BETWEEN YOUR LIFE, THE LITTLE THINGS AND 2012 by 'Lanre Olagunju

All of life’s good and ugly experiences are like tiny sand particles that eventually accumulate into a well built castle. At the end, it would be evidently clear that all that ever happened along life’s trip, including some of the inadvertent ugly occurrences that naturally wouldn’t have gotten a space in our to-do-list, was needed for the actualization of our utmost dream. Some of this unpleasant experiences will be responsible for refining, some of the failures will be the reason to return to the drawing board to re-strategize and consult with deeper wisdom, hence, discovering more ways of how to do things, and in some other cases, how not to.

It is at such times that we are forced to dig deeper, try harder, and also discover gift we never knew we possessed. It’s at such times that our eyes of understanding are opened to the limitless streams of opportunities that lie fallow all around seeking to be potentiated. Moreover, God hides things by putting them all around us. The little and minor achievement here and there would be a pointer that gold lies somewhere ahead. The sum total of all we pass through is the building block to our break through including the unpleasant experiences, most especially if you don’t relent and then throw in the towel. See how Steve Jobs explained it in his ever fresh and alive commencement speech in Stanford University “It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith”.

Just as there are certain things that are beyond man’s ability and control. In like ways, there are numerous things that man is saddled with the sole responsibility to manage and tactically perfect how to control, such that those things we can’t control can eventually work for our benefits.

For instance, a farmer has no ability to control the weather. He can only predict when the rains will come. Yet he can’t ascertain, no matter how hard he tries! Not in present days of global climate change. But a wise farmer must make him himself available during the planting seasons, he’s got to be committed to that, else, the only thing he would have to harvest when others are harvesting will be the best of nothing.

Just like we can’t manage time in the real sense of it, but we have all it takes to ensure that we manage our daily plans so as to ensure that time brings the result we desire. Consequently, any forceful or dogged intension to control things that are absolutely beyond ones power is to give oneself freely to frustration.

It’s abundantly clear that life is all about chances and uncertainty, therefore the most rewarding thing is to follow ones heart and inner instinct. The decision to follow ones inner craving doesn’t necessarily have to be approved by others as we most times feel. The most important things is to check if there’s a very positive feeling about what you’re doing. The love of what you’re doing is what gives the push to carry on when it’s not out-rightly clear what kind of result it would yield.

It’s of great importance that you trust that the series of past and present events will somehow, someday, connect in your future. Everyone trusts in something! But it is of great advantage that you trust in yourself, your gut and your inner ability and stuffs that your heart describes as meaningful. The study of weather makes it clear that to make weather forecast or prediction, the previous weather data of years back would be a major prerequisite. Hence, it is worth noting that despite life has a fair share of uncertainty, yet, to a considerable extend, things don’t just happen. If we take time to check, we would realize that things have a way of connecting.

Life is short, so in that regards, you will agree that it’s absolutely pointless to waste life living on the results of other people’s thoughts and opinion. It’s a waste. A colossal waste! Finding ones voice is a major task that requires so much discoveries that must be done. To avoid the noise of the crowd burying ones inner voice will require a million watt size of courage.

Courage is needed to follow your heart and intuition. Courage is needed to question conventional wisdom, therefore putting their validity to test. To achieve goals that will help others and make a difference in our world, so much courage must be mustered. Courage and more courage would be needed because we would unavoidably, be faced with despair. Albert Camus and Jean Paul Sartre are of the opinion that courage isn’t the absence of despair, that courage is the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair. Courage is the foundation that underlies and gives reality to all other personal values. What is the essence of interest combined with passion without courage? See, with courage commitment is easier. People attain worth and dignity by the multitude of decisions they make day by day. Taking decisions require courage. It’s also been discovered that courageous people take more decisions than others, and they are better for it. Courage is the crystal clear indication that something is far more important than fear.

Many great achievers were not born with the greatness that they suddenly display. While they were busy preparing for the unknown task ahead, by trying their hands on many things and making errors repeatedly, unfortunately, no one saw them. If truly the end must count, it simply implies that each day must count, the decisions and actions of today must count, therefore, at the end the sum total of everything will count.

As the remaining days in 2011 gradually folds away, it is without doubt that the remaining hours too will count because without them the heavily pregnant 2012 will remain in the future.

Happy holiday!

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OIL AND GAS: THE SUBSIDY CONUNDRUM By Nasir El-Rufai

In 1962, according to Alhaji Adamu Wazirin Fika, the Government of the Northern Region faced a shortfall in revenues from falling world commodity prices. At a crisis meeting of the regional ministers, the first decision agreed on was that the salaries of the ministers should be cut by 50 per cent.

Today, even as the polity is becoming more heated due to worsening economic conditions and plans by government to remove the subsidy on petroleum products, President Goodluck Jonathan in his wisdom led a retinue of three executive jets and a contingent of some 120 people to Australia for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM); the Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Queen of England, went by British Airways (BA).

This scene should set the tone as to whether the fuel subsidy exists at all and if government is justified in its plans to remove it. Does the Federal Government truly provide a subsidy on petroleum products consumed? If there is, should it be removed at this point? Why not? These are just a few of the myriad of questions bothering the minds of most Nigerians on this issue. What then is subsidy? Does it exist? If so, is it justified? In what ways can the interest of the ordinary Nigerian be best protected as far as the subsidy conundrum is concerned?

