The Youth in Nigeria's Democracy:Features to look out for

Okay! Agreed,it's not right to vote for tribal or religious bias reasons, but for what reasons shall I vote?
It's quite simple I would say you vote for a leader not for tribe or religion. On how to identify a leader,I would suggest you look out for the following:

Honesty
According to Forbes,honesty is key. If your candidate is always not coming out straight on issues and is always coming up with reasons for failure,then,he is unworthy.
A good leader should be the type you can trust most of the time to deliver the goodies. When he promises,he delivers. So, I ask you,can you swear that the person you hope to vote for would do as he says? If within yourself (be honest),without thinking,you answered a 'yes' to this question,then,cast your vote for him but if you had to think even for a moment to answer this question,then,don't vote for him.

Communication
How often do you get to see him,is he social, how well does he communicate with you prior to today... how often do you see him,is he accessible?
Bros,one of the greatest mistakes we do make as a people in Nigeria is that we vote people who value privacy to socialization. If your leader is not sociable, as in, most often than not,he is out of site,always travelling out,how is he supposed to lead well? A leader must always be available in body and spirit, you should be able to communicate with your leader most of the time... a good leader is always accessible... no barrier or barricades...even without invitation, sometimes, you should be able to see him! Is your leader that accessible,if not,how are supposed to make demands and get answers? I leave you to answer that and you know what to do if he is not.

Confidence
Look,if the person you choose to vote for doesn't have this one...I mean confidence,please wait no more,just change your mind right now!
If your leader lacks confidence,trust me,you would be voting for chaos and anarchy when you cast your vote for him. An acid test of the level of confidence of your leader lies right in the manner in which he talks. If he is like giving an impression like there are people that are greater than he is,people that are above the law,if he is talking like there's some sort of Mafia somewhere...a cabal that can hinder his intended smooth running of his administration,please don't vote for him.HE LACKS ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT OF LEADERSHIP....CONFIDENCE!
If you insist and still go ahead to vote for him and lawlessness becomes the order of the day and you experience a sharp increase in cases of corruption and crime,please, blame no one but yourself!

Commitment
The other day when I was browsing through Facebook,someone was like....'when Jonathan (PDP,christian and Southerner) didn't cancel or postpone his election campaign in honor of the victims of Nyanyan bomb blast,everyone was blaming him,now Kwankwaso (APC) has done the same and no one is blaming him...'
When I read this,I was like some people don't realize that human beings like them were the ones that loose their lives when terrorists strike!
It's only natural to expect a committed leader to mourn the death of his subjects,even if it's just a soul. Failure to do so sends an 'I don't care ' message to the people.
In Pakistan,during election campaign period,Imran Khan fell off a platform that was prepared for him and broke his neck in the process. Guess what other contestants did? They suspended their campaign in honor of a fellow contestant... that's what I call sportsmanship... a quality our politicians lack.
In South Korea,there was a ship wreck and just for sluggish response to rescue,the people tongue lashed the Prime Minister and he resigned! Now,please,note that it was a ship wreck which could happen anytime and cannot be directly linked to the government,the Prime Minister resigned pointing out that had they responded quicker, some lives could be saved,he resigned because he cares,he is human and committed enough to take responsibility and actually punishes himself by sacrificing a post he sweated and worked hard to hold!
Now,compare that to Jonathan's case whereby,there was mass murder in the country's capital and in less than 48 hours, the president was dancing and singing in a political rally,and you there,trying to fault the condemnation! Haba!
So,when I read the guy's write up on Facebook,I felt sorry for him and all that are dogmatic in the way they follow their favorite politician and party. That is not Democratic in any way,it's a big-time anarchy!
Now,if the person you are about to vote for has no such passionate commitment records as exemplified above the South Korean Prime Minister,he is not good enough,don't vote for him! Whether APC or PDP.

Positivity and Creativity
As a leader,you are expected to lead not to rule. Hence,you must be positive in the way you think. Like they say,'If you really want to do something,you would find a way,but,if you don't,you find an excuse'.
Most of our present crop of leaders (should I say rulers) are always full of excuses,they hardly deliver. This is your chance to make a change...your vote is all you need to effect that change.
Out of a leader's resolve to always keep a positive mind comes the abundance of creativity which goes a long way to inspire positivity in the followers.A typical very close example of positivity and creativity is the case of Tinubu,then the governor of Lagos state and Obasanjo the then President of Nigeria.
Obasanjo ordered all states that created new local governments to reverse their creation. All but Tinubu obeyed. In response to Tinubu's defiance,the Federal Government,refused to remit Lagos states federal allocation. Instead of repenting and begging for forgiveness,Tinubu actually continued running his government despite the short in funding. What did he do,he simply looked inwards and made Lagos take care of her own business via internally generated revenue! That was the first practical example of the fact that EVERY STATE CAN TAKE CARE OF ITSELF WITHOUT THE FEDERAL ALLOCATION!
Now,that's a combination of  Positivity, creativity, commitment,bravery and uncommon courage... what a cool combo!!!
See,I can continue on and on but,I would put a stop at this point. We all know a good leader when we see one. I went through all these troubles to tell you the truth...YOUR CHOICE OF ACTION TODAY CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOU. TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO OF MONEY POLITICS IS TO EMPOWER THE CORRUPT TO CONTINUE EXPLOITING US WHILE VOTING FOR CHANGE, VOTING A GOOD LEADER DESPITE HIS REFUSAL TO PAY YOU FOR YOUR VOTES, IS THE GREATEST FORM OF REVOLT OF ALL!!!
We are the youth,when their conflict and crisis,it's the youth and when there's a positive change, you find the youth there. It's the youth that are used as thugs during electioneering... the organization and success of politicians' campaign programs all hinges on the youth,yet,it's the youth that suffers the most when corrupt leaders come to power.
I therefore,call on the youth...you guys, stop all the BLIND SUPPORT FOR EITHER JONATHAN, BUHARI OR ATIKU AND FOCUS MAINLY ON THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS...WHO HAS THE BEST RECORDS? PLEASE, DON'T BE LURED AGAIN INTO VOTING BASED ON RELIGION OR ETHNICITY VOTE STRICTLY BASED ON YOUR CONVICTION. WITHIN YOUR HEART,ANSWER THE QUESTION; CAN MY CANDIDATE DO IT???  BE SINCERE WITH YOUR ANSWER AND VOTE ACCORDINGLY...I REST MY CASE FOR NOW!

