September 15, 2006

Nuhu Ribadu: Let he who is without Sin Cast the First Stone

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- We all like to meet people who are all the things this society defines as perfect. Beautiful, brilliant, compassionate with a liberal dose of humbleness. When we meet this concept of perfection and over time reality dawns, what do we come up with? Damn! Not all the things I envisioned.

Something is missing we say. I must continue my search, and so friendships, marriages, work relationships often suffer, simply because of the temporary illusion. I am a very open minded human being, who knows he is but a student in this classroom called life, and believe me, I am learning and growing with each lesson that comes my way.

Man is such a harsh judge. We so readily want our own indiscretions and mistakes to be over looked, but seldom are willing to overlook someone else's. Why does it sometimes seem as if we revel in the chance to find fault in others? Is it because we feel better about our own shortcomings when we compare them to those who are more obviously flawed? Yet does this give us a right to pass judgement? In life, we must learn to be fair. It is not our job to right a wrong. It is quite sufficient for us to acknowledge that something has been less than ideal….and to do our best to avoid a recurrence. I’m now speaking of a time to forgive, to forget and to move gracefully, profitably on and that time is now. We must understand one thing in life, when we are angry, we hurt something in ourselves. Psychological self protection mechanisms come at a price. Like moats and drawbridges on a castle, designed to keep invaders at bay, they also prevent friendly visitors from dropping by.
The worst has already happened; the best is yet to come. That's true of the history of the human race. It's also a true thing to say about our nation. No matter how bad things get, they won't ever be as bad as they were once before - and no matter how good things have been in the past, we are going to see moments that far outshine these rays of hope and inspiration. Let’s for the love of God, keep that in mind today. As we look ahead we must be willing to embrace all the positive magic that tomorrow has in store.
In life, we can’t set anyone else’s boundaries for them. We can, though, set our own. We can decide what we do or don’t find acceptable and we can refuse to cross that line unless there is an exceptionally good reason. This won’t necessarily make us popular, but it will bring a degree of clarity to a situation that is rapidly growing confused. It will also afford us some protection. We surely need to feel comfortable and we need to be satisfied that we are doing the right thing regardless of how anyone else may be behaving around us. If we keep an open mind, we could end up believing almost anything. If our heart is open too, we reduce that risk. Somehow, we’ll be guided towards what’s right, even if we have become convinced of the wrong idea.

People judge us by what we wear. How we look. How we speak. What we appear to be doing with our lives. Or even how many resources we seem to have at our disposal. That should be their problem. We should never let it be ours. We should certainly never judge ourselves by these trivial tokens. Who are you inside? How much love, kindness, warmth and wisdom dwells in your heart? Look for this in yourself and look for it in others too. Then it will be very easy to separate the superficial from the truly meaningful. Even the Most High, said we must stop judging unjustly; but we must no longer be partial to the wicked, the hypocrites and the ungodly. We (Nigerians) must defend the rights of the poor and the orphans. We must learn to be fair to the needy, the oppressed and the helpless. We must rescue them from the power of the wicked, character assassins and the brood of vipers. Many of us would prefer to have a little less blind faith and a lot more by way of sensible strategy. There’s nothing wise, about jumping to a premature conclusion. But in life, we must learn to give crucial information a chance to reach us before passing judgements.

Half the books in the library these days seem to be about relationships – and how to improve them. We are always being encouraged to become better communicators, to learn to listen or to grow more adept at asking for what we really want. Interestingly, there are no manuals to instruct you and me in the art of being nasty to one another. That, apparently, is something that comes quite naturally, especially in Nigeria. So, too, is the ability to create confusion, controversy and consternation. 'Before you judge someone, you should first walk a mile in their shoes.' The true origins of this famous saying are lost in the mist of time. Almost certainly, they date back to a period when most people wore adjustable sandals. In these modern times of rigid shoe sizes, God! We could do ourselves serious damage by attempting this exercise. However, the statement is not supposed to be taken literally.

“They say honesty is the best policy”. They could, of course, be lying. They could only be saying this to elicit as much information as possible from an unsuspecting audience. Or they could sincerely believe the statement but be deluded as to the nature of honesty. Something needs to change in Nigeria. That's indisputable. There is no debate about what has to alter, but there is a reason to discuss the method by which we alter it. Tiresome though it may be to go over everything with a fine toothcomb and consider all those ifs, buts, maybes and could-be's, the process is necessary. We have to be sure we are doing the right thing at the right time for the right reasons. We won't know that till we have explored all the permutations, weighed up all the options and dispelled all the doubts.

'The truth will set you free’ so they say.' That, though, is not everyone's experience. Some people find that candour gets them into an awful lot of trouble. It's a bit like saying that a key will open a lock. It will, but that same key will also close it. Much depends on how it is used and which way it is turned. Lies, though, never liberate anyone. The most they ever do is help us trade a small amount of trouble today, for a whole load more in the future. Most people are extremely selective with the truth. They see things from their own point of view, not the viewpoint of others. If they do look beyond this, it is with the intention of supplying misleading information. Life’s only sensible option is to play it straight and avoid playing politics with Nigerians lives. If we play it safe we can make many gains.

Honesty is not the best policy in Nigeria of today. Sensitivity is. Some people are born insensitive, some achieve insensitivity and others have insensitivity thrust upon them. This is not the right quotation. But I am sure we all know why I make that remark now. We are dealing with several silly someones, several brood of vipers. If only we had a thick skin, a thick hide, this would be fine. But no matter how heartless, careless or callous the people around us may choose to be, we can and must summon no such quality. Does this make us vulnerable? No, it makes us wonderful.

Moral authority in Nigeria should be measured against shared standards of human rights, democracy and rule of law. To hoist the flag of freedom in our country and ask that others follow our lead is to invite deliberation. Serious discussion of the ideas and policies we choose to advance. Free men and women of this great nation do not simply salute and fall in line, No! Free people ask by what authority, on what evidence, by what right do you ask me to hear and heed your policy prescription for our nation’s ills? Our response to those fair questions cannot be slogans and brands. Effective public diplomacy in Nigeria requires respectful dialogue and vigorous engagement at the level of ideas. Let’s all think about that today.

KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE AND YOUR ENEMIES EVEN CLOSER
If the truth is a sword, secrecy is a shield. There is a time and a place for both. In life, we must learn not to tell everything to everybody. We must understand and remember that discretion is not just about our choice of words, but about finding the right moment to deliver them. Certain things can remain veiled forever. There is no harm in this. Other matters, though, must be openly and honestly expressed. As we set about identifying the difference, we must be guided by our deepest instincts and ignore the pressures of both convention and obligation.

Like I said before, we don’t win arguments by shouting the loudest – or by taking back our bat and ball and refusing to play any more. We win by being wise, being responsible; by standing back, holding back, thinking carefully and choosing our words well. If we really want to win, we transcend our fear of losing. We give way when we can and seek compromise rather than conflict. Hollow victories are easily attainable. But meaningful agreements, while it may be more difficult to arrive at, always prove infinitely more rewarding. If we are certain of something, let’s stick with it. If we are unsure, let’s not pretend otherwise. Though others seem to look up to us more when we look as if we know what we are doing, it’s a false comfort if secretly we have no clue at all. But as long as we just keep doing what needs to be done, we will make the right kind of progress. Sometimes, though, we find it much easier to do what doesn’t need to be done. Distractions excite us. Irrelevances attract us. All alternatives, no matter how empty, seem more appealing than the task in hand. We must learn to face our fear. Overcome our inertia. Make our effort. To our surprise and delight, we will find that the further we go down seemingly difficult road, the easier and more enjoyable our progress becomes.

If we didn't have friends, we couldn't have enemies. We'd have nobody to fall out with - nobody to disappoint or to feel let down by. Who would we do favours? Who could we go out of our way to help? Who could we share our secrets with? Who would we have to blame when those secrets were then passed on to someone else? Friendship is a mixed blessing - but then so is wealth. The problems it brings are, by and large, worth having. In life I believe many people have covered enough ground to be very wary of this human race. Even when your spirit feels like yielding in trust, your mind says…perhaps not. I know most people, even with the best intentions are still at the end of the day only human and humans make many mistakes, but trust me, those who are most vulnerable...have much more to lose.

Trust is an easy thing to talk about and difficult thing to feel. With the ability to trust and love deeply comes the greatest fragility. To shatter into a thousand pieces and find it very difficult to put each piece back in place. Even then the glass is never the same. So it’s always wise to tread very carefully through this life of ours. I do not blame or criticize, I always love to tell it as it is...for in this life, many of us have encountered many wolves who do not even yet know they are wolves in sheep’s clothing, many rogues in royal robes and many apostles and punching preachers from who knows where?. They become greatly offended when you inform them of their rapacious nature.

They go far out of their way to show you, to proof to you, to convince you that...Hey! I am a sheep, can you not see my humble passive nature? Then, the mind begins to overrule the spirit, which more than anything recognizes exactly what it feels. The eyes and other senses convince the mind...yes this is a sheep. It is only when the true nature of the wolf, the hyena, the leviathan reveals itself that the spirit is able to break free and scream....why on earth do you never listen to me mind? I tell you this today, there is always someone standing out there with a noose waiting to put it around your neck, but the question we all need to ask more often than not is, who knows who? Nigeria we hail thee, our own dear native land. Though tribe and tongue may differ in brotherhood we stand…..In brotherhood we stand? Oh Lord! Please give us a sign.

We spend a lot of time worrying about whether we are getting things wrong. We dwell on the mistakes we feel we have made and further errors that these in turn may be leading us to. Things have a way of turning out well, even when they have recently turned out badly. That's certainly the case in Nigeria. Let’s look back and give thanks to the Lord for some of the lucky breaks we have enjoyed and give glory to the Lord Almighty for blessing us with few unique leaders who are at least trying their possible best to make our blessed country the best and a nation no longer deserted. Now, let’s be hopeful and look forward. I surely believe there's something good ahead for the righteous in this country and by God 2007 will be a year of restoration, with brand new generation of God fearing leaders and brand new political agenda.

D.Akinsanya Juliuson
Diplomacy Practitioner and Specialist Investigator
United Kingdom

Posted by Administrator at 11:04 AM | Comments (0)

May 27, 2006

Nigeria: Let us Look to the Past and Weep....

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This was said by John Acton, the famous historian. He did not go on to suggest that the opposite is also true. Absolute powerless is no guarantee of absolute impeccability.

We don’t have as much power as we want, but we do have some. To make the most of the power that we have, we need to act with immense sincerity and sensitivity. We need to do the right thing and we’ll get the right result. We can’t buy wisdom by the pint. We can though obtain ignorance in this way. After a couple of glasses we will know nothing about anything – even if we feel sure that we know it all! Wisdom, arguably can be bought – but not with money. We have to pay for it with experience and we certainly can’t measure the stuff. So, how much wisdom do we have now in this country? In some nations elections are never held. The same people hold the same positions of power for decades. Are the citizens any worse off? They might or might not be. We can’t ask them because they are not allowed to comment! Democracy is not about efficiency. It’s about respecting the right to disagree.

I believe a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step…just a single step. Let’s close our eyes and think of a clear blue sky above us. Let’s visualise a ladder, emerging from the top of our head. Let’s watch it go upwards, ever upwards, into that wide blue yonder. Now, let’s conjure up an image of us somehow climbing that ladder. We keep climbing and now at the top, let’s look down. There is our situation in Nigeria, the one that seems so big, daunting, urgent and overwhelming. Seems small in the distance – doesn’t it? Grown ups in our midst know what they are doing at all times. Kids just wander around in a state of confused innocence. Or so at least, we are taught to believe. There are though, many smart children in this world and many dumb adults. In that latter group (the adults) the dumbest of the lot are the folk who think they know what they are doing when really they have no clue, no idea. I believe we (this generation) have got that childlike urge to explore something different now and we mustn’t dismiss it. It could change our world and our country for better.

In 2007, The Most High will surely bless us with a God fearing Leader. A leader who will appreciate how extremely important it is for Nigerian leader to know the true meaning of leadership, security and understanding. I said this before and by God, I’m saying it again. Any President that's not guided by principle is not a President and I repeat that person is not a president but a wishful thinker. The next leader of Nigeria must be someone who embodies the best and understands the ideals and value of communities and also hard-work. God can and will give our country a better leadership and better future. I'm sure we have more than enough intelligent leaders with what it takes to lead the nation, let’s pray to God for guidance and to lead us. In order for the next leader of our great country to form a perfect union with the citizens of Nigeria, he must be prepared to establish prosperity and well-being and insure integrity, also declare himself free and independent from all bondage past, present and future. He must be prepared to divorce himself from self-righteousness and release the nation from poverty, lack and negativity. He must be a consummate listener and be prepared to deal with serial blackmailers and jobless character assassins that have destroyed many innocent lives through their evil and unrepentant heart.

This leader must be prepared to break free from acts of dependency, self-denial, dishonesty, indecision and timidity. He must be prepared to seek the common good, promote Unity and Justice, Disdain the arrogance of power and provide moral leadership. He must remove himself from working just for money and false security and commit himself to adding value and making his heart sing in everything he does. He must be prepared to rid himself of all that, he knows might jeopardize his determination to succeed. He must be prepared to dedicate himself to personal success and honesty. Also, must center himself in the flow of truth, wisdom and inspiration. This leader must be dedicated to helping and encouraging youths operate at their personal and professional best. We must work together under the leadership of a man of purpose, a man of vision and a man of understanding. We do not need an immature political illiterate who sell Nigeria in order to be accepted by the west and or disrespect those who have sacrificed their lives for this worthy nation.

The next president of Nigeria must learn how to mentor others to greatness and create a self-propelled workforce. He MUST be more versatile and be sure of his approach. He must share his vision more effectively and boost productivity. The world belongs to passionate driven leaders, people who do not only have enormous amount of energy but who can energise those whom they lead. People don't want to be managed, they want to be led, to be inspired to higher levels of excellence and they want a leader who can develop their potential. This leader must understand that, how well his team performs depends on his leadership. People are not led by plans and analysis, creating inspiration, self respect and a sense of excitement is what it is all about. The next president of Nigeria must appreciate the fact that, his ministers, governors and ambassadors might be very skilful, but what really makes the difference between good performance and outstanding performance is the WILL factor, commitment, energy and belief. An ability to generate innovative ideas and pull it through. He must learn how to ignite the will to win in his team, especially his ministers and ambassadors. Nigeria deserves cultured, sensible, sensitive, mature ambassadors, consuls and representatives. We need embassies with efficient commercial, cultural and public diplomats. Nigeria is an independent country not a village or town. Nigeria is a leader of leaders. Nigeria needs a mature and energetic leader who is not a recipe for disaster.

In life some obstacles are opportunities. If we seek a way past them, we will eventually find success. Others are impenetrable. They are too big, too broad, too high or too deep. No matter how much effort we make, we will be wasting our time. How are any of us supposed to know the difference between these two types of difficulty? There’s only one way we can find out. We have to try for a while and see how far……

But what if we choose the wrong thing? What if we reach the wrong tomorrow? What if we wind up lost, sorely regretting our weakness or lack of insight? When we are thinking like this, let’s remember the words of Franklyn D. Roosevelt: “The only thing we have to fear in life….is fear itself.” We must never allow defeat to defeat us in Nigeria. As we sow seeds for the future by our own actions, let’s ask ourselves, “Are we acting out of nervousness or enthusiasm?” If it’s the former, let’s please forget it. If it’s the latter, let’s let it lead us! As long as we are clear in our hearts, our brains can think whatever it likes. However, we must remember that, yesterday’s perfect solution is today’s irrelevant idea. Life moves on and we must move on too. We can’t keep repeating tried and tested formulae – nor can we assume, just because something once suited us, that it will be perfect forever. We don’t necessarily have to alter our situation but we do have to look at things from a different angle. Are we overlooking the potential value of something (so far) unfamiliar right now in this country of ours?

