Fellow Nigerians, allow me confess my admiration for safety forces generally. It is non exactly because of the cleanliness as well as crispiness of their uniform or the famed dependent plain that they imbue inwards their members. It is because I observe their project as good risky. I ofttimes wonder why whatever human being or adult woman would voluntarily sign his or her decease warrant. For me, they look to a greater extent than similar suicide bombers. As a toddler inwards the ancient urban center of Ile-Ife, I retrieve beingness told past times older people that “soldiers are trained to kill” as well as nosotros were told to avoid them. The myth flight roughly included that most of them were recruited without having much education. But as I grew up, I began to larn a special fascination for them, specially the elite squads inwards the Navy as well as the Air Force. I would later on interact alongside many soldiers at domicile as well as abroad. I love their uniforms, jackboots as well as inwards item their menacing guns.
I yet imagine till this twenty-four lx minutes menses what it takes to live on a killer. We were told soldiers were regularly injected alongside special drugs that makes it impossible for them to take away keep the milk of human kindness inwards them. But alongside time, I saw as well as met many soft-hearted soldiers. I used to tease them most what nosotros were told as kids. I must say I became 1 of their fans as well as skilful friends. I visited our soldiers inwards Sierra Leone as well as Republic of Liberia as well as gave them my humble back upwards as well as they were really appreciative of my pocket-size contribution as well as inspiration.
The argue for my preamble must live on obvious to you lot all. I was seriously angry after seeing a video purportedly showing how our soldiers were brutalising beau Nigerians as well as subjecting them to the worst indignities known to mankind. I’ve been praying that the videos were shot inwards outer infinite as well as non anywhere nigh Nigeria. But if what I saw really vividly really took house on our planet as well as inwards this our dear honey nation, hence we’ve genuinely missed the road. I did non run into whatever sign of weapons alongside these miserable victims of oppression as well as repression. At the really worst, fifty-fifty if as the military machine authorities claimed, that the soldiers were pelted alongside pebbles as well as stones, the handling meted out to the personalities inwards the video is undeserved past times whatever human being. How was the answer from the military machine commensurate to that of the supposed hoodlums? Was it non an human activity of provocation inwards itself for soldiers to live on engaging inwards drills inwards an expanse already soaked alongside tension?
Let me stretch the declaration a fleck further. Whose take in was it to draft the soldiers onto the streets to intimidate Nigerians inwards areas where in that place was no war? How tin toilet anyone mail soldiers to threaten a people who already experience marginalised as well as are maxim hence really resoundingly? What is incorrect alongside empowering members of the Nigeria Police Force as well as specially the anti-riot police line squad to tackle cases of hooliganism as well as fifty-fifty terrorism. Soldiers are meant to come upwards out inwards opened upwards battle alone inwards extreme cases where in that place is amount chaos as well as mayhem. President Muhammadu Buhari has wittingly or inadvertently walked into the trap cleverly laid for him past times the Biafra secessionists. Kanu as well as fellowship take away keep read the President good knowing his proclivity for no-nonsense as well as high-handedness.
If truth must live on told, this is the meridian of intolerance on the purpose of the Nigerian State. I take away keep non seen whatever Lawyer who believes inwards the legality of what our soldiers take away keep done. Kanu may live on reckless as well as irresponsible past times promoting internecine wars as well as heating upwards our province unnecessarily but no 1 tin toilet deny him the correct of expressing himself as well as agitating for his beliefs. What could take away keep been done to him was really simple; mail the police line after him as well as larn him rearrested for flouting his bail conditions. Some of his difficult heart loyalists as well as acolytes could live on easily identified as well as kept out of circulation. For the past times few months, Kanu has been raking as well as ranting but he has non fired a bullet. As a thing of fact, this regime has unfortunately resurrected a human being who was already on his way to Golgotha as well as at a fourth dimension his bravado was becoming increasingly irritating to many of those who took him seriously initially. The staccato fashion of his declaration was becoming tiresome as well as predictable. I really don’t know who misadvised our leaders into thinking they tin toilet struggle all wars as well as win all. Believe me please, I know Nigeria a bit, it is a unsafe gamble.
I’m aware that our President is a retired Major General, a human being good known for his taciturnity, who packs his punches as well as loves to take away keep on known as well as imaginary enemies. But nosotros supported him because nosotros believed Baba had transfigured into a born over again democrat. The Buhari nosotros supported was non the human being who ruled alongside draconian Decrees from 1983-85 as well as was forced out of ability as well as his detractors rejoiced openly as well as widely. The same Nigerians who praised you lot for beating your kid would shortly plow roughly to castigate you lot as well as enquire why you’re hence wicked. That is the reality of Nigeria. This item instance is fifty-fifty to a greater extent than precarious. Some Northerners had issued threats to the Igbos to quit their territory or aspect upwards monumental reprisals. H5N1 few of the respected people inwards the North cautioned them but they were rebuffed alongside insults inwards a most vicious manner. No safety arm e'er tried to fifty-fifty invite them for whatever chat non to beak of arrests. The hence Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, did hence good past times engaging unlike sections of Nigeria inwards peaceful dialogue as well as nosotros were happy that the ticking bomb was carefully detonated. Just imagine what would take away keep happened if he invaded parts of the North or East alongside soldiers blazing alongside guns as well as bayonets. He would take away keep been defendant of all sorts, including ethnic cleansing.
