What goes around comes around

We all grew up with grandmothers and mothers telling us folk tales. My mother told me a lot of those folk tales when I was young.
At a time, it seemed to me that she had a story for every occasion; each with its own moral. Some did not make a lot of sense to me at first but as I grew older, I began to draw some wisdom from them, especially the ones she repeated quite often. One of them applies to the theme of my article today. Here goes….
‘A young lady was seen by neighbours dragging her mother on the floor. The neighbours were aghast and pleaded with the lady to stop the abominable thing forthright.
She ignored all pleas. Some of the neighbours might have been surprised at the stoic silence of the mother being dragged on the floor.
Then after a while and quite some distance, she shouted ‘stop. This was where I stopped with my mother…’ the implication for those who are slow like me, is that she had also dragged her own mother on the floor at some time in the past. In other words, what goes around, comes around.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the media was awash with how a former Director- General of the Department of State Security, DSS, was literally and figuratively dragged on the floor by people who had served ‘loyally and obediently’ under him in the past.
The story was that Colonel Kayode Are refused to vacate his official resident months, if not years after he had been relinquished of the post and the current Oga decided to forcefully evict him.
The story went on to state that Col Are had obtained a court injunction (court injunctions seem to be two for kobo among the elites these days in spite of several of directives to the contrary) to stop the eviction.
The injunction was ignored and he was instead humiliated and taken out like a common Joe with his family. Now, what was Are’s plan? Was it to sit tight and eventually acquire the said property like the other big men have done? Or had he already acquired it and ‘paid?’ Do people like him ever count the cost to the Nation of official residences that are routinely acquired these days by people who should consider themselves privileged and lucky to have served their father-land in one capacity or the other? This, however, is not the thrust of my article today.
Colonel Sambo Dasuki, Col Are’s counterpart in the National Security Agency NSA, is currently fighting the battle of his life. He has also been severally dragged on the floor by people he once commanded; again in spite of court rulings and injunctions.
Now the food for thought is this; would these two officers and gentlemen be the hapless victims they are today if they had endeavoured to build institutions and a healthy respect for the rule of law when they were in the position to do so? How much of respect did they accord the courts they are running to now for succour?
Did they ever give a thought to the fact that they would not be there forever when they were putting themselves and the people they served above laws and institutions? When they were manipulating people and institutions for private ends? Or the age-old dictum which says ‘be nice to the people you meet on your way to the top because you might meet them on your way down’?
Recently our vocal and voluble Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose brought a smile to my lips when he became effusive in his praise of the judiciary as it tried to stand up to the Federal Government in the Dasuki case.
This is the same man who refused to put himself under the authority of the judiciary when he was fighting for the government house. In fact, he has done more to denigrate the judiciary and the legislature than many of his contemporaries. He has instead, demonstrated open contempt for these two institutions.
Allegations were pointed in his direction at the public disgrace and disrobement of certain High Court judges in his state. Even if the allegations were unfounded, it is not on record that he has done anything to restore the dignity of the courts and the gentlemen concerned.
These selective praises and abuses of the judiciary by politicians are not in the best interests of the judiciary, the nation and even the politicians themselves.
The decision to flout or uphold judgements according to how they affect them will not grow this all important institution. At some point in their lives, especially when they leave power or are fighting superior powers, they might need the protection of an impartial and respected judiciary.
The time to build the respect and independence of not only the judiciary but all national institutions, is when they are in power. Otherwise, what goes around will surely come around.
It is bad to rejoice at somebody else’s misfortune but it was hard for me to sympathise with General Olusegun Obasanjo when he had that accident on Lagos –Ibadan ‘express’ road. He had all of eight years to fix the road among several others.
The leaders who built the beautiful highways in South Africa did not have two heads or more money, just a different colour of skin and mentality.
Obasanjo knows all the ills of the country but did pretty little to fix them when he had the power to do so. Well, he will not always have a helicopter to fly him around and at some point, he will go through what the rest of us have always gone through.
And to those leaders who have turned our hospitals to consulting clinics or worse and have made our skilled medical practitioners to become immigrants, may the day not come when they or their loved ones would be rushed to the hospitals to reap what they have sowed or failed to sow.
Those who use sirens to push the rest of us into the gutter forget that some of those on the road are in life and death situations either literally or figuratively. May the day not come when faced with their own life and death situation, they would be pushed into the gutter.
Unfortunately, what goes around always…..
Our leaders must always think of their legacy. The opportunity to serve mankind is the greatest blessing a man can have.
If you have it and are still looking for other blessings, then like Fela would say ‘you miss road’.
They must also never forget that immutable law of nature, ‘what goes around, comes around’.

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How to restore Nigeria’s lost glory – Oyedepo

Bishop David Oyedepo, General Overseer of the Living Faith Church (LFC), on Friday said that Nigeria’s lost glory would be restored, if the people turned back to God.
Oyedepo said this while delivering a sermon at the ongoing Annual Winners Chapel Convention, Shiloh 2015, holding at Canaanland, Km 10, Idiroko Road, Ota.
The theme of the convention is `From Glory to Glory’.
Oyedepo said that every revival changed the level of the nation.
“Nigeria will experience greatness because every nation that hosts the ark of God is richly blessed for it.
“Every move of God moves the nation forward; engaging with the revival will settle all forms of menace.
“Nigeria will become one of the most peaceful nations on earth from this great platform.
“Wherever revival goes, goes civilisation; every country that accommodates a revival changes level. This will bring solution and rest to the earth,’’ he said.
Oyedepo said that over 175 countries were connected to Shiloh 2015 through the internet and the development confirmed the manifest presence of God.
He said that seven babies had been delivered on Shiloh ground.
The 17th edition of the convention started on Tuesday and ends on Dec.12.

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We can fix this economy

WHEN we say that the economic stagnation in this country has an international dimension to it, those who are satisfied with the status-quo shout us down. Thank God for Omoh Gabriel’s revelation in the Vanguard of November 16, 2015. According to Omoh: “The attempt to frustrate the nation’s efforts to move forward has been orchestrated by foreign investors, their media and the European Union and the United States of America.”
It did not start today. Right from the colonial era our economy has been programmed to service the needs of the super powers. Ask the Indians, the battle they fought to free their cotton production from the grips of the British colonial masters.
With Mahatma Ghandi as the pivot, they boycotted British goods, including their wears, and that accounted for India’s seemingly economic independence today. The surprising thing in the case of Nigeria is that, with an over abundance of world class economic experts and consultants – Professor Soludo has now come out of his shell – they have not been able to see and promote Nigeria along this line.
Until we choose to take our destiny in our own hands, our economy will continue to remain in the doldrums. Haven’t you wondered why the alcoholic beverage production is going on smoothly and our petroleum refineries are experiencing hiccups? Is it not the same process of management, of filtration, titration, heating, cooling, packaging, etc?
The engineers operating the brewery factories, are they not Nigerians like their counterparts in the oil and gas sectors? Why do our international oil companies, IOCs, choose to bring in technicians from the Philippines, Venezuela and other countries when there are abundance of qualified Nigerians to do the job? Why must we engage somebody as an expatriate to work as a store officer and other less ‘technicalised’ areas of our business? Everything boils down to the conspiracy of the Super Powers. If we do not decide on our own home grown solutions, our children and grand children will still be grappling with this problem in years to come. God forbid!
Why has Ajaokuta steel factory refused to get off the ground? Why is Delta Steel Company presently grounded? Why must we design a production outfit that will depend on the Russians and others for raw materials to produce steel in Nigeria? Have we forgotten that steel production was once with us in the Nok culture long before the Europeans colonised us?
The Ajaokuta steel factory has become like an Abiku child that has refused to die until he leads his parents into bankruptcy. It is either we kill the Ajaokuta project or it will kill us. We must find very simple and uncomplicated methods of tackling problems in this country. The Ajaokuta thing has become too complex to fix, therefore, we must break it down into simple and manageable bits. I am very sure that the original factory and machine designs have become obsolete, given the speed at which technology is changing.
We must be ready to call the bluff of our international friends and partners. Anytime we refuse to dance to their tunes, they use all manner of tactics to frustrate us.
The US reduced their patronage of our crude oil to the barest minimum; we did not shout. Dunlop, Michelin and others relocated their factories; nobody raised any eyebrow.
Over night, our stock market had gone down with the withdrawal of foreign direct investments; we took it calmly. Now, we only restricted the official allocation of foreign exchange to goods that are considered not priority to the Nigerian economy and the whole world is going gaga.
Our leaders must take the bull by the horn. The economy can be fixed. Our agriculture can become self-sufficient in three years and most of our shut local industries can start running again. All of these are possible only if we choose to do it our own way. We must adopt measures to suit our peculiar circumstances.
This country is too important for any other country to toy with. Imagine Norway complaining because we restricted the importation of fish heads, Thailand rice, America plastic and aircraft, and many others complaining because we want to direct our attention to essential items that will uplift our economy. Our youths are unemployed, while our government policies are ensuring the sustainability of factories in Europe, America and other areas.
It is time to put a stop to this and we must begin with our propaganda machinery. Lai Mohammed and his team have a lot to do in this instance. Instead of concentrating on Jonathan and the past, they must start directing their energies towards the proper orientation of Nigerians towards patronising Nigerian made products and discourage our lust for everything foreign. The world is afraid of the giant that will arise out of Nigeria; we must not let them kill our dreams. What should we do?
First, analyse what made us to derail in the past and begin to do things the correct way, we must educate the people on what is right for them.
We cannot allow our currency to be devalued at this moment because we are not yet a producing country, it will only increase cost of goods and materials and cause inflation in our lands.
Immediately, we must revamp our agriculture and agro-allied businesses, set up marketing/monitoring boards to buy from farmers and ensure standardisation. Build warehouses/silos over the places and establish agric processing factories for farmers to process their goods. All of these do not require rocket science technology, they have been done in the past to an appreciable measure of success.
No state or region must remain unviable, each must concentrate on the areas of comparative advantage. Industries must not be sited because you want to please your people. It must follow all economic principles of nearness to raw materials, power, labour, market, capital and the rest.
Above all, we must ensure peace. It is only a peaceful environment that will attract progressive developments. As a result, the government must find ways to reduce the tensions related to ethnicity and religion.
All we need is the will and the vehicle to propagate the programmes. May the almighty God give us direction.
 Mr. Sunny Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

