The Worst Nigerian Awards for Year 2017

by Eze Eluchie

The Worst Corporate Entity:

After considering the horrendous looting of national resources which virtually ensured that foreign exchange earned from the sale of crude oil (which accounts for over 90% of Nigeria’s income) and other governmental sources, was spirited away before it ever got to the shores of the country, former Military Dictator of Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida once confessed, during his stay in office, that he had no idea what was sustaining the Nigerian economy. The looting has continued, albeit more vicious. The simple answer to Babangida’s wonder, was that the resilience, dexterity never-say-die attitude of the average Nigerian

Taking cognisance of the lax governance structure, absence of effective corporate regulatory and enforcement mechanisms and a hapless citizenry benumbed and incapacitated by extreme lack, thus unable and unwilling to challenge adverse situations, many corporate organizations have taken it upon themselves to extort, hoodwink and milk the Nigerian public. From the confectionaries, to the brewers, to the private educational institutions and various manufacturers, every corporate entity seems to be perfecting long fangs with which to deepen their capacity to suck the Nigerian consumer dry.

One industry, in Year 2017, exceeded all others in terms of their dubiousness and adverse impact on the Nigerian citizen and the Nigerian state at large.

With shylock interest rates (usually over 34% interest on loans), rates repayable only by persons involved in drugs or human trafficking ventures and guaranteed to ruin any legitimate business; dubious hidden charges mostly imposed by fiat against their customers; and deployment of quasi-criminal loan recovery tactics and techniques that would have in other saner climes earned the Directors of such Banks long spells behind bars, amongst other unorthodox practices, the Nigerian Banking industry has proved a clog in the famed entrepreneurial spirit of the Nigerian. The apex banking agency, the Central Bank of Nigeria, which has enormous regulatory and administrative powers over the Banking industry, compounds the situation with it’s Mafia-like secretiveness and lack of transparency, collusion with public officials to siphon huge sums out of Nigeria and a destructive regime of multiple extremely diverse foreign currency exchange rates which overnight, in one fell swoop, create US Dollar millionaires – encouraging mediocrity above merit and ultimately deepening the destruction of the Nigerian economy.

For the harms its actions, inactions, dubiousness and opaqueness caused Nigerians in Year 2017, the Central Bank of Nigerian (CBN) is hereby awarded the Worst Corporate Entity for Year 2017.            

The Worst State Governor/State Agency

In a year when despite collecting billions of US Dollars from the Federation Account under the guise of ‘Paris Debt Refunds’, several State Governors owed their workers’ salaries ranging from 5 months to 15 months, and during which some State Governors had devised the quasi-criminal practice of forcing the States civil servants to sign (under duress) and as a condition precedent to collecting their monthly salaries, contract papers forfeiting huge percentages of their due wages to the State; a year when the amorphous entity known as the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has been severally exposed as a conduit for money laundering, illicit transfers and unconstitutional misappropriation of public funds; it is clear that with so many Governors qualified for the pathetic award as the Worst Governor of the Year, it would take a spectacularly devious, craftily disingenuous and a character whose negatives extend beyond his States’ borders and probably to the international arena, to clinch this ignoble title.

None other fits this Award than a character who has raised deception in governance to an art, deployed nepotism, cronyism and good old plain lying as cardinal tools of governance; admitted in own words of being pushed to the brink of insanity by the enormity of responsibilities of the Governor of his State; embarked on large-scale land thefts for self and dependants using the instrumentalities of the Office of Governor as subterfuge and spices up the rot by erecting sculptures of all manners of discredited and discreditable characters from across the country and beyond to spite the peoples of the State he governs who are widely respected as a people of integrity, academic excellence and culture.

The winner of the Year 2017 Worst Governor is, for the 3^rd tie in a row, the Imo State Governor, Mr. Rochas Okorocha.

The Worst Federal Minister/Agency

The cacophony of misfits which characterized the appointment of persons to the various Federal Ministries, it was clear that right fro the very onset, the sufferings and disaster Nigerians are having to live through was very much expected. From the Medical Doctor who serves as the inister for Labour and Productivity, to the Attorney who presides over the Ministry of Power/Works/Housing, to the Supermarket Cashier who presides over the Ministry of Finance and the vital Transportation & Aviation Ministry handed over to a man whose ain qualification was having lavishly used the treasury of the State over which he had presided as Governor to fund the President electioneering campaigns, Nigeria was viciously shepparded (within the first 12 months of this present government) into economic depression from which it is finding most difficult to extricate itself.

The Federal agencies and parastatals, taking a cue from the quality of their supervising Ministers, tended to outdo each other in incompetence, dereliction of duty and generally contributing to the sorry position Nigeria and Nigerians find themselves amongst the comity of states.

Based on the often reiterated position that the present administration would frontally tackle the cankerworm of corruption which afflicts the Nigerian society, and the reality that incidents of large-scale corruption has gained momentum and frequency with the public clearly discerning a partisan slant in the so-called efforts at addressing corruption – a slant that unfortunately accords those in the ‘preferred’ partisan divide, immunity to perpetuate mind-boggling looting; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has epitomized the disconnect between professed goals and reality, societal expectation and failure in service delivery by our Governments which has combined to relegate Nigeria to its sorry state in all global indexes for development.   

