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Odilichukwu Frances

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CAREER DEVELOPMENT Odilichukwu Frances Jombo

written by Odilichukwu Frances

We are back from the long break, and it is our first post for the year, on the first day of a new month!

Our aim is to help you impact your world, and this year we are more determined than ever to give you practical steps to start making impact in your world; hence we are launching our career development ideas with this post.

CHOOSING A CAREER

Career is a part of one’s life spent working in a particular field sometimes till retirement, other times for just a period of time. Some people try to pick up different careers in search of greener pasture, some follow the trend to earn a living, while some consciously choose a path, focus on that path and build their lives around it. That’s what we will be looking at in this coming series, finding a career path and building life around it without losing our family or loved ones.

For students and graduates, choosing a career is one of the toughest decision to make in life because there are various factors that surround such life changing choice. In the beginning, it feels like a path should be chosen for you from birth, sometimes it feels like you know what you want, and boom it feels like you are blank and the motivation is gone, more desperately it feels like you should catch on the train and grab the bag by any means possible, and it is perfectly okay to feel that way! Every successful career icon you know experienced one of these, if at not all of these at different stages of their career growth and development.

However, before showing you how to decide on a career path, it is important to share some of the factors that can consciously or unconsciously affect your choice of career or how you feel about choosing a career.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT CHOOSING A CAREER

Here are few factors that affect choosing a career:

Nature
Nurture

Every other factor you will be reading here falls under the two N (Nature and Nurture). We are a product of nature and nurture, in that we have innate traits, and strengths we inherited by merely being born or by gene, and these potentials become actualized and utilized based on our trainings, and largely our environment. Whatever a man becomes is determined by these key factors, and it is the anchor of our freedom, responsibility, and predestination as humans.

NATURE:

There are traits inherent in our lives from birth, they are usually genetic. The adage “an apple does not fall far from its tree” illustrates this more. A more practical exam is in the career path dominant in a family. There are families that have more people doing business, overtime their children begin to pick up businesses regardless of how they choose to brand it. there are cases of having a long family history of lawyers, teachers, doctors, writers, and what have you.

Now it does not mean that every child born any of those families will definitely pick up a career on that path, some children can choose different career paths giving that being born into such they have the knowledge of a career path and what they know about it helps them choose if to choose that career path or not.

NURTURE:

Our environment affects our choice of career. This includes school, church, social institutions where we socialize, and eventually home and its environment. As we go through professional trainings, interact with others and our environment, we consciously and unconsciously become open to changes, personal growth, and personal development which help our innate traits find expressions.

Overtime, our reception towards our nurture becomes a guide to what we want to do, and how we want to do it. It does not always start out clear, nor in a linear direction, it just unfolds as we progress towards time.

Nature and nurture are springboards of passion, and academic interest. Paying close attention to these factors determines a lot in one’s career path.

WHAT TO DO:

Are you on the verge of trying to choose a career path? Here is your first task:

List the vocation, jobs, career, or business of the members of your family
List the problems inherent in your physical environment (where you grew up, and where you stay now).
What activities did you enjoy doing as a teenager? Do you remember them? Do you still like to them?

I know this maybe new to you, but find time to be honest to yourself as you answer these questions. We are on a journey to make impact and you will not be left out.

March 1, 2021 25 comments

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NO NIGERIAN is MORE NIGERIAN

written by Odilichukwu Frances

The Intellects Magazine supports the #ENDSARS #ENDSWATinNigeria #ENDPOLICEBRUTALITY #REFORMTHEPOLICE movement pioneered by Nigeria youths, and continues to lend a voice to building the kind of Nigeria we want posterity to remember us for.
In our article titled, ‘Federal Government’s Relief Parcel’, we reinstated what democracy should be, and the urged the Federal Government to prioritize the interest of Nigerians—that the labour of the heroes past be not in vain.
Interestingly, the #ENDSARS movement that began in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri on Thursday, 8 October, 2020 illuminates the depth of the impunity in the Nigeria system. It also shows that Nigeria youths have grown weary of the yoke of oppression around their necks, and like Aisha Yesufu said, the youths want a nation “where the child of a nobody becomes somebody without knowing anybody.

