Ruwa Dege Gidan Kashi written by Lanre Olagunju

If you are wondering what language it is? Or you’re thinking I’m going to write in a language I’m yet to fully understand, then I think I’ve achieved!

That the owners of this particular language house me on their land presently is making the ever inquisitive me more curious about their history and why they are quite behind in almost all ramification of civilization. The entire security threat the nation presently suffers hails from these quarters, and some are of the opinion that it’s because they’ve been marginalized, but I beg to ask who marginalized who and when?

Haven’t the northerners always had a fair share in government and politics? Didn’t the evil British colonials succeed at their agenda to give power to the north at all cost, due to the submissive and incredibly loyal nature they naturally posses? Were census result not manipulated for the north’s sake, were they not given accelerated promotions in the military so they could still rule over the southerners who gulped in so much of western culture, religion, and education?

Sure, someone would read this half way and lament “is this what we need at such a time as this?” maybe I should have even flaunted a disclaimer and say that anyone who is allergic to critical analysis as a result of whatever type of paralysis shouldn’t bother reading pass the title. It’s always more rewarding when we critically try to solve a problem from its root. But in a case where a country’s foundation is faulty what can the elite do?

My national call to serve in northern Nigeria has engendered me to so many things that I would have felt some lazy journalist cooked up if I read them on papers. Amazingly I can’t stop wondering if the amusement will ever end.

Exactly two days ago, a young girl around the age of say 13, walked into my lodge saying “sala mu alaikum”. I replied in the affirmative, and that gave her the impression that the Hausa language is my mother tongue. In her soprano voice, she covered me up with so many words than my Hausa ears of understanding and interpretation could not comprehend. I muttered “mai ke na so” meaning what do you want? Again in her lengthy reply, all I could decipher was “asha ruwa”- I want water. Then I gave her a cup pointing to the bathroom where she would get taps where drinkable water could be fetched. Sincerely you won’t believe me! I was taken aback to discover that she actually dipped her hands into the toilet seat to fetch water that went from her mouth through her throat and then to her stomach. I was intensely helpless. I had to call someone to explain what had just happened to her; there and then, I heard and learnt the title for this piece. The poor girl became so scared and was wailing profusely. But how on earth can an adolescent be so dumb to do such? Then a colleague said she probably hasn’t seen a water closet all her life put together.

It’s not hard to believe because in March, UNESCO’s report revealed that the Hausa woman is the least educated on earth: 97% of Hausa women between the ages of 17 and 22 have completed less than 2years in school.

This is a place where cows are one of the most valuable assets to the people; it is here that I see hefty adults sit conveniently in the car trunk when the car is already filled to the brim. Also, it’s here in the north that I see babies give birth to babies, is it not here that primary school kid’s say good morning when the sun is long gone?

How come the British favoured region has now overly become the most impoverished and frightening? Or could it be that they held back education from the north so they could manipulate the people easily?

It’s only manifestly clear that being powerful isn’t enough. I don’t know who Tuface was talking to when he said “power is nothing when your people are dying of disease and starvation” but I forward his words to the former and present day northern leaders who couldn’t do enough to ensure that the mind of their people is developed via any meaningful and peace oriented means of education. UNICEF has estimated that school age children who are out of school in Nigeria are about 10million, and about 8million of them are the almagiris who roam the street with dirty plates, torn clothes and white faces in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Bauchi and some other parts of Northern Nigeria. They’ve been denied the opportunity of living and growing up in a family so why won’t they become utensils for national chaos in the hands of evil politicians and fanatics who have malevolent tendencies.

I wish that Nigerians could see these politicians for their true colours, they are after the pockets and bellies alone, if not, how can we have such primitives and backwardness in the north when their leaders have had the most opportunity to rule Nigeria. It boils down to the fact that it is not where the president is from that matters, but how much he cares about bringing development to Nigeria. The good treatment I have received since coming here also shows that Nigerians are not their own enemies as the political class wants us to believe. The enemy is the man who paints that picture in order to divide and rule. Having said this, the road to Obasanjo’s house in Ota Ogun state is a death trap despite his multiple years in government.

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How we Became Unemployed By Seun Onigbinde

There was a time in this country when telephone was a prime luxury. My Dad lived in Lagos and only one Mr Ade owned a telephone line 825037 on the street. So I called Lagos from Ibadan hoping my dad will be around and someone hadn’t padlocked the phone. But we are witnesses of rapid change in our life as a result of boom in the telecomm sector. How in over ten years we have moved from an abysmal 400, 000 lines to 83 million lines? It is to the credit of Olusegun Obasanjo and Ernest Ndukwe that we have seen this boom but that they have left NITEL to stink is a matter for another day. I am concerned with the value chain analysis of the telecoms sector and the impact on jobs.


When the telecoms sector came in, there was massive boom in banking and structuring facilities for them (jobs), then you have to print recharge cards (jobs). Someone has to distribute recharge cards along the retail and wholesale level (jobs). I have more than seven spots on my streets that sell recharge cards on my phone if we extrapolate that nationwide that will equal millions of jobs. Not neglecting that I can use my ATM, mobile or web because someone sits the server end (jobs). Then the companies have to do advertising, network expansion through local contractors, excavates the sites, cleaners, security agents to man offices and masts (jobs), someone imports telecoms equipment, there is a clearing and forwarding agent, then someone starts a telecomm training center and employs an engineer. MTN thinks of Who wants to be a millionaire contracts it to an event manger (jobs), event manager guy looks for ushers, skilled cameraman, animation experts. Can you ever think of how many schools have been built, CSR projects and jobs such as customer service officer, tower riggers, mobile app developers, network engineer, phone retailers and much more? These were lost jobs of the past when we were obsessed with NITEL but a simple government policy backed by law made this happen.