The Worst Federal Minister/Agency Award for Year 2017 is hereby bestowed on the Economic and Financial Cries Commission (EFCC).

The Worst Nigerian

In other climes, when the people are pushed to the wall by the graft of their rulers, there is always a backlash from the population to remind those charged with their affairs that there is a cost for maladministration of public affairs and poor governance.

From the reaction of Tunisians to the seizure of the wares of Buazizi and his subsequent self-immolation, to the reaction of the Togolese public to misrule by a psudo-monarchical dictator, and the ongoing reaction of Iranians to slight hike in prices of basic household needs and food items, there is always a commensurate reaction by the people to hardship inflicted on them by their rulers.

In the face of the worst devaluation of our currency, destruction of the national and individual economies, forced destitution of our peoples, colossal failure of the state to protect the citizenry from armed bandits resulting in decimation of our populations, wastage of our youths leading to mass exodus from the country of the vibrant segment of its population, the Nigerian public has remained complicity comatose. Hedges of religious and ethnic divides which have been waged between the various peoples of the country has served to blind the population to the need to rise in unison against their albatrosses.

For failing to rise and free ourselves from shackles which weigh us down, the Nigerian civil society is hereby bestowed with the Worst Nigerian Award for Year 2017.   

Picture: Worst Governor Award winner for the 3^rd year running – Mr. Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.

Peace and Quiet in Northern Nigeria over Jerusalem? Why? How?

by Eze Eluchie, 

When United States President, Donald Trump, announced a dramatic and expected change in US policy to now recognize the ancient biblical city of Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel, there had been expectation in several quarters in Nigeria that the unfolding spate of violent riots/demonstrations across the Middle East and Muslim-majority countries of Central Asia, against the US policy shift would be replicated in several cities in Nigeria’s Northern regions. 

The expectation of the replication of the mindless violence and hateful riots in Nigeria was rooted in the reality that on several occasions when similar pro-Islam riots had broken out in the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia had resulted in near-spontaneous outbreak of orgies of senseless violence in such Nigerian cities as Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Minna and at more subtle, though equally intimidating processions in areas such as Sokoto, Maidugri and Gusau.

Earlier instances when reaction by Islamists in foreign climes had been replicated in Nigeria include the riots against the publication by Thisday newspapers in Nigeria of a story deemed blasphemous of the Prophet and the issuance of a Fatwa (death sentence) on the author of the said piece in 2002; the publication of cartoons featuring Prophet Muhammed by a Dutch newspaper (Jyllands Posten) in September 2005, which led to widespread destruction, burning of churches and the death of over 100 persons in resulting riots across several cities of Northern Nigeria; the commencement of the various Intafada between the Israeli’s and their Palestine neighbours have also been replicated across Nigeria with violent protests in our northern fringes.

There had been palpable apprehension on the first Friday after President Trump’s groundbreaking policy change that after Friday prayers, people should generally steer clear from streets, particularly the areas around major mosques in such cities as Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi and Zaria. The streets had indeed been quiet. Oddly however, nothing - no violence, no skirmish, no burning of churches, no beheadings of innocent bystanders, absolutely no violence occurred. As the continuing violent riots and demonstrations against the recognition of the Israeli capital by the US continued on a daily basis, not a whimper whatsoever was heard from the often vociferous Nigeria-based Islamists and Ulama’s who in prior times had cried more than the bereaved, causing far more destructions, mayhem, killings and murders in Nigeria than would be occasioned to the territories where the initial harms/issues were domiciled.

What is the secret for the new found peace and quiet in Nigeria after US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel? Had the umbilical cord which linked violent extremism with Islamists across the Sahara desert been cut? Were the youngsters used to perpetuate pro-Islamist violence in Nigeria over issues that happened so far away from our shores now suddenly wiser and less violent? Or do the characters who instigated and orchestrated earlier copy-cat Islamist-related violence feel that there was presently no need to disturb the polity since they were presently in control of the reins of power? Did someone in Nigeria’s seat of power not want to risk upsetting US interests by allowing urchins to go about burning churches, killing, looting and causing carnage (erstwhile useful tools to discredit earlier regimes) over the issue of Jerusalem?

Whatsoever is the reason for the peace and quiet being experienced in Northern Nigeria over the issue of Jerusalem whilst violence rages across Gaza, the West Bank and much of the Middle East, let the peace and quiet be maintained. Let it also be realized that previous acts of pro-Islamist mass mayhem which had earlier been thought to be spontaneous and ‘free-will’ were certainly centrally organized, premeditated, well planned and executed acts of intimidation and terror geared towards attaining political and socio-economic advantages.

