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Showing posts from May, 2016

Treachery Will Not Be Forgivable By Martins Abiodun

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Treachery Will Not Be Forgivable I am appalled at the ostensible fickleness of some uninhibited Nigerians who had over the years opposed deregulation of the downstream oil sector especially in 2012 during the last administration. My conviction against deregulation then was firm and that was because we are living in matrix. Some of us may look chubby but the fact is we are suffering from kwashiorkor and this is borne out of the hypocritic nature of the characters that characterized the last administration. Therefore, it would tantamount to an onslaught and inimicality if subsidy is removed by these elements because no realistic palliatives will materialize and the aftermath would be privation, destitution, poverty, austerity and impecuniousness. On this position I stand until some weeks ago when the current administration pronounced the outright removal of the fuel subsidy. Sincerely, I was shocked and disappointed at this pronouncement.  I remembered nostalgically some of the e

It Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better By Pius Adesanmi

It Will Get Worse Before it Gets Better By Pius Adesanmi One argument being pushed by the Federal Government (via Osinbajo et al) and supporters of fuel subsidy removal (appropriate pricing, deregulation, downstreaming, market remedy - they have called the beast so many names my head is spinning) borders on the idea of the impenetrable darkness which always looms before the glorious light at the end of the tunnel. This is a very seductive argument, supported by the great spiritual and literary texts of the world. It is a powerful motif in literature, a recurrent theme in myths and legends: great difficulties, pitch darkness, then, light! In the great literary mythologies, from the Greeks to the Romans, via Ananse in Ghanaian folk tales and the Tortoise in Yoruba folktales, pitch darkness and the light that follows it at the end of the tunnel are always moderated by one inescapable element: sacrifice. So here is the basic plot of one of the greatest motifs in human imagination: da

Grazing Commission Bill: When Men Die That Cattle May Live by Reno Omokri

Grazing Commission Bill: When Men Die That Cattle May Live! Nigeria is not the only country where nomadic pastoralists herdsmen come and go. In Kenya, they have the Maasai herdsmen who have been herding cattle around the Nile Valley area from the days of Joseph in ancient Egypt. Other nations have their own form of pastoralists too. But never in the history of the 20th and 21st Century has the world encountered a scenario such as that which stares Nigeria in the face, whereby Fulani pastoral Herdsmen simultaneously and nationally and almost systematically are wiping out indigenous Nigerians for the benefit of their cattle. I challenge my readers to take the time to do a Google search and collate the number of reported casualties from unprovoked Fulani attacks on innocent, unarmed Nigerians in 2016 alone. The results will shock you! I will not throw out a number in order not to give my political foes fodder to use against me in a case of incitement, but please carry out even a curso

"If You Talk To Girls In These 3 Ways On Social Media, They Will Fall Crazily In Love With You"

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======================================================= “If You Talk To Girls in These 3 Ways On Social Media, They Will Fall Crazily in Love With You" ========================================================= Let me make you a promise before you start reading; if you are a guy and have always wondered why girls you really really like never seem to like you back then this would be the most important post you will ever come across this whole year. If you want to completely eliminate the “hard to get” attitude you get from women then come with me… Now, in this post, I will show you 3 psychological tricks that you can use to communicate with girls and get them to like you. These 3 ways of talking to girls that i am about to pour on your laps always work like magic, every single time. With just these three ways of talking to girls you can get them to become addicted to you, always come around you and basically love to be around you like crazy. Turn it up just a bit, use it

Why I am Opposed To The Fuel Increase Or Deregulation by Omoyele Sowore

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Why I am Opposed To The Fuel Price Increase Or "Deregulation" I have read the reason(s) adduced by the Nigerian government to justify the increase in prices of petroleum products, particularly Gasoline/Petrol/PMS. I was a student activist in the 90's when the military regime tried to convince people why an increase in prices of these commodities was necessary. A ridiculous one I remember the most was the argument that since bottled water was pricier, then petrol prices needed to go up. This was under the IBB regime. We need not go into the rest, yesterday, the argument for the latest increase in the pump price of petrol was blamed on a range of criminal elements within our society. They included militants, smugglers, hoarders and saboteurs within the government. While the government hasn't increased the price of engaging in these crimes, it is simply callous to pass the same on to the mass of our people who are themselves victims of these highly connected crimin

Oil Subsidy And The Hunt For Hypocrisy by Pius Adesanmi

Oil Subsidy and the Hunt for Hypocrisy By Pius Adesanmi. 1) I remain unpersuaded by the arguments I have read in favour of oil subsidy removal. I am not talking about the mostly hot air, ill-informed, half-informed, and politically-jaundiced propositions being pushed on all sides on social media. I am talking about conversations I've been following or contributing to in other spaces. Until I read superior arguments and logic from those arguing in favour of this move by President Buhari, I remain persuaded that subsidy removal is wrong and I condemn it without equivocation. President Jonathan was wrong to have removed it; President Buhari is wrong to have removed it. 2) I am not unmindful of the basic problems with the subsidy regime. We don't need to go into details here. The problems have been retailed ad nauseam in our public sphere for years and are being retailed now by supporters of President Buhari to justify the removal. Let us just say that all those problems lead

