5 great things in Nigeria that money cannot buy in nigeria

With the economic downturn, money has never seemed more important to Nigerians as it is today. Everyone is concerned about money: how to get it, how to spend it, where to spend it, and how to save it. No doubt money is important – it allows us to do and have more things than we can without it – and has become a vital element in our lives but the fact remains that some of the best things in life are free. Nigeria, as a country, offers a number of assets to treasure…and these, money cannot buy. From a rich heritage to a public holiday every October 1st, Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking portal, has come up with 5 important things Nigeria  offers it people for free. Economy A rich heritage Nigeria has a rich and peculiar heritage that is shared by every single citizen of the country.  With  multiple ethnic groups, the country hosts diverse cultures  embodied in over 250 ethnic groups and expressed in about 521 languages. Nigerians not only benefit from the knowledge gained from these customs and tradition; they are imbued with a way of life that ensures that they excel in almost any other part of the world. They also have a variety in terms of cuisines and the traditional attires feed the fashion industry of today. A government for the people Nigerians enjoy a government of the people, for the people, by the people and this could in no way have been bought. In Nigeria, as it is in every other nation of the world, there are people who would argue that the government is not the best. Unlike certain countries where the individuals have no say and their resources are completely owned by the government, Nigeria can practices their fundamental human rights freely and have the authority to elect and impeach any government official they chose. Again, their opinions channeled through the media are duly considered and incorporated where relevant.   A measure of peace Absolute peace is not something that has been achieved in any part of the world. Most governments around the world have spent major sums of money over the years in the name of “peace”, but have been unable to achieve it. Despite the Terrorist attack in the Northern parts of the country, you can say that Nigeria enjoys a measure of peace as there is a proper handle of gun control, drug possession and other crimes. Its people  also  act fairly, and humanely, treating others as we would want to be treated.   The sound of rainfall Unlike most popular countries across the world who have four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn, Nigeria has just two – rainy and dry season. A lot may not consider the sound of the rains as something worthwhile, but there are people in some parts of the world who rarely hear it.  They suffer bouts of drought year in year out and have no access to water. Others do get the rains, but sparingly and so agriculture is not considered possible export for them. Nigerians enjoy the rains for free and the sound of the rain pellets hitting the roots and exhuming the fresh scent of rich earth is not something that money can buy.   Public holiday on the 1st of October Nigeria is the only country in the world that gives its citizen the day off on October 1st every year. That is certainly something money certainly cannot buy. The day set aside for celebrating the country’s independence, features festivities and fireworks around the nation. Basically, it is a day of merriment for the people. And for those in the civil service, you still earn your salary for the day!

things-nigeria-money-cannot

Who was Nigeria's best head of state?

Who was Nigeria's best head of state?Ever argued with your friends about who Nigeria’s best leader was?

 – The debate about Nigeria’s leadership is getting attention online

 – Let us know who you think was the best by commenting and sharing!

Nigeria has had many heads of state throughout its tumultuous history, so no wonder when many of our country’s citizens wonder who was best!

Whether they be military dictators or democratically elected politicians, Nigerians certainly have a lot of candidates to choose from.

President Muhammadu Buhari served as the head of a military administration between 1983 – 1985

With the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari now into its first year, and a welcome first as the transferal of power to him from former president Goodluck Jonathan was the first peaceful transition in Nigerian history, Nigerians are taking to social media to voice their opinions on who was Nigeria’s best leader.

The question ‘who is considered the best head of the state that Nigeria ever had?’ was posted on the debating site Quora, and Nigerians are already responding.

Quadri Oluwaseun proposed Murtala Muhammad as Nigeria’s best leader, describing him as loved by his people who was a genius at efficient government.

Murtala Muhammed reigned for 199 days until he was assassinated

“He removed top federal and state officials to break links  with the Gowon regime and to restore public confidence in the federal  government.

“He also announced that his government would encourage the rapid  expansion of the private sector into areas dominated by public  corporations. He reappraised foreign policy, stressing a “Nigeria first”  orientation in line with OPEC  price guidelines that was to the disadvantage of other African countries.”

Austin Fagabe praised Muhammed for his vision, but went on to argue that our current leader is a much more proficient leader.“Definitely Murtala Muhammed in sision, but in realization, the military Head of State Buhari.

“He gets credit for ensuring the proper function of pharmacies, efficiently managing revenue from Nigeria’s oil wealth and leading a corruption free tenure until he was unfortunately overthrown by Babangida who resumed Nigeria’s regrettable political modus operandi.”

