The Circular Cycle

Ifeoma posts a photo of herself on Facebook. A hundred men commented, all flattering her. She ignores their compliments and silently hopes that she'll get a notification informing her that Bayo has commented on her photo.

Bayo is on the phone, trying desperately to get through to Funmi ... his love. He has called her fifteen times already, but she has not answered. His heart pounds. He needs to hear her voice, like a crack addict and his substance.

Funmi is in Musa’s house, doing the dishes. She intentionally ignores Bayo’s calls. She doesn't want to deal with the drama of lying about her location.

Musa is at the ATM. He has to transfer funds to Zainab. She had asked him for money to buy a new phone. He had promised to send it that afternoon. He can't afford to look bad before his crush. He told Funmi he had to get something from his boss, so he left her at his place.

Zainab is on the phone with Uche. She's trying to calm him down. He told her he needed some money to complete his little brother's hospital bill. She is assuring him that she'll get some money shortly, and send it to him. She was waiting for Musa to transfer the money.

Uche's palms are sweaty. His heart is racing. His mind is clouded with thoughts. How could he not have used protection, he thought to himself. He has to send the money to Ekaette so she could go ahead and have the abortion. He just got off the phone with Zainab, and she promised to send the money shortly.

Ekaette is slipping into depression. She is sitting in the hospital restroom staring at the poison she's holding. Her wedding is in a week. Now she's pregnant for another man. She understands her church will have to run a pregnancy test in a few days. Her fiancé had not touched her in months. How could she explain her way out of this mess.

She thinks of Sule, her fiancé. Then she thinks of her mother, and her head almost explodes from pain. Uche has to send the money or she'll end her life, she thought to herself.

It been five minutes since Sule wrote "My beautiful princess. Looking astonishingly beautiful" on Ifeoma’s photo on Facebook.

        --The Circle

Culled from whatsapp by Ike Onwubuya

Trump’s Jerusalem Greek Gift

So Donald Trump says he is going to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This city has been nothing but a burden to the Jews. Over the years it has been besieged, sacked and destroyed by a variety of people ranging from Babylonians, Assyrians, Philistines, Greeks, Romans, Muslims, Christians, Ottomans etc


Jerusalem is not a holy city, it is a city littered with blood, death and destruction. Trump is not helping the state of Israel but actually hindering it by this move. Israel has always been stronger when Jerusalem has not been their main focus. 

Trump by this move has exposed the Achilles heels of the Jews to their enemies. They should not fall for this Greek gift


Ike Onwubuya


Dealing with frustrated Nigeria

Dealing with frustrated Nigerians. By Oladipo Akinremi

The purported Story behind the picture of the dead man at onigbongbo bus stop in Maryland Lagos goes thus ...

"A danfo brushed his car, and the man left his car, removed his shoes and ran after the danfo, he tried to hold the bus but the bus conductor pushed him away and another danfo coming knocked him down and that was the end."

Relate this to the scenarios below:

Scenario 1: 

Two men were involved in a road rage in the ever busy Nyanya road in Abuja. One brushed the other unintentionally.

The fellow whose car was brushed pursued the other fellow, blocked him, came out of his car with his wheel spanner and commenced to break the head lamp of the other fellow.

The other man refused to come out of his car, allowed the man in utter rage to satisfy himself and drove off. It might probably cost him N100,000.00 plus or minus for him to fix his head lamp...but he is still alive.

Scenario 2: 

A staff of the National Assembly, in an attempt to avoid knocking down an Okada rider who was driving against the traffic, rammed his car into a stationary vehicle.

He came out of his car and engaged the cyclist in a hot argument. Unknown to him the cyclist was armed with a knife, with which he stabbed the motorist to death and rode away. The motorist is dead and his family is mourning.

Advice:

There is so much Anger, Mental trauma and Lawlessness in the country right now. 

As much as possible avoid arguments with strangers and when it happens, don't allow it to degenerate into scuffle or violence. 

As quickly as possible, leave the scene.

• Note that the Nigerian legal system is still too weak to bring ALL criminals to justice. 

Moreover, no level of justice can bring you back to life...

Pls, Your loved ones still need you. Let's Be Careful To Stay Alive!

Please share, this might safe a life! You can apply this principle in other areas of your life, that's why it is captioned "Dealing with frustrated Nigerians". 

Culled from Whatsapp by Ike Onwubuya 

Anambra Governorship Elections 2017, The Winners and Losers

Anambra Governorship Elections 2017, The Winners and Losers

Winners

1. Ndi Anambra - the people of Anambra should be the ultimate winners of the elections. They came out in appreciable numbers to cast their ballot despite the calls to boycott the elections by IPOB and the heavy police presence. The turnout was lower than expected, but those who came out conducted themselves in a dignified way as the election had very low incidences of violence.

2. APGA - the party has demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that Anambra is APGA and APGA is Anambra. They ran a brilliant campaign, which carried Ndi Anambra from the grassroots to the elite. The party was united in electing Obiano after seeing off the irritation of the National Chairmanship tussle between Victor Oye and Martin Agbaso. The message of “Nke a bu Nke anyi!” (This one is our own!) resonates among the Igbo who are struggling to find a political identity within the APC led Nigeria. This victory is the fourth straight governorship victory for APGA in Anambra, each one with a bigger margin than the previous one. What baffles is how this is not translated at the federal level. For all its success at the state level elections, APGA performs very poorly at the Senatorial and House of Reps elections. It is time for the party to break away from the mold of the PDP and have a proper go at federal elections. With the PDP in disarray and on a downward spiral, there is an open space APGA can inhabit. The party should present a candidate for the 2019 elections, matching the PDP and APC by presenting a northern candidate. The aim should be to place a respectable third. This would give the party a strong platform to fight the 2023 elections. The party should be more ambitious and set its sights on other states as a party and not just a contesting platform. I believe the party can mop up the PDP Igbo votes in Lagos state and place at least one member in the Lagos State House of Assembly and possibly the Federal House of Representatives

3. Governor Willy Obiano - Akpokuedike Global got this one. He predicted a landslide and delivered. 21-0 in the three-horse race is no mean feat. He benefitted from a strong APGA coupled with his modest achievements as a governor in a country in recession. He ran on a platform of improved security and prompt payment of salaries. In a country where majority of states owe salaries, a governor who pays salaries, pensions and entitlements promptly is considered a very good one. He had a hard act following the achievements of his predecessor Peter Obi. He was able to create his own identity and highlight his own achievements. Despite his average showing at the Channels Governorship Debate, he was able to demonstrate his understanding of numbers and penchant for financial terminology. It behoves on Ndi Anambra to hold him to account to deliver on the huge mandate given to him

4. President Muhammadu Buhari - the president conducted himself with dignity by not interfering with the electoral process. His visit to Anambra will go a bit of way in repairing his frosty relationship with Ndi Igbo. By restoring the security detail of the governor, he demonstrated that he was going to do what was right despite party affiliation. He came for the APC rally, did what he had to do as a party leader and left. That is how a president should act. 

5. Osita Chidoka - it is hard to understand how someone who placed a very distant 4th and with less than 2% of the votes can be a winner but Chidoka is. Contesting on the platform of the relatively unknown UPP meant that he was a no loss situation. What he succeeded in doing was to raise his profile as a very sound debater and communicator. He ran a good campaign that deployed modern technology and innovative practice. He has positioned himself as one for the future. Luckily, he has age on his side and appeals to the young. He should still be under the age of 55 by 2023 and can do worse than position himself as an Igbo candidate for the presidency then. He would do well to extricate himself from the tag of being an IPOB sympathiser, while he may have thought this would help him politically, it really was of no effect and could come back to hurt him in future.

The Losers

1. Peter Obi - By far the biggest loser in this election was St Peter of Okwute the Cornerstone. Although Oseloka Obaze was the name on the ballot for the PDP, the electorate saw Peter Obi as the contestant and rejected him. He took on Obiano, Umeh, the memory of Ojukwu and APGA and he got a bloody nose. Obi was a very good governor, the best Anambra has ever had. Most Anambrarians know and acknowledge this. His sin was abandoning APGA, a party in which he was a leading light, to join PDP in the dying days of the Jonathan presidency. For a man who comes across as very astute, only he can understand why he scored the political equivalent of an own goal by jumping into a sinking ship. The question is where does he go from here politically? His bad mouthing of Governor Obiano means that he would not be welcome back to APGA. The role he played in the emergence of Oseloka Obaze as the PDP flag bearer earned him many enemies within the party. APC? Somehow, I do not think so. For someone who was touted as a potential Igbo president, he would be lucky to win even a senatorial seat at the present time.

