A FALSE RUMOUR ABOUT OPay IS NOT JUST “SOCIAL MEDIA NOISE” — IT CAN BECOME AN ECONOMIC THREAT

By someone who has spent years inside the banking system There is a disturbing development currently making the rounds on social media concerning OPay. A message purporting to be an official communication from OPay claimed that the company would go on an indefinite break from September 1, 2026, and advised customers to withdraw their funds. OPay has categorically dismissed the publication as false and malicious and has assured customers that its operations continue. Independent reports have also identified the circulating notice as fabricated. But I believe Nigerians need to look beyond the immediate denial. This is not merely about OPay. It is about the danger of deliberately manufacturing panic around a financial institution. Having spent years in the banking industry, I understand something that many people outside the financial system may not appreciate: Confidence is one of the most important assets of any financial institution. When people believe that their money may no longer be safe, they don't wait for a forensic investigation. They react. They withdraw. They transfer. They rush to convert their balances. And when thousands or millions of people respond simultaneously to the same false information, what began as a lie on social media can acquire real economic consequences. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE MESSAGE Notice what the alleged announcement did. It did not merely claim that OPay was experiencing a problem. It specifically instructed customers to remove their funds as soon as possible. That is an extremely important detail. A rumour that says, “OPay is having problems” creates uncertainty. A rumour that says, “Withdraw your money now” attempts to create behaviour. That is the difference between misinformation and potentially dangerous financial misinformation. The objective effect of such a message, whether or not that was the original intention of its creator, is to encourage customers to act collectively against the institution. And that is where Nigerians need to be very careful. WHO IS BEHIND IT? There will naturally be speculation. Could it be a disgruntled customer? Could it be an individual seeking attention or influence? Could it be someone pursuing a personal agenda? Could it be an attempt to damage a competitor? Could it have originated from commercial interests? Could it even be an attempt by someone to create an opportunity for fraud? All these questions may legitimately be investigated. But let us be responsible enough not to accuse any particular person, bank, fintech company or organisation without evidence. At the moment, there is no publicly established evidence that commercial banks or competing payment platforms originated the rumour. The important question is therefore not, “Who do we hate enough to blame?” The important question is: Who benefits when Nigerians lose confidence in a major financial institution? That question deserves a serious investigation. NIGERIA CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE Nigeria is already dealing with enormous economic pressures. Millions of Nigerians now depend on digital financial platforms for transfers, payments, business transactions, salaries, bills and everyday commerce. A major platform such as OPay is therefore no longer simply a technology company in the eyes of its users. It is part of the financial infrastructure through which Nigerians conduct economic activity. That is why deliberately spreading a false shutdown notice is potentially much more serious than ordinary internet gossip. If enough people believe the lie and simultaneously attempt to move their money, the resulting pressure can affect not only the institution being targeted but also other financial institutions and payment channels. A financial panic does not always begin with a financial problem. Sometimes it begins with a story. TO OPay CUSTOMERS: PLEASE DON'T PANIC If you are an OPay customer, do not empty your account merely because somebody forwarded a screenshot to you. Do not make a financial decision because “someone said.” Do not assume that because a message has been forwarded hundreds of times it has suddenly become true. Verify. Look for communication from the company's authenticated channels. Check credible news sources. Where necessary, seek clarification directly from the institution. And above all, don't become an unwitting distributor of information that you have not verified. OPay itself has asked customers to rely on its verified communication channels and has warned against the circulation of the fabricated publication. TO SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS Influence comes with responsibility. When you have thousands or millions of followers, your post is no longer simply your personal opinion. People act on it. If your unverified financial claim causes somebody to move their life savings, who carries the responsibility when the information turns out to be false? Speed is not a substitute for accuracy. Being the first person to publish something is not more important than being correct. TO THE REGULATORS AND SECURITY AUTHORITIES This matter should not simply disappear after the rumour dies down. Where a false publication is deliberately designed to cause panic around a financial institution, the origin, distribution network and motivation deserve appropriate investigation. The purpose should not be persecution. It should be deterrence. Nigerians need to know that while freedom of expression is important, deliberately manufacturing information capable of destabilising confidence in financial institutions is a different matter. AND TO THE BANKING COMMUNITY This is bigger than competition. Commercial banks, fintechs, mobile money operators and payment platforms may compete vigorously for customers. That is normal. But there is one thing that should unite the entire financial industry: The stability and confidence of the Nigerian financial system. If one institution is deliberately destabilised through false information today, the lesson may eventually return to another institution tomorrow. Nobody wins when public confidence in the financial system collapses. LET US NOT TURN NIGERIA'S FINANCIAL SYSTEM INTO A PLAYGROUND FOR PROPAGANDA I am not writing this because OPay is incapable of defending itself. I am writing because Nigerians need to understand the ramifications of what we share. A fake political story may produce arguments. A fake celebrity story may produce embarrassment. But a fake financial story can cause people to move money. And when millions of people move money because of the same false information, the consequences can become much larger than the original lie. Before you forward that financial “breaking news”, pause. Ask: Who published it? Where did it originate? Is it on the institution's official channel? Has a credible regulator or reputable news organisation confirmed it? And most importantly: Am I about to cause someone to make a financial decision based on information I have not verified? Nigeria needs more than financial technology. Nigeria needs financial responsibility. Let us compete in business. Let us criticise institutions when they genuinely deserve criticism. Let customers demand accountability. Let regulators do their jobs. Let journalists investigate. But let us not manufacture financial panic for whatever personal, political or commercial objective may be hiding behind it. The stability of Nigeria's financial ecosystem is bigger than any individual, bank, fintech or influencer. Don't let a forwarded message become an economic weapon.

THE DANGEROUS POLITICS OF OVERGROWN ADVISERS IN NIGERIA

In every democracy, advisers are meant to support leadership, not replace it. They are meant to offer insight—not overshadow the people’s mandate. Yet, across Nigeria’s political landscape, a worrying trend has matured into a culture: the elected figure seems to step back, while advisers quietly step forward. What started as technical support has evolved into a system where unelected individuals control the levers of decision-making. Policies are drafted without public accountability, national positions are defended by people who never appeared on the ballot, and the voice of the electorate is filtered through layers of personal interests. The result is a dangerous picture: a leader who looks like a figurehead, and advisers who behave like power brokers. This is not democracy. This is delegated sovereignty, where the people’s trust is passed from the one they voted for to the one they never chose. Nigeria has suffered for it. When advisers grow bigger than the office they are meant to serve, governance becomes distorted. Decisions lose moral clarity. Responsibility becomes vague. And when things go wrong—as they inevitably do—no one knows who to hold accountable. The elected leader appears distant, the advisers remain invisible, and the citizens are left with confusion, frustration, and distrust. But true leadership does not hide behind committees. It does not whisper through intermediaries. It stands in front of the people, carries the weight of its office, and owns the consequences of its choices. Nigeria does not need rulers behind the throne. Nigeria needs leaders who lead. Advisers should inform decisions, not form a parallel government. They should contribute expertise, not control the executive. They should empower leadership, not overshadow it. The future of Nigeria requires transparency—where the president, the governor, the minister, the local chairman, speaks for himself, decides for himself, and stands accountable by himself. Because that is what democracy demands. And that is what the Nigerian people deserve.

