The choice Nigerians face in 2019 Elections; 'Functioning multiparty democracy and economic growth or benevolence of a dictator

"In a state of almost permanent fear and terror, life as we know would grind to a halt"-Professor Richard Griffiths. "Freedom Is Development"- Amartya Sen. I have written a lot about Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis, Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. A dysfunctional political system that promotes abuse of power, long overdue for overhauling. Never has the flaws of this political system been so prominent than in this dispensation which I described as 'Mistake of Destiny'. However, another opportunity  to effect the desired change is round the corner. Dictatorship is the biggest blockage to growth especially in ethnic diverse societies like Nigeria where the pull of ethnic identity is greater than national identity. Politics is about identity and allocation of resources so effective and efficient leadership is very essential. Dictators don't care about both 'functioning multiparty democracy and economic growth', they simply want to remain in power repressing civil liberties. The sad lessons of the 'Mistake of Destiny' is a constant reminder to avoid its re-occurrence. Studies have shown that 'democracy leads to increased social services like health care and education which lead to economic growth in the long-run', but what we have got in this dispensation is the opposite; violent repression of civil liberties, capabilities deprivation, division, discrimination, lack of democratic accountability, political bias and favouritism, insecurity, killings, politicisation of public policies, misplaced priorities, wastes, fear and terror, etc. The result is loss of  investments in key growth policies, persistence of poverty and stagnation. It is possible to defeat abuse of power and bad governance. The next election is a great opportunity to have a sound government that will deliver democratic dividends, a well-functioning democracy and economic development. We must vote for credible and competent leadership, people of expertise and experience rather than relying upon the benevolence of a dictator who does not care about ''both functioning multiparty democracy and economic growth''. The President says he will continue as "Baba go slow"until he retrieves every stolen money, losing sight of the big picture; economic and political restructuring of the country to encourage competition and reduce high incidence of corruption. This is mediaval. Unfortunately the President has failed to realise that 'low corruption is not a precursor to development', so sad he's not bothered about the wreck of the economy and total state failure, just power grips. This should be a huge cause for concern. Today its surely significant that economic performance and the desire for greater individual and political freedom remains of immense importance to the citizens come 2019 elections instead of repression and economic stagnation especially with gloomy global economic outlook and volatility in global oil prices.  Find out more soon , as we continue to provide ordinary people with alternative sources of information to enable them evaluate government successes and failures and make better choices. "The best response to lies is truth". Freedom is development. We must be willing to resist 'bribe and bullet' if we truly want to overthrow potential tyranny and replace it with proper democracy in which individual freedoms is guaranteed. Everyone pays a heavy price if tyranny wins. Dictatorship resists modernity and envision a world where people remained permanently in a primitive and uncivilised state to enable them impose their 'exploitative and oppressive agenda.' History can warn and it can also predict. Choose your leaders well, it's easy enough to get misled by propaganda, bribe and intimidation. Unfortunately we all end up as losers. History tells us that dictatorship is "distasteful, development trap" especially in ethnic diverse societies as the dictator concentrates on his own ethnic group and support base. History is a constant reminder. Everyone wins if we reject dictatorship/autocracy and vote for the right candidates who will guarantee human rights and freedom. People need freedom to pursue happiness.
Uche Okeke is a Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation-[Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy & Development].

Ndigbo must embrace what is possible not a cruel future

"A restructured Nigeria will make 'without me you are going nowhere' narrative unattractive"-Uche Okeke

In changing times, people must not allow ruthless politicians to see them as 'useful idiots' to settle political scores. They say in life 'anyone can dream all they like about the opportunities they hope will come' but the reality is always different. We must not allow personal ambitions to lure us into a cruel future. Luring in people to live under tyranny is mediaval and must be resisted. Igbo President at this point in history seems a misplaced ambition given abundant evidence of political and economic risks the country faces. Confused politicians seeking personal gains must not be allowed to ruin our collective future since its obvious that they lack the capacity to break down the barriers of the monstrous political system that they seek to exploit. It's obvious that we are no stakeholders in the main political parties so this puts us in a very messy position to re-think pointless fantasies. Igbo president in a dysfunctional political system is not the answer to exploitation and social exclusion. GEJ Presidency is a constant reminder not to fall victims of vain promises by those who resist restructuring but suddenly realise that we can be a good statistics to consolidate their grips on power. A coalition that guarantees us the restructuring of the monstrous political structure is the only sure route instead of playing Russian Roulette with a very negligible probability of success. It's really very sad that politicians are simply driven by greed and personal gains instead of the big challenges of the majority they claim to represent. The only sensible way forward is to support #AtikulatedObi which has been the bold option until unnecessary controversy of the choice of Vice-Presidential candidate. Ndigbo must resist the danger of heading in a different direction given a new concensus on the need for restructuring for growth and stability. 2023 maybe round the corner what matters most is the peace and prosperity of the citizens that you seek to rule. The evidence of state failure is urgent reminder to think different about this 'long game'. We deserve better than this. Atiku may not be the best but everyone knows the reason for his emergence, so he has a moral duty to perform better.  Click on this link to read more: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/11/nigerias-atikulatedobi-is-solution-to.html

 Uche Okeke is the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation.

The LEAD Project Foundation: The Next Level in Nigeria: Democracy To Dictatorsh...

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Nigeria's #AtikulatedObi is the solution to a deeply divided society and underperforming economy

