Yoruba Now Mandatory for Admission Seekers in Lagos.

-LASG: Yoruba Now Mandatory for Admission into Tertiary Institutions in Lagos
-Says violation will attract N500,000 or outright closure
-Mandates teaching of Yoruba Language in all primary, secondary schools ...

All candidates seeking admission into all tertiary institutions in Lagos State must henceforth possess credit in Yoruba Language, the state Yoruba Language Preservation and Preservation Law has said.

The law, which became effective last Thursday, would now make compulsory for all primary and secondary schools – private or public – in the state to include teaching of Yoruba Language as a core subject at all levels.

The state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, had formally signed a bill into law “to provide for the preservation and promotion of the use of Yoruba Language and for connected purposes,” thereby making it the first state to enact law seeking to preserve and promote its indigenous language.

He signed the law alongside the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olawale Oluwo, his Information and Strategy counterpart, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan and the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, among others.

He equally signed six other bills into laws: the Amended Land Use Charge bill, School of Nursing bill, Cooperative College bill, Cancer Research Institute bill, Amended Customary Court bill and the State Electric Power Reform Law on the same day.

However, the Yoruba Language Preservation and Promotion law provides that all the laws in the state “will be translated into Yoruba Language. Moreso, all state-owned tertiary institutions are to incorporate the use of Yoruba Language in the General Studies (GNS) courses.

“The use of Yoruba language shall be an acceptable means of communication between individuals, establishment, corporate entities and government in the state if so desired by the concerned. It shall not be an offence for a person to speak Yoruba language by the state government,” the law reads in part.

Specifically, the law stated that any school in Lagos State that “fails to comply with the provisions of Section 2 commits an offence and is liable on first violation to issuance of warning and on subsequent violation be closed down and also pay a fine of N500,000.”


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Nakata's Blog: APC Restructuring Committee Recommends Resource Co...

Nakata's Blog: APC Restructuring Committee Recommends Resource Co...: Restructuring: El-Rufai Committee Recommends Merger of States, Scrapping of LGs and the Establishment of State Police. The All Progres...

APC Restructuring Committee Recommends Resource Control by States.

Restructuring: El-Rufai Committee Recommends Merger of States, Scrapping of LGs and the Establishment of State Police.

The All Progressives Congress, (APC) Committee on True Federalism inaugurated last August by the Chief Odigie Oyegun led national working committee on Thursday submitted its report with far-reaching recommendations.

Kaduna state governor and chairman of the Committee, Nasir el-Rufai told the gathering of the party chieftains and leadership that his Committee has recommended that local councils be scrapped while the nation should run two-tier system of government.

The Kaduna state governor premised his Committee recommendations on views of Nigerians who sent memoranda and spoke with his team across the country. His team also recommended State Police.

Giving further insight into the report, Mallam el-Rufai said the predominant position of Nigerians on resource control was that states should be vested with rights to issue a prospecting license for mining of mineral resources, oil and gas.

He said: “Local government autonomy is a very interesting subject in which we were surprised at the outcome. There were divergent opinions on this issue.

“We recommend that the current system of local government administration provided for by the constitution should be amended and that states should be allowed to develop and enact laws to have local government administration system that is peculiar to each of them.

“What we heard from Nigerians is that as far as local government is concerned, there is no one size fits all. We all come from different histories, different cultures, different administrative systems and we believe that the constitution should ensure that there is a democratic local government system in every state but the details of, and the nature of that local government system, the number of local governments should be left to the states and states houses of assembly.

“We proposed amendments to Sections 7, 8, 162, the first schedule, part one and the first schedule of the constitution to give effect to our recommendations. The section that lists the local governments and their headquarters should be removed, so local governments are no longer named in the constitution. States can create their local governments and determine the structure of their local governments.

“We are by this, recognising that in a federal system, you cannot have more than two tiers of government. Having three tiers of government is an aberration. There is nowhere in the world where our research has shown us that you have more than two federating units.

“We have proposed that mining, minerals, oil should go to the states. Then there will be certain constitutional amendments. The Petroleum Act will be amended to show that states can now issue oil mining licences; the Land Use Act, Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act, the Petroleum Profit Tax Act 2007 would all need to be amended. So, we
have proposed an amendment that will ensure that minerals, mining and oil are vested in the states except for offshore minerals.’’

“Derivation principle, it is recommended that the revenue mobilisation and fiscal commission act be amended to vest it with the power to periodically review the derivation formular and make a recommendation to the president who shall table the same before the National Assembly for necessary action.

Physical federalism and revenue allocation. We propose an amendment to subsection two of the constitution to give more revenue to the states and reduce the federal government share.

There was an overwhelming popular demand that there should be devolution of power to the states and the committee recommended same. We have recommended that the first schedule, part one and two be amended to transfer some powers to the states.”

Besides the scrapping of local councils, another controversial recommendation of the Committee is the merger of existing states, as Governor el-Rufai, even as he admitted that majority of Nigerians were against it.

“The first item that we felt needed legislative action is the merger of states. It is pertinent to note that only 36% of Nigerians wants more states created while the majority of Nigerians don’t want more states. For us, since the creation of states is already in the constitution, there is no action needed than to implement that.

“So, the first recommendation for which we have proposed a draft bill for a constitutional amendment is the merger of states. Though there was no consensus’ from stakeholder on the merger of states, we felt that we should propose a bill that allows states to merge and it is left for the National Assembly, the party and the people of Nigeria to decide on that.

The Kaduna governor equally revealed that his team ‘’proposed an amendment to create the State Judicial Council that will appoint and discipline judges within a state while the National Judicial Council will exercise control over the appointment, the discipline of judges of the federal government only.