In this country of ours, we must always understand one thing and that is, success is dangerous. Failure is valuable. Success gives rise to arrogance, overconfidence, pride and prejudice! Failure by contrast, produces humility, wisdom, cautious and a willingness to learn. At the moment, we have a reason to feel triumphant and a reason too, to feel deflated. Understandably, we want to focus on the factor that makes us feel good. The greatest benefit is going to ensue from a good, hard look at our most pressing problem. What isn’t working? Why isn’t it working? What can we do now to make it work? It takes courage to ask questions like these but if we can now summon that strength, we will come up with answers that inspire and uplift us. No matter what you and I think or believe, even the Lord Almighty Himself forgives us of our trespasses. How many of us forgive those who trespass against us? We must in this country understand that, it is our lack of forgiveness that always lead us in Nigeria into temptation, so now, who is going to deliver us from the evil we have created with our mouth and our actions, if not the Most High to whom kingdom, power, glory and authority belongs. Let’s be glad of the unexpected. Let’s embrace the unusual, the innovative, even the downright disruptive. We surely can soon put things back the way they were if we really want to – but the likelihood is that with the help of the enemies of progress, we might not want to.

Let’s recall, the last time we said “ Right, that’s it, we’re never ever going to do this (or that) again.” Let’s dwell, for a moment, on how pleased we are that we made such a decision and how different life has been since then. Now, let’s face facts. We are back in a situation which looks suspiciously like the one which led us to that choice. Do we, on point of principle walk away? Or do we give it one more try, to see if we can get something constructive out of it? That decision, soon, I surely believe, will be made for us. We can argue with the past as much as we like. It won’t respond. It can’t change. It can not even argue back! Happily, we don’t have to resolve our differences with it. We can remain uncomfortable about anything that has taken place before now. This as far as I’m concerned won’t do us any harm as long as we don’t carry the dispute forward. The future does not need to be argued with. It needs to be cajoled, coaxed and persuaded. We can talk it into something we really like and enjoy. Let’s look to the past today and weep but look to the future and hope.

As said before, we can’t start with a clean sheet. There‘s already something written on it. Even if we try to erase it – or paint over it – it will continue to show through. Let’s not, therefore, try to make a break with the past. Instead, let’s try and make an agreement with it. Let’s offer it some way to fit comfortably into our future. Let’s take its legacy and turn it into something we can feel proud of and pleased with. I am not talking here about the part of the past we already like. No! I’m talking about the part we are not so sure of that we can now make peace with. We might say, if only we had known, back then, what we know now…perhaps we would never have done what we did. But then, if we had never done it, we’d never have gone where we went. And then, we’d never have found out what we have discovered. Let’s not bother travelling down the road of “what if? It leads nowhere. Let’s head, instead, along the path of “what’s next?” And be glad of the lesson we have just learned. It’s yet going to help us ensure that the next destination we reach is a deeply pleasing and rewarding one. Whilst doing this, let’s not forget to appreciate our government and the President’s achievements so far. Let’s give glory to God for blessing us in this country and for His love for Nigeria.

D.Akinsanya Juliuson
Diplomacy Practitioner and Specialist Investigator
United Kingdom

Posted by Administrator at 10:32 PM | Comments (0)

April 15, 2006

Atiku Must Stop Dining with Snake Charmers and Pharisees

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- When one thing starts to go wrong, it soon appears as if everything is problematic. We start finding fault with situation we have previously been quite happy about.

We start lining up the factors and arrangements in our lives, and accusing them all of being to blame for our difficulties. Through this mechanism, we turn small troubles into big ones and unpick perfectly good stitches from the tapestry of our existence. Before we make major changes, in life, we must try to isolate the issue that is unnerving or upsetting us. Once that is fixed it may all be fine. However it’s not what we do; it is the way we do it. It’s not what we’ve got. It is the way we make use of what we’ve got. It is not what we don’t do; it is the reason why we don’t do it. It is not what we haven’t got; it is the way we feel about not having it. We can be surrounded by everything we might ever need, but if we don’t understand what it is we really need, our opulence will bring us no comfort.

We can be in a terribly tight spot but as long as we seek wisdom, we will always find a way out of it. A sense of perspective is all Vice President Atiku need now. They say,’ you should learn to walk before you can run! It is true. We should. Often though, we end up feeling as if there just isn’t time to practice. So instead of walking – or running – we just crawl as fast as we can and wear out our knees in the process. Our Vice President is in a hurry now. He wants something to happen as fast as possible. That’s understandable. But regardless of the pressure he faces, he needs to remember that, five minutes with a MAP, in a calm frame of mind, could save him hours of wandering round in circles and end up no where.

My advice for the Vice President now is to be a poker player, if it’s not too late. By hiding his fears and his feelings, by playing his cards, close to his chest. If he doesn’t like the look of his hand, he needs to be cautious. When you are in a hole, stop digging they say! We all know this is good advice but often we say something seemingly helpful such as,” Here is a much sharper spade” or” why don’t you try digging over there instead?! Indeed, whenever we see someone starting to create a deep hole, we all peer fascinatingly down, making it even harder for them to stop. The Vice President must never mind how much pressure he faces or how soft the earth below him seems now, he should stop digging, and stop dining with snake charmers, canters and quacks. Atiku must never trust those individuals who swear friendship to him over the cup of drunkenness.

He must beware lest the sweetened words of the hypocrite and the deceiver betray him into danger. True friends are hard to find he needs to be extremely careful. If they could betray someone very close to him, imagine what the vultures from hell would do to the Vice President himself and still feel cool about it, this to them is life as they live it here. IBB, MKO, Abacha and even President Obasanjo had been victims of these snake charmers and Holy Willies. Why then is it very difficult for Atiku to learn from the very best before it’s too late.

ATIKU NEED TO REACH FOR COMPROMISE NOW NOT CONFRONTATION

There’s only one way to win an argument, and that’s to avoid getting drawn into it in the first place. As soon as we rise to the bait, we fall into the trap. We lose our equilibrium. We compromise our objectivity. Our impartiality goes out of the window. Even if we win we lose. Of course, people rarely point that out to us. Most prefer to encourage one another to remain in a state of conflict. After all the more impassioned and irrational we all are, the easier it is to take advantage of us. If we want to go further forward in this life of ours, we must learn to stand further back. No one wins an argument by shouting the loudest or being the one who sticks most rigidly to their principles. Nor for that matter, do you lose by being outtalked – or placed in a position from which you can exert no further influence. You win by being willing to lose. You lose by being determined to win. There may be kudos from succeeding in a competitive sport or race of human conflict. I believe all disputes have something to feel ashamed of.

My strongest advice to our Vice President now is to reach for compromise, not confrontation. Sometimes we desperately put ourselves in awkward positions. We take on tasks that we know we are going to find onerous. We allow relationships to develop even though we suspect from the outset that they will be difficult. We may do this out of bravado or we may just feel we have no other choice. It is interesting how lack of choice so often seems to lead to more lack of choice. Of course none of us is wise. If we aspire to wisdom with all our might and all our hearts, we might just reach a point where we are wise enough to recognise how unwise we really are. We all want to be clever in life. We surely can be. All it requires is a willingness to accept that we don’t know everything there is to know and we never will. Therefore, there’s a limit to what we can foresee. If that’s true, there must also be a limit to what we want to control. In which case, we really might as well take it easy. We are who we are. We have every right to be proud of this. But are we all that we can be? In what way are we compromising the integrity of our own identity? Or selling ourselves short – or doing we and our nation a disservice? What is it that we are denying to ourselves? What is it that could easily help us develop more talents and confidence?

We must learn to be our own best friend today. We must look at what it is that we really need and then help ourselves to find a way to get it. In addition to honest, selfless, courageous and reliable lawmakers, we need mature and trustworthy governors and patriotic ambassadors. All we really require now is more love, care, support and sense of security. If we are thoughtful, selfless, caring, God-fearing and loyal, we will get them.

LAWMAKING SHOULD UPHOLD THE RIGHTS FUNDAMENTAL TO DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP

Democracy as rule of the people, pre-suppose agreement on who constitutes what is called “the people”. The grassroots level people. Such agreement must necessarily distinguish between those who enjoy the rights of citizenship and the parasites that see themselves as gods of the poor. There should be mutual respect between the different communities or identities that make up the nation; and all citizens must enjoy effective equal rights under the law of the land. How Nigeria manages the potential tensions between the requirements of equal citizenship and the distinctiveness of its different communities and between internal inclusiveness and external exclusivity is an important indicator of the quality of Nigeria’s democracy. Of democratic significance are Nigeria’s procedures for resolving disagreement about its constitutional arrangements, and how inclusive these are.

The idea of the rule of law is a long standing one, predating the advent of democracy. It expresses the powerful idea that law, not the arbitrary will of particular people or region, whether in government or not, should rule society. The idea of the rule of law surely comprises some distinct elements including the following:

1. No one should be punished without a specific charge and a fair hearing before a duly-constituted court. 2. The Nigerian judiciary should be institutionally and personally independent of both the executive and the legislature, so that it can interpret and enforce the law without fear or favour. 3. All Nigerian law should be certain, and its provisions and penalties known in advance. 4. No one should be above the law, whatsoever on earth their position or social standing, and everyone should be equal before it. 5. All Nigerian public officials should be subject to the law, and act within the terms of legally prescribed duties, powers and procedures. 6. Parliamentary law making should itself conform to constitutionally defined procedures and limits. It should uphold the rights fundamental to democratic citizenship. 7. Nigerian police should enforce the law effectively and fairly. 8. No one should be denied the protection due them under the civil or criminal law because they can’t afford the cost or because of gross delays in the administration of justice. 9. Nigerian government must understand that democracy can not work without effective civil and political rights. 10. Nigerians must be able to join together in associations and meet freely to discuss “ONLY” their aspirations and needs, their concerns and possible remedies. 11. Nigerians must be able to express their views freely. 12. In Nigeria, open government is essential underpinnings of these rights. 13. Serial blackmailers, rogue journalists and jobless character assassins should be put behind bars. 14. Moreover minorities of all kinds must feel secure in their freedom to practise their own religion and culture (Excluding heathens and Idol worshippers). Otherwise there can be no political equality to ensure that the needs and views of all sections of society are given voice and taken into account. 15. Above all, Nigerians must be free from intimidation, violence and the fear and threat of violence.

These ideas form the cornerstone of democratic government. However, we must learn not to claim any more power than we have to take. We must not at the same time give away any more power than we need to, in order to share. Honesty, though, doesn’t always involve telling everyone everything. Nor does it involve sharing every emotion no matter how transient or trivial.

THERE’S A BIG QUESTION MARK HANGING OVER EVERYONE’S FUTURE

There are certain things that need not be said. If we want to be sure of getting our most important message across, we should always avoid complicating it with extraneous additional information. We must always resist the temptation to say more than we need to or not say less than we need to either. But we must be aware that sometimes, people hear what they want to hear, not what is actually being communicated. “It’s not the winning that counts, it’s the taking part”. That’s what they tell us when we are losing. When we are winning they cheer us on loudly whilst secretly wondering how long our luck is going to last and whether we are starting to get too big for our boots. We live in a competitive society, where snake charmers are prepared to tell us only what we want to hear, yet success makes us lonely – and failure makes us frustrated. Somehow, though, it fails to dawn on us that competition is futile and facile. This life of ours is full of things that we don’t especially want to think about or deal with.

Indeed, life itself is one of those things. We can’t look closely at the subject for very long before we find ourselves having to acknowledge and remember that it doesn’t last forever. There is a very big question mark hanging over everyone’s future. None of us really want to think about that or deal with this. Reality, though, doesn’t disappear when we ignore it. The only way to overcome a fear is to face it. With courage and honesty, we all can work miracles. However, by the time the future arrives, the world will have changed. We will feel differently about many matters that currently concern us. We won’t be quite the same person we are now, nor will we be in quite the same situation. That’s why there is rarely any point in worrying about tomorrow, because it belongs to the Lord. When we let some fear of a forthcoming event get the better of us, we bring it into the present. We cause it to hang over our life like a dark cloud and experience unnecessary angst. Right now, we must adopt the policy of “When we get there we will deal with it, let’s just tackle today”. The Most High will surely bless us with peace of mind.

D.AKINSANYA JULIUSON

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March 27, 2006

President Obasanjo might not Attain the Outright Victory that he Hopes for

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- It's so easy to be strong when other people are giving us their support. When everyone agrees with our point of view, when we are being praised and applauded for our actions, when we feel sure that our course of action is correct, we can march bravely ahead in spirit of determination.

It's not so easy though, when we feel vulnerable, unsure of ourselves and doubtful of our ability to make an accurate judgement. President Obasanjo can and must be strong about what he sees as important, but is he doing the right thing now? All that any of us ever want to do is ‘the right thing'. Given that such a noble aspiration runs through the heart of every human – and given, too, that the right thing is surely what we were placed here to do, we'd think our world be full to bursting point with ‘right things'. Where, then, do all those wrongs come from? Presumably, from our propensity to think that wrong things are right things – vice versa. If our President really wants to do the right thing, now, he should be open to the idea that he could be doing the wrong thing. Like all great powers, the power of creativity can be a tremendous force for good – or for bad, depending on how it is applied. Artists, musicians and writers are by no means the only people who apply imagination constructively.

We can all cook up false fears, silly conflicts and irrelevant problems. I'm urging Nigerian politicians to cast some caution to the wind and be careful what they allow themselves to create and develop now. I also advise President Obasanjo not to put himself in a situation where he could lose everything. He is not only being highly ambitious, he is upsetting people who don't agree with his view of what needs to happen. He is refusing to be distracted from a goal that he has set. The President is determined to reach it, regardless of who disapproves. He is right to believe that something is possible, because it is. The question now is not,' Will he attain his target?' He might. The question is, quite how tactfully will he do it? How are things going to turn out? Will they go one way – or another? Will President Obasanjo gain what he hopes to gain? Or will he, in the process of attempting to succeed, lose something that is precious to him? The answer is,' the result might not be as clear cut as he wants it to be.' He might not attain an outright victory that brings all he hopes for. But if he does what is right and appropriate, he will get a result that is fair and just.

Mr President should let that be encouraging enough now to do the right thing in the interest of Nigerians that are suffering and smiling. He should avoid the use of coercive diplomacy; allow peace into his life and the lives of others. Nigerians want a solution – and a resolution. This generation want a convincing, conclusive answer to a pressing question. We want to come to an arrangement and start a brand new regime. Nigerians are tired of the way in which things are just trundling on in the same old unsatisfactory way. Did I say tired? A much stronger word is probably more appropriate. Yet there's not much point in dwelling on the strength or intensity of what Nigerians feel right now. That's neither going to speed up change nor is a belligerent attitude. But we do have a choice. For now we will keep on talking. Even if nobody seems to be listening to us, we will be heard in the end, that I'm very sure of.