Broadly speaking, any mechanism that is designed to reduce the cost of an activity (input and/or output) below market prices can be referred to as subsidy. The policy of subsidy by government may be to keep prices low, to maintain incomes, or to preserve employment and to influence investments and consumption patterns in an economy. There are two approaches to this fuel subsidy debate – one saying subsidy exists (Opportunity Cost – the government’s view), while the other (Resource Endowment or Aluko- Buhari view) denies its existence.

According to the Aluko-Buhari Approach, there should be no reason why Nigerians should pay import-parity prices for petroleum products since we currently pay more than the actual cost of producing and refining the product. The position nor subsidy in whatever form. But as local demand grew, there was some justification for government intervention in the process especially after the civil war when local consumption continued to grow and demand outstripped supply leading to shortages.

The Oputa Panel of Inquiry which examined the root causes of the nationwide shortages of petroleum products made wide-ranging recommendations which laid the foundation for the present involvement of government in the importation, refining and management of local consumption of petroleum products.

Though government intervention sorted out the problems in the short term, inefficiencies in the system began to manifest. At the time, the issues that were to later change the management of the local consumption of petroleum products thus bringing forth subsidy were not envisaged. For instance, there was no conception that Nigeria would be unable to meet domestic consumption. And even if we had to rely on importation, as it later turned out, the devaluation of the naira was not considered. The naira was at par with the dollar. But today, the naira seems to be on a permanent slide, and at the last count exchanged at N160 to one US dollar With the continual rise in the price of crude oil at the international market, the fixing of pump price of petroleum products became difficult to manage because the prices of imported products were at a bench-mark determined internationally – and in dollar terms.

So in real terms, it would be right to state that subsidy exists on the petroleum products consumed locally in Nigeria. As at year 2000, it was about N1.5 billion annually but has risen to a whooping N1.2 trillion in the first nine months of 2011 – nearly the size of the capital budget for 2011!

Beneath the surface of these facts lies the complication on the issue of subsidy. Given the fact that we are an oil-producing country and the level of corruption in the refining, importation and distribution process, is it justified to give away so much money to a few? Is the interest of the ordinary citizen better served with a subsidy regime, or are we better off without one? Although it is ascertainable that there is a subsidy – the point remains that it would not have arisen if not for cumulative inefficiency and corruption within the petroleum sector over the years.

Facing the reality of impending subsidy removal, the question that comes up is: “why now?” Since government is a social contract between the government and citizens, it makes sense to demand to know if removal of subsidy on petroleum products was part of the campaign manifestoes of President Jonathan in the run-up to the 2011 presidential elections.

On one hand, can Nigeria afford to spend so much on subsidising fuel importation? On the other, if government proceeds with plans to remove subsidy, there would be inevitable consequences for most Nigerians. This would have been a simple issue had government made adequate provision of effective intermodal transportation system – in form of metro, bus or urban taxi system. But this is not the case. And since most Nigerians rely on petroleum products to power their individual generator sets, and kerosene for cooking, the effects of the subsidy removal would be far-reaching. That points to the fact of already existing poverty and the result is better imagined.

A government seeking for belt-tightening among her citizens should be seen to be prudent. What we have instead is a regime that keeps an avalanche of presidential aides – with more appointed just two days ago. Why should ordinary Nigerians bear the burden of government insensitivity? Where is the legitimacy for a government that keeps its recurrent spending at least 70 per cent seeking to pass the burden of 360 new cars for legislators to the ordinary citizen? Where are the specific projects to which the proposed savings would be committed? What sustainable implementation plan exists for such projects? Where is the blueprint to increase capacity to refine what is consumed locally? Who knows how much petrol we really import? Who can tell us how much of it is smuggled while the cost is added to “subsidy”?

How many Nigerians know that the country now owes more than we did at the time before our exit from the debt trap in 2005? Does a government that has shown no sense of sacrifice deserve to further burden the impoverished populace with a large number of unemployed people? Can we trust this government to use whatever savings it may get from the removal of oil subsidy to develop critical infrastructure, stimulate the economy and create jobs? Your answer to these questions should be your answer to whether government is justified to remove petroleum subsidy.

Under an administration that exhibits some prudence and sacrifice, that is disciplined and fiscally-responsible, and led by people of integrity, I would bear the initial pain of subsidy withdrawal while our domestic refining capacity is revamped and expanded. Under the current leadership addicted to spending all its earnings on recurrent expenses, any more sacrifice from us for them will only encourage Australia-like junkets and tenure elongation! More partying for them, more pain for us.

Culled from www.thisdayonline.com

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Let’s Legalize Prostitution, Plus Other Menaces by Adepoju Paul Olusegun

I remember my first night in Owerri as an undergraduate student of the state-owned university. It was very late in the evening when I alighted at the Wetheral junction. After settling down, I decided to explore my immediate environment but the mini-crowd that gathered at the old Garden Park attracted my attention more than any other place along the stretched axis. At the not-well-lit arena, I saw the smallest yet most diverse market I’ve ever been to. Everything was on sale – food, movies, clothes, electronic accessories… just name it, all within a space of less than twenty meters. But the section that enjoyed more patronization happened to be the tattered makeshift tents that were surrounded by skimpily dressed ladies and guys (including men) who patronized the small sex market to satisfy their libidos. Without government’s interference except episodic police raids, the old Garden Park Prostitution Center was a worthy business enterprise that created jobs for single ladies, and sexual satisfaction for those who couldn’t practice abstinence.