Ike Onwubuya went back to the military theme, singling out Nigeria’s war time leader Yakubu Gowon as our country’s finest leader.

Gowon led Nigeria during the civil war period

“My choice would be Yakubu Gowon. He became the Head of State in 1966 at a very early age and presided over a devastating civil war.

“He declared the war ‘No victor, no vanquished’ and went about the rehabilitation of the defeated Igbos. He also embarked on a series of reconstruction of the war torn territories.”

Want to contribute to the debate?  Share and comment and let us know who you think Nigeria’s best leader is!

Afcon 2017: Nigeria fail to qualify after defeat by Egypt

 

With just one game remaining and only the group winners to qualify, Nigeria cannot make up their five-point deficit to table-toppers Egypt.

Ramadan Sobhy's 65th-minute winner puts Egypt on the verge of qualification.

Egypt face Tanzania in June and will book their place in Gabon with any result better than a 3-0 defeat.

Nigeria won the Nations Cup in 2013 but have now suffered back-to-back eliminations in qualifying.

They threw everything forward to find an equaliser on Tuesday and came close when West Ham winger Victor Moses crashed a shot against the post in the 84th minute.

The match in Alexandria became a virtually all-or-nothing tie for Nigeria after Chad withdrew from the group on Sunday, citing financial difficulties, and all results from their matches were erased.

That left only three teams in Group G and in accordance with the rules of the Confederation of African Football only the winner would qualify for the finals.

Egypt have seven points with one match to play, against bottom club Tanzania, who have only one point but two games remaining.

To have any chance of qualification Tanzania would need to beat Egypt by a better scoreline than the 3-0 defeat they suffered in Egypt last June because head-to-head records would come into effect if the sides finished level on points.

Tanzania would still have to beat Nigeria in their final match in Septembe
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APC wouldn’t have won without Tinubu –Buhari

March 30, 2016

Bola Tinubu

John Alechenu and Eniola Akinkuotu

President Muhammadu Buhari has attributed the triumph of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 general election to the vision of a National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Buhari said this in a recorded tribute which was presented at the 8th Bola Tinubu Colloquium in Abuja on Tuesday.

At the event, which was held to commemorate the 64th birthday of Tinubu, the President said the former governor of Lagos State was the brains behind the merger of Nigeria’s main opposition parties in 2013.

He said without Tinubu’s vision and intelligence, the party would not have been formed and the APC would not be in power today.

Buhari stated, “If Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not participate, there wouldn’t have been a merger and there wouldn’t have been an APC government at the centre. That is absolutely clear.

“He should thank God that he has gone through so much and has remained relevant, that he is healthy and young.”

Earlier in his address, the President had contended that Tinubu remained one of the most important figures in Nigeria at the moment.

Buhari added, “There are very few patriots, alive or departed, who can match the commitment, resilience and creativity that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has, over the past few decades, demonstrated in organising Nigeria’s public life for good.

“As he adds another year today, my best wishes and prayers go out to a man who deserves a lot of commendation for what he continues to stand for.”

The President’s address, which centred on the theme: ‘Agriculture: Action, Work, Revolution’, highlighted the several opportunities which abound in the agricultural sector.

According to him, it is unfortunate that Nigeria is importing food when it should be exporting.

Buhari said, “Nearly all our crop-based farming activities are dependent on rain-fed agriculture, and this makes our agricultural productivity entirely vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

“In the past few years, on the average, we have spent in excess of $11bn annually importing wheat, rice, sugar and fish. We need not, and indeed we cannot afford to continue on this trajectory.

“Agriculture is the key to our economic growth and social investment policies. Our administration’s key strategy is to ensure that Nigeria becomes self- sufficient in the foods that we consume the most.

“Maize, rice, corn, millets, fruits, poultry products and their derivatives can all be produced at home if we put our hearts into it. Our policy is simple: We will produce what we eat! It is not only logical, it is necessary.”

In his tribute, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, recalled the role Tinubu played in bringing aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party’s governors into the APC after the crisis in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

Amaechi said Tinubu convinced the members of the APC to allow the New PDP members to join its fold at the time.

He said, “He was able to gather the leadership of the political class together. He was key; more than gathering the public because once you gather the leadership of the political class and ensure that there is unity of purpose, they could share to the public jointly this change mantra.

“We in the New PDP were in constant contact with him and we virtually negotiated through him. By the time the President (Buhari) and others got involved, we had gone far with Asiwaju. He played a key role.”

