PART-THREE:PROBLEM -SOLVING WAYS FOR NIGERIANS TO FOLLOW

BY:
Habibu Gente
DATE: Saturday,
A continuation of last weekend column.
Still on the political ways on how some of our problems will be solved.
3.     Federal Character: Government should terminate the evil of so called ‘federal character’. Although,  there may be a wisdom  behind the entrenchment of it in our constitution, the draft men on their wisdom looked the society at that time, the challenges the country might have been confronted with and resolve to introduce the federal character because the country at that time was very young independent nation. Surely,  they were right at that time to considered that mechanism for equal participation in government for every region, thus not merit determine the domination of a particular people in public offices rather political population. Having justified their reasons at that time,  in our today's society we need not this mechanism because we are now matured in our independence, the educational system are now far advance than it was in our 60s, 70s for every region in the country have far better qualified people based on educational merit which is why the 'federal character ' wouldn't do good in the country's politics than the bad. For it did a lot of damages and brought setbacks in our country. { it may be is not suitable and adoptable in Nigeria}. ‘federal character’ always give room in providing incompetent, selfish, and unpatriotic  leaders in the government or even unready individuals for leadership. Which in turn, is decaying and killing the spirit of our country politics.
The legislature should find a good alternative for the federal character and replace it with something better. Because the president or top government officials are usually thrust into a dilemma when  they are to choose between two potential would-be public servants in his cabinet because he his constrained by 'federal character' remaining him that he should look on equal participation rather than choose based on merit /qualities. If we should be honest with ourselves this mechanism is bad than it is good especially in our country that is crying for honest,  competent and clue leaders in the government.  If we are to be constrained by federal character it will be very hard if not impossible to produce leaders and public servants with such qualities.
4.    General citizenship for states: government and other legal agencies should try to invent and adopt what is called ‘free citizenships’ that is every state in Nigeria should entrenched in their ‘states laws’ that so far you are a citizen of Nigeria that legal validity so stated in the constitution  federal republic of Nigeria by the virtue of it you are automatically citizen of every states in Nigeria. I think if that should be granted, a native of Anambra knowing  that he can feels freely like home in Kano with all the rights, obligations and privileges being given to him as when he is in Anambra. And vice versa. Surely the magic will work, unity, respect, tolerance, love, understanding, justice, equality and fairness will reign in the country as united Nigeria.
                                                                                            To be continued .

EQUALITY IN EDUCATION; THE MYTHS AND IDEALS

By Habibu Gente
 Twitter :@Habibugente

The mantra of equality in education at is were from reception,  is a yet another political tricks used as valuable tool by the leaders on the minds of the masses. It is this very ideal concept that successfully deleted the doubt that would have been casted on the hearts of the followers, and since the tool achieve it purpose of manipulation of minds and psychological subjugation, thereafter the followers end up being programed to praise the misdeeds of their leaders and  ignorantly commending their insincere political execution.
        Now let look what is education and what  taste of 'equality' does it have in it, I'm sure by the end of the read you will believe with me that the concept equality is falsely misconstrued.  Another major element that promote the concept is the misleading word 'patrioticism' you will equally see how patrioticism was falsely used to take advantage of the masses to believe in their misdeeds. These words and concepts for so long misguided the masses to adhere to the tenets of their oppressors' false political ideology, and which built  immeasurable love,  obedience and royalty they have for their oppressors.
Education is the art of  imparting knowledge, skills and  judgement.  Or education is a gradual process of acquiring knowledge. And this can be of two type,  there is informal way of education.  Which is facts and ideas that are learned from home with parents as the custodian. Thus a child learned facts like; there is world, life, illness, health, poor class and rich class, male and female,  love and hatred, and that humans are born and eventually the end journey is death  there are humans as well as animals and plants living alongside each other on earth. Child learned skills like; eating, drinking,  talking, mode of dressing,  etc. Formal way of education this is acquired from a formal settings like schools.  A child acquired knowledge and ideas for self improvement and teachers as the instructors. Thus child learned ideas like; the concept of universe, nature, God, life and death,  moral codes,  and a formal  skills like;  reading and writing,  speaking of the official language of the education system,  reality of world through its philosophy,  psychology, sociology, laws of the land, science and lot more.
            The concern for this exercise is the formal education.  Now let look at what is equality  and how scholars and philosophers over time defined the concept, and how it served as the  tenet to  every philosopher foundation for their philosophical treatise.
Worldweb defined equality as the quality of being the same in quantity, measure, value or status. Thomas Acquinas said justice and equality means "a firm and constant will to give to each one his due and be absolutely treated same"
The republic Plato said " Everything or person had its proper sphere of justice and equality and that equality meant conforming to that sphere".
Guided by these philosophers' views and other numerous similar views of many other scholars, it is safe to say the concept of equality in our educational system is far better away from justice and equality it's seek to achieve by bringing together individuals of different angles of lives with different backgrounds, experience, class, and challenges in a single platform called school. It goes without the philosophical question about equality that;   "is treating unequals equally a tantamountto justice? ".
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.

