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Biafra

Biafra Featured with the intellects 2020

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’s RELIEF PARCEL

“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 25 comments

Youths, In Nigeria Politics And Government By Jombo Odilichukwu" data-src="https://theintellectsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/youth3-w855h425.jpg">

2017 November Edition Biafra Featured

Youths, In Nigeria Politics And Government By Jombo Odilichukwu

written by The Intellects Mag

Indeed, the game of politics has always been in vogue in all the countries of the world from time immemorial because according to Aristotle, Man is a political animal. However, it is necessary that the key words Government, Politics and Youth are elicited so that a solid foundation is laid for this topic.

Government:

Government is the means by which state policy is enforced, as well as the mechanism for determining the policy of the state. Forms of government, or forms of state governance, refers to the set of political systems and institutions that make up the organisation of a specific government and Nigeria, Democracy is practiced.

Politics

The word “politics” is derived from the Greek word polis which means city-state. Robert Dahl describes politics as an interplay of contending actors in which one actor always attempts to gain a relative advantage over the other. For the sake of the content of this work, Aristotle’s definition of politics will be used. Aristotle defined politics in his treatise on human Associations, stated that the most sovereign and inclusive association in the polis, as it is called, whose essence is the establishment of government, law-making, enforcement and eliciting obedience from the members of the society as he observed man to be by nature a political animal, and these summed his definition of politics as a city-state.

Youth

Literally, the youth refer to the young, and the Oxford advanced learners dictionary of sixth edition defines the young as having lived or existed for only a short time; not fully developed, not yet old or not as old as others. This grouped definition will be used in the content of this work. However, by age grouping the Youths are between the ages of eighteen to forty-five. I also categorise the ages of the people in the country in the periodic time of the day

Mid-night to Early morning: from a day old to age seventeen

Morning to Mid-day: from age eighteen to age forty-five (energetic and should work for what they want)

Mid-day to Evening: from age forty-five to age sixty-five (reap fruits or investment, invest more and plan retirement)

Night: from age sixty-five to whenever the person dies. (The old should have retired)

The youths belong to the second category, the mid-day.

It is no news that politics is conceived in the mind of many Nigerians as a dirty game. Aside football, the game of politics is the most cheered in Nigeria, with same old players, lots of noisy cheering spectators and very few informed spectators; among them are fewer aspiring players, who more often than not out of desperation do a few wrong things to get into the game or channel their interest to other things and some would remain as aspiring spectators out of frustration. This has actually been going on in Nigeria and as a matter of fact, has done more harm than good which is why the present-day Nigeria is in a stagnant situation where there is a high rate discovery of looted monies, yet there is high rate of inflation and recession spelt in every hook and cranny of the streets of the states in Nigeria. This negativity is also the case because the youths have been neglected; there is no much input in the political grooming of the young people and so the youths are not able to know their worth and value and their strength is misused just as their value is abused. The youths happen to be the centre of this work and if there must be liberation from this societal decadence, then youths must be shown to their place in the society and be allowed to properly play their role.

Why The Youth Should Involve In Nigeria Politics And Government

The youths need be involved in Nigeria politics and government if there must be a positive change in the society for the reasons below.

Instrumentality

Instrumentality is a jargon derivative of the word ‘instrumental’. Instrumental according to the Oxford advanced learners’ dictionary of sixth edition is defined as important in making things happen. That is to be indispensable.

Often times in Nigeria, during elections, there could be carrying of the ballot boxes, rigging of the elections, and some other punishable offences carried out by politicians who are in their evening hours of life through the young people. There could also be plans for riot, whether it be peaceful or violent and it is usually executed by the young people. The youths are lobbied by the politicians and given a token say two thousand naira each and like puppets, they aid in campaign for men who ought to have retired or be coaches in the game of politics. These events and more go on and on, and the youths are being exploited and their strength misused. Perhaps there should be a revolution by these young activists for the alienation of very active offices or power from the hands of men who have hitherto been in power since the independence of Nigeria. The point is this, these young people have been used as tools positively and negatively alike and that makes them very instrumental. And so they need to be rightly involved in politics, so that they channel their strength and energy to doing something good; thereby allowing them to call the shots, provide them with the necessary amenities they need to make choices that will enable them assume the offices they want, vote whom they want, be able to participate in government; thereby being able to speak up against what is wrong in the society. These will in turn, increase the moral value of the society, and lead to the other reasons why youths should involve in politics and government as stated below.

