My Igbo by Donald Molosi

we may all be created equal

but truth remains that

no one be like you.

it is the essence of a dream sweet and real

that my last would be my first and

your mind would impassion me.

that before you, i had never etched anyone’s name

onto the floor of my heart; that i had never breathed gently...

...that before you no one had ever

had all of me - unbolted my heart and

safely held it in theirs.

no one be like you.

for all that is physical, they may all be created equal.

but you remain the essence of what eludes the body.

simply the essence.

Donald Molosi will be a guest blogger on this blog for a couple of weeks, watch this space for exciting posts!

New Dreams! Breeze,Thoughts and Confidence

Air in my lung
Breeze on my face
Smiles on my cheeks
Thoughts in my head
Confidence in my voice
Great purpose in my walk
I stroll on the boulevard of new dreams
I don't have to walk, smile or think alone

Subsidy, Leadership and Change: Managing Change as a Leader by Atoyebi Oyelere

Ken Blanchard, the author of the popular book “One Minute Manager” while commenting on a book (Who moved my cheese) by Spencer Johnson said “Everyone knows that not all change is good or even necessary. But in a world that is constantly changing, it is to our advantage to learn how to adapt and enjoy something better”. My belief is that the essence of leadership is initiating and managing change.

If I can say it a thousand times more, I would continue to say it the way it has always been said, the menace of underdevelopment in Africa is basically an outgrowth of the bane of incompetency in leadership. As the fight for the removal/continuance of the subsidy of petrol (PMS) enters the fifth day, my reflections have not been about the economic justifications or moral sanity of the whole episode of the drama, the imbroglio and brouhaha generated, but from the angle of a student, I’ve garnered practical lessons in leadership:

1. You don’t introduce change as a leader where you are not trusted. The basis for every credible leadership is trust and before any meaningful journey could be embarked upon, credibility is the first point of reckoning.

2. Wisdom is the diligent combination of the correctness of a decision and the appropriateness of the timing for the implementation of such decision. If I could go mathematical: Wisdom= 80% Appropriate Timing+ 20% Correctness of the decision.

3. A change imposed is a change opposed….an organization can only change when enough people in it change. If you can work on people’s mind long enough, then you can make the necessary impact (change) in their situation after they have seen where they fit in, in the big picture. If people carry the mindset of Egypt into Canaan, they would soon change Canaan into Egypt. Capital development without human (manpower) development is a waste of resources.

4. Leaders don’t just set goals, they set standards…Any leader who demands from others, what he himself has not shown to sacrifice is only seen as a tyrant, no matter the “nobility” of the cause he/she proves to be pursuing. The defining characteristic of a leader is sacrifice….not what you acquire, but that which you give.

5. Leaders have a clear sense of communication. It is when the people see how change can make things better that they get more interested in making the change happen. It is when the desire for the new level is greater than the comfort the status quo offers that change is birthed!

6. Leaders know that defining changes that are very critical to his people are not made drastically. They are gradually introduced over time. Also, major changes are not made in times of instabilities or upheavals. You don’t need a prophet to tell you that such change would be opposed. It is puerile to make major economic decisions in times of political and social hullabaloo, not to talk of precarious security situation. Insecure people would never support change!

7. If someone calls you a donkey, don’t pay any attention to it, but if five people call you a donkey, go buy a saddle. When change is being resisted, it is either you are wrong or they are hurt. I believe leaders who have shaped their world are always in the minority, but they are never detached from the feelings of the majority, except the decision to be made is a personal one.

8. Americans rejected the privatisation of social security despite former President George Bush’s country-wide advocacy for it. Bush latter shelved the policy. Leaders are sufficiently grounded and understand the game well enough to know that just like in a team sport, personal awards and accolades are a CONSEQUENCE rather than an OBJECTIVE. Leaders don’t lose if they give in to the wish of the people “temporarily” to later win in the end; it is just an avenue to show how paramount the interest of the people is to them.