But that was then, since the Ohakim administration decided to build the state’s stock exchange at the same location that guys and gals were digging it. During the series of inquiries that led to the demolition of the makeshift sex rooms, no customer was consulted and none of the prostitutes could openly speak against the government’s new project that forced them to relocate or quit business. The reason for their silence is the stigmatization that is often associated with commercial sex workers who come out openly although some of their accusers come to them secretly. And which mother would be happy and very proud to see her daughter on state TV speaking on behalf of the Imo prostitutes’ society? None I guess, although some of the parents have their share of the inguinal-generated tax-free income.

This is the fascinating conundrum that prostitution is associated with across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. According to a popular comedian, every man has at least a friend who patronizes prostitutes frequently but they are not proud of their addiction and will never speak for the ladies who satisfy their sexual urges at a bargained price.

Across Nigeria, there are popular sexual abodes and sex sanctuaries that unite the male ranks and files. The clientele of these cool spots range from the rich single guy who often asks for room services and happily married men that prefer hotel services, to secondary school boys who just want to lose their virginities. The surprisingly large numbers of these outlets further proves the indispensable contributions that the pleasure centers are making to national well being, and could make to the economy.

Since the nation is talking about diversifying its source of income from oil to agriculture, tourism and other sectors, prostitutes can also be compelled to contribute their own quota by paying as they earn, and customers can be made to pay sex taxes, just like VATs. And sexually generated funds could be used to fund government projects like road construction, health and other state developmental projects.

Apart from the funds that would accrue to governments’ coffers by the legalization of prostitution, it would be easier for public sex health actions to be implemented by agencies like NACA, and medical scientists like me will have the right legal channel when in need of prostitutes for medical researches. Also, donor agencies would have the right people to talk to when they want to give free drugs and condoms to commercial sex workers.

Legalizing prostitution can also help in the fight against rape since rapists will only have to raise some cash to give to professional prostitutes that are federally licensed to satisfy the sexual urges of Nigerians. This is one of the serious steps to take if those at the helm of affairs in the country really want to tackle this ravaging menace that is fast spreading across the nation and eating deep into our moral chores like a metastatic cancer.

Furthermore, just like the way that herbalists flaunt their NAFDAC registration numbers, license to be a prostitute would help a lot in tackling the age-long stigmatization and campaigns against prostitutes. It will present us as a civilized community that sees the prostitutes as an integral part of its highly varied but closely knitted demography. It is strong enough to gain the confidence of the prostitutes who might now decide to come on air later in the future to ask for minimum wages and incorporation into the NLC since they are also workers – sex workers.

Believe it or not, prostitution will be redefined if the proposed bill is passed, so will every strand of morality Nigeria still musters. It is quite unfortunate that various women groups in Nigeria are still silent over the matter. Even the first lady whose office and pet project are on national TV promoting peace and literally fighting suicide bombers is yet to give an official position on the prostitution legislative proposition. It either shows that these feminine societies are unperturbed or are not getting their priorities right.

Nigerian women leaders are not the only ones with priority issues, even the proponents of the controversial law have to be reexamined. The timing of the bill is a subject of serious interest. At a time that the nation ranks high on the global security threat list and many are dying as a result of Boko Haram’s brainwashed suicide bombers, one wouldn’t have expected libido and inguinal explorations to attract the attention of the federal legislature like it currently does.

I’ve seen lots of debates on the floor of the National Assembly and it is worthy to note that honorable members of the house are more alert than ever. Even the I-concur-caucus wants to talk about the bill. Does it connote that members of the house have more to gain from the passage of the bill?

Hers has been one of the strong voices in the house. But like the first lady, Hon. Abike Dabiri is yet to make known are side of the unfolding waste of tax payers’ money and printer’s ink on prostitution.

If organogram is applied, solving the security puzzle should be the topmost issue on the floors of the legislative chambers. This should be followed by the ageless power crisis. The rising inflation rate should also be an issue of legislative concern in addition to ubiquitous unemployment, rising incidence of rape and how to tackle the highly condemned plan of the Goodluck Jonathan-led federal government to remove fuel subsidies. Without mincing words, the numerous matters of national urgency and their decision to even consider the prostitution bill make the National Assembly look like a big house that is filled with comic people, so funny that they are unable to fully grasp what Nigerian and Nigerians’ problems are.

Personally, I’m interested in knowing how the federal legislator ideated the bill. Was it after a professional prostitute gave an out-of-this-world service to a regular VIP customer? Or maybe he was courted and lobbied by the network of Nigerian prostitutes. If this is the case, then other professionals should seek legalization.

Since the national assembly now has time for such silly bills like this one, they can as well extend the legalization net to stealing. Since most of the thieves are unemployed, it should be wise in the eyes of the prostitution advocate to make some concessions for thieves.

It is quite unfortunate that a vital arm of the government is not taking the issue of governance serious by devoting much of their time to frivolities and non-pressing issues like legalization of prostitution, it further highlights the quality of leadership the nation is currently having. While unemployment and bad economy are ravaging on, and efforts ought to be how to better the lots of Nigerians, yet their representatives are busy talking prostitution.