Our President should live on told inwards really clear price that the globe has changed drastically inwards the final iii decades. No leader tin toilet lodge his troops out inwards the streets to kill as well as destroy wantonly. We should non over-stretch our luck. Nigeria cannot afford a 2d civil war. Our economic scheme is already inwards shambles. We should prosecute how to render to economical recovery urgently as well as resist the temptation of wasting our scarce resources on persecuting our beau citizens. The videos inwards circulation tend to portray us as barbarians who belong inwards the prehistoric age. We’ve suffered plenty negativity as well as should non invite the wrath of the globe upon ourselves. Believe it or not, Nigeria may observe itself inwards the bad mass of War Crimes Tribunal. It is non impossible, no thing how long it takes. Mass graves take away keep been reported inwards some parts of Nigeria alongside concrete proofs. Nigerians take away keep been detained indefinitely inwards nigh lonely confinements without trial. This are non the best examples to lay for our future. Many of those who should speak upwards against tyranny are as good dainty for obvious reasons. But it should non live on so.
I’m non a supporter of Biafra. I don’t take away keep to be. I love as well as prefer a bigger, stronger as well as to a greater extent than prosperous Nigeria. But in that place are reasons for many Nigerians to abhor Nigeria, today. They experience they take away keep been horribly marginalised as well as treated similar 2d aeroplane citizens inwards their ain country. Their perception is that they believe all or most of the next things. Their children no longer attend the skilful schools for which the Igbos take away keep locomote good known. The goods, some of which they fifty-fifty brand themselves inwards Aba, take away keep locomote alone available for the rich.
Infrastructure is sorely lacking for the most part. Where they exist, they are decaying as well as nobody is really attention to them. There are no novel jobs as well as the few quondam jobs are beingness lost inwards droves. The province of healthcare is almost hopeless. Federal grapheme has locomote a amount charade. We tin toilet locomote on, promotion infinitum, reeling out the litany of woes that our brothers as well as sisters inwards the South East believe is responsible for the unusually strident agitation that nosotros are straightaway witnessing. To live on fair as well as charitable they exercise take away keep motility to live on aggrieved inwards many respects. Our regime should address these issues instead of attacking those who disagree alongside them. One of the surest ways to exercise this is past times education, information as well as populace enlightenment to demonstrate that the seat is non as bad as they feel. The social media is awash alongside facts as well as figures for as well as against the depth as well as seriousness of the so-called marginalisation of the South East. The adjacent mensuration would live on to seat those issues which are of critical concern, proposition solutions to resolve them as well as hence human activity on these solutions. The tertiary as well as as of import duty of the regime is to ensure an equitable distribution of resources as well as positions. Indeed, this is the major argue for the clamour for restructuring. Whilst nosotros yet piece of work inwards a organization where regime provides practically everything, it is alone exactly that people must take away keep a sense of belonging as well as participation. However, the best shape of restructuring that Nigeria needs straightaway is non exactly to decentralise ability but to cede ability completely to the private sector whilst regime contributes its quota past times providing the enabling surroundings for the much needed industrialisation as well as technological advancement that volition take away keep us out of our introduce doldrums..
In the shout of God, the omnipotent as well as merciful, everyone should beg our Federal Government to goal this self-immolating state of war of attrition. We take away keep zippo to gain. In fact, nosotros take away keep to a greater extent than to lose.
A STANDING OVATION FOR GOVERNOR AMBODE
In a province riddled alongside constant bad news, the illustration of skilful governance embodied past times the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, is sweetness music to many who take away keep followed his trajectory. He is 1 of the uncommon leaders inwards Nigeria who has redefined leadership as well as service. And he makes it expect hence simple. He is humble as well as pocket-size as good as well as does non run into ability as an goal but the agency to achieving his dreams for a vibrant as well as resurgent Lagos State. For him, God has constitute it tally to house him inwards a seat where he tin toilet ameliorate the lot f his people as well as he has dedicated himself to doing hence alongside picayune fuss but groovy vigour.
I’ve had a few interactions alongside the amazing Governor as a journalist as well as tin toilet attest to the fact that Lagos is richly blessed to take away keep yet some other groovy governor who is determined to take away keep the powerful State fifty-fifty higher.
The Ovation Media Group of late partnered alongside Lagos State during the Lagos at 50 Celebrations as well as nosotros produced a special edition of Ovation International mag showcasing the giant strides as well as remarkable achievements of the State correct from its inception to the introduce administration. I was greatly delighted when nosotros took delivery of this collector’s item inwards London final Tuesday from our permanent printers inwards Enfield, England, of over sixteen years.
I sent a message to the Governor 2 nights agone from Abuja as well as Mr Ambode responded promptly. He approved an appointment for the official presentation of the colourful publication. Our squad which included myself, 1 of our Directors, Prince Damola Aderemi, the Editor, Mike Effiong, Deputy Editor, Dele Salako, as good as Our GM , Ovation Tv, Segun Adebowale, Editor at large, Ohimai Amaize as well as Ovation TV presenter, Daala Oruwari, representing our private units namely, The Magazine, Ovation TV as well as The Boss Online, met alongside the Governor as well as a few members of his Team (as he fondly referred to them) which included the Attorney -General, Adeniji Kazeem, Special Assistant on Strategy as well as Information, Idowu Ajanaku as well as the Chief Press Secretary, Habib Haruna, inwards Lagos at the State House, Alausa final night. The experience of the presentation of the Special Edition was most wonderful as well as humbling. It was an chance for me to personally appreciate Governor Ambode for his impressive achievements as well as his groovy involvement inwards the Ovation Group.
I wishing to give cheers our Governor for the groovy laurels as well as expect forwards to to a greater extent than successful years ahead for him.