What strikes the most is the unity and oneness! Everyone is saying one thing and watching each other’s back, ambulances arrive almost immediately, doctors are on ground giving first aid treatments to casualties, lawyers are working together, ensuring the release of arrested innocent protesters, TV stars are seen on the fore front, hunger is tackled, no loss of properties, no violence from protesters, no gender battle, no nepotism, no tribalism, just one people, speaking one language, identifying as humans and as Nigerians, yet without a unanimous leader, resisting every attempt made to bribe and deny the protesters their right to protest—that’s the Nigeria we want! The place where humans are priority, where no one is self-seeking, a land of harmony!

All over Nigeria since Thursday October 8, 2020, protesters are painting the picture of that Nigeria on the protest ground with teary glands tired of shedding tears, and are online building a strong network, hoping that the Federal Government will take a bold step and make things right—evidence that the people are not the problem, but the system and hence should be purged.

However, the solution is not creating another unit on impulse, nor calling for indoor talks—Nigeria youths cannot be fooled again. This what should be done:
All defaulting officers should be brought to book
The government should address Nigeria youths straight from the heart, and not with written scripts.
The government should ensure that a team be set up in each state to pay condolence visits to the bereaved.
The government should not redeploy the disbanded SARS officers until they have gone through medical and psychological tests, and re-orientation or training.
The entire police force must be reformed because if law enforcement agencies lack orderliness, then anarchy rules the society.
The government should increase the salary of the police force.
The government must duly establish the duties of anti-crime squad, take them off the streets and provide better technological means of getting them informed about crime locations and the perpetrators of crime.
An independent panel must be set up to address police misconduct in all states. The system must stop shielding bad officers.
The government should understand that every unit of the force requires trained minds; that’s the essence of sociologists, psychologists, philosophers, criminologists, and other crime detecting, or socio-humanity (social sciences and humanities) disciplines.
Getting protesters off the streets is not an issue, the issue is implementation, and restructuring Nigeria. Once the government deals with what brought the protesters to the street, the protesters will leave the streets. The system is bad but the protest shows the government is the problem, and not the people.

Attempting to lobby and divide this movement will not work because the movement has no leader, therefore all energy should be channeled towards creating a nation free of police brutality, where the child of nobody becomes somebody without knowing anybody, because “no Nigerian is more Nigerian than other Nigerians” (Aisha Yesufu).
In the same vein unleashing armed thugs on peaceful protesters will only fuel the protest! FG should wake up to their responsibilities.
This is democracy give the people good governance! SóróSóké!!!

*We are Nigerians we deserve to be heard!*

October 15, 2020 3 comments

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MY VOICE OUR EQUAL FUTURE (Theme of the 2020 International day of girl child)

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Pages: 1 2 3

October 11, 2020 4 comments

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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’s RELIEF PARCEL

written by Odilichukwu Frances

“Who is the Nigeria system?”

“Is the system really immuned to pragmatic democracy?”

These questions have stared me in the face, and dwelled in my head over time. Regardless of its intensity, the answers seem to be far fetched.

On some days, unfolding events sing the praises of the citizens, the streets robe the roads ahead of their steps, and even the breeze blows currency notes their way.

Election campaigns are the only event capable of such. The one event that makes the executives and legislatures prostate, posing to be servants with whom Nigeria will reach the promised land. They seek to physically meet with the masses in the streets, the markets, the church and the public places. Moreso they plant billboards that echo “ultimate importance”— a strategy to make citizens feel that they own the system; a democratic practice.

Soon, they shed some skin and their identities are revealed; ambassadors of chronic poverty.

