Falling In Love All Over Again

Yes i'm falling in love again,With whom you might be thinking, Myself i say to y'all.

Yes I'm falling in love with myself over again, and all the people round me are better for it. My love particularly has noticed a marked difference in the new me.It's a season to be merry, but it's more like a whole new era of merriment for me and my sweetheart. It's not borne out of selfishness, rather i just didn't know how much i had abandoned myself.

During the course of the last year there were many good things, and some not so good things happening to me. As a result other aspects of my life suffered immensely, but like a proper trooper, i gathered myself together, I reached deep down inside me, and found the necessary resuscitation that has brought me back from an almost abyss.

The new me, ah how i love the new me. I have instituted courage where there was fear. I have discovered wisdom where there was foolishness. I have unearthed maturity where none was existent in the past. I have found love in place of loathing. I am definitely in love again, and all my loved ones are better for it too.

'Sharing the confessions of a troubled soul'.

The Nigeria We Deserve

It is the 21st century, and looking at the way our beloved country Nigeria is, one is tempted to wonder if indeed we are progressing with the advancement of age. Definitely Nigeria is still categorised as an emerging economy to some, to others a developing country and to many more, a third world country. Whether all these appellatives mean the same thing isn’t quite clear. What is clear though is that our country Nigeria is not compared with any of the developed nations. So do Nigerians have a country they deserve?

Whether Nigerians have a country they deserve is a matter of individual perceptions. Personally I would like a Nigeria where there is a well organised social and welfare structure to cater for the needs of its citizens. So a well organised and efficient Healthcare system is desirable. Obviously there is some form of healthcare system in Nigeria, but the real question is does it meet the needs of its citizens? To what extent does it satisfy the yearnings of majority of Nigerians?What are the core entitlements of all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, tongue or social status? Is our healthcare system effectively and efficiently being administered to the mutual benefits of all its stakeholders? Nigerians deserve a country where our healthcare system guarantees appropriate medical facilities to cater for all their needs.

Nigerians need adequate pharmaceutical provisions to cater for their medicinal requirements at reasonable costs.Nigerians deserve a country where the education system is being managed to the most efficient levels possible. Unfortunately, our education system in recent years have suffered numerous damaging disruptions, either through staff strike actions masterminded by labour organisations or student unrests of diverse types. The end product is that Nigeria continues to churn out ‘half baked’ and largely unemployable youths.If the future of our beloved Nigeria is supposed to be in the hands of these youth, the same youth that our oftentimes inadequate education system has let down, then the future is alarmingly tethering on the brink of collapse. To say that our education system is in a confused state is to put it mildly.

We have witnessed in recent times the proliferation of Private universities in alarming numbers.This is a severe indication that our education system is directionless, and being managed by individuals who have glaring selfish motives and interests. We deserve better, and we should seek better from our educational administrators at all levels. The private universities are further avenues of making profits for the pathetic state of poverty in which many Nigerians find themselves. This should not be acceptable in any shape or form, and should be rebuffed individually and collectively by Nigerians.Many of our tertiary institutions would be better off with more funding, and instead of many of our wealthy sons and daughters of Nigeria to contribute their widow’s might towards these institutions, they rather chose the path of founding private institutions to suck out more from the gaunt financial frame of ordinary masses.

In the meantime our tertiary institutions are falling apart at the seams due to lack of adequate financial investments. We need a Nigeria where all these inadequacies are removed, and the fortunes of all our educational institutions from primary up to tertiary are turned around for the benefits of our children.Nigerians deserve a country where all of our social infrastructures are in perfect working conditions, and serve the public efficiently. Son in this instance our road network in Nigeria should be very good. That we have numerous death traps for roads are the failings of successive governments at the helm of our governments (at local, state and federal level).

Whenever you come across any road anywhere in the country in a state of disrepair, you know straight away that the government of the day at any level is a failure. At this stage our national existence when should have moved on from we should have moved on from construction roads to just frequently maintaining the existing infrastructure. However, we continue to hear state governors launching new road construction projects, which are often avenues for siphoning public funds.It’s a huge embarrassment to our country that many of our streets are still not completely surfaced appropriately, and are often dusty and unkempt. Drainage systems are appalling, and often lead to erosion.

