23 NOLLYWOOD MOVIES IN ONE MONTH

  I decided to embark on this big task at the beginning of the month of August 2015 to really understand the point that the Nigerian movie industry is presently at, especially in terms of content quality. I left Nigeria in 1991 at the time when Nollywood was still in its teething stage and has since been a sporadic viewer of some of the movies produced by this very popular and internationally recognized industry.

  After watching 23 latest movies from different stables and different directors from the industry this august, although I could not complete watching some of them and had to desist from my initial intention after 20 minutes of viewing and the movie had still not started proper, I realized that the industry had evolved technical wise but not as much in terms of content creation and content quality. In my memory some of the movies and tele-films shot long before Nollywood gained international recognition and during that genesis era of the industry still stuck and appealed more to me than most of the movies recently shot in the industry. I remember with nostalgia movies like Domitila, Silent Night, Rattlesnake, etc and I realized that we still really have a lot to do, not as much in terms of the technical aspects as in the creative aspect of movie making.

   Some of the telefilms I watched on N.T.A as far back as 1979 such as Scandal which director and writer I cannot readily remember and later “Heretics” and “To save a fallen angel”…. are all more superior creative works compared to most of the movies I watched with the 2014/2015 date on them. It is unfortunate that the creative quality of our works have dropped resoundingly, that is not to say though that there are still not a handful of persons still dishing out quality works in Nollywood but the ratio of those doing quality works is inconsequential compared to those who are actually making bad movies.

  True, Nigerians like to gate crash into anything that is the trend and bringing good money at any particular time but I think that as a mark of respect for faithful followers of the industry who have been giving their unflinching support to the industry in terms of patronage, stakeholders in the industry need to step up their games. Not just shooting movies but shooting movies that people will still talk about long after seeing them and long after even the directors are gone.

  I do not want this to be seen as a criticism but rather as a contribution by someone in the industry who believes in the industry and its unlimited potentials; people can be pardoned when they are just getting started but not after 2 decades and more doing the same thing, we have gone beyond trying to show the world what we can do with camera in our hands, right now it is only normal that they begin to expect quality movies from us. Some issues in the industry are just not right, I do not understand for instance why our movie postal still appear with all the actors in the movie on them as if there is a tussle for popularity somewhere, or how a 25 year old actor would have more films to his credit than someone like Morgan Freeman who has spent over 4 decades in the industry, any professional actor will tell you that an actor need some time to remove his character armor and be able to clad a new character armor in order to convincingly “marry” his role, any wonder why you see some Nigerian actors doing the same thing in every movie and leaving the viewers with a déjà vu impression even when they are watching a different movie?

  Like I said the real area that interests me personally even though every aspect of movie making is important is the area of script writing, it is perhaps the most important aspect of movie making as far as I am concerned, although a lot of people take it for granted, If a script is bad, there is no way that the movie will be good even if you employ the best actors in the world. You can be a good movie director and not be a good script writer, that is why in most Hollywood movies the directors are not even the script writers, so let us learn to divide labour where it is important, there is nothing wrong in telling your stories to professional writers who can better transmit the essence to the viewers. 

  A friend told me that until the kind of revolution that occured in the Nigerian Music industry happens in the Nigerian Movie industry we will not genuinely be able to appreciate any general quality drive in the industry, I think that the time for Directors to be forming a corporate conglomerate or for producers to form a brand under which they will have a team of Directors on their pay roll as we have in Hollywood with Warner bros, Sony Pictures, 20 century Fox, Paramount, metro goldwyn mayer etc, the issue of gate-crashing and very low standard productions will not be checked, if this is done and well managed, the viewers will buy a brand with the assurance that that brand delivers quality productions for their money.

  And lastly, I will like to implore the government of Nigeria to be genuinely involved and partner with the industry especially in the area of Piracy check and punishment for copyright offenders. I think that if this is done, Nollywood will take the nation to unimaginable development heights especially in the area of job creation, wealth creation and professional training and even crime control and eradication since it will be engaging a lot of our youths and empowering them.   

THE MANY STORIES OF THE SAME EVENT

 WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO DOCUMENT HISTORY WITHOUT A TINGE OF BIAS AND OVERDOSE OF TRIBAL SENTIMENTS; GET 36 NIGERIANS WHO LIVE EXACTLY THE SAME SITUATION AT THE SAME GIVEN TIME TO DOCUMENT THEIR EXPERIENCES AND YOU ARE SURE TO HAVE 36 DIFFERENT STORIES, ALL HINGED ON TRIBAL INNUENDO AND THE MORE INTELLECTUALLY CAPABLE THEY ARE OR APPEAR TO BE, THE MORE DIVERGENT AND ADULTRATED THE STORY, “OUR COMMON STORY”.