2. PDP - if anybody was in doubt about the decline of the once great PDP, the Anambra result should put his or her doubt to rest. To be beaten by APC in Anambra state to third is not just a poor result, it is a disgrace and an embarrassment. Internal bickering and anti-party activities was the order of the day. The party structures in the state were almost nonexistent as it was mainly the Peter Obi show. Notable party chieftains either took a back seat or out rightly came out to support the opposition as in the case of Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah. The PDP is a party in trouble, they have not been able to make the transition to opposition effectively. The whole Sheriff brouhaha did not help matters and this National Chairmanship tussle will further polarise the party. The way the party is going, 2019 will be a disaster for the once self-acclaimed biggest party in Africa. If as rumoured they are about to welcome Atiku Abubakar to the party and present him as a challenger for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, the only thing we can all do is be like Uncle Sege and be laughing.

3. APC - Some will say APC did very well to come second and beat the PDP in the very anti-APC Igbo land. They look at the performance of Buhari at the 2015 presidential election and conclude that Tony Nwoye did quite well. It will be wrong to assume so. The APC came second mainly on the strength of Nwoye and his main sponsor Arthur Eze. The APC and its previous incarnations the AC and ACN have always done well in Anambra through the leadership of Dr Chris Ngige. It will be interesting to know how much real effort Ngige put into this election. This result by the APC in Anambra is probably the worst result posted by a ruling party in a state election. Not to even take a single local government with all the Federal might is downright embarrassing. The party seems not to be making any inroads in Igbo land and the calibre of people defecting to the party are not really the most leading of lights. In Anambra, using the likes of Rochas Okorocha of Imo and Yahaya Bello of Kogi as part of your campaign team is a bit of an own goal. These states who are Anambra’s neighbours are in much worse positions and led by APC. They do not give any confidence to Ndi Anambra that an APC government would be any better than the APGA they already have. In a last desperate bid, they unveiled Emeka Ojukwu Jr. as a decampee from APGA. Politically, Ojukwu Jr is no Ikemba, he is not even a Bianca, his electoral value in Anambra is just one, his own vote. 2019 will be interesting for the APC in the South East, all things being equal, the party should lose Imo state without gaining any state but I believe they would make some inroads in the Federal legislature picking off some PDP seats.

4. IPOB - The much-touted boycott of the election fizzled out without as much as a whimper. They promised Foe Nsala to Ndi Anambra and they rejected it for bowls of Jollof rice, Gala and Grand Malt. That boycott was never going to work, not in Anambra in any case. The people love their politics, politicians invest a lot and the economic effect of electioneering campaigns is too much a lure for the electorate. Politics brings an excitement to people’s lives and a break from the mundane. IPOB strategists failed to realise this. The security services also ensured that nobody was able to prevent anybody who wanted to exercise their civic rights. This should further show how overestimated the influence of IPOB is.

Ike Onwubuya writes from Essex, UK

Yemi Osinbajo and the Typist

By Professor Yemi Osinbajo

While I was teaching at the University of Lagos, as a young lecturer, in the department of Public Law in the Faculty of Law, there were 3 typists in the department. The chief typist, senior typist, and the junior typist. Because in those days before laptops and personal computers, typists in universities had to do a lot of work and they were very important because you always needed to type all your materials.

When there was work to do, what l discovered was that the chief typist would disappear. He works only till 4 pm. The senior typist would be nowhere to be found. But a gentleman called Adereni the junior typist, who only had his school certificate, was remarkably hardworking. Sometimes I would drop him off at his home at 1am.

Years after I was working as an adviser to the then Attorney-General of the Federation Hon. Bola Ajibola, who later became a judge of the World Court. While in the court at The Hague, in the Netherlands, one day he called me and asked if I could recommend a good secretary who is hard working and could do long judgments. I had three options, chief typist, senior or this junior typist, but the junior typist at a time had only school certificate, he didn’t have any other qualification but l choose him. He got to the Hague, and typically worked hard and diligently. Every judge in the court wanted him to work with them. He later moved his family over to the Hague and got degrees and made a good living for himself. One day he remembered me and actually sent me a car.

Remember, whether you are hardworking or diligent in what you are doing or not, someone is always watching.

Copied from whatsapp by Ike Onwubuya

Anambra, APC and that Igbo alliance

I have read from a few people who believe Anambrans should vote for Tony Nwoye and APC so that Ndigbo can form alliances and position themselves for the future.

The fact of the matter is that APC does not need Igbo votes to win 2019. Especially if Buhari is the candidate. All Igbo votes will do is give the APC a bigger majority. It will not change the current political calculation. The best Igbos can get under APC is what they have now, Deputy Senate President, or maybe SFG, which is by appointment anyways. Saraki and the North Central will not forfeit that seat until they complete 8 years, if you like elect 10 senators from the South East. 

For 2023, Igbos will have to battle the ticket with those who have been standing on the queue since from the SouthWest and North Central.

Besides, there’s nothing wrong in being in opposition at the federal level. Opposition is an integral part of democracy and politics. Buhari played opposition politics from the beginning and it paid off. Others will play too and one day will be one day. There needs to be opposition as we cannot all be in the same boat. Nigeria should not be a one party state.

Much as I hate to admit it, PDP is a safer vehicle to travel for Igbos than APC. They understand the party and the party understands them. With a little in house cleaning and the inevitable quarrel that will break out in APC, they should be well positioned for 2023. All it needs, patience, planning, pragmatism and propaganda.

By Ike Onwubuya

The Sad Story of Nigerian Lawyers

Bar Associations And The Sad Story Of Nigerian Lawyers—a one-paragraph lament

By Sylvester Udemezue

Gentlemen, have the lawyers` association (not) failed lawyers in Nigeria? If one says that Lawyers in Nigeria are the greatest hindrance or stumbling blocks to Lawyers in Nigeria, I do not know to what extent one may not be justified. But let me give a simple illustration, that’d explain this point.

The. NMA (Nigerian Medical Association) devotes all of its energy on planning and working for the welfare, security, comfort and improved working conditions of its members. Ditto for the NSE, ICAN, NUJ, NUT, PENGASSON, NUPENG, etc. Even the NURTW focuses mostly on how to advance its members` interests! But at Nigerian bar Association and its various branches, partners and affiliates, we have been busy dissipating all of our energy, resources and time, talking about the society, while saying and doing nothing about the welfare or condition of our own members and colleagues. The Nigerian Law School turns out an average of 4,000 lawyers or thereabouts in each year.

 

These graduates, after call-to-bar are immediately faced with the ugly situation of no-jobs. Those, the few, who manage to find jobs are paid like cleaners and beggars and handed the poorest and most pitiable of all working conditions, especially by their own senior colleagues. Then, when a lawyer goes on the mandatory NYSC, he is posted, as a matter of compulsion, for his primary assignment, to go and teach in a secondary or primary schools, for the entire one year, with the result that by the time he is through with service, he has lost touch with much of law. Only very few find themselves in Law Firms or in law-related establishments – the Legal Aid, Ministries of Justice, etc! Yet, when he passes out from the NYSC (from being a secondary school teacher) and begins to look for a job, he is told by so-called employers, especially his own colleagues who own law firms, that a three, four or five-year working (law practice) experience is required for him to be employed in any law firm or in any law-based establishment or legal department. Where and how, one might ask, would this innocent job-seeker get this law practice experience from if no law employer has hired nor is ready to hire him? Most of the few who manage to be taken in Law Firms are then abused, treated shabbily and paid peanuts by over 90 per cent lawyer-employers who themselves rake in tens and hundreds of millions of naira, and lately, dollars, daily, from clients. The rest of the young lawyers, usually called “the New Wigs,” is left to roam the streets and corners of Nigeria and of the earth in search of non-existing jobs, while some, usually promising, easily give up in the face of what they see as hopeless circumstances, foisted on them due to no fault of theirs.

What is more? A few female counterparts, out of frustration and or desperation, begin to take to some other trades and “callings,” including in some cases what is now widely known as “hustling” (you sure understand what this means) – all to make ends meet! Meanwhile, Court Registrars, Clerks, CAC, SEC and other government and non-government officials insist on bribes and kickbacks before they do their jobs for litigation lawyers and corporate law practitioners; Land Registry officials oppress, intimidate and extort property practitioners and colleagues engaged in conveyancing practice; police and other law-enforcement officials harass, victimize, dehumanize and brutalize lawyers on a daily basis; so many of the lawyers’ jobs are gradually being taken over and away by quacks under the guise of DIY (do it yourself). Recently, lawyers have even begun to be harassed or castigated for appearing in court to represent their clients —that is, for exercising their constitutional and statutory rights as lawyers— while the prosecutors, investigators and law enforcement agents who often mastermind these harassments and blackmail strive hard to obtain convictions (of the defendants) at all costs, in total disregard of universally acknowledged standards in criminal justice administration.