What are we supposed to take pride in, if our environment is devoid of beautifications and architecture edifices that are inspiring? Why are we still living in the dark ages of deprived privileges, which many of our elected politicians arrogate to themselves?We deserve a Nigeria where there is positive, purposeful leadership. We need a Nigeria where our leaders have listening ears and proactive minds. There is no continuity in government policies. Everything has been politicised, to such an extent that previous policies have been abrogated irrespective of whether they are good or bad. This is an ‘ill wind that blows no good’ in the end for the benefit of all Nigerians. We deserve a Nigeria where our leaders put the country’s interests first, before theirs.

We deserve a Nigeria where crime and corruption is not the order of the day. We deserve a Nigeria where or political participants serve their constituencies diligently and selflessly.More importantly, we deserve a Nigeria to be proud of. If only our citizens can awake from their perpetual ‘slumber’, and live up to their civic responsibilities Nigeria better off than at present. We will ensure that the right calibres of leaders are elected to represent our collective interests in the various public offices they occupy. Where they fail to do this, then we should have the collective strength to replace them. We deserve a Nigeria where everything is working for the benefit of its citizens. We deserve a Nigeria where our socio - economic and political systems are well developed and serve to benefit the entire country.

Nigeria At 49: A Time To Celebrate?

October 1st, 2009 marks yet another day in which Nigeria has the chance to take stock of its achievements over the last 49 years of independence from its colonial masters. Is it indeed time to celebrate any achievements, real or perceived?

Personally i think there hasn't been much to celebrate in the last two and a half years of the current administration of President Yar'Adua. To this end, rather than bring out my best dress and head out to celebrate, i'm just going to do what i think is the right thing - SOBERLY REFLECT on the events of the last three years.

So as Nigeria turns 49, our brothers and sisters in higher institutions are at home because their lecturers have decided to down tools. Now in the midst of all of this our President Yar'Adua embarks on a journey to Saudi Arabia to amongst many things, open a university. That to me is laughable as it is ridiculous.

The amnesty granted the Niger Delta Militants seem to be tethering on a breakdown. Just as we were hoping and praying that by some miracle the yar'Adua administration would succeed in concluding once and for all a peaceful resolution of this long drawn out problem, the financial times reveals that China is aiming to take over 1/6th of the most viable oil blocks in Nigeria. So the militants, especially 'MEND' are baying for a new conflict.

The world economic recession is still biting hard, and as can be expected, the impact is more pronounced in Nigeria where things are already difficult for many of the approximate 140 million citizens. So the CBN Governor shows some muscles in revealing the 'fat cats' that have been helping themselves to money representing the deposits of hard working Nigerians. They ate vcalled 'Toxic Loans' or 'non performing loans'. The difference between the problem in our banking sector and some orf those of other countries is that, while the loans in questions in the other countries were actually lent out to individuals and businesses unassociated, those of our banks were actually borrowed by the bank owners and eminent persionalities.

We now know that apart from those who help themselves to public funds by virtue of the occupance of public offices, another way of becoming wealthy is either to own a bank or have friends who are managers of those banks. eitherway, you are bound to have access to money, which you could decide not to pay back, and of which you may not need any meaningful collateral. those who suffer most are the depositors. This is not the first time this kind of thing would happen, but thanks to the prompt intervention os Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the problem wha quickly identified and some executives of some of our foremost banks are in troubled waters.

The perreniel problem of power supply shortage is still there. Obasanjo came, promised heaven and earth that he would sort the problem out, left after eight years, but the problem still remains. President Yar'Adua is borrowing a leaf out of OBJ's book, and has started vituperating about how he's goign to sort out the problem. Well, we are ever so patient about many things, and this will be no different.

Finally, the elections that ushered in Yar'Adua were not the best in terms of being free and fair. Yar'Adua promised to do something about it for future elections, and thus set up the Electoral Reforms Committte, chaired by a retired Supreme Court Judge in the person of Justice Uwais. After much time and energy had been invested, the committee presents its recommendations to the Federal Executive Council. In turn the President summons a National Council of States meeting comprising of the incumbent governors and all living past Presidents in Nigeria, and the council outrightly rejects the recommendations, selecting only a handful that are in tandem with their interests. The National assembly too has been showing some worrisome indications, indicating that it too will not be interested in enforcing the letters of those recommendations, claiming that those recommendations are not 'binding' on the national assembly. In the end all that is clear for all to see is that these greedy and self seeking politicians are ready to fight tooth and nail to preserve the staus quo, thus continuing in their rigging and manipulation of election results.