Prostitution itself won’t be better practiced if it now has the seal of the federal government, and maybe a commission devoted to guiding the ancient profession. Visiting prostitutes, even in the Bible, is a secret thing that very few people do know about. We all have secrets hence the need for privacy. But we’ve been invading the privacy of some people since the bill got the attention of the National Assembly, and the earlier we wrap up this madness, the better for us all.

There are bombs going off up north, there are stronger security threats everywhere, quality of education here has been on steeply downward slope and with more youths graduating from schools unemployment rate is in scary proportions necessitating the need for the government to think fast and come up with ideas to transform this shameful unemployment status.

But so far, government at all levels are not coming up with brilliant ideas to tackle these and many other ridiculous Nigerian issues. They are doing what they are good at – feeding fat while the citizens starve dry. This budding love for prostitutes clearly shows that democracy here is not yet the government of the people for the people and by the people since such government would get its priorities right and make the citizens more comfortable before tackling issues like illegal prostitutes. Without legalization, prostitutes and their customers across Nigeria are fairing better.

I remember my last visit to Kuramo beach at night. The prostitutes their have their own system of government and security officers are everywhere to ensure that customers are safe and satisfied with the quality of services rendered, and that the prostitutes are not duped by smart customers. The story is the same anywhere two or three people are gathered in Nigeria paying for sex. They have their own terms and everyone is happy. Why does this government want to interfere with this well oiled and aligned system?

adepojupaul@gmail.com

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JAPHETH J OMOJUWA: A VOICE WITH REVOLUTIONARY SOUND. Written by Lanre Olagunju.

A part of Nigeria says that when a child knows how to wash his hands well he will dine with elders. Japtheth J Omojuwa has been dining with the elders lately therefore, it’s a proof that his hands are well washed.

Few years ago I met this brilliant and very vibrant young man who is made of great stuff. I haven’t met too many young people with such a personality graced with such aura and splendor. If you call him a realist, I say he is a realist extraordinaire. Japheth isn’t another experimental work of creation, neither is he just a number amongst the over 6billion people that occupy space on planet earth. He’s a brilliant chap who has mastered the art of applying wisdom to life, people, and most recently politics.

Yeah! You only need to know him a little to know that he is such a revolutionary. Especially when it comes to the show-off of vibrant and well articulated passion, organized zeal, and desire to be heard. My first interaction with him was during undergraduate days. Those were his days of turning point. The result of his turning point, has explained that the dog in every man can be judiciously tamed. And that in every pervert is a celibate and probably vice versa. 

I just wonder at his incredible ability to argue a course crazily with facts, dates, and questions that he only would eventually answer. In my modest opinion, I think Arsene Wenger owes this particular Nigerian so much. Being a passionate Gunner he carelessly uncovers his passion for football at the slightest opportunity. He does it so well that you could possibly become irritated most especially if football is far from your passion or first love. But you can’t but stay glued to him so you can amass the wealth of information that he’s willing to release at such a deafening will, thoroughness, speed and with so much objectivity.

His seamless use of word play is revealed when he blends simile, metaphor and sarcasm effortlessly like any other Nobel Laureate.  I’m a fan of smart people who love to say so much with little words and time. So that side of him thrills me a lot. When he renders short speeches, you’ll most likely think that he was only born to talk. Then when he writes, you are like, this is exactly what he was born to do! Japheth J Omojuwa is a bundle of multitalented missile fired to our world for remarkable effect, taking Africa as a starting point.

Sometimes ago I just concluded and called him a workaholic, and sincerely I still wonder if he sleeps at all. Lately, someone said he tweets so hard that there’s virtually no need to use up more words tweeting.

His passion to be heard and to challenge conventional wisdom has been demonstrated through his online voice www.omojuwa.com. His uncompromised and well thought out political views on pragmatic and daring political issues has decorated his brain child (www.omojuwa.com) with the Best Nigerian Political Blog 2011. In fact he has brought a new meaning to accomplishment.

You will fail repeatedly at several attempts to make him live by your own opinion, after he’s personally convinced over an issue that have been well incubated and re-baked again and again in his mind. He cares less about what others feel. For that uncommon courage, I doff my hat.

 Omojuwa’s strong loud esteem has been adequately mistaken for pride and some others feel his pride or strong self esteem (whichever you choose) is traceable to the kings’ College thing. Anyway behind the proud and hard talking Japheth is a respectful, caring and quite courteous Omojuwa who is quite simple and personable, yet with the will of steel. But trust me, don’t expect him to be courteous enough to ever shut his mouth when they are supposed to be doing the graceful work of running for the sake of liberty. 

He’s a crazy God chaser who draws market place inspiration from the author of inspiration himself. Like Rockefeller, he cleaned the house of Worship joyfully and tactically. Omojuwa has been caught doing cleansing justice to what he calls his Father’s House. In my opinion, he can’t but be richer than Rockefeller in both intellectual and material wealth.

He’s a brilliant chap who has mastered the act of thinking. And thinking you know is what the average mind will do anything to avoid. Jay is a perfect and quintessential example of someone who makes no bones about his political view. It doesn’t have to go well with those who feed on the goodluck of lukewarm leaders; he says it the way it is. And that’s his essence

Omojuwa for me is a subject of high value for several reasons.  As he turns a year older my great hope and prayer is not only that he institutionalizes his full essence but that he’ll build a brand known for the truth and also, that he inspires many more young men and women to give themselves to the rebirth of comatose Nigeria by standing for what matters.