We have proposed the creation of the state court of appeal so that from the High Court, you can first appeal to the state court of appeal before it goes to the Supreme Court of the federation. Again, this is consistent with federal practice all over the world.

“We also propose a constitutional amendment to allow for a referendum to be conducted on burning national or state issues before decisions are taken. Right now, the constitution has no room for a referendum, but
only in the creation of states.’’

Receiving the report, APC national chairman, Chief Oyegun, expressed delight over the report and assured the Committee that its recommendations would be given the needed attention by all the statutory organs of the party.
He said: ‘’From the presentation of the chairman of this committee, everybody now has an idea of what the APC stands for with regards to true federalism and restructuring. This is the totality of our views,
but it is still going to go through the mill.

“What I will promise you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee who have put in so much hard work -you have not only provided the details, but you have gone ahead to provide the mechanism for implementation both in terms of law and necessary presidential action, is that this report is going to get the expeditious consideration of
this party, the APC.

“I am going to promise that before the middle of February, it would have been considered and decided upon by the major structures of this party, the National Executive Committee, the Caucus of the party. And whatever is thereafter agreed, will be presented to the authorities as the considered views and decisions of the APC for appropriate implementation.

“What you have done is very challenging. What you have done will be controversial but what you have done still has given the basic foundation for the building of a new nation and a new way of doing business in this country; that we will not only devolve power and spread the wings of development nationwide but that will enable the people of this country to not only hold the president accountable but to also hold the states accountable because once this report is approved and implemented, states will become important routes of economic activities and development nationwide.’’

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Nakata's Blog: Dr Gani Adams Inaugural Speech as the Aare Ona Kak...

Nakata's Blog: Dr Gani Adams Inaugural Speech as the Aare Ona Kak...: SPEECH BY OTUNBA (DR.) GANI ADAMS AT HIS INSTALLATION AS THE 15TH AARE ONA KAKANFO OF YORUBALAND BY THE ALAAFIN OF OYO, IKU BABA YEYE, H...

Dr Gani Adams Inaugural Speech as the Aare Ona Kakanfo of the Yoruba Race

SPEECH BY OTUNBA (DR.) GANI ADAMS AT HIS INSTALLATION AS THE 15TH AARE ONA KAKANFO OF YORUBALAND BY THE ALAAFIN OF OYO, IKU BABA YEYE, HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, OBA LAMIDI OLAYIWOLA ADEYEMI III.

Date: Saturday January 13, 2018

Venue: Durbar Stadium, Oyo

Time: 11am

PROTOCOLS

Mo juba awon Aare Ona Kakanfo to siwaju mi:

Kokoro Gangan of Iwoye

Oyapote of Iwoye

Oyabi of Ajase

Adeta of Jabata

Oku of Jabata

Afonja of Ilorin

Toyeje of Ogbomoso

Edun of Gbogun

Amepo of Abemo

Kurumi of Ijaiye

Ojo Aburumaku of Ogbomoso (son of Toyeje of Ogbomosho)

Latoosa of Ibadan

Ladoke Akintola of Ogbomoso

M.K.O. Abiola of Abeokuta

There cannot be a more humbling occasion for me as the one we are in today.

Against the backdrop of the size of the office the Iku Baba Yeye, His Imperial Majesty, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Atanda Adeyemi III, has bestowed on me and the larger than life image of my predecessors, my installation as the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo is a challenge that has made all past challenges seem like a child’s play.

Though I am just stepping into the office, past occupants of the seat, especially the 13th and 14th occupants – Aare Samuel Ladoke Akintola and Aare Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola – brought so much power and glamour to the office that it is obvious I have a lot of work to do. As astute businessmen and politicians of note, they raised the profile of the office.

There is no doubt from the reactions that followed my pronouncement by the Alaafin of Oyo as the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo that the power and prestige of the office has not waned since it was created centuries ago by Alaafin Ajagbo.

In fact, the epoch-making event of today is symbolic as 2018 marks the 558th anniversary of the installation of the first Aare Ona Kakanfo – Kokoro Gangan of Iwoye.

It is of interest to note that the military, political, traditional and cultural symbolism of the title to the Yoruba Empire, about 600 years ago, is still of strategic importance in the 21st Century.

This attribute reveals the uniqueness of the Yoruba race and shows that so much is still expected of the occupant of the post, despite the fact that physical and armed wars are no longer the order of the day.

In fact, despite the fact that I am an holder of 52 traditional titles, none has drawn as much comments and commendation by way of letters and visits.

The import of the Office still stands: protection of the interests of Yoruba race, both within the country and everywhere else people of the race exist.

While it is estimated that there are 60 million Yoruba within Nigeria and about 200 million others scattered all over the world, as a starting point, the preservation of the culture of the race will occupy my attention.

Pitiably, as a race, we are gradually losing our culture. In fact, from my travels around the world, it has become obvious that people of other races are taking more interest in our culture than we the owners of the culture, with Americans, Europeans and Asians now earning Degrees in the study of our culture, beliefs and what they have come to term Doctrine. We need to preserve our culture to fully realize the potential of the Yoruba.

Though with an activist background, it is now clear that I have to do more as a bridge builder with this new responsibility.

In as much as the focus of my struggle has changed over the years from the heady days of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) to the spread of our culture through the formation of the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU), which is now in 79 countries, the Olokun Festival Foundation, Gani Adams Foundation and many others, this new responsibility, despite my age, has unwittingly forced the stature of a statesman on me.

