D' Sea Publishers

IGANGAN BLEEDS PROFUSELY UNDER A BLOODY FULANI SIEGE

2021-06-06T05:31:00.011-07:00

IGANGAN BLEEDS PROFUSELY UNDER A BLOODY FULANI SIEGE

Igangan, an agrarian community of hospitable peoplein Ibarapa North Local Government has been in the news for quite some time now as the hot spot of Fulani's bloody activities ranging from consistent carnage to kidnapping, banditry, raping and mindless killings in the most unimaginably gruessome manner.

The last has not been heard of the tales of woes characterising this hitherto peaceful and serene ancient town of the Yoruba tribe of generally peace-loving and hospitable characters. Yesterday recorded another of such bloody reigns of Fulani terror albeit on a rather large scale and well-planned, sneeky but horrendously destructive siege that left many dead while several units of property were razed down by the rain of fire from these hordes of Fulani terrorists who besieged the small ancient town in the dead of the night on Saturday, June 5, 2021 to unleash the most gory and destructive terror on the unsuspecting community.

The carnage and arson were launched between 11:00pm and 3:00am. All attempts to reach the Police via the telephone proved abortive as all known Police lines dedicated to distressed calls were switched off. Similarly, the Amotekun lines too were unreachable as theirs too were switched off.

Prior to this carnage, and precisely on April 14, 2021, an alarm from the intelligence report covertly gathered by the Igangan Development Advocates, was raised and channeled to the appropriate government quarters while it was also given a wide publicity on some media platforms that the Fulani as led by the son of Seriki Saliu, simply known as Ibrahim Saliu was coordinating a plan to besiege Igangan on a reprisal attack in reaction to the eviction of his father, Kadri Saliu who was evicted some time ago by Sunday Igboho.

But it would seem that the State Government and its functionaries had thought it was just another social media hype not worthy of any form of attention as no step was taken by the State Government to act on the proposal to tighten the security around Igangan and Ibarapa lands.

And so it was that throughout the period of the stormy and deadly attack unleashed on innocent and unsuspecting souls in Igangan, there was no iota of State intervention as the town groped in the heat of carnage for help with just a handful of poorly armed local hunters, some of whom also sacrificed their lives to save a few.

It was gathered that Ibrahim Saliu had even been so daring as to go on social media and some radio stations to issue several threats about how Igangan would be razed down to a heap of ashes soon!

It would seem that he made good his promise to have not only a pound of flesh from the fleshy haven of Igangan, but also razed some critical mass of the town down as the hordes of Fulani attackers set shops, parked cars, houses including the Oba’s palace, (the Asigangan of Igangan’s Palace) and many other valuables and property ablaze.

Setting the Oba’s Palace ablaze is quite metaphorical as it implies setting the town’s headship and soul ablaze to capture the entire town. It is equally a taboo, a costly one at that, in Yoruba land! When situated against the background of the fact that proofs of sophisticated weaponry like AK47 being brought in via the porous land borders surrounding Igangan, Oke-ogun and Ogun State was widely publicized and consistent alarms were raised on the mass infiltration of Igangan and Ibarapa with armed Fulani terrorists, it leaves a permanently bitter taste in the mouth of any right thinking person that no proactive step was deemed fit by the State Government to forestall the then impending doom that became a reality today.

The truth is that Igangan did all within her powers to see to her own security by herself as folks had been contributing resources and finance towards the administration of local hunters’ security architecture which held the fort during last night’s attack. But for these poorly armed local hunters, the story would have been different as the town could have been completely razed down in utter realization of Ibrahim Saliu’s continuous threats to do so.

If Igangan is to survive this present siege that keeps laying waste her people and their means of livelihood. Then, it must be reiterated that for the fact that in the heat of the attack, the local hunters were the last man standing, let the State rise up to the proposal submitted to it by the Igangan Development Advocates (I.D.A.) and via the I.D.A., empower the local hunters whose list had been compiled, with the required logistics. The State should also see to:

the immediate arrest and prosecution of Kadiri Saliu, the Seriki Fulani and all his sons and especially, Ibrahim Saliu who had been all over the media, both conventional and social to issue series of threats to raze down Igangan.

👉🏾 the relocation of Amotekun base to Igangan

👉🏾 the empowerment of Amotekun to carry pump actions for the defence of the people of Igangan, Ibarapa and the entire Oyo State.

👉🏾 the conversion of Igangan Police outpost to a Police Headquarters.

👉🏾the commencement, with immediate effect, of Radio and TV announcements on the implementation and enforcement of the ban on open grazing

👉🏾the deployment of the joint Security Task force to comb all the nooks and crannies of Igangan town and Ibarapa.

Today, Igangan is badly hit! Igangan licks her wounds as she suffers a heavy loss with many unnecessary casualties. Igangan bleeds profusely. Her sons and daughters heavily massacred in an open, unchallenged genocidal attack by the Fulani hegemony. When shall Igangan heal? When shall Ibarapa be safe? When shall these tales of woes end?

CHASING THE SHADOWS: AN INEFFECTIVE SECURITY STRATEGY

2021-01-24T06:07:00.002-08:00

It is no longer news that the delegates of the trio of the Inspector General of Police, the Oyo State Government, and the Council of Obas would be meeting in Igangan today, January 24, 2021 for assessing the state of insecurity rocking Igangan, Ibarapa North-West LCDA and its environs. This visit is coming on the heels of the ejection of Seriki Fulani, Alhaji Abdulkadri Saliu who earlier had been issued a seven-day ultimatum by Mr. Sunday Adeyemo also known as Sunday Igboho to either produce the bandits and killers within the rank and file of the Fulani hegemony that had been terrorizing Ibarapa or vacate Ibarapa land. This deadline had lapsed on Friday, January 22, 2021 leading to the ejection of the Seriki Fulani by the entire people of Ibarapa land. Contrary to the erroneous reports by some press, Sunday Adeyemo was not in the midst of those who went to Gaha Seriki to effect the Seriki’s ejection. It was the entire people of Ibarapa themselves that marched there while Sunday Igboho and his boys had only embarked on combing the remote forests serving as hideouts to the bandits to ensure the security of the land.

The truth that no press seemed to have ever reported is that the Seriki Fulani has been serving as the protective shield and supreme defender of these vicious Fulani herders for several years throughout Ibarapa land while Igangan had been the seat of his supreme Emirate before his recent ejection from the town. He would send his kids, prominent among whom was Ibrahim Saliu, to serve as the mouthpiece for arrested vicious herders even for grievous offences that ought to be charged to court. Once the Seriki Saliu or children stepped into any case involving the Fulani, no matter how grievous, the case was, it would be swept under the carpet as the scale of justice became tipped. This heightened the impunity with which these herders unleash terror on the Ibarapa people. They became so emboldened that they started killing and maiming indigenes with glee. And before long, kidnapping too was added as their weapon of subjugation cum business venture.

As the writer of this piece, I have had several encounters with the Seriki's style of wielding the hegemonic sword of tyranny to the hurting of the indigenous people of Igangan in favour and protection of the resident vicious Fulani herders in Igangan land.

Several reports on Fulani’s reign of terror on our land as being engineered by the Seriki Fulani had often been submitted to the press and the Governor of Oyo State but the Governor had never been moved to tackle this terror headlong. The height of the terror was reached when Dr. Fatai Aborode was gruesomely murdered on his way back from his farm. This was a visionary man that returned to his hometown in Igangan from the United Kingdom and embarked on mechanized farming covering several hectares of land. He had on his employment payroll both the indigenous youths of Igangan and resident Fulani within the town. But he was murdered so very gruesomely by suspected alien bandits.

The youths of Ibarapa cried to Mr. Governor, Seyi Makinde in a protest led by Igangan Development Advocates (IDA) shortly after the murder of Dr. Fatai Aborode. Although, several meetings and consultations of the IDA representatives with the Governor’s representatives immediately followed the protest, the security recommendations submitted to the Governor by the IDA that could serve as short and long term strategies to address the security challenges in Ibarapa were never acted upon.

The deaths of many Ibarapa indigenes occasioned by Fulani bandits never attracted the attention of Mr. Governor. He never commiserated with the families of the many victims who have lost brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, uncles and aunts to the cold hands of deaths occasioned by killer herders. No press release was ever issued on the ever growing level of insecurity in Ibarapa and indeed Oyo State. Mr. Governor even forgot to commiserate with the families of the victims raped to death and murdered in cold blood by these herders during his state-wide broadcast recently. No form of aid’s initiative was mooted by the Governor with respect to the wanton loss of farm investments worth several millions of naira incurred by farmers due to constant farm plundering by herders. All these are nothing but proofs of his cold insensitivity to the plights of those who voted him into power.

The unimaginable level of disconnect of the Governor from the people of Ibarapa was openly displayed in his recent broadcast when he unpardonably referred to “Ibarapa” as “Oke-Ogun”.

But now, when the arrow has suddenly taken a flight from the tautly pulled strings of the bow of insecurity and the insecurity situation has degenerated into a mess, Mr. Governor suddenly woke up and saw the need to visit the hotspot in company of the I.G.’s representatives and Council of Obas. The question is: “where were they since?” Couldn’t these triad arms have taken more proactive steps before now amidst the wailings and crying of the people, even the press? Should the Seriki Fulani’s ejection from Igangan be the sole lighter to the fire of their mental locomotion before they could act to engender the much craved security in this hotspot?

If Mr. Governor wasn’t moved by the deaths of many illustrious sons and daughters of Igangan and Ibarapa lands in Oyo State where he is the Chief Security Officer but was suddenly moved by the ejection of the Seriki Fulani from Igangan, then this kind of body language is antithetical to and at variance with the oath he swore to. Mr. Governor should not be seen as the Governor of one ethnic group, he should be the Governor of all. He should be seen as treading the path of equity and justice for peace to reign not playing to the gallery to score some cheap political points as he appears to be doing now on the issue of insecurity.

Mr. Governor should be advised to deal with this crisis in his hands very cautiously and carefully so as not to reignite the fire he claimed he was trying to put out. Arresting Mr. Sunday Adeyemo, for instance, would not solve the problem but escalate it. He should heed the several calls for caution coming from several well-meaning and respected statesmen and groups all over the country. A word should be enough for the wise.

Wale Oladokun

President, Igangan Development Advocates (IDA).

STILL ON THE FULANI CARNAGE SAGA!

2020-11-23T07:48:00.006-08:00

No fewer than four farmers have reportedly suffered various degrees of injuries from successive fatal attacks launched on poor farmers in the town of Igangan in the last few weeks. This is coming on the heels of the earlier reported attacks, kidnapping and killings by herders in the same town.