Happy birthday Japheth. You inspire

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419 REASONS TO LIKE NIGERIA

For too long, Nigeria and Nigerians have been readily associated with the online scams, financial crime and impersonation – termed ‘419’. However, beyond the unfortunate stereotyping, there are several positive characteristics and cogent intriguing traits of the country, Nigeria and its people, some of which are highlighted below as part of the ‘419 Reasons to Like Nigeria’ campaign which enlisted 100 volunteers and bloggers to share reasons why they like Nigeria. These reasons echo the voices of Nigerians, with resonating similar themes. The campaign is being facilitated in partnership with ‘The 419Positive Project’.
The full list of ‘419 Reasons to Like Nigeria’ is available here
The list of contributors to ‘419 Reasons to Like Nigeria’ is available here

If you would like to say something positive about Nigerians and Nigeria, please do so here.

NIGERIA – THE LAND OF POTENTIAL AND OPPORTUNITY
* I like Nigeria because it is a land of endless opportunities and possibilities. Nigeria is one country whose true potentials I believe the world is yet to experience. I believe Nigerians are sharp, brilliant and accommodating people. Giving the right enabling environment the world will marvel at what Nigeria will become.

* Nigeria is the most populous black nation – and a buying one at that. From a capitalist point of view, this makes for great investment opportunities.

* The fact that Nigeria currently lags behind so much – in infrastructure and developmental terms – hints at the size of the potential for innovation and transformation, and at the huge number of vacancies that exist for ‘transformers’. What I think this means is that the world will be hearing a lot about Nigeria and high-achieving Nigerians (in the public and private sectors) in the near future.

NIGERIA – THE COUNTRY
* The Nigerian Green and White flag is a notable national symbol. The green color symbolises agriculture, seeing that the country is endowed with masses of arable land, while the white colour signifies unity and peace. Other national symbols include the Nigerian Coat of Arms, which depicts an eagle on a black shield, tri-sected by two wavy silver bands, and supported on either side by two chargers. The national motto underlies the coat-of -arms: “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.” Her national symbols convey great meaning to its people.
 

* The Nigerian accent is currently ranked by CNN Global Experiences as the 5th sexiest accent in the world.
 

* Nigeria is home to Nollywood, one of the world’s biggest film industries.

NIGERIA – THE CULTURE, THE FOOD, THE WAY OF LIFE
* Something great to like about Nigeria is our cultural diversity. A strong affinity exists, despite our differences. Learning about other ethnic cultures in my country really helped me personally relate to other cultures when abroad.
 

* I think the food is tastier in Nigeria than that I have found in other countries.
 

* Nigerians live a communal life style. The extended family is part of the immediate family in a Nigerian home.

NIGERIA – THE MUSIC, THE MOVIES, THE DANCE, THE ART
* Nigeria has produced many world class musicians. A notable mention in this regard is Fela Anikulapo Kuti. A Broadway show titled ‘FELA!’ was produced in 2009 depicting the life and times of the Afrobeat musician.
 

* Nigeria’s movie industry, Nollywood, is reputedly the 3rd largest film industry after Hollywood 

and Bollywood, and has grown gradually into a $250 million industry in more than 10 years.
 

* Nigerian indigenous musical instruments are unique, soulful and rhythmic. They comprise the popular Talking Drum, producing proverbial and storytelling sounds, the Shaker (shekere), the Udu drum, the Lute, the leg and arm Rattle, the Omele, the Ogene (Gong originating in Eastern Nigeria), the Ekwe drum and the Kakaki (A 4m metal trumpet popular in Northern Nigeria). Many of these instruments have been incorporated in South American music over the years

NIGERIA – GEOGRAPHY and NATURAL RESOURCES
* Nigeria Nigeria is a nation blessed with rich human and natural resources. As the 8th largest exporter of Oil in the world, with the 10th largest proven reserves, our blessings cannot be overemphasised. No earthquakes, no tsunamis, no droughts, an evergreen land. The rest of the world should live here.
 

* The beauty of the Nigerian state cannot but leave one in awe. Blessed with captivating physical features and abundant wild life. From the rolling hills to the vast plains in the North Central Nigeria and the forests in the South, the beautiful scenery of the country is more than breathtaking and with the wildlife spread all over the country; Nigeria is surely a beauty to 

behold and a tourist’s delight all year round.
 

* Nigeria is blessed with tremendous agricultural resources. Cotton in the North, Cocoa & Oil palm in the south amongst many others. The flag is green for a reason

NIGERIA – WEST AFRICA, AFRICA and THE WORLD
* Nigeria has the largest population of any country in Africa. Approximately 1 out of every 2 West Africans, 1 out of every 4 Africans, and 1 out of every 5 persons of African origin is a Nigerian.
 

* Nigeria is the largest contributor of troops to the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) and by extension, is the largest force for peace and stability in West Africa.
 

* A Nigerian will stand out anywhere you find him/her, from Libya to London, Tokyo to Timbuktu. Well known examples include Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets, USA), Olumide Oyedeji (Seattle Sonics), Tunde Baiyewu (Lighthouse Family), Sunday Adelaja (Ukraine), Chris Aire (US), etc.

