IN THE NAME OF IGR

In the name of IGR, little sprouting firms and startups are driven under with chisel of FIRS and the hammer of CAC. The environment is constantly and continually made hostile for very tender entrepreneurs who are yet to make the connect with the ivy league in all spheres of industry. This two agencies of government are lethal to young companies and startups who go through rigors to get legalized via registration only to clamped down by FIRS for non remittance of firs02, when you return nill for reasons of not executing any business in the previous month backed with a bank statement from your banker they stil will not accept your form until you path with sums which are not receipted for.
How then will the economy grow? How will poverty be alleviated? This system will not deal with the hydra headed monster of unemployment which fuels restiveness.

The Synod’s Final Report is Out in English, and It’s Remarkably Strong

The Synod’s Final Report is Out in English, and It’s Remarkably Strong

CHILOUN KONSULT NIGERIA

Update On Bayelsa Governorship Election: Early Results | Sahara Reporters

Update On Bayelsa Governorship Election: Early Results | Sahara Reporters

ELECTION USA: PUTIN TO BEAT

The most un-usual of election is upon the globe, in its over two centuries plus the United States of America has never been in this sort of situation politically; where outsiders are front runners getting into the last twelve months to the election on the GOP ticket. The American axiom "Democrats fall in love", "Republicans fall in line" suddenly has a totally new meaning with Hillary Clinton not a likeable candidate, but seemingly has the demographic in her favour plus no serious challengers for the ticket in her party is now falling in line while the GOP candidates, the outsiders mostly Trump and Carson being likeable and voters falling in love with them.
GOP' Trump has said as a business man he will be able to negotiate with Putin and have a win-win situation and has also said that he will let China understand that to short change a business partner is bad business, problem is that Trump has no diplomatic experiences and has thus far displayed a very poor skill at it. Hillary Clinton on the other hand has a very vast diplomatic expertise, knows and understands how Washington works and has been part of the political class for long, but has no good stand with Russia historically. Putin, I am certain will be having fun watching the dramatist persona engage themselves especially Trump who is diplomatically clueless. The real test will be to still be talking about Trump and Carson come January, it will simply mean that the Americans are fed up with the political core class. An unusual election is likely to produce an unusual outcome, wishing that Americans will look beyond the rhetorics of unserious Trump and see the honesty of Carson. Hillary is of the old block and has no new deal for the globe.

HUSHED!

To say that President Mohammadu Buhari has capitulated to the forces that have held down the country for donkey years now will be an understatement and factually, truthfully, obviously an open and nude truth. He has displayed un-faithfulness, unfairness and mistrust in his contract terms with Nigerians who trusted him as the last hope of the prolactorates. After a very extended wait for him to nominate his ministers, he showed to Nigerians a fractured list of mostly loyalist or sons of his old buddies who showed him favours of different kind during his hustling to wrestle power from GEJ. He said and I quote "I belong to everyone and I belong to no one." What enormity of a lie, brazenly told to Nigerians and the international community on May 29th, 2015. PMB has not only shown Nigerians and the world that he belongs to some people, he has ultimately shown that he cannot tackle the hydra headed monster called corruption. This he proved by nominating a man whom yes has not been convicted by a court of competent jurisprudence but has an indictment against him from his own home state. Considering the facts as they are, it is obvious that PMB is owned by some who played prominent role in bringing him to power; no other reasons can justify the inclusion of Rotimi Amechi in his list of ministerial nominees. PMB would have shown Nigerians that he is nobody's stooge by leaving out Rotimi Amechi pending his acquittal by the laws of the country. He instead emboldened Rotimi Amechi by giving him edge to politically upstage the judicial process, in doing so PMB sold out on Nigerians who out of frustration with the old order voted him into power for a change to happen in their life time; but alas. With the hushed ministerial screening exercise conducted to please PMB and save the Senate President' seat. No one needs telling that in politics you reward loyalist and those who have been seen to have done enough to get you into office, but not when the mantra was "CHANGE", "WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION". PMB would be remembered early in his administration history as the one that chickened out when it mattered most, and I bet it will count against him in the next general election except of course for Mahmoud Yakoub. We are wiser!

