I felt sorry for him. Reminded me of a much younger ‘me’. That’s the thrust of this chronicle, ‘community policing’.

How many of us remember being ‘children of the neighborhood’ when we were younger? By that I mean being at the mercy of your elders, especially when you’d erred? A typical scenario would be doing something wrong with your peers, getting punished, maybe even spanked by the parent who found you guys out, and then having the pleasure of being driven home by that parent, just so they can ‘claim points’ . Unfortunately you’d almost surely have secured another spanking! When I was younger I used to think, if you’re going to punish me go ahead but don’t get me punished twice for the same crime!

I think of those times and I smile. I think of now and parents don’t discipline their kids, talk less of letting anyone else correct them. And I wonder at how much we claim to love them, but let them rot away (in our ‘love’). Of course I’m not advocating offering our kids up for the world to train/batter/reprimand but….. I don’t even know how to explain what I mean.

Ok, so this happened in Abuja, sometime in 2010. I got ‘policed’.

I had to do a transaction in the bank and so I got there at about 8.10am, with the confidence of an early bird who wouldn’t have to wait too long to be attended to. With benefit of hindsight now, next time I have to do a transaction before going to work I’ll probably by there by 7am, the queue was so long!

Anyways, so I located the last person in the queue, told him I’d be behind him, and then went to sit down because my leg was still in limp mode and standing was a major chore (the chronicle behind that will be ready sometime before the coming of our Lord; still haven’t come to a place where I can write about it).

So I sit beside this buxom woman, obviously an Alhaja from Oyo State (thanks to her delivery of Yoruba on the phone) and I greet her. When she’s done with her call, she acknowledges my greeting; suddenly she looks at me funny like the injury is on my hands and says, “ki lo de”? Without answering, I turn up my left foot and she sees the ugly wound under the foot, spits away from my big toe. Let’s play out the dialogue that ensued, and call her B.W (buxom woman) for this purpose too.

B.W – Jesu! What happened to your leg?

FGS – erm, I……..

B.W – it’s the high heels abi?

FGS – no ma! I fell…..

B.W – (now sympathetic) Ah, pele omo mi. (Sudden light bulb moment). But it was when you were wearing the high heels that you fell abi?

FGS – (now laughing hard and thinking, ‘seriously’) no ma, I wasn’t wearing heels…

B.W (cuts in) o n r’erin abi? You’re laughing? I’m telling you; high heels are not good but you people will not hear! Even if you want to wear them, not every time! I don’t know why you children don’t hear!

FGS – (now contrite, and a little embarrassed) yes ma

B.W – eh! Not every time! Se oti gbo? Remove it and put it in your bag… (pauses for a moment). Let me see your bag

FGS – (stunned cos I’m not even wearing heels now) yes ma (show her my bag)

B.W – (takes the bag, looks it over, and then hands it back) ok, this your bag is small. The day you want to wear heels (reflective), carry a big bag so you can put it inside and wear them just before you enter the place.

FGS – (squirming because I don’t if she means ‘enter the place’ like TuFace did) yes ma

B.W – ok, it’s my turn now, sit down o, and don’t stand up till it’s your turn

FGS – (now thinking ‘before nko’) yes ma (rolling my eyes in my mind)

End of dialogue.

Did I mention I didn’t know this woman from Adam? And did I also mention that her voice was very loud? Jeez! Now as much as the incident amused me (and mind you,  I saved you the dialogue on the tips she gave me for taking care of the injury), it kind of reminded me of the slowly eroding tradition of community policing.

And on that Sunday, made me feel sorry for the boy at church.

That night, in response to a question I raised about not being sure of having God’s ear every time I prayed, my buddy gave me this analogy he had himself received from a friend.

He said that christians from the beginning of time don’t really grasp the greatness of out God. We don’t really comprehend how big He is, how much bigger He is than us. Consequently, we underestimate Him. We don’t believe he can sort out our issues. maybe we do, when we’re screaming ‘Amen’ with he saints at church. But when we get home, in our secret places, when the rubber hits the road, we don’t believe He can come through for us. Somehow we believe that God created the world and everything in it in seven days, we believe He is ‘Jehovah Everything’ but at the same time we just fear that maybe our problems are too much for God. “Is there anything too hard for God“? – Jeremiah 32: 27, Genesis 18:14.