PRESIDENT OBASANJO CAN STABILISE A SITUATION NOW OR STIR IT UP
Many would argue that tyrants, corrupt governors and other abusers of power and authority are not leaders at all- at least not the word is currently used. This assumption is dangerously naïve. Bad leadership compels us to see leadership in its entirety. The dark side of leadership – from rigidity and callousness to corruption and cruelty – is not an aberration. Rather bad leadership is as ubiquitous as it is insidious – and so must be more carefully examined and better understood. Bad leadership makes it clear that we need to face the dark side in order to become better leaders and followers ourselves. Many disasters are preceded by clear warning signals that leaders either miss or purposely ignore. There is always a systematic framework that leaders can use to recognize and prioritise brewing disasters and mobilize their institutions or governments to prevent them. I am not here to highlight the phenomenon that holds grave consequences – But, I'm challenging our leaders to always find the courage to act before it's too late. People who are in the wrong never say so! On the contrary, they loudly proclaim themselves to be in the right. If they cannot get away with pretending that no mistake has been made, they'll turn their energy towards the task of blaming someone else. What is even more ironic is that there are other people who, despite being in the right, feel too shy – unnecessarily guilty to defend themselves. I strongly believe the future will bring proof of how wise they've been – and how well they've chosen. Right now, we can make a kind choice or continue with the harsh one.

Whether it's for a child or an adult, let's do what is nicest. President Obasanjo can stabilise a situation in our country now or he can stir it up. With all due respect, he is quite entitled to take either course of action as long as he understands what he is doing. What he doesn't want is to pick a route that seems to lead in one direction, only to find that it takes him somewhere else. Some of the political disasters currently parading themselves as the makers of heaven and earth, without the tools of parliamentary diplomacy, like to think of themselves as reasonable sort of souls. I am to be honest not suggesting that this is not so. Sometimes though, their actions are slightly less reasonable than their words. They are very good at explanations. They can make almost any wild course of action sound sensible and well thought through. But just between you and I, I have to ask, is their current strategy in danger of causing them to go just a little too far? Not everything in life has to be sensible though. Let's just imagine what people must have said to the Creator of heaven and earth when He first announced plans for a nation such as our blessed country. That I'm sure is going to take us ages. And to be honest, what on earth is the damn point? And the Most High's accounts department would have gone ballistic,' All those trees, Natural Resources etc? ‘We can't afford any of them! But something somewhere had faith in Nigeria; our country was worth the effort and that we much always appreciate.

OUR LEADERS HAVE FAILED NOT AT CREATING A VISION BUT AT IMPLEMENTING IT

We are entering special territory now. Let's think of ourselves as a traveler in a foreign land ‘called democracy', and adapt to the different culture. The words we might normally use will mean nothing here. The gestures we may feel inclined to make will carry no weight. Our money won't help us either. They use another currency entirely in this place – where cheap things are costly and vice-versa. Only one thing remains the same, ‘Sincerity'. This land where honesty and simplicity reign supreme, we need to summon those qualities and we'll get everything we need in addition to the fruits of democracy. Democracy is like any other mutual relationship - what you've got to do is to work at it. The success of any relationship turns on the spirit in which it is conducted, and not on the performance of its minimum obligations. And the relationship between Government and the people also turns on obligations. For its part, the Government is determined to increase the rights of people in their relation to the State itself. Many Nigerian presidents have failed not at creating a vision but at implementing it. In our system, compromise, inclusion, and some tolerance of dissenting views are essential to developing a practical pathway to success.

As words, tolerance and civility carry a certain semantic baggage, the product of use and sometimes misuse. As is often the case, the best definition is a clear statement of what the word does not mean. It must be clear that tolerance is not a surrender of conviction. Tolerance does not require one to sacrifice personal ideals or water down beliefs to a toothless 'least common denominator. To be tolerant is by no means the same thing as to believe that any proposition is as true as any other. Nigerian Constitution does not reduce tolerance to some form of moral equivalence, to degrade the truth of things. At its best, tolerance promotes a marketplace of ideas where diverse viewpoints collide to create a higher level of understanding. If we can listen to each other with humility, the positive—almost sacred—accomplishments and qualities of the Nigerian experience can enrich and fortify us to live the fullness of the Nigerian dream. Other people and nations have their ideas about what we should be doing, where we should be heading and who should be leading us now. We though, have our own. Or, at least, it is to be hoped that we do. It is fine to feel inspired to make compromises on behalf of other people but it's dreadful to feel obliged to do this. The political, social and emotional pressure that Nigerians are under now should be not so much resisted as addressed. We need to re-educate those who seem to think that we (Nigerians) ought to be at their beck and call. By doing this, we will see that, a little explanation goes a long way sometimes. We might not realize it but Nigerians are remarkably well equipped and blessed. Among the resources we take for granted are some exceptional assets – ones that other people and nations would dearly love to have at their disposal. Admittedly, if we are unable to use these to our advantage, there's nothing so enviable about our situation and us. However, we can now. It's time to take an inventory of our opportunities and then start seizing the best of these. Let's never mind what's not possible, let's look at what is FEASIBLE….and our tomorrow will yet prove immensely rewarding.

IS IT TRUE THAT HEAVENS HELP THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES?

Few people go to law school. Of those, few are called to the bar. Even less of these rare beings become elevated to the judiciary. And yet…we are all judges. We all keep, in our back pockets, a little olde worlde wig, a potable gavel and a pair of spectacles. Several times a day in our imagination, we don the appropriate apparel and pass judgement on our fellow humans. Nobody stops us. Everyone else is too busy playing the same game. We (Nigerians) need to watch out now for many convictions based on wildly insufficient evidence. Some people know how to lay down the law. They also get a kick out of doing things by the book. So much so that sometimes, even when there really is no book to do things by, they invent one. They cite rules that have not actually been passed.

Nigerians are not such a stickler for protocol. Indeed, we can be and what about our actors? Don't they do much the same thing; day after day, week after week? Some of us though, are not actors, so we don't have to live other people's lives without having to pay the price. If actors are appearing in a long-running play, they will speak precisely the same lines whilst making identical gestures. Throughout the run of the show, additional nuances in the script will be discovered. Even the writers may be surprised by what they later realise were the true depth of their words. Nigerians, I believe are not now stuck in any kind of rut. Nor are we going round in circles like our politicians. Nigerians are just getting ready to make an enormous, amazing breakthrough that's long overdue. It's so funny that, whenever we play it too safe, we sell ourselves short. We end up settling for the tried and tested, when we could be embarrassing the mixed magic of the glorious unknown. Whilst the opposite also applies – and if we dance too close to the edge for too long, we might fall over it. There are times though, when it's wiser to take a risk than to wallow in the mud of mundanity.

However, is it true that, Heavens help those who help themselves? Well, I believe it rather depends on what they happen to be helping themselves to. It's not that the Heavens discriminate, they really don't judge. But if people are helping themselves to the things that aren't so good for them, the Heavens can't help them. Or can they do much for those who are doing little or nothing. How exactly do we help ourselves now? By looking to see how the Most High is trying to help us. But should we go out of our ways to give others especially poor Nigerians and those children a tough time? Some people seem to think so. They argue that life is often sad and stressful. On that basis, we may as well help prepare our offspring for their own inevitable brush with difficulty and disappointment. On the other hand, we can all do what is within our power to create a comfortable, cosseted environment in the hope that this will give them a happy memory to refer back to in later life. I believe it's not too late for us to start doing what pleases God and then, Heavens will be too pleased to help us.

D. Akinsanya Juliuson

Diplomacy Practitioner and Specialist Investigator

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March 09, 2006

Nigerian Governments can Achieve Most Things Now if it Really Tries

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- It is perfectly possible for a person to be highly intelligent yet wildly out of touch with his own intuition. Conversely, there are some folk who have impressive powers, yet we wouldn't want their help if we were trying to solve a crossword puzzle.

In an ideal world, we would all learn to listen to our heads and our hearts. We would neither be too logical nor too poetic. I believe we (Nigerians) are naturally inclined to think very deeply. That ability deserves respect. But now, what matters more is what we feel very deeply. Murphy's Law states that “If anything can possibly go wrong, it will”. But wait a minute, 'Anything? Well, in that case, Murphy's Law itself can go wrong from time to time. If, or when, it does, anything that can work out well has to do so. Many people have been hoping for a breakthrough in this country of ours, for a very long time now. It could be about to occur...who knows. Weirdly, that feels worrying rather than reassuring. It won't feel that way to someone like I, though, once it actually happens. The future of our country now, is not subject to Murphy's Law unless we want to
make it so by worrying to the point where our judgment becomes skewed.

There is no law that says Nigerians can't be optimistic. And there is no reason to think that, if we expect the best, we won't get it. If we are floundering in the ocean of uncertainty, any piece of driftwood is a boon. An idea or opinion, no matter how ill-founded, can help keep that horrible sinking feeling at bay. It's not so helpful, though, if we continue to cling to it, even when a luxury liner comes into view. 'I don't trust that ship, so I'm going to ignore it and stick with my existing support system.' Before we can
find the right sort of certainty in this country of ours, we might first have to entertain even deeper doubts. Let’s not be afraid of these. Our government can achieve most things if they really try and listen enough to intelligent Nigerians. It helps enormously though, to know what it is that they are trying to achieve. Can they stop and think, for a moment, about their current goal? If they are really trying to accomplish the objective that they claim to be interested in, why are they going about it in one particular way? Might they have mixed motives? Could they be even telling themselves one thing, whilst inwardly trying to fulfill a different need entirely? Are they going round in circles? It may seem that way - but actually, they are spiraling. There is a subtle but crucial difference. Circles take them right back round to where they started. Spirals appear to be doing much the same but with each rotation, they end up getting a little higher - or going a little deeper. There is something very constructive about the situation our government now find themselves in. Even if they feel confused or they fear that they are just repeating some old and overly familiar exercise, I strongly believe, they are making real progress. However, is confusion preferable to delusion in Nigeria now? Only time will tell, but I still believe in that dream of a better, stronger and successful Nigeria.

WHY WE NEED TO HAVE FAITH IN THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY

It never hurts to be prepared for any circumstance, but it's even more helpful to have the genuine expectation that things will work out for the best. With that kind of winning attitude, how can we go wrong? Stories never begin with, “... and, they all lived happily ever after.” If they did, in our country (Nigeria), we wouldn't want to hear them. The pay-off means nothing until the scene has been set, the challenge has been defined and the difficult objective has been attained. Our tale is only just starting to be told. All the exciting twists and turns lie ahead. Once they take place, we will feel much happier about the circumstances we now face in our beloved country. These are merely the problems that we are eventually going to solve
with the help of the Most High in a satisfying way. They ay, 'There's no gain without pain.' What people like my humble self want to know is, who are the 'they' who say this? And why do they say it? I reckon they are a bunch of masochists, running an insidious campaign to infiltrate mainstream society by creating catchy little phrases like this. Not every gain has to involve pain. Nor must it be followed by a loss. The universe doesn't always give on one hand and take away with the other. Sometimes, good things happen, and they just carry on happening. We must have faith in the future of our country now. Sometimes, when we can't agree, we have to agree to differ. And when we can't do that? We just have to differ, whether it's agreeable or not. Some of us would very much like to restore harmony in our
country where there has lately been far too much tension.

If we offer an olive branch, do we look foolish if it is thrown back in our face? Perhaps, but we would be a lot more foolish to let pride stand in the way of a possible reconciliation. The very best solution is to make a generous gesture now. Clean sheets don't just give us a better night's sleep; they give us a better start to a new life! 2006 may not be quite as fresh and new as it was a sometime ago but, like a recently stained top, its grime has not yet become ingrained. There's still time to remove the sticky psychological residue of yesteryear and give Nigerians the best possible start. It is not
too late to successfully bring about the change we (Nigerians) most desire. Whatsoever on earth we're worried about, it will all come out in the wash. So far though, the year is doing its best to give the impression of being just another, ordinary year. Let’s not be fooled. Though the old routine is keen to clasp us in its overly familiar embrace, but trust me, our nation has a very different destiny in store, and the year itself will soon show us another face before we finally enter the mother of them all….2007. Happily we will both change in a compatible fashion at a mutually convenient time! Meanwhile, if we need information, let’s stop guessing, assuming or
fabricating. Let’s learn to ask someone who is not a character assassin, blackmailer and or parasite. Let’s ask some persons who knows. If we don't ask a question, how can we possibly get an answer? We may not feel able to ask it because we are not sure how it will be received. In that case, let’s try asking around the question. Let’s try dropping hints and making suggestions. It's not what we say. Nor, necessarily, is it how we neither say it, nor even who we say it to. Often, what really makes a difference is when we say it. We can hold the same conversation a hundred times and exchange little by way of new information. The same old words will fall on the same old half-deaf ears. Then, one day, someone will be in the mood to really listen, properly. The right moment will have come. I believe that,
somewhere within a seemingly unsolvable problem, there is always a real way to move everything forward especially in our beloved nation. However, I surely believe what my heart is telling me. 2007 will be a year of restoration for the most beloved nation, Nigeria.

OUR LEADERS USE A LOT OF WORDS, BUT THEY OFTEN SAY VERY LITTLE

People who hold passionate beliefs find it hard to talk to folk who see the world differently. Or rather, they find it easy to talk to them, but hard to listen to them. If we want to hold a constructive conversation now, we need to put our own beliefs aside for a while. This will help in two ways. It will enable us to hear what's being said to us and, even if it doesn't inspire the other participants to go beyond their own preconceptions, it will at least ensure that they tell us everything we need to know. We all like to know where we stand, especially when it seems likely that we will have to stand there for a considerable length of time. We want and like to be able to get comfortable and make plans. That's why the possibility of change, even if it is positive and much needed, can be more disturbing than the notion of perpetual stalemate. It isn't easy to talk when our mouth is full. Sadly, though, there is no similar physical impediment to speaking when our ears are blocked. Most people speak without listening to themselves or anyone else.

That's why, despite the fact that we hold so many conversations, we experience so little by way of real communication. Our leaders use a lot of words, they often say very little. Our non-verbal communications often, work the other way round. We only have to raise an eyebrow by a millimeter in order to express a vast amount of enthusiasm or disapproval. We must start paying close attention, now, to what some persons, groups and nations are trying to tell us. Let’s not respond until the information has been properly understood and carefully digested. Then, we will surely end up with real power. We need to watch someone or some people's body language now. We need to listen to their tone of voice. These are being carefully crafted to convey a rather different meaning. We need to detect some people's true motives and their real interests. Nigeria belongs to this and future generations, we must do all we can to protect our nation,
our government and the poor souls. Let’s make Nigeria a nation no longer deserted, for that’s what our country deserves.

WHY ARE WE INTERESTED ONLY IN THE PART OF THE FUTURE WE THINK WE CAN
FORESEE?

Something, very soon I believe, will remind us of how much more there is to life than a particular topic which has lately been absorbing so much of our energy in this country. We'll then see life from a higher perspective. For now, we should be grateful for small mercies. Large ones don't require our gratitude. They are the gifts that the world bestows on us, regardless of whether or not we feel thankful. The smaller blessings tend to involve matters of personal preference. They may mean a lot to us but that isn't always obvious to the world. When then, it inadvertently graces us. We should let it know as loudly as possible in the hope that it will keep repeating the trick. Sometimes, life gives us what we like. Then, it is easy to appreciate our circumstances and surroundings. What are we supposed to do, though, when it presents us with something we are not so fond of? We can put a lot of energy, right now, into resenting or trying to change a situation that seems less than ideal in our country. If, we set about trying to find something within it that we can admire and respect, we will surely have a lot more peace and happiness and we won't compromise our eventual ability to bring about a change that we yearn for. I believe none of us really knows where we are going, because we don't know where we have been.