Again democracy is the government by the people, of the people and for the people and the youths are part of these people, not only are they part of these people they are part of the city-state and most be involved in the affairs of the city state and these essentially make them instrumental.

Responsibility Building:

Responsibility refers to the ability of being responsible for both action and inaction. Maturity has been attained when one is responsible. Now, a lot of things go wrong in Nigeria especially among the youths because they have not been groomed to shoulder responsibilities, some are still being fed milk when they ought to be cracking bones, some are not being fed at all and very few take bones. Only that few are actually able to make impact and create a difference. Take for instance, some of the people who currently serve in government and public offices in Nigeria have been there since their late twenties or mid-thirties. They learnt to shoulder responsibilities early enough and the whole politics and government still revolves around them. Example the current president, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. The likes of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Atiku and the rest of them still play lots of vital roles in the current politics and government and it is not supposed to be so. There are no genuine youth organisations as the Nigeria Youth Movement of 1937 founded by late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, owelle Onitsha who was just thirty-three years at that time, that movement worked actively like his newspaper, they were able to air their opinion and the sense of responsibility necessitated their request for what they needed even while they were under British colony; as through that medium, they were directly involved in politics. Currently, even the young people are not counsellors or local government chairman, they are not even active in political parties except ipso facto as puppets, they are neglected yet this group of young adults are the springboard of any societal institution.

It is no news that the current president of France, Emmanuel Marcon is just thirty-five years. If he was not involved in the government and politics of the country he won’t be able to shoulder such responsibility. No doubt, it is important the aged are part of the government but the government should not revolve around them, for the future of every society lies the hands of its youths. They keep saying the youths are the leaders of tomorrow and I keep wondering if when tomorrow will ever come.

Finally, when youths get involved in politics, they utilise their strength and contribute positively and the country gets to develop alongside growth. Because they will build to fight the good fight, step up their values and standards and be ready to stand for what is right against all odds, having in mind that their country values them.

Indestructable Future Of The Society

To be indestructible is to be beyond destruction. So because the youths are instrumental in the political and governmental sectors of Nigeria, they gradually become responsible and so take on themselves the pains to see that things are done right, that the necessary amenities are provided and that there is proper investment in productive areas, values and standards that will positively be modified and transferred and that way, the society becomes closely knitted and tightly knotted without disheartening loopholes and will be able stand the test of time and against terrorism or any global threat.

For instance, the nation like Ethiopia is said to be the poorest nation because it was never colonised by any foreign nation, but a careful observation show them to be a strong nation because the youths are fully involved in their activities, including their government and politics. In a nation like Brunee, the citizens do not migrate to other nations or countries because their government needs each of them.

Finally, if the youths are properly involved in politics and government, there will be Economic growth, promotion of the culture, social growth, spiritual growth, moral development and development will be in the air of hook and cranny of the country, every tribe will get what is due to them as citizens of Nigeria and there will be no need for the agitation of Biafra which has resulted in the killing of so many young people who put stake their lives for that cause.

How Can The Youths Get Involved?

The political grooming of the young people must definitely start from education, Education is derived from two Greek words, ‘Educere’ and ‘Educare’ which means ‘blank slate’ and ‘to lead out’ respectively. It is necessary to conceive the young people as part of the both categories, because, the young people are filled with possibilities and as such have potentials that could be actualized through training. And at the same time they know nothing but what experience has taught them. Education in this sense is beyond the regular schooling system. This includes training of the mind, this should practically begin with the children and teenagers and definitely the adults, the government should organise mentally equipped social entrepreneurs (political speakers, motivational tutors, political analysts) and even organise political debates for the youths, certain kind of privileges and appointments given to activities like pageantry, the voice, maltina dance floor, Gulder ultimate search, big brother Nigeria, and lots more, that thrill youths. If the government or the elites in the society are able to organize mind building and developing competitions and programs, more value will be added to the youths, who will in turn add value to the society.