So, while many are celebrating all the same, i'm here ruminating over whether there's really cause for us to be joyous, or whether indeed there are causes for concern. I have indeed struggled to include many things that this current administration has done to benefit us in the last two and a half since it took office. I cannot sincerely identify anything. I know i should be looking at the whole span of 49 years, but i'm not that old enough to know how better or not Nigeria was in the early years of independence. What i do know though is that if our forefathers had laid down solid foundations for future generations, we should be better off thatn we currently are. As it is, close to a million naked students from amny of our tertiary institutions are threatening to invade Abuja and Aso Rock pretty much soon. In the eyes of many Nigerians, that's nothing to be happy about.

In twelve months time Nigeria will be celebrating the 'Golden Jubilee' anniversary of its independence. The only thing though is that there won't be anything golden to celebrate, except if Yar'Adua and his acolytes are able to perform some sort of 'houdini act' and develop our country Nigeria 'super fast'. Going by Yar'Adua's history of 'Snail Pace' action, there's no chance in hell of that happening.

So maybe the one reason one should celebrate after all, is the fact that in spite of all the trials and tribulations face by Nigerian citizens, the country is still 'Standing', still relatively habitable. It's different tribesmen are still co - habiting as one, an life still goes on. That must be a helluva reason to celebrate, right? Congratulations Nigeria as we mark the 49th anniversary of our Independence, and hope for a better future to come

Emotions Running Wild

I thought of the appropriate way to put my feelings at present, but the most practicable of all my consideration is to post them here.

Okay, what's on my mind? It's this mad country called Nigeria, that's what's on my mind. Yes, not the average Nigerian people, but the high and mighty Nigerian elite. The corrupt politicians, the inept people managing our national affairs. I keep asking myself all the time, why? Why do we have to tolerate all this nonsense from these morons called leaders? Basic welfare programmes are either none existent in our country or ineffective, but we are still tolerant of these bastards who can elope to foreign countries for medical treatment, foreign education e.t.c at the snap of a finger. Yet, we tolerate them.

The roads are so bad, ordinary people are dying incessantly on our death-traps called roads, yet we still tolerate them. There's no constant electricity for both personal and industrial use. Do we wonder why the price of goods and products are at an astronomical level? People are hungry in our country, Nigeria. Unemployment is increasing by the micro - minute, yet we tolerate these buffoons in political offices.

Okay, you are saying it's not the fault of ordinary Nigerians, but who's fault is it then? Many of these political rascals are in their present privileged positions because you and i failed to live up to our responsibilities. Yes, we have become docile in a country where, our leaders daily take us for granted. For example, our brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren are staying at home presently because the 'Yar 'A - d - Nothing' - led government is at daggers drawn with ASUU. Guess what though, this joke of a president finds it expedient to embark on a journey to Saudi Arabia, to do what? That's right, to go and Open a University in Saudi Arabia. (CLOSE Nigerian Universities. OPEN Saudi Arabian University - IRONY, RIGHT?). This, my people, is beyond believe. What is even appalling is that we are all quiet in the face of a travesty like this.

Democracy is a failure in Nigeria, simple as. What we have isn't democracy at all. We have no rights in Nigeria, and we lack the will to fight for what should justly belong to us.We daily pray to God to deliver us from this bondage we are in, but we have forgotten that 'God will only help us if we help ourselves'. We have created an enabling environment where these 'bad, bad leaders dem' thrive unfettered. They don't care about us the ordinary Nigerians, and they are self - assured that there's not a damned thing we can do about our plight.
That, my people is the summary of how i am feeling right now.

The Dilemma of a Sojourner.