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Ekweremadu: Drama or road rage? (Right of Reply)

IT is sad that rather than get the security agencies to unearth the  persons and motives behind the assassination attempt on Ike Ekweremadu, the All Progressives Congress, APC, have apparently resorted to trivialize a serious national issue.
This is the case with  write-up entitled: “Ekweremadu’s Assassination Drama” published in the Vanguard of November 25, 2015 and written by one Dan Owegie who identified himself as an APC chieftain in Benin, Edo State.
It is not for Owegies of this world to dictate to Ekweremadu’s security how to secure their principal. If Ekweremadu’s security did not open fire on the assailants as Owegie argued, could it be that on a second thought they considered the vehicle could be bomb-laden, especially as the front view of the tinted car clearly showed it was driven by a man whose appearance easily aroused suspicion? Could it be there could have been civilian casualties? Such and other details are what they owe the top echelon of their agencies, not the public.
However, Owegie’s bitter whinnying over what he deems APC’s patrimony that Ekweremadu collected only goes to confirm that the APC and promoters of gridlock are unrepentantly unpretentious about their desperation to end the Ikeoha Ndigbo Deputy Senate Presidency. They seem to have abandoned their promises to provide free meals to over 20 million pupils daily, payment of N5,000 to over 25 million jobless Nigerians, bring back Chibok girls, and bring the Naira at parity with the US Dollar. Instead, unseating Ekweremadu has now become their new national goal, which they have elevated to key deliverable of their government.
Speculations and conspiracy theories are natural outcomes of incidences of shady acts, unguarded statements and body language. In APC government, body language is a key medium of communication. Such acts, innuendos and body languages are therefore compasses with which to locate and interpret series of related and unrelated actions, inactions and utterances of the APC-led government.
Behind a façade of APC’s “CHANGE”, integrity and turn-coat democracy, the APC Presidency in essence treats Nigerians as immature, petulant aggregate of primitives who cannot be counted upon to behave sensibly, but must be whipped into line with endless half truths, diatribe, and intimidation, stigmatisation and Gestapo treatments. One event leads to another in an endless chain of rights abuses, blackmail, bastardisation of principles of democracy and extortion of loyalty.
It is in pursuit of these policies of malignity and suppression, that also propelled one Andrew Oota, former Special Assistant to erstwhile Speaker Aminu Tambawal, to write the unfortunate piece: “Ekweremadu: The unwanted change agent” and published in Leadership Newspaper, on November 14, 2015.
In the said article, the same man whose master retained his speakership after defecting to the APC and in whose Benue State APC minority produced the current Speaker had the guts to write that “for the APC leadership and other stakeholders, the emergence of senator Ekweremadu was simply an aberration that should not be allowed to stand, if the reforms and the change mantra that the APC rode onto power during the 2015 general elections is anything to hold onto”.
Nigerians have witnessed several attempts by APC and its surrogates in the Senate to undermine and terminate the deputy senate presidency of Ekweremadu and maybe, to their best of luck, the Senate Presidency of Dr Saraki. These include, but not limited to unsuccessful charges of forgery of Senate rules, blackmailing of the Senate President of running PDP Senate, politically-motived trial of Saraki by CCT, sustained media attacks and most recently, dastardly attempt to denigrate the seat of DSP at the Senate by Senator Mrs. Tinubu.
When the above scenario is aligned with the publicised threats and innuendos of APC stalwarts like Ngige and Kwakwanso, one will not be mistaken to state that the primary orientation of APC is to malign, blackmail, destroy and uproot perceived opponents by fair or foul means.
It is in this light that an x-ray of the alleged assassination attempt on the life of Deputy President of the Senate should be conducted. On June 14, 2015, APC senators under the aegis of Senate Unity Forum announced that “the only condition that would make them recognise Senator Saraki as President of the Senate was for Ekweremadu to resign as Deputy Senate President”. On June 16, 2015, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso was quoted as ranting that the election of Senator Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President will create problem for Buhari.
On June 25, 2015, Senator Chris Ngige, stated that: “Senator Ekweremadu’s emergence as deputy president of the senate will give PDP in the South East the desired oxygen to breath and that disadvantages us and puts us in a difficult position on our aspiration to make the South East people to join APC government”. He went on to threaten: “You know, there are many ways to kill a rat. You can decide to go and kill it manually, you can go and put it in hot water, and you can use poison – Gammalin. We are back to the drawing table because it (Ekweremadu) poses a problem for us”.
On November 12, 2015, anti-Saraki senators led by Senators Ahmad Lawan and George Akume, walked out from Senate plenary in protest of the Deputy Senate President presiding over the Senate in absence of the Senate President. According to them: “ We noticed with grave sadness, the handover of the hallowed chamber of the Senate today to the opposition party, the PDP, by allowing Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a PDP stalwart, to preside over the APC majority senators.” On November 14, there was publication in the Leadership Newspaper on how Ekweremadu has become an “unwanted change agent”. On November 17, there was a suspected assassination attempt on the life of Senator Ekweremadu and on November 18, Senator Mrs. Tinubu made frantic attempts to take over the seat of the Deputy Senate President but for the pragmatic intervention of PDP.
These events, threats, and pronouncements lend credence to the real intent of those hoodlums who attacked the Deputy Senate President. In common legal parlance, a prima facie is used to describe the apparent nature of something upon initial observation. In this instance, could it be right to suggest that a prima facie case has sufficiently been established for a possible direction from which harm could befall the Deputy President of Nigerian Senate? When a leading party stalwart stated that Senator Ekweremadu as DSP will emasculate the political landscape in the South East to the disadvantage of APC in the zone and declared that they have gone to drawing board to apply “many ways to kill a rat”, one may ask: Is road rage and “unfortunate ghastly motor accident” one of the gammalin ways?
There was a certain barren tortoise who boasted before his kinsmen that in event of stampede in the marketplace, he would kill the pregnant wife of his brother so that she would not populate the land with his brother’s children. On the market day, there was indeed a stampede and the pregnant tortoise was trampled to death. The village arrested the tortoise for murder and stoned him to death.
Emeka Aneke, a political analyst, wrote from Abuja

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The bailout the economy needs

During the inauguration of his cabinet, President  last week commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for assisting more than 30 states of the federation with concessionary loans to offset salary arrears for their workers. The President observed that the Bank also implemented country-specific and innovative policies that had helped to stabilise the exchange rate and conserve the nation’s reserves.
The president had conceded to the plea of state governors for help and approved an epoch-making financial bailout package to enable them settle salary arrears in order to avert looming industrial unrest in the affected states. Profligate campaign spending and steeply dwindling oil revenues left most state governments cash-strapped and unable to carry out their basic financial responsibilities shortly after the May 29th hand-over date.
We are, however, not altogether satisfied with the manner in which the bailout was administered in some states. The Governor of Kogi State, for instance, is alleging political victimisation in that even after fulfilling all the conditions for the release of the bailout fund, the CBN has refused to hand it over for the payment of workers. The bailout issue should not be politicised. Rather, the money should be released to all states which fulfill the conditions laid down by the CBN. Strenuous efforts should be made to ensure that it is strictly deployed to offset workers’ salaries.
The Federal Government should monitor the ways that governors are spending their bailout fund and ensure that it is not diverted to other purposes. It is the constitutional duty of state assemblies to ensure prudent spending of resources by the executive branch.
Unfortunately, they abdicated this balance of power function, which was why many governors found it easy to bankrupt their states. The Buhari administration should encourage state assemblies to be up and doing in their oversight of the financial resources of states to avoid a situation where states will come back for another bailout.
The CBN must resist pressure from the politicians for further bailouts to pay workers’ salaries. States should now settle down to explore ways of raising revenues and maintaining their services. Good governance is not just about spending of funds from federal allocation. It is also about being able to introduce policies and programmes that grow the revenue bases of governments.
The CBN should actively turn its attention to the possible bailout of the real sector of the economy, particularly agriculture, mining and small/medium business to create employment and expand the economy. We should learn from US President, Barack Obama’s bailout of the US real sector after the 2008 financial meltdown. This helped to restore the American economy to robust health.
That is the bailout our economy needs.

