Delusions in Christian Parishes

Only this morning (28th August 2013) my attention was drawn to Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo unfolding saga making rounds on Twitter and other social media channels. Ms Ese Walters had published an expose accusing the Common Wealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) of manipulating her sexually / spiritually.

As usual, rather than concentrating my article on this particular event, I will look at the big picture. Let us come away from the tree and look at the forest.

There are countless number of reported cases of rape that go unpunished because no victim is ready to speak up. Even when the victims speak out against their assailants, they are often slandered and even threatened. This has forced many victims to suffer undue hardship trying to pretend normalcy while the world around them continues to bask in the euphoria of our pretentious society.
This would not be the case in other societies.

I read Ese's story on her blog - http://esewalter.wordpress.com/2013/08/22/my-affair-with-pastor-biodun-fatoyinbo-of-coza/#comments and was perplexed to read what Nigerians had to say about her ordeal. Rather than empathizing with her, or investigating the matter, Nigerians had resorted to calling her names and blaming her for her ordeal. Typical you say. We (Nigerians) blamed the ABSU gang rape on the victim http://www.cknnigeria.com/2013/08/identity-of-2011-absu-gang-raped-victim.html When the news broke and the video went viral the reaction of Nigerians was more about verifying the location of the crime scene and absolving their university rather than empathizing with the victim and bringing the perpetrators to book.

This is further exuberant when we add religion to the mix. Ese’s present predicament is reminiscence of another Nigerian pastors escapade in 2011. I recall watching a series of BBC documentary on African demons and deliverance in the Untied Kingdom. The series focused on tackling the belief system that African parents pass onto their British born children. The documentary consisted on in-debt studies and carefully planned stings aimed at documenting evidence that may convince the people. In one of such stings, a Nigerian mother visits a particular Redeemed Christian Church in London. She complains to the resident Pastor that her teenage British born daughter is “Acting up”. Readily without prompting, the pastor assures the woman that the girl is possessed and would require spiritual deliverance. After agreeing to make a voluntary contribution to the church after the deliverance is complete, the young girl is invited to attend a bi-weekly session run by the pastor. Before long, lured by the beauty of the girl, the pastor makes advances. Armed with audio and video recordings of the stings, the producers create a short account and randomly select 10 people from the parishioners to watch the video after the Sunday service, but are surprised that not one of them is bold or inquisitive enough to watch the whole 15mins video. Shouts like “Touch not my anointed!” ring out.

This same hypocrisies don’t only inhibit us as a people, but indulges perpetrators to carry on with impunity. Why can’t we look at the issues and forget about the players. Why do we avoid the truth and focus on self preservation. Why have the authorities remained silent in all this.
•    Unresolved cases of rape in Nigeria
•    Men raping their daughters
•    Public officials rape the nations treasury
•    Child marriages

Work in progress...

Co-operation, no be competition - By Pa Monday

Yeah wondering where I have been all this while? Well the project to gracefully convert Nigerians to utilize electronic means of settlment has proved tough. For the past 12 months or so, I have been slaving away at it. first begining with the pilot in Lagos, and now planning to roll out to 6 more locations in Nigeria.

I miss writting but I thout to break the silence as I read my very good friends blog which has been published on at http://premiumtimesng.com/opinion/122934-co-operation-no-be-competition-by-pa-monday.html#disqus_thread he write...

Even we small people dey do our own. Sotay we get generator wey we dey call ‘I better pass my neighbour’. That name alone don show how bad this spirit of competition dey. If you on your generator, connect light for your neighbour, na bad thing? Dat neighbour fit contribute to buy fuel na. Why house of 10flats go get 10generators?


I have always wondered why we are in such a mad rush on several fronts, but I never really saw the parallels with other bizarre things going on around us. Kudos Pa Monday, this is a brilliant Article on our percived bad sense of competition.,. even better is the genre - pidgin sets a very clear perspective to view Nigeria from.

My heart goes out to the Innocent in "J" Town!

Woke up to learn about the fresh violence in Jos, only a few weeks after boiling over. It had me thinking of this endless nightmare and how it all started, why our leaders are clueless as to how to solve it, the far reaching implications and what may help to solve it.


Nigeria's religious crisis go way back in history... not remotely connected to the earliset clash that was a result of a failed coup 'detar by the military in 1966 - ultimately leading to civil unrest and eventually civil war. If like me, you are old enough to remember or an ardent follower of history, you may have heard of Zango-Kataf crisis. in Kaduna State. Maitama, etc.

Over the years, a forward-looking, well meaning society would have learned the lessons and forged a path that should ensure that such conflicts remain what they are - History. None-the-less, we have watched as countless number of innocent lives are wasted on a daily basis all over the nation, while our so called government, like their endless battle(s) with corruption - pay lip-service to the violence. Ostensibly, these crisis all seem to be either religious or politically motivated, however, there seem to be a more elusive phenomenon at play. No doubt, the political elite in their bid to whip-up sentiments, and geaner votes, have played their regular "trump card" - religion. As Carl Max said, "religion is the opium of the masses" - Spurred on in their drunken stupor - Christian and Muslim alike, have drenched their lions with the blood of their neighbors, soiled the once tranquil city state with their bloody hands and unleashed a reign of terror on Jos. What remains to be seen is why the authorities have fail time and time again to curb the re-occurrence.

In order to elicit an enduring solution , I have attempted to trace the history of Plateau religious crisis -

• September 7, 2001 - religious riots in Jos resulted in more than four years of bloodshed, killing thousands of people and displacing thousands of others.
• In 2004 an estimated 700 people died in Yelwa, Plateau state.
• November 27, 2008 - Religious crisis erupts, 40 churches razed down as angry Muslim youths who suspected election fraud, attacked Christians and their properties.
• November 28th and 29th 2008, Reprisal attacks leaves 500 dead people in its wake (100 Christians killed by the mod, and 400 Muslims killed by police before the riot was quelled),
• July 17, 2010 - Mazah (only nine miles from Jos)
• July 21 2010 - Dutse Uku and Nasarawa Gwom reprisal attacks by Christians. in 30mins alone over 300 were dead
• December 2010 -

The nightmare rages even as I write - Local rights groups say over 1,500 people have died in inter-communal violence in the Plateau since the start of this year alone. Yet not much has been done to prosecute the extremist on both sides. Who are these extremists?

I talked to some Plateau natives with a view to understand what the problem is, where it is coming from? Who is the aggressor? and perhaps propose a lasting solution different from what we have tried until now.

