Dark Tunnel- Inspired quote

“Sometimes, life is like a dark tunnel. You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving…. you will come to a better place”.

-General Iroh from the series Avatar

Suffice it to mean that no matter how dark that tunnel may seem there is always a better place in the midst of our darkest hours. Many people die seeking the light at the end of their tunnel because they fail to see the better place that presents itself.

There is a story of a young man who on leaving school in the midst of hardship and stress was approached by a friend who sold the idea of garbage disposal business to him so that they can both run it instead of continuing in the light of the hardship they have become used to, but he declined and swore to get a job with one of the many oil companies in town and even went on to make an estimation of what he will earn per annum.

The friend who approached him went on to start the garbage disposal business with a wheel barrow and after four years he already owned six trucks a corporate office and staff strength of thirty three.

Now the “oil companies” man was still out there looking for the white collar job and was called in for interview at the garbage disposal company and during the last stage of the interview where he was to just have a final chart with the boss, he walked into the office to see his friend seating behind the desk looking well fed and beaming from ear to ear.

Moral of the story is that, our dear friend failed to see the better place that was replacing the light which was supposed to be at the end of the tunnel, while his friend did and knew that he may never see the light.

So in life and whatever you do always seek the better place when the light seems so far away because your ability to see the right thing that is intended to make your situation bearable may be disguised as garbage or a menial job.

Whenever that “thing” comes back at you with uncertainty, do not ask the questions you already are familiar with; instead, seek the better place because not everyone is created to experience the “see the light at the end of the tunnel” feel.

The Cat, The Mouse & The Bell

The Cat, The Mouse and That Raggedy Bell definitely should ring a bell in our minds and jolt us out of reality into that cartoon state of mind where there is a Cat and a Mouse that are never compatible and whenever they eventually find a workable path, it somehow always manages to go terribly bad and the process of reconciliation starts all over again. 
Tom and Jerry you say? Yes, Tom and Jerry; and for those of us who haven't seen the clip, please do try and see one today.
The cartoon I think is as old as time and just manages not to get old and it was while having my usual late dinner with my 2 year old son who happened to be having fun watching and giggling away that I went into a state of thinking.
This thinking got me trying to piece together the soundless characters who never communicate through words but gesture and how they always manage to get on each others nerves and this particular show was how Jerry the mouse was trying hard to bell Tom the cat with the help of a fellow cousin mouse from outta town.

The problem starts with Tom the cat on the prowl to take out Jerry the mouse and as big as the house or stage may be, there is never anyone around to come to the poor mouse's rescue but against all odds, the Mouse always manages to win and I can only wish there is a bell on the cat so the mouse gets justice.

Now, lets relate this to the Nigerian context where the Cat = the Government aka bully of the people laden with criminally insane persons, the Mouse = the Masses aka law abiding citizen with an "e go better attitude" and always managing to survive, the Bell = the Justice system aka the elusive bunch never taking a stand against injustice.
The Government is one bunch of horrible individual who will do whatever it takes to ride and chase the masses into extinction if they can and the masses always in the suffering and smiling mood running in circle escaping from the Government and plotting their downfall which is never good enough to hold them down and the Justice system which is as corrupt as it sounds taking sides with the government against people and that is why there is never a bell present when you watch the cartoon thereby leaving that old as time question, "who will bell the cat?"
It is cat and mouse story we get everyday with the acts of the government getting more and more criminally inclined as they make sure to take for theselves everything they can lay their hands on and sell everything institution we have to the highest bidder not putting into consideration the organizational capacity and the final purpose of these firms. We are on daily basis faced with numerous ills that makes one wonder whatever did we do wrong to warrant being treated like dirt by rogues on the platform of leadership.

The Nigerian government has of late proven that the masses are ordinary and that their needs are not important. The educational sector is one of such areas and as funny as it may sound, these rogues in government are beneficiaries of free education in their time and those where weren't part of the scheme actually had the opportunity to attend school and graduate in record time.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who is the man "right thinking" Nigerians want to see dangling from a pike attested to the importance of education and of how it was majorly responsible for making him the man he is today. He also went on to promise transformation in the educational sector so that the future of the country can be secured in a bid to making opportunities for canoe makers, petty traders or palm wine tappers children to attain the highest offices in the land and unlike him make seeable landmarks and history such as can be described as a Mandela of our time.
Goodluck Jonathan is a lucky man as is and I want to strongly argue that he has come to understand that he got to where he is today by luck and not education because his actions of late has proved to us that education is not the bedrock of Nigeria.

World over, leaders are putting measures in place to sustain the educational sector in their nation and making sure that such goals are achieved within the shortest possible time but back home here in Nigeria our government is putting measures in place to unsure that the educational sector becomes extinct, and like Tom the cat, Jerry the mouse is always going to be chased until he is killed and just when you think he may get justice, the chase comes to an end with just a little light at the end of the tunnel only to return with another round of chase.

The Nigerian educational sector is right now going through a period of decay and deprivation riddled with educated thugs and touts at the helm of affairs and what you get after these happenings is what we are going through at the moment.
What right thinking person appoints a thug and renowned tout to head an institution that is supposed to produce leaders, masters of industries, CEOs, MDs, governors, ministers, presidents, successful entrepreneurs, genuine PhD holders etc?

What right thinking person who swore to better the educational sector now turns around to not care what happens in the sector he gave so much credit for getting him into the office where he is wrecking things and practically making the nation unwelcoming to the people who have vested so much in their motherland?
Students of our various universities have been forcibly made to stay home doing nothing and becoming agitated because its been months out of school and all efforts to get the government of the day to do something is met with series of excuses.

The government is not concerned about what happens to the people and how they feel. The government is better at getting muddled up in controversy all in the name of politics and in issues considered unimportant like worrying about what 2015 will look like and if they can still get into that office to continually loot and run the economy aground.

Nowhere on his profile is there a closeness to education and I find it hard to understand why a PhD holder would even consider making him a Minister of education be it partially or permanently, and for whatever reason why would our president keep appointing incompetents to positions of authority in a Nation that is already fragile following boiling agitation about the failure of the government to address issues of importance. We have over a short period experienced various uprisings, protest, covered scams, ASUU strike, criminal increase in earnings of political office holders, pardoned killers etc and all the government and her people are interested in is fighting for 2015 a year that is not here yet but has been able to take over our minds because blood of innocent Nigerians have been used to write 2015.

