Land Grabbing- 'Raiding, Depopulating, Appropriating Neighbouring Lands' a lesson in Cattle Colony in Nigeria

"The subtle attacks which began over a decade ago have seen native communities in Plateau State taken over by invading herders. The natives mostly Berom by tribe watched helplessly as their homes were occupied, their people killed, and farmlands taken over and in some cases, the original names of the villages changed. They wandered if their children will ever return to their ancestral land"-Marie-Therese Nanlong ; Plateau Shocker:[ Herdsmen Rename Communities Grabbed From Indigines; Vanguard Newspaper June 30 2018]. Photo: Google Images

History is full of lessons in  Conquest and 'Totalitarian Barbarism'. Some of these sad lessons of history are evident in today's Nigeria- "Land Grabbing, Invasion, Violent Repression of civil liberties, Genocide, Colonisation, Economic Exploitation, Institutional Racism, Discrimination, Division, Nepotism, and Moral Decadence",etc. We have just seen the Amnesty International Report on terrorism- indicting the government on leadership failure to secure its own citizens.
 The government is pursuing controversial policies often using conquering tactis on ethnic minorities. Despite widespread resistance, the Federal Government of Nigeria is unreluctant in implementing a controversial cattle colony policy, using various tags even with abundant evidence of the bloody borders of the herdsmen. The government's inability to implement the Restructuring of the current political structure widely accepted as the only solution to addressing 'poverty, unemployment and insecurity' in the country puts it in bad light and tends to confirm the fears of many-'obsolete politics of domination' .This should be a cause for concern, especially in today's new world of  'individual rights, and liberty'. The 'bending of language' for political purposes can be devastating. In the words of Charles Krauthammer: "leading a country requires not just honesty but clarity. If you keep lying to the people they may seriously question whether anything you say is another self-serving lie".[Things That Matter]. Today the people are well equipped with good awareness of the the nature of evil they faced and are very willing to resist the so called cattle colony policy no matter the name given to it and other incentives. We are in  for abnormal times. Democracy in Nigeria faces a major threat from 'totalitarianism', given abundant evidence. The time has come for Committed Democrats to be in charge to drive a new society with a culture of liberty, human dignity and sovereignty. The era of ''muderous quest for dominion over all others is over''. Restructuring is the primary condition for peaceful co-existence, growth and stability. There is  urgent need for a new leadership that places premium on equity and social justice and ensures democracy for the long-run. In the 21st century country's do more with little to lift their citizens out of poverty,  not pursuing ideologies that deny their own citizens 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'. Today's technology provides the opportunity to do things differently, i wonder why the government is not exploiting it. Again, it's technology that drives the future not cows, even oil wells would one day dry-up.

Uche Okeke is a Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation. He lives in London.

Read More: Technology Transforms The World Not Cows : http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/01/technology-transforms-world-not-cows.html?spref=fb

'Diaspora Vote' Is Very Important In A Modern Nigeria

"Nigeria's disapora remitted $22billion to Nigeria in 2017. That is almost Kenya's entire budget for 2018. Our diaspora is the single largest source of  Foreign Direct Investment-FDI into Nigeria. Help me lobby your Senator as I push for a Constitutional ammendment to enable them vote in future elections"- Senator Ben Murray-Bruce. Photo: Uche Okeke

Another election is round the corner, the Nigeria government is yet to let the diaspora have a say in how the country is run.  No doubt the diaspora community is a huge force for development, its very imperative that they take part in elections in their home countries since they actively contribute to the GDP and local economic development.

Today's technology has made it possible for diaspora to participate actively in the electoral process as they are better informed to make right choices that can effect 'sound government'. We have just read a new report by Southern and Middle Belt leaders accusing INEC of registering foreigners from Niger Republic to vote in 2019 elections. This shows that inability to allow Nigeria diaspora to vote could be a deliberate policy to continue business as usual.

The need for diaspora vote also supports our arguement about restructuring- reform to improve the current dysfunctional political system designed to serve the interest of the few. We cannot address the issues of inclusion without urgent constitutional settlement to accomodate the challenges of today. Diaspora vote will definitely make a huge difference.

The Minister for Science and technology Dr Ogbonnaya Onu has recently asked Nigeria diaspora to return home, and help build the country, but all is not well at home, a lot has gone wrong-widespread insecurity, poor infrastructural development including electricity, internet/broadband, poor public services including education and healthcare services, poor intellectual property laws, and ease of doing business, unnecessary bureaucracy, lack of financial support, dictatorship, favouritism, identity politics, political bias, massive corruption, and prolonged uncertainties; this may not be what the diaspora needs.

Uche Okeke.

Commercialisation of Nomination Forms in Nigeria; 'a game for wealthy people'

"The conditions for contesting elections from local government to the House of Assembly , Governorship, House of Representative, Senate, and Presidential levels are all in the constitution. There are decisions of the court to the effect that the Independent National Electoral Commission and State Electoral Commissions cannot collect fees from candidates who are contesting elections"-[Falana; 'I May Sue Political Parties Over Nomination Fees'; Punch, June 17, 2018]. Photo: Google