Professor Ben Nwabueze embraces His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in a recent Visit to Enugu State, South-East Nigeria. Photo: Facebook
A keen observer of contemporary politics would easily agree that today Nigeria is increasingly divided against itself, with a partial government whose motive is soley power grips. Failure of national governance should be a huge cause for concern. Our people deserve better than this and desperately needs a new leadership that will 'confront these realities head on'. #AtikulatedObi represents this yearning gap. Today, Africa's most populous country and largest economy has now become the world's poverty capital, with mass unemployment, rising debts and delapidated infrastructure to provide work for the citizens. According to Guardian newspaper, Nigeria; The Head Statistician of the National Bureau of Statistics says there's no money to provide official data for unemployment. Investors are fleeing in large numbers due to a political climate of fear and terror. The global oil prices has become unpredictable. The country faces persistence of poverty, stagnation, insecurity and instability with 'incalculable consequences for our well-being and social cohesion' and the government of the day has become a bewildered bystander blaming previous governments instead of offering innovative solutions, while resisting the national call for the restructuring of the dysfunctional political system widely identified as the reason for bad governance and state failure-inability to achieve economic growth. Despite the imperative to develop human capital and key infrastructure for development, the government focuses on fighting yesterday's battle of resource and territorial control with major focus on resettling the herdsmen across the country, not minding the consequences on national security and prosperity. The government seems to have lost its sense of direction, now resorts to full blown dictatorship and there is a general sense of fear in the polity that the country's nascent democracy would be derailed, this could be avoided. In the words of Will Hutton; "The country needs to revitalise its economy, modernise its institutions, rewrite the contract between the members of its society and recover its self-esteem", this is the statement that #AtikulatedObi is making; a new leadership that will develop a new programme of action to put Nigeria back on its feet, while guaranteeing the 'civilising values of an inclusive society'. In the 21st century, It's amoral to run a society that excludes the majority from 'decent living standards' and a political system that is expensive, wasteful , discriminatory and dictatorial using conquering techniques to undermine the wealth-generating process and capabilities of its own citizens. The demands of today requires overhaul of the monstrous political system to address the interconnectedness of trust, participation and inclusion which #AtikulatedObi offers. #AtikulatedObi understands that a well-functioning market economy requires skilled labour, better public services including education and healthcare services, schools, training centres and world-class public infrastructure so we need a leadership that places greater  premium in these values instead of political bias, favouritism, fear and terror as we are currently witnessing. The truth is Authoritarian rule in ethnically diverse society is no longer acceptable, neither is a unitary centralised system desirable, that's the whole point. The World Economic Forum has identified global top ten risks for doing business all are evident in today's Nigeria: -Unemployment and Underemployment, -Failure of National Governance, -Energy Price Shock, -Fiscal Crisis, -Cyber attacks, -Profound Social Instability, -Failure of Financial Mechanism or Institution, -Failure of Critical Infrastructure, -Terrorist attacks; [These are the top risks for doing businesses around the world, Aengus Collins ; World Economic Forum, 12 November 2018], this is a wake up call to think different. The task of building a new prosperous society starts with the choice we make in the next election come February 2019. Abuse of power is a national plaque that must be overthrown at the next election to lift people out of poverty. Economic performance, social well-being and political governance are interdependent, so persistence of poverty and stagnation is as a result of the political system which must be restructured to address the interconnectedness of trust, governance and growth. The whole problem starts here and must not be allowed to continue.  There comes a point in history where even the blind are compelled to recognise this glaring reality and do something about it. According to the Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi 11 ; "the population of Nigeria in 1960 was 45 million, today its about 200 million , the medium age is 19 and in the next 20 years, we're going to have 100 million Nigerians between the ages of 20 and 40. What will we do? Is the civil service going to employ them? Is the banking industry going to employ them?"; [Rising Population May Escalate Insurgency, Sanusi Warns; The Guardian 14 November 2018] . However,  the presidency says "there are too many people talking lazily about restructuring. People are not asking them individually what they mean by restructuring? What form do they want restructuring to take"; [There are too many people talking lazily about restructuring, Buhari, Vanguard, November 13, 2018]. It's a bit surprising that a government  that promised the country restructuring on its manifesto  to win the 2015 presidential elections  and subsequently sets up an inter- party committee in that regard now seem to pretend not to understand the meaning of restructuring. No doubt this statement tends to confirm the position of Afenifere and Ohaneze Nidigbo cultural organisations which has recently concluded that Preseident Buhari and his Vice-President, Professor Osibanjo are deceitful about restructuring the country;[ Restructuring: Buhari, Osibanjo deceitful says Afenifere, Ohaneze, Punch , November 14, 2018]. A political system which permits centralising political and economic power and which deny democratic systems of accountability must be restructured. The choice is very clear and it's very obvious that this government does not represent that choice to effect the desired change. The next election will be a unique moment as we now have a real possibility of moving the country in a new direction under a new democratic leadership that will guarantee inclusion and economic growth. We will continue to do our best to help raise awareness and help shift thinking so that ordinary people will recognise that the status-quo does not hold further promises of change. Change is a fundamental aspect of all areas of life so growth requires change. #AtikulatedObi is the revolution we want in Nigeria, we must embrace it.
Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur/ Political Economist. He's the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation. He lives in London.
Read More:

Nigeria: #AtikulatedObi Provides The Answer To Our National Predicament- Good Governance, Economic Development. http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/10/atikulatedobi-provides-answer-to-our.html

Nigeria needs and must have a modern constitutional settlement to achieve growth; growth requires change

"Our people deserve better. What is required is creative institution building , a democratic opening and a confidence that men and women can shape their world"- Will Hutton. Photo: Uche Okeke

Nigeria needs and must have a modern constitutional settlement to address the ugly issue of abuse of power, autocratic government, ‘’arrogant executive discretion’’, centralisation of power and the lack of citizen engagement.  The time is now as the current system is no longer sustainable. The population is booming and will go on growing, mass unemployment are alarming, persistence of poverty, insecurity, low wages, income inequality and wasted talents are widespread and will continue to widen, unless we restructure the country. The unitary centralised system of government in Nigeria must be overhauled to empower people. The choice before us is very clear. The sad lessons of the mistake of destiny; 'brutish authoritarianism' and 'medieval fantasies' is a constant reminder of inaction.  People should not let themselves become the 'useful idiots' of a government that is yet to realise that the world has changed. Restructuring Nigeria is about satisfying citizens aspirations for full integration into governance- a proper constitution, a proper democratic governance. Restructuring Nigeria is a development intervention whose time has come. In the modern era, all forms of exploitative abuse must cease. We must seek a political system that is fair and equitable. Restructuring Nigeria is the biggest challenge we face, as the country sits on a time bomb if ignored so restructuring is the 'bold change' we collectively deserve. In a rapidily changing world , it's up to the Nigerian people to decide the future they want, whether to move forward to a brighter future or continue with persistence of poverty and stagnation, more divisions, discrimination, abuse of power, income inequality, wastes on white elephant projects, insecurity, instability and uncertainty. The pace of change will continue to widen up, unfortunately it does not care about those societies who willingly choose to be left behind.  We need to wake-up to the realities and reject dishonesty and manipulations of politicians who have lived their lives, only driving us to sleepwalk into a miserable future. Restructuring Nigeria is about responding to the needs of the future and contributing to building a flourishing  and sustainable society.

Find out more soon as we continue to look at the the big political question of our time; restructuring Nigeria through the lens of Political Economy.  

Sixtus Uche Okeke is a  Statistician , Social Entrepreneur, Political Economist;  the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation. He lives in London.

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Restructuring Nigeria: The Big Political Question Of Our Time.

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Ignorance fuels 'overt Authoritarian Enthusiasm' in Nigeria

"I have a huge experience and a huge desire to share what I know about the game and what is important in the game with people who need it, where? I don't know, but only in the new year"-Arsene Wenger. Photo: Uche Okeke

