Pray for Nigeria

Pray for Nigeria

The security level of the nation is going down, people no longer travel with ease, I saw a post yesterday of some people on hide out who were highjacked on their way from  Abuja by some supposed Fulani herdsmen..

People are now becoming security conscious and even thinking on getting arms for self protection since they can't get it from their country anymore, believe me people in some parts of the country no longer sleep with their two eyes closed, some schools are no longer safe, worship places, social and trade centers are now heavily guarded all because of fear..

This is not how it used to be.. What has gone wrong with our nation? What is our leaders doing? Turning blind eye?
Why is the truth being swept under the carpet? Why is the system being unfair and unjust to the people at the time they needs it most.. Our health care system, the education system.. sighs***

We know there are people still fighting for the nation, pray for their voice to be heard..

We know there are people who don't care for the nation but only for their pockets, pray for their hearts to be renewed..

We know the country needs help.. Pray that the help may come..

2019 is just at the door.. we want our Nigeria back. The nation of peace and Unity, we want it back.. Let us think and pray as we prepare to cast our vote..

The next election will determine if this nation is gonna be redeemed or just heading for another doom.. We only want Redemption..

Please pray for Nigeria

#reflections #prayers #mycountry #Nigerian

Happy Democracy Day Nigeria

Got this message this morning.. Indeed Nigeria is a great nation and this message has to be read by Nigerians not just to celebrate the passed glories but to look forward to a better and greater Nigeria... Enjoy and reflect...

Fellow Nigerians, as we celebrate Democracy Day, May 29, let us reflect on the following positive facts.
All over the world Nigerians  are setting the pace and becoming the standard by which others measure themselves.

In the US, Nigerians are the most educated immigrant community. Google it and you'll see it. Not one of the most educated, the most educated.

60% of Nigerians in the US have college degrees. This is far above the American national average of 30%

Nigerians in US are some of the highest earners, typically earning 25% more than the median US income of $53k

In Ivy League schools in Europe and America, Nigerians routinely outperform their peers from other nations

A Nigerian family, The Imafidons, have officially been named the smartest family in the UK. Prof. Chris Imafidon has been referred to as a world intellectual icon by Harvard Professor William Maxwell. Prof. Imafidon grew up in Nigeria.

The designer of the famous car, Chevrolet Volt, Jelani Aliyu, is a super talented Nigerian from Sokoto State. The Volt has been described as an American Revolution and one of the hottest concepts in the design line. Jelani grew up in Nigeria & graduated best in his Architecture class from Birnin Kebbi Polytechnic after abandoning the same course at ABU because he preferred the course content. He only left for Detroit in 1990. The rest is history.

The wealthiest black man and woman on earth are Nigerians, Aliko Dangote and Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija

South Africa couldn't have ended apartheid & achieved Black rule if not for the leadership role Nigeria played. Of the 3 Presidents who ruled South Africa after apartheid, two of them once lived in Nigeria under asylum- Nelson Mandela in the 60s and Thabo Mbeki in the 70s. Nigeria gave financial & human support, boycotted an Olympics and our politicians, musicians and activists campaigned relentlessly.

Nigeria spent over $3 Billion and lost hundreds of soldiers to end the wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone that the world ignored because they have no oil.

When there was a coup in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2003, Nigeria restored the elected President back to power President Obasanjo initiated talks with the military junta & personally took the ousted president who was visiting Nigeria at the time, back home to be reinstated. 

Before there were street lights in European cities, Lagos had electric street lights. The ancient Benin kingdom also had street lights fueled by palm oil

500 years ago, Benin casted metal alloys to create magnificent art including the world famous Queen Ida Mask

Amina was a warrior queen who ruled the Zaria Emirate in Kaduna state, Northwest Nigeria 400 years ago in 1610

We gave monetary gifts to Ireland during our oil boom years

The first television station in Africa was Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) in Ibadan in 1959 long before Ireland had their RTE station.

The greatest comedians on earth are Nigerians. Just walk the streets of Warri and you will die of laughter.