We arrive in this world with our memories wiped, like reconditioned
computers, fresh from the workshop. We can relate only to what we can
remember. We are interested only in the part of the future we think we can foresee. The universe never gives us more than we can cope with, but it sometimes gives us as much as we can cope with. When we are being tested in this way - or taken to our limits - or required to wrestle with an intense dilemma, we must have faith. Really, faith is all we need in this country now. Let’s do our best. Let’s trust that, as long as we do this, everything will eventually take care of itself. We might not yet be able to see a solution to our nation’s biggest problem. But I believe, it is nearer than we might think. They say, 'Where there is life, there is hope'. This is planet earth. It is teeming with life. Surely then, it must also be bursting
at the seams with hope. Is all that hope in vain? I believe NO is the
answer. It's just that, sometimes, we forget we are entitled to allow
ourselves an experience of hope. Then, effectively, we deny ourselves a worthwhile experience of life, too. Let’s hang on to our greatest hope of a better Nigeria today. It might yet spring delightfully into life.

In addition, let’s remember to keep our thoughts positive, for our thoughts becomes our words; let’s remember to keep our words positive, for our words become our actions; let’s remember to keep our actions positive, for our actions become our habits; and last but not the least, we must remember to keep our habits positive, because our habits become our destiny. What our leaders must do is to put on their thinking hoods, find some ways or discover some ideas that will enable them to accomplish what they set out to do. I believe playing “follow the leader” gets neither you nor the leader nowhere. They must draw attention in some ways to what they are doing. They
need new ideas or maybe a purpose, something quite different that has never been done or tried before for our country and Nigerians. Whatsoever on earth they do, must be different! This might not sound like an easy task. It might sound like a tall order, and it is, so they should get their thinking hoods on NOW, to fathom out or discover some unusual ideas that will get attention and will enable them to raise the standard of living, bring peace and unity
needed in our country. God will surely bless our country and bless us with peace of mind.

D. AKINSANYA JULIUSON
Diplomacy Practitioner and Specialist Investigator

Posted by Administrator at 12:41 PM | Comments (0)

January 09, 2006

Nigerians are a Lot of Things, But Failure we are Not

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- Many believe in the saying that “perception is reality.” People might end up saying if President Obasanjo’s administration is perceived as a failure, then Nigeria is perceived as a failure. And if Nigeria is perceived as a failure, then President Obasanjo himself is perceived as a failure. Nigeria and we (Nigerians) are a lot of things to a lot of people, but one thing we are not is a failure. Great leaders can take mediocre institutions and make them great.

Poor leaders can denigrate the quality of a great institution. I
believe there are three interrelated components of leadership. The first is strategic leadership; the second, operational leadership and the third human leadership. To ensure our government take the right strategic path, our government must develop a statement of its vision, values and goals. Nigerian government’s vision should be to enrich its citizen’s lives and to be the African Union’s most sort after nation. Our government’s vision should identify what businesses they are in and why they are in them. They should be able to stand up and say that “We enrich our citizen’s lives; that should be the privilege of the government they are in. Our government should be very clear about whom they are – A government of the people. They should be very clear about what they want to be – African Leader. It’s obvious that President Obasanjo does not want to be second, but first. Our government’s statement of values should define our culture. It should look for team players; look for people who are citizen – focused, look for practitioners, experts, dedicated Nigerians, and look for people who embody its style and
people who will go extra mile to enhance its reputation. Being a responsible government shouldn’t be a luxury for our government. At every opportunity, our leaders i.e. government should communicate their worthy goals to the citizens of Nigeria. Nigerian government’s vision, values and goals statements should ensure our government has the right big picture. Without an operational leadership getting the big picture right counts for little, and that’s the bottom line.

WE MUST NOT BE AFRAID IN TIMES OF DANGER

It’s been said that, if we have the power to change nothing else, we can change our mind. By change, I don’t mean waffle around; rather, I mean to adapt to necessity, to learn quickly and to go from a less creative state to a more creative one. We are learning. One of the things we are learning is that our learning process is without an end. Always, there is going to be more to understand. This, presumably, is why some people retreat into the world of academia, never to emerge. We can spend a lifetime studying just one topic, yet still never safely say we know all there is to know. That’s clearly not an option in our current situation. But we can (and should) study just a little more before we jump to any conclusion. When imbecility
and folly are laid low a powerful people will regard the liberty they have lost. The Lord says; don’t be upset when someone becomes rich, when his wealth grows even greater; he can not take it with him when he dies; his wealth will not go with him to the grave. Even if he is satisfied with this life and is praised because he is successful, he will surely join all his ancestors in death, where the darkness lasts for ever. His greatness, power, authority, arrogance, selfishness, evil mind can not save him from death; he will still die like a dog. This is a year that evil mobs (not the innocent Nigerians), will face the wrath of God. I believe in what my heart is telling me that, that same river that brings joy to the City of God, to the sacred house of the Most High, will by God bring peace, joy, happiness and harmony to our beloved country Nigeria. No country in the world has the right to appoint a leader over us. The Lord will surely appoint His chosen
leader for Nigeria. A leader the Most High has prepared his way. The Lord has stirred His chosen leader to action to fulfil His purpose and put things right. No one will hire him or bribe him to rebuild Nigeria. God will not reprimand or punish the poor, but agents of oppression, destruction and death in our midst. What needs to be said? Plenty! What needs to be done? Not a lot….yet. Let’s place the emphasis on discussion not decision. Let’s wait to see who says what to us. Let’s expect positive developments to unfold naturally. Let’s consider ourselves protected by the sincerity, integrity and honesty in our hearts. I am inviting Nigerians to give peace and magic a chance. If things seem to be going wrong, let’s ask why, and
look for easy ways to put them right. The mountains and hills may crumble, but the Lord’s love for Nigeria will never end. For this generation’s sake, He will forever keep His promise of justice and peace amongst His own children.

LET’S NOT BE AFRAID OF CHANGING SLOWLY BUT….OF STANDING STILL

According to Sirach; “A wise ruler will educate his people and his
government will be orderly. All the officials and all the citizens will be like their ruler. An uneducated king will surely ruin his people, but a government will grow strong if its rulers are wise. The Lord sees to the government of the world and brings the right person to power at the right time. The success of that person is in the Lord’s hands. The Lord is the source of the honour given to any official. A king may be alive today and dead tomorrow. When a person dies, all he then possesses is worms, flies and maggots. Pride has its beginning when a person abandons the Lord, his maker. Pride is like a fountain pouring out sin, and whoever persists in it will be
filled with wickedness. That is why the Lord brought terrible punishments on some people and completely destroyed them. The Lord has overthrown kings and puts humbler people in their place. The Lord has overthrown empires and completely devastated their lands. He destroyed some so completely that they are not even remembered any more. The Creator never intended human beings to be arrogant and violent. Arrogance and injustice are hated by both the Lord and man. Injustice, arrogance and wealth cause nations to fall from power, and others then rise to take their place”. Let’s ask ourselves some
questions; If you make something so difficult look so simple; If you have this internal fire, and internal intensity; If you let your work, intelligence, ideas, visions and wisdom speak for you; If you are a genius in your field and you have sacrificed a lot to be where and whom you are today; If you are too humble to see how great you are and you let your dreams, executions and convictions speak for you; If you are the epitome of modern day Nigerian and you want to be remembered as the nations most valuable and loyal ambassador; If you want to be remembered as a leader who rid your nation of evil mobs, character assassins, blackmailers, nepotism and tribalism. Are you a true citizen? Are you a leader? Are you a servant of the Most High? For every Nigerian with a heart, the moment has come for us to either PERISH or ADVANCE. I hope we chose the latter. We have no time to waste and right now, the only way forward is to attack corruption,
tribalism, nepotism, oppression, child prostitution and character
assassination with full force wherever it may be found. We have been given the opportunity to lift ourselves up and to change the face of our world especially, our continent Africa. However, our government must rid Nigeria of the mainspring of evil. Nigerians and our government need to question some desperate people’s political integrity, political honesty, personal honesty and loyalty to both Nigeria and Nigerians. Let’s be extremely careful not to place our confidence so much in a desperate politician, as to put a weapon in his hand which he might, in future turn upon us. We must be
grateful to God for his love for Nigeria. We must fight against every deadly disease that’s destroying our economy, our country’s image, our generation and our country’s future. We must learn to be civil to everyman as we know not who might prove our friend. We must find a way to offer support without letting the whole world know and without being disloyal to our country and our leaders. Let’s be philosophical and try to support rather than apportion blame. Let’s chose our moment and words very carefully. Let’s appreciate the fact that mutual respect (especially for our leaders), partnership, and
understanding between men and women are the best and only way. Let’s not be afraid of changing slowly; but let’s be afraid of standing still.

D. Akinsanya Juliuson
Cultural Diplomacy Practitioner and Specialist Investigator

Posted by Administrator at 11:16 PM | Comments (0)

December 31, 2005

Nigeria Must be Made a Leader of changes in Africa and the World

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- I strongly believe in President Obasanjo’s promise of shocking the world by handing over power to a leader not a ruler. The Most High will surely bless us with his own servant. Right now, our Leaders must concentrate on making their parties, the parties of economic stability and credibility. Also our economy should be at the heart of Nigeria’s next election.

Even though we are very good at using one case to down good leaders, some people must yet be stopped or prevented from spreading negative messages. It’s obvious that many unpatriotic Nigerians want our economy rendered irrelevant. That shouldn’t prevent us from fighting for our future and the future of our country with pride and dignity. Our country must be made a leader of changes in Africa and the world. Our leaders must learn to campaign about policies not emotion. Nigerian politicians must understand that, Nigerians are dying by the hour. Our leaders must learn to prioritise their workloads and have the fear of God in them. They must learn to campaign about strong economy, better education, first class health services and social justice. Our leaders must be prepared to eliminate fuel poverty. They must be prepared to fund and reform schools and prisons. Serious organized crime agency must be created to combat child trafficking, conspiracy to blackmail, conspiracy to defraud, child prostitution and illegal “NGOs” etc. Many effective agencies should be created in Nigeria i.e Commission for Tribal Equality, Police Complaints Commission etc. Nigerian Police should have “operational independence”. Nigerian government should not be able to instruct the police to arrest or proceed against any individual.

The Nigerian police administration should be controlled by Police Authorities of elected Magistrates, High Court Judges, Senior Lawyers and Senior Civil Servants, and by the role of Justice Administration Minister. An independent authority or agency should be created with the power to investigate Serious Complaints against the police. We must learn not to play politics with people’s lives. Nigeria is one and our leaders must lead by example. It’s very much ok to be passionate about politics, but we must never play politics with people’s lives and the nations economy. We must help our country become a true democracy. Let’s help to raise the standard of living and make Nigerian people happy. Our governors and representatives must appreciate the fact that, they have a duty to serve and represent the interests of their constituents. Nothing that comes from bribery or injustice will last, but the effects of loyalty and love will remain forever. Wealth that has been obtained dishonestly is like a stream that runs full during a thunderstorm, tumbling rocks along as it flows, but then suddenly goes dry. Acts of kindness and charity are as lasting as eternity. Money is a trap for those who are fascinated by it, a trap that every fool falls into. A person who gets rich without sinfully chasing after money is fortunate.

TROUBLES WILL COME BUT ONLY WISDOM WILL LEAD US OUT

Some people are better educated than others. They have attended more classes and passed more exams. Does this mean they are more knowledgeable? Perhaps, in a limited, superficial way. We are all, born blessed with equal access to a universal library full of profound insight and important information. To consult it, we don't have to train our brains; we just have to hear our hearts. Just as a salmon instinctively knows its way back to the spawning ground, our intuition knows its way home to the right answer. Self-discipline is laudable. Self-denial is lamentable. We must understand that, we can't test the depth of the water by putting in our toe. If it looks right and feels right as far as we can tell, let’s go ahead and dive in. We must also remember that, we cannot please most people. Most people would rather lie through their teeth than speak the truth. Live and let live and not waste your entire life trying to solve the problems of this world. The world is divided into two groups...the givers and the takers. Takers rarely give and givers don't usually know when to stop giving. Kind of a handicap? Well! The thing one must be most careful of is people who manage to take the truth and distort it for their own gain. No matter what you say…if it’s not what they want to hear they will twist it...we therefore must be wary of those people. But we must never give up who we are for what people want us to be. People always want others to change but seldom are willing to change themselves. Our leaders need to improve their negotiating skills and techniques and with this insight into the process of negotiation, they will be able to control what is both a complex and sophisticated activity. They need to improve their performance and learn how to identify and focus on key priorities to increase the effectiveness of their team and themselves.

We all know that it is easy to get swept away by political topics of the moment and lose sight of basic issues that underlie politics everywhere. But one thing we must always remember is that, how political authority is constituted can make the difference between plenty and poverty, life and death. Our leaders need to develop a committed government and transform civil and corporate performance through learning invaluable motivation and transformational leadership skills. Negotiating is a key activity – government success or failure can depend on it. By understanding the psychology of negotiation and recognising how to deploy their skills at each stage, our leaders can become effective negotiators, in order to stay in control and be able to focus on not just government but people’s priorities and gain a battery of techniques to give them a better work and life balance. There was a righteous man who abandoned wisdom. He destroyed himself by killing his brother in a fit of anger. Because of that sin, the earth was flooded, but wisdom saved it again. She guided a righteous man in his flimsy wooden boat. Troubles will come and many people will groan. The Lord’s saving power will surely rise on us like the sun. But only wisdom will lead us out.

HOW ABOUT A FUTURE IN WHICH WE HANDLE IT ALL WITH MORE WISDOM?

Anyone who wishes to understand Nigeria must first carry over her concept of Democracy from the political and social field to the cultural….. Everywhere we go we meet people with plenty to say. They make promises and give explanations. They announce and make us all think they must know something. We all know what they say. They say actions speak louder than words. That’s true in one way, yet actions are often surprisingly quiet. We don’t hear them until long after they have happened. And if enough deceptive words are being uttered while the actions are taking place we can be misled. Actions may speak a lot louder than words, but they don't necessarily make any more sense. Just as words can be deceptive, actions can be misleading. We can read the wrong things into them or fail to see what really lies behind them. If we seek true understanding, we must investigate neither words nor actions, but intentions.

We must ask ourselves for honesty. And we must encourage others to be frank about their deepest feelings. It isn't easy, though, to be upfront about a matter that you fear could create disapproval, disagreement, or worse. So what must we do? We should learn to use our eyes, not our ears. Also believe in intuition before passing any judgment. We might never live in a perfect world. There will always be people who want to criticize, compete against – or enter into conflict with each other. There will always be pressure, pain and sadness. There will always be selfishness, greed, ignorance and abuse of power. There will also, always, be earthquakes, floods and fires. Given all this, how can we speak with any hope about a golden age? What can any “new era” have to offer us? How about; “A future in which we handle it all with more wisdom. A time, we make more efforts to understand, to tolerate and to co-operate with our fellow being. An epoch, in which, more of us become inspired, more enlightened and more willing to care and share.” I am very much looking forward to such a change. And, despite all the current evidence to the contrary, I confidently predict that by the grace of the living God, it is on the way.

D.AKINSANYA JULIUSON
Cultural & Public Diplomacy Practitioner and Specialist Investigator

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December 18, 2005

What would Nigerians Change if we had the Freedom to Change Anything? (Part 1)

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- What would we change if we could alter anything we wanted to? I am sure the list is long but here is a list that is longer still. It is the list of factors we would not touch. There are plenty of things that we love, just the way they are. They do not always demand as much of our attention but they make life special and satisfying. Right now, they deserve to be recognized and celebrated. Not only are they noticeable, they represent the tools by which we can bring about the adjustments that we yearn for in our country. The key to greater comfort lies entirely in making more of what we are already grateful for.

Many people love to talk but they do not much care to listen. They like to dream but resent waking up. They are keen to bring about change but happy to leave things just as they are. We all fail to see 'the other side' of certain arguments... and processes. We all have selective memories and carefully edited ideas about what our future and the future of our country holds. We are all a little insensitive. We all sometimes say one thing and do another. We all make mistakes. With this in mind, let us look at our big issue this now. It involves a need to communicate clearly with someone or some persons we dislike or disapprove.