The billboards that echoed ‘change’, in 2015 are still evergreen in my memory. They were at strategic points stirring debates among the people in commercial buses, in market places, in clubs, in bars, in schools, in newspapers, on TV, everywhere. While the masses were absorbing that, the assurance to equate =N=1 to $1 was given without any insurance! It rang an alarming bell because coins have gone extinct in Nigeria and =N=1 has no place in the currency notes. How can the one Naira we see only in figures be equated to one Dollar? Albeit we are five years past 2015, under the regime of the same government that made the awaiting promises above, yet sachet water does not sell at =N=1. Nigerians are skillful in all forms of inflation adaptations, so we have adapted to the situation that nothing sells at =N=5 and now see it as ‘normal’. Maybe that’s why there is =N=5 always added to our fuel price (=N=125, =N=145, =N=165) — to add relevance to the note that cannot afford a sachet of table water.

Unbearably, after two months of total lock down in Nigeria, businesses and works resumed, but the economic effect of the pandemic left a heavy yoke on the necks of the populace — the proletariats. The Federal Government, in the tenure of General Muhammadu Buhari (President), and His Excellency Prof. Yemi Osibanjo(Vice president) thought that like other African countries who temporarily relieved citizens of fundamental bills, and the developed countries who paid their citizens allowances, that Nigerians deserved proper reliefs aside the media camouflage decided to send Nigerians their packages in parcels they considered appealing.

The power sector, the bank, and the oil industry, were the suitable delivery men for such relief package.

Fuel price has been increased from =N=125.00 to =N=165.00. The same fuel that Nigerians were promised will sell at =N=40.00 once this incumbent took over in 2015 and later, in 2019. When was the last time fuel sold below =N=100?

Furthermore, to make sure this Covid-19 palliative was properly distributed, there was an increase in the price of units for the prepaid meter. In 2008, =N=1,999.62 could buy 317.4 power units(kWh), and vat was 95.22 at 5%. As at June 2020, =N=10,000 could buy 271.4 power unites (KWh), at rate 34.28, and vat 697.67. Yet, an increase has been made.

Bank charges keep beeping slowly yet =N=5,000 in a savings account become =N=3,000 over time. The transfer charges that were reduced from =N=50.00 to =N=10.00, have suddenly risen to =N=16.00.

How convenient?

How heart warming is the parcel from FG?

Jean Jacque Rousseau asserted; “we all give up our rights that the Government will through the general will’ protect the state and her properties”. A means to abolish the brutish state of nature, perhaps the system in Nigeria is immuned to this.

Peaceful protesters are either arrested or bullied of the streets, and all the pleadings to revert these hikes seem to fall on deaf ears!

Road users who have their paper for road worthiness are made to pay for the loads in their wheel barrows, or cars, or trucks, or tricycles. My heart bled when a food hawker was asked to pay “for load”(the food cooler on her head)before me. The weapons and brutality that clothes the perpetrators didn’t let me move a muscle, that hawker explained she had paid already =N=100.00 twice at different junctions without making sales, but she was made to pay again, and was told that it is generating revenue for the government. What people oriented government unleashes touts on its citizens? Arrest them today, they get released and double up the next day.

Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Ironically, the actions of the government are clothed in tyranny, neatly adorned in the labels of “democracy”.

The Federal Government should prioritize the interest of Nigerians. Nigerians deserve that in their father land and should not be expected to adapt to an economic downward slope that leads to inflation, and impoverishes the people! That’s not why the heroes labored and died!!

#REVERT fuel price

#REVERT bank charges

#REVERT electricity bill

#END brutality on road users

September 19, 2020 26 comments

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The Federal Republic of Nigeria; a democracy or an illusion.

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Could this be all we can ever be? A green and white Flag?

If we are to rewrite history in Nigeria, the art should be focused on projecting the humanity in our culture and the strength of the people before the British colony and amalgamation of the northern protectorate and southern protectorate.

The streets of Nigeria do not project democracy as expected after reading the heroes deeds.

For a better landing, how do you explain to the ten year old who in 2017, learnt that democracy day is May 29 which is why after elections, candidates who win are inaugurated on that day?