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Mimiko builds 50 mega schools, pays N2b bursary, scholarship

The Olusegun Mimiko-led government of Ondo State has built 50 Caring Heart Mega Schools since it assumed office in 2009.
The Caring Heart Mega Schools,   built and equipped with modern facilities, were constructed by the Mimiko government to meet the standards of child friendly schools as well as provide quality education for students in the state.
Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the state Commissioner for Information,speaking with   newsmen in Akure at the weekend, said    the aim of the mega schools is to emplace social integration among    school children, so as to grow without division of social status.
“This means that the major objective is to close the gap between the rich and the poor in the society,” he said , submitting further that   the concept would make the beneficiaries of the Caring Heart Mega Schools able to compete favourably with their counterparts outside the shores of the country.
He said the state government has also embarked on the renovation of 97 primary and 240 secondary schools across the 18 local government areas of the state, while some have also undergone full renovation.
Also, N200 million was released for the State Library Board to purchase modern and relevant textbooks in core subjects to improve and encourage reading culture among the students.
He said  90 free shuttle buses are available across the state, with 44 in the Central Senatorial District, 24 in the Southern and 22 in the Northern Senatorial District, conveying students to and fro their schools.

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Why It’s hurtful to criticise fat people

It may be meant as a friendly advice, but telling someone they are piling on the pounds just makes them delve further into the biscuit tin. Those who are made to feel ashamed about their size are six times as likely to become obese, a study has found. Experts say that being criticised for their weight drives those who are already sensitive about it to comfort eat. Fear of ridicule may also mean they avoid exercise.
Researchers from University College London said that the obesity crisis could be eased by teaching people—including doctors—that it is counterproductive to discriminate against others because they are overweight. They said that public health campaigns should also avoid making people feel bad about their weight.
The study involved almost 3,000 English men and women aged 50-plus who were weighed twice, four years apart. They were also asked if they had been discriminated against because of their weight.
Examples of this included being treated with disrespect— including being the butt of jokes—receiving poorer service in shops, restaurants, hospitals and doctors’ surgeries, being threatened and being assumed to be stupid.
Some 5 per cent said they had been treated differently because of their weight—with the figure rising to 36 per cent among those who were the most overweight. The study, published in the journal Obesity, found that those who were victims of ‘fat shaming’ put on just over 2lb on average over the course of the study.
They were also six times as likely to become obese. In contrast, those who were not criticised for their weight actually became slimmer, albeit by a small amount. Dr. Jackson said: ‘Our results show that weight discrimination does not encourage weight loss and suggest that it may even exacerbate weight gain.
‘Previous studies have shown that people who experience discrimination report comfort, eating. Stress responses to discrimination can increase appetite, particularly for unhealthy, energy-dense food. Weight discrimination has also been shown to make people feel less confident about taking part in physical activity, so they tend to avoid it. People may not feel comfortable going to the gym if they think they are being judged because of their weight.’
Previous research has shown that it is not just the general public who are guilty of making the overweight feel ashamed of their size. Dr. Jackson said: ‘Studies have shown that quite a wide range of health professionals hold negative attitudes about obese people and patients pick up on that bias. Doctors tend to spend less time with obese patients.
They feel that treating obesity is a futile task and many avoid doing it. We need to find a way of addressing this during training, highlighting that blaming and shaming isn’t going to help resolve the problem.’
University College London Professor Jane Wardle said: ‘Our study clearly shows that weight discrimination is part of the obesity problem and not the solution.’ If you are aggressive with the way you put the message across and denigrate and tease, you are not going to get anywhere at all. What you need is tough love.’

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Would Jesus Good Samaritan be a Muslim in Nigeria Toady

Jesus despises the faith of self-righteous Jews, and he makes a point of commending deliberately the deeper faith of non-Jews.
In the story of the Good Samaritan, a supercilious lawyer asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus answers his question with a question: “What is written in the Scriptures? How do you understand them?”
The man replies: “The Scriptures say, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ They also say, ‘Love your neighbours as much as you love yourself.’” (Luke 10:26-27).
Jesus then tells the man: “You have given the right answer. If you do this, you will have eternal life.” (Luke 10:28).
No room for religion
It is important to note that Jesus’ prescription for eternal life is free of religion. He does not tell the man: “Be a Jew, and you will inherit eternal life.” Therefore, it cannot be presumed today that being a Christian is the passport to eternal life. According to Jesus, eternal life belongs to those who love God deeply and passionately, and also love their neighbours.
This means eternal life is available to anyone, irrespective of religious affiliation. It means, for example, eternal life is available to both Christians and Muslims, as long as they fulfil God’s requirement to walk in love.
However, the discussion does not end there. The scriptures say the lawyer, wanting to justify himself, then asks Jesus: “Who are my neighbours?” Jesus’ answer to this question remains just as pertinent today. Who are the neighbours of the Christian?
Jesus’ interrogator in the scriptures was a Jew, so he presumed he was only required to love other Jews; perhaps only those living in close proximity to him. Today’s self-justifying Christian might also presume he is only required to love other Christians. Therefore, Jesus gave us the seminal story of the Good Samaritan.
Despised Samaritans
At the time, the Samaritans were religious opponents of the Jews in a way similar to the religious divisions in Nigeria today between some Christians and Muslims. The Samaritans looked towards Mount Gerizim for worship, while the Jews looked towards Jerusalem. In Nigeria today, Christians go for pilgrimage to Jerusalem, while Muslims go to Mecca.
In the days of Jesus, the Jews considered themselves to be God’s chosen people. Therefore, they regarded Samaritans, who they insisted did not belong to the commonwealth of Israel, as infidels. Today, we Christians consider ourselves to be the Jews of yesterday. We call ourselves the “spiritual Israel;” sons of God and heirs of the kingdom of God.
Jesus’ teachings are designed to discourage this exclusionary line of thinking. But the problem is that many Christians refuse to listen to him and heed his warnings. Jesus despises the faith of self-righteous Jews, and he makes a point of commending deliberately the deeper faith of non-Jews.
For example, he commends a Roman centurion who is not of the Jewish faith and warns the Jews: “I tell you that in all of Israel I’ve never found anyone with this much faith! Many people will come from everywhere to enjoy the feast in the kingdom of heaven with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But the ones who should have been in the kingdom will be thrown out into the dark. They will cry and grit their teeth in pain.” (Matthew 8:10-12).
This warning should be heeded by self-righteous Christians who presume we are in with God just by virtue of being Christians. We also believe everyone else who is not a Christian is done for. According to Jesus, such Christians are in for a big surprise when we see Muslims, for example, enjoying the feast in the kingdom of heaven with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We will cry and grit our teeth in pain.
The Muslim Samaritan
This is part of the reason why Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan. In this story, a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho is attacked by armed robbers who leave him half-dead by the roadside. A priest passes by, but when he sees the man, he crosses over to the other side. A Levite also passes by, looks at the man and continues on his journey. But when a Samaritan passes by, he comes to the man’s rescue.
Jesus asks the lawyer to whom he tells the story: “‘Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?’ The lawyer answers: ‘The one who showed pity.’ Jesus then says to him: ‘Go and do the same!’” (Luke 10:36-37).
It is often overlooked by Christians that this story is, by implication, a lesson on religious tolerance. It is also anti-religion. Those who do not do the will of God in Jesus’ story are the Jewish religious elite; the priest and the Levite. Moreover, they are the ones who represent the Christians of today. However, the Samaritan, the very man despised by the Jews, is the one who does God’s will by showing mercy.
Therefore, it becomes clear that if Jesus were addressing Christians of Nigeria today, his Good Samaritan would be a Muslim; and if he were addressing Muslims of Nigeria, his Good Samaritan would be a Christian. It is the values and precepts of tolerance and compassion for others that determine our inheriting the kingdom of God.
By their fruits
Jesus does not prefer Samarians to Jews. Neither would he prefer Muslims to Christians or Christians to Muslims. If the lawyer had identified the Samaritan as the real neighbour to the injured man, his answer would have been wrong. The real neighbour is religion-free. He is simply: “the one who showed pity.” The one who shows pity could be just about anybody. He could be a Christian or he could be a Muslim or he could be of other faiths.
According to Jesus’ kingdom dynamics: “the merciful shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5:7). Religious affiliation is not a passport to heaven. Instead, Jesus says: “By their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:16). The scriptures do not say Jesus is only the saviour of Christians. They say he is “the Saviour of the world.” (1 John 4:14).
Christians must not be supercilious but tolerant of non-Christians. We cannot presume we have the copyright on God. In Nigeria, Christians must be tolerant of the faith of Muslims especially. Some of us have multi-faith backgrounds. Some have Christian fathers and Muslim mothers or vice-versa. In my case, my maternal grandmother was a Muslim. It makes no difference according to Jesus: our responsibility is to love one another.
I have met many Muslims who have played the role of the Good Samaritan in my life; and I have equally met many Christians who have done likewise. All faiths seem to have one thing in common: they teach and believe in the love of the neighbour.
Jesus tells the story of two men who went to pray in the temple; the one a self-righteous Pharisee and the other a tax-collector despised by the Jews. The Pharisee presented his credentials of faith before God and looked down on the tax-collector. However, the tax-collector stood in contrition asking God for mercy.
Jesus warns: “If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honoured.” (Luke 18:14).