NIGERIA, HOPE OF AFRICA

This past weekend, two of our illustrious sons Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo where on continental assignments to Tanzania and Cote d'Ivoire respectively. Goodluck Jonathan was in Tanzania to lecture the contestants on how to handle victory and defeat, sharing his personal experience. He was also an observer in the election. The office holder Josiah Kekwite is not running for President because he has exhausted his terms.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was also in Cote d'Ivoire as the head of ECOWAS observer mission. It is encouraging to know that the continent continually looks up to Nigeria for leadership in flash points. Cote d'Ivoire had a bitter experience in the last general election, and the incumbent Alassan Quatara is also contesting hence the cautious approach; and who best to lead a delegation to such a place than the one with the experience. It would also be recalled that incumbent President Mohammadu Buhari was instrumental in restoring peaceful transition in Guinea after a coup.

THE NAIRA

It is now most expedient for the Central Bank of Nigeria to decide and do everything and what is necessary for the the country to have a sure economic footing, by taking a strong stand on the issues of re-valuing the naira. This will in no small way boost the naira against other currencies. The change must be now that we are in the era of change.

'CHANGE' WAS A DECOY

It was carefully planned and clinically executed with the assistance of the colonial powers, who provided the back up. Now we are witnessing a gradual erosion of the Federation into confederations; yet the leadership of the country seems to be naive to what fractures it is creating. The people should be placed at the centre of every actions of government. The APC should be careful even Gowon the leader of Nigeria during the war is in his old age worried that what he fought against might as well happen in his lifetime. The judgement delivered yesterday leaves much to be desired in the spirit with which it was delivered; obviously change is come to the judiciary too, where some over ambitious judges play to the tone of the new sheriff in town even without solicitation. I would advice that care be taken in addressing this issues that beset us at this point of our development as a country. It can not be change to repeat what the ousted government did, change means doing it differently, we are yet to see any thing done differently. This decoy will only last for as long as it can......four years?

70 YEARS ON....

After seventy years, it is now overt that the UN needs restructuring and serious tilting to adjust to the current realities of the present age. This must be quickly and exhaustively done in order to reduce the frictions clogging its wheels of progress. This is optionless as it stands the risk of been replaced by new emerging forces in the global power play. China is redefining the future and structures of power play to suit a more global need, and nations will naturally jump ship like in the case of the AIIB;  should another initiative be pre-empted by the Chinese. The US must therefore seize the initiative not to loose strategic partners and allies in the power play to a more forceful and futural country like the Chinese and Russians.

AMECHI ARRIVES NASS.

After all the "CHANGE" mantra will go down in history as the biggest political short change ever in Nigeria. This Change does not see controversial persons as questionable, else why will the name of a polarizing figure like Rotimi Amechi be included in the ministerial lists? But here we are, after all the ding-dong the man who ruffled so many feathers is here for screening. CHANGE???????

YANIS VAROUFARKIS BACKS WIKILEAKS BOUNTY TO CRACK TTIP

INTERNATIONAL PAPERS - Weds. 12.08.15: Papers continue to focus on Greece, wondering if it's time to declare the Greek debt saga as over. Meanwhile, former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis is back in the spotlight. He’s donated to a fund set up by WikiLeaks, the secret-sharing website, to encourage the leaking of documents surrounding a major EU-US trade deal.

NEW INEC BOSS IN NIGERIA

President Mohammadu Buhari today appointed new boss of the Independent National Electoral Commission in the person of Prof. Yakubu and also an acting Head of Service in Ms. Oyo-Ita.
My concern is that the INEC chief is still a northerner after eight years of a nothern stewardship. CHANGE!