A direct consequence of that fear is that we don’t dream big. We try to ask for little things from God either because we don’t want to be disappointed (if our prayers go unanswered) or because we let the devil fill our head with the age-old lie that God won’t hear us because we’ve sinned or are unrighteous. Wait a minute… Do you think God loves us because we’re ‘righteous’? Have you not read that our righteousness is as filthy rags? Moving on, aren’t we admonished in the scriptures thus “hitherto have you asked me nothing; but ask that I may give, that your joy might be full” – John 16:24

The same God said in Matthew 7:7 “ask, and receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you” God didn’t say to ask for little things, He didn’t say, ‘take it easy with me, so you don’t stress me’. No!! He is the Alpha, the Omega, all you need to have all your needs met! The earth and everything in it belongs to Him remember? Psalm 24: 1. ASK! ASK! ASK ALREADY!

I’m speaking to myself as well on this one: ASK Fairy GodSister, ASK! And believe that you will receive what you have asked for. Why? Because you’re asking your father, and you know He won’t withhold any good thing from you. Break it down like this: you ask your earthly father for N100 to buy lunch; you don’t doubt even for a second that he’ll give it to you because you know he loves you and won’t let you starve. How much more our father in Heaven who owns everything? How/why do we let the devil deceive and rob us of our blessings from God?

It so affects us that when a word of prophecy goes out concerning us, in our minds we ‘reduce’ (whether consciously or unconsciously) the scope of that prophecy for the reasons outlined above. We become what my dad calls ‘shovel christians’, shovelling all the prophecies anywhere but in our own direction where I daresay they are needed the most! Whatever happened to believing 2 Chronicles 20: 20? “Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.”

Men and brethren, enough of that! There’s nothing as amazing as a concrete knowledge of who you are in Christ; not only will it work wonders for your confidence levels, it will ensure you ‘go boldly before the throne of grace’. Where else do we have to go anyways?

Have a fabulous Jesus week!

P:S – You won’t believe I didn’t even run through the scenarios my buddy painted for me! I’m sorry, I’ll do that next week!

How big is your God?

Fast forward a couple days, many nocturnal meetings after. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) accepted the reduction of the pump price of fuel from N141 to N97, and then called off the strike. I was very disappointed in that resolution because it made a mockery of the time and energy expended on the protests inside and outside the country; plus on the surface it also appeared that the people who lost their lives on the altar of the strike died in vain. But then again, I kind of expected it. Isn’t it the NLC we know?

On another level though, I think that the protests were not in vain. What we lost in failing to reverse the subsidy removal, we gained in unity, which perhaps is one of the greatest things ever. We gained in looking out for each other; realizing that the enemy is not the next man with a different religion/ethnic background, but a system and its handlers who say they want to serve us but then rule with an iron fist and no conscience. Without meaning to be dramatic, the protests in Kano where we all saw pictures of Muslims watching over Christians and vice versa when they were praying, the Sunday when CAN and the Islamic Council went around churches in Kano as well….. what else have we been asking for?

And then we heard that the bomber responsible for the dastardly attack on a church in Madalla, Niger State on Christmas day that left scores dead and many more injured, escaped from detention. The rate at which we misplace priorities in this country is scary. So you punk the entire country, telling us you’ll address the nation by 9pm on the 15th of January and you don’t, (and without any apology whatsoever) and then by the next day you’ve rolled out the army to clamp down on protesters who have been peaceful, contravening their rights as humans to assemble. While all this is going on, someone who was single-handedly or in collusion with others responsible for the deaths of Nigerians escapes? How did he escape?  How stupid does this government think we are? *sigh*

Most disgraceful is that while you have the army out on the streets in Lagos state, Boko Haram turns Kano, Bauchi, and Yobe States into mourning parlors! For God’s sakes the amount of explosions in Kano state in one night were between 15 to 20! Are we at war? What the hell is going on? The part I will never understand is the effrontery with which this agents of the devil ‘claim responsibility’ for the bombings. The brazen stance they wear, encouraged by a toothless government with priorities as warped as a two-year olds. Do they deliver their statements to the media via post? Over the phone? In person? Can’t their numbers be traced? Can’t they be found? Is that so difficult? And no Mr President, you don’t score any points for visiting Kano! Where’s decisive action when we need it?

