Nigerian In Diaspora Breaks Charity Record
July 31, 2008 by 
Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
A 15 year old Nigerian in diaspora Miss Chierika Ukogu, studying in the USA, in a rare feat, donated 1,000 pairs of shoes to indigent Nigerians at home. According to this angel with a lioness heart, she felt to need to assist when 5 years ago she came home to her native town in Ukpor Anambra State and saw children walking without shoes. This backward state of her people, motivated her into collecting shoes from her friends in the USA to donate to her suffering people back home.
She gave out 7,00 in Abuja, while the rest have been reserved to be distributed in her town and her environs.
This lone ranger effort of Miss Ukogu, reminds of the ingratitude of some Nigerians at home towards Nigerians in economic exile in diaspora. The dollars they send no matter how small have been life savers in most rural areas where Nigerian government has abandoned. I salute the courage of these true sons in diaspora and dare solicit that they engage in direct developmental projects.
The Federal government policy of attracting back Nigerians in Diaspora, laudable as it is, is defective. There is no need for the FG to set aside a poll of funds for these Nigerians wishing to invest to poll from. The FG should provide an enabling environment, improve power and security. If these minor things are put in place, a good number of Nigerians will crowd home, with beautiful industrial plans that will not require governmental funding to flourish.
Their little gestures like Miss Ukogu’s sure will add more value to her people’s life than the moribund local government poverty alleviation programmes.
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Ekiti State Assembly Crisis: African Science To The Rescue
July 31, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
Of the 36 states House of Assembly, Ekiti State is the only one where the membership is evenly distributed. The ruling party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 13 members while the opposition, Action Congress (AC), has equal footing. As a result of this balanced force, legislative duties have been slow, as every motion had to be scrutinized and the collaboration of at least one “black sheep” is needed to get majority vote to pass whatever bill.
But on July 9th, three “black sheep” from PDP defected and a group calling herself the G18, moved a motion to impeach the PDP speaker Hon. Femi Bamisile. Since this historic motion, the state has been in akimbo, with all manner of pressure brought to bear on the G18, to rethink their stand. The traditional rulers were thrown into the fray and a safe landing was found for the impeached ex-speaker. This soft landing among other things was that the ex-speaker will not be prosecuted for the alleged theft he committed while a student in Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, and other sundry offences. He was also allowed to preside over a valedictory season, which took place on Tuesday July 29th behind closed door.
When the door was opened, Hon. Matthew Olatunji Odeyemi emerged with the full paraphernalia of the office of the speaker. But the virgin speaker, refused to take his seat till it was sanctified by the Alaaye of Efon, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare. The traditional monarch, did not only counter-anoint the vacant speakers seat but went ahead to cleanse the whole legislative seats, believed to have been “anointed” by African reassurance talisman during the tussle. The Oba saying incantations dusted each seat with his cow tail fan, while the legislatures stood in awe and said “Amen”, whenever the Oba was audible enough. It is interesting that these legislatures, who drew their right of impeachment from the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will allow such act in the hallowed chambers! (The 1999 Nigerian Constitution claims to be secular but has a controversial section protecting Shari a law).
I guess these Ekiti legislators want to make a case for African Traditional Religion (ATR) This superstitious believe in supernatural intervention in the affairs of man, especially Nigerian politicians, is one of the reasons why commonest solvable problems are dumped at the feet of one god or the other. This cacophony of mixed allegiance surely will cause confusion as one is at sea as to which god is answering prayers or causing more harm. To rule a state, Ngigi had to go to a ATR shrine armed with a Christian Bible, instead of presenting his party’s manifesto or go to the grass roots to acquaint himself with the plight of unemployment and erosion eating up the people of Anambra.
The former president Olusegun Obasanjo has been reported as telling Nigerians that only “God” can solve the power problem in Nigeria. Bunkum. I hope he is not waiting for a thunder and a Jim Jones or John Momoh (MD Channels TV) voice shout let their be light, and the rusty industrial wheels in Nigeria will be belching out steel and refined crude from Warri and Kaduna refineries. Nigeria is not alone in this plague. You need to recast your mind to Jacob Zuma of South Africa and his Zulu rituals during his rape trial.