AKWA-IBOM

The election petition tribunal in the just concluded gubernatorial election in Akwa-Ibom has nullified elections in eighteen local government areas of the state with instructions for INEC to conduct a rescheduled election in the affected local government areas. Justice Sadiq said he was convinced on the testimony of Chief Don Ettiebet a former chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party...Meanwhile the All Progressive Congress has said the rejected the judgment and will appeal the judgment, since they had originally prayed the tribunal to outrightly nullify the election given the associated irregularities.

CHANGE: NIGERIA PRISON

The Nigerian Prison Service is outdated, with nearly no form of retraining of its personnel, who are supposed to reform the inmates or convicts; making them fit for re-absorption into the society after doing time, and worst still is the facilities where the prisoners are housed; which in all cases are over populated and ill managed, dilapidated structures combining with the highest level of inefficiency and corruption in managerial level of this institution destroys the human rights of prisoners in Nigeria.
In Nigeria it is common sight to see prisoners doing menial jobs like cutting logs, digging foundation trenches, clearing of sewage tanks, cutting of grasses, digging of ridges in farms and other odd jobs. They are made to trek with their uniforms to points of their work, they haggle and agree on prices with their employers, at the end of work the prison warden collects the money and gives stipend to the prisoners. This is an abuse beyond their prison sentences, which I strongly feel the change mantra of President Buhari should address.
The prisons are congested because a lot of men awaiting trial are kept there with prosecutors to adequately prosecute their cases, and those that find their way to the courts take ages to decide; the bottle necks bureaucratically are cumbersome and energy sapping. I do not know of any prison in Nigeria where vocational training happens as a right to the inmates in order to better them, non whatsoever. I challenge the Vice President Osinbanjo to spear head a radical departure from what we have observed for ages as norm, which is in truth an abuse of the fundamental human rights of prisoners in Nigeria. I expect the change team to start thinking outside the box on how best to refurbish, run, manage and maintain the prisons across the country, making it more efficient and converting them to reformatories that they are supposed to be; and even more importantly stop the abuses that go on inside the prisons in Nigeria. The prisons service needs a brand new orientation and leadership that is skills based in ICT, Engineering and twenty-first century technology to help re-mould this lives and help them re-integrate effortlessly into the society.
I fear though that this government may not be able to make this happen, seeing what they have done so far, I can not see any thing they done differently, and this worries me greatly.

MYANMAR: THE OTHER DISASTER!

"It is not the critic who counts, but the brave men and women who for survival instincts do all that is needful for their selves and their loved ones, alas this quest gets the very core of the Guchin region killed. Opium is the plant and it is oblivious of the lives it cuts short. The torn region is in a protracted war with the Myanmar army leaving devastation in its trails. With virtually no means of livelihoods, families engage in cultivating opium, which is bought from them by laboratories for the production of heroin, it is estimated that the region accounts for nearly sixty percent of the global heroin. The people who themselves are poor, strive to break away from all the chaotic situations and uncertainties by taking heroin ending up as addicts, added to the prevalence of HIV among them. These two lethal combination makes the life span of this young energetic people so short that they hardly live to develop full AIDS.

 Parents are helpless as they watch those who would take care of them at their old age waste in addiction, men and women alike, university students and mine workers; no one is spared. Tales of entire family wiped out by this menace. Shattered dreams and lives lost are un-quantifiable

 Although the effects of these plants is known and felt by the people, yet the cultivation continues because of the pecuniary gains accruing from it. Even government crack down which I my opinion is ineffective, still does not deter them from the practice. Life expectancy has dropped drastically to an average of thirty five, yet not much is done to encourage a change in the trend, not even much publicity is on it, these people are just left to to take the path of perdition, in search of livelihoods.