This does not mean that the formal system of education is not useful, even though the present formal education system where more emphasis is placed on paper certificates than on what skill an individual has practically acquired, it is important the education system is made to fit into the system. Notwithstanding it is called western education, it is called western, because of the culture associated with it, which means that if Nigerians must also be educated, the education must conform to their culture, it must be practical, and something the students/youths are familiar with. For instance, students in Nigeria who study political science, should not just be taught what has been in the books, but be taught what happens currently in their society, just like medicine and law students, be given a political lab or practical opportunity to solve actual political problems in the society; that way, they understand what goes on in the professional political world, the political problems, and proffer solution, they should be allowed to participate in debates like presidential debates and the likes of it, and be allowed to participate in political analysis.

In addition to these, the youths can participate in politics through the following:

Political parties, Political mobilisation, Interest groups (where they exist as organisations and are able to protect the rights of their members when government programmes are in conflict. Could be easily found in pressure groups), Electoral system (they should be voted for and be accrued the respect of allowing them vote in their choice). When the youths get involved in politics and government through these elaborated and highlighted means and other measures that may have not been mentioned here, there will be a massive growth and development in Nigeria, because light has been illuminated, value has been added, a familiar and not just formal sense of belonging has been created and the youths will not be solely interested in fashion and entertainment.

Finally, it was Boris Popvic the mayor of the municipality of Koper who said that “a seal is given to a people by its city and athletes in particular spread its voice across the country’s boarders”. In this case, the youths are the athletes and need to be involved. Observe any thriving sector in Nigeria, for example fashion, luxury and entertainment, it is categorically promoted by the youths because they are highly recognised, the music/movie industries make them totally feel that they are the reason the industry is existing, every single thing on the media via music/movies and even social media is youth oriented, basically made to capture the attention of the youths, if the youths keep getting undying attention from the media and known from the society, (education, politics, church) there will be poor intellectual building, the future will be nostalgic and the stagnation in Nigeria will not cease. Let youth building not be a political propaganda, but a reality which will cause youths to strive dearly, knowing that in the end, there is certainly gain from the ages of pain, and glory from the pages of the story.

November 16, 2017 213 comments

Inequality Meditations On The Nigerian Economic Life . By Kennedy Asuru" data-src="https://theintellectsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/images-1.jpg">

2017 November Edition Biafra Featured

Inequality Meditations On The Nigerian Economic Life . By Kennedy Asuru

written by The Intellects Mag

Background

There is no light, there is no fuel, there is no water. Workers are on strike because states can’t afford to pay them. So, the workers pretend to work and their governors pretend to pay them. The governors are exasperated. The leaders are bewildered. The people are frustrated. How did we get here? How did we, children of a rich father, descendants of wealthy ancestors end up begging by the road side? How did we, who once rode on thoroughbred horses, become shoeless? We took a wrong turn in the road and we have refused to retrace our steps. Our land is still flowing with milk and honey but we are used to the ones we import from Malaysia and Lebanon. We are still strong men and women, but we deploy our energies in the wrong direction. We want to plant onions and harvest cocoa. We are in trouble….more trouble than we had in 2015. We are steadily moving down the slope. And the worse part of it is that nobody is willing to accept that he is wrong. Everybody is blaming everybody and everything But we – you and I – and the people we voted for, are wrong. We missed the right turn in the road together. That is why we are suffering together: Corporate iniquity, corporate punishment (Funke Egbemode, Sunday Sun, March 13, 2016, Once Upon a Prosperous Nation).

The above excerpt reveals the reality of an economic crisis in the Nigerian state, which has left a major fracture in her very structure. A major contributor to the magnitude of this fracture, is the inexpediency of the present political system. As Economists would affirm, Political expediency will always override economic proficiency. This assertion reveals in a subtle manner, the overwhelming importance of politics in the economic life of any country. One mistake we tend to make all the time is to think that an average politician has the good of the society at heart as a top priority. This is mere wishful thinking; and a pitiful one at that. The reality which we should factor into our consciousness is that, AN AVERAGE POLITICIAN THINKS MORE OF WINNING THE NEXT ELECTION, THAN HE DOES OF SALVAGING THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE PEOPLE. #Fact. An average politician would only employ good deeds and diligence as a tool for gaining the endorsement of the people in order to win the next election.

Well, that’s another story.

In this work, we shall identify and explore one, among the myriads of problems that challenge the development of Nigeria. Among others that prevail, one problem we identify here is Inequality.

