A memo to Barack Obama and the world media

March 10, 2013 / Adeola / 2 Comments

By Adeola Aderounmu

The world needs a rethink about the expressions Nigeria and Nigerians

I am a yorubaman from western Nigeria.

The Yoruba people are not terrorists and we don’t kill foreigners.

The people of the other regions can also speak for themselves. They also have bloggers and media outfits around the world.

In northern Nigeria, a place I have vowed never to visit or travel to in my lifetime, many of the states are occupied by terrorists and they are the ones giving the bad terror image to the “rest”.

In my write-ups I will now start to use the following expressions from now on

Western Nigeria
Eastern Nigeria
Southern Nigeria
Middle-Belt Nigeria
Terrorist-Occupied Northern Nigeria

I am not a fan of Obama’s drones and I hate that men, women and children can be sent to their graves by unmanned machines called drones. The drones go against protection of human rights.

However, please when sending your drones, as you and your allies may be thinking, be clear on your mission and statements.

Don’t ever tell the world you are sending drones to Nigeria.

Your drones are likely heading to Terrorist-occupied Northern Nigeria.

I speak for my people, the Yorubas. We live in an area called the ODUDUWA LAND or ODUDUWA KINGDOM or ODUDUWA REPUBLIC

I do hope the world is watching and taking notes that Nigeria as a country is a complete fraud made in 1914 by the British.

Nigerians as you call them will never be one people, will never be one country. We all made mistakes in the past and now thinking it will work as one country. That will NEVER happen.

The people occupying that area are too diverse. I am a yorubaman and I don’t even understand 99% of the Yoruba languages. The languages are so diverse that you only master your own mother tongue.

If I don’t understand all of my own people-their languages, their behaviours, their mentalities and so on- what time do I have to accommodate an insane terrorist from the North?

The bulk of my friends are from Eastern and Western Nigeria and I am pleased with that.

So, please let us start to reconsider our vocabulary when talking about the people of the regions until now called Nigerians. We are not the same and I bet many people would like to dissociate themselves from the useless terror-prone and terrorist-occupied Northern Nigeria.

CNN, BBC, The rest of the world, please take note.

Wanted: A New Definition For Breaking News

December 17, 2012December 17, 2012 / Adeola / Leave a comment

By Adeola Aderounmu

I think it is time humans define or redefine the true meaning of breaking news.

For example, I don’t see how a bomb blast in some Middles East countries in 2012 or 2013 qualifies as breaking news. I have heard about that for several years.

I don’t see how the crises in the Middle East qualifies for breaking news alert on my windows mobile. I get so annoyed and irritated that I felt like erasing the alert.

How can bomb blast in Northern Nigeria be a breaking news?

How does school shooting in America qualifies for a breaking news when it is going to happen again?

In my opinion, some news and incidents are so stale and human-induced that they should be re-classified under REGULAR NEWS.

Breaking news should be left entirely to new or revolutionary concepts or information. Indeed one may be quick to add that there is nothing new under the sun. Still I feel that some news are received with calm, indifference and insensitivity that they should never make the breaking news headline anymore.

I can’t remember the last time I felt anything about bomb blasts in the Middle East or a gun massacre in America.

Seriosuly, we need to redefine what is breaking about a news material!

War and Genocide in Northern Nigeria

April 29, 2012April 29, 2012 / Adeola / 1 Comment

Adeola Aderounmu

Terrorists, who are most likely members of the Boko Haram group, have attacked Christian worshippers in Kano.

The attack took place at BUK, Bayero University in Kano.

It was a remarkable attack. The terrorist bombed the venue of the campus worship and they pursued and shot the worshippers.

The message is clear, kill the Christians.

This is a hallmark for genocidal attacks. The terrorists have not hidden their hatred for Christians.

Terrorists are on top of the situation in Nigeria. They operate whenever they like and they kill innocent people just as they like.

A few days ago, Media houses were attacked and journalists were killed.

The weak and lazy government headed by Jonathan has never preempted or prevented any terror attack. The terrorists appear to be more intelligent and smarter that the impotent Nigerian police + army.

Just about 24 hours ago, a military chief in Nigeria said the PDP owns Boko Haram. In a way he confirmed the security reports have was leaked many months ago. Such a statement from an adviser to the president carries weight and fact. He knows what he was saying.Just that he should be fired too!