Wherever you look in this great country Nigeria, heroes abound both now and in our recent and ancient past.

If all we do is help  mainstream Western media, to bash us in the Press by bashing ourselves, we will never be great again. We have a rich and proud Nigerian heritage. Others envy us but we destroy ourselves.

Not all Nigerians are criminals. We're not a nation of scammers, drug pushers & corrupt Govt. officials but a people with a verifiable track record of greatness.

Bad leadership over the years has brought us where we are but we now have a second chance to CHANGE the narrative & we should seize it.

Throughout history, nations have gone through their dark patches and emerged stronger. The western nations we idolise today & seek to emulate have gone through periods they are ashamed to recollect. They keep silent & put their best feet forward. So should we.

What CNN, BBC, Aljazera and western media will not tell you about Nigerians is that apparently on the 7th May, 2016 at Howard University in Washington D.C history was made. Out of 96 graduating Doctor of Pharmacy candidates, 43 of them were Nigerians and out of 27 awards given, 16 went to Nigerians. Also a Nigerian Dentistry candidate, Queenate Ibeto was chosen to be the Valedictorian and welcome the Commencement Speaker, President Obama. But you will hardly see anything about that in the press.

Olympic medallists that didnt get tobthe UK until they were almost adults are "Nigerian-born British" but terrorists who were born & bred in the UK and have no ties at all to Nigeria save for their names are "British-born Nigerians". Oyinbo sef like good tin!

The under 17 Nigerian football team are the most successful in the history of teenage football in the world

If we don't believe in ourselves, why should anyone else? If we don't believe Nigeria can change, who will? If we don't blow our trumpet, who will blow it for us?  

We are NOT a criminal nation. Be proud of Nigeria. Be proud of our heritage. Be enthusiastic and optimistic about our future greatness.

If we believe it, we will say it. If we say it we will act it.
If we act it we will begin to show it.

I am a proud Nigerian and I believe in Nigeria!
#Change the narrative
#CelebrateYourNigerianness
#VIVA NAIJA

Please share until it reaches all Nigerians in all corners of the globe. We are a GREAT people and a GREAT nation!Send to everyone you know. Each one tell one! Let's share more stories of who we REALLY are. Let's stop complaining about where we're not and start celebrating where we are and where we are going. Slow & steady wins the race Rome wasn't built in a day & that's why its still standing.

Let's stop saying and start DOING something to change Nigeria's narrative. God bless Nigeria.

HAPPY DEMOCRACY DAY NIGERIA...

Children's Day.. President Buhari's Message to Children and Youth

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to children and youths to imbibe and exhibit in greater measure, the virtues of hard work, diligence, discipline, honesty, prudence, selflessness and patriotism which he said are essential for the actualisation of a truly great nation.

In his message to celebrate this year’s Children Day, Buhari said the world looked to Nigeria as an exemplary model of democratic ideals after the smooth transition that brought his administration to power. The president said: “You, our children and youths have a very significant role to play in ensuring that our democratic institutions of governance are continuously nurtured, improved and strengthened to underpin national development and prosperity."

Furthermore, he said that under his leadership, the federal government would continue to do its best to prepare and equip the children and youths to show the world that with its brilliant, resourceful and resilient people, Nigeria is a country of incredible potential and opportunity.
While wishing the children a happy celebration, Buhari assured them that he remained fully committed to fulfilling our promise of a better Nigeria for all of our people. On this happy occasion for our children, I reaffirm my belief that it is the right of every Nigerian child to have access to quality and affordable education, as well as healthcare and other basic necessities for a good life, in a peaceful and secure environment.

“The good health and well-being of Nigerian children remain a top priority on our agenda for national development and we have demonstrated our strong commitment in this regard with the allocation of N12.6 billion in the 2016 budget for vaccines and programmes to prevent childhood killer diseases such as polio, measles and yellow fever.