 By Femi Aribisala

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Re: Oceans of Blood and the Words of Inuwa Wada

I am constrained to respond to the article with the title above by Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, published in the Vanguard of Sunday, November 8, 2015. Ordinarily I don’t join issues with people, but to allow concocted and sensational lies and falsehood, mischievously and deliberately aimed at and capable of rising one section of the country against another, heaped on the nation in the name of truth is to be complacent in the destruction of society; more so given the level of the author’s intellect, educational attainment and the high position he held in the country as a minister. They say when evil is done by the wicked, silence of the righteous is complacency and God shall not find the latter guiltless. To this end, a simple deed of drawing attention to the facts of the past to lay bare the lies in the write-up can very well catalyze the removal of the evil therein. This, in itself, I believe, is a huge service to the country.
One good thing about truth is that it always surfaces no matter who tries to hide it. At all times, truth is complete; always full. There is no such thing as half-truth. Therefore, in any intellectual discourse where one tries to argue the pros of a point, he must have to also face the cons of it, because the two complete the truth. They always go hand-in-hand. But in arguing an issue, if one side is taken and the other side left out, the inevitable result is that it brings out the lie of the argument. This is an academic truism; and this is what befell Fani-Kayode’s argument as he tries unsuccessfully to put up the pros and hide the cons. Given that the central thrust of his article is to illustrate that ‘the ocean of blood shed in the name of a united Nigeria’ was carried out by northerners, particularly the so-called core-North or the Hausa-Fulanis, he lists what he claims as undeniable truth of massacres perpetrated by these northerners as follows:-
“The truth of the Jos massacre in 1945 where hundreds were slaughtered cannot be denied. The truth of the Kano riots in 1953 where thousands were butchered cannot be denied. The truth of the pogroms in the North in 1966 where hundreds of thousands were killed cannot be denied. The truth of the slaughter of millions of innocent civilians, women and children between 1967 and 1969 during the Nigerian civil war cannot be denied.
The truth of the Asaba massacre in 1969 where 1,000 little boys and old men were rounded up in the town square and shot in the head cannot be denied.
The truth of the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Christians and ethnic minorities all over the North and particularly in the Middle Belt throughout the 80s and 90s cannot be denied.
The bitter truth of Boko Haram and the relentless slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Nigerians by Islamic fundamentalists in northern Nigeria from 2009 up until today cannot be denied. The truth of the murder of dozens of young NYSC members and hundreds of other people in the far North in 2011 cannot be denied. The truth of the brutal slaughter of innocent Nigerians by Fulani herdsmen over the last 20 years and up until today cannot be denied”.
Now the truth is that all but one of these claims can definitely be denied; and I so deny them. Not only Fani-Kayode manufactures lies for truth, but also twists whatever truth therein upside down. The truth is that there was no massacre of any sort in Jos in 1945 and no single soul killed; talk less of “hundreds slaughtered”. This is a figment of the author’s imagination. It is a lie and I deny it as an event in our history. He who alleges must prove; let him bring his proof. Yes, there was the 1953 massacre in Kano, but it’s a vicious lie that “thousands were killed”. Page 21 of the Official Report of the Kano Disturbances of May 1953, set up by the British Colonial Government, gave out the number of persons killed at 36; 15 northerners and 21 southerners. So where did Fani-Kayode get his figures of thousands from?
Similarly, the pogrom of 1966 did not get “hundreds of thousands dead”. While nothing can excuse the terrible deeds in the North, and the reprisals in the East, even Ojukwu, and later Biafra’s propaganda machine, did not play such a dreadful ‘number game’ as given out by Fani-Kayode in his write-up. For example, in the foreword of the Eastern Region’s booklet, Pogrom, Ojukwu spoke of ‘more than 7,000 dead’. At the Aburi Conference in 1967, long after all the casualty returns were in, he said 10,000 had died. Also, using the dead figures to justify secession, Biafran propaganda had claimed 30,000 killed. But as stated by the veteran European journalist, John de St. Jorre, who covered the civil war, “while the true figure will probably never be known but most reliable estimates put it at between 6,000 and 8,000”, thus tallying with Ojukwu’s Aburi figure. On the face of these, therefore, one can categorically deny Fani-Kayode’s so-called truth of ‘hundreds of thousands killed’. The same St. Jorre, in concluding his book The Nigerian Civil War, posited: “The pursuit of Nigerian unity killed between half a million and a million Nigerians. And based on consensus of informed opinion I personally feel that around 600,000 for total deaths may be nearest the mark” during the entire war. I take this figure of St. Jorre who was on ground, which in any case tallies with most figures of the civil war literature, to deny Fani-Kayode’s bloated millions.
It is only on the Asaba massacre of 1969 that Fani-Kayode’s 1,000 figure is near the mark, as 800 men and boys were killed when the federal troops entered the town after fierce fighting. However, this cold blooded act was carried out not by northerners but, to Fani-Kayode’s probable consternation, by “an Ibo-hating major” from the Midwest. Again, “the ‘truth’ of the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Christians and ethnic minorities all over the North and particularly in the Middle Belt throughout the 80s and 90s” can be denied in terms of both figures and twisting of facts. The first major crisis of this nature was the Kafanchan uprising in 1987. According to the New Nigerian of 17 April 1987, the Kafanchan crisis claimed 19 lives. Then there was the Zagon Kataf disturbances of May 1992. In sum, 471 persons were officially confirmed killed in the disturbances. This official figure may, however, represent an understatement of the scale of casualties and destructions. Indeed, the presentations of the Zangon Hausa community to the investigation panel included names of some 1,528 members of the community who reportedly died in the disturbances. There were several other uprisings in Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Plateau, Kogi, Nassarawa, Bauchi, etc. which, according to Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, claimed an estimated 8,211 lives. And, interestingly, over 5,000 of the dead are said to be Hausa-Fulani Muslims viewed as unwanted settlers in the lands of indigenous autochthons. So while Fani-Kayode’s figure of ‘hundred thousands’ is a refutable far cry, the majority of those killed were also not Christian minorities but Hausa-Fulani Muslims. Equally, the Wikipedia put the total number of deaths by the terrorist Boko Haram insurgency at over 17,000. Given that the main theatre of their activities is in predominantly Muslim areas, it is elementary logic to guess that Muslim casualties will be by far higher in this conflict.
While I cannot deny the regrettable killing of innocent dozen NYSC members, along with many others, in the wake of the 2011 general elections, it can be asserted, however, that the issue of Fulani herdsmen is a very recent phenomenon. And even at that, the herdsmen kill just as they are themselves killed.
Please, let me not be misunderstood; I am not defending, excusing or justifying these heinous crimes perpetrated by our people – they cannot be! Every life is sacrosanct and whosoever takes the life of another must both be condemned and brought to book. But where someone tries to create a false impression of putting the entire blame on one group against the other, then it is a duty on all of us to correct that impression. Why didn’t Fani-Kayode mention the Lagos booing, pelting and insults of northerners in March 1953? Why didn’t he mention the brutal uprisings in the Western Region in the wake of the 1965 elections? Why didn’t he bring up the murderous coup of January 1966? Why didn’t he bring up the deadly Ondo uprising in the wake of the 1983 elections? Why didn’t he bring up the OPC crisis in the Southwest? And why didn’t he bring up the killings by the Niger Delta militants and the MASSOB in which northerners have been victims?
He didn’t do so simply because it would illustrate that some of what he mentions were reactions to unmentioned previous actions. For example, there certainly wouldn’t have been the Kano May riots without the Lagos March episodes of 1953. Similarly, it was unlikely to have had the 1966 pogrom, and probably the civil war all together, without the January coup selective killings. And without the pogrom and the war, which widened the doors of murders and butchery, there might not have been these subsequent killings in the country as enumerated, albeit falsely, by the author.
I think I know Fani-Kayode’s problem – I honestly believe he is a victim of what we call in history as ‘the Kisra Effect’ – i.e a conscious, deliberate and systematic distortion of historical facts in order to respond to a perceived or real present danger as a means of protecting and advancing certain unmerited acquired self-interest. This is usually driven by fear and/or inferiority complex.  It sets in motion a process in the mind leading the heart to be diseased against the truth; programming it to see no good in certain people; and taking it upon itself to propagate jaundiced belief that certain people are naturally evil against others. But like all  propaganda, it feeds the unsuspecting members of the public with only one side of the story – the side that will make them boil with hatred against the people it is programming them to hate! The other side that it hides makes up the real truth, which the public needs to recognize and draw object lessons from to avoid ruin. The earlier the victim also cleanses his heart of this vice the better for him and the society. While it is only truth that can set the heart free of such malady, it is also for the victim to reconcile himself with the truth of his situation.

