I WOULD lend my unreserved support to any group genuinely engaged in a principled and focused emancipation struggle for the peoples of the Niger Delta. If I perceived this sincerity and clarity of purpose in groups such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the Niger Delta People Volunteer Force (NDPVF), the Niger Delta Vigilantes (NVD), and the Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities (FNDIC), I would have urged them to carry on their onslaught until all oil exploration and production activities in the Niger delta are completely grounded and sustained as such. At that stage, the government would have no choice but to begin earnest work on the environmental and developmental problems of the Niger Delta. I believe that now, not later, is the time for our government to pay its debt to the peoples of the Niger Delta. Oloibiri is a testimony to how very deserted the Niger Delta would be once the oil dries up.
But it is now unassailable truth that the existing armed groups in the Niger Delta are neither fighting for the emancipation of the Niger Delta, nor do they have a clear understanding of the sort of emancipation they profess to pursue. The tactics of these groups are well known and many of them may very well be appropriate in a genuine revolutionary struggle or guerrilla warfare for justice. But some, such as the mindless killing of helpless oil workers, kidnapping of children, and terrorizing or harassing residents of the regions they claim to be fighting for, are hardly justifiable. But the biggest telltale of the insincerity of these groups is the contradictions in the lifestyle, positions, and allies of their leaders. The struggle for supremacy between the NDPVF and the NVD was never a liberation struggle. The early political and financial patrons of these groups (such as the Rivers State Government under the leadership of Peter Odili, which was widely alleged to have funded and armed the NVD to battle the NDPVF) did not believe in the liberation of the Niger Delta. Matter of fact, many of these politicians have exacerbated the woes of the Niger Delta. Today, Dokubo Asari, Tom Ateke, Henry Okah, Tamuno Kuna, etc are all multimillionaires. Thanks to revenues from illegal oil sales, ransoms for release of hostages, bribes from oil companies, and the unaccounted-for security votes of our governments. As we now know, the chief ambition of these men is acquisition of personal wealth, political clout, immunity for crime, and godfatherhood for aspiring politicians in the Niger Delta.
The implication of all this is that the the injury and injustice done to the peoples of the Niger Delta have doubled. Not only have they been deprived of the benefits of their natural resources, they now can no more sleep with two eyes closed. Violence upon violence upon violence upon violence has made the region more hellish than Gehenna. In addition to taking the resources of the people without due compensation, in terms of environmental and developmental justice, the government has failed to rid the region of these self-serving, blood-sucking groups. Contrarily, the government has offered an unholy amnesty with daily supplication for these groups to disarm. Yes, there have been some successful military crackdowns, but the general approach of the government has been that of pampering the criminals or surface-scratching the problem. "Egunje" has been and continues to be lavished on leaders of these groups and their members, on traditional rulers and local chiefs, and on middlemen "peace-brokers." Do we need an Einstein to tell us that the last thing the beneficiaries of violence in the region would seek is to stop the flow of this easy money? Anyway, the violence continues and the peoples of the Niger Delta continue to live in constant fear.
While this otiose strategy of supplication and prayers for peace - to the groups and their leaders, to traditional rulers and chiefs, to members of the public, to oil companies, etc. - is being carried on by the government; the very fundamental issue of environmental and developmental justice for the Niger Delta remains as unresolved as it has been since the first barrel of oil was removed from Oloibiri. Now we wonder: our resources have been taken forcefully away from us; our environment continues to be destroyed in a most unconscionable manner; our traditional means of livelihood has been lethally ravished; how about feeling sure that our grandparents could get a peaceful sleep in their shacks or letting our children go to school without fear of some violence befalling them or sitting down at dust with a friend to have a drink peacefully in the open? Can we not also do that?
By Choice Epkekurede
www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Our Greatest Need
If our greatest need had been information,
God would have sent us an educator.
If our greatest need had been technology,
God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money,
God would have sent us an economist.
If our greatest need had been pleasure,
God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness,
so God sent us a Saviour.
-Roy Lessin
God would have sent us an educator.
If our greatest need had been technology,
God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money,
God would have sent us an economist.
If our greatest need had been pleasure,
God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness,
so God sent us a Saviour.
-Roy Lessin
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Many Faces of Violence Against Women: Emotional Abuse
Once a man carries out all necessary marriage rites and the woman start living with him, he may find it extremely difficult to continue regular visits to his in laws’ place while he expects his wife to be consistent with her visits to his parents’ place.
He may regularly feed his relations with issues coming up between him and his wife, even when such issues are meant to be the couples “secrets”.
He brings minor disagreement at the home front, before his relations who readily put blame on the woman for ever disagree with her husband.
The cause for the birth of female children is placed on the woman who is also blamed for being an obstacle to her husband’s progress because the amount of money the man could have used to build a house for himself is demanded for housekeep.
Does the above portray your marriage or that of someone you know. Be sensitized on the right of the woman. Reduce violence against women.
He may regularly feed his relations with issues coming up between him and his wife, even when such issues are meant to be the couples “secrets”.
He brings minor disagreement at the home front, before his relations who readily put blame on the woman for ever disagree with her husband.
The cause for the birth of female children is placed on the woman who is also blamed for being an obstacle to her husband’s progress because the amount of money the man could have used to build a house for himself is demanded for housekeep.
Does the above portray your marriage or that of someone you know. Be sensitized on the right of the woman. Reduce violence against women.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Many Faces of Violence From the Male Partner: Sexual Abuse
Bimpe’s husband is a medical doctor but he never likes using condemn.
Anytime he wants to have fun, she must be ready and cooperate but anytime she initiate the move for the act, he does not feel compelled to cooperate.
When her husband wants to have fun and she gives a reason why she won’t be able to cooperate, he wonders why he has not given it a serious thought to get a mistress.
Any time it is her menstrual period, he is very edgy and distant.
A day after the birth of her first baby, her husband demanded to have fun with her which resulted to a tear.
She is two months pregnant of the fifth baby, her husband is want her to travel abroad to have the baby before the pregnancy becomes noticeably.
Bimpe’s experience though common is not acceptable. Educate yourself, educate others. Reduce violence against women.
Anytime he wants to have fun, she must be ready and cooperate but anytime she initiate the move for the act, he does not feel compelled to cooperate.
When her husband wants to have fun and she gives a reason why she won’t be able to cooperate, he wonders why he has not given it a serious thought to get a mistress.
Any time it is her menstrual period, he is very edgy and distant.
A day after the birth of her first baby, her husband demanded to have fun with her which resulted to a tear.
She is two months pregnant of the fifth baby, her husband is want her to travel abroad to have the baby before the pregnancy becomes noticeably.
Bimpe’s experience though common is not acceptable. Educate yourself, educate others. Reduce violence against women.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Many Faces of Violence Against Women: Physical Abuse
Adama's husband sees nothing wrong with correcting her with some slaps on the check after all that was how it was with his parents. When his mother errs, his father beats her as a way of correction.
Anytime her husband passes a nasty comment on her parents, she must not reciprocate otherwise...
