VOTERS EDUCATION PART 2: SEVEN MORE THINGS ALL NIGERIANS SHOULD KNOW by Kemi Martins

1. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A WASTED VOTE.

So you mean if I vote for a party which does not win, my vote is not wasted?
No, your Vote is not WASTED.
The PRIMARY PURPOSE of VOTING is not to WIN but to convey your OPINION of who should GOVERN your constituency based on your VALUES. The purpose of voting is to choose People that you can trust with your "Hard earned" Taxes for the next four years.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A WASTED VOTE.
Please Vote for your own conscience AND NOT because MORE People are VOTING for a certain party.
This is NOT a game of NUMBERS as ERRONEOUSLY BELIEVED; instead it is a LIFE DETERMINING FRANCHISE that you must exercise CAREFULLY AND OBJECTIVELY.

2. THE LESS PEOPLE THAT COME OUT TO VOTE THE EASIER IT IS FOR RIGGING TO OCCUR.

Yes, If you read the insight that Former Governor Donald Duke gave on Rigging elections, you would understand clearly that Elections were rigged by his former Party based on the great number of UNUSED Ballot Papers at the disposal of INEC agents.
It becomes clear that if there is a MASSIVE voter TURNOUT , there will be less Ballot Papers to use for Rigging.
Also If you look at BAUCHI and LAGOS States in 2007, you will realize that the Voter turn out made it difficult for RIGGING TO OCCUR on a greater scale.

3. THE PEOPLE THAT DETERMINE ELECTION RESULTS ARE NOT IN THE VILLAGES alone.

IT is a MYTH that those who determine election Results are in the VILLAGES. NIGERIA has forever at least since the 1960s had a problem of consistent Rural Urban Migration. Our Cities are overcrowded so it may not be so accurate to think that the people in the villages will determine election results. This sort of thinking breeds apathy amongst people and makes them abandon their responsibility of voting objectively because at the back of their minds they believe their votes don't really matter. Well, now you know- YOUR VOTE MATTERS.

4. YOU SHOULD NOT WAIT FOR RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO DETERMINE WHO YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR BECAUSE YOU THINK GOD WILL TELL THEM THE "CHOSEN" PERSON.

Well, I have said it before - We operate a DEMOCRACY not a THEOCRACY, In a DEMOCRACY their is NO DIVINE RIGHT TO RULE. THERE IS NO RULER and THERE IS NO THRONE. The only "chosen" person is the one you choose.
Those we are electing are PUBLIC SERVANTS and they are elected to lead, not to rule. God understands Democracy and He understands that leaders will be Elected based on Voters preferences.
For example, I know that a lot of People will be expecting Religious Leaders to tell them who to Vote for. However, the truth is that The RELIGIOUS LEADER is a Citizen of Nigeria just like you and I, and he also has a civic duty to vote based on his own Values. He knows God will not vote for him, he will have to vote by himself based on his own preferences.
THIS is GOD’S expectation of every Nigerian Citizen. If any Religious Leader fails in this CIVIC duty and teaches others to fail in performing their CIVIC duties, I can assure you that God will not be happy with that leader.
Another way we can look at it is in this way- Supposing God tells a prophet that a thief is the one who is going to win the election. Should the prophet then Vote for the thief ?
No, God would expect that the Prophet should still go ahead and vote for a honest person based on values.
This is what Voting based on values is all about.We should not vote for anyone because we think they are going to win or Because a Religious Leader says so. We should at all times vote for People who best represents the values we seek in Government.

5. THE BEST WAY TO VOTE IS TO VOTE BASED ON VALUES.

In the Past, Nigerians have voted based on tribe and tongue, military affiliations and financial prowess, we have even voted for people because they were corrupt and cunning, believing that these were good qualities of a politician. We cannot continue in that manner because 50 yrs is enough for us to see that all it has brought us is PAIN, HARDSHIP and MEDIOCRITY. We must now up the ante and Seek real values in Leaders.
So what are some of these values we should seek in Leaders?
a) INTEGRITY : Saying what you mean and meaning what you say. Example- Gani Fawehinmi
b) FORTITUDE : Courage to do that which is right even when it is unpopular. Example - Peter Akinola
c) PASSION FOR CHANGE : a dissatisfaction with status quo, A refusal to accept that things cannot be done in a better way- Example Tunde Idiagbon.
d) HONESTY: a leader who will not loot public treasury or collect bribes.- Examples A.A Bassey (of customs) and Nuhu Ribadu.
e) CONTRIBUTION: A willingness to sincerely contribute to Nation building.-Examples Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and Oby Ezekwesili
f) SELFLESSNESS: a leader that puts nation above self.- Example Aminu Kano
g) TRANSPARENCY: Accountability and openness knowing that you are a public servant and therefore you are accountable to the public.- Example Muritala Mohammed.
h) A CONSCIOUSNESS OF INTERGENERATIONAL EQUITY: A belief and knowledge that what we do today affects the future of our children and our children matter more than us, therefore we must ensure that we build not for our sakes alone but for posterity. It is this particular value that also translates into VISION. - Example Obafemi Awolowo.
(The examples above are subjective because they are my examples, I am sure you have your own examples too, you may even disagree with mine –that is not important, what is important is that you take note of the values.)
This time around we must vote based on values

