Lost to We

                 Ogbonnia Chisom John
                 ogbonniachisom@yahoo.com


Moving World
Beyond any reach
Dare to meet up
Your joy, abridged


Calm Usurped by Fear
Year after year
A quiet ponder
What is in life
Or in the next


Existence in Crisis
Where is my time piece
When does it halt
What do I make of it
What does it make of me
What could it be?


A tide too many
A cross too heavy
Worried in Surplus
Threatened by less
Can I own the world
Or a piece for less


Your message,  my peace
Your voice, my tranquility
Reason for me - You
You alone,  I grasp
My Life, my Gift.

MELODRAMA IN THE MIDDLE EAST: USA FOREIGN POLICY OR DOMINATION POLICY

A few days ago, the United States of America (USA) designated the most elite unit of the Iranian Army, ‘the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’ as a terrorist organization (recall that the USA imposed heavy sanctions on Iran that have devastated the economy of the State). In its report, the USA claims that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were involved in financing and assisting terrorist organizations across the globe therefore, by implication impeding on the success of anti-terrorism campaigns. In retaliation, the Iranian Government designated the US Army as a terrorist organization. 

According to the media, this is the first time the USA would declare a sovereign nations army as a terrorist organization. I beg to differ. In my opinion, this is the first time two sovereign nations would declare their opposing Armies as “terrorist organizations”. Let us take a microcosmic analysis of the Foreign policy saga of the United States Vs the Islamic Republic of Iran with exacting focus on the USA.
Basically, the United States Government Foreign Policy evolves around their Military might and their claims to foster “democracy”. The United States Army and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard both have troops stationed in Iraq to restore order in the society and provide support to the government of the day. However, due to the faux nature of all United States interventions in sovereign nations till date, the underlying tone, hidden personal beneficial agenda and their inability to work with Iraqis great neighbor ‘Iran’ to bring about a desirable social change to the parties involved, the USA is trying to use its might to bully Iran out of any involvement in Iraq.

In 2001, the USA invaded Afghanistan post 9/11 and till this day, the war in Afghanistan is still on with no end in sight and a total destabilization of the state. The human toll? the financial toll? Unimaginable! 2003, USA and allied forces invaded Iraq under the guise of a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD) in the country. Till this day, no WMD has been unearth and no stability restored in the nation either. In 2011 the United States Army had a covert op in Pakistan that lead to the killing of the most wanted man in the world, Osama Bin Laden. As Laudable as that may be, due process was overridden (the Pakistani Government was never consulted and the operation can be deemed as an illicit act and a slap on the territorial integrity of Pakistan) and the spate of terrorism in the world blossomed nonetheless.

During the Arab spring of 2011, the USA invaded Libya and toppled Mummar Al Gaddafi. One of the great visionary African leader (a crusader for a one united Africa with a single currency) of both the 20th and 21st centuries was captured and killed on the streets of Libya in the most inhumane way ever. Today’s Libya are in a shambolic state of perplexing ruins eight years on and the fight in Libya getting bigger by the day. Last week, USA pulled out some of its troops in Tripoli and a few days after, forces loyal to Warlord Khalifa Haftar carried out airstrikes (see Aljazeera for videos of the fighting) at a Libyan airport in Tripoli. Yes, air strikes! Forces loyal to Warlord Khalifa Haftar are fighting a United Nations (UN) backed Libyan interim government and its forces. USA Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and the UN have called for an end to the fighting. On the 9th of April 2019, Warlord Khalifa Haftar forces targeted another airport in Tripoli with air strikes. Is the USA playing Chess with people’s lives in Libya? Connect the dots. Without a doubt, that the Syrian President Bashir Al Assad is still in power today even after years of civil war in Syria is because of the support of Russia. Remember that a MOAB (Mother Of All Bombs) was dropped in Syria by the USA and just recently, the USA also claims to have completely annihilated ISIL (ISIS) in Syria.

From the foregoing, it can be noted that the intervention of the USA in sovereign nations under the guise of fostering world peace and democracy is Ludicrous to say the least. A big hoax! To paraphrase, power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely and world power corrupts inestimably.

In the words of Fela Anikulapo Kuti “hear another animal talk…They call the place United Nations, who and who unite for inside United Nations? One veto vote is equals to 96 or more! Wetin united for inside United Nations?” (from his “beast of no nation” song). Obviously, with the carnage in Syria, Libya, Yemen, Mali, DR Congo, Nigeria, Gaza Strip, Cameroon, India Vs Pakistan, North Korea Vs the rest of the World, North Korea US relations or lack, it is endless. The rhetoric of a United Nations (formally The League of Nations) to foster World Peace post World War II is a mere cosmetic work by Western nations to continually dominate other nations of the World.
Written by: Chisom John O

ogbonniachisom@yahoo.com

IMAGINE LAGOS

IMAGINE LAGOS
By
Chiso John Ogbonnia
ogbonniachisom@yahoo.com

Imagine
Imagine waking up to utter negligence of a Zombie Apocalypse at your door step. Imagine the peace and quiet in your house, you step outside and it is a whole different level of chaos. Imagine the weather so hot like the sun is on patrol on the streets, the wind? Hidden. Imagine a commercial bus struggling to kick start, imagine the horror of watching same bus get hit by another from the rear and magically, the once ill-fated bus moves with aplomb! Imagine taking a walk to a ‘Bus Stop’, imagine the bus never stops and you jump in while it is in motion. Imagine the sound of footsteps giving hot chase to the bus you are in to issue a paper worth 100 Naira. Imagine looking to the other interchange in a bid to avoid the Driver Vs Tax Collector (Alaye) exchange only to witness Police brutality of citizens in their private vehicle. Imagine being distraught, alight from the commercial bus and board a bike (Okada) nearby. Imagine the look on your face when you expect the journey to your desired destination to kick start then, the bike rider (OkadaMan) beckons on an extra passenger to join you on the bike, disbelief! Imagine being told that driven alone is First Class and attracts ‘First Class Fees’. In your bemusement, imagine being called a brother by a passerby only to be told the most “it never happened” story ever about his dire need for financial assistance to complete the fare for a personal trip from Earth to Mars. Imagine seeing a convoy of Law Enforcers with goods and sellers locked in with the inscription “Environmental Sanitation Corps” on the vehicle. Imagine the joy on the faces of the Sanitation Corps Law Enforcers, not for a job well done but, for their own personal benefits attainable from victims of the law. Imagine a trip to the market and everyone signs up to be Amateur Anthony Joshuas. Imagine another trip to the market and it is ‘Akpororo’ season for traders and buyers. Imagine 20+ million people in the smallest state by size in Nigeria.
Done? Imagine LAGOS!

