We need new leaders, not old fashioned people resolutely stuck in the past

The world has changed and need new leaders with new ideas to confront today's problems. We must commend Governor Ayo Fayose for his courage,and vision, to always challenge the status-quo. No single individual possess monopoly of ideas especiially in a democracy. This is a bold and honest attempt to confront the status-quo.

"In a world where prejudice remains all too real, where many doors to opportunity remained blocked from inside; if you dare to knock, you will discover that not every door was bolted"-Chris Matthews.

Governor Ayo Fayose has made it convincingly clear his determination to win and his desire for public support. We all know he possess  good education, experience, 'knowledge of and concern for social issues and a homegrown devotion to the people'.
I Iistened to his achievements in the last four years, especially in the education sector, very inspiring and commendable.

We need more people to join the presidential race to make it more competitive instead of the status-quo where it's believed to be a prerogative right of the few. We truly deserve to have new politicians well equipped to face up to the challenges we have not the ones that live in a 'fantasy ' world of business as usual.

Uche Okeke.

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Informed and motivated citizens are powerful agents of sustainable change

Nigeria is a case study where natural resources create enormous opportunity and curse. Evidence on citizen engagement highlight the challenges posed by elite capture, violence and coercion.

Participation in a representative democracy should not be confined to voting in elections, joining interest groups, and getting involved in local civic or political affairs.

"Informed citizens are better equipped to take advantage of opportunities, access services, excercise their rights, negotiate effectively and hold state and non-state actors accountable"-Narayan(2002).

Question the norm. Citizen engagement opens the door to empowering people to demand greater accountability and better services from the people they elected to represent them.

Nigeria's Olajide Olatunji is one of the world's most successful YouTube stars.

"When I first told people I was a YouTuber, they'd say, That's not a real job. What are you doing, you weirdo?"- Olajide Olatunji. Photo : Getty. Much as we talk about politics, we will also find time to celebrate young people who are inspiring new leaders. Olajide Olatunji, 24, who lives in London is one of the world's most successful YouTube stars. He is an internet and YouTube celebrity, rapper, commedian and video game commentator. He has more than 17 million subscribers to his channel, almost twelve-times bigger than BBC News. According to Shortlist, UK ; Olajide Olatunji  known by his YouTube name as KSI, said he uploaded his first video on to YouTube when he was 15. Today YouTube has helped him become self-employed giving him the freedom to become whoever he wanted. He has encouraged other young people to take advantage of today's liberation technology to take creative risks and become successful. In his words: "If you do it right you can make lots of money..., If I hadn't done this, i'ld have worked in Mcdonald's". However, he cautioned that the YouTube success is not without challenges. "Being a YouTubeer's not easy. You have to constantly think of new ideas, constantly post. You have to be director, commentator, cameraman, star". He concluded that YouTube generation has succeeded because they understand social media. Today anyone can leverage the internet to post his or her thoughts and photos, video's online,  to become a publisher, with the potential to reach billions of people around the world and earn advertising revenue. As of 2015 there are around three billion internet users and that number is growing rapidly. The fastest growth will come in the non-Western world. There are perhaps two-billion smartphones across the world and that is projected to reach 4billion by 2020"- Timothy Garton Ash; (Free Speech : Ten Principles For A Connected World) . This is a new opportunity for young people to learn new things, and learn to profit from their passion. Use the social media for good and not just numbers by the politicians to advance party positions. "The world wide web has enabled anyone to access revenue-generating audiences from anywhere with an internet connection at anytime 24/7. The world's information, products, people and opportunities are openly accessible to all"- Cheryl Rickman; The Digital Business Start-UP Wookbook) The digital revolution has made it possible for anyone to operate even from the comfort of your bedroom and open up your skills and passion to the world. Turn your passion, expertise to new wealth
Uche Okeke.