The fact that no one, not any single person, has been tried and found guilty or in any way held accountable for previous acts of religion-based violent crimes in Nigeria, gives life to the theory that powerful interest blocks orchestrate and give cover to the use of religion as an instrument to perpetuate violence in Northern Nigeria. The fact that a man, Muhammadu Buhari, who had severally championed the cause of extremist Islamist philosophies currently occupies the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and would not ordinarily want to attract greater undue US attention, is certainly a factor in the non-replication of Islamist riots over the issue of Jerusalem in Northern Nigeria. Without doubt, at other times, perhaps when other persons mount the saddle of rulership over the Nigerian State, the spectre of pro-Islamist violence remain a ready tool to attain political goals.

Picture: Likely news that would have emanated from Nigeria over US recognition of Jerusalem – avoided by those who instigated previous fatalistic and violent riots

Freedom and Democracy: Catalan Puts Europe on Trial

by Eze Eluchie,

It is always easier to talk about virtues in the abstract or when it relates to others in distant climes. When, however, one is forced to confront issues surrounding such virtues at close quarters, stoic silence where possible in expectation that such issues will disappear of own accord and or subtle, but quite effective, acts to scuttle the realization, at close quarters or within one’s own domain, of previously extolled virtues, are set in motion under various spurious premises.

The twin virtues of Freedom and Democracy have in keeping with a new global order, become pedestals upon which states are rated as either ‘developing’ or ‘developed’; ‘1^st World’, ‘2^nd World’ or ‘3^rd World’; ‘Democratic’ or ‘Totalitarian’; ‘axis of evil’ or ‘champions of freedom’, and so on. In some instances, the level of ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’ a state is deemed to accord its nationals have served as rationale for some states to impose crippling economic, social and political sanctions on other states. A state perceived as denying its peoples freedom and democratic practices is at every given opportunity, lampooned and cajoled until it is falls in line – until it is ‘certified’ as allowing its peoples freedom to choose their leaders, the right to self determination and generally other fundamental rights encapsulated in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and various other international instruments and recognized norms.

Worldwide, Western countries, particularly the United States and the European Union, have over the course of time, positioned themselves as custodians of the twin virtues of ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’, defining the twin terms in accord with their own peculiarities and determining which state/territory observes freedoms and democratic practices and following up with apportioning kudos and sanctions as they have deemed deserving. The European Union, through a plethora of its institutions and funding mechanisms amongst which includes its ‘election observer missions’, has become a recurring and perennial decimal in democratic processes across the globe.

From Zimbabwe, to Russia, to Myanmar, to Nigeria, to Kenya, to China, the EU has become a loud voice in the advancement of ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’, championing the need for respect of peoples quest for freedoms and democracy.

Recent events, in Europe itself, have placed huge question marks on the sincerity of the European Union’s passion to advance the universal rights of self-determination, freedoms and democratic precepts. The first of such events was the vocal and strident opposition by the European Union and its various institutions towards efforts by the Scot to secede from the United Kingdom. EU institutions threatened the Scots with catastrophic consequences in the event that they opted to secede, threats which no doubt served to tilt the votes in a direction preferred by the EU irrespective of the desire for freedom and democracy by the Scots. 

The preferences exhibited by the EU establishment and their combative responses to the outcome of democratic elections in the United States and the BREXIT votes further served to expose the fact that ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’ were concepts which had very subjective definitions and if the outcomes of these virtues were not in conformity with the developmental aspirations and expectations of those who have positioned themselves as custodians of the EU establishment, then ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’ were distractions and should be curtailed.

The evolving situation in the Catalan region of Spain is providing a closer-to-home opportunity to appraise the EU stance and perception of ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’. The Catalans, a distinct nation within the Spanish state, has in furtherance of their age-long desire for freedom and an independent state, conducted a peaceful referendum which showed an overwhelming support for independence from Spain. The EU establishment, fearful of the implications of freedom and democracy, particularly if more ethnic nationalities across Europe begin to exercise their rights to freedom and democracy and tow similar lines, fell back to usual antics of threats of economic doom, sanctions and isolation of whatsoever the Catalans might come up with as their own country.  The issues being prioritized in arguments in EU circles surrounding the Catalan vote for independence is strangely, neither the wishes of the people of the Catalan region, nor their freedom to choose and right to self determination or nor even the promotion of democratic practice which the which the independence vote extolled; rather such technicalities as what becomes of the EU Charter and technical balderdash and legalese surrounding the quest for freedom and democracy by the Catalans. The haste with which the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany expressed dissatisfaction with the Catalan declaration of independence was to say the least appalling – what had suddenly become wrong with a people striving to assert independence and their freedoms, particularly when such is being conducted in a peaceful noon-obstructive manner?

The reality is that the people of the Catalan region have in a very peaceful and democratic manner, exercised the universally recognized and acknowledged right to self determination by voting for their independence from Spain. The world will be watching over the next few days/weeks, taking in every step Spain and the EU establishment will adopt as they seek to upturn the Catalans exercise of freedoms and democracy. Will Spanish soldiers or security personnel be sent to arrest, incarcerate or bludgeon those Catalans who dared to aspire for freedom and democracy? Will economic and social strangulation be deployed to weaken the resolve of those who dares for freedom and democracy? How will the EU react to quest for freedom and democracy within the EU territories?