It would be recalled that a news story titled: “Save our People from Herders” was posted on dseapublishers.blogspot.com via this link: http://dseapublishers.blogspot.com/2020/09/save-our-people-from-herders.html on Friday, September 4, 2020 in an effort to cry out loud to the whole world for a possible redress on the mindless and ruthless attacks, and in most cases, slaughtering of unarmed farmers by herders in many farms in Igangan, Ibarapa North-West LCDA, in Oyo State. Following closely was another post on Facebook on the same unattended, yet worsening matter via: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idaigangan/permalink/731769404039188/ on September 28, 2020.

It is quite unfortunate that despite all these clarion calls, in addition to the Punch newspaper’s publication of September 13, 2020 via this link: https://punchng.com/herdsmen-destroyed-n320m-crops-vowed-to-engage-foreign-militias-oyo-agro-park-investors-president/ , the carnage subsisted unchecked and unabated. The Fulani herders, instead of being checked, were left unchecked by the legal resources and apparatus of this country. Consequently, the herders doubled their numbers, spread their deadly tentacles and grow more predatory strength in arms and ammunitions which they did not hesitate to unleash in full capacity on innocent victims – the poor farmers in Igangan farm settlements. The most recent threat from these notorious herders was that if any of their cows accidentally dies on anybody’s land in Igangan, they will not hesitate to wipe out the entire town!

The police seemed helpless in this era of wanton killings by the Fulani herders. The community leaders are also dumbfounded just as the Kabiesi, the Asigangan of Igangan, seemed to have run out of traditional antidotes to salvage the ravaging menace.

This month of November, 2020 alone, a farmer was attacked on his farm by the ravenous herders using swords. The farmer sustained multiple sword injuries as he managed to escape being murdered. His life is currently hanging on a thin thread. Similarly, a young man’s wrist was rendered dangling on his arm as he was attacked and had his wrist severed by the sword blow of a herder. As if that was not enough, a young man named Jide Odeyemi, who was assisting his children to do their take-home assignments suddenly had his house surrounded by Fulani herders right there in Igangan town on that fateful evening just this month of November! They were all armed with AK 47 assault rifles which they used to pin him down and got him kidnapped. He, however, managed to escape much later from the clutches of his assailants – the herders.

Another episode was that of Mr Tajudeen Omideyi, who was also attacked by these blood-thirsty herders on his farm. He was almost killed but he too managed to escape with multiple sword wounds.

The question on everybody’s lips right now is how many innocent lives do these herders have to snuff out or brutalize before the government intervenes? The deadly silence and inactions, or so it seemed, of those elected to various political offices on this grievous matter smack of complicity and sheer wickedness.

Like it was emphasized in my last story, one is left to wonder if government isn’t just paying mere lip-service to the back-to-farm agricultural initiative as well as the campaign on government’s initiative to revamp SMEs while these ravaging setbacks constituted by the ravenous herders are freely allowed to flourish unchecked!

If our people keep being hunted by herders like games, hacked down brutally on their farmlands like animals, our women raped by them, while many women are still clubbed to death, even after the Fulani gangs have satisfied their hedonistic quests on the women, our farmers’ motorcycles burnt, their farms destroyed and, at times, set ablaze, then, the people of Igangan should think the power of the Nigerian constitution lies only in the paper and not in practice as justice is flayed to the detriment of the victims!

It must be explicitly stated here that no nation’s economy can thrive in the heat of insecurity. No nation can lay claim to socio-political well-being in the face of wanton destruction of lives and property unleashed by a sect of a nation. Where there is no peace, there cannot be wellness. Where there is no wellness, the continued existence of such a clime hangs on a thin thread. Shall we then ask: are we facing a conspiracy of ethnic cleansing?

For avoidance of doubt, all the mentioned victims of Fulani attacks are available for interview on request by verifiable and reliable solution provider(s).

When the ABNORMAL becomes the "NEW NORMAL"

2020-11-20T02:10:00.002-08:00

When the ABNORMAL becomes the "NEW NORMAL"

Time has changed

And life is sprained

Time, indeed,

It is

For the new normal

Where the abnormal 

Becomes the normal

And the normal 

Rendered abnormal

Covid-19 is only a catalyst

Not the least the cause of the siege

Where life's meaninglessness assumes a disturbing dimension

Humans have been feeding fat on blood with such aggressions

Outweighing the current waves of the ravaging pandemic

In bouts of  shows so pathetic!

Far too long, we've been lost to our greed

So lost to our clime so eclectic

And from the top to the bottom

The harvest of summer is cornered in autumn

And now the abnormal becomes the new normal

Weep not, for not for yourself you weep

Weep now for the generations your greed has clipped

Cutting their buddings

Longing for shunting

Blasting the attics

Of nurseries to their buddings

Weep not oh hypocrites! 

Weep now for the lives you’ve clipped

Ours, like the "Wasteland” it typifies

Where the natural cycle of the seasons is reversed

And money the mammon is being deified

So, we raise a generation of yahoos

From the affluence of political cocoons

Swimming daily in the pool of innocent blood

To oil and grease their ill-gotten wealth – their god

Weep not now for it’s too late.

Covid-19 is only a man-made catalyst

To the manifestation of the apocalyptic

The evil, for long, has consumed the very heart of man

Before the release of the titan currently consuming our clans

On our own, we have plundered the land

Before the clutching of the reins by corona

The heart of man has been sold to the devil

Before the unleashing of the greater evil

So, weep not now for it’s too late

Weep now for the ones you have slain! 

© Wale Oladokun   07-07-2020

OCTOBER TWENTY, TWENTY-TWENTY

2020-11-20T01:55:00.001-08:00

OCTOBER TWENTY, TWENTY-TWENTY

Who the hell are they fooling
With shows so incongruous to human reasoning?

Fumbling liars lacking substance
Hunters of excuses so gloomy and sparse

Their hired liars
Only need some bags of liards
To veil in vain the stary eyes
Of truth’s crystal sights
Shockingly gasping at their lies

Liars they are – hired to lie
To bury the masterminded blinding sights
Unleashed stone-heartedly on targeted sites!

Traders of lies
Trampling on our rights!
Your gory seats of power
Galls not your hearts?
Nor offend your stifled conscience?
When a peaceful protest
Was rendered bloody
By the pure greed of your governance
Your shameful art glaringly shoddy
Purely perverted grossly bloody!

A peaceful protest
Turned deadly
Hoisting a night of tortuous tempest!
To arch burial chambers in your vain conquest
To maim and slaughter at your own behest!

Behold the epicentre of the protest!
Widely adjudged to be peaceful and orderly
Turned to our kin’s slaughterhouse by the rudderless
That have hijacked democracy’s tenets
To serve and oil their personal interests
In the most horrendous grisly cruelty!

October twenty, twenty-twenty
The night our hopes were spilled and emptied
A night of historical and grisly holocaust
Painted with blood by the loathsome lost
The national flag – of no match to the cost

Would there ever be justice
Beyond the twists of truths we were made to see?
Can justice ever stand
In the face of these lies
So unrepentant and dastardly?

What justice would withstand
The war against humanity’s stand?
Waged with might against our rights
Right to speak and right to life

October twenty, twenty-twenty
A scourging pandemic to liberty’s hopes!

©Wale Oladokun 19-11-2020

SAVE OUR PEOPLE FROM HERDERS

2020-09-04T14:08:00.009-07:00

This article contains offensive/disturbing pictures, please.

The belief that the press or the news media is the fourth estate of the realm is fast losing its wide acceptability as it has failed to measure up to its key role in influencing the political system positively for the benefit of the people.

Today, what we have is, mostly, a press that serves as underdogs and pipers to tyrannical governments across the African continent and most especially, Nigeria. The press has failed the people in the aspect of balancing the news with all possible variable and is, therefore, currently seen to be solely serving the needs of the highest bidder in the lucrative business of politics today. It is not uncommon these days, for instance, to see media houses sing praises and shower encomiums on politicians while celebrating their irrelevant projects in the midst of the incessant bloodletting activities and carnage by herders, bandits, kidnappers and ritualists which are daily recorded in communities not so far away from such points of propagandistic celebrations of bogus political projects.

The submission above is not unconnected with the abject neglect by the press of some regions within the geopolitical zones of Nigeria the Ibarapa North region of Oyo State being chiefly, a grassroot region. The hordes of popular TV channels like the TVC, Channels, AIT, and others have become so choosy to the kind of news to be aired so much so that they turn blind eyes and deaf ears to various anguish-laden hues and cries of the downtrodden whose interests the fourth estate of the realm should equally serve.

The unyielding wailings of the people of Igangan and its environs in reaction to the concerted carnage unleashed by herders have been on for quite some years now unabated but rather increasingly. This is owing largely to the irresponsive stance maintained by the media, the press, the law enforcement agents as well as the woeful failure of those charged with the responsibility of securing lives and property across the land.

It cannot but leave one wondering why the giants in the business of the press and media could fail to deploy reporters and news correspondents to these grassroot regions to expose the ongoing carnage with a view to ending it.

Igangan is an agrarian community located in the north-west region of Ibarapa land in Oyo State. Suffice it to say that its economy and livelihood are driven chiefly by producing and maintaining crops and farmland. This implies that agriculture is tantamount to life for the people of Igangan as their lives and livelihood depend primarily on it.

Unfortunately, the activities of the marauding gangs of herders over the past few years in the land of Igangan have painted the farms red with the blood of innocent farmers and their families' woes have geometrically multiplied as the gruesome attacks by these blood-thirsty herders on unarmed innocent farmers in Igangan have continued unabated. With no end in sight to this era of incessant massacres even with the consistent reports of the carnage to the Police, traditional rulers, Political Leaders, the Miyetti Allah Group the Seriki of Fulani in the region, an SOS call was, thus, made to the Sea Publishers via the representatives of Igangan Development Advocates, a Youth-based advocacy platform for the development of Igangan community to make this unwarranted bloodletting public to all the people of Nigeria as well as the International Human Rights Advocacy Groups and NGOs to end the gory theatres of macabre orgies currently overwhelming the hitherto flourishing land.

Cocoa farm set ablaze

These marauding demons' mission is not just to steal, to kill, and destroy. It is not just carnage, but also arson. They plunder farms at will unchallenged. And when your farm is grazing-unfriendly to their cows, set the farm on fire as shown in the inset pictures. They set cocoa farms on fire, kill farmers, gang-rape women, plunder farms destroy villages, and gradually take over the farms. These acts are nothing but criminal offenses and gross violations of the fundamental human rights of the people.

A woman gang-raped and macheted

May I warn that this article contains offensive pictures of maimed, butchered and wounded victims from Igangan some of whom are well known and friends to the writer of this article. Some are dead already while some are half-alive and many are badly wounded by the butchering blows from the swords, spears, daggers, and other deadly weapons of these bestial herders.

