Nigerian military to release women, other Boko Haram suspects

The military said it was acting on directives by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced in Abuja on Tuesday that it would release some persons detained in connection with terrorist activities.

The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, said in a statement that the decision to release the suspected terrorists was based on the directives of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr. Jonathan had declared state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa on May 14.

The statement said the move was in furtherance of the Federal Government’s position in response to requests by the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Reconciliation.

“The measure which is in line with presidential magnanimity to enhance peace efforts in the country will result in freedom for suspects, including all women under custody.

“The details of the directives and those to benefit from this gesture have been communicated to field units and the Joint Task Force, ‘’ it said.

The statement said that the beneficiaries would be released to the state governors who would be involved in further rehabilitation before the suspects were released to their respective community leaders and relations.

Part of the major issues raised by the Boko Haram in videos made before the State of Emergency declaration was their demand that government forces release all their wives and female relatives in detention.

Culled from Premium Times.

FG Disbands Maina’s Pension Reform Task force Team

Maina

The Pension Reform Taskforce Team (PRTT) headed by Adulrasheed Maina as the chairman, has been disbanded by the Federal Government over fraud allegations rocking the Taskforce.

According to the Nigerian Tribune which reported the news, sources in the PRTT have revealed that the Federal Government has communicated the PRTT in a letter to that effect.

Also, when asked about Maina’s whereabouts, the source said: “I can’t tell you the whereabouts of Maina now but the latest we are getting is that the Task Team has been disbanded. One of my senior officials just asked me to come to the office and pack my things. The fact that Oga is not here to give us directive means he might have travelled, I can’t tell.”

Recent unconfirmed reports said Maina has fled the country to escape arrest by the police and other security agents. Also, the Ministry of Interior, has vowed to sanction him in line with the Civil Service Rules and Regulation for gross misconduct.

Jonathan agreed to be one-term President – Obasanjo

Obasanjo speech during the campaign 2011 grand finale of the  Jonathan/ Namadi Sambo ticket:

‘’Mr President, we are here because we believe in what I call Nigerian dream. Mr President, we from the South West we were the first to collectively stick out our head to say this is the way, and what is the way? ‘’The way of Goodluck Jonathan for Nigeria. A Nigerian dream entails collective aspiration, collective hope, collective objective, collective target and collective fulfilment. It also entails our communality. And what is our communality in Nigeria? What is the communality between me and my brother from Sokoto? What is the communality between me and even my brother from Yenagoa?  What is the communality between me and my brother from Maiduguri? What is the communality between me and my brother from Badagry, or even from Ekiti? It is Nigerian identity. Nigerian Identity! That is our communality.

“If you say the communality is that we belong to the human race, so do the Europeans, so the Americans, so the Asians. But we are one communality, one identity, Nigerian identity. If we have a common identity, then we can have a common Nigerian dream.

”For me, I see a Nigeria dream of land of unity in diversity. For me, I see the Nigerian dream in equal opportunities for all Nigerians; land of freedom and choices; land of prosperity, fairness, peace and justice; land of love, care, harmony among its people; land respected internationally and playing its rightful role within the comity of nations and land where no one is oppressed, discriminated against, enslaved or disadvantaged.

‘’For instance, let me go to an element of one of the aspects of the dream. When I was a young man, leaving secondary school, there was only one university in Nigeria. The opportunity for young men to go to university in Nigeria was then limited. Today, there are 117 universities in Nigeria, expanded and enhanced opportunities. We have to match that with opportunity to access to employment and to good living standard. Your Excellencies, this I believe is attainable and as a political party, we in PDP have dreams.

“We have set about actualising our Nigerian dream. You will see this in the formation of PDP. The history of the PDP speaks for its self. The constitution of PDP, the manifesto of our party and the performance of our party so far. We have set our hands on the plough and there is no looking back for PDP.

‘’Drawing from our national Constitution which upholds Federal Character, we are the only political party that enshrines Federal Character in our Constitution through zoning and rotation.

”And we should be proud of that. For us and for the foreseeable future that remains sacrosanct, I am an apostle of Federal Character under Murtala/Obasanjo administration and I cannot now preach anything different. The accident of history of the recent past must be understood for what it is, an unexpected situation and PDP as a party has addressed that issue.

