Blog

Members of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Riders And Owners Association(ACOMORAN) in Oyo state have been warned not to allow themselves to be used as instruments by politicians as the 2023 elections draw closer. 

This warning was issued by the association's chairman, Dr. Solomon Oulgbode in a chat with Federationews2day in Ibadan, Nigeria.

'' I implore all ACOMORAN members to be law abiding and orderly, they know where they are coming from. They must also ensure that they are not used as instruments by politicians but support the Oyo state Governor because that is what my members say and want. Since Oyo state has accommodated us, why won't we support the state Governor? We don't have factions in our association in Oyo state. Those parading themselves as executives of the association are impostors. We must support the state Governor because he did not push us into the labor market,'' Dr. Olgbode concluded.

The Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) is set to change the design of the 200, 500, and 1,00 Naira notes, months before the 2023 general elections. 

Interestingly, those who call the shots insist that the change is long overdue, although the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed argues that the government of the day was not carried along.

The question now is, Why did it take so long for this change since 2015?

So far, the CBN has destroyed 6 Trillion Naira-bank notes-  in this dispensation.

Indeed, a lot is wrong about national security, the economy, and socio-political space; while abnormalities persist.

The suggestion is that the government of the day is pushing forward face-saving strategies to becloud the sensibilities of worried Nigerians who are conscious of the nightmarish journey presently.

Of worry, is the uncertainty that trails the statement of Those-in-Charge, with particular reference to the transition of the government of the day in 2023, although the action and inaction of the powers that be are responsible for the situation in Nigeria today.

 Note- The refusal of candidates for the 2023 general elections to suspend campaigns in the face of very negative security pointers suggests that self-centered interests override national interests.

The Health System in Nigeria has passed through a lot of challenging times.

 This assertion was made on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the Physicians' Week of the Oyo state branch of the Nigeria Medical Association(NMA) with theme, ''Nigeria's Health Care Delivery System and the 2023 Democratic Transition : A Time to Change the Narrative by the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital(UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria, Prof. Abiodun Otegbayo.

''The Nigeria health system has suffered a lot, this is a backward change. This year's budget gave the health sector an encouraging allocation; over a trillion Naira.

The Government of the day and others should manage the budget for the health sector. I just pray that the health system would not collapse. I urge all of you o use your influential positions to help us in the health system,'' Prof. Otegbayo stated.

In his presentation on the theme of the week, the Vice Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University(OOU)Ago-Iwoye, Oun state, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola Johnson expressed hopes that the narrative in the country would change.

''In the course of 20 years, we are still talking of changing the narrative. Hopefully the narrative will change. Nigeria's political structure affects every aspect of our daily need. State governments should allocate 10 per cent of their budget to the health sector. We are in a civilian rule not democratic governance today. The government at all levels must be proactive,'' Prof. Johnson concluded.

The Nigeria Medical Association(NMA) in Oyo state has declared that it shall not endorse any candidate for the 2023 general elections in line with its status as a professional association.

This declaration was made on Monday, by the NMA chairman, Dr. Wale Lasisi, during a Press conference to outline activities lined up for the Physicians' week 2022 with theme, ''Nigeria's Health Care Delivery System and the 2023 Democratic Transition : A Time to Change the Narrative'' in Ibadan, Nigeria.

''That is absolutely untrue. We are apolitical, we are not endorsing any candidate, we will not endorse any candidate, we are making plans to invite gubernatorial candidates. NMA is not endorsing any candidate, we are a group of professionals without political bias. We all know that as an association we have members with different political backgrounds.''

Similarly, the National President of the NMA, Dr. Uche Ojinmah has called on Nigerians not to back candidates that lack the competence to deliver the dividends of democracy.

 ''All citizens must respond to the call of Nigeria for good leadership and should never, for pecuniary benefits, sell or support candidates that cannot move our nation forward. May God grant us the courage to be who we ought to be by standing for equality and progress. May our loyalty be only to Nigeria and may our loyalty not be tested by any past or present commitment.'' ''Let us all patiently wait to hear the plans of the presidential candidates for Nigeria, especially in the health sector, before pitching out a political support tent. Despite the national drawbacks, the Nigerian doctor has a lot to celebrate this week just for being alive.''

Two years after the EndSars protests on October 2o, 2020, across Nigeria, a number of state governments are yet to compensate victims of the protests.

This attitude by political office holders has brought to the fore the mindset of those who represent Nigerians at all levels of public office.

Families and communities are still mourning their loved ones who lost their lives as a result of the absence  of the will to do the right thing by those who occupy public offices.
Obviously, this is an eye opener for all and sundry.