DISENFRANCHISEMENT BY LOCATION: AN ANALYSIS OF INSTITUTIONS AND STRUCTURES

DISENFRANCHISEMENT BY LOCATION: AN ANALYSIS OF INSTITUTIONS AND STRUCTURES
By
Chisom, JOHN O.
ogbonniachisom@yahoo.com

In a few days, the most populous black Country in the world would head to the polls to decide the path of their future for the next four years and beyond.
Nigeria and Nigerians rewrote the history books during the 2015 general elections as a sitting President was ousted from Office for the first time in the history of the country’s fragile democracy. With a much more fragile democracy and weakened democratic institutions post 2015, the 2019 elections cannot be any more pertinent.
The most controversial decision of the 2015 general election was the Six weeks’ postponement of the General Elections by INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) under the guise of ‘security reasons’. This decision flared up the polity and was considered by the then opposition party the APC (All Progressives Congress) to be a last ditch attempt by the Goodluck Jonathan Administration to manipulate the election, stretch the campaign finances of their party (APC) and submerge the will of the Nigerian people. As ‘politically motivated’ and controversial the decision of INEC may be at that time, painfully so, it was a step in the right direction as the issue of ‘disenfranchisement’ due to security challenges is a threat to a free, fair and credible election in itself and as such, should not be overlooked except of course one is disinterested in credible polls.  A lot of observers at that time were chasing shadows to the utter neglect of substance as regards the decision by INEC to postpone the Election. Many questions were raised and a lot answered by that sole decision: Was insecurity rife in the North East as at 2015? Yes; Would that insecurity mean that by implication voters would be disenfranchised in the said region? Yes; Were there genuine efforts by security agencies to tackle the situation? Yes; Did the security agencies gain positive grounds against insurgents in the specified weeks? Yes, former President HE Goodluck Ebele Jonathan visited a once regarded stronghold of the insurgents Bama himself; Did this Lead to voter confidence and increased participation in the North East? Absolutely YES.
Elections are key in any democratic setting and the ability for citizens to exercise their franchise unconstrained, a prerequisite for any election to be considered free, fair and credible. This work looks at how the actions and inactions of the security agencies in the State and INEC would inadvertently lead to disenfranchisement as a result of the location of electorates in the 2019 general election.
The security situation of the country is worrisome and cataclysmic to say the least. According to Amnesty International Report 2017/18: the state of the world’s human right “there remained at least 1.7 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North Eastern States of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa; 39% lived in camps or similar settings and 61% in host communities”. Also in an Amnesty International Nigeria Publication titled ‘Harvest of Death: Three years of Bloody clashes between farmers and Herders in Nigeria’, the total number of people killed from January 2016- October 2018 in the select States (22 States, FCT inclusive) affected by the Farmers Vs Herders Clashes alone was three thousand six hundred and fourty one (3641) persons “Benue 726 deaths, Adamawa 540, Plateau 492, Zamfara 489, Taraba 453, Kaduna 414, Nasarawa 196, Enugu 46…” among others.  The Boko Haram menace has intensified over the past year and a new deadlier faction ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) has emerged in the decade long battle. In an article titled ‘Islamic State seeking next chapter, makes inroads into West Africa’ by Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw published on the 3rd of February 2019 on Wall Street Journal it estimated that ISWAP has the Strength of About five thousand (5000) men and “seasoned fighters from Libya and the Middle East have returned to augment ISWAP ranks”.
From the foregoing, it can be noted that the security situation is bleak, the military is overstretched by the increasing guerrilla warfare across states in the North and with the recent reports of people fleeing the menace of armed bandits in Zamfara State to Katsina and to border countries (Chad and Niger) any talk of positives from the current situation have been dealt a heavy blow. Due to the debacle, disenfranchisement of citizens in the affected states would be rife as the fear for lives and properties would overwhelm the zeal to exercise ones’ franchise and therefore lead to political apathy on the one hand and the massive movement of people due to violence or the fear of it (typically plaguing Nigeria elections) on the other hand would contribute to a situation whereby eligible voters are unable to express themselves in the polls.
INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) for all its ‘Laudable’ effort in some states have been unable to satisfactorily distribute PVCs (Permanent Voters Card) in others. This particular problem has continued to plague elections and become a reoccurring experience for electorates who admittedly would find it easier “crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe than getting their PVC”. The deplorable experience of some voters begs the questions: What Lessons did INEC learn from the 2015 exercise? What strategic plan was put in place to ameliorate the PVC distribution problems? How and at what level is the implementation of the said plan? A society that fails to plan lacks vision and mission (a chart Nigeria should rank top worldwide). While those questions are yet unanswered, the continuous postponement of the deadline day for PVC collection is an indicator of what line the answers would tilt towards regarding the questions. Geroge Edem described his attempts to collect his PVC in Lagos state as futile and frustrating. In his words “INEC do not have a permanent location just mere transit camps as they stay at private and public school premises and my PVC transfer request till this day has not be met.  My right to vote has been trampled on”. In another interview, Utazi John also expressed his displeasure with INEC, “I registered for PVC in June 2017 at Nsukka LGA of Enugu State. The day I went for collection of PVC I was given a contact to call. I called and the man directed that I submit my TVC for easy location of my PVC. Till this day I have not been able to get my PVC and TVC. I have been disenfranchised and my fundamental rights denied. No thanks to INEC”. On a more positive outlook, Mr Abubakar stated unequivocally that he did not face any challenges in the collection of his PVC he said “I registered at Tunga Maje, Abuja in 2011 and I did transfer of PVC to Bwari area of Abuja as at October 2018 and was able to successfully collect my PVC by January 2019”. It would be a big plus if INEC could adopt the processes for PVC collection that worked seamlessly in some states to others or adjust the PVC collection procedure to suit the circumstances of different states as they arise.
On the issue of PVC transfer, the publicity of the process is below par. Already existing voters can only cast their votes in their wards of registration and any desire to cast a vote elsewhere can only be possible after a PVC transfer is done. In the words of Albert Einstein “A clever person solves a problem, a wise person avoids it”. The issue of PVC transfer in particular is needless and should have been avoided in the first instance with a PVC that is not location bound thereby making it useable wherever one may find oneself.
No country in the world can boast of a 100% foolproof electoral process not even the United States of America (with recent accusations of Russia meddling in their election) therefore it would be unfair to demand a 100% foolproof electoral process from INEC and even worse, not to demand for the basics of freedom and ease to exercise ones’ right to vote.

CLOSE BUT BEYOND REACH (Episode 2)

Life became kaleidoscopic immediately as they had to pass through the needle to reach Wang-liao- the scourging sun, the hunger trip and stings from Androctonus australis- a sahara flat-tailed scorpions. 

The trip from Maradi to Wang-Liao is like a coin of two sides- good and bad, the good thing is that he made it through Wang-Liao and finally to Libya, the bad news being that they lost a fellow, Isah from Mali who decided to take a walk from their makeshift camp in the middle of the desert and couldn’t trace his way back.
“Don’t bother looking for him, Ikoh” said the desert master,
“But why?”, Ikoh blurted,
“Because we can never find him, you see, in this journey, when you lose the track you can’t retrace it", the desert master retorted.