Suddenly the norm is changed to June 12 because someone supposed to serve, thought to compensate a people politically by commemorating the death of their icon hence June 12 became the democracy day!

The question is how much of an iconic act is shown in shifting democracy day and what good has it done in our history?

A pandemic hit the world and nations subsided bills for citizens including African countries like Ghana and Rwanda, the western world paid allowances to their citizens but we met an inflation, subsequently a lockdown with nothing to stay home with from the government except on lip service giveaways.

It is a capitalist economy, no doubt but there are still spheres controlled by the government! The price of crude oil was slashed globally by 60% in the oil market which when carefully analysed means that fuel should sell below a hundred naira in Nigeria yet only twenty naira was withdrawn from the price of fuel.

There are still killings going on and a Ruga settlement letter passing round southern NIGERIA asking indigenes to give lands for settlement to nomadic men as though they were asked to evacuate their lands.

The world is frowning at racism in the media yet we die daily by nepotism, imperialism and tribalism in Nigeria, exactly the things Chinua Achebe talked about in “The Trouble with Nigeria“.

Two point eight billion us dollars has been invested in a gas pipeline that will have thresholds in Ajaokuta, Kaduna and Kano all the way from Niger-Delta for the industrialization of northern Nigeria without any state from the south being partakers of this. A plan approved since 2017, yet today we lift the flag and banners to celebrate democracy in the land and with strange voices we echo “one Nigeria”. Meanwhile, only one seaport is active and in portharcourt, far from Onitsha main-market that constantly puts Nigeria on the map as the largest market in West Africa. Ironically, the government bans importation of goods, but lacks the will to industrialize the southern and northern parts of the country so as to increase the nation’s gross domestic profit.

Moreso, the government is yet to acknowledge Innoson Vehicle Motors (IVM), the same way Ibeto was crippled economically by marginalising policies. If IVM was to be a Dangote product like cement, maybe there would have been a ban on allien automobiles and a regulated price like in the cement industry; who knows? only reality puts that in check.

Independence day will come calling soon and we will be faced with the same problems perhaps with different names until we put to full vain the labours of our heroes past. The government should start making our democracy and independence worth the while, compatriots should arise and take responsibility, otherwise the democracy we see today may one day become an aristocracy or a full fledged dictatorship.

June 12, 2020 31 comments

IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE? IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE? " data-src="https://theintellectsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/IMG_20200501_225513_889.jpg">

Featured with the intellects 2020

IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE? IS YOUR STYLIST AN ASSURANCE or AN INSURANCE?

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Did you know what I missed most this Easter and Lockdown?

It’s that I didn’t see clown (horrible) attires that trigger unending laughter any time I remember the design, courtesy of the tailors and seamstresses who are supposed to clothe us in fitting attires for events.

Thinking about that now, you also missed that especially when you are not the person in the attire. We have all had a fair share of that, at least once.

To usher you into the moment we decided relive a few moments. Grab a drink because it’s INTELLECTS and chill time!

PRIZY:

I was to go for Kay’s wedding, then I decided to sew a style I had admired for a long time. I relocated temporarily to Anambra state from Cross River, so I needed a new seamstress. I found a particular shop attractive and it seemed to be worth the try. After a little chat, I showed her the style and she assured me it was a done deal, I gave her my material and paid. Confidently, she called me to pick my dress. What I saw was like the case of ‘what you ordered versus what they delivered’. I wore it that way.

HOPE:

Last December, I was only interested in having something to wear for my parents Chieftaincy Installation. I trusted this seamstress with the only attire I needed for the season. The day we were to travel to the village, I went to pick my dress. The woman had not even cut the materials (perhaps she was planning to help me resell). I just wore a jean and top in low spirits. Till this day, even the shoe I bought for the attire is lying untouched.