The Youth in Nigerian Democracy:Choose wisely!

It's exactly a month ago I updated this blog,I'm sorry. I shall do all I can to prevent re-occurrence,God's Grace.
Jonathan's 57,our National House of Assembly had a 'free for all' battle with the Police and here I am hoping just to share a video I stumble upon with you.
Having given it a thought, I have decided to present what I originally intended to share which is the video. However,it won't be nice to just let those issues pass by without a comment.
Sincerely,the drama seems to unfold at a faster pace than usual. I saw a video of the honorables of the National Assembly scaling over the gate of the building. It sounded ridiculous and embarrassing at the same time. I mean it's unimaginable that one day,the honorables would have to climb over the fence to do their job....it's such a shame!This National disgrace poses,amongst so many,the following.
Why would members of the house elected on the platform of the PDP be allowed easy passage while those from other have to fight through the Police and tear gas to gain access to their place of work? The Police were responsible for the harassment,by whose order,the IG or the President, does the IG have the guts to give such orders without the consent of the President? If he,the IG truly acted on his own accord,then,he should be subjected to interrogation as he has not only cause the crisis but had actually tried to obstruct the smooth running government business for which he was primarily employed to enhance. He should be investigated and if found guilty should be sacked and made to the full price for the crime. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW...NOT EVEN THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF!
Having said that,I think it's time to present my original message of the day...the CVs of the most likely presidential candidates we have a presently...they are Atiku, Bukhari and Jonathan. Guys,I'm sorry the best I can do is refer you to a youtube link. I shall try make my videos downloadable some other time... please bear with me... click here . Happy viewing!
Regards,
Abdurrahman,
07037695859

The Youth in Nigerian Democracy: Money Politics&Our Birthrights

Already,the economy is suffering from, in a lay man's language, lack of cash...it's as if money is being mopped out of the economy... everyone is complaining 'no money,money! '. It's equally amusing to note that virtually all of us know why this is the case. We all know that our political heads are stock piling the money ahead of the upcoming general elections. But what has money got to do with elections to the extent that so much savings is required?
Under normal circumstances,apart from the purchase of nomination forms,other things that should cost money are election campaign materials and their customization as well as souvenirs... stuffs relating to hosting and presenting campaign promises to potential voters...other than these, there's very little need for money during elections. But,is this the case,how affordable are even the nomination forms among other necessities of electioneering,can we say categorically,under the present circumstances, that contesting and winning elections is feasibly possible for all Nigerians as enshrined in our law book without having to bow or submit to the whims of some godfather... ARE OUR ELECTIONS TRULY FAIR,IF NOT,WHY NOT?
I read on facebook that one of the aspirants for presidency complained of the exorbitant charges for the nomination forms in his choice party and the best defense a spokesperson of the affected political party could muster is that they did that to separate the boys from the men! I think that is crazy! It's like the party's authorities have forgotten what elections are all about!!!
Elections are the only means by which people choose their leaders, any attempt to 'separate the men from the boys' is actually an attempt to disenfranchise the people and impose someone on the people. Let the people decide,not you...stop using your position against the people. Nomination forms are meant to be affordable enough for any Nigerian to purchase without having to pay through the nose. This is, in fact,the very first step to true democracy...an average man should be able to afford the nomination forms both within a party and INEC! 'Separating the men from the boys' by INCREASING THE PRICES OF NOMINATION FORMS,to me,is like saying ONLY THE RICH HAS THE RIGHT TO BE VOTED FOR AND I DON'T SEE THE FAIRNESS IN THAT!THE PRICES MUST BE AFFORDABLE TO ENSURE FAIRNESS.
Another burning issue that's worth discussing here is the idea of 'Unanimous Candidate' which is another way of saying 'look,this guy is popular and have done so well that NONE OF US WANTS TO GO THE PRIMARIES WITH HIM!' Now,that's something,I don't see happening in Nigeria unless you are able to silence the opposition one way or the other. Some are bribed with either money or a post in government others who refuse the bribe are either permanently silenced (killed) or outdone one way or the other or sometimes suspended...there are many ways to keep opposition away. But the bottomline here is that MONEY IS REQUIRED TO DO IT...ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO HOARD MONEY!
So,when I hear 'Unanimous Candidate' or 'Our sole Candidate' I know there's more to it that it meets the eye...most often than not,there's a foul play!
Now,all the above mentioned forms of corrupt practises are done covertly behind the scenes...but,what's with the money game we all get involved with a few days to the elections? I still find it difficult to understand how we expect a change when we keep doing the same things the same way all the time!
Every four years,we get set to elect new leaders but we end up electing the same old hands that has practically robbed us of the dividends of democracy and have done more of embezzlement than development. Yet,we keep on recycling the same old cargoes and somehow hope to experience some change! Isn't that crazy?!
If you desire a change,you have to change the way you do things. If we hope to get a better deal from our politicians, we must learn to live without their miserable, petty bribes of 'rice and semo',or more precisely, their 'money politics'!
Like I mentioned in a previous post,they don't really need your votes, what they really need is our endorsement to rigging... this is exactly what you give to them the moment you accept their...'gifts'. Just because of the money,you attend their rallies, sign documents that say they are the people's choice, you walk around in their campaign shirts, hats and vans and you still wonder why life is so hard in Nigeria? If life was easier,how would they have bought your conscience so easily?!
They would do all that's necessary  to starve you hard enough to sell your birthright like Eesau,brother to Jacob!You buy only hungry people, you can't buy financially independent people. You have to stay poor to maintain the status quo!
Just like Eesau, we go on a hunt for the heads of the political class, our Jacobs... and just like Jacob, they take to their heels and hide away in bullet proof SUV's and in the protection of the security agencies for another four years during which we complain,lament endlessly and just when we get the chance to have our sweet revenge by voting them out,they starve us a lot more so that we would do anything to get paid and instead of ending the vicious circle,we loose focus,turn around and find reasons why we should accept their bribes...and so begins another circle!
You know, some people would tell you they accepted the money as their own share of the national cake...their share of the loot...so,politicians loot the treasury and give you your own cut...that makes you equally guilty even if his is in millions and yours is just N500...you are equally a thief! This is why it's wrong to accept bribes... you bribe to get UNDESERVED benefits! Whoever accepts it is party to it and part of the problems of the state because, YOU ARE IN FACT A MAJOR REASON WHY HE STEALS...IF YOU WON'T TAKE A BRIBE, HE WON'T BOTHER STEALING AND HOARDING ENOUGH TO PAY NEITHER WOULD HE EXPECT TO GET ANYTHING FROM YOU UNLESS HE EARNS IT!
That's why I'm appealing to every well meaning youth to reject all forms of incentives for their votes and give only to deserving candidate...MAKE THEM EARN YOUR VOTES,DON'T SELL IT TO THEM...VOTE FOR MERIT NOT BRIBES, VOTE FOR PROGRESS,VOTE FOR CHANGE AND GOD BLESS NIGERIA!!!
Regards,
Abdurrahman,
07037595859,
http://moneymakingmachine-alchemy007.blogspot.com