6. IF WE WANT AN ENVIABLE NATION, THEN WE MUST BUILD ONE.

It won't Just happen, We Must PARTICIPATE.
We must participate in Nation Building, If we don't, we will continue to suffer.
We must understand that though we may prosper individually, we cannot be said to have really prospered if our community is not prospering.
It is OUR DUTY to ensure that our commonwealth is not handed over to thieves.
We must engage candidates, we must ask questions.
No candidate should be elected without us making sure that they hold at least 10 townhall meetings.
The days of coming to campaigns and just reeling out promises is over. Candidates must go through debates.
Journalists must be ready to grill candidates
( and Please Journalists should stop standing whilst candidates sit to address them - that is the wrong order. If anyone wants to serve they should learn to stand while the people sit at meetings or at best everybody sits)
(Journalist should learn to address Public servants in a way that impresses on them , the status of Public servants; STOP ALL this YOUR EXCELLENCY this, YOUR EXCELLENCY that. Call them MISTER- Mr Govenor, Mr President)
We must participate, we must sacrifice time and effort for the change we desire- we have no choice.

7. FINALLY we MUST EDUCATE OURSELVES and EDUCATE OTHERS

How can I do that?

Firstly, share this note. You have friends on Facebook, so please share with them. It is good to share.
Afterall, you shared that picture, and you shared that joke and of course you shared that church program. Kindly share this one too. For the sake of others and for the sake of the next generation.
Please Campaign for your candidate & Donate towards his or her campaign. GET INVOLVED. Infact, it is a test of whether you really believe in them.
Encourage others to vote based on values and to Guard their votes.
You can also share the First PART of this note for more education on Voting.
Find it here

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=151180541569709&id=100000476801912&ref=mf

We will continue to pursue this form of electorate education until we see change. Thank you. God bless Nigeria.

N.B
PLEASE if you are blessed with the Gift of translation please kindly translate and transcribe to your native dialect and disseminate. Thank You.

Interview Thursday: "Nigeria is an endlessly fascinating country - perhaps the most diverse country on the planet in terms of languages alone" Jeremy

Jeremy Weate is a blogger and a consultant. His blog is dedicated to Nigerian issues, though not a Nigerian which he would have become by marriage if there is no discrimination against Nigerian women giving citizenship to their husbands, he is passionate about Nigeria and its development. Welcome on Interview Thursday Jeremy.

Can you give “Interview Thursday" a glimpse into your background?

I am from a small village near Birmingham. I studied philosophy and have a PhD from the University of Warwick. I have been consulting for the past twelve years and spent the last six living in Nigeria with my partner.

What inspires you to write about Nigeria as your blog name is "Naija blog"?

When I started my blog, there were not many Nigerian blogs around so the first name that came to my head was naijablog. I thought it might be interesting to write a diary of my time living in Nigeria. I never thought that anyone would bother reading it.

What do you think of Nigeria as a Nation?

Nigeria is an endlessly fascinating country - perhaps the most diverse country on the planet in terms of languages alone. It has the potential to lead Africa and redefine the continent's role globally. It has yet to live up to that potential.

Niger Delta crisis has being a recurrent decima, do you think the new step by the federal government in granting amnesty to the militants will help solve the problem?

No. But its a good first step.

What do you see as the lasting solution to the Niger Delta crisis?
The Niger Delta will remain a troubled area until there is infrastructure and jobs and oil bunkering is no longer possible. Without all of those three elements in place, the area will remain restive.

Do you think Nigeria changing and having selfless leaders in all quarters in the next political dispensation?
I don't see good leadership emerging. However, as with the last two to three years of Obj's second term, there is a competent group of technocrats emerging now - specifically the Finance Minister, the new CBN governor and the DG of the Budget Office. There is hope that the financial management of the nation's economy is in good hands. However, too many people in leadership positions in Nigeria are driven by greed, by ego and by a lack of ethics, sadly.

Has Jeremy come to stay permanently in Nigeria?
Nigerian women marrying foreigners cannot grant citizenship (unlike Nigerian men marrying foreign women), so it’s not easy for a foreigner to settle permanently. However, Nigeria is in my blood. I have a Nigerian family - my wife, mother-in-law, sisters-in-law and many good Nigerian friends. In at least a metaphorical sense, I will never leave Nigeria.