This article represents an SOS call from the less privileged people of Igangan whose world seemed to have been cut-off from the reach of the fourth estate of the realm - the media! NO news coverage of what is happening at these grassroots and remote parts of these rural areas even when lives are lost on a daily basis. Should we wait until an entire town is completely wiped out by these ferocious beasts before we take steps? They want to forcefully take the lands and heritage of the people of Igangan. Therefore, they have resorted to killing and maiming to scare them off their lands and take over the lands. Their mission is to occupy the lands using offensive tactics. Their slogan is "kill them all" and take over their land while we stand and watch as innocent women and men are maimed, families rendered poor after being dispossessed of their only means of livelihood which, of course, is the farm, husbands being turned to widowers while wives are daily becoming widows in the hands of these herders.

They rape, torture, kidnap and kill like soldiers on the battlefield. Their brutal killings have left bitter tastes in the mouths of those who recount the ordeal. The time to retell the stories is over, the time for action is now!

This is an SOS call on all well-meaning Nigerians, International bodies and NGOs, Human Right Organisations and Activists concerned mothers and fathers, threatened children and adults, vibrant youths and elders, everyone, without leaving anyone behind is summoned to come to the rescue of the people of Igangan and its environs so that posterity will judge us right in the end.

The Local Government and the Governed in Oyo State: Counting the Gains and the Losses

2020-08-27T04:27:00.022-07:00

When considered via the magnifying lens of Brian C. Smith's (1981) submission on the essence of the 1976 Local Government Reform, rationalizing what our Local Government functionaries and their "bosses" have converted the Local Councils into would be tantamount to building castles in the air. Smith (1981) submits that "the central objective in the 1976 reform of Local Government throughout Nigeria was to ensure that significant functions were decentralized to the local level such that the whittling down of local authority powers would be avoided. The tendency of the states to encroach on local government preserves was to be reversed which was why the Federal Government's policy document states that 'above all, these reforms are intended to entrust political responsibility to where it is most crucial and most beneficial, that is, to the people (at the grassroots)'. Appropriate services and, importantly, development activities were to be made responsive to local wishes and initiatives by devolving or delegating them to local representative bodies. The devolution of power would give local councils 'substantial control over local affairs' In other words, the reforms were intended to restore the 'functional integrity' of local government throughout the country."

It would be recalled that "the 1976 Local Government Reform is the most notable reform in the history and development of the Local Governments on the Constitutional platform of Nigeria." (Muazu Abdullahi et al, 2017). This gave credence to the standpoint of Local Government Authorities' reinvigorated relevance, just like the state government, in all matters relating to the creation of states, boundary adjustments, expansions, and even creation of Local Government Areas and Councils.

Local Government as the third tier of Government in Nigeria is the closest government to the people as it deals with the people from the grassroots. Its significance to the socio-economic and political life of our country can, therefore, not be over-emphasized. Therefore, a quick look at the functions of the Local Government Administration as spelled out in the 1999 Constitution in the fourth schedule and as enumerated by Muazu et-al, 2017, could enhance the conceptualization of the topic being addressed. The functions are:

a. The consideration and the making of recommendations to a State Commission on Economic Planning or any similar body on:

- the economic development of the State, particularly in so far as the areas of authority of the Council of the State are affected, and

- the proposal made by the said Commission;

b. Collection of rates, radio and television licenses;

c. Establishment and maintenance of cemeteries, burial grounds, and homes for the destitute or infirm;

d. Licensing of bicycles, trucks (other than mechanically propelled trucks), canoes, wheelbarrows, and carts;

e. Establishment, maintenance, and regulation of slaughterhouses, slaughter slabs, markets, motor parks, and public conveniences;

f. Construction and maintenance of roads, streets, streets lightings, drains, and other public highways, parks, gardens, open spaces, or such public facilities as may be prescribed from time to time by the House of Assembly of a State;

g. The naming of roads and streets, and numbering of houses;

h. Provision and maintenance of public conveniences, sewage and refuse disposal;

i. registration of all birth, death, and marriages;

j. assessment of privately owned houses or tenements for the purpose of levying such rates as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly of a State; and

k. Control and regulation of movement and keeping of pets of all descriptions, out-door advertising and hoarding, shops kiosks, restaurants, bakeries, and other places for the sale of food to the public, laundries, and licensing for the sale liquor.

l. provision and maintenance of primary, adult and vocational education;

m. the development of agricultural and natural resources other than the exploitation of minerals;

n. the provision and maintenance of health services and such other functions as may be conferred on a Local Government Council by the House of Assembly of a State.

Worthy of note is also the fact that the roles above are performed exclusively by the Local Government as enshrined in the Constitution of the country while some other roles are concurrently performed with the State Government.

Some of the functions being concurrently performed by both the State and the Local Governments include the governance and administration of primary education, agriculture, health and other functions that may be conferred on the Local Government by the House of Assembly of the State.

Unfortunately, as lofty as the enumerated reformed goals of the LGAs are, they have not found their full applications in the governance of the Local Councils. In other words, as grandeur as this blueprint for grassroots development is, it eventually ended up being mere paperwork that is meant only for the records as they have no singular bearing with the practice in reality. It may be saddening but not surprising to note, therefore, that these Local Government Authorities have long become common appendages of the various State Governments in Nigeria.

A brief dissectional overview of some Local Government Authorities in Oyo State would elucidate and substantiate the standpoint maintained above.

Over the past two and a half decades, what has been the procedural practice which is, indeed, customary to the emergence of the Chairmanship as well as the running of the Local Government in what used to be the Ifeloju Local Government Authority of Oyo State, for example, is what I describe as the cult-like National Cake Beneficiaries' Appointment Committee System governed by some Council of Elders or Leaders within various political parties in the relevant grassroots areas across the Local Government's jurisdiction. This clique-based Council of Elders or Leaders, who are, themselves former political office holders and who are believed to have the 'hearts' of the state or even national political bigwigs like the State Governors and the Presidency in their political pouch have, primarily, been responsible for determining who the Chairmanship flagbearer would be on rare occasions of election and who would be handpicked on

common occasions of appointing Caretaker Chairmen. This same practice has often been applied to the candidature of other political offices across the constituency. I believe it is a general practice in Nigeria, anyway.

This practice has continued unabated to date. All through the periods of the metamorphosis of the nomenclature and central administrative seats and jurisdictions of Ifeloju Local Government Area which later devolved into Ibarapa Central and North LGAs and most recently into Ibarapa Central and North LGAs and Ibarapa Northwest LCDA, the governance positions of the LGAs/LCDA could be likened to an allegorical story of a town named Jẹkínjẹ (chop-I-chop). In this town, all the natives agreed that for food to be accessible to all folks in town, a custodian of food must be appointed by the king. No one must take anything out of his or her farm produce or hunted games. All must be surrendered to that one man who would determine who must eat and who must not. The King then delegated the authority to appoint such a man to the people of the town because their survival depended on their choice. The Council of Chiefs were, however, displeased with the King's decision and went to remind the King that the people's choice might not be his choice and that if that happened, the King and his family might die of hunger. The King then requested for their counsel. The Chiefs in their wisdom told the king to commit the task of appointing the right person into their hands and promised the King that whoever emerged would do the biddings of the King. The King was excited about such counsel and approved their proposal.

The Chiefs who were seven in number took charge of the seven clans that make up the town of Jẹkínjẹ with their divide and rule tactics chiefly driven by the offer of kickbacks to the clan heads. The clan heads also called in the compound heads and youth heads to partake in the offer so that they would all convince their people and households to support Jẹgúdújẹrá (the glutton) as the people's choice for the declared vacant position.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs had secretly met with Jẹgúdújẹrá to decide on the sharing formula for the distribution of the commonwealth of the people with the King topping the organogram and the Chiefs with Jẹgúdújẹrá making the second rung. The headships of the seven clans plus the compound heads made the third rung while a select few of the commoners made the last rung. Others had to depend on the good wills of those who made the sharing rungs. And so was it, that the town of Jẹkínjẹ which, hitherto was noted for its buoyancy and prosperity continued to live in misery.

Metaphorically speaking, State Governors are the Kings in their states. If they aspire for a second term in office, they only need to conspire with the leaders within the various LGAs in their state to influence the electoral process and tip the scale in their favour. Similarly, what any gubernatorial candidate would do is not different from the aforementioned. Once the LGAs are captured, the rest is simple. That is why gubernatorial aspirants often flood the Council of Leaders' hoods to establish the needed political fraternities with the Leaders to facilitate the "pocketing" of the LGAs for the fulfillment of their political ambitions. This is often characterized by the 'settlement' of 'VIPs' who are mostly the aforementioned leaders in the LGAs by the gubernatorial aspirants. The financial harvests would then trickle down to those calling the shots at the ward levels, the polling unit levels, and so on.

The truth is that the kind of democratic process needed for producing credible LGA Chairmen in Nigeria has been 'arrested' 'chained' and 'imprisoned' by the various State Governments in Nigeria. So, Oyo State's case is not an exception and in fact, it is a good case study. The blatant subversion of the democratic process in these LGAs is evident in the common practice of handpicking persons and installing them as Caretaker Chairmen by Governors instead of conducting free and fair elections to elect the true representative of the people in accordance with the stipulation of the 1999 constitution. Even the very "independence" of the State 'Independent' Electoral Commission is metaphorically dependent on the whims of Mr. Governor who doubles directly or indirectly as the employer of the State's Resident Electoral Commissioner. So, where do we hope to go from there?

Consequently, the essence of the 1976 reforms targeted at curbing the whittling down of local authority powers and the tendencies of states to encroach on local government preserves has been defeated by the common practice of our governors who have 'pocketed' the LGAs for the purpose of facilitating their perpetuation in power. They use them as 'pawns' in their political game of 'chess'. The LGAs, of course, would facilitate their first and second terms in office, facilitate the fulfillment of their Senatorial ambitions as well as service their vaulting quest of becoming the lifelong godfathers-in-council of Political Appointments Boards or Committees of their parties or regions.

Now, what have been the gains or otherwise of the governed, the people whose interests the LGA Chairman is supposed to serve?

Having been 'appointed' by the Governor with the aid of the 'Council of Leaders' who often come up with the list of nominees for the LGA cabinet who are not elected by the people of the grassroots to whom they are supposed to be answerable, their allegiance would automatically be switched to their 'employer' and 'benefactor'. So, the most visible 'gain' is the erection of gigantic and flamboyant billboards proudly

conveying the accolades of Mr. Governor and adorned with the pictures of both Mr. Governor and the LGA Chairman spread across the length and breadth of the LGA at strategic spots for the noting of the employer, the Governor himself; instead of construction of drainage systems or provision of water system or embarking on any meaningful projects for the betterment of the grassroots.

Furthermore, the expected gains for the people at the grassroots on whose shoulder lies the mandate of choice as electorates had already been received at the diverse fora of electioneering campaigns so they have no moral justification to demand any other thing from the Chairmen of their LGAs.