Now let’s take the analysis of the oil that we have and don’t refine, the land we own that we don’t till or the iron that we have and can’t make steel. With facts I am sure of, it is estimated that, about US$910mn, on a monthly basis, was expended to import refined petroleum product in 2010. In the same year, the country earned an estimated average monthly income of US$3.5b, translating that about 26% of total oil earnings for the year goes out of the economy to settle the purchases of refined petroleum product! Why would our last refinery be built in the early 80s? Why would after the firesale of OBJ technically deficient refineries, Yaradua reversed it and we still have not moved an inch to building even cottage or modular refineries.


You extract oil and government takes full taxes on the oil its people would use. Then you pay a foreign shipping line to take it to Ivory Coast or anywhere and then the foreign government takes all the taxes and duties for the import. The refineries get the oil refined but will surely do it with a profit (the cost to be borne by Nigerians). Rather than we profit from the residue of oil needed by plastics, petrochemical and other allied industries, we pay the shipping company back to bring only petrol, kerosene and diesel separately back to us. Then our customs and others take full import duties charges at our ports. When oil fluctuates due to the madness of Ghaddafi, the costs of subsidies rise as well for Nigerians. Rather than us build lasting structures for refining, we create a short circuit founded on patronage and about N785bn was estimated to have been spent on petroleum subsidy in 2010. At very export of the crude oil, we have also exported direct and indirect jobs. We sold the job of the fresh engineering graduate, the nimble accountant, the KPMG auditor, the recharge card seller, the canteen woman, the technician with three kids in school.

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Fix Education, Redeem the Nation! by Lanre Olagunju

Education is admirable and its importance in a multinational state with a population of over 140 million, with a federation of 36states and Federal Capital Territory with over 350 languages like Nigeria can’t be overemphasized. Transformation of the mind and economy will only remain a frightening vision without a quality structure of either formal or informal education or at best both.

The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has stated clearly that the main responsibility of the Federal government in basic education is in the sphere of policy formulation, coordination and monitoring.

The federal government is solely responsible for the funding of the tertiary institutions, anyway, the unity schools and technical colleges benefit from the direct control of the federal government as well. A great mass of our secondary schools are under the domain of state government including a considerable proportion of the nation’s tertiary institution. Local governments are saddled with the managerial responsibility for primary education. Nevertheless, both state and federal government exercise appropriate oversight functions from time to time.

Though Primary and junior secondary education constitutes basic education that is free and compulsory, yet you would rather feel at home in any of the Nigerian prisons be it Kirikiri or panti than these ‘supposed to be’ places of learning.


The only question you may want to ask is if this is truly a class or an asylum.

Before now every single community in the country has got a customary pattern of educating its people and this traditional pattern of education safeguards socialization and inter-generational transmission of cultural heritage.

Considering that Islam and Christianity religion are both foreign. At the arrival of the Islamic religion, the indigenous method of educating was infused with the Islamic system and that was solely responsible for the highly sophisticated, organized and literary evolution in Islam oriented region. The advent of the Christian missionary brought western education, though it never received a cheerful embrace in areas of strong Islamic influence while areas with strong Christianity influence embraced the new form of education. Till date, the educational imbalance between the two areas can be greatly attributed to this historical occurrence.


The English weather-like changeability that Nigeria economy has suffered over the decades has largely rubbed on the educational sector. During the oil boom era, centralization was introduced into the country’s education policy and very ambitious but short-lived expansion programs were embarked upon by government with the objective of increasing access to all the levels of education. This was an era when Nigeria had an annual GDP of 6.2%, although 90% accounted for oil. During this oil boom, government conveniently intervened in all aspect of education, so our education sector was vibrant though the vibrancy suffered a natural death at the end of the oil boom in the 70’s when our short sighted government became terribly broke and then household poverty went northward.



Consequently, poor families couldn’t send their children to school, either because school was too expensive to afford or because the return on education wasn’t encouraging. The volume of drop out increased, and children couldn’t but become vital utensils to fetch extra- income for the family upkeep. In fact, the nation admitted that it has over 10million children out of the school system. Report from a research study on open Apprenticeship scheme revealed some of the reasons why some kids don’t attend school include poverty, desire for work so as to earn a quick living.




The epileptic state of government controlled education birthed the intervention of more private participation in education delivery. Nigeria has a country has fulfilled almost all of the index of a failed state and no doubt the educational sector isn’t any better. After all, pictures don’t lie. Since our leaders don’t have their children in public schools or even in private schools in the country but the very expensive ones in the United States and the UK we can’t but keep crying over spilled milk. In 2003, during campaign for governorship elections the former Anambra state governor, Mr. Peter Obi did all he could to influence voters to his side by promising to bring back his children to Nigeria from England to attend public schools as a proof for his love for Nigeria. Did he fulfill the promise? Your guess is as good as mine.


The federal executive council has established six new universities in each of the country’s geopolitical zones in order to bridge the admission gap for students seeking universities admission. Last year alone, only 527,000 out of 867, 000 candidates who actually met the cut off mark for the UTME could gain admission into the university. Infact, the entire university system can only accommodate less than 20% of those seeking admission into our almost ruined universities. Its crystal clear that there is huge absence of planning, monitoring and investment in a sector so vital to the human capital development.


