A Prisoner's Message to You on Democracy Day

As I got closer to the venue
My heart beats were in leaps and jumps
So many people couldn't be waitin for me
But that was just a thought
There you were with big smiles
Chanting and rejoicing
All in my name

With severe pinches
I tried to wake myself up
From these fantasies of a slumber
I could only feel my blood
Streaming down my skin
And reality dawned on me
That, I was at the center of a big stage

That reception was Princely
My throne was king-size
Nothing else befitted a king
I did not know I was
But you all made me
And that was years ago

With a face made beautiful
An elegant robe of pride
With sprinkles of star-like studs
A heavy metal of gold
Wrecked my neck in absolute pressure
But my face was starched
In a permanent smile

I managed a message of victory
Freedom and hope
Peace and Unity
I painted you a future
That glorified your nature
But soon I ruptured
Knowing I have been captured

In a thrash beside me
Was a ruffled piece
Of my overnight scribblings
There I defined you as you were
Beautiful and intelligent
Truthful and diligent
Prayerful and Obedient

As I descended that dais that day,
Backing you, the jubilant multitude,
I felt my legs in shackles.
I have been defeated
Right in my own speech.
I was taken a prisoner
Never to return.

50 years ago,
I gave my words to you.
I promised you all that can be.
Sound Education,
constant electrification,
Good transportation,
job creation,
And global recognition.

I promised you Food,
Housing, Security, Justice,
Freedom, and Protection.
I promised you good health care.
I made promises to you
That I cannot remember
Since I lost that piece in that thrash

I want to let you know
Now and always that,
Those promises are real and alive.
My stance for you then,
Brought me this incarceration.
While you might have lost hopes in me,
For 50 years of brutality and torture,
I am hanging on my dreams of you.

So, I need you all to stand up for me
As peaceful guerrillas
In a unit of unwavered force
With a front for my liberation
From the claws of these political hawks
Today, now and always
Only then,
Would I deliver to you
My Nigerian Dreams!

HIV AND THE NIGERIAN CHILD: MY ADVICE TO MY PEERS

You must read this is unedited thought of a 12-year-old Nigerian Child.
Introduction
HIV is the short form for “Human Immunodeficiency Virus”. This is the virus that causes the dreaded “Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)". While AIDS is very popular amongst the Nigerian Children, HIV is not. Unfortunately, HIV worsens to AIDS. So there comes the need to educate every Nigeria Child about the dangers this killer-virus poses to our future.

Brief History
According to Wikipedia (an online free Encyclopaedia), HIV/AIDS was first discovered between 1980 and 1981. And as at 2006, 25 years after its discovery, it had killed more than 25 million people. In 2005 alone, AIDS claimed an estimated 2.4 – 3.3 million lives; 570,000 were children.
During my research, I also found out that Nigeria has the third-largest population of people living with HIV/AIDS and this revelation motivates me to writing this article with more energy than a school-work demands as much as it scares me.

The FactsheetUnited Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is an international organization working for children’s right, their survival, development and protection. In 2007, UNICEF released a fact-sheet on Nigeria and it was revealed that:

1. An estimated 3.5 to 3.8 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria;
2. 4.7 per cent of the above estimate, were between 20 and 24 years old;
3. 4.9 per cent of 25 – 29 years were affected by the virus;
4. 4.4 per cent of women attending antenatal clinics are infected with HIV;
5. About 240,000 children were living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria; and
6. Sadly, about 930,000 children had been orphaned by AIDS;

My fear for the Nigerian ChildThe Nigerian Child is one that is defined by many expressions. A lot of these expressions bother me. In all, they paint to me a little helpless child who is not only able to survive without support and guidance; he is also largely neglected by his community.

As a result of this neglect, he freely roams the streets seeking food and shelter. He is without education and he is totally vulnerable. In this search for survival, HIV/AIDS is one of the several dangers that await an innocent Nigerian child.

While some of us are lucky to have great parents, who care, cater and love us, I wonder if there exists anyone anywhere who cares, caters and loves the Nigerian child.

Preventing the Nigerian Child from HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS, from my research, can only be transmitted in a number of ways. They are:
1. Blood: If infected blood comes into contact with any open wound, HIV may be transmitted. This includes the sharing of sharp objects such as Injections, clippers, razor blades and even needles. Children who engage in tattoos and piercing are also exposed to HIV.

2. Mother-to-Child: The transmission of the virus from mother to the child during pregnancy, childbirth and breast-feeding.

3. Sexual: Children that engage in early sexual relationships, as shown by records, are more exposed to HIV. While we are encouraged to love one another, we must equally avoid sexual relationships. They only known results of early sexual relationships are poverty, illiteracy, neglect and even, death. Therefore, children should be exposed to sex education and be encouraged to totally avoid any sexual relationships.

My advice for my peersThe Nigerian Child is largely neglected. And thinking about this little opportunity to explore the dangers HIV/AIDS poses to children, my utmost appreciation goes to my lovely parents and my teachers. There is no way I would be able to learn about HIV/AIDS if I was not cared for by my parents and if this assignment was not given.

