Academic Staff Union of Universities and three other unions in the universities commenced an indefinite strike on June 22, 2009 to force the Federal Government to sign and implement the agreement entered into with them in 2001.
The Federal Government through the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu met the leadership of the Unions severally before the negotiation broke down. Whilst all stakeholders were wondering what next to do, the Minister knew what next to do. He organised an expensive wedding and birthday anniversary that was the talk of the town for weeks. The creme de la creme of the society were present at the expensive bash. The Ministers children flown in and had a wonderful time at the taxpayers expense.
For four months that the strike lasted, the students were on the street wasting away. Some got part time jobs while some learnt new skill like computer programming, sewing, dancing etc. While some were busy finding tasks to keep them fully engaged and productive, some went into prostitution and armed robbery. For a few, travelling and visiting uncles and aunts became their passion. Whether doing good or bad, the students had free time that was not planned for to waste. This is not the first time that lecturers in Nigerian Universities would be going on strike but this was one strike to many.
The Union in demanding for the signing of this agreement, looked at the state of education in Nigeria and the deterioating facilities in the Ivory Tower that were crumbling. The agreement entered into covered funding, condition of service for Academic and Non Academic staff, University autonomy and Academic freedom.
In October, Adam Oshiomole, the ex labour leader and governor of Edo Stae, was contacted by the Federal Government to lead thier team to the negotiation with the leadership of ASUU after similar effort did not yield result with the former appointees. Both team met and finally decided on a two week suspension of the strike for the final stage of the negotiation
On Funding of the Universities, UNESCO prescribed a minimum of 26% of the annual budget of each nation to go to education. But in 2009, the Federal Government of Nigeria allocated only 13% of the budget to Education. This according to the Union is not enough to restore and expand facilities such as Hostels, classrooms, laboratories in all the Federal Universities in Nigeria. The state budgetary allocation to Education is even worse.
With proper funding, Universities would engage in research which is one of the responsibilies of tertiary institutions by Professors.
On the issue of autonomy, Universities will be in a better position to manage the resources available by utilising it for necessary projects unlike the appointed governments stooges and politicians who are intersted in stealing and wastages. Also the smooth and efficient running of the Universities would not be negotiated. There would be proper accountability, utilisation and transparency in all dealings.
Salaries should be such that young scholars would stay back in Nigeria and not all take off to America and Europe in pursuit of greener pastures. The brain drain must be stopped and the time to act is now.
It is a pity that our government representatives are not in tune with the yearning and expectations of Nigerians.
I pray this is the last time that universities would shut down for months. The damage to development work, human capital and the society is huge. I pray someone that started a four year course would finish under four years and proceed for the National Youth Service Corp. I pray our students would not be leaving for Ghana to continue thier academic pursuits. My prayers are many and I know God answers.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
ADIEU MISS GRACE USHANG
When the news broke on sunday September 27th that a youth corper, Miss Grace Ushang from Cross River State serving her mandatory national one year service to her fatherland was raped and murdered in Maiduguri, i grieved.I imagined what she went through before life was finally snuffed out of her. Oh! what pain, what torment, what horror that the young lady was subjected to. Why would anyone kill another man because of religion or dress code? WHY?
I remember in 1987 the horror that almost happened when we finished from the NYSC camp in Zaria and had to stop by in Kaduna township to see my cousin and his family. I did not know he stayed at Badarawa village, a slump withn the city. Our friends took us to Kaduna and we ( my friend from school and the camp) highlighted at a nearby busstop and took a cab to the village. In fact my cousin stayed just at the boundary between the village and civilisation. In that hot afternoon in August 1987, the children had just closed from the schools around and were going home. We saw some mallams pushing carts of water containers and selling sugar canes in wheel barrows but we moved on hoping to get into the main street to ask for direction to my cousin's house. Just before we crossed the large gutter to step into the main street, the children acted as if on cue, bent and picked stones to throw at us. We were shocked and momentarily froze at one spot. Here were young ladies like Grace Ushang on National assignment from the southern part of the country in the Northern region being surrounded by children with stones and some had started throwing stones because we were wearing NYSC khaki trousers. Unfortunately the few hausa words we had picked from the language classes in the camp, did not help. God intervened. Two of the teachers in one of the schools just passed by and saw the scene unfolding so they quickly came down from their motorbikes and started shouting 'MAKARANTA NE, MAKARANTA NE'. Like a scene in one of Nigeria's Nollywood homevideos, the crowd that had gathered started dispersing slowly and relunctantly. The men apologised but we were so grateful to be alive that we almost knelt in the stagnant filty gutter to show our appreciation to the teachers for saving us from untimely death. That experience, that nightmare is still fresh as i am writing this.