Since the 90’s till now, the funding of the tertiary education sector has been awkward, since different administration showed preference for other priorities including personal gratification having a larger than life share. It’s so terrible that allocations can’t cater for salaries and allowances of personnel. Libraries and laboratories are now in a shadow of themselves. Within 1962 and 2002 the total number of student’s enrollment skyrocketed from 2000 to 500,000 without an equivalent provision for expansion of infrastructure. The idea of creating 44 more universities, starting with the first six isn’t a poor one itself but the question is, is it not like treating a symptom while nurturing the disease?, considering that the five main challenges facing Nigeria universities are poor funding, quality, access, relevance of programmes and university governance and management. Consequently, employers are bitter that majority of Nigerian university graduates are unemployable. Or how else do you describe a B.Sc holder whose interview had to be conducted in pidgin English or in local language? Since that’s the only safe way the company could safeguard its building from oral bombs before ventilating the "we would get back to you" phrase.

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Free Market System Would Free Africa by Lanre Olagunju

Despite the surplus that dwells plenteously on its fertile land, regarding the abundance of human capital, Africa, being the second largest of Earth’s seven continents, covering 23 percent of the world’s total land area and containing 13 percent of the world’s population still, Africa pursues traditional subsistence activities, which continues to provide sustenance for the majority of Africans. Till date, in spite of increasing levels of industrialization in many countries, Africa’s raw materials are exclusively being produced primarily for export. It’s crystal clear that being blessed is not enough. Countries like Niger and Nigeria among others boast of a whole lot of unexploited natural resources yet to be utilized.

Africa is rich in nature but richer in corruption, richer in customized and modern serfdom, richer in deceitfulness in government. Therefore, the benefits of freedom and equality that free market economy provides cant but remain alien to Africa.

Through deliberate reform or violent fight back, most of African nations won independence in the 1950s and 1960s. The colonial era is gone and long forgotten but many African nations have spent their post colonial era trying various forms of failed government with Marxism and military rule reigning longest? Of all the several effects of slavery, which Africa had more than enough to muster; the slavery of the mind is the greatest. Slaves don’t have the rights to think on their own or experiment new ideas, slaves don’t own anything, slaves don’t invest or buy because they have been bought. This is the only effective method slave masters use in retaining lordship over their subjects. Consequently, tyranny in government in the post colonial era is a carryover from the colonial era which is long over but with seemingly everlasting effect.



Over dependence on foreign aid and ‘kleptocratic’ governmental mismanagement is destroying Africa faster than the after effects of war. Or how else does one explain that funds gotten from foreign aids are been siphoned by government officials or at best, spent on things the funds have no business with.

A number of projects don’t see the light of the day while many die an unusual death even before maturity. Why? Over 80% of the funds goes into buying cars, office furniture, meetings, entertainment and the rest of the belly turning expenses that has got no business with the funds in the first place. This is a usual occurrence in Africa and the main reason poverty has become a second nature.

It’s worth noting that despite increasing population, food production has increased by 90% all over the world and this has got a ripple effect on real food price so as to decline by 75% in the last five decades. Unfortunately, many African nations are alien to greater agricultural productivity, internal economic freedom, international trade, a market system without over burdening government intervention, free financial market; which are all factors that brought about such a phenomenal transformation in world food production.

The most successful set of ground rules for coordinating economic activities is the system of protected private property rights which also include the protection of life and limbs and more importantly a private autonomy to compete under the rule of law. This also is out rightly absent and void in many African nations. Public policy normally do not co-ordinate human conduct as good as free market. Albert Einstein couldn’t have said it better when he said “everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labour in freedom” many traditional collective pursuits such as the provision of water or electricity are nowadays satisfied more effectively by competing private providers.

A critical study of India’s economy reveals that over population, colonial exploitation, pervasive corruption, chaotic democracy, high illiteracy, anti-materialism and fatalistic culture is not solely responsible for India’s poverty rather absence of economic freedom.

A country with a per capita income of US$500 and about US$3100 in purchasing power parity is no doubt a poor one. But India is rich in potential, powered and driven by ordinary uneducated people who have mastered and outlived the excessive involvement of government and byzantine policy which pedals every aspect of the India economy since 1950.

In the 1930s, India emerged one of the developing countries in the world to manufacture automobiles, but interestingly these inventions are made by poor illiterates. Rather than support and encourage such brilliant innovation, the law requires an unaffordable cost to test run such invention. None of these vehicles currently qualify for registration and they aren’t permitted to move on public road under the law. What a law! Consequently, India has one of the lowest densities of vehicles in the world but being a pluralistic democracy, it’s pretty easier to bend this tortuous and anti-developmental regulation. Besides automobile industry, the IT revolution birthed by the vibrant informal sectors is also facing stifling growth due to excess taxation and detrimental government policies, same goes for other economic sector in India.

The relentless and dogged people of India have made it known that consumers are willing to pay for reliable services like electricity, education, automobiles, pay television and the rest. Also, given the opportunity and conducive environment, entrepreneurs can expose the myths of natural monopoly even in sectors as conventional as electricity.

The wrong notion that markets will only thrive amongst developed infrastructure has been proved mistaken by the informal economy sector of India. The reality is that wealth is accumulated through markets and not necessarily a prerequisite for markets to exist.