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The Ile-Ife and Yoruba of my dream, by Ooni-elect, Adeyeye Ogunwusi

I have a story to tell the world   and most importantly the people of  Ile-Ife.  About 40 years ago, I was born into the Giesi Ruling House, Ojaja Royal Compound in the ancient city of Ile-Ife.
From birth, my life has been a journey; one that I embarked on, saddled with great conscientiousness when I became a responsible father at the age of 19, which shaped and groomed me for greater challenges ahead.
To cater for my family as a young father, I became very enterprising with the knack of building something out of nothing. This certainly increased my temperament for being successful in all my endeavours, as well as towing the right path as a responsible father.
Thus, in the following years, I was able to build a consortia of companies with a team of well-versed, highly skilled and unskilled professionals from scratch and with hard work and God’s providence. This has made me a huge employer of labour and a captain of industries. The story of Ile-Ife begins as the cradle of civilization and has spread its tentacles beyond Black Africa.
The Ooni stool is highly revered and exalted and as the world looks on; our strength and emphasis need to be injected into the development of Ile-Ife as a beacon of hope and enviable city.
Spiritual home  of all Yoruba
Suffices to say that Ile-Ife is the ancestral and spiritual home of all Yorubas, bona fide, in Nigeria and the Diaspora, and the World Headquarters of the House of Oduduwa, which comprises  people resident in nearly all the continents of the world.
Thus, the Ooni, as the head of the vast Oduduwa family, must be no less versatile and resourceful. Available evidences from the curatorial community and archaeological discoveries have put the origin of Ile-Ife around 2000 years BC.
Around this time, the people of Ile-Ife have distinguished themselves in technology and cultural advancement. A notable fact in this direction is Ori-Olokun: though purportedly ‘discovered’ by the famous German archaeologist Leo Frobenius in 1910, but had been in existence for thousands of years.
Discovery: The pure-copper sculpture took the entire arts world by storm at the time of its discovery that experts from the West argued that the artefact was a mystery that was too sophisticated to have been created by African hands. However, after careful examinations of other works, profusely located in and around the city and bearing striking resemblance, the world accepted the truth that the advanced people of Ile-Ife had, not only wielded the technology to turn iron to alloy but also of moulding abstract artworks out of the product. Consequently, it is now accepted by the curatorial community that the advanced artistic techniques used to create the sculpture were more advanced than those of Renaissance Italy, and comparable to those of [the artist] Donatello.
Yet, Ile-Ife has not taken its rightful position as the ‘source’ of civilization despite her wealth of history, culture and tradition.
Having found ourselves in such state of affairs where the potential of the land remains untapped and its people lacking economic and social emancipation, we should all take it upon ourselves to redress this situation.
Redressing the situation
The Ile-Ife of ‘my dream’ will be strategically positioned to empower its people socially, economically and culturally to bring about the desired developments. Now, with our resolve to transform Ile-Ife we are ‘SET’ to leave no stone unturned, in the drive to put Ile-Ife on the map of the world. Our ultimate goal is to reposition the House of Oduduwa as a worthy example of successful inward-looking community.
At this juncture, I consider it pertinent to share with everyone the account of how Nigeria as a nation came to be. The Royal Niger Company was a mercantile company charter by the British government in the nineteenth century. It was formed in 1879 as the United African Company and became the Royal Niger Company in 1886. By 1900 it went through several name changes and in 1914 a merger occurred between the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and the Northern Nigeria Protectorate to become the independent Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1960.  It suffices to say our beloved nation developed through a corporation of technocrats and quality mind input. Arguably, this is one of the several ways cities and communities are built; through large corporations. The ethos of this account goes to prove that any geographic setting can undergo boundless growth through clusters of companies which invariably can lead to the creation of settlements and human capital development.
Consequently, there is a huge possibility for Ile-Ife to experience tremendous growth through industrialization and developmental projects like a company managed by dedicated sons and daughters of Ife and all Ife enthusiasts. I have no doubt, Ife will be great again due to its economic dexterity. Ife has one of the largest land mass in the South-west beaming with natural resources including three out of the four factors of production; ‘land’, ‘labour’ and ‘entrepreneurship’ and with our great resolve we shall work towards ‘capital’ creation.
I am very passionate about my roots with the determination of bringing Ile-Ife to the forefront of economic and social affairs. In my private life, I have for a while been involved in many philanthropic gestures in Ile-Ife and its environs. The progressiveness of the youths of Ile-Ife is at the core of my philosophy and I have been instilling hope to thousands of youths through the various ongoing reciprocity Programmes I established a while ago.
It is within the dictates of our culture that the young shall provide for the old and for this reason our youths need to be nurtured and engaged positively hence they can attain financial independence and in return provide for their parents, families and dependants. This is not to say that the old and elderly will be left out. There will be various empowerment Programmes for the elderly and the widowed to learn new trades and acquire new skills that will help stamp out redundancy and at the same time be financially rewarding to them.
Many might argue that the tasks before me are incredibly monumental and impossible. However, I do not get easily swayed by the idea of impossibilities. In every challenging situation what I see is a speck of possibility which I build on till the task at hand is completed. I have done this time over time and I have defied the rules of men to follow my gut instincts. I have excelled where, people had predicted failure and I derived the most joy where others have said emphatically “it is not possible.”
A recent classic example of turning  impossibilities to possibilities took place at ‘Parakin’ in Ile-Ife where I converted a sizeable piece of thick forest land into a beautiful castle within a month. The land hitherto, was a garbage dump and an escape route for men of the underworld in the vicinity which constituted a social menace to the inhabitants of ‘Parakin’.
In recent history one cannot mention Ile-Ife without acknowledging the Ife and Modakeke conflict. It’s unfortunate that lives were lost during the war between Ife and Modakeke; a war that had no economic value and displaced many lives. I paid a courtesy visit to the youths affected by the war and implored them to be proactive. Furthermore I urged them to be on the straight and narrow path and propagated the tenets of hard work as the only way to make it in life.
Touching  experiences
In the course of my life I have had many touching experiences. However, my most compelling experience till date involves two young boys namely Demola Adewole and Taye Fayemi. Demola and thousands of others energetic youths visit work sites on a daily basis to solicit for money. I took it upon myself to get to know these young boys and found that all they wanted was to earn a decent living. We got acquainted with Demola and found out he was a welder. Without hesitation, we helped to re-orientate him and got him involved in construction work in ‘Parakin’. Demola Adewole has turned out to be one of the best welders I have been privileged to work with till date.
Another set of energetic youths on one of the days I visited Ife chased after my car, many of them climbed onto the fast moving car and during the tussle to stay latched on to the car, one of them got injured. I got out of the car and addressed all of them and asked why they would want to hurt themselves and with no care in the world, Taye replied “death means nothing to me”; I shed tears, there is no hope for the youths and no one to rebuild their dashed hopes or future.
Taye Fayemi was simply desperate to make a living for himself and today, to the glory of God I personally supervise Taye’s rehabilitation, his personal development and wellbeing.
Destinies: Similar to the story of Demola and Taye, are thousands of youths with different expertise that need our help to find their feet, many whose destinies would have been cut short like the others lost the war. I cannot but emphasize that the development and well being of our youths is paramount to our future and one that is very close to my heart.
This area needs to be properly addressed to ensure our youths are well engaged in various professional and vocational pursuits.
Today, and to the glory of God, I have been energized to rehabilitate and take off the streets several thousands of youths by providing them with gainful employment. Furthermore, we shall set up a foundation that will support post war effects and the rebuilding of war torn Ife and Modakeke.
Thereafter there shall NEVER be war again. I stand firmly for peace and unity between Ife and Modakeke and I guarantee that this peace and unity will transcend into economic and social benefits for everyone.
Similarly, we shall use this stool to unify the entire Yoruba race; there shall be no division, no supremacy or animosity amongst us, we are all from the one and the same source-God Almighty.
Coming to the throne is a clarion call to heed my selfless desire to serve the people of Ile-Ife, the Yoruba race and all of humanity. We will use the stool to provide a lot of opportunities to invest in the youths through mentor-ship and empowerment programs that will further take thousands off the streets on a gradual basis. Youths all over the country will be eligible for the mentor-ship programme and Ife will be the pilot model. We will use the stool to transpose Ile-Ife into the twenty-first century and with the use and influence of social media we are ‘set’ for his transformation. Sons and daughters of Ife and Ife enthusiasts around the world will have an input in the building of the New Ife City, ‘NIC’ through constructive feedback. ‘Socially’, we are ‘set’ to revive and promote Ile-Ife as a tourist destination.
‘Economically’ we are ‘set’ to increase our industrial footprints to give Ife the much desired facelift and ‘Traditionally’ we are ‘set’ to redefine the kingship system by blending modernity into our cultural values and practices and our tradition of thousands of years will stand.
Plans are well under-way to revitalize Ife in the areas of Sports, Mining, Agriculture, Real Estate, Tourism and rapid industrialization. To achieve this transformation, a brand new platform named ‘House Of Oduduwa Resources Limited’ has been established to stimulate the entire economy of Ile-Ife with a positive impact on the entire Yoruba race and our nation as a whole. ‘House Of Oduduwa Resources Limited’ will be tasked with rebuilding Ife into the ‘New Ife city’, NIC.
However, this is a herculean task which can only be achieved with the support of all well-meaning technocrats, sons and daughters of Ile-Ife in Nigeria and in the Diaspora and all lovers of Ife. My fervent desire is to grow ‘House Of Oduduwa Resources Limited’ into one of the
biggest corporations out of Africa, likewise uniting all lovers of Ife with the people of Ife. Earlier this year, I acquainted the youths of
Ile-Ife of my plans to replicate the truly Nigerian project, Inagbe Grand Resorts Lagos, Nigeria (almost hundred percent of raw materials
used are locally sourced) in Ile-Ife. Inagbe Grand Resorts is the first of its kind and will soon be the most sought after resort destination in all of West Africa. I have developed an incredible master plan for the proposed ‘Ife Grand Resorts’ which will be an off shoot of ‘Inagbe Grand Resorts Lagos’. The ‘Ife Grand Resort’ project and the ‘NIC’ initiative was conceived to attract young men and women, businesses, corporate organization, investors, holiday makers, lovers of Ife and Ife in Diaspora to a comfortable ambience to stay when they are away from home. This will continually put Ile-Ife, the cradle of black civilization on the map likewise showcasing many artefacts about the Yoruba race, hence creating a steady influx of people into Ile-Ife.
The time has come for us to embrace our true heritage as the progeny of Oduduwa and the task of modernizing Ile-Ife is yours and mine. I am highly honoured to have been chosen to fill the stool that great men once occupied; history and I will forever remember this day. I use
this opportunity to pay tribute to Oba Adesoji Aderemi and Oba Okunade Sijuwade; these monarchs were colossus that redefined the monarchy with touch of diligence, elegance and gravitas that traversed so many cultural boundaries. They were great fathers to me and I will forever miss and honour them.
I am not coming to the throne to pass judgment on those that have maliciously wronged me. But then, I should think that a bid to be enthroned as the foremost Oba in Yoruba race should be healthy and ordained of God. There is also the Ifa divination that also synthesizes the process, just in case human beings are partial.
Rather, some people resorted to dangerous attacks, wicked lies, malicious insinuations and vigorous campaign of calumny. Why would I fail to forgive them when all came to nought and the good people and governments of Ife and State of Osun saw through these unfair games and chose me as the prestigious Ooni of Ife.
Therefore, I am coming to set a good example and show the world that I am truly called by God to lead Ile-Ife into a state of tranquillity, conscientiousness and prosperity. It is my fervent prayer that the Lord will continue to guide us all and bestow us with great wisdom to carry out our incumbent tasks. I use this opportunity to call on all the sons of Ile-Ife that were alongside me in the race for the stool to heed to my call and let’s work harmoniously to align our goals for the sake of posterity and Ile-Ife. Together we shall not lose sight of the values and tradition that have made us the greatest nation of black people on earth. I come before you all today as a man pledging his unwavering commitment to his Kingdom and his people that I cannot do this alone; without you all there is no me “I will serve you all with everything I have”. Long live Ile-Ife; long live the Yoruba race, long live the House of Oduduwa, and God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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Angry Letter to Nigerian Youth: The future is here with us