Ours was a threat and we are alive to say it but the poor Miss Ushang is not alive to narrate her experience. What a shame. What an unfortunate but avoidable tragedy. Why would an agency send innocent people to areas that are prone to crisis and religious intolerance. Why waste a young girls' life so suddenly and wickedly?. Why must the ladies be sent to a remote and sometimes rural areas where there is no civilization for national assignment. Is it a must that Nigeria must be one? In all this, the innocent ones are the one paying the price for our leaders insensitivity.
May GRACE USHANG soul rest in perfect peace and may those criminals that carried out the dastardly act be apprehended by God and the police.
I remember in 1987 the horror that almost happened when we finished from the NYSC camp in Zaria and had to stop by in Kaduna township to see my cousin and his family. I did not know he stayed at Badarawa village, a slump withn the city. Our friends took us to Kaduna and we ( my friend from school and the camp) highlighted at a nearby busstop and took a cab to the village. In fact my cousin stayed just at the boundary between the village and civilisation. In that hot afternoon in August 1987, the children had just closed from the schools around and were going home. We saw some mallams pushing carts of water containers and selling sugar canes in wheel barrows but we moved on hoping to get into the main street to ask for direction to my cousin's house. Just before we crossed the large gutter to step into the main street, the children acted as if on cue, bent and picked stones to throw at us. We were shocked and momentarily froze at one spot. Here were young ladies like Grace Ushang on National assignment from the southern part of the country in the Northern region being surrounded by children with stones and some had started throwing stones because we were wearing NYSC khaki trousers. Unfortunately the few hausa words we had picked from the language classes in the camp, did not help. God intervened. Two of the teachers in one of the schools just passed by and saw the scene unfolding so they quickly came down from their motorbikes and started shouting 'MAKARANTA NE, MAKARANTA NE'. Like a scene in one of Nigeria's Nollywood homevideos, the crowd that had gathered started dispersing slowly and relunctantly. The men apologised but we were so grateful to be alive that we almost knelt in the stagnant filty gutter to show our appreciation to the teachers for saving us from untimely death. That experience, that nightmare is still fresh as i am writing this.
Ours was a threat and we are alive to say it but the poor Miss Ushang is not alive to narrate her experience. What a shame. What an unfortunate but avoidable tragedy. Why would an agency send innocent people to areas that are prone to crisis and religious intolerance. Why waste a young girls' life so suddenly and wickedly?. Why must the ladies be sent to a remote and sometimes rural areas where there is no civilization for national assignment. Is it a must that Nigeria must be one? In all this, the innocent ones are the one paying the price for our leaders insensitivity.
May GRACE USHANG soul rest in perfect peace and may those criminals that carried out the dastardly act be apprehended by God and the police.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Climate change and Nigeria
Barely nine weeks or thereabout to the United Nation summit in Copenhagen, African officials that met at a special meeting in Bukina Faso resolved to demand billions of dollars in compensation from the rich polluting nations for the harm of gases in the atmosphere. This is because Africa is the worst hit of all the continents by global warming. Even the World Bank estimated that the developing world( most countries in Africa are developing or under developed) will suffer about 80 percent of the damage of climate change.
This agitation and many other activities all over the world show that climate change is about the most important issue dominating international and national discourses right now. Different regions including Africa are taking radically different positions on how to reduce greenhouse gases that cause rise in global temperatures with disastrous consequences. Some of the negative effects of the changing climatic conditions are unusually hot weather, rising sea level due to melting of the antartic ice caps, depletion of greenbelts etc.
