Nigeria: A Hub Of Opportunity Stalled By Greed. By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Nigeria is the only place we can call our home; we have not another one to brag about if it fails.

The success achieved from the just concluded elections and the level of maturity displayed by the masses, have clearly shown, that Nigerians are on the move. They are ready to match up globally with the league of patriotic nations. The people went to the polls, conducted themselves in a decent manner, cast their votes and remained peaceful even after the declaration of the winners.

No longer can conversations about African democratic stability by the world stable democratic heavyweights be discussed without mentioning Nigeria. Nigeria is a nation on the move with a hub of opportunity. If nations are not looking towards Nigeria, they are missing out an opportunity to be part of and invest in something potentially great.

However, while the masses are tired of delay, and are no longer comfortable standing at a point with no appreciable growth and development, their leaders have been on the contrary. They prefer to keep the nation at a point as long as their greed is satisfied.

Subsidy Must Go; It Has Done More Harm Than Good! By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

 

In December 2011, I was back in Lagos from Umuahai, Abia State, to celebrate the Christmas break with my family and friends. My plan was to go back within the first week of the new year, 2012. I budgeted ten thousand naira (N10,000) for my transport fare both to and fro. The celebration was on and we were still in the mood of celebration, only for the Former President, Goodluck Jonathan to announce the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as Petrol. This removal suddenly increased the price of PMS from N67/L to N145/L consequently inflation hits the economy and everything went excessively expensive.

On getting to the park on the 4th of January 2012, same bus I boarded from Umuahia to Lagos for N3,500, was boarded back to Umuahia for N10,300. This time around it was not about the transport fare, but there were fewer buses that were ready to embark on the journey.

Why Lookest Thou For Change, When Change Is Here? Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Eight days after President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated; a friend called me and asked: Where is the Change President Buhari promised us during his campaign? I responded: Why Lookest Thou For Change, When Change Is Here? I went further and said, Change has begun, haven`t you seen it yet? It started right from the moment President Buhari gave his inaugural speech, when he said: “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”

The message in that statement is obvious. It means; we now have a President that belongs to everybody. Everybody that is ready to act according to the constitution of the country and put the nation first before personal interests. It does not matter their ethnicity, region, religion or political affiliations. A President that belongs to nobody, that cares only about how to plunder the nation at all cost. It also doesn`t matter of what their ethnicity, region, religion or political affiliations is.

Dear President Muhammadu Buhari, Your Time Starts Now! By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

First and foremost, congratulations to you Sir on your election and inauguration as the fourth elected President of the Fourth Republic of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Against all odds, your election has finally proven and shown to many and the world at large that Nigeria is determined to achieve greatness and that with great dedication, commitments and consistency nothing is impossible to achieve.

I must admit, that your ascension to the highest office in the land came at a time when the country is in desperate need of a leader. One devoid of greed and with a strong passion for excellence. It came at a time when everything seems crashing and the centre no longer holding.

However, there is a reason why you were elected, to restore the lost hope to many Nigerians that have believed that it is impossible for anything good to emerge from the country.

By This Time Next Week. By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Fellow Nigerians, this is the time to celebrate, the long awaited change that we`ve patiently waited for is finally here. Even though our celebration seems to be taunted by the ongoing fuel scarcity, but there is no reason to panic. The type of transformation we see today, we shall see no more.

You see, as it stands now, Nigeria seems to be on hold. We are in a dormant stage, like we do not have a president in place and a leader to direct our affairs. And as the looming fuel scarcity goes on, it is logical not to expect a meaningful end to the scarcity not until the inauguration of a new administration is over.

 No one in the presidency has “convincingly” told us what we need to know about the continued scarcity and how they tend to resolve it as soon as possible. It`s quite obvious that President Jonathan no longer feels concerned about whatsoever befall us, even though he never did in the last five years. But by this time next week, it is expected that the story would have changed. A President is expected to be in place and the government shall be on his shoulder. He is the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari.  He is expected to tell us what we need to know about the looming fuel subsidy and put a lasting solution to this failure of government. May be this is exactly the right time to let go of subsidy. Well this is not the topic for today but for another day.

