MY INDEPENDENCE MESSAGE....

Happy independence, Nigeria!

Unlike every other year, I am so happy about this year’s celebration, maybe it’s because the Nigerian people and the world generally is gradually falling in love with the ‘Nigerian-thing’.

Dear friends, this is the best time to share ideas, not just drink, eat or sleep. It is more than a holiday. This is the best time for us to look at where we’ve been and decide where we want to be in 1year, 5years, 10years time. It is not up to ‘Aso-Rock’ alone, every Nigerian is a decision-maker as far as our national progress is concerned.

To start with, every nation is ruled by systems. America is said to be the greatest nation on earth; this is because of their systems. No president works all by himself... He is under the rule of systems. Thus, the rot in our system is not personage, it is systemic. Therefore, for a better and more virile Nigeria, the system must be re-worked.

The systemic problem is what has defectively affected the mentality of our people. Up until now, our minds have been conditioned to look up to a central body to take care of us and our needs. The ‘slave-master’ thing is still there... Thus, a married man believes his only responsibility is to impregnate his wife; the rest is left to government.

Our minds have to be reconditioned. The million-naira question is: HOW?

Let’s look at 2 very practical ways....

I have discovered that virtually everybody has passed through both or one of these 2 fundamental systems: the religious system or school system. We have all gone or still going through these systems.

If you carry out a very scrupulous scrutiny, you will discover that a lot of our mental conditioning has been a product of these two systems. The defects in our society are a reflection of the rot and decay in these two systems.

First, the school system must be restructured. Up until now, the school system has made everything UNI-DIRECTIONAL. Students are trained to rely on a central body for their wellbeing and future. Thus, when he fails, there is somebody he throws his blame at. Students are not trained to RESPOND TO THEIR ABILITY, but to rely on other people’s ability... The minds of these young ones are conditioned to worship wealth... Their minds are accustomed to be dependent – the SLAVE MENTALITY... These young ones are trained to shift responsibilities. Since most of us have passed through this system, we were also mentally conditioned same way...

For a change, entrepreneurial thinking has to be taught and emphasized. Responsibility thinking. There is more to life and living than what the system currently offers. These young ones, who are supposed to be the productive strength of the Nation, are so ignorant of what truly works. Like Plato once said: “what you know is infinitesimal compared to your size of ignorance...”

There must be conscious redefinition of standards for redirection for the benefit of the FUTURE.

Each citizen of a nation is an independent idea that can develop this country. This implies that we have over 140million ideas to move this nation forward, this is much! All we need now is for each citizen to express his/her unique being. The reason babies are born every day is because the world is not yet what it should be. There is something every person can contribute, there is. We are the most blessed Nation on the face of the earth, yet we live in the poorest conditions.

How do we move Nigerians forward? Simple! Let every Nigerian be courageous enough to express his unique being. Have a personal dream that will profit you and your country, and fight to make it a REALITY. Despite the several odds - where there is a will, there will be a way. As individuals, we must have the “what can I do” mentality.

Let’s embrace the RESPONSIBILITY mentality – RESPONSE TO ABILITY.

I will talk about the defective religious system tomorrow...

Have a most productive and fulfilling 'independence-day' celebration!

BAD ROLE MODELS

Earlier in the week, we woke up to the news of how the Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Sam Edem, paid a lump sum of money to a sorcerer to perform some divinations that would help gain certain favours from 2 prominent high placed individuals in authority...

Isn't it laughable that a one-time Ambassador can still indulge in such primitive practise in this get age? Voodoo in 2008? Some of our leaders can be so desperate and avaricious for power that they could do and even believe in the most insane things!

In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Agbrebi Akpoebi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), the police said Edem was arrested following an allegation that he paid the sum of N150 million out of an agreed sum of N800 million to one Dr. (?) Perekambowei Oga, a sorcerer.

This was to spiritually influence the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, to award him (Edem) juicy contracts and influence the Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, to give him protection in the event of any problem.

The police also said that the contract involved the killing of the Managing-Director of the NDDC, Timi Alaibe.

According the statement, Edem and his alleged contractor had a disagreement over non-performance and failure to pay the contract sum in full, adding that the case was under investigation.

I am worried, though not surprised. In Nigeria, always be ready for daily [unpleasant] national surprises.

Every tom, dick and harry seems to be castigating this man and calling him all sorts of names. Something in me tells me this guy is not the only person in leadership involve in this form of insanity. I believe somebody introduced this jazzman to him. The sorcerer must have performed one or two ‘operations’ for somebody in government before now, and was thus proven to be authentic for others to ‘use’.
For a man to spend close to 1billion naira on magicians, then he's been in it for long... A gambler doesn't start gambling with millions....
The silent question is, isn't this the medium through which he got the position he is trying desperately to retain?

By the way, why is everybody castigating and reproving him? Could he be the only one involved in this kind of act? No doubt, he must have a bunch of partners in high position of authority.

Where are the high-profile customers of Okija shrine? Where are the powerful politicians who run to India for powers? Where are those who pay ‘prophets’ to pray for them? Where are those that consult all kinds of spiritualists to ‘see’ for them?

This has been the bane of national development: WRONG ROLE MODELS – BAD EXAMPLES!
Questionable characters in high places, ever claiming to love Nigeria more than all of us, yet their acts and hearts speak contradictorily.

What are some of the downsides? The youths in society are tempted to look up to these funny elements as Role Models simply because of the influence and affluence they command; these young ones try to replicate whatever it is they learn from these sadists, and before you know it, everything in the country starts crumbling!

This guy [Sam Edem] is Chairman of a body saddled with the responsibility of developing the long marginalized oil region of Nigeria.... The same Niger Delta whose people is impoverished and is dying daily of hunger and starvation...
Amazingly, their son who everyone thought would bring them hope and manage their resources for them had the audacity to channel such a large sum of their money for voodoo works.... This is a SHAME!

We are told he has been arrested by the police and his sole offense was that he spent a huge amount of money that does not correlate with his income. Isn't voodoo an offense?
To my mind, this is worse than financial corruption.

It is not surprising that most of these greedy politicians have resorted to voodoo, instead of the now popular means of eliminating people - assassination. I think their belief is hinged on the fact that with this latest mode, police investigations will fail.
This is the height of greediness and wickedness! Imagine having men like these as leaders; they will also fake ‘patriotism’ and love for NIGERIA!
Folks, men like these should be treated as National threats. They should be marked as 'bad role models’. They should be treated like outcasts. They should never be given any form of respect since they blew their opportunities to write their names in history books.

I am particularly worried of what may become of this man few months from now. The case of Tafa Balogun, Sunday Ehindero, Iyabo Obasanjo, Ebitimi Banigo and their likes are still fresh in our minds. These guys soiled their hands in various criminal offenses, they were castigated for a while, given little or no punishments and before anyone could say JACK: they were re-absorbed into the highest echelon of leadership in the country.......
I am just hoping this man's case will not be like the rest.

Should his case turn out like the rest, let it be on record that my generation is watching: WE WILL SURELY MAKE A RUBBISH OF GUYS LIKE THESE WHO HEARTLESSLY RUIN THIS NATION AND INCREASINGLY PUSH US BEHIND DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, THEY WILL PAY FOR ALL THEIR ACTS OF WICKEDNESS - they won't be spared, even at old age!

A new generation is springing forth. A generation that will not spare even their fathers for their various contributions to national decay. A generation with sincere compassion and passion for Nigeria’s growth. A generation who will refuse to imbibe the questionable values forcefully handled them by their leaders. A generation that will build the four walls of Nigeria....

This country belongs to all of us!