What is wrong with African politicians? Religion is a private thing and has no place in public life. In public life, which is based on social contract, there are all manner of believes, so why should any be imposed as a state’s? The constitution is the Ifa, the Bible, and Koran of legislative business. If these Ekiti legislators have no faith in the constitution to guide them in the discharge of their duties, they should move a motion to the effect that the offending/impotent sections be expunged from the constitution and ATR be enacted as the official Ekiti State religion. In an era when the West is going to Mars, African politicians are still bringing fetishism to bear in legislative duties.
In most cases, a legislative business, begins with a prayer to one of the gods of the Jew and their half brother, the Arabs, yet such invocation of ‘god’ does not stop them from looting the country blind, or resulting to underhand, unconstitutional means to reap off the masses, whose mandate they claim they are defending. Can some one call Nigerian politicians to order? Our salvation to being a member in the comity of 21st century nations is to jettison public display of religious idiosyncrasies and find the part of industrialization and upward movement to the moon.
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Kenneth Uwadi Responds to Ben Wuloo Ikara’s Response
July 31, 2008 by Guest Writer · Leave a Comment
Kenneth Uwadi formally responds to Ben Wuloo Ikara’s Response on his earlier submission “Letter to A Nigerian Militant”
Ben Wuloo Ikara in Response to an article I posted: letter to a Nigerian Militant, stated that the article has no real name of the author which is not true as my name and address were clearly written down. one tends to wonder where he got the idea of “no real name”. That someone does not know a person does not mean that the person does not exist.
In Nigeria’s Niger delta region, where large oil and gas resources are located, there are various armed groups threatening stability. These groups range from youth gangs to more organized militias While these armed groups have been involved in kidnapping expatriate energy workers, in recent months some of these groups have begun to target children—both Nigerian and foreigners—in kidnap-for-ransom schemes.There are so many cases of kidnap for ramsom. As a result, a new and alarming dimension has been introduced to the siege on the Niger Delta. Can Mr Ben wuloo tell us how this amount to freedom fighting. Read more
Abuja Collapsed Building Claims 20 Lives
July 30, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
♦ 60 trapped.
Yesterday around 4 pm, a shopping Plaza under construction and believed to belong to James Ibori, yesterday collapsed, trapping workers believed to be numbering over 60 while 20 have been confirmed dead.
The four storey building located along Solomon Lar Way Jabi, with no apparent warning caved in trapping the workers and food vendors on site. According to an eye witness, the workers have complained about a crack, which the engineers refused to rectify before continuing work.
The F.C.T minister, Dr. Modibbo visited the site and retreated that his administration because of incidents like this, is paying more attention to construction works. He further said that the contractors will be filtered through the wheel of justice to ascertain if they compromised safety standards.
This accident has brought the spate of rapid erection of buildings (often sub-standard) in Abuja to meet the accommodation scarcity created by PDP government policy of monetization, under scrutiny. The F.C.T. Minister should go beyond his crocodile tears and address the issue of accommodation in Abuja and an urgent national solution should be found to the high cost of cement in the country.
Rescue work is still going on to find survivors, whose hope grows dimmer with the none availability of adequate rescue equipment, coupled with the heavy rain that Abuja witnessed last night.
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Arewa Replies Niger Delta
July 30, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
♦We can survive without oil
Rising from the first Northern Agricultural Summit held in Kaduna, the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum (NGF) Dr. Muazu Aliyu Babangida of Niger State said that the NGF said that the northern region of Nigeria is not parasitic on any region of Nigeria and can the survive without the her southern counterpart.
The 19 northern governors said this in a reaction to a press interview where the leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, Asari Dokubo accused the north of being parasites and feeding fat on the oil from the Niger Delta. Asari’s sweeping comment came on the heel of an advice from Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) that the militants should hold their leaders responsible for the underdevelopment in their region. According to ACF, governors from the Niger Delta, receives more than their counterparts without corresponding developmental projects in the creeks.
Furthermore, the 19 governors of the NGF, blamed the collapse of their industries on international economic conspiracy against the region. Dr. Aliyu Babangida went ahead to list industries that have belched their last billow of industrial fume. They include two tractor assembling plants in Kano, and Styre Tractor plant in Bauchi, numerous textile factories in Kaduna and grain processing factories.
Another member of the NGF, Governor Nyako of Adamawa raised the issue of decaying infrastructure in the north and declining educational level in the north.