Lawyers are now afraid to honestly and diligently work for their clients! Moreover, most of us are aware that a large chunk of the biggest legal jobs in Nigeria (legislative drafting, etc.) are usually given out to foreign law firms, in America, Canada, UK, etc at cut-throat foreign currencies, while Nigerian lawyers, who are more often than not more capable and competent and of course willing to work, are left to fight over crumbs and pieces from the table of the non-Nigerian Lawyers!!! One may even ask a question, what has become of the Nigerian laws that say a person who is not qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria cannot practice law in Nigeria? Do those provisions not forbid giving lawyers’ job in Nigeria to non-Nigerian lawyers? Where is the NBA and its branches when all these are happening in Nigerian to Nigerian lawyers, to deprive them of their just entitlements? Now, as a direct result of these sad stories concerning the plight of the Nigerian lawyer, most lawyers remain unemployed or under employed, and so are not able to put shelter over their heads, and, if they manage to marry, to feed their families thrice a day; the single ones are more often than not rejected by prospective spouses on grounds that they’re poor.

If the employable but unemployed lawyer who is not able to pay for an office because he has no money, and who cannot find food to eat because he has no work, decides, instead of stealing or soiling his hands, to practice from his briefcase, he is called “charge and bail,” and is as a result badgered and demeaned as a common criminal or tout! Then, deeper inside the profession, the young unemployed lawyer is being told he has no right to practice law, even on his own, until he has paid full (annual) practicing fees and branch dues (before set deadlines), and that he cannot participate in Bar conferences and workshops unless he has paid necessary fees in full. As all these go on, every NBA Annual General Conference and each NBA Branch meeting, which ordinarily ought to focus, mainly, on discussing the way out of the myriads of problems facing the (young) lawyer, is instead, and most unfortunately and ironically, devoted to discussing “DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA,” “Fighting Against Corruption in Nigeria,” “How to Stop the search by Nigerian for Medical treatment abroad,” “Local Government Autonomy,” “True Federalism,” etc., topics and issues that have no direct bearing whatsoever on the lives, wellbeing, or welfare of NBA members.

NBA’s involvement in discussing these issues is not in itself condemnable, but to be preoccupied with only other people’s issues and affairs while our own house is up in flames is what is, with due respect, not only detestable and disgusting but also most deplorable and disheartening. What a pity!! Does one whose house is on fire pursue rats? The most annoying part of this disheartening story is that during campaigns leading up to every NBA elections, both at national and branch levels, all aspirants usually have one campaign promise and slogan in common: to improve the plight, and promote the welfare, of lawyers.

This shows that all these aspirants, every one of them, understand that most lawyers in Nigeria are going through real hell. However, once these aspirants are elected, and sworn in as NBA executive members, they, each and all (like the typical Nigerian politicians of the 20th and the 21th century) turn their attention away from these lofty promises and instead focus the whole of their attention to and concentrating solely on the usual things: CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA, DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA, SECURITY IN THE WORLD, WOMEN IN NIGERIA, RIGHTS OF NIGERIANS IN DIASPORA, etc., indeed everything outside and excluding the outstandingly dismal or abysmal plight of fellow lawyers in Nigeria. Yet, if one even honestly decides to search for these bar associations` contributions towards these other chosen areas, one could hardly see anything.

It is sad — so, so, sad!! Fellow Nigerian lawyers, sorry. Your governments and establishments (at all levels) appear to not fight for nor care about you; the general public does not care about you; the clients are stuck to you only when they have no alternatives; within your own rings, those expected to be your mouthpiece and to vigorously be in the vanguard of your emancipation from these ugly shackles, and to dutifully devise ways to create gainful jobs for teeming jobless colleagues, are rather busy discussing the affairs of other people and trying to solve other people’s problems while leaving the gargantuan troubles bedeviling fellow members and colleagues.

The question, then, is, what hope is there anywhere for our (young) lawyers in the face of this melancholic state of things? Should we not turn to God alone for help? My fear about this is that I have not forgot the time-tested wise saying, “Heaven helps he who first helps himself!” According, I humbly suggest that, unless and until we, lawyers, through our Bar Associations, Branches, Partners and Affiliates, rise stoutly to our feet, to take our destiny in our hands with a view to recovering our lost glory and improving our own lot in the Nigerian nation, no one else, anywhere, would or could do it for us. Besides, the time will never be just right, for us to retrace our steps and begin to take the bull by the horn in this respect, because if lawyers themselves fail to build their own dreams, other people would hire the lawyers, as they do, to build theirs. And, to borrow the words of Tony Robbins, if we continue to do things the way we have always done, we would continue to get the same results as we’ve always got. May God help us to help ourselves, as we help others. Amen! Ameen!! Amin!!!

Sylvester Udemezue (udemsyl@hotmail.com)

Posted by Ike Onwubuya 

MR. PRESIDENT’S REMARKS AT THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (APC) OF ALL CONGRESS (APC), TUESDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2017, AT THE NATIONAL SECRETARIAT, ABUJA

 

Protocols:

 

 

May I warmly welcome everybody to this important meeting of our party’s executive body.

 

Let me on a personal note thank you all for your prayers and good wishes, which the Almighty Allah answered in the restoration of my health.

 

I wish to thank you all Party leaders for helping to keep the government running smoothly during my prolonged absence.

 

 

I would like to start by commending our Party Leadership chaired by His Excellency, Chief John Oyegun. The Chairman and I worked harmoniously during 1984-85 in a previous government. Happily, circumstances have brought us again to positions of leadership in the country.

 

I want to thank Chief Oyegun and his staff for steering the party in the last two and a half years. Sometimes it is easier to manage failure than to manage success - and a big success such as that we have achieved.

 

I must also commend the leadership of the National Assembly led by Senate President His Excellency, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Rt. Hon. Speaker Mr. Yakubu Dogara. I must place on record the cooperation and understanding of the National Assembly including some non-APC members who rose above petty party interests and acted in the national interest.

 

My deep thanks also go to our State Governors who faced stiff challenges, especially their determination to maintain unity and tolerance among our communities. This is in the face of unnecessary politically motivated strife and violence. Credit should go to APC Governors for extending their hand of fellowship to their colleagues from other parties.

 

 

In my remarks to the Caucus meeting yesterday, I enumerated the progress that our government has made in the implementation of the programs of government and the Party Manifesto.

 

 

We can be proud of our achievements in the last two years, Boko Haram, Niger Delta, Regular Fuel, Improved Power, TSA, Agriculture and Fertilizer, above all, the knowledge that corruption will not be tolerated in this Government. We all know there is CHANGE.

 

Nigeria’s prestige has gone up, Nigeria is now credit–worthy, a clear testimony of which was the over-subscription of the Euro-Bond by 4 times.

 

Nevertheless, we are not resting on our achievements. I am quite aware of the challenges before us.

 

Last year I said we would re-constitute the Boards of Parastatals. I must regret the fact that we have not done so, for many reasons.

 

 

Some of us in this meeting may know I had given instructions since October 2015 for this exercise to start. But there have been inordinate delays through several Committees in an attempt to get the balance right and to make sure all parts of the country are equitably represented.

 

On the other hand I am keenly aware that our supporters are very eager for these appointments to be announced. By the Grace of God these appointments will be announced soon. Especially now that the economy is improving, we will have the resources to cater for the appointees.

 

 

By the same token the compressed Federal Executive Council will be expanded to bring in more supporters at Federal Level, with fresh ideas to be injected into the government.

 

Let me thank you all again for the commitment and dedicated service to our Party and to remind you that much more will be required of you in the coming months. I hope we can continue to depend on you.

 

If we keep united and rise above petty or personal quarrels we will surely achieve the desired CHANGE in the country.

 

I wish us happy deliberations.

 

Thank you.

Posted by Ike Onwubuya

Nigerian Airport Runways

I have said it many times that none of our airports is qualified for a second runway including Lagos. Our runways are underutilised; the total air traffic landings on the 26 airports in the country is less than that of Heathrow with 2 runways or Gatwick with one runway. 

The problem of poor maintenance culture that characterised our public infrastructure is at the height of our want for reckless spending. As I talk to you, none of the airports runways has periodic maintenance programs as recommended by the documents supporting ICAO Annex 14 for aerodrome's standards and that include the Lagos airport that has just been been hurriedly given certification by the NCAA in anticipation of its concession! This for me, is a risky pathway; a new operator of the airport would need recertification for the airports to meet its own operational standard which expectedly would be different from FAAN.