In Nigeria, our government is yet to put plans in place to contained the effects of climate change on the environment and the people. One wonders what position we will be taking come December 2009 negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark when all nations especially Africa will be placing demands and asking for compensation from the rich polluting nations. Is Nigeria not feeling the impact of climate change? NO? We are feeling the impact seriously. The incessant and unexplainable flooding of cities across Nigeria is taking alarming proportion. Most states are crying for help as erosion had sacked communities and rendered millions homeless. Desert encroachment is ravaging most parts of the country. People are relocating, businesses are closing down and many are thrown into the labour market.
Due to the Federal Government of Nigeria lack of direction on this issue, the Governor of Lagos state, Barrister Babatunde Raji Fashola said it was not a matter of choice but of necessity for every nation in the world to work to save our environment. Without the environment, there is no planet earth. The threat to the environment is a threat to humanity and all levels of government across the earth must act quickly irrespective of belief and convinction to save the planet. One of the effects of the changing climatic conditions is desertification and deforestation and the governor has embarked on planting and nurturing plants all over the state to combat that problem. The Federal government on its part should provide cheap source of energy so that the people do not resort to forest resources as their energy sources.
As the world celebrates Blog Action Day on climate change today, i wish everyone a pollution-free environment.
This agitation and many other activities all over the world show that climate change is about the most important issue dominating international and national discourses right now. Different regions including Africa are taking radically different positions on how to reduce greenhouse gases that cause rise in global temperatures with disastrous consequences. Some of the negative effects of the changing climatic conditions are unusually hot weather, rising sea level due to melting of the antartic ice caps, depletion of greenbelts etc.
In Nigeria, our government is yet to put plans in place to contained the effects of climate change on the environment and the people. One wonders what position we will be taking come December 2009 negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark when all nations especially Africa will be placing demands and asking for compensation from the rich polluting nations. Is Nigeria not feeling the impact of climate change? NO? We are feeling the impact seriously. The incessant and unexplainable flooding of cities across Nigeria is taking alarming proportion. Most states are crying for help as erosion had sacked communities and rendered millions homeless. Desert encroachment is ravaging most parts of the country. People are relocating, businesses are closing down and many are thrown into the labour market.
Due to the Federal Government of Nigeria lack of direction on this issue, the Governor of Lagos state, Barrister Babatunde Raji Fashola said it was not a matter of choice but of necessity for every nation in the world to work to save our environment. Without the environment, there is no planet earth. The threat to the environment is a threat to humanity and all levels of government across the earth must act quickly irrespective of belief and convinction to save the planet. One of the effects of the changing climatic conditions is desertification and deforestation and the governor has embarked on planting and nurturing plants all over the state to combat that problem. The Federal government on its part should provide cheap source of energy so that the people do not resort to forest resources as their energy sources.
As the world celebrates Blog Action Day on climate change today, i wish everyone a pollution-free environment.
Mike is Winner Project Fame
MTN Project Fame Season 2
Season 2 of the MTN Project Fame West Africa opened with 15 unique men and women from all over West Africa who entered the academy. They are MIKE, the winner, Sametta, Tomiwa, Tarri, Nicholas, Deniece, Zoe, Savannah, Desmond, Madonna, Anis, Jennifer, Krimi, Damilola and David.
Mike Anyasodo, the 26 years old undergraduate of Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma, Edo State had right from the beginning stood out with his performances. But Nicholas was the voice in the house that got me captivated every time he mounted that stage to perform. That is a young man that is definitely going places. I would say the sky is his limit. I hope he would remain as focused and determined outside the Academy as he was in the Academy. Krimi, the ‘fabulous’ was another enthralling voice. She sure knew how to package and carry herself. The others were equally good performers though vocally disappointing.
After several evictions, we had five standing and ready to battle for the ultimate price and fame. The five were Nicholas, Madonna, Tomiwa, Krimi and Mike. The five had worked really hard to be there but Madonna had worked the hardest. To me, she improved with each performance and the faculty helped her a great deal. I think they were a bit ‘partial’ in saving her from eviction but she gave all to escape till the end.