The Youth in Nigerian Democracy:Vote for Merit NOT Zoning

It's funny to note that the greatest hindrance to Nigeria's national development is the Federal Character.
Literally, the Federal Character involves the application of zoning federal posts and appointments based on ethnic and tribal affiliations. How,effective is this policy in our national life,is it affecting us positively or negatively? Let's briefly discuss the reason for the policy in the first place.
Basically, the need for the policy arose from the multicultural nature of Nigerian society. It was thought that for Nigeria to stay a country, everyone must have equal opportunities,every one must be able to aspire and hold ANY federal public post. In order to ensure this, a particular sharing formula was agreed upon... this sharing formula is what we now know as the Federal Character.
For instance,in a federal agency... say in an environmental agency, if the Director of the agency is a Hausa, the deputy Director must either be a Yoruba or an Ibo. If you go to another agency,an Ibo would be the head and a Hausa the deputy, another agency would have a Yoruba on top with an Ibo deputizing him.NO QUESTION IS ASKED ON HOW WELL HE CAN MANAGE THE POST SO LONG HE IS FROM A PARTICULAR TRIBE.This is the idea behind the adoption of the policy. It was expected to give a sense of belonging to all and sundry. Is this the case? I very much doubt it!
If it has been working as expected, everyone would be proud to be a Nigerian and NONE WOULD BE CLAMORING FOR THE COUNTRY'S CESSATION.
I have seen different map models of Nigeria on facebook... one in particular was designed to show the cessation of the country! For any Nigerian at all to think of such a despicable act,it clearly goes to show that the federal character is not working. It means that some people still feel disenfranchised despite the efforts of our founding fathers to ensure equal access to federal opportunities. But what is actually wrong and how do we best right the wrongs?
I would suggest in my opinion that we take after the US whose system of government (Presidential ) we have adopted.
Just like Nigeria, the US is a multicultural society. Funny enough,they too,operate the presidential system of government. The cultural divide is far much more wider than it exists in Nigeria...here we are talking about.differences that's as much as the skin colour... black and white , yet,each day,they see more reasons to remain a country. What's the magic,what's the secret of their unity in diversity? I see none other than the RULE OF LAW!
Unlike in Nigeria where we harbour 'sacred cows', in the US when found guilty of any crime, you pay the price in full. Likewise, if you qualify for a post or reward, nobody wants to know where you come from before you get what you deserve...their system is generally based on merit! THAT'S WHY OBAMA,A BLACK MAN CAN EMERGE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
Can you say the same of Nigeria, I very much doubt it...here,the status quo is jungle justice... winner takes all. This was the system when the Hausa/Fulani were on top...the same is the case now that a president from the so called minority class is in power. So,what's the difference between a Northerner and a Southerner? None! IT'S WINNER TAKES ALL!!!
This is why Nigeria is in the sorry state we find ourselves today. When we vote,we don't vote for merit but for our tribesman or a man of the same faith as ours. Both (merit and ethnic/religious bias)  has their consequences. When you vote for a man of merit,you would end up with a man of integrity like Mandela, someone like the late President Yaradua who declared his asset when he came to power and allowed justice to take it's course during election tribunals which brought opposition parties to power in some states. However, if you vote based on religious or ethnic bias,you end up with a ruthless man like the Pharaoh and Adolph Hitler! You know their stories... you know how they brought calamity and destruction on their people due to their ethnic bias. These goes a long way to prove that God Himself is against tribal and religious bias of all sorts.
Why do you and I always dream of living abroad? There's none other reason than the fact that in those far away lands,THERE'S RULE OF LAW! When you qualify for a job or benefit,you get it without having to know anybody! In that lies the answer to our multiple problems. We need to ensure peace and unity which is impossible to uphold without a firm establishment of the rule of law.
If you ask me,our problem is not who rules or where he comes from but the fact that he/she abuses power...he/she shields criminals from his/her tribe from prosecution while trying to apply the laws in full measure on people of other tribe or religion... this is in fact the root of our problems as country. It's quite saddening to note that some Nigerians don't know that President Jonathan is not responsible for the South -South alone... they don't think the boko haram issue concerns the president... they say it's a Hausa problem! How can you think like that...it's like most Nigerians don't know the true essence of democracy. All this stems from lack of Democratic awareness... most Nigerians sees themselves as Hausa,Ibo,Yoruba as the case maybe... they don't see themselves as Nigerians. It's therefore difficult to see ourselves as one. This is why it's hard to practice the rule of law.
Unless we adopt the rule of as the US have,reward hardwork like Obama and punish crime irrespective of who is involved like the French who jailed a former president for corrupt practises,progress would be very difficult even at the local level.
Some think Nigeria's problems is as a result of cultural diversity,considering the local tussle between Modakeke and Ife,the Hausa/Fulani and other tribes like the Kaje and Kanuri of the North and between the Ibos and the 'Orno ' ...the 'out casts',I doubt if cessation would solve the impending problems we currently have. There are way too many differences between us...breaking the country based on these differences would not solve our problems. If the differences in cultural heritage is the basis, then,a state like Niger state might end up being a republic...and a Hamlet in Cross-river would one day clamour for independence... those who have explored these areas among other extremely multicultural regions of the country... especially the North -Central and the South-South know exactly what I'm talking about. This is why I laugh when people start talking of the cessation of Nigeria. There's no way you can do it,there would always be the dominant and minority tribes...only in smaller scales. Cessation based on religion is not even feasible... we are too mixed up for that to happen. Not even the major tribes can boast of unity in Nigeria.
Next year's general elections is yet another opportunity to choose our leaders for another 4 years. Without your votes and support, none of the incumbents can be re-elected no matter how much they try...it happened in Ekiti. Likewise, a popular candidate would not loose an election no matter how much the pressure if you vote him. It happened in Osun. Truly, your votes count,just remember to vote based on merit and not on bias. VOTE AS A NIGERIAN NOT OTHERWISE...AND VOTE ON  MERIT...ONLY!!!
I rest my case for now!
Regards,
Abdurrahman,
07037595859,
http://moneymakingmachine-alchemy007.blogspot.com

