Pain of the Heart

I remember spending few years at home after my secondary school education. Gaining admission into the University was not a problem then but a challenge. I had a very close friend; in short my best friend then was privileged to gain admission before me. After few weeks on campus, she developed strange attitude towards me. She became another person entirely, she was no longer a friend I used to know. She no longer visit me at my house unlike before despite the fact that I visit her regularly . I asked her what the problem was, she opened up and told me she was no longer comfortable associating with me since we were no longer on the "same page".  Ayokunmi, how will you expect me to mingle with you when you are still at home, struggling to gain admission! she said.

Honestly I was pained with her actions but decided to take heart.

A year later, I gained admission in that same school, and eventually graduated before her.

Some of us are equally guilty of this. Don't ever look down on anybody if you can't lift them up.

Life is dynamic and not static. Many times things aren't the way we see them, they might move and change within a twinkle of an eye. No condition is permanent. When you condemn a situation along with the person in the situation, you are only playing "god" in a condition you don't have power over.

There is this common Yoruba adage that says "A masquerade that dances first will become a spectator before the end of the contest". He who laugh last laugh best.

NB: This Story isn't fictional but my true life personal experience.

Ayokunmi Solomon Jimoh

@apostleayoks

Restructure Nigerians, not Nigeria!

Map of Nigeria Showing the Geo-Political Zones

Many have come out to boldly call out for the restructuring of the country. They claim its a way out of the myriads of problems confronting us as a Nation. Lot of notable names have lent their voices to the regionalizing of the country so as to give each part full control of its natural resource especially the Niger  Delta Region. Many have stood up to claim that the country as it is now has derailed from its past glory when we had it regionalized. Nigeria doesn't need to be fragmented further or restructured in order to live up to our status as the giant of Africa. This article is all about how we can achieve greatness without further compartmentalization, but by addressing some common issues which we haven't paid closer attention to as a Nation.

Tribalism in Nigeria now is at a very saddening high. We see different parts of the country label those of other tribes with derogatory names. The youths are worst hit by this tribalism epidemic. We are ever ready to conjure a plethora of inhumane appellations for our brothers and sisters from tribes that are not ours especially on various platforms of the social media.

Another issue to be addressed is lack of the spirit of Nationalism amongst the Nigerian polity. Majority of Nigerians are only Nigerians by nomenclature and not by the heart. Nigerians do no longer believe in the Nigerian project. I bet most Nigerians would readily change their nationality to any country with better prospects who offers such opportunity. This is partly why Nigerians prefer to patronize foreign goods and emphasize all the bad things about made in Nigerian merchandise. The death of Nationalism gave birth to and is responsible for the growth of tribalism.

 

I love Nigeria
 

 

 

This is why a Nigerian would first identify himself as an Igbo, a Yoruba or Hausa man including the over 250 ethnic nationalities before identifying as a Nigerian. The death of Nationalism also took another casualty and that is, the spirit of patriotism. Very few Nigerians are patriots. Most Nigerians wouldn't go the extra mile for the country if there's nothing in it for them. This is further shown in how Nigerians treat government property and even how politicians treat government infrastructure and institutions e.g. dilapidated schools, stadiums and poorly equipped hospitals and death trap roads that abound in the country.

 

This is also responsible for the wanton destruction of oil and power installations especially in the South south because they do not feel as part of the Nigerian project . Government at all levels should embark on a major campaign to eschew away the spirit of tribalism and ethnic sentiment and for all to embrace nationalism . Government should also introduce the history of Nigeria into the curriculum of schools in the country.

 

Nigerians need to know the story of the independence and how the dreams of our founding fathers can be actualized. Nigerians need to know the story of the Civil War. We need to know the sacrifices made from all divides for our unity and what lessons we can learn from the war. Nigerians need to know the great political icons that have made positive and meaningful contributions for our sustained growth and how the upcoming generation can draw strength from their determination .

 

Nigeria Flag

Nigeria can be better if it conquers corruption. If the current crop of our greedy, selfish, wicked and uncreative leaders were at the helm of affairs when we had the regions, I bet we would not have anything to say about those past glorious days. Fellow Nigerians rather than restructuring our nation, we need to restructure our values. We need to evaluate what's important and what's not and this must start from the very foundation of every society-the family. It should be of note that leaders during the regional times in which Nigeria flourished were a product of a balanced family system which promoted the right values and virtues of hard work, honesty, creativity and selflessness.

