Abuja

The Christmas Day Bomb Blasts: The Killing of Mr. Innocent and his five children

/ Adeola / 1 Comment

By Adeola Aderounmu

Some broken hearts will never mend.

On Christmas day of 2011 Islamic militants attacked a sanctuary in Abuja. There were reports that at least 4 other churches were attacked.

When the bombs exploded at St. Theresa Catholic Church at least 40 people died immediately while several others were injured. A safe haven became a crime scene.

Among the dead were Mr. Innocent, his 3 sons and 2 daughters.

Innocent was from Umukabia in Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State. His wife did not die in the blast. She left the church earlier.

According to Okechukwu Okafor, a cousin of Innocent who spoke to me from his base in Germany, Innocent’s wife left the church earlier so she could prepare the food that the entire family will eat later that day.

They never did.

There would be no more family meals for Innocent and his household.

In his village, lips remained sealed as no one has told his mother about the tragic deaths in the family.

Who is going to let the cat out of the bag?

This man will be buried in his village. What are they going to tell his mum? What does she know about Boko Haram?

Who will be there to console Innocent’s mum? She has lost her dependable son.

Who is going to console Innocent’s wife? Her husband and five children are dead.

This is the greatest tragedy that can befall a woman, to lose her husband and her children in one swoop.

She will never understand why her loved ones were taken away from her forever. They paid the ultimate price. It’s a sad situation.

Before the dusts finally settle it will be a great service to country and humanity if the government of the day shows some compassion by visiting the families of the victims killed and the survivors of the senseless bomb blasts.

Maybe the Imo State Governor or the Local Government Chairman in Mbano should step forward to console the bereaved?

Families of victims and survivors have homes and they should be offered the best of psychological and moral supports by the church and the government.

It is hypocritical for Mr. Jonathan to shed tears at the crime scene 7 days after. What was he doing 5 minutes after the blast took place?

It is worrying that no one has been arrested or prosecuted for all the acts of murders that have been perpetrated in the name of terrorism in Nigeria.

It is sad that simple techniques like Google maps and 3G technologies are not available to the Nigerian Security Operatives. That is probably one of the several reasons why terrorists in Nigeria can make phone calls to journalists and the police and still keep hold of their residential areas.

It’s an additional scandal on this lukewarm presidency.

It appears that Mr. Jonathan’s biggest task before the fuel subsidy scandal was how to keep Nigeria one. He lost the plot and presents a classical example of a scalar quantity.

Each day that passes under Mr. Jonathan gives strength to the argument to restructure Nigeria as a true federation. The recent threat from Boko Haram that all southerners should quit the northern region calls for an outright division of the country.

These two options cannot be ignored forever. Nigeria is now too fragile to sustain the present form of governance.

Further negligence of the wave of terrorism and general government lawlessness sustained by systemic corruption and impunity will result to anarchy and the consequences can be Nigeria’s second civil war.

Inscriptions were made on the blood stained walls of St. Theresa Church. One of them was REVOLUTION NOW and the other was NO MORE PEACE IN THE COUNTRY.

These inscriptions are perfect descriptions of the current situation in Nigeria. Who knows where we go from where?

Some tears will never dry.

May the souls of Innocent, his children and all those who paid the supreme price for Nigeria find peace.

May their families find the strength to move on.

At Last, It’s Time to Stone Those in Power in Nigeria.

/ Adeola / 1 Comment

First Published November 14 2011

By Adeola Aderounmu

In 2009 Reuben Abati recommended that it will soon be time to start stoning the economists in the corridor of power in Abuja. In 2011 I strongly recommend that everyone in the corridor of power and all those who are called stakeholders who have supported the removal of the subsidy on oil and oil products should be stoned.

Goodluck Jonathan has pinned the reactions of Nigerians to the proposed removal of subsidy on those who want to throw him out of office. I say that he fired the first rounds of shots on his legs. If this will mark the beginning of the end for his insensitive regime, let the occupation starts.

I want to ask the same questions that Reuben Abati asked in 2009: How? Where is this subsidy that government talks about? How was it disbursed?

Reuben Abati wrote in that headline that Nigerians will soon be trekking. Sadly enough Nigerians have actually been trekking before 2009. I remembered trekking from festac town to CMUL during the 2001/2002 fuel scarcity. I had obligations that couldn’t wait.

In 2011 Nigerians are not only willing to trek, they appear ready to march down the Jonathan government that has come to be characterized by weakness in all its ramifications.