  SHOULD ONE NOT EXPECT THAT EVERY NIGERIAN WOULD APPLAUD ANY GOVERNMENT´S INTENTION TO TRY TO FIGHT OUR COMMON ENEMY IN NIGERIA, CORRUPTION? BUT NO, EVEN IN THE FACE OF THIS COMMON ENEMY, NIGERIANS ARE WAY DIVIDED, OUR OPINION ARE NOT UNIFORMED EVEN IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BOKO HARAM, IF IT IS NOT TRIBALISM, IT IS PARTISANSHIP, RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY OR SHEER STUPIDITY.

  BRING OUT 10 KNOWN PERSONALITIES FROM THE MOVIE INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA AND ASK THEM TO WRITE A CREDIBLE HISTORY ON THE ORIGIN OF THE NIGERIAN MOVIE INDUSTRY AND YOU WILL BE SURPRISED TO READ 10 DIFFERENT STORIES OF OBVIOUSLY THE SAME EVENT, OVER SPICED WITH THE USUAL TRIBAL SENTIMENTALITIES, DEPENDING ON THE TRIBE OF EACH OF THESE 10 PERSONALITIES

  THE SAME THING APPLIES TO ALL OTHER FACETS OF OUR DAILY LIVES AS A PEOPLE, NO WONDER WE ARE CLINGING MORE TO THE COLONIAL HANDOUT OF OUR HISTORY THAN THAT WRITTEN BY AUTOCHTHONOUS NIGERIANS.

  WE DOCUMENT EVERYTHING BUT FACTS IN NIGERIA, THERE IS NO AUTHENTIC OR PATRIOTIC NIGERIAN EYE TO SERVE AS A SCOPE, NEITHER IS THERE ANY UNIFIED FACTOR TO SERVE AS A MOTIVATOR AT THE TIME OF TRYING TO LEAVE AN EXACT DOCUMENTED LEGACY FOR THE INCOMING GENERATION, ANY WONDER WHY THE NATION CONTINUES TO SWIM IN MURKY WATERS, OVER AND OVER AGAIN?

   IT IS CRAZY BUT TRUE, EACH TIME I PICK UP ANY DOCUMENTED BOOK BY A NIGERIAN AUTHOR, EVEN WITHOUT KNOWING FIRST THE NAME OF THE AUTHOR, I COULD TELL AFTER READING THROUGH HIS/HER STORIES FROM WHAT SIDE OF THE MANY DIVIDE HE/SHE COMES FROM, IT IS SO UNFORTUNATE BUT TRUE THAT AS A PEOPLE WE LACK OBJECTIVITY AND A DEEP SENSE OF JUSTICE AND NOT UNTIL WE BEGIN TO BE PATRIOTIC NIGERIANS CAN WE EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO GET THIS GIANT TO STAND TALL ON ITS FEET.

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE BLACK MAN´S MIND

  What is wrong with the black man, what is that thing impeding him from having a straight thought after a straight view? Why is he his number 1 enemy and the real antagonist of his likes? What is the black to black war all about? 

  Most of the time, we are so used to pointing fingers at others that oftentimes we neglect the fact that we could possibly be the problem we are blaming on others. The recent cheap violence and Afrophobic mayhem, if you like, in South Africa has again drawn my attention to this near innate tendency of Black people to exterminate their kind. I do not want to go too far back to the pre-colonial and colonial era in Africa or begin to re-narrate the consequences of Slave trade or even buttress upon the arguement by the white colonialists that it was indeed our kings who sold out their people into slavery and that they were merely facilitators who helped materialize the vicious dreams of our heartless monarchs. My real opinion to this claim will remain a topic for another day.   

  But with unfolding events recently in Africa, first with the tremendous and impetuous goof of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akinolu in the wake of the governorship elections in Nigeria, in which he threatened to throw the igbos who fail to vote for his own annointed candidate into the lagoon and the hate advocation by the King of the Zulus in South Africa Goodwill Zwelithini Kabhekuzulu, who called on his people to resist the coming into South Africa of other neighbouring Africans who he regarded as unwelcome visitors disputing the few available economic chances with his people, one is tempted to begin to ask what the real contributions of these outdated parasites are in our modern day democracy?

 Fortunately, in the case of the Lagos hate advocation by the Oba, bloodshed was averted because his annointed eventually emerged winner of the elections, some of us are still wondering what would have happened if his favoured candidate had lost in that election. The most painful and frustrating part of this incitation to terrorism and cheap violence is the impunity with which the issue was treated, the Oba, till date has not been officially questioned or called to order by the pertinent authorities of the State and the federation. 

  It is sad to note that scores of black Africans are currently being massacred in South Africa by the black South African people, who not too long ago were suffering injustice in the hands of their white dominators in the condemned apartheid regime. A regime which saw the whole of Black Africa unite to fight together until succeeding to bring the evil regime to its knees. As a Nigerian, I remember my quota in that struggle, a nationwide collection exercise, where pupils were asked to donate their tokens towards the ANC struggle in South Africa was a constant event in my primary and secondary school days, needless to begin to mention the brotherly assistance that Blacks in South Africa received from most african government, notable amongst them, my rich country Nigeria. 