Surprisingly, the same people whose commonwealth is being looted, pillaged, and stockpiled for personal use are often the same people, especially at the grassroots, urging and encouraging these looters to do more. In most cases, you would hear them condemning some LG political office holders for having spent a year without building/buying their own mansions while their mates have not only built mansions, they have also opened big filling stations and bought lands in Banana Island!

The mindsets of our people have been so twisted that they would attack and condemn people that are genuinely ready to serve and committed to bringing their experience and expertise to bear in tackling poverty and underdevelopment. They see those persons who are not members of such obnoxious cliques as common 'aliens' who have only come to jump the long queue of the 'chop-I-chop' assembly with many members waiting for his/her turn in the queue to access the 'delicious pot of soup' from the national kitchen!

Therefore, the cycle of underdevelopment, poverty, banditry, money rituals, kidnapping, cattle rustling, farmer-herders' clashes, vote-buying, political wars, and so on remain unbroken as the gains of the people at the grassroots and even in the cities. This is because, if the home font is unappealing, the city will, no doubt, look like an abandoned bush (B'ọ́ọ̀dẹ̀ ò dùn, bíìgbẹ́ n'ìlú ù rí).

The gains of the people have continually been the sights of exotic cars with deafening wailings of sirens conveying the

Chairmen through the dirty streets of the impoverished people while the people hail them and keep coveting the position as they wait for the time for their turn in the political queue where they remain continually stuck.

Initiating development is not rocket science but it takes a noble and honest heart propelled by an indefatigable urge to serve without expecting any gains from such to break the jinx and rekindle the hope of development.

The bitter truth is that we are neck-deep stuck in this messy political rot called "amala politics". We are completely entangled in the choking web of twisted mentalities. Mentalities like, 'chop-I-chop', 'vote-and-cook' ('dìbò kóo s'ebẹ̀), 'eat political meal' (jẹun òṣèlú), 'stomach infrastructure' (tìfun lọ̀ràn) and so on, so much so that the poverty of reasoning and rationality has beclouded our judgment in a way that has mutated us into becoming blind party loyalists for want of what to eat while we keep wallowing in the same poverty we thought we were tackling by soiling our hands and hearts.

If there must be that genuine transformation from the status-quo to a new lease of life for all, some, if not all of our political offices must run on a part-time basis with just a reward of reasonable sums of honoraria for such officeholders. Emphasis must be on reasonably cutting down on the costs of governance and the outrageous allowances and salaries of political office holders so as to discourage the practice of forcing square pegs in round holes.

The pedigree, integrity, experience, and the extent of community development involvement of aspirants must be subjected to rigorous checks and critical analysis to determine who eventually takes on the mantle of leadership in this country.

Finally, as lofty as the suggestions on the way forward above are, the clog in the wheel of their actualization is surprisingly the people still. Especially, starting from the National Assembly, the conduit that must present, debate, and pass such bills that would enthrone an era of transformation but which will surely work against such by ensuring that it never sees the light of the day so that their 'lootocratic' acts would not suffer an abrupt end. So, we are stuck. Except we hope to raise a new incorruptible species of leaders in the future. But that also is going to be quite herculean, judging from the number of bad eggs in town.

So, I ask, which way forward then?

Kindly drop your comments. Feedbacks are greatly valued. Thank you.

#Oyogovernment

#Localgovernment

#Ibarapanorth

#Ibarapanorthwest

#Development

#Igangan

©’Wale Oladokun (Aug. 2020)

OUR SILENCE: OUR CONSPIRACY.

2020-07-22T11:41:00.001-07:00

It saddens the sane heart what our dear country has degenerated into. Decade after decade, following the ironic independence we got in 1960 with an unreleased noose around the nation's naive neck like

that of a hangman's halter in the hands of the colonialists - the imperialists - waiting for the final order, things kept getting worse by the day, and the country's continued existence kept being constantly threatened.

The life of an average Nigerian became more and more meaningless. Our lives were turned to lab rats, chess pawns, dealers' goods and inconsequential entities in the hands of our dealers as leaders, political experimentalists as leaders, chess players as rulers, and traders as political office holders respectively. And we watched and folded our arms in silence as we gradually slide into an abyss of human

debasement filled with gory acts of macabre orgies. And we watched and folded our arms like lobotomized figures bought with crumbs from the blood of the innocent. And we watched and folded our arms as we kept being sold into second slavery while our commonwealth was being plundered and looted with glee by the recycled traders of our land.

We kept watching because we have eaten the forbidden fruit, we could never be bold again to speak the

truth even when our children's future was in the line - even when their continued welfare and existence kept being threatened. We could no longer act because we have eaten the seeming sumptuous plantain fried by our very own assailant. We freely gave them our blood. We also donated our children's blood because of stomach infrastructure while we were expected to take a great decision that could turn our lives around at the polls.

Year-in, year-out, decade after decade we watched. We watched as we gradually descended into a state of barbaric anarchy that kept painting the entire nation red with the blood of the innocent. We watched as diseases kept ravaging the country and watched as our leaders chose to profit and enrich themselves from exploiting the ugly situation to the detriment of both the sick and the unsafe citizens of the country - we watched! We watched and did nothing - not even a protest. Why because we live in an era of dictatorship and anarchy, an era of ethnic rivalry, religious intolerance and extremism, blind party loyalty, political exploitations, and above all corruption. So, we kept watching and waiting. Till when? No one knows.

The country is deeply entrenched in corruption. We were born into corruption because the very existence of the country smacks of corruption and condescension! We live in corruption and trade corruption. We are kitted and robed in corruption and mammon has become our god. We do anything for money. We do anything to enrich ourselves even when lives are in the line. We buy humans with money. We sell humans for money. We die for money!

Yet, we see nothing wrong. Everyone keeps maintaining the egocentric stance of "me, myself and I". For how long shall we keep keeping silent? Remember, "the man dies in him that keeps silent in the face of tyranny." When you lock yourself up in the fantasy of your kingly mansion, remember that one day, it will only require six feet to lock you up eternally and singly beneath the very ground that holds your mansion and you will be asked to give an account of your stewardship. When you drive wound-up around in your exotic cars, you only need to remember that it only takes a coffin to wind you up forever in the lonely belly of the earth you used to cruise on!

Remember, whatever fragments of good you are able to do while on earth would be your only respite which will outlive you. You came to this world naked, and naked shall you return!

BEWARE OF JUMIA IN AKURE AXIS

2020-01-04T02:32:00.002-08:00

I am highly disappointed in Jumia that all my shopping experiences with it has been rippled with activities of breach of contract at one point or another across all the chains of transactions and dealings with them. Therefore, I must first register my utmost displeasure in Jumia which was supposed to be on top of its game in the business of online shopping, sound customer relations and customer trust-building and satisfaction. Jumia has failed woefully in the last three expected qualities!

These are some of my traumatic experiences with Jumia and its delivery agents cum customer care which I won't stop publicizing to the whole world!

1. I placed an order for four-in-one men's shirt, they brought four-in-one trousers for me. Though my money was refunded, it was a disappointing experience that would linger for long.

2. The delivery agent assigned to the Akure-Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin axis, Ondo state is more of an uncultured tout, a hooligan and a wild beast than a human being and he has no business being in the chain of delivery services for Jumia!

Jumia should learn to screen their would-be employees before employing them so that cultured and normal human beings would be employed by them for whatever services they needed them to carry out!

The Delivery Agent in question cancelled my order (a denim charcoal black jeans) without informing me, without calling me, without making any attempt to deliver it even after having paid in full (on a pre-paid basis) for home delivery! He unilaterally cancelled my order and I reported this to Jumia's customer care via 07006000000 in December, 2019. I thought Jumia would take an action on this guy who is bent on destroying their business and making Jumia to lose its customers. But alas, my remaining orders were, afterwards, placed in this unrepentant beast's hands to deliver to me again. The beast's GSM number whom Jumia refer to as Delivery Agent (D.A.) is: 09023278942 and for the second time in a row, this guy cancelled another set of orders unilaterally again yesterday, January 3, 2019!

The most painful aspect of this whole drama from this delivery agent guy was that:
a) I called his GSM number 09023278942 in the morning of January 3, 2019 immediately after receiving a message from Jumia that a delivery agent with that number would call. I didn't wait for his call. I called him by myself! The phone rang and for more than four times I kept calling and the phone kept ringing to the end and this devil whom is being referred to by Jumia as a DA did not pick my calls. I then sent a message to him, because I discovered from the number that it was the same guy who had once cancelled my order without my authorization, to inform him that I could offer to meet him anywhere convenient for him in Akure to pick my orders to avoid the stress of travelling down to Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin again! Haven't I tried? But this guy, instead of appreciating my effort, chose to tow a line of personal vendetta, the reason for which I do not know till now. He did not respond to my text, he did not respond to all my calls! Then, the next hour, I just received a mail and to my wildest dismay the mail stated that my orders have been cancelled! Not one! Not two! But all THREE FOREIGN ORDERS! All the three pairs of shoes I ordered from Jumia Global for which I had to patiently wait all through one whole month was just cancelled by this devilish Delivery Agent with glee!

4. Jumia should admit that it has vested too much power in these sets of Delivery Agents whom once they don't like your face, could choose to exercise this absolute POWER which has corrupted them ABSOLUTELY, on the teeming and innocent customers! Cancellation powers such as this, should not be vested unilaterally in any one man but should be double-layered for the purpose of checks and balances!

What's even wrong with sending a common SMS or email to such customer that his/her order(s) is/are about to be cancelled stating the reason for the cancellation and asking if there should be a stay of action or the action should proceed. But NO! YOU JUST EMPOWERED YOUR DEVILS TO CANCEL ORDERS ARBITRARILY, UNILATERALLY AND WITHOUT ANY LEVEL OF AUTHORIZATION IN AN ONLINE SHOPPING MALL OF SUCH A REPUTE AND IN A DEMOCRATIC AND CIVIL SOCIETY SUCH AS OURS!

A SERIOUS NOTE OF WARNING!!!
1. Jumia should never attempt to assign my remaining orders to the same devilish agent within my axis (that is, Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State Axis) Once again, the Delivery Agent's number is 09023278942 and he covers the Akure-Elizade University axis. As a matter of fact, he remains banned from plying that axis, let alone coming to Elizade University or he would be arrested!

2. I still have two orders which am still expecting to be delivered and they are of utmost value to me. Those items are: a) 61 Keys Digital Music Electronic Keyboard Child Piano gift and b) Yushenj Men/Women Automatic strap belt. I wish to stress and emphasize that if these two orders are cancelled by any of Jumia's staff, then, I would go to the press and also press charges against Jumia!
NOTHING MUST HAPPEN TO THE REMAINING ORDERS THAT I AM EXPECTING. JUMIA SHOULD TAKE NOTE OF THAT!

QUALITIES OF A GOOD LEADER

2018-07-20T02:30:00.002-07:00

2019 is vigorously knocking at the

door of "the giant of Africa" again. This time, a grand and historic decision is to be made at the opening of the door.