‘’At the last meeting of BoT of our party last Saturday, the issue was tabled by the president as it was raised by three distinguished members of our party a day before that BoT meeting with the President. I was mandated to take up the position of the party with the three distinguished members of our party who raised the issue. They are General Ibrahim Babangida, General Aliyu Muhammed and Alhaji Abubakar Atiku.

“The following day, that was last Sunday, I took up the matter with General Ibrahim Babangida, who expressed to me that the issue is not the accident of history, but rather it is the issue of perception in some quarters that Federal Character, zoning and rotation, as established and practised by PDP, have been jettisoned and permanently cancelled.

‘’I, on behalf of the BoT, allay the fear and I promised a public report while he briefs the other two party members with whom we saw the president on the eve of the BoT meeting.

‘’What am I saying? What am saying simply is that Federal Character, zoning and rotation in our party is alive and kicking. I personally see the practice of Federal Character, zoning and rotation of key political and governmental positions and offices by the PDP, if it will continue to be the ruling party in Nigeria, I see that position beyond my life time. It will only happen when unity, stability and democracy have been established with full confidence and trust by everybody in the system and within the polity and among the participants for factors of competence, performance and track record to become predominant. PDP should be praised for being the only party that enshrined Federal Character, zoning and rotation in its constitution and also practicing it.

‘’PDP has brought stability and substantial predictability to the polity and to the system. I do not know who will be the President of Nigeria after Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. That is in the hand of God. But with the PDP policy and practice, I can reasonably guess from where in terms of section of the country from where the successor to President Goodluck Jonathan will come and no internal democracy or competition will be hereby destroyed.

‘’The recent resort to sentiments and emotions of religion and regionalism is self-serving, unpatriotic and mischievous to say the least. It is also playing on dangerous emotive issues that ignite uncontrollable passion and can destabilise if not destroy our country. It is oblivious of the sacrifices others have made in the past for unity stability and democracy in Nigeria in giving out their lives, shedding their blood and in going to prison. I personally have done two out of these three sacrifices and I am ready to do the third if it will serve the best interest of Nigerian dream.

‘’Let me appeal to those who have embarked on those dangerous roles to desist from taking us on a perishable journey. A common identity as Nigerians there is more that binds us than separate us.

‘’I am a Nigerian born a Yoruba man and I am proud of those identities, as they are for me complimentary. Our duties, responsibilities and obligations to our country and citizens and indeed as leaders must go side by side in our likes and demands. There must be certain values and virtues that would go concomitantly with our dream.

‘’Thomas Payne said and I quote: “My country is a world.” For me my country I hold dear. On two occasions, I have had the opportunity, thanks to God and thanks to the people of Nigeria, to work for my successors in the government of Nigeria. On both occasions, I never took the easy and destabilizing route of ethnic, regional or religious consideration. Rather, I took the enduring route of national, uniting and stabilizing route. I worked for both President Shagari and President Yar’Adua to succeed me. Not just because they are Muslims, northerners or Hausa/Fulani, but because they could strengthen the unity, stability and democracy of Nigeria. We, of course, with all the displeasure of ethnic chauvinists, for doing what is right for our country; that is in the nature of the burden of leadership. A leader must lead, no matter whose ox is gored.

‘’In the present circumstance, let me reiterate what I have said on a number of occasions. Electing Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in his own right and on its own merit, which is there to be seen as the President of Nigeria, will enhance and strengthen our unity, stability and democracy and it will lead us towards achievement of the Nigerian dream.

‘’We are impressed with the report that Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has already taken a unique and unprecedented step of declaring that he would only want to be a one term President. If so, whether he knows it or not, that is a sacrifice and it is statesmanly. Rather than vilify him and pull him down, we, as a party, should applaud and commend him and Nigerians should reward and venerate him. He has taken the first good step. Let us encourage him to take more good steps to achieve what we need to achieve for this country by voting for him in landslide victory as the first elected President of Nigeria on basis of our common Nigerian identity and for the purpose of actualizing the Nigerian dream. God bless you all.’’

Culled from Daily Post.

Tambuwal accuses FG of selective justice in its crusade against corruption

- As House demands sack of Maina.