The Youth in Nigerian Democracy:The Presidential Race & the Youth

One of the greatest pride I derive in being a Nigerian and in particular,perhaps , the MOST UNIQUE feature of Nigeria is our UNITY IN DIVERSITY!
Today's edition is a special one! I'm using this opportunity to congratulate all Nigerians on this August occasion of our Independence Anniversary,may we celebrate next Year's anniversary a greater,more unified and more posperous country.Ameen.
But how are we going ensure that? Considering the predictions of the Americans of a divided Nigeria come 2015,coupled with the insecurity challenges AND THE DELIBERATE ACTS OF SABOTAGE AND INSINCERITY OF THE SECURITY FORCES AND THE PRESIDENCY in curbing the insurgency,the future seem very scary and pretty bleak indeed! The question now is whether we subscribe to the fission of the Nigerian state, if Yes,why,if no,why not?
When,you consider the numerous barbaric ethnic and religious conflicts that have been recorded in our history,you might want to agree that we all call it quits on Nigeria and we go our separate ways. Sounds good,doesn't it? You fall into this category of people calling for Nigeria's disintegration if you think it does.
Another school of thought thinks it's not wise for Nigeria to disintegrate but at the same time doesn't believe people from other parts of the country should have a say when it comes to policy formation. They just want to be on top as decision makers forever and the vulnerable among those denied the federal powers feel cheated and would gladly join those who want Nigeria divided. These power brokers,according to those less powerful ones are power drunk and very selfish.
There's a third category... a moderate group that believes in Nigeria... not out of greed of subjecting others to their rule and control but out of a higher sense of purpose which very little understand even though it's the aim and objective of all the aforementioned categories.
Everyone wants and deserve a better deal than we are currently getting, but,in my own view,it isn't enough reason to demand for disintegration. What we need is a major restructuring that would ensure equity among all Nigerians. However, this can't be ensured by disintegration or the maintenance of the status quo as it is right now,but, by a CHANGE OF HEART! EVERYONE GOT TO STOP THINKING ONLY ABOUT THEIR WELFARE,WE SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER THE WELL-BEING OF OTHERS...THE WELL-FARE OF ALL AND SUNDRY THAT'S TRUE PATRIOTISM!!!
Selfishness and greed are the greatest inhibitors to development in Nigeria. This shall be explained in greater details in the nearest future,insha Allah. But for the benefit of our current discuss,I would like to explain how it's stalling progress.
In 1999,at the beginning of the current republic,there were the formation of political parties.From their names and places where they are dominant,one can easily tell which is pro-hausa,pro-ibo and pro-yoruba. It was just too glaring!
As expected, each party won elections in their places of dominance,that is,APGA won overwhelmingly in the east,AD in the West and PDP up north....and just as usual, the PDP won the general elections. It's the party of the biggest region in Nigeria.
By 2011 general elections, there was a crack in the wall of the PDP, there was a major disagreement within the party that has successfully divided the north... it appears the northerners have lost the unifying force that had made them invincible since independence, they can't agree on whether to support Jonathan for president or follow an acclaimed plan of power sharing between the North and South.
The aggrieved Northern politicians  say Jonathan agreed not to contest in 2011,he was said to have agreed to step down after completing Yaradua's tenure. Now, that he does insist on contesting,they would rather pull out of the party to join other parties than to stay and vote in a traitor.... guy,you know the stories, I don't need to waste your time on that.The bottom line is that Jonathan emerged the winner of the 2011 elections amidst the political crisis. Some voted based on their convictions BUT THE MAJORITY VOTED BASED ON TRIBE,RELIGION OR ETHNICITY.Jonathan won on these various divides NOT based on conviction of the electorates. This has been the case from the word go...I've seen a situation whereby AN ILLITERATE so to speak won a political seat of power! It's that bad! So,it's NOT just a Jonathan thing alone. We vote based on sentiments all the time...we hardly consider performance. People get voted to power based on where they come from as against their ability to govern well! It's a shame!