Culled from whatsapp by Ike Onwubuya

WORDS FREQUENTLY USED IN NIGERIA NOT FOUND IN THE DICTIONARY

🤓 *LET'S LEARN*

1. *Installmentally:*

This “word” is a favourite of many Nigerians, but, sadly, it simply does not exist. You won’t find it any reputable dictionary. The correct thing to say when “installmentally” comes to your mind is in _"instalments"_ or _"by instalments"_.

*2. Plumpy:*

Nigerians use _“plumpy”_ when they want to say that someone is chubby or slightly fat. The correct expression is _plump_.

3. *Disvirgin:*

This particular “word” is used severally on a daily basis, especially by Nigerian men when they intend saying that a woman has lost her virginity to a guy. The correct word to use, however, is _"deflower"_, because “disvirgin” is not a word.

4. *Crosscarpeting:*

This is a favourite of Nigerian politicians and political analysts alike. They use it when they want to say that a politician has dumped his political party for another party, usually a rival party. The right terms to use when describing this scenario are _"party switching"_, _"defection"_ and _"crossing the floor"_ and not “cross-carpeting” or “crosscarpeting.”

5. *Go-Slow 😗

The word go-slow exists, but not in the way Nigerians use it. A “go-slow,” in the peculiarly Nigerian context, is a situation in which road traffic is very sluggish due to vehicle queues. However, go-slow in the English language actually means _"an industrial tactic used by employees whereby they intentionally reduce activity, productivity and efficiency in order to press home some demands"_. When this happens, you say that work in the office, factory or organization is at a go-slow. The correct terms to use when road traffic is very sluggish due to vehicle queues are _"traffic jam"_, _"traffic congestion"_, _"gridlock"_, and (less technically) _"hold-up"_, not “go-slow.”

6. *Cunny:*

“Cunny” is not found in authoritative dictionaries, but it can be found in some slang dictionaries. Over there, it is a slang used to refer to a woman’s private part. The correct term to use is _"cunning"_ (which is used to describe someone that is being deceitful or crafty) and not “cunny.”

7. *Opportuned:*

There is nothing like “opportuned” anywhere in the English language, but that has not stopped its blatant use by all and sundry in Nigeria, including journalists and writers. The correct word is _"opportune"_. The word opportune is an adjective; therefore it has no past tense. An adjective has no past tense. However, some verbs can function as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence. These verbs are called participles and they do have past tenses. They are not pure adjectives. Examples of participles are fattened, amused, disgusted, mystified, overwhelmed, upset and bored. Be that as it may, opportune is a pure adjective and not a participle, therefore it has no past tense. Opportune means appropriate or well-timed.

8. *Alright:*

“Alright” is a misspelling of the term _"all right"_. All right is used when you want to say that something is adequate, acceptable, agreeable or suitable. To hardcore English language linguists, “alright” is not a word. However, its usage is gaining traction and it’s increasingly becoming acceptable. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary – which is considered the gold standard among American English speakers – has recently drawn a lot of criticisms for its permissiveness when it began indexing some otherwise colloquial and street language terms, including “alright.” Most linguists disagree with the gradual acceptance of “alright” as a word by the public and even the media, while those in the minority are “alright” with it. 😁

9. *Wake-Keeping:*

“Wake-keeping” exists only in the imagination of a few English speakers. As a matter of fact, there is no such thing as “wake-keeping.” The correct word is _"wake"_ and not even “wake-keep.” Both “wake-keeping” and “wake-keep” are ungrammatical.

10. *Screentouch:*

This bad grammatical expression gained currency in Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries with the influx of made-in-China stylus pen touchscreen not-so-smart phones in the mid 2000s. It was a novelty then; many in Nigeria had not seen it – or even thought such advanced technology was possible – before. So, they looked for a name to call it and “screentouch” came to mind, after all you just touch the screen and it starts working. In case you’ve still not figured it out yet, the correct thing to say is _"touchscreen"_ and not screentouch.

11. *Trafficator*

There is no word like this. Nigerians use it when driving and want to alert other road users that the driver wants to turn to either left or right. The correct term is _"indicator"_ as a sign to indicate that the driver is either turning right or left.

12. *Pensioneer”

Dictionary definition is “to seek votes in an election by promising higher pensions”. 

But frequently used by Nigerians when they mean to say “Pensioner”.

*SHARE AND EDUCATE SOMEONE*

Posted by Ike Onwubuya

"Who Destroyed Nigeria?

RESCUE NIGERIA 2019

"Who Destroyed Nigeria? 

PLEASES READ TO THE END

The defensive narrative in recent times especially from those who support the present regime is that "PDP Destroyed" our country and it will take several years to rebuild it.

However, if the above assertion is true, then a close look at the current political gladiators leaves us with no other conclusion than to admit that Nigeria is very far from the desired change.

1. *Sen. Pres. Bukola Saraki. PDP Governor for 8yrs and PDP Senator for over 3 yrs.* He joined APC in 2014. Now the Senate President.

2. *Speaker Yakubu Dogara. Two-term PDP House of Rep member.* Joined APC in 2014 and elected for a third time in 2015. Now the Speaker.

3. *VP Atiku Abubakar. Nigeria's PDP Vice-President for 8yrs* and presently an APC Elder statesman.

4. *Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba. PDP Senator for 12yrs.* Decamped to APC in 2015. He is the serving Chairman, NDDC Board.

5. *Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri. Two-term PDP Senator from Bayelsa State.* Decamped to APC after the 2015 elections. He is a serving Minister of the Republic.

6. *Sen. Ita Enang. Two-term PDP Senator from Akwa-Ibom.* Joined APC before the 2015 elections. Presently the SSA to the President on NASS.

7. *Gov. Samuel Ortom. Benue State Secretary of the PDP, Former National Auditor of the PDP and former PDP Minister.* Joined APC in December 2014. Now Governor of Benue State.

8. *Sen. Barnabas Gemade. Founding fathers of the PDP, former National Chairman of the party and Senator from 2011.* Joined APC in December 2014. Now APC Senator.

9. *Gov. Atiku Bagudu. A two-term PDP Senator from Kebbi.* Now APC Governor of Kebbi State.

10. *Gov. Aminu Tambuwal. Former PDP Speaker House of Reps.* Joined APC in 2014. Now Governor of Sokoto State.

11. *Sen. Abdullahi Adamu. Two-term PDP Governor of Nasarawa state and Senator from 2011-2014*. Now APC Senator.

12. *Sen. Danjuma Goje. Two-term PDP Governor of Gombe State and Senator in 2011- 2014*. Now APC Senator.

13. *Hon. Dakuku Peterside. Was a PDP Rep member from Rivers State.* Now the DG of NIMASA.

14. *Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso. Two-term PDP Governor of Kano State and former Minister of Defence.* Now APC Senator.

15. *Hon. Rotimi Amaechi. Former PDP Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Two-term PDP Governor of Rivers.* Now APC Minister of the Republic.

16. *Gov. Rochas Okorocha. Special Adviser to PDP's Pres. Obasanjo. Became the Governor of Imo under APGA's platform.* Now APC Governor of Imo State.

17. *Sen. George Akume. Two-term PDP Governor of Benue State and Senator in 2007.* Now APC Senator.

18. *Gov. Nasir El-Rufai. Former FCT Minister under Pres. Obasanjo.* Now APC Governor of Kaduna State.

19. *Gov. Bello Masari. PDP Speaker of the House of Reps in 2003.* Now APC Governor of Katsina State.

20. *Sen. Adamu Aliero. Two-term PDP Governor of Kebbi State and Senator in 2007. Later became FCT Minister under Pres. Yar'Adua.* Now APC Senator.

21. *Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma. Two-term PDP Senator from Akwa-Ibom State.* Now APC Minister of Budget & National Planning.

Now, *apart from Atiku, all the above are holding sways in this regime. *They all played a part in the 16yrs of "PDP destruction"*

So, how can this same people that plunder PDP but somehow are now members of the APC "rebuild" Nigeria. Wow!

Therefore, my submission is that *PDP did NOT destroy Nigeria but the Nigerian people destroyed Nigeria*.

*Hence, the need to vote candidates/people in 2019, not party.* The *personality is the issue and not APC, PDP, APGA or LP.*

In view of the above submission, "change" is still pipeline dream in this country. Since these people are part of a problem, they definitely can't be part of the right solution. Our politicians lack credibility and have nothing to offer us anymore. They jump ship as soon as they discover where the pendulum of victory is swinging without minding the consequences of his action on the subjects. These same set of people are the big stakeholders in this government. So, the President is helpless. He can achieve very little or nothing with these corrupt politicians around him.

Therefore, for true change come 2019, we have a duty to vote them out and youths must not help them rig election. Let's create a new Nigeria where patriotism, sound ideology and Nigerians will be would be the focus of our political leaders and not personality. Agenda 2019.