 The sacked minister of education is a Teacher or Lecturer if you may and when she was booted out, she made a resolve to return to class and continue with that noble profession where she will be a selfless contributor to the bedrock of our society.

Now it has become really hostile to be a student or a graduate in Nigeria  with the former getting delayed their rightful graduation year, and sometimes killed while in school or on national assignment and the later roaming the streets jobless and frustrated begging to settle for N20,000 monthly jobs.

On the case of security, I beg to not talk because that is one very sorry aspect of the decadence we face on daily basis. Just last night tens of students where murdered in cold blood while they slept in their dormitory and my dear president says he and the service chiefs are on top of it. If the Nigerian government takes education as a serious affair, the wellness of our children will be priority secured because they are the future of our Nation for without them, there will be no future to look to.
The Cat, the Mouse, and that Raggedy Bell tells the story of a government drawn in battle with the people while justice fails to ring and is mostly looking the other way.

In that episode of Tom and Jerry, the bell was presented to Cat as a gift and he did gladly put it on and I believe the Masses (Mouse ) will get the government (Cat) to wear that bell by all means and for the purposes of asking and hoping to find answers "Who will bell the Cat?"

Don't Take The Wrong Paths To Power

Joel Peterson
Chairman, JetBlue Airways. Stanford Business School

Forget the common good – it’s your own good that matters. Seek power, seize it, and hoard it. If you have to bruise egos along the way, so what? No one will care or even remember how you got to the top.
These are tips for career success from Stanford Business professor Jeffrey Pfeffer, who teaches a provocative class called "Paths to Power." Among other things, Jeffrey warns students to avoid getting unduly slowed down by ethics, modesty or ideals. Getting to the C-Suite isn’t a journey for do-gooders, he says, and worse, an overactive conscience can be "dangerous to one’s organizational survival."

Let me say that Jeffrey is a world-class social scientist with 13 books under his belt. But I’m counting on my 40 years as a business leader to tell me what works in the real world; and if it’s about leading an organization to success, I’d bet on my approach over his 99 times out of 100. His perspective on the no-holds-barred pursuit of power is both seductive and toxic. It can start students on an IV-drip that gets them hooked on getting ahead, even if it means bullying, hubris and ruthlessness.

Your very health is at stake, too, he writes in his book Power: Why Some People Have it and Others Don’t. Your “life depends on getting power”: the less power you have, the more stress you’ll be under, and that doesn’t end well.

Pfeffer cites many colorful personalities who have played the power game with legendary tenacity: Steve Jobs, Lyndon Johnson, Robert Moses. But these were individuals who could get away with power-mad behavior. They called their own shots, ran roughshod over former allies, and often stood alone. Yet few who have worked with teams, or been in leadership roles in modern enterprises would recognize, much less condone, such an extreme approach to leadership. In enlightened businesses, power isn’t grabbed, it’s created and distributed. It’s not hunted down and hoarded, it’s cultivated – by building relationships and developing trust. And it’s not about “appearing competent” as Pfeffer recommends. Rather, it’s about being the best leader and team member you can.
Evolutionary biologists have a thought experiment for the relative power of selfishness versus generosity: two groups are placed on separate islands with no way to communicate. On one island, it’s everyone for himself. On the other, everyone works together to achieve broader goals. Wait a few hundred years, and you’ll find two very different societies – one in a state of constant, near-psychopathic conflict, the other successful and harmonious.

As the biologists concluded, “Selfishness beats altruism within groups. Altruistic groups beat selfish groups. Everything else is commentary.” In the same way, any business, group or team that wants to succeed for the long pull must rely on collaboration, innovation and high productivity – the fruits of sharing power, of teamwork, and of diverse points of view. Enabling people to do their best work generally means distributing power to those who earn it. You can choose your own “path to power,” and what you do along the way. Here are a few thoughts that I would recommend for your journey:
1) First take control – of yourself. Control yourself and your own life choices, then worry about influence with others. Good self-control is the basis for a calm but confident projection of power, one that doesn’t rely on how much status you’ve “secured” in an organization.
2) The power of groups trumps that of individuals. Exploiting relationships and playing hardball politics for personal glory is a ticket to tenuous influence. True power comes from treating other people with respect with the understanding that, in return, they’ll grant (and responsibly assume) power. This is a good-faith transaction – a pact – that requires more than one person to agree to it. Watch out when Pfeffer says, “Don’t worry about how your efforts to build your path to power are affecting your employer” – you won’t last long in the real world with that attitude.
3) Get noticed — but for the right reasons. Superstars do obtain power and influence. But rather than stepping into the spotlight every time something good happens, the most trusted leaders know it isn’t all about them. Their power and influence flow from sharing credit, accepting blame, working hard, being competent, and exhibiting judgment, character and wisdom. It’s impossible not to notice people who operate with that attitude. Pfeffer’s advice that “your first responsibility is to ensure that those at higher levels... know what you’re accomplishing” is a recipe for eventual alienation.
4) Seeking power isn’t bad — ruthlessness is. The ruthless pursuit of power violates a core principle of ethics: Kant’s Categorical Imperative. As Kant put it, "Act only on that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law." In other words, don’t do it yourself if you don’t want everyone else to follow your example. A benighted self-interest is toxic; an enlightened one is empowering.
5) You can’t get rid of every scorpion, but you can avoid them. It’s one thing to teach young leaders that power-mad scorpions exist in the business world (they do) but it’s another to teach them to become scorpions. It is good to know how to deal with them, but even better to steer clear of dangerous situations, and leave those who would sting you to deal with their own kind. Pfeffer’s right about one thing: there are a thousand pathways to power and influence. If you are a lone wolf seeking power by any means, you may gain influence for a while at a cost of long-run success, and happiness.

Success doesn’t come from stepping on toes and hustling behind backs, but from stepping up, and having peoples’ backs. Exploiting others on a “Paths to Power” quest may get you rolling fast, but it won’t be long before you notice that you’re heading downhill – and taking your team with you.