Can We Bring Back “War Against Indiscipline”? By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

In March 1984, a military decree enacted “War Against Indiscipline”, sometimes called WAI, supported by General Muhammadu Buhari and General Tunde Idiagbon. The program's intention was to instil public morality, social order, civic responsibilities in Nigerians, and promote Nigerian nationalism.

One of the objectives of WAI was the encouragement of customers and citizens to line up to board buses and mostly line up or queue for high demand services. Other objectives included the encouragement of women to train their wards, as the culture then considered child raising a predominantly female skill and proper home training would groom future disciplined adults.

The second objective was to encourage hard work, which was introduced in May 1984. This objective like many others was buoyed by the use of government owned media.

While the third and fourth phases focused on patriotism and eradicating economic sabotage and corruption. In July 1985, the General Buhari administration launched environmental sanitation as the fifth phase of the program.

Our Judicial System Is Absurd, The Morbidity Is Becoming Unbearable By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

After my article last week, I had in mind to write on a totally different topic this week. But after a Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State, on Thursday, 30th April, 2015, sentenced Michael Igbinedion, to a six-year jail term or an option of paying N3 million for a N25 billion money laundering related offences, I was forced to write this.

Two convicts and four companies were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before a Federal High court in Benin, Edo State, on an eighty-one (81)-count charge of money laundering during the tenure of Lucky Igbinedion the ex-governor of Edo State.

The two convicts were Michael Igbinedion, a younger brother of the former governor of Edo State and Patrick Eboigbodin an aide to the erstwhile governor.

This Is Why President Jonathan Must Be Probed. By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Justice is served when those that are found guilty of one offence or another are brought to book. It is no longer news that President Jonathan has been alleged to have led the most corrupt government in Nigeria since the beginning of the fourth republic- The many corrupt cases perpetrated under his watch attest to that. Meanwhile, none of the allegations against his regime has been thoroughly investigated and its report made public. And as long as these allegations go unchecked and investigated, it wouldn`t speak well about the credibility of the nation as its quest to fight corruption that has taken over the entire system.

Firstly, President Jonathan must be probed to clear or establish the rumours about him and his administration. Who knows if after probing him he might be exonerated of the allegations against him.

Sanitation, A Key To Healthy Living. By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

More people today are affected by the negative impacts of poor sanitation than by wars, terrorism, natural disasters, and weapons of mass destruction all combined. This is because most of the world’s prevailing and well reported diseases globally such as Malaria, Typhoid, Cholera, Schistosomiasis, Diarrhea, Trachoma, Intestinal worm diseases, just to mention a few are caused by poor sanitation.

Sanitation, as defined by Wikipedia, is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of humans contact with the hazards of waste. Hazards are physical, microbiological, or chemical agents of diseases. While wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal faeces, solid waste, domestic wastewater (sewage water), industrial wastes, and agricultural wastes.

Now Is The Time To Fight Corruption And Strengthen Our Institutions.

Politicians will say whatever it takes to get elected. Every one of them swears they’ll be less corrupt, and less corruptible, than the lot in power.

That is, of course, trivially true, if only because being out of power means you have no power to sell. As long as government power exists, private interests will figure out a way to corrupt it. Everyone has their price; hence, a possible cure for corruption is to elect incorruptible politicians. A more certain cure is to withhold power from them in the first place.

However, when people stand up and take a stand, there is something beautiful and powerful about it. It sends the message that nothing will be done or achieved without their involvement. Furthermore, it sends a message to those in leadership positions that people are growing tired of the slow pace of development in the society. Development in all its forms, which includes; the economy, human settlements, alleviating poverty, equality and justice, provision of quality education and healthcare, etc.

In Memory Of The #ChibokGirls: Who Will #BringBackOurGirls? By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Like a thief cometh in the night to steal and to kill, the deadly terrorist group, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, which in English means, “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad”, otherwise known as Boko Haram, on the night of 14–15 April 2014, stormed the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok Community, Borno State, Nigeria. Broke into the school, pretended to be guards, told the girls to get out and come with them. A large number of students, numbering about two hundred and seventy-nine (279) girls were taken away with them in trucks. Possibly into the Konduga area of the Sambisa Forest where they were known to have fortified camps. Fifty-seven (57) of the girls managed to escape on their own on transits, left with about 219 in the hands of Boko Haram their abductor. Houses in Chibok community were also burnt down in the incident. The school had been closed for four weeks prior to the attack due to the deteriorating security situation in the region, but students from multiple schools had been called on to take their physics final exams. These girls were aged 13 to 18 and were in their final year of school.

