True2Society

Hitting our target!

2011-03-20T16:50:00.000+00:00

The following is my take on the issue and I came to this conclusion after much contemplation, and reading so many comments on the presidential debate and election and blah blah blah....and after looking around my environment and getting repeatedly pissed at the fact that till now we all havent got it. We are all getting carried away by who was eloquent, who appears bold and confident, who seems competent etcetera...what happens if we elect the seemingly correct candidate into office, and 4 years down the line we are on the same spot. No light (power), no railways, no infrastructural development and no progress (which is a very likely possibility)

Even Obama who understood change so well had (and is still having) a hard time translating promises into real time deliverables. And the candidates we have today do not measure up to Obamas credentials (except maybe the more intellectual types like Utomi and others...just my opinion anyway)

Bottomline is that beyond being avid spectators of the race to the big seat in Aso Rock, we should be keen to look at other issues that do affect the fortunes of a nation. I know that bad leadership will always be inimical to a nations progress, but we should not get carried away only by the man or men who will occupy the presidency but also at the systems and issues that affect leadership as a whole in Nigeria. They are afterall only men

Issues like establishing systems to make our leaders listen to us (even if it means getting on the streets like Egypt and Tunisia); accountability in public office; security and the police; public-private partnerships as a tool for development; the educational system and health sector; fighting corruption.

I am saying that when we as a people make a case for these kinds of things, then we will have MORE CONTROL over the way our leaders lead us. I am also saying in other words that even if we elect the best possible candidate, without a system of checks and balances, he may become either terribly misguided, or sadly complacent.

I personally am tired of getting my hopes dashed. I place no faith in any one particular candidate. I would be more hopeful if people are united by common values and ideas.

However if I were asked who I would vote for among our present crop....hmmm.....

I would have preferred a Prof Utomi as president, and someone experienced in politics (but of integrity) as VeePee.

However that is just a pipe dream (dreaming is still free last time I checked).

It is obvious that NONE of our present crop of candidates is qualified or competent...Perhaps in Nigeria we should consider scrapping the position of President and institute a 'Presidential committee' so that we could have a combo of people leading the nation, with the likes of Utomi, Fola, Buhari, Shekarau and Ribadu all together...(another dream I know)

For me I am concentrating on life after the election, I am looking at 4 years from now, I am looking at you and I...no man is a perfect leader. The uprising in the Mid East shows us that leaders cannot take us anywhere if we are unwilling to lead ourselves.

That is my take on the issue. You can quote me

Keys to Nigerias Infrastructural development

2011-03-03T15:25:00.000+00:00

My Naija peoples, in this post I am talking about Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), a sustainable effort between the public and private sectors, in which each contributes planning and needed resources to accomplish mutual shared objectives. It is plain as the nose on my face that dynamic partnerships between the public and private sector have become the cradle of economic growth and development across the globe. All over the world, PPPs have continued to drive infrastructure development.

Since the 1960s, major capital projects in the developed world have been executed through PPP arrangements. In the past few decades, developed economies such as the United Kingdom have showcased a variety of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) for the delivery of infrastructure, public utilities and large-scale projects. Emerging markets such as India and South Africa are also recording successes using tried and tested partnerships to create, expand and modernize infrastructure.

Overwhelming evidence indicate that PPPs are relatively cost efficient, foster best practices for sharing and transfer of risk, assure superior value for money, save time, streamline contracts and simplify procurements, facilitate innovation through public-private cohesion, eradicate bureaucratic and political processes, encourage technology transfer all the while delivering infrastructure and services. The World Bank estimates that every 1% of (government) funds invested in infrastructure leads to an equivalent 1% increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

No one can deny the fact that Nigeria’s infrastructure challenge is enormous. The Managing Director of Urban Development Bank of Nigeria (UDBN), Mr. Kunle Oyinloye, last year, said that the nation requires about N32 Trillion for infrastructural development in the next ten years to meet the federal Government’s vision 20-20-20 economic targets.

Unfortunately, Nigeria has not had an encouraging record of investment in infrastructure. Lately however, attention to infrastructure development is gaining momentum. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently called for the establishment of a Nigeria Infrastructure Fund where funds could be mobilized and developed to address Nigeria’s huge infrastructural deficit. It also stated that in terms of estimated funding gaps in infrastructure, Nigeria needs to invest $100billion (about N15 trillion) over the next 10 years.

Evidently, the government alone cannot gather together the resources (finance and expertise) to meet this need and the involvement of the private sector is not just desirable, but indispensable. It is no wonder therefore that the majority of infrastructure projects currently underway at both state and federal levels are powered by PPPs.

And opportunities for these types of partnerships abound. The Cross River state (CRS) government for example is seeking investors to develop the agricultural sector as it aims to see the region become a major food producer and exporter. Advantages of investing in Cross Rivers Agribusiness? Export promotion zones, a port, accessibility to Lagos and Abuja. These provide easy links to large markets and encourage faster clearance of goods.

Incentives?

The World Bank Sub-National Doing Business Report for Nigeria ranks CRS as one of the top four states for ease of doing business in Nigeria. The state’s One-stop Investment Center (OSIC) provides investment information, services and advice to potential investors. In addition, the state government is working to provide adequate infrastructure to meet growing consumer and business demands. These include:

• $150-million project to expand and upgrade Margaret Ekpo International Airport.
• Calabar Monorail
• $36-million investment on 19.8km rail connecting international airport, Calabar and TINAPA resort.
• Calabar Energy City, which is designed to develop an energy sector cluster with residential, commercial and industrial areas.
• Power Generation – there is an ongoing project to connect all communities to the national grid. There is also increased focus is also on renewable energy sources.

Akwa Ibom State has large deposits of a number of mineral resources that can be commercially exploited. And in Katsina state, preliminary results of a survey conducted indicates the presence of a large quantity of diamonds in the state.

All I am trying to point out is that opportunities abound for both the government and the private sector to take advantage of, for mutual benefits and for the development of the Nigerian society as a whole. Our slow national development is easily tied to the deficiency of quality and functional infrastructure. In so many countries around the world including Africa, PPP strategies have been successfully utilized and exploited. Nigeria should not be an exception.

In Mr. Anti-corruption on point?

2011-03-03T10:28:00.000+00:00

A RECENT issue of The Economist examined the presidential bid of Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s former anti-corruption chief. Mr Ribadu made his name as the first head of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2003. In this role, he pursued politicians and civil servants who were embezzling the energy revenues of Africa’s biggest oil and gas producer

http://www.economist.com/blogs/baobab/2010/11/interview_nihu_ribadu

An interview with Nigeria's Mr Anti-Corruption

Nov 12th 2010, 16:23 by S.A. | LAGOS

Mr Ribadu’s fortunes dipped when Umaru Yar’Adua took office as president in 2007. The sleazebuster was sidelined and later fled the country, returning only after Mr Yar’Adua’s death in May this year. He now hopes to run for the top job himself in elections due in early 2011.
Baobab talked to Mr Ribadu about whether he would be able to run a clean campaign in Nigeria’s often murky political scene.
Baobab: Why have you decided to run for president next year?
Nuhu Ribadu: I understand now that to bring about change I need political power at the highest level. That means the presidency. I have worked under a president, and many say we did a good job at the EFCC, but when change came [and a new president took office] all our work was destroyed. It was all reversed.”
Baobab: How will you use presidential power to continue your fight against corruption?
NR: Just appointing me will be half the answer. When people see me, they will sit up and know that the era of corruption is over. On the practical level, I will run a transparent government that publishes accounts online. I will create “whistleblower laws” to protect the identities of those who expose corruption. I will reform the police and the judiciary.
Corruption causes all the problems that we have here. It causes the poverty and the insecurity. And there is no one better qualified to address the problem of corruption in this country than me.

(True2Society: Let me interrupt at this point; a bold claim here by Mr. Ribadu wouldn't you say?)

Baobab: Nigerian political campaigns are costly affairs that often rely on the sponsorship of unsavoury characters. Can you run a clean campaign in a dirty system? For example, will you probe your sponsors to find out the sources of their wealth?
NR: Everything about me has always been clean and this will be a clean campaign...in any case, I will not need as much money as other parties because I am not going to bribe anyone. My campaign is about winning over people with my ideas, not my money.
But I will not probe anybody. I am not the EFCC chairman here - I am a politician who is trying to get people to support me. If money is coming to change a system that needs change, why should [the source] matter? (T2S: Once again I interrupt. For someone who is supposed to be the nemesis of corruption, why wouldn't the source of money used for your political campaign matter? It could certainly be the cause of your downfall, if your enemies funded your campaign with money stolen from the national treasury, and then turn around and say you are an accomplice...Hmmm. I wonder) Why try to destroy this opportunity?
Baobab: You have chosen to run against the ruling People's Democratic Party with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Some Nigerian are raising eyebrows at this choice. Bola Tinubu, one of the ACN’s most powerful members, has been under EFCC investigation for years. Does this concern you?
NR: You should not worry about individuals when you are working on a project of this magnitude. It might affect the outcome...I am convinced that the mission we are out to do is not about an individual.
Baobab: Your critics also note that you have never held political office before. Why not serve as a senator or governor for one term, and then run for president in 2015?
NR: We can’t wait for 2015. Nigeria's problems must be arrested immediately. There is no way we can allow this mess to continue. Also, for the first time, the ruling party is in real trouble. Goodluck Jonathan [the incumbent] is from a very small ethnic group...Sadly, even if he were the best person for the job, northern Nigeria would never accept it. He is not electable.
(T2S: It just amazes me the way we can't do politics in Nigeria without taking a shot at the opposition. I though he just said a few sentences ago that his mission is not about individuals but about ideas???)

