This is my response to the allegation the the police beat up an okada rider in Lagos...Well well well did the police ACTUALLY beat up the okada rider and striped him naked? I ask this questions because of what I saw at the Maryland bus stop some weeks ago. As the a Lagos commercial bus stopped to drop some passengers I noticed a naked man running after a lady, calling out to her come now ashawo come and collect your change money now. That provoked me to ask the woman to stop. I asked her what was the problem she said that she joined the bus at CMS, a central business district bus stop, to Ikeja in the mainland that when they got to Maryland bus stop the bus driver discovered that she was the only passenger actually going to Ikeja. The conductor then ask her to come down without making a refund. That it was when she asked for her money that the conductor striped himself naked and started running after her. I made the driver refund her money and apologies to her. But the question remains...what we make a man strip himself naked in order to deprive another person , a woman her fifty Naira? So it is possible for the okada rider to strip himself naked to draw cheap attention to the situation he found himself and also to give the police a bad name.

A few days ago the Edo State House of Assembly sacked the care taker committee set up by the Comrade Governor to Administer the state for the four years of his first term. Although many people are now referring to this episode as the most undemocratic era Edo State has witnessed since the dawn of democracy in 1999. They argued that Comrade Adams who can easily be referred to as one of Nigerians custodian/pillar of democracy should not be associated with the undemocratic rule in the third tier of government. Well the main concern of this write up is the information the ACN members are spreading all over Edo State that there will be no local government elections in Edo State. That what is been proposed is going to be a kangaroo election. They said the Comrade Governor and the leadership of their party will write the RESULTS of the election at the government house. My first reaction was to mobilise all other parties to boycott the said elections, but  I realise that this great forum the EDO POLITICAL FORUM, EPF should take a stand on the side of the people. My suggestion is that this noble body should form a very powerful committee to monitor the proposed local government elections and electoral process. Please it you do not have meaningful contribution please just waka pass oh.

This a response  to my post and my reply

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  Otunba Khamileon Wrong analysis sir! This is Romney's last shot at the Presidency, after the second debate in which he seems to be trying too hard, almost like a fight. His advisers told him that he has to present himself as a real President in this crucial stage. He had to show people he is capable of being the Commander in Chief..part of the reason he mellowed now...and now a lot of people are asking if that was a bad move. That definitely threw him off balance and before you know it he was flip flopping, agreeing with the President...Not the usual fighting Romney... Again this has nothing to do with any Power that be...Definitely not the REPUBLICANS. The presumed respect was just Romney trying to present himself as the Commander in Chief to the public.. CNN annalists says he won the Debate on that level which was what his very goal was for this particular debate...show Americans that you are capable of being Commander in Chief! But in the Debate itself Obama won...so it's sort of a win! win! situation for both (Not my opinion, but CNN's).... Also wrong on McCain! After Obama defeated him on the previous Debate he promised to come strong on the last one and he did.. He was jumping around swinging hot and Obama was so calm and cool and it came across as if he was attacking the president non stop and before he realized it, the damage had already being done... In America, i don't even know if a party can tell a candidate to step down for another not to talk of the opposition stepping down for the opponent.. Not in this life time and definitely not the Republicans! The rich party should step down for the normal one..excuse me! Why didn't Hilary step down for Obama when both of them are in the same party? Even when Obama won, she didn't step down to congratulate him. She said she was "Suspending" her election bid (As if she had any other option!)... Obama and Romney are fighting the biggest battle of their life and the coming weeks will show who won and this has nothing to do with any Godfathers or people behind the scenes... Bless.

  2 hours ago · Edited · Like · 1

 @ Otunba Khamileon you may have glossed over the point I was trying to make. But first let me say that if your analysis is based on those crap that those CNN reporters are putting across then you may have missed the underlining currents in this elections in America. Those guys are only concern about how they are going to put back the white in the white house. There are several other websites to look for more credible information. Now back to my point. I did not say that somebody was ask to step down. What I said was that McCain at a time was exciting the white voters making racially sensitive comments. But all of a sudden he backed down. Talk of Hillary Clinton during her last debate with Obama her countenance and rapport with Obama changed dramatically. Looking back you will agree with me that they must have sealed the deal on appointments. Please do not let them deceive you, the polls you are seeing is to prepared grounds for rigging as was done in Florida during Al Gore's elections. As at today majority of those that are going to vote are already doing so through early voting, so who are they polling? Finally, I did not say that some godfather may have ask Romney to step down but I am saying that he has been advised to tune down the talking down to Obama.

