ARE YOU PROUD OF YOUR LANGUAGE?

Are you proud of your language? Does it ever get you challenged when you see a non-native commanding your local dialect with passion? See video of an American woman speaking one of Nigerian languages with excitement. Click HERE to see video.

 

 

DINO MELAYE'S VIDEO TO HIS POLITICAL DETRACTORS GOES VIRAL

Dino Melaye's video to his political detractors goes viral.
"You speak the truth, you die
  You lie, you die
   I, Dino Melaye, have chosen to speak the truth and die ..."

NASS - A CLOG IN THE WHEEL OF PROGRESS OF NIGERIA!

Contributed by Bunmi Awoyemi and edited by Chidinma Nnadi

Many people erroneously believe that Buhari is not fighting corruption; that none of the people arrested/detained/accused by the EFCC has been sentenced to prison.

Buhari wants to set up an anti-corruption court and the bill called the Special Criminal Courts Act has been submitted to the NASS (National Assembly) since last year, but they have refused to pass it into law.

The same thing is happening to the Whistle Blowers Protection Act meant to protect whistleblowers from injury, death, economic sabotage, and job termination.

The Senate told the government point blank that they will not pass the Anti-Money Laundering Act into law. The bill has been with the Senate since 2015.

If corruption is not tackled and the judiciary is not re-organized to tackle corruption, how will Nigeria leave the developing country status and become a DEVELOPED NATION?

Most of the funds recovered cannot be accessed until the cases are concluded at the Supreme Court. We are  talking about N2 trillion potentially that the government cannot touch until final judgment at the Supreme Court.

That is why passage of the Anti-corruption courts legislation is critical to accessing these funds because cases at the trial court level will be concluded more expeditiously.

Now this same NASS is asking for 2.3% of get this,  ALL FEDERAL ALLOCATION, for "constituency project".
Didn't we embark on the wrong protest after all? Can we now see the true enemies of Nigeria?

There is a perception deficit. Many people cannot even hear what the administration is saying because a dangerous narrative is being sold to people that Buhari caused the recession (the recession which since 2014 Madam NOI, awa 1st rate economist, has warned us will happen)

If this perception deficit is not corrected, Buhari will not be able to get the support he needs to get his programs through, especially the ones that need enabling laws from the NASS.

HERESY IN THE HOUSE OF ODUDUWA

Written By: Dele Momodu, Email: dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com

Fellow Nigerians, let me take you on historical excursions today. At this unfortunate time that History is not a compulsory subject in our school curriculum, it is pertinent to educate ourselves properly about our dear beloved nation. For those who may not know, Ile-Ife is the ancestral home of all Yoruba people. Please, ignore attempts by all manner of historians attempting to rewrite history. Ile-Ife occupies an eminent space on the world map today, and as far back as I can remember, as being the cradle of Yoruba civilisation, at the very least. That is why you will find that all Yoruba’s in the diaspora lay claim to no other ancestral home than Ile-Ife. The Ooni of Ife is their revered King.

I’m proud to have been born and raised in that ancient town. I was born in 1960, just before Nigeria attained Independence, in a neighbourhood called Obalufon, a stone-throw from Sabo, where the Hausa community lived, and still lives today. My father had migrated, according to oral history, from Ihievbe, now comfortably situated in Owan East Local Government of Edo State. He met and married my affectionate mother and I’m the only product of their conjugation.

Ile-Ife welcomes hundreds of immigrants from different parts of Nigeria and beyond and we were fully integrated. We lived in peace, and as one. Ile-Ife produced four Deles in journalism and three of the four – Dele Giwa, Dele Agekameh and Dele Momodu – had their origin in present day Edo State. The fourth, Dele Olojede, is from Modakeke, and lived close to Ojoyin and Akarabata Roads in Ile-Ife. No one could tell the difference. We can easily be called bona fide sons of Ile-Ife and you won’t be wrong.

I spent 26 out of my first 28 years fully in Ile-Ife, the other two years were used serving the former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Chief Akin Omoboriowo, of blessed memory. I also served The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II. I had studied Yoruba for my Bachelor of Arts degree and graduated in 1982 and returned in 1986 to enrol for a Masters in Literature-in-English and finished that in 1988. I’m therefore humbly qualified to regard myself as an authority on Ile-Ife, and indeed an adopted Ife son. I can vouch for Ife people as very friendly and welcoming people despite the internecine wars that have recently ravaged the town and halted the peace we all enjoyed growing up with.

In my close to 57 years on earth, I have come to see Ile-Ife as a modicum of tolerance and accommodation. Ile-Ife plays host to one of Africa’s greatest universities. I’m mightily honoured and proud to be an alumnus of University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. Most of our lecturers including non-indigenes usually build their homes in the town upon retirement because of the comfort and serenity provided by Ile-Ife.

I’m very familiar with the Sabo area of Ile-Ife. My father had worked with the Public Works Department, not far from Sabo. He also owned a small hotel and restaurant in Sabo and catered to the Hausa Community. My mum was also a food-seller by Ilare Prison, and we lived in Ogboku Road, by Akui Road, all very close to Sabo. I never heard of skirmishes between the Hausa and the Ifes, or anyone for that matter. You can therefore imagine my shock, horror and devastation when I read of the latest wanton killings in Ile-Ife and the communal strife that had spawned it. I was somehow relieved when I heard that the terrible situation had been brought under control. Kudos to the security forces for the big task of separating the warring communities.

