A MORE PRAGMATIC SOLUTION TO INSURGENCY IN NIGERIA

Whenever insurgents act - killing innocent people or abducting teenage gals and slaughtering young vulnerable students, the response is always, are these people senseless? Not even religion supports killing of innocent souls!

Yes, insurgents are illiterates and common sense becomes less or perhaps no longer common in their thoughts.

Government is to be blamed for this situation we have found ourselves especially in the way it has managed the situation, when in the initial instance, efforts were projected at trading blames rather than finding a more pragmatic action.

Does poverty influence crises or crises influence poverty? No matter how you intend to answer the question, one fact remains that poverty and violence are correlated.

It is often argued that 7 out of 10 youths in Borno state are illiterates i.e 70 percent of youths in that area have no formal western education or Tsangaya Islamic education. Upon growing up, when these youths are expected to contribute to their society (even if it is just fending for themselves and family), they are yet to find their footings talk more of, do something meaningful to the society. Of course everybody's vision in Nigeria including the uneducated always remain, how to get away from abject poverty.

With persistent poverty and government the only solution to poverty, its ineffectiveness and lack of people oriented policies have made people particularly youths look for alternative means of livelihood. Then came, a bloody but rich alternative to poverty in Borno - Boko Haram. With a vast population of youth in Borno languishing in abject poverty and no hope for a better tomorrow, insurgency unarguably became the viable alternative and path to heroism, power and self-enrichment. But government kept branding them as used and dumped political thugs...huh, yes some of them were political thugs and, with similar violent attributes, it was easy to assimilate in this new found group.
 

Overtime, I do not need to begin to highlight the reoccurring cases of violence in that part of the country and Nigeria at large. Government has continued to use force to tackle insurgency with little or no result; they are growing and are gradually spreading to other parts of the country. However, the root of the matter lies with the vast illiterate youth population in the state and country. Such that, as you keep killing them, more of them are being recruited.

You don't solve a problem at its tail but where it begins from. A more pragmatic way is to win a perceived competition between the government and insurgents on who shall engage the youths first - for if they continue to remain idle, their loyalty goes to who comes first to rescue them out of poverty. Government has killed enough! or will they kill the entire Borno people if everybody there is labelled an insurgent? Something else has to be done - I therefore commend the decision of government to increase zonal allocation of funds for the North East, but it has never been the issue of allocation of funds but implementation of developmental programmes meant for the people. Once you engage these vulnerable youths to more honorable and productive ways, the possibility of resisting a bloody option becomes high.

If killing remains the only option, i fear we might be heading towards another civil war. Its high time we stop compromising issues of insecurity.

A BLOODY CELEBRATION STAGE

In 2010 we celebrated 50yrs after independence; 3 years later some Nigerians and some part of the world joined to celebrate the centenary year (100 years of existing as a united federal state).

Amidst these celebrations is a nation in crisis, a nation crying blood and full of languish. And I can’t help but ask who constitutes Nigeria? Political leaders or the people?

Once upon a time, October 1^st was a memorable event. For me, there was no school first of all; then I and my peers would head to watch or match past the Nigeria Police band and the parades of several other military and para-military formations. Very colorful indeed! For the elder ones like my parents, of course a NATIONAL holiday and by 7am they are glued to their TV sets ready to watch and listen to the Chief Executive of Nigeria or our state give a broadcast.

Morally, you don't elaborately celebrate a birthday in your house when there is a death or an eminent one by the corner...perhaps Nigeria doesn’t have morals but Nigerians do!