Again (one time too many I must say), my heart goes out to everyone who’s lost a brother, sister, father, mother, relation, friend, or enemy in the attacks of the past weekend. May God in His infinite mercies comfort your families, and somehow strengthen you all, amen. I speak peace to our nation, and decree that by the Blood of Jesus every worker of iniquity, any one profiting from this mayhem will himself and his family be visited by quick destruction, in Jesus name. AMEN.

Today’s post is all about ‘occupation’. Not of Wall Street (which in these times can be listed as the birth place of the word), not London but my very own Nigeria. This post is different though; here the pictures do all the ‘occupying’. I searched for images using #OccupyNigeria and the pictures below appealed to me the most.

courtesy voiceofnigeria.org

 

I don't know where this originated from, but it was at the heart of the protests, especially on social media

This is another picture that was at the heart of the protests.....couldn't find its origin too...

                                                                          Courtesy @i_blend

One of the billboards on display at the London Protests...

Courtesy campusheathq.com

courtesy storyful.

Got this one off Twitter; if you know what 'waka' means, yes that's what they were telling the choppers circling over the grounds where they were protesting!

P:S – I have tried to credit original sources where possible and/or the website I found the pictures on. If however you feel there’s an error please get in touch and I’ll make the correction. Thanks!

Related articles

• Are We Done Occupying? (fairygodsister.wordpress.com)
• ‘Occupy Nigeria’ Protest: Photos and Video of Latest Unrest (ibtimes.com)
• Occupy Kano : Protesters file N500m suit against Jonathan (vanguardngr.com)
• One Blast Too Many (yomzie.wordpress.com)
• Nigeria city on edge after deadly attacks (edition.cnn.com)

Let’s state for clarification purposes that I have NEVER supported same-sex relations, however backward, close minded, or uncivilised that might make me sound. One of the goals of an education is to be able to realize that everyone will not agree with you all the time, having the serenity to accept that, and still be able to relate with them. Ok? So if you’re not educated I would respectfully ask you to close this page. Otherwise note that the disclaimer is because of Christina Aguilera’s ‘beautiful’ video embedded in this post. While I do not agree with certain portions of the video, the lyrics and general message are the most compelling support to this post.

Not because I’m trying to assure myself of my dashing looks, but because I want to urge all of us to make it a point of duty to eliminate negativity from our lives, especially in the form of partners/spouses/people we hold dear to our heart whose utterances we’ll take a tad more seriously than others.

Whether we like it or not ‘uwaezuruoke’. That’s an Igbo saying that means ‘one person cannot have it all’. So you might be tall but with feet that ensure your shoes have to be custom-made, may be slim but ugly, pretty but chubby, wealthy but insecure, or (over)confident but poorer than a church rat. My point? No one has it all.

Back to beauty. There’s nothing worse than associating with people whose favorite time of day is when they’re putting you down. Regardless of how thick you think your skin is, at some point the negativity will penetrate and you’ll begin to believe horrible lies from horrible people. People who shoot down your ideas, make a mockery of your efforts, and constantly make you feel worthless shouldn’t be a part of your 2012. You deserve better. If you didn’t you wouldn’t be here.

You are beautiful. You are. Regardless of your imperfections or flaws, there’s the part of everyone that is beautiful. Be proud of it. No one has the right to take your weaknesses and bash you with them. Criticize constructively yes, condemnation? Objection my lord!

Let’s be reasonable though. Have you identified something you’d rather live without? A trait, character flaw, short coming of sorts? Be sensible. Seek help. Want to achieve something this year? Put your money/actions where your mouth is. Pray to God for help. Don’t delude yourself by saying ‘the Fairy GodSister said I’m beautiful’, work at it.  But for God’s sake don’t let anyone beat you up about it. Agreed?

January’s almost over (it’s amazing how January always flies by) and I urge us to run through the remaining months of the year confident of our beauty both on the inside and out. Without being pig-headed, I’ll end this with ‘ beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it’s their fault/loss they can’t see yours’ – FGS.

Related articles

• Enjoy the Beauty of God’s Creation.. (snowwhitedove.wordpress.com)

*Title of this post is mine as well.

As I watched the events of the last 36hours unfold, I have had to explain to my wife and children why I am so silent, so angry and so sad at the same time?

My silence comes from being in awe as I witness the unprecedented yet amazing collaboration of MILITARY and MILITANTS in accomplishing a common goal… to silence the voice of the people.

I am so angry that precious lives have been lost as ordinary citizens protested against an unjust policy that was clearly not thought-through and yet, our President describes these fallen heroes as the “adverse effects” of the protest.