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal,  Speaker, House of Representatives

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has accused the Federal Government of selective justice in its fight against corruption. 

Tambuwal made this accusation yesterday during the plenary on a motion calling for the dismissal, arrest and prosecution of the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reform, Abdurasheed Maina.

He said “we won’t be fighting corruption in isolation of some people through selective processes. Whatever Maina represents we cannot pretend to be fighting corruption yet we are condoning corruption.”

“Every available fact here is against him, those of us in high places must not be seen to be condoning corruption or we will be seen to be paying lip-service to the fight against corruption,” he said.

The House unanimously adopted a motion calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately dismiss Maina from public service.

Oluwo of Iwoland reportedly joins his ancestors

Oba Ashiru Olatunbosun Tadese, The Oluwo of Iwoland reportedly joins his ancestors.

Oba Tadese passed on yesterday at 80 years at his palace after a protracted illness. 
The first-class Osun monarch ascended the throne of his forebears in 1992 and his tenure witnessed significant development of Iwo.

Oluomo Sunday Akere, Osun State commissioner for Information and Strategy, broke the news of Oba Tadese’s transition, described him as a forthright and astute leader who will never compromise the well-being of his people for anything.

Burial slated for today according to Islamic rites.

Popular singer, Goldie, dies on Val Day

Goldie

Hip-hop singer, Susan Harvey, popularly called Goldie, is dead.

News of the death of the sensational artiste, who was a housemate at the Big Brother Africa in 2012, broke on Thursday night, throwing the Nigerian  entertainment world and the larger public into mourning.

Although details of the cause of the reported death were sketchy as at press time, reports indicated that she died on Thursday night at Reddington Hospital, in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The PUNCH called the Reddington Hospital last night but a voice at the  Front Desk of the  hospital last  night said, “Sorry, I can’t confirm that now because our information unit has closed for the day.”

It was learnt that Goldie died in the presence of a Lagos-based entertainer, Denrele Edun, who was in the hospital with her.

When our correspondent tried to reach Edun, his phone was switched off.

But when a call was also put through to another artiste, Essence, she confirmed the incident, even as she wept profusely.

Essence is on the same Kenny Music label that produced Goldie’s works.

Susan Oluwabimpe Harvey was born in the early 1980s to very educated and successful parents.

 The first of four kids, Goldie attended the Green Springs Montessori Primary School and St. John’s College, Palm Groove, in Lagos.

Her music career remotely kicked off at the University of Sunderland where she was admitted to study Business Management.

Goldie was signed on to Kennis Music in 2010.

A few months later, she released her acclaimed debut titled, ‘Gold’.

Her hit songs include ‘You Know It’, ‘Jawo Jawo’ and DTMB (Don’t Touch My Body).

Goldie has so far received a total of 10 awards, including Exquisite Lady of the year, Best Female Artiste award and City People Best Female Artiste of the year.

She has also been inducted as a Federal Celebrity Special Marshal, alongside other notable Nigerian Celebrities. The Law Students Society of the Obafemi Awolowo University recently issued her an Award for Musical Excellence under the category of Best Female Artiste of the Year. She has also been conferred a United Nations Youth Ambassador for Peace by the Federal Government.

Goldie became the final celebrity to exit the BBA7 star game house in 2012 as the 3rd runner up.

Culled from The Punch.

Atiku thought Obasanjo wouldn’t complete his tenure –El-Rufai

Former President Oulsegun Obasanjo

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar thought that former President Olusegun Obasanjo would not complete his tenure, paving the way for him (Atiku) to become the President.

This revelation was contained in a book written by a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.

The book, titled The Accidental Public Servant, has yet to be presented to the public.

The former minister said he had met Atiku and told him about his intention to resign as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public  Enterprises following the demand for N54m bribe by some senators before he would be cleared as a ministerial nominee.

He said he had reported the bribe demand to Obasanjo, but that the former President asked him to sort himself out.

“No, I am not handling this senators’ thing. I have done my part and nominated you. You should go and tell the vice-president about whatever has transpired. He will handle it,” El-Rufai claimed the former President said when he met with him on the demand.

El-Rufai wrote, “When I walked into Atiku’s office, he said, ‘Where are you going? You can’t leave. We are about to have the whole thing’.