I promise to live up to that calling.

In this regard, I will work with our traditional rulers, grassroots leaders and have good rapport with all stakeholders, no matter the differences of the past, for the unity, progress and advancement of Yorubaland and Nigeria.

The office of the Aare Ona Kakanfo will project the Yoruba culture and tradition by promoting and sustaining our identity globally.

The office will equally ensure unity of all Yoruba sons and daughters all over the world.

Also of strategic importance to me is research and documentary to sustain the ideals of our founding fathers.

To ensure the continuation of the leadership role the Yoruba is known for educationally, I will give scholarships to our sons and daughters because education is light and power.

Also, I will collaborate with security agencies and stakeholders to ensure that Yorubaland is effectively secured through our various organizations.

I want to assure this August gathering that given the fact that the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU), which I am also the Convener, is now established in 79 countries, I will use this Union and other pan-Yoruba groups abroad to invite our sons and daughters with exceptional abilities, who have distinguished themselves in various fields, to come home and help in our quest to ensuring that our country takes its rightful place in the comity of nations.

GRATITUDE

At this juncture, let me express my profound gratitude to all our revered traditional rulers who have been working tirelessly to unite our race. It is a long list that it will not be possible to mention all.

But let me use the following to pay tribute to our traditional rulers: the Alaafin of Oyo, Iku Baba Yeye, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III who has deemed it fit to honour me with this prestigious title, the Ooni of Ife, Oonirisa Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II; Chairmen of Council of Obas and Chiefs and all traditional rulers in Yorubaland, and not forgetting my root, the Zaki of Arigidi-Akoko, Oba Yisa Olanipekun, and all traditional rulers in Akokoland; all the Obas who bestowed me with 52 titles, which invariably laid the foundation for my emergence as the Aare Ona Kakanfo.

CALL FOR UNITY

The journey has started from here. And my first appeal goes to Yoruba sons and daughters who are outside the shores of the country not to forget that there is no place like home. This was what informed the formation of the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU), Gani Adams Foundation and Olokun Festival Foundation. Please, see Yorubaland as the place to be. Don’t give the race a bad name. Come home to invest.

As the 15th Aare Ona Kakanafo, I consider myself lucky that there is no war at hand confronting the Yoruba race now. In other words, we are living in peace time. However, I am not pleased with the level of Yoruba unity today and I am very concerned. Therefore, my greatest priority is the unity of the Yoruba race at home and in the Diaspora.

I will, therefore, spare no effort in ensuring the unity of Yoruba race within the contemporary Nigeria body polity.

To take the journey further, I will, after this installation, launch the Aare Ona Kakanfo Foundation. This will further promote the culture of the people and document the history of the Aare Ona Kakanfo title.

Since we are now in the era of Information Technology, we will be unveiling historical documents obtained from the Iku Baba Yeye on the Aare Ona Kakanfo title to a website.

2018 makes it the 30th year that the last holder of the title, Aare M.K.O. Abiola, stood before you for his installation. He died on July 7, 1998 and the post was vacant for almost 20 years.

Same happened when the 13th holder of the title, Aare S.L. Akintola, died on January 15, 1966. It took more than 22 years before his successor took over. Why? There is the myth that holders of the title will always die a violent death. But, this is not so because many holders of the title lived to be more than 100 years.

So, apart from setting aside the myth and projecting the image of the office, documenting the Aare Ona Kakanfo title will also let people know that a child born of humble beginning like me can make it.

From the extreme North of Yorubaland, Arigidi-Akoko in Akoko North West Local Government the rural area of Ondo State, here I am emerging as the Aare Ona Kakanfo.

WAY FORWARD

My second appeal as the Aare Ona Kakanfo goes to the Federal Government to attend to some of the major roads in Yorubaland that are critical to its citizens. These include Lagos-Ibadan, Oyo-Ilorin, Lagos-Badagry, Sagamu-Benin, Badagry-Lusada-Sokoto, Ibadan-Iwo-Osogbo, Osogbo-Ilesa, Ilesa-Akure-Owo-Lokoja and Lagos-Abeokuta.

It will also be a major plus if the government, as promised by President Muhammadu Buhari in his January 1, 2018 speech, attends to rail transportation as fast as possible.

The issue of power is also critical. This will empower artisans more.

Security is equally important. All these would aid the development of the tourism potential of the country.

Several countries, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Britain, Turkey, Singapore, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Ghana, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and Israel have diversified their economy to tourism.

I want to assure you that I will work with various stakeholders to turn our land into a viable tourist destination.

To our esteemed Governors in the South-West, I call for cooperation, no matter the party line. The Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission should be empowered. And I want you all to see me as a partner in progress.

I offer myself for service once it is for the advancement of the Yoruba race. The various groups in the South-West should also resolve their crises.

I will also persuade seven of our elders, who are not partisan, to work with me in uniting all Yoruba and resolve differences wherever they may arise.

PROFOUND APPRECIATION

In closing, let me express my profound appreciation to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, for their support.

I want to thank our host Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, for his immense contribution towards the success of today’s event.

I also thank other governors for their support and contributions, financially and morally.

Let me thank all those who contributed to the success of this installation ceremony, especially members of the Planning Committee, the media and many others too numerous to mention.

I also want to thank my wife, Erelu Mojisola. She is a Pillar of Support and a Role Model for Women.

I want to assure all that as the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo, I will use my position, God willing, to protect the interest of our land and our dear country Nigeria.

Mo ki gbogbo yin o

A dele bare o

Igba mi a tu ile Yoruba lara lágbara Olodumare, Amin.