In any case, I posted this today because I was just wondering about the candidates presenting themselves to rule this nation for the next four years. I don't see any bright lights on the horizon when I think about that. However that is not to say that change cannot come through one of these individuals. Indeed Ribadu has earned some degree of respect from his exploits in EFCC. He is probably a good anti-corruption crusader but a poor politician (hey, just my amateur opinion). Let us just hope, pray, wait and see...

Election time (Revolution!)

2011-03-01T14:04:00.000+00:00

Fellow Nigerians

Let us re-strategize

We surely can’t continue

To listen to their lies

They promise us the world

Before they get elected

But after all is said and done

It’s we who are rejected

For greed and lack of vision

We waste our potential

They feast on our resources

They have no good intentions

The common man and woman

Must rise up from the dust

Vote with your conscience

Revolution is a must

A new Nigerian nation

Sunshine after the rain

We all must play our parts

Victory is ours to gain

Don’t leave it all to chance

Insist on what is right

Oppose corrupt officials

Resist with all our might

Nigerian Infrastructure Development and the Enterprise Revolution - An African Perspective

2011-02-28T19:52:00.003+00:00

Author: peter osalor

The general state of infrastructure across the African continent and especially sub-Saharan Africa is acutely discomfiting. With the exception of South Africa, the continent's largest economy, the entire region is bogged down by severe infrastructure deficits that have frustrated development programmes and marred growth prospects. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries have been relatively better off in this regard with their efforts to drive area-wide development through trade agreements, resource pooling and multi-nation collaborations. Western Africa, on the other hand, has been bereft of similar benefits due to complex past and present exigencies. As a result, the economic potential of this region has hardly been scratched.
In June this year, the World Bank approved a $1 billion loan for Nigeria to fund multiple development programmes including expansion and enhancement of the country's massively deficient power sector. An amount of $200 million was earmarked for investment in networking and technical upgrades to improve electric supply. While this concessionary, interest-free funding comes as an undoubtedly welcome development, it amounts but to a tiny fraction of Nigeria's overall investment requirement in infrastructure. In August 2008, the Nigerian Debt Management Office (DMO) revealed that the country needed at least $100 billion in investment to develop four key infrastructure areas - power, rail, roads and oil & gas. The figure was calculated to align with the ambitious national goal of taking Nigeria to the top-20 world economies by 2020. Of the four sectors mentioned, power alone would require an estimated investment of between $18 and $20 billion over the next ten years. With a current installed capacity of 6,000 MW against the total requirement of 10,000 units, only 40% of Nigerians currently have access to electricity.
The collapse of basic infrastructure and social services was set off in the 1980s, after Abuja's unhealthy dependence on oil exports decimated its agriculture and light manufacturing sectors. The static oil economy wiped out traditional and emerging livelihoods, creating rampant unemployment, poverty and degraded living standards. By 2002, per capita income was below the level for 1960, when Nigeria gained independence from British rule. In terms of infrastructure decline, power happens to be the most hardly hit, but the government readily admits severe shortfalls in a many other areas as well. For instance, the rail network is in shambles and today accounts for only 1% of national transportation1. The port service likewise suffers severe bottlenecks and inadequate capacity optimisation. The over 100,000 km long road network is in disrepair at best and barely usable at worst.
Because of Nigeria's strategic location and the abundance of its natural resources, infrastructure development in the country has pan-African relevance. The human capital of 148 million that makes Nigeria the most populous African nation is a workforce of uncharted economic potential. The country's thriving informal sector, estimated to be as high as 75% of the total economy, also conceals tremendous possibilities for inclusive growth. Rapid SME development has hence been the mainstay of successive governments since the reinstatement of civilian rule in 1999. Nigeria's ability to kick-start an enterprise revolution that will fundamentally alter its macroeconomic imbalances remains the quintessential challenge of its 2020 goal.
Infrastructure development is clearly going to be the first building block in this endeavour, and ground realities are pretty harsh as present conditions go. For Nigeria, the larger impact of infrastructure deficits is the high cost of doing business, for large corporations and small enterprises alike. Lawmakers need to draw up a comprehensive blueprint to reverse this trend in a time-bound manner. The following are two key aspects in this consideration:
o The whole of Western African receives very nominal foreign private investment in infrastructure due to a slew of reasons ranging from high foreign exchange risks to low creditworthiness. The region's subdued ability to raise debt and inclination towards infrastructure sectors with limited regulatory intervention are further obstacles. Nigeria needs to lead the way in enhancing access to equity debt as a means of attracting projects with viable private participation.
o The ability of local finance markets to fund infrastructure projects is very low across the continent. Local long-term local financing is almost non-existent except in South Africa, which has been successful in developing an indigenous capital market for consistent funding on convenient terms. The absence of similar capacity in the rest of Africa means most of it is dependent entirely on grants-in-aid and soft loans from international development agencies.
For developing African economies, increasing foreign investment on infrastructure while simultaneously developing avenues for credible local finance is a daunting task. The current Nigerian government under President UM Yar'Adua acknowledges the challenge by listing infrastructure development as a cornerstone component of the 7 Point Agenda for realisation of the 2020 goals as well as the Millennium Development targets. Some recent initiatives in this connection include the setting up of a federal mortgage bank, a housing authority and a national road maintenance agency.
That infrastructure will be the prime driver of all socio-economic development in Africa is given. What remain unclear are the ways and means that individual nations employ, and the ground effectiveness of such measures beyond official statistics and proclamations. Nigeria has the unique opportunity not only to reverse decades of economic stagnation but also to hold up an effective model for accelerated growth to the rest of the continent. The success of its long-term ambition gathers wider significance because it is bound to have a gradual spill-over effect on its immediate geography.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/economics-articles/nigerian-infrastructure-development-and-the-enterprise-revolution-an-african-perspective-3015339.html
About the Author

Peter Osalor is a multi-skilled director, chairman of trusts, proprietor and consultant. Peter Osalor has been a successful entrepreneur since 1992 when he formed Peter Osalor & Co and which has since grown to a very large client base with a turnover of millions. He is currently a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Nigeria (ICAN). Peter is also a member of the Chartered Tax Advisors and the Chartered Institute of Taxation in Nigeria (CITN).

T2S:
This article was written sometime last year...however it's relevance to our present day society will remain timeless or 'dateless' as long as we continue to suffer from a complete lack of viable infrastructure.

"Growth potential is dependent on the quality of performance of infrastructure to a great extent - a fact the Chinese realised much earlier than us..." (http://www.chillibreeze.com/articles/Infrastructure-Development-and-Economic-Growth.asp)

We need to advocate for infrastructural development as a way towards truly making Nigeria one of the top 20 economies of the world by 2020. More to come...

S.P.I.R.I.T.:Governor Tunde Fashola- Spirited leadership

2011-02-26T11:21:00.000+00:00

BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA (SAN)
Governor of Lagos State, Nigeria

Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) is the recipient of the 2009 Yikzak Rabin Centre for African Development Governor of the Decade for Peace Award and the recipient of the 2010 Award of Excellence in Leadership of the Martin Luther King Jnr. Foundation.

He is the recipient of the 2009 Good Governance Award from the United Kingdom-based African Business Magazine. Here in Nigeria, he is The Guardian, The Vanguard and The Sun newspapers' Man of The Year for 2009.

Both nationally and internationally, he is acclaimed as one of the bright hopes for the future of Nigeria; one of the very progressive Governors determined to reclaim Nigeria's past glories through competent and transparent leadership.

In the past three and a half years, Mr. Fashola (SAN), has demonstrated excellence and uncommon commitment to his avowed pledge to lead the change that would transform Lagos into Africa's model mega-city.

Some of the key projects which his dynamic and proactive business-minded skills have inspired and advanced include the Eko Atlantic City project, the 10-lane Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the expansion of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, the Lekki Free Zone, the Bus Rapid Transit System, massive Infrastructure Renewal in all parts of the State, that has won the State honours from as far as Australia for undertaking the fastest infrastructure renewal ever in Africa, and the establishment of the Security Trust Fund.