'The dismal state of politics in a divided nation'

"An uncomfortable truth can in time, become a great potential asset. But first we have to be brave enough to acknowledge it, and then bold enough to deal with it"-Simon Wolley

Hurray, His excellency, Chief Bola Tinubu finally lends his voice to the restructuring debate. No doubt, this is very unsettling to his party leadership and sends very clear message to his party's indecision to address this very important national issue that helped them to win the 2015 elections.
We all know that IPOB is a threat to both the under-performance/under achievement of the South-East Political leaders, especially the Governors and the endless vulnerability and marginalisation of Ndigbo in the Nigeria project. It is also a threat to a sudden emerging coalition that now sees the South-East and the South-South as the next strategic ally come 2019. The body language of the Political leaders can reveal this new struggle to build a new historic coalition with the promise of re-election, what they call automatic second term in office. The threat is very easy to predict; anyone that does not co-operate will be humiliated, probed, dethroned and possibbly end up in jail.
The propaganda and intimidation of IPOB has worked. IPOB is a terrorist organisation that wants to plunge the nation into another civil war. The statistics of what the people stand to lose is well presented instead of  what autonomy or independence will offer. IPOB is now going through the courts to fight for survival. Their leader has simply made a tactical retreat which is very important in this crude game of politics. According to Ian Birrell, This is like "looking backwards to find answers in a fast changing world that threatens to leave the country behind". Till date the South-East remains the most vulnerable and marginalised in the country since 1970. This very administration has demonstrated the use of conquering technique in handling the affairs of the region with its retrogressive development impact in the region, deepening the dependency culture. The thinking that this sudden coalition for the purpose of re-election is the solution to our vulnerability and marginalisation is false, pseudo-intellectualism and mocking good sense. It simply shows how greedy, heartless and brutal our political leaders are to the people that elected them to office. The Governors should be cautious of this sudden Greek-offer and follow the footsteps of their counterparts in other parts of the country especially the South-West who will always remain the beautiful bride in the nation's politics. Instead of finding a constructive way to work with IPOB and other indigenous groups fighting for a common cause, the Governors have simply chosen to 'flirt with crude nationalism with ideas so inimical to modernity'; what Simon Wolley, describes as 'protecting the advantages of an already favoured group'. Such marriage is always doomed. He warned: "the path to power for minorities is strewn with rocks and hurdles". We must learn to fight for our rights even if the odds seem hoplessly stacked against us. The political party that guarantees us restructuring and better future should earn our votes instead of embracing a pseudo coalition that threatens to tear us apart, while tightening their grip on power to continue business as usual. One of my good friends says they are on the ground. People are now deployed to challenge those labelled as against 'national interests', even with smear campaign. National interests is when the government want to determine what citizens see and hear, so they deploy people to peddle the party line in various threads as if we are at war. I enjoy President Trump's rhetorics a lot; he said "the rocket man is on a suicide mission, you won't be around long". Naturally you won't expect the 'rocket man' to keep calm. He says; "we are waiting for the right time to have a final battle with the US". Please let them take it easy....
Poloitics is the battle of ideas. Speaking up to change policy or behaviour is a right of every citizen especially in a democracy. This is my personal view.

Uche Okeke.

The LEAD Project Foundation: Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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Make Nigeria Free for all; a lesson on free speech

