The Road Map To Recovery By Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Mahdud Gumi.

With INEC publicising the timetable for general elections in the country from 14th February 2015, Nigeria has further jumped over one big hurdle. With that declaration, the national conference should be laid to rest as futile, inconsequential, waste of time and money; and also any session bid is neutralised as whoever will attempt to divide the nation now will be committing a treasonable felony. Nigeria is a nation of various ethnic groups and different religious and ideological fellowships bounded by a covenant to stay united in peace.

The next two big hurdles are conducting a peaceful free and fair elections and the acceptance of all of such verdicts. If any quarter will resort to rigging or manipulating elections with the resultant violence ensuing from it, such people are primarily responsible for the human blood that will be spilled. They will be cursed to eternity. This because the populace is still politically immature to be able to seek redress from any injustice in the court law that it does not believe in – in the first place. There is at the present a widespread melancholic feeling against the government, the security and the judiciary. People are all yearning for a change. Fortunately the wind of change is already blowing.

The PDP with its new chairman should come out truly democratic. Let the Party elect officials that are votes-getting nationwide. Let them not be muzzled by personal ambitions of unpopular politicians. This will go in a long war to avert disaster and repair the bad image of the party.

The APC should also uphold internal democracy. It should monitor what INEC is doing or not doing and warn the populace. Apparently with any choice of candidates, the APC has greater chances of winning a free and fair election because of the PDP fatigue and the Jonathan effect.

Even in a worst case scenario projection, the Muslim North with no options left can vote a SW Muslim president / amicable northern Christian ticket with a land slide victory. Truly the region is tired of hypocrisy. This may –as a benefit- finally put to death the unconstitutional ‘rotational presidency’ that is racking the national political life and producing unsuitable, inapt and incompetent leaders.

The SW with about 14,298,356 registered voters out of the total Votes of 67,764,407 (i.e. in 2011 elections) is very significant because of its block voting pattern. The NW voting power of 18,900,543 registered voters is the determiner. This weight is what PDP should consider while fielding their presidential candidate. 2015 will be entirely different from 2011 because of the benefits of doubts enjoyed then by Jonathan and the religious polarisation his conduct of governance has aggravated. Now the picture is clear and nobody can be fooled again.

But better, a new generation NW or NE or NC / SW or SE or SS ticket with a minority senate leader is the good option for healing. It is a decent formula for a stable polity for both parties. There are other good options also, but it’s important that the Muslim North is soothed and immediately.

In cognisance, the Buhari factor which is very contentious, my view is that it can virtually solidify the Northern votes giving the region an unprecedented power but like Jonathan who got the overwhelming support of the Nigerian Christians in 2011, the aftermath of such a victory has too many antagonists chiefly because Buhari does not have an equivalent partner of such political weight among the southern Christians to help stabilise the polity. Another SS ‘boko haram’ may resurge. It’s now purported by the forces of destruction; North Vs Jonathan, then these same forces will allege; South Vs Buhari.

In the recent turbulence of political struggles and what lies ahead, Buhari, as a political mentor and the father of uprightness and accountability is a better role since it is the only ‘position’ conspicuously vacant in the whole national political life. The stabilizing Moral role Mandela played for the young democracy of SA. Buhari should then never retire from politics but undoubtedly from active one.

As the democratic process matures, then each region will take its proper position in the polity where minority rights are fully protected and Nigeria continues on the path of peace and tranquility.

May Allah show us the way out of our predicament. AMIN.

Abdoulrasheed H. Tapheeda

A Threat To Peaceful Co-existence In Taraba State By Mu’az Zulkarnain Al Jalingowy.

Within this week something happened in Taraba State which left many perplexed. A lot of questions has been asked. Few got answers but, there is still an important question that need an answer: are those answers actually correct ? Although I have not come across any view by any professional analyst be it security or political, I can boldly say I have found the reason why the people of Jalingo woke up to the sound of sirens and presence of heavily-armed security forces in all the nooks and crannies of the metropolis.

Ever since the return of the incapacitated Taraba State governor Mr suntai, the Devil has been delivering a series of sermons to the governor’s supporters. It should be remembered that on the day the ailing governor arrived Jalingo, his supporters exhibited their joyful spirit over the development of which we have no problem with. Besides, they have intentionally tested our patience and we have benignly passed the test. That put their intended plan of sparking violence to shame.