 Charities like Young Christians who are are with out funds, do preaching of the gospel to addicts, lock them up in cells with no drugs to aid their withdrawal, soon after they are released; with no means of livelihoods they only take a while and they are back to where they were. Another NGO  is training and convincing farmers to cultivate coffee which takes three to five years to mature for sales compared to the poppy which grows faster with a readily available market, whereas the coffee market is international; it is daunting and uphill getting farmers to enroll for the project, but as little as these are, they are rays of hope for a lost generation of people

Efforts must be galvanised to bring succor and help to this lovely people whose circumstances are just beyond what they can handle and cope with.
As the country opens up, it will be easier for aid to get to the people of the region. Cartels and brokers of this stock and trade must be aware of what this plant is doing to people. As government destroys the the opium in the front, the people still are growing it behind their homes.
One can only hope that change drives the people towards better lives, better source of livelihoods and longevity.

GREAT FUTURE TOGETHER

President Xi Jingpin will start a five day state visit to the United Kingdom on the invitation of the Queen. This comes at a time when both sides need each other the most, the UK has a need to replace and reactivate a whole lot of its hardware in nuclear reactors and in science and technology and huge in investments in the money market; China on the order hand is looking for an outlet to booster its currency as a medium of international trade and what market can help provide such an amazing avenue if not the London stock exchange.

 A whole myriad of deals, bilateral agreements and memorandum of understanding are due for signing the underground works haven been concluded. It is interesting how the UK has fashioned an international foreign relations with China, jumping in on AIIB with out recourse to old allie and friend the US. It is acting in the best interests of her citizens by threading this path. China has it all to offer, they have even broken barriers and are forging into new frontiers in science and medicine. They have an enormous market and can single handedly boost FDI of any country globally.

The future holds a lot for partnership like this and indeed for the globe, the UK tactically and aptly stayed mute on the south China sea, where its allie is flexing muscles for strategic reasons and its interest in the region. Smart Brits! The silk road project will immensely benefit a big player like the United Kingdom. Watching the preparation in Buckingham palace, the rehearsal of the royal guards and level of hosts scheduled to meet with President Xi; one is left without doubts as to the intent and seriousness with which over a billion China is been wooed. Respect should be mutual no matter how big one country is to another, that for me is leadership; and China is showing it in Africa, giving with much respect to the people without conditions, and where they exist they are respectfully respected. I applaud this union of symbiosis, that seeks to compliment the other not vice versa. Instead of trying to maneuvers one another in weaponry, the race to resources in the artic regions and suspecting and countering each other's moves, invitations like this one can help rebuild trust and mutual respect. Rather than slide to the cold war in Syria, America and Russia should find a common ground; and let the bigger man be the first to make a gesture. Wishing President Xi a wonderful experience in all the places he will visit, as it is one empire leader playing host to another empire leader. Two dynasties with separate paths blending for the good of its people and the world.

THE WORK GOES ON

The new Ebonyi project and dreams goes on unhindered as pre-ordained by God, that at a time like this a leader of this sort and substance will materialize for the service of his people in this clime. The judgement lasted for what seemed like eternity but the wait was counted all joy when it filtered out that the election of Engr. Dave Umahi stands as announced by INEC in the just concluded general general election of 2015. The work we have seen been done will therefore go on unhindered, with less friction and if anything with greater dexterity and futural standard. I therefore expect that tenders will be solicited for to commence the housing units for workers in the state and issuance of operating licenses to companies to start mining the abundant mineral embedded here-in. I look forward to the taps running in the shortest possible time and a change in the state owned university in terms of administrative structures and fiscal policies as regards grants and subventions to help cushion the huge tuition fees paid by students for abysmal services. Sanity must be returned to the institution by massively restructuring the institution and importantly getting accreditation for Engineering Faculty and Environmental Sciences to help build the next generation of power brokers and game changers as far as the Ebonyi project is concerned. The Agriculture Faculty must research on new seedlings, bio-products that will be of immense benefits to our mostly agrarian state. The work is enormous, but I have faith in God who called you at this point in our teenage; HE will WILL you to do the needful with the team of technocrats you have surrounded yourself with. "Okara anyi obi."