Libya, located in the northern part of Africa, predominantly Muslim and densely Arab speaking.  The city was buzzing with activities, given the fact that the country is just waking up from months old political turmoil that ravaged the country, though the environment still smells of smoke and the citizens wearing stern faces, Ikoh boarded a private transport so as to make it to Tripoli unseen and unseeing and that he achieved.  Tripoli was the most wrecked city with soot in most of the buildings and some stores looks like it has never been opened for God-knows-how-long.
For the. past three days, Ikoh has been impecunious and afraid of going out there in the dreaded streets of Tripoli to find a part time job. On the fifth day, he left the boarding house and went wandering hither tither looking for a job that would put meal on his table and save some money to link up with uncle Josh in Erfurt, finally he got a job that will pay him 15 Dinar per night in a restaurant, Ikoh accepted the Job without any objection simply because most expatriate in Tripoli patronizes the restaurant which means he could find someone that could help him out, and again, he could also live on tips from the customers and save the wages for his travels, so he thought.  Ikoh was amazed by the influx of expats on his first day of work and he seize the opportunity, his tip for the night was triple of his wage for the night, the third day was slow as tensions was high in Tripoli, though it is not unusual given the fact that the country was swept by the Arab spring, it didn’t bug him but diverted his interest- a Maître d’ name Fatia, he made advances to Fatia and promised to come for her when he gets to Germany- a big, fat lie- but she laughed it out and promised to pay him a visit in his boarding house when the birds have gone to their roost because it is haram to have premarital sex in Islam, so she claimed. That night was like a Christmas for him, he went to his friend, Jeff an apothecary to buy a nitrous oxide known popularly as laughing gas so as he can shag Fatia in ecstasy without a flinch of his super ego interfering.

Ikoh woke up the next morning with his door widely open, the bottle of nitrous oxide sealed and his bed still freshly made, Fatia didn’t make it.  The boarding house was quiet and shots from rifles could be heard from earshot, Ikoh leaped from the ground and saw the owner of the boarding house gazing down at him from the door, a tidal wave of emotions ran through his vein, "I think you should leave, Libya is at war again."

To be cont'd...
Written by Ejioffor Ikechukwu alias Lionet

CLOSE BUT BEYOND REACH

At the dawn of the twenty-sixth day of December, Ikoh summoned his mum and siblings into his late father’s hut to break the current development that has been bothering him.  Ikoh is the first son in a family of five, 23 years old but can be passed for 17 due to his miniature physique and a trace of childish exuberance in his behavior.
“mama, I called yáll here to tell you that I will be traveling out of the country by the first week of next month,” his sibling let out a loud guffaw when he mentioned traveling but Ikoh’s mum was perturbed as to what has gotten into her son’s head, “my son, you said you are traveling, but what about your father’s farm, how about the money or are you going to travel by foot, who do you know there?”
“Ah ah mama! Which one should I answer first? Well I have some money that will take me there, I met Chief Osai and he helped me with some soft loans, I want to link up with Uncle Joshua in Erfurt, Germany, he agreed that I should come stay with him.”

January 6th, 2013, Ikoh, accompanied by his mother and siblings off to the train station in Enugu where he would board a train that will leave for Kaduna in the next hour.  The train arrived in less than the stipulated time and he climbed onto the train, his mother’s whimper can be heard from the waiting room, the train glided and he bade them goodbye with his eyes doused with water.

As a mysophobia, nausea was setting in, the stench from the train was thick, the smell of roasted fish and fufu blanketed the coach.  A man who is believed to be hausa from the robe he was wearing was seating just before him, from the rear was a woman with her two daughters who might be 5 and 8 years old, flanked by a florid man who is around 40-year-old, he smells of sweat in his tattered fabric with a Business magazine clenched in his hand, they chattered over a can of maltina all the way through. Ikoh was marveled by the man’s ubiquitousness in knowing a thing about all parts of Nigeria. 

After spending about seventeen hours in the train they alighted at the Kaduna train station, Ikoh unfolded his atlas and located the next point of destination, Jibiya, Katsina State, a state populated by mostly hausa-fulani tribe with different culture from his.  He went to a local motor park and paid for a ticket to Jibiya.  Jibiya- with a high temperature and low humidity- he gulped almost two sachets of water under five minutes, the environment was welcoming with tarred road and other infrastructures.  He met his first challenge, a trans-national challenge, crossing the border to an unknown country, Niger Republic. 
With no passport he managed to hide himself inside a truck loaded with cattles heading for Tarna, Maradi- a thirty miles journey from Jibiya.  In Tarna, Ikoh met other explorers and travelers who wanted to travel to other countries through the sahara desert. They were ushered into a mud house where they met a desert master who knew all the routes in the desert, the house has only three occupants- the desert master and his two wives, the children as the desert master later explained with gusto, took the step of their father as desert masters too, “it is an old profession”, the desert masters told Ikoh when he became askance.

He haggled over the fare and finally settled on CFA 50,000, they spent two nights in the desert master’s house before they began the laborious journey to Wang-liao on camel’s back with little foods and much water that will sustain them through the journey to Wang-liao, 769 miles away from Maradi.
….To be continued

Written by: Ejioffor Ikechukwu alias Lionet

Nigeria's worst enemy since independence is: Tribalism

THE NIGERIA'S 56TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY

Following the facade of independence and the euphoria that greeted the new Nigeria in 1960, tribalism is and still is Nigeria's worst enemy.  Tribalism is an aberration to any country that dreams of being among the said 'developed nations' of the world.   Tribalism is a feeling of belonging to a particular tribe.  It determines who gets what, when, how and even why.

It is always important to dive home this proposition with historical backup because in the words of Professor Esedebe "…a man who loses memory of what went before will be a man adrift."

Nigeria before the invasion of the British in the 1860s and the formalization of colonialism in 1900 never knew any atom of differences among its dwellers until they stamped their feet on Nigeria's soil.   What the British colonial rule did in Nigeria through her various policies was to stir up primordial sentiments among the people, where such have not existed before now.  Through the colonial policy of did and rule the British succeeded in sowing seeds of division and hatred within the emerging nation; this colonial policy guided the British in subjugating and balkanizing Nigerians and Nigeria.  Having internalized these differences, the idea of nation building changed as we could only utter "one Nigeria" from the side of our mouth.
Tribalism has resulted in innumerable upheavals that took away the lives of innocuous citizenry.   Tribalism also play a role when it comes to who gets what, when and how. Nigerians today cannot pass a clear-cut judgment on someone without viewing it from tribal perspective, allocation of scarce resources is also base on tribal lines.

It is noteworthy to state clearly without any equivocation nor ambiguity, that the Nigeria constitution has also helped in exacerbating the cankerworm called tribalism.   The Federal character and the principles of quota system in the constitution can be seen as the engravement of tribalism in government agencies and institutions.  Employment, promotion and whatnot in public offices must be done from the angle of where you come from and not who you are, what this connotes is that there is no 'Nigerian' as an individual but rather as a tribal group.  This practice has displaced the weberian principle of meritocracy because the best is not considered but whose turn, this principles had had a dismal effect on performance and productivity of public officials.