Let us all learn to make allowances but not make a fool of urselves.
Before we judge a person, we should first walk a mile in their shoes. We know this... but for all that, we strive to be wise and sympathetic, to show intelligence and understanding, we find it easy to take one look at someone and say 'Honestly! What a fool.’ Of course, sometimes, the assessment is appropriate. However, a little extra tolerance sometimes will help to heal many counter-productive rifts. In life, we must learn to be flexible in our dealings with others. At the same time, be determined in sticking to our own plans and beliefs. Especially, when we have already made a decision that is worth staying with. Who makes the rules? Who says whether they can be broken? Who runs this planet? Whoever it is... it is not you or I... and nor is it anyone else we know! That is a point worth keeping in mind now as we assess what is or is not possible... or permissible. Let us be aware too, that most of Nigeria’s most potentially explosive problems have, somewhere near their epicenter, a communication failure of some kind. Let us be more willing to talk and listen. Despite recent and current difficulties in our country, we could yet manage to attain a very profitable form of progress.

OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE NIGERIAN POLICE FORCE

Policing affects us all. We rely on the police for our safety and have increasingly high expectations of the service. Nigerian Police are expected to tackle local, national and organised crime as and when they arise. Nigerian Police (Not the UK Metropolitan Police or government) should be committed to meeting these expectations with integrity and professionalism. The federal government must make sure that the Nigerian Police salaries are paid and nothing is owed. Our government should be able to deliver the commitments through clearer and stronger arrangements by holding the Nigerian Police and other responsible agencies to account for their performance in tackling crime and ensuring community and national safety. A requirement on the Nigerian Police and other agencies to work directly with local people to identify the problems that are most important to them –
giving people real opportunities to have a say in local policing priorities AND Introduction of a new mechanism to trigger a response by the police and other responsible agencies to particular or persistent local and national problems of crime or organised crime (e.g. 419, Child trafficking and prostitution, Blackmail, Conspiracy to Defraud, Conspiracy to blackmail, murder by any means, conspiracy to commit murder etc).

A particular role within local councils for advocates to support the Nigerian public and ensure their voice is heard on community matters or safety issues. Nigerian government should be committed to the public by believing that Nigerian citizens should be and feel safer in their homes and communities. Also, the public should be clear about the level of service they can expect from their local police by understanding that the police cannot do everything themselves, but know what to do if the standard of service the public receive does not come up to scratch. The public should be treated better as victims or witnesses to crimes, and have greater confidence in the Nigerian Police. The public should also be able to have confidence in that, the Nigerian police force and other agencies are working on their behalf in keeping their communities safe and are aware of and satisfied with their overall performance in doing so. The public should also be made aware of the part they can play in keeping themselves, their families and their communities safe. Nigerians should be treated professionally, fairly, and with respect and integrity by the police and know how to complain if this is not the case, and see a police service which is truly and honestly representative of the community it serves. A sense of duty is a laudable thing. It takes a special and God-fearing person to give their all, even when they feel they have nothing left to give. However, when we go the extra mile for people we care for, a profession we cherish or a cause we support, are we truly making a futile gesture? Is the universe laughing as it watches us struggle to do the right thing? It can seem that way at times. Effort made out of a sense of sincere generosity and duty is never wasted.

BE NOT PURSE-PROUD NOR VAIN-GLORIOUS IN THE MIDST OF YOUR FORTUNE

Wisdom governs structure. If something has a framework, a border, a plan, or a clearly defined outline, it is “wisdom.” I am easily able to see the difference between substance and style, plot and padding. The facts and the basic building blocks. However, that does not mean that I am only ever interested in the practical. This is the more reason why I pray that life brings the beginning of a great adventure involving much change in the fabric and colour of our daily routine in Nigeria. In addition, for God our creator to make our beloved nation, a nation no longer deserted. Here is the greatest single problem and danger facing our country. The big challenge and threat, the gap in wealth and health that separates rich and poor. This growing divide between wealth and poverty, between opportunity
and misery, is both a challenge to our compassion and a source of
instability. We must confront it. Our leaders must do something about it.

We need seasoned, experienced, charismatic, understanding, and compassionate leaders in Nigeria. Leaders blessed with big ideas. Nigerian leaders should be able to link ideas into action and power. We need leaders who are consummate listeners and synthesizers of ideas. Nigerian leaders should be able to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of youths, earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, they must be able to find the best in others, work towards making Nigeria the most productive garden of peace and appreciate the contributions of our past leaders and heroes. Nigeria currently lack inspirational leadership, good management and politically, one of our problems is that, we always think we know so much and yet in reality we understand precious little, this unnerves me and makes me feel insecure, that I find myself unable to bear the thought that, we might be living in a world that makes no sense. Thus, we make it make sense and persuade ourselves that we can see rhyme and reason in the silliest situations. For a while, funny enough we always maintain the comforting illusion but eventually it falls apart and
such times, we grow much closer to the truth. It is very sad that the only people who know all the right answers are the ones who are asking all the wrong questions. Why can we not live our highest vision and reignite ourselves? In Nigeria, we have some people who know how to make things look good and have natural talent for positive presentation. Sometimes though, they end up using that to fool themselves! My only prayer is for God to bring a rethink, followed by a great relief.

D.AKINSANYA JULIUSON
Cultural & Public Diplomacy Practitioner and Specialist Investigator

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December 11, 2005

Be a Miller President Obasanjo, but Grind not the Faces of the Poor

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- If Nigerian government cannot help Nigerians in need, it’s as sure as hell that, they cannot save the few who are rich. You just can’t impose leadership from the top.

You’ve got to take the people with you. Real people! Leadership involves being able to dialogue and or negotiate, being transparent, being willing to listen, being able to forgive and more importantly being able to change people’s minds in a positive way. In any sector, people give you permission to lead them. But we must always remember
that leading them is not our divine right. If people see you have honesty, integrity and drive. That you are compassionate, understanding and can deliver a clear vision that includes them, they surely will follow you.

If you have to resort to being forceful, I think you really have to question your leadership. We must let our decisions be driven by the needs of our people and not by our processes and ignorance – we must change them if necessary. More than anything else now, Nigerians crave for freedom from an oppressive situation. This is not directly caused by a person or, despite what we (Nigerians) think, by a particular set of circumstances. Our involvement with a particular set-up is making us feel ever more uncomfortable, but the way to put everything right does not necessarily involve making a clean break from the past or digging an escape tunnel to freedom. All we need to stand proud, tall and successful in Nigeria is God, faith in ourselves and what we believe in, from that, the rest will come
naturally. But how powerless are we? I believe that, rather depends on how we want to see our country’s situation. Really, we are not so much prisoners as passengers. I believe we are in a seat, not in a cell. We are on a bus, not in a jail or house arrest. We are being taken somewhere. We might feel that it is not a destination of our own choosing – or that we have no alternative other than to go along with the ride.

When we reach an indisputable dead end, we will then be presented with an encouraging new idea to follow instead. At some point in our past, I believe we opted for this expedition. So instead of growing resentful, let’s pray to God, have faith and relax. We might find that, with the power of the Almighty God, something quite amazing becomes possible before we know it. I personally believe in the future of our country and I strongly believe the time has come for God to show us why He is the architect of the universe. Let’s look
up to Him, He will surely deliver us.

WILL THE LAST SANE PERSON TO LEAVE THE MADHOUSE PLEASE TURN OUT THE LIGHTS?

We face a situation now that some people wouldn’t want anything to do with. We have seen certain people struggle and fail to sort out a particular mess or scrub a particular floor. They probably have given up. Are we getting ready to do the same? There seem to be many good reasons why we might as well do. There’s, though, one overriding reason not to. For that reason alone, we have to do what we can to protect the bit of bedlam that is not yet completely crazy. In this country of ours, some people love to construct complicated arguments and convoluted explanations. They like to make things so difficult and involved, even when kids are eating from the dustbins and adults have to sell their children for prostitution. They like to have plenty of good reasons why problems can’t be solved or wounds cannot be healed. They like to talk, but they don’t much like to listen. They like to nurse grudges, but they don’t seem quite so inclined to forgive.

That’s the way of the world, but it doesn’t have to be our world. All that’s needed in our country today is a little understanding, a little willingness to put the past behind us, a little willingness to tell our president that Nigerians are suffering and starving, a little willingness to tell our president that, life is not what he thinks it is with ordinary Nigerians, a little willingness to learn from the best, a little willingness to make people happy not suffer….and then a little sweet simplicity. Mud sticks. That’s why
we have to be so careful about how and where we throw it. Reputations take years to build and minutes to ruin. Mistakes are all too easy to make, and the devils own job to rectify. I mention all this because, as we know, times in our country are tricky. A lot of impassioned statements and a lot of mistakes are being made by our leaders. It is easy to get swept away by a tide of enthusiasm that is actually washing us towards an inappropriate shore.

A little forethought, a little careful consideration, a little openness to a more positive possibility could yet allow us, specially our leaders to see a far better way to proceed on national matters. We might not yet realise it, but we are having a big effect on a lot of people and nations. Other nations and leaders are taking us very seriously. They might not be responding in precisely the same way we wish they would. But they are certainly not ignoring us. Because we are so caught up in the drama of our own psychological warfare, we are not aware of this. Let’s stand back, just for one moment and see how others might have being perceiving us. Then we’ll be able to make sure that all our words and deeds bring about the reaction we need them to have, rather than provoking a response that merely makes life more complicated…. especially for the poor Nigerian souls that are
suffering in silence.

LET’S MAKE NIGERIA AN OPPORTUNITY SOCIETY

The study of politics is the study of influence and the influential. A political system is a pattern of human relationships that involves control, influence power or authority. We surely won’t solve all the world’s problems by studying for a politics degree, but we will understand them better and understanding is the first step to solution. I have come to realise that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians. Winston Churchill once said that, “politics are almost as exciting as war and quite as dangerous”.

In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times. Politics is war without bloodshed, while war is politics with bloodshed. Nigerians who are too clever to engage in the art of diplomacy are punished by being governed by mobs. Politics is the art of the impossible. It consists of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable. It consists in knowing precisely when it is wise and necessary to hit your opponent slightly below the belt. Like Abraham Lincoln once said; nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. That said. Progressive party rarely fail, not because they are too good, but because they are very compassionate and understanding.

Only progressive politics can defeat tribalism. Our leaders must avoid playing the tribal card in Nigerian politics. And they must
understand that the future of our country requires restless courage,
honesty, understanding and good leadership. I surely believe that our
country is not in decline, but we must also be well prepared to work with other nations. Our leaders must learn how to win people’s trust and also understand that life is tough for Nigerians. Nigeria, I believe is not on her way down and does not need the ruling class as we (Nigerians) are the ruling people. Let’s work together and make Nigeria an opportunity society.

HE WHO REFUSES TO BE A GOOD EXAMPLE, WILL HAVE TO BE A TERRIBLE WARNING

I don’t especially like to think the unthinkable. I far prefer to deal with what I know to be real and relevant. When I hear people suggesting impossible ideas, I feel affronted. I wonder how on earth they can entertain such silly notions, far less announce them. We are who we are. We have every right to be very proud of this. But are we all we can be? In what way are we (Nigerians) compromising the integrity of our own identity – or selling ourselves short – or doing WE a disservice? In life we need to watch what we say – for our words might come back to haunt us. People have long memories and a tendency to be judgemental. They do not make much allowance for the way in which moods, situations and priorities can naturally alter over time.

Nor do they much appreciate irony or indelicacy or phraseology that is chosen more for impact than for meaning. We need to learn how to rehearse sentences in our mind before we speak them out loud. And if in doubt, let’s remember that, kind words melt hearts and harsh ones harden them. We must always know that people can easily tell a great deal about a society by the way they treat their elderly, senior, leaders and prisoners. He, who refuses to be a good example, will have to be a terrible warning to others. Integrity, though, is not something you attain; it is something you aspire to. No matter how good, honest or sincere a person becomes, there is always room for improvement. A lifetime is not enough for us to learn all there is
to learn about how to be a better person. Some people, sensing this, decide not to bother. Others fool themselves into thinking that they are as wise, kind and right as it is possible to be. To note an inner fault and feel keen to fix it is to have a reason to be proud of one….not ashamed.

D.AKINSANYA JULIUSON
Cultural & Public Diplomacy Practitioner and Specialist Investigator

Posted by Administrator at 07:34 PM | Comments (0)

November 29, 2005

Why President Obasanjo Must Choose a Route he can be Proud of

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (Great Britain) --- WHY OUR LEADERS NEGATIVE THOUGHT’S CAN DO THEM FAR MORE HARM THAN ANY POISON “I’m just a soul whose intentions are good. Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.” So goes the classic song. Yet no matter how sincerely the words are intoned, the request never seems to be granted. That’s hardly surprising. Given our many languages, nuances and subtleties, the real wonder is why we aren’t all misunderstood a lot more.

And as for good intentions – well, we know what they pave. If some of us crave clarity now, we must be very careful about what we say and how. Some writings are perfectly punctuated yet are unreadable. The author has made no effort to look at the words objectively. They waffle on and on, obeying all the rules of the English language, while other people manage to say a lot more, in a lot less space, by focusing only on the need to get their point across. A misplaced apostrophe here, a spelling error there – what does it matter as long as the meaning comes across? Criticism! Not me now. I’m just doing my best to be clear… and also telling it as it is. Philosophers don’t see the future in its entirety. They are given glimpses. It’s the same for people who are known for seeing the future like the seers, psychics and others (Likewise, weather forecasters, economists and military strategists).

Our ability to” see what’s coming” will invariably be limited. But we should still strive to gain as much insight as we can. There are certain obvious mistakes that we can avoid making with a little thought. As for the mistakes which are not so obvious? Maybe they are not mistakes. Every action though, has a reaction. That's the first law of "Karma". We cannot make a single move without having, somehow, an impact of some kind on our environment. Not only do we alter the world around us by our attitude and behaviour, we alter our inner world. We close our minds to positive possibilities when we become entrenched in negative thought patterns. That's why it is always so important to be fair, noble, kind, honest, sympathetic, forgiving and wise. Let our leaders act as impeccably as they can now and then the reaction that ensues will be the one that's best.

WHY PRESIDENT OBASANJO MUST CHOOSE A ROUTE HE CAN BE PROUD OF TAKING

They say that what goes up, must come down. But what's wrong with that? Something seems to be 'taking off' in Nigeria at the moment. Our President’s hopes are now being raised yet he fears that they may later be dashed. Why should they be? Why should he feel so inclined to be guarded and careful? The president is right to recognise that a certain arrangement by some individuals cannot last forever. But that doesn't mean it can't end in a happy, timely way. One day though, Nigerians will find him out. His cover will be blown. His disguise will be destroyed. The truth will emerge, and then where will he be? Hmn!. It's funny how no matter what age we reach - or what level of experience and authority we attain in life, we all still secretly feel like children who are only pretending and who will eventually be caught out by the adults. But our president IS a grown up. He does know what he is doing (as much as anyone does). So, what matters, is not what he is planning - or thinking - or saying... but what he is actually doing. Or what he is not doing, as the case may be.