I have read different and conflicting accounts of what led to the war. In every conflict, there must be two or more parties involved. In this particular case, all accounts I read pointed to a case of provocation and retaliation. I cannot confidently determine or say if the reaction was commensurate to the action, as propounded by Isaac Newton in his Law of Motion, but something definitely triggered the conflagration and dastardly massacre. I can still manage the news up to that point. But something else happened that rendered me speechless.

Those who should maintain the peace, protect the people and punish the homicidal lunatics who beheaded and murdered recklessly came in and took sides in the matter by arresting one side while studiously ignoring the other. “Which kind injustice be this?” in Fela’s voice. How can the prosecutor also be the Judge even before the case begins in the court room? Is it that the suspects just woke up and started shooting sporadically at anyone in sight, especially people in their community? How come not even one person was picked up from the other obvious party in the imbroglio? I also fail to see the logic in the mass arrests of Ife people and abducting them from the State of Osun to the seat of the Federal Government in Abuja. Any rookie lawyer knows that they can never be tried in Abuja but in Osun State. What Gestapo and Gulag facilities exist in Abuja that are not available in Osun State to warrant these people being moved?

I sincerely reject the excuses offered by the Inspector General of Police while trying spiritedly to justify the perfidiously odious decision to villainize only one party to the conundrum. I respect the Inspector-General of Police and considered him a thorough bred professional. However, it defies logic that the head of any of our security agencies would utter words to the effect that the Yorubas involved in this sad and ugly incident are criminals but the other side are not. Clearly, this was a clash between Hausas and Yorubas. Why have the Hausas not been branded criminals as well? Is it because the Inspector General of Police is from the North? such misguided, uninformed and ill-advised statements can only add to the palpable tension in Yorubaland and fan the flames of the seething discontent and anger that is becoming all pervading not just in Ife but amongst all Yorubas wherever they are.

Although the Ifes know who their assailants are, they have been reluctant to name them because their hospitable nature does not allow them to snitch on their guests. That is no reason for the Police who were on the scene quiet quickly, on Tuesday 7 March 2017 when the incident actually took wings, from arresting those Hausas that they saw committing atrocities. To take the position that until those involved on the Hausa side are named by the Ifes, they would not be arrested is too naïve and utterly presumptuous.

The response and reaction of the Nigeria Police bemuses me for a force seeking to assure Nigerians that it can be relied on for its neutrality and sense of justice. Its response to the crisis was utterly confused and disorganised. Once events began to unfold on Tuesday 7 March, a seasoned and professional Force would have begun to gather intelligence and deployed a strong contingent to the flashpoints to prevent further disturbance. On the contrary, the Police waited until full scale war had blown out before seeking to control the situation. By then it was too late.

The other thing I cannot understand is why the Police will not inform Nigerians of the current state of their enquiries and why only one side has been fingered in the crisis. I keep saying we are no longer in the dark ages. Information is key. The way that the British police has managed the information about the Westminster attack is a case in point. Regular updates are released. Nobody can therefore speculate.

The only solution to the current Ife Crisis is for the Police to release the remaining Ifes currently being held by them. If they need to be in some form of protective custody or to prevent a recurrence because of their presence, then they can be bailed with a condition that they should not return to Ife. There have been similar riots and incidences in other parts of the civilised the world. People are not just locked up but released on bail pending further investigations. There is a presumption of innocence until guilt is pronounced by a Court of Law. We cannot continue to behave in an anachronistic and primitive manner.

The bias of certain powerful forces is already extremely shambolic. I wonder if there are agent provocateurs and fifth columnists who are deliberately setting up our President Muhammadu Buhari for monumental failure. Nigeria has known no peace since we succeeded in sacking the profligate government of PDP. It is embarrassing that some government operatives cannot see what damage they are doing to our President who suffered so much personal attack because of the perception that he is an ethnic jingoist and religious bigot. There is a saying by the Yoruba that a man accused of being a thief should never romance someone else’s goat. Our President needs to rescue our people and disabuse the minds of Nigerians about his branding as a President who does not think other Nigerians are important except his own people. Some of us laboured hard to convince our people that General Muhammadu Buhari is a true Nigerian patriot who would come to defend every Nigerian, especially the poor. I still believe in him and wish to assume that some people are using his name to commit and perpetrate all kinds of malfeasance while he is ensconced within the gilded cage of Aso Rock.

The tension in Nigeria at the moment can be cut with a razor blade. Nothing is more dangerous than playing ethnic games in the midst of economic tragedy. Nigerians voted for change to enjoy the highfalutin promises we made to them. We promised to deliver them from prodigal sons and daughters; liberate them from terrorists and general insecurity; rescue them from hunger and disease; eliminate ethnic and religious crises; provide jobs, social security and succour for our agonizing youths and many such goodies.

We did not promise to abdicate leadership responsibilities for irrational pursuit of personal vendetta and wars of attrition. We did not tell Nigerians that they would have to survive and live more by faith and promises than by concrete plans and effective and efficacious governance. We did not envisage the nightmare staring us in the face today so horribly.

My appeal is to the President. Politics is give and take. Politics is about practicality. A good lesson came from America just last night. Democracy is a game of numbers. Being obdurate and obstinate has no place in democracy. Anyone telling the President that he can fight all battles and win all wars is a big liar. In fact, it was such a belief that heralded the downfall of the PDP that the President has now succeeded. We saw what happened in his absence when a different approach was tried and tested, Nigerians were happy, joyful and hopeful and they cooperated beautifully with the APC government despite their prior anxiety and palpitation.