When any of the children errs and she pleads for his forgiveness, the strokes of cane meant for the child lands on her.
If the food is suspected to have been carelessly done, her husband expresses his anger with a heavy slap on her cheek.
Her four year old son is so used to daddy beating mummy such that anytime, Adama run out of his favour, the little boy threatens, "I will tell Papa and Papa will hang your legs and smack you".
Adama’s situation cut across social and economic divide. Her experience though common is not acceptable. Educate yourself, educate others. Reduce violence against women.
Anytime her husband passes a nasty comment on her parents, she must not reciprocate otherwise...
When any of the children errs and she pleads for his forgiveness, the strokes of cane meant for the child lands on her.
If the food is suspected to have been carelessly done, her husband expresses his anger with a heavy slap on her cheek.
Her four year old son is so used to daddy beating mummy such that anytime, Adama run out of his favour, the little boy threatens, "I will tell Papa and Papa will hang your legs and smack you".
Adama’s situation cut across social and economic divide. Her experience though common is not acceptable. Educate yourself, educate others. Reduce violence against women.
Monday, November 29, 2010
2010 16 Days Activism Against Violence on Women
This year marks the twentieth year of the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign”. The campaign began in 1991 and originated from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute, sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University. The idea of the campaign is to draw attention at a local, national and global level to the different forms of violence that women face. It also aims to show the link between violence against women and human rights highlighting that such violence is a human rights violation; thus the dates chosen for the campaign November 25 - International Day Against Violence Against Women - to December 10, - International Human Rights Day.
The theme for this year’s campaign is “Structures of Violence: Defining the Intersections of Militarism and Violence Against Women.” This theme was decided upon after much consultation with activists, organisations and experts and a consensus was reached that militarism is one of the structures that encourages violence against women. Militarism was defined “as an ideology that creates a culture of fear and supports the use of violence, aggression, or military interventions for settling disputes and enforcing economic and political interests.” It was not only examined in the context of war zones but also at the home level and areas where military-linked forms of violence may be hidden from the public eye.
Economic consequences of war on women, Sexual violence within the military, Women and girl combatants, the use of anti-terrorism laws to silence women human rights defenders, environmental contamination by military operations and its consequences for women and children and violations committed by peace-keeping forces are just a few of the issues suggested by the CWGL that can be addressed in this year’s campaign.
To learn more about the theme of this year’s campaign and the logic behind the choice, as well as other issues that can be addressed and how you can become active in the campaign, visit the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence website.
Culled from Announcing the 2010 16 Days Campaign theme! World YWCA
The theme for this year’s campaign is “Structures of Violence: Defining the Intersections of Militarism and Violence Against Women.” This theme was decided upon after much consultation with activists, organisations and experts and a consensus was reached that militarism is one of the structures that encourages violence against women. Militarism was defined “as an ideology that creates a culture of fear and supports the use of violence, aggression, or military interventions for settling disputes and enforcing economic and political interests.” It was not only examined in the context of war zones but also at the home level and areas where military-linked forms of violence may be hidden from the public eye.
Economic consequences of war on women, Sexual violence within the military, Women and girl combatants, the use of anti-terrorism laws to silence women human rights defenders, environmental contamination by military operations and its consequences for women and children and violations committed by peace-keeping forces are just a few of the issues suggested by the CWGL that can be addressed in this year’s campaign.
To learn more about the theme of this year’s campaign and the logic behind the choice, as well as other issues that can be addressed and how you can become active in the campaign, visit the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence website.
Culled from Announcing the 2010 16 Days Campaign theme! World YWCA
Monday, July 12, 2010
Only Praise (By Infinity)
This music is more than the melody
It's more than the rhythms
It's an expression of a sound from heaven
Did i hear you say a sound form heaven
Oh yeah, this music is more than the melody
It's more than the rhymes
It an expression of a sound from heaven
Did i hear you say a sound from heaven
Chorus:
When i say get up, get up
When i say move, move
When i say dance,dance
When i say flex, flex
When i say, eni ba more Jesu
Ko wa jo, ko wa jo o,eni ba
more Jesu jo jo jo
Only praise can take you higher
To the place where you can see the father
Face to face, you won't remain the same
When you've already done, what the father craves today
When you've already given, what the father needs today
When you've already cooked what the father eats today
(Repeat)
Eni ba more Jesu ko wa jo, orole n gbo yen o, oro le n gbo
Lala hun hun eh eh ah
Aw ti r'ona awa ti r'olu
A b'eledumare jeun a yo
Awa ti ri'ye ninu Jesu ko je a jabo, ko ni je a subu
When i say get up, get up
When i say, you, you
When i say me, me
Gbogbo wa e je a jo ka gbe'ledumare ga o
Eni ba more Jesu
Ko wa jo, ko wa jo o, eni ba
more Jesu jo jo jo
Repeat: Only praise...
Jabulani everybody, Eh jabulani
Jabulani let's rejoice, Eh jabula
Jabulani everybody. Eh jabulani
Eni ba more jesu ko wa jo
I say
It's more than the rhymes
It's an expression of a sound from heaven
Did i hear you say a sound from heaven.
Oh yeah, this music is more than the melody
It's more than the rhymes
It's an expression of a sound from heaven
Did i hear you say a sound from heaven
Chorus:
When i say get up get up
When i say move, move
When i say dance,dance
When i say flex, flex
When i say, eni ba more Jesu
Ko wa jo, ko wa jo o,eni ba
more Jesu jo jo jo
Only praise can take you higher
To the place where you can see the father
Face to face, you won't remain the same
When you've already done, what the father craves today
When you've already given, what the father needs today
When you've already cooked, what the father eats today
It's more than the rhythms
It's an expression of a sound from heaven
Did i hear you say a sound form heaven
Oh yeah, this music is more than the melody
It's more than the rhymes
It an expression of a sound from heaven
Did i hear you say a sound from heaven
Chorus:
When i say get up, get up
When i say move, move
When i say dance,dance
When i say flex, flex
When i say, eni ba more Jesu
Ko wa jo, ko wa jo o,eni ba
more Jesu jo jo jo
Only praise can take you higher
To the place where you can see the father
Face to face, you won't remain the same
When you've already done, what the father craves today
When you've already given, what the father needs today
When you've already cooked what the father eats today
(Repeat)
Eni ba more Jesu ko wa jo, orole n gbo yen o, oro le n gbo
Lala hun hun eh eh ah
Aw ti r'ona awa ti r'olu
A b'eledumare jeun a yo
Awa ti ri'ye ninu Jesu ko je a jabo, ko ni je a subu
When i say get up, get up
When i say, you, you
When i say me, me
Gbogbo wa e je a jo ka gbe'ledumare ga o
Eni ba more Jesu
Ko wa jo, ko wa jo o, eni ba
more Jesu jo jo jo
Repeat: Only praise...
Jabulani everybody, Eh jabulani
Jabulani let's rejoice, Eh jabula
Jabulani everybody. Eh jabulani
Eni ba more jesu ko wa jo
I say
It's more than the rhymes
It's an expression of a sound from heaven
Did i hear you say a sound from heaven.