16 REASONS WHY COL. GADDAFI WAS KILLED

16 REAL REASONS WHY COL. GADDAFI WAS KILLED: 1. There is no electricity bill in Libya, electricity is free for all its citizens. 2. There is no interest on loans, banks in Libya are state-owned and loans given to all its citizens at 0% interest by law. 3. Home considered a human right in Libya – Gaddafi vowed that his parents would not get a house until everyone in Libya had a home. Gaddafi’s father has died while him, his wife and his mother are still living in a tent. 4. All newlyweds in Libya receive $60,000 Dinar (US$ 50,000 ) by the government to buy their first apartment so to help start up the family. 5. Education and medical treatments are free in Libya. Before Gaddafi only 25% of Libyans are literate. Today the figure is 83%. 6. If Libyans want to take up farming career, they would receive farm land, a farming house, equipment, seeds and livestock to kick- start their farms – all for free. 7. If Libyans cannot find the education or medical facilities they need

FUEL SUBSIDY : AN ELABORATE ANALYSIS by Fayose

Fuel price increment is Buhari’s wickedness taken too far, it’s fraudulent - Fayose Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has said that President Mohammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) were playing Nigerians Advanced Fee Fraud over the removal of fuel subsidy and increment of pump price from N86.50 to N145 per litre, describing the increment as wickedness taken too far and asking; “was the federal government paying up to N58.50 as subsidy on one litre of petrol before now?” Governor Fayose, who reiterated his call on Nigerians, especially the labour movement to resist what he called “this wicked act of President Buhari and his party”, added that; “those who opposed removal of fuel subsidy in 2012 and funded the Occupy Nigeria protest must not be allowed to get away with this imposition of hardship on Nigerians now that they are in power.” He said labour unions, civil society organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians should stand up and be counted at this

INEC RELEASES ELECTION TIMETABLE FOR EDO AND ONDO GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS

INEC RELEASES ELECTION TIMETABLE FOR EDO AND ONDO GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed June 12 for commencement of political campaigns ahead of the Sept. 10 governorship election in Edo. Similarly, it said that electioneering by aspirants in the governorship election in Ondo state scheduled for Nov. 26 should begin on Aug. 28. This is contained in the commission’s daily bulletin issued on Thursday in Abuja. According to it, June 12 has been scheduled for the commencement of campaigns by political parties participating in the Edo governorship election. “July 2 to July 4 have also been set aside for the conduct of party primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from the primaries,” it said. It stated that official register of voters for the election in Edo would be published on Aug. 11. It added that submission of names of political parties’ agents should be made to Electoral Officers in the local government areas

ONDO 2016: MY PLAN FOR ONDO - BOROFFICE

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ONDO 2016: MY PLAN FOR ONDO - BOROFFICE Senator Ajayi Boroffice is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State. In this interview with EMMANUEL OLADESU, he speaks on his plan for the state, the preparation for the primary, the chances of the party at the poll. Observers say the large number of aspirants on the platform of the APC portends danger for the party. What do you think? I don’t think the large number of governorship aspirants for the coming election in Ondo State will have any negative effect on the party. The problem we had in 2012 was that the candidate chosen for us was not popular. He was not the choice of the party in the state. He emerged in a way that upset so many people and many people felt that he didn’t have the temperament of a governor and left the party. But, then, we pulled ourselves together to work for the party along the line of his aspiration. We formed various committees, to handle various aspects of

The Illegality, Immorality And Insensitivity Of The Fuel Price Increase by Femi Falana

The illegality, immorality and insensitivity of fuel price increase By Femi Falana During the campaign last year, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress, General Mohammadu Buhari pledged that if elected as President by the Nigerian people his administration would not remove fuel subsidy. Since he won the election last year President Buhari has consistently resisted pressures from the neo-liberal characters in the government to remove fuel subsidy and increase the price of petrol. On January 18, 2016 the federal government allayed the fear of the Nigerian when the price of petrol was reduced to N86.50k per litre. In justifying the decision people the federal government claimed that the reduction was due to an implementation of the revised component of the Petroleum Products Pricing Template for PMS and household kerosene. It would be recalled that following the popular agitation against the removal of fuel subsidy in 2012, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources had announced the

What Goes Around Comes Around

In 1892 at Stanford University, an 18-year-old student was struggling to pay his fees. He was an orphan, and not knowing where to turn for money, he came up with a bright idea. He and a friend decided to host a musical concert on campus to raise money for their education. They reached out to the great pianist Ignacy J. Paderewski. His manager demanded a guaranteed fee of $2000 for the piano recital. A deal was struck and the boys began to work to make the concert a success. The big day arrived. But unfortunately, they had not managed to sell enough tickets. The total collection was only $1600. Disappointed, they went to Paderewski and explained their plight. They gave him the entire $1600, plus a cheque for the balance $400. They promised to honour the cheque at the soonest possible. “No,” said Paderewski. “This is not acceptable.” He tore up the cheque, returned the $1600 and told the two boys: “Here’s the $1600. Please deduct whatever expenses you have incurred. Keep the money y