In the final analysis, my comparison left me with mixed feelings. Everyone I talked to tended to say the same thing - regardless of their political or religious affiliation - Firstly, they both see the others as the aggressor (we and them mindset) regardless of facts before hand. They were both very angry and both consider this crisis as war - Even a very senior colleague of mine (*** ******* - name withheld), was so furious that he swore that he would kill a Christian if he had the opportunity... made me wonder when this crisis will end, if such a "seemingly" enlightened, responsible, educated man with a family and a good job would stick his neck that far to mutter such an evil thing. But no matter on which side of the divide you stand, so much pent up hate and anger has eaten up the masses that they appear to be ready to kill for what they believe.

Secondly, they all contend that the problem is the Soldiers deployed to keep the peace. The Nigerian army may have fared well in several international peace keeping assignments, but their reputation at home is full of "sorrow, tears and blood! - their regular trade mark!!". (see my article titled "Do you know where your neighbor is?" from 2010). It would appear to me that they would prefer a battle to the finish" than to have any force mediating between them. The Christians contend that the Muslims always attack first, and the soldiers prevent the Christians from retaliating, unwittingly giving the Muslims the upper hand. So it is no surprise that Christians want the soldiers to be withdrawn. The Christians like Bishop Kwashi say “We are the victims of any Islamic anger... years ago, it was the Danish cartoons. Now they are trying to lay it at the feet of the elections. We have become a convenient scapegoat and target for those with grievances about events both home and abroad.” alluding to the already popular fad that there exist a silent Jihadist campaign to take the nation (the earth) at all cost. Religious motivated crisis all over the nation are only proof of that campaign. Bishop Kwashi implored international media, he made the plea: “Please, if you have evidence of anywhere where Chris­tians have sparked off a riot or done anything wrong, please be honest in telling it. But if not, stand up for justice … “We want the support of the Church worldwide to understand that we have never initiated crimes against the Muslim people.” To my mind, though their claim sounds like good logic, what is not very evident is the fact behind the crisis - the embers that fuels the Jos fires - Politics.

In a democracy, in a so called federated Nigeria, a few people - minority, yet who are indegenes want to lord it over a majority Hausa Fulani who form the majority in a local government. This conundrum, to many a no brainer, but to many others, neither here nor there. I will explain...

..................... To Be Continued ........................

Do You Know Where Your Neighbor Is?

Preamble
It is so easy to wave away thorny issues like political and religious motivated conflicts in far flung parts of the world. We hear about Afghan and Iraqis been killed every day, but take little or no notice, except in a remote case of the involvement of a friend or relative. We hear about suicide bombers in Pakistan killing countless number of innocent poor people everyday – It is easy to dismiss all for our general lack of facts that allows us to see first-hand or feel what the other party feels.

Early this year, sequel to the unsuccessful mission of Mutalab aka “diaper bomber” on 25th December 2009, Nigeria was classified as a terrorist nation and all (including me) cried foul! We all wondered how millions of peaceful Nigerians could be so labeled, because of the actions of a single deranged man. But alas, today we know for certain that militancy is in our midst. We now hear about car bombs at public places on special occasions – we hear about endless religious conflicts between cult-like renegades who mask their deeds in the name of God. We hear about freedom fighters armed by politicians whose only objective is to promote an atmosphere of fear that allows them to continue to plunder that which belongs to the masses. While many may say this is all a new phenomenon that reflects the yearning for freedom, justice and equality. What we have not stopped to consider is its antecedence – our history.

Mans Wicked Heart
In a heated debate over the story of creation and evolution with my friend Otuije Otuije, I reminded him about 16th century, when Christian Europe, in the name of God had slaughtered thousands of Muslim children, men and women – We called that holocaust “the Crusades”. Mans wickedness to man is chronicled in the annals of history – from the crusades, to the holocaust, to the Jihads, etc.

Coming closer to home, barely four years after colonial Britain pulled out, Nigeria has been plagued on all fronts, since our trigger-happy war lords, like their tribalised forbears laid their bloodied hands on the mantle of leadership (leading to a civil war in 1967) we have not known peace. Then, like now, countless numbers of people in the west and north of Nigeria carried on, like nothing was wrong. To most, the turmoil and suffering of innocent children, men, and women in Eastern Nigeria (their erstwhile fellow Nigerians) were too far off to be felt. To others, Biafrans (innocent of not) deserved it for the audacity exhibited by their leaders. Due to self preservation, I am not surprised at their selfishness and folly, I can not argue justly who is right and who is not, However what baffles me is how all this go on under our very noses, like they say "in our own backyards" and yet nobody wants to talk about it. That is why I wrote this article.

The More You Look – The Less You See
In 1988, as a youth in Port Harcourt, I watched the most horrible video of my life . The videos was shot from a helicopter, and showed soldiers shooting villagers in a market place… Sounds familiar? Sounds like any Vietnam war movie? Well, No! This was Nigeria, Rivers State, Ogoni Land, Nigerian Soldiers and the Helicopters belonged to Oil giant – Shell.

This was before Ken Saro’wiwa was killed and the MOSOP (see factsheet on ogoni & shell). The VHS tape was smuggled into town by sympathetic foreigners and was very instrumental to the international declaration that gave every Ogoni the leeway to seek asylum in Europe and America. I was stunned to see how far a company would go to protect its investment and even more so, to see how a nation, lead by blind men could help to ensure same.

'The flames of Shell are flames of Hell,
We bask below their light,
Nought for us to serve the blight,
Of cursed neglect and cursed Shell" - an Ogoni Song

We havent learnt the lessons, this same act was to happen again in 1999. Thanks to Timaya a notable artiste from the deep south, most Nigerians would never know that entire villages were wiped out in the south to ensure the steady flow of crude oil.

“They don kill them mama, dem papa, I say they don kill dem mama, dem papa… everyday for Nigeria na so my people dey die…“

two decades on, and the story is still the same. The captions on recent papers – all paint the same eerie picture that suggests that this is still been practiced today in 2010. Captions like:-

• 17 Movement of the Actualization of the Sovereignty of the State of Biafra (MASSOB) members arrested for hoisting the Biafran Flag in Abia State.
• "General" John Togo, The New Face Of The Niger Delta Insurgency, Speaks
• Multiple Bomb blasts on Christmas day
• Oron Communal Clash
• President of Human Rights Peace Justice Foundation gunned down
• Jos Crisis – Allegations of bias not fair on soldiers
• Bombs hit Political Rally in Yenegoa
• Boko Haram Kills 3 in Fresh Maiduguri Attacks
• Jonathan urges military task force in Abia, Akwa Ibom to wipe out kidnapping

The story remains the same, Still freedom fighters and politicians, Still - multinationals standing in the corner. Still, the rest of the world stands aloof, Still the curse of the black gold takes yet another life. Still, many people (even those so close to home) are not aware of this systematic destruction of innocent lives in nearby states. Case in point, Sahara reporters just got an interview with self styled Gen. John Togo of the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF).