NIGERIA – INDUSTRIOUS, INNOVATIVE and ENTERPRISING, with ACHIEVEMENTS
* Nigerians are intelligent, brilliant minds who have proven their mettle in various fields – Wole Soyinka was the first African to win the much coveted Nobel Prize for literature in 1986. Chinua Achebe’s classic novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ was ranked as number 14 in a list of top 100 books in the world by Newsdesk in 2009. Others include Cyprian Ekwensi, Mabel Segun, Chimamanda Adichie and Helon Habila whose literary works have won both international and local awards at various times.
 

* We have budding fashion designers. Yes! It’s a line every Bunmi, Amaka and Amina has decided to tow but to disregard the effort and originality of our Fashion Designers would be disrespectful. Tiffany Amber, Lanre Da Silva and Deola Sagoe are building world renowned brands, not to mention the legacy developed by the likes of Abba Folawiyo, Maureen Onigbanjo, Remi Lagos and Zizzi Cardow.
 

* Nigerians have excelled in the fields of economics and finance, managing well established global bodies. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, the current Minister of Finance, was until recently a Managing Director at The World Bank. Obiageli Ezekwisili is currently the Vice President for Africa at The World Bank. Mr Adebayo Ogunlesi is a first class graduate of Oxford, and Managing Partner of Global infrastructure Partner (GIP), a concessionaire of London’s Gatwick International Airport.
 

* We take technology and expand it in ways those who created it could not have imagined. For instance, take the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) which allows you to send broadcast messages to all addresses on your contacts list; Nigerians recently found a unique way of advertising the different businesses they do. Someone started a message highlighting the fact that many people in Nigeria are entrepreneurs or provide a service and included his BB PIN in the message and sent to all his contacts with the charge that they state the service they provide, include their PIN and send on to all their contacts too. This seemingly small campaign has gone “viral” with whole lists of entrepreneurs and their BB PINs being passed from phone to phone. This is a clear sign of the ingenuity of Nigerians!

NIGERIA – GREAT PEOPLE
* Nigeria is the 7th most populous nation in the world (over 160 million) and most populous in Africa – a gold mine of energetic, determined and talented people in each and every field. From Lagos to Aba to Kano, the Nigerian business spirit and desire to succeed is visible. It requires just proper harnessing of these human resources before Nigeria becomes the super power she was meant to be.
 

* Nigerians are passionate, friendly, welcoming, hospitable, and well cultured people. The average Nigerian reflects a combination of vivacity, intelligence, energy, talent, and resolution.
 

* We are a nation of people that can hardly hide their excitement at seeing family and friends. Some misconstrue this thinking we are loud but let’s just say we are EXPRESSIVE! If you see us on the streets of New York making a big ruckus and hugging? No sweat. We are just happy to see each other.

NIGERIA – THE RESILIENT SPIRIT
* The Giant of Africa: Not ignoring the current challenges, eventually, when we get our act right, we will reign supreme on the global scene. We have the potential and as is much touted by the Warri people – “Naija no dey carry last”
 

* The ‘survivor-mentality’ hard-wired into the DNA of Nigeria’s people. The fact that against all the odds (and there are many of them), Nigerians continue to live, hustle and seek to triumph. It is not by mistake that Nigeria is regarded as one of the “happiest” countries in the world, despite its challenging economic and social conditions.
 

* We are hardy. The average Nigerian does business under circumstances that are unimaginable to people from other parts. In a place where there is no power, no credit, and scant regulation, people do business and do very well for themselves too. If you can make it in Nigeria, you can make it anywhere in the world.

NIGERIA – TOURISM and SPORTS
* Nigeria is an amazing tourist haven and is home to the Obudu Cattle Ranch, located in Calabar. It is only 45 miles from the Cameroon border. The Obudu Plateau is spread over 40 sq. miles and is 5,200 feet above sea level. The Obudu resort features a Gorilla Camp where tourists may observe gorillas in their natural habitat.
 

* Nigeria has two UNESCO world heritage sites, the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove and the Sukur Cultural Landscape in Adamawa. UNESCO world heritage sites are places designated as being of cultural significance.
* Nigeria has produced great footballers like Teslim “Thunder” Balogun (the first Nigerian to play for an English Club – QPR), Segun Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini (who scored Nigeria’s first ever goal at the World Cup), Nwankwo Kanu, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, John Mikel Obi, Osaze Odemwingie, to mention but a few.
 

* Nigeria has excelled in athletics over the years, still holding continental records in the 100m men and women, 4x100m men and women, 400m men and women, among others. Over 100 skilled Nigerian professional footballers played in First Division leagues in different countries all over Europe in the 2010/2011 season, 9 in England; 8 each in Finland, Norway; 10 in Ukraine and 7 in Sweden.

NIGERIA – UNITY in DIVERSITY
* Nigerians, despite our diversity are a united people who always strive to help one another. With 774 local government areas, multi religious and ethnic affiliations, 36 States, and population of over 160 million, we still stand undeterred to move forward together.
 

* Even outside the country, Nigerians remain united. This gives a quiet assurance somewhat that you can get on a plane and go to any country of the world and find a Nigerian there who will not only make you feel welcome but will go out of their way to be of really good help. I have experienced this several times on my travels and each time it amazes me how all I need to be is a Nigerian, not Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa and once I run into another Nigerian, I will immediately feel at home.
 

* Our greatest strength lies in our diversity.