  Today as I speak to you, black brothers who live in South africa are being roasted in macabre bonfire at strategic parts of South Africa with the passivity of the law enforcement agencies and the south African authorities. What a shame! If only Mandela could lift up his head from the depth of death to see the aftermath of his and our struggles. 

   

NIGERIA, THE BATTLE IS WON BUT NOT THE WAR

  This is that rare time when it is really stimulating and encouraging to be a Nigerian; showing the world that when we really desire, we could move mountains to our common good as a people. I have never been so proud of my people and my country as I am after the successful outcome of the general elections in Nigeria, undermining to which political party advantage the wind of success has blown since I consider the elections a successful one for all Nigerians.

  It would be recalled that cynics and international organizations and world reputable intelligence had said before this elections that it would likely be the last election conducted in a unified Nigeria, but once again, Nigerians have proved that we can rise above our differences as a people to teach the world the greatness, affection and strength in our diversity. 

  Unfortunately there has been some rants and uncivilized outbursts of declarations before, during and even after the elections, notable among these unfortunate outbursts were the ones brought about by the likes of Dame Patience Jonathan, Asari Dokubo, Fayose, Femi Fani-Kayode, AIG Mbu, Nyesom Wike, Godsday Orubebe, Oba Rilwanu Akinolu.... to mention but few.

  Fortunately for us, the quick intervention of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in immediately conceding defeat and even going out of the traditional Nigerian political mentality of never accepting defeat to congratulate the declared winner and president elect, Rtd. Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari served as the soothing balm that eased all impending tensions.

  It will only be wise for us to now consolidate upon achieved successes in the just concluded general elections which logically had some challenges that are subject to improvements in the years ahead, such as ballot box snatching, violence and intimidations especially during the State elections, I will like to implore unsatisfied candidates to seek redress in the law courts and also encourage our judiciary to rise above partisanship and undue bias in their convictions for justice. Let us continue to remind us of the wise quote by the outgoing president, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, "no man´s political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian". We must be very careful with hate campaigns in the future, candidates and their parties should limit themselves to selling their party manifesto to Nigerians.

  On a final note, I would want to call on the President elect, Maj-Gen Muhammadu who has promised to fight corruption head on, to also bear in mind that election malpractices and rigging all constitute part of corrupt activities and should not be treated with impunity, defaulters should be made to face the long hand of the law, it will not be a bad idea to begin to suspend and even expel persons found wanting in this delictive acts from public offices. At the same time, persons engaged in hate campaigns should also be brought to book. Impunity should not continue to be a tradition in our country.

POSTPONEMENT OF NIGERIAN ELECTIONS, ANOTHER BIG SLAP TO OUR FACE

  SENTIMENTS WILL BEGIN TO FLOURISH AGAIN, LOVERS OF MEDIOCRITY WILL BEGIN TO APPLAUD THIS YET ANOTHER GREAT NATIONAL SLAP; A NATION GOING ON ITS KNEES AGAIN TO BOW TO TERRORIST AGENDA, A NATION THAT HAD 4 GOOD YEARS TO PREPARE FOR AN ELECTION, 4 YEARS TO HAVE TAKEN THE REAL FIGHT TO THE TERRORISTS IN THEIR CAMP BUT DECIDED TO FOLD ITS ARMS WHILE THE TERROR GROUP OVERRAN TOWNS AND BARRACKS, DECLARING CALIPHATES UPON CALIPHATES IN OUR COUNTRY AND DARING OUR NATION AND ITS GREAT CITIZENS, DISPLACING NIGERIANS FROM THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS IN THEIR THOUSANDS WHILE NOBODY FORESAW THAT WITHOUT PEACE, DEMOCRACY IS A FARCE...

  A NATION THAT FINALLY ROSE UP FROM ITS READINESS SLUMBER IN THE VERY LAST MONTH BEFORE THE SCHEDULED DATE FOR THE ELECTION AND DID THE VERY THING THAT SOME OF US HAVE BEEN CLAMOURING FOR IN THE LAST 4 YEARS; TAKE THE REAL BATTLE TO THE BOKO HARAM IN THEIR STRONGHOLD, THROUGH THE LAND AND THE AIR AFTER YEARS OF PROPAGANDA, POLITICAL BLAME GAMES AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

  A NATION THAT WELL COULD HAVE ENGAGED ITS NEIGHBOURS TO CARRY OUT A JOINT AND SYNERGIZED ATTACK ON THE ENEMY WHEN THEY WERE STILL VERY FEW AND WITH LESS ARMS AND AMUNITIONS, BUT WAITED UNTIL THE ENEMY GREW STRONG, KILLED THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT NIGERIANS, KIDNAPPED SOME AND DISPLACED MANY, OVERRAN NIGERIAN TROOPS IN THEIR BARRACKS AND THEIR DEPOTS, SEIZING THE NIGERIAN MILITARY OWNED ARMS AND AMMUNITIONS FOR USE AGAINST THE NIGERIAN MILITARY AND THE REST OF NIGERIANS.