Oh yeah, this music is more than the melody
It's more than the rhymes
It's an expression of a sound from heaven
Did i hear you say a sound from heaven
Chorus:
When i say get up get up
When i say move, move
When i say dance,dance
When i say flex, flex
When i say, eni ba more Jesu
Ko wa jo, ko wa jo o,eni ba
more Jesu jo jo jo
Only praise can take you higher
To the place where you can see the father
Face to face, you won't remain the same
When you've already done, what the father craves today
When you've already given, what the father needs today
When you've already cooked, what the father eats today
Thursday, July 1, 2010
LAFF MATTERS
THIS IS A TRUE LIFE STORY!!
Late in 1994, an 87 year old man passed on in a village close to Amai, Kwale, Delta State . The late man's grand son, Ufiaka (26 years old and fairly educated), was given some money and asked to travel to Agbor to buy a fine casket for his grand pa's burial. Ufiaka left base early and arrived Agbor in good time to purchase the casket and make the return journey same day..
He was fortunate to get an open back white coloured Peugeot 404 pickup heading for Amai. He, however, had to ride in the back of the pickup with the casket because two market women travelling to Amai were already seated in front with the driver.
On the home journey, they ran into a heavy rain storm close to Uronigbe and Ufiaka quickly opened the casket, lay himself nicely in the well padded interior, covered the lid and used the folded newspaper he had with him to leave a small opening between the lid and the main body of the white casket to ensure adequate ventilation.
The interior of the casket was very comfortable and Ufiaka soon fell into a very deep sleep.
The rain had subsided at the time the pickup van arrived at Umutu and during a brief stop there, two men travelling to Amai boarded the vehicle at the back and the same happened at Obiaruku where a man and a woman travelling also to Amai entered the vehicle. All this while, Ufiaka was enjoying his beauty sleep inside the Casket completely unaware of the new passengers who boarded at Umutu and Obiaruku.
The pickup van arrived Amai just after 5p.m. and the driver, who was now very hungry, stopped in front of a busy bukataria to have a quick bite before proceeding onto the next village.
The sudden stoppage and revving of the pickup's engine woke Ufiaka who then opened the lid of the casket and rose up.
Trouble come start!
The passengers in the back of the pickup jumped out of the vehicle from various points and took to their heels in various directions.
The people eating in the buka (including the mama-put and her service girls) who saw the white casket open, and a "ghost" step out, ran off all over the place some with balls of eba and akpu in their hands.
Ufiaka, seeing people running 'helta skelta' was convinced that armed robbers were operating and decided to take-off in the direction three of the passengers, including the woman, were running. When the three passengers realised that Ufiaka was running towards them, they increased their speed and shouted "ghost! ghost!" and, to further worsen the situation, Ufiaka was dressed in white up and down with white shoes to match that day.
With the shouting of 'ghost', other people in their homes came out to see what was going on and on seeing people running at high speed all over, they joined in the race for their dear life and the number just swelled.
The driver and the two market women were the only people who knew what was on going and they had a hell of a time calming the people down and explaining that … he merely needed shelter, while it was raining ...
Are you still there!
Through: Akinwale Akinbodunse
Late in 1994, an 87 year old man passed on in a village close to Amai, Kwale, Delta State . The late man's grand son, Ufiaka (26 years old and fairly educated), was given some money and asked to travel to Agbor to buy a fine casket for his grand pa's burial. Ufiaka left base early and arrived Agbor in good time to purchase the casket and make the return journey same day..
He was fortunate to get an open back white coloured Peugeot 404 pickup heading for Amai. He, however, had to ride in the back of the pickup with the casket because two market women travelling to Amai were already seated in front with the driver.
On the home journey, they ran into a heavy rain storm close to Uronigbe and Ufiaka quickly opened the casket, lay himself nicely in the well padded interior, covered the lid and used the folded newspaper he had with him to leave a small opening between the lid and the main body of the white casket to ensure adequate ventilation.
The interior of the casket was very comfortable and Ufiaka soon fell into a very deep sleep.
The rain had subsided at the time the pickup van arrived at Umutu and during a brief stop there, two men travelling to Amai boarded the vehicle at the back and the same happened at Obiaruku where a man and a woman travelling also to Amai entered the vehicle. All this while, Ufiaka was enjoying his beauty sleep inside the Casket completely unaware of the new passengers who boarded at Umutu and Obiaruku.
The pickup van arrived Amai just after 5p.m. and the driver, who was now very hungry, stopped in front of a busy bukataria to have a quick bite before proceeding onto the next village.
The sudden stoppage and revving of the pickup's engine woke Ufiaka who then opened the lid of the casket and rose up.
Trouble come start!
The passengers in the back of the pickup jumped out of the vehicle from various points and took to their heels in various directions.
The people eating in the buka (including the mama-put and her service girls) who saw the white casket open, and a "ghost" step out, ran off all over the place some with balls of eba and akpu in their hands.
Ufiaka, seeing people running 'helta skelta' was convinced that armed robbers were operating and decided to take-off in the direction three of the passengers, including the woman, were running. When the three passengers realised that Ufiaka was running towards them, they increased their speed and shouted "ghost! ghost!" and, to further worsen the situation, Ufiaka was dressed in white up and down with white shoes to match that day.
With the shouting of 'ghost', other people in their homes came out to see what was going on and on seeing people running at high speed all over, they joined in the race for their dear life and the number just swelled.
The driver and the two market women were the only people who knew what was on going and they had a hell of a time calming the people down and explaining that … he merely needed shelter, while it was raining ...
Are you still there!
Through: Akinwale Akinbodunse
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Nigeria, not likely to meet the Millennium Goals 4 and 5 !
Despite the progress made in recent times by Nigeria and many other countries in reducing child and maternal deaths, a newly released Countdown to 2015 Decade Report (2000 to 2010) says lack of skilled attendants at birth accounts for two million preventable maternal deaths, stillbirths and newborn deaths each year.
The report listed Nigeria as one of the 10 countries, which may not meet Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5. The situation is expected to have been the reverse with the launch of the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS) last year by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). The MSS is expected to ensure the availability of skilled birth care in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the country and reverse the poor maternal, newborn and child health outcomes in Nigeria.
The midwives were to offer ante natal, natal and post-natal services. They were given refresher training courses as well as additional skills in the management of common childhood illness. The MSS is touted as a significant step in the national efforts towards improving skilled attendance at delivery and indeed accelerating progress in the attainment of MDGs 4 and 5.
In spite of the MSS government initiative, Countdown 2015 Decade Report count Nigeria one of the 10 countries that showed decrease in the use of skilled birth attendance.
Source: Global Child Mortality Rate Hits Two Million Mark
By Chukuwma Muanya
The Guardian, Wednesday June 9, 2010
The report listed Nigeria as one of the 10 countries, which may not meet Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5. The situation is expected to have been the reverse with the launch of the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS) last year by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). The MSS is expected to ensure the availability of skilled birth care in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the country and reverse the poor maternal, newborn and child health outcomes in Nigeria.