NIGERIA POLITICAL SIEGE : THE TALE OF A JOKE-NATION

The introduction of N-power by this administration to unemployed youths is a development we have to appreciate. At least  it gave some sort of relief to the crying unemployment rate rumbling in the country. However, to me N-power is not  solution to the alarming unemployment rate. What good will it do to a young graduate knowing that he will be only employ temporarily without security of lasting on the job?. Though,  it is a step forward. We are living in a time when most of burning issues that needed to be given critical attention were given a deaf ears by the government. Critical agitation that seek to threaten our living as one United nation for a long time like; igbo quit notice by Arewa youths,  Kanu's Biafra agitation, Taraba genocide, clash of herdsmen, rising kidnapping and economic harshness many everyday Nigeria suffering from. Astonishingly, this  administration is busy with 2019 election winning strategy, and attending of wealthy marriages. Nigeria was a joke nation long before thus administration,  but currently have promoted to a mock- theatre with politician as the clowns making the theatre more lively with lucrative comedies. This administration mockery shows would be justified in recent numerous criminal trials against high profile politicians in the lower courts. It is only in country like Nigeria that  a federal government will prosecute a political-criminal while the prosecutors seem not ready for the case after all the waste of resources to pursue the case. Imagine if Saraki is in a different country not Nigeria, he would have been in a dungeon prison steels where his bones will be gnawed to flesh. But fortunately for him and other similar numerous criminals like him, are under the protection of aso- rock and protected mansion. They were and still be celebrated as the successful and accomplished  individuals of the country, many people are looking over them as their role models,  heroes. Very bad indeed. Nigeria is a joke-nation with a  geographical entity of mockery-theatre. It is only in Nigeria that a criminal will be charged with over thirty counts and yet scale through all of them in single sitting because the federal government as the prosecution could not proved their case beyond the minimum criminal ingredients, and upon all allegations, media conviction and nationwide cry against the sluggishness of the trial, he filled "no case submission ". Now the mantra of every criminal charges against a politician, is "no case submission ", it has now become the "scale free trick" of this administration.  Funny. It is only in a joke-nation that professional and career thieves/criminals (Nigeria politicians ) will be free discharged and acquitted in a court of law, while petty first timer thieves (those who stole goats, food to feed themselves  ) are wallowing  in prisons without conviction. What a mockery of our criminal justice system!. People like Zakzky and Co. Are suffering in jail for months now because of what one scholar used called "imprisonment of conscience". Voicing out his opinion and promoting his religious beliefs, while notorious violence promoters like Nmandi Kanu were granted bail by the court and the federal government obeyed the decision.  The question is why the government refused to honored that of Zakzky's bail?. Intriguing right?. It wouldn't be long before this administration will do appointments, give privileges, sacks, and protect citizens  base on their religious ideologies and sectarianism.