“I was taken aback as I was not sure what he meant. What do you mean sir?”

He said the former vice-president informed him about a marabout in Cameroon who, he said had been in touch with him since the first very time he contested the governorship in the old Gongola State.

Atiku, according to him, told him that the marabout asked him not to waste his money because he would not win.

The same marabout, he said told him more than two more times that he would lose governorship elections, which he said he lost.

The former vice-president was also claimed to have said the marabout told him he would win the 1999 governorship election in Adamawa State but would not become the governor.

El-Rufai wrote, “And soon, it came to pass. Atiku won the election, but before he could take the oath of office, Obasanjo chose him to be his running mate.

“On the strength of this fable, Atiku appeared to have placed his faith in the predictions of this marabout.”

He said the former vice president added, “Nasir, this mallam has been consistently right in his predictions.”

“Wow, that is very interesting sir, but what does this have to do with my resignation?” the former minister asked Atiku.

“Because the same mallam said that Obasanjo would not complete his term”, he quoted Atiku as saying.

But Atiku’s spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, said, “The book is a tissue of lies. Marabout is a family phenomenon of the el-rufais of this world.

“He, as a minister, has supported one of his brother to an errand to see marabout in Morocco, Mali, Senegal and Somalia.

“With this book, he is inadvertently opening his character and that of his family for the whole world to see.”

In the book, Atiku went on to ask el-Rufai why he would want to resign when he (Atiku) would soon be in charge.

“So, why do you want to go? When I am President, we are going to take charge of this place and fix it and I will need you. You are one of my best people,” Atiku assured him.

He also recalled how Atiku in 2002, called a meeting of what he called a meeting of those he considered his “three closest advisers” that he would run against his boss in 2003.

At the meeting, according to the book, were his political adviser, Dr. Usman Bugaje; the Publisher of THISDAY, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, and el-Rufai.

The meeting, he said, was held in Atiku’ guest house in Abuja.

El-Rufai said, “At the meeting, he (Atiku) told us that he had been having meetings for the past several months with two groups of politicians.

“One group (called G4) consisted of President Ibrahim Babangiga, and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, both of whom were former military heads of state, as well as Gen. Aliyu Gusau.

“The four of them had been meeting to review Obasanjo’s performance and they had concluded that Obasanjo’s first term up to that point had been a disaster. The National Assembly had twice tried to impeach him, and the four of them had just thought that Obasanjo should not have a second term.

“In their meetings, according to Atiku, they decided that since Atiku was the incumbent vice-president, he should have the first shot at the presidency.”

He said the meetings were allegedly leaked to Obasanjo by Babangida, who was also eyeing the presidency.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Drogba, Kalou tip Super Eagles for title

Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou have tipped their conquerors, the Super Eagles, for the AFCON title after knocking the erstwhile tournament favourites out of the competition.

The former Chelsea duo praised the Nigeria team for their courage and display in Sunday’s quarter-final clash.

“I was very impressed with the Super Eagles’ performance against us (Ivory Coast). It’s proof of hard work, relentlessness and the sign of a world-class team in preparation,” Drogba said.

“I don’t really see any team that can withstand Nigeria for the rest of the tournament. They keep improving by each game and level of the competition.

“That shows it’s a hardworking and resilient outfit. If they must take the trophy home they have to keep working, be creative and challenge any side like they engaged us.

“Wishing for and seeing victory is not enough. I feel this is Nigeria time but they must deserve it by proving it more on the pitch. The fact that the team arrived with a number of home-based players means we have to give them praise because that tells us there is football even within the continent,” he said.

Kalou said, “Nigeria have a good chance at the tournament after the way they played against us.

“We also played a good game but we did not play in our usual way. We were forced to play long balls and that was not our style. We are shaper when we play between the lines. By the time we found out how strong Nigeria were, we were already behind them and we did not recover from that.”

Kalou said his side knew how the Super Eagles would approach the match but it was impossible to match their quality in the game.

“We expected that Nigeria would play with so much power and speed but we thought that we could still make the difference. It was a top game but we did well in the second half despite conceding the winner.”

- The Punch.

Drogba unsure of future with Ivory Coast

Didier Drogba - Captain of the Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba is unsure of his international future after a shock weekend exit from the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations his country were favoured to win.