His other achievements include Environmental Regeneration that helped reduce violent crimes by over 70% in 1 year; the massive cleanup of Oshodi and other metropolitan open sores once regarded as irredeemable. Concrete steps have also been taken towards improving Agriculture and Food Security among many others.

A passionate lover of children and the youth who represent the future of our continent, Governor Fashola has, in the three and a half years of his tenure, embarked on projects aimed at improving their lives and the opportunities open to children and youths in the State. They include, the construction of Maternal and Childcare Centres across the State to improve maternal and child health, immunization against polio and other child-killer diseases, the revitalization of voluntary uniformed organizations in the State's public schools to build character and leadership qualities in children and provide a choice away from street gangs, renovation and rehabilitation of classrooms as well as the building of new structures and the provision of educational facilities including desks and chairs.

Others are the provision of free uniforms and textbooks to pupils and students in public schools, provision of Summer Vacation jobs for students, the formation of youth clubs and societies in schools, including Climate Change Clubs and the Be Road Friendly Club designed to inculcate environmental and road traffic awareness respectively in children at an early age. These have been projected at making school more attractive to children; the school should also become that real centre of a well rounded learning.

The Governor, during his first term in office, has also undertaken the construction of mini-stadia with the provision of sporting facilities to engage the energy of youths in the State in productive and responsible ventures. These were accompanied by establishment of Vocational and Skill Acquisition Centres that has graduated over 20,000 young people and provided jobs for them.

Born on June 28, 1963 in Lagos, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) is a truly made in Nigeria product. He obtained his First School Leaving Certificate [FSLC] from the Sunny Fields Primary School, Adelabu Surulere, Lagos, after which he proceeded to Birch Freeman High School, Surulere, Lagos and later Igbobi College, Yaba from where he acquired the West African School Certificate [WASC]. He, thereafter, went to the University of Benin, Benin City and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws [LLB Hons] degree in 1987. He was called to the Nigeria Bar in November 1988 after undertaking the statutory training for Barristers and Solicitors.

For the mandatory National Youth Service Corps [NYSC] programme [1988-1989], he served in Benin, the former Bendel State now Edo State. His flourishing private legal practice, running into nearly fifteen years, saw him acquiring appreciable expertise and vast experience in such areas as Litigation, Intellectual Property [registration of trademarks], Commercial Law, Mergers, Acquisitions, Right of Issues, Ownership of Shares and Equity of Corporations, as well as Land Disputes and Chieftaincy Matters.

In the course of his distinguished legal career at Sofunde, Osakwe, Ogundipe and Belgore; the law firm of K.O.Tinubu & Company and as Managing Partner, Lead Counsel, Babatunde Raji Fashola successfully pleaded many cases at High Courts, various divisions of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, and to cap a successful legal career, he was elevated to the class of Nigerian Elite Lawyers in August 2004 when he was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria [SAN], a leadership position of the Nigerian Bar and the nation's highest legal distinction and honour for lawyers.

He was appointed Chief of Staff by the former Governor of Lagos State [Governor Emeritus], Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who he later succeeded in office and served from August 16, 2002 to November 6, 2006, during which time he served as Member, State Tenders Board; Member, State Executive Council, Member, State Treasury Board, and Member, State Security Council amongst several other Ad-Hoc Committees/Panels. With the experiences he garnered he resigned voluntarily to contest for the Office of Governor of Lagos State under the platform of Action Congress [AC] Party now Action Congress of Nigeria.

With his victory at the April 14, 2007 Governorship election, he was sworn in as Governor of Lagos State on May 29, 2007. Since then, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) has been able to bring to bear on the governance of Lagos State all the invaluable experiences he acquired over the years. Given the spate of achievements recorded so far [May 2007-2010] by the Fashola Administration, pundits and colleagues alike are wont to describe him as the 'primus inter pares' in Nigeria in the 5th Republic...

Culled from tundefashola.com.

I share this today as an example of the S.P.I.R.I.T. Nigeria needs for transformation. Here is an individual dedicated to SERVICE, who is PASSIONATE; has INTEGRITY; shows RESPECT for his office and in turn is respected; his leadership style is hinged on INNOVATION and executed by TEAMWORK.

This is the new Nigerian SPIRIT!

A new Naija S.P.I.R.I.T.

2011-02-26T01:55:00.002+00:00

I have been doing a lot of reading recently, specifically doing case studies of nations that through certain ideologies, strategies and efforts, have transformed themselves from third world countries to powerful nations that are the pride of their respective geographical regions.

To put it briefly, I have come to see that what Nigerians need is a new S.P.I.R.I.T: We need inculcate the values of Service, Passion, Integrity, Respect. Innovation and Teamwork!

I believe (and so can you) that if youths of this country can imbibe these qualities and apply them in all nation and society building endeavors, we will begin to see the dawn of a new era of development.

Don't just read this but take some time to actually think it through...Service. Passion. Integrity. Respect. Innovation. Teamwork....In our businesses, (selling pure water, garri or real estate), careers, everyday interactions, politics...political aspirations and negotiations, leadership positions...If we begin to integrate this S.P.I.R.I.T into all we do...well,...enough said for now.

Stay tuned to this.... OK let me call it channel. In the coming days (or even hours because e get as the tin dey do me), I will be sharing more of my thoughts on this new S.P.I.R.I.T. Of course as usual, your thoughts and comments (on facebook and/or this blog) are most welcome

A New Nigeria

2011-02-19T11:25:00.000+00:00

Nigeria’s fortunes are my meditation

The future of her population

Endangered by deep corruption

By widespread moral pollution

Do we need a revolution?

Like the Egyptian Insurrection?

For our collective liberation

And comprehensive emancipation

For our leaders lack direction

Their lack of vision our oppression

Their political altercations

Only deepens our repression

In my earnest estimation

We need a cure for this infection

A new moral calibration

A rejuvenated constitution

We need fresh illumination

A new vision of a our nation

An end to this suppression

A new Nigerian expression

Prosperity for our population

Societal revitalization

A warranty of restoration

Hope for our generation

Shawn Asala © Jan 2011

NATIONALISM

2011-02-18T14:54:00.003+00:00

Nationalism. Patriotism. What do these words mean to the average brother on the street? I can picture myself getting on the road with a microphone and camera operator and pestering an area boy with these questions:

“Young man, are you a patriot? What does nationalism mean to you?”

Firstly, he will look nonplussed and suspicious, thinking to himself, “Is this guy trying to embarrass me?” That is because unfortunately, the average guy on the street may not be educated enough to understand the import of such words. Next, he will probably get exasperated.

“My guy, you dey talk patriotism. Wetin this country don do for me? Ehn? Abeg leave story for monkey jo. See me dey hustle for the past how many days now, still pepper neva enter pocket. Abi you wan supply? Ehn? Wetin you carry? Cooperate oh...”

At that stage, I’d have to jam my tail between my legs and bolt. In the course of the week of writing this piece, I spoke to a few friends:

“I’d like to ask you a question. What do you think of Nigeria generally?” I’m talking to a fresh graduate who has been actively job-hunting for the past five months.

“What do you mean? Can you be more specific?”

“Okay I mean is there a problem in this country from your own point of view?”

“Oh well I’d say there is a problem of course, but first I’d like to say that I believe in this country. In fact, I get into a lot of arguments with my friends over this Nigeria issue, because whenever I talk this way they wonder if I’m sick or something!”

“Why?” I ask.

“They don’t believe anything good can come out of this country. They don’t agree that any progress is being made. Yes, I concede that things could definitely be better because we are a country blessed with a lot of underutilized potential. However, the problem I have with many Nigerians is that we are so negative. The average Nigerian has nothing good to say about this country...”

We talked and talked. I was pleased to find someone who believes in a greater Nigeria. A patriot. There are quite a few of us out there you know? However, I admit, it’s rather hard keeping your eyes to the hills in a country like this; where one and one is not equal to two; where sh#t happens, and on a very regular basis for that matter. Nevertheless, we must ask ourselves some pertinent questions: Is Nigeria an accident? Is the entire mineral and oil deposits in this land some freak of nature? The potentials we have in both human and material resources, are they a mistake? Are you and I Nigerians only because we got rejected in some other land where the grass appears to be greener?

I believe that we are inhabitants of this great nation for some good reason. I believe citizens of the ‘land where the grass is greener’ don’t have two heads. I believe that in spite of the malfunctioning system of operation in this country, we do have what it takes to raise the standard of living and make Naija a mo’ better place for all of us. Do y’all agree with me or am I alone? I think not.