As this day marks the 56th independence anniversary of this great country Nigeria, a country still full of hopes and dreams, it is high time we thought of the way forward.

There is need for the adoption of an efficacious integration and sensitization programs that would be geared towards uniting the people of Nigeria, when this is done, it would no longer be a case of favouritism because there is a feeling on brotherhood in the air, only then can we all join our hands and strengths to roll the stumbling stone that has bedevil this country.  This is in line with what Appadorai said, he opined that "the sense of belonging together creates a readiness on the part of the members of a state to subordinate their differences to the common good".  Hence the mantra, society above self.

The principles of Federal character and the quota system need to be jettisoned from the constitution so as to give room for meritocracy, this would ensure that only credible and qualified Nigerians take up the mantle of governance and administration.  Our tertiary institutions would no longer undergo the onerous task of tutoring vegetables and producing unemployable graduates.

When these recommendations are being undertaken by the appropriate authorities, I believe that it would reduce the problem of Nigeria to its ebb, this would quell the incessant uprising of militancy and terrorism, hate and ethnic chauvinism amongst others.

By: Ejioffor Ikechukwu

Nigeria’s worst enemy since independence: Corruption

THE NIGERIA’S 56TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY

By: Ejioffor, Ikechukwu

Corruption in a plane language can be seen as the immoral, deprive and dishonest practice of individuals.  In administrative parlance, it can be seen as using a public office by elected or appointed official to deprive and appropriate public resources, that is to say That, corruption is the use of one’s office to divert what is meant for the general public for selfish gains.
Nigeria got her independence on the first of October, nineteen sixty (1/10/1960) and today is 56th independence anniversary of this great nation. Nigeria has faced many turmoil, civil unrest that even threatens to divide this nation as a result of some lingering problems. Questions have been asked as to the causes of this problem and many scholars, experts, students have come up with their individual answers but like a theory it is just an assumption, partial, indeterminate and inconclusive.
Nevertheless, the Nigeria’s worst enemy since independence is corruption, Any attempt to expunge corruption is like an attempt to erode the society of its  'typical values'. The history of corruption in Nigeria is traceable to the colonial era where our colonial masters inflate the costs of project, their salaries and allowances. All this are in attempt to move this money in their millions to their native land, this went on for decades until the successful ‘transfer’ of power to those they deemed fit- those the French called interlocoteurs valables (negotiators worth talking to) and Karl Marx refer to the  comprador bourgeoisie, these classes of people continue in the perpetration of the activities of their erstwhile masters, a notable figure among them is Francis Okotie-Eboh. Today, corruption is almost inevitable in any institution-be it traditional, religious or formal institutions. Our society today celebrates corrupt officials or personalities more than the pope; for one to be able to have a say in the society one has to be financially buoyant. Just like the Igbo adage says, ‘nwata kwoo aka o soro ogaranya rie nri', a child that washes his hands will eat with the elders, this just shows how materialistic our society is structured.
Having traced the factor that is seen as Nigeria’s worst enemy, is about time we suggested the way forward. Corruption is undoubtedly in every society of the world but the difference is its management. While most countries have been able to manage the rate of corruption to its lowest ebb Nigeria is yet to achieve that feat. There is need for institutionalization of anti-corruption measures in every institution this would deter individuals from engaging in such practice. Also an effect legal framework need to be in place, in Nigeria today, the judiciary is charged with melting out penalties for corrupt officials but their practice has faced many challenges relating to the independence of the judiciary.  With a zero rate of dependency, the judiciary wold be able to execute its functions free from any encumbrances.  Finally, there is need for the adoption of e-governance in carrying out government processes, when the transactionary and processing functions of government agencies are computerized there would be little or no chance for the siphoning of government/public resources.               

History of what we know as Calendar

THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR

Ata to the man who made history exciting  and enticing in my secondary school days and till when my toes point up, salute to him who the world still reckon for his ingenuity and painstaking task in introducing the calendar that over 4 billion people in the world still refer to, Pope Gregory XIII.  My quest for in-depth knowledge talked me into this work. Most of us I believe can recite the world historical dates and its antecedents but don’t know how it is easy to do so; here is just a tip of the iceberg.

Calendar, system of measuring time for the needs of civil life, by dividing time into days, weeks, months, and years. Calendar divisions are based on the movements of the earth and the regular appearances of the sun and the moon. The week was derived from the Judeo-Christian tradition requiring rest from labor every seventh day. It is not based on a natural phenomenon. The Romans named the days of the week in honor of the sun, moon, and various planets.

A month was originally calculated by ancient peoples as the time between two full moons, or the number of days required for the moon to circle the earth (29.5 days).

The Gregorian calendar is also called the Christian calendar because it uses the birth of Jesus Christ as a starting date. Dates of the Christian era are often designated ad (Latin anno domini, “in the year of our Lord”) and bc (before Christ). Although the birth of Christ was originally given as December 25, ad 1, modern scholars now place it about 4 bc.  I guess this will bring about argument as to whether to reject or accept the calendar wholeheartedly due to the religious faith, but I tell you what, this was the era of the great Roman Empire Rome was the hub of science, technology, art, trade and whatnot.

The Gregorian calendar, or New Style calendar, was slowly adopted throughout Europe. It is used today throughout most of the Western world and in parts of Asia. When the Gregorian calendar was adopted in Britain in 1752, another correction of an 11-day discrepancy was made; the day after September 2, 1752, became September 14. The British also adopted January 1 as the day when a new year begins. The Soviet Union adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1918, and Greece adopted it in 1923 for civil purposes, but many countries affiliated with the Greek Church retain the Julian, or Old Style, calendar for the celebration of church feasts.

Though, sometimes I tend to reject the idea of new year- I see it as just a mere change in date because nothing spectacular or unique exist in it but I tell you this, the weather here in Nigeria tends to get extremely cold in the first two weeks of the new year, if you happen to be around Europe and America (North America) you will also observe that it’s more snowy when it come to January.