The revolution and transformation Africa longs for and desire might never materialize until the resurrection and proper use of her dead capital. An estimated $9.3trillion of dead capital exists in developing and former communist countries and these are assets that got the potential to initiate surplus production and increase productivity if adequately maximized. Wealth has to be created in Africa and the most appropriate way is to create incentive for individuals to do so. Free market is the path out of poverty.

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FROM ME TO YOU by Lanre Olagunju

Let me start my expressing my heartfelt gratitude to all those who made my day on the third of June, which is precisely four days ago. Men! You guys made me feel like a celebrity that I am… or did I hear you say potential celeb? As I write, I struggle with the urge to mention names of those who made this precious but simple me feel like a star. No superstar. But since the list is an endless one, just permit me say a golden thank you to you all. And to those who forgot there would always be a next time. I understand. This is my simple gift to everyone, including you, and it’s from me to you. It’s revealing a part of me. Enjoy.

“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happened to them all”. In these seemingly unfair but just words I solace and build my arsenal for constructive optimism. Exactly two decades and five years ago, I vacated the heavens, though with no choice of choosing my location, neither was I encumbered with the responsibility of picking a race like no one was. But this I do and do conscientiously too, I remind myself always of what I must become, because presently there is a robust distinct between the content of my production manual and my present performance.

With every beginning you would agree that there is most times an element of shapelessness, obscurity, and emptiness, just like the initial case of planet earth where we all now dwell and reside. Nevertheless, the incentive for the mishap of past years dwells in the confidence that tomorrow is absolutely incomparable to the present. Anyway I’m armed with the knowing that each day unravels the destiny I hold in high esteem, and I’m quite fortunate to realize early enough that it’s absolutely my responsibility and mine alone to strengthen and fortify myself, since I've got the intelligence that “no one owes you nothing”. This singular factor I know will make me; because it first changed my perception therefore I can truly say it has changed my life.

As the full glimpse of how the beginning began fades bit by bit, I can only crave that some memories shed off me as the process of ecdysis in reptiles. I sometimes ask how come I still maintain a healthy self esteem, despite all that a particular aunt did to ensure that I look very miserable while I stayed under the nose of my parents. In case aunty ever gets to read this, I’m saying this because I've forgiven you but that I haven’t forgotten.

Many friends feel I should just have my name as Lanre, but I so much nurse the apprehension that the name would lose its beauty and meaning since the richness of a name dwells in its full pronunciation. -so I think! By a way of digression, have you ever considered if your name has got any effect on you? I’m African and I think mine does. I long realized that in my case, the end is most times the compensation of the seemingly unpleasant or cloudy beginning. However, things just get better and better over time with little or sometimes no effort.



Let me open you to one of my very deep secret as long as you promise that I can trust you with my life. After all we all have secrets. This crime I have committed so well. See, despite that I claim to be a celibate at twenty five; I spent the ingenuous days of my life in the warm arms of another man’s wife. To this effect, for every reason under the sun I would choose the person of my mum over and over again. Though if I must confess, there were times I considered her as over demanding, due to her endless list of dos and donts. Heavens knows that words like “jeki baba e de” meaning your dad will handle your punishment at his return sends shivers all over my spine just at their ventilation. I dread these words much more than anything I can ever remember, at least as I write. The feeling of fear and unease can be compared to the cold that runs through the spinal column of a young promising folk who has just been informed that his new status includes ‘positive to HIV’.

If you ask me I would sincerely say that I know better and truly I do. Lanre now understands that she was only trying to emphasize and re-emphasize why we must uphold good character at all times. Can I trust you again? She mustn’t hear this o. Even till now I still considered some of her nagging as over-reacting. Nevertheless, I remain her number one fan.

I’m pretty detailed and analytical, and that can sometimes be quite irritating. I want to know all the whys and why nots before venturing into anything. That makes me worry than an average person does. And the mind you will agree is a remarkable mechanism. The ability of the mind to fulfill intricate tasks with such an amazing speed is notoriously incredible. When I say “what could be wrong?” like I often ask myself. The invisible me compiles and cross reference a list of results just like Google does. A list comprising of things I should have done that I didn’t or things that I should have done better, and in other cases, things that I should have avoided. All of this crops up at a blinding speed. Being the kind that frequently looks out for that which is unfixed so I can fix, my brain succeeds at each point to shower me with a countless list of things I should be worried about and that sometimes, sincerely, dumps me in a perfect state of madness even amidst sanity. Any way am gradually getting over it through personal therapy.



I’ve got so much trust in God, infact he’s a friend who also doubles as a lover. A lover who has been conscious of me while I was unmindful of Him, this lover cum super friend has lent dignity to my existence. In fact I’ve been blinded by the brightness of wholesome affection. In His seeming “foolishness” I have found deep wisdom and direction, in His arms have I found incorruptible affection.

Lanre speak faster than he naturally can. So it makes me sound like a stammer because I may have to repeat my sentences all over again at a slower pace. So I can be clear. But thank God I’m not. I have a great taste for high flying life. I love the red carpets and the green ones too. I use to be among those who say guys shouldn’t wear a chain, but these days I carry one around my neck round the clock. The sentimental feeling behind this particular one i'm wearing broke my long time belief, and also opened my taste for quality neck ornament because if it is not gold it won’t stay.