So where do we start from? How do I, with my tiny slingshot, take this giant Goliath down? I asked another friend this same question:

“Well ah, that’s a very nice question. I’ll start by saying there’s a positive solution and a negative one. I’ll begin with the negative.” (I wonder why)

He continued, “the negative solution is to stage a revolution. Let’s rout up the thieving bastards and burn them alive at the stakes. Though not before making sure they return all the loot they’ve stolen over the years. It worked in Russia abi?”

True or false, I was suddenly eager to hear about the second solution.

“Well the second is to educate the minds of the people; help them to understand their rights and potentials.”

Now that’s more like it.
Surely, it is an understatement to say that taking this nation to the status of maximized potential is a gargantuan task. Nevertheless, the popular cliché is still true: “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. I think it is the Chinese that have a proverb that goes, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step”. The issue at stake here is persistence in doing and believing in what is right. Are we willing to believe in a greater Nigeria? God gave this country to us. Are we willing to take responsibility for what is ours and do our best to utilize our assets maximally and positively? Are we willing to forget the past and be more mindful of what we can achieve if we set our minds to it?

Picture a NEPA that really works, giving us uninterrupted power supply. Who is to benefit from that? Of course, everyone. Including you. Imagine clean wide roads, reasonably priced utilities, absence of university strikes and availability of quality health care at costs affordable to the common man. Visualize a respectable and efficient police force and more employment opportunities for fresh graduates. Admit it, who will benefit from all of this were it to come true right now? Everyone including you. These seemingly lofty things are attainable, though not without a struggle. We do not lose anything by believing that it is possible to get there. It’s simply a choice: faith or pessimism.

Each time I go to our nation’s capital, I feel like I’m in a heaven of sorts. The wide roads and relatively smooth traffic; beautiful sights, operational traffic lights, exotic cars and pretty faces. Ahh. Imagine if every part of the motherland was like this. Fantasy! I hear you say. Most definitely. Because when I get to places like Oja Oba in Ilorin, Kwara state, I’m brutally brought back to reality. This is Nigeria in the raw, the uncut version. Here kids less than two years of age eat cuts of sugar cane for breakfast and crawl on the filthy floor with goats and dogs. Here pot-bellied policemen stand blocking the flow of traffic and causing a hold-up as they extort bus drivers for their ‘take-home pay’. A place so crowded, there is no difference between human and automobile traffic. Whenever I find myself in such places, the thought that comes to mind is this: “Mr. President, there’s still so much work to be done. We haven’t started yet.”

Nonetheless, we must realize that the task ahead is not for the government alone. It starts with the individual Nigerian: you and I. If every Nigerian can summon up the courage to believe in a greater Nigeria and work towards the ideal by doing their best, not just for themselves but for their fellow citizens as well, then there is hope. Thankfully, we are all beginning to see now that the economic change we desperately need lies just as much in the hand of the private sector as it does in the hands of the government. That is tantamount to saying that “think not of what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”.

I’ll end this piece with a quote from a man who, through personal sacrifice, persistence and unflinching faith, helped bring fulfillment to the dreams of his people:

"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires."

Nelson Mandela

No easy walk to freedom…Nigerians! We must do what it takes to take this country to greater heights!

Thanks for dropping by.

The Future with HIV

2011-02-17T12:42:00.000+00:00

The diagnosis of HIV is not an easy one, because it brings along with it a kaleidoscope of emotional and psychological trauma characterized by fear, denial, discouragement, guilt and hopelessness. However with the advent of life-saving medications called Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), people with HIV can be assured of a future. Not everyone diagnosed with HIV infection is eligible to start taking ARVs because in some, their immune system (the system of the body that helps fight disease and maintain health) has not been compromised by the virus and they are able to remain healthy without drugs. The catch however is that anyone placed on ARVs must be 100% adherent, i.e. must take all of his or her prescribed ARV medications, to achieve total suppression of the virus.

The virus in most cases responds to the ARVs and its activities are more or less paralyzed in the presence of adequate blood levels of the drug. Unfortunately some strains of the virus become resistant especially when the blood levels of the drug become suboptimal for any reason and the virus is able to multiply in the presence of the drug. Some of the reasons include poor adherence to the drugs, fake or expired drugs and stock outs of drugs at clinic pharmacies so that people on ARVs are unable to get their next supply of drugs.

HIV-positive patients about to start antiretroviral treatment are warned not to skip even the occasional dose of their medication because of the virus' ability to mutate rapidly and become drug resistant;

When one contracts a strain of HIV resistant to some life-prolonging medicines, treatment options become limited. A recent study done in five African countries found that transmitted HIV drug resistance may be on the rise in Africa. ¹

The sad fact is that a number of people who are yet to start treatment with ARVs may already be infected with a resistant strain of the virus and therefore may be doomed to fail their treatment from the outset.²

If resistant strains of HIV proliferate and spread among our population, more people will begin to fail their treatment and the number of deaths due to HIV may begin to increase.

So how do we tackle this issue and ensure that the gains we have achieved in successfully treating HIV do not become reversed in the near future?

Governments and leaders in the health sector need to continue to pay due attention to HIV treatment programs and ensure regular drugs supplies for all clients on ARVs. It would also be very helpful if the tests needed to detect drug resistance are made widely available and cheap. If a patient is failing treatment, doctors mainly rely on viral load (a measure of the amount of HIV in the blood) and CD4 count tests (a measure of immune system strength) to determine whether they may be failing to respond to first line ARVs and need to be switched to second-line drugs. Generally speaking, the availability of viral load testing in African countries is very limited, and patients are kept on first-line treatment long after it becomes useless.
Governments should therefore persist in showing commitment to making such tests available, if possible without cost, so that doctors can monitor resistance and treatment failure much more effectively.

Pharmacists need to be trained and retrained on the essence of ensuring a functional drugs and commodity supply chain systems, through proper and timely reporting. They should also ensure that clients are not given expired drugs. Doctors, nurses and adherence counselors need to be equipped with knowledge and counseling skills to encourage their clients to be adherent to ARV drugs.

All people on ARVs should be constantly reminded of the importance of taking 100% of their drugs all the time according to prescribed dosages. It is not easy to take drugs for 5 days to treat a mild chest infection, how much more taking ARVs for life. Therefore people on ARVs should be empathized with and supported to ensure that they do not miss their medications.

Employers should be willing to allow their HIV positive employees to go to their clinics on appointed days and pick up their drugs. During public holidays, hospital staff should make arrangements to ensure that clients who run out of drugs during the holidays can get replenishment.

If an HIV positive person falls sick and has to be admitted, caregivers must ensure that even while on admission, the person has access to his ARVs. And in facilities offering HIV treatment services, any client who fails to come for his drugs or clinical consultations at the appointed time should be tracked and monitored closely so that he or she can be supported to take ARVs continuously.

All these strategies and procedures are important to ensure that we curb that ravaging effects of HIV. If HIV is allowed to develop resistant strains because of irresponsible HIV/AIDS treatment infrastructure and systems, the eventual result will be that resistant forms of HIV that do not respond to current life-saving drugs will spread among us.

In real life terms, the scenario will look like this:

A young man who is HIV positive has an appointment to see the doctor and pick up his next months supply of drugs on Monday. His current supply of drugs will run out by Monday evening. However Monday and Tuesday have been declared public holidays and when he gets to the facility, he finds that the HIV clinic and pharmacy are closed. By Wednesday morning he has already missed 2 or 3 doses of his ARVs. The reduced levels of the ARVs in his blood stream allow the virus to begin to multiply and in so doing, they develop mutations that enable them to become active even in the presence of ARVs. The virus becomes resistant. This resistant strain continues to multiply and their population in his blood increases over time.

During one night of reckless abandon he has unprotected sex with a young lady and she becomes infected. Two years later, her immune system becomes severely depressed by the virus and she starts falling sick. After initial tests the doctor recommends that she begins ARV treatment. However because she is infected with resistant HIV, she does not respond to treatment and she gets even sicker. Unfortunately, tests to detect resistant strains of the virus are not routinely available in most general hospitals. She is referred to a special center for the test but it’s going to cost her up to 200,000 naira.

And so the story goes…

In another case, the fellow on ARVs could have missed his doses because he was not properly counseled on the importance of not missing his medications. Or he may just be non chalant and irresponsible regarding his medications. At the end of the day, what happens is that the virus wins the battle and all efforts to treat and save both him and the poor young girl are in vain.

When I look at the future and I think about HIV, what do I see? I hope to see a future where resistant strains of the virus are few and detected early. I hope to see a future where our hospitals and clinics are equipped to be able to carry out important tests at affordable costs. I hope to see a committed and responsible government that cares about its people, especially those living with HIV and AIDS. I hope that in the future, my children, and their children, will grow up safe and healthy, in an environment that is coordinated and equipped with knowledge and strategies to win the fight against HIV.

That is the future I hope to see.