Jonathan won in the South in the general either because he is a Christian or a man from the South and in the North majorly due to religious reasons and partially due to efforts of disgruntled elements of the North...mostly from the North Central who felt shortchanged by the core North.
2015 is just around the corner and Jonathan has a very good chance of winning for the same reasons as above NOT because he did well,he didn't... especially security wise. Yet,you see people sing his praises all over so much so that I begin to wonder if people haven't lost their senses of reasoning out of tribalism, ethniticism and religious bias. People are not asking questions...Yaradua left Katsina a N6 billion rich state...he cleared all the debts he met and left N6 billion in the coffers of Katsina...can u say that of Jonathan as a governor Bayelsa state...he has spent about 7 yrs in office as President...what major achievement has he made? Please,don't start counting the rehabilitation of existing roads or on- going projects here,point to COMPLETED PEOPLE ORIENTED PROJECTS he has executed and HOW these project have had a DIRECT PACT in your life as a citizen. You should now weigh that along with the enormous expenditure of the Federal Government in the last 7 yrs. Be sincere,at least to yourself...with all the billions of dollars,has he done well to deserve a second full term? Remember,also,THE SECURITY OF LIVES AND PROPERTIES OF ALL CITIZENS IS THE MOST BASIC AND ABOUT THE MAJOR REASON HE IS PRESIDENT.
On a day like this...our independence day,I think we need to review our way of reasoning...I think it's high time we started reasoning as Nigerians and not as Hausa,Ibo or Yoruba but as Nigerians.
You would be voting as a tribalist if you vote for a guy simply because he comes from your,state, ethnic group or even from your clan and you would be a religious fanatic if you vote on whether he is a Muslim or Christian. My fellow patriots,we are the third group of Nigerians I described above. Let us base our voting on the right values... not ethnicity, tribe or religious affiliation but on the candidate's capability to deliver the dividends of democracy...we should inquire of his past records as a leader and assess his performance, has he participated or initiated any community development project as a person...if he is coming in for the first time,what do people he had led before say about him? If he passes these tests well,then, we may vote for him even if he comes from the other far end of Nigeria...WE ARE ALL NIGERIANS!
Unless we send this message to the politicians,unless we start to make them realize that just being of the same faith or from the same region or tribe would no longer guarantee them our votes,they shall continue to take us for granted and treat us  unfairly as they now seem to have gotten used to.They would continue to USE AND DUMP US... election is just around the corner,you would start see them more often than ever...right now,you are their family,brother or sister...the moment you vote them back to power,they bid you their byes again...see you in the next 4 years.
Osun people did it,they voted for performance despite all the treat and FEDERAL MIGHT OF THE PDP,if they can do it,we too can.VOTE BASED ON PERFORMANCE AND NOT ETHNICITY OF RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION! WE ARE THE YOUTH AND WE ARE SAYING NO TO ALL FORMS OF SENTIMENTS...BE IT RELIGIOUS OR ETHNIC, IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE WELL,WE SHALL VOTE YOU OUT COME 2015...that should be our message to the power brokers...without us,they can't do anything,trust me! Let's stand our ground this time.
I learnt that China is celebrating too today...what a co-incedent! I therefore congratulate the Chinese on their Communist anniversary celebration... many happy returns!
Thanks for your time and happy independence day Nigeria! Long live Nigeria! Amen.
Regards,
Abdurrahman,
07037595859,
http://moneymakingmachine-alchemy007.blogspot.com