I've heard many a Nigerian youth complain bitterly about how we've been short-changed by the older generation in our social contract. The older generation deem us unfit to handle Nigerian affairs aright. There are more than 30 million of us roaming the streets jobless and hopeless. When it comes to election times, we shy away from doing the needful or even accept to short-change ourselves by taking peanuts from the older generation to install their crook friends in power instead of we taking charge. Dear Nigerian youths, the older generation would never give us a chance if we do not SPEAK TO BE HEARD.

 

We speak to be heard when we do the needful during electioneering-vote credible people and defend your votes. We speak to be heard when we say no to stomach infrastructure and request for developmental governance. We speak to be heard when we submit ourselves to serve our fellow compatriots. Most Nigerian youths are ignorant of the fact that we are truly the leaders of tomorrow. when the older generation is gone, we have to take the lead but the truth is we are not ready and we don't really care and with that fact, the future of Nigeria still looks gloomy. If we do not collectively desire and work towards a new Nigeria, we have no future to look up to. The youths of today are the Nigeria of tomorrow just like our inept leaders of today were once irresponsible youths of yesterday.

Nigeria belongs to we all whether we like it or not . What ever we make of it will be borne by we all whether we like it or not . Let us all eschew tribalism. Let us show love to and support our brothers in the north east and donate towards the young ones starving and dying off there . Let us plead with our brothers in the Niger Delta region to quit bombing oil and power installations and sheath their swords because the use of violence will destroy more than the good we can ever achieve. Let us all demand for accountability on behalf of our Niger Delta brothers from the political elite in the region to tell us how the billions invested there has been spent.

 

Let us demand for justice from our political class that cannot pay pensioners and salary earners but can still afford to live in stupendous wealth. Let us demand for a new Nigeria brothers and sisters. Nigerian youths obey the clarion call and seize your own future. Nigerians, old and young let us restructure our mind-set, eschew tribalism and embrace nationalism, shun corruption and start believing in the Nigerian project because without restructuring Nigerians, restructuring Nigeria will only be an exercise in futility.

 

Tolu Olakanmi
toluolakanmi007@gmail.com

PROPOSAL AND ACCEPTANCE (Manifestation of God's favour at work).

Will you marry Me?

 

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favour from the LORD. Proverbs 18:20.

 

1. The process and method of the finding determine how 'treasurable' she will be.

There is a difference between finding a wife and finding a 'Girlfriend' and then making the 'girlfriend' a 'wife'.
A wife (in terms of materials and qualities) is a 'wife' even while she is singles.

Here is why:
'In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use'. 1st Tim. 2:20.

A Marriage Proposal

 

2. Your Wife is a treasure unto you. Why? Because she is a manifestation of God's favour on you.

 

3. That you propose and she said 'Yes' is a favour from God, and that you as a sister was purposefully convinced to say Yes is God's grace.
There are other brothers that even laboured more than you to get her, and there are other Sisters that have gone on Vigils and taken his name to Pastors, just to get him. But here you are; Grace and favour from God made it happen for you.
As someone that has gotten a 'No' before, an understandable 'No'  (Lol), the last part of that passage makes so much sense to me.

Am recently studying on Grace, and I can see how Men have taken for granted God's grace.

You see, until we begin to understand that marriage is a partnership unto destiny, may be we can then appreciate the Grace of God or pray for the grace of God as regard making marital choice.

When you marry someone, you are not just choosing one person; you are through him/her  choosing who your father In-Law will be, your Mother In-law, brother In-law, Sister In-law, extended family relatives, friends In-law (lol), etc.

You can fast and pray for seven days on Mont Kilimanjaro or Mount Everest, and be very sure that she is your wife. (I believe you that she is your wife), after several attempts of proposing and she is not taking you serious, you decide to wait for ten years for her to say Yes; Buy gift for her, take her to Mr. Biggs, and spend all you can on her. Bro, if you are yet to obtain the grace and favour from God for her to be your wife, You are only taking care of another man's wife.
(I remember Prof. Sunday Isehunwa once advising us to pray on early mercy as regard marriage. He told us a story of a friend that the wife said Yes after ten years of proposal. That my bro, is waste of time. Do you know what they could have accomplish as a Team in ten years? Some waiting can be wasting).

 

4. So, what is it with obtaining the favour?

I happen to be blessed with four elder brothers. As the last born in my family, I have learnt a lot about marital choice, relationship, and marriage as a destiny, from them.
Almost all of them have stylishly or practically being in a relationship before the sister they eventually marry.
But the process of they obtaining God's favour about their choice tells me more about the fact that the favour for finding a treasurable wife is based on Purpose and destiny.

