"the language of justice is truth clearly defined, refined and dissected"
Saturday the 26th of February started off like any normal day with the usual sanitation exercise, but for the "Lagos Boy" and former NPA Chairman Chief Olabode George, it wasn't any ordinary day. On this very day did he smell the fresh air of freedom, after serving time at the kirikiri maximum prisons.
The endless list of loyalists and PDP Chieftains who came out in different "shapes and colors" to mark their presence at the thanksgiving service held at the Cathedral Church of Christ Marina was mammoth enough for words not to be spoken, but still the message was loud and clear as the drums echoed accolades from singing and dancing women and men.
Nothing would have been amiss if there was a low key celebration and a sober church thanksgiving, but our award winning ex-convict (having looted the most funds ever from the office of the NPA) a title which he presently holds unbroken in the NPA book of records, was welcomed like a David who had just slain his Goliath, a war hero deserving songs and dancing.
The wrong signals being sent out to the public by holding such an elaborate thanksgiving barely two hour after being released from prison, having being found guilty of financial crimes and mismanagement of public funds and office, seems another kind of crime punishable by the law. Chief Bode George was admonished by Ven.Tayo Aduloju, the Cannon of the church "to go and sin no more", but he forgot to mention the "Mary Kay" encouragement this action was giving to the face of corruption. I sincerely hope this doesn't start an undeserving trend.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
BLOODSHED AT DAWN
"a history painted with the blood of the innocent, also paints the future"
Recent claims by former President and Commander in Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at a function in Benue state points fingers to the former Benue State Governor George Akume as being behind the sacked village settlement of Benue state "Zaki Biam".
Obasanjo claimed that George Akume requested the military. Obasanjo said, "we had a case where the Governor said the situation was beyond him. When you have a situation like that and you invite the military because the Governor has no power to deploy the military, he invites the President who is also the Commander in Chief to deploy the military". As a result of this request, over 200 hundred village residents were rounded up and shot by military personnel deployed to keep the peace, in retaliation for the 19 mutilated bodies of soldiers discovered in Zaki Biam.
This brings to mind the incessant crisis in Jos and the countless no of casualties and recorded dead, yet no major action has been taken by the State Governor in person of Jonah Jang or the Federal Government. This uncaring attitude asks more than a few questions:
is the situation in Jos not beyond the governor, Jonah Jang?
what role is the Federal Government playing in ensuring an end to the crisis?
when will security operatives become fully and unconditionally operational in their duties in Jos?
It'll be too little to speak further and too much to point fingers, but in due time all man-made mystery is revealed
Recent claims by former President and Commander in Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at a function in Benue state points fingers to the former Benue State Governor George Akume as being behind the sacked village settlement of Benue state "Zaki Biam".
Obasanjo claimed that George Akume requested the military. Obasanjo said, "we had a case where the Governor said the situation was beyond him. When you have a situation like that and you invite the military because the Governor has no power to deploy the military, he invites the President who is also the Commander in Chief to deploy the military". As a result of this request, over 200 hundred village residents were rounded up and shot by military personnel deployed to keep the peace, in retaliation for the 19 mutilated bodies of soldiers discovered in Zaki Biam.
This brings to mind the incessant crisis in Jos and the countless no of casualties and recorded dead, yet no major action has been taken by the State Governor in person of Jonah Jang or the Federal Government. This uncaring attitude asks more than a few questions:
is the situation in Jos not beyond the governor, Jonah Jang?
what role is the Federal Government playing in ensuring an end to the crisis?
when will security operatives become fully and unconditionally operational in their duties in Jos?
It'll be too little to speak further and too much to point fingers, but in due time all man-made mystery is revealed
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
SPIRIT OF CHANGE
"only a child dances in the rain long enough to catch a cold"
The truth as to how the color of a man's skin goes hand in hand with his environment to produce results far fetched from the understanding given to it by science only comes to light as the recent wave of change swept across the North African region
In Tunisia, it took protesters less than a month to gather themselves and speak with one voice. Clear enough for the world to hear, clear enough to get President Ben Ali out of office and into exile. Unconfirmed reports put the death toll at about 78people as at the time the protests were over, this not including Mohammed Bouazizi who set himself ablaze sparking the whole drama.Tunisia is a country of roughly 10.4million people, the mainstay of the economy is agriculture, tourism and manufacturing and yet 14% of the populace remain unemployed and live in poverty. This lifestyle pushed the Tunisians over the edge to the point of enough is enough.
A ripple effect of the protests in Tunisia flowed through the Mediterranean sea and washed the mud from the eyes of the Egyptians who have been living in as worse conditions under the ruler-ship of Hosni Mubarak. In less than another thirty days the Egyptians were able to perform the same trick, only that this time around it was more costly and resulted in more casualties. During the period of the protests, unconfirmed reports fix the death toll at about 346 and the number of injured running into thousands. With a population of over 80.4million people and an unemployment rate of 9.4% the Egyptians have been able to free themselves even if temporarily from the living conditions below their expectations, though it took them 30 years to see it.
Although the case is a little different in Cote D'ivore, (as the reason for the unrest differs) the citizenry have not been able to present themselves in an acceptable non-violent manner so as to resolve the crisis which has engulfed their cocoa producing country. Clearly still a solution is yet forthcoming as Laurent Gbagbo, the man behind the music still intends playing more tunes. To spare the mention of a few unsuccessful protests is in a bid to bring to limelight the success of the most recent and the strategy being used. From the days of Martin Luther King, this form of public demonstration by the people for the need of the people has always proved a most a formidable force indeed.
As the winds of change continue to blow, we will be humbled as humans no matter how highly placed
The truth as to how the color of a man's skin goes hand in hand with his environment to produce results far fetched from the understanding given to it by science only comes to light as the recent wave of change swept across the North African region
In Tunisia, it took protesters less than a month to gather themselves and speak with one voice. Clear enough for the world to hear, clear enough to get President Ben Ali out of office and into exile. Unconfirmed reports put the death toll at about 78people as at the time the protests were over, this not including Mohammed Bouazizi who set himself ablaze sparking the whole drama.Tunisia is a country of roughly 10.4million people, the mainstay of the economy is agriculture, tourism and manufacturing and yet 14% of the populace remain unemployed and live in poverty. This lifestyle pushed the Tunisians over the edge to the point of enough is enough.
A ripple effect of the protests in Tunisia flowed through the Mediterranean sea and washed the mud from the eyes of the Egyptians who have been living in as worse conditions under the ruler-ship of Hosni Mubarak. In less than another thirty days the Egyptians were able to perform the same trick, only that this time around it was more costly and resulted in more casualties. During the period of the protests, unconfirmed reports fix the death toll at about 346 and the number of injured running into thousands. With a population of over 80.4million people and an unemployment rate of 9.4% the Egyptians have been able to free themselves even if temporarily from the living conditions below their expectations, though it took them 30 years to see it.
Although the case is a little different in Cote D'ivore, (as the reason for the unrest differs) the citizenry have not been able to present themselves in an acceptable non-violent manner so as to resolve the crisis which has engulfed their cocoa producing country. Clearly still a solution is yet forthcoming as Laurent Gbagbo, the man behind the music still intends playing more tunes. To spare the mention of a few unsuccessful protests is in a bid to bring to limelight the success of the most recent and the strategy being used. From the days of Martin Luther King, this form of public demonstration by the people for the need of the people has always proved a most a formidable force indeed.
As the winds of change continue to blow, we will be humbled as humans no matter how highly placed
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