I woke up this morning with a feeling of sickness, only I'm not really sick. Perhaps again i am sick, home sick that is. Oh yes I'm definitely home sick, and I've been for some months now. Every time now i see myself ruminating over the many happenings in my beloved country Nigeria. My thoughts are laced with all things Nigeria. My discussions are revolved around all things Nigeria. In fact, my choice of TV programmes are mostly Nigerian nowadays. Even my choice of drinks now are Nigerian. I'd rather watch HiTV, AIT and NTA as against the many other available satellite channels available. I'd rather drink a bottle of Gulder, Star or Nigerian Guinness rather than alternative foreign beer. I'm visiting Nigerian restaurants and Nightclubs more often than i used to, and I'm listening to Nigerian music more often now. I suppose this change in lifestyle is what's brought on this new yearning for home, sweet home, and this is not in any shape or form the dilemma i face in itself.

The real dilemma i face is that i lack the courage to take the bull by the horn and return back to my beloved country Nigeria. Oh yes, i lack the courage, simply because i fear that i will not be able to exist appropriately in the country in comparison with my current lifestyle in my country of residence. That's the plain truth. I cannot exist in a society where there is lack of basic social and welfare amenities. Okay, i lived a great deal of my life in Nigeria long time ago, but can i readjust to the same hardships that inadvertently drove me out of the country? No.

I was discussing with a friend the other day, and he said you should go back and contribute your quota to making a difference. My belly still aches from the laughter that ensued. What difference? What quota? In fact i stand as much chance of making a difference in Nigeria of today, as a dead elephant walking. Especially if you arrive from 'obodo oyinbo', no one wants to listen to you. As far as they are concerned you have nothing to offer. Moreover, you are far better off than them, and so you have no moral justification trying to influence the ways things are done there.

Furthermore, it would be foolhardy to subject my young family to the hash conditions as it entails in Nigeria. All my children have lived all their lives abroad, and to subject them to incessant power outage, lack of portable water, road - deathtraps and inferior educational systems is boding on share wickedness. How can it make any real sense for me to take my family out of a place of settled livelihood and subject them to a life of uncertainty? On the other hand a part of me wants to get stuck in the process of re - engineering Nigeria, in the process offering my little bit towards making the country a better place.

I see people rushing back home in the face of the economic down turn, and i envy their courage. Unfortunately months later, i see them scampering back. My conviction is further hindered by this. They claim it's better to be unemployed in Europe, but at least be assured access to basic human dignity, than to return home and watch all your savings disappear into thin air in the twinkle of an eye. So i want to return back home, but the inadequacies in Nigeria makes it difficult for me, and I'm sure if many people will be true to themselves it must be the same for them. I wonder how one solves such a dilemma like this.

Nigerians Unite Against Corrupt Politicians.

I've had enough of everyone vituperating about how corrupt our politicians are. I'm sick of individuals, groups and countries taking their turn to slate Nigeria for its perceived reputation as essentially a country of corrupt people.

So what am i going to do about it? Well for starters I'm going to start a crusade aimed at mobilising people to , not only talk about the problem, but also to strenghten up their resolve to stamp out this malaise from amongst us.

We want politicians with probity and accountability as the pillars of their characteristics at the helm of our political affairs. Nigerians deserve that much, and i am going to start a crusade aimed at enlightening a majority of Nigerians that 'WE SHOULD NOT SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS'.

The agenda is very simple. Any idea and every idea is welcomed in the fight against 'CORRUPT POLITICIANS'. This i am to co ordinate through interactions with Nigerians on Twitter. Anyone following me is able to contribute to the gathering and we can hopefully spread the seeds of this new venture. Let's all 'Unite Against Corrupt Politicians'.

Which Way foward for a better Nigeria?

After successive years of misrule, it has become pertinent for Nigerians to find out the best possible way forward in making Nigeria better. The array of politicians currently on the horizon don't seem to have the interests of the ordinary Nigerian on the street at heart. This is not all together surprising, considering that successive elections in Nigeria have been largely polluted with all manners of electoral malpractices, thus producing ill - equipped, confused, inept and wantonly corrupt representatives.

Though elections are not due for another 4 years, this is the time when all Nigerians should resolve that come next general elections everyone will make concerted efforts to elect the right people into office. Right now is the time for everybody to start thinking of what they would like their prospective representative to do for the Nigerian masses to make their live much better than it currently is.

What therefore do the ordinary Nigerian want? How can our present crop of representatives better the the lives of the ordinary Nigerians? How can the Nigerian people ensure that the right people are elected for? Over to you folks, keep it coming in bundles.