What Inequality Is

The basic understanding of the concept “inequality” is a sort of imbalance or inequilibrium in a system. The Merriam-Websters Dictionary defines inequality as “an unfair situation in which people have more rights and better opportunities than other people”. The Longman Dictionary of Sociology defines it as “an unfair situation in which some groups in society have more money, opportunities, power, etc than others”.

From an economic perspective, inequality is the difference found in various measures of economic well-being among individuals in a group, among groups in a population, or among countries. Economic inequality is sometimes called Income inequality, Wealth inequality, or the Wealth gap.

Social inequality occurs when the resources in a given society are distributed unevenly, typically through norms of allocation that engender specific patterns along lines of socially defined category of persons.

The Problem Of Global Inequality

Economists and social analysts have observed, with no small level of certitude, that the major cause of social violence and consequently, underdevelopment in the world nay Nigeria, is that hydra-headed monster called, Inequality. To make this point clearer, consider the following statistics which was given by Hyacinth Ementa Ichoku (Professor of Economics, University of Nsuka, Nigeria):

71% of the world population lives on only 3% of global resources
7% of the world population control more than 45% of global resources
The richest 620 people in the world own more wealth than the least 4 billion people in the world put together
75% of the world population has more wealth than 77% of the world population put together
Since 1995 all the economic growth recorded has never directly touched the poorest 0.5%

And these estimations are climbing annually.

This information provided above reveals the huge chasm between the rich and poor, the successful and the surviving in the world today. How can so much own so few, and yet there exists so few elsewhere, who own so much? How can there be so few controlling so much wealth, and yet so many languish in abject poverty, go to bed hungry daily, and even die of hunger? This is the greatest economic injustice of all, and when left unaddressed, leads to the greatest social violence in the world all over.

The Problem Of International Inequality

Of course because the information provided above does not speak to the average Nigerian personally, there lingers the tendency of discarding it as random speculation and matters not of our concern. But before such step, here’s one for you; one that’s hit you in the guts and urge you to advocate, even more strongly for a revolutionary change. The following information was also given by Professor Hyacinth Ementa Ichoku:

An average Australian earns about $60,000 annually
An average Nigerian earns about $20,000 annually
The life expectancy of average Japanese is 85 years
The life expectancy of average Nigerian is 52 years

The Problem Of National / Inter-Regional Inequality

As Adam Smith puts it, wherever there is great property, there is great inequality. This especially explains the Nigerian problem of inequality. Without being unnecessarily verbose, the statistics below would suffice:

15,000 Nigerians, who earn $1 million annually, have a total of ₦30 Trillion as their salary annually. This is more than 5 times the total Budget of Nigeria for the year (2016). Also note that this is the highest budget Nigeria has ever come up with.
40% of the children in Katsina State suffer from malnutrition
School enrolment in Imo State is about 90%
School enrolment in Yobe State is only about 10%
Yobe state features the ratio of 1 doctor to 123,000 patients, and 1 nurse to 75,000 patients
Enugu state alone has more medical doctors than the whole of the north west combined!

Now, although these statistics are not exhaustive, they help to reveal that inequality in Nigeria and in the world at large is a reality that has been given very little consideration in the past, but yet is one of the root causes of economic inequilibrium and social disorder in the Nigeria. In fact, as Hyacinth Ichoku puts it, “Such inequality is the recipe for disaster and rebellion, since it somehow creates a culture of envy and rivalry”.

Many Nigerians are quite aware of the fact that something is wrong somewhere with the Nigerian economy. But the problem is most people cannot say what this is exactly, they seem to be oblivious of what magnitude of harm has been done, nor can they say for sure what must be done to address the problem. Well, so far, we have been able to identify the first two.

Reconcillatory Remarks

What then must we do?

Sincerely, I do not have the answer to that. If I did, I would have taken the next flight to Abuja, to share with the President over dinner.

But this is what I have: information. Knowledge. Knowledge, which is power; emancipative power. The ignorance of the magnitude of our problem has made us largely complacent thus far. The truth is; this is no time for complacence; this is a bad time to be calm. Like one who has a cancer without even knowing it, Nigeria seems to be dying slowly, but steadily. There’s a problem with Nigeria, and we need to address it, and quickly. This problem is the stark reality and prevalence of inequality in the system. We’ve identified the cancer, what is left now is to find a cure. Are you willing to throw the first stone in order to get this done?

November 16, 2017 333 comments