President Buhari should stick to a winning formula. He should encourage and empower his deputy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to carry on with the good news of the kingdom. The Ife crisis loomed large in our reckoning on 8 March 2017, While the then Acting President was marking his 60th birthday in a low-key manner. Due to my obvious connections, I am aware that Senator Jide Omoworare was at the private dinner to mark the occasion. I know that Prof Osinbajo mandated both him and Senator Rabiu Kwankwanso, who was also at the occasion, to utilise their influence and contacts in the respective communities to ensure that peace prevailed immediately. He also gave necessary marching orders to the security agencies.

History teaches us that a similar situation occurred in Ife and the lack of neutrality displayed by the authorities during the first Modakeke crisis led to the second crisis which saw carnage and mayhem in frightening proportions. Once peace was allowed to reign, reconciliation was effected by the neutrality eventually displayed by the authorities. Both communities no live in harmony. My fear is that if the same approach of neutrality, reconciliation and rehabilitation is not adopted the resultant inferno will consume our country. It is only natural for those aggrieved to seek their own form of justice and retribution. President Buhari must never let it get to that. He must take charge now because the buck stops with him and not the Inspector General of Police!

There is so much to gain by this government collectively. I do not want to believe that President Buhari would want to blow this chance of a lifetime. I seriously doubt he would want to be remembered as a champion of myopia and parochialism above being a national hero and global statesman. I pray our President would direct all his disciples to begin to act like nationalists and be less of incendiaries determined to set fire to Nigeria and dismember whatever is left of the carcass.

Nigerians want peace and prosperity and no more!

GORVERNOR SAMUEL ORTOM SAYS NO TO GRAZING LAND PROPOSAL BY THE FGN

Benue State government, in strong terms,  recently kicked against the moves by the Federal Government to establish grazing land for Fulani herdsmen as a way of ending crises between the herdsmen and farmers in the country.

The position of the state is that the establishment of ranches remained a lasting solution to the crisis.

 

This was reaffirmed on Sunday, in a statement issued on behalf of the government by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and ICT, Mr. Tahav Agerzua.

According to Mr. Tahav Agerzua, “Governor Samuel Ortom has reiterated overtime that the establishment of ranches remains the best global practice in animal husbandry that explains why there are no clashes between farmers and herders in countries that have domesticated the practice.
“It has become the generally acceptable practice, which necessitated the position of the government on the matter.”

He expressed surprise why Nigeria had not yet embraced the practice, maintaining that it would bring about a permanent solution to the unending clashes and effectively address the menace of herdsmen/farmers crisis.

 

He added further that it could be near impossible to convince any community to donate parcels of land for the purpose of creating grazing land for cattle rearers.

Ad interim, however, he said measures that would promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders must be promoted and infringement on the right of either party should be handled within the ambits of the law without resort to self help.

Nigerian Leaders, Wake Up Now!

Recently, I was  at the American embassy in Lagos. What I saw about this country made me feel sad and sorry for our leaders. The number of Nigerians alone who appeared for interview was alarming. If I have to be modest, the number was no less than 2,000 just in a single day.

 

Then I wondered what would be going on in several other embassies in this country. The number can only be left to be imagined. I asked myself, What are they going to do in those places? It is obvious that majority of these individuals do not even have concrete plans about their journeys. They simply want to get out as soon as they possibly can.

 

The next question that came to my mind was 'Why are they leaving this country?' The economy is worsening. Things are not getting any better. As a matter of fact, things are getting worse by the day. It appears nobody even know where the country is heading for. We are just moving hoping someday we will get there.

 

People have since lost confidence in the leadership of this country. It has got to the point where even the host countries around the world do not get comfortable with foreigners living in their countries because they feel they are coming to take from them rather than adding value to their economy. Case in point - the killing of Nigerians and other foreigners by South Africans (Xenophobia) See shocking video on Xenophobia in South Africa below. Also, the recent change in immigration policy in the US, Such similar preventable cases are too many than I can mention. All of these have direct and indirect impact on Nigerians and Nigeria.

 

 

What then is the solution? True leadership. Our leaders have to be true to Nigerians who brought them to power. They have to understand that without the people, they are nobody. In fact, they are there because of people.

 

They need to understand that true leadership means service. They are to serve the people and not to be served. They are answerable to the people who brought them to power and not to some Cabal or Godfather.

 

True leadership means sacrifice. They have to  sacrifice their 'stomach infrastructure' for the good of the people. It also means giving selfless service to the people

.

True leadership means fairness. Fairness to all irrespective of color, language, zone, region or religion.

 

Our leaders should remember an adage: 'the child you fail to train today will end up squandering your wealth tomorrow' Also, they should remember that as one lays one's bed so one lies in it. In conclusion, our leaders should know that today, they are players but tomorrow comes soon when they will be spectators. What would they like to see the youths play when tomorrow comes. It is not too late to make amends.

 

I have spoken to a number of Nigerians home and abroad. I have gathered the fact that 90% of the youths would prefer their homeland to foreign lands. There is no place like home, they say. Indeed, there is no place like Nigeria. Our leaders must wake up now before things get out of hand.

 

Finally, to those leaders who think Nigeria is a milk cow or a mine field, they should remember Jeremiah 17:11 that says 'As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not: so he that geteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at the end shall be a fool.

The Future of Africa

Article contributed by: Femi Komolafe
Femi Komolafe is a Leadership Development Consultant, Conference Speaker, Author and Pastor

 

THE current population of Africa, according  to the United Nations, is 1.1 billion, which is about 16 per cent of the world’s population. This 16 per cent takes 40 per cent of the entire world resources and 60 per cent of the world’s arable lands (see Global Public Square).

There is crude oil in Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Angola and Egypt. There is Chromium in Congo. Sierra Leone, Angola and Botswana have Diamond Mines. Gabon has Manganese. Ghana and South Africa have Gold. Guinea has bauxite in great proportion (the 5th largest in the world).