Is it the killings in the North East or the Fulani invasion in Benue and other North-Central states? Or are we referring to the season of letters from our obsolete leaders pointing fingers at each other playing the blame game or the alleged N6bn collected from 6m NIS job applicants and the subsequent callous statement made by the Minister of Interior regarding unemployed YOUTHS being so impatient to the extent of losing their lives? What about the Speaker of the House of Representatives accusing the President’s body language of supporting corruption or the governor of Borno alleging that members of the Boko Haram Sect are more armed than the famous Nigerian Army? To say the unimaginable, the fulanis also shot at the Chief Security Officer of Benue State. Meanwhile, Alh. Asari Dokubu a typical Niger Delta (ex) militant who alongside his cohorts have been feeding fat on the national treasury would wake up and make a statement like, if Goodluck does not get re-elected come 2015, there will be BLOODSHED. Yet no body questions such authority!  Again, the federal government exhibited their mastery in deceit, and came up with a national conference (apparently to divert attention from their sabotaging white collar policies and programmes) even when there is a legislature to determine everything that concerns us. It is rumored that about N7bn of taxpayers’ money is being voted to orchestrate this event. Gradually  the fuel queues are coming back with national dailies already anticipating a new petrol pump price of N140…hear Allison Deziani Madueke “we MUST deregulate the petroleum sector…”. With which modalities put in place; perhaps we are also encouraged to insist on cooking gas.

These association of elites make us (the ordinary Nigerians) pay so much that even when you struggle to plan, struggle again and pay the stipulated bill, they are angry and would inflate the price the next day. Take for instance, parents sent their children to Unity schools in Yobe state. Some of them met death and the lucky ones who escaped were transferred to other close by Unity Schools, only for them to be asked to pay for the cost of transferring them to their new schools! May the soul of Aliyu who saw death and told his father he wasn’t returning to school only for him to be coerced by his parents to resume school and in obedience met the death he was almost avoiding, rest in perfect peace!!!

While I can go on and on and on to seem as if our blessed country is the darkest of the horses, I implore all Nigerian youths to begin conscious attempt at understanding that we hold our future and that of our generations yet unborn in our hands, only if we agree with one voice that APC, APGA, PDP, LP, AP etc are all the same. Funny enough this enemy of the ordinary Nigerian youth is aware that one day we may have nothing to eat and perhaps think of eating them; they have conducted themselves under different platforms so we don’t catch them in one place at a time. Where does the wrangling in the legislature between opposing political parties take us to? Same position I guess! At the last Ministerial nominee screening, a brave young Senator from Zamfara or so, apparently campaigning for a youthful and vibrant leadership in Nigeria asked a certain, His Excellency Alhaji (Amb) Aminu Wali if he thought it wise to appear once again in the Senate chambers to be confirmed as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria after close to 30years or even more (when the Senator was pretty young up until now that he has become a Member of the red carpet chamber) of holding top government position including being a Minister and an Ambassador in many countries instead of positioning himself akin to political leaders of the then Northern Nigeria; the amiable President of the Senate, the one who knows every part of the National Assembly where there are banana peels stood to Alh Ambassador’s defense, “the time of the youths will come”. Too bad!!! Well, Matteo Renzi an Italian born in 1975 once suggested those Italian politicians who were of the same generation as Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi should retire; today he is Prime Minister of Italy! Hmmmmm!!!

It is regrettable that it seems blur as to a possible period of genuine change when government shall begin to exist for the common man in Nigeria, since some of us, either direct descendants of the ruling class or benefactors of system irregularities have continued to dine and wine with them only to share tokens of remnants when they meet with us and feel that the journey is almost smooth. After all they are currently being anointed to succeed their parents and godfathers.

Is it true that we were once called the jet age? If it is true then our children are obviously of the Rocket Age! However, a computer literate population of youths is continually being led by traditionalists in Nigeria…and we think all is right. I remember Fela’s suffering and smiling and I am also smiling.

All hope is yet not lost. In Osun, Ogbeni Rauf is thinking like us, he saved hundreds of millions of Naira to produce unique tablets (not slates, lol ) for school children (instead of painting his picture on textbooks in preparation for re-election in his state). He is definitely of the older generation but obviously has the future of his children at mind and would never undermine their thoughts or decisions. But another state governor of Benue who began his political career in the House of Representatives a little above 30 years (as acclaimed) was caught telling his people bluntly (i.e. if you like it or not) he can’t pay teachers minimum wage because the state allocation compared to other states like Rivers is meager! Gosh where lies the abundant and redundant resources of the food basket state that could yield enormous IGR? Gov. Rochas once acclaimed he is feeding the school children in Imo state in addition to free education from an enormous security vote.