From one generation to another, the Nigerian government presents a constant image of a permanent aggregation of dubious elements. In my personal opinion I have concluded that no amount of additional suggestions or written essays can solve Nigeria’s problems.

Are there problems facing Nigerians that the solutions have not been proffered here in the Nigerian Village Square or elsewhere where Nigerians display their intellectual capabilities? Do we have problems in Nigeria that we have no discussed about openly? What has happened to their implementations?

I believe so much in the solution proffered by Reuben Abati. Even so because when it is carried out it will consume people like him. I like such solutions that will not spare the hypocrites, the pretenders, the sycophant and the famously corrupt people in government, many of whom have recently been rewarded by meaningless national awards over several years.

I can’t imagine how people receive national awards in one of the most corrupt countries in the world. How does it feel to receive national awards in a country with one of the highest child and maternal mortalities in Africa? How does it feel to receive awards in a country where electricity is almost absent? How does it feel to receive national awards in a country where public education is almost grounded?

If Nigerians obey Abati’s call by simply rising up and stoning the people in the corridor of power, I am convinced that the revolution we long sought will start. It might be ultimate the clean-up we have waited from since 1960.
It is sad how things have turned out for the ordinary Nigerians. On a poverty wage of USD 113/ month, a Nigerian is expected to pay his rent, bills, and sundries. There is no greater miracle on planet earth than a Nigerian living on N18 000 per month.

In a country where more than 20% of the population is unemployed, I have found it hard to find a greater tragedy against the back drop of the immense natural resources and potential human resources.

If there is any country in Africa where the government should be giving relief packages to her citizens after 50 years of misrule and leadership failure, that country is Nigeria.

In a twist of test of resiliency the ordinary masses will be insulted further. For failing the build or maintain functional refineries, for failing to fight or curb systemic corruption, for failing to deliver on the so-called dividends of democracy, the insensitive Nigerian government now headed by Goodluck Jonathan will make Nigerians suffer even more.

Rather than relief package the economic team of Goodluck Jonathan, his executive council and the so-called stakeholders will deliver loads of additional burden onto Nigeria.

The arguments are hinged on the famous textbook concepts rather than the realities on the ground. There are no arguments that the Jonathan government has put forward that is different from what Obasanjo and late Yar Adua proposed. In all the previous partial or total removal of subsidies that have been used to increase the pump price of petroleum products, there has never been a corresponding increase in the quality of lives of the Nigerian people.

There is absolutely no reason to believe or trust the Jonathan government. It represents the PDP government that has held sway since 1999. The PDP is the largest aggregation of corrupt people in Africa. Under the PDP the quality of life has declined sharply at the same time that the cost of it has continued to increase unhindered.

This, as Jonathan feared in his recent utterances that the opposition wants to bring down his government, must be the last test of resiliency for Nigerians. Any attempt to increase the burden of Nigerians should be met with the highest possible resistance. The opposition that I see is the over 90m Nigerians living below the poverty level.

The argument that the state governors are in support of the removal of fuel subsidy does not hold water. Which governors? We know they want more money from the 52% that the federal government has been looting for several years because they are all the same birds. Why should what the governor wants be a benchmark for what the people want?

Why do the extremely rich but corrupt people in the corridor of power think that they know what is good for the suffering masses? When will the voices of the people start to matter democratically, if truly we are under a democracy?

I think it is sad and disappointing that Jonathan think that only the people in the middle class who have 4-5 jeeps will be affected by the subsidy removal. A lot of middle class Nigerians are even still struggling to maintain their statuses and to continue to pursue a happy life.

The dynamics of the Nigerian economy certainly reveals that the masses are the end-receivers of failed policies. When the subsidy is removed there is no doubt that the cost of transportation that is already exorbitant will increase further and the prices of dietary and other consumable products will follow the same curve.

We cannot live in denial and allow those who are shielded from the reality of everyday existence since they got to the corrupt corridor of power speak for us any longer. Reuben Abati and the other advisers cannot speak for the masses. Nigeria has not improved since this administration started wasting our time. Policies or parameters that neither put food on the table nor increase the quality/standard of living are abstract and worthless.

The practical situation in Nigeria today is worse and even more deplorable compared to 2004. Someone, an ordinary Nigerian who knows where the shoes hurt, wrote today that Nigerians should be ready to turn sand to food. In all sincerity he was not joking and he didn’t think we should laugh about his comment. People are suffering.
Nigerians need relief packages and they should be brought forward now.