President Jonathan’s Speech At the 68th General Session of United Nations

President Goodluck Jonathan spoke in New York yesterday and addressed why Nigeria deserves a seat on the United Nations Security Council, and other issues.

The speech was super impressive and has been reproduced in full below:

The President of the 68th Session of the General Assembly;

Heads of State and Government;

The Secretary-General;

Distinguished Delegates;

Ladies and Gentlemen

Mr President,

1. On behalf of the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I salute you as you preside over the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. I assure you of the full support and cooperation of the Nigerian delegation.

2. I also wish to extend our commendation to the Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, and place on record, Nigeria’s appreciation for his focused and committed leadership of the United Nations system.

3. This Session is coming at a particularly trying period when our world faces a number of critical challenges which make it imperative for us to work within the Charter of the United Nations to meaningfully address them.

4. It is therefore apt that the theme, Post 2015 Development Agenda: Setting the Stage, signposts our desire and determination to actively cooperate for the improvement of the overall welfare and well-being of the most vulnerable citizens of the member-states of our Organisation.

5. Nigeria appreciates the consultative nature of designing the Post-2015 development agenda. Earlier in the year, we supported this global outreach through inclusive consultations and surveys of a number of Nigerians who have expressed their aspirations with respect to the world they expect beyond 2015.

6. A major highlight of this process, which has increased national ownership of the agenda, is the emphasis on the eradication of poverty as the overarching principle in the formulation of the successor framework.

7. Indeed, tomorrow, we will be hosting a side event on the implementation of the MDGs, in collaboration with the UN, a number of African countries, and our development partners.

8. As I had cause to say to this Assembly last Session, 2015 is not a destination but only a milestone to a better, safer, healthier and more compassionate world. Let us therefore renew our commitment to the processes that will develop the post-MDGs framework.

Mr. President,

9. This objective is of particular resonance to us in Africa where the challenges of poverty, illiteracy, food insecurity, and climate change continue to engage the attention of the political leadership.

10. The good news however, is that in the last decade, a sustained democratization process across the continent has made significant difference in governance processes, institutions and structures. Today, we have a renascent Africa that has moved away from the era of dictatorship to a new dawn where the ideals of good governance and an emphasis on human rights and justice are beginning to drive state-society relations. This is the present reality of Africa that must replace the old prejudices and assumptions about the continent.

11. We are firm in our conviction that democracy is fundamental to achieving the requisite stability that will enable the realization of a sustainable post-2015 development agenda in Africa.

12. This emergent Africa will require the continued support and partnership of the international community. An Africa that is no longer merely a destination for aid but one that is involved in constructive, multi-sectoral exchanges on the global stage. Our continent stands ready to continue to engage the rest of the world as a partner in formulating a global development agenda that will guarantee peace, security and stability.

13. I wish to express my appreciation for Nigeria’s selection as co-Chair of the Expert Committee on Financing Sustainable Development.

14. The importance of this Committee’s assignment cannot be overstated. For the post-2015 development agenda to be realistic, it must be backed by a robust financing framework which I hope will receive the strong backing of our Organisation’s more endowed members.

Mr. President,

15. Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable peace and security propels the country to action along with member states of our sub-regional and continental organisations, whenever stability is threatened in our continent. In recent years, Africa has had its share of conflicts notably in Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Somalia.

16. It is noteworthy that African leaders, with the support of the international community, have demonstrated the capacity to work in concert and decisively in pursuit of long-term solutions in the affected States. While a lot more still needs to be done, we are convinced that progress is being made.

17. The recent Presidential elections in Mali herald a new beginning that should translate into peace and prosperity for its people and provide a stronger basis for stability within the sub-region. I congratulate President Boubacar Keita. Similarly, the political transition process in Guinea Bissau holds much promise. Among African leaders, there is a greater determination and focus on the transformation of the continent. This is the required impetus for the achievement of development objectives

that will benefit the people, and rebrand the continent even more positively.

18. Although our world has not witnessed a global war since the establishment of the United Nations, there have been several conflicts with devastating consequences and impact in virtually all regions of the world. As global citizens, we have a sacred duty to free our world of wars, rivalries, ethnic conflicts, and religious divisions. Our collective effort in our drive for a better world will continue to bind us together.

Mr. President,

19. Nigeria continues to support the efforts of the United Nations in addressing the global initiative to combat the menace of the illicit trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. We have redoubled efforts to address this onerous challenge within our borders and across the West African sub-region.

20. In doing so, we also recognize the need for a broad-based global partnership in the on-going battle against trans-border crimes, including terrorism and acts of piracy. It is regrettable that these scourges are sustained by unfettered access by non-state actors to illicit small arms and light weapons with which they foster insecurity and instability across our continent. For us in Africa, these are the ‘weapons of mass destruction’!

21. It is therefore, in the light of our collective obligation and unceasing struggle to end this nightmare, that I congratulate Member-States on the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in April this year. Our hope is that upon its entry into force, the ATT would herald an era of accountable trade in conventional arms which is critical to the security of nations.

22. In line with our continued commitment to this project, Nigeria has signed and ratified the Treaty. We will continue to engage other Member-States for its successful implementation.

Mr. President,

23. Terrorism constitutes a major threat to global peace and security, and undermines the capacity for sustained development. In Nigeria, the threat of terrorism in a few States in the North Eastern part of our country has proven to be a challenge to national stability. We will spare no effort in addressing this menace. We are therefore confronting it with every resource at our disposal with due regard for fundamental human rights and the rule of law.

24. Nigeria will like to place on record its appreciation to the international community for its support in this regard. The reign of terror anywhere in the world is an assault on our collective humanity. Three days ago, the stark reality of this menace was again brought to the fore by the dastardly terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya. We must stand together to win this war together.

Mr. President,

25. Piracy, like terrorism, is another menace that has attained worrisome proportions, especially in Africa’s coastal waters. At the bilateral and multilateral levels, Nigeria has promoted cooperation to mitigate its impact and consequences on the security and economies of the affected coastal states.

