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Nigeria will not fail, if...
Our beloved and gravely ill Nigeria will not die. The country will not die if those at the helm of affairs stop their
rhetorical dialogue and focus on addressing on getting us out of the woods. It is that simple. The report is not a prediction of doom as reported by many Nigerian new agencies and sensationalized by those bent on grandstanding on the mundane. The report is a projection, and there is always an error margin in any projection.
Aside from the Telecom sector, a new entrant in the Nigeria economy, I do not know of any other sector that is doing really well. The power house of the nation- the delta area- has been in a state of perpertual anarchy for quite sometime now; our infrastructure have failed; public health and healthcare is comatose, our leaders and their cohort are quick to travel overseas for medical checkup and treatment, yet millions die each day in Nigeria because of preventable conditions; cultism rule supreme in many of our institutions; we used to be a haven for drug couriers, now our international image has another round of battery , thanks to the relentless 419ners; a local and illiterate political kingpin with Aso Rock connection held a member state of the nation to ransom at will- yet he is still a free man and not a felon; our leaders, both elected and non-elected, lack ethics and decorum- they just want to line their pockets, many do not even have offices at their constituencies; we waste billions hosting the world over irrelevant events, yet we want debt relief. Aren't all these signs of national failure?
Some 30 years back, the standard of living and the general condition of the nation was way better than what we have now, at least the refineries were running and many could afford decent meals and education. What do we have today? Is there really any safety net for the average Nigerians. After many years of toil, many retirees now live in state of abject poverty. Yet many dubious political leaders have amassed huge wealth just within 365 days in office! You all know what the problem is, and if all these continue, then Nigeria will collapse and there will be anarchy, not pockets but general anarchy in the land. I pray that day will never come.
We have regressed enough as a nation, 2007 holds the key to our predicament. Events from now till then will determine if the trends we have witnessed as a nation within the last 2 decades will continue and usher in the final collapse of our nation, or we will be rescued from precipitating into oblivion. I hope for the latter, and that the error margin of the
NIC report is a mile wide! Time will tell.
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Will Nigeria fail in 15 years?
We should see beyond the rhetoric and sensationalism displayed by
some, including President Obasanjo over the US National Intelligence Council (NIC) report card on sub-Sahara Africa titled: “
Mapping Sub-Saharan Africa's Future”. This report is a projection of events that could unfold in this region in the recent future, and it is a darn realistic projection for that matter. I agree that the projections on Nigeria are feasible given the currents state of events in the nation: forty-year-old high level corruption, civil unrest, social decadence, armed banditry, moribund and collapsing infrastructure- are tell tale signs of a decaying and failing nation. It is just that the process is yet to reach that critical point, a point of no return where every facet and every unit undergo rapid disintegration. Our nation is hanging over the precipice, and we may precipitate into frank chaos anytime within the next fifteen years going by the projections of the NIC.
However, rather than focusing on the negative aspects of this report, and seeing the authors as “prophets of doom”; it should serve as a wake-up call to all African leaders, particularly the people at the elm of affairs in Nigeria. The report is a projection; the question is that do we, Nigerians, have what it takes to reverse what has been projected? Now that is a million dollar question.
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Obasanjo presidential library: A case of ethical bankrupcy
Why can’t we ever learn to do things right in Nigeria? Our president, Obasanjo, just committed an ethical faux pas with the launching of his
presidential library. Not that he cared! We are quick to copy the ways of the western world, and that is fine, we just need to learn and do things right. Obasanjo, knowingly or unknowingly, has laid down a dishonorable precedence for successive presidents; because they would want to have a library and will most likely source the funds while in office. Anyway, why should I be surprised? Afterall, our leaders (Atiku, OBJ, IBB and others) own private universities. Atiku started his while in office and no one blinked.