Drogba, the 34-year-old former Chelsea striker playing in the African football showcase for the last time, was well policed as Nigeria won the quarter-final 2-1 in north-western mining town Rustenburg.

Ivory Coast have been favourites for five consecutive Africa Cup tournaments, but the closest they came was finishing runners-up to 2006 hosts Egypt and 2012 surprise side Zambia.

After this string of failures, there has been widespread media speculation about the futures of ‘golden oldies’ like Drogba, goalkeeper Boubacar Barry and centre-backs Kolo Toure and Didier Zokora.

“It is over,” was the terse response of Drogba to reporters when asked about the Africa Cup of Nations.
In the 2012 final in Gabon, Drogba he blazed over a regular-time penalty, allowing Zambia to force a 0-0 draw after extra time.

But despite Drogba making amends by converting a shootout spot-kick, Zambia won 8-7 on penalties for one of the most stunning Africa Cup final shocks.

“We must now look ahead to the 2014 World Cup qualifying competition — with or without me,” added the striker, who recently signed an 18-month contract with leading Turkish club Galatasaray.

The shattered Ivory Coast stars prepared to head home Monday and turn their attention to the 2014 World Cup qualifying competition, starting with a home fixture against lightweights Gambia late March.

They visit Gambia and Tanzania during June and host Morocco in September and the group winners advance to a two-leg play-off for one of five African places at the World Cup in Brazil.

Ivory Coast started their campaign last year with a routine 2-0 home victory over Tanzania followed by a 2-2 draw in Morcoco, giving them a one-point Group C lead.

Coach Sabri Lamouchi took Drogba off against Togo in the opening game, axed him for the second group match against Tunisia, recalled him into a virtual reserve team that faced Algeria, and chose him to start against Nigeria.
He had only one scoring chance against the Super Eagles, controlling a cross with his chest and the shot was deflected wide with the Algerian referee ignoring legitimate appeals for a corner.

Drogba has been playing for Shanghai Shenhua in the China Super League, which finished last November, leaving the Ivory Coast captain short of match practice before the Africa Cup.

Culled from Vanguard News.

Nigeria Humbles Cote D'ivoire

In a thrilling encounter between underdogs and tournament favorites, Nigeria’s Super Eagles have defeated the Elephants of Ivory Coast to proceed to the semis in the 2013 AFCON.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles were supposed to be the underdogs, while Ivory Coast were the tournament’s favorites. However, the Super Eagles downed favourites Ivory Coast 2-1 on Sunday in an absorbing Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final to set up a last-four meeting with Mali.

Sunday Mba grabbed the winner 12 minutes from time after Ivory Coast’s Cheik Tiote had cancelled out Emmanuel Emenike’s first-half opener. Mba’s strike brought the curtain down on Didier Drogba’s Nations Cup career, sending the African legend home without the title he and his teammates craved.

Boko Haram Ceasefire? Do Not Be Fooled, Nigerians

 By Ahmad Salkida

Ahmad Sakilda

Sometime within the week, some shadowy character by the name Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazees, who claims to hold a prominent position within the ranks of the dreaded insurgents, Boko Haram, announced what he called a 'ceasefire'. He said he had sat with officials of the government in Borno state and had come to the conclusion that Muslims were also suffering under the sustained atmosphere of terror the sect had visited on residents of the state.

Ever since that purported ceasefire was announced my phone has been subjected to numerous calls from individuals who said they wanted to ask from me whether there was any credibility to this. At a stage,  I feared that my modest handset would crash as the volume of calls increased. Then a myriad of emotions took over me. I was upset that people could not read between the lines.

The same thing that got me angry and upset however turned out to be the exact reason I decided to write this article. For, believe it, among those who called me were highly placed security officials, local and international journalists, diplomats and a wide range of highly-heeled people across  Nigeria. Each enquirer desired to know from me whether truly this was coming from Boko Haram?

I therefore came to the conclusion that each of the individuals, particularly those in Nigeria, who called me wanted, not to experiment with their personal security but to assess correctly the real situation on the ground. In the course of one’s career in journalism one has maintained direct and open communication channel with the leadership of the Jama 'atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'Awati Wal Jihad, known as Boko Haram for the professional purpose of reporting and keeping the public informed.