By Bayo Adeyinka

My dear Nigerian Youth,
It was Albert Einstein that said “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it”.
That, unfortunately, is what you are doing. You complain about the problems and challenges but that’s all you do. You follow the same people who created the problems and eulogize them to high heavens. You are guilty of lack of depth and originality. Your level of thinking is pedestrian. Since no one can rise beyond the level of their thinking, you have remained at the aboriginal state of being- the same with your progenitors. Universities and tertiary institutions shape and mould their products such that they stand out in the originality of their ideas.
Alexandria, the first University in the world was a centre of enlightenment. Harvard turns out products who impact the world. Yale and MIT products leave their indelible footprints everywhere they go. Our own local universities and tertiary institutions churn out mass ignorance. They produce graduates who should know but don’t even know that they don’t know.
You only have weight and occupy space. Your constant thought is only about today while you don’t seem to know that tomorrow is already here with us. You wallow in the past while your contemporaries the world over leave you behind. Africa is behind the Western world by almost 250 years. You know what that means? You’re a relic. You’re a museum piece. You’re stuck in your ways. You’re becoming a liability to the entire world.
While youths all over the world are innovating and inventing things, all you do is to fight over one politician or the other. You carry placards at the screening of ‘wannabe’ ministers when your brains actually need screening. There is no other country in the world where people love their oppressors like you do. You think you change governments but all you do is change one oppressor with another.
While the demographics of leadership the world over is getting younger, yours is getting ancestral. The youngest person in your government’s cabinet is 48 while the oldest is 68. Justin Trudeau, the new Prime Minister of Canada is 43. If he were to be a Nigerian, he won’t even get a cabinet position. In 1973, Yakubu Gowon was 39 years when he visited Canada and shook hands with Justin Trudeau who was barely 2 years then. Today, Justin Trudeau is the Prime Minister.
The future is here with us while we remain stuck in the past. While others are carrying the destiny of their nations, you are carrying the bags of politicians. In 2012, 19-year-old Proscovia Alengot Oromait was elected as a member of parliament. Now 22 years old, she is the youngest person ever elected to office in not only Uganda but the entire African continent. While some are solving the problems of their nations, you Nigerian youth are one of the problems of the continent.
Does it not bother you that once you’re above 40 years, you have lesser years to spend as you arrive at the departure lounge of life? Should you not be thinking about the future more than the present? For instance, by 2050 Nigeria will hit the 1b population mark. Thirty five years before 2050, we are still stuck in subsistence farming. We can’t feed 170m people now so how can we feed 1b people? We can’t provide housing for 170m people now, so how can we provide housing for 1b people? While the rest of humanity is trying to land on Mars with 200,000 applicants vying for just 100 slots, we still find it difficult to run an airline.
While Fulani cattle run amok on people’s farms in Nigeria as a result of the archaic nomadic husbandry being practiced, future cities are being built elsewhere to raise cows on rooftops. Within five years, Europeans will swipe their smart phones or watches to pay for most goods and services, use phones as digital wallets, use them to borrow money, invest it and transfer it to other countries while we are still stuck with brick and mortar.
Mercedes-Benz is developing a system that will learn your schedule, tastes and even moods after a short while. For example, it knows that you leave the house every weekday at 7:30 a.m. to take your kids to school and the right temperature you always want in your car. Based on GPS and satellite data, it quickly learns your preferred routes and tracks real-time traffic problems, so it can suggest detours to help you save time. The car can even tune the radio to the Inspiration FM channel until you drop off the kids, at which time it will recommend Wazobia FM. In the afternoons, it knows you usually prefer Classic FM. A car can make smart decisions but you can’t.
Almost 3,000 cars and trucks equipped with prototype vehicle-to-vehicle(V2V) devices have been driving around a city in Michigan, over the past year-and-a-half as part of a pilot program by the University of Michigan and the U.S. Department of Transportation. What they are doing? Cars equipped with these devices emit beeps when they detect potential hazards such as another vehicle entering an intersection, a pedestrian, a patch of ice or even their driver speeding too fast around a curve. It is expected that these devices could prevent up to 76% of crashes on American roads. All we do here is to erect speed-breakers. We are always arriving very late. The first ATM in the world was installed in 1967. Nigeria’s first ATM was in 1990- twenty three years late.
Why am I so angry with you? Shouldn’t my anger be directed at your dealers erroneously called leaders? It’s because the destiny of this nation lie in your hands and you know not. A nation is as hopeless as its youths. A nation is as helpless as its youths. A nation is as creative as its youths. A nation is as clueless as its youths. A nation is as energetic as its youths. The strength of a nation lies in the promise of its youths. The greatness of a nation lies in the potential of its youths. A nation’s destiny is then essentially that charted by the young population. Whatever a nation will be, look no farther than the youth. I look at you and I’m afraid for Nigeria.
You are a mass production from the factory of ignorance. You are victims of a dysfunctional society. You are inheritors of an estate of crass foolishness. You are like Nabal of whom it was described that folly is with him. All you know how to do is wear designer labels- from Gucci to Prada, from Versace to Armani- you’re obviously well dressed but you’re a well dressed fool. You refuse to dance to the beats of the future rather preferring to wallow in the shallowness of the past. Wole Soyinka described his generation as a wasted generation. Will you be wasted also?
It is time to force your way to relevance. It is time to take responsibility for the future because the future will not be inherited- it will be earned. Stop playing the blame game. Stop blaming your circumstances because you can rise in spite of them. Stop blaming your ancestors because they bequeathed a legacy of ignorance to you- they don’t know any better. Organize rather than agonize. Don’t just think outside the box. Throw away the box. You have the numbers- use them to force a real change. As you ask questions, go further by seeking answers. Rather, be the answer. As you talk about the challenges, go further by seeking solutions. Rather, be the solution.
Find your niche. Faajihub was started when a cousin of Olaotan Oladitan, who’s one the founders, was coming in from the United Kingdom for her wedding. It was a challenge for her finding the people needed to make the event a success. Faajihub now has at least 700 vendors of different kinds. Faajihub is solving the problem of choice in event management. Brian Bett is a Kenyan agriculture techpreneur who designed a locally made greenhouse for the equivalent of N250,000.
The cheapest greenhouse in Nigeria is about N1.5m. Brian is solving the hunger problem. GoMyWay is a ride sharing service started by Damola Teidi, a model in her 20s. Damola is solving the transportation problem. Hotels.ng was started by Mark Essien and has over 6,000 hotels on its portal. Mark is solving the hospitality problem. PrepClass is an app by Olumide Ogunlana aimed at helping students prepare for exams. The app assists you to identify your weak points apart from the core functionality of preparation for exams.
Olumide is solving our educational problem. Jobberman, one of the top jobs websites in Nigeria was started by the trio of Opeyemi Awoyemi, Ayodeji Adewunmi and Olalekan Olude in 2009 during the famed ASUU strike. Jobberman is tackling the employment challenge. What problems are you solving? Stop merely existing. It’s time to start living. Let your life be a contribution to humanity and not a contamination to humanity. The future is already here with us.

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Lessons Nigeria can learn from Finnish education system – Amb. Suomela-Chowdhury

The Finnish Embassy in Nigeria and the Finland Trade Centre have concluded plans to showcase Finnish firms and their products in Lagos, in the first week of November with a view to strengthening the business relationships between Nigerian and Finnish companies.  In this interview, the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Pirjo Soumela-Chowdhury explains the idea behind exhibition. Excerpts:
By Victoria Ojeme
Your Excellency, how would you describe bilateral the relationship between Finland and Nigeria?
The relations are good and strong, and actually very long, too. Finland established its first sub-Saharan Embassy in Nigeria – in Lagos in 1963, then later on we moved to Abuja. At the same time, the relations could be more intensive – and that is the core of what I am aiming at during my tenure as Ambassador of Finland in Nigeria. There is still potential for  more in the relations.

Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Pirjo Soumela-Chowdhury

What aspect of these relations are you focusing on specifically?
The most central focus of our work is in promoting trade and economic relations. There are already several Finnish companies doing business in Nigeria. Nokia in the communications field and Wärtsilä in the power sector are both big global players that are present all over the world, and also in Nigeria. Many other companies work in Nigeria through a local representative.
Meteorological   technology
In infrastructure development – a very important area in Nigeria – one could mention KONE which produces escalators and lifts – or Vaisala that makes very specialized meteorological technology, present in many Nigerian airports. I recognize, however, that the relations between Finland and Nigeria could be much more active than is presently the case. My aim is that the still rather modest trade volumes between our two countries will grow significantly in the future. I am very hopeful in this respect, as interest in Finland towards Nigeria is definitely growing.
One area that we are closely looking at is health and wellbeing, and how to promote trade relations in this area that clearly is now very topical both in Finland and in Nigeria. There are some Finnish companies already working in the health sector in Nigeria, and I can see that there is a good deal of interests among other Finnish businesses. In fact, we are organising a business event on health and wellbeing in Lagos  on the 3rd  of November. There will be some Finnish businesses present there. At the same time, it will be a more general discussion and exchange of views on issues of health and wellbeing. Along with trade and economic relations, of course it is also important for Finland to foster good political relations with Nigeria – which is an important regional and global player, and for instance very active in the United Nations. Over the last few years, there have been several high-level visits between our countries, and I am confident we will continue on this path.
Nigeria is yet to achieve its universal health basic needs and services. How does the health care system work in Finland?
Health is indeed a very essential and important aspect of every society, and also a very important issue personally to all of us. Challenges and solutions may vary from country to country. My knowledge and experience is on how we do things in my country. In Finland, the system is based on publicly funded universal health care. Municipalities are responsible for providing healthcare services, for instance running the local health care centres. These services are financed with tax money, along with some small and very affordable user fees. In health, there is also a private sector, but its role is much smaller than that of the public sector. General health policy in Finland is decided at national level, with the ministry of health and social affairs as the highest authority. Obviously, we have a very comprehensive taxation system that ensures revenue for public expenses like health services.
What are the details of the health and wellbeing event that Finland will soon be organizing in Lagos. What are your expectations? 
The Embassy of Finland is organizing this event, November 3, together with Finland Trade Centre in Lagos. We have been planning it already for some time now, and it is one of the highlights of our activities in Nigeria this year. In Nigeria, we have a special focus on health and wellbeing, which is something that we have identified as an area with a lot of potential and interest in Nigeria as well as in Finland. There are already Finnish companies working here in this sector, and many others have interest in entering the Nigerian market.
Special focus on health
In the event, there will be Finnish companies present, so that participants will be able to take a first-hand look at their expertise and products, and to get an idea of the kind of things Finland has to offer. But perhaps even more importantly, the event will provide a platform for a more general discussion and exchange of ideas on health and wellbeing. There will be a Professor from Finland who is an expert in the so called non-communicable diseases – conditions such as heart and coronary diseases, diabetes and cancer. These illnesses are more and more prevalent in Nigeria, too. In Finland we have a lot of experience and expertise in this area. Some decades ago heart and coronary diseases used to be a very big problem in my country, and we put a lot of effort and research into looking at the causes as well as prevention. It was found that diet and other lifestyle issues played a big role, and that by making changes in them you could prevent a lot of these diseases. In the Lagos event, we will also have a prominent Nigerian expert – Dr Kingsley Akinroye who is the Executive Director of the Nigerian Heart Foundation – and also Honorary Consul of Finland.  I look forward to a very fruitful meeting, with lots of networking, and a lively discussion on issues of health and wellbeing.
What is Finland doing to support efforts to promote healthcare outside Finland?
As a member country of the European Union, Finland is supporting development efforts worldwide, including in Nigeria. We are also strong supporters of the United Nations system, and channel development finance through many UN organizations, including the UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women and WHO, as well as through the International Financial Institutions. In Nigeria we have also supported some NGO projects in the area of health – for instance in Ibadan in Oyo State a school health project. Finland is also active in, and chairs this year, the so called Global Health Security Agenda initiative which aims at preventing infectious diseases and responding to them effectively.
 Nokia is the most famous Finnish brand in Nigeria. What is their presence in Nigeria and how many Nigerians do they employ? 
Nokia is indeed a very successful Finnish company, and one could say even very much part of the Finnish identity. They now focus on the network business where they are important players in Nigeria, too. I have visited the Nokia office in Lagos and have met their Nigerian staff. In addition, there must be lots of Nigerians who in one way or another, more or less directly, have been involved or employed in different Nokia projects. For exact numbers of course you would have to ask Nokia themselves.
Let’s talk about education: the Finnish education system is known for its high quality – how does it work? 
It is true that the Finnish education system has been quite a success. The international fame that it has acquired in recent years happened without us advertising it. What happened is that our schools produced high quality results, according to international rankings, which then became highly publicized. Perhaps the most important one of those where Finland has done well over several years has been the PISA ranking that measures the skills of 16-year-olds in areas such as literacy and mathematics. The two things I always bring up as success factors of the Finnish education system are: firstly, equality of opportunity – high quality education is available free of charge for everybody in Finland, no matter what your social status or where you live in the country.
Teacher training
Secondly, I always mention teacher training. In Finland teaching is actually a very popular profession, so you have very good students applying to universities to study to become teachers. Entrance to universities is in fact quite competitive, and some prospective students might apply many times before being admitted, this also goes for teacher training. Another important thing is vocational education which does not always get enough appreciation. In Finland vocational education is actually quite popular, and often students with good grades choose to study in vocational institutions. For a labour market to function well, it is very important also to have enough people with vocational skills – not just university graduates.
What lessons can Nigeria learn from the Finnish education system?
One has to recognize that situations and challenges are different in different parts of the world, and that therefore solutions might have to be different, too. The things that have worked in Finland are free high quality education available for all, good teacher training, recognizing the importance of vocational education, and also life-long learning. In Finland, there is also a very strong appreciation for education and learning in general – as of course there is in many other countries, too, including in Nigeria I understand.