I have repeatedly failed at several attempts to get out of the poor rat race legally, that I’ve failed before is the reason why I will attain legally. Am contended with what I have and also with what I don’t have. I just don’t feel less important that I can’t afford the blackberry of my choice. But I feel deeply insecure when I know or feel that I don’t just know enough. I studied hydrology, only to discover later that I have a natural knack for psychology and the social sciences. I love to study people and relate their experiences and exposure to why they behave differently. But since it is erroneously believed that the smartest kids should be in the sciences, I headed for the sciences. Anyway, I’m gradually tracing my steps.

Against all insinuations that am overtly extroverted. I know that I could be quite shy at times. The real me that others don’t get to see just wants to stay indoor as long as I can, burying my nose in one book or the other or better still stare at my notepad all day either writing or reading as if my whole life depends on it.

I cherish two categories of people, the intelligent ones and the sincere ones. I tolerate the unintelligent though you don’t get to learn much from them. But I hate those who are not sincere or those who feel they can always cunningly outsmart others. A good number of my friends will ever remain big share holders in my success. Infact some of them can’t get me offended anymore, less they take my woman…lol. I’ve been blessed by the content of their intellect and in every sense I am better for it. There’s this particular one who has an amazing ability to help me overcome my flaws and some of my inadequacies. We’ve stayed long enough together to be referred to as twin brothers. And indeed he is. And there is another who makes me feel that I've got a lot to do and that I haven’t started despite that I’m just as unique as he is. I call him a workaholic and really he is.

I love people, but I love little children more, there is no point trusting the former blindly, because of its grave consequences, but for the latter I’m always fascinated by their pride in simplicity and ability to forgive before been offended.

I can’t wait to behold Daniel and Daniela though I sometimes wish that kids give birth to their mothers….lol. I’m not taking any girl serious for now due to simple yet complex reasons I don’t want to discuss. I’ve got many good and fantastic female friends, anyway some are seen and others are unseen (thanks to the internet). And there exist some that I love them enough not to love them at all . But for this marriage thing, since they say it’s more of endurance and tolerance it brings me more fear than a promise of bliss.

I love to talk and some are of the opinion that I’m talkative; I love those with a wicked sense of humor because I love to laugh and love to make others laugh too, someone said I have a smiling face and therefore nicknamed me‘Ismaila’. I lived with anointed dissers in my first and second year in the university, there and then I learnt to diss intelligently and harmlessly too.

That I belong to a family where babies die at eighty-plus is the guarantee that I would be around for a long time. But somehow I sincerely always nurse this fear of growing old not for death sake. ‘Abeg!’ but because of my set goals and their timing. I’ve always wondered where I was when young and brilliant folks like the Chude Jideonwos, Debola Williams, Tosin Otitojus, and Toyosi Akereles of this world started out with life while their peers were fascinated with childish fantasies. I'm more knowledgeable not to compare myself to others, other than be inspired by their mind blowing achievements. Larry will succeed and you too.

Cheers folks like mum will endlessly say. It’s well.

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JIGAWA BAWO! By Lanre Olagunju

That we compulsorily recited all the states and capitals in Nigeria every school day for six years in primary school didn’t stop me from checking Jigawa state on Google as if it was a new word.

Talking about primary school reminds me of those early days of schooling, and if you ask me I still feel that those naïve days left a more enjoyable memory in my schooling memoir. This were times when you just wanted to do everything practically possible to be on top of the competition, either at answering questions in class or copying notes from the chalkboard. Nobody wants to be wooed by fellow colleagues or be nicknamed by the super talented dissers. Besides that, it’s pretty smart and canny to avoid the heavy and torrential effect of the teacher’s cane or ‘Uncle’ like we most times refer to our male teachers.

But for many reasons which I just feel I shouldn’t bug you with, at least for now. I didn’t really have too many long lasting or terrific memories while in the university. Really if I must confess, I was already tired of staying in school in my second year. I lost the desire to do sciences. However, I couldn’t but patiently and endlessly wait to complete my program which lasted almost six years instead of five academic years-no thanks to incessant strikes.

At the end of my final exams and project I was so glad. Partly because it was over but majorly because I can now desperately pursue my real life.

When it was time for clearance and other related documentations, I felt very reluctant to return to school. Some parts of my brain (whether left or right now I can’t tell) already attached inconvenience to school. The feeling is quite mixed anyway, mixed in the sense that, I always wanted to see my junior colleagues and more importantly draw strength from a place called Father’s House, in Abeokuta. This place is overly more dangerous than Okija shrine yet it’s a place where friends meet friends and we all meet Jesus. Like I most times say, I attended Fathers House but ironically graduated from University of Agriculture Abeokuta.

Just as there can’t be rain without clouds, also, without clearance there would be no call-up letter and without a call up letter no youth service. Therefore, I had to return to school after delaying my clearance for almost forever.

That curious filled afternoon, I could remember laughing heartily like I most times do. This time it was at a particular friend who has remained closer to me than my inner wears. I told him that how can he be so unfortunate to have been posted to Gombe state. Oh you need to see me pour scorn on my very good friend who was doing everything practically possible not to express his shock. But little did I know that he who laughs last laugh best.

At the site of my yellow card called Call up letter, my blood pleasure lost regulation and everyone around me could sense the unrest that travelled from the excess hair strands from my bushy afro down to my socks. I impatiently skipped other details on the letter as I rushed to the bottom where my fate would be revealed. Lo and behold it was Jigawa!