My recent conversation with this same sect’s leadership has highlighted a position that is consistent with the sect’s declarations on matters of ceasefire or dialogue in the past couple of years. Over the ceasefire matter, the leadership of the sect is actually miffed that a nation of the profile and magnitude of Nigeria’s, with the high level of intelligent people is being so easily taken by the latest official deceit, and nobody seems to be asking questions.

Initially what seems to bother the leadership of the sect is how to swiftly get its information distancing itself from the ceasefire announcement to its foot soldiers, having several months ago adopted the Taliban model of suspending issuing press releases anymore, as I learnt the sect has reached out to its members asking them not be distracted.

Just like Dr Chidi Amuta, correctly assessed in his “Engagement” column on ThisDay Newspaper last Tuesday, several layers of contractor businesses have erupted under the Boko Haram security sub-head. One has the strong sense though that all the hoopla about ceasefire and dialogue are offshoots of the same pecuniary motives rooted in this administration’s mindset. It appears that government and the security community are more interested in shadows and bubbles such as this decidedly false declaration of ceasefire by a suspect character than in substance and clear headed engagement.

Or how else could anyone explain the make-belief, swift resurrection of Presidential official ceremonies in Borno state marked by Vice President Namadi Sambo’s trip to Maiduguri, the first by any elected official in the Presidency since the escalation of violence. Evidently, this is intended as a Presidential celebration of some “worthy” achievement as well as a clear message to Nigerians that the country was rapidly returning to normalcy. We all pray it does. But one’s information points to a different reality.

That reality sadly is that there has hardly at anytime been a profound interest to engage the sect in spite of what is publicly declared by officials of government. What instead has featured prominently in the minds of official and security players is a obsession to create the impression that there exists a schism in the sect. Nothing has been spared by security agencies to build on that theory. Where and what constitute the evidence, you want to ask? Nothing, just that pecuniary desires are better fed if you create such a illusion and feed it consistently.

And so, the whole design about a ceasefire declared by one Abdulazees is the same bubble game. There’s nothing there. The only thing one sees there is danger. Nigerians are being given a false sense of rapprochement. The security foot soldiers that find themselves regularly at the war front are being fed with wrong information about the enemy. I am not an expert in deciphering what danger wrong information about the enemy may expose the troops to but I know enough about the leadership of the sect and its protocols to know that the so called Abdulazees is a grand fiction created by those who want to feather their personal nests.

The leadership of the sect has only acknowledged two attempts of dialogue through their rare YouTube appearances and press releases by Abubakar Shekau and Abul Qaqa respectively in the past. It was never by some fictitious character sauntering into the gilded meeting rooms of the Borno Government House with the governor and security officials in tow to discuss ceasefire. Imam Shekau, following the collapse of the two attempts has said that his religion does not allow him the luxury engaging with the same person who has betrayed twice. I know that the leadership of the sect will not declare a ceasefire unilaterally if it has not gotten assurances from its clear and undeniable sources that the President of Nigeria is willing to give a stamp of authority to its sustenance.

So who is Abdulazees? He once called my phone and introduced himself as a shura member in the sect, requesting that I convey some information to the media. I asked him just two questions, and he had no answer. For the benefit of those who desire accurate information the fable about second in command within the Boko Haram sect is just what it is, mere fable. The sect runs a council of leaders with the imam as the head. There is no second in command, and there has never been. It’s leadership model at that level can best be understood if I bring in the catholic group of cardinals. I am not sure there is a second in command to the catholic pope.

He refers to himself as the commander of Southern and Northern Borno and doubles as a second in command to the spiritual leader of Boko Haram. How can a commander of two districts in Borno serve as second in command of an organization that has active cells and presence in many parts of northern Nigeria and West Africa? He also categorically refers to himself as a member of Boko Haram. That was it. No member of that sect in any leadership position would refer to himself that way. In effect, one’s objective is to advise Nigerians to be vigilant and take their personal safety seriously because there yet exists no ceasefire.