The answers to the above questions will go a long way to determining how EU interventions in issues of freedoms and democracy and good governance in other parts of the world will be tolerated and perceived. Regarding freedoms and democracy, the Catalan situation has put the European Union on trial. We are watching.....

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Picture: Catalans celebrate independence declaration in Barcelona on Friday 27^th October 2017.

Tragedy Looms as Multi-Religious Nigeria is Touted as an Islamic Republic....

by Eze Eluchie,

The document which is commonly referred to as the ‘1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’, though in reality merely the appendix to a Military decree, upon which the Nigeria state is predicated and governed, proclaims unequivocally, the secular status of the Nigerian federation. With the litany of ethno-sectarian conflicts which have led to the deaths of countless thousands, particularly in Nigeria’s northern region, the palpable heightened degree of sensitivity and apprehension amongst Nigerians regarding any actions by government to tilt the polity towards any of the two main religious bodies should suffice to curb any intentions at creating a semblance of foisting a State Religion on Nigerians or nuances that may create the impression of domination by one religion over the other.

When however, a subsisting regime, enmeshed in an aura of self-created invincibility, all-knowing and we-have-them-by-the-balls mindset, deliberately acts in manners that projects a secular state as being a one-religion state or ‘dominated’ by one religion, it is only a matter of time before the veil that has been so craftfully woven over the eyes of some who ostensibly for lucre and positions held, are willing to allow the macabre unconstitutional dance towards a mono-religion state. Then the agitations will overwhelm the already weakened contraption.

The irony inherent in the deliberate perpetuation of a falsehood that a secular state is ‘Islamic’ or ‘Muslim-majority’ is that, resulting from the absence of genuine theocratic structures and institutions, the State and those who decide to propagate and project such falsehood are perceived and treated as fraudulent by the wider international community. This is in addition to the fact that the basic expectations, from a religious perspective, of an ‘Islamic’ or ‘Muslim majority’ state will be absent.

In the instant case of Nigeria, the reality that a sizable percentage of national income is derived from Value Added Tax (VAT) levied on breweries for alcoholic products and to a smaller extent livestock (including pork meat) – sources considered as forbidden under Islamic tenets, and that such VAT proceeds are lumped into a national treasury which then gets ‘shared’ amongst Nigeria’s constituent levels of governments (Federal, States and Local Governments), questions the legitimacy, under Islamic teachings of deploying such public funds to Shari’a-compliant ventures, as would be expected of ‘Islamic’ or ‘Muslim majority’ States.

Under the ruling administration in Nigeria headed by a man, Muhammadu Buhari, who had severally professed a desire to ensure the application of Shari’a laws across a secular Nigeria, there have been brash efforts to position and posture Nigeria as an Islamic state. One of such brash actions has been the involvement of the Federal Government in promoting, championing and facilitating the SUKUK (Shari’a-compliant) Bonds, an unconstitutional move in itself since the Federal Government was deploying state resources in a discriminatory manner towards the promotion and elevation of a religious faith contrary to the provisions of Nigeria’s constitution.

Spurious and tenuous efforts have been made by Buhari’s government to douse the implications of the Federal Government involvement in a strictly religious financial instrument, such as the cosmetic positioning of the Governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele (a Christian) as the Chairman of the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILMC).   Most such diversionary acts amount to naught – as the ludicrous nature of such farce would have been laughable if not for the dire potent implications if the continuing religious slant the Nigerian polity is being forced to digress towards is not hastily corrected.  

Not done with floating and dealing in the SUKUK Bonds, in yet another to-hell-with-you-guys stance, the occupant of the Office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria opted to attend a meeting of a so-called ‘D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation’, a group comprised of the following Islamic countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan and, you guessed right, Nigeria.

How and when did Nigeria get into this D-8 group, which in its website affirms that the ‘idea of cooperation among major Muslim developing countries was mooted by Prof. Dr. Necmettin Erbakan, former Prime Minister of Turkey”? From what sources does the membership fees for such religion-based organizations emanate in a secular Nigeria?

When the above is juxtaposed alongside a very striking religion-based slant in leadership of state institutions and coming on the heels of Nigeria’s continuing membership of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), it will take a spectacularly blind mind not to discern a worrisome pattern that if not stemmed early enough, portends dire outcomes.

There is nothing wrong with a people hobnobbing with whosoever they so desire to be with. When however an entire multi-ethnic and multi-religious contraption is by deceit, subterfuge, sleuth and all manners of vague posturing ensnared into being perceived, seen or become a religious state, a transgenerational catastrophe would have been ignited.

A holistic restructuring and renegotiation of the Nigerian contraption will spare all and sundry this looming tragedy.

D-8 website: http://www.developing8.org/

Appointment of Nigeria’s Christian Central Bank Governor as Chairman of Islamic Institution:  https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/12/17/emefiele-appointed-chairman-islamic-management-corporation-board/

Picture: Logo of the D-8 group.

