presence of the Army, Police, Civil Defence and other paramilitary organizations to control the crowd at the venue.

The ceremony, held at Afewonro Park, Enuwa, had in attendance dignitaries. It was full of glamour as groups attired in colourful dresses adorned the perimeters of the venue. Traditional rulers from different climes, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar II, and Olu of Warri were not left out as drums and trumpets announced their arrival.

CBN Concerned About Growth As Nation Awaits Cabinet

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will retain foreign currency controls because of concerns about slowing growth, a senior bank official said on Wednesday as the nation awaited a new cabinet.

President Muhammadu Buhari submitted the list of his nominees for cabinet posts to the Senate for approval on Wednesday, but the names were not immediately made public.

Foreign investors had criticized Buhari for failing to appoint ministers since he took office on May 29, leaving the central bank to deal alone with a hammering of the oil-dependent economy.

Buhari will address the nation on Thursday, the presidency said, without giving details.

According to Reuters, since his inauguration, a fall in vital oil revenues has eroded public finances, weakening the national currency and driving up the cost of food imports.

Growth was 2.35 per cent in the second quarter year on year, compared with 6.54 in the same quarter of 2014.

“We are concerned that we are having declining growth,” the central bank’s monetary policy director, Moses Tule, told reporters.

Read More: thisdaylive

Barbados PM Seeks To Remove Queen & Turn Nation To Republic

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Barbados is planning to remove Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state, over 400 years after it was colonized by Britain, and become a republic.

During a meeting of the Democratic Labor Party late on Sunday, Prime Minister Freundel Jerome Stuart officially stated his plans for the country to become a republic by the end of November 2016, the 50th anniversary of the country’s independence.

“It’s a little awkward in the year 2015 to still have to stand up and instead of pledging allegiance to Barbados to be pledging allegiance to ‘her majesty the queen,’” Stuart said, adding that his administration does not expect any opposition to the move.

Meanwhile, George Pilgrim, general secretary of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), said the parliament would vote on a draft bill suggesting the Queen’s removal in the near future. “This will move the country through to the next major step in the process of nationhood.”

A Barbadian historian, Trevor Marshall, welcomed Stuart’s announcement, arguing there is “nothing to be gained by remaining as a dominion.”

To authorize the constitutional change, a two-thirds majority is needed in the parliament.

There has long been a republican dispute in Barbados between elder islanders who think of the queen as a symbol of stability, and mostly youngsters who call her an anachronism.

The Carribean Island of roughly 300,000 people, which was colonized by the British in 1605, became independent in 1966, but remained a constitutional monarchy.

Credit: presstv