STILL ON IT...‏

Our beloved giant came into official existence on 1st October, 1960 but had been an entity under the super giant as far back as 1914 when various pieces of land were knitted together without recourse to the peculiarities of their inhabitants. Now 52 years after, those unholy unions have strained so much that the giant is a society that exists in Hobbes words as 'short, nasty and brutish'.

However, if one attempts to make enquiries from the older frogs as to how the giant became like this, a common dictionary word they would use as excuse is CORRUPTION. Sorry frogs but a tadpole that was birthed in the 80's differs...

NEWS: OBASANJO'S HOUSE ON FIRE

The Abeokuta mansion of Nigeria's former President, Chief Olusegun Matthew Obasanjo, today 27th December, 2012, went up in flames, reports say.

It was unclear at the time of this report whether Obasanjo was in the palatial estate when the fire started, or how much damage was done, but some reports say that his personal bedroom was damaged.

The fire reportedly started at about 4:30pm.

A BOOMERANG CULTURE

O Nigeria, Nigeria my Nigeria.

A land of the good, the bad and the ugly.

A land of innovation and creativity. And also a land of no maintenance and sustenance. We build new things always (though sometimes those things are irrelevant and unnecessary), but we do not maintain the old ones.

I VOTE FOR FOOTBALL!

This title rang in my head after a discourse with a friend who's also an ardent soccer fan. We had talked about almost anything in football in 2012 and the lawyer in me reared its head when I asked curiously, 'Segun, who do you support for the 2012 Balon d'Or?' As if he knew my mind, he sighed and paused a little and then put a hand on my shoulder, 'Kunmi, I vote for football', he exhaled.

I knew my friend enough to see that he was in a fix as to a choice among Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Andres Iniesta but for me I had no issue making up my mind right from the end of EURO 2012 and so I had to help his despair. This write-up is my opinion as regards the World Footballer of the Year 2012.

AN INCOMPETENT MEDIA

We forget a lot as a people. We easily forget things. Events happen, issues come up, we talk and hover on them for a while and that is it, we are done. We do not follow up matters. We do not learn from our mistakes.
That is one of the reason why we are where we are. That is why we keep suffering from the same things over and over again. That is one of the reasons why we do not move forward.

ON LAMIDO’S SON

The Nigerian media was on Wednesday, 12th December, 2012, agog with news of the arrest of Aminu Sule, the eldest son of Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido. He was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, for his failure to disclose $40,000 at the airport on his way to Egypt. It was alleged that he was actively laundering public funds for his father, even though (as expected) the Governor denied the allegation, saying his son was on a health mission.

AGENDA 2013?

What do you wish for Nigeria, at all levels (your Local Government Area, State, and the country at large) in 2013? We strongly recommend that you drop your comments on this issue and that your comments truly reflect how you feel. This is premised on the fact that your positions (wishes) will form part of our core agenda in 2013.

WHY DO THEY TAKE US FOR GRANTED?

Ideally, public office holders should be accountable to the people who they serve. It is even more important when these officials are supposedly elected by the people they govern. But one wonders why they blatantly take us for granted.

Recently the media has been bombarded with stories of the ill health and true situation of three Governors, Sullivan Iheanacho Chime (Enugu), Danbaba Danfulani Suntai (Taraba) and Liyel Imoke (Cross-River). While Suntai was flown to Germany after a plane crash, the other two Governors are reported to have undisclosed health challenges.

KONTRIMAN JOURNAL – STATE OF AFFAIRS

KontriMan Journal is a platform that focuses on the Nigerian people, their hopes, aspirations, struggles, and the issues that affect them directly or indirectly.

KontriMan Journal started on the 1st of December 2012, as a way to get Nigerians and the world at large interested in important happenings on the home front (Nigeria) as well as abroad.

PROMISES! PROMISES!! PROMISES!!!

It is high time Nigerian politicians do less talking and more action. It’s time they begin to take the Nigerian people seriously. It’s time they reflect and ask themselves some thought-provoking questions. Questions like what does posterity have in stock for them? Questions like, would they live forever? Questions like, which is more important: peace of mind, happiness and a good name, or all the money in the world?

WHO'S YOUR MAN OF THE YEAR?

KontriMan calls on our esteemed readers and fans to send in (via comments on this post) their nominations or names of people in Nigeria who (in your opinion) stood out and made a difference in the year 2012, and the reasons or criteria for choosing such people.

MANDELA, RECOVER SOON

Following from the recent news of the hospitalization of South Africa’s Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela for a lung infection, KontriMan joins our South African brothers and good people all over the world to wish Madiba a speedy and full recovery. We are thankful that he is recovering from his illness. We pray that God keeps him alive, so that he can return back home to his family.

The world still needs his inspirations.