On the D-day, Sunday 27 September 2009, the five stormed the floor with “We are family” by Sister Sledge. It was wonderful. The winner of the Project Fame West Africa Season 1, Iyanya Mbuk was in attendance and he performed his track “Love truly” to the delight of all. He looks more of a Model than a singer to me. I watched him on the platform Catwalk for one of Nigerians’ designer Joan, abroad. He did a collabo with DJ Zeez who is making wave with his song ‘ofokasibe’. It was good.
The final five then performed the “most requested” songs. Nicholas, my favorite was first with “Angels wings” by Westlife. The boy is good. The performance was absorbing, spellbinding and captivating. Everyone present was held ‘captive’ by this wonder voice. He got a thunderous ovation for his gripping performance. A commentary I read said ‘Nicholas has come full circle…it is time to go into the world and shine’. I agree totally.
Madonna performed the song by Bob Marley titled “Is this love”. Like I said earlier, she is the real discovery of Project Fame West Africa season 2. Madonna came into the Academy a rookie and left a STAR. Her determination and strength of mind paid off. She is turning into a professional performer.
Tomiwa, the older, unfailing and unswerving performer sang “Oju re a ja” by Lagbaja. He combined so many songs to make people singing along with him. People had fun dancing and singing along.
Anita Baker’s “Sweet love” was performed by Krimi, the fabulous. It was a superb performance. It was really brilliant . Even the judges sang with her. It was great.
Finally, Mike came along to perform Wyclef Jean’s “Diallo”. The audience sang along and the studio was charged with Music and fun. They call him the King of Swagger or showing off guy but you know what, he knows how to strut on stage.
He is always giving the audience a wonderful performance.
After the last five had performed and just before the results were announced, the 10 evictees performed “Le Freak” by chic very vigoriously.
Wande Coal was the surprise of the evening. He performed his hit track “Bumper to bumper” to the dancing delight of the audience.
After all the performances, the moment arrived for the results to be announced. The wonderful hosts ( did not perform badly) started with the 4th runner up, Madonna who went home with N500,000; Krimi the 3rd runner up got N1 Million for her fabulous effort. Tomiwa, the constant performer clinched the position of 2nd runner up and got a Toyota Yaris and N1 Million naira. He promised the wife a car and luckily he got one and he handed over the keys to his wife. Nicholas with his wonder voice was the 1st runner up and he went home with N1.5 Million naira and a Toyota Corolla.
The winner of MTN Project Fame West Africa Season 2 went to MIKE ANYASODO. He went home with N2.5Million naira, a Toyota Rav4 and a one year recording contract. Good luck Mike and may your reign be scandal free
Season 2 of the MTN Project Fame West Africa opened with 15 unique men and women from all over West Africa who entered the academy. They are MIKE, the winner, Sametta, Tomiwa, Tarri, Nicholas, Deniece, Zoe, Savannah, Desmond, Madonna, Anis, Jennifer, Krimi, Damilola and David.
Mike Anyasodo, the 26 years old undergraduate of Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma, Edo State had right from the beginning stood out with his performances. But Nicholas was the voice in the house that got me captivated every time he mounted that stage to perform. That is a young man that is definitely going places. I would say the sky is his limit. I hope he would remain as focused and determined outside the Academy as he was in the Academy. Krimi, the ‘fabulous’ was another enthralling voice. She sure knew how to package and carry herself. The others were equally good performers though vocally disappointing.
After several evictions, we had five standing and ready to battle for the ultimate price and fame. The five were Nicholas, Madonna, Tomiwa, Krimi and Mike. The five had worked really hard to be there but Madonna had worked the hardest. To me, she improved with each performance and the faculty helped her a great deal. I think they were a bit ‘partial’ in saving her from eviction but she gave all to escape till the end.
On the D-day, Sunday 27 September 2009, the five stormed the floor with “We are family” by Sister Sledge. It was wonderful. The winner of the Project Fame West Africa Season 1, Iyanya Mbuk was in attendance and he performed his track “Love truly” to the delight of all. He looks more of a Model than a singer to me. I watched him on the platform Catwalk for one of Nigerians’ designer Joan, abroad. He did a collabo with DJ Zeez who is making wave with his song ‘ofokasibe’. It was good.