UNITED NIGERIA :MY DREAM COUNTRY

         GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
BY:
HABIBU GENTE
DATE:  Sunday, 25 June , 2017
             
Before I could able to deal with my conflicting ideas which for long fought a duel in my mind, in the course, two vital questions continuously percolating in my brain, inter alia;  I used asked myself.
1. Is Nigeria a nation where even an infant child born in a era of brightness in which the light of a new dawn of suppose progressive and united country dominated the darkness of past war and disunity. And yet he grew up in despondency and hopelessness , and still believe the future is bleak filled with uncertainties?.
2. Or is Nigeria a nation where an unfortunate child was born in an epitome of divided nation, and bottom of escalation of war in the most horrifying and tragic of never-ending conflicts and thirst for vengeance which threaten the foundation of newly-born country and fells the four walls of the nation. And yet believe that one day, there will come a time when all our differences will be burned down and the grievances wipe out and we will sit in the same roof to discuss a platform that will move the nation forward as one indivisible and indissoluble nation. A time when job opportunities and equal rights on education and in political participation will be purely based on merits and embodiments’ of justice and trust.
But it wasn't long to eliminate these thoughts when I read about the revolutionary journey of Muhammad El-Gaddafi to Africa in pursuant of his dreams united Africa. And a book written by a Nigerian retired Military officer by the name Sam Momoh.  "NIGERIA BEYOND DIVORCE".
                  Of course,  like the late Libya President Gaddafi's dream of United Africa. I have inchoate ideal of united Nigeria one day in our history. Gaddafi's dreams of uniting the whole African countries, economically, socially, politically and ideologically was a fruitless struggle. Not because Africa was too big to unite nor was it economically weak,  but Gaddafi wasn't able to actualize his dreams because of the incompatibility of different ideologies that operate in different countries of Africa continent.  Gaddafi couldn't have make it through because of his adherence to socialism that antagonize the capitalism which has been for decades weaving in most of the powerful Africa countries. Though the speculative misinterpretation of his speeches and talks that were construed as to he wanted to islamize Africa. That too,  contributed to the failure of  realizing his dreams united Africa. Unlike Gaddafi, I'm not a socialist nor did I subscribed to all the theories of capitalism. I'm a moderate who stand in between the two ideologies. I believe that both can be apply moderately to produce a positive change in the situation of a country and its people. Like Gaddafi I believe that one day we will be free from the chains of imperialism and do away with the influence of neocolonialism in our political views and scope. I have a dream in Nigeria that one day all our differences will be solved and we will have mutual understanding and decent respect for one another. My dream united Nigeria where all these constant hatred of one ethnic group against the other will be wiped out from our hearts, the ingrained lack of trust between ourselves will be no more and we will sit in a single  room knowing that we are dinning and discussing with our brothers, and the ideological views we held with high esteem will be respected and protected.  No more barrier between religion,  tribal or ethnic groups. No more bokoharam, kidnapping, sexual exploitation, child trafficking, abduction,  niger Delta avengers, IPOB,  Massob or eviction notice to ibos. My dream Nigeria where there will be no virus of corruption of politicians, public officers , where the empowering of and educating masses will be the first priority of the leaders.  A Nigeria where our institutions will stand strong against all odds and say NO to impunity and

AREWA YOUTHS QUIT NOTICE TO IBOS; MY MESSAGE TO NIGERIAN YOUTHS

   GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
BY:
HABIBU GENTE
DATE:  Saturday, 17 June , 2017
     