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE

The Nigerian Senate President, David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark and other Nigerian leaders (are they really leaders?), as Christmas messages, said that Nigerians (especially Christians, we guess) should learn from Christmas and start to give more and expect less.
In view of his position, KontriMan admonishes the Senate President and his colleagues to lead by example. We ask them to come up with more bills that would truly have an impact on the lives of KontriPipu. We ask them to carry out their oversight functions that would see them ensuring that the Executive Arm fulfills its obligations to the Nigerian KontriPipu. On the other hand, we ask them to make the cost of governance cheaper by reducing or totally removing unnecessary and ridiculous expenses from the budgets.

Can they do this?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? (3)

What would you do if you had a million dollars?

WHAT IF? (3)

What if the geographical entity called Nigeria was not colonised by the British?

NEWS: MURTALA MOHAMMED AIRPORT ON FIRE

Fire gutted parts of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday (December 20, 2012) morning at about 11.30 am. It is believed to be an electrical fire as an eyewitness said the fire emanated from some cables, which apparently melted under heat. Some welders were working at the extension of Arrival ‘D’ Wing of the international airport. The fire raged for about 15 minutes.

CHILD LABOUR IN NIGERIA

The Nigeria (Lagos) we live in...

NEWS: ANOTHER AIR CRASH AVERTED!

A second crash in two days was averted on Sunday, December 16, 2012, when an Overland Airways flight from Ilorin to Lagos developed technical difficulties, as the plane was taking off, making it impossible for the pilot to retract the wheels of the craft for the rest of the journey.

A passenger on the flight, said that passengers aboard Flight OJ 1188 thought they were crashing as the aircraft took a long time to stabilize after takeoff.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? (2)

What would you do if you became the President of Nigeria?

WHAT IF? (2)

What if President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua did not die in office on May 5, 2010?

NEWS: POWER SHIFT - YERO TO TAKE OVER IN KADUNA

A few hours after the late Governor of Kaduna, Patrick Yakowa, dies in an air crash, his vice, the Deputy-Governor of Kaduna, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, is to replace him as the new Governor. A source in Kaduna State made it known that Yero is expected to be sworn in on Sunday morning, December 16, 2012.

Security arraignments and protocol are being mapped to ensure a peaceful succession ceremony in line with the 1999 constitution.

NEWS: YAKOWA AND AZAZI DEAD!

Information reaching KontriMan Journal has it that a military helicopter crashed between 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm on Saturday 15 December, 2012 in a swampy location in the northern part of the Okoroba community forest in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The crash occurred following a burial event at the home of an aide to the Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, in Okoroba, Bayelsa State.

THE RESTORATION OF IBADAN

'Ajumose' in a nutshell means people working together to achieve a common goal. Senator Ajimobi, the Executive Governor of Oyo State has started a campaign to Lagosialize (ah ah, I just form that word now now o, I'm sure Fashola will be grinning and happy with me like this) or beautify Ibadan. He is doing so at the expense of honest (I hope) and hardworking citizens of Ibadan, by breaking down the shops they use to do their businesses.

JONATHAN'S NEW YEAR RESOLUTION

As 2013 draws nearer, we wonder what the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) is planning for the citizens of this great nation. Maybe President Jonathan is telling Patience, "I will remove subsidy and I will not back down, if them like make them go jump inside lagoon". Then Patience says, "That is what you said the last time". Then Jonathan replies, "Don't worry, Okonjo said no shaking this time. We will see it through".

KAMENE OKONJO FINALLY OUT!

We are happy to report that the mother of the Minister of Finance, Professor Kamene Okonjo is finally from her abductors den and is safely at the Obi's Palace in Ogwashi-Ukwu with her family now. Reports confirm that she was released in the early hours of Friday by her captors five days after her kidnap.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? (1)

What would you do if you were the Minister of Finance?

STILL ON KAMENE OKONJO

Information reaching us has it that the abductors of Professor Kamene Okonjo, Mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, have demanded to speak directly with the Minister and not with security operatives and negotiators any more.

WHAT ALTERNATIVE IS THERE FOR THE COMMON MAN?

It is no news that jobs are not available in Nigeria. The harsh reality today in Nigeria is that due to stagnation and retrogression of the economy, companies are retrenching workers. Companies are either dying or relocating and moving out of Nigeria as a result of the unfavourable business environment. As the companies die
or leave the shores of Nigeria, they are taking away their jobs. Jobs are being lost, while new ones are not being created. And where some jobs are even created, they are like drops of water in an ocean.

THE BLACKBERRY CRAZE!

Since the introduction of Blackberry phones in Nigeria, Nigerians especially the youths have gone gaga and our lifestyles have changed. The Nigerian movie ‘Blackberry Babes’ gives an insight into the Blackberry madness in Nigeria. In fact, these days, if you do not have a Blackberry PIN, you are not considered as someone who is in vogue.

We are not against Blackberry phones.

ON KAMENE OKONJO

The recent kidnap of the mother of the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is a case of the sins of the children being visited on the parents (which is unlike what is provided for in the Holy Books that the sins of the fathers shall be visited on the children).

