DEMOCRACY, DICTATORSHIP AND OUR UNDOING

By: Bamiteko Anthony Dare

This day marks 18 years where by government that is said to be by the people is restored back to our great land Nigeria.

What is democracy and how is it suppose to be practiced in the real sense?

I can still remember the definition giving to us then in secondary school days;

"government of the people, by the people and for the people."

By Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863.

A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

Google meaning.

A system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives.

Dictionary meaning.

1a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority 1b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections. 2 : a political unit that has a democratic government.

Merriam-Webster.

Dictatorship simply means:

A type of government where absolute sovereignty is allotted to an individual or a small clique. A government which exercises autocratic rule. Any household, institution, or other organization that is run under such sovereignty or autocracy.

Dictionary meaning.

Having perused all definitions, Lincoln definition is probably for kindergarten level. And the definitions keep getting wiser and reasonable with the sequential arrangement. Truly the government is for the people but through a representative, that is, they are ruling indirectly by their representative. A representative needs to ask his people what they need, that is why councillor is closer. A Councillor is suppose to table his/her people needs to the chairman, Chairman to Governor. That is phase one. Phase two; Councillors, Chairmen of all local government and Governor can as well meet periodically with Honourables of each constituency and all Senators in their State. And from the House of Senate to the Presidency.That is how it suppose to be base on the presidential system of government we are practicing.

But the big question is have they been meeting? Instead, they all keep tussling for power, and running after how to make  their pockets grow fat. We want them to represent us, but we don't give them reasons to do so.

In election period we collect money from them and expect them to do our wishes! We accuse them of being corrupt, are we not worst than them! You collected money from error candidates, and jeopardize entry of right candidates that could take the ward, local government, state and country to greater height. Tell me, who is the thief who is the catcher, who is worst! Why won't they dictate, after all they paid for the post they are occupying. I have heard of a situation where members of a community contributed money for their representative in other for them to have a voice that will speak and represent them at the National level. Tell me, will such person dare to act against the will of his people. And he truly made them proud. When will that start happening in Nigeria! Where by traders, businessmen and the society at large will be  contributing money to sponsor candidates, not to be expecting candidates to give them rice, money and other valuables before they vote.

We need to wise up! We need to stop eating up our future! We need to stop the old mentality that if we didn't collect the money they would still win themselves the position and thereafter forget us as usual. "That money is our right".

We are in advance world where one vote speaks. If not 100%, just do the right thing and don't worsen the situation.

In conclusion, to have a real democracy where a representative will do the will of the people, let's endeavor to put the right person in power. Let's support the right person that will be our voice. Don't collect money before you vote for anyone and don't vote for party. Moreover, we need to trust people representing us. Not that at the slightest decision we start shouting he is this he is that. I still believe some decisions are taken for the good of the people, though at  the initial stage it may hurt, but that is where trust comes in. A leader can dictate in sensitive cases. Sensitive decisions are taken by leaders not people, because the power as been vested on him. If anything goes wrong, he will be questioned and history won't spare him. A leader can "dictate", but tyranny is forbidden.

Thanks to those that fought for democracy

Thanks to our heroes

God bless Nigerians

God bless Nigeria

Happy Democracy Day 2017

SUCCESS STORY: US Based Nigerian Surgeon Delivers a Baby Twice

NIGERIA shone brightly on the global stage as the news broke early in the week of a successful surgery a team of medical doctors, led by Nigerian-born Dr. Oluyinka Olutoye, carried on an unborn baby at a Texas hospital in the US.

According to medical reports, the unborn baby had sacrococcygeal teratoma, a rare tumour that appeared at the base of the baby’s tailbone. These types of tumours, it is estimated, occur in about one of 40,000 pregnancies, and if left unchecked, could continue taking the baby’s blood supply and eventually cause heart failure.

The baby’s mother, Margaret Boemer, first sensed that all was not well when her ultra-sound technician stayed unusually quiet during a routine 16-week prenatal checkup. Subsequent tests later showed that Boemer’s unborn child was suffering from the rare tumour.

One of the hospitals she visited in Houston, according to reports, “strongly recommended” that she should terminate the pregnancy. The report further had it that the hospitals reasoned that performing open fetal surgery -removing the baby before term in order to operate on the fetus—was too risky.