If this virtual subsidy on oil products is removed and Nigerians remain resilient, it means our collective “suffering and smiling” will continue. It also means that People Deceiving People Party and the team of political and economic looters who are blind to the reality of a daily Nigerian life have succeeded again. Our glory is not yet come and that is so sad and disheartening.

aderounmu@gmail.com

Hard Times For Nigerians in 2012

/ Adeola / 1 Comment

By Adeola Aderounmu

Nigerians are faced with hard times in 2012. The level and amount of suffering is to escalate beyond comprehension.
Petrol will now sell for more than N140/ liter.

This is a country where more than 100m people are impoverished, poor and in extreme penury. Mass poverty is rampant and will spread even more.

Wealth and wellness remain in the hands of the politicians and the few who have escape the menace of poverty.

On the first day of the year the useless government headed by one Mr. Jonathan announced the removal of fuel subsidy.

The cost of Transportation in Nigeria is very high and will get even higher. People will pay more to get to work and places of businesses. People who go to work 3 times a week will now probably go to work once a week or not at all.

Those who have managed 5 times a week will probably lower their attendance rate to 1-2 times.

Those who drive will become poorer because of the double cost of petrol. In short things will never be the same.

As soon as the cost of transportation increases, the cost of food will follow, hunger will spread.

In a country without social security and widespread unemployment, the consequences are unimaginable.

In addition the cost of goods and services will follow the same pattern and everybody will pay more for everything.

People will suffer more than ever before.

There may be a pressure of foreign based Nigerians to increase their allocations of money transferred to Nigeria. Families and friends will seek more help than ever before.

Mr. Jonathan and his vice president will not be affected. They have budgeted over N2 million per day for their food. In 2012, they get free fuel and over N1b for food only. The rest of Nigerians can go to hell! There is no greater act of wickedness. These men removed subsidy at the same time that they approved food subsidies for themselves. Nigerians will be foolish to live with this unacceptable madness. Jonathan should be kicked out of power asap.

Another group of people that will not be affected are the politicians in general. Nigerian politicians are the highest paid in the world and they rank among the most corrupt at the same time. There is no real attempt to stop or fight corruption in Nigeria.

The people are suffering and they will continue to suffer. People die from preventable and avoidable reasons as the politicians fattened up daily. Nigerians are amusing…how can they allow this to continue?

I have never seen a people so resilient and tolerant of madness. I will never see another like them-the Nigerians.

This is 2012, the challenges are diverse. From defending their regions to protesting against policies that enrich the corrupt and enslave the general populace, Nigerians are bracing up for violence and the hardest of time ever under the most useless presidency ever.

My Message to Southern Nigerians in 2012: Separate Now or Continue to Face Genocide

/ Adeola / 1 Comment

By Adeola Aderounmu

Is BOKO HARAM on the Way to Re-colonizing Nigeria

I don’t know why people think that Nigeria needs more bloodshed to become several divided countries. More than a million lives have been shed already. In the 1967-1970 civil war, the bloodshed has already taken place.

Since 1999 when the useless and stupid PDP party took over Nigeria several thousands of Nigerians have died. Is that not enough bloodshed?

The terrorist organization known as Boko Haram has taken over the whole of Nigeria. Several churches will not have their usual watchnight services to usher in the New Year. The churches are closed across Nigeria because of the fear of Boko Haram. Some people call them Boko Rams.

Boko Haram has promised to kill more innocent Nigerians. They are not joking. This is possible because in Nigeria the politicians are crooks, fools and total idiots. The security and intelligence mechanism of the Nigerian government is too weak and compromised. It exists only on paper as everybody is waiting for somebody to do the right thing.

If I was the governor of Lagos State for example, I would probably have annexed the whole of Western Nigeria and declare the Republic of Oduduwa. In that way any bomb blast by Boko Haram would be met by full scale war. No organization of group of person has the monopoly of violence (RIP Ojukwu).

In several unreported incidents Hausa-Fulani groups have invaded several churches in Abuja and its environs carting away valuable properties from individuals. They steal mobile phones, computers and so on. When possible they shoot or bomb the worshippers like they did on Christmas day.
Yet Nigerians want to remain one country! Please give me a break.

If the Southerners don’t know it, the Northerners have declared a war and their targets are the Southerners. The earlier they divide from the Northerners the better for the Southerners.
Remaining as one country is the only remaining reason why BOKO HARAM is getting away with the genocide and war crimes that they have committed so far. Once the declarations of independences by the different countries/ nations within Nigeria are made, further attacks on southerners will be tantamount to war.