Ominous Coincidence: ‘Operation Python Dance II’ and “Quit Notice to Igbo’s”

by Eze Eluchie,

Is Operation Python Dance 2 deliberately timed to coincide with the expiration of the 1^st October 2017 Quit Notice given Igbo’s residing in northern Nigeria by northern youths?

Considering that no efforts have been made by security agencies to arrest the characters who threatened mass attacks and mayhem against nd’Igbo after October 1 (and who have merely ‘suspended’ this Quit Notice as opposed to withdrawing/cancelling same); and considering that the so-called “Operation Python Dance II” is scheduled to hold across the Southeastern States from the 15^th September – 14^th October 2017; and also considering the haste with which these same security agencies deployed to the Southeast region (homeland of the Igbo’s); it is germane to wonder what factors prompted the ominous timing of a most obnoxious, provocative and ill-thought Military ‘show-of-force’.

In addition to the foregoing and perhaps more instructive, the mannerisms, spiteful pronouncements, grossly lopsided hierarchy of the various military and security outfits, formations and agencies, being exhibited and made by Nigeria's current head of government, President Muhammadu Buhari, gives much room for apprehension and dire expectations.  

Are the Igbo's being pursued from afar and their homeland under siege?  Dislodged from the North and held hostage in their homeland? There is bound to be a survivalist and spontaneous reaction from any group which finds itself in such situation. 

Is the world about to witness a repeat of the pogrom and other atrocities which occurred during the Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967 - 1970??

Dark clouds hovering over the Nigerian project are getting darker by the day, forewarning of gigantean apocalyptic mayhem.

The Nigerian contraption simply needs to be urgently Restructured and Renegotiated soonest.

Video of announcement of Quit Notice issued against the Igbo’s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5UXaKTeGgw

Revalidation of Quit Notice by northern youths:

https://guardian.ng/news/our-quit-notice-to-igbo-stands-say-arewa-youths/

Picture: Scene of clash between Army and civilian populations in Nigeria

Buhari Unleashes His Army Against The Igbo’s of Nigeria’s South East Region.

by Eze Eluchie,

The Nigerian military’s so called “Operation Python Dance 2” taking place in the South Eastern States (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States) is an act of war against nd’Igbo. The Military operations being embarked upon by the Nigerian army is akin to the Army of the Kingdom of Spain embarking on outlandish ‘display of force’ in the streets of Barcelona and across the Catalonia region or the British Army provocatively deploying Tanks, Armoured Personnel Carriers with AK-47 totting soldiers patrolling the streets of Edinburgh and other major Scottish cities, towns and villages.  

There is absolute no reason whatsoever to deploy armed soldiers, in massive numbers, on streets of cities and towns/villages against unarmed civilian population. The military operations is provocative and geared towards creating opportunities to cause fear, harm and kill amongst an ethnic group against whom the Nigerian ruler has shown palpable angst and dislike – particularly as the same Government has refused to address acts of ethnic cleansing being perpetuated against the peoples of Nigeria’s Middle Belt region by so-called Herdsmen. The killings, maiming and injuries to be visited on the civilian population cannot be said to be ‘unanticipated’ or ‘collateral damages’ – these harms are actually premeditated and planned.

Excuses preferred by Buhari’s Army that the deployment of troops was in response to ‘security challenges’ falls as mere hogwash when juxtaposed against the same Military’s ominous silence, inaction, lack of response and at times explicit connivance to the systematic ethnic cleansing and genocide being perpetuated against the various peoples of Nigeria’s Middle Belt region by Fulani Herdsmen men. In a Statement signed on behalf of the Army Chief of Staff (General Buratai) by the Chief of Operations and Training (General Ahmadu), both as the bulk of Nigeria’s military personnel of northern extraction, the Military Operations “is conceptualized to transit into real time operations against violent criminals and agitators when called upon”. In other words, the Military was foisting itself to take over policing duties in an area recognized in a recent United Nations survey as the most peaceful region of Nigeria.

As evidenced by preliminary activities undertaken in Afaraukwu near Umuahia, home town of the leader of a prominent group agitating for the ,under the pretext of ‘Operation Python Dance 2” during which a convoy of soldiers traversed through residential areas which led to altercation between the soldiers and civilians, the period of this totally unprofessional and uncalled for military exercise will result in multiple civilian causalities, extreme radicalization of otherwise peaceful protesters/agitators and the deification/sainthood/martyrdom of those that will be felled.    .

Nigeria’s ruler, Muhammadu Buhari, is clearly living up to expectations as a man with a pathological disdain and hatred for a people, nd’Igbo. Like persons who held similar dispositions against industrious and dynamic peoples, posterity will sooner than later, consign the rule to his rightful position.

