2015 General Elections: Letter to my fellow Corps Members

By OJEKUNLE, Alex Aderemi
Corps Member, Akure, Ondo state.

Aduaya Corps members and good citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is with deep sense of modesty and high modicum of respect that I write to you today on the forthcoming general elections. This week, Nigeria decides and heads to the polling booth to make good their vote. It is very pertinent and germane to urge us to reawaken the spirit of patriotism and selfless service in this country, especially at this critical period in the history of Nigeria, towards upholding its honour and glory: a stage where we decide who governs and steers the affairs of this country for another four years. Whatever decision we make, we should be sure that it will have significant effect on us and posterity, either positively or the other way.

Our inputs as ad-hoc electoral officers during these elections will be a road map for the Nigeria we all aspire and desire to live in and expect our offspring to serve. Our actions during the elections should be more of a clarion call and our activities should portray that of a patriotic citizen of the country with the largest concentration of black people. It is our duty to shun every form of electoral brinkmanship, malpractices and violence.

The ineffable role of corps members, in all states of the federation and Nigeria in general, cannot be unacknowledged, understated or unheeded. Notwithstanding, corps members' contribution to this nation, during elections, can also not be well compensated with political appointment, money, largesse or whatever Greek gift that politicians could push forward.

Our role in these upcoming elections is a duty that protects the mandate of the people towards reshaping the country to a better environment for you and I which will consequently provide an enabling environment for us all - job opportunities, better welfare, stable water and electric supply, among others which should not be traded for an immediate reward but for a reward that will benefit the nation, the economy, and coming generations.

It is on this note, that I enjoin all members of the National Youth Service Corps to be diligent, assiduous and morally upright during the elections in order to guarantee us a nation where travesty and parody of justice will go into extinction.

We can make the poll a credible and generally-acceptable election by being extremely wary, disciplined, indefatigable and conscious during the electioneering process.

We need to obey the clarion call to serve with good and pure mind.

God bless Nigeria.

Ojekunle, Alex Aderemi is a freelance writer, journalist, blogger, media reporter, social media expert and social analyst. A Public Administration graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, he is the Director, Research and Mobilizations at Young Volunteers for the Environment, Nigeria. An immediate past president of the Association of Campus Journalists, OAU, he is presently serving as a Corps Member with  the Nigeria Television Authority, Akure as Admin Officer. Email: remisco999@gmail.com. LinkedIn: Ojekunle Alex Aderemi. Mobile No: 08057708415

MY MOTHER, MY WONDER!

By Adesewa Olofinko

"Woven into the fibre of my momma's spirit is the instinct to deeply nurture, and fiercely protect"

My name is Adesewa, and you can call me Princess (actually, that is what my Momma calls me). A little introduction; I call her Queen, and she is mother to 5+ 2 adorable children.

Let's talk about the mother's love - my mother's love if you will.

Adesewa and Mum (Princess and Queen)

Just yesterday, almost everyone took to social media platforms and other forms to say something about their Momma. It was the mothers’ day. I celebrate Mothers’ day every 2nd Sunday in the month of May, so for me, this came a little too early. But then, wake me any time, I always have something to say about this gift of a mum.

Lots and lots of people have accused me of being too 'one-sided' with my mum. I often get comments on why I have been silent about my dad. Well, I am a gifted writer. And sometimes when I think about my mum, I can't but put pen to paper. Plus, as a teenager, I was a spoilt version and I took it all out on my mum... I'm grown, and still haven't been able to decipher what made me trash my meal those days, locked myself in the room just to spite my mum. Well, my dad is an amazing man, and yes, I'm currently writing his memoirs - he isn't even aware of it.

HOW WORLD LEADERS' SALARIES STACK UP

By Ivana Kottasova and Megan Pendergrass @CNNMoney

Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking a pay cut of 10% as his country's economy sinks into a deep recession.

But how does his salary compare to those of other world leaders?

Here is how the pay of prime ministers and presidents of the big developed and emerging economies stack up, according to the most recent official data and converted into U.S. dollars at the current rate.

President Obama leads the pack with $400,000 a year. The presidential salary doubled when George W. Bush became president in 2001.

In addition, Obama gets a tax-free expense account worth $50,000.

ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL

By Admin

“In a larger sense, they are victims too. Everyone is only robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Tales of policemen on Nigerian roads extorting money from both defaulting and non-defaulting users of the road has become a daily moonlight tales told by the media and all involved. It is not surprising when a friend narrated an experience last week as he saw meted out on a public transport driver. This made me go down hard on the practice, its causes and apparent solution.

Please do me a favor, please put yourself in the tight shoes of one of them and ask yourself these questions. Why do I need update my vehicular particulars that will probably cost me thousands of naira (plus bribe) when I could easily buy my way through with just a few hundreds? It’s strictly a survival business instinct I’m sure you must have used countless of times (minimize task to ensure maximum satisfaction/profit). Why do I need update the particulars the men in uniform don’t bother to check and yet extort from me my daily means of livelihood? Why do I need waste my time arguing with a legal goon in blue uniform who is hell-bent on siphoning out money from me while I pay the price because minutes or hours spent ‘maintaining and claiming their rights’ costs me lots of money? Note that their kids in school need their school fees paid, wives expect upkeep money, the society expects a certain standard of living from them, their extended families are expectant and even the six-feet nemesis is closer each day.