Northern PDP owns Boko Haram and Boko Haram is a Northern Nigeria agenda to seize power again by force or coercion.

Jonathan will go down in history as the most useless president to rule Nigeria. Ordinary Nigerians are killed anyhow and at will, and the end is not in sight.

Jonathan boasted that his weak government is on top of the situation but he lied. He said Boko Haram will be gone by June and Boko Haram has planned massive bombing of (Northern) Nigeria just to counter Jonathan’s empty threat.

This means that Boko Haram’s comments and plans are more reliable and powerful than Jonathan’s.

It is always a sad thing to see or hear just how innocent people are sent to their graves, too early.

Nigeria is already soaked in poverty and citizenry impoverishment. On top of all the woes and stupidity in Nigeria, terrorism has come to stay as the most unwanted bonus that Nigerians are saddled with.

If there is one country in the world where the people ought to revolt and overthrow the government, that country is Nigeria.

I am in shock that the people are surviving, suffering, praying and hoping. Nigeria is a completely hopeless country. Hope will come when the people take their destinies in their hands.

The War in Northern Nigeria: Boko Haram detonates 20 Bombs in Kano

January 23, 2012January 23, 2012 / Adeola / 1 Comment

Adeola Aderounmu

No doubt, Boko Haram is at war with the Jonathan led corrupt government in Abuja.

Bomb blasts rock Kano, Northern Nigeria and the situation is best expressed as war in Kano. Among the targets were military and paramilitary outfits. The SSS office was targeted as well as the offices of the Migration and Police Stations.

Altogether about 20 bombs exploded at different locations. A reporter for the independent Channels Television was killed. Eneche Akogwu was executed by the Boko Haram militants right in front of the state house in Kano.
Several people have been wounded and obviously several people have been killed as well.

Journalist assasinated in the line of duty

There are no exact figures of the number of dead persons but corpses were removed from many of the sites of the bomb blasts and an immigration office lie lifeless in front of the immigration office in Kano.

More than 220 people died.

Immigration officer killed in Kano

Many more Nigerians have called for the convocation of a national conference to chart the way forward for Nigeria but like in the past those who are in charge of Nigeria today are not interested.

It is even worse with the foolish ruler that presides over Nigeria today. His name is Goodluck Jonathan. This man sent the Nigerian army into Lagos to kill and maim protesters who are against his style of governance and demanding changes.

But in northern Nigeria Boko Haram continue to enjoy freedom of movement and license to kill. Mr. Jonathan declared states of emergency in some states in the North but with no blue prints or instructions on how to discharge the orders. Hence Boko Haram and their sponsors continue to remains steps ahead of the Nigerian security agencies.

Boko Haram is so bold it dares to attack the police stations, immigration offices and the offices of the lame state security agancies. You can never ask for a greater insult on the security outfit of a country. Nigeria is weak and Jonathan is foolish.

How can a ruler send battalions of armies to Lagos where harmless protesters are converging to express their minds and the same ruler cannot do anything tangible about the war in Northern Nigeria? Even if there are military presences in Northern Nigeria, it is almost useless or worthless because Boko Haram continues to keep the war running, unhindered. They blow up whatever they want and they almost can assassinate whoever they want. Where is the protection from the Jonathan government?

What is going on in Northern Nigeria is not less than a war. 20 bombs at once is a mega-war situation. Boko Haram is at war with the government of Mr. Jonathan. It is unfortunate that the terrorist group cannot confront Jonathan and his stealing executives but instead have been killing innocent people.

Even after every major attack, Boko Haram continues to carry out series of other attacks and arsons. After the Kano bombs, churches and other places have been attacked in the North. So it is a continuous war.

Nigeria is definitely on the brink and soon the bubble will burst!

Then it might be too late to institute the changes we have called for many times. Let us sit down to discuss how to partition this country so that each region can have control over its resources and regional development.

History will not forgive the present captors of Nigeria if they refuse to give way to constitutional changes that will stop the war in Northern Nigeria. The coming rage may be too fierce to stop by the zombies posted to Lagos.

Governor Fashola Finally Makes His Presence Known at Festac Grammar School

November 25, 2011November 25, 2011 / Adeola / 1 Comment

by ADEOLA ADEROUNMU

The Lagos State Government has finally sent one of its building contractors Access-1 Energy and Trading Company to start re-construction work at Festac Grammar School.