Once again, they are into it. As usual, you don’t expect your antagonists to rest or lay down their weapons when you are approaching the zenith of success. In fact, that is when you should be expecting more fierce attacks. There is a plan to ignite protest against the Taraba State acting governor Alhaji Garba Umar and the State assembly. It has been engineered by the cabal of the ailing governor. The reason for the shameless and violence-laden protest was to call for immediate recognition of Mr Suntai as the executive governor of Taraba State by the State assembly. Despite the striking evidences that showed he is incapable of steering the mantle of leadership of our dear state.

You need to see how the ailing governor cannot walk on his own without one or two people supporting him laterally. Those who were opportune to have a generator and a television set might have seen how the helpless governor is fighting so hard to speak but ended up gibbering and stammering. Something that is not associated with him before his air accident. So, having known without an iota of doubt that, the man is not in good health and spirit to lead: why can’t these evil-sermoned zombies allow peace to reign in our state ?

We have the right to also take to the streets and protest, calling for the inauguration of the acting governor because the executive governor we know is incapacitated. But for the sake of peace, we didn’t take that as an option. We have displayed a deep sense of tolerance in spite of the injustice we suffered all for peace to reign. These haters of peace should know that even the nicest people have their limits. And that they cannot fight destiny nor sabotage a divine action.

I learnt from an anonymous source that arrests has been made by the security agents of persons behind the intended protest. See now, they can’t even resist human forces but they are trying to wage war with divine decision. No matter how tall a tree may be it will never stop the sun from shining.

Abdoulrasheed H. Tapheeda

The Role of Youths in Peace And Conflict Resolution in Ngeria By ABDOULRASHEED TAPHEEDA.

The modern world is becoming smaller, highly integrated and technologically more advanced. It is also becoming highly fragmented, less peaceful and unsafe for both present and future generations. The world is today passing through an environment full of tension, violence, declining values, injustices, reduced tolerance and respect for human rights. The gun culture has already taken a dominant position in most of the developing countries, threatening the future of the youths who deserve a peaceful and better quality of life. The youths constitute the richest wealth of a country. They develop quality of catholicity of personal integrity, personal discipline and open mindedness.

The youthful period is a period of passions, emotions, activities and vigour. Because of their front line positions in any country, their input to any development programme will go a long way in achieving desired objectives. There is no doubt that there is a greater need to create a culture of peace and conflict free environment. This is an area where the youths can come in. One important role which the youths can play in peace and conflict resolution is for them to“BE THE CHANGE”. The youths can do this by changing their attitudes towards people, traditions, religion and believes. They should earn to combine their enthusiasm with patience, realising the importance of living together and should be responsible to defend the frontiers of peace and non-violence.

The youths should equally understand their leadership capacity by educating themselves on the need for community leadership and taking opportunities available to prioritise leadership development programme especially within them in rural areas because lack of knowledge about basic decision making impedes progress and therefore results in conflicts. On the other hand, the youths can play an active role in peace and conflict resolution by forming a new phalanx of peace missionaries and NGO network in the grass roots, concentrating on value education and spiritual renewal among children. In the area of ethnic development, the youth of different ethnic groups can forge links between cultural minorities and popularise shared values, shared culture and traditions handed down from generations to generations.

The youths on the political area of development can engage or join in political awareness building, force reforms in bureaucracy to ensure good governance, accountability, transparency and citizenry participation. At the international scene, the youths can become peace ambassadors of their respective countries, promoting exchange programmes in education, culture, science and technology, sports and games and in tourism promotions to link all the youth of the region and the world in the pursuit and maintenance of peace and conflict. In addition, the youths should learn new skills to deal with conflict in non violent ways and create a community that lives by a credo of non-violence and multicultural appreciation.

This however must be done with the present crop of people whom we have termed as the leaders of ‘yesterday’ given the necessary chance and creating the opportunity for the youths to act with their enthusiast. With all this and with every youth having at the back of his mind that wherever he goes, peace is with him because without peace, he cannot live, then the 21st century would be a century of tolerance, peace and conflict free.