THE SLEEPING GIANT

By Adeyemi Oluwaseyi

Once I saw a giant,

And such a great giant it was.

Great, awesome and fearful!

And all bowed before it

It went on and on trampling its way with its own big legs.

What a frightening sight it was!

The giant said to itself,

‘’I am the giant of Africa.’’

And behold pride swelled in its head

Arrogance sprung forth from its head

So that it could not distinguish between god and man

And ahead it went on trampling upon them all

WORTHLESS CRIES

By Abayomi Ogundiya

We say to them; "without you there is no us", when, in fact, without us there should be no them.

Recently, I saw a promo on television. It read: it is better to vote for something you want and not get it than for you to vote for what you do not want and get it. (However a paraphrased version, it captures the exact sense of what was communicated). First thing I thought was: what is the difference? If you chose something and you did not get it, what did you get? Apparently, you got what you did not want, or even worse - nothing. And if you, for whatever reason, chose something you did not want and you got it, you still got the same thing - what you don't want. Now, it’s amazing that these guys will say to our faces that we have no choice but to receive whatever they decide to give us, regardless of our rights and entitlements.

Why do we have to choose between a greater and lesser evil? Why do we have so many political parties and only two Presidential candidates (all the rest are just escorts to the polls - do you even know who they are?)? Why should we have a country filled with intelligent people numbering in the millions and yet we can't produce good leaders? Why do our cries land on deaf ears? It's simple, because one man was never meant to depend on another for his progress in life. And every time we cry to the people in leadership, we tell them that our fate is in their hands. Every time we entreat them as though they were our benefactors, even though most of them have enriched themselves corruptly with our abundance. We say to them; "without you there is no us", when, in fact, without us there should be no them.

As long as we lift up our eyes to political leaders for progress in our society and personal lives, so long shall we remain at their mercy. Our paradigm must shift. We must recognize that the responsibility and indeed the power to build our nation lie in our hands. It is only when we arise to our responsibilities as citizens that we can have sufficient power to challenge a corrupt leadership. A Yoruba proverb, loosely translated says, if you haven't taken a hold of the sword, you mustn't ask how your father died lest you die like your father.

Rather than emitting worthless cries, we must arise and build capacity individually and collectively. We must work towards becoming people who can influence the nation positively. We must determine to be that generation of Nigerians who finally changed the nation rather than just complain. We must arise and build the economy of OUR nation by building legitimately prosperous companies and enterprises. We must reform OUR educational system by building excellent institutions, not for fortune or glamour or social divide, but to invest in our future - our children. We must stamp out corruption from OUR nation by personally refusing to be a part of it. We must keep Nigeria clean by personally refusing to litter it. We must do what we can. WE MUST BE ACTION ORIENTED! What are you DOING to make Nigeria a better nation?

We are fortunate to live in a time in the history of our great nation, Nigeria, where an imminent change for progress into true nationhood, cohesion and prosperity is upon us. This change that I speak of will not be delivered to us by a political party but by our own diligence to attain all that we could but we haven't yet. Every great person and nation was forged out of a crucible of great trials. When the night seems darkest, the day is about to break. Our challenges will not kill us, they, like the furnace heat reveals the true beauty of gold; will cause our true beauty to be revealed. On what side of history will you be? Will you be among those that contributed to the nation's progress or among those who betrayed her by their actions? Will you be among those who folded their arms and did nothing? Where will your place in history be? You decide! I believe that if we all built our capacity and did what we could, we would soon have the Nigeria of our dreams. So stop the worthless cries, and do something! When we all do, it'll be easy to deal with defaulters, even those in government.

Abayomi Ogundiya is the founder and CEO, SLIMIC Publishers and lead Strategist at TENARC, a non-governmental organization. He is a social entrepreneur and nation builder, an insightful speaker and thought leader, a prolific writer and published author. Having led in various capacities, he is well respected for his ability to help people put together their innate resources to achieve worthy goals.

abayomidiya@gmail.com

@iycjma

+234 806 555 9076

THE BEAUTY WITHIN

By Victoria Oladoyin

image credit: www.bestourism.com

No lasting beauty emerges without an illustrious, persevering, and persistent patience. Every skin of beauty that eventually manifests had once bled prior to its revelation. Everything beautiful is an eternal testimony to the elegance and brilliance of a mind. Every magnificent building testifies to the beauty in the mind of an architect. Every captivating work of art exemplifies the beauty within the mind of an artist. Every ravishing and striking attire or costume radiates the beauty resident in the mind of a fashion designer.