Recently, one made suggestions to some of those in authority on clear ways to get the sect to the table so as to ease the protracted crisis and end the bloodletting, but apparently the suggestions fell on deaf ears probably because it called for clear accountable steps or that it contrasts with the pecuniary desires of individual contractors. As has been reiterated in the past, it will be difficult for the government to have any direct negotiations with the leadership of the sect because there is a missing element which is lack of confidence. Sadly, all those still playing at the table from the side of government are not interested in building confidence. Presently, government lacks the discipline and coherence required for this particular assignment.

Salkida can be reached at salkida@ gmail.com and @contactSalkida

Culled from Sahara Reporters.

Raising youths as nation builders

Remi Adebayo

remadebayo@yahoo.com                                                     

Truth is universal as reality of time is open to all humans. We may look back and appreciate how much of time we have invested rightly or wrongly in our aspirations to attain set goals in life.

Except achievement or lack of it is pinned on pressure of peers, or even family influence, we risk the task of harboring resentment against how much time have been wasted doing things that are wrong.

Then, we have to reflect on how we apply time and understand what to do to be able to measure our career, achievement and spirituality. This would gladden our hearts that certain things have been done rightly. The best way to prove that is through fulfillment; not even material or financial accumulation as we are wrongly made to believe today.

Young people all over the world live in very difficult time. Values are fast eroding; the planet is facing serious threats from terror and climate change. Career challenges are enormous; genders roles are getting swapped and the social tension is alarming.

Reasons abound on need to panic everywhere since violent agitations have become the norm across the globe. Africa is increasingly finding it difficult. Nigeria is going through series of terror that was unknown to it before 2009. Mali witnessed a coup d’etat in 2012 and now fighting hard to reunite the country.

Arab is settling down from the terrifying Arab Spring while Syria and Egypt are still neck-deep into it. Europe witnessed massive street protests and there is panic of natural disasters everywhere same way flooding took many countries by surprise.

In Nigeria, men and women that may build the nation get killed from all sorts of violent activities; from terrorist to kidnapping, road crashes and armed robberies.

In all these, the youth is at the center. No destructive tendencies can be achieved by any despot except with the consent and participation of the youth. Hence the need to arouse our conscience and alert our peers on the dangers in choosing paths that get us distracted to leave us with regrets; some with endless pains, deformation, psychological imbalance or even death. 

Youthful time according to this piece is between ages 18 and 45. This age bracket demands from us to aspire to overcome challenges in education, career, family, business, finance and others.

It is expected of us to be productive considering our energies and perception.

Life achievers make historic marks in their youths. Those that achieve remarkable feats in their chosen fields have done so while very active; becoming gurus in business, in politics, great motivators and role models among others.

Faced with these we must understand what lies ahead and make deliberate efforts to live above boards. No great warrior can pull down a territory or kingdom without us.

We cannot begin to be dispirited by the way we live, our views about leadership; our roles in the home, in nation building, perception about other people must be well played out.

Let us be reminded that we are the catalysts for positive change. If the youth of any nation chose to follow the right way no one can stop them. This is our time; we must put our feet down to build nations.

It requires that we review our negative views about our self-worth, appreciating others and use the power of teamwork to build. We must be role models to our siblings and seen to place values above gains.

Period of youthfulness is slippery and short like life is short. It is not endless; we must commit our hearts to what add values to our communities and societies then see the global impact.

It is not too early to start thinking of worthy legacies to bequeath succeeding generations; that is the way of great minds. They came and witness existing gaps in order to bridge such them.

Time is not on our side but that is our only asset. Let the youths of the world raise a banner of love and acceptance; we can resist violence. We can refuse to be used and dumped by despots and terrorists.

How do we grow old to discover how bad a son, a daughter, a brother, a father, a teacher, a leader, a model we have been to start regretting the wasted time gone forever?

For those who believe in God, we must rely on the grace of God. Earth is not an accident or natural coincidence. The interactive sequence and inter-dependency of nature prove it.

We must live uncompromising disciplined life. It is not easy to resist evil in the midst of very corrupt and stinking world. Criminality comes to us cheaper and easier but we can stand for something strong, valuable and positive.

Let us live to be remembered for the good we have given our world. Great mind lives for others, smaller ones live for themselves. Let us determine to make others happier, satisfied and grateful to God for coming in contact with us.

Remi Adebayo