The Gregorian calendar is the most accurate calendar currently in use in this planet earth after undergoing some rigorous reforms since it was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII

Years of imperfections- Nigeria

54 Years of imperfections

Perfectness is something every citizen of a country dreams of, perfection is a ‘being’ of no harum-scarum, perfection in a country is when there is complete legitimacy, full dividend of democracy and government.  Though all the aforesaid condiments are surreal in any present democratic dispensation, not even in Saudi Arabia or the smallest state within a state, The Vatican, but still a nation can be said to be close to it.
Nigeria got her independent on the 1st of October, 1960 after many years of political struggle by some of our past heroes, among which are: Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa, Fumi Ransom Kuti et cetera.  On that faithful morning, fire crackers were seen in the sky, illuminating the whole places, women and children were singing songs of victory and home, university lecturers were chattering over some bottles of wine in their respective joints- discussing the prospects of the then youngest state in the world. Little do all these stakeholders know that independent will open fresh wounds, created out of the slipshoddiness of our colonial masters, the Brit..
At the dawn of independent we started experiencing what the press tagged ‘pregnant politicians’ bribery and corruption became rife, smeared by the composition of Nigeria, ethnic violence started surfacing.  All this maladies led to the first military coup in the country masterminded by a young military office, C.K. Nzeogwu, all in the name of seeking perfection.  A year after military supplantment of political affairs of the country, came the civil war- a genocidal war that is still not obliterated in the minds of Nigeria.
Today marks 54 years of her struggle, a 54 years strive for perfection.  The menace to the growth of this nation has multiplied over the years: unemployment- 61% of her workforce is unemployed; electrification- incessant power shortage is crippling the economy causing most industries to relocate to neighboring countries; ethno-religious crisis here and there.
Nigeria, nevertheless has achieved some great feats despite her shortcomings, today Nigeria could boost of a fast growing economy with a tremendous GDP rate, she has produced mentors for the up and coming generations, talk of the likes of Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Adichie (world renowned writers), Chike Obi (in Mathematics), Emma Egwali (in ICt), Kanu Nwankwo and Jay Jay Okocha (both in football), Aliko Dangote( the number one business tycoon in Africa) Fela Kuti (in Music) et cetera.  As we all mark the birthday of Nigeria- a country that is full of milk and honey- may our struggle for perfection be a dream comes true, together we can achieve it if we show love for each other.  Amor Vincit Omnia             

Nigeria at 54: The Journey so Far

NIGERIA AT 54: THE JOURNEY SO FAR
          
By: Chiso John
ogbonniachisom@gmail.com

Today, Nigeria turns 54 and celebrations are rife all over the place but to be honest, there is little or nothing worthy of note to be celebrated. As a country, Nigeria is torn between thick lines of ethno-religious differences which has in most cases led to conflicts across the 36 states of the federation and some scholars rightly noted that Nigeria comprises three nations - Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa in a nation/country.
Since the birth of the country in 1960, Nigeria's greatest enemy has been corruption and tribalism as both continue to eat deep into the very fabric of the society.
However, in recent times, the Boko Haram insurgency (more active in the North Eastern part of the country) and the Ebola Virus Disease(EVD) also called the Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever has brought about more challenges to the government. On one hand, there has been frantic efforts in recent times by the Nigerian Army to contain the Boko Haram Sect which has yielded positive results in recent weeks, on the other hand, take nothing away from the Federal Government as Nigeria stood strong to contain the Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever and the words Surveillance, quarantine, Isolation etc has become commonplace usages on social networks, media houses and amongst Nigerians in general.
The Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever can be likened to corruption in Nigeria. They both are contagious and leave a devastating effect on the society. However, unlike the EVD, corruption has not been contained and neither has it been isolated as time after time more Nigerians dabble in it. Corruption is a threat to our own democracy and value system but nothing tangible is ongoing to contain it as most cases of corrupt practices by public officials and citizens has gone unreported and some other cases celebrated. Nigerians now see public office as a means to quick money or what I call " bogus political rush". Political manifestoes though mellifluous has been described by Professor Ofuebe as "hollow ritual". The term " dividends of democracy" has been completely rebranded due to the chaotic democratic system in practice in Nigeria.
In spite of all the aforementioned, Nigeria as a nation has thrived economically this has however been disputed as  some observers argue that the economic development attained by Nigeria is only viable "on paper".
Though the shadows of our past as a nation haunts us, dwelling on the past would be a quite risky thing to do. Today is not a day to look back on our past mistakes, its one to look forward to the solutions to the problems that impedes this nation from greatness.
Happy Independence day.
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

No to Terrorism

Article by: chisom

Terrorism is the most dangerous war to fight, it's safe to say that its a guerrilla warfare...Its a war against animals in human skin that are willing to die for no just reason; religious extremists you may call them but I think it not, they are just stupid and hopeless people, people who have lost their purpose of life, people who don't respect our sanctity of life...Boko Haram as its nicknamed by natives in Maiduguri which the terrorist group in the country has been identified with originated in Borno State; "home of peace" alas that peace has been questioned since 2009 when the group was formed. The Federal Government of Nigeria recently extended the state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states but I ask to what effect? As this group has only grew stronger and stronger and perpetrated more dastardly act unchallenged. The sambisa forest; once a game reserve, now a hiding place for terrorists is believed to be where the group camp...You would be right if you asked why..why haven't the military flush out this terrorists if they know their hideout? Why is the FG reluctant to implement a full fledged state of emergency in the affected region? Ultimately, who are their sponsors?...I once read on wikipedia that they get their funds from donations within the group and bank robberies, that's just a big lie. This group have a big sponsor in town for Christ sake, how do they afford the  RPG they use in some of their attacks? The group claim to be against western education and yet they use things of the west(guns, bomb, video cameras) to perpetrate their inhuman acts.This give rise to another question, what's really their aim? Questions I cannot answer, I tell you. Boko  haram is also purportedly linked to the Al Qa'eda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)...The Chibok story must be told and I commend the bravery of two CNN journalists that covered the story on the ground for us, in Chibok. I noted some things from their report..I noted how the people live in fear, it was written all over their faces, I also noted that the fathers or should I say locals of Chibok don't sleep at night instead they pick up bows and arrows and machetes and patrol at night to ward off any more attacks from the group. Though I admire their bravery, I asked myself..where are the security forces? Where are the troops the FG claimed to be on ground? Where is the security of life and properties? Where is the state of emergency? And above all, what happened to our human rights? In an interview with one of the girls that escaped on the night of the chibok incident by the CNN correspondents, the girl in question vowed that she would never go back to school after what she witnessed that night....
What has come of this country? Where are we headed?..with all these happening nobody knows what the future hold for the country and according to Al Jazeera, our "citizens now have more faith in God than in their government" on that note, I say God save us all from this terrorists.
Say no to terrorism
Say no to Boko Haram
#bringbackourgirls