References:

¹ http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/full/10.1089/aid.2010.0030

² http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=90431

INNOVATION in NIGERIA

2010-10-21T13:06:00.002+01:00

‘Innovation’ is a difficult term to pin down. Taken literally, it can include almost any new development.

Generally we can describe innovation as ‘the successful exploitation of ideas’. Two key words stand out in that definition: Ideas. Exploitation.

An idea is:
1. Something, such as a thought or conception, that potentially or actually exists in the mind as a product of mental activity.
2. An opinion, conviction, or principle:

To exploit means:
To utilize; to make available; to get the value or usefulness out of; as, to exploit a mine or agricultural lands; to exploit public opinion

Put all together we can say that to innovate means to successfully get the value or usefulness out of an idea. Innovating for problem solving therefore requires that we first of all generate ideas on various ways to tackle a problem, then make great endeavors to fully and efficiently exploit that idea for successful outcomes, the end point being of course to put an end to the problem.
In todays Nigeria we are surrounded by problems and challenges that call on us to exercise our creativity, innovate, explore and exploit ideas that can bring about lasting solutions and improve the quality of life of the average Nigerian.

I would like to state, using real estate terminology, that the greatest and the largest room you will find anywhere in Nigeria is the room for improvement! In every sphere of life in todays' society, we are operating way below our potential.

Take power supply for instance. Generators are supposed to be temporary innovations used as back ups in the event of sudden power failure. However in many parts of the country, generators are the stable source of power. They have become our way of life. But the real tragedy is that all ideas generated to solve this lingering and malevolent problem are not being fully or successfully exploited! Therefore we can say that there has been no innovation in the power sector in Nigeria (remember the definition of innovation we adopted at the beginning of this article?)

This scenario applies to so many other facets of our daily existence. Transportation, education, law and order, etctera. It is as if the creative engines of our people have knocked! Over the past few years, the only really successful innovation has been the introduction and widespread use of mobile gsm communications/data services, which in itself is not a new innovation at all. (Only delayed in Nigerias case)

I see a serious vacuum in our development as a nation. It is a vacuum caused by a severe lack of successful innovations. I am aware that among our people, ideas exist and abound, but these are stifled by plagues of corruption and government irresponsibility. However, the situation calls for more determination to see that great ideas overcome the current state of things and eventually rule for ultimate progress and development.

We could start by coming up with innovative ideas on how to tackle the corruption that holds us bound. Ideas and innovations come from research and constructive meditation. We need to study how other people have done it, meditate and come up with adapted versions and even never-before-seen ways of bringing down this giant.

At this point, let us take some time out to reflect on all that has been stated, and brainstorm ideas that can help to cure the cancer of corruption that rots our system.

That is a good place to start.

(source: www.sparkmaginnovate.blogspot.com)

REAL CHURCH NAMES IN NIGERIA!!!

2010-10-14T16:18:00.007+01:00

A friend sent this to me... I tot you could do with a smile/laugh today...

While browsing through NL recently I saw a thread discussing really queer & hilarious names of some (real) new generation churches here in Nigeria. I've reproduced some of them here for your ponderment:

Here goes:

· Jesus Of God Mission (Imo State)

· God's Mennonite Church

· Guided Missiles Church

· JESUS IN THE NOW GLOBAL MINISTRY'

· Healing Has Begun Ministry

· God's Own Ministry

· The True Assemblies of God Church (don't want to think of what this implies of the other Assemblies of god we know) :D

· Jehova Sharp Sharp (Festac)

· Huricane Miracle Ministry

· Healing Tsunami Ministry

· Satan in Trouble Ministry

· Fire for Fire Ministry

· Guided Missiles Church === saw this one myself here in Lagos.
· My guess is they're affiliated with NATO

· FIST OF FURY (NTA road, Port Harcourt)

· Run For Your Life Ministry === my favorite!
Here's the sign for Run for your life chapel

· The Yoke Must Broke Ministry

· Jesus Heal Ministry

· Face to face ministry

· Angels on Fire Chapel of Peace

· Liquid Fire Ministries (Suleja, Niger State)

· By fire By Fire Ministry

· HOLYFIRE OVERFLOW MINISTRIES

· David Killed Goliath Ministry (Kaduna)

· House of Jehova's Padawans (TransAmadi, PH)

· JESUS IN HIS MIGHTINESS GLOBAL MINISTRY

· OPM - Other people's money (PH)

· God in action ministries

· Moving mountain gospel church

· MY BROTHER IS A CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF GOD

· Fellowship of the Wings - Ajah (Langbasa)

· Power Foundation Ministries, Aba. === The pastor's maiden crusade was titled: "Your Money is Looking For You" :D :D :D

· HOLY GHOST ON FIRE MINISTRY (Abuja)

· HIGH TENSION MINISTRY

· JESUS NEVER bleep UP MINISTRY (Benin) === for those of you who don't get the meaning, replace the word bleep in this one with the err... the "F" word :D

· Devil go hear am Jesus Ministry

· Accredited Church of God

· Chukwudi & Son evangelical ministry, Aba === (Igbo man no dey carry last!) :D

· Power pass power church of the mountain ministry incorporated

· Ministry Of The Naked Wire - Bayelsa State

· LABORATORY CHURCH OF GOD
And here's the sign for Laboratory Church of God

· Go and tell Ahab that Elijah is here ministries - Benin

· God is Real Ministry.
Motto: "Jesus no get muscle but he get power" :D

· Fire burn ministries

· JESUS THE LANDLORD, WE THE RELAXING PEW MINISTRY - Portharcourt

· Happy Go Lucky Church of God Almighty In Jesus Name Amen - Abeokuta

· Old time religion ministry

· Strong Hand of God ministry

· Best Spot In The Land of God Church - Apapa.

· Trigger happy ministry.
Motto- always firing the devil

· KASABUBU CHURCH OF GOD - Ibadan

· Jesus knows his children ministry - Benin

· SEVEN THUNDERS OF JESUS

· Perfect Christianity Ministry

· Elshaddai Shall Not Die Ministries

Elshaddai shall not die ministries ...pls note Powered by...lolz

When Shall It Come...?

2010-07-02T12:11:00.002+01:00

When will change come? When shall our expectations be met? When will the common man start to smile? When will the children on the streets find warm shelter? When will our politicians begin to truly care for the poor and down-trodden?

When will truth and justice prevail in governance? When will righteousness and fairness be the order of the day? When will our police force become beacons of law and order? When will corruption be put to shame?

When will our homes be constantly powered with electricity? When will the youth of this country be driven by noble dreams? When will their untapped potential be unleashed?

When will Nigerians unite in humble prayer to God? Who lifts nations and casts others down? Who delivers people from captivity, and swallows evil leaders up in raging seas of vengeance?

When will our leaders fear God, if not their fellow men?

Maybe it shall never be. But while life remains, hope also remains. We will continue to thrive on hope. We will continue to labor till freedom comes. We will continue to beleive that a brighter future awaits all of us.

Till then...

Happy Birthday Naija!! - 2

2009-10-02T10:00:00.004+01:00

Fellow Nigerians. How was the birthday celebration?
As I looked around my environment, I could see Nigerians greeting one another with, " Happy Independence!".Text messages were flying all over the place. Radio stations announced special anniversary events and TV stations gave us highlights of those events; where Nigerians came out dressed up in green and white, and all kinds of tributes were made to our uniqueness as a nation.

In a way it was a nice experience...seeing taxi cabs and even personal cars flying small green-white-green flags, hearing people congratulating one another. But at some point I wondered whether these displays of nationalism were truly heartfelt or Nigerians were simply happy for another excuse to stay away from work and party all day long. Trust Nigerians, we love to groove!

It remains to be seen whether one day of national unity and pride will give birth to a season of progress and positive change in society. It is my prayer that it does. If Nigerians could celebrate their independence and value the priviledge to be able to pursue their own fortunes unhindered by any form of colonialism or slavery, everyday...in other words if we could have one whole year of consecutive 1st Octobers!, then maybe a sense of nationalism and hunger for forward movement would prevail and be sustained.

I would be happier seeing a series of forums where Nigerians sit down and analyse where we have come from, where we are now, and what it would take to get to where we ought to be.

Well, for now I will continue in the spirit of celebration and say...Happy Birthday Nigeria...long live the federal republic....May God bless her citizens with wisdom and prosperity.
I believe change can happen. I believe in a greater and better Nigerian society. And all who believe with me say...hip...hip...hip...HOORAY!!!!

Happy Birthday Naija!!

2009-09-28T15:46:00.003+01:00

Fellow Nigerians,

The reason I haven't updated T2S in a long while is because a lot of happenings in this country have rendered me 'speechless', (and consequently, "blogless", pardon my poor french!#$%%&^)

Indeed it is not easy to keep the fires of hope and optimism burning when it's raining heavy showers of corruption, chaos and crime all over the land. Not to say that there have been no good happenings at all. But everytime a ray of light breaks through the dark clouds, it immediately starts to rain again,...this time with lightening and heavy thunderstorms.