DO NOT RECYCLE CORRUPTION. MAKE SURE THAT ALL FORMER GOVERNORS, MINISTERS AND LEGISLATORS ARE VOTED OUT.

Copied and posted by Ike Onwubuya

Old School Letters.

HOW SCHOOL BOYS USED TO WRITE LETTERS TO GIRLS IN THOSE GOOD, OLD DAYS!

G.M.M.C YOLA

P.O. BOX 2013

29TH JAN. 1979

Dear Sweet,

Ditto...

Time and ability plus double capacity has forced my pen to dance automatically on this benedicted sheet of paper. I hope you're swimming in the wonderful pool of Mr. Health over there, if so, doxology!

I am also parambulating in the cool breeze of wellness here.

Sweetie pie, the reason why this miraculous thing is happening is because, honey, I love you spontaneously, and as I stand horizontally parallel to the wall and vertically perpendicular to the ground now, I only think of you, since you are a fantastic and fabulous girl, put together as fantabulous. I implore you to decipher this my anthem of love oozing out from the innermost pendulum of my thoraxial cavity.

Darling, please stop haranguingwith the feelings in my heart because I love you more than a snake loves rat.

To me each day I start by dreaming of you. Each time I see you, my metabolism suddenly halts and my peristalsis goes in reverse gear. My medula oblongata also ceases functioning.

Crazy, crazy, crazy you may say but this is verily veritable. If only you knew what is going on in my encephalon, you would prostrate. That's why I need to see you vis a vis soon for a better elucidation through tete a tete. No hyperbole & onomatopoeia, simple candidness.

Only you and me are protagonists in this subtle affair. As I cogitate and ruminate over the last episode, I genuflex before the Omnipotent and implore him to let this affair emulsify.

By the way, I was bamboozled, scintilated, exhilarated, and left in a state of prolonged euphoria by the contents of your missive which was quite edifying and exalting. It left my bio-chemistry in a paradise-like equilibrium.

Empirically speaking, I love u chemically... I don't ever want to see gloom and doom looming over your angelic live portrait. Let my appellation be scribbled across your heart, with indelible ink. If any boy tries to ask for your companionship, tell him that u are leased and caveated.

I think I have to pen offhere, because I still haven't finished studying electrolysis polymerization. But before I evaporate, I like to revitalize your memory with those encapsulating lyrics which proclaim that your catarrh is my butter, your piss is my mimbo, the world's greatest lover is me.

Catch you later. Sleep tight and don't let those bed bugs bite you because you are too sweet for them.

Goodbye for now.

Your slave in love,

your pillow, your cushion,

Ramson Cool

Take you around the world

After pleading with her to marry him,he promised her that if she accepts to marry him he would make her sleep in all cities and countries on earth on her hearing that, she immediately accepted to marry him. After marriage, this is what happened... 

ABARIBE ON BIAFRA, KANU AND NIGERIA

 

Enyinnaya Abaribe, the brilliant and brave senator who signed the bail for Nnamdi Kanu's release delivered perhaps the most perceptive and wisest speech on Igbos and Nigeria last week in Mississippi, US. Every Igbo who cares about the present and the future of our people should read it. It's a bit long but the effort is worth it. Please see below:

"What I will say here today may come as a surprise to many of you. For those that I will rub the wrong way, I apologize in advance.

However, "NDIGBO si na owu onye nke mmadu na ghu ya ahu na agbata ukwu". If I fail to say the truth about the existential challenges that we face today in our country Nigeria, and how we believe we should face them, then I would not be true to myself and to you who sent me to represent you in the red chamber.

From the Past to Today.

1970

We can situate our position today following the end of the civil war in 1970. Igbo's in 1970 were impoverished having lost an estimated 3m Igbo souls in the war, with a ruined and destroyed landscape and infrastructure. Every Igbo man/woman with savings in the banks before the outbreak of hostilities were pauperized as the military government decreed that one would only get 20 pounds notwithstanding the amount you had. The indigenization decree was passed in 1972 and no Igbo could participate since all had been reduced to penury.

2017

Today the Igbo have the largest pool of educated Nigerians. In 2007, Imo State had more subscribers to the JAMB UTME exams than the 19 Northern States put together. In 2017, 56% of of NYSC members are from the South East. Our feat in education means that we now have the army to win the war of competition in a market driven economy. Since 1999, the south east states have been the best in all exams.

The largest group of direct domestic investors in Nigeria are from the south east. Igbo investments in property in Abuja alone probably has more than any other ethnic group. We are the most travelled in Nigeria. In all parts of Nigeria after the indigenous population, Igbo's are the next largest group. We are the largest propertied class of all ethnic groups in Nigeria and despite all this confusion, we have grown the most economically since the inception of the current democracy in Nigeria. We have the richest and largest pool of Nigeria diaspora population.

Taking an example of Lagos state, Ndigbo form a large proportion of the economy of the state. We created the following from nothing;

Computer Village in Ikeja.

Ladipo Spare Parts market.

Alaba Electronic Market.

Balogun Int'l Market.

Balogun (Trade Fair) International Market

Aspamda market in Festac.

Orile Market for house fittings & appliances etc

All second hand clothing markets in Lagos. About 4 markets

The combined turnover daily of these markets run into billions daily. Lagos state benefits by collecting taxes and now its economy contributes 56% of all VAT collected in Nigeria.

Above scenario is replicated in most big cities in Nigeria. Go to Kano, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Kaduna, Sokoto, not to talk of Abuja. Ndigbo are very large players in the economy of all parts of Nigeria.

I will return to this.

The ALLURE of BIAFRA

So the question is, given all the advantages that we as Ndigbo have in Nigeria, why the clamour by our youths and others for a separate state of Biafra?

The present agitation in the SouthEast for a sovereign state of Biafra seems very tempting under the prevailing circumstance given the manifest sectional approach to governance at the center. To some especially the youth and the disadvantaged it is the way to go and when viewed critically you cannot help but to agree with the agitators. Of a truth there is an obvious feeling of alienation within the Nigerian state today. But has this always been the case? Apart from the civil war and the pernicious policies of the military regimes, we have not fared badly during civil rule until presently.

Given that following the civil war, there seemed to have been a glass ceiling in certain professions in Nigeria where it looked as if Igbo should not aspire to. In the police, military etc. But we can posit this as the lingering effects of the war where the victor in a war finds it very difficult to fully integrate the other part they fought with into all areas. In the US for example, i understand that it took a very long time for someone from the southern part of the US several decades after the civil war which they lost to break the stranglehold of the north for the presidency of the US. (Correct me if I'm wrong).

But come to think of it, Dr Alex Ekwueme became the Vice President of Nigeria barely 9 years after the civil war. The glass ceiling was on its way to being broken! The military interregnum from 1993 led by the same Muhammadu Buhari put a hold on this. In the US, Germany, Japan and other climes deliberate policies were used by governments to build stronger ties among groups and opposing tendencies. This helped to forge a bond within their nations. Nigeria seemed to think that a policy of benign neglect will resolve our problems. Of course it didn't and that's why we are seeing a resurgence of separatist agitation going on all over the country.

Fast forward to the civil rule era starting from 1999. Nobody would accuse Presidents Obasanjo, late Yar'adua, or Jonathan of what seemed like sectionalism as state policy. A look at the pattern of appointments by President Obasanjo evinced the fact of an all inclusive government from all parts of the country. Same as President Yar'adua. President Jonathan took it a step further by appointing the first Igbo chief of army staff, first Igbo secretary to the federal government, coordinating minister for the economy etc.

In fact, one of the criticisms we face today in Nigeria is to explain why should this agitation for separation be under President Buhari when it was not done under the previous administration? However, that criticism is not true. Recall that under President Obasanjo and Yar'adua there was Massob which was managed much better than today.

However, you will recall that when this government came into place, President Buhari went to the US where he made a most unfortunate statement that was widely condemned at that time. He reportedly said that he doesn't need to bother about the 5% that didn't vote for him but will rather concern himself with the 97% that voted for him.

I had at the time the statement was made raised concern that such declaration from an elected President sounds discriminatory and may create the impression that our elected President Buhari is sending a message to those who didn't vote for him that he will be partial in his decision making.

Unfortunately, it seems also that the people who are in and around the president didn't advise him properly. They left him to make appointments and take decisions that gave the impression that there are some parts of the country that are not supposed to be part of Nigeria. Little wonder that our youths feeling left out and not having anything to give them hope in Nigeria, started believing that a separate country would be better. But I say it is NOT. I will come to this later.

I recall that in November of 2016, after seeing how things were going, the South East caucus of the Senate sought for and got an appointment with the President Buhari. Our discussion centered on the south East perception of not being part of this administration thereby giving rise to our people feeling disconnected from the government. We pointed out that it should be a cause for concern if a major part of the country is not represented in the security architecture of the country in addition to other critical sectors from the inception of the administration. We were promised that our concerns would be looked into. Sadly, this was not done till today.