THE FOOLISHNESS CALLED DEMOCRACY BY ESEOGHENE AL-FARUQ OHWOJEHRI.

Some adults are like children: children learn to talk by simply repeating what they hear. Only children are more intelligent than these alleged adults because children don’t just repeat what they hear but they try to understand it. Try all you want you can never convince some people that there is something wrong with Democracy. The reason why they hold this opinion so strongly.?….they heard! They just hear and repeat from this boxed mentality comes the ridiculous assertion that “The worst democratic government is better than the best military government”. The only thing as ridiculous as this statement is a Nollywood movie: so out of this world unrealistic that you have to assume the actors are actually from out of this world. This same boxed mentality is the tool with which the evil called Democracy has been spread round the world so much so that it is almost take it or take bombs.

Today 117 out of 191 countries of the world are democratic according to some studies: the world is not more peaceful, the people do not feed better and injustice is on an all-time high, matter of fact, from Washington to Abuja to Moscow the people are increasingly unsatisfied with Governance: take away the regional bigotry and ethnic sentiment, Abacha was not as hated as Jonathan.

Whenever one laments the failure of democracy world over, he is told that the examples he cites are not “true democracy”. Now let’s consider “true” Democracy for once without the often repeated notorious prejudice:
 
WHAT IS DEMOCRACY
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking democracy is simple and short: the Government where we choose our leaders by vote but this is not the case. Democracy is traced back to Athens being a political system in which all members of the society have an equal share of formal political power. When it downed on the inventors of this grossly unrealistic concept that their idea was practically impossible the concept of representative democracy came about. What this simply meant was since everyone cannot possibly be exercising the same political power at the same time let them elect someone to do it on their behalf. Due to this it has come to be defined as Government of the people by the people and for the people. A government based on the will of the people
 
 
THEN WHAT IS WRONG IN DEMOCRACY
 
1) Initial Error in Judgment: from what has been explained clearly this system comes from a very bad idea of Justice. “True Democracy” assumes that for me to be treated justly I must not be governed but must be governing. To “True Democracy” leadership is oppression; and you wonder why we call it foolish!
 
The founders suffered the same sickness that afflicts the feminist. She thinks the fact that the husband is the head of the house makes her inferior, she thinks that service to spouse is slavery except paid for whereas she forgets that that same husband should serve his mum. She thinks that if her husband raises her ideologically it means men are superior to women just for being men, she forgets that that same man was raised ideologically by a woman and hence everyone has his or her share of leadership at the appropriate time and place without a special unnatural arrangement. In a sensible system of Government everyone leads his section of the state but everyone does not have to lead the state in its entirety

2) The Will of the people is mostly wrong: True Democracy prides itself of following the Will of the people. The problem is that the will of the American people was that a sovereign state called Afghanistan be invaded by their Government who they thought powerful. The will of the American people was that Iraq be invaded because Saddam Hussein had weapon of mass destruction; they got to know later he does not just after their “will” has led to the mass murder, rape, and humiliation of innocent Iraqis in their millions. It is very easy to know how wrong the will of the people can be. Whatever faith you profess and think right, there are at least 6 Billion people who say it is wrong no matter how right it is

If there was a vote to be cast for or against fornication and the youths are aware that somehow if the vote against carries the day they will never be able to fornicate what do we think the result of that vote, or the “Will” of these youths, will be? If a vote is taken in the university to ascertain the “will” of the student on the subject “More Classes or More Parties”, what will the result be like? What else do we need to establish that this man made system is an age long display of daftness.?

3) Source of Corruption: saying we want a corruption free and a true democratic Government at the same time is like saying we want to sow maze and harvest mango: It just does not happen! Democracy needs popularity, popularity needs publicity, publicity needs money, money needs godfather, godfathers need corruption. This is perhaps one of the wisdom in the position of the Sharia system of Government that “whoever campaigns is disqualified”

Or will any sane system not prohibit campaign? An alarming 5.3 BILLION US Dollars was spent on campaigns into the White House and Congress in 2008 in a country with homeless and starving people. As if that was not enough, the Kenya guy’s inauguration took another 150 million dollars with 43 million dollars coming from “donations” he received and we expect the man to “represent” the people and abandon those who cough out tens of millions in dollars for him to see the White House?