THE TABLE IS BEST

"The arrow shot by the archer may or may not kill a single person, but stratagems devised by a wise man can kill even babies in the womb." Kautilya- Indian Philosopher, Third Century BC. 

If only Americans and their allies will admit to their lack of understanding of the situation, their poor strategies and gross underestimation of Asad and their poor arrangements with Turkey for a quick fix in Syria and accept the extended hands of the Russians and Iranians at the security council and go in one accord to deal with ISIS terminally, then negotiate a political solution in Syria to address all interests groups through a confederation or something similar to it but far away from what was achieved at the Balkans it will save millions of lives. The Americans must also pressure their Arabic allies of the Sunni extraction to stop funding ISIS by proxy through armories they send to so called moderate rebels, Hezbollah and other radical groups who in turn pass the funds, arms and machinery to the ISIS. Americans themselves must commit to stopping any such practices themselves. Asad is no saint, I totally agree but care must be taken not to bring the Libyan scenario in to Syria; that will be very tactically woeful to all concerned especially to selfish Erdogan of Turkey who would want rebels trained and armed to overthrow a next door president without wanting to weaponize rebel Kurds who are resisting Ankara. I may not have all the facts as to how the regional political settings are comprised and the dynamics hitherto, but snitching aint good and can be counterproductive and boomerang.

Playing into every sides hand is as perilous as can be. On one hand Turkey is in agreement with the United States to train and arm rebels to go over and fight in Syria while playing host to the camps and intentionally leaving her borders porous to brainwashed militants and at the same time collecting money from the European Union to house refugees and block them from getting to Europe in order to win EU membership; some Turk need to stand up to Erdogan and tell him he is responsible for what happened to innocent citizens last week. Erdogan needs to chart a new course no matter the geo-ethnic and geo-political factors fueling his motives.All parties concerned and partaking in this war directly or by proxy must as a matter of urgency come to the table for talks or else a bigger catastrophe looms as Europe tightens its boarders and as winter sets in. Deal with the bigger evil, it will be in the interest of all, then fix Asad, for the good of all ethnic groupings in the equation; else a genocide like never before looms and responsibilities must be borne and their consequences exerted on culprits. The UN is overwhelming, I personally think another body should be set up to handle part of what it handles very inefficiently today, its almost becoming out of touch with the humanitarian crisis and situations around the world; since it is toothless and penniless, depending on handouts that are no longer sustainably feasible. A new organization should be tinkered to deal with some of the very devastating situations and challenges of the twenty first century. Its structures are so outdated and oblivion of the nitty gritty of realism other than idealism in most of their approach to providing and fostering solutions and unity; the organization is now self serving and needs a paradigm.

A FITTING MINISTERIAL NOMINEE

"For as Cicero says, even those who argue against fame still want the books they write against it to bear their name in the title and hope to become famous for despising it. Everything else is subject to barter; we will let our friends have our goods and our lives if need be; but a case of sharing our fame and making someone else the gift of our reputation is hardly to be found- Montaigne 1533-1592I find an exception to this rule in Babatunde Raji Fashola

TOO BIG FOR TWO

The statistics are not just startling but mind niggling and boggling. Americans have been niggardly in making the needed political demands for over a century and five decades and counting; because I do not see any sudden extreme deviation from what disturbingly is now the rule, because a people seem to have become ill enlightened, mal-educated politically at their own expense to the utmost bait of the political class in America. For the better part of all most two centuries only the Democrats and Republicans have interchangeably occupied the oval office in America. The fiscally and socially conservative (Republicans) and the fiscally and socially liberal(Democrats) without a balancing third that will be fiscally conservative and socially liberal.

Albeit over a dozen of GOP candidates are vying to replace Barack Obama and a handful of Democrats hustling to continue after him there are no third option open to the almost sixty four percent Americans who did not vote in the last general election, nearly three out of four legible voters; that was an unprecedented level of apathy in voters, because they are fed up with just two which honestly in my opinion is abysmal.