The midwives were to offer ante natal, natal and post-natal services. They were given refresher training courses as well as additional skills in the management of common childhood illness. The MSS is touted as a significant step in the national efforts towards improving skilled attendance at delivery and indeed accelerating progress in the attainment of MDGs 4 and 5.
In spite of the MSS government initiative, Countdown 2015 Decade Report count Nigeria one of the 10 countries that showed decrease in the use of skilled birth attendance.
Source: Global Child Mortality Rate Hits Two Million Mark
By Chukuwma Muanya
The Guardian, Wednesday June 9, 2010
The Overt Act
The Nigerian society is a patriarchal society where the male dominates. In the Nigerian society is a hierarchy in which men’s activities and attributes that are more highly valued such that men are given a greater leverage over decision making and resources than women. This is more so even when the women are more hardworking. The sharp contrast between the experiences of widows and widowers in Nigeria vividly illustrates this phenomenon. Widowers in most cultures in Nigeria rarely go through obnoxious widowhood practices like their female counterparts. They are not put in confinements like the widows. In fact some widowers are given women to sleep with on the day their deceased wife is buried in order not to feel lonely.
What is most striking and surprising about these cultures is that it is mostly enforced by women against their female folks. I have heard cases in which when women lost their husbands, it is their female in laws that spear head the fight against the widow in the name of tradition. They feel when the deceased man was alive, it was the widow that did not allow the man to extend his generous hands to them as much as they had wanted. Now that the man is dead, field is free to revenge on the widow. In extreme cases, they accuse the widow of being responsible for the death of her husband even where the man died of a disease he contacted before meeting the woman.
Deji of Akure’s olori provoked the Oba and his aide’s voyage to his estranged wife’s family’s house to dehumanized the woman forgetting that it is the cane used on the first wife that is kept for the junior wife.
I wonder what on earth the estranged wife could have done to have warrant such a bastardly act from the Oba who forgot momentarily his sacred position in the community.
I think we, women inspite of the innate power of persuasion God has bestowed on us over men, should work on our emotions and fantasies. Women networks should not only include women from all social strata but men as well. The man needs to know that it is not all yellings from a woman that requires an overly act.
Oba Oluwadare Adepoju Adesina’s action is almost causing him his throne. What legacy is the monarch leaving behind for his generations to come? What a shame!
What is most striking and surprising about these cultures is that it is mostly enforced by women against their female folks. I have heard cases in which when women lost their husbands, it is their female in laws that spear head the fight against the widow in the name of tradition. They feel when the deceased man was alive, it was the widow that did not allow the man to extend his generous hands to them as much as they had wanted. Now that the man is dead, field is free to revenge on the widow. In extreme cases, they accuse the widow of being responsible for the death of her husband even where the man died of a disease he contacted before meeting the woman.
Deji of Akure’s olori provoked the Oba and his aide’s voyage to his estranged wife’s family’s house to dehumanized the woman forgetting that it is the cane used on the first wife that is kept for the junior wife.
I wonder what on earth the estranged wife could have done to have warrant such a bastardly act from the Oba who forgot momentarily his sacred position in the community.
I think we, women inspite of the innate power of persuasion God has bestowed on us over men, should work on our emotions and fantasies. Women networks should not only include women from all social strata but men as well. The man needs to know that it is not all yellings from a woman that requires an overly act.
Oba Oluwadare Adepoju Adesina’s action is almost causing him his throne. What legacy is the monarch leaving behind for his generations to come? What a shame!
Friday, April 23, 2010
JESUS SAVES
Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was
better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly,
God was tired of hearing all the bickering.
Finally fed up, God said, 'THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am
going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those
results, I will judge who does the better job.'
So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.
They moused.
They faxed.
They e-mailed.
They e-mailed with attachments.
They downloaded.
They did spreadsheets!
They wrote reports.
They created labels and cards.
They created charts and graphs.
They did some genealogy reports
They did every job known to man.
Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than
hell.
Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly
flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the
power went off..
Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word
known in the underworld.
Jesus just sighed.
Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted
their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:
'It's gone! It's all GONE! 'I lost everything when the power
went out!'
Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files
from the past two hours of work..
Satan observed this and became irate.
'Wait!' he screamed. 'That's not fair! He cheated! How come
he has all his work and I don't have any?'
God just shrugged and said,
JESUS SAVES
From:
Chinyelu Samuel-Johnson
Through:
Wunmi Akinbodunse
better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly,
God was tired of hearing all the bickering.
Finally fed up, God said, 'THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am
going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those
results, I will judge who does the better job.'
So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.
They moused.
They faxed.
They e-mailed.
They e-mailed with attachments.
They downloaded.
They did spreadsheets!
They wrote reports.
They created labels and cards.
They created charts and graphs.
They did some genealogy reports
They did every job known to man.
Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than
hell.
Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly
flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the
power went off..
Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word
known in the underworld.
Jesus just sighed.
Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted
their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:
'It's gone! It's all GONE! 'I lost everything when the power
went out!'
Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files
from the past two hours of work..
Satan observed this and became irate.
'Wait!' he screamed. 'That's not fair! He cheated! How come
he has all his work and I don't have any?'
God just shrugged and said,
JESUS SAVES
From:
Chinyelu Samuel-Johnson
Through:
Wunmi Akinbodunse
Monday, April 12, 2010
AMAZING!
This revelation happened life in Abuja church. A brother lost his dear mum early in February, due to this he was so depressed and down cast due to the bond between him and his dear mum. When he returned home after his mother’s burial as a result of his work and his wife pregnancy, he sent his wife to his mother-in-law. It was on Monday morning that he got the feelings that he is not feeling too good, so he called a brother to pray for him and on Tuesday he went to his place of work. When his colleagues saw his health condition they brought him home on Wednesday. when he got home he was so weak that he managed to get to the kitchen to get a cup of water to drink, on his way back from the kitchen, he slumped at the sitting room and hit his head on the glass centre table ,that was how the journey began.
“I found myself on my mother grave yard and noticed that the environment was very dark , I now saw a very bright light coming towards my direction with a sword, the brightness was so much that I had to lie low on the ground, behold it was an angel of God with a bible in His hand. he gave me the bible and we started heading towards my house, on getting home i saw a greater light coming out of my room behold it was so white and bright that I could not behold it, I heard a voice asking the angel that are we back? Yes master, he said. Then the voice said to me “mark did u know me” I said no. He said am Jesus Christ. He put His hand on His face then I was able to look at him he was so white and bright, He asked that did I know why I was lying on my mum’s grave yard I said no He said because u love that woman more than Me. I said Jesus I love u! He answered saying “the 30mins prayer you used to offer for the church every day are you still faithful to it?, it was then that I remembered that my wife had once challenged me that I did not use to pray as before since I arrived from my mother’s burial. He said mark get ready we are going on a very long journey. I checked my pocket it was only #2000 (naira) that was there I said the money I have here will not be enough since it was a long journey, but He answered “u don’t need this earthly money for this kind of journey. So He asked me to dress up, I now remembered it was only one of my T- shirt I ironed, as I was about putting it on He said that this type of clothe will not qualify you for the journey. I said master, this is the only cloth I ironed, and before I know it I was on a white cloth.