Other measures in the 2016 budget, such as the school feeding programme for children at a cost of N93.1 billion, will ensure that more children go to school and enjoy the fun of learning and growing together with their peers.
Despite the current economic and funding challenges facing our dear nation, my administration will continue to do all within its powers to achieve better living conditions and greater access to quality healthcare and education for all our youth.”

The president said it was a thing of joy that on this year’s Children’s Day, the country also celebrated the safe return of one of the Chibok girls, Amina Ali Nkeki and many other abducted women and children who had been freed from the clutches of Boko Haram by the nation’s gallant troops.

“I assure all Nigerians and friends of the country, once again, that my administration will not rest on its oars until the ungodly terrorist sect is totally eliminated from our country,” he added.
Buhari said as peace gradually returned to the insurgency-ravaged North-eastern states, the federal government would continue to work diligently to ensure the rapid and full reintegration and rehabilitation of all internally displaced persons, including orphaned children in the region.

He assured that the government would continue to sustain and strengthen ongoing actions to protect children more effectively from violence, child-labour, child-trafficking, forced marriages and other related offences.

NLC, TUC backs out of strike

The Stand Up Nigeria (SUN), a coalition of 50 other civil society organizations has commended Nigerian workers for shunning the strike being called upon by a faction of NLC, describing it as a needless venture that was arranged to service the interest of a few minority. Ajaero National Cordinator of (SUN), Comrade Philip Agbese while reacting to the outcome of the meeting between the federal government and labour said it is obvious that patriotic Nigerians have resolved to support the current administration deregulation policy. He said the action of the Federal Government at the first instance is in the best interest of the larger population of the people and no amount of intimidation should cow President Muhammadu Buhari into submission. According to Agbese, Nigerians have since realised that a strike action is not in their best interest, adding that the anti-deregulation supporters are economic saboteurs who are working against the interest of the generality of Nigerians. Agbese said by standing on the side of the people and supporting the deregulation, the factional NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero has shown that he is a true leader of the NLC and should lead the labour movement in Nigeria. He accused the Ayuba Wabba faction of not doing anything to protect workers rights, saying “workers are being owed several months salaries and the NLC did not go on strike.” He argued that subsidy only enriches a few and impoverish the larger population. According to him, the N1.2 trillion paid out as subsidy in 2015 budget, if properly invested in other sectors should have built more infrastructures and created jobs. He said, “As I speak, we have received the casket that signifies the final death of “subsidy” which has been used to milk the resources of this country by a certain minute minority and it shall be formally interned by 2pm today in the full glare of the Nigerian media for all to see that this epidemic will never visit us again in the nearest future.” He also commended the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) who he said saw reasons and pulled out of the strike. According to him, more Nigerians trust the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to judiciously use the funds realised from removal of the corrupt subsidy regime to improve their welfare. He however urged the federal government to quickly ensure that the palliatives put in place to cushion the effect of the price increment are disbused transparently so as to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/fuel-price-hike-tuc-nlc-faction-hailed-for-backing-out-of-strike/

President Buhari finally signs 2016 budget into law

Finally, President Mohammadu Buhari has assented to the 2016 Appropriation Bill, giving way for full implementation of the budget.

The signing took place just a moment ago at the presidential Villa, Abuja.

Recall that the budget was laid before a joint session of the National Assembly on December 22, 2015.

Work on the document began shortly after the Christmas break upon the resumption of the National Assembly for legislative duties.

But a plethora of arguments and counter-arguements later ensued between the presidency and the national assembly following the controversial “padding” of the budget against the wishes of President Buhari.

The came after the national assembly had unanimously approved the budget estimates of N6.06 trillion from the initial N6.08 trillion and transmitted to the presidency with the highlight, but failed to attached the details.

Reacting, the president declined to give his assent, insisting on seeing the details.

But the details made available later proved to be incredibly padded, prompting the Executive arm to return the budget for a rework.

This unfortunately had taken almost 5 months, causing untold hardship on citizenry.

But apparently satisfied with the corrections made on the document, the president on Friday put ink on paper, signing the dotted lines.