CRISTIANO RONALDO - A Truly Killer Player

Cristiano Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Born in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, Ronaldo began his professional career with Sporting Lisbon before signing with Manchester United in 2003. During his time with Manchester United, Ronaldo won three Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup. In 2009, Ronaldo signed with Real Madrid, where he spent the next nine seasons. With Real Madrid, Ronaldo won four Champions League titles, two La Liga titles, and numerous other domestic and international accolades. He also won the Ballon d'Or, given to the best soccer player in the world, a record-tying five times during his career.

In addition to his club success, Ronaldo has also had a storied international career with the Portuguese national team. He has scored a record-breaking 118 goals for Portugal, helping the team win the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in 2018. Ronaldo is known for his impressive skill and technique on the field, as well as his physical fitness and dedication to training. His speed, dribbling ability, and powerful shot have made him a threat to any defense, and he has scored a staggering 725 goals in his career. Off the field, Ronaldo is also known for his philanthropy and charitable work, including his work with UNICEF and his own charitable organization, the Cristiano Ronaldo Foundation. In short, Cristiano Ronaldo is a soccer legend, with a career filled with accolades and achievements. His talent, hard work, and dedication have made him a fan favorite and a role model for aspiring soccer players around the world.

Why Websites Like ClickBank, Digistore24, Etsy, PayPal etc Exclude African Countries?

It is unfair and unjust that third world countries are often excluded from accessing the most lucrative websites due to alleged fraud. While it is true that some individuals in these countries may engage in fraudulent activity, it is important to recognize that this is not unique to third world countries. In fact, developed countries often perpetrate fraud at an even larger scale, with large corporations and financial institutions committing fraud on a regular basis. Furthermore, it is important to recognize that many third world countries do not have the same resources and infrastructure as developed countries, which can make it more difficult for them to detect and prevent fraud. Excluding these countries from accessing lucrative websites only further exacerbates the economic divide and reinforces the notion that individuals in these countries are somehow less trustworthy or deserving of access. It is important for websites and companies to have measures in place to prevent fraud, but these measures should be applied evenly and fairly to all countries, regardless of their economic status. Instead of excluding third world countries, we should work towards finding solutions that address the root causes of fraud and work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive global economy.

FASHEK MAJEK let righteousness cover the earth 1989

O Goodness, This Unreasoned Rambling Over Social Media Use Gives Me Headache!

The Nigerian public office holders, whether elected or appointed, have in the main shown that they are self-serving. Each government from history has adopted the strategy of divide-and-rule. Today, as perfected by the players in our current democratic venture, government has invested heavily on distraction to now make it Distract-And-Rule!

From generation to generation, we have fast become a nation of talkers. Easily falling for it, we never pass off a chance to say our own on any flying talk thread, especially if it originates from a person we figure has weight.

So, the government all over the land is busy dozing off having thrown a few talking baits to the nation of talkers. The only thing the government does without prompt is getting their allowances paid and taking holidays abroad.

Now, who should really be ashamed in this nation more than our President reputed to be a strong man once upon a time?! He relishes going abroad for holidays on official and private trips at our expense. He also goes to foreign hospitals for his health concerns unashamedly ignoring the fact that he is directly indicted for not working our health system.

Our government has in it some opportunist loafers who hold sway over most others who might mean well for the land and they prey on the backwardness they have continually fostered by their negligence to spend and execute development projects in Education, in Health, in Power, in Roads, in Water, in Industry and the likes.

For the fact that they only have tenure of 8 years at most, they get on board without a sense of mission. Bent on just killing time until the next Administration comes, they pocket as much of the budgeted funds for growing our various impactful sectors and shoo away the majority of us who have become addicted to attempting to talk the universe into correction, by systematically and regularly sponsoring controversial conversation baits.

Baits such as Social Media Control, Hate Speech and now, Election Violence Punishment bills have been flown to us lately. Moreover, our sworn TALKERS jump on them all raving like wildfire, while government dozes on doing nothing significant about the real issues in the land to the despair of the voiceless few who know the deal going down.

The truth and the only truth is that the State of Nigeria already has statutes and laws to deal with all these known infractions. It is a big shame that our Lawmakers are showing themselves not to know the laws in the land. They might be thinking it is smart and probably easier to reinvent the law. We have generally seen that the bane of this generation is assuming that everything started with them, before them there was nothing! A nation that has Lawmakers most of whom do not want to be bothered to study and research is doomed. The rabbles have made it into the engine room of the nation; will there ever be smooth sailing at this?

Please, Baba Obasanjo, Baba Badamosi Babangida, Baba President Mohammadu Buhari, Professor Wole Soyinka, Mr Olisa Agbakoba, Mr Femi Falana what will become of our land when the dust settles? Look well well, my esteemed sirs, even I can see the handwriting in the air! 

May God be glorified and may Nigeria live long!

I have often wondered if the hell let loose on Nigeria internally from all spheres has nothing to do with our rejecting the Gay Marriage Bill under the Senate Presidency of Hon David Mark? Am just wondering! The Gay Nations will stop at nothing to let one know that they run the world! Nigerians, who are we today? Do we have the guts to stand for our beliefs?

Transforming Nigeria?

Do We Have The Courage For National Re-invention?

It seems to me that the things we need to do in this country are the things we would never have the courage to do. Still, we dared to take a chance on some people who are ruling us today. Why not really go all out and experiment? The flame of taking chances is burning so, why not really dare? How much worse can it get? We've had non-starters manipulated upon us as rulers, and in spite of their idiosyncrasies we are still standing and occupying our space. What have we to be afraid of?

You know I never really came to terms with the reason Mr Ben Bruce was not allowed to run for the governorship of Bayelsa State in the last election. I think it was said the man had a dual citizenship status. So what? So do many really black Nigerians who vote and who have run for and held offices.

I have known Ben Bruce as a teenager through their Domino Stores on the then Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos. Now if, through the years, Nigeria's electoral system has permitted the man to vote people into our offices; then I think it is a terrible act of segregation to not allow him to run for office, whether in Bayelsa or on a national platform. Who is afraid of his color? Is all this not because he is an half-cast?