Our country Nigeria is supposed to be for inclusion; for making sure that everyone makes his or her input into its affairs. Allowing such fairness and equity to prevail in a plural society like ours will make us a bigger and better nation. Today that is not the case. Either as a deliberate act as it seems or a willful omission geared towards achieving a pre-determined goal, Ndigbo have been pushed to the fringes of the Nigerian Union in so many ways by the present government. The unfortunate scenario is enough for one to ask the hypothetical question....why am I here?

WHAT ALTERNATIVES

As much as the music of separatism stirs the soul, one must ask the question; Is relapsing into a sovereign state of Biafra the optimum option or is it a restructuring of the state such that all the federating units would have greater autonomy in the mould of a near quasi self determination the better option?

When these two options are posed; a sovereign state of Biafra or restructured Nigeria, the position of most Nigerians as of today is for the latter.

Apart from the problem of even determining the boundaries of the state of Biafra and the multifarious and multifaceted problems a simplistic solution such as Biafra poses, perhaps it makes more sense for those who have tasted war to be a little more discerning when matters affecting their race comes up in Nigeria. Nigerians have been known to come together to use the Igbo head to break coconuts (apologies to late Abiola).

Despite the problems that befell the Yoruba race following the annulment of the June 12 elections, they didn't seek to break out out of Nigeria despite some of them calling for an Oduduwa country. They simply used the sympathies of other Nigerians to create an economic haven for themselves which has led to massive relocation of industries by all Nigerians to Lagos and Ogun States. They also got the Presidency of Nigeria.

Our brothers from the Niger Delta have not sought to go away either. They also got the Presidency of Nigeria. However we seem to be in the unfortunate position of seeming to drag the Niger Delta into a Biafra unwanted by them.

The agitation for Biafra and how it was being prosecuted by IPOB has rather elicited hate and disdain for our people from other ethnic groups notwithstanding that they may have been nursing such tendencies.

The agitation as championed by IPOB somehow gave muscle to traditional traducers of Ndigbo to spew out hate and envious vituperations. This was exemplified by the October 1st quit notice given to Igbos to leave the North by the so-called Arewa youths which persons are yet to be arrested for hate speech and breaching the law. They claimed to be responding to our own hate speeches etc. Indeed, other people seem to want to see us fall into the trap for them to use us to solve their own problems with Nigeria.

That notwithstanding, we as political leaders from the South East were unequivocal in asserting that that the rights of Ndigbo to peaceful and democratic engagements must be respected. On this score we made it clear that no amount of threat will cow Ndigbo from consistently demanding for an equitable, fair and just society within the Nigerian State. We also cautioned our youths on their vituperative calls and employed the Igbo concept of "bu uzo chu fuo Ufu, tutu ta wa Okuko uta"! This of course was misunderstood by other Nigerians as support rather than constructive engagement.

WHY NOT BIAFRA?

We believe that the best way to go given our situation today is to look before we leap. We must not be pushed to abandon our huge contribution to the modern Nigerian state. As we pointed out in the beginning of this paper, Ndigbo have been the single ethnic group that have welded the country Nigeria together given our way of life as sojourners everywhere in Nigeria, West Africa, Africa and the world. I dare say that we make up to 50% or more of Nigerians in the US.

The question is why would we look to confine ourselves to a small landlocked entity when we have the whole of Nigeria to cavort in?

I have deliberately left out of this discussion the practical impossibility of even getting our brothers from the Niger Delta to go with us in this quest. Not to talk of the Idoma or the Kogi that we insist are part of us.

One thing seems to elude our people when these questions are posed. We look at the determination of the present government to treat us dismissively and feel that it is well nigh an impossible task to get our wish for a just society but we fail to look at the historical evidence before us.

When the 97% vs 5% controversy erupted, I told our people that my people the Ngwa says that "Ohu afor abughi ndu ebighi ebi". Governments come and go. PDP government lost election and quit the stage for this APC government. Who says they cannot also lose? Why are we then acting as if it's the end of the world? The maximum any government can stay is two term totaling 8yrs. "Obughi ndu ebighi ebi"!

Restructuring is an idea whose time has come and it will happen.

Biafra should be a last option, only after every other avenue to realize a restructured Nigeria where every component part is allowed a measure of autonomy and self determination fails.

Let me state here that if the dominant views in Nigeria is for restructuring, then that should be the minimum that Ndigbo should demand, so that every component part of this country can substantially harness its resources and develop at its own pace.

Do not forget that the breached Aburi accord was about restructuring and today this call has garnered overwhelming momentum even from quarters that hitherto opposed it. Just recently former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and lately Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and a host of others have joined the fray. Restructuring has become a singsong which we must explore vigorously. Even the ruling APC has set up a committee led by Governor el-Rufai to bring about a considered view on it. Forget the fact that it was part of their manifesto. The fact is that the discussion is on, as it should be.

I recall that in August, the Igbo political elite, Ohaneze, Governors, National Assembly Caucus met in Enugu and affirmed that the terms of our marriage in Nigeria is stifling to everybody and therefore we must have another look at it.

That position has not changed but has in fact been reinforced by the agreement by other parts of Nigeria that it is time to look at the matter as evidenced by the South West Political Summit where they endorsed restructuring back to the 1963 constitution.

To me the strident calls by IPOB for a referendum should be seen as a legitimate demand to compel the state to see the urgency of having a second look at our marriage, with the ultimate aim of enthroning equity and fairness, where our people will no longer be treated as second class citizens in Nigeria.

Though the methods may be misconstrued, the true colour of the agitation would have come out had there been a concerted effort at dialogue. The agitations gives fillip to the Igbo idiom..."Ma Opara emeghi nkpotu, agaghi ilughi ya Nwanyi ".

Our people are saying this union is stifling us, and we are making a lot of noise so we can find a solution.

The solution I think can be found in a restructured Nigeria. The beauty of it is that while we can enjoy near wholesale autonomy, our people as itinerant business people could have an unrestrained space in a larger market provided by a united Nigeria.

We should not be swayed by what we think is the attraction of an exclusive opportunity to be provided by a sovereign Biafra. No. That would box us into a tiny corner which has its own challenges which would prove overwhelming as time goes on. This is a topic for another day.

DIASPORA IGBOS AND US.

One of the problems those of us who attempt to show a direction to our people at home is the near universal disdain that some of our brother Ndigbo in Diaspora have for our leaders and elected representatives at home.

Nowhere is it more apposite than in this matter of Biafra agitation. While some of our brothers/sisters here in the comfort of their homes seems to urge our youths through their utterances and actions to use unconstitutional means and disparage other ethnic groups that which actions seems to alienate us from our neighbors and the Nigerian State, we the leaders at home have been been left with the task of intervening in such a manner to dissuade the government from deploying the coercive instruments of state against the agitators. The aim was to stop bloodshed and waste of human lives. We have lost enough from the civil war. Those egging our youths on from here do not seem to appreciate this fact.

Most distressing is the labeling of those who disagree with their positions as "cowards, saboteurs, Hausa slaves etc". This tends to discourage those who genuinely strive to lead our people through a very distressing period in our history as a nation.

Nnia Nwodo as President of Ohaneze has been vilified for taking a stand for restructuring in Nigeria for Ndigbo, a position agreed by all of us in the earlier summit I referenced.

Governors come in for bashing everyday.

As for us legislators, we have been called all sorts of names such as 'legislooters' etc.

Yet, when it came to taking a stand at ground zero, to bail Kanu; to reject the Fed Govt ascribing Terrorism to IPOB, we are the people doing so and we never hesitated to say that agitation in every clime is constitutional. We take the bullets from other ethnic groups and the government for standing firm and demanding that Nigerians should be left to talk to each other about the best way forward without preconditions.

We would use this opportunity plead with our internet warriors who stay here in their comfort zone here that our Igbo say, "ma Opara nzuzu adighi nwuo, Opara ma izu aga beghi ibichi ezi".