The Americans always back the powers that be or the people behind the throne,  the true king makers of America are good at is protecting their Presidency. In 2008 when McCain ran against Obama for the presidency he was all over the place insulting and talking down to Obama. But all of a sudden  he just  backed down. My reading at the time was that the powers that be already new that Obama was going to win so they prevailed on McCain to back down. He obeyed and started showing respect to Obama.  If you watch the final debate between Obama and Romney last night you will notice that Romney has already biting the bug.  I am sure those powerful people behind the throne, some are saying that it may be the CIA or some intelligence community that may have prevailed on Romney to show maximum respect to the PRESIDENT which was very obvious yesterday. The question now is are there any agency or group or persons  in Nigeria that could take decisions on our national interest and be respected?

Yesterday on ITV news I some people were protesting at the government house. They were protesting the reclaiming of Okhomu Oil land which they had encroach upon. Some of them were falling to the ground and rolling on from one point to the other. They were addressed by the deputy Chief of Staff who assured them that the government will look into it.
The land in dispute was a part of the Okhomu forest reserve which was giving to the Okhomu oil company by HRM Oba Akenzua 11 of blessed memory to plant palm oil trees. However, the Yoruba cocoa farmers entered the land from the real adjoing Ondo State and started planting Cocoa and even building permanent homes and developing villages with layouts. As usual they took the hospitality of the Benins for granted. A close look at the way they had settled the area in the future the Benins would have had to deal with another Gelegele.
The warning to Okhumu Oil was that if they do not have need for the lands allocated to them they should return it to the original owners. Those farmers can protest from Benin to Abuja all they want. My advice to them is that they should go and look for alternative area to farm in.

In a previous post on my blog I drew attention to the flooding situation in my country Nigeria. I also recommended that the dredging of the River Niger and the River Benue will provide a lasting solution both in the short and the long run. However, like in every thing else in the country the federal government is planning to embark on building dams to control the water. I want to use this medium to call on Nigerians of all works of life to oppose the proposed action of the federal government as it is a waste of funds and will not provide a lasting solution.
The flood has not only render millions of people homeless but it has also destroyed the farms and farmland of major food basket zones of in the country. Now the resultant effects food scarcity has become obvious all over the country. As one would have expected if the country had food reserves for its citizens, they would have released some to cushin the effect. However immediately the flood occurred some smart governors released money to food stuff traders to invade other state and buy up their foodstuff. Edo State being the closest to both Delta and Bayelsa states, the Bayelsa traders went to the Villages of Edo State and literally mopped up all the garri, yams and red pepper. They were willing to pay premium for any foodstuff that was available in the local markets. So three days into the flood disaster garri that sold for #2,500.00 a basin went up to #7,500.00. As I write prices of various foodstuff has gone up astronomically. The State and Federal government are not offering solutions. If it was in other climes where government plans they would release food from their strategic food reserve. But this is Nigeria, my Nigeria, I hail thee.

My response to the Alluu MOB

Do not allow yourself to be a part of such crowd.

When we were much younger I witness a scene that has guided my ways ever since. It was immediately after the Nigeria civil war when there was poverty every where and the great influx of those affected by the war into Benin City. Then too in order to rebuild their lost financial base our brothers from the east would invent many things to sell.  Their inventions included but not limited tooth wash which was a combination of OMO powder detergent soap and sharp sand. Many people bought from them probably out of sympathy or in appreciation of the Ajasco dance troupe that entertained the crowd before introducing their product for sale. Another one that stood out was created by a man meant in the 1990’s in Lagos, He was a successful manufacturer. For those of you who are old enough, you will recall the picture of a very big snake with a human head. The story was that the wife of the man placed some “voodoo” in his bath water. That as the man poured some water on his body he changed into a snake. So that was why his head did not turn into a snake. When they are selling the picture in Benin they will say it happened in Calabar while when selling it in Calabar the will say it happened in Sagamu. These were some of the experiences of those times. However, one event that has guided me till these day happen on one Sunday afternoon after we came back from the church. We were sitting outside on the veranda with our parents when a truck pusher rolled by with a handicap man seated on the truck bed. He was begging for arms but instead of those ignorant people around to show understanding they were mocking him. A huge crowd gathered and started following them from street to street.  After about an hour of the hustle and when he saw that people were not responding with cash gift, they pushed the truck and parked in front of our compound.  My late Dad drove the crowd away. The man then sent his boy to ask my late Dad to give them water to drink.  As the youngest I was asked  to go and fetch the water while one of my sisters was ask to fix food for them.  As I approach the man with the water he said to my late Dad who was a pastor that the reason he stopped was that he noticed that none of the people from his household followed the crowd. He then said that all those people that mocked him today for no just reason will be mocked in their whole life. That none of them will ever  grow up to become some to reckon with in the society. It dawn on me that while all those that participated had gone their various ways yet they have been cursed.  I am not in anyway saying that all those people have been affected by the curse but while go look for trouble when you already have enough? The lesson is that you should always avoid being a part of the crowd that is perpetuating evil. Do not allow yourself to be counted as one of those who became the crowd. Do not be yoked with them, avoid it period. 