Aare Ona Kakanfo Gani Adams

January 13, 2018.

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Nakata's Blog: Solarin's New Year Wish: MAY YOUR ROAD BE ROUGH

Nakata's Blog: Solarin's New Year Wish: MAY YOUR ROAD BE ROUGH: MAY YOUR ROAD BE ROUGH By Tai Solarin, Jan. 1, 1964 I am not cursing you; I am wishing you what I wish myself every year. I therefo...

Solarin's New Year Wish: MAY YOUR ROAD BE ROUGH

MAY YOUR ROAD BE ROUGH
By Tai Solarin, Jan. 1, 1964

I am not cursing you; I am 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 not so sure what you should say back, why not just say, ‘Same to you’? I ask for no more.

Our successes are conditioned by the amount of risk we are ready to take. Earlier on today I visited a local farmer about three miles from where I live. He could not have been more than fifty-five, but he said he was already too old to farm vigorously. He still suffered, he said, from the physical energy he displayed as a farmer in his younger days. Around his hut were two pepper bushes. There were kokoyams growing round him. There were snail shells which had given him meat. There must have been more around the banana trees I saw. He hardly ever went to town to buy things. He was self-sufficient. The car or the bus, the television or the telephone, the newspaper, Vietnam or Red China were nothing to him.

He had no ambitions whatsoever, he told me. I am not sure if you are already envious of him, but were we all to revert to such a life, we would be practically driven back to cave dwelling.

On the other hand, try to put yourself into the position of the Russian or the America astronaut. Any moment now the count, 3, 2, 1, is going to go, and you are going to be shot into the atmosphere and soon you will be whirling round our earth at the speed of six miles per second. If you get so fired into the atmosphere and you forget what to do to ensure return to earth, one of the things that might happen to you is that you could become forever satellite, going round the earth until you die of starvation and even then your body would continue the gyration!

When, therefore, you are being dressed up and padded to be shot into the sky, you know only too well that you are going on the roughest road man had ever trodden. The Americans and Russians who have gone were armed with the great belief that they would come back. But I cannot believe that they did not have some slight foreboding on the contingency of their non-return. It is their courage for going in spite of these apprehensions that makes the world hail them so loudly today.

The big fish is never caught in shallow waters. You have to go into the open sea for it. The biggest businessmen make decisions with lighting speed and carry them out with equal celerity. They do not dare delay or dally. Time would pass them by if they did. The biggest successes are preceded by the greatest of heart-burnings. You should read the stories of the bomber pilots of World War II. The Russian pilot, the German pilot, the American or the British pilot suffered exactly the same physical and mental tension the night before a raid on enemy territory. There were no alternative routes for those who most genuinely believed in victory for their side.

You cannot make omelettes without breaking eggs, throughout the world, there is no paean without pain. Jawaharlal Nehru has put it so well. I am paraphrasing him. He wants to meet his troubles in a frontal attack. He wants to see himself tossed into the aperture between the two horns of the bull. Being there, he determines he is going to win and, therefore, such a fight requires all his faculties.

When my sisters and I were young and we slept on our small mats round our mother, she always woke up at 6a.m. for morning prayers. She always said prayers on our behalf but always ended with something like this: ‘May we not enter into any dangers or get into any difficulties this day.’ It took me almost thirty years to dislodge the canker-worm in our mother’s sentiments. I found, by hard experience, that all that is noble and laudable was to be achieved only through difficulties and trials and tears and dangers. There are no other roads.

If I was born into a royal family and should one day become a constitutional king, I am inclined to think I should go crazy. How could I, from day to day, go on smiling and nodding approval at somebody else’s successes for an entire lifetime? When Edward the Eighth (now Duke of Windsor) was a young, sprightly Prince of Wales, he went to Canada and shook so many hands that his right arm nearly got pulled out of its socket. It went into a sling and he shook hands thenceforth with his left hand. It would appear he was trying his utmost to make a serious job out of downright sinecurism.
Life, if it is going to be abundant, must have plenty of hills and valleys. It must have plenty of sunshine and rough weather. It must be rich in obfuscation and perspicacity. It must be packed with days of danger and of apprehension.

When I walk into the dry but certainly cool morning air of every January 1st, I wish myself plenty of tears and of laughter, plenty of happiness and unhappiness, plenty of failures and successes. Plenty of abuse and praise. It is impossible to win ultimately without a rich measure of intermixture in such a menu. Life would be worthless without the lot. We do not achieve much in this country because we are all so scared of taking risks. We all want the smooth and well-paved roads. While the reason the Americans and others succeeded so well is that they took such great risks.
If, therefore, you are out in this New Year 1964, to win any target you have set for yourself, please accept my prayers and your elixir. May your road be rough!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018.

Credit: Rerodan Blog

Nakata's Blog: UN Jerusalem Resolution: How Countries Voted

Nakata's Blog: UN Jerusalem Resolution: How Countries Voted: Image of how each country voted The United Nations has voted by a very huge majority to declare a unilateral US recognition of Jeru...

UN Jerusalem Resolution: How Countries Voted

Image of how each country voted

The United Nations has voted by a very huge majority to declare a unilateral US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital "null and void".

At an emergency session of the body's General Assembly on Thursday, 128 countries voted in favour of a resolution rejecting US President Donald Trump's controversial decision on December 6.

Nine countries voted against, 35 abstained while 20 member countries including Zambia did not participate.

Despite that Trump had earlier threatened to cut aid to UN members who would vote against his decision, Nigeria and some other countries receiving financial and otherwise aid from the US defied him.