The ‘419 Reasons to Like Nigeria’ Campaign is in partnership with ‘The 419Positive Project’.

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THIS IS FOR YOUR HEART…BEFORE YOUR NEXT BOTTLE

I couldn’t believe my eyes today when i saw a cashier hand this little boy his money back, the boy couldn’t have been more than 5 or 6 years old. The Cashier said, ‘I’m sorry, but you don’t have enough money to buy this doll.” The little boy turned to the old woman next to him,”Granny, are you sure I don’t have enough money?” She replied,”You know that you don’t have enough money to buy this doll, my dear.” Then she asked him to stay there for just 5 minutes while she went to look around. She left quickly.

The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand. Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. ‘It’s the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much for Christmas. She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her.’ I replied to him that maybe Santa Claus would bring it to her after all, and not to worry. But he replied to me sadly. ‘No, Santa Claus can’t bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.’ His eyes were so sad while saying this, ‘My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.” My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, ‘I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.’ Then he showed me a very nice photo of himself. He was laughing.

He then told me ‘I want mommy to take my picture with her so she won’t forget me.’ ‘I love my mommy and I wish she didn’t have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.’ Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. ‘Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll!” OK’ he said, ‘I hope I do have enough.’ I added some of my money to his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money. The little boy said, ‘Thank you God for giving me enough money!’ Then he looked at me and added, ‘I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give it to my sister. He heard me!” ‘I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn’t dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose.” ‘My mommy loves white roses.’

A few minutes later, the old lady returned and I left with my basket. I finished my shopping in a totally different state of mind from when I started. I couldn’t get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local newspaper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine because the young woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy I read in the newspaper that the young woman had passed away. I couldn’t stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed forever. The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine, and in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

Culled from www.omojuwa.com

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WHAT I REMEMBER AND WANT TO REMEMBER PRESIDENT JONATHAN FOR – written by Japheth Omojuwa

The Goodluck Jonathan administration recently went to town with a list of its achievements over the first 100 days since the new mandate from May 29, 2011. That was a document that never should have been released because releasing those wishes, plans and joke achievements as real achievements shows the kind of grandstanding that has never and will never serve us right as a nation.

There is nothing wrong with a government showing off because if they don’t, the opposition will sell their failures to a public that often depends on what it hears instead of what it sees. What is wrong with showing off is the act of doing it over nothing or intangible achievements. What they should have thought about is the reaction from the ordinary Nigerian if the achievements were translated into their local languages and may be pidgin. No doubt you’ll get reactions like “na inflation I go chop,” “how contract wey dem no award me be my business?” and “so na wetin dem don dey do since May be dis?” and related shuddering rhetoric questions from Nigeria’s tangibly downtrodden masses. Nigeria is a nation on the brink. You don’t have to agree with me. I bet you will agree with the realities you see all around you – except you live in a Government House and never come out of it.

The biggest problem is not the problems but the fact that those who should solve these problems are obviously in denial. I know this for sure because in releasing their achievements, they did not talk about how many jobs they were able to help the private sector create or that which they created directly. The document released looked to dilute the herculean challenge of insecurity despite the fact that today’s Aso Rock has the highest number of military and police men guarding it than at any time in history. Any government that fails to provide adequate security fails in its primary responsibility as a government. Where this failure is the norm and the order as is Nigeria’s, then we have a nation running at the speed of neutrinos to the black hole of oblivion. Irrespective of the government’s strategies to curb insecurity, whatever they do that does not address the spate of unemployment in the country as a whole would be like addressing the effect instead of the cause. As long as the cause exists, we will continue to budget over 35 per cent of our yearly budgets on security and still fall short of providing any semblance of such. Imagine if only half of the over 1 trillion budgeted for security had gone into an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fund. Just imagine how many potential Boko-Haram recruits would be taken off the streets. They say we write without proffering solutions, I say you read without looking for solutions because solutions abound even in the most negative of articles.

Like security like every other thing you can think of. We are far short of where we ought to be and the least you would expect from the government is to be sincere enough to admit this sobering realities. The denial of a reality cannot wish it away. I already shared my thoughts on Rubbin’ Minds last Sunday on Channels TV as to what my submissions are on the first 100 days. Whoever says 100 days are too short to assess a government, remember to ask if 500 million naira per hour of every day of the 100 days is too small to produce tangible results. Every 100 days this year, President Jonathan’s government is expected to spend N1.2 trillion! Is that also too small? Yet nothing has been achieved. Nothing has been done except you consider the ability to draw a pail of water out of the Atlantic Ocean a success when you are billed to dry it up. Nigeria’s challenges are that daunting and I will not deny that. I also accept the fact that most of these challenges have been passed on from previous administrations but the present administration has not shown signs of its readiness to solve them.

Unlike President Olusegun Obasanjo’s much criticised war against corruption, President Jonathan’s government will not get criticised for any such wars because there is no war against corruption. Corruption has resumed normal schedules and we are being milked dry more than ever before. The beauty of a good war against corruption is that it has a psychological effect on corrupt officials to be more careful when stealing something that then helps to check wanton stealing and sleaze. That that is not in place means nothing has happened to those that listed now non-existing projects in the budget, got funding for them from the government and the apparent Prime Minister of this administration herself Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala admitted that such sham projects exist in their numbers. Monies for such will be transferred to other project she said, but nothing was said about how that could have happened or those who could have been responsible or how they will be brought to book. Where people steal and the worst that could ever happen to them is to get caught and just lose their loot without any form of punishment, stealing would be a culture as it is in Nigeria’s civil service, as is the culture in every arm of our government and as it is in Nigeria as a country – except you are a petty thief like those who stole chickens and have been imprisoned for 7 years still awaiting trial.