All the intelligent explanation, justification and conversation in this world cannot compete, now, against the power and impact of a single gesture or action. If our president want to be really smart, he should be smart enough to see the difference between the signals his actual deeds are sending out and the messages he wants to communicate. Is he doing the right thing? He can't be sure... yet. Nor, can he automatically conclude that what's happening is wrong. The future hangs in the balance. What's going to tip it one way or another? Not 'what he has done' but 'what he does next.' He can't change the past. He can, though, ensure that his choices are as conscious, as wise, informed, sincere and noble as he knows how to make them. He should start from here. President Obasanjo must choose a route he can be proud of taking and he'll reach a destination that proves perfect. There are two kinds of chaos. There is constructive craziness... and then there is destructive disruption. Much the same can be said of order. There is satisfying stability... and then there is oppressive efficiency. What matters now, is not his ability to turn madness into sanity. It's his ability to distinguish between something healthy and something undesirable. Let’s allow our president to make his judgement now, on the basis of what 'feels right' to his heart, not what makes the 'most sense' to his mind.

We must all understand that, there's a saint in all of us and, of course, a sinner, too. The harder we strive to lead our lives by the highest possible standards, the more aware we become of our own shortcomings and failings. Only the pompous and the seriously self-deluded think of themselves as righteous in every way. It often seems easier to abandon all claims to the moral high ground than to defend a hill which is crumbling beneath our feet. That said, President Obasanjo’s efforts to be wise now, will surely bring big rewards... as will all his efforts to communicate clearly and fairly. If I were President Obasanjo, I’d listen to the voice of understanding and do the most honorable thing. The world is watching Your Excellency.

WHY NO SUM IN THE WORLD CAN BUY US INTEGRITY?

We can hold a hundred conversations, ask as many people as we wish, make as many emphatic statements as we care to. None of this will make us any wiser. We are trying to understand an emotion with our intellect. This is like trying to taste an orange by holding it to our ear. We are using the wrong tool for the job – and it is worse than useless. Can anyone conclude that the orange has no taste because his ear cannot hear it? How then can we decide that our feeling has no relevance, just because our inner computer cannot comfortably explain it? Whatsoever on earth is going on in our country today is indicative of a fresh start. We can wipe the slate clean and begin again. We can put the past behind us. We can move on. We can forget yesterday and greet tomorrow etc….We can do all of these things. Assuming, of course, that we want to.

Maybe we don’t. Maybe we prefer to be stuck in a rut – or maybe we just actively enjoy it all the way that it currently is. Nothing as far as I am concerned, obliges us now to instigate change. But plenty warmly invites us to. Let’s be churlish, let’s accept our opportunity! Trees do not seek planning permission to grow. Birds do not clear a flight path before take-off. Rain does not request a licence to fall. It’s all amazing how many natural processes manage to occur without the intervention of the appropriate authorities. No doubt, in time, we will find some way to regulate them. Meanwhile, it is nice to know that in a world of conformity, there is still some hope for spontaneity. Are we doing the right thing or the wrong thing now in our country, Nigeria? That depends on who we ask. Let’s try asking no one, other than ourselves. By the way, why in Nigeria do we do the things we do? What are our true motives? We settle for an explanation that seems to make sense as long as we do not question it too closely. Months, years, perhaps decades later, we see what was really going on. We also realize how we were led by other forces. People were pushing us in certain directions and, by the looks of things, guardian angels too. Sometimes, we imagine that other people’s lives are far more organized than our own.

Even when this is clearly not the case, we assume that these instances are the exception to the rule. Surely most folk don’t live in a world that is so crazy or chaotic? Of course, they do. They just do a better job of hiding it. Some people have every reason to be proud of themselves for the way they are handling a stressful situation, especially in Nigeria. Others in their shoes would do worse, not better. But can money buy us love? Money can’t buy us love, but if we don’t know what real love is it can buy us something that seems like it for a while. It can’t buy us true talent either, but it can get us false flattery. And no sum in the world will buy us wisdom or integrity.

The irony is that if we don’t have any we won’t realize how badly we need some. Some of us should now understand what we need and why second best won’t do. Soft power though is the ability to get what we want by attracting and persuading others to adopt our goals. It differs from hard power, the ability to use carrots and sticks of economic and military might to make others follow our will. Both hard and soft power are important don’t get me wrong….but attraction is much cheaper than coercion, and an asset that needs to be nourished. This is the voice of reason and I’m only telling it….just as it is. Our leaders? God our heavenly Father, please open their eyes so they can see, understand and appreciate you.

THAT WHICH DOES NOT DESTROY US MAKES US STRONGER

That which does not destroy us though, makes us stronger. Or so they say. They are, of course quite right. But they gloss over a rather important implication when they make this statement. It's not simply 'that which does not destroy us' but only 'that which looks horribly, convincingly as if it really is going to destroy us' which makes us stronger. Before we can face a fear and then transcend it, we first have to experience the fear. Before we cross a road, though, we need to look both ways. We can't just assume, because there's no traffic to our left, that the view from the right is equally clear. Nor can we look and then stride out regardless of what we have seen. The process is not a piece of pointless protocol or an academic exercise. It's essential and it must be taken seriously.

As with roads, so with all paths needing careful navigation. We must always check carefully before making a move. When the time is really right, we'll feel really sure. Till then, better to hesitate than to make a mistake. To me that is simply enough for the wise. They say there's no substitute for experience. But there most certainly is. We use it all the time. It does the job terribly well. The world-class, world-famous substitute for experience is... imagination! Sometimes, it's far better than a substitute. It's a deeply preferable alternative. But, in fairness to the originator of that old saying, sometimes, yes, imagination IS no substitute. Sometimes our imagination could be our enemy not our friend. It could put us off an idea that we really ought to try. Not until we do a little practical exploration and THEN make up our mind.

There is beauty, even in ugliness. There is hope, even in sorrow. There is magic, even in mundanity. We've just got to look for it. It isn't easy to see. But potentially, that makes discovery more comforting and rewarding. We are always looking, at a series of things that we do not particularly want to see. It's not that they are all bad; it's more that they do not match our expectation. Can we alter our idea? Can we adapt? Can we find some way to see those clouds as 'silver lining delivery systems'? We can, if we are willing to try. If there is something we have the power to change now in our country, let’s change it. If there isn't, let’s change the way we are looking at it.

D.AKINSANYA JULIUSON
Cultural & Public Diplomacy Practitioner and Specialist Investigator (Great Britain)

Posted by Administrator at 06:59 AM | Comments (0)

November 22, 2005

The Key to Progress in Nigeria Lies in Sincerity, Not Cynicism

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson --- There's not enough kindness in this world. People are far too quick to criticise and complain. Where is their compassion, their tolerance and their patience? There's not enough kindness in our own country Nigeria, either. We can't do anything about anyone else's harsh attitude, but we can at least resolve not to reply in kind.

The key to progress in Nigeria now lies in sincerity, not cynicism, warmth not coldness, communication not isolation. To do our best, all we have to do is refrain from doing our worst. It is perfectly possible to hold an entire conversation without sharing a single piece of useful information. People do it all the time. They exchange platitudes and pleasantries, gossip and hearsay. They make amused observations about the passing show. They may argue or agree, but they rarely reveal their most important feelings and fears. Their deepest hopes and most powerful passions stay secret. And then, they wonder why nobody ever seems to really understand them. In our country, Nigeria….Let’s dig a little deeper today. All good things though must come to an end. But then so, too, must all bad ones. We know that, bad things can drag on for a heck of a long time before they finally leave our lives. Why then, should we assume that good things are likely to depart any faster? We Nigerian’s mustn’t worry about a problem that doesn't yet exist. As for the problem that does? Well, let’s not worry about that either. If we truly believe in God, then we should have nothing to fear. A natural process is playing itself out in our beloved Country. Let’s accept as much and we will surely see that there are good things about the bad things.

IN THE ABSENCE OF THE ENEMIES OF PROGRESS, NIGERIA WILL SURELY RISE AGAIN?

Even though they say, nothing is for ever. How true. In the beginning, there was nothing! Once the universe has crumbled into dust, there will be nothing! So, clearly, nothing is indeed for ever. That’s nicely reassuring, isn’t it? It puts it all into perspective. We spend our lives thinking about anything other than nothing. We are fascinated by “Somethings” – so much so that we hardly care what shape or form they take as long as they are not nothings. We need to be aware today in this country that “Nothing matters” – in the nicest possible sense of that phrase. It has only just begun. We have embarked on a process that has much further to take us. There can be no turning back so, we shouldn’t even stop to think about ways to reverse the tide. Let’s relax, trust the heaven wheels as they now turn relentlessly. They might be bumpy and the journey exhausting at times, even now, but, hey, that’s a small price to pay for the chance to wind up somewhere wonderful. Let’s review the situation in a little while.

I believe, we’ll surely feel better then. Although there are processes that we cannot control, factors we cannot alter, situations that, we cannot change. We can gnash our teeth and strive to achieve the impossible - or we can relax a little and resolve to be more trusting. There is much that we cannot influence, we do have power in one key area of the life of our nation and this we will soon discover is the only power we need. But is there really such a thing as justice? How on earth can we truly tell if something is fair or unfair? Might we be kidding ourselves? People are notoriously good at believing what they want to believe. Something in our nation seems wrong. Naturally, we yearn to put it right. But what if, in our efforts to rectify the matter, we inadvertently cause it to deteriorate? We must proceed with a little caution now. We must allow for the possibility that everything will work out perfectly well without too much intervention. Patience may be a virtue but impatience isn’t much of a vice. When we think of all the wild ways we can be wicked, we go through a long list before we get to it. We live in a world of opportunity. We have countless chances of possibilities. Why, then, do we often feel so restricted? Perhaps it is because we react badly to the sense of overload. Just as people who surf the web too much become “less open to new information” in response to being bombarded. So we all tend to feel a little intimidated by a world without frontiers. Nigeria, I believe in the absence of the enemies of progress, will surely rise again.

WHY ARE NIGERIANS, MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN OTHERS TRAGEDIES THAN THEIR TRIUMPHS?

I might not be a seasoned philosopher in the classic sense of that word but I certainly have incisive skills that would put many psychics to shame. I can always tell, from a brief moment of listening to a person's tone of voice, if they are happy or sad; lying or telling the whole truth; tense or relaxed. I can similarly instantly assess hidden nuances in the situations that I wander into or the organizations, I interact with. At the moment though, it’s about intuition and judgement. Why can't people be nicer to each other? Why must they always criticise, complain, bitch and bicker? Why can't they cooperate? Why must they always prove points and nurse grudges? Regardless of the reason, it's a game we no longer need to play, especially in Nigeria of today. We can't make anyone else be more fair or friendly, but we can put our own best foot forward and risk being considered naive or weak. If it breaks a deadlock and brings about progress, that's a small price to pay. Even if it seemingly brings no such tangible results, it will make us feel better about whom we are. I believe we will be amazed by what eventually comes from this important change, if we truly believe.

People love to watch other people making mistakes. They take much more interest in their tragedies than in their triumphs. Of course, when we see someone suffering, we feel sympathy. Just a little bit of us, though, experiences a wave of relieve. At least my life is not as bad as that we say. Would any of us in the name of the living God ever stoop so low as to keep some folk in a state of discomfort, just so that we could feel better than them? (I’m asking the true children of God in our midst). Well, it is to be hoped not. If we carry on doing what we are doing, there are sure to be consequences. But then we can’t just decide to do nothing. We must trust our instincts and give it a chance to guide us. We are of course right to feel wary of all the unknowns and uncertainties in our country’s current situation. Yet, simply because so much is unclear, it is impossible to make an informed choice about the best possible way to proceed. We either play our hunch or we let ourselves be talked by some parasites….into playing someone else’s. Welcome to Nigeria, the planet of knowledge and the main campus of the University of Life.

THAT WHICH DOES NOT DESTROY US MAKES US STRONGER

That which does not destroy us makes us stronger. Or so they say. They are, of course quite right. But they gloss over a rather important implication when they make this statement. It's not simply 'that which does not destroy us' but only 'that which looks horribly, convincingly as if it really is going to destroy us' which makes us stronger. Before we can face a fear and then transcend it, we first have to experience the fear. Before we cross a road, though, we need to look both ways. We can't just assume, because there's no traffic to our left, that the view from the right is equally clear. Nor can we look and then stride out regardless of what we have seen. The process is not a piece of pointless protocol or an academic exercise. It's essential and it must be taken seriously. As with roads, so with all paths needing careful navigation. We must always check carefully before making a move. When the time is really right, we'll feel really sure. Till then, better to hesitate than to make a mistake. To me that is simply enough for the wise. They say there's no substitute for experience. But there most certainly is. We use it all the time. It does the job terribly well. The world-class, world-famous substitute for experience is... imagination! Sometimes, it's far better than a substitute. It's a deeply preferable alternative. But, in fairness to the originator of that old saying, sometimes, yes, imagination IS no substitute. Sometimes our imagination could be our enemy not our friend. It could put us off an idea that we really ought to try. Not until we do a little practical exploration and THEN make up our mind. There is beauty, even in ugliness. There is hope, even in sorrow. There is magic, even in mundanity. We've just got to look for it. It isn't easy to see. But potentially, that makes discovery more comforting and rewarding. We are always looking, at a series of things that we do not particularly want to see. It's not that they are all bad; it's more that they do not match our expectation. Can we alter our idea? Can we adapt? Can we find some way to see those clouds as 'silver lining delivery systems'? We can, if we are willing to try. If there is something we have the power to change, let’s change it. If there isn't, let’s change the way we are looking at it. However, in life we must know our opponent and know when we are outgunned.

D.AKINSANYA JULIUSON
Cultural & Public Diplomacy Practitioner, Specialist Investigator and Honorary Representative

Posted by Administrator at 07:14 AM | Comments (0)

November 02, 2005

Why President Obasanjo Must Listen to the Voice of Wisdom

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson --- SOMEWHERE IN NIGERIA, THERE’S A FLOOR THAT NEED’S SCRUBBING. Some people live in fear of making a mistake. They feel they just couldn’t face the shame. Ironically, such people are mistaken. If we don’t get it wrong, we’ll never learn anything. We just become a kind of “one trick pony” ambling through life, repeating the same old safe, tried and tested tricks.

In our country, Nigeria, we have lately been living life on the edge. We have had to face our own weaknesses, whilst we have managed to conquer some of these, most impressively, we are painfully aware of others. We should fear not.. We’ll surely with God’s support beat these in the next battle. Certainty is a dangerous state. The worst “rogue nation” on the face of the globe….is determination! When we feel sure of ourselves beyond all doubt, we become terrifying and obnoxious. We become capable of doing things that are dreadfully wrong, whilst believing the whole time that we have some kind of divine right. It’s worth remembering that evil never thinks of itself as evil. It invariably acts out of what it feels quite sure are good motives. The very best thing we can do now in our beloved country is encourage some doubts and debates. Like I had said many times before, the hungry must be fed, the homeless housed, the sick treated and the weak protected. These, surely, are the duties of anyone who hold – or aspire to hold – any kind of power. But have we noticed how when you try to tidy a room, it is never possible to clear up every last inch of it. Sometimes, a little mess will remain. Even, if it’s discreetly hidden behind a door, a drawer, or a “speaker”. Perhaps, if we could just get rid of that one last lingering imperfection, we could banish all mess forever in our motherland, but that might be living in a sterile environment. Some people ought to stop listening to me and start working. Somewhere in our country, there’s a floor that needs scrubbing AND a dirty job that somebody has to do.

WHY IS THE CHANGE WE SEEK IN NIGERIA ATTAINABLE?