 TODAY, AFTER FOUR YEARS OF ELECTORAL PLANS AND SCHEDULES, WITH NIGERIANS FULLY GEARED UP TO GO AND CARRY OUT THEIR ELECTORAL FRANCHISE ON THE 14^th OF FEBRUARY, AS FIXED BY THE NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISION (INEC) AND CERTIFIED TO BY THE TWO NIGERIAN LEGISLATIVE HOUSES, THE NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES HAS STEPPED FORWARD TO SAY THAT THEY CANNOT GUARRANTEE ELECTIONS ON THAT DATE DUE TO THE INSECURITY IN 14 OUT OF THE 774 LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT MAKE UP THE NATION AND AS SUCH THE ELECTION HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY POSTPONED FOR SIX MORE WEEKS.

 CONSTRUCTIVELY LOOKING AT THE ISSUE, IT BOILS DOWN TO THE SAME MEDIOCRITY AND INEPTITUDE OF PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS, WHICH SOMEHOW HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AS NORMS IN NIGERIA, IN A REAL DEMOCRATIC AND PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY, PEOPLE ARE OBLIGED TO RESIGN FOR FAILURE TO EFFECTIVELY DISCHARGE THEIR DUTIES, IN THIS CASE, THE FOUR MILITARY DEFENCE CHIEFS HEADING THE DIFFERENT ARMS OF OUR MILITARY SHOULD BY THEIR FAILURE AND UNREADINESS TO DELIVER AND DISCHARGE THEIR SWORN DUTIES, TENDER THEIR RESIGNATION LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY. THE INEC CHAIRMAN TOO SHOULD BY NOW BE RESIGNING TO KEEP HIS INTEGRITY INTACT, IF HE HAS ANY.

  I REMEMBER VIVIDLY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE CALLED ON PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN TO CANCEL THE POMP AND PAGEANTRY PLANNED FOR THE 54 INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY BECAUSE OF THE MISSING CHIBOK GIRLS BUT HE DIDN´T BECAUSE LOGICALLY WHAT THE TERRORISTS STAND OUT TO ACHIEVE WITH EVERY OF THEIR ATTACK IS TO IMPAIR THE NORMAL DAILY LIVES OF A PEOPLE AND OBLIGE THEM TO LIVE IN FEARS. WITH THE POSTPONMENT OF THE NIGERIAN ELECTIONS, SOMEONE HAS UNKNOWINGLY OR KNOWINGLY BOWED TO THE WHIMS AND CAPRICES OF THE TERROR GROUP, BOKO HARAM.

  I WANT TO IMPLORE ALL NIGERIANS TO PLEASE MAINTAIN THE PEACE AND KEEP CALM, EVEN WHILE ACCEPTING THAT THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE ELECTION IS A GREAT DISSERVICE TO OUR DEMOCRACY AND AN UNDUE PROVOCATION TO OUR PEOPLE. LET US ALL BEAR IN MIND THAT DEMOCRACY WITHOUT PEACE IS A FARCE. 

NIGERIA; THE GOOF CONTINUES

  A MISTAKE NOT CORRECTED ON TIME GIVES BIRTH TO A SERIES OF MISTAKES, WHICH IF NOT CONTROLLED COULD MAKE FLAWS AND MEDIOCRITY TO BECOME A NORM. I REMEMBER RAISING THE VOICE OF ALARM LIKE SOME OTHER WELL MEANING NIGERIANS ON DISCOVERING THAT NO ONE WAS INDICTED NOR REPRIMANDED WHEN SOME NORTHERN ELEMENTS CAME OUT PUBLICLY TO SAY THAT THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE THE NATION UNGOVERNABLE FOR THE ELECTED PRESIDENT OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY, NIGERIA, PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN. I REMEMBER THAT SOME PEOPLE LASHED OUT AT THOSE OF US WHO CALLED FOR OUR SECURITY SERVICES TO SWING INTO ACTION AND DETAIN THOSE WE BELIEVED HAD VULNERATED THE LAW OF OUR COUNTRY BY EXPOSING OUR TOGETHERNESS AS A PEOPLE TO UNDUE CONTRAVENTION, THEY ARGUED  THEN THAT UNDER A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT PEOPLE ENJOYED THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH. FREEDOM OF SPEECH? EVEN WHEN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE SECURITY, PEACE, STABILITY AND EVEN THE DEMOCRACY OF OUR NATION WERE BEING THREATENED, IN A VERY SERIOUS WAY BY SOME PERSONS WITH THEIR UNMEASURED UTTERANCES?

  ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO DIRECT LINK, AT LEAST OFFICIALLY, TO THE VIOLENCE AND THE INSTABILITY THAT ENSUED SOON AFTER THESE DECLARATIONS, THE TRUTH IS THAT OUR NATION HAS NOT KNOWN PEACE SINCE THAT UNFORTUNATE DECLARATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT IMPUNITY. TODAY, HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF AND VINDICATING THOSE OF US WHO WARNED THAT THE FAILURE OF OUR GOVERNMENT TO ACT DRASTICALLY AT THE TIME COULD SET AN UNHEALTHY PRECEDENCE FOR SIMILAR ACTIONS OR DECLARATIONS IN THE FUTURE. NOW THE THREAT HAS SHIFTED TO THE SOUTH-SOUTH CAMP, WHERE SOME ELEMENTS ARE BEGINNING TO THREATEN THE STABILITY OF THE COUNTRY SHOULD THE INCUMBENT PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN WHO HAPPEN TO BE FROM THE SOUTH-SOUTH NOT WIN IN THE ONCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS SLATED FOR THE 14^th OF FEBRUARY 2015. AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, A KEY NOTHERN FIGURE AND FORMER NIGERIAN CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF DURING THE GENERAL OBASANJO MILITARY REGIME, ONE OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF NIGERIA´S MANY OIL WELLS, BESTOWED ON HIM AS A GIFT BY LATE NIGERIAN DICTATOR, GENERAL SANI ABACHA, GENERAL T.Y DANJUMA (RTD) HAS COME OUT TO CALL FOR THE ARREST OF THESE ELEMENTS FROM THE SOUTH-SOUTH, THE SAME MAN WHO WAS QUIET WHEN THE NATION AND ITS ELECTED PRESIDENT WAS THREATENED NOT TOO LONG AGO BY SOME NOTHERN ELEMENTS.

  IT IS A PITY THAT WHILE OTHER COUNTRIES ARE COMING TOGETHER TO FORM A LEAGUE OF NATIONS, NIGERIA IS ALWAYS ON THE EDGE OF DISINTEGRATION DUE TO TRIBAL AND RELIGIOUS BIGOTS WHO ARE HELL BENT ON USING OUR DIVERSITY THAT IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE AS OUR STRENGTH AS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN OUR COUNTRY.

 ALTHOUGH MANY NIGERIANS HATE TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH BECAUSE OF OUR CHEAP PARTISANSHIP AND TRIBALISTIC DISPOSITIONS, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY PERSON TO BLAME FOR THE EXCESSIVE AND UNCONTROLLABLE DECLARATIONS FROM ALMOST EVERY SIDE OF THE DIVIDE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY, NOT ONLY BECAUSE HE IS FAILING TO RULE OVER A UNITED COUNTRY AS IT APPEARS BUT BECAUSE HE IS FAILING TO ACT AT VERY DECISIVE MOMENTS SINCE ASSUMING POWER AS THE EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES.

  IN VERY MANY ISSUES ESPECIALLY AS AFFECTS OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE UNITY OF OUR NATION, PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN HAS BEEN OVER TACTFUL AND OVER SENTIMENTAL, SOME SAY THAT IT IS A WAY TO AVOID DRAGGING THE NATION INTO ANOTHER CIVIL  WAR BUT I AM OF THE OPINION THAT AS LONG AS THE IDEA IS TO MAINTAIN AN INDIVISIBLE NATION, WE MUST NOT COMPROMISE OUR SECURITY AND THAT THE CUSTODIAN OF OUR LAWS, FIRST ON THE ECHELON OF POWER AND RELEVANCE, THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF SHOULD HAVE ORDERED FOR THE ARREST OF THESE PERSONS THROUGH THE PERTINENT SECURITY SERVICES AND A LAWSUIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST THEM BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION FOR A SUSPECTED CASE OF TREASONABLE FELONY.

  IT IS SO UNFORTUNATE THAT THE NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES HAS IN RECENT TIME BECOME PARTISAN AND GRADUALLY ALIENATING ITSELF FROM ITS PRINCIPAL ROLE WHICH IS NO OTHER THAN DEFENDING AND PROTECTING THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF OUR NATION. THE DUTY OF THE NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES IS NOT TO MEDDLE WITH POLITICS BUT TO DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION FERVENTLY, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHO OR WHAT PARTY IS AT THE HELM OF AFFAIRS IN OUR COUNTRY. NO SINGLE NIGERIAN, NO MATTER FROM WHAT PART OF THE COUNTRY, MUST BE PERMITTED TO THREATEN OUR ELECTED PRESIDENT, OUR CONSTITUTION OR OUR NATION THE WAY SOME NORTHERN ELEMENTS DID WITH IMPUNITY NOT TOO LONG AGO AND THE WAY THAT SOME ELEMENTS FROM THE SOUTH-SOUTH ARE DOING TODAY.

  NIGERIA SHOULD INDEED BE GREATER THAN ANY ONE PERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS, WHETHER THEY ARE CALLED BUHARI, LAWAL KEITA, ADAMU CIROMA, TOMPOLO, ASARI DOKUBO, OBASANJO, BABANGIDA, GOODLUCK JONATHAN, DANJUMA OR WHATEVER….., WE MUST BE VERY COHERENT AND UNCOMPROMISING IN DEALING WITH ISSUES THAT COULD THREATEN AND JEAOPARDIZE THE UNITY AND THE STABILITY OF OUR NATION, A STITCH IN TIME IS ALWAYS VERY APPROPRIATE IN TACKLING NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES.    