Which is better? To declare independence away from Nigeria or to suffer extermination in the hands of Boko Haram? The people of Southern Nigeria including the Western and Eastern States should know that so far they have refused to protect their own people the way the Northerners have protected their own. Genocide is in progress and our hands are folded! Why, o why?

As far as Boko Haram is concern, they have the backing and support of the Emirs, the Sultans and all the politicians and military from the North. No well-meaning politician from the North has condemned Boko Haram. They have all being silent. Even Jubril Aminu has openly supported Boko Haram when he said in other words that Christians should get out of the North.

The likes of Atiku and Babangida promised Jonathan hell but the hell has been brought on all Southerners.

Some Northern rulers are neither here nor there. It will be foolishness on the part of the Southerners to think that Boko Haram is acting alone. This is a Northern Nigerian agenda and they are not hiding their missions and targets.

The North of Nigeria wants to enslave and colonise the South, so far they have succeeded because Goodluck Jonathan is like a puppet and has no clue about what he is doing. Jonathan is the worst president that ever walked the face of Africa.

The different regions within Nigeria must organize themselves.

For once Nigerians should forget about Jonathan and his bunch of foolish cabinet, mumu advisers and thoughtless cheerleaders.

If the South does not wake up to realize the real threat from Boko Haram which is to colonise Southern Nigeria it will be too late a few months from now. At that time we will all be forced into Islam and the useless politicians and their families will be 10000 miles away from Nigeria. Many of their children and relations have fled already.

In recent history, in 1993, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 Nigerians wasted all the opportunities to liberate themselves. The liberation must be total and to allow the North of Nigeria to colonize and islamatise the south is not part of the dream of liberation.

Every man or woman should be free to practice whatever religion he or she prefers or to be religion-free.

No matter where the support of Boko Haram comes from it must be crushed at all / any cost and this is the legacy that the people of Southern Nigeria owe their unborn generations. The South-south, South-west and South-east have a moral obligation to ensure that their children are not born as slaves or treated as one. Your children must not live under the whips of terrorists.

If they do, your existence is a disgrace to humanity.

Seriously, Nigeria Should be Divided in 2012

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Adeola Aderounmu

A Christmas morning mass in a Catholic Church close to Abuja was turn into a mourning ceremony. Bomb blast rocked the church premises and the death toll may be enormous.

A car bomb was detonated in the parking area.

Nigerians need to tell themselves the truth.

There will be no true peace in that country until all the separate nations are allowed to go their separate ways.
There should be a referendum in 2012 where each region should come forward to demand for their own territory and share of resources.

Nigeria should be divided into different countries. By due dialogue and probable long periods of reasoning and negotiations it should be possible to separate the different nations, with minimal conflicts.

It is necessary because the bombings and suicide bombings that are taking place across Nigeria are taking lives anyway.

So why not do the right thing. Let the terrorists keep part of their north.

Let others keep their regions.

If Boko Haram from the Republic of Maiduguri decides to bomb Oduduwa Republic then we know we have an invitation to war and that will be so clear. Fighting a war to defend ones territory or homeland is not illegal. At that time, we know what to do.

But now that Abuja is being bombed, what can we do. Abuja belongs to everyone especially the looting politicians and it is available for bombing.

But when the regions or countries are well defined, it becomes easy to defend a given territory. Who will fight for Abuja, a no man’s land?

The people killed or affected by this silly Christmas day bombing are probably mostly southerners who could have fared better in their homelands in the South, West and East. There are Christians in the North. A referendum or sovereign national conference will give them a say in where they want to belong to and how they want to be governed.

In case of an attack of this nature, they will be able to defend themselves appropriately. A firm retaliation will be appropriate because no person or region has a monopoly of violence (RIP Ojukwu).

It is imperative that the country called Nigeria be divided because that is a first step in dealing with this war/violence in the future. It is also a solution to resource control and an end to the deceit of colonial combination of Northern and Southern Regions.

I cannot fight for Abuja. It is not my business.
But if these bombs start to blow up in Western Nigeria, it is not impossible that I will be joining the Oduduwa warriors. We will congregate from all over the world. We will take up the war from where our ancestors left them. We will defend Yorubaland with the last drop of our blood.
Western Nigeria-The Yoruba Nations- will not fall again.