Today it's very easy to predict our government, especially now that elections 2019 is round the corner. The political system is becoming less democratic as the government now struggles for word power. I have just read a recent media directive in this regard seeking surveillance and media control including social media, even threatning the citizens with death for hanging for free speech. There have been several attempts to seek legislation in this regard. One now wonders if this is democray or something else especially in a secularised society like Nigeria. Guidance of public opinion should be least headache of a transparent government especially in a democracy.  The era of government telling people what they may or may not publish or broadcast in one country is over. Today's liberation technology has made it difficult for government to determine what the citizens see and hear. The UN declaration of Human Rights proclaimed that :"Everyone has a right to freedom of opinion and expression: this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and import information and ideas through any media, and regardless of frontiers". The free communication of ideas and opinions is a fundamental human right which must be respected by governments.  The International community has declined to assist the local government to surppress the activities of IPOB,  and other minority and civil society organisations in Nigeria. This is a strong signal to caution the government of unnecessary abuse of its own citizens rights. The government should direct our lean resources to  more meaningful infrastructure development and social services and restructuring of the country to create more opportunities for the citizens instead of unnecessary intimidation to hold on to power. It is worst when it's obvious that it's discriminatory, only what the government want to hear. The free communinication of ideas and opinions is every citizens right . This very government is a good beneficiary of this man's most precious right as they were once in opposition, so deploying control for political gains is barbaric, undemocratic, and 'full-blown totalitarian regimentation'. Free speech enables us to seek and find the truth and hold the government to account.  "Rather than having politicians who can't handle the truth, we seem to have politicians who have no idea what the truth is"-The Economist. We are waiting to see how the government will deliver on their promise of restructuring the country. We are earnestly waiting for the report of the advisory committee of the ruling party on restructuring. The beauty of democracy is that every four years they will be looking to secure new mandate from the people, sadly ordinary people's votes do not count. This is one good reason why 'the politicians have no idea what the truth is'. Read More about Freespeech debate http://freespeechdebate.com/en/  A country that wants its citizens to prosper and flourish should advance the ideals of democracy and human right not supressing civil-liberties. Participation in a democracy should not be confined to voting only. Free speech facilitates citizen engagement which enables ordinary people to deman greater accountability and better services from the representatives they elected to represent them. Freespech is very essential for democracy, the government we elected should enable it rather than seeking to suppress it. Freespeech helps us to know the truth and to hold the government to account, Nigeria is a sad story where wealth in natural resources has become a curse rather than blessing. Elite capture, violence and coercion. Anyone who disagrees is an enemy.
Uche Okeke is a Social Entrepreneur, he lives in London.

The LEAD Project Foundation: Voices of 'decency and liberty that reveal and enl...

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There is always hope when people listen to both sides

In several African countries, more than half the population is illiterate. Many don't have access to good education, regular, affordable access to the internet. The politicians exploit this statistics to promote 'totalitarian lies with chronic media manipulations'. Even in liberal democracy some governments are experts in 'falsehood' to continue business as usual. The few educated elites become sycophants and agents to power-holders.


 In a world where everyday stories is war, famine, disasters, human cruelty , human inequality and injustice without hope or proposed solutions, it's very natural we get scared and compelled to lend our voices to change our world. 


There are good stories about people taking individual and collective action to change laws, save lives and change the course of history, change the society. The truth is that anyone can make a difference in the world, anyone can change the world. You don't need to be a politician to change the world.


According to Bernadette Russell, ''You can start right now. You don't need money, or  an organisation, or be in a position of power to begin. You just need to start  writing your own story. What those other stories have in common is each started with someone making a decision to do something, and making a start by doing just one small thing"(The Little Book of Kindness- Bernadette Russell).


 Lending our voices to the debate about the future is of great significance, and must start now.  You don't need a permission to start."Even in authoritarian countries, the power-holders do sometimes respond to the voice of their people"-Timothy Carton Ash.(Free Speech; Ten Principles for a Connected World).


 Quite often we hear stories of how to resist the diaspora and how the diaspora is creating problems for their local societies. I have read about some of these stories on facebook.  This narrative is un-intellectual, obsolete and retrogressive, mocking our convictions of civility.
Diaspora is good force for development as they bring new attitude, new ideas, education and skills including funds to drive development.


The essence of being a citizen of a democracy is that you can work to effect change in the society, and you can work from anywhere especially in this era of liberation technology. Let us learn to work together for change and say no to 'herd mentality' of listening to just what we want to hear; the narratives of the few.


"There is always hope when people are forced to listen to both sides, it is when they attend only to one that errors harden into prejudices"-John Stuart.


 Listening to both sides, listening to competing arguments and weighing competing reasons for actions is one way we can drive change.