Few days ago i published a Facebook post where i remarked that people should be worried about the state of politics in Nigeria, i made mention of the loss of human sense. That was a reaction towards what Mattew d'Ancona described as ''the brutish embrace of authoritarianism''. I read his work a lot. People should be worried about the danger ahead, the signs are obvious and the problem just stare at us in the face, but many pretend not to see it. The truth is ignorance makes it very easy for people to get kidnapped, get captured by the populist/authoritarian leaders and then divert them to their own particular ends for socio-economic and political gains, so this is a big dilemma. Similarly in one of my previous blog posts i also emphasized this remarkable fact; demagougery exploits ignorant people to achieve its objective. What we're currently witnessing should be a constant reminder to re-think authoritarianism. In the words of Timothy Snyder; "We're now witnesses to a decline we did not foresee". Stagnation, persistence of poverty, insecurity and instability could be avoided. The world has changed beyound the imaginings of a ruthless few whose conspiracy theories have been exposed as fake- ''oppressive rather than liberating''. A brighter future is possible only if we change the way we think.  This requires a good stock taking of events surrounding us. Where are we? How did we get into this mess? and where do we go from here? The truth is the devastating impact of authoritarian rule in ethnically diverse society has remained a constant fact of history and there is no sign that history will be re-written too soon. Dictators never change overnight- poor resource management, division, discrimination, political bias and favouritism, abuse of power and absence of human rights, lack of proper democracy, violent repression of civil liberties and stagnation. A dark and dangerous future awaits ignorant electorates who fantasize with authoritarianism. No new jobs are created, low investment due to insecurity, fear, terror, and prolonged uncertainties. Having rejected the restructuring of the dysfunctional political system which is the reason for persistence of poverty and stagnation so which future do you have? Today the people have a chance to say this is what we did right or wrong in the past, we've learnt our lessons and we can now apply the lessons to guide our choice in the future. Good governance has become very imperative not a choice. We will continue to do everything we can to carry on in this big vision and dream of a new society that is fair and just, where the system works for everyone instead of the few. We recognise that there are gaps in knowledge so we will just carry on providing vital information and sharing knowledge to inspire debate about the future and to guide ordinary people make the right choices. In ethnically diverse societies like Nigeria, Authoritarian rule is not the future, it does not result in good governance, proper democracy, economic development and growth, that's the whole point, so ordinary people need to be properly informed. We have a chance to elect quality leadership that will guarantee growth and prosperity by addressing the interconnectedness of trust, governance and growth which has become a national predicament. The shameful and barbaric events in the last 3.5 years in Nigeria is a constant reminder not to fall victims of vain promises by ruthless and dangerous politicians who abuse human rights and resist modernity. Stock Market: Foreign investors withdraw N94.43Billion in Q3-Punch Newspaper,06 November 2018, Consul General: $1.3 Billion American Business in Nigeria Under Threat due to uncertainties and insecurity- Sahara Reporters, 06 November 2018, Nigeria loses Top Foreign Direct Investment, FDI To Morocco, South Africa, Guardian 06 November, 2018, etc, these should be a huge cause for concern, how can we achieve economic growth and lift ordinary people out of poverty in Nigeria?

Lastly criticising and exposing failures of the government is the only defence against absolutism and abuse of power. Democracy, the rule of law and freedom of expression are essential ingridients of the new economy to encourage good governance and defeat corruption and abuse of power, people should be worried whenever dictators seek coercieve powers to violently repress their citizens in the name of hate speech, etc. Instead of demanding the restructuring of the monstrous political structure that excludes and exploits the majority, some people are continued to be deceived by ''false identities''. Restructuring the country is the revolution we want not dictator rule. The ''repressed proletariat" must rise up and demand overhaul of the system that excludes and exploits them, which restructuring offers not celebrating dictator rule. Freedom is not freely given by the oppressors/hijackers. Find out more soon.

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

Human Capital and Social Accountability

Nigeria: The Country We're In By Uche Okeke

"A political system characterised by widespread social exclusion cannot be regarded as efficient, it must be overhauled because it will never be sustainable"- Uche Okeke. Photo: Facebook.
It's very sad that Nigeria government has failed to unlock the secret that could lift its population out of poverty. It's only interested in the next election-'bribe & bullet'. The country must be prepared to address the interconnectedness of trust, governance, economic development and growth. We must be willing to discard routine political rhetorics and embrace the reality- invest in human capital, and key infrastructure without political bias and favouritism, instead of white elephant projects that do not add value to improving living standards. In changing times, the 19th century ideology of exploitation and domination is no longer acceptable. A dysfunctional political system that discriminates- bogus, expensive, wasteful and dictatorial does not drive development. The country is facing steady deterioration, fracturing, fragmentation, democratic governance is now threatened and the political climate does not encourage investment, 'investment should be encouraged, not repressed',  it's impossible to attract investment in a political environment of fear and terror, this should be a huge cause for concern. Today the country is locked into stagnation and instability, low investment, low growth, insecurity, mass unemployment and low skills have increased, this is a huge  dilemma. The political structure was designed to ensure that the country won't exist in the future. The imperfection in the system is the source of all the problems we're currently facing- cabals, grab your share phenomenon, corruption, etc.We must be willing to do something about it urgently. Unfortunately the government says restructuring is not the answer. The idea that anybody who disagrees is free to go to another country is worrisome and may not be the immediate solution to break out of this dilemma. We must reform the political structure and character of decision-making- new leadership, people of expertise and experience that will guarantee democratic governance-inclusiveness, openness, transparency and accountability  to reposition the country to leverage global partnerships to lift the population out of poverty, that's the whole point. Reform/Restructuring is the essential ingridient needed now, it is "an integral part of economic and social renewal', so we must embrace it. A political system which discriminates against its own citizens, often using conquering techniques to surpress equal recognition of individual economic and political rights must be dismantled. A political system which promotes insecurity and instability, excludes millions from secure employment or causes social disintegration will never be efficient nor sustainable. In a 21st century, the focus of the country we're In should be innovative system/ leadership that will equip its young population to explore the risk and opportunities in the global economy, not just the next election. A system that uses the resources of the country to fund few people- the executive and the legislature, friends, families and associates, pay itself exorbitant salaries, unaccountable security votes, for the purposes of ''luxury and adornment", fund white elephant projects, the next election, etc should be restructured. The whole system needs overhauling. We will continue to spread the word about what works to secure human freedom, change comes only by speaking the truth to power. As the country's population booms we must restructure the monstrous political structure/system that exploits people and keep them in perpetual poverty. Restructuring is citizens right, not a choice. Restructuring is about pragmatic innovative solutions to the country's socio-economic and political challenges not politics or soverieignty. In a new world of opportunities, big businesses are looking for new investment destinations like Nigeria, but they need favourable political climate, shared pools of skilled labour, favourable policies that will reduce transaction costs. They offer great opportunities to lift ordinary people out of poverty. They come with scarce capital and technology into a country which creates employment and new income for local citizens. We must empower people not control. We must rediscover comparative advantage and competitiveness by granting greater economic and financial resources to states to enable them manage effectively the security and prosperity of its citizens and full integration into governance without undue interference of the centre. There's urgent need for new cities, key infrastructure, interconnectivity including sea ports, airhubs, marred by unnecessary politicization of public services. Today it's very evident that the current political system characterised by abuse of power threatens national security and prosperity so this is not the future as we're currently witnessing. The problem just stare at us in the face. We must do something about it, now is the time to address it. A political system characterised by 'enormous concentration of control over its wealth and activities in the hands of  few elites', and anyone who disagrees is an enemy of the state will not eradicate poverty. No doubt restructuring the country is one sure way to make the centre unattractive and end unncessary agitation for which region will produce the next president. Restructuring is to stimulate efficiency, productivity and growth, neither disintegration nor seccession as peddled by gutter politicians. According to the World Bank; "people drive a nation's stability and economic growth, that is why investing in a healthy, educated and resilient population is key to competing effectively in the global economy". The country has great potentials but the current political system whose motive is control; to maintain security over various ethnic regions limits the country's potentials.This political system is inhuman, exploitative and unsustainable. The time has come to re-think Nigeria's unitary-centralised system of government to lift the citizens out of poverty. How does it sound ; "those who feel they have another country may choose to go". In an ethnically diverse society like Nigeria, this is absolutism, a wake up call for immediate action. The country we're In must rediscover itself and focus on addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals- SDGs 1- No Poverty, 8-Decent work and Economic Growth, 10-Reduced Inequalities and 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. In the words of Will Hutton; "The country does have a remarkable chance to transform itself and its institutions, and emerge as an economic supercompetitor with a socially cohesive society and a sophisticated democracy, I pray that the country takes it". We're very optimistic about the growth potentials of Africa's most populous country, oil economy, abundant human and material resources, a young and growing population. The dysfunctional political system which is the reason for persistence of poverty and stagnation must be restructured. This is a great challenge to Nigeria's political leaders.  Find out more soon as we continue to analyse socio-economic and political changes that create persistence of poverty and stagnation in Nigeria.
Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation.  He has participated in Political Economy of Institutions and Development; Universiteit Leiden. He lives in London.