The final five then performed the “most requested” songs. Nicholas, my favorite was first with “Angels wings” by Westlife. The boy is good. The performance was absorbing, spellbinding and captivating. Everyone present was held ‘captive’ by this wonder voice. He got a thunderous ovation for his gripping performance. A commentary I read said ‘Nicholas has come full circle…it is time to go into the world and shine’. I agree totally.
Madonna performed the song by Bob Marley titled “Is this love”. Like I said earlier, she is the real discovery of Project Fame West Africa season 2. Madonna came into the Academy a rookie and left a STAR. Her determination and strength of mind paid off. She is turning into a professional performer.
Tomiwa, the older, unfailing and unswerving performer sang “Oju re a ja” by Lagbaja. He combined so many songs to make people singing along with him. People had fun dancing and singing along.
Anita Baker’s “Sweet love” was performed by Krimi, the fabulous. It was a superb performance. It was really brilliant . Even the judges sang with her. It was great.
Finally, Mike came along to perform Wyclef Jean’s “Diallo”. The audience sang along and the studio was charged with Music and fun. They call him the King of Swagger or showing off guy but you know what, he knows how to strut on stage.
He is always giving the audience a wonderful performance.
After the last five had performed and just before the results were announced, the 10 evictees performed “Le Freak” by chic very vigoriously.
Wande Coal was the surprise of the evening. He performed his hit track “Bumper to bumper” to the dancing delight of the audience.
After all the performances, the moment arrived for the results to be announced. The wonderful hosts ( did not perform badly) started with the 4th runner up, Madonna who went home with N500,000; Krimi the 3rd runner up got N1 Million for her fabulous effort. Tomiwa, the constant performer clinched the position of 2nd runner up and got a Toyota Yaris and N1 Million naira. He promised the wife a car and luckily he got one and he handed over the keys to his wife. Nicholas with his wonder voice was the 1st runner up and he went home with N1.5 Million naira and a Toyota Corolla.
The winner of MTN Project Fame West Africa Season 2 went to MIKE ANYASODO. He went home with N2.5Million naira, a Toyota Rav4 and a one year recording contract. Good luck Mike and may your reign be scandal free
Friday, September 18, 2009
My new office
My new office has done four months since it started full operations. We have eleven members of staff. Three experienced Management staff and eight greenhorns. I am one of the experienced staff having worked for twenty years post graduation. You know what, as i am writing this now, the twenty years post graduation just hit me. So I have been working for almost eighteen years. That is very intereting. What has happened in all those years? What is my testimony? Let me leave that for another day. The other management staff had equally done more than twenty years in the banking sector although one spent his in the support department of a bank. He is still being referred to as ex-banker.
My new office is located in Victoria Island, the elistist residential area that has been commercialised. Before now the street was being referred to as bankers street because most of the major banks' headoffices were there. We used to have Broad Bank, Allstates Trust Bank, Standard Trust Bank. Guaranty Tust Bank, Access Bank and other banks branches. With the consolidation of banks all those headoffices had been moved except two but the commercial activities remain. As the hustling and bustling continues so has the traffic congestion defied all strategies to make the roads free for use all the time. The complex housing our office is the worst for car spaces. When i started, i had to be paying monthly for my car to be parked inside but when the official car was bought, we had to stop that arrangement and even threatened to report the security personnel to the managers of the complex. Talking about corruption, it shows in every area of our lives. To me that was thank you for looking after my car but for my management that was extortion and they frowned at it.
Today, the Board had an Extra-ordinary General Meeting to adopt the proposal of the review downward of the start up capital of the business by the regulator. Prior to this time they had been several meetings of one or two of the Management and the shareholders on the modality to be used in handling the refund. On the Management part, we agreed that sharing of the money to put a stop to the incessant sharing of 'crude' by the Shareholders will stop. How can a new organisation grow if the profit realised is not ploughed back into the business? Agreed the business is a money spinner but cant we have a 'grace' period to accumulate before sharing the earning?
