RSS

SALUTATION TO DETERMINATION

Oh my dearest Mr. Faceless,

You may be nameless, but not hopeless,

I salute your innate determination

Which turns inspiration to perspiration.

 

You believed in your destined vision,

You strive to accomplish the mission,

And thus, because you believe,

You aspire to achieve.

 

Though rough, was the thorny way

Which gets tougher, day by day

Yet in the sun, you make your hay,

And remain, never moody, but always gay.

 

Though your today may be grey,

I know one day, your work will pay

And if after your say, others have their way,

Do try to keep that at bay.

 

You will acquire your desire

If you provide, what it require

Cos you fail once, do not retire,

But rise up and refire.

 

For many, your life is an inspiration,

To others, you are a testimony

For they’ve seen your determination

And how you heed not their acrimony.

 

By adding your meager to your little,

You indeed prove your mettle,

And after passing through fire and brimstone,

You’ve now become a gemstone.

 

Today, its you that I celebrate,

And wish that others would imitate,

Your noblest virtue, determination

Which did secure your liberation.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on February 27, 2014 in Inspiration, Poems, Society

 

Tags: , , , ,

MY NIGERIA: WHAT IT MEANS TO ME

download

Introduction

About a century ago, Lord Lugard amalgamated the Northern and Southern Protectorate to create what is today known as Nigeria. Forty seven years later, particularly on 1st October, 1960 the young nation attained its independence from its colonial master. Today, fifty-three years later, Nigeria means different things to different people at different places. Hence, after over two decades of my existence and discovering that I am a citizen of this great country, I wish to explore what Nigeria means to me.

What Nigeria Means

Nigeria to me is a unique country, the most populous black nation that has diverse cultures and traditions due to the existence of various ethnic and tribal groups. Though the grundnorm, the constitution stated that Nigeria is a secular state, I posit that Nigerians are part of, if not the most religious set of people on earth as evidenced by the numerous churches, mosques, temples and shrines and our religionization of almost every national issue.

My Nigeria is a country with rich culture, superb traditions and outstanding history: a country that has produced literary giants, economic whiz kids, political genius, decorated sportsmen and enviable scientist.

My Nigeria is a land of opportunities. There exist many fields of human endeavours that are still underdeveloped which will yield boundless profit to entrepreneurs who are willing to explore such areas. As a country, Nigeria is not yet where it is supposed to be, but also no more where it used to be.

Unlike many, I don’t regard Nigeria as a father that dictates what must be done. Rather, I so much agree with Prof. Chinua Achebe when he said “But it has occurred to me that Nigeria is neither my mother nor my father. Nigeria is a child; gifted, enormously talented, prodigiously endowed and incredibly wayward.”

Currently, my Nigeria is a wayward child, a prodigal son and this is evidenced by the unexplainable tolerance of several acts and situations which are before now, unknown or inexistent.

Everybody in Nigeria is either infected or affected by the virus of corruption, maladministration, favouritism, ethnicity, religious acrimony and economic totalitarianism in form of funds embezzlement and misappropriation by the few who holds political positions and even the private bourgeoisies that dominate our industrial sector.

Thus, am always inspired to help tilt the country towards a functional direction, by doing whatever I can and performing my constitutional responsibility as a good citizen of a great nation.

To me Nigerian is a budding hope; it is an evolving dream of a promising nation that is yet to fully actualize its potentials. Nnamdi Azikwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and a host of others struggled so that Nigeria can attain its independence and be free from imperialist. But today, Nigerians are being recolonized by fellow Nigerians.

The greatest room in the world is that of improvement and no country needs it as much as my dear Nigeria. Our educational system need to be sanitized, a situation where the leaders of tomorrow spend longer time out of school rather than in it due to strike actions and closure is not beneficial to our collective progress as a nation and even the actualization of the much talked about vision 20:20:20. A higher degree of our citizens are either unemployable or unemployed.

Our justice machinery needs lubrication, the courts are no longer the last hope of the common man, but that of the embattled politicians who believe that justice is for sale to the highest bidder. Nigerians deserve speedy justice delivery, as justice delayed is nothing but justice denied.

Corruption takes place, even in places regarded as temples of holiness, our athletes start training for competitions when their colleagues in other nations are in the last lap of theirs, no wonder their poor outing in sports tournament.

Nigerians are very hopeful, they don’t give up easily and they get easily adapted to any system or situation of things. Despite the civil wars, and rumours of Nigeria becoming a failed state by 2015, we are waxing stronger. We must stand against all the militaristic efforts to disrupt our collective unity.

Nigeria to me is a country tottering at the brink of collapse, a country that is in urgent need of a life-saver, a place where we cannot continue to deceive ourselves with the all-is-well political propaganda and alleluias. Nigeria is at a time when we need to sound the appropriate alarm so as to restore things back to control.

The Nigeria of today is not fulfilling the dreams of the forefathers. I wonder if the Nigeria of tomorrow will fulfill my dreams. We are sitting on a time bomb, which can either be defused by right thinking citizens with balanced orientation and mentality or detonated by unpatriotic citizens.