I will like to use this opportunity to advice my peers and other Nigerian children that the most important habit to develop is Obedience. We have been educated about HIV/AIDS. Now, while our parents and teachers are not looking, can we be the obedient children who heed to advice all of the time knowing that HIV/AIDS has no cure?

Sanusi faults Olaniwun Ajayi on Northern domination

The Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, surprised guests present at the Muson Centre for the launching of the book of Sir Olaniwun Ajayi at the Muson Centre in Lagos.

The book titled: “Nigeria, Africa’s failed asset?” attracted many important dignitaries, intellectuals and some governors.

The argument by discussants centered on whether or not the colonial masters laid the foundation for the problems Nigeria is currently facing. Many argued that the British loved the North and that was why it gave more than 5o percent of the National Assembly seats to the North at independence.

Sanusi, however, stole the show when he spoke. His speech was anchored on the plank that the British and Nigerian rulers are responsible for the state of the situation Nigeria finds itself today.

Below is his unedited speech.



“Let me start by saying that I am Fulani (laughter). My grandfather was an Emir and therefore I represent all that has been talked about this afternoon. Sir Ajayi has written a book. And like all Nigerians of his generation, he has written in the language of his generation.

“My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian. The problem with this country is that in 2009, we speak in the language of 1953. Sir Olaniwun can be forgiven for the way he spoke, but I can not forgive people of my generation speaking in that language.

“Let us go into this issue because there are so many myths that are being bandied around. Before colonialism, there was nothing like Northern Nigeria. Before the Sokoto Jihad, there was nothing like the Sokoto caliphate. The man from Kano regard himself as bakane. The man from Zaria was bazazzage. The man from Katsina was bakatsine. The kingdoms were at war with each other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, they were killing each other.

“The Yoruba were Ijebu, Owo, Ijesha, Akoko, Egba. When did they become one? When did the North become one? You have the Sokoto Caliphate that brought every person from Adamawa to Sokoto and said it is one kingdom. They now said it was a Muslim North.

“The Colonialists came, put that together and said it is now called the Northern Nigeria. Do you know what happened? Our grand fathers were able to transform to being Northerners. We have not been able to transform to being Nigerians. The fault is ours. Tell me, how many governors has South West produced after Awolowo that are role models of leadership? How many governors has the East produced like Nnamdi Azikiwe that can be role models of leadership? How Many governors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me. There is no evidence statistically that any past of this country has produced good leaders.

You talk about Babangida and the economy. Who were the people in charge of the economy during Babangida era? Olu Falae, Kalu Idika Kalu. What state are they from in the North?

“We started the banking reform; the first thing I heard was that in Urobo land, that there will be a course of the ancestors. I said they (ancestors) would not answer. They said why? I said how many factories did Ibru build in Urobo land? So, why will the ancestors of the Urobo people support her?

“We talk ethnicity when it pleases us. It is hypocrisy. You said elections were rigged in 1959, Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu rigged election in 2007. Was it a Southern thing? It was not.

“The problem is: everywhere in this country, there is one Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba and Itshekiri man whose concern is how to get his hands on the pile and how much he can steal.

Whether it is in the military or in the civilian government, they seat down, they eat together. In fact, the constitution says there must be a minister from every state.

“So, anybody that is still preaching that the problem of Nigeria is Yoruba or Hausa or Fulani, he does not love Nigeria. The problem with Nigeria is that a group of people from each and every ethnic tribe is very selfish. The poverty that is found in Maiduguri is even worse than any poverty that you find in any part of the South. The British came for 60 years and Sir Ajayi talked about few numbers of graduates in the North (two at independence). What he did not say was that there was a documented policy of the British when they came that the Northerner should not be educated. It was documented. It was British colonial policy. I have the document. I have published articles on it. That if you educate the Northerner you will produce progressive Muslim intellectuals of the type we have in Egypt and India. So, do not educate them. It was documented. And you say they love us (North).

“I have spent the better part of my life to fight and Dr. (Reuben) Abati knows me. Yes, my grandfather was an Emir. Why was I in the pro-democracy movement fighting for June 12? Is (Moshood) Abiola from Kano? Why am I a founding director of the Kudirat Initiative for Nigerian Development (KIND)?

“There are good Yoruba people, good Igbo people, good Fulani people, good Nigerians and there are bad people everywhere. That is the truth.

“Stop talking about dividing Nigeria because we are not the most populous country in the world. We have all the resources that make it easy to make one united great Nigeria. It is better if we are united than to divide it.

“Every time you talk about division, when you restructure, do you know what will happen? In Delta, Area, the people in Warri will say Agbor, you don’t have oil. When was the Niger Delta constructed as a political enlity? Ten years ago, the Itshekiris were fighting the Urobos. Isn’t that what was happening? Now they have become Niger Delta because they have found oil. After, it will be, if you do not have oil in your village then you can not share our resources.

“There is no country in the world where resources are found in everybody’s hamlet. But people have leaders and they said if you have this geography and if we are one state, then we have a responsibility for making sure that the people who belong to this country have a good nature.

“So, why don’t you talk about; we don’t have infrastructure, we don’t have education, we don’t have health. We are still talking about Fulani. Is it the Fulani cattle rearer or is anybody saying there is no poverty among the Fulani?”, he said