References:

1. Human Capital And Social Accountability, World Bank, October 30 2018.

2. John A. Hughes, etal, Sage Publications Ltd, London 1995; Understanding Classical Sociology; Max, Weber, Durkheim.

3. Pete Hoestra, WSJ June 16, 2016; Buhari is Nigeria's Problem Not Its Solution.

4. Professor , Sir, Paul Collier, Oxford University, 2017; From Poverty to Prosperity: Understanding Economic Development.

4. Professor Richard Griffiths; Political Economy of Institutions and Development; Universiteit Leiden.

5.Peter Jay, London 2000; Road To Riches or The Wealth of Man.

6. Russell Brand, Century, London 2014; Revolution.

7.Trenna Cormack, 2007; Be The Change.

8. Uche Okeke; London , 27 March 2018; Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-         'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.

9. Uche Okeke, London 4 September 2018 ; The Hard Truth About Restructuring Nigeria.

10.Will Hutton, London,1995;   The State We're In.

Read More:
1.State Failure in Nigeria Should Be A Huge Cause For Concern:
http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/10/state-failure-in-nigeria-should-be-huge.html
2. Governance in Nigeria; Exploitation & Domination:
http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/10/governance-in-nigeria-exploitation-and.html
3. #AtikulatedObi Provides The Answer To The National Predicament-'Governance & Economic Development: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/10/atikulatedobi-provides-answer-to-our.html
4 #AtikulatedObi Will Fill The Gap Created By Excesses of Totalitarian Rule in Nigeria
http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/10/atikulatedobi-will-fill-gap-created-by.html.

#AtikulatedObi will fill the gap created by the excesses of Nigeria's totalitarian rule

~AtikulatedObi brainstorming on how to stimulate and rebalance Nigeria's Economy. Photo: Facebook.

The truth the politicians wouldn't like to hear: In a political climate of fear and terror, people wouldn't be buying and businesses wouldn't be investing, the economy might not bounce back. In the words of John Maynard Keynes; "the economy might settle at a new lower equlibrium, at a level that will still leave mass unemployment", #AtikulatedObi will re-balance the economy while guaranteeing the equal recognition of individual economic and political rights violently repressed by this government. Find out more soon.

Politicians in Nigeria lose moral authority when they become partial

Everyone wins if things are done properly and transparently. It's very imperative that we address the dysfunctional political system which promotes abuse of power. Today the crude old ways of doing things are no longer accepted, we must re-think abuse of power if we want to move forward as a nation. The system must be fair and just to everyone, so we must do away with this toxic political culture of discrimination. We will take a good look at the probing of NNPC subsidy abuse of $3.4billion dollars by the legislators, luring in other corrupt politicians, and their relationship to the  treatment to opposition politicians in Nigeria. Is it proper and transparent for the president not to delegate the position of petroleum minister for better decision making, transparency and accountability, etc. Indeed politicians lose moral authority when they abuse the rights and dignity of citizens even if they are political opponents. Find out more soon.

Uche Okeke.

Nigeria: #AtikulatedObi Provides The Answer To Our National Predicament- Good Governance, Economic Development.

"Social inclusion, a well functioning democracy and a high investing business system supported by a long-termist financial sector are not optional extras; they are interdependent and fundamental necessities. We should not rest until we have them"-Will Hutton. Photo: Facebook
Good things happen at the right time. The truth is that Nigeria is going to go on growing so we can't keep things as they are, there must be a radical shift from the past. Today there is urgent need for wholesome reform/restructuring of the whole system to address the ''nightmare scenario of a failure to accomplish economic development''. #AtikulatedObi ticket provides the answer to this national predicament-investments in the future. President Buhari represents the old school-power grabs, a cabal or groups at the top of our society who fear that their interests might suffer if our political system were to be made 'more humane and productive', this is not the future. Sadly some of his friends who share this belief in the past have abandoned that barbaric idea having recognised the need for a new Nigeria that needs to address the interconnectedness of trust, governance and economic growth. The current government under President Buhari has failed all the dimensions of 'good governance, democracy, the rule of law, corruption and economic growth'. Today the country is trapped in the past, the reasons for the current pains and stagnation; insecurity, mass unemployment, persistence of poverty, fracturing, political bias and favouritism, continuing wastes on patronage politics, full blown dictatorship, steady deterioration of the economy, lack of open, transparent and accountable government. The statement Atiku is making is that the future must be better than the present; political modernity, inclusiveness, investments, high employment, new skills, economic growth and stability. Furthermore, there is the danger that our society/country is now weakening in the ties that bind it together, full blown dictatorship and deteriorating economy so there's urgent need to address the political system and put the country's public finances on a sustainable footing. No one is going to invest in a political climate of fear and terror. #AtikulatedObi is the only sure way to discontinue with the legacy of past mistakes. The pair are loaded with rich experience in public and private sector development and growth so are best positioned to address the centrality of good governance and economic development. I pray we embrace this choice . In Nigeria today trust is broken, people don't seem to trust the government leading to hightened agitation for restructuring and separation, without trust there's no business, trust leads to better quality of government to deliver social good to all citizens, AtikulatedObi has shown leadership in this direction. #AtikulatedObi will provide the leadership that can serve all stakeholders of the society, provide investments and political climate that will drive investor confidence and reposition Nigeria as new destination for global trade and investments and provide young people the opportunity of growth policies, infrastructure, better public services including education and healthcare services to benefit from the opportunities of the global economy. Young people in Nigeria need relevant investments-infrastructure,education, new knowledge, new skills training especially growing set of digital tools for globalisation; the economy of the future- trade, financial markets, foreign direct investments, basically the pair are very familiar with these concepts and are in the best position to manage both the risks and opportunity it presents, so this is the leadership desperatly needed for the future. The current government in Nigeria poses political and economic risks, and having rejected restructuring we must reject it come 2019 and embrace a new leadership that will address the interconnectedness of trust, governance and growth. The new century requires leaders with very good understanding of the "complex, interconnected challenges that governments face in delivering stability and prosperity", getting it wrong poses economic and human consequences as we are currently witnessing under APCs government in Nigeria.  Politics and Economics are interrelated, just like markets, it has rules that must be transparently and properly applied to get it right, the first basic step is leadership, so ordinary people need to be well-informed to make better choices about the future. In the words of Professor Richard Thomas Griffiths; "If access to, and participation in a political process is open and transparent, and that as a result government discharges its functions fairly and effectively; it will make ethnic, linguistic and religious differences less important politically, and as a result, it will reinforce levels of generalized trust"- [Professor Richard Thomas Griffiths; Political Economy of Institutions and Development; Universiteit Leiden]. Today Good Governance is not an option we must embrace it by addressing the dysfunctional political system which promotes bad governance, this starts with a new leadership that will guarantee citizens right not violently repressing them. Restructuring/Constitutional change is citizens right, its not a gift of the federal government. I learnt Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigeneous People of Biafra (IPOB), has started his trade-mark rhetorics, The time has come for him to re-think his strategy. He should demonstrate the willingness to co-operate and work with the progressives, #AtikulatedObi alliance, this is a sure positive step because you need freedom to agitate for your rights. The Africa's most populous country presents great opportunity, if there is good governance that will leverage global partnerships to achieve economic growth and lift its citizens out of poverty.  We have addressed the issue of corruption, this APC's government is also not free of corruption given abundant evidences. #AtikulatedObi understands democratic governance,corruption, the rule of law and human rights and the urgent need to build strong institutions that will address corruption devoid of political bias and favouritism for political gains, that's the whole point. We must learn to look at the positives instead of the negatives. #AtikulatedObi has proven qualities of knowledge economy, empathy, diplomacy and leadership needed to achieve economic growth, so this should be our focus.  I told my friend who was sharing long CV's of Professors on Social Media , that what matters is not just long CV's but job/wealth creation. The owners of Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Alibaba, Microsoft etc don't have long CV's but they've changed the world with creativity, and innovation, even President Trump doesn't have a very long CV but American Economy is very strong and unemployment is at low record levels, Atiku can replicate same in Nigeria given his proven entrepreneurial and leadership skills. Experience and expertise is very essential.
Sixtus Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur/Political Economist, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.