The entire worth of World’s Gold is $2.6 trillion and Africa takes $1.3trillion of it. Moreover, Africa supplies 30 per cent of the world’s demand for bauxite, cobalt, gold, manganese, phosphate and uranium; 57 per cent of chromium and diamonds; and 12 per cent of oil.

 

Mercantilism is an economic theory that says ‘a nation’s wealth is determined by its natural resources that are traded. Going by the above analysis of resources in African nations, one can easily conclude that Africa is the richest continent in the world. Yet, Africa is the poorest inhabited continent in the world.

Of the 20 poorest nations in the world in 2013, Africa takes 17. In spite all the wealth that God has blessed Africa  with, its nations are still the poorest in the world. What is wrong? My answer: it is lack of management. Then, where and how did we get it wrong?
 

Dr. Myles Munroe once said “You can never fully understand a thing until you go to its root.” So, my love for Africa made me to begin to research into the roots of Africa’s problem and I discovered that what brought us to this point of mismanagement, disorder, misappropriation and underdevelopment is ignorance.

Many African nations fought for independence ignorantly. We wanted independence from the colonial masters by all means without first acquiring enough knowledge on how to manage our resources and lead like those British masters would lead. We were like the prodigal son in the Holy Bible that asked for his inheritance without first asking for the knowledge to manage the inheritance. So, we began to have ignorant personnel who knew nothing about what leadership is all about as leaders over us.

Nothing destroys a leader like lack of preparation. Nothing is more damaging like plunging those who don’t know how to manage into abundance. A former Head of State in Nigeria once said that “money was no longer the problem of Nigeria but how to spend it”. This undoubtedly set the stage for plundering of the treasury.
 

African nations failed woefully in this aspect of preparing for leadership through vast knowledge acquisition before fighting for independence. The way you prepare is the way you will appear. Truly we gained freedom but we were only freed physically we were never freed mentally. That is why we still depend on America and Britain for aid. What a shame!

What is the way out? A wise man in this nation said “There is no mountain before any man; everyone’s ignorance is his mountain”. The way out is for us all to begin to embrace knowledge through books, internet research and interaction with great minds. Knowledge is Power. Knowledge is light. Knowledge is freedom.

 

Knowledge is life. History has it that between 2900 B.C and 300 BC, Africa was leading in education as people came from all over the world to Egypt for education. So, education began in Africa. Again, civilization started in Africa. Thereafter, Athens in Greece took over as the second centre in the days of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the great Greek Philosophers. From there to Britain and now to U.S.A.

Everywhere education went, civilization went too and development also went. Today, U.S.A is a world power not because of trade and commerce but because of intellectual property. Of the first 10 best universities in the world 8 are in USA; of the top 100, 48 are in U.S.A. That is why they are the most powerful nation. Knowledge is  power!
 

Japan was once very broke, in fact more broke than Nigeria. They called their children together and told them they were the only assets they had; sent them to America and Britain to go and learn and they came back with technology building. They are the 3rd strongest economy today.

Until we begin to embrace knowledge we may never see any drastic change. People are the greatest assets of any nation and a nation is weak when its people are weak. When the people are strong mentally the nation becomes strong eventually. If ignorance brought us to where we are, it will take knowledge to get us out.

Young people in Africa should begin to acquire knowledge by every means possible so as to become unusual managers, hyper-resourceful technocrats and expert thinkers. It is no longer enough to be a graduate, we need to become bookworms in and out of school. Every great thinker, reformer and revolutionary that I know living or dead is a bookworm. To mention a few Abraham  Lincoln, John. F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King Jr, Myles Munroe, Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, Bill Gates among others. Every truly powerful man in the world is a book worm.

Your first pursuit in life should not be to be known but to know because when you know you will definitely be known. When you are loaded you will be needed. And it is what you take in that will take you out. Please, don’t run after leadership positions let positions run after your brain. It is your investment in research that will make you to be searched out. Dr. David Oyedepo said “School can only make you literate but it is your investment in Literature that will eventually create your future”.

I believe Africa has a great future and the future is in the hands of the youths. Let every African youth that loves his nation and continent begin to desperately seek knowledge. Read many books on Leadership, History, and Nation Building. The future of Africa is in knowledge. God bless Africa! God bless Nigeria!

If you have news-worthy articles to contribute to this publication, kindly forward same to: popularvoices@gmail.com.
Thank you.

NIGERIANS YEARN FOR LEADERS, NOT DEALERS.

Article contributed by: Femi Komolafe
Femi Komolafe is a Leadership Development Consultant, Conference Speaker, Author and Pastor

I heard a Governor say lately that whether he pays salary or not, whether a school is closed or opened, he still remains the constituted authority and I became angry. Why was I angry?

1. It is 100% against leadership principle. Such statement is anti-leadership.

2. It reveals the mentality of some or many of Nigerian Government officials.

3. Telling those who elected you into office that no matter what you do to them you are still the authority over them is a statement of a ruler/lord not a leader. I could not imagine how a leader will say that to the people he is leading. I felt a serious urge to write on this as a leadership specialist not only because of the statement but because of the leadership failure all over the nation.

My dear Mr Leader or Mrs Leader, being in a leadership position does not in anyway make you superior to the people you are leading, it only places you in front to care for them and it is a privilege. Don't you ever have a boss or lord mentality, it destroys any leader.

Secondly, immediately the welfare and the good of the people you are leading is no longer your number one priority, you are no more a LEADER you are now a DEALER. You are only in for what you can get, you have lost your 'Authority', what you have left is only the office.