9. Honesty is still the best policy…any leader who applies the principle of double standard WOULD NEVER gain the trust of his people…if there are cabals in any organization that are above the rule, then the revolt by those classified as under the rule is only a function of time. The scale of injustice is never permanently at rest, it is like a pendulum, many at times activated by the wind of change!

As we occupy our dear country till the desired change comes…Please let us learn from what you are learning at this critical period of our nation

FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVER: OCCUPY LONDON 2012

If we have our own working refinery, we wont even be talking of subsidy, if we have working electricity the cost of production will not go up unbearably every time there is an increase in fuel price, if there is economic development with focus on people freedom, employment, social security and human security there wont be unnecessary hardship on the people of Nigeria.Agricultural sector is still neglected remember? The late Obafemi Awolowo must be sad about this. If we even take this argument further, if our 'leaders' can start the sacrifice by cutting their salaries and other benefits and pumping the money saving from this into the country's development, they will be such good heroes. If our 'leaders' have a slight clue on tackling corruption starting from themselves and reforming our security sector, may be we can start listening to their legal, economic or moral justification to remove fuel subsidy. Nuf said!

Abuse and Slapsgiving! by bishop david oyedepo

This is getting out of hands. Open abuse and damnation of a child all in the name of deliverance. We always believe some people are untouchable. I am so appalled by this and join everyone that condemns this act! This is bad! Bad!! Bad!!! Religion houses need to be called to order, state persecution of those committing atrocities in the name of religion need to be firmly rooted in our society not only Boko Haram is our terrorist in Nigeria. Revrend King paid for it and Bishop Oyedepo is not above the law!!!

Welcome: The new Nigerian refugees by SYLVIA OFILI

THE Nigerian Senate just gave many people enough justification to become refugees. I predict in the next couple of months, in countries all over Europe, young men and women will arrive in droves, over sea and land, and they would all be gay. Gay or not, everybody will be gay. If you have ever wanted to leave that country but have never had any real reason to (apart from the obvious ones i.e. no light, no water, no security, no good schools, malaria, armed robbers, corrupt police, corrupt politicians, no jobs, fake drugs in the market, no connections, no food to eat, petrol wahala, feel free to add to this list) well, now you have a solid one. Do not waste any time. Put your slippers under your armpit and hit the desert (keep an eye open for Boko Haram though) but be sure to stay clear of Libya. We are being killed there but hey, who cares? The Senate has better things to do than save Nigerian citizens.

Oh yes, the Nigerian Senate who have so much time on their hands, decided to pass a bill stating that gays shall not be allowed to get married and if they dare do, they shall get fourteen years in jail. Let us face the truth. There are no gay couples applying for marriage certificates in that country. How would they do that? There are no provisions for such a marriage in our system, therefore, this bill is totally redundant. It is like telling me that I am banned from eating eba in my kitchen when I had none in the first place. If eba was available and waiting for me in my kitchen, then that’s another story. But I don’t even have garri or hot water. In fact, I don’t even have a bowl to make the eba in, so what exactly would be the point of such a ban? It’s as simple as that. I can’t be the only one that sees how unnecessary this bill is. A total waste of time and resources. But hey, in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

I am surprised about the excitement this bill has caused in our people. People are almost foaming at the mouths because of this useless bill. I wish our Senate could be equally engaged in other serious matters. For example, Boko Haram. Every month, a new bomb and yet, our senators are laughing over homosexual jokes on TV. I would have expected some kind of crack down by now. Or is it only in the Niger Delta that the military enjoys operating? And what do they plan to do about the religious violence in the north? Or is this show of solidarity against homosexuals going to stop the burning of churches over there? Will this be the very act that will unite Christianity and Islam in the north? And if that is so, will it not be strange that it is only in our hatred we can unite and not in love?

There is much to be said about this bill but I wonder if there is any point. In a bill where "public show of same-sex amorous relationships directly or indirectly” can lead to ten years imprisonment, how long will it be before neighbours turn against neighbours? In a land ruled by superstition, with the constant threat of “bad belle”, how long will it be before our jails are full of people suspected of homosexuality? Nobody needs to tell us that we are treading on dangerous ground, led by people who do not see beyond their feet.