Nigeria newspapers publication on commencement of ‘Operation Python Dance 2’ {“Egwu Eke 2”}:  https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/09/insecurity-army-begins-operation-python-dance-ii-south-east/

http://newsquest.com.ng/python-dance-soldiers-attack-journalists-destroy-properties-abia-photos/

Video link: Confrontation between civilians and Military/security personnel:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmcEPJkXWpc

Self-rule and self determination agitators (members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra-IPOB) being tortured by Nigerian Soldiers near Umuahia, Abia State, Southeastern Nigeria {12th Sept. 2017}   https://www.facebook.com/IgboAgenda/videos/1518259458233935/

Picture: Nigerian soldiers, provocatively, on the streets of a quite suburb of Umuahia, capital city of Abia State, South-Eastern Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Disgraceful Justice Delivery Sector: Regarding Election Dispute Resolution, Shame On Us All!

by Eze Eluchie,

The entire Nigerian Justice sector should bow our it's head in shame.

Two years after elections have been concluded, frivolous applications by unscrupulous attorneys condoned by a fraudulent system continue to bog down decisions on election petitions – allowing criminal elements who rigged elections to continue to fleece the contraption and further pauperize the population.

Within 20 days of the Kenyan Presidential elections, the Supreme Court judgement on a petition filed to protest the said elections was delivered – annulling the August 11 2017 Presidential elections and ordering a re-run.

What else do we expect of a contraption whose so-called ‘Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’ is in reality a mere Schedule to a Military Decree (Decree No. 24 of 1999 – the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria {Promulgation} Decree 1999), signed into effect by a renegade soldier (a successor/beneficiary of the treasonable act of violent overthrow of a democratically elected government).  

Despite opposition from those who think they are presently benefiting from the rot which the Nigerian system is and represents, each and every aspect of the Nigerian polity is in need of holistic restructuring and renegotiation, lest we continue to be a source of ridicule to our population and humanity.

Let’s Restructure and Renegotiate the contraption whilst there is yet time.

Picture: Scale of Justice on the Nigerian colours.

Winding Up The #BringBackOurGirls and #BH Scam

by Eze Eluchie, 

The publicity outfit charged with Nigeria military operations against Boko Haram (PRNigeria) has been announcing with child-like relish, the ‘surrender’ and confessions’ of a so-called BH Commander, Auwal Ismaeela, who amongst other feats, owned up to being part of the terrorists who masterminded and executed dastardly terror attacks amongst which include the Chibok ‘abductions’ (during which over 300 secondary school students were taken away from their school), the massacre at federal Government College, Bunu Yadi (during which 47 male secondary school students were slaughtered). It appears the Military's Directorate of Publicity is 'shy' to announce the 'monumental' feat by itself.

In the Press Release by the media outfit, BH Commander Auwal states: “myself and Abu Hasfat, a Boko Haram Commander, led other squads to abduct the Chibok girls. We led the operation to invade Gwoza, Bama. Limankara Mobile Barracks, Bita, Bosso, Madagali, Chibok, Pulka, Firgi and Mubi”. Continuing, the PRNigeria release states: “in an interview with PRNigeria at a Military facility for the repentant and surrendered Boko Haram members in the Northeast, the ex-terrorist leader said he regretted the atrocities he was forced to commit against humanity”. This Auwal Ismmaeela fellow had virtually owned up to been the Commander of virtually all major Boko Haram operations in Nigeria.

Hurray! Hurray!! The search is over. The perpetrators and leadership of Boko Haram have surrendered and confessed to their sins. We must now forgive all the beheadings, mass rapes and abductions; bombings at public places which killed several hundreds and maimed countless more. We can now all go back to sleep and presume the abductions, the killings, destructions all never took place or were a figment of our joint imaginations.

With this Auwal Ismaeela character in custody, need we look any further? Why bother with any Shekau (spurious BH leader) when we have a bird in hand who has confessed to virtually all the ‘confesables’?

The stark reality is that the ruse of the Chibok ‘abductions’ and other vile terroristic acts perpetuated under the subterfuge of BH has yielded desired political goals. There is thus the need to bring the ‘noise’ generated to an acceptable and plausible end. How else do you do this without a major ‘surrender and confession’?

In the interim, those who are suspected to have orchestrated, funded, instigated, promoted and encouraged the adoption and deployment of terror as a political strategy and means to attainment of political power continue to enjoy the fruits of their ‘labour’ - spoils of the very high political offices they now occupy in Nigeria.  

Hopefully, it will by now have dawned on former US First Lady (Michelle Obama), former UK Prime Minister (Dave Cameron), CNN Anchor (Christian Amanpour) and countless others including several celebrities around the world and hundreds of Nigerians who were sucked into carrying the #BringBackOurGirls placards that they had merely been swindled by a most vicious cabal whose desperation to grab political power in Nigeria knew no bounds, and merely viewed the abduction of innocent school girls and the harm occasioned to the damsels (including the fact that some were wasted) as mere collateral damages in the quest for power.

With the surrender, ‘confession’ of Boko Haram leaders who participated in the Chibok ‘abductions’ and the subsequent enrolment of these scumbags into the Nigerian governments ‘sophisticated’ amnesty and ‘re-education’ program, the curtains are being drawn on the Chibok abductions and the wastage of hundreds of other lives by BH terrorists in several schools and communities across Nigeria’s north-east region.

......and all lived happily ever after? Really?