26. Indeed, in June this year, the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission met in Yaounde, Cameroon, and came up with practical steps to collectively confront the menace of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. This effort will, no doubt, require reinforcement and wider support and collaborative action on the part of our international partners.

Mr. President,

27. The situation in the Middle East remains volatile. The reported use of chemical weapons in the Syrian crisis, is unacceptable. Nigeria condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the use of chemical weapons that are prohibited by International Conventions.

28. We applaud the current diplomatic efforts to avert further escalation of the crisis. We urge all parties involved to end the violence and seek a negotiated solution, including the instrumentality of the United Nations.

29. The threat which nuclear weapons pose to the survival of the human race is to be understood not just in the context of aspirational nations but also the nations already in possession of such weapons. Nuclear weapons are as unsafe in the hands of small powers as they are in the hands of the major powers. It is our collective responsibility to urge the international community to respond to the clarion call for a peaceful universe in an age of uncertainty.

30. We can attain this objective if we adopt measures and policies that will promote nuclear disarmament, protect and renew our environment, and push towards an international system that is based on trust, mutual respect and shared goals.

Mr. President,

31. I believe that I express the concern of many about the slow pace of effort and apparent lack of progress in the reform of the United Nations, especially the Security Council. We believe strongly, that the call for democratization worldwide should not be for States only, but also, for International Organisations such as the UN. That is why we call for the democratization of the Security Council.

32. This is desirable for the enthronement of justice, equity, and fairness; and also for the promotion of a sense of inclusiveness and balance in our world.

33. Our support for the United Nations Security Council in its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security has been total and unwavering. We have, in previous membership of the Council, demonstrated both the political will and capacity to engage in key Council responsibilities. Nigeria has therefore decided to seek election for the 2014-2015 Non-Permanent Seat of the UNSC.

34. I am pleased to state that Nigeria has received the endorsement of the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union. We urge this august Assembly to endorse Nigeria’s candidature.

Mr. President,

35. Our world continues to be confronted by pressing problems and threats. No statement that will be made during this Session can exhaust the extent of these problems. The world looks to us, as leaders, to provide hope in the midst of crisis, to provide guidance through difficult socio-political divisions, and to ensure that we live in a better world.

36. We have obligations to the present generation, but we have a greater obligation to generations yet unborn who should one day inherit a world of sufficiency irrespective of the circumstances of their birth or where they reside on the globe. We must work to make that world a reality in recognition of our common heritage.

37. We must strive to eradicate poverty, hunger, disease and human misery; we must eliminate the scourge of nuclear, chemical, biological, as well as small arms and light weapons. We must dedicate ourselves to working together to address global, regional and national challenges and deliver a more peaceful, equitable and prosperous world for all. It is our duty. We must not fail.

38. I thank you.

Source- The Herald

Of Corruption, Militants, Leaders and Elder Statesmen

Of Corruption, Militants, Leaders and Elder Statesmen. This is of what we are facing as a people and whenever we look inward we become really agitated knowing what we would have become as a Nation and People if the right things were done from the word go. We have evolved from a primitive stage to a developed stage and now we are heading downwards to that state of primitiveness we once came from.

My state of mind is troubled and I wonder what we are doing or not doing right.

We have become a people fighting their Will and whether it stands or not, we will never really get it right because the Will Power in us has been sold for less than we will ever want it to be sold and when we try to behave like it was not our doing, we put ourselves out there for the picking. We are in a pickle for all the wrong things and of corruption, militants, leaders and elder statesmen it is virtually what is wrong with us and what will continually be wrong and we took it upon ourselves as a people to identify with the pettiness of existence as against the things that makes meaning. We pay for the things that are free while we strive so very hard to make sense of what it is that we desire as a people.

Of corruption, militants, leaders and elder statesmen, the story keeps getting stormy and overbearing on the people and I fear like I am sure you are that we are heading towards a disconnect from reality and personal existence. The disconnect is already evident with various happenings and events here at home and it is glaring that instead of following through with the National wellness, our leaders are content following through with their own selfish wellness and have been able to so far held the people hostage putting them in a secular seclusion where nothing is what it seems and like a blast of light running at 2000miles per second, we only know it passed because we were told and never really got a chance to see it because we have programmed ourselves to always take the news from the news makers and instead of following through with the news, we desperately try all we can to not get involved.

OF CORRUPTION: The index of corruption in Nigeria is rising by the day and that is mostly credited to the powers that be and encouraged by the people themselves. We created corruption and now that it is biting us in our asses, we look for the persons high up there to blame while we are still propagating and practicing corruption. We are a people with suggestive instinct and whenever we are faced with situations that demands our patience, we look for a way out by suggesting unorthodox solutions, solutions which although may sound complimentary is actually the start of a decline of morale and ethos.

Of corruption that is evident in us, we have become cannibals who now not only feast on other people but on themselves as well. The happenings in the country since 1999 I dare say, have taken corruption to a whole different level where aggrieved politicians and ex-leaders who after having stolen, looted, corrupted and desecrated our National treasury decide to align themselves with the gullible citizenry and turning them against authority and putting suggestive ideas at rebellion in them to stand against the government that isn’t working or doing their bidding. I am a supporter of good governance and accountability but will be quick to explain my stand that I am not a hypocrite and will never want to be caught in the wrong things.

There is a match/protest slated to address the excesses of the National Assembly following their jumbo pay which we are beginning to consider too much especially since they really do nothing but attend meetings, form committees, appoint friends to plum offices, pass irrelevant bills, look the other way and allow the evil pass. They don’t return to their constituents with the dividends of Nationhood to the people who sit back at home hoping for the best from a country they on dailies bleed for. The decline in infrastructure has brought about the failure in the system and the people are non-too pleased of the happenings especially when they.

We must rise above this stigma that is corruption as it is as a matter of urgency moving to occupy our minds and outsiders have started treating us like lepers and miscreants. We must as a matter of urgency stem this menace that is threatening to consume us all. We must say no to these acts that keeps undermining our sanity as a people. We must hold accountable the persons responsible for the increasing rates of corruption in Nigeria and demand that justice be made to prevail. We should as a matter of urgency start from the convicted governors some of whom have been pardoned and some in the senate representing themselves, senators and ex-leaders.