Thirdly, true leaders don't demand respect, they command it. They command respect by influence, they command it by genuinely and sincerely loving the people they are leading. They command it by helping people to become their best.

Lastly, I think it's high time those who clearly understand what leadership is all about began to participate actively in politics and stop sitting on the fence watching the Dealers misleading this nation. Nigeria deserves a better governance than this.

I know it's biblical to pray for those in authority but I feel we need to do more than praying now because we cannot be praying for those who lack the knowledge of leadership to lead well. What a man does not know he does not know. You can only pray for the wisdom to correctly apply the knowledge you have not to gain knowledge. Knowledge can only be acquired by seeking it.

According to Abraham Lincoln, evil prevails when good men keep silent. We have to stand up and rescue our nation. And most importantly, let us lead well any where we are in any little position. We are LEADERS in Nigeria not DEALERS.

Nigeria will be great. You will be great! Shalom!

If you have news-worthy articles to contribute to this publication, kindly forward same to: popularvoices@gmail.com. 
Thank you.
The Publisher

OPEN LETTER TO NIGERIANS IN THE SOUTH

Letter by: Dr. Fidelis Chukwuma

Dear Southern Nigeria,
At what time will you wake up to reality. Did you see the North participating in the #IstandwithNigeria PROTEST? It's simple, There's a silent agricultural revolution going on in the North. Northerners are cashing in on their agriculture produce, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, Benue, Plateau, Kaduna etc. While we are here wailing and protesting with an "IMPORT" dependant mindset

The "illiterate" Northerner is exporting ginger, garlic, sesame seeds etc and earning forex at N500 to $1. WHO IS THE FOOL HERE? Why can't our people take advantage and concentrate on the finished products of these agricultural produce and industrialize our area? Didn't we see how they tested LAKE RICE( Lagos- Kebbi Race) as they call it? Are we not seeing Dangote, Bua & top companies moving northwards to establish processing mills, tomato factories etc.

That's how we will waste four years insulting and cursing Buhari while the North will gradually be feeding the whole of West Africa. My people, this is not the time to protest but a time to put your thinking cap. Nigeria imports more rice than the entire European Union! We are the 2nd largest importer of rice in the world and we want $1 to remain at N150 at a time when crude oil is $57? We have no business with the dollar if we consume what we produce. 

A word is enough for the wise.     

AFRICA AND 21ST CENTURY SLAVERY

Article contributed by: Femi Komolafe
Femi Komolafe is a Leadership Development Consultant, Conference Speaker, Author and Pastor

I observed that in the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations 2017 majority of the nations that participated came with foreign coaches and I asked myself that how many European nations have African coaches as their national team coaches? I could not think of any for now. Then, I asked the second question, why are we all going for foreign coaches at the same time? Is it because we don't have competent indigenous coaches? I was able to receive three reasons within me:

1. We go for foreign coaches, foreign help, foreign management, foreign products etc because we only gained independence from them physically but not mentally. We are like the Israelites that left Egypt but kept referring back to Egypt throughout their journey to the promised land because it was their bodies that left Egypt, their minds never left. The freedom of the body without the freedom of the mind is no freedom. It is an indirect slavery. That is why we hardly do without them almost in everything we do.

2. We go for everything foreign not because we cannot do some of these things by ourselves but we lack confidence in our own ability. My dear reader, please note this, nothing on earth can make you do what you believe in you that you cannot do. Lack of confidence in yourself has the capacity to kill the potentials in you and make you look as if you are empty. A black man once said he wants to rule America and because he believed he could, he has just led the most powerful nation in the world for 8 solid years. 'Yes We Can' was his slogan and it has become history today. Another black preacher from Nigeria visited Oral Roberts University many years ago and after going round the school he said to himself 'it can happen anywhere'. Today, he has succeeded in building a world class University in Nigeria. God said in the Holy book that He is not a respecter of persons but He loves all those who do the right thing. God is the God of all. Jesus also said that if you believe you can there is nothing you cannot do (paraphrased). We are where we are today as a continent because we don't believe in our own abilities.

3. We still go for everything foreign because we have not worked enough on ourselves. The difference between a black person and a white person is the level at which we engage our brains. God gave the same brain to the whites and the blacks but some engage their brains more than the others. There is no black brain. Being black does not mean you have less brain than any white. It is the level at which we engage the brain that makes the difference. While a white person will engage his brain in productive and creative thinking, a black person will be thinking of what to consume. While a white person is thinking of what to give to the world, a black person is thinking of what to get from the world. I have said above that God is not a respecter of persons but He seeks those who will do the right thing. Having a black skin does not make you inferior to any white any where in the world. Blacks and whites have sat together in the classroom and some blacks performed far higher than the whites. Until we begin to engage in creative and productive thinking, we will always be at the receiving end. Until we begin to think independently, we will continue to depend on the former colonial masters. It is not that we cannot hire foreigners at all but it should not be as if we are robots and we can achieve nothing without them. It's time to THINK AFRICAN, PRODUCE AFRICAN AND MAKE USE OF AFRICANS. GOD BLESS MY BELOVED AFRICA! GOD BLESS YOU!

If you have news-worthy articles to contribute to this publication, kindly forward same to: popularvoices@gmail.com.
Thank you.
The Publisher

IS NIGERIA TRULY THE 'ANIMAL FARM' THEY CALL IT?

Kindly watch this video edited by Sahara TV. Has the ruling APC-led government; particularly in Oyo State delivered on its promises to the electorates? Or do you identify with the Oyo State’s government’s deduced position that the current intractable recession and corrupt practices or failures of preceding governments are responsible for the way things have turned today?