Here in Nigeria the records are unknown making the case even worse. If you so much as want to paste a postal around the country you are looking at hundreds of millions. What about billboards, tv and radio, campaign team welfare, e.t.c.? In Edo for example, even Oshiomole will swear that he is ACN because Labour Party cannot dream of funding even his campaign postals alone not to speak of the gigantic bill boards we see: how can such a person so in need of the money of others ever be completely straight forward? In the same Edo State we are told a Gubernatorial Candidate has spent over a billion of his personal money, this is minus those donated, where do we think these monies come from? The sky.?

It is wishful thinking to think corruption will ever go away if leadership is based on popularity and publicity. Some will argue with a colonized brain that there is no corruption in America and the likes and this argument is laughable in a time when evidences abound that even the war that country fights is fought on the orders of those who profit from selling military hardware. The Government corruption in America is so massive it needs another article.

4)  The Majority Vote: another silly idea in democracy is the idea that majority is right. This idea is so laughable that major democratic states have shamelessly abandoned it. This is why you have concepts like Super Delegate in some countries; the democrats are seeing the lunacy in “true democracy”
 
How can it be that my Imam and the village drunk have one vote each? Do they have the same power of Judgment? How can an armed robber and a struggling gentleman have one vote each? Do they both want the police to be more effective in catching armed robbers? How can a prostitute or somebodies “girlfriend” have the same vote with a chaste woman or somebodies wife and mother? Do they have the same worth? The day the democrats will learn sense is the day they will learn that equity and equality are different and that sometimes equality is injustice
 
Why not let us be equal so that if you get drunk you are free to drive! Why will a drunk be prohibited from driving and not from deciding who leads the community? Why will a drunk have equal say with a clear-headed person with regards to Government?…is Democracy making sense to anyone? Some will argue that the drunk is a human being; we never said he is not, we have only said he is not the type of human being that should decide our affairs. Also, by this ridiculous concept of majority is right, 51 percent of the people can Lord it over the remaining 49 percent; is that not a bad joke?
 
5)  A Tree of Godlessness: One only needs to take a look at the popular definition “Government of the people, by the people, and for the people”. This means the Government belongs to the people, it is for the people and the Government is done by the people. The materialist will say this is the opposite of dictatorship, but the mentally stable will realize it is the opposite of Godliness. Dictatorship could be by force or by conditioning; the so called war on terror was fought by conditioning minds to think it had to be done exploiting their fear for their lives. Today there exist PR companies and media houses with professionals in manipulating the manipulatable “will” of the people to make the wrong choices; hence the Germans who loved Adolf Hitler, the Americans who voted Bush, the Southerners who voted Jonathan, and the examples goes on and on…now tell me, who has the ability to manipulate The Almighty Creator in such manner? How about His will which is not swayed by unnecessary sentiment and ethnicity and regional tussle for superiority?

Some will argue that in a multi-religious society like ours who interprets the will of God? I say we have issues we agree on! Every faith agrees the Almighty Creator prohibits fornication yet is fornication a crime in Nigeria? NO! Simply because the people’s will is to continue in this evil. Every faith agrees that one should not be drunk then why do we still have beer parlours? Why is it prohibited that I call myself the President of Nigeria because it is challenging the President’s authority yet it is not prohibited to do what the Almighty has instructed us against.

GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE BY THE WILL OF THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR, THE ONE WHO KNOWS US IN AND OUT, DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKE, AND DOES NOT WILL OUT OF DESIRES.!
 
CONCLUSION
Conclusively, let’s wake up from the slumber of trying to imitate other societies not because their system is working but just because of perverted reasons or inferiority complex we just want to be them. I challenge anyone to show me a country that DEMOCRACY has helped become what a country should be.

DEMOCRACY IS A MAN MADE SYSTEM AND IT HAS FAILED, WHY NOT TRY THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR’S SYSTEM.?

An Open Letter To My Future Wife By Abdoulrasheed Tapheeda.

Dear sweethears.

 

How are you doing and how is everybody at home, especially Mama, Baba, Aunty, Uncle and yhur sweet Angel Granny.. Hope they are also fine..!? 