Though the interview clearly portrays John Togo as an uninformed, misguided renegade of MEND, through all, what stands out clearly for those who have ears to hear, is that the delta – the goose that lays the golden egg, is dying, her innocent children, men and women are been slaughtered by the Joint Task Force headed by the Nigerian Army on a regular basis. The commentary on Sahara Reporters all seem to be focused on the persona of the actant and not on the idea behind their rebellion. What will it take for the Nigerian state to listen and act justly for cries of Isaac Adaka Boro, Ken Saro-wiwa, ... and I dare to add... John Togo. Something seems to be missing, why cant the rest of us see the sorry situation in the south? Why will people not consider the reasons that lay beneath this gory picture? Robert Nestor made popular this saying "He who feels it, knows it." Do I feel it cos I saw those images of beefy Nigerian soilders shooting innocent children in a village market? Do I feel it cos I know what that living next to a gas flaring site is the next thing to being in hell? Do I feel it cos I know that paddling a canoe is no mean feat for a grown man, how much less for a woman who has to go several miles away from her fising ground to fish due to water pollution and activities of the oil companies? Do I know this because I am from the Niger Delta and have first hand knowledge of what my people go through? To my mind, the readers have been 'lead on' to think the way they do. Mostly due to the fault of the media who often sell a one sided story.

While I applaud Sahara Reporters for the interview, it would have been better to get footage (if only still pictures) to better inform the rest of Nigeria and the world at large. Footage of the Christmas Day Bombs in Jos clearly shows how unresolved political or religious crisis can lead to wanton destruction of lives and property. Does the audaciousness exhibited by these few justify the killing of innocent women and children? Does the few seats in the local Jos council justify the killing of hundreds of people? I think not, We have to go back to history to learn how to right these wrongs. When the Crusaders captured Jerusalem, little did they know that only 200 years later Saladin would take it back, little did they know that a few hundred years on, Bin Laden would take the fight further. While Shell BP (British Petroleum) and the Crown covertly armed Nigeria against Biafra and watched millions of innocent children, men and women killed. In their quest to keep the oil flowing, they continue to prod the Nigerian government in her fatal dance with the love of oil to rub and kill the innocent. History will tell, one bright shinning morning, when the tables will turn. 3 decades after the Nigerian Civil War, the hatred of the minorities still persits - or what other reason will make a Northern dominated army open fire on innocent villagers. Thousands of years on, Christians and Muslims are still fight to make Jerusalem - or why else will someone decide to detonate a bomb on Christmas day.

Concerning the Jos crisis, Okey Duke Paulinus (the friend of a friend) wrote:-

Cried as i watched... I had in d past did a study on what could be in d mind of those who kill fellow human being in d name of God..In d course of d research i found that weird belief smeared with masked view of God' personality would a...always influence one to feel elated, happy and even rejoice as he/she massacre fellow sibling, mother, friend kids etc. Sometimes when a thief kills he may feel remorseful but when a religious bigot kills he would feel most fulfil and thankful to his perceived God... Hope the right interpretation of God and His personality would b communicated to those who kill in God' name..If not ... May the souls of the believers who lost their lives in Jos mayhem rest in peace."

So while you eat your jollof rice this season, while you are mesmerized by the twinkle of your 8 foot tall Christmas tree, while you sit under the pale blue sky awaiting the new year, give a thought to your neighbor and ask yourself how well he is.

Naija Leaks?

In all successful societies of the world there are three aspects of human endeavor that permeates all facets of daily living. 1. That well thought out laws exist, are made or modified to fit the ever changing environment. 2. An effective means of enforcing the law by way of police, civil defense and other law enforcement agencies. 3. A proactive media to report both sides of any issue to all and sundry.

For my dear nation, Nigeria - I have written severally about the inefficiency of running this colossal engine of representative governance, its inherent cost implications, and its self-servicing policies, but I have said little of the (lack of) law enforcement. That is a story for another day. For today, I am going to write about the importance of the media.

Societies who fight oppression have often employed the "Power of the Pen" to garner grassroot support. As it is said that the pen is mightier than the sword. From the French revolution, through the American civil war, to every society that has had an uprising or revolution of some sort. The importance of the media can not be over emphasized. Even in times of oppression and anarchy, participants have used the media as a catalyst to promote their objectives. From The Jacobite, Hitler and the holocaust, Mao and Red China, Castro, Rawlings, etc.

I therefore find it appalling to open every other newspaper to find non-critical issues been pushed forward everyday. Considering the fact that for decades on end, the Nigerian masses have cried out for a change, for transparency, for a new order.

I could not find any empirical evidence to show what the average Nigerian news paper publishes - matters of public interest, sports, politics, general information VS those that generate income - paid adverts, etc. This would have created a rich picture of what the media is doing. this data will preclude pure commercial adverts that promote a product or service. None-the-less, a cursory look at the top nations tabliods shows that many published items are skewed towards creating an opinion (suggesting they were paid for) rather than giving both sides of the story and allowing the readers to draw a conclusion. Little wonder why in a bid to ensure their relevance in today's Nigeria, unnecessary attention is given to the same people who have plundered and raped this nation over the years.

What is the National Union of Journalist thinking? Are they aware of this? Or is the ever-present Naija demon forcing us to do it our way. Why do we give politics so much audience and ignore other important things like promoting efficiency, education, preventing crime and violence? Why do we promote opulence to the detriment of our generation? What is the NUJ doing to restore honor and dignity amongst our people? Even a little child in Nigeria values money more than his name, and young girls would rather suffer under an abusive relationship as long as the dough keeps flowing. Little wonder why the corridors of power are full of people who have little to offer, people whose only passion is to amass wealth at the expense of their fellow citizens.

Don't get me wrong, while I agree that there must be paid adverts, one expects objectivity, reasoning and creativity that all adds up to the greater good of the poor and downtrodden. A balance between the truth and commerce. To condone the sale of publicity is akin to selling the polity to the highest bidder and keeping the masses in perpetual darkness. It is only in Nigeria we talk about brown envelopes (the act of bribing a journalist) - to me, its nothing but black mail. Nigerian press will publish anything if you pay the price.

I asked my good friends Ndu Okeke, and Kari (both seasoned journalist), to inform their technology correspondents about my wind turbine project they both thought I must present some brown envelopes before this can be published.