Also speaking in the tribute video, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, described Tinubu as a visionary, noting that the ex-governor of Lagos was dependable and loyal.

Sanusi, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said, “It was people like Tinubu that insisted that this country could not afford another four years of that kind of thing (past administration) and basically laid down their lives, laid down their resources and gave their all to ensure that change happened.

“He is extremely loyal and that is how you know your friends. It doesn’t matter where you are or what happens to you, you can always be sure that Asiwaju will be there.”

Tinubu, while speaking at the event, recalled that the 2015 presidential election coincided with his birthday.

He said Buhari’s victory at the polls was his biggest birthday gift yet.

The ex-governor described the PDP-led Federal Government from 1999 to 2015 as a deceptive one.

The APC leader recalled that the PDP government claimed that it had established a Nigerian Commodity Exchange to provide a practical solution to a number of challenges that have adversely affected the growth and development of the Nigerian agricultural sector, contending that the initiative was a sham.

He thanked guest speaker and Ethiopian agric expert, Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin, for exposing the dubiousness of the PDP-led Federal Government.

Tinubu said, “We have had a series of promises in the last 50 years and particularly in the last 16 years. I remember the article I wrote after the presentation of the book, Financialism: Fetching the water from a dry well’. It was about this commodity exchange.

“The deceptive government at that time announced immediately that same week that commodity exchange had been established. It took an Ethiopian to discover its lies, but thank God, we are taking it more seriously now.

“I salute the President and the entire cabinet that Nigeria is being redirected. There is no option for us but to revalidate our faith in our country and take the hard decision now. Our renaissance must come from within. We have the land, the mind, the capacity and the ability.”

Earlier, several of the contributors at the event decried the over $11bn that Nigeria had spent yearly on the importation of wheat, rice, sugar and fish products.

They noted that the whole of Africa accounted for a mere  5.6 per cent of the global meat production while Asia accounted for 42.3 per cent; Europe, 18.7 per cent; Asia, 42.3 per cent;  America, 31.4 per cent; while others accounted for two per cent.

It was generally agreed that the narrative must change for the better.

Some of the dignitaries, who attended the event, included The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II; and the Ooni of Ife,Oba  Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

Others were the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN); the governors of Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Niger, Kebbi and Imo states; several senators and members of the House of Representatives.

Senate President Bukola Saraki; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara,  were, however, not at the ceremony.

Nigerian troops capture spiritual home of Boko Haram

March 29, 2016

Kayode Idowu

Ten days after a clampdown on Alargano, the spiritual headquarters of the terrorist sect, Boko Haram, the Nigerian Army said it has successful captured it.

Addressing a press conference in Maiduguri on Tuesday, the head of the counter-insurgency operations in the North-East (Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole), Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor said the Nigerian troop offensive to capture Alargano initiated on March 18, 2016 has been successful concluded on Monday.

He said the offensive commenced on March 18, 2016 at about 0900 hour with troops of  3 and 7 Division assisted by air bombardment by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

Irabor lamented that the advance was halted several times due to planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along the routes leading to Alargano, revealing that during the operations troops had to clear Yajiwa, Joba, Mosa, Ariwuzumari, Missene Sansan and Kagalmari villages, all at the fringes of the forest.

He declared: “Our gallant troops finally entered Alagarno on March 28, 2016 during which several Boko Haram terrorists were killed along the route.”

The Army chief said: “This operation demystified the Boko Haram terrorist spiritual power base in Alagarno. Throughout the operation, the NAF monitored the operation, consistently resupplied the advancing troops as well as assisted in evacuating soldiers that were wounded in action.”

Irabor while claiming that the military has recorded tremendous successes against the insurgents, said in the last one month Nigerian troop captured Kumshe. He noted that this was achieved in conjunction with Cameroonian forces.

He said during the operation, 24 insurgents were killed with equipment which include one gun truck mounted with Anti-Aircraft gun, two AK 47 rifles as well as 60 mm mortar captured.

He said the capture of Kala-Balge on 23  troops of 22 Brigade in conjunction with elements of Armed Forces Special Forces (AFSF) Battalion and Army Headquarters Strike Group (AHQ SG) was another major advancement in the ongoing war on terror.

He said the military remains steadfast in ending the war on a successful note and recent video of Shekau showing remorse would not stop the force from stepping on the throttle to see the war through.