We at whichwaynigeria, recognises the right of the north to bring to the fore their perceived backwardness, such should not be used as diversion to the environmental and economic robbery going on by the Nigerian state against the people of the Niger Delta. A careful x-ray of Nigerian leadership, shows that the north has produced more head of states than any other region. That these sons of the north failed to develop the region, is not due to any international or internal conspiracy. Arewa Consultative Forum, should also apply the yard stick she is welding at the Niger Delta leaders on the past leaders of the north from independence to date.
It is a welcome development that the north is thinking of reviving agriculture as alternative means of revenue and employment in Nigeria, but they should perish the thought that any part of Nigeria can survive without the other.
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NUT Suspends Strike Without Concession on TSS From FG.
July 30, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · Leave a Comment
After 5 weeks of ding dong between the National Union of Teachers and the Federal Government, that kept scores of primary and secondary school students out of the school, the NUT has announced a two weeks suspension of the strike. This suspension according to the NUT was an act of goodwill, to enable the FG to implement the earlier agreed Teachers Salary Structure (TSS). NUT had on 30th of June grounded her chalk and pen, forcing the students into the streets.
While the strike dragged, the NUT, lost faith in the FG team led by the Minister of Education Dr. Aja Nwachukwu and only backed down when Governors Forum, intervened with each governor promising to pay the teachers in their employment the TSS. Reliable sources have it that the armour of the Governors’ Forum was pierced when Akwa Ibom led the group of willing of states to pay their teachers. Others reluctantly followed suit, with Kwara State being the last to get on board. Earlier, the State Executive Council had said that it is against the principle of true federalism for the FG to address the issue of TSS.
Parents are happy that the schools have reopened but express fears that the Governors Forum may renege on their promises and force the NUT to resume their suspended strike. This fear is mostly expressed by parents of pupil in public schools, as NUT could not picket private schools, whose students had a full academic year.
A teacher pleading anonymity said that NUT’s suspension of the strike, is an act of weakness and a loser’s face saving strategy. According to her, the NUT should have insisted that the respective governors of the Governors’ Forum issue a circular to that effect before suspending the strike. What NUT has gotten is an empty promise that will force each state teachers union to engage his governor for implementation. He drew an analogy with the minimum wage increase granted by the FG after a suspended NLC strike. Most states have not paid the NLC negotiated minimum wage. He fumes “How can NUT trust these politicians whose children study abroad without the promise being documented?” Should the governors fail to massively implement their promise; can NUT muster the same support and good will to call another strike after 2 weeks?
Whether the governors can reciprocate this NUT gesture, only time will tell. But going by the manner this Yar’Adua’s government has been dealing with labour related issues, we have our fears that anything good can come out from the Governors Forum. First ASUU was given the cold treatment and the manipulative rule of law was bantered to give ASUU the cold treatment. The labour movement in the oil sector’s threat of strike is welcome with a counter threat by the FG of removal of subsidy. There is a looming strike in the health sector, yet Mr. President who visits Germany regularly in quest of longevity, sees no need to declare state of emergency.
Our hearts at whichwaynigeria bleed for the millions of Nigerian students dotted around the country, who will still write the same national exams irrespective of their state. The rich states can pay handsomely, while the less fortunate states will not have enough left to pay teachers after diverting state funds into the governor’s worthless pet projects.
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Teachers Strike, Enters Crucial Stage
July 29, 2008 by Che Oyimnatumba · 1 Comment
The five weeks old strike by teachers across the federation, took a turn for the better when Gov. Bukola Saraki, chair Governors Forum broke to newsmen that the governors of the 36 states are willing to dialogue with the striking teachers. This is a welcome development as the media had last week reported that Saraki was against the teachers strike and called on Nigerians to condemn the strike.
In a reaction to this development, the teachers, have gone back to their concave to discuss with their central working committee, if the government can be trusted.
The federal government had insisted that in respect to the principle of federalism, that teachers employed by the states, should negotiate with their employers. The NUT, seeking assurance of goodwill had demanded that the FG, should first pay the 27% negotiated increment to federal government teachers and issue a circular to the same effect. This will enable the state teachers to have a leverage to negotiate with their state governors.
The FG as at press time, have not done so. It appears that this ray of hope may dim into total eclipse, if the FG does not act.
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