Well, Jerry Rawlings is an half-cast, and he redeemed Ghana. Lets face it, it takes black and white to get some major or fundamental things right in Africa. Mr Ben Bruce is a Nigerian, born and bred. When he stood to run for office in Bayelsa, I wished he was from my state because of what my gut feeling told me he would accomplish if he got in. But alas! PDP did not allow him. Sadly, when we look at Bayelsa since then, one's heart aches for what could have been!

Well, we still have Mr Ben Bruce with us even today. And I see a Nigeria where Mr Ben Bruce is President, and Mr Aliko Dangote as Deputy thriving and really transformed beyond what the failures of today's government has disillusioned us from imagining. I see a new Nigeria where we'd stop in our tracks and wonder that we could become so pleasant a place, even in our days.

There is a clamoring for a return of a Niger Delta origin President. Mr Ben Bruce is a Niger Delta man. And Mr Aliko Dangote is a northern man. Surely, we the people of Nigeria - North and South and East and West - for the need to get our country working can bury the hatchet and do this one last experiment; for the love of Nigeria.

I think the Bruce / Dangote Presidential pair is just what this country needs. But do we have the courage to allow it? Well, we should. Time is over for doing the government of sharing money into personal accounts and pockets.

As we have allowed some faceless greenhorns from nowhere to gamble away our time in recent years, merely going through the motion of governance; what have we to lose if we gave these two gladiators a chance? I am sure that we, the teeming masses of this great nation so extravagantly blessed by God, will finally be truly satisfied as we eat the good of our land.

PHCN, This is Robbery!

It is bad enough that we don't get electricity to use as and when we need from Power Holding Company of Nigeria, but it is a gross abuse for them to discard the legitimate meter reading taken by their field officers every month and replace it with estimate billing just so that they would achieve their revenue expectation.

Every business owner knows that you'll need to sell more to bring in more revenue, barring leakages. It is fraudulent for PHCN to make customers pay for electricity when they did not supply it. This abuse has been going on for as long as ECN through to NEPA and through to PHCN. One is concerned that as PHCN is looking to be handed over to private owners, this obnoxious culture of taking money without giving value should not be continued.

It is robbery when someone or an organisation forcibly takes money from me purportedly as payment for goods or services which they did not, nor would subsequently provide to me.

Our politicians misuse our national wealth without remorse, and inefficiently run government agencies, like PHCN, are used to further rob our pockets of our insufficient spend-ables. One of these days somebody will have to pay for this injustice!


  

Tony Okoroji and his Vendetta against the Nigerian Musician!

Age does not seem able to temper down Tony Okoroji's craftiness. For someone who likes to associate himself with Nigerian musicians, talk-less him pushing to be our messiah, he sure has awkward ways of going about it.

I first met Tony Okoroji in the early days when EMI was at Oregun Road, Ikeja. He was part of the A&R team there and Odion Iroje was the rave producer of the moment, having been lucky to have run into Chris Okotie! 

Tony Okoroji, always the user, seized the insider advantage to make Juliana and flogged it to the limit with all the muscles that EMI had as a big and foreign record company. Tony Okoroji never did anything worthy of note musically after that. But, he is a born politician and knows how to take advantage of positioning. Oh, regarding EMI hiring him as A&R man he was able to approve one Dizzy K Falola of all the lot of talents that came his way.

After many years of being musically inactive, Tony Okoroji  warmed his way into the PMAN leadership, he and his train of users he calls partners. And it marked the worst years of the ever-fledgling musicians' body. 

Tony Okoroji after being deposed left and disappeared for awhile from music circles. I hear he sold spare-parts. But, business didn't seem to pay as well as manipulating issues concerning musicians, so he returned.

Then he came back with TOPS = (Tony Okoroji and Partners) and organized the then award for musicians. And you can be sure that a lot of money and goodwill rolled in supposedly for musicians on account of that. But guess who cornered it all?

The next, we started hearing of a musicians' rights organisation springing from the foundations of the big record companies. They called it PMRS, and Tony Okoroji was used to front for them. How on earth would record companies ever be trusted to protect the rights of musicians in anywhere, let alone Nigeria?

PMRS fought tooth and nail to destabilize MCSN which was founded by the fathers like late I K Dairo and living legend KSA, to mention but a few.

Ironically, people in authority seem to always fall for the manipulations of Tony Okoroji to the exclusion of the generality of the true army of musicians that abound in this country. One then asks what could possibly be in it for government officials in NCC to want to nullify our known and internationally-affiliated MCSN so to impose their own contraption of musical rights body on musicians? Do we have government subventions like for NFA or NFF that they would like to corner for themselves? They now believe there is money to be got from administering the rights of the created works of musicians, yet they treat and look down on musicians like we are riff-rafs!

PMRS eventually collapsed. But Tony Okoroji did not let go. Now we are hearing of COSON and seeing advertorials by it on TV stations like LTV8. And the agenda continues to run aground the true and genuine MCSN, so that usurpers can sit on the only aspect of music in Nigeria that musicians are not yet aware can make all their heartaches from making music worthwhile in years to come, when they do not think there is anything left for them anymore!

Tony Okoroji, our one-album, one-hit-song colleague at PMAN, should please stop this vendetta against whomever  at MCSN because he is using the lawlessness of our land to abuse our collective rights as musicians and spoiling something that has positive prospects for Nigerian musicians now and for tomorrow.

Tony Okoroji should search himself had, if left to administer our rights, would he not abandon us and run away again when his hands are full? Please, let the professionals trained and committed to this service do the job. If you have reservations about their integrity, institute action to audit them. 

Lets begin to get one thing right, at least, for music in Nigeria.

Those of our colleagues who seem to be exploiting and enjoying the present limelight, this matter concerns you all too. Don't keep aloof to the body that makes you count! Generation goes, generation comes. Be involved. Join PMAN today. Join MCSN for your rights. There are many ways your songs make you money that you are not claiming because you don't know.

We all know that those of us who dare to go into music are looked upon as loafers and less quality members of regular society. But we know better. Musicians are rhythmic people. We live by the beat. We keep time. We can't do wrong even if we tried! We'd be out of sync if we did.
SO, LETS ALL STAND UP FOR PMAN and MCSN today and take our due pay for our creations in this land and ALL over the world.
Thanks for agreeing with me, or at least, giving it a thought my musical colleagues to the left and to the right!!
Windie Storm.

That Justice Be Not Miscarried!

Any Good Men Left In Nigeria?!