With all situations where thugs are empowered with weapons by their paymasters, there is always the reality that not all of those thugs will be willing to return the arms they were given at the end of the 'assignment'. Despite Auwal Ismaeela's 'surrender and confessions', there will still be many thugs like him, who having tasted the power derived by unbridled control and use of weapons, will not let go easily of such weapons, even when being coerced with cash, positions and whatsoever.  

There ought to and should be accountability for mass atrocities.

Nigerian newspaper publication on the capture of BH Commander, Auwal Ismaeela

http://thenationonlineng.net/boko-haram-commander-led-chibok-schoolgirls-kidnap/

Picture: Boko Haram logo

America’s Russian-Nightmare Returns Home

by Eze Eluchie,

By his very size, you simply could not ignore him and he was unmistakable – he filled any room he was in.

The ever present boyish grin which adorns his face elicits an endearing smile from whosoever comes into first contact with him – and this obviously opens quite a lot of doors, hearts and secrets for his employers.  

The size and ambience appeared to have worked extremely well for Russian Ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak.

After a decade of service to his country as its Ambassador to the United States, during which period he developed, explored and sustained contacts with his host country, reaching out to influential elements in US political, business and social circles, Sergey Kislyak, is finally returning to his home country where he is being received as hero who admirably navigated very turbulent waters during the Obama presidency, culminating his tenure by achieving the unthinkable - superintending over a successful Russian interference in US presidential elections.

In the build-up to the November 2016 US Presidential elections, it had been quite clear to all that the Russian Federation had a preference for an identifiable and clear candidate between the two main candidates in the US. The Russian preference was easily discernible and was boldly asserted and shown by Russians of all works of life, from the Kremlin, President Putin all the way through to cab drivers and waiters on the streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Despite the fact that subterranean efforts were deployed by Russia through its maze of covert security operatives and agencies, the task of frontally representing the interest of the Russian Federation, and ensuring that the desires of the ‘motherland’ come to fruition, rested on the broad shoulders of Amb. Kislyak.  

In brash, discreet and diplomatically unprecedented moves, Ambassador Kislyak met with and discussed ‘issues’ surrounding the US Presidential elections with key members of the inner caucus of the Presidential Campaign organization of Russia’s preferred candidate, such as Michael Flynn {Former US National Security Adviser}, Jeff Session {current US Attorney General}, Jared Kushner {US Presidents Special Adviser and influential son-in-law} and so on – meetings that have only begun to be revealed several weeks after the US Presidential elections have long been concluded and the deed already done. With each revelation of a clandestine meeting with Ambassador Kislyak, the realization of how deeply engrained the level of Russian interference in selecting the 45^th POTUS became clearer to many Americans.

At one point, it became obvious that politicians in Washington DC were examining their social and private meetings to verify if they had ever come into contact or been in the same room with Ambassador Kislyak. Any previous interaction with Ambassador Kislyak, or even dreams where the Ambassador had featured in, became a source of concern to politicians in the capital city.

An unfortunate outcome of Ambassador Kislyak’s successful tenure in Washington DC., is that any hope of US – Russia collaboration in efforts to defeat extremist Islamist terrorism virtually evaporated as the US establishment now appears to have directed its embarrassment and disgust at the successful Russian interference in US Presidential elections at thwarting any efforts at rapprochement, amity and collaborations between the Trump administration and Kremlin. President Trump is, himself, forced to act against Russian interests in manners in which he ordinarily would have exercised reservations – such as with the attack on the Syrian Air Force base in – in a bid to show ‘independence’ from The Kremlin.

Hopefully with the return of Ambassador Kislyak to his home country, tension will be diffused and it will be possible to downplay the issue of Russian interference in US elections and focus once more shifted towards ensuring that the two main global powers positively engage with themselves and work towards ensuring the extermination of extremist Islamist terrorism and other vices of existential concern to humanity.

Picture: Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.          

Mr. President's Fault-Filled Address

by Eze Eluchie,

Without any apologies for a 100+ days absence from the country over which he is supposed to be presiding as President, the ensuing international odium and embarrassment Nigeria and Nigerians had to contend with on account of their absentee-President, the Nigerian ruler, in his first national broadcast choose the part of filibustering, issuing threats, drawing imaginary red-lines and sanctimoniously projecting his beliefs regarding the Nigerian polity as a fait accompli.

Whoever wrote the address for the Nigerian President needs to go for more training in Presidential speech writing. The address takes off with a fallacy: 'My dear citizens'. Nigerians are not Buhari's 'dear citizens'! Presuming Buhari's citizenship is ascertained, Nigerians are Buhari's fellow citizens! The mindset of a population being mistaken for 'my dear citizens', belonging to the ruler of the contraption, to the 'supreme citizen' of the polity, has often times led to very dire outcomes.  

Whilst we welcome Muhammadu Buhari back to Nigeria from his protracted medical tourism trip to the United Kingdom and wish him more years ahead in good health, it is pertinent in view of the multiple agitations from diverse constituent entities of the Nigerian state, that the following facts are appreciated:

* It is delusional to think of any national borders as not-negotiable.