EUPHEMIA:

I fell in love with a fabric I found in the market, so I bought and thought to add a new dress to my wardrobe. I went to my seamstress and gave her a style as usual. The day I went to fit and pick my dress, we exchanged pleasantries as usual and she asked if I came visiting since I had no material. I laughed it off, meanwhile at the entrance was the same material I gave her but a different style and size. To cut the long story short, my seamstress used my material for another client. What manner of act is that?!

EMMANUEL:

My birthday was on a Saturday last year, and same day was a friend’s wedding, and I was in the league of his groom’s men. I looked forward to the day in high spirit. I decided to gift myself a customized suit which I will be wearing to the wedding. My tailor gave me an assurance that all is well. For some reasons we agreed I will pick it the early that morning; I wish I could see the future because that was a real wrong decision. So, on Saturday morning, while the boys were teasing our friend in church, and the wedding was going on, I was dressed in a casual wear, sitting in the tailor’s shop and waiting for him to finish my suit because going home was going to get me stuck in traffic.

NKEM:

I belonged to the girls’ guild and we were preparing for a march past to celebrate the girls’ week in the church. Marching was an activity I enjoyed and I was very good at it, so I joined the girls’ and was behind the flag bearers but I needed a uniform. The uniform was a white shirt tucked in a green skirt, a cap and a tie. Every member had one, I had one but my white shirt was old; so I got a material and took the shirt as a sample to a seamstress that always beckoned on me to patronize her. A day to the march past, I went to pick my shirt, it looked beautiful but the collar was nothing to be a seamstress for. My friend encouraged me to try it on with the tie. I almost choked that day, looking like a ram being dragged to church for a child dedication. The group provided with a shirt I could use that evening.

GLORIA RUBY:

It happened sometime last year. I had a function to attend and needed to be nicely and stylishly dressed for the occasion. Nigerian stylists and their usual disappointments, I wasn’t going to take chances so I got the fabrics and gave them to my seamstress ahead of time. I made sure to call from time to time to supervise the making of my outfit and for each call, my seamstress gave me an assurance that all was going well. The due date for collection was here, I was in her house by 9:30pm to meet the highlight of the day; she had just finished cutting my fabric! And was yet to sew it!! I felt my world crumble because I had no alternative wear and I had to leave for the neighboring town very early the next day for the occasion. I left my seamstress’ place after much arguments but of course without my clothes.

VERA:

A certain seamstress convinced my mum to convince her and my material was the first trial. First, she missed the style, but my sisters said it wasn’t so bad, so I wore it to granny’s house we had a little family event. After the meal, the dirty plates were quite much so we had to wash them outside; my cousins (peers) and I. As soon as I bent to wash the plates, I heard a cracking sound, it was my dress. I stood up to see the part that covered my stomach was torn. I would have been better off wearing a crop top than that dress. I told mum patronizing that woman was going to be an error and it did happen.

We draw the curtain here!

Make sure your fashion stylist is an assurance not an insurance except you want to make it to The Intellects’ Magazine screen in the next episode.

May 1, 2020 61 comments

Featured with the intellects 2020

WHY NOW?

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Before the end of year two thousand and nineteen (2019), the two thousand and twenty (2020) calendar was almost ticked; at least from January to Easter or even Summer as the case may be for institutions and the world at large. A lot was said about two thousand and twenty, but right now, the world is not sure any more what to do or where to turn while still making plans for next year.

Like an ice hit Titanic, a pandemic hit the human race. There have been so many speculations about the virus on social media.

In the beginning, it was considered a virus contracted from aquatic animals in Wuhan, theories that postulated some virus and bacteria are harmless to animals but could be harmful to humans. Some consider it a bio weapon, perhaps the type that can replace nuclear weapons and grant one country the plaque of world power; yet there are still others who consider the pandemic a punishment for the evil man has perpetrated on planet earth.

To accept one of these could be accepting all because there is a common ground for them all. One of which is for such pandemic to occur despite of artificial intelligence, the advancement of technology and a few forecast by data analysis it shows that something is not sitting right on the human planet.