It is therefore pertinent to create lots of orientations and awareness on the need to choose right by studying and getting familiar with the traits and qualities of a good leader and keying in to self discipline for the purpose of shunning every form of inducement and electoral fraud.

Electorates should note that selling their votes is selling their rights and by extension, their entire destinies just for a token. Is it worth it?

Therefore, the onus rests on us all to subject every political office seekers to a thorough scrutiny to ascertain his behaviour, pedigree, moral and spiritual rectitude, his achievements, his community service assignment, how trustworthy, dependable, reliable he is, how sound and fit he/she is to deliver on assignments given to him and so on.

Part of these qualities of a good leader to watch out for are discussed below. Please, don't be fooled or deceived.

Note that if their reason for seeking leadership or vying for political position is to earn a living, then, it will be right to tell them to go and intensify effort at getting the right job. Politics or leadership isn't a profession.

If the reason for seeking elective posi

tion is to amass wealth that ordinarily wouldn't have been possible even if they had lived for 1,000 years and had the highest paid job, then tell them to go dig their gold elsewhere.

If the reason for seeking power is to settle scores with their political enemies, or get them perpetually buried in political graveyards, then you won't be wrong to tell them that they are simply immature and myopic and don't forget to add that they should find other means for executing devilish intent. But caution them to note that they are only digging their early and hellish grave!

If the reason for seeking to perpetuate themselves in power is to block the chances of the less privileged who are young, productive and smart but whom they regard as threats to their greedy political ploys and ventures, then the voice of the people shall rise up to the most high to thunder down His wrath on them. Do not forget to remind them of the end of Pharaoh in the Bible.

All of the above are no characteristics of a good leader.

👉🏽A good leader nurture the growth of more leaders.

👉🏽 A good leader serves his/her people by protecting their positive interests, and serving their needs. He/she does not expect to be served as we have it today. Please always remember that "to lead is to serve".

👉🏽 A good leader stands in the gap for his people, his followers, no matter how tough and rough the terrain is.

👉🏽 A good leader is like a hen that protects its chicks against all odds, even the bit of a snake!

👉🏽 A good leader pays attention to the cries of his people like a good mother does to the cries of her baby.

Therefore, if you are still bent on being a leader, know that it is a call to serve and not to be served! Are you ready to truly serve?

__'Wale Oladokun

WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE AND RESPECT

2018-07-18T08:43:00.001-07:00

The scripture gives us an important emphasis as husbands and wives.
Husbands are told, specifically, to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). Wives are told specifically to respect their husbands as the church does Christ (Ephesians 5:33).

One could, therefore, correctly deduce from the above that we are called as believers, to love and respect. It will then mean that a woman loved by her husband will grow in loveliness, while a man respected by his wife will become more respectable. But when any of the two (love or respect) is absent from either of the parties involved, the foundation upon which the relationship is built becomes shaky. “And if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3 - KJV).

From statistics, women are better at loving than men are. Men do well at respecting. Men tend to think of love as “not giving trouble to others” while women think of love as “taking trouble for others” – which is much closer to agape love than what men naturally do.

Therefore, men must be called to sacrifice for their wives, to take trouble for them (that is, to love them), as Christ gave Himself for the church. In the same vein, women must be urged to respect their husbands. This is because a woman can naturally love a man she does not honour or respect very much, and this is what Paul would identify as a trouble. How many times have we heard of a terrible girl returning to her abusive boyfriend because she “loves him”, even though he treats her like dirt? But if we asked her if she respects him, she would reply, “are you kidding? Him?”

MEN RUN ON RESPECT, WOMEN ON LOVE
If the Bible said that sheperds should feed the sheep, a reasonable inference would be that sheep need food. When husbands are told to love their wives, we can infer from this that wives need to be loved. When wives are told to respect their husbands, we can infer from this that husbands need to be respected. Let us picture this as two kinds of car that run on different kinds of fuel – diesel and petrol. Therefore, let us say “husbands run on respect, and wives run on love.”

SIGNS THAT YOUR PARTNER DOESN’T LOVE YOU ANY MORE:
Once you begin to notice the following traits, please, consider that the love might no longer be present in the relationship any more:

INTOLERANCE AND IRRITATION
Once your partner starts getting easily irritated by common forgiveable actions, mistakes, error of omission or commission, and other simple corrigible inadequacies, then, be sure that these might be pointers to depreciation of love. He shouts at every little mistake repeatedly, he constantly rattles and rants about how things are poorly handled by you or how you should or should not have done this or that, then the love is gradually waning.

WITHDRAWS AND KEEPS TO HIMSLEF OR HERSELF
Withdrawal syndrome is another sign of waned love. If he/she begins to keep to himself/herself, prefer being left alone in the room, avoid contacts and other forms of relating with one another, then the fire of love might be burning low.

LACK OF COMMUNICATION
Once communication is absent in all its ramifications, that is verbally, attitudinally, romantically and sexually, then love is heading for the rock.

SUBSTITUTION OF PARTNER’S PRESENCE AND ATTENTION WITH PHONE OR OTHER DEVICES
This applies to both partners. Fumbling with your phone, surfing, chatting and blushing to some illusionary friends on social media while your partner seeks your attention represent nothing but the height of disconnection and disrespect which are unhealthy to the flourishing of a relationship. Being inattentive or half-attentive to your partner while talking to you or replacing “his place or presence” with a multimedia device of any kind either meant for chatting or entertainment, can be most damaging, destructive and injurious to any relationship you seek to build or retain.

If you are the type that often assumes a “typist role” on the keyboard of your smartphone or device while your partner is talking or seeks your attention, or a social-media freak, or crazy follower of celebs and entertainers and you do not know when to draw a line between the reality and fantasy that exists between the two options before you, then, you have signed up your love for eventual crash-landing which requires some divine hands to safe. When this continually happens between partners, then the love is as good as gone.

SIGNS THAT YOUR PARTNER DOESN’T RESPECT YOU.
You don’t need a relationship expert to notice the obvious signs of a disrespectful partner. But we often allow emotions to cloud our judgments.

Here are some obvious signs of a disrespectful partner:

HE/SHE DOESN’T LISTEN TO YOU
Having someone who can listen to you at your best and worst moments in life is one of the essentials of a relationship. So also is being an active and attentive listener. When you start to feel as though your partner is constantly giving you a less than average amount of attention or shows little interest when talking to him/her. It could be a sign that he/she don’t respect you enough.

HE/SHE LIES TO YOU
Honesty and openness are underrated in modern day relationships. Being open and honest with your partner is one of the building blocks of any healthy relationship. An early sign or indicator of a disrespectful partner is one that constantly lies about trivial things. Lying to your partner makes your partner feel that he/she does not deserve to know the truth and this is unhealthy and injurious to a relationship because it is not a good feeling.

HE/SHE DOES NOT PRIORTISE YOUR NEEDS
No one wants to be the second option/fiddle. This is why it is necessary to always carry your partner along when making any plans, not as an after-thought. If your partner does not seem to care about making or keeping plans with you and you only stumble on the completed planned tasks once in a while, or if he/she always prefers to spend time with friends rather than with you, then that’s a major sign of disrespect.

HE/SHE GIVES ROMANTIC OR SEXUAL ATTENTION TO OTHERS
Most people can’t take what they dish. When your partner frequently “jokes” about being attracted to or interested in someone else, or develops so much admiration that he/she could not stop talking about him/her in a manner suggestive of trapped attraction in your presence, then consider it disrespectful to you and your relationship.

So, then, men and women should love and respect each other. They should do so with all their hearts. If relationships must translate into marriages, the men should lean towards love and the women should embrace the values of respect. Peter tells us that reverent and chaste behaviour (not necessarily in empty flamboyance and temporal ornamentation) can break a man’s hardened and disobedient spirit (1 Peter 3:1-2). The results of strict adherence to these can be astonishing.

Hard Core Facts from Hon. Larry Bhadmus

2018-07-15T07:59:00.001-07:00

We should always be ready to help one another. Either as Hausa, Ibo , Yoruba, black or fair in complexion, we should be able to live by each other's happiness, not by each other's misery. We must not hate or despise one another.

Our Great Country is large enough to contain us , and also rich to provide for us. Our way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned our souls, barricaded us with hate, and has blind-folded us into forging the path of misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but have shut ourselves in.

Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little.

More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness.

Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost. I am crying out for universal brotherhood, for the unity of us all. I guess my voice is reaching millions of Nigerians through this medium, million of despairing Men, Women and little Children, Victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who are reading this piece, I say, do not despair.

The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators will leave some day, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. So long as men die, liberty will never perish.

Comrades, don't give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you, enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel. Those who drill you, diet you, treat you like no citizen, use you as cannon fodders. Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men with machine minds and machine hearts , by selling your votes. It endangers our future rights.

We are not machines, we are Nigerian Men and Women, great citizens of our dear Country - Nigerians. Let us have the love of humanity at hearts. Don't let us hate. Don't fight for slavery. Fight for liberty. The kingdom of God is within man, not one man or group of men, but in all men. In you! . We have the power, the power to create machines, happiness and the power to make life free and beautiful, and a wonderful adventure.

In the name of Democracy, let us use that power. Let us all unite. Let us fight for a new Nigeria, a decent country that will give Men and Women a chance to work, that will give Youths a future , and Old a Security. By the promise of these things , brutes have risen to power. But, they lie!. They do not fulfill that promise. They never will.

Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people. Now, it is time to fight to fulfill that promise. Let us fight to free Nigeria. To do away with National barriers. To do away with greed, with hate and intolerance.

Let us fight for a Country of reason, a Nation where science and progress will lead to all Men's and Women's happiness.

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.

Let us unite to vote out dictatorship and tyranny. Let us safe our democracy. We must come together, put heads together, to form a United force to vote out the machines.

One Voice, One Vote. This is why it is important for every honest Nigerian eligible to vote to register and get his/her Permanent Voter's Card (PVC). It is not just getting the PVC, but must partake in voting exercise come 2019.

God stands with the majority. In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot. I have spoken my mind.

EKITI ELECTIONS: AN EYE OPENER TO THE 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS

2018-07-14T09:06:00.001-07:00

As the Ekiti election is drawing to a conclusive end today, Satuday, July 14, 2018, INEC should, as a matter of necessity, conduct an objective SWOT analysis on the conduct of Ekiti election against the forthcoming general elections in 2019 to avoid the lapses that attended today's election in Ekiti.

It should be expected that INEC would choose to be proactive and not reactive in its administrative approach to Nigerians' expectations of 2019 before, during and after the elections.

It would be unforgivable if electorates are disenfranchised due to faulty card readers as experienced in some local governments during the ongoing Ekiti elections today.

Law enforcement agents should wake up to their duties just as INEC and other umpires should not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law on any political party that indulge in the brazen act of vote buying, "pay-as-you-vote", or "prepaid-but-show-evidence" activities which bedevilled some polling booths in the election of today.