Public display such as this is a confirmation of how ethically retarded our leaders are. Perhaps what set this apart and makes it more frustrating is that it happened just after
Tafa Balogun/Wabara saga, just when the war against corruption started having real teeth. Well, it has been repeatedly said by many that the anti-graft posture of Obasanjo’s administration is all a ruse; it is only the morally retarded and ethically bankrupt that will not concur now.
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'Africa: Open for Business'
Carol Pineau's film-
Africa: Open for business, is one the many films shown at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Perhaps it is one of the few outstanding one. This documentary profiles ten businesses throughout Africa- ranging from a tiny cafe in Kampala, to a major flower exporter in Kenya, who every night sends a 747 cargo jet fullof produce and flowers to the UK market.
This film is a true story based on the situation on ground. I have watched a
clip of the documentary, and it is really inspiring! You may also listen to a MPR
audio interview of Carol. Great lady, great story!
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Oddly enough...a lawyer leads double life as porn star!
When his mother found out what porn star Ron Miller does for a living, she was heartbroken. She never wanted him to be a criminal defense lawyer."My mother cried a lot about that," Miller said recently between appearances defending accused felons at a Los Angeles courthouse. She had hoped he would be a high-rolling civil litigator, Miller, who appears in adult videos as "Don Hollywood," has carved out a special niche of notoriety on the fringe of Hollywood's dream factory.
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The missing Okigbo panel report
On January 15, 1994, as part of his early moves to convince the nation of a new broom of probity and accountability, General Sani Abacha (who had become military head of state November 17, 2003) empanelled a group of eminent Nigerians chaired by the late economist Dr. Pius Okigbo to probe the Gulf War period receipts. The other members of the panel were Mr. Pascal Dozie, Dr. Yakubu Sankey, Mrs. Bola Latinwo, Chief Dotun Oyefodunrin, Dr. Umar Muttalab, and Obong Ufot Ekaette (as Panel Secretary.)
The full report, submitted 27th September, 1994, has NEVER seen the light of day, and was declared mysteriously “missing” from government records soon thereafter.
Okigbo Panel Terms of ReferenceExecutive Summary of the Main Report: Pages 1-13More
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An Entrepreneur's Journey in Africa
I have been battling to establish a business venture here in the US by promoting online unique and authentic crafts made by Nigerian artisans, and boy it is frustrating trying to overcome the numerous hurdles along the way. So I do share a sense of connection with Monique Maddy, a Liberian -born entrepreneur, when she attempted to offer users throughout Africa a wireless system of pagers and pay phones.
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African Peoples Intercontinental Awards
African Awards is awarded by African Awards Academy’s Judges to honor deserving Africans and friends of Africa. In addition to African Awards, other honors will be given to recognize contributions and activities of significance that have great impact on African communities that fall outside the framework of African Awards categories. The awards official presentations will bring together hundreds of African Who’s Who from all over the world. African Awards will be presented annually in different categories to showcase Africa’s role models in appreciation of their positive impact to their community, country, and the world.
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Between NEEDS and WANT...a nominee's show of ignorance
I am from Ondo State, Nigeria, and I'm really proud of that. However, the recent display of ignorance by Adebayo Yusuf, a ministerial nominee and a Nigerian ambassador to Togo, is nothing to be proud of, and it leaves one with so many questions. In fact the recent events following the exitus of Osoma, the disgraced Housing Minister, are nothing but disturbing! Yusuf is the second Ondo State nominee to be fielded following the dropping of Mr. Kayode Adetokunbo (SAN) after he was charged to court by the anti-graft panel for alleged corruption. Yusuf and Kayode were nominated to place Osomo.
These are manifestations of many of the ailments afflicting Nigeria. Ondo State is blessed with world-class scholars, so why had the state governor, Dr Segun Agagu, a 'learned' person, been fumbling repeatedy to get the right person for this job? Rumor has it that the 'Gov' as he likes to be called, has a penchant for refined and expensive liquor. I hope this was not a decision made under the influence! I, and all Ondo State indigenes hope he has been operating on an even keel all along.
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