The Youth in Nigerian Democracy:Choice of Whom to Vote for

We got less than a year to 2015 general elections and the tussle for power is reaching the very peak. Already,it's quiet glaring the President,Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is contesting for a second term...as usual,according to the PDP he is the only candidate in the PDP fold that can deliver the desired results,no one else can and in fact he was nominated UN-UPPOSED... (ridiculous kind of to me)...but that doesn't matter as the PDP has spoken as a party.
We are yet to hear from APC, the ONLY real opposition to the ruling party. They seem to be very cautious due to the very fragile nature of their relationship...it's a merger of quite a number of political parties with their various manifestos... no one wants to be cheated or outdone. This makes it very difficult for them to make a choice. Whatever,their choice is,I'm less concerned,rather,I'm more particular about our choice of candidate to vote for.
Politicians in Nigeria have successfully created a political system and atmosphere in which oppositions hardly get a fair chance at the polls...this is not peculiar to PDP,APC too adopts the same tactics of unfairness...a major example of what I'm talking about here is that of state owned media...you can hardly here of the opposition's campaign jingles on them...what you as always hear is the jingles of the ruling party...even in the federal level,this, unfortunately,is the norm.
Another very unfair tactic they employ to remain in power is the censor of all negative forms of news... I mean,it's quiet unfortunate to see that you don't get to hear all the news headlines from the state owned media...you have to go an extra mile to get all the juicy news headlines...this is particularly fraudulent due to the fact that the state media has the attention of the vast majority,hence,this delibrate act of burying some important news headlines keeps the public from knowing what is really happening around them.The state media has turned out to be a tool of propaganda as against its real goal of informing and educating the public. All you'll ever hear is the praise singing of the ruling party no matter how corrupt it might be,the news...in fact all the programs is favorable to the ruling party.No criticism is allowed... whether constructive or otherwise. There's absolute clamp down on freedom of expression.
Just a day or so ago,I heard over the radio the praise singing of an administration which even the presenter of the radio program knows very well hasn't really performed enough to be commended...I was like...kai! My point here is to let you know that both the APC & PDP are guilty of unfairly tweaking the instruments of government to avail them undue advantage over the opposition and unless something is done,nothing would really change...Nigerians would continue to suffer from underdevelopment. When there's no room for criticism, there's no check and balance for the government, hence,he get away with any crime especially, financial crimes since there's no one to ask questions and he,therefore, answers to no one...it's like anarchy to me!
In order to prevent the continuity of this unfair status quo,there is need for the youth to review how they decide who to vote for. In the last post,I discouraged the recipient of bribe as this unsettle the politicians and keeps them right on their toes,I shall build on that fact.
In addition to your refusal of bribes which both major parties have been found guilty of,it would be most imperative on you to consider the C.V. of the available candidates. What are their achievements so far...have they held a post of responsibility before,how did they fare,were they indicted of fraud or were they applauded for their selfless services...how many developmental projects have they been involved in,PERSONALLY...etc.
You see,unless you value your choice of candidates based on these and other noble criteria,you are most likely going to make a wrong choice. When you do,you would also be sending a message to both candidates. You would have successfully sent an indirect message that goes thus:
"Look,I don't care how able and capable you are for the elected post. I care more about your,tribe,religion affiliation and how much you can pay...my vote goes to the highest bidder!"
You don't have to say it...they say 'action speaks louder than voice'. Your action tells it all. If sentiments of what tribe I come from,my religion or how much I give as bribe are the criteria we hope to base our choice of candidate on,then,Nigerians shouldn't blame anyone but themselves if things get worse or it remains as it is.
We need to learn to think straight and more of our future than our present situation... we shouldn't let the little lack we experience today influence our choices at the polls adversely. We must make do away with such notion as "he is from my clan","we of the same religion","he is from the North,I can't vote for him","he is from the South,I can't vote". In their places,we should adopt such notions as "Even though he is from the South,I'll vote for him as he is more qualified than Mr A who is from my tribe","We may be of the same faith but I won't vote for him,because he hasn't done well in previous less demanding capacities","I would NEVER vote a candidate that offers a bribe for my vote,it is an obvious sign that he won't do well in office" and "So long he is a Nigerian with laudable achievements and very good track record of high performance in the past, I would vote for him!"
To cut the long story short,my messages are:
- Make it a duty to participate positively in every election
- Secure your permanent voter's card today,it's your power to hire or fire any politician
- Go out to vote as a matter of National responsibility and your contribution to development.
- Do NOT vote for whom ever it is that offers you a bribe...it's a BIG sign that he won't serve you but himself.
- Whoever offers a bribe for your vote does so to gain undue advantage,out of desperation to win by all means,don't fall for it.
- VOTE ONLY BASED ON PAST SUCCESS RECORDS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HE TOOK PART IN...THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN TELL A CANDIDATE IS PASSIONATE AND DEVOTED TO SERVING YOU!
That very last point is in fact the MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE I wish to pass today. You may wonder should none of the contesting candidates have the qualities as recommended above,what shall we do?
Well,my recommendation then,would be the rotation of candidates until you find a worthwhile candidate. LIKE THE PEOPLE OF OSUN, NEVER VOTE A CANDIDATE FOR A SECOND TERM UNLESS HE DOES WELL.
In the recently concluded gubernatorial elections,Ogbeni  AbdulRauf Aregbesola emerges as the winner NOT because he is the incumbent governor but because HE DID WELL DURING HIS FIRST TENURE! This was a shocker to members of the PDP as Osun people never returned an incumbent governor,NO ONE before Aregbe had a second term in office as governor... it has always been a single tenure... so,the PDP was hoping to bank on that,but,it didn't work out that way,despite the federal might of the PDP.
This goes to prove beyond reasonable doubt that even an annointed candidate of the president can loose an election if the people does not approve of him/her... it means that should the people stand their ground and talk with a single voice,no one can defeat them...not even a political godfather!
Osun now,is reaping the fruit of togetherness...oneness, unity of purpose and ideology... they got the very best from Aregbe in his first and decided to reward him with a second tenure! Nigeria as a country must adopt this tactic... the coming general elections is a test ground for us to do that... WE MUST SHUN ALL FORMS OF TRIBALISM DURING THE 2015 ELECTIONS... THE ONLY THING TO CONSIDER IN VOTING A CANDIDATE IS HIS TRACK RECORD AND NOTHING MORE...FORGET WHERE HE COMES FROM,SO LONG HE IS A NIGERIAN WITH A GOOD TRACK RECORD, WE SHOULD VOTE HIM IN.
We shall do more talking on the Presidential elections in my next issue... don't miss it!
Regards,
Abdurrahman,
07037595859,
http://moneymakingmachine-alchemy007.blogspot.com