No to Terrorism

Article by: chisom

Terrorism is the most dangerous war to fight, it's safe to say that its a guerrilla warfare...Its a war against animals in human skin that are willing to die for no just reason; religious extremists you may call them but I think it not, they are just stupid and hopeless people, people who have lost their purpose of life, people who don't respect our sanctity of life...Boko Haram as its nicknamed by natives in Maiduguri which the terrorist group in the country has been identified with originated in Borno State; "home of peace" alas that peace has been questioned since 2009 when the group was formed. The Federal Government of Nigeria recently extended the state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states but I ask to what effect? As this group has only grew stronger and stronger and perpetrated more dastardly act unchallenged. The sambisa forest; once a game reserve, now a hiding place for terrorists is believed to be where the group camp...You would be right if you asked why..why haven't the military flush out this terrorists if they know their hideout? Why is the FG reluctant to implement a full fledged state of emergency in the affected region? Ultimately, who are their sponsors?...I once read on wikipedia that they get their funds from donations within the group and bank robberies, that's just a big lie. This group have a big sponsor in town for Christ sake, how do they afford the  RPG they use in some of their attacks? The group claim to be against western education and yet they use things of the west(guns, bomb, video cameras) to perpetrate their inhuman acts.This give rise to another question, what's really their aim? Questions I cannot answer, I tell you. Boko  haram is also purportedly linked to the Al Qa'eda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)...The Chibok story must be told and I commend the bravery of two CNN journalists that covered the story on the ground for us, in Chibok. I noted some things from their report..I noted how the people live in fear, it was written all over their faces, I also noted that the fathers or should I say locals of Chibok don't sleep at night instead they pick up bows and arrows and machetes and patrol at night to ward off any more attacks from the group. Though I admire their bravery, I asked myself..where are the security forces? Where are the troops the FG claimed to be on ground? Where is the security of life and properties? Where is the state of emergency? And above all, what happened to our human rights? In an interview with one of the girls that escaped on the night of the chibok incident by the CNN correspondents, the girl in question vowed that she would never go back to school after what she witnessed that night....
What has come of this country? Where are we headed?..with all these happening nobody knows what the future hold for the country and according to Al Jazeera, our "citizens now have more faith in God than in their government" on that note, I say God save us all from this terrorists.
Say no to terrorism
Say no to Boko Haram
#bringbackourgirls

NIGERIA: HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO BE ON THE BACKLOG

When I was a teenager back in the northern part of the country I  get wasted in a musical track of Tony Tetula, e go better,  seldom do we take a critical reflections of what the song meant back then, we only dance to the rhythm and not to the lyrics.
In the later years, it came crashing on my mind and that of my buddies; we couldn’t even fathom the direction to which the country was taking, the conduit of our complaint are placed in different problems.  I never thought that I will one day find myself in this mess- human right abuses, perfidy, corruption and ethnocentrism- the worst of it is that nobody is complaining, we all fold our arms and look up to God (a typical phrase of a Nigerian-God will save us), a Nigerian would rather see someone been punished for exercising his fundamental right simply because he/she thinks the practice is not convenient to him, a Nigerian sees bribery and corruption as a normal practice and they are never ready to change; I was queuing  up in a bank trying to pay my fees but to cut the story short, we were asked to go and come back the next working day, as we were about to leave the cashier systematically selected about six girls that he will help access their e-Transact payments, to my greatest surprise no one spoke against the preferential treatment meted out against the boys, I tried to speak but my words couldn’t even petrify a fly simply because I  had no backing from my peers.
I remember when Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State once made a statement that they are poised to siphon the national treasury simply because no one is stoning them, does this word of a popularly elected governor ring a bell in your head?  $20 billion accrued from the NNPC varnished into thin air and nobody talked about it.  The problem with Nigerians is that we believe that we don’t have a say, we are so passive like a Christmas fowl that wakes in the morning not knowing that it is going to be slaughtered in a matter of hours.  Opium of the masses, our brains has been doldrumed by the governing elites who plunged a thousand naira note on our palms, compromising it with national stability and development and growth.  Even in our university environment which is supposed to be a citadel for the upbringing and re-engineering of leaders of tomorrow is now a market place for the exchange of muscles.
Like I always say, let us not be like the Americans that were asked to die for the unity of their country, let us fight for the betterment of our country because beyond this terra firma there is no place we can call home.  Let’s stand up for our right, let’s make believe that there’s hope, in the words of a philosopher, Aristotle, hope is an awaking dream. We need individual change and action irrespective of your social status or class. Let us observe the tenets of human rights, let’s eliminate prejudice, inequality, and discrimination, Susan B. Anthony opines that “the true republic: men, their rights and nothing more: women, their rights and nothing less.”

Written by: Ejioffor, Ikechukwu

48th Matriculation of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka

                                          HAPPY MATRICULATON

EWU JAMBITO! EWU JAMBITO! EWU JAMBITO!  I jolted out of my bed I room in the university campus; it was a hubbub of noise from the fresh students, I was among the fresher, elated that I happened to be among this first year boys of my institution, it was just last year but it feels like it was yesterday, how time flies.  Ewu Jambito in other words means Jamb goat

That morning, January 2013, I done in my reserved-for-special-day shirt, and my oversized matriculation gown, immediately I stepped out of my room, a rapturous noise blanketed me.  Filing out with my buddies felt like am in a very sumptuous universe, we went to the Margret Ekpo convocation arena for our matriculation induction, and we were all given a New Testament pocket bible. It been over 3 years I held a bible and I felt I had found my lost glory, we sonorously sang the university of Nigeria anthem, listened to the sermon, waited for item seven but it never came, albeit we never cared all we wanted is to go on with the after-orientation events, among which are: taking pictures with friends, wining and dining and also making sure the whole perimeters of the school perceive our cologne. 

On this day, friends and enemies wear different kind of faces, the new matriculants are also happy for different reasons that you can never observe with your senses, for instance I was happy ‘cause it is like walking on a new path, for others it was because at last they are now recognized as a student of a university, to some it was because they assume and believe they are first class student going by the virtue of their CGPA-5.0.

I wish all the whole Jambitos a happy matriculation exercise and I pray you all to be an example of what Nigeria is yearning for- good leader, messiah, transparent, human right respecter; you can be all this  only if you walk on it, the world is waiting for you.

Ejioffor Ikechukwu

Year Two

Public Administration

Teenage Christmas

"Mama bought me shoes yesterday, it is blue"
"O cool, mama didn't buy any for us, she said that she is impecunious, that she has no money and papa too is not saying anything yet,"  Chimezie replied to me in that deprived tone of his.  Chimezie, 7, was a friend of mine, and a neighbor, we shared things and most times complete each other sentences. With is oily skin and large head you can easily tell where he hails from, Anambra, the commercial center of Eastern Nigeria.  He has never been worried and perplexed like the yuletide season, he has now inculcated that habit of withdrawing from me, now that I needed him most so wheel can ride bicycle wheels and pay seek and hide with other compound mates.

In the evening of of Christmas eve, we went our desperate ways, he went to his mother to help her fry the chin-chin she was baking, whilst I went to my mum to help her in frying the chicken-the best part of it is when my mum will be talking to Nessi so that I will sharply cut a large chunk of meat and stuff it in my mouth, even if she found out she can't tell me to vomit it.
Me and Nessi will start fathoming and creating images of how the next day will be, waking up in the wee hours of Christmas, sweeping the compound, taking bath and putting on our newly acquired clothes.  That night always seem like a long night ever, out of desperation I would force my self to sleep, woke up every 30 minutes hoping that it's already dawn. I would seat at the edge if the bed, mumbling and lamenting for the next day to come, later I would recline to my bed, writhing in frustration of the night. Immediately I heard the cock squeak I would jolt out of my bed and sneek peek through the window to see the sun rise, Nessi, wake up it is Christmas, I would shout in exhilaration. Yay, Christ is born, happy christmas, Chimezie would say immediately he knocks at the door.