State failure in Nigeria should be a huge cause for concern

"Everything depends on politics, we must embrace a new leadership that will guarantee participatory democracy in Nigeria"-Uche Okeke. Photo: The LEAD Project Foundation.

The time has come for citizens to be well-informed about the choice of leadership they make in the society, governance is directly linked to economic development in poorer countries. What you put is what you get. State failure is simply a failure of any country to accomplish economic development. The reasons are very obvious in Nigeria; abuse of power, promoted by a dysfunctional political system that promotes 'wastes, expensive and dictatorship'. We have just seen the recent World Bank's Human Capital Index report for 2018, placing Nigeria 152 out of 157 countries, this is a big shame for an oil economy and Africa's largest economy and most populous country , now the poorest country in Africa, one of the least peaceful and unstable country. State failure is a threat to everyone including our neighbours- 'Citizens, Regional and International community', we should be very worried about it. The government we elected should apologize to Nigerians and commence its exit process as  soon as possible since they don't offer any further promise of change having rejected restructuring of the current political system which is the main reason for stagnation and persistence of poverty. What does failed states offer?, the answer is a lawless space where crime and insecurity thrives, mass unemployment, persistence of poverty and stagnation, instability, crime and terrorism flourish, instability, money meant for development is used to fund ransome payments to terrorists. We have repeatedly maintained that the president and his supporters don't seem to understand the national predicament of Governance and Economic Development in ethnically diverse society like Nigeria, they are simply interested in power grabs; maintaining the status-quo, this is not the future especially in a 21st century. Good governance, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, corruption are linked to economic development and growth, however what President Buhari offers is bad governance, the opposite of good governance; abuse of power, absence of rule of law and human rights, political and economic corruption including medical tourism, appointing himself petroleum minister, fracturing, political bias and favouritism, exclusion, ethnic minority discrimination, opposition clampdown, clampdown on free speech, flawed and biased development policy of 95/05%, exploitation and domination often using conquering techniques on some sections of the society, selective justice, wastes on patronage, full-blown dictatorship that denies the citizens of open, transparent, accountable and inclusive government,increase in crime and terrorism as the herdsmen demonstrates, mass unemployment and persistence of poverty. Today the question that should be uppermost in our lips is how can we promote/achieve good governance and economic development in ethnically diverse society like Nigeria, and avoid state failure. The answer is very simple:

 a)Open, transparent and accountable government that is inclusive and people's rights and freedom respected not authoritarian government with abuse of power.

b)Restructuring : A political system that is more ''humane and productive'', guarantees good governance and strong institutions independent of the executive control.
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c) A well functioning democracy that guarantees social inclusion and a high investing business system supported by a long-termist financial sector'', a real choice which #AtikulatedObi offers to Nigerians.

d)New Leadership: Educated leadership with experience and expertise to deliver- investments in growth policies-Infrastructure and better public services-education,new skills , healthcare, etc.

e)Educated Electorate: Civic Education & Citizen Engagement Education; People willing to reject 'bribe & bullet' to demand good governance'.

f) Globalisation/Global partnerships for Development-tech, trade, financial markets, foreign direct investments including diaspora, development institutions, and other various stakeholder partnerships,etc.

 There is urgent need for the restructuring of this dysfunctional political system that promotes wastes, expensive, inefficiency and dictatorship to empower independent states to invest massively in growth policies including infrastructure, and better public services including education and healthcare services. Even state policing will make a huge difference in local security of lives and properties as proved by the recent atrocities of the herdsmen in Nigeria. We must free up the resources being wasted at the centre for personal and patronage politics that serves just the few, their families and associates to invest in the future of the country to benefit all the citizens, not just political bribery and violently interfering and repressing those who disagree with dictatorial policies of the centre to remain permanently in power. Certainly Dictatorship/Authoritarian rule is not the answer, so we must liberate ourselves from abuse of power and misrule which dictatorship offers. #AtikulatedObi will improve the efficiency of the system, raise economic growth and stability, advance the welfare of all Nigerians irrespective of tribe or religion and eradicate the tyranical and flawed development policy of 95%/5%, that's the whole point. The constitution and dysfunctional political system which permit dictatorship and deny democratic accountability, human rights and active citizenship must be overhauled-Restructured. The people must reject any leadership or political party that denies them this fundamental right to freedom.

 Sixtus Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur, Political Economist, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.

Find out more: #AtikulatedObi Provides the solution to our National Predicament-'Governance And Economic Development: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/10/atikulatedobi-provides-answer-to-our.html

Governance in Nigeria, 'exploitation and domination'

"Investing in a healthy, educated and resilient population is key to competing effectively in the global economy"- World Bank(Human Capital, InvestInPeople). Photo: Uche Okeke