I have been assimilating the information being unearthed on the above national tragedy and, in as much as it would seem suicidal to hold a contrary opinion to the bandwagon, I do have a number of things to say so that justice be not miscarried on the issue.
In my mind, when I considered the likely length of this submission I was discouraged. But when I also thought that a lot of people who feel differently about all the hue and cry being raised on the matter would probably do nothing and thereby let more likely innocent people be sacrificed in satisfaction of public or bandwagon sentiments. So, I am going to write as briefly as I can and expect you to think through the rest.
1. The Police should not have so self-righteously immediately bundled the arrested people to court. I imagine that no legal representation would have been found for the accused people, nor thorough investigation made. Their lack of thoroughness accounts for the embarrassing conflicting public statement they made before findings revealed otherwise. What makes them so sure that they, the Police, should not be joined in the suit as encouraging the act when it was in their power to stop it.
2. The NBA's protest is a clear ground for a plea of mis-trial because they are seen to have espoused the notion that the Aluu community have done an indefensible wrong. I am not a lawyer, but my sense of natural justice and fairness tells me that such a sensitive professional body should not have allowed itself to be propelled by emotion. The lawyers that are going to be in court all belong to the NBA. You might as well go ahead and hang those people without trial.
3. What has been the standing relationship between the 'Uni Port' and the Aluu Community. The University administrators, the police and the community members would dispassionately throw some light upon this from historical records. I say this, because one does not just wake up one day and see fire burning. It would have been festering, smoldering over a period of time until that opportune spark! Is there a history of the Aluu Community suffering some form of loss, abuse or threat to life suspected to be from the student community. What did the authorities do about issues and complaints that may have risen between the students of the school and this particular community, as well as others also around the school? You see, if justice had been hard to obtain in the past, it would frustrate a people into taking the law into their own hands. What makes for harmony in society is if we can get fair redress for wrong suffered. Where this is absent, society turns lawless and it would be unfair to punish any one for the omission or failure of system.
4. The Students of Uni Port also committed a crime - arson. It does not help dispensation of justice to excuse one crime while condemning another. In the light of fairness, the students would be deemed to have extracted their own pound of flesh! Although it did not bring back the dead, and innocent people may have suffered the subsequent loss; they have taken the law into their hands nonetheless - the same offence. Why is everybody keeping mute over it, the Police, the NBA, the Press. You are eager to show your kangaroo court to the world without genuine investigation. Even though nobody bothered to video the burning of the property at Aluu, we know that it was done by the Students. Should they not be arrested too and speedily charged to court? That is why we have a system failure in Nigeria. Justice must be black or white, no shades in between! And I was beginning to think  Mr Mohammed  Abubakar was a finer breed of officer.
5. Parental Failure in the Land.  
My genuine condolences go out to the mothers and fathers of the lynched young men, but I came across a telephone conversation between one of the mums and a certain TV station where she owned up to knowing the other 3 young men as friends to her son. pretty much like they were family friends, they took their friendship home. The boys followed themselves to death. Why did all four of them go to make a demand on one man? Seems to me like a threat party, gang-style  They threw a stone from a glass house and got it back! Possibly they have been carelessly indulged by the parents without check, till the fatal moment. What a pity. We should not spare the rod on our children for, on the day of reckoning, it might make the difference between life and death, as in this case. Four jolly good friends, but none with the good sense to escape the lynch experience. It also brings forward the need for us to pay attention to the company our children keep. How could all of them suffer such fate if something is not amiss? No matter how affluent or lacking you may be, your world is not in isolation to society. We must all conform, accommodate and respect the rights of others in the world.
I really think the mother under reference missed the issue. She seemed to think that because her son has a room full of i Pads and gadgets that makes it preposterous that her son was accused of stealing laptops. It's very much like saying 'I bought an helicopter for my son, how can he think of stealing a Honda car?'. I actually heard her say '... do they even still use laptops these days....?'  Meaning it's worthless for her level. So the lowly owners should be grateful that her son and friends ever considered  relieving them of such offensive burden!  It's thinking like this that probably misguided her boy. Parents should mindful the life they live before their children because our children become us ultimately, unless God intervenes.
6. What is the outcry about? We have been willing to look away while people are being kidnapped for ransom  which are often paid; while the armed services do nothing.
We have always looked away while government officials embezzled monies meant for projects that would save lives or make life more livable  And we just settle for making TV talk shows out of them. What are these four un-lived lives worth against the many who die unaccounted for from such unprovided services?
Was it not four months ago that about 170 lives perished from a plane crash in Lagos, but we have so quickly looked away and it is back to life as 'un-usual', if you allow me.
Lamely and weakly, just like our president, we have accepted that the group, Boko Haram, should as it pleases them target and bomb to smithereens any of us they take a liking to during religious services, especially christian. Commentators have said they are politicians. And I say, wouldn't it have made sense taking their war to the politicians, particularly the ones in office!
We live in a land where duties are required of us, yet the most basic of rights, right to life and safety , is not guaranteed us by the state. But we look away!
Just before the Aluu killings, 40 plus students were called out by name and executed in a polytechnic in Mubi by unknown gunmen. And we looked away. What makes it right for them to die, and not these Aluu accused?! At least the 4 were accused before being killed. What was the case against the Mubi 40?
I think that those who are feeding fat going through the pretense of running our government do not want to accept they have no control over the land anymore for that would mean their giving up their ceremonial offices and all the easy life.
They don't love Nigeria. Are we too blind to see that? But I pray that the spirit of our fore fathers will rise up and wrestle  our land and life from these strangers who are pretending to govern the land.
The government schemers know how to take advantage to score a political point. Killing a few innocent lives to assuage public anger is nothing compared to the ones that they have already allowed to die so that they should continue in the foolery they call governance.
Other than the Police men who shirked their duty, if anything should be done to anybody from Aluu it should be after finding such a person guilty beyond absolute reasonable doubt!

Nigeria, To Be Or Not To Be? Running Towards 2015!

Congratulations Nigeria! I hate to say 'I told you so!'
Truth has been murdered in your public square.
Jonathan's government is looking very much like Shagari's. Oh! forgetful Nigeria, is Umaru Dikko not a senator even today?! Let me remind those who are aware that he once said, as a serving minister under Shagari, that not until he saw Nigerians scavenging food from waste bins would he believe that poverty was in the land, back then. Shehu Shagari was neither here nor there, but the world was an easier place to live in than today. 
Jonathan is also a 'free-for-all' ruler, and looters are having a field day. By the time he is done with Nigeria, you will not have much left to call Nigeria. Wouldn't that be in 2015? The year prophesied by an American that Nigeria will no longer exist?! Is Nigeria not running towards fulfilling that prophecy? 
If Nigeria wants to live, she should get OBJ off the back of Jonathan. The Chief is pulling the president like a puppet. Why are you burying your heads in the sand, oh foolish Nigerians?! Do you not see the usual trademark of Obasanjo in all that has transpired lately?
All probes will end up against Obasanjo, if they are allowed to run their full course. Whichever side you are on, and everyone really needs to take a position on goings-on here; the Yorubas should make up their minds if they will not interfere with exposing, disgracing; and if it comes to it, destroying the man that is known to have publicly declared "no one will tell me how much to sell my oil!" The man who appears not willing to let go the reins of office perhaps until he dies. The man is Chief Olusegun Aremu Mathew Obasanjo. 
Enjoy your bumpy ride ahead! 