Inevitably, countries are on a severe lock down because people are expected to sit at home to reduce the spread of the virus in affected areas; except an occupation or vocation does not involve any throng.

By implication there are few or no producing companies working, retailers are probably not able to sell, wholesalers possibly have their money in the clouds from trying to strike a deal with manufacturers and retailers. Consumers are not left out of this chain because those who are not economical could be running out of supplies if that has not happened already and if the lock down persists. Well, digital learning has really been promoted and a good tech savvy educationist can find a good ground online.

While there is doubt in the report of countries and the cause of covid-19, one is certain, that there is a huge imbalance in the world, ranging from recession, global warming and the advancement of technology; and this happened to create balance. Yes, balance and shift to give who wills an opportunity to start afresh or to advance to a more fertile ground.

Of course, it is always good to have a plan, so that opportunity becomes more revealing except where opportunity requires a fresh plan. Look within, there is need for a fresh plan in your area, and in Nigeria generally.

However, while waiting for the government to initiate good policies for socio-economic growth, there is need for subsistence industrialization. Start small scale farming, and other vocations. Meanwhile, take a leap to the digital world for more efficiency; as long as you keep trying, your efforts will take power and make demands the law of attraction will supply. Don’t forget that Titanic did sink but everyone did not sink.

Remember this, power is rarely given, it is taken and the ecosystem is providing a balance for financial, socio-cultural, relationship, physical, spiritual and political growths.

This is happening now for you to make a demand!

April 9, 2020 85 comments

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TO WHAT END?

written by Odilichukwu Frances

TO WHAT END?

We begin this year confronting the issues that matter!

A few months ago, the world witnessed the trial, impeachment and acquittal of Donald Trump. The American citizens and how America should be seen posed the real center of the discourse. People have their reserved view on what should be or not be, whether the discourse was political or religious, at the end of the day the citizens were the main focus.

Hitherto, in Nigeria there are so many discourses on going, but where is the center?

The essence of government is that everyone be protected from the state of nature which Thomas Hobbes described as brutish, nasty and short lived because violence and oppression to gain absolute control was the order of the day.

Scholars perhaps saw a glimpse of the future and came up with theories they believed to be instruments necessary for a humanity enabling environment.

Today, the Nigeria political system says we practice democracy; government of the people, by the people and for the people. This is vague in practice and in describing the true essence of democracy; hence I like to elaborate democracy in Rousseau’s theory, ‘general will’.

Rousseau in his discourse said: “I give up my will, that every man gives up his will, and we all have a collective will. We have an all-powerful sovereign whose main aim is to express the general will, and each obeys himself, thereby obeying the general will and everyone is free.” (paraphrased)

Consequently, the idea is to provide constitutional stability legitimacy through universal participation and every country who adopted democracy, cannot feign ignorance to the implication of this. It includes lives and properties!

New business policies that do not favour the tax paying businesses are made.

Ranging from the ban on foreign goods without enabling factors to encourage local made goods to rejection of Nigerian made cars and vehicles over foreign made cars, to a monopolizing and a competitive cement market. Today, there is a value added tax attached to phone calls and text messages.

Apparently, it seems the 2019 elections remain inconclusive in some states, and that the electoral rules and what the constitution says about elections are not quite clear considering the interpretations and application or that perhaps in Nigeria, Oligarchy is the practice and democracy, a mere name.

In states like Anambra, citizens who have paid for road worthiness are made to pay for the loads in their tricycles, vehicles and even trucks. Failure to do so, the driver becomes a victim, and the vehicle or items become subject to destruction as the oppressor claim to be following the directives of the government.

More so, the charade that takes the cake is the issue of security. Heads keep rolling, pools of bloods flood around the streets of both the northern and southern protectorates. During the killings of Nigerians in South Africa, only the victims and refugees were heard wailing until Allen Onyema of Air Peace came to their rescue. The government or the voices of the Nigerian diplomat to South Africa and the Federal government were not clear on the issue.