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Water down your cancer risk with watermelon

Watermelon is a “wonder fruit” and the perfect example of food that can help you stay hydrated. The juice is full of good electrolytes, not only great on a hot day, but also helps to quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, asthma, atherosclerosis, and even cancer.

Let your watermelon fully ripen…

Watermelon contains mostly water but the refreshing fruit is loaded with goodness. Each juicy bite is loaded with powerful nutrients. Like other fruits and vegetables, watermelons may be helpful in reducing the risk of cancer through their antioxidant properties.
Most of the most important antioxidants in nature, such as vitamin C (which boosts the immune system), vitamin A (which maintains eye health), and vitamin B6 (which augments brain function), are found in watermelon.
Two important anticancer agents, carotenoid and lycopene are are present in high quantities in watermelons. As a matter of fact, watermelon has the highest concentration of lycopene of any known fresh fruit or vegetable.
Lycopene is a phytonutrient, which is a naturally occurring compound in fruits and vegetables that reacts with the human body to trigger healthy reactions. It is also the red pigment that gives watermelons, tomatoes, red grapefruits and guavas their colour. Scientists have taken notice of watermelon’s high lycopene levels.
Lycopene has been widely studied in humans and found to be protective against prostate, lung, colorectal, endometrial, and breast cancers. Lycopene has also been shown to help prevent heart disease. It has also been linked with heart health, bone health and prostate cancer prevention. It’s also a powerful antioxidant thought to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Watermelon’s high levels of lycopene are very effective at protecting cells from damage and may help lower risk of heart disease. The lycopene in watermelon makes it an anti-inflammatory fruit. Lycopene is an inhibitor for various inflammatory processes and also works as an antioxidant to neutralize free radicals.
To really maximize your lycopene intake, let your watermelon fully ripen. The redder your watermelon gets, the higher the concentration of lycopene becomes. Beta-carotene and phenolic antioxidant content also increase as the watermelon ripens. Nevertheless, all parts of the watermelon are good. There are a lot of nutrients throughout, including the white flesh nearest the rind.
Watermelons are rich in electrolytes (sodium and potassium), nourishing the body by not only replacing the electrolytes lost through sweat, but also by hydrating cells and maintaining the water balance. And because of the higher water content and lower calorie content than many other fruits, watermelon delivers more nutrients per calorie – an outstanding health benefit.
Try this great tip today. Cut a medium or large watermelon into small pieces and remove the seeds. Take about two cups of the diced watermelon and put into the blender. Add strawberries and some yogurt or milk and a little honey. If you want it a bit thicker, add a couple of bananas or avocado for added taste. Blend and enjoy!

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Pompeiians healthy before volcanic death, CT scans reveal

The victims of Mount Vesuvius, preserved in ash for nearly 2,000 years, have been CT scanned, revealing details of their lives.

Perhaps the most famous volcanic catastrophe in all of history was the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. It was an extraordinarily violent event: The volcano exploded, heaving ash, stones and fumes 33 kilometres (20.5 miles) into the air, and ejecting crushed pumice and lava at a rate of 1.5 million tons per second.

The eruption lasted 18 hours, spewing several billion tons of debris. This fell on the nearby towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum and several smaller settlements. While many citizens were able to evacuate and survive, others took shelter in buildings. This move was ultimately to prove fatal. As the ash and pumice accumulated on rooftops, the buildings collapsed under the weight, burying and suffocating those inside. The bodies were sealed inside when lava flowed and hardened over the top of the ash and pumice.

Herculaneum, which was the closer of the two cities, was buried under 23 metres (75.4ft) of material, including lava flows. Pompeii was buried under 2.5-3 metres (8.2-9.8ft) of material, consisting mainly of pumice and ash. Both cities were considered too damaged to rebuild and were simply abandoned, the bodies left buried.

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How Microcontrollers Work

Microcontrollers are hidden inside a surprising number of products these days. If your microwave oven has an LED or LCD screen and a keypad, it contains a microcontroller. All modern automobiles contain at least one microcontroller, and can have as many as six or seven: The engine is controlled by a microcontroller, as are the anti-lock brakes, the cruise control and so on. Any device that has a remote control almost certainly contains a microcontroller: TVs, VCRs and high-end stereo systems all fall into this category. Nice SLR and digital cameras, cell phones, camcorders, answering machines, laser printers, telephones (the ones with caller ID, 20-number memory, etc.), pagers, and feature-laden refrigerators, dishwashers, washers and dryers (the ones with displays and keypads)... You get the idea. Basically, any product or device that interacts with its user has a microcontroller buried inside.
In this article, we will look at microcontrollers so that you can understand what they are and how they work. Then we will go one step further and discuss how you can start working with microcontrollers yourself -- we will create a digital clock with a microcontroller! We will also build a digital thermometer. In the process, you will learn an awful lot about how microcontrollers are used in commercial products.

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Contact Professional Computer Repair Experts for Laptop Virus Removal

If you have found a problem with your computer there is no need to panic as most of the repairs is minor and can be deftly handled by professional computer repair experts. It is common that over a period of time you may encounter any software or hardware problems in the system and it doesn't mean that you have to think about a replacement as they can be handled by the computer repair technicians. In case you have a laptop cracked screen repair or a cracked computer screen repair you can immediately contact the computer repair experts who can fix the problem within no time. As the screen cracks due to an accidental fall or slip you should immediately turn off the power and wait for the technician. The repair expert depending on the damage shall either try to fix it or carefully remove the cracked screen for replacement. They follow a systematic procedure in removing and installing the new screen so that your laptop or computer functions normally without any errors.
The computer repair technicians also handle all kinds of repairs whether hardware or software issues and you can schedule their appointment either for an on-site repair or take your system to their workshop. In case you encounter a computer virus attack it is necessary that you avail their services as virus attack may cause irreversible loss of your data. As you bring the system to them, they shall perform an extensive scan to detect all viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware and malware to successfully remove from the system and install the system with new antivirus software that guards your computer from any more virus attacks. The laptop virus removal enhances the functionality and speed of your system.
Similarly, you can contact the computer repair experts for network troubleshooting services as they can help you connect to the routers, network and wireless printers, switches, transfer of files and documents to other systems etc. either for home or professional work place systems. The technicians also offer their remote services through phone so that any minor repairs can be handled by you on the spot. For any other major repairs they ensure that the job is done within 24 hours' time as they know your productivity is affected if the computer is down for repair. You can fix an appointment online for the computer repair services or maintenance to enjoy uninterrupted services on your computer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9179834

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