Happenings

The British Prime Minister, Theresa  May and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, visited Nigeria recently, to assure the Federal Government of their unwavering support for issues bothering on security, economy, agriculture and commerce. This move by the leaders of the two developed countries has rekindled the hopes of  impoverished Nigerians that all would soon be well. In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke outlines the importance of these visits. Excerpts :

The leaders of Britain and Germany were in Nigeria last week to sign agreements with the present administration. How would you assess their visit ?

Since the beginning, successive administrations in Nigeria have never seemed to understand the concept of Democracy, hence, they end up not ceasing the advantage of the tripod stand that would have given us political stability and functional institutions, which would have resulted in sustainable development.

The duo would have given us a high level of  home support, good international and public image as a nation. Democracy,as it is practiced in Nigeria, is a good reference point of our colonial administration heritage, which has been used to sustain and maintain high level of development indicators.

It is equally been compared with other African nations as well as those from other continents, which were at particular points of their history under the rule of the colonial masters up till the 1960s. For example, Ghana gained independence in 1957, Singapore and Malaysia in 1965 and Nigeria in 1960.

Indeed, the younger generation of these erstwhile colonial masters are sustaining and maintaining the heritage of their fathers.

Nigeria will continue to look like a caricature of itself and its people, possibly, be subjected to various psychological tests. This is why perceptions from Britain and Germany will continue to range from pseudo-comic to pity because we have never been consistent.

The statement credited to the British Prime Minister is not an over statement because even at the home front, our government has not been consistent and neither have they been able to pass the test of justice and equity, not to talk of bringing succour-peace and development-for our people.

What about the security challenges ? With increasing profiles of devastation to the lives and property of innocent citizens, coupled with the daily news of the opportunities in the corridors of power, which has established the culture of endemic corruption and questionable democratic dividends of poverty, hunger, diseases and dysfunctional infrastructure.

For the German Chancellor, as a woman  of substance, her gesture on the Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture and Commerce, is more of a pity and rescue operation for a drowning government and for a nation not to head for the precipice.

There are a lot of thing in Nigeria that needs restructuring through re-evaluative measures, to be able to have a right fix. For example the disparity in the compensation plan-salary-between the Civil/Public servants and the political office holders is a source of worry for all and sundry.

Even if all the advance nations bring their wealth to support Nigeria , kleptocracy and wasteful spending will ever make them suffer the fate of the moribund Operation Feed the Nation, DIFFRI, NAPEP and others.

However, we need to thank the political party in power for directing their energy towards alleviating the poverty of the people at this critical time when the campaign for 2018 would have occupied them in the face of threat by the stiff opposition, backsliding within the party through cross carpeting of their big shots. All they need from us, is our support, to jointly work with the anti-graft agencies, withou bias and advocate for programme and project driven sessions in our transition into the 2018 elections, that would usher in a new government of our desire, based on the lesson learnt from our failure to build strong institutions which is a characteristic of  governments of the developed world.

It is high time therefor, for Nigerians to deviate away from building strong individuals, otherwise our yearnings to have sustainable development would remain a tantalizing mirage.

The British Prime Minister, Theresa  May and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, visited Nigeria recently, to assure the Federal Government of their unwavering support for issues bothering on security, economy, agriculture and commerce. This move by the leaders of the two developed countries has rekindled the hopes of  impoverished Nigerians that all would soon be well. In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke outlines the importance of these visits. Excerpts :

The leaders of Britain and Germany were in Nigeria last week to sign agreements with the present administration. How would you assess their visit ?

Since the beginning, successive administrations in Nigeria have never seemed to understand the concept of Democracy, hence, they end up not ceasing the advantage of the tripod stand that would have given us political stability and functional institutions, which would have resulted in sustainable development.

The duo would have given us a high level of  home support, good international and public image as a nation. Democracy,as it is practiced in Nigeria, is a good reference point of our colonial administration heritage, which has been used to sustain and maintain high level of development indicators.

It is equally been compared with other African nations as well as those from other continents, which were at particular points of their history under the rule of the colonial masters up till the 1960s. For example, Ghana gained independence in 1957, Singapore and Malaysia in 1965 and Nigeria in 1960.

Indeed, the younger generation of these erstwhile colonial masters are sustaining and maintaining the heritage of their fathers.

Nigeria will continue to look like a caricature of itself and its people, possibly, be subjected to various psychological tests. This is why perceptions from Britain and Germany will continue to range from pseudo-comic to pity because we have never been consistent.

The statement credited to the British Prime Minister is not an over statement because even at the home front, our government has not been consistent and neither have they been able to pass the test of justice and equity, not to talk of bringing succour-peace and development-for our people.

What about the security challenges ? With increasing profiles of devastation to the lives and property of innocent citizens, coupled with the daily news of the opportunities in the corridors of power, which has established the culture of endemic corruption and questionable democratic dividends of poverty, hunger, diseases and dysfunctional infrastructure.

For the German Chancellor, as a woman  of substance, her gesture on the Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture and Commerce, is more of a pity and rescue operation for a drowning government and for a nation not to head for the precipice.