For the past decade, been responsible for web communications of two separate corporate bodies has exposed me to many journalist within and outside Nigeria. One simple question I always put forward to them is "Why don't you write about what is really going on [the truth]?" Their response has also interestingly been simple... "Those stories don't sell newspapers or pay the bills". Obviously, newspapers and other electronic media need money to run, however they owe a greater responsibility to the societies they serve.

World over, journalist syndicate (publish) on other tabloids using pseudo names to avoid been victimized by the powers that be. In countries where the media is reluctant to publish the materials, journalist have gone a step further to publish internationally. With the advent of internet technology, more and more people are turning into journalist (even me - blogging for over 3 years now). Yet the average Nigerian journalist has chosen to be docile, and report only what is paid for and ignore the rest. Programs like "Newsline" that focused on tell the truth on the street and investigating issues that concern the average man have all been hijacked by the rich. Newline today is a showcase of the rich and the powerful, their childrens weddings, and what new toys they buy at the expense of the masses.

Since I was a teen, I have heard rumors of IBBs refineries in south America, reasons why an oil giant imports refined products. No journalist has investigated and published a single article. I have read over the years that Peter Odilli owns one of the finest hospitals in Africa, and not a single investigative work has been carried out. This brings to question their professionalism. The freedom of information bill (wonder under which table it sits now) may not help to wrestle power out of the hands of the powers that be in Nigeria, it requires a courageous and creative mindset that is lacking in the crop of present brown envelope hunting journalist. A few serious blogs have evolved, but I fear they may be in cohort with some notable politicians. Non-the-less, the likes of Saharareporters.com seems to be getting it right on a local level.

Perhaps one of 2010 ground breaking phenomenon is Wikileaks - http://213.251.145.96/about.html- a body that has existed for over 4 years and has a mission to tell the truth that others are too scared to tell by assuring the anonymity of their sources. Their profile says

"We believe that it is not only the people of one country that keep their own government honest, but also the people of other countries who are watching that government through the media."

The question now is if the Nigerian journalist would take advantage of this and supply the truth to a more courageous [my emphasis], creative reporter far removed form the our oppressive regimes. Will nations potentially come to face legal consequences as a result of evidence posted on WikiLeaks? Even the USA is in awe of this mode of enforcing transparency.

But like Wikileaks, I believe publishing improves transparency, and this transparency creates a better society for all people. Better scrutiny will lead to reduced corruption and stronger democracies in all society's institutions, including government, corporations and other organisations. A healthy, vibrant and inquisitive journalistic media plays a vital role in achieving these goals. We are part of that media.

Scrutiny requires information. Historically, information has been costly in terms of human life, human rights and economics. As a result of technical advances particularly the internet and cryptography - the risks of conveying important information can be lowered. In its landmark ruling on the Pentagon Papers, the US Supreme Court ruled that "only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government." We agree. Nigerian journalists over to you.

Who Let The Dogs Out?

What a week!!! It all started on Monday, when I read (with joy in my heart) that at over the weekend at convocation ceremony of Igbinedion University, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (SLS as he is fondly called) the Governor of the Central bank of Nigeria in his typical down to earth manner stated that the National Assembly appropriates 25.4% of the nations budget (N136.3b out of N500b yearly). I was not only happy that someone in government could stick his head out that far, but It also reaffirmed my stance that democracy is too expensive and that 3rd world countries like Nigeria should rather look for better forms of “direct” governance other than representation. These ideas I have written about in my article titled “a Promise is Comfort to a Fool”.

Over the years we have watched the senate bully Nigerians - bureaucrats and technocrats alike, at the slightest provocation. I knew that Lamido’s statement would set off several people in the upper and lower chambers of the National Assembly and reckoned some arm twisting would be in the offing any time soon. As usual, I expected them to deploy their No. 1 weapon – Bullying. This underarm bully tactics in the form of a public hearing had gotten the desired results in the past – El’Rufai, Ribadu, Okonjo Iweala, and Soludo all faced this same fate at one point or the other.

So I was not surprised when I learnt that SLS had been summoned by the Legisla”thieves”. In a battle of wits (though with half wits) I watched with much admiration as SLS boldly held his own amidst several angry lawmakers and their barrage of questions all bent on eliciting an apology from the CBN governor. The proceedings where clearly laughable, the lawmakers drew the short straw this time as they unsuccessfully wrangled SLS. I guess the Omesire led senate committee must have planned to send a strong message to the Nigerian public, by inviting the press to a public hearing. However, one thing they didn’t count on was the unwavering character of the CBN governor. So much so that the Nigerian Television Authority (including its world-wide satellite channel) abruptly stopped airing the proceedings, when it became clear that the wrangling was proving futile amidst cheers from the spectators present.

To Nigerians and international observers alike, the facts are clear, the whole idea wasn’t about where he got the facts from, but the truth the gulf between the rich and poor in Nigeria is unprecedented. And the activities of the rich, especially the lawmakers heats up the system and creates bubbles – Unnecessary price hikes without an underlined increase in value. For instance, the rent regimes and real estate is such that one wonders why an undeveloped plot of land in Abuja can sell for as high as N400,000,000.00 (about $2,666,666.00). Only the rich can thieve in such an economy. It is behind this backdrop that SLS commented that the law makers activities are inflationary. This is in line with my idea that rather than increase the minimum wage alone, something should be done to the maximum wage the senators are getting.

This charade, though insightful - in terms of the quality of representation at the national assembly, but it is also eventful in our onward match towards good governance. We need good people. Men and Women who know what they are doing. People whose only interest is the future of Nigeria and our unborn children. People who are not thinking of what they can take out, but what common good they can create from what is available, people who are bold enough to stare these goons in the face, and still have the decorum to say the truth. People who are passionate and integrity – Men like Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Hear him:-

“My name is Sanusi Lamido Sanusi” my name is not CBN Governor. I will not be the CBN Governor for ever, but I will always be a Nigerian… I enjoy my job but if you want me to quit, I will honourably quit”

On his own part, the Minister of Finance Mr. Aganga had earlier threatened to cut the budgetary allocation of the Assembly. Something he quickly denied in the face of clear hostilities. By so doing, wrote himself out of my good books. But we hope others would act when called upon and not be overwhelmed with cowardice and fear. For the first time in the history of Nigeria, a powerful agent of government declares publicly that he is ready to vacate his job based on principle. But that will only make them happy. We should be ready to also stand up and be counted amongst the change champions. I will design a flyer urging the NAS to apologize to the Governor.