Electorates should wake up to the fact that they and their future are worth more than a bottle of coke as served in some polling booths today or a token of 400 naira received for voting.

Lessons of today are corrective media for the betterment of TOMORROW. A word is enough for the wise.

God bless Ekiti State, God bless Nigeria.

__'Wale Oladokun.

Fundraising Endeavour for Electioneering Campaign to the Federal House of Representatives

2018-07-12T09:37:00.001-07:00

We are all conscious of the fact that the fund required for contesting elections in Nigeria today is frighteningly a cut-throat type which is unfortunately so because it is a deliberate attempt by the ruling class to prevent qualified, reliable and honest but low-income earners from getting to the corridors of power.

I am a holder of Master's degree in Cultural and Media Studies and a University Administrator per excellence with awards of laurels for selfless and community development services in the course of the discharge of my duties.

I am the founder and a member of Garland Club of Igangan. This club, whose main objectives are to offer career counselling to secondary school students and organise holiday coaching classes on compulsory science and arts subjects for students free of charge, was founded during my sophomore days as an undergraduate. It is a club that focuses on the inner-man's development at the grassroots commonly noted for being too far removed from access to basic formal education.

In furtherance of my early resolve to contribute tangible quota to the development of my nation, redemption of our lost glory as a people in the committee of nations, reconstruction of the lost or adulterated social and cultural ideals of our heroes past, and the enthronement of functional basic amenities that will boost our standard of living and economy, I solemnly decided and declared not too long ago to contest the 2019 election for a seat at the Federal House of Representatives for the effective representation of the people of Ibarapa North/Central Federal Constituency.

Some of the items on our manifesto include:

1. Battling the growing menace of youth unemployment by:

a. Creating a database for all unemployed youths, reflecting disciplines (areas of specialization) and skills.

b. Maintaining ICT-based eagle eye on job openings nationwide and going extra miles in making suitable positions available to our graduates.

c. Making sure employment opportunities plus all federal character employment slots/allocations are sought for and are fairly and evenly applied.

d. Sourcing governmental and non-governmental support and aids towards establishment of mechanized farm counties in IBARAPA LAND which will create jobs not just for professionals but also artisans and also improve the economy of the land.

e. Wooing local and foreign industry-based investors that deal in processing of farm produce to our arable and lush lands full of harvest of cash crops for the purpose of setting up industries and agric-based investments. This will also tackle unemployment and boost our economy.

f. Setting up partnership with recruitment firms that work as outsourcers for top industries for daily job alerts and judicious conversion of such to employment.

2. Dealing with the menace of insecurity by:
a. presenting bills that border on the welfare, security and well-being of our people in particular and all Nigerians in general.

b. Revisiting the grazing laws and herders' bloodletting menace and voicing out the wishes of the people on practicable resolutions to the growing menace of farmer-herder’s clashes which will be based on the referendum reached at consistent townhall meetings with our people.

3. (a) Improvement of our Healthcare system by allocating part of the periodic constituency allowance to the funding and revamping both our primary and comprehensive health care systems.

(b)Positively nfluencing the Government of the day on the need to focus on and fund our health care system.

4. Boosting of Ibarapa land’s presence on the globe by:

(a) Establishing IBARAPA BROADCASTING STATION using the privilege of our office to woo some big names and broadcasting investors in the sector to establsh a broadcasting station in Ibarapa,

(b) making a case for the establishment of an NTA Network Service in Ibarapa Land and partnering with cable and satellite networks to showcase our rich cultural heritage.

(c) With the establishment of television and or radio stations, how nice would it also be to have a DSTV channel showing the beauty of our land, our history, our programs in our dialects, our talents and peculiarities _"The Ibarapa People"

(d) The above will attract tourists and culminate in Tourism; our beautiful hills and historical mountains being ready sources of tourists' attractions. We have good geographical endowment to establish tourist attraction centres and build film shooting locations called Films Villages.

5. We shall influence the government of the day for the provision of good road networks.

6. We shall also establish Youth Vocational Centres across Ibarapa North/Central Constituency.

7a. In the area of Education, our mandate will be to present bills that advocate education-for-all project.

b. A reasonable percentage of our constituency allowance shall be channelled towards funding education in form of equipping our laboratories in all secondary schools across Ibarapa North/Central Federal Constituency, construction and renovation of classroom blocks, equipping schools with dependable ICT Centres with internet facilities. The era of having to go register for external exams like NECO/WAEC in business centres will become a thing of the past.

c. Indigent but brilliant students across levels shall have access to local and foreign scholarships/aids.

8. There shall be periodic (monthly) Townhall Meetings with our people to share ideas, rub minds and be on the same page of governance by entertaining feedbacks, complaints, requests etc and also feeding them back on our people-oriented programmes.

I, on behalf of my people, the Ibarapa people of Oyo State in particular and the teeming population of those who belief Nigeria can still be great for the betterment of us all, our children and generations to come, wish to request your kind donations towards this noble course.

If you are moved to contribute towards this course, then your kind donations would go a long way and be appreciated.

You may wish to send such donations to:

OLAWALE OLADOKUN
ACCESS BANK PLC 0042083078
Be rest assured that the fund so received shall be channeled towards:

a. mobilizations and campaigns
b. Publicity and electoral education cum orientation
c. Sundry administrative expenses and miscellaneous.

Let us remember that "the journey of a thousand miles, begins with a footstep". We can decide to make a difference today by standing against the destructive whims of the Nigerian kingmakers who sponsor politicians and turn around to dictate the steps they must take at the expense of the citizens' well-being. We can take a bold step of faith by supporting this bright and noble cause and put an end to populating the Federal House of Representatives with looters, brigands, hoodlums and people who do not have the interest of the nation and the welfare of its citizenry at heart.
Thank you all and God bless you.

#AAC!
#TAKEITBACK
#TAKEITBACK
#ACTION!

#WALEOLADOKUN2019
#FEDERALHOUSEOFREP
#AAC
#AFRICANACTIONCONGRESS.

__'Wale Oladokun
08059194058
http://dseapublishers.blogspot.com

SOME NUGGETS FOR ALL OF US

2015-10-21T01:35:00.003-07:00

“Life is a clean slate, inscriptions on and interpretations of it are purely SUBJECTIVE often products of individual biases, affinities or prejudices.”
2. “Often in Life, many offer what they won’t take & even criticize you for refusing to swallow it.”
3. “Every life blossoms when well-tendered, but shrinks and sucks when choked. Life gives back what’s given unto it.”
4. "Casting aspersions on people's integrity only amounts to the loss of your own integrity"
Wisdom Nuggets from the stable of © _ Wale Oladokun - 2015

Ban on Police Road Blocks/Check-Points Still On - IGP Says

2014-09-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

It would be recalled that the former Inspector General of Police banned the mounting of road blocks/check points in the country. But the trend these days, especially along the South-South, South-East and South-West Geo-Political zones are re-emergence of illegal road blocks along major highways and the grass-roots considered hidden enough for their "heinous" act.

However, the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, NPM, NPOM, mni, has stated unequivocally that the order banning the setting up of Police road-blocks nationwide is still strictly in force.

In a directive issued to all Commands and Formations of the Force, the IGP warned that all semblances of Police road-blocks and permanent check-points reportedly re-emerging in some parts of the country, especially in the South-East, South-South and South-West Geo-political zones of Nigeria should immediately be dismantled.

The IGP who described the trend as a serious violation of subsisting order on road-blocks warned that severe sanctions await any Police Commands, Formations and personnel who violate the order.

While charging the Command Commissioners of Police and Heads of Formations to ensure total compliance with this order, the IGP further orders extensive visibility patrol and effective surveillance on Nigerian roads.

FACTS ABOUT EBOLA VIRUS

2014-08-20T01:34:00.003-07:00

Please share this information with your friends and families and try not to spread panic on social media.

• Transmission to humans is thought to originate from infected bats or primates that have become infected by bats.

• Undercooked infected bat and primate (bush) meat transmits the virus to humans.

• Human to human transmission is only achieved by physical contact with a person who is acutely and gravely ill from the Ebola virus or their body fluids.

• Transmission among humans is almost exclusively among caregiver family members or health care workers tending to the very ill.

• The virus is easily killed by contact with soap, bleach, sunlight, or drying. A washing machine will kill the virus in clothing saturated with infected body fluids.

• A person can incubate the virus without symptoms for 2-21 days, the average being 5-8 days before becoming ill. THEY ARE NOT CONTAGIOUS until they are acutely ill.

• Only when ill does the viral load express itself first in the blood and then in other bodily fluids (to include vomit, faeces, urine, bosom milk, Fluid and sweat).

• If you are walking around you are not infectious to others.

• There are documented cases from Kikwit, DRC of an Ebola outbreak in a village that had the custom of children never touching an ill adult. Children living for days in small one room huts with parents who died from Ebola did not become infected.

• You cannot contract Ebola by handling money, buying local bread or swimming in a pool.

• There is no medical reason to stop flights, close borders, restrict travel or close embassies, businesses or schools.

• As always, practice good hand washing techniques, use of sanitizers, but you will not contract Ebola if you do not touch a dying person.

THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF A RICKETY BUS

2014-06-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

Has it ever occurred to you to stop and ponder on the extra energy and expertise it takes to occupy the driver seat of an old, worn-out and rickety bus full of passengers of different ages and sizes as opposed to driving a brand new "tear nylon" bus? The preponderance of political topsy-turvy characterizing our political landscape and its attendant widespread corruption snuffing lives out of promising destinies and better future can be likened to an old rickety bus en-route the anecdotal promise land. Well, then, it is only logical to scout for an experienced, competent, tested and trusted driver to occupy that highly impressionable and extolling position albeit highly demanding and tasking.

The past years have been full of charlatans who call themselves all manner of self-acclaimed names and titles plundering the task-payers resources with glee. It has been an era replete with show of self-aggrandizement and unrestrained looting of public treasury often culminating in the recycling of the same league of looters who never hesitated to plow back some of their loots into electioneering campaigns chiefly for the purchase of votes in every dispensation.

Well, for those interested in the development of our community, in particular and nation, in general, I have some good news for you. But to those charlatans, and their benefactors who want to continue towing the same path of wanton destruction and looting of our resources, I have some information for you. 2015 is the signpost for either the submergence of looters or the celebration of true service to our fatherland.

Please, be informed, my dear people of Igangan Land and Ibarapa at large, that it is not going to be business as usual come 2015 because the true son of the soil, who has not only made marks in his chosen career and field of endeavour, but has also impacted positively and extensively both locally and internationally on almost every facet of human development initiatives is here. A man that has both the required spiritual component as well as the workable and palpable foresight laced with achievable agenda for his people who have, for long, been down-trodden has arrived!