The phenomenon of governance is linked to economic growth, welfare and prosperity. Governance in Nigeria is based on 19th century ideology of 'exploitation and domination', undemocratic, bullying and unaccountable to anyone. The country's capital and resources serve just the ruling elite  for  their for the 'purpose of luxury and adornment', excluding the majority. Could it get any worse, the answer is certainly YES, it's very difficult to achieve growth in a dysfunctional system. We must address the root of the problem, 'hijacking by despotism'; the licence to do as one pleases. The status-quo does not bring change. Persistence of poverty and stagnation in Nigeria  is due to bad governance- abuse of power. Income and wealth inequality, mass unemployment, poverty, herdsmen, insecurity and political instability are all as a result of bad governance. Climate change, population explosion is not the reason for poverty neither should it be the reason for the killings of innocent civilians by the herdsmen, so we must do something about it. Foreign aid is not the solution to poverty, if the oil revenue could not address poverty , aid will not be effective, so good governance is the solution. The system must be inclusive, pluralism is the solution. How can we achieve this inclusiveness? We must address the root of the problem. Nigeria is not a homogeneous or common interest society, the pull of identity is very strong, this erodes trust. The unitary-centralist political system that the country is operating which influenced population census for economic and political power-resource allocation and legislature representation;- 'expensive, wastesful and dictatorial' must be overhauled/restructured to make the country more productive and competitive. Today the government in power has eroded trust, government is partial, dividing the country along ethnic lines,"insufficient infrastructure, high government deficits, distorted foreign exchange markets, under-developed financial systems, political instability", etc, this drives the need for urgent overhaul of the political system by putting more economic and financial resources to states to enable them exploit their comparative advantage and competitiveness to achieve economic growth and lift their citizens out of poverty. The government in Nigeria has failed the seven indices that compare countries based on governance: EIU-Democratic Index, Heritage Economic Freedom Index, World Justice Rule of Law Index , Worldwide Government Index , Copetitiveness(Global Innovation Index , World Economic Competitiveness Index, World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index, and Transparency International Corruption Index . The Government spokesperson says they are not bothered by these international ratings, endorsing its policies and are convinced that their policies will win them the next presidential elections in February 2019. The government says its fighting corruption, but abuse of power is the worst corruption, toxic and dangerous, so we must do something about it.

The population of Nigeria will go on growing and these people live in the rural areas so the States need greater economic and financial resources to empower these people and connect them to the outside world. They need seaports, airports, electricity, internet, good roads, railways, housing, new skills, education and healthcare services, water, food, they need proper jobs not just handout. These are the places where things are beginning to happen. Find out more soon.

Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur, Political Economist;  the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.

Nigeria@58 Analysis: Nigeria cannot fix today's challenges by completely ignoring the root of the problem

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"- A. Einstein. Photo: Uche Okeke.

As expected, President Muhammadu Buhari's independence day speech is predictable as it completely ignores the root of the problem his government is claiming to address- political corruption,'hijacking by despotism'-domination and exploitation. The blame games continues, with Social  Media now topping the list. The president was a great beneficiary of Social Media during the 2015 elections today he describes it as ''disruptive and corrosive forces'' that must be dealt with. The truth is that the politicians are yet to embrace the fact that today things have changed, they're simply out of touch with the reality, still dwelling in the past. Rather than confronting the real issues, the government is still peddling distorted views  that deliver poverty instead of peace and prosperity.  A good analysis of the president's independence day speech would reveal that he has failed to acknowledge the sorry state the country finds itself under his leadership-ineffective, inefficient and partial government; a ruthless autocracy violently repressing civil liberties and human rights, destroying institutions of the very democracy that empowered him, creating fear and terror in the country. The government always endorse itself making the public to look as if  it has some more purpose to offer to the challenges we face, its mission is simply power grips. If things are working very well as the president wants us to believe people wouldn't have deserted his independence day anniversary nationwide. The Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ex-Presidents and other eminent Nigerians deserted this year's independence anniversary, in a democracy this is a bad omen. Unfortunately political parties primary elections coincided with this year's independence anniversary, the outcomes nation wide has revealed the mood of the nation. Meanwhile, the president didn't even mention restructuring in his independence speech; the only innovative solution to good governance, inclusiveness, trust and economic progress in the modern era. The president says INEC will be independent, this is not true, restructuring is one sure way to guarantee good governance, rule of law and human rights, build strong institutions that will guarantee transparency and accountability. There is urgent need to revisit effective devolution to pioneer inclusiveness, transparency and accountability that's crucial to the nation's development, the status-quo has nothing more to offer. Stupidity is still believing that the current system will provide jobs for the teaming young population, and achieve the much needed social reforms. As it stands, the implications of the government's desperation to retain power will be more instability, stalled investment , stagnation , more poverty and hardships and a return to full blown dictatorship made possible by useful idiots. We have a chance to avoid this damaging and miserable outcomes by rejecting authoritarian rule come next election. We have had enough of the routine rhetoric independence day broadcast which does not have any impact on the people's welfare and growth . We must reject authoritarian rule to achieve economic progress and join the rest of the world's  free democratic societies where human rights, rule of law and good governance is the order of the day. There is no future in autocracy, so we must reject those who want to impose it on us. The truth is autocracy is 'incompatible with economic growth or political modernization', what it offers is ethnic, religious fragmentation as we have witnessed so far in this government.
Read more: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/09/growth-and-stability-is-not-too-complex.html

Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.

President Buhari's Independence Day Speech on 1st October 2018 | Nigeria @58

Read his full speech below:

NATIONAL BROADCAST BY H.E MUHAMMADU BUHARI PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE 58TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY, 1ST OCTOBER, 2018

Fellow Nigerians,

Today is a day of celebration and solemn reflection. It is the anniversary of the day Nigerians realised one of the most cherished of human desires – the desire for freedom. We, therefore, give thanks to and remember our founding fathers who laboured so hard and sacrificed so much to build and bequeath to us this wonderful nation. It is our duty to consolidate this great legacy.

2. On this first October date and on the eve of the start of the general election cycle, we should do well to reflect on what binds us together and the great strength our diversity bestows on us. Ours is an ambitious nation, and, as citizens we have every right to look forward to the future with confidence and optimism which are well founded, considering where we find ourselves today.

3. There has been a steady improvement in the security situation in the North East. We remain committed to ending the crisis and make the North East safe for all.

4. Our thoughts and prayers are always with the victims of the Boko Haram’s atrocities and their families. Beyond that, we know that the goals of the Boko Haram terrorists include capturing territories, destroying our democracy and denying our children the right to education. We will not allow them to succeed.

5. I want at this point to pay tribute to the men and women of our armed forces, the Police and other security and law enforcement agencies, who have been working under the most difficult conditions to keep the country safe. In the process, many have made the supreme sacrifice.

6. As their Commander -In- Chief, I assure these our gallant men and women that I will continue to empower them by deepening their professionalism and providing all the necessary force multipliers and enablers required for them to prevail on the field. I am looking into all reported cases of inadequacies in relation to their entitlements, their welfare and those of their families.

7. We are diversifying away from reliance on oil to increased manufacturing capacity, solid minerals development, and agriculture.

8. Efforts are on course in the Niger Delta to clean up polluted lands, restore hopes of the youths in the region and re-establish livelihoods, and strengthen their capacity to guarantee for themselves and for our country a brighter future.

9. The age-long conflict between herders and farmers that was being exploited by those seeking to plant the seeds of discord and disunity amongst our people, is being addressed decisively. We will sustain and continue to support the commendable efforts by all including civil society organisations, local and states governments and our traditional and religious leaders in finding durable solution to this problem.

10. This being a transhumance issue, we are working with countries in our region that are also facing similar difficulties to complement our common efforts. In this context I must warn that the perpetrators of murder and general mayhem in the name of defending or protecting herders or farmers will face the full wrath of the law. Meanwhile, we urge all peace-loving Nigerians to reject any simplistic portrayal, at home or abroad, of this conflict as either religious or ethnic based.

11. We are one of the countries in the world most affected by environmental degradation, as a consequence of climate change. We are signatories to almost all conventions and agreements aimed at slowing down the effect of climate change and mitigating its now evident consequences.