Here is a country breakdown of the General Assembly vote:

Member states that voted in favour of the resolution

A: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan
B: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi
C: Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica
E: Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia
F: Finland, France
G: Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana
I: Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy
J: Japan, Jordan
K: Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan
L: Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
M:Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique
N: Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway
O: Oman
P: Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Portugal
Q: Qatar
R: Republic of Korea (South Korea), Russia
S: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria
T: Tajikistan, Thailand, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey
U: United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan
V: Venezuela, Vietnam
Y: Yemen
Z: Zimbabwe

Member states that voted against the resolution

G: Guatemala
H: Honduras
I: Israel
M: Marshall Islands, Micronesia
N: Nauru
P: Palau
T: Togo
U: United States

Member states that abstained

A: Antigua-Barbuda, Argentina, Australia
B: Bahamas, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina
C: Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic
D: Dominican Republic
E: Equatorial Guinea
F: Fiji
H: Haiti, Hungary
J: Jamaica
K: Kiribati
L: Latvia, Lesotho
M:  Malawi, Mexico
P: Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland
R: Romania, Rwanda
S: Solomon Islands, South Sudan
T: Trinidad-Tobago, Tuvalu
U: Uganda
V: Vanuatu

Nakata's Blog: An Open Letter to the President: You Can Avert the...

Nakata's Blog: An Open Letter to the President: You Can Avert the...: AN OPEN LETTER TO MR. PRESIDENT: YOU CAN AVERT THE LOOMING WAR By: BAMITEKO Anthony Dare Three years back, President Muha...

An Open Letter to the President: You Can Avert the Looming War

AN OPEN LETTER TO MR. PRESIDENT: YOU CAN AVERT THE LOOMING WAR

By: BAMITEKO Anthony Dare

Three years back, President Muhammadu Buhari appears to be the 'messiah' almost all Nigerians await. I could remember vividly, I was in my final year then. Many people campaigned, preached to people and even canvassed on the day of election for General Muhammadu Buhari to emerge as the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Since your popular emergence in 2015, what have we seen in the land? You came in on a  change mantra you and your party promised  Nigerians. Virtually almost everyone was tired of Jonathan government, except the religion fanatics and those Yoruba calls "aríje nídìí ìbàjé", it means selfish and self-centered creatures. Two years gone down, three years counting, President Muhammadu Buhari, what have you achieved? What have you done to acknowledge those that supported you heart and mind? How have you made them proud?

Let me remind you Mr. President if you have forgotten. You promised to jailed corrupt hands and thieves that stole our wealth. You also promised to create job opportunity for youths and give some five thousand naira every month and to strengthen our security, including putting an end to insurgency. Your Excellence, what job have you created? How many people have been employed. Don't tell me you are thinking about NPower for its not a job but mere empowerment that even those about 180,000 given out of 500,000 promised are not living fine? When it comes to good job like that of DSS, you know how to give your own people from Katsina 57 slot and even the whole Southwest states had almost the same amount. The whole of South-South and South-East didn't have up to that. Apart from beefing up the security, what have you done? Are you sure you love all Nigerians? Are you sure you are father to all Mr Muhammadu Buhari?

At the inception of your reign as President of Nigeria Mr. President, I argued it even till this year that Buhari loves this country. I was arguing blindly that what differentiates Buhari from other leaders of this country is that he is patriotic and loyal. But I must confess General, I am ashamed to have defended and supported you. We that fought with friends and were madly in love with you are now laughing stock among our friends. Imagine two friends that we served together in Sokoto called me few days ago, mocking me that Buhari's son, have you seen your father. The second one says see your dad's performance. Hope you are happy now. You promised to fight corruption but you are aiding corruption. People shouted endlessly about Babachir Lawal before you took action. People closer to you are favoured and you give them preferential treatment. They are the sacred cows.

In terms of appointment Mr. President, you've justified your critics that you are bias. You appointed your own people. And that alone caused a lot of tension in the East and made more disciples to followed Nnamdi Kanu. If you are not aware President, truly your appointments caused the tension and uproar in the land. Yes, we all abused and condemned Kanu, but that man has done well and created what Igbos needed that is making their voices heard that they have been sidelined in your government, but he, Kanu, truly stepped the National red line in doing that. And the derogatory words coming out of his vocal cavity and his manner of approach and failure to listen to advice are  uncalled for. If you don't repent Mr. President, and you continue in your ways of elevating and appointing your own people like someone your government elevated between one week and made her Deputy Governor in CBN. I can assure you, more of Kanu will emerged.

Where is the love you have for this country,  General? Where is the loyalty and the patriotic attribute in you that differentiate you from other leaders? I'm afraid that people around you are not telling you the truth anymore. They are intoxicated with power and looking for means to deceive you that you are still love by Nigerians like before. Mr. President I laugh in Swahili because this is far from the truth. We youths that also played our role silently by making parents and our people to vote for you are putting our heads in shame everyday because we have not benefited anything from this government except nepotism. Secret recruitment here and there. No visible recruitment into good government parastatals to work and get good job except NPower. Even for those of us that chose to work on the street, we still generate more than the so-called NPower empowered beneficiaries at the end of the month after removing recurrent expenditure. Most of the graduates of our time are still being fed by their parents. How do you sleep Mr. President? Sir, I must tell you, Youths are regrouping and we are making good use of social media this time around. And if we are pushed to the wall it will shock you how it will unfold.