This storm is not over yet. I know the days to come will be action packed in this never-ending soap opera. It is time to act. I wonder what Nigeria would be like, if 5 more people like SLS were strategically placed in different sectors? Would we have the sorry state of affairs we have today? Would a “convict” lead a panel of inquiry? Would the NAS be a law unto itself? Would I be writing this, or sitting lazily in my boat off the Lagos lagoon? If someone who we all know has good intentions is forces out of office, would we seat and watch or would we stand up and make that match to NAS to press home our demands? Do we have to wait until then to act? Shouldn’t the Labour union act on this and set the ball rolling? – Isn’t this revolution we so long for at hand? Starring us in the face. How will history write these days? “Another Opportunity Missed” or “How the cookie finally crumbled”.


PS.
I hear the lower house has also summoned SLS before it, with a view to further disgracing the governor - Makes one wonder who advises them, cant they see the writing on the wall? Who is going to be the fall guy today?

A Promise... is Comfort To a Fool!

1st shocker yesterday was a court ruling upturning Emmanuel Uduaghan's 3 and half years tenure as governor of delta state. Then the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC and Trade Union Congress 3 days warning strike to press home their demand for a N18,000 minimum wage. But like Emperor Nero and his court, the Federal Executive Council celebrated the day by approving billion dollar DCC contracts while Rome burns. It is really annoying when our government bury their head in the sand or look the other way while the poor suffer. But even more annoying is that fact that we always do as they expect us to. A people deserve the leaders they get. We are gullible, easily impressed, and worst still, lack standards.

Why am I wailing again this morning? Well, I was sad to learn that the strike is over just because the President met with the union leaders and as usual, settled the score with yet another promise. A mere promise, like the several promises made to Teachers, Lecturers, Doctors, Nurses, etc... but as the saying goes - a promise, is comfort to a fool.


Who Are The Goons?
You and I, and the so called Labor leaders! Don’t get me wrong, I am not one of those lazy people that want to down tools and stay home for weeks unend. I am also not one of the bourgeois who enjoy the status quo and relish at every event that impedes on the growth of the poor and down trodden. A person whose attitudes and behavior is marked by conformity to the norm. Rather, I think the strike shouldn’t have been about only raising the minimum wage, but reducing the remuneration of top public officers. Yes, that’s one sure fire way to bridge the gap between the upper and middle class in Nigeria.

In situations such as this, it is always nice to compare. While researching the issue, I found 2009 figures that show that the average US senator earned $174,000 par annum (See US Senate Salaries since 1789). A conservative estimate using the official exchange rate works out to roughly N24,360,000.00 I was alarmed to learn that this is not even enough entertainment allowance for their Nigerian counterparts. The Nigerian senator earns N43,000,000 quarterly - N129,000,000 annually (about $908,450.00). In fact the several people before me have written about the unholy sums the Nigerian government pay their lawmakers. (See Nigerian Senators Earn 10 Times more than their counterparts and An appendix while the nation rots away. Little wonder why you can find all forms of luxurious effects in our society, where an undeveloped piece of land cost more than a town house in Virginia USA, yet the masses still suffer in abject poverty.

In all, we can conclude that the Nigerian senator is not only the highest paid law maker in the world, but earns 10 times more than the president of the United States of America. How ironic, in a country where millions have to make do with less than $1 a day. Even more worrying is the fact that they want more (See 2011 Election: Senators want N10.9 billion quarterly) No doubt Nigeria is ripe for a revolution, these self servicing law makers should be done away with, I support the strike, and I am not happy with the focus of labour unions. NLC should not be looking only towards raising the minimum wage, but go further to reduce the maximum one. How much work does a law maker do? Why should they earn so much? Little wonder why Nigerian politicians perpetuate themselves in power – who would walk away from such a sumptuous dish? Little wonder why they are ready to kill to remain there, and what do we do to help? fan their fire by asking for a raise on all levels while there is nothing in the offing to sustain the endeavor. This drama is akin to a house hold whose output is marginal but where the father drives a Jaguar and the kids no longer see reason why they should trek, and are therefore demanding for a VW beetle - in comparison to their neighbors who run a successful family business and the Father drives an average Japanese salon and the kids ride bus. While one family is able to gradually climb the ladder of economic growth, the other will soon run out of fuel money in the first year alone. If only things were this easy to explain, life would have be a bed of roses in deed. That is why I often think from my ass. yes out of this world.

My Blue Sky "A**" thinking – the Way Out.
First off, let me say that true democracy is unattainable (if at all feasible), no nation in the world can boast of practicing true democracy, Surprisingly, democracy cannot be easily explained, Abraham Lincoln’s popular definition as “the government of the people by the people and for the people” (Lincoln, 1863) is actually a Utopian idea that still exists to date. Consequently, the concept of governance has evolved 3 main forms. 1. Representative type where people select (or elect) representation. 2. Citizens participation, where representation deliberate with citizens to reach a consensus. and lastly 3. a Direct form where everyone plays a role. Yes,everyone. Until recently with the advent of technology, this 3rd form of governance was beyond any society. but it is now possible - Like me, Ari Orr thinks this has made representation obsolete -

"THE ANTIQUATED, COMPLICATED, SLOW, AND EXPENSIVE, SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS, PARLIAMENTS, AND GOVERNMENTS, IS OBSOLETE TODAY. WHY KEEP A DOMINATING, ALIENATING, INEFFICIENT, EXPENSIVE, AND CORRUPTIVE SYSTEM WHEN A MUCH FREER, FASTER, CHEAPER, AND INCORRUPTIBLE SYSTEM IS POSSIBLE?

”
I have often been accused of being a Technological Determinist (one who thinks technology solves all problems) in fact a bosom friend of mine calls me TD. But I am not alone, some civilized nations are already thinking of Direct Governance, one in which people make their laws through public participation in eGovernment. Utilizing tools like referendums and public portals to engage citizens in the conduct of governance. Direct Democracy advocates like Orr see public officers like Senators and false forms of representative government as the evil that must be done away with. These complicated technical problems of bureaucracy of public office continue to be the major reasons why other forms of governance are wasteful and expensive. He surmises that “Today, for the first time in history, it is possible for millions of people to make every political decision themselves, directly - without representatives” (Orr, 2000). The huge expenses spent in running these complex structures should be used to develop our infrastructure and alleviate poverty by creating more jobs.

Nigeria's problems are complex, solving them completely for now is only an Utopian idea, yet it needs to be tackled, Who will bell the cat?

10 Questions for Igbo’s Seeking Ikwerre Citizenship & Acknowledgement

If you are Ikwerre, or know someone that is, then you must have heard this at one point or the other. "Ikwerres are Igbos!" You might have witnessed one argument or fight that stern from this seemingly innocent statement that rub us the wrong way. I narrowly avoided lynching one old woman in Abuja who had the effrontery to tell me I don't know anything about my roots... I promised myself that I would never argue about this topic with anyone else, but I could not resist my brothers recent post on the issue, I have taken the liberty to publish it here...