You may not understand the depth of God's will and purpose for you and your marriage when you propose to her, She may not understand you completely when she accepted your proposal; but God gave you the favour of she accepting your proposal because He (God) has in stock for the union between both what eyes have not seen, what ears have not heard and even mind is yet to imagine. Something great that God wants to do through you and your seeds.
And he can't afford that the ignorance of you too about the depth of His will for your union will be a set back to the manifestation of His plan for your marriage.
God's favour is attached to a responsibility.
It's a favour from God that she said Yes, because she is the ordained mother that will nurse your seed and build your home.

 

5. Every marriage according to God's design is a product of God's favour.

That you as a lady was convinced to say Yes to him, not minding his stature, his 'Six-packlessness', his Oily face, his financial status and social class, his 'leggedesbenz', his 'three -shirtness' and 'four-trouserness'; that, despite all of these attributes that can justify your refusal of his proposal, you became so convinced in the purpose and plan of God for the union of both of you; that my sister, is God's grace at work.

Understanding that all we've been given and blessed with is all by the grace of God, will strengthen our heart to appreciate the purpose of God's design for marriage and the family unit, especially your marriage.

Thank you.

 

 

Pharm John Oluwadero
Executive Coordinator, Better Nigeria Initiative(BNI), a youth work and community development agency. He also serves as African Regional Representative for Commonwealth Youth Sport for Development and Peace Working Group.

Email: johnoluwadero@gmail.com

 

 

Fulani Herdsmen or Terrorists?

Fulani Herdsman Holding Riffle Gun to protect his Cattle

 

 

 

 

 

The Fulani ethnic group (also known as Bororo'en, fellaata, fellah, fulfude, Fula and peul) are people that live in an area that stretches from Ouadai(chad) to far away Ethiopia, they are mainly found in twenty Nations in wide swath of Africa from Mauritania and Senegal to Sudan. They are grouped into The settlers and the Nomads. They are estimated to be about 25million people. They are mainly Muslims and rears cattle.

 

History says that the arrival of the Fulani In Nigeria Coincides with the Rise of Uthman Dan fodi and since then the Fulanis have been a Core member of the Entity called Nigeria. the Settlers are found in states like Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Taraba, and Adamawa. The nomads can be found in almost every state in Nigeria. The Nomads don't stay in a place for a long time because their Cattle need Fresh Forages which is very scarce in the dry season so they move the Cattle in search of Greener pastures. This search for Fresh forages causes Conflict between the Nomads and the Farmers with the latter claiming that the Farm produce in millions are being destroyed due to Grazing of Cattle on their farms. They (the farmers ) also claimed that their lands were being degraded on a daily basis and any attempt at complaint were met violence from the Fulanis then comes retaliation by the citizens. This incessant Conflicts in 2002 prompted the then Governor of Oyo State, Lam Adesina to place an embargo on the Nomads activities in the state. This decision was highly criticized by the Arewa forums and other concern citizens especially from the North and in order to find a lasting solution to the Violence, the then Vice President Atiku Abubakar together with former President Muhammad Buhari held a meeting with the Governor, traditional leaders and other stakeholders in which at the end of the day, the embargo was lifted but Violence did not stop.

Recently, the violent activities of the Fulani Nomads has become very rampant, they steal, they rape, maim, and destroy properties at slightest provocation. Their activities are mostly felt in almost every state with States like Benue and plateau bearing the brunt of the menace. But more recently, the Nomads have step up their game, they have abandoned archaic arms and ammunitions like Club, Dane guns, matchets and daggers. They now carry sophisticated weapon like Ak47, RPGs and grenades. They have been committing crime against innocent farmers and settlers for over five years now but the straw that broke the camel back came when they kidnapped a Yoruba in Akure. This Latest action sparked a lot of angry reactions from eminent Nigerians. Some even suggested that the Fulani nomads should be pursued from the south. The activities of this group has increased ever since President Buhari was sworn in.

 

A faceless Terrorist

 

Last week, the Fulani nomads heavily armed with sophisticated weapons reportedly killed over 500 people in Agatu village in Benue and just yesterday, they reportedly killed over 200 people in the same Benue state. This is not some fulani nomads-farmers conflict, this is a full scale terrorism. This is a bitter pill Nigerians can't swallow. The Yorubas, the Agatus, the igedes and other ethnic groups are being maimed everyday.

People can't sleep with their two eyes closed, people are being terrorized on there own land. The United State recently named the Nomads as the fourth deadliest group in the  world. Something needs to be done.