The funniest part was that camp would open in four days and my letter reads that I've been posted to Jigawa but amazingly my journey started first from repeatedly visiting the rest room as if my agenda in-there would make me serve in Lagos like I have always envisaged and proudly ventilated.

Initially I felt filling my empty belly with so much food would heal my empty yet heavy heart, I didn’t just lose my composure, I lost my wild appetite too. I couldn’t figure out how long the journey would take but friends and family who called me increased my blood pressure, they said stuffs like “Jigawa Bawo ” meaning why Jigawa? Others said ‘just ensure you redeploy after three weeks you can’t afford to stay in the north’. All of these just made me uncontrollably restless. But amidst this hullabaloo the positive side was that some had enough sympathy that they made me smile as their pockets and wallets brought a measure of calmness to my restlessness.

I travelled with one of the luxurious buses well known for plying the north. Meeting a fellow Corps at the Otto Park reduced the tension and helped raise some excitement after realizing that we shared the same Alma-Mata.

The overwhelming desire for more money by this transport company brought a promising looking journey to an abrupt halt when we got to somewhere around Berger, an outskirt of Lagos. Though there were few unoccupied sits here and there in the bus, but till now I can’t still understand why the bus crew took in passengers from the road side till there was no passage anymore in the bus, not considering that they could freely pick up robbers who actually have no precise destination. Anyway, my research revealed that it’s a tradition and that the act of picking up passengers on the road side and ensuring that the bus is filled till there is no air space is called ‘attachment’. A slight ethnic war almost commenced between those of us whose comfort had been thwarted and those who came in as attachments, as many attaches were northerners returning to Kano, you really need to see human beings hang and lean by the sit sides, on a journey that lasted over eighteen hours. Infact many sat on the floor.

Traveling via road engendered me with the opportunity of viewing the vast but un-maximized land that Nigeria has. Truly I could see for myself that Nigeria is so big and blessed though, for obvious reasons we don’t look it. Right from Zaria I could sense the temperature difference, I later discovered that the further we travel the hotter it becomes.

Gumel where Jigawa uses as NYSC camp has such a funny weather, during the day you can’t tell what exactly angers the sun that its pours out its venom angrily on the people of Gumel. The dusty wind wasn’t all that friendly, incredibly, even when your mouth is well closed, you just can’t tell how sand particles navigate their ways into your mouth and clothed body.

The camp experience was fun; it did two things for me; it made me admire the military the more especially in terms of discipline, strength, respect, bravery, and co-ordination. Secondly it was an opportunity to mix and interact with other graduates from different cultural and social background.


larigold


Going to the parade ground in the morning is an experience I wish lasted a lifetime. It’s so cool to jug with other colleagues while chanting funny songs that has the morale to raise the dead. I sometimes wonder what inspired those songs, they indeed boost morale especially when you respond to them sharply like they require. But I never loved going for parade in the afternoon or evening, you need to see Corps members faint on parade ground due to the venom of the sun which causes dehydration, cum dusty wind that blows sand particles even into your blood vessels. For the flies they can be so disrespectful, they go as far as kissing your dry and broken lips and that can be very annoying. At a point the regimented lifestyle became boring and the incessant sound of the bugle for boring lectures became nauseating. One singular thing I would also not forget camp for is the opportunity it afforded me to express my artistic cravings.


from L-R Teddy, Grampolo, Ibekwe, larigold


I took lead roles in dance and drama for my platoon (platoon three), I was able to work with brilliant young people who have studied theater art, and others who were just talented actors like myself. We came first in dance and second in drama and this made me feel cool all through camp. But annoyingly many folks didn’t get to know my real name because I was called by my stage name-Baba Bayo all through camp.


from L-R Grampol,Ibekwe, Larigold

It was another opportunity for me to make new friends especially the female ones since I went with big fishing nets. Though, it wasn’t all that easy when many relationships got terminated as a result of posting to different Places of Primary Assignment.

We weren’t informed of our participation as ad-hoc INEC staffs not until our second week in camp and I could remember that during training I asked that what security measure is in place for Corps members but sadly, no assuring or concrete response came.

The National Youth Service Corps, which is a brainchild of Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s administration in 1973, has brought so much call on the Federal government by a critical mass of the population to either review or scrap the scheme. The involvement of Corps members in the election wasn’t a bad idea in itself considering that many are serving outside their state, but while INEC was trying to achieve the utmost goal of having a free and fair election, it never paid attention to the doubt that existed on the minds or Corps members and their parents on security. No thanks, national salute or removal of hair dress to our northern brothers who cleared our doubt vehemently. All Nigerians, most importantly Corps members will agree with me that the executive governor of Bauchi state need attend a school of public speaking.

It’s sad enough that this jobless, illiterate and impoverished youth who are not of so much economic importance to the nation killed scores of vibrant, young educated people who have got more than the potential to birth the New Nigeria that we all crave for.

I rigorously pondered on the issue of scrapping the scheme and I almost agreed. In my opinion I think a review free of selfishness, greed and sentiment would be better. Because I realize that it’s a fundamental tool to promote unity among the educated young Nigerians who are saddled with the bigger than life responsibility of re-birthing our soiled and comatose nation.