But Margaret Boemer’s story changed when she got to the Texas Children’s Hospital, where the doctors examined the tumour and gave her some words of hope. Interestingly, two doctors at the hospital, Oluyinka Olutoye and Darrell Cass, had about seven years ago, successfully performed a similar surgery.

Seven years after, Oluyinka Olutoye and Darrell Cass, alongside a team of about 20 others, performed yet another ‘miracle’ when it carried out a successful surgery on the unborn baby to remove the tumour and returned it to the mother’s womb; a feat that has generated global recognition of the baby as the baby born twice.

To carry out the operation on the baby named Lynlee Hope at 23 weeks, Olutoye and his team removed her from her mother’s womb, operated on her and then returned her to the womb where the injuries from her operation healed and she continued to grow until she was born again at 36 weeks.

According to reports, while Olutoye and his team were in the middle of the procedure, the baby’s heart stopped and needed to be restarted. She also required a blood transfusion at a stage.

Coming at a time when the image of the country is being bashed on the international scene by loads of negative reports about her citizens, Nigerians from all walks of life shelved their tribal and religious differences and rolled out the drums to celebrate the rare feat by one of their own.

The Federal Government had set the tone for the celebration when it felicitated with Olutoye and the people of Nigeria on the feat. According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, President Muhammadu Buhari received the news of Dr. Olutoye’s unique feat with excitement and fulfillment and looked forward to meeting with him soonest.

“Nigerians are great people, making greater positive impacts in all fields of human endeavour in the Diaspora. Dr Olutoye’s feat is one of such testimonies,” the statement added.

In an exclusive interview with The Nation, Dr. Olutoye said he was humbled by all the attention the feat had generated.

He said: “I am truly humbled by all the attention that this has received. It is a privilege to work at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, to lead a team of talented physicians, nurses and others to provide care for Margaret Boemer and her baby Lynlee. It is a blessing to be able to care for families like the Boemers in their time of need.

“We should not forget that these brave parents are the ones who did not give up on their child but sought to do all they could to improve her outcome. They deserve the focus and attention. For me to be caught up in all this excitement is only by the grace of God.”

Olutoye, who obtained his medical degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1988 before his doctoral degree in anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, in 1996, had relocated from Nigeria to the US to seek further educational opportunities.

He said: “At the completion of my medical education in Nigeria, I realised that I read about a lot of different aspects of medicine that I didn’t have the opportunity to be exposed to locally. I therefore sought further educational opportunities in the United States.”

The Ido Ani, Ondo State-born surgeon is a son of Major-General Olufemi Olutoye (rtd) and Prof. Omotayo Olutoye. He described his childhood as wonderful.

He said: “I had a wonderful childhood. I was born in Lagos and grew up with two loving parents, (Major-General (rtd) Olufemi Olutoye, OFR and Prof. Omotayo Olutoye); three sisters (Dr. Bunmi Okanlami, Funke Olugboji, ‘Toye Gansallo) and two brothers (Air Commodore (rtd) Dr. Femi Olutoye, Dr. Segun Olutoye); grandparents, numerous cousins, uncles and aunties.

“It was, and still is, a wonderful loving environment. We were all taught the importance of hard work and a solid education, and most importantly, the fear of The Lord. I hail from Ido-Ani in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, and my father is the Alani of Ido-Ani, Oluwatomiloye the 1st.”

As a son of a soldier father and an academic mother, Olutoye said he was introduced early in life to a life that placed emphasis on the need to strive for excellence. He maintained that the character his parents helped him to inculcate as a child has endured till now.

He said: “The quest for excellence was introduced at an early age. I attended elementary school at Lagos University Staff School and subsequently King’s College Lagos. The character and friendships established in those formative years have endured to date.

“I proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife for my medical education at the Faculty of Health Sciences. There I met my beautiful bride (Prof. ‘Toyin Olutoye, nee Balogun) who is an anesthesiologist.   We are blessed with two children. I had further training at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, prior to seeking additional training in the USA.

“In the USA, I started my post-graduate medical education in pediatrics at Howard University and District of Columbia General Hospital. I then had my general surgery training at Virginia Commonwealth University Hospitals, Richmond Virginia, during which I took time off for research and obtained a Ph.D in Anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University.

“Following my training as a general surgeon, I sought additional training in pediatric, fetal and thoracic surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I then took up a faculty position at Baylor College of Medicine and, with my colleague, Dr. Darrell Cass, established the Texas Children’s Fetal Center at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston Texas.”