However, an Ex-Officio of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), who is also a former chairman of the union in the state, Comrade Andrew Emelieze asks some very important questions :
1)Why were the street lights at the Lekki toll gate switched off on the night of the protests?
2)Who ordered that the Close Circuit Television Cameras(CCTV) be switched off?
3)Who also ordered that the lights of the billboard advertisement be switched off?
4)Why were the security operatives deployed to the scene armed with rifles and live ammunition?
5) Where are the bodies of other victims of the Lekki incident aside from those deposited in the mortuary?
Comrade Emelieze laments that lessons have not been learnt from the 2020 protests saying, '' two years down the line, all the events that led to the EndSARs protests are still with us today. There is police brutality everywhere. Nigerian police officers and rank and file are back on the streets collecting bribes from motorists. Youths aside from the criminally minded are the targets of extortion and molestation.''

Nigerians have been called upon to commend or criticize the government when there is a justifiable cause.
This call was made by the Ezendigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state, Eze(Dr.)Alex Anozie in a Press Release dated 13 October, 2022.
''We must learn to praise the governments, be it federal or state, or local government, whenever they have done well,  just like we must criticize when they have not done well.''
''All Nigerians should be happy with the federal government over their effort towards the completion of the second Niger Bridge.''
''I am particularly happy over this news, because I remember that I was the first Nigerian that voiced out, and called on the Federal Government to construct a second Niger bridge, after which other people joined, that was during our Igbo day ceremony of 2002 at Liberty stadium, Ibadan, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu was our special guest at the occasion. During my address, I called on the Federal Government to construct a second Niger Bridge to ease the pain people are going through every time they drive by crossing the only bridge.
I am so happy for the Presidents that made it happen, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari, thank you all and God bless Nigeria.'' the statement concluded.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT) Oyo state Wing has appealed to the state government to speedily domesticate the elongation of Service  for TEACHERS as approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

This appeal was made on Wednesday by the NUT chairman, Comrade Raji Oladimeji Ismail at the celebration of World Teachers day with the Theme '' The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers'' in Ibadan, Oyo state. ''Teachers are indispensable and their impact on nation building is a reflection of the great strides globally. State governments should do the needful to domesticate the 40/65 years elongation of service and years of retirement age.''

''While bringing my address to a close, may I appeal to the government of Engineer Seyi Makinde to please work on  the above mentioned for the sustainance of the various achievements recorded in the education sector.''

When pray onto the Lord to save you. He will. Then you can face the future with confidence and joy.

1 John 5 : 1-13

1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Click here-Living in Peace

Millions of Nigerians have remianed without suitable and comfortable homes due to the incompetence of Those-inCharge to provide affordable houses for the impoverished populace.

Indeed, political office holders have over the years facilitated the activities of criminally minded Esate Agents and land grabbers in several states, while the Judiciary may have for long been acting out the scripts of their paymasters.

How can a Cheif Executive appeal to Nigerians to live in peace with criminals in several communities?

A number of state governments have now turned the real estate sector to a revenue generation point, while citizens have continued to tell those who care to lsiten unending tales of woe.

Interestingly, an unspecified number of cases and incidences of fraudulent practices by illegal practitioners in the real estate sector have overwhlemed police stations and court rooms across the land.

Sadly, a few state governments have successfully made the real sector unattractive to investors, as most of the accomodation available are anything but decent and affordable.

The reversal of this horrible status quo may influence the voting patern. Perhaps. Even though owning a house ought to be a right, an enabling environment for this purpose still remians a mirage.

Note- The recruitment of unqualified persons and institutional compromise are among other reasons why insecurity and violent crimes persist.

Click here-Living in Peace

For any society to have peaceful co-existence, the people must be united with high respect for humanity, taking all other factors that differentiate our identities to be secondary.

This is what the Holy Quran emphasizes as expected of every house of God to dwell their teachings and sermons on. 

''The Holy Quran 49 : 13 refers, ''O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other, not that ye may despise each other.....''

A high level of respect for these injunctions will make us realize our claim that God is one, as impressed in the same verse above. ''Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things.

The Holy Quran 30 : 22 makes us to realize that our differences are creations of God which we must not lose to the disadvantage of others; ''And among the signs is the creation of the heaven and the earth and the variations in your languages and your colors : verily in that are signs for those who know.''

The Holy Bible : Mark 12 : 31 refers,'' And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.''

By extension, therefore, peace must reign in the houses of God for adherents to become epitomes of light and salt. For the world to be habitable and worthy of living.

Also, Matthew 5 : 13-16 is a good reference for religious adherents to be worthy of missionary work where they are expected to role model virtues and teach righteousness and peace to the people of the world.

''13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.''

The Holy Quran 3 : 104 refers, ''Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is god, enjoying what is right and forbidding what is wrong. They are the ones to attain felicity.''

Proverbs 31 : 8-9 is also instructive. ''Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. 9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.''

In the same manner the Holy Quran 47 : 35 wholesomely submits, ''Be not wary or faint-hearted, crying for peace, when you should be uppermost : For Allah is with you and will never put you in lose for your good deed.''

Click here-Living in Peace