The Youth in Nigerian Democracy:Removing the Smoke screen

It was once reported that a former head of state of this country,Nigeria,stated that the youth are not ripe enough to take control of affairs....do I blame him? Hell no!
A Yoruba adage has it that "igba ni yo so ibi ama fokun ko lorun e" meaning that it's a gourd/calabash that tells what part of it shall we tie our rope! By implicative meaning,IT'S THE YOUTH THAT HAS THE ONUS RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL WHEN IT'S READY TO TAKE OVER...NO ONE'S GONNA LET US HAVE IT ON A PLATTER...WE GOT TO FIGHT FOR IT!
Unless we strife for a change,we would continue to fit in ONLY as mere tools in the hands of these old men.Unless we strife,unless we fight! But how do we do,you may ask...it's not that difficult...it begins with a change in our core believes about ourselves,country and our togetherness as a nation.WE NEED TO START THINKING AND ACTING AS NIGERIANS AND NO MORE AS A TRIBESMAN,MUSLIM,CHRISTIAN OR TRADITIONALIST...NO MORE OF THOSE...IT'S TIME TO START THINKING AS NIGERIANS! This is not possible without proper civic education that we so much lack as youth.
Let me warn that this is not going to be easy neither is it going to be done overnight but the fact remains it's possible and attainable if we work at it!
Majority of us,the youth,are so carried away by the peanuts we receive from destructive errands we run for these selfish old guys,so much that we find it difficult to think straight anymore. It's as bad as accepting ANY JOB AT ALL...INCLUDING CRIMINAL AND DESTRUCTIVE MISSIONS from these evil men so long it would yield cash. In fact,there's no longer such things as good or bad, constructive or destructive,right or wrong anymore in the hearts of the youth ...these days,boys would sell their conscience and lives for a mini bag of SEMOLINA OR RICE!
We all know what I'm saying,I don't need to expantiate further...during Ekiti elections campaign period,pictures of able bodied men and women were displayed on facebook queuing for mini bags of rice and a sum of N3000 in the PDP camp...it was actually cooked rice in the APC's camp....have we turned beggers/destitutes/refugees...I mean what for,what else? People's votes of course! But wait a minute,do they really need your votes to win elections???
This KEY question is a vital question the youth have to ask themselves and seek a genuine answer to: "Why do they have to go all the way to procure such a large amount of goods and merchandise to appease you guys ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY DON'T REALLY NEED YOU TO VOTE?
Some would even say that "I would collect the money and vote someone else"! It would have been a bright idea should it be that winners are determined via ballot. The truth, my brother, is that all those goodies you receive during elections are to silence you,it's a price they pay for your conscience! Once you are paid,no matter the results,you cannot complain,your presence at their rallies are evidences that you support their candidature... so as you can see, they are no fools, all they need see is that you take their bribes,they don't need your vote...the moment you do that,they happily proceed with all forms of malpractices without any qualms.Simply because you have sold the right to rig elections and power to embezzle as much as they can when took the rice and money from them!But should you have rejected their peanuts, things would have turned out differently.
One;they can't be sure you are for them or not;two:rigging might prove difficult since you refused their bribe,you are most likely going to protest any wrong doing at the polls and thirdly, since it's a collective decision of the majority,you would have become a multi headed Hydra that can't be defeated as they won't know who or where to strike...
....such is the power of our unity...like I've said before,NOTHING can stop us if we unite to strife for a goal!
....later!
Regards,
Abdurrahman,
http://www.therichkidstreasurebox.com

The Youth in Nigerian Democracy:The GREATEST CON of all!

It's rather unfortunate to learn that our President would stoop so low to the extent that he would take advantage of the high unemployment rate in the country to ensure his re-election come 2015. I caught wind of this devilish move on a group on whattsapp that I belong to. It was announced to us as a new way Jonathan is helping to improve the lives of the youth. He informed us that GEJ is paying ALL youth N50000/month, as a youth who is dire need of a better offer than he currently gets,I hurriedly logged onto the site to register... it was a site put up by TAN,the transformation agenda of the President. However,I'm the type that's extra careful of his source of income,so,I inquired for what would I do to receive the cash.
My brother,I was surprised that all I had to do is to 'preach the Gospel of Jonathan' and gather at least 200 faithfuls for Jonathan's re-election! Chai! How unfortunate!
Why would Jonathan be so desperate for followership if he had done well,why does he have to bribe the youth to win come 2015....most importantly,WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM???
These were the questions flashing through my mind when I learnt of this heinous crime of the president. Instead of creating jobs for the teeming youth,Jonathan would rather take advantage of them to achieve his selfish and greedy goals...how pathetic!
The painful part is that the uninformed majority of the youth would jump on this deadly poison called an offer and gulp it up without thinking or inquiring as from where would the money they are paid is coming from...this is due to the fact that,as far as they are concerned,it's there own share of the national cake! Haba!
Despite the fact that these sought of bribery happens everytime there is an election,the youth still can't resist the temptation...they accept such peanuts and starve of government's attention for another 4 years,during the period of starvation,you hear of all sorts of condemnation from all corners especially the youth who took the bait and worked acidously to ensure the corrupt is elected over the up-right candidate.
I mean, it's no news that whoever bribed the electorates to be voted to power has no intention to do it right,yet,we accept the peanuts they offer in exchange for the access to power. The power to receive billions in allocation every month for the next 48 months,the power to borrow at high interest rates without being questioned on how such monies are expended.
This is why places like the Niger Delta is still in shambles despite the billions their governors receive from the FG.....they receive the biggest chunks of the allocation,yet,their people still wallow in abject poverty.This June alone,Akwa Ibom received about N110 billion! Despite it's little size and smaller population compared to Kano that received just around N19 billion.
These guys receive so much and gives so little that I begin to wonder how ignorant the Nigerian youth are of these truths. I mean,ordinarily,one expects the youth to ask questions,but,instead of doing that,what do they do? They go all out in praise singing for the corrupt leaders hoping to get small kickbacks from such politicians.
When you ask them as to why,they would ask you in return,what else can they do,there're no jobs out there for them...afterall,it's still better than stealing!
Whenever,I get such response,I cannot but pity the situation of the majority of the youth...because I get such responses quite often,I realize how bad and hopeless the state of the youth is who,unfortunately, is damn too confused to find a way out. But that doesn't mean that there are no way out,it would just take time and energy which I know the youth have in excess should they know the way to go.....so,what is the way out???
The way out is not far fetched,truly,our destiny lies in our hands.THE WAY OUT IS NETWORKING!
The youth MUST learn to work together IRRESPECTIVE OF RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC DIFFERENCES!They must understand that no one really cares about them,politicians only use and dump them at will...and that in order to succeed,they need to see themselves in a different light from the usual view of being instruments of crisis and crime in the hands of politicians. They must start to see themselves AS THE FUTURE OF TOMORROW,AS SUCH,MUST START LEAVING LIKE A LEADER THEY ARE TODAY.
KNOWLEDGE IS KEY. We must learn to harness our potentials and energies to forge a better tomorrow for ourselves and the generation next. When we eventually agree to unite and make the changes we so much deserve,NO ONE CAN STOP US! We shall discuss this much further next time!
Regards,
Abdurrahman,
http://www.therichkidstreasurebox.com