WILFRED AGBONAVBARE; A HERO GOES HOME

  The death of former Nigerian international goalkeeper, Wilfred Agbonavbare has once again opened the endless debate of whether or not it is indeed worth it to live and die for Nigeria, here was a man who spent the better part of his youth defending the Nigerian national colors in all categories in football only to be abandoned by the same people he brought countless joy and national pride to.

  For so many years, those of us who live in Spain have witnessed the unstoppable crash of a meteoric star and have wondered severally how a man who had given his all for his nation could be allowed to wallow in such a humiliating condition. Before the news of his cancer was made public, it was really hard to tell anyone that the same man that I used to go and watch play at the national stadium, Surulere, Lagos in the 80s was the same man that I was really seeing in Spain, it was more or less the demystification of an age-long icon.

  Each time I saw him, a question often repeated itself in my mind, can´t the Edo state government do anything to improve the life of this man, at least make him a coach with the Edo state sports council? And what about the Nigerian football association? And how come the Nigerian federal government gave national honors to some notorious and corrupt criminals and not patriots like Wilfred Agbonavbare?

  And eventually when the news of his battle against cancer came up, I remembered his football colleagues, especially our national super eagles, and wondered if there was not a way they could have organized a solidarity match to raise the fund for his treatment when it was obvious that he was having difficulties in keeping up with the bills for his treatment. As always, it took the kind gesture of outsiders, this time his former clubside Rayo Vallecano in Spain to donate towards the struggle to save the life of our dying patriot in far away Spain.

  Now, we can all bring out our heads in shame, me first, to write about a man who we all abandoned for so many years but who God has finally decided to grant eternal rest, a man whose tears we all pretended that we did not see, whose pains meant absolutely nothing until they became incurable. I hope that our nation will at least take care of his children now that he is dead so that when they sing our national anthem, the part that says that "... the labor of our heroes past shall never be in vain" will indeed make some sense to them. REST IN PEACE, HERO OF OUR TIME. Adios, Wilfred Agbonavbare

HIS OFFICE, LET ANOTHER TAKE

  HOW CAN THE PRESIDENT OF A COUNTRY WAIT UNTIL ONE MONTH BEFORE AN ELECTION TO BEGIN TO DO THE RIGHT THING; VISIT BORNO STATE AND REDUCE PETROL PUMP PRICE? I REMEMBER WRITING SEVERAL ARTICLES TO SUPPORT THE STEPPING INTO POWER OF THE INCUMBENT PRESIDENT THEN THE VICE PRESIDENT AFTER THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT YAR´ARDUA AND THE IRRATIONAL SCHEMING OF SOME POWER BROKERS TO PREVENT HIS VICE FROM ASSUMING HIS POSITION, I REMEMBER TOO THAT THE WHOLE NIGERIANS, IRRESPECTIVE OF TRIBE STOOD BEHIND THE VICE PRESIDENT UNTIL ENSURING THAT HE WAS RIGHTFULLY MADE THE PRESIDENT OF OUR COUNTRY, I ALSO REMEMBER HOW PRESIDENT JONATHAN PAID US BACK FOR OUR SUPPORT WITH THE REMOVAL OF A SUBSIDY THAT WAS NEVER A SUBSIDY IN THE FIRST PLACE THEREBY CAUSING HARDSHIP TO THE SAME MASSES WHO STOOD BY HIM ALL THE WAY TO ASO ROCK.

  I REMEMBER INNOCENT NIGERIANS WHO WERE SHOT AND KILLED IN THAT STRUGGLE AND ONLY LAUGH WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW A MILITARY LEADER WHO RULED THE NATION UNDER A DECREE KILLED DRUG PEDDLERS AND JAILED JOURNALISTS BUT NEVER REMEMBER THAT A CIVILIAN PRESIDENT WHO RULED UNDER A CONSTITUTION ORDERED THE SHOOTING OF INNOCENT NIGERIANS EXPRESSING THEIR RIGHT TO PEACEFUL MANIFESTATION.

  DON´T YOU KNOW THAT IN ASSUMING THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF A COUNTRY PRESIDENTS ARE MADE TO SWEAR THE OATH OF OFFICE TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, IN OUR CASE AS NIGERIA WHOSE SECTION AND SUB-SECTIONS TALKS ABOUT THE PROTECTION OF LIVES AND PROPERTIES OF NIGERIANS IN ANY PART OF THE COUNTRY AND THE PROTECTION AND THE DEFENCE OF OUR TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AS A NATION? DON´T YOU KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS CONSPICUOSLY FAILED TO LIVE UP TO EXPECTATION IN THIS KEY DUTIES?