The aim of this write up isn't to elaborate on our past history nor to give a sermon on who is right or wrong,  or which side is dominating and the one dominated, rather it is to give a clear picture of who and what our politicians are and how they politicalised everything in this country. And to let the youths  know that their leaders who are pushing them to clamored or incite violence, is to their gain and at the expense of those who will be use as machineries(everyday Nigerians) . Those politicians have nothing to lose,  because it will be another profit to their "vested interest " and their business as usual "privatization of public funds into their own pockets".
The wave of the yet another incarnation of1967 gory history of Nigeria is about to melt the unity storm that unconditionally bind us together. Last week news headlines was so terrifying,  and shocked most concern Nigerians. The quite notice message by Arewa youth forum to the Ibos to vacate the North and park back to their region. with August as the death line. The pro- Biafra agitators (IPOB,  Kanu's Jewish Prophethood Pranks) all these unpleasant noises and stinking clamoring produced horrific and pandemonium air of hopelessness on Nigeria dream of promoting national unity and prosperous future for our children to harvest in the riches of our country's Godgiving wealth.
I read many comments on the burning issue on ground postulated by some social commentators. From both sides, to this end I don't have to say anything else. Just to let my Muse to wet my immature intellectualism on the issue, I will adopt some of the good but careful intellectualism displayed by one highly educated traditional ruler; the Emir of Kano; Emir Muhammad Sunusi II. On his lengthy but educative essay,  his royal Highness made mentioned of one most important and at the same time deceptive common weapon our selfish politicians use to dismantle the conscience of the masses that will allow them to see the oppressive nature of the so-called leaders and consequently, the politico- psychological manipulation drugs intoxication that forced the youths to enter into a war. The cause of which they know nothing about,  the motives behind it and to fight  a war with their blood  a battle that is psychologically and physically beyond them (he said the sefish politicians are the "common enemy" of the masses). So let us fight them and not to kill ourselves. Alas,  who will blame them?. Their oppressors for so long ingrained in them the politico-psychological manipulation drugs which intoxicated them and retarded their conscience and intellect to reason well before they agreed to fight a war that doesn't belong to them. Or before they innocently kill themselves while their oppressors sit from a protective mansions to watch while they were slay and maimed right in front of their doors.
There isn't good name for "wrong" bad is bad no matter what name we give to it.  It is still "Bad". All these pro- Biafra agitators, IPOB, Niger Delta avengers..... Etc and Northern Youths Forum,  Arewa Youth to all other premature groups calling for break out or divisions I considered them as those who are heedless to history especially gory past of our country.
Please the good people of this country let not politicians use you to invest in their "vested interest" which is to expense of we the masses.  "Children of nobody". That is why you are in the school to be educated and be different from those who go no school. Never allow you to be exploited by those selfish politicians whose sole business is their pockets and well-being of their children who went abroad to study while you are here in dilapidated institutions and rotting educational systems.

THE QUEST FOR BARUTEN POLITICAL FREEDOM

                 GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
BY:
HABIBU GENTE
DATE:  Saturday, 3  June , 2017
             