The Youth in Nigerian Democracy

Nigerian democracy has survived the past 15 years with constant improvement and understanding of the system by the populace,but,however,it's quite evident that we still have a very long way to go.
We all know how hot the polity is presently.It's quite unfortunate that the Presidency is head bent on heating it up the more.Just as it's mentioned in my previous post on this blog,we have experienced more of politicking during this regime than we ever did since the beginning of the current republic.
Another thing that is worthy of note is the incidence of widespread corruption we have experienced at a much higher scale during this current regime. There's an escalating rate of corruption... it's so high that in a singular act of such corrupt practice,Nigeria lost DOUBLE the money we lost to the Abacha's... I'm talking of the $20 billion un remitted petroleum revenue for which Sanusi was sacked.
Corruption was going on at such alarming rate that the President had a hard time debunking the upsurge, so much so that he was caught on air claiming that STEALING IS NOT CORRUPTION! Imagine!  Chaaai! There's God ooooo!
Boko Haram insurgency is another very unfortunate occurrence during Jonathan's regime that would NEVER be forgotten....it's the very first bombs are used on a large scale to terrorize in Nigeria. (Nigerians are already used to kidnapping for a ransom...the tactics of MEND...the terror group down South that claimed to be freedom fighters).
Especially,the ridiculous story built around it. The story is that boko haram is an ISLAMIC TERROR GROUP THAT'S TRYING TO ESTABLISH AN ISLAMIC STATE UP NORTH.
It's quite amusing that so many would fall for such a white lie against Islam and the Northern region of the country! A careful analysis of the sect's activities CLEARLY SHOW THAT THE SECT IS A POLITICAL AND NOT A RELIGIOUS TOOL PUT IN PLACE TO UNSETTLE THE NORTH. For the following Reasons,boko haram is NOT an Islamic sect.
Firstly,they terrorize the people while one of Islam's most basic principles is that DO NOT OPPRESS AND DON'T BE OPPRESSED. Secondly,they abduct people against their wishes and demand huge ransom in exchange. The Chibok Girls incidence is the most popular of such abductions. The Quran CLEARLY kicked against such actions when it categorically prohibit the inheritance of women against their own wishes. A third reason is the fact that they killed a Muslim cleric and an Emir which is STRICTLY PROHIBITED in the QURAN.
As such and coupled with a statement credited to the formal Security Adviser of Jonathan himself,late General Azaazi who categorically stated that "BOKO HARAM IS A FALL OUT OF THE INTERNAL CRISIS OF THE PDP",it's more than clear that boko haram is a political tool as against a religious sect as we are expected to believe it is.
Boko Haram is nothing but a political tool designed and implanted in the north to unsettle the North and possibly cause the secession of the country.But,thank God Who has held us together as a country for so long,Most Nigerians have read the insurgency rightly and have understood the fact that it's a delibrate handiwork of some greedy,desperate and inhuman politician who shall, by God's Grace be exposed for who they are and shall be publicly disgraced for sowing the seeds of crisis and terror amongst us and for trying to ensnare Islam with their evil ways. They plan,but,God also plan and God is the Best of Planners!
Yes,his tenure has recorded a couple of successes too...like the YUWIN program for the youth and the rice farm he recently commissioned in Nasarawa state not forgetting the rehabilitation of airports and road networks across the country but his failures and negative records by far supercede his positive records. The gigantic flaws of this administration are too many,this is why the little positivity he recorded are looked down upon and rounded down to ZERO!
The most painful of all the unfortunate developments happening in Nigeria is that THE YOUTH OF THE COUNTRY HAVE EITHER JOINED FORCES WITH OUR CORRUPT LEADERS AND ARE IN FACT ON THE VANGUARD OF THEIR CAMPAIGN TEAMS OR THEY LOOSE OUT AND PARTICIPATE IN RALLIES,BECOME THUGS FOR THE RICH...OTHERS BECOME ARMED ROBBERS,KIDNAPPERS OR CON MEN.
Is this how it ought to be,are we really a wasted generation, isn't there a way for us to turn the table round and become THE MOST USEFUL GENERATION OF ALL TIMES??? These and more questions shall be answered on my subsequent posts on this blog, stay tuned and bookmark this blog now.Thanks for your time!

To our success,
Abdurrahman
http://therichkidstreasurebox.com