The Nigerian government is of late known to reward criminality in corridors of power while they make good example of the man who steals a handset or bread. Let us cast our minds back to sometime ago when the news reported massive fraud cases and what we were told and what funnily happened at the end of the day. Cast your mind back to the Fuel Subsidy scandal that lead to the Occupy Nigeria protest and the subsequent probe that fingered a politician hiding his loot in his cap, the Power Sector probe scam, Police pension scam etc and all these now puts a question in my mouth like, whatever happened to Alamieyesiegha, Joshua Dariye, Ndudi Elumelu, Mohammed Katun, Mrs. Attang, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Uzoma Cyril Attang, Christian Madubuke, Femi Otedola, Farouk Lawan, Ifeanyi Ubah, Mahmud Tukur and the rest of the accused persons on the fuel subsidy case.

OF MILITANTS: This today is one of the most sought after and lucrative criminal organization we have had in the country and stating it like that may actually be stating less of the power and influence that sector wields in Nigeria. We are aware of the huge sums of monies allocated from the National treasury to feed, train and indulge these persons labeled as Militants or ex-Militants. These persons would never have been there in the first place had corruption not become the bedrock of governance. We would have never had a cause to worry our heads about paying unrepentant killers, rapist, vandals and criminals if the right things were done in the first place but sadly enough that is the state of things and as usual, we have come to live with it, learn to respect criminals and even sing their praise to the high heavens.

They are even permitted to move around town with Police escorts bringing to bear that crime pays in Nigeria and that if you commit a crime, the police will not only bring you to the books they will also provide the needed security for you when its time. Militants or is it ex-Militants we will call it have the best and latest Automobiles, Houses and some even own Private Jets with unrestricted access to the corridors of power and right into the seats of power.

OF LEADERS: This sadly is a sad and pathetic sect, this one is so bad that they are unashamed to flaunt their criminally insane status around the world.
What are leaders supposed to do?
Leaders are supposed to lead their people and remain accountable to the office they have been appointed into while preserving institutions and heritage.
Leaders are supposed to give more than they are expected to give because life’s worth is based on service rendered to others.
Leaders are supposed to lead by example be it in words, thoughts or deed and the secret life of such a leader must be seen as okay especially since it must eventually come to light.
Leaders must first lay down in order to be lifted.
Leaders must be first servant leaders and followers than “the leader” because in practicality, what you learn as a follower will in more ways than one determine how far you will go with your leadership capacity. Leaders must be willing to say we than I because by so doing, he takes the people along in decision making.
Leaders must be responsible enough to take responsibility for their actions and also be responsible for the shortcoming of their followers because the failure of the followers is in some way the byproduct of the teachings of the leader.
Leaders must stop stealing and looting the Nation’s treasury and this one is particularly for that Nigerian leader that has stolen us into a stupor.

Lots of our leaders now live in affluence after leaving office and they own so much properties and institutions and some are even jostling to come back so that they can continually loot because to them, the Nation’s treasury is their piggy bank.

OF ELDER STATESMEN: It is said that the words of our elders are words of wisdom and my growing up days has so many examples of how that statement stands true in every one letter but today, that is not what it is and sadly enough we have for ourselves and Nation Criminally Insane elders who will gladly trade our lives for their because they rather the youths cease to exist than they not minding the number of their days.

There are some elders that has managed to remain consistent in their bid to let the world see elders in disrespect and I wonder at the gratification they get doing these shameful things. What will their children do or what are they doing? With countless elders lurking in the shadows only 1 out of a 10 can be said to do the right thing and I really feel strongly that we should put some of these persons in old people’s home so that minders can start doing their job because it is only in our part of the world we see old senile persons roaming the corridors of power calling the shorts and they do it so poorly that their acts and display are not different from that of a toddler. Little wonder we got our number office tagged “Kindergarten Presidency”.

Of Corruption, Militants, Leaders and Elder Statesmen is what is wrong with Nigeria and the minute these are addressed, all issues bothering on politics, oil theft, unemployment, overpaid leaders, failed institutions, looting, weak judicial system etc will drop drastically while we as a people continue working on a better framework for the Future and we can do it. We still owe it to generations unborn to have a shot at the good life before we send our nation and ourselves into extinction…..

I am @ejemai and this is my note

PhD 3

Dear PhD,

Doxology.

Quick one, “Are You A Learner? …abi do I look like Awilo Longomba?”
Meehn, Olamide sure knows what’s up with his very interesting and catchy rhymes and catch phrases in his song and I am sure you do listen and must have been taking some few things from them but if you don’t listen then you should start sitting on a long thing.

Let us proceed to the issues at hand and quickly do over with it so that we can together start working to make sure you meet up with the people’s expectation and stop being a failure in all the areas where you are supposed to be a winner. I sometimes imagine why on green’s earth you will keep "falling our hands" and making even persons of questionable character call you to stand and defend your decisions.

Listen twice as much as you speak

“We have two ears and one mouth for a reason- to listen twice as much as we speak”. - Mary Southerland

I never quite understood the concept of two ears except that for me then, it pretty much made sense that we have two of them so that we look good and hear from both sides; or that when you are being spoken to and needs not to hear, you simply let it in through one ear and go out through the other. Funny understanding that was, but nothing spoken ever escapes through the other ear, it must go into the ear, stay in the head and it is then left for the recipient to either work on it or let it rot in there.
In his book, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey made a remarkable statement and it sure makes a lot of sense... “Seek first to understand” that means when spoken to, we must listen to the words inside the words being spoken and get it. If you do not get the words you may have spent an eternity gathering sticky wax up your ears and at the end of the day, you spoil someone else’s day . The art of listening is a very essential part of life and without it man just will be seen as the rest of the pack…..animals.

For the kind of job we do and the kind of people we meet and interact with on a daily basis, it is imperative that we listen and listen well and also to be able to get good value for as much as we speak or are spoken too.

The ear has a very funny shape, curvy with layers and borders that makes the words spoken find their way into the drum and up to the…I really do not know all the Jargon but I am sure we understand what I am trying to say.