The dye is therefore and henceforth cast! The very fresh breeze of succour and an antidote to the over-bearing palpitations so far experienced in the political landscape of our region and beyond has taken over! The man with the right pedigree, tested, trusted and ticked right by every development-loving and rationally thinking citizen. The man, Dr. Fatai Aborode, our own son, brother, compatriot and lover of growth in every sphere and facet of life has come on board the driver's seat of our age-long, old, worn-out and rickety bus of the PEOPLE to put our destinies back on the right track to enjoy the REAL dividends of DEMOCRACY in an undiluted, unbiased and undoubted form.

Vote wisely this time, VOTE DR. FATAI ABORODE FOR THE CHANGE WE ALL HAVE BEEN CLAMOURING FOR!!!!

How to identify a suicide bomber

2014-05-27T03:29:00.000-07:00

Suicide bombing is an act whereby an individual personally delivers explosives and detonates them with the sole aim of inflicting the greatest possible damage, killing himself in the process in order to serve the interests of the sponsoring individuals or organisations.

Records have revealed that suicide bombers are capable of carrying out very wicked, audacious and highly destructive acts that are shocking on the account of their specific intention to destroy critical infrastructure and kill mostly unsuspecting civilians or injure anyone within the range of the explosion. But if I may ask, what kind of a person would sacrifice his life in order to kill innocent people and what would possibly motivate that person to take the offer of becoming a suicide bomber?

In the wake of several tragic incidents, the government, civil society as well as security agencies have always found it difficult to objectively analyse the causes and processes through which suicide bombings are carried out since there is no single theory as to what brings about such wicked act. Although many people have cited negative indoctrination, radicalisation and religion as prime motivators but the act involved a wide variety of motivation including politics, quest for revenge, humiliation as well as altruism.

The willingness of the perpetrator to kill himself shows a very high symbolic value and dedication to whatever may be his cause. However, the truth is that suicide bombing has become a most accessible weapon of choice available to the terrorist groups because of its cost-effectiveness, lethality, ability to cause confusion as well as the tremendous amount of publicity and fear it generates as clearly witnessed in the series of bomb attacks across the nation. For example, immediately after the last blast, the usual crowd witnessed at motor parks, night clubs and other social event centres, in no time, disappeared because of the wide speculations through the media that there was likely to be another bomb attack in those areas. This is a classical example of the effect of fears associated with terrorism.

Characteristics of a potential suicide bomber

There is no specific profile for anyone who engages himself in suicide bombing. A suicide bomber can come from nearly every cultural background, religion, race, creed or gender. However, the following are common characteristics of a potential suicide bomber.

Through his behaviour

• He behaves in a way similar to someone with no future.

• His mental state could present clues – his eyes are secretive, he makes obvious attempt to avoid eye contact with the people he perceived to be his enemies and always looking at every possible exit.

• Mumbling prayers – may be fervently praying to himself, showing the impression of whispering to someone else.

• He shows no response to any authoritative voice, command or instruction.

Through his appearance

• He wears clothes that are unsuitable for the present-day weather. For instance, wearing of sweater or rain-coat during hot weather.

• He wears slack or puffy clothes. This gives the impression that his body is excessively larger than his head or feet.

• Sweating – resulting from tension and stress or wearing of unsuitable clothes. For instance, wearing a heavy coat during high weather temperature.

• He appears to be focused and more vigilant on his target.

• He will usually have his hands placed in the pocket, around the button of the detonator and ready to set off the bomb at the slightest opportunity.

• He carries big bags or backpacks tightly with wires piercing out of the bag.

• He may most likely have a clean shave or low hair-cut especially when he is ready to carry out the task. This may be done to disguise his real appearance.

• He displays signs of drug use. For instance, his pupils become enlarged with fixed staring.

• His breathings are heavy and rapid.

• Mostly male who falls between the age range of 16 to 30 years of age.

• He looks aggressive, restless, irritable and nervous.

Through his movement

• He walks awkwardly or clumsily in an unusual and odd manner. This is usually due to the unsuitable attire he is wearing and sometimes due to the weight of the explosive devices tied around his body.

• He tries to be evasive in movement. This unusual gait is adopted to evade security agents and some other persons who may foil his plans.

• Often times, he may not know the route to his target destination very well, hence he may occasionally ask for directions. One of the suicide bombers that struck at a church in Kaduna in late 2013 had to ask commercial motorcyclists for direction to the church he eventually struck.

Through his kind of person/other features

• He tries to blend into a group which he clearly does not belong to. For instance, he tries to attend Church worship services even as a non-Christian with clear intention to carry out surveillance and identify vulnerable areas before attack.

• He demonstrates forceful actions in order to reach his desired target by pushing the crowd so as to find his way into a restricted area or showing desperations to reach a crowded point or particular target.

• He will usually have an unusual herbal smell. This is as a result of incense used in the final rituals performed on him as he takes off for the suicide mission.

• Culled from Frank Mba’s blog

WALE AT FORTY!

2014-02-25T02:28:00.003-08:00

WALE @40

The great Cicero once said: "this wine is forty years old. It certainly doesn't show its age." Yes, it seems like that with me also. However, my 40th birthday is nothing but a time for deep reflection if you ask me. This is not unexpected when one tows Samuel Beckett's line of thought which says: "to think, when one is no longer young, when one is not yet old, that one is no longer young, that one is not yet old, that is perhaps something." Although, the popular saying is that "life begins at forty" one needs to reflect on the wise saying of Arthur Schopenhauer that says “the first forty years of life give us the text: the next thirty supply the commentary.” What commentaries am I drawing? This question is especially pertinent when considered against the backdrop of the fact that this life is simply ephemeral. The only indelible footprints left on the path I tread in life is the legacy left behind. It is what lives on long after I’m gone! And to think it’s just a rare GRACE and privilege to be availed the opportunity of spending that same number of years I clocked today (40) on earth tend to put any sensible man on a platform of deep reflections!

The years have gone by quite fast and today I'm FORTY!

Forty is associated with a cycle or era. Forty also represents the time/period God often used to make major transitions or changes. Today I am a witness to the unfolding new chapter in my life and I'm very grateful for this. To God be the glory.

This brings me to the reflections on the significance of FORTY (40).

The significance of forty is seen throughout the Bible. Forty represents a period of probation, testing and trials. Moses was forty years when he fled from Egypt. He was on probation for forty years while on the backside of the mountain tending sheep. God called him when he was eighty. He led the Israelites through the wilderness forty years and died at age 120. Moses' life was divided into three distinct periods of forty years each. Moses received the Ten Commandments from God after spending forty days on Mount Sinai. When he broke the tablets, he returned for another forty day period.

Saul, the first king of Israel was on probation for forty years. He proved himself unworthy. He, his servant and his three sons all died on Mt. Gilboa after Saul had reigned forty years. He left no descendants on the throne.

How long did it rain after Noah and his family were safe inside the ark? Forty days and forty nights. It took that long for God to purge the earth of sin. Similarly, the twelve spies were in the land forty days, God told Ezekiel to lie on his side forty days to symbolize the punishment of Judah, Elijah fasted for forty days while he was hiding from Jezebel.

Forty centuries after Adam, Jesus came in the fullness of time. Jesus fasted forty days before starting His ministry. After His resurrection, he walked the face of the earth before ascending to His Father. Forty days after Jesus' crucifixion, Jerusalem was destroyed.

Other examples in the bible are:

· Forty days after his birth, Jesus was presented to the Temple of Jerusalem for his legal purification, according to the established law.

· Elijah walked 40 days and 40 nights before reaching Mount Horeb. He fasted for 40 days before beginning his public ministry and he remained 40 days on Mount Carmel. (1 K 19,8)

· The priest Eli was Judge of Israel for 40 years. (1 S 4,18)

· The children of Israel lived for 40 years in constraint with the Philistines. (Jg 13, 1)

· The Hebrews wandered for 40 years in the desert. (Nb 32,13)

· The reign of Joash lasted for 40 years in Jerusalem. (2 Ch 24,1)

· Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. (Gn 25,20)

· The reign of David on Israel lasted for 40 years, just as the reign of Solomon in Jerusalem. (1 K 2,11 and 11,42; 2 Ch 9,30)

· Forty is the number of chapters of the book of Exodus of the Old Testament.

From the earthly point of view, forty, according to R. Allendy, "is the achievement of a cycle in the world, or rather the rhythm of the cyclic repetitions in the Universe".

· For Islam, the number 40 occupies an important place: the 40 companions, the 40 perfect; the universe is supported by 40 pillars; the 40 supports of the dome of the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem; And at the Means-Age the Moslems were made to depilate their armpits every 40 days.

· In some savage tribes, after the circumcision, the males had to withdraw themselves in the bush for a period of solitude of 40 days at the end of which they could then return to the village.

According to Saint Augustine, forty expresses the perfection "because the Law was given in ten commandments, then it is through the whole world that the Law has been preached, and the whole world is composed of four parts, Orient and Occident, South and North; therefore, by multiplying ten by four, we obtain forty. Or well, it is by the four books of the Gospel that the Law is accomplished."

But no matter what spiritual or numeric significance is attached to “40”, no matter what age you are or how long you have been married or how long you have worked for the same company, or what you have been through over these forty years, there is one area in which your probation will never end. And that is: “loving God more with each passing day.” God can never love us more. God can never love us less. But, we can love Him more.

Let's do that...not for forty days or forty years...but FOREVER.

I thank God for all my friends, fans, buddies, colleagues and well wishers. Life would not have been the same without you. Thank you for your continuous support and prayers. It has gone a long way and will still keep going. Together, we are making our world a better place.

The number 40 is significant. Celebrating my 40th birthday marks the end of my 40th year and the beginning of my 41st year on earth. The rest of my life will be dedicated to leaving a legacy; passing on my experience, skills, understanding, faith to as many disciples as possible. It will be dedicated to raising successors and equipping the next generation.

The landmarks and turning points in my life, have, altogether, made a great recipe for cooking an interesting story – a story that lingers on, even after having departed this part of the planet. My sojourn through my schools, my transitions through every work environment, the impressions and imprints on the sand of life during this ongoing sojourn through this part of the planet and its curves, bends and sloppiness, the contacts I have made and friends; all add up to be an interesting story – a story with an undulating, wavy, sometimes frightening plot whose catharsis, surely, will induce a sigh!

On my 40th Birthday, I choose to honour God. His mercy and grace to me and in me, is who I am now. May the name of the Lord be blessed forever more.

Bon voyage!

THE REALITIES OF THE PAST, PRESENT AND THE FUTURE

2014-02-24T05:14:00.003-08:00

P.A. to VC, CU.

The stark realities of life are often lodged in phases - the past, the present and the future. While the past is mostly incorrigible, the present executable, and the future plannable; all three still maintain mutual exclusivity.