Irabor said:  “The Theatre Command wishes to reassure the public of its untiring resolve to safeguard lives and properties of Nigerians in the North East. Regarding the online video clip purportedly released by the BHT leader or his replica showing remorse and making a dying testimony, let me unequivocally state that it does not have any influence on Operation LAFIYA DOLE as our gallant troops are determined to completely wipe out all terrorists in our great country Nigeria.

‘It is imperative to add that we shall not rest on our oars in implementing the directives of our courageous leaders, C-in-C, CDS, the COAS Lt Gen TY Buratai, and other Service Chiefs at ensuring that the BHTs are completely defeated and their remnants cleared wherever they hibernate.

“However, we are mindful that most of the BHT are tired of their ignoble adventure. We are ready to receive them whenever they so decide. Consequently, all would be terrorists, suicide bombers and other BHTs are advised to do away with their senseless venture and surrender to the security forces. For those ready to surrender, they are hereby assured that they would be humanely treated in line with international best practices and in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law.”

Jonathan called me 19 days after Chibok girls’ abduction –Shettima

March 29, 2016

Former President Goodluck Jonathan

Ademola Oni and Kayode Idowu

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State on Monday said former President Goodluck Jonathan did not call him until after 19 days after the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, in 2014.

No fewer than 259 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram militants from their hostel in GSS, Chibok, on April 14, 2014 as they prepared for their West African Senior Secondary   Certificate Examinations.

A few of the girls managed to escape from the terrorists, who were said to have dressed like military men and loaded the girls into trucks and headed for an unknown destinations.

Over 219 of the girls are yet to be rescued since the unfortunate incident.

Shettima, however, said Jonathan, who was the President at the time of the mass abduction, only called him on the kidnapping about three weeks after the incident, which generated global outrage at the time.

The Borno State governor said this while receiving former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Government House, Maiduguri, after the ex-President arrived at the state capital on a two-day visit.

Obasanjo was on a visit to Borno on the invitation of the University of Maiduguri as part of the institution’s 40th anniversary celebration.

Trying to draw a comparison between the leadership style of Obasanjo and Jonathan, Shettima believed Obasanjo would have handled the issue of the kidnapping differently were he to be the nation’s President at the time.

He stated, “In our own case, Your Excellency, after the Chibok abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in April, 2014, it took 19 days for me to receive a call from the Presidency. I brought this mainly to show the difference, because we will only appreciate scenarios when we make comparisons.”

The governor recalled that the current Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who was a top member of the All Progressives Congress in 2014, hailed Obasanjo’s leadership qualities in a conversation after the mass abduction.

Shettima added, “I was actually lamenting to him on governance at the federal level with relations to the poor handling of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Chief Ogbeh said, ‘Look, I might have had some political differences with President Olusegun Obasanjo but to say it as it is, if Obasanjo had been President while this insurgency is happening in Borno and other parts of the North-East, you would have witnessed what responsive leadership entails’.”

Shettima noted that Obasanjo’s visit on Monday marked the ex-President’s first visit to the Borno State Government House since 1976.

The governor described himself as “lucky and privileged” to receive the former President as the governor of the state.

Obasanjo, in his reaction, said the Boko Haram insurgency would become a thing of the past judging from the military’s string of successes against the extremist group in recent times.

The former President, who was in Maiduguri in 2011 to initiate a possible dialogue between the Jonathan administration and the insurgents, commended  President Muhammadu Buhari’s strategies to fighting the terrorists, noting that peace was gradually returning to the troubled areas.

He said, “A lot of water has passed under the bridge in this part of the country. I must not forget to commiserate with all our people in this state and indeed the entire North-East, which have been victims of insurgency in the way we have never witnessed in this country before.

“I travel a lot in Africa and outside Africa, and wherever I have gone in recent times, what people want to know is what and how Nigeria is coping with the situation of insurgency.

“Today, I think we are not out of the woods yet but it would appear that we can see the light beyond the tunnel.

“There is no doubt that with the combined efforts at the local level, at the state level and at the federal level, and even at the community level, our security forces are on the ascendancy over the forces of destruction, the menace and danger of insurgency that we have experienced for almost six years now.”

According to Obasanjo, Buhari has shown that he is passionate about ending insecurity in the country, calling for support for his government.

He added, “Talking to the President (Buhari) about the issue of insurgency in particular and insecurity in general, I know that he is very, very concerned, and not only very concerned, he has got it right.

“He (Buhari) has ensured that where they (Boko Haram) have occupied is cleared of any mines. Where you have mines, lives are not only insecure, people feel intimidated for you never know when you may step on them.”