While Kwara State is rotting away from underdevelopment and lack of youth empowerment, Baruten local government is devastating politically and deprived from equal political participation, educational opportunities and equal privileges related to public offices in the State. Baruten was for a very long time ago subjugated by the State policies, that one could not help but think they are isolated from Kwara State or from Nigeria as a country. I used to think as i was growing up in the mix of valley of segregation and storm of inequality of political privileges that clouded over Kwara State politics, that do we have representatives?, or are we so sidelined in Kwara State that we couldn't have the  national rights access to the monthly allocation allotted to every local governments of the country?. As an innocent child these are questions I do ask my pure and confused mind often,  to which I could not get satisfied answers,  nor was I able to make sense out of the lingering questions about Baruten abandonment. Until I came into age and maturing on how politics work in this country.
       Of course this degeneration of Baruten Local government, isn't only one way traffic of blame. Our politicians supposedly representing the locality are they themselves the most clueless leaders that ever walk in the corridor of power. Their insensitivity and myopia political planes and ideas are obviously apparent in the lack of basic necessities for decent living of their people;  unapologetic disconnection from information about the State and country's politics, lack of any recognize higher institutions( like NCE,  UNIVERSITY OR TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE),  lack of electricity connection, lack or no communities boreholes, dilapidated public schools etc.
   The following are some of basics things Baruten needs for its political emancipation and development;
1.   Effective information;  No nation and people could survive from political manipulation instinct by their oppressors without effect and independent communication miss like Radios stations, Tv Stations and other effective miss of passing information. Baruten is in dare  need of Standard Radios and Tv Stations that can communicate with the people and update them about their country's politics and news with the language they understand. If this could be done in one year Baruten people will free themselves from the age-long subjugation.
2.    Establishment of higher institutions;  The root of every development of any people and nation is good background of education programs. How could a nation achieve that,  is by nurturing of public schools which is the foundation of education, and then establishment of NCEs,  Universities and Technical institutes. All these are lacking in Baruten local government area. Save only the crying private affiliated institutions which themselves are not sufficient to cover the whole locality. Baruten need standard training institutions and not affiliated ones that do not guarantee effective learning.  And often times sought to kills the morals of youths engagement in academic excellence thus, patently produced half-baked graduates and 'no-go better school students'.
 SHARE IT UNTIL IT REACH THE RIGHT AUTHORITIES.  #FOR BARUTEN POLITICAL EMANCIPATION.

BUKOLA AND HIS PUPPETS PROMOTED FROM 'POSITIVE CHANGE' TO 'FREEDOM'

      GINA WEEKEND COLUMN,
BY:
HABIBU GENTE
DATE:  Saturday, 26 May, 2017.
 
Anytime I visit my hometown I shed tears of despair And despondent.  Although my feelings of hopelessness Is all about Nigeria situation as whole,  especially with the clueless APC administration that with every day is a step backward to where we left for so long. Kwara state is a place of despair especially when you look what other states government are doing for their people,which range from town development,  rehabilitation program, nurturing of state education and empowerment of youths.  Is so annoying that Bukola and his puppet Fatai's administration fooling the good people of Kwara in their campaign of freedom. It is funny,  and a mockery to the sensitivity of good people of Kwara. Pre-election of 2015 the mantra was 'positive change' and now post-election is 'Freedom ' the question is freedom from who or what? ,is it a freedom of manipulation or freedom against Political education?  Which of the freedom are Bukola and his puppets deceptively supposedly Agitating for Kwarans?.
It is so disgusting how these miscreants politicians subject Kwarans and reduced its citizens into a life of lower animals (sorry to say). The psychological manipulation and mental enslavement forced the people to bow for their oppressors and hail their misdeeds. Bukola is the most wicked -worst and merciless politician of modern Nigeria politics to have ever walk in the corridors of power. Kwarans are 'prisoners of conscience ' No one could talk, express his opinion against Bukola dictatorship nor question Fatai's puppetism governance that is making waves in the ocean of underdevelopment,  degenerated public service,  dilapidated public schools, decays public health, rotting inadequate water supply,  inconsistent electricity supply in the capital city and no-access electricity for towns outside the capital metropolis.
Bukola's Big Brother style of manipulation of Kwara State is beyond the ordinary human thinking,  the Big brother in Orwell's time his is less harmful and less threatening than the Bukola inherent Big brother rulership. Like Orwell's big brother Bukola image is everywhere anytime in the mind of his puppets -worshippers that if they could decide for the public welfare and development Bukola's image and name keep on resounding in their hearts and minds telling them that to develop the State and to prioritize the welfare of the citizens is not the priority of their 'Big Brother' so they shudder not to lose their position. It is the fear of the Big Brother that no public worker could have the gust to cry about the cutting of their salaries that was thwarted by twenty percent,  pensioners could not agitate for their rights over unsustainable money that is paid for their public service they offered during their service days which is scraped by thirty percent. Bukola make Kwarans in their State a living hell,  Kwara State in under the rulership of modern 'Big Brother ' who possess all the qualities of Stalinist dictatorship of;  psychological manipulation that every sensible person could not decry against subjugation of centuries of dictatorship in modern liberal Democracy government of twenty first century .I'm sure even this piece of writing many people (of course those of whom are directly affected. I.e  civil servants) will fear-die and scold me why I write this against the 'Big Brother ' of Kwara State. To tell you how effective the psychological manipulation of Bukola invisible rulership derail the minds of the majority of Kwarans educated and non-educated alike. But it can't work on me,  and that is the reason behind my writing. Because no one seem to care nor write or talk to save innocent victims from Bukola's Stalinist rulership. It dawn on me that someone has to have the moral courage to check the excess of the tyrants and tyranny of Bukola and his puppet Fatai's Administration.