There is no way we won't result to Karl Marx theory to get what we want. We can not continue to look unto Heaven to fight our battle anymore. I just realized it that truly Heaven won't fight the battle we can fight ourselves. Our future is in our hands. We can not allow what Marx call opium of the masses to hinder us from getting what we want and our right. You people in the Executive arm are even worst than the Legislature these days. The Legislatures are eating our future but you in the Executive arm are paralyzing our future, for there is no hope. There is no hope at all. And there is no way chances will not be taken to risk our lives to liberate ourselves from oppressors. If we sum this administration up together with the 'ìlù bábúbámú ni mo yó', (drum of selfishness) that the National Assembly is drumming, your government is the worst democratic reign that the 80's generation have experienced. We used our PVC to send Jonathan's government packing and he didn't do quarter of what you have done in terms of your nonchalant attitude to your subjects Sir.

I am not a supporter of young thieves ruling because base on evidences youths entrusted with power have failed woefully. To mention but a few, see that one from Kogi. The one that was also acquitted from Ogun State in the House of Reps... One can go on and on to count. To me age is not a barrier to governance. Though, many are not happy with the forced to resign Zimbabwe President, but with facts Mugabe did fine as a President but got drunk with power along the line and derailed.

General Muhammadu Buhari, what will it cost you to do the needful by removing those soiling your name in your government? Don't you know that everything is centered on you? The image you have been building and protecting for so long have been tarnished with your nonchalant attitude and not following good recommendations from patriotic citizens. We voted for you knowing fully well that we are chronically corrupt in this country and we need an ex-general that can help us fight corruption to it barest minimum. We know we need you to diplomatically apply Military style of leadership but I must confess, Mr. President you have only used that to fight your enemies. I strongly believe that you can't lose anything if you fight for this country with the spirit you came in with. That was why we all prayed for your quick recovery. I find it difficult to believe that the General I read his history, biography and studied how he governed will allow whom his wife called 'Jackals' to decide, control and shape his government. My beloved Muhammadu Buhari, you are fast asleep and even slumbering. You are in the state of no return in your sleep. When will you wake up from your slumber my beloved President?

Sir! There is still hope. You can avert this looming war and put Nigeria on the right step as we all believe. You can give Nigeria a new identity. You can make us that have been burying our heads in shame to be proud again that that is my President. Sir, I reiterate, you can and you won't lose anything if you do the needful;  that is taking the right step in putting this Nation on track. If you are scared or protecting the image of your friends at the detriment of yours, no problem, at least its a good attribute of a good and loyal friend. But help us to quit the scene and make Osinbajo the President if you can't sack those that needed to be sacked. That will even add to your reputation and put your image on a good standard worldwide that Buhari stepped down willingly because of loyalty to friends and being patriotic to Nigerians and you can be regarded as another African hero just like great Nelson Mandela.

If you are not aware General, your image has been soiled by the so called 'Cabal'. And they are not cabal in the real sense but mere friends you trust with power, but in the face of the masses they form cabal. If I may remind you though I'm too small for this anyway. Do you still remember sir that it is because of this attitude of not being sensitive, that your Military regime was hijacked from you? And now you are also tolling that line again. Permit me to be blunt sir, you are not the one ruling Nigeria anymore, it has been hijacked from you. If Maina can be brought in without your knowledge how under the Heaven will you proof it wrong the assertion that it is the 'Cabal' that is running your government. Please I'm not condemning Maina, only the Nigerian Court of Law can do that. When General Buratai said some people are planning coup, we never knew it's not the Military planing the 'coup', but your 'loyal friends'. General, you need to wake up. You were in the same sleeping mode thinking you were in charge in 1983 until you lost your government. Buhari stop sleeping and take charge. Take total charge. We never voted for those crooks but for you. These crooks are now making you to see those that helped and made you President as enemies. Forget the political formality. They have successfully brainwashed you because they know your weakness. Let me tell you your weakness sir in case you don't know; corruption. They come up with fact that this person has "stole so so amount of money" but they won't tell you how politics really works. They make you see real friend as enemy. I mean what is Kachukwu's crime that made his subject to sidelined him and release a statement via his own Baru Maikanti staff that no law compels him to pass through Kachukwu, Femi Falana (SAN) had done justice to that anyway. And when people bring up allegation against those running the government with you, because you have given them veto power, they cover it up and appear clean before you.

It is better late than never President Muhammadu Buhari. Please redeem your status by doing the needful. People that love and spoke highly of you are now covering their heads in shame. They mock us day in day out. Sir avenge your reputation and give Nigeria new identity. You only have one year more to do this,its not up to two years anymore and campaign will start soon. I predicted when I was in Sokoto as a Corper that after Buhari first tenure, Nigerians will be the ones to beg Sai Baba to go for second term. You can still make this happen Sir. Yes you can. I still believe you can, but there is no time to waste time. Start taking actions and decisive steps in redeeming your name and giving this nation the identity you promised.

God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Live Long President Muhammadu Buhari!

Nakata's Blog: NIS Applicants, Check Here to See if You are Short...

Nakata's Blog: NIS Applicants, Check Here to See if You are Short...: Nigeria Immigration Services releases shortlisted candidates after so many wait. In fact, myriad of candidate lost absolute trust in t...

NIS Applicants, Check Here to See if You are Shortlisted

Nigeria Immigration Services releases shortlisted candidates after so many wait.

In fact, myriad of candidate lost absolute trust in the Nigeria Immigration Services recruitment process, because shortlisting seems to be long overdue especially when a letter where a lawmaker recommended a candidate (that has legs) for the NIS job she might have not registered for, surfaced.

Finally, NIS has released the list of shortlisted candidates. You can check if you are one via this link www.nisrecruitment.org.ng . Best of luck.