Dr John Omoniyi Dara Is Top for the job of the Nigerian President

Nigerian politicians are all claiming to be agents of  change but who really are the true change agents. Incumbent, Dr G E Jonathan has since shown himself to be no different from all the others. Indeed he is just another politician after votes for whatever it takes.

However, the debates which Dr Jonathan cowardly avoided has brought previously unrated candidates to the fore. One of them is Dr John Omoniyi Dara of the National Transformation Party ( N T P ). Now if the people of Nigeria really want a change, Dr Dara is a man I would put my money on. He spoke of specific strategies which he would adopt to solve the nation's problem as per the NEDG debate of 29/03/2011.
Dr Dara is the change agent we await. I hope the people of Nigeria would see through the propaganda of the ruling party and see their option which has been made very clear now, more than ever before.

From the self-debate or forum which  Dr Jonathan attended 30th march, he showed himself to be a ' company man' He kept saying  his party would do this and that. He did not seem willing to think out of the box. And that is just what we need now- someone who will dare to step out of the usual way of doing things. Should we have the misfortune of  returning the incumbent President to Aso Rock we would have signed away again our next 4 years as a nation. Worst part of it is that the lives that are being killed daily for which no action has been taken by this government to stop would likely become a common place thing.
The ACN man Ribadu brings nothing really to the table other than mere wind and sound. Rtd. Gen. Buhari has not been able to show us he has anew song really, and too bad the man he could have used to sell himself to the nation, Pastor Bakare also avoided their much needed debate.
Prof P O Utomi  of the SDMP had a tie with Dr Dara for the job of the nation's president, however unfortunately Prof Utomi  was reported yesterday to have asked his supporters to vote for Alhaji Shekarau
probably being convinced that his party did not have the geo-spread required. However, I feel he gave up too quickly. Those who are looking for the fresh man for the job sre spread nation wide and would have seen or heard the debate.
Dr John Omoniyi Dara is therefore the man for the job of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Illegality and Illegality and Illegalities! When Will the Nigerian Federal Government Return the Monies Seized from the so-called 'Wonder-Banks' to the Subscribers?

Those who read my posts have often asked me why I pursue the issues I write about. They say such topics do not bring in the money, so what could be in it for me, they ask. And I myself have often wondered about it too. Still, I cannot help it. I only write what I have a feeling for; and that seems to be to champion causes. Although the people I am speaking for may not even be aware of it, it is just for a good conscience that I write such as this. I hate unfair treatment. I hate illegalities.

Some days ago, I saw on STV (Nigeria) some men discussing their frustration by the Nigerian Government in getting their terminal benefits due from their former employers who had been shut down by her agency, the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN). The men used to work for some of the closed Banks; closed down because they did not meet the recapitalisation standard required in 2005. They had formed an association of 14000 members - the total number of staff members displaced by the forced closure. Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the predecessor of the present CBN governor, apparently had guaranteed the displaced staffers the payment of their terminal benefits should their banking institution not make it through the recapitalisation exercise. They had been seeking to obtain a performance of the promise, but nobody was paying attention. Not the CBN governor, Lamido Sanusi,  not the Minister of Labour, not the Senate President; and Mr President, Goodluck Jonathan himself ignored them too.

Well, one argument they brought forward which I took away is the fact that the banks did not die a natural death. They were closed down by the Central Bank, not for committing an offence, but for not being rich enough. Since when did not being rich enough become ground for extermination? But of course, since they look to be the under-dogs no body is considering answering to their needs.

This is so unjust!!! When the custodians of our national conscience do not take a stand for the down-trodden what hope is there for the ordinary man in the street?. Only when the big shots get tangled in the ropes do we see government bodies responding. Why do we fool ourselves in this country. Justice is given only when it will create sensationalism, only when the recipient is one of those 'deserving it'. When will every citizen of this land be accorded the recognition fundamental to their status as bona fide human beings who also bleed blood?

Very much like the case of the bank workers whose employers' offices were forcibly closed down is the matter of the so-called 'Wonder-Banks' of 2007. In much the same way as the killed Banks, these firms of  fund managers were hounded like criminals, man-handled and exploited by the Police and the armed forces at the instigation of the Central Bank of Nigeria, in the main. They claimed they were out to protect the  investing public. They closed the shops of the Fund Managers, froze and confiscated their accounts which held subscribers monies, and to this moment none of the agencies responsible for breaking up these firms has thought it fit to initiate a process of refunding the subscribers their monies, even if they want to do it by themselves.

If you asked me, I'd tell you that abuse and corruption do not come any clearer than this. While the finance agencies of government claimed they were out to protect the public, they were the ones who registered these companies. They knew they were fund managers, and they knew what fund managing entails. I guess, they just did not imagine that they would be that effective and successful.

The Fund Managers, fondly called 'Wonder-Banks' by the government agencies and their detractors, did not fail. Just like the banks closed down from the recapitalisation exercise of 2005, they did not die a natural death. They were frustrated by the agencies of the Finance Ministry as a personal vendetta against some of their very well known successes, like Alhaji Yusha'u Maiyaki, Managing Director of NOSPETCO  OIL & GAS LTD. This man's humane posture in sharing with his subscribers the profits that the multi-nationals usually distribute among themselves riled the princes and capitalist king-pins so much so that they blackmailed him into the list of 'wonder-banks'. How dare he give riches to the slaves born to work their capitalist mills?!

The government of Obasanjo had no issue with these firms. But it was the stooges of Obasanjo, who pretended to be under him who then ran berserk to strike the death hammer. While I will not deny the government the right to make policies, I refuse to agree that the government has right over my rightfully acquired property. This is the way I mean it: If I am given to drinking, for example, the government has no right to  seize or steal my money from me on the grounds that they want to keep me from drinking. It is my money and I do with it whatever I choose, as long as I do not hurt anyone else doing it! The government, by not responding to these issues, condones the unjust actions of her agents. They have no right to sit on investors monies all these years just because they say the investment product is risky. As things are, the government is the one who has brought in the element of risk; it did not come naturally in the normal course of their business.
But Nigeria Central Bank has seized investors monies in the said 'Wonder-Banks' for  near four years now on the pretext that they want to rescue investors. Investors who were not in danger of any sort in the first place.