So here we are. The tomorrow that we have been waiting for so apprehensively has arrived. And guess what? There will be another tomorrow, tomorrow. Time is a neat invention. It takes us all a while to get used to it but sooner than later we wise up. Nothing lasts forever. Most things though, last longer than we expect them. The change we seek in our country is attainable. Each day, we’re getting closer to it. We need to adapt to the speed of the train that we’re travelling on. Let’s not worry. I believe it’s surely heading to the right destination. We are gaining new insights by the day. Some of these we strongly suspect, will eventually lead us down some very different roads. We are probably right…they will, But the road we are currently on in our country is still a good one. The time to take action has not yet arrived. We do not yet know the whole story. We really need to mull things over. While we do so, let’s make the most of what’s actually happening. If it’s going to change, it deserves to be appreciated while there’s still time. There are some significant factors to take into account and adjust to. There’s also an element of irony in our country’s situation which one day we might see the lighter side of. If we truly and honestly want to be constructive, we have to be firm but flexible, focused but free, furious but fair. Aren’t these contradictions? Of course! But then what we are dealing with now on the national level is one giant contradiction. Let’s accept it for what it is now and we will see how to stop it being a problem. Let’s have a little faith in our own understanding of what matters. We must trust that, even though we don’t know everything, we know enough on which to base a reasonably sound judgement. As long as we are now willing to double check our calculations before we implement our choices, we stand an excellent chance of getting our next move right. We can't really be scared of werewolves, vampires and zombies. If we were, we wouldn't be able to dress up as them. That begs an interesting question. What is it that we fear in our country? More relevantly, what is it that we fear now? It's certainly nothing obvious. We take in our stride challenges that might soon bring others to their knees. Yet we do have a weakness and we need, somehow, to identify, understand and overcome it. I believe the Lord has promised that this will soon prove easier to do than we imagine.

WHY IN NIGERIA, DO WE PREFER DELUSION TO CONFUSSION?

In this world of ours, we like our friends to have something in common with us. A shared interest makes it much easier to keep any relationship alive. We don’t want to be in complete agreement about everything all the time. We need at least a few differences of opinion, if only so we can have an interesting debate. As long as there's mutual respect, those differences can be pretty big. It's not 'opposing points of view' that make folk dislike each other. It's a 'refusal to see that the other point of view has merit." I mention all that now because there's a conflict emerging in our country. Let’s not feed it – and let’s not run away from it either. Let’s look for a way to 'agree to differ' this really IS possible. Two wrongs may not make a right, but they don't necessarily make matters any worse than when there was just one wrong! Two rights, under some circumstances, could make some things seem very wrong. And what if we are wrong to think something is right? Then life gets very confusing. By and large, we are all wrong to spend too much time worrying about whether anything is right or wrong. If something is really wrong now, it will gradually become clear to us - and we will naturally see how to put it right. But when we are vehemently opposed to, another person's point of view, our position may not be comfortable but it is at least, easy to understand. The worst communication difficulties arise when two people are in agreement about many matters but differ dramatically about some essential point. Confusion is never comfortable. That's why most people, whenever they feel bewildered, are keen to regain a feeling of clarity. They jump to the first conclusion that seems half-convincing - and then breathe a sigh of relief because they are no longer in doubt. Really, though, they have merely swapped confusion for delusion! This feels better in the short term but creates far more trouble in the long run. Certainty is soothing. Doubt is disturbing. That's why most of us prefer delusion to confusion. We would rather cling to an opinion, no matter how ill-founded, than cast ourselves adrift on the ocean of bewilderment. If, we can now find the courage to concede that there is something we don't know, we can begin to make a priceless discovery. We won't find out the truth until we stop believing in a convenient assumption. The reality may not be quite so handy in the short-term, but, in the long run, it is of far more use to us in the country that belongs to our generation.

WHY DO WE NEED TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND FAIR……..

We live in a world full of rules. We have to accept, not only the laws of the land, but the laws of science. We soon learn that, if we defy these laws, one way or another we will pay a price. Thus, we embrace them - enthusiastically. Enthusiasm though, gives rise to appetite. We end up hungering for yet more laws - so we create them; laws of fashion, laws of style, laws of language, laws of polite behaviour, laws of self-restraint. There are some laws we must not break now. A rebellion in one area, though, is long overdue. We think, because we can't leap tall buildings in a single bound, that there's no point in jumping. We imagine, because we know that we can't go faster than a speeding express train, that we will never get anywhere.. We yearn for superhuman powers and then feel decidedly frustrated by their annoying absence. Right now, we really don't need a cape or a one-piece Lycra suit. We just need a little more faith in the abilities that we do already have. Our opportunity is perfectly feasible and well-worth pursuing. But how much of the future can we really see? Less than we wish we could, but more than we think we can! Some things will always be hidden. Others definitely can be correctly identified. From time to time, the heavens find it necessary to boost our powers of prediction. It requires us to have an inkling of what's possible, to ensure that we make appropriate choices….

………..AND WHY NIGERIANS WON’T BE SORRY

In Nigeria our country we are getting a glimpse of the shape of things to come. If we like the look of this, let’s trust it and work to make it a reality. If we don't, let’s take heed - and take action.. After a while, we get used to wading through treacle. We don't expect our steps to be anything but sticky. We wear treacle-proof boots. We develop treacle-treading techniques. Then, to our surprise, we walk out one morning to find the streets have been cleaned. The treacle has all been washed away.. We miss it. We even feel suspicious. Could it be a trick to lull us into a false sense of security? Right now, something awkward is leaving our motherland. Something good is coming to take its place. We mustn’t fear this change – we must embrace it. As we edge nearer to a goblin guardian with a sharp sword, we are growing deeply uncomfortable. Surely, there must be another way out of the tunnel? If this way, so fraught with danger, is the only way to proceed, perhaps it is best not to proceed at all - but then we don't want to remain in the catacombs forever. As we contemplate the daunting obstacle, let’s listen carefully. What's that noise? It sounds a lot like snoring. Guess what? Nigeria’s enemies are asleep! It's only an analogy but it is, Trust me, a good one. The Lord our God is on our side now. The period of uncertainty that we have lately been going through is now coming to an end. We won't suddenly find that we have all the answers but we will at least start to feel sure that we are asking the right questions. We won't suddenly resolve all our disagreements with others - but we'll feel much more comfortable about the need and reason for the conflict. We won't get everything we want - but I strongly believe we will at least become happy that we know how to get it over time. Progress is about to become possible in the world most beloved nation…well! It’s Nigeria. Two words spring to mind. The first is 'cards'. The second is 'table'. Let’s put the first upon the second. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Others may not choose to be so candid. Our efforts to set an example may - or may not - have a constructive impact. It's possible they may make some people extra keen to conceal something. It doesn't matter. Let’s do what we know is right and fair... and Nigerians won't be sorry.

WHY DO WE NEED DIFFICULTY IN JUST THE SAME WAY AS WE NEED FOOD?

This world is full of people who are struggling to get what they want. Some are failing while others are succeeding. So who, among these, should we congratulate and to whom should we offer sympathy? That's not a question that can be answered without knowing more about what is being sought and why. It's perfectly possible to get what we think we want and be miserable.. It's possible too, to never get it but deeply enjoy the process of trying.. Let’s forget about whether we are winning or losing now. Let’s just aim to be wise. What goes up though, must surely come down. Unless, that is, it happens to be a rocket, capable of defying the earth's gravity. Such vessels only have to come back if their pilots want them to. They can float in space forever if they are not deliberately drawn down again. Some people believe that when we come to the end of our time on this earth, we will all be judged. If that's really so, how will we know that we have arrived in a different place? Surely, it is here in this world that the judging takes place. We mortals never seem to stop weighing each other up, jumping to conclusions and apportioning degrees of innocence and blame. If the gods aren't a little more impartial and forgiving, do they really deserve their place in the pantheon? Let’s not be too harsh on ourselves or others now. Without problems to solve, we may as well be potatoes - or cabbages! We will have no stimulation, no motivation, no challenges to rise to and no choices to make. We need difficulty in just the same way as we need food. We mustn't have too much - but we mustn't have too little, either. We may prefer our troubles to have a particular texture or flavour, but it is surprising what we can digest when we really have to. There is a way now to gain enjoyment in our country and even nourishment from a situation that I believe we all dislike. Let’s imagine it is 2007. We are looking back together over the last couple of years and assessing the experiences we have been through. Are we going to decide that we have made a series of clever moves or will we be looking back at a trail of missed opportunities? That entirely depends on how keen we have been to get to the future! The key to success in our country right now, does not involve hurrying time along and trying to speed up the arrival of tomorrow. It involves developing a deeper appreciation of what's happening today.

WHY WE MUST NEVER LET ANYTHING COMPROMISE OUR INTEGRITY?

When we feel hungry, it doesn't matter how good life has been lately or how much we have to look forward to. All we know is that our stomach is growling and we have to do something about this! Likewise, when we're tired or feel under the weather. Some needs are so overwhelming that, till they have been met, they 'cancel out' everything else. Emotional states can have the same effect. We get so 'into' a desire, a fear, a resentment or a worry that the rest of our life begins to seem irrelevant. Let’s watch for that now. Some factors are bugging us in this country, big time. But it's really not as important as we think. Let’s not let it spoil our enjoyment of all that's so good in our country, in other ways. Opportunities are only useful to us if we are able to recognize them. We can be surrounded by all the things we need most but if they're hidden behind walls or if we're looking to the left when they happen to be on the right... we'll just feel as if nothing is on offer to us. Pessimists forget that opportunity is playful and likes to play hide and seek. Optimists, though, just join in the game.... and join in. If they can't see an opening or a possibility, they start hunting. They inwardly 'know' it must be somewhere nearby, waiting to be dug out. Let’s be optimistic now in Nigeria. If we set out looking for a better way to move on... we WILL find one! There is not much point in putting on a play if there is no one in the audience to watch it. Why bother staging a drama if it's not going to create a reaction? Somewhere in our country, a fire is burning. We can add more fuel or we can leave it to burn itself out. I believe we can regain control and restore order. To do this, we must be firm (though, not heavy-handed) and confident (but not arrogant). Above all else we must be honest with ourselves. What do we really want? We will only make progress if our actions match our words. The trouble with small deceptions is that they have a tendency to turn into large deceptions. Whether they involve white lies or dark secrets, they work well enough until someone notices a gap between fact and fiction. Then, either the truth has to come out or an additional layer of misinformation has to be created. Life sometimes brings tricky decisions. It also sometimes brings up tough choices for friends or associates. It's all very well saying, 'err in favour of honesty' but sometimes, a policy of honesty can appear to be a highly erroneous path to follow. Discretion may well make life easier than candour. But integrity is a MUST. In life, we must never let anything compromise our integrity.

D. AKINSANYA JULIUSON HonDBA, IOM
Cultural & Public Diplomacy Practitioner, Specialist Investigator and Honorary Representative

Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished so far but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.

Posted by Administrator at 03:56 PM | Comments (0)

October 06, 2005

Why Nigerian Leaders Need to Learn from the Best

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson --- WHY ARE MANY NIGERIAN OFFICIALS LIGHT YEARS AWAY FROM THE TOP LEVEL LEADERS? People like working for those who are secure in themselves and have nothing to prove – the kind of people who get results through others and give them the credit for it. But please forgive me for being honest by saying such leaders are in the minority. More than half of Nigeria’s government officials, be it governors or ministers fail to demonstrate trust, show respect for their teams or even produce results.

It’s sad that we have or are blessed with a president that’s God sent. A president that makes you feel proud of being Nigerian, but unfortunately some people as usual don’t see this as I do. I’m not criticizing, all I’m doing is telling it as it is. Officials are light years away from the top level leaders. I believe leaders build enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. And as for what you do with a surfeit of ego once you’ve reached the top, the answer is simple, great leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great government, state, nation and or continent. We have many examples of tried and tested leaders of our time. Overt display of personal success do little to motivate the people who are key to the long term health of any government, institution or organisation. Power and money are of course important, but only insofar as they apply to the state as a whole not the individuals running the affairs of it.

WHAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP DO PEOPLE RESPOND TO?

Wearing one’s prestige on ones sleeve is deemed slightly vulgar. Officials need ambition, confidence, energy and drive to fuel their progression to the top. But once they’ve got there, what do they do with their attributes? They can’t burn them off, like rocket fuel, so where do they channel them? And just how big can an ego get before it derails its owner and the institution, organisation, state or department as a whole? What seems abundantly clear is that the characteristics that help someone get to the top don’t necessarily equip them for a team or leadership role. For example, ambition is normally a good thing, but many apparently ambitious people are not so much ambitious as competitive, and competitiveness can drive someone to win at any cost. For example, many foreign ambassadors outside Nigeria, believe that naturally, Lagos should be the commercial capital of Africa. The City of London for example is the financial capital of the world and the square mile (City of London) contributes billions of pounds every year. That has got nothing to do with the Prime Minister or The Queen. Now, Is it the responsibility of this or any other president to make Lagos what the international community think it should be? More local governments, or more foreign and local investors? Does it mean Commercial Diplomacy has a role to play here? Even if it does, does the captain of the ship realise this or does it really matter to him?

WHY DO THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO TAP THE INHERENT WORTH OF TASK?

We are blessed with a president who believes in possibilities. A president that believes in the potential of Nigerians to out-perform themselves consistently. Like I had said several times before, people don’t want to be managed, they want to be led, they want to be inspired to higher levels of excellence and they surely need a leader who is prepared to develop their potential. People respond to a leader that believes that, it is his job to help individuals especially people like you and I develop this believe within ourselves. A leader that can motivate …..Even though our President do believe that an inspired and motivated workforce is essential for any government or business that wants to outperform the competition. It is of paramount importance that our ambassadors and ministers learn how to be positive agents of change. They need to learn how to share their strategy and vision. They need to learn how to tap the inherent worth of task. They need to understand that when a team member operates in a climate that encourages winning, he or she tends to become a high performer himself or herself. They must learn to be inspirational leaders that breaths life, confidence and “can-do” into the government and unlock discretionary effort. Ambassadors work for a nation, the people and a leader. They do their best for a leader. Nigerian ambassadors must appreciate the fact that, earning this extra effort is their leadership challenge. Leadership is not about the theory of leadership. While government have to get smarter at spotting “power-paths”, individuals themselves need greater self awareness in order to manage their darker impulses, and ensure that what started off as an asset doesn’t become a liability. Sometimes pride, ego and sturborness doesn’t manifest itself until you get to the top, reinforced either by success, insecurity or….well, the rest is for you and I to find out.

WHY GOVERNMENT MUST SET OUT SOME SPECIFIC GOALS THAT ARE REACHABLE?

When people talk about “reality” they usually precede the word with adjective “harsh”. We tend to assume that a reality is something awkward which must be faced with a frown or swallowed through gritted teeth. Some realities are a little like this, but others are wonderful. In Nigeria, we are hiding now from a reality which is far better and brighter than the fantasy we’ve been clinging to. A cavalcade of chaos now seems to be descending on us. Everything is topsy turvy; upside down, back to front or inside out. The cart is trying to pull the horse. The tail is trying to wag the dog. Some fundamental factor in our country needs to be repositioned or given a different order of priority. As soon as we see what’s wrong and start putting it right, the perplexing chain of inexplicable events will cease and satisfactory way forward will be found. Obstacles to progress are being removed. Difficulties are being dissolved. Everything is in a state of flux and many of the people around us are feeling restless. A process of preparation is taking place right now. Soon it will be followed by a significant change in the life of our nation. We might feel apprehensive, but we have no need to worry or feel afraid. If we truly want to see a permanent improvement in our country, we must honour our greatest need. We must refuse to compromise it. I’m talking here to people who are now being an incorrigible martyrs, poor Nigerians. We are spending far too much time putting other people (and their needs) first and then wondering why we feel so lost or ripped off. If we have friends who are good and true, trust me we have wealth beyond measure. Conversely, we can be rich beyond our wildest dreams. Yet, if our psychological relationships are empty and superficial, we will yet be poverty-striken. We must know one thing in life and that is, money can never have power over a true friendship. But a true friendship can have power over money. In this country of ours today, I believe that, together with love and trust we can triumph over the most adverse economic situation. However, there’s an old saying; Blessed are they who have no expectations, for they shall not be disappointed. This must remind us of all the trouble we can get into when our hopes grow out of sync with reality. Some people, though, turn this advice into a philosophy. They become so nervous about feeling let down that they never look forward to any other thing. We shouldn’t give up on our great desire, but we must at the same time not imagine it will be fulfilled in exactly the way we want it to be. Sometimes, when we reach out to help others, we do it more for our own benefit than theirs. Sometimes, too, when we keep ourselves to ourselves and act in a seemingly selfish way, we’re actually doing the best thing for someone else. If appearance can be deceptive, motives can be doubly so. That said, right now, the grass root level people need our help. You and I are in the position to offer it. If we do, it will turn out well for not them but you and I. No matter what, I am so very sure of one thing and that is a better tomorrow. Nigeria will God willing rise again and become a nation no longer deserted, quote me.