I am angry that our President made so many open-ended promises without clear deliverables or deadlines and thought we would be gullible and simple-minded enough to say OK.

I am so angry that in a hard-earned democratic dispensation, our elected officials went into the barracks and cantonments to invite the very same soldiers (who we fought to return to the barracks) unto the streets against unarmed protesters while armed bandits, militants and terrorists express themselves freely without being muzzled by the military might of our government.

But then I am also very sad because I’ve watched this charade play out itself many times before (without the novelty of the military and the militants.)

Like I articulated in my facebook message (of January 5, 2012,) on this issue of fuel subsidy removal, this script has been acted out too many times for us to have forgotten how the charade ends.

Act 1 Scene 1:
Government (hints but) suddenly announces the increase in the pump price of petroleum products.

Act 1 Scene 2:
The people are angry about Government feeble excuses and explanations asking people to pay more because they can’t confront the corrupt system that makes it unsustainable to keep fuel prices low . 

Act 2 Scene 1:
Organised labour and trade union sense that it is time to bring out the capes and harken to the people’s cry for super-heroes.

You know the rest of the story… don’t you?

Government gets a court injuction restraining labour from embarking on a strike.

Labour disobeys the unjust injunctions and go out to exercise their constitutional rights to call an unemployed populace to mass action.

The youth, the homeless, the poor and the unemployed come out en-mass and protest.

Labour makes public declarations of the position of the people.

Government invites labour to closed door meetings. Something (we call negotiation) happens behind the closed doors. 

Labour emerges from closed door meetings and declares a deadlock. 

Govt goes ahead to REDUCE but NOT REVERSE pump price.

Labour suspends strike. Employers are happy to get their staff back to work. Everybody gets back on the Rat Race (All motion, No Movement…I think the better way to put it is win-win!!!

The only people that lose and suffer are the poor and unemployed who we all said would lose more if we continue the struggle against pump price increments.

We never go ‘backward’ to collect our stolen funds from the corrupt officials and the cabals well known to the government. 
Rather, we choose to go ‘forward’ to rob our poor, feeble and voiceless forever and forget them until its time to bring them out to ‘negotiate’ another unjust policy.

So we are back to where it all began…

ASUU continues its strike and no one notices the degenerating young minds wasting away in our homes and on our streets.

LASU school fees still increased by 900% and admission now costing 250,000 Naira for newly admitted students seeking an education to prepare their minds for the future.

The Nigerian Medical Association and doctors must now return back to their death centers (oops.. I meant health centers) and continue to watch helplessly as hopeless patients die from preventable systemic decay rather than the diseases that brought them to the hospital.

Some of us will now go back to the LEKKI TOLL GATES and continue to pay toll, since we now have protest-fatigue. In any case, no one remembers why we were fighting against the unjust tolling of a road that was built by LKJakande with tax payers money and now refurbished by concessionaires. What’s the big deal? Let the government continue to collect our taxes to build other roads and we continue to pay tolls to drive on our own (sorry…LCC’s) road.

Really…I am sad and angry because after all said and done, nothing has changed… Except for the price of fuel from 65 to 97Naira per liter. 
Still no refineries, no good roads, no power, no portable water, corrupt officials still in office as they continue ‘partnering’ with their cabals.
Investigations without conclusion. Accusations without prosecution. And the world keeps going round and round.

So when is real change going to come?

As I stated in my earlier message on Jan 5, 2012, the change we need is not just policy. It is in the quality of mind and persons at policy making positions.

Without a doubt, our change will come the day our Brightest and Best minds silently RESOLVE that Enough is Enough of mediocrity in policy-making positions and begin to prepare to occupy positions (and not just parks) through the electoral process.

So how will we effectively deliver sustainable desired-change?

WE NEED A CRITICAL MASS OF NEW NIGERIANS TO TAKE HOLD OF EVERY LEVEL OF POLICY MAKING POSITIONS BY 2015. Not a few good men and women whose voices will get drowned in the cacophony of mediocrity.

Let our brightest and best brains begin serious preparations NOW. Don’t wait till 2014 to decide you want to make a change by running for office in 2015. It will be too late if you don’t start NOW!!!!

As we keep up the pressure for good governance, let another set of emerging leaders (with a heart for the nation and a love for the people) arise and begin to prepare for 2015. We must encourage, train, mentor and empower the right people to go where few dare.