We must listen well and really good because words are in various forms, they stink, they tickle, they massage, they pain, they sooth, they pierce, they are harsh, they kill, they save, they destroy, they go fast, they are sticky, they are timely, they are untimely…. etc.

Have you ever wondered why we get sticky wax up in our ears, I mean apart from the part that it is a defensive mechanism? I know I will be floored by the “experts” on health issues if we were to argue it, but this is what I think - If you have to get the cotton bud to clean your ears from time to time, you should have heard twice as much as was spoken.
Good listeners always knows the best answer for any question asked even if they know little or nothing about the subject matter because the person asking the question always mostly gives away the answer while asking the question.

So learn to listen thrice as much as you speak and you will always be found on the pages of he who is right and wise.

Tunisian Girls Are Coming Home Pregnant After Performing 'Sexual Jihad' In Syria

By Paul Szoldra
Business Insider – 14 hours ago

REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih

A number of girls from Tunisia have become pregnant after traveling to Syria to participate in "sexual jihad," according to Lotfi Bin Jeddo, Tunisia's Interior Minister.

The girls “are (sexually) swapped between 20, 30, and 100 rebels and they come back bearing the fruit of sexual contacts in the name of sexual jihad and we are silent doing nothing and standing idle,” Al Arabiya reported he said during an address to the National Constituent Assembly.

The Telegraph has more:

"After the sexual liaisons they have there in the name of 'jihad al-nikah' - (sexual holy war, in Arabic) - they come home pregnant," Ben Jeddou told the MPs.

He did not elaborate on how many Tunisian women had returned to the country pregnant with the children of jihadist fighters.

Jihad al-nikah, permitting extramarital sexual relations with multiple partners, is considered by some hardline Sunni Muslim Salafists as a legitimate form of holy war.

Jeddo also said his ministry had taken a number of steps to stem the flow of Tunisians travelling to Syria.

Tunisia's former Mufti (the country's highest religious official) warned earlier this year that 13 Tunisian girls "were fooled" into travelling to Syria to offer sexual services for the rebels. He  described the practice as a form of “prostitution.”

“For Jihad in Syria, they are now pushing girls to go there. 13 young girls have been sent for sexual jihad. What is this? This is called prostitution. It is moral educational corruption,” Battikh said.

GEJ-18.09.2010

The Speech below is credited to GEJ and if you read through which i hope you will, you will be shocked to notice that the things he promised to put an end to are the things that have become a challenge to Nigeria as a Nation and Nigerians as a People.

Happy reading.....

"""Forty months ago my predecessor in office and I embarked on a joint ticket in the governance of our great country, Nigeria. Sadly, he passed away on the 5th of May 2010.

MAY HIS GENTLE SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE, AMEN.

With the death of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, the mantle of leadership of our great nation fell on me. However, the days leading to my presidency were very trying times for our nation. We confronted those moments and their challenges to national security with patriotism and care. I appreciate the role played by the National Assembly, Governors, Civil Society groups, the mass media, and other patriotic Nigerians.

The late President Yar'Adua and I shared great dreams for our country. We toiled together to realize those dreams in order to justify the confidence Nigerians reposed in us. Together we swore to execute a joint mandate and today I come before you to make a pronouncement based on that undertaking.

The past four months that I have served as President of Nigeria have opened my eyes to the vast potentials of this office as a potent instrument for the transformation of our country. I discovered that by sheer willpower, I could end the long queues and price fluctuations in our petrol stations. Today, all our refineries are working, saving us huge amounts of funds spent on importation of petroleum products.
I discovered that by insisting that the right things be done, we could begin a turnaround in our power sector by involving the private sector in power generation and distribution. As you can see from the lower quantities of diesel that you are buying today, power generation has significantly improved.

I have put in place new gas policies and very soon, we will be saying goodbye to gas flaring in our oil fields. Working with the National Assembly, we rolled out a law that requires companies operating in the oil and gas sectors of our economy to utilize an appreciable percentage of their goods and services from local sources. We saw to it that normalcy began to return to the Niger Delta by ensuring government's fidelity to its promises, and this has helped to stabilize our national revenue.

In the last few months, I embarked on monumental projects in our road infrastructure to end the carnage on our federal highways. I began several projects to make our water resources available for drinking and farming. I targeted our educational system to return quality and competitiveness to them. I re-addressed our drive for self sufficiency in food production. I have taken bold steps to confront our security situation. In this regard, we are pursuing the revision of our laws to be more responsive to international conventions and more punitive to criminals.

I set the stage for free and fair elections by constituting an electoral commission comprising of Nigerians with impeccable credentials for firmness and incorruptibility. I charged our anti corruption agencies to speed up the war against corruption, and respect no sacred cows in the process. In the management of the economy, I advocated a more transparent banking industry, price stability, low inflation, and aggregate increase in productivity as a way to drive us to a more prosperous economy. In International Relations, I advanced the respectability accorded our country by effective engagement in global fora.

From the moment I was sworn in as President, I came under intense pressure to make a declaration concerning my political future, but declined to do so because it would have immediately distracted us from all the development initiatives we have accomplished so far.

As President and leader of this government, I decided not to place partisan politics above the immediate needs and priorities of our people. I therefore told Nigerians to give me time to concentrate on my work, and that at the appropriate time, I would make a public statement on my political future after widespread consultations.
Those consultations have now been concluded. The Independent National Electoral Commission has recently announced a time table for the 2011 general elections in the country. My party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has also published a timetable for its primaries.

In the circumstances and after a thorough self examination and prayers with my family, I, Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan have decided to humbly offer myself as a candidate in the Presidential Primaries of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, in order to stand for the 2011 Presidential elections. I pledge once again to all the people of this nation that they will have a free and fair election, even as I stand to be a candidate. In this race, I have the honour to have as my running mate, Architect Namadi Sambo, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Our country is at the threshold of a new era; an era that beckons for a new kind of leadership; a leadership that is uncontaminated by the prejudices of the past; a leadership committed to change; a leadership that reinvents government, to solve the everyday problems that confront the average Nigerian.
I was not born rich, and in my youth, I never imagined that I would be where I am today, but not once did I ever give up. Not once did I imagine that a child from Otuoke, a small village in the Niger Delta, will one day rise to the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was raised by my mother and father with just enough money to meet our daily needs.
In my early days in school, I had no shoes, no school bags. I carried my books in my hands but never despaired; no car to take me to school but I never despaired. There were days I had only one meal but I never despaired. I walked miles and crossed rivers to school every day but I never despaired. Didn't have power, didn't have generators, studied with lanterns but I never despaired.
In spite of these, I finished secondary school, attended the University of Port Harcourt, and now hold a doctorate degree.