Uche Okeke

'How to restructure the United Nations should be our priority number one says Nigeria's President Buhari

"To restructure or not to restructure is no longer the question- the United Nations must be restructured for it to remain relevant in years to come... Several ideas are out there, all that we need is to get them together and agree on what works for the majority of the people of the world"-President Buhari. Photo: Google.

 This headline is one of my best pick from President Buhari's speech at the recent UN meeting in New York. Guess what ?. My best response is this: Take your message home and take action. Change begins at home. Restructuring Nigeria should be our priority number one to guarantee inclusiveness, and greater economic opportunities for ordinary people. This is one way to bring confidence and hope so that people will have the chance to live happily. Let change start with the President !.

 The President compliments the leadership of the United Nations for steady leadership and the body's dedication to search for a 'peaceful and equitable' world through the charter of the United Nations, but regret that little is achieved. In his words; "we have our talks and end up not implementing anything to the disappointment of millions and millions of people around the world who look up to this body to provide leadership in a world that is constantly oscillating between advancement and doom..., as we say in Nigeria , he who does not look ahead remains behind" 

Restructure Nigeria first before advising the United Nations. The truth is that the politicians are simply peddling falsehood  and fear to continue business as usual. Anyone that disagrees is against national interest. If there is fairness, equity and justice in the system, there may not be agitation by minority groups. This is a big challenge to the political leaders as the status-quo will always be challenged even in the nearest future.

 Let me to conclude by reminding the President his own words to the United Nations, "as we say in Nigeria, he who does not look ahead remains behind. How to restructure the United Nations should be our priority number one. Several ideas are out there. All that we need is to get them together and agree on what works for the majority of the people of the world. It is a fair thing to do, one that will benefit the world by giving it a chance for a more balanced outlook to matters of importance to us all. As we have learned in Nigeria, sometimes you need to change in order not to remain the same. It is the first principle of renewal" 

Restructuring Nigeria is to ensure that we bequeath to the upcoming generations a country that is healthy, wealthy and grounded in rule of law, equity and social justice. We need to do more to bring about a more equitable world where some members of our society do not feel "suppressed, undervalued and alienated" 

Lastly, restructuring Nigeria is one sure way to advance the much cherished human progress, peace and decent life for all and accomplish a sustainable future. Let the president lead the restructuring not playing political football with it. History will always remember us. Staying together, sticking together, remaining intact and avoid dividing into several sub-nations needs equity and justice not unity and continuity regardless of inequity and injustice, charity begins at home.

 

Today people have become sensitive and and aware of ideas of freedom and autonomy especially in changing times so social change is inevitable, it may not be business as usual for those who want to determine how other people will live their lives or a particular way of life for others in the society we share.

Uche Okeke is the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation. He lives in London

Click on this link to read the President's full speech at the UNGA72 : http://zurumnews247.chayns.net/tapp/index/91958?M=63412254

He who does not look ahead remains behind'- President Buhari

They say a great speech  does not just capture the truth of its era, it  can also capture the big lie.

"For me the best speech is one that marks no great event but merely pinpoints with splendid language, moral rigour and righteous fury, the essence of all decent civilization"-Simon Montefiore. See More: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/p/speeches-speeches-that-changed-world.html

The protection of universal human rights and the daily denial of those basic rights to millions of people is very important to us. We are concerned about citizen engagement and inclusive democracy. How do we expect a government to behave towards its own citizens? For how long will the international community ignore the barbaric domestic practices of governments?. How can citizens work with their governments to drive development?.. Join us in our honest search for answers to these important questions of our time.

 Read:, http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/ wherever you are.
 Also Read: http://www.zurumnewsdigest.com/.
 For the latest news247 from Nigeria and the rest of the world, Read: http://zurumnews247.chayns.net/ticker.
 Zurumnews247 brings you  news from trusted sources only helping to curb the global problem of 'Fake News'.

Uche Okeke

There is danger ahead when our democracy descends into gutter politics.