The journey started. As we were going, we got to a very big roundabout, so big that I have not seen its kind. The entire environment was dark then Jesus told the angel to take me through the right road. The road was so narrow and rough that I could hardly walk on it, the sides were lined with beautiful flowers, on the flowers were some white garments so many of them, some were new and some look very old, beside this clothes were: packers ,brooms, violins, violas, trumpets and a lot of musical instruments. I asked the angel leading me who the owners of the clothes were. Then Jesus answered that I was so wise to ask such a question. He said these are the clothes of ushers, and choir members that have left me because of little things, but if they come back I’ll have mercy on them. Behold I saw a very distinct garment, new and very white, I asked who the owner was, the angel said I will get to know later. On getting to the end of the narrow road there was a small river to cross, the angel crossed it, Jesus Christ also crossed the river, the river was such that even small children could cross it but I could not, but through the help of Jesus I was able to cross it. The river was so clean and clear, underneath it are precious stones. Jesus now picked something that looked like a handset and gave it to the angel to open it. The screen was so large, behold it was the earth. I saw my branch church, the same as it was on earth. Nothing changed! Right in the congregation we saw many of them chewing gum ceaselessly, Jesus said this is the department they belong to meaning that they were busy poking their nose into other people’s affairs and not concentrating on the Godly work to which they are called. I saw another set of people carrying food flask and looking at other people own to see what was inside, Jesus said that is their own department, they are people going to other places called miracle centers to look for miracles. The angel opened another place behold it was our headquarter church at Abuja . I saw my pastor, assistant pastor, his wife and the congregation standing in front of a big fire all of them are with a golden staff. Jesus said those that put there rod inside the fire and get it back are the people serving Him, He told me to read Prov 5:21. The pastor and his assistant put their own and got it back so also some others. Unfortunately, many put in theirs and never got it back because they got burnt, in some cases, is was the wife’s own that came back and some their husband rod, husbands’ were pleading for wives and some wives were pleading for their husband but Jesus said there is no begging here, its only in the world that people beg. The new white cloth belongs to a sister that just backslid because of late marriage; she just left the church to marry an unbeliever. The Journey continues. Then I saw a very wide road with beautiful flowers that I have never seen before despite the fact that I had been to several places on earth. The roads were shining, they were like mirror and I saw a big gate and hallelujah song was coming from within. I was so happy being on this road that I wanted to enter the gate, then Jesus said look! Behold it was my wife carrying a baby in her hand and my brother. Jesus said because of this people you have to go back. I said no he said their cry will be too much that I have to go back. Then the angel turned back and I followed. Jesus told the angel “leave this end time message with him”. Behold it was 5:00am on Friday morning. I opened my eyes and I saw the angel sitting beside my bed and he said I should go and bring my hymn book from which we sang hymn 20. He covered me with a white cloth and left. I picked my handset and called the brother that prayed for me on Wednesday that he should come that I have been back from work since Wednesday, when he came in, I was so weak, so he off my clothes and used hot water to mop my body, he said we will talk later when he comes back from his work place so he left. It was now I called my brother to come over, when he came in, he asked me what happened, as I was about talking, he asked me where I got the white cloth that was on my bed, he picked it and saw blood on it. When he opened it, guess what he saw “JESUS IS COMING SOON” this is THE END TIME MESSAGE the angel left with him
Jesus is coming soon and now is the time. He told the brother that truly the overseer is praying for 100% rapture but he could only see 5% that is ready but he added that if those that have dropped their garment come back, He will have mercy on them. The message was written with Jesus blood and handwriting.
Other bible passages made reference to are: Prov 5:21, l Corinthians 14:40,
Prov 6: 27-28, Daniel 12:13 and Prov 5:8. Send this message to all you care for
Source:E. O. Oniya
______________________________
Graduate Student Adjunct Researcher
Department of Archaeometry
Cultural and Educational Technology Institute / 'Athena' R.C.
Tsimiski 58
67100 Xanthi
GREECE
Tel. mobile:(+30) 69505 52573 (+30) 69505 52573(+30) 69505 52573 & office:(+30) 25410 78787 (+30) 25410 78787(+30)
25410 78787 ext. 125
Through: Adekunle Abiodun
“I found myself on my mother grave yard and noticed that the environment was very dark , I now saw a very bright light coming towards my direction with a sword, the brightness was so much that I had to lie low on the ground, behold it was an angel of God with a bible in His hand. he gave me the bible and we started heading towards my house, on getting home i saw a greater light coming out of my room behold it was so white and bright that I could not behold it, I heard a voice asking the angel that are we back? Yes master, he said. Then the voice said to me “mark did u know me” I said no. He said am Jesus Christ. He put His hand on His face then I was able to look at him he was so white and bright, He asked that did I know why I was lying on my mum’s grave yard I said no He said because u love that woman more than Me. I said Jesus I love u! He answered saying “the 30mins prayer you used to offer for the church every day are you still faithful to it?, it was then that I remembered that my wife had once challenged me that I did not use to pray as before since I arrived from my mother’s burial. He said mark get ready we are going on a very long journey. I checked my pocket it was only #2000 (naira) that was there I said the money I have here will not be enough since it was a long journey, but He answered “u don’t need this earthly money for this kind of journey. So He asked me to dress up, I now remembered it was only one of my T- shirt I ironed, as I was about putting it on He said that this type of clothe will not qualify you for the journey. I said master, this is the only cloth I ironed, and before I know it I was on a white cloth.