We would go to Chimezie's house to greet their parents, the kids were all wearing long faces and folded arms while their parent's eye were fixated on their telly.  "Good afternoon sir and ma," I said, "Good afternoon Zech and Nessi, how are you," Chimezie's father would ask, instead of Nessi to reply the question she would bursh it off, "Aunty, gbara m Christmas, aunty give us Christmas present," Nessi said. They ushered us to their table and serve us rice, meats, chin-chin and other hors d'oeuvre but we won't eat the food instead we would eat the meats and little chin-chin because we still have other places to go to, so we would rather accept meats than foods so that our stomach won't burst.  After eating Chimezie would follow us to other rendezvous to see friends, I gave him my plastic rimmed eye glass and fez cap so he could add to his last year outfit in order for him to look like a 'niggar, 2pac or even P square.'

Christmas is always delectable when you are a teenager, when you become old it will kind of bore you because it might run down your account trying to shop for the kids so they won't feel inferior like Chimezie.

Lagos Suspends Principal where Pupils seat on windows

         

A story on the dearth of good furniture in Ikeja Grammar School, Lagos, published by Saturday PUNCH last Saturday drew a wrong chord with the Lagos State Government.

Last Monday, it suspended the school principal for allowing this writer to gain access to the school premises and take photographs of classes where pupils sat on windows and concrete blocks while learning.

Even though it was reported in the story titled, “Lagos school where pupils learn sitting on windows, concrete blocks” that the principal was not around when this journalist visited the school, Saturday PUNCH learnt that her superiors have decided to hang the blame of the scandal on her.

Efforts to speak to the principal as the news of her suspension broke on Monday, were unsuccessful as she was nowhere to be found in the school. Teachers are not allowed to speak with the press in the state.

But an irked teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the principal was removed from her position as a punishment on Monday.

The teacher said, “This is more serious than you think; you have put this school in trouble. The education ‘oga’ (commissioner) and other state officials summoned the principal on Monday and she has been removed from her position.

“She was asked to start reporting to the office of the permanent secretary of the ministry of education as from Tuesday.”

Our correspondent, who paid an undercover visit to the school on Monday, noticed that the issue had put all the teachers in the school on edge as many of them were seen holding copies of the published report.

It was also learnt that the state government’s education top officials had gone a step further by querying a teacher who was teaching a class when photographs of an array of broken furniture the pupils sat on were taken.

Our source within the school said another teacher, a head of department, is also facing the ministry’s ‘fire’ in connection to the said publication. The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, had last week Friday admitted that her ministry was aware of the issue of the bad furniture in the school.

“Thank you for your observation; we are not unaware. As I write, chairs are being supplied and before too long, it will go round the schools,” a text message from her said on Friday. But by Monday when this correspondent visited the school, no new chairs had been supplied.

This correspondent got in touch with the Lagos State Chairman of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, Mr. Babatunde Philips, to find out if the state of furniture in secondary schools in the state had been a subject of discussion in the conference’s deliberations in the past.

But Phillips said he could not comment on the issue at the time.

“I heard about the suspension of the principal (of Ikeja Grammar School). It makes me very sad that she had to be suspended. But we are planning to make our findings about the issue. I cannot say anything about the issue right now,” he said.

The state government’s action after last Saturday’s publication seems to have become a trend in the way it handles issues relating to its responsibilities.

In August 2013, after Saturday PUNCH published a report on the state of an orphanage located beside a house owned by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Orelope Adejoke-Adefulire, operated by Mrs. Rose Nwachukwu, the state government closed down the orphanage and arrested the woman even though experts said officials should have monitored the orphanage’s activities in the first place.

When a text message was sent to Oladunjoye on Thursday on the report that the principal was suspended, Oladunjoye replied simply, “Which report is that please? I know a report is already in the public domain.”

Lagos Suspends Principal where Pupils seat on windows

         

A story on the dearth of good furniture in Ikeja Grammar School, Lagos, published by Saturday PUNCH last Saturday drew a wrong chord with the Lagos State Government.

Last Monday, it suspended the school principal for allowing this writer to gain access to the school premises and take photographs of classes where pupils sat on windows and concrete blocks while learning.

Even though it was reported in the story titled, “Lagos school where pupils learn sitting on windows, concrete blocks” that the principal was not around when this journalist visited the school, Saturday PUNCH learnt that her superiors have decided to hang the blame of the scandal on her.

Efforts to speak to the principal as the news of her suspension broke on Monday, were unsuccessful as she was nowhere to be found in the school. Teachers are not allowed to speak with the press in the state.

But an irked teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the principal was removed from her position as a punishment on Monday.

The teacher said, “This is more serious than you think; you have put this school in trouble. The education ‘oga’ (commissioner) and other state officials summoned the principal on Monday and she has been removed from her position.

“She was asked to start reporting to the office of the permanent secretary of the ministry of education as from Tuesday.”

Our correspondent, who paid an undercover visit to the school on Monday, noticed that the issue had put all the teachers in the school on edge as many of them were seen holding copies of the published report.

It was also learnt that the state government’s education top officials had gone a step further by querying a teacher who was teaching a class when photographs of an array of broken furniture the pupils sat on were taken.

Our source within the school said another teacher, a head of department, is also facing the ministry’s ‘fire’ in connection to the said publication. The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, had last week Friday admitted that her ministry was aware of the issue of the bad furniture in the school.

“Thank you for your observation; we are not unaware. As I write, chairs are being supplied and before too long, it will go round the schools,” a text message from her said on Friday. But by Monday when this correspondent visited the school, no new chairs had been supplied.

This correspondent got in touch with the Lagos State Chairman of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, Mr. Babatunde Philips, to find out if the state of furniture in secondary schools in the state had been a subject of discussion in the conference’s deliberations in the past.

But Phillips said he could not comment on the issue at the time.

“I heard about the suspension of the principal (of Ikeja Grammar School). It makes me very sad that she had to be suspended. But we are planning to make our findings about the issue. I cannot say anything about the issue right now,” he said.

The state government’s action after last Saturday’s publication seems to have become a trend in the way it handles issues relating to its responsibilities.

In August 2013, after Saturday PUNCH published a report on the state of an orphanage located beside a house owned by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Orelope Adejoke-Adefulire, operated by Mrs. Rose Nwachukwu, the state government closed down the orphanage and arrested the woman even though experts said officials should have monitored the orphanage’s activities in the first place.

When a text message was sent to Oladunjoye on Thursday on the report that the principal was suspended, Oladunjoye replied simply, “Which report is that please? I know a report is already in the public domain.”

Jos Crisis:My Plight, My Ordeal (PART 2)

                                                   

DAY 2

After our yesterday escapade, we were exhilarated and curious in our state of being, every occupant in my lodge tuned to their favorite radio station-rhythm fm, Ray power, PRTV fm, et al.  I, on my own side was totally oblivious and lackadaisical as to the political happenings in the state, let to talk of a low-key election as such.