Please voice your comment/opinion here.

National Grazing Reserve Bill Scales Second Reading

A bill for an Act to provide for the Establishment, presentation and control of National Reserves and Livestock Routes and the creation of National Grazing Reserve Commission and for purposes connected therewith, sponsored by Sen. Zaynab Kure  (PDP: Niger South) recently went through Second Reading on the floor of the Senate.

Senators threw their weight behind the creation of a National Grazing Reserve Commission to address the recurring clashes between Fulani nomads and farmers in the country.

Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, Sen. Zaynab Kure argued that the existing laws governing grazing reserves in Nigeria had over the years been rendered obsolete and ineffective. She stated that the laws were incompatible with the general scheme of the Land Use Act currently in use.  The lawmaker averred that all along, the federal government through the National Livestock Project Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has been at the forefront of implementing these obsolete laws, obviously with multiple problems.

According to Senator Kure, the National Grazing Reserves shall be provided with incentives and facilities such as functional Earth Dams, Water Points, Dairy Processing Centres, Schools, functional Barns and Livestock service centres. Sen. Kure noted that land which is central in all ramifications of the bill could be a service of life if properly put to use and could invariably be a source of destruction if misused.  She added that the bill if passed into law would lead to the establishment of National Grazing Commission that would be empowered to enforce Gracing Reserve Laws across the country.

The Parliamentarian stressed that considering the importance of Reserves, the federal government could acquire land for such purposes from any state of the federation by giving notice to the state government on the desire and purpose of acquiring such land.

Speaking in tandem with the sponsor of the Bill, Senate Deputy Leader, Hon. Ahmed Abdul Ningi (PDP: Bauchi North) said he was delighted with the presentation of the all important bill adding that there iwa need to look at the history of Grazing Reserves in Nigeria which dated back to the colonial period.  He added that it was clear that Nigeria has large pastoralist population existing hand-in-hand with the farmers as far back as the colonial period but it was however, given prominence during the first Republic by the administration of Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who ensured the establishment and development of Gracing Reserves and Livestock Routes across the length and breath of the then Northern Nigeria.

Senator Ningi stressed that the economic value of Grazing Reserves to the nation included the creation of employment opportunities, large scale production of food for domestic consumption and for export, generation of income for the people and for the government. Sen. Ningi emphasized that the large number of pastoralists in Nigeria, if well harnessed would no doubt diversify the economy and minimize unemployment and inflation in the country as well as serve as a means of identifying the Fulanis.

In his contribution, Senator Gyang Dantong (PDP: Plateau North) commended the sponsor of the bill on the grounds that animal rearing is one of the most important occupations of the people for large scale production of meat and milk as well as a means of farming and a medium of acquiring wealth. Senator Dantong said the acquisition of land for public purposes like schools, hospitals, markets and grazing reserves were very important issues of development that should be at the front burner of policy making and implementation.

Senator Dantong stated that since rearing of animals was done by a particular group of people in the country, there was the need to encourage them to acquire land for the venture. He however noted that government should be very careful in such land allocations in order not to infringe on the rights of other people like farmers and the rural communities.

In his submission, Sen. Yusuf Nagogo (CPC: Nasarawa North) asserted that the bill was not only necessary but timely, for addressing the issue of communal clashes between the Fulani and farmers in parts of the country.  He disclosed that it was a bill that articulated the needs of pastoralists.  Sen. Nagogo revealed that animal rearing has a historical background to the people of the north and in view of its importance, urged his colleagues to support the passage of the bill for second reading.

Sen. Isa Mahammed Galaudu ( PDP: Kebbi North) supported of the bill in all its ramifications, stating that animal production in the country contribute immensely to the nation’s economy.  He noted that for Nigerians to enjoy cheaper dairy products, there was need to encourage pastoralists through acquisition and establishment of Grazing Reserves and Livestock Routes across the country to boost output.  The Senator admitted that the passage of the bill would be a step in the right direction because it would reduce the migration of the Fulani nomads and improve their educational status as well as curtail the incidences of road accidents caused by stray animals crossing the road.

Sen. Tukur Bello (PDP: Adamawa Central) said the issue of Grazing Reserve provides a major source of income for rural communities.  He stated that communal clashes between herdsmen and farmers which have defied solutions by previous administrations would be addressed by the bill if passed and that it would help minimize Fulani migration. The establishment of grazing reserves and the allocation of land would definitely improve their dairy production and in turn restrain them from moving to other places.

Contributing to the debate, Sen. Bagudu Abubakar (PDP: Kebbi South) averred that Grazing Reserves were public places that enhance animal productivity and ought to be encouraged, because it falls in line with Mr. President’s policy of diversifying the economy by opening up and maximizing untapped sectors of the economy. The Reserves would no doubt improve local production of animals and related products for local and international markets thereby generating employment and wealth at the same time.

Sen. Ita Enang (PDP: Akwa Ibom North-East) prayed that the bill be supported to sail through second reading in view of the constitutional question it raises. He recalled that in the past Grazing Reserve laws were passed in the northern region only but not provided for in the South and now animal rearing and pastoralists have spread across the entire country.  The bill would provide an opportunity of addressing the non provision of grazing reserves in the southern States of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory for which the National Assembly serves in addressing its constitutional issues.

Sen. Enang who is the Senate Committee Chairman on Rules and Business, added that in establishing Grazing Reserves, the Federal Government is to provide land for thate purpose.  This he said needed consultations between the Federal and State and Local governments in the establishment of Grazing Reserves in Nigeria.