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS

Why are we not Investing at Home

Lack of Infrastructure. Should we continue to blame the Fed Govt for the dilapidated infrastructures in Ala Igbo? What of our home governments in Igbo States? Sam Mbakwe of blessed memory did not wait for the Fed Govt before undertaking massive rebuilding of old IMO State. We think that we have not given our best to our people with the little we got. Insecurity. Nowhere have we hurt ourselves and investment in Ala Igbo than in the insecurity pervading all parts of our homeland. Of course the latest imbroglio in Abia especially in Aba and Umuahia has worsened matters. We run the risk of undoing all the efforts made in promoting 'made in Aba' that we had embarked on as a catalyst for growth in Ala Igbo. Industries have relocated from Ala Igbo to other parts of Nigeria especially Lagos and Ogun States because of the very serious insecurity such as kidnappining and armed robbery faced by those who invest at home. We cannot be looking for investors and yet make our place not conducive to investment. Unemployment is the single biggest problem we have in Ala Igbo today. Before this time due to our domestic investments and industry, this was not a very big problem but due to the dis-investment going on today in Ala Igbo today we are faced with a existential problem in our hand. Diaspora Igbo's have to assist us to also invest at home despite the problems and reduce the unemployment in Ala Igbo. Once we get Ala Igbo right the frustrations that fuel the agitation in ala Igbo will be dampened. What we have playing out in the world today is a knowledge economy. Oil is going out of fashion. As I pointed out earlier, we are poised through out educational exploits in Nigeria to dominate the economy of tomorrow. Why would we turn a blind eye to this emerging scenario?In ending let me quote what the great son of Igbo land, the great Zik of Africa said about himself...."despite the mythic heights to which he was raised, Azikiwe was nothing if not pragmatic, a realist, always conscious of his limits and ever eager to extract all that was possible from that limited horizon". May we be guided by such humble thoughts as we seek a better Nigeria for us all. What we should look for is a BIAFRA of the MIND like some have suggested in order to play our role in the emerging Nigeria that will come...ABARIBE ON BIAFRA, KANU AND NIGERIA 

Enyinnaya Abaribe, the brilliant and brave senator who signed the bail for Nnamdi Kanu's release delivered perhaps the most perceptive and wisest speech on Igbos and Nigeria last week in Mississippi, US. Every Igbo who cares about the present and the future of our people should read it. It's a bit long but the effort is worth it. Please see below:

"What I will say here today may come as a surprise to many of you. For those that I will rub the wrong way, I apologize in advance.

However, "NDIGBO si na owu onye nke mmadu na ghu ya ahu na agbata ukwu". If I fail to say the truth about the existential challenges that we face today in our country Nigeria, and how we believe we should face them, then I would not be true to myself and to you who sent me to represent you in the red chamber.

From the Past to Today.

1970

We can situate our position today following the end of the civil war in 1970. Igbo's in 1970 were impoverished having lost an estimated 3m Igbo souls in the war, with a ruined and destroyed landscape and infrastructure. Every Igbo man/woman with savings in the banks before the outbreak of hostilities were pauperized as the military government decreed that one would only get 20 pounds notwithstanding the amount you had. The indigenization decree was passed in 1972 and no Igbo could participate since all had been reduced to penury.

2017

Today the Igbo have the largest pool of educated Nigerians. In 2007, Imo State had more subscribers to the JAMB UTME exams than the 19 Northern States put together. In 2017, 56% of of NYSC members are from the South East. Our feat in education means that we now have the army to win the war of competition in a market driven economy. Since 1999, the south east states have been the best in all exams.

The largest group of direct domestic investors in Nigeria are from the south east. Igbo investments in property in Abuja alone probably has more than any other ethnic group. We are the most travelled in Nigeria. In all parts of Nigeria after the indigenous population, Igbo's are the next largest group. We are the largest propertied class of all ethnic groups in Nigeria and despite all this confusion, we have grown the most economically since the inception of the current democracy in Nigeria. We have the richest and largest pool of Nigeria diaspora population.

Taking an example of Lagos state, Ndigbo form a large proportion of the economy of the state. We created the following from nothing;

Computer Village in Ikeja.

Ladipo Spare Parts market.

Alaba Electronic Market.

Balogun Int'l Market.

Balogun (Trade Fair) International Market

Aspamda market in Festac.

Orile Market for house fittings & appliances etc

All second hand clothing markets in Lagos. About 4 markets

The combined turnover daily of these markets run into billions daily. Lagos state benefits by collecting taxes and now its economy contributes 56% of all VAT collected in Nigeria.

Above scenario is replicated in most big cities in Nigeria. Go to Kano, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Kaduna, Sokoto, not to talk of Abuja. Ndigbo are very large players in the economy of all parts of Nigeria.

I will return to this.

The ALLURE of BIAFRA

So the question is, given all the advantages that we as Ndigbo have in Nigeria, why the clamour by our youths and others for a separate state of Biafra?

The present agitation in the SouthEast for a sovereign state of Biafra seems very tempting under the prevailing circumstance given the manifest sectional approach to governance at the center. To some especially the youth and the disadvantaged it is the way to go and when viewed critically you cannot help but to agree with the agitators. Of a truth there is an obvious feeling of alienation within the Nigerian state today. But has this always been the case? Apart from the civil war and the pernicious policies of the military regimes, we have not fared badly during civil rule until presently.

Given that following the civil war, there seemed to have been a glass ceiling in certain professions in Nigeria where it looked as if Igbo should not aspire to. In the police, military etc. But we can posit this as the lingering effects of the war where the victor in a war finds it very difficult to fully integrate the other part they fought with into all areas. In the US for example, i understand that it took a very long time for someone from the southern part of the US several decades after the civil war which they lost to break the stranglehold of the north for the presidency of the US. (Correct me if I'm wrong).

But come to think of it, Dr Alex Ekwueme became the Vice President of Nigeria barely 9 years after the civil war. The glass ceiling was on its way to being broken! The military interregnum from 1993 led by the same Muhammadu Buhari put a hold on this. In the US, Germany, Japan and other climes deliberate policies were used by governments to build stronger ties among groups and opposing tendencies. This helped to forge a bond within their nations. Nigeria seemed to think that a policy of benign neglect will resolve our problems. Of course it didn't and that's why we are seeing a resurgence of separatist agitation going on all over the country.

Fast forward to the civil rule era starting from 1999. Nobody would accuse Presidents Obasanjo, late Yar'adua, or Jonathan of what seemed like sectionalism as state policy. A look at the pattern of appointments by President Obasanjo evinced the fact of an all inclusive government from all parts of the country. Same as President Yar'adua. President Jonathan took it a step further by appointing the first Igbo chief of army staff, first Igbo secretary to the federal government, coordinating minister for the economy etc.

In fact, one of the criticisms we face today in Nigeria is to explain why should this agitation for separation be under President Buhari when it was not done under the previous administration? However, that criticism is not true. Recall that under President Obasanjo and Yar'adua there was Massob which was managed much better than today.

However, you will recall that when this government came into place, President Buhari went to the US where he made a most unfortunate statement that was widely condemned at that time. He reportedly said that he doesn't need to bother about the 5% that didn't vote for him but will rather concern himself with the 97% that voted for him.

I had at the time the statement was made raised concern that such declaration from an elected President sounds discriminatory and may create the impression that our elected President Buhari is sending a message to those who didn't vote for him that he will be partial in his decision making.

Unfortunately, it seems also that the people who are in and around the president didn't advise him properly. They left him to make appointments and take decisions that gave the impression that there are some parts of the country that are not supposed to be part of Nigeria. Little wonder that our youths feeling left out and not having anything to give them hope in Nigeria, started believing that a separate country would be better. But I say it is NOT. I will come to this later.

I recall that in November of 2016, after seeing how things were going, the South East caucus of the Senate sought for and got an appointment with the President Buhari. Our discussion centered on the south East perception of not being part of this administration thereby giving rise to our people feeling disconnected from the government. We pointed out that it should be a cause for concern if a major part of the country is not represented in the security architecture of the country in addition to other critical sectors from the inception of the administration. We were promised that our concerns would be looked into. Sadly, this was not done till today.

Our country Nigeria is supposed to be for inclusion; for making sure that everyone makes his or her input into its affairs. Allowing such fairness and equity to prevail in a plural society like ours will make us a bigger and better nation. Today that is not the case. Either as a deliberate act as it seems or a willful omission geared towards achieving a pre-determined goal, Ndigbo have been pushed to the fringes of the Nigerian Union in so many ways by the present government. The unfortunate scenario is enough for one to ask the hypothetical question....why am I here?

WHAT ALTERNATIVES

As much as the music of separatism stirs the soul, one must ask the question; Is relapsing into a sovereign state of Biafra the optimum option or is it a restructuring of the state such that all the federating units would have greater autonomy in the mould of a near quasi self determination the better option?

When these two options are posed; a sovereign state of Biafra or restructured Nigeria, the position of most Nigerians as of today is for the latter.

Apart from the problem of even determining the boundaries of the state of Biafra and the multifarious and multifaceted problems a simplistic solution such as Biafra poses, perhaps it makes more sense for those who have tasted war to be a little more discerning when matters affecting their race comes up in Nigeria. Nigerians have been known to come together to use the Igbo head to break coconuts (apologies to late Abiola).