My past, for instance, cannot be divorced from my present while, at the same time, dovetailing into the future. The more reason the very first step in life has a cumulative effect on the future. Of course, it is an embraceable possibility that misaligned steps of the past stand every chance of being corrected in the present or being employed as stepping stones for the better. Nevertheless, why should one leverage on a slim possibility of a "second chance" when such is avoidable. It is advisable to work out one's future so painstakingly that all errors that could eventually be begging for redress would have been avoided.

The "present" can be likened to a window that periscopes the future and recalls the past. It occupies a central and significant position of a go-between. It is what you are as opposed to what you were and in comparison with what you want to be. It is a yardstick or a gauge to some people to weigh or evaluate their journey so far as against the "ideal" or the desired future-band goals.

The "future", humorously, assumes a "dodgy" kind of status. One seems to always be in pursuit of an "unending" future until it all "ends". It is an ever constant phenomenon that seeks being continuously coveted and keeps being focused like an interminable eternity. To me, the future is eternal. Therefore, eternity is the future.

The Journey is still FAR!

While my own past has been interesting, it, still, could have been better planned. This underscores the constant fact of the "Second Chance" syndrome. Everyone seems to beg for it. But in all things, the good book urges us all to give thanks because it is not of him that willeth, neither is it of him that runneth but of the Lord that showeth MERCY. And "except the Lord builds the house, he labours in vain that builds it"

Quite honestly, there are bouts of finger-biting, teeth gnashing and regretful events that proliferated my past which could have called for scampering for refuge in a non-existent "second chance", the fact remains that undoing what has been done, in most cases, is nothing but a mere wishful thinking best classified under "fantasy".

CMD Workshop-2009

Ascending the 40th rung on the ladder of my sojourn here on earth has been so wonderfully loaded with breath-taking events, life-threatening stunts, fun-filled moments, praise-worthy episodes and sober moments. But in all of this, I'm full of thanks to the Almighty who has been full of GRACE and unrivaled in compassion.

Many, definitely, must have been hurt by my actions, thoughts and even in-actions. From this category of people, I earnestly seek forgiveness. Many, also, have consciously and unconsciously hurt me by hurting my past, present and future. Many others have succumbed to the whims and caprices of the devil by being used to plague and roughen my path to greatness along my academic endeavour and carrier paths; yet am still GREAT! Because greater is He that lives in me than he that is in the world. To such people, I say "father forgive them, for they know not what they've done."

To all my friends, colleagues, families and loved ones, I say a very BIG THANK YOU for their support towards becoming what I am (my present) and what I'll become (my future). I appreciate you all.

At this juncture, I pray for God's immutable wisdom, grace, strength and favour to finish the second lap of this race that takes me to my glorious future and indeed eternity!

Wale (100Level, Unilag)

Wale (Sports Secretary, 200 Level, Unilag)

Wale, AR, Covenant University

Wale in India

Wale with a Doctor friend in India

Wale, giving a "thank you" speech to the Gov of Oyo State.

NOT FOR THE STRONG

2014-02-21T07:54:00.001-08:00

NOT FOR THE STRONG

More there is to a battle than being strong

More to our world than being wise

Where the council of intellectuals scrambles for crumbs

And the fools, hailed and praised drain our milk

Leaving no drop for assuaging our thirst

Kingmakers they are that dictate the pace

For the beating of our HEARTS and the glory of our LAND

So you can’t but feel the pain and groan and say:

More there is to a battle than being strong

More to our world than being wise

Where imbeciles bribe their ways to the sacred treasures of our LAND

And desecrate the consecrated via the instrument of greed

Where idiots are crowned by the wise for some price

And morsel their folly in the tournament of permanence

Right here in our LAND, fools enough outwit the wise

In topsy-turvy games of greed, violence and destruction

So, more there is to a battle than being strong

More to our world than being wise

Seek the roots of the blindfolding scarlet of their ill-gotten wealth

And get choked by the stench of the rot

Upon which their mansions stood

Barricaded with gates for maximum imprisonment

To lock you out of their brazen acts of heartlessness

The very source of their fancy cars is

The reason for your homelessness

That sets the shepherd against the sheep

For wolves to devour while asleep

Much more there is to a battle than being strong

Much more to our world than being wise

National Assembly as Haven of Redundant Overlords

2014-02-14T08:36:00.000-08:00

I found this article written by Pius Okaneme very interesting and worthy of being shared. Please, sit back and read.

Nigerians should be very proud of their parliamentarians if visual representation is the mark of excellence. The lawmakers wear the latest designer traditional attire and delicately walk in comfort in finest European leather shoes. The princes and princesses march into the auditorium of sophists as if on a fashion parade in Milan. The wall of the National Assembly embraces the show with grace. But the vast openness inside is hollow.

The Senate and the House of Representatives have progressed immensely in the arena of legislative discourse. The arguments on the floor of both houses have passed the level of embezzlers wanting to add another title in their honours list. The House leaders credibly boast about the many bills they have successfully passed into law. Ironically, a critic of the Nigerian situation may argue that it is like filling a waste basket with junk legal papers. There is no visible point to the effects of these laws on the masses.

Members of the House polish their public persona with fine language. They appear on television and talk storm about strengthening the nation’s democracy. When the war front gets tight, they escape into their havens in Abuja. Nigerians question the cost of pampering the lawmakers like endangered species. They are quick to respond that their role is to make laws. Maybe the unemployed youths should crowd the gate of the National Assembly and look for scraps of passed laws to build their lives.

The legislative arm has power in a three tier system of government. Surprise they always win when it comes to fighting for huge salary increase and other benefits for themselves. The problem is that the members have no regard for the welfare of Nigerians in sum. Most see the National Assembly as a redoubt for redundant honchos, an exotic place for influential politicians to hibernate while they retool their career. Ex-governors especially find the Senate convenient to buy time to mitigate their exploits while in office.

Some legislators have distinguished themselves though. They showed that lawmakers can influence national politics and attract federal projects to their constituencies. The conscientious arbiters make judicious use of their constituency allowance. Contrastingly, captains of oil boom politics would rather stuff their war chest with funds allocated for their constituency projects in readiness for election battle.

The audacity of puffy cheek lawmakers is mind-boggling. They disappear in swanky lofts in Abuja for four years and come back to their constituencies and run for re-election. They schmooze with the electorate with hope to buy them with sweet rhetoric and vacuous gifts. The enlightened voters know that if their candidate is grossly obese and rides in a convoy with blaring siren to his vulgar palace that their message, as the saying goes, to the chimney smoke has not reached heaven.

Lords of the jungle know their dark route back to Abuja. The Independent National Electoral Commission has been incapable of closing the back door. Godfathers use their loot from the national treasury to finance election fraud. Nigerians perpetually watch to see if the God that created this endowed nation will abandon it in backwardness.

See: http://www.punchng.com/opinion/letters/national-assembly-as-haven-of-redundant-overlords/

•By Pius Okaneme, Umuoji, Anambra State. piusokaneme@yahoo.com

The Revealed Wonders of Onions

2013-03-23T01:54:00.000-07:00

-M-P-O-R-T-A-N-T.
PLEASE READ TO THE END. This post is from: Hope For Nigeria @ www.hopefornigeriaonline.com

In 1919, when the flu scourge killed 40 million people, there was this Doctor that visited many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu...
Many of the farmers and their families had contacted it and many died. The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different, the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then).

The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from a hairdresser. She said that several years ago, many of her employees were coming down with the flu, and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick.

Now there is a P. S. to this for I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this most interesting experience about onions:
"Thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmer's story. But, I do know that I contacted pneumonia, and, needless to say, I was very ill. I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put it into an empty jar, and place the jar next to the sick patient at night.
It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs. Sure enough it happened just like that...the onion was a mess and I began to feel better."

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

This is, however, the other note:
Lots of times when we have stomach problems we don't know what to blame. Maybe it's the onions that are to blame. That Onions
absorb bacteria is the reason they are so good at preventing us from getting colds and flu and it is the very reason we shouldn't eat an onion that has been sitting for a time after it has been cut open.

LEFT-OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS:

I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, Makers of mayonnaise. Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.

Ed, who was our tour guide, is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise.
People are always worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you. Ed said that all commercially-made mayonnaise is completely safe.

"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated. No harm in refrigerating it, but it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at a point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then talked about the summer picnic, with the bowl of potato salad sitting on the table, and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone gets sick.

Ed says that, when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's
not the mayonnaise (as long as it's not home-made mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the ONIONS, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES.

He explained onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion.. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock
bag and put it in your refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!). Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble.

Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad, will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.
Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions.

Please remember it is dangerous to cut an onion and try to use it to cook the next day, it becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates toxic bacteria which may cause adverse
stomach infections because of excess bile secretions and even food
poisoning.
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Weighty Words of Reflections on the First Lady's Mission Mansion

2013-03-22T09:58:00.002-07:00

Such weighty words cannot be brushed past in a hurry without pausing to deeply reflect on their connotative essence and didactic values. Our nation needs potent gongs in the hands of virile "town-criers" - and that's what we are - to serve as barometer and checks for the excesses of our leaders.

This, therefore, brings me to a noble urge to share these words of wisdom from no other person but the much respected literary icon, staunch activist and an astute Voice of the voiceless, Prof. Wole Soyinka in his article: "Ghost Missions on the Gravy Train" (The Guardian, Thursday, March 21, 2013, p.11). Let me, however spare you the trouble of verbosity and present to you the punchy summary of the African's first nobel Laurette's submission on the "groveling sycophancy" of some leaders in Nigeria on the issue of the First Lady's "Mission Mansion" as captured in The Guardian newspaper; and then you are entitled to your varied extrapolations.

I do quote:

"Here then are two contrasting expositions - that of the Minister of the FCT, and that of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The FCT Minister even claimed that this mission is an NGO; the Minister for Foreign Affairs insists that it is not, that it is an 'international obligation'! Please, spell it out more clearly. Since when? Under what protocols, resolutions or whatever? And of what international organisation?

President Goodluck Jonathan must be stoutly applauded for declaring that he cannot grant Amnesty to ghosts. Let me add also that 'he' (emphasis mine) cannot make budgetary allocations to ghosts. Like ghost workers through whose invisible entrails billions have vanished into Nigerian burial grounds, First Ladies are nothing but constitutional ghosts, and that means that their 'pets projects', wherever they lay claims on national budgeting - individually or collectively, and however lofty sounding - are nothing but spectral emanations, already Dead on Arrival.

Lest I am misunderstood: First Ladies have the same rights as all citizens to 'leave a legacy behind'. They must however work hard to source their funds where the rest of the world does - in the private domain, not dig their hands into public funds on which crying needs, far too numerous and deserving to mention, have prior and - most important - legitimate and constitutional claims. Too bad, Bill Gates has decided to keep away from Nigeria owing to the latest incontinence of power - Madame should have tried touching Mr. Gates for small change. Then she would have learnt that hard working millionaires are painfully discriminating about what causes they espouse."