AT the end of the meeting, the money was shared out in the proportion of what was initially invested by each of the shareholders. You needed to see them all smiling broadly as if they had hit a jackport. They were really happy that their investment of few months that have been yielding so much profits weekly is still giving back half of their investment for use. Nigerians investors are not committed business men. They want to invet today and reap bountiful the next day. Infact,they cannot wait especially if the business is bringing in so much money. If it was a one man business, daily the vault will be empty because the owner would be going to "Owanbe" party and be spraying everyone so that the entertainers would be singing his praises.
I pray my salary is paid as at when due (28th of every month) and my bonuses are approved promptly and payment effected "kia kia" meaning immediately.
Keep you posted as i embark on this new terrain of meeting new friends and learning new things.
My new office is located in Victoria Island, the elistist residential area that has been commercialised. Before now the street was being referred to as bankers street because most of the major banks' headoffices were there. We used to have Broad Bank, Allstates Trust Bank, Standard Trust Bank. Guaranty Tust Bank, Access Bank and other banks branches. With the consolidation of banks all those headoffices had been moved except two but the commercial activities remain. As the hustling and bustling continues so has the traffic congestion defied all strategies to make the roads free for use all the time. The complex housing our office is the worst for car spaces. When i started, i had to be paying monthly for my car to be parked inside but when the official car was bought, we had to stop that arrangement and even threatened to report the security personnel to the managers of the complex. Talking about corruption, it shows in every area of our lives. To me that was thank you for looking after my car but for my management that was extortion and they frowned at it.
Today, the Board had an Extra-ordinary General Meeting to adopt the proposal of the review downward of the start up capital of the business by the regulator. Prior to this time they had been several meetings of one or two of the Management and the shareholders on the modality to be used in handling the refund. On the Management part, we agreed that sharing of the money to put a stop to the incessant sharing of 'crude' by the Shareholders will stop. How can a new organisation grow if the profit realised is not ploughed back into the business? Agreed the business is a money spinner but cant we have a 'grace' period to accumulate before sharing the earning?
AT the end of the meeting, the money was shared out in the proportion of what was initially invested by each of the shareholders. You needed to see them all smiling broadly as if they had hit a jackport. They were really happy that their investment of few months that have been yielding so much profits weekly is still giving back half of their investment for use. Nigerians investors are not committed business men. They want to invet today and reap bountiful the next day. Infact,they cannot wait especially if the business is bringing in so much money. If it was a one man business, daily the vault will be empty because the owner would be going to "Owanbe" party and be spraying everyone so that the entertainers would be singing his praises.
I pray my salary is paid as at when due (28th of every month) and my bonuses are approved promptly and payment effected "kia kia" meaning immediately.
Keep you posted as i embark on this new terrain of meeting new friends and learning new things.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The return
WAO O O.
Its been such a long time to be away. I thought i would not come back. Its been one issue or the other and i kept postponing when i will start pouring out my thoughts on this blog. Anyway, a lot has happened, Barak Obama is the president of America, Africa is hosting the world cup, Samuel Peters has lost the world boxing titles over and over and Ajaokuta Steel Company has not paid their staff yet the ten months salary arrears. But you know what, life continues but for some it ended. Michael Jackson was one of those whose life ended suddenly at age 50.
Michael Jackson born August 29, 1958 to katherine and Joe Jackson was a trail blazer. He was a child of destiny. As a young boy he exhibited a raw talent that saw him become a great entertainer at age 5 and did not stop till death stopped him June 25, 2009. It was a shock to me. and the entire world. This was an artist that did what no other person can do by breaking down the 'colour curtain' as the Reverend Al Sharpton called it. His music brought blacks, whites, Asians and Latinos together.Unlike Ray Charles, a great and talented artist who had to fight throughout his life against discrimination, Michael used music to eradicate the barrier between whites and othe races. He actually dealt with racial discrimination but in his own way.