12. The consequences on lives and livelihoods of the shrinking of the Lake Chad and the pollution caused by oil exploitation activities alone make it mandatory on us to be at the forefront of the struggle for a safer and more sustainable environment. We will continue to mobilise international support for our efforts in this regard.

13. We are making progress in the fight against corruption and recovery of stolen public funds and assets despite vicious and stiff resistance. The shameful past practice, of the brazen theft of billions of Naira is no more. Shady oil deals and public contracts that were never delivered have become things of the past.

14. Consequently, and this is very evident across the country, we have done more with less in infrastructural developments. Roads, railways, major bridges, schools, energy and power, air and sea ports, welfare of serving and retired personnel both civilian and military including payment of legacy debt such as pension arrears, have been attended to.

15. There is now an enabling environment for local and foreign investment in Nigeria. We are building a rules-based system – a level playing field that is free from fixers and intermediaries. This is the cornerstone to help genuine investors and honest consumers, and the platform that will allow for the real reforms that we intend to deliver over the coming years.

16. We are gradually strengthening the economy with a stable Naira and falling inflation rate. We are building an economy that is moving away from over reliance on oil. Consequently we have witnessed massive return to farms and seen bumper harvest, despite recurrent floods across the country.

17. These positive developments are the result of our collective pursuit of a common vision through hard work and dedication, after the missed opportunities and disappointments that followed the return to democracy in 1999.

18. At the forefront, have always been our youths. They have been at the vanguard of the struggle for independence. They fought in the war to keep the country united. And it was they who kept alive the struggle for democracy and human rights in our country at times when these were at risk, especially following the June 12th 1993 election and the historic 2015 election process.

19. Even today, our youths play a central role in Nigeria’s continuing progress and developments in all fields of our national endeavour –technology, agriculture, mining, engineering and especially the creative arts. Together we are building a more diverse, inclusive and self-reliant economy.

20. In the past three years we have introduced many policies and programmes targeted at youth development and youth empowerment. We support the ‘not too young to run’ legislation aimed at giving the youths greater say in our national politics and governance.

21. The school feeding program in primary schools is aimed at encouraging enrolment and attendance. We are building on what we have already introduced to support schools and universities to which funds have recently been released for upgrade of facilities, training programs for our entrepreneurs, and rehabilitation schemes for victims of terrorism and human trafficking.

Fellow Nigerians,

22. Now we have in our hands technology that is a powerful tool that we can and should use for knowledge and understanding. As with other countries, we must also learn how to manage those tendencies that, instead, look to abuse new technologies to provoke passions and stir tensions.

23. Never before have we faced such a challenge. We must all rise to the responsibility of shutting out those disruptive and corrosive forces that hide in today’s world of social media. We need critical minds and independent thinking, to question and question until we are satisfied we have the facts. Otherwise, all the progress we have made as a democracy since 1999 is at stake.

24. I have committed myself many times to ensure that elections are fully participatory, free and fair and that the Independent National Electoral Commission will be exactly INDEPENDENT and properly staffed and resourced. The ballot box is how we make our choice for the governments that rule in our name.

Fellow Nigerians,

25. Developing a thriving democracy is not an easy task. There can be no quick fixes or short cuts. These are the most important lessons that we have learnt in our 58 years as an independent nation.

26. At the international level, we remain a responsible and respected member of the international community, playing active positive roles within ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations as well as all other regional and international organisations and institutions of which we are members.

27. We will continue to support initiatives aimed at addressing the challenges of our times: global and regional crises and conflicts, terrorism, trans-border crime, climate change, human rights, gender equality, development, poverty and inequality within and between nations, etc. In this context, we are working hard to achieve both the AU 2063 Agenda for socio-economic transformation of our continent; and the UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, which together aim at addressing these challenges

Fellow Nigerians,

28. As we celebrate the 58th Anniversary of our independence, we know we are on the right path. Although we have our differences, they count for far less than the values, virtues and common aspirations that unite us as a nation. We have so much for which we should be grateful, and in which we should rightly take pride. Our journey is not finished but we have come a long way.

29. I want to assure you that as President, I will continue to work tirelessly to promote, protect and preserve what really matters: a united, peaceful, prosperous and secure Nigeria, where all, irrespective of background, can aspire to succeed.

Thank you. I wish you a memorable independence celebration.

Source: Channels TV

#Nigeria@58: President Buhari's Independence Day Speech

Restructuring Nigeria: The Big Political Question Of Our Time.

At 58, Nigeria's political culture is still deeply embedded in corruption and authoritarian politics

                   
   Grab your share is not the future in the modern era, we must build a new society with an 'efficient and impartial government' , a society that works for everyone not just for the few- Uche Okeke                                         ON 1st October 2018, Nigeria leaders will gather its trumatized citizens to celebrate pseudo independence from the colonial masters, but the unanswered question is when will the people  celebrate real independence from post colonial indigeneous colonization; modern day slavery by their own people. Fifty -eight years after the supposed independence Nigerians are still suffering the sad devastation of 'hijacking by despotism; the licence to do as one pleases'. Post independent Nigeria is marked by clintelism, the favouring of political associates and friends, characterized by 'patronage', the favouring of family and proteges, permeated by cronyism, the favouring of friends, riddled with political and economic corruption, favouritism and political bias. Today, it's worst with the mistake of destiny which has practically demonstrated how to create a dark and dangerous future; tyranny.  Look at what we have got : Abuse of power, absence of rule of law and human rights, bad governance, barbarism, killings, bigotry and brutality, corruption, incompetence, certificate forgeries, bribery, ethnic minority discrimination, inequity, unequal opportunities, exclusion, political bias and favouritism, recession, instability, insecurity, terrorism, herdsmen, land grabbing, deplorable infrastructure and public services including education and healthcare services, medical tourism, mass unemployment, fraudlent and violoent elections, persistence of poverty and stagnation, lack of transparency and accountability, abuse of subsidy, violent repression of civil liberties, full blown dictatorship. The legislature no longer exist due to intimidation and bullying of the legislators, invariable, there is no more democracy in Nigeria. Nigeria ranks very poor in global governance index trailing behind countries that are currently in conflict in Africa. Change in Nigeria is long overdue. The country will pay a heavy price if the current government remains in power, definitely things will get worst having rejected the restructuring of the current political structure which is the sole reason for persistence of poverty and stagnation. October 1 2018 sees a new date, the same type of music, no plans for a new future, we are not at a point yet where we can say that progress is being made. No doubt, its the future of our young people that is being destroyed, given the huge population explosion. This is a fact that now stare us in the face. We must do something quickly about this dysfunctional system that adopts 19th century dangerous ideologies to destroy lives; delivering poverty instead of prosperity, fighting yesterday's battle instead of  driving human progress by embracing the challenges of the future. This year's independence anniversary presents another opportunity to look inwards, where we have gone wrong and how we can deal with challenging situations of bad governance. A repeat of past mistakes definitely prevents us from having a good future, its as simple as that. For the vast majority of Nigerians, this is not the future we want. The time has come to restructure the political system widely identified as the reason for persistence of poverty and stagnation so that people can take their destiny in their own hands. Read this blog regularly as we continue to look at the 'huge and important issues' faced by our country, analyse, search for solutions, advocate and communicate best practices. Find out more: Restructuring Nigeria is one sure way to address the 'interconnectedness of trust, governance and growth. Click on this link to read : http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/09/restructuring-nigeria-is-one-sure-way.html  Ordinary people must listen and learn not to be deceieved by the map narrative-'Map of Nigeria',the distorted narrative of the same people who exploit them and prevent them from enjoying peace and prosperity in their own country. The system is not working, and will not work unless we restructure this political system;'unitary-centralised system which empowers the centre to erect obstacles to development and growth-'expensive, wasteful, dictatorial', that's the whole point. The future demands immediate change. The president says foreigners are encouraging corruption in Nigeria, perhaps he doesn't seem to understand what corruption means: 'Hijacking by despotism; the licence to do as one pleases'. The president is also the petroleum minister, his chief of staff is the executive director of NNPC, his brother is the MD of NNPC. A look at the board of the nation's apex oil industry NNPC reveals that all the directors are from one section of the country, their children employed in choice lucrative jobs , yet the government can't create jobs, pay minimum wage, exclude people from seeking elective positions, etc. I don't know if it's foreigners that encouraged him to adopt this strategy. We must build a new society where people can call home, a new society that works for everyone, not just the few. Restructuring presents that magic bullet to achieve good governance. Good governance is about openness, and transparency, efficient provision of public goods, strong institutions that will remove the need for bribery and corruption, increased levels of trust, greater provision of public services including education and healthcare, reducing the incentive for grab your share of the national cake that has defined the country, economic growth and prosperity . It is possible to have fair and just society, where freedom, equity, and social justice reigns. supreme, then we can celebrate independence. Click on this link to read more about Good
governance: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/09/the-hard-truth-about-restructuring.html
Sixtus Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation, and the Author of  Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis, Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It. He lives in London, United Kingdom.