Fellow Nigerians, if I could make it, you too can make it!

My story is the story of a young Nigerian whose access to education opened up vast opportunities that enabled me to attain my present position. As I travel up and down our country, I see a nation blessed by God with rich agricultural and mineral resources and an enterprising people. I see millions of Nigerians whose potentials for greatness are constrained by the lack of basic infrastructure.
I see Nigerians who can make a difference in the service of their country but are disadvantaged by the lack of opportunities.

My story symbolizes my dream for Nigeria. The dream that any Nigerian child from Kaura- Namoda to Duke town; from Potiskum to Nsukka, from Isale-Eko to Gboko will be able to realize his God-given potentials, unhindered by tribe or religion and unrestricted by improvised political inhibitions. My story holds out the promise of a new Nigeria. A Nigeria built on the virtues of love and respect for one another, on unity, on industry, on hardwork and on good governance.

My fellow Nigerians, this is what has brought me to Eagle Square today. I have come to say to all of you, that Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan is the man you need to put Nigeria right. I have come to launch a campaign of ideas, not one of calumny. I have come to preach love, not hate. I have come to break you away from divisive tendencies of the past which have slowed our drive to true nationhood. I have no enemies to fight. You are all my friends and we share a common destiny.

Let the word go out from this Eagle Square that Jonathan as President in 2011 will herald a new era of transformation of our country; an era that will end the agony of power shortage in our country. Let the word go out from here that I will be for the students, teachers and parents of Nigeria, a President who will advance quality and competitive education. Let everyone in this country hear that I shall strive to the best of my ability to attain self sufficiency in food production.

Let the word go out that my plans for a Sovereign Wealth Fund with an initial capital of $1billion will begin the journey for an economic restoration. This restoration will provide new job opportunities and alleviate poverty. Let the word go out that our health sector will receive maximum priority in a new Jonathan administration, a priority that will ensure maximum health care and stop our brain drain.

Let all the kidnappers, criminal elements, and miscreants that give us a bad name be ready for the fight that I shall give them. Let the ordinary Nigerian be assured that President Jonathan will have zero tolerance for corruption. Let the international community hear that today I have offered myself to lead a country that will engage them in mutual respect and cooperation for the achievement of international peace and understanding.

To help me in these tasks effectively, I will re-train, revamp, and motivate the civil service.

My dear good people of Nigeria, I got here today by the power of God and the support of all Nigerians; all ethnic groups, North, South, East and West. I am here today because of your support and prayers. I want all of you to know that I am one of you and I will never let you down! I want you to know that I will keep hope alive; I want you to know that your time has come.

I stand before you today, humbly seeking your support for me, Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, to run for the office of the President of Nigeria with Architect Namadi Sambo as my running mate.

We will fight for JUSTICE!
We will fight for all Nigerians to have access to POWER!
We will fight for qualitative and competitive EDUCATION!
We will fight for HEALTH CARE REFORMS!
We will fight to create jobs, for all Nigerians!
We will fight corruption!
We will fight to protect all Citizens!
We will fight for your rights!

My dear country men and women, give me your support, give me your votes and together we will fight to build a great nation of our dreams!

I cannot end this speech without thanking you all for attending this occasion. Your huge attendance is a loud testimony of your support for us. For this I am very grateful. I pray that the Almighty God abides with you and sees you safely back to your respective destinations.

When you return, tell all those at home that as we celebrate our fifty years anniversary as a nation, Goodluck has come to transform Nigeria and I will never let you down.

Thank You.

May God Bless you all!
And may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
September 18 2010 """

PhD 2

Dear PhD,

Doxology and first of all…..go down low.

That is a line from a song by Olamide the Baddo crooner and that line suddenly caught our hearts and our mouths dished it like wildfire as it is a common word used on daily, thanks to the song which was and still is a big hit. The words has been in existence even before the creation of the word I think, but then it was pieced together by that talented young man; First of all…….go down low.

Today it is not about Olamide or a dancehall beat or catch phrase or Grammy award winning line in a song it is about the failed institution in Nigeria and how it has become a recurring decimal on our psych and consciousness. The well thought out plans and schemes to derail the stability of a great Nation like Nigeria and greater people as Nigerians has become a common sight and sound as we are forced to watch on national TV our Criminally Insane Leaders battling for the survival of their criminal heritage and listen to bogus lies on the radio how they are working and “trying to repair” what was not spoilt in the first place, or do I say what they spoilt.

More pressure should be on your mind as the Commander in Chief of the country to deliver at least 10% of the dividend of democracy to the populace instead of pursuing what possibly may lead to your demise from relevance and importance because these things are not muscled but gained over a period of time in the pursuit of service to mankind and God. The commander in Chief should be seen as a man defending his tuff and making sure he stays the man instead of being played for a pawn and if he wants to be played for the pawn or taken for a ride, he should be seen as such and not trying to be all he can when he cannot even convince himself he is in charge.

Are you in Charge sir? Are you being made to believe you are in charge? Is it working for you being in charge this way?

Relevance is a state of being and not acquired with money and more sad is that the monies being used to acquire such relevance are stained with blood, blood of Nigerians who have been deprived of their right to live as an independent people and forced into advanced slavery all in the guise of practicing Democracy. It is of this same Democracy that Fela Anikulapo Kuti sang and warned us that it is a Demonstration of Craze, and I cannot stop agreeing more with the Abami Eda, because it is a common sight to see leaders of our country going crazy in day light and night time demonstrating crazily and irresponsibly before the people they are made leaders over when they should be setting workable and acceptable examples.