How long shall we continue to celebrate when there is hunger, sufferings, mutual suspicion, deceit and deaths on the stage?  We must uncover this thick lid covering our sight for change is now and when next we gather please don’t discuss the latest cars when you are trekking or Justin Timberlake when you have confidently left tomorrow to take care of itself.

Act now and we shall once again be attempting to save our youths and democracy in Nigeria.

STILL ON THE CONFAB

Before now i have always argued against the current National Confab or Conference being anchored by the President Jonathan administration.

Today a list of 492 delegates have been SELECTED by whatever criteria to decide the future of Nigerians (even when there is a Legislature i.e the National Assembly saddled with such mandate).

Perhaps i do not need to begin to x-ray the resume of most of these delegates...ex governors, senators and past leaders who one time or the other had the opportunity to err the positions they intend to present at the impending Conference. Of course we can take solace in the inclusion of pressure and interest groups but how far they are able to influence the outcome of the Conference remains for us all to see.

Some of the issues emanating from the selection of the delegates show clearly that the Nigerian people are not entirely represented in the imminent Confab... for instance the Itsekiri people are not happy they were not selected to form the delegation from Delta state; we also have the Igede and Etulo in Benue state who currently face the same situation; over 20 political parties or associations are also aggrieved they were not involved. Hence, how representative is this National Conference in proffering a collective and representative output to save our democracy and country. Of course, the Tiv man from Benue will hardly portray the position of the Etulo man just as the the Ijaw man who has been at logger heads with the Istekiri man ever present a fair scenario for both tribes in Delta state.

Apparently, the National Assembly, a clear cut legislative institution has been designed to represent a large population of the Nigerian society, but it was jettisoned and its powers usurped, perhaps in a bid to provide jobs to the teeming Nigerian population..old and young to reduce the unemployment rate.

That is one problem- of composition of delegates! the other lies with the legality of the outcome of the Conference. Rumors have it that the Conference shall be conducted akin to  legislative procedure, in my own opinion a MOCK LEGISLATURE where we have substantive National and State Assemblies!

Don't forget that N7bn has been earmarked for this purpose.... and i hear the delegates are being contemplated to be accommodated in a hotel in Abuja; some of who feel they should be paid the sum of N4m per month for accommodation since they do not want people to know where they will be residing for want of confidentiality! And i ask, if you were sent to represent a people in what is seen as the limelight for a future Nigeria, would you suddenly become invisible! God bless Nigerians; protect our youths and save our democracy!!!

MATTEO RENZI SET TO NAMED ITALY'S YOUNGEST PRIME MINISTER

Matteo Renzi was born on 11 January 1975. He was elected Mayor of Florence at the age of 34 since 2009 and Secretary of the Democratic Party since 2013. He was previously President of the Province of Florence from 2004 to 2009.

He is a law graduate from the University of Florence and joined the Italian People's Party in 1996 to become its Provincial Secretary in 1999.

Matteo Renzi was strongly criticized by certain members of his own party after his suggestion that Italian politicians who were of the same generation as Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi should retire.

In September 2012, Matteo Renzi announced that he would seek to become the Secretary of the Democratic Party, with a view to leading the centre-left coalition in the 2013 general election. He lost the December election, finishing second with 39% of the vote, compared to 61% for the winner Pier Luigi Bersani.

Matteo Renzi, is set to become the Italy's youngest prime minister at 39- years-old after President 

Giorgio Napolitano summoned Matteo Renzi to a meeting at the presidential palace at on the 17^th of February 2014 by 10.30am, at which he was expected to ask the centre-left leader to form a government.

To govern, Matteo Renzi needs the support of the small New Centre Right (NCD) party in coalition in order for the Democratic Party (PD) to have a majority in parliament.