Whatever our opinions may be about sexuality, let us not allow others use us as pawns in political games. There are many issues the government needs to face. So many young people have died on our terrible roads this year. Women are still being raped and abused daily. Children are still on our streets hawking. People are still dying of malaria. Armed robbers and kidnappers still operate freely. Corruption. Electricity. Water. Need I go on?

If you want to know the truth, I will tell you. I do not care about who gets married or who does not in this life. I have seen dysfunctional marriages in that society and it was not a pretty sight. All my life, I have seen men do as they want in their marriages. I have seen old men run after girls young enough to be their daughters. I have seen men abuse their wives and children as if they were running a slave farm. I have seen men marry one wife, two wives, three wives. I have seen men sell their daughters to other men for money. I have seen it all.

Now all of a sudden, these same men are all so concerned about who gets married?

Our country is too corrupt for us to pretend that we are that righteous. Let us stop fooling ourselves. If we were so in touch with our moral values and if really, our moral values meant so much to us as we are now claiming, Nigeria will not be in the state it is now. We are not virtuous enough to talk about moral values. Definitely our Senate should be the last place where morality should be discussed. No, let those who have clean hands come forth and speak, otherwise, everybody should keep quiet and stop the hypocrisy.

slyofili@yahoo.com

Author of this article culled from The Guardian: BY SYLVIA OFILI

Where Is The World Headed To? by Godwyns Onwuchekwa

Well, not sure anyone thinks of this. But looking back at events in the past months - or may be year - you would quite agree that it has been a momentous recent past.

The financial turmoil has refused to let the so-called 'markets' out of its trolls. Revolutions like we have never seen in recent times came like a wave, dethroned life-kings and maimed brutal warlords.

Where there is mercy, evil is creeping in; and where there is evil, mercy is being crushed. Leaders are torn between the devil (their friends and business associates) and the deep blue sea (the economies).

It is time countries look inwards to save themselves from themselves. Manufacturing is going down at the speed of light as all of us head into the office and leaving the farms behind. Meanwhile, more mouths - did they say its 7 billion now - need to be fed. Genetic-Modified (GM) food will soon not be enough.

Talking of which, the increase of illnesses that our (well, early humans) bodies should have fought off is now terrorizing us. Obesity is now an illness and still cannot be directly challenged; anorexia is revered as a way to beauty.

Regardless of these, the hurdle the world must jump to become the desired place everyone wants is very simple: those who want freedom must respect others and give them same freedom.

How can it be that the Revolutionists who killed dictators turn round to torment others? They have tasted and experienced discrimination and stigma, have been imprisoned for speaking out, exiled from their own community, trampled on for challenging their tyrants, etc. Yet, when they overcome the tormentor, they prefer to torment others?


In Egypt, the same 'Freedom' fighters who removed Mubarak has refused lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersex (LGBTI) people freedom; of expression and association. Tell me, how just are these that sought justice?

In Libya, the Revolutionist rebels who killed Gaddafi for oppressing them has turned around to torment and torture blacks and other foreigners.Where is the justice they yearned for?

In Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, suicide bombings are common way to kill fellow fighters and even their own community for religious disagreements.

In Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroun, Malawi, etc, those who demanded for self-rule and democracy have turned to become slave dealers turning their country men and women who are gay or of opposing political opinion into refugees.

In Somalia, Sudan, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, war has been used to keep the poor everlastingly poor, and power tussle trashed dissenting voices.

In Europe, and the so-called West, propaganda continues to be used. They close their eyes to oppression where it yields money to them. Malawi may not oppress gay people but Nigeria can... and the West are being very careful because Nigeria is a pot of oil and the Chinese are lurking on the corner waiting to grab it.

So, where is the world headed to? It is in a cycle of oppression. Each of the oppressed will turn around and oppress the next.

At this point, can you tell where the world is heading to? Obviously not to a freer world.

For more thought provoking posts visit:http://www.godwyns.com/