The Senate President, Senator David Mark (PDP: Benue South) urged the sponsor of the bill, Sen. Zaynab Kure to critically analyse and cross check the incompatibility of the bill with the Land Use Act to avoid conflictions and duplication.  Sen. Mark extended the same request to senate Committee on Business and Rules.

There was no dissenting voice to the bill during the Debate. Thereafter, the bill was committed to the Committees on Agriculture, State and Local Government as well as Judiciary.  The committees are to present their report in four weeks time.

SOURCE: http://www.themaceonline.com/senate-news/297-national-grazing-reserve-bill-scales-second-reading

IF AND WHEN PASSED TO LAW, DOES THE ABOVE BILL HAVE ANY IMPLICATION TO THE LIVES OF AN ORDINARY CITIZEN OF THIS NATION. LET'S HAVE YOUR VIEW.

New Revelations About Boko Haram - Wikileaks Documents

In review of the new revelations from President Jonathan’s Boko Haram negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis of Australia, it will be useful we reconsider what we know of Boko Haram, the northeastern terrorist organization.

There are or were two Boko Harams, I and II.

Boko Haram I: The Yusufiyyah Movement/“Nigerian Taliban”
Boko Haram I is better known as and self identifies as the Yusufiyyah movement. These were the disciples of late Mohammed Yusuf, the charismatic leader who promoted himself as a messiah and was expected to reincarnate after he was killed. Boko Haram I was the creation of ex-Borno Governor Ali Modu Sheriff. Though Mohammed Yusuf founded his movement since the 90’s, it was Modu Sheriff who armed and utilized these boys as political thugs; the well known Ecomog forces. After he no longer needed them, he discarded the armed youth and Mohammed Yusuf took charge of them.

In 2009, following an infraction with the law, then capable and efficient President late Musa Yar’Adua with his no nonsense, no dancing and dining with terrorists policy decimated Boko Haram I. Governor Modu Sheriff cooperated and set-up his “friends” in Boko Haram I to be apprehended and killed by the Nigerian army. Sect leader Mohammed Yusuf was killed at this time when he “tried to escape.” For his cooperation against them, Modu Sheriff earned the hate of several sect members.

Boko Haram I was basically dismantled. Nigeria witnessed absolute peace in the northeast as Yar’Adua discussed with northerners and planned strategies to prevent the return of these terrorists.

Muslim leaders in Borno and the north agreed to monitor Mosque sermons and ensure that radicalism was no longer tolerated and taught anywhere in the north. Late Yar’Adua had a very efficient long term plan and program, including strictly security monitored “permits” for all public preachers, to ensure Nigeria never again witnessed Maitatsine, Yusufiyyah radical type crisis.
Quote: “Yar’Adua also informed reporters that security agencies had been monitoring and tracking the activities of Yusuf and Boko Haram for several years. He also revealed with some degree of detail that Yusuf and Boko Haram have been “organizing, penetrating our society, procuring arms, and learning how to make explosives and bombs,” adding that “once the military operation concludes in Maiduguri, there will be continuous security surveillance all over the northern states to fish out remnants of the group who are to be dealt with squarely and promptly.”” [URL: https://www.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09ABUJA1392_a.html] *End QuoteWith the death/murder of President Yar’Adua, the program in the north was dropped as Goodluck Ebele Jonathan assumed the top office.

The 2010 Abuja independence day bombing perpetrated by MEND Niger Delta terrorists suddenly revealed a “great’ idea for the utility of terror for political success. It is recalled that to the utter surprise of almost all Nigerians, despite MEND claiming the bombing, the Nigerian acting President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan suddenly said it was not MEND, but rather some northern opponents that were behind the bombing. This publicized falsehood succeeded in creating ethno-religious divides and helped galvanize and deliver non-Muslim support to Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP party.

All of a sudden it was clear that creating and sustaining a northern extremist group that can be pinged on certain alleged northern opponents will continue to divide the nation and maintain non-Muslim support for the President.

Enter Boko Haram II: The Ihejirika Assassins
Boko Haram II was formed in 2011. Enabled by a new lax security effort in the north with the abandoning of late President Yar’Adua and his NSA Sarki Mukhtar’s programs; some elements of the Yusufiyyah movement, aka, Boko Haram I returned with the limited objective to avenge the death of their leader. But suddenly another group evolved from nowhere in the same space that stunned even Boko Haram I. This parallel group had radically different principles and agenda that Boko Haram I simply could not understand.

Quoting from the Press Release of Boko Haram I/The Yusuffiyah movement in 2011 as stored in Wikileaks US docs[https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/51/5150849_-africa-fwd-os-nigeria-ct-nigeria-boko-haram-sect-splits-.html]:

Nigeria: Boko Haram Sect Splits

http://allafrica.com/stories/201107210066.html

Maiduguri – Confusion has crept into the camp of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram which has unleashed a reign of terror in the northern part of the country for several months as the sect has split into two factions. One faction, the Yusufiyya Islamic Movement, YIM, has vowed to expose the other faceless group, which it described as evil group.

The Yusufiyya group is made up of followers of slain leader of the Islamic sect, Mallam Mohammed Yusuf.
This development came as President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, held talks with elders from Borno State, over growing insecurity in the state, which is believed to be the abode of the sect.

The Yusufiyya Islamic Movement, in a two-page statement contained in leaflets yesterday, condemned the attacks and bombing of residences and places of worship by the other sect that claimed to be fighting a Jihad in the North. The leaflets were distributed on Tuesday to the various wards, Post Office Area and media houses in Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

Confusion, misinterpretation
The leaflets read in part: “The Yusufiyya Movement has come to mean different things to different people in the last few months. This confusion and misinterpretation have made it necessary for us to come out publicly with the clear truth regarding our concept, struggle, aim and ultimate objective, as our declaration would guide in distinguishing the Yusufiyya movement from the various labels ascribed to us, as the Boko Haram.