When will President Jonathan (as EFCC’s. Farida Waziri seems not interested) take up the challenge of fighting corruption? He looks like he cannot hurt a fly (except the fly answers Salami), but as long as his cronies and party members are allowed to do away with Nigeria’s wealth, the wrench and seamy side of his government’s corruption would be so bad even flies would not want to hurt themselves perching on it by the time he leaves office. If he does not want to break new corruption records, it is never too late to start prosecuting ex-Governors that have questions to answer. It is never too late to start the fight against corruption and fight it to a standstill. Nothing should be spared on this front. We have the means to fight corruption; all we need is the will.

The PDP has not only failed Nigerians, it has failed even itself. It has failed to keep its own promises let alone help Nigerians realise their dreams. Despite their shambolic endless years of shame and waste, we want them to give what they don’t have by providing good governance and good leadership. How will they do these? They can start by listening to the many voices of reason that seek to lead them through that uncharted course of rightness and excellence.

Different Administrations are often remembered for specific things: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will be remembered for the liberalisation of the Telecommunications’ sector (amongst other achievements and evils),General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida will always be remembered for June 12 and the Structural Adjustment Programme (some would add Dele Giwa and Vatsa to the list but I also remember Third Mainland Bridge), Chief Ernest Shonekan’s tenure will be remembered because it cannot be remembered for anything meaningful, Gen. Sani Abacha’s memories make me want to eat apples and so on. So far as a young Nigerian, these are the things I remember Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for

1. The Presidential Lunch where money was shared to young Nigerians in a clandestine and disgracefully illegal way.

2. The annoyingly slow pace of governance (almost at a state of inertia but for the fact that the wind blows in their offices)

3. The ability to defy number two above by swiftly upholding the removal of The President of The Court of Appeal Justice Ayo Salami and the fact that he would benefit from that removal when Justice Salami’s successor Justice Dalhatu Adamu eventually pays back the payer of the piper by playing the right tune which is declaring the payer the winner of the 2011 Presidential elections. That is the end of the whole drama and presidential braggado.

4. The palpable feeling of regret by gullible Nigerians for buying the tales of a shoeless candidate and the thickening state of hopelessness across the nation’s horizon.

5. A bogus and duplicative cabinet with many unnecessary appointments at the cost of the people’s welfare.

6. The most disproportionate distribution of Capital and Recurrent Expenditure at 1:3 against Capital Expenditure which literally means that our national budget is not being used to build our nation but to enrich and build the individual wealth of a privileged few.

7. The fact that I got N40,000.00 as outstanding allowance after the President virtually doubled Corps members take home from N9,725 to N18,000. A major achievement considering the absence of other notable achievements.

8. Saying that “Not only Nigerians are angry, those of us in government are,” which gave me the impression of how the President sees Nigerians and ‘those of them in government.” An impression of an all-conquering Emperor and members of his privileged court against a conquered people.

9. Having a Special Adviser who consistently harasses and abuses me on twitter through customised twitter handles created and dedicated to that purpose and through his friends and beneficiaries of the so far clueless government.

10. Paying lump sums to celebrities to record songs and dance away their withered conscience as they looked to cash in on the gullibility of the Nigerian masses. I’ve got more but these will suffice.

WHAT I WANT TO REMEMBER PRESIDENT JONATHAN FOR AFTER HIS DEPARTURE IN 2015

1. The first Nigerian President that made Nigerians to enjoy at least 18 hours of power supply per day for at least 1 year before May 2015.

2. The Nigerian President who recouped the most loots from corrupt government officials and this must sum up to at least N10 trillion for me to pay attention.

3. The Nigerian President who helped to ensure that lives and properties are safe and secure in a peaceful environment.

4. The Nigerian President that allowed for the Rule of Law to prevail 100 per cent of his remaining stay in power from today and rescinded previous acts of injustice like Justice Ayo Salami’s case. The man despite his own convictions allowed for our courts not just be “courts of law but not of justice.”

5. The government that helped Nigeria produce more than enough food and resources for its people with a positive Balance of trade in a truly liberalized economy benefitting from productive and effective Universities.

6. The President that saw to the full automation of the Electoral process where the room for human complicities are reduced to the barest minimum.

7. The President that finally learned that he was no longer the leader of a tribe or region but of a country.

8. That President Jonathan finally stopped campaigning after this piece and got to work on delivering the goods to the teeming Nigerian population.

9. The President that Nigerians will always remember for many good reasons and achievements.

10. The very last product of a ruling class that has failed Nigerians in the past 12 years and the first amongst that group to apologise to Nigerians if – God forbid – he fails. There is more but I guess this will do.

Obviously anyone appointed by the government or those who feed off the crumbles of their table will see the first list differently but those are the realities from an ordinary Nigerian like myself. If your reality is different or similar, you have the comments section below to state them. Twitter also offers a good avenue to continue the “engagements.”

This is MY STAND!

You can Follow the writer @omojuwa on twitter.

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