I use this medium to salute all the 2010 and 2011 batch A youth Corpers and the ever brave and effective Nigerian Army for the bravery and response to the patriotic call with discipline and zest. After all, it’s this generation of Corpers that brought about the electoral revolution of almost free and fair election

Am getting more informed about the northern part of Nigeria and the peculiar issues that prevail. I now see no reason why Nigeria should be called a developing Nation since I now know that Nigeria doesn’t only comprise of Victoria Island in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja. In addition I’m also learning the Hausa language so fast so I can speak as fluent as I can before next February.

To all the national heroes who lost their lives during the last election I say may your heroic soul rest in peace. I also pray recovery of mind and soul to all their loved ones.

At this point I rest my case.

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10 months old kidnapped Enioluwa Odegbaike is back and better

I bless God with all that dwells within me at the amazing and splendid news of Eniola’s peaceful return.

Exactly seven days ago my heart was heavy and injured at the news of this missing baby. I had to join the prayer chain and read out the confession that was made available on the blog where I read the sad news.

I’m more delighted because it’s a show that God answers prayer.

How else can I start a new month? In fact, it’s like winning a trophy
Congratulations to the entire nation but most importantly the family of Odegbaike.

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Condom or Conduct? Conclusion! Written by Lanre Olagunju

The fact that parent neglect this singular responsibility is a reason why some started out too soon. Mike (not real name), my addicted friend, narrated that his uncontrollable sexual craving wasn’t his entire fault. He started out a daily sexual routine before seven with an obsessed maid servant. He’s now a little over 24 and he finds it pretty hard to concentrate on other smart areas of life. After all, sex isn’t everything.


At the onset, as teenagers, many just wanted to experiment. But, now that it’s known how sweet the forbidden fruit tastes…who will stay stop? The chances to abuse or misuse a particular product is mountainous if knowledge of the product is without insight. For instance, an out-rightly able person might foolishly reduce an umbrella to a walking stick even on a Sunny day or while its rains cat and dog.



The craving for love has made many young ladies especially, more sacrificial than they should averagely be. You will be shocked that even some of this though talking, tall and heavy ladies with the ‘I can seduce you right now and pretend to never know you’ idea, just want to be sincerely loved and cared for.


Whether it’s a man’s world or not, the truth remains that in cases such as this ladies are most times on the receiving end. No lady can be sexually active enough to impregnate a guy… lai lai! Be it accidental discharge or whatever! Besides, this same wolf -like guys are the ones who sow their white seeds on every available porous soil and still wants a very tight and decent girl for a wife. Ladies wise up!


If you naturally don’t have the urge to make sexual expressions, or probably you really don’t know that it’s just cool to wake up strong as a guy or nurse some itches as a lass. Then so many things might be wrong all at the same time. But must we give ourselves to every urge that comes our way. If we check and analyze critically, is sex a need or a want? When our genitals are yet to start thinking independently (and you know at such point they can be very disobedient…lol), or when agro is out (like we guys call it). Yes, I mean that which is responsible for the goose pimples in the brain and perhaps, when not considering child birth, clearly you realize that it’s just a desire. After all, sex doesn’t pay bills.




Oh less I forget and sound un-witty or less intelligent I remember that some ladies live large in school and get marks at the expense of their body. Even older women shag their boss for promotion with the self consolation that it’s just shag. When we look into ourselves deeply with the mirror or self respect and dignity we just know that it’s more than that.




Gold circle or no Elegance! There are some rules that break us when we bend them. Since we can’t reduce a global village to a religious one-(even God won’t). Therefore, it would be out rightly uncalled for to advocate against condoms after all, they are primarily birth control measures. Advocating or campaigning against them is just like throwing away the baby with the bath water. But the media hasn’t helped in some ways. When the condom adverts go on air, all they emphasize is ‘if you must do it use a condom’ without any age restriction. If there are age restrictions for driving, for taking alcohol and cigarette, and they ventilate them in their adverts, shouldn’t there be one for condoms too? If no, then I would rather advocate that once babies are born, we should gleefully present them with several cartons of condoms and place it carefully by their cot side right from the labour room, so they can’t but grow to become faithful users of condoms till death… ptschew!



Anyway if you must give away your ice cream generously like Father Christmas or as a lady, eat or drown in every Mr. Biggs at every now and then or perhaps you just feel it’s cool to uphold didactic values. Importantly, we all should Know like Newton stated that “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. Some will be seen others will be unseen!




The tale that everybody is doing it is not just true; there still exist some who don’t feel that being hyper sexually active makes us special or that meeting a person and shagging them that same day is serious achievement.


Ashamedly, we practically live in times where nothing is either right or wrong. Everything is relative like we intelligently put it. But our core values as individuals helps to decide what is right and what is wrong, because in us all is a whore and a celibate but when we determine to make the right decision a divine force bigger than us all helps us with our determination. It is more fulfilling to make conscious effort to uphold great values of integrity and strong self worth, rather than live a life that isn’t out rightly ours carelessly.

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Condom or Conduct? Written by Lanre Olagunju

Apparently, there seems to be an unwritten law of parenting deep rooted in zilch-nothing but shame and secrecy. African parents can be too shy or should I say too religious to discuss the sensual gratification that brought about their existence and that of their wards. And sadly enough, our society is not better for it.


The existence and obedience to this un-rooted law shows when parents avoid sex related questions like a plague. It’s obvious too when they use irrelevant and digressional words to quench imperishable questions from kids. Little do they know that those questions won’t cease until a satisfying answer is procured. Unfortunately, youngsters get those answers from external sources-most times equally
naive friends.