But in all of this, we must thank God who has brought us this far. For the past three decades that I have been alive, there have been no all out wars like those in countries like Sudan and Liberia. There have been no mass genocides or epidemics that have wiped out whole communities. Except for the occasional ethno-religious outbreaks of violence, and the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the kidnappings in the south-south and south-east, all has been relatively stable.

Yes electricity supply is at its worst, and state governments are sitting idle as their states rot in decay. However in some parts of the country, visible development is occuring and new and innovative ideas are transforming lives.

Most invigorating of all are the encounters with young and talented Nigerians who are either blazing a trail of diligence and excellence at their places of work, or creating and developing dreams of their own, setting up companies and enterprises.

Yes hidden between the cracks and broken down walls of our decayed society are tiny green shoots of new life that are destined to blossom into great flowery and fruit-bearing trees, providing shade and shelter from the harsh elements above.

So at this time I choose to look up and smile at Naija, my beloved homeland, with all her pimples and scars; I look up, smile at her and say...Happy Birthday Naija. And many happy returns for all your suffering. May the labors of our heroes past not be in vain. May the labors of our heroes present be fruitful. And may the labors of our heroes yet unborn be more of harvesting rather than planting. That they may have plenty of good seed to sow again and again.

Long live Nigeria!!!

The Cleaner The Mirror, The Clearer The Image

2009-04-20T16:18:00.004+01:00

Last week I wrote about starting with the man and woman you see in the mirror. You and I. Didn’t get any responses. Well maybe nobody has read it yet. No wahala. I’ll keep posting. Like I said recently on my facebook page: Live Your Life….Don’t wait for applause!
So I’ll keep doing what I wanna do.
In this post I’ll be revisiting the issue of the man in the mirror. (I’ve decided to start trying to relate my posts to each other as much as possible. Sounds like good thinking right? Good Thinking. Good product)

I think part of the problem we have in Nigeria is the image we have of ourselves both individually and collectively. On one hand, I don’t even think we have an image that is unique and that everyone shares as a people. What I mean is: I can’t say we have a strong Nigerian image or vision that everyone shares.

For instance you don’t need to be American to know that all Americans share what they call, ‘The American Dream’, or that they consider America to be the ‘Land of the free’. They see themselves as world leaders.

On the other hand, I think we Nigerians have a negative image of ourselves. We hear it time and again from our own lips, “We Nigerians are so corrupt”. Or, “We are so lazy, cunning”. And we see Nigeria as a backward nation, a land filled with problems. This kind of negative imagery, though easy to imbibe considering the frustrating way things are, can’t help us to go forward.

We need to begin to see ourselves as an intelligent, vibrant, creative and progressive generation. Now we are talking about rebranding Nigeria, giving her a new image. That is wonderful and I hope we succeed. But to do that, we need to take the negative stereotypes associated with Nigerians and replace them with something new.

That is why I said, the cleaner the mirror, the clearer the image. We need to refine however we look at ourselves, (the mirror), so that we can have a better picture of whom we are and what we can do for Nigeria (the image).

Let us concentrate less on the negative things about ourselves as individuals and focus on our strengths and virtues. Let’s bring out the discipline, hard work, honesty and righteousness in us. Only then will we find the strength to do what must be done for this country.

Man In The Mirror!

2009-04-18T19:38:00.005+01:00

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, asking myself this question…How do we go about changing Nigeria? How do we grasshoppers bring down the great giants of evil in our society? How do you slay a dragon that has so many heads? The dragon is Nigeria as we know her today. The many heads are the many facets of corruption and societal ills that plague her citizens daily.
Any ideas anyone?
You know we really have to think about this because most of the talk about Nigeria is always about the problem, hardly about the solutions. So let’s get solution-oriented right about now and task our grey matter till it starts to steam.
…….well here is what I’ve come up with for now.
First step to changing our society is that we must first set about changing ourselves. I know we’ve heard that before probably a number of times. But the truth can never be overstated.
We must create within us, the change we want to see on the outside. Lemme break it down a bit. Do we want to see more discipline in our society? Then we must first instill discipline into our individual lives.
Do we want to see development? Then we must make efforts to develop ourselves. Are we hungry to see increased literacy rates among our people? Let’s not wait for government to make necessary changes in our educational policy. Rather we can start by taking the time to read and study hard ourselves. We must create in our lives the changes we want to see in the society. We must develop our individual potentials.
Obama would never have been seen as the man who can change America, if he hadn’t taken the time to train himself to become someone people can put their hope and confidence in. I’m sure it must have taken him long hours of practice and countless days of diligent study to become as eloquent and composed as he is, when addressing crowds, inspiring hope and confidence in his listeners.
I guess what I’m trying to say is it starts with you and I. Michael Jackson said it all:

“I’m startin with the man in the mirror…
I’m askin him to change his ways….
And no message coulda been any clearer…
If you wanna make the world a better place,
Take a look at yourself, and then make the change….”

Remember the song? Man in the Mirror?
Yeah we talk about corruption, the lack of integrity among our leaders. If I must see a change in that area, then I guess I have to ensure that I am a man of integrity first. Then maybe that will rub off on others and they too may choose integrity over corruption.

And all this for what you might ask? I mean who cares? Let’s all just take things as they are and live like we’ve been living all these decades. Well that should be ok for those of y’all who don’t see the great potential that lies in this country. But for people like me who get so frustrated when I’m watching Chelsea thrash it out with Liverpool and suddenly the lights go off, or when I’m trying to make an urgent call and the network is so f’’’d up, or when 3 weeks into a new month my salary hasn’t been paid yet, or when I see sick people who need urgent medical care and they can’t afford it, or when the state government fails to employ enough doctors or give them good pay and patients end up seeing quack nurses in general hospitals…..yeah for people like me, solution-seeking is the way forward.

Well, na so. Nuff said.

Selah

A vicious cycle???

2009-04-13T18:18:00.007+01:00

Poverty and corruption....twin brothers, lovers...bedmates if you like. Lovers who are entangled in a vicious cycle of sorts.

One leads to the other and vice versa. Though some argue that while poverty does not have to lead to corruption, corruption always leads to poverty. However you look at it, there is a strong symbiotic relationship between the two.

Let me share one of my own personal stories. Currently I'm working in the northern part of Nigeria. Far north to be "almost" precise. A place so hot, I sweat like a pig about to be grilled whenever am indoors and PHCN cuts the power supply. One of the most backward states in Nigeria actually.

There are a lot of issues about the state that make you wonder wether the state government has literally blinded the eyes of the people, but one of the most aggravating is the issue of fuel.

I've been told that tankers of petrol meant for the state are routinely diverted to the border, where they are sold for profit, leaving people stranded in queues at filling station. Infact, there are some stations that have never had fuel in the 8 months I've been here.

There are a couple of filling stations that almost always have fuel, but at such places it is sold at at 80 to 100 Naira per liter, instead of the recommended 65 per liter. The interesting thing is that at every station you find black marketeers buying fuel in hundreds of gallons, to be sold later at exorbitant prices to stranded vehicle owners.

Barely 2 hours ago I was queuing up at such a station and I painfully observed what was going on. At that time I frankly didn't give a rats ass about the price. I just needed juice in my car. I contemplated feeling angry at that point, considering the stinking fact that because of the hard-heartedness of the state government, we had to be starving in the midst of plenty. And I was tempted to direct some of that anger to the young black marketeers that were pestering the station attendant to fill up their 25 litre jerry cans.

But I took a closer look at them and I was filled with nothing but pity. I mean you could see poverty written all over their sunburnt faces and cracked feet. Tell me why they wouldn't connive with whoever to make sure that petrol was scarce, so that it could be sold at higher prices. In a country of over 120 million people all hustling for scarce Naira, people will do whatever to feed their stomachs.

Pity!

The corruption of the elite that steals the future of the masses.

Visit: www.humanrights-geneva.info/Corruption-nourishes-poverty,3534

They make the fuel scarce so that they can make profit. And the poor help them to achieve their goals because in doing so, they can make a few bucks to see them through their miserable lives.

I wish I could write this article with a knife, using the skin of some corrupt leader as my paper so y'all can see the blood and tears that are sacrificed on a daily basis. Needlessly for that matter.

But...(if wishes were horses, then plastic surgery would be hot cake for our upcoming doctors!)

Well folks, I've come out of my shell after a long period of silent observation of Nigerian society. I hope after reading this piece, you will feel what I feel and make a commitment to rid this country of the twin evils. No matter how long it takes!

ENFORCING CHANGE Part 1

2009-02-27T00:13:00.005+00:00

Alan Cohen:

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.

Andy Warhol:

They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.