Victory For Nigeria, Change Is Here! By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Fellow Nigerians, permit me to use this medium to wish you a Happy Easter celebration in a season of change. Let the reason for the season bring salutary change to your lives.

When we started the struggle for change, some people thought we were just blabbing and being jobless. Some thought we were looking for cheap recognition while others said some politicians have paid us. Some even accused us of just being pointless and unnecessarily crying foul. But today, we are vindicated. History has absolved us!

Saturday 28th March 2015, marks a turning point in the history of our country and democracy. This day will be remembered by Nigerians as the day of Change.

Nigerians went to the polls, made their choice, and for the first time, they voted out an incumbent president in a broadly peaceful election.

Election 2015: While We Officially Await The Final Results By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

The voting process in the long awaited Nigerian presidential election has come and has gone except in few places in Yobe state where the presidential election has been postponed indefinitely for security reasons. Our different and various dreams, hopes and aspirations are becoming clearer and more visible to us as we await the official announcement of the final results. There are no doubt that the election was marred with some technical challenges, most especially from the voters Card Readers, and a little violence and terrorist act in some parts of the country which negatively affected the electoral process. Meanwhile, generally speaking, without bias and sentiments, comparing this election to previous elections that had been conducted in the country since the beginning of the 4th republic, one can possibly say, that the country`s electoral process has improved and our democratic system is getting better.

The fact is, although there are still many challenges to be resolved and many more areas where improvements are needed. But, by and large, the 2015 electoral process is commendable as compared to that of the previous years. Also the people have become more tolerant of the system and process, hence, have portrayed themselves peacefully and orderly during the course of the election.

Goodbye to President Jonathan, Go and Vote him Out! By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

You tricked us once, shame on you. If we let you trick us again, shame on us. President Jonathan is on a slippery slope and he`s sliding down. He must have started burning sensitive documents even though no column of smoke is yet visible from the villa.

Saturday, 28th March, 2015 election is a genuine opportunity to change the depressing direction in which Nigeria is headed. A direction that is not in any way good for the country, because as long as President Jonathan continues to remain in office, we cannot talk about development, we cannot talk about peace and stability and we cannot talk of sustainability and excellence. In his past 4 years in office, President Goodluck Jonathan has so far demonstrated absolute impotence and Nigeria has declined in nearly every conceivable respect.

Under Jonathan, the economy continued to stumble and the currency lost shape completely until it finally became valueless. The security situation went worse than it was only a few years back.  The Boko Haram crisis was disgracefully managed, and many Nigerians lost their lives to insurgents. However, the Nigerian Military has finally claimed to have made appreciable gains in combating the insurgents, but it came a little too late after so many Nigerians have lost their lives, millions have been displaced and so many valuable properties worth billions of naira have been destroyed. His government did not do enough to reduce the high cost of living. He did not do anything tangible to increase the standard of living of the people. Majority of the citizens still live below two dollars ($2) in a day

President Jonathan Scents Defeat, Isn't Democracy Interesting? By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Regardless of who's heading the government, when they've been doing it for so long and fails to get it right, they must be replaced. The public knows that, and President Jonathan is feeling the replacement coming already. President Goodluck Jonathan seems to have lost touch with the ground rules of democracy and has become a danger to the country. He would be voted out come March 28th 2015, because Nigeria needs to heal.

Out of panic mood, the President embarks on a last-minute blitz ahead of the upcoming election. He visited several places and consulted with many more people within these 6 weeks of postponement than he earlier did before. All in an effort to garner more votes for his re-election bid. He has been to churches and has requested for prayers from pastors. He has visited mosques and has asked for intervention from the “Alfas and Imams”. He has been to the shrine, has consulted with the oracles and has sacrificed to the gods.  He has paid courtesy visits to various “Obas”, requested for the supports of “Emirs” and has persuaded “Igwes”. Even with all that, he is not yet relieved of his panic mood. The truth is President Jonathan has entered the decisive few days of his re-election campaign bid, but he does not have this election in his pocket still.