Forget David Cameron Gaffe, Nigerians Across The World Are Pace Setters

REGARDING DAVID CAMERON'S CONDESCENDING COMMENTS TO THE QUEEN YESTERDAY ABOUT NIGERIA & BUHARI'S PREVIOUS GAFFE: All over the world Nigerians are setting the pace and becoming the standard by which others measure themselves #CelebrateYourNigerianness! In the US, Nigerians are the most educated immigrant community. Type it into Google and you'll see it. Not one of the most educated, the most educated #CelebrateYourNigerianness! 60% of Nigerians in the US have college degrees. This is far above the American national average of 30% #CelebrateYourNigerianness! Nigerians in US are one of the highest earners, typically earning 25% more than the median US income of $53k #CelebrateYourNigerianness! In Ivy League schools in Europe and America, Nigerians routinely outperform their peers from other nations #CelebrateYourNigerianness! A Nigerian family, The Imafidon family, have officially been named the smartest family in the UK #CelebrateYourNigerianness! The designer of t

A Letter To My Future Wife By Kosoko Oyeyemi

Not all the Time Politics and Motivation sometimes LOVE :: Dear Future Wife, I am not exactly sure of where You are right now. I can’t tell what colour. of attire you are wearing. I am Very Uncertain about the Names You would want our children to bear, but I am certain of One thing, Like Me I know You exist and carry the desire to have a home and a Good husband to call Yours one day Dear future  wife, I Hope to make a good husband, a good father and friend to my kids and Hopefully I'd be part of the national reconstruction of this Gigantic and diversified edifice called Nigeria. Honey, I still don't appreciate Music the way My folks do, only few rhythms and lyrics would make me to shake my Head, Probably when I meet You, it might change. Dear future wife,  Just like my friends I derive pleasure from watching soccer, Please accommodate my Craze for Football don't cook that special meal on a Day Madrid is Playing Barcelona and don't fix the special date on a champ

Fuel Subsidy Removal: To Our Vomit, We Have Returned

FUEL SUBSIDY: TO OUR VOMIT, WE HAVE RETURNED On January 1, 2012, that is FIFTY-TWO MONTHS AND TEN DAYS ago, a certain Goodluck Jonathan, having the misfortune of being president of this geographical contraption called Nigeria, removed subsidy on premium motor spirit and the country went into turmoil and conflagration, literally. Today, a certain Mohammadu Buhari, the man who inherited the misfortune, after dilly-dallying for months has done same. After months of pain, anguish and billions lost to social and economic dislocation, the president has done the RIGHT thing. The difference, however, is that while the nation was brought to her knees in 2012, she won't this time. There won't be a total shutdown of the country. NLC won't call for strike. Human and civil rights activists won't occupy Ojota. Pastor Tunde Bakare is not likely to lead any protest. In short, Nigerians will gladly accept. Let me say this: I support removal of fuel subsidy. Fully. But why should

Fuel Subsidy Removed As NLC Agrees

PRESS STATEMENT ON CURRENT FUEL SITUATION We have just finished a meeting of various stakeholders presided over by His Excellency, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The meeting had in attendance the Leadership of the Senate, House of Representatives, Governors Forum, and Labour Unions (NLC, TUC, NUPENG, and PENGASSAN). The meeting reviewed: 1. The current fuel scarcity and supply difficulties in the country. 2. The exorbitant prices being paid by Nigerians for the product. These prices range on the average from N150 to N250 per litre currently. 3. The meeting also noted that the main reason for the current problem is the inability of importers of petroleum products to source foreign exchange at the official rate due to the massive decline of foreign exchange earnings of the federal government. As a result, private marketers have been unable to meet their approximate 50% portion of total national supply of PMS. Following a detailed presentation by the H

Electricity Challenge : A Roadmap For Change By Babatunde Fashola

NIGERIA’S ELECTRICITY CHALLENGE: A ROADMAP FOR CHANGE BEING THE TEXT OF A LECTURE BY BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, SAN, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF POWER, WORKS AND HOUSING AT A PUBLIC LECTURE HELD AT LEKKI ORIENTAL HOTEL ON THURSDAY 5TH MAY 2016 Ladies and Gentleman, When I assumed office as minister, maybe I should have done some of the more traditional things.  To tell you that your generators will disappearin one year or to tell you how many Thousands of Megawatts you will get in how many months. I am sure these would have grabbed a lot of headlines and attracted front page coverage.  But history tells us clearly that we have done all these before and we still do not have enough power. I could also have started by telling you how many people will be probed for all the money spent on power.  But those of you who choose not to forget will remember that we have probed almost everybody and every institution concerned with power in the past and we still do not have enough power