This is necessary in the light of genuine concern by individuals and groups to the mass suffering of innocent citizens caught in the cross fire between our members and the Nigerian troops. This concern has again brought to the fore, the daunting issue of reconciliation, through dialogue, with the Nigerian authorities and individual leaders involved in the naked abuse of our birthright to the peaceful propagation and practice of our religion as we understand it.”

The sect argued that it was in the process of exercising their right to propagate their religion as they understood it, that their leader, Mohammed Yusuf was killed as well as the destruction and confiscation of their landed and moveable property in Maiduguri. Following their leader’s murder, the members therefore “resolved to wage a struggle between justice and injustice, between truth and falsehood, right against wrong, in which the sect was sure of victory.”

The statement, however, noted that the public must know that the Yusufiyya Islamic sect is far from the image of the heartless terrorists, arsonists or sadistic robbers painted by other people with a distinct agenda, saying “it is therefore unbecoming to attribute attacks on the civilian population or places of worship to our group, the Yusufiyya Islamic Movement”.

Referring to the factions in the Boko Haram sect, the statement further explained that; “ours is a clear fight for the blood of our founder, Mohammed Yusuf and other leaders who were slain in cold blood by former governor of Borno State (names withheld), the former Borno state commissioner of police and the late President”, adding that the former president “has since been seized by Allah in an answer to the sect’s prayer for support against his aggression”.

“We therefore distance our group from all the bombings targeted at civilians and other establishments and equally condemn them and pray that Allah expose those who perpetrated them and attributed them to us.”

Exonerating the Yusufiyya sect from other factions of Boko Haram sect, the statement declared: “We are concerned that some people with evil motives have infiltrated our genuine struggle with a false holy war that is outright un-Islamic. We call on this evil group to desist, failing which we shall have no option than to expose and hunt them.

“Finally, we have resolved to temporarily halt our fight against the assassination of our leaders in compliance with the prohibition of fighting in the holy month of Ramadan.” *End Quote

Clearly Boko Haram II had been invented and was well supported, sponsored and had only one agenda: to kill and destroy the north and displace all inhabitants off the land. Boko Haram I was shocked by Boko Haram II; could not understand who was behind them and where they came from and totally rejected their ways as deviant, extreme, unIslamic and surprising. As read above, Boko Haram I even promised to kill Boko Haram II. Boko Haram II was a farce; it never really had anything to do with Islam but just adopted the Boko Haram I platform to hide and perpetrate its ulterior agenda.

But as late General Andrew Azazi pointed out, Boko Haram II was superbly funded and given sophistication and capacity. The leader of Boko Haram II was the first “Abubakar Shekau.”

Abubakar Shekau I was employed by General Ihejirika and other agents, local and likely foreign to perpetuate programs (a pogrom) to dismantle the north of Nigeria while continuing to deliver the invaluable fragmenting political dividend Goodluck Jonathan had enjoyed when he accused his opponents of the 2010 Abuja independence day bombing.

Boko Haram I, the Yusufyyah movement faded while Boko Haram II, the Ihejirika movement without any notable consistent agenda, flourished and perpetrated mayhem on citizens of the north, Muslim and Christian alike.

At this point, we must realize that Boko Haram II have never suggested a reasonable, possible and consistent agenda. They always ensure they ramble nonsense and stay inconsistent. This is because they have no agenda other than to destroy the north and inflame the polity. The latest “Caliphate” claim was plagiarized from ISIS in Iraq last month, up until then, they made no such claim.

They obviously knew they could never conquer Nigeria and Islamize the entire nation; and they never set out to. They destroyed all local farmers and sources of food for their own sustenance, which proved they had no long-term territorial rulership agenda. No one kills and burns the homes of people they wish to reign over an; and destroys and displaces the farmers who will feed their “nation.” Boko Haram II simply set-out to kill all farmers especially (the only/main resource of the north) from Borno to Benue. They attacked corn and tomato farmers in Borno and rice farmers in Benue. They killed and destroyed cattle rearers across the Middle Belt. Over five years of free operation under the supervision of ex-Army Chief Ihejirika, Boko Haram II succeeded in killing over 100,000 Nigerians residing in the north and displacing over 4 million farmers; the third largest human displacement in recent global history.

Boko Haram II were armed by the Nigerian army under General Azubuike Ihejirika. They obtained armored tanks, APC’s and weapons from the armory which the Nigerian army ensured never to destroy, even though everyone in Borno knew the Boko Haram camps where these weapons and vehicles were and still are kept in plain sight. It can be recollected that when 234 girls/Angels were abducted from Chibok and the Nigerian army claimed they did not know where the girls were, it was our ENDS organization that revealed the camps in Sambisa forest to the entire world, and made every one cognizant with the fact that these camps were well known, had generators, fridges, TV’s and the like and that the Nigerian army has been tolerating these camps and the survival of Boko Haram II for the past five years of the Goodluck Jonathan government. [Our article of 24th April, 2014: National Security Update: Details Of The Sambisa Camps Holding Our 200 Abducted Daughters URL: http://ends.ng/?p=848]

With the abduction of 234 Angels from Chibok, it is evident Boko Haram II has outwitted itself. The prayers of the oppressed girls no doubt have begun to unravel the sect in miraculous ways.

Source:
http://www.dailynigeriainfo.com/boko-haram-1-boko-haram-2-in-light-of-new-revelations-wikileaks-documents/