We must thank the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Bukola Saraki for his quick intervention to rescue our fragile democracy, thereby vindicating some of us who advocate for civility and decency in democracy. We urge the senate to do more to rebrand our fragile democracy and drive inclusiveness that comes with democracy. . The South-East Governors simply demonstrated poor knowledge of democratic governance and are more concerned about safeguarding their seats; their selfish interests.


I have followed the activities of this government with great caution. My inescapable conclusion is always 'the crude descent into gutter politics'. We will see more of this  nasty politics as 2019 draws nearer.


 This dispensation shows that the leadership is not fit for a 21st century politics; from intimidating opposition, the judiciary, the media, various stakeholders in the polity. Anyone pointing out flaws in the system is an enemy  and is disloyal to national interests. Their twist of the definition of democracy is a strong signal that there is danger ahead.


 2019 is another opportunity not to give in to fear. We must collectively reject divisive politics and elect a new set of political leaders with modern ideas of inclusiveness. This is the only way for a new hope.


We recognised that the first step towards social change is an informed and active citizenry willing to listen to alternative views. We will continue to  research, educate and inform to counter the silly narratives of the crooks, the powerful who are responsible for the crash of the society to the bottom of humanity; only them possess monopoly of ideas on the future of our world.


 This blog is really a gift to the society. 'It's unigue and generous pool of information'. It's independent, non-partisan and free from unnecessary political interference. It's  a gift for anyone interested in contemporary politics, and willing to listen to alternative views.


 This blog contains the 'condensed experience and expertise ' of some of the world's best political thinkers, academics, etc. We have leveraged part of their work and quoted them in most of our writings in our search for a new world, devoid of intimidation and daily denial of basic rights to millions of people around the world.







Uche Okeke is the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation.

States must be made accountable for their behaviour

"Political leadership carries as a concomitant of weilding state power, an accountability for abusing it"- GEOFFRY ROBERTSON QC.
Thanks to technology, the recent horrors in Abia State, South-East Nigeria is now in a public spotlight. The brutal treatment of Innocent youths by the government that has failed to provide for and protect its young people who are the future leaders. "Nemesis will one day strike the perpetrators of  evil'. According to Geoffry Robertson, 'the first step towards having human rights respected is to have its rules understood by ordinary people'. The way government treats its citizens must conform to the commitments they signed, (Universal Declaration of Human Rights). A look at the photos and videos which have now gone viral online, exposes the cruelty of our government; a deliberate steps taken by the government to destroy minority rights, an act intended to prevent them from raising the very important questions of inclusiveness in a country they call home. Amnesty International says they are currently gathering evidence. We hope this will help change the way government behaves towards its own ctizens and inspire urgent intervention from the international community to stop the barbaric domestic policies of governments. Freedom from repressive government policies is now more than ever. This is not 20th century. I have read mixed reactions from various quarters following the recent events of military invasion of the South-East. The real victims are not IPOB members alone, the bell tolls for all of us who believe in democracy and human rights. Anyone can become the next target of a government that says equitable restructuring of heterogeneous society to guarantee inclusiveness is not its priority. Time will Tell. If we truly love the country so much, we must be bold to do the right thing- restructure the country to ensure equity, fairness and  greater economic opportunities for the citizens. A good marriage does not require force. I don't know how a group of people will love the country more than the rest of the citizens....
Uche Okeke is the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation.

The way things are Part 2

"If major car crashes occur continually at the same road junction, it may be that the fault lies not primarily with the individual drivers involved in the car crash, but with the design and designers of the junction"-Anthony King & Ivor Crewe


It is not yet uhuru for ordinary people in Nigeria. The system is not working for everyone. The country's natural resources- oil, benefit just few people and the centralist system of the government is designed to subvert or eliminate minorities indirectly and so preventing them from thriving, and competing for power.


 The government is reluctant to deal with the challenges of inclusiveness given abundant evidence. They simply want to maintain the status-quo, not minding the devastation. This is not about party politics.