* Nigerians never decided on discourse of national issues as ‘national red lines’!

* Nigerians are entitled and empowered to engage in national discourse; no statutory bodies whatsoever has exclusive rights to engage in this vocation.

* Buhari’s reference to a so-called discussion he had with late Odumegwu Ojukwu (even if such ever took place) is misplaced and irrelevant.

* Further reference in the address of ‘bringing back order, if necessary with their blood’, is typical, unnecessarily threatening and unfortunate.

As evidenced by the video below of European borders over the past 1000 years, national borders are transient and liable to amendments at the will of the people and depending on several factors – they are not, and can never be, permanent.

Nigeria must be Restructured & Renegotiated – time to do this peacefully is fast ebbing away!

Video: Very dynamic borders of European countries over the past 1000 years:
http://ow.ly/rGdx30eyh1r


Picture: Nigeria's President Buhari, during a nationwide broadcast after staying away from Nigeria for medical reasons for 106 days.

The TRANSAQUA Project – Nigeria's Federal Government Surreptitiously Spearheads Africa’s Whitest Elephant Scam

By Eze Eluchie,

Was this ‘Bridge-across-the-Atlantic’ project, transporting water across over 2,400 kilometres from Congo River basin to Lake Chad under the guise of beefing up the quantity of water in the Lake (a natural phenomenon attributable to climate change and desertification), which the Nigeria Government is the major funder, reflected in the 2017 Budget?

What will Nigeria benefit from wasting Billions of Dollars in this Transaqua project?

Was appropriate Environmental Impact Assessment carried out?

Were adequate psychiatric evaluations of the promoters of the project undertaken?

Whoever crafted the idea that refilling Lake Chad (if ever this is feasible) would enhance economic prospects and thus directly reduce extremist Islamist terrorism which seems to have taken hold in the region seems oblivious of the fact that the Gulf Arab countries where the major Islamist terror groups were founded and headquartered are very wealthy states.

  

At a time when millions of Nigerians are starving to death, basic childhood killer diseases and high maternal mortality is decimating the population, some smart alecs in the Nigerian government and its bureaucracy have found a novel means of looting the treasury dry and burdening the future generations with insurmountable debts via a multi-billion dollar TRANSAQUA project.

The shroud of secrecy foisted over and been accorded the Projects and the signing of an ‘agreement to collaborate’ in this wasteful drain-pipe endeavour between Italian engineering firm (Bonfica) and one of China’s largest multinational conglomerates (China Power) which took place in Hangzhou, China, on the 8th day of June 2017, in the presence of officials of the Governments concerned should sure be a source of worry. More particularly as the TRANSAQUA project is being embarked upon at a time when the Nigerian Government is foot-dragging in efforts to clean-up the Niger Delta region, claiming that paucity of funds was preventing commencement of Clean-up operations and other protracted projects in Nigeria such as the dredging of Rivers Niger and Benue, extension of Rail Tracks to the South Eastern States and a Highway linking Nigeria to Cameroun, amongst other practical projects.

What next will they come up with to deplete and pauperize the State? An underwater tunnel from Nigeria to Australia?  

It appears that diverse forces are utilizing the absence of a President in office in Nigeria to perpetuate all manners of scams in the name of the Nigerian State.

Picture: Lake Chad  

Nigeria: Disincentivizing Education

by Eze Eluchie,

Shame of the Nigerian contraption:

Prize for Multina Family Dance competition – N10,000,000.00 + SUV (approx US$67,000.00)

Prize for Gulder Ultimate Search competition – N15,000,000.00 + SUV (approx US$84,000.00)

Prize for Cowbelll Mathematics competition – N100,000.00 (approx US$334)

Prize from GTBank to Best Graduating Medical student – N10,000.00 (approx US$34)

The banner on which the N10,000.00 mock cheque is printed actually cost more than N10,000.00!

GTBank should be ashamed of itself for mocking academic excellence. This perfidy is akin to the boast of the so-called ‘richest man in Africa’, Aliko Dangote, that PhD Degree holders applied to be Articulated vehicle Operators (Drivers) in his company......and we are still wondering why we are where we are whilst the rest of the world keeps on forging ahead?

Ruled by a brood of vipers who take delight in sending their children to foreign universities with funds looted from state resources whilst ensuring that local educational institutions remain decrepit and unfit, Nigerian youths are deliberately being schemed out of being positively relevant to the global economy. The rulers of the Nigerian contraption are hell-bent on disincentivizing education – discouraging the Nigerian population from venturing into the pursuit of academic excellence and rather promote mundane vocations and ignorance.

The socio-political structure of Nigeria and the quality of rulers such structure elevates to high political offices enthrones mediocrity, ignorance and ultimately an unproductive population. To have any hope of a meaningful existence, the present order has to be drained and replaced with a radically new crop at the helm.

Time however appears to be running out for the Nigerian state to right itself.

Picture: A GTBank Director proudly mocking education by presenting the N10,000 (under US$34) prize to the Best Graduating Student of the College of Medicine.