The 1992 election saw an independent candidate who was defiant and was willing to not agree to the status quo and ended up pulling in a little below twelve percent of total votes cast in that election. The insufficient two out muscled him in access to media coverage, beat him square in fund raising for his campaign, and pulled more electoral and popular votes; simply put, Americans did not give him a chance.

Americans need to do the needful for the sake of the world by demanding that more options be made available by engineering it. The almighty fourth estate of the realm needs to get up their buts rollup their sleeves for the daunting task of engineering a new consciousness in the psyche of Americans. The money bags, the big conglomerates, the multinational corporations, the big cable networks all need to awaken the consciousness of Americans to the discourse they are too big for two. They need to be options, viable alternatives, including outsiders for the nominal politicians have brought the mess the country is in upon them. A new born baby before suckling the mother' milk is already in debt to the tune of fifty thousand dollars today and who knows it might be worst tomorrow. The system as has been for nearly two centuries must as a matter of survival for both America and the rest of the world change; for it is a big deal what happens in and to America, like who becomes the next president impacts globally. A stich in time saves nine.

WASTE OF TIME

President Mohammed Buhari took over three months to make public his ministerial nominees to Nigerians, yet most of the names are known names and faces of the political arena in motherland. I for one was expectant that the PMB era will be a departure from the old political style of recycling same old faces; I was very very wrong; yet I cut PMB some slack, with the hope that the the eight National Assembly(Red Chambers) will do the change mantra some favour by really scrutinizing the nominees to know what they have to do differently to get us out of the woods, economically and socially, however I am disappointed in the screening exercise that started yesterday. 

I now am critical of the meeting behind closed doors between the President, Vice-president, Senate President and speaker in the Villa just before the resumption from recess of the National Assembly; that meeting I believe was a parley at the extreme expense of the Nigerian people. Furthermore, the dexterity of the opposition suddenly has waxed cold. I had expected that even though they were not able to do the right things in terms of running the country, they should have insisted that the change mantra is seen playing out in the screening of ministerial nominees, but that was not to be; waiting to use it as a bait in the general election, a very perilous play I must say.
The whole exercise of waiting for the President all this months and the lack of substance and depth screening exercise are all to me a colossal waste of time.

NO RESPITE IN SIGHT

It is indeed heartbreaking as we watch what is happening in Syria with utmost disquiet yet no one world leader or country seems to know how best to deal with a the humanitarian aspects of a very devastating situation. The Americans and their allies NATO were clueless in handling Asad' regime by funding and equipping an ill pockets of rebel to dethrone his government; openly backed by a Sunni Saudi Arabia, at the same time opposed by a Shiite Iran for geo-ethnic reasons; with little or no plans to deal with the humanitarian crisis that will ensue. It is a dejavu, for as it was with Iraq and Libya so it now is with Syria.

Seeing the chaos and height of disastrous catastrophe, ISIS capitalized on the disorderly situation and infiltrated into Syria, for they knew it will be a perfect cover for them to unleash venomous terror in a a heinous way like no other. War crimes are committed on daily basis both by soldiers defending Damascus from falling into the hands of the rebels or ISIS ; and worst still they even more ferociously committed by ISIS and the rebels all on the same powerless, weaponless civilians whose crimes are that they are citizens; be they christians or muslims.

Russia has entered the fray, yet no respite in sight for the ordinary citizens of Syria. Syria is down, yet geo-ethnic politics will not allow Saudi Arabia, Quata, UAE, to open their doors to dying Syrians; they would rather watch them die as they strive to get Europe, how inhumane. As Europe grapples to manage a very bad situation, no offer of financial support to the Euro zone from any of these Sunni wealthy nations. I hope Russia' Vladimir Putin achieves his goal in less than four months, so as bring all warring parties to the conflict resolution table, for the sake of the very elderly who cannot, who will not embark on the long walk, or risky trips to Europe.