Since this is a land where very few people speak the truth, it has become necessary  to call on all the good men of the land to ask the government for these monies to be returned to their owners before this matter becomes statute barred. The EFCC, Mr. Festus Keyamu, Barr.Falana, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, Chief Aremu Obasanjo, President Goodluck Jonathan, and all sincere and honest leaders of thought of Nigeria should rise up now and address this long lingering issue. These people, who are equal citizens as we are, deserve justice too. Some of them may have died over these four years, still, let them be refunded their monies now. At 50 years of nationhood let us begin to see men and women who will stand for truth, justice and fairness.

The time has come to stop living for self, always asking 'what's in it for me'. This land is bleeding, filled with people whose right have been trampled upon one way or another. Let us begin to right the wrongs we have caused over the years. Let justice not be for only those who can pay for it. In this perpetually green land let it be known far and wide that justice is for all – freeborn or slaves, strangers or indigents!          

Does the American Dream Have to Die With Michael Jackson?

Courtesy of Hubpages' for.ever.landis I wish to republish the following hub for the share truth in it and the injustice meted out to MJ

"The American Public Must Demand Honest Journalism.-

-by Forbes Everett Landis
Do you think it is a good idea to keep silence about the attacks on one of the most visible achievers of the American Dream? Are we not forfeiting our children’s future into the hands of bullies? Is it not time for us to speak up about the damage opportunistic journalism is doing to our culture? --
Last year, the news of pop-superstar Michael Jackson’s premature death shocked the world. As I am a classical music fan, not a connoisseur of pop music or any of its stars, Jackson’s death did not immediately evoke any particular emotion in me. I just let it go.

But as the days went by, and as I passively soaked in more and more news reports on Jackson’s death, I began to feel increasingly uncomfortable. A man had passed away: What need was there for the media to so eagerly show humiliating images of how Jackson would have looked on his death-bed? I was prompted to look into the case more thoroughly.

After more than a year, although I am not a Michael Jackson fan per se, on closer inspection I have come to admire his scale of contributions and humanitarian messages espoused within songs of his. And despite my hitherto skeptical view of the frenzied remarks often made by Jackson’s hard-core followers, I feel the need to say this:

To keep the American dream alive for our children, we should stop abusing our talented and creative spirits out of jealousy and misunderstanding.
Jackson had to deal with the media condemning him as strange, weird, and even labeling him a fr.eak, both figuratively and literally. My opinion about this is clear: Though at times, to subjective eyes, Jackson might have looked ‘different,’ half of this eccentricity was due to the fact that he was born to be an artist inevitably different from others because of his imaginative and creative nature, and half because he was forced into being so unconventional by a degree of media pressure few, if any, have ever experienced. Being different from others does not equate being harmful to others. As long as one does not violate others’ human rights, one has the right to be him or herself. In a society that prioritizes human rights and freedom, I find no justification for hurtful attacks on people who are perceived to be ‘different.’ These kinds of attacks are especially sordid when they involve the spreading of knowingly false rumors for financial gain. After Jackson’s acquittal on alleged child related charges in 2005, several journalists, such as Aphrodite Jones, came forward to confess that most of the media in attendance intentionally put objectivity aside in covering the Michael Jackson case by fragmenting the facts divulged in court, reporting only anti-Jackson information.
The human race has quite often owed its scientific or artistic progress to the “weird” and the “eccentric.” Let us consider, for example, Galileo Galilei, who was charged for openly discussing Copernican theory, a concept seen as sinful and roundly condemned at that time; later, of course, this theory went on to become the accepted standard of scientific understanding of the universe. We might also stop to consider how treasonable the very idea of democracy once was, how dangerous the aristocracy felt it to be; later, democracy became the world’s prevailing political philosophy. We can also remember that the concept of equality between : women and men, among different ethnicities, or diverse religions, was derided when it emerged. Also, had she not thought differently from others, might Mother Teresa not have been a stay-at-home mom instead of traveling to India and risking her life for humanity?

Keeping the history of these exceptional ideas and people in mind, I can almost guarantee that if one had killed all the “freaks” among our Australopithecine ancestors 3.5 million years ago, our species might not have made it to the 21st Century. We might very well have just remained a much more primitive species, one without the use of fire and the wheel, let alone an orchestra, or democracy, or computers. Is it not, after all, diversity that allows for evolution?

In other words, "weirdness" is sometimes the inevitable result of an exceptional imaginative ability that sees no boundaries in search of all the creative possibilities. As long as such individuals do us no harm, we should let them be. It is our duty to be respectful of those who are different not only because every human being is entitled to freedom, but also because diversity is at the root of human survival; diversity or “difference” is what allows for new ways of looking at things and indeed for innovation to occur.
To those who think that the Jackson’s spoken voice was peculiar, I would say that I see no significance in it. The spoken voice cannot be uncoupled from the singing voice that so many lauded. It might also be helpful for you to consider this information in order to broaden your understanding of the global context: there are countries where people respect those who speak softly, in a calm, non-aggressive manner. The American standard, where a loud voice is seemingly necessary to assertiveness, is not the only standard in the world.

To those who criticize the 'King of Pop' for purchasing Neverland, I pose this question: Would you have survived without buying a Neverland-sized residential property if you were in reality never able to explore any place alone without being horded by an ensuing media and public frenzy whenever you stepped out of your front door? A huge residence with a vast garden might have been the only possible way for this worldwide megastar to relax and enjoy some fresh air without constant intrusion from the public. He said in an interview that he loved animals and nature just in the same way as famed animal welfare activist Dr. Jane Goodall did, and he simply surrounded himself with them at his personal retreat. After all, Jackson earned his money through incredible hard work and a perfectionist work-ethic. In light of his Guinness record-making support of no less than 39 charities, it may very well be hypocritical to criticize his spending habits. It is noteworthy that Jackson regularly donated proceeds, from his concerts on tours, to charity and during his career, he gave away upwards of 300 million dollars to philanthropic efforts.


Having demonstrated that there is nothing inherently wrong with living unconventionally, the question now turns to whether or not Jackson ever harmed anyone with his behaviors. Here I will discuss the child related allegations leveled against him. ---

In discussing the two instances of allegations Jackson was faced with, I would like to focus my attention primarily on the 1993 case due to the fact that the more recent (2003-2005) accusations ended with Jackson receiving a full legal acquittal on all counts, the extremely low credibility of the accuser’s mother playing a significant factor in this exoneration. In other words, Jackson was found not-guilty so I believe we must discount this case.