Chuks Eleonu wrote...........

It appears our Igbo friends and in-laws are doing everything in their capacity to acquire Ikwerre citizenship. After all, what else are they looking to gain in constantly raising an issue that begs for disagreement when the underlying issues are completely examined end-to-end? Let's pretend for a moment that the Ikwerre's consent to Igbo hegemony; then WHAT? What does it buy the Igbo’s that they do not already have or potentially could get?

 If 2 + 3 = 5, by mathematical and scientific deductions, then 3 + 2 must also = 5, right? In other words, if Ikwerre’s are Igbo's, then Igbo’s are Ikwerre’s, hence why the un-ending clamor for recognition and acceptance – right? Only those who flunked arithmetic would proceed to argue the contrary.

In fact, the very essences of the word “Ikwerre,” implicitly and explicitly embody the notion that I have to FIRST agree. I and my people DO NOT and NEVER WILL AGREE on a strategic deliberate attempt to foist falsehood upon an innocent society ...you can go and bring anyone with any titles pre-fixed or suffixed to their names, they will remain ignorant of the facts, until they stop the presuppositions and conjectures without in-depth empirical scholastic research that is objective in intent. We will always respect our Igbo friends and in-laws; but that cannot become synonymous to bowing to the flippant claims and ulterior-motives of the Igbo’s.

Another fact to consider is, when was the last time anyone saw titled Professors from Western or Northern Nigeria or even elsewhere around the world, listing the ethnicities of their surrounding neighbors as evidence of their scholastic aptitude? So, why would learned and intelligent Igbo’s continue to waste time in academic exercises, always asking the meaning of one's name or citing proximity of one’s village to their own boundaries? To me, I would like to respect those of us who have acquired university education, hoping of course, they can carry out and demonstrate beyond the shadow of doubt, basic empirical and sound scholastic research, beyond fanning the embers of discord inherited from their fore-parents and Nigeria's ethno-centric gridlock politics of Win/Lose.

Since our so called learned and intelligent friends like to insist that the British people should stop advancing the course of their nation until Americans begin to call themselves “British,” or the Jews should hold off fighting for their own survival until everyone else living in the “ghettos” of the world acknowledge them, let me pose the following then questions, all of which have the very same answer and GOES TO THE VERY HEART of the Ikwerre vs. Igbo debates:

1. Who was the very first person ever named Miss Nigeria, and why did she not become a Nigerian, post independence?

2. Who remembers those that played the roles of “courtima” (if you don’t know this term, you should probably never get involved in the Ikwerre-Igbo debates) and why did their Western & Northern Nigerian counterparts not pervert history and justice in their respective regions of Nigeria?

3. If Ikwerre’s were Igbo’s, why did part of the Biafra military strategy include the extermination and genocide of the Ikwerre’s? Please note that there were more saboteurs within and amongst ndi Igbo, than elsewhere in Nigeria – even till the present day.

4. If Igbo’s were so magnanimous to ameliorate their excesses in pre-historic Nigeria, dating back to the early stages of both the “white man’s & ottoman’s” slave trades, how come they are yet to resolve their osu caste system – even until the present day? Let’s go one step further to truly see how much they know of the Ikwerre, can our Igbo learned and intelligent friends account for the Igbo’s direct profiteering, racketeering, and shenanigans during the slave trade periods, as it pertains to its surrounding neighbors, including the Ikwerre's?

5. If Ikwerre’s were Igbo’s, why were they not consulted like the other Igbo clans on the eve of Ahiara War Declarations by Odumegwu Ojukwu? If our learned friends claim that Ikwerre’s were consulted, please provide name(s) of the Ikwerre representatives.

6. Why did southern Cameroon vote to not become part of Nigeria at independence – even though they knew their Hausa/Fulani dominated northern Cameroon were an evil empire? Really, you would rather associate with an evil empire than align with your next door neighbors – if we go by the theory of Igbo’s about the Ikwerre’s?

7. Speaking about Cameroonians, what was the real underlying issue about Bakassi and (like the Ikwerre’s), the peace loving peoples of Ambazonia? Why would they not want to become part of a vibrant and thriving nation like Nigeria – even till this day? What really happened?

8. Going further, who remembers pre-historic Nigeria and Cameroon showing Igbo influences stretching past the Calabar river banks, as Far East, as Mamfe and Bamenda in the Cameroons – why did it shrink back to the present day Igbo boundaries? Better yet, just like Cameroon dragged Nigeria to court over Bakassi, why have the Igbo’s not dragged their case to court, if they know the anthropological, sociological, and ethno-linguistic genesis of the Ikwerre’s?

9. The word “Biafra” is not an Igbo word – at least, am hoping they have not also started claiming it is – so, where/what is Biafra, from which the Gulf/Bight of Biafra was originally named on every world map prior to 1969? Hint: Ojukwu could not and did not coin the word !!! Since most Igbo’s immediately from birth, seem to know more about the history and origin of Ikwerre people, it is assumed this question is also a piece of cake for them

10. Last, but more importantly:

a. When were the original Ogbakor Ikwerre (excluding the ones in diaspora) and Ohaneze ndi Igbo organizations created?

b. If Ikwerre’s are seating on the high tables at Ohaneze ndi Igbo, how come the Igbo’s have never allowed these so called Ikwerre members of Ohaneze to speak by themselves to their own Ikwerre people and in a language the Ikwerre’s would understand – why are Igbo’s always the only ones doing the talking and claiming? Egyptians were not busy advertising Moses as justification for the Jews to remain in Egypt, considering the Jews never forgot their homelands, but may have adopted Egyptian and Roman names to survive the times; a good percentage of people from Sierra Leone in West Africa all have similar names and features like the Yoruba’s of Nigeria – one wonders why Nigeria’s Yoruba states are not wasting resources and time running around telling other Yoruba’s of West Africa they must claim Nigerian origin and ancestry; Native Americans of the present generation might have blue eyes, some blonde, and cannot speak a word of Apache, Cherokee, Hopi, Navajos (I know because I’ve lived among them), yet the Igbo’s would have you believe they are Igbo’s too, if given the chance; and, these same Igbo’s would be the first to tell you not to call them African Americans – since there are no Igbo racial categories in any American ethno-demographic profiles.