Barack Obama:

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.

Felix Adler:

We cannot adopt the way of living that was satisfactory a hundred years ago. The world in which we live has changed, and we must change with it.

These are just a few quotes that help me to think about the change we need in our world today as citizens of this country. What stares me in the face as I read about change is the fact that change is not a function of time but rather a function of individual and collective responsibility.

I read somewhere a few days ago that responsibility is simply 'response-ability'. That is the ability to respond. We all have the responsibility to effect a positive change.

When we are confronted with unwanted realities, our response-ability is to respond positively by being pro-active about what we can and should do to remedy the situation. Most of us are just reactive rather than proactive.

We don't have to do things the same old way. Kudos to governors like Fashola of Lagos state and Namadi of Kaduna who have decided that out with the old style of governance and in with the new! Who says successive governments have to keep battling with the unfinished projects of their predecessors? Who says traffic in Lagos can't be improved, and old rusty railway tracks in Kaduna can't once again function the way they were originally designed to. Now people can get from one part of Kaduna state to another cheaply and easily. Kini big deal (what's the big deal) about that you might ask? Well you might not get it if traveling by train is taken for granted where you reside. For me it's a big trip cos I get high on progress. Years back I used to travel by train to boarding school. It was so easy and stress-free. But like a lot of other things in this country, the whole system just collapsed. I just hope the progress can be sustained. One day, like a slowly growing forest fire, the whole country will be lighted up with a fully functioning and well connected railway system. Then people will remember it started with just one state.

Whether it comes slowly or at lightning speed, one thing is sure- change is inevitable. However it must be the kind of change we want- positive change. And that my friends depends on our ability to respond (remember? - responsibility?)

One Step at a time...

2009-02-26T11:50:00.004+00:00

"The audacity of hope!

In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation; the belief in things not seen; the belief that there are better days ahead." President Obama

Keeping hope alive. I guess that's what remains for someone who has longed to see change. Like a desert traveller, climbing sand dune after sand dune, hoping for an oasis. As he stumbles in the dust, he passes carcasses of animals and men who have succumbed to the thirst and harsh elements. He looks as far as his eyes can see. More carcasses lay strewn ahead. He lifts his eyes up to the blinding sky. Vultures patiently await his demise.
He looks around. Bad roads, broken down power stations. To the right, ethnic and religious crises. To the left, corrupt police and customs officials. He turns behind him. Little children, exposed to harsh society, dying of malnutrition and poverty, roaming the streets and abandoning school. Finally he turns to what is in front of him. He tries to ignore the flashy cars and opulent lifestyles of the bastards responsible for this chaos. He tries to focus on hope; that things can improve even if it takes one brave individual at a time.

One step at a time he moves on through the desert. One breathe at a time he keeps himself alive.

One brave individual at a time...Change will come.

It starts with you!

True to Society!

2009-02-25T12:15:00.003+00:00

I must confess to you, as one who started out campaigning for a new Nigerian vision, promoting a belief in a greater Nigerian society, I have many a times given up faith in the Nigerian system, deciding to abandon ship and pursue fulfilment away from the shores of this country.
Don't blame me. Many of you will admit that living in this country and witnessing the mess that goes on is so frustrating. So many times I have had to question my faith in Nigeria. Even now my campaigning morale is low. I have decided instead to dedicate my thoughts and write-ups to studying the lives of people who have in one way or another ignited change in their respective societies. People like Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and of course, Obama.
Maybe in the course of studying these people, I will discover a renewed zeal to see things change for the better in this country. No matter what, I will still try to remain true to society!

Contemplating Victory....

2009-02-23T15:43:00.000+00:00

I got a bad case of Obama Fever!!!

2009-01-21T18:47:00.001+00:00

Full Text of Senator Barack Obama's Announcement for President
Springfield, IL | February 10, 2007
Watch the Complete Speech.

Let me begin by saying thanks to all you who've traveled, from far and wide, to brave the cold today.

We all made this journey for a reason. It's humbling, but in my heart I know you didn't come here just for me, you came here because you believe in what this country can be. In the face of war, you believe there can be peace. In the face of despair, you believe there can be hope. In the face of a politics that's shut you out, that's told you to settle, that's divided us for too long, you believe we can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union.

That's the journey we're on today. But let me tell you how I came to be here. As most of you know, I am not a native of this great state. I moved to Illinois over two decades ago. I was a young man then, just a year out of college; I knew no one in Chicago, was without money or family connections. But a group of churches had offered me a job as a community organizer for $13,000 a year. And I accepted the job, sight unseen, motivated then by a single, simple, powerful idea - that I might play a small part in building a better America.

My work took me to some of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods. I joined with pastors and lay-people to deal with communities that had been ravaged by plant closings. I saw that the problems people faced weren't simply local in nature - that the decision to close a steel mill was made by distant executives; that the lack of textbooks and computers in schools could be traced to the skewed priorities of politicians a thousand miles away; and that when a child turns to violence, there's a hole in his heart no government alone can fill.

It was in these neighborhoods that I received the best education I ever had, and where I learned the true meaning of my Christian faith.

After three years of this work, I went to law school, because I wanted to understand how the law should work for those in need. I became a civil rights lawyer, and taught constitutional law, and after a time, I came to understand that our cherished rights of liberty and equality depend on the active participation of an awakened electorate. It was with these ideas in mind that I arrived in this capital city as a state Senator.

It was here, in Springfield, where I saw all that is America converge - farmers and teachers, businessmen and laborers, all of them with a story to tell, all of them seeking a seat at the table, all of them clamoring to be heard. I made lasting friendships here - friends that I see in the audience today.

It was here we learned to disagree without being disagreeable - that it's possible to compromise so long as you know those principles that can never be compromised; and that so long as we're willing to listen to each other, we can assume the best in people instead of the worst.

That's why we were able to reform a death penalty system that was broken. That's why we were able to give health insurance to children in need. That's why we made the tax system more fair and just for working families, and that's why we passed ethics reforms that the cynics said could never, ever be passed.

It was here, in Springfield, where North, South, East and West come together that I was reminded of the essential decency of the American people - where I came to believe that through this decency, we can build a more hopeful America.

And that is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a divided house to stand together, where common hopes and common dreams still, I stand before you today to announce my candidacy for President of the United States.

I recognize there is a certain presumptuousness - a certain audacity - to this announcement. I know I haven't spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I've been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change.

The genius of our founders is that they designed a system of government that can be changed. And we should take heart, because we've changed this country before. In the face of tyranny, a band of patriots brought an Empire to its knees. In the face of secession, we unified a nation and set the captives free. In the face of Depression, we put people back to work and lifted millions out of poverty. We welcomed immigrants to our shores, we opened railroads to the west, we landed a man on the moon, and we heard a King's call to let justice roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more - and it is time for our generation to answer that call.

For that is our unyielding faith - that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it.

That's what Abraham Lincoln understood. He had his doubts. He had his defeats. He had his setbacks. But through his will and his words, he moved a nation and helped free a people. It is because of the millions who rallied to his cause that we are no longer divided, North and South, slave and free. It is because men and women of every race, from every walk of life, continued to march for freedom long after Lincoln was laid to rest, that today we have the chance to face the challenges of this millennium together, as one people - as Americans.

All of us know what those challenges are today - a war with no end, a dependence on oil that threatens our future, schools where too many children aren't learning, and families struggling paycheck to paycheck despite working as hard as they can. We know the challenges. We've heard them. We've talked about them for years.

What's stopped us from meeting these challenges is not the absence of sound policies and sensible plans. What's stopped us is the failure of leadership, the smallness of our politics - the ease with which we're distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions, our preference for scoring cheap political points instead of rolling up our sleeves and building a working consensus to tackle big problems.

For the last six years we've been told that our mounting debts don't matter, we've been told that the anxiety Americans feel about rising health care costs and stagnant wages are an illusion, we've been told that climate change is a hoax, and that tough talk and an ill-conceived war can replace diplomacy, and strategy, and foresight. And when all else fails, when Katrina happens, or the death toll in Iraq mounts, we've been told that our crises are somebody else's fault. We're distracted from our real failures, and told to blame the other party, or gay people, or immigrants.

And as people have looked away in disillusionment and frustration, we know what's filled the void. The cynics, and the lobbyists, and the special interests who've turned our government into a game only they can afford to play. They write the checks and you get stuck with the bills, they get the access while you get to write a letter, they think they own this government, but we're here today to take it back. The time for that politics is over. It's time to turn the page.

We've made some progress already. I was proud to help lead the fight in Congress that led to the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate.