Conclusion

Patriotism is not always about everybody singing the same song and dancing to the same tune every time. Often, dissent is a form of patriotism.

My Nigeria is going through the furnace; it is clay in the hand of the potter, it is gold in the hand of the goldsmith. When we emerge from these trying times, our star will definitely shine. I believe we can still get it right in Nigeria, provided that we are ready to do the needful without caring whose ox is gored in the process, without fear or favour of the so called powers in high places. Until the followers are ready to accept blame and responsibility, there can be no change in leadership.

Nigeria means so much to me. I must tell it the truth, because I have no other place to call my fatherland or my motherland. Indeed in my next reincarnation, if I have a choice, I will choose to be a Nigerian, again.

****This essay won me a prize in the 2013 National Orientation Agency Essay Contest.

What does Nigeria mean to you? I will be glad to know in the comment section below.

 
4 Comments

Posted by on December 30, 2013 in Inspiration, Law, Politics, Society

 

Tags: , , ,

THE FIRST CLASS IDIOT

THE FIRST CLASS IDIOT

By TOBI AMOO

Tell it to all Nigerian undergraduates. Tell them over and over till it starts ringing in their ears. That long gone are the days when students were worshipped merely because they have a first class degree. I do not underrate academic excellence in any way. As a matter of fact, I believe that what is worth doing at all should be well done. Therefore, spending 4 or 5 years (or even more, courtesy of ASUU strike) in an institution should be ‘resultful’.
In an educational system that is way behind globally, a student must not be caught in the waves of the current status quo, lest he be swept away unto the island of oblivion.
Employers no longer tremble at the sight of a first class certificate. NO. They need results. They need someone who has something to offer. Someone who can bring something tangible to the table. Someone whose creativity can positively impact the organization.
The world is now competitive, more than ever and the Nigerian student must learn that ‘la cramme la poure’ has become a blunt albeit redundant tool in this battle. For those who do not know, ‘la cramme la poure’ is a system where a student crams(memorizes) his note or a material supplied by the lecturer, reproduces it exactly on the answer sheet, gets a good grade and forgets it as soon as the exams are over.
Tell it to the students. Tell them over and over till it starts ringing in their ears. That a first class degree will only get you to the stage. Once there, the audience will be earnestly awaiting your performance and if you do not meet up they boo you out of the stage. That a first class degree only gets you as far as a room, across an interview panel and it does not guarantee you a job. That a first class degree does not automatically translate to first class career.
What am I saying? Students must learn beyond the chalk board. Students must read outside their expired, rarely updated curriculum. Students must learn soft skills. They must make efforts to get adequate exposure. These are what makes you stand out. Not a certificate you cannot defend after a year due to the amnesia after effect of ‘la cramme la poure’.
Lecturers should encourage creativity in the classes. Spur students to think outside the box, to constructively criticize their lesson notes. Marking schemes should only be a guide and not an original that must be photocopied exactly.
Check round, do your research, follow the successful people. Ask them questions, and they will tell you their current status is not primarily a result of their class of Degree.
Tell it to all Nigerian undergraduates. Tell them over and over till it starts ringing in their ears. That they should strive to graduate with the best results possible (have a first class if they can). However, they should go a step further to ensure they can defend that certificate, and ultimately compete favourably globally by acquiring such knowledge, exposure and experience as necessary. Otherwise, risk becoming a first class idiot.
Using a Biblical analogy, let me end by saying: For ‘la cramme la poure’ profits a little but the real knowledge and skills are profitable for all things.
What do you think? I will be glad to hear your FIRST CLASS opinion in the comment section below.

 
5 Comments

Posted by on October 11, 2013 in Inspiration, Society, Student, Unilorin

 

Tags: , , , ,

Boom, Doom and Gloom

Today, the masses are wailing,

Cos our leaders are failing,

They give us hope for generations

While scheming for their next elections.

 

Their promises are always pending,

But their commands; never-bending,

Their faces are haughty and threatening,

Whilst their voice is booming and deafening.

 

For we, the mases, they feign care,

But their care is for the booty’s share,

While clutching their goodies, women and beers,

They leave us to face our fears.

Alas they trivialize our priorities

And yet, they prioritize their own trivialities.

 

I am but a noble seer,

And I see, in the coming year.

Our leaders meeting their doom,

And tottering towards everlasting gloom.

 

From these leaders, we need independence

If we are to preserve our existence.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on October 9, 2013 in Inspiration, Poems, Politics, Society

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

WE PROTESTED| An account of a five man protest…..