In the thriller album, Michael outdanced and outperformed the best and got the name the king of Pop. He became a legend. With fame and money, he became the target of the opportunists and greedy acquaintances who wanted a share of the fortune. He was sued for child molestation, abuse and even lookery ( looking at). He appeared severally in human and organised courts to answer questions on his relationship with kids. His friendship with them was questioned. Thank God that he had children of his own and even married twice if not the news would have been agog of his sterility and inability to be with women. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
The financial institutions in Nigeria are facing some hard times. I hope the global economic recession would not adversely affect our weak economy. The unemployment rate is very high as it is. If we cannot manage the economy then those on the street looking for employment would be more than those gainfully employed and that is disastrous.
The political situation in my country is really bad. This is a country where the constitution is only binding on those on the other side while the ruling party PDP does whatever it wants. They came with rule of Law but so far no law is being upheld.
Its been such a long time to be away. I thought i would not come back. Its been one issue or the other and i kept postponing when i will start pouring out my thoughts on this blog. Anyway, a lot has happened, Barak Obama is the president of America, Africa is hosting the world cup, Samuel Peters has lost the world boxing titles over and over and Ajaokuta Steel Company has not paid their staff yet the ten months salary arrears. But you know what, life continues but for some it ended. Michael Jackson was one of those whose life ended suddenly at age 50.
Michael Jackson born August 29, 1958 to katherine and Joe Jackson was a trail blazer. He was a child of destiny. As a young boy he exhibited a raw talent that saw him become a great entertainer at age 5 and did not stop till death stopped him June 25, 2009. It was a shock to me. and the entire world. This was an artist that did what no other person can do by breaking down the 'colour curtain' as the Reverend Al Sharpton called it. His music brought blacks, whites, Asians and Latinos together.Unlike Ray Charles, a great and talented artist who had to fight throughout his life against discrimination, Michael used music to eradicate the barrier between whites and othe races. He actually dealt with racial discrimination but in his own way.
In the thriller album, Michael outdanced and outperformed the best and got the name the king of Pop. He became a legend. With fame and money, he became the target of the opportunists and greedy acquaintances who wanted a share of the fortune. He was sued for child molestation, abuse and even lookery ( looking at). He appeared severally in human and organised courts to answer questions on his relationship with kids. His friendship with them was questioned. Thank God that he had children of his own and even married twice if not the news would have been agog of his sterility and inability to be with women. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
The financial institutions in Nigeria are facing some hard times. I hope the global economic recession would not adversely affect our weak economy. The unemployment rate is very high as it is. If we cannot manage the economy then those on the street looking for employment would be more than those gainfully employed and that is disastrous.
The political situation in my country is really bad. This is a country where the constitution is only binding on those on the other side while the ruling party PDP does whatever it wants. They came with rule of Law but so far no law is being upheld.
Nigerian Politicians and Obama
When President Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of United State of America, Nigerians were amongs the millions of people all over the world that celebrated the victory of a black man of an African father over a white American. The wild celebration was due to the fact that racism was openly practiced in America and blacks were treated as second class citizens. To aspire to be the Pressident of the most powerful nation in the world was a dream which Martin Luther King had in the early 60s when he gave that speech, 'I HAD A DREAM'.
Barrak Obama, the strategist whose intelligence and oratory has been widely acclaimed shot into recogning with his approach to campaign. He simply relied majorly on the mass contribution of cents and pennies from the people who believed in him to the few corporate organisations with billions of dollars. He insisted on the cents to ensure a mandate of maximum independence and a true government for all. Obama came into power through popular and overwhelming votes of the people of America. And in his acceptance speech, he acknowledged the people for standing for collective governance of progess and development in every sector of their life.
With what President Obama stood for and still standing for, honesty, simplicity, good governance, it was strange to see those in power in Nigeria, the self styled 'Giant of Africa'angry that Obama did not visit Nigeria on his first and historic visit to Africa. Why will President Barack Obama come to Nigeria? Why will the man that came to power through a respect for the manifested will of a people and through a system that recognises the people's right to good governanace visit a country that just conducted a corrupt ridden election and whose leadership is to the highest bidders or to the stooges of the most powerful and corrupt godfather.