ARE YOU A NIGERIAN CITIZEN?

The Oxford Dictionary defines a citizen as "a legally recognized subject or national of a state or commonwealth, either native or naturalized"or "an inhabitant of a particular town or city".

Wikipedia says "a citizen is a person with citizenship – membership in a political community such as a country or city".

The Business Dictionary defines a citizen as a "person who is entitled to enjoy all the legal rights and privileges granted by a state to the people comprising its constituency, and is obligated to obey its laws and to fulfill his or her duties as called upon".

GHANA SETS THE PACE

Ghanaians are gradually distinguishing themselves in West Africa in particular and in Africa in general. In the last eleven years, Ghanaians have continued to get it right at the polls; from John Kofi Agyekum Kufour to John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills to John Dramani Mahama.

Yesterday, they got it right again by electing another President, without any major incidence. While we celebrate with our Ghanaian brothers and sisters, it calls for reflections on our part.

WHAT IF? (1)

What if Chief Obafemi Awolowo had become the President of Nigeria and had not lost the elections in 1979 and 1983 to Alhaji Shehu Shagari?

RAIN IN LAGOS... NA WA OOH!

Rain in December... the world has really changed ooh. Who would have imagined that the rains would still be pouring in December? Is it climate change, or a sign of the end times, or just some weird occurrences?

It is actually raining as this post is being written. What do you think is wrong? Or is it just what was meant to be?

SACK THEM!

Recently, Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi of the Central Bank of Nigeria, stirred the hornets nest with his proposal that 50% of the Civil Service at the Federal and State levels should be slashed in a bid to cut recurrent expenditure, so as to provide funds for spending in other sectors.

Since the statement was made, there have been various reactions from all sectors, some supporting the proposal and others opposing it, while an enraged Labour called for his sack.

ONLY IN NIGERIA... (2)

Only in Nigeria would the Federal Government spend over 9 billionNaira annually on the presidential air fleet while poverty reigns supreme in the land.

The presidential air fleet is the third largest in the country, having more aircrafts than most commercial airlines in the country.

Findings showed that Nigeria was one of the very few countries that possess a large collection of aircrafts in their fleet.

BEFORE THEY AMEND OUR CONSTITUTION AGAIN

It is not news that the issue of constitutional amendment and state creation is ongoing. The news is flooded with stories of requests for the creation of more states, amendment retreats and proposals, positions and counter-positions on issues for amendment.

ASK KONTRIMAN

As part of the goal of turning this platform into a community where people can exchange information, and share their experiences on everyday issues, KontriMan is calling on all readers to send in their stories, experiences and slant or views on everyday issues to kontrimanjournal@gmail.com and these would be published (if, after proper assessment has been done, the write-ups meet KontriMan Journal's editorial standards).

You are appreciated as you join hands in building this community.

Regards,

KontriMan.

LAGOS AGBERO

KontriMan wey don move for Lagos, don get one experience or the other with either agbero or conductor. Either say conductor wan use agbari so you go forget your change or conductor don abuse or curse or probably even wan fight you sef over some trivial matter.

NIGERIAN TIME OR AFRICAN TIME?

Why is it that we do not keep to time in everything we do in Nigeria? Why must we as Nigerians always be behind time?

Why must we always be late for appointments and start events behind schedule?

ONLY IN NIGERIA... (1)

Only in Nigeria would the government spend 2.2 billion Naira on building a 150-capacity events hall in the Presidential Villa, while approving a contract for the supply of anti-tuberculosis drugs for the multi-drug resistant tuberculosis programme that would be sufficient to treat only 500 Nigerians where it is aware that 5000 new cases are reported in the country annually.

RISING ABOVE TRIBAL AND RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS

It is worrisome when you go through the posts of people on websites and blogs and read the inflammatory comments on these posts of people who ordinarily should be civilised. For these category of people, stories and reports must always be analysed or interpreted from a tribal or religious perspective.

WHO WILL GUARD THE GUARDS?

The bombing of a church last week Sunday in Command and Staff College Jaji, and the attack on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad Headquaters in Abuja raises a lot of critical issues and salient points.

Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those who died and others who have been killed since the Boko Haram onslaught began.

IF I HEAR SAY E HAPPEN...

1. What if senators take a pay cut?
2. What if Fashola orders all airplanes landing in MMA to have Lagos plate number?
3. What if Jonathan becomes frustrated and applies for Senegalese citizenship?

OKADA PALAVA

The recently passed ban on Okada riders in Lagos has affected the residents of Lagos in more ways than one. Imagine with the hold up way dey for lagos man no fit fly bike again, oh boy e no easy oh.

'COMRADE' OLUSEGUN OBASANJO CALLS FOR REVOLUTION!

It is ironic that Chief Matthew Olusegun Obasanjo has overnight been transformed into an activist. His recent comments in a conference on youth employment and other related comments in the past shows that something is fundamentally wrong with the Nigerian ruling class.