  WHY ARE WE ALWAYS SENTIMENTAL AND ALWAYS APPROVING AND SUPPORTING MEDIOCRITY? NO NATION IN THE WORLD DEPENDS SOLELY ON GOOD LUCK FOR ITS ADVANCEMENT, OUR MILITARY LEADERS IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THEIR LEADERSHIP WAS CATASTROPHICAL FOR THE INTEREST OF OUR NATION, MAY BE EXCUSED FOR THEIR BAD GOVERNMENT, AFTERALL, WE DID NOT ELECT THEM INTO OFFICE, IN FACT AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, THEY NEVER EXISTED BECAUSE THEY WERE ILLEGITIMATE GOVERNMENTS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ONES WE ELECTED AND THEY HAVE SHOWN TO BE EVEN MORE INEPT THAN THOSE WHO FORCED THEMSELVES ON US?

  HONESTLY SPEAKING, I DID NOT EXPECT THAT IN 2015, SOME NAMES WILL STILL BE NECESSARILY REPEATED IN THE CONTEMPORARY HISTORY OF NIGERIA, NAMES SUCH AS OBASANJO, BUHARI, BABANGIDA, DAVID MARK, JEREMIAH USENI, ATIKU ABUBAKAR, DANJUMA, GOWON, EDWIN CLARK, DAVID WEST…. TO MENTION BUT FEW, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE FAILED AND CONTINUE TO FAIL, OUR OPTIONS HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO THE BEAREST MINIMUM. I SINCERELY THOUGHT THAT PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN WAS GOING TO MARK A NEW ERA IN THE POLITICAL ADVANCEMENT OF OUR NATION, BEING THE FIRST PHD HOLDER TO BECOME THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA BUT LIKE HIS PREDECESSORS, HE TOO HAS FAILED WOEFULLY, MAKING THE EXCUSE THAT WE ARE NEARER TO THE EPOCH OF NEWBREED POLITICIANS UNTENABLE.  

  ANY PRESIDENT THAT DOES NOT IDENTIFY THAT THE ONE AND ONLY PROBLEM FACING OUR NATION IS CORRUPTION AND IS REALLY READY TO SACRIFICE EVEN HIS LIFE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IS NOT WORTHY TO RULE OUR NATION, UNTIL CORRUPTION HAS BEEN SQUARELY DEALT WITH, ANY INTENTION TO ADVANCE IS A RIDICULE.

  IT IS THE FAILURE OF THE INCUMBENT PRESIDENT, THAT IS CONTINUING TO MAKE THE LIKES OF BUHARI RELEVANT EVEN TODAY IN NIGERIA, IF THE PRESIDENT HAD FULFILLED THE EXPECTATIONS, ESPECIALLY OF THE MASSES OF OUR COUNTRY, WHO IDENTIFIED WITH HIS HUMBLE BACKGROUND BEFORE BECOMING THE PRESIDENT, PEOPLE LIKE BUHARI WOULD HAVE WITHDRAWN THEMSELVES TO OUR MUSEUMS OF ANTIQUITIES, IN FACT THE 2015 ELECTIONS WOULD NOT HAVE POSED AS A KEEN CONTEST BUT A MERE WALKOVER IN FAVOR OF PRESIDENT JONATHAN.

  UNDER PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN, NIGERIA AS A TROPHY ONLY DRIFTED AWAY FROM THE HANDS OF THE TRADITIONAL CURRUPT OLIGARCHY, INTO THE HANDS OF ANOTHER CONSTITUENT AND EQUALLY CORRUPT IF NOT MORE CORRUPT OLIGARCHY. A YORUBA ADAGE SAYS; “YE god, IF YOU CANNOT IMPROVE MY SITUATION, BETTER LEAVE ME THE WAY YOU MET ME”. I WOULD RATHER BE IN THE HANDS OF AN OLD BUT HONEST LEADER WHO IDENTIFIES OUR PROBLEM AS A COUNTRY TO BE CORRUPTION AND IS WILLING TO FACE THAT PROBLEM HEAD-ON AND PREPARED TO SET A STANDARD AND SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF HIS CABINET MEMBERS, THAN BE IN THE HAND OF A YOUTH WHO THINKS THAT CORRUPTION IS NOT A PROBLEM AND PRETENDS TO SHY AWAY FROM IT.

  LET US RUMPLE SENTIMENT AND THROW IT INTO A THRASH CAN, GOODLUCK JONATHAN IS NOT THE MESSIAH WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR, SO LET US CONTINUE TO LOOK OUT FOR OUR LEADER, THE GOOD THING IS THIS, POWER DEPENDS ON US AFTER EVERY FOUR YEARS. LET US GIVE THIS MAN WHO HAS BEEN SHOWING HIS UNFLINCHING INTENTIONS FROM 2003 THE CHANCE AND SEE WHAT PLAN HE REALLY HAS. IF WE CAN GIVE THE FATHER OF CORRUPTION SUCH AS OBASANJO THE SECOND CHANCE, THEN WHY NOT A MAN OF WHOM FRIENDS AND FOES ALIKE HAVE TOLD US IS INCORRUPTIBLE. IS THAT NOT THE QUALITY WE WANT IN OUR PRESIDENT? I WOULD RISK THE NEXT 4 YEARS BUT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF BUHARI AND SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF IT.  

