Nigeria: A Hub Of Opportunity Stalled By Greed By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Nigeria is the only place we can call our home; we have not another one to brag about if it fails.

The success achieved from the just concluded elections and the level of maturity displayed by the masses, have clearly shown, that Nigerians are on the move. They are ready to match up globally with the league of patriotic nations. The people went to the polls, conducted themselves in a decent manner, cast their votes and remained peaceful even after the declaration of the winners.

No longer can conversations about African democratic stability by the world stable democratic heavyweights be discussed without mentioning Nigeria. Nigeria is a nation on the move with a hub of opportunity. If nations are not looking towards Nigeria, they are missing out an opportunity to be part of and invest in something potentially great.

However, while the masses are tired of delay, and are no longer comfortable standing at a point with no appreciable growth and development, their leaders have been on the contrary. They prefer to keep the nation at a point as long as their greed is satisfied.

They elevate their own will above the democratic will of the people at the expense of the masses. Before they get elected, they make loads of airy promises and present themselves like the messiah. But immediately they get what they want, they turn around and say something different.

Subsidy Must Go; It Has Done More Harm Than Good! By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

In December 2011, I was back in Lagos from Umuahai, Abia State, to celebrate the Christmas break with my family and friends. My plan was to go back within the first week of the new year, 2012. I budgeted ten thousand naira (N10,000) for my transport fare both to and fro. The celebration was on and we were still in the mood of celebration, only for the Former President, Goodluck Jonathan to announce the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as Petrol. This removal suddenly increased the price of PMS from N67/L to N145/L consequently inflation hits the economy and everything went excessively expensive.

On getting to the park on the 4th of January 2012, same bus I boarded from Umuahia to Lagos for N3,500, was boarded back to Umuahia for N10,300. This time around it was not about the transport fare, but there were fewer buses that were ready to embark on the journey.

Why Lookest Thou For Change, When Change Is Here? By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Eight days after President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated; a friend called me and asked: Where is the Change President Buhari promised us during his campaign? I responded: Why Lookest Thou For Change, When Change Is Here? I went further and said, Change has begun, haven`t you seen it yet? It started right from the moment President Buhari gave his inaugural speech, when he said: “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”

The message in that statement is obvious. It means; we now have a President that belongs to everybody. Everybody that is ready to act according to the constitution of the country and put the nation first before personal interests. It does not matter their ethnicity, region, religion or political affiliations. A President that belongs to nobody, that cares only about how to plunder the nation at all cost. It also doesn`t matter of what their ethnicity, region, religion or political affiliations is.

I know my friend is one of those that thought President Muhammadu Buhari will hit the ground running with a magic wand or miracle oil right from the very first day he was inaugurated, and maintain the paste all through his tenure.

Dear President Muhammadu Buhari, Your Time Starts Now! By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

First and foremost, congratulations to you Sir on your election and inauguration as the fourth elected President of the Fourth Republic of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Against all odds, your election has finally proven and shown to many and the world at large that Nigeria is determined to achieve greatness and that with great dedication, commitments and consistency nothing is impossible to achieve.

I must admit, that your ascension to the highest office in the land came at a time when the country is in desperate need of a leader. One devoid of greed and with a strong passion for excellence. It came at a time when everything seems crashing and the centre no longer holding.

However, there is a reason why you were elected, to restore the lost hope to many Nigerians that have believed that it is impossible for anything good to emerge from the country.

Secondly, your leadership is expected to bridge the gap between the northern and the southern part of the nation. To bring about unity, peace and stability between the two major religions in the country and to shrink the wide margin between the poor and the rich. Over 110 million Nigerians live below 2 dollars in a day. That`s a shame to the biggest economy in Africa, the most populated and the largest producer of oil in the region.

By This Time Next Week By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

Fellow Nigerians, this is the time to celebrate, the long awaited change that we`ve patiently waited for is finally here. Even though our celebration seems to be taunted by the ongoing fuel scarcity, but there is no reason to panic. The type of transformation we see today, we shall see no more.

You see, as it stands now, Nigeria seems to be on hold. We are in a dormant stage, like we do not have a president in place and a leader to direct our affairs. And as the looming fuel scarcity goes on, it is logical not to expect a meaningful end to the scarcity not until the inauguration of a new administration is over.

 No one in the presidency has “convincingly” told us what we need to know about the continued scarcity and how they tend to resolve it as soon as possible. It`s quite obvious that President Jonathan no longer feels concerned about whatsoever befall us, even though he never did in the last five years. But by this time next week, it is expected that the story would have changed. A President is expected to be in place and the government shall be on his shoulder. He is the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari.  He is expected to tell us what we need to know about the looming fuel subsidy and put a lasting solution to this failure of government. May be this is exactly the right time to let go of subsidy. Well this is not the topic for today but for another day.

Can We Bring Back “War Against Indiscipline”? By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

In March 1984, a military decree enacted “War Against Indiscipline”, sometimes called WAI, supported by General Muhammadu Buhari and General Tunde Idiagbon. The program's intention was to instil public morality, social order, civic responsibilities in Nigerians, and promote Nigerian nationalism.

One of the objectives of WAI was the encouragement of customers and citizens to line up to board buses and mostly line up or queue for high demand services. Other objectives included the encouragement of women to train their wards, as the culture then considered child raising a predominantly female skill and proper home training would groom future disciplined adults.

The second objective was to encourage hard work, which was introduced in May 1984. This objective like many others was buoyed by the use of government owned media.

While the third and fourth phases focused on patriotism and eradicating economic sabotage and corruption. In July 1985, the General Buhari administration launched environmental sanitation as the fifth phase of the program.

Our Judicial System Is Absurd, The Morbidity Is Becoming Unbearable By Ogundana Michael Rotimi

After my article last week, I had in mind to write on a totally different topic this week. But after a Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State, on Thursday, 30th April, 2015, sentenced Michael Igbinedion, to a six-year jail term or an option of paying N3 million for a N25 billion money laundering related offences, I was forced to write this.

Two convicts and four companies were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before a Federal High court in Benin, Edo State, on an eighty-one (81)-count charge of money laundering during the tenure of Lucky Igbinedion the ex-governor of Edo State.

The two convicts were Michael Igbinedion, a younger brother of the former governor of Edo State and Patrick Eboigbodin an aide to the erstwhile governor.

Justice A.M. Liman who delivered the verdicts, found Michael Igbinedion guilty of three charges on counts 79, 80 and 81 and was sentenced to 6 years jail. By calculation, that`s 2 years each for the three counts he was found guilty of, or an option of paying N1 million each for the three offences. While Patrick Eboigbodin was found guilty of ten charges on counts 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 and 59 and was sentenced to 20 years jail. By calculation that`s 2 years each for the 10 offences, but without an option of fine.