Till date our political leaders are not 'genuinely concerned with ordinary people's welfare and the country's long-term future, often resorting to crude demagoguery, seeking special advantages for themselves, their families, friends and associates.


 They are above the law of the land, greedy, untouchable and unaccountable to ordinary citizens. They have resisted restructuring the country and greater devolution of power and resources with abundant evidence for inclusiveness and greater economic development . The result is obvious; promoting inter-generational inequality, mass poverty, insecurity and conflict .

The country is projected to become the world's third most populous country in few years due to high birth rate, but there is no adequate preparation for the challenges it presents given insistence on maintaining the status-quo.


 Sadly ordinary people are helpless given the level of ignorance and sycophancy. This can be avoided by listening to alternative views to put pressure on the political leaders to build a new society that works for all.


Fighting the battles of the past is neither helpful nor productive. The world has moved from old-fashioned ideas to confront modern problems with 21st century ideas. I read a story on facebook where someone is suggesting that the diaspora is creating problems for them, very laughable.


 No society thrives on individualism; what can I get from this system....


Uche Okeke.

Stand up for free speech

We must learn to acknowledge there is problem in our polity irrespective of who is involved. Similarly, we must challenge a stubborn resistance to change instead of dismissing those you disagree with as being 'hateful'.


Smear tactis is barbaric and exposes the intellectual disability of the perpetrators.


 Free-speech enables us to seek the truth . "We need freedom of expression to realise our full individual humanity"- Timothy Carton Ash



According to professor Louise Richardson; "People should learn to challenge views they disagree with, rather than taking offence. We must be robust in defending 'free speech' against those who wish to constrain it".



The hard truth is that the system is not working and will not work given the status-quo; that's the whole point. The politicians should openly admit there is a problem with the system instead of trying to avoid it and displaying silly obession with intangibles.



Uche Okeke

The LEAD Project Foundation: Quotes: 'Good words that enlighten the world'

If the politician is present, in person, he can discover disorders in the bud and prevent them from developing; but if he is at a distance in some remote part, they come to him only by heresay and thus, when they are got to a head are commonly incurable"-Niccolo Machiavelli(1513)

The LEAD Project Foundation: Quotes: 'Good words that enlighten the world': "I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony with equal opportunities...

The LEAD Project Foundation: Speeches: Speeches that changed the world

"We shall never surrender. Even if..., which i do not for a moment believe, this Island, or a large part of it, were subjugated and starving, then our empire beyond the seas, would carry on the struggle, until in God's good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and liberation of the old"- Winston Churchill

The LEAD Project Foundation: Speeches: Speeches that changed the world: "A great speech does not just capture the truth of it's era; it can also capture the big lie..., it is the speeches by the monsters...

The LEAD Project Foundation: Voices of 'decency and liberty that reveal and enl...

"In every field of endeavour, there are people who could easily be successful but who spend their entire lives making one political mistake after another..., they become so absorbed in themselves that they ignore the very people they would most like to influence. Rather than recruit allies, they limit their horizons to missions they can accomplish alone. Instead of confronting or seducing threir adversaries, they avoid them. In making important deals, they become obessed with intangibles and give aware the store. They become crippled by handicaps when they could be exploiting them"- Chris Matthews

The LEAD Project Foundation: Voices of 'decency and liberty that reveal and enl...: "History is full of despots who never put their country before themselves with their ambitions laid with the blood of the young and inn...

Trade News Nigeria: A new way of looking at things- Part 2 by Uche Oke...

Trade News Nigeria: A new way of looking at things- Part 2 by Uche Oke...: On wednesday , the new blog for The LEAD Project Foundation will be live. A great platform to further explore the tragic political relations...

Trade News Nigeria: New way of learning ; invest in the future.

Trade News Nigeria: New way of learning ; invest in the future.: "We are moving towards a new educational method that teaches global, innovative, entrepreneurial thinking"- Francisco Mors; Rector...