By Jonathan Olayinka Emmanuel

For almost two weeks now, an awareness has been going on online – the #askourNASS non-violent protest promoted by www.eienigeria.org and scheduled for today, 26th September. Concerned Nigerians were to gather at the National Assembly to protest against the National Assembly’s outrageous salary (which is ranked No. 1 in the world). While the main event was been prepared for at Abuja, a colleague of mine (Abdul Rahman Abdul Raheem) took it upon himself to do something (in Ilorin) to support the major event in Abuja. He hit the social media calling on people to come out en masse and storm the state house assembly. As usual, many Nigerians (especially youths) greeted the idea with enthusiasm while others scorned, accusing the promoter of sorting cheap fame. Many promised to be a part of it come rain or shine. Raheem never talked to me in person, a friend (Charles Adekunle) informed me and right from that moment I knew I was going to be a part of it. We were to converge in front of Gomola complex Ilorin and from there, move to the house of assembly, other people living in other parts of town were asked to join us at the assembly by 10:00am.

Early today, I sat up in my bed and reconsidered my decision to join the protest but my conscience wouldn’t let me withdraw. I am a Nigerian and this is where I belong, things must change, not just for me but for the generations to come. On reaching the office (I’m an intern) this morning, a colleague asked ‘if we would be paid for the protest…’ another asked ‘if we would still protest had we have a close relative in the house…’ I was dumbfounded, shocked and infuriated. Some minutes after 10am, myself and Charles set out for Gomola complex. We met Abdulraheem and two others (Ibrahim Liman Moshood and Abubakar Shamsudeen) waiting. I was discouraged at first, I expected a crowd with the number of people ragging and bragging online. I regained my confidence when I engaged Shamsudeen and Liman in discussion. These are brilliant Nigerians who believe in change. We waited while preparing our placards. To my dismay, no one joined us, they all had excuses and important functions to attend. Five of us, Abdul Rahman Abdul Raheem, Abubakar Shamsudeen, Adekunle Charles, Ibrahim Liman Moshood and Myself chattered a taxi and headed for the house of assembly where we were to be received by ‘a lady.’

On entering the assembly compound, I was perplexed at what I saw. Different groups were perambulating the complex. They wore customized shirts to show their loyalty, ‘sai bukky,’ some read, ‘ABS, Atunwa, Oloye,’ screamed others. Political thugs in their hundreds trooped in. No one need tell us that it was a wrong atmosphere to raise anti-government placards. We would later learn that a certain commissioner was been ‘confirmed’ today and as a result the crowd have come to rejoice, campaign, threaten political opponents and countless nameless God-damned things. ‘The lady’ that was to received us soon arrive. She has contact with someone inside. I was impressed by the way she talked and carried herself but that would later change. The House was to sit by 12:00pm so we decided to station ourselves outside and raise our placards so that members of the house could read as they come in. The lady amidst us soon withdrew herself and warned us to be careful. I saw fear in her eyes as she spoke and hurried away. Anyway, by now my mind was made up and was as strong as Gibraltar. I stood along the four other comrades who dared to stand. We raised our placards high like prized possessions.

As people and members of the house trooped into the complex they looked at us with mixed reactions. Some laughed, others just shook their heads some slowed down to reread, one or two asked questions but most of them just ignored us. We stood there, under the scorching sun, saying nothing yet meaning a lot. Our stand meant ‘…the legislature are representing themselves and not the people.’ ‘We are calling them thieves for receiving the highest salaries in the world while majority of Nigerians wallow in poverty….’ We did not shout but we said a lot. Our target was to make sure the speaker saw us but by 12:35pm when he didn’t show up, we took our leave.

On our way back, Liman saw a tweet someone posted on twitter. The fellow claimed to be part of us. He claimed a woman at the assembly shouted on him to go get a job. Many others consoled him or identified with the protest. My head was throbbing and I was dehydrated from standing in the sun for so long. I thought about what we did today and I was proud of myself. For the first time in my life I protested against oppression. I took my stand and my voice was heard by whoever cared to hear. Our action today may be irrelevant in history, many people may forget we stood at the entrance of the assembly and raised placards but does it matter? What matters to me is the fact that Raheem, Liman, Charles and Shamsudeen now occupy a special place in my heart. They are brothers in the struggle ‘cos they dared to stand. I also know that a seed has been sown no matter how small….Have you ever stood for what you believe in ? What do you believe in in the first place? It’s high time we started asking the right questions………..

We protest better on these handles: @emmyjonny, @lordcharles01, @dbestsmiles @ibrolim and @harbooh.

Your reaction will be appreciated in the comment section below.

 
2 Comments

Posted by on September 26, 2013 in Inspiration, Politics, Society

 

Tags: , , , ,

 
EKAETE HUNTER

LET ME TELL YOUR STORY THE WAY IT SHOULD BE TOLD

Leaders' Planet Inc

The Hubspot For Emerging Leaders

One Wayword Show

from hereon... its Romijaran

WordPress.com News

The latest news on WordPress.com and the WordPress community.

Legal Aid Clinic, Unilorin

....... Access to Justice for all.

purposefulmind

A topnotch WordPress.com site

Equity Chambers, Faculty of Law, Unilorin

VIGILANTIBUS NON DORMIENTIBUS JURA SUBVENIUNT

Zainab Usman

Doing, writing and thinking economic & public policy