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Nakata's Blog: Press Release by Zimbabwe Defence Force on the Sta...

Nakata's Blog: Press Release by Zimbabwe Defence Force on the Sta...: “Good morning Zimbabwe. Fellow Zimbabweans. Following the address we made on 13 November 2017, which we believe our main broadcaste...

Press Release by Zimbabwe Defence Force on the State of Affairs

Nakata's Blog: House of Tara Host Entrepreneur National Summit

Nakata's Blog: House of Tara Host Entrepreneur National Summit: Tara House of Beauty is an entrepreneur home that specializes in make-up. The popular beauty house was established more than a decade a...

House of Tara Host Entrepreneur National Summit

Tara House of Beauty is an entrepreneur home that specializes in make-up. The popular beauty house was established more than a decade ago by Tara Fela Durotoye.

Tara Entrepreneurship National Summit 2017 tagged 1000Voices held in Lagos on Wednesday 8/11/2017 with about a thousand family member from across Nigeria and dignitaries in attendance.

Dignitaries at the event are the first lady of Lagos State ably represented, the rich blogger, Linda Ikeji, Bimpe Onakoya of First Bank PLC among others.

Tara advised her "children" as they are fondly called on how to improve in their business. In her words she said "money is good, but it is not everything". She told them the essence of morals and family. She also encouraged her ladies to go for workshops that are business related. "Tara is a house, a family, not just a business entity" she added. 

The leading sponsor, First Bank Plc, educate the participants on the importance of record keeping, book keeping, personal finance and other business documents. She gave enormous example to back her points on the necessity of banking and documents. Tara added hers too and asked the people to practice all what they are taught.

There was raffle draw at the event that witness multiple sponsors like Google, who facilitated on online opportunity, how and the advantage of leveraging on digital for their make up business. Others like fayrouz, Maggi, Zapphire Events also made their presence known.

House of Tara is the maker of so many products including Tara foundation, eye pencil kumashe, volume boosting mascara, eye shadow pallette-Queen Nana and so on.

It was a glamorous event where so many others were inspired by what was on display. We hope to see more of this from Tara and other entrepreneurs in the country.

Lessons From Hiroshima

Compiled by: Saka Ridwan


North American children know about Hiroshima. They are taught about the dangers of nuclear war. Sometimes they learn the details of the damage that was done. They learn about what happened at 8:15am on August 6, 1945. People were eating breakfast; children were going to school and adults going to work. There was a blinding flash of light, a scorching heat, and a mushroom cloud rose up. People close to the explosion were instantly vaporized. Many of those further away would die from burns and radiation. Sixty thousand houses were destroyed immediately. One concrete structure remained standing, although it was damaged. The local government left the Atomic Dome standing as a memorial to the explosion.

Even those who were not seriously injured in the explosion later became very ill. They became very sick from radiation poisoning. Many developed leukemia. Sadako Sasaki was two years old when the bomb exploded. She was apparently uninjured and grew up normally until she was twelve. Then she developed leukemia, a disease of the blood and bone marrow. Sadako began to fold paper cranes to protect her from the illness. However, she died in 1955 before she reached 1,000 paper cranes. Her example inspired the Children's Monument at Hiroshima.

There is a Peace Museum in Hiroshima which has objects left by the explosion. These include bottles, metal, stones and tiles twisted into strange shapes by the heat. There are objects on which people were vaporized, so that their shape appears like a shadow on the material. There are bits of burnt clothing and many photographs.

Why was the bomb dropped? World War II was a long and bitter war. The rules of war, which said not to kill civilians, were forgotten. Hitler bombed London, hoping to break the spirit of the English. Then England bombed Germany to destroy the factories and kill the people who worked in them. Americans wanted revenge for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The U.S. government had spent six billion dollars developing the A-bomb and wanted to use it. Some say that they also wanted to warn the Russians not to cause trouble for America.

When American forces advanced on Japan in 1945, they had to decide what to do. Would Japan surrender, or would they fight to the last soldier? American leaders feared that they might lose many men by an invasion. Dropping the atomic bomb would end the war very quickly. President Truman made the decision to use it.

Since then, most people have felt that this decision was wrong. It was such a terrible thing to do to people - children, old people, women, men and babies. Hiroshima inspired many people to try to "ban the bomb." They wanted to ensure that atomic bombs would not be used again. Even some of the scientists and aircrews involved in making and dropping the bomb at Hiroshima wanted it banned. Perhaps if we can all remember what happened that day, there will be no more Hiroshimas.


Follow @nurdeano on Twitter for more of this.

Nakata's Blog: 57th Independence: Nigerians are Dancing Without M...

Nakata's Blog: 57th Independence: Nigerians are Dancing Without M...: ::::::AT A TIME LIKE THIS:::::: By Bamiteko Anthony Dare Celebration galore... I can see people using Nigerian flag inside and outside...

57th Independence: Nigerians are Dancing Without Music

::::::AT A TIME LIKE THIS:::::: By Bamiteko Anthony Dare

Celebration galore... I can see people using Nigerian flag inside and outside their cars, including homes, offices and shops. There are people putting on white and green clothes in the Church. Church Altars are also decorated in white and green.  White and green hand band worn by many. Some put on brooch with Nigeria's flag or map. And I ask myself, why are we even celebrating this country at a time like this? Why are we over joyous to the extent of using one thing or the other that has white and green? With all the complaints of people here and there, even home and abroad majority if not all still dim it feat to remember Nigeria and honour this day in one way or the other? Many honour it verbally, some with signs and symbols. Why at a time like this?