The level of electoral robbery is so high in Nigeria that the voters preferred to sleep at home during election instead of going to perform their civic responsibilities. Who would go and queue in the sun to cast a vote that does not count? Who will watch ballot boxes being snatched at gun point (as if they are stealing money) to be returned in the night filled with fake ballot papers and will risk his llfe. IF a Nigerian cannot tolerate such rape on democracy why will a respected President tolerate such abuse and electoral robbery. The perptrators of this evil in our land are those mediocres who call themselves politicians who are not contributing anything but systematically looting every kobo that is coming into the treasury. There are a select hegemony that have resolved to remain in power and have perpetual control of the nation. These politicians are selfish, unproductive, arrogant, shameless and bereft of ideas yet they are not ready to let go. They used to be two of those old 'cargoes' in the Nigerian political system, one in the west and the other in the middle belt. Fortunately for Nigeria, the one in the West died sometime ago and his political son was away from the country but the one in the middle belt is left.
The former President Olusegun Obasanjo said election was a do or die affair so all his party men started buying guns and looting the treasury to finance 'this war' otherwise known by civilised people as election. In the villages the elderly were scared away by heavily armed policemen so that the thugs can have a field day stuffing the ballot boxes with fake ballot papers. These leaders are mean and evil because in the process, innocent people were killed and they did not care.
Is this the type of people that our leadership wanted President Barack Obama to come and shake hands with? Definitel NO. I was happy that he did not come. I pray our current President will learn from this and approve Justice Uwais electoral reforms report so that sanity and the so called rule of law can prevail during campaigns and election into all the tiers of government in Nigeria.
Barrak Obama, the strategist whose intelligence and oratory has been widely acclaimed shot into recogning with his approach to campaign. He simply relied majorly on the mass contribution of cents and pennies from the people who believed in him to the few corporate organisations with billions of dollars. He insisted on the cents to ensure a mandate of maximum independence and a true government for all. Obama came into power through popular and overwhelming votes of the people of America. And in his acceptance speech, he acknowledged the people for standing for collective governance of progess and development in every sector of their life.
With what President Obama stood for and still standing for, honesty, simplicity, good governance, it was strange to see those in power in Nigeria, the self styled 'Giant of Africa'angry that Obama did not visit Nigeria on his first and historic visit to Africa. Why will President Barack Obama come to Nigeria? Why will the man that came to power through a respect for the manifested will of a people and through a system that recognises the people's right to good governanace visit a country that just conducted a corrupt ridden election and whose leadership is to the highest bidders or to the stooges of the most powerful and corrupt godfather.
The level of electoral robbery is so high in Nigeria that the voters preferred to sleep at home during election instead of going to perform their civic responsibilities. Who would go and queue in the sun to cast a vote that does not count? Who will watch ballot boxes being snatched at gun point (as if they are stealing money) to be returned in the night filled with fake ballot papers and will risk his llfe. IF a Nigerian cannot tolerate such rape on democracy why will a respected President tolerate such abuse and electoral robbery. The perptrators of this evil in our land are those mediocres who call themselves politicians who are not contributing anything but systematically looting every kobo that is coming into the treasury. There are a select hegemony that have resolved to remain in power and have perpetual control of the nation. These politicians are selfish, unproductive, arrogant, shameless and bereft of ideas yet they are not ready to let go. They used to be two of those old 'cargoes' in the Nigerian political system, one in the west and the other in the middle belt. Fortunately for Nigeria, the one in the West died sometime ago and his political son was away from the country but the one in the middle belt is left.
The former President Olusegun Obasanjo said election was a do or die affair so all his party men started buying guns and looting the treasury to finance 'this war' otherwise known by civilised people as election. In the villages the elderly were scared away by heavily armed policemen so that the thugs can have a field day stuffing the ballot boxes with fake ballot papers. These leaders are mean and evil because in the process, innocent people were killed and they did not care.
Is this the type of people that our leadership wanted President Barack Obama to come and shake hands with? Definitel NO. I was happy that he did not come. I pray our current President will learn from this and approve Justice Uwais electoral reforms report so that sanity and the so called rule of law can prevail during campaigns and election into all the tiers of government in Nigeria.
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