The journey started. As we were going, we got to a very big roundabout, so big that I have not seen its kind. The entire environment was dark then Jesus told the angel to take me through the right road. The road was so narrow and rough that I could hardly walk on it, the sides were lined with beautiful flowers, on the flowers were some white garments so many of them, some were new and some look very old, beside this clothes were: packers ,brooms, violins, violas, trumpets and a lot of musical instruments. I asked the angel leading me who the owners of the clothes were. Then Jesus answered that I was so wise to ask such a question. He said these are the clothes of ushers, and choir members that have left me because of little things, but if they come back I’ll have mercy on them. Behold I saw a very distinct garment, new and very white, I asked who the owner was, the angel said I will get to know later. On getting to the end of the narrow road there was a small river to cross, the angel crossed it, Jesus Christ also crossed the river, the river was such that even small children could cross it but I could not, but through the help of Jesus I was able to cross it. The river was so clean and clear, underneath it are precious stones. Jesus now picked something that looked like a handset and gave it to the angel to open it. The screen was so large, behold it was the earth. I saw my branch church, the same as it was on earth. Nothing changed! Right in the congregation we saw many of them chewing gum ceaselessly, Jesus said this is the department they belong to meaning that they were busy poking their nose into other people’s affairs and not concentrating on the Godly work to which they are called. I saw another set of people carrying food flask and looking at other people own to see what was inside, Jesus said that is their own department, they are people going to other places called miracle centers to look for miracles. The angel opened another place behold it was our headquarter church at Abuja . I saw my pastor, assistant pastor, his wife and the congregation standing in front of a big fire all of them are with a golden staff. Jesus said those that put there rod inside the fire and get it back are the people serving Him, He told me to read Prov 5:21. The pastor and his assistant put their own and got it back so also some others. Unfortunately, many put in theirs and never got it back because they got burnt, in some cases, is was the wife’s own that came back and some their husband rod, husbands’ were pleading for wives and some wives were pleading for their husband but Jesus said there is no begging here, its only in the world that people beg. The new white cloth belongs to a sister that just backslid because of late marriage; she just left the church to marry an unbeliever. The Journey continues. Then I saw a very wide road with beautiful flowers that I have never seen before despite the fact that I had been to several places on earth. The roads were shining, they were like mirror and I saw a big gate and hallelujah song was coming from within. I was so happy being on this road that I wanted to enter the gate, then Jesus said look! Behold it was my wife carrying a baby in her hand and my brother. Jesus said because of this people you have to go back. I said no he said their cry will be too much that I have to go back. Then the angel turned back and I followed. Jesus told the angel “leave this end time message with him”. Behold it was 5:00am on Friday morning. I opened my eyes and I saw the angel sitting beside my bed and he said I should go and bring my hymn book from which we sang hymn 20. He covered me with a white cloth and left. I picked my handset and called the brother that prayed for me on Wednesday that he should come that I have been back from work since Wednesday, when he came in, I was so weak, so he off my clothes and used hot water to mop my body, he said we will talk later when he comes back from his work place so he left. It was now I called my brother to come over, when he came in, he asked me what happened, as I was about talking, he asked me where I got the white cloth that was on my bed, he picked it and saw blood on it. When he opened it, guess what he saw “JESUS IS COMING SOON” this is THE END TIME MESSAGE the angel left with him
Jesus is coming soon and now is the time. He told the brother that truly the overseer is praying for 100% rapture but he could only see 5% that is ready but he added that if those that have dropped their garment come back, He will have mercy on them. The message was written with Jesus blood and handwriting.
Other bible passages made reference to are: Prov 5:21, l Corinthians 14:40,
Prov 6: 27-28, Daniel 12:13 and Prov 5:8. Send this message to all you care for
Source:E. O. Oniya
______________________________
Graduate Student Adjunct Researcher
Department of Archaeometry
Cultural and Educational Technology Institute / 'Athena' R.C.
Tsimiski 58
67100 Xanthi
GREECE
Tel. mobile:(+30) 69505 52573 (+30) 69505 52573(+30) 69505 52573 & office:(+30) 25410 78787 (+30) 25410 78787(+30)
25410 78787 ext. 125
Through: Adekunle Abiodun
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Rat Free Status
According to a newspaper report, a dead rat was found last week in northwest Calgary suspected to be someone's pet. The rat was found outdoor dead and frozen all winter. The Canadian officials intend carrying out door to door investigations to ensure that there no signs of more rats in the neighborhood.
Alberta does a very good job of maintaining a rat free status. It is absolutely illegal to have a rat in your possession in the province. The fine is grave. According to the report, Alberta has been without the menace of rats since 1950. 9ja,9ja,9ja...!
I pray for a period in my country, Nigeria, when we'll all agree to a pest free status and all cooperate to ensure that rats and other pests are evacuated from our neighbourhood.
Rats and cockroaches invade some homes in such a manner that it is no longer seen as caused by dirtiness but as a spiritual attack and so are made prayer points, a subject for prayer and fasting to have them totally removed.
Alberta does a very good job of maintaining a rat free status. It is absolutely illegal to have a rat in your possession in the province. The fine is grave. According to the report, Alberta has been without the menace of rats since 1950. 9ja,9ja,9ja...!
I pray for a period in my country, Nigeria, when we'll all agree to a pest free status and all cooperate to ensure that rats and other pests are evacuated from our neighbourhood.
Rats and cockroaches invade some homes in such a manner that it is no longer seen as caused by dirtiness but as a spiritual attack and so are made prayer points, a subject for prayer and fasting to have them totally removed.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
One Flaw In Women
Women have strengths that amaze men.....
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in..
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends.
Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.
(culled from w_akinbodunse@yahoo.com)
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in..
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends.
Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.
(culled from w_akinbodunse@yahoo.com)
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Historic Health Reform Bill
The health insurance reform legislation signed into law by President Obama on Tuesday 30 March 2010 was an historic event described as the first triumph of President Obama’s young presidency, a goal said to have eluded generations of democratic leaders in the United State of America.
The new law:
1. Bars insurance companies from discriminating based on pre‐existing conditions, health status, and gender.
2. Provides Americans with better coverage and the information they need to make informed decisions about their health insurance.
3. Creates health insurance exchanges – competitive marketplaces where individuals and small business can buy affordable health care coverage in a manner similar to that of big businesses today.
4. Offers premium tax credits and cost‐sharing assistance to low and middle income Americans, providing families and small businesses with the largest tax cut for health care in history.
5. Insures access to immediate relief for uninsured Americans with pre‐existing conditions on the brink of medical bankruptcy.
6. Creates a reinsurance program in support of employers who offer retirees age 55‐64 health coverage.
7. Invests substantially in Community Health Centers to expand access to health care in communities where it is needed most.
8. Empowers the Department of Health and Human Services and state insurance commissioners to conduct annual reviews of new plans demanding unjustified, egregious premium increases.
This historic legislation is meant to reduce deficit by $143 billion over the next ten years, with $1.2 trillion in additional deficit reduction in the following 10 years.
For more features of the Health Bill see: http://docs.house.gov/energycommerce/SUMMARY.pdf
The Republicans fear the law to be huge. Projections are that the 2,407 page law may lost $1trillion over the next decade to help over 30m additional Americans get health care coverage.
A USA Today/Gallup poll, conducted a day after the healthcare bill won support from the US House of Representatives, found that 49 per cent of Americans called its passage “a good thing”. Forty per cent disapproved.
A 23 year old American lady who was paying $411 a month for a private policy, a sum much more than her rent, is excited about the possibility of getting back on her parents' policy. Since, the age dependency in the health policy is up to 26 years of age.
While, a 51year old self-employed Oklahoma City man and his wife though can't afford insurance on an income that's usually below $30,000 a year, don't want the government's help. Thus did not welcome the reform. The man had rather take his chances and fend for himself. He believes, "If you can't provide for yourself, why should everyone else provide for you?"
I personally believe the law to be an awesome document, super dynamic, capable of adapting itself to future perceived changes in the economy.
Probably because United States of America is a capitalist country, a welfarist law as the Health Reform Bill was disapproved of, even by the class of people that it was meant to favour and reduce their cost of living.