I have committed my life to raise and prepare as many exemplary leaders of excellence to take over the various policy making positions at all levels of governance (federal, state and local)- executive and legislative.

This is only the beginning of a long and arduous journey. The real Nigerian spring is going to be in April 2015.

Until we change the quality of people in policy-making positions, we won’t yet have real and lasting victory.

Don’t get it twisted… The 2015 elections is going to be the opportunity for the real Nigerian Spring.

The real question is …Will we be ready to bring the real change we’ve always desired with the same zeal and fervor as we show now?

Please don’t let today’s passion die tomorrow.
The struggle continues today, tomorrow and forever. We WILL deliver the future!

God bless you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Fela Durotoye

Related articles

• Statement by Nigerian Labour Unions on “Suspension of Strikes and Mass Protests Against Hike in Fuel Prices” on 16 January 2012 (saferafricagroup.com)
• Nigerian labour leaders end strike, but say new fuel price was government’s unilateral decision (saferafricagroup.com)

People who know me know that when I believe in something/someone I’ll run with it/them passionately, giving it/them my all. That’s till I no longer believe in them, till I feel like I’m being taken for granted, or till I get bored and decide to seek amusement some place else (third reason rarely happens).

In my short lifetime I’ve been involved in quite a diverse range of activities/causes; from organising album launches, press conferences, bake sales, even worked on publicity/branding for politicians as some point. Each of these events have one underlying factor that determined whether they were success or failures; whether all the organizers remained buddies or if we can’t bear to even think of each other now.

Trust.

This is what trust is NOT, and this is the best analogy I could think of (and not because I love beans)

a. We want to eat moimoi. We agree we will eat moimoi.

b. We (say 1000 people) decide (consciously or unconsciously) that Zainab will buy and pick the beans, Kudirat will grind and mix in the spices, and then Ifeoma will watch over the moimoi till it is ready.

c. We all go to the market with Zainab, help her carry the shopping. We all pick the beans, chatting while we work. Then we go with Kudirat to where she grinds the beans, maybe even argue about how much pepper and onions should be ground into it. On the way home, we buy garri and groundnuts we’ll use to eat our moimoi.

d. Ifeoma doesn’t call us, several hours after. In anger, we march to the kitchen to find that the stove’s cold, and Ifeoma’s not there. Our moimoi mixture is as we left it, uncooked. Furious but famished, we put our moimoi to cook. Later we find out that Ifeoma went to the neighbor’s to eat akara.

Trust.

Does Ifeoma think Zainab, Kudirat, or the 1000 will ever plan a meal with her again? It is for this reason, ladies and gentlemen, that I am heartbroken. Disillusioned. Disenchanted. Disgusted. Maybe even ashamed.

Samuel Johnson said, “the key is to get to know people and trust them to be who they are. Instead, we trust people to be who we want them to be, and when they are not,we cry”.

It is for this same reason I’m wary of the loudest voices since the protests started. ‘Saviors of the people’ have again risen up, denouncing the government (which is a brainless one by the way) in the strongest, vilest language possible. I see we’re also calling for the President’s head (which is justifiable in my book too) but have we taken a close look at the people chanting the loudest?

Let’s start with the individuals. Especially if you’ve been in government or in a position to make a change and you did nothing. You should hide your head in shame because sweet cheeks you are a part of the problem.

Still on individuals, sycophants, lying scoundrels giving wrong counsel to people in power for an extra buck. Shame on you. It just goes to show what you’ll be when you’re there.

Then, the ‘activists’. Once it suits your purpose, your battle cry is the loudest. You want the interviews, the international publicity; the power, maybe the extra follower on Twitter. If however there’s the slimmest chance that your interests might be harmed, you go oon self-proclaimed exile. And in doing so rubbish the credibility of your comrades on the altar of your greed. Shame on you.

The sensationalist. I would love to push this to the media but it is human beings who make that up isn’t it? And in these days of social media making citizen reporters of us all, kinda further widens the scope doesn’t it?  We publish/repost/retweet gore in the name of news, offend the sensibilities of everyone else with news that is as unfounded as it is ridiculous. Especially in times of tension or strife. Where is your conscience? Ok you’ve sold that. Did you sell your common sense too? “If the writing is honest it cannot be separated from the man who wrote it” — Tennessee Williams. Same thing goes for dishonest writing/retweeting/posting/publishing.