Can you recollect seeing romance scenes in movies and you ask ‘mum what are they doing’? And all you get is a “shot up!" Or Perhaps you get to hear something like “don’t mind them they are doing rubbish”. You probably would have revolted if you knew better, that how can what brought about your existence be termed ‘rubbish’? A friend once told me that his mum would rather say they are fighting. And that kept him wondering for like ever. Anyway, the boxing ring looks close to a bed- isn’t it?


I’m not blind to the fact that such questions catch parents unaware, but after the first occurrence I think a premeditated line with little details which should be upgraded as the child grows older should have been readily primed. Till date, I never got the opportunity of being talked to on this subject matter; I wasn’t instructed not to start too soon or when to start at all. And in fact at this point it’s absolutely late.


But how long shall we continue to keep sacred that which is ever paramount on our minds and expect the right knowledge to abound? Or how much more shall we talk less about sex and sexuality, knowing fully well that it’s one of those integral and crucial parts of our lives that affect other different aspect of our complex being.

In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s Alfred Kinsey published a research of over 15 years of intense study in human sexual behavior. His studies revealed that approximately 95% of males and 60% of females had masturbated at one point or the other. (Hey! This result is no justification for you to stay longer in the bathroom o…lol). The long and short is that we all are sexual beings (including youngsters). Dejectedly, parents are either too late to discover this reality or as the case may be, some never want to admit that reality.


This shyness of a thing is evident when mum sings words like “remember the son of whom you are”, when you are probably leaving home for the very first time, just as if the family name is such a difficult one to spell, pronounce or remember. Since the proverb is all -encompassing like parents will always rightly say, little do they know that this proverb is most time decoded by young people to mean everything including ‘study well at school so you can have the best of grades, that can at least guarantee you a good job (into the rat race). It also means keep good company and the host of other do’s and don’ts, including please o don’t start indulging in sex till marriage o… and if you must, please use a condom, and even when you fail to use it in cases of quickie or excessive ‘agro’ or whatsoever reason under the sun, just pray and ensure that she doesn’t get pregnant/ or you don’t get pregnant. You know I and your father are well respected in the community and we are also leaders in church/mosque too. I don’t want wahala (trouble) o’.


Hello! Who is wrong or who is correct, the coder or the decoder? The answer is, will you tell an all- encompassing proverb to get rescue from emergency when you dial 911 or the fire station? Pardon me that am answering a question with another question that’s one of those things that makes me Nigerian you know…lol

P.S. watch out for the concluding part of this piece or do I say part two like they say in Nollywood movies…lol. It will be posted in less than 48hours, In fact the discussion has just started. Thank you

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Capitalism is A Moral Philosophy Part 2. Written by lanre Olagunju

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, MOVEMENT, AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP
Political freedom, legal freedom, social freedom and economic freedom are all inter-reliant. Freedom of speech is meaningless if the media‘s right to publicize facts that reveals the shortcomings of the existing administration is thwarted. In a free state, social relationships are voluntary and results from the volition of individuals to decide who and who not to relate with. In an unfree society, the rights of citizens to relate are also severely regulated.



POWER STRUGGLE
The three political fundamentals of a free society are democracy, limited government and decentralization of government. If government were adequately limited, it would depoliticize life and reduce the cruel struggle for power as it is in Africa. However, the greater the power of government, the greater the endless pursue for power.

ECONOMIC FREEDOM REDUCES POVERTY
The biggest reformers were communist in china and the south union, protectionist in Latin America and nationalist in Asia. Over half a century ago, the soviet rule commanded their subject to be patient for the sake of industrializing the nation. Unfortunately, though surprisingly too, the soviet Russia hasn’t been able to impressively feed her citizens till date.

Longevity of the human live with accompanying sound health is connected with the decline of a serfdom oriented society. The occurrence of great famine disaster has also shrunken drastically, largely as a result of the spread of democracy. In all of these centralized and authoritarian states incidence of starvation has been practically recorded, be it communist state, the colonial rule, technocrat dictatorship or the ancient tribal society.



Amartya Sen carefully observed that there has never been a famine or starvation related disaster in a democracy not even in countries like Botswana and India with poor democracy. Directly or indirectly, democracy has succeeded in avoiding starvation.

It’s crystal clear that the current food challenge isn’t related to overpopulation rather famine is caused by dictatorship, induced by immoral leaders who desperately fulfill their desire to destroy trade and production. Or how else do you describe a situation whereby rulers ignore the cries and agony caused by starvation only to concentrate on metal weapon for war.



CONCLUSION
Capitalism is the only moral social system, reason that it is the only system that respects the freedom of the producers to think and the right of an individual to set his or her own goal and pursue his own happiness to the max. The ability of a man to govern his own affairs and exercise his freedom without being bounded by the chains and fetters of boundaries, laws and mendacity is the only genuine way to explain freedom. Any scheme of government that sacrifices freedom of the mind or soul in any form to society is a system of slavery and serfdom. Also, whatsoever system that sacrifices thinking to coercion is a system of brutality, cruelty and violence.

The foundational concept which characterizes a free and un-free society is divergent. In fact, they are mutually incomparable, incompatible and irreconcilable. In most countries of the world, numerous studies revealed that many are against most governmental interventions and polices which elected representatives implement. Oslon’s law explains why representatives are bent on this intervention in the first place. And the only reason is so that they can invariably manipulate government in order to achieve their personal and selfish enterprise.

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