Can you mention 5 things to admire about Nigeria [ns] and the other 5 you wish will change?
5 things to admire:

1. Nigeria's historical cultures - the power and depth of the culture I am most familiar with - the Yoruba - never ceases to hold my awe and respect, and the mystery of the Nok civilisation and what exactly Sungbo Eredo was all about..

2. The landscapes of Nigeria - from tropical forest to savannah and sahel - Nigeria has a fantastic range of environments and many undiscovered places, such as the tallest mountain - Gangirwal (the mountain of death) - which we climbed a year or so ago.

3. The can-do spirit of the people. Many Nigerians hustle a living without power or water and still manage to make something of their lives.

4. Fela. Fela is a major draw for foreigners interested in Nigeria. Despite his flaws, he will always be admired for his revolutionary spirit, inspiring music and sexy dancers.

5. The Nigerian Diaspora around the world is showing what Nigerians can do in the proverbial 'enabling environment'. Some of the most interesting cultural output (literature, music, art) is being generated by Nigerians away from home.
5 things to change:

1. The obvious stuff must come first. Think what Nigeria could do if only there were more electricity! Ditto for water, roads etc. Nigeria should look to one of its greatest assets - the sunshine - for smart-grid power solutions. A key immediate issue is to sort out the refineries and then end the fuel subsidy (in that order). Sorting out the refineries means letting the private sector in for full ownership and management

2. Agricultural and industrial development. Before the oil came, Nigeria's economy was based on a regional balance of groundnuts, palm oil, rubber and cocoa. Key here is to ensure that value-added product refinement takes place in country, rather than raw materials being exported overseas as basic commodities with low value. Beyond agriculture, Nigeria needs to redevelop key industry sectors, such as financial services, textiles, IT. There needs to be a clear policy to roll out affordable broadband internet across the country once WACS and Main1 submarine cables get hooked up to Nigeria next year.

3. Investment in education. The education system in Nigeria has collapsed, and the government continues to place a low-budgetary priority on funding it (less than 2% of govt expenditure in this years budget). Compare and contrast with other African countries, such as Ghana, which spends between 15 and 20% of its annual budget on education. The situation in the North is dire if you look at the statistics.

4. Outside of all this development stuff, the issue is leadership. There is way too much oga-syndrome on every level - leaders who do not delegate authority, take courageous decisions and indulge in nepotism rather than resist patronage pressures. Nigerian organisations are often a triumph of ego over process. This has to change if organisational dysfunction is to be avoided.

5. A re-assessment of the pre-colonial past of Nigeria. So much has been de-valued and confused in the rush to adopt Western belief systems and values.

Thanks for your time ad these wonderful insights!
Thanks - I enjoyed answering these questions!

JUNE 8 AND THE DEATH OF ABACHA

June 8, 1998 was a memorable day in the history of Nigeria. In the wee hours of June 8, 1998 an announcement that changed the history of Nigeria was made. It was the sudden death ofGeneral Sanni Abacha, the tyrant that seized power in 1993 after General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) who cancelled the only true democratic election that was won by Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO) decided to “step- aside” and put in place ‘an Interim Government” led by Ernest Shonekan.

People mourn the death of others people, close family member, loved ones, friends, famous people, changemakers and pets. We simply mourn but Nigerians did not mourn when Abacha’s sudden death was announced. They took to the street, dancing, singing, celebrating, thanking God for His intervention.

A lot of atrocities were perpetrated during Abacha’s rule; embezzlement of public fund, a lot of the killings of innocent Nigerians, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Suliyat Adedeji amongst others were assassinated. Several activists were jailed. The Niger Delta opposition activist Ken Saro-Wiwa; the Ogoni Leader and 9 others were executed after the kangaroo tribunal set up by Abacha found them guilty for speaking out against the environmental damage to the Niger Delta caused by Shell Oil through its 37 years of drilling in the region.

Abacha during his reign, promised Nigerians that he was there to help Nigeria return to democracy and in truth the only democracy he had in mind was self-succession. He was ready to become another Mugabe of Africa. Thinking he was unstoppable, he went ahead with his self – successions plans aided by some of well-known Nigerians, the likes of Daniel Kalu, Chief Femi Aluko that did not mean well for Nigeria. He was declared our messiah but the true messiah that will never share His glory with anyone came and called him home?

That was how our oppressor, the killer of the innocent, the by force-ruler, the embezzler of National treasures gave up the ghost unceremoniously. Some Nigerians are clamouring for June 8 to be our democracy day because of the miracle of the day. This is debatable because June 4 and June 12 are equally important. They are days never to be forgotten in the history of Nigeria.