At a time like this, Nigeria was freed from some sets of people that had the privilege of exposure before her. Nigeria was liberated from the hands of outsider instructing, leading, teaching, shaping and governing her. I remembered base on history that Nigeria independent was gotten on a platter of gold.

Kudos to our great leaders that worked for this and made it happened. Permit me to mention the man of timber and calibre, he inspires me so much because of his political sagacity, a patriot, loyalist and lover of his people. A man with impeccable character and charisma. His political sagacity can never be overemphasized. I am talking about Pa Awolowo. I can never forget to mention the most renowned politician from the East. A man that knows how politics work. A man that can play his political card and get intended result, he is no other person than Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe. The wise and the visionary man from the North. The man that his political prowess still live on after his death and place Northerners high till date in Nigeria politics and power. Alhaji Tafawa Balewa is his name. I doff my cap for this great men because of their vision and mission.

These 3 great men were highly respected and brought independent to Nigeria without blood shed because of the level of their exposure, knowing how to play their political card and seeing how things work outside Nigeria, they were passionate to bring liberty to Nigeria. I call them the Three Wise Men of Nigeria.

The question I keep asking myself is that what inspired these great men to be passionate about working for the good of this Nation. They wanted Nigeria to be great, just like what they see overseas if not better than that. They led with example and the development they brought to their regions within the short time spent as leaders in various capacities its the manifestation of their good works we are still making reference to till date.

Who or what truncated the good trend and the land mark these people put in place? Do we still have visionary leaders in our midst? Do we still have patriotic leaders in our midst? Do we need to beg God to wake this Three Wise Men from the dead for Nigeria to be great again. Are we even sure if they are still alive till this day or called back to serve, will the structure in place make them function?

Our problem is that we are all corrupt in this country. Almost everyone is self-centered. Me first is the order of the day. No one is ready to make and set record and also becomes true hero and pay the price attached to it anymore in this country. Outrightly, no one is aspiring to lead and serve without interior motives. Majority are just after how to make name, with the show of; I was once a Minister, Governor, Perm. Secretary, Senator, Honourable President, CJN... Please don't confuse making name with setting record.

Why are we like this in this country? Why are we self-centered? What we see nowadays is joker using people and forming hero. Where did we go wrong.

Even youths are not helping matters. Youths are been used to create tension, chaos, anarchy and doom. Imagine we youths of nowadays are gullible. We are even celebrating Not too young to rule as if that will bring food to our tables, nor have the money and everything it takes to finance it and become a leader. We didn't clamour for not too young to seek for job. It seems we don't know what is good for us. Some youths gathered and say they want to have their own political party and I studied the atmosphere, what I see is partiality, self-centeredness, bias (this is my person) and agents using others. People that can't speak the truth in respective of whose ox is gored. And all these laughable characters are endemic among we youths, we might be worst than our present leaders if we didn't work on ourselves on time.

What pierce my heart is that of the ethnicity tension. Youths saying we are marginalized and indirectly fighting for the leaders that never brought true development to their land. I'm not talking about marginalization or not, but why are we fighting for political appointment for those that didn't remember us. When they get it will they remember us?

Time like this we need to reflect and know what is good for us. Truly we need to celebrate Nigeria and fly the flag higher, but we need to reflect and meditate on attributes and circumstances surrounding our independent. A time like this should be for sober reflection of where we missed the track and on how to put ourselves back on the track set by our founding Fathers

We don't pray for our country nor our leaders that God should grant unto them everything it takes to govern anymore. But everyone is aspiring to lead. Many betray his colleague just to win favour. Many are spy and mole among his contemporaries.

What we know his how to talk about flaws of our leaders and that make us find it difficult to see anything good in them. Buhari administration is doing everything to put Nigeria on track, doing it with utmost loyalty. What majority talk about is his weakness and flaws. "He is bias, he likes Fulani more than others as if we are better than him. We've never appreciated any leader while in government. I thy know is always a late statement anyway. Its high time we appreciated our leaders. We need to learn how to weigh disadvantages and advantages of each government and adopt better strategy in checkmating them.

A time like this, we need a person like General Muhammadu Buhari to help us apply military pattern of leadership stylishly and diplomatically because we are all chronically corrupt in this Country and everyone needs to be checkmated. Even small child that is aware that one did something bad, buy biscuits for that child and ask who did it? The child response will be; I don't know or point to another person. That is the environment we find ourselves and that is the state of our Nation.

Nothing is wrong with Nigeria. I find it difficult to believe that restructuring is the panacea to our problem, because though restructuring is good but it will only empower some crooks that I am 100% sure will use it for their own good. Our mindset needs to be restructured first. We need to work on ourselves, first thing first. We need to wake up from our slumber because we are deeply asleep and many Nations that we gained independence before and those that are age mate with us like Malaysia are all ahead of us.

Arise O compatriots. We all need to obey the clarion call...

We bless God for the 57th year anniversary of our great nation Nigeria.
Individuals should aspire to make Nigeria great without selfish ambition. Let's shun ethnicity and violent. Let's drop self-centredness and study the life of true heroes and heroine within and outside Nigeria and put it into practice.

The future and destiny of this nation is in the hands of we youths. Let us restructure ourselves, strategies and pursue everything like a patriot with utmost loyalty so that leaders can be checkmated and made quit the stage. And if those old leaders refuse to quit the stage willingly, nature will automatically quit them for us. Patriot don't struggle to be noticed, nature and their attributes brings them to limelight.

God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Live On Real Patriot of Nigeria!
Long Live Real Patriot!
Happy Independent!
God Bless Nigeria!