Growing up in such a family, the surgeon said he never wanted to be anything else but a medical doctor. “I always wanted to be a medical doctor,” he said in response to what his childhood dream was.

Despite the deluge of negative stories about Nigerians back home, Olutoye and many other Nigerians in the Diaspora have continued to do great exploits in their host countries. According to Olutoye, such feats are possible when they have access to resources and infrastructure.

“Nigerians are a talented people. If they decide to apply themselves, they can achieve much. When they then have access to resources and infrastructure, they can attain even greater heights,” he said.

In the face of growing desperation by young Nigerians who risk their lives to cross the Mediterranean just to get to Europe and America, Olutoye urged Nigerian youths to always note that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the divide.

“Do the best you can with what you have where you are. To quote Eleanor Roosevelt, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Look before you leap,” he said.

Given the global attention the feat may have attracted to Olutoye and his colleagues at the Texas hospital, one may want to believe that the people behind the feat would now walk around town with shoulders raised. For Olutoye, however, “such glory should be given to God.”

“I am the same person I was before. It is not about me. I give God all the glory.”

Customs Intercepts Another 440 Rifles in Lagos

Barely three months after the interception of over 600 arms on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, the Tin-Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, yesterday, intercepted another 20-foot container laden with 440 guns of various sizes and designs.

Disclosing this to newsmen in Lagos, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Monday Abueh, said the offensive cargo was shipped from Turkey, adding that a suspect had been arrested in connection with the arms import. Abueh said: “Right in my hand is a sample of pump action of various designs.  Based on intelligence report, this command identified the container and the container was intercepted even before declaration. “On opening the container, we discovered that they used POP powder to conceal the importation but based on intelligence report, we were able to know that the container was laden with arms.  

The particulars of the consignee are still being kept under wraps for security reason.” The consignment, according to the Zonal Co-ordinator of Zone ‘Á’ of Customs, was declared as white cement to cover up the illicit import. Consignment discovered at bonded terminal Vanguard gathered that the container with number PONU 210024, was discovered at the Zenith bonded terminal on Monday, from where it was moved to the command’s enforcement unit, yesterday. 

Abueh said the seizure was based on intelligence reports, adding that investigation into how the consignment got into the country and who was behind the import was ongoing. The arms include 100 pieces of Black Tornado single barrel rifles; 75 pieces of silver magnum single barrel rifles; 50 pieces of alter pump action rifles; 215 pieces of black single barrel rifles; and 164 pieces of rifle nozzles. Others are 103 pieces of arms grips; 110 pieces of trigger, 113 pieces of arm guard, 107 pieces of bridge block; 122 pieces of Allen keys, 117 pieces of assemble butt and 516 (50kg) bags of POP powder. 

Speaking on the development, the command’s spokesman, Mr. Uche Ejieseme, said investigation into owners of the consignment would continue, after which the container will be handed over to the relevant authorities. He said  further profiling of the importer would be carried out to get more details on previous shipments by the importer.

Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali had said the importation of such items were under absolute prohibition, and therefore illegal. “Such deadly contravention of the law is even more unacceptable considering the fragile security situation in some parts of the country. “Already three suspects have been arrested in connection with this illegal importation,” News Agency of Nigeria quoted the comptroller-general as saying.   

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/another-440-rifles-uncovered-lagos/

APPLY HERE: Nigeria Immigration Service Recruitment 2017.

Nigeria Immigration Service Open Recruitment Portal For Interested Candidates to Apply. Everyone can apply regardless of your course of study or class of degree. Follow the instructions strictly and fill your application correctly.

SUPERINTENDENT CADRE

Assistant Superintendent of Immigration II (ASI '')

1. Applicant must possess a minimum of first degree from a recognized institution of higher learning.
2. NYSC discharged certificate
3. Applicants must be between the ages of 18-30 years.

INSPECTORATE CADRE

Senior Inspector of Immigration (SII) & Assistant Inspector of Immigration (AII)

1. Applicants for Senior Inspector of Immigration (SII) must possess a minimum of Higher National Diploma (HND) from a recognized institution.
2. Applicants for Senior Inspector of Immigration (SII) must be between the ages of 18-30 years.
3. NYSC certificate is compulsory for senior Inspector of Immigration (SII)
4. Applicants for Assistant Inspector of Immigration (AII) must possess a minimum of NCE/OND from a recognized institution.
5. Applicants fo Assistant Inspector of Immigration(AII) must be between the ages of 18-26 years.