Commercialisation of nomination forms by political parties only help the election of 'anointed kings'; excludes poor people from the electoral process and promotes 'god fatherism'. Prohibitive rules simply restrict the participation in the contest of an election to money bags and mocks the recent  publicised 'Not Too Young To Run Bill'. We have seen the nomination prices for the two dominant political parties in Nigeria. APC Presidential nomination form is N55million naira and PDP is N12million naira, whereas the national minimum wage is N18000.00 naira. The young people would never have a fair chance of participating in the process, the whole idea is limiting their participation to voting and thuggery for anointed kings in their own country. They prefer to bribe them with recharge cards to unleash attack on dissent voices and professionals working very hard to free them from modern day slavery/colonisation in their own country. The entire system simply works for the few, a master plan for oppression and control instead of human freedom. It's very hard to imagine what more evidence is needed when we describe democracy crisis in Nigeria as deliberate, avoidable, ''ill-thought out manouevres'' aimed at disenfranchising a greater part of the population that represents its future. Now is the time for change as this dysfunctional system has failed to provide the answer to our collective future. Democracy is best served if it's inclusive, but this doesn't seem to be the case in Nigeria. In the words of late Kofi Annan, "any society that does not succeed in tapping the creativity and energy of its youths will be left out". In the 21st century, it's the young people who possess new ideas, skills and innovation to drive the society not out of touch politicians who are yet to give up the crude old trade of politics. It's very obvious that politics in Nigeria lack application of reason, still driven by short-termism , ruthless pursuit of self-interests and  unwilling to let individuals have freedom, without which human life would continue in its miseries. The current system is immoral, and deprives its population the right to participation which is very essential to the future. This is a real divide to protect the few who have held the country hostage for a long time. In Nigeria only wealthy candidates prevail in politics. This should a great cause for concern. In the golden age, this is no longer acceptable. The trend now is empowering people not discrimination or exclusion. In the words of Alec Ross; "there's great shame for society and its leaders when a life is made less what it could be because of lack of opportunities".

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

Another View: Is June 12 the answer to Nigeria's Many Problems?

Its very sad that People are not asking the right questions. In the words of Jaron Lanier: "When people become fake everything becomes fake". Today, the conditions that led to June 12 completely stare us in the face. Rejecting Reforms- Restructuring, discriminations, insecurity, killings, constant attack on civil liberties including using conquering tactis on ethnic minorities, attack on constitutional checks and balances, and dearth of rule of law, disobeying court orders, sycophancy, corruption, political assasinations, etc,  are worst than the annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential election won by the late MKO Abiola.
Abiola paid the supreme price for us to know that things like this  still exist, so that we can do something about it, but we are yet to learn the lesson.

 There is no guarantee that the next elections in 2019 will be free and fair given the desperation of the government to consolidate their grips on power, so what are we actually celebrating? Almost all the key opposition stakeholders including Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Governor Ayo Fayose, Governor Wike, etc, have raised alarm of assasination plots, plans for frame-up , intimidation and harrassment by the government.

We can never solve the many problems of Nigeria especially Inclusiveness by addressing one Social Injustice., neglecting the major issues. The recent Global Peace Index report about Nigeria should be a great concern to us not a political distraction for political gains- reasserting traditional rights. According to DW; the Global Peace Index Report indicates that Nigeria is now in "the category with D.R Congo, Libya, Somalia,and South Sudan as the most non-peaceful countries". Does Nigeria deserve this ranking?

 National Adjustment-Reform-Restructuring is the only solution to the nation's problem of inclusion, thinking needs to change. Sadly there is No Democracy in Nigeria to celebrate despite acquiring democratic institutions. Restructuring the current political structure to ensure Constitutional Change- proportional representation-the will of the whole society is one sure way of ensuring a 'transparent and proper democracy' in Nigeria.

Indeed the time has come to ditch this 'wasteful, expensive and dictatorial' political system that no longer has any future in the modern era.

Uche Okeke is a Social Entrepreneur, the Founder of The LEAD Project Foundation.

Read More: Why We Think The Ruling APC Political Party Is Not Sincere About Restructuring Nigeria: http://www.theleadprojectfoundation.com/2018/05/the-ruling-apc-party-not-sincere-about.html

The Famous Republik : Lessons in The Practice of Authocratic Rule

  The Republic becomes an Empire and the future hangs in the balance.Everyone is a victim and nobody knows who is the next victim?  Photo: Uche Okeke
               
The Famous Republik; describes the lives of people ''strongly united under one Powerful Rule''- 'Outrage, Division, Hardships, Dangers.

What happens when a Ruthless, Divisive, King runs an Empire:

"There is only one person who is Master in this Empire and I am not going to tolerate any other"-Wihelm
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The Private life of the master is not subject to public discussion-('Behave or Be Whipped- The Economist').

Men who opened the way for the invasion of their country and render its conquest easy are afterwards crushed by the invading King so that there would be 'no one else to fear, nothing to dread', else the King will lose the State whenever occassion serves them. The King could never think his reign safe until the Chiefs of the Republic are crushed.

The King resolved to depend no longer on the 'arms or fortune' of others, his first step therefore was to weaken the factions so that only him will be in total control and 'the hopes of all vested on him alone'. The strategy is to change the existing order of things by throwing the state into confusion in order to make himself the 'master'.

Naturally the Chiefs of the Republic will not just fold their hands. The King must be injured. If injury has to be done to the King it should be so severe that "his vengance must not be feared"- Niccolo Machiavelli.

Lastly, "The Prince speedily gaining possession speedily lost it when the very people who had opened the gates found themselves decieved in their expectations and hopes of future benefits could not put up with the insolence, outrageous vices of the Prince"- Niccolo Machiavelli(The Prince).

 Everything depends on Politics. The old wisest man , Machiavelli also advised that : "Strong Republics are those who harness the power of their citizens". Authoritarianism undermines democracy and brings human suffering and hardships. It must be defeated and rejected. Free societies are those that defeated and rejected dictatorship.

Read More as we continue to search for answers to the much desired inclusion in our society.

Uche Okeke is a Social Entrepreneur.