c. Is it true that because Igbo’s outnumber every other ethnic group by a margin of 10:1 in pre-war Sabon Gari district of Kano, therefore, everyone within that environment is Igbo – was that what Igbo’s were claiming to spark the pogroms that ignited the Biafra war? (see this citation). Is it also true that because Tiv’s in Nigeria speak Hausa and share common names and traditions, they are Hausa people? How about our friends in Ghana, is it true that because the word Twi is pronounced Chi, it has the same Igbo meaning, therefore, of Igbo origin?

d. Giving a speech recently, during a meeting of South East elders held in Owerri, Imo State, on March 5, 2010 the honorable Odumegwu Ojukwu, asked Igbo’s: “Howbeit, it is a well known fact that in every State in Nigeria outside Igbo land, Ndigbo always constitutes the second largest population next to the indigenous population” – why is that? How come no other ethnic population in Nigeria can come close to, much less boast of, being always the 2nd largest population outside of their own ethnic enclaves, wherever they go?

e. Has anyone heard of/about “Hausa Elele”? Yes, these are true Hausa’s from Elele, in Ikwerre Nigeria – are they Igbo’s too? Could it be that Ikwerre’s had learned their lesson with Igbo’s that they did not allow this strategic political expansion to continue with impunity? Perhaps, we would be arguing today of how Ikwerre’s are Hausa’s, if we had also kept silent in this regard.

f. For the longest time, even before the creation of Rivers State, who consistently prevented, and orchestrated the eccentricities that thwarted, the creation of Port Harcourt state, if Ikwerre’s were Igbo’s?

As I have indicated on past occasions, our Igbo friends and in-laws are restless, hardworking, resourceful, and have hegemonous tendencies. I have many Igbo friends and love them for what they bring to the table – provided it is not un-substantiated claims and frivolous arguments about Ikwerre people or the Rivers State. Our present generation of Igbo’s and Ikwerre’s would not be serving posterity right, if we don’t seriously focus on how to re-align development of the Nigerian ethos to leverage real talents and skill sets, irrespective of ethnicity. In other words, if the only time an Igbo is willing to dialogue and engage in nation building is when s/he can work side-by-side with only those who agree with him/her on ethnicity and speaks his/her dialect, then there should be no question as to why it will continue to take a very, very, very long time before the Igbo’s can produce another Nigerian President, post Azikiwe. You can quote me! I’m sure an Igbo would dare not say that, right?

Just like well read Nigerians will challenge the white-man’s perversion of African history (e.g., there are more people in Northern Nigeria than in the South – true or false?), I will continue to challenge anyone who thinks they can call Ikwerre’s anything other than Ikwerre. Only those who have ulterior motives continue to argue the Ikwerre-Igbo issue blindly, as if it all started yesterday or after the war. No, there are precedents and that have been set prior to the Biafran war, even before slavery and colonialism. Furthermore, my ignorant Ikwerre fore-fathers who could neither read, nor write, are not entirely blameless here! But to unilaterally assume that Ikwerre founding fathers were unable to transmit or hand-down history through generations of Ikwerre sons and daughters, is the height of arrogance, pride, and prejudice for anyone seeking to solve the puzzle that is Nigeria.

Notwithstanding, I have given you food-for-thought, some of which pre-dates Lord Luggard. But only a certain element would continue to arrogate themselves to a history and people that are not theirs to claim. For extra credit, here’s one last question: from whom did the Rivers State learn the concept of “abandoned property”? Perhaps, therein lies the real reason why Igbo’s never go after other parts of Rivers State and elsewhere in Nigeria where “Igbo” is actually spoken as a language and historically preserved, but would rather focus on poor Ikwerre people whose relationship with them have been anything, but. Yes, the Igbo religious missionaries arrived and said to the Ikwerre man “let us pray,” and when the Ikwerre’s opened their eyes, the Igbo’s had their lands, their local economies, and the Bible!!!

In closing, I have asked ten simple questions whose answers leads to the VERY CORE of the issue on the Ikwerre vs. Igbo dichotomy – especially for those of you who, without knowing the genesis, assume that the person called John from New York City is related to another John from Yorkshire, UK -- because some white-man's anthropological formulae said so; therefore, someone named Okala from Ikwerre must be related to the former Rangers Goalkeeper named Okala. Since we have a lot of anthropologists, sociologists, gerontologists, ethno-linguists, Engineers, Apostles, Chiefs, war Generals, including aimless key-punching cyber-pundits in the house, I am hoping that they will apply the same brevity, objectivity, and vocal variety in acknowledging the truths that constitute the collective answers to the above ten questions, so we ignorant folks from Ikwerre, who do not know our origins, ancestry, and history can also, learn. Better yet, perhaps our learned friends, who can only write about Rivers State local government areas or Ikwerre villages and names as the evidence of their scholastic aptitudes, now have a real homework to do, so we can finally attest to their empirical and journalistic research assessment methods.

For those who will try to guess the answer, without in-depth research, please pay attention to the common denominator in your findings, and report back, so inquiring minds would know. Very truly yours,

By:
Chuks D. Eleonu
Defender of Ikwerre civil rights and God-given civil liberties

Nigeria Police- Failure To Act Is A Crime!!

As most of you already know, I am a keen follower of some "disgruntled" Nigerian elements... people like me, who are saddened by the happenings in our homeland. Men like Donald Duke whom I had prepared all around me to vote for in the Baba botched elections, I hope he will run again and usher Nigeria into a new era.

I also like some not-so-popular characters like my "demolition king" Nasiru el-Rufia who thought the visions of our fathers should not be thwarted by the rich and powerful - though his activities as FCT minister remain quite debatable, we cant deny the fact that he stubbornly restored the beauty of that city - and the lessons learnt are now been applied in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Owerri. I also love and have made contact with another fearless men - Ribadu who dared touch the lions tail. Ironically, most of these men played a major role in the administration of someone I am not so fund of - but thats a story for another day.

Nasiru recently (late January 2010) invited short notes on what we think Nigeria needs (I guess he is polling ideas) and I gave him my 10 cents worth on the issue. I decided to publish it after seeing the gory picture on the right. Apparently taken after a robbery incident on Benin - Lagos express way.

I got it off a certain Henry Ajofors Status. which claimed the dead bodies were victims who could not provide cash or valuables to the robbers - at gun point the bus driver was asked to run them over. Another spin on the story says the vitims were crushed when an unsuspecting bus driver ran into the highway robbery at night. Whichever way you look at it, I think it is a failure of law enforcement. I doubt that the situation would have presented itself in the first place, if the police were doing a good job at combating crime.

Below is my short (abridged) reply to Nasiru's invitation on how Technology can help Nigeria.