Considering that the laws of most U.S. states set down one’s right to sue anyone without being counter-sued solely in retribution for one’s lawsuit, one can safely sue anyone he wants to sue. Thus, the extortion of popular and wealthy persons is an increasingly attractive ploy for those seeking a quick buck. Fast and easy money may once have come at a personal price, that being distrust from one’s community. But, with cities growing ever larger and more impersonal, an individual’s local reputation is of gradually thinning importance, resulting in more room for thievery. To some mischief minded, the risk of exposure as an extortionist might thus seem lower when compared to the potentially enormous financial benefits of a scam. As a result, a millionaire, especially one whose professional value is greatly magnified by fame, is more vulnerable than ever. According to the National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect, in 1998, 71% of the abuse reports were revealed to be false or unfounded. The false accusation rate even rises to over 90% when a custody battle and money is involved (as was the case between the plaintiff’s parents in the 1993 allegations against Jackson, who was a friend of the child's mother). In the 1993 case, the charges never went to trial but were settled out of court.

The record illustrates that the financially troubled accuser’s father had previously approached Jackson’s representatives with a monetary request well before he sued for the alleged molestation, demonstrating that he would have refrained from filing suit in exchange for money. Would any parent with real care for the well-being of his or her children make such a deal?

As evidence for my position, I present the recorded phone conversation in which the accuser’s father is heard to say that everything [is] going “according to a certain plan,” that he would win “big time” and that Jackson would be ruined forever. These words sounds far more like the words of a mercenary than those of a father concerned with justice for his son.
It should also be emphasized that Jackson was never indicted on the 1993 allegations, even after an intensive 13-month investigation including interviews with over 400 witnesses in and out of the country, extensive searches of his residential properties, and even a 25 minute full-body examination in which Jackson had every part of his body photographed, videotaped and examined. And in the six years before the statute of limitation had expired, no criminal charges were ever filed. After the District Attorney’s office spent millions of tax payer dollars in hot pursuit of the singer, had they found any evidence of molestation, they would have been certain to indict Jackson. Civil settlement does not prevent criminal indictment. The 13-year-old boy at the center of the allegations refused to testify criminally and his father, the main individual behind the allegations, committed suicide within months of Jackson's death.
Having discussed the mischaracterization of what people might dismiss as “weird,” and having made plain the falsity of the allegations made against Jackson, accusations that in my view look suspiciously extortionate, as highlighted above, I would now like to consider Jackson’s moral conduct with reference to the caricature presented of him:

Regarding integrity, Jackson’s deeds and lifestyle, apart from the media’s fabricated stories, remained consistently appropriate. In fact, his decency made him look almost old-fashioned, even when he was young, when compared with many entertainers’ indulgences in sex, alcohol, and drugs. Interviews with Jackson indicated that he felt it highly inappropriate to remark publicly on his sexual life. This strikes me as an example of his dignity and modesty. However, this very reserve may ironically have fueled further baseless speculation about Jackson’s sexual orientation. I wish to ask : is publicly questioning a person’s sexual life not way more inappropriate than that person’s choice of silence out of a desire for privacy regarding the same? The fact that Jackson was not involved in a multitude of sex scandals with women, a fact which should normally invite respect, seems unfairly to have been justification for the media to pathologize Jackson. It is beyond ridiculous to construct the lack of lasciviousness and scandal as itself scandalous and suspect.

Many people have also remarked that Jackson did not curse at all, especially when he was younger. Only after suffering numerous hate campaigns founded on falsehoods did he insert a very small amount of profanity into his songs, in response to a world which had betrayed him so deeply. Even then, his use of profanity stayed away from vitriolic attacks , but came across more as an artistic expression of deep anguish. some of the lyrics from a song entitled “Tabloid Junkie” from his HIStory album go thus:

“It’s slander with the words you use

...Assassinate and mutilate
as the hounding media in hystera

...You say it's not a sin
But with your pen you torture men
Then why do we keep foolin' ourselves

Just because you read it in a magazine
Or see it on the TV screen
Don't make it factual…”

Jackson also faced many accusations regarding his appearance and changed skin tone. But, turning this around, what might this suggest about those themselves who so scrutinized the way he looked? What does it say about their own biases ? And about the people who claimed to know details about every surgical procedure Jackson allegedly had, calling him a freak without even having seen him actually ? Or who refused to acknowledge the pigment destroying disease Vitiligo which he was a sufferer of ?
After the 2003 allegations, the media repeatedly displayed pictures of Jackson in an emaciated state, not out of questions about his well-being, but it would seem, simply in order to taunt him. While Jackson was indeed beginning to look fairly thin, but isn’t taking somebody’s tired physical appearance as direct evidence of inner abnormality only reveal our own superficiality ? Maybe , just maybe anyone else would have looked equally fatigued had they suffered the anguish of having to relentlessly fight vicious and false allegations all the while being condemned in the court of public opinion even before being found guilty by the legal system. Whereas under the laws of the land, one is granted the presumption of innocence until they are actually found guilty.

On the topic of morality : Which is more admirable, giving people hope by regularly visiting and donating to hospitals and orphanages, or telling scandalous stories based on speculation or lies? Which is more despicable, pursuing an exceptionally rigorous dedication to artistic perfection, or giving in to jealousy and greed to bring down an artist? The tabloid press, of course, uses this strategy on most celebrities and public figures. One might argue that Michael Jackson had learned to use the press as cynically as it used him ; that he , especially in the early days, once believed that “all publicity is good publicity,” One might even go so far as to say that Jackson purposely flaunted his eccentricities to generate press and in turn album sales. He did, after all, have a fine artistic sense of the dramatic. Maybe so, but this seems true up to an extent only : it might be the case that being an international headliner he could not escape the tabloid press any where he went and so he attempted to make lemons into lemon aid. Here my issue is what the media’s handling of Jackson devolved into, ultimately devouring him. And what this says about societal norms and ethics.

In this matter , critics have accused Jackson of not opposing false information adamantly enough. Pondering that charge, I suspect that having been abused by the media intrusiveness from his early days in the spotlight, Jackson might have come to feel vulnerable and victimized. He reported feeling very uncomfortable giving press interviews since he said his words were often taken out of context and even misquoted. As he resignedly confided to an associate that the press would not highlight good things because to the press, good news did not sell. No matter what he did, or what he accomplished. Rather the accent was always on sensationalizing even the trivial, leaving him to deal with an equation where visiting the burns unit at a hospital where he had made donations and where he was casually inspecting the equipment got translated into headlines of him freakishly sleeping in an oxygen chamber. Realistically speaking, had Jackson attempted to fight every rumor reported or printed about him, he would be left with no time or even resources to do anything else. Instead he stated having to “run the race of endurance” to withstand all the assaults made against his name throughout his career. In the end ,we must ask ourselves, what is more faithful and true, labeling someone a freak without even having met them personally and without possessing any evidence of wrongdoing ? Or showing fortitude in the face of hostility and simply expressing who one really is by letting his work speak for itself ?