I picked up my blue rubber bucket to go fetch water at a nearby well- you don’t need a drawer to fetch water from the well, all you have to do is to stoop and scoop the water with your bucket without any hurdle. I fetched my water and trudge to Bola’s lodge to get my note books, passed through a motor park that is always cramped with travelers but the park was deserted and I was a little bit perturbed but I shrugged it off until a woman in her 50s with a flaccid bosom and wrinkled face walk to me and started asking some question in her native language, Anaguta ,I smiled and told her in Hausa  that I don’t understand what she’s saying , that was when she code-switch to Hausa language, “don’t go anywhere my son, I heard that the city is in turmoil,’’ this what she told me in her words, trepidation crept in and I rushed back to my street as a matter of fact, I was about to pick my bucket when a man with stab wound on his back came rushing towards where I was standing narrating how he miraculously escaped mob action in Zololo, a densely populated muslim street-just about 200metres to Terminus market, I was shaking, half-listening as he narrated his ordeal, and before I could recollect my far gone memory in not less than twenty minutes the whole place went dead, and dark smokes can be seen enveloping the cloud from afar, I notified my good buddy, Chucks about the bizarre happenings and rushed back to my  lodge to convey the news to my house mates and also to save my documents by carrying them along. Fehintola  and Jennifer were already dressed and set for the day’s lecture when I shook them with the news, that carries fire and macabre, I scurried into my room to rummage some of my papers, before I could say the next word that was hanging on my neck the two girls were gone,  but to where? I asked around and no one saw them.  I asked for my friend, Chucks but he’s vanished, I tried desperately to reach his phone line but it was dead, before I know it waves had conveyed the news to my parents without my own consent, Mum called me on phone and I declined her call, then dad’s but this time I picked it an told him that my street was calm, again mum called for the second time and I did same by lying- white lie though.

This was how it started. The area boys mobilized themselves with whatever weapon they could lay their hands on and started setting shops that were owned by Muslims alight (they scampered and left their shops and some trucks in the park). In  time of crisis even the most virgin heart that can’t kill a rat turns into the most venomous snake, I pulled off my faded jean trouser with my phone in it and hurled it over a house I don’t know it occupant, picked up a long stick that has the shape of a hockey stick-curved  end, the  elders in kunga1 of Naraguta  village gingered us to move to the warfront  and protect the village and churches that it house, we matched forward hurling grenades, arrows and  shooting age-long guns, the other  opponents from Zololo are doing the same. Causalities were recorded, death toll increased, business centers turned into debris, houses were on fire; all from both sides. It was during this crisis that I got to know that Jos women  posses granite heart than their men- so turgid, some of the women were supplying stones and water for the thirsty while some are in the warfront chanting war songs, I also get to know that size is not might, inside cultists they ‘re cultism, most able bodied and giant students in kunga1 were nothing but chaff, they had no value as they ‘re scared to their pants they  left us, the miniature creatures to protect them whilst they  were hiding, clutch to their feeble minded girlfriends, only few of the over 20 cultist in the area came out with their short guns to repel the attackers. My friend, I.P lost his uncle to the fight that lasted for over 6 hours, his uncle has already told him about his mission-to protect a church and also pleaded with them to help pay his debtors the money he’s being owing them. I.P’s uncle left his kunga2 residence to kunga1 where the church’s located, he and some other men garrisoned the place but when the situation got intense they scamper and left him with the church of which the attackers burnt together with him. I.P swore to us when we went to commiserate with him that he would seek retribution of which of which he did because they were secret killings in the area in ensuing days. Jimmy and Emmanuel sustained different degree of injuries from a swollen knee (he’s struck by a stone) to a bullet wound on his shoulder. I was lucky to have escaped some stray bullets flying over my head because I was crawling so low. It took almost forever before intervention came from the Nigeria military force, and this was when dialogue that had a nix effort began, a b-b curfew was also put in place.

Gideon offered me a round -the -street tour where he showed me all the mess, the burning and the lootings, we later digressed to a more entertaining discourse, hence to divert my attention from the objects of reality. We passed a bend where shops were looted and burnt down, egg shell scattered everywhere, tins of peak milk that has already been used, ‘’Guy, look down, ’’Gideon said to me without any  sign of panic, I looked down as he commanded and I immediately staggered  behind him. It was a burnt man, we call him ’Aboki’ because that’s what Hausa people are fondly called in Jos and other

Non-Hausa speaking states. Narrating how Aboki got burned to death, Gideon told me that when his other fellow Hausa men were running for their lives he stayed behind in his warehouse garrisoning his raw yam and egg which he do fry to sell to us, student favorite, when the locals noticed him, he took to his heel, when he noticed they were coming for him.

Aboki ran to my friends lodge, khalito momento, khalito hid him in his toilet but when the locals came knocking at khalito’s door post, to khalito’s surprise his local friend threatened to kill him if he don’t produce Aboki, khalito in his mid- twenties cried like a baby and handed Aboki to them, they poured fuel on him and set him alight, he was dying slowly until khalito’s friend finally took his arrow, he was finally sedated. I was really an eye sore, seeing a man burnt beyond recognition with an arrow pricked to his chest.

When the dust settled, after two days of the comatose, I made up my mind to go home, because I was nostalgic. During the last two days we were forced to live indoor with no water and food except for the eggs in bags my friends loot from a full-to-beam trailer, so we all settled for the eggs, Sometimes we fry them but when our vegetable oil got finished we started boiling it, funny as it may sound we couldn’t differentiate the stench oozing from our room and the farts from our butts, I think all the eggs we ate broke down into bad air in our stomach because everyone of us developed a bulge stomach, we couldn’t visit the lavatory. Only farts.

News later got to us about chucks, while he was standing and waiting for me he saw an almost empty bus travelling to Gombe, he took that chance and boarded the bus, and it was almost a fry pan to fire experience for him because Gombe state was wearing a hostile face that morning.

For Fehintola and Jennifer it was a different story altogether, funny as it may sound, it was an escape embedded on exchange theory. They were running on their toes when they saw a muslim Fulani woman with her two year old daughter (her husband had fled that morning) also trying to evade the scene. Fehintola took the baby from her as they trudge towards zololo, a haven for the Fulani woman, but what about fehintola and Jennifer, how about their safety? The Fulani woman depicted her benevolence by taking off her hijab and gave it to Fehintola , pulled that of her daughter and gave it to Jennifer, Immediately they took a change of name. Fehintola became Halimat and Jennifer transfigured to Aisha, this was how they move freely in zololo in the guise of being a muslim, until they got to Abuja hostel of the university of Jos.

When everything seemed like it has cooled off, I rummaged for my belongings, and some were intact while others has been stolen. I arranged them in a big Ghana-must-go bag and left for the park by 4pm (Just not to catch up with the curfew) for tomorrow early morning bus. There was nowhere for me to lodge, so I had to sprayed cartons on the floor and use my bag as a pillow, lying there with other folks in the middle of the night with hubbub of dogs barking, mosquitoes producing agonizing noise in my ears and sulking blood.

This is my story, this was how it turned sour and this was how something that was political turned into a religious ceisis within a wink of an eye.