Worst of all are the ones who are silent. Elie Wiesel said, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victims. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented”. But perhaps it is this quote by Martin Luther King Jnr that expresses my thoughts the most, ” our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”. Posterity will judge.

It is for these reasons I am heartbroken.

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• Dear Mr President
• Fuel Subsidy – action and reactions

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 13,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

I had a nice Christmas too, spent mine at church. Got home to find my house burgled. In the UK? I can hear you ask. Yes Sir, even in England; crime has no nationality. But guess what? The Police were at the house within twenty minutes of us placing the 911 call, and forensics about an hour later. They’re even offering us emotional support, seeing how traumatized we were from the incident. Now while as the days go by I lose any hope of getting back the things we lost, you and I wouldn’t want me to replay what the scenario would be if this happened in Nigeria, or would you Sir?

Enough of the digression, this letter is to talk to you about the sudden removal of the subsidy on PMS, also known as fuel. Why? Who lied to you? Which Ahitophel (2Sam16:23) has deceived you, filled your head with lies on how Nigerians will love you for removing the subsidy on fuel? Flip that, what did you reward this ‘counselor’ with?

I know you live in Aso Rock, shielded from the realities everyday Nigerians face but I’m sure even you have heard there is no electricity. Since you came into power, I’m sure you would have noticed the exodus of industries because of the harsh business environment. Even if you didn’t notice, one of the stooges you’re surrounded with should have at least hinted, even if in jest. Those that choose to remain are faced with struggling to stay above water, balancing their books at the end of the month because they run their offices on generators (and fuel), coping with the ill-taught, semi-baked graduates our poorly funded/managed universities produce, and still trying to offer their products and services at reasonable prices.

I heard about the ruckus around fuel subsidy, all the discussions, meetings, etc. Well done! Truth is Sir, I am in favor of the subsidy removal. Are you surprised? Don’t be! Truth is, a whole load of us are in support of the removal of the subsidy because come to think of it, we can do a lot with the $8billion (£5.2million) that will be saved from the removal. A few questions however:

1. What has been done with the monies saved from the subsidy removed from diesel about three years ago? I know it wasn’t done in your time but surely you would have reviewed the document to know where to channel this subsidy you’re going for? I’ve seen the document containing what your government plans to do with the subsidy but honestly Sir? I don’t believe a word of it. I’m sorry.

2. How do you expect your people to survive? When some States haven’t fully implemented the N18,000 minimum wage? How does fuel move from 65 to 141naira overnight? How does a bag of pure water move from 80 to 170 naira overnight? How do transport prices more than double overnight? “To serve our fatherland with love and faith and strength”……how do we serve if we are hungry, if we are crippled by poverty brought on by ‘Subsidy Removal’?

3. Subsidy removal is a process that takes years to implement fully, Ghana started theirs in 2004 and finished a few days ago. Iran offers lessons on how to remove subsidies and not hurt the poor. Whoever told you all it took was a press release?

Culled from Linda Ikeji's blog. A Nigerian, before Reno wakes up again.

At this point I must say there is some evil in all of us because you did what you did on the 1st of January, and both NNPC and private fuel station owners changed their prices (on old stock) immediately. Why? Even I don’t have an answer to that.

On to more pressing issues (because we are running out of time on that one), what’s the deal with Boko Haram and their ultimatum to Christians to leave certain parts of the North in three days? Who is this Abul Qaqa? Nom de guerre of course but is Mr President telling us he can’t be found? Seriously? So how does he reach the media each time to claim responsibility on behalf of Boko Haram for bombings, the destruction of property, and most importantly, the snuffing out of lives? Mr President where is the decisive action there? Calling a state of emergency? What does that achieve? I want you to get angry Sir; their ultimatum was issued in response to the state of emergency you called. You are the President of the most populous black nation on earth, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria! Are you just going to let them walk over you like that?

Mr President, I know that deep down, you are a good person. I know you have a heart, and you do not want Nigerians on the street, at the mercy of the animals nicknamed the police, there are already reports of the Nigerians you swore to protect being shot at by the animals Police . So do the right thing, the logical thing. Reverse this subsidy removal (which was fraudulently done I hear), and then let’s talk.

P:S – And honestly Sir? I think you should lose Reno.