ASSISTANT CADRE

Immigration Assistant III (IA ''')

1. Applicant must be a holder of SSCE,NECO, GCE O/Level with minimum of four(4) credit in not more than 2 sittings, which should include English and Maths.
2. Applicants must be between the ages of 18-25 years.

Please Note:

• Any certificate or qualification not declared or tendered and accepted at recruitment centre shall not be acceptable after recruitment exercise.
• A duly completed and signed guarantor's section of the application form to be presented for screening, which is to be signed by officers not below the rank of Chief superintendent of Immigration (CSI) or its equivalents in the sister organization.

It is advisable that you check your weight and height and health status before applying. Nakata @nurdeano Cares.

Direct Link Here: http://nisrecruitment.org.ng/entry_level.php

Apply For Nigerian Air Force DSSC Enlistment 2017

Application Guidelines

PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

Online Registration Starts on 18 May 2017 and Closes on 15 June 2017.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

APPLICATIONS ARE INVITED FROM QUALIFIED NIGERIANS FOR DIRECT SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION INTO THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE IN THE UNDERLISTED DEPARTMENTS:

1.         INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
MS.c/ BSc./HND Computer Software Engineer, Data Administrator, Network Administrator/ Engineer, Network Security Experts, Web master, Info Tech/Computer Science, Computer Engineering/Electrical & Electronics Engineering.

2.         MEDICALS

a.         MBBS, MB ch D

b.         Consultant –Ophthalmologist

c.         Consultant - Surgeon

d.         Consultant- Physician

e.         Consultant - O & G ( Female)

f.          Consultant - Pediatrics

g.         Consultant - Radiologist

h.         Consultant - Orthopedic

i.          Consultant - Family medicine

j.          Consultant - Anesthetists

3.         DENTAL SURGERY

BDS, B ch D

4.         NURSES – B.SC/ RN AND RM (DOUBLE QUALIFICATION)

Must possess B.NSc with RN/RM or HND with RN/RM.  BSc Nursing with any other qualifications in nursing field such as ICU, A&E, Theatre, Ophthalmic and Nurse Anesthetics will be an added advantage. Candidates must have a current Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) license to practice as a Nurse.

5.         SPECIAL FORCES 
Must posses BA in PE and must be well built physically with not less than 1.78m height.

6.         EDUCATION
B. Ed Mathematics/Computer Science, B.Ed English, B. Ed Physics, B. Ed Chemistry, BSc Guidance & Counselling( Female).

7.         ACCOUNTING

BSc/HND Accounting

GENERAL INFORMATION TO CANDIDATES

1.         Applicants must possess a minimum of Second Class Upper for holders of First degree and Upper Credit for HND holders. Computer literacy will be an added advantage.

2.         Applicants must possess NYSC Discharge Certificate or Letter of Exemption from NYSC at the time of applying for DSSC.

3.         Applicants must possess certificates of full registration with their respective statutory professional bodies in Nigeria where applicable.

4.         Male applicants must not be less than 1.66 meterstall while female applicants must not be less than 1.63 meters tall. However, candidates applying for special forces must not be less than 1.78m height and must be physically well built.

5.         Applicants should be between 22 and 30 years of age by 31st December 2017. Any age declaration done earlier than 5 years to this exercise will not be acceptable. Those who will be older than 30 years by 31st December 2017 need not apply, except for Consultants.

6.         Applicants are to make a choice from the centers below for the Zonal Enlistment Exercise.

a.         Nigerian Air Force Base, Makurdi

b.         Nigerian Air Force Base, Bauchi

c.         Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja – Lagos

d.         113 Helicopter Combat Training Group, Enugu

e.         115 Special Operations  Group, Port Harcourt

f.          Nigerian Air Force Base, Kawo – Kaduna

7.         Interested applicants are to apply free of chargeonline at www.airforce.mil.ng

8.         Zonal Enlistment Exercise will hold from 1 - 8 July 2017.

9.         Shortlisted Applicants are to bring the following to the Zonal Enlistment Centers:

• Birth Certificate
• Originals of Education Certificates and NYSC Discharge Certificate
• Letter of Attestation of Good Character
• Attestation of Parent / Guardian Consent Form
• Attestation of Local Government Area Form
• Acknowledgment Card
• Writing Materials (for aptitude test)

Applicants are warned against giving false information as information supplied will be used to evaluate your suitability for shortlisting at any particular stage. Any false information discovered at any stage will lead to disqualification of the applicant.