 

Nigeria need to Nick this menace in bud, the President as Grand commander of Federal Republic should address this madness, maybe he should go on live radio especially BBC Hausa to speak with his people, our boarder patrols need to be strengthened, we need to deploy men of The JTF to the most affected place, NEMA should provide abode for the refugees. Lastly we need to pray for protection against this uncircumcised savage.

 

Let me end this write up with the words of Martin Niemoller

     "First they came for the socialists and I didn't speak out because I was not a socialist, then they came for the trade unionist and I didn't speak out because I was not a trade unionist, then they came for the jews and I didn't speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me."

Kayode Abiodun
Twitter: @abiodunsays

JUMOKE ORISAGUNWA V. AYODELE DANIEL DADA : A JUXTAPOSITION

This post by one of my Facebook friends spurred me on to finally write something extensive on the whole Jumoke affair- the bread seller cum super model.
Some have so much criticised the the idea of idolizing Jumoke that it looks as if they envy her or have 'beefs' for her. While some think she is worth the whole hype. The rest are either indifferent or ignorant of the whole affair. I was almost publicly indifferent until someone compared the Unilag Graduate, Ayodele Dade who graduated with a CGPA of 5.0, the highest possible. It made me have interest to give voice to my opinion.
To me,  all the issues, arguments and contentions so far is based on our 'value system'. I mean our erroneous and junky value system.
Some believe that companies and government pay too much attention to useless endeavors as beauty pageants and modelling at the expense of education, I mean school education.
From my perspective, personally I don't value school education as much as life education. I value talent and skill more than academic qualifications and achievements. The school qualifications MAY not have real value in real life, in the field. I appreciate an artist who can draw a beautiful image more than a first-class Engineering Graduate. I prefer the shoe-maker who makes nice footwears to the graduate of Sociology anytime, until that graduate can exhibit some skills he acquired in University to affect the society positively. Sir, your certificate won't rise up and make the society better, it is about you and what you have inside of you.

As we are all different as humans, we have different value system, but the thing is that some have a rather atrocious value-system. Personally, I value practical more than theory. Nowadays, our Universities are just mere instruction grounds. He who knows how to carry out instructions more, makes the highest grades not necessarily the most intelligent student. There is ZERO regard for Creativity and Innovation, and unfortunately those are the things that move greater countries ahead, not the mere 'paper qualifications'. In fact, go and check the most innovative (and richest) people in the world today, they are drop-outs. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard , Mark Zuckerberg (Harvard) , Steve Jobs (Reeds College) , Frank Lloyd Wright, America's most successful Architect, James Cameron (Fullerton College) Nikolai Tesla (Austrian Polytechnic, Graz), many more examples abound. Note, most they didn't drop out because they are dullards but because of financial incapabilities and extreme divergence, insurgence. These are the ones I call, 'Too cool for school'.
Some would say are they Nigerians? Yes they are  not. We have A few Nigerian examples of drop-out to glory anyway, Wizkid, Tu face, etc. But even if we don't, it is because of our flawed value-system.
My own problem with the whole Jumoke and endorsement issue is the fact that those banks and other companies will only use her nakedness to divert attention to themselves. In fact, to me, she is not exceptionally beautiful. As someone said sarcastically, "She is just there". Anyway beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
It is not her seeming beauty that appeals to prospective companies but her willingness to display it in nudity and depravity. She is from a humble background, she would be more than willing to do anything 'noble'  to make it big. At least she is not sleeping around with anybody, or at least, not yet.
TY Bello is an opportunist, she just took advantage of the poor lady and her ordinary story to make both of them rich, her richer. We have many bread seller who are more beautiful than Jumoke, we have many bread sellers or pure water-seller who have photo-bombed. She was not lucky to have photo-bombed, we all do. She was not lucky to have photo-bombed TY Bello's photos, many have done that. She was JUST lucky to have done so when the already unpopular photographer needed to rise to fame again, all of these still coming back to an Orchestration of TY Bello. It is a cycle. A facade created by the photographer herself. She is smart. Like Linda and gossips.

Nothing spectacular about her story naturally, until TY BELLO made it spectacular. She brought it to this point of awe. She was just a smart photographer. And trust me, Social Media should get a medal in this game of the minds.

All na PR.

It is high time we restructured our value system and understand the dynamics of value and development. We should pay more attention to talents, skills and innovation rather than mere paper qualifications and certificate. If your certificate is not backed with skills, intelligence, sense of innovation and creativity, please take the back seat. Your laudable CGPA won't make that car move, the road-side mechanic would....

©2016
Abayomi Ahmed

Email: optimysticx91@gmail.com 

Twitter: @optimysticdex