 The flooding in Nigeria was a disaster waiting to happen. The government and the citizens knew well in advance that there was going to be flooding yet they folded their hands, prayed and wished  it away in a form of miracle.  The government did nothing to mitigate the effects on the populace. I do not want to join all those that are lamenting the situation.  I want to proffer a way forward that is a win win situation.
It has been observed that the reason for the flooding was the release of water from some dam up there in Cameroon Republic. However the REAL and TRUE reason for the flooding is the lack of dredging of the River Niger from inception.  The Federal government  can get that going NOW by employing about 1000 dredging companies to pump those sand from the bed of the River Niger and hire people to turn those sand in blocks and coverts  that will be sold at a discount so that people can buy them cheaply and trucked to all over the country. Or better still the government can embark on housing projects with these sand and resultant blocks. In the process the government will  be creating jobs too.

In a paper ”titled WAKE UP BENINS, WAKE UP”  presented at a seminar on Benin Nation Yesterday, today and the future at the Oba Akenzua Cultural  Centre on Airport Road in Benin City on October 1^st, 2012 Nigeria Independence day, Squadron Leader Ehi Ighile (rtd) made the following recommendations.

RECOMMENDATIONS

a.       ENIGIE Our Enigie must all live in their domains this way our villages and towns will not perish.

b.      LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMEN. ALL Local Government Chairmen (councillors) should live in the areas that they govern with immediate effect. They should build their houses there. They should also build hospitals, markets, cemeteries, recreation grounds, commercial vehicle parks and hpusing estates. It is possible. It demands creativity and patriotism. Our brothers are doing it in the North and Central (Senatorial District). We can also do it.   

c.       ODIONWERE- Our Odionwere (Village Heads) should not fear to administer with truth. If the villages are doing well we will be progressing.

d.      CHIEFS – Our Chief should uphold their exalted positions with honour and truth. You are the eyes of the palace. It is what you tell the palace that it acts on. The whole Kingdom relies on you so play fair games.

e.      OUR WOMEN - Mothers you have tried but don’t give up. We are your children. We need more Queen Idia and Queen Iden.

f.        BENIN YOUTHS – Please stop destroying yourselves. The children of the people who encourage you to kill your brothers have their children abroad schooling in good institutions. Stop being used by politicians. Ask them to bring their children to join you in the fights. I know things are hard. Stop holding prospective investors to ransom. Their investment will bring progress and jobs opportunities to your area.

g.       BENIN ELDERS – Benin Elders stop driving Benin Youths from your offices and businesses. Accept them, teach them and reform them. This is what will need for progress.

h.      PREACHERS – Preachers stop preaching superstition and witchcraft which is dividing our families. Teach our people to love one another. Teach them honesty, respect for Elders and to tell the truth always. Motivate the children to study Mathematics, Sciences and Computer Technology. Teach them to work and pray.

i.         OIL AND GAS – We are an oil and gas producing state but we seem irrelevant in the politics of oil in Nigeria. We must wake up to claim the gains of oil. The government of Edo State is trying. We must join hands to build our state.

i.  We must all unite tp build Gelegele port. It is the closest port to the Eastern and Northern Nigeria.

ii.  We must build rail line from Gele gele to Abuja.

iii.  A dual carriage way must be built from Gelegele to Abuja

iv.  A standard Airport must be built in Benin City. The current one is an Airstrip.

v.  We must woe Chinese investors to Edo State

My Brothers and Sisters the children of Kings and Queens, our ancestors did it. We too can do it.  So wake up all Benins, wake up. Thank you