Angelino Alfano, the NCD leader has laid down conditions for his party’s support which include a contract to be signed and the condition that the government must not be tilted too much to the left.

If confirmed in the post, Matteo Renzi will be the third premier in a row picked by the president and not chosen by popular vote – following Enrico Letta and before him Mario Monti.

Italy is thus set for its 65th government since World War Two.

Enrico Letta resigned as prime minister on Friday after his Democratic Party (PD) forced him to make way for Matteo Renzi.

Until two weeks ago, Matteo Renzi objected the idea of taking power without first winning elections. However, this position has since changed when Italy’s main business lobby and its biggest labour union publicly abandoned Letta and called for more pragmatic way towards reforms.

YOUTHS IN A DEMOCRACY

Born on the 12th of February 1984 in Ermelo, South Africa. Mduduzi Manana is the South African Deputy Minister of Higher Education. He is a member of the African National Congress and also a Member of Parliament. Manana has a lengthy list of positions behind him in business and in the ANC Youth League and was elected Member of Parliament in 2009 at the age of 25. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. 

AFRICA'S YOUNGEST PARLIAMENTARIAN

Proscovia Alengot Oromait is Africa's youngest Member of Parliament. She was elected at the age of 19 in 2012, after she won the Usuk county election with 11,059 votes defeating Charles Ojok Oleny with 5,329 votes, Charles Okure from FDC with 2,725 votes and Cecilia Anyakoit of UPC with 554 votes. The outspoken youngster replaces her late father.

She is a member of the National Resistance Movement, headed by President Yoweri Museveni.

While some people feel she will not survive her term in parliament because of her age and little experience; some believe this is the beginning of change in Africa and it’s time to get rid of the overly old leaders and allow young people to take the continent forward.
Hon. Alengot's area faces challenges of clean water, electricity and poor roads among others. For now the people of Usuk have their hopes pinned on the 19 year-old MP. Hopefully, she will be in position to represent them appropriately.

God bless our youths and Save Our Democracy!

Youths in a Democracy

I have always being of the opinion that the youths in Nigeria hold the key to the future of this country. Call it election irregularities or rigging or even thuggery, the fact remains that the youths of our time are always at the front of the cause - good or bad!

Why should our leaders continue to manipulate us whereas we should be the ones determining our future. Its so bad when some of our youths having collected meager amounts of money from those looting their future, compromise their conscience. So sad that you ask an average Nigerian youth about the situation of Nigeria and the just shake their heads as if to say, we are finished!

In his early or mid 30s, the substantive governor of Benue state was already involved in policy formulation in the form of a Federal legislator. However, what you find today is youths aged 30 - 45 being used to perpetuate election rigging and thuggery in order to advance the selfish interest of these leaders! what a shame!!

Have we forgotten Former Minsiters of Information Frank Nweke Jnr, Chukwu Emeka Chikelu, Osita Chidoka (Commandant FRSC) and many other youths who held and still hold public offices till date. What about the PDP governorship flag bearer in the just concluded Anambra election, Tonye Nwoye. These group of youths have continuously being involved in governance in Nigeria and i keep wondering if these youths used for illegal activities do not see what i see.

In Rivers, Sokoto, Kano, Borno n many other states, the youths are being used to settle the self interest grievances of political parties. You will laugh when i remind you that most of these youths who cary placards of political parties do not even belong to these parties - as such are not card carrying members of these parties. Worse more, they do not possess the instrument of change i.e. voters card, but they keep fgting for causes they do not even believe in.

All hope is not lost any ways, but we the youths must stand up to challenge our misleading elders to contest, including during elections. Yes we can! You can be voted for and thus should not be degenerated to mere election thugs.

While i implore youths to brace up for the upcoming elections in 2015, one thing we must do is to ensure that we come out enmasse in our various constituencies or wards to get registered and obtain our voters card. From that point we can start strategizing on who gets elected or otherwise and subsequently who should be recalled.

If we begin now, we shall be taking the right step in attempting to save our noble democracy