Related articles

• Nigeria:At least 50 dead in Nigeria clashes (laaska.wordpress.com)
• You: Boko Haram spokesman threatens Nigerian Christians (france24.com)
• Islamist militants in Nigeria warn Christians to leave north within 3 days (cnn.com)
• Q&A: Islamic group spreading terror in Nigeria (cnn.com)
• Nigerians groan under subsidy chaos (vanguardngr.com)
• Ogun NLC, TUC call for Jonathan’s impeachment (vanguardngr.com)

PPPRA Announces Formal Removal of Subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)
Following extensive consultation with stakeholders across the nation, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) wishes to inform all stakeholders of the commencement of formal removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), in accordance with the powers conferred on the agency by the law establishing it, in compliance with Section 7 of PPPRA Act, 2004.

By this announcement, the downstream sub-sector of the petroleum industry is hereby deregulated for PMS. Service providers in the sector are now to procure products and sell same in accordance with the indicative benchmark price to be published forthnightly and posted on the PPPRA website.

Petroleum products marketers are to note that no one will be paid subsidy on PMS discharges after 1st January 2012.

Consumers are assured of adequate supply of quality products at prices that are competitive and non-exploitative and so there is no need for anyone to engage in panic buying or product hoarding.

The PPPRA in conjunction with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) will ensure that consumers are not taken advantage of in any form or in any way.

The DPR will ensure that the interest of the consumer in terms of quality of products is guaranteed at all times and in line with international best practice.

In the coming weeks, the PPPRA will engage stakeholders in further consultation to ensure the continuation of this exercise in a hitch-free manner.

Signed:
Reginald Stanley
Executive Secretary, PPPRA

Ok, in simple English, that press release means that fuel which sold for 65naira on the 31st of December 2011, now goes for 138naira at Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mega stations, and 141naira almost everywhere else. To my mind, this is madness. And for a number of reasons.

1. This country LIVES on fuel. We need fuel to run our generators at home and at work because there is NO electricity.

2. There are no palliative measures in place to cushion the effect of this subsidy removal, nothing at all. Were salaries increased? No. Cost of survival (since we’re not living anymore) reduced? No.

3. This removal should have been done in April 2012, why ‘spring’ it on the people on the 1st of January, and not even have the courtesy to address your people yourself?

4. Where are the funds to be saved from the subsidy going?  Subsidy has been removed from kerosene and diesel for some years now, where did those savings go?

5. Again, priorities have been misplaced. There’s Boko Haram slowly wiping out whole states, unemployment, the growing rate of sexual crimes, epileptic electricity and Mr. President takes decisive action on fuel subsidy?

I decided to sweep Facebook and Twitter, to see the reaction of Nigerians (both at home and in the diaspora) to this gift from Mr. President. They’ll be pictures, quotes, basically reactions from a people who are fed up with an insensitive government.

And yes, below are a number of comments off Goodluck Jonathan‘s Facebook page following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

End of reactions phase one, with this Facebook status update from my friend Amina Maikori, “Hmmm! No point lighting a match in a dark room to make sure no one accidentally sprinkled any gunpowder on your bicycle…GEJ, make what you will from that, sir.”

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• Breaking News: FG removes fuel subsidy (vanguardngr.com)
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Merry Christmas earthlings! It’s the 25th day of December 2011, also known and celebrated worldwide as Christmas Day! (That’s just in case you thought it was Easter or Thanksgiving, lol). It is on this day the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated around the world, and is a day of joy, peace, merriment, and most importantly, a day for reflection on the reason why He came. Let’s try not to drown the reason why He came in food, drinks, and merry-making.

I wrote a little something on the day, and read it in church….. enjoy..

Image via yourstrulywashere.blogspot.com

what is Christmas?

new clothes, shoes, watches

food, drink, gifts, clutches,

all building up to the day

what is Christmas?

the birth of one so dear

without sin but bore without fear

Lamb, precious Lamb of God

what is Christmas?

partying, music, loud celebration

casting aside the king of creation

is that why He came?

sharing love, hugs and kisses

lifting brethren out of ditches

consecration, dedication, service to Jesus

this is Christmas

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

N:B – Guess who’s here to spend Christmas with me? It’s none other than my besto, the delectable Miss Mangut! @debiemangut on Twitter, she’s such wonderful company, a great friend, and the best bestie anyone could ask for!

At the cinema to see 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo'.....

Related articles

• Merry Christmas! (mattamesblogs.com)
• Merry Christmas! (thesevenblog.com)