I really pray for a period in my country when the average citizen is genuinely patriotic and when super dynamic laws that adequately cater for the future generation would be allowed to achieve desired results
The new law:
1. Bars insurance companies from discriminating based on pre‐existing conditions, health status, and gender.
2. Provides Americans with better coverage and the information they need to make informed decisions about their health insurance.
3. Creates health insurance exchanges – competitive marketplaces where individuals and small business can buy affordable health care coverage in a manner similar to that of big businesses today.
4. Offers premium tax credits and cost‐sharing assistance to low and middle income Americans, providing families and small businesses with the largest tax cut for health care in history.
5. Insures access to immediate relief for uninsured Americans with pre‐existing conditions on the brink of medical bankruptcy.
6. Creates a reinsurance program in support of employers who offer retirees age 55‐64 health coverage.
7. Invests substantially in Community Health Centers to expand access to health care in communities where it is needed most.
8. Empowers the Department of Health and Human Services and state insurance commissioners to conduct annual reviews of new plans demanding unjustified, egregious premium increases.
This historic legislation is meant to reduce deficit by $143 billion over the next ten years, with $1.2 trillion in additional deficit reduction in the following 10 years.
For more features of the Health Bill see: http://docs.house.gov/energycommerce/SUMMARY.pdf
The Republicans fear the law to be huge. Projections are that the 2,407 page law may lost $1trillion over the next decade to help over 30m additional Americans get health care coverage.
A USA Today/Gallup poll, conducted a day after the healthcare bill won support from the US House of Representatives, found that 49 per cent of Americans called its passage “a good thing”. Forty per cent disapproved.
A 23 year old American lady who was paying $411 a month for a private policy, a sum much more than her rent, is excited about the possibility of getting back on her parents' policy. Since, the age dependency in the health policy is up to 26 years of age.
While, a 51year old self-employed Oklahoma City man and his wife though can't afford insurance on an income that's usually below $30,000 a year, don't want the government's help. Thus did not welcome the reform. The man had rather take his chances and fend for himself. He believes, "If you can't provide for yourself, why should everyone else provide for you?"
I personally believe the law to be an awesome document, super dynamic, capable of adapting itself to future perceived changes in the economy.
Probably because United States of America is a capitalist country, a welfarist law as the Health Reform Bill was disapproved of, even by the class of people that it was meant to favour and reduce their cost of living.
I really pray for a period in my country when the average citizen is genuinely patriotic and when super dynamic laws that adequately cater for the future generation would be allowed to achieve desired results
Monday, March 29, 2010
THINK GLOBALLY,ACT LOCALLY:LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES FOR ME AND MY ENVIRONMENT
Before I progress on this topic, I like to explain the key words in the topic. Think globally means put the globe i.e. the world in your perspective when taking decisions. Act Locally means impart on your constituency i.e. surroundings where you find yourself. Leadership Initiatives means actions that ordinarily emanates from a leader. My environment is my surrounding.
A leader is a director who acts to achieve set goals. He takes up lead roles which others around him consciously or unconsciously follow. An ideal leader is a liberal man, unselfish in his ways. He always aim to be on top of the game.
The phrase Think Globally Act Locally has often been used by environmentalists to sum up a strategy devoted to conserving the earth’s scare resources at the local level. The phrase originated from Rene Dubos, an advisor to the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. More recently, business executives borrowed the idea to emphasis on the need for building capability at the country or regional level even as they pursue global growth. But now the millennial generation i.e. Americans born between 1982 and 2003 are giving the phrase on entirely new meaning as they intensify efforts to change the world – one local community at a time.
The millennials are optimists who never give in to threats but rather look for a liberal way of providing solutions to challenges. Millennials’ ability to make virtual friends instanteously on facebook or h5 with Iranian protesters provides a practical example of the generation’s pragmatic approach to solving puzzles.
Think Globally, Act Locally: Leadership Initiatives for Me and My Environment for the purpose of this workshop is all about deciding to start paying attention to your surroundings, asking yourself, what is happening in the neighbourhood? What are the problems my country is facing? Why are the problems there? What quota can I contribute to solve the problems?
How can l help that boy in my class that has stopped coming to school because he could not pay his school fees anymore? Should l tell my daddy or my pastor of his case? If they cannot pay his school fees, they could know someone who can help or even offer the boy a scholarship. By so caring, you have blessed a life with a fortune, an action which will have a multiplier effect on the society.
Think Globally and Act Locally is a call to individuals particularly youths to engage themselves actively in issues affecting them. You should ask yourself who do l want to be. Which career do l want to pursue? How does it benefit me? Will being a doctor be profitable to my family? Will it make a positive impart on the society, my country and the world at large.
Chinnamanda Adiche, a Nigerian writer who won the Orange prize in 2007, an international award must have had the global perspective of imparting on her environment, her country and the world at large which she succeeded in achieving. She did her country proud by winning an international award.
The greatest threat that the Nigerian youth face today is exclusion and marginalisation in issues affecting their lives. Youths are the promise of the future and failure to invest in them poses great constrain on the potential for future development. The need to make youths centre of the decision making process on issues affecting their lives cannot be underestimated. Although the need for youths’ active participation in issues affecting their lives, informed the advent of the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC) and the Child Right Act (which has proved so far to be nothing but another window dressing project of the Nigerian government) not much has been done by the government to make youths play a significant role in issues affecting them.
I will end this talk with the story of Sara. Sara is a little girl of 17 years old. She volunteered to be an interpreter for an NGO which is into adult literacy for village women somewhere in the eastern part of Nigeria. After serving the NGO for a considerable period of time, she got a scholarship to study medicine abroad. It was the track record of her humanitarian service to the villagers that earn her the visa to make her dream come true.
I conclude by saying that the decision to give concern to your environment, to help somebody somewhere and thereby make a positive impart on the society and the world will turn around to make your an ICON, someone to be celebrated.
Thank you.
A presentation made by Omokemi Akinbodunse, a legal practitioner in September 2009 at GET GLOBAL 2009, an annual programme organised for teenagers by Human Development Initiatives (HDI), a Nigerian non profit organisation based in Lagos.
A leader is a director who acts to achieve set goals. He takes up lead roles which others around him consciously or unconsciously follow. An ideal leader is a liberal man, unselfish in his ways. He always aim to be on top of the game.
The phrase Think Globally Act Locally has often been used by environmentalists to sum up a strategy devoted to conserving the earth’s scare resources at the local level. The phrase originated from Rene Dubos, an advisor to the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. More recently, business executives borrowed the idea to emphasis on the need for building capability at the country or regional level even as they pursue global growth. But now the millennial generation i.e. Americans born between 1982 and 2003 are giving the phrase on entirely new meaning as they intensify efforts to change the world – one local community at a time.
The millennials are optimists who never give in to threats but rather look for a liberal way of providing solutions to challenges. Millennials’ ability to make virtual friends instanteously on facebook or h5 with Iranian protesters provides a practical example of the generation’s pragmatic approach to solving puzzles.
Think Globally, Act Locally: Leadership Initiatives for Me and My Environment for the purpose of this workshop is all about deciding to start paying attention to your surroundings, asking yourself, what is happening in the neighbourhood? What are the problems my country is facing? Why are the problems there? What quota can I contribute to solve the problems?