Some might argue that the attacks Jackson had to suffer from the media and from consumers can be justified as a natural price to pay for the fame and fortune. No, I say. That is too high a price being charged from a human being. Those who knew Jackson said that the 2005 trial and it’s coverage had a devastating impact on him. Those attacks had after a point exceeded all justifiable limits . To live under such harsh scrutiny, what kind of psychological and emotional damage might that inflict on the recipient ? May I note that he was not paid to endure pain, but for his relentless efforts and dedication to his craft.

The American media have disgraced themselves by displaying to the world the schoolyard bullying of a talented and creative soul with great achievements . Now consider how this public bullying of a legendary figure might present itself to a new generation of youth, how it might play out in their minds and affect their morale ... Might this type of public bullying not discourage youngsters of today from pursuing their own creativity, their own inner diversity, for fear that they themselves might incur such abuse ?
The coverage of Michael Jackson’s life poses among other things, these questions to America: Does fulfilling the American Dream require that one subject oneself to unending media intrusion, to lies about one’s self for the sake of selling newspapers, and where one unproven accusation is enough to undo years and years of achievement and all the hard work and initiative that would necessarily have been part of the process? Do you want your children to live in a world where pursuing the American Dream involves the risks of a nightmare of mistrust and abuse?
I refer again to the journalists who later admitted their purposely distorted and biased reporting on the Michael Jackson child molestation cases. If we recall for a moment the enormous number of journalists who surrounded the Santa Barbara County courthouse, one can surmise that the handful of journalists who came clean about their deception makes up only a tiny fraction of those involved.

I suspect that there were hundreds more who remained silent and who knowingly bent the truth to sell papers and boost network ratings. I also suppose that there are thousands of people who, having received one-sided information, once believed the larger than life Jackson to be no better than a freakish criminal, but who, after his death felt compelled to research the facts themselves, and have now come to see him just as one of us, a burdened human being and a caring parent, as well as a uniquely talented artist and a devoted philanthropist who had remained for many a global ambassador. Perhaps these now better-informed members of the public have come to doubt the veracity of the media itself, not just when it comes to Michael Jackson, but in general.

I speculate that there is a pervasive feeling that it is safer to say nothing when it comes to Michael Jackson for fear of being promptly stigmatized. However, we need to address the implications of such silent behavior. What does our silence about the attacks on one of the most visible achievers of the American Dream say? What does it say in light of the American Constitutions’ declaration of the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ? If we play it safe, we are forfeiting our children’s future into the hands of bullies. It is time for us to speak up about the damage opportunistic journalism is doing to our culture. As Edmund Burke once penned, “all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”"

A Land in Need of Patriots!

 When a nation is adjudged to be a toddler after being in existence for years long enough to be looked upon as a matured person, if it were a human being, it is not to be  just glossed over. There is hope that a toddler will grow and develop in the course of time, given that care and nurturing will be provided. If a nation however is said to be a toddler at fifty years of existence it is a situation of despair. Why? Well, for one the machinery of state would have been set in motion  and taken root and would be hard to stop its rolling. It would be hard for people to agree to go back to the drawing board to make corrections, especially with opportunists and sycophants looking to capitalise on system failures. So, it is a state of profitable chaos for the opportunists.

Our dear, but late nationalist Fela Anikulapo Kuti sang 'Food, light, water, road'. Basic necessities of living, things taken for granted even in some African countries not as endowed as this land is, are what we still spend our precious lives seeking till we drop dead in the course of it.

Harnessing the Power of Vision

Vision is a word easily under rated. The ability to envision is such a great power men have not fully grasped its importance. Most educated minds do not get round to using  the power of vision to solve their problem, how much less the uneducated. Every man who wants to succeed in life will succeed, not because of education, true. But every man who wants to take charge of the affairs of a people should be educated. Not education represented by just the show of paper certification, but one attested to by the acceptable working of the person's mind. And the person should be capable of having and using the power of vision.

This green land remains nothing but a green land to all still, notwithstanding that skyscrapers are rising up all around us daily. Those charged with planning our collective experiences as a people cannot SEE where we ought to be going. They cannot see the components of a tomorrow that is not yet made present so they cannot take us there. Can someone go to where he does not know how to get to? It's your fault for asking him to take you there!

We can only blame ourselves for our lot as a people. Do we as individual citizens practise envisioning. We are the way we are because we have left our minds unattended to. We are accidents. We should be thankful we even still exist. These days, people think up their fate and work it out into manifestation. People see their experiences before they get into it.
The rulers of this never changing green land have one common vision for certain. They SEE themselves having access to A LOT OF MONEY that nobody would ask them to give account of. Even the uses to which they put the looted money show an alarming level of brainlessness!

Does It Matter Who is to be Blamed?

I would be uncomfortable if a professor was to be the head of government, much the same as I would be were he a stark illiterate. This is not just because he might have 'doctored' his credentials but rather for our lack of controlling institutions. The rulers of this land have always been bigger than us, bigger than the institutions by which they emerged. We have rulers with superstar status and privileges, so nobody is able to check them once they assume office. We are yet to find a leader for this grossly abused land.

For lack of any idea as to which way to go, a lot of opinion leaders have always found it convenient to blame the military for the way we are today. I believe that that aspect of this lands evolution has been over-flogged. Lets move on for God's sake. Let those who want to go on stealing steal and get out of the way so those who have ideas of what to do can get on board.

Am I being sarcastic? No! You want to charge the rulers of this land for misappropriation? It will take forever. There are very few who would not be indicted. And some will let it degenerate to a tribal witch-hunt and turn it into a fiasco. No. Leave what has been done alone. Let those who can change things take over.

Who Should be in Power?

For me, anybody who can do the job, anybody with a vision and the heart to actualise it. Anybody with a vision and who can articulate and share it with us and let us decide whether it is where we want to go too. That person should be in power.

These, as yet faceless individuals, for the most part, may be old or young, familiar or yet to be known, and may be of whatever religious inclination but of an acceptable professional calling. As long as the person can see a beautiful picture others cannot see yet, and is able to dream dreams others would call impossible at present, that is  the one being awaited.
This person may be of any gender, tribe or social status for all we care (permit me to speak for you all children of this land). The persons don 't have to be university dons, but should be skilled in solving problem and keeping promise.