There are a lot of thing in Nigeria that needs restructuring through re-evaluative measures, to be able to have a right fix. For example the disparity in the compensation plan-salary-between the Civil/Public servants and the political office holders is a source of worry for all and sundry.

Even if all the advance nations bring their wealth to support Nigeria , kleptocracy and wasteful spending will ever make them suffer the fate of the moribund Operation Feed the Nation, DIFFRI, NAPEP and others.

However, we need to thank the political party in power for directing their energy towards alleviating the poverty of the people at this critical time when the campaign for 2018 would have occupied them in the face of threat by the stiff opposition, backsliding within the party through cross carpeting of their big shots. All they need from us, is our support, to jointly work with the anti-graft agencies, withou bias and advocate for programme and project driven sessions in our transition into the 2018 elections, that would usher in a new government of our desire, based on the lesson learnt from our failure to build strong institutions which is a characteristic of  governments of the developed world.

It is high time therefor, for Nigerians to deviate away from building strong individuals, otherwise our yearnings to have sustainable development would remain a tantalizing mirage.

The British Prime Minister, Theresa  May and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, visited Nigeria recently, to assure the Federal Government of their unwavering support for issues bothering on security, economy, agriculture and commerce. This move by the leaders of the two developed countries has rekindled the hopes of  impoverished Nigerians that all would soon be well. In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke outlines the importance of these visits. Excerpts :

The leaders of Britain and Germany were in Nigeria last week to sign agreements with the present administration. How would you assess their visit ?

Since the beginning, successive administrations in Nigeria have never seemed to understand the concept of Democracy, hence, they end up not ceasing the advantage of the tripod stand that would have given us political stability and functional institutions, which would have resulted in sustainable development.

The duo would have given us a high level of  home support, good international and public image as a nation. Democracy,as it is practiced in Nigeria, is a good reference point of our colonial administration heritage, which has been used to sustain and maintain high level of development indicators.

It is equally been compared with other African nations as well as those from other continents, which were at particular points of their history under the rule of the colonial masters up till the 1960s. For example, Ghana gained independence in 1957, Singapore and Malaysia in 1965 and Nigeria in 1960.

Indeed, the younger generation of these erstwhile colonial masters are sustaining and maintaining the heritage of their fathers.

Nigeria will continue to look like a caricature of itself and its people, possibly, be subjected to various psychological tests. This is why perceptions from Britain and Germany will continue to range from pseudo-comic to pity because we have never been consistent.

The statement credited to the British Prime Minister is not an over statement because even at the home front, our government has not been consistent and neither have they been able to pass the test of justice and equity, not to talk of bringing succour-peace and development-for our people.

What about the security challenges ? With increasing profiles of devastation to the lives and property of innocent citizens, coupled with the daily news of the opportunities in the corridors of power, which has established the culture of endemic corruption and questionable democratic dividends of poverty, hunger, diseases and dysfunctional infrastructure.

For the German Chancellor, as a woman  of substance, her gesture on the Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture and Commerce, is more of a pity and rescue operation for a drowning government and for a nation not to head for the precipice.

There are a lot of thing in Nigeria that needs restructuring through re-evaluative measures, to be able to have a right fix. For example the disparity in the compensation plan-salary-between the Civil/Public servants and the political office holders is a source of worry for all and sundry.

Even if all the advance nations bring their wealth to support Nigeria , kleptocracy and wasteful spending will ever make them suffer the fate of the moribund Operation Feed the Nation, DIFFRI, NAPEP and others.

However, we need to thank the political party in power for directing their energy towards alleviating the poverty of the people at this critical time when the campaign for 2018 would have occupied them in the face of threat by the stiff opposition, backsliding within the party through cross carpeting of their big shots. All they need from us, is our support, to jointly work with the anti-graft agencies, withou bias and advocate for programme and project driven sessions in our transition into the 2018 elections, that would usher in a new government of our desire, based on the lesson learnt from our failure to build strong institutions which is a characteristic of  governments of the developed world.

It is high time therefor, for Nigerians to deviate away from building strong individuals, otherwise our yearnings to have sustainable development would remain a tantalizing mirage.

The British Prime Minister, Theresa  May and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, visited Nigeria recently, to assure the Federal Government of their unwavering support for issues bothering on security, economy, agriculture and commerce. This move by the leaders of the two developed countries has rekindled the hopes of  impoverished Nigerians that all would soon be well. In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke outlines the importance of these visits. Excerpts :

The leaders of Britain and Germany were in Nigeria last week to sign agreements with the present administration. How would you assess their visit ?

Since the beginning, successive administrations in Nigeria have never seemed to understand the concept of Democracy, hence, they end up not ceasing the advantage of the tripod stand that would have given us political stability and functional institutions, which would have resulted in sustainable development.

The duo would have given us a high level of  home support, good international and public image as a nation. Democracy,as it is practiced in Nigeria, is a good reference point of our colonial administration heritage, which has been used to sustain and maintain high level of development indicators.

It is equally been compared with other African nations as well as those from other continents, which were at particular points of their history under the rule of the colonial masters up till the 1960s. For example, Ghana gained independence in 1957, Singapore and Malaysia in 1965 and Nigeria in 1960.