To what end is the will of Nigerians trodden and neglected? To what end is the rising insurgency?

Chinua Achebe could be right in asserting that the center cannot hold!

One of the aims of the government is to secure the territory and protect her people. If the government cannot do that, if Nigeria is drowning in imperialism, her citizens need to know!

Nigerians try to get by everyday with the little value attached to naira. The least the government can do is to provide security since making good business policies are hard and the devaluation of naira seems to irreversible.

Get Nigerians security on all sides and watch her industrious nations grow!

To what end do we lose lives to insurgencies?

February 20, 2020 50 comments

Featured October 2019

NIGERIA; A YEAR FROM SIX DECADES

written by Odilichukwu Frances

Independence was one of the most sought after achievement of African countries in the 19th century. It didn’t spell reliance, it didn’t spread development, and it didn’t project growth. While reading History, we thought it did, the elites thought it did, teachers, lecturers, academies proclaimed it, Nigerians celebrated, and they were not wrong, we all were not wrong at least until the Nigerian civil war.

What we dreamt was total Independence, total freedom, absolute ownership of our identity, full claim of ideas but we only got free from the physical presence of the colonial masters through a document that was sealed by signatories representing different regions and protectorates.

Age fifty-eight was eventful for Nigeria following a few events like the presidential, national and gubernatorial elections, the declaration of June twelve as a public holiday to mark democracy, and the first time the presidential election result is being rejected and taken to court. It’s the time Nigerians celebrated having court affidavit over certificates and more than before a greater promotion of paper works over pragmatism.

A lot of things were done differently in Nigeria this year, even the Big Brother show did not begin early enough, the legal tender became scarcer and there was a rapid increase of unemployed graduates. SARS and other forces that are supposed to end crime have posed a threat to the progress of young Nigerians trying to earn legally. The introduction of the CBN cashless policy which Nigerians on social media tagged daylight robbery due to the charges dressed in penalties. Indeed, a lot happened! Good and bad alike, Channels TV captured patriotic citizens running from their polling units in Lagos, Rivers, and a few more states during the election. Fortunately, we still have a home to fall back to, we have a place of heritage, and we have Nigeria and Nigerians.

These series only amplify Fela’s voice in the minds of the people who echo “Which Way Nigeria?” there is a feeling of lack of freewill and a misrepresentation of democracy.

Nigeria celebrates fifty-nine but the challenges are no different from the problem Chinua Achebe highlighted in his book “The Trouble with Nigeria”; which is as he said, “the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership”. Albeit, the result of “a failure of leadership” in Nigeria manifests in the power supply, export and import areas, the passport, the driver’s license, the economy and politics. Patriots are not willing to lose faith in Nigeria hence, we find a reason to smile in the face of crisis.

This land that harbours lots of mineral resources is a year away from sixty. Sixty will be very significant in Nigeria!

In the spirit of Independence, we pray the leadership of Nigeria to implement the promises attached to the manifestoes, to remember that we have Nigeria because of Nigerians; we pray equity, we hope for a better year because sixty will be significant!

We look forward to a fresh start, to a better year and we hope to see more youths groomed in politics like is being done in Oyo today by His Excellency Seyi Makinde. We want more policies to favour start-ups just like the discount that was given for business name registration. We look forward to a more humanitarian society than a religious society.

Our land is green!

Our land is fertile!!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE NIGERIA!!!

October 3, 2019 38 comments

Featured October 2019 Poems

NIGERIA’S SONNET (@ 59)

written by Odilichukwu Frances

NIGERIA @59

A new year is here,
Not to the world but Nigeria.
The voice of a new era
We don’t believe to hear,
At least not in the local area
Yet our hands can weave
The good thoughts in our hands,
And cause the world our wave to air,
As we make for us a home in our
Father land; not for us but our heir.
Lest we fail them
Time has given us this hour,
Space has gifted us each other,
The time is now, NIGERIA we stan!
🌹🌹🌹

October 1, 2019 55 comments

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