LASG awards contract for Reconstruction work at Festac Grammar School

For those who have not been following the story. Here are links to the story so far:

Governor Fashola, Festac Grammar School Ti Baje o..!

Festac Grammar School Vs Lagos State Government

Photo Essay: Festac Grammar School Alumni Projects’ Management Group Is Working

In April when this struggle started I had written that one of the greatest mysteries of Lagos State Ministry of Education is how a school that got the first prototype one storey-structure in the old Ojo Local Government was left to rot away totally as a predominantly poultry school. It seems that the government of Governor Fashola, in a reaction to the series of stories about the embarrassing situations at FGS, is set to repair, renovate and re-construct FGS.

I also made a promise that was hard to keep. But I did my best. The ultimate goal was to write about Festac Grammar School once a month because as I stated then: the problems with Festac Grammar School became for me a personal struggle. It is still a cause.

Now that hope has come, I feel obliged to write this story about the presence of Governor Fashola in Festac Grammar School through Acces-1 Energy Trading Company.

I have not received the details of the contract; therefore I am not in a position to describe the extent of the work that will be done.

However I do know the old storey building that was built in 1985 has now been given some re-touching in terms of structural maintenance.

One of the dilapidated poultry block of classrooms has been pulled down completely to pave way for a new storey building of 12 classrooms.

Foundation of Storey Building of 12 Classrooms

These developments are in the positive directions. They are in line with one of the long-term objectives of the Alumni Association to ensure that the school poultry structures built by Lateef Jakande are overhauled and replaced by modern storey buildings.

This objective should never be different from the functions of the Lagos State Ministry of Education. How schools are allowed to rotten remain inexplicable and if we tie it to the systemic corruption in the Nigeria system then it is an indication of what I feared most: that the future of the unborn generations remain stolen.

Whichever way, it gladdens the heart and it brings a sense of fulfillment to witness the re-construction work at FGS. Without any doubt I am convinced that it was a rapid response to our calls that have been made on the NVS and some of our blogs.

The Lagos State Government has shown that we do not need to know anyone in the corridors at Alausa in Ikeja before our agitations can be attended to. What the LASG must also ensure is that it carries out its functions without allowing us to carry the burdens to the web space all the time.

Our agitations and concerns are genuine and noble. It is clear that we want education to be promoted. A sane environment is necessary to produce sane minds. A sane environment is necessary to nurture the future generations.

On our part as members of the Alumni Group we have made progresses. We have donated some equipment to the school and we have helped them to settle electricity bills. We have more plans.

In terms of our organization we are now duly registered and our activities are governed by a written constitution. We are in the process of electing our executive members to take over from the caretaker committee and more than ever before the future of the Alumni Group look secured.

This year, less than 5 months after we re-converged as Alumni Group from our different niches we have organized career day/ workshop at Festac Grammar School and we have awarded prizes to outstanding students.

We have made ourselves more visible in Festac Town and we have provided ourselves with the platform that will motivate the students attending Festac Grammar School. They are now in contact with us. We have a wonderful opportunity to be their role models and mentors.

For us this year is a success story in the history of our Alumni Group.

It is not yet Eureka! It must be pointed out that governments in Nigeria are fond of abandoning projects and looting the funds earmarked for such projects, even after the shameful 10% kickbacks. We hope that the re-construction work at Festac Grammar School will be neither a half-baked project nor an abandoned one.

Our hope is that this rejuvenation that will inspire and motivate the students and staffs of FGS.

The Alumni Group, as promised in a previous essay, will work closely with the leadership of the school to emphasize the importance of maintenance culture. On the long run too, we will have to find the appropriate communication channel to ease information flow between the Lagos State Ministry of Education and our Alumni Group. That will help us to know first-hand about the plans that are made for schools in Lagos and how often the structures will be checked for comfort and safety.

The academic aspect can also not be over emphasized. Quality control measures should be re-introduced while all hands must be on deck to rescue the “dying culture” of attending public schools.

No matter what happens, FGS will remain in our hearts and we will never relent until the image of the school both in terms of structure and academic excellence are revitalized fully. We are committed.

Acknowledgement : All photos were courtesy of
Oluwafisayo Oyeromade Ogunjimi Orilambo

Email: pheesayor@hotmail.com

aderounmu@gmail.com