Despite the problems that befell the Yoruba race following the annulment of the June 12 elections, they didn't seek to break out out of Nigeria despite some of them calling for an Oduduwa country. They simply used the sympathies of other Nigerians to create an economic haven for themselves which has led to massive relocation of industries by all Nigerians to Lagos and Ogun States. They also got the Presidency of Nigeria.

Our brothers from the Niger Delta have not sought to go away either. They also got the Presidency of Nigeria. However we seem to be in the unfortunate position of seeming to drag the Niger Delta into a Biafra unwanted by them.

The agitation for Biafra and how it was being prosecuted by IPOB has rather elicited hate and disdain for our people from other ethnic groups notwithstanding that they may have been nursing such tendencies.

The agitation as championed by IPOB somehow gave muscle to traditional traducers of Ndigbo to spew out hate and envious vituperations. This was exemplified by the October 1st quit notice given to Igbos to leave the North by the so-called Arewa youths which persons are yet to be arrested for hate speech and breaching the law. They claimed to be responding to our own hate speeches etc. Indeed, other people seem to want to see us fall into the trap for them to use us to solve their own problems with Nigeria.

That notwithstanding, we as political leaders from the South East were unequivocal in asserting that that the rights of Ndigbo to peaceful and democratic engagements must be respected. On this score we made it clear that no amount of threat will cow Ndigbo from consistently demanding for an equitable, fair and just society within the Nigerian State. We also cautioned our youths on their vituperative calls and employed the Igbo concept of "bu uzo chu fuo Ufu, tutu ta wa Okuko uta"! This of course was misunderstood by other Nigerians as support rather than constructive engagement.

WHY NOT BIAFRA?

We believe that the best way to go given our situation today is to look before we leap. We must not be pushed to abandon our huge contribution to the modern Nigerian state. As we pointed out in the beginning of this paper, Ndigbo have been the single ethnic group that have welded the country Nigeria together given our way of life as sojourners everywhere in Nigeria, West Africa, Africa and the world. I dare say that we make up to 50% or more of Nigerians in the US.

The question is why would we look to confine ourselves to a small landlocked entity when we have the whole of Nigeria to cavort in?

I have deliberately left out of this discussion the practical impossibility of even getting our brothers from the Niger Delta to go with us in this quest. Not to talk of the Idoma or the Kogi that we insist are part of us.

One thing seems to elude our people when these questions are posed. We look at the determination of the present government to treat us dismissively and feel that it is well nigh an impossible task to get our wish for a just society but we fail to look at the historical evidence before us.

When the 97% vs 5% controversy erupted, I told our people that my people the Ngwa says that "Ohu afor abughi ndu ebighi ebi". Governments come and go. PDP government lost election and quit the stage for this APC government. Who says they cannot also lose? Why are we then acting as if it's the end of the world? The maximum any government can stay is two term totaling 8yrs. "Obughi ndu ebighi ebi"!

Restructuring is an idea whose time has come and it will happen.

Biafra should be a last option, only after every other avenue to realize a restructured Nigeria where every component part is allowed a measure of autonomy and self determination fails.

Let me state here that if the dominant views in Nigeria is for restructuring, then that should be the minimum that Ndigbo should demand, so that every component part of this country can substantially harness its resources and develop at its own pace.

Do not forget that the breached Aburi accord was about restructuring and today this call has garnered overwhelming momentum even from quarters that hitherto opposed it. Just recently former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and lately Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and a host of others have joined the fray. Restructuring has become a singsong which we must explore vigorously. Even the ruling APC has set up a committee led by Governor el-Rufai to bring about a considered view on it. Forget the fact that it was part of their manifesto. The fact is that the discussion is on, as it should be.

I recall that in August, the Igbo political elite, Ohaneze, Governors, National Assembly Caucus met in Enugu and affirmed that the terms of our marriage in Nigeria is stifling to everybody and therefore we must have another look at it.

That position has not changed but has in fact been reinforced by the agreement by other parts of Nigeria that it is time to look at the matter as evidenced by the South West Political Summit where they endorsed restructuring back to the 1963 constitution.

To me the strident calls by IPOB for a referendum should be seen as a legitimate demand to compel the state to see the urgency of having a second look at our marriage, with the ultimate aim of enthroning equity and fairness, where our people will no longer be treated as second class citizens in Nigeria.

Though the methods may be misconstrued, the true colour of the agitation would have come out had there been a concerted effort at dialogue. The agitations gives fillip to the Igbo idiom..."Ma Opara emeghi nkpotu, agaghi ilughi ya Nwanyi ".

Our people are saying this union is stifling us, and we are making a lot of noise so we can find a solution.

The solution I think can be found in a restructured Nigeria. The beauty of it is that while we can enjoy near wholesale autonomy, our people as itinerant business people could have an unrestrained space in a larger market provided by a united Nigeria.

We should not be swayed by what we think is the attraction of an exclusive opportunity to be provided by a sovereign Biafra. No. That would box us into a tiny corner which has its own challenges which would prove overwhelming as time goes on. This is a topic for another day.

DIASPORA IGBOS AND US.

One of the problems those of us who attempt to show a direction to our people at home is the near universal disdain that some of our brother Ndigbo in Diaspora have for our leaders and elected representatives at home.

Nowhere is it more apposite than in this matter of Biafra agitation. While some of our brothers/sisters here in the comfort of their homes seems to urge our youths through their utterances and actions to use unconstitutional means and disparage other ethnic groups that which actions seems to alienate us from our neighbors and the Nigerian State, we the leaders at home have been been left with the task of intervening in such a manner to dissuade the government from deploying the coercive instruments of state against the agitators. The aim was to stop bloodshed and waste of human lives. We have lost enough from the civil war. Those egging our youths on from here do not seem to appreciate this fact.

Most distressing is the labeling of those who disagree with their positions as "cowards, saboteurs, Hausa slaves etc". This tends to discourage those who genuinely strive to lead our people through a very distressing period in our history as a nation.

Nnia Nwodo as President of Ohaneze has been vilified for taking a stand for restructuring in Nigeria for Ndigbo, a position agreed by all of us in the earlier summit I referenced.

Governors come in for bashing everyday.

As for us legislators, we have been called all sorts of names such as 'legislooters' etc.

Yet, when it came to taking a stand at ground zero, to bail Kanu; to reject the Fed Govt ascribing Terrorism to IPOB, we are the people doing so and we never hesitated to say that agitation in every clime is constitutional. We take the bullets from other ethnic groups and the government for standing firm and demanding that Nigerians should be left to talk to each other about the best way forward without preconditions.

We would use this opportunity plead with our internet warriors who stay here in their comfort zone here that our Igbo say, "ma Opara nzuzu adighi nwuo, Opara ma izu aga beghi ibichi ezi".

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS

Why are we not Investing at Home

Lack of Infrastructure. Should we continue to blame the Fed Govt for the dilapidated infrastructures in Ala Igbo? What of our home governments in Igbo States? Sam Mbakwe of blessed memory did not wait for the Fed Govt before undertaking massive rebuilding of old IMO State. We think that we have not given our best to our people with the little we got. Insecurity. Nowhere have we hurt ourselves and investment in Ala Igbo than in the insecurity pervading all parts of our homeland. Of course the latest imbroglio in Abia especially in Aba and Umuahia has worsened matters. We run the risk of undoing all the efforts made in promoting 'made in Aba' that we had embarked on as a catalyst for growth in Ala Igbo. Industries have relocated from Ala Igbo to other parts of Nigeria especially Lagos and Ogun States because of the very serious insecurity such as kidnappining and armed robbery faced by those who invest at home. We cannot be looking for investors and yet make our place not conducive to investment. Unemployment is the single biggest problem we have in Ala Igbo today. Before this time due to our domestic investments and industry, this was not a very big problem but due to the dis-investment going on today in Ala Igbo today we are faced with a existential problem in our hand. Diaspora Igbo's have to assist us to also invest at home despite the problems and reduce the unemployment in Ala Igbo. Once we get Ala Igbo right the frustrations that fuel the agitation in ala Igbo will be dampened. What we have playing out in the world today is a knowledge economy. Oil is going out of fashion. As I pointed out earlier, we are poised through out educational exploits in Nigeria to dominate the economy of tomorrow. Why would we turn a blind eye to this emerging scenario?In ending let me quote what the great son of Igbo land, the great Zik of Africa said about himself...."despite the mythic heights to which he was raised, Azikiwe was nothing if not pragmatic, a realist, always conscious of his limits and ever eager to extract all that was possible from that limited horizon". May we be guided by such humble thoughts as we seek a better Nigeria for us all. What we should look for is a BIAFRA of the MIND like some have suggested in order to play our role in the emerging Nigeria that will come...