But Washington has a long way to go. And it won't be easy. That's why we'll have to set priorities. We'll have to make hard choices. And although government will play a crucial role in bringing about the changes we need, more money and programs alone will not get us where we need to go. Each of us, in our own lives, will have to accept responsibility - for instilling an ethic of achievement in our children, for adapting to a more competitive economy, for strengthening our communities, and sharing some measure of sacrifice. So let us begin. Let us begin this hard work together. Let us transform this nation.

Let us be the generation that reshapes our economy to compete in the digital age. Let's set high standards for our schools and give them the resources they need to succeed. Let's recruit a new army of teachers, and give them better pay and more support in exchange for more accountability. Let's make college more affordable, and let's invest in scientific research, and let's lay down broadband lines through the heart of inner cities and rural towns all across America.

And as our economy changes, let's be the generation that ensures our nation's workers are sharing in our prosperity. Let's protect the hard-earned benefits their companies have promised. Let's make it possible for hardworking Americans to save for retirement. And let's allow our unions and their organizers to lift up this country's middle-class again.

Let's be the generation that ends poverty in America. Every single person willing to work should be able to get job training that leads to a job, and earn a living wage that can pay the bills, and afford child care so their kids have a safe place to go when they work. Let's do this.

Let's be the generation that finally tackles our health care crisis. We can control costs by focusing on prevention, by providing better treatment to the chronically ill, and using technology to cut the bureaucracy. Let's be the generation that says right here, right now, that we will have universal health care in America by the end of the next president's first term.

Let's be the generation that finally frees America from the tyranny of oil. We can harness homegrown, alternative fuels like ethanol and spur the production of more fuel-efficient cars. We can set up a system for capping greenhouse gases. We can turn this crisis of global warming into a moment of opportunity for innovation, and job creation, and an incentive for businesses that will serve as a model for the world. Let's be the generation that makes future generations proud of what we did here.

Most of all, let's be the generation that never forgets what happened on that September day and confront the terrorists with everything we've got. Politics doesn't have to divide us on this anymore - we can work together to keep our country safe. I've worked with Republican Senator Dick Lugar to pass a law that will secure and destroy some of the world's deadliest, unguarded weapons. We can work together to track terrorists down with a stronger military, we can tighten the net around their finances, and we can improve our intelligence capabilities. But let us also understand that ultimate victory against our enemies will come only by rebuilding our alliances and exporting those ideals that bring hope and opportunity to millions around the globe.

But all of this cannot come to pass until we bring an end to this war in Iraq. Most of you know I opposed this war from the start. I thought it was a tragic mistake. Today we grieve for the families who have lost loved ones, the hearts that have been broken, and the young lives that could have been. America, it's time to start bringing our troops home. It's time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreement that lies at the heart of someone else's civil war. That's why I have a plan that will bring our combat troops home by March of 2008. Letting the Iraqis know that we will not be there forever is our last, best hope to pressure the Sunni and Shia to come to the table and find peace.

Finally, there is one other thing that is not too late to get right about this war - and that is the homecoming of the men and women - our veterans - who have sacrificed the most. Let us honor their valor by providing the care they need and rebuilding the military they love. Let us be the generation that begins this work.

I know there are those who don't believe we can do all these things. I understand the skepticism. After all, every four years, candidates from both parties make similar promises, and I expect this year will be no different. All of us running for president will travel around the country offering ten-point plans and making grand speeches; all of us will trumpet those qualities we believe make us uniquely qualified to lead the country. But too many times, after the election is over, and the confetti is swept away, all those promises fade from memory, and the lobbyists and the special interests move in, and people turn away, disappointed as before, left to struggle on their own.

That is why this campaign can't only be about me. It must be about us - it must be about what we can do together. This campaign must be the occasion, the vehicle, of your hopes, and your dreams. It will take your time, your energy, and your advice - to push us forward when we're doing right, and to let us know when we're not. This campaign has to be about reclaiming the meaning of citizenship, restoring our sense of common purpose, and realizing that few obstacles can withstand the power of millions of voices calling for change.

By ourselves, this change will not happen. Divided, we are bound to fail.

But the life of a tall, gangly, self-made Springfield lawyer tells us that a different future is possible.

He tells us that there is power in words.

He tells us that there is power in conviction.

That beneath all the differences of race and region, faith and station, we are one people.

He tells us that there is power in hope.

As Lincoln organized the forces arrayed against slavery, he was heard to say: "Of strange, discordant, and even hostile elements, we gathered from the four winds, and formed and fought to battle through."

That is our purpose here today.

That's why I'm in this race.

Not just to hold an office, but to gather with you to transform a nation.

I want to win that next battle - for justice and opportunity.

I want to win that next battle - for better schools, and better jobs, and health care for all.

I want us to take up the unfinished business of perfecting our union, and building a better America.

And if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching before us; if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe past and future generations, then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be done, and usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth.

NIGERIA's SALVATION IS IN US

2008-10-30T18:34:00.002+00:00

Reform never comes to a class or a people unless and until those concerned have worked out their own salvation.
Joseph Ephraim Casely-Hayford (1866 - 1930)
Ghanaian journalist, lawyer, and nationalist.
Ethiopia Unbound: Studies in Race Emancipation
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

I just love this quote. Its message is spot on and poignant. Reform never comes to a class or a people unless and until those concerned have worked out their own salvation. Nigeria hear this! We cannot expect emancipation or change or whatever miracle of societal change we can conceive to come from International Aid, donors, expatriates etc.

Let’s say you are walking around your house one early morning and you discover the whole house is infested with cockroaches. They’ve virtually taken over everything. You see little droppings of cockroach turd all over your kitchen. Now do you sit down at your work desk and begin to draft letters and proposals to foreign agencies to help you clean up your own mess? Or do you sit down and begin to cast blame? “It’s colonialism! These white men who enslaved us brought these cockroaches upon us!”

That would be ludicrous.

I think it would be wiser and more economical to start to focus on the problem and work out a way to get to the root of the matter. Find out what’s making your house so attractive to roaches and get the necessary skills and tools to exterminate them. Of course you could hire a professional to do the job. It may solve the problem but until you take certain steps yourself, the roaches might just make a comeback. If you keep leaving leftover food in your kitchen sink overnight you can be sure there’ll be a part 2 episode of ‘The Roach Invasion!’

So Nigerians, let’s sit down at the drawing table and seek out the path that will rid our society of the roaches of corruption and poverty that infest our very existence.
A word is enough for the wise. But I welcome extensive comments because on the Nigerian issue, a word once spoken is hardly enough.

OIL SMUGGLING in NAIJA! Ha!!!

2008-10-29T13:47:00.004+00:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7519302.stm

Just click on the link(open in another window)above and get the full gist. I always knew there had to be an answer to the stupendous display of wealth among some category of Nigerians while others wallow in abject poverty and squalor.

Presently I'm residing in one of the northern states in Nigeria. I've seen some of the most recent models of cars on the streets. But the state is one of the most under developed. On the streets of Abuja I see teenage girls driving convertible Audi's and BMW's, young kids flashing their parents wealth. I see young men having opening ceremonies for multi million naira mansions. I see folks like myself...only not like myself when you consider the aura of wealth that surrounds them.

I often ask myself, 'how does a young man of 22 years get to own the latest C class Mercedes Benz, live in a mansion all by himself, spend almost twice my yearly salary in one night of clubbing in Abuja in the Nigeria that I know?'

Inherited wealth most likely. At 22 years?! Inherited. But where does all this money being flung around come from when most Nigerian families are basically struggling to survive?

I have not lived an opulent lifestyle. So when I see such displays of wealth, my antennas go up on their own accord, and begin to search the waves for something 'fishy'. I thank God I grew up this way cos I have learnt that everything under the sun has it's purpose and that purpose is for good. So when I see wealth being thrown around and squandered, I know that something is wrong. Either with the source of the wealth or the present owner of the wealth.

Please don't mind me, I'm just a little frustrated with Nigeria right now. We have so much oil, gas, manpower, intellectual strength, spirituality etc but at the same time so much chaos, poverty, failed systems of leadership and government, evil and satanism.

I cant right now, authoritatively state or quote any sources of info, but I know for sure that all that oil smuggling, pipeline vandalisation, niger-delta militancy and so on, is the work of a handful of Nigerians who have formed cartels and mafias; and who are ultimately responsible for the decay in todays society.

So what can people like me do about it? Little you might say, but a little can do a lot (Remember David and Goliath?)

This is what I suggest for now. Evil thrives under the cloak of secrecy. Henceforth, lets do all we can to expose such evil. Not necessarily mentioning names but just letting people know more about the evil going on under their noses. By so doing, the perpetrators will begin to get uncomfortable. And someday, the masses will be sure that they are fed up.

Also let us advocate for efficient systems of punishment for crime. No one should be above the law. I have said it countless times before and I will keep saying it:-

If only we can change and cause a revolution in our law enforcement agencies, I believe some order will be brought to society.

So read this post again, click on the link:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7519302.stm

and spread the message.