Indeed, the younger generation of these erstwhile colonial masters are sustaining and maintaining the heritage of their fathers.

Nigeria will continue to look like a caricature of itself and its people, possibly, be subjected to various psychological tests. This is why perceptions from Britain and Germany will continue to range from pseudo-comic to pity because we have never been consistent.

The statement credited to the British Prime Minister is not an over statement because even at the home front, our government has not been consistent and neither have they been able to pass the test of justice and equity, not to talk of bringing succour-peace and development-for our people.

What about the security challenges ? With increasing profiles of devastation to the lives and property of innocent citizens, coupled with the daily news of the opportunities in the corridors of power, which has established the culture of endemic corruption and questionable democratic dividends of poverty, hunger, diseases and dysfunctional infrastructure.

For the German Chancellor, as a woman  of substance, her gesture on the Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture and Commerce, is more of a pity and rescue operation for a drowning government and for a nation not to head for the precipice.

There are a lot of thing in Nigeria that needs restructuring through re-evaluative measures, to be able to have a right fix. For example the disparity in the compensation plan-salary-between the Civil/Public servants and the political office holders is a source of worry for all and sundry.

Even if all the advance nations bring their wealth to support Nigeria , kleptocracy and wasteful spending will ever make them suffer the fate of the moribund Operation Feed the Nation, DIFFRI, NAPEP and others.

However, we need to thank the political party in power for directing their energy towards alleviating the poverty of the people at this critical time when the campaign for 2018 would have occupied them in the face of threat by the stiff opposition, backsliding within the party through cross carpeting of their big shots. All they need from us, is our support, to jointly work with the anti-graft agencies, withou bias and advocate for programme and project driven sessions in our transition into the 2018 elections, that would usher in a new government of our desire, based on the lesson learnt from our failure to build strong institutions which is a characteristic of  governments of the developed world.

It is high time therefor, for Nigerians to deviate away from building strong individuals, otherwise our yearnings to have sustainable development would remain a tantalizing mirage.

The British Prime Minister, Theresa May and the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel were in Nigeria recently to affirm the committments of their respective countries  in the areas of Security, Economy, Agriculture and Commerce. Nigerians would soon say goodbye to poverty and hunger, only if these countries' interventions would be properly utilized.

Nigerians call for more security presence along the Makurdi-Abuja, Kaduna-Abuja and several other expressways in different parts of the country

Former Oyo state Governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja  has declared that himself and other politicians with wealth of experience in politics formed an alliance for peace to reign in the state.

Senator Ladoja made this  declaration on Tuesday, in a chat with  Journalists,at his Ondo street, Bodija,Ibadan,Nigeria residence.

''When you are in the opposition the minimum you can do is to ensure that there is peace in your ranks. If there is no peace among you in the opposition, then government will  take advantage 

of it. Chief Michael Koleosho is not contesting, I am not contesting, Alhaji Busari Adebisi is not contesting, that is why we formed an alliance of like minds.

The former Governor noted that the reluctance to accept the truth was the basis of the country's problems.

''The first thing is to ask people to tell the truth,then we are on the way to solving the country's problems. The major problem we have is that we don't accept the truth. We  have class  competition,  this is  not helping us.The government did not accept that we have Boko Haram problem, the government did not accept that we have Fulani herdsmen problem, that is the problem, we  don't accept the  truth'',Senator Ladoja asserted.

The ongoing voters registration exercise has been extended to 31 August, 2018 by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).

Even though it is being trailed by series of complaints,disappointments and frustrations from eligible voters, who are bonafide Nigerians.

Indeed, the story remains the same nationwide.

In Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Oyo, Osun Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara and Imo states, INEC staff have continuously engaged in various malpractices-deliberate hoarding of registration materials and collusion with a favoured political party's officials, to sabotage the process.

A sizable number of Nigerians, who reported at the registration centres in different parts of the country, some as early as 4.00 AM in the early hours of the day, were either left unattended to or were given numbers on some sheets of papers and requested to check later in the day.

This is despite the fact, that several worried Nigerians opted to sleep at the centres.

Interestingly, the feeling is that an unspecified number of centres have been  deliberate denied of materials by the political class, who aspire to use same for purposes still unknown.

Of great worry, is the the double registration syndrome which is already the trend all over the country and the obsessive participation  of under aged children believed to  have been sponsored by politicians and their agents in the registration exercise.

Although the INEC headquarters in Abuja has disclosed that it is making efforts to address the shortcomings, public apathy, apprehensions and misgivings trailing the exercise, it still insists that eligible voters have the opportunity of exercising their civic responsibilities.

A well informed source at the  headquarters of the electoral body reveals that ''some evil and criminal minded politicians are conniving with our staff, to undermine the voters registration and mastermind the registration of under aged voters''.

''I wish to assure that no multiple registration will go unnoticed. INEC possesses the technology to detect illegalities'', the source hinted.

Without doubt, Nigerians are looking forward to free and fair elections in 2019, devoid of illegalities from the point of voters registration to the very day of the elections.

Unarguably, Illegalities are ,obstacles to a transparent emergence of the true representatives of the people. Debatable ?