A COUNTRY'S ALBATROSS I

The pre 1914 protectorates of North and South where power houses and respectively had their destinies in their hands. Even with the annexation or if you like the occupation of the areas by the British, the owners of the land namely Hausa Fulani, in the North, the Yoruba and Bini in the South West, and the Ibo majority with the people of Anioma, Ogwashi, Igala who migrated to the Niger inland-Onitsha mixing up with the natives, the Ijaw, Ishekiri, Urohbo, Ibibio, Efik; they all were fending for themselves with a very boisterous trade relationships spanning to Timbuktu and Upper Volta regions.

NORTHERN PROTECTORATE
As early as 4000 AD, the the caliphate was up and running with its administrative structures. The Kano emirate, Bornu empire the Sokoto caliphate had through the years established itself in trade with its neighbors. These ancient cities were centres of trade for cattle, groundnuts, millet and slaves with legal tenders such as salts, tusks, hides, skin, cowries exchanging hands as money. They was connectivity by means of camels, donkeys up to the Nile of ancient Egypt. Herds men continually in search of pastures journeyed through the deserts up to Timbuktu. So it was up on till the late Seventeenth century when the British invasion/incursions started to gain foothold. Great leaders like Queen Amina, Usman Dan Fodio were products of this system and were very effective in their leadership styles and administrative prowess over seeing various conquest at different times. They were predominantly Muslims and traditionalists with tendencies for jihad.

SOUTHERN PROTECTORATE-SOUTH WEST
In the South it was a little more complex and sophisticated in that there was absence of homogeneity. This is because of the ethnic make up and belief of the indigenous people.
The Yoruba kingdoms of Ife and Oyo were established in the early part of (between) 4500 to 5000 AD and had their administrative and trade structures established while the Bini kingdom was also established around the same time and known for their teracuta works of ancient arts which were exported to Europe as very exotic artifacts by explorers. They were both traditionalists with oduduwa as ancestral patriach and olorun as deity. They both had tribal marks which were distinct and showed origin; their trade spanned up to the Upper Volta exchanging wares and slaves for cowries and salt. They were educated in in their taboos, myths and belief systems up to the arrival of the British imperialist in the early Sixteenth century

SOUTHERN PROTECTORATE- SOUTH EAST
Albeit there is no historical record as to the time of settlement, their origin is Jewish. The Nri kingdom was established as at early Fifteenth century with its power and fame spreading across the area. The Awka kingdom, the Aroh kingdom were all prominent at this point in time. Predominantly traditionalists with deities such as agbala, chukwu, ala and extended trade systems.
The Aroh kingdom for instance, were fierce in the slave trade, using mercenaries from Abriba, Ohafia Ezza etc to prosecute military wars on communities they invaded capturing their able bodied men and taking them away for sales up to the Upper Volta. They came to a great deal of wealth and were feared greatly. This people were educated in their taboos, myths and belief systems and they revere yam greatly holdin

THE JOB BEGINS

Tomorrow all eyes will be. On the National Assembly as they commence the rigorous and irksome process of screening the ministerial nominees whose names were made public last week by the Senate President Bukola Saraki. Nigerians will be looking to see how the next generation of men who will bear the destinies of over one hundred and eighty million Nigerians in their hands.

Interesting will be the appearance of a controversial nominee in the person of Rotimi Amechi who has ruffled quite some feathers in different quarters of the power blocks. I also hope the senators will use privileged information at their disposal to best of the country's interests, by ensuring that incompetent, corrupt and self serving individuals do not get in through the back door.

I also join in the call that the screening be streamed live, so that as many that can will watch and see the demeanor of our would be ministers while on the hot seat. Nigerians are their employers and so are entitled to access their competence by watching the exercise live. It is worthy to note that President Muhamadu Buhari PMB has been quoted as saying that he will not intervene in any of his ministerial nominees scrutiny by the anti graft agencies, so it is every one for himself, God for all of us. They should also be made to declare their assets; this will give credence to the anti corruption war by this administration. I am excited because it will be another opera.