Mad people on the street know the importance of madness and even if we fail to notice, they never behave sane because they are not, so it is really disturbing to see sane people like the ones you are familiar with (Criminally Insane leaders) walking in and out of madness. You can’t be both. The state of the Nigerian polity has become the center of attraction to the world and people wonder why with so much monies and natural resources, we are still being tagged as an underdeveloped Nation while Nations that started out later are actually competing for relevance in the world stage as Developing or Developed Countries.

I have some pointers that may possibly lead you to understand that there are more we need as a people than what we are getting and the treatment being meted us is unacceptable and may lead to continuous divided loyalty to the Nigerian nation. We have been divided but the divide may get wider and when it does, there may not be a chance to close it. As for you and the various leaders, their loyalty divided long before now and they pitched your tents against the unification of the Nigerian Nation and we are okay with that because these persons are less than a million out of over 150 million great individuals with exceptional qualities, talents, hearts, patriotism and love.

My thought is that the pursuit of happiness of a people you are privileged to lead, their welfare and continuous survival in peace should be key and not of selfish gains as propelled by greed from within and outside you, these greed will never get your name on the books of history for good reasons. Greed and the pursuit of vain things makes leaders become gods and when they see themselves as such, they magnify themselves and call out the Almighty for a duel. We have over time from history read of some persons who failed in their bid to remain relevance in their own accord and ended up becoming the stain on history and as we are aware, History does repeat itself.

Bros, 2015 is still far and I am alarmed at the level with which you guys are killing yourselves over that year when you cannot even determine when your end will be, how can you keep living life like you own yourself?

The No. 1 office of the land will be vacant soon and there are many persons who think they are credible enough to make good on the aspiration of the people and like you, they too are making sure they present their case to the people hoping that we will decide to give them a chance like we did you to either make good or mess us up like you have done and still doing. Are you forgetting that you are the Commander in Chief and that counts for something? Are those boneheads you have around you not smart enough to explain the power and strength of incumbency? You are the incumbent for Pete’s sake and you are yet to identify of whose son you are, because clearly you are failing to work in line with that understanding.

First of all Mr. PhD……go down low, I cannot assure you of your win in 2015, but I can assure you that you will be the better for it after 2015 if you can just go down low into these issues below:

1. EDUCATION: This is one of the most important sectors of a community and we will never be better for what God has created within us if we are deprived the opportunity to attain higher learning be it in the classrooms, pages of newspapers, radio stations, internet and daily living. Education is the foundation that sets the people higher than the rest of creation and funny enough, we have as a nation been given pretty much what is unacceptable. We have been forced to drop values and quality of education in this country while other countries of the world have taken it upon themselves to keep evolving and improving in that aspect because to them it is an IMPORTANT sector and no developing or developed nation will take it for granted the way you have.

For starters, whatever were you thinking playing with the future of over 10 million Nigerian students by keeping them out of school indefinitely? If this was obtained when you went to school, would you have been able to graduate at the time you did and with more than a degree? Why on earth would you appoint a known thug, uncouth and irresponsible individual to the office of the Ministry of Education? Are these appointments carried out by your Princess? If yes, please I strongly advise you to desist from it going forward, the student has no right evaluating the teacher if he fails to pass his exams. What informs your decision to appoint these persons to these offices when we all know they have no business being there?

2. HEALTH: are the people of this nation supposed to die in their own land and from the institutions they created? Why is nothing working and why are we now the biggest medical tourist in the world? We spend an upward of N1billion annually for medical treatments overseas and yet we still have offices we call Hospitals, Ministry of health etc and people are retained and paid salaries without anything to show for what that sector stands for. Why are you bent on taking it upon yourself as the one that grounded our economy when we still have people like IBB, OBJ, Atiku, Gowon, Abdusalam, Buhari, Tukur, Anenih etc that could easily be pointed as the architects of the decay that we now experience? You were the golden boy and you was supposed to redefine the status quo to work for the masses from whence you came, and I will quickly agree it is hard to win in the midst of these principalities but then you have yourself to blame when you keep going to pick the dead and place them amongst the living.

It is a common thing to see and hear of how Nigerians from Nigeria which is supposed to be the giant of Africa with abundant natural resources being flown out of the shores of our countries to countries regarded and branded as Slums for quality health care and you will be quick to take offence when international communities treats us as such. My brother truth is bitter but you must hear it, you don fuck up big time.

3. SOCIAL WELFARE: it is a common knowledge that the people are a product of their society and if the society is faulty, you will always see uncouth, irresponsible, ill-mannered, criminally insane rogues, militant billionaires, disgruntled followers etc all over the place for it is easy for dirt to spread than for cleanliness to be achieved. The achievement of a society that will last must start from the creation and diligent adoption of the tenets of a solid and positive social welfare system. A system devoid of corruption and aimed at inculcating in the people especially the young ones that they country holds you dearly in her thought. With a system that works and seeks the welfare of her people, you will be amazed at the great things that will come out from this country that you and your cronies have seriously messed up. Do you really think you will live forever? If you do, are you forgetting you will lose strength and sight and taste and bowel handling and hearing and everything? No one will live as long as was recorded in the Bible so take that thought out of your small mind and focus on being the man you can be instead of trying to be the man they want you to be.

Nelson Mandela is African and his people and the world don’t want him gone from them and that is because he is a Man who was true to being a credible responsible person and took the welfare of his people seriously and he during his lifetime even while in prison, lived, breath, ate and drank it hook line and sinker. Ask yourself this, do you think anyone will lose a second’s sleep if you were to be at the verge of death from either old age or whatever? You know say that one no go happen.

4. SECURITY: Hmmm……, I can hear the very dead silent whispers of my heart saying “no security for the masses in Nigeria”. It was you who told us in a broadcast that terrorism is all over the world and that you think it is our own time to start experiencing it and hence advised that we live with it. Shocking right? It is really shocking to the world when you said it and we thought it was a slip of tongue but then when you went on to say “I don’t give a damn” and also ordered the army to combat peaceful demonstrators in January of 2012. Millions of Nigerians have been killed since your take over through stagnation, unemployment, Boko Haram and Militancy which we have now come to realize is an arm of your government and from happenings of late, it is a plum sector ………

…….to be continued