===========

Dear Nasiru,

It gladdened my heart to read your special invitation to send in our thoughts about our dear country. I am a man of not so many words, and really can’t resist the temptation to wait until I have written down something nice. So I will take my chances and hope you will project and see where my thoughts may lead.

Like most like-minded Nigerians, I have often contemplated the source of our problems. Drawing from pre-colonial history, religion, culture, the civil war, until date. I still cannot put my finger on it, but I will not put it past the people.

Nigeria’s problem is the state of mind of the people that call it home – I am a keen believer in the fact that “a people deserve the leaders they get”. We may continue to grope in the dark, until we recognize the fact- that until we seek to preserve our heritage for the common good (not self), we are doomed to live in shame. You will do well to argue that saying the people are to blame is not fair, and probably too open ended. I know that there is no simple solution to our common problems which stern from Eroded cultural values, religion, rule of law, greed, self servicing representation, etc to name a few. We all know these problems, none-the-less, what continues to elude us is how to set about solving it. My answer? – Technology! (Information Systems)

I am not a student of law, nor am I a politician. I have spent the last decade and a half developing and applying technology to solve corporate problems both in the UK and at home in Nigeria. I am about to conclude a masters in eGovernance in a bid to veer off and see how I can apply technology to solve problems of governance in Nigeria. Technology knows no friend or foe, speaks no particular language and bears no allegiance to any political party, not even its creator. This easily lends itself to remove the subjectivity and inefficiency of human mediation in aiding governance. Technology challenges professionals (even politicians) as it ostensibly sets to demystify their activities. Most aware public officers have taken to IT to mediate- Pls see how, the Obama administration blogs, the Australian government uses IT, and how Nasiru El’ Rufai blogs…

Unlike those who feel Information Systems are easy fixes, even here in the west, introducing technology to governance has been fraught with huge challenges that often end in failure, but a well structured programme that brings value to both the governed and the government has ushered the west into a new era where the citizenry feel they are part of the government thereby increasing the gulf between the 3^rd and the 1^st world.

It is the lack of this conjoined IS systems that paints a sorry picture of the state of affairs in Nigeria. The west cant understand why we cant fish out 419ers, they cant understand why elections are rigged over and over again, they cant understand why people are gunned down and the police have no clue and leads to start their investigation, they can’t understand why there is not database of records or births death, marriages for the country. Now, imagine a Nigeria where technology links up the registry (birth, marriage, death, vehicle) to Law enforcement (police, courts, intelligence). Where, data is mined for elections, census? Where the CBN, AGF, Government agencies share data. Technology is the leading edge the west has over the 3^rd world.

A society where there is peace and safety (checked by technology), where the police and its agencies will enforce the law (aided by technology), prosecute the guilty (based on scientific facts not cohesion), where the electoral process is devoid of subjective human intervention - will ultimately lead to one where no man is above the law.

There is no blueprint on how to evolve a technologically driven society, but a good start is to introduce it in school to produce a information systems savvy citizenry, while encouraging inter- agency IT convergence. I am very keen on this convergence and plan workshops to government agencies to see how I can get involved.

I am running late for an appointment, but would like to hear your take on this.

Kind regards

************ - Shakabula

"Vamp" is for Vampire

On one of my numerous travels around this country of ours. I met two pretty decent girls from the premier private university in the south of Nigeria - Madonna University.

Madonna university is owned by the popular catholic priest who in the early 1990's lead the way for charismatic Catholics. Rev father Edeh, or Father as he is fondly called by his devout followers had an encounter in Rome with Mary the mother of Jesus that changed his life, and a little sleepy town of Elele in the back waters of Rivers State, Nigeria would never be the same again.

Shortly after his encounter in Rome, he was perfuming miracles - healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, curing all sorts of disorders, even raising the dead! (My emphasis) By 1991, his Elele seminary had turned to a Mecca of sort, changing the little sleepy village to a bustling town, full of peoples from all works of life, from all corners of the world looking for solutions to their diverse problems. Beggars, Governors, Priest and even presidents sought after his council or blessings. This, in no small measure saw to a leap in socio economic growth of the area.

As you may have concluded by now, the Catholic church in Rome did not find the business of miracle working in the name of Mary ethical, and quickly asked that the father discontinue or be excommunicated. At the tempo Father Edeh was running at, no threat could stop him, not even the church. The local Elele community moved swiftly by providing him with land to continue his work in their community. Father Edeh of Elele was back in business.

As the educational system in Nigeria continued in its endless, downward plunge, Father Edeh diversified into establishing a private university, aptly named "Madonna University" in remembrance of the ultimate source of the gift that opened up the world of economics to him. At the time it was instituted, the concept of a private and religious Madonna University easily learnt itself as the solution to the prevailing teachers strikes and violent cult and gang warfare in other Nigerian universities. Little wonder why, in only few years of existence it had opened up 3 campuses (one in Okija, Enugu and Elele campuses) with well equipped infrastructure.

Having not had anything to do with the school all these years, but trusting that the Father would have carried on with what he knows best, the art of healing and teaching. I was excited to meet with two of her students. I was amazed to hear what they had to say about how their their university was run. I was however not prepared for what I heard, I was more surprised to hear what they had to say about their VC, Father Edeh and his cult-like antics to keep students on their toes. the worst of all, was the fact that parents and wards were as usual, aloof and clearly ignorant of how to go about solving the problems. This is why I am starting this article to highlight the problems I heard with a view to solving them. I am also sure the same is happening in other private universities in Nigeria.

No doubt this will need several posts to do justice to the problems so we will start by listing the charges and then solicit your help to discuss the issues at length.

Charges.

1. Students are treated like babies and have to account for their whereabouts on an hourly basis


2. Out of campus movements are entered into a journal and passes issued


3. Students who attempt to speak up against anything in the university is dismissed with any explanation.


4. Every staff or student who has challenged the authorities has been shown the way out.


5. Boarding facilities shows an average of 10 students to a room in gross violation of public and government regulations.


6. That the university extorts money from students through lecturers. When lecturers are reported, the money goes into the university system but never back to the students


7. A well instituted informant ring of loyalist tagged "Vamps" by other student is financed and run by Father Edeh. Vamps rule and run the show in their departments, hostels, social circles.


8. Disloyal "Vamps" have been killed if they choose not to remain in the university system , even after graduation.


9. In the era of publicising the risk of AIDS and other related issues, the Madonna University have dismissed several students for testing positive. This has continued even after Government authorities approached the university to stop.

One major challenge here is hearing from people. I hear people are so scared of "Vamps" that they do not wish to speak. I would like to find graduated students who can corroborate the charges and we will spread the word and bring this university to book. The floor is open, lets talk.