PART-FOUR:PROBLEM -SOLVING WAYS FOR NIGERIANS TO FOLLOW

GINA WEEKEND COLUMN
BY:
HABIBU GENTE
DATE:  Saturday, 20  May, 2017

5.       Patriotic and conscious leadership: Nigeria as a nation need vibrant and active politicians  who are selfish less and patriotic that can hold this country together with their power of political ideas. For so long Nigeria political leaders are too myopic and naïve to think and change the country for better. Nigeria major problems in the last two decades is bad leadership skills and voting of not-ready individuals into critical positions in the government. This issue of incompetent leaders landed us to the land of joke-nation where clueless and insensitive politicians vie with one another presentation of comical political ideas and poor management of public funds in TVs and our mockery-theatre country called Nigeria.
6.        Illiteracy: This disease is one of the most evil thing if exist in excess in any society, it will engineer poverty, self-hatred, and self- destruction which will drive such person into barbarous acts and behavior. And much more consolidate underdevelopment. Bad for the citizens, it will be a tool for selfish politicians to oppress the masses {working class} and eventually deprive them of their least rights {right to free and decent life }. Nigeria politicians and leaders alike hold this precious rights of the citizens knowing too well that whenever they provide sound education for the people {masses} they will be civilized and enlightened enough to see what other countries leaders are doing for their citizens whose interest they represent in government. Thus citizen will be well-informed and be incessant in agitation for their God-given deserved rights. Illiteracy as bad as it may sound to the ears is like a rotting egg in pottery barn if fail to fished it out it will affect the others good ones and the whole eggs will either start smelling and the pottery barn will begin stinking and if someone has to come in your pottery he will not be convinced that it is a single rotting egg that produces the whole stunk that the pottery generate. In Nigeria this is the case because of government inability to deal with alarming rate of illiteracy, and the rotting egg begun to stunk up it appears that all Nigerians are illiterates. If the government did not something about it then, even twenty years to come Nigeria will be rate among the poorest and higher level of illiteracy no matter how developed we may think we are in those years.
7.             Poverty of the masses: poverty as bad it may sound is the root of every wars, riots, conflicts, protests virtually anywhere they occurred. The menace poverty do course is beyond the outer surface its name denotes. That is why most of the developed nations in the world today make it mandatory as first priority to fight and wipe away poverty from their country heart. Because if one person is hungry he will do all evils things you cant imagine with your ordinary sense.If poverty is not eradicated in this country at least to minimum, nothing will work and we will always be in total failure in whatever we try. It is poverty that make many students fail exams, to steal,  it brought rampant kidnapping,  arm robbery , tugging on mother Parks etc.  In fact poverty negative effects are beyond the few things I mentioned.  Because every root of war or civil violence that occurred in any place of the world poverty and hunger has its share contributed towards its incitement and escalation.

8.            Religion tolerance:Their should and most be for every religion rights and tolerance to practice it everywhere in the country. Let everyone have freedom of thoughts and practice his own beliefs system either in single or in congregation, and in private or in public as it is entrenched in the constitution of federal republic of Nigeria.