They Must Think Us Fools

"They thought they buried us. They forget we are seeds"

When one power-starved elephant fight against a power-drunk elephant for bragging rights and coffer treasurer, it is the unwilling silent grasses underneath their seemingly larger-than-life feet who become suffering and smiling sufferers.

They must really think us fools in their blind quest for insatiable power. It is about time everyone, victims and victims, low and middle, youth and old, Christians or Muslims, Yoruba, Ibo or Hausa and all stand, rise against these political goons in overflowing agbada and crisp suits.

It's time we grab our future in our own hands and tell them to go f**k themselves. Stop the B.S. We are not fools.

Every man is free to certain right, but their is a wide gulf between between knowledge and wisdom. We need to know the extent of our power. No man is going to work any magic up there in the seats of leadership. We must know that together, we are the strongest. America might be the land of opportunities, but Nigeria, God's Own Country, is the land of possibilities. It's we re-write our future in permanent ink provided by the boundless possibilities for a sustainable development, corruption-ridden, free of ethnic divide and religious rivalry.

Our voices are our instruments of revolution. We are ripe for it. Lend your voice. Make accountable the white-collar daylight armed robbers in government houses. You can't blame them completely; they just couldn't resist the temptation. Which is why we need to vote those that can.

Your vote is your power. Your choice. Do not trade it in the name of 'Stomach Infrastructure'. It's a seed. Sow it well. Remember, 'they thought they buried us. They forget we are seeds'. We grow with time and must die before we bloom. We've died times and again, it's time to bloom. To sprout and bloom, claim the soil. We deserve good governance. And we will fight for it.

Finally, when generations unborn ask you years from now, "How did it all turn this way?" Let your reply be, "We tried our best" As of now, comparing numbers and other factors, we are even yet to try at all, not to talk of our best. Join the revolution and lend your voice. The end of the plank on which they stand is sustained on the other end by us. They loot because we keep mute. Know your worth. It's huge. Act like it.

I'll speak, and I'll be heard.
@smart_solomon

SKILLS BEFORE CERTIFICATE...

By Kukogho Iruesiri Samson

National Immigration Service screening inside National Stadium, Lagos

 It is no wonder the Nigerian economy has become more of a trap and mine-field than a field for students to plant the seeds that they gathered during their years as within the four walls of the lecture rooms, slugging it out with lecturers in a very stifling academic environment. It is a sympathetic case of from frying pan into the fire when the optimistic graduate finds out that the university, polytechnic or college of education only sold him or her pack of lies in the form of a certificate that is worth less than a wish in a market that’s as discriminatory as it is predatory.

So it’s not shocking to find out that there are more graduates looking for job than there are gainfully employed – so much that even those that have jobs are grossly underemployed and even more grossly underpaid. But do they dare complain about their jobs? NO! Definitely not in a society where there are thousand others waiting in the wings to take the same jobs for even less pay. Sad, but it is the truth that has come to stay.

NOW THAT THE POLITY IS HEATED…

By Tolulope Isaac

“Your success is not only yours. It’s Nigeria's success. Generations’ unborn successes”

...two sides of the coin

The atmosphere surrounding our political transition in the past few weeks is no doubt very much heated and tensed. You and I know that quite alright. Social media and press outfits buzz by the second with hit and run innuendoes, sarcastic bullets of words and outrageously death-wishing advertorials. The latest and most noticeable happenstance being the death-wish advertorial sponsored by Gov. Peter Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Punch and Sun Newspapers against you-know-who. It is therefore not out of place if I opine that Nigeria’s political climate is at the highest degree of Fahrenheitial (my word) heat. All issues surrounding politics now are on high alert with strict sensitivity and no margin for error whatsoever.

VOTE YOUR CHOICE

By Adeyemi Adeniyi

“We cannot afford to make a wrong choice for another four years. Vote your choice. Vote wisely.”

 It is not unsafe for me to postulate that politics has been practiced in Nigeria today has never been right. If at some point it was, water must have slipped away from the bridge of knowledge. It saddens me at heart to witness how democracy, a form of governance which patriots and martyrs has witnessed been reduced from the real meaning as defined by Abraham Lincoln, government of the people, by the people, and for the people to a deadly, must-win game played by few people, on many people, and against most people. It has grown so worse that players in this sanity-threatening game have to be tacticians as in this game, only players with crooked tactics and sinister hearts wins.

SHOW SOME LOVE...UNDERSTAND THEM

By Tony Joy

;

Often times we are made to nurture the feelings of hate, fear and dejection. We are either left at the mercies of others with little or no care given us. In fact, some parents would rather curse the day they gave us to mother earth than keep us as theirs. Some have even gone as far as forgetting us in gutters so as not to face the trauma of having to take care of us. Some say we are nothing but an abomination and a shame to the family and not worth the money.

MAY YOUR ROAD BE ROUGH

By Tai Solarin

I am not cursing you. I am only wishing you what I wish myself every year. I therefore repeat, may you have a hard time this year, may there be plenty of troubles for you this year! If you are unsure of what you should say back, why not just say; ‘same to you’. I ask for no more.