 

The reason of written this letter to you is that; I found myself thinking about you today. Wondering where you are, what you are thinking and doing. It hurts a little not to be with you, but I can live with that for now, knowing that we will spend the rest of our lives together. I’m writing this letter to help you understand what I’ve been thinking about and why. I probably don’t know all the right things to say, but my feelings and words are from the heart.

 

Actually I find myself thinking about you more and more. The very idea of you provides a much needed break from the pressures of dating, relationships and life. In the midst of it all, the thought of you calms and refreshes me, makes me smile, in spite of my situation and surroundings.

 

I know it sounds crazy, but I picture you. your smile, the way you pull your hair behind your ear, your wonderful laugh, even when my jokes aren’t funny. I can’t help but wonder what our children will look like.

 

I have gone out with other girls, but something always seems to be missing. I go out and have fun but the idea of you and our future together is always in my thoughts. It keeps me focused and on track, aware of who I am and what’s important.

 

And loving you, without ever having met you, makes me want to be deserving of your love. So I wait for you in mind, body, and soul.

 

I don’t usually talk or write like this, but my mind and heart are racing with anticipation. Because I love you, because I know you are out there. Because the very thought of you makes my pulse race, my palms sweat, my stomach flip like I’m on a roller coaster. And what better way to show that I have always loved you than to save myself for you completely. And I hope that you are also virgin.. In all senses oh, (Because they say there are several virgins who have…) I know how difficult staying a virgin is, in these times but I also know it’s not impossible. 

“Perhaps, I would make you a very expensive Award or Certificate of “Virginity” or “Honour” to let you know how grateful I am. I’M VERY SERIOUS oh.

 

I know waiting isn’t easy. We are taught to expect instant gratification. We are told we shouldn’t have to wait – for anything. Too often we act on feelings or impulses, sacrificing the future by buying into the lie that sex equals love, leaving little room for commitment or marriage. But that’s not love and that’s not why I’m thinking about and waiting for you.

 

I’m waiting for you because I love you unconditionally. And I need you to know that what matters to me is not where you’ve been or what you’ve done, but where you’re going. Maybe you didn’t know I existed. Or you thought that we’d found each other, only to realize later that what you discovered wasn’t true love. Real love is so different from infatuation or simple pleasure. It isn’t abusive or selfish or purely physical. Real love involves mutual respect, affection, trust, equality, and a shared spirituality. Real love doesn’t revolve around sex! Real love grows into a relationship where sexual intimacy will only serve to express that love marriage.

 

I talked with a friend the other day about chastity, modesty and purity in our thoughts, words, the way we dress and act. how it’s a building block for a perfect love that casts out all fear. And sex before marriage brings many fears – pregnancy, STDs, the emotional scars associated with broken relationships. So, in the search for perfect love, it only makes sense to practice chastity and wait until you’re married to give yourself to the person you love. And — OUR marriage will bring with it the promise of forever. We will give ourselves to one another completely, become best friends – soul mates. So even though we may be apart right now, by living chastely for each other in the present we can build our future together.

 

Have you ever been in the middle of doing something when you stop to think, “This would be perfect if….?” Those words come to mind often. For example, on a Fall day, with leaves covering the ground and crisp, cool breezes blowing, and I think, “This would be perfect if he were here.” The thought that someday you will be here comforts me. Sure it do even last night when I needed someone to be with and those that called them self my friends ran away, you can believe it I was even begging one of them to stay but none could listen to me. They went off to they normal jeutnal sleep. It was that same thought that one day you will be here that made me calmted and feel heem.. Their partment is part of the reason am written this letter to you.

 

And I want that same thought to comfort you. Whether you realize it or not, I’ve been there in your thoughts, that shiver or the goose bumps you get every once in a while – in the long daydream or a lingering glance. You don’t have to wonder anymore, because I’m real, I love you and I am waiting for you in every way. And now that you know I’m here, I hope you will do the same. Whenever you feel scared, unsure, or pressured to give a part of yourself away, read this letter. Think about us and how perfect it will be when we are together.

 

You may have been waiting and looking for me all the while. You may be starting today. Either way, we will know when we’ve found each other; we will be together for the rest of our lives and the wait will have been worthwhile.

 

Your Future Husband AbdouLrasheed Tapheeda.