How can l help that boy in my class that has stopped coming to school because he could not pay his school fees anymore? Should l tell my daddy or my pastor of his case? If they cannot pay his school fees, they could know someone who can help or even offer the boy a scholarship. By so caring, you have blessed a life with a fortune, an action which will have a multiplier effect on the society.
Think Globally and Act Locally is a call to individuals particularly youths to engage themselves actively in issues affecting them. You should ask yourself who do l want to be. Which career do l want to pursue? How does it benefit me? Will being a doctor be profitable to my family? Will it make a positive impart on the society, my country and the world at large.
Chinnamanda Adiche, a Nigerian writer who won the Orange prize in 2007, an international award must have had the global perspective of imparting on her environment, her country and the world at large which she succeeded in achieving. She did her country proud by winning an international award.
The greatest threat that the Nigerian youth face today is exclusion and marginalisation in issues affecting their lives. Youths are the promise of the future and failure to invest in them poses great constrain on the potential for future development. The need to make youths centre of the decision making process on issues affecting their lives cannot be underestimated. Although the need for youths’ active participation in issues affecting their lives, informed the advent of the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC) and the Child Right Act (which has proved so far to be nothing but another window dressing project of the Nigerian government) not much has been done by the government to make youths play a significant role in issues affecting them.
I will end this talk with the story of Sara. Sara is a little girl of 17 years old. She volunteered to be an interpreter for an NGO which is into adult literacy for village women somewhere in the eastern part of Nigeria. After serving the NGO for a considerable period of time, she got a scholarship to study medicine abroad. It was the track record of her humanitarian service to the villagers that earn her the visa to make her dream come true.
I conclude by saying that the decision to give concern to your environment, to help somebody somewhere and thereby make a positive impart on the society and the world will turn around to make your an ICON, someone to be celebrated.
Thank you.
A presentation made by Omokemi Akinbodunse, a legal practitioner in September 2009 at GET GLOBAL 2009, an annual programme organised for teenagers by Human Development Initiatives (HDI), a Nigerian non profit organisation based in Lagos.
Friday, March 26, 2010
WELCOME SPEECH DELIVERED BY MISS OMOKEMI AKINBODUNSE AT W.TEC CELEBRATION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN RIGHT WEEK
The Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen.
We are honoured by your distinguished presence in this important occasion of celebrating 2010 International Women Right Week. The need for this workshop can not be overemphasized. As we are all well aware, the Nigerian woman needs to be liberated from certain patriarchal beliefs and norms that are injurious to her right. An average Nigerian woman is trained to be subservient to her husband and his relations. Her state is such that even where her husband and her in laws are hostile to her, she has to continue to be submissive and loyal. The requirement for submissiveness cut across all stratum in the society. The Nigerian woman believes that her husband is her crown such that she places the man just next to God before (at times) her children or even her career. This is more so where the man does not give money for house keep and beats her.
The woman is ready to give everything within her power to keep her home. For the fear that her children may lost their focus in life if she is not around them as they grow, she stick to her cantankerous husband. Some women cannot afford to leave their matrimonial home because they can not fend for themselves.
Thus the clarion call for Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for All, the theme of 2010 International Women Right Week seems like a dream so vague to achieve for the Nigerian State.
It is fifteen years since the Beijing Conference and nothing much has been achieved to better the lot of the Nigerian woman. Nigeria has the second highest world record of maternal mortality. The country has not yet reached the 30 percent Affirmative Action on women in politics and governance. Despite making up 49% of the population with a literacy level of 47%, women have less than 15% representation in governance1
The subordination of women and domestic violence show that estimate of abused women is 70% per year and the majority (51.6%) of victims were pregnant women assaulted by their husbands. At least one out of every 3 women is likely to be beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her life time 2 . There is no national law prohibiting domestic violence and in Lagos state where the law is passed the penalty section is so light that an accused person can easily treat the law with disdain. In fact the law is yet to be given full publicity in the state. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an international instrument which ensures equal right for women worldwide ratified by Nigeria in 1985 is stuck in the National Assembly. The treaty has only been domesticated in Anambra and Imo State. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa is also yet to be domesticated.
Lack of access to resources, low level of literacy and the violent nature of policies in Nigeria are attributed to women’s low representation
To bring the picture home and make a case for urgent redress W.TEC has organized this workshop in celebration of International Women’s Right Week. A cardinal purpose for event is to wake up and indeed raise women to take strategic positions in technology and governance.
On behalf of W.TEC, l wish everyone present here today a fruitful and robust deliberation as we commit ourselves to make Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for All a reality for the Nigerian state.
Thank you
We are honoured by your distinguished presence in this important occasion of celebrating 2010 International Women Right Week. The need for this workshop can not be overemphasized. As we are all well aware, the Nigerian woman needs to be liberated from certain patriarchal beliefs and norms that are injurious to her right. An average Nigerian woman is trained to be subservient to her husband and his relations. Her state is such that even where her husband and her in laws are hostile to her, she has to continue to be submissive and loyal. The requirement for submissiveness cut across all stratum in the society. The Nigerian woman believes that her husband is her crown such that she places the man just next to God before (at times) her children or even her career. This is more so where the man does not give money for house keep and beats her.
The woman is ready to give everything within her power to keep her home. For the fear that her children may lost their focus in life if she is not around them as they grow, she stick to her cantankerous husband. Some women cannot afford to leave their matrimonial home because they can not fend for themselves.
Thus the clarion call for Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for All, the theme of 2010 International Women Right Week seems like a dream so vague to achieve for the Nigerian State.
It is fifteen years since the Beijing Conference and nothing much has been achieved to better the lot of the Nigerian woman. Nigeria has the second highest world record of maternal mortality. The country has not yet reached the 30 percent Affirmative Action on women in politics and governance. Despite making up 49% of the population with a literacy level of 47%, women have less than 15% representation in governance1
The subordination of women and domestic violence show that estimate of abused women is 70% per year and the majority (51.6%) of victims were pregnant women assaulted by their husbands. At least one out of every 3 women is likely to be beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her life time 2 . There is no national law prohibiting domestic violence and in Lagos state where the law is passed the penalty section is so light that an accused person can easily treat the law with disdain. In fact the law is yet to be given full publicity in the state. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an international instrument which ensures equal right for women worldwide ratified by Nigeria in 1985 is stuck in the National Assembly. The treaty has only been domesticated in Anambra and Imo State. The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa is also yet to be domesticated.
Lack of access to resources, low level of literacy and the violent nature of policies in Nigeria are attributed to women’s low representation
To bring the picture home and make a case for urgent redress W.TEC has organized this workshop in celebration of International Women’s Right Week. A cardinal purpose for event is to wake up and indeed raise women to take strategic positions in technology and governance.
On behalf of W.TEC, l wish everyone present here today a fruitful and robust deliberation as we commit ourselves to make Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, Progress for All a reality for the Nigerian state.
Thank you
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