WHAT IS WRONG, AFRICA?

  I HAVE BEEN SURPRISINGLY FOLLOWING THE REACTIONS OF SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, CONCERNING THE WORLD LEADERS´ MARCH IN PARIS TO CONDEMN THE RECENT TERRORISTS ATTACK IN WHICH 17 PEOPLE DIED, MOST OF THE COMMENTS LAMBASTED AND QUESTIONED THE HYPOCRISY BEHIND THESE WESTERN LEADERS, WHO DO NOT REGARD SIMILAR ATTACKS ELSEWHERE, ESPECIALLY IN NIGERIA AND SOME OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE, IT WOULD BE RECALLED THAT RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE PARIS ATTACK WAS GOING ON, A TERRORIST GROUP IN NIGERIA KNOWN AS THE BOKO HARAM WAS SAID TO HAVE KILLED 2,000 NIGERIANS (UNOFFICIAL FIGURE) WHICH THE GOVERNMENT LATER PUT AT ABOUT 150.

  MY OWN REACTION TO THAT IS THIS; WHY DOES THE BLACK MAN ALWAYS LOOK FOR LOVE AND COMPREHENSION FROM OUTSIDE WHEN HE DOES NOT EVEN LOVE NOR UNDERSTAND HIMSELF AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES?

  HOW DID OUR OWN LEADERS TAKE AND REACT TO THE NEWS OF THESE MASS KILLINGS IN BORNO STATE? HOW HAVE THEY BEEN REACTING TO THE DIFFERENT ATTACKS CARRIED OUT BY THE BOKO HARAM GROUP?

  THE TRUTH IS THIS, NOBODY WILL EVER FOLLOW A MAN WHO DOES NOT TAKE A STEP, THE FRENCH PRESIDENT AND THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATED EVERY MECHANISM AND MACHINERY AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO ARREST THE SITUATION AND IMMEDIATELY REPUDIATE THE KILLINGS OF ITS CITIZENS IN THE HANDS OF THESE TERRORISTS, BUT ON THE CONTRARY, OUR GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA HAS ALWAYS MADE IT APPEAR AS IF NOTHING IS AMISS AND THAT LIFE GOES ON…. I SAW OUR ARMY DEFENCE CHIEF COME ON THE AIR TO IMMEDIATELY REFUTE THE ALLEGATION THAT 2,000 PERSONS HAD DIED IN THE BOKO HARAM ATTACK, IT WAS AS IF HE WAS EVEN PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE FIGURE WAS ONLY AROUND A 150 PEOPLE. IF OUR GOVERNMENT DOES NOT VALUE THE LIVES OF ITS CITIZENS, WHO THEN DO YOU EXPECT TO VALUE IT FOR US?

  ABOUT 20% TO 27% OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET OF 2014 IN NIGERIA WAS ALLOCATED TO SECURITY, THAT IS ABOUT N1 trillion, YET WE READ EVERYDAY IN THE MEDIA HOW BOKO HARAM MEN STORMED A MILLITARY BARRACK AND ALL THE OFFICERS IN THE BARRACK FLED LEAVING BEHIND THEIR ARMS AND AMMUNITIONS TO THE TERRORISTS.

  YES, SOLIDARITY IS IMPORTANT, BUT SOMETIMES THOSE WHO HAVE A PROBLEM NEED TO START FIGHTING HARD SO THAT EVENTUALLY PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE CAN SEE THAT YOU HAVE DONE YOUR BEST AND NEEDS HELP TO COMPLEMENT YOUR EFFORTS. 

  

  WHEN THE WORLD GATHERED ON THE ISSUE OF THE ABDUCTED NIGERIAN GIRLS, SOME TIME AGO, COLLAPSING ALL THE SOCIAL NETWORK AND THE INTERNET WITH A COMMON CAMPAIGN TO BRING BACK OUR GIRLS, WHAT CAME OUT OF IT? THE LAST WE HEARD FROM OUR SERVICE CHIEFS WAS THAT THEY KNOW WHERE THE GIRLS ARE BEING HELD HOSTAGE AND THAT THEY WILL SOON FREE THEM, THAT WAS MORE THAN SIX MONTHS AGO.

  THE TRUTH IS THIS, THE WORLD AND THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA ARE FED UP OF US, AFRICA IS REFUSING TO GROW IN SPITE OF ALL ITS NATURAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES. OUR WOES ARE NO LONGER SHOCKING NEWS, WE HAVE MADE CATASROPHE APPEAR A NORMAL OCCURRENCE, AND TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY THE DEATH OF A MILLION APPEARS EQUALLY AS IRRELEVANT AS THAT OF ANY STREET DOG WITHOUT AN OWNER. 

  UNTIL WE REALIZE IN AFRICA THAT WE ARE WHO WE´VE GOT AND BEGIN TO ADDRESS OUR CHALLENGES WITH HONESTY, LOVE AND THE TRUE SPIRIT OF BROTHERHOOD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN THE WORLD´S LAUGHING STOCK.