You can't vote here, policeman tells Osun voter | Punch

There is no future without freedom. Sadly we are now back to the dark ages,  a return of the society to crude authoritarian politics of the 19th century instead of embracing human rights and freedom which the 21st century offers. The time has come to end this abuse of power in Nigeria. Find out more as we continue to advocate for a new society that works for everyone, not just the cabals using fear and terror to impose leadership and create more poverty, endless stagnation , instead of prosperity. Thanks to technology, the evidence is there for the world to see if this is the kind of political environment to invest. It's difficult to invest in a place of fear, terror and unpredictable future, that's the whole point, people need to be properly informed so as to be on the right side of history. Today's election in Osun state has brought the reputation of the whole country to the mud;  violence, killings, chaos and confusion, what a big shame to the government. The reputation of the whole country is being destroyed due to mass ignorance and dangerous politicians who have nothing to offer in the 21st century.

Uche Okeke is a Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation, and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.

President Obama Delivers a Message to the Nigerian People

They said the world -does not get involved to influence political systems of member states, how can they effectively ensure that people's rights-political and economical rights are protected, since the political system of Nigeria does not have the will of the whole society. The world should focus on putting pressure on power holders to allow their people to determine the future they want instead of just the next election. In Nigeria restructuring is one sure way to start afresh not just the next election, election every four years. The people should not be fooled, the current unitary-centralised political system-authoritarian politics is not the answer but reform/restructuring. Dictatorship comes with human and social costs, that's not the future in the 21st century. The current political system in Nigeria degrades politics, deprive the country development, growth and stability so the people must be allowed to collectively seek for solution. No doubt, Nigeria stands a chance to be great, but restructuring doesn't mean disintegration rather better diversity and development. The world should help Nigeria address this urgent task of reform/restructuring for development. We must commend Ex-President Obama for reminding us to choose the path of unity, peace and progress. This is a challenge to political leaders because ordinary people are not offered a choice in Nigeria.

Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation, and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.

The LEAD Project Foundation: My own story: 'you must do the things you think yo...

The LEAD Project Foundation: My own story: 'you must do the things you think yo...:  "We want to encourage new ideas but we dismiss many of those who have them..., if life is a marathon, then none of us should have to...

Democracy or Autocracy, the stark choice facing Nigeria

The people must be willing to choose between freedom, fear and terror. Everyone wins if we make the right choice. The shameful , barbaric and disappointing events of the last four years is a constant reminder not to fall for vain promises of dangerous politicians who are not equipped to solve 21st century problems. The truth is it's impossible to solve Nigeria's problem , consolidate democracy and development with the status-quo; unitary-centralised political system that deny human rights and promote abuse of power- Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation, and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It. Find out more soon.

Vote buying now deeply embedded in Nigeria's political culture

Vote buying is now deeply embedded in Nigeria's political culture as witnessed in many recent elections. No doubt this  avoidable practices affect the transparency of elections in Nigeria and the reputation of the whole country expected to be Africa's role model. The reason is not far fetched- bad governance, ignorance, poverty, political corruption, desperation of the politicians to consolidate their grips on power, etc. This unwelcome development should be a huge cause for concern to all because election is a very important part of the democratic process to form a sound government. Find out more soon, as we continue to research and communicate best practices to inspire ordinary people to demand change from political leaders. Today change is possible.

 Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.

The strategic importance of Osun State Governorship contest to 2019 Elections in Nigeria

           Voters waiting to cast their votes in Osun State Nigeria. Photo: Google Images.

 "Credible Election is a very important factor for sound government to deliver growth and              stability. We must get it right in Nigeria by ensuring it's transparent- free and fair"- Uche Okeke.

The Osun State governorship election has been declared inconclusive by Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission INEC  citing very narrow winner margin and ordered a re-run in some local government areas where there were pockets of irregularities. The re-run set for thursday 27 September 2018 has generated controversies. What's left to ascertain is if the reasons are genuine and if its within the election rules. This is now a matter for the courts to interpret.  While we commend the smooth and transparent process which has thrown up surprises, there is quite a number of lessons to be learned as the country prepares for the next general elections in 2019. First the election has proved that everyone matters in a democracy and supports the need for inclusiveness. Secondly it has confirmed global predictions by experts that next year's presidential election in Nigeria will be a tight contest between the ruling APC party and the main opposition PDP. Meanwhile the opposition PDP party whose candidate, Senator Adeleke pulled the highest number of votes in the election has rejected the decision of INEC  for a re-run election and asked the electoral umpire to declare their candidate the winner. Information on their Facebook page indicates that the party will be heading to court on Monday 23 September 2018 to compel the Independent Electoral Commission to conclude the election by declaring their candidate the winner having satisfied the election requirements. Nigeria's human right lawyer, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike  Ozekhome, (SAN) has described this development as "ludicrous mockery of our electoral process and constitutionalism, subversion of the people's will, a dangerous subversion and travesty of the electoral process, a blow to the country's hard earned constitutional democracy and an ominous sign of the farce to expect in 2019". Writing on his Facebook page, he concluded that what they have just done to Senator Adeleke's votes is to "defeat the will and legitimate franchise of the good people of Osun state-"- (Facebook).

 Find out more soon as we analyse, the process, participation, the role of security personnel,  transparency, INEC capacity ,good governance, democracy, economic growth , and stability in Nigeria. http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/09/tvc-news-nigeria-live.html

Uche Okeke is a Statistician, Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation, and the Author of Nigeria's Democracy And Its Crisis Deliberate, Avoidable-'Bribe & Bullet'. What Can Be Done About It.