WHY WE MUSTN’T FEEL SO FRUSTRATED IN NIGERIA?

We can get whatever we want. It doesn’t necessarily follow though, that we will want what we get. Our world is full of people running round the clock to reach goals and meet targets. Even those of us with more sensible aspirations, get swept away by the tide. We forget that life is for living, and begin to assume that we have come to this world for one purpose only. To shop (That really depends on what). On the other hand though is a strong suggestion that we will do far better if we reach for what we really want, not what we think we ought to go after. Life is not really easy we all know that, but we must also realize that, that’s why it lasts so long. We can rarely travel in a simple straight line because we have such a convoluted course to follow. We have to wrestle with the difference between dreams and realities, intentions and actualities. With the desire to preserve and the desire to destroy. We have to choose between sanity and madness. But first, we have to decide which is which. Not just on the battleground of our inner-selves but through our interaction with every other person we encounter on this planet. It all takes time. But progress still takes place. We shouldn’t feel frustrated in this country. We should feel proud of what we are slowly but surely achieving with the help of God Almighty and the worthy President of this country. Sometimes, life is like riding a bike on which the chain has slipped. You pedal as hard as you can but the possibilities just won’t come to anything. We don’t even bother trying to put that chain back in place. We just put the bike away and walk. That’s just the way it is. We all have times like this. We get over them. We move on. If we wallow in our disappointment and then assume that every effort we make from now on is similarly destined to finish in failure, we can become permanently embittered. This chance that we have now in this country is real. Let’s trust it and seize it in the name of our country and our generation.

WHY NO RELATIONSHIP WILL SURVIVE IF THE PARTNERS CAN’T COMMUNICATE?

For example, our President finds himself wrestling with difficult decisions and feeling as if he’s being put through some kind of trial. He’s keenly aware of certain other people and their propensity to pronounce judgement. He feels the need, either to justify himself or to prove very dramatically, that he’s doing the right thing. The scenery might change, the situation may differ, but the basic storyline is usually much the same. There he is feeling exposed, challenged and more than a little vulnerable. Ah, but there is the big question; Does the president win or does he lose? He wins, of course......But forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…’so goes the old prayer. Yet it’s debatable how many of us really are so generous towards others. We don’t need to swing to the other extreme and be constantly beating ourselves up about some mistake we have made. But we all ought to remember that none of is perfect. Let’s not waste our present regretting the past or resenting the present. In life we must understand the fact that, no agreement will last if the signatories don’t respect one another. No relationship will survive if the partners can’t communicate. Anyone can get along with anyone else in this world, as long as they are willing to keep talking about their points in common – and tread delicately around the areas where they differ. We all feel a little better when it seems as if we are in control. We all feel uncomfortable when something or someone seems to be in control of us. Control is a funny thing. Sometimes we do have it, but it’d probably be better if we didn’t. Especially when we are not sure that our plan is the best. If we are sure, there’s nothing wrong in pursuing it and we will surely succeed. If there’s doubt, what harm can it do to let things unfold at their own pace and in their own way? Somewhere in our country, a boundary may have been crossed. A rule may have been transgressed. A sense of mistrust may have developed. As far as I am concerned, the solution is, either we patch it properly now, or its fabric will unravel before our eyes.

WHY ATIKU NEED TO LEARN FROM THE BEST?
People are not always very nice to each other. They make harsh judgements and sharp criticisms. They say one thing in public and another in private. They play tricks and set each other traps. They…well, I needn’t go on. The wise men in our country know what I’m talking about. But do we also know, how wonderful some people can be? And how kind, how unselfish, how giving and, how loving? Once upon a time, we couldn’t walk. We couldn’t read. We couldn’t write. We couldn’t add up, talk and or even tie our shoelaces. Very early in our lives we overcame a series of enormous challenges. We human beings have truly Impressive achievements under our belts.. Now er…what precisely is it that we feel we couldn’t do or couldn’t possibly learn to do? One thing that puzzles me is why Nigerians are not always nice to each other. Even the ones who seem polite and friendly can turn out to be secretly nurturing grudges or harboring resentments. The folk who will not criticize you to your face, but will happily do so behind your back are possibly the worst. There are though, a few genuinely nice, kind, honest and nonjudgemental people in this world. The Vice President of Nigeria is lucky enough to know some, he needs to seek their company and he needs to remember that his friends are not necessarily the people who agree with him most. Always remember “Don’t be afraid of the opponents or enemies that attack you, but be extremely careful of friends who flatter you”…. With cheap praise.

D.AKINSANYA JULIUSON IOM, HonDBA

Public Diplomacy Practitioner, Specialist Investigator and Honorary Representative

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August 26, 2005

Nigerian Democracy Must be Made to be Admired

by D. Akinsanya Juliuson (United Kingdom) --- With years of experience in British politics, public diplomacy and heritage, I still do not see myself as a politician rather a Political Philosopher, but If I didn’t believe in the power of democratic politics to change things for the better, I would have said working against democratic movement in Nigeria is the best. I do understand that many people feel voting in any election in Nigeria nowadays is not important and that politics is not relevant to their lives. Even though I do not believe that low voter turnout in any election means that Nigerian people are apathetic.

I meet so many people who hold strong and well-informed views on national and international issues almost all the time and I know that I’m right that Nigerians are not indifferent in politics. I am a man who is very much in tune with the thinking of modern day political philosophy and public diplomacy. A Nigerian who wants diplomacy handled in the traditional channels or not at all. I have an insatiable curiosity and I’m fearless in defending what I consider to be right irrespective of the position of the person I’m dealing with. Democracy to me cannot thrive or even survive without participation by you and I the electorate. Many people, including those who should be honoured by the federal government and the people of Nigeria have made huge sacrifices and laid down their lives to preserve democracy in Nigeria. When we exercise our right to choose our worthy government, we must know that, it is then that we affirm that their struggle was worthwhile

How do we Achieve the Impossible?

Naturally, we are all political animals in Nigeria. Politics may be fine for the politicians, but it’s got a pretty poor reputation amongst real business people. Politikers are perceived as power hungry dissimulators who act only to further their personal career. Politicians are the complete antithesis of business people. For those who get involved in government policy-making in the name of business, there are plenty of personal rewards. There’s surely no escaping it. But, how do we achieve the impossible? Life one way or another sometimes asks us to attempt some tasks we don’t feel we have the resources to complete or to come up with idea which might be eluding us. It all seems rather unfair. Yet we are or might just be one inspired idea away from a breakthrough that could get us off to a wonderful start. To get that idea, all we need to do is to stop worrying so intently while life is progressing, we should be less dramatic and less reactive. What I’m doing is not educating, it’s called mindshift-grassroot technique, mind over matter.

I really don’t mind using a cliché as long as the cliché works. We Nigerians are not quite sure what we are doing now. That’s actually a very reassuring indication that we might be doing exactly the right thing. But do we really want to know what the future holds? What if we are not ready for a particular piece of information? What if knowing it now would only upset us unnecessarily because we’d sound negative, even though it was positive? What if there was nothing we could do to change this? Or what if there was, but on a balance we were later going to feel that things were much better left as they were? I could say more about why what’s happening in our country now is so very right, but there’s no point. Really, though we need not worry. We do not know where we were before we came here. We don’t know where we will be going, who’s going to be around once we leave where we are right now. Some people say that if we contemplate these facts, we will grow wise perhaps, if we do, we’ll go bananas I mean crazy. Both to me are justifiable, but only one is right. In Nigeria of today, other people’s mistakes are always easy to spot. We can stand back and look at their lives and with the lofty luxury of detachment, pronounce judgement whilst dispensing good advice. But trust me, It’d all seem very different, if we were standing in their shoes or if they were in ours. What’s needed in our country now, quote me, is a dialogue not monologue.

We all Love our Leaders, Don't we? - Until we get Bored of them.

Our beloved Nigeria is full of people who know how to say exactly the right things. Sadly, many of them say it whilst actually doing the opposite. They get away with it too. That’s because we give our ears more credence than our eyes. Instead of looking at what’s really happening, we listen to the explanation.. As long as it matches what we want to believe, we accept it even if we know deep down, that it cannot be true. The law of the universe states that, people standing trial should be treated as innocent until proven guilty. It’s a shame we don’t have similar legislation to cover suggestions and propositions. We ought to treat these as easy until proven difficult. Far too often, smart solutions are dismissed without a proper hearing simply because they look as though they are going to cause too much trouble. The greatest asset we can have in life is an open mind, but how many of us in the most sort after nation on earth called Nigeria see this as I do? Life to me seems, often requires us to do a lot of what we really don’t want to be doing. We get so used to feeling frustrated that we imagine we will never get the balance to indulge in our favourite activity. Then, when an opportunity comes along, we are so wrapped up in the mechanics of survival that we fail to respond to the offer that is being made to us. But let’s ask ourselves a very simple question, why do we never run out of things to worry about in Nigeria? I have asked myself this same question more than enough times. For precisely the same reason that we never run out of things to be grateful for. We live in an abundant universe. One way or another, it always has more in store for us.

How then can we make sure that we get more of what we want, and less of what we do not in the name of God want? The truth of the matter is we just cannot. In this world of ours, it’s easy to make a grand announcement or an extravagant gesture. It is not though easy to make a constant, steady, subtle, effort to do the right thing. If we really want the result that we claim to be so desirous of in our country, we will avoid impressive, but ultimately empty, demonstrations. In life success requires wisdom and dedication. Neither of these two essential ingredients can be forged or falsified. Sometimes in life, it’s wise to make a move than make a promise. In Nigeria, our most beloved country some people are often described as wise and sensible. These words are invariably used in tandem, as if they were somehow, synonymous. To me it is often wise to be sensible and usually sensible to be wise, it can sometimes be very wise to be wild. In Nigeria our motherland, it is infinitely more important for us to be wise than sensible. There’s a risk that needs to be taken. But if we really think about what we know sometimes, we can see that it isn’t a risk at all. The future of our country right now as I’d said many times before needs taking charge of. We all love our leaders, don’t we? Of course we do. Until we get bored of them.. Leaders, who pass the test of time must have true integrity. Power as we might all know, is like fame in this respect. Plenty of Nigerians rise briefly to positions of authority.

But if we will be honest, the only ones who remain successful are those who care more about getting it right than they do about flaunting their status. All I’m saying right now is that we should all consider the long term today. The future of our country belongs to us all but what about laying the foundation today? The right things will happen in the right way as long as we accept that the right timing is not necessarily the timing of our choosing. One problem that we have is that, it’s always hard to negotiate when we badly want something. I’m not seriously trying to suggest that we should try to be dispassionate about the situation we sometimes are caught up in. That to me is unrealistic. It’s also not sensible to be far too deeply and emotionally involved in some things. But we can at least stand back a little further from it. We are better citizens than the doomsters think, but people are increasingly cynical about political dingoes and the way democracy works in our motherland. Grass-root level people feel excluded from decision-making processes because of some unscrupulous leaders. They feel they are rarely consulted or listened to, even in connection with issues that directly affect them. Empty promises that are not followed through can remove the motivational benefits of open communication. I have seen many examples of unhappy, distracted Nigerians who know something is going on and fear bad news. If there’s a regular forum for information sharing, citizens know they will be able to hear news and give feed back. But the government must be honest.

Appreciating our Leaders and Letting go of their Past Mistakes:

We don’t want to do it like this, we want to do it like that. There’s always someone ready to make such a comment. We must learn to stop listening to such remarks, especially if they involve criticism of past events. We can all drive ourselves crazy if we start asking questions such as ‘Why did you go and do that when you could have done this? One of my reasons for this comment is that, there’s a limit to the number of places a President can be in at once. In Nigeria, we know how to make our leaders feel torn. Lots of people want different things from the President. Lots of demands and lots of inviting options are arising. But which to choose? What should the president prioritise? My advice to our president and any future President is simple; don’t go for the obvious. Look at what’s likely to be of greatest value and importance in the long term. And then make your selection. Of course it may briefly cause a few eyebrows to be raised, but as a President with a dream of a better Nigeria, you have to follow your heart.

Tolerance though they say is a wonderful thing. So, too is compassion. Other great virtues include the ability to forgive others and the ability to shed a little hope and happiness in situations where much seems wrong. Our President can’t of course become magically perfect in every way. He can and should though, do a pretty good temporary impression of a person who is blessed with copious quantities of patience and goodwill. I believe, not only will this have an amazing impact on other Nigerians, he surely will enjoy it too. As the President of the most sort after nation in the world, he’s got promises to honour, projects to complete, decisions to make and urgent challenges to rise to. President Obasanjo should throw himself wholeheartedly into these as always. But dwell not on how fed up he feels with slanderers, blackmailers and evil mobs that attacks in their pride. I believe the struggle he’s been engaged in is nearly over. A part of him might not want to go ahead with some key commitments. He need’s to quell that doubt, seize his moment and make history as a President of Grand Eminence..

Now, Let's Travel Down the Track of Transformation.

We need to understand that prosperity should not be for a few but for all and Nigeria should be more ideologically united. Our government must learn not to be electoral device and should seek more personal prosperity. We need a stronger and better education, public service and socially compassionate party. Nigerians need a party that can enhance prosperity and a party of economic stability. There’s need for a commission for the Prevention of Child prostitution and women trafficking. A commission that must not be headed by a trafficker or rogue from hell, whose major business or source of income is through human rights abuse. We must also help this and future presidents in achieving the impossible. We have a country that has produced the most conniving political scum of the last order. Those who believe Nigeria is not worth dying for yet the same country has produced some citizens of incredible intellect. It’s not the law abiding citizens of this country that should be afraid but some evil lowlife parasites who do not believe in seeking dignity, truth and national/human unity. It’s the political prostitutes and blackmailers. This President has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Nigeria is the country of the present and of the future. We therefore need a new vision for Nigeria and a new covenant for our beloved country’s image.. There’s need for us to work towards restoring our country’s economic leadership. We need to change our strategy by putting Nigeria first and expanding the dream of a better, reliable, united and stable nation. We must be prepared to deal with the causes of crime in our country and not just the crime. Our government must set out some specific goals that are reachable. Government of the day… not just the President must make sure that grassroots people get help. Let’s forget about President Obasanjo’s few failures which, the mobs have picked up on, and appreciate that his success rate is excellent and that to me compares with the best.

D.AKINSANYA JULIUSON KGCMR, HonDBA, IOM
Political Strategist, Professional Investigator, Honorary Representative
Hon V/Chairman, Congress of Diplomats and Parliamentarians
Fellow of the Atlantic Council of the United Kingdom

Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished so far but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.

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