10.       Applicants are to print out the underlisted documents after completion of application online:

            a.         Attestation Form

   b.         Acknowledgment Card

  c.       Serving Military personnel are to note that documents listed in a-b above are not applicable to them, however the special attestattion form is to be filled by their current Unit Commander.

11.       Applicant's local Government attestation form must be signed by a military officer who hails from the state of the applicant and not below the rank of Wing Commander or equivalent in the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy, and Police Officer of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and above. Local Government Chairman/Secretary, Magistrates and Principals of government secondary schools from applicants' state of origin can also sign the attestation forms.

12.       Additionally, applicants are to bring with them Local Government Indigeneship certificate from their Local Government.

 13.      Photocopies of all documents and credentials will be collected from applicants after screening during the Zonal Enlistment Exercise and Interview.

Technical Support: For Technical Support, please call: 09064145533, 08043440802 and 08053440802

recruitment@airforce.mil.ng

Note: All phone lines are available between 8:30AM and 5:30PM

DIRECT LINK: http://www.airforce.mil.ng/page-2017_naf_dssc_enlistment

Breakdown of Passed 2017 Budget

The 2017 Appropriations Bill proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari in December last year, has been passed by the National Assembly, on Thursday, 11th May, 2017.

The National Assembly has passed the 2017 Appropriations Bill, raising the budget from N7.28 billion earlier proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari in December last year, to N7.44 trillion.

The Appropriations Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives separately presented their harmonised reports of the budget for consideration and subsequent passage on Thursday.

According to the report,

1. N434.4 billion was appropriated for statutory transfers to the National Judicial Council (N100 billion);

2. Niger Delta Development Commission (N64.02 billion)

3. Universal Basic Education (N95.2 billion);

4. National Assembly (N125 billion);

5. Public Complaints Commission (N4 billion)

6. INEC (N45 billion)

7. National Human Rights Commission (N1.2 billion).

The seven establishments are to get allocations on first line charge. In practice, the spending details of these offices are not made public.

Here’s a full breakdown of the budget we culled from Nigerian Senate Twitter handle @NGRSenate;


2017 Budget Breakdown:

Debt Service (Local & Foreign): N1,663,885,430,499.

Sinking Fund: N177,460,296,707

Total Debt Service: N1,849,345,727,206.

Recurrent Non-debt expenditure: N2,086,176,493,860

Federal Executive Bodies: N1,413,441,659.90

Service wide Votes & Pension: N191,631,846,958

Total Pensions: N191,631,846,956.

Other service wide votes: N138,700,000,000

Reforms to Special Acts: N40,000,000,000

Special Intervention recurrent (Heads):N350,000,000,000

Presidential Amnesty Programme Stipends: N766,700,000,000

Total Recurrent: N987,550,033,000

Capital Expenditure: N1,710,580,601,619

Head of sub-total Federal Executive Bodies: N7,248,944,788

Head of Federal Executive Bodies: N1,717,829,446,407

Capital Supplementation: N7,441,175,486,755.

LATEST GIST: JAMB Schedules Candidate for 2017 UTME

This is to inform you that JAMB has started scheduling candidates who registered for 2017 UTME to sit for the examination.

JAMB has earlier declared during registration is sending direct email to candidates to inform them of the development. The email contains a link in which content is to be downloaded. The content is the schedule slip.

Furthermore, the schedule contains full details of candidate, exam date, exam time, venue details, candidate sit number and finally INSTRUCTIONS to be strictly adhered to by candidates.

So inform candidates to check their EMAIL.
SAMPLE:

Again President Buhari Jets Out To London For Medical

President Muhammadu Buhari leaves the country for medical check up in London for the second time in 2017.

The President leaves Sunday after meeting the recently released 82 Chibok girls. It has been observed lately that He is not hale despite that the President's health status is not declared. This prompted some people to asked for his resignation while others advised him to go for check up.

President Muhammadu Buhari who departed Nigeria for London Sunday night for follow-up medical consultation with his doctors has said that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will take charge in his absence and that Government will continue to function smoothly and efficiently.

Buhari made this known on his Twitter handle @MBuhari.
However, mixed reaction has trailed his decision, but majority prays for his quick recovery.