TRUMPED UP

Interesting times are upon us, as the election circle comes to bloom in the United States of America.  All sorts of catd is been played to a people who have lost all faith in the political class and even more importantly have lost their faith In God.  A country which says "In Hod we Trust," Yet quicly do they rush to embrace liberty of gay rights approval. A nation of people fastly drofting to the extent of Biblical proportions of Sodom and Gomorah. A nation held hostage by the powerful Rifles Association og America to the extent the congress is scared to play the gun control catd; even when evidently it os killing the Nations finest in their citadel of learning, what a sorry people.
It is these frightened people, almost paranoid people that Donald Trump is psyching around for so as to be their next President. Followung the GOP debate so far, in my opinion Trump is the most out of touch, less stylish, most predictably rude, undiplomatic and most insincere. Yet I see the polls and he ranks higher than Ben Carson; my favourite candidate, ranks higher than Fiona whom I think will make a wonderful running mate to Carson. Honestly I think strongly that an outsider should be President but not Trump; I also believe that the Republicans should take over the White House in other to check Vladmir Putin who is awul cause of an over careful Democratic White House today.
Trump should not play on the psychy of Americans with his fence over the borders of Texas warding off Mexicans, or sending back all illegal immigrants back home, its anti-people, undiplomatic and not feasible.  I hope Americans especially the GOPs will read Trump' lips and see the lies.
I hope that the American people will rise up and send a strong message to Democrats for speaking from both sides of their lips; when Hillary Clinton supported and advocated for the Transpacific Trade Agreement as Secretary of State and now has turned to say something else knowing it will cost her political capital, disgusting. Importantly though that they send an olive branch to Russia, North Korea, China, Middle East and Africa and show leadership through service not bullying. This will be very strategic to America' interest in the arctic, south China sea, anti proliferation of nuclear war heads, uranium enrichment, aids to poor countries, the climate and a whole lots of strategic re-aliances in a fast changing world.
The Trump bibble will burst and they will know how un duely hyped it is, because they are a people looking to trust again, believe again, live again in the true promises of the American dream; I will advice that America goes back to God and proclaim a fast on sack clorhes for their disobedience to the gospel and their failure to lead themselves fearfully before their maker and establisher. The fierce battle between good and evil, light and datkness has been won already, just step to the right with believe and see what has been done. God bless America!

TORN APART!

"Any house hold divided agsinst itself can not stand." Syria is in tumoil today and is quicklu becoming a failed state today with its sons and daughters scattered around and abroad; no yhanks to the US government who think they reserve the right to unsit any leader deemed hostile or one who dpes not give in to their whims and caprices, thus the fate pf President Asad and simple ordinary Syrians.
The capricious US government having successfully instigated the people of Northern Africa to topple the governments of Mubarak(Egypt), Ben Ali(Tunisia) and Mummah Gaddafi (Libya) decided to try their luck in Syria bt met a bulwark thuey did not bargain for. Albeit, Asad might not be the right or best of them to govern Syria but that is for the people of Syria to decide through the ballot box.
Seeing the apparent difficulties in dethroning Asad they armed the moderate rebels to do their dirty job for them, with interested parties like Saudi Arabia and NATO they have been there four years with total destruction of Major citied like Aleppo and the dangerous mix of ISIS in the theatre Syria is now a catastrophe.
All these yeard however the Iranians have supported Asad in the little way tjey could and now the Russians are in the pack descending dastardly on both sides of the moderate rebels armed by the US and ISIS; leaving the Americans dangerously rxosed, hence their restrategizing and forced negotiations with the Russians.
Lives and livelihood has brrn shattered in Syria no one needs to be told, even Turkey has played a major role in fuelling the crises by doing tpo little to prevent young brainwashed and radicalized men and women crossing ovrr to Syria; its so unfortunately irksome and painful that human lives count for nothing to the worlds elite organisation the UN doing so little to reduce the carnage resulting to thr mass exodus of people seeking refuge. How pitiable!